When Gwen moves into her first apartment, the loneliness of returning to the empty house leaves her dumbfounded. Previously, she always shared a dormitory and a room with her girlfriend, and in a short period of time, she would also choose a bad boyfriend.

So she adopted two cats from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Ariel and Cariban, like the characters in The Tempest, make her eccentric old Prospero, the greatest magician in Shakespeare's plays.

Just as she was about to start life as a forever single cat mom, her very responsible veterinarian told her that she shouldn't take her kittens home for another month until they were weaned and shedding.

It was the longest wait of her life.

For the next two months, Gwen relived that particular hell on the edge of willpower, demanding to be released into the physical layer as familiar things tickled inside her brain, while she did her best to hide them from the world.

It was only at the end of the week, in Surya's private domain, that she was able to release her inhibitions and let her mink and basilisole reign freely.

With the help of a particularly nutritious diet, she is exercising to maintain her familiar emptiness. Even so, in the middle of the fight, she was only able to keep Kaleban strong for two minutes, and then her vitality began to wane. Ariel, on the other hand, lives on her abundant lightning bolts, which can last for almost an hour.

As a result, Gwen believes that the Caliban will only be truly effective in areas where there is a lot of expendable biomass, such as monster lairs. When talking to Master, she hypothesized that Caliban's power consisted in its extremely low mana cost and high life force cost, which had to be offset by an external source of life force.

"I agree, it's an extraordinary creature," her master said but, as with Evoke, avoid using the Void until you become stronger. Be measured, don't run. ”

She promised to be vigilant.

In addition to the intermittent interruptions, the grinding continues. Every morning, Gwen and Deborah go for a jog together, and she has become a famous shapeshifter herself. Time seems to have restored Deborah's sunny temperament and also reawakened her competitive nature. At one of their meetings, she again begged Gwen to include her on the team, and Gwen agreed to prioritize her as their first choice.

Alesia's classes also continued, intensifying her second- and third-level spells. Meanwhile, Gunther and her master teach Gwen new spells, in addition to summoning spikes.

The Lightning Blade is a manifestation that allows her to summon a sword of lasting energy, suitable for melee combat, and has a paralyzing effect. Gwen called it "Taser".

Walding Bolt had her create a floating ball of energy that lasted for a few minutes and could attack any target that approached three times. Gwen points out that a special property of lightning is that even defensive spells are distinctly offensive, which is in line with the philosophy that the best defense is offense.

When Gwen asks for a non-lethal spell, Master Henry sends two debilitating scrolls. Blinding lightning and lightning strikes that cause visual damage and leave enemies deafening and overwhelmed. After receiving the spell, Gwen sees no reason for them to separate in the first place. After all, the unconscious grenade existed in her old world. She told Alicia about the idea, and the two worked hard to create a primitive spell that, while harmless, could cause blindness, deafness, and disorientation at the same time. Plus, thanks to her spells and summons, she can cast both spells in a continuous spherical variation or directly as an explosion.

Gwen called it a "flashbang", not ingenuity.

The most interesting of her new spells is a persistent targeting spell that randomly fires lightning at irregular intervals in the form of a cloud called "Summoning Lightning". Gwen gushes about when she realizes that the guide bolt and Ariel's electrostatic needle work a miracle.

Thursday night with Gunther.

During one such training, she discovered that although Gunther's radiant shields were a thin film of molecular light, they somehow blocked all of her best spells. When asked, he smiled and told her to do the basic work of confession, laughing at Gwen's frustration when he parroted that only Abu Dhabi jurists could produce "real" shields.

"Never underestimate the power of innovation and hard work," he recited wisely.

He then proudly introduced Gwen to the concept of mastering a single spell.

"There are many ways that a mage can build on a spell list, the most difficult of which is to definitely master a low-level summon. ”

"How does that help?" Gwen asked, confused. "It seems counterproductive. Why not train for people at a higher level?"

"Not all mages can reach a higher level in more than one school like you and me. Gunther shook her head at her innocence. "A mage's power is limited by talent, affinity, and resources. Gwen, for example, how many crystals have you used in the last six months?"

Gwen did the math.

"About ... Fourteen hundred LDM crystals and... A hundred HDM crystals?"

"Yes, that doesn't include your tuition, your special diet, the magic items you use to train you, and the magic training grounds. You've spent almost five hundred HDM companies in school, Gwen. How much money do you say your father makes?"

“... Two thousand yuan a year, if you don't give it, you don't give it. ”

"Do you know what I mean?"

"I see what you mean, Gunther," Gwen muttered guiltily.

That's why ordinary mages can only focus on low-level spells. However, they can become so skillful in casting, say, basic magic missiles, from simple to spectacular. Some magic can be so ingrained in a mage's mind that they can invoke it in a very short period of time, it can be more powerful, it can cost less mana, all of which are independent of the mage's original school of magic. A prime example of this is 'Flying', which is a must-have for all battle mages. ”

Gwen nodded dignifiedly.

"Personally, my shielding skills are the result of 20 years of training. Poor defense is a huge weakness for quasi-elementalists like us. But ......"

Gunther brought Gwen closer, and when Gwen was about to touch his chest, he summoned a half-dome shield and enveloped them both.

"Feel it," he suggested, tell me what you think. ”

In a mischievous moment, Gwen ponders the inappropriateness of giving Gunther's washboard belly a "cop". Thankfully, decades of sexual harassment training have taken Gwen off the hormonal urges.

She cautiously reached out and touched Gunther's shield, which, to her surprise, had the texture of cornstarch.

"These are ... Pure mana particles!" she shouted. "You use a double shield with pure mana in between?"

"Give it a punch. Gunther grinned.

Gwen slammed the obstacle, feeling the plasticity instantly stiffen.

Non-Newtonian fluids? She was shocked. Can physics apply to mana? In her opinion, magic is "magical" because the element of magic seems to override the laws of geophysics. Otherwise, how could she summon electricity without a generator, or fire without friction or a source of fuel?

"One of my spells told my friend, a secret of mine.

But Gwen was in awe for the wrong reasons. She understood that when an ordinary mage had relatively equal mana dispersed within a shield, Gunther's pure mana particles appeared as particles in parallel films. When an external force strikes a large amount of "fluid", it compresses the space between the dust, hardening the shield and consuming both kinetic and elemental energy from the attack.

"Incredible......" Gwen realized, maybe she could do the same. While creating a double-walled shield was beyond her reach, the theory was correct.

"I bet...... I can pierce your shield. She turned mischievously to Gunther. "What do I get if I succeed?"

"Huh, you're really Alesia!" Gunther grinned. "Name your price. ”

"If only I could penetrate..."Gwen coughed... Your shield, you must teach me. ”

"I've never sold the secret of this spell to a tower, or even a tower, for CCs, or hard drive management systems, or any other benefit. Gunther grinned, but you piqued my curiosity, come on. ”

She took a stand.

"Lightning Knife!"

Like a Katara, a hovering cobalt lightning crackled on her wrist.

"Promise not to move?"

"I promise you. ”

"Nonsense!"

Gwen chopped Katara off Gunther's shield and watched as the mana condensed and the white threads healed in seconds.

Gunther smiled.

"Not moving at all?"

"Not at all. ”

"Don't carry me behind your back. ”

On the second attempt, Gwen slowly pushed the dagger against the surface of the shield, watching as the surface sizzled. Slowly, the hardened particles that compressed the mana dispersed, turning into viscose as Gwen gently pushed it in.

Just at the tip, she bit back an immature smile as her blade pierced her brother's pride in Kraft.

Gunther hesitated, the blade slowly cutting through his shield, millimeter by millimeter, steadily.

"Impossible!" his calm voice raised an octave. "How do you know? Did Master tell you?"

Mages are naturally mysterious people. It is a particularly bad form for a master to tell another apprentice's secrets to another apprentice.

"Oh, it's not hard to figure out......" Gwen dispelled her magic sword.

Gunther looked at Gwen with a new respect.

"You won. "He put his hand on his ass and I'll teach you. Have time to visit the gear room? Replicating my astral projection will drastically reduce the time it takes to learn secondary spells. ”

In addition to Gwen, Viet and Ivey have both reached their milestones. Yue managed to meet whatever conditions Alessia had set, and one night, he was ecstatic to tell them that Alicia had offered her the conditions of an apprenticeship. All that's left is for Yue to finish high school.

"I wonder what this means for my military service?" Yue muttered to himself. "Did I serve with Alesia, did she have troops? Maybe a special team? I think you would do special services in the air?"

Yue's fantasies aside, Gwen didn't know. She'd have to ask her sister about her craft.

On the other hand, is she in the same boat as Xiaoyue? Not surprisingly, Gwen knew she would begin service next November. If she wanted to, she could, like Joan and Henry, take a medical in January and join the reserves in July.

In contrast, Ivey will be absent due to courses in advanced rehabilitation, combat triage, and internal medicine. Gwen Viet's regular instruction involves a broad knowledge of magical creatures and spell theory, while Ivey's is more specialized.

"We'll come back next year!" when Gwen lamented the breakup, Elvia agreed. "For the final exam in June, we will eventually team up! I will definitely have more gains and blessings in my repertoire!"

"Gwen, it's time for you to gain some practical experience," her master told her one morning.

"Yes, master. Gwen bowed her head.

She wasn't sure if she was looking forward to it or afraid of using her spell in the real world. It's one thing to put socks on Sofina's puppet, it's one thing to call a real person, to shock a person with lightning, and her only consolation is the prevalence of healing magic, which allows most of the injuries to survive.

Either way, the day of promise is coming. At the end of the school year, students leave school to participate in extracurricular activities that are appropriate for their major. Elvia would have left with her uncle. Yue had trained with Alesia and would conduct conquest field trips along the coast. During their last jog together, Deborah told Gwen that her family had arranged for her to work part-time with a famous transfiguration master, Margos. As for herself, she told others that she had a part-time job, which was not strictly a lie.

First thing in the morning, her Opa company called her and told her that everything was arranged and that Mark Chandler, the owner of the Black Cat Agency, was waiting for her.

"Wear your best clothes," Surya advised her. "Anyway, that's what Mark asked. He's a good guy and you can trust him. Otherwise, I'll personally knock out his lights. ”

Oh yes, Gwen recalled. Mark is another of their "old friends". Out of curiosity, she asked if her Opa company had an old Kotje club where all his comrades gathered, perhaps the Royal Navy, which they frequented. Su Ya calmly replied that there were no longer enough of them.

"It's terrible. Surya shook her head sadly. "You kids don't know how good you are at using your updated spell skill metrics. At that time, our spell was horse urine, there were more enemies than we did, and anti-magic beast training was non-existent. Guerrilla warfare is a shit show. The average lifespan of a mage who lands in the northern Queensland bush is 15 minutes. If you can survive, then you can live until dark. ”

"Oh my God," Gwen said sorry. ”

"You have to thank 'Mike', thank you for being here, him and Henry, and ......" Surya cleared his throat as Mark used his arcane eye array to detect invisibility and telepathic contact and save us many times. When you meet him, be polite, listen to what he says, and don't make him angry!"

Gwen sensed her Opa's concern, and she wanted to make a good impression.

Out of curiosity and speculation, she pulled out a navy blue button-down dress from another closet and wrapped it around her torso, hanging above her knees. Summer is here and the weather is getting warmer, so Gwen doesn't wear stockings and pairs the dress with her Mary Janice. For formal contact, she carefully combs her hair until it is neatly draped over her shoulders, then applies a light shine, eyeliner, and mascara.

The result is a serious young lady who doesn't look out of place at the Melburn Cup luncheon.

With the address, she took public transport to Mount Suri. Her destination was not far from the transit station, where she walked the rest of the way, enjoying the fresh Sunday air.

Her destination is a sandstone building that looks old and ancient. It's a terrace, a working-class converted house that is now one of the most expensive properties in Sydney. The building has a beautiful red door that sets off the intricate wrought iron works. The delicate sign has a black cat on it.

Gwen pressed the buzzer and was surprised to hear a hoarse whiskey voice asking who she was.

"I'm Gwen. She smiled at the glassy crystal on the door. "I'm sure you're waiting for me. ”

The door opened, and Gwen was momentarily stunned by the strong smell of perfume. A blonde woman with heavy makeup stares at her, wearing bold lingerie.

Gwen blushed and was willfully bitten. The woman whom Gwen called "Madame" looked at her with critical eyes.

"Isn't it too young to do this?"

Gwen pained for a few more seconds before realizing her mistake. Red doors, fenced windows, perfumes, and bare door cracks. Damn those old antiques, where did they send her?

"May I ask for the address of this black cat café?" Gwen forced a smile. It wasn't that she looked down on the lady that night, but now, it was noon. "I may have mistaken the address. ”

"Black Cat Bordlow. "The card says for your honor. ”

From the hallway, Gwen could see other women wearing similar clothes.

"Yes. Gwen stiffened and took a step back. "My address is wrong. ”

"You'd better hope so!" laughed Madame in her hoarse voice. "You're working here and we're going to shut us up all at once!"

Gwen turned to leave, but Madame grabbed her by the arm.

"You're not completely in the wrong place," she laughs. "The place you're looking for is under two doors, and you're looking for a 'black cat' printed on it, not an animal. ”

"Thank you. ”

"Are you going to work for Mark?" asked Madame curiously.

"Yes, ma'am," Gwen said carefully.

"Well, we'll meet. ”

"Thank you," Gwen replied coldly, her friendly demeanor side by side with her scarlet face. Hopefully we don't see each other again, Gwen thought to herself. Either way, she's always been an idiot. Thought she had mistaken the photo for the address.

After walking two doors, Gwen found the door on the right, this time a white door with a sandstone façade. Facing the street is a barren virgin bush forest, where a set of tables and chairs may have been a few years ago. The paint on the door was peeling off a bit, and when she knocked on the door, the pieces of paint fell off.

Gwen didn't look useful, and Gwen was confused when she saw it. Is Mark's surgery paused?

"Come in, the door is open," a distant voice came from the second floor.

She turned the knob and groaned as she felt the oxidation build-up. When the door finally opens, Gwen enters a private museum.

Or at least, a place that looks and feels like a museum. There are hundreds of objects, large and small, hanging on the walls. The collection includes bits and pieces of magical beasts, feathers, claws, patches of skin, and what look like dried claws. The other collectibles are anthropological, such as lacquered tribal masks, spearheads, and knife handles. The hallways are lined with glass cases filled with loot, document fragments, mineral fragments, and mana stones that look like shards.

"Here!" a voice shouted. Gwen noticed the cluttered details of the interior of the terrace, with a set of stairs leading to the top.

To her surprise, the prominent claustrophobia on the first floor opens up an attic office consisting of a spacious living room. The décor was entirely academic and reminded Gwen of a study at Oxford University. A skylight, combined with a double-bay window, illuminates the room, creating a soft atmosphere, revealing an old table in the center of the room with pens, ink, and bottles scattered across it. In Gwen's cautious eye, this impressive collection could only have belonged to Dr. "Mark" Jones of Indiana.

With a shuddering gasp, the notebook parted, revealing an emaciated-looking old gentleman, a terrifyingly high-arched skull. Mark Chandler (nicknamed 'Raincoat' Cheadle) wears a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, with an intellectual temperament, and suffers from the receding of his hair. As Gwen approached, his eyes, two obsidian-like obsidians, assessed her as she approached.

"So you're Gwen Song," he said, up and down like wood, with a clear bite, every syllable bite. "Welcome to Black Cat. ”

Gwen bowed, feeling that such a talented and well-qualified man preferred simplicity over frivolity.

"You're probably thinking, 'What café?' he grinned.

Gwen nodded. The only indication that this place might be a café is the overgrown garden and those café tables and chairs.

"It's a long story, maybe I'll tell you when we get to know each other. ”

"Of course, sir. ”

Gwen stood in front of Mark, staring like a young horseman. Her Mary Janny shoes are comfortable, but any pair of shoes with a well-proportioned heel will encounter the opposite of fashion and comfort. It's time to turn on the old charms.

"So, Henry told me, that not only do you abide by the creed he loves so much, but you know it better than the veterans of our faction. ”

"It was a moment of inspiration, nothing else. Gwen put down "sir" to see if that would ease the restraint between them. She noticed that Mark's face was pale. Was the man divining her?

"I see. Henry also told me that you are a recipient of an incredibly rare and unusual talent. Not one, but two schools of magic, and, moreover, you are blessed by lightning and the void. Right?"

"That's right. ”

"Very well, can you answer me a few questions, Gwen?"

"Of course. ”

"What do you think of lesser evils?"

"Little devil?"

"Yes. "Mark insists on using unexpected tangents in times of crisis, and you have two options in front of you. It's the last minute. To defeat a powerful enemy, you must sacrifice a fellow mage. Failure is an even greater sin, as behind you lie ten thousand non-magical civilians, many of whom may have awakened to become your peers. But only by sacrificing a good friend can someone else be saved. What is the right choice?"

What a strange question. Gwen pondered. Is this a test? He's testing whether I'm a classicist?

"Sir, do you want to know what I should do, or what should I do?"

Mark raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"Without hesitation, are there already two answers?" he seemed pleased with her spontaneous reaction. "Go ahead. ”

Gwen took a deep breath.

"When you are in a dilemma, you must consider the effectiveness of your actions. Will my fellow mages have more utility than 10,000 names? If the answer is yes, then I will save the mage. If the answer is no, then his or her sacrifice was not in vain. If there is no clear way to measure this utility, then this moment transcends right and wrong. Any kind of action is acceptable. ”

Mark carefully considered her answer.

"How cold-blooded. How clever it is. What about your second answer?"

"Can I be honest?"

"Of course. ”

Gwen thought of Yue and Avia, and then plucked up the courage to speak her mind.

"Make mistakes...... It's about being human. At the last minute, I didn't believe I could make a fuss. In that moment, I would happily bear the burden of ten thousand dead to save my friend. Sir, I will always be a saint. All I can ask for is to be understood, and perhaps forgiven. ”

Mark started unexpectedly, walking stiffly for a moment, then began to giggle, his laughter echoing throughout the room.

"You're certainly not Henry's paladin," Mark said, standing in his chair. Gwen noticed that he was the tallest man she had ever seen. The man was almost two meters long, lean. He wears charcoal trousers, brown oxford shoes, and a black vest lined with an ivory silk shirt.

"Tell me, Gwen, do you really believe in this creed? ”

"I believe, really," Gwen smiled, but everything else was not ruled out. ”

"Fair answer......" Mark seemed to consider her words. Then he held out a hand. "I'm starting to like you, Gwen Song. ”

"Thank you. You're also interesting yourself. Mr. Chandler. ”

They trembled, and his fingers were so long and thin that they wanted to swallow her hand.

"I wonder what kind of life you must have lived when you were sixteen years old with such wisdom," he said in confusion.

Gwen began to sweat.

"It's none of my business. You are Henry's guardian, so you are also my agent. Come on, I have a task for you. ”

He walked over to a side table and pulled out a chair.

"This will be your workstation. After the task is completed, you should provide a written report. I'm sure you're pretty good at it, aren't you?"

"Not only proficient. ”

"Good. You may be seated, and I will explain. ”

Gwen walked to her new table. She sat obediently.

She already had a file on her desk; A mission! What could it be? monster conquest?recovery project?defense of a particular location?does she work in a group or alone?she knows it all in one of her classes.

The world is one thing different from hers, and that is that those who are gifted and adventurous can always find a paid job solving a thousand and one problems caused by the chaotic flow of energy.

Because her new home is a real redneck place. Here, destruction hangs over the shoulders of people day and night, and since ancient times, the monsters of the forest have begun to plunder: because the wasteland is the domain of the devil, the last frontier of mankind. Within the shield barrier, the confirmed flames of civilization prevented extermination and enslavement.

Therefore, for necessity, risk-taking, and profit, both men and women practiced spells. At just 16 years old, Gwen is preparing to join the ranks of excellent mages who seek to make the world a better place.

She opened the file and skimmed through the summary of the case.

Her eyes widened in disbelief. Is this a joke?

"Ann... Escort mission?"

She stared at Mark in horror.

"I'm going to escort a guard?!".