Chapter 181

Chapter 181: Ruins

“This feeling… is quite strange…”

After picturing Beverly carving herself up and gradually destroying her own body, Dorothy slightly shook her head, deciding not to dwell on it. She then continued to ask Beverly:

“Because you ruined yourself with your carving, did you give up your original stone body?”

“Yes, I originally wanted to ask the old man for help, but he was so furious at my actions that he refused to assist me. So, I started studying myself, and after decades of research, I finally understood everything about myself. I discovered the core within me and thought of replacing the ruined stone body with other materials while keeping the core intact.”

Beverly continued in response, almost finishing repairing her skin.

“To differentiate myself from the old man, I began studying mechanics. Fortunately, I found some ways to process metal conveniently. So, I used metal mechanisms to create my body and placed the core inside.

“I used to carve myself poorly because I hadn’t practiced, but this time, I had endless time to hone my skills and make a satisfactory body. That’s why I look like this now. You saw earlier; the bodies I made were pretty good, right? And with this biometric outerwear I spent over a decade developing, I’m even more beautiful than most human maidens, don’t you think?”

With that, Beverly closed her “makeup box,” which was actually a toolbox with a built-in screwdriver and hammer. She turned to smile at Dorothy. Her repaired face was indeed as beautiful as she claimed, surpassing most human maidens, especially her large yellow eyes which gave her an almost “two-dimensional” appearance. However, it was handled naturally, making her look very comfortable and well-coordinated.

‘Wow, to be able to self-modify to this extent, could this be one of the top golems created by Audric? She must be an excellent craftsman herself. But I wonder if that old guy ever imagined his work would end up looking different from his own aesthetic…’

Dorothy thought to herself, puzzled by how the classical, rugged aesthetic of Audric had resulted in a two-dimensional character who actively wanted to become a beautiful maiden.

If creation could be considered the offspring of a craftsman, then Audric could be said to have “raised children.” He created a son, only to raise him as a daughter.

However, this analogy didn’t quite fit, as Beverly wasn’t a biological entity but rather a constructed object imbued with extraordinary qualities, fundamentally genderless. Her preference for any form was entirely her own freedom.

“Everything is fixed now. Thanks for your help today. Otherwise, I might still be stuck in that corner somewhere for hours.”

While tidying up, Beverly told Dorothy. Dorothy, curious, asked:

“How did you lose your head?”

“It’s nothing. It happened during an experiment. I accidentally blew up the original body. Small accidents happen often.”

Putting everything away, Beverly clapped her hands and sat down seriously in front of Dorothy.

“Now, let’s talk about your situation, Miss Meyshos. The old man has already told me about your general situation. Your main purpose in coming to Tivyán is to find the ruins of the Star Number Repair Association, right?”

“Yes, Audric said the specific location would be given by the contact here. Where is it?” Dorothy asked, puzzled. Finding a way to advance through the ruins of the Repair Association was her primary reason for coming to Tivyán.

“Well, I can tell you that the ruins are both far and near—they’re right under the school next to this town.”

Beverly waved her finger as she spoke, causing Dorothy to pause slightly.

“Under the school? You mean the ruins of the Star Number Repair Association are beneath the King Campus of Saint Crown University?”

“Yes, the school was originally built on the site of the Repair Association’s ruins. That’s why the old man recommended you come here to study.”

As she spoke, Beverly poured herself a small cup of oil from a teapot beside her and continued.

“The Star Number Repair Association was founded in the second era, flourished in the third, and perished at the beginning of the fourth. They left numerous ruins all over the world. Because these ruins are rich in ‘Enlightenment’ storage items and ancient secrets, they have been highly contested by various factions. Generally, finding one of these ruins triggers a conflict among many people. Take the one under the school for example—since its discovery hundreds of years ago, countless Extraordinary Beings have died fighting over it. The society controlling this ruin has changed three or four times. This place has been a significant stronghold for multiple societies before.”

Drinking the oil, Beverly told Dorothy, who was stunned by this revelation.

“These ruins have been controlled by several societies… Is there anything left here at all?!”

“Of course not. The surface layers have been stripped off multiple times by the different societies. Any extraordinary items or secrets were long ago plundered. All the ‘Enlightenments’ were dug out. Luckily, the old man explored it early on and found the key inheritance, becoming a Golemist. If he had gone later, there would be nothing left.”

Beverly explained, and Dorothy blurted out after a moment of silence.

“If nothing is left… why did he recommend I come here?”

“I don’t know, but if he recommended you, there must be a reason. I know the old man’s personality; he doesn’t do pointless things. He wouldn’t waste time just to toy with a young girl. Since he sent you there, you should try to find a way in.”

Beverly stated, showing her deep understanding of Audric. Hearing this, Dorothy pondered.

“Hmm… So where is the entrance to the ruins? How should I get in? Did Audric tell you how he got in?”

“I don’t know. Over the centuries, the ruins have been occupied by several societies, each of which modified them for their own use. Now, they’ve been transformed into a school, completely different from when the old man explored it. Who knows how to get in?

“To find out how to enter, you’ll probably need to search the school yourself. That’s why the old man arranged for you to attend school.”

Hearing this, Dorothy couldn’t help but complain.

‘Great, so I’m not here to study, but to dig up archaeological sites?’

“So, can you arrange for me to attend this university? I’m only thirteen, far too young to be in college.”

“Heh, apart from your appearance, you don’t seem like a thirteen-year-old at all,” Beverly teased lightly, putting down her oil cup. Then she continued.

“The last person to control the ruins before they became a school was the old man. He bought the land and built a workshop there, possibly out of nostalgia or hoping to find something valuable.

“Later, the king wanted to build a school to train his civil servants and saw potential in this place. So, he bought the land back from the old man at twenty-five times the original price and promised him shares. Thus, the old man is also a shareholder of this university.

“Now, the Royal Sacred Crown University is the highest institution of learning in Prit, and his shares bring him substantial income every year. This is one of his quality assets, and since I manage his shares, I can easily get you into the university and even grant you some privileges.”

After saying this, Dorothy remained silent, her thoughts focused on one thing.

‘I think that businessman isn’t doing this out of nostalgia or greed. He’s just trying to make a deal, extort money from the king. This old man clearly has plenty of wealth outside, yet he’s haggling over pounds and dozens of pounds. Isn’t he crazy?’