Elite Mages’ Academy (Web Novel)
chapter-153

Chapter 153: The Mystery of Ivan

“Ivanovich. This is Ivan’s garden.” Lilith had a difficult tone. Her language skills seemed to be pretty good; not only could she speak Mandarin, she was even fluent in Russian.

“Ivan? The Ivan that established the Law of Immortality?!” Xiao Lin exclaimed, suddenly understanding what Lilith meant. His eyes were wide.

He remembered high priest Asabanor had mentioned that Ivanovich had stepped into the Final Land before, but he used his own power to escape the place.

“It looks like that old man wasn’t lying. Does this mean this garden is Ivan’s former residence?”

“Former residence?” Lilith turned around and looked at Xiao Lin curiously.

“Yes, a former residence means somewhere he stayed before.”

Lilith glared at Xiao Lin. “I know what that means! I’m saying, how do you know this is a former residence and not his current residence?”

“Current residence? Where he’s staying right now?!” Xiao Lin almost doubted the woman’s Mandarin again, but Lilith’s glare made him swallow his words. He turned to look at the words on the plaque, even if he did not understand Russian.

After a moment, Xiao Lin asked, “Ivan’s been dead for so long. How could he still be staying here.”

“Who said he’s dead?”

“Everyone says so.” Xiao Lin was not too certain. Thinking about it, the first time he had heard about Ivanovich was when Song Junlang talked about the individual with an SS-rank talent who established the Law of Immortality. Lolander had mentioned him a few times as well, but his knowledge of Ivanovich was way too little.

Lilith said calmly, “Yes, his death was what the Supreme Council announced to everyone, but that is just a lie for the masses. It’s a pity that not many people know the truth anymore.”

“What’s the truth?” Xiao Lin could not help but continue the conversation.

“He went missing.”

After a moment of silence, Xiao Lin asked again, “Then what happened?”

“There’s nothing else.”

Xiao Lin almost cursed at Lilith. “How could nothing else have happened? He’s the one who established the Law of Immortality and allowed mankind to prosper. No, allowed the colonists to prosper. His accomplishments cannot be called anything but great. How could someone like that just go missing? If he really did go missing, does no one want to look for him? How could they just announce he’s dead?”

“Allowed the colonists to prosper?” Lilith had a strange look on her face as she looked away from the plaque. She sighed, “Someone who knew the truth told me something. Ivan is an angel: he gave us the power to truly colonize the New World, but he is also a devil–he will destroy the whole world.”

Xiao Lin gaped as he asked, “Destroy the world? Why would he want to destroy the world? Isn’t he on our side? Does he have issues with the Russian academy?”

Lilith impatiently said, “How would I know! I’m not from that era! Even if I was, no one would know the truth.”

Xiao Lin was barraged with thoughts and collected himself. The news was very shocking, but there was another question they needed to be concerned about: if Ivanovich went missing because he came to that world, then was he really staying in the garden right now?

Lilith was still studying the plaque; she carefully used her hand to brush aside the lower part of the grass, and softly wiped away dust when the door suddenly opened itself.

That was definitely convenient, but Xiao Lin began to have some doubts. If Ivan was really alive and staying there, then what consequences would there be if they barged inside?

Was Ivan an angel or a devil?

D*mn it all, what did that even mean?

Did Ivan betray humanity in the end?

If that was the case, were they courting death by going inside?

Might high priest Asabanor have been the easier one for them to overcome?

In a flash, a sea of thoughts were in Xiao Lin’s head. Lilith also stood in front of the door unmoving. It seemed like this fearless woman finally had some doubts.

Ivanovich could be said to be the most powerful colonist in history. In front of such a character, even Xiao Lin and Lilith, who also possessed SS-rank talents, could not hold a candle to him.

“Let’s go in!” In the end Xiao Lin voiced out first. His voice was soft and the woman next to him looked at him strangely, waiting for his reasoning.

Xiao Lin bitterly smiled, “Compared to starving or dying of dehydration, I’d rather die quickly with a blade to my throat.”

Even though it looked pristine there, there were no streams or rivers, no fruit trees or wildlife. Even if the grass was not poisonous, neither Lilith nor Xiao Lin wanted to live the rest of their lives eating grass.

Lilith forced a smile as her doubts disappeared. “I’m not nearly as lighthearted as you! You’re right, if we have someone like that as our opponent, it’s a blessing to us as well. In all the colonist academies in the world, only the two of us could possibly stand a chance to fight Ivan.”

Saying that, Lilith withdrew her battle scythe from her bracelet as she walked right toward the castle.

Xiao Lin stood dumbfounded, feeling like crying. He started to hate his own mouth. Why did he have to say all that nonsense?

If Ivan was still alive, it was possible he would be their enemy, but it was just a possibility. Even if Ivanovich had really betrayed mankind, that was many years ago. Who knew if he had a change of heart? Everyone was from Earth. With regards to that world, they were all basically from the same hometown.

Xiao Lin’s initial idea was that they would sneak into the castle. If they really met Ivan, he planned on reasoning with the other party to settle things amicably. If that was impossible, then they would have to accept their misfortune.

As for fighting Ivanovich? What a joke. He was the one who established the Law of Immortality. Their skills were like the difference between a creek and an ocean!

However, Lilith was currently rushing inside with her scythe, full of bloodlust. No matter what the other person thought, when faced with that animosity, the only option would be to designate them as enemies.

Xiao Lin’s hands were tied. Lilith had already rushed inside and Xiao Lin could not just stand there idly. Xiao Lin needed Lilith’s help if he were to survive that cursed place.

Xiao Lin gritted his teeth as he gripped the dagger Lilith had given him tightly, and he carefully followed Lilith into the garden.