Kalinger left around dusk, and sneaked back near Blackwood Village after almost midnight.
During the previous period, he drove two horses to the city to deal with a lot of things: arranging accommodation, processing received gifts, meeting the lord to exchange errands for payment, being left by the lord for dinner, etc... After finishing these, he Pretend to go back to the tavern to rest, and sneak out of the city when the night is late.
He bypassed Heishu Village and went straight into the forest. Recalling the experience of going up the mountain in the dark for the first time a few days ago, he still has a little nostalgia.
In the middle of the night, the mountains are not absolutely quiet. In the distance, there are forest birds singing at night, and insects rustling under our feet. The large warning objects on the mountainside are useless, and there are no infected bodies in the deep mountains, only ordinary nocturnal beasts.
Today's night road is dark, because there is no magic lighting in the canopy. Because the two elves in the mountain are "dead", the rime will not appear again, so the magic lighting should no longer be on.
Before returning to the Falling Moon Tower, Kalinger knocked on the stone wall. When he was standing here a few times before, Rime either didn't respond or would take a long time to talk to him, but today was completely different. After he knocked three times, the gate of Falling Moon Tower appeared in front of his eyes in an instant.
Before he could push it, the door opened inward by itself, and Wu Song was standing by the door. From the looks of it, the rime should have been staying at the highest level, instead of waiting for someone to come up on the floating disc.
Same as when we met for the first time, Wu Ri was wearing a gray-blue robe, with a warm crystal pendulum hanging from the cuff. The pendulum was the only light source in the tower, and all other magic lights were extinguished.
This robe is already tattered, and the rime has not been changed. Even the hem of the robe is a little dirtier than yesterday, as if it was dirty from rubbing on the ground for a long time.
Seeing Kalinger, Wu Ri opened his mouth, showing a little surprised and confused expression.
"How could you..." He said half, paused, and obviously changed the second half of the sentence, "Are you back?"
Kalinger looked at Rime's reaction and immediately understood what was going on.
"Why, do you think I'm not coming back?" Kalinger asked.
Wu Ri said: "No. I know you have to come back."
"Really? But you seem surprised."
"Of course I know. You're going to the Arcane Union to meet those mages, and then you will definitely come back."
Kalinge smiled and said, "Isn't that the same as not coming back? Do you really think that I will just leave for a few months or even a few years, find the Austrian Law Federation, and get closer to them, so that they believe that I am not talking nonsense , make friends with a group of mages, chat happily, and then come back to move books leisurely?"
Rime looked at the ground, with a trace of loneliness in his eyes. Apparently, that's what he thought would happen.
Kalinger walked into the tower and took a private look: "Why did you turn off all the lights?"
Wu Ri said: "Anyway, there is nothing to do, so there is no need to shine so brightly."
Kalinger asked again: "Where are the golems in the tower? Why are they missing?"
"I turned off most of them and kept a few. Anyway, there will be no new infected bodies in the laboratory, so there are not so many golems to clean."
"How are you doing?"
"what?"
"How's your health?" Kalinger deliberately looked at Wusong's torn robe, "Is it still difficult to walk? You see, you don't even have the energy to change your clothes? I guess you have fallen several times. It was dirty yesterday."
Wu Ri said: "I am in good health and can walk. It's just... It's just that I have to do a lot of things to deal with the aftermath, and I don't have time to pay attention to these."
Kalinger smiled. He could tell that this was not the case at all, the smog must have been sitting on the floor of the lobby on the first floor of the Falling Moon Tower for a long time, after all, he didn't even turn on the lights on the lower floors of the tower.
Kalinger didn't tell the truth, nor did he say his real purpose of coming back. He purposely starts communication with something irrelevant.
He walked to the edge of the spiral staircase and said solemnly: "I was going to leave immediately, but after thinking about it, I think I should come back first."
Wu Ri listened to him seriously, even a little nervous.
Kalinger continued: "That's what I think. Although you can use this elf corpse, it should not affect your actions, but after all, the damage to your body is already quite serious. I don't know how your situation is. Can you Normal life. So I want to come back and check on you."
"I'm fine." Wu Song originally looked at him, but now lowered his head again.
Callinger noticed this, but he didn't ask, just went on: "Your teacher only left you a corpse, didn't he leave you any clothes?"
"Of course I keep my clothes."
"Then can you change it?"
Wu Ri wanted to say "why", but just as he opened his mouth to make a mouth shape, he swallowed his voice back. There is no need to ask "why", he was wearing a tattered and dirty robe, and he should have changed it without any special reason.
When Rime fell into short-term thinking, Kalinger made a concerned expression and asked: "Rime, are you still weak and can't walk?"
As if eager to prove that he could walk, Wu Rime also came to the spiral staircase and called the floating disc up. He stepped onto the floating disc, and Kalinger followed naturally.
Rime gave Kalinger a sideways glance, and muttered, "Anyway, I don't need to see anyone, so what are you doing in a hurry to change clothes?"
The floating disc stopped on the seventh floor, and the rime first passed through the large library, and then walked towards a small wooden door in a corner.
He walked slowly, and Kalinger followed him slowly all the way, watching him. The rime is still tired all over the body, but it is indeed better than when it is continuously eroded.
Wu Ri walked into the small door, and just about to close it, Kalinge supported the door with his hands: "Why did you close the door? It's just changing clothes. Why are you shy? I've even seen your bones."
"It's not a question of shyness, but... Normally, people don't change clothes in front of others. It's not decent."
"Who told you that?"
"Book."
Kalinger laughed: "Didn't you learn it backwards on purpose before? Why did you change it now?"
Wu Ri is not stupid, he immediately thought of another reasonable reason: "This is the corpse of Teacher Jinghu, out of respect, I have to give him some dignity."
Kalinge directly put his toes across the door and walked into the room, and Wusong had to take two steps back. Just as Wu Ri was about to say something, Kalinge said first, "But now this is your life."
Rime froze for a moment. Kalinger looked at him, restrained his smile, and said solemnly: "Yes, this is the body of Jinghu. But you have to understand that what you have obtained now is not only the body of an elf, but also your own body. Life. You are not a silver dragon trapped in the ground, nor a golem, nor a helper, nor a poison, nor a food, nor a tool that inevitably leads to death. From today, you are yourself, you are the elf mage rime .Or to be more modest, Rime the Elf Mage Apprentice."
Suddenly listening to such serious words, Rime was a little dazed, and his eyes were inexplicably hot.
Kalinger came a little closer, put his hands on Wusong's shoulders, brushed away a strand of hair, and pinched the thin shoulders again.
He purposely exerted a little force, pinching the rime a little bit, but it didn't hurt very much.
Rime looked at him puzzled. Kalinger asked, "Did it hurt you?"
Rime nodded.
Kalinger rubbed Wusong's shoulders, smiled and said, "You were the one who felt the pain just now, not anyone else, right?"
Rime's eyes lit up, but he still frowned slightly, as if he had thought of something, but half understood.
Kalinger went on to say, "Since it's you I've met and you've felt it, then it's you who is in front of me. Listen, from now on, don't think this body is a lake of stillness. Maybe it's still The lake has not disappeared, it still exists in your heart—not in reality. Outside your memory and mind, there is no quiet lake, only you. Whether you are named Wurim, or want to change another name , this is all you."
When Kalinger was speaking, Haze always felt that the dead heart driven by magic in his body was beating faster and faster. He didn't know why. He didn't know where these words were right, but he felt a little excited when he heard them, and some made him want to cry.
Although he wanted to cry, he wasn't really sad, so he didn't really cry. Instead, he kept his eyes hot and his nose slightly sore, making him speechless to respond.
He even forgot what he and Kalinger were talking about, why on earth did they start talking about this...
Kalinge patted Wu Song's shoulder lightly: "Go change your clothes, now that you look like this, how does it look like a new beginning?"
So Wu Ri maintained that somewhat dazed and floating state, nodded, turned around and walked slowly towards the cabinets and suitcases in the room.
Only then did Kalinger spare his energy to look at the interior. This place should be a small lounge in the study, with some simple furniture, but now it is more like a small warehouse. The cabinets and boxes are a bit messy. items and clothing.
When Wurime took out a new shirt and robe from the closet, Kalinger picked up some small things from the shelf next to him to check. Wu Ri didn't look back at him, but whispered: "I don't need these things, if you like them, take them away."
Kallinger travels all over the place, and he doesn't have much use for most of the things here. But he still took some small gold and silver ornaments inlaid with gemstones and put them into the pocket that had just vacated the space today.
Anyway, this is Jinghu's stuff, Jinghu has caused such a big trouble, it should be rewarded to the bounty hunter.
When Wu Ri took off his torn robe, Kalinger looked at him. The gray-blue robe fell to the ground, and then the black close-fitting gown... After the black gown also slipped off, the extremely light-colored blond hair was scattered on the pale skin. The pale color reminded Kalinger of the dragon bones lying at the bottom of the tower.
"Rime." As soon as Kalinger called his name, Rime, who was wearing a new shirt, wanted to turn around and stopped again.
Kalinger secretly smiled, and continued: "I'm thinking about something, and I want to communicate with you."
"Tell me." Rime replied. The new gown and his long hair completely covered his back, and Kallinger couldn't see anything "indecent".
Kalinger said: "Although you told me to go to the Arcane Federation, I have never been there, and I have no idea where the stronghold of this group of mages is. Do you know where they are?"
Rime said: "I don't know..."
Kalinger said: "I think so. After the Moonfall Tower is closed, no one can find its entrance. No one will break in, and no one will take away the books and materials in the tower. So, There is no need to rush to find the Arcane Federation. I want to inquire first, not only where the institution is located, but also its system, atmosphere, etc. For example, are there any taboos when getting along with those mages? Is the person in charge good enough to get in touch with or something? I also know some spellcasters in the Hunters Guild. I will go to meet them first and ask them to recommend some high-level mages who are easy to get along with. It may be helpful. More importantly, I After all, I'm not a real human being, I have to make sure that the mages won't find out what I am, or I have to be sure that it's okay to be found out."
Rime made a small "hmm" in a low voice.
Kalinger said: "These things sound annoying, and it is estimated that it will take a lot of time. Of course, I can't sit and wait every day. When I am slowly dealing with these things, I may pick up some hunter tasks. In other words, after this trip, it should take a long time for me to bring people back to the Falling Moon Tower."
Rime nodded. This time there was no sound.
Kalinger had been keeping an eye on him secretly. He even stopped tying his clothes.
Kalinge couldn't bear to torture him any longer, and decided to make it clear: "So, I want to discuss it with you. Wu Rime, do you want to come with me?"
Wu Ri turned around immediately and looked at Kalinger in surprise, not caring that he hadn't fastened his clothes yet.
Kalinge smiled and said: "Maybe you don't want to come with me at all, but I still want to try to invite you. You are not familiar with the outside world, it doesn't matter, I will just take you. How about it, would you like it?"
Rime looked dull and didn't answer right away. Callinger said, "Wouldn't you? If you really don't want to..."
When Kalinger said these words, Rime began to nod. His expression was a little tangled, a little anxious, he nodded his head slightly, and couldn't keep up with his words. Kalinger knew why he was doing this. He wasn't saying no.
Kalinger said deliberately: "That's right, from your attitude before, you seem to hate contact with crowds... If you don't want to go with me, I won't force it."
"I am willing." Rime said while nodding.
Kalinger looked sad, sighed, touched his chin and didn't speak for a long time, as if he was thinking about something carefully. He turned around and walked to the door of the room, stopped again, frowned and looked at the fog: "Don't force yourself to do things you don't want to do."
"I am willing..." Wu Rime hurriedly repeated. He was a little anxious, his mouth couldn't keep up with his thoughts, so he could only repeat this sentence.
Kalinger stood outside and stretched out his hand: "Do you really want to? Come here if you really want to."
Rime nodded and hurriedly walked towards Kalinger.
Because he couldn't walk fast, even at such a few steps away, he kept staring at Kalinge, for fear that Kalinge would suddenly turn around and walk away.
When approaching, he didn't hold Kalinge's hand at all, but shook his body and plunged directly into Kalinge's arms.
This time, even Kalinger was taken aback. He thought that there was something wrong with the rime and he couldn't stand firm, but he soon realized that it was not.
Wurime didn't fall down, but rushed over anxiously, curling up his hands with no place to rest, then tentatively touched Kalinge's belt, and then bravely hugged his waist.
Originally, Kalinger wanted Wurime to come over and hold his hand, and then he pulled Wurime over. Maybe the atmosphere was good, and he could pull it into his arms. Unexpectedly, Wu Ri ignored that hand and came directly to hug him.
Rime doesn't hold tightly, dare not let go, and doesn't dare to hug tightly. So Kalinger smiled and stretched out his arms to hug Wurime, holding him tightly in his arms.
The top of his pale golden head rubbed against Kalinger's shoulder, and he didn't dare to move again immediately.
"Okay, I see, I'll take you along," Kalinger held the rime in one hand, and slowly stroked his neck and back with the other, "I'll take you to do all the things I just said .”
Rime stated again: "I am really willing to go, there is no reluctance, really."
"Well, I see it's true," Kalinger said. "Then you go and pack up your things later, and deal with the affairs in the tower, and then we will set off."
"Okay. But..."
"how?"
"But... I walk slowly, you have to wait for me."
"It's okay, I'll take you to places that are difficult to walk, just like yesterday. Can you ride a horse?" This question is superfluous, let alone whether the mage can ride a horse, of course a disabled bone dragon golem can't ride a horse .
"Won't… "
"It doesn't matter, as long as I protect you." Kalinger gently rubbed Wusong's hair, smiling as if some conspiracy had succeeded.
Probably because he was a little embarrassed after hugging for a long time, Rime stepped back a little, and Kalinger naturally let go of his arms.
However, Kalinge did not let go of his hand completely. He held Wurime's chin with one hand and bowed slightly. When Wurime was about to speak in doubt, Kalinger lowered his head and gave him an abrupt kiss.
Rime didn't dare to move, didn't dare to make a sound, and didn't know how to respond. He knew it was a kiss, but he didn't know that the kiss was longer than normal.
When the lips finally parted, Rime's legs were a little weak, so he had to nestle in Kalinge's arms again.
Kalinger pecked Wu Rime's forehead again: "It hurt you so much before, I thought you would be afraid of this."
Just yesterday, the bone dragon was lying in the pool of blood, imprisoned under him by a monster with wings spread out, watching his bones being gnawed with his own eyes, and hearing the chewing sound from the crimson fangs of the devil... Until now, when the breath of the bounty hunter hits the cheek, the rime still has the illusion of smelling the breath of the abyss.
According to that, he should be afraid. Even, he was indeed a little scared.
If it wasn't because of fear, how could he have such a trance and a little weak feeling now
At this time, Wu Ri heard a "bang" and looked over Kalinge's shoulder. It was Kalinge who closed the door of this small room with his backhand.
Rime was a little puzzled, they had agreed to pack up their things just now, why did Kalinger close the door again at this moment.
Kallinger squeezed his chin and lifted his head up so that their eyes were close together.
Rime subconsciously trembled. Because he found that the eyes in front of him were in human form, but he seemed to see hot flames burning in them.
Kalinger also knew that these eyes scared Rime, so he closed them and kissed again.
Just now, Rime hadn't had time to change into her shoes and socks, and had been standing on the floor with her bare feet. At this moment, his heels were slightly off the ground, but the new robe on his shoulders fell off with a clatter and landed on his ankles.
At the same time, the pendulum on the wrist also fell and fell into the soft robe.
After leaving the caster, the warm light on the pendulum immediately went out. The small room was pitch black, save for the faint sound of breathing.
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THE END.