"Why don't you support me anymore now?"
Horn stared directly into the old Douglas's eyes, hoping to get an answer from this inquiry.
Douglas sighed, shook his head expressionlessly, and after a moment of silence, said, "Hurry up and eat. You still have work to do after that."
"You still don't want to say? Then I won't ask today." Seeing that the old Douglas had no intention of answering, Horn didn't press further.
"After you finish eating, wash the dishes." After taking a few hasty bites, the old Douglas left the table. Horn's question had taken away his appetite.
Such conversations had taken place countless times in the past two years, and each time they ended with the old Douglas's silence.
Two years ago, the Holy Maiden of the Northern Wind passed away. After a new Holy Maiden was appointed, the old Douglas seemed to have changed into a different person. He no longer answered all of Horn's questions. Except for occasionally giving Horn some vague pointers, he was just like an ordinary carpenter. No one except Horn knew that he was a very powerful wild witch.
Not even Enoch knew!
The old Douglas brought Horn back more than a decade ago. In these more than ten years, he taught Horn knowledge that no other wild witch in this world had ever received. Along with this novel knowledge came the legendary stories that made Horn yearn for!
Stories of a group of people that Horn extremely admired!
They could manipulate nature and condense their spirits, predict the future and change in various ways. They lived in the lofty mage towers and could wave their hands to create thunder and flames!
They were powerful and noble. They didn't have to kneel before the gods and didn't have to fear the demons!
Their name was,
Magicians!
The status of magicians in the stories was similar to that of the priests of major religious sects now, and even more transcendent.
Because their great power originated from themselves! They didn't need to listen to the words of the high - ranking gods!
Perhaps the only thing in common between the wild witches in the stories and those in Ceylon was the ability to mobilize elements according to their own will. However, unlike the magicians in the stories, except for Horn under Douglas's teaching and Enoch who had learned a few skills from Horn, most other wild witches couldn't even cast spells.
Even Horn, who had learned from the old Douglas for several years, was far from the magicians in the stories!
Because of the gap, he yearned for it.
After Horn washed the dishes, he started working with Douglas. They were going to make a delicate cabinet for the count of Ryan City. The old Douglas had already drawn up the design drawing of the cabinet. Now the two of them began to work meticulously according to the drawing.
Douglas picked up a piece of wood and examined it carefully, as if considering where to start sawing. But after looking at it for a long time, he couldn't make up his mind. His mouth opened and closed as if he wanted to say something to Horn.
Seeing Horn working hard with his head down, the old Douglas still spoke:
"I should have told you that the stories I told you were all products of imagination. They only appeared in legends and works. Even in my hometown, I've never seen a real magician. Magicians don't exist. You don't have to be so persistent about non - existent things."
"Teacher, are there gods and demons in your world?"
The old Douglas thought seriously for a while: "Maybe not."
"But there are in this Ceylon. If there are no magicians in your hometown, there will be in Ceylon. If there aren't, I'll create them!"
Horn, wearing glasses and sweating, grinned, showing his white teeth, and said to the old Douglas with a smile.
"You're just being unreasonable..."
"Teacher, I'm sure that magicians exist because I've seen a real magician before." Horn said firmly to the old Douglas.
"Really? Who is it! Do I know him?" Douglas was stunned by what Horn said. I've never seen a magician. Where did you see one when you've always been living with me?
"Of course it's you! You who saved me from the execution ground when I was eight. You looked just like a magician at that time, the kind of magician you described!" Horn said with a nostalgic expression.
"How can I be counted as one? I'm just a wild witch." Douglas thought Horn was just talking nonsense.
"That doesn't matter. What matters is that you're making us become like the magicians in your stories with your wisdom. If you're not a magician, who is?" Horn said affirmatively.
Cough, cough. Douglas coughed twice. He felt a bit embarrassed.
"Teacher, before you, no wild witch knew that oak could be used as a medium for casting spells. No one had the concept of spells, and there was no meditation method like the one you taught me. Everything I know now, except for that tiny flame that could barely light a cigarette when I awakened, is the result of your teaching." Horn listed the old Douglas's research achievements one by one.
"Teacher, you're very great, and what you've created is also very great. You know this yourself. But why do you, such a great person, stop your research and be content to be a carpenter!" Horn asked Douglas puzzledly.
Douglas remained silent. He didn't know how to answer Horn's words, or rather, he didn't want to talk to Horn about it.
"Teacher, I've made a new breakthrough in the research of staffs." Horn respectfully took out a walnut stick from his bag and handed it to Douglas. Although Douglas no longer taught him, he still showed every research result to Douglas and deeply hoped that Douglas would give him guidance as before.
"I've known for a long time that the medium effect of specially - treated walnut wood is one and a half times that of oak." Douglas just took a quick glance and knew what Horn's research result was.
"You actually knew!" Horn was stunned. He originally planned to give the old Douglas a surprise.
"There are still many things I know!" Douglas said calmly.
"Then tell me all of them." Horn put down the wood in his hand and said to Douglas with a smile.
"No."
"Okay." Since he said no, Horn didn't press further. Douglas was like this. No one could force him to do what he didn't want to do.
The two of them were busy all day. Soon it was evening. After dinner, Horn packed up his things and was ready to go to the meeting place he had agreed with Enoch. He planned to continue the unfinished experiment with him and give Enoch some guidance by the way.
Although wild witches were much weaker than other professionals, they were essentially extraordinary beings. At least they had much more energy than ordinary people.
If Horn wanted to, he could even go without rest for four or five consecutive days without affecting his normal life. It was precisely because of this extraordinary energy that Horn and Enoch could meet up many nights in a row after working as carpenters during the day.
"Remember to come back early tomorrow. I'll steam buns tomorrow morning." The old Douglas said before Horn left.
"Great. I want mutton - stuffed ones." Horn said goodbye to Douglas with a smile and walked out of the carpenter's house. Among the many strange foods the old Douglas made, buns were one of the kinds that Horn liked.
Horn went to the place he had agreed with Enoch as familiar as he could. Just as he was about to go directly to meet Enoch as usual, he was shocked to find that the ground there was emitting an unusual magic frequency.
This frequency was very familiar to Horn because it was the secret signal he and Enoch had set in advance.
And the meaning of this frequency was,
Danger!