Chapter 141: A Hint
Chapter 141: A Hint
"Books on ancient magical scripts?" Mrs. Pince murmured as she took the note, reading its contents aloud before eyeing Albert with suspicion. "Professor Broad has recently borrowed a large number of books related to ancient magical scripts from the library."
"Yes, Professor Broad is researching this area," Albert nodded.
Mrs. Pince held up the note to the light to check for any signs of forgery, but of course, it passed the inspection.
"There aren't many books about ancient magical scripts left in the restricted section. Which one do you plan to borrow?" Mrs. Pince inquired as she tucked the note away.
"I'm not sure yet. I'll know which one I need after I've looked through them," Albert replied, his uncertainty mirroring his lack of clarity on what exactly he was seeking. Yet, he knew that he had accomplished one of the tasks for the "Magic Forbidden Zone."
"Did Professor Broad send you to borrow books?" Isabel asked, approaching with a slight frown. Usually, it was her who borrowed books for Professor Broad.
"No, I came to look for some information. I feel like I'm lacking in my understanding of ancient magical scripts, so I wanted to find answers in the restricted section," Albert explained without hiding the truth. His gaze lowered to the few books in Isabel's hands, and he furrowed his brows slightly.
"Follow me, Mr. Anderson. However, I must warn you that most of the books related to ancient magical scripts in the restricted section have been borrowed by Miss Isabel," Mrs. Pince said, offering a reminder. She could tell that Albert and Isabel knew each other and that they were both assisting Professor Broad.
When Mrs. Pince led Albert to a corner of the restricted section, he found that indeed, only a handful of books related to ancient magical scripts remained.
"May I browse here?" Albert asked Mrs. Pince.
"Yes, but don't stay too long and don't touch the other books," Mrs. Pince warned. "I'll be keeping an eye on you."
Albert didn't mind her warning. He intended to browse through the remaining books, searching for any records that might be of use to him. However, he had to admit that these ancient books had an annoying aspect to them—they were complex, tedious, and difficult to comprehend. Using modern understanding, many of the concepts they described were quite chaotic.
Albert flipped through several books in a row, feeling that only one book, which described the use of ancient curses, might be of help. The curses were written in ancient magical scripts and came with introductions. Some were dark magic, while others were not.
However, it was truly vexing. If one wasn't proficient in ancient magical scripts, they might not even understand what was written in the books.
This was a unique copy, and it looked dirty, as if it was about to grow mold.
In fact, all the books in the restricted section were in a similar state.
Albert didn't plan to borrow this book. Instead, he copied the curses he found useful verbatim onto parchment. Perhaps, he should consult Mr. McDougal about this rather than attempt anything rash on his own, as that clearly wasn't a wise choice.
After an unknown amount of time, Albert's notes on the parchment gradually increased, but he still hadn't found what he wanted.
"You don't seem to have found what you're looking for?" Isabel spoke up, having somehow appeared at Albert's side while he was absorbed in his book. As he closed it, she continued, "You don't seem to have found what you need." Her gaze fell on Albert's parchment, and her eyes sparkled with an unusual light.
"No," Albert acknowledged. He knew it wasn't that simple, unless he wanted to rely on his skill panel, but doing so would take away the joy of exploring magic.
"What are you looking for?" Isabel was genuinely curious about what Albert sought, as in her opinion, he was already highly accomplished in ancient magical scripts.
Runic letters were a type of magical text, and their essence might be a type of incantation. They could be used for casting spells, recording magic, or engraving on natural materials like stones and wood blocks to imbue them with unparalleled magical power.
"Are you looking for a way to use ancient magical scripts?" Isabel had figured out what Albert was after, even though it seemed absurd to her. If Runic letters were indeed a type of magical text, why had almost no one mentioned anything related to it?
"Mr. McDougal should already know how to use them," Albert said, holding up the wooden bracelet with a self-deprecating smile. "Instead of using Runic letters as meaningless decorations like I do."
Isabel fell silent for a moment before asking, "May I borrow this for a moment?"
"Here," Albert said, taking off the wooden bracelet and handing it to her.
Isabel examined it carefully before asking softly, "What spell did you cast on it?"
"Iron Armor," Albert replied.
"Do you want to use Runic letters to enhance the effect of Iron Armor?" Isabel furrowed her brows as she tried to distinguish the Runic letters on the bracelet, only to find that she couldn't decipher them.
"Did you design these yourself?" she asked, intrigued.
"Yes," Albert said. "As you can see, these letters are merely decorative."
"It looks intricate," Isabel commented as she returned the bracelet to Albert. "What do you think you're lacking?"
"Mr. McDougal said that to master the power of ancient magical scripts, one needs to be proficient in using Runic letters. Additionally, a strong foundation in magic is necessary, and one should also be adept at using ancient incantations," Albert explained.
"You already fulfill the requirement of being proficient in using Runic letters," Isabel said after a moment's thought. "But your age means your magical power still needs time to grow, and it's challenging to become adept at using ancient incantations."
"I feel the same way, but it's not too bad overall," Albert said, pointing to the parchment. "I've found some ancient incantations using magical scripts, but they're all exceptionally powerful and rough."
"What do you think you're lacking?" Isabel wanted to hear Albert's personal insights, as he was undoubtedly a genius with his own ideas.
"Incantations, or a way to guide the power of Runic letters," Albert admitted. "But I still haven't found a suitable method."
"Perhaps there's a book that might be of help to you," Isabel suggested, pointing to the books she had brought back.
"Magic Explained," Albert read the title, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes, Magic Explained. It's said to be a book that introduces wizards' understanding of magic from ancient times. Unfortunately, it's all recorded in Runic letters, which I can't read," Isabel explained.
This book had been given to Isabel by Mr. McDougal to return after she went back to Professor Broad's office. She felt that it was a hint for Albert.
However, Isabel didn't understand why Mr. McDougal was giving hints to Albert in such a roundabout way. Why not just tell Albert directly?
"It's quite odd," Albert agreed, flipping through a few pages. "But I feel it might be useful to me. Thank you."
"You're welcome," Isabel said. "If you make any discoveries, please share them with me."
"Sure," Albert said, tucking the parchment into his pocket. He held the book as they walked out of the restricted section together.
"Isabel?" Katrina, who was registering the borrowing information, looked up in surprise at her sister emerging from the restricted section with Albert. Her gaze shifted to Albert, and she raised an eyebrow. "Did Professor Broad send you to borrow books?"
Katrina knew a bit about Mr. McDougal's situation and that Isabel had been helping Professor Broad borrow books from the library. To be honest, Katrina envied these two lucky individuals. After all, Uncle McDougal was known for his generosity.
(End of Chapter)
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