Re:START/If {Book 1.0}
Chapter 42: Mutual-Evien 2 of 10 “Amaranth Globe” (Part 03)
The sound of footsteps echoed down the stairs. A small cup filled with wax liquid and a wick that is lit into a footstep light. At the last step, Luna opened the wooden door and entered with Canna.
Arriving at the basement of the Workshop, Odo and Vil were slightly surprised by the whereabouts of the place. Although called Luna a basement, but the place is more likely to be called an altar for magic rituals.
The main magic circle is seen in the middle of the underground room, having an interconnected structure with other magic circles. It symbolizes an array of various other substances such as: Gold which is identified with the Sun rune, tin which is identified with the Jupiter rune, silver which is identified with the Moon rune, Omega rune signifies death, and Alpa as life.
The five symbols are neatly arranged in a five-tailed star structure, creating an embodiment of several substances and the existence of life symbols. Observing the magic circle symbol located in a place with minimal lighting, Odo could not immediately guess its function.
Prok! Prok!
Luna clapped twice, making the candles hung on the walls of the basement light up. Seeing the magic circle clearly, Odo immediately understood its function and immediately turned to face Luna.
“This circle ... for transmutation?”
Putting a candle cup on the table, the reddish-brown woman replied, “That's right, it's a magic circle.” Staring at the young man and walking towards him to look at the magic circle, he explained, “By using the main fuel in the form of stone powder I guess, a simple transmutation can be done easily using this altar.”
“Hmm, roughly what can make artificial ligaments, yes?” muttered Odo observing the altar.
“Eh? Ligament?”
“Ah, forget ...” Odo took a deep breath, looked at the woman next to him and asked, “So, why bring me here? Not to show off this structure, ‘kan?”
“Of course not,” said Luna.
Looking towards Canna who took the two magic wand, he received his wand. Luna carried a short, one-meter-long stick with the tip of a Hexagonal-shaped magic crystal, the handle made of a single, polished black wood. For Canna, he also holds a stick that is almost the same but shorter.
Pointing the tip of the stick towards the altar, Luna asked, “Odo, after seeing this what do you think?”
Odo again observed the altar of transmutation. He began to really understand its function and analyze its basic structure. Staring at Luna and Canna next to him, he replied, “Hmm, this circle symbolizes life. Cycles, shapers, causality, and .. I suppose there is also the symbolism of a single life form? What ... are you researching on the Beginning of the Beginning?”
“Eh? Why ... can know the Beginning of the Beginning?” canna was astonished.
Luna's forehead shriveled slightly, then said. “Odo .. must have heard such a thing from Master Mavis. Isn't that right, Odo?” The sorcerer stared a little annoyed as the purpose of his research was easy to guess like that.
Not staring at them and focusing on the altar, Odo lightly replied, “Hmm, maybe ..”
“Maybe?”
“Why even the answer might be?”
Odo ignored them, walked around the altar and stared intently. Vil did not follow the young man, remaining standing next to the two sorcerers who also felt astonished by him.
Stop walking and understand what the purpose of Luna's research in her Workshop is, Odo bluntly said, “Examining the early sources of life to arrive at the truth.”
The words made the three people slightly dumbfounded. Without caring about them, Odo again said, “If you know where the source of life is, then the source from the beginning will also be closer. The facts are real and theoretically doable. But ... researching the development of — Evolution of life forms is very time consuming. The beginning of basic life is said to be a simple prokaroit. It took millions of evolutions to become living things now. Researching that development at each stage will definitely take hundreds of years. If one stage is missed, misinterpretation will instead lead to the wrong facts and away from the Beginning of the Beginning.”
What Odo said was very clearly heard by Luna, Canna, and Vil. They did hear it, but only understood it partially and were completely dumbfounded by the young man's words.
Staring at Odo in astonishment, Luna approached and asked, “Odo ..., why? It feels ... as if you already know what Early Start.” is
“Eh?”
Odo was a little surprised, his gaze as if it had just returned from a distant place. Slightly turning away, the young man said, “Entahlah .... I just ...”
“Why don't you know! You have really guessed the purpose of my research! If you know and can deduce such a thing, why even answer me somehow?!”
“Be calm, don't shout ...” Odo put on a lazy face, staring at the gap.
“This is my research! I should have deserved to know! It's already! Now give me your opinion! I'll hear mes—!”
Puk! Canna hit Luna on the head with her stick. “Have .... Look, you're like that again. What kind of kid did you just learn magic?”
Soon Luna turned around, looked at Canna eagerly inquisitively and asked, “Canna heard for herself, ‘kan? Odo guessed my research for a dozen years easily! If Odo were to research! Surely our goal of the Miquator witches will be achieved! World Secrets will be revealed!”
“Dia ... not a mage Miquator.”
Luna flinched, instantly trembling and understood she had been carried away by a thirst for knowledge. Turning his eyes, he said, “Sorry .... I just ...”
Odo just stared at them flatly. He looked back at the altar, observed and found out some things about the ritual structure. At first glance the young man recalled the memories he had from the Ancient Demon King, making him put on a grim face.
“World Secrets, yes ...”
««»»
The moon shone brightly in the dark sky, accompanied by stars still covered by tenuous clouds. Exiting the Hulla Workshop, Odo and Vil took a deep breath and exhaled heavily. The two of them did not imagine being invited to a very long conversation by Luna and Canna, even up to six hours more.
“What are all Miquator witches like? I don't think Mrs Mavis is that bad,” complained Vil. Although physically he did not feel tired, but in mind he was very tired.
Odo sighed, looked away and immediately stepped foot. Slightly glancing, he said, “Hmm, indeed. But ... Today we still have other activities, you know. Comeing! To the next place ...”
“Eeeh?” Vil stares reluctantly, turns his face away and complains, “Capek knows. No need, yes. Tomorrow, yes! I don't know why I'm so tired .... You are also tired ‘kan, Odo?”
“Ngak ...” Odo stopped stepping, turned his head towards Vil and said, “My body has improved from yesterday, my vitality has also started to rise. Activities like this I don't think burden me too much.”
Vil stared reluctantly, shook his head twice and said, “No! No! The next place .... Isn't it dangerous to go night-night?”
“Danger?” Odo's eyebrows slightly raised, then said, “Although I'm now weak, I think against one or two thugs is fine.”
“Not that the point...”
“Hmm?”
Odo put on a plain face as if he did not catch Odo's intentions. Sighing for not being able to say more clearly than that, in the end Vil resigned and followed the young man to go to the next place that had been scheduled.
.
.
.
.
Buildings with wooden walls lined up, look shabby with narrow alleys that became the residence of the undocumented immigrants who became homeless. Unlike other places in Mylta, the slums tend to be dark with very minimal oil lantern lighting.
Walking in the place, Odo and Vil get cynical gazes from the vagabonds in the alleys. They were more rundown than the vagabonds in the Niaga District, very chaotic and muddled.
Moans, moans, shrill screams, and various other depravity sounds were heard clearly in the silence of the place. Odo just put on a flat expression, trying not to glance right or left to check the sound. Holding Vil tightly, the young man felt a little fed up with the place.
“Place like this is always there,” murmured Odo.
Vil heard that. But before asking, the blue hair woman was immediately invited by Odo to walk faster and immediately go deeper into the District of the House of Bordil.
Although without even turning his face, Odo quite clearly saw the condition of the place. Almost all of the buildings along the dark street are brothels, where women sell their bodies to make a living. The customers who came were mostly fishermen, traders, and there were also some officials that Odo had seen in the office of government agencies.
The young man tried not to stare at them, only to glance and understand the real dark side of the city. Odo did not look down on such a thing even though he did not like it. He knew that the women who sold their bodies didn't all do it because they wanted to, some of them would just be for survival or something. At least that's what Odo believes.
Arriving at the intended building at the end of the Bordil House District, the young man stopped. The two-story building, mostly made of wood and quite crowded when compared to other buildings along the street of the place. In front of the building with the dim lighting of the oil lanterns were seen three burly men as guards, there were also women who spread their bodies with clothes to arouse the desire of men.
It was like the clothes that Vil often used, but it was less fabric and very transparent. It is more like the night dancer's clothes that are often worn by the Ungea people in the entertainment districts of their country.
One of the loki approached Odo, walked around him and seduced him, “Tuan .... Do you want to have fun with me tonight? Sir came here for that, ‘kan?” The prostitute wrapped her hands around Odo's neck from the front, glued her breasts and teased, “How? Want last night?”
Vil was just staring flatly, feeling annoyed that long black hair slut was teasing Odo. The prostitute's slightly dark skin indicates that she is from Ungea, which could also mean an illegal immigrant in Mylta.
“Sorry .... I didn't come for that. Eng ..., does Madam Theodora exist?” asked Odo while holding both shoulders of the prostitute, then pushed her back gently.
“Madam? Oh, you've got an appointment with Madam, huh? Fu~fu~ If you can order Courtesan, then you are quite rich, yes?” the bitch's seductive.
Odo just smiled stiffly, not used to getting that kind of temptation. Slightly turning his eyes away, the young man said, “Hmm, not really. I just want to meet him, is he on time?”
“Madam is free. Well, it's still early spring, so I guess there's very rarely a customer from the top. After all this place is very marginalized, I think it is rare for anyone to dare to order Madam.”
The prostitute immediately stepped back and turned around, then said, “I tell Madam first!” He went into the central building of the Bordil House District, a glimpse of Odo hearing the prostitute gossip with her colleagues about some things.
While waiting, the three burly men guarding the place stared at Odo and Vil unfriendly. Not caring about that, Odo held the blue-haired woman next to him and grasped her tightly.
It was not until ten minutes, the madam came out of the building and said, “If ... I have no more customers since this city went out of the trade route. Hmm, so you ordered me?”
Although he was called Madan, Theodora still looked very young at the age of three. Pale white skin that is clearly visible from minimal and transparent clothing, black hair that is shouldered and an alluring black eye highlight. Move graceful steps that seem to show off the beautiful body, seeing that Odo understands why the woman is called a high-class prostitute (Courtesan).
Although she was wearing clothes that were not much different from other prostitutes in the place, the air felt very different. Alluring, seductive, tempting to touch, things that invite the desire of men are in him.
Odo was stunned. Closing his eyes at a glance, he muttered, “Delete.”
Madam extended her hand with a gurgle towards Odo, then said, “Who are you, young man? This Theodora has never heard of or seen you in this place? Newcomer?” He approached, walking rhythmically in high heels.
By reflex, Odo grabbed Theodora's outstretched hand. Before the young man came to his senses, the prostitute immediately moved quickly and wrapped her right arm around his neck. Staring sharply, full of allure high-class prostitutes wanted to drop Odo in his grasp.
Trying to stay calm, Odo clearly momentarily, “I .... Odo Luke, son of the Marquess. Are you Madam Theodora?”
Odo's confession shocked everyone who heard him, except Vil. Madam let go of her arms and stepped back, the three men who were standing guard were immediately alarmed and prepared to protect their Madam.
Getting such a reaction, Odo confirmed the news circulating about the District of the House of Bordil and Madam Theodora. In the news, Odo heard that the government had wanted to really close down the grim business in the suburbs even though it ended up failing.
At that time until there were riots and casualties. Although only one or two people died, but clearly the people who run the business in the Bordil House District hated the government and the people associated with it.
“Odo ... Luke? Hmmm, you think Theodora is stupid? The child of the Marquess is still a child, do not joke like that, young man ..!”
The Courtesan narrowed his eyes slightly, staring intently as if the expression he had just appeared was indeed just an act to lure men.
Odo just put on a thin smile, then said, “Madam knows that my family is good at magic, right? This is one of magic. After all, where might I come up with the form of a child. If anyone knows, my family's reputation could go down.”
It sounded like a fact to Theodora. Staring coldly, he said, “For what is a boy like you coming to my land?”
“Hahah, cruelty. Though you've been a lot of trouble for me.”
“Hah? Ap—!”
“You think I don't know!” cut Odo. Stepping closer, the young man started to press, “It looks like I was underestimated .... The one who instigated the fishermen and vagabonds to follow the Moloians was you, wasn't it? That's why I almost got killed .... Don't tell me you pretended you didn't know the case, Madam.”
Theodora kept her flat expression, staring back and was completely undaunted. Pulling Odo's collar violently, he firmly said, “Hmm, it looks like this young man is acting like the ruler. Have any proof of what you are, boy!”
The meek aura of the high-class prostitute was gone, changing with the stern woman and filled with dark gazes. Odo narrowed his eyes a little, remembering the information he had read in the archive room of one of the government agencies.
Holding tightly the hand that pulled his collar roughly, Odo said, “Theodora Mascal, the origin of the kingdom of Moloia .... Former nobleman and once a Mistress of one of the crown princes there.”
“!!!”
The Courtesan was immediately wide-eyed, completely trembled at the young man before him. Leaving aside whether or not the young man was the child of the Marquess, Theodora understood that the young man in black hair knew his past. Revisions
Odo immediately held the other woman's frieze. Holding Theodora's two hands, the young man slightly smiled faintly and said, “Although without hard evidence, that fact is enough to set you up for the trial.”
“You .... Do the government like that? Threaten and corner weak people like us ..”.
“Don't worry, I didn't come to arrest you. Let's talk, Madam.”
Theodora was really astonished to see such an innocent smile. It looked so strange yet warm, he did not feel any sign of danger from the young man's black hair.
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Note:
- Neglect; illegitimate wife/living woman/dark baby