As Adam walked along the road, he could sense someone watching him, and soon a carriage passed by his side.
"That noble, the one who also visited Alva," Adam thought, noting the markings on the carriage. His brow furrowed; his instincts were telling him that the person in the carriage might cause him some trouble.
Shaking his head, Adam pulled out the letter. He hoped that Alva hadn't lied, and that this letter would indeed help him find someone to guide him in unlocking his spiritual powers.
Adam had prepared himself for the possibility that the letter might be useless. Given Alva's evident disdain for him, this wasn't an unlikely outcome.
The envelope bore only a few hastily scrawled lines:
"At noon, the Central Clock Tower.
The underground bell will toll twelve times,
informing the inquirer that the visitor is a soul departed."
"The Clock Tower at twelve?" Adam shaded his eyes with one hand, glancing at the sun, still some time before noon. He headed toward the so-called Central Clock Tower.
Roya was divided into two districts: the South and the North, each with a grand cathedral and several smaller churches scattered in the corners. Adam was more familiar with the South District, and though not as well acquainted with the North, he knew that the Central Clock Tower stood between the two, not far from the noble district.
With the letter in hand, Adam's steps grew lighter. While his understanding of the sorcerer's craft was limited to basic knowledge and how to deal with them, he realized that to truly learn, it was best to find a teacher skilled in the art.
Since the letter contained an address, Adam believed it must be useful. Though Alva loathed him, he wouldn't go as far as to deceive him entirely. Either the letter would be of no use, or it would indeed lead him to someone capable of unlocking his powers.
"Of course, I must remain cautious. This mentor may not necessarily be a good person," Adam mused. He preferred dealing with good people, as it was generally easier to work with those whose intentions were clear.
Upon reaching the clock tower, Adam noticed the absence of guards. Usually, such important structures would have stationed soldiers or hired personnel for protection.
Quietly, he pushed open the door and surveyed the interior before slipping inside.
The wooden floorboards creaked softly underfoot, but Adam made no effort to cause any disturbance.
"The underground bell tolls twelve times?" Adam glanced up, seeing the grand bell at the top of the tower, its chimes ringing melodiously.
"Is there no bell ringer?" Adam climbed the stairs, each step echoing underfoot. Reaching the top, he found a curious collection of timepieces: a sundial, a water clock, an hourglass, and even a mechanical pendulum clock.
Intrigued, Adam observed the time, considering whether to strike the bell himself, but before he could act, the bell began to ring of its own accord.
The first chime reverberated through the air, sending waves of sound that stirred the dust in the room. It jolted Adam into action, and he quickly descended the stairs.
With each step down, the sound of the chimes blended with the rhythmic echo of his footsteps. After the eleventh chime, Adam found himself inexplicably turning upward, as if the world had shifted. The stairwell no longer led to the top of the tower but to a blurry door, behind which stood a shadowy figure.
"State your command," the figure's voice was young, and distinctly feminine.
"To the departed," Adam responded, aware that in this world, death did not mean rebirth but rather a return to the embrace of the divine. He had no fear of this place, though he wondered if Alva, constrained by Summer's influence, had lured him here to meet his end.
"Come in. No one has been here for a long time," the figure said, opening the door and revealing a bright light, which illuminated her youthful face.
Her features were so exquisite they seemed inhuman, with sapphire-blue hair wrapped in lace, only a few strands escaping. Her eyes, like jewels, reflected Adam's own face.
She wore a finely embroidered black noble's outfit, its elegance enhanced by the youthful vigor she exuded, drawing every gaze in the room.
"Just a little more than me..." Adam marveled in surprise before quickly composing himself and walking toward her.
Once the door was closed, Adam realized that the space inside far exceeded the dimensions of the clock tower. Candles without markings were suspended around the room, casting their light on an otherwise windowless, doorless space.
"Please wait a moment. My master will be with you shortly." The young woman, without introducing herself, poured Adam a drink of dark liquid before turning to leave through the same door she had entered.
Her words were flat, and her expression betrayed less emotion than Adam's own.
Sitting upright with the letter in hand, Adam surveyed the room through peripheral glances. Strange runes were carved into the walls, ceiling, and floor. The candles, though burning for some time, showed no signs of diminishing. The furniture, intricately patterned and quite old, added to the room's timeless feel.
Hanging on the walls were paintings, whose style... was it Alva's?
The door creaked open, and a young man, dressed in noble attire, stepped inside, looking somewhat puzzled. "A new guest?" he asked.
Immediately, Adam rose, recognizing the young man's face—it was the same one he had seen at the Thousand Paintings Studio not long ago.
The final member of the Saint Celestial Trio, his appearance and attire were identical to the painting.
"Greetings, I am Adam Boku, introduced here by Master Alva. Here is my letter of introduction." Adam, momentarily taken aback, handed the letter to the young man.
"A student of Alva? Please, have a seat," the man said, smiling broadly as he took the letter and gestured for Adam to sit.
The room, dimly lit by the candles, seemed gloomy, but as the young man settled, it was as though he brought warmth with him, dispelling the darkness completely.
Adam sat, refraining from disturbing the man as he read the letter.
Watching him, Adam's earlier joy began to fade as a sense of disappointment and loneliness crept in. His hand holding the letter trembled slightly, but he soon released a soft, rueful smile and tucked the letter away.
The man looked up, a smile returning to his face, his earlier emotions concealed, and spoke with renewed warmth.
"Adam Boku?" He confirmed Adam's name, smiling broadly. "I am Anthony Latou Fernandez."
"Master Alva recommended that you become my student in the art of sorcery," Anthony continued, his gaze sincere. "It's clear that you have great potential. Would you like to be my student?"
"Of course, Master Anthony," Adam replied, not willing to decline. Despite their brief interaction, Anthony gave Adam a genuinely positive impression.
"Your charm exceeds even mine at full force," Adam thought, glancing down at his attire, feeling his own appearance fall short.
"Excellent." Anthony smiled, quickly retrieving a coin wrapped in a fine chain from his pocket and placing it in Adam's hand. "For some reasons, I cannot leave the clock tower. Take this with you; whenever you wish, present it here, and you'll be granted access to the inner space I've created."
Anthony paused, as if remembering something, then turned toward the door and called, "Celine, bring me my spare grimoire."
Turning back to Adam, he added, "Celine is my niece. She lives with me here. I've tried to encourage her to go out more, but she refuses. She still insists on calling me 'master,' despite my repeated corrections."
In the short span of their interaction, Anthony had already placed his trust in Adam. Perhaps it was due to his faith in Alva or the long solitude within the tower, but there was no pretense in his manner; it was as if he considered Adam family.
At that moment, Adam felt a different kind of charm emanating from Anthony—one rooted in his character, not his appearance.
"So this is why Alva introduced me here," Adam quickly realized.