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“Teacher, who is it?”
Aresia’s voice came from inside the laboratory. As Amos tried to see who was the person in a mage robe, Aresia came. She couldn’t help but exclaim, “Brother Amos, why are you here?”
Amos immediately felt the overwhelming pressure disappear the moment Aresia called out to him. He wondered if everything he had just experienced was his imagination, but his trembling body told him that the pressure he felt was real.
He glanced cautiously at the mysterious person before answering Aresia’s question, “I came to find you. Who is this?”
The mysterious person took a step back, allowing Aresia to come forward.
Aresia stood between them and introduced them to each other, “This is my teacher, Isis. Teacher, this is my brother, Amos.”
With the introduction, the mysterious person removed their hood and nodded at Amos.
Only then did Amos get a clear view.
The seemingly ordinary mage who had come from outside appeared to be a woman in her thirties with short black hair and deep brown eyes that showed a hint of warmth when gazing at Aresia. Her facial features were not particularly remarkable, making it difficult for people to remember them. She seemed like someone who easily blended into a crowd and was hard to recognize, but her strong presence and overwhelming aura made up for any physical shortcomings.
Amos was taken aback but quickly regained his composure. He greeted respectfully, “Nice to meet you, Isis.”
Although Amos didn’t know that his sister had such a teacher, he was inclined to be polite and respectful.
Isis, the mage who had been called, nodded in response, and there was no sign of displeasure on their face.
The feeling Amos had just experienced had left a deep impression on him, and he knew he wouldn’t forget it easily.
He was certain that this person, who appeared ordinary at first glance, was undoubtedly a powerful mage. It reminded him of the pressure he felt from his father, making him almost fear their overwhelming presence.
If this was the eighth-level mage the knight had mentioned, Amos had no reason to doubt it.
After the introductions were done, Aresia asked Amos, “Brother, what brought you here?”
Amos wasn’t sure if Aresia had received the message about the gryphon pack, and he wasn’t sure if Isis, the mage, would be able to help. He decided not to ask directly but gave a vague response, “I received a message and wondered if you had some time to talk.”
Aresia turned to exchange a glance with Isis, silently acknowledging that they had something to discuss. She then turned back to Amos and said, “Wait a moment. I’ll be right there.”
Amos nodded, and the laboratory door closed behind him.
With the door closed, the expression on “Aresia’s” face faded. She no longer moved or made any sound; she stood still like a lifelike doll.
Meanwhile, the real Aresia, known as “Isis,” revealed a slight smile. The performance of the replica had been satisfactory.
It was fortunate that Amos had come at the right time, just as the replica had been created. He had unknowingly played into their hands by providing the perfect opportunity for “Isis” to assume this identity.
During this period of separation, the replica had stayed in the laboratory, away from prolonged contact with others, so as not to arouse suspicion.
Aresia removed the disguise spell on herself and changed into a simple dress, handing the mage’s robes to the replica to wear. With a new disguise spell in place, the replica appeared as “Isis.” This allowed Aresia to leave the laboratory without raising any questions.
Amos had been waiting outside, wondering why Aresia had a visitor like Isis. Why had he never heard of this powerful teacher before?
Aresia explained, “Well, yes and no.”
Amos didn’t understand. “What do you mean?”
The background story Aresia had created for Isis was that she was the owner of the inherited memories, that was passed by her by taking a test to inherit the memories. Isis had sensed Aresia’s presence and established contact with her, taking over as Aresia’s teacher.
This conversation was prepared to respond to others who knew about the inheritance of memories, like Antonio, to address their concerns.
As for the Duke’s side, Aresia had prepared different explanations.
Aresia had made a magic contract with the Duke, which prohibited her from informing anyone about the inheritance of memories without his permission. However, Aresia didn’t want to outright deny it and instead told Amos, “Well, you can be sure that she is indeed my teacher. For the specifics, you’ll have to ask Father.”
Amos, hearing this, didn’t push further and instead asked another question that concerned him more, “Is this Isis really an eighth-level mage?”
Aresia nodded, “Yes.”
Amos was astonished and no longer suspected any ulterior motives from Isis. An eighth-level mage was a formidable force, capable of easily destroying cities and more. It didn’t matter where they went; they would be sought after. It was Aresia’s honor to have such a teacher, and Amos believed that she had no hidden agenda.
However, Amos had one more question, “Is this Isis from Holy Lotean? I haven’t heard of her name in the Holy Lotean Empire.”
Aresia nodded again, “Isis has been living in seclusion overseas and doesn’t belong to any particular empire.”
Amos felt a surge of excitement. An eighth-level mage who didn’t belong to any empire! They must have been recruited or had some kind of affiliation. Moreover, since they were Aresia’s teacher, it inclined more towards the Holy Lotean Empire. Thinking about Antonio’s situation, Amos realized that if Isis joined the Holy Lotean Empire, they wouldn’t need to worry about finding a successor for Antonio.
In fact, having two high-level mages in the empire would make it even stronger.
Nonetheless, Amos had one more question, “How did Isis enter the castle? It seems that the people in the castle weren’t aware of her arrival.”
During his search for Aresia, Amos had asked several people, including Charlie, who welcomed him upon his return. But even Charlie didn’t know about Aresia’s presence. It seemed that no one in the castle was aware of Isis’ arrival.
“Isis used her expertise in spatial magic to teleport directly inside. It startled me,” Aresia explained.
Amos exclaimed, “Isis is a mage specializing in spatial magic?”
Being a high-level mage was already rare, but to specialize in spatial magic was even more astonishing.
Aresia shook her head, “Not just that. In truth, Isis is a master of all magic disciplines. Spatial magic is not the only powerful magic she possesses. I learned some of her magic from my notebook, but they have many innovative spells. It’s best to ask Isis directly about what they can do.”
Amos felt even more amazed. Antonio, the mage he knew, wasn’t particularly skilled in elemental magic. He was renowned for his destructive fire magic, and he didn’t excel in other magic disciplines.
“Is Isis really willing to help us capture the gryphon pack? Is there anything else she need or any other requests? We will do our best to fulfill them,” Amos said.