Mystery: Gray Walker

Chapter 19 Apprentice Potions

Just as Green was about to refuse, she immediately added:

"Don't be nervous, it's not an exchange, just a loan. I need it to help me accomplish something, and I'll return it to you once it's done. In the meantime, you can propose some reasonable 'usage restrictions,' or... require collateral."

"Why should I believe you?" Green asked bluntly.

Lillian seemed to have anticipated his question.

She smiled slightly, took out a small dark silk pouch again, and tossed it to Green.

"The Nightingale's Sigh".

Lillian pointed to the bag. "As you can see, it can store items."

"We can make a pact, with the Goddess of Night as our witness, and those who break it will suffer the consequences," Lillian said calmly, watching Green constantly stroking the small bag.

"To be honest, the reason why the Silent Messenger is 'famous' in certain circles is largely due to the reputation of the 'Records of Revelation' and the fact that it happens to be able to counter certain items and abilities. Its original 'silence' ability is not particularly outstanding among the many sealed artifacts, and it has many limitations."

She pointed to the small bag in Green's hand. "It's been with me for a long time, more than just a tool. It's witnessed a lot... well, never mind that. Anyway, it holds special sentimental value for me. Is using it as collateral to 'borrow' the Messenger of Silence enough?"

Green gripped the silk pouch tightly. A sealed artifact that had been with Lillian for a long time and held sentimental value... This collateral certainly carried enough weight.

This made it impossible for him to refuse on the grounds of distrust.

He was silent for a moment, then finally nodded:

"Sure. But the terms of the contract must be clear, specifying the borrowing period and the return date. You know, I'm not truly safe right now."

"no problem."

Lillian smiled slightly. "Well then, the deal is tentatively struck. Now, tell me about another approach that interests you."

"By what means?" Green pressed, carefully placing "The Nightingale's Sigh" on the table.

Lillian didn't answer directly. Instead, she reached for her waist, then paused, exclaimed "Ah!" in annoyance, and looked at the small bag on the table. "I almost forgot, the bag is with you."

Green understood and tossed "The Nightingale's Sigh" back to her.

"Be gentle, this is my precious baby."

Lillian took it, reached in with her fingers, felt around for a moment, and then pulled out a small crystal bottle.

The liquid in the bottle had a soft, pale gold color, like the first light of dawn, which contrasted sharply with the deep blue "Assassin's" potion next to it.

Green stared at the crystal bottle, his pupils contracting slightly.

He recognized it; it was one of the bottles that Lillian had disposed of and put away in front of him when she was making those private potions!

It turns out she had already prepared alternative plans, and might even have... anticipated her resistance to the 'witch path'?

"you......"

Green was speechless, feeling as if his thoughts had been seen through by the other party, and he had a feeling of being schemed against.

"This path is called 'Apprentice,' and Sequence 9 is 'Apprentice.' It's one of the three most notorious 'survivor' families,' though I don't know why it's one of them. Its core ability, 'Open Door,' allows you to pass through physical obstacles like walls a short distance, much like you can pass through walls."

"The Gou family? What are the other two?"

"Thief, fortune teller."

Lily paused, looked at Green, and said, word by word, "But there's something I don't know if you've heard before."

"What did you say?"

"All scholars who study mystical arts must understand one thing: all power comes at a price."

"The principle of equivalent exchange?"

"That's right, this path won't change your gender; you, Grimm, can always be Grimm. But as far as I know, apprenticeship isn't a combat profession."

"I prefer to use my brain," Green replied calmly, his gaze fixed on the pale gold crystal bottle.

While combat is important, in this world full of mystery and the unknown, keen perception and agile movement can greatly improve his survival ability.

Especially since he is currently being targeted by the Crimson Order and has no other means of self-defense besides a revolver, the initial abilities of the 'Apprentice' do sound more practical and covert.

Lillian looked at Green, then suddenly covered her mouth and giggled.

"I like how serious you are, like you've thought everything through carefully."

She laughed for a while before stopping, "She probably wanted to swallow me whole just now..."

Green coughed lightly, a fleeting hint of embarrassment in his eyes. "From your description, 'Apprentice' does indeed suit me better. Therefore, I agree to exchange the limited use of 'Silencer' for a Sequence 9 potion through the 'Apprentice' pathway, with 'Nightingale's Sigh' as ​​collateral, and to enter into a contract under the witness of the Goddess of the Night."

Lillian stopped smiling and nodded:

"A wise choice. At least you won't have to worry about which restroom to use anymore."

She stood up and placed the crystal bottle in Green's hand.

"But there's one thing I need to remind you: I don't have any advancement path after 'apprentice'; I only obtained the recipe by chance."

"Um."

Green nodded slightly. He could find another way, at least it was more suitable for him than the "witch" route.

Lillian seemed to have been prepared. She reached into the bag and took out a parchment scroll with silver trim and a black quill pen.

"Contract scroll. Specifically used to establish agreements with spiritual binding force."

She gave a brief explanation and spread the scroll out on the table.

Lillian quickly wrote her name on it: Lillian de la Nott

"It's your turn."

She turned the reel to Green and handed him the quill.

After carefully reading it and confirming that it was correct, Green signed his name, Green Morris, in another blank area of ​​the parchment.

The moment Green finished signing, the scroll burst forth with a soft silver glow, the light not dazzling, but full of solemnity and restraint.

Immediately afterwards, the reel moved automatically without wind, starting from the edge and curling and contracting on its own. Then, with a soft "poof," a cluster of dark blue flames ignited.

The flames burned quietly, without heat or ash falling.

Green knew that the contract had officially taken effect and was witnessed and protected by the Goddess of Night.

This also suggests that God might actually exist in this world...

The entire process was quiet and swift, imbued with a sense of ritual that transcended the mundane.

"The contract is established."

Lillian's voice pulled him back from his thoughts. She pushed "The Nightingale's Sigh" back to Green, "You can keep this for now."

Green nodded, then took the 'Silent Messenger' from the drawer and handed it to her.

"Well then, it's up to you now. For your first time taking this potion, I suggest finding an absolutely safe place where no one will disturb you. The process might be a little... uncomfortable, but Sequence 9 potions are usually not too intense. Remember, concentrate, guide your spirit, and feel the changes."

She paused, then added, "Only after you successfully advance will you truly enter Sequence 9. At that time, you'll need to experience it for yourself."

After saying this, Lillian muttered a short, strangely syllableed incantation. Her figure quickly blurred, elongated, and then contracted.

Almost in the blink of an eye, the girl in the black velvet dress disappeared, replaced by the black cat that had come with her.

It landed lightly on the ground, flicked its tail, glanced at Green, took a few running steps, and nimbly jumped onto the balcony.

Just as it was about to leap off the windowsill, Green suddenly called out to stop it:

"etc!"

The black cat stopped moving, turned around, and seemed a little impatient on its face. "What is it now?"

As Green watched the black cat's figure, a vague image seemed to flash through his mind.

He hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Have we... met before? I mean, you look kind of familiar to me right now."

Lillian raised an eyebrow in a very human-like manner upon hearing this. "Fools aren't worthy of taking potions. Never seen one before. Why do you think I approached you? Because you're handsome?"

Green was taken aback. "I meant... earlier..."

The black cat tilted its head, as if recalling something, then its green eyes lit up with a hint of mockery:

"Yes, we haven't settled our accounts yet."

"Um?"

"Oak Street, your office. I just happened to be passing by you when I saw you about to shoot me. If Clarice hadn't been chasing me, I would have had a good time with you."

Green suddenly realized, and the fragments of his memory instantly pieced themselves together.

The black cat that suddenly appeared outside the window after he received Mrs. William's call and was about to leave the office, confronting him strangely before fleeing in terror... was Lillian.

She was being chased by the white cat Clarice at the time.

Clarice was clearly tracking or investigating something. Lillian, a member of the Garden of Prosperity, happened to be passing by his office and was chased by Clarice, but unexpectedly bumped into him holding the 'Silencer'.

Later, Clarice was injured and took the initiative to seek his cooperation.

Lillian, or rather, the Garden of Fragrance, noticed his "performance" in the William incident and his contact with Clarice through some means, and thus came knocking on his door.

All the clues come together at this moment.

Lillian's involvement was not accidental, nor was Clarice's appearance. From the moment he became involved in the William incident, he had already come under the watchful eyes of this group.