Abyssal Bone and People
The director of the Abyssal Bone Forest Academy, standing in front of their many professors, was a female Magus. This had exceeded all of Leylin’s expectations. On top of that, Leylin felt like her face was familiar.
Leylin couldn’t help but begin to inspect her features closely. She had long, wavy blonde hair and a doll-like face. Her starlike eyes, small stature with some baby fat remaining on her face making the woman whose skin was as pale as snow seem lovable and adorable. Materialised spiritual force at the peak of rank 2 was being emitted clearly from her body.
'Huh… These energy undulations are different from those of regular Magi, she must be from an ancient branch. Was she fortunate enough to obtain some ancient inheritance?’
“Lord Leylin!” The female Magus opposite him curtsied, her pleasant voice sounding like a black-naped oriole, “Welcome back! Abyssal Bone Forest shall forever be your home!”
She was obviously showing her good will, and her voice immediately made Leylin think back to the bonfire at the acolyte camp. He remembered her as a person, but her appearance had drastically changed that he no longer remember her original visage.
“You are… Nyssa?” Leylin spoke slowly. This female Magus was the one who had been deceived by her Mentor. The one who had turned into a disgusting freak due to a failed experiment. Contrary to her former nickname of ‘swine’, the Nyssa now was the very personification of beauty.
“It’s me. Thank you for all your support and encouragement in the past.” Nyssa’s chest bounced up and down, she evidently had many things to say. Immediately after that, she ran her eyes over the surroundings, “Lord Leylin is no enemy. You may return.”
“Understood.” The stone orangutans saluted respectfully and brought the skeletal troops back to their original places.
“Everyone, let me introduce you. This is Leylin Farlier, the eternal pride of our Abyssal Bone Forest Academy! Let us welcome him warmly.” Nyssa spoke with the poise of a leader to the professors behind her. She was completely different from the fragile and weak girl of the past.
“He’s that Leylin!” “The Toxic Sovereign King?” “No, I heard that…”
His previous actions had earned Leylin a reputation second to none in the Abyssal Bone Forest Academy. People quickly began whispering under their breaths when his name was announced; some of them who were ranked high enough had received some information that caused them to humble themselves further before him.
The chattering stopped with but a wave of Nyssa’s hand. This simple action showed off her authority.
She shot a sweet smile at Leylin, and it seemed to light up the whole graveyard. “I know there’s a lot you want to know. I have a lot to say myself, so it’s best we continue this in my drawing room below.”
“Mm,” Leylin nodded. Following that, he entered the underground construction that was the Abyssal Bone Forest Academy escorted by the many Magi.
The surface of Abyssal Bone Forest Academy was a graveyard, but it had a huge underground structure that could accommodate thousands of Magi and those doing odd jobs inside. It was like a complicated but precise beehive.
In the main drawing room, Leylin put down the black tea in his hands and listened to Nyssa as she gave an account of all that had occurred after they parted ways.
“... And so I acquired that sage’s inheritance and successfully became an official Magus. Two centuries later, I reached rank 2 and was elected the director of the Abyssal Bone Forest Academy.” Nyssa tucked her long hair behind her ear.
“Mm, it’s been hard on you,” Leylin watched the girl in front of him. While what she said sounded simple, he could imagine the price she’d had to pay for all these changes. However, she wasn’t willing to share more and he wouldn’t pour salt on her wounds. It would do him no good.
However, since she wasn’t willing to share more, he wouldn’t pour salt on her wound. More importantly, it would do him no good.
“I’d thought I’d need to deal with some bugs and trash in the academy, but it looks like there’s little for me to do!” Leylin laughed as he spoke bluntly.
Three Magus families had managed everything when he’d been studying at the academy, even electing its director. He’d fought with the Lilytell Family which was one of the three, and was left with no choice but to leave. Though he later dealt the family a huge blow, circumstances hadn’t allowed him to completely uproot it from the academy.
However, the fact that Nyssa was the director and nobody from the Lilytell Family disrupted his arrival was telling.
“I’ve already completely uprooted the Lilytell Family, and the other two have been affected as well. They can’t meddle with anything to do with the academy anymore. Come to think of it, this is all thanks to you. If you hadn’t killed a peak rank 1 grand elder who had a chance of reaching rank 2, the families would never have grown imbalanced in power. And that was what sparked everything…”
Nyssa was all smiles as she watched Leylin. Although her words were light, the carnage behind them did not need to be described. Whatever be the situation, the Abyssal Bone Forest Academy was merely a small-scaled organisation with its most powerful Magus being Siley who was only a middling rank 2. However, Nyssa was at the peak of rank 2, which made it easy for her to push him off his throne.
“Since the Lilytell Family has been completely destroyed, it saves me a lot of trouble…” Leylin chuckled, “There are a few other people I want to find the whereabouts of…”
Hearing this, Nyssa’s eyes dimmed, “I can guess who you want to ask about. Our companions, Guricha, Dodoria, and even Jayden have all died… Only the two of us remain from that batch…”
“Even Jayden, with his grade 5 aptitude…” Leylin shook his head, looking grim. However, he would never admit his knowledge of the reason for his death.
“Jayden’s Mentor, White Bone Dorotte, went missing during an expedition into some ruins. News spread that his life imprint dissipated, which means there’s little chance of his survival.…” Nyssa spoke calmly. She hadn’t dealt much with either Jayden or Dorotte, and her sorrow for their deaths couldn’t compare to what she’d felt when Guricha and Dodoria died.
In reality, magic study and research was filled with dangers. For two acolytes from the south coast to survive and even achieve such dazzling results was quite rare.
“Mm… How about my mentor, Professor Kroft?” Leylin asked on.
“Potioneering Professor Kroft died peacefully of natural causes a century ago. His grave is right behind the academy, should I take you there?” Leylin immediately went silent upon hearing Nyssa’s words, and scenes of Kroft’s lectures emerged in his mind.
He wasn’t surprised that Kroft had died of old age, though he was still a little sad. The professor was merely a rank 1 magus, and even if he was adept at Potioneering there was a limit to his lifespan. Leylin had no idea how long Kroft had lived before he’d become his student. Since he hadn’t advanced to rank 2, it was natural for him to die of old age.
Such a death was actually pretty good in the Magus World, and it didn’t really cause Leylin any grief. It only made him think that time was indeed the largest foe of life. This event only strengthened his resolve to pursue immortality.
Leylin stayed silent for a while longer before his voice sounded out, “Thank you very much, Nyssa. I plan to stay here for a period of time, and there are a few other people whose whereabouts I need to trouble you for. Neela, Bicky, and Anna who’s from Extreme Night City. She’s a human who once took over my manor…” He announced a few names.
“Alright, I’ve remembered their names. I’ll give you an answer within a week,” Nyssa quickly replied.
“Many thanks. I’d like to be alone now.” Leylin reclined on the sofa, waving his arms as if in weariness.
“Then I’ll take my leave.” Although Nyssa was the host, she seemed to obey Leylin unconditionally. She bowed slightly before retreating in caution.
……
“Kroft Leslie...” The lettering on the mottled black tombstone had dulled with the passage of time, but Leylin was still able to read the name out. He was currently among a large number of tombs; numerous black tombstones and upside down crosses covering the area. It caused the place to feel ominous and cold.
The tomb in front of him belonged to his ex-mentor, Kroft.
“Mentor… I’m back!” Leylin said, the words emerging after a long period of silence. The cold wind kept blowing, causing the black trees to rustle.
“Professor Kroft left very peacefully, and he didn’t leave behind any descendants…” Nyssa walked over, “Also, I’ve gotten an answer about what you wanted me to check out…”
“Tell me.” Leylin’s voice was calm, but that only caused a shiver to run down her spine. It was as if she had met some natural enemy.
“First is Neela. It can be confirmed that she passed away 129 years ago, and her family was extinguished 67 years ago due to a leak during an experiment… Those from Extreme Night City have also returned to report, saying that Anna did live there for a period of time, and even developed the organisation to the perimeters of Extreme Night City. She was a very capable woman and never did marry. She later died alone of old age. Her organisation withered away after her passing. As for Bicky…”
Nyssa glanced at Leylin, “She’s… gone missing…”
“Gone missing? Clarify!” Leylin furrowed his brows.
“After you rescued her in the Tyler Family, she left and travelled the continent by herself, apparently to look for you. Nobody knows where she is…”