“So, we’ve already obtained two of the three books. Miss Olanorde, you just mentioned that the book of nameless sacrifices, which is about the secret of the sun, was also found but was sealed. What does that mean?” Xia De asked from beside the bonfire.
“The previous Guardian of the Library sealed that book. The stone slab was placed in the center of a sacrificial altar. There are five grooves around the altar, and five different items possessing the power of the sun need to be placed in them to remove the seal,” Miss Olanorde said, pointing to the lit bonfire.
“This flame can be considered one. This fire was given to me by Teacher Felianna, and it contains the power of the sun, which is why it can protect us in Dead Silence Valley.”
“And this, the relic 【Corpse of the Sun Worm】, I borrowed from the academy for warmth. I heard it’s extremely cold here.” Although it was a worm’s corpse, the item Miss Samuel held in her hand looked exactly like what ordinary citizens called a hot water bottle.
“We are still missing three items,” Miss Olanorde said, looking at Xia De. Xia De understood her meaning. Compared to preparing daily necessities for the Witches, collecting essential materials or information was what he was most familiar with.
He had done it many times.
Although time travel through the time key does not allow carrying any extraordinary items, the experience at the party had shown that items that must be carried to complete Tree Father’s task are allowed to be taken into the past.
“relics, under no circumstances, can be carried.” A voice suddenly appeared in his ear.
“Understood.” But even if it wasn’t a relic, items with the power of the sun were not hard to find. For example, the Sun Holy Emblem made by Iluna, which could be used as a one-time Sunlight Gun. It was not a relic but an alchemical item, and it definitely met the requirements.
“So, we’re still missing two,” Xia De thought to himself and promised, “I will try my best to bring them next time I come.”
“There isn’t no other way. We still have the right to make a wish to that great one. Drawing out my secret art 【Sun Ashes】 should also be considered an item related to the sun,” Miss Samuel, the Witch of Zaras, said, but this situation should still be avoided as much as possible.
“So, should this book be left here, or sacrificed to the 【Grey-Robed Sage】?” Xia De shook the stone slab in his hand again. Miss Samuel shook her head.
“You found it, so you decide. I won’t participate.” Miss Olanorde pursed her lower lip.
“Let’s give it to that deity now. I’m worried that if it stays with us, other problems might arise.”
“Yes, that’s the safest way. However, what is the second wish?” Xia De asked again, glancing at the Red Dragon girl in the ice coffin beside them, who was in Sleep. All three felt there was no need to use the second wish to awaken Fiona Drago. After all, as long as they left Dead Silence Valley, there were plenty of ways to wake her up outside.
“Xia De, you make the wish. I remember you always wanted a method to enhance Time Perception,” the Witch tilted her head and said to Xia De, the firelight illuminating her face.
This proposal was very appealing, and Xia De was indeed seeking that answer. But after a moment of hesitation, he still shook his head.
“The last wish must be for your safe departure. That means the next wish will be the last free wish. Miss Olanorde, compared to me, you and Miss Felianna should have more ideals and pursuits, right?” Xia De’s ultimate pursuit was to become a god, but the 【Grey-Robed Sage】 certainly couldn’t achieve that.
And knowing the mystery of the sixth epoch’s time was merely scenery on his path to divine sublimation; it was indeed important, but not a life goal. “Miss Olanorde, this is not being polite. This wish belongs to you. The wish of the Guardian God of the Library will definitely help you.”
He looked at Miss Olanorde’s face in the firelight. “Go make your wish.”
“You are truly generous.” The soft murmur came from his ear. Xia De asked in his mind, “So, is what I’m doing very unexpected?”
“No, if you didn’t do this, it would be unexpected. Outsider, since coming to this world, you have truly barely changed. Neither power nor money has changed you.”
“Thank you for the compliment. I think it’s just because I don’t have enough power and money.”
“Xia De, you need to know that opportunities to make a wish to a god are not always available,” Miss Olanorde said seriously. Her eye color was also close to golden yellow; it seemed high-tier Witches all had this characteristic. In the firelight, those clear eyes seemed to glow slightly, but Xia De still thought purple eyes were more beautiful.
“Yes, they are not always available, but for me,” Xia De pointed to his chest, “I can probably have one every month.”
Saying that, he himself laughed. At the end of each time key, when the Outsider completed a certain goal, the God would generously grant some small wishes. One key needed to be opened three times, with a 7-day interval each time, so it was indeed almost once a month.
“Xia De.”
“Miss Olanorde, I know you see my strength as low and want to give this opportunity to me so I can lay a good foundation at a low tier.” He looked at the half-elf Witch, who was hugging her legs, her face flushed by the firelight. Xia De’s eyes unconsciously looked at the pair of brown tall lace-up women’s canvas boots, and as the bonfire flickered, shadows danced on her hugging arms and the shoe upper.
These boots really suited her leg shape. “I travel through different times and go to ages I’ve never heard of, under the witness of Tree Father, not to gain power.” Although Xia De gained power from the time key, he never actively sought it.
Both Witches looked at him. Xia De’s expression was serious and solemn. “Time witnesses stories, and I want to witness time. What I truly want to do is to understand past stories, meet people I shouldn’t have met, until I discover the truth of history and time at the end of time.”
He reached out and pointed to the bonfire in front of him, and the 【Flame Shaping】 spell, obtained from contact with the Phoenix flame, immediately took effect. The surging flames gathered beneath the clear yellow moon, gradually forming a giant fire tree, and beneath the giant tree stood three small figures.
Miss Olanorde stared blankly at the fire. That was the adventure 22 years ago, her first encounter with Xia De.
“Just like in Thousand Tree Forest, although I came to you for help, what I ultimately did was witness your successful meeting with the great one in the tree. Miss Olanorde.” He suddenly clenched his hand, and the giant fire tree collapsed back into normal flames. The half-elf Witch looked at him.
“This wish belongs to you. I don’t have much time left, please don’t refuse any more.”
“I understand.” Miss Blainey Oranode sighed, a relieved expression on her face. “Then this opportunity to make a wish to the God belongs to me. But I owe you a favor, and I will remember that.”
Xia De then smiled, stood up with the help of the ground, and walked towards the shrine on the pile of old books with the stone slab.
The Witch of Zaras carefully moved from one side of the bonfire to Miss Olanorde’s side. “He doesn’t belong to this time.” Her voice was very soft, and she used the Witch’s power, so Xia De couldn’t hear it.
“I know, you want to persuade me—”
“I want to say, if you need me to step away, I can leave temporarily.” Miss Olanorde glanced at her adventure companion this time, snorted and said nothing. The Witch with round-framed glasses smiled.
“Most Witches’ private lives are chaotic. I know you and your teacher are very self-disciplined. But given your age, Thirteen-Tier level, and very normal personality and aesthetics, I don’t believe you haven’t slept with those young and lovely girls, after all, we didn’t have other choices before. But this time is different. Fate can give you two chances to meet, but will there be a third? I promised to help you keep the secret here in exchange for knowing his secret with time, but I want to advise you as a friend…” She glanced at Xia De, who had his back to them and was about to open the small door of the shrine.
“…The Poet of the fourth epoch once said—If in the most beautiful field, you encounter scattered dandelions; please grasp them, do not let time and wind carry them away.” She quoted a short poem, and on the other side, Xia De had already pulled open the small door of the shrine.
Immediately, a strong smell of tobacco almost rushed out, choking the unprepared Xia De, who squinted and coughed, backing away. And when the thick smoke dissipated, the grey-robed, staff-wielding old man was already sitting atop the pile of books.
“Truly no appreciation, this is extinct Jellati tobacco.” The God complained about Xia De’s “lack of taste,” while Xia De, coughing with his hand over his mouth, had already noticed golden scars appearing on his palm. The cracks spread before his eyes, a process that looked particularly terrifying.
“Hello, God.” He heard the two Witches behind him stand up, standing not far behind him.
“Hello, time traveler. May the moon and time bless you,” the grey-robed old man with a pointed hat said with a smile, looking around. He seemed to be in a good mood, his tone very light.
“Look, you found the second book, but the unfortunate girl is already in Sleep. Did anything interesting happen here? Do you want to use the second wish to awaken her? I can do such a small thing.” Xia De gently shook his head.
“We will awaken her later by mortal means. Grey-Robed Sage, Guardian of the Library, this is the yeger scroll.” He respectfully handed out the stone slab in his hand. The God in front of him became serious, tossed his pipe into the void, and then reached out to take the stone slab. After the God’s aged hand gently stroked the surface of the stone slab, he squinted at the words on it.
“From the first epoch to now… I truly hope this line of text never changes.” He inserted the stone slab into the air, and a transparent large bookshelf appeared beside him. Among the upright books, there was just enough space to accommodate this stone slab.
“Even better than I thought. So, what wish do you want to realize?”
