Before leaving the lake, the sorceress subtly hinted that Allen should visit the alchemy room after the banquet. So, after leading the apprentices to the main hall of the castle and sipping on two cups of drink, Allen left Hughes and the others behind and headed out.
On the second floor of the tower, the door to the alchemy room was slightly ajar. When Allen entered, he found that Mary, unusually, was not busy concocting essence liquids. Instead, she was entirely focused on holding a small, translucent bird that was about the size of her palm.
"This is a magical device to help you communicate," the sorceress said, snapping her fingers. Another transparent bird appeared, flapping its wings lifelike before flying toward Allen. He paused for a moment, then extended his right hand, allowing the bird to land in his palm.
The curious little bird, once perched, even used its translucent beak to preen its feathers. Upon closer inspection, Allen noticed that the bird's wings were intricately crafted, with crystal-clear, distinct feathers.
With a thought, he cast an identification spell on the crystal bird.
[Name: Messenger Bird]
[Type: Magical Device]
[Function: Activated by magic, it allows you to send a message that will be delivered to the holder of the other Messenger Bird.]
[Note: During the dark ages of humanity, these birds once carried the true feelings between lovers.]
"Carried the true feelings between lovers?" Allen wondered, glancing at the note. He then looked up, curiously asking, "Sorceress Vera, did you craft this device?"
"It was a gift from an elven friend," the sorceress replied, not wanting to elaborate. She glanced at the bird in Allen's hand, a hint of reluctance in her eyes. But seeing that Allen was about to refuse, she urged, "Don't refuse it. Ban Ard and Kaer Morhen are far apart, and letters cannot be delivered in time."
"Just infuse it with magic; you need it more than I do."
Seeing that his refusal was futile and recognizing that he indeed needed to communicate frequently with Mary to stay updated on the status of the Wolf Pack Corps, Allen gratefully accepted, saying, "Thank you, Lady Vera."
Mary, realizing the significance, reluctantly pulled her attention away from the adorable and exquisite Messenger Bird, then sweetly said in a high-pitched voice, "Thank you, Mentor!"
She then asked, "Mentor, such a delicate device must have a beautiful name, right?"
With a slight smile, the sorceress replied with interest, "They are called Messenger Birds."
Messenger Birds… carrying messages…
Hearing the name, Mary froze for a moment, instinctively glancing at Allen, who was infusing his magic into the bird. Her small, fair cheeks flushed slightly, lost in thought.
----------
It seemed the sorceress had more to discuss than just the bird. But after Allen and Mary tested the Messenger Bird, she twirled her slender fingers, glanced at Mary, who was still unaware, and after a moment of contemplation, sighed. In the end, she didn't say anything more and just let him leave.
Returning to his quarters, Allen was still pondering the meaning behind the sorceress's sigh. After thinking about it for half an hour, he still couldn't figure it out.
"Forget it, if it's something important, Lady Vera would tell me directly."
Deciding not to dwell on it, he shifted his thoughts and opened the Monster Hunt Manual. Over the past few days of monster hunting, he had collected 17 Drowner chests, two Foglet chests, and two Ghoul chests.
Although they were small chests, Allen still held the Medallion of Melitele reverently. Although the goddess wasn't around last time, who knows if she might be home this time?
"Melitele, goddess, please bless me with some gold!"
[Ding! Drowner Chest 18, Foglet Chest 2, Ghoul Chest 2 opened.]
A series of blue and white lights flashed by, and after 20 flashes of light, just when Allen thought his luck had run out, a purple light shone.
"It's the Ghoul chest!"
Is it a potion formula? A tool? Or a ritual?
The long-lost brilliant purple light made his heart race. Finally, the light faded. A familiar red heart pulsed before his eyes, transforming into a piece of parchment. His thoughts quickly shifted to his inventory.
[Name: Ghoul Heart Essence]
[Type: Potion Formula]
[Requirement: Alchemy LV4]
[Recipe: Ghoul Heart]
[Effect: Increases Strength]
[Note: Strength! Strength! Strength!]
So, it was the Heart Essence formula!
The WolfPack is about to soar!
Even though it's just a purple-quality item, the Heart Essence formula is crucial for Allen as the leader!
Moreover, unlike the Drowner Heart Essence, which only increases 0.1 Strength and 0.2 Constitution per dose, the Ghoul Heart Essence requires only two doses to increase Strength by one point. In terms of attribute enhancement, it far surpasses the Drowner Heart Essence. Assuming the Drowner Heart Essence caps at 20 doses, it could potentially increase Strength by ten points in total. This could double the Strength attribute of the members of the Wolf Pack.
More importantly, for dealing with heavily armored human units, Strength is the most suitable attribute for the members of the Corps to improve.
Looking at it from the difficulty of obtaining materials, while Ghouls are less common than Drowners, they are still one of the most common monsters in the Northern Continent. Since they are attracted to the scent of fresh corpses, they appear near any newly dug grave, and in numbers, they might even hunt the living. So, it's relatively easy to find them around city graveyards or battlefields.
Combining both aspects, this is currently the most suitable Essence formula for the Wolf Pack Corps. Moreover, Allen himself hasn't reached the limit of the Ghoul Heart Essence either.
"Tsk tsk~"
"The boys in the Corps sure are lucky!"
"They just finished using the Drowner Heart Essence, and now they can move on to the Ghoul Heart Essence."
Allen marveled for a few moments, then mused, "I wonder what the maximum Strength increase is with the Ghoul Heart Essence? It would be great if there was no limit!"
After checking the formula, Allen's thoughts opened the system messages.
[Obtained: Rotten Flesh 8, Small Experience Orb 7, Experience Orb 1, Little Fog Pearl 1, Drowner Heart Essence 2, Drowner Whistle 2, Ghoul Heart Essence Formula.]
Hmm…
The other items from the chests weren't bad either. At least everything, including the Rotten Flesh, could be put to use. Especially the Little Fog Pearl, which, combined with the Foglet's arm bone, would give Allen a lot more confidence in his plans in Ban Ard.
After opening the chests, he immediately used the two doses of Foglet Heart Essence and four doses of Ghoul Heart Essence.
[Attributes: Strength 27, Agility 26, Constitution 31, Perception 18, Mystery 31.]
"Hoo~"
Exhaling a deep breath, Allen felt the strong surge of power coursing through his body. He looked up. The sky was near dusk, and clusters of fiery clouds lazily floated in the sky.
"The banquet should be almost over. Should I gather the members and try out the new Corps skills?"
...…
📢20 advanced chapters on p@treaon📢
For advance chapters: p@treon.com/Uchiha_Itachi007 (replace @ with a)
134. My Little Boy Has Grown Up.
135. Descending the Mountain.
136. Even if the Price is the Life of a Trainee.
137. The Cat School's Caravan.
138. First Arrival at Ban Ard.