Chapter 221 - The Seal Of Absolute Knowledge

"No, I don't remember anyone like that, my student. I don't remember anyone unusual at all! No one comes to see the old Ghost, anyway. It's just me and my books." Ghost gestured at a stack of tomes on his reading table. "These were just brought to the coven yesterday. And now I'm the first one to read them! Too bad they seem to be utter rubbish as far as I saw. But I didn't finish them yet…"

I leaned closer to read the names. "Truth and Myths about Small Folk", "Under the Hills", "Supernatural Beings of Europe, Volume II", "Falling Stardust", "Changeling". There seemed to be a common theme.

"What's that Stardust is about? Is it about fairies too?"

Ghost nodded. "Yes. It's a collection of poetry about fey folk. Poor poetry, to boot. The rest of the books not much better. Some are pure fiction, and some could as well be… I suppose it's just too much to expect people in our region to know much about fey." He shrugged and grinned. "Well, we have our own interesting spirits!"

"There aren't as many of them in pop-culture, though. For better or worse… Fey live in Europe, don't they?" I asked, out of pure curiosity. "In Britain and such."

"If you want to be exact, they live in their own sub-space, mostly. But the entrances to it are all were built in Europe. From what I read about it, this is just the witches who helped the fey build it lived. Maybe the fey added more gateways after that, but I doubt it."

"I see. Well, tell me if someone like I described will come pester you, alright? This entire story stinks. I will search for more information about the seal on the jade plate. Maybe there are some answers there? Someone should know something."

"Good luck with that, Diana. I don't think anyone in Nightingale Coven knows, but I can ask around if you like. Now, if I will get answers, that's another question, but I can try!"

"Thanks a lot, teacher." I sent him a grateful smile. "So, back to our scheduled lesson. I tried to heal fish at home like you taught me, but…" I cringed at the memory. "They just turned into ghouls. I don't understand what I did wrong—I fixed the wound itself, and I did it before they died, and… Can I just show you?"

"Sure! Come," Ghost stood up and came to a new instalment in his room—an aquarium where a few fat river fishes swam. "Do you have any of them you dislike the most?"

⠀⠀

I didn't exactly solve my problem with fish, but I made some progress. Healing sure was complicated, and that's on fish, which were simpler than humans just because they had only fish brains and you didn't have to wonder how your actions would affect their mentality.

After that, I went to research information on the jade seal. Someone should've known. Not anyone in my coven, but after some thinking, I wrote a letter to someone who had the biggest chances of knowing from anyone I was acquainted with: Princess Sofia.

She answered me faster than I expected.

[Yes, I've heard about the item you are referring to. Amongst those who know about it, it's called the Seal of Absolute Knowledge, and comes with a cautionary tale. An arch-witch called Hong Se Niao that wanted to learn everything there is in the world created it with the purpose of an ultimate divination. When she put it to use, it worked just as intended. The seal poured all information there is in the world in her mind.

Hong Se Niao died on the spot. Her brain collapsed instantly. After that, one of her followers destroyed the seal and threw the shards out. The archaeologists and knowledge-seekers still dig them out of the ground even now.]

Short and to the point. I thanked Sofia for her response and wondered why anyone would want something like that "for any cost". It certainly had plenty of value for collectors, but it wasn't anything useful. I feared the jade seal could end up being some great and terrible artifact, but no. It was just a needlessly overcomplicated suicide button.

No one came to pester me about it again for the next several days, and I thought it could've all been a fluke or something. Then, something else made me forget all about the seal.

It was a letter. A paper letter, one that was brought to my doorstep by, no more, no less, an owl.

The huge speckled brown bird sat in front of my back door and looked at me with unblinking eyes. It held a paper scroll sealed with wax in its beak. For several seconds, I just stared back at it. This wasn't what I expected to see when I heard a knock on my door…

What was that? A letter from Hogwarts? Wasn't it a little too late?

"Oh, my." JJ's voice from behind my shoulder pulled me out of my dumb stupor. I didn't notice his approach. "What an unusual messenger. You aren't a shapeshifter, too… Well, you majestic beast, why won't you give me that letter?"

The owl shifted its focus to him and, when JJ put out his hand, obediently put the scroll in it. After that, without another word or glance, it spread its wings and flew away, sending my hair flying with the gusts of wind from the take-off.

"Is it normal for vampires to use owls as messengers, JJ?"

"Not exactly… but a power to call animals and give them orders isn't an uncommon one. Why does it shock you so much, after all you've seen in the world, ma chèrie?"

"Ah. That's a long story. I will tell—no, better show—you later." I turned towards him and leaned towards the letter. Just in case, I scanned its aura for malicious magic, but it was clear.. "Right now I want to know what's it all about, first."