Silver Bottle XI

Gilan had just finished putting away the paper and pens on the table and was about to go to bed when Lemei called from outside.

"Gilan, Lady Macara is looking for you."

Lady Macara wants to see me?

A flicker of confusion crossed Gilan's eyes.

During the two months they had come to the cabin to study, Lady Macara had never summoned any of the three apprentices alone.

Besides, it was already quite late.

"Understood," Gilan replied.

He straightened his clothes before pushing open the door and stepping out of the cabin.

Lemei stood outside, pointing toward the main house as she quietly reminded him:

"Lady Macara is waiting for you in the attic."

"Thank you." Gilan nodded to her, then started walking over.

Ordinarily, the three apprentices rarely entered the main house.

Even the first floor was crammed with jars and bottles of every size, color, and shape. A few contained strange preserved biological specimens.

Parchment scrolls and hefty books were piled in the corners, while the walls were hung with extremely complex hand-drawn diagrams and manuscript notes.

It was as though even the air carried the scent of mysterious knowledge.

Gilan carefully sidled past the clutter, lifting his feet high to avoid stepping on any of Lady Macara's things.

After quite an "expedition," he finally climbed the wooden stairs and, by the faint light of a candle, reached the attic on the third floor.

At the end of the stairs were walls on both sides, with only an ordinary wooden door straight ahead.

Gilan stepped forward and knocked.

Knock, knock.

"Lady Macara."

"Is that Gilan? Come in."

Lady Macara's gentle voice drifted out from the attic.

Only then did Gilan push open the wooden door.

The moment he entered, candlelight illuminated his vision, bright and clear. Yet the