The King of Secrets

When Nanako heard her disciple's magical message, her mind instantly went blank.

She turned to the shopkeeper in a daze and asked, "Excuse me, was the customer who bought those two pigs named Lynn?"

The shopkeeper's eyes lit up immediately, "Yes! How did you know? He said these two pigs were plump and healthy, and he wanted to buy them to make soup and some cured meat for his master!"

"..."

After a brief silence.

Nanako let out a piercing scream, "This is terrible! Terrible! Disciple, what kind of joke is this! How could this happen - those two pigs you're cooking are actually mages from our Winter Spring Valley!"

"Quick! We need to go back! Hopefully we can still save them!"

Panicked, Nanako grabbed the pig and ran towards her mage tower at an unimaginable speed.

...

Several minutes later.

After sprinting all the way, Nanako and the pig finally arrived at the mage tower.

As soon as they got there, they caught whiffs of an incredibly enticing aroma.

Outside the mage tower, on a table, lay two damaged wizard hats - clearly not belonging to her or Lynn.

Which meant...

Nanako's mind went completely blank as she muttered:

"Stewed... Did my disciple really... stew them?"

This has to be a joke!

Nanako was about to lose her mind.

Those two pigs were her important guides - nothing could happen to them!

Nanako panicked.

She rushed into the mage tower, kicked open the door, and shouted:

"Disciple! Where are you? Come out right now!!"

But in the next moment, she froze.

In the great hall of the mage tower, steaming dishes were laid out on the table, and Lynn was sitting with two pigs, enjoying the delicious meal.

Seeing Nanako return, Lynn paused, turned and smiled:

"Master, you're back? By the way, we have exactly two guests at home, you don't mind, do you?"

The two pigs saw Nanako and the pig beside her, and they all raised their hooves friendlily, giving a ^(OO)^ greeting.

Nanako was completely stunned.

So... what exactly was going on...

...

Several minutes later.

[Oh my, did this loli really think I stewed them?]

[Come on, isn't it obvious that they're mages who've been cursed and transformed into pigs?]

[This is quite interesting though - I thought Secret Source magic had been lost in this world, yet here I am encountering it again!]

[If I'm not mistaken, they must have been affected by the Fire of Secret Source. Removing this curse will be somewhat troublesome.]

At the table, Nanako stared wide-eyed, secretly listening to her disciple's thoughts.

As expected!

Her disciple indeed knew about the curse affecting them!

Secret Source?! So what exactly was this Secret Source?

She had only heard bits and pieces from Grandpa Andrew before, but she didn't know the specific details.

However...

Nanako looked oddly at the three well-mannered pigs sitting across from her and Lynn, then glanced at the table full of roasted pork and honey-glazed pork trotters.

Disciple...

Although I know they're mages from our Winter Spring Valley, they're human...

But in their current state, is it really appropriate to be eating pork trotters with three pigs...

One of the pigs put down its trotter (´•(00)•`), raised two fingers, and said:

"Oink oink dame, grunt grunt yo..."

Lynn nodded and said, "Mm, I understand. Don't worry, I won't spread the word about you being turned into pigs. Since my master has taken on this task, I believe she'll definitely help you investigate this thoroughly!"

Another pig (^(OO)^) said: "Oink haya, grunt grunt moji!"

Lynn smiled and said, "No need to thank me, this is what I should do. After all, it would be terrible if you were really butchered as pigs! Hehe!"

Nanako: "????"

Nanako was completely bewildered.

Watching her disciple engage in barrier-free bilingual communication with the three pigs.

Nanako suddenly felt troubled by her inability to fit into her surroundings due to being too normal.

Nanako said in astonishment, "So, disciple, you can actually understand what they're saying?"

Lynn put down his knife and fork, smiling:

"A little bit, just a little bit. After all, as a mage, it's necessary to master multiple foreign languages. If one can't even understand pig language, wouldn't that make them worse than a pig?"

Nanako: "???"

Why did this phrase sound so familiar?

Hey! Hey!

Disciple, are you also taking roundabout jabs at Nanako!!

*Angry*

[Since Master has accepted the commission to investigate this matter, I now have a reason to take a look as well.]

[These fools in Winter Spring Valley still don't understand how terrifying the King of Secret Source is. If he really has awakened, they shouldn't have sent just my loli master alone.]

[Though if it's just a site where he once stayed, then it's no big deal.]

[Hehe, but I actually hope it is that guy who's awakened. A thousand years ago we fought side by side, and I believe after a thousand years he definitely wouldn't refuse an invitation from his old friend.]

Lynn gulped down a whole bowl of soup, appearing to be in quite good spirits.

But Nanako's whole body trembled.

From her disciple's thoughts, it seemed...

He knew the so-called King of Secret Source, and had even fought alongside him a thousand years ago?

Was it during that divine battle?!

Had they faced gods together?

Nanako immediately felt she had obtained extremely important information.

Soon after finishing the meal.

Nanako rode her broomstick, holding down her large wizard hat, briefly left the mage tower, and quickly rushed to Winter Spring Valley's magic library.

After searching for a long time, she finally found some relevant historical books.

"The Hundred Great Forbidden Existences of the Violet World"

Author: Double Wood

She quickly opened this ancient book covered in dust.

On the contents page, rows of ancient beings' names were listed.

1. Great Lord of Violet - Lynn Violet

2. First Demon Lord of the Abyss - Lucifer Lin

3. The Eternal One · Pale Dragon King (Dragon Race Regent) - ???

4. Sea King (Forbidden Sea) - ???

Flip flip flip -

Nanako stared wide-eyed, quickly turning page after page of introductions about these forbidden existences.

Finally, near the last few pages of the book, Nanako found the introduction about the King of Secret Source.

[King of Secret Source]

A powerful being existing since ancient times, essentially a sourceless flame without any temperature, often appearing on the continent in the form of a human mage, very mysterious.

He was the first being to understand and master the powerful force known as [Secret Source], and legend has it that Secret Source was the supernatural power of the previous era.

However, with the changing of ages, the beings of this generation have become too weak to accept the might of Secret Source, and as Secret Source gradually dissipated, after at least ten thousand years of transition, it gradually formed Magic Energy particles that float in the air throughout the world.

And these diluted particles have gradually become the magical energy that all mages of the current era rely upon.

The King of Secret Source is the progenitor of Magic Energy.