Chapter 37
A trial was taking place in the hallway between the infirmary and the public lounge.
The other medical mages looked at the slightly short [222], their eyes behind the crow masks filled with complex emotions.
None of them doubted or questioned the accusation of "spell theft" against [176]. In fact, they found it very reasonable.
Medical spells were not simply a set of procedures, but a miraculous method of learning.
Unlike combat mages, medical mages and creation mages did not need PVP. Therefore, they could lower the difficulty of invoking miracles by extending the casting time. Combat mages could not do that - the enemy would smash them while they were chanting.
So medical and creation mages broke down miracles into many small steps. Combining those steps in sequence formed a miracle.
These steps were called formulas.
Therefore, learning the formulas meant you would inevitably learn the miracles.
Formulas were naturally seen as important intellectual property. A mage who created a new formula, no matter how narrow its applicability or unmarketable it was, could earn sizable licensing fees just by allowing other mages to study it.
That was why whenever Ashe woke up, he found only one medical mage in the infirmary - they did not allow others to observe healing sessions to prevent formula theft.
The medical mage looked at [201]. "You were sent by the teacher?"
"I'm a research student under your senior sister. She's my boss."
[201] chose his words carefully, not revealing any names. "The warden of Shattered Lake Prison is friends with my boss... But my boss instructed me not to bother you normally. If not for this scumbag's outrageous theft of the Institute's assets, I wouldn't have shown up."
The medical mage asked, "Now that my identity is exposed, do I have to leave here?"
[201] smiled. "Miss, don't joke. All who come to Shattered Lake Prison for the 'Blood Embrace Ceremony' are affiliated with the institutes. How could we betray you? How dare we?"
The other medical mages bowed deeply to show their respect.
They had no choice but to bow. The Blood Moon Kingdom had 36 institutes total. 24 were minor institutes, 8 mid-tier, and 4 major institutes.
Most of them were just "prospective progeny" from minor institutes. But the young miss before them was a new progeny of the Blood Weeping Institute, one of the four major institutes. Their identities and backgrounds were worlds apart.
Frankly speaking, even after they completed the Blood Embrace and left prison, the best outcome for them would be to become golden progeny, gaining a 200-year lifespan extension and stopping at the second wing this life.
But new progeny of the four major institutes were almost all 500-year holy domain progeny, or even 1000-year legendary progeny!
The third wing Saint Domain was their minimum starting point. The fourth wing Legendary was not unexpected. They might even touch the realm of divinity and become demigod saints above all other creatures of the Blood Moon Kingdom!
"Miss, may I ask how to deal with this scumbag?" [201] asked.
The medical mage was silent for a moment, looking at [176].
"Do you have anything to say?"
[176] glanced up at the medical mage, his huge eyes showing the familiar crimson glow she knew well.
"How dare you!"
[201] snorted coldly and popped a venous bubble.
[176]'s body shuddered, his already pale fish face now white as paper.
"I object."
"Object to what?"
"I object to you becoming a new progeny of the Blood Weeping Institute, while I have to struggle in a minor institute."
[176] gnashed his sharp teeth. "I'm also the pride of the fishmen. I could also become the supreme progeny. But why is there such a huge gap between our resources?"
"I object. I schemed endlessly just to get a Blood Embrace chance, yet you obtained it easily. I covet the formulas you take for granted. Why do you get the best criminal specimens while I only get worthless leftovers..."
"Most of all, I object to you having such great talent!"
[176] became more hysterical. "I can't watch you surpass me... I can't!"
"No hint of remorse at all, what scum."
[201] popped another venous bubble. [176] nearly fainted.
"No need to listen to his trash talk anymore... Miss, how do you wish to deal with him?"
[201] paused. "The standard is immediate execution."
The medical mage stared silently at the almost limp [176], pondering for a long time.
"He hasn't made me hate him enough to want him dead, but I also wouldn't care much if he died."
"So you mean..."
"Find a soft rod shaped like a razor clam and beat him black and blue. No healing him. Throw him out. He's a blue-scaled fishman right? Thresher sharks shouldn't kill him. Toss him into the sea tonight and let him swim back himself."
[201] was stunned. "But Miss—"
"That's my decision." The medical mage looked at [201]. "If you disagree, do as you see fit. I don't mind."
"I didn't mean that." [201] bowed deeply. "Your will shall be carried out."
"Then I'll go rest."
The medical mage hurried past everyone, as if wanting to escape the stifling atmosphere. But soon, heavy and slow footsteps quickly caught up.
The medical mage stopped at her room door and looked back at the approaching [201].
"Anything else?"
"Since I've already disturbed you, I wanted to take this chance to offer some... reminders." [201] chose his words carefully. "Just a few reminders."
"Go ahead."
"I noticed you spent a bit too much... unauthorized time with the criminals in the infirmary. Of course, it's not a problem at all. I guarantee no one will use those rules to offend you. I'm not here to warn you either."
"If not for wanting to avoid trouble from the human rights and racial advocacy groups, we wouldn't need to pretend to be medical mages here. Those rules just reduce the chances of trouble, but you need not worry about trouble, Miss."
[201] stressed his humility with every sentence.
"I'm just worried you might develop unnecessary attachments to the specimens while playing, delaying the Blood Embrace ceremony. If your Embrace schedule is affected, the boss will hold me accountable."
The medical mage shook her head. "I haven't forgotten the ceremony, don't worry."
She paused. "I've already implanted the Embrace seeds in all the criminals I've treated. When they die in the tribunals, the seeds will naturally coagulate their knowledge and arcane power, transforming it entirely into my source blood."
The medical mage walked into her room and removed her crow mask, revealing a pair of extremely cruel crimson eyes, gazing at [201] like a predator. It sent chills down his spine.
"We the sacred bloodline will never grow attached to our food."
The source of this c𝐨ntent is freewe(b)nov𝒆l