"This…"
The two Mystic Arts Practitioners were stunned as they looked at the gray Grimoire the young man had just shown them.
Apparently, Vale was right.
They weren't aware of his Arcane Path and simply intimidated him in hopes of causing trouble. They were itching to capture a Dark Arts Practitioner, so they wanted the young man to make a scene and attack them with his Dark Spells.
That way, they would have every reason to capture and sell him for a large sum of money.
If he wasn't using any Dark Spells, they wouldn't mind either as they would still capture him for causing a scene and consider whether he can be sold depending on his Arcane Path.
"Y-you're a Summoner?" One of them asked as they looked at the Grimoire in Vale's hands. This completely destroyed their plans as Summoners weren't people they could go against according to their boss.
"Yes!" Vale answered with a smile.
The surrounding people heaved a sigh of relief after hearing this. Some of them stopped paying attention as they continued on their way.
They didn't mind a Summoner's presence but were undoubtedly wary of Dark Arts Practitioner.
Vale noticed their reactions as he couldn't help but feel that being a Dark Arts Practitioner was a disadvantage.
"Are you still going to ask me to summon something in the middle of the street to prove that I'm a Summoner?" Vale asked as he acted as if he was about to summon something.
Of course, he can't really summon anything since he hadn't completed a ritual to call anything from another realm. However, he could use Yvaine to act as his Summon, so he didn't mind making a show if needed.
The Grimoire he was holding was something he had gotten during his Summer Break adventure. Thanks to his Grimoire Attraction Spell Model, he got a response from this gray Grimoire when a peddler was selling it as a blank book in one of the small villages he visited.
The origin of the Grimoire was quite suspicious, but he would certainly take it. He can just study about Summoners in the Academy to perfect his disguise someday.
'Oops… My Shapeshift Spell is about to run out.'
Vale wryly smiled as he decided to upgrade this Spell later.
'I should've pushed it to reach the Advanced Realm.'
As he was contemplating what to do with his Shapeshift Spell, the two gentlemen finally decided to leave him be.
They didn't even apologize for their rude interruption of his sightseeing and just turned their backs on him to leave.
Vale could only shake his head.
'Whatever… You're the one going to be followed now.' He silently thought.
Their action made him realize that he couldn't just passively wait for his enemies. He decided to follow them as they had now become his targets.
He activated his Divine Sense and placed a mark on the two!
Thanks to Lady Teresa of the Untainted Sentinels, he learned the secret ability of Divine Sense. He could now use the Tracking Mark using this Spell and follow the two without being noticed.
They don't even need to be in his Magic Zone, and he could tell where they are as long as he tried connecting with the mark he left.
However, he would have no idea where they are if he weren't trying to connect with these Marks. So it was no wonder that Teresa still hired a detective to follow him.
'Alright… I'll check on you later.' Vale thought as he went on his way to a secret location that Ashe told him before leaving.
That's right. It was a place that only the Vessels were supposed to know.
Luckily, he made an impression on the Vice Captain as she was willing to assist him on his mission.
'I wonder what Philip is doing right now…' Vale couldn't help but sigh after recalling his friend's situation.
This would be a tough mission for him, so he could only hope that Ashe's connection would be helpful.
They had abducted Philip from the Academy to the Murton Castle, a mysterious fortress owned by Viscount Coulston, a powerful noble who had ties to the Secret Organization.
There was no way Vale would go there unprepared.
He knew that he had to find a way to infiltrate the castle and free Philip. It would be difficult if he just went there blindly without proper information.
Although he had done some research before coming to Aerodenn City, he needed to learn more about Viscount Coulston himself, his castle, his guards, the Arcanists, and his secrets.
It would be great if he found someone who could help him, who knew the castle well, and who could be trusted.
'It should be right about here…' Vale thought as he recalled Ashe's instruction.
At this time, he already upgraded his Human Shapeshift Spell and used it once more for a longer duration, so he wasn't worried about his Spell suddenly deactivating.
He soon found the old pub where he hoped to find his contact.
He entered the pub and looked around. It was cozy, with wooden tables and chairs, dim lights, and soothing music playing, perhaps because it was still early.
The locals seemed friendly as they looked at Vale with a smile and curiosity.
He didn't mind them as he walked up to the bar and ordered a special drink.
The locals looking at him probably wondered why a young man like him would come here alone.
Although it wasn't rare for someone at his age to visit a pub, his clothes probably made them confused. He doesn't seem like a factory worker or laborer after all. He seemed like a professional with the way he carried himself.
'After ordering the special drink… Ashe mentioned that someone would approach me.' Vale mused as he scanned the crowd using his Divine Sense.
He spotted the lone Dark Arts Practitioner sitting in a corner booth, wearing a leather jacket and a hat. He had a scar on his cheek and a cigarette in his mouth. He looked like someone who had seen some action in his life.
As soon as his Special Drink came, this person looked at Vale as if he had eyes everywhere.
Just like what Ashe mentioned, this man decided to approach him.
"Do you mind if you join me in my booth?"
The man said as he looked at Vale with curiosity and suspicion.
He was baffled since this Vale should be a Summoner, according to what he heard from his informants in the streets just now!
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