"Ms. Scroll, are you done changing?" Ling asked from outside the fitting room. "If you need my help, please don't hesitate."
"N-no need, I...I'll be done soon." Scroll's slightly nervous voice came from behind the divider.
Roland couldn't help but raise his eyebrows. This was the first time he had seen Scroll display such unsettled emotions. In the past, she had always been calm and collected, unwavering in everything she did. This also made him anticipate her appearance in the new dress even more.
"Swish—"
The divider was pulled open, and Scroll cautiously walked out of the fitting room.
"Is this...okay?"
Roland's eyes lit up.
Scroll was wearing a form-fitting dark blue turtleneck sweater that perfectly showed off the curves of her upper body. Over it was a black and red half-length robe, the opening starting from below her shoulders and extending to her calves, somewhat reminiscent of an evening gown. The chest area was open, converging at the waist in an inverted V-shape, with her towering chest and flat abdominal lines subtly visible, creating an indescribable sense of beauty.
The overall attire was mainly in dark tones, completely devoid of any frivolousness, instead conveying an unparalleled sense of solemnity. Combined with the black-framed glasses on Scroll's face and her waist-length black braids, it added a touch of maturity and intellectual beauty to her.
"So beautiful," Phyllis exclaimed, "Even among witches, it's enough to be praised."
"I told you I chose well!" Ling said, her tone quite proud.
"But...isn't it a bit too revealing?"
Scroll subconsciously covered her chest with her hands.
"Not at all, isn't this completely wrapped up?" Faldi laughed. "You can accept evening gowns at banquets, let alone this modified winter outfit."
"And in the Dream World, everyone dresses like this, am I right, Your Majesty?" Ling chimed in.
Roland chuckled and shook his head. Although there were underwear and a long sweater underneath, this kind of open-front coat was indeed less customary compared to the robes she usually wore. "The key isn't how others dress, but Scroll's own opinion." He paused, looking at Scroll, "Do you like this outfit?"
Scroll looked at herself in the glass mirror—a look she had never seen before. Even though the two worlds were vastly different, beauty was something that could always transcend countless boundaries and resonate with people's hearts. She couldn't deny that she liked her current attire.
"Yes...Your Majesty," she replied softly.
"Then that's fine." Roland called over the sales assistant, "I'll take all of this set."
"Sir, you have excellent taste, these are the latest styles for this winter, and they're a perfect match for this lady!" The sales assistant took out a calculator and pressed it for a while. "It's a total of twenty-four thousand yuan, please pay over here!"
"Uh—" Roland's breath hitched for a moment. This was almost one-third of the price of a van. But he had already bragged, and it was too late to back down now. He turned his head to look at Ling, "How do you usually choose clothes?"
"I choose the ones with the big numbers on the tags!" Ling stuck out her tongue. "The students at school all say that only prices in this world don't lie."
Roland couldn't help but hold his forehead.
"Your Majesty, are these clothes...very expensive?" Scroll leaned in and asked softly, "Maybe we should just forget about it..."
"I'm the creator of the Dream World, how could I be stumped by money? It's nothing." He put on a nonchalant look and bought the clothes. "Next, dinner on the second floor of the mall!"
"Yes, sir!"
The three God's Punishment Witches cheered in unison.
"Your Majesty...what about the test?"
"Don't worry," Roland waved his hand. "The time flow here is faster, so it won't actually take long. Besides, it's your first time in the Dream World, of course you have to enjoy yourself first. Order whatever you want to eat later!"
Since he had already paid for the big stuff, it wouldn't cost much more to let everyone have fun, he thought.
Scroll looked at the four people full of energy, shaking her head with both helplessness and amusement. "I understand."
...
When they came out of the bustling shopping mall, everyone was burping from being so full.
Under Roland's leadership, the group had swept through almost all the restaurants, ordering a portion of anything that looked good—from steaming crab roe buns to ice cream mixed with nuts, everything was incredibly delicious to Scroll. Some of the food was also available in Neverwinter City, but compared to what they had here, it was as different as His Majesty's small carriage and a steam truck.
Even though she tried her best to control herself, she only managed to maintain good table manners.
"This kind of world...is so good..." Walking on the wide street, Scroll gazed at the deep night sky and murmured. Even though the stars were hidden, the city was still brightly lit. Streetlights illuminated the streets, and snowflakes danced in the soft light, like elves adorning the night sky. "The city is so bright and beautiful, and everyone who passes by has a smile on their face, it looks like a dream...can we build reality into this someday?"
"Of course, as long as we master enough knowledge." Roland said as he walked along with his hands behind his back. "This is also the biggest difference between the two—Border Town can be transformed into Neverwinter City through knowledge, and Neverwinter City will one day become the Dream World. And the key to opening this process is right in front of you now."
"In...front of me?" Scroll paused.
"That's right." Roland raised the corner of his mouth. The reason for bringing Scroll here was not just for shopping. After crossing the road, the group stood in front of a beautiful building. A golden plaque hung over the front door, with the words "Municipal Library" written on it.
Entering the library, Scroll couldn't help but gasp in surprise.
The spacious hall was as large as Neverwinter's Central Square, and it rose directly to the ceiling more than ten meters high, like a transparent atrium. The automatic escalators around the perimeter carried people up and down, while five floors of corridors surrounded the hall, with countless bookshelves lined up, each filled with books.
It was clear that even if all the books in Graycastle...or even the Four Kingdoms were added together, they couldn't compare to the library's collection.
Scroll involuntarily placed her hand on her chest. She obviously understood why His Majesty had brought her here.
"This is a place you will definitely frequent in the future." Roland smiled. "Bring the key to that world for me."
She took a deep breath, bowed her head to Roland, and said solemnly, "Scroll will not fail your trust."
This was destined to be a time-consuming and lengthy task, and it would be difficult to see any results in the short term.
But change always starts from such small places.
Knowledge is like nourishment.
As long as it is sown, it can catalyze people's growth.
He had been pushing this forward, and sending Ling and others to school was also for this purpose, and Scroll's promotion would undoubtedly greatly accelerate this process.
As the saying goes, it takes ten years to grow trees, but a hundred years to nurture people. Roland believed that after a hundred years, the people of the real world would definitely undergo earth-shattering changes.
Whether they were people without magic or witches with magic.
At that time, they would use their own hands to create a brand new "Dream World".