Chapter 265: 265 "Hidden Land" (Request for monthly votes! Request for subscriptions!)
"What is this?"
Reiger’s attention was drawn to the scroll that had rolled to his feet.
Because the material of this scroll seemed quite unusual, Reiger felt waves of obscure magic power emanating from it.
Liz also cast her eyes on the scroll, picking it up.
"This is a piece of beast skin." Liz recalled for a moment and then said, "Grandma Mia once said it was originally wrapped around Moslo, so no matter where we went, we would always carry it with us. Before I was brought into the palace by Father... ah, by His Majesty the King, Grandma also instructed me never to lose it, no matter what."
Upon hearing this, Reiger stared at the beast skin in Liz’s hands, sensing the obscure magic power from it.
For some reason, staring at this piece of beast skin gave Reiger an odd feeling of excitement.
It was as if something was invisibly attracting him, making the look in his eyes gradually change as he gazed at the beast skin.
"May I take a look at it?"
Reiger asked Liz.
Unexpectedly, Liz showed a troubled look on her face.
"Is it inconvenient?" Seeing her reaction, Reiger suppressed the excitement in his heart and said, "Then let’s forget about it."
"No, it’s not like that." Liz quickly shook her head, a troubled expression on her face. "It’s not that I won’t show it to you, but there’s something strange about it."
"Oh?" Reiger was somewhat intrigued and asked, "What kind of strange?"
Liz hesitated for a while before she cautiously spoke.
"When I look at this piece of beast skin, there are always some peculiar patterns on it, but when I tell others about it, including Grandma Mia, they say there’s nothing there."
"I once asked Grandma Mia why only I could see the patterns on it. She told me it was something that only the chosen one could see, and instructed me to never reveal the content within it, much less lose it."
"Thus, I was always hesitant to show it to others."
If it weren’t for the fact that Reiger was Liz’s master, she might have not told him about it, right?
In fact, she had once shown the beast skin to her father, but the King had just considered it child’s play.
After that, Liz didn’t dare to show the beast skin to anyone else anymore.
"There’s such a thing?"
After hearing what Liz said, Reiger’s eyes became even more peculiar as he looked at the beast skin.
"Let me have a look," Reiger said to Liz. "Don’t worry, I won’t think you’re just talking nonsense."
"Okay, okay then."
Seeing that Reiger was very eager to see it, Liz reluctantly handed over the trembling beast skin.
Reiger took the beast skin that was rolled into a scroll and spread it out on the spot.
"————"
At that moment, Reiger’s feeling of excitement grew even stronger.
As he unrolled the scroll and opened the beast skin, Reiger felt a flash before his eyes, as if he saw something, yet also as if he saw nothing at all.
When he regained his senses, the beast skin before him had undergone a startling transformation.
Originally, there was nothing on the beast skin; it was completely blank.
But as Reiger gazed at it, lines gradually began to emerge onto the blank beast skin, slowly forming a picture.
The picture quickly took shape, all in less than a few seconds.
When it was fully formed, becoming a complete pattern before Reiger’s eyes, his pupils suddenly constricted, and a look of astonishment appeared on his face.
"Master?"
Liz had been observing Reiger’s expression and was very nervous.
In the past, when Liz shared this matter about the beast skin, others initially showed a curious and interested expression, just like Reiger had. But when they found there was nothing on it, they began to suspect whether Liz was talking nonsense, thinking there was actually nothing on it from the start.
Everyone, including the King, thought after seeing the beast skin that Liz was just trying to get attention with some pretentious methods, never believing she was telling the truth.
Eventually, Liz dared not talk about it anymore, fearing others would think she was lying or deceiving them.
So now, Liz was very nervous, worried that her future master would think she was someone who liked to lie.
Yet Reiger just kept staring dead at the beast skin, looking at the pattern on it for a long time, before finally raising his head.
"Don’t worry."
Seeing Liz’s nervous face, Reiger reached out and patted her head.
"I can see the thing on it and know you’re not lying," Reiger said.
"Really?"
Liz’s cheeks reddened first due to Reiger’s natural head pat, then she froze at his words; after a moment, her eyes lit up, and she eagerly asked.
"Really." Reiger affirmed and further inquired, "Do you know where this beast skin came from?"
"I don’t know." Liz shook her head and said, "It seems like it was wrapped around Moslo from the moment I was born, placed beside me. Just like Moslo, it has always been with me since the moment of my birth. That’s what Grandma Mia told me."
"Has your Grandma Mia ever said anything else?" Reiger looked straight at Liz and asked, "You’ve been with her so long, she must have mentioned something related to this beast skin, right?"
"This..."
Liz immediately furrowed her lovely brows, becoming troubled.
"Don’t worry, take your time to think."
Seeing Liz in such a state, Reiger knew she was recalling past events.
After all, that was a long time ago. Liz was only seven years old when she entered the palace, and eight years had passed since then. She was young at that time, and now, all of a sudden, to recall her childhood memories would naturally be quite difficult.
Reiger wasn’t in a hurry either. Instead, he comforted Liz, allowing her to think at her own pace.
Thus, Liz relaxed her furrowed brows, and under the encouraging gaze of Reiger, she began to concentrate on her recollections.
"Ah..."
Suddenly, Liz exclaimed softly.
"I remember now," Liz said to Reiger, "When I was very young, Grandma Mia once said something to me."
"What?"
Reiger asked out loud.
Then, in front of Reiger, Liz recounted.
"’If you ever have the chance, consider taking this beast skin to the Hidden Land,’"—Grandma Mia once said that to me."
These words made even Reiger frown.
"The Hidden Land?" Reiger questioned with confusion, "What place is that?"
"I don’t know." Liz shook her head, equally puzzled, and whispered, "Grandma Mia only mentioned it that one time when I was very young. She never brought it up again after that, and I always felt like she didn’t quite approve of me doing so."
Although it was a memory from her very young years, Liz had a profound impression of Grandma Mia’s expression at that time.
It was incredibly complex, full of melancholy as if recalling some unhappy past.
It was because of that expression that Liz, in her young mind, retained a deep impression, enabling her to remember this event.
Now that it suddenly came to mind, Liz couldn’t help but feel puzzled.
"Could it be that Grandma didn’t want me to go to that Hidden Land, and therefore, right before she passed away, she sent me to my father’s side?"
Liz couldn’t help but think so.
"The Hidden Land..."
Reiger murmured twice, then continued to question Liz.
"Apart from this, did your Grandma Mia say anything else related to this beast skin?"
Reiger’s pressing query diverted Liz from her fruitless speculations.
The little princess once again racked her brain, trying hard to remember, and after a while, she showed an embarrassed expression.
"I can’t recall anything else."
Clearly, other than this particularly memorable event, the young princess found it very difficult to remember anything else.
"Alright then," Reiger said upon seeing this, deciding to give up, "May I keep the beast skin for now?"
"Does master want it?" Liz blinked in surprise and then responded, "If you want it, then I’ll give it to you."
"Is that okay?" Reiger was astonished, "This has been with you all along, just to give it to me, are you sure?"
At Reiger’s words, Liz’s cheeks turned pink again, and she spoke in a very soft voice.
"Because it’s for master..."
In Liz’s view, although the beast skin was something that had always been with her, the presence that would be with her from now on was this powerful and handsome master before her.
Giving what had always accompanied her to the master who would forever stay by her side seemed to Liz a very special ritual.
In the first half of her life, this master did not exist in her existence.
Therefore, by giving what she had always had from the first half of her life to the master who would be with her in the latter half, Liz felt that her entire life would then be wholly entrusted to Reiger.
Such romantic sentiments arose in the little princess’s heart, undeniably full of youthful innocence.
Reiger might have the ability to see through human bodies but could not fathom human hearts, and so he was naturally unaware of Liz’s inner voice and thoughts.
"Then I thank you,"
Reiger said, once again patting Liz’s head, causing her to display a shy but happy expression.
After appreciating the little princess’s bashful smile for a while, Reiger turned his attention back to the beast skin in his hand.
On the beast skin, the pattern invisible to others was revealed without a doubt.
It depicted a scene akin to the myths and legends.
Figures drawn with fine lines surrounded an altar, kneeling in its direction, as if worshiping a deity.
At the forefront of these figures stood a queen, with lines suggesting feminine features. She wore a crown, a royal cloak, and held a dazzling golden sword.
The people were worshipping at the altar under the queen’s leadership, offering their prayers.
Above the altar, an object was suspended.
A square object, resembling a magic cube.
"......"
Reiger repeatedly confirmed the cube on the altar, then turned his thoughts inward, falling silent.
For a long time, there was no reaction.