The Sorcerer's Handbook

Chapter 267: Lie

When Iger joined Annan for breakfast, he gave Ashe a subtle wink. Ashe immediately got the hint. After finishing their meal, he made his way to Iger's room, where the fraudster was already waiting.

Without hesitation, Ashe sat right on the bed. "What mission did you and Annan carry out last night?"

"That's a long story," Iger replied, sinking into a soft chair and pouring a small amount of sky-blue liquor into a glass.

Ashe's eyes widened at the sight of a liquor cabinet in Iger's room. Annan had always been generous with these small comforts. One word to Pankey, and the butler would order whatever they wanted and get it delivered without fuss.

Of course, there was another possibility. The Gospel Kingdom was an extremely productive society. Ingredients such as meat, eggs, milk, and even wine were treated as basic public goods. Whatever Ashe and the others consumed wasn't wasteful. It actually contributed to the kingdom's internal circulation.

In any advanced society, basic sustenance was abundant. Even the lowest-class ogres in the Blood Moon Kingdom could eat their fill daily. There was no reason the Gospel Kingdom couldn't offer the same. Ashe wouldn't be surprised if the lower classes here casually rinsed with wine, dined on steak, and bathed in sterilized milk while maintaining a BMI over 30.

"What about mine?" Ashe asked.

Iger thought for a moment, then poured water from a kettle into another glass and handed it to Ashe. "Better than nothing."

Ashe rolled his eyes and downed the water in one gulp. Iger continued, "The person last night drank the same poison I prepared."

Ashe choked on the water and nearly sprayed it everywhere. Iger, anticipating this, waved his hand lightly, and a gust of wind swept the water back into the glass.

Iger glanced at the inverted city outside. He said, "Last night, Annan took me to a rooftop estate in the city's second layer. You might think Annan's home is impressive, but if you see that estate, even her house looks modest.

"The ceiling is a heat-insulating glass canopy. During the day, sunlight pours in, and at night, you can gaze at the stars. The garden blooms year-round. The owner is fascinated with alchemical creatures and even created a small zoo filled with chimera beasts.

"Every exposed surface, the walls, the floors, everything, is made from the most expensive Miracle-infused materials. Solar energy powers the estate, and the Sterile Miracle runs constantly, keeping the place spotlessly clean, without a speck of dust. The only servants are two nearly lifelike alchemical maids. One is tall with black hair. The other is petite, pink-haired, and delicate. If it weren't for my mind-reading powers being useless on them, I wouldn't realize they are artificial.

"But the massive, luxurious estate has only one resident, Count Russell. The noble system in the Gospel Kingdom is mostly gone, yet remnants of the old era remain. Or perhaps the new-era elites just like to emulate the past.

"He looks young, with soft, fair skin and a silk robe. But his voice is dreary, and the way he glares at Annan... you can tell he's really an old, decrepit man that has made use of his power and status to secure the means to keep himself alive."

Iger shrugged. "Interestingly, he seemed far more interested in me. Perhaps that's why Miss Annan brought me along. I'll spare you the details. You only need to know that we've put the estate owner to sleep."

"To sleep?" Ashe asked.

"Yes. To sleep," Iger said, twirling his ring. "Given his physique and our arrangements, he should remain unconscious for five months, after which he'll serve as Harvey's preferred white maggot culture. Being an important figure, his corpse will certainly draw the Red Hats' attentions. Annan doesn't care, and neither do I. Our contract will have ended by then.

"As part of my payment for helping him fall asleep, Annan and I removed his hands and extracted his eyes to bypass the estate's fingerprint and iris verification. After that, the rest was essentially a zero-cost acquisition. Most of it, like the contracts and bank documents I couldn't monetize, went to Annan. The only thing I kept for myself was this."

Iger moved to his suitcase and retrieved a small black goose-feather box, handing it to Ashe.

Ashe opened it to reveal a mask with a pale red gradient. It felt almost silky, yet durable, fitting snugly and allowing perfect airflow, as if he weren't wearing anything at all. Within seconds, it automatically conformed to his nose and mouth.

He glanced in the mirror. Paired with the dark red coat Lys had gifted him, Ashe exuded a mysterious, ascetic presence, the kind often seen in villains in film that could make viewers question their own morals. He was very pleased. In his own words, he looked "so handsome it makes people hope they never need to use the bathroom."

Iger took a sip of his blue liquor, then explained, "This is said to be the final creation of a Sacred Realm Alchemist before he passed. It may seem at first that no mana flows through it, but it can actually block nearly all forms of mind-reading and greatly enhance your charm. It's called a Mind Mask. If you like it, it's yours."

"Really?" Ashe asked.

Iger said casually, "I'm a Mind Class sorcerer; I don't need a mask to hide my expressions. My face is my weapon. Honestly, there wasn't much in that secret room I cared about. I just remembered you might need a mask, so I brought it back."

Ashe blinked, removed the mask, and asked, "So this was a gift you specifically picked out for me?"

"Think what you want, I’m not gonna argue," Iger said casually, swirling the blue liquor in his glass.

A gift just for me? A gift only I have?

Iger studied Ashe's expression. It went from puzzled to touched, to slightly embarrassed, and then back to his initial puzzlement.

The cult leader paused, then his gaze shifted to the suitcase in the corner of the room.

Raising an eyebrow, Iger stood. "Alright, it's time for you to leave. I still have things to do—"

Before he could finish, Ashe rushed over, opened the suitcase, and discovered it was filled with black velvet boxes, identical to the one Iger had just given him.

He pointed at the suitcase. "(#￣～￣#) What are these?"

"If I told you they were just bought to stuff under the bed, would you believe me?" Iger replied.

Holding the Mind Mask, Ashe asked, "So that estate was fake? Could Count Russell be fake, too? This mask is just something you bought casually for me, but you made up that long story to make me think it was a gift chosen just for me."

Iger shook his head, wearing a look of disappointed exasperation. "A gift is just a gift. The object itself doesn't matter. What counts is the meaning behind it. Without that, would you have been so thrilled just now?

"If a gift has no story behind it, it's nothing more than a cold trinket. A Mind Class sorcerer's duty is to give even the simplest thing significance."

"Have you ever watched a magic show? Right now, you're like a child on stage loudly exposing the trick. Not only do you ruin the performance, but you also spoil your own enjoyment."

Iger's tone was calm but firm. "Luckily, I don't mind, but next time, Ashe, don't do that. People might think you can't read the room."

Ashe scowled. "Don't make it sound like I'm the one at fault. I almost got tricked. So, how many times are you planning to tell this story?"

Iger retorted, "Do I look that lazy to you? Of course, I'll craft a story for every client. Someone like you, unpredictable but kind-hearted, will enjoy a tale of 'dirty aristocrats getting eaten alive.' Harvey, on the other hand, is also unpredictable but more neutral. For him, he gets a story about 'finding a blood-soaked torture device while cleaning up a gang.' As for Lys, her story will be completely different."

"Iger, you're such a schemer," Ashe muttered.

Iger warned, "Don't betray me. I'm only trying to curry favor through gifts. After you leave, don't tell anyone the mask is from me. 'I only give gifts to you, not others.' That's a key goodwill boost."

Ashe said, "I don't care about your schemes. I almost believed you, with all those names and details."

Iger said thoughtfully, "To be honest, I'm impressed you saw through it. Makes me think I need to refine my storytelling. Anyway, come on, I have another guest to meet."

Ashe snorted, took the mask, and left. Before pushing the door fully open, he paused. "Still, I really like this mask. Thanks."

Iger called after him, "Make sure you write this down in your journal immediately! Remember to repay Master Perskin's favor someday!"

After Ashe left, Iger returned to the suitcase, closed it, and tucked it under the bed. Then he prepared the bathroom, filled the water, and sank into his morning bath. This was more than just a habit. After a night of hard work, the warm water made him feel instantly renewed.

After bathing and brushing his teeth, Iger subconsciously connected with his Revelation spirit. The frothy toothpaste arranged itself into a line of words on the mirror.

"Don't let anyone know you're happy."

Iger stared at his own smile reflected in the mirror, paused for a moment, then let out a soft chuckle.