Chapter 3: A Mysterious Origin
Seeing the Great Sage fall into a daze for a moment, as if recalling some unforgettable past events, Komer felt a mixture of sorrow and a lingering sadness that stirred an unprecedented complexity in her heart. She silently pondered this emotion resonating within her chest. She wasn’t sure if it was the envy mentioned in legends, but she was certain the fleeting memory in the Great Sage’s eyes pertained to a woman—one who must have left a deep impression on him. At that moment, she was driven to know what kind of woman could make the Great Sage so lonely and melancholic. In her mind, it was unimaginable that the mighty Great Sage would be distracted by something as trivial as a woman.
Komer’s daze lasted only a brief instant, but even that was enough for her to realize that her mood had changed significantly compared to before. Could it all be because of this girl before her? Komer dared not think further.
The girl also noticed that the Great Sage had returned to his usual calm and composed state. Though she was eager to explore further, her wisdom told her it was not the right time. Perhaps continuing the previous topic was the most sensible approach.
“Great Sage, Lomei really wants to know where the ruins of that lost civilization are.”
“Oh, there’s no definite answer. The most likely location is deep within the Continent of Mist. It is said that for centuries, brave adventurers have ventured there, bringing back artifacts from that lost civilization. Many crafts in the southern part of our Continent of Blue also imitate the remnants left by that civilization, which might be evidence of its existence. Additionally, there are legends about such ruins in the Volt Mountains and the Baden Gold Mountains of the Cordillera Wasteland. The legends of the Volt Mountains come from dwarves, while those of the Baden Gold Mountains are passed down among barbarians.” Komer could sense her interest in this lost civilization. Unfortunately, he knew little about it himself. His teacher had given him the Cosmic Bag without providing many details, and he couldn’t just go around asking about its origin. All he knew was that it had a deep connection to that lost civilization.
“The Vot Mountains? Are you referring to the Vot Mountains in our Caucasus?” she asked, somewhat surprised. If it were in the Caucasus, she really might have a chance to explore and uncover ancient secrets—her face was filled with anticipation.
“It’s indeed the Vot Mountains in our Caucasus. But this is just a rumor among the dwarves. I personally think there might be some ruins there, but it’s unlikely to be related to a lost civilization. At most, it might have something to do with the declining tribes mentioned in dwarven legends.” Komer didn’t really believe such rumors. The Vot Mountains weren’t some unfathomable, dangerous realm. If nothing had been discovered there over the years, especially with so many half-orcs using those mountains to infiltrate the Caucasus recently, there shouldn’t be any discoveries either.
“Oh, even just one adventure would be fine. It would also give Lomei some practical experience. Great Sage, Lomei would like to take some time to visit the Vot Mountains and see their scenery. Lomei feels as though she’s very familiar with this world, yet upon closer thought, she can’t remember anything. That feeling is really bad. I want to change that.”
The girl’s earnest request made it nearly impossible for Komer, who already felt guilty, to refuse her. But then Komer remembered he was planning to go to the Great Swamplands anyway. It would be a good opportunity to show her more of the world. Compared to the Vot Mountains, the Java Swamps might be more refreshing. However, safety concerns added a bit more pressure on Komer. But then he thought he hadn’t intended to clash with the jellyfish people in the first place. As Rebrí said, if a real confrontation occurred in the swamps, there would be little chance of escaping, so having one more person or less wouldn’t make much difference.
It was Komer’s first time visiting her laboratory. Ever since this group entered Damorlensk Fortress, they had almost immediately treated themselves as its masters. The dark energy emanating from beneath the fortress was conducive to the cultivation of dark magic and cold powers. Without exception, they chose the first floor on the west side as their bedrooms and laboratories. Such an environment allowed for better results in both daily training of their magic power and physical strength as well as in conducting magical experiments.
Rebri’s laboratory was right next to his own bedroom, while the room next to it appeared empty, with nothing seems to be there except for a flickering candle on an old bronze chandelier in the ceiling. The slightly damp stone slabs quickly dried under the purification effect of air magic, and even the insects in the cracks between the slabs were swept away by the sudden flame magic. Komer could clearly sense the lingering effects of elemental fire dissipating in that empty room; it seemed the magician had just performed some kind of fire-related magic there.
The actual laboratory was next to the empty room. Even at the moment the door was closed, Komer noticed a floating lantern in the laboratory—a device used in light magic. Although its principle was said to be very simple, it required some precious magical metals and materials, demanded a high purity of light magic, and involved a highly intricate manufacturing process. It was generally used in sacrificial sites. Many magicians from the Light Church secretly crafted such high-end items to sell to other sects for money, but this only happened on the black market. After all, if the people in the Tribunal found out about selling such things to other sects, they would likely be sentenced to the stake.
Komer’s curiosity about this disheveled magician grew just as much as Lomei’s curiosity about him. There was too much hidden about this guy. Although Mihajic was quite powerful, Komer could still discern the patterns of his strength. Even though those two Dark Knights were formidable, Komer could still grasp most of their secrets. Yet, it was this disheveled magician, the first person he had encountered, who remained a mystery to Komer. He even suspected that the appearance this man showed him now had been altered through some special means, because Komer had the feeling that this guy must have extremely deep ties to the Light Church—a conclusion he had reached through careful observation and interaction over time.
Although this guy hid well and his magical abilities were extremely diverse, even his nature of magic was somewhat similar to his own, allowing him to transform and conceal it, his form of transformation was fundamentally different from his own duality. It was only temporary or partial transformation, unlike his own magic, which originated from a special source and appeared out of thin air. Just based on this, Komer could sense the light power underlying the dark magic he displayed.
However, Komer wasn’t worried that the other party might be a spy sent by the Light Church. For a magician of Rebrí’s caliber, having him act as a spy to spy on himself or the Caucasus would be an insult too great. With his strength, he could easily destroy Komer countless times over and obtain whatever he wanted without needing any extra tactics. The only explanation seemed to be that this guy might have originated from the Light Church but left it for some reason, possibly even becoming an enemy of the church. Yet his attitude toward the Light Church left Komer puzzled—his attitude toward Lomi, for example, wasn’t that of a true enemy seeking to kill him, nor that of someone harboring old feelings showing kindness; instead, he adopted a passive stance, letting things take their course, which really confused Komer.
This guy’s extraordinary abilities weren’t limited to magic; his insights into current affairs were also exceptionally accurate and profound, especially regarding the complex relationships between the Kingdom of Nicosia and Homer, between the kingdom and the church, and between the factions of the Northern Alliance. He could always summarize these relationships in a few incisive words, which made Komer suspect that he might have once held an important role in some country or faction on the continent. But how could such a character with a mysterious background end up as a wandering magician? Komer couldn’t figure out why such a mysterious figure would appear here in such a role.
“Lord, it seems you’re quite interested in my laboratory. How about that ever-burning lamp? I have even better items. Interested in investing? If you can provide enough magical materials, I think I can create masterpieces that will make your Caucasus a renowned market for magical crafts across the continent.” Shrugging as if unaware of Komer’s purpose in visiting, Rebrí remained disheveled. From any angle, he didn’t seem like a notable figure, which only made Komer more suspicious of his identity.
He didn’t expect that with just a brief glance from him, the other party would unhesitantly light up that ever-burning lamp that could inspire many thoughts. This surprised Komer—did this guy not know what kind of magic was needed to sustain such a lamp? Was he indifferent to the fact that Komer was aware of it, or did he think Komer wouldn’t have the knowledge in this area? Komer assumed it wasn’t either of those; it seemed the other party intended to lead him astray.