Warlock Apprentice

Because of the Alien Eye, Jon was brought to this world and was forced to leave his family behind.

During Angor’s childhood, he would occasionally see his teacher waking up crying after having bad dreams. By buying the Dream Weaver, he also wanted to ease Jon’s mental stress even if just a little.

The trader meeting was still going, and people were slowly warming up to each other.

Angor also noticed that each time a newcomer spoke, the others would grow more interested because it was relatively easy to “scam” information out of them. People hoped that they could find another idiot who would reveal the secret of an energy stabilizer.

Currently, one such “newcomer” was speaking his offer.

Viking from Valley of Breeze.

Many magazines had placed his bizarre story in their main sections, so even if he tried to conceal his identity, this man without legs would be easy to recognize. Anyone who ever heard about the garden challenge would know his name.

“I didn’t come here to tell knowledge. I heard that one of you is a Karabit,” Viking said while looking around the meeting hall.

A single, blood-red eye emerged from the “black hole”, while a distant voice directly traveled inside the woman’s brain:

“Leave him… he’s already been marked.”

In order to maintain its mighty image, the black hole did not tell its servant that the mark on Angor’s soul was beyond terrifying.

…

Angor headed to Fingernail next.

From a distance, he saw the shop still brightly lit, and the same sandalwood puppet was diligently doing its guard job by standing there like a dead tree.

Without getting registered by the shop, Angor thought he needed to answer some questions again, which did not happen—the puppet guard moved aside and welcomed him inside.

Puzzled, Angor entered through the door and noticed that there was only Granny Fingernail alone in the shop—probably because most alchemists were attending the meeting.

“Good evening, ma’am. Did you remove the entry quiz?”

“No, of course,” the old woman answered as she looked up.

“Then—”

“I told the puppet to remember you,” Granny Fingernail said. When she saw Angor still confused, she chuckled. “Just to make it convenient for you. Besides, you seem like a lovely shopper, boy.”

Angor’s lips twitched, but he didn’t say anything.

“Do you need more materials?”

Angor shook his head. “I told someone to meet up with me here. May I?”

“Oh ho… it means you found something good at the meeting? Sure, as long as whoever that accepted your invitation passes the quiz.”

While waiting, Angor sat at a sofa and readied his paper and quill. He was working on a magic formula for Disintegrate, about which he almost completed.

By the time he had completely figured out the correct cantrip model, the door of the shop was pushed open.