After settling into their new quarters, Patchouli immediately inquired about the location of the local grand archives.
Each nation, owing to its distinct cultural trajectory, possesses varying quantities and genres of literature within its libraries. Aside from the standard collection of general-interest reading materials, the practical volumes are heavily skewed toward the development focus of their respective countries. For instance, the archives within Kazimierz house a wealth of documents related to chivalric history and corporate finance. In Victoria, the shelves are heavily dominated by texts on industrial engineering, civic architecture, and mechanical equipment.
Since the very air of Leithanien is saturated with the dense resonance of Originium Arts, and given that every ruler from the previous Witch King to the current Twin Empresses has been a master of magic, it went without saying that the literature here shared a profound connection with the arcane.
Although she had discussed various theoretical topics while chatting with the intellectuals from Rhodes Island and the Reunion Movement, Patchouli preferred to study Terra's magic from structured pages, progressing systematically from foundational concepts to advanced tiers.
Upon hearing this, Flandre mentioned that she happened to know an individual who was exceptionally skilled in arcane research, asking if they should simply pay a visit to that person.
Patchouli shook her head. "According to your previous descriptions, that Mr. Fremont is an academic with deep knowledge of magic research and maintains an incredibly strict disposition. My familiarity with local research structures is currently too shallow. If I were to approach him directly without proper preparation, I would likely fail to leave a favorable impression."
Flandre scratched her head, secretly thinking that Patchouli was being far too demanding of herself. But since the scholar had made her decision, they might as well explore the municipal archives first. They were planning to reside in the capital for a considerable duration anyway; it wouldn't be too late to seek out the local teacher after Patchouli had finished parsing the texts.
As for the next few days... didn't that mean she was entirely free to go out and play again?
Crucially, since Remilia had also developed a sudden curiosity regarding Leithanien's local spellcraft, the mistress planned to accompany Patchouli to the library to read. Without her older sister present to maintain a firm leash on her behavior, Flandre became like an unleashed hound. Hong Meiling and Clever simply lacked the authority to hold her back.
Armed with a sleek mechanical camera, the three of them joyfully dashed through the cobblestone avenues of Zwillingstürme.
"Second Young Miss... huff, huff... please, slow down a bit..." Clever, struggling to keep pace, was completely out of breath.
As for her choice of vocabulary, she had grown entirely accustomed to utilizing the title after hearing Hong Meiling repeat it for so long.
Hong Meiling, on the other hand, experienced zero physical strain. As a master of physical martial arts, this casual level of jogging didn't even register as a proper warm-up for her constitution.
However, the trek was proving to be an immense torment for Clever. Although her frail body had been nourished quite well with plenty of good food and roasted meat during her time traveling with Flandre, her natural physical constitution remained remarkably similar to Patchouli's. Being dragged along on a wild sprint across the city nearly cost her her life.
Slumped heavily on a small stone bench by the roadside, Clever's entire face took on a pale, ashen hue. A faint, wispy breath seemed to be escaping from her parted lips, looking for all the world as though her soul were about to depart her body.
Seeing this alarming development, Flandre acted with lightning speed, physically tapping her jaw to stuff the breath back in.
Once Clever had rested for several minutes and managed to regain a fraction of her energy, the trio continued their exploration toward a neighboring park.
The public parks in Zwillingstürme, much like the nation itself, were designed to be romantic and visually arresting. Even though it was the height of midsummer, standing beneath the thick canopy of the old trees while feeling the cool breeze gently rustle through the leaves caused the ambient heat and physical restlessness to be carried away by the refreshing wind.
"To be entirely honest, Young Miss, don't you get the impression that the temperature inside this park is noticeably lower than the streets outside?" Hong Meiling asked, stepping into a shaded clearing.
"It really is!" Flandre recalled her sensations for a moment before nodding in firm confirmation.
She was relatively sensitive to environmental fluctuations, so her curiosity drove her to lead the other two toward the source of the chilly draft. Before long, they arrived in front of a massive stone retaining wall riddled with tiny, natural pores. Standing within its shadow, they could feel waves of crisp, refreshing air emanating directly from the masonry, spreading outward in all directions.
However, due to the dense obstruction of the surrounding trees and the circular walls enclosing the grounds, this pocket of cold air remained firmly contained within this specific section of the park. Consequently, the perceived temperature here was far more comfortable than the sweltering avenues outside.
"What do you suppose is hidden behind this stonework?" Hong Meiling examined the structure with curiosity, even reaching out to knock her knuckles against the surface.
"It is likely a secret underground passage constructed by some historical noble family for escape purposes," Clever explained. Although she hadn't witnessed the layout with her own eyes, she had gathered many hidden stories regarding Leithanien from her sisters by the riverbank. "During the absolute height of the Witch King's reign, the elites residing within these walls were entirely consumed by terror and operated with extreme caution. To avoid accidentally offending the monarch and causing their entire lineage to be wiped out overnight, many families privately excavated these subterranean escape routes. After the Twin Empresses overthrew the tyrant, the vast majority of these paths were systematically sealed by the authorities. The structure before us is likely one of those remnants. These tunnels are intricate, winding, and have remained buried deep underground for years, so their internal temperature is naturally lower than the surface."
"A secret passage!" Flandre's eyes lit up instantly, but before she could take a single step forward, Hong Meiling firmly grabbed her wrist.
"You must not! You really must not!" Hong Meiling pleaded, reasoning that since the city officials had taken the trouble to seal the brickwork, they clearly had zero intention of allowing anyone to reopen it.
Furthermore, when she had knocked on the masonry just a moment ago, she realized the blocking stones were composed of solid brick layers roughly half a meter thick. Attempting to shatter such a barrier would not only be incredibly troublesome but would require substantial tools. It was also worth noting that because the park offered such a pleasant escape from the midsummer sun, many citizens frequented the grounds even during the early morning hours. Although the three of them had disguised their physical features beneath the coverage of the Confusion Charm, if they generated an immense amount of structural noise and drew the attention of the Gendarmerie, their presence could easily be exposed.
Hearing the logical breakdown, Flandre trudged over to a nearby bench and sat down, her face displaying a look of utter disappointment.
Witnessing her compliance, Hong Meiling and Clever finally exhaled a long sigh of relief.
A short distance away, a middle-aged man who had been casually playing with a child raised his eyes, his gaze locking onto their position. He had overheard every word of Clever's explanation.
While the existence of the old tunnels wasn't exactly a classified state secret, it certainly wasn't the type of historical minutiae an ordinary civilian would casually possess. Yet, the casual manner in which the woman had discussed the architecture made it sound as though she had been familiar with the layout for a very long time.
Observing the three of them, their plain appearance didn't resemble the high-born descendants of nobility; he initially assumed they were merely common folk who happened to have overheard some rural rumor. However, the physical interactions between the group caused him to narrow his eyes in deep confusion.
The dynamic felt entirely bizarre.
Under the lingering influence of the Confusion Charm, the man's eyes perceived Flandre as a mature woman in her late forties, while Hong Meiling and Clever appeared to be in their mid-thirties. Can you imagine a middle-aged woman in her late forties acting precisely like a spoiled child, huffing and pouting on a park bench, while two women in their thirties carefully hovered over her to placate her mood?
If they were eccentric aristocrats from some extraordinarily wealthy lineage, such behavioral anomalies weren't entirely unheard of, but the garments worn by this trio resembled the drab, unremarkable textiles of common laborers.
The longer he watched, the more the scene felt profoundly unnatural. He quietly resolved to follow their movements a bit further, determined to understand the underlying truth behind this strange display.