"Creak…"
Merlin opened the door ajar, and indeed, Wizard Laurinka was standing on the other side.
Wizard Laurinka seemed to have made an effort in dressing up today. There was light makeup on her face, and a low-cut shirt made from a thin material hung over her chest. Her pale, rounded peaks were vaguely visible even at one quick glance. On her lower body was a white skirt that revealed her pale calves. Laurinka's style today lit up Merlin's eyes.
"Wizard Merlin."
A faint smile appeared on her face as she entered the room. Wizard Laurinka casually glanced around the room, before finally focusing her gaze on Merlin, but her expression was difficult to fathom.
Merlin frowned, and then whispered as something came to his mind, "Wizard Laurinka, I borrowed five contribution points from you previously and haven't had a chance to return them. Let's agree on a time so I can return the contribution points to you."
Looking at Laurinka now, Merlin abruptly remembered that he had borrowed five contribution points from her before he went on the mission to Donglin City.
Laurinka shook her head gently. "Five contribution points are nothing at all. There's no rush."
"Right, how was the construction of your First-level Furious Flame?"
Merlin knew that Laurinka had been trying to construct a First-level spell since returning to the Dark Magic Region, but he did not know about its progress.
Laurinka's expression changed slightly. She shook her head as she heaved a sigh. "The construction was a failure."
"It failed?"
Merlin was shocked. Generally, Spell Casters who failed would suffer from injuries. In serious cases, even the Spell Models which had been simulated previously in Awareness would be affected.
However, looking at Laurinka now, it seemed that no serious harm had been done, so this was already a blessing in disguise.
Laurinka continued, "In fact, it was what I've already expected. I'm not willing to give up, but I've failed after all..."
Merlin did not know how to comfort the dispirited Laurinka so he just listened quietly as she spoke. Perhaps at this time, Laurinka would prefer a quiet listener whom she could spill her sorrow to.
Suddenly, Laurinka lifted her head and stared right into Merlin's eyes. She raised a question in a low voice, "Wizard Merlin, do you have any clue about attendants in the Dark Magic Region?"
Seeing Merlin's doubtful expression, Laurinka explained, "An attendant is a servant who signs a contract swearing loyalty to a Spell Caster. In the Dark Magic Region, only Spell Casters of First-level or above are eligible to have attendants. A First-level Spell Caster can have one attendant, a Spell Caster of Fourth-level or higher can have two attendants, and a Spell Caster of Seventh-level or higher can even have a total of four attendants.
"These attendants, although not official members of the Dark Magic Region, are also entitled to enjoy privileges like that of the official members since they're completely attached to Spell Casters in the Dark Magic Region."
Laurinka paused, and then took a deep breath. It seemed that she had made up her mind when she next looked at Merlin. "So, I hope that in the future, when Wizard Merlin becomes a First-level Spell Caster, henceforth an official member of the Dark Magic Region, Wizard Merlin will let me be your attendant!"
Merlin lifted his head to look carefully at Laurinka. Although attendants had to pay the price of contract and freedom, there was no doubt that in return they got to enjoy the same privileges as official members of the Dark Magic Region.
Although the Dark Magic Region was not the most powerful spell casters' organization, it was not easy to enter. There were countless roaming Wizards out there who would love to enter the Dark Magic Region but did not have such opportunities. It showed how difficult it was to be a part of a spell casters' organization.
After a long time, Merlin's mouth curled up into a sly smile, and whispered, "Wizard Laurinka, you should know that I've constructed six Zero-level spells. You're from a Spell Caster family so you should know how difficult it was for a Six-Elemental Spell Caster to become a First-level Spell Caster."
Laurinka shook her head slightly and immediately replied, "Yes, I've thought about it for a long time, and this decision was made after careful consideration. Previously, I did not think you'll succeed in becoming a First-level Spell Caster. However, you've never shown a trace of slack in your eyes, and your body seems to always radiate with confidence.
"Although I don't know where you obtain this confidence from, when there's a hope, there's a chance... You wouldn't know. Spell Casters like me who are about to be sent out of the Dark Magic Region and going back to my family means a lifetime of desolation. My family will never provide me with any more resources so I must find a way out for myself!"
After a pause, Laurinka lifted her towering chest and approached Merlin gently. She revealed an attractive smile as she spoke again, "You can have all my contribution points if I become your attendant. I've accumulated a total of seventy points so far, and my family has provided me 500,000 gold coins for contribution points redemption. I can give them all to you before leaving."
Merlin took a deep look at Laurinka. 500,000 gold coins. That was an equivalent of fifty points if they were all converted into contribution points. In addition to the seventy points, that would make a total of a hundred and twenty contribution points.
Now that Merlin had spent twenty contributions points in exchange for the numerous glassware from the Resource Tower, his fifty contributions points awarded from the mission was only left with thirty contributions points. However, if he could obtain one hundred and twenty contributions points, Merlin would have a total of one hundred and fifty contribution points.
With so many contribution points, he was even able to redeem a piece of rune robe as the one Wizard Holmes wore before.
Seeing that Merlin was still a little hesitant, Laurinka took a deep breath and then threw herself at Merlin. Her rounded peaks were almost rubbing on Merlin's back.
"I can even give myself to you!"
Laurinka's bright red lips pressed down on Merlin's ear as she teased him by blowing warm air into his ears.
"Swoosh!"
Merlin stood up abruptly and stared at Laurinka with sparkling eyes. His lips curled into a playful smile as he asked in a husky voice, "Wizard Laurinka, you're playing with fire... If I didn't become a First-level Spell Caster, you're going to lose everything you have, even yourself."
"There are times where you're forced to make choices, no matter if they're right or wrong..."
Laurinka smiled softly, and her weak, soft arms, like a snake, wrapped themselves around Merlin.
"Boom!"
Merlin's mind became a complete blank. Desire filled every part of his body as the soft and full body crept behind him. As he hugged Laurinka into his arms, his nostrils were filled with a strange fragrance that further aroused his desire.
…
The dawn was just breaking when Merlin opened his eyes. He scratched the back of his head and smiled bitterly when he saw the room in chaos. He gradually remembered the madness from last night.
Merlin looked to his side – Laurinka was no longer there. She had left to deal with some matters about going away from the Dark Magic Region, leaving behind only a trail of alluring scent in the air.
Although it was also Laurinka's first time, she gave Merlin a different feeling from the experiences with Princess Charise and Avril. The latter was very conservative while Laurinka was wild. Last night, when the two were in the midst of the madness, it was mostly Laurinka who took the initiative.
Without Merlin's realization, Merlin actually pondered over the madness that they had last night.
However, Merlin always had a strong self-control over this sort of things. He quickly dismissed these confusing thoughts with a scratch of his head while still lying in bed before finally getting up.
He had wanted to formulate Coagulation Potion yesterday but was interrupted by Laurinka's arrival. Now he had to restart the process again.
"Matrix, restart the process of formulating Coagulation Potion!"
Merlin activated the Matrix. Soon, the mechanical female voice of the Matrix rang in his mind, "The formulation of Coagulation Potion begins now. Please prepare the following ingredients – silver blue grass, wogue flower, graphite ink..."
Merlin had tons of these common ingredients in the ring. He took them out one by one according to the Matrix's instructions.
Merlin had recorded the steps for formulating potions into the Matrix in advance. Only in strict accordance with the steps that there could be a greater success rate in formulating the potions.
"Firstly, ground silver blue grass and wogue flower into juice and pour them into a glassware..."
Merlin began to formulate the potion according to the steps listed by the Matrix. Merlin had to be extremely meticulous to avoid making even the slightest mistake with the steps and the dosage of each ingredient had to be strictly controlled – this was also the biggest benefit of acquiring the Matrix.
Since potion-making had been developed for thousands of years, the measuring instruments for various potions had been made precisely. Hence, Merlin did not have to worry about not reaching the doses strictly required by the Matrix due to careless spillage.
It had taken two hours of Merlin's time just to prepare for the formulation of potion. It was a cumbersome process, but in the end, Merlin managed all the ingredients required of the potion.
"Add in graphite ink, heat it for half an hour, and wait."
The last step was to add in graphite ink then heat it. Merlin added the graphite ink accordingly as mentioned by the Matrix. Immediately, in the glassware, the original dark green concoction became cloudy.
Merlin heated it directly with flame. Within seconds, slight squeaks came from the glassware and exuded hints of unpleasant odor. It seemed that this sticky potion had undergone some strange changes which even the Matrix could not expect.
After half an hour, Merlin turned off the flame and waited quietly for the potion to cool.
While waiting, Merlin carefully examined the records of the Matrix again. He found out that each step he took earlier was strictly in accordance with the requirements listed by the Matrix. Moreover, this was Coagulation Potion, a very simple potion so he could have kept everything under control.
Two hours later, the potion had completely cooled down. Merlin began to closely inspect the condition of Coagulation Potion.
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