Elazar

Elazar stormed into Greem's room, her green hair cascading behind her like a wave of envy. Her incisive gaze bore into Greem, daring him to refuse her request.

"Greem, I need your help," she said, her voice low and urgent. "We thought Spark could recover, but in the last expedition, he moved too slow and was hit by an antfolk's spear. He was gravely injured, to the point that it will take him at least a year to fully recover. Swale needs someone to take his place. Will you join us?"

Greem's heart leapt with satisfaction. This was exactly what he had been waiting for. He had schemed and planned for months to put himself in this position, and now it was finally paying off. He had not expected Spark to hide his injury to his party, and engage himself in a battle, almost dying in the process. This unexpected scenario had only strengthened his position.

"I'm sorry, Elazar," he said, feigning reluctance. "But I can't just drop everything and run off to play the hero. What's in it for me?"

Elazar's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean, 'what's in it for you'? We're all here to protect the tower and its inhabitants. It's our duty as apprentices."

Greem smirked. "Oh, I know that. But I also know that you have been poking at that ant nest for the past few years for a reason : you must have searched for something there. If you want my help, you'll have to make it worth my while."

Elazar's expression softened, and Greem knew he had her where he wanted her. "Fine," she said through gritted teeth. "What do you want?"

Greem grinned. "Let's just say that I have a few ideas. Meet me at the entrance to the tower in one hour, and I'll tell you all about them"

With that, Elazar turned and stormed out of the room, leaving Greem alone with his thoughts. He had played the game perfectly, and now it was time to reap the benefits.

A couple of hours later, Elazar had returned with three books, pre-requisites for learning the spell that made Spark so feared in the Citadel: [Beast Sense]

Unlike elemental spells, beast sense was a simple application of mana that could be used to strengthen one's sense depending on the situation. It could be the feeling of touch, sight, smell, or hearing, the higher the mastery, the more senses you could improve by casting the spell. By using this spell, deflecting arrows and counting the number of leaves falling from a tree was possible with proper training.

Judging from Elazar's wound on her arm, it seemed like she had taken the books forcefully from her teammate. Next to the book, there were also dozens of [Eastern Dragon Grapes], which he had consumed before in the arena. It was a type of magical ingredient that could not be bought in regular markets, and it made Greem wonder where Spark had gotten them from.

The magical academy was notorious for its cruel practices and the ephemeral nature of relationships within its walls. Spark most likely never imagined that his own party, who he had fought alongside for years, would abandon him so callously.

Greem, who had witnessed the worst in humans, could only laugh at the situation he had just created. The misery of the middle-aged apprentice, which he schemed from beginning to the end, was a blessing in disguise for him.

Unknowingly, [Black Rose] had become a pretext for him to uncover his schemes, and benefit from others, disregarding their fate and misery.

"Swale has entered seclusion after the last failed expedition. She will most likely recover in a couple of days. Then, we will attempt a raid once again. Use these fruits to strengthen yourself", Elazar said while running her hand through her short green hair

Staring at Greem with a vicious glare, she spat: "We decided to abandon Spark for you, since you showed interest. Back down on your words, and you will be hunted by us"

Greem shook his head and merely nodded while grabbing the books. However, Elazar did not let them go so easily: "I gave my words that I would help you and join your party"