Emerging from the black door, Elisa eagerly headed toward the next door.
It was a yellow door. Answer three questions in exchange for the chance to ask one.
Elisa didn’t want to enter the yellow door, but the “Little Door in the Woods” only presented two doors at a time.
She reluctantly entered, praying that the yellow door’s questions would be a little easier.
The yellow door asked, “What color are the bloomers Maria is wearing right now?”
What kind of perverted question is that?! How am I supposed to know?!
If you’d asked about Eve’s bloomers, I could at least ask her on the spot. I’m lying on her lap right now, after all.
Elisa took a random guess. “White.”
“Correct.”
Dyes were expensive, and white was the most common color.
The yellow door asked another question. “Does Eleanor have feelings for Simon?”
“Yes?” Elisa guessed.
“Correct.”
The yellow door posed its final question. “Has Mabel been happy for at least half of the past year?”
Of course she has. I can’t even imagine Mabel being unhappy. She’s not the type who can tolerate boredom. She follows her instincts and seeks out whatever makes her happy.
Elisa answered, “Yes.”
“Incorrect.”
The yellow door closed, and Elisa returned to reality. She sat up from Eve’s lap, pondering the final question in astonishment.
Mabel hasn’t been happy for even half of the past year?
It’s hard to imagine. Mabel is someone who climbs over walls to sneak out, dares to venture into the East District, and even launches nighttime raids on male servants. She’s such an incredibly proactive person, yet she actually has troubles of her own. And those troubles have occupied at least half her time.
What could Mabel possibly be worrying about?
Elisa decided to keep a close eye on Mabel over the next few days and find out what exactly was going on.
What a shame. I’d already reached the final question, but I failed the yellow door’s trial and missed out on the spirituality increase.
She opened [Simon’s Log].
[Simon is preparing a meditation ritual, intending to use the Spell Instrument to advance to the second rank.]
Since Eve would be coming over shortly, Simon didn’t make any conspicuous arrangements. He simply prepared the necessary materials and set the “Spell Instrument” in place.
Sure enough, shortly after he finished his rough preparations, there was a knock on the bedroom door, and Eve entered.
Simon once again rested his head on Eve’s lap and performed the “Little Door in the Woods” ritual. Having already completed his weekly exploration with Nora’s help, he didn’t enter the spirit world this time. Instead, he simply lay there peacefully, enjoying the pleasures of life.
In another month, he wouldn’t be able to enjoy this anymore.
The scattered “Finger Bones” had all been gathered, and the power of the Finger Bones themselves, along with the conspirators lurking behind them, would accelerate the coming conflict.
After Mabel’s coming-of-age ceremony, the power of the Finger Bones would grow stronger, and their holders would become increasingly sensitive to one another’s presence. In a very short time, the story would be pushed toward its climax.
“What are your plans for the future?” Simon opened his eyes and asked Eve, who was sitting above him.
“Hmm?” Eve looked a little puzzled. “I’ll stay at the manor and serve Miss Elisa. I don’t intend to marry anyone. When I get so old that Miss Elisa no longer needs me, I’ll return to my village and adopt a child to keep me company during my final years.”
Many maids chose this path, but very few managed to follow it smoothly to the end. Eve wouldn’t be able to either. Turmoil would soon engulf the manor.
“What if you had a different master and worked at a different manor?” Simon asked again.
Eve’s eyes widened. She hurriedly glanced around before whispering, “Mr. Simon, are you planning to change employers?”
“I’m just asking. After all, Miss Elisa isn’t originally from the royal capital. Things could change at any moment,” Simon said.
Eve thought it over for a while, looking troubled, before cautiously asking, “Will Miss Maria be changing masters and manors too?”
“If I said yes…” Simon replied.
“Then I’ll go too,” Eve answered.
[Simon and Eve agreed that if anything happened to Miss Elisa, they would take Maria with them and find employment elsewhere.]
“.โฆ..?” Elisa
She read the log twice in disbelief.
What could possibly happen to me?! What are you two planning?!
Although I really don’t intend to stay in the royal capital for long. Once I’ve advanced to demigodhood and completed my revenge, I’ll return to the Archipelago. But I’ll take all of you with me!
Still, now that I think about it, setting my male servant aside, would Eve and Maria really be willing to leave the mainland and travel to the Archipelago?
Worst comes to worst, I’ll just hand them over to Eleanor or Mabel.
Hehe, but I’m not giving away my male servant. Even if he doesn’t want to go to the Archipelago, he’s coming with me!
And that day won’t be too far off.
If I can continue gaining spirituality from the “Little Door in the Woods” every week, it won’t be long before I reach the threshold of demigodhood. The only uncertainty is what conditions the advancement ritual requires and how long I’ll need to prepare.
Once I become a demigod, with the power of my divine artifact, carrying out my revenge shouldn’t be much of a problem.
Elisa closed the “Searl Daily” in her hands and gently stroked the rough newspaper. Her gaze seemed to pierce through time as she sank into memories of the past.
She could no longer remember the faces of her other relatives, but she could still clearly recall the faces of her father, elder sister, and mother.
Her father had died of illness, and her elder sister had been assassinated. Before the funeral could even be held, a great fire had consumed the duke’s residence, along with the chapel where their bodies lay. Only her mother had escaped the disaster. Having lost her mind, she had been taken back to the Southern Continent by relatives to be cared for.
Just which faction had orchestrated all of this?
***
[Simon enjoyed a hearty breakfast and appreciated the beauty of life.]
[Intimacy +3]
[Intimacy: 205]
[Note: A new function will be unlocked when Intimacy reaches 250.]
Mabel’s coming-of-age ceremony was tonight. Over the past month, her male servant’s intimacy had steadily increased, and the intimacy gained from his daily breakfasts had returned to three points.
Things had been going just as smoothly with the “Little Door in the Woods”. Elisa felt that she was already approaching the peak of the fifth rank, and she had begun to vaguely sense the requirements of her advancement ritual. They seemed to have something to do with the royal capital.
Her male servant had already advanced to the second rank, and the second-rank spell he’d obtained was just as peculiar as his first-rank spell.
[Spell: Shall I Avoid His Edge?]
[Description: Consumes spirituality. Until the user’s conviction falters, they can fight any enemy to a draw.]
Compared to the power “I Reckon”, this spell was much easier to understand. Basically, before his spirituality ran out or he lost his conviction, her male servant would never lose.
That sounded quite powerful, but the spell required spirituality to sustain it. How much spirituality could a mere second-rank Transcendent like her male servant possibly have?
A fourth- or fifth-rank Transcendent could probably drain him dry with just a few spells.
However, among Transcendents of the same rank, everyone’s spirituality was roughly equal. In other words, when fighting opponents of his own rank, her male servant might not be able to win, but he definitely wouldn’t lose!
And if he combined it with a few Transcendent items that increased his spirituality, he might even be able to hold his own against a third-rank Transcendent without losing!
What a shame. Such a combat-oriented ability, yet he’s stuck in the safest place in the kingdom, the royal capital, where he has no opportunity to put it to use.
You really do need to return to the Archipelago with me! That’s where you can truly unleash your potential!
When the time comes, we’ll assemble a fleet, raid merchant ships together, and roam the Sea of Mist as we please!
Elisa’s blood boiled with excitement.
“Miss Elisa, it’s time to leave.” Maria entered the bedroom, reminding her mistress that it was time to attend Miss Mabel’s coming-of-age ceremony.
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