Spell Model

Chapter 21 Spell Model

"Officer Dina."

Karl remained unfazed:

"You're an adult. When you do something wrong, you have to pay the price. You don't understand that, do you?"

"Did I do wrong?" Dina raised her wine glass, her eyes hazy:

"Was what I did wrong?"

"Investigating the Mummy Case, eradicating the Fire Thief. Everything I did was in accordance with the Knight's code and the Kingdom's laws."

As a Knight, she should protect the weak; as Patrol Chief, she should uphold justice. She didn't feel she had done anything wrong.

Was it right to just ignore everything?

"Right and wrong depend on your perspective."

Karl shrugged:

"Maybe you don't think you were wrong, but the people who died because of you, their families don't see it that way."

"And you didn't just investigate the case because of the Knight's code, did you?"

"Heh..." Dina shook her head and gave a wry smile. She tilted her head back and downed the wine, then looked at Karl with drunken, unfocused eyes:

"You... you're different now."

The old Karl was boisterous, his personality as rough as his voice. Now, he had become refined, even his speech was orderly.

"People change."

Karl's expression was calm:

"There's nothing strange about it."

"That's true!" Dina nodded. "Cheers."

The two clinked their glasses and drank them down.

"Hic..."

The alcohol took hold, and a flush spread across Dina's face. Her eyes became a little vacant, and she giggled foolishly at the wine.

Her alcohol tolerance seemed quite low.

"You're right."

After another hiccup, Dina grinned:

"I had my own reasons for investigating the case, not just the Knight's code. Do you know about Life Potions?"

"Life Potions?" Karl raised an eyebrow:

"Potions that help Knight Squires advance to Knight?"

As a Knight Squire himself, he certainly knew about Life Potions. There were also Life Fruits, similar items.

They were all "treasures" that could increase the chance of promotion.

"Yes," Dina nodded. "I'm the Patrol Chief. If I achieve merit, I can apply to the City Lord to purchase a Life Potion."

"Hmm..." Karl was a little confused:

"You're Viscount Sassoon's eldest daughter. With the Jaeger Family's influence, can't you get a Life Potion?"

"I received one once," Dina looked up. "But I was young and ignorant then, and someone tricked me out of it. Given how rare Life Potions are, even as the eldest daughter, I wouldn't get a second one."

Tricked out of it?

Karl shook his head speechlessly.

Although her words were vague, it was highly likely an internal family matter. Such things were not uncommon.

No wonder Dina had been so proactive since taking office. It turned out she was aiming for promotion to Knight.

"I'm not getting any younger,"

Dina murmured. "If I can't become a Knight within a few years, I'll have to marry some unknown man."

"I'm not reconciled to that..."

"Every family has its own troubles," Karl said, taking another drink with her. He encouraged her:

"I wish you success."

"Then can you withdraw your complaint?"

"No."

"..." Dina lowered her head, drinking in silence. When she was quite tipsy, she tossed a heavy bag in front of Karl.

"Thud!"

"Clink, clatter..."

The sound of coins colliding came from the bag, drawing the attention of a few people drinking nearby. However, after seeing the uniform on Karl, they looked away.

"What?"

Karl spoke:

"Trying to bribe me?"

"No." Dina shook her head, muttering, "Help me give this to Ham's family."

"Ham?" Karl understood, "Why don't you go yourself?"

"I'm too scared." Dina sighed, "Ham has an elderly mother at home, and a deaf-mute older sister who was kicked out by her husband after getting married."

"I don't dare to see them. Please go for me."

"..." Karl was silent for a moment, then slowly nodded, "Alright."

"Oh, right. What's the situation with the Mummy Case now?"

"The Church took over. Night Watchmen are in charge." Dina clearly didn't want to talk about it, "I don't know the specifics."

"Let's go!" Karl stood up, "You're drunk too."

*

*

*

"Try some."

Jenny was enthusiastic, "I learned to make it myself."

"Oh!"

Karl looked at the food on the table and couldn't help but nod in admiration, "Not bad."

Almond milk, white bread, roasted meat, and cold mixed vegetables. The fresh bread had a fragrant aroma, and the roasted meat and vegetables were vibrant and appetizing.

Putting aside the taste, the presentation was excellent.

"I learned this at the banquet." Jenny blushed shyly, "How does it taste?"

"Hmm." Karl nodded, cut a small piece of roasted meat, and put it in his mouth. After chewing, he nodded with satisfaction, "Very good."

"Jenny, even if you don't become a singer, if you switch to the food industry, I believe you'll become successful very quickly."

"Really?" Jenny smiled brightly, "As long as it tastes good, you should eat more."

"I already ate on the way here." Karl waved his hand, "You guys eat, don't mind me."

Saying that, he picked up his milk and walked towards his room.

"Stop looking."

After Karl closed the door, Mrs. Mary shook her head at her daughter, who was looking reluctant, "He's clearly not interested in you."

"But..." Jenny pursed her lips, "I still have a chance, don't I?"

"You've been accepted into the singing troupe now. You should focus your energy on your career, not on trying to please men." As someone who had been through it, Mrs. Mary advised her daughter, "Being too dependent on men will only make you lose yourself."

"Got it," Jenny said impatiently.

"I've been practicing my singing diligently, and the seniors in the troupe have already promised to let me perform soon."

"Really?" Mrs. Mary exclaimed in surprise.

"That's wonderful! If you can perform on stage, you'll get paid, and things will be a bit easier."

"Mhm," Jenny rested her chin on her hand, her eyes thoughtful. "If I go on stage to sing, do you think I could invite Baron Karl to watch? Would he agree?"

... Mrs. Mary stared speechlessly at her daughter, who was gazing dreamily, and then got up to clear the dishes.

In the room.

Karl tried to practice the Meditation Method again.

Without the boost from his Divine Domain's power, his consciousness was immediately tossed about by a wave as soon as it entered his Mental Sea.

The more unstable his mind became and the more distracting thoughts arose, the bigger the waves grew.

"No thought, no feeling, no imagination. Steadfastly guard the True Heart, let stray thoughts rise and fall, while I remain unshaken. Easier said than done, it's harder than climbing to heaven."

Fortunately, thanks to his experience within the Divine Domain, Karl had gradually grasped the pattern, preventing him from being immediately expelled upon entry.

A moment later.

"Hoo..."

"Still no good!"

Karl shook his head in frustration, his face weary. He was already accustomed to failure. After composing himself, he entered his Divine Domain, a book in his arms.

"Lesser Force Field."

He opened the book and stopped at the page for constructing Spell Models. With a blank expression, Karl attempted to practice.

Here, he had already mastered the Meditation Method, and his Mental Power had been refined. Theoretically, he should be able to construct a Spell Model.

However, as his teacher Adolf had said, the Lesser Force Field was one of the more difficult Zero-ring Witchcraft spells.

Not only was the Spell Model complex, but it also required more Mental Power than typical Zero-ring Witchcraft.

And his Mental Power was limited by his physical body in reality; it wouldn't increase just because he was in his Divine Domain.

Whether he could succeed was still uncertain.

"Arcane, force field..."

Within the Divine Domain, Karl was like a monk performing rituals in a snail shell, using incredible control to manipulate his weak Mental Power to construct the Spell Model.

His Mental Power transformed into lines, sketching in his Sea of Consciousness, from simple to complex.

Until...

It formed a whole.