So, perhaps Margaret could be incorporated into the poem?
Margaret...
Angel silently recited the name in his mind, suddenly remembering something.
If nothing unexpected, he seemed to have seen this name in Nightmare Abyss City in Nightmare Realm and even went to Margaret’s boudoir. In her room, Angel found nothing valuable, but did see many... love poems.
When Angel thought of this, he raised his head abruptly, carefully examining the man’s face, yet the misty carving was obscure, making it difficult to see the other’s appearance clearly.
Angel thought for a moment and simply asked directly: "May I know your name, sir?"
Man: "If you can write a poem that satisfies me, as a reward, I will tell you my name."
Angel initially wanted to say the name that was on the tip of his tongue, but after thinking it over, he held back.
"I will start reciting the poem now, this poem... is nameless."
Angel took a deep breath, turned around, faced away from the man, and began to recite loudly: "Oh, dear Margaret, I miss you so much. Even if the forest is filled with miasma, even if the city is swarming with guards, even if the path to find you is full of sin, nothing can stop my longing for you. When I think of you, flowers sway, birds sing, the wind blows, my heart trembles. Oh, Margaret, you are so beautiful, like the bright moon of late month, shining on my humble heart; beautiful like..."
Sappy, corny, straightforward.
Even though Angel recited the poem with a rhythm and cadence, he still found it sappy, and goosebumps spread all over his arm.
He turned his back while reciting because he didn’t want anyone to see his expression while reciting this poem. Just imagining it, Angel felt it was a disaster.
This poem was completely different from the previous two, even in style, yet Angel found it in Margaret’s room.
If the man in front of him truly was that person, perhaps this poem could pass his test.
Another two minutes passed. After Angel finished reciting, he let out a long breath of relief.
At the same time, applause sounded from behind him.
Angel turned his head to look, only to see the man gazing at him with a look of approval.
"As expected from a poet who can recite ’The Kiss’ and ’When You Are Old,’ to even so effortlessly handle poems in my style."
The man’s words gave Angel a sigh of relief.
This was the man’s style, meaning that even if he didn’t pass this time, at least he wouldn’t be punished and had figured out the kind of love poems the man wanted.
"This poem is truly wonderful, if Margaret sees it, she will surely feel my fiery love!"
"Thank you for your poem, I am very, very satisfied with it. I must write it on the painting for my dear Margaret to see!"
As he spoke, the man quickly picked up a brush and began writing the poem on a canvas.
Seeing this scene, Angel relaxed completely. It seemed that this Alchemy Omen had been successfully passed.
Since this love poem could pass, it proved one thing: this man might really be that person.
While Angel was thinking, the man quickly finished writing the poem and turned to look at Angel: "All three of your poems have satisfied me greatly, especially the second one, although not in my style, it still couldn’t hide its brilliance."
"Therefore, I have decided to give you a reward."
Angel was taken aback. Could a character in an omen really give a reward? This guy couldn’t be the Thief of Time in disguise, could he? Or perhaps he had already transcended the anomaly?
While Angel was speculating, the man came up to him and took Angel’s hand.
Angel furrowed his brows but didn’t pull away.
Then the man proclaimed loudly, "My reward is this: acknowledging you as an excellent poet! In my eyes, you are a chanter bathed in moonlight!"
With that, the man swung his other hand and gave Angel a hard slap.
Angel felt a sharp pain.
Then the man let go, and Angel quickly held the hand that had been slapped, which was red without any marks.
The man looked at Angel’s pained expression, and with some apology, said, "Excellent poet, I forgot my grip was a bit strong. Are you alright?"
Angel forced a smile and shook his head: "I’m fine, is this the reward?"
The man awkwardly scratched the back of his head: "Yes, I don’t have anything good on me, so I can only offer you a compliment."
Well, a compliment can be considered a reward, I suppose.
Angel forced a light smile: "Receiving your compliment is an honor for me."
The man immediately accepted this polite phrase without hesitation: "You’re right, it is an honor. After all, you are the first to pass my poetry test."
"I must go now, Margaret has been waiting for me for a long time. I believe she will love this poem to death."
With those words, the man’s form began to dissolve gradually, and the emerging mist formed a door.
And this door was clearly the exit of this Alchemy Omen.
At the moment the door formed, a voice softly sounded in Angel’s ear: "Oh, I almost forgot to keep my promise to you. My name is Augustine..."
...
Walking out of the Alchemy Omen, Angel looked at the completely tamed short sword and fell into silence.
That person was indeed Augustine.
The love poem he saw in Nightmare Abyss City was written by Augustine for Margaret.
And it was precisely because the poem Angel recited was written by Augustine that he was able to clear this Alchemy Omen.
As for the reward Augustine mentioned...
Angel lowered his head to look at the hand that had been struck... well, there were no marks, it was indeed just a compliment.
A compliment is just a compliment; after all, he didn’t expect any reward in the first place.
However, having experienced this Alchemy Omen, Angel had many questions. Why, when refining this short sword, would he encounter Augustine in the Alchemy Omen?
Whether there is a connection between the Alchemy Omen and the item being refined is an unanswered question in the circle of Alchemy, but most alchemists believe that even if it is not apparent on the surface, there is some connection in the unseen.
If there really is a connection, does that mean the "door" the short sword opens is related to Augustine?
Moreover, was the wall in Nightmare Abyss City also created by Augustine?
Besides the above questions, Angel had an even bigger question.
Although the person said his name was Augustine, Angel confirmed one thing from the love poems in Nightmare Abyss City.
Augustine’s full name was—Augustine Noah.
The surname was Noah.
Then, is he related to the Noah Clan?
Did the Black Earl let Vay come along, as Rhein said, just out of curiosity?