Chapter 159 - Saved
Sailum spent 15 minutes analyzing the cantrip model, then half an hour to build the model. When he finally managed to cast Create Water out, an hour already passed.
“It always takes you an hour to learn a new cantrip?” Angor asked.
Sailum shook his head in embarrassment. “Your model is simpler. I did this one faster than the others.”
“… So how long did you spend when studying Cleanse until you can actually cast it?”
“Half a day maybe? But I still can’t use it to help me clean stuff in real life.”
Angor did not speak further. Looked like Singularity Dispersive Meditation was not all about faster training. It also helped him learn spells way quicker.
Create Water was a failure. The final result of the spell was getting them a small amount of water, which barely took half of a glass. They made some containers with clean tree leaves and shared the water. It was far from enough to quench their thirst but it was still better than nothing.
Angor opened his eyes quickly and saw the figure of a woman made of floating mist looking at him in midair.
“I’m not suiciding,” said Angor. He recognized the figure and felt hope. “Lady Mirror, help me…”
The woman was one of the three ancestor souls in Brute Cavern, the spirit living in the mirror world, Lady Mirror. Angor met her once when coming into the mirror world.
“Help you?” Lady Mirror inspected Angor’s face and mumbled, “Alright… since you look pretty fine to me.” Lady Mirror reached out a hand, and a lump of white mist surrounded Angor’s body, stopping him from falling.
“But it’s not for free,” said Lady Mirror. She appeared beside Angor and said, “You’re going to pay me something that equals to the favor.”
Angor was still terrified at his near-death experience. The only thing he knew right now was endless gratitude toward Lady Mirror, so he answered without hesitation, “No problem. Anything, Lady Mirror, and I’ll do my best!”
Lady Mirror carried Angor upward using her mist.
“I don’t know what I need yet. Let’s… note it down for now, and I’ll come up with something later,” Lady Mirror spoke in a carefree manner. She only saved Angor for his above average looks and was not really expecting a newbie apprentice to pay her back.
“I’m going to repair a plane wound caused by the appearance of the world’s consciousness. Where are you heading to? I’ll send you there,” said Lady Mirror. She looked at the dark clouds in the sky in frustration. Her beauty sleep was interrupted when an avatar of the world’s consciousness suddenly descended and created a giant hole in the mirror world. She had to bear her rage for getting dragged up from her bed and go repair that hole, so the mirror world would not crumble on itself.
Angor considered. He wanted to join his friends at Falling Cloud Stop, but with such disastrous weather going on, he would just get blown off again.
He finally decided. “Can you send me to Professor Sunders?”
Lady Mirror was surprised by it. “Professor Sunders? You’re his new student?”
“Yes. Mister Sunders is my current mentor.”
Lady Mirror remained silent for a long time, without speaking or moving. Angor thought she had some grudge again Sunders and regretted his decision. He should have asked Lady Mirror to send him to the ground instead.
A moment later, Lady Mirror finally spoke in a somewhat small voice, “So Sunders is your professor. Just about right. I know what I should ask now…”
…
In the center of Phantom Island.
The wind was still raging. Angor stood behind Sunders, so he did not feel anything this time.
Toby also returned to him. The bird stood tall on his shoulder.
“Professor…” Angor spoke.
Sunders looked sideways at Angor through his gold-rimmed monocle. Angor was not sure of Sunders’ emotion with the glass covering his eye.
“Lady—Lady Mirror said that…” Angor thought about Lady Mirror’s request and felt really weird.
“Just disregard anything she said.” Seeing Angor’s hesitance, Sunders thought about Lady Mirror’s temperament and quickly realized what she wanted.
“But Lady Mirror saved my life.”
“Because you’re too weak. You can talk later. The Sorcerer’s Garden is about to complete. Watch closely.”