novelraw Chapter 203: Laya Lu
Chapter 203: Laya Lu
"I forgot to ask for your name. I was just too thirsty for the knowledge on you, and occasionally I forget proper etiquette. You shouldn't mind, right?"
"Fisher Benavides."
"Oh, oh, no problem, Fisher. This is a good name... it always reminds me of the Dragon-kin in the Dragon Court."
Fisher and Jasmine walked down the stairs from the second floor. After answering Sir Book's words, he nodded beside Fisher while circling around.
Xi Yate and Anna looked at Fisher simultaneously, especially Anna, who was obviously too impatient to wait. Having heard Sir Book's words just now, she frowned slightly,
"We can't wait until morning to go in. If we wait any longer, Black will likely rush over!"
"There's no other way. If a [Concealment Magic] was designed here, we can only wait for the specific opening time. There are three methods to open Concealment Magic, and the other two rely on the designer to execute them. The magician who designed this magic decades ago might not even be around anymore..."
Prompted by Sir Book's reminder, Fisher, who had a stored repository of knowledge in his mind, quickly figured out Black's method of burying magic here. He most likely employed a time-based Concealment Magic.
As everyone knows, magic takes effect by prying the world's Resonance. So please consider the following two questions:
If one uses magical power to pry the world at any time during the day, will it respond?If it always responds, will the effect necessarily be the same?
The answer is, although the world will respond to prying at any time, the intensity of each Resonance varies from subtle to obvious.
The world's response will sensitively change according to factors such as time and geographical location. Some Resonances will be strengthened or weakened under specific factor conditions. For example, magic with [Moon] and [Light] as Circle Heads will be strengthened at night, and there are also magics that are strengthened during the day.
Extending the train of thought according to this theory, if we design a magic so that its trigger standard just reaches the intensity required at a specific time, and it will not manifest until that specific Resonance intensity is met, then this constitutes the most basic [Concealment Magic].
However, even this most basic Concealment Magic requires extremely profound engraving techniques because the engraver needs acute perception of the degree of Resonance.
Among all certified members of the Magic Association, only one-third can engrave such magic.
If one's magical attainments are higher, reaching a level similar to Teacher Helson's, then you can make the Concealment Magic head in a more "concealed" direction, such as requiring specific individuals or specific passwords to make the magic manifest.
This type of Concealment Magic is generally engraved within the Crevice of the World. This was also the reason why Fisher could not discover the magical power fluctuations of the engraving at the scene. But then again, if Black's treasure vault had been hidden very simply, the royal family wouldn't have failed to discover the magic here for so many years.
According to Sir Book's statement, Fisher guessed that there were two nested Concealment Magics engraved in this library.
The first was the simplest Concealment Magic. Only during the day, following a specific physical arrangement of mechanisms, could this magic be awakened. This magic would display a "password" to open the inner layer magic. Subsequently, the entrant needed to use this password to awaken the second Concealment Magic that could only be opened during the day.
This design was very ingenious. The two layers of insurance required many prerequisites; otherwise, you wouldn't even discover the existence of the Magic Crest.
Hearing Fisher's explanation of this magic, Anna, who still didn't quite understand the principles within, bit her lip but had no words to refute. Suffering the disadvantage of lacking culture, she could only sit back down indignantly, hugging her knees and thighs.
Hearing this, the Sir Book beside them lamented. He didn't know much about the contents of magic,
"You are actually a Magician who thoroughly studies magic? This is truly not bad; there are many such people among humans... I basically cannot understand magic books, so I didn't record the contents of any magic books. It seems you don't need to ask me about matters regarding magic in the future, saving me from embarrassment."
Actually, in most cases, there was nothing to ask. Fisher knew a lot, but he wasn't omnipotent after all, and he would sometimes have doubts. At those times, it was most cost-effective to ask this Relic, who had recorded a great deal of knowledge.
Fisher ignored him and glanced down at the clock hung on the wall in the library. There were roughly three hours left until sunrise. Unfortunately, it was already autumn now. If it were still summer, the sun would rise a bit earlier.
"Since there's no way to change it, let's take this time to rest and adjust our condition... Is anyone hungry?"
Anna and Xi Yate both shook their heads. Sir Book didn't need to eat. Jasmine actually wanted to eat very much, but watching eagerly as the others didn't eat, she tightly shut her mouth to indicate she wasn't hungry either.
In truth, these mere three hours wouldn't allow much rest. Everyone's emotions were tense, and they didn't dare to relax.
Jasmine sat in a nearby chair used for reading, hugged a book down to read, and occasionally looked with some worry at Fisher beside her, speaking to him about her aunt.
Jasmine was actually a very sensitive girl. Sometimes, even if she had many thoughts in her heart, she wouldn't reveal them out of consideration for others' feelings.
Even though she knew the difference in lifespans of the Whale-kin, knew that her aunt's lifespan was likely nearing its end, and knew her aunt might be held hostage by Black, she still wouldn't say it so as not to distract Fisher from focusing on the matters at hand.
In reality, she also felt very uncomfortable and worried, but these emotions would only quietly bloom when she slept at night. When she woke up, she always put on an optimistic demeanor in front of Fisher. Every time he turned his head to look at her, she always wore a smile.
Xi Yate appeared somewhat bored. Originally, she had wanted to learn from Jasmine and read a book, but she found she completely couldn't get into it and didn't even recognize more than a few words. Therefore, she had to take off her quiver behind her and bring out the arrows whose tail feathers had been wetted by water to dry.
As for Sir Book, well, after Fisher finished his self-introduction, he noticed that Fisher didn't pay him any mind at all. So he floated beside Jasmine to explain the "History of Schwari" she was reading.
He secretly swore in his heart that if Fisher didn't take the initiative to ask him questions, he would remain silent and wouldn't disclose the knowledge recorded inside his body.
Eimhart would never act like a fawning book; that was his bottom line... unless this human named Fisher begged him!
Anna sat on the floor, lowering her head without a word. Fisher acutely noticed that her calves, exposed outside her skirt, were slightly trembling—not because of the cold, but because of that uncertain sense of insecurity. It made her extremely worried that this operation would fail and she wouldn't be able to destroy the Relic imprisoning her freedom.
If you got closer, you could even hear what she was muttering in a low voice,
"Mother Goddess protect... Mother Goddess protect... Mother Goddess protect..."
Fisher glanced at her. Worried she might become so nervous she'd break down later, he thought about making her relax a bit, so he abruptly spoke and asked,
"When did you start believing in the Mother Goddess?"
Anna's prayer came to an abrupt end. Her complexion was somewhat pale. After hesitating for a second, she turned to Fisher and said,
"A few months after arriving in the West Continent, in the Pink Pavilion, my sister said a customer had given her a symbol of the Mother Goddess..."
As she spoke, she pulled a metallic circular pendant from her bosom. Engraved on it was a perfect V shape, which was the symbol of the [Holy Grail]. It symbolized female characteristics, representing the power of fertility bestowed upon humanity by the Mother Goddess.
And the carrier of the symbol could be this sun, or it could be star-shaped or half-moon-shaped, indicating the symbols around the Mother Goddess like the moon, sun, and stars.
This thing was generally an item belonging to Church personnel. In other words, the person who had patronized her sister's business back then was a member of the Church.
"An emissary of the Mother Goddess patronizing this kind of business, yet you actually ended up converting to the Mother Goddess because of it..."
Fisher looked at the pendant in her hands and commented as such.
However, Anna smiled, objecting disapprovingly. She rubbed the pendant, attempting to draw what little heat she could from this tiny pendant.
"That customer was the best customer to my sister. He wouldn't beat them, wouldn't choke their necks demanding them to say shameful words, much less suffocate them, and would even give extra tips... Thus, my sister felt he was a servant of the Mother Goddess, and it must have been the Mother Goddess looking after them."
Fisher's gaze flickered slightly, and his throat abruptly grew somewhat dry, not knowing how to evaluate it.
Was the Mother Goddess being way too benevolent, or were they being completely too tolerant? Fisher also didn't know.
"How did you come to the West Continent?"
Fisher originally intended to light a cigarette, but feeling around his inner pocket resulted in empty air. He had forgotten he'd already changed clothes, so of course there was nothing in his pockets. Thus, he had to touch his collar and change the subject.
"... I originally lived in the Lu Tribe in the southern part of the Southern Continent. The entire tribe uses the tribe's name as their surname. For us humans from the Southern Continent, your surname actually indicates which tribe you belong to. My true name isn't Anna either; that's the West Continent name Black gave me. My true name is Laya Lu, and my father was the Patriarch of the Lu Tribe."
As Fisher listened, he suddenly felt a bit of familiarity, and then he abruptly thought of Raphaela, because Raphaela's father was also the Patriarch of the Southern Branch Tribe. Her destiny was somewhat similar to Raphaela's, yet ultimately completely different.
"After the tribe was breached by people from the West Continent, all the males in the tribe were killed, and we females were sold everywhere by merchants as slaves. Ultimately, a merchant without a Southern Continent business permit bought us, wanting us to go work at his brothel in the West Continent..."
"That pauper had neither the business qualification nor the money, and actually smuggled us back to the West Continent on a dilapidated wooden ship meant for hauling fish... On the boat, we lacked water and food, and some sisters contracted a plague. Everyone hovered on the line of death. Heh, in the end, when we arrived at Naris customs, we were discovered by Naris officials. The merchant was worried about being fined and thus didn't come to claim us. The officials saw we had contracted the plague and prepared to burn our sisters to death. Right as we were being dragged toward the incinerator, Black appeared..."
"He bought us, treated our illnesses, and gave us new clothes to wear. At first I even thought this old man was sent by the heavens to save us. But later I realized he was no different from other West Continent people, or even more insane. What differed from other West Continent people was that he wasn't merely after gold and treasures... Next, I watched helplessly as my sisters were tortured to death one by one, yet I was utterly powerless."
"He didn't make me receive guests, only made me manage those compatriots who were forced to receive guests and participate in experiments. I didn't suffer that kind of torment, but every time they suffered torment, it was like carving a knife into my heart... I had no other way, I could only make myself experience the same torment as them, using my own method."
She gripped her sleeve tightly, but didn't use much force, as if terrified of pinching her arm painfully.
"When I left the Southern Continent, I once made a very naive promise satisfying a wish for my sisters, saying that one day I would take them back... I also once resented all West Continent people, but later I realized that there are good and bad people everywhere. I've been persecuted by Black, but similarly helped and inspired by people like you and Her Highness Elizabeth..."
"And now, at this moment, I am only one step away from freedom... I might just be a little bit too anxious, anxious to destroy that Relic binding me. Sorry, I have no intention of causing trouble; your considerations are correct."
Xi Yate and Jasmine didn't know when they had also stopped the movements of their hands, both turning their heads with great sympathy toward Anna, who sat in place with slightly red orbital rims.
Xi Yate had a similar experience to hers, similarly leaving her hometown and traveling a great distance to the unfamiliar West Continent, attempting to use a meager bit of strength to change the status quo.
Now Xi Yate only suddenly felt that comparing herself to Anna, she was already considerably fortunate. Though the New Party didn't pay much mind to her, she had to be thankful no one paid attention to her...
Fisher looked at Anna. Her story was so similar to Raphaela's, but the only difference was, she wasn't a world-destroyer like Raphaela. She possessed no power to ruin heavens and extinguish earth, possessed no corresponding wisdom, only a heart full of enthusiasm and the courage to put all eggs in one basket. Just like the countless slaves who died unnamed on the shipping routes between the Southern Continent and West Continent, without even leaving a tombstone behind.
Fisher had no expression, merely extending a fist toward Anna.
"Wait until after morning; we'll go destroy that Relic, and then you take the souls of your sisters back to the Southern Continent."
"... Okay."