The Unseasonal Cold-2

There must be quite a hotshot riding that carriage. The amount of mana from surrounding being sucked in by the person riding the carriage was very large. Adui was not an expert, but if he had to guess then he would say that the person inside must be a Rank-8 or Rank-9 awakened one. A hotshot customer like this one deserved a warm welcome from him, and with great enthusiasm and a big smile on his face, he walked to the entrance to welcome the guest.

The carriage door flung open and a woman in her late early thirties came out. The woman was wearing a bodacious black gown that accented her breasts and her hourglass body. Her silky black hair was all imprisoned by a bun, but few strands of hair were free of such imprisonment bounced around her porcelain-like delicate face. And the red eyes of the woman gave her this elegant but deadly look that could make any man fall for her.

While limping his way to receive her, he saw her face and was instantly mesmerized by it. But then he started feeling that he knew this woman from somewhere. Unfazed by his smile, the woman simply entered the shop ignoring him. But by the time the woman entered the shop, he was about 100% sure that he had definitely seen the woman before. But for the love of God, he couldn't put a finger on where he recognized her from.

He followed the woman in when she spoke with a delicate voice "I hope no accident occurred in my absence" She spoke with a delicate voice but in a condescending way. Hearing the very familiar condescending tone, he immediately understood who this woman was.

"Lady Gizelle. It seems like you had a very pleasant holiday." He replied in a respectful tone.

DAMN! This bitch was able to ascend from Rank-6 to Rank-8. How the fuck did this happen? What kind of luck this fucking gold digger has. Also, did she find a treasure or something? How the hell was she able to change her appearance to such an extent?

"My travels were indeed very pleasant. Now back to the main question, what happened to the shop while I was gone?" she said while heading in the direction of her office. And he limped behind her and tried to keep up with speed.

"As per your instruction, we took only orders of the potions that I could expertly make. While we rejected all the other orders. As you were coming today, we started taking orders of all the potions again…. Your lab has been thoroughly cleaned and every material and herb that you might need is now fully restocked." Gizelle then pushed open the door of her large office and walked to her table.

"On your desk, you will find the monthly report of our expenses and our purchase orders. As well there is a separate stack of papers are the orders that we have received since yesterday. I have vetted these orders based on their urgency and money. Please go through them and tell me which order we will be taking." She then sat down on her chair and then kept staring at him with her emotionless face.

"I have an errand for you. I need you to go to my house. There is a very high-ranking Mage and his escort staying there. Meet them. They want some work done in our Gorgon kingdom. Go and see if you could help them with their task. If you can, then do it. If not, then never come back here." Hearing this his brain stopped working for a second.

He then tried to say something but nothing came out of his mouth. This job was his life work. And he was having a very hard time digesting the fact that in a few hours, he may not have a job.

Did I hear that right? Is this bitch saying that she would fire me? I would be fired if I couldn't complete the task. What kind of maniac does something like this?

He could let Gizelle get the satisfaction of seeing him nervous. So he remained calm and then cleared his throat. "I don't understand Madame. I thought you were quite happy with my work. I… out of a sudden… I don't understand."

"For how many years have you been working here?"

"About 10 years Madame," he replied immediately,

"And what is your rank after working as a Mage for 10 years?"

"Rank-4… But I am very close to ascending to Rank-5."

"Doesn't matter. I am a Rank-9 Mage now. I can take better apprentice than you ever will be. Then why should I keep you."

"I am very good at making potions. I am very thorough… and I take care of herb garden better than anyone." his voice had started breaking by this time. He was very close to breaking up

"But all this doesn't change the fact that you are still a mere Rank-4 Mage. When you started working here, you were a Rank-2 Mage. Now after 10 years worth of work, you were only able to ascend twice. You are a worthless Mage Adui Hampshire." Then she started looking at the stacks of papers on her desk. While he stood there motionless unable to comprehend what was happening.

"But you are right. You do work hard. And you are good at what your measly power could help you to achieve. That is why I am giving you this chance. Go to my house and talk to my new Master. If you are able to complete the task he gave you, I will let you stay. If not, then clear out all the stuff from your office Adui. Now go." Then she started going through all the papers that were neatly kept on her desk.

***

Still, in shock about what had happened, Adui made his way to Lady Gizelle's house on foot. His mind just kept rewinding and playing what happened in Gizelle's office over and over again torturing him as he walked.

I have worked so hard for that bitch for all these years. She didn't even teach me anything. I learned everything by trial and error. She did provide me with all the material and lab equipment, but still, she didn't teach me anything. Now she is just throwing me away. He then groaned with frustration and kept walking.

As he got closer to her house, he started feeling that something was off. The temperature around in the neighboring area of her house was too cold. He couldn't tell for sure whether the temperature had decreased further since he had started walking, or whether this area is colder than the others. But the disturbance of mana in the air around her house leads him to believe that it might be the first case…

A knight stood in full-plated armor by the main gate of Gizelle's house. It was standing tall at around 7 feet and 6 inches. He wasn't wearing any cloak and standing still like a statue by her gate even when the cold breeze went through him. Seeing the hulking figure of the knight, he got scared a little bit. But this was a task that he could back down from. So he reinforced his resolve and moved towards the gate.

Like staring at a kid, the knight looked down on him with his sharp gaze. "I was told by Lady Gizelle that her master has a task for me." Still standing still, the knight didn't move at all. "My name is Adui Hampshire. I work for Lady Gizelle." Those words did some magic on the knight and he opened the gate and let him enter the house.

As her apprentice, he had visited Lady Gizelle many times in past years. He was familiar with the layout of the house as if it was his. But today he could feel it in his bones. The familiar house that he used to come to was no more. Today this house had a certain eerie feeling around it. It was as if death itself had chosen this house to be its residence.