Making Friends?

Seeing the flicker of shock on Matthew’s face that clearly read, “As expected of someone from an extraordinary background,”

the corner of the yellow-haired youth’s mouth twitched upward slightly. The fleeting shift in his expression was less of a smile and more of a detached satisfaction at receiving the expected reaction.

A trace of pride and reserve belonging to an alumnus of Lilith Academy flashed through his single eye.

However, that spark did not last.

Almost immediately, a faint shadow passed over his eye, as if he had recalled a rather unpleasant memory.

Seeing the subtle pride on the youth’s brow after revealing his background, only for it to be instantly replaced by an imperceptible loneliness, Matthew felt the tight tension in his chest loosen slightly.

The youth’s complex emotions confirmed at least one thing about their current situation: Matthew's pretext of being from the Fire Vortex Tower had passed the first invisible, yet critical, test.

The fact that the other party did not question him or press for details was a tacit acceptance in itself.

At the same time, judging by the youth’s flat remark that the Fire Vortex Tower was “indeed an ancient institution,” and the brief display of confidence and complexity when mentioning his own Lilith Academy background, another fact was confirmed:

Not only did the Fire Vortex Tower truly exist, but its history was also quite long, and it possessed a certain level of recognition and weight in the wizarding world.

Otherwise, the youth would not have accepted this identity so naturally, let alone spoken of it with an equal, or even slightly historical, tone of evaluation.

This was undoubtedly a positive signal.

However, Matthew did not let his guard down completely.

He adjusted his breathing imperceptibly, his Spirit still maintaining a baseline level of vigilance.

Matthew was still deeply puzzled.

He had never met this yellow-haired youth before tonight. From infiltrating the stronghold under the youth's control and killing his subordinate, Stefan, to breaking into that obviously vital underground laboratory and browsing through—even taking—some of the research notes...

None of this could be explained away as a mere “misunderstanding” or “just passing by.”

It was a severe offense, one that could even be interpreted as clear hostility.

Yet, this wizard apprentice from Lilith Academy, despite possessing an absolute advantage in strength and having clearly discovered him, had not immediately captured, killed, or expelled him. Instead, his attitude was calm, and he had even taken the initiative to chat and introduce his background.

This was definitely not just because the youth recognized him as an apprentice who was close to a breakthrough, nor could a simple claim of being “from the Fire Vortex Tower” earn him such leniency.

Relations between wizard organizations were not necessarily harmonious.

Even within the same organization, competition and wariness were the norm.

The youth's attitude was too unusual, and too... deliberate.

Matthew had a faint suspicion: behind this deliberate, almost welcoming posture, there had to be a purpose.

Perhaps the youth saw some kind of value in him, or perhaps the current situation made him hesitant to make a move, or maybe it was a combination of both.

Just as Matthew was pondering, the youth beside him spoke up, as if reading his mind:

“How did you end up here?”

Matthew’s eyes darted around as his mind raced. He then put on an expression of realization mixed with a touch of embarrassment, speaking in a quick and natural tone:

“It’s like this. While I was traveling earlier, I happened to hear some rumors about the Blood-Burning Potion. Out of curiosity, I followed the clues all the way here. I didn’t expect to trespass... I am truly sorry.”

He bowed slightly, his words sincere, but the youth merely waved his hand. His expression remained unchanged, as if this minor episode was not even worth mentioning.

The youth nodded slightly, his tone flat and direct:

“Since you have already seen the potions, there is no harm in taking two back to study. As fellow wizard apprentices in this kingdom, meeting in such chaotic times is a rare stroke of luck. In the future, we might need to look out for each other in the county seat.”

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the cloth pouch at Matthew’s waist, before continuing in the same flat tone:

“You probably saw the commotion earlier—I am not a bloodthirsty person. It’s just that those people tried to escape and disturbed something they shouldn’t have, forcing me to take action.”

Matthew felt a slight jolt in his heart, but his face remained completely expressionless as he murmured, “Thank you for clarifying.”

“No need to be polite,” the youth said, waving his hand. “Since you are from the Fire Vortex Tower, you should understand—with the current chaotic situation and dark wizards wreaking havoc everywhere, we apprentices traveling abroad should look out for one another even more.”

Hearing this, warning bells rang in Matthew’s mind. The other party's strength far exceeded his own. Was there genuine sincerity behind this sudden goodwill, or was it a trap?

Yet he dared not show a single trace of doubt on his face. He quickly lowered his head and replied respectfully, “Thank you for your care, brother.”

Following that, the two engaged in a few more casual, light conversations, and the initial awkwardness between them seemed to melt away slightly.

Seeing that the atmosphere was decent, Matthew took the initiative to speak, his tone natural yet cautious: “My name is Matthew. How should I address you, brother?”

It wasn’t that he hadn’t thought of giving a fake name—when traveling, one could never be too careful. However, after a quick thought, he dismissed the idea.

First, the other party possessed unpredictable methods. If he had a way to detect lies, making up a name on the spot would only make him look suspicious.

Second, his face and the name “Matthew” had been associated with his life in the county seat for nearly two months now, leaving behind some traces. If the youth was determined to investigate, he would likely find out anyway.

Rather than being secretive and inviting suspicion, it was better to be open.

Moreover, from the moment Sutton appeared until now, although his words and actions were somewhat cold, he had shown no malice and could even be considered “candid.”

‘It seems I should use more aliases in the future, just in case,’ Matthew thought to himself.

He quietly made a mental note of this crucial point.

Hearing his name, the youth's gaze lingered on his face for a moment, as if confirming something, before he calmly replied, “My name is Sutton.”

Though the introduction was brief, it seemed to open the floodgates of conversation.

Sutton acted as though he hadn't spoken to anyone so casually in a long time, or perhaps he felt that Matthew, as a fellow traveler, was worth conversing with. He followed the flow of the conversation and began talking about recent movements and rumors concerning various wizard organizations both inside and outside the kingdom.

For Matthew, who relied entirely on his own exploration and grew like wild grass blindly spreading in the wilderness, this information was nothing short of a refreshing rain after a long drought.

Every casual exchange felt like adding clear outlines and vibrant colors to his originally narrow and blurry understanding, greatly expanding his horizons regarding that mysterious world.

Many doubts that had been lingering in his mind, though not directly answered, now had a clearer direction of thought thanks to the addition of this background information.

Unconsciously, Matthew's perception of Sutton also quietly shifted.

Although the wariness in his heart stemming from their unfamiliarity and the disparity in their strength had not fully dissipated, the logic, insight, and organized manner Sutton displayed in his speech made Matthew feel that this person was at least worth cautious contact, and perhaps even someone he could build a deeper relationship with in the future.

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