Next page password is bold portion: t&ofREp@SPE7
Translator: SumTLMan
Even though Angel had already offered his advice, when it came time to leave, Alan hesitantly expressed his desire to stay in Paradova a little longer.
Although Alan didn’t articulate what he wanted to stay for, his eyes flickered, avoiding direct eye contact with Angel. Clearly, he was still intent on continuing his search for Alana’s whereabouts.
Angel gave Alan a penetrating look, but said nothing. He simply nodded and turned away.
Alan’s decision was understandable. Anyone, upon learning that their closest kin had vanished from the world, and being unable to question or search for them, would undoubtedly be left in a state of confusion.
Angel didn’t know what Alan might find here, but finding Alana was virtually impossible. Unless, of course, he could find a second Rain Pattern Stone that could transport him into that unknown and terrifying realm.
Previously, someone had mentioned that there was only one Rain Pattern Stone. Therefore, Angel didn’t stop Alan from staying.
As long as he was in the dark about the whole situation, even spending hundreds of years in Paradova wouldn’t bring him any closer to finding Alana.
On the way back, they didn’t travel in Shirley’s teapot vessel; instead, they rode in Angel’s Gondola.
As Shirley marveled at the exterior of the Gondola, Gloria turned to Angel with an inquisitive gaze: “Is that place really as dangerous as you say?”
Undoubtedly, the “place” Gloria referred to must be Alana’s destination, a realm described by Angel as a boundless path.
“Do you think the Boundless Path is dangerous?” Angel asked.
“Absolutely,” Gloria replied without hesitation. In today’s Southern Region of the Wizarding World, probably not a single person could survive in the Boundless Path, which attests to its peril.
“The place Alana is headed to is far more dangerous than the Boundless Path,” Angel stated, then emphasized, “And by a significant margin at that.”
Gloria’s eyes narrowed. Though she had anticipated this response, it still seemed almost unbelievable to her.
Previously, Alan had asked Angel when he could pursue Alana. Angel’s answer was, “When you’re qualified to set foot on the Boundless Path.”
Gloria knew all too well that to safely traverse the Boundless Path, one would need to be at least a legendary wizard.
Even then, Angel had said only that one would be——
Qualified.
Being qualified doesn’t necessarily mean you can solve the problem. It’s like in the Novastar Competition; even Leon, who had just entered the Wizarding World, was eligible to participate. However, eligibility is one thing; making it to the end is another matter entirely.
Even legendary wizards are merely — qualified.
This made it abundantly clear how perilous Alana’s destination must be.
Yet Gloria couldn’t quite make sense of it. Could such a dangerous place exist in the Southern Region? Perhaps it’s some sort of undisclosed, undiscovered hidden realm?
“So where exactly is this place?” Gloria hesitated before inquiring once again.
The last time Gloria had asked, Angel had remained reticent. Considering that there might be sensitive information, and with Alan present, she chose not to press the matter further. But now, with Alan having stayed in Paradova, she felt it was the time to ask again.
Facing Gloria’s inquiry, Angel didn’t respond immediately. Instead, his eyes flicked towards the other person on the Gondola.
Shirley seemed to be admiring the Gondola, continually uttering words of praise. However, Angel clearly noticed that although Shirley’s attention didn’t appear to be on them, her ears were pricked up high, evidently eavesdropping.
“I never thought this would happen in the Southern Region, but it truly has.”
Angel began speaking cautiously, seemingly ready to disclose something he had previously kept hidden.
Shirley’s ears perked up even more. She was incredibly curious. What could possibly be the story behind this?
However, Angel seemed to be toying with her. He offered a cryptic preview of the tale, then turned to Gloria, saying, “This matter involves some important issues; we’ll talk more once we’re back.”
Shirley felt like her curiosity had lifted her emotionally sky-high, only for her to plummet back down in an instant.
Shirley: “…” Either say it or don’t! You’ve only told half the story, piquing my curiosity and then running off. How infuriating!
Though Shirley wanted to scream her frustration, she held back, continuing to enact her role of praising the Gondola.
Gloria glanced at Angel and nodded: “Alright.”
Since Angel had promised to speak, he would undoubtedly keep his word. If the matter were indeed significant, it was not suitable to discuss it in a public setting.
From Paradova to Sky Mechanical City, the journey via the Gondola took only ten minutes.
If it were anywhere else, Angel might have deliberately slowed down to leisurely enjoy the scenic views from the sky. However, things were different in the Gloriosa Kingdom. Here, because of the proliferation of steam train routes, cities were undergoing vigorous modernization. While this wasn’t inherently bad, the trade-off was less-than-ideal air quality in the short term.
There was little scenic beauty to enjoy on this trip; they were essentially breathing in smog. Hence, Angel sped up the Gondola and soon arrived back at Sky Mechanical City.
After returning to the manor, Angel disappeared along with Gloria, leaving Shirley in the courtyard, her eyes filled with both struggle and curiosity.
……
Gravity Garden, an open-air library.
Sanders sat at his desk, casting a puzzled look at Angel who sat across from him: “You seem quite serious, is something the matter?”
Sanders had originally been engrossed in researching the power system of the Wilderness of Dreams. Yet, Angel had abruptly sought him out, solemnly requesting that they meet in the Gravity Garden.
To add to the intrigue, Gloria had come along as well. At that moment, she was sitting on a bookshelf not far away, her eyes curiously scanning the environment within the Gravity Garden.
“Indeed, something has occurred,” Angel quickly recounted his relationship with the Alan siblings, as well as the disappearance of Alan’s sister, Alana.
“And then?” Sanders inquired, “Is there some sort of hidden agenda behind Alana’s disappearance?”
Sanders knew that Angel wasn’t one to make a fuss over trivial matters. His solemn demeanor signaled that this was anything but simple. However, Sanders was puzzled — how could the disappearance of a mere female apprentice lead to some grand underlying plot?
In the next moment, Angel addressed Sanders’ internal doubts. And he did so with a revelation that struck like a bolt from the blue.
“It involves a Mysterious Object.”
A Mysterious Object?! Both Sanders and Gloria simultaneously looked at Angel, their eyes brimming with astonishment and skepticism.
Could it be that this minor disappearance case actually involved something as significant as a Mysterious Object?
“Is it unclaimed?” Gloria couldn’t help but inquire, her eyes filled with barely concealed covetousness.
“Yes,” Angel nodded once again.
A glimmer of joy flashed across Gloria’s eyes as she hastily followed up: “So where is it? Do you know?”
Angel responded, “I don’t know where it is, but the members of the Orderly Guild should.”
Orderly Guild? Gloria was once again perplexed. What kind of organization was this? If they knew the whereabouts of this Mysterious Object, why wouldn’t the people of this organization go there themselves?
Sanders was initially just as puzzled, but the moment Angel mentioned the Orderly Guild, he immediately understood.
“So, you’re saying…” Sanders’ pupils darkened, taking on a grave expression.
Angel nodded in affirmation, “Yes, it’s an Out of Control Mysterious Object.”