LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 13: Lake Fairy
Reg didn't think too much about it, as he methodically sorted through the items that weren't too valuable or difficult to carry.
Once everything was packed up, he had the burly snake slave hoist the half-man-high bundle, and he pushed open the door, ready to leave.
"If nothing goes wrong, I probably won't be coming back here..."
"Speaking of which, suddenly leaving a place where I've lived for more than three years... It's hard not to feel a little sad... Just kidding!"
A place originally designed for four people had been crammed into an eight-person dorm, and it was a hellhole with barely enough space to stand. There was no way he could feel nostalgic about it.
As the door opened, sunlight flooded in, and someone brushed past him.
A faint, sweet fragrance, like a spring breeze, made him momentarily distracted.
He quickly turned his head, only to meet a pair of clear, bright eyes.
"Reg?"
"Vivian!"
Vivian's voice was just as warm as he remembered, soothing and comfortable to listen to.
Though they rarely saw each other, she was undoubtedly a girl.
Her face was round, her eyebrows slightly thick, and her large eyes reflected a clean, radiant light. She seemed to notice that Reg was a bit lost in thought and smiled softly.
"You finally came back. How did it go this time?"
Vivian didn't put on a cold mask as she usually did with strangers, instead showing her warm and approachable nature.
Looking at Reg, she seemed to glow with a soft, mysterious light, like she was radiating sunshine and vitality.
"You know, after leaving the academy, I can only collect some of the rare materials here. This time, it didn't go any better..."
Reg smiled faintly, but his smile was tinged with bitterness.
He got along well with Vivian and was willing to talk more, but he couldn't go into detail about his opportunities.
"Well, you're an expert in basic herbalism, but finding high-energy plants that can help an apprentice become a wizard is still a long shot..."
"Don't worry. There are still three months left, and there's still a chance to try again."
Reg's smile remained "bitter," and though he appreciated her comforting words, he could only nod helplessly.
Vivian's character was like this—pure and sunny around familiar faces. There weren't many apprentices like her.
It wasn't surprising, though. It seemed to be connected to the bloodline she carried...
The legendary "Lake Fairy" was always said to appear by the side of the "Knight King," a mysterious being whose innate brightness could infect those around her. It was easy to understand why Vivian seemed to shine with such warmth.
"Reg, there are eight of us in our dorm. Four have reached third-rank wizard apprentices, but none of us succeeded in advancing. What are you planning to do now?"
Vivian's words interrupted Reg's thoughts. Dick, Rudolph, and the others were the four she was referring to.
Reg looked at Vivian, hesitated for a moment, and said:
"With only three months left, it's unrealistic to go out again, and the chances are still slim."
"So, I'm planning to give it one last try at Enkett's Apothecary. If I succeed, it will be my last hope."
A fleeting, mysterious glint appeared in Vivian's bright eyes. She gave a long "Hmm" and said:
"I see... well, I wish you good luck."
They parted ways, and Reg, with his snake slaves in tow, went to turn in the materials he had collected. He planned to make thorough preparations before heading to "Enkett's Apothecary" for his final attempt.
As the door closed behind him, the sunlight was blocked out, just like the cheerful, optimistic expression on Vivian's face, which suddenly turned cold.
She sat down in her spot, a faint sense of disorientation overtaking her. Her head drooped slightly, and shadows covered her face.
No one could see it, but in the shadow, Vivian, who usually radiated sunshine, was engulfed in a deep sense of pain, confusion, anxiety... and despair.
She had tried everything, but the wizard's lock of first-ring power still held her tightly in place...
"Only three months left..." Vivian murmured softly to herself.
"Is this really what I have to do?"
She couldn't help but gaze toward the door.
---
In the Cottonwood Forest, dense and thick leaves shielded the sunlight, while the thick, porous trunks absorbed any sound.
The entire forest was dim and quiet, with patches of damp moss glowing with a faint blue light, adding a touch of mystery to the surroundings.
Vivian furrowed her brow slightly, and a rare cold beauty began to emerge on her usually warm face.
"Enkett's Apothecary... isn't foolproof. It's even less reliable than the experiment Rudolph tried. You should consider..."
"Trying the 'Spiritual Fusion' method with me?"
Vivian suddenly approached, calling Reg to this secluded place, which had already made him curious.
Now, after hearing her words, Reg was even more astonished.
"Of course, spiritual fusion isn't guaranteed to work, but... you know I have a trace of the 'Lake Fairy' bloodline, which might help."
"Lake Fairy bloodline..."
Reg's eyes slightly widened as he looked at Vivian, who seemed to be lost in thought.
It was easy to see along the way—apprentices were becoming increasingly desperate as the four-year deadline approached. They were trying everything to succeed.
Some joined terrifying forbidden experiments; others abandoned their dignity and tried to flatter those in power.
More apprentices started turning to uncertain spells, potions, and even rituals...
The Spiritual Fusion ritual was one such method.
Under normal circumstances, spirituality couldn't flow between different individuals, as their physical and spiritual forms were separate.
But if one consumed Red Cap mushrooms or Mandrake leaves and had a spiritual potion to maintain the process, their physical bodies would slightly virtualize, putting their minds in a semi-dreamlike state.
In this unique condition, the relationship between spirit and body became blurred, allowing for spiritual fusion between two individuals.
Through this fusion, they could share memories, ideas, thoughts, and even essential personality traits.
Once the spiritual state returned to the body, it would stimulate the spirit, leading to an extremely rare self-growth of mental power.
Once mental power undergoes a qualitative change, breaking through the wizard's lock of the first ring becomes a real possibility!
However...
The Spiritual Fusion ritual, being "not entirely reliable," didn't only have positive effects. More often, it led to terrifying consequences:
Anxiety, depression, madness, mental fragmentation, disintegration of personality, or even—failure to attach the spirit, causing the body to collapse!
That's why, when the term "Spiritual Fusion" reached Reg's ears, his gaze toward Vivian subtly changed:
"Even she has reached the point of no return..."
Vivian had always been warm and approachable around him, but this wasn't the demeanor one would expect from a normal wizard.
In fact, her behavior was far from warm with others. It could even be described as "cold" and "distant," with a third-rank wizard's strength and ruthless methods that made people hesitate to approach.
Seeing that Reg didn't respond, Vivian, slightly anxious, added:
"I've never fused with anyone before, but with the 'Ancient Pact' still in place, I'm protected. You can accept it, right?"