"Indeed, I am," the old mage replied.
As he spoke, he casually raised a finger, flicking it lightly. In an instant, Duwei felt his hand grow empty. The magic scroll, which he had been clutching tightly in his sleeve, inexplicably found its way into the hands of the old mage.
"See, this scroll was crafted by me," the mage remarked, glancing at it before neatly tucking it into his robe. "It is returned to its rightful owner."
"You... you're here to reclaim Vivian's belongings," Duwei said with a bitter smile.
"So it seems my purpose was indeed that," the old mage mused with a slight chuckle. "However, after meeting you, I've changed my mind."
Duwei suddenly felt a sense of foreboding, but before he could leap from his chair, he felt his body lighten—
Without chanting a single incantation, the mage simply flicked his finger at Duwei. Instantly, Duwei's body froze, suspended in midair, his form locked in place. Except for his eyes, which could still move, he felt as though he were nothing more than a piece of hanging dried meat.
"Listen, my little friend," the old mage said, reaching out to pat Duwei's head. "Ah, I see I was right. There is something quite interesting here... Is this how you wield magic?"
Duwei found himself unable to move even his eyes.
How did he know?
"My dear little apprentice went on a journey and ended up being tricked into losing everything... even nearly perishing on a deserted island, losing his dragon companion," the old mage said mockingly. "When he returned home, I discovered, to my surprise, that someone had even used magic to erase fragments of his memory! As a responsible master, surely I must do something about it?"
The old mage waved his hand, and Duwei's ability to speak was restored.
"You... you don't think I was behind this, do you?" Duwei asked.
"Hard to say. Initially, I hadn't thought so," the old mage replied, his eyes flickering with a subtle gleam. "But you, a mere child from the Rolin family with no magical ability, suddenly wielding magic? I believe the island must be the key."
Duwei studied the old mage closely. He wanted to say something, but the mage's next words sealed his lips.
"By the way… how is Chris? Is he well?"
Duwei's expression changed instantly!
Chris! The mage knew about that demon's servant, Chris!
The next morning, the servants in the castle were thrown into a panic when they discovered their young master was missing.
On the terrace where Duwei had been resting, a note written in his own handwriting was found.
"I have been taken by a mage."
The message was penned by Duwei himself, though he refrained from using the word "kidnapped" and instead vaguely wrote that he had been "taken."
Clearly, Duwei had written this note with the mage's permission.
Not only was the note signed by Duwei, but it also bore a peculiar symbol.
None of the servants understood the meaning of this symbol, but eventually, it was the castle's sole mage, Solskaya, who recognized it.
"This appears to be a mage's personal seal," Solskaya pondered for a moment. "Some older mages prefer to use these marks in place of signatures. We can check with the Magic Guild to see whose seal it belongs to."
What threw everyone into confusion was that Duwei had been taken by a mage—barely a month since his last abduction. Had the Rolin family somehow offended the mages, leading to this act of retaliation?
This urgent matter was quickly reported through the proper channels.
Yet, when the symbol on the note was sent to the Magic Guild, the response was unexpectedly muted.
Even Count Raymond, upon hearing that his eldest son had been abducted by a mage once more, was initially furious. No matter how much he disliked Duwei, he would consider any mage's abduction of his son as an affront to the Rolin family.
However, upon seeing the seal, the count's anger evaporated, and he fell into an unsettling silence. No further word was uttered on the matter.
Unlike the uproar following the first abduction, this time, the Rolin family and the Magic Guild remained oddly quiet. It was as though an unspoken agreement had been made, and the incident was quietly suppressed.
Desperate, Solskaya eventually gleaned an unsettling tidbit of information from a low-level official at the Magic Guild who worked in magical materials sales.
"The mark on the note belongs to a mage so powerful that even the Magic Guild dares not provoke him. There are no records of this mage, nor any documentation in the Guild's archives… If he were to abduct even the Emperor's son, the Emperor would have no choice but to remain silent."Duwei was thoroughly frustrated!
First, he had no idea what sort of magic this old man had cast upon him... For Duwei felt as though his own body no longer belonged to him!
This was a strange kind of "kidnapping"!
Duwei's thoughts, his consciousness, his mind, were entirely his own. But his body was completely under the control of the old mage!
Take this moment, for example!
The old mage lounged leisurely on the grass, reclining against a large tree, while Duwei, in front of him, was busy preparing a fire.
Duwei cursed the old man inside his head, but he could do nothing to stop it!
Because the old man had merely spoken a single word: "Light the fire!"
And so, Duwei helplessly watched as his own body rose to its feet, busily gathering twigs, lighting the bonfire, and enduring the sting of smoke in his eyes and the tears that followed, all while his anger swelled within him… Yet, he had lost all control over his own movements!
It was as if he had become nothing more than a puppet, utterly at the mercy of the old mage.
Duwei watched in dismay as the old mage retrieved a small cloth pouch from beneath his robe. The tiny pouch, evidently a magical tool, seemed to contain endless supplies, as the mage pulled out a leg of lamb, a bottle of fine wine, a fresh set of clothes, and several vials.
The pouch appeared bottomless.
Then the old mage issued his next command: "Roast the meat!"
And Duwei could do nothing but helplessly watch his body follow the mage's orders with meticulous precision!
It was a torment like no other!
At first, Duwei had cursed in his mind, furious at his helplessness.
But the old mage's methods of discipline were simple yet effective: he merely glanced at Duwei and casually uttered, "Slap yourself."
Then, Duwei was forced to watch in horror as his own hand lifted and struck his face with a sharp slap!
After enduring five or six slaps, Duwei could only stew in silence... Though he raged inwardly, his lips remained sealed, too afraid to utter another word.
Once the old mage had eaten his fill, he looked at Duwei, who was sitting off to the side, rolling his eyes. The mage suddenly smiled.
"Not bad," he remarked. "I haven't had such delicious roast meat in ages."
Duwei responded with an exaggerated roll of his eyes.
"Now, sleep," the old mage concluded the conversation, turning to lie against the tree trunk and closing his eyes.
As for Duwei?
He did not wish to sleep! But his body had been commandeered! He could only helplessly watch as his limbs stretched and yawned before his body obeyed the command and lay down, eyes shutting tightly.
No matter how hard he tried, he could not force his eyes open or sit up!
Because the old mage had ordered: "Sleep!"
What was this? Duwei felt as though he had turned into one of those machines from his previous life, programmed to follow orders without question... regardless of his own desires!
For five consecutive days, the old mage led Duwei northward.
At the start, the old mage had flown them straight out of the castle that very night, heading north without hesitation. The next day, as they passed a small town, the old mage had Duwei buy two horses.
Duwei was powerless to resist, unable to flee. As long as his thoughts remained free, his body was entirely under the mage's control.
Duwei had asked the old mage what spell had been cast on him.
The old mage refused to answer.
Duwei had asked: "Why do you know Chris? Do you know that man? Do you know the island?"
The old mage remained silent.
Duwei asked: "Where are we going?"
The old mage did not reply.
Duwei was on the verge of madness.
The long days of travel, especially the exhausting horseback riding, were a test of endurance for Duwei, whose physical constitution had never been particularly strong. His frail, youthful body could no longer keep up, yet the old mage showed no sign of easing his pace.
"Must we ride horses?" Duwei finally couldn't hold back. "You, a powerful mage, can't you simply fly to our destination?"
This time, the old mage answered.
"We are headed to a special place. Long-distance flight would drain my magic, and I must preserve my power until we reach our destination."
That was the only answer Duwei received from the old mage during their journey.
What frustrated Duwei even more was that... he couldn't even summon Semer!
He knew Semer was somewhere nearby, yet the magical creature never appeared.
The days stretched on as they traveled north, and the weather grew steadily colder. The Rolin Plains, located in the south, had a warm climate, and Duwei had only worn a thin shirt. But now, after several days of travel, the cold began to seep in. His hands and feet grew stiff, and as he rode, the biting wind made him shiver uncontrollably.
Finally, the old mage seemed to show a glimmer of compassion. He taught Duwei a series of strange stretches, instructing him to perform them every time they rested.
These movements resembled a form of gymnastics from Duwei's past life, but they were far more peculiar. Some required Duwei to bend his body in ways that demanded considerable flexibility, and the pain was almost unbearable. Yet, under the mage's "command," Duwei had no choice but to follow through, even as tears welled in his eyes from the strain.
To Duwei's surprise, the results were evident. After completing the series of exercises, he would feel an internal warmth spreading through his body, banishing the chill.
Day after day, he performed these strange movements, and before long, Duwei could feel his body growing stronger, far more robust than before.
By the twentieth day, they had reached the northernmost part of the continent, where the weather was several times colder than the south. The landscape had transformed; no greenery remained, and everything was shrouded in frost.
The northern winds cut like daggers against their faces, and the roads became progressively more difficult to traverse.
Then, they encountered a snowstorm!
The thick snow blocked their path, and the horses could no longer pass. The snow had deepened to the point where it reached their calves.
At last, the old mage showed some kindness. They found a small town and sought refuge in an inn. The mage left Duwei alone in a room while he ventured out.
Duwei couldn't escape, for the mage had commanded his body to remain still, silent, and seated.
When the old mage returned in the evening, he brought with him a large bundle. He unwrapped it before Duwei's eyes, revealing a thick fur coat, a set of leather armor, a fur hat, a pair of snow boots, and even a long knife.
"Put these on. We leave soon," the mage ordered.
"Where are we going?" Duwei asked once again.
This time, the old mage finally answered: "The Frozen Forest."