Chapter 514 — Return to the Imperial Capital

The giant sun, newly risen, blazed over the vast plains of the Aldernan Great Plain. Under the heat it poured down, the air began to stir, and the thick fog common to this season swirled into wondrous eddies as it moved, gradually thinning—and through that parting mist, three black carriages driven by puppet slaves rolled along a newly built road, heading toward the Imperial Capital.

All three were of a make common in Typhon: the twin-horse design and the lengthened, spacious cabins allowed this classic model to carry more passengers and cargo, which made it a favorite among wealthier travelers. And the blue eye and encircling rune marks painted on the carriage bodies reminded every passing traveler—these three belonged to a certain great mage.

The three black carriages came from west to east, bearing the cold wind and thin mist of early winter. A faint pale-blue glow seeped from the underside of each carriage, spreading up over the whole body to form a thin shield that wrapped the entire vehicle, keeping out the chill and holding the cabin at a warm and comfortable temperature.

Mary carefully opened one of the side panels a narrow crack and looked out at the scenery—the somewhat desolate wilderness receding on both sides of the road, the hazy winter fog in the distance. She watched for a long while but saw scarcely any pedestrians or vehicles, only the occasional freight carriage bearing some official insignia hurrying past: in this cold, winter-begun season, even in Typhon few common folk had the leisure to go out at will, and on so broad a road, for most of the time, the only things moving were the three carriages within her sight.

A trace of unease welled up in the young female apprentice's heart, but also a trace of anticipation.

She had finally left that dark, gloomy, terrifying mage tower, and left that backward country place as well. She was going to the legendary capital of the Empire, to see another world entirely.

Though she had not escaped her mentor, a strange excitement kept her company all the same. She did not know what she was hoping for, but she felt... that her life was finally about to change.

"There's nothing worth seeing on the roads this season."

Her mentor's somewhat sinister, hoarse voice came suddenly from behind. Mary jumped, unable to keep from trembling slightly, and hastily shut the window panel and sat back down in her seat.

The old mage Daniel sat in the middle of the carriage, still draped in that great thick black robe, like a lifeless statue. Two other apprentices sat cautiously in the corner of the cabin, heads down, eyes on the *Algebra* in their hands.

Mary shot a swift glance at her mentor. Seeing no anger on the old mage's face, she settled down.

What she had sensed some time ago had not been an illusion—her mentor's temper really had improved a great deal.

He still had that morose air, was still somewhat harsh and severe, still studied those hair-raising forbidden knowledges—but the old mage had not lapsed into madness for a long while now, and for a long while had not punished his apprentices at will.

These improvements were not enough to let Mary and the other apprentices relax completely, nor to let them grow bold enough to be familiar with their mentor, but at least Mary now dared to ask him questions of her own accord: "Teacher, how long will we stay in the Imperial Capital?"

The old mage seemed in a better mood today than at any time before. He glanced at Mary and said offhandedly, "Don't trouble yourself with useless things—just follow me honestly."

Mary quickly lowered her head. "Y-yes."

"Get rid of that timid, yes-sir habit of yours," the old mage said, looking at her. "In front of me it doesn't matter, but don't always tremble like that in front of others—lift your head. You are a mage, your mentor is a great mage, and you have standing in the Imperial Capital too."

Mary was taken aback for a moment, then answered, "Yes."

"You two pay attention as well," the old mage said, raising his voice slightly for the other two apprentices in the carriage. "Don't look like country bumpkins—but don't be utterly without restraint either. You must have the pride of the extraordinary, and also composure. Don't bring me trouble, and don't let anyone bully you."

The apprentices were startled for a moment, then hurriedly nodded.

Their mentor was actually teaching them how to conduct themselves in the Imperial Capital—Mary thought in surprise.

After a few more instructions the old mage fell silent. He drew a bronze mirror from his robe and gazed at it quietly.

The mirror seemed to be a magical item, carved all over with intricate, arcane symbols and patterns—even the smooth surface was not exempt. Mary stole only a quick glance from the side before hastily turning her head away—

That mirror had been made by her mentor before they set out, but no apprentice knew what it did. The old mage allowed no one to touch it, not even to look at it from afar, and all Mary knew was that her mentor brought it out several times nearly every day—and each time after he looked at it his mood improved somewhat, and even his temper seemed to have been changed by that mirror.

So whatever its precise function, it was certainly a good thing.

Daniel paid no mind to what thoughts were turning in his apprentices' heads. He simply studied the arcane, mysterious symbols and patterns on the mirror in earnest, steeped in the gentle sound of ocean waves and a pleasant sense of mental relaxation, and used it to soothe his own somewhat taut spirit—the facts had proven that these mysterious symbols bestowed by his master were extraordinary in effect, and even when transferred from the walls of a room to a small bronze mirror, their power had not diminished in the slightest.

With the help of those symbols and patterns he relaxed completely, then let his spirit spread out and sense the situation outside.

The fog had dispersed a great deal, but a thin mist still shrouded heaven and earth—so it was in the central Typhon region after winter set in; even at the height of the sun's strength there was often a thin mist, and this mist was precisely the origin of the name "Mist Moon"—and deep within that mist, the towering walls of the Imperial Capital, Aldernan, were already drawing near.

How long had it been since he left Xuanque City?

A dozen years? Or twenty-odd?

For a moment Daniel could not remember clearly, but he knew he had indeed been away a very long time. In those ten or twenty years he had gone from a great mage in high favor at the Royal Mages' Association to a self-exiled, reclusive dark sorcerer hidden away in the countryside, morose and grim. He did not know how many people in the Imperial Capital still remembered him, but surely those who had once pushed him out, mocked him, and even schemed against him in secret had not forgotten...

Daniel, the great mage who had devoted himself to the theory of neural-interactive magic yet accomplished nothing in half a lifetime, had returned—returned bearing his master's will.

In the mist-shrouded streets of Aldernan, three black carriages rolled over the damp, smooth flagstones, heading toward the Royal Mages' Association.

At the hour when the giant sun passed the highest point of the sky, Daniel arrived with his apprentice Mary at the headquarters of the Royal Mages' Association.

The other apprentices had already been sent off to settle the luggage and clean up their lodgings—in Daniel's view, apprentices who had spent half a year clutching the great knowledge bestowed by his master and still could not keep up were all mediocrities, an embarrassment to bring along; only Mary had some talent for mathematics, and was worth bringing out to see the world.