Chapter 1281: Chapter 1281: The Duchess Returns
“Osenfort?”
Luviya raised an eyebrow and looked at Shard. Shard nodded:
“Exactly who you’re thinking of.”
Last week, Ston Osenfort asked Shard to meet in front of a burning warehouse, asking him to find three missing items—a ring, a medal, and an earring—in exchange for the whereabouts of Genesis: Earth. Although Shard later informed Luviya about this, he didn’t seek her help, even forbidding her from getting involved.
Ston Osenfort gave Shard a very strange feeling, one that was hard to describe, yet he trusted his Sixth Sense and didn’t want anyone around him to have any contact with Ston Osenfort.
While the Impermanence Card was precious, Ston Osenfort hadn’t brought out the cards. Shard, heeding the Creator of Innocence’s advice, collected thirteen cards but wouldn’t let those cards affect himself.
“The Old Stonemason said he found this inside a stone. It’s really strange, why would the medal be inside a stone?”
Luviya was puzzled.
“Just as with that ring, which I found at the bottom of a river outside the city. Common sense says that a ring shouldn’t be at the bottom of a river either.”
He put the medal away:
“I don’t plan on returning it to Ston Osenfort immediately. As for this person, I plan to investigate by other means on Saturday. Luviya, you…”
“Don’t have any contact with him.”
The purple-eyed girl complained softly:
“Do you think I’m the kind of person with an intense curiosity? Don’t worry, I won’t venture into danger deliberately.”
The two walked towards the exit of the warehouse, and Luviya asked:
“I thought there’d be some danger tonight, but it went smoothly. By the way, you’re heading home later, right?”
Shard immediately understood:
“Going home to bring Mia back, I can’t leave her alone at home overnight.”
Luviya showed a satisfied expression:
“Alright then, when we get back to the inn later, tonight, you need to place that armless statue you made by the bed.”
“If you want that statue, I can choose not to give it…”
“No, no, no.”
Luviya knew he misunderstood:
“While the statue is nice, it’s typically something that looks good but takes up too much space at home and becomes annoying shortly after. It’s perfect to give it to the big house of Princess Angelina. I just thought, tonight let it stand by the bed and watch us…”
The moonlight in the Stonemason Guild courtyard illuminated those beautiful purple eyes:
“You know what I mean?”
“Uh… of course.”
(Mia running…)
The breeze of Friday morning blew over the land of the Northern Royal Capital, and in the gray mist, Tobesk Train Station was as lively as ever.
Most of the people coming to the platform to pick up passengers weren’t very spirited, after all, it was only just seven o’clock in the morning. Even though winter was nearing its end, at this time, the sky was still somewhat dim.
Inside Mrs. Maria’s Tea Room outside the station, Shard was holding a cat to prevent it from pouncing on the desserts in front of him, while Iluna sat across from Shard with a steaming cup of black tea. Today was the day Miss Galina returned to Tobesk, so of course, Shard and Iluna, as a witch’s unofficial students, were here to greet her.
There were too many people in the station for pickup, so the two chose to wait here. Although Shard had gotten up very early this morning to make breakfast and eat with Mia, the cat was still very interested in the gingerbread cookies in front of Shard, reaching out eagerly with her little paws even as he held her.
Tea rooms of this era were high-end places. This tea room, at the T-junction in front of Tobesk Train Station, was decorated with a “fairy tale style.” The wallpaper was pink, and the room was filled with a sweet, sugary scent. The owner of the tea room, none other than Mrs. Maria who welcomed guests as soon as she opened, was a middle-aged woman with curly hair, wearing an apron, plump but with a kindly smile.
She liked Mia very much and even specifically brought a small dish of free cat food for Mia, which Shard refused. The cat had already had breakfast, and it was foreseeable that at lunch in the Duchess’s mansion, there would be a sumptuous meal, so she couldn’t have anything more at the moment.
The tea room also housed a few cats, all fluffy white cats with bows. These cats were hiding in the corners doing who knows what, with Mia occasionally yelling at them, showcasing intimidation among peers.
“Oh, they’re here!”
As the two chatted, they saw many people walking out from the station, followed by the rude police who forcefully cleared a path. The Royal Guards and Miss Galina’s personal guards first exited the station, and soon after they saw the Duchess appear in a rather complex red long dress with at least five layers of underskirts. On her head, she wore a wide-brimmed hat adorned with flowers, and she glanced around after walking out of the station.
Following the Duchess was naturally Tifa, the Miss Maid with black hair still wore that familiar black and white maid dress, though it was the winter thickened version. She didn’t wear a hat, her long hair simply tied up and hanging at the back. A familiar fair face, familiar big eyes, familiar delicate nose. Tifa carried a small black suitcase, likely containing the Duchess’s confidential documents.
A few minutes later, Shard and Iluna boarded the carriage at the alley entrance. As Iluna followed Shard onto the carriage, she saw the Red-Haired Duchess already embracing Shard. The perfume of the passionate red-haired lady was so familiar that it reminded Shard of what they did a month ago.
“Long time no see, Knight.”
Long-distance travel hadn’t fatigued the Witch at all; she was quite energetic while hugging Shard. The seventeen-year-old girl then pouted and sat beside Tifa. After exchanging greetings with Tifa, she caught Mia who squeezed between Shard and Miss Galina.
The cat stood on Iluna’s lap for a moment, then decisively jumped onto Tifa’s lap to lie down. Miss Maid smiled and stroked it, and the cat merely shook a bit, shrugging off that hand.
Iluna had already taken leave, and Shard too didn’t plan to go to Randall Valley today, intending to spend the whole day with the returning Miss Galina.
Miss Galina was also very happy to see Shard again. After leaving the train station, she detoured to Yordle Palace to see her nephew, then returned to the manor with her servants, celebrating her return with a sumptuous lunch.
Shard brought red wine, even Iluna managed to procure caviar from Sun Cathedral. The atmosphere during lunch was lively, the silent manor welcoming its master again after a month.
Shard sat to Miss Galina’s left, the Witch teased Shard about his relationship with Miss Benanis during lunch – she seemed to have heard something.
After lunch, the group melted into the sofa in the study room, spending the winter afternoon there. They talked about their own experiences over the past month, discussed the interesting stories of County of Saradiel, Tobesk, and Randall Valley, and shared their lives during the month of separation.
Of course, Miss Galina also hadn’t forgotten to bring gifts for Shard and Iluna. Shard received three sets of formal wear custom-made by the Duchess’s personal tailor, two large tubs of honey as specialties from County of Saradiel – which aren’t easy to store, a basket of fresh winter fruits, and a completely new wardrobe said to be made with expensive wood. Iluna too received a ball gown made by the personal tailor; it’s clear that Iluna hadn’t expected to receive a gift as well. When she saw that beautiful gown, she stammered her thanks, and Miss Galina was quite pleased with her reaction:
“You’re also a grown-up girl now. I don’t know how the Church plans your future, but a gown for attending banquets is something every girl’s wardrobe should have.”
Certainly, she gave more than just gifts to Iluna:
“So, Miss Beyas, have you continued training in the Edict series Arcane Techniques over the past month while I’ve been away?”
The Witch asked again.
“Of course.”
Iluna immediately nodded:
“Recently, when Shard and I returned to Pantanal Lake Heart Island to combat the manor’s Evil Spirit and Crazy Earth, he saw my progress.”
“Then let me take a look too.”
Miss Galina suggested but then changed her mind:
“Not to see the progress of the Edict series Arcane Techniques, but let me see what else you’ve done during this time. I hope you’ve developed some sense of self-awareness.”
After viewing the gifts, the three returned to the sofa. Tifa arranged for the servants to load the gifts onto the carriage to be taken directly to Saint Delan Square later.
The seventeen-year-old girl extended her right hand, making a holding breath gesture. A few seconds later, a warm glow appeared in her palm.
“Meow?”
Mia became immediately excited, wanting to jump toward the glow, but was caught by Shard in time. He carefully observed the glow in Iluna’s hand; the size of the light orb was not large, you could just barely see inside as if something was flowing within. Looking closer, it was as though arcs of lightning encircled the outer layer of the light orb.
Judging by its manifestation, conjuring a light orb to float in the hand through Arcane and Sorcery was really quite ordinary, as the simplest variation of the “Light Spell,” the “Light Orb Spell,” could achieve this. Moreover, it could summon many light orbs to form dazzling patterns.
But what Iluna sought to demonstrate was obviously not such a simple Power. Shard reached out to touch the glow but withdrew his fingers immediately, feeling the force within.
“What do you think?”
Miss Galina asked Shard, who cautiously replied:
“The sun.”
“No, no, it’s far from reaching the level of the sun.”
Iluna embarrassedly denied:
“Shard introduced me to a local black market where I bought two ‘Empty Bottle Fruits’ to contain the glimmer of the sun and the moon. By continuously injecting Power into that peculiar Relic derivative, I attempted to channel the purest Sun Power into my hand without allowing too much of it to escape.”