A mage? A spell engineer!

Chapter 296 A Long-Awaited Reunion

The Marquis laughed, and Rorschach could see that his gums were also bleeding, with red blood flowing between his teeth: "You should have said so sooner. My magical advisor is waiting for you. But I won't be offering you any help, Mage Rorschach."

"My lord, it is said that the Holy Mother's Order has a rule to circumvent the Shadowlands. Isn't that the greatest threat to you? Why can't you support me and my companions in finding out their intentions?"

"I don't need your help. Who do you think you are? Just a mid-level mage. A mage once came to me and said something similar to you, and I gladly invited her to become a magic advisor, but it hasn't worked out for months."

"So, I need your help. The task is to persuade my advisor to leave here with you, as far away as possible."

"For outsiders like you, not born in Istani, as long as you leave Istani within three days of leaving the Shadowlands, the curse of the Shadow City will naturally dissipate. Don't worry about becoming wanderers. I, and this region, have been lenient enough with you!"

So, all we have to do is run away? Rorschach has obtained some good information, but the atmosphere has turned cold, and it was the chiming clock that broke the awkward silence.

"I'm sorry, this is not how I treat my guests." The Marquis pressed the small bell and ordered his servants to prepare a meal.

"Since you've come unexpectedly, we haven't prepared any banquet. Just have something to eat." The Marquis stood up.

The restaurant was dimly lit. Rorschach followed the Marquis in, while the other three were led to their seats by servants. Although the Marquis modestly said that he had not prepared anything, every dish on the table was of the highest quality in the area, far superior to the biscuits and walnut-cracking bread they had eaten the past two days.

Singhlev and Little Coal Ball wolfed down their food, accepting everything from the pre-meal bread to the carrot stew.

The waiter pushed in a food cart as tall as himself, carrying five white cloths.

"Please put this over your head." Seeing that the guest was a little confused, the Marquis personally demonstrated. He wore a white cloth over his head, and a servant handed him a small, plump roasted dish from a plate. The Marquis held the dish with his delicate fingers and then disappeared under the white cloth.

Little Coal Ball let out a scream because she recognized that the Marquis was eating the same species as her pet, and that it was a cub.

When the white cloth was removed, the Marquis casually used it to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth: "In the old courtly view, food is divided into different grades according to the height at which it grows and moves. Those that fly in the sky are the most noble, so birds are the best dishes, while tubers and turnips that grow in the ground are eaten by lowly people."

"The shadowy place is underground, and the highest food is this dish. It's crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Swallow it whole, chew it vigorously in your mouth, and you can taste the wonderful flavor of blood and oil mixed together. Of course, this process is not very elegant, so according to tradition, please enjoy it alone under the white cloth."

"I'm sorry, sir, I'm already full. Thank you for your hospitality." Freddy pushed the plate forward.

The others followed suit, and thankfully the Marquis was not angry. Under the cover of the white cloth, he happily ate four more "delicious" things.

After dinner, he set aside three guest rooms for the group and had a servant take Rorschach to find a "magical advisor".

"Doesn't she stay at the Marquis's mansion?"

The servant shook his head: "The lady used to stay here, but now she spends most of her time at the theater. Actually, we can't guarantee we'll find her. Please don't be angry if she leaves empty-handed."

They passed by a "Golden Harp Theater," which, despite its signboard, looked more like a circus than a grand building sponsored by royalty or nobility.

The Golden Harp. I feel like I've heard it somewhere before. Rorschach didn't linger and followed the Marquis's servant into a stone house next to the theater.

"Master, a marquis's guest wishes to see you." The servant shouted as he jumped up, trying to pull the door ring, but Rorschach reached out and knocked.

Luo Xia shuddered at the thought of being watched, a feeling of unease washing over him. He figured the homeowner was probably scrutinizing him.

Before the door opened, a sudden surge of worry washed over Rorschach. What if the magic advisor wasn't Professor Caroline? What if she wasn't in the Shadowlands? What should he do next? Investigate the Order's intelligence alone? Go to El Isle?

Just like checking his scores, although only two days had passed since he entered the Shadowlands, he had experienced many twists and turns. He really wanted to know the truth about Caroline and why the Knights were pursuing her.

Just as the wooden door creaked and groaned, Luo Xia's thoughts raced. When a familiar face came into view, Luo Xia finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Long time no see, Ms. Caroline."

"Rorschach? I knew it was you!"

Rorschach's neck was suddenly gripped, forcing him into Caroline's arms. He jerked away as if electrocuted. His hair tickled him, and he rubbed his nose with his right hand, like a little boy.

Caroline no longer wore her hair in a braid over her shoulders like she did at the Imperial Royal Magic Academy; instead, she wore a high ponytail, making her look much younger.

"Come in, Cole. Would you like to come in for a cup of tea?"

"I must report back to the Marquis. Thank you for your kindness, sir. Cole will take his leave now." The man bowed and turned back to the street.

"You have a house in the Shadowlands?" Rorschach found the house to be clean and bright, with a faint citrus scent, as if it were from a completely different dimension from the Shadow City.

It's a bit small, though; the corridor is barely big enough for one person to pass through.

It was decorated so well that Rorschach had a strange feeling, as if Caroline had settled down here.

"This house is infamous as a haunted house; everyone avoids it. When I was looking for a place to stay, I discovered that the so-called haunting was actually caused by a protective magic array in effect," Caroline explained, pouring Rorschach a cup of tea.

"Perhaps this place belonged to a mage decades or even centuries ago, but it has fallen into disrepair over the years. I easily broke the magic array and took up residence here. It's much more comfortable than the Marquis's mansion."

Caroline looked a little smug as she introduced herself, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

Rorschach asked him the question that concerned him most: "How did you get to the Shadowlands?"

Caroline sighed, "It's a long story. I originally came to the Kingdom of Istani just to stargaze, but I happened to stumble upon a deal."

"trade?"

Caroline's expression turned serious, mirroring the image of the teacher on the podium in Rorschach's memory. She explained, "In Storm City, one side represents the Order of the Earth Mother, and the other side represents the Twelve Knights. The so-called Knights represent the Queen of Istani and the kingdom's authorities."

At the time, Caroline was about to board the passenger ship for her return journey, but due to a lack of guidance at the port, she accidentally wandered into the cargo ship's unloading area. In the darkness, the unloading area was deserted, not even a drunkard in sight. Suddenly, several people emerged from the cargo containers on the dock, accompanied by a strong herbal scent, making Caroline realize that they were likely the Earth Mother Cult.

Smuggling? That was her first guess; after all, the cult had suffered setbacks on the mainland, so a relocation was plausible. She used magic to conceal herself and secretly observed. After a while, several tall, burly men made contact with the cult members in the darkness.

"How can you be so sure of the identities of the two parties involved in the transaction?" However, Rorschach had already come to believe Caroline, because the Iron Crown Knights were the ones responsible for tracking her down.

"The first to be discovered were, of course, the people of the Earth Mother Order. Because of their attacks on the Empire, our academy's teachers all knew the characteristics of these guys. The Knights, on the other hand, exposed themselves when they were chasing me."

(End of this chapter)