Returning to Ximu Town, it was already late at night. The feline, accustomed to early to bed and early to rise, had dozed off several times on Ethan’s shoulder during the journey. Just as they approached the town, a thunderous roar startled her awake, causing her fur to stand on end.
"Ethan, my dear brother, Ethan! I knew you were still alive!"
The first to greet him was Hagrid, carrying a gas lamp, lurking like an executioner at the town entrance. The moment he saw Ethan, he excitedly rushed over.
His large body ran like a black bear, "I knew you wouldn’t die that easily!"
Hagrid had heard from the guards who returned later about the situation outside the mine. They said the guild leader, Talon, had mutated into a monster, everyone scattered, and the scene was extremely dangerous.
He counted the people; everyone had returned except for Ethan.
"The rebellion of the Haywood Miners is related to the Evil God’s sacrifice; I went to Gear City to report the situation."
"Good that you’re back, good that you’re back!"
For the past few days, Hagrid hadn’t been able to sleep at night, so he just wandered around the outskirts of the town with a gas lamp. Before Ethan entered the mine, he had entrusted Ethan with looking after the guards under his command, fearing that Ethan might be eaten by the mutated guild leader while covering the guards’ retreat.
He gradually encountered many people.
A mother with a paralyzed daughter who came to the town to live, and several orphans with faces smeared with ash, who took it upon themselves to act as bodyguards for the mother and daughter with iron rods in hand.
The orphans said the mother and daughter were good people who usually gave them things to eat, but unfortunately, they suddenly encountered hardship.
The feline glared at Hagrid, dissatisfied, as she had just been dreaming about the contents of the forbidden books, ready to explore the ultimate mysteries of life with Ethan, only to be interrupted by Hagrid’s loud voice.
She really wanted to scratch the face of this annoying fellow who disturbed her pleasant dream!
"Ethan, my brother, come with me for a bit; I have an important matter to discuss with you, and I happen to have a bottle of good wine at home."
Ethan didn’t immediately respond, instinctually glancing at the feline.
The feline, displeased, meowed a few times but waved a paw—granting permission.
She then lightly landed on the ground, walking gracefully towards the apartment.
"Your cat is quite clever, very in tune with people."
Hagrid remarked as he watched the feline’s silhouette. He knew that calling Ethan for a drink at this time was somewhat abrupt, but the incident at Haywood Mine had been weighing on his mind for several days. The miners had caught a ride with a gang and escaped beyond the Empire’s borders. Fortunately, the sudden appearance of a contaminated zone made the Empire’s army believe that the miners were dead, and they didn’t issue a wanted order.
Only the sudden appearance of someone suspected to be the one who shouldn’t be mentioned puzzled Hagrid.
He led Ethan back to his home, a small house in the civilian district. Though not as luxurious as the apartment Ave had bought, it was still well-equipped. He took out the fine wine he had treasured for years, which Baron Gledin had once awarded him. He had planned to use it when he got married to entertain everyone, but his last divination result was not promising.
In twenty years, he would have no marriage prospects, so he might as well take it out now to entertain his best buddy and celebrate Ethan’s narrow escape from the major incident at Haywood Mine.
Hagrid secretively locked the door and drew the curtains, leaving the room shrouded in darkness with only a single gas lamp that looked like it might extinguish at any moment.
"What I’m about to say next is astonishing; you need to mentally prepare yourself."
Having finished everything, Hagrid sat back at the table, facing Ethan, and twisted open the wine bottle cap, pouring a glass for each of them.
Even the goblet was a cherished piece, also a high-end item gifted by Baron Gledin.
Ethan nodded, but Hagrid thought that wasn’t enough, and added, "I mean, you need to be fully prepared mentally. You absolutely won’t believe what I encountered in the mine."
"Alright, then I’ll say it."
Hagrid took a swig of wine for courage, wiped his mouth, and said, "I met that person."
Ethan deliberately showed a puzzled expression, knowingly asking, "Which person?"
"The one... the one whose name can’t be mentioned, white hair, red eyes, skilled in ice magic!"
"Of course, I’m sure. Can you joke about something ? I thought I was done for at the time!"
Hagrid couldn’t help but raise his voice; he had been pondering this matter these past few days.
According to the Church’s description of "that person," all of them should have been sacrificed to the Evil God by her. Moreover, hadn’t the Church publicly executed her a long time ago?
Yet, the reality was that "that person" not only didn’t kill them but used ice spikes to open a path for them, allowing them to escape smoothly out of the mine. He and the miners followed the creek down until they found the gang’s convoy. Everyone tacitly agreed to keep this secret and didn’t mention their encounter in the mine to the gang members.
Since returning to Ximu Town, this matter had been a knot in Hagrid’s heart, always stifling him.
Though "that person" had a poor tone, her actions were undoubtedly helping them, without asking for any form of repayment.
"Listen, this is my guess."
As a representative figure of the brute faction in Ximu Town, Hagrid rarely used his brain, "Do you think that it’s possible that ’that person’ was actually framed? I know it might be hard for you to understand at first, but I looked up some old newspapers. Many of the Church’s claims are inconsistent, especially regarding that public execution; the reason given is even more incomprehensible. ’That person’ is an Elemental Shaper, not a magician skilled in charm magic; why would she suddenly know charm magic?"
When Hagrid started using his brain, he felt as though a large door was opening up for him.
Ethan felt that the first half of what he said made a lot of sense, but he was reserved about the second half. He had to point out that when "that person" donned a maid outfit, clung to him while meowing, it indeed looked remarkably like she was casting charm magic, the kind that an ordinary person couldn’t possibly withstand.
"Hagrid, do you know what you’re saying?"
It was one thing for the two of them to discuss such topics privately; if someone with ill intentions overheard, Hagrid would be heading to the stake the next morning.
"I know, I’m very clear-headed!"
Since Hagrid started thinking, he felt as if the world before him changed, becoming increasingly clear, "That person returned this time to seek revenge on those who framed her initially, which is why she appeared at the Haywood Mine. It’s an important crystal reserve for the Empire, and the miners initiated a rebellion, making them enemies of the Empire. How does the saying go? An enemy of my enemy is my friend, which is why she helped us!"
In these few days, Hagrid had pondered over this conclusion countless times, feeling increasingly closer to the truth.
Simultaneously, he also realized an astonishing fact.
Damn! He was too clever!