Yesterday after I asked for votes, a few friends raised a point — what exactly counts as monthly ticket enthusiasm? There's no standard of measurement! So I decided to go with something everyone can easily understand: for every one hundred tickets, I'll release an extra chapter, with no upper limit!
When I asked for votes yesterday, I had around 2,250 — let's call it 2,250. Thanks to everyone's enthusiastic support, it's now at 2,480. So beyond the guaranteed two chapters, I already owe two bonus chapters. Want to see even more bonus updates? Then please cast your monthly tickets to show your support…
Lucian's calm, neither servile nor arrogant attitude was exactly what Felipe had expected. He flashed an elegant smile. "I'm not a humble person — articles on necromancy are published in various journals fairly often — but to have my reputation reach your ears, Professor, still brings me genuine delight."
Though his expression didn't quite match the sentiment. As a prodigy who had published in *Arcane Magic* journal at the age of twenty-two, it would only be natural for the "Professor" to have heard of him. If the opposite were true, it would mean this man's knowledge and strength hadn't yet reached the upper echelons of the Arcane Council — in which case Felipe need not be so courteous!
True to his word, Felipe was not a humble person.
Then he shifted his tone. "But you, Professor, are neither polite nor candid enough. We're both members of the Arcane Council — why the ugly black cowl? Such a petty getup hardly befits your status and standing."
Lucian knew that every additional sentence increased the risk of exposure, but total silence would arouse even greater suspicion. Choosing the lesser of two evils, he deliberately replied in a flat, hoarse tone, matching Felipe word for word: "I have no desire to be pestered by you, Mr. Felipe, once we're back in Altor."
When he had first assumed the identity of "Professor" to impersonate Yuan Chun's will, Lucian had never anticipated such grave danger — not even astrology had offered any warning. After all, they "all" belonged to the Arcane Council. As long as he could find an opportunity to discover the identity of Stuerk's contact, his objective would be achieved. The risk was proportional to the gain; the only concern was that he would have to lay low on the Musician persona afterward.
Who could have guessed that this Mr. Felipe would come bearing such intense hostility and killing intent? In an instant, Lucian understood that the Arcane Council was not nearly as harmonious as he had imagined. "From now on, without matching strength and proper intelligence, I must absolutely never use the Professor identity again! The more mountains you climb, the sooner you encounter a tiger."
But by this point, Lucian was riding the tiger and could not dismount. He could not possibly admit that his impersonation of Yuan Chun's will and his contact with the Holm Kingdom's Royal Academy of Magic had been nothing more than an elaborate ruse to obtain the identity of Stuerk's Arcane Council liaison. If he truly came clean, Felipe — brimming with hostility — would likely kill him on the spot. There was nothing for it but to press forward and rely on his own wits to find a way through the danger.
Felipe was indeed here with ill intent — he was entirely unsurprised. He gestured to the sofa beside them. "There are still a dozen minutes or so before the banquet officially begins. I'd very much like to chat with a man of your caliber, Professor. Heh heh — Count Cardinldia, may I borrow your study? You don't mind, I trust?"
"Not at all. I enjoy the spark of clashing intellects." Count Cardinldia leaned languidly against the windowsill, raising his wine glass with an elegant flick of the wrist.
What Lucian really wanted to reply was: *Sorry, I don't want to look at your face, and I don't want to speak with you.* But as a powerful mage representing Yuan Chun's will, he had no excuse or pretext to retreat. He could only sit down with extraordinary composure, leaning back against the sofa with practiced leisure. "What topic would you like to discuss, Mr. Felipe?"
Please — not the people, customs, or affairs of the Arcane Council and the Holm Kingdom! I know absolutely nothing about them! I wouldn't be able to bluff my way through even if I wanted to!
Please, please, please!
It was as though Felipe had heard the silent screams beneath Lucian's calm exterior. The pale flames in his eyes vanished, revealing dark, fathomless black pupils. A sinister smile crept across his sickly face. "This is Cleveland, a second-circle mage who studies under me."
He turned to introduce the burly, weathered middle-aged man beside him, then continued. "Besides studying necromancy under me, Cleveland also has quite the fondness for elemental magic. Especially after Lord Donald recently received the twenty-fifth 'Holm Crown' ring for his groundbreaking work introducing spectral analysis into the discovery of new elements, Cleveland has been planning to write an arcane paper on spectral analysis himself. But his theoretical knowledge in this area still has considerable gaps, so he frequently consults me — which has allowed me to keep up with the latest and most advanced developments in elemental knowledge. I've grown rather interested in 'elements' and spectral analysis as a result."
After a brief pause, Felipe interlocked his fingers, exposing his left hand missing its little finger. He regarded Lucian with a serious expression. "I'm sure you, Professor, must have deep reserves of knowledge and insight in the field of elemental magic. So allow me the arrogance — without properly gauging my own level of elemental knowledge — to discuss this topic with you."
He called it arrogance, but the faint smile playing about his features betrayed his confidence. His research in this domain was no weaker than that of an ordinary elemental Archanist.
Lucian concealed his sudden wave of relief. Discussing arcane topics, discussing elements — anything was better than discussing the Arcane Council or the Holm Kingdom! Aside from a bit of general knowledge he had gleaned from Natasha about the Holm Kingdom's unfortunate lack of fine cuisine, he knew absolutely nothing.
*Felipe hasn't asked about the Arcane Council or the Holm Kingdom. It seems he doesn't suspect my identity at all — he sees no need to waste time on that!* With his tension easing, Lucian began to probe Felipe's intentions. *He hasn't even obliquely inquired about my purpose in attending this Death Banquet. Instead, he's steered the conversation toward arcane matters. That means the latter topic is more important to him.* *But why would it be important? He's a powerful necromancer — what could he possibly gain from discussing elemental arcane research?* *Could he be testing the depth of my knowledge? Or perhaps my arcane rank?* Having spent time in the Altor magical circles, Lucian quickly drew the connection. Knowledge was power — and for young mages raised under the Arcane Council's educational system, this was even more true! Once Felipe had a rough estimate of his arcane rank, he could infer the range of his combat strength, which would serve as a reference for whether to attack directly!
And to verify someone's arcane rank, the natural approach was to discuss the latest, most cutting-edge knowledge in their supposed area of expertise.