Mage And Wolf
Chapter 150

Chapter 150: Chapter 150

"Forgive her, she has no filter." Karl says and both me and Elder Song laugh.

"Karl, this is Elder Song, my friend and mentor from the Shadowed Blade Sect. Elder Song, this is Karl, third rank high Priest of the Death God."

"She spoke very highly of you." Elder Song smiles. "Tell me, as a fellow Arcane mage, what was that spell you used on the Golden Field Sect? I felt the lingering traces when I arrived, but I couldn’t make sense of it."

"How familiar are you with atomic theory?" Karl asks, and the two move off to the side to chat about spell crafting.

"Your friend is a strange one, isn’t he? The new arrival I mean." Mica says, looking over at the two talking animatedly about spells and the possibilities of true alchemy, as in elemental transmutation through Arcane Magic.

They both know it’s possible as they can both use summoning spells, but they’re convinced there’s a more energy efficient method they could devise.

"This is nothing. Wait until they get into forbidden spells and advanced weaponry. They’ll likely be at that all day. How are the kids doing? Are they settling in well?"

"They’re adjusting quickly. They’re out in the yard, picking weeds right now. Since they have room to move around now their energy level has been way up, so the Matron has been adding chores to their rotation."

I think a little while, "You should add kitchen duties to their list. It’ll help if they’re all good cooks when they go off to look for jobs. Eating in restaurants is expensive. The older ones can clean windows in the cathedral too. No need to tell them the windows would eventually clean themselves."

Mica laughs, thinking of all the things they would have to clean if the building didn’t do it itself with magic.

"We will start their career training early too. Children of tradesmen do already if their kids are taking over from them. They will need any advantage they can get. What do the Red Priestesses do with orphans in your world?"

"If they don’t have a high aptitude for something or a calling for the clergy, they become soldiers. Red is the War God after all. So they train the very best soldiers. You could train private security guards and such here, since the red clergy doesn’t have an army." I suggest.

"Merchants and towns always need guards, and we could bring in promising orphans to be the Royal Guard." Mica nods "We will have to discuss it."

I check on the kids, seeing some sword fighting with sticks. "Yeah, you should bring in a martial cultivator to teach them to fight. Even if their cultivation isn’t high, sword skills will get them a career in a town Guard with very little effort."

"Speaking of which, Elder Po is waiting for you. He wants to teach you a bunch more before he ascends. I kept a portal open in the back room to go back. We could send a few disciples here to train the locals?" Elder Song smiles.

Since the locals don’t know the Shadowed Blade Sect, I don’t see why not. If they fill the orphanage they should be able to find a few with alchemy or inscription skills too.

"Sure, I’m sure the local High Priestess won’t mind a few extra teachers. Or if you poach promising alchemy and inscription students." I shrug.

"Why don’t you come back to the Sect and make dinner? They’ve missed your cooking, and we can arrange teachers. Don’t forget to play human though, no need to freak them out right away." Elder Song laughs at the thought.

"On that topic, I’ve got a cooking text here with your name on it. Why did you not tell anyone you could actually cook?" I tease him, already knowing the answer.

"Bunch of culinary barbarians aren’t worthy of experiencing a Master’s cooking." Song grumbles and Karl laughs.

"Once they know they expect you to do it every time." Karl smiles "This evil woman stuck me doing paperwork for months because the city managers found out I was the responsible one."

"I knew you were my disciple at heart." Elder Song chuckles "Fine work Young Miss."

"Thank you, Elder. You said you’d stabilized a portal here? I really should go say hello to the others."

"Yes, it’s in one of the back rooms that was recently used for alchemy. I’ll lead you there and we can introduce your friend to the Shadowed Blade Sect while he’s still in the Condensation Realm and eligible as an outer disciple. Maybe he’ll like us enough to join. He seems like fun." Elder Song says, leading me to a room in the corner, closest to where we were, had we been cultivating at ground level.

"You got it pretty close. Maybe 20 meters away, but we were in the basement. Did Karl tell you about the Bunny Maid Golems with Machine Guns? You’ll love that tactic, as a fellow Arcane mage."

"First. What’s a machine gun? Second Bunny Maids? Like maids of the Bunny species or in bunny suits?" Elder Song asks, intrigued.

"Karl, we are delaying our exit. Elder Song needs to understand about the bunny maid Golems. I tell you, Elder, they’re adorable." I laugh, anticipating the fun to come.

Karl produces one of the little purple Golems and Elder Song immediately starts inspecting it with some sort of monocle.

"Hmm, rudimentary combat skills, but full protocol and service subroutine spells? They really are maids, they don’t just look like them. The size is perfect, they don’t impede sight lines, but they can reach counters and tables. Overall, an excellent magical servant."

"Thanks, Song. They’ve only got basic targeting skills, but with a Browning that doesn’t really matter. How about we go out to the woods and I’ll set it loose on a monster? It’s the easiest way to understand." Karl winks at the curious researcher.

"Can I come too?" Mica asks. "I want to know what sort of construct could intrigue an immortal scientist of that caliber."

"The more, the merrier. " I tell her and the four of us head for the door.

I volunteer to draw in some targets for them to play with and Karl gets to setting up the gunnery nest, a second maid summoned to handle the loading duties. He’s even summoned them little green helmets with holes for their ears.

Luck is with me today, and in only a few minutes I come across a patrol of giants. "Hey stinky! How about you go home and stop smelling up the forest?" I shout and they immediately give chase.

Too easy.

I laugh as I dodge between trees, clawing at legs as I lead them towards the spot Karl set up the ambush. By the way they’re swearing at me, giving a warning that we’re coming would be unnecessary.

The leader’s axe nearly takes my head off, instead sticking deep into a tree, just as the others come into view. I shatter his arm with a solid kick, testing the strength of a Core Formation Physical Cultivator and I can hear Mica gasp.

"Karl, darling. Would you be so good as to deal with the other two for your demonstration?"I call sweetly, circling the wounded Patrol leader.

The bark of the 50 caliber has distracted him enough that he didn’t even get a chace to dodge the punch that shatters his skull. I ride the body to the ground, watching the giddy smile on Elder Song’s face when the enchanted bullets shred the other two giant patrol members.

"Worth waiting for?" I ask.

"You held back something so amazing the entire time you’ve known me?" The old immortal pouts, giving me a pleading look.

"Oh, don’t look at me like that. I can’t cast any of the spells needed. If I could have, we would have used them on that Sect of idiots instead of a zombie horde."

I collect the cores from the giants and give them to Mica "You’ll need a couple of these a month to keep things running. I suggest going for the boars, since you can eat them when you’re done."

"Thank you, High Priestess. Has anyone told you that you’re scary when you fight?" she says cautiously and Elder Song gives her an amused pat on the back.

"Let me tell you a story. It’s about a Priestess that giggles when she fights and a thousand zombies ravaging a city." Elder Song teases and I flip him off.

"We should start with her attacking a Demon army and then telling the Demon Lord they needed to get laid when they showed up to complain."

"First up, it was monsters near the Demon Lord’s army. Secondly, part of that was your idea. Don’t listen to these two, their slander of my good character is in no way trustworthy." I inform Mica with a smile while she shakes her head at our interactions.

"I’m beginning to understand the old stories about the Death God’s chosen." she smiles back.