Part Two: The Human World Chapter Forty-Six: Moment of Youth
There was a report coming from Airy City that the pagan organization there was becoming increasingly rampant, and the church was asked to send someone to deal with it.
In the aftermath of the vampire incident, these strange things cast a shadow of terror, as if an overwhelming number of skeletons, zombies and ghosts could emerge from behind at any time. All officials, especially His Majesty the Emperor, were as nervous as
The strings that are tightened will immediately make a loud noise if there is any slight movement. In this case, if there is anything related to some paganism or monster, of course, you have to ask the clergy to exorcise evil spirits.
Of course, this kind of thing fell on Asa's head. First, it was because of His Majesty the Emperor's trust, and second, it was Bishop Ronis's recommendation and operation.
Bishop Ronis immediately called Asa to the Magic Academy and assigned him a task.
"After your last hunt and meritorious service, I revealed my intention to promote you to the position of high priest with the high priests, but they all disagreed, especially Cuthbert, who strongly opposed it. But it's no wonder, they
You have worked hard for so many years in the magic academy. It is really hard to accept that you are so young and have no qualifications, but you can be on an equal footing with them immediately. I can directly promote you to be a priest, but the promotion
But the high priest needs me and the three high priests to jointly recommend it to the Holy See."
"So this is a good opportunity for you. The pagans in Airi are making a big fuss. It seems that something happened in the Whispering Forest. It would be more appropriate for you to deal with this matter. If you can deal with it cleanly
Those heretics, then I recommend you to be a great priest and no one else can refute it anymore."
Asa frowned secretly, but now it's very troublesome for the priest to do it. Adding a big character in front of it is a bit too much.
"As long as you are a great priest, I can have a showdown with the elves."
"What does it have to do with those guys?" Asa had almost forgotten about these guys. The only thing he still remembered was the elf girl who was almost strangled to death by him.
"The capital is probably the only city in the entire continent where you are not wanted. I have asked the people below to collect your wanted order from the Adventurer's Guild and the Thieves' Guild, and also informed them that they are prohibited from accepting any more wanted notices for you.
"Bishop Ronis took out more than ten portraits of Asa from the drawer.
Asa picked up a portrait and saw his wanted poster for the first time. The elves' hands were very skillful and the lines were very delicate, and they accurately sketched out his appearance. Asa couldn't help but nod in admiration: "It's very well drawn.
Okay, at least it looks better than me."
"As long as your identity can be recognized by the Holy See, then the elves' wanted list will be like a piece of waste paper."
Compared with the elves, the influence of the Church of Light is simply a giant beast and a little rabbit. Even if the elves take all their pitiful property as a bounty to hunt down a church’s great priest, adventurer and
Bounty hunters would rather just go for the robbery.
"At that time, I can make another suggestion to the elves to join our alliance, and they will have no choice but to accept it. According to their nature, they originally disdain to join forces with humans. But you are indispensable to them.
Yes, if we can't catch you, we can only help you and stand with you. With the addition of the elves, our strength will be much greater. We can then unite with the surrounding countries and empires to ask the church to support us in dealing with the Undead Guild. The church
I can no longer ignore it.”
"Oh, that's it." Asa nodded. Although it was a bit complicated, he finally understood it.
"Because this mission is very important, I plan to ask Rodhart to go with you to help you complete this mission."
"Oh? Has he come back already?" Asa hasn't seen him for a long time. Although they are indeed friends and have been together through life and death, Asa always feels that they don't really fit in with him.
"He has done quite well in dealing with infidels in other places during this period. He is a very capable young man with a promising future. He will definitely be of great help to you. By the way, the one from Airi's place last time
When local officials and imperial envoys were killed by heretics, you went to deal with them. That can add to your political capital."
Asa looked at Bishop Ronis calmly, and recalled carefully that he had indeed never told him about the imperial envoy. For some reason, the bishop seemed to be very sure that he was responsible for this unsolved case that once shocked the empire.
It can be solved as easily as eating a bun. He asked tentatively: "It has been so long and there are no clues. It is unlikely that the murderer can be found?"
"Of course I know this." Bishop Ronis smiled enigmatically. "Of course it's not easy to find, but you can make one. Anyway, there are so many heretics there. Find a few suitable targets.
Fabricating some suitable stories and evidence will naturally be a great achievement."
"Oh, that's it." Asa nodded.
"You are not suitable for arranging and handling these matters. I will tell Rodhart and let him arrange it properly." Bishop Ronis frowned, looked at Asa and asked: "What's wrong with you? I noticed that you
It seems that I have been very absent-minded."
"No... I'm probably a little tired. Anyway, you can just discuss the details with Rodhart. I have something else to do, so I'll leave first."
After leaving Bishop Ronis's place, Asa went directly to the reference room of the library. Compared to Bishop Ronis' plan, Asa was more interested in things here.
But from noon to afternoon, his shoulders ached from rolling over, and Asa only found the name Vidnina T. Geffenhardt three times in the thick files and records.
But this doesn't mean anything. It's the same three times, and it's all recorded in the roster of students at the Magic Academy. This name is placed inconspicuously like countless other names, but it just shows that this person did once exist in the Magic Academy.
That's it. But there is no other information explaining what this person has done here and what kind of experience he has had.
In any case, a person who was once a glorious student of the Magic Academy and later changed her career to become a lich is definitely not unknown. Probably this can only mean that most of her information in the Magic Academy has been deleted. The students have become
Becoming a necromancer is really not something worth remembering...
Asa closed the dusty book and shook his sore neck and arms. He came to the library reference room to find out what kind of person that strange classmate was before, but he found nothing. He was extremely disappointed.
Although twenty years is not a long time ago, someone should know that there are many white-haired and wrinkled people in the magic academy who still bow respectfully when they see him, but Asa does not dare to ask questions.
Maybe it's a taboo topic in the magic school. If you ask random questions, it will be troublesome if others report it to Bishop Ronis. Things about Vidnina always seem to make the bishop very allergic. If he knows the danger
Many of his classmates had contacted him and invited him to join the club, but the result was a long lecture and persuasion.
But curiosity was scratching and scratching in his heart like a restless cat. At this critical and uncomfortable moment, the Marquis appeared in the reference room. He came to say goodbye to Bishop Ronis, and he was going to meet again in two days.
I'm going on a trip, so I stopped by to say something to Asa.
Asa immediately realized that this was definitely a very suitable person to ask. The Marquis was also a well-known figure in the Magic Academy twenty years ago, and it seemed that he was not someone who would inform the Bishop.
"How do you know this name?" The Marquis looked surprised after hearing Asa's words and looked at him and asked.
Asa replied casually: "Well... I just heard it occasionally. I heard that she is a very interesting person. So I came here to check, but I couldn't find it unexpectedly. Do you know anything about her? Please help me and tell me.
good?"
The Marquis did not answer, but just sighed. This expression was really rare for a man who was full of vitality and aura. He walked over and searched on the bookshelf and pulled out a book from the dense bookcase.
.
Judging from the cover, this is just an ordinary theology book. Most students in the magic academy have to study this kind of stuff. The thick dust on this book means that no one has read it for many years. The Marquis blew it off
I was dusting myself off and turned over one of the illustrations.
The illustration is a half-naked image of the Virgin. The engravers undoubtedly put a lot of effort and effort into this great image, and the lines on it are extremely fine and beautiful. Mary's face is kind and gentle, and her expression is lifelike.
Asa was wondering about the connection between this image of the Madonna and a lich, when he saw the Marquis turning the illustration over.
The back of the illustration was originally blank, probably out of respect for the Virgin, who did not have the words stamped on her back. And in this blank space that was originally awe, there was a painting. This is a portrait of a woman from the side and back. Okay.
It looked like it was drawn casually with pencils and charcoal. The lines were not very delicate, and the paper had turned yellow due to age. It was just such a painting, but Asa was immediately shocked when he saw it.
Comparing the holy and fine carvings on the front with this painting, one immediately feels that they are just stains left by stupid things like wood and iron that were dipped in ink and then pressed over.
Those black lines perfectly constitute the beautiful image and charm of a woman, and even have an elegant and agile temperament. Not the slightest bit of carbon ink on the white paper is idle and useless, every trace is intensely
Tell me how beautiful this woman is.
Her body proportions are as perfect as those of classical sculptures, her face is clear and clear and has a tenderness, and her long hair is spread out behind her back. It is clearly made of rough charcoal, but you can feel that the hair is soft and smooth.
Smooth luster. These already beautiful places are combined with a broader and more profound harmonious beauty. Anyone who takes a look at it will have no way to escape except shock.
This beauty is the highest in the world, enough to make any man fall in love and be intoxicated, and women have to let their admiration and admiration suppress their jealousy. This painting does not show the woman's facial features from the front, but just such a profile is enough.
It captivates all viewers.
"This is what I painted twenty years ago when I was young." The Marquis's eyes were full of youthful light, and he remembered with emotion.
"...It's so beautiful." Asa sighed. He was amazed at the beauty of this woman, and also admired the Marquis's ability to express such beauty. Of course, he himself knew nothing about painting or art.
Yes, but when I saw this painting, I immediately felt shocked, but also a little regretful. "But why don't you draw the front side, so you can't see the appearance."
"How can my clumsy hands, corrupted by the world of wine and seduction, be able to express her peerless beauty?" The Marquis looked at this work from his youth, and even his voice sounded like that of a young man intoxicated in emotion.
Melodious and intoxicating.
"Then you must like this woman very much." Asa nodded. He could feel the emotion in every stroke of the Marquis's strokes. Such a peerless beauty is indeed worthy of the attention of a romantic and talented man like the Marquis.
"I once proposed to her. I used 99,999 flowers of every kind that I could collect, and spelled out the words "I love you" in the wilderness outside the royal capital." The Marquis's two dark and slender two legs were spelled out.
The deep and handsome eyes under the eyebrows are filled with ripples brewed with the wine of memory, which is enough to intoxicate any woman who dares to look directly at her. And imagine that these eyes are erased from the slight crow's feet at the corners, matching the somewhat feminine beauty of the Marquis.
He is so handsome, if he were to regress to his youth, Asa even suspected that many men would be tricked.
Asa shook his head and sighed: "Each kind of flower? Ninety-nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine? Your spirit is really good."
"I just hate that I'm not mentally strong enough to complete this work myself. It took almost all the gardeners from across the country, a month of work, and thousands of gold coins. The words had to be spelled out smoothly on horseback.
I had to run over the handwriting before I could see it clearly. But she just smiled when she saw it. You know, just this smile made me feel that everything was worth it."
Asa was shocked in this romance that could be regarded as a legend and poetry. He longed to experience the face of the peerless beauty and the equally peerless courtship of the Marquis twenty years ago. After being stunned for a while, he finally remembered what he originally wanted to ask.
"But what does such a beauty have to do with Widnina? Could it be..." Could it be that his classmate was jealous of this beauty's beauty and killed her or disfigured her? According to Widnina
Given Na's identity, Asa subconsciously drew the sinister inference of committing an crime.
The Marquis's words were very gentle: "The person in this painting is her, my classmate at the Magic Academy twenty years ago, no, the most beautiful woman in the royal capital, Widnina Te Geffenhart."
The masseter muscles around his mouth completely lost control at once. Asa opened his mouth wide and couldn't close it at all. His eyeballs almost fell off along with his tongue and chin.
Asa felt that his mind suddenly became like the kind of stew in Orfor City, boiling and sticky, with a strong taste but greasy and it was difficult to understand what it tasted like. No matter how you use your reason to use these two extreme impressions,
The power is also difficult to combine. It is completely impossible to connect such a woman with outstanding grace and that lich who is not even ugly but can only be described as terrifying and disgusting. He once scratched her mask in the Whispering Forest and saw that
I have seen half of her face that was withered and disgusting like a skeleton, but now the side face in this painting is indeed so breathtakingly beautiful. On one side is an angel in the mortal world, and on the other side is a living evil ghost.
"What's wrong?" the Marquis asked, looking at his aggressive expression.
Asa tried his best to control his thoughts and words, and asked: "Then what will happen to this person in the future? What happened? Why has I never heard of someone like her, and in magic?
I can only find one name in the college’s records, but no information at all?”
The Marquis sighed and began to narrate the deeds of his sweetheart in a passionate voice: "She is a member of the royal family. But for a person like her, her identity has no meaning. In terms of magic talent, she is rare in a hundred years.
She is a prodigy, and it only took her a month to advance from a junior magician to an intermediate level. In terms of brains, she is even more intelligent. She never participates in theological research or debates, but I, a debate champion, have never won a private debate with her.
She said that she had already read all the theological and philosophical works and found that they were all nonsense. But these intelligences and unique insights were nothing compared to her beauty and grace. They were just small and insignificant.
She was just a foil. At that time, all the most outstanding heroic young men in the country fell under her incomparable charm, just to get that smile, even the swords and mountains of fire were ignored. But she seemed to only focus on exploring the truth and
In the path of magic, because of her unique qualifications, even Bishop Ronis accepted her as a disciple. However, she was just over 20 years old, and she was almost promoted to the royal chief bachelor." The Marquis's voice suddenly dropped.
, these legends came to an abrupt end. "But, suddenly she died."
"Dead? How?" Asa asked. But he knew that it shouldn't be death, but probably becoming a lich and joining the Undead Guild.
"I'm not sure. I heard that she died just after I came back from the Sandface Mountains. Bishop Ronis announced that she violated the taboos of the Magic Academy and conducted an experiment on forbidden spells without authorization. The experiment failed.
She died. The consequences of that experiment were very serious. I remember that even the cathedral was completely destroyed, almost half of the buildings in the Magic Academy were in ruins, and many people died. Probably out of consideration for the reputation of the church and the royal family, Luo
The Bishop of Nice and His Majesty the Emperor at the time destroyed all her information and issued a ban prohibiting any further discussion of anything about this person."
Asa suddenly remembered Bishop Ronis's lament about a person who had gone astray. It turned out that person was her. But the reason and process were unknown.
Asa asked: "What were you doing in the Sandface Mountains at that time?"
"I'm looking for a poisonous dragon flower that only blooms there. It's the most beautiful flower on the continent. Legend has it that as long as you propose with this flower, no girl will be impressed."
"Then you go get it..."
"After looking at the countless flowers I prepared for her, she said that these flowers were all carried by other people's hands. Countless people in the world had seen them. She wanted to take a look at the legendary poisonous dragon flower, so I came there
I went to look for it in the Sandface Mountains."
Asa couldn't help but sigh: "You ran there alone just to propose to a woman. Even I can only say that there is something wrong with your head."
The Sandface Mountains are the most dangerous area in the continent. Even if there are wyverns and bulls infested, and the lizard swamps are full of poisonous insects, compared with there, it immediately becomes a beautiful mountain and good water. Even if
The mainland's top travelers and adventurers dare not set foot there easily.
"It took me nearly a year to travel through the wild highlands into the Sandface Mountains and search for it. I almost died several times, but I finally found the flower. I picked the flower and kept using the ice element.
The spell sealed her in the ice and preserved it. But when I returned to the Magic Academy, I only saw the wreckage on the ground, not even her body... After hearing that she was dead,
I stayed in the ruins for three whole days. The flower lost the protection of the ice, was exposed to the air of the world, and completely withered and disappeared in my arms..." The Marquis was silent in his final memory.
Speak.
Asa also fell silent along with the Marquis, partly because he resonated with the Marquis' sadness, and partly because he had a strong idea in his mind. The teleportation scroll left by Vidnina was still in Sandro's big house.
, he wanted to go to Diya Valley to meet this legendary classmate and ask her personally what made her willing to give up such peerless beauty and choose to become an immortal monster that was not even qualified to be ugly.
If the Marquis knew that she was not dead but had become a lich, what kind of reaction would he have and what would he do? Asa couldn't help but glance at the Marquis.
The expression of the Marquis, who was immersed in memories, was not sad. It was beyond sadness, but a kind of dead emptiness and confusion. He was silent for a while, then said softly: "Goodbye, I'm leaving." He turned and left.
.
Looking at his back, Asa suppressed the urge to stop him and tell him the truth. Maybe he didn't know what was best for him.
Returning to the big house, Asa hesitated for a moment and did not go to get the scroll for the time being. Instead, he asked Sandro: "Do you know Widnina before she became a lich?"
"I know you." Sandro nodded half-heartedly.
"Then tell me why she came to the Guild of the Dead and became a lich..."
Sandro's eyes suddenly raised and looked at Asa. There was no eye-catching light or majestic aura in those black and white eyes, but with just such a look, Asa immediately shut up unconsciously.
"I find that you are getting more and more annoying. Why are you inquiring into other people's privacy?" Sandro's face and tone were not harsh, as if they were no different from usual, but Asa felt very uncomfortable.
"I'm just curious…..."
"It's better for you to know less about some things." Sandro said lightly, sitting on his simple wooden bed and closing his eyes.