Chapter 1479: Birds and Return (Twenty-Four)
"There is such a school in the magic world."
During lunch, Schiller said this to Bruce. He lowered his head slightly to arrange the food on the plate, as if he was organizing his words. After a while, he continued to speak.
"Most people believe that the founder of this school is Constantine, but that is only because he has a wide range of friends and his friends are deeply impressed by him."
"From ancient times to the present, magicians have been looking for ways to use magic without paying a price. Most people give up after trying a few times. Humans are originally unable to compete with those powerful beings. It is lucky to be able to borrow their power. It is difficult not to return it."
Bruce slowed down his eating because he seemed to have a premonition of what Schiller was going to say next.
"I know why you are interested in magic. During the time Constantine was in Gotham, you were always following his footsteps, and he kept reminding you not to use magic to resurrect anyone."
"What he said makes sense, because whether you ask gods or demons to resurrect someone, it is equivalent to handing over your own weaknesses. The originally fair transaction will immediately become him whipping you forward.-
"The fundamental reason why Constantine has been playing this trick for so many years without collapsing is that he has no weaknesses. He lets the demons and gods know that no matter how they torture him and his friends, he will never bow his head and no one can take advantage of him."
"He uses unimaginable willpower to force his trading partners to only propose relatively fair conditions. He even has the energy to fight back against those demons and gods who want to play tricks. Once such an image is established, powerful creatures will also be afraid. "
"So, if you let any powerful being outside know that you have been thinking about resurrecting someone for many years, then even if you don't take the initiative to find them, they will keep tempting you, and even threaten you with the image of your loved ones, until you squeeze out every bit of your value."
Bruce looked at Schiller, then lowered his head to cut the steak and said, "Thomas is back, and Martha. Maybe sleeping is not a wrong choice. It's better than becoming a clown, right?"
"I'm glad you think so, but I don't mean to keep you away from the magic world."
"I'm confused." Bruce stabbed the steak with the tip of the knife and said, "If you and Constantine use the same method, don't be as painful as him, then you have no reason to drag me into the quagmire. For several years, you have been desperately trying to push me to another path."
"Indeed, in the society of ordinary people, you don't have to take my path at all. "Schiller also looked into Bruce's eyes and said, "You are not hopeless, and you don't need to use madness as a sword. People who take the path of me and Batman probably have no choice, but you are different."
"I know that it is normal for students to take their teachers as role models and want to inherit their legacy because they admire them. I have always wanted to push you onto a different path, and you have complained."
"I didn't." Bruce replied immediately, but he was still poking the meat with the tip of the steak knife.
"Although you have taken a different path in the society of ordinary people, and can use the knowledge you have learned and the power you have gained as weapons instead of madness, but perhaps on the other side of the world, you and I can take the same path. "
Bruce's hand trembled, and the tip of the knife made a sharp noise on the disk.
Schiller shook his head and said, "The essence of our mutual torture is that I teach you, but force you not to become me
"When there is no such conflict between us, we can naturally develop a normal teacher-student relationship, which is exactly what I expect. Perhaps magic will be a good starting point."
Since Bruce made a noise, he has not moved again, and at this time he still stopped in the same place, looking into Schiller's eyes and said, "Are you going to teach me magic?"
"You can try, right?" Schiller looked at Bruce's eyes quite gently. He has been very gentle recently. This is the most exposed expression of his happy emotions.
The first thing Bruce thought of was the definition of the symptoms of autistic patients. Autistic patients usually don't like to take a new step, including but not limited to refusing to meet strangers, refusing to develop new relationships, refusing to accept new environments, and always living in their most familiar imaginary world. This is the source of their sense of security.
For an autistic person, judging a relationship and taking a new step at the right time is extremely difficult, and Schiller has never done this before.
He rarely talks to Bruce about their teacher-student relationship. Although he is the stronger party in this relationship, he has almost never taken the initiative to make changes. He passively responds to things when they happen, and then passively accepts the changes in a relationship brought about by something.
Now he wants to change Bruce's impression of the teacher-student relationship for the first time, or he also wants to change his own. After all, this teacher-student relationship accompanied by pain and blood is really not a good memory. If it weren't for a pretty good result, it would really be a perfect match for the city of Gotham.
Is there still room for change?
Bruce asked himself, in another completely unfamiliar new world, under Schiller's guidance, learning a new subject that he had never touched or understood, would it really not become another feast of pain and blood?
People who have experienced unhealthy relationships will always have a pessimistic attitude towards relationships with others, and it will take a very long time to heal, but Bruce knows how precious a social invitation from an autistic person is, and he has not forgotten the goal he set at the beginning.
No one has no choice in madness, Bruce thought, Batman, the Joker, or Schiller are all like this, but no one has such strong willpower and patience to waste with them, so they just say "no hope" lightly, and they think so, so they turn madness into a weapon.
But if Schiller had come to such a rash conclusion at the beginning, then perhaps Bruce would not be Bruce now. Since he has become the savior, there is no lamb he cannot save.
"My pleasure." Bruce raised his glass and gestured to Schiller.
When Schiller picked up the glass, Bruce was not sure if he saw a hint of relaxation in his eyes, like a sigh of relief.
"The party is going to be held in the evening, and you have to visit friends. So when are you going to teach me magic that won't let me out at the party?" Bruce asked after lunch.
Schiller took him to the carriage and said, "No hurry."
The carriage ride was a little longer this time, and Schiller took Bruce to the Mirror Tower of Maya to buy gifts.
The Mirror Tower is a trading market hanging upside down in the sky of Maya, but the goods sold there are more high-end than those sold in the big market in London, and most of them are specialties of the magic world.
Schiller took Bruce to a gem store, where the dazzling array of ancient magic ornaments made Bruce feel a little dazzled, but thanks to his girlfriend who is a gem collector, Bruce chose the most special magic ring inlaid with cat's eye in the store.
Afterwards, they took the magic carriage back to London, and then saw a bookstore at the corner of a foggy street.
Bruce guessed who Schiller was going to bring him to visit, but when he saw Constantine again, he still sighed.
This Hell Detective has completely lost his sloppy appearance. Although he still has some punk rock ruffian spirit, his mental state is much better.
Schiller forced him to go ashore to pay off his loans. There is another soul in his mind supervising him and preventing him from returning to the terrible life in the past. Constantine is completely saved.
When Schiller and Bruce entered the bookstore, Constantine was sorting books with his back to them. Bruce could see that most of the books in Constantine's bookstore were magic books, and many of them were shining with evil luster.
"Oh, you're here." Constantine said after turning around and seeing Schiller.
When he saw Bruce behind Schiller, he was so surprised that he took a step back and fell into a pile of books. He opened his arms and said, "If you don't want me to open a bookstore, just say so. You won't destroy the whole of London, right?!"
Schiller handed Constantine a small gift he had purchased in the Mirror Tower and said, "Don't be nervous. I just plan to teach him magic."
Constantine's hands began to tremble. He stared at Schiller and said, "Four more years, and then destroy London, Maya, or any other city?!"
"Not this time."
"If not, it's weird!"
Finally, Constantine accepted Schiller's gift with a face full of complaints, opened it and took a look, then put it back on the shelf. He watched Schiller pick up a book and start reading, and asked with some doubts: "You are not serious, are you? Are you going to let Bruce Wayne learn magic?"
"He is already a wealthy man standing at the top of the pyramid in the society of ordinary people. Do you still want him to become a great wizard? Can you leave a way out for an ordinary wizard like me with mediocre talent and mediocre family background?"
"I think you are quite comfortable as a second-hand book dealer." Schiller said sarcastically.
"Don't mention it. All the people who are friends with me and can live to this day are very capable. Thank you brothers for your kindness. Constantine sat down next to a pile of books and said, "Life is not bad."
"Okay, let's talk business." Schiller put the book down, looked at Constantine and said, "Find me a few books that record the most secret, profound and obscure magic knowledge, preferably on the same theme. "
Constantine stood up from the ground with his eyes wide open, looking at Schiller with some doubts and said: "The most secret, the most profound, the most obscure? This kind of book will be covered with dust on the bookshelf of the demon monarch, why do you want it?"
"Just tell me if you can get it out?"
"Hehe, am I the kind of person who can be provoked?" Constantine snorted coldly, but still patted the hem of his windbreaker and went upstairs to find a book for Schiller.
After a while, he took out three large books that were much thicker than bricks and said, "The mystical world has experienced about three knowledge innovations. Before the first knowledge innovation, magic was something that only rich, free and talented nobles could play with. At that time, it might take more than ten years to decipher a symbol."
"These three books are all magic theories written in that era, that is, the classics written by ancient great wizards about the operating rules of magic in this world. Even though the mystical world is now prosperous, not many people have the patience and knowledge to decipher these profound and obscure things they wrote."
Constantine shrugged and said, "After all, as long as you negotiate with the devil in a dream, you can use magic. Who would care about how magic works?"
"Very good, that's all.
Schiller nodded with satisfaction, then waved to Bruce who was checking other books and said, "Come here, Bruce."
Schiller looked down at his watch and said, "There are about three hours before the banquet starts. Memorize these three books and discuss them with whoever talks to you at the banquet. "
Constantine slowly widened his eyes, and Schiller smiled and said, "I believe that it won't be long before the news of a new genius magician in the magic world will spread throughout the world."