Miss Witch's Forbidden Book Secret

Chapter 319 Keep the good stuff within the family

Anne couldn't stand Tia touching her so much that her face turned bright red. She stopped changing the script and picked up a few books on the mystical arts of forging and hammering to read.

Ansu's writings on forging are noteworthy. The art of forging in Ansu was already very popular and had been integrated into urban culture, flourishing through popular novels and theatrical performances.

Many treatises on forging are not as obscure and difficult to understand as other esoteric texts, which use a lot of technical terms. Instead, they use eye-catching stories as metaphors.

The authors of these works summarized many advantages of doing so:

Firstly, it's more accessible and easier to understand; secondly, it can be sold directly as popular fiction and play scripts; thirdly, it not only sells for money but also allows for word count padding to earn royalties; fourthly, if readers want to study these books as occult subjects, they have to buy an additional annotation from the author; and fifthly, the annotation can further pad the word count...

If desired, further annotations could be added, and ultimately, the spread of mysticism could bring more fresh blood to the forging process.

They've won so many times they're numb.

Of course, most people buy it just to read as a story; after all, a month's salary is only a few gold pounds, and not everyone has the inclination to delve into obscure and profound mysticism. Just like when Tia was on Earth, not many people actually put in the effort to study quantum mechanics...

However, everyone has their own expertise, and Tia put a lot of effort into learning.

After obtaining the Book of the Black Sea, she reread the Book of the Hearth and gained many new insights, especially regarding the third chapter of the Book of the Hearth, which deals with refining the Philosopher's Stone.

The Book of the Hearth defines the Philosopher's Stone as: a tangible object that, through four stages of refinement using the first substance, can ultimately achieve a complete purification of the human soul and allow divine wisdom to begin to emerge from within within a certain period of time.

In layman's terms, it refers to substances that allow humans to reach Sequence 4 to Sequence 3 within a certain timeframe.

The solution provided by the Book of Hearthfire was indeed feasible, but the problem lay in the fact that the First Substance used in the Book of Hearthfire was too demanding. When Tia saw that the First Substance needed to be extracted from tons of pure, uncontaminated spiritual flesh and blood, and that even the extraction was not guaranteed to succeed, she almost gave up.

But this section is closer to explaining the principle: flesh and blood are the reality of the spirit, and in essence, they need the spirit.

By consulting the Book of the Black Sea again, Tia learned of four substitute substances: activated lead, star antimony, gold, and the alchemist's own body. The last one was very special; by using oneself as the primary substance, one could enter the path of "sublimation," also known as spiritual alchemy.

Tia suspected that the part about spiritual alchemy was the secret of the Book of Ascension, but she had never seen the Book of Ascension and could not be sure.

Of the remaining three, the technique for activating lead was too complicated and required a lot of time for underground burial; the extraction technique for star antimony was too complex for Tia to master; only gold, the purest precious metal, could be used directly, but the amount required was enormous.

Tia estimated that configuring a constant temperature furnace and smelting container, plus a large amount of stable spiritual metals and plant materials, and finally the gold needed, would cost 80,000 gold pounds if successful on the first try.

Displacement scholars are best suited for this task. They often need to be proficient in the properties of materials and have a keen eye for the transformation and displacement of different materials. This is precisely what is required for refining the Philosopher's Stone.

Simultaneously, the assistance of a Hammer Child is required to control the temperature and flame. With the cooperation of a Sequence 3 Displacement Scholar and a Hammer Child, the success rate of refining a Philosopher's Stone is approximately 20%, and the labor costs are incalculable.

If she invests without regard to the cost, Tia estimates that she might have a chance of refining the Philosopher's Stone.

However, this cost could probably bankrupt the entire Mercury family...

The Philosopher's Stone, a transcendent item that briefly grants access to Sequence 3 and Sequence 4, is so expensive; no wonder Marn resorts to all sorts of swindling and deception to achieve instant success.

Half a month passed, and by late August, Eleanor and Vera had worked together to carve a rough shape out of the oak wood that Tia had prepared, roughly resembling a human form.

However, Eleanor is now preparing for a ritual to remove the curse, so Tia can't get Eleanor for free, and the project has to be put on hold.

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

The side nave of the Basilica of Our Lady.

Tia stepped across the threshold in her leather boots, which made a crisp clattering sound on the tiled floor. As soon as she opened the door, she saw the two old bishops chatting under the icon.

The morning sunlight was just right, casting a colorful glow through the glass windows onto the sculpture of the Virgin Mary holding the infant. The two bishops, one on each side, discussed the matters concerning the ceremony to protect Eleanor's soul.

Tia hadn't thought much of Bishop Marshall before, but now, compared to Pope Peter, she felt that the old man was rather thin. Although he was quite kind, his eyes were always slightly closed, as if he were about to fall asleep at any moment, unlike Peter, who was vigorous in his old age.

Seeing Tia arrive, Peter waved and said, "Don't be shy, little Sulph, come and sit down."

Tia moved a chair over and sat down obediently.

Peter asked, "How is Eleanor doing now?"

Tia said, "She seems to be in good condition. I did another soul check on Eleanor yesterday, and there were no problems. Those prophets have quieted down quite a bit, but I still suggest we remain on guard."

"Hmm... We can leave the prophet's matter to Ms. Bernice and Roman. Now that the Avalon system's ritual reconstruction is complete, we'll be venturing into the deep sea to search for Eleanor's soul. I'll need your help then."

"Eleanor's curse lies in her nightmares, which are connected to the Silver Door in the deep sea. They are almost one with each other, like a mother and her baby connected by an umbilical cord in the womb. Through the passage, the baby steals nutrients from the mother."

Tia knew this, and it was also what Silver Keep was most worried about. Once Eleanor—or the later generations of the cursed ones—absorbed enough power from Silver Door, they could break free and truly become gods in the deep sea.

Therefore, Peter explained to Tia, "My job is to protect Eleanor and your soul, and to remove the influence from the Silver Door. I will lose my eyesight in the process, so I will need your assistance in many tasks."

Tia was a little surprised, "Eh, the price is so serious?"

"It's not serious. I will regain my sight in seven days."

　"I understand. You need me?"

"You need to enter Eleanor's soul, then block the passage and sever the link—the whole process isn't complicated; you just need to set up the ritual in the nightmare."

Tia was greatly shocked and said, "I need to do this too?"

Such an important job, and she still has work to do!

Tia misunderstood that.

Peter didn't really want Tia to go either. Firstly, it was risky and could be influenced by Silver Door. Secondly, the act of plugging the loophole, severing the connection, and finally retrieving the soul was similar to "midwifery," which would greatly lead to Eleanor's subconscious dependence on Tia.

Last but not least, it's almost September.

Tia is about to go to Silver Castle to receive the Queen's medals, and if something goes wrong in her nightmare, the royal family will lose face.

So Queen Elizabeth and Albert originally wanted the Silver Castle royal family to do it, but unfortunately, it didn't work out.

The fault lies with Jeremiah.

As an alchemist, Jeremiah's "nail ritual" to block the passage involved a great deal of alchemical techniques and spiritual alchemy. How could the Morn royal family possibly know this?

Not to mention the royal family, there are very few alchemists in the entire Anti-Corruption Bureau!

Should we ask an alchemist from the Alchemy Society to do it?

After much deliberation, it turned out that it was better to let Tia do it.

Chapter 320 Eleanor's Delivery

Marshall explained the entire ceremony to Tia in detail.

The ceremony was scheduled for the evening of August 27th, which is tonight, the new moon. The overall process is not complicated, consisting of only three steps: finding Eleanor's soul, retrieving the soul, and finally severing the connection between Eleanor and Silverdoor to plug the loophole.

Eleanor's soul was split in two. One part remained in the Forest Sanctuary, representing the human aspect of Eleanor; the other part fell into the sanctuary of Silver Door, the "God of the Hole," 170,000 meters below the surface of the ocean.

The first step of the anti-suppression operation has been completed. Ms. Bernice has been controlling Avalon to search the deep sea for more than half a month and has found the location of Silver Door.

After that, it will require the help of Pope Peter and the Church to retrieve Eleanor's soul. The Church is an expert in this field, and Tia's task is simply to wait for them to retrieve the soul and then sever Eleanor's connection with Silver Door so that she can be reborn.

This step is the easiest, but also the most crucial. Otherwise, if the connection with Silver Door is maintained, like a child's attachment to its mother, Eleanor's humanity will still be drawn to Silver Door, the curse will continue to strengthen, the Sanctuary will gradually solidify, and the royal family's efforts will be in vain.

That's why the church and the anti-suppression bureau specifically chose this day, as the spirituality is most stable on the day of the new moon, which can avoid Eleanor's human fluctuations and suppress the group of prophets who have long shown their treacherous intentions.

That evening, several bishops arrived at the Mercury estate to help Elinor mitigate the influence of the Silver Door.

After Eleanor's soul plunged into the deep sea at night, the bishops inscribed rituals, warded off evil spirits, lit holy candles and incense, and placed sacred objects and essential oils in Eleanor's room.

To avoid any interference from unauthorized personnel during the ceremony, all the rooms surrounding Eleanor's bedroom were emptied.

Even Anne is moving out—though she's quite happy about it.

Since Tia is participating in the ceremony here, Anne can move to her bedroom and enjoy Tia's exclusive fragrant bed.

In Eleanor's bedroom.

Tia carried the sleeping Eleanor to the bed and looked at a crowned bishop, saying, "Bishop Famas, can the ritual array be activated now? I don't think Pope Peter has arrived yet."

Famas said, "The ritual for the Silver Door is ready; that's something we're good at. Pope Peter is also prepared; he's at the Basilica of Our Lady. The basilica can provide some enhancement to the ritual. But the materials for the nail ritual are still with the Anti-Suppression Bureau and are being sent over. Director Sulph, please be patient."

The young bishop was slightly surprised to see Tia there; he hadn't expected Tia and Princess Eleanor to be so close!

Not only does she have a good relationship with Her Highness the Princess, but she also has a good relationship with Pope Peter. The fact that she was chosen to perform the nail ceremony shows that this Director, who is an alchemist, has the deep trust of the Pope and the royal family.

Tia asked in confusion, "Materials?"

Tia didn't understand. What material? What would be used to plug the leak?

The purpose of the nail ritual is to plug the leaks in the deep sea, so naturally, materials from the deep sea are used, not materials from the material world. Peter had previously told her that he would do his best to destroy and cut through the sanctuary of the Silver Doors, and then use these sanctuary fragments as nails to drive into Eleanor's leaks.

The idea is somewhat similar to some transplant surgeries. Eleanor and Silver Door are from the same source, which can also avoid immune rejection.

However, absolutely no physical materials are needed.

No sooner had she finished speaking than two crowned bishops entered from outside, carrying a gilded silver box, which they solemnly presented to Tia. They pressed the latch to open it, and on the velvet cloth lay a palm-sized, glittering silver-white crystal.

The two bishops explained:

"This is star antimony prepared by the Anti-Suppression Bureau. The nail ritual will place a great burden on the soul during its duration, almost equivalent to filling the hole with one's own soul. President Jeremiah's own soul is strong, so there is no need to worry about this."

"However, you must be careful when setting up the ritual. If your soul weakens, use the ritual to call for help immediately. Do not try to hold on. We will use Star Antimony to sustain your life."

“Understood. Please thank the Pope and the Madam for me afterwards.” Tia looked at Famas. “Can the ceremony begin now?”

Famas nodded slightly and recited the first prayer.

Four crowned bishops stood at the four corners, and milky-white holy light emanated from the tips of their scepters, transforming into four pillars of light that pierced through the load-bearing walls, passed through the ceiling, and shot straight into the sky.

The sky, which was covered with dark clouds, was instantly illuminated. The gathering clouds slowly dispersed, and within the cage formed by the four pillars of light, Tia vaguely saw a six-winged angel descending and landing in the bedroom. The angel bent down and gently stroked Eleanor's forehead.

This was also the first time Tia had ever seen a proper angel from the church. Although it was a bit rude, she was stunned at first sight; they looked exactly like spiritual beings...

It was more human-like than any spirit she had ever seen, and it even nodded at her!

How thoughtful!

Tia felt like she'd seen a puppy that could shake hands, roll around, do a somersault, and wasn't possessive of its food—she loved it no matter how she looked at it. It's just that this spirit didn't seem to be able to speak human language...

The angel, unable to bear the stares any longer, awkwardly rose, sword in hand, and stood guard behind the bed, scanning the surroundings. Famas immediately proclaimed, "The ritual is complete! Prepare to leave. Perform the purification ritual to dispel the evil and cleanse the pollution of the deep sea!"

The four crowned bishops raised their hands almost simultaneously, and holy dust of light poured into the entire room, making it bright and radiant everywhere.

Hermes Dust Seal. A Seal 7 modified from the classic Druidic ritual Hermes Dust. When the dust is sprinkled, it greatly stabilizes the boundary between the deep sea and reality, calms the water level in the surrounding real space, reduces the influence of the deep sea on reality, and suppresses the effects of rituals outside the Grail.

However, its main purpose here is the third point: to stabilize the water level and reduce the impact, that is, to mitigate pollution and prevent the presence of something in the deep sea that could affect Eleanor.

The boundary between the real material world and the deep sea is more like hills and mountains than a flat surface, and is often higher or lower than the standard sea level. This makes it easy for the deep sea to seep into the material world and cause imperceptible pollution.

Furthermore, the very beings whose souls are deeply imbued with transcendent elements and intimately connected with the deep sea are themselves sources of contamination. The ideal model for the Holy Grail is a pure and holy world; the less contamination, the more it aligns with the ultimate pursuit of the Holy Grail, and the more effectively the Grail rituals can be performed.

Normal ceremonies don't require such grandeur, but this ceremony involved a princess, so the bishop had to take it seriously.

Famas warned, “The Pope has fallen into the deep sea! Director Sulph! Prepare for a deep dive; we will help you resist the pollution of the deep sea. To avoid our spirituality, which has been immersed in the deep sea, causing pollution here, we will all withdraw later. If you experience any abnormalities, contact us immediately through the ritual.”

Without hesitation, Tia found a comfortable spot, took the potent sedative and the improved Siren's Song that the bishops had prepared for her, lay down on the bed, and began her deep dive.

As she drifted into the deep sea, all that remained was the sound of the bishops orderly evacuating and closing the door.

It immediately sank into the water.

Chapter 321 Eleanor's Little Key

This time, Tia didn't use the temple's traction for the deep dive. She adapted to the water depth and pressure on her own, which slowed her down considerably. When she got to the vicinity of Eleanor's Nightmare, she felt a sensation similar to stomach cramps.

This is where the water pressure kicks in, forcibly stuffing knowledge into Tia's head that doesn't belong to her, but Tia's soul doesn't accept it. It's like when Vera comes to find Tia in the middle of the night, and Tia reaches out her little hand to hug her and says, "I just want to rub against you," but Vera, though lustful, doesn't have the guts to run away and ends up falling off the bed and hitting her head.

Once one receives the gifts of the deep sea, the physical body may become a spiritual entity. This is also why infants who have not fully awakened their self-awareness can be transformed into spirits.

Tia shook her head, the pain cleared by the Path of Suffering, and continued to descend toward the coordinates of Eleanor's Nightmare. Soon she reached 28000 meters, and the boundless, endless rift of the Nightmare appeared before her eyes.

At the same time, several figures appeared, all fused together in a ball of light. Only four-winged angels could be seen, each holding a knight's longsword and with two pointed wings on each side of the ball of light, resembling fluffy balls of holy light.

And Pope Peter, who had just emerged from a nightmare.

Sensing Tia's arrival, the old pope, holding the ruby-encrusted scepter of Saint-Simon, lightly touched it, and a wisp of silvery-white fragment flew into Tia's hand.

Tia pinched it; it was like a ring, but bumpy and incomplete, with a piece missing at the top, like a finger ring. However, there was a thin, almost transparent layer of silver foil in the middle, making it difficult to identify.

Peter closed his eyes and said wearily, “You’ve come at just the right time. This is a corner of the Silver Door. A part of Eleanor’s soul has been completely corrupted by the Silver Door and merged with its main body, which is what Silver Castle calls divinity. I’ve cut it off and purified it; it can be used as a nail.”

Tia wanted to clap and cheer—so you didn't just go to kidnap people, you blew up the whole bandit mountain!

She asked with concern, "Can we use nails for this? Won't it affect Eleanor?"

Peter said helplessly, "It won't have much of an impact on her health. But it will have some effect on her soul, because her divinity has been filled into her soul and is permanently fixed. Eleanor's curse of glassy radiance will probably be difficult to remove. But it won't be passed down in her bloodline or form a connection with Silver Door."

"But there's nothing I can do—I originally intended to dismantle Silver Door's sanctuary, but I never imagined that after all these years, Silver Door's sanctuary would be devoured and stolen by the Twin Serpents..."

The old pope was also distressed. He hadn't initially planned to fight Silvergate, but he never expected that when he traced back to Silvergate, even the enormous deep-sea gate couldn't protect his own sanctuary...

He was also completely baffled—when did the twin serpents get to such a deep place? This giant serpent was not weak, so why did it sink to such a depth?