Capítulo 1356: Chapter 1356: Academy Rumors

When Shard finally pushed the door open and entered the warm Abundant Land Inn in the city center this evening, it was almost five o’clock. It was Monday, and he still had to meet the elf girl Emilia of Saint Byrons, so he did not go directly to the Wilder Opera House.

At this time, Luviya was not yet off work. Braving the snow into the inn’s first floor, Shard hurried to the counter to ask for a cup of hot tea. Since he hadn’t had lunch, he also ordered a serving of vegetable soup and a roasted meat plate, then sat by the wall, listening to the bard’s singing, truly relaxing.

It was about an hour until dinner time, so the inn’s first floor wasn’t very crowded. But when Luviya entered the inn, the snowy street was bustling with people, and the inside of the Abundant Land Inn was also buzzing with voices.

The purple-eyed girl immediately spotted Shard, who was reading a newspaper, and as she sat across from him with her small handbag, she curiously asked what he was reading.

“The Randall Flower Evening News, fifth edition’s gossip section.”

Saying that, he handed the newspaper to Luviya, who laughed as she looked at the photo on that page. The side profile showed Miss Benanis and the disguised Shard, seemingly in the corridor of the Wilder Opera House, holding hands like they were in a rendezvous, appearing very close:

“I didn’t expect it to actually get in the paper. That lady is quite something.”

She didn’t comment on it, but after putting down the teacup, she looked at Shard:

“How did things go today? Your trip to Worsent Manor wasn’t a waste of time, was it?”

“Of course not, I was quite lucky, and I gained a lot. I even encountered the embodiment of that demon, and it wanted to entrust me with a task.”

He told Luviya not to be surprised too soon, while he pondered the information he got from long-haired Luviya last night, which was Sunday evening. Since he hadn’t told Luviya those pieces of news yet, he decided to use the demon’s words to convey part of it:

“It’s basically confirmed that the arrangements it made on Osenfort are not merely to influence Carsonrick; it also pertains to The Chosen One.”

“The demon is connected to The Chosen One?”

Luviya said, looking around to prevent eavesdropping, though she wasn’t very surprised. After all, it wasn’t the first time a demon interfered with matters of The Chosen One:

“What, exactly, has it planned?”

Luviya lowered her voice slightly, and Shard shook his head:

“Not clear for now, but Ston Osenfort is a big problem.”

Otherwise, long-haired Luviya of the Bygone Era: Sixth Era wouldn’t have said, “So Osenfort doesn’t get the upper hand.”

“The first in line is the Guardian, whose situation is still unclear, the third in line is Miss Lathis. Do you think that he is the second in line?”

Luviya asked curiously:

“But he’s not a Circle Sorcerer… got it, although he’s not a Circle Sorcerer, according to what you said, he can use supernatural power, so that makes sense.”

“This week, I plan it out. If possible, I’ll let you have a look at him from afar, but you must not…”

“Cannot contact him directly, you’ve told me many times.”

Luviya said with a smile.

Shard shrugged noncommittally. After the waiter served them hot tea, he continued:

“Moreover, the day after tomorrow, which is Thursday, can you take a day off? The two ladies from the opera house want to go out of town with me to search for something at the Night Shrine again, and I hope you can help me.”

“Of course, otherwise staying in this city has no meaning for me.”

Luviya immediately agreed with Shard, so Shard talked about his encounter with True God Church’s Circle Sorcerers after leaving Worsent Manor. She thought Shard handled it well and confirmed that Iluna would receive orders this week to go on a business trip to Randall Valley:

“The matters of the Chosen of the Earth, although not as intense as those of Pantanal, seem much more perilous this time. Even if the Evil Creatures of Pantanal lose control, it only impacts one area. This time, if things aren’t handled well, the entire material world…”

The purple-eyed girl didn’t continue but looked at Shard. Shard nodded:

“The materials needed for the ceremony include spring’s leaves, flowers, and fruit, and autumn’s flowers, stones, and souls. The Council’s witches will help me collect them. Once I know the details of the third ceremony from the Worm Cult, I’ll immediately set off to Huntington to seek the Enlightenment of Wisdom from the lady in the lake.”

“The Chosen Ones have their individual fates, and our special preparations may not be crucial. Your focus should remain on the demon. Perhaps in the end, you’ll need to face the demon alone to let The Chosen One perform the ceremony.”

After so many events last year, Luviya also understood Shard’s power.

“It would be best if that happens, Iluna can assist The Chosen One. Of course, this assumes that the truth about The Chosen One matches my current suspicions completely… There!”

He suddenly waved at the inn’s door, even though her pointed ears were disguised, the pretty-faced elf girl had already arrived.

“Good evening, you two.”

Miss Emilia Xenode, each time she’s able to leave the Academy and come to Randall Valley, shows great excitement. It’s not that she prefers the city over the Academy, but purely for the thrill of sneaking out without getting caught.

“Good evening.”

Shard and Luviya also greeted, and Shard called over the waiter to order meals for the three of them. Since he already knew from Miss Orland that the rumor about elves being vegetarians was false, he ordered a lavish dinner for the elf girl who had traveled through the River Valley Creekland.

Actually, they could go to better places in the city for dinner, but the elf girl specifically asked not to for the hassle.

“How are things in Randall Valley lately? Any new exciting news here?”

The blonde elf asked curiously, and Luviya handed over the newspaper, upon seeing it, Emilia remarked with surprise:

“Didn’t expect that Miss Vanessa Benanis finally made it to the tabloid section. On that note, I’ve visited this city so many times, and haven’t met her yet.”

“If you’re interested, we can visit her later.”

Luviya said, and Shard looked at her somewhat unexpectedly and then nodded:

“She is our friend. We can visit her later and borrow a horse, then I’ll take you out of town.”

“Oh, no need, I can go out of town myself.”

The elf girl immediately shook her head, but Shard was insistent:

“Something big happened in the city, it’s not as safe as it used to be. I’ll take you out of town later, don’t refuse me.”

The blonde elf girl wanted to say something, but seeing Shard’s expression, she just mumbled about being treated like a child again and didn’t oppose anymore:

“So, what happened in the city last week?”

After dinner was served, Shard and Luvia recounted last week’s accident at Eldron Lake from a third-person perspective. Shard also shared his experience at Worsent Manor during the day.

Of course, to keep everyone’s appetite for dinner, he didn’t go into detail about what the Worsent family’s dinner was like:

“Something major is about to happen in Randall Valley, and I think the Academy is also planning to send professors here.”

Shard summed up at the end of the story, while the elf girl, who was engrossed in the tale, nodded belatedly:

“It’s truly remarkable that an academy outsider like a Circle Sorcerer has such stories around them… Oh, I heard that Miss Danester is leading a team to Randall Valley City this time.”

“Wait, why is it Miss Danester again… I mean, I heard she was out on a business trip at the end of winter last year, and now she’s going on another one?”

Shard only then realized he shouldn’t know about the Pantanal matter.

The elf girl picked up some fish with a fork and mysteriously said to the two of them:

“I heard that Xerxes Higher Medical Academy also sent the dean of Thirteen Rings here. I also heard that the Three Major Academies all sent people to Randall Valley to search for Saint Byrons’s founder, the legendary Miss Mana Feliana.”

It seems the students’ information is quite updated, but not entirely accurate.

“But wasn’t Miss Feliana from the previous Era?”

Luvia asked with a spoon in hand.

“Yes, yes, I don’t know the specifics either, just some rumors among the academy students. They say that mysterious lady somehow came to our time and is looking for her thirteen disciples… What kind of interesting stories will such a noble, beautiful, intelligent, graceful, and gentle lady encounter in our time?”

The elf girl said a bit dreamily, probably imagining some impossible scenarios.

This week, Emilia was still helping Shard look for the Ancient God of Space’s statues in the academy. Unfortunately, Saint Byrons was too vast, and even in places she could regularly access, she hadn’t completed the search yet.

However, at least Emilia brought news that Miss Danester was coming here, and it was confirmed she would leave school Wednesday afternoon:

“I went to return a book at the library yesterday and saw on the notice board outside that there’s a new recruitment notice for student administrator assistants. Normally, three student administrators would suffice, and now they’re temporarily recruiting three more assistants, starting Wednesday afternoon with decent pay, probably because Miss Danester won’t be around temporarily.”

The elf girl familiarly said:

“Miss Danester has high requirements for student employment at the library, but the benefits are the best too. I submitted my application this afternoon, hoping to get through.”

After dinner, Shard presented a new poetry collection written in ancient Elvish. Emilia seemed very embarrassed as she felt she hadn’t been of much help all along.

So, when Shard expressed a desire to buy some “Elf’s Purified Water” materials from her, the elf girl immediately agreed:

“No problem, when feeding the unicorns, some elf’s purified water is mixed into their dinner. I’ll skimp a bit, no one will notice.”

It seemed like she wasn’t doing this for the first time, and Shard hoped those little creatures wouldn’t mind.

“Then, can it still be delivered here next Monday evening?”

The elf girl asked again, but this time Shard shook his head. His Time Key’s activation time was Monday morning, and it was already mid-Sparse Star Month, with barely half a month until spring officially arrived. He had to complete the Time Key’s task quickly, as the [Darkness] Spirit Rune was very helpful to him:

“Can it be the day after tomorrow? That is, Wednesday, I’ll pick it up outside the city, so you don’t have to come into town, and I urgently need the materials…”

Emilia thought for a moment:

“Of course, but I can only come after sunset. So Wednesday evening, at the River Valley Woodland where we first met.”

“No problem, this is a big help.”

Shard said with a smile, pondering in his mind if her ability to only come at night was related to the opening time of that secret passageway.

Shard didn’t stay in Randall Valley for long that night. After escorting the elf girl out of the city, he went to the Wilder Opera House. He chatted for a while with Luvia, Miss Benanis, and Miss Lathis, and handed over the “Preservation” and “Memory” Holy Grail, whose use he couldn’t decipher, to the witch to help identify. Only then did he return home from the Church of the Forgotten.

Of course, he didn’t bring the old photo of the Worsent family back home, leaving it at the Church of the Forgotten, under a stone next to Mr. Lathis’s stone statue.

Because he had arranged in the morning for Dorothy to stay over at his house, Miss Writer was already at Saint Delan Square by that time. As Shard picked up Mia, who had happily come down to greet him upon hearing his voice, and went upstairs, Dorothy, having put down her fountain pen at the desk in the study, massaging her wrist, also came to the living room to welcome Shard:

“You’re back, aren’t you? There was a visitor for you this afternoon.”

“Hmm? Who came looking for me?”

“A client. I entertained the lady and took notes of the information.”

She handed Shard a piece of paper:

“It’s nothing significant, just looking for a lost cat. Since I had nothing to do in the afternoon, I took little Mia and went out to have a look, and we actually found the cat.”

She even praised little Mia:

“Little Mia is really clever, I saw the lost cat at the street corner, but it was on a rooftop sunbathing, licking its paws. I was wondering how to get it down, but when little Mia called out, the cat got startled and fell into the snow pile below.”

Dorothy laughed and gave Shard a hug:

“Looks like the detective’s cat is really something.”

“Good girl.”

Shard also smiled, petting the cat’s head, with Mia looking very appreciative:

“I actually came back once in the afternoon and left a letter for Priest Augustus to meet tonight.”

“Is the priest coming here later?”

Dorothy seemed surprised, then quickly said:

“I’ll go to the bedroom in a bit and close the door. You better not mention I’m here… Oh, let me go downstairs first to hide my shoes and outerwear. Also, the manuscripts and notebooks in the study, really, Shard, you should have told me earlier.”