Who is Merlin?
He is the most famous Wizard in history, and even considered the most powerful.
How high is his status?
Not to mention that Wizards are always mentioning him, like "Merlin's beard," "Merlin's flowery underpants"...
Just the Order of Merlin is enough; Albus Dumbledore is a First Class Grand Sorcerer of the Order of Merlin.
"Are you sure Merlin is a Druid?"
Karl couldn't say he was just a little skeptical; he simply didn't believe it at all.
"I can't be sure, but it's really similar. Let me ask you a question."
"Go ahead."
"If a person could transform into various animals, communicate with animals, and predict the future, do you think he would be a Druid Wizard?"
"Uh, this..."
"Merlin is exactly like that."
Karl widened his eyes in disbelief, "If you put it that way... then it's actually possible."
Druids are a crucial existence in Celtic culture.
Not only do they oversee sacrifices and record history, but they are also Wizards, prophets, judges, teachers, doctors, poets...
They possess power that rivals or even exceeds royal authority, and their status is incredibly lofty.
Druids revere the oak as a sacred tree, can transform themselves and others into animals, and communicate with gods as well as animals and plants.
They can also predict the future by observing the flight of birds, the movement of stars, and changes in celestial phenomena.
Throughout Celtic mythology and history, Druids have played an extremely important role.
Nina nodded, her high ponytail swaying playfully, "The most important thing is Merlin's ending."
Karl took the parchment she handed over; the graceful handwriting on it was pleasing to the eye.
This was Nina's record of Merlin's fate in different legends, such as being imprisoned by Vivian in a cage made of air in the forest, being imprisoned by Vivian in an oak tree, or being imprisoned by Vivian in a sealed tomb made of giant stones underground...
Karl: (. ﹏. )
"Merlin is having a rough time! Just how much of a grudge does she have against him?"
Caught and locked in a dark room, crying all day long, suffering a mental breakdown, sobbing away.
"Focus on the main point! Do you think the method Vivian used to imprison Merlin could be the sealing spell you're looking for?"
"Hmm? That actually makes sense!"
Karl felt Nina's idea was sound; imprisoning a Wizard as powerful as Merlin was not much different from sealing away a dangerous entity.
However... why does it feel like the possibility of finding the spell has become even lower!
"So, to learn the sealing spell, do I need to go save Merlin?"
"But even if these legends are true, he's probably long turned to dust."
"And as the one being imprisoned, Merlin probably wouldn't know it, so I have to go find Vivian?"
Karl suddenly remembered something as he said this and turned to look at Nina.
"The Ladies of the Lake live in Avalon, and Avalon is the place of faith for Druids, so you..."
Nina's fair cheeks flushed, and she lowered her head, feeling a bit embarrassed.
"I accidentally obtained the Druid inheritance; how would I know the location of Avalon?"
Karl: ( ▔ , ▔ )
"Doesn't that mean the clue is broken again?"
"Not necessarily. Do you remember? Headmaster Dumbledore said that sealing spells have been lost for nearly a thousand years."
"That doesn't match Merlin's timeline," Karl's expression was indescribable, "Did Vivian imprison someone else?"
This isn't the Ladies of the Lake! It should be the Enchantress of the Lake!
"Not that, but I suspect that this type of spell last appeared at Hogwarts a thousand years ago."
Nina's guess left Karl confused, "What is the basis for that?"
"Do you know there's a rumor in Slytherin House that Merlin studied there?"
"I heard Derian Pucey mention it during Astronomy Class, but that rumor is too outrageous."
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was founded around 990 AD, while Merlin was a figure who lived around 500 AD.
Could it be that he finally managed to escape the dark room, and then, at the ripe old age of 500, went to school with a bunch of Little wizards?
Nina tapped the cute Fire Treasure with her finger, "I think I've found the source of this rumor."
"In the library of the Ravenclaw common room, there is a manuscript by Ms. Rowena Ravenclaw."
"It records that at the beginning of the school's founding, Salazar Slytherin once invited a Wizard who claimed to be Merlin to help build Hogwarts Castle."
Karl: "Huh?"
The amount of information was a bit large; he was a bit confused.
Considering that Nicolas Flamel lived to be over six hundred years old, it wasn't impossible that Merlin was still alive then.
Who knows what crazy inventions those old monsters might have?
Could it be that Merlin cracked the spell Vivian used to imprison him and, having nothing better to do, ran to Hogwarts to help with the construction?
"What did this Merlin do?"
Hearing the name Salazar Slytherin, Karl couldn't help but think of the Chamber of Secrets and the Basilisk.
Nina frowned as she recalled: "The manuscript says he helped the four founders build the core that brought the entire Castle to life."
"However, looking at the content of the manuscript, Rowena Ravenclaw, Helga Hufflepuff, and Godric Gryffindor did not trust this guy who claimed to be Merlin."
"If it weren't for the lack of alternatives, combined with Salazar Slytherin's insistence, they wouldn't have let him join."
Karl rested his arms on the table, interlaced his fingers to support his chin, and began to think.
Such a major event appeared only in Rowena Ravenclaw's manuscript.
Except for the rumors in Slytherin House, there were no other records; this guy who claimed to be Merlin definitely had issues.
But putting that aside, what does it mean to bring the entire Castle to life?
Karl quickly thought of the 142 constantly moving staircases, the various temperamental door knockers and stone carvings, the statues and armor guarding the Castle, the moving stone staircase in the Headmasters Office, the numerous protection and shielding spells...
At this moment, besides wanting to find the sealing spell, he also became curious about the secrets of Hogwarts Castle.
"You mean..."
Nina mimicked Karl's pose, her expression becoming serious:
"To be able to maintain a magical Castle running for a thousand years without much change, this core is definitely extraordinary."
"I have had the honor of seeing the Philosopher's Stone, but even such a miraculous alchemical creation cannot do that."
"So I suspect the Castle core must be a powerful magical object capable of providing a continuous supply of magic."
"And to control, hide, and safely use such a magical object, one would need a sealing spell, right?"
"What do you think?"
Karl: ( ⊙ ˍ ⊙ )
Meeting Nina's expectant gaze, he gave an indescribable answer:
"How should I put it? It feels reasonable yet outrageous, somewhat logical yet illogical."
"However, except for the last part, I agree with the previous speculations."
Nina slumped on the table in frustration, "Fine, actually, before coming to the Great Hall, I specifically went to the Owlery in the West Tower to make a prophecy."
Classmate! You should have said so earlier! A Druid not doing divination, why are you playing detective?
Karl asked hurriedly: "How did it go?"
"It has never succeeded before, but this time it must be your good luck; the result of the prophecy is Hogwarts Castle."
"Combining all the information I can find, and incorporating the information from Headmaster Dumbledore, the Castle's magic core is highly suspicious."
"And compared to going out to find Avalon, it's more reliable to figure out what's right in front of us first, don't you think?"
After pondering for a moment, Karl looked at Nina solemnly.
"Regarding finding the magic core of the Castle, I have three strategies, all of them bottom-tier."
"Huh?"