NOVPUB
Chapter 60: 027: Lake of Dust and Illusion
A quiet night passed, and the journey resumed the next day.
To be honest, at the start of the trip, when Lynch saw Avery traveling with two male apprentices, the first thing that came to his mind was a setup like a goddess on a journey with two devoted admirers, a sort of enhanced version of Alice’s entourage from before.
But once they truly hit the road, Lynch realized it was his own mind that had been mired in filth.
The relationship between Avery and her two companions was purely one of comradeship. She wasn’t like Alice, who reveled in using her looks to attract droves of admirers and took pride in it. On the contrary, Avery was extremely adept at maintaining an appropriate distance between herself and others.
She didn’t come across as unapproachable, aloof, and cold, yet at the same time, she never gave anyone the impression that she was interested in them, avoiding any ambiguous feelings or improper thoughts.
Frankly speaking, for a girl as stunningly beautiful as her to pull this off was no small feat. But reflecting on her background, it wasn’t surprising at all. With her kind of upbringing, there was never any need to rely on her appearance to gain confidence or fulfill vanity.
Perhaps this is where the fundamental difference between a top-tier, privileged beauty and an ordinary, beautiful woman lies.
...
After navigating the Shadow Path for two days, the group arrived at the Lake of Dust and Illusion on the third morning.
This was a lake situated south of the Shadow Tower. Its name originated from the Human World; in human lore, it was said to be the boundary between reality and illusion. Crossing this lake would lead one deeper into the forest, where the legendary wizards resided. It was rumored that one could learn magic there and gain unimaginable riches.
Though most of these stories were fabrications by minstrels, there was a grain of truth to them. The lake was indeed one of the gateways to the Dark Forest and, in some sense, marked the boundary between the Wizard World and the Human World.
On the shore of the Lake of Dust and Illusion grew Magic Trees. Apprentices of the Tower who had obtained permission could pluck a leaf from these trees and place it in the water, where the leaf would quickly transform into a small boat. The magic boat would then carry them along the waterways, guiding them safely out of the Dark Forest. The round trip took less than a day.
For mortals without the Tower’s authorization, even the most advanced sailboats would end up lost in the labyrinthine waterways, endlessly circling back or falling victim to the lake monsters, becoming a delicious meal.
"Apprentices, declare your purpose! You are now at the border of the Shadow Tower. Entry and departure are prohibited without permission!"
As they reached the shore, a raven flew over and perched on a tree, questioning them sternly.
This was a guardian left behind by the Tower.
It was worth mentioning that Lynch had heard these guardians were notoriously unreliable. Though it put on a strict demeanor now, rumor had it that slipping them a few Magic Stones could easily bribe them into turning a blind eye, a method many apprentices used to sneak out.
But Lynch’s group didn’t need to resort to such measures. Avery stepped forward, took out a badge, and held it up before the raven. "Greetings. This is our mission badge. We have received approval to leave on an official task."
This is... a Black Badge?
Lynch instantly recognized the badge as the Law Enforcement Department’s exclusive mark, typically associated with missions involving the Enforcement Team.
’So, these three are on a mission for the Law Enforcement Department?’
Lynch was suddenly reminded of a casual conversation he’d had with friends during a gathering. Subaru had mentioned something about Adam enrolling in the Enforcement Department’s Black Robe program.
It was akin to Earth’s university-directed training programs, allowing one to bypass the lengthy apprentice evaluations and enter the Inner Ring early as an Inner Ring Apprentice. The tradeoff, however, was that after completing their study period in the Inner Ring, they were obligated to join the Enforcement Department.
As for Lucas and Avery, Lynch knew little about them. But now that they had presented the Law Enforcement Department’s Black Emblem, it was likely they were tied to the department as well.
’Could it be a combat mission?’
Missions from the Enforcement Department were often combat-oriented and carried significant risks.
Perhaps noticing Lynch’s gaze and expression, Avery turned to explain, "There are some issues over at Crescent Bay that need addressing. But don’t worry. We’ll handle those matters. Your task will be to help us with the Elemental Coral."
Due to the highly confidential nature of the Enforcement Department’s missions, Avery was unable to provide Lynch with detailed explanations.
Lynch replied, "Oh."
Boarding the small boat formed from the Magic Tree’s leaf, the group was propelled by the flow of the water as they headed out of the forest.
Seated on the boat, Lynch gazed around at the dense forest quickly passing by, like a carousel of vivid images. As the journey progressed, he could visibly observe a decline in the surrounding Magic Plants and demons, and he could distinctly feel the diminishing concentration of elements in the air.
The towering ancient trees requiring several people to encircle them disappeared, replaced by ordinary old oaks that one or two people could wrap their arms around.
No longer did tree trunks have mouths that could speak, nor did fairy creatures dwell within the branches.
The massive lizards capable of spewing fire and the snow deer that unleashed frost had vanished, replaced by mundane wild boars and forest hyenas. Small animals like rabbits and foxes became more common.
Everything around Lynch seemingly proclaimed that the world was rapidly transforming, transitioning from the extraordinary to the ordinary.
With the aid of the magic boat, the group crossed towering waterfalls, turbulent waterways, and gentle streams, covering in a few short hours a journey that would have taken months.
By the afternoon, they docked in an unremarkable forest outside the Dark Forest.
From a distance, they could see a few thin trails of smoke rising from the shore. As they drew nearer, the outlines of tents, campfires, and patrolling soldiers dressed in leather armor came into view. It was clearly a human camp.
At the same time, the people in the camp spotted them, and suddenly the place burst into commotion.
"Look, someone’s coming! There are people coming from across the lake!"
"My god! Just like the legends said! Riding across the Lake of Dust and Illusion on a boat made from a leaf, completely unfazed by the man-eating monsters in the water!"
"Quick, inform the Earl!"
The soldiers rushed to the shore, craning their necks and widening their eyes to get a better view of the figures on the lake, their expressions a mix of fervent excitement, as though witnessing something monumental.
Their reaction wasn’t unfounded.
In the worldview of mortals, wizards were mere myths, tales spun by minstrels to earn a living, born of humanity’s longing for something beyond reality, a spiritual solace, utterly unreal—a pure fantasy.
When legend manifests into reality, when the imaginary steps into the tangible, how could mortals witnessing it firsthand not be overwhelmed?
Soon, a middle-aged man dressed in extravagant clothes and wearing armor emerged from a tent. Surrounded by soldiers, he strode hurriedly to the shore and swiftly organized the men into a welcoming formation.
As Lynch and his companions’ boat reached the shore, the sharp-eyed, middle-aged man in his forties stepped forward briskly.
With meticulous precision, he performed a nobleman’s salutation, bowing his head humbly. "Master Wizard!"
Simultaneously, the soldiers behind him moved in unison, all bowing their heads deeply.
"Master Wizards!"
