As for the one-on-six fight later, Zhan Jiale didn’t think it held much significance.

Because he could do the same.

Seeing Zhan Jiale’s expression, Remedios grew even more animated, fanning the flames.

"It wasn’t just that he knelt three times. According to the newspaper, Gawain had defeated six Demon Hunters in a row before this. But the moment he met Allen, he was so terrified he actually backed away. Then, as soon as the match started, he involuntarily dropped to his knees. After this happened three times, he just coughed up blood and passed out on the spot..."

Remedios then recounted what she’d read in the paper, enthusiastically describing the scene to Zhan Jiale. To retaliate against Gawain’s provocation of Fude City’s Demon Hunters, Allen had declared he would challenge six Knights at the same time.

Her voice was tinged with envy, as if she herself had been there, watching the Demon Hunter take on six opponents and decide the outcome in a single, decisive moment!

Finally, she goaded Zhan Jiale, who was still frowning and puzzling over Gawain’s defeat. "If you don’t believe it, why don’t you get up on stage and have a go at him yourself?"

A few years ago, Zhan Jiale had fought from the first day to the seventh to win the Hunting Competition. Ever since then, he hadn’t participated in any of the subsequent events.

His reason was simple: the Hunting Competition lacked any opponents who could give him a real challenge.

Now, with Zhan Jiale on the verge of his promotion to Bronze Knight, his participation was even more out of the question.

But the defeat of Gawain, who was himself a Bronze Knight, gave Remedios the perfect excuse.

Even a Bronze Knight like Gawain had entered and lost. Was it really appropriate for him, a soon-to-be Bronze Knight, to use his Tier as an excuse?

If he didn’t believe it, why not just get up there and test the waters himself?

To her surprise, Zhan Jiale didn’t refuse this time. Instead, he nodded. "You’re right. I’ll take the stage tomorrow."

"Then I’ll definitely be there to watch!" Remedios said.

Besides Alchemy and machinery, Remedios had another hobby: watching fights.

She hadn’t gone the past few days because her instructor was a Wizard from the Palmer Wizard Tower, and his time was precious. It was a great regret of hers that she couldn’t watch the Hunting Competition in person.

This evening was her last lesson. Once it was over, she could leave the mansion tomorrow to watch the Hunting Competition.

Just as the thought crossed her mind, a distant, ethereal voice echoed from within the mansion, "Miss Remedios, it is time for your lesson."

Remedios’s expression changed. She reluctantly returned the Lead Soldiers to Zhan Jiale and told him, "I’ll definitely come see your match tomorrow. You won’t lose, will you?"

This time, Zhan Jiale didn’t say the kind of hurtful things he usually did. Instead, he gave a rare, firm nod. "I will win."

...

The living room of the City Lord’s Mansion.

Remedios listened with extreme boredom as the Palmer Mage explained "The Three Elements of an Alchemy Array."

"The arrangement of an Alchemy Array depends on a certain size and the number of Array Patterns... but more Array Patterns aren’t necessarily better... Miss Remedios?"

"I’m listening, Teacher," she replied quickly, startled.

The Wizard shook his head. "Your mind is not on the lesson, miss. I imagine it’s because of the Hunting Competition you were discussing with that Knight."

The servants said that this Wizard from Palmer had never once left the living room of the City Lord’s Mansion. And yet, he had somehow overheard her conversation with Zhan Jiale in the back garden, a hundred feet away.

But Remedios wasn’t focused on that. Her face flushed slightly, embarrassed at having been found out.

Even the City Lord’s daughter would be embarrassed to be caught daydreaming by her teacher.

The Wizard sighed. "I’ve already taught you everything the City Lord requested, Miss. You are exceptionally gifted; the material we’re covering now is usually reserved for Bronze Mages... So, perhaps it’s best if we end our final lesson here."

"Teacher..."

The Wizard shook his head. "There’s no need to call me Teacher anymore, Miss Remedios. You have also excelled in your study of Astrology, so you should understand that the end of one Destiny is often the beginning of another."

"From now on, you can just call me Fei. Based on what the stars have told you, you should know I’m only thirty-two years your senior."

Remedios studied the Wizard who had been her guide and teacher. He was a young man of unremarkable appearance, with short, light-red hair and purple eyes.

He wore a clean Mage Robe, its long hem pinned up with a small, bronze-colored clip to keep it from dragging on the floor.

He looked for all the world like a young scholar from Haiwede; one would never guess he was actually a middle-aged man, roughly the same age as Remedios’s father.

This was the magic of the Wizard profession—the moment one stepped into the Silver Tier, a Wizard’s appearance would be frozen at the age they were when they reached that Tier.

This was also the reason why there were so many female Law Enforcers who were Wizards.

And this also meant that this Palmer Mage, invited by Lewis to teach Remedios her Wizardry lessons, had reached the Silver Tier at an extremely young age.

The next step was the pinnacle of every profession—Gold.

Remedios didn’t press him to stay. She was a direct person as well. After hearing Wizard Fei’s words, she simply nodded and asked:

"So, Mr. Fei, have you found the person you were looking for?"

A few days prior, this Palmer Wizard from London Tower had arrived from the north, travel-worn and leading a group of Palmer Mages. He’d claimed he was here at the City Lord’s Mansion to find someone.

Lewis had been surprised, but on account of the man being a Silver Mage—and a disciple of the Wizard Tower’s Golden Mage, Kuman, no less—he had allowed him into the City Lord’s Mansion to conduct his search.

But after just stepping into the mansion and closing his eyes for three breaths’ time, Wizard Fei had suddenly changed his tune, saying he wanted to stay and teach Remedios Alchemy for three days.

Lewis had been overjoyed and readily agreed. He was a Silver Mage, after all.

Wizard Fei shook his head. "I thought she was here, but my divinations later revealed an astral interference. The source of that interference was you, which is why I chose to teach you Alchemy for three days."

"For you to go to such lengths to find her, Mr. Fei, she must be someone important, right?" Remedios asked.

All girls love to gossip.

But Wizard Fei didn’t answer, just smiled. Remedios took the hint, blinked, and changed the subject. "Then for tomorrow’s Hunting Competition, Mr. Fei, can you use Astrology to see who will win?"

"Will it be Allen? Or Zhan Jiale?"

Wizard Fei smiled. "Tonight is still starless and moonless. Astrology won’t work."

Remedios looked out the window as the sun set and the sky darkened. "It’s been two days in a row without stars. That’s strange."

There was no response. When she turned back, she found the Wizard had vanished.

......

「At this very moment, in the Fude City underground market.」

Baron and his three companions were led to a corner of the main hall by the Madam. A flock of beautiful women of all shapes and sizes soon swarmed them, but Morey turned them all away.

"We’re just drinking for now. We have a novice here," the Blood Loss Knight told the Madam.

An understanding look crossed the Madam’s face as she swayed her hips alluringly and walked away.

The hall’s layout was similar to a bar from his past life, he noted. A few people sat around each table, and in the center was a raised stage where scantily clad, sensual dancers performed.

Baron glanced around for a few moments. Unlike the Plains on the Inner Side—which one could call a veritable "origin of species"—the women in the Fude City underground market were at least human.

Attendants with trays of drinks weaved through the hall. Morey and Zod, moving with practiced ease, grabbed some wine and started gulping it down.

Maguire didn’t drink. He looked left and right. "So where can we buy the sedative L wants? At the bar?"

Morey said with an air of complete composure, "This is where you come in."

"Me?" Maguire was stunned. "How would I know where to buy a sedative?"

Zod smiled. "You don’t need to know. All you have to do is leave our table, go find a corner up front, sit down, and wait for a woman to hit on you."

Maguire was puzzled. "If it’s just about looks, isn’t L a better fit than me?"

The greenhorn at least had some self-awareness about his own looks.

"Cut the crap. Remember what I told you about ’learning by example’? Well, now’s the time for your lesson." Zod and Morey, the two old hands, seemed to have reached an agreement.

Helpless, Maguire could only do as they said and find a place to sit in a corner.

Baron asked, "Will this really work?"

Before anyone could answer his question, the three of them saw a woman immediately sit down next to Maguire. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Unlike Maguire, who was like a green recruit, the woman was clearly a seasoned pro.

Maguire was completely flustered. After a bit of back-and-forth and a single drink, he was already slumped over the table.

The three of them exchanged a look. Morey smiled faintly. "She’s the one."

A moment later, the three of them were carrying both Maguire and the woman into a private room.