Chapter 206 - 178: Affif and Victor
"Victor, my dear friend, welcome. It seems you've finally crawled out of the deep sea to visit the beautiful Perfume Lily Avenue." An old gentleman in a long pink formal gown, holding a Golden Metal Magic Staff, stood in the grand hall and opened his arms to the visitors.
"Just listen to that. How sickeningly sweet. 'My dear friend.'" Grand Mage Victor, dressed in a blue Magic Robe with a Mage Hat, turned his head aside in disdain.
"You old coot, don't make me curse you out in front of Vivian." Arcane Grandmaster Affif still wore a smile as he watched the guests enter. His long beard was done in an exquisite braid, and the pink bow in it bobbed up and down as he spoke.
"Mr. Affif," Vivian said. After hearing the black-lacquered main door close behind her, she raised a hand to pull back her hood. Then, clasping her hands together, she offered an apologetic smile. "Forgive the intrusion."
"Sigh..." Affif tilted his head and let out a long sigh. "When will you finally call me Teacher Affif?"
"You old bastard, don't even think about it," Grand Mage Victor said, deliberately taking two steps forward to stand in front of his apprentice. "I will not let her study Magic here, nor will I let her take you as a master."
"Why must you be like this?" Affif said, turning to look at Vivian in her long black Cloak. "Vivian, you're an adult now. You have a mind of your own. When it comes to choosing a master, you don't have to listen to that old fossil."
"Haha," Vivian chuckled wryly, quickly waving her hands. "Old Mr. Affif, I..."
"Darling, thank you," a cheerful female voice rang out, interrupting their meeting. A stunning woman in a gorgeous long dress hurried out from a side door. She went to Affif's side, steadied his arm, and planted a passionate kiss on the old Mage's cheek. "I won't disturb you any longer."
"Oh, farewell, my beautiful songbird." Affif held the woman's hand until she smilingly pulled her fingers away, turned, gathered her skirts, and walked toward the main door. As she passed Vivian, she gave her a flirtatious glance.
THUD. The black-lacquered main door closed again. Affif gave a slight nod. "Please, don't be surprised. She is my client, merely here for a bit of Divination."
'Divination?' Vivian glanced sideways at the imposing main door. She had seen quite a few people waiting outside earlier, likely all here to see the Great Mage before her.
"Yes, she's one of the Beautiful People of Perfume Lily Avenue," Affif said, leaning on his Magic Staff with both hands, striking a pose like a flamboyant old gentleman. "As for those noble Servants waiting outside to see me, they are not nearly as important as these lovely ladies."
Vivian's eyebrow twitched. She knew the temperament of the old gentleman before her. The very fact that he built his Magic Tower in the Red Light District of Plantagenet City said everything about his character. This avenue was the most high-class and luxurious Red Light District in the entire Fran Kingdom. Her own brother had even said it was the most impressive Red Light District on the whole continent; any new and curious thing in the world was bound to appear here first.
The men and women here spent their days and nights in revelry and debauchery. Some would throw away fortunes just for the chance to drink from a Beautiful Person's shoe, while others would draw their swords for a duel simply because a beauty had gazed at them with affection.
"What was she here to have divined?" Vivian asked, pulling her gaze back and feigning a casual tone.
"Oh, she wanted to know how long it would take for her to become the top star at the Moulin Rouge," Affif replied with a serene smile.
'Of course it was something like that,' Vivian thought, lowering her head and pressing a palm to her forehead.
"Alright, Affif, enough with the pleasantries. I have no intention of playing along. You know why I'm here," Victor said directly, his brow furrowed. He still despised his "old friend's" ways. "Can you perform one of your Divination or prophecy tricks now?"
"Listen to him, Vivian," old Mage Affif said, taking a few steps forward while holding his Magic Staff, which resembled a nobleman's cane. The blue Magic Crystal Stone set in its golden claw-like grip glittered in the candlelight. "He actually calls them 'tricks.' You've studied Arcane Magic now; you must know what they truly are."
"Old Mr. Affif, we're troubling you. My Abilities are still very limited." Vivian ignored the two men's bickering. She already knew they didn't get along, having supposedly fallen out in their youth over a woman named Anna, and they were still at it even at their age.
"Very well, I can help you, but..." Affif walked to the center of the hall and straightened his back. "Not today. My Magic Power still needs to recover. You may stay here for two days."
Then, Affif gave a mysterious smile and gently tapped the hall's beautifully patterned floor tiles a few times with his Magic Staff.
TAP TAP TAP. A crisp sound echoed. Immediately after, Vivian's vision blurred, and a sensation of floating spread throughout her body, very similar to when she practiced the Qi Manipulation Flying Technique. She then realized the three of them were now standing in a strange room, filled with all sorts of bizarre objects that looked like Magic Items.
By a nearby doorway stood two winged stone statues, which turned their heads toward them with a GRINDING RATTLE.
"Your Magic Power is that depleted?" This time, Grand Mage Victor didn't mock him. Instead, he surveyed his surroundings. "To think you'd transport us directly to your Magic Tower."
"Magic Tower?" Vivian asked in amazement, staring at the two moving statues. She was utterly fascinated by this place. 'If this is the Magic Tower, then what was that building on Perfume Lily Avenue?'
"I had no choice. Someone insisted I perform a prophecy for them, which cost me a great deal of Magic Power," Affif said with a sigh. "So, what do you think, Little Vivian? You've never been to my Magic Tower before, have you?"
"Where are we?" Vivian turned to her teacher, hoping to get an answer from him.
Grand Mage Victor didn't speak, merely pointing a finger upward.
"We're..." Vivian gasped, covering her mouth. "In the sky."
"Correct," Affif said with a nod and a smile. He was very pleased with Vivian's reaction, his expression clearly saying, 'See how amazing I am? Don't you want to learn? Forget that old coot and take me as your master!'
"Hmph," old Mage Victor scoffed, shooting his "old friend" a glare. "Going through all the trouble to create such a massive floating Arcane Rune Array, all just to show off..."
"It's still better than you lying at the bottom of the sea blowing bubbles," Affif sneered. "Little Vivian, since this is your first time in your future teacher's Magic Tower, allow me to be your host. Do you like the Royal Family's Golden Flower Tea?"
"We brought something better," Victor immediately interrupted his "spellcasting."
"Something better?"
"Red Bull," old Mage Victor said smugly. "I bet you've never heard of it."