Chapter 181: Garden of Eden (1)
Over the following days, Lynn became a diligent tinkerer. He dismantled and patched, transplanting every valuable module from this wizard tower into his own.
The foundation of Lynn's wizard tower grew rapidly.
The direct transplant left his wizard tower a bit rough around the edges, but Lynn had no time to refine it. The fleet recruiting new wizard trainees was about to arrive at Bangor Port.
He still needed to make a trip home first. Glancing at the royal capital—now reduced to ruins—Lynn packed away his wizard tower and left the Moduo Kingdom.
Word of what had happened in the Moduo Kingdom's royal capital had long since spread to the surrounding kingdoms.
Four kingdoms existed on this island. The Moduo Kingdom sat in the center, boasting flat terrain, vast plains, and a massive population, with only a tiny fraction of its borders touching the sea. The other three kingdoms bordered it on all sides.
A central location like the Moduo Kingdom's was naturally a nexus of conflict. A nation born there would either be bullied by its neighbors and forced to survive in the cracks, or it would grow powerful enough to dominate them.
Yet the royal capital of this powerful nation had been thoroughly crushed. The city was left in ruins, and rumors claimed that even the wizards who had descended there were slaughtered by a ruthless madman. After that, nothing else was heard.
The kings of the three neighboring nations lost sleep for several consecutive nights after receiving the news.
The Moduo Kingdom had only been able to dominate its neighbors because its wizards were the strongest. In a civilization where wizards reigned supreme, all worldly power bowed at their feet.
If even the wizards backing the Moduo Kingdom had backed down, it meant that if the same disaster struck their own capitals, the outcome would be no different.
Lynn headed to the cemetery in the suburbs.
The broad cemetery was filled with tombstones, silent markers of a future resting place for everyone.
A figure in a black robe stood before one of the graves, placing a bouquet of fresh flowers on the soil.
Lynn's footsteps faltered when he saw the figure. Meeting those familiar eyes, a smile spread across his face.
"Mentor Angeli."
"Mm. I've heard a bit about what you did. Do you feel better now that you've vented?" Angeli glanced at him.
Lynn just offered a sheepish smile.
"If I hadn't stepped in to intercept the people coming after you, I wouldn't be the one standing here right now." Angeli shook his head. "That second-level wizard you killed had a powerful faction behind him."
"I acted on impulse."
Lynn knew he had probably gone a little overboard this time. Even when Mentor Angeli had a feud with those wizards in the past, he had only used clones to subtly manipulate Lynn into killing their wizard apprentices step by step.
Thinking back on it, Mentor Angeli had incredible patience.
Angeli changed the subject. "You are just like Harlin. When you get worked up, you prefer to charge in headfirst. Back when Harlin first acquired his power, he also went out and slaughtered several wizards. The Director of Teaching punished him severely for it. If you ask me, direct murder is a crude method. Snuffing out their descendants as well is the proper way to handle it."
A faint smile crept onto Angeli's cold, gloomy face.
Truly, the dog that bites doesn't bark.
"Once you finish up here, come back with me. You were supposed to be guarding the ship, but since you abandoned your post, another wizard has reported you to the Lower Wizard Council."
Lynn's gaze shifted slightly when he heard the mention of the Lower Wizard Council.
The Wizard Council was the highest governing body in the Wizard Civilization. Every councilor was a towering figure in the wizarding world—for instance, the dean of their Abyss Wizard Academy held a seat. The council typically only convened for major events or matters directly impacting the entire Wizard Civilization.
Such prominent figures had their own affairs to manage; they couldn't waste time mediating minor disputes within the civilization.
That was why the Lower Wizard Council was created.
There was only one prerequisite to apply for the Lower Wizard Council: a wizard had to have a connection to a sitting councilor.
This was because the Lower Wizard Council was essentially an extension of the primary Wizard Council's authority.
Such connections could include relatives, mentors, or an affiliated faction.
For example, any wizard belonging to the Abyss Wizard Academy had the right to run for a position in the Lower Wizard Council.
Of course, this was merely a prerequisite. Applying did not guarantee a position. The Lower Wizard Council regularly held strict assessments, much like a civil service exam. Candidates had to pass a written test followed by a round of interviews, and only the most outstanding applicants were accepted.
The Lower Wizard Council was responsible for maintaining order in the wizarding world. More specifically, they maintained order on the main wizard plane, the Continent of Vanquished Gods.
Once outside the jurisdiction of the Wizard Civilization, whatever a person did was no longer their concern.
However, considering the inherent indolence of most wizards, even the Lower Wizard Council operated rather loosely most of the time. They turned a blind eye to the majority of petty disputes.
Lynn's expression grew complicated. "Mentor Angeli, there is one more thing I need to do. I don't know if it's right or wrong, but I feel that if I don't do this, I will regret it one day."
"Then go do it. How could a free wizard ever be locked in a cage?" Angeli encouraged him.
Lynn pulled the Pocket Watch from his spatial accessory. Angeli's eyes locked onto the device, his gaze narrowing slightly in thought.
Lynn looked down as the soil and stones before him parted on their own, revealing a black coffin resting at the bottom of the pit.
"Hey! What are you doing?" a voice shouted from nearby.
The gravekeeper hurried over, holding up a lantern. A strange light flashed in Angeli's eyes. In the very next moment, the gravekeeper's eyes glazed over, and he completely ignored the two men.
He simply carried his lantern and walked right past them.
Lynn summoned his wizard tower in the empty space beside the grave.
The massive wizard tower, soaring high into the clouds, touched down. The earth trembled slightly beneath its weight.
The wizard tower resembled a colossal beast. Dense white mist suddenly poured from its outer walls, swiftly blanketing the area until one couldn't even see their own hand in front of their face.
Lynn adjusted the Pocket Watch in his hand. Its hands spun backward, and the flow of time within the coffin reversed.
Standing off to the side, Angeli's eyes grew deep and dark. "Playing with time and death... child, you are violating two taboos at once."
Thump, thump, thump.
A thick, savory soup steamed on the dining table that evening. Borg kept stealing glances at his older brother.
His brother had returned a few months ago, only to vanish suddenly, and now he was back again today.
He wondered if all wizards were always this mysterious.
Going by this pattern, his brother would probably disappear again tomorrow. How long would it be until they saw each other next?
Next month? Next year? Ten years from now?
Or... perhaps this would be their final farewell.
Borg lowered his head, refusing to dwell on the thought.
"Borg," Lynn said suddenly.
"Yeah? Brother?" Borg looked up, momentarily stunned. At forty years old, he had already grown a bit stout and was balding on top. His mouth was still greasy from the fish soup.
"What is your dream?" Lynn asked.
"My dream? Does hoping that Dad stays healthy count?" A warm smile appeared on Borg's face.
"That's a wish, not a dream."
Borg chuckled sheepishly. He glanced at his wife sitting beside him, and then at his son seated to his right.
Truth be told, he had never given much thought to his own dreams.
But if he really had to give an answer, it would probably go back to when they were kids. The two of them would lie on the haystacks, staring up at the starry sky, and he would shout that he was going to become a knight who punished evil and upheld justice.
But now he had a family. How could he possibly run off to be a knight?
"I think being a tailor is perfectly fine," Borg said softly.
The tailor shop was what their mother had left him.
Being a tailor was probably what their mother had loved doing most.
He remembered how she used to love making beautiful, brightly colored clothes, and how she loved seeing the delighted, admiring expressions on people's faces when they received them. He hadn't understood it when he was younger, but now he felt the exact same way.
He and Lynn were the only two men in the family. Since his older brother had left, it was only natural for him, as the younger brother, to shoulder the responsibility of the household and inherit their mother's tailor shop.
"You like being a tailor?" Lynn looked at him.
Borg blinked in surprise, then smiled. "I think it's perfectly fine like this."
He felt that... as long as it was a good fit, that was enough.
"Eva, what about your dream?"
Lynn turned to look at Eva, who was sitting beside the dining table.
Eva's eyes lit up. She stole a cautious glance at their father before whispering, "Brother, I work at city hall now. I always see those wealthy noble ladies wearing gorgeous dresses and riding in beautiful carriages. They get to have afternoon tea every single day! Brother, you just need to give me some money."
Hamilton, who had been sitting nearby looking drowsy and half-asleep, had suddenly opened his eyes without anyone noticing.
He scowled at his daughter. "Eva!"
Hamilton's tone was strict.
Eva shrank back, not daring to bring up money again.
Still, she felt a little aggrieved. Her brother wanted to give them money, so why couldn't they accept it?
"If you give her money, she can enjoy the benefits while you're here," Hamilton said. "But once you leave, that money won't be a good thing for us."
He paused for a moment before adding, "If you could stay for good, she could spend that money out in the open."