The sun hung low in the sky, casting its last rays before slowly sinking below the horizon. As the sunlight faded, the red moon, no longer obscured, grew clearer, casting a crimson hue over the world.
At the city gates of Blackscale City, a scholar entered, leaning on a dark wooden cane. Though he appeared young, he wore a clean black robe, and most of his face was hidden in the shadows of his hood, leaving only a pair of striking black eyes visible.
This scholar was Reg, full name "Reg Rafael."
He had an air of aloofness, yet his eyes held a lively spark, far from being dull or lifeless.
At that moment, Reg was surveying his surroundings, comparing the bustling streets of Blackscale City to his memories. This was his birthplace, and it was only natural that his quest for knowledge would bring him back here.
The city was lively, with people coming and going. A quick listen to the conversations of the residents revealed that:
Lord Traus Rafael, the city's ruler, had successfully hunted a monster, and nobles and knights were holding a grand celebration in honor of his victorious return.
The real celebration, of course, was taking place in the Castle of Lord Viscount Rafael, but the residents of Blackscale City, who had just endured a harsh winter, were eager to join in the communal festivities.
Reg watched the scene of celebration before him, a distant look in his eyes:
It had already been sixteen years…
Reg was not a native of this world; he had crossed over to this place sixteen years ago.
From birth, he had been different from the typical knightly heir, who would proudly uphold the "glory of the light." He was often silent, preferring to stay in his family's library rather than participate in gatherings of more than ten people. Even his father, the Viscount, often hosted beast hunts and slave hunts, but Reg had rarely shown interest.
Even after entering the world of wizards and joining the "Crown of the Night" at the Wizard Academy, he had stayed away from similar activities, influenced both by the academy's atmosphere and his own introverted nature.
Though this celebration was bustling, Reg felt a rare stir of curiosity and playfulness, deciding without hesitation to join in. He touched the ruby ring on his right hand and walked into the festivities.
In the center of Blackscale City's square, the nobles had already set up curtains, with guards stationed at all four street entrances.
Reg placed six copper coins in the guard's hand. The guard silently pocketed one coin and then welcomed Reg into the celebration with enthusiasm.
Inside, the space was large, and even with about a hundred people present, it didn't feel crowded.
Near the curtains, small stalls were selling strange and exotic goods, while to the north, a small stage was set up.
"The scorching blood melted the snow, and the evil dragon's head fell helplessly to the ground—Sir Germain Knight claimed the final victory!"
Reg passed by the food tables and came to the stage, where a red-feathered parrot was perched on a man's shoulder, just finishing a "heart-stopping" story about a knight battling a dragon.
The tale of "Sir Germain Knight" captivated the surrounding audience, with the final words eliciting cheers, as if they were celebrating the victory of a real knight!
Reg found the story rather dull and predictable, but he was more intrigued by the parrot, which could only "repeat" the entire story.
At that moment, the people on stage changed, and a small boy wrapped in a white cloth appeared.
His skin was dark, and he held a bamboo flute in his hands. He placed three woven jars on the ground and sat down.
The melodious sound of the bamboo flute floated through the air, drawing the attention of those eating or chatting nearby.
"What a magical flute... Look, the jars are moving!"
"Hiss~ Hiss~"
In an atmosphere of both anticipation and fear, a beautiful black-and-white-spotted rattlesnake slithered out from the jars, swaying its head in time with the flute.
"It's a snake!" "I knew it, he's a snake charmer!"
"A snake charmer?!"
The crowd gasped in surprise. A few who knew of snake charmers explained to others, enjoying the looks of respect they received.
The boy on stage suddenly flashed a strange smile.
A cold wind seemed to blow in from outside the curtain, causing the candlelight to flicker, and the shifting shadows on the boy's face made his smile appear even more eerie.
His face abruptly turned cold, and the flute's music stopped suddenly. The white cloth wrapped around his head fell to the ground, revealing his broad forehead.
Everyone was drawn to the sudden change, only to see a strange, snake-like eye growing on the boy's forehead!
The snake charmer boy abruptly stood up, and the snake eye widened, its strange colors gleaming.
"Hiss—!"
This time, it wasn't the snake from the jar sticking out its tongue, but the boy himself, who had sprouted a long, forked tongue, losing all resemblance to a normal human!
The snake charmer on stage was, in fact, a half-human, half-snake monster!
"Ah!"
The crowd gasped in terror. A woman in the front row, paling at the sight, screamed and fainted.
Reg's gaze sharpened as his body instinctively reacted when the boy revealed his headwrap.
His hands hidden in his sleeves, one hand pulled out a palm-sized sheepskin scroll, and with the other, he tore it apart without hesitation.
The sheepskin scroll quickly crumbled in his hands, turning into a powder-like white dust. At the same time, a faint blue glow flickered in his black pupils.
What surprised him was that, despite the snake-like boy's partial transformation, he did not see the usual radiating aura of a bloodline contaminator.
Reg remained remarkably calm, his movements subtle, but the surrounding audience was far from composed.
"It's a snake monster, a snake monster is killing people!"
The people in the front row, who could see the situation clearly, were the most frightened, pushing and shoving to distance themselves from the stage.
Meanwhile, those further back, not understanding the danger, were driven by curiosity and inadvertently crowded the front, blocking the way.
Some people in the crowd were even shouting excitedly, though no one seemed to understand why.
Amid the chaos, Reg stood with a furrowed brow, not making any obvious moves. An invisible force seemed to form a barrier around him, preventing the panicking people from getting too close.
Using this advantage, Reg spotted someone in the crowd dressed similarly to him—another wizard?
The wizard didn't notice Reg. With the help of a particularly burly man, he squeezed through the crowd and approached the stage.
"Everyone, quiet down!"
A booming voice like thunder rang out in the center of the square, immediately commanding everyone's attention.
The crowd turned to the source of the voice—though it was the burly man who had spoken, it was the "middle-aged wizard" standing before him that drew all eyes.
"A wizard?" "It's a wizard!" "No way, a distinguished wizard here?!"