After the group study session at the doctor's clinic ended, Xia De and Dorothy left together as usual.
Instead of going straight home, Dorothy invited Xia De to her apartment to see the first proof copy of the “hamilton detective story collection” after the publisher's typesetting. The book was expected to be publicly released at the end of the month, and its sales performance would affect Dorothy's career development for a long time to come.
She even had Luvia specifically perform a divination for her a few days ago, choosing the best time for the new book's release, to gain some psychological comfort.
“Does choosing the right date for a new book release work?”
“Oh, Xia De, of course it doesn’t work, otherwise everyone would be a great Writer.”
Dorothy's view on this matter was very sensible.
The two people and one cat arrived at Feather Pen Street around four in the afternoon, then stayed in the apartment until evening before going out for dinner together. The first edition of “hamilton detective story collection” had not changed much in detail compared to the newspaper serialization Xia De had been following, only adding a background of knightly descent for “Hamilton Detective”.
When Xia De asked if that was the publisher's idea or Dorothy's, the Golden-haired girl immediately stammered and changed the subject.
After dinner, Leia and Dorothy swapped souls, and Her Royal Highness continued the teaching on 【Sleep】 at Saint Delan Square Six.
So, in the study, Xia De mentioned to Leia that he had touched the statue of the Old God 【Father of Sleep】 this week and had consequently obtained the blasphemy Ling Rune 【sloth】, which made Leia under the gas lamp extremely nervous:
“It's a good thing it's not the 【Sleep】 Ling Rune, otherwise this time Dorothy and I would have failed again.”
She clasped her hands together on the table.
“It's okay, even if you didn't help me this time, don't you still have other opportunities? Leia, for me, you are always the pioneer on my Ring術士 path.”
“So, how about trying to call me ‘teacher’?”
Leia suddenly said. Xia De put down the pen in his hand and the cat in his arms, looking at the Golden-haired girl beside the desk:
“Teacher.”
He said very seriously. Leia's face suddenly turned red, and she subconsciously touched her ear, then pretended to brush her hair to avoid Xia De's gaze:
“You don't have to call me that. This is truly... a strange feeling.”
The Witches' thoughts are always hard to guess.
Xia De shook his head and continued to copy the story about the princess, the curse, Sleep, and the spindle, then raised an eyebrow and looked up at his reflection in the window:
“An interesting story, very similar to a fairy tale from my hometown. However, this time it shouldn't be...”
He shook his head; what was meant to appear would always be encountered in the future. It wasn't the first time he had noticed the similarity between this story and the one in his memory, but he no longer wondered where this story came from.
At half past ten in the evening, Xia De saw the Golden-haired girl, who had changed back from Leia to Dorothy, off at Feather Pen Street. By the time he returned to Saint Delan Square, Miss Jialinna's carriage had already arrived.
This Saturday night, Xia De would take Mia to the manor outside the city to spend the night.
This was not because he had an improper relationship with Galina Cavendish, nor was it out of fear that the boundary in his house would again have problems. He was to go to the Library, which was about to be destroyed in the fifth epoch, again on Sunday morning, and the living supplies he had promised to bring to the Witches were now all at Miss Jialinna's manor.
The time to use the time key was at dawn on Sunday. Miss Jialinna had never seen Xia De use the time key before, so she specially woke up early and watched Xia De open the door with Tifa.
“Actually, this is a very boring process. I'll be back in three seconds.”
Xia De stood in front of the study door with the time key, which already had cracks, while the sky outside had just shown its first faint ray of morning light. Miss Jialinna sat on the sofa with her back to the window, holding a teacup, and Tifa stood beside her, holding the still sleepy Mia.
Because of his bulky clothing, he now looked as if he had gained weight. But there was nothing he could do; the temperature in Dead Silence Valley was simply too low.
“This is true time travel, different from other ‘Investigators’ using the time key. Even if the process is boring, at least this matter is very interesting.”
The Duchess corrected him, staring at the door in front of Xia De:
“You can start.”
“Alright then, see you in three seconds.”
“Meow~”
The groggy cat reflexively meowed, even waving its fluffy little paw at Xia De.
Xia De confirmed that all the supplies he was bringing to Miss Olanorde were on him, then gently chanted in unfamiliar Elvish:
“May the World Tree bless me in time.”
Elvish was also learned from 【A Piece of Real Information - Elf】, but Xia De's grasp of it was very superficial.
Silky white mist overflowed from behind the door Xia De pushed open. Miss Jialinna sat up straight and looked at the door:
“The Speaker was right; this is the same type of space as the Council.”
Xia De stepped inside.
“Outsider, you have entered the “Time Corridor”.”
“A message from the Old God “Father of Infinite Trees”:”
“fifth epoch, 3024, Winter, Central Continent, Dead Silence Valley.”
“Event: The Destruction of Gaddis Library.”
“Duration: Thirty minutes (2/3).”
“You have obtained additional information.”
“The figure of the Father of Infinite Trees continues to observe you.”
“The Old God of Time's trial for you will continue.”
“Assist the Old God “Grey-Robed Sage” in completing the recording of the Library's documents.”
“The Father of Infinite Trees will give you a reward: Knowledge - Original Sin Miracle, a piece of real information - Vampire.”
Stepping forward again, the thick white mist around him spread out. However, what appeared before him was not the familiar vast expanse of snow.
The sky was still cloudy and daytime, but the entire valley had been dyed a terrifying black. No, it wasn't that the valley was dyed black, but rather that black snowflakes falling from the sky had adorned the valley in pure black.
The swirling black snow fell from the sky like burning paper, and among the snow, figures wandered aimlessly.
The surrounding atmosphere was even more strange and oppressive than last time, and the richness of the whisper element in the air, as well as the power that repelled the living, were also very familiar to Xia De. If he hadn't been certain that he had arrived in the time of the fifth epoch, he would have even suspected that he had entered the Between Life and Death again at this moment.
“This is... black snow?”
He quickly recalled the rules of Dead Silence Valley that the Witches had described last time:
“During the black snow period, the undead revive, and the living wither. Moreover, direct contact of the skin with black blood results in immediate death.”
Although he had been standing in the snow for a few seconds, because he was dressed too thickly, with a hat, gloves, boots, and scarf all complete, the black snow with its strong whisper element did not directly touch Xia De's skin.
But just as this thought appeared, a gust of wind blew through the valley, and the black snowflakes, like scattered burning paper money, immediately swayed to one side.
