"I don't know," Lynn shook his head, looking toward Lyman.
Lyman didn't bother keeping him in suspense. With a sigh, he explained:
"Not long ago, a group of elite Hossens apprentices who had gone to study at the Silver Ring Academy were ambushed while traveling. Nearly all of them were wiped out."
Lynn's pupils narrowed slightly, as if realizing something.
"The attackers were…"
"Though we lack definitive proof, it's clear it was the Herland faction," Lyman said, shaking his head with a bitter sigh.
"This time, the Herland School has officially torn all pretense of civility with Hossens."
Lynn fell silent, his thoughts drifting to the figure cloaked in emerald.
Now it seemed certain that the shadow was tied to Herland.
This move was a classic lure-the-tiger-from-the-mountain ploy by the Herland School.
"What begins as probing… then small frictions… then sharp attacks, escalating into fierce conflict…
It always ends the same way: open war is coming, and soon."
Lyman muttered to himself, his expression oddly relaxed.
When disaster is looming but not yet upon you, the dread is suffocating.
But once it strikes, there's almost a strange relief… People are strange that way.
"Hossens is no place to linger, Lynn."
Descending from the air, Lyman beckoned him closer.
Lynn stepped forward, his eyes falling on the massive spell core before him.
"Let me introduce you," Lyman said, gently stroking the structure. "This is the Golden Shadow Wizard Tower, my life's masterpiece, decades of effort poured into this creation."
In his decades within the Hossens domain, most of his time and the magic stones earned by his society had been devoted to this elegant construct.
Lynn studied the so-called Wizard Tower carefully.
Even the weakest of wizard towers were projects only Second-Rank Wizards would consider undertaking.
From his perspective, what stood before him was not yet a true tower; it was a flawed, weakened imitation.
And yet, precisely because of that, it was all the more remarkable.
That a First-Rank Wizard like Golden Shadow had managed to imitate what normally only a Second-Rank could build was proof enough of his unmatched skill in magical arrays.
Golden Shadow was the only formal wizard among the three great powers of Emeraldwood City who was truly specialized in magical arrays.
Even the famed Vine Restaurant was his handiwork.
"Of course, it's still a long way from a complete wizard tower.
In the time ahead, I'll need your help adding a flight module to it."
"Flight module?" Lynn blinked in surprise.
Lyman nodded, explaining calmly,
"As I said, Hossens is no place to remain. When the time is right, I'll leave the board of this tower."
He paused, eyes fixed on Lynn, then added,
"And naturally, as your reward, I'll take you with me."
Lynn finally understood what the Golden Shadow Wizard wanted from him.
Just as he had suspected, it was related to magical arrays.
He let out a quiet breath of relief before hesitating and asking:
"Lord Golden Shadow, would I be allowed to bring a few close friends along as well?"
Lyman paused briefly, then nodded indifferently.
"Of course."
He produced a knowledge crystal, handed it to Lynn, and went on:
"This attack by the Herland faction was their final test, a signal flare marking the first trumpet of war.
"But before open conflict truly begins, the Hossens' domain should still enjoy a short period of calm.
"We must use this window to install the flight module on the tower, so that when war does break out, we'll have a chance to escape."
"When war breaks out? Lord Golden Shadow, if we finish installing it earlier… couldn't we leave in advance?" Lynn asked cautiously.
"Not." Lyman shook his head without hesitation, a cold smile tugging at his lips.
"The Hossens faction is not to be trifled with. At such a critical moment, if I were to slip away alone, perhaps it would go unnoticed.
"But if I dared to leave with a wizard tower in tow, flaunting it for all to see, the Hossens wizards would have no qualms about killing me on the spot, as a warning to others.
"They'd seize the assets of the Golden Shadow Society at the same time, strengthening their war chest.
"Not only when open war erupts and both sides are too busy to care about us, will we rogue wizards have our best chance to flee."
Lyman seemed to recall something, and with a faint chuckle, he added,
"I almost forgot you are one of the Hossens' apprentices yourself."
Lynn's heart tightened. He answered firmly:
"That was in the past. I am now only a Second-Tier member of the Golden Shadow Society."
Lyman gave no clear response, just a nod and a dismissive wave of his hand.
"Sign the contract and head back. The crystal contains partial knowledge of the flight module. I'll give you two days to study it.
"After that, you will return here and assist me in the tower's modifications."
"Yes, Lord Golden Shadow," Lynn replied, signing the secrecy pact under Lyman's watchful eyes before turning to leave.
"Oh, one more thing."
Just as he reached the tunnel, Lyman called him back.
"To keep this matter secret, I'll announce that I've accepted you as my magical array apprentice. Tomorrow, or the day after, the Society will likely hold a ceremony for you. Be sure to put on a convincing show."
"Yes," Lynn answered once more, bowing slightly before quickly departing the underground chamber.
After his departure, Lyman pulled up the autumn hunt reports submitted by members and let out a long sigh.
The Bloodmark Society… Could it be they've learned of my injury?
One thing is certain: they must already know about the coming war.
After a moment of thought, feeling his wounds had recovered somewhat, Lyman issued an order through the array:
"Tell Harold I intend to meet with the Bloodmark Wizard."
…
The next day, Lynn, disguised, arrived at a vast open ground on the northeast side of Emeraldwood City.
This was the city's air harbor.
Before the Black Rose incident, this space had been Emeraldwood's largest hub for external travel, where all sorts of flying vessels could often be seen taking off.
The nearby northeast gate was also the preferred departure point for many overland caravans leaving the city.
Strictly speaking, the north gate was the closest exit to the outside world.
But since it lay directly opposite the Hossens School, most caravans chose instead to leave through the northeast gate, to avoid the faction's array of defenses.
The detour was, in practice, the shorter route.
"Caravans heading outside the city?" A third-rank apprentice who lived in a small wooden hut by the harbor shook his head.
"Not anymore, sir… Don't you know? The Black Rose faction has been destroyed. Outside is nothing but chaos now, no order at all.
"Even formal wizards risk ambush when traveling beyond the city, let alone ordinary caravans.
"That said, just yesterday, the Hossens faction did send a formal wizard outward. Perhaps in time the trade routes will reopen. Best be patient."
Though Hossens hadn't actively suppressed the news, very few within the domain truly knew what had happened yesterday.
Lynn had not expected much, but hearing this, he still sighed inwardly.
After learning the full truth from Golden Shadow, he had begun to toy with the idea of leaving Emeraldwood alone.
Golden Shadow couldn't leave now; his presence was too conspicuous.
But Lynn was different. He was a nobody. If he slipped away, no one would care.
If only… caravans to the outside world still existed…
But as a mere Third-Rank apprentice, his meager strength would never see him through the Emeraldshadow Forest alone.
With a flying vessel, even a low-ranked First-Rank apprentice could manage the short journey beyond the northern forest.
But overland? It would take at least five First-Rank apprentices traveling together just to barely survive.
So… I'll have to keep waiting. Wait for an opening.
In theory, Lyman had already promised to take him along when the time came.
He needn't worry.
But Lynn had never been the kind to stake his hopes on someone else.
That wasn't who he was.
And besides, he couldn't fully trust a First-Rank Wizard.
He would rather try something himself.
By now it was already late. Empty-handed, Lynn turned back home.
Lyman, efficient as ever, had already announced the night before that he had accepted Lynn as a magical array apprentice.
The celebration ceremony had been set for that very evening.
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