Chapter 449: D165.?
The night was deep, and in the wee hours when the moon hung high, the Black Feathered Land Bird did not slow down despite the descent of nightfall, pulling the carriage and speeding along until soon, the Hero and the Gleaming Scale Serpent saw the Border City, which was still enveloped by the hazy glow of lights, even in the depth of night.
The moonlight cast a particularly serene glow on the streets of the Border City. Although Chocobos and bird carriages were generally not allowed to dash through the streets at night to avoid disturbing the peace, the unique pitch-black feathers of the military Chocobo served as the most powerful pass in the eyes of patrolling Guards, despite not being conspicuous in the dark.
After passing the gate inspection, the Black Feathered Land Bird confidently tread its familiar path, swiftly returning the Hero to the Count Mansion.
She didn’t intend to disturb her relatives and friends, who should have already been asleep, but it seemed the Count had already given orders, as shortly after a night-shift Maid took the Hero’s luggage, the entire Count Mansion lit up.
“It’s good to see you back safely. How went the forging?” The Count, hastily arriving in his pajamas, spoke with a curious tone and a probing look in his eyes, instantly noticing the absence of the Wind Moon Night Necklace around the Hero’s slender and clean neck.
The process of Ancient Method Forging entered into the prefabricated blocks, then handed over to the Hero as an outsider to collect the materials, was also an experimental combination of ancient and modern techniques for them.
Had it not been the dead of night with the Old Factory Manager yet to receive the news, it’s estimated that he too would have rushed over to see the results without rest.
Hurried footsteps sounded through the corridor, as others gradually arrived, while the Maid Supervisor, also neatly dressed in her maid attire despite the late hour, had already prepared a corresponding number of invigorating hot drinks for everyone.
Although feeling somewhat embarrassed for having woken everyone up, the Hero still nodded and smiled.
“Hmm, I think the results turned out quite well—” She started recounting the past two days’ experiences to those gathered.
The Fourteenth Princess, who had begun with a sleepy yawn, perked up as she listened to the Hero’s story, her gaze curiously falling upon the delicate Double Ring on the Hero’s ankles.
“Magical Armor, huh… although the Royal Family has quite a few in its collection, this is my first time seeing an actual piece. Hero, if you don’t mind, could you give us a demonstration?”
“Of course, no problem!” The Hero, having already confirmed the Armor’s style, did not hesitate; as her internal Magic Power circulated, Runes on the ankle ring began to twinkle faintly and then bloomed—
[Extreme Failure Penalty: Transparency increase to (a maximum of 70, equivalent to only concealing essential parts)]
D70=d70(34)=34
“Eh…?” The Hero looked down at the Crystal Armor that now covered her body, her eyes filled with confusion.
Under the semi-Transparent Crystal, her pale skin was nearly visible, the delicate and beautiful curves of the girl faintly discernible yet cleverly obscured by the Crystal’s reflections, appearing not quite tangible as if veiled by a thin gauze, yet irresistibly enchanting.
A small question mark involuntarily popped into the Hero’s mind.
—Wasn’t it a different color before?
“Wow, it’s a bit bold, but it suits you really well, Hero.” Despite the hazy details, the Hero’s graceful lines clearly caught the eye of the Fourteenth Princess, showing a look of approval.
“Hmm, it’s still acceptable,” the Grandfather said while knitting his brows, but he reluctantly nodded.
“You’ve reached the age where you might want to dress beautifully and boldly, and I can understand that… however, remember to maintain your dignity.”
The stern look of the elder seemed extra serious, leaving the Hero at a loss for words and hurriedly nodding in agreement.
The Count, thoughtful, didn’t speak out but after a brief pondering, perceived that the Equipment’s Status might be somewhat different from what the Hero initially saw.
However, further explanation from the Hero wasn’t needed as his gaze turned to the Wind Moon Night constrained by the Crystal.
“Although the Collar has been successfully removed, it seems it has also reciprocally influenced the Armor, right?”
After all, the Armor was only of Treasure-level, to suppress an even higher tier of the Legendary Inherited Equipment was already quite remarkable; it’s unlikely to completely suppress the Collar’s influence.
Watching everyone’s reactions, although the Hero herself was very puzzled, her cheeks merely flushed a bit red, and she did not steam up with embarrassment.
Seeing this, the Count also breathed a slight sigh of relief.
“It seems the impact is still within an acceptable range.”
At least, when the Old Factory Manager sees the Armor tomorrow, he shouldn’t feel that his reputation is ruined… right?
Half-pushed, half-willing to accept the bold change in the Armor, everyone else also returned to their rooms to sleep.
It was already late, and the rest of the content could wait until tomorrow, the late-night tea meeting thus came to an end.
The next day, at the breakfast table in the morning, the warm sun shone through the curtains with a soft glow, and the aroma of a delicate breakfast wafted through the air—the Hero, refreshed after a good night’s sleep, continued recounting her recent experiences on the Highland.
Her narration was vivid and detailed, speaking of long-forgotten ancient secrets. Even if it had been a brief journey, it was mesmerizing enough to capture anyone’s attention.
Not to mention the scholars of history and folklore, both the Fourteenth Princess and the Count listened with intense Concentration.
After the Hero finished recounting her experiences on the Highland, the Maid came to collect the tableware, and the Fourteenth Princess took up the conversation, gradually steering the discussion in another direction.
“The route to the Capital?” The Count nodded lightly, sipped tea, and slowly said, “Indeed, the Central Capital still hasn’t resolved the issue of the Magic Cloud Undercurrent, making air routes difficult to traverse. Considering possible delays along the way, it is time to plan the route, and be prepared to set out.”