A tall, straight white tower rises under the night sky, and this ancient structure, known as the "Twin Towers of the Royal Capital", along with the library tower, guards the entire Slom palace year after year, and in the long years of tranquility, it is almost forgotten.

An old man in a white robe sat at the top of the white tower, his eyes closed, his face was wrinkled, and his hair and beard were all gray. No one knows for sure how long he's been sitting here, but he's like a statue at the top of the tower, as if the sky had fallen and wouldn't move a bit.

A gentle evening breeze blew, and suddenly a guest was welcomed on the spire.

"Haven't you rested yet, Icarus?"

Rudolph looked left and right as he walked towards the white-robed old man, dressed in his dirty green mage robes as always.

The old man in white, known as Icarus, was the only one of Ordrick's two archmagus. Rudolph's arrival did not surprise him, he still closed his eyes and said calmly: "I have rested, Rudolph. ”

"You're resting all day long!" Rudolph said mockingly, his mustache twitching his lips, "What about your apprentice?" Why didn't you see that fat man. ”

"I sent Benedict to the Himereung." Icarus sighed and said, "But I'm not very reassured. ”

Rudolph walked leisurely to the edge of the top of the tower with his hands folded, and said nonchalantly: "What is there to worry about? That little fat man is very cunning, although his magic strength is not very good, but his talent for escaping is definitely a once-in-a-century experience. ”

He paused, and suddenly laughed in a low voice: "But...... Don't you think it's weird? A few hours ago, Ji Ling suddenly went crazy, and I almost thought it was going to fall off my head. ”

The sky of Slom still hung upside down with the magnificent ruins, the edges of which seemed to be missing compared to a day ago, and a quarter of the area was reduced to chaotic ruins, but through a hazy sea of deep blue stars, even the Sages couldn't really see what was going on.

Icarus opened his eyes, glanced at the sea of nothingness above his head, and said slowly, "After all, we are looking at the stars from afar, how can we figure out what is happening?" ”

"Haven't you been studying Chamel astrology lately? Haven't you tried to deduce the secrets of the Himereung? Rudolph said with a smile, and the laughter sounded a little obscene.

Icarus shook his head, closed his eyes noncommittally, and said, "Have you been in contact with bounty hunters lately?" You're subconsciously imitating others again. ”

Rudolph quickly put away his smile, stroked his beard with his hand, and said solemnly: "Contact? How can it be? I'm going to settle accounts with that guy about wands! ”

"Hehe, I haven't asked you yet, is the Frost King's eggshell missing?"

"Why do you ask me? I'm not going to do that, if you don't believe it, go to the puppet cage, whatever you want, it's not in my hands anyway. Rudolph shook his head and waved his hand, and said in one breath, "Your trust in me is too shallow, and it hurts, Icarus. ”

"I don't doubt you, Rudolph." Icarus chuckled softly and said, "But what the hell are you looking for me?" ”

Rudolph blew his beard and rolled his eyes: "Actually, it's nothing, I'm just here to inform you, that's it...... I recently got an interesting treasure, but it's so special that it doesn't do anything other than research, so I'm going to hold a demon fighting contest and use it as a prize after I'm done experimenting. ”

Icarus was silent for a moment and said, "Demon Fighting Tournament...... You really like to join in the fun, knowing that it will be a once-in-a-decade glorious event soon, who has the kung fu to pay attention to your small actions? ”

"Small movements? Icarus, you always say I'm going to pick the door, and this time I'm going to have a big deal! Rudolph said anxiously, "Do you know what the prize I have prepared is?" It's a holy thing! ”

"Holy relics? I don't agree, you're so foolish. Icarus opened his eyes with a look of surprise in his eyes, "There aren't a few holy relics in Oderic's treasury in total, how can you give them away?" ”

"Phew, how can this be said to be a gift? It's a competition, it's a competition! Only the best magicians of the younger generation of the academy can get it, and besides, it is my private property, and I can do whatever I like. Rudolph snorted, "It's been a long time since the Bachelor's Mansion has been so lively, and I've decided that the competition will be held in a week!" ”

Icarus couldn't help but shake his head again and said, "Did the council agree?" ”

"What are you kidding, why should I listen to my juniors?" Rudolph sneered and said, "Usually I don't meddle in the affairs of the Bachelor's Mansion at all, but this time, since I want to make a move, I must do a big special thing!" ”

"Are you just doing it for fun?" Icarus looked suspicious.

Rudolph hesitated for a moment and decided to say what he really thought: "No, in fact, I plan to take the opportunity to take in a disciple...... This competition can actually be said to be a selection. ”

Listening to Rudolph's words, the white horse Icarus nodded as if he suddenly realized, and said with a smile: "I can't imagine that you also have the idea of accepting apprentices, I remember you once said that unless you are the reincarnation of Arsenal, you will never teach others magic." ”

Rudolph coughed lightly and said, "That's right, but I changed my mind, and I really shouldn't be too critical of my disciples...... Every time I see that fat apprentice of yours, I feel that you are not easy. ”

Not bothering to pay attention to Rudolph's subtle taunt, Icarus smiled disappreciatively and asked curiously, "What about the entry limits?" ”

"In addition to you, there is a Council of Nine...... Also, the age must not be more than forty years old, preferably a beautiful female magician. ”

"I see." Icarus nodded again, narrowed his eyes, and said, "Then you just do it, I'm okay with that." ”

"I don't care if you have an opinion?" Rudolph sneered, turned and walked out of the tower, "I'm just here to say hello to you!" ”

With that, he walked into a flashing mirror, as if he had lost interest in chatting, and did not want to stay here for a moment.

Looking at Rudolph's vanishing figure, Icarus smiled meaningfully.

"Rudolph, Rudolph, you may not have a chance to receive your ideal apprentice." He blinked slyly and said to himself, "My eldest disciple should be returning to Slom, so what's the suspense about the outcome of the contest?" ”

Icarus shook his head and was about to continue his meditation, when he suddenly remembered the result he had just obtained when he tried divination, and his originally smiling face suddenly became solemn again.

He spread out his palm, and a magnificent starlight dust was condensed in his palm, and these wonderful luminous particles formed a line of small words on their own, floating between his fingers—

"Nevenmor"

At 22 Baker Street in the early morning, Alvar Stewart wandered around the house a few times, his face full of hesitation, he waited for a while, and finally decided to go upstairs.

When he had just reached the second floor, old Cooper suddenly pushed the door open, and when he saw the young nobleman, he was stunned and asked, "Are you......?" Master Stewart? ”

"Good morning, Mr. Cooper." Alva nodded in acknowledgment and smiled, "I'm coming for Levi." ”

Old Cooper gave him a strange look, and he replied, "Levi is not at home, he has been missing all day, and he did not come back last night." ”

A look of worry flashed in Alva's blue eyes, and he reluctantly smiled and said, "I see." ”

He glanced suspiciously into the room behind Cooper, where Aina Cooper, who was usually the usual, had disappeared for some reason, and he had planned to ask her what trouble Levi was in.

Alva walked out of Twenty-two Baker Street worriedly, thinking of all that Cizer had said to him.

The night before, when Cizer spotted the insect flashing, he immediately quietly left Hayes Manor, and he rushed to the outskirts of Slom West at great speed, but then lost the direction of his tracking.

That night, Cizer returned to the city of Slom, and found Alva overnight, and the two of them worked hard to trace Levi's traces through the streets of the royal capital, but to no avail.

After that, Cizer had to return to Hayes Manor to continue his knightly training, and the task of finding Levi's whereabouts in Slom City was entrusted to Alva alone.

Levi's ...... What the hell is this guy in trouble with? ”

Alva sighed, went to his carriage, opened the door and jumped on.

Before he could sit down, the door slammed shut automatically, and a cold blade pressed against his neck.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, your name is on the guild's bounty list—Alvar Stewart."

In a dilapidated house west of Slom, Raymond Brown pushed open the door and walked in.

He was dressed in a coarse cloth coat that did not fit well, and the sleeve of his right arm was empty, and in his left hand he carried a small bag full of gold coins.

"Where have you been? Didn't I say you better stay here and get some rest......"

A grim-looking old man sat at a desk, dressed in a crumpled black robe, looking up at Raymond with a look of worry in his eyes.

"Ahem—"

Raymond clutched his left hand to his throat and coughed a few times in a little pain, and he wiped the red paint off his neck with his sleeve, a hideous scar on his throat.

"You don't have to worry about me, and I never prayed for you to save me." Raymond sat on the cot in the room and gave the old man a cold look, "Listen, old man, I'll be out of here in a few days." ”

The old man's eyes were a little cringe, and he said cautiously: "The injury on your body is not an ordinary wound, I can't completely heal it, but it can be improved slowly......"

"I said, no." Raymond said word by word, but suddenly he coughed violently, and he covered his mouth with one arm, and finally stopped, and his sleeve was stained with a wisp of coughed blood.

He took a deep breath, looked at the old man in front of him, and said, "I need your basement, Solomon." ”

The old man named Solomon nodded in horror, not daring to ask Raymond what he was going to do with the basement, as if Raymond's bad attitude towards him was a matter of course.

For more than forty years of his studies at the Academy, Solomon had been living an inferior life, just because he was honest and had low talent, and he had not been able to change his black robe into red after decades of hard work on the road of magic.

(The Bachelor's House dress etiquette stipulates that magic apprentices and magicians wear black robes, and mages wear red robes, but there are no dress restrictions for the Supreme Magus and Grand Magus.) ）

The night before, while collecting cold plants in the snowy fields of the suburbs, he accidentally found the dying Raymond, who was also a bachelor of the Academy, and the kind-hearted Solomon carried him back to the city, treated his wounds with animal magic, and pulled Raymond back from the ghost gate.

However, Raymond was only full of anger when he woke up, he had no gratitude to Solomon, and left Solomon's house as soon as he regained his mobility, and he seemed to be busy with some special things, and only came back here when he needed to rest.

Without even taking off his boots, Raymond lay on all fours on Solomon's cot, with several crooked names carved into the white wall next to the bed:

Levi David

Alvar Stewart

Cizer Garcia

Sandor

Raymond pulled a knife out of his pocket and crossed out the second name with a blank face.

("Of the two known Archmages on the continent, one is Lord White Pony and the other is Lord Rudolph. What can we do to be as strong as they are? Even if I am dull, can I work towards the rank of the Sage? —The Diary of Leon Reinhardt)