Jialinna spoke of the relationships between the Witches of the Council, then suddenly smiled, "If nothing unexpected happens, Leia should be accompanying Queen Diana today. You two probably don't get many chances to meet, do you?"
She teased Xia De.
"Yes."
Xia De nodded.
Although meeting face-to-face was rare, meeting through Dorothy's body was much easier.
"When I used to see Leia, Princess Angelina was often by her side. Jialinna, what do you think of Angelina?"
Xia De asked curiously. The Duchess put down the newspaper she had just picked up from the tea table and thought for a moment, then asked Xia De in return, "What do you think of Angelina?"
"A very young girl, not very mature, innocent and carefree, still holding fantasies about life, trying to escape Larus III's control through Leia, but not daring to directly defy her father's authority."
Xia De summarized, thanking Tifa for pouring the tea. The black-haired maid smiled at him.
"Rather, she not only wants her current free and favored life, but also wants to remain free and in control of her life in the future. Relying on Leia now is simply because she realized that no matter what, she could never be more outstanding than this elder sister."
Jialinna said, she was very familiar with the current generation of Cavendish Royal Family descendants:
"It's not just them; you'll find that every young person in the Cavendish Royal Family has their own ambitions. Do you remember Sachs Cavendish, who was executed for treason in the Summer? He wasn't the most ambitious one, but he was definitely the unluckiest and the most foolish."
The Witch never shied away from discussing her views on the kingdom's heirs in front of Xia De:
"Storming Yodel Palace with a gun, do you think it was truly just due to foolishness? Even now, I can't fully comprehend what happened during the Summer, but the truth of the matter definitely involves more people. It's just that my nephew, the King of Delarion, believes that the current situation is sufficient."
After speaking, she looked at Xia De's expression, but found that Xia De was not surprised at all, and instead nodded:
"As expected."
"You always display qualities that ordinary people shouldn't possess."
The Witch said with a smile:
"The times are truly different now; this isn't a stagnant era, but an era of change and development. The kingdom's heirs all have their own ambitions. While this might lead to political instability, in some ways, it's also a good thing. Otherwise, how can they lead the people?"
"Then, do you favor any particular heir?"
Xia De probed curiously, but this time Jialinna slightly shook her head:
"I don't participate in such matters. I just need to manage my Saladir County well. What benefit would there be for me to get involved in the struggle for the throne? While secular power isn't worthless, at least for me, the temptation isn't great."
"Then, between Leia and your line of succession, which is higher?"
Xia De asked, holding his teacup. The Witch looked at Tifa, and the maid softly replied:
"According to the Royal Family's succession law, my lady's place in the line of succession is far below that of the current King's direct descendants. Not to mention, King Larus III still has many siblings alive, and my lady, as an 'elder,' ranks behind them."
"Elder?"
Jialinna was somewhat displeased with this very accurate term, and she gave her maid and apprentice a chiding look. Tifa slightly lowered her face, but Xia De clearly saw her playfully wink at him.
"That's roughly how it is, so generally, I don't stay in Tobesk for too long. This year, if it weren't for the divine descent and the poem, I should have returned to Saladir County after the Summer."
Taking advantage of the free time this morning, Xia De didn't forget to mention his experience after opening the fifth epoch 3177 key yesterday, which was Sunday morning.
Throughout the entire Autumn, the Witch Council had been investigating the seal on the mountainside of Sicar Mountain in the Gap, so Jialinna naturally knew about Witch Emperor Violet.
Xia De knew that Jialinna was pursuing power beyond the Thirteen-Tier of Witches, but he regretfully informed her that while Violet was a Thirteen-Tier Witch like Felianna, at least at the fifth epoch 5177 timeline, she did not possess powers beyond mortals like Felianna did.
"Then, was the Witch Emperor visiting a deity because she wanted greater power?"
Jialinna asked. Xia De shook his head:
"She wanted to pursue eternal beauty."
He repeated Violet's views on appearance, power, and authority.
Jialinna snorted, saying with considerable dissatisfaction:
"That truly fits the actions of those women.
At the end of the fifth epoch, although civilization was still developing, the Witches of the upper echelons were already utterly corrupt. According to the Council's records, the conflicts finally erupted at the end of the fifth epoch, and the resulting war between the Witch Emperors was the main reason for the epoch's change. But this is also good, otherwise, if the fifth epoch had continued to develop, who knows what would have happened."
After speaking, she complained with considerable disdain:
"They found a way to visit a benevolent deity, and even had a chance to ask questions, but they didn't know how to cherish it. In this era, you can't even find such opportunities."
After all, in the modern sixth epoch, there were no benevolent deities left except for the five Orthodox Church Gods. The opportunity that the Witch Emperor did not cherish was, in Jialinna's eyes, something she yearned for but could not obtain.
Xia De continued to narrate his experiences in Lost Lake. After he finished speaking about walking out of the obsidian tower, Jialinna asked curiously:
"So, you plan to write a mathematics paper yourself?"
"Of course, I can't just create a philosopher's stone or other top-tier alchemical items on the spot."
But Xia De didn't feel troubled. While playing with Mia's paws, he said:
"The two Witches of the fifth epoch are also trying to find a way. My paper is just to be the last resort. After Sylvia arrives, I plan to ask her for help. Sylvia's mathematical foundation is very good."
The actual situation was that Xia De needed a mathematician who understood the development of mathematics in this world to help him correct the paper's format and the way special symbols were written; otherwise, a week would not be enough for him to complete the paper:
"However, Sylvia won't make me pay, will she?"
He asked with some worry. Jialinna smiled and shook her head:
"Although she lacks money, it's not your coins she's lacking. But it's good for you to interact with her more; she's very skilled in spatial power, and she's a very good teacher."
"Speaking of the Witch of Space, which Witch in the Council corresponds to the power of time?"
Xia De asked this question again. He thought Jialinna would refuse to answer on the grounds of "protecting Witch privacy," but to his surprise, she thought for a moment and then said:
"Of course, it's the Speaker of the Council, who is also the strongest Ring術士 in the material world in this era."
"One of the strongest?"
Xia De probed, but Jialinna looked at him with a smile, and only when she saw the surprise gradually appear on his face did she say with satisfaction:
"Although I haven't met all the elderly Thirteen Ring Sorcerers of the Orthodox Church, I have always believed that His Excellency the Speaker is the strongest in the material world in this era."
Xia De held the cat, showing a surprised expression, and his curiosity about the Speaker grew even stronger.
They did not wait long. At half past nine, a servant from Yodel Palace knocked on the door of Saint Delan Square Six, informing Duchess Jialinna that the steam airship had successfully landed at 9:03 AM, and the visiting delegation would rest briefly before departing by special train, expected to arrive at Tobesk Railway Station in about twenty minutes.
So everyone immediately sprang into action. Xia De had already changed into his formal attire, and forcibly brought Mia, who was unwilling to go out, to follow Jialinna into the carriage. At this time, the Yodel Palace's motorcade had just left Silver Cross Street, and Jialinna's motorcade quickly caught up.
After the two parties met, they proceeded to Tobesk Railway Station as planned. The City Hall and the Kingdom's Railway Department had already made arrangements in advance. Due to the incident where Queen Diana was shot outside the station in the Summer, all people near the station were cleared in advance this time, and trains scheduled to arrive at Tobesk Railway Station this morning had their routes temporarily adjusted.
In short, the security measures for this event reached the highest level. When Xia De and Jialinna arrived at the entrance of Tobesk Station, they could only see local nobles' carriages almost filling the streets, while Royal Army soldiers in uniform stood at even intervals on the street in front of Tobesk Railway Station.
Xia De even saw his superior, Chief Anlos, wearing a police uniform and hurrying past the station entrance with the police superintendents from Leedweich Field.
At 9:51 AM, Xia De and Jialinna got out of the car at the station entrance. After Jialinna took Xia De past the queue, she bid him farewell and went with Tifa to meet the Queen; they were the main characters of this welcoming ceremony.
Xia De, holding Mia, glanced at the crowd waiting to be frisked before entering the station, then walked inside.
At 9:57 AM, Xia De entered Tobesk Railway Station, walking inside with the formally dressed gentlemen and fashionably dressed ladies who had already been frisked. Tobesk Railway Station was very clean today, clearly having been cleaned in advance.
In addition to the local nobles, the Five Gods Church also sent representatives to attend the welcoming ceremony. Priest Augustus, as a highly respected clergyman in this diocese, naturally also appeared inside the railway station.
It wasn't Xia De who discovered the Priest, but rather the Priest who discovered Xia De among the crowd on the platform. He discussed it with Father Nicola, who was leading the team, and then sent someone to invite Xia De to stand with them. Xia De was considered a well-known senior believer of the Dawn Church in this diocese, and having Xia De present at such an occasion could also demonstrate the influence of believers to other churches.
---Author's Note---
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