Chapter 1303 Leather Suitcase <TOC> Chapter 1305 The Bloodstained Parchment
Next page password is bold portion: wl9L*huclqot
Translator: SumTLMan
Suis blinked in astonishment, looking quizzically at Angel. He’d always assumed that Angel was just being obstinate. But now, Angel asserted with conviction that it was a rune? Could he have been mistaken earlier?
As Suis hesitated, Angel picked up the leather suitcase, pointing to the ‘Bearing Corner’ he had mentioned repeatedly.
“This stitching pattern indeed represents the Bearing Corner.”
“If this is the Bearing Corner, where’s the rune? The exterior of this suitcase looks pristine to me,” White Bear remarked in confusion.
“Indeed, the exterior bears no rune. That’s because… the rune isn’t on the outside but on the inner lining of the suitcase, hidden from our view,” Angel explained, tracing faint lines of light on the surface of the suitcase.
This was a basic application of an illusionary afterimage technique.
“Try running your fingers along these lines.”
No sooner had Angel spoken than Suis took the suitcase, his fingers gliding over the luminescent marks. On closer examination, he distinctly felt a difference in texture between the marked and unmarked areas.
“The lines I’ve drawn represent the embossed patterns on the inner lining of the suitcase,” Angel elucidated, adding a few more strokes to the original marks. “Look closely. What does this resemble?”
What were once scattered traces of light now, when combined with the new additions, formed a part of a rune familiar to all.
“Fire?” Sanders whispered.
Angel nodded, “Exactly, this fragment of the rune symbolizes flame.”
Suis delicately traced over the lines previously etched by Angel, his touch growing increasingly tentative. With each brush of his finger, his countenance darkened further, culminating in a deep, resigned sigh. “You’re not mistaken,” he remarked with a welter of emotions, “The rune is indeed inscribed within.”
Angel, seemingly unaffected by Suis’s subtle tone, elaborated, “The reason for the Bearing Corner on the exterior of the suitcase is precisely to extend the effect of the rune to the shell, rendering its interior impenetrable to your sight.”
“After careful inspection, I discerned that the entire suitcase is nearly filled with this rune. Even around the buckle, the rune extends. This implies that opening the buckle would inevitably disrupt the interior rune.”
“What might be the aftermath of rupturing a constant rune?” he pondered. “If it’s a non-aggressive rune, the repercussions might be minimal. However, if it’s a powerful offensive rune, the consequences could be catastrophic.”
The pallor on Suis’s face affirmed the veracity of Angel’s words.
“What rune lies within?” White Bear inquired.
“The exact nature of the rune requires further verification. While it’s designed to deter prying eyes, typically a rune shielding energy wouldn’t possess a facet symbolized by ‘fire’,” Angel remarked, his brow furrowing slightly. “I surmise it might be a composite rune, possibly hinting at an internal magic formation.”
The ramifications of a magic formation are notably more volatile than a mere rune. Suis now comprehended the potential disaster he might have unleashed. Had he heedlessly flung the suitcase open, the ensuing surge from the magic formation might have resulted in a cataclysmic energy backlash.
Given Suis’s power, he might have emerged unscathed, but the suitcase would undoubtedly have been destroyed.
A wave of relief washed over Suis. He was fortunate that Angel, with his adept knowledge of runes, had immediately detected the anomaly. Otherwise, a reckless act on his part might have reduced the suitcase to ashes, leaving nothing salvageable.
“This likely was Rolando’s contingency, ensuring the suitcase remained concealed from us,” White Bear mused, grasping the crux of the matter upon hearing Angel’s revelations.
“Whether it pertains to Rolando or not remains a matter of conjecture. However, what’s clear is that this isn’t some otherworldly plane, nor does it contain any bizarre creatures,” Angel remarked nonchalantly. The presence of a self-destructing rune on the suitcase was an effort to conceal its contents. This underscores the fact that whatever lies within isn’t a living entity but could very well be an essential clue. Why else would there be such a calculated move to destroy the suitcase?
Suis inquired, “Is there a method to unlock the suitcase without triggering the rune?”
Angel responded, “Yes, but it requires reverse engineering the inner rune to pinpoint its core.”
Among those present, only Angel had the power to reverse-engineer the rune. Suis turned to Angel, with a plea on the tip of his tongue, yet struggling to articulate it.
Previously, Suis had sought Angel’s assistance in reverse engineering the ‘Bloodline Tracing’ magic formation on the Scarlet Sovereignty, capitalizing on their natural advantage of strength over weakness.
Now, Angel’s capabilities had grown formidable, and the power of Lord Phantom Master was mighty enough to dominate a territory. In this context, for Suis to direct Angel seemed audacious, especially given the recent upheaval at Pat Manor, orchestrated by Eureka.
After much hesitation, Suis ventured, “Could you assist in deciphering the rune? If it truly leads to Rolando, consider it two favors I owe you. If not, I’ll still owe you one.”
Favors are intangible and hard to quantify. What Suis implied was a willingness to unconditionally assist Angel within his means, twice over.
Being regarded as a highly promising Seed of Truth, two favors from Suis indeed carried significant weight.
Angel gazed deeply into Suis’s eyes and simply nodded, “Agreed.”
For Angel, the quest for Rolando was personal. By unlocking the Scarlet Sovereignty, he aimed to purge the mysterious power that plagued his servants, ushering them into the Wilderness of Dreams.
So, even without Suis uttering a word, he would endeavor to decipher the rune.
Time waits for no one; Angel prepares to return and deduce immediately. As they depart, Angel’s gaze fleetingly alights upon a certain Furlington on the other side. At some unnoticed moment, Furlington’s face had turned a ghastly shade of purple, a thin layer of frost covering his skin, his breath stilled.
Perhaps, from Furlington’s perspective, he had merely made a transaction that, on the surface, seemed without fault. Moreover, when faced with an offer from a transcendent entity, it would be challenging for an ordinary individual like him to decline.
However, this very suitcase might be one of the primary catalysts for the unforeseen tragedy at Pat Mansion. While Angel might empathize with Furlington’s stance, who could fathom the feelings of those innocent servants who inadvertently bore the brunt of this calamity?
They took their leave, leaving behind only Furlington’s lifeless body, accompanied solely by a lone tree in the icy, snowy expanse.
…
Upon returning to Pat Mansion, Angel immediately delved into studying the runes inside the suitcase.
However, given the conjecture that the suitcase might be linked to Eureka’s descent into madness, using it within the mansion might exacerbate Eureka’s condition. Thus, Angel ultimately decided to decipher the runes in the Gravity Garden.
Before proceeding with the deciphering, the primary task was to ascertain the nature of the runes.
Angel extended a finger, slowly tracing the external surface of the suitcase to sense the directional flow of the raised patterns within.
While Angel was engrossed in his investigation, Suis and others gathered in the main hall, awaiting the outcome in anticipation. Currently, there was still no trace of Rolando. Yet, the extraordinary being that traded with Furlington might very well be Rolando or, if not, surely had a profound connection with him.
Suis mused in silence: To uncover the enigmatic Rolando lurking behind layer upon layer of shadowy curtains, perhaps this suitcase could provide a vital clue.
Elsewhere, White Bear drew a short staff, silently communing with the River of Destiny.
After a brief moment, White Bear opened his eyes, his expression somber, having gained little insight this time around.
Destiny whispered in his ear, its murmurings an intricate puzzle that White Bear’s abilities could not decipher. How White Bear yearned for the clarity of Totoro’s insights. With Totoro, the enigmatic whispers of Destiny would have been translucent, offering answers on a silver platter, obviating the need for strenuous interpretation.
However, through the haze of uncertainty, White Bear felt a glimmer of understanding. The suitcase they had discovered seemed to be the lone beacon in an abyss of chaos.
If only they could unlock the mysteries within that suitcase, perhaps the answers to their looming questions would be unveiled.
All the clues seemed to revolve around this very suitcase, with both Suis and White Bear waiting in fervent anticipation.
As the hands of the wall clock completed several revolutions, by the third day’s morn, Angel and Sanders finally emerged from the Gravity Garden.
The assembly gathered in the grand hall. As Angel took his seat, he promptly placed the suitcase upon the table.
The suitcase had undergone a radical transformation. Its exterior was now covered with intricate luminescent markings. Suis recognized these marks, they appeared to represent the runes of the inner lining. He could discern the basic meanings of some individual runes. Yet, when these runes were interconnected, their interpretation demanded an expert’s touch.
“These are the runes from the interior, all meticulously etched upon this suitcase,” declared Angel, pointing to the glowing marks. “Just as I had surmised, this indeed is a magic formation. Within, there are three distinct types of runes.”
With a snap of his fingers, a section of the intricate luminescence on the suitcase shone in a soft blue hue. “The blue markings symbolize the Energy Sealing runes.”
Soon after, another set of markings emitted a green light. “The green markings symbolize the Spirit Sealing runes.”
Though the difference between the Energy Sealing rune and Spirit Sealing rune might seem minuscule in nomenclature, and their underlying principles might be closely aligned, their resultant effects are poles apart.
The Energy Sealing rune acts as a shield, meticulously guarding against any prying energy, while the Spirit Sealing rune ensures no energy seepage.
These two runes, like two peas in a pod, share a labyrinth of intertwined designs. Their similarity is often the bane of novice rune apprentices, akin to a dense forest where one easily loses one’s way. Angel, during his early exploration of the Prelude of Reincarnation, carved the Spirit Sealing rune in his lab to prevent the escape of restless ghosts. Having engraved it once, distinguishing it was like discerning day from night for him.
“Excluding the parts of green and blue marks, there’s the advanced Incineration Rune, along with some intermediary pathways bearing the weight of the three combined runes,” Angel remarked, pointing to the remaining white trails. “When these three runes fuse, they create a magic formation known as ‘Smolder’.”
Chapter 1303 Leather Suitcase <TOC> Chapter 1305 The Bloodstained Parchment