"..."Lucca Brewster looked down at himself and hurriedly raised his right hand to grab something beside him.
Then, his grayish-green eyes darkened.
The gold that mixed with the stairs suddenly flew out and fused in midair, forming a thin piece of armor that then covered Lucca Brewster.
Lucca stretched his arms and explained as he took in the feedback, "Stiano's Golden Armor Art. Its defensive capabilities are equivalent to that of a Sequence 5 Guardian."
"Stiano?" Klein asked casually.
Lucca said in a tone as though he was introducing a famous historical figure, "One of the earliest founders of the Moses Ascetic Order.
"I heard that Emperor Roselle had previously modified this Golden Armor Art. I wonder what effects it eventually produced."
...I can roughly imagine... Maybe this "Golden Armor" has twelve different styles[l]... After muttering inwardly for a while, Klein changed the topic to the main topic at hand:
"Will Feynapotter and the Church of Earth Mother officially join the war?" @@novelbin@@
When Lucca introduced the Stiano's Golden Armor, Audrey opened her eyes and turned her head in a controlled manner. Without any perturbation in her eyes, she looked at the glimmering demigod.
Lucca sighed and said, "Regardless of what they were thinking previously, they'll officially join the war tonight.
"Of course, they wouldn't target Loen for the time being. There's a high chance that they will attack either Lenburg, Masin, or Segar. It's to prevent an extended battlefront and from making too many enemies which would prevent them from being able to concentrate their strength. Furthermore, the Church of Earth Mother might not be willing to exert too much strength..."
After sighing, this demigod from the Church of Knowledge earnestly said to the silver-masked Audrey, "What kind of consultation fee should I pay you?"
Audrey glanced at Mr. World beside her.
"He has already paid."
Lucca Brewster immediately shifted his gaze to Dwayne Dantes.
Klein thought for a moment before saying, "Let me ask a few questions."
"Please speak." At that moment, Lucca didn't look like a demigod at all. Instead, he looked more like a professor waiting to answer his student's questions in class.
Of course, if he could take off that set of golden armor and change into a three-piece suit, the resemblance would be uncanny.
Without thinking, Klein directly asked, "What do you know about the corruption from underground?"
In his opinion, if the Church of Knowledge, which was famous for being knowledgeable, knew about it, then he was definitely at a strong enough level to bear the effects. And if this wasn't suitable for Miss Justice's ears, then he believed that Lucca would bring it up. After all, he wasn't merely a bookworm.
As the discussion about the underground corruption stemmed from their experiences from exploring the sea of collective subconscious in Groselle's Travels, Audrey had a certain understanding of it. At that moment, it didn't feel as though she couldn't understand anything. She was very focused on waiting for the demigod to give an answer.
Lucca frowned slightly and said, "I don't know much about it. It's as though just knowing about it will result in corruption in of itself.
"Uh, I've seen a sentence before in an ancient book: The higher the Sequence, the more dangerous it is to be closer underground."
So the Dragon of Imagination Ankewelt left an extremely deep trauma and some kind of fear down there? Audrey instantly thought of the object sealed in the bronze door of the City of Miracles, Liveseyd.
She then looked at Mr. World beside her, but she didn't notice any changes in his expression.
However, Klein made his marionette nod gently, so as to tell Miss Justice that the connections he made with were identical to hers.
This made Audrey feel like she had returned to the past. Back then, she was still a Low-Sequence Beyonder of the Spectator pathway. There was no way she could decipher any useful information from Mr. World's expression and actions.
The higher the Sequence, the greater the threat of underground objects? This doesn't make sense... Realizing that Lucca was unable to provide more information, Klein thought for a moment and said, "Second question, what prophecy do you have regarding this war?"
With the mention of a prophecy, Lucca Brewster suddenly became spirited.
"It's only the beginning. It's far from reaching its peak.
"Also, a greater portion of the damage stems from the war and is also present beyond the war. I don't know what it is exactly though."
The war has just begun... Audrey's heart sank uncontrollably.
Stems from the war and is also present beyond the war? Is it the apotheosis ritual of Amon's brother, or is it the advancement of the Black Emperor? Or perhaps, the return of Roselle? With a guess, Klein nodded and raised the third question:
"Have you heard of the prophecy of the apocalypse? How do you interpret it?"
Lucca Brewster's expression instantly turned serious.
"No, this is not a prophecy•
"Anyone with the ability to predict the future is certain that the apocalypse will definitely come.
"God mentioned in 'His' holy bible that the apocalypse will happen in the year 1368 in the Fifth Epoch.
"Of course, God also said that there will be a savior."
The prophecy of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom? 1368, there's only about ten years left... Could the Goddess's act of destroying the alliance with the God of Combat to control the Uniqueness of the Death pathway have something to do with the impending apocalypse? Without realizing it, Klein's expression turned serious. However, he didn't show his reaction on the marionette's face.
It will be the apocalypse in about ten years... As for Audrey, she ruminated over the demigod's words in a daze.
To be honest, she felt that it was fake. It was used by people who pretended to be mysticism experts and were religious cheats so as to deceive the people and earn money through that.
Although she could foresee a large-scale war breaking out, she had never imagined that this world was very close to ending.
This was the understanding of almost all ordinary people and Beyonders.
"Why 1368?" Klein couldn't help but ask.
Lucca Brewster shook his head.
"I don't know either. That's what God's prophecy says."
At the thought that he was only a Sequence 4, making him not have the ability to resist the apocalypse, Klein rationally ended the topic. He said to the saint of the Church of Knowledge and Wisdom, "That shall be all."
What he really wanted to ask were things that the other party probably didn't know either—matters like the corruption that stemmed from the cosmos, or whether Roselle could return or not, or what his state was.
Lucca Brewster nodded and said, "In the future, if there's anything you need help with, you can come to me. For the details, find them out through Edwina."
He remembered that Dwayne Dantes's firearms transaction with Maysanchez had been facilitated by Edwina Edwards.
Edwina... Vice Admiral Iceberg? Audrey was taken aback for a second before coming to a realization. She glanced at Mr. World curiously.
She remembered that she had read a newspaper article before. It contained the story of Gehrman Sparrow and the three female pirate admirals.
"Alright." Klein was never worried about having too many helpers.
After he nodded at Justice Audrey, Lucca Brewster's figure quickly turned transparent, as though he had fused with the spirit world.
Then, he disappeared.
Looking at the spot where he had been standing earlier and then at the hall that no longer had any gold. Klein let out a terse remark inwardly and fell silent for two seconds.
He then made his marionette look at Justice Audrey.
"I thought it would be a little more troublesome."
"That saint had saved himself in time and was willing to trust me, allowing me to plant a psychological cue," Audrey replied with a faint smile, trying her best to appear sincere and humble.
Dwayne Dantes nodded and said, "This help will be taken into account. Go back as soon as possible. It's very dangerous here."
Seeing that a demigod had nearly lost control, Audrey had no doubts about the danger Mr. World warned her about. She immediately used Creeping Hunger and "Teleported" back to the Northern Continent through the spirit world.
After she sacrificed the human-skinned glove to Mr. Fool and settled the rest of the matters, Earl Hall and his eldest son, Hibbert, returned home.
Just as Audrey was about to head out to meet her father and chat with him, she heard her mother, Lady Caitlyn, ask in the hall, "Did something happen again? You came back a lot later than scheduled today."
Earl Hall sighed and said, "Feynapotter has invaded Lenburg."
"Extra! Extra! Feynapotter invades Lenburg!"
Leonard, who was wearing a pair of red gloves, got off the carriage. Just as he was about to enter Saint Samuel Cathedral, he saw the paperboy waving a newspaper and running quickly across the streets and square.
He stopped the paperboy and took out a penny and bought a newspaper. As he flipped through it, he said in a low voice, "Perhaps it won't be long before the south becomes a battlefield."
"That's right." Pallez Zoroast's slightly-aged voice echoed in Leonard's mind.
"But why am I still staying in Backlund..." Leonard muttered in confusion.
After advancing to Spirit Warlock, he had already become the captain of a Red Gloves team. The members had been transferred from other teams, including the familiar faces of Cindy and Bob.
After the war broke out, Leonard had originally thought that his team would be transferred back to the Holy Cathedral like Soest's team, so as to participate in the battle at the Amantha mountain range. To his surprise, he was arranged to be used as a reserve force for the Backlund diocese.
As for this large city, due to its implementation of a night-time curfew and other emergency policies, its security was good, and there weren't many Beyonders who came out to cause destruction. Even the Devils who liked to murder didn't create chaos. It made Leonard rather free, making it more relaxed for him than during non-wartime duty.
At that moment, Pallez Zoroast smiled and said, "I have a guess."
"What guess?" Leonard hurriedly asked in a low voice.
"I'm not telling you now," Pallez replied leisurely.
Leonard didn't say a word. He straightened his collar and entered Saint Samuel Cathedral. He exchanged a few words with the archbishop and prayed for five minutes.
Then, he went underground and pushed open the door to his Red Gloves team's temporary office.
"Good morning, Captain." Bob, Cindy, and the other Red Gloves all stood up and bowed.
Upon hearing their greetings, Leonard, who felt that he was already used to it, was once again in a daze.
In the blink of an eye, it was Monday afternoon. Leonard arranged for his team members to go on separate missions, and he found a lounge to wait for the gathering to begin.
[1] Reference to Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac.
-x-X-x-
Above the boundless gray fog, inside the ancient palace that resembled a god's residence.
Dark red beams of light shot up from both sides of the long bronze table, materializing into blurry figures.
Justice Audrey immediately stood up, lifted her skirt, and curtsied towards the seat of honor.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Fool."
She wasn't in a bad mood, but with everything that had happened recently, she couldn't keep her spirits up like before.
After all the members bowed and took their seats, Audrey swept her gaze and habitually began observing.
Almost instantly, she discovered that Ma'am Hermit's mental state and body language indicated that she was worried about something.
It has something to do with Queen Mystic? Or could it be that there are other problems? Or could it be that both factors are involved in the matter? Audrey was slightly surprised, and she curiously considered the possible reasons for this.
After so many Tarot Gatherings, she had long drawn a psychological portrait of Ma'am Hermit. She believed that she was a rather contradictory Beyonder. She was experienced, knowledgeable, and calm. She was also bold and reckless in certain aspects, like a young girl who had yet to mature.
Combined with the relationship between the other party and Queen Mystic, Audrey's interpretation of this analysis was that, although Ma'am Hermit had experienced a lot, she had managed to resolve many problems successfully with Queen Mystic's protection and arrangements. Deep in her heart, she was still a young girl who yearned to be loved and cared for.
And it was precisely within such a concealed state that Audrey boldly guessed that, when facing someone who had been "abandoned" and one who didn't commit any serious mistakes, she would unknowingly show mercy, pity them, and help them.
At the same time, due to her being a woman who was active at sea, with the strength of Sequence 5 who also had quite a number of mystical items, experience, and knowledge, while wearing heavy glasses and having interactions with Gehrman Sparrow, Audrey believed that if she casually flipped through the wanted posters and newspapers related to pirates, she would be able to confirm Ma'am Hermit's identity without a doubt. However, she deliberately didn't do this. She only had a general idea as to her identity.
No, Ma'am Hermit should already be a Sequence 4 demigod, so there shouldn't be too many things for her to be worried about... It's definitely not because of the war. It's impossible for a powerful pirate to be too troubled over it...
As her thoughts raced, due to her lack of knowledge, Audrey had no clues apart from guessing that it was related to Queen Mystic.
And at this moment, there were two matters echoing in Cattleya's mind:
Why did Her Majesty send so many diary pages over? If I hadn't become a Mysticologist and grasped certain secret techniques, I wouldn't have been able to memorize all of them in such a short period of time... What exactly happened? Has the Queen fallen into some sort of dilemma?
That fellow, Frank, actually didn't want to hold a ritual and wanted to directly consume the potion. Thankfully, I stopped him. However, the Druid ritual isn't difficult for him at all. Being aware of the behavior and physical structure of various ordinary animals and three kinds of extraordinary creatures. As a crazy Biologist, he has already done his homework in advance by trying to crossbreed plants and animals. Next week—no, he will become a Druid in the next two days. What he needs to do is write down all the knowledge and experience that he has built up as part of the ritual...
Amidst her thoughts, Cattleya shelved her concerns and turned to the end of the long bronze table. She lowered her head and respectfully said, "Honorable Mr. Fool, I have found an entire book of Roselle's diary this time."
An entire book... Upon hearing Ma'am Hermit's words, all the members, including The Hanged Man Alger, were clearly stunned. This was something that exceeded their understanding.
In the past, submissions ranged from one to three pages at a time. This time, it was an entire book!
Did something happen? Even though he was the least concerned about such matters, the slowest-to-react The Sun Derrick, had noticed something unusual.
They all knew that Queen Mystic Bernadette was the eldest daughter of Emperor Roselle. It was normal for her to be able to provide an entire diary. However, it was abnormal for her to give an entire book!
Cattleya ignored everyone's gazes and continued, "These diary pages aren't connected, but they all originated from Emperor Roselle's later years."
Very good." The Fool Klein nodded slightly, indicating that The Hermit could begin conjuring them.
One page after another, the slightly yellow pages of the diary took shape, and soon, it was stacked into one book.
After receiving it, he casually flipped through it. Without reading it, he put down the diary and looked at The Hermit Cattleya.
"You can raise your questions now.
"Including the contributions you previously accumulated, you can ask a total often questions."
He didn't read the diary carefully, because there were too many pages this time. There were at least thirty pages to read. It would require the members of the Tarot Club to wait for too long, affecting Mr. Fool's image; therefore, he planned to read it slowly after the gathering ended.
Ten... Cattleya immediately felt a headache. This was because there were only two questions that Queen Mystic had asked her to raise.
She deliberated for a moment before saying, "Honorable Mr. Fool, can we split the questions into multiple sessions?" @@novelbin@@
"Sure." Klein nodded with a smile.
This was convenient for what he had in mind. To answer ten questions at once was also a very difficult task for Mr. Fool.
Cattleya secretly heaved a sigh of relief.
There are two questions this time:
"First, why does one need to be careful of the Spectator?"
Be careful of the Spectator? Audrey wore a blank look. For a moment, she was unable to find any leads for coming up with a guess. She even examined herself.
Be careful of the Spectator? The Moon Emlyn, The Star Leonard, and the other members of the Tarot Club all cast their gazes at Miss Justice.
The Fool Klein chuckled and leisurely said, "A Spectator always likes to hide in the shadows to secretly control certain matters, making it difficult for people to notice and be on their guard.
"In particular, one needs to be especially careful towards Angel of Imagination Adam. 'His' apotheosis ritual is to consume the potion when the trend of the times follows what 'He' envisioned."
"The trend of the times that follows what 'He' envisioned... Allow the development of the times to meet 'His' expectations?" Justice Audrey couldn't help but ask Mr. Fool.
Klein nodded slightly and said, "That's right.
"A war that sweeps the entire world is exactly what Adam wants."
This... The Hanged Man Alger, The Hermit Cattleya, and the other members of the Tarot Club were bombarded by the information divulged by Mr. Fool, and their minds were momentarily incapable of thought.
Be it the apotheosis ritual or the trend of the times, all of them involved a very, very high level. It was so high that they could only look up at it!
Suddenly, they vaguely understood the reason why the Psychology Alchemists were deeply involved in the royal family's conspiracy. And the members who knew of the Twilight Hermit Order further understood the essence of keeping the trend of the times on track.
Only an existence at Mr. Fool's level can understand these secrets and participate in the corresponding game... Alger quickly found his train of thought and sighed inwardly. He was increasingly eager to become a demigod.
He believed that this war would bring him plenty of opportunities, but he didn't know if he could seize them.
The members of the Tarot Club were silent. As their thoughts ran through their heads, The Fool Klein, let out an inexplicable sigh. This was because he had no way of stopping this war. If it was only the matter of making George Ill's Black Emperor ritual fail, he could jump through some hoops and stretch himself out to affect it slightly. However, in this war involving the trend of the times, even if he was an angel—a Sequence 1 angel—there was no way he could affect the overall situation. Forcibly trying to stop it would only squish him under the rolling wheels of history.
Apart from Adam, who has spent one to two thousand years arranging for such a plot to play out, the rest of them— even the Kings of Angels—can only change certain situations but not the overall trend. Only a true deity at Sequence 0 can truly participate in this game... It's no wonder the emperor said that only by becoming a god can he protect those who he wants to protect... The only thing I can do now is to make preparations for the Resistance in the Rorsted Archipelago. I hope they have the opportunity of being liberated from being colonies... Klein reined in his thoughts and made his gaze maintain a smiling look.
He wasn't blindly opposed to everything about war. The education he had received in his previous life, and what he had seen at sea and in East and West Bayam, had made him have a supportive attitude towards overthrowing colonial rule.
To put it simply, what he didn't like and abhorred was an "unjust war."
Sensing Mr. Fool's gaze, The Hermit Cattleya controlled her chaotic thoughts and said again, "Secondly, where is the secret mausoleum that Emperor Roselle has yet to discover?"
Secret mausoleum? Yet to be discovered? Fors became more focused as she felt that this was material for a bestselling novel that possessed all kinds of popular elements.
On the other hand, Audrey and Alger could acutely sense something from this question:
The eldest daughter of Roselle probably wasn't willing to accept her father's death, and was still searching for traces left behind by "Him," hoping to find clues to revive the emperor.
Of course, they couldn't eliminate the possibility that there were other important items in the secret mausoleum. That might be Queen Mystic's goal as well.
Roselle even left behind a secret mausoleum? I wonder what's inside... The Star Leonard and Judgment Xio were more concerned about this.
The Fool Klein was already prepared for this. He smiled and said, "Perhaps in the Fog Sea—in the secret primitive island Roselle discovered—or the Abyss."
Abyss... Emlyn immediately felt his eyelids twitch.
In the history of the Sanguine, there were many records of Second Epoch Devils wreaking havoc. Even when he read those materials after thousands of years since it happened, he still felt himself turn impetuous and become entangled by chaos.
The Sun Derrick had a similar feeling as him, but he didn't think too much about it. When reading certain documents, his mental state would be over-exerted, and his mental state would unknowingly be affected. This was common knowledge known by everyone in the City of Silver, so he had to first receive general education and listen to a teacher's recount.
Abyss... Audrey, Xio, and company subconsciously repeated that term in their hearts.
In their daily lives, the Abyss was an abstract expression. It was synonymous with danger, pain, decadence, and corruption.
They never expected that it really existed somewhere in the Fog Sea!
-x-X-x-
Cattleya also didn't return to her senses for a few seconds. She never expected Emperor Roselle's secret mausoleum to involve the Abyss.
However, after some careful thought, she realized that it wasn't surprising that a conflict at that level would involve something like that.
For a moment, she hoped that the Queen wouldn't pursue this matter, but in the end, she suppressed this thought to the bottom of her heart. She felt that if it were her, then she would also make the same choice.
All sorts of thoughts flashed through her mind as she bowed towards the end of the long, mottled table.
"Thank you for your answer. I have no further questions today."
The Fool nodded slightly and surveyed the area.
"You may begin."
Just as he finished speaking, Fors, who had been mustering her courage all this while, said as she closed her eyes as though she had resolved herself to charge towards death, "Mr. World, I have a commission for you."
Seeing The World Gehrman Sparrow look over, she hurriedly explained, "You don't have to do much. You'll just leave me at an unfamiliar place every once in a while, and you can pick me up after a few days. If you're really busy, you can present 'Traveling' to me several times at a particular point in time for me to 'Record.'"
Upon hearing Miss Magician's words, the first thought that came to Klein's mind was:
Man vs. Wild?
I have too many suitable places, such as the battlefield of the gods on the easternmost front of the Sonia Sea, Calderon City in the spirit world, the City of Miracles Liveseyd in Groselle's Travels. They're ten times, a hundred times, or even a thousand times more dangerous than the wilderness. I'm just afraid that Miss Magician won't be able to handle the danger... Klein didn't let The World Gehrman Sparrow immediately answer. He controlled the fake person and cast its gaze on Miss Magician with a pressuring look.
Fors silently took a deep breath, calmed her emotions, and added in more detail, "This is the thing: I'm a Sequence 6 Scribe of the Apprentice pathway now. In order to digest the potion, aside from recording all kinds of Beyonder powers, I still need to record down the local customs and traditions of different places. I h-hope that I can become a Traveler as soon as possible. Only then can I avoid most of the dangers during the war.
"Mr. World, I've only 'Recorded' 'Traveling' once, so I won't be able to return if I go somewhere else. I can only ask for your help. I wonder if you're interested, and what kind of payment you'd wish to receive?"
So that's how it is... Justice Audrey finally came to a realization. Furthermore, she felt that Fors's method was really great.
Especially since she's a best-selling novel author, her act of "Recording" scenery and customs and publishing it as a book should be able to greatly aid in her potion digestion rate... Audrey nodded silently as she felt sincerely happy for her friend. @@novelbin@@
However, as a senior Spectator, how could she not sense Fors's horror and fear towards Mr. World? She was looking forward to knowing what would happen when the two of them formally interacted.
Audrey, this state of mind isn't good! However, this is the attitude of a Spectator... Fors definitely wouldn't expect that the so-called crazy adventurer she fears is only a mask. Beneath it is a gentle and kind heart... I also have to work hard to digest the Dreamwalker potion. I should visit the dreams surrounding me every night... Audrey didn't show any changes in her expression or gaze as she maintained the attitude of a spectator.
After The Hanged Man Alger heard The Magician's words, he sighed. This was because even this Apprentice was beginning to break through to Sequence 5, while he was still stuck at that level.
The World and The Hermit are already at Sequence 4, Justice, The Sun, The Moon, and The Star are also all at Sequence 5. Apart from The Magician, the newly joined Judgment is lower than my Sequence... As his thoughts churned, Alger felt that stifled, a heavy feeling that was difficult to resolve. He wished he could immediately find an opportunity to make contributions and become a demigod—a Cataclysmic Interrer.
He yearned to have a high position and be in a position of power. He wanted others to acknowledge and respect him and be submissive to him. He didn't wish to fall behind in the Tarot Club.
Is that so... At the same time that Klein understood what Miss Magician was thinking, he suddenly recalled something. It was the identity that the other party had mentioned in front of Mr. Fool during a particular full moon.
An ex-surgeon who was now a novelist!
Hmm, will spreading the terrifying legends that I create into text form help me digest the Bizarro Sorcerer potion further... Hmm, the more shocking, harrowing, terrifying, and incomprehensible the description in the novel is, the better the effects... Klein suddenly had inspiration and controlled The World Gehrman Sparrow to say, "This commission is very simple, but the payment I need is very special."
Upon hearing that Mr. World was inclined to agree, Fors asked in both joy and anxiousness, "What's the payment?"
The World Gehrman Sparrow pondered for a moment and said, "Collect information about the ghost stories that have happened recently in the various major hospitals in Backlund, and write them into a small publication or have them published in the newspapers.
"The requirement for the novel is that it's even more terrifying and bizarre. It's best if it can be a best-selling novel."
The reason why he only mentioned the matters of the major hospitals in Backlund was because Miss Magician was a local author who was part of medical circles. Being able to come to know of the urban myths and use that as material for a novel was very reasonable, and it wouldn't incur suspicion. However, if she had even learned of the urban myths in the Rorsted Archipelago, Fog Sea, and East and West Balam, then Zaratul's marionette would definitely "visit" her.
The ghost tales of the various hospitals in Backlund... After hearing The World Gehrman Sparrow's words, Audrey was stunned for nearly three seconds.
She had originally thought that those rumors were caused by the Church's Beyonders secretly treating the injured victims. Mushroom and weeds were the negative effects of the mystical items, but she never expected it to be something else.
Audrey had also guessed if it was done by "Dwayne Dantes." After all, this gentleman had heard from her about the victims of the air raid. Furthermore, he was a very kind gentleman. However, due to the lack of clues and evidence, she could only believe that it was more likely to be related to the Church.
At this moment, she was almost certain that the Clown Angel was Mr. World Gehrman Sparrow. Even if it wasn't, they definitely had a deep connection.
A Mr. World who wears a mushroom and weed mask is the same as the Gehrman Sparrow who wears a crazy adventurer mask... Why does he act like that when he's doing something good? Is it because he needs the feeling or corresponding feedback from creating fear? Audrey thought to herself with some guesses.
As for The Star Leonard and The Hanged Man Alger, one immediately thought of the strange urban myths that the Nighthawks who belonged to Saint Samuel Cathedral were discussing recently, while the other fell deep into thought about the horror stories his subordinates had heard or encountered.
Uh, I've never really heard of such payment before. It's not like I'm writing a biography... Although there has been a recent war, the sales of newspapers and novels seem to have increased. My previous editor has been urging me to write a new book... Yes, I must keep my identity a secret. I have to convince my editor to change my pen name. The excuse is that novels of different styles should use different pen names... Fors didn't think too much about it. After a slight period of deliberation, she agreed, "Alright, no problem."
The World Gehrman Sparrow chuckled and hoarsely said, "If you do well, I'll give you the opportunity to 'Record' the Beyonder powers of a demigod."
"...No problem!" Fors swept away her usual languidness and firmly replied.
To her, "Recording" a demigod's powers not only increased her ability to protect herself, but it could also effectively help her digest the potion.
This also made Audrey, Xio, Leonard and the other members sigh in their hearts. Scribes were truly enviable...
Once a demigod-level expert became a backer, a Scribe wielded extremely powerful strength. They wouldn't be weaker than a Sequence 5, or may even be stronger than one at times!
After coming to an agreement, the scene fell silent for a moment. This was because the other members of the Tarot Club currently didn't have any requirements.
Leonard had become a Spirit Warlock recently, and he had yet to conclude the acting principles. There was still the possibility of him advancing from within the Church of Evernight. As for mystical items, he had already bought the Word of the Sea. If there were any special circumstances, he could request to use Sealed Artifacts of the Church.
Emlyn was reading the Sanguine's research information regarding the Moon domain every day, hoping to make a Scarlet Scholar more practical. As for the Sequence 4 Shaman King's potion formula and Beyonder ingredients, he didn't need them for an extensive period of time, nor could he afford them.
Derrick had recently mastered the powers of Priest of Light, and he was still very far from advancing. As for the Unshadowed main ingredient, he had already obtained it.
Similarly, Audrey and Xio had also recently advanced. One of them was working hard to help Mr. World, accumulating contribution points, while the other was burdened with a huge debt and was eager to repay it.
Alger was in the Church of the Lord of Storms, so he had to keep a secret. He was currently in an awkward position which required him to find a chance to advance. Furthermore, he had obtained the Cataclysmic Interrer's potion formula from The World.
Cattleya had just become a demigod. She was currently deep in research on all kinds of secrets and all sorts of mysticism knowledge. She was pleasantly surprised that, despite having recently advanced, just recalling the knowledge and secrets she knew from the past had allowed her to directly digest quite a bit of the potion. Amongst them, the various things she had heard from the Tarot Club had contributed greatly!
The transaction segment quickly ended as the members began their free exchange.
Emlyn surveyed the area and his gaze landed on Leonard's face.
"If you're an official Beyonder, how will you deal with a clergyman of an opposing faction in your area of jurisdiction? He hasn't done anything wrong, nor does he plan on doing anything wrong."
Although Feynapotter had yet to start a war with Loen, they had invaded Loen's ally, Lenburg. This made the believers and citizens living around the Harvest Church look at Bishop Utravsky in an increasingly odd manner.
Leonard thought carefully and said, "Protective custody."
-x-X-x-
Protective custody... That's quite a witty answer. As expected of a newly promoted Red Gloves team captain... When The Fool Klein heard The Star Leonard's answer, he couldn't help but laugh inwardly.
He knew very well who Emlyn was referring to, and he knew quite a bit about Bishop Utravsky, who wished to be called a priest.
He didn't really believe Emlyn White's claim that "he hasn't done anything wrong, nor does he plan on doing anything wrong." This was because, to a deity's Blessed or a zealot, their understanding of something wrong might be different from a normal person's.
Of course, Klein never suspected Father Utravsky's claim that life was precious and his piousness and acknowledgment of a joyous harvest, but the problem was that the Church of Earth Mother also preached that lives were like "plants," which would ultimately wither and die, returning to the embrace of the Earth Mother. They would then grow again when the "next year" came.
A qualified bishop of the Church of Earth Mother wouldn't treat death in the same manner as the most ordinary of people.
Regardless, Father Utravsky has to be controlled. This is both a form of protection for the Earth Mother's believers, as well as the citizens around him. It's also a form of protection for this half-giant bishop, in case some irredeemable situation occurs... While Klein was thinking to himself, Leonard, who had no lack of understanding of the Harvest Church, also understood the meat of Emlyn's question. He planned on leading his team members to confirm the situation in the next two days, taking the Earth Mother's Blessed into protective custody with the help of the official organizations that were in charge of the area south of the bridge.
And when Emlyn heard the answer, he slowly nodded without saying a word.
Seeing that he was silent, Leonard turned to ask a question he wanted to get some feedback on.
"Are there any major matters lurking beneath Backlund recently?"
What he really wanted to ask was why his Red Gloves team had been left behind in the Capital of Capitals as a part of the reserve forces.
As soon as he finished speaking, the other members of the Tarot Club, including The Sun Derrick, who wasn't too concerned about matters of the outside world, all cast their gazes at The World Gehrman Sparrow.
From what they knew, whenever something happened in Backlund, Mr. World would more or less give a warning.
What major matters has been lurking beneath Backlund recently? There's plenty... The Black Emperor ritual of George III, my secret alliance with Queen Mystic, the three Churches may seem to be tacitly in approval but all have different attitudes... As Klein's thoughts raced, he suddenly understood what Leonard wanted to ask. After all, they would occasionally communicate privately.
That's right. Why was Leonard left in Backlund? Because of me, the Church doesn't want to put Leonard in a dangerous situation? Am I thinking too highly of myself? Klein secretly shook his head and rejected the thought that first came to him.
He quickly changed his train of thought and analyzed the problem on matters that Leonard could be of service.
Leonard is only a Sequence 5, so what use can he play in Backlund that has deep undercurrents?
Even if he's of use, they wouldn't use him. Instead, they would make use of me, who's related to him, or Pallez Zoroast.
This can rule me out. I'm still a qualified Blessed at the moment. If I really needed to do anything, then a simple instruction would suffice...
The clearing of the Amon avatars in Backlund last time made the Goddess or the upper echelons of the Church guess that Pallez Zoroast is hiding in the vicinity of Boklund Street, and they ended up suspecting Leonard?
There's a possibility, and it's not a low one either. Back then, I was concerned to some extent. I only believed that, in the case of Amon becoming a god, the Church and Pallez Zoroast were on the same page, that they could form some sort of tacit understanding. In fact, I believed that that grandpa had such considerations when "He" first chose Leonard as a target for "Parasitizing."
But why is Pallez Zoroast being kept in Backlund? To fish for Amon?
Even among the Kings of Angels, Amon ranks among the top. It's almost impossible for the Goddess to engage in a divine descent. With the Church's angels, Grade 0 Sealed Artifacts, and Pallez Zoroast, it shouldn't be difficult to expel Amon, but it's almost impossible to kill "Him," unless "He" doesn't come with "His" actual body. But in that case, it's not worth making such arrangements...
Klein's thoughts quickly developed, and soon, he had a new idea:
Fishing for "Amon" isn't done so as to deal with "Him." Instead, it's to hold back Zaratul who's currently in Backlund?
Similar pathways could be interchanged at high levels. Even if one became a true god at Sequence 0, "They" still have a strong desire for the Uniqueness and Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristics of neighboring pathways. On this point, the Evernight Goddess's plan was excellent evidence.
The Goddess wants to make Backlund into a potpourri mess before wiping them all out? Klein made The World Gehrman Sparrow hesitate for a few seconds before saying, "The leader of the Secret Order, a Sequence 1 angel, and an old friend of Emperor Roselle, Zaratul, is currently hiding in Backlund."
Seeing that the members of the Tarot Club were clearly a little confused and perplexed, The World added in a hoarse voice, "The Law of Beyonder Characteristics Conservation we often refer to often refers to the conservation of Beyonder characteristics of neighboring pathways.
"In other words, similar pathways also obey the law of convergence of Beyonder characteristics."
Leonard immediately fell into deep thought. After a few seconds, he deliberated and asked, "The Marauder and the Seer pathways are neighboring pathways?"
Yes, the Apprentice pathway is also a neighboring pathway," The World answered frankly.
Upon hearing their conversation, Fors first connected the law of convergence of Beyonder characteristics to the attraction between Beyonder characteristics taught to her by her teacher, Dorian Gray Abraham. She connected it to the Saint of Secrets who had been "attracted."
Then, she began to consider a question.
If it really is as Mr. World said, that Beyonder characteristics of neighboring pathways attract one another, then would it have attracted the attention of Zaratul back then? After all, "He" is in Backlund.
All of a sudden, Fors thought of the raven that was staring at Botis's back. @@novelbin@@
Uh... Fors hurriedly raised her hand, indicating that she had something to say.
Seeing all the members looking over, she hurriedly said, "My teacher is a member of the Abraham family. He wields a rather important Sealed Artifact."
As the first part of the sentence was known by the other members other than The Star, Fors had no intention of hiding anything. As for the second half of the sentence, she had made some modifications. It was very important to change the phrase to "rather important."
Seeing that no one was raising any questions, Fors continued, "This causes him to occasionally encounter High- Sequence Beyonders of the Apprentice pathway. Previously, when he came to Backlund, the Aurora Order's Saint of Secrets, Botis, had appeared nearby.
"As for me, I noticed that a raven was looking in the direction where Botis was heading."
A raven... The details of the foggy town surfaced in Klein's mind. At the top of the pitch-black cathedral, there were ravens flying around, as if they were holding a memorial or in grief. As for Zaratul's avatar, it was hidden inside the cathedral.
Zaratul is used to using ravens as marionettes? Is this a mark left behind during his phase as a Bizarro Sorcerer? While in thought, Klein made The World speak:
"That might very well be Zaratul."
I actually met a Sequence 1 angel... Fors felt a sense of fear and horror.
She then recalled how she and Xio had discussed Adam and thus ended up possibly targeted. For some reason, she had the illusion that she had become the protagonist of a novel. Despite being only a Sequence 7 or 6, she had established connections with the Kings of Angels and Sequence 1 angels!
With this in mind, Fors hurriedly turned her head to Miss Justice and said, "Can you hypnotize me later into forgetting certain matters? I'm afraid that I might accidentally recall something and attract attention."
"No problem." As Audrey answered, she glanced at Xio and nodded at her.
As for The Star Leonard, he had some ideas as well. He planned on discussing it with "Old Man" when he returned to hear "His" opinion.
Klein didn't continue talking about the major matters that lurked beneath Backlund. This was because they were just too high-end for the other members of the Tarot Club. Not only were they unable to participate in it directly, but even having a complete understanding of them could bring about a disaster upon themselves.
In this aspect, Klein's idea was that he could get the help of the members of the Tarot Club in certain segments, but it was like commissioning a bounty hunter to do something, without getting them too involved in the matter and figuring out the reason for the commission. It was a form of protection for them.
At this moment, Alger looked around and said, "According to my observations, the Church of Storms isn't too enthusiastic about this war."
They aren't too enthusiastic? This doesn't match the image of the Church of the Lord of Storms... Although their teachings don't advocate combat and don't promote war, they definitely emphasize the need to treat their enemies like a storm, and vent whatever anger they have on the spot... When Klein heard this, he felt a little surprised. He then combined his understanding of the deities and began his preliminary analysis.
According to my previous speculations, Storm, Sun, Reader, Spectator, and Shepherd can switch paths at high levels. There should be an immense conflict between them...
As for the Lord of Storms, "He" is highly likely the Wind Angel of yesteryear. "He" had "eaten" Adam's father, the ancient sun god, the City of Silver Creator. Even if "He" had tacitly allowed George III to become Black Emperor, it's impossible for "Him" to sit back and watch Adam make use of the 'flood of the times' to ascend to divinity...
Therefore, the Church of the Lord of Storms is unwilling to have the war increase in scope and allow it to turn into a world war. Hence, "He" is trying hard to control "His" impulse?
It must be really hard on them...
This can explain why Loen and Intis would maintain their strange silence when Feynapotter invaded Lenburg, Masin, and Segar... The Church of the Eternal Blazing Sun and the Church of the Lord of Storms are probably in a difficult position. They're unable to make up their minds.
On the one hand, at the level of the deities, it isn't that there is no possibility of abandoning their alliance to deal with the Church of Knowledge. On the other hand, the battle strategies at the national-level also prompts them to protect those countries. Forcefully breaking the perceptions built-up by the citizens of a country, would be an act that causes the anchors to become unstable.
Also, once they participate in the battle, they would help Adam fulfill the conditions of "His" advancement to Sequence0.
Klein deliberately made The World silent for a moment before replying to The Hanged Man's intelligence.
"At present, this is inevitable."
-x-X-x-
Klein didn't actually remember if he had told The Hanged Man and the others that the Sailor, Spectator, Sun, Reader and Secrets Suppliant pathways were interchangeable—unless he used dream divination to recall it.
However, since The Hanged Man had expressed his doubts towards the Church of the Lord of Storms, it meant that he hadn't thought about the interchangeability of both paths. Regardless of whether he knew it or not, or if he had yet to connect the two matters together, Klein believed that there was a need for him to explain things clearly. This allowed the members of the Tarot Club to grasp the true stances of the various major factions, thus letting them avoid many dangers.
After The Hanged Man, Alger, and the others cast their gazes at him, he controlled The World Gehrman Sparrow and made him say in a low, uncertain tone, "The Storm, Sun, Spectator, Reader, and Secrets Suppliant pathways are neighboring pathways.
"Likewise for Evernight, God of Combat, and Death.
"And neighboring pathways often become enemies. Of course, that's not absolute. At least the seven deities have established an alliance."
Upon hearing The World's reply, Alger first recalled Adam pushing for the "flood of the times" to become a god. Following that, thoughts flashed through his mind as he gained a certain level of understanding of the Church of the Lord of Storms's current attitude.
This made him feel a rather special sense of superiority and joy. It was as if he had seen the essence of the matter, exceeding the level of most Beyonders in the Church of the Lord of Storms.
Similarly, Audrey had a brand new understanding of Intis's strange silence in this war. She was even more worried about the situation in Lenburg, Masin, and Segar.
In addition, she also knew that she could switch to Unshadowed, Cataclysmic Interrer, and to the corresponding Sequence 4 demigod of the Church of Knowledge and Wisdom she had recently met.
As for the corresponding Sequence 4 of the Secrets Suppliant pathway, it wasn't within her considerations at all.
Of course, compared to other pathways, she still preferred Manipulator. She liked the Spectator pathway from the bottom of her heart. However, she also felt deep fear towards the upper echelons of the Spectator pathway—Hvin Rambis had left a rather bad impression on her. Adam's "any mention of it will be known" had left her with a trauma.
She had no choice but to undergo self-evaluations and treat the corresponding problems from time to time.
The Hermit Cattleya had always been deeply knowledgeable about such matters. Apart from the information mentioned by The World Gehrman Sparrow, she also knew that the Mystery Pryer and Savant pathways were neighboring pathways that could be interchanged at high Sequences. It was likewise for the Arbiter and Lawyer pathways, the Prisoner and Criminal pathways, the Hunter and Assassin pathway, and the Planter and Apothecary pathway.
As the other members of the Tarot Club dispersed their thoughts, Alger said to The World Gehrman Sparrow, "Thank you for your answer."
He didn't say exactly what insights he had gleaned from the answer.
In fact, for an instant, Alger wanted to leave the Church of the Lord of Storms and switch to another pathway. This was better than waiting for a very slim chance in the Church. However, he ultimately gave up on this idea. After all, his goal for a long time was to become a cardinal of the Church of the Lord of Storms. At present, he was beginning to yearn to be ranked first amongst the cardinal ranks, becoming an angel in charge of the Mandated Punishers or Ascetics.
As for the position of pontiff, Alger didn't yearn for it. This was because it was too close to the Lord of Storms, and he had many secrets he kept close to his chest.
If he were to be chosen as pontiff, Alger suspected that he would be smote to ashes by a lightning storm that descended from the sky the moment he put on the papal tiara.
Seeing that the exchange between The World and The Hanged Man had ended, Emlyn asked with curiosity, "Which pathway can the Apothecary pathway be interchanged with?"
Being from the Sanguine race made them have no thoughts of switching to other pathways, as it would often mean that they had lost their "identify." Therefore, Emlyn wasn't too concerned about such matters.
"The Planter pathway of the Church of Earth Mother," Cattleya answered casually.
The Planter pathway... Possessed by the Church of Earth Mother... Emlyn frowned as he vaguely grasped something.
At this moment, Xio also asked, "Which pathway neighbors the Arbiter pathway?"
"Lawyer," Cattleya answered simply.
Lawyer of the Black Emperor pathway... In other words, if I could become a Sequence 5,1 would be able to switch to Sequence 4 of the Black Emperor pathway. And Fors had previously told me that Mr. Fool has the Card of Blasphemy; it contains all the secrets of the Black Emperor pathway... Xio suddenly realized that there was a glimmer of light for her future.
It had to be known that the Arbiter pathway was firmly controlled by the two royal families. Even the corresponding military only had the potion formula for the Low- and Mid-Sequences. If they wanted to advance beyond Sequence 5, they had to receive a bestowment from the royal family. Just like how every general had to be conferred by the king or queen. Furthermore, what they obtained in the end was the concocted potion and the ritual.
To Xio, this meant that it was almost impossible for her to get the Sequence 4 potion formula for the Arbiter pathway.
Of course, no matter how tightly guarded the potion formulas was, there were bound to be loopholes. The military's demigods knew of the ritual, and from time to time, they would cooperate with the royal family to hunt powerful supernatural beings. They could roughly narrow down the candidates for the main ingredient to a small area, but this also meant that they could only confirm the formula through repeated experiments. At the same time, the military demigods were also unable to grasp the supplementary ingredients. If they wanted to rely only on the main ingredients to advance, they needed to seek out the benediction of fate.
And now, Xio had seen another possibility.
At this moment, Audrey had already summarized the neighboring pathways that Mr. World and Ma'am Hermit had mentioned before thoughtfully asking:
"Among Prisoner, Criminal, Hunter, Assassin, Savant, Mystery Pryer, and Monster, which ones are neighboring similar pathways?"
The World Gehrman Sparrow glanced at The Hermit and replied hoarsely, "Prisoner and Criminal, Hunter and Assassin, and Savant and Mystery Pryer are similar pathways that can be interchanged at high Sequences."
This was knowledge that could be confirmed by Klein. Among them, the interchangeability between Prisoner and Criminal was something mentioned by the Red Angel evil spirit to which Miss Sharron tacitly accepted. The interchangeability between Savant and Mystery Pryer had been personally demonstrated by Emperor Roselle. As for Hunter and Assassin, it was information that he had accumulated over time which could finally be confirmed.
''What about Monster? There's only this one left, Fors, who was listening, couldn't help but ask.
Seeing The World remain silent, Cattleya thought for a moment before saying, "It's difficult to be categorized as a neighbor of any other Beyonder pathway. Just like fate, it can only objectively exist alone.
"I can be sure of that. I can only say that the most fundamental order in our world's supernatural powers might be chaos and disharmony."
The reason why Cattleya was certain that the Monster pathway didn't have the means to be interchanged with other pathways was because her advancement ritual required her to analyze the Snake of Fate's blood.
I see... Audrey was slightly uncomfortable with this disharmonious situation, but she quickly adjusted her state of mind.
After the exchange was almost complete, all the members of the Tarot Club looked at The Sun Derrick.
The youth said without any hesitation, "We've already set off. We're currently less than a day away from Afternoon Town. When we arrive, we'll be resting for another day or two before we begin exploring the Giant King's Court."
The Sun's words made Alger, Cattleya, and company suddenly feel like myths were entering reality. Compared to places like the ruins of the battlefield of the gods, the Giant King's Court was a symbolic entity that appeared in various legends and in different secret documents.
What secret was it hiding? What was buried in it? The answer was about to be revealed!
Even though they had followed The World Gehrman Sparrow into the City of Miracles Liveseyd, which was on par with the Giant King's Court, The Star Leonard and Justice Audrey were also secretly excited and looking forward to hearing more. After all, the city that the Dragon King had "imagined" into existence had lost too much in the process of being transferred to Groselle's Travels. There were no traces of anything of value. Apart from the building itself, there was only the hall that expressed the extraordinariness of the ancient myths.
Furthermore, what was even more important was that Derrick had mentioned that the Kings of Angels had come to a secret plot in the Giant King's Court!
As for The Fool Klein, he was thinking of something else:
Should I get Little Sun to pray to The Fool before the exploration? Then, I'll use the crimson star and the Sea God Scepter to extend my vision to a certain distance so that I can watch a live broadcast...
Yes. In that case, if there are any accidents, I can still provide some help. The only problem is that this method of relying on the prayer points of light for "observation" cannot last too long.
This has nothing to do with my own spirituality. It's just that this connection will fade away with time and last forty- five minutes at most... Let Little Sun pray every once in a while? Uh, that's under the premise that it doesn't affect his battle or attract the attention of the people around him...
In that case, my spirituality can probably last for two hours. It's not on the same level as my Sequence 5. Heh heh, it's also because of my recent rapid digestion of the potion.
After pondering for a moment, Klein didn't speak. He controlled The World Gehrman Sparrow to hint to The Sun:
"Before exploring the Giant King's Court, you can pray to Mr. Fool and pray for good luck. In the process, you can also pray many times."
Mr. World really is a nice guy... After Derrick sincerely thanked him, he hurriedly turned his body towards the end of the long, mottled table.
Then, he saw Mr. Fool, who was enveloped by the grayish-white fog, nod slightly.
-x-X-x-
The world above the gray fog had been restored to its state of silence, as though the gathering that had just ended was an illusion.
Klein bent his finger and lightly knocked on the edge of the long, mottled table. He made the pages of the Roselle diary which Cattleya had just given appear once again.
Amidst an indescribable stillness, Klein cast his gaze towards the first paragraph of the first page with a solemn expression.
"27th September, I saw Miss Ithaca once again. I had a nerve-wracking and thrilling but sufficiently wonderful experience with her. As expected, I prefer women of this age. I'm not just reminiscing about my youth, but rather that I haven't changed after so many years. Heh heh, I'm really dedicated."
...I read your diary with such seriousness, and you're giving me this? The corners of Klein's mouth twitched as he lampooned at the emperor who he had only seen a portrait of.
He immediately gathered his thoughts and shifted his gaze.
In a lounge at the basement of Saint Samuel Cathedral.
After Leonard Mitchell opened his eyes, he deliberated for a moment and said in a low voice, "Old man, the Secret Order's Zaratul seems to be in Backlund."
In his mind, the slightly-aged voice quickly sounded:
"Indeed..."
Upon hearing this, Leonard immediately asked, "Old Man, are you familiar with that Zaratul? Didn't you say that the Zoroast family and the Zaratul family are both important nobles of the Solomon Empire?"
From his point of view, as ex-colleagues and former comrades in arms, how could Old Man not be familiar with Zaratul?
Pallez Zoroast scoffed.
"I'm familiar with the Zaratul who died in the War of the Four Emperors. The one alive who's now should be 'His' descendant. I might or might not have seen him before.
"Sigh, the Zaratul back then had already obtained clues regarding the second Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristic from the True Creator. 'He' was waiting for the War of the Four Emperors to end before searching for it. If he succeeded, 'He' would be considered a King of Angels. Unfortunately, in the War of the Four Emperors, 'He' directly encountered the existence from the Antigonus family who could be known as 'The Half-Fool,' and Bethel Abraham was also involved. 'He' could appear anywhere, anytime. If 'He' hadn't been quickly banished and sealed by Evernight and Storm, I might not have survived to the end of the War of the Four Emperors either."
The Half-Fool... Leonard's eyelids twitched when he heard this title as he thought of the entity above the gray fog for some baffling reason.
He then forced himself to control himself and directed his thoughts to something else:
Even from the description of a bystander, Mr. Door was clearly one of the top existences among the Kings of Angels. It required two true deities to join forces to banish and seal "Him." Uh, there's a high chance that "He" was especially good at escaping, making it very difficult to kill. And back then, the battle situation was tense, so it was imperative to eliminate an enemy that posed a threat as soon as possible...
Heh heh, Old Man is reminiscing about the past, so he's feeling a little uneasy. He actually said so much in one breath...
Amidst his thoughts, Leonard suddenly said, "I was left in Backlund because they wish to use you to attract Amon here?"
The wistful feelings in Pallez Zoroast's tone vanished as he clicked "His" tongue.
"Who made this guess? I don't think it's you.
"However, it's not bad that you know how to use your own resources to probe for the truth."
This is something I've been very familiar with ever since I joined the Nighthawks! Leonard replied inwardly but didn't say a word.
Pallez Zoroast continued, "I guessed that too.
"To be honest, your ex-colleague's relationship with Evernight really confuses me. If it wasn't for how familiar the concealment forces that appeared that day was, I wouldn't have dared to make such a guess.
"Heh heh, with Zaratul and I in Backlund, Amon will arrive soon too. It truly is a perfect triangle of balance."
What do you mean... The concealment forces used to deal with Amon came from the Evernight domain, not Mr. Fool? Does this point that there is a certain level of cooperation between Mr. Fool and the Goddess, or is it that the faith of those higher-up in the Church actually to Mr. Fool? Leonard suddenly felt a strong sense of confusion and puzzlement regarding his position in the grand scheme of things.
Seeing that Pallez was also quite confused, he converged his thoughts and didn't ask any questions regarding this. He frowned and said, "Two Sequence 1 angels and a King of Angels. Will this bring about a devastating disaster to Backlund?"
He remembered that Amon was a terrifying existence that could kill countless people silently, and could even live happily as "His" victim.
Using this as a reference, Zaratul, who was of a neighboring pathway, definitely possessed similarly terrifying powers.
If "He" and Amon were to clash, half of Backlund or the entirety of Backlund could become the Capital of Death or the Capital of Bizarreness!
Pallez Zoroast laughed and said, "Balance also means that everyone will be very restrained. Besides, it's very likely that Amon won't let 'His' true body enter Backlund. At most, 'He' will send a large number of avatars over. After all, the impossibility of a divine descent by Evemight doesn't mean that Storm or Steam can't."
"What do you mean?" Leonard acutely grasped the key point in Old Man's words.
Pallez Zoroast's tone suddenly became more relaxed.
"Regardless of whether it's because of the war or for other reasons, Evemight is likely unable to interfere with the matters on the ground at the moment. Otherwise, why would 'She' need to lure Amon over to form a balance? 'She' directly set up a trap, and who knows, 'She' might be able to capture Zaratul or scare the cowardly Seer away."
"...Did something happen to the Goddess?" Leonard suddenly turned nervous.
The slightly-aged voice replied, "It might not be a bad thing, and it might be a good thing."
Without waiting for Leonard to ask further, Pallez Zoroast sighed again.
"Amon was attracted to Backlund by me. What about Zaratul? What about me?"
"I think Zaratul is also here because of you, and you're in Backlund because of me..." Leonard pondered as he replied. "Heh, why do you think you're in Backlund?" Pallez immediately scoffed.
Leonard immediately replied, "This is the arrangement of the Church. It can't be the effect of the law of convergence of Beyonder characteristics, right?"
"That's not necessarily true." Pallez's tone turned a little stem. "Most of the time, the law of Beyonder characteristic convergence will not directly show in places where you can sense it. Most of the time, it will influence fate. Just like when you board a train, you'll suddenly feel that the scenery along the way is beautiful and will get off the train in advance, resulting in you entering the small city. This might be because there are Beyonders or mystical items of neighboring pathways around you."
"In other words, there are other things in Backlund that attracts you and Zaratul here, and through you, my fate is affected, causing me to be arranged by the Church to stay in Backlund most of the time?" Leonard asked in enlightenment, hoping to gain confirmation.
Pallez Zoroast slowly sighed and said, "That possibility can't be ruled out."
Above the gray fog, Klein soon flipped to a diary page of value.
"21st November. As I had made too many preparations in the early stages, I obtained that chaotic and terrifying Grade
0 Sealed Artifact even faster than I imagined.
"And then, after a difficult battle, and with some help, I finally restored it to a pure Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristic.
"In a few more days, the ritual will be completed. I should be able to advance to Sequence 1 Knowledge Emperor of the Mystery Pryer pathway."
"26th November. Sunny and breezy.
"The ritual was very successful. I digested it thoroughly, and my anchors were even more stable. There weren't many difficulties during the entire process.
"I'm already a Sequence 1 angel, a Knowledge Emperor. Bernadette no longer has to worry about the influence of the Hidden Sage. She can abide by the words 'do as you wish, but do no harm,' and continue on this path!
"At the same time, the level of an angel at Sequence 1 means that I can greatly resist the notice and corruption from the cosmos. I can head to the crimson moon and see what's happening there.
"Regardless of whether Mr. Door is lying or not, everything points to the fact that the crimson moon is the key to the problem. If I wish to become a true deity, I have to figure out the reason.
"I'll make preparations for another three more days before attempting to land on the moon!
"That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind! Haha, don't quote me on that."
Upon seeing this, Klein recalled the hysterical diary page of Roselle. He began to suspect that it was written after the emperor's "landing on the moon."
Putting down the remaining, unread diary pages, Klein began to use dream divination to recall the content he had read over the past year. He wanted to use the comparison to find clues to Roselle's abnormal mental state.
Not long after, he saw a few lines of text in his dream. It was the last diary entry that was theoretically written by Roselle:
"I'm unable to give any actual suggestions because I myself can't see the true faces of the seven deities or those evil gods. This might be partially related to the second Blasphemy Slate that the ancient organization hides. Unfortunately,
1 only have a rough idea of the hidden parts, and I'm unable to verify them."
In this diary, the Emperor had even solemnly warned his "friends" to be careful of the moon.
The dream suddenly shattered, and Klein snapped awake. There was an obvious look of fear in his eyes.
He clearly remembered that, a long time ago, Roselle had confirmed that there was a hidden portion in the second Blasphemy slate.
"19th July. The night of the Blood Moon.
"Mr. Door's answer allowed me to confirm one thing: In that ancient secret organization, the second Blasphemy Slate I saw wasn't complete!"
This... The emperor forgot? No, how could he have forgotten such an important matter? He only appeared a little extreme, and he didn't have much of a problem. Why did this happen... Klein couldn't help but mutter to himself silently, having an inexplicable and terrifying feeling.
The last diary entry, or rather, the Emperor Roselle who wrote that sentence seemed to be another person.
-x-X-x-
Above the grayish-white that wasn't perturbed at all, Klein silently sat at the end of the long, mottled table, like a stone statue that had existed for hundreds of thousands of years.
Regarding the discovery he had just now, he felt a deep sense of fear from the bottom of his heart. He felt a chill rush out from the back of his head, spreading across his entire body, bringing with it obvious yet real shudders.
It was as if he had witnessed a familiar friend become a stranger in a very short span of time. His actions were abnormal, as though he had been replaced by someone else.
Of course, there was a clearer and more direct analogy in this aspect: It would be Leonard Mitchell coming to visit and discuss the matter regarding Pallez Zoroast as a monocle is suddenly taken out and then put on.
Could it be that the emperor was unknowingly corrupted after his ascension to the crimson moon, and he didn't notice it at all? He usually didn't show any abnormalities. Only through reminiscing about his past through his diary entries, analyzing his inner voice, and talking to himself would certain premonitions surface in his mind? Or could it be that this was a form of hypnosis by Adam? But Roselle was at least a Sequence 1 when that happened... Klein couldn't help but lower his head to inspect himself. He imagined how another version of himself existed in his body without realizing it. He wasn't sure if this entity could be called a "human."
This truly is an extreme sense of horror... Klein slowly took a deep breath and forced himself to focus his attention on the diary pages of Emperor Roselle.
Soon, he discovered something worth reading:
"28th July. I attended that ancient secret organization's gathering once again.
"From the discussions among the members, I sensed a problem:
"Is it because I advanced too quickly that I'm relatively inexperienced? There are many things that I have never heard of before? @@novelbin@@
"Just like how they mentioned about the corruption from the cosmos and underground. This is the first time I know of their existence!
"Heh heh, I wonder how many of them are 'He's1 or 'She's.' Apart from a minority of the members, most of them don't like others knowing their levels.
"While others are communicating with each other, I asked Old Mister Hermes with a whisper, hoping to understand more about the corruption that stems from the cosmos and underground.
Hermes told me that this isn't something I can come into contact with at my current level. Just learning about it alone will cause me to be corrupted!
"It's actually that scary? What could it be? I'm even more intrigued.
"That old mister later told me that the corruption that originates from underground can be ignored because it will fade with time. A long time ago, in the era when the ancient gods were active, powerful creatures had attempted to resolve this problem completely. In the end, it made things worse and caused tremendous losses. Later, they gave up on the idea of directly exerting influence, and they switched focus to sealing and guarding it.
"From that day forth, although accidents happened occasionally, it was stable overall. Today, even if there are no seals or guards, as long as no one comes close and tries to go deeper, there won't be any incidents of corruption.
"What a surprising situation. It appears it doesn't require the protagonist of this era to resolve this problem.
"Old Mister Hermes mentioned the cosmos again and said that the situation there is more complicated, interesting, and more dangerous than I imagined. 'He' said that even a Sequence 2 angel doesn't have much knowledge of the cosmos. 'They' only have a general understanding of it. 'They' aren't aware that, apart from the dangers, there are too many other things. If it wasn't for the fact that 'He' once knew an existence that was good at wandering the cosmos and learned plenty of matters from that person, he wouldn't be able to tell me all of that.
"I was very curious, but I didn't hold much hope when I asked about the existence who was adept at wandering the cosmos.
"Old Mister Hermes didn't hide the truth. He said that it was Mr. Door, Bethel Abraham.
"Mr. Door... I pretended not to know anything and asked about that person's level in a very casual tone.
"Hermes didn't answer directly. 'He' only said that in the Fourth Epoch, even angels and demigods would address 'Him' by 'His' name in private. 'Those' who could make everyone address 'Them' by their titles are in a small minority—of which, Mr. Door was one of 'Them'—aside from Evernight, Storm, Earth, and the other deities.
"Is that so... Mr. Door's level really isn't low."
The corruption that stems from underground will naturally fade with time? Arrodes, said that the gray fog gives it a feeling that resembles that of an object from underground... It hopes that I can explore the underground world after I return to my throne of divinity. As for Lucca Brewster, he's certain that the higher the Sequence, the greater the danger the underground world will bring... Klein tapped the edge of the long, mottled table with his fingers. He was increasingly puzzled about what was happening underground.
Fortunately, Hermes's description, the state of the abandoned castle, and the attitude of the Evemight Goddess seemed to indicate that the corruption that stems from underground would naturally dissipate. Leaving it alone was the best solution.
Phew, then I shall temporarily put aside my worries regarding the underground world... Hermes's words and the bronze door deep in the City of Miracles corroborate with each other. The Dragon of Imagination Ankewelt had really tried to resolve the problem of the underground world, but ended up with fear and trauma... From the looks of it, the greatest possibility for the coming of the apocalypse is probably from the cosmos, and my current Sequence doesn't qualify me to know of it... Amidst his thoughts, Klein sighed as he continued flipping through the diary pages in his hand.
After reading a few pages, his eyes suddenly lit up and locked onto one of the pages.
"31st December. The end of a year is the most suitable time to make a resolution and start a new story.
"I've already thought of where the eight secret mausoleums should be built. I'm just clueless about the last one.
"This has to be more covert than the eight previous ones, or else it will be meaningless.
"After a long thought, I thought of a place: The nameless island where Grimm was buried.
"Of course, the Abyss is also an option. However, I can't find a living Devil in the area that I can enter, so I can't force them to become my citizens and help me build a mausoleum. Ordinary humans can't survive there, and even powerful Beyonders will find it difficult to resist the corrosive properties of the Abyss itself.
"Regardless, the environment on that nameless island seems like a pretty good choice.
"Heh, the Princes of Abolition in the Fourth Epoch's understanding of citizens is too limited. The rule of an Emperor is not only limited to humans and humanoid creatures; all living things should be my subjects!
"And there are many extraordinary creatures on that nameless island with no intelligence. They have long worshiped and followed me. I can totally drive them into building a secret mausoleum.
"When I wrote this, I suddenly recalled that experience. Because I dreamed of Grimm, I brought Edwards, Benjamin, and the others back to this nameless island and discovered that those extraordinary creatures lived together in harmony. They were gathered together and holding a ritual, and amongst them was the deceased Grimm.
"I was indeed shocked back then. I felt a fear that I hadn't felt in a long time, and everything appeared extremely bizarre.
That time, William and Poli died. Only Edwards and Benjamin survived. If I hadn't already become powerful and controlled a Grade 0 Sealed Artifact, everyone would've perished along with them.
The power of those Beyonder creatures that affected that nameless island actually came from the cosmos, and those who were corrupted would return to the source after dying.
Thankfully, the power from the cosmos could only project a small portion of it into the real world. I finally solved the problem and made that nameless island my secret base.
"Now, it's time to use it!"
After reading the diary, Klein didn't feel exhilarated that he had correctly guessed where Emperor Roselle's final mausoleum was. Instead, he frowned slightly.
This was, on the one hand, because the corruption caused by the cosmos had truly appeared "in front of him." On the other hand, the nameless island wasn't that secretive. Other than the emperor, there were also the two survivors, Edwards and Benjamin. It didn't meet Roselle's requirements of complete secrecy.
Before this, did Edwards and Benjamin pass away normally, resulting in them being unable to divulge any secrets, or was it that, after Roselle successfully built the mausoleum, he made these two subordinates stay on the island forever, resolving the problem of spirit channeling? Of course, if Roselle had the corresponding Sealed Artifacts or Beyonder powers, he could also make them completely lose the corresponding memories... After a moment of silence, Klein flipped through the diary pages again in search of the coordinates to the nameless island.
However, he didn't see the corresponding content when he reached the last page. Instead, there was a diary entry that vaguely revealed some of Roselle's thoughts in his later years.
"27th December. I've been feeling uneasy recently because I have no confidence in what will happen next.
"I no longer yearn for help. I'm very satisfied if they can remain neutral.
"I have put myself in the most dangerous situation. This is an act of me taking initiative, but it is also a choice due to a lack of options.
"Sometimes, I'm very confused. How did I end up like this?
"Was I too extreme, or was this the only thing I could do?
"No, at this point in time, I can't be confused anymore. Apart from affecting my mindset and making the already slim chances even slimmer, it's meaningless.
"Now that I've reached this point, I can only continue on. If I succeed, it will naturally be sunshine and rainbows.
"Heh heh, all my hopes are placed on one sentence:
"Life is possible by being in death's embrace!"
From the looks of it, the emperor really chose the method of making use of one's revival after death to escape the madness and corruption... This is simply crazy. It's like he's playing a game of Russian roulette with all six chambers filled, hoping that one of the rounds misfire... People who don't like going to the extremes, or those who are good at coming up with all kinds of strange ideas, wouldn't consider the viability of this method... Perhaps it's because the enemy can't guess it that this might give the emperor a sliver of a chance of living... Klein leaned back into his chair as he silently sat in the ancient palace for a while.
After he slowly recovered his scattered thoughts, he considered how to find the nameless island.
I remember that the person who visited the nameless island, Benjamin, seems to be from the Abraham family. This be asked via Miss Magician... Yes, I'll be meeting her soon. There's no need to specially get The Fool to pass the message...
I'll get Queen Mystic to ask the descendants of Edwards, William, and Poli. That will be more suitable...
With this in mind, he surveyed the area and sighed before disappearing above the gray fog.
-x-X-x-
Returning to the real world, Klein immediately took out a pen and paper and wrote a short letter:
"Investigate the nameless island which led to the deaths of Grimm, William, and Poli. This can be done through the descendants of Edwards, Benjamin Abraham, and the descendants of the three deceased."
This was a letter to Queen Mystic Bernadette, so Klein didn't write the reason. He believed that she would understand what this meant.
After folding the letter, Klein casually found a candle and began the summoning ritual.
After completing the setup, he placed the letter on the altar, took two steps back, and recited in ancient Hermes:
"I!
"I summon in my name:
"An invisible creature that roams the upper realms, a strange spiritual body that is friendly to humans, a messenger that belongs solely to Bernadette Gustav."
The moment he said that, Klein's spiritual perception was triggered. He instinctively activated his Spirit Vision with a mere thought.
However, he didn't see anything.
Then, he discovered that the letter placed on the altar had disappeared.
Queen Mystic's messenger is very special... Next time, I'll switch to using my Spirit Body Threads vision... Klein was stunned for a second before he sighed inwardly.
In the evening, under the illumination of the street lamps that lit up one after another, a carriage drove to the intersection of the Backlund Bridge area and East Borough and stopped by the side of the streets.
Wearing a long dress and a dark cloak, Fors paid the fare of three soli before alighting from the rental carriage. She walked slowly along the shadows of the street, preparing to make a large detour to escape from her imaginary stalker.
At the end of the previous Tarot Gathering, she had swiftly overcome her laziness, packed up, and went out to visit her former teachers, classmates, and colleagues.
As for the reason, there was no need for a special reason. It was very normal to care about friends and acquaintances after an air raid.
And the reason why it wasn't last week was because, in the eyes of the ordinary citizens, the situation in Backlund was especially tense. There could be a new round of attacks at any moment, so everyone naturally tried their best not to leave the house.
During the visit, Fors had originally planned on diverting the topic onto the strange tales at the hospital, but to her surprise, there was no need for her to do so at all. Her former teachers, classmates, and colleagues would usually chat about such matters on their own accord after some idle chatter, making one convinced that such illusions happened at every hospital.
No, Fors knew that it wasn't an illusion, so she inexplicably felt horrified, suspecting that she would have nightmares at night.
I don't have to make any major changes at all. As long as the patients' miraculous recoveries are changed to them having their physical wounds healed, only to have them go bonkers, it would make for an excellent horror story. Furthermore, it happens in a city that everyone is familiar with and also in the hospital that people often come into contact with in the city but exudes a terrifying atmosphere. It will result in perfect immersion. I can almost foresee another best-selling novel about to be bom. I just don't know if I can write this genre well...
Uh, the only problem is that this story will lack sufficient emotion... A female patient passionately kissing a face that's covered in mushrooms and weeds? Isn't that way too outlandish... Fors walked as she thought, entering a creative state of mind.
At this moment, her vision blurred. She saw a figure walk out from the shadows in front of her where the gas lamps couldn't illuminate.
The figure wore a black trench coat and a half top hat. He had a deep-set face with cold facial features. Apart from his gold-rimmed glasses, he looked identical to the crazy adventurer of the Five Seas, Gehrman Sparrow.
Although Fors knew that Mr. World wouldn't hunt her and was here to fulfill the contract, she couldn't help but tense up. It was as though she had met her strictest teacher from back in her school days.
"Uh, good evening." Her footsteps slowed down, but she still continued moving forward and greeted him.
Klein nodded without a word. He turned around and walked into a secluded alley to the side. The gas lamps inside were already damaged so it was dark.
Despite the dark environment, Fors similarly didn't say a word. She lowered her head slightly and followed behind Gehrman Sparrow at an adequate pace. @@novelbin@@
When they reached the depths of the alley, Klein looked around and said in a deep voice, "Help me ask your teacher if he knows of this person—Benjamin Abraham. If he knows him, I want all his information and all the text and pictures he left behind."
"Uh... Okay, okay." Fors was nervously waiting for Mr. World to "Teleport" her somewhere else, but she never expected him to mention something else for no reason. She nearly failed to react.
She didn't ask why and quickly nodded in agreement, as though she couldn't wait to do it.
Then, she took a deep breath and continued waiting for Gehrman Sparrow to approach her. He grabbed her shoulder and began "Teleporting."
But after a few seconds, nothing happened.
Fors looked up in shock, only to see Mr. World still standing in front of her, looking at her.
She then heard him say in a deep voice, "Write it now."
Write it now... Fors didn't ask why as she subconsciously said, "I didn't bring any paper, a pen, envelope, or stamp with me."
Before she could finish her sentence, the four items were thrown at her.
Fors caught the items and took a few steps out. Using the gas lamps at the end of the alley which opened up to the roads and the hard wall, she quickly wrote the letter to her teacher, Dorian Gray Abraham.
With both hands in his pockets, Klein waited patiently without any signs of impatience.
In fact, he had long been lurking around Miss Magician without showing himself.
According to the address Fors provided, he had been secretly monitoring her from the moment she left home in the afternoon. His monitoring was done by getting his marionettes to pray to Sea God Kalvetua from time to time while his actual body stayed above the gray fog, using the prayer light dots to observe the situation around the Magician.
With the help of his "true vision," Klein was currently certain that Zaratul hadn't targeted Miss Magician; thus, it was safe to make contact with her.
After knowing that Miss Magician had met Zaratul's marionette, how could he be at ease and be daring enough to meet her and take her "Traveling"?
Now, he was certain that Zaratul had been attracted by the Abraham family's Sealed Artifact or Saint of Secrets Botis. As for a mere Sequence 6 like The Magician, she wasn't worthy of notice. Hence, she wasn't exposed.
A few minutes later, Fors finished writing. She used a sticky herbal powder she carried with her to seal the envelope and pasted the stamp.
"Do I throw it into the mailbox now?" Fors glanced at the cover of the letter with her teacher's address and real name and asked hesitantly.
She felt that she had to do it herself. She couldn't hand it over to The World, or it might bring danger to her teacher.
Of course, if Gehrman Sparrow insisted, Fors felt that there was nothing she could do. Even if she tore the letter apart, there was still a possibility of her being hypnotized or having her spirit channeled.
Klein nodded indiscernibly.
"Return after you're finished posting it."
Phew... Fors let out a long sigh of relief. Turning around, she ran towards the street and found the mailbox.
After finishing all of this, she returned to the dark alley. Without waiting for Gehrman Sparrow to speak, she handed over the fountain pen and the remaining two stamps. She very quickly said, "One was enough."
Klein gave Miss Magician a look before he took the stamp and pen and calmly said, "This means that your teacher's residence is less than 100 kilometers from Backlund."
Fors's expression froze.
What's the big deal? I also know that your teacher lives in Pritz Harbor, and there's a high chance that he hasn't moved away yet... As for why I gave you three stamp tickets, of course it was intentional... Klein muttered to himself before taking a few steps forward to stand in front of Miss Magician.
He then reached out his left hand that was wearing a transparent glove and grabbed the lady's shoulder.
Fors subconsciously lowered her head again.
The surrounding colors immediately became saturated and layered while countless, indescribable figures flashed. When the things and colors she saw returned to normal, Fors instinctively raised her head to thank him.
However, Gehrman Sparrow had already disappeared!
Fors sized up her surroundings in a daze and realized that she was standing in an empty corner. In front of her was a door, and a din and the smell of alcohol were emitted from beyond the door.
Fors pulled at her cloak and walked out the door with a hint of fear, only to see many men dressed as pirates.
They had scimitars and guns, either hanging or lodged by their waist. While drinking hard liquor, they discussed the strengths of the fleets of Feysac and Loen in high spirits. Quite a number of beautifully dressed women were amongst them, like dancing butterflies.
She was wearing a long, dark-colored cloak in a Backlund style. Her brown hair was long and slightly curled. She had a rather mature temperament, but her expression of fear made it seem like Fors was a lamb that had barged into a wolf pack. It was so disharmonious and eye-catching, and it quickly attracted the attention of many.
She felt a little familiar with what those people had said to her. It was as if they were part of a language branch she had learned, but she couldn't understand them immediately.
Where am I, what am I doing, who are they... As Fors was at a loss, a plump man squeezed over and said in broken Loenese, "10 soli, one night!"
Fors had been involved in many of the Beyonder circles over the years. Although she didn't know where she was, she knew very well what kind of situation she was in. The light in her eyes flickered strangely before they converged into one point.
An indescribable aura emanated from her body, making the people around her subconsciously avoid her gaze.
This was the authority of a Judge, a qualitative change in the ability of an Arbiter.
Berserk Sea, Theros Island.
Danitz hid in the shadows, watching the intelligence peddler, Bartz, in a serious manner.
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