Kobold Wizard's Journal

Chapter 204 Ambiguity and Reality

Ruger was still thinking about those books. Those little, indistinct books belonged to an old wizard's dream collection. Perhaps they contained things that this consciousness had researched in the tower, as well as books from the wizard's own memories. If he could really make some books from different fields on the bookshelf clear by following the old man's thoughts, then for a wizard apprentice like him, even just a few of them would be a very good gain.

It's important to know that what this old wizard is currently contemplating is something related to advancing to the first level of wizarding.

The appearance of several strangers interrupted Ruger's reverie.

"of course."

Leiden replied calmly.

Ruger remained silent, simply standing beside him and observing the five people. The people opposite them were also observing them in the same way.

Seeing that the others were silent, Leiden walked over to the pot and began to silently stir the soup and tend the campfire.

Luger smiled and took out his large bowl, then sat down by the campfire.

The fact that Leiden was so relaxed suggests that these people were all wizarding apprentices.

The campfire blazed brighter as Leiden poked at it.

Ruger finally got his first bowl of soup. He held the big bowl, blew on it as usual, and drank it straight away. Dragonborn kobolds are not afraid of hot soup. If something is meant to be eaten cold, it must be because it tastes better when it's cold.

The woman in black smiled slightly, sat down opposite Luger, and quite casually sat on the ground instead of the stone that had been placed beforehand by the campfire.

“We first heard the bells, but found nothing when we arrived here. As for the camp, we were actually attracted by the aroma of the soup. My name is Muse,” the woman in black said, taking out cutlery. “Could you two share some soup with me? I can offer five magic stones.”

Luger's large bowl covered half of his face, making him look like he was only concerned with eating and drinking.

"Three magic stones will suffice."

As he spoke, Leiden raised his hand and stirred the soup around the edge of the pot, then ladled a large spoonful of soup for the woman in black, Muzzy.

Muzzy immediately thanked them profusely, handed over the magic stone, took out a small golden spoon, and began to sip her soup with a clinking sound.

The other four people gathered together on the other side of the camp, resting and sharing their food. They would occasionally glance over, though it was unclear whether they were looking at Mutress or at the pot of soup.

A big bowl of soup, a small spoon, it took a long time to finish drinking it.

When only a small portion of the bowl remained, the woman in black, Mütsu, slowed down, but she still occasionally sipped it with a spoon.

"Did you hear the bell?" she said.

After she finished speaking, she sipped her soup with a spoon while looking at Ruger and Leiden.

“Of course I heard it. It was a town that appeared and disappeared. Everyone in our camp was trapped in that town, and we don’t know if they’re still alive,” Leiden said, poking at the campfire.

“Is there any pattern?” she asked again. “We can team up and maybe rescue those people. Of course, we should share the benefits that can be shared, and the things that cannot be shared will naturally belong to the person who finds them.”

Ruger watched the two people talking back and forth, and then poured himself another bowl of soup.

"A pattern? Probably the tolling of the bells? You are free to explore as you please, don't worry about us, we won't be taking any more risks," Leiden said frankly.

Luger nodded his head in agreement.

Muzzle seemed to appreciate Leiden's cooking skills quite a bit. She moved the small spoon in her hand, and with a series of clinking sounds, she slowly put the little bit of soup and meat left in the bowl into her mouth, as if she were savoring a rare treasure. After eating for a long time, there was still a little bit left.

Clang! Clang! The bells rang!

"Is this the voice you're talking about?" Mutric suddenly asked.

Ruger and Leiden were both stunned, completely unexpected that the town would reappear in such a short time.

The two exchanged a glance but neither made a move.

Mutress and her companions all stood up and looked towards the hazy place from which the bells were tolling. The outlines of the town's buildings were beginning to appear with the sound of the bells.

Ruger noticed that the four people were looking at the town, but Mutress only glanced at them twice before frowning and looking back at him and Leiden.

"You really haven't been to town?" Mutress asked seriously.

Ruger shook his head, holding the large bowl, while Leiden simply ignored him.

The town in the distance remained hazy, as if its continuous appearances had exhausted its energy, and it didn't fully reveal itself for a while, with many buildings indistinct.

Miu Triss suddenly sighed.

"It seems they... really don't know any valuable information."

She said she touched the side of the bowl with her spoon and ate the last bit of soup and meat.

Ruger paused for a moment, listening to the beautiful sound of the spoon, then turned to look into the distance, but there was no clock or town to be seen.

"Nightmare Wizard Apprentice?"

Leiden said, fiddling with the campfire.

Ruger was delighted upon hearing this and looked her up and down.

"Sorry, I just wanted to make it easier to ask some questions, and your soup is really good," Muzzle said apologetically.

“As an apology, could you satisfy my curiosity?” Ruger suddenly interjected, “What was that just now? Was it a dream? Could you have hurt me in that state? Would I have woken up immediately if I had been attacked by magic?”

Muzzles gave the dog-headed creature, who hadn't said a word, a strange look.

“If it’s hard to explain, you can just try it,” Ruger said. “I can help you, and I can even offer you another bowl of soup.”

"No need. Delicious food should be cherished. Overindulging in it will only make it ordinary. Now that we have confirmed the location of the town, we will not disturb you any longer."

As the woman in black, Miu Triss, spoke, she was about to call her companions to leave.

Ruger smiled and was about to say something when he suddenly felt a burning sensation on his shoulder.

He didn't have time to speak and immediately looked to the side. Leiden was also looking surprised and turning to confirm with him.

The answer is obvious.

On his shoulder, the only thing he and Leiden had in common was the secret mark left by the old woman.

He had never known that the arcane mark had this effect.

If the bell tolling and the illusory town buildings were fake, the work of the woman in black, Myutra, who was using their dream vision to show her the town, then now the two of them were truly connected to that town again; it was the short old woman who was looking for them.

The woman in black, who was about to leave, suddenly turned around and looked at the two of them.

Ruger felt his vision begin to blur, as if a fog was enveloping him. The pots and tall, withered trees nearby became hazy, while only Leiden beside him was clearly visible.

Light and darkness alternate.

Ruger staggered and reached out to steady himself on the bookshelf.

The two returned to the dimly lit tower, to the same bookshelf as before.

Before the two could even gather their thoughts, the marks on their shoulders started burning again.

Ruger and Leiden exchanged a glance. He suddenly wondered if, if they tried to leave this nightmare world, they would also be pulled back as if in a dream.

(End of this chapter)