Chapter 817: The Autumn Period
The 【Heaton Seal】 is a very famous Miracle of the Sun Church. Since that parchment scroll could be carried by a High-Ring Sorcerer of the Sun Church, the Miracle was certainly not a simple one.
Its naming convention does not refer to its inventor; "Heaton" is a rune in an ancient language, meaning "immovable," "solid," and "protection." Therefore, the 【Heaton Seal】 is also known as the "Immovable Seal."
Miracles like "Seals" mostly originated from the extraordinary powers of the fourth epoch. The fourth epoch was an era of darkness and terror, with constant warfare in the material world, cannibalistic variant creatures rampant everywhere, and dark species enslaving the people. "Seal" specifically refers to a rune-like gesture made with five fingers during casting. Later, it was refined during the fifth epoch, the Era of Witches, and then integrated into the Ring術士 system in the sixth epoch.
This Miracle requires a Six-Ring or higher to learn. It does not require casting materials but demands the caster to hold a sword as a casting medium. This can be either a physical sword like 【Night Watchman】 or a spiritual weapon like 【Moonlight Greatsword】.
With one hand, the sword is inserted into the ground at an incline of no more than 30 degrees, while the other hand forms the Seal gesture: thumb and middle finger touching, pinky finger bent, and ring and index fingers crossed.
Upon activating the Ling Rune, a circular golden shield will appear around the body. The shield can withstand almost any form of attack—except for fate attacks, of course. The strength of the "Immovable Seal" is determined by the amount of spirit. Furthermore, if the spell is dispelled the moment an attack is encountered, the shattered metal shield will inflict even more powerful explosive damage on the enemy.
Counterattacking requires excellent timing, which demands repeated practice. The only drawback of this precious defensive Miracle is that the caster cannot attack the enemy while casting and must stand still. They can only stop the Seal and counterattack during a lull in the opponent's attacks or by strategically shattering the shield to counterattack.
"But even so, this is a pretty good Miracle, very useful to me."
Xia De muttered to himself, looking down at the final learning requirements:
"【Sun】, 【Strength】, 【Shield】, 【Gold】—these four Ling Runes are acceptable, but they must be Miracles or inspiration, not whisper or blasphemy. 【Strength】? Isn't that the last Ling Rune of my low-ring Sublimation Words?"
Xia De had already added the 【Heaton Seal】 to his to-learn list. His current Miracles covered almost all aspects, but he lacked defensive Miracles. This was a perfect opportunity to make up for that shortcoming, allowing him to further adjust his casting system after entering the Middle-Ring.
After organizing his gains, at three in the afternoon, Xia De took a carriage with the cat to Miss Jialinna's manor. The Duchess was still waiting for Xia De's story.
Some things could be told to Luvia, but not to Miss Jialinna. But at least this time, Xia De admitted most of the truth, letting Miss Jialinna know that it was he, not Iluna, who had defeated Joey Barton in death.
"Ha, I knew it had to be you! Otherwise, you'd have no reason to be there!"
Miss Jialinna, having confirmed her suspicions, was very happy. She toyed with her red sideburns, listened to Xia De's account of the events from Wednesday night to Thursday morning, and then arranged for afternoon tea, telling Xia De more detailed follow-ups to the Middlesburg War.
The issue of the Gap was largely resolved. Iluna also brought news of the death Chosen One, informing the Church that this slot belonged to the Spiritual Cultivation Order. Therefore, the most crucial problem after the Mi Fort War was not the next Chosen One, but the identity of the Thirteen Ring Sorcerer "Summoner," and the reason why two gods suddenly appeared, fought fiercely on Sicar Mountain, and then suddenly departed.
Some of the Vampires who participated in the summoning ritual were, of course, captured by the Church. But the problem was that most of them also didn't know why the gods appeared in the form of saints, nor did they know why they suddenly left.
Of course, although the God of Vampires' descent this time caused no damage other than destroying some trees and rocks, the Church still arrested those Vampires on charges of "organizing illegal rituals" and "using prohibited items." What awaited them was the punishment of the Inquisition.
Every divine descent in the material world would be recorded in detailed specifics by the Orthodox Church and scholars from the Miracles Academy, to be passed down as part of historical records. Xia De was very curious about how this incident would be written, as theoretically, besides him, Grace, and Helen, no one knew the full truth of this matter.
Even if he told the truth, unless he transformed into a god to prove himself, most people probably wouldn't believe it. The God of Vampires had plotted for two epochs, involving multiple gods, indirectly influencing numerous major historical events, and ultimately not for overthrowing the Orthodox Church, not for the spread of faith, not for the secrets of the ancient epoch, but merely for a cup of blood wine that he couldn't obtain. No rational person would believe such a thing.
"It's said that the Church is discussing whether to designate last Wednesday as a special holiday for Middlesburg. Countless souls left the boundary of life and death under the guidance of the gods, which itself is very worth commemorating."
The Duchess, sipping her afternoon tea, said, effectively putting a perfect period on the matter.
As for Helen and Grace being seriously injured, it was well concealed with the help of Grandma Cassandra and Sister Devlin. The actions of the two small Red Butterflies that night did not attract much attention. Apart from the people of Cassandra Auction House, no one even knew of their existence.
"However, isn't 【Night Watchman】 your sword? Why would the Church think it was the Summoner's sword?"
At four in the afternoon, even in late autumn, the sun had not yet set. Xia De and Miss Jialinna sat at a round table on the third-floor terrace of the manor, with a teapot and small pastries on the table.
Mia was sleeping soundly on Xia De's lap. Xia De was lamenting the colder weather when he suddenly heard the Duchess's question and immediately replied:
"Because it's hard to explain who exactly gave 【Night Watchman】 to Iluna, so I just let her pretend I was the Summoner."
"But according to the information I received, the 'Summoner' who appeared at the Gap Church was indeed holding 【Night Watchman】."
The Duchess asked again.
"Oh, that's where the Church got it wrong. In the Gap, they thought I was the Summoner, and they thought I was deliberately suppressing my power, but in reality, I'm truly just a Three-Ring Arcanist. As for the Summoner..."
Tifa poured new tea into Xia De's teacup. Xia De thanked her softly, and the black-haired maid smiled at him. Catching the scent of Tifa's perfume again, Xia De recalled the morning's breakfast, maintaining a very controlled expression:
"I guess the Summoner was actually on Sicar Mountain in the real world since Wednesday evening, waiting for the Vampire Duke's divine descent."
People always avoid directly mentioning the names of gods, so "Vampire Duke" could refer to the Blood God.
"I see, that does make sense. But according to the Church's description, your performance in the Gap was quite impressive; the power you displayed was at least that of someone about to advance to the Middle-Ring."
The Duchess said again. Seeing that she couldn't find any flaws in Xia De, and Tifa was standing next to Xia De, handing him a napkin, she smiled again and said:
"Speaking of which, Tifa didn't come to see me immediately after returning this morning; instead, she went to change her clothes. I think there might be something suspicious about that."
"Miss, when I was serving Mr. Hamilton breakfast this morning, I accidentally spilled breakfast on the hem of my apron."
Tifa explained softly. Of course, she was lying; the spill wasn't in the right place, and it was only hot eggs that spilled.
"Is that so?"
The Duchess's fingers unconsciously tapped the table, her gaze lingering on Tifa's chest for a moment, then she suddenly asked:
"Xia De, was breakfast satisfactory?"
"Hmm?"
Xia De, who was lost in the morning's memories, no matter how well he controlled his expression, his face immediately turned red:
"Satisfied, very satisfied."
Miss Jialinna smiled and shook her head:
"A young knight and a blooming maid, mutually enamored but hindered by the beautiful mistress's presence, can only find simple comfort, unable to unleash the flames in their hearts. Even when sitting face-to-face with the mistress, they can only communicate with the secretly affectionate maid through glances and unfulfilled desires, while also painstakingly trying to please their true beloved, enduring the torment of their surging desires for both ladies... Tsk tsk, the plot of a knight novel I just thought of, isn't it quite good?"
She was definitely not talking about a novel plot; otherwise, Xia De would have been very interested in reading that book.
"How about calling it 'The Detective Knight's Tale'? An Outsider with the great sin of 'promiscuity,' oh~"
"She" asked with a smile, seemingly in a good mood as well.
Dinner at the manor was around seven o'clock. There was still a long time before dinner, but they didn't discuss Middlesburg anymore. Jialinna suggested that since the weather was nice, they should go for a walk. So, she took Xia De and the maids, rode horses, and toured the nearby farms, introducing Xia De to the daily income sources of this manor outside the city.
Afterward, the red-haired Witch proposed a horse race with Xia De under the strong late autumn sunset. The accompanying servants, and even Tifa, who was holding Mia, could not participate. Only Xia De and she rode along the country road, from Little Hangdon Village all the way back to the main gate of the manor.
The horses' hooves pounded, and as expected, Xia De lost. Even though Jialinna intentionally controlled her speed, the horsemanship of a noble lady who had received equestrian training since childhood was not something Xia De could compare to.
But as he struggled to ride behind the Witch, watching the setting sun's afterglow spill over the country road, and seeing Jialinna's figure gallop towards the sunset, that scene, with its oil painting-like texture, was probably enough to draw the most perfect period for this 'dead' autumn.
There was a room specially reserved for Xia De at the manor, fully stocked with changes of clothes and daily necessities. Xia De originally thought nothing else would happen that night, but after dinner, while chatting with Jialinna in the study about the taste of the post-dinner dessert—red sun fruit transported from Carson Rick—a knock came from outside the door.
Tifa went to open the door, and the maid outside spoke in a low voice with Tifa. Then Tifa returned to the sofa:
"Miss, Her Highness has arrived."
After speaking, she glanced at Xia De. Xia De thought Jialinna had business to discuss, so he picked up the cat and was about to get up, but the Duchess told him to sit down:
"Just let her come directly. The accompanying female officials can be arranged to stay on the first floor, and her personal servant can follow."
Tifa quietly assented and left the room. Xia De asked in surprise:
"Who's coming? Is it okay for me to be seen here?"
"Xia De, what nonsense are you talking about? Half, no, four-fifths of Tobesk is already rumored that you are my lover. Will your appearance at my manor really affect the rumors?"
Jialinna said with a smile, then stood up and moved from sitting across the tea table from Xia De to sitting on his left.
Mia, who was sprawled on Xia De's right, felt the sofa vibrate slightly. She lifted her small head and looked around, then lay back down.
She had eaten a very full dinner, so she needed to lie down and rest for a while to digest the food, so she could catch up with Xia De's supper time.
Xia De still wanted to ask who was coming when the Witch, who was close by, asked again:
"You ran all night in Middlesburg. I don't think you would have gained nothing, right? Let me see what new skills you've acquired."
Seeing her request, Xia De did not refuse. He thought for a moment, then raised his right hand, palm down, fingers slightly curled. As some red shadows flickered on the back of his hand, a short while later, a scarlet butterfly appeared on the back of Xia De's hand.
The butterfly flapped its wings slightly, resting very steadily there. Xia De gently shook his palm, and it flew closer to the Witch. After Jialinna extended her right index finger, the Red Butterfly landed on her finger, and the Witch revealed a smile even more vibrant than the butterfly:
"Very good."
The spell Red Butterfly Illusion is somewhat different from Moonlight Illusion, which became ineffective after waking Fiona. The latter originates from the power of the silver moon, focusing more on eliminating sound and concealing form at night, while Red Butterfly Illusion can be used at any time and emphasizes creating various wonderful illusions.
Even though both are illusions, their similarities are actually few.
As Xia De was thinking, the study door opened. But the first to walk in was not Tifa, but the red-haired, seemingly imposing Princess.
Leia Cavendish was dressed in an elaborate princess gown, as if attending some important official event. Her high heels clicked a dull sound on the carpet. After entering, she was about to speak when she saw Xia De and Jialinna sitting next to each other on the sofa, and of course, she also saw their intimate gestures.
She took a deep breath. For a moment, Xia De thought she was holding the higgs dragon head stone in her hand, and they on the sofa were all dragons.
Fortunately, no Dragon Roar appeared at this time, because the Cavendish Family is a pure-blooded human family:
"Good evening, Xia De."
This sentence was spoken in a gentle tone.
"Grand Aunt, did you call me here tonight just for this? To let me see Xia De in your manor so late?"
This sentence was spoken with suppressed anger.
Xia De noticed that Leia used the address "Grand Aunt," but generally, she used "Jialinna."
"Of course not. Haven't you recently obtained the logistics management rights for the New World Expeditionary Corps? Saladir County plans to regularly purchase aromatic flowers, a specialty from the New World, as a backup spice, so I wanted to discuss business with you."
The Red Butterfly on the Witch's fingertip dissipated. She waved her hand, motioning Leia to sit down:
"That's why I called you here. But it's already so late, I don't think you need to return to Yodel Palace tonight. Just stay here tonight. Speaking of which, little Leia, since I returned to Tobesk City this time, you've never stayed overnight with me."
Leia calmly walked towards the sofa and sat opposite Xia De. She first smiled and nodded at him, then sternly asked Jialinna:
"Since it's important, why call me at this time? Wouldn't daytime be better?"
"This morning I met with a private tailor to discuss winter fashion. I want to order a few new dresses; I don't plan to return to Saladir County this winter. In the afternoon, Xia De and I discussed some... private matters and riding techniques. Yes, riding. Dinner was also with the knight, so I had no time during the day."
The Witch said with a smile, gesturing to Tifa to pour tea for Leia:
"Leia, you're a big girl now. What, do you still not want to spend the night away from home? Oh, it's very safe here, and the bedrooms are very comfortable."
"Staying overnight here is fine."
Leia looked at Xia De again:
"Why is he here?"
"Leia, have you forgotten your royal manners? This is my friend; please be polite. And I've already said it's a private matter."
From her expression, the Duchess was genuinely happy at this moment, because she asked again:
"I heard that Xia De is also your friend? I imagine you're also very happy to see him here, aren't you?"
Xia De was very worried that Leia and Jialinna would start fighting. From the current situation, this was absolutely not impossible.
"Oh, ladies, please listen to me for a moment."
So, for Leia's safety, and for his own and Mia's safety, Xia De still spoke up:
"Leia, I came here to talk to Jialinna about Middlesburg. I was also there on Wednesday night."
The Princess's face changed, but she relaxed slightly when she saw that Xia De didn't seem injured:
"I knew it. You would definitely go to Middlesburg again for some inexplicable reason."
"Also, I'll be staying overnight here tonight. I'm sleeping in the guest room on the third floor. Don't worry, it's just me and Mia in the room."
Xia De picked up the cat beside him; the cat, like water, stretched its body as it was picked up. Its eyes narrowed as it saw a familiar human, then it meowed at Leia as a greeting.
"Since you two have something to discuss, I'll excuse myself. However, if you have time tonight, I'd like to talk to you. There's something very important I need to say."
Xia De said, then stood up.
Jialinna said:
"But Leia can't stay overnight in your room. If my nephew knew his daughter slept with his aunt's lover while staying at her aunt's house, Diana's next tea party definitely wouldn't invite me."
But this remark did not anger Leia. The Princess, with a demure smile, picked up her teacup, not forgetting to thank Tifa:
"If I wanted to stay overnight in Xia De's room, why would I wait until now... Detective, what's glowing on you?"
"Hmm?"
Xia De looked down and saw that something in the inner pocket of his coat was glowing. After unbuttoning it, he realized it was the manuscript pages used for contacting the academy, signaling a message.
He unfolded it, and a new scroll of parchment was transmitted. After reading the text on it, Xia De said with some surprise:
"Miss Daniste is looking for me; she wants me to project into the Academy Library as soon as possible using a ritual."
"Daniste? That Thirteen Ring Sorcerer?"
Jialinna was very surprised:
"You're only a correspondence student at Saint Byron's, aren't you? You actually know the Academy's librarian? Since it's a projection ritual, Tifa, go help Xia De prepare; don't delay the matter."
Xia De bid farewell to the two ladies, then hurried out of the study with Tifa.
Jialinna looked at Xia De's departing back and suddenly asked:
"Leia, what do you think of Xia De?"
