Chapter 308 83. Secrets of the Turan Family (Two-in-One)
When Fisher woke up, the sky outside had already darkened. He rubbed his brow tiredly and squinted at the moonlight outside. When he got up, he realized he was covered with a blanket, though he didn’t remember when it was placed on him.
He was momentarily stunned and then turned to glance beside him, only to see a square book lying next to him, its pages open, staring at him with lifeless eyes.
“Hey, you’re awake!”
“…”
Fisher fell silent, ignoring the strange sense of déjà vu, and fought the urge to physically silence Emhart by pulling him closer. Instead, he rubbed his brow, feeling the pressure on his body gradually easing. He turned around and got out of bed, which made Emhart furious.
“Dammit! If I had known, I wouldn’t have bothered with you! I cover you with a blanket, and you can’t even say thank you, you piece of trash!”
Fisher glanced back at him, suddenly remembering something. He spoke to Emhart, “I just remembered something. You said that the Phoenix Race had once expelled the Chaos Race that invaded the Northern Region, but I don’t know the specific details. The curse that appeared last night is related to both the Phoenix Race and the Chaos Race.”
“I suspect that the decline of the Phoenix Race is closely tied to the Chaos Race.”
Emhart angrily flew onto Fisher’s shoulder, glanced at his contemplative expression, and then sighed, continuing, “That’s very possible. The Chaos Race resides in the Spirit Realm and is an unimaginable high-level subhuman race. Very little is documented about them in the real world. If there’s anyone who might still know their clues in this world, it’s probably that Demon God Baemon, who still lurks among us.”
“She entered the Spirit Realm once and roamed there for quite some time. The knowledge I shared with you about the Chaos Race was all found in her notes. But honestly, pondering these seemingly distant clues is unnecessary right now. You should focus on how to deal with your ex-girlfriend and maybe your ex-ex-girlfriend, too.”
Fisher looked at Emhart on his shoulder and, considering his earlier concern, couldn’t be bothered to mind his sharp tongue. After sleeping for a whole day, he stretched his body and soon felt a bit hungry, thinking of looking for something to eat outside the room.
However, Emhart did have a point. Eil also mentioned this matter to him before. He should focus on getting his tasks done and preparing accordingly. He planned to borrow Haldor’s Magic Workshop later and prepare some high-level magic spells, while also reading the Soul Supplement Handbook.
The corridor was quiet, and even Selti’s room didn’t make any noise. Checking the time, he realized he had slept straight from morning until ten at night, missing two meals, which explained his hunger.
He went to the kitchen, didn’t see Heidi Lin, and instead found a maid still cleaning. He asked for some bread and a little jam. While eating, he took out the workshop key that Haldor had given him earlier and made his way to the dining room’s lower level, where Valentina lived.
Speaking of which, he hadn’t had much interaction with Valentina yet, but she didn’t seem as naive as Haldor described. On the contrary, she appeared quite strong.
Most relationships are two-way. Haldor’s concern and loyalty toward Valentina easily hinted that this true member of the Turan family, viewed as a granddaughter by Haldor, held deep respect and reliance on him.
Because of this, she didn’t falter upon witnessing Haldor, who had just managed to continue living, die again before her; it showed her resilience didn’t match her age.
Fisher pondered this while inserting the magic workshop key into the keyhole. As he turned the lock, warm light from the workshop quickly flooded out through the crack, illuminating Fisher’s face, making him glance in surprise at the room.
Is there someone inside?
“Ugh…”
As he pushed the door open, he immediately regretted it because, in that second, he not only saw the soft light in the room but also heard an extremely clear sound of sobbing.
The door swung open suddenly, revealing that the room hadn’t changed at all from when Fisher had visited before. The only difference was that the figure sitting in the chair was no longer the mechanical Haldor but the young lady of the Turan family, who was slumped over in a wheelchair.
Hearing the door open, the pale-faced girl with tear-streaked cheeks suddenly lifted her head to look at the entrance. Her expression was one of shock as she locked eyes with Fisher for a brief moment. She slightly parted her lips, yet tears kept streaming down her face, dripping from her chin.
The silk handkerchief on the table was already half wet. It was unclear how many times she had used it to wipe her tears, but her eyes continued to well up with hot tears, like an unending spring. If it was a one-person emotional outpouring, it would be fine; however, being discovered by someone else made it awkward.
The atmosphere in the room gradually shifted from silence to embarrassment. Emhart on Fisher’s shoulder blinked at Valentina, then turned to Fisher, whispering mockingly, “Uh-oh, you’re in trouble.”
Encountering an embarrassing situation with his boss would surely earn Fisher a note in her little book of grudges. Even Fisher, the jerk, would find it hard to maneuver this one, especially since she knew about him being chased by Elizabeth, making her wary of him.
For some reason, seeing that Fisher couldn’t continue deceiving women brought Emhart an immeasurable sense of satisfaction, even more comforting than reading several books he had yet to read.
“Mr. Fisher?”
Sure enough, Valentina slightly furrowed her brows, and quietly reached for the handkerchief on the table, cleaning her eyes. She wiped away the beautiful vulnerability along with her tears, restoring her previously calm demeanor, if one disregarded her still slightly red eyes.
“Today is a day off. It’s fine even if you go ashore to relax. But for Mr. Fisher to still be up so late, do you need to speak with me about something?”
Although her words remained polite, the underlying meaning was quite clear, wasn’t it?
Facing Valentina’s cold words, akin to an eviction notice, Fisher neither felt awkward nor flustered. He silently grabbed Emhart, who was enjoying the show, and stuffed him back into his pocket. He took a step forward, entering the room and closed the door behind him.
The room immediately became sealed. Valentina pursed her lips, her hands awkwardly resting under the table, and she quickly rubbed her ring, watching Fisher’s every move with caution.
In front of her, Fisher earnestly nodded. He didn’t take the hint from Valentina’s words to leave but instead looked at her and said, “Although my initial intention was just to come down and carve some magic spells for future plans, Miss Valentina’s words reminded me that I indeed have something I want to ask you.”
“. Let’s skip today. I’m not in the mood for serious discussions. We can talk tomorrow at the meeting with everyone.”
Emhart, in front of Fisher’s chest, was increasingly enjoying Fisher’s misfortune and nearly burst out laughing, but obviously, Fisher paid no attention to his feelings, understanding slightly with a nod before saying to Valentina, “Alright, I understand. I will discuss what Mr. Haldor last said with you tomorrow. So, that will be all today. I’ll just grab some magic materials and return to my room.”
Valentina’s motion of rubbing her ring stopped abruptly. She raised her head to look at Fisher, who was preparing to get the magic materials, a brief pause of confusion crossing her face. After a second or two, her voice became a bit hoarse as she asked,
“What did Haldor tell you?”
Fisher turned to Valentina behind the table, merely watching her without saying a word. Valentina felt a headache coming as she rubbed her brow and pointed to a chair. “Please take a seat, Mr. Fisher. If you have any questions for me tonight, just ask.”
“. Then I’ll take my leave, Miss Valentina.”
Valentina shot a glare at Fisher, her first clear feeling of how terrible the personality of this man from Nali truly was.
He knew very well that she was in a bad mood. According to common courtesy, he should have apologized and exited the room after such an embarrassing scene, but instead, he stepped further into the room, using Haldor’s words to press her to answer his questions.
In the end, he maintained an expressionless face yet used a dismissive tone to say, “I’m sorry to disturb you.” This polite wording, somehow, felt a bit shameless coming from him.
Fisher nodded as he came to the chair in front of Valentina, and although there was a table separating them, it was clear that Valentina didn’t have books under her wheelchair this time. Thus, she was much shorter than Fisher. He easily caught sight of the tear mole at the corner of her eye.
That tear mole complemented her breathtaking beauty, like a sickly doll on a wheelchair, yet her strong, calm expression made her come alive, becoming exceptionally alluring and distinct.
Fisher didn’t speak first but scanned the interior of Haldor’s workshop. When he came a few days ago, he hadn’t anticipated their separation; therefore, he hadn’t thoroughly examined the setup. In this room without a bed, books, magic, and the album on the table were the only remnants of life.
“Mr. Haldor once entrusted me. He wanted me to do my utmost to help you find the legendary Frost Parasol Tree.”
“Ha, what a meddlesome old man. But just like he said, he likes to worry about these things, which also shows he genuinely trusts you. No, no, it’s more like he trusts Heilson’s students.”
After Fisher’s words, Valentina couldn’t help but smirk slightly, though her gaze was somewhat distant, making her smile appear glum.
“Yes, that’s something I’ve never understood. I feel like, as a student of a teacher, I shouldn’t have such significant power; otherwise, I should be welcomed wherever I go.”
“Haldor probably never mentioned to you that he traveled to many places when he was young, including Nali. Nali was the first stop he made after learning magic from his family. At that time, he had yet to be given a family surname and lived quite poorly. It was Heilson who took him in, helped him, and invited him to join the Magic Association in Nali.”
Valentina slowly placed her hand on the table, her long, white eyelashes fluttering like butterflies.
“Although he remained loyal to his family, he eventually returned to the Northern Region, but he always remembered the kindness and talent of that magician Heilson. Until he passed away, he continued to trust Heilson’s judgment of people and extended that trust to you. It’s proven that you are indeed very exceptional.”
“That’s just flattery.”
After a bit of small talk, the atmosphere in the room began to warm slightly. Valentina suddenly lifted her gaze to Fisher. In her slightly red eyes, a glimmer of silver flashed, tightly grasping her ring. She spoke softly to Fisher, asking,
“Mr. Fisher, I want to ask if Haldor discussed any details about the family and a mysterious person’s deal before he passed away?”
“. I don’t understand what you mean.”
Valentina’s grip on her ring tightened, countless past details flashing through her mind, and tears began forming again at the corner of her eye.
“Since I replaced Haldor’s body, he has often had problems, and there are many differences compared to before. His body often utters many words I don’t understand, such as ‘update,’ ‘data,’ ‘loading,’ and he would suddenly lose consciousness, becoming as cold as a machine. Sometimes I genuinely question if there’s a fake inside that body simulating Haldor’s tone to deceive me. The real Haldor has long since left this world, hasn’t he?”
Hearing this, Fisher silently sighed in his heart. The mechanism’s technology was indeed remarkable, capable of inserting a copied consciousness into a mechanism. It made him believe he was a real human when he first encountered Haldor.
But Valentina, after spending so much time with Haldor, could capture even the subtlest details that felt off. She might have suspected the real Haldor had passed long ago, but she continued to deceive herself until yesterday.
Faced with a question Fisher himself couldn’t discern the answer to, he didn’t know how to respond. Wasn’t the consciousness copied from Haldor still Haldor?
As a scholarly question worthy of being written in a paper, Fisher might argue and analyze; personally, he could not distinguish or wish to distinguish. He didn’t recognize the real Haldor—he could only identify a hint of it from the searing soul that continued to burn into death rays.
Lost in thought, Fisher suddenly noticed that on the table in front of Valentina lay the necklace engraved with the eleven-ring magic that Haldor had created to dispel light.
Looking at the photo of Valentina and Haldor on it, Fisher spoke, “Does this really matter, Miss Valentina? Even if the contents of that deal were not ideal, the outcome must have been what Mr. Haldor wanted to see. Everything that happened last night was before your eyes and serves as the best evidence.”
As he spoke, he took out a small, snowflake-shaped emblem from his pocket—the Cangniao Tribe emblem he had received earlier. He placed it on the table and slowly pushed it in front of Valentina.
“So, I think that my promise to that Mr. Haldor is also a promise to the real Mr. Haldor. I will do my utmost to help Miss Valentina reach the legendary Frost Parasol Tree, holding faith in you.”
Valentina looked down at the emblem close to her, and even though Fisher hadn’t explicitly stated it, she suddenly understood the answer. That answer weighed heavily on her heart, causing her to choke up as some of her white hair fell down.
Emhart, positioned before Fisher’s chest, found it increasingly hard to hold back his grin, unable to bear the scene any longer.
Could it… really be happening like this?
Fisher remained silent, although the other person still sobbed before him; the atmosphere in the room was no longer as awkward as the first encounter.
Yet ultimately, Valentina’s tears did not roll down her cheeks. Before that, she gently reached up and brushed away the burning drops. In the silence, Valentina suddenly leaned her wheelchair back a bit, fully exposing her form to Fisher’s eyes.
Her feet appeared completely numb, like two iron polymer blocks dull and hidden under her skirt. Valentina took a deep breath before looking up at Fisher, speaking slowly, “The Turan Family—or rather, the real Turan family—is burdened with a severe genetic disease that causes most to leave this world early, rarely exceeding thirty years. The more severe cases even come with disabilities and deformities. And I just happen to be the most fortunate and unfortunate one in the family.”
“My misfortune lies in the fact that my genetic illness is more severe than anyone else’s. Not only is my body frail, but I also have disabilities and deformities. The fortune, however, is that I have been able to sense a certain call from the Sema Snow Mountain since childhood, and I can hear the whispers from the Moon Princess’s sword. More importantly, I am the only member in a millennium of family history capable of wielding the Moon Princess’s paired sword.”
Fisher listened calmly as Valentina spoke. He keenly sensed that the previous death of Haldor and the legacy he left behind, along with the Cangniao Tribe emblem he had unwaveringly offered, had finally unlocked the door to trust within Valentina Turan’s heart. Though it was merely a tiny crack, having a start was undoubtedly a good thing.
The secrets hidden within the Turan family and her purpose for seeking the Frost Parasol Tree finally came into Fisher’s view.
“Genetic disease? Is that the reason your Turan family seeks the Frost Parasol Tree?”
Fisher glanced at Valentina’s graceful body, even while sitting in a wheelchair, and saw no signs of the “deformities” she mentioned. However, he certainly wouldn’t be rude enough to inquire openly; he only dove into the most important question.
Valentina’s fair fingers continued to rub her ring before she nodded, looking at her own frail body with a somewhat ironic smile.
“The family’s classic texts and passed-down stories all indicate our family’s curse is linked to the legendary Frost Parasol Tree. Throughout history, many insightful individuals from the family sought to find the Frost Parasol Tree to resolve this issue but ultimately all came to nothing. The so-called ‘nothing’ means they all died very miserably in the end.”
Her words were calm, talking about the fate she was currently chasing without reservation.
“Anyone in the family related to the Frost Parasol Tree will die tragically. I should also meet such a fate, yet perhaps because I can wield the Moon Princess’s sword, I have ventured further than all my ancestors. The tomb of the Cangniao Tribe was a result of my pull from the Sema Snow Mountain, where I sensed a certain indescribable call. Up to now, including the Cangniao Tribe emblem you just gave me, I have obtained three emblems.”
“I have never shared these details with any of my hired subordinates. I have always felt that maintaining a pure employment relationship could distance me from my impending doom. I do not want any of my subordinates to die because of the Frost Parasol Tree, including you. Therefore, even if you promised Haldor to help me find the Parasol Tree, if it comes down to a point of no return, it’s better for you to leave decisively. But before that, the Turan family will help you escape your ex-girlfriend’s clutches.”
Hearing the term “ex-girlfriend,” Fisher couldn’t help but chuckle helplessly, but he still shook his head with a smile and said,
“Then it seems I must disappoint you. I have very compelling reasons to go to the Frost Parasol Tree.”
Valentina looked at him, her faint silver eyes shimmering slightly. Her actions were suddenly halted as she jokingly told Fisher, “It’s a pity that even if you express your willingness like that, I remain unmoved. Perhaps if you added, ‘The reason I’m going to the Frost Parasol Tree is for you,’ I might hesitate for a second.”
Emhart’s smile returned brightly. Indeed, it seemed there were still women in this world who wouldn’t be deceived by Fisher’s sweet words.
This world is certainly marvelous!
Unexpectedly, Fisher was slightly taken aback and decisively shook his head, smiling at Valentina as he said, “Don’t worry, it’s not for Miss Valentina.”
“. Oh, is that so?”
Valentina resumed rubbing her ring, but her response to Fisher’s words was a second slower, leaving Emhart’s smile dimmed—a feeling of being dragged down like Valentina.
After that remark, the atmosphere in the room quieted momentarily. Just as Valentina opened her mouth to speak, the door behind her suddenly swung open, revealing Heidi Lin’s worried expression.
“Miss, you haven’t had your dinner yet. Would you like to… oh, Mr. Fisher? You’ve gotten up! How come you got up and went to find Miss Valentina right after getting out of bed?”
Upon hearing this, Valentina’s body stiffened slightly. She glanced at Fisher, then at Heidi Lin, and her finger movements became slow and irregular.
Fisher, on the other hand, remained calm as he clearly saw the look of blame and annoyance in Heidi Lin’s eyes; it appeared she was upset that he ignored her earlier hints while being rather friendly to Miss Valentina. In reality, he hadn’t been particularly warm towards Valentina either.
Heidi Lin’s eyes seemed to convey, “Oh, so you like this type, huh? Not happening!”
“It’s nothing. I just wanted to carve a bit of magic after waking up. I happened to run into Miss Valentina.”
“Oh, is that so?”
Heidi Lin’s response sounded somewhat unfinished, and Fisher had a thick skin. Or rather, he was upright and unafraid of shadows, so it didn’t matter. Yet Valentina appeared somewhat exasperated as she rubbed her temples and interrupted Heidi Lin.
“Just bring dinner here. Do you have anything else to discuss with me?”
Upon hearing Valentina’s words, Heidi Lin finally shook off her excited demeanor and clapped her hair crown, speaking enthusiastically to Valentina.
“I almost forgot there’s something serious to discuss! Miss, news has come in from the family saying that the leader of the Snow Fox Tribe has given the green light, willing to discuss the matter of the emblems with you, right in the area of Miya!”
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