Chapter 284: Doren

Pruis and his team worked quickly. Though their search was thorough, it didn’t take long.

In less than twenty minutes, they had searched every corner of the estate.

Even Wendy’s private room wasn’t spared, with Pruis sending a female subordinate to conduct the search.

“Ms. Wendy, the rest of the estate seems safe for now. You can relax,” Pruis said after hearing his subordinates’ reports.

“Thank you, and thank you all for your hard work,” Wendy replied with a smile.

She then turned to Lorna and instructed, “Lorna, give the gentlemen a little something for their trouble.”

Lorna quickly took out her magic stone and transferred 300 magic stones to each of them.

Pruis didn’t stop her, as this had become a common practice, a small bonus for his subordinates.

“Helag, would you like to join us in apprehending Doren? You could participate in the mission,” Pruis suggested.

As a formal member of Seranthiel, Helag was qualified to take part in such missions.

It wasn’t uncommon for members to temporarily join missions, especially since Seranthiel’s members were spread across various regions.

In cases of sudden incidents, it wasn’t always possible to bring in people from other places in time, so they often recruited nearby members to assist.

Doren was just an ordinary businessman, and according to the information they had, he was only a third-class wizard apprentice.

With Pruis and his team’s strength, capturing him would be a breeze, and they didn’t really need Helag’s help.

Pruis’s offer was more of a gesture, giving Helag a chance to earn some contribution points by tagging along.

It wasn’t that Pruis was particularly fond of Helag; this kind of thing was just common within Seranthiel.

No one ever complained about having too few contribution points, and if there was an opportunity to earn some, no one would pass it up. It was a small favor that cost nothing.

Helag smiled. “Of course, I’d be happy to. I haven’t officially participated in a mission yet.”

“Great, let’s head out and see what secrets Doren might be hiding,” Pruis said with a bright smile as he led the way.

Pruis wasn’t in a rush to apprehend Doren. Since Doren was still in Silvermoon City, Pruis had already arranged for someone to keep an eye on him the moment they got the information.

Even if Doren sprouted wings, he wouldn’t be able to escape Silvermoon City. Everything was under Pruis’s control.

As Helag was about to leave, Wendy stood up and called out to him. “Mr. Helag, thank you for saving my life. I haven’t figured out how to repay you for such a great favor yet, but let’s at least add each other as friends on the magic stone.”

Up until now, Helag had only added Lorna, the housekeeper, as a contact, not Wendy herself.

Wendy, being a wealthy and influential woman, didn’t just add anyone as a friend.

Helag didn’t refuse. After all, Wendy was a rich woman, and there might be some benefits to staying connected. They exchanged contact information through their magic stones.

Outside 75 Hawthorn Street, two carriages were waiting. Pruis had brought five subordinates with him, showing how seriously he took the incident.

Both carriages bore the insignia of the Seranthiel organization, marking their prestigious status.

Helag rode in the same carriage as Pruis as they set off to find Doren.

***

The Avira Restaurant was the most famous restaurant in Silvermoon City, known for its dishes made from the highest-quality ingredients.

Even the chefs were first-level wizards, approaching cooking with the same seriousness they applied to potion-making.

The food here was exquisite, an absolute delight to the senses.

But dining at Avira was more than just about the food—it was a symbol of status and wealth.

Meals were paid for with magic stones, with one magic stone equivalent to 100 to 200 gold coins.

It wasn’t just commoners who couldn’t afford to eat here; even many wizards couldn’t justify the expense.

Spending hundreds of magic stones on a meal was nothing out of the ordinary, but most wizards would rather use their magic stones to buy resources than splurge on food.

Only those with considerable wealth and status could afford to dine here.

Just walking into Avira was enough to attract the attention of passersby, satisfying the vanity of many.

At that moment, Doren was sitting at a table near the window, across from a well-dressed woman named Layla.

Layla came from a wizard family, though it was a small one. Doren hoped that by building a connection with her, he could further expand his business.

However, Layla was proving difficult to win over, partly due to her concerns about Doren’s limited strength as a third-class wizard apprentice.

Doren couldn’t do much about that—his cultivation talent had always been his weak point.

But he was a shrewd businessman, skilled at turning his weaknesses into strengths.

His advantage was his wealth, so he had invited Layla to dine at Avira, and she had accepted.

After all, not just anyone could afford to eat here, and even though Layla came from a wizard family, she rarely had the chance to dine at such an expensive place.

“How’s the food, Miss Layla? Does it suit your taste? I come here often, but I feel like today’s quality isn’t quite up to par. I hope you like it,” Doren said casually.

Layla swirled the wine in her glass, her opinion of Doren improving slightly.

Her family’s wizard clan was still too small, and marrying a wealthy businessman like Doren could be a beneficial move.

It would be a mutually advantageous union.

However, Layla wanted to observe him a bit more before making any decisions. “It’s not bad,” she replied.

As Doren chatted with Layla, his mind was occupied with other thoughts.

To most people, Doren appeared to be a successful businessman.

But only Doren knew the truth—he was actually an Abyssal cultist, though not a particularly devout one.

Doren didn’t worship the dark god he communicated with. In his eyes, even a dark god was just a tool to be used.

As long as he acted pious enough, the fool of a dark god from the Abyss Plane would grant him some treasures to help him with his business.

Doren was well aware that any dealings with the Abyss Plane were strictly forbidden in the Land of Dawn, punishable by death if discovered.

But Doren didn’t care. He didn’t believe he would ever be exposed.

As for the larger conflict between the Wizard Plane and the Abyss Plane, he wasn’t concerned. He didn’t think it had anything to do with him.

If the sky fell, there would always be someone taller to hold it up.

Doren only cared about himself and how much more money he could make.

Ever since meeting Mrs. Wendy, Doren hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her.

Beyond her beauty, what intrigued him even more was her control over the White Mountain Black Water jewelry business. He desperately wanted to take it for himself.

He had tried many tactics, but none had managed to win her over.