Chapter 92 – A Promise at Siren Bay

White, in the eyes of the people of the continent, is a pure and clean color.

But once you’ve had dealings with magic, this color takes on a different meaning.

A color only Archmages can wear… it carries with it danger, power, and coldness.

Lin Wei’s eyes swept up and down the Mage who was now dressed in white robes.

He was very satisfied with what he saw.

Heeding his instincts, he pounced.

He was also very satisfied with what he felt.

Duan Yu, who had been forced to change into a set of magic robes, couldn’t quite understand what strange excitement had been triggered in Lin Wei. But seeing how excited and happy he was, he didn’t resist, allowing himself to be manhandled for a while with an expressionless face.

Lin Wei then pulled out another blank white robe from his space ring—he held it up against Duan Yu a few times: “The one with the runes looks better… but the blank one isn’t bad either.”

He sat down behind the desk and said with a serious tone, “I’ve decided I won’t allow you to wear white robes when you go out.”

Duan Yu: “……”

“No,” Lin Wei propped his chin on one hand, his thoughts wandering again as he irritably ruffled his hair. “Your original look isn’t bad either.”

At that moment, there was a knock on the courtyard gate. Lin Wei glanced outside and said coolly, “It’s Tiki and the others… You’ve just returned, and she’s already come to visit. I know Tiki likes looking at you—this is very bad. I might as well just forbid you from going out altogether.”

The Mage, who had suddenly been stripped of his right to go out, didn’t understand what was happening.

But fortunately, over the past few days, he had mastered an effective way to deal with Lin Wei’s various antics.

The Mage in white robes leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on the forehead of the black-haired Summoner.

The Summoner let out a noncommittal hum, temporarily setting aside his obsession with the magic robe issue.

They rummaged through the room, gathering some things that might come in handy.

Lin Wei surveyed the room and suddenly remembered what it had looked like when they first moved in—empty and cold.

Now it was different. The two opposing desks were filled with magic tomes, the parchment pressed under the crystal ball was covered in hastily sketched drafts of magic arrays, and the magical plants Haitie had transplanted from the island were thriving. Translucent green vines climbed the window lattice, and the walls were sparsely decorated, making the two notes pasted above the bed particularly noticeable.

In truth, there weren’t many more items, but the room felt full—to put it poetically, it seemed to have been filled with something like time or memories, and the deep honey-colored floor was soaked in a pleasant atmosphere. With just a slight recollection, the Mage’s serene profile during meditation would appear before his eyes.

This small room, which he had long grown accustomed to, suddenly seemed incredibly beautiful.

Lin Wei rarely felt this way; he usually didn’t pay much attention to such things.

He suddenly remembered that on the day he left the Imperial Capital with the Mage Corps, he had also felt that the capital was exceptionally prosperous and beautiful.

—Later, nearly half of that place fell into ruin.

As they left, he uneasily grasped Duan Yu’s wrist.

Duan Yu: “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing…” Lin Wei took one last look at the room and closed the door.

Tiki’s visit wasn’t just to inquire about Duan Yu’s sudden departure but also to question Lin Wei about why her fellow apprentice, Shui Lan, had vanished without a trace after a trip to the Magic Wheel.

“He’s a descendant of the Valley of Elements, and there’s something he needs to accomplish,” Lin Wei replied to the aggressive Light Mage.

In truth, Lin Wei had strummed the plectrum and asked Ah Lan, who had already been to the Death Swamp once, to settle the descendants of the Valley of Elements in Jerald’s underground palace.

“Can you explain it to them?” Lin Wei asked Ah Lan.

“No need for too much explanation,” Ah Lan said indifferently. “We all know our family origins are special—as long as you’re not planning to abandon us there and never return.”

“You’re very important. I’m going to the Imperial Capital, and I’ll come find you soon after.”

“Alright.” Ah Lan nodded at him.

One of the goddess’s harp strings led directly to the Imperial Capital, meaning Lin Wei could travel between the capital and the Death Swamp at any time, which gave him a sense of security.

After wrapping up matters in the Magic World, what he had to face next was… His Highness Gregory.

It seemed Haitie had already informed Gregory of the situation. When he saw Lin Wei, Gregory gave him a half-smile and nodded: “Lord Tidis.”

“Your Highness,” Lin Wei returned the greeting. “We will escort you back.”

Given Adrishig’s statement, “Before Asa comes to his senses,” which indicated the urgency of the situation, Lin Wei acted swiftly afterward.

The Magic Wheel made a brief stop at Siren Island before departing again, sailing through the waves toward the dock at Siren Bay.

This dock held deep significance for the students of the Academy. It was where each of them met their fellow apprentices and began their true journey as Mages.

“We’re facing something dangerous, aren’t we?” Haitie asked, standing by the ship’s railing. What she had seen at the Astrology Tower and the Valley of Flame was enough for this intelligent girl to realize something was amiss.

“Indeed, but there’s no need to worry too much,” Lin Wei thought of Adrishig’s smile. “Someone is protecting us.”

“Alright,” Haitie’s azure eyes gazed at the distant shoreline gradually coming into view. “I don’t know much about these things, and I can’t keep up with you two—always doing dangerous things, disappearing and reappearing out of nowhere. If there’s a next time, I might not dare to come looking for you!”

She stuck out her tongue playfully. “Why don’t we agree on a place? If I can’t find you one day, I’ll wait there!”

“Good idea—count me in,” Daniel, who was steering the Magic Wheel, chimed in.

“Alright then,” Lin Wei thought for a moment. “How about the dock at Siren Bay? It’s a convenient location, whether we’re heading to the continent or the Magic World.”

“Since we’re all here,” Haitie looked around the deck, reassured by the agreement, and smiled. “Just like in the bedtime stories, Mages who get separated during an adventure always find their way back together!”

This promise, though somewhat naive and childish, lightened the mood on the deck.

“There’s a similar bedtime story on the mainland…” Lin Wei suddenly remembered the stories Duchess used to tell him when he was young. “A knight makes a promise with his beloved princess before setting off on a journey. The princess builds a tower at that place, waiting for the knight to return victorious and propose to her.”

He reached out and ruffled Haitie’s hair. “We’re the knights, and you’re the princess.”

Haitie laughed happily.

“Hey, you two—” Daniel protested. “Have some consideration for the fragile, defenseless Alchemist! If you two run off to some dangerous place again, I won’t be able to follow and will just have to wait!”

“You’re right…” Lin Wei pondered for a moment, then said earnestly, “You can’t be the princess, Haitie. You’ll have to protect Princess Daniel at the base of the tower—not only from dangerous enemies outside but also from him dismantling the tower for his research and alchemy experiments.”

Haitie stifled a laugh and nodded solemnly. “I’ll keep an eye on him.”

—At an angle they didn’t notice, a young man leaned against the window of one of the cabins, watching the scene on the deck with interest.

“They’re so harmonious, it’s enviable,” Sars Angel, who hailed from the southern part of the Empire, turned to Gregory and shrugged. “I’d like to join in—but aside from the lovely Lady Haitie, the others don’t seem very interested in us.”

“I just know your carefree days are about to end, Sars,” Gregory seemed to smile faintly.

“Yes… That’s bad news. I’d almost forgotten what’s waiting for us in the Imperial Capital,” Sars Angel sighed deeply. “Ever since your brother bared his fangs, the capital has become a tense place. In comparison, I actually find the Magic World quite charming—Your Highness, perhaps you could consider revising your view of this world a little.”

“This island is just where they house the young ones,” Gregory’s tone didn’t soften. “My perspective remains unchanged.”

“Alright,” Sars didn’t press further and changed the subject. “Let’s talk about Prince Bolan…”

To demonstrate the sincerity of “the eldest son of the Tidis family and the Magic World escorting His Highness the Crown Prince back to the Imperial Capital,” the Magic Wheel flew ostentatiously over the Empire, arriving in the capital a day later.

However, due to the slow speed of information transmission on land, the letter Lin Wei had sent to his family was only known to Lord Duke and Prince Bolan. The Imperial Capital’s city guard had yet to receive the order to “welcome the Mages and His Highness the Crown Prince” when they saw a strange, dilapidated ship descend from the sky and land at the city gates!

The city guard went on full alert, with white-armored warriors wielding spears and shields surrounding the Magic Wheel.

The captain of the guard stepped forward: “—Who are you?”

Daniel muttered, “An acquaintance.”

Indeed, it was this captain’s turn to stand guard today—a man who had once been fortunate enough to smell dragon dung and was now witnessing the historic and significant Magic Wheel, though its appearance wasn’t particularly impressive.

It must be said that this captain was quite diligent. He insisted that “without orders, identities cannot be easily confirmed, and certainly no one can be allowed into the city, especially in matters related to magic.” He meticulously verified the Tidis family’s flame sword emblem and the Imperial family’s flaming rose emblem, then recorded the identities of the Mages on the Magic Wheel in detail before reporting the situation to the Imperial Defense Department—a process that took quite some time.

Before the Imperial Defense Department’s orders arrived, heavy and orderly hoofbeats sounded from within the city gates.

The Royal Knight Order arrayed themselves with a formidable presence, their demeanor far from welcoming.