Rebirth Of The Noble Mage Behind The Scenes
Chapter 169: Mysterious Ruins

Chapter 169: Chapter 169: Mysterious Ruins

"And indeed, the level of danger in this expedition is still within my tolerance."

Seemingly worried that the old explorer Baggsen might be concerned, Claire pondered for a moment and added another sentence.

Although she calls Baggsen Uncle, in fact, there is no blood relation between her and Baggsen.

The relationship between the young girl and the old explorer was solely due to that ancient stone tablet and her dreams of becoming an explorer.

The stone tablet’s original owner was Baggsen’s father, the stunningly talented Seventh Rank Explorer Baggsen Luo Hancock, from two hundred years ago.

Yes, he has the same name as his son.

That year, after the old Baggsen deciphered the ancient script on the tablet, he also engraved his own name and his next exploration target at the bottom blank part of the tablet.

Thereafter, he donated the stone tablet to the Pamir Mysterious Library and used a blank fragment of the tablet as a guide to venture alone into the depths of the Mist Sea, searching for the giant uncharted island recorded on the tablet.

This expedition lasted for several hundred years.

When Claire deciphered the text on the stone tablet and learned of the island’s existence, she also saw the brief message left by the old Baggsen.

Unlike old Baggsen—who, due to the remoteness of the recorded time on the tablet, could only find his way on his own—

Claire could take the Black Ship from the island and land on the huge island in a conventional way.

Yes, most of the ’collections’ in the Mysterious Great Library can be borrowed. Due to the existence of magic, the academy is not worried about items not being returned.

After disguising her identity to go to the island, Claire first took the stone tablet and tried to find traces left by old Baggsen.

Before this, she had found information about old Baggsen and his last whereabouts in the Pamir Academy’s archive room.

Because, like herself, he had deciphered the script on the tablet, and was also a broadly knowledgeable Seventh Rank Explorer predecessor.

Claire hoped to find him and exchange information about the island and their understandings of the content on the tablet, as well as messages concerning the anomalous Calamity Trait in herself.

However, she ultimately failed to find old Baggsen, but instead found a son he had left on the island.

And he had inherited his father’s identity, becoming an explorer as well—

.....

Baggsen turned around, looking at the bright-eyed girl watching him.

Although she was disguised as a brown-haired young man at that moment, in his eyes, the girl’s disguise was almost indistinguishable.

For a moment, a hint of sigh and self-mockery suddenly flashed through his eyes.

The look of the older generation at the younger one is always filled with irony and sighs, just as seeing their younger selves.

Since having memories, Baggsen only ever saw his mother, an ordinary woman from Lavales.

Although he has the same name and identity as his father, apart from an old portrait, he actually never met his father in person.

Initially, the goal that sustained him to become an explorer was merely a child’s tenacity to follow in his father’s footsteps and therefore to find his father’s whereabouts.

For this, over the years as an explorer, he almost traversed the entire island, repeatedly venturing deep into the cursed mountains and wilderness, exploring the island’s ancient sealed ruins, all in pursuit of any traces his father might have left behind.

Through numerous strenuous explorations, he gradually became the strongest man on the island, respected by others.

However, aside from some traces left behind by old Baggsen, he never managed to find his father, as if he had completely left the island.

Gradually, the once young child grew old, the passion of his youth gradually faded, and what remained after the long passage of time was deep exhaustion.

He was tired.

"Well, I have already told you about the places to be cautious of on the island. As for how to explore specifically, it’s all up to you."

After a moment, Baggsen shook his head, freeing himself from the deep memories.

"Also, take this."

Watching the persistent Claire, the old explorer took out a small piece of stone tablet filled with ancient script, made of the same material as the larger fragment in Claire’s hand, from his ring.

"This is something my father left behind. Since you were able to decipher the ancient script on the stele, you should be able to understand what’s written here as well."

Handing the stele to the young girl, Baggsen waved his hand somewhat dispiritedly.

"Go, Claire, and never forget what initially set you on this path."

"Thank you for your help, Uncle Baggsen."

Claire bowed gratefully to the old explorer.

As she spoke, she suddenly recalled the mage grandfather who had raised her, the mentor who took great care of her at the academy, and her friendly classmates.

And also, the handsome young man with mysterious deep blue eyes who considered her a companion.

Then, she glanced at the message left on the small piece of stele.

"This is a mistake! To those who come later, stay away from Lavales! Stay away from that town! Make sure to leave this island before the time comes!"

.....

Meanwhile, as it was approaching evening when she bid farewell to the old explorer,

Anvis prepared to first head to investigate the Black Tower, then wait for nightfall to study the specific changes of the island’s curse at night.

However, just as he was about to reach the tall black tower, Anvis suddenly frowned and noticed an oddly empty space on the side of the town.

An area that looked like a long-abandoned ruin, strikingly situated amidst many normal buildings.

Collapsed brick walls, weather-damaged pillars, piles of broken rubble...

In the center of that ruin stood a somewhat lonely house, also partially destroyed, but clearly in better condition than the rest of the ruins.

For some reason, Anvis felt there was something off about that house.

It had a peculiar allure, beckoning him from within the ruins.

"Lord Jom, do you see that house in the center of the ruins? Is there something wrong with it?"

Jom looked in the direction pointed out by Anvis, and nodded affirmatively.

"That is a small Anomaly Zone, Lord Anvis."

"Are there any anomaly elements present?"

Upon hearing this, Anvis took another closer look at the house.

"I haven’t perceived any anomaly elements there, possibly due to the size of this anomaly zone or some other reason that prevented their formation.

It might also be possible that they were once formed but have been taken away by others."

Jom shook his head.

"Is there any danger?"

"None for us, Lord Anvis."

"Good."

Anvis nodded, casually summoned a Light Ball with the Candlelight Technique, and walked towards the semi-destroyed house.

Through the gaps between the broken columns and walls, his gaze was drawn to something unusually vivid in color on a wall that was still standing inside the house.

No changes occurred, Anvis entered through a collapsed part of the wall where the living room once probably was.

There, he saw a painting that looked unnaturally new, as if it had just been freshly painted.

A lovely smiling boy and girl holding hands, running on the orange beach.

The warm yellow sunset enveloped them, against a backdrop of a vast sea tinged with a layer of burning golden-red color, creating a very warm color palette for the whole scene.

Anvis looked carefully at this painting that didn’t fit in with the surrounding environment, now sure that the faint allure originated from it.