Chapter 21: The Spell Model
Chapter 21: The Spell Model
"Lady Dena," Karl said, unmoved.
"You're an adult, and when someone does something wrong, they must pay the price. Surely you understand this principle?"
"Wrong?" Dena raised her glass, her eyes clouded with uncertainty. "Did I do something wrong?"
"Investigating the mummy case, eliminating the Fire Thief... everything I did was in accordance with the Knightly Code and the laws of the kingdom."
As a knight, she should protect the weak, and as a Patrol Commander, she should uphold justice. She didn't feel she had done anything wrong.
Perhaps it was wrong to not interfere?
"Right and wrong depend on your perspective," Karl shrugged.
"Maybe you think you're in the right, but the families of those who died because of you don't see it that way."
"And you're not just investigating the case because of the Knightly Code, are you?"
"Heh..." Dena shook her head with a bitter smile, raised her glass, and drained it. Then, with a drunken gaze, she looked at Karl. "You've changed..."
The old Karl was boisterous, his personality as rough as his voice, but now he had become refined, even his speech was well-ordered.
"People change," Karl said calmly.
"There's nothing strange about that."
"True," Dena nodded. "Cheers."
They clinked their glasses and drank.
"Burp..."
The alcohol hit Dena, and a flush appeared on her face, her eyes becoming slightly dazed as she stared at the drink and giggled.
Apparently, she couldn't hold her liquor very well.
"You're right," Dena said, belching. "I have my reasons for investigating the case, not just because of the Knightly Code. Do you know about the Life Elixir?"
"The Life Elixir?" Karl raised an eyebrow. "The potion that helps Knight Attendants advance to become Knights?"
As a Knight Attendant himself, he was familiar with the Life Elixir and similar items like the Life Fruit, all of which were considered 'treasures' that increased the chances of advancement.
"Yes," Dena nodded. "As a Patrol Commander, if I make a significant achievement, I can request to purchase a Life Elixir from the City Lord."
"Hmm..." Karl was puzzled. "As the eldest daughter of Viscount Sachsen, with the power of the Yeager family, can't you obtain a Life Elixir?"
"I once had one," Dena looked up. "But I was young and naive back then, and someone tricked me out of it. Given the rarity of the Life Elixir, even as the eldest daughter, I can't get a second one."
Tricked?
Karl shook his head speechlessly.
Although her words were vague, it was highly likely that it was an internal family issue, which was not uncommon.
No wonder Dena had been so proactive since taking office; it was all for her advancement to knighthood.
"I'm not that young anymore," Dena muttered. "If I can't advance to knighthood within a few years, I'll have to marry some man I don't even know."
"I don't want to give up..."
"Every family has its own troubles," Karl said, taking a drink with her and offering encouragement. "I wish you success."
"Then can you withdraw the complaint?" Dena asked.
"No."
"..." Dena lowered her head, drowning her sorrows in drink. When she became tipsy, she threw a heavy bag in front of Karl.
"Thud!"
"Clink, clink..."
The sound of coins clinking inside the bag caught the attention of a few drinkers nearby, but they averted their gaze when they noticed Karl's uniform.
"What's this?" Karl asked.
"Bribing me?"
"No," Dena shook her head and mumbled, "Help me deliver this to Ham's family."
"Ham?" Karl understood. "Why don't you go yourself?"
"I can't," Dena sighed. "Ham's family has an elderly mother and a deaf-mute sister who was sent back home after her marriage."
"I can't face them. Please go on my behalf."
"..." Karl fell silent for a moment, then slowly nodded. "Alright."
"By the way, what's the update on the mummified corpse case?"
"The Theocracy has taken over, and the Night Watch is handling it." Lady Dana seemed reluctant to discuss the matter further. "I don't have any specific details either."
"Let's go!" Karl stood up. "You're drunk too."
"Try this." Jenny's enthusiasm was palpable.
"I learned to make it myself."
"Oh!"
Karl looked at the food on the table and nodded in approval. "Not bad."
Almond milk, white bread, roasted meat, and a salad—the fresh aroma of bread filled the air, and the meat and vegetables were a feast for the eyes, with vibrant colors and a mouth-watering appearance.
Even before tasting it, the presentation was impressive.
"I learned this at the banquet," Jenny said, blushing slightly. "How does it taste?"
"Mmm," Karl nodded, cutting off a small piece of the roasted meat and putting it in his mouth. He chewed and nodded with satisfaction. "Very good."
"Jenny, even if you don't become a singer, you could switch to cooking. You'd still make a name for yourself quickly."
"Really?" Jenny smiled brightly. "As long as it tastes good, you should eat more."
"I ate on my way here," Karl waved his hand dismissively. "You guys eat, don't worry about me."
He picked up his milk and headed towards his room.
"Don't look."
It wasn't until Karl closed the door that Mrs. Mary turned to her daughter, who was reluctant to part with him, and shook her head.
"He's clearly not interested in you."
"But..." Jenny pouted. "I still have a chance, right?"
"Now that you've joined the singing ensemble, you should focus your energy on your career, not on pleasing men," Mrs. Mary advised, drawing from her own experience.
"I know," Jenny replied impatiently. "I've been practicing singing diligently, and the seniors in the group have promised to let me perform soon."
"Really?" Mrs. Mary's face lit up with surprise. "That's wonderful! If you can perform on stage, you'll earn a salary, and life will become easier."
"Mmm," Jenny rested her chin on her hand, deep in thought. "Do you think I could invite Baron Carl to watch my performance when I debut? Do you think he would agree?"
"... " Mrs. Mary looked at her daughter, speechless at her lovestruck expression. She sighed and began clearing the table.
In his room, Karl attempted to cultivate the meditation technique once more.
Without the aid of divine power, his consciousness barely entered the Inner Sea of Spirit before a mental wave knocked him off balance.
The more unstable his mind became, the more intrusive thoughts emerged, and the larger the waves grew.
"No thoughts, no feelings, no desires. Guard your heart and let the intrusive thoughts come and go. It's easier said than done; it's like climbing a mountain."
Fortunately, Karl's experience within the Divine Domain had given him a sense of the pattern, preventing him from being ejected immediately.
After a moment...
"Huff..."
"It's still not working!"
Karl shook his head in exhaustion, accustomed to failure. He took a deep breath and, with his book in hand, entered the Divine Domain.
"Lesser Force Field."
He opened the book to the page describing the construction of a spell model and attempted to cultivate with a blank expression.
Here, he had already mastered the meditation technique, and his mental power had been refined. In theory, he should be able to construct a spell model.
However, according to his teacher, Adolph, the Lesser Force Field was considered more challenging within the realm of zero-circle spells.
Not only was the spell model complex, but it also required more mental power than most zero-circle spells.
And your mental power, limited by your physical body in the real world, won't increase just because you're in the Divine Domain."
Success was not guaranteed.
"Arcane... Force Field..."
Within the Divine Domain, Karl worked meticulously, using his incredible control to manipulate his limited mental power to construct the spell model.
His mental power transformed into lines in the Sea of Consciousness, gradually forming a complex whole.
Until...
(End of Chapter)
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