Chapter 44: Chapter 44 The Little Cabin in the Forest
Translator: Exodus Tales Editor: Exodus Tales
At the summit of the forest, beyond the top of the dark clouds, lies a special semi-spherical room.
It even seems like the clouds are supporting this unique place. Apart from a giant telescope made entirely from pure copper, the room is constructed from a special type of silicate stone that can reflect all kinds of light.
Name: [Stargazing Room]
In the room, there are two men… or it seems like one man.
“A freshman has arrived, seems not bad…
“How can you tell?”
“His body is rather frail… weaker than all previous students. To be able to pass the fate event with such a body, he must be out of the ordinary.”
“I remember now, his name should be [Valen. Nicholas]… is it him? The apprentice knight who passed the Four-Star Level Event.”
“Four Stars, it’s been a while since we’ve seen a four-star freshman, should we increase the level of difficulty for the test?”
“That may not be a good idea… Enhancing ‘randomness’ and ‘variability’ can examine a freshman’s comprehensive quality better, not just blindly increasing the difficulty.
Moreover, his way of getting through a four-star event does not necessarily mean he took it by force.”
“I’ll listen to you, then. Should we conduct the test in [Dark Moon Forest] or inside the tower?”
“The former, it’s more variable.
“What method should we use?”
“Let him choose… Also, we need to add a variable.”
“Oh? Wouldn’t you say this is increasing difficulty?”
“Variables do not pose a risk, but are simply pure variables that will play a vital role in his future development… If this young man can identify the variable we set, it would be worth paying special attention.” “This does not seem to fit your style… Crow.”
“So is the Destiny Order.”
Caw- Caw!
The number of crows is even more than Han Dong imagined.
The carriage galloped along the winding road. On every tree branch Han Dong saw, there was a crow perched on it.
The rhythmic cawing of the crows seemed as if they were sending out some kind of signal.
Suddenly, the carriage that had been galloping the entire journey came to a halt… not yet having left the forest area.
“Did we run out of road?”
The forest path that was supposed to lead directly to the Mysterious Studies Building surprisingly ended halfway through, cut off by a group of trees.
Han Dong could only get off the carriage and discovered a ‘direction sign’ at the end of the road. Some strange characters were written on it – [Direction to Dark Moon Forest Exit], accompanied by a directional arrow.
“It seems like I need to walk through the forest to reach the Mysterious Department’s building and complete the freshman registration… Thankfully, I am prepared for this.”
Han Dong always thought ‘fire’ was very useful.
At least during the novice event and the previous ghoul event, he used a torch to illuminate… Therefore, Han Dong lit a torch prepared in his bag in advance and cautiously ventured into the weird [Dark Moon Forest].
Walking through this kind of dark, densely packed forest full of towering dead wood, one could easily lose their ‘sense of direction’ and deviate from the straight path.
However, Han Dong’s situation was different. He was very clear about what was direct; even if his physical condition made him deviate from the straight path, he would immediately correct it.
It might be because Han Dong himself had a strong sense of direction, or it could be due to the ‘Faceless Skull’.
After about half an hour of walking,
He had not yet left the dead woods but instead found a small wooden house with firelight spilling out in the middle of the forest…
Ever since being reborn into this world, Han Dong had seen too many unusual things.
“Perhaps this small wooden house of less than one hundred square meters is the ‘Mysterious Studies Building’… Let’s go and see.”
If it exists, it has a purpose.
Han Dong cautiously approached and circled the wooden house only to find out, there were no windows in the house… The fire light he saw earlier was only overflowing from the crack of the front door.
Bang bang bang-
Knocking on the door yielded no response.
When Han Dong slowly pushed open the wooden door,
It was not as magnificent as he thought, just a normal wooden house.
However, within the house, there were many delicate and strange ‘artifacts’, giving a sense of entering a medieval antique shop.
A message from no known origin fell right in front of Han Dong.
“Please choose any complete artifact in the house (you can even dismantle the door and take it away! But it has to be complete.)
Walk out of the Dark Moon Forest and hand over the artifact to the department management office
(Note: Your performance will determine the Mysterious Department’s comprehensive evaluation of you)”
“Another test… Just for reading, so strict.
First, there was the fate event, then the interview and the background check behind the scenes. Now, do we also need a test to reach the main professional building for registration?”
Han Dong thought that after reaching the interior of the Mysterious Studies Building, he would go through some basic testing equipment, checking his areas of expertise to plan his future course of study.
He didn’t expect it to proceed in such an eerie way.
“The result of the test will determine my subsequent studies at the Knight
Academy, I have to stay focused.”
After several days of stress-free rest, Han Dong’s condition had improved immensely… Not to mention, he also now has a ‘Ghoul arm’.
He pulled himself together and quickly studied the multiple artifacts in the house.
The ‘green crystal artifact (frog shape)’ placed in a jewelry box
The ‘Lamentation Box’ sealed in a glass cover
A ‘gas mask’ infused with a steampunk style The ‘stitched pig head mask’ hanging on the wall
‘Silk white thread’ scattered on the floor
“Besides the various items in the house that can be taken away,
Just the ‘special artifacts’ alone offer twelve choices; once I make a selection, the following test method will be determined, and the difficulty may vary.
Let’s choose this one…”
Han Dong sets his eyes on the ‘Lamentation Box’ encased in glass, preparing to choose this artifact that seemed to be from Hell.
Creak- (Sound of wooden board creaking)
Because of a step taken, he stepped on a particular wooden board that made a sound… This detail immediately caught Han Dong’s attention.
The sound made by this board under pressure was different from the others.
“As I thought… a secret compartment?”
Easily stepping away from the peculiar wooden board,
Underneath it, a rusty iron box was stored in a hidden compartment.
After checking the ‘item’ placed inside the iron box, Han Dong was a bit moved.
After several minutes of contemplation,
Han Dong selected the iron box and turned to leave the hut.
“Someone! ! ”
The moment he stepped out of the hut, there were faint footsteps from within the forest.
Instantly, Han Dong’s eyes changed, and he went on alert… A green plague thread ran down his right arm’s surface.
Who knew that the person running out of the forest would be a scruffy, black-haired girl.
Judging by her skin and features, she seems to be from the Middle East, and she had three golden nose rings on her nose.
The girl held in her hands a golden card symbolizing an Apprentice Knight.
With half-closed eyes, she asked with slight vigilance, “Are… Are you an Apprentice Knight?”
“Yes.”
“That’s great!… I have been lost in the Dark Moon Forest for several days, seems like I have finally found the right direction..”