"No," Wood said with a frustrated face. "I might have seen something similar to the kind of secrecy spell you mentioned back in school, but now I can't recall it at all."
"What use are you then?" Murphy sighed.
"I'm sorry," Alex Wood said apologetically. "But, I think someone might be able to help you."
"Oh? Who?"
"My sister, Selica Wood. She's a member of the Experimental Spell Committee and joined the Magical Archaeology Association. She knows a lot of spells."
"Oh? Great! Bring her to me!"
Murphy was worrying about his insufficient spell knowledge. Having an expert in spells, even if she couldn't solve this problem, learning a few more spells would be beneficial.
After noticing Wood's uneasy expression, Murphy asked, "What's wrong?"
"My sister…," Alex hesitated and pointed to his head. "She's a bit... not normal up here."
Not normal in the head? Murphy became even more interested. "Do you think I'm normal?"
Alex shook his head, seemed to feel it was inappropriate, and then nodded vigorously.
"Heh, normal people are mediocrities! Especially normal wizards! What use are they!" Murphy completely ignored Alex's bitter expression. "Bring your sister here; let me see how abnormal she is!"
...
A few days later, Murphy met Selica Wood at the Supreme Potions shop.
To his surprise, she was quite beautiful.
She was petite, with a significant bust, a slim waist, and shapely legs partially revealed under her short skirt.
Murphy glanced at Alex Wood walking beside her. "Alex, are you two really siblings?"
"Yes, sir," Alex replied, not understanding the implication.
"Mr. Murphy Darkholme!" Selica seemed very excited, letting go of her brother and reaching out to shake Murphy's hand. "Are you the real person? Alex didn't lie to me, right? You're real, aren't you?"
Murphy instinctively stepped back.
Upon closer inspection, she indeed resembled Alex, with similar tea-colored hair, round face, and a few faint freckles near her nose.
But these Wood family traits, on her, unexpectedly blended harmoniously, giving her a very sweet appearance.
However, wasn't she standing too close?
"You know about me?"
"Everyone knows about you!" Selica's eyes sparkled. "Wow, you're so handsome! Mr. Murphy, I'm a fan of yours."
"Oh, fine, I don't like fans getting too close."
"Then I won't be your fan anymore."
"Hisss..."
Murphy was taken aback by her bold reply.
"Let go of me, stand back, and stop wiggling your butt!" Murphy shook off Selica's hand. "Stand there, don't move, don't come closer."
"Oh." Selica obediently stood still, not rushing over again.
Murphy looked at Alex again, who nodded in agreement.
Alright, so that was her kind of abnormality.
But it didn't matter much. A girl in her early twenties, who doesn't like handsome men, just like he also liked to see beautiful women. It was normal as long as she was obedient.
Strange, just because he was too handsome.
"Alex said you were a member of the Experimental Spell Committee?"
"I was, but I've resigned. Those people are either incredibly stupid or wildly fanciful, and a few old men kept staring at my butt!"
Murphy glanced at her bottom involuntarily.
He thought it wasn't entirely the old men's fault. It's natural to appreciate beauty.
Selica seemed to notice his gaze and coyly swayed a bit.
"Cough." Murphy diverted his gaze, looking serious. "Alex must have told you, I need a spell that prevents the subject from revealing secrets."
"It should have a progressive warning. If they just think about it, they shouldn't suffer any real punishment or harm. But if they intend to act, they should experience effects like a Silencing Charm, Petrification, or intense pain, disabling them and preventing the secret from being revealed."
Selica blinked her blue eyes. "I haven't heard of such a spell, but it sounds interesting."
"Can you create such a spell?"
"Creating spells is difficult. I was at the Experimental Spell Committee for two years, and they didn't create a single decent spell."
"It's impossible?"
"Really difficult, very difficult," Selica looked pitiful. "I only graduated three years ago; how could I manage that? Can I find some people to research it together?"
"Yes," Murphy said. "Tell me how much funding you need, but it must be quick. If it takes two or three years to see a spell, it's too late."
"Then I'll try, but don't be mad at me if it doesn't work."
Murphy thought for a moment. "Give it a month. If you come up with a viable research plan, continue; otherwise, get lost."
"Oh." Selica looked at Murphy. "Where will I work?"
The Spell Research Institute wasn't established yet, but Murphy had rented several factories. He handed Selica a key. "Go here. Get everything else from Alex."
Selica asked, "Will you visit often?"
"I'll monitor your progress."
After saying this, Murphy was about to leave, but suddenly felt someone pulling at his clothes.
"Anything else?"
"Do you have a girlfriend?"
"..." Murphy was momentarily speechless.
What's with this woman? I'm discussing work, and she's thinking about something else.
"Get lost."
"Oh."
...
In May, Umbrella Corporation wholly acquired Camelot Cosmetics Company, gaining two mask factories and a comprehensive cosmetics production factory.
In June, Beautification Essence produced by thirty wizards, after dilution, blending, harmonizing, and packaging, became various products like masks, toners, moisturizers, eye creams, serums, primers, foundation, sunscreen, etc., collectively named the "Venus Series" by Murphy.
In July, the Venus Series cosmetics shook the industry upon launch. Some claimed it ended the blooming diversity in the industry, while others said it heralded a new era.
Murphy looked at the flood of orders coming in like snowflakes.
It seemed he was a step closer to the path of immortality.
Compared to this, the progress on the secrecy spell research was painfully slow.
"I gave you a month, and it's been three months now. You haven't come up with a viable plan!" Murphy glared at Selica. "What use are you?"
"I'm sorry," Selica said woefully. "We've really tried hard."
She shook his arm. "But it's too difficult. We've consulted so many resources, trying to merge several spells. Two colleagues even got hurt..."
"Don't be mad, okay? Why don't you hit me twice?"
As she spoke, she turned her back towards him.
"..."
Looking at the round curve under her thin summer skirt, Murphy fell silent.
If he slapped her now, it felt like the story would deviate from "The Wizard's Chronicles" to "Tyrant CEO's Delicate Wife"...
But since the atmosphere was built up to this point, if he didn't slap, would it be fair to the audience?
Alright, she forced him to do this.
He sat on the couch. "Is this how you admit your fault?"
"Come here, kneel down, and lay across my lap."
"Slap!"