South of the Bridge, Harvest Church.
Emlyn White wore a priest's robe and stood in the kitchen, directing sisters Freya and Daisy as they tossed various herbs into a large iron pot, while he focused on preparing a different potion in another cauldron.
When Aetris had carried their mother, Mrs. Liv, on her back with all her strength from the dense smog in the East Borough, the latter was already on the verge of death. Had they not escaped those iron-black fumes in time, she likely would have perished.
Even so, Mrs. Liv's health had suffered greatly—acute respiratory distress syndrome, myocarditis, liver damage, sepsis, pulmonary embolism… a cascade of latent dangers resulting from years of overexertion and living in squalid conditions had all erupted at once.
Fortunately, Aetris had acted without hesitation and fed her a potion that stimulated life force the moment she found her. That was the only reason they made it to Harvest Church before death claimed her, and it was thanks to Emlyn, the professional pharmacist here, that her life was saved.
At present, the plague caused by the great smog had begun to spread. Many followers of Bishop Utravsky—as well as desperate non-believers—flocked to the church for medicine, leaving both Emlyn and Hazel overwhelmed.
Seeing this, and out of gratitude, Daisy and Freya volunteered to stay behind and assist Emlyn in concocting potions.
As for Aetris, she had gone home to check on her parents.
"Priest White, it's been ten minutes," Daisy reminded, glancing at the clock hanging on the wall.
Emlyn nodded, scooped up the pitch-black liquid with a metal spoon, then suddenly frowned.
Because the quality of the potion was unusually good—at least 30 to 40 percent better than what he usually produced.
"Could it be that this church is blessed by the Earth Mother? Is that why?
"But the Mother Goddess governs harvest and life. She doesn't seem to hold any authority over 'potions,' does she?"
He muttered a few words, but didn't think too deeply about it. Instead, he filled the finished potion into glass bottles and cups beside him and ordered the two girls to deliver the dark green liquid to the main hall.
In the hall, most of the prayer benches had been removed. Torn bedding was spread across the floor, each holding plague sufferers—either unconscious or groaning in pain.
Hazel and Father Utravsky each took a portion of the medicine. The four of them worked together to distribute it from different directions.
In truth, after the great smog incident, Congressman Macht had tried to bring his daughter home immediately, but Hazel had refused.
Having embraced the teachings of the Earth Mother, she could not stand by and watch innocent lives fade away.
"Cough! Cough! Pastor Macht, thank you so much. I feel much better now," a young female factory worker said gratefully, coughing as she spoke from beneath a tattered blanket.
But right after, her expression dimmed. "It's a pity my parents didn't make it to the church in time… cough cough…"
Hearing this, Hazel pressed her lips together, grieving for these people caught in a disaster not of their making.
She knew nothing about the true cause of the great smog—only that Emlyn had mentioned something about a high-sequence Demoness performing a ritual or acting out a role.
Demoness… again a Demoness! That brought back memories of the masquerade where she lost her arm. Had she not been stopped in time, the casualties that day would've been no small matter either...
"Pity the 'Hero Detective' has left Backlund, and no other heroes foresaw the catastrophe…" Hazel thought of Ebner, sighed, then recalled a dream she'd had one night last week. She quickly shook her head, clearing her thoughts, and returned to distributing the medicine.
About ten minutes later, once everyone had taken their doses, Hazel glanced at her pocket watch. Just as she was about to greet the Freya sisters around Mrs. Liv and remind them not to forget preparing tonight's "Holy Meal," she suddenly saw Emlyn sneak out from the kitchen and tiptoe to Bishop Utravsky's side.
"'The mist has dispersed; the Moonlight Knight has returned'..." Emlyn whispered to the half-giant bishop.
Bishop Utravsky was silent for a few seconds, then smiled and said, "The Mother Goddess is already aware, and she will reward you accordingly.
"Whether it's your previous message or your current efforts helping these innocent lives, they have all received Her approval."
Emlyn had rushed from the vampire residence to Harvest Church to deliver the Fool's message. After witnessing the civilians' misery, he had—despite the scornful look on his face—voluntarily stayed to brew potions.
At this moment, hearing the priest's words, he clicked his tongue:
"I'm not interested in the Earth Mother's reward…"
Even though I've been copying Her holy scriptures almost every day these past few months… he added bitterly in his heart, then casually said, "Father, I've found a way to undo the psychological suggestion. I may be leaving soon."
Father Utravsky lowered his head kindly and said, "Actually, if you wait a little longer, the suggestion will wear off on its own… It wasn't meant to forcibly convert you—just to bring you back to the church daily, hoping you would better understand the value of life and the joy of harvest."
"That psychological suggestion's only effect was to bring me back to the church?" Emlyn's expression froze. He turned his head slowly and mechanically toward the altar, toward the sacred emblem of life representing the "Earth Mother." In that instant, he seemed to become a puppet. Then why am I praying to the Earth Mother with such increasing devotion?! I clearly worship the Moon!
.....
Bayam, Fragrant Manor.
As Ebner stepped onto the stairs to the underground workshop, Helene and the "Lion" Leon had just returned from outside.
—Of course, in the eyes of the servants, it was simply the master of the house and his maid finally emerging from the bedroom.
Leon, the "Lion," spotted him right away and, once out of the butler's line of sight, took the initiative to cancel the illusion of "Ebner," reverting into a lion invisible to ordinary people. Seeing this, Ebner also revealed his true form, replacing the figure that had been standing next to Helene.
Helene immediately sensed something was off. She tilted her head to glance sideways, then exclaimed in surprise, "Detective Bryan, you're back!"
"Your contract is about to expire, and it's time to fulfill the condition you agreed on with Leon. Naturally, I had to come back," Ebner replied with a smile.
"Glad you remembered," Leon muttered with a disgruntled twitch of his nose.
"Contract…" Helene's expression turned a bit dazed. The comfortable life over the past few months had nearly made her forget about that, if not for what had just happened at the recent Beyonder gathering.
—She and Leon had gone out earlier precisely to serve as "notary" and "appraiser" for the Extraordinary gathering at the "Amyris Leaf Bar."
After instructing the servants to prepare dinner, Ebner casually mentioned his upcoming trip to Intis and asked if Helene would like to accompany him.
Helene, while watching Ebner dig in heartily, hesitated before saying, "Someone from Tracy's side just placed a bounty on me at the Beyonder gathering..."
"And explicitly stated that I might be someone's maid…"
A bounty at the gathering in the Amyris Leaf Bar? Even though that was part of the original plot… it still feels a little ridiculous when you think about it.
Ebner paused with his knife and fork, looked at Helene with a strange expression, and asked: "So, what's your decision?"
....
Meanwhile, aboard the "Black Death," several hundred nautical miles from Bayam, "Vice Admiral of Ailment" Tracy had just finished a ritual alone in her cabin—but failed to receive the expected response…
"She's been out of touch for nearly three weeks now, ever since chasing that Baron Larry into Backlund…"
"Could something have happened?"
"No way… she's the Demoness of Unaging…"
"If she wanted to escape, it would be hard for anyone to keep her."
"Or… is she intentionally avoiding me, refusing to tell me where Helene is?"
In her heart, Tracy didn't hold much deep affection for her mother, Katerina. That Demoness of Unaging had lived long enough and usually maintained her youthful mindset by surrounding herself with young people. Any children she bore out of brief interest were met with short bursts of passion, followed by long stretches of indifference.
Yet now, Tracy realized that despite her resentment and blame, she couldn't help but rely on her… and didn't want anything bad to happen to her…
.....
In the newly rebuilt underground prison of the Intis Embassy, Special Envoy Owen grasped the chin of the Demoness subdued by a Sealed Artifact and smiled: "Do this one thing for me, and I'll let you go for good."
(End of Chapter)