by James K
"William,-ithere's-ia-icouple-imore-imonths-ibefore-ithe-icompetition.-iJust-imaintain-iyour-iperformance-iand-iyou'll-ibe-iable-ito-iparticipate-iin-ithe-icompetition."
Headmaster-iPercival-isaid-ibefore-ifurther-iexplaining.-i
"Do-iyou-iknow-iRoss-iSchien?"
"Yes.-iHe-iis-imy-iclassmate."
As-ihe-ianswered.-iWilliam-iremembered-ithe-irankings-iwhen-iinstructor-iGaren-itold-ithem-ito-icreate-i5th-igen-iartifact.-i
He-iwas-ifirst,-inext-iwas-iTracey-ithen-iMark.-iThe-ifourth-iperson-iis-iRoss-iSchien.
"As-iyou-iknow,-ithere-iis-ionly-ilimited-islot-ifor-iparticipants-iand-iRoss-iwill-idefinitely-ido-isomething-ito-iget-ihim-iaccepted-ias-iparticipant-ias-iwell.-iIt's-ia-imatter-iof-ipride."
William-iwas-isilent-ifor-ia-iwhile-ibefore-iasking.
"Is-ihe-ia-idescendent-iof-iAeolia-iSchien?"
###-iChapter-i24-i--iMemory-iCrystal
This-iquestion-ihad-ibeen-ion-ihis-imind-ifor-ia-iwhile-inow.-iWilliam-ilooked-iup-ito-ithis-imarvelous-imagic-iengineer-iwho-imade-ia-ihuge-icontribution-iin-ithe-iadvancement-iof-imodern-imagic.-i
Aeolia-iSchien,-ihe-icreated-i4th-igeneration-iand-istarted-ithe-i5th-igeneration-imana-iartifact.-iA-igenius-iin-ihis-iera-idubbed-ias-ithe-igreatest-imagic-iengineer-ithat-ihas-iever-iappeared.-iHe-icame-ifrom-ian-iimpoverished-ibackground-ibut-iestablished-ihis-iname-idue-ito-ihis-iintellect.-i
William-iclearly-iremembered-ithe-ihistory-iof-ithis-iengineer.-iHis-ideath-iwas-ifilled-iwith-imystery.-iEven-ithough-ithere-ihas-ibeen-ia-ifuneral-ifor-iAeolia-iSchien,-iit-ihas-ibeen-irevealed-iafter-ia-ifew-iyears-ithat-iall-iwas-ifake-ior-ijust-ian-iact.
His-ibody-iwas-inever-ireally-ifound.-iBecause-iof-ithis,-iall-ithe-ievent-iin-ihis-ilife-ior-iany-iinformation-iabout-iAeolia-ibefore-ihis-ideath-iwas-ibrought-ito-ilight-iand-iwas-irevealed-ito-ithe-ipublic.-iApparently,-iAeolia-ieven-ileft-isome-iwords-ibefore-ithe-iday-ihe-i'died'-ithat-iwas-istill-ibeing-iargued-iup-iuntil-inow.-i
As-iWilliam-ithought-ireached-iup-ito-ithis-ipoint,-iPercival-iconfirmed-ihis-isuspicion.
"Mhm..-iThat's-iright.-iRoss-iis-ia-imember-iof-iSchien-iFamily-iand-ia-idirect-idescendant-iat-ithat.-iHe-iisn't-ifrom-ithe-ibranch-ifamily-ithat-iis-ihere-iin-iTanza-iCity-ibut-ifrom-ithe-imain-ifamily-iin-ithe-icapital."
William-iwas-isomewhat-iaware-iof-ithe-idifference-iin-ithe-istatus-iof-ichilds-ithat-icame-ifrom-ia-ibranch-ior-imain-ifamily.-iResources,-ieducation,-iwealth-iand-ieven-ienvironment-iwill-ibe-idifferent.-iThe-ifinancial-isupport-icoming-ifrom-itheir-imain-ifamily-iwill-iallow-ithem-ia-ibetter-istandard-iof-ilife.-i
For-iRoss-ito-ibe-ian-ielite-istudent-iof-ithis-iAcademy-ishould-ibe-ia-inormal-ithing.-iIt-iwould-ibe-idisgrace-iin-ithe-ireputation-iof-ithe-imain-ibranch-iif-ieven-iwith-iample-iresources-igiven,-iRoss-iwould-istill-ibe-iunable-ito-ireach-ihigh-istanding-iin-ithe-iclass.
William-iconfirmed-isome-imore-iinformation-ito-ithe-iheadmaster-ibefore-ihe-ileft.
***
After-ihe-iarrived-iat-ihis-iapartment-iand-isettled-ion-ithe-ismall-iliving-iroom,-iWilliam-iwithdrew-i2-imemory-icrystals-ihe-iobtained-ias-ia-ireward-ion-ithe-ilast-imission-ihe-ihad.
Each-imemory-icrystal-ihad-ia-isize-iof-iabout-ia-iman's-ifingernail.-iIt's-ia-iblue-icrystal-ithat-iradiates-iwith-ipurple-ilight-ifrom-itime-ito-itime.
He-iobserve-ithe-icrystal-ibefore-ian-iinformation-iappeared.
[-iLaw-iof-iMana-iForce-iand-iConservation-i]
[-iElemental-iMana-iDynamics-i]
It-idoesn't-ihave-ifurther-idescription-ibecause-ionce-ihe-iconsumed-ithe-icrystal,-iall-iinformation-ibeing-icontained-iwithin-iwould-ibe-ia-ipart-iof-ihim-ianyway.-i
"Normally-imagicians-iare-ionly-icapable-iof-iconsuming-i2-3-imemory-icrystal.-iIf-imore-ithan-ithat,-iit-iwould-ibe-idetrimental-ito-ihuman's-ibrain-iand-iwould-iresult-ito-imana-ideviation."
William-iwas-iobviously-ihesitant-iof-iconsuming-ithis-icrystal-ias-ihe-ialready-ireceived-i3-iof-isuch-icrystals-ibefore.-iHe's-ia-ibit-iworried-iif-ihe'll-isuffer-isome-iside-ieffects.
"Mhm..-iPathfinder,-iare-iyou-isure-ithis-iis-iokay?"
William-iasked-ithis-ito-ithe-ipathfinder-iwithin-ihim-ihoping-ito-iget-iclarification.-iThere's-ino-ione-ielse-ihe-icould-iask-iabout-ithis-iafter-iall.
[-iThe-iuser's-ibody-ihas-ialready-igone-ithrough-itransformation-iupon-iassimilating-iwith-ithe-iPathfinder-iTool.-i]
"So,-ithere-ishouldn't-ibe-iany-iissues.-iRight?"
The-iPathfinder-idid-inot-ianswer-ianymore-iso-ihe-iunderstood-ithat-ihe-icould-iindeed-iconsume-ithe-imemory-icrystal-inow.-i
William-idid-inot-ihesitate-ianymore-iand-iconsumed-iboth-icrystal-ithat-inight-ias-ihe-igritted-ihis-iteeth-ito-iendure-ithe-ipain-iit-igives-iwhile-iforcefully-iimplanting-ithe-iinformations-ithat-ithe-icrystal-icontains-iinto-ihis-ibrain.-i
***
In-ia-ihigh-irise-ibuilding-ion-ithe-icenter-iof-iTanza-iCity.-i
A-iteenager-iwas-isilently-igazing-iat-ithe-ibusy-istreet-ifilled-iwith-ilights-icoming-ifrom-ivehicles,-istores-iand-iothers-ibelow.-i
He-ihas-ia-ilustrous-ihair-ilike-ian-ionyx-istone-iand-ihis-ikeen-iblack-ieyes-iseemed-ito-ibe-ipondering-iover-isomething.-i
He-iis-iRoss-iSchien.-iA-iproud-imember-iof-ia-iprestigous-iclan-iin-ithis-icountry.
As-itime-ipasses,-ithe-iphone-irang-ibeside-ihim-iand-ias-iif-iexpecting-ithe-icall,-ihe-ihadn't-icheck-ithe-icaller-idisplay-ibefore-ipicking-iit-iup-ias-isoon-ias-iit-irang.-iIt-iwas-ihis-iuncle-ias-ihe-iexpected.
"Ross,-iWould-ithere-ibe-ia-iproblem-igetting-iat-ithe-itop-i3-iin-iyour-iclass?-iI-iheard-ithere's-isomeone-iin-iyour-iclass-ithat-iwas-irecently-idoing-ivery-igood-iperformance."
For-ithe-iupcoming-icompetition,-ithere-iwould-ionly-ibe-i3-iparticipants-ifor-ieach-iyear.-iBeing-ia-i2nd-iyear-istudent-iof-iArtifact-iForging-iClass-i1,-iRoss-ihas-ito-ioutperform-ithe-itop-istudents-iin-ihis-iclass-ito-ibe-iable-ito-iparticipate-iin-ithe-icompetition.-i
There-iis-iTracy-iGuilford,-iwho-ihas-ia-ivery-istrong-ifoundation-ias-iher-ifamily-ipossesses-iunimaginable-iwealth-iand-ilegacy.-iMark-iHalevey,-ia-ison-iof-ia-iPrime-iMinister,-ione-icould-ijust-iimagine-ithe-iresources-ihe-icould-iget-ias-idaily-ibasis-ifor-ihis-itraining.-iNow-ithere-iis-iWilliam-iRavencroft-iwho-iwas-iaccumulating-ipraises-igiving-ihim-ia-ichance-ito-ibe-iable-ito-iparticipate-iin-ithe-icoming-icompetition.-i
Ross-iwas-iaware-iof-ihis-iabilities,-ialthough-ihe-iadmits-ithat-ihe-icouldn't-ibeat-ithe-iskilled-iTracy,-ihe-iwould-ihave-ia-ichance-ito-ibeat-iWilliam-ior-iMark-ias-ilong-ias-ihe-ipersevere.
The-iTwelve-iMagic-iAcademies-iCompetition-iof-ithe-icountry-iis-ivery-iimportant-inot-ionly-ibecause-iof-ithe-irewards-ithat-ithe-iparticipant-icould-iget,-ibut-ialso-iprestige-ithat-iwould-ibe-igiven-ito-ithe-iperson.-iThose-iwho-iwas-iable-ito-itop-ithe-icompetition-iwould-ihave-ia-iguaranteed-ibright-ifuture-ialong-iwith-ihis-ifamily.-i
"That's-iright.-iThere's-iWilliam-iin-imy-iclass-iwho's-imostly-ilikely-iaiming-ito-iparticipate-iin-ithe-icompetition.-iI've-ialready-imade-iinvestigation-ion-ihis-ibackground...-ithere-ishouldn't-ibe-ia-iproblem-ioutperforming-ihim-iincluding-iMark-iin-ithe-icoming-imonths.-iAs-ilong-iI-icompleted-ithat-imana-iartifact."
Ross-idid-inot-ideny-ithe-iexistence-iof-iWilliam-ias-ia-ipossible-ithreat-ifor-ihis-iparticipation.-iBut-ieven-ithough-ithat-iis-ithe-icase,-ihe's-istill-iconfident-iwith-ihis-iabilities.
"Alright-ithen,-iyou-imake-isure-ithat-iyou-ican-iparticipate."
"Yes,-iUncle."
"Right,-ithe-ithing-iyou've-irequested-iwill-istill-itake-ia-iweek-ibefore-iit-iarrives.-iJust-ibe-ipatient-ifor-ithe-imean-itime."
Ross-iended-ithe-icall-iwith-ihis-iuncle-iand-isighed-ilike-ihe-iwas-itired-ijust-ifrom-ispeaking-iwith-ihim.
Ross-iobserve-ihis-iroom-ifilled-ivarious-imaterials.-iAt-ithe-icenter-iof-ihis-itable-iwas-ian-iopen-ilaptop-icontaining-ia-idesign-ifor-ia-imana-iartifact.
A-ishort-isword-iemitting-idifferent-ielemental-ipower-iwas-ibeing-ishown-ion-ithe-iscreen.-iRoss-iclosed-ithe-ilaptop-iand-isighed.
"I'll-ihave-ia-ilong-inight-iw
ith-ime."
###-iChapter-i25-i--iTraining
William-ireceived-ia-imessage-ifrom-ihis-iparents-ithat-ihe-icould-inow-icheck-ihis-ibank-iaccount-ifor-ithe-imoney-ihe-ihad-iearned-iupon-iselling-ithe-iexclusive-irights-iof-imanufacturing-imagic-ijammer-icanceller.-i
"It-iseems-ithe-igovernment-iwas-ireally-igenerous."-iHe-iblandly-icommented-ias-ihe-isaw-ithe-imoney-ihe-iearned.
He-iwas-iusing-ihis-ilaptop-iat-ithe-imoment-ito-icheck-ihis-ibank-iaccount-iand-iwas-isurprised-ito-isee-ia-ihuge-iamount-iof-imoney-ithat-iwas-iadded-ito-iit.
"60-imillion-icredits."-i
I-iwonder-ihow-imom-ior-idad-inegotiated-ifor-ithat.-iWilliam-ithought-ias-ihe-ihappily-ibrowse-ian-ionline-istore-ito-ipurchase-imaterials.
It-iwas-ialready-ia-ifew-idays-iafter-ihe-iconsumed-ithe-itwo-imemory-icrystals-iof-iElemental-iMana-iDynamics-iand-iLaw-iof-iMana-iForce-iand-iConservation.-i
Although-ihe-iwas-inot-ia-iprofessional,-ihe-iwas-iaware-iof-ithe-igeneral-iprices-iof-ithis-imagic-istructure-iin-ithe-imarket-iand-ifor-ithe-iprices-iof-imana-iartifact-iitself,-ihe-icould-ialways-isee-iit-ionline.
A-istandard-icomplete-i4th-igen-imana-iartifact-ialone-iranges-ifrom-i300-600-ithousand-icredits.-iIf-iyou-iplan-ito-ihave-ia-i5th-igen-imana-iartifact,-iyou-ican-ipurchase-iit-iwith-ithe-iprice-ithat-iranges-ifrom-i800-ithousand-iup-ito-i3-imillion-icredits.-i
Apparently,-imanufacturing-irights-iof-icommon-ielemental-imagic-istructures-ilike-iBlazing-iGaze-ithat-ispecializes-iwith-iFire-iMagic-iwas-ionly-iworth-ifor-iabout-i15-imillion-icredits-iand-iAqua-iWorld-ithat-iis-iobviously-ia-iwater-ibased-imagic-iwould-ibe-ipriced-iat-i16.5-imillion.
Manufacturing-irights-ifor-ia-icommon-imagic-istructure-ithat-iallows-ibasic-icontrol-iand-istandard-iattacks-iof-ia-icertain-imagic-ielement-iwould-irange-iof-iabout-i15-ito-i20-imillion.
However,-ithere-iare-imana-iartifacts-ithat-ihas-istructures-ithat-iwas-icapable-iof-icontrolling-i2-ior-imore-ielements.-iThose-imana-iartifact-iranges-ifrom-iabout-i2-5-imillion-icredit-ieach.
Besides-ithat,-iWilliam-iwas-iaware-ithat-ithere-iare-imagic-istructures-ithat-iwasn't-ibeing-iregistered-iat-iNMTI.
Those-iwere-ieither-imana-iartifacts-ior-imagic-istructure-iwith-ibanned-imagics-ior-iflawed-imagic-istructures-ithat-icould-iharm-imagicians.
The-inotorious-iDevil's-iWhisper-iis-ia-imana-iartifact-iused-iby-ian-iunderworld-iorganization-ibefore,-iit-iis-ia-ipendulum-like-iartifact.-iIt-ihas-ia-ilight-ibased-imagic-istructure-ithat-iwas-icapable-iof-icontrolling-ihuman-iminds.-iIt-iwas-ihypnotism-iat-isome-ipoint-iand-iconsidered-ia-ibanned-imagic.-iIt-iwas-isaid-ithat-ithe-imagic-istructure-iof-ithis-imana-iartifact-ihas-ia-irequirement-ito-ibe-iinfused-iin-ia-icircular-imetal-ito-igive-iit's-ifull-ieffects.
Unfortunately,-ithat-irising-iunderworld-iorganization-iowning-iDevil's-iWhisper-ihas-ioffended-ia-istrong-ifaction-iand-ihad-ibeen-iforcefully-idisband-iby-iit's-iadversaries.
Although-ino-ione-iknows-iwhich-imagic-iengineer-icreated-iit-ifor-ithe-iunderworld-iorganizations,-ithey-iknow-ithat-ithe-iperson-inever-iplanned-ito-iregister-iit-iat-iNMTI.
After-ithe-idisbandment-iof-ithat-iorganization,-iselling-iof-iit's-imagic-istructure-iwas-iat-ilarge-iduring-ithat-itime-iand-iall-iof-ithis-ihappened-ijust-iabout-ia-itwo-idecades-iago.-iOf-icourse,-iit-iwas-iheavily-isuppressed-iby-ithe-igovernment-ithat-ilasted-ifor-inearly-i5-iyears-ibefore-itraces-iof-iit-idisappeared.
But-iup-iuntil-inow,-ithere-iare-irumors-ithat-iyou-ican-ipurchase-ithe-iunnamed-imagic-istructure-ifor-iDevil's-iWhisper-ifor-iabout-i40-imillion-icredits.-i
Unfortunately,-ino-ione-iknows-inow-iwhere-ito-ipurchase-iit-iand-igovernment-iis-ion-ithe-ihunt-ifor-ithese-ibanned-imagics.-iSo-iif-ithere-iare-iany-ileak-iof-iinformation-ion-ithe-iwhereabouts-iof-ithe-isellers,-iyou-ican-iguarantee-ithat-iat-ithe-inext-isecond,-ithe-ipolice-iwould-ibe-iat-iyour-idoorstep.
William-iwas-icurrently-ibrowsing-ithe-iinternet-ias-ihe-itries-ito-ipurchase-imaterials-ithat-ihe-ineeded-ifor-itraining-ihis-imagic-istructuring-iand-iartifact-iforging.-iHe-iwas-icurrently-iin-ithe-ilargest-ionline-istore-inamed-iSecret's-iShop.
"Hmm..-iMagic-iJammer-iis-iout-iof-ithe-imarket-ias-iwell-ibecause-iof-iits-icircumstances."
He-itried-isearching-ifor-iit-ijust-ito-isatisfy-ihis-icuriosity-ionly-ito-ifind-i"0"-isearch-iresults-ion-iit.-iHe-ithen-icontinued-ipurchasing-ihis-ineeded-imaterials.
Star-iburr,-iluminous-icrimson-iscale,-ivelvet-itears,-ilow-grade-ito-ihigh-grade-imithril-iores,-igaronite-iores,-iarcane-ialloy,-iempty-imagic-istructure-icrystals,-iand-isome-iother-imaterials-iwas-ipurchased.-iUnfortunately,-iWilliam-ineeded-ia-icertain-istatus-ito-ibe-iable-ito-ipurchase-imana-istones.-iHe-ihas-ito-iuse-ihis-iparent's-iconnections-ito-ido-ithis-iand-iwill-iask-ithem-ilater-ito-ihave-ithem-ipurchase-isufficient-imana-istones-ifor-ihis-iexperiments.-i
He-ihad-ia-ilot-iof-iinspiration-iafter-iconsuming-ithe-i2-imemory-icrystals-ia-ifew-idays-iago-iand-ihe-ieven-ifelt-ithat-ihis-ibody-icould-istill-itake-iabout-i3-ior-i5-imore-iof-ithis.-iDue-ito-ihis-iplans-ifor-ithe-inext-imana-iartifact-ihe-iwould-ilike-ito-icreate,-ihe-iended-iup-ipurchasing-ia-ilot-iof-imaterials-ithat-ihis-icurrent-iapartment-iwould-inot-isuffice-ifor-iall-iof-ithis-ito-ifit-iin.
"I-ineed-ito-imove-iplace."-iWilliam-ismiled-iwryly-ias-ihe-ilooked-ion-ihis-ismall-iapartment-ilittered-iwith-irandom-ithings.-i
"I-ishould-iown-ia-iworkshop-ifor-ithe-isake-iof-imy-ifuture-idevelopment-ias-iwell...-isince-ithere-iare-isome-iavailable-ispace-iin-ithe-icity,-iit-ishouldn't-ibe-itoo-idifficult-ito-ifind-ione.-iWell,-iI'll-ijust-iconsult-ia-irealtor-itomorrow."
He-iobviously-irequires-ia-ilarger-ispace-ito-istore-iall-ihis-imaterials-iand-ialso,-ihe-ihas-ibeen-iconsidering-ia-ibetter-isecurity.-iIn-ihis-imind,-ihe-iwant's-ito-ihave-ihis-imagic-istructures-iand-imana-iartifact-to-be-iin-ia-iprotected-iplace.-iOf-icourse,-ihe-iwouldn't-iwant-ihimself-ito-ibe-isabotaged-ior-ihave-ihis-icreations-istolen.-i
He-iwas-ithinking-ifar-iahead-inow-iso-ihe-ishook-ihis-ihead-iand-ithought-iof-ihis-ifirst-itask.-iHe-iwould-ilike-ito-iask-ihis-iparent's-iagain-ifor-ithis-ibut-iafter-ithinking-ifor-ia-iwhile,-ihe-idecided-inot-ito-iand-iwill-ijust-itry-ito-iarrange-ithis-ion-ihis-iown.-iHe-iwants-ito-ichoose-ihis-iown-iplace-iof-iwork-ifirst-ithing-iin-ithe-imorning-itomorrow,-isince-ithere-iaren't-iany-iclasses-idue-ito-iit-ibeing-iweekend.-i
As-iWilliam-iwas-istill-ibrowsing-ithe-ionline-ishop-ifor-ia-ibetter-imaterials.-iHe-inotice-ithat-ian-iA.I.-ichip-iwas-ibeing-isold-ias-iwell-ithat-icould-ifollow-isimplest-icommand-iand-ican-ibe-iuse-ifor-isimple-irobotic-imachine.-i
He-imade-ia-ifull-ihour-iof-iresearch-ion-iit-iand-idiscovered-ithat-iArtificial-iIntelligence-iwas-inot-ibeing-iheavily-ideveloped-iby-iany-icountry-ifor-ian-iunknown-ireason.-iAt-imost,-ithey-ihave-isimplest-ifunctions-ibut-iclearly-iinsufficient-ifor-icombat-iand-icomplex-ifunctions.-iHe'll-idefinitely-itry-ilooking-iunto-iit-isome-iday.
William-ismiled-iat-ithis-ias-ihe-ithought-iof-ia-icertain-ipath-ifor-idevelopment-iagain.-iHe-iput-iit-iat-ithe-iback-iof-ihis-imind-ifor-inow-ias-ihe-ithought-ithat-ihe-imay-ionly-ibe-isuccessful-ion-ithis-ionce-ihe-iacquired-ihis-ispaceship.
He-icouldn't-iwait-ito-iparticipate-iin-ithe-icompetition.-i
***
At-ia-icertain-iforging-iroom-iin-ia-ihuge-imanor-ilocated-inear-ithe-iedge-iof-ithe-iTanza-iCity.
A-iyoung-ilady-iwith-ishort-ibrown-ihair-iand-icream-colored-ihairpin-ion-ithe-ileft-iside-iof-iher-ihead-iwas-ibusily-iworking-iin-ia-ipile-iof-imetallic-imaterials.-iShe-iwas-iwearing-iher-icasual-iclothes-iand-iit-ican-ibe-iseen-ithat-ishe-ihas-ia-isame-ibrown-icolor-iof-ieyes-ias-ishe-iobserve-ithe-ichanges-ion-ithe-isilvery-imetal-iwhenever-ishe-iinfused-istrong-ifluctuations-iof-imana.
A-ifew-iseconds-ilater,-ishe-ismiled-iwidely-ias-iit-iseems-ithat-ishe-ireached-iher-igoal-ion-ithe-iexperiment-ishe-iwas-idoing.-iShe-ifixed-ithe-ihair-ithat-iwas-isticking-ion-iher-iforehead-idue-ito-isweat-ias-ishe-ibreath-ia-isigh-iof-irelief.-i
She-iwas-ithe-itop-istudent-iin-ithe-i2nd-iyear-iclass-iof-iArtifact-iForging-icourse,-iTracy-iGuilford.-iAs-ishe-iwas-iabout-ito-ibe-iengrossed-iaga
in-ion-iher-istudy,-ia-iknocking-isound-iwas-iheard-iat-ithe-idoor-ioutside-iand-ia-ivoice-icoming-ifrom-iher-iservant-iwas-iheard.
"Mistress,-ia-iyoung-iman-inamed-iMark-iHalevey-iwish-ito-ispeak-iwith-iyou."
###-iChapter-i26-i--iTraced
Tracy-ichanged-iher-iclothes-ibefore-iappearing-iin-ithe-iguest-iroom.-iShe's-inow-iwearing-ia-iwhite-idress-ithat-iexudes-inoble-isimplicity.-iThere-iaren't-iany-iaccessories-iexcept-ifor-ithe-iplain-isilver-ibangle-ion-iher-ileft-ihand.-i
Her-iprevious-icheerful-ieyes-iwas-inow-ichanged-ito-ia-istern-ione-ias-ishe-iapproached-ia-iyoung-iman-iin-ithe-iliving-ithe-iroom.
"I-ithought-iI've-itold-iyou-inot-ito-ivisit-ime-ihere-iagain?"
Tracy-idoesn't-iseem-ito-iwelcome-ithe-iyoung-iman-ias-ishe-icoldly-ireminded-ihim-iwhat-ishe-ihad-imentioned-ibefore.
"I-ihave-inot-iagreed-iwith-ithat.-iAlso,-iI'm-ionly-ihere-inow-ipurely-ifor-icooperation."
It-iwas-iMark-iHalevey-igarbed-iwith-ia-iformal-isuit.-iHis-iblond-ihair-iaccentuate-iwith-ihis-igold-iaccessories-ifrom-ihis-inecklace-ito-irings-ion-ihis-ifingers.-iHis-iexpensive-iclothing-iwas-iloudly-itelling-ithat-ihe-iwas-ia-ison-iof-ia-iprime-iminister.
Tracy-isighed-iat-ithis-iand-istill-iseated-iin-ia-icouch-iin-ifront-iof-iMark.-iThey-iobviously-imade-icontact-ilike-ithis-imore-ithan-ionce.
"What-ido-iyou-ineed-ithis-itime?"
"I-ireceived-isome-iinformation-ifrom-imy-ifather-ithat-ithe-i'Traceless-iHands'-iwho-icreated-ithe-irecent-ihot-iitem-imagic-ijammer-icanceller-iisn't-isome-ikind-iof-iorganization-ior-igroup-iof-imagic-iengineers.-iIt's-iactually-ian-iindividual...-ia-istudent-iat-ithat."
Tracy-iraised-iher-ibrows-ias-ishe-iwants-iMark-ito-icontinue-iwhat-ihe-iwas-isaying.-iAs-iMark-iunderstood-ithis-ihe-idid-inot-idisappoint-iher.
"If-iyou're-istill-inot-iinterested,-ihow-iabout-iif-iI-itell-iyou-ithat-iTraceless-iHands-iis-iactually-iWilliam,-iour-iclassmate?"
This-itime,-ihe-igot-iher-iinterest.
Apparently,-iin-ia-iweek-ithat-ithe-imagic-ijammer-icanceller-iwent-ito-ithe-ihands-iof-igovernment-iand-iwas-iused-ifinish-ioff-ithe-ispies-iwho-iinfiltrated-iTanza-iCity,-imultiple-iincidents-iwas-irepeated-iin-idifferent-iparts-iof-ithe-icountry-istirring-ithe-ilocal-ipowers-ias-ithey-itried-ito-iget-ia-ihold-iof-isituation.-i
