Chapter 497: Nick Lamer's Study
Chapter 497: Nick Lamer's Study
The candlelight flickered, casting shadows on the walls that danced like the sudden tremor in Wade's heart.
He unconsciously gripped the quill in his hand, his voice trembling. "I... I don't understand, sir... What exactly do you mean by a gift?"
It wasn't that he didn't understand; it was just that the "surprise" was too big and too sudden, making Wade suspect that there might be some hidden danger he hadn't yet discovered.
Apart from the love of his parents, Wade had never felt that anything could be obtained without effort—
The admiration and care from elders, the respect and praise from his peers, and the reverence and love from house-elves, all of these he had to earn through his own efforts, bit by bit.
He had never forgotten the night he was trapped on the outdoor platform, the cold wind and the fear of the invisible noose tightening around his neck, all to avoid being discovered by Voldemort.
So at this moment, faced with this unexpected windfall, Wade felt no excitement, only caution. A chill seemed to creep up his spine.
"My books, my notes, and of course, my private study."
Lamer thought Wade was simply overwhelmed with joy and didn't know how to react, so he smiled warmly, his eyes filled with gentle amusement.
"Albus has too much on his plate. His passion for alchemy, which he had in his youth, was long ago replaced by other pursuits."
"I had originally thought that my books would become part of Hogwarts' library. Perhaps many years from now, some child would open them, driven by curiosity, and step into the world of alchemy."
"But Albus recommended you to me."
"He said... rather than waiting for someone who may or may not appear in the future, it would be better to choose the most outstanding and youngest alchemist of today."
"Dear Wade, before you accepted my invitation, I had already heard a lot about you from Albus... I have studied each of your inventions."
"I must say, they are very innovative. But what surprised me even more was the love and reverence for alchemy that your work reflects."
"I am dying, Wade. But if my research can be carried on by someone like you, then I will have no regrets."
Wade felt a surge of warmth coursing through his body, from his cheeks to his limbs, as if he were being burned by a flame. His heart pounded fiercely, and his ears buzzed, making him feel slightly dizzy.
He knew he should accept immediately, but the words that came out were, "Sir, I... I don't know what to say, this is too..."
"You don't need to answer right away, child." Lamer smiled kindly. "I understand that sometimes unexpected gifts can be overwhelming, like being pushed to the edge of a cliff."
Wade was barely a fraction of Lamer's age. To Nick Lamer, the boy's immature and unsophisticated behavior was a result of his youthful naivety, untouched by the world's harshness.
In fact, such a student made him feel even more fond.
"Follow me, Wade." Lamer turned and said, "Let me show you what you will inherit."
Wade followed instinctively, his hurried steps nearly causing him to step on Lamer's shoes.
It was clear that Lamer was trying to walk faster, but even at his "quick" pace, Wade had to walk slowly to avoid overtaking him.
Fortunately, Lamer's study was not far away.
In fact, he walked toward the massive mechanical grandfather clock standing in the corner of the room.
The main body of the clock was crafted from dark brown walnut wood, with brass trim along the edges. The clock face was also golden, with intricate markings around the edge and a robust brass hand that moved steadily.
At every hour, the clock’s hammer would strike the copper tubes, producing a resonant sound. If someone approached, the clock would enthusiastically announce the time and occasionally ask for help in dusting off its top.
Wade had been staying here for a few days and had seen this clock every day. He always felt that, like most of the furniture in a wizard’s home, it had been imbued with a bit of magic, but not too much.
As Lamer approached, the clock greeted him warmly. "Good evening, Mr. Lamer. It’s already nine twenty-one, and the night is very..."
Before the clock could finish, Lamer pinched the minute hand, turning it clockwise twice and counterclockwise three times, then tapped the numbers [6651382] with his wand.
With a crisp tapping sound, the brass casing of the clock slowly opened, and Wade held his breath, almost forgetting to breathe.
Just like his wardrobe, Nick Lamer’s collection room was hidden in the back half of the clock.
It was a vast hall, with thousands of bookshelves stretching from the floor to the ceiling, stacked with countless books, scrolls, and manuscripts, creating an overwhelming sight.
In addition, some shelves held sealed boxes, their purposes unknown, with runes glowing softly under the light of the magic orbs.
"Good heavens..."
Wade couldn’t help but exclaim, momentarily at a loss for words.
He felt that this collection room could fulfill most of his lifelong desires.
"I’ve been organizing these things, but the workload is much greater than I expected, so I’m afraid I won’t be able to finish. The rest will have to be left to you."
Lamer led Wade through the bookshelves, casually picking up a scroll, examining it, and then closing it.
"An ancient alchemy text... Honestly, most of the content is outdated, or the species mentioned are extinct, so there’s not much practical value... But they are rare editions, so they still have some worth."
"These books..." Wade asked in awe, "Have you read them all?"
Nick Lamer blinked.
"Of course", he said. "If I hadn’t carefully selected them, how could they have entered my collection room? Of course, Père also helped me with the selection."
Wade nodded with a hint of skepticism, his gaze drifting to the distance.
There were some bookshelves there, bound with iron chains, and most of the books were secured with magical locks. Many sealed boxes were also present.
"Oh, you noticed... Those contain dangerous knowledge. Just opening the books can be perilous. Although I’m leaving them to you, I hope you never open them", Lamer said earnestly.
"If they’re so dangerous, why not destroy them?" Wade asked curiously.
"Because they are also the wisdom passed down to us by our predecessors", Lamer said slowly. "Despite the danger, they might be useful someday."
"When might they be useful?" Wade asked.
"In Norse mythology, the king of the gods, Odin, sacrificed one of his eyes to gain supreme wisdom, throwing it into the well guarded by Mimir."
Lamer looked at Wade and said, "If there ever comes a day when you are willing to pay a price even greater than his to gain certain knowledge, then you may open those books."
Wade felt a chill run down his spine. He looked at the heavy chains and cautiously suppressed his curiosity.
(End of Chapter)
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