"Knock, knock—"
The person outside knocked again, keeping the same rhythm and intervals.
Although the wooden door could not have stopped even a reasonably strong ordinary person, it was Dorian's only source of comfort at that moment. After checking the knocking rhythm against the agreed signal, he cautiously unlocked the door and pulled it open.
Standing outside, her hand still raised to knock, was his student Fors. She wore a black dress in the style of the late Fourth Epoch and an old-fashioned lady's traveling hat. She looked drained, as though she had just returned to Backlund from somewhere far away.
Had she just returned from another country to digest her Scribe potion? But Loen was now facing the predatory attention of three other countries. Wouldn't that put her in danger...? Instinctively worried about his student's safety, Dorian glanced down the corridor. Only after confirming that no one else was there did he let Fors into the room, lock the door behind her, and return to the tea table in a corner of the living room.
Once she had settled into her seat, Dorian did not immediately get to the point. Instead, he asked with concern:
"You look exhausted. Have you just come back from out of town?"
After being "bullied" by an angel and two Saints, Fors finally experienced someone else's concern again. A trace of warmth rose in her heart, and she nodded as she answered:
"As I mentioned in our correspondence, over the past few months, I've not only recorded many high-sequence Beyonder abilities with other people's help, but also visited various places to record their customs, legends, and scenery. That has allowed me to almost completely digest my Scribe potion.
"Over the past couple of days, I heard that a new city had appeared in the