Chapter 171 - 172

Luxanna hadn't walked far down the street when she soon saw a white building with a roof that looked like a dragon spreading its wings.Searcher Army headquarters, we've arrived!"Please, let me in to see my son. He really doesn't know magic."At the headquarters entrance, a simply dressed middle-aged man looked at the guards with pleading eyes."Back off!"The Mageseeker soldiers were expressionless, their eyes behind their helmets carrying a cold indifference that kept them at arm's length."Only those who are ordered may enter."Luxanna stood not far from the doorway, frowning as she watched the scene unfold.Suddenly, an intrigued voice rang in her mind:"Shouldn't we go now, Luxanna? "Hearing her teacher's teasing, Luxanna remained silent for a moment, her voice low and somber:"If his son is really inside, he probably wouldn't want his father to see what he looks like right now."Luxanna's tone was hesitant. Her blonde hair, which should have shone like gold in the sunlight, now seemed as dull and lifeless as Wither's little flower in a dark room.In her speech, she avoided a topic she didn't want to discuss.Luxanna slowly approached the man as he walked away with regret and dejection." Miss Crownguard!"The previously indifferent soldier bowed respectfully to Luxanna, his actions and tone conveying deep reverence."I'd like to see the dungeon. Do I need a warrant?" Luxanna asked softly.This place was under the jurisdiction of her uncle Eldred, and her aunt Tiana had given her a note before she arrived." Miss Crownguard, you are welcome to come and go as you please."The soldier, with a fawning expression, immediately opened the door behind him and loudly announced the news to those inside."Yes, I can come and go as I please."Luxanna resisted the urge to look back, muttered a self-deprecating remark under her breath, then lifted her foot and walked heavily toward the door.The guard jogged up to greet him. His accessories and armor were different from those of the guards at the entrance, and Luxanna knew he was a squad leader." Captain Kuris, First Shield Captain of Mageseeker, has met Miss Crownguard."Captain Kuris bowed slightly, placed his right hand on his left shoulder, and gave a respectful salute.Luxanna nodded slightly and said softly and slowly:" Captain Kuris, because I want to become an Illuminator, therefore."Regardless of her newly acquired identity, she has always been presented to the public as a trainee Illuminator.This was her first time at Mageseeker headquarters. Usually, in order to protect her, her family would only have her do the work of comforting the family members.Because she had seen so much, she was able to better terrify her own magic.Fortunately, she gained the teacher's favor.Otherwise, she couldn't believe the depths of depression she would face.Luxanna's eyes drooped slightly, and she hugged the magic book tightly in her arms. She looked like a junior student who had just enrolled in school, feeling lost and unfamiliar with everything, and only the solid book in her arms was her greatest support.After hearing her words, Captain Kuris maintained a respectful expression and extended one arm in a "please" gesture:" Miss Crownguard, I will take you to the dungeon now. But be careful, although their magic is restricted, they can still bewitch you with words."I will be careful.Luxanna nodded and followed Captain Kuris inside.Mageseeker's headquarters are very large, covering an extremely wide area.This is not just The Capital The Mageseeker's living quarters include an outdoor training ground for training new recruits, as well as a dungeon known as the Mage's Doom.Luxanna looked around curiously, as if trying to memorize the surrounding environment." Captain Kuris, where is that?"She saw a square building guarded by soldiers not far away, which looked heavily guarded."That's the Secret Text Pavilion, Miss Crownguard," Captain Kuris explained." Secret Text Pavilion?" Luxanna asked, somewhat curious."It's used to store some of the mage's forbidden books, or secrets about the mage," Captain Kuris casually glanced at the Secret Text Pavilion and explained familiarly."Banned books. Shouldn't these books have all been burned?" Luxanna asked.Almost every mage has the habit of recording their magical research, although these are all superficial or even erroneous theories, but Mageseeker claims to have destroyed them.Upon hearing Luxanna's question, Captain Kuris paused slightly, but maintained a respectful expression." Miss Crownguard, we need to understand magic better so we can capture them more effectively.""Yes. I understand magic better."Luxanna sighed softly and continued to follow Captain Kuris without asking any more questions.If her teacher hadn't pointed it out, she probably wouldn't have realized that Captain Kuris was a sorcerer.A mage who uses the Petricite potion to suppress the magic power within his body.Petricite potions are made using petricite as the main ingredient and can suppress magic within the body.However, Petricite is not a one-time solution and can have significant side effects.Before meeting her teacher, she had hesitated many times about whether or not to take the medication.She was genuinely grateful to have received instruction from her teacher; otherwise, her light magic would have been completely exposed in front of the Mageseeker." Miss Crownguard, we've arrived."Upon hearing Captain Kuris's words, Luxanna slightly raised her head.A tightly sealed, heavily guarded stone house appeared before them.The house was entirely constructed of Petricite, except for the area facing the door, which was empty. Luxanna had no doubt that even if the mages inside rioted, the Mageseeker could trap and kill them.The stone house had no superfluous decorations, only a passage leading underground.After Captain Kuris finished negotiating, Luxanna greeted the other guards with a friendly expression and then stepped down the passage to the back.The surrounding stone walls were cold and heavy, and the torches on them burned listlessly. Luxanna walked slowly forward, the air filled with a gloomy and oppressive atmosphere.Her footsteps echoed in the small space.Tap, tap, tap.Gradually, his heartbeat began to resonate with Luxanna's.The further down you go, the darker and damper it becomes.As they approached their destination, Luxanna paused slightly.Even from a distance, she could already hear the screams coming from inside.Captain Kuris stopped, understandingly looking down as if lost in thought.Judging from his behavior, this wasn't the first time he'd brought someone like Luxanna here.However, to Captain Kuris's surprise, Luxanna only paused for a few seconds after hearing the scream before quickly resuming her pace."Thank you. Captain Kuris, let's go." Luxanna smiled slightly."Yes, Miss Crownguard."Captain Kuris lowered his eyes, suppressing his surprise, and became even more respectful as he led the way, adding:"The dungeon holds many villains, and we need to use some special methods to prevent them from retaliating against Demacia in the future."Luxanna nodded in agreement and asked softly, "I remember they were all sent inland?"Demacia would not execute a mage unless the crime was extremely heinous.For most mages, exile inland is a last resort.Many vassal states, including Nockmurqi, welcomed these "sent" monks.But Luxanna had heard some bad things; many of these mages were treated as slaves, controlled, humiliated, and abused by their masters in various ways.In fact, these monks were only nominally "exiled" but were actually sold to vassal states.The Crownguard Family is the biggest beneficiary of this massive chain of interests.Luxanna composed herself and followed Captain Kuris into the dungeon.Her arrival seemed to set the entire dungeon ablaze.Many monks stood up excitedly, staggered a few steps, and prostrated themselves before the railing, their sunken eyes filled with pleading."Miss, do you have anything to eat?""My lord, please spare me! I truly have no magic!""My lord, please, let me out!""."A cacophony of shouts and pleas flooded Luxanna's ears, making her heart clench."This is the detention room; those locked up are all waiting for Judgment," Captain Kuris, who was traveling with us, explained at the opportune moment."So they're not necessarily guilty?" Luxanna countered."Although they haven't confessed yet, they're basically innocent," Captain Kuris said coldly.He knew Luxanna's reputation; she was a kind-hearted girl.As Eldred's right-hand man, he didn't want to see this young lady do anything foolish."Yeah?"Luxanna remained noncommittal, her gaze sweeping over the commoners begging in front of the railing.They were ragged, emaciated, and some were even huddled in a corner, shivering uncontrollably from the cold. They looked utterly miserable.The scene before her made Luxanna's throat tighten. She held her breath and shifted her gaze to the downward passageway to the side:"Is there more than one floor here?""Yes, the people down there are dangerous; they are all heavily corrupted prisoners." Captain Kuris frowned unhappily as he looked at the passage leading deeper underground."Can I go down and take a look?" Luxanna asked.This question, though seemingly inquiring, carried an undeniable air of refusal from Captain Kuris.Captain Kuris nodded slightly and stepped forward to clear a path for Luxanna.Just as he was about to step onto the descending steps, Luxanna suddenly asked:" Captain Kuris, I have a small request."" Miss Crownguard, please speak." Captain Kuris turned around and bowed slightly."The people detained in the detention cells are all those who haven't confessed yet, right?"Faced with Luxanna's question, Captain Kuris seemed to understand the subtext and nodded silently."In that case, they are still Demacia's people. Why not let them have enough to eat and drink, and a set of warm clothes?" Luxanna said softly, her face full of kindness and a bright smile." Miss Crownguard, only by striking at their spirit can we..."" Captain Kuris, I think the Crownguard Family can afford this expense." Before Captain Kuris could finish speaking, Luxanna interrupted him.Captain Kuris turned around and looked at the naive noblewoman in front of him without saying a word.The dungeon was dimly lit, with the yellow glow of candlelight casting shadows on Luxanna's face, making her blonde hair shine like the bright moon hanging high in the midnight sky.On her face, Captain Kuris saw such a kind and determined smile for the first time.After a long silence, his lips twitched slightly. He turned to look at the guards and the prisoners in the cell, and said loudly:"Did you all hear that? You're lucky to have met the merciful Miss Crownguard.""Guards, prepare food for them, and give each of them an overcoat.""yes!"The guards at the gate received the order and quickly ran outside.At the same time, the prisoners who heard Captain Kuris's words erupted in an uproar, frantically pounding on the bars and shouting from the bottom of their hearts:Not a single mistake, not a single poem, not a single post, not a single piece of content, not a single 6-9 book, not a single bar, take a look!"Praise to Crownguard!"" Miss Crownguard, thank you for your kindness!""Thank you. Thank you!""You are such a kind person, Miss Crownguard.""."Their words differed, but their praise and gratitude were overflowing, like waves crashing against the shore.Hearing the words of thanks coming from behind, Luxanna did not smile happily. She lowered her eyes, gave a self-deprecating smile, and continued walking with Captain Kuris down to the lower levels of the dungeon.What's with the gratitude?These people shouldn't be here in the first place."You want to come here often?"The words her teacher uttered in her mind made Luxanna pause slightly, but she quickly resumed her normal walking downstairs."Teacher, I've decided to come here every other day. There are many people here who need my help to save them."" Luxanna, people can only rely on themselves. All you need to do is give them hope.""But…" Luxanna hesitated."Your actions are not wrong, but this place is different from other places. If too many people come here, the balance will be disrupted.""Balance?" Luxanna asked, puzzled."In Demacia, the Crownguard is not the only powerful force, and your recent actions have already alerted the other nobles. What will they think if you stay here every day?"Upon hearing the teacher's question, Luxanna pondered for a moment, then looked dejected."They'll think, 'I'm trying to win over the mages here, and this is my uncle's territory. They'll assume the Crownguard has ulterior motives.'"She understood the teacher's point: sometimes, just because you think you've done something good doesn't mean everyone will think you're doing something good.Even a very small number of people with different intentions can lead to many negative consequences."But my public image is one of kindness. Can't I come here because I feel guilty?"As she walked down the steps, Luxanna quickly came up with a solution.Everyone knows Miss Crownguard has good intentions; someone like that wouldn't just leave this place to its own devices."You need to come, but not too often. When you have time, you can go to the Secret Text Pavilion and see if the books there will be helpful to you."Upon hearing the teacher's answer, Luxanna made a mental note of it and nodded silently in the deep underground.Everything needs to be planned slowly.She always remembered the warning her teacher gave her."We've arrived, Miss Crownguard."Captain Kuris's voice came from ahead.Even without his prompting, Luxanna could tell from the even louder screams beside her that...They arrived.The scene before me was similar to the detention center, but there were far fewer cells used for holding prisoners. The center seemed to be cut off, with a door blocking the way inside.There were two guards at the entrance, which clearly indicated that the things or people inside were extremely important.Luxanna observed the surrounding cells and realized that the people held here were completely different from those in the detention center.Most of the people here are restrained, and judging from their expressions, many have even become mentally unstable.With lifeless eyes, curled up on the ground is the norm here.Luxanna looked somewhat reluctant, but she knew she couldn't really change anything.She turned her gaze toward Captain Kuris.Meeting her gaze, Captain Kuris remained silent for a long time before finally rejecting her:" Miss Crownguard, I'm sorry. These are all heinous criminals; there's no need to give them anything. Besides, they'll be sent inland soon.""Yes, I know, it's the rule."Luxanna forced a smile; she understood what Captain Kuris meant.The Crownguard Family, or her uncle Eldred, did not want her to have too much contact with these people.Luxanna took a deep breath and pointed to the gate not far away:What's there?She planned to proceed gradually, as she still had plenty of time.If all else fails, she can also utilize the Illuminator Order and Inquisitor channels."There… Miss Crownguard, you have absolutely no need to know him." Captain Kuris hesitated."Him? I've never heard of any mysterious person being imprisoned here in the family." Luxanna frowned.She had already received a hint from her teacher that the people inside were her main target in this dungeon."Can"" Captain Kuris, tell me, who is he!"Faced with Luxanna's sudden hardening, Captain Kuris felt a surge of fear and blurted out:" Sylas from Biangou Town is the most dangerous person.""Let me in," Luxanna said. "I've heard of this man, and I'd like to speak with him.""this"Seeing the hesitation on Captain Kuris's face, Luxanna calmly pulled a note from her pocket:"This is an order personally given by Grand Marshal, and I have the authority to go anywhere here. Besides, I don't think there's anything shameful about Demacia."Captain Kuris took the note; the orders on it were basically the same as what Luxanna had said.The note even bore the Mianwei Family logo and Tiana's personal seal.This time, he did not hesitate and gave the orders to the guards without any hesitation:"Open the door and let Miss Crownguard in; she's alone."As the heavy doors slowly opened, Luxanna smiled and returned the greeting:" Captain Kuris, thank you.""Please go, Miss Crownguard. Once you're out, don't mention you went in," Captain Kuris reminded her."I will remember."Luxanna nodded slightly, took the torch from the guard, and walked steadily into the dark cell.Bang!The door behind her closed, and the light from the outside world disappeared once again, leaving only the torch in Luxanna's hand glowing faintly.Luxanna held the torch and walked forward cautiously.Surprisingly, the space inside the door was quite spacious, as large as four or five cells lined up together.But in this empty room, there was only a lonely cell, like a deserted island in the middle of the ocean.Clang—clang—A crisp sound of iron chains moving rang out.This made Luxanna somewhat wary.She moved the torch toward the cell, and in the diffused light, she gradually saw the scene before her.Behind the iron railing stood a shirtless, muscular man.His face was disheveled, his skin dark, but his eyes were unusually bright, like a wolf crouching in the bushes on The Hunt, its gaze fixed on Luxanna.Luxanna met his gaze without flinching, her eyes moving downwards to notice the massive iron locks on the man's arms.The chilling clanging sound just now came from here."Uh...you're not Mageseeker!"The man spoke.His voice was unusually hoarse, seemingly due to being locked up for too long, making it difficult for him to form coherent sentences."I'm not." Luxanna gently shook her head.Once inside, she seemed like a different person; her tone turned slightly cold, and her expression became aloof and glamorous."Then who are you? What are you doing here?""I'm nobody, just here to visit a poor wretch," Luxanna replied calmly.Sylas, the town of Biangou, is home to the most notorious mage prisoner in Demacia's records.He had been hiding in Mageseeker's group, but during a chase, he killed one of his Shieldbearer colleagues.Mageseeker had never suffered such a great loss before, and it ultimately cost a huge sum of money to suppress it.This is a story passed down in Demacia, but Luxanna understands that perhaps it offers a way out of reality.Otherwise, the teacher wouldn't have let her come here to see such a heinous person."Poor thing? Hahaha. Cough cough, yes, you poor wretch!"Sylas was somewhat weak due to his long-term imprisonment, and his laughter was accompanied by coughing."How ironic, we are clearly the same kind of people.""But I'm outside, and you're inside," Luxanna said calmly.She wasn't good at dealing with people like that, but luckily she had her teacher as a support.Luxanna inserted the torch into the slot in the wall, holding a book in her hands, her cold eyes fixed on Sylas.The teacher told her.To subdue a wild beast, you must first instill fear in it.