After dinner, Xia De finally asked about the sun-powered items.
Jialinna also collected two. Her opinion was similar to Edmund, the Tower Guardian: since they didn't know which item met the requirements, it was better to find more.
The Witch gave Xia De a warm pebble and a broken sword blade. The former was exceptionally smooth and would continuously heat up in his hand until it reached nearly 50 degrees Celsius before stopping. Although the latter showed no rust, it didn't seem to have any other special features. Jialinna believed that the sword blade might be a remnant of a fourth era Sun Knight's sword.
Xia De didn't go home tonight but was invited to stay overnight at the manor to discuss the current situation in Middesburg with the Witch in detail. During this time, he also learned another thing: after the 【Sin Manor】 incident, the Vampire Armand Bernhardt requested Sister Devlin to introduce him to the Great Witch of the Witch Council (Chapter 711). Later, Bernhardt met Grandma Cassandra, and through Grandma Cassandra's connections, he bought a relic from Jialinna at a high price.
That relic was even related to Xia De. It was the Document-level relic 【blood tooth】, which Xia De obtained at the end of his adventure in the Tobesk City underground ruins, after defeating the Vampire sent by the Blood Spirit School to assist Mercury Blood. That relic was one of the inherited tokens of the Vampire race, requiring implantation into the mouth to activate its properties (Chapter 280).
Xia De had originally sold this relic and the Vampire's corpse to Jialinna for 1200 pounds. However, the somewhat anxious Bernhardt spent a full 3000 pounds to buy that tooth from Jialinna.
“So, you don't need to give me pounds for those two sun items; 【blood tooth】 has already earned me a large sum.”
The red-haired Duchess said generously, and Xia De became even more puzzled:
“【Blood Crown】, 【Blood Thorn Scepter】, 【vampire ring】, 【Blood Holy Grail】, 【blood tooth】—that's five relics already. What exactly are the Vampires in Mi Fort trying to do?”
“What they are doing certainly has nothing to do with the Gap and the Chosen One.”
Jialinna did not make such a judgment lightly:
“A few days ago, I heard the Speaker say that a large number of Vampires from all over the Old Continent have gathered in the Carson Rick mountainous area on the southern foothills of Sicar Mountain, including even five High-Ring Sorcerers. But apart from Armand Bernhardt, whom you mentioned, not a single one has entered Mi Fort City.
This strange phenomenon has already aroused the high vigilance of the Orthodox Church. The Vampires did not avoid the Church. After a simple communication between the two parties within the Carson Rick United Kingdom on the southern foothills of Sicar Mountain, the Church believed that the Vampires' actions had nothing to do with the Chosen One's affairs, nor was there any conspiracy to destroy the City.”
“Does the Orthodox Church really think so?”
Xia De asked suspiciously.
“Yes, the Church must have its own reasons. So, while the Vampire matter needs attention, don't focus on it. Next Tuesday or Wednesday, the Church's sealing ritual 'Holy Tree Mark' will begin, and unexpected problems will arise then. This is almost certain. Xia De, I think you will definitely appear inexplicably in places you shouldn't be for strange reasons again.”
The Witch teased, but she didn't say anything like telling Xia De not to go:
“In short, just be careful. Now that Xi Wei and Grandma Cassandra are in Mi Fort, you should not be in too much danger by following them. Middesburg is, after all, too far from Tobesk, and I wouldn't be able to help you even if I wanted to.”
“There shouldn't be any danger, after all, the Orthodox Church has almost made it foolproof this time.”
Xia De said.
The Witch's face showed a mocking smile:
“There is no such thing as foolproof in this world. Wherever there is a Chosen One, there is bound to be trouble. My dear student Iluna Bayas has arrived in Mi Fort, plus Barton, who wants to resurrect the dead. The story is getting more and more interesting, and the best part is that this story is very far from us this time.”
(Mia is running...)
On Saturday, Xia De still did not leave Tobesk City. This was not due to the influence of the 【sloth】 Ling Rune, but because he was genuinely a bit tired recently. This week's high-intensity adventures meant that even Xia De needed time to rest.
Saturday afternoon was, as usual, the group study session. Compared to Xia De, who was constantly on the move, Doctor Schneider's life seemed very peaceful. Before the meeting began, he repeatedly emphasized the importance of this year's winter exam week to everyone, especially Xia De, and urged Xia De to decide as soon as possible whether to apply for skipping a grade.
Xia De was nominally a second-year student, but his Ring術士 level was almost at Four Ring. If Xia De truly wanted to skip a grade, then he would have a lot to do in the remaining two months of this year.
Xia De also had many things to deal with at the study session. First, regarding his own “Sublimation Words,” he needed to confirm whether 【sleeping princess】 or rather 【sleeping princess】 could replace the Ling Rune 【Sleep】. Secondly, there was the time key obtained from the seal on the mountainside of the Gap. He wasn't trying to confirm the time point corresponding to the time key—that was meaningless to Xia De, as history certainly hadn't recorded what he had experienced. He just wanted the academy to inspect and register this key so that the exploration of the time key could bring new practical credits.
Whether Xia De was going to advance normally to the third year or skip to the fourth year at the end of the year, practical credits were what he lacked the most.
The 【sleeping princess】 Ling Rune directly corresponded to the fairy tale itself. Although this was quite rare, and even in history, few people had ever obtained it, Saint Byron's Library actually did record one of them.
Xia De's question was eventually known to Administrator Daniste. So, that evening, while Leia was giving Xia De a lesson, Daniste's message came through the sheet of poetry paper.
Xia De urgently set up the ritual and once again went to Saint Byron's via projection.
The Saint Byron's Library late at night was still as bright and quiet as ever. The flames of candles and gas lamps jointly illuminated every corner of the ancient Library.
Even though it was eight o'clock in the evening, sitting in a chair and looking through the Gaps in the bookshelves, one could still see many young Ring術士 in robes searching for books.
“Is the learning atmosphere at Saint Byron's so strong?”
Xia De asked curiously.
“Next week is the mid-term assessment for the Mathematics Academy's autumn semester. If you don't pass the assessment, you won't be able to participate in the year-end promotion exam, and your academic year evaluation will drop by one level. Otherwise, it's generally difficult to see so many young students at this time.”
Administrator Daniste said with a smile.
This Thirteenth-Ring Female Sorcerer from Saint Byron's always greeted Xia De sitting on the long sofa in the central open space of the Library, so much so that sometimes Xia De would wonder if she never stood up.
Administrator Daniste didn't know Xia De's random thoughts. She held the black hard-covered book “the codex of sublime” in her hand. Seeing Xia De look over, she waved her hand, and the book floated in front of her, automatically turning to the corresponding page:
“Your question is very interesting. In the construction of Sublimation Words, there indeed appeared a phenomenon of using concepts similar to fairy tales to replace the 【Sleep】 Ling Rune. That was during the fifth epoch, and it happened to the founder of the academy.”
Xia De's eyes widened slightly;
“May I ask who it was?”
He thought it was highly likely to be Olanorde, who had heard the story.
“It was the academy's second headmaster. Compared to the rumored Mana Feilianna, there are more records about her.”
“The academy's second headmaster is—”
“Fiona Drago.”
The Administrator uttered an unexpected name. Xia De tried to control himself from making a strange expression. If his memory wasn't muddled, when he told the gods stories from his hometown, that red-haired, long-tailed Witch was clearly in a coma in the ice coffin; she shouldn't have heard the content of the story.
“Due to the restrictions of the ritual, you cannot leave your seat and follow me to the deepest part of the Saint Byron's Library. What is stored there is not secret forbidden Knowledge, but the history of the academy. Because of Mana Feilianna's appearance in Tobesk City some time ago, the academy organized professors to re-examine and search this ancient Library, and we indeed found some secret rooms that we hadn't noticed before.”
Administrator Daniste gently rubbed her smooth chin with her thumb:
“Some lost documents were rediscovered and categorized, along with some records about the history of the fifth epoch school. That headmaster Fiona Drago once used the 【sleeping princess】 Ling Rune to replace the 【Sleep】 Ling Rune. Of course, her Sublimation Words were not 'The Echo and Vibration of Space-Time, the Power of Sleep,' but 'When the sleeping Red Dragon awakens, all things go to their end.'
This is a very destructive Sublimation Words. Once activated, most Witches, even those of the Thirteenth Ring, cannot resist her. After all, that headmaster has the bloodline of the Red Dragon royal family…”
“Red Dragon?”
Xia De appropriately expressed his confusion, so Administrator Daniste explained the matter of mixed-blood races in the fifth epoch. Then she returned to the main topic:
“In short, 【sleeping princess】 replacing 【Sleep】 is a feasible solution; you don't need to worry about that. My only question is, how did you get such a Ling Rune that matches ancient fairy tales?”
Xia De had already prepared his answer:
“I didn't actually get it; I just felt there was a possibility. The original manuscript of 'sleeping princess' is in Zaras Academy. I recently met a friend from Zaras, and she has a handwritten copy of the original manuscript. After reading it, I felt a great inspiration. That feeling is hard to describe; it's like…”
“I understand. This means you have a very good compatibility with this fairy tale. But unfortunately, your talent and Ling Rune make you specialize in Moon spells and space-time power. The inspiration fairy tale can only be considered a supplement to your Ring術士 system, and fairy tales related to the Moon are more suitable for you. However, I remember another Sorceress in your group is very good at the power of inspiration fairy tales. I remember her name is... Dorothy Louisa? You can learn from her.”
Administrator Daniste paused, then asked:
“Speaking of which, how many Three-Ring Ling Runes are you still missing?”
Xia De summoned the Destiny Ring behind him, and the Administrator frowned as she looked at it:
“Only inspiration is left? Your leveling speed is really fast. In the past few thousand years, you can be considered one of the most talented students in Saint Byron's. But this is also good. The Guiding Moon from Serex Higher Medical College will probably arrive at Saint Byron's by the end of this month or early next month. The higher your level, the greater the probability of success in your actions. The other party has already sublimated from Four Ring to PentaCircle, and can be considered a key training target for Cerces.”
“This matter will not go wrong. But Administrator Daniste, I would also like to know, how is the school's investigation into Mana Feilianna going?”
“The progress is not optimistic. Recently, the academy has been busy with matters in Middesburg.”
Seeing Xia De's confusion, she didn't explain:
“To get an answer to this matter, we still need to find that Thirteen Ring Sorcerer, the Summoner. Our Headmaster is already preparing to go to Mi Fort, carrying a Level 0 relic. Hopefully, he can meet the Summoner and sit down to talk with them.”
“The Headmaster wants to find the Summoner?”
Xia De was very surprised, then warned himself that if unnecessary, he must not attract too much attention during this Mi Fort incident.
