Sorcerer’s Handbook

“When hurt enough, use a hand to cut open freely, the curse of yesterday…”

As the energetic prison bell rang, Ashe got up, washed up, and brushed his teeth while pondering Swordswoman’s strange behavior the past two days.

Instead of idle chatter, Swordswoman suddenly asked Ashe many targeted questions in the virtual world, such as his favorite color palette, how to make friends, whether he prefers mystery thrillers or horror thrillers, and even asked if Ashe preferred big breasts or small breasts, leaving Ashe very confused – isn’t the answer obvious? Who doesn’t like big breasts!?

Moreover, Swordswoman’s attitude towards Ashe changed four times in one night – sometimes gentle and considerate, sometimes cold and aloof, sometimes sexy and flirtatious, and sometimes innocent and cute.

Ashe’s thoughts were – it would be even better if she could change her clothes along with her personality switches.

When Ashe asked Swordswoman what was going on, she said nothing was wrong, leaving Ashe nervous.

He racked his brains and figured Swordswoman couldn’t possibly be psychologically testing him. Other than that, he could only think of one possibility – that Swordswoman was having her monthly menstrual cycle.

Carefully thinking it through, moody, talkative, curious – it did seem to match a woman’s characteristics during menstruation. Other than marveling that ‘a paper doll also gets her period’, Ashe didn’t think too much of it.

Opening the light screen, Aurora’s Sorcerer Handbook immediately popped up a message:

“Death Maniac Swordswoman’s training has ended. Please check the growth report and set this week’s training strategy as soon as possible.”

“Death Maniac Swordswoman’s Growth Report 4/19 – 4/25”

“Swordsmanship School: Silver → Silver”

“Light School: Silver → Silver”

“Water School: Silver → Silver”

“Mind School: 0 → Silver”

“Arcane Energy: Half Silver Wings → Full Silver Wings”contemporary romance

“Training Evaluation: A!”

“Due to obtaining an A evaluation, Death Maniac Swordswoman gains the Sorcerer Handbook’s career enhancement: Silver Sorcerer of Annihilation → Silver Sorcerer of Soul Shattering.”

“Silver Sorcerer of Soul Shattering – Career Trait: Each effective attack deals an additional 1% soul damage.”

This new career trait made Ashe’s eyes light up. The enemies in the virtual world were undoubtedly spiritual bodies, which meant Swordswoman could deal additional true damage to them. Along with Swordswoman’s high attack speed, the cumulative extra damage would be considerable.

The arcane schools didn’t grow much. Over the past two days, they had only obtained a water arcane gem, which was fed to Swordswoman, so her water school naturally remained at the silver level.

If not for the mind school advancing from 0 to silver, and the arcane energy breaking through from half wings to full wings, the training evaluation wouldn’t have reached A. But Ashe still felt resentful – why wasn’t there a growth report for his ‘Apocalypse Observer’? He also wanted to get career enhancements from the handbook and change to a new career!

Until now, his job was still the useless cult leader! The Four Pillars’ blessings had never taken effect!

Ashe checked his points. Although they had hunted many knowledge creatures these days and obtained many arcane spirits, because Swordswoman said she needed money on her side to purchase arcane spirits, the spoils were split 60% to Ashe, 40% to Swordswoman.

After exchanging all the unused arcane spirits for points, Ashe now had 124 points, still unable to purchase the ‘Bag of Source Crystals’ worth 198 points.

Without the summoning ritual, Ashe directly arranged Swordswoman’s training strategy for next week. Originally he wanted to max out her swordsmanship training as usual, but thinking that Swordswoman needed rest during this special time, he pondered for a bit before deciding… to let Swordswoman rest for an hour, today only.

Ah, it pained his heart. Was this what it felt like to be a boss, as if he had lost a lot of money just by letting his employee rest?

Ashe quickly executed the training strategy before he regretted it, then went to the cafeteria for breakfast as usual. But he discovered the central hall was crowded with people – another recruitment for volunteers (cannon fodder)?

But no, the inmates were just gathered together watching the news on the hall’s light screen, even Igor was staring intently at the screen.

Ashe went over and asked Igor, “What’s the news say? Did the citizens finally gain a conscience and decide to boycott the inhumane Blood Moon Tribunal?”

“Even more shocking than the citizens gaining a conscience.” Igor kept his eyes fixed on the screen, murmuring, “Fernand Snow is going down.”

“Who?”

“The Mayor of Caimon City, he’s going down!”

Ashe was slightly startled, and also turned to watch the news.

“…The current estimated death toll has already exceeded 10,000. Countless were killed and injured in New Yichen City. Fires broke out in multiple places in the downtown area, with corpses and bloodstains covering the streets. They may have been office workers, shopping couples, future legendary sorcerers, or ordinary hardworking people, but at this moment, because of an invasion that should not have happened, they have become pale corpses.”

On the screen, a beautiful female host with refined features stood atop a tall building. She looked somewhat similar to Igor, with charm in her brows and eyes, seeming to have some succubus blood. She had a circle of cute pink-purple fur around her sleeves.

But right now she looked extremely indignant, with anger suppressed in her voice: “Everyone, look. Behind me is Caimon City’s most prosperous downtown area, but what can we see now? Ruins, flames, corpses, bloodstains, exposed steel beams, broken dolls-”

“Caimon News is a mouthpiece for the Church and the Research Institute.” Igor said softly. “When the host shows obvious political leanings, it means the Blood Moon races want to offer up a scapegoat to quell the people’s anger.”

“It’s been forty hours since the first attack. We can’t help but ask, why hasn’t the Heresy Court captured the attackers yet? Why are there still attacks happening today? Why is downtown still a high-risk area, to the point that even medical teams don’t dare go in to treat the injured?”

“Where did our tax money go, who squandered it? As the area rated to have the best public security nationwide, why did we suffer such a disaster? We ordinary people living and working happily in Caimon City, why do we have to encounter such misfortune?”

“Why were there organized, large-scale attackers from other nations able to infiltrate Caimon City? What is the Administrative Bureau hiding from us?”

“We need answers, the dead need answers! Someone must take responsibility for this disaster-”

Splat!

Seeing the screen splattered with blood, the death row inmates in the central hall gasped. They were used to seeing deaths in the Blood Moon Tribunal, but seeing the host get hacked up live was a first.

The live feed went dark, but quickly switched to a new scene.

This time, the backdrop was a clean, tidy, stylish office. Sitting behind the desk was an ogre in a dark formal suit – yes, an ogre. He had no fangs, neatly trimmed nails, and his looks contained no ferocity at all, in fact he looked rather amiable. But he was undoubtedly a blue-skinned ogre, as evidenced by the huge chair, big enough to seat two Ashes, that he sat on.

When he spoke, even Ashe was stunned.

“I am Caimon City Mayor, Alandel Fernand Snow.” The ogre spoke heavily. “It is with grieving heart that I inform everyone, the number of innocent lives lost to the terrorist attacks has reached 13,000. The Heresy Court is operating at full capacity, and the Administrative Bureau has also mobilized nearby Lake Scenery War Zone adventurers to assist in capturing the attackers, in hopes of apprehending them soon.”

“These attackers came from other nations through the virtual gateways to the Blood Moon. I have to admit, I must bear some responsibility for this. Joint research on investigating the virtual gateways was a decision made by the Administrative Bureau, Parliament, Heresy Court, and Lake Scenery War Zone together. If the Administrative Bureau could have made more comprehensive plans and prudent judgements originally, perhaps…”

“He’s still not giving up.” Igor sneered. “He’s threatening the other conspirators, that if he goes down the rest won’t end up any better. He can lose, but doesn’t want to leave.”

“…Therefore, I am willing to accept the Heresy Court’s investigation, temporarily step down from the position of Mayor, with the deputy mayor Guro taking over mayoral duties.”

Finally, Fernand Snow stood up and bowed deeply. “I sincerely apologize for the failures in my work.”

“Oh!”

“Hahaha, Fernand Snow you’ve got yours today!”

Successive cheers sounded in the central hall. Although the Noise Ordinance prevented loud laughter, so many people celebrating at once still filled the hall with a joyous atmosphere. As expected, only seeing others suffer misfortune could bring genuine happiness to these scumbags.

But Ashe saw that even the normally calm Igor had red ears and could barely restrain his smiling, and couldn’t help asking curiously: “Igor, do you have a grudge against Fernand Snow? Even if you’re gloating, you’re not so happy, are you?”

Igor grabbed Ashe’s shoulders. “You don’t understand? The mayor has fallen! He’s being charged by the Heresy Court!”

Ashe felt confused. “I heard that, so what?”

It was clear Igor wanted to personally attack Ashe’s intelligence, but the chip prevented his rude behavior.

After holding it in for a while, he finally said in an excited, suppressed voice: “While in office, if the mayor faces serious charges and has to immediately step down, to ensure his personal safety and prevent suicide, the mayor would be detained in the nearest Blood Moon prison for isolated investigation.”

Ashe recalled that he had also heard this rule when discussing the right way to escape with the doctor.

Ashe vaguely realized something. “You mean…”

Igor stared straight at Ashe, eyes shining as if wanting to suck Ashe in.

“Without waiting for next month’s transport ship, when Fernand Snow is escorted to Shattered Lake Prison, that will be our chance to escape!”

“So when will Fernand Snow be detained at Shattered Lake?”

“Generally it’s as soon as possible, but he’ll definitely have to spend a night at the Heresy Court first, to modify the authority restrictions in his chip beforehand. In other words—”

Ashe and Igor looked at each other. “Tomorrow, the 27th’s Blood Moon Tribunal!”

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