Free Web NovelChapter 277: Chapter 265: Another Demon Well
SWISH!
Roland’s keen Perception allowed him to instantly detect the subtle yet abrupt fluctuation of energy the moment the Secret Imprisonment Dice began to change.
Thus, just as astonishment appeared on Bronson’s face, Roland’s hand shot out like a bolt of lightning, swiftly and precisely snatching the transforming Secret Imprisonment Dice into his palm.
The next moment, the formless Shadow Veil silently spread out, gently yet tightly enveloping the die. It instantly suppressed the continuously escaping Energy, not allowing the slightest bit to leak out.
Confirming that the abnormal fluctuation was completely concealed, Roland tilted his head and held his breath, listening intently for any sounds outside the room.
Seeing that the sounds of his companions chatting and laughing in the courtyard continued without any sign of interruption, he slowly let out a tense breath. He then lowered his head to gaze intently at the Secret Imprisonment Dice in his palm.
The Shadow Veil isolated the escaping Energy, but it couldn’t hide the drastic change in the die’s form.
At this moment, the Secret Imprisonment Dice was no longer a seamless, jet-black octahedron.
Like a precision mechanism released from its restraints, its eight sharp-edged, black surfaces had spread slightly outward, revealing extremely fine yet clearly discernible cracks.
These cracks were not regular geometric lines. Instead, they resembled the natural fracture patterns on some ancient artifact, exuding a mysterious and fragile beauty.
Through the open cracks, one could see that its interior was not empty.
The ends of the ancient runes originally engraved on the surface extended inward, and now, a cold, blue light flowed along the edges of the cracks.
This light had the quality of pure Energy, like sealed moonlight. It slowly seeped from the cracks, only to be confined by the Shadow Veil, forming a hazy halo beneath the thin veil.
And at the center of the light, deep inside the slightly open octahedron, a smaller, denser core emitting a constant, faint glow was rotating steadily.
As the cold, blue light swirled in his palm, a familiar feeling suddenly welled up within Roland the moment his gaze touched the stable core inside the Secret Imprisonment Dice.
That was...
...the feeling from when he was atop the High Tower, when the Magic Elements from that core had surged into his body, granting him control over the Magic City Jiles.
And as the cold, blue light gradually spread across his entire palm, this familiar feeling grew even stronger.
Suddenly, Roland felt as if, deep within his consciousness, he had established a connection with something.
And that object...
Roland turned his head, looking in the direction of the connection.
Right then, in the core area of the Royal Capital, something was emitting a fluctuation of Magic Power that was exceptionally similar to the core of the High Tower in the Magic City Jiles.
It was pulsating steadily and powerfully, like the heart of a sleeping giant.
But an instant later, Roland forcefully pushed the strange feeling to the back of his mind and asked in a low voice.
"Mr. Bronson, is there a way... to reseal the Secret Imprisonment Dice immediately?"
"Of course."
Bronson responded immediately.
To prevent the Energy fluctuations from attracting unnecessary trouble, Roland raised a hand to stop Bronson, who was about to handle it himself. Following the scholar’s concise and clear instructions, his fingers began to move rapidly.
A moment later, with a crisp "CLICK" of a mechanism, the slightly open black surfaces of the Secret Imprisonment Dice instantly contracted inward and sealed shut.
The cold, blue light spilling from the cracks retracted and dimmed as if seized by an invisible force.
In the blink of an eye, the die that had been emitting a cold, blue halo and undergoing a dramatic transformation solidified and sealed once more.
It reverted to its previous form—a seamless, jet-black octahedron—lying quietly in Roland’s palm, as if the strange phenomena from moments before had been nothing but an Illusion.
"Roland..."
Bronson was still lost in thought over the Secret Imprisonment Dice’s recent transformation. After a moment, he slowly asked.
"This thing... where did you get it?"
"Mr. Bronson, have you ever heard of... the Magic City Jiles?"
Seeing the scholar shake his head, Roland briefly and concisely recounted his experiences in the Land of Mist.
"A Heartstealer... a Fairy Queen... a Witch Demon... a Magical Guide Structure... and... a mysterious Demon City?"
Bronson mused, processing Roland’s words, and then suddenly let out a soft laugh.
"Roland, I think I finally understand why Galvis is always following you. Your experiences from these past few months alone are enough for that Minstrel to compose a magnificent epic."
Shaking his head slightly, Roland ignored Bronson’s teasing and asked directly.
"Mr. Bronson, about this Secret Imprisonment Dice..."
"Roland, since this was the property of that Witch Demon, and considering the Energy fluctuation it just displayed..."
Bronson continued, carefully examining the ancient runes on the die.
"It’s very likely... that this Secret Imprisonment Dice is truly an artifact from a thousand years ago. So, if you want to explore what is sealed inside, you’d best find a place that is quiet and hidden enough."
This advice coincided perfectly with what Roland was thinking.
He nodded lightly, placed the Secret Imprisonment Dice back into his waist pouch, and then said.
"Oh, right, Mr. Bronson. I think... I’ve opened up my Deep Sea of Consciousness."
"The Deep Sea of Consciousness?"
The scholar, who had been calm and composed even when facing a thousand-year-old artifact, now found his pupils suddenly contracting.
"Roland, are you talking about... the Deep Sea of Consciousness that can inscribe Ring Tier Spell Runes and serves as the foundation for a Caster?"
Seeing Roland nod in confirmation, Bronson’s breathing instantly grew heavy, and his disbelieving gaze swept back and forth over the young man before him.
Having known him for so long, he knew perfectly well that Roland would never joke about something like this.
Therefore, after a brief shock, a powerful sense of absurdity seized him.
In his understanding, the prerequisite for opening a Deep Sea of Consciousness was mastering a Meditation Technique.
And he was absolutely certain that Roland...
...had never come into contact with any kind of Meditation Technique.
Bronson felt a wave of dizziness.
To forcefully open a Deep Sea of Consciousness without a Meditation Technique to guide one’s Spirit and mitigate the risks... it was no different than trying to build a crystal palace out of thin air with brute force in the middle of a raging tsunami.
Every step led to Destruction.
But Roland...
...had actually succeeded?
This was beyond what could be explained by extraordinary talent...
It was practically a miracle bestowed by the Magic Goddess herself!
Looking at the young man’s calm face, Bronson’s voice became hoarse.
"Roland, how... how on earth did you do it?"
"I suppose... it was a natural Awakening after my Spiritual Power broke through a certain threshold..."
Bronson was stunned by this brief explanation.
A moment later, he shook his head, somewhat feebly.
Perhaps he had already experienced enough feelings of inadequacy when it came to Roland, because this time, Bronson didn’t say much more and quickly recovered from his shock.
For the remainder of their time, Roland learned from Bronson how to open the Secret Imprisonment Dice. The two only stopped their conversation and left the room when Hobbit’s voice called them for dinner.
Although dinner wasn’t as sumptuous as the meals Roland cooked himself, it was quite luxurious compared to the mere sustenance they had in the Land of Mist.
Having escaped danger, everyone seemed especially relaxed.
Even Teresa, who normally disliked drinking, couldn’t help but have a few small glasses.
Her slightly flushed cheeks, set against her silver hair, made her look even more captivating.
"By the way, Mason."
Roland asked curiously while quickly shoveling food into his mouth.
"I kept forgetting to ask, how did you end up in the Land of Mist? Even if you were evading pursuit from the Golden Valley Kingdom, there was no need to go to such a dangerous place, right?"
"About that..."
Hearing the question, a trace of confusion crossed the face of Mason, who was holding a wine glass.
"I’m not too sure myself."
"I had originally planned to travel with a young noble from the nations of the River Domain. I was going to take a ship, reach the River Domain, and figure things out from there, but I never expected..."
He sighed softly, his tone a bit helpless.
"First, I was refused boarding. Not long after that, I was pursued in Distant Harbor. Logically speaking..."
The young noble frowned, lost in thought.
"I covered my tracks very well the whole way. I shouldn’t have been discovered..."
After pondering for a while with no answer, Mason shook his head and continued.
"Anyway... I guess I was lucky. I eventually managed to sneak onto a Pirate Ship and successfully reached the nations of the River Domain. But as soon as I got ashore, I inexplicably wandered into the Land of Mist..."
After hearing the whole story, the corner of Roland’s mouth twitched imperceptibly. He then coughed twice and decisively changed the subject.
And perhaps because he had "died once," Mason had a very easy-going personality and didn’t dwell on the matter for too long.
After eating and drinking his fill, Roland settled Freddy and Mason in for the night, then returned to his own room.
He pushed open the door. The furnishings inside were exactly as he had left them, not even a speck of dust to be seen.
’That little guy Hobbit is really diligent...’
Roland chuckled softly, and after a quick wash, he lay down on his bed.
The soft feeling against his back made him let out a long sigh involuntarily.
Gazing at the hazy moonlight outside the window, the sensation he had felt during the day—that feeling of being connected to some other existence from the Secret Imprisonment Dice—unconsciously surfaced in his mind once more.
’The Magic City Jiles, in its heyday, established two Demon Wells in the city to serve as the source of pure Magic Power for the entire city...’
Recalling the words of the Pikachu Fairy Queen, Estelle, Roland slowly furrowed his brow.
