Chapter 497: Nicolas Flamel's Collection Room
The candlelight flickered, casting swaying shadows on the wall that mirrored the sudden tremor in Wade's heart.
He unconsciously tightened his grip on the Quill, his voice trembling slightly. "I… I don't understand, sir… What gift are you referring to…?"
It wasn't that he didn't understand; it was just that this "surprise" was too grand and too sudden, making Wade wonder if there was some hidden danger he hadn't yet discovered.
Aside from his parents' care, Wade had never felt that anything came to him without effort—
The appreciation and care from elders, the respect and praise from peers, the admiration and affection from House-elves—all were things he had earned little by little, by first putting in the effort and actively showcasing himself.
Wade had never forgotten the fear of that night when, trapped on the windowsill in the cold wind to avoid Voldemort, an invisible noose slowly tightened around his neck.
So, at this moment, facing such an enormous windfall that seemingly dropped from the sky, Wade wasn't excited. His first reaction was caution, as if a chill was silently creeping up his spine.
"My books, my notes, and of course, my private Collection Room."
Flamel assumed Wade was simply overwhelmed with joy and didn't know how to react. He spoke with a gentle smile on his face, his eyes sparkling with warm amusement.
"Albus has too many burdens. His youthful passion for Alchemy was replaced by other things many years ago."
"I originally thought that the books I left behind would become part of the Hogwarts Library. Perhaps many years from now, some child would open them, and with curiosity, step into the world of Alchemy."
"But Albus recommended you to me."
"He said… rather than waiting for someone who might or might not appear in the future, it would be better to choose the most outstanding and youngest Alchemist present."
"My dear Wade, even before you accepted my invitation, I had already heard much about you from Albus… Every one of your inventions, I've learned about, I've studied."
"I must say, very insightful. But what surprises me even more is the love and reverence for Alchemy reflected in your work."
"I'm dying, Wade. But if my research can be inherited by a child like you, then I'll have no regrets."
Wade felt a rush of heat surging through his body, from his cheeks to his limbs, as if they were burning. His heart pounded fiercely, his eardrums buzzed, and he even felt a little dizzy.
He knew he should accept immediately, but what came out was, "Sir, I… I don't know what to say, this is too…"
"No need to answer now, my boy." Flamel smiled kindly. "I understand. Sometimes, a sudden gift can make one anxious, like being pushed to the edge of a cliff."
Wade's age was less than a fraction of Flamel's. To Nicolas Flamel, all of this child's immature and unsophisticated behaviors were simply because he was as young and naive as a fledgling, which was why he hadn't been worn down by the world.
If anything, such a student made him feel even fonder.
"Come with me, Wade." Flamel turned and said, "I'll show you what you'll be inheriting first."
Wade instinctively followed, taking a hurried step that almost made him trip over Flamel's shoes.
It was clear Flamel was trying to walk faster, but his "light-footed" pace meant Wade had to walk slowly to avoid passing him.
Fortunately, Flamel's Collection Room wasn't far.
In fact, he walked towards the huge Mechanical Grandfather Clock standing in the corner.
The main body of the clock was made of dark brown Walnut Wood, with brass edges inlaid at the four corners. The clock face was also golden, with finely etched markings along the rim, and the copper hands moved steadily and powerfully.
Every hour, the clock's pendulum would strike the copper tubes, emitting a melodious sound. If someone approached, this clock would also enthusiastically announce the time, sometimes asking for help wiping the dust off its top.
Wade had been here for a few days and saw this clock daily. He always thought it was like most furniture in a Wizard's home, imbued with some magic, but not much.
At this moment, as Flamel approached, the clock enthusiastically said, "Good evening, Mr. Flamel. It's already nine twenty-one, and the night is very…"
Before the clock could finish speaking, Flamel pinched its minute hand, turned it clockwise twice, counter-clockwise three times, and then tapped the numbers [6651382] with his Wand in sequence.
With a crisp click, the brass casing of the clock slowly opened. Wade held his breath, almost forgetting to breathe.
Just like his Wardrobe Space, Nicolas Flamel's Collection Room was hidden within the space behind the clock.
It was a vast hall, with thousands of bookshelves stretching from the floor to the vaulted ceiling, countless books, scrolls, and manuscripts piled high, an awe-inspiring sight.
In addition, some shelves held sealed boxes, their purpose unknown, but the magic patterns on them glowed with a soft luster under the light of floating magic orbs.
"Oh my God…"
Wade couldn't help but exclaim, unsure what to say for a moment.
It felt like this Collection Room could fulfill most of what he wanted in his entire life.
"I've been organizing these things, but the workload is much greater than I imagined, so I'm afraid I won't be able to finish. The rest will have to be left to you."
Flamel walked slowly with Wade through the aisles of bookshelves, casually picking up a scroll, opening it to glance, then closing it again.
"Oh, ancient Alchemy texts… Honestly, most of the content is outdated, or the species have gone extinct, so not much significance… But since it's a unique copy, it still has some value."
"These books…" Wade asked with reverence, "Have you read them all?"
Nicolas Flamel blinked.
"Of course," he said. "If they weren't carefully selected, how would I let them into my Collection Room? And of course, Perenelle also helped me with a lot of the selection."
Wade nodded with a hint of skepticism, his gaze falling on a distant area.
There were some bookshelves over there, not only wrapped in iron chains, but most of the books were also bound with magically enchanted chains, and there were quite a few sealed boxes.
"Ah, you noticed… Those contain dangerous knowledge. Just opening the books is dangerous. Although I'm leaving them to you, I hope you never open them," Flamel said earnestly.
"If they're so dangerous, why haven't they been destroyed?" Wade asked curiously.
"Because those are also the wisdom left to us by our predecessors," Flamel said slowly. "Despite the danger, there might be a day when they become useful."
"When would they be useful?" Wade asked.
"In Norse mythology, Odin, the king of the gods, plucked out one of his eyes and cast it into the well guarded by Mímir to gain supreme wisdom."
Flamel looked at Wade and said, "If there ever comes a day when you are willing to pay an even greater price than he did to gain certain knowledge, then you may open those books."
Wade felt a subtle chill. He looked at the heavy chains and cautiously suppressed his curiosity.
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