Chapter 57: Abyssal Black Magic

“Holy shit.”

Limon furrowed his brows.

It wasn’t just because the sound coming from its tiny beak was so uproarious. He also didn’t expect the docile bird that was dead silent just moments ago would create such an outburst so suddenly.

But that was only the beginning.

Squeak squeak squeak! Sq, squeaaak!

As if one wasn’t enough, the baby bird shot up from its cage as it continued to let out screeches. It raised both its wings high up in the sky, waving one wing like that of a human being as it continued to make odd movements.

“…What the hell is up with that bird?”

It was a brouhaha, a pandemonium.

Limon was dumbstruck seeing the baby bird frantically move about like a stranded man catching the sight of a boat in the distance.

Li Chingwei, who was reading the direction board next to him, answered.

“It says that the bluebird of the Florine is a rare species.”

“Florine, you say… Wasn’t there a witch called that in the past?”

“Yes, it seems that that witch had created this species through familiar spirits. It is smarter than other birds and has a longer lifespan to boot.”

“Does it suddenly go insane as well?”

“I don’t see that on here.”

“Hm, I guess this little guy’s just weird then.”

Squeak, squeaaak!

The baby bird jumped up and down as if begging for them to stop talking and look at it.

Seeing this, Limon recalled the familiar spirits of the witches he saw in the past. He slowly shook his head. Perhaps it would have been understandable if it was a dark mage, but he didn’t think a witch would create such a nutcase of an entire animal species.

“Do you know why it’s acting like that?”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“I apologize. While I am an inheritor of the Hundred Beast Formations, it is not a curriculum I am familiar with.”

“But you at least have a rough idea of it, right?”

“Uhm, I’m not sure…”

She tilted her head.

The baby bird’s reflection shown in Li Chinwei’s beautiful, obsidian eyes.

Her face turned into a look of surprise.

“I can tell it’s very happy to see you for some reason…… But I can’t read any further into it.”

“Really?”

“Yes. As the Master of Swords may know, Psionics can be used for all purposes, but it is not omnipotent.”

Although the Psionics of the Black Dragon Clan could read minds, it was very limited. Limon knew that it didn’t work quite as well on animals with a different cognition from humans, or those with a strong will like high-level players. Without those limitations, he probably couldn’t have crashed into the Seven Dragons Association as he pleased in the first place.

“Well too bad, then.”

And so, he simply nodded in agreement.

“All right, guys. Time to go.”

SQUEEEEEAAAAK?!?!

The baby bird opened its eyes as wide as a giant bubble as if it heard something it wasn’t supposed to.

Even Shia, who was staring at the bird with dead eyes, turned to Limon in surprise.

“Already?”

“We can’t stay here forever,” Limon said nonchalantly.

The baby bird was weird no doubt, but that was all there was. Limon had seen all sorts of animals throughout his long life—from the human-beast chimera, elementals that were the leading forces of the elemental crisis, to the predators who devoured entire islands.

It wasn’t weird enough for him to bother.

Squeak, squeaaak!

“It looks like it really doesn’t want us to leave,” Shia said on behalf of the children.

Whether it was because they’d never seen a rare species before, or because they still had some sensitivity left in them thanks to their young age—the children hesitated to leave the bird’s side.

Limon shrugged.

“I mean, I don’t mind…… But you guys won’t be able to get on the rest of the rides.”

“Huh…?”

“No bumper car?”

Finally realizing the reality of things, the children’s faces all turned into that of shock.

Looking back and forth between the children’s heartrending eyes and the baby bird, Shia set on a decision.

“Then let’s hurry.”

Squeak?!

The baby bird’s beak opened agape like how Caesar did when Brutus stabbed his back.

But Shia did not double down on her decision. There was always a chance to return sympathy, but they might not go to an amusement park again. Being the practical elder sister of the children, Shia wanted them to enjoy as many rides as possible.

“Sorry, bluebird.”

“Bye…”

Squeak! Squaaak! Squeaaaaaaaack!

As if it was hanging on to a thread, the baby bird cried out even more desperately than before as it flapped its wings.

But the children, though looking back in disappointment, trotted along to follow Limon.

Squeeeee…..

After a moment of being lost on what to do, the baby bird shut its beak in determination.

It stepped back a few steps. Squeezing its eyes shut, it started running as it spread its wings wide open to fly. It was a leap for freedom, a leap only beasts with wings could attempt.

Flop!

Of course, the outcome was pathetic. There was no way it could have possibly gained any momentum with its barely developed wings.

The baby bird fell straight down from its nest as it struggled, landing flat on the floor of the cage.

Squeak.

Fortunately, it weighed so little that it didn’t get hurt, and the baby bird immediately shot up to start running again.

But shortly after, it had no choice but to abruptly stop sprinting.

The final boss of this zoo, the birdcage, stood in its way.

Squeek, squeeeek.

Failing to force its small body through the cage, the baby bird looked down at its chubby stomach in resentment. It seemed to ponder for a bit, and then started desperately grabbing onto the bars with its wings.

It was truly a futile act. Even if the bars of the birdcage were narrow, it would be impossible to bend them as a baby bird. It was not a rhino or a bear.

But a shocking thing happened immediately after.

Poof!

The baby bird seemed to disappear amidst struggling with the bars in its grasp, and it reappeared outside of the cage. It was a spectacle that would make one doubt their own eyes—utterly impossible. It was absolutely impossible to get out of those narrow bars with the small but chubby body of a baby bird…

Unless it used teleportation…?

Squeaaaak.

Both fortunately and unfortunately for the bird, no one saw it escape the cage. There weren’t many visitors in the zoo, after all.

Trot trot trot trot.

Having safely gotten out of the cage without garnering attention, the bird started to run again in a strangely fatigued manner.

Towards where Limon’s group headed to just moments before…

***

***

Meanwhile, Limon could only be dumbfounded. They had left the zoo to get on as many rides as possible, but an unexpected obstacle had made it rather hard to do so.

“…This is under construction as well?”

“That’s what it says, at least.”

“Just how many facilities are ‘under construction’ in this amusement park?”

“It’s old. Probably because there are that many broken facilities.”

“But this is going overboard…”

Limon clicked his tongue.

If it was just one or two facilities, Limon would have accepted it. But after the zoo, there were already four ‘under construction’ signs—seven if they included the ones they saw before the zoo. It was getting to the point where it was unclear whether this was a running amusement park or a construction site.

The facilities they’d seen up to this point weren’t all that different, either.

The unicorn on the merry go around was hornless.

The Ferris wheel stopped mid-cycle.

The pirate ship was much too slow.

Blissfully unaware, most of the children enjoyed them. But that only applied to the kids who had never been to an amusement park before.

Those who had gone to any amusement park even once tilted their heads.

‘Huh? Is this the same ride I remember?’

“I chose this spot for inspection because it was globally renowned in the past, but it seems I have made a mistake.”

“So you did have some plans for inspection after all.”

“They say to get a crimson skirt, after all.”

t/n: crimson skirt: Idiom meaning ‘other things being equal, choose the better one. Derived from ‘if you have to choose between two women, marry the virgin’

“…Do you even know what that means?”

“Doesn’t it mean it’s better to get a red skirt so the blood splatters don’t show?”

“What’s up with you giving evil twists to phrases?!”

Limon was dumbstruck by Li Chingwei’s beaming statement.

But he didn’t press her any further. He couldn’t in the sudden situation they found themselves in.

Swoosh!

“Aaaack!”

“Grandpa. Rain, rain!”

“…The damn fuck?”

Adding insult to injury, rain started pouring down from the sky.

Running from the strong downpour, Limon took the children to a nearby building as he turned around to Li Chingwei.

In a rush to get away from the rain, they’d come to the museum of magic. It was hard to tell if it was an entertainment facility full of junk or a warehouse.

“Didn’t you say the weather was clear today, princess?”

“That was the forecast when I checked it.”

“Then why is it raining?”

“I… don’t know?”

The downpour was so strong that Li Chingwei, despite only being in the rain for a short minute, was completely drenched from head to toe.

The answer to his question came from an unexpected source.

“Oh, this? It’s like that sometimes. Don’t worry about it.”

An employee with snow white hair in a silk magician’s hat spoke. Limon looked at him with suspicion.

“What do you mean, it’s like this sometimes? It rains on clear days?”

“The fountain system broke a while ago. It happens a couple times a month since ‘bout a decade ago.”

“So this is fountain water, and not rain?”

“That’s right.”

“…What kind of fountain water rains from the damn sky?”

“It’s a fountain system that was made from a deal with an elemental. There used to be visitors coming just for the fountain, but that’s all in the past now.”

The old man sentimentally gazed into the distance. Shaking the memories away, he continued as he rummaged in something.

“Anyways, don’t be too upset. We give free tickets and umbrellas on days like these.”

The man extended out a pile of plastic umbrellas and tickets.

Limon stared blankly at his accustomed demeanor. He looked so used to it that he looked aloof. He turned back to Li Chingwei.

“You sure this is an amusement park, princess?”

“Uhm…… I think so?”

Limon sighed seeing her smile awkwardly, a little embarrassed.

But the real trouble was someone else.

“Does that mean we can’t use the facilities anymore?”

“Well, now, the outdoor facilities won’t be operating. But you can still come into places like our museum of magic.”

“What does ‘not operating’ mean?”

“We can’t go on rides anymore…?”

Already exhausted from walking in vain, the drenched children looked like they were on the verge of tears hearing they couldn’t go on any more rides.

‘Fuck, we’re fucked.’

Tears welled up in their eyes.

Limon groaned looking at the children about to burst. He knew one crying child would lead to everyone else crying like water tipping over an overflowing cup. He turned back around to the old man.

“Oi, so the museum of magic is open?”

“Yes, it is.”

“Then do something the kids would like. You’re an entertainment facility, you gotta have something.”

“Hoho, leave it to me. I have just the thing.”

The old man wheezed. He got up and dug through the pile of junk.

Clunk.

He lightly set down a long box on the table.

“…?”

As soon as he saw it, Limon’s expression turned peculiar.

The old man seemed to hold in his laughter as if he knew they were going to expect fireworks or a toy to come out of the box. But instead, a stale, moldy stench of magic brushed past his nose from the crevice of the box.

‘This isn’t just a toy.’

“What are you waiting for? Open the box.”

He looked at the man suspiciously as he urged him to open the box.

With Shia silently adding pressure for him to do anything to keep the children occupied, accompanied with Li Chingwei’s curious gaze, Limon finally opened it.

Creeeek.

Inside the box, the thing was sound asleep.

It was an old, tattered antique. Yet it had a structural beauty more exquisite and beautiful than any gem as the mysterious relic radiated a seductive black glow.

It was the ‘Black Abyssal Violin’.

——

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