Pillar of Yita

Fang Hong supported her from behind, softly comforting her: ”Don’t be afraid.”

Actually, there was nothing inside the courtyard; the place didn’t look capable of hiding anything large. From the outside, the abandoned ancient castle appeared grand, but its internal structure was quite compact, with the surrounding main buildings forming a courtyard that wasn’t very large.

One could see through it at a glance.

He glanced to his left and right. To be honest, the atmosphere here really sent shivers down the spine. Especially being enveloped by the Silent Forest, added to its myriad past legends, it was even more disquieting.

Yet someone had to explore those dark, hollow buildings as per his agreement with Lady Kuisu. If the Invoker didn’t even have this bit of courage, what adventure were they risking?

Earth was far safer.

At worst, one could settle as a Life Profession Practitioner within the city.

Fang Hong pointed at the Holy Sanctuary, saying to Kuisu, Luo Yu, and Elisa: ”Let’s split up to check, that way we can save some time. You go check that direction first; Gita and I will—”

Initially, he intended to bring Luo Yu along, as Gita’s abilities were more suited to protecting the employer, but seeing Miss Natural Historian in this state, he feared she might be too nervous to perform adequately.

He let Elisa, along with the other two, inspect the Holy Sanctuary, since its architectural structure appeared simpler—merely a hall and the tower behind it. If they finished sooner, they could return to join him.

The three nodded, with Lady Kuisu, in particular, impatiently leading towards that direction. Fang Hong completely understood her eagerness, given that her son might be in this castle.

”Then, Mr. Ade, please take care.” Elisa reminded him.

When there were no outsiders, she preferred using this address.

Fang Hong nodded.

After splitting from the three, he walked with Tata towards the towering main building. Miss Natural Historian followed closely behind, eager to cling to the former’s coat as though afraid the slightest negligence could separate them by some ghost or ghoul.

Fang Hong walked up the steps, arrived at the door, and pushed both hands forward. The wooden door’s hinges were long corroded, but forced open slightly with an odd creak.

Frightened, Gita stepped back almost stumbling into the snow.

Fang Hong, seeing her like this, couldn’t help but find it amusing. He hadn’t expected the always serious young lady to be frightened by these paranormal stories; when at Dolifen, she hadn’t seemed so afraid—perhaps knowing it was the Phantom Realm made her less fearful.

”Are you okay?” he asked.

Gita paled, shaking her head.

Fang Hong drew the sword from earlier, handing it to her. ”Hold onto this, it might give you a bit of courage.”

Gita hesitated, adjusting her glasses, looking somewhat puzzled at him. Even Fang Hong himself couldn’t meet the sword’s level requirements, let alone her. But the young lady soon understood her captain’s intention, blinked lightly, and still accepted the sword.

She felt a warmth in her heart, and the fear lessened.

Only then did they push through the door, and a dusty smell hit. Fang Hong couldn’t help waving his hand, coughing twice—raising his head, he found behind was a hall; the carpet on the hall floor rotted to just strips of rag, covered by a layer of thick dust and cobwebs.

Stepping inside, curtains on both sides, the original color indistinguishable, hung weakly from the columns, draped on the ground. Surrounding were some statues, either fallen over or in disrepair.

Directly ahead was a staircase, with several empty picture frames hanging on the walls; Fang Hong imagined once there were preserved paintings, taken by previous adventurers who arrived first.

With everything taken away, what remained was the desolate hall.

Gita followed him into the hall, her curiosity sparking, glancing around. Tata quietly and softly introduced some artifacts’ function and history and she listened quietly.

The three examined the hall but found nothing; it seemed this place hadn’t been visited in ages, with only their footprints left within the hall.

At the central hall, passageways led in different directions on the ground floor, and Fang Hong planned to start checking from the ground floor. The easiest way, naturally, was for him and Gita to split up. But thinking it through, he abandoned this plan.

He didn’t want to scare Miss Natural Historian into any mishaps.

Gita seemed to sense this too, feeling a bit embarrassed but unwilling to leave Miss Tata’s side.

Having checked a few rooms, Fang Hong realized his method was inefficient. ”At this rate, it’s too cumbersome still—” He said to Miss Fairy on his shoulder: ”The castle is so big, checking room by room won’t suffice even in two days.”

Although there were others outside, the valley beneath the castle was sizable too, and Lady Kuisu’s people might not be sufficient either.

This while controlling several Clockwork Fairies to shuttle through the buildings, otherwise progress would be even slower.

”This silly method obviously won’t work,” Fang Hong continued: ”Maybe we can change our thinking, consider if they’re still in the castle or have been, what places they might visit, what traces get left.”

”Generally,” Tata thought for a moment and replied: ”Mr. Knight, when adventurers explore an ancient castle, they’re interested in wealth here. These might be hidden in underground chambers or the layers of the owner’s room.”

Fang Hong nodded; this indeed was a line of thought. Though he didn’t know why those people came here, at least he could use the process of elimination, which is more efficient than the previous silly method.

But he was a craftsman, not an architect; he wasn’t familiar with the internal structure of various castles, making it difficult to find a possible basement, study, and other important rooms.

Luckily, neither Gita nor Tata would struggle with this; both held a wealth of knowledge.

”Let me try,” Gita gently exhaled: ”...Maybe I can locate those places.”

Fang Hong nodded.

Only then did Gita breathe a sigh of relief, feeling she could finally be of some use.

Yet, Miss Natural Historian took a few steps with curiosity, quietly asking: ”Brother Ade, why does Miss Tata call you Mr. Knight?”

”Um...” Fang Hong gasped; he hadn’t expected this flaw. He replied with cheek: ”That’s because of the setting I made for Miss Tata.”

”Setting?”

”Just, it’s just like...” Fang Hong sweated profusely, stammering to explain: ”Some people like titles like ’Master’, that’s just... hmm... a... peculiarity, preference.”

Fortunately, Gita softly muttered ”Oh” without further questioning.

Lucky it was this quiet young lady; Fang Hong bet—if it was Tianlan here, she’d undoubtedly investigate thoroughly. But good thing he’d thought of a ’somewhat reasonable’ excuse.

And Gita only gently echoed in the darkness.

”Mr. Knight...”

The voice was so soft that it seemed only she could hear.

...