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墨書 Inktalez
The boiling water on the table bubbled away.
The bright attic exuded a vintage charm, filled with an array of peculiar collectibles—some incomplete armor, a water cup that seemed to harbor a watching eye, and a wooden box that vibrated with a rhythmic thud. The items were arranged in a haphazard yet oddly captivating manner, creating an eerie atmosphere.
"Extreme power, huh..." Merlin comfortably leaned back in her armchair, surveying Garen and his companions before her.
Tifet's trio appeared somewhat tense, unable to believe that the short-statured old woman before them was the legendary figure known as Merlin. This was not quite what they had imagined, but recalling her legendary deeds filled them with a sense of reverence.
In contrast, Garen remained relatively calm; however, the moment he stepped into the room, he felt as if a pair of eyes were secretly watching him.
"Yes..."
Just as he was about to respond, the chair beneath him suddenly emitted a bone-chilling creak...
"Sandy, do you believe I will disassemble you again?" Merlin said impatiently, and immediately the noise from the chair ceased.
"And you too, Blackie. If you stare at me one more time, I'll roast you and feed you to Little Red!"
As her words fell, the incomplete armor let out an eager laugh while the eye in the cup filled with terror and quickly sank to the bottom, turning its pupil away from Garen and his companions.
"If anyone else is rude to my guests, you know what the consequences will be!" Merlin scanned the surroundings with a sharp gaze.
Wherever her eyes landed, all the collectibles promptly turned away. Even the wooden box extended two chains from its sides to block two openings as if covering its ears...
In this attic, everything understood one rule: never interfere with the Legendary Mage's transactions. Any action that might affect her ability to earn would come at a painful cost!
"Extreme power, you say... that's quite simple!"
Merlin, ignoring the astonished expressions of Garen and the others, said with a smile, "I would be more than happy to help you. Yes, I can see your sincerity... now hand over the item to me!"
"What item?" Garen turned his head, noticing that Tifet and the others were just as puzzled. At that moment, he realized that Merlin's gaze was fixed on Yasthia.
"Hey, young ones! In any trade, there must be sincerity!" Merlin said somewhat angrily, yet forced a gentler smile. "It's in her clothing pocket, yes, the second compartment of the left pocket."
Yasthia froze for a moment before letting out a gasp and quickly covering her pocket with her hand.
Garen helplessly pinched the bridge of his nose. It was clear that this Legendary Mage regarded the Heart of Agou as a bargaining chip. Although extreme power was also precious, it paled in comparison to the Heart of Agou... No wonder the Legendary Mage had been so amiable since entering the room...
But who would make such a losing deal!
This was no different from exchanging gold coins for stones!
"I'm sorry, Ms. Merlin, but that item is not for trade," Garen explained.
"Not for trade?" Merlin's smile vanished instantly as she looked at them as if they were fools. "Then why did you come to me?"
"Perhaps you could propose other terms... To be honest, extreme power is very important to me, so anything within my capability, I would be willing to offer without hesitation."
"Oh... really?"
Merlin's eyes suddenly sparkled. After thinking for a moment, she smiled and said, "How about the Magic Cube? Haha, this thing can break through the magical crystal barriers; I absolutely love it! If it weren't for that wretched old wolf stealing my previous one, I wouldn't even need to ask you youngsters for an exchange. Sigh... I'll take a small loss; who could resist something as charming as the Magic Cube!"
“Magic Cube?” Garen was taken aback and looked to his side, where he saw Yasthia and Tifet also wearing confused expressions, while the dog suddenly appeared shocked.
“What! You don’t even know about Magic Cube?” Merlin exclaimed, wide-eyed.
“Please allow me to interject…” the dog hesitated and raised a hand. “Lady Merlyn, the Magic Cube you mentioned, I’ve seen it in books. It’s a world-class Void Crystal, and there are only a few pieces in the entire continent! The one belonging to the Holy Empire is embedded in His Majesty Philip’s crown… Isn’t that a bit too difficult?”
“Too difficult?” Merlin blinked, dismissively saying, “There’s always a way. For instance, you could steal it from that old wolf.”
Tifet finally realized something and blushed. “Lady Merlyn, the old wolf you’re referring to is… Angry Beasts?”
At the same time, Yasthia explained to Garen, “Angry Beasts is the master of the Summit of Ten Thousand Mountains, the emperor of the Werewolf Clan.”
“Yes! That unpleasant and awkward name!” Merlin seemed to have a strong dislike for Angry Beasts.
Garen couldn’t help but feel amused; although he had asked Merlin for other conditions, he hadn’t expected her appetite to be this big… casually asking for treasures from world-class figures. Not to mention how impossible it would be to steal from such powerful beings, just getting to the Summit of Ten Thousand Mountains without a teleportation array would likely leave Garen and his companions in dire straits…
“Um… perhaps you could suggest another condition that’s within our capabilities,” Garen said.
“Is it really impossible?” Merlin looked somewhat regretful as she scanned them with an odd expression.
Where her gaze landed, even Tifet couldn’t help but feel like spitting blood… Oh my, are you looking down on us? Just because we can’t defeat the Wolf King, you disdain us? Damn it, if you weren’t Legendary Mage Merlin, and if I could actually defeat you, I would definitely strike you down with my sword!
“Oh, there’s another way,” Merlin suddenly said. “You could steal the Blazing Sun Crown. I think I would accept that.”
“…”
"This little girl has the bloodline of Philip. Are you her daughter? Well, that makes things easier; it's definitely within your capabilities, haha. Do you need me to provide you with the palace map?"
"…"
The Blazing Sun Crown, embedded with the Magic Cube, was currently resting on Philip the Great's head.
Tifet felt completely numb. He had thought that bringing Yasthia along would give her royal status some weight, but who could have predicted that at this moment, the Legendary Mage was trying to convince her to strike her father's head…
However, Merlin showed no restraint towards Philip the Great, which was understandable. After all, Merlin the Mage was nearly three hundred years old and a notable figure from the Second Continental War, while Philip the Great had only recently ascended to the throne. In reality, even His Majesty would have to call this woman "Aunt."
"I'm sorry, but we can't do that," Garen said as he rubbed his temples.
"You can't manage such a small task?"
"That's right."
"Then what use are you?" Merlin frowned and pondered for a moment before speaking again.
"Just go back; don't waste my precious time."
With that, Merlin stood up from the lounge chair, her expression showing signs of impatience.
Tifet exchanged a wry smile with his companion. They had anticipated this outcome long ago; after all, trying to obtain something from a world-class figure would inevitably come at a world-class price.
It was better to leave early. Looking at Yasthia's pale face, it was clear she had been frightened by her father's head…
"Although I cannot provide you with the treasure you seek, perhaps I can offer you something that holds great significance for me."
Garen stood up but had no intention of leaving. He slowly walked to the table and placed something down.
The three of them looked over curiously, only to be stunned when they saw a jagged piece of Crystal Fragment lying flat on the corner of the table.
Could it be that this fell from some crystal? Although crystals are precious, in the eyes of someone like Merlin, it clearly wouldn't even compare to a stone found by the roadside...
"What is this? Are you trying to fool me with a piece of glass?"
Merlin glanced at it dismissively, her voice beginning to grow angry. But just then, she noticed that the Crystal Fragment lay on a table covered in magic circles, yet it showed no signs of being affected at all; in fact, it even obstructed the operation of the magic circles!
In the next moment, Merlin's pupils began to constrict.
Catching this detail, Garen silently smiled.
This was certainly not an ordinary crystal.
It might be flawed, but the power it represented was ancient and Holy.
On that distant continent, this weighty power had forged countless glories!
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