Chapter 469: Chapter 469: Adina 22
The two magic wolves settled down in the Mage Tower, and Tan You finally had time to focus on her training. The magical elements in the Mage Tower were exceptionally potent. Tan You felt that one year of training here was equivalent to three years outside.
Of course, her power was also visibly increasing. For instance, a normal magic apprentice might take three to five years to officially advance to a one-star Mage. Yet, Tan You had broken through the apprentice barrier in just one year, successfully becoming a one-star Mage.
While Tan You was focused on her training in the Mist Forest, Schubert, Sanders, and the others were living quiet, leisurely lives in Kandapes. Over the past year, they had moved all their families over from the Imperial City.
No one in the Imperial City knew Tan You’s current situation. They all assumed she was still recuperating in Kandapes. That is, until the day Schubert received a letter from the Imperial City, prompting all of Tan You’s followers to gather for a discussion.
"Miss Lilith has become a Level 3 magic apprentice." Schubert pushed the letter to the center of the table, his expression unreadable.
"A Light Element user?" Sanders asked after quickly reading the letter. He couldn’t help but laugh, but the smile gradually faded from his face as he did.
"Do you think the reason Miss Adina left the Imperial City is that she already knew Miss Lilith had a talent for the Light Element?" he asked after a moment’s hesitation, voicing the suspicion anyway.
Schubert’s mind raced. "Most likely. Who knows? In any case, we are Miss Adina’s followers now. As long as she isn’t exposed, we’ll be just fine."
"That’s true enough," Sanders began, but was cut off by a sudden TAP-TAP-TAP from the window. Schubert was the quickest to react. He strode over, flung the window open, and saw a black crow perched on the sill.
The crow’s beady little eyes darted around the room, taking in everyone present before it flapped its wings and flew inside. Schubert glanced left and right, and seeing no one else around, quickly shut the window and returned to his seat.
The crow strutted twice across the large table, then suddenly spoke. "Adina sent me to tell you that she is doing very well in the Mist Forest. She is now a one-star Mage."
"A one-star Mage?" Sanders exclaimed in surprise. "So soon? Doesn’t it usually take three to five years?"
Schubert, however, was focused on something else. "A Holy Beast?"
’Only Holy Beasts can speak.’ Schubert had never imagined he would one day see a living Holy Beast!
The crow twitched a small claw. "Hmph. At least you’ve got a good eye."
As it spoke, it flapped its wings. Instantly, the table was covered with Magic Beast cores, magic scrolls, and even rare ores and magical plants found only in the depths of the Mist Forest.
One of the more knowledgeable followers spoke up. "That’s a Golden Cauldron Flower! It only grows in the depths of the Mist Forest and is the main ingredient for stamina potions."
"And that’s meteoric iron! If you add just a piece to a longsword, its quality will increase dramatically..."
The crow watched them marvel over the items, then took a few more steps and tapped its wing against several sheets of parchment. "Adina sent letters for you. This other one is a list of things she needs. Get them ready as soon as possible."
Schubert and the other followers immediately sprang into action. In less than two hours, everything Tan You needed was prepared.
Sanders looked at the Holy Beast. "My lord, all these things you’ve brought..."
The crow tapped its little feet. "Adina said to do with them as you see fit. You are her followers, so she has an obligation to provide you with Gold Coins. Sell these and split the proceeds among yourselves."
Sanders wanted to refuse, but his eyes were already crinkled in a smile. "Thank you for Miss Adina’s generosity, and thank you, my lord, for delivering them. We also have some news from the Imperial City for you..."
The crow cut him off. "That Lilith was discovered to have a Light Element affinity last year? Adina already knew. It’s nothing special. Training for a year in the Divine Hall of Light and she’s still just a Level 3 magic apprentice? Her aptitude is nothing to write home about."
A chill went through Sanders. ’Miss Adina is isolated in the Mist Forest, yet she knows what’s happening in the outside world like the back of her hand? As expected of Miss Adina. She’s truly unfathomable.’
Seeing that it had successfully intimidated them, the crow couldn’t help but puff out its chest and lift its head proudly. It gave a flap of its wings, and all the items Schubert’s group had prepared were swept away, vanishing into thin air.
The crow took one last turn around the meeting room. "I’m heading back to the Mist Forest. I’ll be back from time to time."
Schubert, Sanders, and the others bowed their heads in unison. "Safe travels, my lord!"
The crow was incredibly fast. Despite being just a tiny bird, it reached Tan You’s Mage Tower in less than half a day. It entered the tower as if it owned the place and immediately began to squawk loudly, "Adina, I’m back!"
"I know you’re back." Tan You was sitting at her workbench, just putting the final stroke on a magic scroll. She didn’t move a muscle at the sound of the crow’s shouting, having long grown used to the little creature’s racket.
Anyone would get used to someone with a voice like a broken gong chattering in their ear all day, let alone the fact that Tan You had been with the little guy for nearly three months. She was well accustomed to its love for causing a stir.
The crow flapped its wings, flying haphazardly around the Mage Tower. Suddenly, a half-grown, snow-white wolf pup leaped into the air. The crow dodged with a quick flip, but its celebration was premature. In the next second, it was surrounded by six more pups, all of them looking eager for a tussle.
The crow flapped its wings, squawking frantically. "Bird murder...!"
The seven pups stared menacingly, intent on knocking the little bird that was teasing them out of the sky. The two adult Magic Beasts opened their eyes for a look, then closed them again, pretending they hadn’t seen a thing.
Tan You glanced over but let them continue their roughhousing. These seven pups were, of course, the offspring of the two Magic Beasts. Tan You herself had been surprised when the mother wolf gave birth to seven of them.
Tan You had put a lot of effort into caring for the mother wolf during her recovery after the birth. She fed the wolf anything and everything nutritious, managing to fatten her up so much that even nursing seven pups wasn’t a strain.
Just as one of the little pups was about to crash into her workbench, Tan You cleared her throat lightly. All the pups instantly fell silent. The crow stopped its ruckus as well, hopping quietly onto the workbench in front of her.
"They were in a meeting when I arrived. They know Lilith awakened her Light Element affinity and is now training at the Divine Hall of Light."
Tan You scoffed. "Still a Level 3 apprentice after a whole year? That pace might be normal for an ordinary person, but for a place like the Divine Hall of Light, that’s just mediocre."
The crow immediately started singing her praises. "Well, you’re the most amazing one anyway, Adina! Your talent is the best!"
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