Chapter 355: The Arrival of August

As promised, the Princess hosted a banquet for Xia De at the Sofia Mansion during dinner that day. The silver platters filled the table, and through this, Xia De learned of more dishes and experienced the extravagant life of the era's top nobility. Compared to dangerous adventures, this was truly "broadening one's horizons."

The species in this world were extremely similar to those of his hometown, and the difference in cooking techniques brought him some entirely new flavors. The dish that left the deepest impression on Xia De was "Coldwater Port Ice Fish." The stewed fish was placed in hot fish soup, but inside the fish's belly was frozen cream, and inside the frozen cream was caviar.

The mixture of cold and warm flavors, along with the freshness of the fish, allowed the tastes of the fish, cream, caviar, and soup to reach their absolute peak.

Unfortunately, Xia De did not like caviar, so he did not like this dish.

Compared to this complexly prepared fish, what Xia De liked more was the white bread served as a side dish. He had eaten so much bread in this world, but it was only this time that he truly tasted the flavor of his hometown.

Borrowing the light from the candelabra, Lei Lei Qianya saw Xia De's stunned expression and thought there was something wrong with the bread, so she immediately had the maid beside her check it.

Xia De shook his head, signaling the maid not to come over:

"Thank you very much, Lei Lei Qianya."

The Princess blinked, not understanding what Xia De meant. But seeing his happy expression, she did not ask further. After all, Xia De had always been someone full of secrets.

Halfway through dinner, a middle-aged man dressed in the uniform of the Delarion Army walked in hurriedly after knocking. He kept his head down and handed a folded letter to Lei Lei Qianya, then turned and left, never once looking at Xia De from start to finish.

Xia De did not curiously pry into other people's business, but Lei Lei Qianya took the initiative to tell Xia De the contents of the letter:

"It is a letter from Tobesk. Father intends to sign a new trade agreement with Karsenrik next week, allowing the export of previously restricted Type III special alloys. Oh, this type of special steel is the main material for steam cannon barrels and high-power steam engine pistons. Although both countries can manufacture it, Delarion's craftsmanship is slightly better."

As she spoke, the middle-aged maid standing behind Lei Lei Qianya, Miss Sister Daifulin, handed the Princess a box of matches. Lei Lei Qianya nodded apologetically to Xia De, stood up, and walked to the window. The young maid who had been standing beside Xia De handed her an empty plate.

Lei Lei Qianya used a lit match to ignite the letter in her hand, then placed it on the plate, confirming that the letter had turned completely to ash before turning back to the dining table.

She said nothing, and Xia De asked nothing. Possessing the surname Cavendish brought more than just a noble background, substantial family wealth, and power beyond the imagination of ordinary people; Xia De understood this kind of thing.

"Thinking about it this way, among the Ring Mages I know, it seems only Miss Jia Lin Na lives the most comfortably."

【But she bears the curse of a Witch.】

"She" whispered a reminder in Xia De's ear. Xia De nodded and swirled the grape juice in his glass:

"Indeed, no one's life is perfect. My life now is already good enough."

By the time the soaked Xia De returned home, it was already eight o'clock in the evening. After finishing dinner, Lei Lei Qianya had wanted to keep Xia De a little longer to discuss the matter of "The Little Match Girl," but Xia De was thinking of the cat at home, and since Miss Jia Lin Na was still helping him watch the house, it wouldn't be convenient to return too late.

As he walked up the stairs, Miss Jia Lin Na, having heard footsteps, stood on the second floor holding Xiao Xiao Miya and looked down.

Seeing that it was indeed Xia De who had returned, Xiao Xiao Miya acted exceptionally excited. She broke free from the writer's hands and hopped down the stairs, but after getting close and discovering that Xia De was soaked to the bone, she hesitated on the higher steps. The cat actually turned around and headed back up the stairs, only to be scooped up by the blonde girl who couldn't help but laugh:

"Good evening, Xia De. Look, your cat is truly heartless. Oh, tell me quickly, did you swim from your basement to Coldwater Port?"

"You guessed right."

Xia De wiped his hair with a towel he had placed on the shoe cabinet in advance:

"Have you eaten dinner?"

"Of course I have. Lei Lei Qianya told me she would invite you to dinner, so your cat and I had to solve the problem of eating on our own."

"Xiao Xiao Miya is not my cat yet."

Xia De whispered, and walked into the second-floor room with Miss Jia Lin Na.

She did not intend to stay here any longer; the night was deep, and after simply tidying up her personal items, Miss Jia Lin Na, who had been helping watch the house, prepared to leave.

But before leaving, she mentioned one more thing:

"Do you know what Xiao Xiao Miya likes to do when you leave her alone at home?"

"Probably lying on the sofa sleeping?"

Xia De guessed.

"No, no. Today, when I was at your place, she acted very strangely."

The two stood in the foyer downstairs. Xia De intended to see Miss Jia Lin Na off before taking a bath.

"What happened to her?"

Xia De pointed upstairs and asked suspiciously:

"Does she suddenly fly? Suddenly talk? Or suddenly have some supernatural ability?"

He hadn't forgotten that this cat had once absorbed the power of divinity.

"Of course not, why would you think that? Xiao Xiao Miya likes to go to Room No. 2 on the second floor."

That was the room where a mass suicide case had once occurred, and it still contained no furniture.

"I don't know what she wants to do either. After following her inside, I could only see her sniffing around everywhere..."

The blonde girl lowered her voice:

"Xia De, you don't have a mouse hole in your house, do you?"

"Absolutely impossible. My kitchen can't even feed me and Xiao Xiao Miya, how could it feed mice? Besides, Miss Jia Lin Na, do you really think that cowardly cat has the courage to go looking for trouble with mice?"

Miss Jia Lin Na thought for a moment and also laughed:

"Then that's fine. Oh, when are you going to see Lei Lei Qianya next? Have you agreed on it?"

"I'll go again on Monday. Currently, there is nothing for me to do there. I am still short 15 credits; even if I defeat an Evil God in Coldwater Port, I won't get a single credit."

It was Wednesday night, and there were two and a half days left until Saturday afternoon. Xia De was not particularly panicked; tomorrow, Priest Ao Gu Si was inviting him to go on an adventure, and Lu Yi Sha was also coming back. As long as he completely contained one Relic of Document level or higher, and then paid the mercury vial, 15 credits could be fully satisfied.

If that failed, he could even seek help from Miss Jia Lin Na; the generous Duchess would certainly be happy to help.

Just like that, Thursday arrived. Xia De woke up half an hour earlier than usual. When he got out of bed, he woke the cat that was curled up into a ball sleeping beside the pillow, which made it very dissatisfied.

Today was the day Lu Yi Sha returned from the Holy See of the Sun Sect. The brave performance of the brown-haired girl on the Night of God's Descent in Tobesk proved her status as a Chosen One. Returning to the Holy See this time was, firstly, to receive a reward, and secondly, for the old gentlemen stationed at the Holy See to talk to her about the Chosen One.

The train was expected to arrive at Tobesk Station at 7:30 in the morning, but because trains in this era were never on time, Xia De planned to leave a bit earlier.

He hurriedly finished his breakfast. Seeing that the cat, who had a very punctual routine, was not yet awake, he placed the cat food and goat milk beside the dining table, letting Xiao Xiao Miya eat directly in a while. Afterwards, he grabbed his newspaper and coat and hurried out.

Yesterday, it had only rained for half a day in Tobesk, and by this morning, even the road surfaces were completely dry. Today was the first day of August. When Xia De arrived in this world, it was the end of June. June was called the Month of Sunshine, and the following July was called the Month of Thunder because July had more rain. August also had a pleasant name, the Month of Blooming Flowers.

This was the middle month of the year and also the last month of summer. Flowers would bloom most vigorously in August, and various places on the Old Continent had festivals and customs based on this.

Of course, one couldn't see this in the city.

It was only 6:20 when he went out, but sitting in the carriage and looking out with a newspaper, the city was already bustling. The lower-class citizens who rushed about to feed themselves and their families were not accustomed to enjoying the early morning like Xia De, whose working hours were quite flexible. In this progressive and crazy era, most achievements were actually accomplished by these people who were accustomed to the city's five or six o'clock mornings.

The carriage passed the street where Xia De had been shot half a month ago and dropped him off at the entrance of Tobesk Station. Xia De stood at the entrance of the post office beside the station and waited for a while, and the purple-eyed fortune teller arrived as well.

"Good morning, Xia De!"

Hearing the greeting, Xia De put down the newspaper in his hand and walked over with a smile.

"Is there any big news in the newspaper?"

Lu Yi Sha seemed to be in a very good mood today; one couldn't see any aftereffects from the fortune-telling the day before yesterday.

"There is no news in the newspaper. The Mayor's speech, the closure of some roads in the southeastern suburbs of Tobesk for maintenance, the Peace Sect collecting poems for the Armistice Memorial Day... but there is news from Coldwater Port."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Is it related to seafood?"

Lu Yi Sha asked. Xia De pointed to the restaurant on the street that had already opened:

"We can go there to talk; this isn't something that can be explained in one or two sentences."

Lu Yi Sha was returning from the Holy See, and the friends from her Ring Ringed Ringed Shushi squad would also come to pick her up, so Xia De and Lu Yi Sha had long ago agreed with Lu Yi Sha that after she greeted her friends, they would meet at the restaurant on the street.

Taking advantage of the waiting time, in the leisurely early morning, the Outsider and the fortune teller sat at a table by the window and talked about Xia De's experiences in Coldwater Port yesterday. Although the city was still foggy, it was quite good compared to the rainy weather. Lu Yi Sha listened carefully to Xia De's speech until 7:20, when many people carrying luggage and looking travel-worn suddenly surged out from the station entrance.

The two looked out the window together:

"The train arrived early, just as expected!"