“Mr. Hamilton, the results obtained from divination and prophecy are often vague and metaphorical. Therefore, this might not mean that you can become a Knight, but rather have another meaning. Besides, divination is not always accurate.”
Mr. Stan admitted regretfully with his arms crossed. Xia De did not comment on this but put on a thoughtful expression.
He was thinking about what to eat for dinner.
After the divination, he bid farewell to Mr. Stan and Mr. Mark and left the Prophet Association. Originally, he needed to pay after the divination, but both gentlemen insisted on not taking Xia De’s money. Compared to his contribution to the Tobesk branch in the rhode cards matter, two shillings were nothing.
Mr. Mark, however, invited Xia De to visit the Association often. Besides formal rhode cards competitions, the Association also frequently held card games with many rhode cards enthusiast clubs in the city. They even occasionally held regular gatherings for divination enthusiasts. Mr. Mark subtly hinted to Xia De that many nice girls would be present then.
Returning from the cool indoors to the outdoors, the stuffy air woke up the sleeping Mia. It was two o'clock in the afternoon, the hottest time of the day.
Seeing that there was nothing else to do, Xia De decided to go home and read to pass the rest of the day. It was more comfortable to have snow in the study than in the divination room of the Prophet Association.
Not long after leaving the Prophet Association, while walking along Silver Cross Avenue with the increasingly agitated Mia, he unexpectedly saw a young woman with brown hair approaching. It was Iluna Bayas.
She was alone, walking around like an ordinary citizen. After seeing Xia De, she gave him a wink, and Xia De, being perceptive, did not greet her.
So, half an hour later, he welcomed Miss Bei Ya Si’s visit at his home again.
After being invited into the room by Xia De, Miss Bei Ya Si did not immediately sit down. Instead, after getting permission, she walked into the kitchen of Room 1 on the second floor and observed Yodel Palace from the kitchen window.
Due to the room's layout, this window offered the best view of Yodel Palace.
“No problem.”
She wiped the sweat from her forehead before returning to the living room to sit down. She tilted her head and glanced at the side of the tea table, where snowflakes were falling from the ceiling and landing in a basin of water next to the tea table.
She reached out and caught some snowflakes; the cool sensation made the young woman feel very comfortable:
“Detective, what are you doing?”
“Cooling down the room.”
Xia De said from the kitchen where he was preparing tea. Miss Bei Ya Si, of course, couldn't connect this to a Mystic Lock and only assumed it was some small-scale Miracle of summoning snowflakes that Xia De possessed:
“You need to pay attention to your consumption. A Ring術士 doesn't have much spirit. If you waste too much, what will you do if you encounter a dangerous situation?”
She warned him in the tone of someone with experience.
“You’re right, but the weather is really too hot… Miss Bei Ya Si, what were you doing just now? You weren't just passing by coincidentally, were you?”
“Of course not, it’s a mission from Black Stone Security Company.”
Xia De had thought she would keep the mission information a secret, but unexpectedly, she immediately blurted it out, as if complaining to Xia De:
“The Royal Family wants a group of Ring術士 to protect Yodel Palace for a week. I heard it’s related to some spies. The Church didn’t want to get involved in this kind of thing; our cooperation with the Royal Family doesn’t include being bodyguards for them. But it seems the King promised to relax some religious management regulations and also promised that we only need to protect Yodel Palace and pay attention to bold Ring術士; ordinary people don’t need attention. So, we were transferred here. The work content is to monitor the periphery of Yodel Palace and look for suspicious personnel.”
Although she said this, she sat on Xia De’s sofa with no intention of leaving. She looked up at Xia De, her bangs falling to one side, and complained:
“Detective, do you know how painful it is to keep walking outdoors in this kind of weather? My shift is from one to four in the afternoon, which is the hottest time.”
Saying that, she reached out and grabbed a handful of snow from the basin, happily rolled it into a snowball, and then tried to grab Mia with her cold hands. But Mia, who had become increasingly clever recently, agilely jumped directly onto Xia De’s lap.
Xia De was very interested in the Church's Ring術士, so he continued to inquire:
“I don’t know much about you. So, is this considered a task assigned by the Royal Family to your Black Stone Security Company, or a mission given by the Church to you? This involves the issue of remuneration.”
“Both. So, besides the Church’s contribution, there’s also a large sum of remuneration. The captain and the others are overjoyed… I’m also very happy; I don’t even have to pay taxes.”
Xia De felt envious internally but did not say it out loud.
As Bei Ya Si spoke, she looked around Xia De’s living room, hesitated for a moment, and then asked:
“Detective, can I stay here until four o’clock this afternoon? I won’t disturb you, rest assured.”
“Oh? Is your work not continuing?”
Xia De pointed in the direction of Yodel Palace. Although Miss Bei Ya Si acted immaturely, he always thought she should be a very responsible person.
“I’ll move a chair and sit by that window. I’ll see more there than by wandering around on the street.”
She pointed in the direction of the kitchen.
“But if you stay here, once you find suspicious people near Yodel Palace, it seems you can’t get there immediately… unless you jump directly out of the window.”
Xia De added, not wanting to drive her away, but just worried about delaying things.
“That’s fine. The chance of accidents during the day is inherently low, so the main task is observation, not combat and arrest. Otherwise, a Second-Circle Arcanist like me wouldn’t be involved in the mission.”
After speaking, she awkwardly asked again:
“Can I stay here? Just for today. Tomorrow, other teams will be on duty, so it won’t be our responsibility.”
Xia De thought for a moment; it seemed there was no need to drive her away:
“No problem, but you are not allowed to force Mia to go with you.”
He saw Miss Bei Ya Si’s attempt to catch Mia. The Sorceress smiled awkwardly, but probably hadn’t given up the idea of hugging the orange Mia.
“I promise not to touch your Mia today. Sitting here is better than being on the street. The temperature here is really good.”
She said happily, stood up, straightened her skirt, adjusted the pleats of her lady’s blouse collar, and then went to move a chair.
He had originally worried that Miss Bei Ya Si’s appearance would bring another accident, but nothing happened until she left Saint Delan Square that evening.
Throughout the afternoon, Miss Bei Ya Si stayed by the window, drinking tea and diligently observing the vicinity of Yodel Palace. Xia De, meanwhile, sat on the sofa with a book, chatting with her intermittently. It was a slightly cool afternoon.