Surviving The Fourth Calamity

Russell glanced around silently, his gaze settling on his sister who was bent over the long table recording something. Carpenter, sensing his gaze, immediately stood up and nonchalantly walked toward the family secret tome.

When she began to pester the guardian, insisting on seeing the parts only accessible to high-level apprentices, Russell helplessly gathered several family chronicles nearby: ”Carpenter, don’t be mischievous, just pick a few and read them in the quiet room.”

Our priority now is to broaden our horizons, calm the mental sea, and learning new things is no longer feasible.”

Carpenter stomped her foot in displeasure, grabbed a few thick notebooks, and turned toward her meditation chamber.

Russell smiled apologetically at the guardian and swiftly left with the notebooks in his arms.

”That brat... was that an apology?” The guardian grumbled in discontent, ”That kid is the worst, Carpenter always stirs trouble and he comes out to clean up... never stops that girl from making mistakes but he intervenes when others try to settle with her!”

An elderly voice chuckled gently: ”It’s always good when children love each other.

Besides, Carpenter doesn’t make any big mistakes, let the young girl have her whims.

She’s quite polite outside, why bother her at home?”

”Ha... am I the one getting worked up?” The guardian instantly felt annoyed, ”You all spoil the kids!

However, speaking of which, why are so many people visiting these two kids recently?”

”There’s something going on, the cost is high but can’t be avoided... naturally, some people feel uneasy but know there’s no turning back, so they try to find some balance with these two kids, criticizing their faults as a way to vent their frustration.

Seeing their strengths offers comfort that the money wasn’t wasted.

Mm, these two kids offer quite a bit of comfort.”

”And you? Why are you here?”

”If Gilbert really plans to take these two inside, then Uncle Gilbert must bear some costs; otherwise, he wouldn’t have notified me so early.

I’m somewhat uneasy.

I’m worried, in case... You know, our hopes beyond the family might falter, leaving us without retreat.” Ulrich slowly stepped out, ”But at least their bond is strong, which is good.

Those who cherish their siblings wouldn’t be too cold-blooded or heartless.

I don’t want to meddle too much, this is enough.

Uncle Gilbert...”

”Everything will turn out well.” The guardian couldn’t help but comfort him, ”Gilbert is so smart and resolute; he’ll definitely overcome the challenge.”

Ulrich shook his head with a bitter smile: ”What Uncle Gilbert wants isn’t just level 12; his sole reason for becoming a Sixth Circle Mage is for the spell ’Wall of Stone’.

Only by mastering that spell can he establish sufficient defense for the family... We all know what he’s worried about, if the Tower of Dark Enigma fails to acquire enough resources during the meteor summoning three years from now, the town will surely riot.

Then, our family, ha~

Without adequate defense, we’re sure to be the first in trouble.

Moreover, if...”

He signaled the library guardian with his eyes, both exchanged a knowing look.

After the Tower of Dark Enigma collapses, the migration will require protection from magic arts for the mostly ordinary Hainarson Clan.

”Then we can only sincerely pray for Gilbert’s success.” The guardian finally murmured a sentence.

The unease about the future kept them from discussing further, Ulrich bid farewell and turned to leave.

-----------------

Russell hurriedly carried his books to the meditation corridor, only to find Carpenter had already locked her door and activated the isolation array next door.

He glanced at it briefly and then lowered his head, carrying the books into his meditation chamber, and after thinking for a minute, activated his isolation array as well.

Since Carpenter had already created the best opportunity for him, there was no need for any useless hesitation.

That was his sister.

But he quietly spent thirty minutes reading the first book before naturally opening the second one.

Their family’s greatest advantage was not lacking money or resources, but the downside for these two kids was that adults always had numerous reasons to waste resources checking if they were genuinely studying and working hard.

Although the intent wasn’t for any unpleasant reason, Russell and Carpenter didn’t much like it.

Russell didn’t know whether it stemmed from self-preservation or childish rebellion, but they had long developed a tacit mutual support amidst constant vigilance.

Though it wasn’t a bad thing now, in the family, no one would harm them, but at the Tower of Dark Enigma... he understood what the unconventional expansion meant.

Unless Archmage Gilbert suddenly advances to become a Sixth Circle Mage, the two of them dreaming of not being bullied is just unrealistic.

Here at the Tower of Dark Enigma, no ordinary family will have resources at their disposal.

As for outsiders... They can only hope that some noble who is driven to desperation will come and take a big gamble.

Who makes the future of the Tower of Dark Enigma truly a mystery now?

With a blank expression, Russell used a small magical knife manifested from his fingertip to secretly cut open a corner of the seal, then transformed the knife into a slender metal thread and skillfully slid it under the seal.

A pitch-black, seemingly ancient metal ring slipped into the palm of his hand which was blocking the opening.

Russell froze for a moment.

Then immediately flipped open the pages of the book to confirm the author of the notes.

He quickly realized that this was the notes of a peer apprentice who joined the Defense Tower at the same time as that Archmage!

Russell started by using every detection spell he could think of and execute... he even went as far as to use the only spirit armor magic array he painstakingly crafted.

Although this is only a First Ring spell, it can only be released by official mages.

This is the reason Russell never considered himself talentless; he could create arrays that transcend levels even as a Mid-level Apprentice!

Mages never rely on luck; it must be some unforeseen innate talent that allows him to achieve this.

But he and Carpenter dared not speak of it.

The four words ’Defense Tower’ weighed like a mountain over their heads... If the array he made were of another type, he would’ve flaunted it long ago.

The ring showed no reaction.

Russell used detection spells once more... apart from determining that the ring was made of fine iron mixed with silver, and the slightly prominent black dot on it turned out to be an olivine, he found nothing else.

He was more certain of the hypothesis in his heart... Fine iron and silver might be something the elder apprentice could procure, but gemstones, even a shattered one, would be impossible.

Even if someone possessed one, nobody would dare use it on their ring.

And this notebook was the memory from the later days of that old apprentice... Maybe it wasn’t burned by those inspecting mages from Sia Tower because he only showed a hint of envy towards that talented cousin at first.

Russell himself didn’t have those horrific memories, but his grandfather was an apprentice at the time, and even ended up never advancing further on his mage path, staying a Novice Apprentice all his life.

So he understood well that this could be the only book in the library documenting that Archmage.

Russell pursed his lips; he didn’t know what kind of sentiment led the Archmage from the Defense Tower to seal such a precious ring after his cousin’s death, but he had his reasons for taking the risk.

He clenched his fist... The worst outcome would be the Archmage’s soul hiding inside, waiting for resurrection!

Expelling a possessing spiritual body would require a spell above the Fifth Ring.

If the other party intends to act, he stands no chance.

In any case, the First Ring spell had already been used; a Low-Grade Spirit certainly doesn’t possess such skill. Russell gritted his teeth... Being taken as a vessel by one’s ancestors is still better than dragging Carpenter to his death!

He resolutely put the ring on his hand and communicated with it through spiritual power.

Hmm? Russell was astonished to find his spiritual power was indeed tugged when it swept over the olivine, but it seemed to just mark it, then his spiritual power was swiftly drawn to the most complex part woven by Silver Sage on the outside of the fine iron ring.

Originally, Russell thought that part was meant to conceal the seal.

Could it be... is there something at the seal?

His contemplation was fleeting, but the ring suddenly vanished from his hand and entered his mental sea.

Russell felt a bit nervous.

Yet he tried to calm himself down, falling into a meditative state... An apprentice must use this method to observe their mental sea.

The ring, now floating at the center of his mental sea, had turned silvery and sparkling, even the green olivine shimmered brightly.

Then he couldn’t focus on the ring’s appearance anymore... the moment his focus was on the ring, he was directly drawn in.

What was that? What was going on?

Russell bewilderedly found his body had reemerged, standing at the entrance of a gigantic library.

”Perhaps, in your mental sea, imagination is the most crucial... Do you want to imagine wearing a robe first?” A gentle voice with a smile reached Russell’s ears.

Russell was hurriedly trying to cover his upper body, then abruptly reacted, clasping his hands on his waist, and slowly realized, covering his face with his hands, that he should add a black robe to himself.

Hill interpreted from his final choice to cover his face, understanding how rich the child’s inner world was.