The Wizarding World's Forbidden Book Administrator

Chapter 196 The Cabin in the Woods

Chapter 196 The Cabin in the Woods

Nate took a few leaves from a wooden bucket and made Lola a cup of tea.

Laura frowned as she looked at the black liquid in the glass.

"Don't worry, it's not poisonous."

Nate also made himself a cup and took a big gulp in front of Lola.

Lola then took a closer look at the cup in her hand and sniffed it.

Hmm, it has a unique fragrance.

So she tried taking a sip. It tasted slightly bitter, but was surprisingly refreshing. Although the flavor wasn't particularly refined, it was still a unique tea.

“This tea is my own improvement,” Nate said. “When I was young, I traveled to the Far East, where I learned plant improvement techniques. After returning to the Eastern community, I began to try to cultivate tea trees that could grow in the snow.”

Lola nodded: "What's its name?"

"I call it Snow Tea."

But looking at the color of this tea, no one could possibly associate it with snow.

Laura couldn't help but offer her own suggestion: "Perhaps it should be called Wuxue Tea."

"Hmm—" Nate murmured after hearing this, "Not a bad name, okay! This is the name! Hey, little girl, I didn't expect you to be so good at naming things."

This was the first time someone had praised Lola like this, but Lola understood that Nate simply hadn't met anyone who truly knew how to name things.

Aaron is very good at choosing names; her current name was chosen by Aaron.

And with Anne being so smart, she'd definitely be even better at choosing names.

Nate asked, "What's your name?"

"Lola Booker."

"So, little Lola, you're saying you're Lolotti's assistant?"

"Yes," Lola nodded.

“You should be more specific,” Nate said. “That’s why I asked you that question.”

"You should just say it directly," Lola thought to herself.

Lola then told Nate the story of how she met Lolotti.

"Hmph! That's exactly the kind of thing that old bastard would do," Nate grinned. "He'll do anything that interests him without hesitation. He probably admires you, so he wants you to stay by his side."

Lola wasn't sure if Nate's assessment of Lolotti was accurate; she was indeed Lolotti's assistant, but Lola had never considered getting to know her employer.

Therefore, Lola did not have a deeper understanding of Lolotti.

Nate then asked, "So, Lolotti is currently organizing his research?"

"Um."

"It seems he's finally admitting he's getting old and is starting to prepare for his death," Nate suddenly sighed. "I'm a few years younger than him, but once you're over seventy, being a few years younger doesn't necessarily mean you're healthier. Maybe I should follow his example."

Lola looked at Nate. Compared to the hunchbacked Lolotti, the old man in front of her, although his hair and short beard were all white, did not look like a man over seventy years old at all.

After Nate took off his hooded robe and hung it on the hanger, his well-developed arm muscles were fully displayed in Lola's view.

Laura felt that Nate was much healthier than he claimed.

Nate asked Laura to sit down. On the table between them sat a silver-white cubic stone, no more than an inch on each side.

Having been on this continent for some time now, she had heard some basic facts about it.

In the Bing family of the northern community, a special mineral called silver ice can be mined.

This mineral can keep the temperature in the space constant, and since there are no other heat sources in the room, Laura did not feel cold at all, so she guessed that this was the effect of the stone in front of her.

Nate took a sip of Wuxue tea and then asked:

"Where did you learn that magical power?"

Lola wouldn't reveal her abilities to anyone else: "No comment."

Nate shrugged. "Okay, so you don't have anything to ask me?"

Lola thought for a moment, then said:

"Did I fall into your trap?"

Not entirely.

"What do you mean?"

“You have indeed fallen into my trap, but not the golden cage, but the witchcraft I possess,” Nate replied. “And you fell into my trap the moment you approached the illusion I created from a distance.”

"But why don't I feel anything?" Lola asked, puzzled.

“Of course you wouldn’t know,” Nate said. “The trap wasn’t dangerous; it just alerted me that someone was approaching. Even though I live in seclusion here, I still have a few friends who know where I live, and I don’t want to accidentally hurt them.”

Lola guessed that because the power contained in this trap was not hostile to her, the one who triggered it would have been difficult to detect it.

"So, little Lola, are you tired?"

Lola shook her head.

"That's good. I have a lot of questions I want to ask you, and I don't want to wait until tomorrow," Nate lit another candle. "I do have a problem with Lolo that's being impatient."

Laura listened quietly without offering any comment.

Nate asked, "How's Lolotti?"

Lola thought for a long time, but didn't answer.

Nate frowned. "What's wrong? Did something happen to him?"

Lola shook her head: "I just don't understand your meaning of 'good'."

Upon hearing this, Nate looked at Lola curiously, then burst into laughter:

"You're quite an interesting girl, but judging from your attitude, I know it's a pointless question. At least that old geezer is still alive."

So whether he wanted Lolotti to live or die, Lola couldn't figure it out.

But it's more likely the latter. Lola could vaguely sense that there was probably a deep friendship between Nate and Lolotti.

Nate then asked, "So, what did he call you here for?"

He wants you to come over.

Upon hearing this, Nate's expression turned less amiable:

"What do you want?"

"He's encountered a problem and wants to discuss it with you."

Nate's face immediately darkened: "Then why doesn't he come over himself! He's the one who wants to discuss the issues!"

Laura explained, "He's busy with research right now and can't spare the time."

"Is he the only one who's busy?" Nate exclaimed. "We're all old folks nearing the end of our lives; every moment is precious!"

It seems that she has failed. Perhaps through persuasion, Nate might be willing to go with her to see Lolotti.

But Lola felt she didn't have that kind of eloquence, and besides, she didn't really care whether Lolotti would eventually meet Nate.

Although this was Lola's purpose for the trip, there was no need to achieve it outright.

For Lola, the meaning of the journey lies in the process, not the destination.

So Laura simply nodded: "I understand."

Nate, on the other hand, was taken aback: "Huh?"

"Um?"

"Well, it's nothing."

Since that's the case, there's no need for Lola to stay here any longer.

So he got up, intending to return to the Phantom Society.

Seeing this, Nate quickly asked:

"Where are you going?"

"go back."

"So fast—I mean, it's too late now."

"It's not early," it's been several hours since it got dark.

"It's really too cold in this forest at night. You're so thin, be careful not to catch a cold. Besides, it's not safe in the forest anyway."

Wild beasts, starving and freezing, roam freely; their eyes, ears, and noses are more sensitive than yours, and more importantly, their footsteps are lighter.

But Lola simply nodded.

Nate sighed. "I mean, stay here with me tonight and leave tomorrow."

Lola tilted her head.

"Don't worry, you're Lolo's assistant, I have no ulterior motives towards you."

Lola thought for a moment, then nodded slightly.

"You little rascal, you're so quiet. I'll prepare a blanket for you."

Lola, however, made no attempt to be polite. She sat in a chair, watching Nate work while sipping her Wuxue tea from a wooden cup.

She preferred sweet drinks, but after drinking milk for several days in a row, Lola found the slightly bitter taste rather palatable.

But have I actually grown taller? Lola wondered anxiously, really not wanting to be called short anymore.

By the time Lola came to her senses, Nate had already made a makeshift bed for her on the floor.

Nate said, "Alright, just make do for tonight. It's getting late, go to sleep."

After saying that, Nate planned to lie down on the bed.

Lola glanced at the makeshift bed on the floor, then at the bed, and then decisively walked towards the wooden bed.

Without saying a word, he lay down on it.

Nate said, "What are you doing? I told you, you're sleeping on the floor, the bed is mine!"

Lola didn't answer, pulled the blanket over herself, and closed her eyes.

Nate said, "Think it through, Lola. If you insist on lying on top of me, it's like you're going to spend the night with me. Aren't you ashamed to sleep with another man?"

Laura had slept with Aaron once, and had previously slept in the same bed with Henry, but she didn't feel ashamed about it.

So she closed her eyes and nodded.

"Pfft, you!" Nate clicked his tongue.

In the end, Nate gave up her bed and lay down on the floor. She slept soundly that night, having traveled for many days, and fell asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.

When she woke up the next day, she smelled the aroma of meat.

Lola sat up straight and rubbed her eyes.

Only then did they realize that Nate had already woken up and prepared breakfast.

"Ha, you're awake! You've come at the right time. We just killed the mother bear yesterday morning. Try this bear steak fried in pork lard."

Lola sat down at the table and sniffed.

The aroma was fairly strong, but it was almost entirely the smell of lard, with no trace of bear meat.

But Lola saw many broken leaves on the meat, so she suspected that Nate had pre-treated the meat with leaves from the Wuxue tea plantation.

Nate hadn't prepared any other utensils, so Laura could pick up the meat with her hands and eat it raw.

The meat was fishy and tough, and didn't taste good.

If it weren't for the fact that the lard was quite fragrant, Lola estimated that she would have had a hard time swallowing it.

However, Nate across from him was eating with great relish. Indeed, people are different, and the difference in food preferences is proof of that.

But Lola never wasted food, and she eventually swallowed the whole piece of bear meat.

After finishing her meal, Lola decided to take her leave so she could return to the Phantom Society as soon as possible.

Nate suddenly said to Lola, "By the way, Lolotti was planning to ask me to discuss something."

"?" Lola stared at Nate's eyes with some confusion.

"What's wrong?"

"Didn't you say you didn't want to?"

"I just don't plan to go with you."

Nate crossed his arms and turned his head to the side.

"It didn't say that I didn't want to hear about what kind of profound problem it was."

Lola nodded, not delving into it further, and then said:

"The world has no distance."

"No distance?"

"Um..--·

Then, Lola relayed Lolotti's earlier thoughts to Nate.

After listening, Nate fell into deep thought.

After a short while, Nate came to the conclusion:

"Lolo made a mistake."

Laura listened quietly so she could write down Nate's answer and tell Lolotti when she got back.

However, Nate said, "However, I can't think of where he went wrong right now; I need some time to think about it."

"So?" Lola asked.

"Are you in a hurry?" Nate asked back.

Lola never hesitates to act, but she's not in a rush, so she shook her head at Nate.

A smile appeared on Nate's aged face: "Then, how about you stay here and wait for me for a while until I come up with an answer?"

Since Lola had no reason to refuse, she decided to agree.

Nate laughed: "Then I'll be merciful and let you have the bed for the next few days too."

Laura nodded, then quietly leaned back in her chair.

Nate tidied the table, then took out paper and pen and began to write and draw, presumably studying Lolotti's question.

Suddenly, Lola remembered something serious and asked Nate:

"What's for dinner tonight?"

"Bear meat, of course! What else could it be?"

Oh no—this is the only kind of meat Lola just can't stand.

After a moment's thought, she asked:

"May I go hunting?"

"It's possible, but the wild is very dangerous. As you know, the frozen continent is not only home to ferocious wild beasts, but also to magical beasts and even ancient creatures."

"I can handle it," Laura said. "And I want to practice."

"practise?"

"Practice using your skills," Laura said. "Real combat is important, but I lack experience. I think it's better to practice by hunting animals than by killing people."

"Haha," Nate laughed a few times upon hearing this, "You don't look very old, but you love to make these kinds of dark jokes."

"A joke?" Lola was a little confused. "Am I joking?"

So, does that mean I have a sense of humor?

With that in mind, Lola wanted to make Anne laugh the next time she saw her.

Ultimately, Nate agreed to let Laura go hunting.

For the next few days, Lola would go hunting in the snowy forest every day.

But she didn't encounter any real danger. The most urgent situation was that she was surrounded by several dire wolves.

Each of those wolves was bigger than her, and she was incredibly nervous at first.

Fortunately, Lola immediately used mind control magic to regulate her emotions, which allowed her to calmly face the battle.

After that, she won easily.

However, it took her a lot of effort to drag the three prey back to Nate's cabin.

Over these days, Lola also realized that the power of the Radiant Realm is greatly influenced by emotions and mindset.

From this perspective, Lolotti's mind magic was undoubtedly beneficial to Lola.

Given this, Lola couldn't help but wonder if she should also take some time to study this witchcraft.

That night, Nate said with a smile:

"I have proven Lolotti wrong and improved some of my conclusions!"