Chapter 14 Wild Mage

Shadow Realm.

Gawain didn't know how the human nations today understood the Shadow Realm, but in those inherited memories, the Gondor Empire more than 700 years ago had done a lot of research in this regard-those who were so exhausted. Scholars have been staring at the boring classics and data all day long, staring at the lattice ruler buried in the magic well, in order to speculate the real appearance of the world, and there is a classic model used to describe the "layering" of the world.

In this classic model, scholars believe that the world is divided into several "layers", of which the uppermost layer is the most stable material world. Everything in it has laws to follow, can be directly contacted, and easy to observe. The layer where most creatures live; and below the material world, is the shadow world that most humans cannot directly touch. The shadow world is a distorted reflection of the material world. Ordinary humans cannot directly touch and observe it, but they It is perceived and measured through the techniques of the realm of magic and spirit; further down from the realm of shadow is the realm of shadows, which is a more delusional and mysterious area, a reflection of the realm of shadows, which has reached the point where any magic and spiritual power can To the extent that they cannot be explored, some lucky magicians have caught a few shadow creatures with basic rationality and can communicate, and only guessed the existence of the shadow world from the words of those creatures.

And some more radical scholars have extended this classic model. They believe that there may be a deeper layer under the shadow world, but that layer already belongs to the realm of the gods, which was laid by the creator god when he created this world. "The foundation of origin" is no longer a category that mortals can study.

In Gawain's understanding, this model is like layers of translucent kraft paper. The real image of the real world is located at the front, and the shadow of this real image is projected on the layers of paper, the further back the more Blurred and distorted.

What he and Amber were in was the back of the first piece of paper—the Shadow Realm.

Even if it is only the second floor, it is already a place that most humans have never set foot on.

He wisely did not ask Amber why she had the ability to enter the Shadow Realm at this time - and it can be judged from Amber's words just now that she herself "entered such a deep place" for the first time. what is the answer.

There are still many secrets in this world worth exploring, and many things cannot be understood after hanging in the sky for many years.

After a simple judgment, Gawain felt that following Betty's footsteps was the only breakthrough.

But before leaving the scene, he still looked back a little worriedly. Heidi, Rebecca and the others were still standing there in the state of "porcelain dolls", their bodies were resisting the fog of resentment in the real world. Invasion, but in the projection of the Shadow Realm, they were stopped at the moment of the attack, and the black mist that penetrated from the ground was constantly disintegrating them.

Fortunately, judging by the rate at which those mists are eroding, they're still a while away.

"Perhaps this is the true state of the Wraith Mist," Amber also followed Gawain's line of sight, shook his head and said, "If we sell this discovery to the Secret Law Society or the Astrologer Association, how much would you say it's worth?"

"They will pour you a bunch of potions and then tie a record spar on your head, and then throw you into the Shadow Realm as a human flesh detective with the last exile spell," Gao Wen rolled his eyes at Amber, "Keep up, it's important to do business. ."

Amber followed behind Gawain and was still talking: "But you can come forward. How can you say that he is also the founding ancestor of Ansu, can they still pour potion for the ancestor?"

"What do you think?" Gawain twitched his lips, "They are happy to hang me on the wall, write on a book, and put me on the table, and even the king is willing to lead the whole family to put a bouquet of flowers for me every year. Three days off on my own - no risk and a good reputation, but if the old man really pops out of the coffin,

The first reaction of the group of people who put me on the platform before was probably to press me back into the coffin, and then drive more than 200 nails in all directions, and it is estimated that they will need to be filled with lead..."

Amber was stunned: "Why?!"

Gawain glanced at the half-elf who was not enlightened, and threw it back angrily: "Because the three-day tomb-sweeping leave in the whole country is gone!!"

After saying this, Gawain strode forward, leaving Amber behind to react for a long time before he suddenly shouted: "Wait a minute! You made a mistake! There will be no holiday when you are tomb-sweeping! Only to pay homage to the founding king. I only had three days off! You died early, so I don't know..."

Gao Wen almost fell headfirst.

However, although Amber's idea of ​​selling information about the Shadow Realm was dispelled, Gawain had his own plans. He was curious about the Shadow Realm, or... He was curious about the entire world.

So one day, he will figure it all out.

The trail of footprints didn't extend far.

Perhaps the environment of the Shadow Realm is so special that the habit of judging distance and distance in the material world cannot take effect here. Gawain and Amber just walked a short distance along the footprints, and a wooden house suddenly appeared in front of them.

The wooden house was small and dilapidated. I don't know how long it has been standing here. There is a circle of broken fences around the wooden house. Judging by the sparseness of the fences, I am afraid that it can no longer play any defensive role. In the corner of the wooden house, Gawain noticed a touch of color.

It was the color of moss, which stood out in this black-and-white world, and that little bit of color was fading quickly over time.

Betty's footprints have been extended to the front of the wooden house.

Amber took out his small dagger and gestured nervously in front of his chest: "Wait, the old man will drive the gods to come and rush in to chop melons and vegetables, and I will stand behind you..."

Gawain thought for a while, and restrained the urge to carry Amber by the collar and throw her into the landmine. Instead, he pressed one hand on the hilt of the Sword of Pioneers, and the other hand carefully pushed the gray-white fan away. door.

However, no attack came.

Inside the wooden house is just an ordinary house, old and dilapidated, like an old black and white photo.

But there are people inside.

An unshaven man in a shabby short robe sat behind a square table in the middle of the wooden house. He was so haggard and vicissitudes that Gawain could not judge his real age at all. Behind this man, two pendulums could be seen. Wooden shelves full of bottles and jars and an old alchemy bench.

The devices needed to conduct magic experiments can be seen all over the house, but they are all piled up with more tattered debris. Any normal mage will probably want to cry when he sees this shabby and miserable scene. impulse.

The man behind the square table raised his head and looked in Gawain's direction. He showed a stiff smile: "Ah, guest—it's been a long time since a guest has come to my laboratory. And there are still two?"

Amber stuck out her small head from Gawain's side, and the half-elf girl's face was full of vigilance: "No... don't fight?"

Gawain didn't draw his sword, but he didn't let his hand get too far from the hilt, he walked into the wooden house in a state where he could attack at any time: "We're passing by and looking for someone - it's a girl about fifteen or sixteen years old. , she's holding a frying pan..."

However, the man behind the table didn't seem to hear Gawain's words, he just smiled dully and nodded slightly: "Please find a place to sit, Annie is preparing lunch, and there is no place to rest in the deep mountains and forests, if you don't dislike it, you can Stay here for dinner."

"Annie?" Gawain asked subconsciously.

"It's my daughter," the man smiled, "very well-behaved."

At this time, a young girl's exclamation came from the side: "Master?"

Gawain looked around and saw Betty standing beside a small door in the corner of the wooden house with a surprised face.

"Betty? You're fine," Gawain breathed a sigh of relief, "I'm here to pick you up."

However, Betty shook her head slightly, and the man behind the square table also looked at the little girl and asked gently, "Annie, is lunch ready?"

Betty nodded obediently: "It's almost there, Dad."

The little girl turned around and went back to the kitchen. Gawain and Amber exchanged glances, and after confirming that the strange man behind the square table had no response, they also followed.

Betty was cooking in the kitchen, using her darling frying pan. A pale flame danced on the stove, and the sausages on the pan were sizzling.

Amber's focus is very clear: "Can you even cook in the Shadow Realm?"

"What's going on?" Gawain came to Betty and asked in a low voice.

Judging from the little girl's demeanor, she was not affected by spells such as mind control, but she stayed here to cook by her own will, and called the strange man outside "Dad" - this is really a bit Strange.

"I don't quite understand either," Betty's face showed a bit of confusion as always, "but that person outside seems to be treating me as his daughter..."

Amber's eyes widened: "Then you treat people like a father so obediently?"

Betty shook her head: "He's very pitiful... so I just want to cook him a meal before leaving."

Gawain and Amber looked at each other.

Then Betty suddenly reached out and dug a few times in the pocket of her maid skirt, took out an old notebook and handed it to Gawain.

"Sir, here's--that man gave it to me. I don't understand a lot of things in it, but you should be able to understand."

Gawain took the notebook that was not very thick in doubt, and after opening it, he hurriedly flipped through the last few pages of records.

Amber put his head forward curiously: "What? Let me see... Magic formula? Rune sorting?"

The half-elf lady, who was confused by those complicated symbols and calculations, raised her head and looked at Gawain with a bewildered expression: "So that strange old man is actually a mage?"

"Strictly speaking, it's a wild mage," Gawain rolled up his notebook and knocked on Amber's head, "and didn't you see it when you walked in and saw so many magical experimental instruments!"