Chapitre 19: Chapter Ten 1
The things left behind by magicians were undoubtedly quite precious. However, if someone told others that these things with magical powers were extremely dangerous, no one would doubt it either.For these mysterious legacies, most ordinary people would rather keep a respectful distance from them. After all, no matter how precious these magical items were, they weren't worth collecting at the cost of one's life.
Therefore, when Ivan asked Baron Lipper if he could give him this magic notebook, the baron readily agreed without even thinking much about it.Of course, there were other reasons for Baron Lipper's generosity.Firstly, the baron had already regarded Ivan as one of his own. That magic notebook could be considered a generous meeting gift. Originally, Baron Lipper had been worried that his family didn't have any decent gifts that could be presented. Now, this unexpected gain was of no use to him anyway, so he was happy to do this favor.
Secondly, it could also make up for Ivan's loss.When everything calmed down and everyone had time to celebrate this unforgettable moment and witnessing the miraculous magical power, Ivan then discovered that the extremely precious sapphire ring obviously still couldn't resist the powerful force that the great mage Aubrey Dee had preserved on the magic notebook.The clear and transparent sapphire was split into three pieces, and the indestructible mithril ring was also full of cracks.
Although they didn't know exactly how powerful the magic power contained in the sapphire was, people knew a lot about mithril, the metal bestowed by the gods in legends.Although very few people had actually seen this extremely precious metal, it was mentioned in numerous books.Whether in ancient myths and legends or in the most classic academic works, whenever mithril was mentioned, it was always highly praised for its hardness and flexibility.
In these legends, the magic weapons made of mithril were said to have achieved countless great feats.In all these legends, without exception, it was mentioned that mithril was the hardest metal in the world, and almost only a more powerful weapon also made of mithril could damage items made of mithril.However, that shrill and piercing whistling sound just now was able to damage the magic ring made of mithril to such an extent.
Just thinking that a few minutes ago, everyone had faced such a terrifying mysterious power made everyone shudder.This extremely precious magic ring was thus destroyed. Besides feeling sorry for it, everyone naturally thought that it was completely reasonable to give the magic notebook to Ivan as compensation.Ivan gladly accepted Baron Lipper's generosity. He didn't want to further explain the value of this magic notebook, so he made an excuse that he was too tired after performing magic and wanted to go to bed early.
This reason was convincing to everyone present. In fact, that exciting and thrilling scene just now had made most people feel exhausted. Once they calmed down, many of them felt weak all over and couldn't even stand straight.Therefore, as soon as Ivan was led back to the bedroom prepared for him by the baron's daughter, people walked into the lounge one after another and sat down on the chairs.
In the lounge, the nobles had completely lost their interest in playing cards. Those ladies, young ladies, and the curious young master who had been standing at the door and hadn't seen the whole scene were eagerly asking the nobles what had happened in the study just now.Although the lords had witnessed that shocking scene in the study, strangely enough, each person's account of the scene was somewhat different.
During the heated argument, these lords tried their best to piece together everything that had happened in the study.With admiration, surprise, longing, and yearning, those young ladies had obviously regarded the young man who was several years younger than most of them as their Prince Charming in their dreams.Ivan didn't know all this.
Lying on the bed in the bedroom, Ivan was looking at the ceiling.This whole day for him was like a dream.He had not only been extremely lucky to meet a magician but also been favored by this magician and became his disciple.Now he had found the magic notebook left by the great mage Aubrey Dee. Perhaps, by studying the rich knowledge left in this notebook, one day he could become as powerful a great mage as Aubrey Dee back then.
Just thinking about this made Ivan so excited that although he was lying on the bed, he couldn't fall asleep at all.From outside the door came bursts of noisy sounds. Those lords were arguing in the lounge.The sound insulation of the villa was not good in the first place, and besides, those guys had raised their voices because they were overly excited, so it was impossible for Ivan not to hear them even if he didn't want to.
Lying on the bed and hearing those nobles exaggerating himself into a highly skilled young magician made Ivan feel a bit embarrassed.Excitement, noise, plus the fact that his whole body was smeared with the mysterious ointment given by his teacher, Ivan didn't have any feeling of wanting to sleep at all.Just when he was staring blankly at the ceiling, not knowing what to do, suddenly, the window opened silently.
Ivan was startled. Subconsciously, he reached under the pillow, where his beloved small crossbow was hidden.This was a habit he had developed since learning from Herbert. Staying vigilant at all times and keeping weapons in a convenient place for use had already become Ivan's instincts."You're not asleep, my student," the old voice revealed the identity of the visitor.
"Teacher Lavash? Why are you here?" Ivan was about to get up from the bed when he suddenly realized that he wasn't wearing any clothes and was smeared all over with blue ointment. It really wasn't appropriate to be polite in this situation.
"Just lie down," the old mage clearly understood his student's embarrassment. "I just noticed that the accumulation of thunder elements suddenly returned to normal and was wondering if you had already removed the magic. So I came to have a look. Sure enough, the power that had been shrouding this place and preventing magicians from gathering magic power has been completely removed. That's why I was able to enter your room."
"Teacher, the great mage Aubrey Dee's notebook is in the pocket of my coat. Besides that, there's also a big gold block. But the ring you gave me has been damaged," Ivan said."Alas, Aubrey Dee's magic power is still beyond what we can handle. After so many centuries, the guarding magic power is still so powerful that it can even destroy the magic ring we made specifically to deal with it. Aubrey Dee truly deserves the title of the strongest magician in history," Lavash took out the damaged ring and shook his head with a sigh.
"However, this ring can still be used. The ring has no value to me. It has Aubrey Dee's powerful spiritual magic sealed inside. I can't even melt down the mithril to recast it. Any attempt to break the seal will cause the magic sealed inside to erupt again. Except for you, who have already resonated with this magic and won't be harmed, I'm afraid no one else around can survive.
"This ring may be very helpful to you. This ring has now become a powerful weapon that only you can use. Aubrey Dee's spiritual magic is probably beyond the suppression of anyone in the world today. If you can make good use of it, it may become a useful weapon for self-defense."
"How can I use this power?" Ivan asked. He was eager to master the miraculous magical power as soon as possible.
"It's simple. Now this ring is quite unstable. You just need to press your finger against the sapphire face of the ring to use the powerful power contained within. You once withstood the attack of this magic together with this ring, so you have become a part of the magic ring. In other words, you and this ring together form a special magic equipment, a magic equipment with self-awareness.
"But as for how to use this power, you can only try to figure out the method slowly by yourself. I can't do anything about it. However, you'd better be careful when trying. No one knows what kind of danger there will be. It probably won't cause much harm to you, but it may be fatal to the people around you," Magician Lavash explained.
"As for this gold block, actually, what's wrapped outside is exactly the talisman I gave you. The original form of that talisman was these extremely fine and dense metal wires. What's wrapped inside is presumably the golem created by Aubrey Dee. I need to study it.
"Perhaps, I can restore this golem. Aubrey Dee was an alchemist, and his skills in making golems were beyond the reach of other magicians. Perhaps, I'll have to study it for a long time before I can make some gains," the old magician muttered.
After saying these, Lavash casually flipped through the magic notebook. He became more and more absorbed in it. After a long time, he finally came to his senses and exclaimed, "Aubrey Dee's skills are truly incredible. What's recorded in here are some interesting little experiments he did. This place might originally have been Aubrey Dee's laboratory. According to his own words, these were just experiments done out of interest and not for a specific purpose. But this notebook is so profound that many of the ideas in it have never been considered by anyone in the past few centuries. I need to study it carefully."After saying these, the old magician turned around and was about to leave through the window when suddenly, as if he had remembered something, he said to Ivan.
"My student, you will take care of the research laboratory in the forest from now on. It's completely insufficient if we want to conduct a thorough and detailed study of the precious legacy left by Aubrey Dee. I have to go to another larger research laboratory where an old friend of mine is. He will be of great help to the research.
"While I'm away, you should come to the laboratory often. I will place a magic mirror in the center of the laboratory. If you need to contact me for anything, you can do it through that magic mirror. When you leave, drop by the laboratory on your way.
On the table near the door, I've left you a handwritten copy on parchment. It contains the most basic notes on magic practice and usage, as well as some simple alchemy experiments. You can use it as an introductory textbook to study.
"I know it's quite difficult to learn magic by yourself, but I don't have much time to teach you. Research may take up most of my energy. If you have any questions, you can ask me through the magic mirror.
"By the way, since I'm leaving this laboratory, I will block the path leading to the laboratory. That place will become an impenetrable maze-like forest. However, as long as you remember to silently recite your own name when you come to the fork in the road, the path will appear in front of you."
After saying these words, the old magician laboriously climbed out of the window and then magically disappeared into the night.
Ivan looked around and saw that there was no one else around. He quietly got up from the bed and walked to the window to look outside.
In the night sky, there was nothing but countless stars.
On a late autumn night, the cold wind blew in through the open window, bringing a chill. Ivan quickly closed the window and hurriedly got into the quilt, curling his body up. It was really cold outside!
While lying in bed, Ivan was thinking about what Magician Lavash had just said to him. It seemed that he would inevitably have to come to Piton County often in the future. However, how embarrassing it would be if he ran into Baron Lipper on the way.
However, it was obviously impossible to move the entire laboratory. As someone who knew nothing about magic, he didn't even know whether moving the magic mirror would cause harm.
In case it made it impossible to contact the teacher through the magic mirror, it might not be possible to restore it.
Besides, Ivan also felt a deep sense of guilt towards Baron Lipper.
In his heart, he always had this feeling that he seemed to be deceiving this respectable gentleman all the time.
For him, Baron Lipper's ball and this sumptuous banquet were just trials to prove his strength. Moreover, in this trial, he had encountered unprecedented good luck, which could be said to be bestowed by Baron Lipper.
What's more, that beautiful and charming baron's daughter had blindly placed her feelings on him. For him, this was indeed a rather heavy burden and an hard-to-compensate debt.
Just thinking about these things made Ivan feel extremely uneasy.
Perhaps, he could find some way to compensate for all of this. Maybe he could find some experimental materials in the teacher's laboratory that were just useful to him but were extremely precious jewels for ordinary people.
Didn't the teacher once tell him that magicians were a group of people even richer than kings?
With this idea in mind, Ivan's heart calmed down a little.
A night's rest was definitely the most beneficial thing for an overworked young man.
When he got up the next day, Ivan felt refreshed.
After getting dressed neatly, Ivan walked into the living room.
Although it was still early in the morning, there were already several people in the living room.
The owner of the villa, Baron Lipper, and his brother-in-law were standing under the eaves at the door.
By the window, Viscount Terbor and his son-in-law were sitting there, drinking tea while looking out of the window.
From outside the villa came cheerful shouts, which sounded like they were from Sinclair and Baron Brown.
"Master Ivan, good morning. What would you like for breakfast? Would you like the apple pie baked by the young lady and the lady herself or the freshly smoked bacon? You can also have two more eggs. The cheese is made by ourselves, and I guarantee it tastes quite good," the butler walked up to Ivan and asked attentively.
"I don't eat much. Two slices of cheese and a slice of bread will be enough for me. Thank you, Mr. Butler. You can take your time preparing it. I'm not that hungry yet," Ivan replied.
"Oh, Ivan, you're up. Did you sleep well last night? Staying outside probably isn't as comfortable as being at home," Baron Lipper walked over and said.
"Thank you, Baron. For someone like me who has traveled around with my grandfather and uncle and often lived in carriages all day long, I won't feel uncomfortable anywhere," Ivan said.
These words were what those travelers who often traveled between countries liked to say when they were in South Port. It had almost become a style or a symbol - the symbol of a traveler.
Sure enough, hearing such an answer, many people turned to look at Ivan, but there was obviously no surprised expression in their eyes, as if it was quite normal.
"Ivan, your purebred horse is truly outstanding. When it runs, you can hardly feel any bumps. It's like riding on the wind. That horse doesn't need to warm up by trotting and can suddenly accelerate to a speed that makes you breathless.
"I bet it's the fastest horse in the whole southern France. It would be a pity if you don't ride it to participate in the horse race held on the first Sunday of every month in Luxembourg. I guarantee that it can be twenty yards ahead of the second place," the fat man followed his brother-in-law and walked over and said.
"No, you'd better not believe what he said. There are always some shady deals behind those horse races. In order to make you lose, someone might put nails in your horse's hooves, or secretly cut your stirrups. If that doesn't work, they will use other horses to push you to the side of the railing.
"And there are even more despicable things. There have been incidents where jockeys hid daggers and stabbed horses and other jockeys. It's too dark and too despicable. Don't let such a good horse participate in that dirty race," the old Baron Samson sitting by the window said.
"Ah, I'm sorry. I definitely didn't mean it. It seems that I gave a bad idea. I never knew that such dark things were hidden under the civilized order of Luxembourg," the fat man quickly said.
"Luxembourg is itself a horse racecourse. It's just that neither you nor I are jockeys or horses," Viscount Terbor said in a sarcastic tone.
Just when the atmosphere in the hall became awkward, Baron Brown and Sinclair walked in from outside the door.
"What were you talking about just now?" Sinclair asked with a smile.
There were drops of sweat on the foreheads of Sinclair and Baron Brown, and steam was coming out from their collars, cheeks, and hair.
"Did you have a good time?" Baron Lipper asked. Obviously, he didn't want to continue the discussion on the previous topic.
"It was really wonderful. It's a pity that the place here is too small and there's hardly any room to gallop," Baron Brown shouted.
"Oh, Ivan, that's truly a great horse. Next time when you come to Luxembourg, you must ride it here. As long as you ride this horse for a walk around the street, everyone will recognize you," Sinclair said excitedly.
"Ivan doesn't need to rely on the horse to let everyone know him. He himself is extremely outstanding," Baron Lipper said with a smile.
While they were chatting and laughing, the butler brought breakfast. One portion was what Ivan had ordered, and the other two were obviously prepared for the two lords with sweaty foreheads. Apparently, these two couldn't wait to have breakfast and were eager to take the horse for a ride.
After having breakfast, Ivan thought it was time to say goodbye. He didn't want to wait until Baroness O'Neill got up. Similarly, he didn't want to wait until the baron's daughter finished her morning work, which would make him extremely embarrassed.
When Ivan got up to say goodbye, he clearly saw the regretful expression on Baron Lipper's face. However, when he heard Ivan say that the reason for leaving was to rush to his magician teacher as soon as possible to show the sealed magic book to the teacher, the baron didn't have any reason to persuade him to stay.
However, he still asked Ivan to promise that he would come to visit this villa again in a few days and tell him what he had discovered about the magic book. Only then did he reluctantly let Ivan leave.
Before leaving, that beautiful and charming young lady accompanied Ivan all the way to the depths of the woods.
Ivan mounted his horse and galloped away quickly. When he came to the fork at the end of the road, Ivan looked around carefully. After confirming that there was no one around, he controlled the horse and made it stand in front of a low hedge, which was originally the passage leading to the laboratory.
Ivan did as his teacher had told him and silently recited the name "Ivan Este" in his heart.
Suddenly, the low hedge automatically parted to both sides, leaving a path in the middle.
Ivan rode his horse and rushed quickly along the path. Soon, he arrived in front of the laboratory.
He dismounted and this time he didn't need to knock on the door. He opened the door and walked straight in.
The room was empty. The most conspicuous transparent passage that led to the top of the tower had disappeared.
In the position where the passage used to be, there was a mirror placed there.
It was an ordinary mirror, not much different from the one in Ivan's own room. It was a little over one person's height and four feet wide. The only difference was that strange symbols were engraved on the edge of this mirror. The symbols were not complicated and were far less intricate than those engraved on the ring and the magic notebook.
On the table closest to the door, at the place the teacher had mentioned, there were several rolls of parchment.
Ivan walked over and gently picked up these rolls of parchment.
On the first piece of parchment was written: "My dear student, in order for you to gradually master magic knowledge, I have cast a spell on the textbook I left for you. You can only see the content that you can master at present. Only when you have fully grasped the existing knowledge will the more profound content appear.
This is done to let you master the knowledge firmly step by step. There is another advantage of this spell, which is that only you can read the content on it. When you want to learn knowledge from the parchment, just silently recite your name and the words will appear. Wish you success in your studies, my student."
When Ivan finished reading this piece of parchment, it suddenly turned into a ball of flames. Before Ivan could fully react, it burned out in an instant, without even leaving a bit of ash.
Ivan stared wide-eyed at all this. It was all so sudden. There was no smoke or any burning sensation. The parchment was burned up like this, leaving no trace at all.
After a while, Ivan calmed down. He picked up the second piece of parchment and, following the method the teacher had told him, silently recited his own name in his heart.
Suddenly, an amazing scene happened. As his eyes swept over it, clear and distinguishable words slowly emerged on the originally spotless and blank parchment.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone