"Uncle Dino?" Helag was surprised, wondering if she meant the Dino he knew.
Elisa smiled gently. "Yes, the very same Dino you know. You came to the Karag Continent on his ship."
Helag hadn't expected Elisa to know Dino, and it seemed they were quite close.
He sensed a faint magical aura from Elisa, indicating she was indeed a wizard apprentice, though a weak one.
People with poor aptitude, no matter how much they meditated, progressed at a painfully slow rate.
If Helag had the same aptitude as Fegal, with only five points, it might take him ten or twenty years to meditate a single star.
Advancing to a second or third-level wizard apprentice would be a pipe dream.
The path of a wizard was harsh; those with poor aptitude had little hope of progressing.
Fegal's case was unique, and Helag didn't know how he managed to become a second-level wizard apprentice, though his mental state was highly unstable.
Since Elisa called Dino "Uncle," they were a generation apart.
But Dino had been sailing for seventy or eighty years and looked about forty, though he was over a hundred years old.
A first-level wizard's lifespan typically exceeded three hundred years, so Dino was still young.
Helag asked, "Uncle? Dino is over a hundred years old. You call him Uncle? Does that mean you're seventy or eighty?"
Elisa chuckled. "No, Dino is like my great-grandfather. I've called him Uncle since I was a child, and he doesn't mind."
"I see," Helag said, understanding that Elisa married at twenty and was now twenty-eight, so it made sense.
Elisa adjusted her position on the bed, causing her robe to slip, revealing her shoulders and more.
Her bed was surrounded by a black veil, obscuring the view for most, but Helag, with Deep Blue's help, saw everything clearly.
Elisa continued, "I've heard of you before."
"From Dino?" Helag guessed.
"Yes, Uncle Dino brought me some gifts from the sea and told me about interesting encounters, including you," Elisa said.
"I didn't expect Dino to mention me."
Helag had been a novice wizard apprentice, while Dino was a powerful wizard. He was surprised Dino remembered him and spoke of him to others.
Elisa smiled. "I remembered your name. When you entered Ryan City, the Adventurers' Guild reported your presence to me. As a wizard, they had to inform me."
Helag sighed, realizing the guild had leaked his identity when Elisa called him by his real name.
"Don't blame Miro. He meant no harm and even suggested I make things easier for you. He said you're a lawful wizard who wouldn't disrupt the city's order."
"After you arrived, I had people observe you from a distance. Seeing you mostly stayed home and didn't disrupt the city, I didn't bother you. It was clear you just wanted a peaceful stay."
Elisa adjusted her position again, revealing more of her long, fair legs.
"Why did you take my task? Do you have news about Moonstone Grass?" Helag asked.
Elisa replied, "I did. I had two Moonstone Grass plants, but they were stolen."
"You're the Lord of Ryan City, and your father is Duke Barton. Who would dare steal from you?"
A great knight stood guard outside, and Elisa had significant military power, making her a formidable figure.
"A wizard," Elisa said softly. "The thief was a wizard apprentice, likely a first or second-level."
Helag knew it wasn't that simple and understood why Elisa had called him.
But being Dino's descendant, she should have wizard connections. Why call him?
"Aren't you Dino's descendant? The Kingdom of Doris is under Dream Island's jurisdiction. Which wizard apprentice would dare rob you?" Helag asked.
Elisa sighed, her chest heaving, making Helag a bit dizzy.
She explained, "I'm only close to Uncle Dino. Besides him, I know no other wizards. With my aptitude, I can't join Dream Island. Uncle Dino said it wouldn't be good for me to join a wizard organization, as he couldn't always protect me. He suggested I live peacefully as the Lord of Ryan City."
"Is Dino away again?" Helag asked.
"Yes, he's very busy. So, when the Moonstone Grass was stolen, I had no one to turn to but you. I didn't want to bother you, but seeing your task at the Adventurers' Guild, I thought you might be interested," Elisa said.
"When was it stolen?" Helag asked, realizing he couldn't help if the thief had fled far.
"Ten days ago," Elisa replied.
"Can you locate the thief?" Helag asked.
Elisa shook her head. "I don't know his location, but I know where he's going."
"Where? How do you know?" Helag asked, puzzled.
"The thief isn't part of any wizard organization. Many wizard apprentices can't join groups like Moonlight Forest or Dream Island."
Elisa adjusted her robe again, lying on her stomach, revealing more of her fair skin.
She continued, "Wizards need resources for their practice. These rogue apprentices hold an annual market to trade resources."