Chapter 287: The Rose Family's Invitation
After exchanging smiles, Jia Na withdrew the surrounding Soundproof Barrier and took out a stack of notes from her thorn bracelet.
"Since you're back, it's time to catch up on the classes you missed."
"Oh my goodness—"
Vivian had already anticipated several things they could do together after they met.
However, when she saw the pile of textbooks stacked high on the table, Vivian's mood was like being on a rollercoaster; she couldn't help but feel a little overwhelmed.
"Ancient Magic History, Intermediate Spells, Intermediate Herbology, Intermediate Biology, Dragon Language"
Counting the few required courses, Vivian just casually flipped through them and already felt overwhelmed.
As Vivian flipped through the textbooks, she naturally saw the key points Jia Na had specially marked.
As Vivian's reading speed increased, her originally furrowed brows gradually relaxed.
"Jia Na, it's really great to have you by my side!"
Seeing Vivian's 'deeply grateful' look, Jia Na also smiled and shook her head.
"Remember to pay the credits; these aren't for you to look at for free."
"Hmph~ I know~"
After carefully putting away the textbooks, Vivian took out an invitation from her interdimensional space ring.
"You received the invitation I sent you last time, right?"
"You mean that banquet invitation from a certain someone that didn't even have a date written on it? Of course, I received it."
Hearing Jia Na's seemingly innocent but pointed words, Vivian pouted innocently.
"I couldn't help it! At that time, I didn't even know when I'd be able to come out of seclusion. You're such a busy person, how could I dare to just fill in a random time?"
After taking the invitation from Vivian's hand, Jia Na opened it right there.
"The time is today?"
"Yeah, didn't you see I came to invite you myself? You didn't schedule something else, did you?"
"No, I haven't."
Actually, Jia Na's original plan for today was to spend the entire afternoon 'immersed' in the Mist Forest, seizing the time to heal a few more trees.
But seeing the look on Vivian's face, as if she was ready to throw a tantrum if Jia Na didn't agree, Jia Na had no choice but to push her own task back and accept this promise that should have been fulfilled back at New Year.
"That's more like it! Let's go!"
Perhaps because Vivian had awakened her bloodline, Jia Na noticed that her strength was significantly greater than before.
Furthermore, Vivian's body temperature was extremely low, giving Jia Na the illusion of being dragged along by an ice-element magic beast.
"Is your family hosting a luncheon this time?"
"Sort of. Anyway, it's just you, me, and my father. Just treat it like a normal family meal."
Hearing that besides the two of them, the only other person at this banquet would be the Rose Family Patriarch, Jia Na felt a slight sense of relief.
After all, what Jia Na was best at handling were business banquets. As for eating with a friend's large family—whether in her previous life or this one, Jia Na wasn't very good at it.
After the two left the Magic Tower, Vivian gave Jia Na no time at all to return to her dorm and tidy up, heading straight for the Rose Castle outside the Turin suburbs.
"Just treat this place like your own home, don't be polite with me at all."
Even as Vivian pressed the doorbell beside the castle gate, she kept rambling on, saying things to try and make Jia Na feel less constrained.
"Don't worry, I won't be polite with you..."
"Welcome back, Vivian—and Miss Jia Na."
Before Jia Na could finish speaking, a pure white owl wearing a small black top hat flapped its wings and flew over, then skillfully opened the large gate with its claws, warmly inviting the two inside.
"Maji, is the luncheon ready?"
"It has long been prepared according to your instructions."
"And Father? Has he returned?"
"The Patriarch has been waiting for the two young ladies in the reception room for quite some time."
"Okay, that's good."
After confirming that everything was prepared as she had envisioned, Vivian took Jia Na's arm and walked into the manor.
"Pop—"
Like a stone dropping into a deep well, the moment Jia Na stepped through the manor gate, ripples like dancing water waves spread out from around her.
"It's a barrier?"
Just as Jia Na thought, the moment she truly entered the Rose Manor, the surrounding scenery quickly began to change,
And before long, it transformed into a world of ice and snow, covered in silver.
"How is it? This design is quite unique, right? I even participated in designing the interior of the entire manor."
Although Turin hadn't officially entered spring yet at this time, the ice and snow within the city were already starting to melt gradually.
However, seeing the full view of snow and giant ice sculptures within the Rose Manor gave Jia Na a sense of déjà vu, as if she were in the dead of winter.
"So, the barrier outside is an illusion-type barrier?"
"More or less—oh, and it also has a constant temperature function."
Constant temperature?
Hearing Vivian's words, Jia Na's eyebrow couldn't help but twitch slightly.
"You mean your family's manor is this temperature all year round?"
"Yeah, even in the summer, it's this temperature—that's why I hate staying in the dorms normally."
Just as the two were talking, a tall, thin middle-aged woman with a serious face and meticulously combed hair quickly walked up to Vivian.
"Young ladies, the Patriarch has been waiting for you in the hall for quite some time."
"I understand, Isais."
Vivian, who had just been chatting and laughing with Jia Na, suddenly her smile disappeared upon seeing the woman before her, and her body also tensed up slightly.
"She's the housekeeper of Rose Manor, a particularly fierce alchemical creature—I advise you not to make eye contact with her."
"An alchemical creature?"
Hearing Vivian's whispered message, Jia Na's peripheral vision couldn't help but cautiously glance at the woman beside her.
However, no matter how Jia Na looked, she couldn't discern any alchemical characteristics in the other party.
"If an alchemical creature can achieve this level, it's truly astonishing—"
As the few people entered the castle, Jia Na discovered that there were alchemical creatures everywhere within the castle.
However, these alchemical creatures were merely puppets with empty human forms, unlike Isais, who looked completely indistinguishable from a real person.
"Does your family not have any normal humans?"
"Of course, we do! The chefs in the kitchen who are responsible for cooking are ordinary people hired from a particularly famous restaurant in the Lower City."
"Lower City—are you sure they came voluntarily?"
"Of course! The money they earn here in a month is almost as much as they used to earn in a whole year—"
