Chapter 1986: The Priest's Problem

"I'm really sorry, I'm going to be busy again recently. Although the plague near Miss Gao De's hometown has not yet subsided, the homework from Miss Danister, the school's summer off-campus practice courses, and some things I entrusted friends in the same group to make, all need to be dealt with, and cannot be postponed."

"Really, you are always like this. However, when you 'have class' with Princess Lei Qianya tonight, don't be too serious. I'm worried that you won't be able to bear the 'gift' we prepared for you tomorrow."

She smiled ambiguously, and Xia De didn't ask much, hugged her shoulder, and let her lean in his arms:

"Miss Beiya, is there any news about the 【Hope Diamond】?"

At the beginning of the month, this witch said that she seemed to have heard news about this relic a few years ago.

The Duchess leaned on him with satisfaction, her eyes looking at her two maids opposite:

"When we had a meeting yesterday, she said that she had indeed heard news, but it involved some troublesome things. However, there will be results recently. It is said that the last place where that Unknowable-level relic appeared was the Moon Bay area on the West Coast. That place belongs to Karsinik, but it is very close to Saladir County. If you need it, I can send someone to help you inquire."

Saladir County is located in the southwestern part of Delarion. Although it is not a coastal county, it is indeed connected to the Moon Bay area.

After having lunch with Miss Miss Jia Lin Na, Xia De took Mia to attend this week's small group meeting.

A month has passed since the end of the Battle of Green Lake, and everyone who returned to Tobesk has returned to their own life rhythm. This week, the doctor routinely emphasized the exam week at the end of next month, and then finally mentioned the "Summer Off-Campus Practice Activity":

"Formal students of St. Byrons will go to various places in the Old Continent for off-campus activities every summer, which allows students from the academy to understand things outside the academy. Last year's summer practice was canceled because of Tobesk's... God's descent, and this year's notice has been issued. Last year was before the summer exam week, this year the time is advanced, and the formal students in the academy take exams one month earlier, so the arrangement for the summer time is this month."

There is no need to say much about last year's events; the members of the small group are all participants.

"How many people is our group going to receive this year?"

Luweiya asked curiously. As for the small group receiving those formal students, there are benefits. Expenses don't need to be mentioned, and practice credits will also increase because of this. And they are only responsible for providing accommodation. Unless they are sought for help, they don't need to care about other things, so this task is also very easy.

"3."

The doctor said while sitting on the sofa, looking at the empty seat of Priest Ao Gu Si:

"The number of students allocated to the Tobesk region this year is very small, because the academy believes that it is still dangerous here. However, considering that our group's level is very high, three students were allocated. Fourth Ring, Fourth Ring, Fifth Ring, two ladies and one gentleman. Their task for this practice activity is to contact the black market in Tobesk, inquire about some news, and capture a ring mage wanted by the Church. They all come from the Chemistry Academy, just like Priest Ao Gu Si."

Mentioning the priest, Dorothy asked quite worriedly:

"What happened to the priest recently? He didn't come to the meeting last week. I wrote to him recently to ask about potions, and he replied to me after a few days. Is the priest in trouble?"

"I last saw Priest Ao Gu Si a week ago, and the priest's complexion was not very good."

Luweiya also said.

So Xia De looked at the doctor, and the blue-eyed middle-aged doctor shook his head:

"I don't know either. When he asked me for leave, he did say he was unwell, but he refused to say what was wrong. In fact, since returning from Green Lake a month ago, the priest has been a bit wrong... He has become very cold, oh, I don't know how to describe it."

"I'll go visit the priest after the meeting."

Among everyone here, only Xia De is nominally a believer of the true god 【Mr. Dawn】, and it is very normal to visit the Dawn Church.

"Okay, if there is anything, notify us in time, I am very worried."

The doctor sighed:

"Continue to the topic just now. It is said that there is a lady with a special identity among the ring mages coming this time, but the specific situation is not known yet. It is already the end of the Month of Sunshine, and they will probably come in a week or two. According to the tradition of the past few years, I will rent rooms in advance at the Three Cats Hotel in St. Song Square in the Beicheng District. We will meet them then, and the rest will be the same as before."

That is of course not the best hotel in the city, but the students of the academy are not here for vacation, so the Three Cats Hotel is just right. It is located in the slightly chaotic Beicheng District, which is convenient for hiding their identities. And the location of St. Song Square is very good, and it is very convenient to do anything.

"Last year... the matter of the Lake View Manor, speaking of which, it has been a year."

Unlike the girls who care about the Outlander's "birthday," Doctor Schneider didn't care much that tomorrow was the first anniversary of meeting Xia De, just sighing that time passed quickly:

"In the blink of an eye, a year has passed. At this time last year, I couldn't have imagined that our group would have a fifth person."

"Doctor, you being able to meet Xia De opposite the Nightingale Club is not just your luck, it is also the luck of all of us."

Luweiya said very seriously, and Dorothy and Doctor Schneider nodded together. Seeing that there was nothing to do in today's study meeting, the doctor even asked the clinic's servant to take wine glasses and red wine and had a drink with everyone:

"Then let us toast to this luck, hoping that at this time next year, we can still raise our glasses like this."

He was still a little regretful that Priest Ao Gu Si did not attend today's meeting.

After the meeting, Xia De did not return to St. Theresa Square with Dorothy, but went to the local Dawn Church with worry. He was also very familiar with the priests, fathers, and sisters in the church, and it was easy to find out that Priest Ao Gu Si asked for leave today and was not in the church.

The priest himself lived in the church, and except for that potion workshop in the basement, he had no house outside. Xia De also inquired several times, and finally saw the priest looking at the city under the sunset on the bank of the Terraril River, which flows through the university district.

He didn't look like he was sick, standing on the river bank looking at the river, watching the children and pet dogs playing on the grass on the opposite side of the river, a group of young students playing Luo De cards on the grass, and young couples leaning on each other watching the sunset.

Priest Ao Gu Si stood with his back to the sunset and facing the east. His back was reflected red, but his face was dark.

When Xia De came to stand beside him, the priest didn't turn his head to look at him:

"Detective, did the doctor ask you to see me? I'm fine, I can attend the small group meeting next week."

The old priest indeed didn't seem to have changed, but Xia De felt cold when he came to his side:

"You have been wrong since you returned from Green Lake... Is it the influence of that skull?"

The skull is different from other parts of the bones. If the priest has a condition because of this, it is also reasonable.

Seeing the priest not answering, Xia De took the initiative to stretch out his right hand, and Priest Ao Gu Si also held it.

Xia De frowned:

"Your body temperature is obviously a bit low, but I don't feel the chaos of spirit and elements, and your vitality has not been eroded by death. Priest, how do you feel yourself?"

The old man in robes sighed softly at the river bank:

"I don't know what's wrong with me either, just feel..."

He let go of Xia De's hand and pressed his chest:

"There is an empty hole in my heart. Looking at anything, I will... You know, the doctor has always said that I will think of the bad direction when looking at anything. Since returning from Green Lake, any thoughts I have now are even more terrible than that. No, I didn't have hallucinations, and no whispers eroded my spirit. Just became a bit pessimistic. In my eyes, this world seems to be covered with a layer of shadow."

He raised his hand and pointed to the other side of the river:

"That child and pet dog are playing, but that dog must leave this world earlier than the child, and he will be heartbroken and shed tears because of it; the young students playing Luo De cards on the grass will probably not maintain such friendship in the future, they will eventually embark on different paths and have different lives; and the young couples leaning on each other watching the sunset, can they really go to marriage? Do they have their own secrets at this moment? I don't know why I think this way, I know this is very strange."

"You are not out of control, you may need to go to the doctor to treat it."

Xia De gave a suggestion, and the old priest's wrinkled face changed slightly. He nodded slightly:

"I will consider it, at least it is just a change in mentality for now, not a big deal, otherwise I will seek your help myself. Going out for a walk like this will make the mood much better, you don't have to worry about me."

"This kind of thing cannot be ignored."

Xia De shook hands with Priest Ao Gu Si again, confirming that his soul state was normal, just mentally depressed. Afterwards, he forced the priest to find Doctor Schneider and let the doctor give the priest a course of psychological treatment.

Although Xia De often joked that the doctor's best skill is hypnotic therapy, in fact, Bill Schneider's means as a psychologist are quite strong in all aspects. He listened carefully to the psychological problems that Priest Ao Gu Si himself couldn't explain clearly, and then thought it was very like a situation of "depression."

This is a new concept proposed in recent years, belonging to the forefront of neuroscience and psychiatry theory. It's just that Xia De doesn't think that Priest Ao Gu Si suddenly suffered from "depression" for no reason. The priest's life doesn't have so many troubles, and Xia De thinks he has always been psychologically very healthy.

"It should still be the influence caused by that half of the Death-Telling Angel's skull."

He believed in his own view, but didn't think the priest's situation was very serious. Fusing that kind of thing has a certain degree of influence on himself, which is also within the scope of understanding. In short, Xia De decided to let the doctor give the priest a period of psychological counseling first, and he would also visit the priest often.

If the situation can slowly improve, that is of course the best. If the situation becomes more serious, then he can only go to Huntington City again and let the Wisdom Angel help. ===== CHAPTER 1987 =====