Chapter 290: Amazing Memory

After notifying the other three members of the group that this week's study session would be suspended, Xia De had nothing else to do today. Before going out to kill in the morning, he had received letters from his client, Mrs. Lemaire, and her lawyer. Because of the events in the city over the past few days, Mrs. Lemaire had actually fled to stay with relatives in the countryside immediately after the martial law order was issued.

Among the citizens, there were many ridiculous rumors about what exactly happened on Thursday night, and City Hall had no intention of refuting them. Thus, Mrs. Lemaire, along with some other citizens, chose to temporarily stay in the countryside for a while. The matter of accepting the inheritance was postponed until next Sunday; one week was enough time for things to calm down.

So, for this Saturday, Xia De really had nothing to do.

Miss Louisa asked Xia De about his plans for the day, and upon learning that he wanted to go home to read, she suggested moving their weekly evening lesson to this afternoon, as neither of them had anything going on.

Of course, the location for the study session had to be moved to Xia De's home. This wasn't because his place was larger, but because if Xia De spent the whole day in Miss Louisa's apartment, the landlady living on the first floor would be very dissatisfied.

The two took a walk after their meal, chatting as they walked back to Quill Street. After helping Miss Louisa carry the notebooks and a few materials needed for the lesson, they didn't go straight home, but instead took a carriage to the Delarion National Bank; Xia De needed to withdraw money.

The banking industry in this era was just getting started. The National Bank belonged to the royal assets, and the services provided were limited to the exchange of pounds and crowns, depositing and withdrawing money, and safe deposit box services. Even on a Saturday afternoon, there weren't many people at the bank.

Marble pillars stood at the bank's entrance, supporting the ceiling of the front porch. This kind of grand decoration and architectural style showed that this was a place only true wealthy people would come to. And after stepping through the grand entrance, the floor, scrubbed so clean it could reflect light, made the outsider feel incredibly nostalgic.

This was the first time since coming to this world that he had seen a floor scrubbed so clean. Compared to this place, Old John's pawnshop was practically a garbage heap... actually, it *was* a garbage heap.

Miss Louisa observed Xia De's expression:

"Have you been here before?"

"Of course not. Do I look like a rich person to you?"

Xia De asked while looking around the spacious front hall. He was holding the soft Little Mia, and the strange new environment made this cat want to "roar" again.

He had just explained the source of that 1200-pound draft, so Miss Louisa wasn't concerned about what he wanted to do here:

"I thought you would be shocked by the environment here. I think even Yodel Palace isn't as grand as this."

The blonde Miss said with a smile. Seeing Xia De looking around blankly, not knowing where to go first, she led him inside.

It seemed Miss Louisa was quite familiar with this kind of place.

The process of withdrawing money didn't encounter any trouble; after all, Miss Galina wasn't bored enough to give Xia De a fake draft. However, after he handed over the draft with the Duchess's signature, the middle-aged gentleman who hurried over, wiping sweat while processing their business, seemed to be secretly eyeing Xia De's face the whole time.

Xia De was puzzled at first, but soon thought of the black-haired maid's misleading remarks made in order to leave the city under martial law the day before. Then, thinking about how he had come to withdraw money with the Duchess's draft the very next day...

"It's a good thing Miss Louisa doesn't know what the maid said."

He sat on the sofa holding the cat, pondering which was more important: obtaining the Duchess's full protection or his own reputation.

Although the steam-age bank was interesting enough, the two didn't stay long and left after receiving the 1200 pounds in cash. After finally returning to St. Deran Square, Xia De immediately started making it snow in his house. On a sweltering afternoon, sitting in a room with falling snow was the correct way to dispel the summer heat.

All three major arcane academies had exam seasons twice a year, and next week was the summer exam week at the end of July, so they first spent some time reviewing the study materials they needed to check and exchanging the troubles they had encountered.

Xia De's study progress was quite good; he had decided to pass at least seven exams during the summer exam week, and if he was lucky, he might be able to pass nine (Note). He was now promoted to the Second Ring, but to advance to the second year, he still needed the grades for these courses to meet the standard.

The written exams for correspondence ring mages were held at a unified location and time for each group, with at least two teachers dispatched by the academy to invigilate via a projection ritual. Therefore, Xia De and Miss Louisa needed to report their chosen exam courses to the doctor before next Wednesday, so the doctor could inform the academy to prepare the test papers in advance.

Miss Louisa enthusiastically helped Xia De choose his exam subjects, and when she heard he was preparing to take nine, she praised his progress:

"Being able to read so many books in a month, even a true scholar would find it hard to be as diligent as you. To help ordinary people who have just entered the field of mysticism adapt to the learning environment, the first-year courses are a bit simple, but being able to learn so much is enough to prove your effort and wisdom."

The outsider who came from a foreign land and had received higher education felt slightly proud:

"Memorizing this knowledge is indeed difficult, but fortunately, it's interesting enough."

"Hmm? You memorized it yourself?"

They didn't choose the study; instead, they were studying in the living room, which had plenty of natural light. The coffee table was covered with open books, and dense letters were written in the notebooks, most of which were ancient texts Xia De had helped the blonde Miss translate.

"Of course. Besides doing commissions, I spend most of my waking hours reading. After all, I don't have any other entertainment activities."

Xia De was very satisfied with his self-discipline.

"Meow?"

The cat, playing with the 【Ring of Metamorphosis】 with its tail, meowed.

"Oh, and a portion of the time is spent playing with Mia."

The teacup and teapot were placed on the floor under the sofa. Xia De bent down to pour himself tea, and Miss Louisa, who was flicking her fountain pen, asked hesitantly:

"Did you really rely on yourself to memorize the contents of so many books?"

"Of course, otherwise no one would help me memorize them."

Xia De said as a matter of course.

"But..."

The blonde Miss frowned slightly:

"What about your other self? Doesn't he help you?"

A light chuckle came to Xia De's ears. He paused with the teacup in his hand and asked quite puzzled:

"Sorry, Miss Louisa, do you mean, can the other me help memorize books?"

Miss Louisa nodded, her expression as if Xia De had asked a silly question:

"What you can see, the other you can also see. He is you, and you are him. A ring mage's memory is amazing, partly because our mental power is strong, but also because there are two minds memorizing together. This isn't cheating, because the ring mage's other self really is me."

Xia De blinked, choosing not to comment on the second half of the sentence:

"The books I've read..."

【Of course I'm reading too.】

"Then you..."

【Memorized it all. As long as it's content you've read, I remember at least ninety percent of it.】

"Then why..."

【You are pursuing understanding, not carrying a lot of books with you, right?】

Xia De nodded, then looked at Miss Louisa:

"My first year has a total of 19 compulsory courses."

"Yes, I remember. Why mention this?"

The blonde Miss asked.

"In addition to the exam, 【Basic Potionology】 requires the preparation of standard potions—【Joy Potion】 and standard potions—【Long Sleep Water】. 【Introduction to Elementary Alchemy】, besides the written exam, requires submitting a simple self-made alchemical item. 【Containment and Management of Relics】, besides the exam, requires submitting a report on a relic containment you participated in. 【Time Travel Practice Training】 is a completely practical course and requires a report. Except for these four courses involving practical content, all other courses are purely written exams."

Xia De said again.

Potion making could be learned through a crash course from Priest Ao Gu Si; for the production of alchemical items, he could ask Miss Yi Lu Na or Old John for advice; for relic containment, Xia De could also write a story for that small mercury bottle.

"That's how it is..."

Miss Louisa still didn't understand what Xia De was expressing.

"I've changed my mind. I'm going to take 18 exams at once! (Note)"

Although this was relying on the woman in his head to help with memory, he was only advancing to the second year to enjoy second-year treatment in advance and get those textbooks. He would continue to study the first-year books, so this didn't count as an unstable foundation.

The blonde Miss blinked at him, and it took a long time before she said:

"The academy has sufficient means to detect cheating effects not limited to 【Relics】 and potions."

Xia De knew she had misunderstood, so he put down the teacup and explained:

"No, no, no. My memory is amazing—I mean, my other self's memory is amazing. Doesn't my other self have some inconspicuous little talents? My other self's little talent is an amazing memory."

Compared to the various abnormalities she had already shown, an amazing memory was completely unworthy of mention, so Xia De didn't even bother to ask how the other party did it.

"You want to advance to the second year this summer?"

Miss Louisa finally fully understood Xia De's intention.

The summer exam season was just for exams; the winter exam season was when one could advance a year. But Xia De was a key cultivation target of the History Academy, had a good relationship with Professor Jiaxiya of the History Academy, and even had a good relationship with Miss Daniester, the librarian of St. Byrons. Therefore, as long as he could meet the promotion requirements, the academy wouldn't refuse his early entry into the second year.

"Yes, advance to the second year!"

Xia De was full of smiles. He had originally thought that, as Doctor Shi Nai De said, it would take at least a year or two to enter the second year, but he hadn't expected to be almost there in a month.

It wasn't just his own progress; the condition for the group to go to St. Byrons was that the group had five ring mages, and at least one Sixth Ring, one Fifth Ring, and one Fourth Ring mage. Now the doctor would soon be promoted to the Sixth Ring, and Xia De, who had the lowest level, was also a Second Ring, just like Priest Ao Gu Si. In this way, they were really one step closer to that unreachable goal. ===== CHAPTER 291 =====