OBS Chapter 3964 Oakham Park
Chapter 3964 Oakham Park
Chapter 3964 Oakham Park
News of Shad's arrival had already reached Viggo's ears, so when the maids were helping her with her makeup, she urged them to hurry up. It was only the recently recovered Miss Rowling who dissuaded her:
“If I don’t look pretty with my makeup, it would be very impolite to that gentleman.”
Wei Ge then became more patient.
However, after repeatedly checking her makeup and evening gown in front of the full-length mirror to make sure everything was perfect and appropriate, Wei Ge still took a sip of the fragrant blood wine on the dressing table, then lifted her skirt and ran to the study.
In the witch's imagination, the scene she might see is Shad sitting on the sofa reading a book, while her student, as usual, stands silently in a suitable spot in the room with a stern face.
The study was very soundproof; she couldn't hear anything inside when she came to the door. Since it was her own home, Wei Ge naturally wouldn't knock.
She tidied her makeup again at the door, and after the maids followed behind her, she turned the doorknob and pushed the door open to go inside. Before she could utter the prepared pleasantries like "Good afternoon, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting," she first heard a lively discussion.
Miss McDonald's major was not simply mechanical manufacturing, but "mechanics". She verified what she had learned through both theory and experiment, and thus made achievements in the field of mechanical invention.
Universities have only recently begun awarding degrees to women, a phenomenon that has only emerged in recent decades, so Miss McDonald took her studies very seriously. While the outsider hadn't studied this subject in his hometown, his broad interests meant that discussions with Miss McDonald resonated deeply with the young woman.
Shad didn't think Miss McDonald was an unsociable person at all; perhaps she just hadn't found good topics to talk about before. The two got along very well, exchanging views and opinions on academics, school life, and other topics.
Therefore, when Vig opened the door, the two were sitting on different sofas, still discussing the paper. Xia De was holding the manuscript, inquiring about the specifications of the hand-drawn images required by the magazine, and discussing with the young woman whether it was possible to manufacture a "printing press capable of printing standard images such as line graphs, bar charts, and waterfall charts."
In Shad's vision, by simply modifying the existing printing press, it could be made capable of producing standard academic images using specific, changeable molds. Furthermore, the printing press could be made to switch templates using specific methods, and each template could be used to produce the required image through the operation of a series of gears and levers by adjusting the input signals.
Miss McDonald was quite interested in the machine that Shad described and analyzed its feasibility from a practical perspective. However, while drawing a line graph was simple, it required a great deal of calculation when it involved advanced functions such as calculus.
The girl was about to mention the secret project of the Royal Carsennerick Academy in recent years, namely the Difference Engine, when the door was pushed open at an inopportune moment.
The two people in the room were still somewhat reluctant to leave, but upon seeing their teacher enter, Miss McDonald, who had completely lost track of time, was startled and quickly stood up from the sofa:
"teacher."
Although she didn't know what the two had just said, Vige still had a subtle feeling. However, remembering that Eve had promised to help her, Vige also thought that it was her student taking the initiative to help her get closer to Shade.
She nodded slightly, then smiled and said to Shad, who was dressed in a suit:
"Good afternoon, Mr. Watson, this outfit suits you very well."
"Good afternoon, Vige. This evening gown suits you very well. Please allow me to compliment you; you look absolutely stunning right now."
The witch smiled confidently. To make herself look stunning, she had deliberately drunk some blood wine to make her face less pale, all for the sake of Shad's praise.
The banquet wasn't starting for a while, so Viggo chatted with Shad for a few more minutes. Once the last rays of the setting sun were visible outside the window, a maid from Fragrant Residence drove Shad and Viggo in a carriage to the Oakham Park exhibition hall, also located in the Upper City.
The exhibition hall was located inside the park, where horse-drawn carriages were not allowed. Therefore, they would have to walk a distance later, but Viggo said the exhibition hall wasn't particularly far from the park entrance.
On the way, Vige also explained the background and precautions of the dinner to Xia De in detail.
The dinner was hosted by the wife of the local nobleman, Duke Russell. Shad had also met nobles with the same surname when he was in Myburg, but the two were not related.
After the war began, the Duke of Russell departed for the front lines, so the Duchess hosted this charity dinner, assisted by the local mayor, Mr. Norfolk. The invitation stated that the recommended donation for this dinner was 50 crowns—which was actually the minimum donation—and Viggo had prepared a check for 100 crowns before her departure.
“I also do a lot of charity work in my daily life, such as donating to the Zheng Shen Church and charitable organizations like Snake Heart Hospital. I am a very loving person.”
While explaining the situation to Xia De, she didn't forget to mention it before revealing Xia De's identity:
"The identity I made up for you when we met Professor Thorne was perfect. So you're still the young wine merchant and travel writer from Willendale, and my pen pal of many years. I'll introduce you to acquaintances as one of my very good friends, is that alright?"
The label "very close friends" wasn't included last time, but Shad doesn't mind:
"Of course, no problem. Oh, speaking of which, I know some people at this banquet."
As the carriage slowly moved along, Shad introduced his friend, Mr. Bernhardt, explaining that he had placed his correspondence at Fragrance Mansion and revealing Mr. Bernhardt's race and purpose. This wasn't a casual revelation of the gentleman's secret; since Vigo was a local, she might be able to help in the search for the missing vampires.
"No problem, your friend can send the letter to me."
"So, there are high-level vampires missing here? I know there are quite a few vampires here, but I haven't heard of this before. I'll look into it when I get back after the banquet. Before you came, I thought I knew my hometown very well, but since you arrived, this city has become somewhat unfamiliar to me."
She tilted her head slightly, looking at Shad's profile as he gazed out the car window, and silently vowed never to let Speaker Adele Isabella discover such a huge secret. Then she recalled her careful probing in Parliament the previous night, which hadn't yielded the expected results, but she wasn't discouraged. She was determined to seize this man before her:
"Speaking of which, what are your plans for tomorrow? I'll be there tomorrow night."
She wanted to invite him to the opera, but Xia De shook his head apologetically.
"I'm so sorry, Vige, Saturdays are my busiest day. I have things to do every week in the afternoon and evening, so I probably won't be able to come tomorrow morning unless I have something to do."
Vige expressed her understanding, after all, Xia De couldn't always be so idle:
"And what about Sunday?"
“On Sunday morning, I had an appointment with an elderly gentleman to pick up a relic that I had reserved, so I will be coming back here, but I’m not sure if there will be anything else going on.”
Wei Ge was very satisfied:
"It's alright, you can go about your business, but you can always come to Fragrance Mansion for help if you need anything."
She had a parliamentary meeting on Sunday evening, so she did not extend another invitation.
"Spring of 1855 has only just begun, Mr. Watson. There are still many surprises in this city waiting for you to discover. I would be happy to accompany you to see the most beautiful season in Arcadia."
Her smile was as beautiful as a flower, not as vibrant as Galina's rose, nor as reserved and mysterious as Miss Feliciano's violet, but as densely packed, drooping white hyacinths, like a body curled up in illness.
As dusk settled, as Shad helped Viggo, who was coughing and covering her mouth with her left hand, out of the carriage, the cast-iron gates at the entrance of Oakham Park gleamed with a cool, silvery sheen under the gaslights at the park entrance.
Inside the gate, two rows of gas lamps lit up one after another, their warm yellow light filtering through the glass shades and casting rounded spots of light on the park's gravel path, elongating the shadows of the banquet guests who were walking inside.
Standing at the park entrance to greet the guests was the Duke of Russell's butler, and servants led the guests inside in turn. Upon seeing Viggo Astley, the elderly butler even approached the seemingly fragile lady.
“Mrs. Astley, the lady instructed that your carriage can take the side path from the side of the park to the exhibition hall. Please get back into your carriage.”
Vige had been in poor health since childhood, a fact well-known among the local nobility.
But the black-haired witch shook her head:
"Please thank the Duchess for me, but that won't be necessary this time. Attending a charity gala, cough cough, how can I expect special treatment? Besides, the weather is lovely today, and I'd like to take a walk with my companion, the gentleman from Willendale."
The old butler didn't continue to persuade them, but instead summoned a capable middle-aged maid to lead the two of them. Although the Astley family didn't have a title, their power in the area was not to be underestimated. Many people nodded to Viggo and curiously looked at Shad, who had appeared beside her.
The lit gas lamps outlined the path leading to the park's exhibition hall. The air of spring was already quite strong at this time of year. Newly sprouted grass, carrying the scent of damp earth, mingled with the faint fragrance of flowers drifting from afar, gently permeating the nostrils. This brought a knowing smile to Wei Ge's face, as she was quite skilled at making perfumes.
The two walked along the path, flanked by neatly trimmed bushes. A few pale pink azalea blossoms still clung to the branches, their petals adorned with fine beads of night mist. Behind the bushes, tall elm and oak trees sprouted tender green leaves, their sparse branches intertwining to form a natural dome above the gravel path.
The tranquil tricolored moonlight filtered through the gaps in the branches and leaves, casting dappled shadows. The moonlight intertwined with the warm light of the gas lamp, and the light and shadow eventually laid out a pattern of varying shades on the ground.
Wei Ge and Xia De walked in silence in the darkness of the night. Occasionally, a night breeze would rustle the new leaves on the green trees on both sides, mixed with the low chirping of a few nightingales, making this spring night even more serene.