Standing before a full-body mirror, Iris turned sideways and raised her arms delicately. Her eyes focused on the slim dress draped over her curvaceous silhouette. Its loose sleeve revealed her pale wrists and the bracelet of gems twinkling on them.

She shook her head and changed from her solemn attire to a light-coloured one. Her disposition also varied, becoming airy and carefree.

Ludmint, sitting on the bed, opened her mouth. Her apology muffled into silence, seeping out of her as a defeated, guilty breath.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I should’ve told you last night, but . . . but you were too alluring.”

Iris didn’t glance at Ludmint. She kept her gaze on herself, trying different types of clothes. Her hands moved quickly and precisely, yet her mind failed to decide. She dwelled on the colours and the textures and last night and Ludmint.

Her movement halted.

“I’m not mad,” she said.

“Your face, can I see your smile?”

“I’m frustrated at myself.” Iris closed her eyes and turned around. “Last night, did you forget?”

Blushes on her neck, Ludmint turned her face away. “How . . . how could I? You were dazzling, intoxicating.”

“Don’t change the subject.” Iris bit her tongue, suppressing her embarrassment with pain. “Did you forget to tell me, or did you deliberately keep quiet?”

“I didn’t mean to keep it secret. Your love overwhelmed me. We did it for too long, too intense, too mind-numbing. I was too tired and fell asleep!”

“Stop!” Iris covered her face. Her hands, red like rubies, burned her cheeks. Their warmth reminded her of the warmth she felt last night, the invasive, penetrating, and unforgettable fervour.

With those delicate fingers, she explored Ludmint, and Ludmint explored her. They tasted each other, loved each other, and plundered each other.

“I’m not interrogating you anymore. Keep quiet, or I’ll be late!” Iris slapped her cheeks and sorted through her sets of clothes. Ludmint’d bought her too many. Now she couldn’t find the right one.

Ludmint got up and went to the closet. She took out a set of conservative attires and presented it in front of Iris, hovering it between her figure and the mirror. She appeared refined and moderate, not too charming, not too stiff.

“Are they good?” Ludmint said.

Iris raised her brows. “I’ll forgive you for now. We’ll deal with your forgetfulness after I return.”

After she got changed, Iris kissed Ludmint and bid farewell. She decided against using magic to travel through the city. She boarded a carriage to her destination, passing through a few busy streets, and arrived minutes before the appointed time.

Like Spellbound Facility, the sleek building in front of her, Multi-Path Complex, was located on a quiet, unassuming street not too far from the city centre. Its minimalistic design stood out from the rest of the traditional buildings, yet its presence still blended with the surroundings as if it were the heart of a magnificent structure.

Iris adjusted her attire and pushed open the glass doors. They parted way with the slightest touch, their motion silent and smooth. Cooling winds grazed Iris, tickling her palms.

A receptionist in a black and white office uniform stepped forward. She rested her hands on her chest, bowed, and flashed a spirited smile.

“Multi-Path Complex welcomes you, Miss.” She raised her head. “How may I help you today?”

Beaming, Iris handed the receptionist her pass. “I’m here for the applicant interview. Please guide me to my destination.”

The receptionist inspected the pass, her eyes narrowed. Excusing herself, she returned to the counter and pressed the card into a machine. Information regarding Iris’s visit flashed on the screen, confused her, and caused her smile to change subtly.

“Is the pass faulty?” Iris said.

“It isn’t, but it—”

“You must be Iris!” A bright, lovely voice resounded from the hallway.

A pair of researchers, a man and a woman, rushed through the entrance and greeted Iris. The lady researcher scrutinised Iris’s appearance, attire, disposition, and gesture. When she finished scanning, her squinted eyes relaxed.

“Are you the interviewers?” Iris said.

“Did our uniforms give us away?” The lady giggled. “I’m Cilvia, and he’s Lidoac.”

Cilvia tilted her head, her short brown hair fluttering. Despite her long research hours, her handsome figure and cool disposition never diminished. Her yellow eyes, glimmering like hope, fixated on the receptionist, whose face pinkened, whose chest tightened. The rosy receptionist sealed her mouth and handed the pass to Cilvia before running away.

“Here, your pass,” Cilvia said. “Shall we start your interview? I’ll lead you to the room.”

Iris looked around. “Excuse my curiosity, but where are other applicants?”

“They must be running late. We thought no one would show up; that’s why we were so excited when you arrived.” Cilvia dryly laughed.

“All but me are late?” Iris’s brows furrowed. “What problem did my pass cause?”

Cilvia’s eyes slightly contracted before returning to normal. As her mind shuffled for a suitable answer, the atmosphere turned stale.

“You’re our only qualified applicant for the moment,” Lidoac said. “We’re still evaluating other applicants’ papers.”

Lidoac adjusted his lab coat, stretched his neck, and fixed his golden hair. His dark blue eyes shifted to Cilvia, who nodded at him, and to Iris, who said nothing. Iris peeked at the staff room, where the receptionist escaped, but kept her questions to herself.

“An interview just for me?” Iris said. “I’m not worthy of such a grand invitation.”

“Your paper on the lost period is enlightening,” Cilvia said. “We can’t wait to have you work for us.”

“Is there any question you wish to ask?”

Cilvia wanted to speak, but Lidoac loudly coughed.

“Let’s go to the interview room first,” he said.

Cilvia cheerfully led Iris into the hallway, passing multiple clean and neat rooms. The group encountered a few researchers who would stop to greet the two senior researchers. They held great respect within Multi-Path Complex, being the members of Rising Horizon Council.

While strolling, Cilvia explained the research projects conducted by Rising Horizon Council. She masterfully explained her subject, the art of silent casting, not spells whose casting were gestureless but spells whose presences were impossible to detect until their effects were made known.

“Not even Evil Punisher Grand Formation?” Iris said.

“If my work bears fruit, I’ll be able to cast a spell while talking to another Mage, and they’d never realise it until it struck them.”

“How frightening. If an Official-Tier Mage uses this technique, won’t they transform into a powerful, unpredictable assassin?”

Cilvia sucked in a deep breath. “Theoretically, yes. But this technique is of supreme difficulty, requiring complex internal channelling and fine control. According to my estimation, unless specialised in fine control, only the Grandmasters could use this technique practically.”

Iris gasped. “To use such a technique even though you aren’t a Grandmaster yet, I envy your talent.”

“Don’t misunderstand me. I cheat with my speciality.”

Iris complimented Cilvia some more and prompted her to explain other research. Their slow pace permitted these lengthy introductions, which included preliminary knowledge and glimpses into the results of the experiments.

While absorbing the knowledge, Iris became filled with doubt. She began asking questions unrelated to the scholarly topics, skirting the mundane subjects. At first, Cilvia restrained herself from talking too much, but she eventually opened up her routine and stress as if she were talking to a close friend.

Iris halted her footstep. The junction she stopped was devoid of other researchers, leaving the three in relative privacy.

“Cilvia, you’re Ludmint’s friend, right?” Iris said.

Cilvia froze. Her tranquil air shook with her body. Though she controlled it well, her heart raced, tightening her chest. “Yes . . . I and Ludmint, we’re friends.”

“What about you, Lidoac?”

Lidoac nodded, his solemn face betraying little worry. “Our research frequently intersects. We can be considered her closest friends.”

“How long have you known each other?” Iris coyly shrunk herself. “Though I’m her pen pal, I only recently met her. I wished to learn more about her.”

“I know a lot about her!” Cilvia’s voice peaked. She blushed. “We often accompany each other. We work together, shop together, and go on vacation together. I used to sleep at her house, but recently, she’s been incredibly busy.”

“Do you know of her new relationship?”

Cilvia’s smile faded. Her excited demeanour dulled. “I heard she got a new girlfriend . . . . are you her?”

Iris beamed. She raised her right hand, where she wore her engagement ring. “Isn’t she extravagant?”

Cilvia paled, her hands faintly shaking.

Despite her panic, she forced a smile. “You must . . . treasure her. As her friend, I won’t forgive you if you hurt her feeling.”

“I treasure her feeling more than mine. She’ll forever be happy.”

“That’s good. Anyway, is there anything you wish to know?”

“She fixed this, didn’t she?”

“Why . . . would you think that?” Cilvia gulped. “Are you doubting the legitimacy of Phenomenon Committee?”

“Of course not, but it doesn’t change the fact that she fixed the result.” Iris pointed at her heart. “Even without her help, I would’ve qualified. I believe my papers are of satisfactory quality.”

“Actually—”

“Indeed,” Lidoac said, “Ludmint told us to introduce you to the facility and fill you in on the research detail. The interview is merely a front; the committee has already decided to accept you. Your contribution to the historical field is too impressive.”

“Not as impressive as your research on the multi-cast spells,” Iris said. “A spell into which multiple Mages can channel their powers, it’s revolutionary.”

Lidoac rubbed his nose and laughed. “You’re glorifying a movable spell formation, Iris.”

Iris resumed her walking speed, but she no longer headed to the imaginary interview room. Cilvia and Lidoac instead guided her around Multi-Path Complex, giving her a chance to visit all experiment and research rooms. She met multiple scholars, watched a few conducted their tests, and did some herself. Her unique perspective on spell-casting and magic theories surprised many, netting her praises which she bashfully accepted.

“And this is the last project of the Multi-Path Complex. The rest are either located in other laboratories or are still in the proposal phase,” Cilvia said.

“So this is a simplified framework of Evil Punisher Grand Formation?”

Iris arrived at a large underground storage-like room. Standing before the monumental framework, she raised her head. The spell formation, engraved into an expansive wall, glittered like the night sky. Countless energised nodes flashed, darkened, moved, flickered, split, combined, and swirled in according to complex principles no researcher could anticipate.

“It’s a prototype of the Grand Formations, a type of spell formations Ludmint developed,” Cilvia said. “She leads this project, and Evil Punisher Grand Formation is her masterpiece. Of course, she didn’t singlehandedly create it, but she designed it for the most part.”

“She never told me any of this.”

“She’s afraid of your teasing her.” Cilvia snickered. “I used to tease her about it.”

Iris shook her head. She was about to speak when her nose twitched. A bloody, disgusting scent tickled her. It reminded her of the intense glare, the nauseating tension, and the omnipresent oppression. She turned to a scholar who kept his head low while working on a small section of the formation.

He was a believer of Masolis.