I Pioneered Scientific Magic

Lynn couldn't help but be astonished by the "advanced" political system in the land of the wizards, which seemed to operate under a fast-paced democratic parliamentary structure.

But upon further reflection, it made perfect sense. High-level wizards were akin to entire armies on their own, and denying them corresponding rights would only breed chaos.

In this world, the status of wizards was nearly equal to that of nobility.

"Once we reach the port, you'll be amazed by the sight there," Loude said with great emotion.

Over the years, he had visited the land of the wizards a few times, and it was as if a farmer living in a village suddenly arrived in Vicnil, a feeling too incredible to put into words.

"I'm really looking forward to seeing it," Lynn replied with a smile.

As they talked, a sailor suddenly approached and whispered a few words in Loude's ear. Loude waved the sailor away and respectfully inquired, "Milady Witch has awakened. Do you plan to go see her?"

Lynn nodded; he had many questions to ask Jonny, so he quickened his pace toward the cabin.

Watching Lynn's departing figure, Loude had no intention of following. Instead, he gazed up at the misty sky. The occasional raindrops were piercing through the fog and falling on the deck.

Though this light rain didn't affect their voyage, Loude couldn't shake a sense of unease in his heart. This year, to evade the Church's pursuit, their departure from the harbor was somewhat delayed.

He hoped for some calmness before crossing this stretch of sea.

Lynn followed the sailor through the interior of the ship. The wooden vessel rocked constantly, and the air carried a faint, unpleasant odor.

Fortunately, after these days, he had grown accustomed to the medieval sanitary conditions. In fact, things were going quite well. Loude had arranged separate cabins for them, so they didn't have to squeeze in with the other crew members.

"Milady Witch, we're here!" the guiding sailor stopped in front of a cabin door, looking at Lynn with some fear in his eyes, probably recalling the gruesome scene in the port town.

Lynn paid it no mind and pushed open the door to enter.

It was a small cabin, barely a few square meters in size. The silver-haired witch was leaning against the wooden bedpost, her gaze fixed on the ocean outside the window, shrouded in mist. Dim light spilled through the window, casting a sickly pallor on the girl's face, emphasizing her peculiar, morbid beauty.

Perhaps having heard the door creak, Jonny turned her head, her exquisite profile half-shrouded in shadows. She gazed at Lynn, who had walked to the edge of the bed, and after a moment of silence, she spoke.

"Dove is dead."

Lynn paused for a moment and then replied softly, "I've already preserved her body in ice. Maybe the influential figures in the land of the wizards will have some way to help. Although, I understand that hope is slim. Not only may the powerful wizards lack the ability, but they're unlikely to save a mere apprentice."

He said this for two reasons. First, Dove, who was usually terrified of death, had ventured into the port town to "rescue" him in the face of almost certain death, which touched Lynn in a profound way.

Second, he was deeply concerned about the unknown energy absorbed by the smart brain last night.

Jonny seemed to have not heard Lynn's words and continued to murmur softly.

Lynn sighed inwardly, realizing that with Jonny's current state of mind, it would be difficult to extract any useful information. He was about to suggest that Jonny take some rest when a soft, slightly warm body collided with his.

Lynn paused for a moment before he could react, and then the sound of the girl's sobbing reached his ears.

"Dove is dead... Teacher is dead... and Kent, Will, Buck, and Barton..."

With each name she cried out, Jonny's voice choked a bit more. Her shoulders trembled, and crystal tears rolled down her cheeks, wetting Lynn's robes. In a choked voice, she continued to recount everything that had happened within the Nordland territory.

When the Church's personnel discovered their whereabouts, Kora had a chance to escape, but she chose to stay behind to cover their retreat. She survived, but she couldn't keep her promise to her teacher to safely bring back all the apprentices. Everyone except the two of them had perished.

Lynn stood silently, not interrupting the girl's outpouring. He understood that Jonny needed an outlet to release the fear, sorrow, and despair that had accumulated within her over the past ten days and could not be shared with anyone else.

The intermittent crying continued for over ten minutes before Jonny's emotions began to settle. It was only then that she realized she had been holding onto Lynn, and his clothes were drenched with her tears.

Feeling somewhat embarrassed, she released her arms, and the atmosphere in the cabin suddenly became awkward. Jonny wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and spoke softly.

"If our teacher had chosen to take you to the capital of Nordland in the first place, perhaps everything would have been different."

"You're overestimating me, Jonny," Lynn shook his head. At that time, he hadn't even crossed over. With his original self, Karl's abilities, he probably would have been captured alongside her.

"Besides, you've done more than enough," Lynn said earnestly. Jonny wasn't a tactical genius, nor was she as cunning as Loude, but in Karl's memories, she was just a girl with decent magical talent who liked to sit under the shade of a tree and read.

Kora had entrusted the fate of these wizard apprentices to Jonny, which was, in reality, an unrealistic expectation.

Jonny didn't respond to Lynn's comfort; instead, she pursed her lips and asked, "When we were in Ur Town, why did you choose to face Archbishop Anluke alone?"

This question had been bothering her ever since then. While they were all Kora's apprentices, they didn't have much of a personal relationship. Yet, in Ur Town, Lynn had been willing to face danger alone and leave a path of escape for them.

Of course, it was because you standing there was somewhat distracting...

The words were on the tip of Lynn's tongue, but he swallowed them back and chose a more tactful response. "Facing Archbishop Anluke, I didn't have a high chance of success, and I couldn't afford to be distracted by protecting all of you."

Jonny stared at Lynn in amazement. She was about to say something, but the cabin, which had been relatively stable, suddenly rocked violently. Without warning, the two of them were nearly thrown into the wooden wall.

Before Lynn could regain his balance, terrified screams from the deck above rang out.

"The Eye of Death... It's the Eye of Death!"

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