Saul wrapped his mental power around the dream bell, but it didn’t show any changes.

He closed his eyes, activated his meditation technique, and then slightly opened a slit.

This time, he finally saw something different.

“Compared to the Erosion Diagram, the new meditation technique enhances my ability to observe non-spiritual entities. But I still haven’t figured out whether the dream bell is observed through the monster’s abilities or the abilities associated with the twisted light.”

Morden: “Judging from Penny’s reaction, I’d lean toward the twisted light.”

Saul nodded.

Through the meditation technique, he saw some tiny shimmering specks on the shell.

At first, he thought it was a kind of pearlescence. After careful observation, he concluded it was probably scale dust.

“Could it be butterfly scales?”

Morden: “But Master, your Nightmare Butterfly doesn’t produce scale dust.”

Penny finally popped up at this moment. “Actually, I do. It’s just that after entering the diary, my form underwent some changes.”

Penny sounded a bit shy. “I think I became the diary’s bookmark.”

Bookmark?

It was indeed the case.

Ever since Penny tried to peek into Saul’s lost memories and was taken away and saved by the diary, her form had been fundamentally different from a regular Nightmare Butterfly.

“Penny, why are you afraid of this dream bell?”

“I can’t really explain. Just… seeing it irritates me. Hearing it makes me anxious.”

Herman: “Do you even have a heart?”

Penny snapped, “I do have a heart!”

Saul put the dream bell into the storage device. “How about now?”

This time, Penny finally flew out from the diary.

“It’s a bit better… but I still feel uneasy.”

At the same time, Saul noticed the dream bell in the storage device was growing unstable, as if it had sensed Penny’s presence.

“Could Wizard Dodge have also noticed Penny’s existence? He didn’t react much at the time, just left in a hurry… But that lack of reaction is the most suspicious part.”

“Penny, go back to the diary. Don’t come out until I uncover the dream bell’s secret.”

“Okay!” Without any hesitation, Penny dove back in.

Normally, she loved flying around, but now she was so scared that she retreated immediately—this only made the dream bell’s peculiarity more evident.

Ann: “The dream bell’s owner is Third-Rank Wizard Clark. His title here is the Dreammaker. Maybe the ‘dream’ also refers to the Nightmare Butterfly’s dream.”

Herman: “That’s troublesome… What if the reinforcement Dodge went to fetch is Clark himself?”

In that moment, Saul and the consciousnesses in the diary all fell silent.

If a Third-Rank Wizard really was coming…

Knock knock knock!

Just then, someone knocked on the door.

With that steady rhythm, Saul didn’t even need to guess—it had to be the butler, Hope.

“Come in.”

Upon receiving permission, Hope entered with a tray in his hands.

“Lord Tower Master, it’s time for your meal. This dinner is tailored to your physical condition.”

The utensils on the tray were exquisite, though the food looked… unappetizing.

More like dark cuisine, really.

Seeing Saul stare at the dinner without picking up the utensils, Hope smiled and said:

“Apologies, Master. Cooking isn’t my strong suit, but I’ll select a proper chef for you as soon as possible.”

“Forget it.” Saul picked up the bowl and plate and shoveled the food into his mouth in two swift bites. The taste was as strange as expected.

He placed the empty dishes back on the tray, moved his throat to send the food straight down.

“No need to bother with cooking—just extract the nutrients and energy directly. I’m not picky.”

Noticing Saul’s reluctant expression, the butler bowed slightly.

“My sincerest apologies. If we turn it into a nutrient potion, what flavor would you prefer?”

Saul opened his mouth, paused for two seconds, then said:

“Preferably something like plain water.”

Hope straightened up, as if receiving a solemn and difficult task, and placed a hand on his chest.

“I shall do my best.”

“The food came from me, but where did these utensils come from?” Saul asked, interested in the bowls and tray before him.

He’d wandered the tower earlier and hadn’t seen miscellaneous items like these.

Hope bowed again.

“They’re made from excess materials generated during the growth of the wizard tower. I simply refined them a bit.”

Then he glanced around the empty room.

“If Lord Tower Master does not mind, may I tidy up this room for you?”

Saul stood up.

This room had nothing in it—how would one even tidy it?

Before he could ask, he suddenly sensed a mental power ripple coming through the fog from afar.

Someone was sending him a request for an audience from outside Lake Rhine?

Could it be Dodge returning?

No, the mental ripple was very stable, and seemed deliberately transmitted using witchcraft.

“I don’t sense hostility from this mental presence… Could it be a client of Dodge’s?”

Saul had only taken over Lake Rhine less than a day ago. Even if Dodge had spread the news after leaving, few would know about the change this soon.

Night had fallen.

The once gray fog now looked almost pure white under the darkness.

Saul put on his wide cloak and stepped onto the black raft, gliding forward in silence.

The deep lake waters occasionally washed over the raft’s surface, bringing a chill that pierced to the bone.

The lakeshore gradually came into view—a short man, likely less than 1.2 meters tall, stood by the water.

On his back was a massive bundle of luggage.

The luggage was twice the man’s height and three meters wide.

It consisted of several parcels and wooden boxes, tightly bound together with ropes as thick as a forearm. The whole thing looked precariously close to falling apart.

The man initially looked at the lake with a smile, but his expression changed the moment he saw someone other than Dodge approach.

That change, however, lasted only a blink.

The next second, he wore an enthusiastic grin once more.

“I don’t know your name yet, but I have a feeling we’re going to be good friends.” The short man tightened the straps on his shoulders, causing the massive luggage to sway.

“I’m Saul. I just bought all of Lake Rhine from Wizard Dodge. If you’re here to see him, I’m afraid you’ve made the trip for nothing.”

The short man gripped his shoulder straps tightly and beamed.

“Whoever owns Lake Rhine, that’s who I’m here for. Oh! I haven’t introduced myself—my name is Jiajia Gu. I’m the most renowned traveling merchant in the Borderland. I came to Lake Rhine to purchase a few complete soul bodies. I wonder if Lord Saul is willing to sell the wraiths in the lake, like Wizard Dodge did?”

Though Jiajia Gu posed the question, deep down he didn’t think Saul would say no.

Every wizard who claimed Lake Rhine did so for the wraiths within and the materials they could be exchanged for.

Otherwise, this isolated, resource-lacking place would never attract so many wizards.

Yet Saul’s reply left Jiajia Gu momentarily stunned.

“Sorry, I’m afraid you really did come for nothing. I have no intention of selling the wraiths in Lake Rhine.”

Jiajia Gu’s smile grew a bit forced.

“Are you sure you won’t sell? But if not, what would you do with them? Even if you’re a dark-element wizard, you can’t use that many wraiths. The pollution buildup from such use isn’t easy to manage.”

If Saul were a wizard nearing the end of his life, using vast numbers of wraiths to quickly boost mental and magical strength in a bid to delay death…

That Jiajia Gu could at least understand.

But Saul clearly had strong life force, and didn’t show obvious signs of pollution—a young wizard.

Why sit on such a treasure trove?

What, was he going to just look at the wraiths every day to grow stronger?

Though Jiajia Gu still wore a smile, he was already pondering whether to rally other dark-element wizards to seize Lake Rhine and reopen the market.

Just as Jiajia Gu mentally pronounced a death sentence on Saul, the man across from him suddenly spoke again.

“Though I won’t be selling wraiths, since you’ve come to the Purifier Wizard Tower, would you like me to examine your pollution levels?”

Saul smiled warmly, launching the first marketing pitch of his newly opened business.

Saul: Never miss a marketing opportunity!

(End of Chapter)

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