Chapter 384: Doctor Strange
Far away in Queens, Silas was naturally unaware of the situation between the two women.
At this moment, Silas was working with Peter to calculate the genetic decay formula, finally finding something productive to do. Peter had recently made up his mind to fully understand the formula, but only on the condition that Silas helped him. For Peter, he didn't want Silas to be so lazy; he felt his brother was far too much of a "salted fish."
Whenever they encountered symbols they didn't understand, they searched the internet. For the complex parts where the math got stuck, they called Little Black to help with the processing.
"Yawn~" After looking at the notes for a while, Silas felt his eyes growing heavy.
"What's wrong, Silas? Are you sleepy?" Peter closed his book, looking speechless. They had only been at it for an hour.
"I'm alright, it's just that we've been studying for an hour already. We have to get up for school tomorrow," Silas said, glancing at the clock. It was already 10:00 PM—time for bed.
"Don't even try it, Silas. I can hear you playing video games at three in the morning," Peter said with a look of pure disbelief. Every night, the sounds of Silas's games echoed through the wall; there was no way he was tired at ten.
"Can't help it. Sometimes sleepiness hits you like a truck, and there's no stopping it," Silas chuckled.
Peter stood up helplessly and stacked his books. "Fine, go to sleep then. I'm not continuing without you." With that, Peter slipped back to his own room to wait for tomorrow.
Watching Peter leave, Silas quickly lay down, turned off the lights, and used the Sheep Talisman for astral projection.
"Much better. I don't feel sleepy in this state." Silas looked at his transparent body and used his will to command Little Black to flip open the formula book.
Morning at School
"No way..." Silas stared at the classroom door in shock.
There stood Felicia and Misty, arms linked, chatting and laughing as they walked into the room together. Not just Silas—everyone in the room was stunned. Thanks to Ned's big mouth, the whole class knew about Silas's complicated relationship with these two. They had expected to see a continuation of yesterday's "catfight," but instead, the two had seemingly called a truce.
"Felicia, I really recommend you buy Kordia for that perfume," Misty said, turning to her.
"I want to~ but Kordia is too expensive. I can't afford that on my small budget," Felicia sighed as she sat down.
Gwen watched them from her seat, suddenly realizing why they both liked Silas. Birds of a feather really do flock together.
"I'm glad to see you're no longer trying to kill each other," Silas felt the need to interject.
"Shut up!" Misty and Felicia snapped in unison.
"Right!" Silas immediately flopped onto his desk, letting his soul wander off again.
Behind them, Wanda saw the harmonious scene and opened her mouth to speak several times, but she didn't know what to say. Suddenly, she felt a wave of envy. Yesterday they were at each other's throats, and today they were like best friends. It sounded like they had both confessed their "secret" identities to Silas, while she hadn't even confirmed a formal relationship with him yet.
Wanda, you're the Scarlet Witch. How can you be this cowardly? she scolded herself. She had kissed Silas right in front of Misty yesterday, yet today she was acting timid, not even daring to approach them.
"What's wrong, Wanda?" her deskmate asked, noticing her conflicted expression.
"Nothing, just thinking about things," Wanda replied awkwardly. Was her face that easy to read?
Outside
Silas was using his astral form to roam the school for the first time, though the school itself was quite boring. It wasn't like villains showed up to blow the place up every day; if they did, the school would have shut down long ago.
"Pity the astral form can't open shadow portals." Silas waved his hands in the air, but nothing happened. Opening a portal required his body's mana, which the soul didn't possess unless the body was within a five-meter range.
While floating outside, Silas began to ponder the future. From something Peter had mentioned previously, it seemed he had already met Doctor Strange. That meant the Ancient One had likely already passed away.
"Right! The Ancient One!"
Silas suddenly realized he hadn't visited the Sorcerer Supreme for tea in a long time. It seemed he might have missed his chance. After thinking for a while, Silas returned to his body.
"What? Done playing dead?" Misty teased, twirling a lock of her hair around her finger.
"Excuse me for a moment." Silas stood up quickly. Before the teacher arrived, he needed to make a trip to Kamar-Taj.
"What's with him?" Felicia asked. Did their attitude actually make him angry?
"No idea." Misty furrowed her brow. Silas wasn't the type to get angry over something like that.
The Restroom
After checking to make sure no one was around, Silas opened a shadow portal and stepped through to Kamar-Taj.
Kamar-Taj
"Sorcerer Supreme?" Silas arrived at the spot where he usually drank tea with the Ancient One. The seat was empty. Silas knew then that the Ancient One was truly gone; otherwise, the Sorcerer Supreme would have been waiting there with a fresh pot of tea.
The Ancient One couldn't see Silas's future, but he could sense Silas's mana fluctuations. Whenever Silas opened a portal to Kamar-Taj, the master would usually sense it and arrive to greet him.
Tap, tap, tap.
Footsteps sounded behind him. Silas turned to see Wong, the librarian of Kamar-Taj and Doctor Strange's mentor and friend.
"I felt the energy fluctuation. You must be Silas, the friend of the Ancient One?" Wong asked. Before she died, the Ancient One had left instructions: if a person suddenly appeared here, treat him well; he is a friend.
"That's right, that's me." Silas nodded. It seemed the Ancient One had predicted his visit.
"Please wait." Wong walked toward the tea table. Silas waved him off.
"No need. I just came to look around. The Sorcerer Supreme...?"
"The Ancient One has departed. Before leaving, she instructed me to host her friend, Silas, well." Wong paused as he reached for a cup.
"Is that so? Then I thank the Ancient One for the hospitality. Sorry for the trouble, Wong." Silas stopped refusing and took a seat.
"It is my duty. But, does our guest know me?" Wong was curious; he hadn't introduced himself.
"I know of you. I might not be 'all-knowing' like the Ancient One, but I'm not bad myself," Silas bragged. The Ancient One relied on wisdom; Silas relied on being a "traveler" who knew the plot.
"Truly a friend of the Sorcerer Supreme," Wong thought to himself. Like attracts like.
As Wong was brewing the tea, a portal opened nearby. A long-faced man wearing a red cloak stepped through.
"And you must be Stephen Strange, the successor to the Ancient One?" Silas turned with a smile.
"It seems our guest knows me as well." Strange smirked. As the Ancient One's friend, he wanted to see Silas for himself.
"Of course. Back on that snowy mountain peak, the Ancient One and I were both watching you," Silas chuckled.
Strange's eyes widened. Silas and the Ancient One were there the whole time? He had thought that if he didn't survive that ordeal, he would have simply died there. He wouldn't have become Doctor Strange.
"What, surprised?" Silas picked up the tea Wong had prepared and took a sip. Bitter at first, with a sweet aftertaste. Very good.
"Indeed." Strange flicked his wrist, and his cloak flew off to float freely in the air. He sat next to Silas, and Wong prepared a cup for him as well. "Is the tea of Kamar-Taj to your liking?" Strange asked.
"It's alright. Not the first time I've had it," Silas said, swirling his empty cup. Strange gave a slight wave of his hand, and the empty cup began to refill itself with tea.
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