Miss Witch's Forbidden Book Secret

"But you only gave me thirty minutes. I have thirty minutes to decipher the legendary Solomon's Codex?"

Jeremiah said, “I have left the secret text in your memory. You may look at it if you wish; my final work is complete…”

Before he could finish speaking...

Tia suddenly asked, "Jeremiah—senior, let's call you that for now. In the nightmare, you were killed as a traitor, but I don't think I heard about the funeral in reality, or even that Rexar was expelled from the Iris.

"Because history can be forged, Sulf. What happened in the past is no longer important; no one remembers what happened in the past. Just focus on the present. I'll leave it at that; I should rest now."

Jeremiah's voice gradually faded and eventually disappeared without a trace.

However, the audio of Jeremiah explaining the Book of Transformation to Tia was very clear, like a recording stored on a cassette tape, which Tia could recall with a single thought.

The core content of the Book of Transformation is essentially one thing: it mainly discusses the changes and balance of the body, soul, and spirit in alchemy. In a state of perfect balance, the extraordinary individual can possess characteristics almost akin to those of a spiritual being from the deep sea.

The ceremony can be arranged almost cost-free and without restrictions, without relying on rituals or materials.

但这种平衡相当困难，即便是转化之书当中也仅仅是给出了如何短暂地抵达这种平衡的办法：利用先知途径序列5的灵魂切割、圣杯途径序列5的守护天使、炼金术途径序列4的无机质转化三个仪式，配合置换学者序列5的“三性置换”或者是伟大哲人序列9的“灵肉转换”就能强行完成三性平衡。

The price is extreme pain—soul cutting is literally tearing one's own soul apart. Inorganic transformation involves gradually turning the physical body into stone, metal, ceramic, or something else; it's not just painful, but also carries the despair of permanent petrification and slow death if the slightest mistake is made.

On this basis, the soul, body, and spirit need to be fine-tuned, which is the process of "spirit-body transformation".

Normally, this process is not very painful, but since it takes place under conditions of "damaged soul" and "alienated body", the inhuman torment will be felt more clearly and intensely.

If one can withstand this pain and skillfully master the power of transformation and balance of the three natures, one has basically stepped into the threshold of Sequence 3.

Logically speaking, this kind of knowledge should be unattainable for someone like Tia, who is a Sequence 7.

But as fate would have it...

Anne opened her eyes sleepily, and as she sat up, the cross hanging from her collar swayed. Looking up, she saw the dark-haired girl sitting in the chair, her eyes gleaming.

The eldest daughter of the Mercury family was clearly not very good at sleeping on the table; she didn't put anything on the table, so her cheeks were flushed and had five obvious marks.

"Ah! The ceremony is complete? How was the promotion?"

"I feel like I'm going to become a Sequence 3."

"Huh? Tia, weren't you advancing to Sequence 7?"

Chapter 201 *Splash*

Anne touched Tia's forehead with concern, then touched her own, her face full of worry.

How come he doesn't have a fever?!

Could it be that he failed his promotion and his soul was damaged, causing problems?!

Tia sensed something was wrong. "I'm not sick."

Annie took a deep breath, her face resolute as if she were making a vow in church, "It's okay! Even if you become an idiot, I'll still take care of you!"

Tia: "......."

Now even if you're not sick, you'll feel sick.

Tia briefly explained to Annie that there were no major problems with her promotion, and didn't say anything more.

She had been busy all night yesterday and had spent the entire morning in the study. The weather in Silver Castle had become quite humid since May, and even though the temperature wasn't hot, she felt sticky all over.

After briefly recording the Trinity ritual, Tia went to the bathroom, took off her clothes, and planned to take a shower.

As soon as she took off her coat, she saw Annie peek in and say to Tia, "I want to take a shower too."

"Then I'll hurry up."

"No, I mean, can we wash them together? That would be the fastest way, right? I can put my clothes in this bucket."

Annie paused for a moment, then said, "I've already learned how to do laundry!"

"Really?" Tia asked incredulously.

Anne was somewhat pleased with Tia's reaction and said happily, "It's very simple. Just make a phone call downstairs, and a housekeeper will come in the evening. Your clothes will be clean by tomorrow."

OK OK.

So that's how you learn it.

Tia didn't mind, turned to the side and took off all her clothes, tested the water temperature in the bathtub, and said, "Then come in and sit down."

.....................

On the other side, in Tia's bedroom.

The bathroom was on the first floor, quite a distance from Tia's bedroom, and the soundproofing at 16 Crown Street was excellent. Vera slept soundly the entire time, unaware of any outside noise.

Of course, Tia didn't hear Vera's repeated cries for help after she got up.

The sun was already high in the sky outside the window, while Vera huddled in the corner of the bed, looking at the tightly closed door, and sobbed a few times as if she wanted to cry.

Six hours!

Six whole hours!

She'd been waiting since 4 a.m. until now, almost noon, and all her cries for help went unanswered. The inside world seemed completely isolated from the outside!

The door was locked from the outside by someone, and it was the kind of door that required a key to open from both the inside and outside. No one came to open the door for her for a full six hours!

Vera felt as if the whole world had forgotten her.

Where is Tia? Where is Tia?

What on earth are you doing?!

.............................

.............................

Splash!

Water splashed up.

The enamel teapot tilted in mid-air, and a stream of reddish-brown tea poured from its spout.

Dressed in a white robe, with a simple and sincere smile, Jeremiah thoughtfully poured milk and light cream into the tea, stirred it with a teaspoon, and handed it to Ulrich, who had just woken up.

"Teacher, the tea is ready. I've already added sugar to the cream; would you like me to add more?"

Ulrich's eyes were very cloudy, but there was a faint trace of clarity.

This was a glimmer of his spirituality that he had long since returned from the illusory world of the other shore, thus allowing the old man, who had long since turned to stone, to briefly regain his senses.

Ulrich said, "No need. Jeremiah, I'm back."

"Yes, teacher, you're back again. It seems you've chosen the right person."

“I didn’t choose anyone, Jeremiah. Didn’t I die completely more than a decade ago?”

"You are not dead."

Ulrich immediately laughed and said, "You've even fooled yourself?"

Jeremiah was silent for a moment, then sighed and said, “Yes, teacher. It was in your name that I made the agreement with Peter. Because at that time I realized that even if you were still ‘alive,’ the Society would inevitably be divided. Perhaps I did make a mistake in the past, and I intend to make amends. I want to ask the Anzu people to help us to resume dialogue and communication and heal the division.”

"But I never expected that Rexar's prophecy would be correct. You have truly become a god beyond the other side through worship, to the point that you have interfered with reality, intervened in this matter, and even persuaded Peter to prepare a nightmare pointing to your sanctuary in the Royal Cathedral."

Ulrich said, "It was a twist of fate, wasn't it?"

“Jeremiah, in truth, I should have died long ago. My involvement was also to continue arranging that never-ending funeral. It's just that now it's not Chairman Ulrich who is being buried.”

"Please don't interfere with the rest, okay?"

"Of course, teacher."

"very good."

Jeremiah poured Ulrich some black tea and asked, "But I'd like to know what you're planning to do."

"You've gotten dumber," Ulrich said, taking a sip of his tea and chuckling as he looked out the window. "Is Iben still in town?"

"Mr. Musa left after giving away the Victory Sword some time ago. However, he left behind a hammer and chisel, saying that they could be left for Marn to use."

"What a pity."

"But that's enough. Give those things to Marne. Isn't he obsessed with getting to Sequence 4 through conflict and deception? Now his chance has come."

Jeremiah asked doubtfully, "This... the Black Prince can indeed reach Sequence 4 through deception. But I remember that this method requires instigating turmoil in one country to reach Sequence 4; it requires at least several countries and tens of millions of people. Are you saying that Marn has the ability to achieve this?"

"What exactly do you want him to do?"

Ulrich shook his head and chuckled, “Yes, Jeremiah. You’re right, the Black Prince is indeed a thankless and arduous path. But this time, Marn isn’t just going to defraud one or two countries.”

"So you mean...?"

Jeremiah became somewhat alert, just as Ulrich said:

"He is now trying to deceive an entire history. How well he does it will depend on his skill."

"Alright, my spiritual energy has dissipated, and my time to get some fresh air is almost over. Jeremiah, there is no such thing as an eternal and unchanging entity, and naturally there is no eternal and unchanging kingdom. Relax, change is not a bad thing."

Chapter 202 Return to the City of Fog Moon

After Tia completed her promotion ceremony, the people who reacted the most were not Anne, but Vera and Eleanor.

Vera was mainly angry. The story is quite simple—she was left in the bedroom by Tia and forgotten for six hours. Finally, she couldn't hold back her tears and replaced Tia's bed sheet with a long rope, intending to jump out the window to escape.

No. 16 Crown Street has only two floors, so the second floor is only about four meters high. If she jumped down, she would at most twist her ankle, not to mention that she had replaced it with a rope.

Actually, she didn't need to be in such a hurry. Tia was downstairs washing Annie's hair, and it would be over soon.

But Vera had to go to work—so she couldn't resist taking a different approach: while hanging in mid-air, she heard the sound of running water in the bathroom and two people saying things like, "Let me touch it," "It's so big and soft."

I lost my grip and fell, breaking my nose.

I missed the attendance check, so I got two shillings deducted from my pay, and I also fell and bled from my nose.

As for Eleanor, she's been acting strangely lately.

After Tia completed her promotion, she stayed in Silver Keep for a few days before receiving a message from Raven. The message said that Holly had been taken care of and asked her what the next steps were.

Holly's main achievement during her trip to the Empire was bringing back the blind monks of the Yarpa sect.

Seeing that the master had arrived at the right position, Tia projected her soul onto the doll and returned to the iris.

Eleanor's behavior has been becoming increasingly strange lately, as she sits in the Grand Hotel in Fogmoon City.

She has been staying in her bedroom for the past few days and hasn't come out.

The easel and paintbrushes have been left unused, and the paint in the palette has been dry for a long time without being replenished. Even the days when I would frequently call Tia to raise the shrine and chat for hours have become much quieter.

She would only come out to eat occasionally when a waiter sent by Ms. Bernice came to deliver her meals. After taking a bath in the evening, she would stay in her bedroom all day.

I have no idea what they're doing in there.

During the occasional remote communication via the shrine, Tia specifically asked Eleanor about it, but Eleanor wouldn't answer.

Actually, Tia was quite curious.

But she restrained herself and didn't ask any more questions.

Anyway, Ms. Bernice is upstairs, so nothing too serious is bound to happen.

Tia was preoccupied with the matter of the Alarpa monks and didn't pay much attention. She asked Eleanor about Holly's residence and then went to a detached apartment in the Cross Street of the Castle District.

The place was found for Holly by the priests at Eleanor's request, and the Ansu royal family paid for all the lodging and food expenses—including dog food—which relieved the big dog.

When it first arrived in this wretched place, it observed that even the cheapest food here was two or three times more expensive than in the slums!

The big dog was genuinely afraid that Holly wouldn't spend the money on dog food and would make it rummage through the trash...

..................

Inside the apartment, Tia knocked on the door and saw a thin, dark brown-haired girl come to open it for her.

Tia gave a brief explanation, and Holly roughly understood the situation.

In fact, Holly was one of the few people who knew the connection between "Furina" and "Tia Sulph" and even "the witch". After recognizing Tia, she immediately invited Tia into the house.

How should I address you?

"Since you're here, there's no need to be shy. You can call me by my real name. You can also call me Sulf or Funina."

Tia smiled and ruffled Holly's hair, which immediately made the little girl tremble.