Thinking about the two opposing deities, Xia De averted his gaze from the paper in his hand and said to the maid, Tifa:
“I happen to have a relic fishing rod.”
“What a coincidence?”
The Black-haired maid asked, then showed a serene and relaxed smile:
“You are truly fortunate. However, besides this information, there is one more thing that cannot be written down and can only be told to you verbally.”
“Please tell me.”
Xia De looked at her with great curiosity.
“You probably know that Mermaids and Fishmen are not the same species, but in the Coldwater Port Shadow Incident, the Mermaid statue and the Mermaid’s Dream became part of the Sea Offering Ritual.”
Xia De was startled, then realized the problem:
“Why is that?”
“Fishmen are evil god dependents, and Mermaids are a free ocean race. In ancient times, the two engaged in a brutal war, which ended with the Fishmen’s victory. They usurped the Mermaids’ power, and even usurped the history of the Mermaid race to strengthen themselves.”
Miss Tifa Servett spoke slowly, giving Xia De enough time to ponder:
“So, Fishmen and true Mermaids are actually sworn enemies. But why tell me this specifically?”
The Black-haired maid smiled.
Her eyebrows were slender, her eyes looked large, and her milky skin showed no imperfections on her face. Her black hair covered her forehead, swept over her delicate brows, and her head tilted in a smiling expression, even giving off a playful feeling:
“Miss Aurora believes this might be useful to you, but this is classified information within the Witch Council and cannot be disclosed, so I can only tell it to you verbally.”
Xia De nodded, committing her smile and the information to memory.
The maid continued:
“Besides that, Miss Aurora also had a message for me to deliver to you.”
“Please tell me.”
“Although I don’t know how you got to Coldwater Port, or rather, although I don’t know what connection you have to Coldwater Port—”
The smile on her face remained unchanged, and her black eyes, which Xia De found very endearing, blinked.
Xia De was not surprised that the Duchess could guess this. His deep concern for Coldwater Port, even producing the method for making the badge and requesting information about the “Sea Return,” was already very clear to Miss Jialinna.
“But be careful with everything. Although the Sea Return is not a divine descent ritual, it is also not a danger of ordinary level. If equivalent to a relic losing control, the effect of the Sea Offering Ritual can even be considered Angel-level.”
“Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing. Besides—”
He sat there and pointed to his forehead:
“I’m still looking forward to Miss Jialinna’s next kiss.”
This wasn’t Xia De having any ill intentions; he just wanted to test what Miss Jialinna’s intentions were last night.
Tifa Servett’s face was slightly flushed, but the serene smile on her face did not change:
“Miss Aurora is also very much looking forward, Mr. Hamilton. Miss Aurora looks forward to you bringing her more surprises.”
Coincidentally, before the maid left, Dorothy, who came again today to help Xia De look after the cat, arrived.
She recognized Miss Jialinna’s carriage in the square, and after knocking on the door and seeing the Black-haired maid preparing to leave behind Xia De, she said nothing. It was only after the maid left that the Golden-haired girl playfully asked Xia De:
“I told you before not to get too close to Jialinna. See, you still have a connection with her.”
“Actually, it’s nothing much. I asked Miss Jialinna to help me collect some information about the Sea Offering Ritual, which can help Leia.”
Xia De said.
Dorothy had long guessed that Miss Jialinna belonged to the “Witch Council,” after all, the initial name “Handkerchief Enthusiast Association” was told to Xia De by her. Of course, it was only a guess before, and only recently confirmed by Xia De.
“If that’s the case, it’s best not to mention this to Leia.”
She cautiously reminded him as they went upstairs.
“Why?”
The Golden-haired girl shook her head:
“There are some things Leia doesn’t want you involved in. The royal family is not a peaceful place. Haven’t the forces that assassinated Queen Diana still not been found?”
The Outsider nodded, looking at the cat waiting for him on the stairs, and thought of what his superior, Mr. Anlos, had revealed last time.
Before going to Coldwater Port today, Xia De first went to the Prophet Association, and then unexpectedly learned that the relic he had appraised there yesterday, the 【Demon · Soul Stealer Bishop】, was actually genuine.
This greatly exceeded Xia De’s expectations; he never imagined that he could win such a precious card from a stranger he met by chance in a slum inn.
Vice President Mark congratulated Xia De and learned the origin of the card from Xia De’s mouth. Of course, the location was moved from Coldwater Port to Tobesk.
Mr. Mark loved the story, his face beaming with smiles:
“That’s the most charming thing about rhode cards. People can never guess when their next card will appear. See, Mr. Hamilton, now you have eight special cards in your hand. So, are you thinking of spending your entire life collecting a complete set of special rhode cards?”
He said with great anticipation:
“This is a pursuit only for the top rhode card players.”
If it were Xia De a month and a half ago, he would have immediately refused. But now, he had to hesitate for a moment before nodding uncertainly:
“That’s possible.”
“See, I guessed it the first time we met. You will definitely become a rhode card expert.”
Perhaps because he witnessed someone unrelated to rhode cards transform into a true enthusiast, Mr. Mark was in a very good mood.
After leaving the Prophet Association, Xia De went home and then to Coldwater Port. He didn’t know if Coldwater Port was already in its rainy season, or if the large ritual, the Sea Return, had affected the climate, but it was still raining today.
When Xia De struggled to swim to shore from the sea with his retractable fishing rod, it took him a full ten minutes longer than yesterday.
The heavy rain hitting his face caused pain, and the underwater currents became exceptionally dangerous. If his mortal body hadn’t been strengthened when he advanced to Second-Circle Arcanist due to a special upgrade method, he might have had to struggle with nature underwater for a while longer.
He found the four-wheeled carriage arranged by Leia at the alley entrance of the pier, and blankets and towels had already been prepared for Xia De in the carriage.
But only after showering in the room specially arranged for him at Sophia Manor did he learn that Leia had gone to City Hall early in the morning and would probably only return around noon. She had left a letter for Xia De through a servant, telling Xia De he could move freely, and if there was an urgent matter, he could ask the manor’s maid to find her in the city.
However, Xia De came to Coldwater Port mainly for the curse on Leia; otherwise, he wouldn’t have needed to swim with a fishing rod in the stormy weather.
Seeing the rain outside getting heavier, Xia De had no intention of going into the city. So, he stayed in the room Leia had arranged for him, restored the books that had been turned into toys, and thought of spending the morning reading.
He had only been reading for half an hour when the pendant hanging around his neck suddenly became hot.
It wasn’t the slight warmth it gave off when the Black-haired maid was nearby, but a rapid increase in temperature. This indicated that a true Witch was within the badge’s detection range.
“I knew this badge would be useful.”
He thought, and then wanted to hide himself in the wardrobe. But he quickly realized that this room was very safe, and he didn’t need to hide at all.
Xia De cautiously went to the window, drew the curtains, then leaned against the wall, and with his fingers, pulled open a gap in the curtain to look out.
The room Leia had chosen for Xia De overlooked the manor courtyard, offering an open view and pleasant scenery. Xia De peered out and could see a motorcade arriving directly at the Sophia's Great House from the manor entrance.
Among those being served out of the car by servants were Leia and an unfamiliar woman in her late twenties. Compared to the princess’s elaborate attire, the stranger’s clothing was more vibrant. Through the rain, Xia De couldn’t clearly see her face, but he already understood in his heart that this was Miss Hivi Aurora, a true Twelve-Circle Arcanist.
Upon seeing his target, Xia De immediately moved away from the window to avoid being discovered due to the other party’s overly sensitive senses.
He walked back and forth a few steps in the room, took the badge from inside his clothes, and felt it getting hotter and hotter, which meant the Witch was getting closer.
But Leia led the other party directly upstairs, not passing through this corridor. And as long as Xia De didn’t show himself in front of her, he figured there would be no problem.
So he really didn’t leave the room all morning, and lunch was brought to him by the manor’s maid. It wasn’t until two in the afternoon that the motorcade carried the Witch away in the rain. Xia De held the badge to his chest at the window, confirming it was no longer vibrating before he relaxed.
Leia must have been exhausted from interacting with such a woman. It took a full half hour before she had a servant lead Xia De to the study to see her.
Her Royal Highness had already changed into a different outfit, and when Xia De entered the room, she merely offered a languid greeting.
“I’m sorry, Xia De, I really couldn’t decline this kind of social engagement. Miss Aurora is truly a skilled negotiator.”
She had a maid massage her shoulders behind her, while Xia De sat on the other side of the desk, leaning his arm on it and looking out the window, in case the motorcade suddenly returned:
“What did you talk about? Oh, if it’s confidential, don’t tell me.”
Leia shook her head languidly:
“It’s not really a secret. A few days ago, she gave me an invitation to tonight’s banquet, and now she came to personally invite me again. Besides that, the Aurora Family wants to expand their shipyard in Coldwater Port and get involved in the large steamship business. But as you know, these ships can be easily modified for military use, and Father is very sensitive about controlling them. So, Hivi Aurora wants me to say a few words to Father, and she can give me some benefits.”
Leia didn’t mention what the specific benefits were, so Xia De didn’t ask either.
“The weather is truly dreadful. It looks like a storm is coming.”
As the maids padded across the carpet, pushing a tea cart with afternoon tea, the princess, wearing a silver diadem, rested her cheek on one hand, gazing out the window with a wistful expression.
Xia De also looked out the window. Raindrops lashed against the French windows, and even he knew that a storm was about to hit Coldwater Port.
