Chapter 308: Connected Clues
Magic Association Tower.
The moment Rhodes and Serie appeared in the teleportation chamber, Ela and Frieren rushed over immediately upon receiving the news.
"Mr. Rhodes! Master Serie! You have returned!" Ela stepped forward to greet them.
"Mn. How is the Association recently? Anything major happen?" Rhodes asked casually, scanning the two of them. He was slightly puzzled not to see Flamme.
He remembered telling her he would be teleporting back. Why hadn't she shown up? Was she immersed in research?
Ela and Frieren exchanged a glance. Finally, Ela spoke up. "Nothing major. Just... a demon disguised and infiltrated the Association not long ago."
"A demon?" A flash of dissatisfaction crossed Serie's eyes. "To infiltrate here... what were you doing?"
Ela lowered her head in shame.
She hadn't noticed anything wrong with Solitär at all. If Flamme hadn't discovered it in time, she might have been deceived indefinitely.
"I am sorry, Master Serie," Ela apologized honestly.
"Forget it. To deceive your perception, it must not have been an ordinary demon." Serie stared at Ela for a long while before withdrawing her gaze. "Did that demon cause any losses?"
"No. She disguised herself as a female mage named Ariel and even passed the Second-Class exam."
Ela briefly recounted the events involving Solitär, including Flamme discovering her true identity, calling Ela and Frieren to fight and capture her, and finally Solitär resisting in the interrogation room and being killed by the Holy Lance. She told them everything.
"Ariel... Solitär..." Rhodes repeated the name softly, stirring dusty memories. "So it was her. No wonder I felt something was off back then. That fellow wasn't particularly bold; why would she come here?" He was a bit surprised.
"You know that demon named Solitär?" Serie turned her head, asking curiously.
"Mn..." Rhodes certainly wouldn't tell Serie he knew her unilaterally from the future. "Not exactly. I just encountered her once before and let her escape by luck. I didn't expect her to end up here."
Rhodes sighed internally.
The Great Demons he knew well were becoming fewer and fewer.
Especially a certain violinist lady who probably hadn't even been born yet.
If he had the chance, he would have liked to camp at her spawn point.
But unfortunately, he had no idea where she was born.
"She claimed she only wanted to learn human magic. Who would believe such nonsense!" Ela said with certainty. "There must be some unspeakable conspiracy!"
Rhodes smiled. "Perhaps... she was telling the truth."
"Huh?" Ela was stunned.
"Demon magic mostly originates from innate talent; the system is relatively fixed, and demons don't deliberately exchange magic with each other," Rhodes explained. "Human magic, although starting from a lower point, is filled with infinite possibilities. For a demon who has lived long enough and is curious about the essence of power, such a reason is not impossible. Of course, her purpose definitely wouldn't be only to learn."
He changed the subject, returning to the issue he cared about more. "Speaking of which, where is Flamme? Why don't I see her?"
"Master Flamme went to the northern battlefield," Frieren spoke up.
"Northern battlefield? What is she doing there?" Rhodes was confused.
Ela shook her head. "I don't know either. After killing that demon, Flamme suddenly said she was going to the northern battlefield and wouldn't let me go with her. I don't know her true thoughts."
At this moment, Frieren added, "Master Flamme has been communicating frequently with Mr. Carlo recently."
"Carlo?" Rhodes frowned slightly. The name was unfamiliar, yet sounded somewhat familiar.
Serie reminded him from the side, "That stubborn kid who researched your discarded draft for over ten years and then ran to the Association."
She remembered this persistent fellow very well. Moreover, she was the one who passed him for the Second-Class Mage exam, so she naturally recalled him.
Rhodes realized. It was him. He hadn't expected the mage obsessed with his discarded draft to have come to the Association as well.
Frieren's next sentence made a sharp light flash in Rhodes's eyes. "After Mr. Carlo arrived at the Association, Master Flamme went to find him many times. They seemed to be discussing some research."
"What research?"
"I do not know. Master Flamme did not tell me."
Rhodes looked at Ela, who also shook her head. Clearly, she knew nothing about this either. If Frieren hadn't mentioned it, she wouldn't have known at all.
Carlo... discarded draft... magical research...
An association formed naturally.
Rhodes remembered that before he left, Flamme had asked him for several runes regarding Life Magic from the original Holy Scriptures.
At the time, he hadn't thought much of it, assuming she wanted to improve in fields related to Holy Magic. But now, connecting these clues... could the discarded draft Carlo was researching be the life-force absorption magic he had abandoned back when he was exploring the path to longevity?
And if Flamme provided runes from the original Holy Scriptures, she very likely helped him significantly in reproducing and completing that magic.
But why would Carlo go North?
Could he be looking for an experimental environment or materials? And Flamme chasing after him so urgently...
Rhodes's brow furrowed slightly. He looked at Serie and asked, "When did that Carlo come to the Association?"
"Hmm... about a year ago," Serie recalled.
"Then when did he leave the Association?" Rhodes looked at Frieren again.
"About a week before Master Flamme departed," Frieren answered precisely.
The timeline matched.
Rhodes fell silent for a moment.
He knew Flamme. She was intelligent and persistent. Sometimes, that persistence could turn into paranoia.
She had talent for magic surpassing ordinary people. But if her research direction involved that domain, and she even hoped to gain immortality through that magic...
A trace of suspicion and worry rose in Rhodes's heart.
He felt that this seemingly obedient and diligent disciple of his was deliberately hiding something important from him.
And this matter was very likely closely related to Carlo's research and her urgent departure for the North.
Ela and Frieren also sensed the subtle change in Rhodes's mood and waited quietly.
Serie crossed her arms, looking at Rhodes with interest. She had naturally noticed the strangeness as well.
"It seems," Rhodes spoke slowly, looking at Serie, "our plan needs to be advanced."
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