"In the magic world, there is such a school."
During lunch, Schiller said this to Bruce. He lowered his head slightly and placed the food on the plate, as if he was organizing his words. After a while, he continued to speak.
"Most people think that the founder of this school was Constantine, but that's just because he had a wide circle of friends, and his friends were all deeply impressed by him."
"From ancient times to the present, magicians have been looking for ways to use magic without paying a price. Most people give up after trying a few times. Human beings are inherently unable to compete with those powerful beings and can borrow their power. The power is already a fluke, if you don't give it back, it will be difficult to reach the sky."
Bruce's eating movement slowed down because he seemed to have a premonition of what Schiller was going to say next.
"I know why you are interested in magic. During the time Constantine was in Gotham, you have been following in his footsteps, and he has been reminding you not to try to resurrect anyone with magic."
"What he said makes sense, because whether you ask gods or demons to resurrect someone, it is equivalent to handing over your own weakness. What was originally a fair deal will immediately turn into someone whipping you with a whip. Go forward.-
"The fundamental reason why Constantine has been playing this game for so many years without breaking down is that he has no weaknesses. He lets the devils and gods know that no matter how they torture him and his friends, he will never bow his head and no one can take advantage of him. "
"He uses unimaginable willpower to force his trading partners to only offer relatively fair conditions. He even has the strength to fight back against demons and gods who want to play tricks. Once such an image is established, powerful creatures will also fear."
"So, if you let any powerful outsider know that you have been thinking about resurrecting someone for many years, then even if you don't take the initiative to find them, they will continue to seduce you, and even threaten you with the image of your relative. You, until you squeeze every ounce of value out of me."
Bruce looked at Schiller, then lowered his head to cut the steak and said: "Thomas is back, and Martha. Perhaps sleeping is not the wrong choice. It is better than becoming a clown, right?"
"I'm glad you think so, but I don't mean to keep you away from the magical world."
"I'm confused." Bruce stabbed the tip of the knife into the steak and said, "If you and Constantine are using the same method and don't suffer as much as he does, then you have no reason to drag me into the mud again. , for several years you have tried desperately to push me to another path."
"Indeed, in the society of ordinary people, there is no need for you to follow my path." Schiller also looked into Bruce's eyes and said: "You are not hopeless, and there is no need to use madness as a sword to walk. People who take the path of me and Batman probably have no choice, but you are different."
"I know that it is normal for students to respect their teacher and think of him as a role model, and to inherit his legacy. I have always wanted to push you to a different path, and you are quite complaining."
"I didn't," Bruce replied immediately, still poking the meat with the tip of his steak knife.
"Although in the society of ordinary people you have embarked on a different path and can use the knowledge you have learned and the power you have gained as weapons instead of madness, maybe on the other side of the world, you and I can walk On the same road."
Bruce's hand shook, and the tip of the knife made a harsh noise on the disk.
Schiller shook his head and said: "The essence of our torture is that I teach you, but I force you not to be me.
"When we no longer have such conflicts, we can naturally develop a normal teacher-student relationship. This is exactly what I expect. Maybe magic will be a good entry point."
He hadn't moved since Bruce made the noise, and now he still stopped where he was, looking into Schiller's eyes and said, "Are you going to teach me magic?"
"You can try, can't you?" Schiller looked into Bruce's eyes quite gently. He has been very gentle recently, and this is the most exposed expression of his happiness.
The first thing Bruce thought of was about the symptoms of autism.
According to the definition, autistic patients usually do not like to take new steps, including but not limited to refusing to meet strangers, refusing to develop new relationships, refusing to accept new environments, and always living only in the imaginary world they are most familiar with. , which is the source of their sense of security.
It is extremely difficult for an autistic person to judge a relationship and take a new step when the time is right, and Schiller had never done so before.
He rarely talked to Bruce about their teacher-student relationship. Although he was on the stronger side in this relationship, he almost never took the initiative to make changes. Accept the changes that something brings about in a relationship.
And now he wants to change Bruce's impression of the teacher-student relationship for the first time, or he also wants to change his own. After all, this teacher-student relationship accompanied by pain and blood is really not a good memory. If It's not a pretty good result, it really matches the city of Gotham.
Is there any room for reversal?
Bruce asked himself this, in another completely unfamiliar new world, under the guidance of Schiller, learning a new subject that he had never been exposed to and understood, would it really not turn into another painful and bloody tragedy? A feast?
People who have experienced unhealthy relationships will always have a pessimistic attitude towards relationships with others, and it will take a long time to heal, but Bruce knows how valuable a social invitation from an autistic person can be, and he has not forgotten it. The goal that I set in the first place.
No one has any choice in the matter of madness, Bruce thought, not even Batman, the Joker or Schiller, but no one has such strong willpower and patience to go through with them, so he just said lightly, " It’s hopeless,” and they think so, so they weaponize madness.
But if Schiller had reached such a rash conclusion, then perhaps Bruce would not be Bruce now. Since he has become the savior, there is no lamb that he cannot save.
"My pleasure." Bruce raised his glass and gestured to Schiller.
When Schiller picked up the glass, Bruce wasn't sure if he saw a hint of relief in his eyes, like a sigh of relief.
"There is a banquet tonight, and you are going to visit friends. When are you going to teach me the magic that will prevent me from revealing my secrets at the banquet?" Bruce asked after lunch.
"There's no hurry," Schiller said as he led him into the carriage.
This time the carriage ride took a little longer, and Schiller took Bruce to Maia's Mirror Tower to buy gifts.
The Mirror Tower is a trading bazaar hanging upside down in the sky of Maia, but the products sold there are higher-end than those sold in the big markets in London, and most of them are specialties from the magical world.
Schiller took Bruce to a gem store. The dazzling array of ancient magic jewelry here made Bruce feel a little dazzled. But thanks to his girlfriend being a gem collector, Bruce chose the most special magic ring inlaid with opal in the store.
Afterwards, they took the magic carriage back to London, and saw a bookstore on the corner of a foggy street.
Bruce guessed who Schiller was going to bring him to visit, but he still sighed a little when he saw Constantine again.
This hell detective has completely lost his slovenly appearance. Although he still has some punk rock snobbery, his mental state is not at all improved.
He was forced to go ashore by Schiller with a loan to support, and there was another soul in his mind supervising him to prevent him from returning to the terrible life state of the past. Constantine was completely saved.
When Schiller and Bruce entered the bookstore, Constantine was sorting books with his back to them. Bruce could tell that most of the books in Constantine's bookstore were magic books, and many of them shone with evil luster.
"Oh, you're here." Constantine said after turning his head and seeing Schiller.
When he saw Bruce behind Schiller, he was shocked and even took a quick step back and fell into a pile of books. He opened his arms and said, "If you don't want me to open a bookstore, just say so. It won't ruin it."
The whole of London, right?!"
Schiller handed Constantine a small gift that he had purchased in the Mirror Tower, and said, "Don't be nervous, it's just that I plan to teach him magic."
Constantine's hands began to shake. He glared at Schiller and said, "Come for another four years, and then destroy London, Maia, or some other city?!"
"Not this time."
"There won't be any ghosts!"
In the end, Constantine took Schiller's gift with a face full of complaints, opened it and took a look at it before putting it back on the shelf. Watching Schiller pick up a book and start reading, he still asked with some doubts: "You're not Seriously? Are you going to let Bruce Wayne learn magic?"
"He is already a rich man at the top of the pyramid in the society of ordinary people. You still want him to become a great mage? Can you leave a way for an ordinary mage like me with mediocre talents and mediocre family background to survive?"
"I see you are quite comfortable being a second-rate bookseller." Schiller said sarcastically.
"Forget it, all the people who are friends with me and are still alive today have two brushes. Thank you brothers for your love. Constantine sat down next to a pile of books and said: "Life is pretty good."
"Okay, let's get down to business." Schiller put down the book, looked at Constantine and said, "Find me a few books that record the most secret, profound and obscure magical knowledge, preferably on the same theme. .”
Constantine stood up from the ground with his eyes wide open. He looked at Schiller with some confusion and said, "The most secret, the most profound, the most obscure? This kind of book will gather dust even if it is placed on the demon monarch's bookshelf. You want it to dry up?" Well?"
"Just tell me if you can get it, right?"
"Oh, am I a person who wants to take advantage of the challenge?" Constantine snorted coldly, but he patted the hem of his windbreaker and went upstairs to find a book for Schiller.
After a while, he took out three tomes that were much thicker than bricks, and said: "The occult world has experienced about three knowledge innovations. Before the first knowledge innovation, magic was a matter of money and leisure. , something only talented nobles can play. At that time, it might take more than ten years to decipher a symbol."
"These three books are all magic books written in that era, that is, classics about the operating rules of magic in this world written by the ancient masters. Even though the occult world is now so prosperous, not many people have the patience to do so. and knowledge to decipher the profound and obscure things they wrote.”
Constantine shrugged and said, "After all, if you can use magic by negotiating terms with the devil in your dream, who cares about how magic works?"
"Very well, that's all.
Schiller nodded with satisfaction, then waved to Bruce who was looking at other books and said, "Come here, Bruce."
Schiller looked down at his watch and said, "There are about three hours until the banquet starts. Memorize these three books. Discuss these with whoever speaks to you at the banquet."
Constantine slowly widened his eyes, and Schiller smiled and said, "I believe it won't be long before the news of a new genius magician in the magic world will spread throughout the world."
