Chapter 1, The Burning Stake
The weather is relatively warm, and the men are generally dressed in short, narrow-sleeved linen tops, matching long trousers, and flat shoes. The women, on the other hand, wear monotonous, plain long skirts, often featuring a large pocket sewn onto the skirt. The commonality lies in their simplicity and worn appearance
Awake, must be awake
The red flames surged upward, towering over a person, encircling the woman in the black robe
Xia Feng hurriedly extended his hand to support himself on the bed, stabilizing his body. His face was pale, and he was restless. The fleeting glimpse he had just caught had already allowed him to survey his surroundings completely.
The woman in the black robe suddenly burst into a maniacal laugh, her voice sharp and piercing: "What I seek is the truth of magic, not the god of truth. Burn me alive, and I shall watch this sinful paradise perish in the flames, watching this magnificent cathedral collapse"
Madman
The two completely opposite emotions of fear and excitement were distinctly expressed in a strange accent, as the summer breeze interrupted the panic. Curiously, she murmured to herself, "Witch? What kind of world is this?"
Most individuals with brown hair and brown eyes also exhibit a mix of blonde, red, and black hair, as well as green, red, and blue eyes. Their facial features are pronounced and possess a strong sense of three-dimensionality
Everyone, hurry up
Behind these men in white robes stood a row of guards clad in silver-gray chainmail, exuding an extraordinary presence
As he spoke, he pulled on Xia Feng's arm: "Come on, Brother Lucien, let's hurry to the church square to see the witch being burned, the detestable witch who caused you to be captured by the church guards and interrogated for an entire night!"
However, it is all well now; they have lost, I was right. Brother Lucien, how could anything possibly happen to you
The boundless crimson hue suddenly dims, revealing the deepest and heaviest pitch black. The summer breeze, akin to a drowning person, struggles to grasp anything within reach to aid in altering this powerless drifting state and to escape this inexpressible darkness
Is it really the Middle Ages? Xia Feng looked at herself, wearing the same linen short top, the same long pants, and the same flat shoes.
Not long after emerging from the dilapidated, low-roofed shantytown, I came upon a modest yet solemn and imposing church. Its semi-circular dome rose high, topped with a large white cross affixed prominently above, while the windows below were exceedingly narrow
As an adult who enjoys novels, a sense of foreboding subtly arose in Xia Feng's heart. However, before he could ponder it further, with a loud crash, the poor, dilapidated wooden door was suddenly flung open, and a boy of about twelve or thirteen burst in.
Burn her to death
I will watch this magnificent cathedral collapse in the flames
... ...
At the moment the badge erupted with dazzling light, Xia Feng was already caught in a daze
I will watch you all sink forever in the flames
A dilapidated and narrow small room, in addition to the wooden bed beside me, contains only a wooden table that might collapse at any moment, two relatively intact stools, and a slatted box with a hole in it. On the other side of the rickety wooden door, there is a stove whose original color is indiscernible and a clay pot hanging over it. The firewood beneath the stove has long since extinguished, emitting no warmth whatsoever.
Before me, there are no longer the beautiful wooden desks of the library, no more piles of disordered reference books, no drafts of papers ready to be input into the computer, only a dark, frayed, and worn blanket, which is now draped over myself
It is not surprising that the little boy, with several dark gray smudges on his face, appears lost in thought in the summer breeze: "Mom never believes me, and I secretly cry in the middle of the night, my eyes swollen from weeping, constantly murmuring about the poor little Evans, as if Brother Lucien, you have already been buried in the cemetery."
After a short while of squeezing, the summer breeze suddenly cleared my vision, revealing that I had already pushed my way to the very front layer.
Xia Feng looked at the clothing that was different from modern styles, numbly nodding his head, as a chaotic and absurd thought emerged in his mind: "Lucien, witch, church, burning at the stake, could it be that I have truly traveled through time, and ended up in the dark ages of medieval Europe where witches were hunted?"
This is a world filled with true sorcery and magic
At the forefront stands a middle-aged man dressed in a wide white robe with golden trim, wearing a soft white hat, holding a round badge adorned with a white cross. He gazes quietly, without speaking, exuding a solemn and dignified presence. Behind him stand several men and women in white robes, clean and tidy, with rosy complexions, forming a stark contrast to the poverty and filth present in the square
My name is Lucien
Father was unable to bear the noise, so early in the morning he sent that troublesome boy from Simon's house to deliver a message to Sir Wayne's estate, asking my brother to find a way to come back for a visit. He is already an apprentice squire, and the doctor from the benevolent hall would not dare to insist on that ridiculous and laughable price in front of him
The place where I sit is not the backrest chair of the library, but a narrow wooden bed
The chilling sound echoed incessantly, as the woman in the black robe and the stake were reduced to ashes.
As the rapidly beating heart gradually steadies, the summer breeze gathers the spirit, reminding oneself that they are in the all-night reading room of the university library working on their graduation thesis, and they self-mockingly say: "These past few days have been filled with such irregular late-night living, no wonder I have been having such vivid nightmares"
When speaking of his older brother, who has become a squire to a knight, the young boy lifts his chin slightly, displaying a genuine sense of pride
The chaotic and frenzied scene sent shivers down Lucien's spine; if anyone were to discover that he had traveled through time, he would be the next to face the stake, his soul having been possessed by an evil demon.
Although he felt pity and reluctance towards the woman in the black robe, Xia Feng did not dare to make any move, for otherwise, both he and a stone could be crushed to death.
With a gasp, Xia Feng suddenly sat up, breathing heavily. He had just dreamt of a terrifying fire, and before the flames approached, he had already fallen into a coma from inhaling too much thick smoke in his sleep. He could only wait in a blurred and desperate state for the flames to spread, just like in previous episodes of sleep paralysis. He knew he was dreaming, yet he wanted to break free but found himself powerless and unable to control his body.
However, without a pile of wood, how can we burn her to death
... ...
It is truly evil
"Burn her, burn her!" The surrounding impoverished people initially shouted sparsely, then began to chant in unison.
Although Xia Feng's personality is somewhat introverted and shy, similar to Tu Shu, and his reactions are not quick enough, at this moment he has noticed various discrepancies: even if there is indeed a fire and he has been sent to the hospital, this place does not resemble a hospital at all
"Brother Lucien..." The boy with short brown hair, wearing a knee-length linen top, saw Xia Feng standing by the bed, surprised and delighted, "You are awake?"
This is not medieval Europe
The rays of light gathered and shot towards the azure sky. Upon reaching the height of the arch, the light refracted and fell, striking the stake of the pyre.
The square is already surrounded by many people. A little boy, pulling at the summer breeze, darts left and right, constantly pushing forward, drawing angry glances from several onlookers. However, due to the fact that this is the church square, they do not dare to hit these two rascals
The body feels as if it has just recovered from a serious illness, reminiscent of the sensation right after the pneumonia I had in high school
In the center of the square stood a wooden cross, upon which was bound a pale-faced, strikingly beautiful woman in her twenties, dressed in a black robe
Suddenly, the angry, hateful, and incessantly noisy crowd in the square fell silent all at once, in unison
Countless thoughts echoed in his mind, yet the summer breeze had never encountered such an extraordinarily strange situation. His somewhat introverted personality left him momentarily at a loss for what to do next, as a deep sense of panic rapidly fermented.
Occasionally struck, the woman in the black robe kept her thin, pale lips tightly sealed, not uttering a single sound of pain, but instead gazing like a statue at the people standing on the steps of the church
Under its illumination, the summer breeze felt a resurgence of strength and then desperately moved closer to the red light
Where is this
When the summer breeze takes advantage of the illumination and truly steps forward, the radiance grows brighter, shifting from crimson to pure white, shattering the darkness into fragments, vanishing in an instant
Thick smoke billowed, and with each breath came a heavy sound reminiscent of a worn-out bellows, as if it were scorching the throat and lungs, while the awareness of the summer breeze quickly faded away
A middle-aged man held up a badge, his voice not loud yet resonating throughout the entire square: "Poor sinner, you have been deceived by the devil, foolishly seeking to obtain evil power, your body and soul filled with filth, only the holy light can purify you. This is both the Lord's punishment and His grace, a testament to the Lord's mercy towards the lost sheep."
Where exactly is this
Along the way, the summer breeze seized the opportunity to observe the people heading to the Adirang Church
She laughed maniacally, cursing wildly
The only sound left in the entire square is the wind rustling through the clothes
He felt a tightening in his heart, hurriedly looking around, and instinctively stood up to the side.
As Xia Feng looked ahead, preparing to pack his reference books to return to the dormitory, an unfamiliar and unimaginable scene struck his mind like a giant hammer, leaving him momentarily stunned and blank.
The cross emblem on his hand suddenly erupted with a bright light, dazzling and resplendent, leaving Xia Feng's eyes to see nothing but a vast expanse of white.
... ...
You cannot, you cannot fall asleep, or you will die
My poor little Cressy died a few months ago, it must have been you, that evil witch! Oh, my poor little Cressy...
They are going to burn the witch! The church is going to burn the witch!
... ...
The bishop said nothing, but the many impoverished people around him fell into a frenzied uproar, their voices hoarse from shouting
You, witch, are hiding in our Adéren district, surely intending to harm us
Burn that damned, evil witch
Amidst the great upheaval, Summer Wind was contemplating life in solitude. Initially, he did not wish to join the commotion with the little boy, and the thought of directly burning a living person was something that Summer Wind, who prided himself on being relatively kind-hearted, could not accept. Since he felt powerless to intervene, it was better not to witness it. However, the little boy's final words left Summer Wind stunned: "Does this witch have a connection to me?"
Xia Feng was very surprised. Even in modern times, achieving such a level of obedience and conditioned reflex would require at least several months of training. Yet these individuals, who appear to be ordinary people from the lower class, are able to accomplish it. What force enables them to do so
I will watch this sinful paradise perish in flames
The bishop prayed a few words, his voice growing louder, resonant and devoid of any emotion: "Sinner, then you shall descend into hell under the purification of the Holy Light."
"Smash you, you damned witch."
The surrounding crowd occasionally hurled stones, wooden blocks, and spit that they had brought with them at the woman in the black robe, their curses blending into a chaotic uproar
In the bishop's hand, it was as if he held a small sun, solemn, majestic, and sacred. Everyone, including the little boy beside the summer breeze, bowed their heads and began to pray and praise quietly
The bishop's mercy has instead brought about a curse; these wretched sorcerers, blinded by the devil, truly deserve to be damned
A middle-aged man took out a pocket watch-like object and glanced at it. Seeing that the time was nearly up, he took a step forward and raised one hand high, holding a round badge.
As soon as she stepped onto the ground, the summer breeze felt an extreme weakness and dizziness; her legs went weak, and she was about to fall sideways.
For the first time in his life, Xia Feng found himself in an atmosphere of fervent irrationality. Amidst the shock, he couldn't help but think: "Medieval Europe was truly dangerous"
This dream was unusually vivid, leaving Xia Feng with lingering fears. Moreover, he did not sense the presence of the great fire, so he sat there in a daze, unable to regain his composure for a long time
Suddenly, a point of red light illuminated ahead, resembling the rising sun in the early morning
"Before your purification, the Lord of tolerance and mercy allows me to ask you once more: Are you willing to repent? Sincere repentance can thoroughly cleanse your soul and allow you to enter the kingdom of heaven where the Lord resides," the middle-aged man asked gently and compassionately
The only thing worth being grateful for is that no unpleasant things occurred, allowing Xiafeng to habitually take a few deep breaths, gradually calming the panic. At that moment, distant shouts could be heard from outside the small cabin.
Everything felt so unfamiliar, and Xia Feng could not determine where he was. The incessant wave of weakness further clouded his mind with confusion
Things always tend to develop in a negative direction, and Murphy's Law coldly reminds Xiafeng of this. The boy's hair color and the worn, dirty linen clothes he wears all corroborate this point. As for the language spoken by the boy, Xiafeng's body instinctively understands it and seems capable of using it as well. However, being far from being a linguist, he is unable to determine which language it is.
Thus, Xia Feng changed his mind, suppressing his surprise, and allowed the little boy to pull him along as they stumbled towards the Adelang Church.