The Book of Hibernation

Kanai noticed Winter Thistle's eyes, and he smiled and said, "Don't worry about your brother, I think Aldin likes you more. Although he prefers blonde hair, and your hair color can't be considered golden, that's not the most important thing... …By the way, it seems that your mother also has light hair like this."

Dong Ji looked up at him: "Have you seen my mother?"

"Never," said Kanai. "I wasn't born when she was in Hilda's College. I've only seen her portrait."

"She has never held a position above assistant, how could she leave a portrait?"

Kanai said: "The reason is a bit ridiculous-because she is too beautiful. When I was in the academy, I once followed my tutor to organize the old archives. There were many things hanging on the walls of the archives, such as framed important A letter of authorization, a map of a certain section of the underground ruins, and many portraits. It is said that these were collected from the old office, and they are useless now, because they are old objects of the academy, so they cannot be thrown away. That was the time, I think When I got to the portrait of your mother, she didn't look like a mage in the painting, but more like an ordinary elf lady. I asked the teacher who she was, and from then on, I knew something about your mother."

Winter Thistle asked, "Who painted the portrait?"

Kanai said: "I heard that Harman, the refiner, specially invited a painter to give a portrait of his elf assistant. When he was doing research with the female assistant, the painter was painting next to him. Later, the elf woman left the academy , The painting was finished, and Harman hung the painting in his office."

"So that's how it is..." Dong Ji smiled, "Then have you seen Harman? Does the Academy keep his portrait?"

"No. Haman left the academy after he became famous. I have heard many things, but I have not witnessed them personally. What about you? Have you never met your father?"

Winter Thistle said, "No. Mother carried me back to the edge of the Sea of ​​Trees and brought me up alone. I never saw Haman."

"You haven't met Haman, but you claim to have Haman's spellbook?"

Winter Thistle said: "It doesn't matter if I've met him or not. People say it's 'Haman's Research Notes', 'Haman's Spellbook', but in fact, most of the research results from my mother .She is an elf woman, and she hates dealing with mundane chores, so Haman's reputation is much greater than hers. You have lived in the academy, and you should have heard subtle rumors about her and Haman."

Kanai nodded and said: "Indeed. I have heard some rumors about her. Because of this, when I met you in San Dilian, you claimed to be the mixed-race son of Harman and his assistant, so I did not regard you as a pure liar."

"Even if I'm a liar, you still have a way to check and expose me."

Kanai said: "Of course. I went to your guest room at dinner yesterday."

Winter Thistle was not surprised: "I suppose so. You must have checked Lion's sword?"

"I checked all items with enchanting or spell storage properties, including the sword," Kanai said. "It was originally a very mediocre sword, the kind that large workshops sold to the rural guards in batches."

Dongji smiled and said, "Isn't that right, it was given to him by Ryan's swordsmanship teacher."

"But now it is very special. There are three types of high-level arcane protection enchantments on the sword, which will not rust or dull. In addition, I noticed that you have added magic storage runes to it, and the spellcaster can use it as needed Casting spells on it, changing the characteristics of the elements... you did all of these?"

Winter Thistle shrugged: "No one else can do it, right."

"No one else can do it" might sound arrogant, but Kanai knew full well that the half-elf was telling the truth.

On the surface, there are many spellcasters who understand weapon enchanting, and the enchantment on this sword is not too exaggerated. However, the key to the problem is not the strength of the enchanting effect, but what kind of things you can enchant.

Kanai propped his elbows on the table and folded his hands: "According to the existing technology, this weapon... this kind of mass-produced ordinary weapon cannot be enchanted at all."

Winter Thistle raised her eyebrows a little proudly.Kanai's expression was much more serious than his.

Kanai continued: "The enchanted weapon must be crafted separately, and the craftsman and the spellcaster will work together. Pre-set runes must be added in the early stage of forging, and the official enchantment can only be performed after the runes are stable. This is the basis of the art of enchantment. And your brother's sword...I have detected it, and it has no pre-installed runes at all. It is said that it is impossible to enchant this kind of weapon, it is as unbelievable as impregnating a man."

Dong Ji laughed: "Your analogy is too scary."

Kanai's expression was very serious: "If ordinary weapons can be enchanted at will, so can other utensils, and even many daily necessities. This is not only a major breakthrough in academic research, but may also affect many, many things... …It was unimaginable for a while. At that time, people said that Harman had achieved research results in this area, but he died not long after, and even the research notes were missing.”

Although he talked about his father's death, Winter Ji didn't say anything, just stared at the teacup in front of him thoughtfully.

Kanai let out a long sigh: "I checked the sword several times yesterday before finally believing that you are not a liar... You are really the child of Haman and that elf woman, and you really have the research notes they left behind .”

Winter Thistle asked: "Did you only believe that I'm not a liar until yesterday? When I met you in San Dilian last year, and every time we corresponded... don't you think I'm a liar all the time?"

"I'm just being cautious," Kanai said, "every spellcaster knows how valuable 'Haman's Spellbook' is, and you even took the initiative to sell it to the Chamber of Commerce... Of course I want to get in touch with you slowly, and I didn't believe you completely from the beginning."

"Now you trust me, how about it, do you want to buy it?"

"Buy? I haven't seen the book yet."

Winter Thistle pointed to herself: "You saw it. It is right in front of your eyes."

"You mean..."

"If you think about it, would I keep a thick and tome manuscript and travel around with it? Back then, my mother did get it, but she didn't care, and she didn't know it Where did it go? In her words, these things are left over from her. They are very old, and there are still a lot of mistakes that have not been corrected. It is meaningless to keep them. Therefore, the entity research notebook is not That 'book' that people really want."

Kanai was silent for a moment and said, "I understand what you mean. But you have to prove it to me."

"Of course, I will."

"I want to know, why?" Kanai stared into the half-elf's eyes, "Why did you take the initiative to approach me and reveal the secret?"

Winter Thistle said, "Because I want to sell myself to you."

"I know that. I mean, why would you want to do that?"

"The reason is very simple." Winter Thistle smiled, spread her hands, and placed them on the edge of the desk.

His fingers were slender, and his nails were short and neatly trimmed. His hands were clean, but they were far from graceful. There were many barbs on the edge of his fingernails, and his skin was a little rough.

Winter Thistle said: "When I met you last year at San Delian, I was lying on my stomach beside the gutter, dipping my hands in the not-so-clean cold water. You got out of the carriage and came up to me and asked me 'Are you crazy'... you still remember?"

Kanai chuckled: "Of course I remember. I smelled the familiar smell of medicine, and found a broken wooden door behind you. I understood at that time that this is a refiner who had an accident in an experiment."

Winter Thistle who: "I told you at that time, I'm not crazy, I have to soak my hands in cold water, so that even if the crystallization of the skin surface caused by the toxicity cannot be reversed, the symptoms will not develop into the bone again. Even if the hands are damaged, they will not be completely abolished. At that time, you immediately pointed out sternly that in this case, you only need to spray a layer of gentian stone powder solution. There is no powdered gentian solution. I know how to make it, but I can't afford the ingredients."

With that said, Dongji raised her hand, turning the palm and the back of the hand.

"Thanks to your kindness, you took me to the carriage, took me to the post in an hour, and gave me a solution. Otherwise, even if the hands can work, you must wear gloves to see people. "

When Winter Thistle said this, Kanai couldn't help but look down at his hands.

Unlike Winter Thistle's hand, Kanai's hand is white and delicate, and has never experienced a more painful disaster than the "teacher's ruler".Even in his difficult youth, his elder brother Aldin would protect him and prevent him from suffering too much.

Winter Thistle put her hands back on her knees and looked at Kanai: "So, if you ask me why I want to 'sell' myself to you, the reason couldn't be simpler. Because I want to do what a refiner should do. I need To study something you are interested in, you need money, various spell-casting materials, a stable laboratory, and a guaranteed life... I need powerful allies to protect me."

"Since that's the case, why don't you go to your mother's country, or go to the Austrian Law Federation to get a refiner qualification?"

Winter Thistle said: "My mother has done some things... so the elves won't accept me. As for the Arcane Federation, they have a lot of restrictions on refiners, and you must understand this. If you want to do research, and If you want to be unrestricted, it is best to cooperate with the Ten Sails Street Chamber of Commerce. As far as I know, you have the most prosperous trading system for spellcasting materials in all countries."

Kanai nodded slightly: "I understand. By the way, does your brother know that you want to stay in the Chamber of Commerce?"

"he does not know."

"I don't know at all? He has been traveling with you for so long, getting along day and night, doesn't he know anything?"

"He doesn't know," Winter Thistle repeated, and then went on to say, "Well, to be more precise, he knows that I want to approach the Chamber of Commerce, and he wants to. But he doesn't know all the arrangements I've made. His and my purpose no the same."

"What is his purpose?"

Winter Ji said: "He suspects that the death of his father Haman is related to the chamber of commerce. Because the chamber of commerce sent someone to discuss cooperation with Haman, and then they broke up. It didn't take long for Haman to die unexpectedly."

"I've also heard this rumor," Kanai said. "If you have evidence, I can really help you find out. But the chamber of commerce is huge, and there are differences in the relationship between the people in charge, and this matter is also very important." It's been too long... I may not really be able to help you."

Winter Thistle waved his hand: "No, no, no. You asked me about Ryan's purpose, and I told you. Actually, you don't need to worry about him."

"Leave him alone?"

Winter Thistle said: "Lion is a good boy, he won't cause trouble. We have already agreed that the grievances between the Chamber of Commerce and Harman are just rumors, and there has never been any conclusive evidence. If we can find evidence, we will talk about the next step. If If there is no evidence, Ryan will not easily accuse anyone. Don't worry, I am watching him, and he has received the education of the temple, so he is very sensible."

Kanai looked at the half-elf and narrowed his eyes slightly: "That is to say, your brother wants to investigate the truth of his father's death, but you don't want to help him at all?"

"Because it's all his idea. It's not mine." Winter Thistle leaned back in the chair with a tired smile, "I've never met Harman. To me, Harman is just a stranger. I don’t want to dwell on what happened so many years ago.”

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

During the whole day, Winter Thistle and Kanai had been soaking in the study and laboratory, and the two finally came out before sunset.

It was also at this time that Aldin asked the servant to hand over a letter to Ryan and asked him to take it to the pier. His guard work will start tonight and will not end until the goods have been completed and left the city.

Ryan stood at the gate of the manor, looking like he was arranging his luggage, but actually kept looking into the yard, looking hesitant.

After a while, Winter Thistle came out, and he hurried to catch up, looked Ryan up, down, left, and right, and asked him if he had brought this, and if he was ready for that... In short, there were 1 worries.When he saw Winter Thistle, Ryan was obviously relieved, and there was a look in his eyes that a young soldier should have.

Across a piece of vines, Aldin was sitting on the porch, with fruit and a large silver cup on the small round table in his left hand, and servants would come to refill cold drinks for him from time to time.

Originally, he was looking at an account, but now the light dimmed, making it difficult to see clearly.He raised his head, and his eyes fell on the half-elf at the gate through the light and shadow garden.

The half-elf gave thousands of instructions, and the little knight waved his hand after taking two steps.

"It's terrible, I suspect that they are not brothers, but mother and son." Aldin said with a sneer.

Kanai just came out of the corridor and followed Al's gaze. "Coincidentally, I said the same to them today."

Aldin handed the glass to Kanai, who shook his head and refused: "There must be wine in your drink. I will read a book later."

"Just a little," Aldin withdrew his cup and took another sip, "Kanai, you didn't say much about the pier, did you?"

"Of course not. If he knew too much, he would definitely stop Ryan, and Ryan would not want to go."

Aldin said: "At first I was a little hesitant. Would it be a bit troublesome if this matter involved a trainee knight... Then I suddenly figured it out. In fact, this is better."

Kanai smiled and said: "Did you just figure it out? Of course it's better like this. After all, we 'knew nothing' about the shipment, and we just recommended a short-term bodyguard. The person we recommended was even a Apprentice Templar, which underscores our 'ignorance' of everything."

After speaking, the two brothers looked at each other and smiled.

In the distance, Winter Thistle came back from the courtyard.Kanai turned and left, his back escaping into the depths of the corridor.

Aldin stood up and went up to the half-elf: "Are you so worried about him?"

Winter Thistle raised her head, and the first thing she saw was the python tattoo on Aldin's chest.After listening to Kanai's words during the day today, and seeing Aldin now, he suddenly felt that the atmosphere was a bit delicate.

But Winter Thistle didn't show that, just nodded slightly, and replied: "Of course I don't worry. I heard from Mrs. Kanai during the day that the situation seems to be quite serious."

"What did Kanai say?" Aldine asked.

"He just said that the warehouse might be robbed, and there are a few guards now. I wanted to go with Ryan, but Master Kanai said no."

"He's right." Aldin stood beside Winter Thistle, put his arm on the half-elf's shoulder quite naturally, and led him under the vine arbor, "What Kanai meant was also what I meant, and I don't want You go. You are not a battle mage, you will be injured."

Dong Ji sighed: "That's why I thought that the situation must be very serious. You must have guessed that something will happen to the warehouse at the dock, not 'possible', but 'almost certain'."

Winter Ji's face was calm, but his body was a little stiff.Aldin's palm was just on his shoulder, and he could feel the tension and slight trembling under his palm.

Was it because I was worried about my brother, or because I was nervous about my approach?

Aldin looked sideways at the half-elf, with a meaningful smile on his face.

Aldin brought Winter Thistle to the wicker chair, pressed down his palm lightly, motioned for him to sit down, and then sat beside him.

"How was your day?" Aldin asked. "Is everything going well?"

Winter Thistle looked a little confused, and Aldin added: "Didn't you go to work in Kanai's laboratory? How about it? Are you tired? Is Kanai fierce?"

Winter Thistle was amused: "Master Kanai treats me very gently, how can I be so cruel?"

Aldin propped one arm on the small round table, leaning towards the winter thistle: "If you are not tired, come out with me after dinner."

"Of course. Is there anything I need to do to prepare?"

"No need to prepare anything."

After finishing speaking, Aldin pondered for a while, then changed his words: "Prepare a set of mage robes with better quality."