The Book of Hibernation

Dong Ji sat at the table, staring at the instruments on the console, and did not speak for a long time.His eyes were straight, as if he was thinking or in a daze.

Simon observed for a while, and couldn't help but remind him loudly, asking him what to do next.

Dongji came back to her senses and asked, "What do you think?"

Simon replied: "I think what he said is true, those mercenaries should indeed be dead."

"Could it be that the guards are lying to us..." Winter Thistle's voice was a little weak.

"No," Simon stroked his chin and began to analyze, "After chatting with the guard friend, I also wanted to confirm it in many ways, so I went to inquire elsewhere. The results of the inquiring were similar, and many people knew that they were dead. Yes. This matter, although everyone will not say it publicly, but it is not a big secret. Not only the guards of the city hall know, but also the city guards. Some of them have participated in transporting corpses. I also asked about the temple , I talked to a little deacon, and what he said is basically the same. This matter involves necromancers, poisons, and so many people died... It is indeed more terrifying and taboo, so everyone doesn’t like it. Willing to mention more. You don't go out, it's normal that you haven't heard of it, even I just inquired about it. You see, it's suspicious if no one has seen the corpse, but the fact is that many people have seen the corpse and participated in it Dispose of the corpse. With so many eyes staring at it, it is enough to show that the group of people should really be dead, and they must not have sneaked out of the city."

When he said this, Dong Ji still just stared at the console and said nothing, as if he was still worried.

So Simon continued: "Also, there are two hundred gold coins written on the IOU. The amount is so large that the guards dare not hide it or alter it. This is Harbor City. Bullying you is bullying the anaconda. Who would dare to be so kind to the forest anaconda?" The anaconda is against you? As long as you find out the whereabouts of the IOU, you can get money, it is simple and safe, and they can't afford to take other risks."

Winter Ji nodded slowly: "That's right...it seems that they are really dead."

Simon asked: "What about the guards? Is he really paid?"

"As promised. I'll give him the coin."

Winter Thistle stood up and walked to the desk in the corner of the room.When he opened the drawer, he suddenly thought that this desk belonged to Kanai.

In the past, Kanai showed him the income details, and he was still surprised by the above figures. Now that he is issuing coins to others, he can still reward others, and he can use others to find out what he wants to know...

Winter Thistle couldn't help smiling wryly, but this smile represented satisfaction in Simon's eyes.

After Simon left, Winter Thistle left the laboratory and returned to her room.

He sat there blankly for a while, then stood up and opened the cabinet.

His cabinet was not very neat, and various items were mixed together. After searching for a while, he pulled out a long shirt from a corner.

The shirt is made of thin linen, grayish yellow, very old and soft.This was the dress Winter Thistle wore when she first came to Harbor City.

As he pulled out his shirt, he brought out another piece of clothing.The night blue double-layer gauze robe, with steel silver satin edge, was the first set of robes given to him by Aldin.

Winter Thistle didn't need a change of clothes, and wasn't looking for anything.

He just suddenly wanted to see these things.

He slowly sat on the carpet, looked at the fabric in his hand, and fell into a trance.

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

After dark, Aldin came back.He had dinner with Winter Thistle, and talked about some small things in Harbor City, the workshop in the western suburbs, and Kanai's injury, etc...

Aldin noticed that Winter Thistle's state was a little off today. He was depressed and absent-minded.

Aldin asked him if he had encountered any difficult problems, and Winter Thistle said no.

When he answered, he was picking up the cup to drink the water in it, but he put the cup to his mouth, but before he could drink, he put the cup down again, without even looking at the contents.

This look is obviously not all right.

Aldin continued to ask, but Winter Thistle raised his head while answering perfunctorily. Originally, Aldin was sitting diagonally across from him, but now there was no one on that chair.

At this time, Aldin patted Dongji's shoulder, and Dongji noticed that he had left his original seat and sat beside him.

This table is relatively large, and many people can sit around it. Aldin has always been informal. He always arranges things casually, sits casually, and doesn't pay attention to any etiquette.

Earlier, Kanai and Lane occasionally sat down to eat.At that time, Winter Thistle liked this kind of atmosphere very much. The food and drinks here are very delicious, which should be comparable to the life of the nobles, but they don't need to learn the dining rules of the nobles. It can be said to be perfect.

Now, there are only him and Aldin at the table, but he can't taste the food more and more.

Aldin reached out and touched Winter Thistle's forehead, then pressed his own forehead against the half-elf's, checking the temperature several times.

"There doesn't seem to be a fever," said Aldin. "Is it because you feel unwell?"

Winter Thistle shook her head lightly: "No... I just thought of something."

"what's up?"

Winter Thistle said, "Lord Aldin, what's the name of the high platform overlooking the dock in the distance? Is there a specific place name for that place?"

Aldin said, "The nearby road has a name, but the ledge doesn't. It's not an official lookout, it just happens to be high. What's wrong? You want to go to that place?"

Winter Thistle sighed: "There's no need to go now. The weather is cold, the place is high, and the wind must be very cold."

Winter Thistle looked down at her hand slightly.Aldin took his hand and kissed the fingers.

Winter Thistle finally looked up at Aldin.

"It's late autumn now, and it's really cold outside at night," Aldin said, "After winter comes, I'll help you prepare some thicker clothes. If you still want to go there to see the pier, just wear thicker clothes. "

Winter Thistle said, "What's the use of thick clothes... I can't go out."

Aldin smiled and said, "Of course not now. As I said, wait until after winter."

"After winter, can I go out?"

"You have handled the magic defense of the escort team and the city hall. When all these are done, it will be almost winter."

Dong Ji nodded, suddenly "ah".He thought that when everything was ready, the temple would escort Wu Yun to leave Harbor City.

"As long as I send Wu Yun away, I won't be considered a dangerous person?" Dong Ji asked.

Aldin explained: "You also know that you are only considered a 'dangerous element', not a prisoner. Now the academy is only entrusted to 'supervise and investigate' you, not to sentence you to imprisonment. Wait for the temple to send the dark clouds away , the limelight in Harbor City will be completely over, and then we will communicate with the mages more, and once the academy's investigation of you is over and it proves that you are not dangerous, of course you can regain your freedom."

"Well, I understand." Winter Thistle said softly.

"It's really wronged you now, and it's no wonder you're in a bad mood." Aldin said.

Winter Ji shook his head: "It's nothing, it's better than staying in the confinement room of the teaching academy. I understand. Anyway, I'm very busy every day, even if I'm allowed to go out, I'm afraid I'm too busy to go out." He stopped , paused thoughtfully, "Alright. I'll think about other things after this batch of complicated work is over."

After speaking, Winter Thistle's expression relaxed a bit.He picked up the glass of water just now, and finally took a sip, then stood up and said that he was going back to the laboratory. He still had some things to do today.

Aldin nodded, stood up and hugged him as a temporary farewell.

Winter Thistle did not refuse the embrace.Aldin gently stroked his hair and back, like a small animal that was afraid of the cold.

Until she left the table and walked out of the conference hall, Winter Thistle kept avoiding Aldin's eyes on purpose, and the eyes of the two didn't meet.

Aldin also walked to the door, staring at the back of Winter Thistle walking away slowly.

With his back to the lights, facing the night in the courtyard, his eyes were covered with a thin layer of shadow.

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

After the "IOU" matter was resolved, Simon did not reduce the frequency of seeing Winter Thistle, but came more frequently.

Winter Thistle didn't reject him either, but only regarded him as the assistant of those elemental mages and cooperated with him normally.

However, sometimes Simon is really anxious. For example, when Winter Thistle explained some professional matters, Simon often couldn't understand.Although he has a little basic knowledge of arcane arts, he is not a real mage after all.So Winter Thistle could only explain repeatedly, or simply write it down on a piece of paper.

It is the same today.Winter Thistle wrote the things that the mages needed to prepare, and said to Simon: "Next time you come, I should have prepared a blank rune scroll here, and it needs to trigger the element while fumigation. Then they can take it away as the next spell-casting material. So you can’t come alone, you have to bring a mage with you. You can also bring two.”

After listening to it in a daze, Simon seemed to only understand the part of "bringing other mages together", and didn't quite understand the previous part.He tentatively asked, "Is there something I'm not thoughtful about?"

Winter Thistle stopped writing, and searched for the words in her mind with difficulty: "No. What I mean is that I will make a semi-finished product during the next communication. While disposing of the semi-finished product, cast a spell on that thing so that it can be completed and handed over to them for the next step. It’s not a matter of your thoughtfulness. Do you understand me when I say that?”

Simon finally understood and nodded quickly.

He always had a feeling: I don't know when, Winter Thistle gave people a little different feeling... He used to look like a gentle and weak cute half-elf, but now he always frowns, with a bored look on his face, and his temperament is getting different from her. Kanai gradually overlapped.

After leaving the laboratory, Simon looked at the sky.The sky in the west is just turning reddish.

He walked along the vine corridor for a while, thinking about the future.He has been coming and going frequently recently. Many servants in this place have seen him and must remember him. In this way, Aldin and Kanai must already know that he often comes.

They didn't send anyone to drive him away, nor did they tell Dong Ji to stop interacting with him, it seemed that they had acquiesced in his appearance.This is a good thing.

Simon walked while thinking, and happened to come to the corner of the wisteria corridor. As soon as he took a step, he bumped into a person.

Because the pace of both sides was very fast, Simon was hit and staggered.He took half a step back, and the other party reached out to hold his shoulder.

Simon looked up.

At such a close distance, he saw that the man was wearing a dark brown leather coat and a gray shirt. The collar of the shirt was open, revealing the lifelike head of a python.

Simon quickly took a few steps back, bowing his head and apologizing repeatedly.

"I've seen you," Ardine said. "You work for the Elemental Mages?"

Simon looked at Aldin.There was no displeasure on Aldin's face, and his expression was quite relaxed.

Simon replied: "Yes...I'm sorry, Aldine is in charge."

"What is there to be sorry about?"

Simon said: "I came here to visit, but I didn't dare to say hello to you. I'm sorry."

Aldin laughed: "What dare not, am I terrible?"

"Of course not, it's my fault." Simon lowered his head.

"You mean the matter in the court?" Aldin took the initiative to pat him on the shoulder, "It's okay, I don't blame you."

"really?"

Aldin said: "Of course. The dark cloud deceived many people, including me and you. You didn't take the initiative to serve that kind of monster. It's not because I trust you so much, but I know that you didn't That guts. Don't mind if I speak badly."

Of course Simon didn't mind, on the contrary he was very happy.

Under the leadership of Aldin, the two continued to walk along the vine corridor together.Aldin walked beside Simon, looking at the smile on Simon's face from the corner of his eye.

Aldin intentionally or unintentionally asked Simon some things, basically about the dark clouds, about Kanai and so on.

Simon said that he used to admire Bellows very much and thought that what Bellows said was true.He once mistakenly thought that Aldin was a cruel person who would abuse his own brother, and thought that Aldin would push Kanai to take the blame, so he wanted to help Kanai, hoping that Kanai would be the first to report on Aldin.Who knows, all of this is misleading by Bellos, and even Bellos is an evil creature pretending to be.

Aldin nodded while listening, and said, "Actually, after I saw you in the court that day, I paid attention to your whereabouts."

"Pay attention to my whereabouts? Why?" Simon was very surprised.

Aldin smiled and said, "To tell you the truth, I'm afraid that Bellos will anger you, and that you will die in Harbor City. I know that your father used to be the king's valet. I usually pay more attention to people like you, and I don't want to Let you have an accident in Harbor City."

Aldin's answer seemed to contain no personal emotion, but Simon was very relieved to hear it.

This statement is not pretentious, it is very true, which just shows that Aldin knows the value of Simon.

Simon said: "After the court, Bellos... No, the dark cloud locked me in the station room and didn't let me go out. He said he set up magic protection, and I would be killed if I went out, so I didn't dare to run. It wasn’t until city guard soldiers came to search that I finally ran out.”

Aldin asked: "Are you so afraid of him? You can contact your parents for help."

Simon smiled embarrassedly: "I'm not good at casting spells, and I don't understand those mysterious magic communication skills. If I want to ask for help, I have to write a letter, and I have to find someone to deliver it... When it is sent to the capital, what? In time."

"You can also use Letter Eagle."

"I didn't tame the Faith Eagle myself. The chief lord knows spells, and he doesn't bring the Faith Eagle with him when he goes out, except for receiving letters from the masters in his private residence."

Aldin looked at him and sighed: "You are the son of a respectable family, you can only deal with those polite affairs, but you don't know how to protect yourself. In the future, if you encounter such a thing, you can contact your friends in Harbor City, They can always do something for you.”

Hearing him say that, Simon tasted something subtle.

Simon showed a somewhat disappointed expression: "Unfortunately, I have no one to rely on here. Bellos is a fake monster, and Kanai probably doesn't want to be friends with me anymore..."

Aldin said: "I heard that you and Winter Thistle have a good relationship recently. Then we can talk more, what do you think?"

After speaking, he stopped suddenly and put his arm around Simon's shoulder.

Just when Simon was wondering, Aldin's other hand grabbed his throat suddenly.

The strength in that hand was not light or heavy, so that it would not suffocate Simon completely, and it would make his limbs weak and unable to shout loudly.

Simon's feet were almost off the ground, and his weak struggles had no effect at all.

Aldin dragged him to the side of the promenade, where there was a fork leading to the deserted house hidden by the trees in the courtyard.