"Yes, let's talk business."
Miss Violet said this, and then glanced at the cat lying on Shade's lap, and then motioned to her maid to take a stack of paper. Shade didn't know how the papermaking technology was developed at the end of the Fifth Era, but just from the visual point of view, the quality of the stack of paper was completely comparable to the paper he used in his hometown, and there was even a faint fragrance on the paper, which must have been specially processed from the raw material stage.
"An improved method for making a fire resistance potion."
She waved the paper in her hand and handed it to Shade. There were four pages in total, including the materials and the process of making the potion. Shade scanned them in less than ten seconds.
"I also finished part of my thesis."
Miss Theresa found a rolled-up parchment from the pile of books behind her.
This parchment is much thicker. Unlike Miss Violet's bold and unrestrained cursive letters, Miss Theresa's handwriting is extremely neat. These two writing styles can completely correspond to the personalities of the witches.
"This is mine."
Xia De also took out his thesis and handed it to the two witches for inspection and review.
While they were reading their papers, Shade caressed Mia and looked around. He then noticed that there were more daily necessities scattered around the lakeside camp than the last time he came here. Although he didn't know exactly how much time had passed, the eight-member witch team had obviously made plans to live here for a long time.
Miss Violet looked a little unwell, Miss Theresa's skirt hem was cut off by something, and the six maids looked visibly tired compared to last time. Although time was chaotic, it still affected them.
"It was not easy to finish writing this paper. I even consulted a witch to complete the final draft. However, since the three of us have made our own preparations, at least one of us should be approved by the god."
Xia De said in a low voice, his voice was still clear in the crackling of the campfire. The cat he was touching was already a little drowsy at this time. Although it had just woken up, the current environment was really comfortable.
"I hope everything goes well, too."
Miss Theresa said softly, but Miss Violet did not ask them to leave immediately. She handed Shade's paper to Miss Theresa, and then looked at Shade inquiringly:
"Sir, you left in such a hurry last time that we didn't have time to ask you more questions. Who are you? Don't say you are a foreign traveler. Foreign travelers will not suddenly disappear from Lost Lake. This lake does not allow such things."
“It doesn’t matter who I am.”
Xia De's fingers scratched Mia's chin. The latter squinted her eyes and tilted her head back, making a gurgling sound from her throat:
"The important thing is, I'm here to help you."
Miss Theresa turned her eyes away from the paper written in the language of the Sixth Era and looked at her distant aunt. She still remembered the college rumors circulating in the three colleges that they had discussed after Shade left last time. Although Shade was not the so-called "lady with a good figure", he did appear from the fog and lend a helping hand to them.
Miss Violet waved back, and the maid fetched the night watchman. The familiar sword was stabbed into the ground beside her by the witch, and the strange power of the island in the middle of the Lost Lake stimulated the silver sword to emit a holy light. My heart was clear, and the yellow rune of the sword that could slash the devil lit up, ready to be pulled up by its owner to meet the enemy at any time.
"Have you ever used this sword?"
Miss Violet asked very bluntly. Shad smiled when he heard "her". Then he raised his eyebrows, thinking of the sword's ability to pass on the skills of its user. Shad knew that his swordsmanship was definitely not worthy of being recorded and passed on, but his way of amplifying magic and using Miss Danister's experience to borrow the "Moonlight Series Magic" from this sword might have some value.
Thinking of this, and remembering the last time he touched this sword, Shade roughly understood what had happened:
"There is actually such a method. When I touch the Night Watcher at this time, it is equivalent to me being recognized as the owner again, so..."
Time converged on this sword, and Shade narrowed his eyes:
"Yes, I have used the Night Watch before, but not at this time."
He admitted it. Miss Theresa looked at him in astonishment, and the Witch Queen showed an expression of "as expected":
"It seems that I guessed correctly, but what method did you use? I don't think there is any way that allows you to take this kind of 'adventure'. Even if you successfully cross here, the guards left by the tree father will probably hunt you down for your violation."
Miss Violet asked suspiciously, not even mentioning the term “time travel” from beginning to end, as if she was worried about disturbing something.
Xia De shook his head slightly:
"Sorry, I don't think I can tell."
Although the Time Key did not prohibit the investigators from revealing secrets, based on Shad's understanding of time travel, the Father of the Infinite Tree prohibited any actions by him that might affect the continuity of time and space on a large scale.
"Well, I know there are some things that even I cannot know. I am still mortal after all, but it is remarkable that such a thing can actually happen. Sir, it would be great if you could stay longer. I have many questions that I would like answered."
"That won't do. My purpose is only to help you."
Shade said regretfully that he also had many things he wanted the witches of the Fifth Epoch to answer.
"Aunt, what do you understand now?"
Miss Theresa at the side asked curiously. She had a vague guess but was not sure.
The Witch Queen pressed the brim of her hat and said in a slightly stern tone:
"Schultz, graduating from the academy is just your job as a witch. You haven't even reached the starting line yet, so how can you know things that only the witches in the judging booth can know?"
Miss Theresa opened her mouth but didn't say anything, and Xia De clearly saw her pouting.
Violet took the hand the maid held out, prepared to stand up, and signaled that they could leave:
"I've had enough of this place. Since I took over the throne, I have never lived in the wild for such a long time."
"Do you have enough daily necessities?"
Shade asked curiously.
"Enough. At least the current consumption is less than half."
It wasn't Miss Violet who gave the answer, but the head maid among the six maids. As for why Shade knew she was the head maid, it was because only her skirt style was slightly different from the others. Tifa once mentioned to Shade the difference between the head maid and the maids.
"Before leaving, Your Majesty deliberately brought along the Inexhaustible Spring, Trish's Dressing Room, and the Brave Man's Food Bag. Although we cannot use those simple and strange ingredients to make the delicacies in the palace kitchen, they are enough to maintain basic consumption.
"Are you so well prepared?"
Xia De was somewhat surprised, and then realized once again that the Witch Emperors of the Fifth Epoch might not all be demigods, but their power and wealth were definitely the best in the Fifth Epoch.
"Why don't you try this before you go?"
Miss Violet did not stand up immediately, but asked the head maid with long brown hair to bring a dark red leather bag tied with a ribbon, about the size of two palms of Shade's hand. Shade could not tell what animal's skin the bag was made of, but he knew that the surface was covered with various bumps.
But when Miss Violet handed it to him, Shad immediately smelled a fragrance.
Almost immediately, his and Mia's stomachs began to growl. Both the man and the cat had set out without eating breakfast, and when they smelled the abnormal and tempting aroma, their bodies responded unconsciously.
"Mia, don't be so embarrassed."
Shade scolded his cat.
"Meow?"
The little cat looked up at him with wide eyes.
"You can obtain food by paying spirit to this relic. But the type of food is completely random. Theoretically, as long as you eat a bite of something that won't cause death, it can be considered food."
Miss Violet smiled and said:
"The negative traits are relatively simple - the brave man's food pocket may contain living things or food containing deadly diseases."
As he said this, he motioned for Xia De to try it.
In the Sixth Era, Shade had not heard of this relic, but he had heard priest Augustus mention the relic of excrement-food conversion. In comparison, although the brave man's food bag was relatively less practical, it was definitely more acceptable than the latter.
The aroma from the food pocket is also a feature of this relic, which actively attracts people to take food out of it. Witches can resist this aroma, but if ordinary people get this relic, they will most likely be stuffed to death.
From this perspective, this relic is helpful in obtaining the Gluttony Spirit Rune.
Xia De reached into his pocket and felt the heat rising from it. He soon felt that he had grasped something, so he took it out and found that it was a steaming egg. The eggshell had been peeled, and the hot mist was lingering on the white and tender surface of the egg.
"Um... ... "
He thought of a certain memory, and "she" laughed in Shade's ear. Mia looked at the egg and didn't show any desire to eat it. Shade knew what "she" and it were thinking about, so he didn't say anything and took a bite in silence.
"Just plain eggs, so boring."
Miss Violet said, holding her face in her hands, while Miss Theresa observed Shade's strange expression. Shade didn't say anything, but handed the food bag to Miss Theresa, but the latter refused and suggested with a smile:
"Sir, let your cat try it too."
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