Chapter 3464

"In that case, I suppose I helped that Viscount?"

Xia De nodded in realization, guessing in his heart that the other fake people in the delegation would likely disappear on their own in the near future. They might return to the 【House of Fake People】 or head to other cities, but none of this mattered to Xia De anymore.

The two old friends chatted on the beach for over an hour in the afternoon, with the sound of the crashing waves as background noise. However, at 2:30 PM, a sailor from the White Pearl came to look for Major Lades, saying the flagship wanted each ship to send people to move things, so Xia De temporarily bid farewell to Major Lades.

They would have plenty of opportunities to meet on this island.

"Let's head back."

After watching Major Lades leave, Xia De said to Miss Larsen. He summoned a small boat right on the beach, and then he and Miss Larsen jumped in separately.

As the small wooden boat moved quietly across the coastal waters, the curious white-haired girl heard from Xia De all the stories about him and Major Lades:

"From Tobesk to Midhillburg, from Green Lake to Fatumonte Island, my friendship with Major Lades is truly deep."

"So, is that Major really just an ordinary person?"

The white-haired girl asked, and Xia De, who was rowing at the stern, smiled and asked back:

"Why do you think all my friends must be Ringed Shushis? Ordinary people and Ringed Shushis are both humans; don't think of them as different species."

Miss Larsen nodded embarrassedly and turned around in the boat to look back at the direction of the Time Wheel City pier. At this time, she could vaguely see the warships docked at the pier, and she asked curiously:

"Then, was Major Lades's dream caused by his anxiety, or because of this island?"

"I can't say for sure, but no matter the cause, it was ultimately just a dream."

Xia De didn't turn his head, but looked forward, as he was the one rowing:

"This is the consequence of ordinary people coming into contact with relics; the church has always been right to prohibit the abuse of relics."

"But what I saw was the bifurcation of fate—one path leading to death, one connecting to new life. People's fates really can change because of a chance encounter; it was you who changed his fate."

Xia De shook his head:

"I admit I played a role in it, but it was actually he himself who seized the opportunity. Miss Larsen, just like you, Claire only gave you the opportunity; it was you who seized the opportunity to become her apprentice."

Seeing the topic turn to herself, the white-haired girl sat in the boat and looked at Xia De again:

"So, do you think the importance of the individual exceeds that of fate?"

She was a candidate for the Chosen of Fate supported by everyone, and understanding fate was an important step for the future ritual, so Xia De said while rowing:

"I'm reminded of a metaphor I used recently: which is better, an apple or a pear?"

The white-haired girl tilted her head and thought for a while:

"Although Ellie prefers apples, I prefer pears. In my hometown, pears are a rare fruit."

Xia De laughed:

"I'm not really asking you to think about this question, but to explain that the two are incomparable... Just like the two blades of a sword—one side is the person themselves, the other is fate. Which side is more powerful? There is no comparison; whichever side you use, that side is more powerful."

The white-haired girl nodded vigorously; she understood:

"Mr. Hamilton, why do you seem so young, yet understand so many things?"

The Outlander explained:

"Because I've seen many stories—stories in books, stories in reality. My life experiences over the past two years are more exciting than the experiences of many elderly people in their entire lives. And... most of the time, I view the stories around me from the perspective of a bystander, so I see things more clearly. Have you ever watched others play Luo De Pai? People outside the game sometimes see more clearly than the players."

"Then how can one view life and fate from the perspective of a bystander?"

Xia De didn't answer immediately this time. The boat moved across the sea for a while longer before he spoke:

"We live in this world, and we are part of the world ourselves. If you can find a way to truly view the world from the perspective of a bystander, it only means you have abandoned the world, or the world has abandoned you. This is not a good thing; there is no need to deliberately jump off the stage. Only on the stage can you feel how real this world is.

Miss Larsen, I am just an exception."

Luweiya's experiences before jumping off the stage and the price paid for the seven times in the Sixth Era were definitely not low; being an audience member is not a wonderful identity. The white-haired girl was confused by Xia De. She sat in the boat, blowing in the sea breeze, and thought for a while, only to find she couldn't understand it—she was, after all, still a bit too young.

Looking at Xia De's back as he held the oars, she hesitated for a moment before whispering:

"Actually, there was something last night I wanted to ask, but I was too embarrassed to ask in front of everyone. When my snake skin recorded the Path of the Pilgrim, it said I witnessed the gaze between gods..."

She pursed her lips, hesitating about how to ask this question. Fortunately, Xia De understood what she meant:

"You want to know what I really am?"

The white-haired girl nodded vigorously, then added embarrassedly:

"I'm just curious. If my teacher knew I asked this, she would definitely scold me. If you can't answer, don't answer me; I know this question shouldn't be asked lightly."

Xia De looked at the vast sea surface before him:

"Then what do you think I am?"

Stella Larsen pursed her lips and thought for a long time, but didn't give any answer. This question was equally hard to answer, but she vaguely understood the intention behind Xia De's question. Knowing she couldn't answer it, she gave up on pondering it further and said:

"Can I answer this question later? I can't think of an answer for now... Mr. Hamilton, you can call me by my name from now on, just like my teacher, just call me 'Stella' directly. Don't use my surname to address me anymore."

Xia De didn't refuse:

"Then you can call me by my name from now on too. I'll wait for you to give me an answer."

"Okay... Xia De."

She turned her head to look at the scenery by the sea, not letting Xia De see the smile on her face at that moment.

After returning to the town, there was nothing to do. However, Matilda and the others had already returned from the city, and little Miss Aurora hadn't left yet, so Xia De spent the remaining time before dinner chatting with the girls.

When Claire returned to the Snow Mountain Hall, she saw Xia De playing Luo De Pai with little Miss Aurora, surrounded by a group of girls, while the others were laughing because of the joke just told.

Seeing the Great Witch push the door open and enter, they hurriedly put down what they were holding and stood up. Claire scanned the room and saw her apprentice sitting beside Xia De, her hand just having put down the deck of cards she was helping Xia De organize.

Thus, the Great Witch of the Sun had a strange feeling:

"Could it be that I really am just a supporting character?"

Even though Fatumonte Island was bathed in sunshine during the day, by the time the sun set in the evening, dark clouds drifting from the east had already covered the sky over the entire island. When Claire returned to the Snow Mountain Hall, it was only lightly snowing outside, and the witch even joked that this weather was actually more suitable for the All Souls Festival.

But by the time the representatives of the Fatumonte people living all over the island arrived at the Snow Mountain Hall one after another, and the banquet tonight was about to begin, the snowflakes outside had turned into a heavy snowfall.

Goose-feather-like snowflakes fell from the sky. Elder Harald, who was watching the snow in the courtyard of the Snow Mountain Hall with Xia De and Claire, estimated:

"If the snow is still this heavy, let's pause the bonfire party at the pier tonight. The streets of the town will probably be covered in snow soon; we need to notify every household to remember to clear the snow."

Claire looked at Xia De with a look of regret:

"So we can't dance tonight, right?"

Elder Harald pretended not to hear what his granddaughter had said, and then he saw Xia De take out a pistol—of course, not the 【Gun of Kindness】, but the 【Sure-Hit Pistol】 that the doctor had bought from Old John some time ago to deal with the demon.

After the demon was defeated in front of the castle, the doctor was also taken to the church, so Xia De had forgotten to return the gun to the doctor and had been carrying it with him.

Xia De squinted at the last trace of sunset behind the dark clouds:

"Fortunately, there is still sunlight. Claire, what I say, I will definitely do."

"What are you going to do?"

He rummaged through his pocket and found a bullet. The originally brass-colored bullet slowly turned crimson in the sunset. Both Claire and Elder Harald felt the whisper elements on that bullet, and Xia De explained:

"The Poet-level relic 【Fist of the Blazing Sun】 must be fired using a relic-type firearm. As for its effect..."

He inserted the bullet into the 【Sure-Hit Pistol】, then aimed the muzzle at the sky—

*Bang! *

The crimson sunlight pierced straight through the clouds in the sky, and the thick clouds were scattered. The sky, filled with sunset glow, gradually revealed itself, and the setting sun was as bright as dripping blood. The snowflakes falling in the air were becoming smaller and sparser at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Xia De lowered the pistol, which was still radiating intense heat:

"The effect is to change the weather, making the area sunny for a period of time. Although it won't last particularly long, it's no problem for us to dance until midnight."

He said to Claire beside him:

"You see, I didn't break my promise tonight."

The somewhat touched witch said softly:

"There was no need to be so wasteful, using up a consumable relic."

"If relics aren't used to make life better, are they only meant for fighting and killing?"