Miss Daniste had no particular reason for seeking out Xia De this time; she simply wanted to inquire about his progress in collecting inspiration.
In truth, Xia De had made no progress at all, but at least he had established a connection with Princess Margaret and built a relatively friendly relationship with Sir Prisia at the reading salon.
The Thirteenth-Ring Female Sorcerer was somewhat displeased with Xia De's progress, but she also understood his difficulties, so she didn't press him too hard.
Instead, Xia De asked a question and subsequently learned a surprising answer:
"Miss Daniste, while doing background research, I discovered that Sir Prisia's family is quite ancient. Rumor has it that many years ago, they were a well-known Ring術士 family. I wonder if this is true."
"Yes."
The Lady on the sofa nodded. Although it was nearing late night, Saint Byron's Library was far from quiet tonight. The month of slumber is the last month of the year. With exam week approaching, the college students were also seizing the remaining little time of the year to supplement their final Knowledge for the upcoming most important year-end upgrade exams.
The Library had even lit more lamps for this purpose, and the massive star map overhead was emitting a soft glow. Above the rows of bookshelves, golden candelabras were suspended in the air, holding candles in a scattered arrangement. It seemed many people would not be sleeping tonight.
"In fact, many long-standing surnames of the current epoch had their own glory in the previous epoch, or even older eras."
Miss Daniste was not at all surprised by Xia De's question; she seemed a bit languid:
"When I did a background check on Laikins Prisia, I looked into their family history. Before Laikins Prisia, the last definitively existing Ring術士 was born about 300 years ago, but he did not join the Church or the Three Great Academies, and unfortunately died in a relic out-of-control incident when he was at the Second Ring."
She wiggled a finger, and a white porcelain teapot, adorned with gold and silver decorations in the shape of unfolding mandalas, poured her some black tea:
"Further back, a Ring術士 would be born roughly every three or four hundred years. While this probability is a bit higher, it's not too exaggerated. However, if we trace back to the fifth epoch, many ambiguous pieces of information emerge. If you're interested, I can tell you, but I don't believe it will help your mission, and most of those rumors from the previous epoch aren't true anyway."
"If it's convenient, please tell me."
Xia De feigned great curiosity, and Miss Daniste nodded:
"The Knowledge you are now exposed to already involves Xenomorph like Elves, Mermaids, and Vampires. Although in the sixth epoch, these Xenomorph creatures no longer appear in human society, at least in the early fifth epoch, intermarriage between humans and Xenomorph creatures was still very common. According to legend, the Prisia family possesses the bloodline of an Xenomorph, specifically from the Feathered people. Yes, that's the race with extreme curiosity but extremely weak mental endurance."
"Feathered people."
"Of course, another theory suggests that the Prisia family's magical bloodline originates from an even older epoch. They inherited the power of an angel, but due to the immense passage of time, the power of the bloodline has long since vanished. Besides Feathered people and angels, there are even stranger rumors, but I think we don't need to waste time on those stories."
The Sorceress held her teacup and looked at Xia De:
"Due to trade negotiation issues, the Margaret Anjou delegation will likely extend their visit to Tobesk, but they will return to Carson Rick before the Year-End Festival. You need to complete your mission before then."
"One week, and I'll bring the inspiration."
Xia De said. He needed to ascertain Sir Prisia's attitude towards the Chosen One and the poetic chapter within a week, which absolutely required contact with him, so he had to complete it:
"But I need more information. Does Sir Laikins Prisia have any extraordinary talents? In the worst-case scenario, I might have to fight him."
"I received news from Serex Higher Medical College that he has a great talent for studying, and his Ring術士 level also increases very quickly."
She paused, glancing at Xia De:
"Of course, he can't compare to a true genius like you. Laikins Prisia is extremely proficient in the power of Enlightenment Element, especially powers related to Knowledge and books. But I cannot ascertain his more specific Ring術士 system; after all, he is only a correspondence student, and Cerces itself may not even know all of his abilities."
Xia De nodded:
"I also made another discovery: Laikins Prisia is very close to the Apner Library."
He did not directly state that the other party was an academic spy.
Miss Daniste thought for a moment:
"This involves Cerces's own affairs; we don't need to concern ourselves with it."
It seemed Cerces itself was also suspicious. After all, if Saint Byron's could suspect Dorothy, there was no reason for a Higher Medical College, one of the Three Great Academies, not to notice a true academic spy.
"Also, if I obtain the inspiration and it truly helps us decipher the secret of that book and find the location of the Silver Moon Library, how will I come to Saint Byron's?"
Xia De asked again. The projected state would weaken the inspiration, preventing the true inspiration from shining on that secret black book. He still harbored the idea of personally coming to Saint Byron's to find the last stone tablet recording time amplification Knowledge.
"If Laikins Prisia's inspiration is truly suitable, I will personally bring that book to Tobesk."
The Thirteenth-Ring Sorceress said with a relaxed tone. Xia De was stunned for a moment before realizing:
"What?"
He had never considered such a possibility.
"You are all in Tobesk, so why don't I go over? Besides, some new problems have recently appeared in the City where you are located. The college has already dispatched several professors, and I can apply to go in the second batch."
Her eyes scrutinized Xia De's expression:
"In the autumn, Principal Pigman also went to a City under the Church's jurisdiction due to some matters. There's no problem with me applying to go assist this time either."
"Hmm."
This indeed sounded like a very good idea, but it was not a good idea for Xia De alone. He wanted to object, but Miss Daniste's reasons were simply impeccable. He thought for a long time but couldn't come up with how to object.
"In any case, the most important task at present is still to collect inspiration."
So the Sorceress said, and Xia De nodded. Even if the stone tablet representing the "Red Moon" had not yet been unsealed, he absolutely could not stop searching for the last stone tablet, which was suspected to be in Saint Byron's. Even if he didn't have the opportunity to go to Saint Byron's this time, if he truly assisted Miss Daniste in finding the Silver Moon Library, and he proposed to help him personally come to Saint Byron's again to "experience the atmosphere of the school," this Thirteenth-Ring lady would certainly not object.
After discussing these matters, Xia De prepared to take his leave, but hesitated for a moment and asked again:
"Madam, I actually have another question."
Miss Daniste smiled and nodded:
"Is it about your studies? Feel free to ask. Although I'm not responsible for your History Academy courses, I am a lifelong professor at Saint Byron's."
Xia De shook his head:
"It's not about my studies. It's like this: a few days ago, I bought an old book at a local black market, and it mentioned a name from the fifth epoch. I wanted to ask if you knew that person."
"What name?"
"Schultz Teresa."
When Xia De and Miss Jialinna discussed this key from the fifth epoch 5177, they had mentioned this name. At that time, Miss Jialinna was primarily focused on Miss Violet, so she didn't pay much attention to this unremarkable Ten-Tier Great Witch.
At this moment, the adventure of 5177 was completely over. If there were no accidents, the extravagant but unexpectedly reliable Witch Emperor Miss Violet, and Miss Teresa, who worked hard for her graduation thesis but was actually strong-willed, would never appear in the Outsider's life again.
"That's a very common name. Are there any other clues? Such as the era she lived in, or any significant deeds she accomplished."
Miss Daniste asked unhurriedly, and Xia De nodded:
"The owner of this name probably lived at the end of the fifth epoch. She was a student at Serex Higher Medical College and a distant relative of a Witch Emperor."
Miss Daniste frowned beautifully in thought:
"I do recall someone who fits your description, but your description is too broad. Cerces was already one of the largest Miracle Academies at the end of the fifth epoch, with countless Ring術士 graduating; and the distant relatives of the Witch Emperors are even more numerous, like how 'distant relatives' of contemporary royalty can almost encompass all nobles."
She beckoned, and three seconds later, a red-covered book flew "whoosh" from a gap in a distant bookshelf into her hand. Miss Daniste opened the book, then gently pushed it, and the book slid through the air towards Xia De:
"Schultz Teresa, the principal of Serex Higher Medical College for 20 years at the end of the fifth epoch. Due to the loss of data caused by the epoch transition, even Serex Higher Medical College itself cannot clearly state the detailed life of this lady."
The pages spread before Xia De only contained a description of "Schultz Teresa" on the right half, with sparse text that simply described the information still available today.
As Xia De read, Miss Daniste continued:
"We no longer know which Witch Emperor she was a distant relative of, but it is said that she was once blessed by a god and possessed extremely high wisdom."
"So, she successfully graduated."
Xia De quietly sighed in his heart, a smile appearing at the corner of his mouth as he took the book and placed it on the coffee table:
"This shouldn't be The Lady whose name I saw. The description I saw said she was just a girl who followed her aunt, hated writing theses, and had very ordinary talent."
Xia De hoped that when he said this, there wouldn't be too many traces of sadness on his face:
"Then, farewell, Miss Daniste. See you in a week."
"See you in a week. I wish you a smooth operation. If you need help, contact me anytime. Finding the Silver Moon Library is very important to both of us."
The Sorceress said, watching Xia De stand up and disappear from the opposite chair:
"Schultz Teresa."
She gazed at the black tea in the white porcelain teacup:
"The demigod who completed the Thirteenth-Tier secret art 'Undying Witch,' Schultz Violet Teresa."
She murmured softly, imagining the power of the Great Witches of the previous epoch.
After finishing this cup of tea, she looked up at the silver-blue astrolabe above her head, which also served to indicate time:
"It's already this late."
She put down her teacup and called a student, having the robed Elf Girl ring the golden bell at the entrance of the Great Library. The clear sound of the bell spread throughout the brightly lit Library, through the Saint Byron's castle complex and spires covered in silver, under the extreme northern night, and through the massive City built around Saint Byron's, shining brightly in the extreme northern snowfields.
Elves playing lyres in the night forest, Mermaids frolicking in the half-frozen lake, Winged people playing in the snowy sky, Vampires illegally trading pig's blood in the narrow alleys of the western steam City, Dwarves playing rhode cards in a medieval fantasy-style tavern, humans in college uniforms sitting on benches by the central college square fountain talking about love, half-dragon maids cleaning the top of the eastern clock tower, Liches shaking test tubes and experimenting with undead apprentices in the cemetery, centaurs checking the Landfowl's night sleep in the northern grassland, elemental half-mechanical beings maintaining steam pipeline routes in the sewers – countless people heard the spreading sound of the bell.
The blizzard raged outside the transparent membrane layer surrounding the City, and the undulating snow-capped mountains resembled crouching giants in the night. Although the scenery in the far north was magnificent, the curfew for junior students was approaching, and if they couldn't return to their dorms in time, points would be deducted. The bell of Saint Byron's Library was also the late-night punctuation mark for this academic City. The Library administrator was also one of the City's overseers.
Saint Byron's Comprehensive College represents not only the college itself but also a home in the far north where Xenomorph creatures, humans, and various wonderful life forms coexist.
The night was deep, march shone brightly, and the City, founded by the demigod Witch Mana Feilianna, located on the extreme northern ice cap, and passed down through two epochs, welcomed a new, peaceful night amidst the blizzard.
