Chapter 81

In the scene reflected in the mirror, Darren's bedroom was visible. A thin, emaciated male body was thrusting into a plump woman, his hips moving incessantly, and he was moaning, "Faria," "Oh, my dear Faria."

"Faria? The daughter of the Duke?" Gorden's curiosity was immediately piqued.

The slender and frail Darren, the mage, clearly lacked the stamina for such activities. Soon, he was trembling uncontrollably on the woman, then let out a satisfied sigh. After climbing out of bed, Gorden could see clearly that the woman lying there was not the daughter of the Rod Lord, but another plump woman. From her attire and demeanor, she did not seem to be of noble birth.

Although all the servants of the Rod Lord were water elementals, there were still many women working in the kitchen, mill, and bakery. So it was not unusual for Darren to have hooked up with one or two of them.

"Master Mage, you are so amazing," the woman pressed her fleshy body against Darren. Although she had not been satisfied, she still flattered and fawned over the mage.

"Get out! I need to be alone!" Darren demonstrated what it meant to be "heartless after the act," pushing the woman away.

Enraged by such treatment, the woman began to curse, "You good-for-nothing, you only dare to sneak a peek at the Duke's daughter from afar, and then imagine her in bed. Spit! If you have the guts, really get Miss Faria into bed and become the Duke's son-in-law!"

The woman's tirade made Darren furious, and he cast a silencing spell on her. Unable to speak, she stormed out.

Alone, Darren's face grew increasingly dark and ugly. He began to mutter to himself, "Gorden, you despicable Gorden. It's you who stole my opportunity! I am the youngest member of the mage corps, a promising genius mage! I should have been favored by Lord Antelore, become his magic assistant, achieved great deeds, married Faria, and become the first heir of the Rod Lord! But all of this has been ruined by him."

Seeing Darren in the mirror, lost in his reverie about his glorious future, Gorden could only chuckle. Becoming the Rod Lord's magic assistant indeed invited jealousy and hostility from many. There was the Chief Mage Yolande, and now Darren.

After muttering to himself for a while, Darren left the bedroom and entered the magic laboratory.

Gorden immediately controlled the crystal ball, switching the view to the magic laboratory.

Gorden saw Darren take out a palm-sized, two-gold-coin-thick stone tablet and walk to a large cabinet. Focusing his attention on the stone tablet, his eyebrows twitched, and a wave of uncontrollable surprise surged within him.

"Isn't this the stone tablet I obtained in the Day Elf castle?"

Gorden took out his own stone tablet and compared it with the one in the image. The material, color, thickness, and even the inscribed text were all of the same style.

The only difference was the shape of the stone tablets.

Doubts swirled in Gorden's mind. He had thought the stone tablet left by Alavi Sunray was unique, but now it seemed otherwise.

"Could it be that Alavi Sunray left stone tablets all over the continent, leading the mages who obtained them to the Danze ruins to seek his legacy, with the most capable one winning?" Gorden pondered, finding this possibility the most likely.

Perhaps standing out among many competitors was also part of the trial to obtain the legacy.

Gorden had no time to consider the stone tablet, as in the mirror's image, Darren opened the large cabinet and pulled out what was hidden inside.

A water elemental maid.

However, this water elemental maid appeared dazed, her eyes lacking the usual lustrous and lively sparkle, and her gaze was dull, like a lifeless doll.

Darren led the water elemental to the center of the laboratory, a malicious expression on his face. "Last time, I tried to frame him by making him mistakenly enter the private hot spring pool of Lord Rob's family, but for some reason, it failed. But this time, I will definitely succeed."

Seeing Darren mutter to himself and reveal his past plot, Gorden was not surprised, only nodding thoughtfully. He wanted to see what other tricks Darren had up his sleeve.

In a way, the other party was somewhat cunning. Despite recognizing him, he pretended not to know and even came to provoke him. However, the other's mind was clearly not used in the right way, or he overestimated himself—common flaws among young nobles, which led to him losing face in both provocations.

Darren began to set up around the water elemental maid.

He first placed dried Adorov seaweed in the incense burner, mixed it with Apalo incense, and lit it, filling the room with a slightly salty, special aroma. Then, Darren carefully drew a magic array on the floor with tidal powder.

He placed candles in specific patterns around the completed magic array and put a water elemental essence in the center, under the water elemental maid's feet.

"This magic ritual is probably used to sever the mental connection between the water elemental and its master," Gorden muttered to himself.

A magic ritual is a ceremony to create complex magical effects. Without using one's own magic power and spells, it can be completed with careful steps, appropriate materials, and a lot of time.

Although magic rituals are a complex and labor-intensive discipline in the entire arcane system, requiring a lot of money and time, they are still studied by many due to the various special magical effects they can provide.

After about an hour, Darren finally completed the magic ritual. He grabbed a handful of crushed sea spirit stone powder and stood in front of the water elemental maid.

Darren chanted a complex incantation, and the magic array on the ground began to emit a pale blue light. A sudden breeze arose in the room, and the candle flames flickered.

Suddenly, Darren closed his mouth, stopping the incantation. He raised his hand and sprinkled the sea spirit stone powder on the water elemental maid.

The water elemental maid's previously vacant and confused eyes suddenly showed signs of pain.

"It's done!" Darren smiled smugly. He raised the stone tablet, aimed it at the water elemental maid's forehead, and began to recite rapid syllables.

Gorden recognized that it was Elvish, spoken in ancient Day Elf grammar.

The stone tablet suddenly emitted a blue and red interwoven light, piercing into the water elemental maid's forehead.

The water elemental maid shuddered, her eyes looking at Darren, and she spoke in a dull voice, "Mas...ter... I serve you."

Gorden did not expect that Darren would use the magic ritual to temporarily sever the connection between Rob Antelore and the water elemental, and then control it with the stone tablet.

"Could this stone tablet have special functions?" Gorden looked at his own stone tablet and decided to take the time to study it thoroughly.

"You, put this in Gorden Freeman's food at tomorrow's dinner," Darren handed the water elemental maid a small bottle containing about fifty milliliters of transparent liquid, which was likely a tasteless poison.

The image in the crystal ball ended there.

"Trying to poison me, does Darren really think that if I die, he will get the position of magic assistant? Truly foolish." Gorden sneered, a wave of murderous intent surging within him.

Since someone was plotting against him, he would not be merciful.

The investigation results were clear. Darren was the mastermind behind the water elemental maid's actions, and he was also the one who tried to frame Gorden in the hot spring area. As for Chief Mage Yolande, whom Gorden had always suspected, he was not involved in this matter.

Gorden could now hand over the evidence in the crystal ball to the Rod Lord, and his task would be considered complete. How to deal with Darren would be up to the boss.

However, Gorden had other plans. He wanted to get the stone tablet from Darren. The legacy task of the Day Elf mage Alavi Sunray seemed increasingly complex. The stone tablet was a key item, and if he could obtain another one, it would be more helpful for his upcoming journey to the Danze ruins.

With his mind made up, Gorden rested for the night and prepared thoroughly. The next morning, the water elemental maid had already laid out a sumptuous and delicious breakfast on the table.

Gorden looked at the table full of appetizing food but ignored it, walking straight out of the small building.

After waking up in the morning, mages needed to spend about an hour preparing spells, so Darren would definitely be in his room during this time.

Gorden arrived at the mage corps' quarters with ease.

When he knocked on Darren's door, he saw the other's shocked face.

"Gorden... How...?"

"Good morning, Mage Darren." Gorden pushed his way in. With his physical strength, the frail Darren could not stop him without using magic.

"Damn it, what do you want? This is breaking and entering!" Darren glared at Gorden warily.

Gorden showed Rob Antelore's private emblem and said, "I am here on the Rod Lord's orders to investigate the unusual behavior of the water elemental maid in the Rainbow Spring Manor."

A look of fear flashed across Darren's face, and he shook his head. "What are you talking about? I don't understand."

"Oh, our genius Mage Darren, how did your language comprehension suddenly drop to that of a three-year-old?" Gorden's face was filled with mocking laughter. "Do you remember the alchemical materials you bought from 'Duro's Treasure Chest'? Did you really think you covered your tracks so well?"

Darren was startled, took two steps back, and gritted his teeth. "You are slandering me. I will appeal to the Lord!"

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