In the early morning, Valeera woke up from her sleep. The spiritual energy consumed during the night had been well restored.
She got up and entered the secret room to explore the effects of the ritual.
This was something she should have done last night but failed to do.
Valila carefully observed the portrait clipped on the easel, and soon discovered that there were slight changes in the image and expression of Panatia in the picture.
This gave her originally natural and leisurely demeanor a slightly disharmonious feeling.
It seems that the ritual does have some effect... Valeera made a judgment based on this.
The fate guided by the "Art of Innuendo" ritual will appear in advance in the form of a preview on the portrait that is the cornerstone of the ritual.
Since signs have begun to appear in the portrait, it naturally means that the ritual is effective.
After confirming the result, Valeela took down Panadia's portrait from the easel and put it aside. After hesitating for a moment, she took one of the paintings next to it.
She stopped there for a while, then took a deep breath, moved her heavy steps, returned to the easel, and placed the portrait in her hand on it.
This is Qili's portrait.
Valeera looked at it intently, flicking the face of the person in the painting with her fingers, her eyes gradually losing focus. After a long time, she came back to her senses, sighed, turned around and walked out of the secret room——
Soon it would be time for her to get up.
…
breakfast time.
Valeera had just finished eating the last dessert when Liya placed a newspaper in front of her and said in a somewhat urgent tone:
"Miss, look at today's news, there's something big going on!"
"Um."
Valeela nodded, took a sip of honey-flavored coffee, and then calmly turned her attention to the newspaper.
Sure enough, as she expected, the so-called big event was the "assassination of Duke Negan".
"The noble Duke Negan was assassinated yesterday, and the terrorist organization "Aurora" claimed responsibility. "——
This shocking front-page news was like a bolt from the blue, suddenly breaking the long-lasting calm atmosphere in Backlund during the winter.
After quickly scanning the entire report, Valeera couldn't help but sigh in her heart:
It is truly a "blame gathering". Big or small scapegoats, no matter what the truth is, no matter active or passive, they can always take the blame and easily accomplish things that others cannot do.
This incident was clearly instigated by the "Twilight Hermits" in order to promote the so-called "trend of the times". The person responsible for this incident was a Sequence 5 "Apostle of Desire", a banker named Jason Beria. ...It can be said that this has nothing to do with the "Aurora Society".
After reading the headlines on the front page, she briefly browsed through other sections and found that other news was more or less related to the "Assassination of Duke Negan" incident. There were "Science Popularization" and "Aurora Society", and some commentators posted articles. Analytical, conspiracy-theorizing, blah blah blah.
"I see."
Valeera frowned, showing a worried look, and handed the newspaper back to Liya. In the process, she noticed that Liya was also hesitant to speak.
Alas, it’s time to expand her worldview... Valeera thought this way.
…
Make up extra classes for Liya, go to appointments for afternoon tea, and attend dance parties.
After a day that was both fulfilling and boring, mixed with a sense of emptiness, Valeera finally waited for her own night time.
She entered the chamber and prepared to perform another ritual.
Valeela had prepared the portraits of the "regrets" in her heart a long time ago, and prepared to summon their "shadows" through the ritual of "Shadow Summoning Technique".
However, because the previous series of rituals for "Desperate Nightingale" Panatia were never completed, the "Shadow Calling Technique" was delayed until now.
Valeera couldn't wait any longer.
She had even laid out the portraits needed for the ceremony when she came into the secret room to check in the morning.
Raising the "Spiritual Wall" and lighting the "Shadow Lantern", Valeela took a deep breath. After she calmed down, she untied the "True Heart" hair wrapped around her left wrist and held it in her hand.
There are three ritual elements in the "Shadow Summoning Technique", namely portraits, relics and "regret".
Now, two of the physical objects are ready, all that's left is the sincere and intense personal emotion.
Valeera closed her eyes and began to recall every moment of her acquaintance and relationship with Qili in the way required by the ritual... Sometimes she smiled, sometimes bitterly, completely immersed in the memory, and completely let go of the control of her emotions. .
Unknowingly, tears had covered her face.
At a certain moment, Valeela suddenly opened her red eyes, her expression became extremely painful - obviously, she recalled her final farewell.
This is her deep "regret".
At the same time, the ongoing ceremony also advanced to the next stage.
Valeera raised the "True Heart" hair in her hand, letting the "shadow" of this relic be projected onto the portrait.
Then, she manipulated her own "shadow" to extend and intertwined with the "shadow" of the relic, conveying spirituality to tune and weave the latter.
After this process continued for a while, the "shadow" of the relic changed its shape and filled Qili's portrait.
Valila stretched out her hand and pulled the humanoid shadow out of the canvas.
The dark figure stood in front of her. As the colors of the paint were revealed bit by bit, the image became more and more vivid... When the color was finally complete, Qili's eyes suddenly became lively.
She looked at Valeela, her eyes quickly changed from suspicion to disappointment, and then she shouted in pain:
"Why did you lie to me?!"
Valeera's breath was stagnant and she couldn't help but take half a step back.
"Qili" still kept her gaze on Valeela, raised her right hand, and closed her palms. However, unlike the past, this time there was no rising black flame in her palm——
This is of course, "painting shadow" is just an echo of the past, without any extraordinary ability.
Such an action reminded Valeera.
Valeela activated the ability of "Stealing Appearance" to condense a black mask filled with illusory smoke and dust in the palm of her left hand, covering her face.
She transformed back into Varina.
On the opposite side, "Qili"'s demeanor changed as a result, with a smile on her face and sparkling eyes.
Valeera rarely noticed Qili's eyes on her before, and sometimes she wouldn't look carefully at an accidental glance, let alone take it to heart. Now that the scene recurred, she could no longer control herself.
"Qili..."
She exclaimed softly and stepped forward to hug the other person into her arms.
"Qili" also hugged her arms cooperatively.
For a moment, Valeera almost thought that she had really resurrected Qili.
"Remember, come back early."
"Qili" patted Valeera's back gently, then let go of her hands, and took the initiative to withdraw from her embrace——
This was the scene when the two of them said goodbye at the station when Valeela went to Tingen.
Unlike then, Valeera shed tears this time.
