Chapter 142 Chapter 142 Tetia.
That noon, he rushed into the clanging workshop, opened his arms, and revealed the short wooden staff emblem on his chest.
"Look! I passed the apprentice certification! Now I'm a first-level fire magician!"
The hammering and grinding sounds stopped abruptly.
In the hall where the sound of burning fire echoed, the two turned around and looked over, with surprise on their faces but not much joy.
"How did you do that?" the mother asked. "Did you attend classes at the academy?"
"No," he trailed off, "I just read a few books—"
"Alin," his father said with a face full of age, "the path of a wizard is difficult and dangerous. We just hope you'll be safe..."
The corners of his raised mouth gradually turned down, and the last smile on his face disappeared. He just looked at his family members in distress.
"So," he said, "if I don't become a wizard, can we be together forever?"
"Of course," his mother leaned over and hugged him. "After all, you won't be killed by a forbidden spell, you won't be slain by a monster, and you won't die in a duel."
"Um!"
He hugged her tightly.
…
Many years later, he met several young magicians on the main street of Luminir. They were dressed in gorgeous clothes, and their robes were embroidered with intricate star maps. Crowds of people surrounded them like stars surrounding the moon.
He carried the polished crystal and passed by those people. The smell of iron filings and coal dust on his body made the magicians frown one after another.
But their eyes never lingered on him.
…
He stood before a dead ruin, smelling the lingering scent of fire and smoke.
The man knelt at the place where the door should have been, panting like a wild animal, and then dug through the cooled ashes with trembling hands.
The wooden handle of the forging hammer had long since disappeared, leaving only the charred hammer head, stained with molten and solidified metal, like the remains of tears.
He held the cold iron block in his arms and let out a broken and desperate wail.
…
He stood in the ruined hall, watching the statues of the magic masters shattered and the rare souvenirs in the display cases burned to ashes.
In the dark red magic circle, the two young men screamed at the top of their lungs, but were firmly restrained by some invisible force, like animals waiting to be slaughtered.
"I'll give you money, no, if you let me go, my family will give you a title..."
"The Emperor and I are relatives..."
"He threw that exploding fireball, it has nothing to do with me!"
"No, no, no, it was she who released the hurricane sickle blade, otherwise the people inside wouldn't have been cut into-"
Blazing flames burst out from the runes, burning into a gorgeous tomb in the air, burying the figures of the two people and swallowing up their screams.
——"Prequel to the Pantheon: The Sinner of the Light-Forging City"
-
Not long after the teleportation landed, Su Cheng felt that someone had noticed him.
It was not a direct sight, but a long-distance mental perception, but it only lasted for a moment.
When she was asking about the case in the square, she felt the mental power again, and as the content of the conversation changed, the other party seemed to have occasional emotional fluctuations.
This caused his mental strength to become slightly unstable.
Su Cheng guessed that this might be someone involved in the case, or a family member of the deceased - but since he had the ability, it was more likely the murderer himself.
Su Cheng: "...Sir Ailin."
The black-haired young man bowed his head slightly, "It's an honor to meet you."
He admitted it directly.
Su Cheng looked at him thoughtfully, "So everyone thought you must be wandering around the Northern Continent, but in fact you are right here."
Aelin nodded slightly. "They barely searched the city."
"That's right. After all, most people would think that if you committed a crime and ran away immediately—"
He is hiding in Zhuguang City, so he must be keeping a close eye on all developments.
For example, a person who looks like a sixth-level magician came, but actually has fighting spirit, and was teleported from somewhere unknown.
Su Cheng: "...Did you hear everything I said in the square?"
Ailin sighed softly, and a tide of sadness surged in his gloomy black eyes. The tears seeping from the depths of his pupils made him look like he was about to cry.
That beautiful and sharp face, with its cold and aggressive lines, had a somewhat pitiful look because of the overflowing fatigue and sadness.
Although he didn't cry.
But he did not hide his sadness and grief at all, and his eyes were filled with heavy pain.
“They say you’re not human so you don’t understand, but I don’t think so.”
Aelin murmured, "You are angry. Whether you don't like it or you think it's wrong, it makes you uncomfortable. In fact, I think so too."
They left the bustling commercial street side by side and gradually turned into a more secluded area.
“…I don’t think understanding means approval, nor do I think that just because everyone does it that means it’s right.”
Ailin spoke slowly, "After all, I actually understand their thinking. My parents are just ordinary craftsmen, and the neighbors around here aren't any important figures. The value a group of commoners can create is very limited. But the same cannot be said for two 'geniuses' in the eyes of some. If their reputations remain intact, and they eventually attend prestigious universities in the imperial capital, or even receive guidance from the gods, they could make a tremendous contribution to this city, something that a dozen commoners could never achieve."
He paused. "You see, that's what they think. But I don't really care if it's right or not. I just want those two dead."
Su Cheng also guessed that this was probably the case, "What if we initiate an open duel?"
"They don't accept it." Ailin shook his head. "After all, I'm an unknown person who hasn't received any so-called systematic magical education."
Su Cheng looked at him in confusion, "You could actually take the rank test to solve the problem, but you don't want to follow their rules anymore?"
"...almost." Ailin was silent for a moment. "When I found the place, I saw how the guild members, those highly respected magicians, protected those two beasts."
He didn't finish the rest of his words, but she could already imagine the scene.
"Also, the guild once borrowed a causal magic compass from Cross Star Academy, but someone accidentally destroyed it. Next year is the deadline for its return. They've decided to pin it on my parents, claiming they stole it and it blew up in that accident..."
"What?" Su Cheng was full of questions. "Is this something that an ordinary person can steal?"
"They made a very detailed plan," Ailin sneered. "Many guild members were involved. Of course, they're all dead now."
They walked forward in silence for a while, and Su Cheng asked him if he wanted to stay here.
"I don't know," he seemed a little confused. "Maybe... I'll go to the Southern Continent after a while. Are you from there?"
Su Cheng described the library in Green Pine City to him.
Ailin was quite surprised. "The albums you mentioned, depicting the images of gods, can't be found in the great library of Lightforge City. They're all in the private collections of certain academy deans—"
Although the library in Green Pine City is not open to anyone, at least any mid- to high-level wizard can enter.
"…instead of having to be friends with the owner of the library and fawn over him from time to time."
Aelin said sarcastically.
"Then you can go and take a look," Su Cheng thought for a moment, "but it's not a paradise. The people from Jingyin Society are still causing trouble. Although they say they are doing it for fun, I think they have other motives."
Ailin was even more surprised. "Are you also following the Jingyin Society?"
"Yeah," Su Cheng said casually, "I have some ideas about the World-Reflector."
Ailin, on the other hand, showed a look of understanding. "I heard that many dragons dislike the Lord of Illusions. Has He ever deceived you?"
Su Cheng paused, "Strictly speaking, what he said to me doesn't seem to be a lie."
Her thoughts went back to the fire-filled night in Gray Mountain Town, remembering the figure dancing on the drum, and those captivating purple eyes.
Su Cheng turned around and found that there was a subtle emotion on Ailin's face.
It was as if he had seen through her affair.
Su Cheng: “…”
She was about to say something, but suddenly remembered that she seemed to have slept with that guy.
Su Cheng: "...You also learn illusion, but you don't seem to admire Him very much."
Ailin nodded and then shook his head. "Illusion is just a tool for me. I don't want to be immersed in those ambiguous mottos and speculations about truth and falsehood. I only need this power to deceive others' senses at specific times. As for those empty talks about consensus and false appearances—"
He looked like he was about to utter some blasphemous words, but checked himself at the last moment.
Su Cheng looked at him, unable to suppress his curiosity, and wanted to know whether he was the author of that series of books.
Moreover, although the book was very well written, easy to understand and contained many unique insights, she still had more questions after reading it.
But if she asked for advice openly, it would be totally out of character.
So she used the excuse of discussing magic with the other party to casually bring up the contents of the book and mixed in her own questions.
Ailin's eyes lit up when he heard this. "Excuse me, this may sound a bit self-proclaimed, but some of your ideas coincide with mine—"
Then he began to talk non-stop.
Su Cheng looked at him with increasing respect.
She had initially doubted whether he was the author—because judging by the dire state of the Magic Guild, Ailin seemed more like an applied magician.
This type of mage focuses more on actual combat. Of course, a solid theoretical foundation is also necessary, but there is still a little difference between this type of mage and an academic mage.
Su Cheng felt that the author of that series of books was more like the latter type.
But after a conversation, she found that Mr. Hammerfield was a man of great talent, read a lot, and had an excellent memory.
Moreover, he was very willing to communicate with others, and it was not a one-sided output. They discussed back and forth for a long time.
Su Cheng was a little shocked as she spoke. She couldn't even remember where she had read some of the books.
"I have an unwelcome request," Ailin said suddenly. "Of course you can refuse. I would like to see your original power."
The other party answered many of her questions. Su Cheng was very grateful to him, so she agreed to his request.
The dark flames coiled between the fingers, gently licking the skin, slowly spinning and dancing around the hands.
Ailin watched the fires intently. "It's amazing. It's almost like fighting spirit."
Su Cheng blinked, "You haven't seen other ancient dragons, right?"
"Of course not."
“…Yeah, everyone is like that.”
Su Cheng said without blushing or beating his heart.
She thought about her upcoming journey and bought a compass from an alchemy shop.
The two parted near the city gate. Su Cheng continued to teleport northward and after several turns, he landed on a large island.
A fresh and cool sea breeze blows on your face, carrying the scent of rocks and wild flowers, as well as a faint fishy smell unique to the deep sea.
She stood on the top of the mountain, looking at the city below.
——In the waters east of the Silvermoon Empire, there are many autonomous city-states scattered around. They nominally belong to the empire, but they are highly independent and have some special laws.
The city stood in a crescent-shaped bay, the clear water of the shallows reflecting the blue sky, and the sea in the center of the harbor was turquoise due to the churning of ships.
The houses built against the mountain are stacked and staggered, with wide terraces opened up along the steep cliffs. The gray and white buildings are polished and warmed by the sea breeze and sunshine.
Countless lush greens are dotted between the road steps and the gaps between buildings. Lush vines climb up the walls, and tall palm trees like giant umbrellas stand by the street.
The most eye-catching thing is the vibrant port, with hundreds of long bridges made of hardwood and boulders extending into the bay like arms.
Densely packed ships are moored at the dock, with masts rising and falling like a forest, ranging from broad transport ships piled with cargo boxes to graceful speedboats with large triangular sails, as well as some luxury cruise ships with peculiar shapes and runes engraved on their hulls. There are also many small and medium-sized barges and fishing boats interspersed among them, which shuttle back and forth like busy worker bees.
A towering white lighthouse stands on the reef, with a two-story high crystal core suspended on top and wisps of flames swirling around it.
The streets of the city are crowded with people, smoke rising from everywhere, and it looks full of prosperity and vitality.
After Su Cheng was teleported in, as expected, he saw many races, various orcs and mermen, mixed with sea elves.
Looking around on the streets, humans only make up a small half of the population.
The atmosphere is open and inclusive everywhere, and the faces of passers-by are full of happiness, and it is rare to see anyone with a sad face.
Su Cheng looked up and saw an advertisement sign for a pub.
—The most delicious seafood chowder in Tetia, only thirty copper coins!
Su Cheng: “?”
The first time she heard this place name was in a poem related to the God of Contract.
"This money is fake!"
Suddenly there was a commotion behind me.
The door curtain of a snack bar was suddenly lifted, and the tall and fat mermaid owner came in with a dark face, wrinkled scales on his cheeks, and a half-grown child in his hand.
"If there's a next time," she threw the man out, "I'll break your hand!"
Su Cheng could see that this was a clever move, and the man didn't really break any bones, just some scratches at most.
"Ouch!"
Sure enough, the thin figure lay on the ground, rolled over and stood up, as if wailing, but in fact nothing happened.
The passersby around watched for two seconds and then quickly dispersed and went their separate ways.
The child looked to be in his early teens, with warm honey-brown skin and short, messy, curly black hair.
He was very handsome, with a pair of light-colored eyes that looked a little cold, but his upper and lower eyelashes were long and thick, which made his eyes more affectionate.
He seemed to quickly sense that someone was staring at him. He turned his head and looked around, and immediately found the person.
“…This lord!”
The child came over jumping and skipping, then consciously kept a polite distance, then raised his head with a well-behaved expression.
Su Cheng always felt that he looked familiar, "Hmm?"
"Good morning, sir—"
The child saluted her with a rather graceful gesture, then stood up and smiled. "I assume you're a new visitor. I'm very familiar with this city. If you need anything, whether it's sightseeing, news, or anything else, I'm happy to help you."
Su Cheng: “…”
wrong.
Although the voice was childish and the tone was respectful, she didn't know why she felt that the other person was very familiar.
Su Cheng: "Really? Thank you, this kind gentleman. What's your name?"
The child looked at her with a smile, "Oh, just call me Klaus."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
