OBS Chapter 3657 A Resonant Fate and a Banquet for the Single
Chapter 3657 A Resonant Fate and a Banquet for the Single
Chapter 3657 A Resonant Fate and a Banquet for the Single
"Because she is so perfectly suited to the fate of ice and snow."
Miss Asperger looked at Stella and said:
“Although I don’t understand the Ring of Fate, I do understand ice and snow. Whether it’s merging with oneself or activating it with dice, it’s essentially about taking control of the power of fate. But Stella is suited to this kind of fate, so even if she does nothing, she can directly gain the enhancement of fate.”
"In that case, if we use points to activate the Ring of Fate, Stella should become even stronger, right?"
Claire said with a smile that she was pleased with her apprentice's progress.
Stella then spoke up again:
"New information has appeared on the snake's shed skin."
"Is this also an interpretation of the [Ring of Fate]?"
Shade asked, but the white-haired girl shook her head:
"It's not just an interpretation; the serpent's shed skin also says—[Those who possess the Ring of Destiny that resonates with themselves can enter the temple to participate in the final act of the battle of destiny.]"
The final act is the scene where, after the seven acts have concluded, the candidates finally face off to choose the true winner.
Claire understood:
"So after completing the seven acts, you still need to possess a Ring of Fate that meets the requirements to compete for the qualification of the chosen one? Such important information wasn't even directly given to you. It's all Mr. Snake's fault for occupying the temple."
"For ordinary ring sorcerers, obtaining the Ring of Fate is not easy, but for the candidates, they should all have a chance."
Shad surmised that the icy blue Ring of Fate was temporarily stored within Stella's own sloughed body. Shad believed that the ritual for the chosen one would not impose any further demands, since the Ring of Fate was already the most complete representation of destiny.
The group then returned to the town, and when Shad boarded the Radiant Messenger, he discovered that Luvia was also there.
She had only arrived recently, and upon hearing that Stella had acquired an instrument for the "Grand Symphony of Destiny," Luvia wasn't particularly surprised. After all, if Shad hadn't insisted that Stella use that violin, suitable instruments could have been obtained through other means.
"A new Ring of Fate? The Ring of Ice and Snow, the Ring of Demonic Resurrection, and the Ring of War that you're temporarily holding in your possession, Shad. There are more and more rings."
She had already heard about Friday's events from Sevier, who was staying on the ship, and asked Shad about it upon seeing him:
"The fate of ice and snow temporarily belongs to Stella, so what do you plan to do with that 'Ring of War'? I don't recommend that you hold onto it for the long term, otherwise your fate will also be affected."
The other girls weren't around when the two were talking. They were standing in the captain's cabin, and even Miss Elizabeth wasn't there.
There are some things that Shad can only say at times like these:
“I want to verify a hypothesis. Tonight, I want someone to touch the Ring of War. If she can resonate with this destiny like Stella, I want to keep it and forge it into a weapon.”
"Adelina?"
Luvia asked, and Shad was somewhat surprised. Although Luvia had heard him mention Adelina's chaotic talents, she should not know anything about Adelina's performance in her past lives.
"Why do you think so?"
He asked directly, but Luvia shook her head.
"I just feel like you're talking about Adelina. Besides, aren't you attending a diplomatic banquet at the Yodl Palace tonight? The only girls there who would make you go to such lengths are the Cavendish types."
Of course, Friday's haul also included snake slough, snake fangs, snake eyes, snake blood, and a snake heart. Shad had already used the snake fangs in the Fifth Age, and of the remaining four items, he gave the snake blood to Luvia.
"Didn't you say that the development of ink might require this kind of snake blood?"
Luvia didn't refuse, but the appearance of the new snake molt gave her a new idea:
"Is the Ring of Fate still stored in your book?"
"Yes, those two curved ones too."
"Could Stella's shed snake skin also bear the weight of destiny?"
"Yes."
"Can a blank snake molt bear the weight of fate?"
Xia De had two blank snake sloughs left, so he took one out and tried it out. Sure enough, both circles and arcs could be stored in the snake slough, but once a circle was stored, nothing else could be stored.
Luvia suspected that this was because the snake molt had no users, so its "bearing capacity" was limited. So she asked Stella to conduct the experiment.
However, the candidate's molted skin can only support a maximum of one ring:
"I have a feeling that a snake's molt can only hold one ring or three curved arcs. The fate of mortals is ultimately limited."
She said that the "Manual of Fate" seems to have no limits.
Thus, the "Ring of War" and the two curved arcs were temporarily transferred by Shad to two blank snake molts. Luvia actually wanted to suggest that "breeding" could remain in Shad's book for the time being, but even Luvia was too embarrassed to say such a thing—
"Find a time to give Dorothy a hint, and then Recia will make her request."
This is the little thought in the purple-eyed girl's mind.
Next, there's the snake eye and the snake heart. Shad found one snake eye on Thursday and gave it to Bella for research. So Luvia told Shad to keep this snake eye for himself.
"Perhaps we'll even have the chance to enter the temple, and then we might find new clues in the murals."
As for the snake heart, Shad had received a hint in the temple: "After consuming the snake heart, one can sense the trajectory of fate for a short time."
To Luvia, this meant quite plainly that it was a tool that would allow the prophets to touch the web of fate in an instant. Although she wasn't sure if "taking" it meant cooking it and eating it, she took the snake's heart, intending to study it herself.
"In that case, only the final three acts of the seven-act story remain. The grand symphony of fate will take place later next week. You said the act involving cards would happen at the end, and it would involve playing cards with some snow mountain guardian."
So now all that remains is love and the ice flower.
Luvia concluded, and Shad nodded slightly, believing that the end was not far off.
(Mia is running.)
Sunday night, 7:30 PM, Kingdom of Delareon, Tobesk City, Yodel Palace.
A grey haze filled the night, while the kingdom's political center remained brightly lit as always. In reality, this high-profile diplomatic banquet was not held at Yodl Palace, but at St. James's Palace, where the king had last celebrated his birthday.
However, St. James's Palace is usually considered part of Yodal Palace, so the two are often confused in terms of name.
Wearing a black formal uniform, Xia De, who had come to the event at Jia Lina's invitation, was standing by the window, holding a wine glass, looking at his reflection in the glass with a rather melancholy expression.
Behind him was a magnificent banquet hall, where gentlemen and ladies speaking various languages stood in twos and threes, chatting and raising their glasses, while the truly important figures had long since vanished without a trace.
Galina is an important person, and she has many people to meet at this party, which is why Shad is here alone.
However, his melancholy expression wasn't because he had been "abandoned" by his female companion, but rather because he was wondering if it was too reckless of him to bring the "Ring of War" to this occasion.
"Hamilton Knight".
Someone called out Shad's name. Shad initially thought it was one of Lacey's brothers or his superior, Director Anlos, who had suddenly appeared. He turned around to look, but saw a woman with a southern appearance walking towards him.
Xia De felt that the other person looked familiar, and then remembered that he had seen her last summer:
"Good evening, Ms. Berendall."
This was certainly not Bella, but Bella's sister—not her biological sister, but a relative from the same Belindel family. The other person was a second-circle sorcerer, a follower of witches, and one of the few within the Belindel family who knew about Shad and Bella's relationship, as well as Shad's true identity.
Following the events of Moon Bay last summer, the Berendall family gained complete control of the "City of Wealth," and consequently, many important positions in the Moon Bay region were filled by members of the Berendall family. Since Moon Bay is not a duchy, it is impossible for them to send envoys to Delarion.
But the trade representative for Moon Bay in the Tobesk region is equally important; Ms. Hydra Belindel was appointed to this position by Bella after last summer.
Her talent as a ring sorcerer was not high, so it was normal for her to be assigned to temporarily leave the witch's side to handle some matters concerning her own faction.
"Good evening, Knight. We met once at the banquet last time. I didn't expect you to recognize me."
The somewhat plump noblewoman smiled and said the second half of her sentence to avoid being investigated about why the two knew each other. But in Tobesk, no one dared to investigate Shad; Shad was "one of their own," both to the royal family and to MI6.
After exchanging a few polite words and confirming that she was safe, the woman said:
"Please deliver this letter to the Earl. It concerns the reception. I met with Larousse III twenty minutes ago. He knows I am from the Belindel family and has made some demands of the Earl through me."
Shade nodded knowingly, and the woman quickly left without saying anything else to Shade.
Shad didn't open the letter; he didn't want to get involved in such matters, nor would he offer Bella any advice. He simply continued to stand listlessly by the window, holding his wine glass, feeling a pang of regret that no one at the banquet was playing Rhodes.
It was a high-level diplomatic banquet, and almost everyone had their own things to do.
He stood there until 7:30 p.m., during which time quite a few single women came up to chat him up, but Xia De brushed them off.
Until the familiar maid found Shad by the window:
“Mr. Hamilton, His Highness has brought the handwritten copy of ‘Summer Nights’ that he promised you, and now wishes to invite you to read it together.”