Although she didn't plan to stay here for the night, Dorothy decided to have dinner with Xia De before leaving.
So, during the evening transaction, Dorothy was still at Saint Delan Square Six, helping Xia De observe the entire Square through the living room window.
Xia De timed it perfectly, carrying the suitcase full of money outside. The sun was setting, pigeons waited for food in the Square, and vendors who hadn't left yet were waiting for their last customers of the day.
As Xia De walked through the flock of pigeons, they suddenly flew up, soaring over his head as he reached the fountain.
He didn't wait long before he saw Mr. Randall approaching from the west side of the Square, carrying a document bag.
"I won't reveal the secrets of your Hermit Order, but I also hope that, besides the person I meet, no one else in the Hermit Order knows my identity."
This was a request Xia De made before the transaction. The two men shook hands in front of the statue of a girl holding a water bottle in the sunset, both with half their faces illuminated by the setting sun and half hidden in darkness.
"Of course, please do not mention the Hermit Order to anyone. We haven't shown ourselves in a long time. But if you want to trade again in the future, you can directly find me at the address on my business card. We welcome any fair trade. If you can't find me, you can also look for this one, but be very careful, this Old John's temper is not as good as mine."
Mr. Randall handed Xia De a business card, a business card for Old John's Pawnshop.
Xia De's mouth twitched, feeling surprisingly unsurprised:
"Does this Mr. John know my identity?"
"He knows. He told me to remember your expression when I gave you the business card."
After exchanging items, neither of them checked them on the street; they both trusted that the transaction would be fine.
"Also, these banknotes are not in consecutive serial numbers, you can spend them freely."
Xia De said. The secretary of the University Association nodded, his expression very serious:
"Alright, Mr. Hamilton, I also need to remind you that even though I know you are only doing this for research, if you really do suddenly go mad and try this summoning ritual, be extremely careful. Even among the summoning rituals we have encountered, this is an extremely dangerous one. The ritual is divided into two stages, and if you forget one very important thing, it will lead to an exceptionally bad outcome."
"I certainly won't call upon any God. But, forget..."
Xia De narrowed his eyes. The question that arose under that Giant Tree was now answered.
"Mr. Randall, is the second stage the fairy tale you mentioned?"
The middle-aged man nodded:
"Yes, it's 'Kiss of the Tree'. In some versions of the story, the full content of the ritual is clearly indicated. For example, 'Coconut Stories' published in 1200, Carson Rick's 'Appreciation of Nursery Rhymes and Fairy Tales', and 'Delarion Ancient Fairy Tales Collection', of which a few manuscripts are currently circulating."
For some reason, Xia De felt no surprise at this moment:
"'Delarion Ancient Fairy Tales Collection'?"
"Do you have this book?"
Mr. Randall asked in surprise.
"So that's how it is."
Everything made sense.
At midnight, Xia De, who had been lying on the sofa with a book covering his face, suddenly sat up, forcing the cat that had been lying on his stomach to jump aside.
He glanced at the scattered documents on the table. Besides the information Xia De bought at a high price, there was also a reply from the Red Moon Witch, the librarian. Xia De had asked Miss Daniste about the academy's original founders. She didn't give a specific answer but provided information about the tradition of the librarian's position.
Everything was pretty much as he expected, and at the same time, many past doubts could now be explained.
He tidied his clothes, which were a bit wrinkled from lying down for too long. Xia De picked up the cat, which had been woken up and was now energetic, and comforted her for a moment. Then he left the cat on the sofa and walked alone towards the bedroom door.
He took out the cracked key from common era 3005:
"This is probably the last time I'll see Miss Felianna. May the World Tree bless me in infinite time. Mia, don't make a sound, you've seen me do this before. See you in three seconds."
"Meow~"
Xia De complained about his cat, yawned, then turned the doorknob in front of him and stepped into the white fog door.
【Outsider, you have entered the "Time Corridor."】
【Message from the Old God "Father of Infinite Trees":】
【fifth epoch 3002 autumn, West Continent, Thousand Tree Forest.】
【Event: Summoning Ritual - Contact with Old God "yaobian gate."】
【Duration: Thirty minutes (3/3).】
【You have obtained additional information.】
【The figure of the Father of Infinite Trees continues to watch you.】
【The Old God of Time's test will continue.】
【Assist mortals in completing the Summoning Ritual - Contact with Old God "yaobian gate."】
【The Father of Infinite Trees will grant you a reward: the truth of a historical period (Witch War at the end of the fifth epoch), Miracle - Space Stabilization Aura.】
White fog filled the surroundings, but Xia De did not immediately step into the Thousand Tree Forest.
【Any other questions?】
She asked softly in his ear.
Xia De looked at the white fog in front of him:
"I was just thinking, in front of an Old God, even a powerful mortal like Miss Felianna could make such a mistake. Mortals are truly too fragile in front of a God."
She chuckled in his ear. Xia De shook his head. He took a step, and the white fog slowly dissipated. The dark forest gradually became clear, and whispers came almost immediately. At the same time, in the deep darkness, twisted branches grew like the hands of a corpse from a horror story, and the dense tree trunks seemed to grow terrifying eyes.
"Moonlight!"
He said softly, without panic, and the Moonlight from his fingertips barely illuminated the path ahead. Like the bottom cabin of the Fishbone Pirate Ship, this forest could suppress Xia De's Moonlight, a phenomenon that had occurred last time.
Through the gaps in the surrounding bushes, he couldn't see the light of the reddish-gold bonfire. If he wandered around recklessly, he would get lost in the Thousand Tree Forest again.
Last time, he unexpectedly encountered the Moon Witch. Silver Moonlight has the opposing concepts of holiness and evil, while yellow Moonlight represents the opposing concepts of guidance and Bewilderment. The Moon Witch could move in the forest, but Xia De could not.
Fortunately, last time, the Witches had already told Xia De what to do.
Maintaining the light on his fingertips, Xia De drew the holy silver two-handed sword from the air beside him. He plunged the sword into the soft soil beneath his feet with one hand, a feeling very much like piercing flesh.
Maintaining this posture, he softly chanted:
"Moonlight guide me, may the silver Moon be with me."
After waiting for a while, the light of a bonfire silently appeared in the gaps of the bushes in front of him. The Moon Witch had left power around the clearing under the Giant Tree. Xia De only needed to activate it with a similar power nearby to get guidance.
Xia De put away his sword, walked over and pushed aside the bushes, finally arriving at the clearing under the Giant Tree.
Under the tree trunk, the bonfire flickered, and someone was singing softly. The rustling canopy seemed to be accompanying the song:
"The princess in the castle will not understand that the freedom of walking the world is what we pursue."
"Meeting a Witch at a lavender-filled crossroads, where are you going, to gather that handful of herbs."
"Picking up white snow on the snowy peak, observing the sun deep in the desert."
"If you can meet us, dear girl..."
"Please softly call our names, please ask your doubts."
"In a patch of blooming lilies, or, where sunflowers face west."
"Please wear a pretty dress, and hold purple thyme."
"Those who love you and those you love are all here, in this sun-drenched hall."
This was probably a folk song popular among the Witches of the fifth epoch, though for some reason, it felt a little melancholic.
Three hooded ladies sat around the bonfire; it was Miss Felianna singing.
As the singing stopped, only Miss Felianna turned to look at Xia De. The other figures merely trembled slightly, and it seemed the forest's erosion of them was becoming more severe.
Everything here was still the same. Powder was sprinkled on the ground in a circle around the bonfire for warning. Around the bonfire where the Witches sat were two small tents, a kettle, a small mirror, a wooden box, a basin with clothes soaking, and other daily necessities.
Wood was piled up into a small mountain nearby, but even the most vigorous bonfire could not save their dull spirits.
Xia De nodded to Miss Felianna under her hood, then hesitated, standing there looking at the Giant Tree, before finally walking over.
The positions of the three Witches were very interesting. They weren't sitting close together, but rather in different directions. The Giant Tree Witch sat under the tree trunk, Miss Felianna was ninety degrees counter-clockwise, and the Moon Witch sat opposite the Giant Tree Witch.
Xia De walked quietly, unwilling to disturb the current tranquility.
Sitting down by the crackling bonfire, Xia De chose a spot opposite Miss Felianna, adjacent to the two younger Witches.
"Good evening, ladies."
He said softly in this place without daytime.
"Good evening."
Miss Felianna replied. The bonfire wasn't very bright, and they could see each other's faces.
There was no concept of time here, so Xia De didn't ask how long he had been away. He looked at the Witches' faces in the bonfire light; every face showed fatigue.
After a long while, Xia De sighed slightly. He reached into the inner pocket of his overcoat and pulled out "Delarion Ancient Fairy Tales Collection" from his pocket.
Placing the book on his lap, he asked softly:
"Now, can you still hear my voice?"
"Yes."
Only Miss Felianna was still speaking.
"Miss Felianna, actually, since the first time I came here, I've been a little curious. Why, why do you have three people, but there are always only two single tents (Note) here? Were they lost when you entered the forest, like the ritual items?"
The three faces under the hoods all looked at him, and two pairs of pretty eyes were filled with Bewilderment.
Clearly, they hadn't realized this problem until Xia De brought it up.
