Three days had passed since Anise and Cybil’s late-night deal.
During these three days, aside from regularly taking Xiao Mi out to bask in the sun, she spent most of her time sitting at her desk.
Two problems troubled her. First was the ancient book recording black magic; she had been trying to translate and understand it, but with little success.
Second was the necklace she held in her hand.
Anise held the necklace up against the light. The ruby’s luster sparkled brilliantly under the glow. It certainly looked like the controlling necklace Shirley had been holding.
‘Why would she give this to me?’ Anise wondered. ‘Such a useful trump card, and she just threw it away? That doesn’t seem like her style.’
Her mind raced as she considered a possibility.
‘The reason Shirley gave this to me is that she’s certain the chance of putting it around my neck has dropped to zero. I’ve always looked guarded whenever I faced this necklace. Could she have guessed that I know what it does? Taking it a step further… could she have guessed that I’m a transmigrator?’
‘This is bad…’
Anise pressed her hand to her forehead. Shirley, that mysterious girl who had strayed so far from the original plot, was becoming increasingly difficult to handle.
Time was pressing, and she had to take action.
Anise looked at the black magic book in her hand. She felt as though she were choosing a dark path just to become stronger quickly.
‘Whatever!’
Just as Anise made up her mind, a voice from outside startled her, making her quickly tuck the magic book away!
“Anise? I’m coming in.”
Shirley’s small head peeked through the crack in the door. Seeing Anise sitting in her chair holding the cat, she gave a mischievous giggle.
“What do you want now?”
Anise looked at her irritably, but she was surprised to find that she didn’t seem quite as repulsed by the girl as before.
‘Is it because the thing threatening me is gone?’
‘No. Even though she gave me the necklace, there’s no guarantee she doesn’t have other ways to control me. I have to be careful.’
“Today is Anise’s day to change her bandages. I’m here to apply your medicine.”
Shirley slipped through the door, carrying a medical kit. Her innocent, childlike smile sent a slight chill down Anise’s spine.
‘She’s definitely up to no good.’
“After last time, you won’t be as nervous, right?”
“*Meow—*”
Xiao Mi let out a loud cry at Shirley, but Shirley merely wore a “kind” expression as she silenced the cat with a single sentence.
“Miss Xia Mi, do you want to be a helpless cat rolled up in a blanket again?”
“*Whimper…*”
Xiao Mi buried her face in Anise’s ample chest and fell silent.
“Tsk, you shameless little cat…”
Shirley shot the cat a look of extreme displeasure, but she quickly masked her expression. She opened the medical kit and looked at Anise eagerly. “Alright, shall we apply the medicine?”
“I’m staying in the chair this time,” Anise bargained while protecting the cat. “Otherwise, just give me the ointment and I’ll do it myself.”
“I know, I know…”
Shirley didn’t push too hard. She complied with Anise’s request, set down the medical kit, and brought her fingers close to the injured area, gently peeling away the old bandage.
The room was quiet. Anise held the cat and tilted her head back, feeling the soft, smooth touch of Shirley’s fingers.
Unfortunately, Shirley’s actions were the complete opposite of her personality.
“*Nn…*”
The cooling sensation mixed with a slight sting caused a soft sound to escape Anise’s lips, followed by Shirley’s soft chuckle.
“Does my technique feel that good to Big Sister Anise?”
“I do not!”
As Anise retorted, her arms tightened involuntarily, making the cat in her lap let out a cry of protest.
“There.”
Shirley placed a piece of soft, white gauze over Anise’s injured eye and continued with a smile, “Anise, I actually need your help with something.”
“Another job?”
Anise looked at her blankly, but Shirley shook her head. “No. To be precise, it’s a request. I want to hire you.”
“Hire me? For what?”
Anise knew very well that Shirley’s strength was above her own. There was no need for Shirley to hire her as a bodyguard.
“I need to go to the Northern Snowy Mountains. It’s said that wild Frost Lily of the Valley can be found at the summit.”
“Frost Lily of the Valley? Isn’t there one in the greenhouse?”
“It withered completely. The environment there probably couldn’t meet its strict living conditions.”
Shirley pulled out a clinking cloth bag. “This is the reward. I can give it to you in advance.”
Anise looked at the bulging money bag, feeling quite tempted.
‘She’s offering so much.’
‘No, no. You can’t be seduced by money!’
As soon as the thought appeared, Anise quickly suppressed it.
As a witch who knew potion brewing, she naturally knew the uses of the Frost Lily of the Valley. Combined with the medicinal ingredients Shirley had commissioned her to buy before, Anise had a feeling that the day they would finally be honest with each other was drawing closer.
“It’ll be hard to get me to move for just this much.” She intentionally put on a haughty air. “You’re trying to test me with this?”
“Hmm… You want more money?” Shirley concluded after a moment of silence.
“What I want is more than just money!”
Anise decided to give her a little test of her own. “My potion brewing equipment is getting old. I want a brand-new set.”
She knew very well that a brand-new, high-quality brewing set wasn’t cheap. It certainly wasn’t something a single clinking bag of gold and silver coins could cover.
“Huh?” Shirley blinked in surprise. “In other words, you want me to pay for a very expensive set of brewing equipment, right?”
“Exactly.”
“Deal.”
Shirley agreed readily. “After the matter is resolved, I’ll get you a brand-new set of potion-refining equipment and even a professional alchemy workshop. How does that sound?”
She glanced at the dilapidated cauldron piled in the corner, her dissatisfaction with the old thing growing even more. At the same time, she marveled at how Anise could produce potions of such purity with such crude equipment; she was truly gifted.
“One last thing. I’m bringing the cat with me.”
Since Xiao Mi was attacked by the mysterious man in black, Anise had hardly left the cat’s side. However, the man in black hadn’t appeared since. Even so, Anise didn’t dare lower her guard.
But Shirley’s next response made Anise’s brow furrow.
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