Kingdom Map

Suye looked over the basic magic lessons and felt that he still hadn't memorized them firmly enough. Yet this material was of the utmost importance. When he noticed Horton resting out of the corner of his eye, an idea suddenly struck him.

Suye put on an affected air and said, "Horton, how did you find today's basic magic lesson?"

Horton immediately felt a headache coming on. "I could understand most of it, but I can't remember it."

Suye immediately smiled. "I think it's pretty easy. Let me tell you—today's lesson is easy to remember. Imagine a map in your mind. In the center are the Greek Peninsula and the Aegean Sea. At the boundary between the blue ocean and the ochre land stands a towering white Magic Tower that reaches into the clouds. That's the inner-vision form of our Greek mages. On the clouds surrounding the Magic Tower, a Rainbow Carriage runs nonstop. The Magic Carriage is the magic flying artifact our Greek mages commonly use."

"Above the map—in other words, to the north—is a vast stretch of ice and snow. All kinds of wild beasts roam across it: polar bears, arctic foxes, huge whales, and so on, all howling wildly. These animals are the inner-vision forms of the Nordic Mages, called beast souls. In the frozen wilderness, great ships break through the ice as they move forward. Those are the flying magic artifacts commonly used by the Nordic Mages."

"On the right side of the map, to the east, is a vast green plain. Two great rivers run through it, and between them stands a Large Copper Lamp. When you rub it, poof—a Lamp God appears, with a head, arms, and upper body, but no lower body. That's the inner-vision form of the Persian mages: the Lamp God. A Flying Carpet darts around wildly like a mad dog. That's the magic flying artifact of the Persian mages."

"At the bottom of the map, in the south, is a vast desert. It's unbelievably desolate. Right in the center of the desert stands a Great Hourglass that's tens or even hundreds of thousands of meters tall, almost reaching the sky. Golden sand trickles down from it, representing the inner-vision form of the Egyptian mages: the Hourglass. Then you'll notice that pyramids circle the Hourglass, flying here and there. Those are the magic flying artifacts commonly used by the Egyptian mages."

Before Horton could speak, Suye continued, "Right now, you're using a single map to contain the magic systems of the four countries. If you connect the Greek mages' Magic Tower, the Nordic Mages' beast souls, the Persian Lamp God, and the Egyptian Hourglass, doesn't it become clearer and more vivid?"

Horton nodded in confusion. "Right. The great Magic Tower, the beasts in the snow, the Lamp God between the two rivers, and the Hourglass in the desert. What next?"

"Then keep studying. You can do it!"

Suye patted Horton on the arm, then closed his eyes. In his mind appeared the map of the four Magical Countries that he had created using visual memory techniques. He went over it once more and felt that he remembered it quite firmly. Then he opened his Magic Book again and searched for the next point of knowledge.

After a while, Suye patted the dazed Horton again. "Horton, your meditation lessons don't seem to be going very well, do they?"

"Mm." Horton looked at Suye with an ominous feeling.

"Then I'll tell you about inscribing Magic Array Diagrams..."

Suye suddenly became extremely talkative, using the break to explain three points of knowledge.

It wasn't until the bell rang for the final self-study period that Suye stopped. "Horton, let's work hard together. You can do it!"

Horton's heart filled with emotion. "Thank you, Suye. After you explained it to me, I feel much better. Otherwise, I still wouldn't have understood it."

Suye said, "Once you can explain it to me, that means you truly understand it. Keep at it."

Horton hurriedly shook his head. "Forget it. How could I explain it to you? Explain more things to me in the future."

"No problem!" Suye said.

With no teacher supervising them, the self-study period was noisy and disorderly. Some of the students who loved studying left the classroom to find quiet places to work.

Carrying his Magic Book, Suye went around to each teacher, asking what they needed to review that day and what they needed to preview for the next day.

By the time he returned, the self-study period was almost over.

Suye ignored everyone else and earnestly wrote the material to review and preview on the blackboard.

As soon as the dismissal bell rang, the students scattered in all directions, though a third of them remained behind to study.

Suye didn't leave. Instead, he went with Horton to eat, then headed to the arena. Along the way, he chattered about several points from that day's lessons. He occasionally got stuck halfway through explaining one, hurriedly flipped through his book to look it up, and continued only after he understood it.

Horton was extremely grateful, but he still felt that Suye was acting strangely.

However, Suye was being so earnest that Horton felt embarrassed refusing him.

Suye didn't disturb Horton too much. As soon as Horton began practicing Combat Skills, Suye immediately headed home.

After walking four or five streets, he could no longer see Plato Academy. A carriage suddenly stopped ahead of him.

"Good evening, Suye."

Smiling broadly, Horton suddenly jumped down from the carriage, followed by two tall, burly young men.

If he had encountered something like this yesterday, Suye would have panicked a little. But now, after looking over the two strong young men and sensing that they were at most apprentice warriors, he merely smiled.

The Magic Ox Rope was already tied around his waist, hidden beneath his belt.

"Good evening to you too, Horton."

Suye was ready to take the Magic Short Sword out of the Ruined Space at any moment.

Horton wore an exaggerated smile. "That day, you said you wanted to treat me to a meal at Dolphin River. My father heard about it. He said, 'How can we let a classmate pay for the meal?' So today, he reserved a Private Room at Dolphin River and is hosting you personally. I wonder if you'd be willing to come, Suye?"

Suye had been trying to figure out how to escape, but he froze for a moment. "It's really at Dolphin River?"

Horton gave an arrogant smile. "A place like that may be somewhere you only get to visit once in a while, but to our family, it's merely an ordinary restaurant. My father has probably been waiting for quite some time. Surely you're not afraid to go?"

"Your father is already there?"

Horton said impatiently, "Of course. Do I have any reason to lie to you?"

The two men behind Horton stepped forward half a pace and stared intently at Suye.

Suye realized that Horton was telling the truth and smiled. "If it's Dolphin River, I'd really like to take a look."

Horton gave a scornful smile. "Then get in. We'll have a good dinner together!"

He pronounced the words "good dinner" with unusual force.

"Sure, sure. Horton, you're far too kind." Suye smiled and climbed into the carriage on his own.

Horton gave the other two young men a meaningful glance, signaling them to keep an eye on Suye.

The two young men nodded lightly.

The four of them sat down. The coachman cracked his whip, and four horses pulled the carriage forward.

Suye looked around the carriage. "Horton, I didn't realize your family was so wealthy. Ordinary craftsmen can't make carriages; only mages can. This carriage must be worth at least a hundred Golden Eagles, right?"

"A hundred Golden Eagles? Suye, that's a rather cutting thing to say. My father spent a full three hundred Golden Eagles on this carriage!" Horton made no attempt to hide his pride.

Suye said in surprise, "Really? Ordinary carriages are already this expensive. How much must the Magic Carriage of the mages cost?"

Horton let out a cold laugh. "Country bumpkin. Even the cheapest Magic Carriage costs two thousand Golden Eagles, and that's for one that can seat only two people."

"I see."

Suye deliberately made conversation to distract Horton. He secretly glanced outside the carriage several times and discovered that the road really was leading to Dolphin River, so he finally relaxed.