The Shepherd Alone on the Hill is a Genius Wizard-Chapter 76: They All Disappeared For a Reason (2)

When Turan fell silent, unsure how to respond to her saying she spilled secrets because she was captivated by his looks, Rida chuckled and shook her head.

"It’s just a joke, don’t look at me like that! Everyone knows we don’t age anyway, and what difference would it make if people learned we aim for immortality? The conclusion was that we don’t know anything anyway."

As she spoke, a strange fatigue and frustration showed on her face.

Given her age and strength, she probably wasn’t far removed from the House Labitas head who had just died.

They might even have been sisters.

Then, Rida suddenly wiped away her playful expression and spoke with a serious face.

"Yes, you’re right that I brought this up because I have a proposal. Have you ever seen a White Spirit?"

"White Spirit..."

"Specifically, a White Spirit royal with innate vitality sorcerer potential."

While the Black Spirits that Turan had met and fought with in the past dealt with the souls of the dead - the undead - White Spirits were said to handle the souls of the living - vital spirits.

That was about all he knew, as unlike the Black Spirits who flourished in their underground tunnels, the White Spirits had all but died out thousands of years ago.

Even in the World Tour Journal that Turan had read, White Spirits were merely mentioned as "They say such beings used to live in this region long ago."

"No, I haven’t. Aren’t White Spirits extinct already? Even in the history books I’ve read extensively, there’s been no mention of them appearing in the past few thousand years..."

"That may be so. But perhaps somewhere in the world’s remote regions, there are still White Spirits barely surviving while avoiding humans. What I want is simple. If you ever discover a White Spirit vitality sorcerer, bring them to us, whether by capture or persuasion."

Certainly, a being that could manipulate the souls of the living would be of great help to House Labitas’s research.

If they could control souls to stop or reverse aging, it would literally open the path to immortality.

Rida looked at Turan with a somewhat mysterious expression and continued.

"Given your power and skills, you’re clearly not from an ordinary family, but the fact that you wander without even revealing your house suggests you didn’t fit in with your family for some reason. Wouldn’t that mean you can see things others can’t in places others can’t go? Those weighed down by many responsibilities can’t freely wander about."

Though they had never properly tested their magical powers against each other, Rida spoke as if she knew Turan’s capabilities.

She seemed to have something similar to the Mimicker holy relic among her two or three magical devices.

Instead of denying her words, Turan listened quietly before asking in return.

"What would I receive if I brought a vitality sorcerer?"

The knowledge she shared was quite rare, but far too light as compensation for bringing a vitality sorcerer who disappeared thousands of years ago.

To put it bluntly, this was an even more difficult task than stealing a major house’s representative holy relic.

At least those were confirmed to exist.

At Turan’s words, Rida grinned and winked.

"As compensation, how about me? Though I’m a bit old, I pride myself on being quite attractive. Though it’s embarrassing to boast, all my husbands have been satisfied with me."

The beautiful woman with flowing black hair and smooth, healthy brown skin seductively lifted the cloth covering her body.

But Turan couldn’t feel anything special from it.

The image of her acting like an old person just moments ago was still strongly imprinted in his mind.

Above all, he had somewhat figured out that this was the elder’s way of teasing him.

"I’d like a serious answer."

"What a boring fellow! Alright, if you bring us a vitality sorcerer, we’ll give you an immortality holy relic."

A holy relic of agelessness...

Turan unconsciously looked at the Guardian magical device he had removed with his clothes.

Having a similar item, he could understand what she meant.

"You mean an item containing House Labitas’s bloodline ability?"

"More precisely, it’s an item that continuously bestows healing and purification power on its wearer. We’ve already confirmed that ordinary humans who wear it don’t age until death. Naturally, it’s a treasure we only have one of."

"How long did the wearer live?"

"Between one hundred twenty and one hundred thirty years. There’s individual variation, but that’s the usual range."

At such an incredible revelation, Turan took a moment to breathe while looking up at the sky.

If what she said was true, wouldn’t this rival the highest-tier holy relics left by the gods?

Looking at the stars dotting the pitch-black sky, he felt his narrowed thoughts expanding again.

A thought suddenly struck him, and he asked Rida.

"Are there others who have received this offer?"

"I’ve secretly proposed it to some influential figures from major houses we’re close with. And to strong wandering nobles like yourself, though they’re rare. Of course, the reward goes to whoever brings one first."

In other words, he was one of many fishing hooks that House Labitas was casting about.

Rather than casting one or two, it would be more advantageous to cast three or a hundred.

Indeed, a noble who wandered without belonging to a house despite their outstanding abilities would be the most likely to find a White Spirit.

If a race that vanished thousands of years ago was hiding somewhere, it would be in places difficult for ordinary people to access, and powerful wizards typically stayed holed up in their house territories.

After considering it several times, it seemed like not a bad proposal.

It wasn’t a demand to search for them exclusively, just that if he happened to find one while wandering around, he’d get a holy relic.

"I’ll contact you if I find one."

"That answer alone is worth all this old one’s excited chatter today."

Rida laughed like an elder.

Updated from freewёbnoνel.com.

==

After enjoying the hot spring, Rida left first down the mountain, saying they should meet again sometime.

Turan spent the night in a suitable location and stored all the sulfur chunks in his large-capacity pouch.

Of course, given the strong smell, he carefully arranged the space in the pouch to prevent contact with other objects.

As befitting a holy relic, the pouch had such capabilities.

After perfectly storing everything, he marveled at the quantity.

’This should be more than enough.’

Probably about two to three hundred kilograms.

Even this was just a tiny fraction of what was in that valley, so if more was needed, he could come back then.

With Bize perched on his side, Turan headed east while recalling last night’s conversation.

The promise of immortality in exchange for bringing a vitality sorcerer...

During that conversation, Turan remembered not just the temptation of visible immortality, but also the records of the ancient Prea god he had seen in the library.

That being who openly showed contempt and desire to control humanity in his later years.

What if he had transferred his body or extended his life using a vitality sorcerer’s power, then learned that his descendants, whom he looked down upon, could achieve immortality?

And if he fell into paranoid delusions that they would eventually target even the realm of the gods?

Perhaps he wanted to prevent this even if it meant exterminating all but a few controllable White Spirits?