get-shopping Chapter 223, Section 222: The Giant's Doubts, The Raven's Power!
Chapter 223, Section 222: The Giant's Doubts, The Raven's Power!
Chapter 223, Section 222: The Giant's Doubts, The Raven's Power!
At dusk.
A brilliant golden hue hung on the horizon.
It poured slowly onto every brick and tile of the ancient castle, like molten gold.
The castle's back garden was exceptionally quiet and serene at this moment, as if nature had specially draped this historic building in a golden veil.
A gentle breeze caressed Ian's cheek, carrying the faint fragrance of flowers from the back garden. The wind rustled through the neatly trimmed bushes, and the occasional chirping of night birds added to the tranquility.
His gaze passed through the layers of flowers and landed on the elegant woman in the distance. She wore a dark green long dress, the hem of which swayed gently with her steps.
It seems to blend into the garden.
This is Morgan's mother.
Ms. Iglen was unaware of Ian's arrival; she was squatting in the garden trimming her plants.
This was supposed to be the gardener's job, but she seemed to handle it very well.
Perhaps it was because he had a hobby in this area—Ian stood in the shadows of the castle's back garden, still somewhat astonished that reality was even more outrageous and absurd than the unofficial history.
She's pregnant!
He even had an affair with King Uther!
This early Middle Ages was indeed more chaotic than I had ever known in my previous life!
"Even if Zhen Chuan came, she'd only be a little sister!" Ian looked down at the King chess piece in his hand, the piece he'd obtained from the Slytherin Chamber of Secrets, which was now emitting a faint glow.
At that moment, the chess piece seemed to come alive, trembling slightly in his palm. Clearly, it was resonating with the fetus in Lady Igraine's arms, as Ian sensed it.
The child in Morgan's mother's womb is very likely King Arthur from ancient British legend, however...
Why did this chess piece resonate with King Arthur when he was still in the womb?
This item comes from the Chamber of Secrets in Slytherin. Even if it was an early Slytherin creation, it should be from the era of the Four Great Judges, a hundred years from now.
What exactly was Salazar Slytherin's background? There might be some unknown reason behind his creation of something that resonates with an ancient legend.
"Of course, it's also possible that this was just a Slytherin item, and the maker wasn't Slytherin—but,"
Even so, its ability to accurately locate a true king is certainly no simple feat. Ian felt that something was amiss, accompanied by a vague unease.
After all, in his heart...
I didn't have a very good impression of Salazar Slytherin.
He had a feeling this guy was the kind of person who liked to work behind the scenes. Just as Ian was pondering this, suddenly, he heard some faint noises not far away.
The rustling sound of thorny leaves brushing against the boot surface.
Three maids carrying silver platters emerged from the castle, their lace skirts brushing against the blue brick floor, and the sweet scent of perfume mixed with the aroma of roasted apples wafted towards them.
The maids' silver platters were laden with exquisite pastries, delicacies reserved for nobles in this era. As the maids drew closer, Ian swiftly and discreetly retreated a few steps, muttering a spell under his breath. In an instant, his body vanished without a trace, as if merging into the air.
Illusion Spell.
The voyeurs used the universally acknowledged, practical spell. Wizards were a rare species in this castle, and Ianwen, a legendary figure, no longer worried that his somewhat clumsy Disappearance Charm would be detected. Sure enough, the maids passed him unnoticed, continuing on their way until they disappeared into the depths of the garden.
"There are no Headmaster Dumbledore or Grindelwald here who don't follow the rules of magic." Ian watched as the maids came to Morgan's mother's side and carefully helped Lady Igraine sit down in a chair before placing the pastries on an exquisite stone table in front of her.
The stone table was clearly decorated, its artistic quality in no way inferior to the various tables of later generations. Paired with exquisite pastries, this was exactly what the fairy maidens of later generations envisioned their afternoon tea as something to be like.
"Madam, you seem to get hungry very quickly lately, so we've prepared some less fattening pastries for you," one of the maids said softly, carefully pouring Ms. Igraine a cup of tea.
Although it is called tea, it is actually quite different from black tea, which took a thousand years to become popular.
It can be considered some kind of herbal tea.
"Yes, I've been getting hungry very quickly lately, and my appetite has become particularly picky. Those sweet, cloying things always remind me of the rotting honey pots in the cellar when I was a child." A hint of helplessness flashed in Morgan's mother's eyes as she nodded gently.
She carefully reached out and picked up a piece of pastry, taking an elegant bite.
Her movements were composed and elegant, as if every detail had been meticulously crafted. Aristocratic elegance is not only about elaborate etiquette, but also about the slow and deliberate way she eats.
of course.
Ian found it a bit uninteresting; eating large mouthfuls of vegetables and rice was his favorite thing to do.
Morgan's mother, of course, had no idea what the young wizard was thinking. She ate while chatting quietly with the maids, occasionally laughing uproariously at a joke. But Ian noticed a subtle worry always in her eyes.
Perhaps it was the impending arrival of a new life that made her both excited and nervous. Or perhaps it was because of her affair and pregnancy that she felt guilty towards her legal husband.
The thoughts of a noblewoman.
Who can figure it out?
Ian did not invade his teacher's mother's mind. He did not even intend to continue spying. After observing for a while, Ian also cleaned the pollen off his body and prepared to leave.
"This thing—"
Ian could only temporarily put away the chess pieces that were still glowing.
He turned and left silently, just as he had arrived, unnoticed, and returned to the ancient castle along the stone-paved road.
Now, night is approaching, but the castle is brightly lit, with lavishly lit candlesticks everywhere, creating a stark contrast to the tranquility and darkness outside.
There were various portraits on the walls, but none of them moved or could communicate, so they didn't pique Ian's interest. He went straight to Riddle's room.
There is a connection between master and servant.
The young wizard could clearly sense Riddle's condition.
He pushed open a heavy wooden door and entered Riddle's room. Inside, Riddle was standing in front of a stone table, holding a bottle of deep purple potion.
"Coo coo coo~"
This wasn't the sound of Malfoy drinking a potion, but rather the sound of Riddle pouring a potion down Malfoy's throat. The unconscious Malfoy even had a tube inserted into his stomach by Riddle. Riddle's face showed a hint of impatience, but his movements were unusually gentle, as if he were afraid of hurting Malfoy.
"Pfft, you really care about your servants." Ian raised an eyebrow, his tone slightly teasing. No one had ever heard of the Dark Lord having such patience in serving people.
"Of course, of course." Riddle looked up and saw Ian walk in, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. He put down the potion bottle in his hand and couldn't help but glance outside.
Where is Merlin?
The Dark Lord's voice carried a hint of tension.
"Of course I chased them away." Ian never missed an opportunity to show off, especially when it came to him, so he tried to make his voice sound nonchalant.
Defeating the legendary Wizard King was as easy as eating and drinking.
Well, how should I put it?
This behavior might have seemed a bit affected, but it was the truth nonetheless, and it did indeed shock the young Dark Lord. Riddle's pupils constricted slightly, and an expression of disbelief appeared on his face.
"What did you say? You defeated Merlin?"
Ian nodded upon hearing this.
An understatement.
Riddle was visibly stunned for a moment, then swallowed hard.
"You really are a terrible monster—" It's hard to tell whether this statement should be interpreted as praise or a curse, but Riddle certainly looked like he was experiencing huge emotional fluctuations.
His tone contained both incredible shock and a complex sense of relief, probably because he felt that since Ian could defeat Merlin, it wasn't so bad that he had been defeated by Ian.
"Merlin can't beat you, and I'm no match for you either. It seems that Merlin and I are on the same level." Riddle didn't know whether he was mocking himself or comforting himself.
This rounding method is quite Ian's style.
It seems the Dark Lord has learned something as well.
"To be honest, you really should have gone and watched our battle. That way, you could have spread history in Azkaban." Ian genuinely felt a little regretful about this.
"Oh."
Riddle simply shook his head without responding. He was already prepared for being imprisoned in Azkaban; in fact, he wanted to go to Azkaban right now.
There are talented people there, and everyone speaks nicely. You won't encounter any monsters. It's much better than staying in ancient times. Not just anyone can adapt to and integrate into this terrible era like the little wizard in front of you!
"When are you going to find the time converter?" Riddle was already eager to go home, and he was unaware of the follow-up bet between Ian and Merlin, so he spoke with a hint of urgency.
"I've already gotten it from Merlin." Ian smiled slightly and took out a glittering object from his pocket, which was the ancient time converter.
The control over such alchemical items was not very strict in this era, perhaps because the Bureau of Mysteries had not yet been established, or perhaps it had been established but had not yet developed.
"Give me some time, I need to study this." Ian looked at the time converter in his hand.
The ancient alchemical equipment was very different from the systems he was familiar with.
It will indeed take some time to fully understand the underlying principles. Of course, it won't take too long, since understanding one principle leads to understanding many others; alchemy often shares many common principles.
"No rush, stay a few more days, I still have an apprentice to teach." To be honest, if it weren't for his homesickness, Ian would actually like to stay in this era for a while longer.
He wanted more than just to learn about hidden history; he wanted to experience the culture and magic of ancient times. He even wanted to find out if the current brute goddess had perished along with the ancient kingdom.
of course.
There's no rush.
There will always be many more opportunities in the future.
"You're really quick!"
Riddle's eyes lit up, and he stepped forward, wanting to examine the time converter in Ian's hand more closely.
However, his attention was drawn to the chess piece that Ian was still weighing in his other hand.
What are you holding in your hand?
Riddle asked curiously.
Upon hearing this...
Ian frowned immediately. "I was just about to ask you that: this was found in the Chamber of Secrets in Slytherin. Why did you leave it in the Chamber when you opened it?"
"Are there any other chess pieces in the secret room?" The young wizard tried to get some clues from Riddle, but Riddle looked even more confused than he did.
"What chess piece?"
Riddle couldn't be faking it; he couldn't hide his true emotions from Ian. He genuinely felt bewildered and had no idea what Ian was talking about.
"When you emptied the Chamber of Secrets in Slytherin, weren't there any chess pieces or a chessboard inside?" Ian's eyes narrowed, sensing something amiss.
"Of course there is no such thing. Slytherin left behind a lot of documents, research materials, and some ancient artifacts, but none of them are treasures."
"It's just something that was already piled up in Slytherin's research lab," Riddle answered honestly, his eyes once again fixed on the chess piece in Ian's hand.
"You mean you found this in the supposedly empty secret room?" His eyes flickered slightly. The Dark Lord wasn't stupid; he had also realized something was unusual.
"Um."
Ian gave a definite nod.
Riddle hesitated for a moment, then spoke with some uncertainty, "Actually, I, or rather Voldemort,"
There has long been a speculation that Slytherin may not be dead.
His words immediately stirred some thoughts in the young wizard's mind.
indeed.
If Merlin could live for thousands of years.
Both are legends.
Slytherin could do it if they wanted to.
Or rather, all four giants could find a way to avoid and overcome death.
"It seems that after you emptied the Chamber of Secrets, someone else entered it. I just don't know if it was Slytherin himself." Ian toyed with the chess piece in his hand that was still emitting a faint glow.
There was no discernible emotion on his face.
"Um—don't keep bringing up how I emptied the Chamber of Secrets. You should know that for wizard students like us, acquiring wealth in the magical world isn't easy."
Riddle was somewhat sensitive.
He attempted to empathize with Ian.
however.
"Isn't it simple?"
Ian, however, gave a completely different response: "I find it pretty simple. I've never lacked money since I entered the wizarding world. You know, I got a whole street in Diagon Alley for free?"
"The pure-blood family practically gave it to me! They wouldn't have accepted it if I hadn't asked!" As he spoke, the little wizard picked up his keychain, which he had never taken off, and waved it in front of Riddle.
The young Dark Lord felt completely numb.
I almost couldn't hold back.
He truly felt a sense of frustration welling up inside him. They were all rising stars, so why weren't the families who were showing him goodwill as generous as they were to him?
"Oh, right, what about that weird thing I asked you to keep safe?" Ian felt relieved, then thought of his trophy, the strange creature hidden in the shadows.
"Over there."
Riddle pointed to the corner of the room.
All I saw was...
The shadow creature was actually stuffed into a glass bottle. Although the creature kept yelling and banging on the bottle, it didn't make any sound.
It's likely that Riddle, annoyed by the commotion, cast a silencing spell on him.
"What the hell?" Ian picked up the bottle from the corner and was suddenly surprised to find that he could actually see what the life form in the shadows looked like!
All I saw was...
Enveloped in a shadow.
It is indeed a special soul form with the appearance of a gray wolf.
Its fur is thick and coarse, a dark gray that seems to blend into the shadows, and its eyes gleam with a ghostly green light, like two burning flames.
Seeing Ian getting closer to him.
Unable to make a sound, the gray wolf bared its teeth at Ian, revealing its sharp fangs, muttering incantations, and banging on the bottle as if roaring silently.
"What could be the reason for this?" A question flashed through Ian's mind. Why couldn't he see this soul clearly before, but now he could see it so clearly?
It was only half a day in between.
"Can you see what's in here?" Ian turned around in surprise, looking uncertainly at Riddle, who was still observing the changes in Malfoy's body after drinking the potion.
“It’s just a shadow, of course,” Riddle replied. “I just studied them, and they’re somewhat similar to Horcruxes, but they’re actually complete souls.”
"Perhaps this is also a way to escape the clutches of death?" He also expressed his speculation and judgment.
However, this was not the kind of information Ian wanted to know.
"Am I the only one who can see it?"
Ian thoughtfully turned his attention back to the glass bottle.
The wolf's form was still clearly visible, with some kind of runes that did not belong to this era floating beneath its translucent fur. Most strangely, its pupils seemed to reflect certain images.
That was the Raven's Claw Ian had seen on Cassandra's forehead.
"hiss!"
Ian recalled the name of the Soul Palace that the big gray wolf had mentioned before, and his heart suddenly raced. As if realizing something, he immediately began to use his newly acquired ability.
All I saw was...
Ian's body began to change. His bones made a slight clicking sound, black feathers appeared on his skin, and his arms stretched out into broad wings. In the blink of an eye, he had transformed into a raven, his feathers as deep as the night, his eyes gleaming with a cold light, as eerie as a scarlet moon.
Just as he completed the transformation.
as predicted.
The gray wolf inside the bottle suddenly stopped pounding on the bottle's sides. Its body stiffened in place, as if frozen in time, and the ferocity and cunning that had been in its eerie green eyes vanished completely.
Instead, there was a profound sense of horror.
"%￥#@、￥#@SN☆！！！！"
This is not an insult.
Instead, it was the mouth of a large gray wolf with its fur standing on end that was opening and closing. And the lip-reading formed by its wolf mouth was completely incomprehensible to the young wizard who had only learned human lip-reading. Ian only saw the large gray wolf in the shadows inside the bottle suddenly kneel down at the bottom of the bottle, its four legs trembling.