Yarra’s Adventure Notes
Chapter 843 - 107 Changing and Unchanging

Chapter 843: Chapter 107 Changing and Unchanging

The clouds in the sky grew denser and heavier, casting a gloom over the entire city akin to dusk. Fewer and fewer pedestrians traversed the streets, each seeking refuge in their homes before the imminent downpour, peering through tightly shut windows, awaiting the rain that would wash everything away. After the last person vanished into the dimness, the city streets fell into complete silence. In the stifling air, a faint scent of water began to emerge, a moist vapor that brought a touch of coolness to the maddening humidity. Inhaling this familiar scent that belonged solely to the moments before a torrential rain, Felic once again lifted his head to gaze at the sky shrouded by dark clouds, his lips curling into a meaningful smile.

Unsure how long he had been gazing upward, the grass beneath the stone steps of City Hall began to sway gently, as a breeze blew in from afar. Carrying the scent of rain imbued in the breeze, the grass rustled, as did the hem of Felic’s red robe. Felic lowered his hood and, bowing his head slightly, tidied his robes in the wind, restoring the neatness of his attire. As a scholar renowned for his rigor and now as a solemn and self-disciplined Chief Executive, Felic would always maintain his image, never revealing a disheveled or sloppy appearance to others. Even his classmates, when reminiscing about him, could only recall his stern face and impeccably dressed figure. It seemed that the name Felic had become one with his present image and was unlikely to change again.

"The wind is picking up," Felic said softly, raising his hand to let the palm face the direction from which the wind blew, feeling its touch and murmuring, "In this kind of weather, wind and rain are always the most perfect companions. The arrival of the wind is a precursor to the rain. Once you feel the wind, it means the storm is right upon us. Rain is adored by the people of this city, no, it should be said that rain is cherished by the Highlanders. A torrential downpour brings not only a few days of coolness to the city but also cleanses away all filth and darkness, rendering the city cleaner. Thus, everyone here has a heartfelt affection for rain. What about the people in your city, friends from afar?"

"Quite the opposite, in the City of Knowledge, rain is regarded as the most troublesome," stated a clear female voice, emerging suddenly in front of the deserted City Hall, accompanied by the sound of metal striking the ground. With a rattle, a figure appeared from the empty end of the street, its silhouette hazy in the dim light, but even within the haze, one could discern her tall stature and shining scale armor. The lady in silver armor approached step by step, and from her bright red lips came a clear and pleasant voice: "Heavy downpours are rare in the Holy City. There, the rain is fine and unrelenting, lingering for days or even weeks on end, enfolding everything in a shroud of dampness. Hence, aside from poets, there are few in the Holy City who enjoy rainy days, among whom adventurers and mercenaries detest it the most."

"Why is that?" asked Felic, his gaze fixed on the approaching knight, his face adorned with a polite smile. "I can understand the sentiment you’re expressing, but why highlight adventurers and mercenaries in particular?"

"Because during gloomy rainy weather, adventurers and mercenaries suffer greatly," the knight replied, stopping at the bottom of the steps, tipping her head back to look at Felic who was several meters above her. With a serious tone, she said, "The majority of mercenaries and adventurers carry many incurable hidden wounds. The incessant drizzle brings unbearable pain to such people, akin to what I am feeling right now. This pain is inescapable, even if one lies still, making it such that almost no adventurer enjoys a rainy day."

"It must have been quite the trouble for you, Miss Catherine," Felic said with a polite Mage’s bow, smiling as he spoke: "To come here in such weather, I truly feel apologetic. It looks like the rain is about to start. Please come in and have a seat, and the rest of you as well, come on in. No one ventures to City Hall in a downpour, so whenever there’s a storm, all the apprentices take leave. Those who don’t are back on the Floating Island preparing their experiments. So now, it’s very quiet here—a perfect place for exchanges, in every sense of the word."

"I really appreciate it," said the six others trailing behind Catherine as they slowly approached. Muir’s expression was unreadable, with the Flaron Harp cradled in his arms, he spoke in a calm voice: "Though the rain in the Elven Forest can be heavy and lasts longer than on the highlands, the protection of the forest means we are not exposed to the same fury here. I would be rather troubled if I had to face this storm directly. Thank you for choosing such a good spot. As you said, it is the best location in every sense."

Felic said nothing more and simply gave a casual smile, lowered his head to don his hood once again, concealing his expression in the shadows. He gestured towards the interior of City Hall, then turned and walked through the grand doors.

He wasn’t wrong—there wasn’t a soul in City Hall, only silence. As they walked through the empty halls, an all-enveloping quiet surrounded them, with only their footsteps audible. The otherwise insignificant sound was infinitely amplified in the empty space, echoing like thunder.

"This rain was utterly unexpected," Felic said in a deep voice, but in a place where even footsteps were clearly heard, the low voice also became very distinct: "Highland weather is like that, storms always catch people off guard and completely disrupt their plans. According to the original schedule, today representatives from various sectors of urban citizens were supposed to gather here for an experience exchange meeting at noon. The location was to be the large dining hall at the edge of the building, normally where City Hall staff would have lunch and dinner, now repurposed as a meeting venue. The apprentices had set up the dining hall yesterday, and even the food had been ordered. A single storm, however, has made all those arrangements have to be postponed. Yet, that’s also a good thing; if it weren’t for that, we wouldn’t have such a fine environment for ourselves."

"It seems you have quite high expectations for this conference," Catherine said in a voice as rigid as a knight’s, even in casual conversation: "That surprises me. I thought you Tower Mages would find these affairs tedious—after all, the rumors portray you as efficiency-oriented Mages, disinterested and even averse to matters unrelated to research."

"The rumors are not wrong; indeed, we find it tiresome, noisy, inefficient, and meaningless in our eyes," Felic said with a calm voice, directly making an assessment, "But those apprentices are different from us. They are still just young people, or rather, a group of children. Their way of thinking has not yet transformed into that of a true mage. They like crowds, they enjoy the hustle and bustle, and they energetically engage in even the most meaningless activities. Thus, they are very much looking forward to this meeting."

"As for us..." Felic smiled, a rare softness showing in his expression, "Seeing them reminds us of ourselves when we were young, loving to play and make a ruckus just like they do. Thinking of it that way, we might as well let them be happy."

"You really indulge those apprentices," Catherine’s expression also softened, no longer as stern as she had initially been, "It seems that becoming your apprentices must be a very fortunate thing for them."

"Ah, whether it’s fortunate or not, who knows," the complexity seemed to seep into Felic’s smile, "And sometimes, to get what one desires requires paying a higher price. Happiness is not without cost; if one is not prepared to pay the price, then in some ways, such happiness could simply be misfortune for those people."

"It sounds like you’re conflicted," Catherine asked softly, "Do you also feel conflicted at times?"

"It’s not conflict," Felic shook his head, "It’s just some reflection, heh, even we Tower Mages have our moments of reflection, it’s just that most people do not see them. Come, this way please, we are almost at the grand dining hall."

"While the apprentices have a holiday, you’re here to receive us," Pannis, who had been silent until now, suddenly asked from behind Catherine, "What about Philarx? How is he handling it?"

"The teacher?" Felic paused, smiling as though speaking of a father he adored, "The teacher has probably just finished his daily reading. It’s said that for a hundred years, he’s maintained this daily routine. As a child, I once asked the teacher if he would ever finish reading all those books. The answer he gave me is something I’ll never forget. He said that the day might come when the books run out, but the knowledge gained from reading is endless, never running out. What he does is to grasp as much knowledge as possible, for that is what makes a qualified Mage and scholar."

"Hah, that really does sound like something he would say," Pannis shrugged, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, "That guy has always been like this, whether it’s his enthusiasm for acquiring and studying knowledge or his roundabout way of answering questions."

"Yes, the teacher has never changed," Felic agreed with a nod, "His habits remain the same too. Right now, he should have left the library and be strolling in the tower’s top garden with Aniya’s assistance. Before lunch every day, the teacher insists on a fifteen-minute walk, a routine that has also never changed."

"Sticking to habits and not changing them can be quite a difficult task," Pannis nodded, "But why, as his student, have you changed?"

"Have I really changed? Perhaps I’ve never changed at all," Felic said meaningfully, "This is the grand dining hall, please come in." (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for it on Qidian (qidian.com), your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please visit m.qidian.com to read.)