Simultaneously traversing: the pinnacle of all realms

Chapter 92 The Riddler and the Honest Man

Hagrid's tone wasn't very enthusiastic, and he didn't seem to like these guys much. "You never get a straight answer from centaurs. They're always looking up at the stars, it's annoying. They're not interested in anything except things around the moon."

Oh, I see, he's a riddle teller.

Xavier's face lit up with sudden realization; honest Hagrid probably wouldn't get along with these centaurs who only said half of what they meant.

Hagrid paused, then added that he wasn't used to talking badly about people behind their backs, even if it was just an objective evaluation.

"But some centaurs are alright. Like Frenzier—he's a centaur with golden hair and amazing blue eyes, and he even saved Harry."

In the open forest clearing ahead, several centaurs stopped under a huge ancient oak tree.

Their lower bodies are mostly chestnut, black, and greyish-white, with smooth and powerful muscle lines, and their hooves constantly tap lightly on the grass.

The upper body is no different from that of a human. The skin of the human torso is covered with a thin layer of hair, and the hair is long and thick, some of which is braided and some is draped over the shoulders.

Some have jet-black hair; others have red hair and beards.

Their faces were somewhere between rugged and handsome, and most of their eyes were amber, appearing exceptionally bright against the backdrop of the mist.

One of the centaurs was particularly striking.

He has a platinum-gold mane and tail, and his body is also platinum-gold. The human part from the waist up has golden hair and a pair of blue eyes, as blue as the deep space.

Compared to the other, more rugged centaurs, he appeared younger and more handsome.

Looking at these centaurs, Xavier had a rather impolite thought: "Are they human or horses?"

"Their upper body is human, with hair and a beard, but below the waist they have a shiny horse's body, with a long tail trailing behind. Do they also have two sets of internal organs?"

"And why aren't they wearing clothes?"

Indeed, these centaurs were completely naked, wearing only decorative gems and pieces of wood.

Several centaurs who looked very young were holding bows and arrows, but when they saw Xavier next to Hagrid, they put them down.

The tradition among the Maharajas is that they are reluctant to harm young people, and they will try their best to avoid even attacking others in front of young people.

The centaur standing at the very front—with black hair, a black horse's body, and a bow made of animal bones and tendons at his waist—took a step forward, his hooves landing with a heavy thud.

"Hagrid".

His expression was both proud and serious, his eyes deep as if he were constantly deciphering the mysteries of the stars, and his voice was deep, like distant thunder rolling on the horizon, "You personally brought in a stranger."

Bain.

Hagrid stepped forward, placing one hand in front of Xavier while still holding his wand in the other. "He's my friend. He's also a student at Hogwarts."

Hagrid was already starting to regret bringing Xavier into the Forbidden Forest.

He rarely sees so many centaurs during his daily patrols, as did the unicorns he encountered before.

Bain did not look at Hagrid.

"I see it—the star of destiny is guiding you here, and the future is about to undergo unprecedented changes."

His amber eyes were fixed on Xavier, on the white jade antlers on his head.

The other centaurs noticed it too.

A grey-white horse-man tilted his head slightly, as if identifying some kind of scent.

A young centaur—chestnut-colored with his mane tied in braids—took two steps forward before being stopped by Bane raising his hand.

"Mars has a brilliant light, but it's obscured by clouds," Bain said.

This is not a question, but it doesn't seem to be a statement either.

It's incoherent and doesn't have a beginning or an end.

This must be the way of the centaurs—they only say half of what they mean, probably not even half.

Xavier was somewhat confused.

This is characteristic of the centaurs: they observe the stars and interpret destiny, but they never finish their sentences. Because they believe the future can be seen, but it shouldn't be excessively interfered with.

Bain walked up to Xavier and bowed his head.

He smelled of a mixture of pine resin and horsehide.

"You will come back here in the future."

He paused for a moment, then said, "You will see us again."

The centaur with the platinum horse body suddenly spoke, his voice even deeper than Bane's: "He's connected to the castle."

"All the students are connected to the castle," Bain said.

"It's not just a relationship between students and the castle."

The obviously older grey-white horseman beside him turned his head, his faded eyes like an old, worn bronze mirror. He looked at Xavier and said something Xavier couldn't understand at all.

It wasn't English, it wasn't Parseltongue, and it wasn't any language he had ever heard in either of those worlds.

The centaur's own language? I've never heard of a centaur language.

Bain remained silent for a long time.

Then he raised one hand and placed it on his chest—a gesture of respect that centaurs make to another race.

Hagrid turned around sharply at the sight and looked at Xavier: These centaurs wouldn't even do this when facing Dumbledore.

"Your future is very important to us."

Bain said he spoke slowly this time, as if he were translating a vague prophecy into human language, partly because he had never spoken so much before. "It's the same with my people. If you need help—not now, but later—when you find any centaur tribe, we will know. The stars will tell us."

Xavier looked up at the sunlight filtering through the leaves and remained silent.

Is it really appropriate to talk about stars in broad daylight?

The old horseman with the grey and white horse body took a leather rope from his waist, on which was strung a polished amber.

He stepped forward and handed it to Xavier without saying a word.

Xavier paused for a moment, then reached out and took it, only to find a piece of leaf of unknown age sealed inside the amber.

Bain took a step back and stomped his hooves three times on the ground.

"We'll stay here until the Martian light fades. Let's go, Hagrid. Today's not the time for conversation."

After he finished speaking, he turned around and led the other centaurs into the mist behind the oak tree.

The sound of hooves faded into the distance, eventually disappearing into the depths of the forest.

Xavier had a feeling that the centaur Bane, the leader, and the old centaur had come specifically to see him.

However, centaurs are likely to be very hostile towards humans. There may be a very few centaurs who hold different opinions, but the majority should be like this.

Because once centaurs decide to help humans, they become "human slaves" in their minds, no different from "ordinary mules."

Other centaurs might even kill this centaur, as it would be a shameful betrayal to them.

But why—Xavier rubbed the amber in his hand—don't centaurs always follow "divine will"? Could it be that he did something in the future that they saw?

It's worth noting that they didn't even lift a finger when fighting Voldemort.

Also, all the centaur tribes—

"Perhaps these arrogant centaurs saw something through their astrology."

Hagrid laughed at Xavier, "Don't pay attention to their rambling. I've heard plenty of their talk, but none of it is as powerful as their arrows."

He then said somewhat defiantly, "But my crossbow bolts are more accurate than theirs."

But this time, since the wand could be used openly, Hagrid didn't bring his precious crossbow.

Regarding the amber, Hagrid advised, "Whales are unfriendly, but they won't do things like dark wizards. If you're worried, you can show it to Dumbledore."

Hagrid led Xavier onward, as dusk approached. The Forbidden Forest at night was a completely different danger level than during the day, just as Bane had said: they should go.

"Speaking of which, Ethan, there's something you definitely don't know,"

Hagrid led the way, turning back with a smile as he said, "Centipedes are strange. They're different from Aragog and his ilk; they possess the same intelligence as humans, yet they actively requested and accepted being classified as monsters by the British Ministry of Magic. I heard it's because they don't want to share the human identity with creatures like she-demons and vampires."

He paused, as if remembering something, "Oh right, you might meet mermaids later, the kind from the Black Lake. The mermaids made the same decision."

Refusing to acknowledge that they are human?

Xavier thought for a moment, then continued, "Perhaps it's also due to distrust of the wizarding world's political system?"

Hagrid explained, "But wizards do respect them quite a bit—the Department of Magical Creatures Control at the Ministry of Magic still has a centaur liaison office, although no centaurs actually use it."