Chapter 3466

The arrangement of the "dance floor" was not over yet. Amidst the splashing sound of seawater, on the right side of the Glorious Messenger, a circular wooden platform rose from the seabed, and the mermaid girls who had turned their fish tails into human legs sat on that flat wooden platform in the form of an orchestra.

Then, hundreds of mermaid girls sang the mermaid's ballad together on the seabed amidst the music. Xivi looked at this scene with satisfaction, and Claire also had to admit:

"What a big deal... It's really good to have people under your command."

So Xivi extended an invitation to Xia De:

"Xia De, are you willing to dance the first dance with me?"

"This invitation is generally extended by men to women... It doesn't matter, of course I'm willing."

He held Xivi's hand and jumped off the deck. The black evening gown on the Great Witch of Light unfolded in the air like a butterfly. After Xia De hugged her and landed on the sea, he reached out to control the starlight and moonlight, finally letting that silver moon project its light into the glowing area on the sea like a spotlight.

Everyone had a great time that night. In addition to taking turns dancing with Xia De, Emilia shyly took the initiative to kiss Xia De while dancing, which was something none of the other witches had done.

The elf girl with pointed ears was originally the type of person who liked adventure and challenges.

However, Emilia had to return to the Academy after all, so the group headed back to the town at 10:30. Miss Ilithyia, who was the last to dance with Xia De, operated the ship, while the others were still on the deck blowing the sea breeze.

"Xia De, what did you call Stella just now?"

Claire asked suddenly at this time, and Xivi laughed immediately. Xia De, who was discussing the habits of mermaids with Emilia, blinked and turned to look at her:

"I called her by her name directly. We only started calling each other like this after we went to the city to see my friend this afternoon."

So Claire looked at her apprentice with some displeasure. The white-haired girl was a little embarrassed, but didn't explain much.

It was only when they returned to the town and Xia De intended to send Emilia back first that Miss Swift also proposed to leave with them:

"I am now living in the ice castle with the other followers of the grandmother, so I will also go back from Miss Sylvia's tower."

So Xia De didn't throw the crystal shoe to go home, but turned into a silver moonlight dragon, carrying the two young ladies and flying toward the sky.

He first sent Emilia back to St. Byrnes. When he returned from St. Byrnes, he was surprised to find that Miss Swift was still here and had not returned to the castle through the portal.

She stood alone on the steps in front of the tower, looking at the starry sky and the moon. Snowflakes were falling in abundance, and it seemed that the effect of that bullet had ended, which was shorter than Xia De had estimated. This was the "White Dragon's Ridge," the third highest peak of the snow mountain, and the temperature was very low. Miss Swift's shoulders had already been dyed white. Xia De, who walked up from below the steps, asked with some concern:

"Why haven't you gone back yet? Do you need a coat? I have a lot of clothes here."

The girl with flaxen hair looked at him, pursed her lips slightly, and then said softly:

"Xia De, how long have we known each other?"

"From the autumn of 1853 when I went to Mibao, to the beginning of 1855 now, it has been a year and a half."

"But you still call me Miss Swift."

Her eyes were fixed on Xia De, and there was a rare determination in her eyes:

"Even though you have already kissed me."

Xia De finally understood why this girl was so preoccupied, so he walked over and hugged her:

"Alright then—Rita, I will call you that from now on. Speaking of which, time really flies. I went to Mibao back then to find the missing Priest Ao Gu Si, and in the blink of an eye, it's been almost two years. When I first saw you, the yellow leaves were falling, and I didn't expect so many stories to follow."

The girl with a slightly flushed face gave a soft "Hmm~." She didn't say anything more, just closed her eyes and enjoyed this moment of warmth.

The two stood in front of the tower for a full half hour before Xia De sent Rita back to the ice castle. After chatting with the maid Winnie for a few words, he returned to the Snow Mountain Hall.

Staying out so late without going home was, of course, not because there was no one at home tonight, but because he had promised Elder Harald to participate in the most important ritual at midnight.

It was already 11:00 at night when he returned to the town. The banquet lasted all night, and most people no longer had the energy to play. When Xia De returned to the banquet hall, it was no longer as lively as when he left, and he even saw many people already asleep at the tables.

However, the elders were not asleep. When Xia De found them in front of the fireplace at the end of the banquet hall, the five Great Elders and Claire were all there, and Elder Harald looked worried:

"It has already started to snow outside, and it's a heavy snow. I'm afraid the young people this year won't be able to walk the mountain road well."

If that relic bullet triggered its negative trait, its effect would last for a very, very long time, but Xia De's luck was not that bad. Now, thick dark clouds had shrouded the island, and even if one couldn't divine, experienced old people could tell that there would probably be a heavy snow in the area in the next few days.

"Have you never encountered heavy snow during All Souls' Day in the past?"

"We have encountered it, but All Souls' Day in the past usually lasted for about a week, so we could choose the best weather for the young people of the tribe to set off. This year, time is tight, and they can only set off tonight. It seems we have to prepare more warm clothes and food for them."

The old people were discussing with worry, and Xia De asked Claire in a low voice from the side:

"I haven't had the nerve to ask before, but if, I mean if all the people who set off fail to reach the highest peak of the mountain before the deadline, what will happen? Is All Souls' Day considered a failure?"

Claire shook her head, and she was also a little worried:

"As long as someone eventually reaches the top of the mountain, it won't be considered a failure even if it exceeds the time limit, but the effect of All Souls' Day in regulating the island's climate and stabilizing the tide of spirits will be worse. But don't worry, we have encountered heavy snow blocking the mountain before, but there were still people who had to bring fire into the mountain. The tribe has contingency plans for all kinds of accidents."

The young people who entered the mountain were all strong and healthy people selected from various villages. They were either physically superior or had outstanding mental power. And the fire they carried when entering the mountain was the fire that burned in the bonfire on the first day of All Souls' Day and in the fireplace in the banquet hall on the second day of All Souls' Day.

This fire was brought back from the Holy Mountain by the elders before All Souls' Day. Xia De had observed the fire yesterday; yesterday's fire was just an ordinary fire, but after continuously being contaminated by the abnormal elements on the snow mountain during All Souls' Day, the current fire had also developed some abnormal characteristics.

【Do you think they are using the First Flame?】

"She" in his ear asked suddenly. Xia De originally had this hope, but it seemed that finding that flame was not that simple.

There was only half an hour left until midnight, and Miss Larson looked quite sleepy. Claire, however, was in high spirits, standing in front of the fireplace and talking to Xia De about her childhood experiences participating in the All Souls' Day banquet:

"The adults wouldn't let us drink alcohol, not even fruit wine, but children could always get some drinks like butterbeer from the kitchen."

There was always a faint smile on her face when she recalled the past, and Xia De reminded her from the side:

"I remember that butterbeer doesn't seem to contain alcohol."

Claire nodded:

"Yes, I only found out after I grew up."

Elder Harald on the side was chuckling, but he didn't interrupt the conversation between Xia De and Claire.

Not all Fatu people could come to participate in the All Souls' Day banquet in the Snow Mountain Hall. Although the banquet hall was large, it was impossible for everyone on the island to come over. Generally speaking, the candidates for the All Souls' Day banquet would be allocated according to the population ratio of each village, and then the people in the village would decide the specific quota themselves.

Priests, village chiefs, and important figures participating in the All Souls' Day mountain climbing activity would definitely come, and other quotas would be allocated through drawing lots or similar methods. As for Claire, as the granddaughter of the Great Elder, a girl who had visions at birth, she had never missed a single All Souls' Day banquet from the age of three until she left the island to study at eighteen.

"When I was a child, my anticipation for All Souls' Day even exceeded that of the Year-End Festival. There was delicious food everywhere, and many friends I couldn't see usually could come from all over the island. The most important thing was that my parents wouldn't ask me to go to bed early on All Souls' Day."

She looked at the banquet hall at this moment, thinking of those things when she was a little girl:

"So when I was young, I really hoped to become an elder like my grandfather, so I could attend the All Souls' Day banquet every year."

Xia De noticed that Elder Harald, who was talking to Elder Ule about whether to let the "warriors" who set off carry a goshawk, looked over implicitly. Xia De knew what the elder meant:

"Haven't your dreams come true now?"

"I only temporarily took over his duties this year because my grandfather was injured. I would rather my grandfather not be injured; this doesn't count as a dream coming true."

She said this. Although Elder Harald was very moved, he still urged Xia De with his eyes not to waste this opportunity.

Xia De saw Elder Harald's hint, so he asked Claire:

"Then what are your plans for the future?"

Claire looked at him with some surprise, and not knowing what she thought of, a flush appeared on her face:

"After the matters on the island are finished, Stella and I will first handle the miscellaneous affairs of the mining exploration company, and then we will go to Tobesk to visit you. Actually, there are people in Delarion who have invited us to explore mines, so we can just take this opportunity to go and see."

Xia De smiled and said:

"Of course I welcome your visit, but that's not what I wanted to ask. I mean, will you still participate in All Souls' Day like this in the future?"