Kobold Wizard's Journal

Chapter 381 Invitation and Dinner
More than ten days have passed.

As Ruger admired the beautiful sunset, a question suddenly occurred to him.

Previously, when he and that big guy Mahama arrived at this chaotic star sea, they were on a large island where a war of faith was even taking place. Several long-standing grudges among wizard apprentices had chosen to participate in the battle as messengers of the gods. Ruger didn't care who won or lost; what he was thinking about was that only islands of that size would have teleportation arrays, and this smaller island under his feet obviously didn't have such a thing. Furthermore, the fact that Wizard Zorn was waiting there at the time meant that among the nearby islands, only that island had a teleportation array.

Ruger scratched his chin.

Squeak probably can't swim, let alone fly. Even though it's sleeping, it probably won't change much after it wakes up.

Without a magical pet that can fly or swim, it's really inconvenient here.

They had been brought here by the wizard Zorn. The black magical creature had a broad back and two powerful pairs of wings. The three of them didn't feel crowded on it, especially with the big guy Mahama on board. The smooth flight was impressive.

Does this mean I'll have to ask the wizard Zorn for help again in the future? Ruger scratched his head.

Or, like the islanders, one could travel by merchant ships that travel between the islands. That way, one could definitely reach the big island, but it would take a lot of time, and there wouldn't be ships available at any time.

Ruger curled his lip.

Ding-ding-ding-ding!

"Sir, what would you like? Old Ethan's Blacksmith Shop also accepts orders... Our goods are often carried on board the Red Gear caravan's ships!"

A short, stout young man came to greet them.

Ruger paused, glanced at the signboard, and then swept his gaze over old Ethan's busy figure in the blacksmith's shop.

The short, stout young man saw Luger's veiled face; its bulging, protruding features were still discernible even in the dim light of the shop.

"Guest, are you a traveler among the divinely gifted? With your strong arms, you might want to try this greatsword. Two years ago, a divinely gifted sage commissioned a suitable weapon from our shop..."

The young man spoke with bright eyes, but after realizing the identity of the God-giver of Luger, his back hunched slightly and he became a little shorter.

Luger smiled.

“It’s just to cover up some special scars,” Ruger casually denied being a God-given. “Is Kurt in the shop? I’m his friend.”

Ding-ding-ding-ding——

Ruger looked at him.

The young man remained respectfully bowed, but tilted his head, looking at Luger with a puzzled expression.

Their eyes met, as if confirming what they had said to each other.

"Sir, I...I've never heard of this name before. Perhaps the neighbor next door..."

The young man asked, puzzled.

Ruger paused for a moment, then smiled slightly.

The smile that appeared between her brows and eyes subtly calmed the young man's panic.

"You guys recently completed a large batch of goods, right?" Ruger suddenly asked out of the blue.

The short, stout young man paused for a moment, stared blankly at Luger, and nodded, somewhat puzzled.

Luger smiled and thanked him, then turned and slowly walked out of the blacksmith's shop.

If I'm not mistaken.

He just needs to go back and wait; Kurt will come to visit him soon.

"Lord Ruger, may I invite you to join me for dinner?"

Ruger had just crossed the street corner when he saw that ordinary figure.

"Of course, Your Excellency Kurt, who has successfully completed your apprenticeship."

Ruger responded with a smile.

The two began to stroll slowly along the street. Neither of them spoke for a while, and they just walked on, letting the people who had been busy all day brush past them in the darkening sky, moving through the diverse crowd.

“Every time I walk down this street and see them, I get the illusion of being on one of those big islands,” Kurt said softly. “My place is remote, and not small, but compared to those big islands, it’s just a small stage, or even just a corner of one. But I have so many more people here, full of laughter… Oh, and thank you for your congratulations. The day before, I did receive old Ethan’s approval and finally fulfilled my childhood dream of becoming a real blacksmith.” Ruger looked at the strange man and slowly followed beside him.

His inner joy was something Ruger could truly feel, whether he was talking about laughter or about leaving his apprenticeship to become a blacksmith.

The two gradually walked towards a secluded corner of the city.

"Is tonight's dinner a celebration of your transition from apprenticeship to becoming a qualified blacksmith?"

Luger had already taken off his face covering and was talking casually as he walked.

Kurt turned his head and smiled slightly.

"It's a celebration of leaving the apprenticeship and becoming a full-fledged wizard."

he said softly.

Ruger blinked, not particularly surprised. This was not unexpected. Lord Kurt, having fulfilled his wish, exuded an indomitable aura. He was still the same calm and gentle man, but his every word and action gave people a more powerful feeling.

A broken stone statue stands in a dilapidated corner of a courtyard.

Kurt waved his hand, and a door opened on the stone platform of the statue, revealing a downward stone staircase.

"I have prepared a lot of good ingredients, and I believe that Your Excellency Ruger will like them. Consider it a small compensation for making you wait so many days. I have been collecting them for many years for this meal."

Kurt said this and went downstairs first.

Ruger pursed his lips and followed behind.

As the two stepped inside, the crystal lamps on both sides of the stone steps lit up intermittently, their lights barely surviving.

"This meticulously prepared dinner, strictly speaking... is my ascension ceremony..."

Kurt spoke slowly and deliberately, his words echoing softly in the passageway.

"Oh? That's quite an interesting thing."

Ruger's eyes lit up slightly.

"And what about me, Lord Kurt? Am I also part of the ritual?"

Ruger thought about the contract from that day and the elusive wizard Zorn, but he didn't have too many unnecessary fantasies, only a strong sense of curiosity.

"Strictly speaking, yes, it is precisely because of your wisdom that I need your assistance. During the ceremony, you will be a witness... I wonder how much you know about ascension rites. Some ascension rites are extremely simple, sometimes just standing there drinking some potions, while others are incredibly complicated... various strange materials, requiring preparation years or even decades in advance, some require physical modifications, specific timeframes, even age requirements, and must be performed in specific places, such as the Abyss or even the Nightmare World... and so on. My ascension rite is neither so simple nor so complicated..."

Kurt spoke cheerfully, his steps seeming lighter.

"This is the limit of what I can endure. If the ascension ritual is any more difficult, I probably will never become a wizard in this lifetime."

Kurt joked in a relaxed tone.

In Ruger's opinion, he had absolute confidence in himself.

"A witness with a faint demonic aura, reliable and trustworthy as you, appearing before me at this time is truly a blessing from the Supreme Council," Kurt continued to tease.

“I’m really looking forward to it, to dinner, and to the ascension ceremony to come,” Ruger said softly.

The two chatted as they walked for quite a while, as if they were heading to the deepest part of the island, into the bottom of the endless sea.

"Your expectations will certainly not be disappointed. The name of the ascension ceremony is—The Devil's Banquet. Oh, I forgot to remind you, Your Majesty, that I reported this ascension ceremony to the Holy Tribunal many years ago when I acquired it through a transaction. Some of the actions involved may not be considered violations of the regulations for demon hunters..." Kurt said jokingly.

As they went deeper, in addition to the sound of their footsteps, they could hear other sounds.

Ruger listened intently for a while, and the faint sound seemed like someone groaning in pain, occasionally interspersed with a few trembling screams.

As he walked downwards, the sounds grew clearer and clearer, and Ruger was certain he hadn't misheard.

Kurt smiled.

“Your Excellency, do not forget my divine name because of your laughter,” he said softly.

(End of this chapter)