Chapter 470: Chapter 470: Adina 23
Tan You stroked its glossy black feathers. "You talk as if you’ve met many Undead System Mages. Your new feathers look great; you’re much more handsome now."
’I must have been alone for too long,’ Tan You thought. ’Now even a pitch-black bird looks handsome and refined to me.’
The raven lifted its left wing, preening. "I’m the most handsome!"
Tan You chuckled and shook her head. She and this raven had a rather fateful connection. After she advanced to a one-star Mage, her old, shabby Mage Tower had instantly sprouted an additional floor.
And this raven had appeared on that third floor. When Tan You found it, its body was covered in a dense web of Magic Arrays. The raven wasn’t in good shape, either—it only had a few feathers left, looking more like a plucked chicken.
But Tan You had always been considerate of others’ feelings. She wouldn’t say something so harsh, not even to a little raven. So when she saw its pathetic, miserable state, her expression barely changed.
Having been mocked countless times in her youth for being nearsighted and overweight, she understood better than anyone not to attack someone’s appearance. Even if it was just a little bird that might not understand her, Tan You held her tongue.
Tan You could only focus on one thing at a time, so after discovering she had no aptitude for potions, she decisively dedicated most of her time and energy to Magic Arrays.
In truth, the core principle behind magic scrolls was the Magic Array. A stable Magic Array was drawn onto a blank scroll, into which Mages would then infuse their Magic Power.
That way, when faced with danger, one could tear the scroll to use for self-defense or to attack an opponent.
The Magic Arrays covering the raven were indeed complex, which piqued Tan You’s interest. She couldn’t help but be grateful for her past studies in advanced mathematics and spatial geometry; they had enabled her to actually crack all of them.
The process had been difficult, but the results were gratifying. Tan You had acquired a Dark Element Holy Beast: a raven. She hadn’t discovered any of its other abilities yet, but just having it around to talk to made her very happy.
She stroked the raven’s neck feathers again. "Go on and play. Just don’t reveal your identity when you’re out."
The raven preened. "I’m always on guard. No one outside can see me. Adina, didn’t you know I have the power of invisibility?"
Tan You raised an eyebrow. "I actually didn’t know that. That ability... is very cool! No wonder you’re brave enough to go out alone all the time."
The raven cackled. "I’m going hunting with Daxue and Little Snow. You just focus on your training, Adina."
’How could she not focus on training? I still have so many big brothers to unseal,’ the raven grumbled to itself. But it didn’t say a word, simply circling Tan You twice before leading the two magic wolves, Daxue and Little Snow, out to hunt.
As soon as the raven was gone, the Beauty System piped up. "Host, this Mage Tower... is so strange."
Tan You had, of course, noticed the Mage Tower’s peculiarities. She lowered her gaze and smiled. "What’s the use in overthinking it? Right now, all we need to do is train hard, grow strong, and focus on surviving. That’s enough."
Time passed, day by day. In the year Adina turned twenty-two, Tan You finally became a Five-star Mage. By then, the Mage Tower could almost be described as a zoo; biodiversity was on full display.
In addition to Daxue, Little Snow, and their seven wolf pups, Tan You had unsealed four more Holy Beasts over the past sixteen years: a saber-toothed tiger, a two-headed Netherworld Snake, a Griffin, and a unicorn. And without exception, they were all of the Dark Element.
’So this Mage Tower I’m in... is actually a prison for sealing Dark Element Holy Beasts? It suddenly feels like I’m clearing stages in a game.’
’I wonder, did Sean know about this Mage Tower’s abnormality?’ Unfortunately, there was no mention of it in Sean’s notes. But there was no point dwelling on it. Tan You’s philosophy was to deal with problems as they arose. Whatever difficulties she faced, she would strive to overcome them.
The unicorn, resting by Tan You’s legs, asked, "Are you planning to leave the Mist Forest?"
Tan You chuckled. "Of course. I’ve stayed here for so long; it’s about time I went out for a look. I wonder if anyone in the Imperial City even remembers me."
"Besides, to achieve my grand undertaking, I must pay a visit to the Divine Hall of Light."
The unicorn assessed Tan You’s power. "Your power has stabilized now, and you no longer leak magic elements. As long as you’re careful, no one will be able to discover that you’re a Mage."
Tan You nodded. "That’s because you’ve been a great teacher."
The unicorn snorted. "It’s also because you have a good aptitude. You’re a quick study."
Tan You shook her head. "I really don’t have that good of an aptitude."
’If anyone has a good aptitude, it’s Adina. I’m just relying on my years of experience. That’s the only reason I can understand what the Holy Beasts say and act on it.’
The unicorn swished its tail. "You have a great talent for Magic Arrays. That is a fact."
’So this is what they meant by "master STEM and you can go anywhere," huh?’ Tan You thought. ’There’s really something to it. If I ever go back, I should really pay more attention to my science classes. At least it’s proven useful in this world.’
Take the Magic Arrays, for example. Tan You felt they could be completely explained through mathematics. Unraveling them bit by bit like that gave her a sense of accomplishment every time she solved one.
Upon learning that Tan You was leaving the Mist Forest, the raven immediately sent word to Kandapes. Schubert and the others sprang into action—or rather, all of Tan You’s followers did.
For sixteen years, they had kept a close watch on news of Tan You, without, of course, neglecting the goings-on in the Imperial City. And the more they watched, the more they saw the growing gap between Lilith and Tan You.
Sanders tapped his fingers on the table. "I suggest we don’t go with a lot of fanfare. After all, no one on the outside knows the Lady is in the Mist Forest."
"A large group like ours could easily expose her location."
Schubert agreed. "In that case, I’ll take some men. You stay here and guard the estate."
Sanders nodded in agreement. "That works. The Lady said she would leave the Mist Forest when she became a Five-star Mage. It seems... she is truly exceptionally talented, even more so than the Saint Heir of the Divine Hall of Light."
"I just wonder what her plans are for the future."
Schubert was more optimistic. "The Lady is meticulous. She certainly has a plan for the future. As her followers, all we need to do is stay by her side."
Sanders couldn’t help but think of the Lady’s actions over the years. She had remained in the Mist Forest all this time, and after so many years, no one in the Imperial City had noticed anything unusual. ’Or is it,’ he wondered, ’that those in the Imperial City no longer care about this daughter?’
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