The Book of Hibernation

Aldin put Winter Thistle against the corner, with a playful smile on his face, and Winter Thistle shrugged and looked at him in embarrassment.

"I brought them all, why don't you just eat one?" Aldin was holding a glass bowl, in which were small round cakes, golden on the surface, inlaid with brown sugar pickled fruit in the middle, exuding a slight aroma .

Winter Ji frowned: "Really not. This is a laboratory, you can't eat, really you can't eat, please cover it..."

"It's not food, there is no soup, and there will be no dregs."

"That's not the problem..."

"Are you so afraid of Kanai getting angry?"

"No... I'm not afraid that Master Kanai will be angry, it's really not possible!"

Aldin took one by himself and threw it into his mouth: "It's delicious. There is a workshop in Harbor City, which specializes in making sugar and pastries for nobles. If the workshop was not under the name of the Ten Sail Street Chamber of Commerce, even I would have no chance Eat this stuff."

Winter Thistle sighed, quickly pulled out a damp soft cloth from the side, and handed it to Aldin.

"What are you doing?" Aldin licked his fingers.

"Wipe your hands, please." Winter Ji's expression was very serious.

Aldin smiled and took the soft cloth obediently.There is not only clear water on the soft cloth, but also a slightly bitter medicinal taste in the fragrance.

Aldine wiped his hands and handed the soft cloth back to Winter Thistle.Winter Thistle seemed to think that he didn't wipe it seriously, so she took back the soft cloth and looked at him tentatively. Aldin put the glass bowl aside and stretched out his hands, so Winter Thistle lowered his head and carefully wiped his hands again. over again.

Finally, Winter Thistle put the soft cloth into the covered wooden barrel under the table, took another cloth from the medicine jar, and wiped her hands too.

Aldin just looked at him and smiled.Dong Ji looked helpless: "I know, you are deliberately teasing me."

"No, really not," Aldin said, "I did the same with Kanai. He's more cooperative than you."

According to Winter Thistle's observation, Kanai is a much more serious person than Aldin.Winter Thistle said euphemistically, "I think Master Kanai is stricter than me."

Aldin pulled a chair and sat down: "He loved reading since he was a child, and sometimes he just huddled there and kept reading, and didn't eat well, and even refused to eat while reading, saying that he was afraid of dirtying the book."

"Was it when you were young?" Winter Thistle asked.Judging from his tone, it shouldn't be a recent incident.

Aldin said: "Yes, it was when I was a child. He was six or seven years old, and I was about ten years old. I said to him, you are thin and small, how can you not eat? He ignored me, so I just Take the food with your hands, and send it to his mouth piece by piece."

Imagining the picture of the two children, Dongji couldn't help but smile: "Will he be willing to eat?"

"He is willing to eat. His eyes are still reading. I press the food to his mouth, and he opens his mouth, but he doesn't take a bite after chewing, unless I bring another piece to his mouth. After a meal , I asked him if it was delicious? He said he didn’t know. I asked him if he knew what he was eating? He didn’t know either.”

Winter Thistle laughed out loud.Aldin asked him: "There is such a big age difference between you and your brother. You must have taken care of him when he was young, right?"

Winter Thistle said: "Ryan was different when he was a child. He took the initiative to eat, just like a little bear, he couldn't get enough to eat every day."

Aldin sighed: "It must not be easy for the two of you. I have also been down and down, I understand. Speaking of this, Winter Thistle, what are you going to do in the future, have you seriously thought about it?"

Winter Ji didn't understand: "The future? What do you mean?"

"It's literally. You see, your younger brother is now a trainee knight. If there is no accident, he will receive the official holy emblem in the future, become a real temple knight, and then become a squad leader, detachment commander, etc., and then strive to be transferred to the king Capital Temple, if he has the qualifications, he may become a knight in holy robes in the future. What about you? What are your plans for the future?"

Winter Ji's idea is not complicated, he just wants to join the Ten Sail Street Chamber of Commerce.Because the chamber of commerce has the most prosperous trading system for spellcasting materials in all countries, it has no worries about resources and contacts, which allows him to work as a refiner in a safe and secure manner.

He needs the chamber of commerce, and the chamber of commerce will need him.In the past, someone in the Chamber of Commerce wanted to get Haman's spell book, and Winter Thistle himself was the spell book.

Winter Thistle said this to Kanai before, but now that Aldin asked him, he didn't know how to express it properly... especially the part about "selling spell books".

You can say it to Kanai, but you can't say it to Aldin.

Winter Ji thought for a moment and said, "Of course I will continue to be a refiner."

"And then? I heard that most mages who do research are like this. After achieving certain results, they can apply for membership of the Arcane Union, and then they can go to Hilda Academy or the Five Towers Peninsula."

Winter Thistle shook her head: "Actually, I don't really want to do this. It doesn't suit me."

"Why doesn't it fit?" Aldin asked.

"Taking that path means giving up the study of some knowledge," Dong Ji said with a slight frown, "such as necromancy, toxicology, and alienation. Among these three schools, some details are subject to Strict restrictions, and some detailed items are explicitly prohibited anyway. Under this premise, different researchers are subject to different degrees of restrictions. For example, battle mages, they do not use certain spells in military operations. , such as illusionists, they only study in their own field and do not contact other schools. But I am a refiner, and the research of refiners is not exactly the same as that of ordinary mages. The research we do...how should I put it? , more basic and broader, if you give up certain fields at this stage, it is better to just give up this profession.”

As he spoke, he couldn't help picking up a scroll on the bookshelf next to it. After shaking it open, there were some small plant samples fixed inside the scroll, with various descriptions written beside it.He pointed to one of the small black dots and said: "For example, the rotting blood grass is forbidden to be planted, traded, transported, and possessed, because it is the basic material commonly used by the necromancer school, and it can support several types of necromancy. They are all extremely cruel flesh and blood spells. But at the same time, rotting blood can also be used to refine a variety of catalytic agents, which can be combined with various materials and used in many fields. For example, the transformation of enchanted items, such as Strengthen spell catalysis, and many more..."

While talking, Dongji slowly stopped, her cheeks flushed slightly.

He realized that his attitude might be a bit strange. When he talked about the professional field, he began to talk endlessly, not only expressing his thoughts, but even taking the opportunity to vent his dissatisfaction... And Aldin is not a mage, so he might not understand it at all, even if he I can understand it, but people don't necessarily like to hear these things.

Aldin didn't know how to cast spells, and indeed he didn't understand all the words that Winter Thistle said.However, after all, his younger brother is a mage, so he understands the basic meaning of these schools.As one of the heads of the chamber of commerce, he is also very aware of the relevant bans on the spell-casting material market.

Hearing what Winter Ji said, he smiled and nodded: "Well, I agree with all of what you said. Because of this, our Harbor City has kept some undisclosed trading channels. The underground market is only part of it."

Winter Thistle sighed: "Lord Arden, to be honest, about that underground market... I was really surprised and surprised. I thank you from the bottom of my heart, and I also thank the Ten Sail Street Chamber of Commerce. I am sure that many spellcasters are Think so."

Aldin smiled: "There is no need to thank you. To put it bluntly, we are also for profit, not great. So you have already thought about it? Stay in the chamber of commerce for a long time in the future, and stay by my side."

The winter thistle leaned against the edge of the table.He was on the same side of Aldin, and the two were not directly facing each other, so he had to roll his eyes quietly to peek at Aldin's expression.

"Yes. I want to stay for a long time." Winter Thistle replied.

Aldin said: "Although doing things in the Chamber of Commerce is more free, you will lose the opportunity to become famous. There are many mages in the Chamber of Commerce. They are essentially the same as bodyguards, businessmen, accountants, etc. Life is not bad, but life is not good. That's it, you will never become the archmages recognized by the industry. There will never be your portraits in those legendary towers."

"Anyway, I'm not here to leave a portrait in the tower." Winter Thistle smiled wryly.He thought of his mother, Jin Ye.

Jin Ye personally invented several refining formulas, developed many methods to improve the effect of spell-casting materials, and improved the enchantment method of utensils. In addition, there are still a lot of unfinished results that are still in the experimental stage... But so what? , she did enter the academy, but she was only a teaching assistant all her life.

Although she left a portrait, it was not because the Austrian Federation recognized her contribution, but because the mage Harman was obsessed with her appearance, so he privately invited the painter.

Her portrait is not hung in the memorial hall, not shown to apprentices.The portrait is only the personal relic of the mage Haman, and it is displayed in a little-known corner.

At this time, Aldin stood up and picked up the glass bowl on the table: "Since food is not allowed in the laboratory, I will take these pastries away first and ask the servant to put them on the table in your room."

Dong Ji was still immersed in the thoughts about his mother just now, a little dazed, he wanted to say "actually there is no need to do this", but also wanted to say "thank you", for a moment he didn't know which one to say first.

He was already very good at communicating politely with people, and somehow he felt that he had become dull.

Aldin did not use interrogative sentences, no need for a winter thistle to answer yes or no.Looking at the slightly bewildered look of the half-elf, he already got the feedback he wanted.

"Then I won't bother you here," Aldin walked towards the door of the laboratory, "Kanai must have arranged a bunch of things for you, are you very busy?"

Winter Ji also followed to the door: "It's nothing. It's just a random inspection of a batch of things. It's just a bit time-consuming and not tiring."

When he touched the doorknob, Aldin suddenly stopped and turned his head: "I've been chatting with you these days, isn't it annoying? Because I always want to double check... to make sure that you really want to stay .”

"Yes, I really want to stay." Winter Thistle repeated his words seriously.

Aldin smiled and nodded at him, and finally left the laboratory.

Winter Thistle stood at the door for a long time, her mind a little blank.

He slowly walked back to the table and sat on the chair that Aldin had just sat on.The pastry is no longer here, but the unique sweet smell has not dissipated.

Refiners are very good at distinguishing smells.Winter thistle smells a mixture of oatmeal, caramel, fruit preserves, and a little alcohol.

Winter Thistle remembered an interesting thing: when mages pass by you, if you know the materials for spellcasting and have a good sense of smell, then you can smell different materials from them, and then guess their spellcasting preferences, and even vaguely Guess their daily general style.

Aldin is not a mage, so of course he doesn't smell like medicine.He was born as a mercenary, tall, with a deep voice, and he likes to deliberately reveal slightly vicious tattoos, and he always carries weapons whether at home or outside... Obviously such a menacing image, when he left, the air There is actually a sweet and greasy taste left... Thinking about it this way, it's a bit inexplicably funny.

Winter Ji smiled subconsciously, and sighed silently: the pastry specially provided to nobles is really wonderful, its sweet smell is so dazzling, and it lingers longer than the smell of medicine...

=======================================

After the work in the laboratory was almost done, Dong Ji remembered that he hadn't seen Ryan today.Ryan seems to still take turns in the afternoon, so he should be sleeping in his room at the moment.

Winter Thistle wanted to go directly to Ryan's room, but after walking to the guest room area, he returned to his room first.

The glass bowl was actually in his room, and there were more pastries in it than before.

In addition, there is a small ice bucket next to it, and the ice cubes in it are steaming, surrounded by narrow-mouth bottles containing dark brown liquid.Winter thistle uncorked the bottle and smelled it. It wasn't wine, but black tea soaked with green mandarin and honeydew petals.

This is not a laboratory, nor is it under the nose of others, Winter Thistle finally picked up a piece of snack and put it in his mouth.

In the past, he rarely had the opportunity to eat desserts, but since he came to Harbor City, he has eaten them several times.This pastry is the most delicious sweet he has ever tasted.Aldin said it came from a workshop that supplied nobles, no wonder.

Winter Thistle doesn't know how to describe the taste.It seems that it is not only sweet, but also has a warm feeling.

The temperature in Harbor City is pleasant, and everyone does not care about "warmth".But besides "warmth", Winter Thistle couldn't think of other words to describe it.

When he came back to his senses, he had already eaten several pieces of winter thistle.He stopped suddenly, thinking that he couldn't eat any more and had to save some for Ryan.Lane must have never eaten anything like this.

Thinking of this, Ryan just opened the door and walked in.

He put on the armor, brought the sword, and looked ready to go.

Winter Thistle picked up a piece of snack, but before he could say anything, Ryan kicked his boots by the wall to Winter Thistle's feet, urging him to change his indoor shoes, put on his boots, and go out with him.

Winter Thistle still handed the snack to Ryan, Ryan took it, and then Winter Thistle changed shoes as promised.

"Try it, it's delicious," Winter Thistle said, "It is said that this workshop is dedicated to making things for nobles, and we can only eat it because the workshop is related to the Chamber of Commerce."

Ryan gave a "hmm" and ate the snack in his hand. While chewing, he asked, "Do you know what a black fish boat is?"

"A black fishing boat?" Winter Thistle asked, "Where do you want me to go?"

Ryan muttered almost to himself: "I thought about it, it shouldn't be a black fishing boat, and there is no such boat at the pier, only pirates raise black sails... The man said 'black fish boat', Blackfish, and boats, not fishing boats."

"Who said that? What do you mean?" Winter Thistle was completely at a loss.

Ryan looked at Winter Thistle. Winter Thistle had changed her shoes, and her usual material bag was also on her waist.So he grabbed Winter Thistle's wrist, turned and left.

Ryan went to the stable again and skillfully led out the horse named Dew.

Winter Thistle said that Aldin should be told, but the servant who was tending the stable next to him said with a smile, no, Lord Aldin allowed them to use the horses here freely.

Moreover, Aldin is not in the mansion now.From what the servant said, it seemed that he was going to some meeting or dinner party.

Winter Thistle hesitated, but Lion urged him to mount quickly.

Winter Thistle asked, "Where are we going?"

Ryan said, "I'm going to find that place before dark. I'm running out of time. I'll tell you more on the way."