Chapter 337: New Mission
In the corner of the restaurant, time seemed to slow down between the master and apprentice.
"But this will probably be difficult, right? And Lady Serie won't agree to this," Frieren suddenly said.
"Yes, it is indeed tough," Flamme nodded in agreement.
She knew Lady Serie very well; she was a true master of magic. Magic is a special kind of power, and only those with good talent can truly learn to use it best.
Although under Professor Kurtz's influence over the years, she hasn't become overly biased in her understanding of this matter, her fundamental beliefs won't change easily.
In fact, Flamme really wanted to relax the Magic Association's requirements for accepting disciples from ordinary people, but she never dared to say it, fearing that Teacher Serie might settle old scores and expel her from the school.
"However, I will try my best, and I believe that Teacher Kurtz will understand my wish."
Flamme believed in Kurtz; just as he had taught magic to humans, he must also harbor the idea of extending magic to ordinary people so that they could also learn it.
"Yes, I'll help too," Frieren awkwardly offered.
If Ms. Flamme doesn't fulfill this wish by the end of her life, she will help her to do so, even if it displeases Lady Serie.
Hearing Frieren say this, Flamme continued to stroke her soft silver hair, feeling the steady breathing of the little one in her arms and the determination in her words, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up.
The thought that Frieren would inherit her will and have even the slightest chance of changing the inherent concept of magic among humans filled her with anticipation and warmth.
Just as this warmth was about to overflow, a gentle and familiar voice rang out beside them without warning.
"Looks like I've come at a bad time?" Kurtz's voice carried a hint of teasing.
Flamme's body stiffened instantly; she knew who it was without even turning around.
Almost reflexively, she released her arms from Frieren, sat up abruptly, a barely perceptible blush flashing across her face, and then tried to appear calm as she looked toward the source of the sound.
Frieren, on the other hand, seemed a little confused. Ms. Flamme smelled wonderful, and she wanted to smell it a little longer, so why did she suddenly let go?
She turned around and saw that Kurtz had silently appeared behind them, a faint smile on his face, watching them with great interest.
"Teacher!" Flamme said somewhat awkwardly, her tone tinged with embarrassment, "Don't make such jokes."
Frieren also greeted him softly, "Lord Kurtz."
Her expression didn't seem to change, but her eyes widened slightly, clearly showing some surprise.
After all, they hadn't sensed any magical aura at all. But since Kurtz could suddenly appear behind them, he must have used a small-scale spatial teleportation spell. One could imagine how profound his mastery of spatial magic was.
Kurtz smiled, stopped teasing, and said, "Alright, let's get down to business. There's something I might need your help with, Flamme."
Upon hearing that Kurtz needed her, Flamme immediately suppressed all distractions, her expression turned serious, and she nodded almost without thinking. "Yes, teacher, I'll go right now."
Kurtz chuckled and shook his head at her eager expression. "You, I haven't even said what it is yet, and you're already agreeing so readily."
Flamme then realized she had overreacted, her cheeks flushing slightly, but she still insisted, "Whatever it is, I'm willing to do it."
Kurtz stopped teasing her and became a little more serious. "I just received a message from Olivia in the heavenly realm. She seems to have caught Carlo's trail by using the realm's wide-area perception."
"Carlo?!" Flamme's heart tightened suddenly.
Despite having a premonition, hearing the news that he was indeed still alive still left her with mixed feelings.
"He really is, still alive," Flamme muttered to herself, then took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down, and looked up at Kurtz. "Teacher, what do you need me to do? Should I check on his condition, or—?"
She didn't finish her sentence, but her meaning was clear: whether to bring him back or deal with him directly.
Kurtz shook his head. "The information Olivia sent was rather vague, but one thing is clear. She not only discovered Carlo, but sensed a strange presence near him."
"A strange existence?" Flamme asked curiously, while Frieren, who was standing nearby, also cast a concerned glance.
What Kurtz calls strange is certainly no ordinary thing.
Kurtz nodded. "A demon."
"A demon?" Both Flamme and Frieren looked puzzled.
If it were an ordinary demon, Olivia could easily wipe it out with her strength, so why would she need to send a special message?
"Just a mere demon," Flamme voiced her doubts. "Couldn't Senior Olivia have taken care of it? Is there something special about that demon, or is it just very powerful?"
"It's not exactly troublesome," Kurtz explained, a meaningful smile playing on his lips. "According to Olivia's description, that demon's condition is indeed quite rare. I can't explain the specifics in detail, but perhaps you'll understand once you see it for yourself."
He looked at Flamme and gave the order: "Flamme, your task is to go to the location Olivia indicated, find that demon, and bring her back safely. Note, safely."
Flamme nodded immediately. "I understand, teacher. I will bring her back to the association unharmed."
She paused, then asked about Carlo's fate, "What about Carlo? Do I need to..."
"Why are you fixated on that?" Kurtz waved his hand. "If it's going to rain, let it rain. Our target is that demon."
Now that Professor Kurtz had made his decision, Flamme naturally had no further objections. She nodded in agreement. "Yes, Professor."
However, after agreeing, she couldn't help but think of Evan and the others still struggling with their surveillance on the streets of the capital, and a hint of hesitation appeared on her face.
"Teacher, what about Evan and the others? I was responsible for looking after their safety. If I leave-"
Kurtz seemed to have considered this beforehand. "Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on things over there myself and make sure nothing happens to them. Besides, I'll help you set up a directional teleportation spell to get you to the vicinity of the coordinates Olivia provided so that it won't take too much time."
Upon hearing that Kurtz had not only taken over the safety of Evan and the others but had also personally built a teleportation array for her, Flamme's last shred of concern vanished.
She straightened. "I understand. I'll go prepare right away!"
[End of Chapter]