Chapter 626
It was quite simple to access the information; one only needed to head to the Royal Library, without the need to visit the Church of the Goddess of Salvation or the Church of the God of Order.
In fact, there was no need to go to the Royal Library at all—the collection of the Russell family was already extensive enough.
After a moment of thought, Xia Er decided to go directly to the Russell Duke's residence to obtain permission from Duke Charles to access the materials.
This was not nine years ago; Xia Er no longer needed to earn the trust of Aivina or Charles. She could simply go straight there.
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PS:
Adjusting my schedule... has failed again...
[Leave Request 3/3] Used up my leave requests at the beginning of the month.
It’s truly painful when my routine collapses. I’ve been feeling dizzy for the past couple of days, and in this state, I can’t write anything good.
I’ll take a day off to reset my schedule. Although I don’t know when it will fall apart again, I’ll take a few stable days if I can.
Good night...
Purple sweet potato pudding, purple sweet potato pudding, purple sweet potato pudding...
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Chapter 320: Heading to Bliss (5506 words)
“...I’ll keep an eye out for you.”
In the study of the Russell Duke's residence, Charles's voice was somewhat subdued.
Sitting behind the desk, he gazed at the young woman before him, lost in a brief silence.
When his daughter sought his help, Charles would undoubtedly want to resolve her troubles without hesitation, no matter what they were.
This was also an opportunity to improve their relationship.
However, the request his daughter made filled him with a sense of unease.
He wanted to remind Aivina that it was best to conduct multiple replication rituals to minimize negative effects before considering the next tier of potions.
But Aivina had asked him to keep an eye on the fourth-tier “Nightmare” potion and its replication ritual, which made Charles feel that she was aiming too high.
No matter how talented one was, it was impossible to consume two bottles of potions in less than a month without causing irreversible harm to the body.
Yet, at that moment, Charles found himself unable to voice any warnings. He knew his daughter was well aware of the consequences, and if he lectured her again, it would be no different from how he had previously controlled Aivina.
But if he didn’t say anything, he would have to watch his daughter walk down a path of no return... This inner conflict was something Charles hadn’t felt in a long time.
“Thank you, Father.” Aivina nodded slightly and said, “I’ll prepare the pounds of Su needed for the fourth-tier potion and the replication ritual. I’ll gather the materials myself.”
Charles slowly opened his mouth, wanting to say that it wasn’t necessary, but the words wouldn’t come out.
His daughter’s independence made him feel a sense of distance... The rift created by years of separation couldn’t be mended in just a few days, and Charles understood that.
Knock, knock, knock—
At that moment, a knock at the study door interrupted the increasingly awkward atmosphere.
Charles let out a sigh of relief, as if a savior had arrived, and called out toward the door, “Come in.”
The door opened, and Seraphine walked in. After nodding slightly to Aivina, she turned to Charles and said, “Your Grace, Miss Xia Er is here to see you.”
Xia Er?
Charles’s expression showed a hint of surprise, while Aivina pursed her lips slightly.
What could be so important that Xia Er needed to see Charles, something Aivina couldn’t help with?
“Let her in,” Charles noticed the subtle change in his daughter’s mood and added, “Aivina, you should wait here.”
“No need,” Aivina gently shook her head. “She’s here to talk to you, not me.”
“Oh...?” Charles watched Aivina turn to leave, raising a hand to stroke his chin thoughtfully.
Could it be... that the young couple had a quarrel?
Recently, Ansu had indeed been a bit chaotic, with the power dynamics shifting after the death of the strongman, and the threat of the Northern Ansu Joy Society looming...
Charles still didn’t have a good solution; he could only continue to expand his influence and suppress the other restless forces in Ansu.
It was also because of these pressing matters that he hadn’t been able to spend quality time with his daughter, who had just returned.
Perhaps if he intervened a little in their quarrel, it might help ease some of Aivina’s distance from him?
Charles stood up, pondering, as he prepared to welcome Xia Er.
Meanwhile, Aivina, who was already heading downstairs, encountered Xia Er coming up.
Aivina was quite familiar with the layout of the Russell Duke's residence; if she didn’t want to run into Xia Er, there were countless routes she could take to avoid her.
Yet, it seemed she herself didn’t quite understand why she chose this path, as if she wanted Xia Er to see her in a state of “quarreling.”
But the moment their eyes met, Aivina’s heart, which had hardened, softened once more.
Perhaps she hadn’t come to confront Xia Er... but simply to see her.
“Are you... okay?” Aivina paused on the stairs, looking at Xia Er and asking.
Xia Er looked up, seeing the person she had longed for countless times in the past, stepped forward, and wrapped her arms around Aivina’s waist, standing one step below her.
“Ahem...”
Seraphine gently cleared her throat, resting her hand on her chin, and waved to signal the other maids to disperse. Then, she discreetly made her way downstairs.
Although Seraphine had previously had some reservations about Xia Er, they were now family, and she had set aside her previous opinions... mainly because she didn’t dare to have any.
Soon, the maids who had been following and cleaning up dispersed, leaving only Xia Er and Aivina on the stairs.
Aivina looked down.
Xia Er was already slightly shorter than her, and now, standing on the lower step, with her face buried in Aivina’s chest, it created a height difference that made it seem as if she had a head shorter.
‘I miss you too.’
The words almost slipped from Aivina’s lips, but when she spoke, they came out differently. She looked at the top of Xia Er’s head and said, “If I remember correctly, we’ve only been apart for a day, Xia Er.”
“Yes...”
Xia Er’s voice came from below, slightly hoarse and muffled.
For some reason, Aivina felt that Xia Er’s emotions were a bit off...
The way Xia Er was acting didn’t feel like they had been apart for just a day; it felt more like years had passed, and this feeling made Aivina a little uneasy.
“Aren’t you supposed to be meeting Charles?” Aivina said, but her hands slowly rose to wrap around Xia Er’s shoulders. “Well... it’s not a problem to hold you a little longer...”
The two embraced on the stairs, feeling each other’s warmth and scent. After a long while, Xia Er slowly released her hold, looked up at Aivina, and said, “Can you take me to the library?”
“Of course...” Aivina nodded and then added, “Aren’t you supposed to be looking for the Duke?”
“I just want to borrow some books from the library.” Xia Er smiled at Aivina.
“Why not just come to me directly?” Aivina raised her chin slightly, feigning indifference as she asked.
“I’m afraid I wouldn’t be able to focus.” Xia Er shook her head and said, “Like now, when I’m completely preoccupied with thoughts of you, forgetting everything else.”
As Aivina listened to Xia Er’s words, her mouth opened slightly, and she didn’t even realize her cheeks were turning a bit red from what Xia Er had said.
Where did Xia Er learn such sweet talk? The old Xia Er would have bluntly stated her reasons for seeking Charles.
“I’ll take you there.” Aivina took Xia Er’s hand and led her toward the library.
The Russell Duke's residence had a separate library; Charles’s study was merely a private workspace, while the library was the core of the family’s collection, so guests were rarely invited there.
After Aivina and Xia Er left, Seraphine made her way back upstairs. Once she saw the two figures disappear, she approached Charles’s study and knocked on the door.
Knock, knock, knock—
Charles, who had been standing with a lot of pent-up emotions, looked toward the door and said, “Come in.”
The door opened, and when Charles saw that it was only Seraphine who entered, he was momentarily taken aback and asked, “Where’s Miss Xia Er?”
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