NOVPUBChapter 789 -789: The Reviving Kiss
“Love and Sacrifice, quite the fine story. Although its plot is simple, it serves as a wonderful fairy tale for children,”
the Deity in a gray robe commented, as the bonfire in front of Him gradually returned to its original state, and in His hand, a thin book was taking shape, the story of the “Sleeping Princess.”
Shard stood up with the support of the ground and temporarily handed Mia, whom he was cradling, to Miss Orland, and he asked respectfully:
“Deity, this story hasn’t actually ended. True Love’s Kiss can save the princess in the story, but in reality, only a true sacrifice can awaken those who cannot be roused. May I temporarily borrow Your power? I would like to demonstrate, as the person who brought this tale to this world, the real power of this fairy tale.”
“This is your story, it is your power,”
The Sage in the gray robe handed the small book to Shard, and golden specks drifted toward Shard, granting him a Spirit sufficient to use the “Maze Lock” once.
At that moment, the fourth Spirit Rune of the Three Rings had just appeared, an almost tangible sensation, which made Shard feel as though he could nearly reach the edge of the “Maze Lock” Arcane Technique.
The Deity granted temporary power; as everyone watched Shard, he approached the ice coffin. He pushed the lid aside, and lifted the red-haired Witch.
Miss Samuel’s face flushed with excitement, the Deity nodded slightly, and Miss Orland quietly observed this moment.
“Is it out of compassion or for a reward?”
the Deity asked, and Shard, whose body surfaced a golden afterglow, gently shook his head, the glow illuminating Miss Fiona Drago’s face:
“I just want to help them.”
He thought again of Joey Barton:
“Everything has its price, and I am willing to sacrifice my own power to save others.”
Of course, he preferred to avoid doing this frequently, but now, he was willing to pay that price.
“A selfless sacrifice?”
the Deity laughed, and Shard hesitated a moment, then nodded:
“Yes, not for any reward, not even out of compassion, I just want to help them.”
“Ah, so this is what mortals call sacrifice…”
The Deity grasped his staff in his hand, and gently tapped it on the floor tiles. And with that sound, the sensation in Shard’s heart finally reached its climax.
The bonfire disappeared, the wind ceased, but around them, the surroundings gradually brightened.
Miss Samuel and Miss Orland looked around as the decayed tiles of the large hall were gradually covered by red carpets, and the ceiling, damaged from battle, extended higher, with crystal chandeliers slowly descending amid the sound of chains.
It was as if the stage had changed, and behind the curtains, a brand-new scene unfolded.
The scent of decay in the air was swept away, and as the light continued to strengthen, beneath their feet lay a giant royal palace hall, recreated based on the Gadis Library’s antechamber.
The hall’s ornate grandeur presented a stark contrast to the previous decay and dilapidation. Through the large floor-to-ceiling windows, a small town was laid out in a grid, shrouded in night, lit by Silvermoon’s radiance illuminating the snow-covered streets and shop windows, though without the Matchstick Girl. Further away lay the Sea of Trees, its central giant tree looking towards the royal palace’s high castle, but no one knew if the bonfire beneath that giant tree was still lit.
Shard and the ice coffin were placed at the deepest part of the royal palace hall, seven steps higher than where the witches were positioned. The walls alternated between Holy Silver and verdant tapestries, which should have borne the Royal Family’s emblems but now displayed symbols of the moon and trees.
And where the throne should have been, there lay that ice coffin.
Shard looked at Miss Fiona Drago’s face, knowing that his next action was quite impolite, but he had no other choice:
“I’m sorry.”
He kissed the Red Dragon Nobility’s descendant, the second headmistress of Saint Byrons.
The “Sleeping Princess” Maze Lock’s trait was officially activated at that moment. Shard felt himself losing something, but it seemed he also gained something.
A Four-Color Aura blossomed on Shard and transferred to the Red Dragon Witch.
[Outlander, Arcane Technique “Illusion of the Moon Shadow” is now unavailable.]
This was the sacrifice.
The loss of arcane technique effects left his soul feeling bewildered and empty, but as a reward, the Witch whom Shard had kissed fluttered her eyelashes, then opened her eyes.
Her wine-red eyes turned towards Shard, her face flushed, as if she suddenly understood something, and then a more passionate kiss, returned by her, wearing a white sleeve finely detailed with cutouts, embraced Shard.
It appeared the witches quite favored the perfume known as “Witch’s Scent,” but depending on individual tastes, each Witch adjusted the scent of their perfume subtly. Miss Fiona Drago’s perfume emitted a mix of mint and licorice scents.
One of the traits of the “Sleeping Princess” Maze Lock was to “awaken” women who were in a deep slumber, dying, or about to depart. Both the caster and the redeemed had to pay a price. The price paid by Shard was a permanent inactivation of an arcane technique, while the price paid by Miss Drago was not clear at the moment since her injuries were not serious, indicating that the cost might not have been severe.
After the kiss ended, the Spirit granted by the Deity to release the Maze Lock was completely spent. The grandeur of the hall faded, darkness surged back in, and they found themselves once again before the main entrance of the Gadis Library.
Miss Fiona Drago sat inside the ice coffin, illuminated by the spreading glow of the bonfire. She released Shard’s neck and, smiling shyly at him, climbed nimbly out of the ice coffin after hearing Miss Orland cough.
“Teacher~”
She walked towards her teacher by the bonfire, and as she passed by Shard, the tip of her tail brushed against the back of Shard’s hand. Although the tail looked dangerous, it was exceptionally soft…of course, it could not compare to Mia’s short tail.
Shard stood there, with the Ring of Fate slowly fading behind him. It was not just about making sacrifices; the Maze Lock was not merely the power of sacrifice. When he unfolded the Maze Lock again, he could summon Miss Fiona Drago’s shadow to assist in battle or allow him to use part of the “Princess’s” power within the Maze Lock.
That was only Miss Fiona Drago’s power at this time, the awakened “Princess,” the imprint left in the Maze Lock.
“Outlander, you have gained the Sorcery ‘Power of the Red Dragon.’ It greatly enhances your strength for a short period, but it will leave you temporarily weakened.”
“Outlander, you have gained insights into ‘strength’ and ‘dragon.”
“The echo of Space-Time shakes the sleeping power… The trait of the Maze Lock is to randomly lose part of the power, to bring back the departed ‘Princess,’ whose shadow remains inside the Maze Lock, and I can acquire some traits of the ‘Princess’… like the Revival Kiss and the power of summoned entities, it seems Lecia’s teachings still influence me,” he reflected.
Musing about the Red-Haired Princess and Blonde Writer, whom he hadn’t seen in over a month, he looked up at a deity smiling at the mortals:
“Why is there a reward?”
He originally thought the Maze Lock was only about sacrifice.
“You indeed volunteered to sacrifice, but this world is always fair. Although what you receive does not equal your contribution, at least goodwill is not without reward,” said the deity in a gray robe, taking a satisfied puff from his pipe as Shard walked back to the bonfire from the ice coffin.
Miss Samuel patted the cushion next to her, excitedly gesturing for Shard to sit down and talk; she was very interested in everything that had just happened. Miss Orland sat with her student, the former covered in a black cloak, her hands wrapped around her legs, showing off her brown knee-high laced boots, while the latter knelt slightly behind, winking secretly at Shard.
“A pretty good story, I am satisfied. So, your second wish too, I can fulfill now. This staff belongs to the descendant of the Longleaf Elf, and when needed, my followers will appear to assist you in building the library you dream of,” the deity said.
He placed the wooden staff horizontally in his hands, then passed it to Shard.
Shard didn’t even have to touch it to feel the dense Miracle Element on it. Even if this item wasn’t a Relic at this moment, it certainly qualified as a ‘Divine Artifact.’
He handed the staff to Miss Orland, who looked wistfully at Shard:
“So, are you leaving now?”
“Yes, in about five minutes,” Shard replied, nodding, then hesitating before adding,
“Actually, I came this time seeking help too. I am combating a formidable enemy and wish to learn more ways to use the Moonlight Greatsword.”
Mia finally found a chance to escape from Miss Orland and returned to Shard’s side, while Miss Drago curiously looked at the cat.
“Sadly, there’s not much time left, but no matter, you all can leave here safely. Don’t forget to send my regards to Miss Feliana,” Shard said with a smile, although he was actually very anxious about his upcoming final battle with Joey Barton.
“If you only wish to learn some techniques, I can help you,” the cheerful Old Sage said, still sitting cross-legged by the bonfire, seemingly in a good mood.
He gestured towards Miss Orland; some points of light floated from her forehead into Shard’s head. More ways to use the Moonlight Greatsword naturally appeared in Shard’s mind. Through the interpretation and identification of ‘another me,’ he easily converted them into skills he could immediately master.
It was the technique of using a physical sword to wield the ‘Moonlight Greatsword’ and to release ‘Moonlight Slash’ with it.
“Consider this a small gift; I am not a very stringent deity,” He said with a smile.
“Thank you,” Shard replied softly, nodding as he looked out the huge doorframe. The Crimson Snow was still ongoing, though it had lessened considerably since Shard had arrived.
“Time to leave, witches. Although the weather is still bad, now is the best opportunity,” the deity suggested.
“I…”
Shard started to say that he would depart with the three witches, as he still had some time, but the old man in the gray robe interjected:
“Stay here and have another chat with me? It’s rare to meet someone as interesting as you; we could talk about those stories.”
The departure was so abrupt, and although they had long known this separation would be long, when the deity proposed it, both Shard and the witches felt a profound sense of loss.
None of them moved. Shard pursed his lips, unsure of how to begin. Only the bonfire in front of them still joyously leapt about, and only the intermittent sound of the Old Sage drawing on his pipe could be heard.
