The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 395: Volume Eight: Gathering Storm - One: A Guest Arrives_2

Chapter 395: Volume Eight: Gathering Storm Chapter One: A Guest Arrives_2

This wall looked utterly ordinary from the outside, but upon closer observation, one could see that its structure was slightly different. Unlike other walls built from large stones, this wall was constructed from many small stone strips, with gaps between them so tight that nearly no trace could be seen. However, if you approached it with a preconceived notion and examined it carefully, you could detect that a few gaps were not quite like the others. By gently tracing these gaps, you could feel a winding gap line extend downwards along the direction of the stones, all the way to the base of the wall. Yet, at the base, everything appeared obvious, showing nothing out of the ordinary, no matter if you stepped or stomped on it. It was clear that the secret was in the wall itself.

The smooth, curve-like seam between the stones on the wall seemed more like a hint, but what did this curve actually signify? The thin and dry mage racked his brains but couldn’t figure it out, pacing back and forth in front of the wall. By his measurements, he was sure that among the countless stone strips in this wall, there must have been one or two that were odd, but he couldn’t identify which ones specifically. He knew the secret must be connected to this curve, but no matter the method he used to predict or calculate, it just wouldn’t work. Where exactly was the problem?

Subconsciously wiping his feet on the ground, some strange symbols seemed to appear. Rubbing his eyes, the thin and dry mage exclaimed, "Ah!" and suddenly crouched down to take a closer look at this sudden miracle on the floor. In truth, it was no miracle; due to the humidity, this red sandstone floor had become somewhat moldy from moisture, and a type of moss that was unique to the Caucasus almost completely covered the entire floor, firm yet soft to the step, and no one noticed any issue with the floor.

This unexpected discovery immediately piqued everyone’s interest. The thought of peeling back the moss to see what lay beneath it wound around everyone’s minds. The task of clearing the moss was quickly completed by all, and the entire floor surface was cleaned up in no time, revealing all its secrets to the onlookers.

Removing the moss, the ground revealed a series of blurred texts and symbols, which seemed to be the key to unlocking the magic prohibition of the stone wall. However, the thin and dry mage quickly shifted from excitement to disappointment. Although the symbols and texts were discernible upon close examination, a cursory glance revealed them to be merely a brief historical introduction of Damarlinsk Castle, filled with fantastical elements. The introduction detailed the life of the castle’s builder and the construction process of Damarlinsk Castle. While these details might help everyone understand the history of the castle, they seemed utterly worthless to those urgently seeking to break the magic prohibition.

Just as Rebry and the others were about to stand up, disappointed, the thin and dry mage wasn’t ready to give up so easily. In his view, the placement of the introduction in this room was curious in itself. It would seem more fitting for a stele inscribed with a commemoration to be erected in a square, but engraved on the floor of this room, it was something worth pondering.

The light grew dimmer, and this stone chamber, unable to be reached directly by sunshine, seemed rather gloomy. The colonnade outside looked much brighter, while behind it was the external wall of the castle, punctuated by a tall defensive tower set up just here, perfectly blocking light from entering through the windows.

When Rebry’s party finally left due to loss of patience, the only person remaining in the room was the thin and dry magician, who lay on the ground, searching for clues and racking his brain over the secrets hidden within.

Line by line, column by column, each letter seemed so simple, and the whole introduction was not complex. Although it covered the entire room’s floor, the large font size made the array of characters seem rather sparse. The magician’s fingertip slid down letter by letter, and suddenly, he noticed a strange phenomenon: it seemed that every few words, one letter was slightly larger than the others. Of course, this difference in size was relative, and it would be difficult to notice this during an ordinary reading. This discovery brought an ecstatic expression to the face of the magician, which was as wrinkled as dried orange peel. He quickly located these distinct letters in order and arranged them to form several words, "left three up five." What could these simple words mean?

However, for someone skilled in mechanisms like him, the meaning of these words could not have been clearer. It was an ancient method of hiding hints, typically referring to a specific position within an object arranged in rows and columns. The magician got up nimbly and, following the instructions from the words he pieced together, quickly found the stone slab. He raised a simple Sphere of Light Spell, brightening the entire room even more. Carefully examining the slab that seemed no different from the others around it, he soon noticed its uniqueness. The slab’s color appeared duller than those surrounding it, and its surface was smoother. This dullness was not due to a different material but rather seemed like the result of prolonged touching over time, and the smoothness likely had the same cause.

Suppressing the joy in his heart, the magician was almost certain that this was the switch for the stone wall’s Ban. By triggering this switch, one could avoid the various vicious prohibitions that would be unleashed by forcefully destroying it. Of course, this method would not prevent certain necessary attacks, but overall, it would be much easier. The magician believed that, relying on his calculations, he could successfully predict the general locations of various magic and physical attacks.

Rebry’s group’s freeloading here definitely didn’t sit right with someone’s wishes. In Puber’s view, developing Damarlinsk Castle was supposed to be mutually beneficial. If Damarlinsk Castle had no attractions, even Komer’s invitations wouldn’t have brought these folks here. Since it was a matter of mutual interest to both parties, everything should be equal. Thus, these freeloaders who had stayed here a month and had quite high demands should make some contributions in return. The two Dark Knights need not be mentioned; even Fran and Baoling couldn’t stop praising their Half-Beast Warriors. Komer’s Guard’s five hundred Half-Beastmen would receive training from the Dark Knights in rotation—a heavy responsibility and a long road. As for the magicians, they didn’t seem to have much use until they formally accepted Komer’s offer and became part of the Magician Group of Caucasus. So, Puber had no choice but to reluctantly ask each magician to craft three Magic Scrolls to cover the cost of their room and board.

Luckily, crafting Magic Scrolls was not too difficult. Although the magicians were somewhat dissatisfied, considering the uncertainty of their stay, they reluctantly accepted this request. And much earlier, Puber had already arranged a sales channel with Hes of the Adventurers’ Guild. For adventurers, Magic Scrolls were essential amulets for their exploratory ventures. Depending on the need and quality, these Magic Scrolls could fetch a handsome price from the adventurers.