The God squinted and smiled as he asked Xia De, his face wrinkled like an old man strolling down the street asking a Boy if he wanted candy.
Xia De turned to look at Miss Olanorde, who carefully nodded and respectfully said, "God, I am preparing to establish a Library to assist my teacher in collecting Knowledge. Please, within the permissible limits, grant me your blessing."
As expected, it was this wish. Xia De once again felt like he was witnessing history. Giving up the wish was certainly regrettable, but he now understood that he had made the right choice.
"This wish is truly good, and it is a wish I can fulfill."
The benevolent-looking old man smiled and nodded:
"I appreciate your determination, and I can see how excellent the Library you wish to establish in your heart is. Very good, descendant of the Long Leaf Elves, I am willing to bless you."
The 'Long Leaf Elves' were a division of ancient elven races, a point mentioned in Xia De's elven Knowledge.
He extended his empty hand, and scattered white light was gathering. But suddenly, he glanced at Xia De and withdrew that hand. He casually pulled his pipe from the air, smiled, and asked, "If you want to establish the Library you desire, a simple blessing might not be enough for you. So, do you want more blessings and power? I can give it to you."
The Witches of Zaras were slightly surprised, while Miss Olanorde was apprehensive:
"God, I do not have enough to offer."
God's blessings are never free; Xia De knew this best.
"What I want is very simple. I am the guardian of the Library, but I also enjoy collecting stories. Give me some interesting stories... those that have never existed in this world, stories that should not exist in the past, present, or future."
He took a puff from his pipe and slowly exhaled smoke. In the swirling smoke, Xia De seemed to see a phantom of the Saint Byron's Comprehensive College Library. Although not entirely identical, it was so familiar.
"I originally only intended to give you a simple blessing, but your determination moved me. Now I give you a chance, mortal, you can choose to try."
The gray-robed God smiled and raised an eyebrow:
"This is a rare opportunity."
"I..."
Miss Olanorde wanted to speak but was pulled by the sleeve by Miss Samuel behind her:
"Think carefully before you speak, you know what the current situation means!"
She adjusted her glasses, speaking rapidly, her face flushed with excitement:
"Knowledge that should not exist in the past, present, or future, this is the most forbidden Knowledge. Blainey Olanorde, since God has made a request of you, what you will gain after fulfilling the request will absolutely exceed your imagination."
"Forbidden Knowledge."
The two Witches discussed in low voices, while Xia De, whose Time Perception was running out, looked at the gray-robed God sitting on the pile of old books as if on a throne, who was smiling at him.
"Please allow me to answer for her."
Xia De pointed to himself.
"Are you sure?"
Of course, he was sure, because in this world, no Outsider possessed more stories that had never existed in this world.
The two Witches behind Xia De could not see his expression, but the God could. He stroked his beard, like a wise man in a painting deep in thought:
"I will only give you this one chance. If you help her, then no matter what, you will not be able to obtain Knowledge from me about enhancing Time Perception until you discover forbidden secrets."
Xia De frowned slightly:
"Did you know? I once almost died from a broken heart in the street while trying to help an unknown woman find her child; I also turned to face the shadow of a celestial evil god to help a Golden-haired girl I had only met once. I do not wish to be a saint who helps everyone, but I am never stingy in helping those in need within my capabilities. Moreover, that Witch is my friend."
"So, what interesting stories do you have?"
Their conversation completely disregarded the Witches behind them; this was not their place to interject.
"This..."
There were actually many options, and Xia De was happy to share stories from his homeland with the God before him. He casually glanced around, then looked at the ice coffin and the red-haired Golden-haired girl whose waist was wrapped by his tail, and immediately had an idea:
"Would you like to hear an interesting fairy tale? It is indeed a story that should not have appeared in this world."
The gray-robed sage showed a benevolent smile:
"What story?"
"The story of the princess, the long sleep, and the kiss."
Xia De said with a smile, then paused, and the image of the Golden-haired girl appearing in the study every Saturday for over a month, and the princess holding the spindle, immediately came to mind.
He took a deep breath. The disordered time was continuous for Xia De, and he once again touched history:
"Ha, so that's how it is. I knew there weren't so many coincidences."
The old man in the pointed hat before him showed a somewhat inscrutable smile:
"You seem to have understood something."
"Yes, and it seems you have understood too, so would you like to hear a story?"
Xia De made an inviting gesture.
"Of course, sit down and tell it, everyone sit down."
The old man with the pointed hat exhaled a puff of smoke into the bonfire, and the smoke made the firelight somewhat hazy:
"Sitting around the bonfire, listening to a Boy tell stories, this is arguably what I look forward to most."
Miss Samuel and Miss Olanorde did not understand why the atmosphere had become somewhat strange and wanted to ask Xia De, but Xia De just shook his head:
"Sit down, ladies, please sit down and listen to me tell a story about a princess and a prince. My Time Perception is running out."
The God left the pile of old books, holding a staff in his left hand and a pipe in his right, and sat cross-legged in front of the bonfire. Xia De sat to his left, and to his left were Miss Samuel and Miss Olanorde, though the two Witches were leaning against each other.
No one spoke, but instead watched the bonfire surrounded by them. In the flames, swaying from the God's puff of smoke, the firelight grew brighter and brighter until a grand palace setting appeared. This was not Xia De controlling the flames; it was the guardian God of the Library helping Xia De to fully narrate the story that followed.
The scene in the flames became more and more realistic, until it illuminated the faces of mortals and God alike with a ruddy glow. It dispelled the chill and obscured all worries. Sitting by the bonfire and telling stories of a distant homeland was indeed a pleasant thing.
Xia De squinted at the bonfire, pondering the meaning of the story that connected the past and the future to his own life:
"Long ago, in a distant kingdom, the queen gave birth to a princess."
The flames formed a palace, and middle-aged men and women holding an infant were displaying their 'treasure' to the dense crowd outside the palace.
"The king invited people from all over the country and twelve Witches residing in the Black Forest to attend the feast, but he did not invite the old Witch who also lived in the Black Forest."
The image in the flames was divided into two halves: one half showed beautiful Witches in the banquet hall blessing the newborn princess, and the other half showed a terrifying Witch brewing potions in the forest.
The flames of the bonfire continuously sparked outwards, illuminating the four people by the bonfire. Xia De's voice was steady, the gray-robed God squinted, enjoying the tobacco in his hand, Miss Samuel frowned, looking at the flames, and Miss Olanorde tilted her head, looking at Xia De.
"And so, after the twelve Witches offered their blessings to the princess, the Witch cast a wicked curse of fate—when the princess turned sixteen, she would surely touch a spindle and fall into a long sleep!"
As Xia De raised his voice, the bonfire suddenly burst into flames, soaring directly into the sky, even engulfing the clear yellow moon summoned by Miss Olanorde. The blazing bonfire not only shot upwards but also spread outwards, almost engulfing the people by the bonfire.
The wind and snow outside were completely inaudible. Feeling the extreme heat in front of them, everyone watched the scene in the flames—
The flames constructed a life-sized, vivid young princess, even somewhat similar to the appearance of the desire presented before Xia De, holding a candlestick and walking up the staircase of the attic constructed by flames. And at the very top of the flames, facing the enormous clear yellow moon, was indeed a spinning wheel.
"This is the spinning wheel that represents fate."
Xia De said softly, and the princess in the flames had already reached the top floor. In the flickering firelight, both the princess and the spinning wheel magnified until they occupied the entire bonfire. The princess, holding an oil lamp, extended her finger and touched the spindle of the spinning wheel.
"Just as the Witch cursed, the princess fell, but she did not die; instead, she fell into an eternal long sleep."
Xia De paused because white mist had already enveloped him. This mist seemed to seep out from the bonfire in front of him, and in the time it took to lower his head, it had almost completely enveloped him.
"This story is to be continued. Gray-robed sage, please allow me to tell it next time."
"Of course, see you next time."
The old man nodded.
The white mist completely enveloped Xia De and carried him away. At the same time, the God sitting in front of the bonfire also disappeared, leaving only the shrine on the pile of old books, as if it had never left.
"It feels like witnessing an epic."
After everything quieted down, Miss Samuel said softly, her eyes on the bonfire in front of her, her glasses reflecting the flickering firelight:
"Blainey, is he really here to witness our story?"
Miss Olanorde shook her head, waving her hand to control the flames, and Xia De's lifelike appearance appeared in the fire:
"Teacher said, it is us who are witnessing his story."
