"Enough thinking," Lucian muttered to himself, quickly focusing on what favourable conditions lay ahead.
Now that he understood the real threat on Cossay Island wasn't the garrison mission itself, but rather a hidden treasure or mysterious realm within the island, he felt more at ease.
"As long as I don't go poking too deeply into the secrets on the island, I should be able to keep myself relatively safe," Lucian thought, casting a subtle glance at Bennett and Lilia, who had a gleam of ambition in their eyes. He tilted his head slightly to conceal his shifting gaze.
"Unlike them, I don't need to risk everything on a long shot. To them, the Fey Sanctuary could be their last hope to advance. But for me, it's only a potential bonus. Even if I walk away with nothing, I'll still be able to ascend to Formal Wizard eventually." Lucian covertly scrutinized his two "allies."
"In fact, with them taking the lead in any investigations, they're bound to attract the attention of the half-fey or any lurking dangers on the island. The more eager they are, the more time and safety I'll have to strengthen myself."
Lucian's lips curled slightly. He had no problem letting these two take the brunt of any threats if it meant buying himself precious time. And if they happened upon any windfall within the ruins, he wouldn't mind stepping in for his share.
To Bennett and Lilia, this alliance was no less a matter of mutual exploitation. Each had their own plans brewing in the depths of their eyes.
"Alright, it's settled then. In a week, we'll depart together on the airship." After finalizing the details with Bennett and Lilia, Lucian and Lilia took their leave.
Bennett, with his customary smile, bid them farewell at the door. Yet as he re-entered his quarters, the smile disappeared from his face.
"From now until I leave the academy, inform anyone who comes to see me that I'm in deep preparation and unavailable. I am not to be disturbed," he instructed his loyal maid, Fia, in a cold voice.
Bennett then strode purposefully through his residence, past rows of household servants. Each one, whether bowed respectfully or standing by in silence, showed nothing but deference as he passed by.
Yet as he walked, something horrifying occurred. Each servant's body gave a sudden shudder and then crumpled, some collapsing to the ground, blood trickling from their mouths. A look of bewilderment crossed their faces in their final moments. They had no idea what they had done wrong, nor why the once amiable Bennett had turned on them so ruthlessly.
But Bennett's gaze was merciless. He was leaving, and any loose end, no matter how small, had to be tied up for good.
"Father." Having disposed of the servants, Bennett slipped out of his residence and made his way to a secluded courtyard. There, he respectfully addressed a figure cloaked in grey.
"Don't fail me again, Bennett." The grey-robed figure's voice rasped as he tossed a small ring to his son.
Bennett accepted the ring reverently, noting the frail white strands of hair peeking from beneath his father's hood. A pang of bitterness welled up inside him—this wasn't family support but his father's own dwindling reserves, given in a final act of aid.
"I won't disappoint you, Father!" Bennett's gaze burned with determination as he pocketed the ring.
The grey-robed man looked at him for a moment, then leaned closer, his mental energy whispering some final words into Bennett's mind. Bennett froze momentarily, and then a spark of exultation flickered in his eyes.
As Bennett departed, the grey-robed figure trembled. An intense struggle ensued within his frail frame as conflicting emotions—regret, fear, anger—played across his face. Even the power of a third-tier apprentice erupted within him as he fought against something insidious, something stronger than himself.
But in response, countless nearly invisible threads laced through his body began to tighten, sinking deeper into his muscles and joints, transforming him into a ghastly marionette.
With a step, a figure entered the courtyard, triggering a glimmer of terror in the old man's eyes. The silken threads tightened further.
Splurt! Flesh tore as blood spattered.
"Don't let me down… dear little Bennett…" a voice cackled, laced with madness.
After leaving Bennett's residence, Lucian decided not to return to his lab just yet. Instead, he headed straight for Greybone Academy's library. Bennett's information was too critical to take at face value, and Lucian wanted to verify it.
To his surprise, he spotted Lilia there as well, poring over some texts. She appeared similarly intent on confirming the details, but Lucian wasn't about to start a conversation. He quickly immersed himself in his own research.
"According to these records, there's nothing in a Fey Sanctuary that would explain why half-fey would risk exposure to seek it out…" Lucian muttered, closing a book and rubbing his temples.
While the Fey Sanctuary might hold treasures worth fighting for in the eyes of human apprentices, for half-fey, its offerings would be of less value. These rare magical plants, precious as they were to wizards, could be cultivated by the fey with enough time and effort.
For half-fey, the real barrier to advancement wasn't simply mental power but the limits imposed by their diluted bloodline. Unlike human wizards, whose spirit power is the primary focus, fey typically have to enhance both their bloodline and physical constitution to drive their mental strength forward.
But for half-fey with impure bloodlines, enhancing their life essence posed a monumental challenge.
Thus, what the half-fey truly coveted were resources that could refine or strengthen their bloodline—things like the blood of high-ranking fey or rare plants capable of increasing bloodline concentration—not the "standard resources" that could be cultivated within the Fey Sanctuary.