Morning Dew. Leon knew he heard about it when Eton spoke of it.
So it was tea. As this part of his memory was awoken in his mind, Leon immediately recalled a series of facts about the Morning Dew. He tried it before, it was a type of tea with green leaves favored by Jon. The tea water made from the leaves also had a pale green tone, and when the needle-like leaves flowed up and down in the boiling water they almost resembled dancing trees in a luxurious forest.
As for the taste, Leon couldn't remember. Just bitter water maybe, because that was old Jon's favorite.
"Is there anything special about the Morning Dew?" Leon asked Jon.
There was only a tiny bit of doubt passing through Jon's eyes. "Not really. It's only tea. You two drank it before, and so did your parents. However, if there truly is something worth mentioning, then maybe…"
"Maybe?" Leon quickly followed.
Jon signaled the mute servant to go away first, before slowly speaking again:
"The seedlings of Morning Dew do not originate from this world. I took them here from another world."
Leon rolled his eyes before Jon could finish. "Yeah, right. Since Count Eton came for the Morning Dew, not you, I'll send him an invitation later on to come to the manor tomorrow evening, to drink this tea."
He had no intention to hear about Jon's "other world theory" or whatever.
With that, Leon turned and left.
Jon on the other hand, gazed at the tea box in Angor's hands and fell into silence.
…
Misty water vapor and smoke slowly rose.
Angor bent over the crafting table, watching the leaves in the glass rise and fall in the flowing boiling water.
The Morning Dew tea, nothing out of the ordinary could be seen on the outside.
Personally, Angor preferred gulping down strong tea with a milk flavor to his heart's content. He felt exceptionally satisfied when licking away all the rich milk and residue of tea leaves from his lips, along with the lingering taste.
Jon would joke about it, saying only kids love milk. To present his mature side in front of Jon, Angor only drank tea with bitterness and the taste of grass in it as long as there were people around him.
He tried the Morning Dew countless times as well. Bitter at first, sweet when savored afterward. There was nothing particular about it though. So why did Count Eton ask brother about it? Was he really doubting the origin of the seedlings like Teacher mentioned?
Angor thought about this for a while without reaching any answer, so he just gave up and turned to some files that were collected in his teacher's bookshelf.
Most of the files were about knowledge of the Goldspink Empire and the surrounding nations. They included languages, cultures, history, characters, medicine, astrology and so on.
Angor finished an epic about a heroic warrior on the sea. Jon had left a comment under the book: Refined language, organized content, but far too many words of praise which could not be used to speculate possible historical facts. This can be a supplement to the historical materials of the Heylan Imperials.
Jon preferred research on physical data and biological forms in his early years. But later, he discovered that the physical constants represented by certain data did not obey the movement of the earth. This was when he finally realized the distinctiveness of this world. In his recent years, he focused more on organizing and researching literary historical data instead.
There seemed to be no historian or similar posts in Goldspink Empire or the surrounding nations, thus the historical data arranged by Jon over the decade was one of a kind.
Angor was also very much interested in the newly arranged data, so he was greatly focused when reading it.
After finishing the history book, Angor saw the tip of the next parchment, with Jon's comment written in Hanzi:
[Most residents in this world are unlettered, and it seems there's no universal knowledge yet. People in ancient China already knew the concept of round sky and square earth when addressing the macro environment they live in. It was incorrect, but it was a basic understanding about their planet. However, people in this world are only aware of their nations and countries, without the knowledge of anything beyond. I hope I can find the name of this world in some other files… Or give it a name, if I can't find one.]
After that, Jon started writing about the universal senses of worth of the people in this world.
As a local, Angor knew well about this data, so he rushed through it and grabbed another parchment.
A Guide to the Applicability of Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine in this World, completely written in Chinese Hanzi. Perhaps Jon and Angor were the only ones that could understand it in this entire world.
Dusk arrived unknowingly. The servant already lit a fire in the fireplace. Another gentle evening filled with warm firelight, cricket buzzes and the calls of crows from outside.
Looking in another direction, on the plains not far from Grue Town, rows of temporary tents sat around bright campfires. One giant, beautifully decorated black tent with golden edges in the center was exceptionally eye-catching, like a moon protected by a swarm of stars.
This place was a temporary camp for Eton Morn, although that black tent was not Eton's.
Cold wind in the Month of the Freezing Earth howled. Without trees, the armored knights could not suppress their trembling. Count Eton noticed this and ordered a pair of garrison knights to patrol, while letting everyone else rest near the campfire.
When everything was settled, Count Eton slowly walked into the elegant black tent. The moment he entered it, he replaced his stern expression when giving orders with a look of respect and ingratiation.
There weren't many decorations inside the tent, though everything carried a trace of wonder. An old man wearing black robe and white beard sat in a corner, quickly writing something. A crystal ball was ominously floating beside him.
There seemed to be shifting mist inside the crystal ball. The old man would check it every now and then, before returning to his writing. Eton looked at the crystal ball only to feel faint all of a sudden, so he quickly looked away.
"You found the Morning Dew?" A deep, hoarse voice came from the old man.
With a hint of fear, Eton told him about the conversation between himself and Leon Padt today, to the last detail.
"Oh?" The old man put down his quill and blew the crimson-colored ink on the paper dry. "So he didn't know about the Morning Dew, but his expression shifted when he saw the wooden box? Maybe there's something about the crafter of the box. Or rather, he or she is a Caster, too."
Eton carefully glanced at the patterns drawn on the paper. The crimson streaks formed waves, with strange lines and symbols intertwined within. His eyes instantly felt sore.
"The magic formula on this scroll is called 'Surging Waves'. It will help your battle against Heylan." The old man paused a little. "It's a pity that you aren't a talented one, otherwise I could take you away from the Old Earth using this chance."
Eton's expression fell dark, "Father, I'm okay if you just take brother Alan and sister. As for me, I can stay with the family."
The old man sighed in frustration. As he recalled his two grandsons, his expression became soft again. "The talent of wizardry is extremely rare throughout history. People couldn't find a single one among tens of thousands of people in some places. It's already god's blessing for our family to witness two talents in succession. Alan and Aleen are my grandson and granddaughter, so of course I'll look after them as best as I can.
"Too bad my talent is not outstanding. Soon, I'll have to rely on them." With that, the old man turned his gaze back onto the wooden box on the desk.
"Interesting carvings, but I sense no magical traces. It's probably just an ordinary craftsman." The old man shook his head. It was impossible to find a Caster on the Old Earth. Even element waves were completely constrained here. Occultist Wizards and Bloodline Wizards who did not rely on elements could not find any materials they needed here. This land was forsaken after all.
"Since that Leon wouldn't speak the truth, I'll make him." Eton bowed with one fist folded against the other hand and a trace of cruelty in his eyes. "Nothing is more important than father's breakthrough. I'll ask Mahl to take two rider formations and burn the Padt Manor to the ground tonight!"
The old man didn't reply, which meant he silently agreed. He was a White Wizard, someone who would not slaughter ordinary folks for no reason. However, as this was about his own breakthrough, some bloodshed wouldn't hurt. Besides, the "White Wizards are good wizards" statement was a joke - White Wizards and Black Wizards had different standings only because of the different natures of the spells they wielded. They were the same when it came to the ideas of human value. They both tended to avoid unnecessary killing, though.
After discussing some matters after Alan and Aleen left, Eton bid farewell to his father and prepared to leave.
This was when the Knight Commander Mahl came and knelt in front of the tent, seeking an audience.
"Report for the Count. Just a while ago, Viscount Leon of the Padt Manor sent a messenger here, offering a letter of invitation."