Chapter 133: The Acolyte (Part 2)

The door creaked open, and there stood Mage Lorinka.

Today, Lorinka had dressed with evident care. Her face bore light makeup, and her upper body was clad in a thin, low-cut blouse that exposed a hint of fair skin. She wore a short white skirt that revealed her slender legs, making her appearance fresh and striking.

"Mage Merlin," Lorinka greeted him with a faint smile as she stepped inside, glancing around the room before resting her gaze on Merlin with a complex expression.

Merlin frowned, sensing something amiss. "Mage Lorinka, I haven't yet repaid the five contribution points I borrowed from you. I'll make sure to return them soon."

He remembered that before the mission to Donglin City, he had borrowed five contribution points from her.

Lorinka shook her head slightly. "Five points mean little; it's not urgent."

"How is your progress with the first-level spell *Fury Flame*?" Merlin asked. He knew that since their return, Lorinka had been working to construct the first-level spell, though he wasn't sure how it was going.

Lorinka's expression darkened slightly, and she sighed. "I failed."

"Failed?"

Merlin was startled. Usually, spellcasters suffer some harm when a spell construction fails, and in severe cases, it can affect previously built spell models in their mental sea.

But Lorinka didn't seem seriously hurt, which was a small consolation.

"I had a feeling it would happen," she continued, "but I didn't want to give up without trying. In the end, though, it was hopeless…"

Seeing her frustration, Merlin stayed silent, allowing her to express her disappointment without interruption. He sensed that, more than anything, she just needed someone to listen.

Suddenly, Lorinka lifted her head, her gaze piercing as she asked, "Mage Merlin, are you familiar with the role of an acolyte in the Dark Spirit Realm?"

Seeing his puzzled look, she explained, "An acolyte is a servant who, after swearing a binding oath, pledges to serve a spellcaster for life. In the Dark Spirit Realm, only those at the first level or above can have acolytes. A first-level spellcaster may have one, a fourth-level can have two, and a seventh-level can have up to four acolytes.

"Although acolytes aren't formal members of the Dark Spirit Realm, they enjoy nearly the same privileges since they're closely bound to official members."

She paused, took a deep breath as if gathering courage, then fixed Merlin with a determined look. "So, I wanted to ask if, when you become a first-level spellcaster and an official member of the Dark Spirit Realm, you would accept me as your acolyte."

Merlin met her gaze, surprised. Becoming an acolyte meant forfeiting freedom in exchange for benefits within the Dark Spirit Realm. Although not the most powerful organization, the Dark Spirit Realm was still coveted by wandering mages who struggled to gain entry.

After a long silence, Merlin's lips curled into a faint, teasing smile. "Mage Lorinka, you're well aware of my six-element status and the near impossibility of my reaching the first level."

Lorinka shook her head slightly. "I've thought about that a lot, and I didn't make this decision lightly. At first, I didn't believe you would succeed in reaching the first level, but you've never once shown any sign of doubt or defeat. You exude confidence, as though you have every reason to believe in yourself."

"Though I can't fathom where that confidence comes from," she continued, "where there's a sliver of hope, there's a chance. When I'm sent out of the Dark Spirit Realm, my family won't support me anymore, and I'll face a bleak future alone. This is my only option."

She took a step closer, her lips curving in a flirtatious smile. "Besides, as your acolyte, all my contribution points would be at your disposal. I've saved up seventy points, plus the family provided me with half a million gold coins for exchanging points—altogether, I could offer them all to you."

Merlin looked at Lorinka intently. If she were to convert the coins into contribution points, she'd gain fifty more, bringing the total to 120. With the thirty points he still had from his recent mission, he would end up with 150 points, enough to purchase a powerful enchanted robe like the one Mage Holmes wore.

Seeing that he was still hesitant, Lorinka pressed closer, the warmth of her body nearly brushing his. "And…" she murmured, lips close to his ear, a playful glint in her eyes, "I could give you myself as well."

Merlin felt a rush of heat as he caught her tantalizing scent. Unable to resist, he wrapped his arms around her, his restraint crumbling as she drew him deeper into her embrace.

---

As dawn broke, Merlin opened his eyes, rubbing his head as he surveyed the chaotic state of his room, memories of the previous night's passion flooding back.

Lorinka had already left to make arrangements for her impending departure from the Dark Spirit Realm, leaving only a faint trace of her perfume in the air.

Recalling her wild energy, Merlin noted how different she was from Princess Sherris or Avril. While they had been reserved, Lorinka possessed a fierce and uninhibited allure. Last night, she had often taken the lead, leaving him with a lingering sense of exhilaration.

However, Merlin was always one to maintain control over such matters. He quickly shook off the memories, rising from the bed and refocusing on his work.

The previous day, he had been on the verge of creating a Coagulant potion when Lorinka had interrupted. Now, he intended to resume.

"Matrix, resume the Coagulant potion sequence!"

The Matrix's mechanical voice responded promptly. "Commencing Coagulant potion preparation. Please prepare the ingredients: Silver Bluegrass, Mushroom Blossom, Graphite Juice…"

These ingredients were simple and readily available in his ring, so Merlin carefully followed each instruction as the Matrix listed them.

"First, grind the Silver Bluegrass and Mushroom Blossom into juice and pour it into the glass container…"

As he worked through the steps, Merlin adhered strictly to the Matrix's instructions, aware of the need for precise measurements in potion-making—an advantage his Matrix provided.

Thanks to advancements in potion-making over the centuries, precise measuring tools had become readily accessible, minimizing errors. Merlin followed each step diligently, carefully weighing each ingredient according to the Matrix's standards.

The preparation took two hours, with the meticulous steps proving challenging but manageable. Finally, all the ingredients were ready.

"Add Graphite Juice, heat for half an hour, then let it cool."

Following this final instruction, Merlin added the graphite juice, and the once greenish liquid turned murky black.

Using a flame to heat the potion, Merlin watched as it hissed and released an unpleasant odor, indicating that a transformation was occurring.

After thirty minutes, Merlin extinguished the flame and set the potion aside to cool. While waiting, he reviewed the Matrix's log, confirming that he had adhered to every step precisely.

Two hours later, the potion had cooled, and Merlin carefully examined it to gauge the results.