Act II: A Rising City at the End of the North (4)

When he arrives in a new place, Flick always spends a lot of time remembering the distribution of the roads and the atmosphere that is unique to each of the different blocks nearby. Pen, fun, pavilion www. biquge。 info

He didn't know when this was the starting behavior, and by the time he noticed it, it had almost become a subconscious habit. Now that it's a habit, there's no need to fix it - and Frick doesn't feel it's a bad habit.

Therefore, when he came to the Gate of the North, he recorded the streets he walked through out of custom, and silently compiled a map in his mind. It was for this reason that when the carriage crossed the bridge across the White River and drove into the so-called Old Town, he quickly noticed that the atmosphere had changed a lot.

The streets of this neighborhood have a very different smell from the new town, and Flick, who was still a little alienated from the city, suddenly became much closer to it - it felt like returning to his hometown, with an indescribable sense of intimacy.

Less spacious streets and slightly older three-story wood-and-stone houses, the most common architectural styles in Northland, seem to be in the Middle Ages. They remind Frick of the old houses in his hometown, and although they are not the same style at all, they all reveal similar feelings.

Frick took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled the air from his lungs, watching as the pure white breath drifted in a straight line towards him. The temperature of the upcoming winter has gradually become colder, but it is not so cold that it is unbearable, but it is enough to make people sober to face the reality.

The air exhaled from his lungs first warmed up, and then the cold water reminded Frick that now was not the time to miss the past. He had talked a lot about the place with the old coachman, and a few words about Stella Sierra Leone might have sparked his nostalgia.

The old driver may have been in contact with Frick's father, Stella Leone, but he doesn't remember much about this "unusual adventurer". Of course, after all, it was more than ten years ago, and even if he remembered, it was likely to be a fragment and an inaccurate impression.

Of the information he provided, Stella had ridden in his car more than once, and for some time had to charter his entire car, going back and forth in and out of the city. And at that time, in addition to the adventurer companions, there were many people who were like sorcerers.

"If it were just Sierra Leone and his fellow adventurers, I probably wouldn't remember it so clearly, after all, it's just a relatively good business. So said the old coachman, who admits that his memory is not so good, "But if it's a mage, you know—it's a mage, and there weren't even ten of all the mages in our city at that time!"

At that time, the sorcerer was indeed a status symbol, and for the poor coachmen, having a sorcerer willing to ride in their car was undoubtedly something that could be boasted about for a long time...... Perhaps this is one of the reasons why the old coachman still has an impression of this incident.

But whatever the reason, the old coachman's ability to remember these things about his father is precious good news for Flick. Therefore, although he suppressed the impulse in his heart, he still unconsciously guided the topic in the relevant direction.

"I'm sorry...... While I also know that Mr. Scrivener you might be curious about these things that could be 'recorded', I really can't think of them. ”

But no matter how much he tried to knock on the side, the only answer he got was this: "I just remember that day it seemed like Sierra Leone told me to wait for him in front of the library, and then he got into the car with the two magicians around noon - I don't remember the rest of the day." And after that, he used my car a few times, but I don't remember exactly, you know, it was a long time ago. ”

It may not just be a matter of "this was a long time ago" that can be explained, and when the old coachman said this, Frick only smiled and nodded on the surface, but his mind was already thinking about the possibility of this situation.

If these events are considered "stories", then once someone who can wield supernatural powers, such as a sorcerer, appears in the course of the story, the spearhead of events will often be pointed at them...... After all, it's hard for ordinary people to know if they've used magic to cast spells.

Although he hadn't learned any spells, Frick knew some of the basics of spells and knew where the boundaries of spells were. It may be difficult to manipulate people's minds, but it is not too difficult if you just want to erase the memories of ordinary people and make them forget some of the facts.

Frick hadn't forgotten the letter that had been long overdue, and although Aculi hadn't found any signs of anomalous use of magic no matter how much he checked, there must have been a reason why it had been so late. Now that it's going to be in his hands, there should be some kind of reason for it.

Frick is not afraid to use the greatest malice to wonder if the email has a purpose, but it may well mean that the worst answer awaits you. Someone was in charge of the whole situation, and the first target he used was Stella Sierra Leone, and when the right moment came, he brought Flick to the chessboard that he had prepared in advance, ready to use him as the next pawn.

All of this was speculation at best, but Frick himself couldn't figure out what kind of mess he was in. He couldn't help but sigh, if he allowed his thinking to be extrapolated in a bad direction, he was afraid that the final conclusion would be worse than the current one.

"The night is covered, but the pace is still firm, and the fog is thick, but the vision is ......still clear," he bowed his head and recited in a low voice, "The observer who walks on the path of thorns, even if his hands and feet are bound, should always maintain a clear will and seek the guiding light ahead......

This was used as a congratulatory message at the induction ceremony of the scribes, and may have given the early scribes hope for a successor like Frick. As a collector and organizer of various "records", sometimes it is indeed as if walking on a wasteland where they cannot see clearly, and with a pair of eyes that recognize the reliability of records, it is as if they have mastered a guiding light that can penetrate the layers of fog.

Frick didn't believe in the existence of "gods" and never expected to be guided by them, but that didn't stop him from using some words to calm his mind. Although the words themselves may not have any practical effect, reciting them in a whisper when his mind is confused always calms him down quickly.

"Ah, Mr. Scrivener, we are almost there. ”

The old coachman did not notice Frick's whispered greeting, but said, "Cross this avenue in front of the temple and walk a little downhill to the library area—and by luck, my house is near there, and I can go back for dinner." ”

It was getting late, and the buildings on both sides of the road were lit up, casting patches of light on the slightly dimly lit streets. It's almost time for dinner, and even the cold wind blowing from the north naturally carries the smell of the surrounding houses.

Rather than the smell of flowers sold by the merchants on the street in front of the station, the smell of cooking food mixed with the smell of burning charcoal is more of an impression of life than a nominal "new city".

"Well, it smells so good, I'm a little hungry. ”

Smelling the mixed smell of the north wind, the old coachman smiled: "I don't know who is making it, but I bet it's making pork soup - and it's the most traditional local flavor......!" Hey, if you don't mind, you can also come to my house tomorrow night and I can let you try the purest local flavors!"

Probably because of the pleasant conversation with Flick, the old coachman even planned to invite him to dinner at his house. Perhaps it was too rare for him to meet a foreigner who could understand the primitive beliefs of the Northlands, so he was so interested.

Of course, it is also possible that Frick's arrival on the shores of the lake in Perm earned him more favor with the old man - the holy lake near the Great Library is still one of the core shrines of the local faith, and it is likely that the old coachman wanted to learn something about it from him.

Looking at the sincere smile on the other party's face, he couldn't refuse bluntly, so he had to nod and reply: "Well, if it doesn't cause you trouble, I'm happy to ...... And I'd love to know about your beliefs, which shouldn't be forgotten over time. ”

At the same time, Frick wanted to try to get more information out of their mouths about his father—about his actions here and about his investigation. Of course, he would not easily find fault with his claims, at least the excuse he had chosen now was enough to make the old coachman feel even happier.

In fact, Frick's previous evaluation of the new city of the Gate of the North was not very good, because the narrow streets and noisy drinking venues always made him a little uncomfortable. The gradual gathering of crowds and the ever-expanding city streets are a testament to prosperity to most people, but for Flick, who prefers to crouch in a bookstore and look through old books rather than communicate with people, it is definitely not something that makes him feel comfortable.

He was well aware that the Gate of the North, like any other new city, was in turmoil between the old and the new, and that it would continue to be for a long time. In the process, there are many things that may be wiped out, but there are still many things that should not be seen disappearing.