So, the rest of Monday, Xia De spent accompanying Miss Jialinna.
Although she only asked Xia De to have dinner and watch the Opera House with her, in reality, from that afternoon until ten o'clock at night, the two of them never separated.
Discussing Darkness took some time, and after dinner in the Opera House box, Xia De heard that Miss Xi Wei Aurora had already left Coldwater Port City.
“Oh, I should have gone to see her off.”
Xia De was a bit annoyed; The Lady had given him a lot of help.
“Xi Wei doesn't care about that, and if she still wants to see you, I can certainly lead you into the Witch Council again.”
Miss Jialinna said, and seeing Tifa close the box door, she added:
“However, we will still investigate your exact relationship with the Witches and the Witch Council.”
“I’m actually very interested too.”
Xia De didn't care about this; he was currently surveying the theater box.
The space here was larger than he had imagined; if not for one wall being cut open on the upper half, allowing guests to see the stage below, it would have looked more like a club's reception room.
The walls had golden striped wallpaper, and the gas lamps were in the style of the Cavendish Family crest.
Besides the tea table and long sofa with tea and fruit, the room even had a wardrobe and dressing table that were clearly expensive.
This box, located on the top floor of the Opera House, was reserved for the royal family.
Apart from Miss Jialinna, the King, Queen, and a few other important royal figures, even Leia could not easily use it.
“Xi Wei said to apologize to you on her behalf.”
Miss Jialinna said again.
Xia De picked up the teacup, wanting to taste what kind of tea it was, while the cat, curled on Xia De's shoulder, peered around, observing the surroundings.
Xia De planned to give it an apple later for it to roll around and play with.
“Why apologize?”
He asked absently, taking small sips of the still warm tea.
“She said that after you cast Sunlight Gun in Coldwater Port and fainted, she checked your body with her hand to determine if you were a man.”
“Cough, cough.”
Xia De almost spat out the tea in his mouth.
But the liquid seemed to have gone into his windpipe, and he couldn't stop coughing.
The Black-haired maid immediately patted his back.
Once he stopped coughing, Xia De released his hand from his mouth and asked in surprise:
“You just said, what did Miss Aurora do?”
“Exactly what you thought, to confirm your physical structure.”
Miss Jialinna made a vulgar gesture unbefitting her status:
“She said she isn't the type to be sneaky, so she has to admit what she's done.”
“Then why didn’t she tell me to my face?”
Xia De asked again.
“Detective, do you really want a lady of high society to admit such a thing to your face? Even if we are Witches, we still have basic shame.”
The Duchess asked, her gaze moving down from Xia De’s face.
“Miss Jialinna, that kind of look is not what a lady of high society should have.”
Xia De reprimanded, but the Duchess didn't care, instead laughing:
“In my opinion, your whole being is my collection, so what does it matter? Haven't I said before? If you can truly please me, I wouldn't mind— ”
She sent the Black-haired maid out to find someone to replace the sofa cushion wet with tea:
“I wouldn't mind trying for myself what exactly you are.”
Unlike when she first met Xia De and mentioned this, she seemed a bit shy at this moment; otherwise, she wouldn't have sent her personal maid away before speaking.
The name of today’s opera was “The Prince’s Revenge,” and although it was very similar to the classic play the Outsider knew from his homeland, it was actually an opera adapted from a famous knight novel from a few years ago, completely different from the story of his homeland.
The opera had five acts in total, and Xia De, not knowing the original novel, was quite interested in it.
While watching the opera, someone actually came to visit Miss Jialinna in the box, recognized Xia De upon seeing him, and shook hands and chatted with him.
Therefore, Xia De found it hard to imagine what rumors would spread afterward.
Of course, the visitors were not just there to see Miss Jialinna; Marquis Graselli was there to find Xia De.
This Marquis, in his forties, wearing a top hat, blue formal wear, and with a handsome mustache, was a friend of Duke Lucas, who had played rhode cards with Xia De before.
Upon hearing that Xia De had the Founding series of rhode cards, he had always wanted to play a game with Xia De.
Xia De, of course, didn't mind, but the Witch, who disliked men, didn't want anyone to interrupt her watching the opera, so she told Xia De and the Marquis to play cards elsewhere.
The two only played friendly matches, and although there were winners and losers, at Xia De's insistence, no pounds were used as stakes.
The result, of course, was that Xia De won, and Marquis Graselli, seeing Xia De draw the Moon 9 【Demon · Soul Stealer Bishop】, after being allowed to inspect the card, excitedly asked Xia De if he would attend Queen Diana’s birthday banquet at the end of the month.
“Although I haven’t received an invitation yet, I think I will attend.”
Xia De said while gathering his cards; Miss Jialinna would definitely find a way for him to attend.
“That’s good.
My friends and I have already gathered the local rhode cards masters at that banquet, intending to play a few good games.”
When Marquis Graselli said this, both his eyes seemed to be shining.
“Is it okay to hold a card game at the Queen’s birthday banquet?”
Xia De asked hesitantly, but the Marquis waved his hand indifferently:
“Look at you, Knight, what’s wrong with that? Queen Diana holding a birthday banquet is originally for people to have fun, let alone rhode cards with special cards participating, which is a very elegant hobby, and our card game can also be considered a warm-up for the Great City Player next month.”
The Marquis put away his deck, his expression becoming serious, and extended his hand to Xia De:
“Then, Knight Hamilton, we’ve agreed, we must play a game on the day of the banquet.
I didn’t expect to meet you at the Opera House today, so I didn’t bring my special cards, but on the day of the Queen’s birthday banquet, we are going to gamble with special cards.”
Hearing about special cards, Xia De also smiled.
He planned to collect special cards and put together a complete deck of special cards:
“No problem, Marquis, I will bring 【Origin · Silver Moon】 then.”
Now was not two months ago; Xia De was no longer the nameless Detective of Tobesk, nor was he without the ability to protect himself, so even if more people knew about 【Origin · Silver Moon】, he wouldn't be too worried.
“That’s excellent.”
Their hands clasped together.
Although there was a considerable difference in age and noble rank, as rhode cards players of Tobesk, they were qualified to compete on equal terms.
Miss Jialinna made no comment on Xia De’s rhode cards hobby, and for the remainder of their time at the Opera House, she only discussed the opera’s content with Xia De, commented on the ridiculousness of the pretentious nobles in a Great City like Tobesk, and ridiculed Xia De for knowing nothing about opera.
This was not an unreasonable accusation; Xia De indeed knew nothing.
Not to mention compared to Miss Jialinna, who had been immersed in it since childhood, even the Black-haired maid knew more than him.
“Would you like me to hire some private tutors for literature, etiquette, and mathematics for you?”
Miss Jialinna asked jokingly, and Xia De immediately shook his head.
He was very confident in mathematics, could learn literature from Dorothy, and could learn etiquette by himself; there was no need to hire a teacher at all.
And when the opera ended, a carriage took Xia De back to Saint Delan Square.
But Xia De was not idle that night either; he took advantage of the night to go to Coldwater Port again, and at the Seven Broomsticks Tavern, he left Doctor Schneider's material list, asking the tavern to help purchase them.
Xia De would not forget what he promised his friend.
Tuesday was Leia’s return to Tobesk, but the royal honor guard would go to meet her.
Afterward, Leia would also need to go to Yodel Palace to report her itinerary in Carson Rick to Larus III and accept newspaper interviews, so Xia De couldn't expect to see her alone in the next two days.
After breakfast in the early morning, leaving the cat to guard the house, Xia De went to the Prophet Association to find Luvia and showed her the 【Wishing Coin】:
“Look at this! I just happened to want to do a divination recently.”
Xia De smiled and handed the coin to Luvia.
Luvia had put on light makeup before work, and in the hazy morning light, she looked exceptionally spirited.
“【Wishing Coin】, did you acquire this from Coldwater Port?”
She picked up the coin to examine it.
“No, Miss Jialinna gave it to me.”
“That Witch?”
The purple-eyed girl put down the coin again, looking at Xia De with unease:
“Xia De, what price did you pay this time?”
“Nothing.”
He didn't want to say that he had dinner and watched the Opera House with Miss Jialinna.
Luvia showed an even more uneasy expression:
“For us, you really sacrificed too much.”
“No, no, it’s really nothing.”
“But the Witches don’t have a good reputation, and they like women and are famous for disliking men—I’m sorry, Xia De, you really sacrificed too much for us.”
Xia De didn't know what Luvia thought he had sacrificed, but explaining this series of events was too cumbersome, so he simply bypassed the topic:
“I want you to use this coin for divination.”
“Divination for what? Ivan Darkness’s location? Or the Chosen One Ritual of 【Darkness】? But one coin is probably not enough.”
Luvia brushed her hair, absently playing with the coin as she asked.
“No, no, Miss Jialinna has already told me Darkness’s location, and the Witch Council also has very powerful Prophets—don’t look at me like that, I really didn’t pay anything.
I want you to divine how to obtain the relic 【demon hunter seal】.”
Xia De recounted his experience from his second meeting with Mister Riddle, then brought up the potion and the seal:
“Currently, Darkness has three problems: his Hexacle Arcanist level, the demon that absorbs negative emotions, and the 【Darkness】 talent.
The 【Darkness】 talent is suppressed by Iluna’s 【Balance】, and while the Hexacle’s power is stronger than ours, it’s within a predictable range.
Only the demon is the most unstable factor.
Even though I’ve managed to get a rare anti-demon potion, I still can’t guarantee that we can deal with the demon.”
Luvia nodded:
“Did you get the 【Weak Angel Potion】 you mentioned last time? That was fast, but I’ve never heard of that potion, nor have I heard of such a powerful potion master in Tobesk.”
Taking the test tube Xia De handed her to examine, Luvia almost immediately detected the rich Miracle element and Spirit within it.
She raised an eyebrow:
“Your analysis is correct, so the biggest problem right now is still fighting the Human Pus demon.
Okay, I can use this coin for divination.
But Xia De, divination isn't omnipotent, nor is it a wishing spell.
You need to give me more detailed requirements.
The more detailed the information you provide, the more details one coin can divine.”
