Chapter 3823

After seeing the young ladies off in the portal room, Xia De remained in the castle. He turned to look at Winnie; the maid understood what Xia De meant:

"Since the key to the castle has been found, the fifth floor, which belongs to Her Majesty Chloe's private space, is now open. Before lunch, would you like to take a tour?"

"Of course."

Xia De asked curiously:

"Did Chloe really live here? Or did she just use the fifth floor as a temporary resting place during her experiments?"

The crystal-clear maid replied:

"Her Majesty Chloe rested in the master bedroom on the fifth floor for two nights. Although the bedding from those years has long been replaced, the bed is still the original one. Shall we go to the bedroom first to reminisce about Her Majesty?"

"No, no, I'm just curious... but we can stop by for a look in a while."

The area of the fifth floor of the Ice Castle is also quite large, containing functional areas such as a private living room, private study, personal maid's quarters, cloakroom, music room, painting room, meditation room, prayer room, astrology room, etc., and even a small flower room specifically for afternoon tea.

However, according to Winnie, Chloe had not used most of the rooms here. During the several millennia that the castle was sealed, apart from the ice furniture, there was actually nothing left on the fifth floor.

However, Xia De found five books engraved on ice slabs in Chloe's study and discovered an oil painting frozen in ice in her prayer room; the painting depicted the Fatumunst Snow Mountain.

"This was painted by Her Majesty herself. If you watch it for a long time, there is a probability of obtaining spirit runes or wonders."

Winnie explained again.

There were no oil paintings in the painting room, but the pigments prepared for her by the Witch Emperor's servants were all there. And among those pigments, Xia De discovered a small portion of the Philosopher's Stone.

The amount of the Philosopher's Stone this time was very small, not enough to cast very powerful wonders or use the Sublimation Language, but it should be enough to prepare "ink" for Dorothy and Lei Qianya.

There were no musical instruments in the music room, but there were several scores from the Fifth Era in the cabinet. Xia De thought about transcribing them and giving them to the 【Music Sect】, which could be considered a thank you for the "Song of Moonfall Rebirth" they gifted.

And in Chloe's bedroom, Xia De found nothing. The various ice furniture looked beautiful, but there were no traces of life here at all. So Xia De just sat by the bed for a moment and then left with Winnie.

"Seal this room afterward; do not let anyone else enter."

"Yes, Master."

The only thing that surprised Xia De was the meditation room. After entering, he immediately felt a chill almost identical to the "Bai Yin Mountains" of the past. The empty room was not large, and only a round, cake-shaped piece of hard ice was placed in the middle.

On the four walls of the room were four ice-carved murals, each describing the four stages of Chloe's ascent to the "Bai Yin Mountains," and Xia De's figure appeared in the third and fourth stages.

These four murals were not just decorations; Xia De clearly felt that Chloe had left all her thoughts and feelings from that time in these four paintings. Coupled with the souvenir from the "Bai Yin Mountains"—the piece of cold ice Chloe gifted Xia De—those who meditate here might be able to touch the feelings Chloe had when she walked the path of the demigod.

Although it is impossible for a second person to achieve demigod status through this method, the precious experience shared by a demigod is still invaluable. Especially for modern witches who don't even know what the "path of the demigod" is, this points them directly in the direction of progress.

And for Xia De, who is already halfway along the path of the demigod, meditating here also allows him to perceive Chloe's power more deeply, thereby mastering more "ice" attribute wonders and spells.

So, apart from Winnie and Ai Li in the castle, this meditation room is the most valuable thing Chloe left behind. Xia De even felt that with this place, the possibility of Claire, who is also using ice power, breaking through to the Thirteenth Tier on her own has at least doubled.

"Can the witches come to visit often in the future?"

Xia De asked Winnie after walking out of the meditation room, and the maid smiled:

"You are the master here; this question shouldn't be asked of me."

The last room not checked was the room of Chloe's personal maid. Winnie still took Xia De to check it as before. Xia De originally thought it would be as empty as Chloe's own bedroom, but after walking in, he found traces of life everywhere.

Two pots of cold-resistant flowers were placed on the windowsill, and there were uncleaned tea sets on the coffee table in the small living room after entering the door. Several decorative oil paintings that looked like they were painted by artists of this era hung on the wall, a white apron was draped over the back of the sofa, and two photo frames were placed on the fireplace, which would probably never be used in this room.

"Is this... your room?"

Xia De, who had already stepped into the room, asked Winnie:

"Didn't you say that before I found the key, you couldn't step onto the fifth floor... never mind, that's a silly question, no need to answer."

Xia De said he was about to retreat from the room, but Winnie grabbed his arm:

"Everything in this castle belongs to you. Her Majesty gave you ownership of the castle, so I have also changed from Her Majesty's personal maid to your personal maid."

Xia De then remained in the room, but very politely did not look around:

"Except for Chloe's bedroom, all the rooms in the castle are at your disposal; you can find a better room to live in."

Winnie shook her head:

"This is the residence of the castle master's personal maid; I will not move out."

Then she invited:

"Would you like to go inside and take a look?"

Xia De thought about it but did not continue to walk inside. Even though he was so familiar with Dorothy and Luweiya, they would not let Xia De visit their bedrooms without cleaning them up:

"Let's forget it."

Winnie asked curiously:

"But Difa clearly told me that once such an invitation is issued to you, one can do things beyond the authority of a maid afterward."

"She" laughed in Xia De's ear, and Xia De replied:

"Does Difa see me that way? Well, she's right. But I treat every young lady differently. If Difa had issued the invitation, I would definitely have followed her in, but you are different."

Winnie looked at Xia De:

"Compared to me, you prefer that black-haired human head maid, don't you?"

"Many young ladies have asked me this question. My usual answer is that everyone is different in my heart; there is no 'prefer more'.

I just think that you traveled through such a long time to the Sixth Era to find me; I should... I shouldn't always be thinking about doing those things with you, but rather care more about your thoughts."

Xia De gave such an answer, so Winnie was a little puzzled:

"But can't these two things be done together?"

"She" laughed again, and Xia De blinked:

"Put that way, well, it should be possible to do them together."

So the maid took Xia De's wrist and gently pulled him toward the bedroom inside the room:

"Yesterday morning in the dressing room next door, I collaborated with Difa and Matilda; today I want to try it by myself."

"That's certainly no problem, but I must state that this work does not belong to the routine work that maids of this era are supposed to perform. Difa and Matilda were just..."

"I understand, but since other people's maids can do this to you, as your true personal maid, I shouldn't lose to them."

The crystal-clear young lady said, then turned her head slightly to look back at Xia De, and afterward, Xia De discovered how powerful Winnie's ability to switch between "ice elemental form" and "normal human form" at any time was.

After all, the body temperature in the two forms is different.

Of course, in addition to Winnie verifying her skills, after tasting the elf-flavored little apple yesterday, Xia De also tasted a rare frozen apple... watermelon before lunch that day. The cold and refreshing fruit texture was quite unique, and Xia De liked this strange flavor.

It's just a pity that there wasn't enough time; Winnie actually wanted to try the "Ice Flower" challenge. Xia De was very curious about how she knew about this; Chloe shouldn't have shared such things, but he comforted the maid who didn't have enough time:

"There will be opportunities in the future; the future is still very long, isn't it?"

When the two left the castle, Xia De went to the underground wine cellar to take a few bottles of red wine that had been preserved since the Fifth Era to share with everyone at lunch. Of course, he did not forget to instruct Claire to find someone to help transcribe a copy of the ancient music score and give it to the 【Music Sect】 that was about to depart from the island.

And the original music score would be kept in the castle; Flora and Vanessa should come to watch it often.

At the dining table, Xia De did not forget to tell the witches about his new discoveries in the Ice Castle. After lunch, Xia De wrote a letter to Major Lades and the "Drowned Man Tavern" respectively, and then set off for Mount Xical.

After the Battle of Fate yesterday morning, he spent a day participating in elf activities and dealing with matters related to Ai Li. Today, he would spend the remaining time visiting those who would not take the initiative to find him.

From Mid-Hillburg to the peak of the mountains, Xia De met Sister Diefulin at the very bottom of the sacrificial site at one o'clock in the afternoon.

The nun, who is now at the Thirteenth Ring, was kneeling in front of the brazier with the 【Ash】 greatsword inserted as usual. The growth of power did not cause any changes in her appearance or temperament; the nun was still the same nun.

"Sister Diefulin, you left too hurriedly yesterday; that wisp of flame is still with me."

Xia De said in a very light tone, and the nun by the brazier responded softly with her back to him:

"You will come here; the flame speaks, you will surely come."

"Yes, yes, since you left, of course I have to come find you. Do you want to hear the origin of this flame? You would never imagine that the entrance to the place where the flame is located is actually the ruins where the Sylvia Tower is located."