Smale looked at the mysterious mage shrouded in black robes, at how the shadow cast by his hood covered his entire lower face. He immediately felt an indescribable coldness and sinister air about the man—a deep, terrifying abyss that seemed endless, putting immense pressure on him. Had he not known this was a necessary disguise under the Church's control, Smale might have assumed the other was one of those ancient mages who specialized in forbidden dark magic.
After putting on the "Ice Avenger," Lucian found that a steady stream of coldness flooded his body, making his soul clear and cool like ice, his will as heavy and immovable as a mountain. Ordinary apprentice-level spells that targeted the soul, will, or spirit and mind would have no effect whatsoever. Moreover, this will could be partially unleashed, imitating a formal knight's aura burst, to slightly intimidate others.
Lucian walked slowly into the room, casually closing the door behind him. Then, as if he were returning to his own home, he sat down on a stool amidst Smale's wary gaze, seemingly paying him no mind at all. After settling in, Lucian finally replied in a deliberately distorted voice:
"I happened to meet the Witch a few weeks ago, and through her, learned that a mage from the Continental Magic Parliament headquarters was in Altor. I was very excited about this and arranged a meeting with that mage. You should understand how painful it is to live in hiding, constantly fearing discovery by the Church. I desperately wanted to go somewhere where mages could study magic freely. Unfortunately, before the agreed time arrived, the Witch was burned by the Church. Worried that the Church might be secretly watching her ruins, I only observed from the shadows, planning to wait a while before inquiring about that young man named Lucian. That's when I encountered your owl, Doro."
As for Smale's question about whether he was a formal mage, Lucian neither confirmed nor denied it, as if he had never heard it.
It seemed that for such secret gatherings of magic apprentices, the Witch considered it perfectly normal. And since she hadn't obtained the information or materials she sought, she hadn't recorded anything in her Magic Notes, which were primarily for documenting her own insights into studying magic.
Hearing Lucian's explanation, Smale let out a long sigh of relief. The identical experiences, identical feelings, and identical status as mages all drew the two closer. The magic apprentices and mages in Altor were like struggling, insignificant figures fighting for survival in a desperate situation. Upon finding a kindred spirit, the first instinct was always to unite. Besides, if a formal mage truly intended to kill him or rob him of his possessions, he would have simply done so just now—how could he possibly defend against true magic?
Smale chose his words carefully and spoke hurriedly: "Mr. Mage, as you can see, I've known the Witch for several months and invited her to attend some of the secret gatherings we magic apprentices hold here in Altor. Nearly a month ago, she suddenly told us she had met an eccentric formal mage and wanted to get closer. If he could be trusted, she would introduce him to our group. Before long, she very happily informed us that he was indeed a formal mage from the Continental Magic Parliament headquarters, a place where one could study magic openly and freely."
"We apprentices were all thrilled by this news and had the Witch invite him to our gathering. Mr. Mage, we also despise this life of hiding and constantly fearing discovery by the Church. We wanted to use this mage to get to the Parliament headquarters. However, he was delayed by some matters and missed the first gathering, only entrusting the Witch to deliver a copy of the *Arcane* journal—an issue from twenty-five years ago. After reading that journal, we all believed the Continental Magic Parliament truly existed, because its contents were beyond our imagination, and much of it we couldn't even understand."
"But before our second agreed-upon gathering could take place, news arrived that the Witch had been burned. Since I was the only one who knew her personally, and after confirming the Church didn't suspect me, I hastily moved from the Purple Lily District to the Copper Crown Tavern. This made it easier to keep a close watch and search for any messages the Witch might have left, as well as the whereabouts of that formal mage. Similarly, worried about Church surveillance, I waited all these days before taking action."
Lucian observed Smale's expressions. The excitement, shock, surprise, disappointment, and regret flashing through his eyes during his recollection all seemed genuine, and his account was logically consistent. Lucian was reasonably sure of its truthfulness, though he felt a slight disappointment—he had hoped to learn something about the Continental Magic Parliament.
Calming his thoughts, Lucian spoke slowly: "What a pity. Perhaps the Witch was caught by the Church during her meeting with that mage. An apprentice mage wouldn't attract the Church's attention and importance nearly as much as a formal mage from the Parliament headquarters."
Smale nodded: "I thought so too. What a pity." His disappointment was hard to conceal.
Meanwhile, the owl Doro chirped noisily: "This is truly a tragedy!"
"By the way, where is that *Arcane* journal you mentioned? Could I see it?" Lucian asked about another important matter.
Smale smiled ruefully: "Mr. Mage, I must disappoint you. We take turns keeping that journal, and it's not with me at the moment. Heh, many of the articles inside... I recognize every single word, but when they're strung together, I don't understand what they mean. Perhaps only a formal mage like yourself could comprehend it. If you wouldn't mind, why not attend our secret gathering? That way, you could see it then."
Seeing that this formal mage, despite his formidable strength, had made no hostile moves after Smale had shared his story, Smale felt he could be trusted—not a malicious mage with cruel intentions or ulterior motives. He boldly invited Lucian to their secret gathering, hoping that if he could seek guidance from this mage, some of his own magical difficulties might be perfectly resolved, allowing his strength to grow.
Lucian considered carefully. With the "Ice Avenger" ring on his person, he had a degree of self-preservation capability. Moreover, interacting with other mages and apprentices would be greatly beneficial for his own magical studies. Plus, under the Church's control, there was a natural kinship between apprentices and mages. He concluded it was worth the risk to investigate. He asked: "What exactly happens at your secret gathering?"
Hearing the mysterious mage's tone soften, Smale perked up immediately and explained hastily: "Because Altor was once the final core of the ancient Sylvanas Magic Empire, many mages lived in seclusion here, secretly teaching apprentices and maintaining their magical lineages. Because of this reputation, apprentices from across the Vorlite Principality who occasionally stumbled upon magical knowledge also frequently come here, seeking rare magical materials, guidance, and so on."
"However, under the Church's control, it's very difficult for mages and apprentices to initially meet one another. Later, they gradually encountered each other by chance while purchasing materials or adventuring near ruins, establishing secret methods of contact. Thus, in Altor, various accidental relationships gave rise to different magical circles. Each circle often held secret gatherings to exchange magical materials, discuss magical problems, and the like."
"Our magic apprentice circle was formed seven or eight years ago when a few apprentices happened to meet deep in the Melzer Black Forest while on an adventure. We hold a secret gathering every two weeks. Afterwards, those original apprentices gradually introduced other trustworthy apprentices they met into the group. The more people there are, the easier it is to find the materials, spells, magic circles, magical potions, and other things one needs, and we can discuss magical problems more effectively. Hmm, at the gatherings, everyone dresses like you do, Mr. Mage. Except for those who are introduced, no one knows the others' identities or whether they belong to other magical circles."
"If you, Mr. Mage, could join our circle, I believe that with your strength, you could easily become its core. I would be willing to introduce and vouch for you."
Having encountered apprentice-level magical artifacts at such secret gatherings before—and even formal magical artifacts obtained by others when they discovered knowledge—Smale had, after his initial panic and excitement, begun to harbor some doubts about the true strength of the black-robed mage opposite him.
However, the fact that the other had easily and calmly tracked Doro and found him without making a sound still led Smale to decide to treat him as a formal mage. He could assess his true level through magical questions at the gathering later.
Knowledge was always the best standard for judging a mage's strength!
The need for magical materials, potions, and that *Arcane* journal solidified Lucian's determination to attend this secret magic apprentice gathering. "When and where do you hold these gatherings? My magical laboratory was recently damaged, and I need a complete set of laboratory apparatus. If it can be prepared in advance, I would be very happy to attend."
Smale smiled: "This Saturday evening, we're having a gathering. The exact location in the sewers hasn't been decided yet. Could you please leave me a way to contact you? Once it's confirmed on Friday evening, I can reach out to you directly." He tried to make his smile appear friendly and sincere, but his hawkish nose and gloomy temperament somewhat spoiled the effect.
"Don't go to the sewers. Something major happened there recently, and the Church is monitoring it closely," Lucian warned in a hoarse voice. "Don't ask what it was, and don't ask how I know. Once you've settled on the location and time, mark it with a simple symbol at the corner of the eighth house opposite the Witch's ruins. I'll see it."
That was right next door to Aunt Elisa's house. When Lucian went to eat there, he could see it directly without risking discovery by making a deliberate trip.
"What? The sewers are under strict Church surveillance?!" Smale was greatly alarmed, followed by a wave of lingering fear. If he hadn't encountered this mysterious mage, he and his companions would have been in grave danger. Consequently, he felt a bit more trust toward Lucian and his wariness diminished. "Alright, Mr. Mage, let's agree on what each symbol means. Also, what should we call you? A code name will do."
After agreeing on the symbol meanings and asking for Smale's name and code name, Lucian stood up and brushed off his black robe: "You can call me 'Professor'. Oh, and my recent necromancy experiment requires Black Corpse Mushroom and Wraith Dust. You could prepare those in advance as well."
"'Professor'? What does that mean?" Smale watched Lucian slowly walk to the door, pull it open, step out, and gently close it behind him, all with the casual air of someone simply visiting a friend. "'Teach' and 'instruct'—just two words combined simply? Is it a newly coined term? It's completely impossible to judge his usual identity from this title."