Chapter 162: Save Me

The front-facing witch's face suddenly turned to the side, revealing yet another face beneath the hood.

Judging from the nose and chin, it appeared to be the face of a young man. His features were sharp, with a prominent nose bridge—he was likely quite handsome.

The man's face spoke, "I can trade with you for academic credits and promise to give you a pair of highly functional eyes in exchange."

Having undergone several rounds of corporeal modifications, Saul wasn’t opposed to replacing body parts. But eyes—those were crucial and dangerous organs.

Whether the man was after his eyes or the cocoon, Saul had no intention of handing them over easily.

"I! Want! Them!" The witch's face didn't give up. She even began acting like a spoiled child.

Seeing that face act coy was truly disturbing.

"Quiet!" the man reprimanded, but after the witch fell silent, he sweetened the deal. "I can guarantee the eyes I give you will be absolutely useful. If you're unsatisfied with human eyes, I also have extraordinary ones—like those of the Cold Chirper or the Queen Fly."

Saul released the cart's handle and smiled politely. "Apologies, but I’m not considering an eye replacement at the moment. If I ever need one, I'll come to you."

The man lifted his hand and pulled back his hood, revealing a pair of heterochromatic eyes—one blue, one violet—staring deeply at Saul.

Just as Saul thought he was about to make a move, the man abruptly lowered his hood again.

"My name is Heywood. If you change your mind, you can find me at the First Vault. I also have better modification plans for your hands."

With that, Heywood continued walking. However, the witch's face on the back of his head suddenly started crying like an infant.

The eerie wails echoed through the silent corridor, lingering for a long time.

Saul only wiped the sweat from his temples and resumed pushing the cart after confirming Heywood had passed through the metal doors and was out of sight.

When Heywood revealed his eyes, Saul had felt a chilling sensation—like he had been completely seen through.

It was as if Heywood possessed x-ray vision, scanning every one of Saul’s secrets.

Especially when those eyes swept over his skeletal arms, Saul's magic fluctuated uncontrollably.

Luckily, the diary hadn't issued any warnings. Otherwise, Saul would have considered striking first.

"This guy is a powerful Third-Level Apprentice. Inside the Wizard Tower, he has scruples. But outside of it, he might not be so courteous."

Saul clenched his fists, the bones tightening with a cracking sound.

"I can’t be content with being a Second-Level Apprentice. Even among those at my level, there are people stronger than me—I need to keep learning!"

Saul reached the metal door, waited cautiously for a moment, then pushed it open.

The room filled with stacked boxes was now empty. The two-faced Heywood had no intention of ambushing him and had already left.

---

When Saul met Tutor Katz, the man was in his laboratory, instructing new apprentices.

The lab held four students, all around ten years old, gazing at Katz in confusion—only to receive his merciless ridicule in return.

One girl was even on the verge of tears.

"Tutor, I’ve brought all the materials you requested." As soon as Katz paused, Saul hurried forward with the cart.

"You all may leave. If you can’t even grasp this much, you’re better off quitting wizardry!"

Katz dismissed the other apprentices and didn’t bother examining the materials, pushing the cart aside indifferently.

"These things aren’t that important. How’s your new job?" Katz asked, showing rare concern.

"It’s fine. The warehouse has a lot of materials, so finding things takes time. I’m working on organizing it."

"…That’s your biggest takeaway?" Katz frowned at Saul. "And what about the corpse horde?"

The undead creatures in the Second Vault did unsettle Saul, but compared to his past experiences in the Wizard Tower, they weren’t particularly terrifying.

"They’re a bit mischievous," Saul summarized after some thought.

"Heh…" Katz chose to ignore that response. "The Second Vault is the most dangerous yet safest place in the tower. You have a knack for research—your first corporeal modification even impressed me. Keep working hard, but shift your focus toward soul studies."

"Understood. I’ll continue my efforts," Saul readily agreed.

How many times had the tutor emphasized soul research to him now?

Saul sensed a certain urgency in Katz's words.

Did his tutor really believe in his abilities that much? That his research could actually help Gorsa?

Gorsa—the Tower Master—was a peak Second-Tier Official Wizard.

Saul's eyes flickered.

Could it be that the Tower Master's condition was deteriorating?

Was that why Katz, in his desperation, was placing some of his hopes on Saul?

After a brief mention, Katz changed the topic.

He reviewed Saul’s recent studies and assigned him a reading list as supplementary material.

However, when it came to the knowledge Saul truly wanted—regarding soul separation—Katz had little advice to offer.

"All I can say is that since you haven't suffered any injuries, it likely wasn't an external force that caused your soul to separate. Pay attention to any changes in both your body and soul."

Saul pondered over this.

After bidding farewell to his tutor, he pushed the cart through the 14th-floor corridor and returned to the West Tower.

It had been days since Saul last visited his dormitory.

He hadn’t spent a single night in the 12th-floor dorm since moving in.

Inside, several opened and unopened boxes cluttered the space. The desk, cabinets, and bedroom were all in disarray.

Now Saul finally understood why Senior Byron's room had remained a mess long after moving in.

He finally had some free time today, so he opened all the boxes and stacked them against the wall.

That was enough organizing.

Afterward, Saul went to the washroom for a bath. Though he had learned the Cleanse spell, nothing beat soaking in warm water.

However, as he climbed out of the tub, surrounded by steam, he suddenly noticed something strange in the mirror.

"What… is that?"

Holding a damp towel, Saul warily approached.

The mirror was fogged up, revealing only a vague silhouette drawing closer.

Saul raised his hand and waved.

The figure in the mirror mirrored his actions perfectly.

The timing was identical—perhaps he was just imagining things.

But Saul never trusted his own illusions.

He lifted his towel and wiped the mirror, clearing a streak through the condensation.

Beneath the damp streaks, he could finally see the face in the mirror.

It was a woman's face.

Saul had seen this face before.

Before Vinnie left, this was the face that had briefly flashed beneath the shadows.

"Winnie?" Saul called out cautiously.

The image of Vinnie in the mirror remained expressionless. But as Saul watched, the corners of her mouth twitched—then her entire face began convulsing.

She opened her mouth and moved her lips repeatedly as if trying to speak, but the mirror held her back.

Saul stepped forward. "Vinnie, what are you trying to say?"

He kept an eye on the diary, but it didn’t signal any danger.

"A dormitory is usually safe, so this might be Vinnie trying to send me a message," Saul reasoned. "Should I listen… or not?"

His tutor always emphasized the terror of the unknown, but sometimes, knowledge was just as dangerous.

Saul placed his hand on the mirror. "If you want to tell me something—"

Suddenly, Vinnie’s face enlarged abruptly, transforming into a grotesque visage as if it had been corroded by acid.

The condensation obscured most of the horrifying image, revealing only the pitted under-eyelid and part of the nose bridge.

A single droplet of water rolled down from her eye. Saul instinctively caught it as his fingertip touched the mirror.

"Save me… save me… save me…"

Saul jerked his hand back.

That voice—he knew it.

It was the same voice as the puppet doll that tested his mental strength!

Had the voice crying for help inside the doll always been Vinnie?

Or… Lady Yura?

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