Surviving The Fourth Calamity

Aislin glanced up at the ceiling and slowly disappeared into the underground passage.

”There are only three entrances to the secret passage below?” Carpenter blurted out.

Seeing his sister’s first reaction to so much explosive information was concern for their family’s safety, Russell felt a sudden sense of pride. ”Don’t worry, Aislin knows about five paths, she just mentioned the three related to the public area.”

”Then...” Carpenter pursed his lips.

”Our teacher only left a path for us, but that path is particularly hidden. Moreover, only those with an aura recorded by the array can enter. Others... even if they have the ability to get in, there’s no guarantee they’ll make it out alive.” Russell patted her little head, ”Our teacher is frighteningly cautious.”

He pursed his lips, somewhat suspecting if the last secret path was dug temporarily for him and Carpenter, as initially there was none... It would be impossible for Gilbert to make such grand moves in the Tower of Dark Enigma without a strong supporter.

Otherwise, Aislin wouldn’t be so familiar with these passages. Maybe she even helped when those tunnels were dug back then.

But Russell can confirm that the impressive-looking secret path is absolutely unknown to Aislin.

After all, when that lady moved around, she always cautiously avoided the two covered-up paths of hers but leaned on the secret path several times.

When Aislin initially stayed on one side of the passage, carefully observing Nanali, she even once had her hand on the entrance of that secret path.

This made Russell more certain of his inner doubts.

However, these matters were not necessary for Carpenter to know.

His sister was great in all aspects, except she was a bit sensitive to pressure: not to the point she couldn’t handle, but it always troubles her, and she would constantly worry.

Carpenter’s mind, however, had already shifted elsewhere: ”Brother Russell, does our Hainarson Clan truly have such deep ties with the Defense Tower?”

”No.” Russell answered decisively, ”Some people died early; the Sia Tower can directly identify the exclusive spiritual cultivation methods of the Defense Tower.

Our Hainarson Clan back then only let those with the highest Mage Aptitude study there because the Defense Tower wasn’t too far away.

Ordinary mages, those who can become mages but find it hard to advance to Mid-High Tier, actually stayed with the family. We used more common, more basic training methods.

The Defense Tower is always proud, never allowing their exclusive spiritual cultivation methods to be used by outsiders.

Don’t look at me, this standard rune training method can only be considered auxiliary, enhancing your method rather than altering it.

Wait... you don’t think the method we use during usual meditation has no pattern, do you?

Carpenter, you... forget it, just remember that the method we were taught to resonate with external magical energy is our meditation method.

What kind of look is that?”

”Why didn’t the teacher want us to switch to the exclusive method of the Tower of Dark Enigma?” Carpenter asked curiously... She didn’t think Gilbert had any hidden agenda, but this indeed was a bit strange.

”Perhaps the cultivation method of the Tower of Dark Enigma is not easily altered by him either?” Russell pursed his lips, widened his eyes slightly, then continued, ”That’s something the Archmage Ruth would have to do.

If unchanged, our modified basic training method is more efficient.”

Carpenter frowned, tilting her head slightly: their teacher didn’t seem like someone who would follow rules so strictly?

But since Russell said so, he must know something and understand their teacher’s conservative stance on this matter... Then she suddenly recalled Aislin’s implication that Nanali is not allowed to associate them with the Defense Tower.

Her Illusion Technique talents must have nothing to do with the Defense Tower, right?

But then again, Russell, does he possess talents easily connected?

She had long heard that the three Tower Masters of the Tower of Dark Enigma were adept at Prophecy and Energy Shaping School, and also Transmutation Series; otherwise, they wouldn’t even be able to summon a meteorite properly.

Carpenter quickly changed the subject: ”So our family, in fact, isn’t that focused on by the Sia Tower, is it?”

Russell reached out to stroke her head again, a smile on his face: ”Otherwise, do you think our family could have endured the initial time after the Defense Tower’s downfall?

We later had to leave because the family found no successors, those mages were too old to continue.

You should understand, although the ties with the Defense Tower weren’t too close and we were given a break, our family’s mage heritage was also destroyed back then.

The people from the Tower of Dark Enigma took action against our family because there were very few places here to show their allegiance to the Sia Tower.

We were the only suitable ones.

They might not have insisted on completely obliterating our family, but certainly couldn’t allow us to thrive.

Otherwise, why did Master Gilbert have to take medicine and seclude himself at this time?

The Hainarson Clan can only rely on itself to get through this crisis.

Anyway, the pressure hasn’t overwhelmed Ulrich yet; letting them handle it themselves is more appropriate.”

Carpenter suddenly tilted her head: ”I thought you would say, Master Gilbert had to take medicine because he knew if he couldn’t keep up his power, the family would be under more than just heavy pressure.

But you didn’t find his actions to be a dangerous gamble!

Why?”

Carpenter dared to ask this because Russell had previously told her that some things could only be spoken here. Once outside this thick cyan stone door, she should be mindful of what she says.

Master Gilbert was genuinely impressive in this regard; not many Level 11 mages dared to confidently claim that even Eighth Ring Mages couldn’t break his isolation protective array.

Carpenter didn’t quite understand where this confidence came from, but she knew Russell and Gilbert wouldn’t risk their lives to deceive her, so she just needed to silently follow along.

”The teacher has actually recovered a lot.” Russell thought before speaking, ”To the teacher now, that medicine is just an aid.

Do you understand?

Though the teacher is still hanging at the cliff’s edge, there isn’t a need to rely solely on that thin tether that might snap for survival; using its strength makes pulling up easier, but the teacher’s hands have already grasped the cliff’s edge.”

Carpenter frowned, still struggling to comprehend why it was like this: the family always rumored that Gilbert was one breath away from death; it might have been exaggerated, but definitely wasn’t baseless.

Despite the internal chaos of the Hainarson Clan, it was still a quite decent family in this world, so basically, no one would want the Protector of the family to disappear.

But she also understood that even within these confines, Russell would only say so much, signaling that it was best for her not to know.

”Getting rid of some burdens might be good for the family,” Carpenter finally murmured, ”There’s indeed no need for us to intervene.

But, Felis...”

”You needn’t worry about that kid.” Russell suddenly chuckled, ”That Nanali’s attitude towards him will surely change once she returns.

As long as Felis isn’t foolish, he will notice her attitude change.

Do you think he can guess where this change comes from?”

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

Felis certainly sensed it and was greatly shocked.

He knew Carpenter’s aptitude was decent, but being in a position to influence the struggles among the three factions startled him quite a bit.

Even if the main reason was Gilbert’s power, it at least indicated how much that mage valued Carpenter.

If it were Russell, Felis wouldn’t be this frightened.

If he hadn’t remembered that Carpenter had to call Gilbert ”grandfather,” Felis might have thought otherwise.

Of course, this is also because he trusted Gilbert’s character somewhat; even among the people at the Tower of Dark Enigma who had poor relations with Gilbert, the Hainarson pillar was known to be a hot-tempered, quirky, unpredictable, and vengeful man, yet steadfast in the single status.

Felis silently patted his little heart: What is this happy yet sour feeling?