Christina put the golden magic lamp into his usual school bag, locked the door with Dorothy, came to the street, and quickly caught up with Public Carriage who was passing by and ended at Tingen City North Borough.
It was now past the rush hour and there were not many passengers on the bus. The two girls sat down in the corner by the window and quickly fell asleep in the rickety carriage.
It's not too far from West Borough to North Borough, but the carriage's route has to take into account various locations and takes a detour, which takes about half an hour. In order to relieve this boredom, Christina covered the magic lamp in his satchel with one hand and poked his sister who was sleeping with her eyes closed. After the other party looked at him, he said:
"Why do you want to go out with me? I thought you would stay at home and complain to your parents at night."
Dorothy glanced at her and replied angrily:
"I'm worried that you left yourself outside and couldn't find your way home, or that you forgot to bring money and couldn't buy the Public Carriage ticket."
Hearing this, Tina looked away shyly. She really prepared to sneak out with Genie without thinking too much. Even the ticket just now was bought with the help of her sister.
Her eyes swept over a few passengers, and she asked as if changing the subject:
"There are so few passengers on weekends, why do they still operate on the usual schedule?"
Tingen City's Public Carriage fee has been 1 penny per kilometer with a cap of 4 pence since she could remember. It seems that it has never changed, and the cost of training and maintaining horses is not low.
"Because this is part of a public utility, it must continue to operate even if it is a loss. The additional costs are subsidized by the Tingen City government."
Dorothy lowered his voice slightly and explained.
"Most of the construction costs of postal services, tap water and gas in remote areas, as well as the recently popularized electricity facilities, cannot be recovered, but these must be done to subsidize them by collecting taxes from wealthy areas."
So that's it... Tina thought of the news he heard on the radio in the morning, and understood the purpose of building a wireless signal tower to cover the area around Tingen. However, looking at Dorothy who was a little proud, he couldn't help curling his lips and commenting:
"You are becoming more and more like dad. You like to preach on such small things."
"Didn't you ask the question first?"
Dorothy snorted and turned his head away, not wanting to pay attention to his sister.
But she quickly turned around and said softly:
"Lower your head."
Christina subconsciously looked out the window, and saw a sign hanging vertically at the door of the first floor of a three-story building flashing by.
Blackthorn Security Company.
It was where her parents worked... She immediately shrank her neck and hid her body inside the car like Dorothy sitting opposite.
Although their parents said they were going on a long trip this morning and had probably left the Tingen City area, the sisters were still worried about being recognized by a passing company employee.
At the same time, in a window on the second floor, a lady with white hair but not looking old seemed to notice something. She looked out the window and watched Public Carriage slowly passing by.
It wasn't until that line of sight disappeared and the carriage turned a corner and left Zouteland Street that Tina cautiously raised his head and looked back with lingering fear.
She remembered that the keen lady named Seeka Tron was a colleague of her parents. She would occasionally visit her home and even gave her a self-published novel as a gift.
Tina has browsed through it briefly and rated it as not as good as the "The Great Adventurer" and "The Great Pirate" series. The illustrated children's editions of these two best-selling novels are very popular in schools, and Tina is also one of the loyal readers. Unfortunately, the author, Ms. Fors Wall, has been seriously behind on manuscripts. In the past two years, she even claimed to go out to collect materials, and then there was no news again.
It was precisely because Mystical Item had seen many legendary stories in these two novels that Tina decided to believe in the "magic lamp" and take it out on adventures.
Of course, necessary preparation measures must also be taken.
The carriage stopped, she and Dorothy got out of the car, and looked up at a completely black building with a bell tower. On the front facade was carved a holy emblem composed of eyes with no pupils and Distortion's overlapping lines. The door below was ajar, and the interior did not look dark due to the light transmission of the huge glass windows. From time to time, believers in various costumes came in and out.
This is Church of the Fool's largest church in Tingen City, and it is also Tina's first destination when he "ran away from home".
She would not just blindly believe in the promise of "Genie" and run around with this strange thing, eventually harming others and herself.
Although the Great Adventurer Gehrman in the story uses politeness to cover up her madness and recklessness most of the time, she will still seek help from the church when she encounters difficult things to handle... She murmured in her heart, Fell short la looked up at Dorothy with the "Fool" holy emblem, and walked into the church door.
Fortunately, as soon as she entered Prayer Hall, she found the only familiar face among believers, priests, and Pastor.
"Wait a minute, don't talk," she whispered to her sister, and then walked forward with a smile, "Mr. Azik, good morning."
The person named Azik is a middle-aged man with a kind face wearing a Archbishop robe. His skin has some bronze color of the Southern Continent blood, black hair and brown eyes. There is a small mole under his right ear that is often covered by hair and collar. It is usually difficult to find.
But he hugged Tina when he was a child, and the latter remembered this feature very clearly.
"Tina, and Dorothy."
After seeing the person clearly, Archbishop Azik showed a soft smile. He strode to the door of the church. He did not praise Fool like he greeted other believers. Instead, he touched the heads of the two girls affectionately and asked:
"Where are your parents? Didn't they come together?"
Tina pretended to be disappointed and shook his head and replied:
"They have all gone away and won't come back until night."
Worried that Mr. Azik would expand the topic to her parents, she immediately took out Golden Lamp from her bag, showed it to Azik, and asked:
"Mr. Azik, we are here to let you take a look. Is this lamp made of gold? Is there anything wrong with the complicated pattern on it?"
She chose to come here instead of West Borough's church to inquire, precisely because she knew that Archbishop in front of her was also an associate professor of history at Khoy University, and might have special insights into this apparently ancient lamp.
If neither the clergy nor the history professor can see the problem with the magic lamp, then it is most likely safe. Otherwise, she will not take her sister on the adventure, but will leave it to the church.
Taking the small but heavy lamp, Azik first weighed it, then carefully studied the pattern on the surface against the light, and finally stroked the gold surface with his fingers, as if trying to summon the Genie inside.
At this moment, Christina's heart was in his throat, fearing that the wick at the mouth of the pot would be lit and a blurry figure would emerge from it, allowing Azik to realize one of his wishes.
Fortunately, nothing happened. Even if Azik's broad hands touched every inch of the surface, Genie did not appear again.
Returning the lamp to Tina, Archbishop said after careful consideration:
"According to the weight, this lamp should not be entirely made of gold, otherwise it would be worth more than three hundred pounds based on its size.
"The appearance of the lamp does not resemble Fifth Epoch the style of any country, and Fourth Epoch is not popular in gold products. It is either a more ancient antique, or a imitation of Artisan who does not understand history.
"Where did you find it?"
Three hundred pounds... This is my father's income for most of the year... At this moment, Tina had the idea of selling the golden magic lamp. He felt that he could satisfy his wish with this money alone, and he did not necessarily need Genie's promise.
But she didn't show any abnormality and immediately replied:
"I found it in the basement of my home, just placed in a wooden box... maybe it's an antiquities from the company where my parents work? I mean... some useless imitation antiquities?"
She was worried that the other party would misunderstand that her parents used their position to hide valuables, so she explained a few more words.
When he heard the basement, Mr. Azik seemed to smile a little.
"Then put it back where it belongs," he said in a gentle tone. "How could a truly valuable item be hidden in the basement?"
That's true... but the lamp itself is not valuable, but the Genie inside is real... Tina retorted in his heart, nodded obediently, and promised to put it back in the basement today.
Seeing this, Azik smiled with satisfaction, touched the heads of Tina and Dorothy, who had been standing beside him without saying a word, and then returned to the altar to prepare for the next sermon.
"Are you really going to put it back?"
After Azik walked away, Dorothy came forward and teased in a weird tone.
That depends on whether Genie will really fulfill my wish... Christina did not answer my sister's question, but turned and walked outside the church.
Before leaving, she took a look at the huge mural on the wall to the left of the door. Among them was the content of "Angel of Redemption" Gehrman Sparrow leading believers out of the dark place. This is also in the "The Great Adventurer" series The description, but it is performed in an exaggerated Adventure Novel style, and even includes the climax of the battle with the black Dark Angel in the legendary giant's palace, making it difficult to determine which side is true, or are both fictions?
Her sister Dorothy looked at the wall on the other side, her eyes lingering on "Calamity Angel" Angelica who calmed Storm and dispersed the clouds. She always felt that this somewhat holy lady's figure was a bit like her mother's back when cooking.
After leaving the church, the two walked for a few minutes and came to Street Park at the intersection of Red Moon Street and Zouteland Street.
There are green grass and beautiful environment here. The nearby residents take their children to stroll among the flowers and plants, and stop by the fountain, enjoying themselves.
But just over ten years ago, the biggest tragedy in Tingen City's history occurred here. The newly built gas pipeline leaked due to the renovation project of the park, causing a violent explosion. Nearly a hundred people died. Even Councilor Maynard, who donated funds to build the park and planned to run for mayor, died in the explosion.
Afterwards, Church of Evernight donated again to rebuild the park, provided large amounts of compensation to the dead and injured, and built a monument in the park to commemorate the citizens who died in the incident.
I remember it was September 1349... what day was it? It is said that there will be a 20th anniversary commemoration event next year... Tina Thoughts came to mind, but he did not stop and quickly came to the monument in the corner of the park.
This monument, which is about 1 meter high and made of black marble, has the names of each deceased engraved on the front, and detailed descriptions of the events that occurred on both sides. Tina took a cursory glance and found that it was not much different from what he learned in school, but was more detailed. It even mentioned that a young girl discovered traces of a gas leak before the incident and loudly reminded others to evacuate, which reduced a large number of casualties.
Unfortunately, this girl died in the explosion. I don't know which one on the list she was... Tina held a moment of silence for the deceased in his heart, then took out Golden Lamp and placed it on the monument.
She glanced back at Dorothy, and seeing that the other party didn't stop her, she continued to rub the surface of the magic lamp, trying to summon Genie inside.
This time, the wick at the mouth of the pot was lit as expected, and golden light spurted out, forming a figure above the monument that was slightly more solid and clear than what Tina had seen before.
"Very good, you sent me here." The figure seemed to be fluttering in the wind, Distortion ing constantly, making a majestic but low-volume voice, "I can feel that my strength has recovered a little."
Pedestrians walked by from time to time and looked curiously at the two sisters beside the monument, but none of them noticed the golden figures on the monument, as if their vision was affected by some kind of power Distortion.
The only ones who could see him were Christina and Dorothy. The latter squinted his eyes warily, touching the antique silver mirror he carried with him with one hand, and holding his sister with the other hand, taking her a little farther away from Genie.
"Are you Genie who can fulfill our wishes?"
she asked seriously.
"If you mean to fulfill my wishes first, and then let me fulfill your wishes, then yes, I am Genie."
The golden figure explained, then looked at Christina and said:
"She has fulfilled part of my wishes. Now she only needs to go to the remaining six of the seven nodes. When I get my freedom, I will fulfill her three wishes as promised. Of course, you can share these three shares."
"Wait, you said seven places? I thought we only wanted to send it here!" Tina interrupted Genie's promise with a hint of anger, "The others won't be except Tingen City, right?"
Genie answered confidently:
"Of course not Tingen City. If they were all here, I could find a cat who could help me solve the problem.
"But don't worry, if I say it can be done in one day, it will be in one day.
"The nearest other location is Backlund, the capital of this country."
Tina was stunned, while Dorothy behind her said calmly:
"But it takes 8 hours just to go back and forth between Tingen and Backlund, not counting the time waiting for the steam train, and this is only the nearest location.
"You're lying to us."
She looked at the floating Genie carefully for a while, nodded and said to Tina:
"Let's give it to Mr. Azik, Church of the Fool's Archbishop should be able to find a good place for this magic lamp."
The golden figure instantly became much brighter.
"Wait a minute, it doesn't take 4 hours to get to Backlund. You don't understand the true power of this world, so you think steam trains are the fastest way to travel." He explained somewhat eagerly. "I have recovered some of my strength and can help you reach your destination quickly and return quickly."
Really...Tina didn't quite believe it. She subconsciously looked at her sister, who thought for a moment and took out from her pocket the two palm-sized antique silver mirrors she took with her before going out.
"If you lie to us, I will send you to the church right away."
She first warned, then looked at the mirror in her hand, her expression softened, and she smiled. She held the edge of the mirror with her left hand, touched the mirror three times with her right hand, and recited:
"Mr. Arrodes, can you tell me whether what this guy coming out of the lamp said is true?"