Book 3: Chapter 290: Kidi of the Blackbird Tower

Two days later, the train stopped at the border on the southern side of the Mage Alliance, the Switch City of Kikas.

Sylutia stepped off the train, ordered her subordinates to unload the supplies and machinery from the cars, then left the city with a small group, heading to the Black Bird Tower outside the city walls.

She remembered that nine years ago, she had arrived here riding a large falcon, and had been cared for by the tower's guardian mage, Kidi, who brought her to take the assessment before boarding the train to the Asra District.

Time really flew by, Sylutia thought to herself.

Arriving at the base of the tower, she knocked lightly on the door, while the few attendants behind her stood guard at a distance.

Before long, the iron door at the base creaked open, and Sylutia once again saw that mage in the black windbreaker, Kidi. Now he had also stepped into the Fifth Tier, currently holding the rank of Fifth Tier Secret Word - Dead Embers.

"It's been a long time, Mr. Kidi." Sylutia bowed in greeting, demure and polite. If one ignored her current power and status, it would be easy to mistake her for a younger sister returning from afar.

"Oh, it's Hedra." The other pressed a hand to his forehead, recalling the young woman.

"Please, come in." He stepped aside and led her upstairs to the parlor for a short rest.

Once the young woman was seated, Kidi brought out tea, and the two exchanged pleasantries, reminiscing about the first time they had met.

"You're still the same as ever." Kidi's eyes, beneath his black hair, studied the young woman. Compared to his memory of her, she had changed little, though her bearing was certainly more poised and confident.

She resembles Videnoya a bit, though Videnoya was more pampered and spoiled. Another figure surfaced in Kidi's mind, and he let out a silent sigh.

"Hedra, when you return, please give my regards to Instructor Nox." Having said that, he pulled a book from a shelf nearby, wrapped it carefully in fine parchment, and inscribed a personal message on it.

"Although Instructor Nox didn't teach me for very long, I remain deeply grateful for that period." As he spoke, he handed the wrapped gift to Sylutia, hoping she would deliver it on his behalf.

"This book is a compilation I wrote and summarized over the past few years. It may not be exceptional, but its contents are related to bird research. Instructor Nox should find it of interest."

"I'll make sure to deliver it." Sylutia nodded.

"As for Hedra..." He glanced at the young woman. Given Sylutia's current status and strength, many of the gifts he might have offered in the past were no longer suitable.

"I have something I've treasured. I'm not sure if you'll like it." With that, he opened a hidden compartment in the bookshelf and retrieved a small bronze-shelled metal box, then carefully unlocked it with a key hanging from his belt, producing a small vial of pale black crystal.

"This is a bottle of perfume. Don't worry, it hasn't spoiled. In my early years, I once considered giving it to an enemy, but unfortunately, that person never got the chance to use it."

[Phantom Perfume - Black Iris] (Fourth Tier - Rare): Can keep the soul of a recently deceased being from shattering or dispersing, sustaining its existence for several days.

"I've lived in this tower for so long that this perfume serves me no purpose. If I give it to you, it might come in handy." He placed the delicate vial before Sylutia.

Having said that, he shook his head and added, "My apologies. It's not exactly a cheerful or auspicious gift."

"No need to apologize. Thank you for the gift, Mr. Kidi." Sylutia accepted the perfume with gratitude.

She understood that this was merely his nature. After all, Kidi was a mage of the Dead Embers Aspect, a specialty in high demand outside the Alliance, and he likely had few friends on ordinary days. As for that bottle of perfume, he had probably crafted it with considerable effort, drawing on everything he had learned and mastered. He was offering her the best he had, so what reason was there to find fault with it?

"Well, I'm glad you don't mind." The other let out a sigh, appreciative of Sylutia's understanding.

She tucked the perfume into her hairpin, thought for a moment, then produced a white crystal gem and placed it on the table.

[White Calamity Spirit Crystal] (Seventh Tier - Rare): A special gem containing the Nightmare Aspect. It can be used for tools, creations, rituals, and more.

This was one of the gems the academy had awarded her when she took over the Mishil District. She had never found a use for it, so it had been preserved until now. Rather than letting it gather dust in her possession, it would be better to give it to Kidi. The Dead Embers Path had many secret arts and rituals that resonated with Nightmare, so it should prove useful.

"I'd like to give this to you, Mr. Kidi. I hope you won't refuse it." Sylutia stated her intent directly.

"This is..." His black bangs veiled his left eye, leaving only his right eye visible as he stared at the gem in astonishment.

He wasn't a genius like Sylutia, favored by the academy and the Sages. Obtaining a gem of such quality was extraordinarily difficult. It would take roughly four to five years of practical service contributions to exchange for a single one.

The Bionics School had long since declined, so he could only redeem rewards from the Mage Alliance's official service contribution exchange list. And that list was fiercely competed over by every official and staff member in the Alliance. One often had to spend several times the contribution points just to obtain what one wanted.

In fact, he had no shortage of places where money and resources were needed. If he set aside the unavoidable expenditures, it might take seven to eight years of saving before he could acquire a gem like this.

Truly remarkable. He had only ever seen this young woman's name in the newspapers before. Now, seeing her casually produce such a gem, Kidi finally realized just how high this black-haired young woman's status within the Alliance truly was. Many ordinary mages could spend their entire lives without ever touching something like this, yet she was wealthy enough to simply give it away.

"In that case, I gratefully accept." Kidi didn't stand on ceremony. He genuinely needed this gem.

Afterward, the two continued reminiscing about other old times. Kidi spoke of his early years studying in the Alliance.

"I come from a declining noble family in a small border nation of the Alliance. Although my family allowed me to access Secret History Knowledge from an early age, the help they could provide was limited. My talent could only be considered average, and I wasn't particularly outstanding among my classmates at the time." Kidi recalled the past.

"Most of my classmates from those days, I can no longer even remember their names. Back then, I was rather low-spirited, quiet and withdrawn." He lifted his teacup, gazing at the tea within, and spoke slowly.

"In my early years, I wasn't the type of person others found likable. Almost no one talked to me, and I grew accustomed to it."

"Even so, I still encountered one truly special person."

"She was the legitimate daughter of a duke's family, the highest-ranked student among us in terms of status. Her temperament was willful and spoiled."

"Naturally, I wasn't the type to get along with someone like her. But at that time, by sheer coincidence, she needed a compliant person to help her skip class and pass messages, and so she chose me, the most unremarkable one around."

"It was from that point on that we gradually grew closer."

"Later, she helped me obtain a special letter of recommendation, allowing me to study under a court mage. After that, my Secret History grades began to improve, and I slowly surpassed my classmates, eventually passing the entrance exam for the Alliance's academic district."

"At first, everything was developing wonderfully. We even agreed that once I graduated, I would return to serve as an advisory mage for her duke's family, to repay that debt of gratitude."

"Unfortunately, when I finally returned several years later, I was met with only news of her death."

The story didn't get a happy ending or a reversal, only that lingering regret.

"Later, I devoted myself to the Dead Embers Path, partly because of her influence. Although nearly forty years have passed since then, it still feels as vivid as if it were yesterday."

"The experiences of one's youth truly leave a lasting mark on a person." He sighed with feeling.

"Though it might be impolite to say so, the first time I met Hedra, I saw a trace of her in you."

"Though her personality was far more troublesome. She was nowhere near as ladylike as Hedra." A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he spoke, his reminiscing words tinged with a hint of warmth and a subtle ache.

"Ah well, it's not exactly a wonderful story. I'll stop here." He shook his head.

"When you return, Hedra, do check on Instructor Nox for me. He's very old now, and I wonder how he's been. I heard he lives alone in his tall tower. Though we haven't seen each other in years, I too live by myself, so I can somewhat understand what that must feel like."

"Even if you just tell him some trivial gossip from the Alliance, he'd probably be happy to listen and be in better spirits for it."

"I'll remember that, Mr. Kidi."

After a few more simple exchanges, seeing that the hour was growing late, Sylutia rose to take her leave.

Kidi escorted her to the door, standing on the steps and waving toward her retreating silhouette until the young woman disappeared into the distance.

Among the mountain ranges beyond the border, an enormous camel of unparalleled proportions slowly emerged like thick fog. Accompanied by the layers of jingling wind chimes swaying upon its back, its steps drew closer until it finally came to a halt. Its body gradually crouched down, bringing the towering structure on its back level with the hilltops.

At that moment, the assembled members of the Mage Alliance stared in awe at the sight, and it was a long while before they came to their senses.

"Load the supplies and cargo, and carry them up into the high building on the camel's back." Someone shouted from the front, and then row after row of people slowly filed inside.

Several hours later, the mountain-like camel slowly rose to its feet, once again blending into the dense fog, vanishing beyond the distant hills.