Chapter 12: Making A Deal With Grand Mage Cedric

Cedric’s grip tightened, and he asked with a crazed glint in his oceanic blue eyes.

"If you can enter this place, can’t you take me out?"

Perplexed by the sudden change, all Alex could do was stare at him with a dumbfounded expression.

The very man who was now acting like a crazed romantic had fought original Alex toe to toe while being a stage below him. To Alex, Cedric was a genius and powerful mage, but seeing him like this was like learning about the bad side of your idol.

After not obtaining any answer for a long minute, Cedric frowned and muttered sharply.

"You can do it or not?"

Alex instantly came out of his reverie and said.

"I can but..."

Cedric’s brows furrowed. "But?"

Alex opened his lips to answer, but closed them right after. He repeated the same action a few times. Although things had gone far better than he had expected, how was he supposed to tell this lunatic that he was too weak to take him out? It was like giving a bag of chips to a starving man, only for it to turn out empty.

Seeing his reluctance, Cedric narrowed his eyes and asked.

"What’s wrong?"

Under Cedric’s heated, suspicious gaze, Alex let out a cough and muttered in an embarrassed tone, "I... I am not strong enough to take you out of here yet."

Cedric’s expression turned disappointed. He let out a sigh and turned away from Alex.

"Pathetic," he commented coldly. "Why have you come here then?"

Hearing the comment, Alex gritted his teeth and muttered, "I want you to teach me."

"Hmm?" Surprise filled Cedric’s face, and he turned to Alex. "You want to become my disciple?"

Alex nodded and said confidently. "I do."

His words spread across the room, and Cedric smirked.

An amused chuckle escaped his lips, and he asked.

"And why would I do that? Do you think just because I am trapped in this place, I would fall to your feet to take me out?"

Hearing him, Alex shook his head and glanced at the terrifying Glemora City. "I don’t want to force you. I want you to teach me on your own, and in return, I’ll help you find Lady Heslera."

Cedric slowly raised his hand and rubbed his chin as though pondering over his words, then he let out a snicker and said.

"You’d provide me with your help, you say? Heh. You are really looking down on me, aren’t you? To recall, I am Cedric Ivaxius, the only grand mage of my era and the ruler of soul magic. I do not need your help – you are the one who needs me."

"I already know who and what you are, and that changes nothing. The world you used to know is no longer the same, you are no longer at the pinnacle of magic or power... Yes, I do need you. But you aren’t the only mage in here, and you for sure aren’t the only one who wants to leave this prison."

Alex’s blunt words crashed into Cedric’s arrogance like a battering ram, and all the playfulness disappeared from his face.

"Is that so?"

He suddenly appeared right behind Alex and whispered, "However, that depends on whether I’ll allow you to leave or not."

Alex shivered, his body screamed about the danger, but at the same time, Alex felt as if he was the one in the lead. Despite him being the one initiating things, Cedric always had him in check with his flawless mana control, but for the first time since the beginning of their conversation, Alex felt his mana fluctuate.

He is getting agitated and desperate. Alex noted inwardly.

His lips curved into a smirk, the orange glow of the evening fell on his face, and he said.

"That’s where you are wrong. I am not trapped with you – you are trapped with me. I can leave this place whenever I wish, and once I do, I’d have no reason to come back."

He slowly turned backward and raised his hand for a handshake. "It’s a simple deal, Cedric. You help me, and I’ll help you."

Cedric’s expression turned blank. He continued to stare at Alex’s hand for a minute before he whispered.

"Master."

"What?" Alex muttered in confusion as he was unable to hear him.

Cedric placed a hand on Alex’s shoulder and said, "From this moment forth, you will address me as Master."

Alex blinked a few times and thought inwardly.

That’s it? Is he not going to torture me or something?

Seeing Alex’s stupid face, Cedric felt a strange desire to punch him in the face, but being the grand mage, he controlled himself and stated.

"You shall start learning from tomorrow."

With those words, he turned to leave, but right at that moment, Alex came out of his thoughts and shouted.

"Master!"

Cedric turned to him. "What?"

Alex’s expression turned complicated. Although he had enough courage to call out to him, he didn’t know if he was worthy enough to say the thing he had in his mind.

After thinking it for a few long seconds, he asked, "Do you still have to torment those souls?"

Cedric’s eyes turned dark. Shadows covered the upper half of his face, and he responded in a sharp tone devoid of any warmth.

"It isn’t torment. They are simply paying for the crime that they had chosen to commit."

"We will speak of this no longer." His words fell on Alex like a guillotine, and Cedric disappeared from the room, leaving him alone.

"Haah..." Alex sighed in relief and gazed at the sun dipping below the horizon. The sky near it was painted in hues of red, gold, and orange.

"That was a tiring conversation..."

He glanced at Glemora City.

"At least I tried," he whispered and mumbled while scratching the back of his head. "Am I supposed to stay in this room?"

Alex looked around the room, and suddenly his gaze fell on a book with a hard royal blue cover, with thin golden trims placed at the center of the table. Even a fool could understand that Cedric had moved it there.

He stepped closer and picked it up.

"Basics of Mana."