Steampunk Era: Mad Abield
Chapter 765: I love you

Chapter 765: I love you

......

"Ah, old man, my apologies... but I think you must have lost your mind. It’s true that Malin is here, but why should we come over?" A young man apologized to an elder as he walked past, then hurried to catch up with his friend, looking at his good friend Colson Tisser and asked.

"That’s my big brother," Colson said. "You’ve got to use your brain. The news of the Chaos War Gang in Copenhagen hasn’t spread everywhere yet. By joining Big Brother Malin’s battle flag at this time, when we win, we’ll be well-known in Farole too. Think about it, Malin’s most reliable little brother! Decisively joining under big brother’s battle flag, facing the Chaos War Gang with him, we’ll gain both fame and fortune. You’ll even raise your profile in the eyes of your ancestors." Colson looked at his friend and added, "How about it? I won’t force you. If you walk away now, we’re still good friends."

"You damn madman, why do I have to have such a lethal friend as you? And the worst part is that I’m actually tempted. I must be mad too." The young man sighed, "Alright then, where do we find our big brother?"

"Listen, I know where Big Brother stays in Copenhagen, and don’t worry, all his wives are in the South, so there won’t be any problems with us staying there." If there were ladies in his big brother’s house, Colson would definitely not stay there—come on, Colson isn’t brainless, why would he leave such a flaw that could be used against him?

"That’s great. This place is damn cold. Let’s find somewhere with walls, a roof, and a door we can walk through," said one of the young men. As soon as they left the house, the southern youths began to complain—they had no proper understanding of the northern cold.

Fortunately, Colson’s friend knew an Endurance Spell, and with this, the young men noticed a Thanan girl who looked as if she was wearing nothing, hopping onto a carriage.

"Thanan people are too strong, aren’t they?" Colson’s friend exclaimed.

"Please, she’s a War Witch. See those tattoos on her arms? She’s at least Tier 3. She could beat you with one hand." Colson watched her slip into the carriage, saying somewhat appreciatively.

"Beat me with one hand, what about you?"

"One finger would be enough, friend. After all, I am a Fortune Teller. I do have that much self-awareness," Colson replied.

"You really do have a lot of self-awareness," his friend quipped.

The two old friends chuckled and flagged down a carriage, jumping on. Colson provided the address, then closed the carriage window—the weather was deadly. Next time he got the chance to come up North, he’d definitely go to Big Brother Malin’s tailor shop to buy the most practical winter clothes.

After all, compared to the winter in Copenhagen, the snowflakes in Farole were like a swindler’s tears, laughably trivial.

......

"Christian, don’t you realize how terrifying the Chaos War Gang is? Are you out of your mind?" The boy beside Christian put his hands on his hips, looking very dissatisfied as he followed the girl toward the teleportation center’s passageway.

"I know, but Mr. Tim, you should also know that to complete the adulthood rituals among our kin, we must confront and kill the Chaos War Gang. The Copenhagen branch may be fearsome, but Malin Gaiate is here! I believe that under his banner, it would be safer than any battlefield." The girl turned to look at the boy, who had yet to reach her chest, saying, "You know, from some perspectives, you should be more terrifying than Chaos itself; at least I can’t turn you to ash just because you come near me."

"Please, I’m very selective with women, you know. Consider what advantages you have," the boy named Tim retorted, motioning with his chin toward someone behind Christian, "Look at that Thanan girl. She looks more womanly than you."

Christian turned to see the Thanan girl covered in tattoos, holding a map and studying it.

Well, her skin is a bit better... Her hair is somewhat longer... Her waist seems a bit slimmer, as for her chest... "Are you sick! You men are so disgusting!" Christian retorted angrily, her mood soured.

"I’m just being honest. I swear before the Lord of Justice, every word comes from the heart!" The boy, seeing the wooden mallet with iron rings in the girl’s hand, went silent for a moment before compromising in the face of impending violence: "Well, at least your peach looks better than hers. Her pants are too wide; you can’t even see anything..." Tim said while mimicking a standard peach shape with his hands.

The next second, the wooden mallet was lifted high, and Christian’s complexion turned completely dark.

Tim turned and ran, casting an Acceleration Spell on himself.

Then the Acceleration Spell was dispelled, and a Slowing Spell was put on him instead.

In the process of dispelling and casting spells on themselves, the furious girl and the fleeing boy ran across the street, drawing curses from the chariot drivers.

......

From the Astrology Tower, Astrologer Tuck Olsson watched the young man who squeezed past him catch up with his friend, squinting as he observed their Fate Threads—a pair of thin and lengthy threads. He noticed their Fate Threads seemed excessively thin, almost as if they had been cut... No, not cut, but inherently short, and for some reason, they had been extended.

Had the Goddess of Fate woven new lengths for them?

Why?

Tuck dared not make assumptions foolishly; as an astrologer, he was keenly aware that sometimes, the more you know, the more pain you suffer.

Because envy, jealousy, love, and hatred—all human emotions are utterly magnified in the presence of omniscience.

As an astrologer, sometimes ignorance is bliss.

With these thoughts, he made his way to the gate, leaning on his cane.

This time, he was here to visit Lord Malin Gaiate. At the last Wizard Council, he had heard about the witch village. A few days ago, news from his eldest son came; the World Tree truly existed in the here-and-now, right in the brand new center of Carterburg. This divine tree had already gone through its juvenile phase, and now even a regular deity could not harm it.

Any wizard in the vicinity of the World Tree would find their spirits soothed by it.

The true Wizard’s Heavenly Kingdom. Therefore, Tuck came today to pledge his family’s allegiance to Lord Malin—his family, already possessing enough Spell Talent, but with wizardry so powerful that even the Olsson family could not bring forth a Mage.

Thus, leading his family to pledge loyalty to Lord Malin was for the sake of living close enough to that divine tree, as a man as old as him had already lost the qualifications to become a Mage. But his grandsons could; becoming a Mage was far more respectable than being a Wizard.

The Olsson family once became wizards out of necessity, lacking Mage Talent. Now, with better options available, who would choose to remain a Wizard?

Passing through the gate, Tuck opened his umbrella, simultaneously noticing young Mr. Tim being pursued by Miss Christian.

They dashed across the road, eliciting curses from the chariot drivers, while the passengers in the carriages poked their heads out to see what was happening.

It was exactly the same young man from earlier.

Out of professional habit, Tuck glanced once more at the boy’s Fate Thread and found it slightly thicker than before.

Interesting. It seemed their destination was a place powerful enough to change their fate, making Tuck more curious, more anxious, and more... in awe of such a powerful entity.

He didn’t know what kind of entity it was, nor how such an entity might compare in power to Lord Malin.