Chapter 2200: Professor Ivins’ Regret

Chapter 2200: Chapter 2200: Professor Ivins’ Regret

In his heart, Shard voiced that terrible suspicion, but he still couldn’t believe it:

"But isn’t that evil object hidden in the abyss at the bottom of the ocean? How could it come here... I understand now, things are probably really troublesome."

Shard looked once more at the dark and turbulent sea surface, the sound of the roaring sea made his hair stand on end. Ever since he had heard about the "Seven-Tail Performer," he had been speculating that the sinking of the "Radiant Messenger" was due to this evil entity. And after obtaining some information related to the evil being in the Sixth Era, he speculated even further that the thousands of people aboard the "Radiant Messenger" were all sacrificial flesh and bones for the summoning ritual of the evil being.

"But I originally thought the summoning ritual had failed, after all, Miss Teresa, Miss Maxim, and Professor Ivins didn’t mention that they sensed that gigantic entity during their sea escape. But now it seems..."

He turned back to the two witches, who were still huddled together in fear, and shared his suspicions with them. In his adventures through past times, he mostly witnessed stories, rarely encountering situations where he needed to actively fight. But this time, the ancient evil entity likely lurked right beneath them, and Shard had to prepare thoroughly:

"The sacrificial ritual of the ’Radiant Messenger’ might have succeeded, but during your ’deaths,’ you subconsciously forgot about the indescribable thing you saw to protect yourselves."

The witches stared blankly at him and then softly confirmed:

"So that monster followed us here and then was suppressed by the power of this ocean?"

Shard gently nodded:

"It seems that what truly happened was: escaping from the sacrificial ship, witnessing the evil entity, dying, entering this Light of Darkness with the evil entity, with the deity saving your souls, and the twisted power of the evil entity forming that strange body. If I weren’t here, you would probably have to realize your own abnormality to break free from that false body. But I showed up, so I fished your true bodies out of the sea."

"So, we’ll still have to face it later?"

Miss Teresa, clutching Shard’s arm tightly, asked. But Shard neither nodded nor shook his head:

"The deity is still here, and I’m here too. Don’t think too much. You all will make it out safely, I promise."

Then, he woke up Professor Ivins and Miss Malone, both of whom were terrifyingly cold. Compared to the young witches who regained their senses immediately after awakening, their consciousnesses woke a little more slowly.

Shard didn’t have much time, but there were many things to do this time. So he asked Miss Teresa and Miss Maxim to temporarily take care of the professor and Miss Malone, while he went to meet the deity.

Miss Teresa had many things she wanted to say to Shard, but he left in a hurry. She supported the groggy Miss Malone, while the maid beside her softly said:

"Miss, you said this is the last time he will appear."

"Yes."

"So you should seize the opportunity."

The maid softly reminded her, and Miss Teresa pursed her lips, already having a plan in her heart.

On the other side, when Shard once again came to the deity’s side, cracks appeared on his skin, revealing a glimmer symbolizing divinity. The cat peeked its head out from Shard’s embrace, not curious about the light on Shard, but instead curiously looking at the fishing deity before them.

The deity retrieved the fishing rod, smiling gently amidst the roaring waves, and asked him:

"It seems you’ve found the dragon’s power?"

"I found it, but why do you mention this..."

Shard suddenly turned to look at Miss Malone by the flames, but she was just squinting her eyes, supported by Miss Teresa to sit there.

The deity said:

"Do you sense it?"

"I didn’t feel it until you mentioned it, but now I do. Miss Malone possesses the dragon’s power, which is hard to detect, probably because her true body isn’t here yet."

Shard responded, attributing this special perception to the drop of new divinity. Although it wasn’t as direct as seeing the small bats above the vampires’ heads, by carefully perceiving, it was perfectly possible to confirm the Dragonborn power.

"So do you want to fish first, or answer my question: how did the ’Radiant Messenger’ sink?"

The deity continued to smile while asking, and Shard reached out and took the fishing rod:

"I already understand the truth, but I don’t have sufficient evidence yet. I think the remaining evidence is within those memories, please give me more time."

Using Professor Sarah Evans’ ring as bait, the fishing rod was cast far by Shard, landing at the position he noted last time.

The fishing line rose and fell with the wind and waves, as Shard stood at the edge of the floating board quietly waiting for a response from the deep sea. By the campfire, Miss Teresa looked at his back, which seemed wrapped in golden flame embers, and her eyes flashed as she finally made up her mind.

Miss Malone, who was supported to sit down and had just woken up, also saw that back. Her azure eyes seemed to be lit by those golden light traces, fragmented memories flashed through her mind, but then they went silent again, and she suddenly felt like she remembered something.

"I got a bite!"

The sudden immense force almost pulled Shard, who was holding the fishing rod, into the sea, but after reacting, he immediately regained his balance. Before he left last time, he felt that every "fishing" resistance was growing stronger, but this time he gritted his teeth and steadily reeled in the fishing line little by little.

After devouring the flesh of the "Nameless Dragon," the power he gained was not just evident in the fact that even at Miss Galina’s most heady moments in bed, Shard could suppress her with sheer strength, not letting her roll over. The physical enhancement brought qualitative changes, and Shard couldn’t precisely describe how vast his power was at that moment. This afternoon he had attempted the Wall Passage technique just as a minor test, and this power was more than sufficient for this fishing attempt.

Finally, what was pulled out from the sea by the fishing hook was a very exquisite white porcelain teacup. Shard held that teacup and let the Deity gently brush it, and thus in the glimmer, two witches appeared.

One was naturally Professor Ivins. Her age and attire at this moment were not much different from the one not far behind Shard. The other witch seemed much older, but since a witch’s age cannot be judged solely by appearance, Shard could only say she looked much like Granny Cassandra.

Professor Ivins held the teacup, sitting on the sofa talking to that unfamiliar older witch. Both of their bodies and the sofa were phantom-like and transparent, proving this scene still originated from Professor Ivins’ memories.

"Sarah, why are you taking a regular human boat for your field study this time? Is the Academy really not covering your travel expenses? Do you need me to lend you a flying carpet?"

The older witch laughed as she asked, and Professor Ivins chuckled as she replied:

"Professor Enzo, you’ve been retired for far too long. To the younger girls, flying carpets are already outdated flight tools. Nowadays, if girls don’t use Spatial Leap for long-distance travel, they either prefer using Transformation Spells or like activated construct aircraft."

She held the teacup:

"I’m conducting field studies and data collection in the Outer Sea this time. It’s also an opportunity for me to get out and relax. Although traveling by boat is slower, it feels more like a vacation."

"Is the Academy planning the next step in ocean development? Oh, don’t tell me, that has nothing to do with this retired old lady."

Professor Enzo chuckled, adding sugar to her cup:

"But I have information you might be interested in, Sarah, but first let me test whether you’ve let your teaching duties affect your own studies over the years."

The elderly witch, who appeared to be a retired professor of Zaras Literary Academy, didn’t take out books or papers, but lightly pointed forward, and three buds of roses appeared in the air:

"Tell me, which one is the product of the Illusion Technique."

Professor Ivins put down her teacup and made an effort to distinguish them, and Shard also leaned in to carefully observe the details of the three flowers. Because the principles of Illusion Technique vary, it is tough to find a universal method to break all illusions. Even Shard, who’s proficient in the Illusion Technique, was confused by the realness of the three roses this time.

Of course, he thought that was also because the three roses appeared transparent to him.

[Do you need a hint?]

"Her" voice asked lightly, like silver bells ringing under the silent moonlight, like seagulls soaring under the azure sky.

"Not for now, I want to verify my thoughts."

Thinking this, he took out the cat hidden in his clothes and held it toward the three roses. The cat, upon seeing the flowers, stretched its head to sniff curiously, and as usual, it playfully pawed at the one in the middle and the one on the left, but didn’t want to touch the one on the right.

"Good kitty~"

Gently rubbing Mia’s head, Shard confirmed this cat’s inspiration was indeed strong. Shard had always known that Mia could see and hear things ordinary cats and even ordinary people could not. This showed that Mia’s inspiration strength was on par with Angelina before her Awakening Period.

Unfortunately, although non-human races can become Circle Sorcerers, Mia’s intelligence and soul strength clearly weren’t enough.

Professor Ivins was still pondering before those three roses, and since this memory appeared here, in the actual past, the professor must have chosen the wrong rose, thus leaving such a regret.

Shard reached out to pick the rose floating on the right and handed it to the professor, who smoothly accepted it and said to Professor Enzo:

"Professor, do you think this is correct?"

The elderly witch looked somewhat surprised but soon revealed a gratifying expression.