Chapter 21 The Palace of the Dead

Li Ou climbed into the carriage, and Miss Bachelor was leaning against the bulkhead with a false smile. What's wrong with her? Li Ou's heart was full of doubts, but he sat opposite the bachelor without saying a word.

"Asha, let me and Mr. Leo stay for a while." She told the lame girl, "Go outside."

The lame girl took the order and closed the car door.

"Is that her name?"

"Hmm. A good name doesn't match her appearance, does it?

Li Ou always feels that she is avoiding some terrible things. Did she come to him today to say these endless gossips? Speaking of appearance, how is her injury? He asked, "Have you found any way?"

"Well, there is some progress, but it is still incurable." Miss Bachelor shook her head, "I have some means... but it seems more painful and cruel to her."

Hearing what she said, Li Ou vaguely knew what she was referring to: remove the dead meat and then use the medicine for muscle. But that medicine is expensive and difficult to make, and the need is amazing. Although this is a drop in the wealth of black thorns, Li Ouguang shuddered at the thought of that kind of pain. So he said, "That's the last resort, and it will never be used until the time of despair."

"I've seen college scholars use that kind of means." Miss Bachelor's face was pale and her eyelashes trembled uneasily. "That's terrible. Few people dare to do it. I'd rather she maintain her appearance at this time.

Leo felt that her heart was full of fear, so he planned to end this problem. Anyway, don't count on the priest. Magic is not omnipotent, don't you think? He smiled and asked.

Miss Bachelor pulled out a dry smile, "Where are her legs?" She asked, "Do you have a way?"

"I can try to heal her leg, but it doesn't feel good."

"Is it similar to my method?"

"But other than that, there is no choice." Leo couldn't figure out why she was holding on to this matter. He was puzzled. You should ask her what she thinks. She is the person involved."

"I know." She seemed to notice Leo's impatience, and she finally changed the topic. Where are your two companions?" Miss Bachelor's eyes glanced out of the car, "Didn't they follow?"

"There are guests at home." He said simply.

They were silent for a while, and the carriage walked forward. All the way through Silver Maple Leaf Street, drive towards the edge of the business district, and the upward slope makes the horse difficult. Where are we going? Li Ou asked. Continuing forward from here is a square, and further ahead is another ring of the wall, with arrow holes and several tall arrow towers.

"The Palace of the Dead." Miss Bachelor whispered.

Li Ou noticed that there was a black thorn brooch on her chest. That is an unimpeded pass. The carriage drove through the steep slope and stepped onto the flat street. There were few pedestrians on the street, and almost all the shops were locked, as bleak as after the hurricane. However, the horse was extremely happy about this. She raised her horse's hoof and ran happily on the flat street. The hoofs are ticking, like marching happily.

Li Ou felt that something should not be hidden from her, and he couldn't hide it from her. Do you know black magic? He asked.

Miss Bachelor suddenly shook her body. Well, I know, of course I know." She seemed to be in a panic. What's wrong with her? Li Ou was puzzled. This is not like her usual. I know something about it." She lowered her eyes and said quickly, "There is something recorded in the desperate castle."

"Recorded in detail? Or are there only a few pens?

"Black magic is a forbidden skill that prohibits practice." She said, "Why did you mention it? Is there any problem?"

Li Ou felt that this kind of information should be detailed and honest in the mage and the Andal Church. However, except for the panic at the beginning, now she seems to be calm and indifferent, as if she has experienced the horror of black magic.

"I've seen a bachelor perform it." Her words confirmed his conjecture, but still frightened him. The desperate fortress is the city of bachelors, but it is such an evil law? It's not as you think. We are purely for research. She explained. But the mage used it only to study, but what was the result? It goes without saying. Otherwise, it will not be named an unknown black. Let's say so." She thought for a moment and replied, "That's just an experiment. The subject is an old black bear. The bachelor did this just to let us know the evil of black magic.

It's really a good bachelor to lead by example. In order to teach students, they don't hesitate to die. However, he was not afraid of death, but he still did not get the fear of black magic. Maybe it's because the experiment selected the wrong object?

"I promise that what you are about to see is more terrible than the experience of that black bear."

"What do you mean?" She finally raised her head, but soon avoided looking at him in a panic.

Do I have such a scary thing? Li Ou thought to himself. A priest said that the dead in the city now come from black magic. He told her, but heard her take a long breath.

The carriage passed through the square, passing through the artists who performed juggling and blowing away the flute, and passed several women who hurriedly looked left and right. Under the shadow of the wall not far away, the stall hawker forced a smile and muttered in a low voice. At least it's more lively than the streets just now - although it's not much lively. Li Ou felt that the arrow hole that originally threatened the enemy had become their protector at this time. After a while, the carriage had driven out of the gate and continued along the street. There were fewer and fewer pedestrians until they were completely disappeared.

After a struggle with stones and soil, the carriage stopped. Leo first jumped out of the carriage. He helped the lame girl Asha, and then took Miss Bachelor's hand to make her jump lightly. But she whispered a thank and walked straight past him to a strange building covered with smooth black stone, a conical tower-shaped but closed and seamless.

When I approached, I found that a ladder made of a huge stone went straight to the ground, and two red three hell dogs guarded both sides. Their eyes are as big as copper bells, as if they can spewing flames. They stepped down, and a copper-inlaid silver stood at the end, revealing a flicker fire in the cracks.

Miss Bachelor pushed the door in.

The darkness immediately swallowed them, and then the smell of rosin and cinnamon came to their faces, and the smoke produced by burning pine resin did not dare to show weakness, permeating their eyes and made them shed sad tears. Eighty bright lamps were placed on the altar dedicated to the newly deceased, and each candle on the copper candle holder burned hard. The long black scarf cloth hung from the conical roof, like a couplet to see off the dead. Leo felt as if he had entered another world - the home of the dead. They couldn't help but lightened their feet.

However, after a few steps, a deceased priest wrapped in a gray robe and wearing a hood greeted them. Sir and miss, visitors are not welcome here. His stiff and dry voice was like a dead person crawling out of the grave. Where are you going back and forth?

Miss Bachelor didn't say a word. Leo thought she would show the silver black thorn brooch, but what she took out was the bachelor's badge of the desperate castle - a standing fortress coat of arms blown by the wind and snow.

"Bachelor of Desperate Fort?" The priest's dead face pulled out a trace of surprise. Forgive me for my poor eyes. He returned the badge to the bachelor with both hands. Leo noticed that his outstretched hand was full of scars, showing a poisonous dark green, and some places were festering. That's corpse poison, Leo thinks. But his body is full of sweet smell, which is a spice used to preserve. What have you been doing here?"

Of course, it is to talk to the body. We are going to examine the body of the recent death.

The priest hesitated for a moment and glanced at Leo and Asha. His eyes are empty like the dead. Asher trembled, but Leo didn't care. He was with the dead all day long, and there was no doubt that he had been with the dead. All right, please follow me." He stretched out his hand respectfully to lead the way ahead.