882 Mean Good Friends (1/2)

It was the middle of the day. The ancient and magnificent Aalto City stood next to the Bellen River, looking down at the villages around it.

The wall of the city was not in black, which was what most sorcerers would have liked. It was in dark yellow because it was as old as the everlasting sky.

Although Fernando dared not to fly, he still reached the central city of the empire a couple of days later since he did not rest at night.

He cleaned his clothes and walked to the city gate, which was defended by a dozen sorcerers. Their leader revealed the unmistakable air that he was an archmage!

It was the scorching noon, but peasants, dealers, and citizens going in and out of the city were not reduced at all. One could not help but sense the liveliness and exuberance of Aalto.

”Stop!” A middle-rank sorcerer stopped Fernando in wariness. In such an eventful period, nobody wanted to be killed by the night watchers.

Because Fernando was wearing a red magic robe, all the sorcerers shifted their attention to him. All of them looked grave except the archmage, as if they would attack him relentlessly if anything went wrong.

Fernando said loudly, ”I am from Holm. I'm here to look for my good friend Antec. He's a student of the King of Nightmare.”

Antec was merely a senior-rank who just made it to the sixth circle. He couldn't have been known by a lot of people. So, in case of an accident, Fernando simply brought up the name of his teacher, the legendary sorcerer ”King of Nightmare”.

The destination of their class was exactly ”King of Nightmare”, like Maskelyne who used to rule the city in the past. His ”Book of Astrology and Elements” had only two legendary classes, ”Prophet” and ”Lord of Elements”.

To obtain more legendary classes, one would have to make enough contributions to the empire to enter the ”Tower of Gods”, the library of the empire in Antiffler, to study them. In the heyday of the Sylvanas Magic Empire, the sorcerers were so confident that they believed that legendary experts were mortal gods and that different classes were the gods of different realms. So, the library of the empire was named ”Tower of Gods”. However, the rise of the Saint Truth made the ”gods” fall into dust.

”The King of Nightmare?” Now that the name of a legendary sorcerer was mentioned, the archmage at the gate was much more serious and friendly.

Fernando nodded. ”Yes, but I do not know him. I'm only familiar with his student Antec.”

He was too proud to fake connections with a legendary sorcerer.

An oddly honest fellow… The sorcerers could not understand Fernando's pride and only presumed that he was silly because he had been too devoted to his research.

The archmage at the gate smiled. ”I know Stanis, another student of the King of Nightmare. I heard the name Antec from him before. So, you may come in.”

Huh? Fernando was surprised at his privilege. He was let in so easily? They did not even ask his name!

The archmage mistook Fernando's stun for not remembering Stanis or believing what he said. So, he said in a low voice, ”Stanis is the King of Nightmare's best student. Antec must've mentioned him before, right? His cognitive world has half-solidified since half a year ago, and he is considered a half legend. Hehe. Perhaps we'll see two Kings of Nightmare in one city someday.”

”His cognitive world has half-solidified?” Fernando had thought that he, who almost reached the eighth circle, was the best of the ”young” sorcerers in his generation. He did not know Stanis, who was not much older than him, had already reached such a level.

”Yes. He might try to make a breakthrough before long. He's a real genius at illusions and dreams.” The archmage's envy was obvious. The boundary between the ninth circle and legendary was slim, but the differences were too huge.

Instead of nodding, Fernando said eagerly, ”I know a thing or two about illusions too.”

He was implying that he could communicate with Stanis and see if this ”real genius” deserved his name. He would never praise, envy, or look up to anyone!

The archmage, however, thought that a sorcerer who was good at illusions had come to ask for the guidance of Stanis and the King of Nightmare. That was not rare, particularly when he was familiar with the King of Nightmare's student.

”How should I call you?” After Fernando mentioned the King of Nightmare, he felt that it was necessary to make acquaintance with this senior-rank sorcerer. ”I am Reece Brown. You can call me Reece.”

That's the right protocol! Fernando thought. ”I am Fernando Brastar. I prefer to be called Fernando.”

Reece paused and asked in hesitation, ”Your last name suggests that you are from the Asso Empire, aren't you?”

Fernando nodded. ”Yes, but my teacher is a sorcerer of the empire.”

Reece did not further confirm his identity, as if he were certain about Fernando's truthfulness. He said with a smile, ”Fernando, come on in. Antec is already waiting for you. We should talk about magic knowledge sometimes.”

”What? Antec is waiting for me? I'm already allowed to go in? You don't need to examine my identity? Are you not afraid that I have surrendered to the Church and become a night watcher?” Fernando felt that he had more and more questions after he knew Douglas.

With a weird smile, Reece said, ”Rest assured. There are no night watchers in Aalto. Look, isn't Antec over there?”

Following his finger, Fernando saw a young man in a monocle. He was slim and pale, with messy hair, rising cheekbones, and an untrimmed beard. The disgusting smell from him suggested that he hadn't been out of the meditation room or the laboratory for a long time.