Surviving The Fourth Calamity

Russell was still feeling somewhat anxious when he returned to the hall.

Then, upon lifting his head and seeing Carpenter’s concerned gaze, he suddenly realized: No matter how strong the real Gilbert is now, they exist in entirely different worlds.

Moreover, he might not even be human anymore.

Yet, Russell still has his own life, with people relying on him, just as he relies on them.

”It’s nothing, I just overthought things myself.” Russell chuckled softly, ”Like you always say, anything I can think of has already been thought of by someone stronger and smarter than me.

Ah... I’ll try to pay attention... from now on...”

Carpenter tilted his head slightly and pursed his lips before interrupting him decisively: ”What are you talking about!

Even if everything you’re talking about has been done by others perfectly, having someone willing to inquire and worry is a kind of happiness, isn’t it?

Why would you be anxious over such trivial matters!

Is anyone ever unhappy due to genuine care given by someone?”

Though Carpenter misunderstood Russell’s hesitation, at that moment, Russell suddenly felt that all his efforts, his pondering, were worthwhile.

Indeed, while giving without expecting any response may be the norm, receiving a response does bring happiness.

He nodded, smiled slightly, and repeated: ”I understand, don’t worry about me.”

This time, Carpenter said nothing further, quickly changing the topic: ”When will we probably set off?”

”Probably within the next couple of days?” Russell admitted he was a bit confused, ”There’s no movement from Mage Aislin’s side.

The first relocation was handled by her, right?”

Carpenter couldn’t help but roll his eyes: ”How could I know!”

Russell had no choice but to answer himself: ”Certainly her, no one has informed us of any changes.

No news just means we proceed as initially planned.

Today it’d be best if you put all your belongings on the airship, it’s clear the teacher doesn’t intend to return to the Side Tower.”

Carpenter asked softly: ”Has the magic array of the Side Tower returned to its basic setting?”

”The subsidiary sections of the magic array have been dismantled.” Russell replied simply, fully understanding Carpenter’s implication, ”But the originally modified main magic array could never return to its original state.

And with all the Archmages having left the Tower of Dark Enigma, no one would break the magic array modified by the teacher to harm or capture Felis.”

”Actually, you understand what I mean, right?” Carpenter asked slowly.

”We’ve reached this point, Felis is the Felis of the Hainarson Family.” Russell seemed to evade the question, but he was actually very clear in his response.

Of course, Carpenter worried about Felis’s safety, but she was more concerned for her family.

Felis is a mage, after all, and with Roland and Prutt inevitably having to leave, his only hardship is to continue hiding underground for another month.

Then, the Tower of Dark Enigma would enter a period of disorder... or perhaps a phase of rediscovering its own order.

With all the Archmages leaving, at least officially none remaining, even if each faction had Mid-level Magicians left to guard, they surely wouldn’t concern themselves with the outer ring.

And as for the outer ring, unless a mage didn’t have any problematic identities, no one would choose to remain in the Tower of Dark Enigma.

Yet, this is the most critical issue.

Those still remaining in the Tower of Dark Enigma, mages who can’t even enter the Inner Ring, surely face significant risks.

Though after the three Archmages decided to respond to the summon from the Sia Tower, the three factions teamed up to clean the outer ring, nipping some troubles in the bud... but, what was dealt with were those without alliances, and those who terribly offended certain factions.

This must be considered in light of their backgrounds... Take Felis, he was clearly the most hunted until recently, but during that purge, no one mentioned him.

Ever since Gilbert walked through the Tower of Dark Enigma as a Seventh Circle Mage, Felis’s name seemed to vanish from public space, never again mentioned under the sky.

Felis was the most prominent, but not the only one.

Thus, it can be imagined how much... trouble still lurks in the outer ring.

Though normally, when these individuals compete for survival space, they would try to avoid the Hainarson Clan, which boasts at least two mages... the matter of Felis advancing has long spread.

But, well... some will always attempt to take advantage of that big rock in the middle, especially when that rock is surrounded by a very thick, rebound-worthy Fine Steel Armor.

No one knows whether, one day, after having been exploited too many times, the Hainarson Clan might suddenly reveal a flaw.

But Carpenter is very clear that if the Hainarson Clan truly shows this weakness, then those who initially just wanted to exploit the rebound armor will certainly go all out, summoning all the greedy people they can reach to completely eradicate the Hainarson Clan.

Only if there are enough people involved in this turmoil can he blend into the crowd, looking for a glimmer of hope for survival.

No matter how ruthless Gilbert is, it’s unlikely he’ll chase thousands of miles just to find someone who participated in the wilderness.

As long as no one knows he’s the trigger and mastermind, then he, who has acquired part of the Hainarson Clan’s resources, has a chance to live.

These hidden dangers don’t even need others to mention, as anyone with a bit of sense in the Hainarson Clan can think of them.

Otherwise, they wouldn’t show such unity again, even if Ulrich arranged for some of the wrongdoers to live in undesirable locations at the mansion, no one caused trouble.

This reaction left Carpenter and Russell speechless... However, such a reaction truly made it hard for them to completely abandon the family.

But the reason they aren’t so worried is because of Felis and the secret passage leading directly to the Hainarson Mansion.

Neither of them are fools, naturally understanding that Gilbert’s kindness to Felis is at least half the hope that he can lend a helping hand to the Hainarson Clan at a critical moment.

However, Carpenter’s only worry is that Felis might, due to grievances with certain members of the Hainarson Clan, choose to only rescue part of the family members.

She may not know her family very well, but there’s one thing she certainly doesn’t doubt: when faced with danger, when everyone has a chance to escape, the family members will remain calm, even if their turn to leave is last, they won’t do anything foolish like mutual destruction.

But if they find out that while they’re being abandoned, others in the family have a chance to live... every member of the Hainarson Clan wouldn’t hesitate to take their enemies down with them.

If such an unexpected situation truly happens, Carpenter’s family would undoubtedly be the first unlucky ones.

Russell’s words were actually telling her that Felis wouldn’t do something so foolish; he would seriously consider the family’s future and wouldn’t act recklessly over a minor grudge.

Of course, he understood why Carpenter, who knew Felis better, was so lacking in confidence... This girl undoubtedly knows more about Felis’s experiences within his own family than outsiders.

It’s undoubtedly bad; there’s no need to think about any ”what ifs”.

Russell patted Carpenter’s head lightly: ”Felis won’t do anything that would trouble Ulrich.

Moreover, for an arch rival you can’t lay a finger on, the best revenge is to live better and better while the other can only kneel on the ground and look up at him.”

Carpenter nodded silently.

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

Russell and Carpenter worked the whole day, finally getting all their things in order.

The airship then landed slowly on the small platform beside the Side Tower, ready to leave at any moment when the horn sounded.

Aislin indeed blew her beautiful bronze horn at the appointed time: the thick, melodious music echoed above the Tower of Dark Enigma.

”How interesting.” Hill strolled out leisurely at the sound, glanced out the window... Three days had been enough for him to gather his agitated emotions.

Since the situation had come to this, rather than being restless in the room, what was most important for Hill was to get a hold of that Rommel gentleman’s handle... And it had to be one that would make that thick-skinned gentleman speechless.

He trusted his own luck... Hill had never had such a firm desire!

Russell was fully concentrated on his controller, ready to join the main group in the pre-arranged queue order at any moment, so he couldn’t respond to Hilbert, who had suddenly walked out.

Not wanting the teacher’s words to just fall to the ground unacknowledged, Carpenter had to take up the conversation herself: ”What’s so interesting, Teacher?”

”Aislin’s horn, it sounds really pleasant!” Hill tilted his head, listening for a while, ”Such strong breath control, such techniques, and so smooth.”

Carpenter blinked, suddenly realizing: ”A horn, that’s quite common, isn’t it?

Many people can play it.

”It’s easy to blow a copper horn, but it’s quite hard to have no small sounds, only profound sounds,” Hill shook his head, ”A small sound is the sharp, high-pitched one, a profound sound is what we’re hearing now.

To reach this level, even a musician with the best foundation would need to spend a few hundred years.

Magic... Ah, although magic can indeed reproduce the best musical results... but you’d still need such a musician!

At the Tower of Dark Enigma, is there such a person?”

Carpenter tilted her head involuntarily: ”When I was at home, I heard that Archmage Aislin loved music.

Her previous, well, partners seemed to all have some unique talent in this area.

But a musician at the level the teacher is talking about... I haven’t heard of any; usually, they learn the harp and multi-string instruments.”