On the cup, a giant serpent was carved with lifelike detail. From the texture of its scales to the golden vertical pupils within its pitch-black eyes, it looked like a creation that did not belong to the mortal world.
Li Yue was well aware of the curse this object carried. Although she no longer cared about such a trivial curse, she now preferred to call it something else.
A Boon.
“This was part of a collection belonging to a wealthy man in Parvati,” Fen'ao said with a smile. “Most of his collection was junk, but there were a few valuable pieces.”
“Do you know anything about this, miss?”
“Jormungandr's favorite wine cup. It preserves the freshness of liquids, but it also carries a Boon.” Li Yue rested her head on her hand and took a bite of fish. She had intended to use her tongue to pick out the bone, but her teeth crushed it instantly, so she simply swallowed it.
“Any creature granted a drink from this cup will be assimilated into a blood demon if they lack magic resistance.”
“Miss, your magic shouldn't be affected by it.” Fen'ao placed the cup back into the case and handed it to Li Yue. “Please, take it. Consider it a gift.”
Li Yue hesitated for a few moments. Sensing that her refusal might cause him to harbor some resentment, she accepted it graciously. At that moment, she noticed Fen'ao's students secretly breathe a sigh of relief, while Fen'ao's expression remained unchanged.
“The Reformists of the Royal Court nowadays prefer golden chalices. I didn't expect your taste to be so traditional, miss. It's quite a surprise.”
Li Yue took out the cup. It didn't look like a goblet but rather a regular cup with a snake coiled around it. It felt comfortable in her hand, the fine scales providing a unique texture—delicate yet offering a firm grip.
A waiter took away her previous glass and poured wine into the new cup, then poured the rest into a decanter, gently swirling it.
“Ha, now Miss Li Yue won't need to let her wine breathe,” Fen'ao joked. “Though the style of this cup is more suited for beer, this wine from the Murphy Winery, vintage 20, has a distinct flavor no matter how you taste it.”
“It seems Professor Fen'ao is quite the gourmet,” the captain said, stroking his beard as he placed a piece of fish on his plate.
“I've simply done some research on biology and food,” Fen'ao said nonchalantly. “You are the one to be impressed, Captain. Even at the Academy, I've never seen live hairtail served in any restaurant.”
Li Yue glanced at the live hairtail in the nearby tank. They were floating vertically, looking upward. They were indeed alive. It was only then that Li Yue realized the captain seemed to be a Magician as well.
He's too weak. I didn't even notice before, and his mana fluctuations have no distinct character.
If he were like Mr. Roland, his mana would fluctuate rhythmically according to a certain melody, rather than dissipating randomly in all directions.
The grilled fish emitted a mouth-watering aroma as plates of fatty fillets were served. The scent of complex spices wafted toward her from the glistening meat.
Li Yue felt she was more accustomed to chili powder and cumin. She cut a piece of fish and took a small sip of the fine wine from her cup.
Strangely, she found herself liking this cup. Whether it was the design or something else, she felt as if the cup had also acknowledged her.
Now I remember, this cup is also an artifact that can assist in controlling blood. I wonder if it can be used within the Death Abyss.
While the boost wouldn't be massive, bringing it out on certain occasions would certainly help her look the part. It had a bit of a dark aesthetic, which matched her own style quite well.
It just doesn't look very suitable for drinking red wine.
Well, whatever. The cup is fine as it is.
The subsequent courses were served more quickly: fish skin marinated in pickled chili water to cleanse the palate, braised fish belly, fried cod, and strawberry pudding.
It was a decent dinner. Li Yue felt satisfied, especially since she had recovered an artifact she had left behind in Parvati. For now, this item was only truly safe in her hands.
...
In a private room, Fen'ao finished setting up a barrier spell and returned to the table to speak with his disciples. His drunken demeanor vanished instantly.
“That lady is a vassal of Death,” Fen'ao sighed. “I suspect she belongs to the New Royal Court.”
“The New Royal Court?”
“A mysterious group. Their methods differ from the Royal Court, but they are also collecting God's remains.”
“Ah. Then her goal isn't the same as ours. The eyes of Death are located at...”
The student was silenced by a swift slap that sent him tumbling to the floor. Seeing stars, he stood up and realized he had blurted out something he shouldn't have.
“Only we know what is stored there... She definitely doesn't know. She's likely just meeting up with her companions at sea.”
“Are you saying there are people from the New Royal Court in the Academy as well?”
“That is not our concern! Our only goal is to revive our god!”
...
In the dim room, Li Yue leaned back on her bed. The room was small; the captain had offered to move her to a luxury suite, but she had refused. Being alone, she didn't need a large, extravagant room.
The ring on her finger flashed. She had noticed it earlier, around the same time Fen'ao had noticed her ring. It didn't seem to matter; if he knew his business, it might actually lend credibility to her claim that she was heading south.
She took out a letter and sat by the bed to read it. The candlelight was bright. She had drunk quite a bit, but she had neutralized the effects of the alcohol.
Dear Miss Li Yue,
I received your flowers. They are indeed different from the flowers here in the south. I have prepared a surprise for you, which will be delivered to your hands shortly. (A smiley face was drawn after this sentence.)
A Great Mage serves as a dean of a department at the Academy. I did some digging for you. All six current deans are accounted for. The only one who might appear using the Academy's identity is Professor Fen'ao, who was expelled. He was originally the Dean of the Life Science Academy but was removed for conducting unethical experiments. He continued his research regardless and was eventually charged with blasphemy.
He currently only holds the title of professor on the surface, but he has actually been exiled from the Academy.
If you encounter him, remember to be careful. His eyes are said to be one of the fruits of his experiments. In his flight, he stole an important item from the Academy. The Director of the Inspectorate is personally leading a team to hunt him down.
He seems to have a mad plan, so be careful.
Waiting for you, Clo.
Li Yue committed the contents of the letter to memory. She tucked the letter away, took a hot bath, changed her clothes, and enveloped herself in the Death Abyss to enter a state of meditation.
She would only wake if there was a threat of death or a massive output of magic.
In the middle of the night, she was startled awake amidst the flaming wreckage of a ship.
Rate on N.U.
