Chapter 96: The Price of Betrayal and a Timely Departure

Raymond and Fav could never forget this man.

In a desperate bid to save his ailing wife, he had betrayed the Merchant Guild, divulging crucial secrets to their rivals and causing losses of at least a million.

Such a traitor, by all rights, deserved nothing less than death—a stark warning to all who might harbor treacherous intentions.

Yet, at that time, to honor Rose’s wishes and avert any perception of his authority as tyrannical, Raymond had opted for a lighter sentence.

Instead of death, Fav had his legs broken and was subsequently banished from the family.

Indeed, even without taking his life, Fav’s ultimate fate proved horrifyingly cruel.

Though he had secured a hefty sum from the rivals, he squandered every last coin of his savings, only to watch his gravely ill wife slip away.

Devastated by the double loss of his fortune and his beloved, Fav succumbed to madness, fading into obscurity thereafter.

Raymond had long assumed Fav had perished unnoticed in some forgotten alley, never expecting to encounter him again in this very place.

Furthermore, his vacant gaze and rigid limbs unequivocally confirmed that the black-robed girl was manipulating him.

“You possess mind-control magic?”

Raymond’s face was etched with caution as he spoke.

Unlike the elemental magic that could shatter worlds with a whim, mental magic was akin to a viper lurking in the shadows—subtle, yet profoundly dangerous, capable of delivering a fatal strike at any given moment.

Archmages capable of wielding mental manipulation were exceedingly rare, for a single misstep could invite a devastating backlash upon one’s own soul and consciousness, leading to anything from a comatose state or madness to an outright loss of life.

Yet, should one truly master such power, they could imperceptibly breach the minds of others, subtly steering their thoughts and actions without detection.

The spellbound individual would remain utterly oblivious, unknowingly reduced to another’s puppet—a power arguably more terrifying than any other.

“Do not fret so much,” Carol interjected, “my abilities are limited. At best, I can only manipulate those on the brink of death, whose minds are already in extreme disarray, much like him.”

Carol merely shrugged. “After all, if I truly possessed such formidable power, I would have no need to waste my breath on you here. Wouldn’t it be far more convenient to simply take control of you?”

Raymond fell silent for a moment, appearing to concede her point.

“So, you propose we seek a substitute?” he slowly articulated, his mind already dissecting the perilous suggestion for any potential benefit to himself.

“A puppet, then, to shoulder the blame for the young lady’s demise?”

“Precisely. That is indeed my meaning.”

A subtle curve formed on Carol’s lips. “A perfect scapegoat, would it not be of paramount importance to both you and I?”

Raymond’s mind began to churn with calculations.

As one of Luluti’s most trusted confidantes, he knew that if his sole aim were to simply murder her, countless methods lay at his disposal.

The true challenge, however, lay in orchestrating her death while simultaneously absolving himself of any suspicion.

To that end, he had already positioned Nomnom as a strategic pawn, having her infiltrate Luluti’s household as a maid. Yet, he was loath to play this trump card unless all other options were exhausted.

Carol’s proposition, without question, presented an immense temptation.

“Possessing such formidable power, why do you not act directly, choosing instead such circuitous means?”

“Hehe,” Carol chuckled, “if you harbor secrets you wish to keep hidden, why should I not? What if my actions were exposed, and that ‘person’ grew to despise me? That is an outcome I absolutely cannot permit! Therefore, I would never personally engage in such a foolish endeavor.”

Raymond merely let out a cold snort.

He held no interest in Carol’s secrets, nor was he remotely concerned with the identity of the ‘person’ she spoke of.

‘So long as our ultimate objectives align, that is all that matters, is it not?’

Carol’s words, he conceded, held a kernel of truth.

“So, what assistance do you require of me?”

“It is quite simple, actually. After all, your young lady secludes herself within the mansion day after day, leaving no opportunity for action, even if I sought one.”

Carol smiled, a note of pleasure in her voice. “Therefore, I require you to furnish me with that very opportunity.”

“Here,” Wendy stated, “this is your airship ticket. I have already secured your reservation.”

Within the confines of the laboratory, Wendy Rhine extended a ticket, intricately etched with magical circuits, to Yalin.

“Thank you, Professor, this is an immense help!”

Yalin, brimming with gratitude, tucked the ticket securely into his breast pocket.

“It is of no consequence,” Wendy replied dispassionately, “as I have no need for such travel. Passing it to you is hardly an inconvenience.”

Wendy stated matter-of-factly.

Preparations for the Academy Festival were well underway, proceeding with fervent energy. To ensure students could immerse themselves fully in the festivities, the academy had specifically suspended classes for several days.

Yalin, however, harbored no intention of participating in any of the preparations. Instead, he resolved to use this period to take leave and journey back to his hometown.

For there, he knew, lay books passed down from his mother—texts that might hold crucial assistance for his own endeavors.

With barely two months remaining until his prophesied demise, he found himself compelled to initiate his plans.

To traverse such a vast distance and reach his hometown within a limited timeframe, traveling by airship was undoubtedly the swiftest and most comfortable method.

The ramifications of the Academy Festival, however, proved to be far beyond anyone’s imagination.

The grand spectacle had drawn merchants from every corner of the kingdom, who had long since surged into Ailanmia, eager to seize commercial opportunities even before the festivities commenced.

Even two months prior, the ticket offices remained swamped with crowds, and the prices for airship travel had consequently skyrocketed.

Yalin’s gaze swept over the airship fare board, and he nearly reeled from sheer indignation.

‘Seriously, is this airship crafted from solid gold?’

‘Damn this accursed capitalism…’

Yalin made the humbling discovery that his entire life’s savings would barely cover a single one-way ticket, effectively condemning him to a journey of no return.

The arduous task of conceptualizing a medium for divine beings had proven exorbitantly expensive, long since draining Yalin’s coffers dry.

Fortunately, upon learning of his predicament, Wendy had effortlessly procured a complimentary round-trip ticket for Yalin.

As a distinguished professor of the academy, she not only enjoyed the privilege of priority boarding but also received several complimentary airship passes each year.

Given her infrequent travels, she had simply decided to bestow this unused opportunity upon Yalin.

“There is no need for thanks,” Wendy stated, “you should return promptly to pack your belongings. Simply ensure your timely return.”

With that, Wendy returned to her workstation.

“Very well, then,” Yalin chirped, a mischievous smile playing on his lips, “while I am away, Professor, do remember to eat your meals punctually, won’t you?”

Wendy’s icy gaze immediately fell upon him, prompting him to promptly seal his lips.

‘Indeed, it appears he grew a little too complacent.’

“Well then… I shall take my leave now? Until next week.”

“Mm.”

Yalin offered a sheepish smile before exiting the laboratory. Only after the sound of his footsteps had completely faded did Wendy slowly raise a hand, pressing the back of it gently against her cheek.

‘My expression just now… it couldn’t have betrayed anything unusual, could it?’

Ever since their last outing together, a peculiar uncertainty had settled within her regarding how she should interact with Yalin.

Perhaps, deep within her heart, she harbored a nascent fondness for the young man. Indeed, when Yalin announced his intention to take a leave of absence, a faint pang of disappointment had unexpectedly stirred within her.

This, however, was the one truth she stubbornly refused to acknowledge.

‘Never mind,’ she thought, ‘this period of his absence will serve as an opportune moment for me to compose myself properly.’

Wendy let out a soft sigh.