Lance and Mira discussed the upcoming gathering.
At the end of next month, there will be a gathering on the other side of the Elf Valley. Representatives from various races will attend, and it will be a rare opportunity to see many unique and precious items that are usually hard to come by.
Such gatherings also serve as a great opportunity for exchanging information. Lance intends to acquire information related to artificial medium.
When Mira heard his words, she briefly showed a thoughtful expression, but soon she adjusted her mood and smiled at Lance.
"Do we need to prepare anything in advance?"
Initially, Mira wanted to go to the black market to obtain materials for crafting magic arrays. However, she had already abandoned the idea of using a magic array to trap the black dragon.
The assessment made Mira realize the true strength of the magical dragon Nathaniel. If she had naively thought that a magic array could trap a dragon, that would have been terribly naive.
"Prepare anything?" Lance repeated Mira's question. He indeed had many items stored in the entire tower.
Most of the participants in the gathering are hoping to find something they desire during the event. Many of them are not lacking in money, so they prefer to barter.
Mira was right. Lance rarely attended such gatherings, and he almost forgot about this important matter.
What items in the tower would be suitable for barter?
Lance considered handling the items Nathaniel had left in the tower. He had already let go of the beautiful women in the tower, and their eyes had been entirely buried. All that remained were a pile of jewels and gems that Nathaniel had left behind.
Now, all that remained were the many crystal jewels Nathaniel had left behind. After the goblin extermination, most other tribes did not consider these sparkling stones useful.
Humans might like crystals… but the information he wanted to obtain would likely not be provided by humans.
Lance suddenly remembered the blank scrolls in the storage room.
During his last visit to Ghillian Town, the three scrolls he had casually written had played a crucial role.
For many spellcasters without the appropriate medium, pre-written magic scrolls like these were very useful.
Lance had an idea and turned his gaze to Mira.
"Mira, how about starting a new lesson today?"
Mira, who had been pondering where Lance had gotten the information about the gathering, was interrupted by his sudden voice.
She showed a hint of frustration.
Lance seemed to enjoy his role as a "teacher," and he was exceptionally knowledgeable in the field of magic. Following Lance's lessons was a real test for Mira.
She enjoyed learning magic, but Lance... he really was something.
Mira felt like she had become a person with a scattered mind. Lance, on the other hand, was even worse. He usually appeared distant and rarely spoke, giving others the impression that he was gloomy and mysterious.
But when he discussed magic, he seemed like a completely different person.
Meditation was fine; they would silently immerse themselves in exploring their inner energies, a peaceful and steady state.
But when he was teaching, that tranquility and beauty were completely shattered. Lance had no teaching experience, and he didn't follow the structured outlines of magical books.
Although he taught Mira the seven-ring spells, his thoughts always expanded into the formation of spells, the stories behind the spells, the power of magical books, and related spells.
Mira knew that for Lance, magic was as ordinary as eating and drinking. He had long integrated magic into his being and reached a new level.
But this level was still distant for Mira. She could feel some of the sensations Lance described, but she had not fully experienced the feeling of being completely immersed in magic and becoming one with it.
Memorizing the unfamiliar knowledge points Lance suddenly mentioned was already a challenge for Mira.
Now he was starting a whole new lesson?
Mira showed a frustrated expression, but this frustration instantly disappeared after his next sentence.
"There are still many scrolls left in the storage room." Lance asked her, "So, Mira, are you interested in learning how to write magic on scrolls?"
Mira clearly remembered the three magic scrolls used in Ghillian Town.
After being rebounded by the Silence spell, she couldn’t chant the incantation to cast a spell. At that time, she had used the Ice Rain spell.
Mira nodded repeatedly, "Yes."
Lance knew she couldn't refuse.
He said, "If we can prepare enough scrolls with spells before the gathering, we should be able to exchange for some good things."
"When do we start?"
"Tonight?" Lance thought for a moment. "After finishing the afternoon's lesson, we need to leave you enough time to complete your practice, and then in the evening..."
Lance paused for a moment.
He not only needed to reserve time for Mira but also needed enough time for himself to have a meal.
Lance sighed quietly.
"At nine."
"But I need to sleep by ten," Mira said, a little puzzled. "The practice ends at seven, and even with dinner afterwards, it shouldn't be delayed until nine, right?"
Lance turned his gaze away. "Mira, I also need some private time."
Mira blinked. Of course, she understood.
"Alright," she agreed.
"Starting tonight?" Mira asked again to confirm.
"Yes," Lance agreed.
The clock at the bottom of the tower was part of Mira’s dowry. Every hour, a small bird would pop out and chirp to announce the time. However, Mira had once been startled by the sudden appearance of the bird and had used magic to silence it.
Tonight, Mira was eagerly awaiting 9 PM.
After dinner, she paced around the clock for a long time, but the minute hand moved too slowly—it felt as though she had been waiting forever.
She even reviewed the spells she had learned today, as Lance’s personal time still hadn’t ended.
Suddenly, the time-chiming bird popped out of the clock, but it made no sound.
How strange.
Mira stared at the little bird. Its intricate painted design looked expensive.
Mira wasn’t sure what she was thinking. She must have been too bored, so she used magic to restore the bird’s function.
She was definitely too bored. Mira chuckled to herself.
Lance’s personal time really felt endless.
What was he doing? Mira couldn’t help but feel curious.
Actually, every night in the past, Lance would disappear for a while after dinner.
At that time, Mira would usually be tidying up the tower or reading books from the library in her room. She rarely wondered what Lance was doing during that time.
Today, he had said he would start a new lesson at 9 PM.
She was looking forward to it. So, she finished her usual chores early, but couldn’t focus on her book—she just wanted the time to pass more quickly so that 9 o’clock would arrive.
Time really felt slow.
Mira thought that maybe she could go to the library early and wait for Lance. The origami spirit would surely be there. That way, she could have someone to talk to.
Stolen story; please report.
Without hesitation, Mira decided to go.
But strangely, the origami spirit didn’t appear when she entered the library.
Mira stared at the empty library, feeling confused.
She stood on the spiral staircase, her hand resting on the handrail carved with a giant dragon relief.
Mira looked up, and the dark staircase seemed to go on forever.
She tried taking a step upward, and as the magic worked, the entrance to the library disappeared. She was heading toward another unknown space in the tower.
Mira knew that the tower was made of layer after layer of spaces. Suddenly, she was curious about the other rooms inside the tower.
She began to climb upward, just like it was her first time entering the library. Everything around her grew quiet, and all she could see were the steps of the spiral staircase beneath her.
She kept climbing, unable to count how many steps she had taken, when a cool breeze brushed against her face. She entered a completely new space.
Suddenly, the darkness before her turned into light. Mira instinctively closed her eyes, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the light. When she opened her eyes, she found herself in a new space.
The young woman looked around.
Blue skies, white clouds, expansive green fields, and cows and sheep peacefully grazing.
It was a pasture.
There was a pasture inside the tower?
Mira was surprised. She walked across the grassland, watching the cows and sheep grazing. She suddenly realized—these were the cows and sheep once offered to the dragon. They were now being raised in the tower’s dedicated space.
“Mira!” A familiar voice suddenly rang out.
Mira turned and saw the origami spirit flying toward her from the group of cows and sheep.
“How did you end up here?” Mira looked surprised.
It turned out that the origami spirit hadn’t been guarding the library, but had instead run up to a higher level of the tower.
“This place needs to be restarted,” the origami spirit explained. “Didn’t you come here to find me because you couldn’t find me in the library?”
Mira paused for a moment and answered honestly, “You weren’t in the library, so I was going to head back. But then I suddenly got curious about what was above the spiral staircase…”
The origami spirit let out a few dry laughs.
“There’s nothing here, just a pasture.” He needed to find a way to leave quickly, to allow Lance, who had just finished eating, to leave as well.
Mira looked at him.
Inside, the origami spirit was frantic. Luckily, there was no strange expression on his face, or the quirky girl in front of him would have seen right through him.
“I’ve heard that the king offers many cows and sheep to the magical dragon every year. I didn’t expect them to be raised here,” Mira said, looking around the surroundings.
The sky was high and clear. This was indeed a nice place.
And in the place she hadn’t noticed, the small blue dragon had stopped moving, afraid to continue.
When Mira’s gaze shifted elsewhere, Lance let out a sigh of relief and continued tiptoeing forward.
He had to leave here and head to the bath to wash off the bloodstains from the meal. There wasn’t much time left until the appointed hour—he had to hurry.
“Yes,” the origami spirit lied, “The pasture here is occasionally eaten clean by these greedy cows and sheep, so I come down regularly and reconstruct the environment in a special way to ensure the cows and sheep always have food.”
“I see.” Mira took two steps forward. “The magic in the tower is really amazing.”
Not only can it create the required environment, but it can also adjust and restart the environment at any time.
“Right,” the origami spirit could only agree with Mira’s words.
He cautiously glanced at the grass, and the blue dragon had already moved far away during their conversation.
“Mira, let’s leave here for now,” the origami spirit said.
Mira tilted her head, looking at him.
“Are you looking for a book? Let’s go downstairs, and I’ll help you find it.”
The origami spirit needed to get Mira away quickly so that Lance, who had to hide among the sheep and cows, could leave sooner.
Just as he spoke, a riot suddenly broke out in the flock of sheep in the distance.
A few sheep started running frantically, causing the rest of the flock to follow in panic. This disrupted the feeding of the surrounding cows and sheep.
Mira glanced in that direction. "What happened over there?"
The origami spirit looked toward the direction she was pointing. He could sense his master's presence there.
The terrifying pressure from the dragon caused a panic among the cows and sheep.
Lance, in his small dragon form, was hiding among the sheep. He had intended to use their wool to cover his body, but the inherent pressure he emitted had brought a new problem.
The small blue dragon dodged the frenzied cows and sheep in confusion.
When his tail was stepped on by a sheep, Lance curled up in frustration, not daring to make a sound.
The origami spirit quickly thought of a solution.
As Mira got closer to the sheep, he suddenly spoke. "Mira, stay away from them. These cows and sheep are in heat." He gestured randomly. "Look, those rams are chasing after the ewes. It’s too chaotic here. Let’s head back quickly."
Mira’s eyes flickered. That was true—it was mating season.
"I’ve never seen it before," Mira said, wanting to observe up close. However, the number of cows and sheep was greater than she had imagined, and getting close to the center wasn’t easy.
The origami spirit quickly urged her, "There’s nothing to see. It’s too dangerous! Mira, there are similar books in the library downstairs. If you're interested, I can help you find them. These cows and sheep can be very dangerous when they go mad."
Mira pouted and stood on tiptoe to look into the distance.
The flock of sheep ran at high speed, and before long, they had trampled over a large part of the pasture.
As the origami spirit had said, the situation was chaotic and uncontrollable.
Mira suppressed her curiosity and followed the origami spirit downstairs toward the library.
Hidden among the sheep, Lance waited until Mira’s presence faded away before finally daring to return to his full form.
A massive blue dragon suddenly appeared in the center of the pasture. The animals, who had been frantically running in fear, immediately cowered on the ground, trembling and afraid to move.
The dragon glanced at its tail, which had been stepped on, and let out a low, angry growl. The cows and sheep trembled even more.
Lance couldn’t deal with them now. He needed to quickly clean himself up so he could appear in front of Mira before 9 PM.
The origami spirit really brought Mira a lot of books about animal mating.
There were books on cows, sheep, pigs, various birds, and even marine animals.
Mira turned her head away, a little embarrassed. In fact, she wasn’t really interested in such books. It was just that she had happened to encounter the mating topic earlier, and out of curiosity, she wanted to take a look.
The origami spirit had clearly misunderstood her intent.
Looking at the thick stack of books in front of her, Mira wasn’t sure if she should take them back. It wasn’t like she was planning to breed animals.
It was too strange.
However, among all the books, one caught Mira’s attention.
Dragon Reproduction. Mira looked at the words on the page, and driven by curiosity, picked up this book that seemed unusually interesting.
Dragons were typical egg-laying creatures.
Adult dragons had extremely long lifespans, and they experienced mating seasons approximately every ten years, though the duration varied. Most dragon species would end their mating period after mating with their partners, but due to the lack of systematic data and professional experiments, most information about dragons came from the observations of scholars.
Most of the observed data indicated that the peak mating period for dragon species was at the end of spring and the beginning of summer. During this phase, dragons would experience a noticeable rise in body temperature, become irritable, struggle to focus, and exhibit a decline in memory.
At the same time, male dragons would secrete a special body fat during mating, which carried a fragrance and had a strong attraction for the opposite sex.
Most observation data suggested that even though dragons were considered apex predators, during mating seasons, they behaved like ordinary mammals—impulsive and irritable.
A special note was that adult dragons, after stabilizing their power, could undergo a physical transformation, and during this special situation, they would respond in ways that corresponded to their new appearance.
Mira didn’t understand the last sentence.
She flipped back a few pages, hoping to find more answers from other chapters, but after the introduction, the first page of the book was filled with illustrations of dragons mating...
"Mira."
Lance’s voice came from behind her.
Mira quickly slammed the book shut.
"Why are you here so early?"
Mira’s gaze darted around, her mind still full of the dragon illustrations from the book.
She wasn’t sure why she felt so guilty.
"I had nothing to do," Mira lowered her voice, "I was just wandering around the tower earlier, and the origami spirit said he could find some books for me to read."
Lance’s gaze shifted from the strange books about animal mating to the one titled Dragon Reproduction.
He squinted.
He glanced over at the origami spirit. Hadn’t he specifically told him to hide all the dragon-related books?
Dragon Reproduction. This was clearly something that the brass dragon clan had created.
Among the five-colored dragons, only the brass dragons were interested in knowledge. Unlike the blue dragons, who focused on magic, the brass dragons enjoyed all kinds of knowledge.
They especially liked compiling books about dragons.
"It seems your magic practice is going well, Mira," Lance said, knowing exactly why she was suddenly interested in these topics.
He picked up the book on dragon reproduction and tossed it to the origami spirit.
"Put this away. Let’s start learning scroll magic."
Mira lowered her head and followed Lance to the storage room where the scrolls were kept.
Lance had just finished his bath. His hair was still damp, and a faint fragrance lingered around him.
Mira couldn’t quite identify the scent, but it smelled really good. She knew that some mages would apply scented powders to themselves, but Lance didn’t seem like the type to need such things.
"Mira." Lance sat at the desk and looked at Mira, who was still with her head down.
She lifted her head and met the blue dragon’s gaze.
"Which magic should we start with today?" he asked, observing her.
Today, Mira seemed a little different—her cheeks were flushed. Ever since the earlier incident, she had kept her head down.
"I don’t know," Mira answered. "Should we start with something simple?"
She was at the sixth ring, so she could cast all spells below the fourth ring instantly. Clearly, there was no need to spend much time on these lower-level spells.
However, she also couldn’t control more difficult spells very well. Her first lesson should probably be on the basics.
Lance’s expression shifted for a moment as he listened to Mira’s response.
He had actually planned to say something else, but after seeing the girl’s flushed cheeks, he suddenly forgot what he was going to say and ended up starting with a random comment.
Lance paused in silence for a moment.
"We shouldn’t rush to make scrolls," he said. "To learn scroll magic, we need to first understand the logic behind casting scroll magic."
"Mm." Mira nodded, sitting on a nearby chair in a serious listening posture.
Lance looked at her for a moment, and his mind went blank for a second.
He cleared his throat softly to cover his awkwardness. Fortunately, as a blue dragon familiar with all things related to magic, he quickly regained his composure.
"Scroll magic is actually a method of pre-casting spells and releasing them later," Lance said, picking up a blank scroll and demonstrating to Mira. "We need to finish reciting the incantations and filtering the energy beforehand, so that the magic is stored inside the scroll."
"Unlike ordinary magic, because the spell isn’t released immediately but is instead fixed inside the scroll, when we need to use it, we need to give the spell a trigger."
"I know, the action of opening the scroll." Mira had used scroll magic before, and she was quite familiar with the sensation.
When the scroll was closed, it looked like an ordinary parchment, harmless.
But the moment the scroll was opened, the magic stored inside would be triggered and immediately released.
Lance nodded in satisfaction.
"Exactly. The principle of scroll magic is very simple, but getting the magic to stay in the scroll is not easy. Like all magic, it requires plenty of practice."
Mira nodded and began writing down Lance’s words in her notebook.
The blue dragon continued, "The most commonly used trigger is a simple activation spell, usually placed on the outside of the scroll. The act of unrolling the scroll is the activation command..."
"Achoo!"
Mira sneezed suddenly, interrupting Lance’s speech.
"Are you sick?" Lance asked, closing the scroll and looking at Mira with concern.
Mira rubbed her nose. "No, I just suddenly felt itchy in my nose." She looked up at the young man in front of her and asked, "Lance, did you bathe with flower petals? You smell so good."