Heaven's Greatest Professor

Gale asked around for Agnes in several places, but no one seemed to have any news of her. It was as if she had vanished without a trace. Even more troubling was that no one knew anything about her enigmatic, transcendent master either.

In the end, Gale decided to take matters into his own hands, scouring the secret camp in hopes of finding a clue. He wandered the area for what felt like hours, loitering around quietly, trying to blend into the surroundings as best as he could.

It was sometime during his aimless search that a figure suddenly swooped down from the sky, landing unsteadily before him.

"What are you doing?" Agnes asked, her voice laced with a mix of amusement and warning.

Gale glanced up, shrugging nonchalantly. "Just a bit of natural sneaking around."

"You can't do that, you know," she said, the amusement fading as her voice hardened. "You cannot sneak around the residence of a transcendent ranker."

"Well, I just did," he replied with a grin.

She sighed, exasperated. "You certainly weren't very good at it. My master told me to take you inside."

"Right now?" Gale raised an eyebrow, surprised that he had been detected. It seemed he still wasn't skilled enough to go unnoticed by a transcendent ranker after all.

Agnes nodded, her expression a little more guarded. "Make sure you don't behave too wildly... or make her too interested in you."

Gale narrowed his eyes, sensing there was more she wanted to say but didn't. Perhaps her master was listening in on them. He could have created an isolating bubble to block out her master's senses, but doing so would only raise suspicion.

She led him into the house, which was lavishly furnished, no doubt to accommodate the transcendent, though Gale guessed she wouldn't be staying here for more than a few weeks at best. The interior was far grander than his own quarters, with expensive-looking oil paintings adorning the walls.

"Welcome, Mr Warden," an ancient, regal voice greeted him from the sitting room. "I was wondering when you'd show up. You certainly took your time."

"I was busy with other matters," Gale muttered, entering the room. His eyes were drawn to the woman sitting on the couch, a teacup in her hand. The intoxicating aroma wafting from the tea was almost overwhelming, likely too potent for someone of lower rank, but fortunately, Gale wasn't one of them.

Agnes' master, dressed in simple military attire, lounged on the couch with an air of quiet authority. Despite her plain clothes, she carried herself like a queen, radiating confidence and control—an aura that could only come from years of experience.

"Well, now that you're here," she said, her thick copper lips curving into a smile as she gestured for him to sit, "would you care for some tea?"

"Nah, I'm good," Gale said, taking a seat across from her.

The woman's sharp, dark features caught his attention: her skin was the colour of the night, her crystal-clear eyes glinting with a piercing intelligence. Her white hair was bound neatly atop her head, not a single strand out of place, as if even a natural disaster couldn't disrupt her composure. Beneath her flawless beauty was a presence that tugged at him the longer he stared into her eyes, pulling him deeper into their depths.

Your journey continues at empire

"You know, I'm quite surprised by you, Mr Warden," she said, her voice smooth. She paused, her eyes narrowing slightly. "May I call you Warden, or would you prefer Gale?"

He grunted, waving his hand dismissively. "Whatever you like."

"Gale, then," she said with a smile, a shiver running down his spine in response.

It wasn't charm magic—at least, he didn't think it was. There was something else about her, something more than just her natural beauty and charisma.

"You seem a bit uncomfortable," the woman observed. "Have I said something inappropriate?"

Gale chose not to answer directly. "What do you want from me?"

She set her teacup down, an amused smile tugging at her lips. "You've come to my place. Shouldn't I be the one asking you that?"

He groaned inwardly. It was a fair point. "I just wanted to meet with Agnes."

At that, the master glanced at her disciple before turning her gaze back to him. "That reminds me, I'm rather curious about your relationship with her. Surely, it isn't romantic, considering you've already found a companion in one elf."

"We're just friends," Gale said, his voice firm.

The woman chuckled softly. "You've disappointed my disciple."

Gale shot her a serious look, unamused by the teasing.

"She can't hide things from her master, not for the sake of a friend," the woman continued, a note of warning creeping into her tone despite the smile. "She knows better than to do that again."

"Master," Agnes interjected, though her voice faltered before she could say anything more.

"There's no need to worry," her master said smoothly. "I won't harm your 'friend.' It's unfortunate that he wasn't found sooner."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Gale asked, his patience thinning.

"I'm simply saying you have nothing to fear from me," she replied, her smile returning. Gale could sense the truth in her words. "But you're right—I do want something from you."

He tensed immediately.

"No, it's not whatever you took from the inheritance ground," she added, noting his reaction.

Gale was tempted to sigh in relief, though he remained wary. "Then what do you want?"

"Nothing too serious," she said, rising to her feet. She moved closer to him, standing just a few inches shorter than his towering form, though her presence felt anything but small. Yet she managed to carry the gorgeous feminine air about her. "You see, I have a job in mind for Agnes, but the more I see you, the more I believe you'd be better suited for it."

"What kind of job?" Gale asked cautiously.

The woman's smile deepened. "Something you specialise in, of course."

Whom do I need to kill now?