While Bilan could be considered fortunate to have survived a disastrous crisis, her heart was far from calm.
She was currently staying in an inner room on the side of the White Tower. The room was simple and empty, which was entirely in line with Punk's minimalist layout style. Except for a bed, there was no extra furniture in this room, and the sole source of light was a small glowing orb created by Bilan. The dim light was shining on the girl's sweaty face, drawing a beautiful shadow on the white granite wall!
Now, Bilan was sitting on the bed with a panic-stricken expression on her face. She slowly wiped her cold sweat, she had just woke up from a nightmare, and the terrible feeling from the dream was still shrouding the young girl's heart like a haze.
Ever since she failed to help the slaves escape and was brought back to the Tower by Punk, a lingering nightmare was eating her up from the inside like a bone maggot.
The nightmare was full of howls and screams of the poor slaves as they died tragically, as well as their blood-stained eyes full of despair, and then there was also a pair of blue pupils hidden in the shadow of the hood, exuding a frightening coldness.
After taking a few deep breaths and soothing her beating heart a little, Bilan, who finally freed herself from the fear of the nightmare, reached out her hand to summon the small light ball floating in the air. The white ball of light slowly landed on her slender palms. She then tightly held the slightly warm light ball close to her chest in order to dispel the coldness and fear from her heart. But even after forcing herself to no longer think about the content of the nightmare, Bilan still couldn't fall asleep while lying in bed.
For the past few days, Punk took her to the experimental platform from time to time, and then he forced her to listen to the screams and wailings of the experimental subjects to make her "appreciate" the bloody human anatomy and cruel soul experiment.
During these days, Bilan noticed a gradual change in herself. She felt her heart being corrupted as she started to become accustomed to the cries of the unfortunate slaves. Unlike before, she no longer trembled with fear when blood splattered on her face.
In addition, these days, she was also having a faint intuition that a huge danger was approaching her step by step, and she could also feel that when that danger comes, her own mind, body, soul, everything would be devoured forever!
Although she was ninety-nine percent sure that if any danger fell on her, it would come from the Evil and terrible mage, but even when facing such almost undisguised threat, in front of an official mage, she could do nothing but pray for mercy. She really could not see any other way.
It was also impossible for her to accuse her nominal mentor without any evidence, and any plan of running away under the supervision of an official mage was nothing but a hilarious joke.
Desolately dispelling the ball of light in her hand, Bilan laid down on the hard bed and sighed. This bloody and rancid white Tower made her feel nauseous and depressed. A faint sense of despair and self-abandonment was slowly enveloping Bilan's heart, and she had a deep feeling that if she continued to stay in the white Tower beside the abnormal mage any longer, then she would go crazy very soon.
"Maybe I've already become crazy. I don't know anything anymore..."
For the first time, Bilan missed her noble lifestyle of Dolez city. She used to think that it was just a filthy, dark, and hypocritical place, but now she was starting to think otherwise; after all, at least there were delicious honey buns to taste.
" Dickie..."
In the silent darkness of the White Tower, the exhausted young girl quickly stepped into a hazy state once again, and in that state, an immature and cheerful face suddenly appeared in her mind.
Remembering what that young boy said at their departure... I go to the square to sing at six o'clock every day... Bilan really wanted to go and listen to his singing.
"You want to go shopping on the street?"
Punk stood in the dimly lit White Tower hall, where even the faint morning light couldn't completely banish the lingering darkness. The abyssal aura still hung in the air. In the center of the hall, the lifeless body of Hult lay on the experimental platform, occasionally twitching.
Punk packed the completed activation potion in his robe and then carefully checked the other potions and equipment he was carrying.
He was getting ready to explore the Spider Cave, and at this moment, Bilan suddenly came over and made a strange request.
If it was regular time, Punk would deny Bilan's request without looking back; after all, this silly little girl was just too capable of creating trouble, and he didn't really want to waste time in solving this little girl's mess. He would have just let her honestly wait in the White Tower until her destiny as the experimental subject was completed.
But now... he was about to go on a trip to the unknown spider cave, so he definitely couldn't bring a burden with him.
"But if I simply leave this girl alone in the white tower..."
Punk looked at the seemingly uneasy Bilan, and noticing the sudden flashes of determination in her eyes, he shook his head in his heart.
The current White Tower had been equipped with a large number of early warning systems and magic traps, and such interlocking protection mechanism was definitely not something that an apprentice-level professional could breakthrough, so if Punk did not want Bilan to go out, she would never get out.
But…
"It seems that even if she is forced to stay in the White Tower, this impulsive idiot won't listen, right?" Considering the character of Bilan, Punk quickly estimated that she would try to go out even if she encountered dangers, and if that really happened and she tried to force her way out, she might just be accidentally killed by a trap. And as Punk intended to continue his current "Evil? Or Not Evil?" identity for some more times, it would be challenging for him to find suitable mage experimental subject again..."
"Never mind, an apprentice can't outrun an official mage anyway. If I let her go, at least I won't have to worry about her food."
After considering it, Punk thought it wouldn't be a major issue to let Bilan leave the White Tower from time to time, so he agreed without much thought.
"You can go, but you must take care of the daily cleaning of the White Tower."
After saying that, Punk didn't pay any attention to Bilan, who was standing still in one place. He needed to double-check the control system of No. 1. Punk didn't want to underestimate the mysterious cave capable of consuming an official mage.
Hearing Punk's casual response, Bilan, who was standing in the middle of the hall with her head down, felt a huge sense of surprise coming from the bottom of her heart. She thought that her request would be rejected mercilessly by Punk. And she had already decided in her heart that If Punk did not allow her to go to the small town, she would fight to the death.
However, what she didn't expect was that Punk seemingly agreed very casually. She felt a sudden urge to release a loud cheer and rush out of this gloomy Tower to the beautiful town below, then run and sing on the green grass as much as she liked, leaving all the dangers, nightmares, and horrors behind.
Forcibly resisting the excitement, Bilan bowed deeply to Punk, expressing gratitude in a trembling voice:
"Thank you very much, Honorable Mentor."
Punk, who was checking the engraved spells of the Flesh Golem, just waved his hand to Bilan casually. For him, Bilan was just an experimental subject that had not grown up yet, so letting her go to the town for few rounds was just like giving a good meal before her death.
Now, there was only one thing worthy of Punk's full attention, and that was the exploration of the spider cave!