Tars was still wondering who had come to visit him. His first thought was the booze-loving old gentleman who had sold him Miser's Touch, but Daisy's assessment of the visitor as a middle-aged man created a discrepancy in age; the old man's decrepitude had been quite apparent the last time they met.

  Tars picked up a pale yellow fruit sent by Daisy and handed it to Aiskin.

  "I remember you like these. Try to take big bites and finish it quickly," he said, having already completed the empowerment of the Miser's Touch spell model.

  Aiskin was curious about his request but didn't ask questions. She began to eat happily. Being able to eat her fill at every meal had always been one of her dreams; she had been very happy lately, seeing many new things and never going hungry. Her grasp of the Cavern Common Tongue was also becoming increasingly fluent, which added to her joy.

  Tars watched as Aiskin ate three fruits in a row. By the second fruit, he had cast Miser's Touch. Aiskin, who usually finished a fruit in two or three bites without even spitting out the pits, suddenly began taking tiny, delicate nibbles as if she were loath to let the fruit go. Tars pressed two more fruits into the kobold girl's hands. She took them happily but remained reluctant to swallow the half-eaten yellow fruit in her hand. Most importantly, she seemed completely unaware of her own behavior.

  "Aiskin, why don't you just finish that piece in one bite?" he asked.

  "I..." Aiskin froze, looking at the small morsel in her hand. After a moment's hesitation, she tossed it into her mouth.

  Under Tars's expectant gaze, she picked up a fresh fruit and began gnawing at it with tiny bites again, as if one fruit could last until the end of time. However, she soon reacted, as if Tars's eager and somewhat mischievous grin was bothering her. She frowned at the fruit, then tossed the remaining large portion into her mouth.

  The strange effect lasted until she had eaten about a dozen fruits, after which the peculiar change faded and eventually vanished. Tars then called over Big Dumb Hum to conduct experiments involving walking, punching, and other physical movements. Both Dragon-blood kobolds happily cooperated with his various trials.

  Bit by bit, they explored the effects and boundaries of Miser's Touch. It wasn't a comprehensive study, of course, as everything would vary depending on the enemy and the scenario. However, the general effect was now clear, and a sharp outline of how to use the spell had formed in his mind.

  First, it primarily influenced the target's focus. For example, if Big Dumb Hum was doing several things at once, only the task he was most focused on would be affected; his other actions remained largely normal. Avarice is born in the heart and applied to the heart. Because the influence of Miser's Touch arises from the target's own intent, its applications were quite broad. If Big Dumb Hum tried to punch the ground with all his might while under the spell, he would instinctively hold back some of his strength.

  The duration of the spell was also inconsistent; it wore off at different times for Aiskin and Big Dumb Hum. He also discovered that if the subject noticed their own abnormal behavior, the spell would fail faster with each subsequent realization.

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  Tars had a grand time with these interesting trials. The two kobolds had no idea what was actually happening, but seeing him happy made them grin along foolishly.

  The maid, Daisy, did not escape the fate of being a test subject either. It turned out that in Tars's presence, she was most focused on her own speech and conduct. One cast of Miser's Touch turned her incredibly laconic; she would deliberate over every question before answering in the shortest, most precise way possible. Sometimes, she overthought it so much that it turned into a communication barrier, leaving her red-faced with frustration.

  At the very least, this is a top-tier spell for pranks, Tars thought.

  Two more days flashed by, and Young Master Rodrigo still had not returned. Tars's original plan—to have Myrtle arrange daily fights for the kobolds after their initial Arena debut—seemed unfeasible for the time being.

  He meticulously finished his morning meditation and went out to the front of the cottage for his daily sunbathing. The increasing number of runes in his Mana-Scar Meditation was directly reflected in his slowing progress.

  "Lord Tars, someone has come to the manor to visit you," Daisy said, looking at him with a hint of trepidation. After her abnormal behavior the other day, anyone with a brain could guess that this seemingly easygoing caster had been playing tricks on her.

  "Oh? The same person as before?" Tars remained slumped in his lawn chair without lifting his head, enjoying the warmth of the light.

  "Yes," Daisy confirmed.

  "Visiting someone without giving a name... what a rude fellow," Tars grumbled. "Ask him his name. If he won't say, tell him to get lost."

  Daisy nodded and turned to leave. Tars continued to soak up the sun, lazily glancing at the plate beside him. He picked out two fruits he hadn't tried before and began to savor them slowly, reflecting on how this didn't feel like life in a cavern at all.

  "You certainly know how to enjoy yourself, Wizard Tars!"

  A somewhat familiar voice rang out in front of the cottage. Tars raised an eyebrow slightly to see an aged figure walking slowly toward him. As the man spoke, a gust of alcohol-laden breath hit him. At that moment, Daisy returned to report.

  "Lord Tars, the man left on his own," she said.

  From Daisy's demeanor, she seemed entirely oblivious to the drunken old man standing right there.

  "You may go and rest," Tars said with a smile. He watched Daisy's retreating figure and then looked back at the alcohol-soaked elder.

  "Just a little trick," the old man said, stretching out as he lay down on an empty lawn chair nearby. "That other visitor is one of the Baron's men. He's only looking for you for a few specific reasons. Since you haven't left the manor, he was forced to visit. As for not giving a name, that narrows down the possibilities further. There must be a major situation within the Starry Family. He's here to either win you over or coerce you, depending on your strength. Hehehe."

  "Sir, are you here to return my mana stones?" Tars asked.

  The conversation stalled for a moment.

  "Was that man visiting me on behalf of the Old Baron?" Tars prompted.

  "Of course not, you foolish young man. Don't always think about mana stones; use your head," the old man let out a drunken burp, though his expression showed no signs of intoxication. "A man by the Baron's side doesn't necessarily have to follow the Baron forever. And 'The Baron' doesn't necessarily have to be that same person forever."

  Tars had a realization. It seemed the Old Baron truly was in trouble, and the visitor was definitely not on Rodrigo's side. His own unintentional actions—staying secluded—had likely helped Rodrigo by making outsiders unsure of his depth, thus deterring them from making a move. Furthermore, his repeated rejection of the visitor likely signaled a firm stance and loyalty to outsiders.

  Perhaps his performance at the Arena had also spread through the city and played a part. Tars suddenly realized he should demand that Rodrigo get him that passage ticket post-haste; the boy was getting an incredible bargain. He had originally planned to compensate Rodrigo with some mana stones, but now it seemed he could save them. Though, strictly speaking, he hadn't done much besides sunbathing and eating fruit.