"It's alright."
Iluna looked up at Xia De, smiling.
"There are no guests, but your home environment is quite nice; although I don't have a ball gown, you don't need to wear formal attire; without a phonograph or band, I can hum dance tunes myself. Xia De, I'm actually quite good at singing."
As she spoke, she stood up, and Xia De also stood up, steadying himself on the table.
The seventeen-year-old girl seemed to be in a good mood. She reached the living room a step ahead of Xia De, then spread her arms, closed her eyes, and spun three times in place under the sunlight from the window. The hem of her skirt fanned out like a flower, her figure reflected in Xia De's eyes, and her silhouette swayed on the walls, sofa, and cabinets.
She stopped, opened her eyes, and looked at Xia De. Her brown hair seemed to sparkle in the sunlight, and there was a genuine light in her eyes.
"Mr. Xia De Hamilton, may I invite you to dance?"
She extended her hand to Xia De.
"Madam, it would be my honor."
Xia De smiled and bowed slightly.
Under the sunlight, they completed a full dance to Iluna's humming, and then Xia De escorted the slightly flushed Iluna to the street corner outside Saint Delan Square, where they walked in opposite directions.
Xia De placed the three rice-grain-sized psychic crystals into a paper envelope he folded himself and went directly to Old John's Pawnshop.
Since contacting the Guiding Light Hermitage and learning that Old John was also a member of the Guiding Light Hermitage, this was Xia De's first time seeing him. But upon meeting, they tacitly avoided mentioning anything about the Hermit Order. After Old John teased him for not seeing Xia De recently, Xia De poured the three small crystals onto the counter.
"I'd like to have them set into a ring, Old John. Can you help me with that here?"
He could go to a coppersmith or blacksmith, but since Old John could help Dorothy make alchemical items, making a ring should be no problem.
"You should go to a coppersmith. Let me see, oh, psychic crystals? The purity is really good. Did Schneider make them?"
The old man took out a toolbox from under the counter, picked up one of the crystals with small copper tweezers, pulled over a gas lamp, and put on professional glasses with extendable lenses, examining the small crystals very carefully.
"Are you trying to make casting materials for psychic Miracles? I've made similar things before, and I can also engrave some patterns and Ling Runes on the ring for you to enhance the effect of these crystals. However, when do you want to get the finished product?"
This meant Old John agreed to take on this business.
"Preferably by this evening."
"That urgent?"
The old man took off the complex lens on his right eye, thought for a moment, and said,
"Then the price will be more expensive. 13 shillings, 3 pounds, 19 pounds, which price point do you choose?"
"What's the difference between these price points?"
"13 shillings, iron material. I'll just help you embed the three crystals into the ring. You can pick it up at noon.
3 pounds, copper material. I'll use alchemy to process the ring to maximize the effect of the crystals. You can pick it up at two in the afternoon.
19 pounds. Coincidentally, I customized a helmet that could block mind-reading abilities for someone a while ago, and there were some scraps left over... Don't look at me like that, I'm not embezzling the customer's materials."
Old John quickly waved his hand.
"It's just that when making the helmet, there were some scraps of special psychic shielding alloy left over, which is more than enough to make a small ring. This metal can block external psychic energy, but it's also an excellent internal psychic energy conductor. A crystal ring made of psychic shielding alloy won't double the power of your Miracle, but it will increase casting speed, broaden the Miracle's range, enhance resistance to backlash, and slightly boost the Miracle's effect."
After speaking, he put down what he was holding, looked at Xia De, tapped the counter, and showed that familiar shrewd expression.
"If you choose to make the ring with this alloy, I'll charge you 19 pounds, but you can pick it up this evening. I'll take care of everything for you. How about it? Which price point do you choose?"
"Do I even have a choice?"
Xia De retorted. As the old man showed a smug smile, Xia De uttered another word.
"Cane."
"Then it's 17 pounds and 7 shillings."
Old John almost immediately stated the price, which made Xia De a bit puzzled.
"You're not quoting a high price first, then waiting for me to bargain, and then stating the standard price, are you?"
"How could I do such a thing?"
Old John slightly raised his head and chest in denial, then lowered his head to grab a tape measure.
"Which finger are you going to wear it on? Hurry, let me measure the size. I hope your finger is slender, that way I can save some material, and the remaining scraps might even make a small pendant to sell to someone else."
"You'll make a fortune someday."
"No, no, what I actually care more about is the civilization represented by the items I acquire. pounds are just enough to eat."
Xia De didn't believe a word of Old John's statement.
After leaving the very profitable Old John, Xia De went to see Dorothy on Feather Pen Street in the University District. He planned to attend the banquet at Yodel Palace with Dorothy that evening, as Miss Jialinna would definitely be with other royal family members, and Luvia would be with the Prophet Association.
Because there was an important banquet to attend that evening, the Writer Miss had no plans to go out during the day. The preparations girls had to make for a banquet were far more extensive than Xia De's.
After the landlady downstairs let Xia De in, as Xia De ascended to the third floor, Dorothy was humming a tune, choosing headwear in front of the copper-framed full-length mirror in the living room. Next to her were several metal clothes racks with wheels, holding dresses, shirts, and other garments.
Hearing Xia De's voice from outside the door, she called out for Xia De to push the door open and come in directly.
After Xia De entered, she asked again,
"I'm going to style my hair into a complex updo. Xia De, do you think this butterfly-patterned ribbon looks better, or this sky-blue hairband decorated with red crushed gems?"
She held up the two hairbands and measured them against her hair.
Xia De thought for a moment.
"Both look good."
The Golden-haired girl smiled.
"You would say that. Xia De, is there something you came to see me about?"
She draped the hairband over the mirror and then asked Xia De to help her bring over the shoe boxes by the door.
"Are we going to Yodel Palace together tonight?"
"Oh, I invited Luvia to set off with me. We'll meet up with the Prophet Association after we reach Silver Cross Avenue. Xia De, you can come with us too."
"Alright, then where should I pick you up? Luvia's rented apartment, or here?"
"Here is fine."
Dorothy said, excitedly holding up a dress supported by a hanger and measuring it against herself in front of the full-length mirror.
"I must remind you, it's best to put that large pearl you're going to give in a gift box."
She knew Xia De had a habit of simply stuffing jewelry and accessories into his pocket.
"I'll go prepare it in a bit."
Xia De had also thought of this himself.
"Also, Leia asked me to tell you that she will definitely make time to see you tonight. If there's really no time, she'll use my body."
Dorothy had no other purpose for attending the banquet, so she could stay with Xia De the whole time.
"No problem. Is there anything else I need to be reminded of? Although I've attended a few banquets, this is my first time at such a grand one."
"Queen Diana will likely speak with you, though it might just be small talk to express her gratitude, you should still think about how to respond. Didn't she say last time that she would give you a rhode cards? She might give it to you this time. Also, you and Jialinna..."
She had originally been happily choosing clothes in front of the mirror, but when that name was mentioned, her expression immediately changed. Her and Leia's attitudes towards Miss Jialinna were basically consistent.
...The matter is now widely rumored. Although this Duchess has always avoided men, she still has several prominent suitors in Tobesk. You should be careful of them causing trouble."
"You don't have to worry about that. I accepted Marquis Graselli's invitation, and I'll probably be playing rhode cards all night."
Xia De had already planned his evening.
"That's good, but you'll also need to make time to meet some Tobesk Writers and journalists with me. Because of the Detective stories, my career has advanced a step further. I want to bring the prototype of the Detective stories and discuss the writing details of Detective stories with those Writers and journalists."
In essence, it was just Writers praising each other. Successful Writers not only needed successful works but also recognition from their peers. Dorothy's father was a university professor with many students, so she had a great advantage in terms of peer recognition.
"No problem, I think I have time. Is there anything else I need to be told?"
Dorothy looked at Xia De behind her in the mirror.
"Are your clothes ready? Also, you need to tidy up your hair."
"Don't worry, I'm prepared."
Dorothy in the mirror smiled at Xia De.
"Are you going to see Jialinna in a bit?"
"Uh... yes, I have something to discuss with her this afternoon, regarding the 'Light' Ling Rune. A twelve-ring warlock can help me."
"Very good."
She said softly. The Golden-haired girl still maintained her smile in the mirror, and Xia De didn't quite understand what she was trying to express.
After staying a little longer with Dorothy and having lunch with her, Xia De returned to Saint Delan Square Six.
On the way back, he also noticed some changes in the city today.
Queen Diana had an extremely high reputation in the Delarion Kingdom. Although her birthday was not grandly celebrated, there would be no national holiday, nor a military parade like the King's birthday, but the city still held small-scale celebrations. In open areas such as Saint Delan Square, Dawn Square, and St. Anthem Square, there were bands and parade teams hired by the royal family.
It had been very quiet when he left in the morning, but when he returned home in the afternoon, the area outside his door was already lively.
