Warlock Apprentice

Chapter 2145: Chapter 2146: Inscription Space

Angel carefully observed for a moment, compared it with the information he had heard before, and confirmed in his heart that this was indeed an inscription.

After confirming this news, Angel finally understood why his spiritual power swept through the ancient castle before but couldn’t discover this place.

Because the concealment ability of inscriptions is inherently very strong. In fact, specific inscriptions can, to some extent, deceive the World Will, allowing otherworldly beings to smuggle into other worlds, which is evident.

Although the inscription was confirmed, a new question arose: ”Why is there an inscription here?”

Under the near-rigorous control of the Extreme Sect, Inscription Studies had almost no transmission in the Southern Domain. Those who knew Inscription Studies were even fewer and far between.

Yet here, in a region of mortals, appeared an inscription that is extremely rare even in the Wizards’ Realm, which made Angel feel very strange.

Perhaps the answer lies within the inscription?

Although Angel was not knowledgeable in Inscription Studies, he had a way to activate the inscription and enter the space that might exist behind it.

But should he activate it now?

The appearance of the inscription here, and the suspected existence of some inscription space, indicates that there are definitely secrets inside, and the answers he is curious about might be found there. Furthermore, there might even be benefits to gain inside.

However, after pondering for a moment, Angel decided to refrain from activating the inscription for the time being.

This was once the home of little Saim, and since his maternal family was no longer here, the things here originally belonged to him. Moreover, since little Saim knows about the inscription, it indicates that if there is anything good inside, it should be his.

Angel hasn’t even finished digesting his own opportunities, so there’s no need to snatch a child’s family heritage.

If there is something he needs, he will exchange it on an equivalent basis after little Saim comes out.

If little Saim doesn’t come out, it means there is some danger behind the inscription, and that is a choice he made himself, for which he must take responsibility.

Having made his decision, Angel did not focus on the inscription anymore but quietly appreciated the artwork in the secret room.

After about a quarter of an hour, the figure of little Saim appeared in the secret room again.

In Angel’s vision, little Saim’s attire was still the same as when he entered: a gray coarse linen vest, and tattered long trousers. However, there were some differences, such as little Saim’s expression, which, before entering, was confused and hesitant, but now was uncontrollably excited; moreover, there was a trace of a transcendent aura on him.

”Is it the scent of a soul? Is there a soul behind the inscription?” Angel murmured, ”However, the scent is extremely faint, unlike a true soul aura.”

After all, Angel was not of the Soul Sect, so he shook his head and didn’t overthink it, waiting for little Saim to come out.

He had already seen that after little Saim left the inscription space, he strode towards the castle gate.

Not long after, little Saim ran breathlessly to the castle door.

He first cautiously looked around, and after confirming that there were no undead present, he stepped out the door and walked to Angel’s side, paying a respectful bow.

”Mr. Pat, I, I... I saw Queen Rowling in the castle!” Little Saim’s face flushed with excitement, his eyes glittering brightly.

”Oh?” Angel was also a bit surprised, not expecting little Saim’s first words to mention the long-dead Queen Rowling: ”Is it a soul?”

Little Saim shook his head: ”I don’t know if it was the Queen’s soul, but I saw her walk out of the painting and talk to me.”

Angel: ”In the painting?”

”Yes, I saw the painting in a strange space. In the painting was Queen Rowling, and she told me many things!” Little Saim seemed very excited, having met and spoken with an ancestor, causing him to ignore the horror of the ghostly castle.

”A strange space...” Angel whispered to himself.

”Yes, it was a strange space that existed on the wall. My mother mentioned some secrets about this space when I was young, but back then, I was careless and didn’t pay attention. Just now, when I went to my mother’s room, I suddenly remembered this secret, so I tried it and actually went in!”

Angel looked carefully at little Saim, a peculiar light flowing in his eyes.

In the perception of the spiritual vision, little Saim’s emotions were genuine, and his words were true.

It was precisely because of this that Angel was somewhat surprised. He originally thought little Saim would hide the matters of the secret room and inscription space, but unexpectedly... he actually told him directly.

”This is your family’s secret, and you just told me like this, is it appropriate?” Angel asked softly.

”This is already something from many years ago, and Queen Rowling didn’t ask me to keep it a secret, so why can’t I say it?” Little Saim paused thoughtfully and sincerely said, ”Moreover, it was Mr. Pat who saved my life and brought me to the castle. He also eliminated the undead, allowing me to enter smoothly. These are all Mr. Pat’s contributions. Even if Queen Rowling knew, she would definitely not rebuke me for telling.”

Little Saim’s honesty and sincerity were felt by Angel. This made him feel that his previous baseless assumptions about little Saim were somewhat overly mundane.

After pondering for a moment, Angel asked, ”What did she say to you?”

Little Saim did not notice the complexity in Angel’s eyes, still immersed in excitement and enthusiasm, and quickly said, ”She told me some secrets of the Saint Sem family...”

Little Saim excitedly talked about the secret history of the family, and Angel listened for a while, finding it essentially revolving around external struggles and internal strife, akin to many other noble secret histories.

He heard most of it without any useful information.

Little Saim was very attentive to observing people’s expressions, and upon noticing Mr. Pat’s furrowed brow, he immediately understood that the other party might not enjoy listening to these royal secrets.

Upon reflection, it made sense; after all, Mr. Pat was a transcendent being, and the power struggles within mortal family lines probably seemed to him like children’s play.

Thinking of this, little Saim paused his passionate narration of the family’s secret history: ”Queen Rowling said that her biggest regret in life was only learning just before her death that there was another, more vast world beyond the Central Empire. I asked her what that vast world was, and she told me it was the world of wizards.”

”Mr. Pat, are you a wizard?”

Angel nodded: ”Yes.”

A look of ”I knew it” appeared on little Saim’s face. He paused and continued, ”The Queen told me she left some things for the descendants who could step into that strange space. It was said to be given to her by a wizard she met just before her death.”

At this point, little Saim took a deep breath, looking at Angel with bright eyes: ”I want to gift these things to you, sir.”

Angel didn’t say refusal, nor acceptance, but faintly asked, ”What things?”

Little Saim shook his head: ”I haven’t looked yet. After Queen Rowling disappeared, I came out.”

”Disappeared?”

”When Queen Rowling was halfway through speaking, she said time was running out and that she was about to disappear. Then she mentioned leaving the things for me and returned to the painting. No matter how I called her, she didn’t respond.” Little Saim lowered his head, looking slightly dejected.

Queen Rowling in the painting? Why does it feel a little strange... Angel was silent for a moment: ”Take me to see it, then.”

Little Saim nodded: ”Okay, Mr. Pat, please follow me.”

...

Standing inside the secret chamber filled with artworks, Little Saim pointed to the wall inscribed with runes and said, ”That’s the entrance.”

”When I was young, my mother brought me here and said this pattern contains a secret. Only when a suitable descendant of Saint Sem appears and smears it with blood can the secret be revealed.” Little Saim said, ”However, even after many generations, no so-called suitable person has appeared. My mother wasn’t suitable either. She brought me here merely as a formality to see if I was the chosen one.”

At this point, Little Saim suddenly seemed a bit embarrassed and said, ”But, I was afraid of pain at the time, so while my mother wasn’t looking, I secretly used Sobi’s blood... Sobi was my mother’s Great Dane.”

”Naturally, there was no reaction at the time. This time I came over, originally just to try it out, but I actually entered a strange space. Does this mean I’m the chosen one?” Little Saim asked, somewhat puzzled.

”Mr. Pat, do you know what a suitable person is?”

Angel pondered for a moment: ”It should be certain special substances in bloodlines, which must match with specific codes in the inscriptions. This might be what’s called a suitable person, a kind of generational positioning for specific bloodlines.”

”Is that so?” Little Saim felt confused as if he understood, but there seemed to be a veil over it.

Angel looked at the inscriptions; he could actually activate them with his power. But since it requires a bloodline-specific chosen one, it suggests there might be some defensive mechanism. To avoid any issues, Angel let Little Saim activate it.

Little Saim no longer bothered about the matter of being the chosen one, moved forward, bit his fingertip, and smeared the blood on the inscriptions.

When the blood touched the inscriptions, a dark red light enveloped both Little Saim and Angel.

In the next second, they found themselves in a narrow room.

The room wasn’t large, and there were few things inside. In the center hung an oil painting of Queen Rowling, beneath which was a locked deerskin iron box. In the upper right corner, there was a row of grooves, resembling a carved isolation pool, but at the moment it was already dry.

That was all there was.

Little Saim walked to the oil painting and said, ”This is the painting. Previously, Queen Rowling came out of it and talked with me. But now, no matter how I call for her, she doesn’t respond.”

To prove it, Little Saim stood in front of the painting, foolishly calling the queen’s title, naturally without any response.

Angel also turned his gaze to the oil painting.

It was a lifelike portrait of an elderly lady, as far as the craftsmanship goes, definitely a masterpiece by a top-tier artistic master.

Most importantly, the portrait seemed to have magic power, drawing people irresistibly towards the lady within.

Even though she had grey hair, wrinkles covered her face, and her skin sagged into folds, the elegance inherent in her bones made her shockingly beautiful.

The beauty that resides in the bone, not the skin.

Even Angel felt his heart race, so beautiful was the woman in the painting...and so impressive was the skill of the painter.

Angel could feel this was an ordinary oil painting, but it had developed a spirit, though this spirit had now disappeared.

Presumably, just to convey the conversation with Little Saim, the spirit expended all its power.

”A spirit? Not Queen Rowling?” Little Saim heard Angel’s explanation, a hint of confusion flashed in his eyes.

”Perhaps this spirit was born because of Queen Rowling.” Angel reached out to gently stroke the frame, slowly directing his gaze to the lower right of the painting.

Then, he saw a name that was unsurprising.

Feng.

Angel chuckled softly: ”So it turns out.”

He had heard that the renowned Magic Painter Wizard Mirafel von had once lived in the overseas city of art for a period. And even people of Flourish Continent heard of this city, which was—Saint Sem City.

So when Little Saim earlier mentioned that Queen Rowling came out of the painting, his focus was not on Queen Rowling but rather...the painting.

At that time, there was a faint premonition in his heart.

Seeing this familiar name now, he was not surprised.

”Turns out what?” Little Saim didn’t understand and looked at Angel.

”It’s nothing. The spirit in the painting, whether or not it’s Queen Rowling, doesn’t matter. You only need to know its existence merely intended to convey a message to you as a descendant. Now that the message is delivered, the spirit naturally dissipates.”

Since the spirit within the painting had vanished, Angel didn’t continue discussing this topic and instead asked, ”When Queen Rowling spoke with you, did she mention the author of this painting?”

Little Saim nodded: ”She did mention, the painter was the wizard Queen Rowling met in her later years. Because of this wizard, Queen Rowling realized the wizarding world existed in such splendor.”

”Right!” Little Saim pointed at the deerskin iron box beneath the portrait: ”What’s in this iron box is what’s left to me by Queen Rowling. It’s said to have been gifted by that wizard.”

While speaking, Little Saim picked up the iron box and handed it to Angel: ”This is a gift for you, sir.”

Angel glanced at the iron box, which appeared ordinary, but the lock had inscriptions engraved on it, clearly needing the Saint Sem bloodline for activation.

Though the box required the Saint Sem bloodline to unlock, it wasn’t made of exceptional materials. Angel could sense the contents inside via spiritual power.

Seeing the items inside clearly, Angel’s expression turned a bit peculiar.

”Are you sure you want to give it to me?” Angel asked, staring at Little Saim.

Little Saim nodded: ”I’m very sure. I’ve mentioned before that I’m deeply grateful for everything you’ve done. If it weren’t for you, even if I arrived here, I couldn’t have dealt with the undead outside, and I wouldn’t have gotten this box. Moreover, I might not have even reached here.”

”I have nothing to repay you with, and mundane artifacts probably wouldn’t interest you. The only thing I can offer is the contents inside.”

Angel asked once more: ”You’ve decided to give me this without even checking what’s inside?”

Little Saim scratched his head: ”If I looked, I’m afraid I wouldn’t want to give it.”

Angel looked deeply at Little Saim and eventually shook his head with a laugh: ”I don’t need the items inside; they don’t hold any use for me.”

Little Saim was stunned: ”Aren’t they wizard items? They are of no use to you?”

Angel nodded: ”Yes, they’re of no use to me. You don’t believe it? Go ahead and open it to see what’s inside.”