A Sorcerer's Journey - Chapter 131

Chapter 131: Cost of Knowledge

Besides having acquired knowledge of the Ashen Mask outside, the other reason why Grimm had returned to Black Isotta this time was to settle issues of profit regarding the perfume with Fatty[1].

The issue with the perfume profits was the Orchid Tree Commerce Union that Fatty served. It was a large power found throughout the Seven Rings Holy Tower’s 11th to 15th Sections Dark Sorcerer faction and had wide influence over the Seven Rings Holy Tower.

When Fatty caught sight of the halo above Grimm’s head, his eyes widened and he muttered, “Looks like the contract will be continued for several thousand years. The scheme[2] of that group of old guys fell through.”

…

The fourth floor of Black Isotta.

A group of white goat-bearded sorcerers of short stature put down the books in their hands, pointing their fingers at the halo above Grimm’s head in a daze. Not daring to believe what he was seeing, one of the sorcerers mumbled, “You qualified as a reserve Demon-Hunter?”

The speaker was the same official sorcerer who had originally sold Grimm the Ashen Mask for two-thousand magic stones, Singh.

Grimm nodded. He unhurriedly removed the Ashen Mask, revealing the steady face of a mature man. Respectfully, he said, “It is thanks to this Ashen Mask from Maestro that Grimm could achieve the accomplishments of today.”

Singh gaped. After what felt like half a day later, he sighed and said, “After two, three hundred years pass, come back to take a look. At that time, we will be peers.”

Grimm smiled politely before his expression gradually turned serious. He said in a deep voice, “Maestro Singh, after having learned alchemy from you, this lowly one won’t conceal that I have also gradually gained a little understanding of alchemy. Over the last years, I obtained some alchemical materials that can be regarded as valuable and want to refine a proprietary genuine sorcery tool of my own. Therefore, it is imperative I have the alchemy technique as well as the corresponding knowledge of this mask.”

Grimm paused before saying in a deep voice, “I am willing to pay the cost I can now bear and gain this mask’s proprietary knowledge in return.”

Singh looked at Grimm, flabbergasted. He hesitated for a moment before shaking his head slowly. “I think… it’s time to let you know the real situation. This mask wasn’t refined by me. I also merely purchased it from another sorcerer during my youth.”

Grimm came to a halt. He asked in astonishment, “From who?”

“Fake Faceless Nilmar. He is a level two sorcerer who is number one when it comes to sound wave spells, curses, mysticism, and he pursues a very advanced study of alchemy. Therefore, if you want to obtain this mask’s proprietary knowledge, you had better go look for him, alright?” Singh said with a bit of awkwardness.

Singh had never brought up the subject of the mask’s true origins when he was in the interrogation room, after all.

Fake Faceless Sorcerer?

Grimm stared at Singh, dumbstruck. He was already leaving behind his years as a student in Black Isotta, yet to come full circle and once again arrive at the sorcerer who had changed Grimm’s destiny?

Moreover, Fake Faceless was Solumn’s teacher. It may be assumed that the other side was already aware of his situation in the Holy Tower Tryouts.

Grimm fell into contemplation as he faced Singh and said goodbye.

He returned to Peranos’s laboratory, and then under the guidance of his teacher, Grimm arrived at Fake Faceless Sorcerer’s room on the Black Isotta’s 56th floor.

When that flat face without facial features came into view… when that unknown smell floated before Grimm… when that rough voice produced from who-knows-where in that black robe was transmitted to Grimm’s ears… Practically in a split second, it was as if Grimm had returned to that hellish ship in the past. He returned to the time when he trembled in fear every day but constantly forced himself to be calmer and even stronger.

That frightening appearance without any facial features had appeared in Grimm’s nightmares many times and left behind an ineffaceable mark in his life.

“Oh? Sir Peranos. How did you find the time to come see me?” It was only when Grimm heard Fake Faceless Nilmar’s respectful and amazed voice, brimming with awe, that he returned to reality from his memories.

Peranos wore a wide robe just like the other party did. From within his robes appeared arms and a face covered in sewing marks from needlework. With his ugly appearance revealed, he whispered, “You little guy, this Dean can’t be free to come round to inspect your academy teaching task?”

Fake Faceless Sorcerer said with a laugh, “How? Solumn didn’t cause you to be disappointed, right? This time our academy has no less than sixteen students that are qualified in becoming a reserve demon-hunting sorcerer, far surpassing the other academies in the 12th Section.”

Peranos nodded. He moved out of the way and pointed at Grimm behind him. “This is my disciple Grimm. He is also a student from that time you managed to return with that Lilith Academy’s ship. Solumn ought to have spoken about his matters with you, right?”

After Grimm took a deep breath, he put to use his sorcerer etiquette. His expression appeared calm, tranquil and wise as he slowly straightened up.

Yes. At this very moment, he was no longer that helpless and weak student from that time on the ship. He was already Peranos’s disciple and the recipient of the top reward for the dark sorcerer faction of the 11th to 15th Sections.

Compared to Fake Faceless Nilmar, Peranos was the real terrifying old monster!

“You, you…” Nilmar was shocked. “You were actually already a disciple of Sir Peranos. No wonder…!”

After being surprised for a moment, Fake Faceless yelled toward the inside of the laboratory, “Solumn, come out and greet Sir Dean. Your friend Grimm also came!”

A black-robed Sorcerer-Apprentice walked over. He had the same transparent halo on top of his head.

“Sir Dean.”

After Solumn deferentially greeted Peranos, Peranos made a single sound of approval. He casually said, “You gave a good showing in the Holy Tower tryouts and obtained glory for our Black Isotta Academy. Your advisor Nilmar nurturing such an outstanding disciple deserves to be very proud. Not bad, not bad.”

Solumn smiled happily; only, it was unknown whether this smiling expression reflected his true feelings in the end.

On the surface, at least, he smiled very happily.

Grimm locked eyes with Solumn. Facing Solumn’s politely serene smile, his gaze behind the Ashen Mask was so very mild-mannered, tranquil, and wise-looking—just like a sorcerer brimming with wisdom after having survived several centuries and experienced the change of years. This single instant of exchanging gazes even caused Solumn to feel an illusion.

It was as if…

As if this Sorcerer-Apprentice in front of him was already no longer someone on the same level as him.

Solumn’s “smiling and excited” face gradually regained its composure. He gazed at Grimm and recalled the glimpse he had of Grimm sweeping over a few days ago in the Holy Tower Tryouts. Under that kind of indescribable scared witless state, Kyrie, him—along with Brianna, Roga, Yates—and even Millie and Mina couldn’t help but feel profound terror within their innermost beings. They were only able to stake all their power in running away from this man in front of them, who was already no longer a student but a monster in human skin.

What Ice Age Millie? What Primal Curse Althio? Even that 15th Section student Hill Woods who Sun’s Child called a monster…

This low-profile student before him who was obscure and unknown, he was the real terrifying monster within the Holy Tower Tryouts Mysterious Realm!

Solumn swallowed before moderating his frame of mind with great effort. With all his strength, he made his ordinary face assume an indifferent look. He said with a deep voice, “Grimm…”

Grimm calmly watched Solumn.

At that time of the ball before the First-Year Trials, this man was an equal.

That type of outwardly condescending manner and tone that was a contradictory mix of indifference and affable, trying very hard to control his state of mind yet involuntarily revealing his pride. Merely toward Solumn’s sentence “I know you,” making the other person feel that it was proper and to be expected as a matter of course—even making Solumn’s heart have a trace of excitement.

There wasn’t anyone that thought Solumn was arrogant and merely considered things were as it should be.

Remembering, Solumn faced Grimm and said a sentence, “Grimm, I remember you.”

Just this single sentence would cause many people to believe this as an immense honor of Grimm’s, to be able to have a lofty, genius student remember him, to the point that Grimm could brag about it proudly.

It was because of this that those people would be doomed to forever be unable to ascend to a higher peak because they basically were unable to free themselves from the shadow Solumn left behind. What higher peak was he talking about?

Grimm looked towards the indifferent-looking Solumn who was outwardly serene, slightly shaking his head inside. If he truly was undisturbed, he should have continued to assume that affable smile at this very moment. He simply would not have used this indifferent outward appearance to mask his true internal state of mind.

He was afraid. He feared that his heart was already timid, coming to realize that he and Grimm were no longer on the same level.

Grimm smiled. Calmly and naturally. “Hello, Solumn.”

…

Half an hourglass’s worth of time later, Grimm and Nilmar were sitting facing each other with just the two of them.

A black crow was perched on Nilmar’s shoulders. Nilmar observed Grimm through one of the ice-cold, pitch-black eyes of the crow. He said in a rough voice, “This mask is indeed my previous work. Within it is contained the dual knowledge of my particular understanding of echolocation spells and an attempt to constantly maintain a sorcerer cover without it being used up. In that case, what have you prepared to give me for these two pieces of knowledge?”

Grimm looked toward Nilmar. He took a deep breath before slowly taking out a black thread over ten meters long.

“Oh? String of misfortune? Such a long string of misfortune…” Nilmar was a little bit surprised, but then he shook his head. “Insufficient.”

Grimm bit his lip and took out a scroll. It was none other than the short-distance teleportation scroll Peranos had given Grimm before he entered the Mysterious Realm of the Holy Tower Tryouts.

Nilmar looked at it but still shook his head. “Insufficient.”

He gritted his teeth.

In the end, Grimm took out a small, exquisite-looking golden bell. This bell was the same item Grimm had taken from Hill Wood’s body as a spoil of war after killing him. It was a most precious spoil of war.

Nilmar’s eyes suddenly lit up as he picked up this small bell. He studied it for a while before letting out a cackling laugh. “Deal. From this month on, you will get from me the knowledge of echolocation along with the knowledge of false sorcerer covers that do not need to be charged as well as… the knowledge to refine these two spells into a mask!”