CHAPTER 33: CHAPTER 32: PARADISE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FOREST (6)

Every time Oliver tried to speak with the sage, that woman Lenor would appear out of nowhere again and again.

Whenever he took a step toward him or tried waiting for a moment when he would be alone, she would smile and walk up to him once more.

In the field, in the square, in the alleys, even near the tavern, he never managed to get a single moment with him without her blocking his way.

When he finally lost his patience completely, he decided to change his plan. He headed to the tavern, where Allen and Maron were sitting with the two other men.

They were laughing and drinking beside the man who looked like the old man. None of them had left the place despite the long hours, and none of them noticed his obvious tension.

The whole thing irritated Oliver badly, but he still stepped forward and sat beside Maron. Maron turned toward him but did not say a word.

Before Oliver could even start talking, the old man had already filled a new cup and pushed it toward Maron, as if Oliver were invisible.

No matter how much he tried to speak to them, he received no response at all. Their eyes drifted around him and away from him, as if his words were evaporating in the air.

After a series of failed attempts, Oliver walked out of the tavern feeling deeply frustrated.

He did not notice that the bartender’s eyes had been following him the entire time. The bartender leaned toward one of the men inside and whispered something to him while pointing at Oliver.

Outside, Oliver kicked a small rock for no real reason. He felt discouraged. People were ignoring him completely, the sage was trapped with that Eleanor look-alike nonstop, and all of his attempts led to the same dead end.

Stranger than all of that, the sun had not moved at all. It remained frozen at the middle of the sky, neither rising nor falling.

And he had not seen Lemur anywhere, despite searching the whole area. That alone made him even more worried.

While walking, he noticed a man following him. It was the same person the bartender whispered to in the tavern.

As soon as Oliver realized this, he sprinted toward the tower without thinking, and the man immediately ran after him.

Oliver kept running hard until he reached the tower door. He started pounding on it with both hands frantically.

At the moment the man was about to grab him, the door swung open and Oliver fell inside. The lady closed the door behind him instantly.

She stood looking down at him while he lay on the floor, gasping.

She smiled triumphantly.

"Did you realize I was right this fast?"

Oliver sat up and leaned against the wall.

"Yes, it seems you were right."

She folded her arms.

"You should have listened from the start. Did you get the attention of the town’s residents now?"

"I think so. One of them was already chasing me."

She raised her hand and a large chair appeared behind her. She sat on it.

"Be glad you made it in time."

Oliver blinked in surprise while staring at the chair.

"Wait. How did you do that?"

She lifted her hand again. A table appeared in front of her with a cup of coffee and a candle on it.

"It is the mythical creatures’ magic I told you about."

He stared at the objects that appeared from nowhere, then back at her.

"Magic that creates things? Is that what this is?"

She shook her head.

"No. As far as I know, there is no magic that can create something from nothing."

"Then how are you doing it?"

She gave a small smile.

"Do you remember when I told you this place is not a real reality but a mix between dream and waking? I have magic related to dreams, and that makes shaping things here much easier."

Oliver approached and began lifting the coffee cup.

"Can you teach me how to use this kind of magic?"

She flicked her finger in the air. The table vanished instantly, and the cup in Oliver’s hand disappeared with it.

Then she stood up and walked toward him.

"No."

"Why not?"

She put her hands behind her back.

"Because you cannot use this type of magic."

"What? Why? I am a hybrid too."

She shook her head.

"Yes, but the type of magic each mythical creature uses is different from one to another."

"So that means I can use another kind of magic?"

"Correct. But the type that appears depends on you, not on me."

"How do I activate it exactly?"

She leaned on the chair she had conjured earlier.

"First, close your eyes and stand on one leg."

"Can you be serious and tell me how to actually do it?"

"Oh, these kids are not easy to fool anymore. Fine. All you have to do is focus extremely deeply."

"That simple?"

"Yes. The time it takes to appear varies between pure mythical creatures and hybrids, but you should have shown at least a bit of it since you were five."

"Does that mean I am human since I never showed anything until now?"

"No. It is obvious you are not human. Otherwise you would be trapped in this illusion just like the other humans."

"In that case, why have I not shown any magic yet?"

"I do not know. Maybe it has something to do with that Autumn Spirit. Stronger mythical beings can suppress weaker ones."

"In that case, can I use the Autumn Spirit’s magic?"

"If she is your mother, yes. There might be a way."

"And what is that way?"

"You have to die."

"You know, if you did not want to tell me, you could have simply said that."

"I am serious. You need to enter a near death state."

"And how exactly am I supposed to do that?"

"When you are in extreme danger and on the verge of dying, your magic will intervene to save you."

"And if it does not work?"

She waved her hand casually.

"You will die. It is not complicated."

"I take it back. I do not want to use magic anymore."

"You need some courage, small one. Every power has a price, does it not?"

"No thank you. I do not want any power. I like being human."

"But you are not human."

"I am human."

"No you are not. You are a hybrid."

"Am I not half human at least?"

"If your father really is that man, I do not think there is a single human part in you."

"He is not my father anyway."

"Do you have any explanation for everything that has happened so far other than him being your father?"

"Yes. He has some mercy."

She burst into loud laughter, slapping her palm against the wall.

"Mercy? That man? Those two words do not belong in the same sentence. But do not worry. All we have to do is wait until we get the answer."