For a moment, Monica Harris's mind was racing, thinking about many things. She felt lucky to have struck gold—her spur-of-the-moment interception not only ruined the Death Cultists' recruitment plan, but also brought a potential-filled follower to her own goddess.

If possible, Wayne Baker might even become a Chosen of the Gods!

In the front passenger seat, William Johnson swallowed hard and stuffed his mouth with chocolate to calm his nerves.

At the wheel, Veronica Smith wasn't doing much better. Distracted, she failed to notice the car drifting off the road, and the tires rolled over a large pothole.

With a bang, Monica Harris in the back seat was launched into the air.

Midair, the black cat still looked utterly bewildered.

So fast—could he really be a genius?

“Ah, Veronica Smith, watch the road, watch the road!”

Amid William Johnson's screams, Wayne Baker reached out to catch the falling Monica Harris, took the opportunity to pet the cat twice while it wasn't paying attention, then pretended nothing had happened and put it back in place.

It felt great—next time, maybe I'll try flicking the little bell.

Wayne Baker lowered his head, sensing the still-weak magic power, and met the gaze of the Book of Greed. He couldn't help but slowly break into a grin.

Veronica Smith apologized quietly, glanced at the rearview mirror, and saw the big liar writing in his diary, grinning foolishly at his own lap.

Ugh, I actually got fooled by someone like that!

Veronica Smith curled her lip and poured cold water on him: “Don't get too happy too soon. Magic is dangerous. From entry-level to psychological counseling, from eating meals to taking medicine, from school to the graveyard, plenty of mages go mad every year. I hope you won't be the next one.”

Wayne Baker: (一`′一)

Going mad from learning magic—what kind of logic is that?

Chapter 10: Dragon Blood

“Magic is the truth of the world. The more magic you master, the clearer your understanding of the truth becomes, but at the same time, you see more taboos and unknowns…”

“If a mage lacks strong self-control, becomes curious about mysterious unknowns and untouchable taboos, and acts on that curiosity, their mind and will can become horribly twisted…”

“Even if you can restrain your desires, you still can't avoid the risk of falling into madness.”

“In such cases, faith undoubtedly strengthens our will, keeping our minds safe from terror…”

Veronica Smith drove while warning Wayne Baker not to get carried away. His journey into magic had just begun, and there was still a lot he needed to learn.

Maybe because Wayne Baker had gained magic and become an insider, they were no longer just strangers. Veronica Smith's attitude toward Wayne Baker had become a bit friendlier.

Not much—just a bit.

The reason was that diary. The college girl had been taught a harsh lesson, and every time she thought about it, she couldn't help but grit her teeth.

……

The blue sedan cruised down the highway at an average speed of fifty kilometers per hour. In this era without navigation, being a rookie driver was undoubtedly painful.

Veronica Smith could drive, true, but she had never taken this route before. She navigated by road signs and maps, taking a few wrong turns along the way and losing quite a bit of time.

The sedan crawled along like a turtle, and the lightning-fast capture plan failed as soon as it began. Tonight, the group would have to spend the night in the small town of Cafuno.

As they neared the town, the car pulled over. The group ate to replenish their energy and adjusted their state to prepare for a possible ambush by the Death Walkers.

Wayne Baker took out the lovingly prepared potato bento from William Johnson, squatted by the roadside, and started eating noisily. He'd already eaten quite a few compressed biscuits in the car—made from cooked oats, flour, jam, and margarine—which tasted terrible and made him thirstier with every bite.

In comparison, the potatoes didn't seem so bad after all.

Veronica Smith leaned against the car, eating her sandwich in small, elegant bites. Even without a dining table, she observed every bit of table etiquette.

The stark contrast wasn't with Wayne Baker, but with William Johnson, who was devouring a huge bag of chocolate while flirting with Veronica Smith.

What's so great about sandwiches? Chocolate and a beautiful girl are the real dream combo!

Veronica Smith was fuming. It was obvious she craved chocolate, but to maintain her figure and avoid excess sugar, she had to suppress her desire for sweets.

“Veronica Smith, this stuff is way tastier than a sandwich!”

William Johnson leaned over and grinned at Veronica Smith, his teeth covered in dark chocolate, even his breath smelled sweet.

If you don't ask for trouble, you won't get it. Veronica Smith was provoked to anger. She smiled slightly at William Johnson, calmly put down her sandwich, and took out a silk scarf to wipe her mouth.

William Johnson's brow furrowed. Without another word, he turned and ran.

He didn't get far before Veronica Smith rushed over and knocked him down with a flying kick. As he groaned, she locked his ankle, making him slap the ground and beg for mercy.

William Johnson was two meters tall, broad-shouldered, muscular, built like a bear—a golden-haired powerhouse weighing over two hundred pounds. Veronica Smith, barefoot, stood at 1.7 meters, fair-skinned, beautiful, with a slim waist and long legs, weighing less than half of William Johnson.

Yet every time William Johnson tried to provoke her, Veronica Smith would subdue him with violence—a weak girl with both speed and strength at double A-rank.

“I was wrong, I was wrong, Veronica Smith, let go, my leg's about to break!”

“Hmph, will you dare next time?”

“I'll still dare next time.”

“……”

“Aaahhh—”