A magician, an eighth ranked archmage, an apparently at most no more than eighteen young sorceress, a so nervous and tense when speaking it was like a young lady from a wealthy family going out into the world for the first time-magician.
And most importantly, she stuttered.
The people around couldn't help staring wide eyed. Looking at this furiously blushing girl, big eyes close to overflowing with tears, everyone seemed to subconsciously lower the swords in their hands.
This girl didn't appear to be any threat.
Even Duwei stared... This stuttering girl, with an expression as timid as a rabbit, was really an eighth level magician?
But this robe, and still that badge, neither could be faked! Duwei knew that all such badges issued by the magic guild would have the capability to prevent forgeries.
Coughing, Duwei couldn't refrain from relaxing the fingers squeezing that terror illusion goblin somewhat, looking at this delicate timid girl:
"Distinguished magician, you're saying, this creature belongs to you?"
"Ye... Ah n-n~~no." The girl finally started crying, tears unexpectedly flowing from her eyelids: "This is my m-m-master's. C-can't you re-re-return it to me..."
Return it?
Duwei really didn't want to return it!
Why? This little creature had ruthlessly attacked his people, leaving everyone battered and exhausted, Duwei was really of a mind to slaughter this little thing, and afterwards do like Thorskei said and take out its horn.
But, looking at this sorceress coming to bring it back... With the kind of person this was, could he really shamelessly do it?
If he wanted to act shamelessly... The counterpart was an eighth level magician!
Despite this girls apparently very weak appearance.
"This... Esteemed magician, please... please don't worry." Duwei was patient, even so much that his voice was mild, speaking softly like coaxing a little girl: "If this little creature really is yours..."
"O-o-o-of course!" The sorceress seemed to hear what she hoped for and made an effort to wipe her tears, looking at Duwei with a hopeful expression. Those two innocent big eyes were incomparably clear, that kind of simple pleading expression from such a painfully pitiful girl, really didn't let people lower their intentions.
"Don't worry." Duwei slowly said: "Even if this little creature is yours, as its owner, I think you should take responsibility for the mistakes it committed, no?"
The sorceress' expression turned flustered, and she very timidly looked at Duwei:
"M-may I a-a-a-ask...."
"This little creature, is it a high level magic beast?" Duwei lowered his voice: "As this magic beast's owner, you didn't properly look after it, letting it run off to the hinterlands of the imperial south! Don't tell me you don't know how much disorder a magic beast running all over would cause for the people in this region!"
Looking at his young master so sternly rebuking an eight level magician, Thorskei to the side really wanted to laugh, but didn't dare to.
Because... That was an archmage!
Looking at the badge pinned to the girl's chest, Thorskei swallowed resolutely. After all, the greatest dream of a low level magician like Thorskei was to one day advance in rank, putting on such a golden badge!
"Ah...Th-th-th-this..." The sorceress' face showed a guilty expression, hanging her head: "M-m-my master went f-far away. I-I-I-I w-was in charge of l-looking after Squeaky, b-b-but it t-took advantage of my older sister coming to s-see me to r-r-run away... I-I've already been l-looking for it for v-very m-m-many days."
"Your mistake cannot become an excuse for the crimes committed." Duwei spoke righteously and sternly: "Don't you know how much panic such a high level magic beast running off to this serene little town would cause for the residents here? These brave soldiers all came up to this mountain in order to catch it! Moreover, don't you know how much harm this little pet of yours just now caused to these brave soldiers!"
"..." The sorceress was speechless, she only looked at Duwei with that guilty and imploring gaze.
Duwei's mind was set, looking at this sorceress who was perhaps a young lady who had never left home to meet the world, he would properly swindle such a greenhouse flower.
"This creature brought panic to the region! The soldiers bled, sweated, to catch it here, in order to protect the peace of this region! But you have come to take it away, may I ask with such a method, is there not a trace of shame in your heart?"
As Duwei spoke, the sorceress' head hung practically to her stomach.
When Duwei finally was finished, the sorceress roused her courage, cautiously speaking up: "I-I-I-I want to apologize t-t-to you f-for i-it's actions... I-I-I'm very..."
"Stop your apologies!" Duwei was unforgiving: "If apologies were of use, would there still be need for police?"
"P-police.... W-what's that?"
Duwei coughed, covering up his awkwardness. That was a slip of the tongue just now, this world didn't have things like police officers.
"What I mean is..." Duwei stuck out his chest, his voice loud: "Don't tell me that a simple line of 'I'm sorry' is enough to compensate the blood and sweat of our brave soldiers?"
His words were actually somewhat too bullying towards this little girl.
These search parties that entered the mountain actually hadn't shed any blood, the scene of flesh and blood flying in that battle just now was all an illusion. After eliminating the illusion, everyone were actually just confused, they hadn't suffered any injuries, at most they would have a few nightmares when sleeping. It wasn't a big loss.
The only injury was that of the lady knight Rolynn.
Duwei naturally wouldn't waste the chance to emphasize this condition and suitably took two steps, exposing the lady knight supported by his subordinates behind him.
Rolynn's complexion was somewhat pale, the sign of poor health from sudden blood loss, but overall there wasn't much of a problem. But looking at this woman, standing there unsteadily, hand still wrapped in white bandages, hair in disorder, still really made this sorceress feel even more guilty.
"How can I-I-I c-compensate you?" The sorceress' eyes were reddened.
Duwei drew a breath, a satisfied light flashing in his eyes, then looked at Thorskei to his side. Over this past time spending every day talking about alchemy with Duwei, Thorskei already had some understanding about the temper of this little master, and catching his signal he immediately caught on. Taking two steps forward and slightly saluting, he slowly said: "Respected archmage."
When the girl saw Thorskei's magician's robe she immediately returned the gesture: "M-Mister m-magician."
At this instant, Thorskei couldn't keep from blushing somewhat... In his entire life he had perhaps never even dreamed of one day having an eighth level magician address him as "Mister magician".
"This, I think, this little pet of yours has already caused harm to the region, if was simply released, perhaps these soldiers who have suffered would be unable to accept it, furthermore, my master, the mighty Rawling family's earl Lehmann's eldest son, young master Duwei, also received a terrible fright in this matter today, therefore, I think, some punishment for this little creature is in order."
"N-n-n.... No, i-if when t-t-teacher r-returns he s-s-s-sees it's s-s-suffered, he w-w-will punish m-me...." The sorceress' forehead was sweating: "If t-t-t-teacher g-g-gets angry, y-y-you'll also..."
"Respected archmage, may I ask who your teacher is? I really would like to know which magician in the Empire could instruct an archmage level disciple." Thorskei began to case the her background.
The sorceress had a difficult expression: "T-t-this... I-I-I-I c-can't say."
Thorskei frowned slightly, then immediately smiled: "Then, you should at least tell us your name?"
"Ah..." The sorceress loosed a breath, this was a question she could answer: "M-m-m-my name is Vivian Young. Magic guild e-e-eighth level magician." Saying this, the girl suddenly recalled the minimum level of etiquette her teacher had instructed her in. Blushing, she immediately half bowed, very politely asking: "M-may I also ask for y-y-your name, r-r-respected mister m-magician."
This time Thorskei was truly blushing: "I... Thorskei, magic guild... first... En, that, first level magician."
As he said the last part, Thorskei wished he could find a hole to hide in.
To an eighth level magician, a first level magician was an existence like an ant! Even the disciples at the sides of many of those at the archmage level were second or third level magicians.
To the circle of magicians at the upper levels, a first level magician was perhaps no different from a magic apprentice.
But this pure girl apparently didn't understand this, and she still stooped according to her excessive etiquette. This bit immediately gave Thorskei a very favorable impression.
It had never been seen! An eight level magician actually bowing to me, Thorskei!
"Then, please show us your sincerity in compensating." Duwei spoke up in a timely manner.
"T-this..." The sorceress was somewhat embarrassed. After thinking, she pulled out a tiny purse from her robe and opened it: "I-I-I-I h-have a w-water orchid diamond, e-e-even though it's o-o-only m-mid rank, b-but..."
The more she spoke the more she stuttered, and finally she could only helplessly clasp the water orchid diamond in her hands, looking at Duwei with a pleading expression.
Water orchid diamond??
Thorskei was moved! Water orchid diamond was a top class water system magic material! This crystal was a top quality material for making scrolls or maybe storing magic! If it was used by a high level alchemist for a magic wand, then when a water system magician used magic it could save at least a third of the magic power! It could even speed up casting!
Looking at this water orchid diamond, sparkling and translucent, it was absolutely mid grade or higher quality. If simply considering value, it would be worth at least several thousand gold coins!
Any water system magician would be willing to pay this price, or even several times more for this thing!
Thorskei's mouth hung open. Just as he was about to speak, behind him Duwei already placed a hand on his shoulder. Duwei's face was cold, and he even frowned as he squinted at the sorceress: "Eh, a water orchid crystal like this?"
The sorceress blushed, her expression frenetic, and in her heart she couldn't help feeling a twinge of guilt.
Ai, even though this water orchid diamond was mid grade, but... It actually wasn't a thing she needed, she wasn't a water system magician, keeping it was useless... Giving something useless as compensation for others, how could Vivian do something so despicable!
Omnipotent God forgive me!
The sorceress denounced herself inwardly, then hastily pulling out a dark green little thing from the pouch. Dark green radiance moved over this little thing like waves, but at the same time it seemed soft. The sorceress anxiously said: "T-t-this as w-w-w-well..."
Thorskei felt as if his eyeballs would pop out!
"G-g-green magic medicine!" Endlessly excited, Thorskei seemed infected by the stuttering.
Duwei raised his eyebrows. With his scholarly knowledge, he also knew what kind of thing green magic medicine was.
This was a treasure any magician yearned for even in their dreams!
This thing was a kind of medicine a magician could use to replenish magic power! If a mid level magician consumed all their magic power in a fight, if they carried such a small bottle of magic medicine, they could instantly replenish their magic power!
But in the big pouch in this sorceress' hands... There might be more than seven or eight bottles!
The creation of such a thing was extremely difficult, and the raw materials were also extremely rare. Even more important, it was a consumable good! Each used was one less!
Thorskei felt his throat tighten.
But, Duwei still looked unhappy, frowning at the sorceress: "Like this? Don't tell me the blood and sweat of our soldiers is only worth such a thing?"
Tears were roaming in the girl's beautiful big eyes, and she grabbed her hair as she thought, again rummaging around for a small yellow pearl, shyly handing it over.
"T-t-this, m-m-my own m-made f-f-fire repelling pearl."
Duwei replied: "Then for the injuries of my lady knight?"
The sorceress also took out a handful of magic beast cores! Brightly colored, more than ten low level or even mid level magic beast cores were extorted by Duwei.
"Next, the fright I myself suffered?" Duwei appeared to be the incarnation of an extorting bully.
The sorceress turned over her traveling bag, fishing out her final treasure... Seven or eight magic scrolls!
Furthermore, Thorskei was practically dizzy at just a glance... these were all mid level magic scrolls! Not some low level magic goods! They were all mid level magic scrolls!! These seven or eight items were already enough to cause a duel between two magicians!!
Seeing his little master still not nodding agreement, even Thorskei felt a pang of conscience!
This innocent and naive, even somewhat foolish sorceress, had handed over "compensation" worth enough to buy a city!
Looking at Duwei still not nodding, the sorceress cried. She turned over her empty bag in the air: "I-I-I-I-I o-only b-b-brought t-t-these."
Devil!!
At this moment, Thorskei at his side, and sir Robert, as well as all the other Rawling clan people, none could keep from sighing. Looking at the pitiful little sorceress weeping, they even felt ashamed.
Unfortunately, their little master still didn't have a forgiving appearance... His appetite, wasn't it excessively large?