"Where are you going?" The old man asked while staring at Claire without blinking.
Claire stayed silent. The old man leaned on the horse, unwilling to move.
"To Gale Gorge." After a long time, Claire finally replied lightly.
"Aiya, this is such a coincidence. I am also going there. As your compensation for bumping into me, let's go together. You guys are young and strong, so it's not unreasonable to ask you guys to protect such a frail, old man like me." The old man deviously looked at Claire's bosom.
This old man isn't simple. Not only does he have such a thick face, he is also perverted! Claire looked at the old man's devious gaze, confirming her suspicions.
"We only have two horses. I'll hire a carriage for you then." Claire didn't want to tangle up with this annoying, perverted old man, so she said this decision.
"Oh, that won't do. It's so far away, no carriage would be willing to go there. And do you think those coachmen, who run faster than horses in times of danger, could protect a frail old man like me?" The old man obviously planned on not letting Claire go and shamelessly said these words. A coachman can run faster than a horse? He had the face to say that?!
Jean looked at the old man's crafty eyes and felt puzzled. This old man seemed very familiar, but who was he? Although he had definitely met him before, for the time being he couldn't figure out where.
"Then, what do you want?" Claire frowned. It seems like this old man has made up his mind to follow them. Although his intent isn't clear yet, one thing could be sure: this old man didn't mean any harm.
Jean searched thoroughly in his brain for information on this old man, and all of a sudden, Jean's eyes widened. It's him! It's actually him! His whereabouts were always erratic, so what a surprise to encounter him here! But why was he obsessed with Claire? Jean didn't understand, couldn't figure it out. But if they could keep him with them throughout this trip, the word "danger" virtually wouldn't exist!
Not waiting for Claire to speak, Jean hurriedly said, "Sure, senior, I'll immediately buy a quality horse for you, please wait a bit."
Jean's sudden change in behavior let Claire understand he had figured out something. If so, she would just watch and see what happens.
Jean bought a horse very quickly and the old man nimbly flipped onto the horse. And he called himself a weak, frail, old man?
And so the three left the capital city gates.
The early morning air was refreshing, and birds flew around chattering. Tall, emerald-green trees stood on both sides of the road, with crystal clear dewdrops hanging from the leaves.
"What's your name? Little beauty." The old man started to chat cheekily the whole time. The names he called Claire were also very strange.
"Claire." Claire replied without much thought.
"Oh? Claire? Hmm, very good very good. How old are you then?" The old man's gaze flitted to Claire's bosom furtively. He thought to himself, this girl can't be too old, but she's developing pretty well, heehee.
"Why should I tell you?" Claire threw back coldly.
But, a sliver of worry appeared in Jean's eyes. You simply couldn't afford to make this person unhappy! Even the emperor tried to please him, afraid to make him the tiniest bit angry. Because he was the legendary figure who had the power to destroy a whole city!
"Then let me guess. Twelve? Thirteen? Fourteen? Fifteen?…" The old man didn't pay the slightest attention to Claire's attitude, and started noisily guessing. Claire felt like there were multiple flies humming back and forth about her ears.
"Claire, you are a magician, aren't you?" Due to Claire's complete ignorance of his noisy chitchat, the old man switched topics to talk about.
"No." Claire spit out the word coldly.
"Claire has just started her studies at the Sunrise Institute, and hasn't yet gone before Magicians' Council for her assessment." Jean was overjoyed. By bringing up the topic himself, did he mean to instruct Claire? If so, then Claire is so lucky! Because this person isn't just anyone, but the one and only wizard sage of Amparkland! He was constantly traveling, and also the mentor of the principal of Sunrise Institute – Cliff! His name was eulogized around the continent. He is a living legend, because although other countries also have wizard sages, he was the only one to achieve this level at the young age of twenty-six! He was the genius of geniuses. But, the world also knew that this legendary figure had this one tragic flaw, which was – lust! And not just any type of lust, but a world-shaking, future-destroying, gods-and-humans-angering lechery!
"Oh, then do you have a master?" Cliff asked enthusiastically.
This sentence made Jean's jaw almost dislocate! What did Cliff's words signify? Did that mean he wanted to make Claire his disciple?! No way, right? He had only very few disciples, one of them being the principal of the Sunrise Institute! Did he really take a fancy to Claire? Lashia was way, way more talented than Claire, but Cliff didn't even so much as glance at her. But today he asked Claire this question?!
"I do." Claire's cold answer almost made Jean falip off his horse. Did she not understand how great of an opportunity she had in front of her?!
"Will you be willing to be my disciple?" Cliff asked, not paying the slightest attention to Claire's answer and asked while laughing merrily.
Jean felt like his heart had soared to the skies, fallen down, and now flew up again.
"No." Claire rejected indifferently. She knew clearly that one person could have only one master.
Jean's heart plummeted. He felt as if his heart had been on a over-exciting roller coaster.
"Do you know who I am?" Cliff began to pout. Did she not know how many people wanted to become his disciple? But on the other hand, this little beauty in front of him doesn't know who he is. This must be the reason for her attitude.
"An obscene and perverted old man." Claire's mouth started to become poisonous. Jean's expression instantly changed. Even though what Claire said was the undeniable truth, this person was Cliff!
"Ahem, ahem~ " Cliff coughed slightly, but he didn't get embarrassed or angry. Instead, he opened up a new topic, "I'm Cliff."
"Great master Cliff, so it's you! As our country's only wizard sage, you were always a legendary figure. What brings you here today?" Jean immediately pointed out Cliff's identity, obviously to let Claire know that this perverted old man could not be offended. It would be best if she could become his disciple.
Claire raised her eyebrows slightly. Cliff? That legendary person who was a genius among geniuses? The master of the Sunrise Institute's principal? Amparkland's only wizard sage? Actually had this kind of disgusting behavior! Thick skinned, lust that reached the skies, and extremely vulgar.
But Jean felt extremely puzzled. Why did the legendary Cliff take a fancy to Claire? And wanted to accept her as a disciple? It would be too far-fetched to say he only wanted to recruit her based on her beauty, because beautiful female magicians were everywhere. The only reason would be that Claire had something special that he and others didn't know, but it was discovered by Cliff!
Claire thought back to Gordan's counsel, telling her not to reveal to any outsiders her over-the-top talent before she met that person. Never before. And only that person could be her master. Was it this person whom Grandfather was talking about? Claire guessed.
From his status and identity, nine out of ten it was him.
If it was like that…
An imperceivable, crafty grin appeared in Claire's eyes.
"You want to be my master?" Claire asked as she turned to look at the lascivious old man, Cliff, who was closely following on his horse and still looking at her bosom vulgarly.
Cliff came back to his senses, looked at Claire with raised brows, and released a strange ripple of magic from his body. Cliff's voice sounded directly in Claire's head without Jean hearing. "Little beauty, your talent is rarely seen in a millennium, heehee, be my disciple and I promise you will be treated more than fairly." That vulgar voice sounded exactly like a child trafficker tricking a little girl.
Claire understood this must be a very high level magic, to go so far as to directly talk into the mind and not let anyone else hear. By showing her this move, the old man was indicating that he was very powerful.
"Well~~ " Claire frowned, seemingly thinking very deeply, unable to decide.
Her hesitant appearance made Cliff a little worried.
At the city gates he had seen the pretty Claire at once, and then was amazed as he discovered Claire's hidden talent. How could he give up on such a treasure? He must make her his disciple! If it was this girl, his legacy could definitely be passed on! And she could definitely rival that old man's disciple! Humph! That despicable, loathsome, shameless, vulgar, pretentious, and deserved a beating old man! Just wait and see, old man!