During their recent conversation, Shard had been thinking, pondering matters concerning witches. In the end, he concluded that he couldn't simply pretend he was unaware; he, at least, had to probe the other party's true stance.
He coughed to catch the attention of the maid, who had already reached the doorway, asking her to wait a mont, then turned to the Duchess behind the desk:
"Miss Galina, there's actually sothing else I wanted to discuss. I recently ca across so curious historical stories at the library in Saint Byrons."
"About what?"
"About... witches."
Out of the corner of his eye, Shard saw the maid, Tifa, standing before the door, completely blocking the entrance. This mont made Shard doubt whether it was right to discuss the matter now, but he prefered to clarify things from the start rather than continue a relationship of mutual suspicion until an inevitable conflict arose.
After all, now protected by Divinity, if anyone truly intended to complicate matters, it certainly wouldn't be Shard who suffered.
"Witches... Detective, what do you want to discuss?"
She looked toward Shard.
"From the books, I learned a common fact about the witches of the Fifth Era... While they gained imnse power, they also were stricken with a curse."
The black-haired maid furrowed her brow and looked at Shard, then sowhat helplessly glanced at Miss Galina.
The Duchess, however, maintained a calm expression:
"Is that so? Go on,"
she said quietly.
Shard also looked at the Grand Witch of the Witch Council, gauging her expression as he spoke:
"The witches couldn't bear children and had an indescribable aversion to n; direct physical contact would intensify this aversion dramatically. This could explain why there are no records of the Witch Empresses having any descendants..."
He paused briefly to ensure her deanor stayed normal, then continued:
"I also learned a little trick; the witches would grasp a man's wrist to determine their true gender."
The person on the sofa and the one behind the desk exchanged looks, with ambiguous anings in the witch's eyes:
"Indeed that's true, which is why so believe the Council's witches to be 'handkerchief enthusiasts.' It's really just unavoidable for them. So Detective, what are you getting at?"
At this critical mont of the conversation, both sides were gauging the current atmosphere. Shard leaned slightly forward:
"I want to know... Since you can discern gender, and I clearly don't trigger your curse, then... Miss Galina, what exactly do you want from ?"
He asked earnestly, but did not imdiately receive an answer.
The room fell quiet, making Shard think that even if Mia suddenly appeared and stepped on the soft carpet, it would make a loud noise.
Just as Shard was entertaining wild thoughts, the red-haired Duchess laughed aloud:
"Seeing your expression just now, I thought you wanted to inquire about sothing important like the 'Whispering Verses.' Oh, did I ntion Whispering Verses? Pretend you didn't hear that. But just this question? It's quite simple, really very simple."
From this response, it was apparent that the conversation had been successful.
Suddenly, the witch rose from her chair, and Shard also stood up. As the Duchess quickly approached, he instinctively dodged, but she effortlessly grabbed his wrist.
In that mont, Shard remained highly alert, ready to employ the powers of his soul and Ring of Fate at any ti.
"You are not a woman."
Miss Galina said.
"Of course, the makeup box you asked
to fetch has already proven that, hasn't it? Moreover, my body's physiological reactions and appearance are indeed not those of a woman."
Shard answered, trying to break free his hand as he had done last ti, but he couldn't free himself completely. He examined the red-haired woman in front of him, who looked back at him unflinchingly.
The two were very close; this proximity allowed Shard to easily sll the scent of makeup on her.
"You are not a woman, you are a man,"
she said again.
"Of course, didn't your magic potion test that?"
Shard replied, locking gazes with her dark golden eyes:
"Or are you suggesting... you want to verify it in so other way?"
He deliberately spoke in a suggestive manner, hoping to make her let go, but the Duchess didn't care; she just kept staring at Shard's expression:
"Whether I see you from close-up or touch you directly, it doesn't cause
any discomfort. I've investigated your past, and you are indeed human, but you don't conform to the conventional knowledge I have. You are a man; there shouldn't be any doubt about that..."
Her gaze shifted downward but only lingered at a subtle angle for a second before she looked away:
"If you don't mind verifying it in another way, I could help you find so high-class companions."
The maid watching this scene coughed out loud beside them, presumably really choked.
Shard gazed into her eyes:
"Miss Galina, what exactly are you trying to do?"
"Nothing much, just wanting you to stay by my side. This secret is enough for
to know alone."
Seeing her smile up close, he could clearly see the short, fine hairs on her pale skin next to her lipstick-covered lips.
"You want to study ?"
He furrowed his brows.
"Study? No, the generations of powerful Witch Empresses of the Fifth Era researched the curse for an entire era and ca up with nothing. I'm much weaker than they are, and I'm not the kind of genius researcher. Why waste ti on such matters? Therefore, keeping you by my side, enjoying this secret alone, that is enough. You might understand it as...
I'm collecting you."
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This statent made Shard very uncomfortable.
"Collecting ?"
"That phrase may not be quite right, but you can think of it as, I want to watch the only man the witches can touch grow stronger. It's like watching an ordinary, dirty antique gradually transform into a powerful Relic. This process is a rare joy in life. Helping you is not a difficult thing for .
Moreover, I'm curious to see if you can discover the reason for your anomaly yourself as you grow stronger, which might be able to help us."
Golden eyes reflecting Shard's figure, Shard believed that his eyes must also be reflecting the woman close at hand. He had thought that this conversation would certainly spark so conflict, but he didn't expect to get such a result. Yet this outco wasn't bad; the other party had no hidden agenda, and of course, he was happy:
"If it's just that, Miss Galina, I'm pleased to have piqued your interest, and I'm also happy to maintain our... collaborative relationship."
"I'm also very willing to always help you, not only because you are the only man I can touch, but also because I genuinely admire you. Shard Suren Hamilton, it's been a long ti since I've t soone as intriguing as you, you're different from anyone else. Of course..."
Her smile once again exhibited a charm that clearly transcended that of normal humans, which was not normal:
"If you could make
happy, I wouldn't mind being with you..."
The maid at the door coughed again, but this ti it seed intentional, a reminder for the Duchess she served to maintain her decorum.
"I still mind, though."
He steadied his heart, relying mainly on the sound of the woman's light laughter near his ear:
"So, everything between us remains the sa, only... what does this have to do with you grabbing my wrist?"
She laughed, releasing Shard's hand, but avoided continuing the conversation that would provoke further coughing from the maid:
"I can't guarantee how the other Witches in the Council will treat you, after all, there are quite a few madn among them. If other Witches co here, I will inform you in advance, and you should not provoke them on your own."
She turned to her maid:
"Tifa, quickly take this curious gentleman to learn so etiquette, we're short on ti. On your way back, rember to get so water for yourself; I noticed you've been coughing, it seems like your throat is uncomfortable."
"Please wait, Miss Galina, I still have many things I want to ask."
Before Miss Maid could speak, Shard spoke first, but the recently "enthusiastic" Duchess no longer seed inclined to continue the conversation. She shook her head regretfully at Shard:
"Next ti, Sir Knight, but I will allow you one more question."
"Is she a Witch?"
Shard pointed to Miss Tifa Servet. He actually had many questions, but the key to this question was not about the maid's identity, but about how many true Witches existed in the Witch Council of the Sixth Era today.
The answer to this question could clarify many things for Shard.
The black-haired maid answered him:
"Only the most powerful thirteen Grand Witches in the Council are true Witches. The others, although they possess so of Witch's powers, basically only have powers equivalent to those borrowed from Relics and can only be considered candidates for Witch. After one of the thirteen Grand Witches dies, a candidate may compete for the empty seat in the Council. So, Mr. Hamilton, I am not a Witch."
"So what exactly is going on with ? Why do your Witch's Curse not work on , and... "
Shard wanted to ask more questions, such as whether the Grand Witch had inherited the Witch's power or truly possessed both supernatural systems of the Fifth Era's "Witch" and the Sixth Era's "Circle Sorcerer."
"One question is over, Detective, see you later. If you still doubt you are a man, go find a prostitute in the alley, and if you find the answer, let
know. If you want to know more secrets, Transmutation Ring, or if you have reached the High Ring."
Miss Galina said with a laugh, and then nodded to her maid, Miss Servet calmly opened the door to the study. Thus, even though Shard confird that Grand Witch Miss Galina had no malice towards him, what he considered a "showdown" talk ended too easily.
There was no expected conflict nor any deliberate denial. Galina Cavendish directly acknowledged the facts Shard had learned and left him with even more questions.
But at least it confird to Shard that the Witch Council very likely knew the true nature of the transition between the Fifth Era and the Sixth Era, and knew many secrets of the thirteen Witch Empresses. Indeed, they might directly know the true aning of the "Whispering Verses."
And all this, Shard would co to learn slowly from Miss Galina in the future.
"But at least I've found a direction, instead of letting those secrets co crashing into ."
These were Shard's thoughts as he followed the black-haired maid.
The Duchess had foreseen the need to teach Shard etiquette, so she had also prepared an etiquette teacher in advance, the sa person from before the card ga.
Probably because Shard was about to receive the title of "Knight
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