Sorcerer’s Handbook

“Why!” Ashe widened his eyes. “It’s bad enough with Lise, but now that we finally have some benefits… No, this is such an important mission. I must advance and retreat together with my companions. How can I let them fight alone while I sit back and reap the rewards?”

“Your fame is too great,” Annan shrugged. “You yourself are the top work on the Art Ranking. Now, you’re wanted by the Kingdom of Gospel, and countless Red Hats are waiting to take your head for a promotion and a raise.”

“If you show up on a second ranking list, I can’t even imagine what kind of upheaval it would cause.”

“Speaking of Red Hats, I’ve always had a question—are we really safe here?” Igor asked. “Both the Happy Family Firm and Azura’s Red Hats know we are in Vamora. Can Senhaeser hold them off? And there are five other major families in Vamora…”

“So far, the only one with a bounty on their head is Ashe. As long as Senhaeser insists she doesn’t know Ashe, the other forces can’t openly invade Vamora,” Annan said. “As for the underground… it’s quite unfortunate for them. Vamora’s nearly bloated family structure has squeezed out any space for underground forces. The sewers here only have Beauty Houttuynia and no mermaid organizations responsible for crime. Instead, there are a few Siren Clan members within Senhaeser’s ranks.”

Igor sharply questioned, “What if Qenna betrays us? Do you think the Pact can restrain her?”

“I don’t think she will,” Annan saw that Igor wanted to say more, so she added, “You’d better hope she doesn’t either—I’m just a very pretty firm manager. Don’t think I can cover all bases. If I had a 100% success rate in everything I do, why would I need to use you as cannon fodder? Now, put your hands out.”

As everyone extended their hands, Annan took out a stamp and pressed it on each person’s hand. The stamp’s base color was dark green, depicting a female elf holding a sapling.

“This is the Senhaeser family heraldry. When it heats up, it signifies that the Family Rebirth Dream has begun. Press it firmly to enter the dream. Senhaeser’s dream usually starts around 8 PM each night.”

Annan looked at Ashe and Lise. “I have no performance expectations from you, but you must also enter the Family Rebirth Dream. Otherwise, the ‘toxins’ accumulated from the Beauty Mist will destroy your emotional thresholds. Lise, being underage, can only stay in a solo dream. Ashe, I don’t care what you do, but you don’t seem like the romantic type. If you manage to get on the ranking list just by casually dating, I’ll accept it.”

“I have another question,” Ashe asked. “Why is it guaranteed to win if I date your mom… I mean, Qenna?”

Annan glanced at him. “It’s simple. If you date someone else, you’re just seen as having the potential to start a family. But if you gain Qenna’s favor, Gospel will see you as having the capacity to govern millions as a patriarch.”

“To put it in game terms, ordinary people are just minor monsters, while Qenna is the strongest boss in Vamora. Defeating minor monsters makes you a regular adventurer, but defeating the boss makes you a hero.”

“So…,” Lise suddenly spoke, “if we don’t act, could the second ranking list include big sister Qenna?”

Annan replied, “It originally would.”

Igor asked, “Originally?”

“After seeing the chaotic works on the Art Ranking, do you think Vamora can escape unscathed?” Annan sneered. “There’s no guarantee that Senhaeser will even exist in the future.”

“Despite how overbearing Qenna seems, she’s more nervous than anyone. Chaos is a family’s worst enemy, and war is a poison to heritage. She must find a way for Senhaeser to survive in these turbulent times. Right now, Dolan is her only lifeline.”

“If you get involved with her and help Senhaeser survive, she might even thank you, maybe even make it real.”

Ashe understood, but still felt odd: If someone else had suggested this, it might be different, but the issue was that Qenna was Annan’s biological mother. Annan was rationally proposing Qenna as a target…

But Ashe looked around and realized he seemed to be the only one feeling odd about it.

Annan and Banjeet were one thing, but Igor and Harvey, coming from Blood Moon, had no concept of bloodline ethics, and Lise… well, Ashe hadn’t asked, but if Lise had parents, she wouldn’t have crossed kingdoms (Lise’s current identity was still that of an orphan from another kingdom).

When no one else cares, but you do, maybe you’re the odd one.

So Ashe quickly accepted this setup, and then had a flash of insight.

“Can we tell Qenna about our plan?”

Drawing everyone’s attention, Ashe excitedly said, “We could say something like, ‘The future of Senhaeser is likely doomed, but if you agree to date me, Gospel might spare Senhaeser because of me. And if I win the Divine Sovereign’s Wish, I won’t neglect you’…”

As Ashe spoke, his voice trailed off. Igor couldn’t help but clap, “Brilliant! No wonder you’re the criminal savior who led us scoundrels out of prison. You quickly came up with a despicable plan to force a beautiful Elf patriarch to surrender using the family name!”

Harvey stubbed out his cigarette and added, “Sorry, Ashe, I used to doubt if you were pretending to be innocent. Now I realize I was the naive one.”

Seeing the disdain in Annan and Banjeet’s eyes, Ashe hurried to explain, “That’s not what I meant-“

“I believe Dad. He definitely didn’t mean it that way!”

Ashe, moved, held Lise’s small hand, “At a critical moment, my sweet daughter understands me!”

“Based on my experience playing games with Dad, Dad will definitely go back on his word once he benefits,” Lise declared confidently. “So, Dad will use Qenna big sister and then dump her, never letting her become my stepmom!”

Ashe’s face darkened immediately, “You’re dead. I’ll find you a stepmom who’s extremely petty, jealous, and will torment you every day.”

“I don’t mind you telling Qenna about the plan,” Annan said leisurely. “But I’m afraid of dying, so I’m not going. You go by yourself.”

Ashe: “Igor, you’re good-looking. Qenna won’t slap your face.”

Igor: “Harvey, you love sleeping in coffins. Now you have a legitimate reason to get in one.”

Harvey: “She’s too old. I’m not interested.”

Everyone blinked, and Ashe asked in confusion, “Harvey, isn’t your hunting range from eight to eighty?”

Harvey nodded, “Yes, but I can tell by smelling that Qenna is beyond that range.”

Ashe was puzzled, “But she’s an Elf. She still looks like a youthful, mature, and charming woman in her twenties or thirties!”

“I don’t look at appearances,” Harvey said calmly. “Once people die, they’re just a heap of rotten flesh. In daily interactions, I prefer younger souls…”

Annan patted Igor’s shoulder. “Anyway, the second ranking list depends on you.”

Lise has a protection mechanism for minors, Ashe better not go, Harvey is unreliable, and Annan suddenly realized she only had one usable person under her command.

However, Igor’s face didn’t look too good either, “But I…”

“What’s wrong with you? Don’t tell me you have a disease that makes you die from dating?”

Igor hesitated for a moment, then shook his head, “I’m just worried that the Family Rebirth Dream won’t have my type.”

“Impossible!” Annan said. “Tens of thousands of handsome men and beautiful women, all sorts of types from different races, there’s bound to be someone you like. Unless you have an irreplaceable ‘white moonlight’ in your heart, then you might find it hard to desire others… do you?”

“Don’t worry, Miss,” Ashe said. “He’s a Bewitcher who is loved by everyone and desired by all. In his pursuit of power, he harbors an arrogance towards all beings. Playing with emotions is as easy for him as breathing. How could he have someone he likes? Forget a few relationships, by the 20th, the number of his girlfriends might even be categorized in the ranking list.”

From these days of interaction, Annan also felt that Igor was a cold-hearted emotional manipulator, so she felt reassured and notified the maid to serve the dishes.

Igor took the opportunity to excuse himself to the bathroom, where he opened the Gospel Book in a stall.

“Does dating someone I have no desire for or don’t like count as dating according to Gospel?”

Gospel Book: “No (consumes 5 Gospel points).”

Oh no, Annan picked up four useless people this time, Igor thought.

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