Should I raise you too?

The "finger bone" incident even involves the crown prince, and perhaps the king is also involved.

Elisa played with the "finger bone" and fell into deep thought.

Fred, the eldest prince's name, is one of the few childhood memories she has of Fred talking with his father in the study.

Fred was my father's close friend; they were often seen together. In the conspiracy fifteen years ago, my father died, my family was destroyed, and Fred became the crown prince, his family becoming royalty…

These "finger bones" might allow me to get close to the royal family and find out about the conspiracy from back then.

But the clues got stuck with Susanna, as all the relics that might contain clues had been taken away by Crown Prince Fred.

Elisa sighed.

Footsteps sounded outside the door. She picked up the "Sergei Daily" and pretended to be studying.

Maria arrived and told her that Miss Susanna had come to visit unexpectedly, saying she wanted to discuss some technical problems with Simon.

Elisa granted them permission to meet and peeked into "Simon's Log".

I had almost forgotten about my investment projects, but this part is also very important. This is the down-to-earth approach, while the "finger bone" incident was a risky and unconventional one.

You guys should discuss this further and get my push-button pencil into mass production as soon as possible!

Simon met with Susanna, who handed him a photograph.

A photograph? Shouldn't it be a design drawing?

"Susanna told Simon that these were photos left behind by children she had sponsored, and that they seemed to contain something important."

What! A clue suddenly appeared! Elisa sat bolt upright.

Previously, the Crown Prince received gifts, but you didn't give any back. Eleanor asked, but you still didn't give any back. Now, suddenly you're giving my male servant away for free!

Prince Fred and Miss Eleanor will cry!

Chapter 65 Wild Ritual Companions

"Susanna told Simon that the only person she could trust was Mr. Simon. If he solved the mystery in the photo and profited from it, she asked him to take good care of Beth and the others. If the photo itself was troublesome, she asked him to handle it for her."

What do you mean 'only Mr. Simon'? Eleanor performed two exorcisms for you, and I approved £300 in funding for you. Is Mr. Simon the only person you care about?

Miss Elisa became jealous.

On another note, the reason Eleanor performed the exorcism for Susanna and the reason I invested in the push-button pencil were both because of the male servant. It's true that Susanna relied on the male servant.

Moreover, compared to someone I don't know well and an unreliable Eleanor, the male servant is really the best person to entrust with items.

That's not important. The servant's photo belongs to Miss Elisa. What's important is what clues that "photograph" actually holds.

Simon accepted the photograph and reassured the uneasy Miss Susanna.

Simon chatted with Susanna about her recent life and discussed some technical problems with her. Miss Susanna invited Simon to study at the Kingdom's public university again, and Susanna whispered that she could sponsor Simon.

What funding?! Your research projects are all funded by me, and you still want to fund gigolos outside?!

Miss Elisa was disheartened. Her very first investment project had turned out to be a case of the investor misappropriating funds to support a gigolo!

What's wrong with this world? It's so filthy!

Maria and Eve arrived with tea and snacks, interrupting Susanna's invitation.

Well done! Keep a close eye on the male servant!

Simon declined Susanna's offer and, under the watchful eyes of Maria and Eve, discussed the procurement of raw materials and equipment with Susanna, thus completing this month's project plan.

He escorted Susanna away from the manor.

Elisa picked up the black tea, and as the tea touched her lips, a cool sensation spread through her.

The tea should be changed, but her personal maid is watching the male servants and doesn't have time to pour tea for her mistress.

Setting down her teacup, Elisa continued reading her journal. Now, the servant should go look at the photograph.

What was the clue that left Prince Fred and Eleanor empty-handed?

Simon bid farewell to Ms. Maria and Eve, returned to his bedroom, and picked up the photograph Susanna had given him.

"The photograph shows a dark woodland with a pillar standing in the center, and five doors standing on the ground next to the pillar."

On the back of the photograph were written two lines: 'Five doors unlocked, five paths nameless. Guided by the spirit, led by dreams.'

"Photo of Five Doors.jpg"

What? It's a photo that's crucial for a clue, not a woman's breasts!

Elisa was flattered and opened the photo.

She had a suspicion before seeing the photo, but after seeing it, she was completely certain.

Simon couldn't understand the meaning of the photograph, so he used a magic mirror ritual to ask the mirror for clarification.

Elisa pondered what price range would be appropriate.

Logically, she should have extorted a lot from the male servant, who had just received a 60-pound commission from Eleanor, and his savings had exceeded 100 pounds.

But the thought of extorting male servants in a place like this fills me with intense guilt. This is something I want to push forward, but making the male servants pay for it would essentially turn them into paid employees.

However, the rules of Magic Mirror Q&A cannot be broken; money must be charged.

I'll accept 10 pounds as a token gesture, and then later find a reason to reward the male servant with another 10 pounds.

Simon throws a gold coin into the mirror.

Elisa put away the gold coins and wrote on the mirror.

"This is the ritual for 'spirit traversal,' which requires at least two people: a guide and a traverser. The traverser lies on the guide's lap, closes their eyes, and visualizes the scene in the photograph. The guide recites the corresponding incantation in Hermes..."

"Spiritual journey" is a meditation ritual originally intended to slightly enhance the connection with the "spirit world" and to assist other rituals.

The one in the photo is clearly a variant. Normally, "spirit walks" would choose photos of grasslands or the sea as meditation scenes, as these scenes bring peace. However, the photo in the servant's hand shows a dark woodland with five eerie doors standing alone.

This ritual can actually be performed by a single person, but the probability of something going wrong is very high if done alone. One could easily get lost in the "spirit world," so Elisa asked her male servant to find a companion.

Simon thanked the magic mirror and ended the ceremony.

"Simon has obtained all the clues; the explorable area has been unlocked."

"Explorable Area: Small Gate in the Forest"

This is actually an explorable area? A place where you can earn rewards?

A typical "spirit realm journey" yields no benefits, and the memory often fades after the ritual ends. This variant ritual is strange!

I thought that by unraveling the clues on Susanna's side, I would obtain a "finger bone," but instead, I received this mutated ritual.

I'll give it a try first!

With my rank and knowledge of mysticism, I could perform the ritual alone without any problem, but I'd better play it safe and find a guide.

Eve, the personal maid, had already returned to the second floor, and Elisa called her to the bedroom.

Elisa picked up the newspaper from the sofa, tossed it on the coffee table, cleaned up the ritual site, and said to Eve, "I learned about a mysterious ritual from other ladies that can relax the body and pray for good luck. Will you assist me?"

“Yes,” the maid Eve replied.

Elisa taught her the Common Language version of the incantation, but not Hermes, which would have made the incantation less effective, but Elisa's own spirituality could compensate for that.

She lay down on Eve's lap.

This is much more comfortable than a pillow, but unfortunately you can't use it all the time. The young lady and the maid also need to keep their distance, as the church strictly forbids this kind of relationship.

“Five doors unlocked, five…” Eve began chanting the incantation.

Elisa closed her eyes and visualized the small door in the woods in the photograph.

“Miss Elisa, what do you see now?” Eve asked, following her instructions.

“A dark forest, a path barely visible, I am moving forward,” Elisa answered with her eyes closed, her voice like a dream.

“Miss Elisa, what do you see now?” Eve asked again.

"A door, a blue door, standing alone in the woods."

"Miss Elisa, would you like to open the door, or go around to the other side?"

"I want to open the door."

Eve's voice faded into the distance, and the moment Elisa pushed open the door, her consciousness entered the "spirit world." The spirit world is not a unified location, but rather an inner world that overlaps with the real world, yet is fragmented into many parts.

Behind the blue door, Elisa disappeared into the darkness.

In the darkness, murmurs echoed.

"Answer my question, and I will answer yours."

A spiritual dialogue? Elisa realized instantly.

The spirit world is a crossroads of information, and some spirit lords possess a wealth of information. They enjoy spreading information, and will reward spirit travelers with knowledge as long as they meet their requirements. Many rituals and secret practices in the occult world originated from the spirit world.

The probability of encountering these spirit realm lords is extremely small; this is an incredible opportunity!

Elisa had already decided what to ask. If the other party possessed occult information, she would ask about the key to advancing to demigodhood; if the other party possessed intelligence-related information, she would ask about the truth of what happened fifteen years ago.

These two things are key to my life!

By answering just one question from the other person, I can overcome a huge obstacle in my life!