Chapter 470 — Mary and Daniel

She did not offer excuses like "the mountain road was hard going." She had experience in this regard: her mentor's mastery of neurology and brainwave manipulation ran deep, and those writhing nerve cords could not only connect to some mysterious thought network but also detect lies. The last apprentice who had lied before the mentor had nearly died on the experiment table, and she had no wish to test the old mage's mood at this moment with her own life.

The old mage Daniel fixed Mary with a dour stare. He waved a hand, and the parcel in her arms flew before him. After inspecting its contents, he raised his eyelids again: "Remember—if you delay the experiment the master has assigned, I will use you as experimental material!"

Mary lowered her head and put on a submissive look: "Y-yes!"

The old mage had a mysterious master—this she knew—and she also knew that this mysterious, powerful master had issued the old mage a series of orders, of which researching new neural-connection techniques and brainwave amplification was a part. It was precisely because of these tasks that the old mage had recently been sending his apprentice out so frequently to gather materials.

Mary dared not ask about the secrets behind that research, still less the name of the mysterious "master." She was clear on this point: a being who could make even her terrifying mentor so reverent was not someone she could lightly come into contact with. Perhaps merely learning a scrap of news about it would be enough to bring a fatal disaster down on her.

Looking at the cowering apprentice, Daniel furrowed his brow. Who knew what he was thinking; then he suddenly spoke: "What did you see in the town?"

Mary dared not recount the details of her loitering, and instead said what might make her mentor less angry: "...I was looking at the notices in the town... I wanted to see if there was any useful news..."

Daniel gave a snort: "Hmph. And what useful news did you see?"

"His Majesty the Emperor is expanding the academies... recruiting volunteers..." Mary immediately poured out everything she had seen, saving what she judged the most important piece for last. "Oh, and His Majesty is also recruiting mages—probably the Royal Mage Society is expanding its ranks. Mentor, you..."

She did not dare go on before she had finished, for she saw the expression on her mentor's face suddenly turn darker than ever, a gloom almost overflowing with undisguised resentment. Yet once she stopped, her mentor spoke: "Go on—what is the Emperor recruiting mages for?"

"Per... perhaps for a research project..." Mary stammered. "The specifics weren't written, but the requirements... the requirements are mathematical knowledge and knowledge of magic arrays, and especially a thorough understanding of self-charging... self-charging magic arrays..."

The gloomy expression on the old mage's face suddenly changed.

He furrowed his brow, seeming to sink into deep thought, and as Mary waited in trembling suspense, he muttered low to himself: "...Could the Empire be researching... The master might be interested in this news..."

Mary listened with her head lowered, not daring even to breathe. She had not the slightest interest in the old mage's master; she was hungry, sleepy, and scared half to death, and wanted nothing more than to hurry back to her own room.

At last the old mage roused himself from his muttering and brooding. He glanced at the apprentice still waiting below the steps, a flicker of abstraction passing through his eyes before they cleared once more.

He waved a hand. "Go back to your room."

Mary felt as though she had been granted a great reprieve and bowed deeply at once. But just as she was about to leave, she heard her mentor's voice come down again from the steps: "...There is a plate of muffins on your desk. They are for you."

Mary raised her head in astonishment, as though she suspected she had misheard.

Yet the old mage merely waved his hand once more, his artificial neural cords having fallen silent at some point, and his tone was thick with impatience. "Today is your birthday."

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