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Chapter 61: Coincidence? Coincidence!
Chapter 61: Coincidence? Coincidence!
Liam had initially thought that this parchment treasure map might have come from some mysterious organization or secret cult, or even from an adventurer. They must have found it through their perilous journeys or by sifting through ancient records.
Only a treasure map obtained through such arduous efforts could justify such a dangerous adventure and the precious knowledge inheritance that came with its successful completion.
This belief was further reinforced when Liam discovered that the Thief was a Vampire. After all, in the anime he watched in his previous life, Vampires were often well-versed in history and possessed many secrets about treasures.
However, the Thief now claimed that he had made the map himself. Liam found this hard to believe, but Life Magic confirmed that the Thief was telling the truth.
Still feeling a bit unsatisfied, Liam continued to question the Vampire Thief, "If you made it, how can the parchment look so ancient?"
"I used old ink and old parchment", the Vampire explained, addressing Liam's concern.
This was a common trick in the antique market. Why hadn't he thought of it? Liam began to reflect on his oversight. But before he could start his self-reflection, another question came to mind: "Why did you draw a map and carry it with you?"
"Because..." The Vampire Thief hesitated, and Liam sensed a fluctuation in his soul, indicating that he might be regaining consciousness.
Without a word, Liam raised the crowbar and delivered another bout of blows. Liam was actually a pacifist and generally disliked using violence. However, given that he had nearly lost his life, he felt justified in resorting to more forceful measures when confronting the culprit.
Physical persuasion proved effective, even against a legendary Vampire. This also suggested that Vampires, in most cases, were not the mindless, unfeeling beings of legend but were more similar to humans. If they were truly unfeeling, Liam would have had a much harder time convincing them.
After casting a spell to soothe the Vampire's soul, Liam got the full story. The Vampire had intended to use the map to lure lonely travelers and then rob them with the help of a few cronies.
The reason he chose that Altar was that it was a genuine tourist attraction, mentioned in various travel guides, which would not arouse suspicion from potential victims. However, the area was remote and rugged, making it an ideal spot for an ambush.
Hearing this, Liam was speechless. The adventure he had risked his life for turned out to be the result of a coincidence—a forged map intended for a robbery coincidentally matched the location of a real adventure. Liam found this coincidence almost unbelievable, but considering the many coincidences in history, it wasn't entirely out of the realm of possibility.
After learning the truth, Liam searched the Vampire and took seven Galleon coins. He then securely tied up the Vampire and left him there. He placed the two dirty wallets he found on the Vampire at the Saga Street Lost and Found and returned to his lodgings, feeling somewhat frustrated.
For the remainder of his stay in Iceland, Liam did not wander aimlessly. Instead, he stayed at the bed and breakfast with his parents, focusing on his homework and absorbing the knowledge he had gained from the adventure.
The peaceful days soon came to an end, and the family packed their bags and flew from Reykjavik International Airport back to London.
Returning to London, Liam only had one day to rest before Hermione called and arranged a meeting at the Library.
"Thank you for the gifts, those Runic talismans are fascinating. I’ve seen them in some books. However, the candy you gave me was confiscated by my parents. You know they are dentists and don’t want me to eat too much sugar", Hermione mentioned after they exchanged pleasantries.
Then, they took out their completed homework to discuss. Hermione expressed extreme admiration for Liam’s ability to finish his homework while traveling, saying that his dedication to learning was something she should emulate. (Liam: I just wanted to finish it quickly so I could have more free time.)
After discussing the problems they encountered in their homework, the two walked out of the Library and sat on a bench by the roadside to catch up on recent events.
Liam didn’t tell Hermione about his adventures, feeling that she was too young to know about such harsh realities. He remembered how Hermione had founded the House-Elf Liberation Association, and knew she would never support the Viking Wizards’ massacre of all the magical creatures on the island.
Instead, Liam took out a photo album from his backpack and pointed to the pictures, describing the places he had visited: the wetlands, the glaciers, the volcano, the Silentbird perched in the trees, and the giant North Sea Kraken he had observed from a special boat. He also mentioned Saga Street, filled with various exotic cultures.
"Oh, that’s amazing. Unlike me, who has been stuck at home reading books every day, not even allowed to use my wand. I’m really worried that I might get rusty from not practicing for so long", Hermione said after listening to Liam’s account of his trip.
"By the way", Hermione said, seeming to remember something. "Have you written to Harry recently?"
"Yes, more than once", Liam replied. "But Harry hasn’t responded to any of my letters. I think it’s unusual."
"Same here. Ron said he would try to figure out a way to get Harry’s reply. I hope he succeeds. Harry’s sudden disappearance is quite concerning", Hermione added.
After that, Liam took out the Durmstrang textbooks for first to fifth year that he had found and shared them with Hermione, as they had previously agreed to share any interesting old books they came across.
Hermione frowned when she saw the books. "Liam, I don’t think we should read these. After all, they are about Dark Magic."
"But these are Durmstrang textbooks, not random dangerous Dark Magic books. As one of the three major European schools, Durmstrang’s curriculum should be reliable", Liam explained.
"Besides, Pureblood families often teach their children some of these things. Muggle-born wizards like us rarely get exposed to this knowledge. I heard from the Weasley Twins that many Ministry of Magic employees can’t even cast a complete Armor Charm. This is likely because many Muggle-born wizards haven’t been introduced to such combat spells. Considering what we faced last year, I think we should learn some of these defensive spells."
"That doesn’t mean we need to learn Dark Magic", Hermione insisted.
Liam sat up straight, determined to explain his point clearly to Hermione. He didn’t want to argue over this.
(End of Chapter)
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