"Xia De, how many academic credits does the Academy plan to award you for this operation?"
After marveling at the relic's danger, the doctor asked again.
"I haven't submitted my report yet. The Academy said they'd give me a reply after I turn it in, but it'll probably be around 10 academic credits."
The Poet Grade relic, the Endless Mercury Bottle, was worth about four or five academic credits, while this Document-level relic itself was worth about seven or eight academic credits.
The reason Xia De could receive 10 academic credits this time was that he could also submit a complete relic recovery report, mentioning a brand new relic recovery method in the report, rather than just "selling" the relic to the Academy. This report, which Xia De had not yet started writing, would enter the Academy Library. It would serve as a significant reference not only for this relic but also for the containment of similar types of relics. This was essentially the value of Knowledge.
"That way, 15 academic credits will be complete!"
Xia De couldn't help but smile. He had originally kept the event provided by the Priest as a backup, thinking he would only encounter a true relic from Iluna on Friday. He hadn't expected to complete the task today.
"Doctor, I'll submit that small mercury bottle on Saturday. Tomorrow, I'll try my luck and see if I can encounter another matter. If I really do, it will be like saving one relic."
He said to Doctor Schneider, who shook his head:
"This arrangement is fine. I will inform the Academy. But people cannot always rely on luck; luck is truly unpredictable."
Coming from Doctor Schneider, such words were truly thought-provoking.
"It's not just academic credits; I'm also expected to receive a bonus of around 20 pounds."
Xia De, in a good mood, added. Compared to the actual value of this relic with its complex and varied functions, the 20-pound bonus was probably just a fraction.
"If you submit a relic for academic credits, with a complete containment report, the Poet Grade has a maximum of 5 pounds, the Document-level a maximum of 20 pounds, and the Secret Keeper Level a maximum of 80 pounds. This has been the old rule for years. The one you found is very valuable, which is why it receives the top reward."
The doctor said sagely, shaking his head and putting down his wine glass:
"So, the most suitable way to earn academic credits is still through Academy tasks or Academy bounties. Of course, for you, the time key is also a very good choice."
"Xia De's time was too short this time, and besides, he advanced to second year in just one month, so he didn't have time to do too many things."
The Old Priest said, also happy for Xia De:
"I was originally worried that today's matter was just an evil spirit, but I didn't expect it to be a relic, and the containment process was very smooth, successfully saving a family. Xia De, I don't know if this should be considered your luck or my luck."
"Priest, that's certainly your luck."
Xia De smiled, put down the paper in his hand, and then picked up Mia, who was softly lying on the sofa. While the men talked, the well-behaved cat had been sleeping by Xia De's side.
"However, I can't relax too much; I still have a lot of things to do this week."
Xia De's main task this week was to inquire about the God-Summoning Ritual, Contacting the yaobian gate. Due to the sudden appearance of a second Chosen One, Xia De's coins could not be spent casually, and he was still waiting for Professor Manning's news.
"I'll try to deal with another matter tomorrow, but it's largely unlikely to yield results, so I can find time to inquire about information from Professor Manning."
He pondered his plan for tomorrow, but then felt a headache about his profession. Since resolving Mrs. Lemeier's inheritance commission, he hadn't had any other business for a whole week.
"Sparrow Detective left four commissions; the lover investigation is over, and the cat-finding commission has turned into a new foster commission. It's already August, so maybe I should resolve the remaining two as well."
Xia De thought, but these matters would have to wait until next week to be resolved.
After bidding farewell to the doctor and solemnly thanking Priest Augustus for his help today, Xia De left with Mia.
To reward the cat for its contribution this afternoon, Xia De, as promised, took the cat to a restaurant near Saint Delan Square for a grand meal. Although it was a grand meal, for the cat's health, Xia De did not give it too much food.
The small orange cat threw a tantrum for a while, but when night fully fell and they returned home, Mia forgot that she was still angry with Xia De, meowing and "leading" him upstairs.
There was no time to relax after returning home. Taking advantage of the quiet night, Xia De sat under the gas lamp with a fountain pen and spent a great deal of effort writing the report he needed to submit. He did not have Dorothy's "thought-writing" ability and could only handwrite letter by letter. Although the report did not require any specific format, to appear more formal, the handwriting had to be neat.
This was a huge test for an Outsider, while the report writing itself was quite simple. After all, there was nothing unspeakable about what happened today.
"If things go smoothly, I'll receive notification of my promotion to second year on Saturday, and then there's the textbook fee... My current savings are definitely enough, but after paying the tuition, the remaining savings won't be much, making it difficult to cope with urgent financial needs."
Before washing up at night, he was still thinking about income. Then he realized that it was the beginning of the month, and he could go to MI6 to collect some money and get some expenses reimbursed, but the expenses for taxes, gas, water, and steam were also not small sums.
"I still need to take on a few commissions. I remember the fees for the other two commissions left by Sparrow Detective weren't high either."
Income increased, but expenses also increased. Even if Xia De could face the gods directly, he still had to worry about making a living.
(Mia running)
Early Friday morning, the City was shrouded in thin fog. In rainless weather, this was Tobesk's usual state. August was the last month of Summer; although it was still midsummer, the thought of autumn approaching made people anxious about the next half-year's livelihood.
There was no major local news in the morning paper. Tobesk's public order had been surprisingly good for the past two weeks, marking one of the best periods for local public safety in decades. Xia De, however, became interested in the news mentioned in the Steam Bird Daily about Tobesk University's reform. The heavily ink-smelling newspaper revealed that some local higher education institutions were willing to open educational courses to social individuals with outstanding contributions.
"Outstanding contributions" referred to donations to the school, and educational courses basically meant not having to attend, only needing to participate in some basic assessments. However, correspondingly, degrees obtained through this method were not ordinary first, second, or third-class degrees, but honorary degrees.
Although honorary degrees were considered by some to be no degree at all, merely certificates of donation obtained through despicable educational endowments, honorary degrees could be mentioned in public.
For example, King "Fire-Leaper" Larus III held honorary philosophy, economics, and sociology degrees from many of the kingdom's higher academies.
Xia De's interest in this news was actually also due to his interest in this kind of degree status. The basic education of this body was almost nonexistent. If Xia De hadn't come, all of the vagrant's education would have been completed in a crash course by the foreign spy, Mr. Sparrow Hamilton, in just a few months.
In the foreseeable future, Xia De would live in the Delarion Kingdom for many years, so he also wanted to get a presentable educational identity to enrich his background.
Of course, this had no practical benefits, just adding a line of text to a business card and people saying an extra sentence when announcing his titles. But this kind of "gilding" of academic background was necessary for a Detective operating in a big City of the Steam Age. Moreover, besides the convenience of identity, it could also satisfy Xia De's pursuit of self-improvement.
He had a high academic qualification in his hometown, and in this world, if he could find a way to obtain an academic identity, he would naturally try his best.
"But this donation is truly not small."
So his main problem now was still a lack of money.
Thus, after breakfast, Xia De told Luvia and Iluna, who arrived on time, about his attempt to obtain an academic background from a local Tobesk school. His friends supported Xia De's idea, as having more identity backgrounds was never a bad thing for his profession.
Today was Iluna's second day back from the Sun Church's papacy. The young girl had been quite busy yesterday. After being away for over a week, besides her church work, her apartment also needed a thorough cleaning.
And today, the three gathered at Xia De's place again, mainly for the information Iluna had gained after becoming a Chosen One.
The brown-haired girl was very happy to be back at Xia De's home and remained enthusiastic towards Mia. But Mia was not a cat that let just anyone hold her; she lay on top of the sofa back behind Xia De's head, so from Iluna's position, only the cat's tail appearing behind Xia De's neck could be seen.
"This Knowledge and information have gradually appeared in my mind recently. No, it's not that I received information transmitted by some existence; rather, this information already existed, but I just didn't know it before."
After a brief introduction, Iluna formally began to explain:
"The most important and complete is about the use of the power of 'Balance.' I didn't gain new abilities, but rather gained stronger power on my original foundation."
She had Xia De and Luvia both manifest their Destiny Rings, then pressed her finger down, looked into their eyes, and said "Balance." Immediately, both felt their own power being suppressed.
Xia De's level was too low, so his perception wasn't particularly clear, but the female Diviner frowned and admitted that in this state, the suppression she experienced at least reduced her power by one-third, which was stronger than the suppression before Iluna's awakening.
And besides suppression, Iluna could also use the power of "Balance" to enhance the power of Ring術士. However, her mastery of the ability was not yet sufficient, so the enhancement effect was far less obvious than the suppression.
Not only Low-Ring Sorcerers, but currently Iluna could even completely influence High-Ring Sorcerers. Although the impact on High-Ring Sorcerers was not obvious, in combat, any oversight was enough to create a fatal disadvantage.
In any situation where Iluna was present, any Ring術士 could defeat an enemy across levels. Moreover, Iluna was currently only a Thirteenth Ring. As she continued to grow, this power from the ancient god would also become increasingly powerful.
According to her own speculation, when she grew to the Thirteenth Ring, the power of "Balance" would even be enough to suppress any Ring術士 below High-Ring Sorcerer to 1st Ring.
Of course, this power of suppression and enhancement was only a part of the power she currently possessed. More power awaited Iluna to discover, and her path as a Ring術士 would also become simpler. The identity of a Chosen One seemed to have the peculiar effect of directly improving her Ling Rune acquisition efficiency.
"We can all anticipate the growth of power. I suppose the Sun Church has also arranged a detailed promotion plan for you. What I'm more curious about is what information you've obtained? Is there any information related to the whispering chapters and the Final Door?"
Luvia asked, and Xia De also looked at Iluna curiously. This was what they cared about most.
"There is indeed some information, but it's very scattered. I think I need more things to organize them."
The seventeen-year-old girl patted her head, then realized this gesture was not ladylike. She smiled apologetically at Xia De and playfully blinked:
"Each Chosen One corresponds to an ancient god; we already know this. And the thirteen Chosen Ones are connected to each other. If anyone else officially becomes a Chosen One through a ritual, I can vaguely sense their existence. Currently, I'm the only one, so I can't explain what that vague feeling is like."
"So others can also perceive you?"
Xia De asked.
"Yes, but some unique Miracles and spells, and even relics, can block this perception. However, one must become a Chosen One to know about this, so at the moment the other party becomes a Chosen One, I can feel them, but they must receive the information before they can block this perception."
Iluna concluded, and Luvia's purple eyes held a smile:
"This is a good thing. Even if we can't find The Chosen Ones, at least we can know the current number."
"Have you told the Church about this?"
Xia De asked again, and Iluna nodded:
"Sooner or later, Chosen Ones from other factions will appear; this cannot be hidden."
"That's right, there's no need to hide the matter of The Chosen Ones from the Church. What I want to do is unite more Chosen Ones to make the correct choice when that Final Door is pushed open. We and the Church are not in opposition."
Luvia reiterated her viewpoint. Iluna glanced at the cat's tail behind Xia De's head and continued to explain:
"I haven't sorted out the other matters yet, but I can confirm that every Chosen One must be a Ring術士; it's impossible for them to be ordinary people. And most people should be like me, discovering their unusual unique abilities after becoming a Ring術士."
However, Ring術士 with unusual abilities were not uncommon, such as Xia De, Doctor Schneider, Priest Augustus, Luvia, and Dorothy. But Xia De was certainly not one, so searching in this way was not feasible.