“Excuse me, but what exactly is a 'crystallization of wisdom'?”
Shade asked softly, resisting the immense pressure, feeling his mind growing increasingly numb.
The deity of the lake spoke in a gentle tone
“The fruits of your intellect. Perhaps a sentence, perhaps an essay, perhaps a book, or perhaps an invention. Bring forth the crystallization of your wisdom to prove your intellect.”
“Does it have to be original?”
Shade asked again. The god shook its head slightly
“In the Third Era, I once posed this trial to mortals. An alchemist refined a Philosopher's Stone on the spot. Yes, a Philosopher's Stone.”
It gazed at Shade.
“Oh~”
Shade heard Miss Theresa sigh softly.
“Miss Violet, do you know how to make a Philosopher's Stone?”
Shade turned to the Great Witch beside him, who merely rolled her eyes and didn't answer at all. He then asked Miss Theresa, who answered in a trembling voice before he could even open his mouth
“If I knew how to make a Philosopher's Stone, would I still be worrying about my graduation thesis?”
She had a point, but this also meant that beyond unique innovation, highly difficult techniques also counted as "crystallizations of wisdom."
Since none of the three possessed the skill to hand-craft a Philosopher's Stone, this visit had to end temporarily. They would need to return to camp, brainstorm a solution, and then return to answer the god's trial.
Shade explained to the deity that the three of them would return soon, and the god smiled, signaling that they could leave.
Miss Theresa was once again helped up by Shade. Although Miss Violet's face was pale, she could still walk on her own. The Great Witch, who was nearly at her limit, quickly led Shade across the calm lake surface of the tower's first floor.
Once the door closed automatically, Miss Violet gasped for air and grabbed Shade's other arm, taking a long time to recover.
When she looked up, she felt the stray hairs on her forehead were stuck to her skin with sweat. She intended to check on her companion, only to find that aside from the blood on his face that hadn't been wiped clean, Shade looked as if nothing had happened
“Are you actually human?”
The Witch Emperor prided herself on being well-traveled and knowledgeable, but the experience of the last half hour had left her greatly astonished.
Shade checked the time; he was nearly out of time
“Just now you were doubting my gender, and now you've started doubting my race?”
“The [Night Watchman] at your feet only confirms that you aren't an evil entity; it doesn't define your race,” the Witch said, having recovered slightly. Shade didn't want to dwell on this topic; he really was out of time
“What should we do about the god's trial?”
“Let's return to camp first and see what we have on hand. This is terrible; before coming to the Lost Lake, I didn't expect to encounter this situation. I thought the god's trial would be a riddle or a duel or something similar,” Miss Violet said. Miss Theresa nodded and said to Shade
“Sir, I won't waste words on thanks. Your performance just now was truly surprising. Please, tell us your thoughts.”
“If we need to demonstrate personal wisdom, and it must be a crystallization of that wisdom, I think writing a paper or creating a never-before-seen invention would be simpler than crafting a Philosopher's Stone by hand,” Shade said. Miss Theresa agreed
“I think so too, but such an invention must be innovative. Even if it overlaps with the work of predecessors, it must have its own point of innovation.”
Miss Violet thought for a moment
“The luggage we carry probably doesn't count as the crystallization of our own wisdom, so let's each make some attempts. I plan to improve a magic potion. The basic 'Fire Resistance Potion' has already had at least seven revisions; I'll try to see if there's an eighth direction for improvement.”
“I happen to be writing my graduation thesis, so I'll complete the content of the third chapter here first,” Miss Theresa said after a moment of hesitation.
“Why the third chapter?” Shade asked curiously. Miss Theresa let go of Shade's arm and explained with some annoyance
“The first chapter is the introduction, the second is the theoretical research results, and only the third chapter truly involves valuable content.”
After the previous events, her attitude toward Shade had clearly improved
“I originally thought I could leave the academy and go adventuring, giving me a sufficient excuse to push back my writing time. I didn't expect to end up writing a thesis in a terrible environment without a desk. If I had known this would happen, I would have stayed at the academy in my single dorm, writing my thesis while looking at the ocean view outside the window. Once I go back, my supervisor will definitely mock me.”
Miss Violet seemed amused. She looked at Shade again
“You look like you have your own ideas too?”
“Yes, I plan to write a paper on the subject of higher mathematics, though I still need to consider the specific content.”
“Higher mathematics? I didn't expect you to be a scholar as well.”
The Great Witch grew even more intrigued by Shade
“However, I'd like to learn about your past first. You mentioned earlier that you've visited deities multiple times; it turns out that wasn't a lie. After leaving the Lost Lake, would you be interested in visiting my place? I can guarantee you a lifetime of wealth and honor.”
She was now completely interested in Shade.
“It's a long story; I think I'll tell it next time. Additionally, I'd like to learn more from you about the current state of the material world,” Shade said, looking at the thick fog surrounding the tower
“I'm not sure when I'll be able to return, but next time I do, I'll bring my paper.”
He waved his hand. Miss Theresa looked at him in confusion, while Miss Violet frowned
“What are you doing?”
“I think I have to leave.”
Shade turned back toward the tower
“I cannot stay in this place for too long. Now, I must go back.”
As he spoke, both ladies saw the surrounding white mist sweep toward the young, handsome man, enveloping him like a giant cocoon.
“Leave?”
Miss Theresa was startled and reached out to grab his arm, only to find her hand passing through his body as if passing through a phantom.
“As I thought, you are not like us.”
Miss Violet huffed. Although the Witch Emperor didn't know exactly what Shade was, she at least understood his position
“Next time you come, remember to bring red wine; we've consumed too much of our stock.”
“No problem. I hope we can eventually complete the god's three trials. By the way, Miss Violet, don't forget to pick up your hat.”
He waved goodbye to the witches. The white mist completely enveloped him, and a wind of unknown origin caused the mist to swirl around Shade.
Miss Theresa wanted to say something more, but when the swirling mist ceased and dispersed evenly in all directions, Shade, who had been standing before the tower, was gone.
The young witch blinked
“Your Majesty, that wasn't a hallucination, was it?”
Miss Violet hesitated before nodding
“I believe it was not.”
As she spoke, she didn't first pick up her hat, but instead pulled the [Night Watchman] from the ground. Holding the hilt, she suddenly froze, taking a full three seconds to recover.
“What's wrong?”
Miss Theresa was alarmed, only to see the Witch Emperor looking hesitantly at the longsword in her hand
“I told you before that this sword can inherit the combat memories of past heroes.”
“Yes.”
“I have used this sword many times, but just now, when I touched it, a memory of fighting undead suddenly appeared. Yes, an overwhelming tide of undead, coming from all directions. I saw someone using this ritual sword, sweeping through the undead army with [Sunbeam]. Although the power wasn't strong, the technique was indeed commendable.”
“Aren't there a bit too many strange things happening today?”
Miss Theresa sighed softly. Miss Violet thought for a moment and suddenly asked
“Do you remember those stories passed down through generations among the students of the three great arcane academies?”
“You mean those absurd academy legends?”
Miss Theresa nodded; since she hadn't graduated yet, she knew many of these stories
“There are many stories. For example, that some ancient witches didn't die but are sleeping somewhere.”
“Pure lies. Witches are also mortals, and mortals must eventually die.”
“That if you break curfew at night, you'll be caught by the academy discipline committee and taken to the basement for... punishment.”
“Young girls always love to imagine things; in reality, they're just taken to the observatory to feel the cold wind all night.”
“That the secrets of the gods are hidden within the three great arcane academies.”
“Partially true, but those are just pieces of forbidden knowledge.”
“That cheating on exams is always discovered, and no one has ever escaped.”
“Of course some have succeeded. I'll keep going.”
The Witch Emperor's face flushed, and she skipped over that topic.
“That when a young witch encounters danger, the god will dispatch a kind, brave, upright, beautiful lady with a great figure to rescue those kind-hearted girls,” Miss Theresa said. Miss Violet sighed
“Yes, that's the one.”
The former hesitated, her eyes filled with doubt
“Isn't that just the adolescent fantasies of young girls? I admit, when I first entered the academy, I thought of similar things.”
“Of course it's a fantasy, similar to those smutty storybooks circulating in the academy, but there is a grain of truth to it. It's just that the original rumors were truly shocking. I only heard this story when visiting Saint Byron. The original version wasn't about a lady with a great figure, but that when a witch encounters a deity and faces difficulty, a strange man appears from the mist to lend a hand.”
Miss Violet paused, her eyes looking at the longsword in her hand
“In our eyes, men are little more than excrement, so the original legend was quickly distorted. No one ever thought it was true.”
“Are we experiencing a real legend?” the tenth-year witch asked in disbelief. “If I write a paper about this experience, maybe...”
“After leaving the Lost Lake, you won't be able to retain many memories, and most of the records in your hand will be lost. But even if you still remember him, do not leave any record. Yes, any record at all,” Miss Violet said with a serious expression. Miss Theresa was stunned, then nodded somewhat reluctantly
“Yes, Aunt.”
They were distant relatives.
“Let's go back; the road back to camp is not easy. However, I am truly curious about what kind of surprise that gentleman will bring when he returns.”
As she spoke, she beckoned to the hat on the ground, and the hat automatically flew into her hand. Suddenly, she frowned and asked Miss Theresa in confusion
“Come to think of it, why didn't we ask for his name?”
(End of Chapter)