Heglais Town, yet another overcast morning.
Luo Wei gazed out the window as sea winds carried a few raindrops onto the glass panes. The howling wind outside signaled an impending storm.
"Damn this wretched weather..." Luo Wei muttered, shifting his attention back to the magic book in his hands.
The sound of his voice stirred Helena, who had been peacefully sleeping against him. She blinked her eyes open groggily.
"Brother... what's wrong?"
"Nothing," Luo Wei replied with a smile, gently patting her head. "Go back to sleep."
"Mm..." Helena murmured, shifting into a more comfortable position as she lay on Luo Wei's lap.
In stark contrast to the dreary weather outside, the room was warm and cozy.
The fireplace crackled with a roaring flame, casting a soft glow as Luo Wei quietly read by its light. Helena had initially stayed by his side, watching him read, but eventually grew bored and dozed off.
It had been five days since they arrived in this town. Tilis had been busy planning their trip to the island, leaving little time to visit Luo Wei.
With nothing else to do, Luo Wei passed the time by studying magic.
The knowledge within *Gould's Book of Magic* was dense and difficult to comprehend. Normally, a few days would hardly be enough to master even a single spell, but Luo Wei wasn’t starting from scratch.
After containing Tilis in his first life, Luo Wei had formally studied magic. Though he had since lost his magical aptitude, he could still decipher the intricate and profound magical runes.
Tinkering with a mana crystal on the table, its deep blue glow flickered intermittently. Following the instructions in *Gould's Book of Magic*, Luo Wei had inscribed the simplest magical formula onto it. It wasn’t a "Ring" spell, nor did it belong to any of the historically renowned magical systems. Instead, it was the much-maligned "Crystal Magic," often dismissed as amateurish.
Luo Wei picked up the mana crystal, silently reciting the incantation over and over in his mind. He hoped he wouldn’t mess up when the time came to chant it aloud—otherwise, things could get messy.
The faint blue glow illuminated his face, its brightness momentarily startling Helena awake.
"Brother, are you finally going to perform magic?" she exclaimed, her eyes wide with excitement.
"Shh—!" Luo Wei gestured for her to be quiet.
Helena immediately fell silent, curling up in his arms as she stared intently at the glowing mana crystal.
Under her expectant gaze, Luo Wei began to chant the long and arcane incantation. As the words left his lips, a barely perceptible ripple stirred in the air.
The water in the cup on the table seemed to vanish as if someone had taken a sip, gradually decreasing in volume.
At the same time, the humidity in the air increased, and a mist began to form around them, as though a real fog had rolled in.
Luo Wei’s heart leapt with joy.
"It worked!"
As soon as he spoke, the glow from the mana crystal faded, and the mist slowly dissipated.
Helena blinked in confusion as she observed the subtle changes.
"Brother..."
"Is that it?"
Luo Wei nodded. "Yes, this spell is called 'Mist Creation.' It’s over now."
"Oh..." Helena’s face fell, clearly disappointed. She had watched her brother study for days, expecting something more spectacular. Little did she know, for someone without any innate magical talent, this was already a remarkable achievement.
Moreover, she likely couldn’t fathom why Luo Wei had chosen to learn this particular spell first.
While "Mist Creation" was a harmless spell—barely more than a parlor trick in the magical world—it could become something far more potent when combined with certain elements...
With that in mind, Luo Wei began his second experiment. He retrieved a vial of *Suppression Potion* from his belongings and placed it on the table.
"This is..." Helena’s eyes widened with concern as she recognized the item.
Luo Wei gestured for her to stay calm, then, to her astonishment, cast "Mist Creation" once more.
The liquid in the *Suppression Potion* vanished entirely, dispersing into the air.
Soon, a dense fog filled the room, one that could effectively lower contamination levels.
Helena shrank back uneasily, disliking the pungent smell of the *Suppression Potion*.
Meanwhile, Luo Wei let out a sigh of relief. The experiment had finally succeeded.
This was exactly what he had aimed for. With this technique, he wouldn’t have to risk throwing the potion in someone’s face ever again...
In fact, he had drawn inspiration from the Great Smog of St. Kallen.
Seeing Helena’s discomfort, Luo Wei stood up and opened the window, allowing the acrid smell to gradually dissipate.
Just as he was about to jot down his findings in a notebook, a crimson figure vaulted through the window.
Evelyn appeared in the room in an instant, frowning at the lingering mist.
"What’s this smell? Luo Wei, what are you up to?"
"Teacher, could you please use the door next time? You nearly gave me a heart attack..."
Luo Wei sighed, handing her a towel as he noticed her damp hair.
"Don’t you know? True experts always use the window," Evelyn retorted, grumbling as she dried her hair.
Evelyn spent her days "gathering intelligence," often operating under the cover of night. This time, however, she didn’t rush to report her findings. Instead, she curiously examined Luo Wei’s experiment.
"Magic combined with alchemy? That’s an interesting approach. You’re pretty clever, aren’t you?"
She patted Luo Wei’s shoulder, her expression one of approval.
"It’s not all my doing. I owe a lot to your guidance, Teacher Evelyn," Luo Wei replied with a smile. He wasn’t just flattering her—Evelyn had indeed provided him with many valuable insights.
"Don’t get too cocky just yet," Evelyn said with a smirk. "If I were to think about it, there’s another way to approach this, one that’s more compatible with our blood magic combat style."
Luo Wei was intrigued. "Teacher, what’s your idea?"
Evelyn’s lips curled into a grin. "Want to learn?"
Of course, Luo Wei nodded eagerly.
Evelyn crossed her arms and tilted her chin up, her expression brimming with pride.
"Then beg me. If you can satisfy me, I might just teach you~"
Luo Wei stared at her silently. If Evelyn had a tail, it would undoubtedly be wagging triumphantly right now.
With a deliberately exaggerated tone, he replied, "Teacher Evelyn is the best teacher~"
"Look at how earnest and eager your student is! Surely, you wouldn’t let him down, would you?"
Evelyn snorted. "Don’t think sweet talk will work on me. That’s not enough!"
Luo Wei chuckled and guided her to the sofa. "How about a shoulder massage, then?"
Before she could refuse, Luo Wei’s hands were already kneading her shoulders.
Evelyn closed her eyes, thoroughly enjoying the attention.
"Mmm... not bad. A little harder!"
"Up a bit... down a bit..."
"Hey! Luo Wei, where are you massaging?"
"Sorry, Teacher!" Luo Wei apologized awkwardly. "You’re just too... well-endowed. I got the wrong spot..."
Evelyn shot him a suspicious glance.
How does a shoulder massage end up *there*?
Meanwhile...
A chilling presence emanated from a corner of the room, sending a shiver down both their spines.
Helena was glaring at them with a dark expression, twisting the head of her doll another turn.
Evelyn rolled her eyes at Luo Wei. "Alright, alright. I wasn’t planning to give you a hard time anyway. Stop trying to butter me up."
She stood up and walked back to the table, picking up the mana crystal inscribed with "Mist Creation."
Then, with a smile, she turned to Luo Wei.
"Watch closely!"