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Chapter 780: Extract

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Walter came to the third story and rapped on the master bedroom's door.

"Who is it?" Dwayne Dantès's slightly weak and hoarse voice sounded.

Walter turned the doorknob, opening a tiny crack in the door.

"Sir, Bishop Elektra is here to visit you.

"Do you wish to meet him in the living room or activity room, or should he be invited directly to your bedroom?"

Usually, visitors weren't permitted to enter the master's bedroom. This was rather impolite, but visiting the sick was an exception.

After a brief silence, Dwayne Dantès replied, "Invite him into the bedroom."

"Alright, sir." As Walter gestured Richardson to urge a maid to prepare some tea, he walked down and invited Bishop Elektra of the Church of Evernight up.

Soon, Elektra entered the bedroom and saw Dwayne Dantès lying in bed, looking haggard.

"Richardson, get the bishop a seat," the pale Dwayne Dantès said with a smile.

Richardson had already done so. He immediately moved a high-back chair to a spot near the bed.

However, Elektra took a few steps forward to observe the new tycoon in town and asked in concern, "Dwayne, how are you? Did you consult a physician?"

His spiritual perception wasn't triggered, so he didn't make any attempts. He was only visiting a pious believer out of concern.

Dwayne Dantès coughed lightly and smiled.

"I'm actually almost recovered. I believe I'll be able to head over to church tomorrow or the day after tomorrow to listen to your preachings."

"That's good. I was wondering if I needed to pray to Goddess to bless you." Elektra chuckled and took a step back before sitting on the chair which Richardson had brought for him.

At this moment, Dwayne Dantès glanced at the bishop and chuckled.

"Actually, I've always had a question. Are clergymen of the Church of the Goddess allowed to get married?"

Elektra, who was two years short of reaching forty, sighed and smiled.

"This question has actually troubled us for the longest time.

"In ancient times, the archbishops had engaged in intense debates about this on several theosophical meetings.

"One side believed that servants of the Goddess need to maintain their purity, be it men or women; otherwise it would be sacrilegious. The other side found words from the Goddess in The Revelation of Evernight and other books, believing that the Goddess encouraged marriage. 'She' encouraged equality between both sexes and for them to have normal contact. Hence, clergymen should be an example of this, and not be a negative example; by doing so, that would be the greatest respect towards the Goddess.

"In recent times, this question has basically been shelved. The Church doesn't ban or encourage it. The only request is that married clergymen are not to let their families live in the cathedrals."

Dwayne Dantès nodded slowly as he curled the corner of his lips.

"Your Excellency, do you have a wife?"

Although Bishop Elektra was thin and not very good-looking, he was pleasant to the eyes. He sighed and said, hardly hiding his smile, "Two years ago, I walked down the aisle under the Goddess's watch. I happen to have a child this year.

"I originally imagined that I would remain single my entire life in order to serve Goddess, but…"

As he spoke, he gave a self-deprecating laugh and shook his head.

Without waiting for Dwayne Dantès to probe deeper, Elektra asked, "You seem to be single as well. Are you considering the problem of marriage?"

He seemed to imagine that Dwayne Dantès had such thoughts, and he directly asked, imagining that the answer was certain as he continued, "What kind of lady do you like? Perhaps I might be able to help introduce you to someone."

Dwayne Dantès coughed lightly and said with a smile, "I often chose adventures to amass wealth in the past, so I wasn't willing to get married, afraid I would drag her down. Heh, I like many types of women and am not picky.

"I like those older than me, one's who can give me warmth and make me feel at ease…"

Before he finished, his valet, Richardson, wore a stunned expression. He hurriedly turned his head aside and lowered it. He felt his face burning for some baffling reason.

Dwayne Dantès didn't seem to sense it as he continued, "I also like those younger than me, those who are pure and lively, making anyone who sees them feel as though it's dawn because of the radiance they aren't aware of…"

Bishop Elektra's face suddenly froze as he raised his palm and clenched it into a fist as he held it to his mouth and coughed twice.

Yet, Dwayne Dantès didn't stop. He shook his head and said with a sigh, "I also like those who were once in love or were married so that people wouldn't dare approach due to their status, women who can only be viewed from afar. They are so charming that each action of theirs are so intoxicating and irresistible. I often dream…"

Butler Walter, who was standing nearby, trembled. He felt as though he had experienced a dream that he didn't wish to wake up from despite opposing it greatly. He had no idea if it was a good or bad dream.

Dwayne Dantès was about to continue to describe further, but he stopped producing any sound after opening his mouth.

He then chuckled softly.

"That's all very normal. When humans are at their limits and are under the influence of their senses, they often have some abnormal thoughts. As long as they're repressed while acting in line with one's will, it wouldn't feel like torture. One would still be a husband, a good father, a good man."

"That's very reasonable. When I'm incensed, I often have irrational thoughts, but few people will turn them into reality." Bishop Elektra ingeniously changed the subject. As for Butler Walter and Valet Richardson, they revealed looks of contemplation.

The bishop didn't stay long. After drinking a few sips of the marquis black tea that the maid delivered, he got up and bade farewell, leaving Dwayne Dantès's residence.

The room quickly turned quiet as the window at the balcony silently opened. Klein, who had changed back into Dwayne Dantès, agilely leaped inside.

Thankfully, I returned in time. If I allowed Arrodes to continue speaking, Bishop Elektra would probably renounce a pious believer like me… Perhaps I'll even discover Walter and Richardson hanging from their rooms tomorrow morning, and the streets would have rumors of Dwayne Dantès being a pervert… Klein looked at the fake Dwayne on the bed and sighed silently. That final response had been personally formulated by him, and he got Arrodes to read it.

Of course, this was his contingency plan for the worst possible scenario. He had believed that Arrodes wouldn't have made the situation develop that far.

"Welcome back, Great Master." The Dwayne Dantès in bed bowed and greeted. "Did your loyal and humble servant, Arrodes, do well?"

Hearing the mirror stammer the question, Klein sighed and said, "It's still alright. You did pretty good.

"However, try not to agitate others when chatting."

"I-I will take note!" The fake Dwayne Dantès rapidly vanished as a small mirror appeared on the pillow.

Above the mirror, silver light bloomed as words appeared:

"Thank you for your affirmation. I will continue following in your footsteps. I look forward to being of service to you the next time~"

After a goodbye expression was sketched out, the mirror returned to normal.

Klein went close to it and put away the mirror before entering the bathroom attached to the master bedroom. He took four steps counterclockwise and headed above the gray fog.

He wanted to complete the Grazing before Mr. X's Spirit Body dispersed.

…

In the book world, inside a cave on a snow-laden mountain peak.

Klein looked at Mr. X's corpse and carefully identified the head that had been pieced together from the fragments. He matched it with his memories of the target's picture which Miss Magician had provided him.

It's him… I hope I'll obtain Traveling and Record. With them, I would make a killing with this operation. Otherwise, I'll have to consider getting Miss Magician to pay more. The difficulty between hunting a Sequence 5 and that of facing a demigod are two completely different matters. As Klein thought, he reached out his left palm and spread open his fingers, aiming at the corpse whose spirituality hadn't completely dispersed.

Creeping Hunger quickly transformed back into its original form, looking as though it was made of thin human skin, two eyes split open in the middle of its palm. Its pupils were bright red, as though they were dyed in blood.

Amidst a cold and eerie wind, Mr. X's significantly dispersed Spirit Body and the resplendent Beyonder specks of light that resembled the Milky Way drilled into Creeping Hunger, fixing onto a blank finger.

Creeping Hunger first turned transparent as if it was a shadow of the spirit world before returning to normal.

Klein closed his eyes and sensed it as his brows gradually eased. A smile surfaced on his face.

His luck was pretty good this time because he had drawn one of the Beyonder powers he wanted the most: Traveler's Door!

It could also be called Door of Teleportation, Teleportation, or Traveling. Its effect was to allow a person to traverse the spirit world while sensing the external world. Beyonders of different Sequences could endure Traveling for different periods of time due to the differences in their Spirit Body's potency. This made the effects of spirit world traversal and the distance differ.

If it's a Sequence 9 or 8, they wouldn't be able to go beyond Backlund… With my present level, I wonder if I can directly head to the primitive island which Mr. Hanged Man provided. Hmm, if that doesn't work, I can split it into a few trips… Klein thought as he smiled.

At this point, he realized that a Traveler's strength in head-on combat was very powerful. This was because the difficulty in using short-distance Traveling was about the same as Flaming Jump. This also meant that a Traveler could keep phasing around a target, opening up and narrowing distances as they pleased. This would catch people by surprise while also preventing them from inflicting a successful blow.

Furthermore, if plenty of powers were Recorded and the vigilance that accompanies immediately departing once something felt amiss, Klein suspected that even with Lightning Storm and Hurricane, he had no way of restraining a Traveler in direct combat.

Indeed, a Marionettist should try to hide behind the shadows… As Klein thought poignantly, he cast his eyes on Mr. X's corpse.

Creeping Hunger had also obtained another Beyonder power. It was Door Opening of the Apprentice Sequence. It was equivalent to a very weakened version of Traveling and was of little value.

Turning his gaze, Klein's eye noticed the ruby ring on Mr. X's hand.

Chapter 781: Negative Effects

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

After staring at Mr. X's corpse for a while, Klein held back the urge to personally dig through his pockets for spoils of war. He made Wraith Senor take two steps and retrieve the ruby ring.

This way, even if Mr. X carried an item with unimaginable negative effects, it would be endured by the marionette and not affect himself.

After some careful inspecting, Senor held the ruby ring, 48 pounds in cash, and an ordinary pipe filled with tobacco and walked back.

That's all? An Oracle of the Aurora Order only has this much? Klein was rather surprised at this scene as he nearly cursed "pauper" at him.

Soon, he recovered his calm and used his reasoning to convince himself that such a situation was very reasonable.

Mr. X is a Traveler. He can record the Beyonder powers of others. He's considered an all-rounder. Even if such a powerhouse were to have other mystical items, he would tend to record them and not carry them around. This way, he could enjoy the benefits of the powers without suffering from the negative effects. That can prevent himself from killing himself.

Using this line of thought, the effects of this ring was likely to be passive or triggered.

With this in mind, Klein nodded gently. He made Senor carry Mr. X's cracked and sticky head, possess him, and return above the gray fog.

Sitting behind The Fool's seat, he was no longer afraid of anything. He directly took the ruby ring and used the method of divination in order to determine the actual effects of the mystical item.

Its name is Flower of Blood…

It allows the wearer to control their body at a deeper level. As long as they don't suffer from instant death or are completely purified; hence, losing the ability to control it, they will be able to slowly recover…

This is equivalent to an instinct, a passive effect…

From the looks of it, my choice of delivering a lethal strike with Death Knell was the correct one. If I hadn't used all my might, Mr. X might not have actually died. He would then be able to use the extreme pain to awaken himself and escape the control of a Marionettist… He had also considered his weakness of being more of a spellcaster and having a body that was insufficient in strength…

This ring has flesh magic to a certain degree. It's quite useful… As Klein held the ruby ring, he rapped the edge of the mottled table and muttered silently.

He then began probing the Flower of Blood's negative effects.

Nearly a minute later, Klein opened his eyes and left the dream.

Oh, come on!? This? he muttered as he wore a twisted look.

With dream divination, he had interpreted the Flower of Blood's negative effects. It involved randomly making the wearer lose all rationale and the ability to think.

Great. This is in line with the True Creator… Klein couldn't help but grind his teeth.

A negative effect that was completely random meant that the Flower of Blood had no way to be used!

Thinking back to the scene from before, Klein muttered to himself in an amused and peeved manner, Mr. X actually dared to wear such a ring?

That's right, people who change their faith to the True Creator often don't have any facility to think. In that case, wearing such a ring wouldn't make them worse.

Hmm, losing rationale isn't losing reason. It wouldn't be as bad as suddenly hurting others. But clearly, he would be very rigid and foolish, acting only on instinct.

Phew… Klein heaved a sigh of relief. He decided to throw the Flower of Blood into the junk pile and not vex over it. From his point of view, it was a piece of crap that he couldn't use, nor was anyone willing to buy it unless he sold it to the Aurora Order. However, that would only make the True Creator very happy.

At that moment, he caught sight of Admiral of Blood Senor who was standing beside him through the corner of his eye.

Klein's heart stirred as he clapped.

Why didn't I think of that—I might not be able to use it, but I can let my marionette use it. After all, he's dead and he follows all my instructions. He doesn't need to think!

Admiral of Blood, Flower of Blood. It's destined to be a pair! Although Senor has lost his control over his body because he's dead, I can provide that…

This way, he can still be fixed even if he can't phase into a Wraith in time, or if his Zombie body isn't strong enough to withstand a blow, causing him to lose a limb or two.

Of course, to a marionette, that's not important, as it doesn't affect his intrinsic character. The main goal is to obtain the additional flesh magic.

A few seconds later, a delighted Klein made Senor pick up the ruby ring and wear it on his left index finger.

After doing this, Klein made the Wraith return to the gold coin before he raised his left palm and spread his fingers.

He wanted to release the Interrogator from Creeping Hunger!

This was a promise he had made a long time ago.

This was the last Spirit Body that had been Grazed when he received Creeping Hunger. It was time to set it free.

Amidst an indistinct cold wind, a blurry soul appeared by the side of the bronze table.

He was a man in a navy uniform. He was in his thirties and had the rank of commander. He had brown whiskers on his painful and dazed face.

"What's your name? How did Qilangos kill you?" Klein asked in a deep voice.

The man jolted from his reverie and answered, "My name is Andy Haydn. The second mate of the Enmat. I died at a battle at sea, no—I didn't die immediately. I was captured by a Feysacian before I entered that glove of yours…

"I do not know of a Qilangos, much less heard of him."

This Interrogator was already inside the glove when Qilangos obtained Creeping Hunger? As Psychic Piercing is very useful, he didn't switch it? I wonder who the previous owner of Creeping Hunger was… Klein asked with piqued interest, "Who was the Feysacian who caught you? What does he look like?"

Andy Haydn thought seriously and said, "I don't know his name. I only remember his epaulet was that of a captain. I remember that he had a big, impressionable nose. I remember his eyes were blue, and his hair was close to blond. He was almost two meters tall…"

Such people from Feysac are common… other than his identity as a captain… Klein considered for a moment and said, "Which year did you die?"

Andy Haydn's figure slowly dissipated away, and finally, it said, "1338…"

That's twelve years ago. Hmm, Vice Admiral Hurricane Qilangos got famous less than ten years ago… That captain might already be an admiral… Klein gently nodded and discovered that he had failed to ask if Andy Haydn had any last wishes.

Forget it, setting him free is already a good deed… Klein quickly threw the matter to the back of his mind as he conjured The World Gehrman Sparrow.

…

"…Please inform Miss Magician that Mr. X, Lewis Wien, is dead. Please get her to take receipt of the item and the spellbook… I'll request it from her when I need it again…"

An endless gray fog filled Fors's eyes as The World Gehrman Sparrow's words emotionlessly rang in her ears. Although she was already prepared for this piece of news, she still found it unbelievable and unacceptable.

He really succeeded? That storm in East Borough was created by him? Fors held down the upheavals in her heart. Taking advantage of the silent night, she set up a bestowment ritual in her bedroom.

Before long, the candlelight and spirituality items created an illusory door. Two items flew out and landed gently on the table.

When Fors took a careful look, she nearly screamed as she hurriedly covered her mouth. She took two steps back and kept close to the wall of spirituality.

One of the two items was her Leymano's Travels, while the other item was a hideous head covered in cracks. It was stained with blood as if they had pieced together, as it seemed to shimmer with what appeared like reflected light on glass.

As a graduate of med school, and having worked as a doctor at a well-known clinic, Fors had seen her fair share of corpses but never had she seen such a disgusting, creepy, and terrifying head.

After composing herself, Fors looked at the head again, identifying it to be Lewis Wien's.

She carefully used astromancy to make a final confirmation. Following that, she muttered with a slightly twisted expression, Mr. World shattered the target's head and then pieced them back together?

At this moment, Fors couldn't help have a scene surface in her mind.

It was of the cold Gehrman Sparrow sitting in front of a table, piecing together the bloody head fragments together, as though seriously putting a jigsaw puzzle together.

This made Fors involuntarily shiver. She had an inexplicable feeling that The World was a psychotic killer with a serious mental illness.

Moving her gaze away, she took two steps forward and picked up Leymano's Travels and casually flipped through it.

Her gaze gradually froze because there were more spells in the spellbook, most of them seemingly related to wind and lightning.

This made her recall the lightning storm that quickly passed in East Borough. She was convinced that it was created by Mr. World.

Fors hurriedly flipped to the three charred-yellow pages in Leymano's Travels and found them blank.

She immediately had a guess, believing that The World Gehrman Sparrow had likely gained Mr. Fool's help to record Beyonder powers at the demigod level.

I just realized that if I have enough money and resources, I can hire the Tarot Club members to help me record different Beyonder powers. This way, Leymano's Travels will become extremely powerful, but I don't have the money or resources… Hmm, I can request for a reward from Teacher this time. I can say that I paid quite a price to help seek revenge for him… Fors thought and first thanked Mr. Fool before asking him to pass on the message to The World.

"…I'm very sorry that my payment isn't proportionate to the difficulty of the mission. After I receive a reward, I'll provide compensation."

After the prayer, Fors ended the ritual and hurriedly hid the head.

If Xio discovers this, she'll definitely imagine a horror story… After she was done, Fors clapped her hands as she thought leisurely.

…

When Fors replied, Klein had already returned to the real world. All he heard was a vague female's voice.

But even so, he couldn't help the fear and horror he felt. This was because Death Knell had given him an additional weakness: the fear of women!

Chapter 782: Saturday Night

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

On Saturday morning, Klein, who was wearing pajamas, rubbed his head and got out of bed.

He didn't sleep well, as different women would inevitably enter his dreams, scaring him awake. He needed to spend several seconds to calm his emotions before returning to sleep again.

Thankfully, this weakness only lasts six hours, and there's no need for me to head out in the middle of the night. I didn't have to face the maids… Klein sighed as he pulled the rope beside his bed. Richardson, who had been waiting outside, immediately entered with the clothes his employer needed to wear.

I've no idea what Arrodes said. Richardson seems to try to avoid me when facing me… Was it the kind of ladies he mentioned he likes, and that it happens to also be at odds with how society views it? Klein happened to only hear the magic mirror mention the kind of women that Butler Walter liked when he rushed back. He wasn't sure what had happened prior to that.

He didn't use dream divination to obtain the corresponding information, as he didn't feel that it was necessary. After all, with Richardson's personality, he wouldn't have the courage to take action no matter who he liked. It wouldn't have had any additional effects.

After changing into his clothes, Klein headed to the second story and walked to the dining room. Walter was wearing white gloves as usual, waiting by the entrance.

Upon seeing Dwayne Dantès approach, he took a step forward and bowed politely.

"Good morning, sir. You have two lessons today. In the evening, you will be participating in the banquet at Mr. Portland Moment's place."

Portland Moment lived at 100 Böklund Street. He was a full-time professor at Backlund University's Department of Engineering, a fellow at the Loen Kingdom Imperial Science Institute. As he had discovered a few metal alloys, he had received the Light of Machinery award, and he was just second to people like Turani von Helmosuin in the world of academics.

Furthermore, the few metal alloys were widely used in ship and steam engine construction. Just the licensing patent was enough to make him a tycoon with a wealth of hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Upon hearing Walter, Klein casually glanced at him, realizing that he had some dark eye circles. His eye bags were a little puffy, making him look different from usual. It was as though he hadn't slept well the entire night.

If not for a Faceless's powers, Dwayne Dantès would probably look the same… Klein retracted his gaze in pity and didn't speak further. As he nodded gently in response to Walter's greetings, he entered the dining hall.

To be honest, Klein was rather impressed with him. He was able to hold back his fantasies and stop himself from approaching her to seek out pleasure, despite frequently meeting a Demoness. All he did was have wet dreams that included the target when alone at night.

One had to know that a Demoness, especially one who was in the midst of or having passed the Pleasure Sequence, had a charm that far exceeded a Beyonder's effects towards males. Every action was filled with a charm that made any men who came close to them feel intoxicated and lost. It was like consuming opioids and gradually developing into something more serious, to the point of not being able to extricate oneself from the pleasure given by a Demoness. Perhaps only gay men could effectively resist such charms.

Of course, Klein suspected that gay men were not immune to it either. This was because one's mind and hormones would be affected, creating changes that originally didn't exist. Furthermore, a large number of Demonesses were men to begin with. This lowered one's psychological resistance.

And precisely because of this, even though he was a Sequence 5 Beyonder, Klein had to constantly maintain a high-strung state when facing Demonesses like Trissy and Tracy. He was afraid that any mishap might cause him to be charmed.

Even he wasn't immune to such effects, much less an ordinary person like Butler Walter. This wasn't something that willpower alone could resist!

Although perhaps being a result of Prince Edessak's death or her own advancement, Trissy was clearly able to rein in her charms. Walter is only an ordinary person. Hmm, even if he is one, he's at best a Sequence 9 or 8… For him to maintain his present state implies how strong his self-restraint is. He's very loyal to Prince Edessak, and he loves his wife and daughter… As Klein sighed, he sat down. Breakfast today was his favorite Desi pie. The oil that effused out of it made him salivate.

…

The sea late at night was nearly black as it was faintly dyed with a sliver of crimson red. It was calmer and quieter than in the day.

The Blue Avenger was ebbing up and down in the waves like a ghost as it cruised towards the crimson moon.

Alger Wilson stood at the bow, looking far away at the waves. On the surface, he appeared staid as usual, but deep down, he could hardly hold back his agitation.

Ahead of him was the Abyss Maelstrom north of Sonia Island!

As it was a dangerous vortex that was famous for appearing without any signs, no ship was willing to enter these dangerous waters.

After delivering the report and leaving Pasu Island, Alger commandeered the Blue Avenger all the way north where they circled around Sonia Island and headed for this area.

Midway, they had docked at a harbor for resupplies without wasting any more time.

As for whether he would be suspected for heading north, Alger wasn't worried. This was because the Church of Storms was happy to have its captains head north of the Sonia Sea and the Fog Sea in order to obtain intel on the Feysac Empire, Intis Kingdom, Church of the Eternal Blazing Sun, and the Church of the God of Combat.

Looking back at his ship, Alger walked deckside, took out a charm made of tin, held it in his palm, and chanted the incantation, "Storm!"

A blue flame soared and devoured the charm. Alger suddenly sensed a baffling affinity with all the fish in the ocean beneath him.

At that instant, both parties were able to communicate at the psyche level!

The tin charm was one of the items he had obtained from his resupply at Pasu Island, allowing him to have an affinity with undersea creatures, providing a crude level of psychic communication with him.

Amidst his thoughts, Alger didn't think of obtaining any intel. All he did was wait for the Blue Avenger to approach the Alger Maelstrom and make a second attempt.

Seconds turned into minutes as Alger, who had failed nearly a hundred times, finally learned from a spindle-like fish about where Obninsks often appeared.

If I didn't know that the target is near the Abyss Maelstrom, I would've long given up. It's really difficult to grasp any reliable information through a brute-force search… Alger concluded as he touched his pocket.

He had already used up most of his affinity charms, with only five left.

I'll have to get another batch of them when I return. Others must not discover that I've expended all these… I heard the Rorsted Archipelago's Resistance has plenty… Heh heh… As Alger was pondering, he changed the direction of the Blue Avenger for the spot he had just learned about.

About an hour passed as the Blue Avenger stopped. Alger casually took out a sealed metal bottle.

This was the Sanguine anesthetic gas that he had spent 130 pounds to buy from The Moon. He had no doubt in regards to its effects because he had used one in the past.

As the Blue Avenger was a ghost ship, it didn't need many people to man it at night. There was only one person every night who was in charge of watching the ship, preventing it from deliberately creating problems or cruising into dangerous waters.

As the captain, Alger had arranged himself to be on duty that night without anyone noticing.

After he was done with his preparations, he came to the door of the sailors, took out a metallic pipe, and opened the bottle. He released the gas into each room, without even sparing the storeroom which stored all kinds of sundry. It was in case certain members of the crew were playing cards in there instead of sleeping.

After doing all of this, Alger, who wasn't in a rush to concoct the potion, brought the ingredients with him, changing into a diving suit that was made of shark skin. He leaped from the starboard and into the water, without causing any splashes.

Under the dark and calm waters, Alger's eyes gradually turned dark blue, allowing him to see his surroundings clearly.

He breathed in the air within the water comfortably as he arrived in a pitch-black deep sea.

Then, he used the affinity charm once again to communicate with the surrounding fish that were of different shapes and sizes.

With the advice from the kind fish, Alger identified his bearings and swam as he asked, finally arriving at what seemed like an underwater volcano.

The fish actually didn't know that an Obninsk stayed here. They only knew that their own kind and a number of top deep sea hunters often disappeared in the vicinity.

With his Beyonder powers, Alger looked far ahead and saw the huge, black cave in the undersea volcano. Tentacles that were thicker than pythons found in a Southern Continent primitive forest gently flailed outwards.

The huge suckers and patterned skin, as well as the cave that was several times the size of the Blue Avenger, left Alger apprehensive as he didn't dare approach.

An Obninsk is at least a powerful Sequence 5… Furthermore, it has a terrifying body… Hmm, I can confirm that it's my target… Alger carefully swam over and stopped at a distance from the threat. After careful identification, he used the affinity charm once again.

Following that, he allowed his spirituality to pass through the water and reach into the cave in an attempt to communicate with the powerful psyche force that was huddled inside.

The massive psyche slowly relaxed as countless thoughts were released.

It was taken aback for a moment before its psyche suddenly erupted like a volcano!

Roar!

Amidst a terrifying sound, the cave produced a ludicrous vortex that sucked the surrounding water, trash, as well as Alger towards it.

It's filled with animosity! Alger's pupils constricted as his body turned slippery as he was driven by a formless wind backward in an attempt to escape.

He used several Beyonder powers before escaping the influence of the vortex. He didn't dare stay near the undersea volcano, and he quickly surfaced before opening up a gap.

Almost a minute later, Alger, who had escaped the dangerous area, spat out bubbles as he heaved a sigh of relief.

That Obninsk can actually resist the influence of charms that increase an affinity with sea creatures…

Does it hate items with the Lord's aura?

After some thought, Alger, who didn't wish to waste this opportunity, steeled his resolve since he had already come this far. He began using Elvish to pray amidst the seawater.

"The Fool that doesn't belong to this era…"

Chapter 783: The Trick to Communication

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

When he heard the illusory pleas, Klein was attending a banquet at Portland Moment's place due to the time difference.

The banquet began from half-past seven, and it continued all the way to half-past nine, and even ten. This was because the appetizers, soup, side dishes, main dishes, staple food, vegetables, fruits, and desserts had numbered a total of ten to twenty dishes. The footmen would serve the dishes one after the other, removing and changing dishes in unison to prevent the dining table from turning chaotic, and also providing an interval between the dishes in order to allow the guests to chat. Gentlemen would take the initiative to talk to the ladies to their right.

In short, it's rather troublesome and exhausting. I even have to take note of which dish matches with which alcohol… However, it's quite tasty… Taking the opportunity when the roasted lamb was being switched out, he said to Ma'am Willis to his right, "My apologies. I'll need to use the washroom."

He got up, pressing his right hand to his chest and bending over slightly as a gesture. Then, he left the dining hall and headed for one of the washrooms on the second story.

Upon entering, he locked the door and immediately took four steps counterclockwise to head above the gray fog.

…Mr. Hanged Man's prayer. He wishes for me to help him in gaining the goodwill of an Obninsk, and he's willing to find 15 pages of Roselle's diary, or help me do something of equal value… His progress isn't slow… Klein sat at The Fool's seat as he emanated his spirituality and touched the constantly burgeoning and contracting crimson star.

After pondering for a few seconds, he said, "Investigate all Feysac captains who participated in the Konotop sea battle in 1338."

As a historian, Klein immediately knew which sea battle it was when he learned that the Interrogator had died at the hands of a Feysacian in 1338.

In 1338, the relationship between Loen and Feysac was tense with occasional conflicts. However, there was only one battle that resulted in the death of someone that was at the level of a commander. It was a sea battle that happened in East Balam's Konotop.

And on a Feysacian fleet, there were definitely not many captains!

…

In the deep, dark waters, Alger Wilson saw the endless grayish-white fog and heard Mr. Fool's answer.

Investigate all the captains from the Feysac Empire that were involved in the Konotop sea battle in 1338… Why would Mr. Fool pay attention to such a trivial figure? Is there some immense secret hidden in this matter? Alger's heart stirred. Without any hesitation, he directly agreed.

"Your wish is my wish."

Such a mission was difficult and very complicated for him, but it wasn't dangerous. It was something that the present him could accept.

After the response, Alger heard Mr. Fool's deep voice once again:

"You can return to the target's vicinity."

That's it? As expected of Mr. Fool! After he obtained the authority, "He" is more like a Sea God than Kalvetua. His might isn't limited to the Rorsted Archipelago! Alger was delighted as he thanked The Fool solemnly. Then, bending his back and kicking his legs, he turned to head down, diving into the depths once more.

In just minutes, he returned beside the undersea volcano and saw a turbulent flow in the gigantic dark cave as the tentacles were flailing and had yet to calm down.

Although Alger trusted Mr. Fool in being sufficiently powerful and terrifying, an awakening ancient god, he instinctively became cautious when he saw that scene. He carefully inched forward.

He suspected that the Obninsk's flailing of its countless tentacles was a sign of welcoming him.

And at this moment, above the gray fog, The Sea God Scepter-wielding Klein frowned slightly.

"It refuses to communicate with Sea God, and it even hates the feeling, making it unwilling to show its goodwill…" he muttered under his breath, exasperated.

His influence on the surrounding waters through the prayee had failed!

For some unknown reason, the Obninsk strongly resisted Beyonder powers that promoted an affinity with sea creatures.

Through the prayer scene, he could see the thick tentacles thrashing about, and he vaguely sensed that the target was infuriated. It was trying to rip apart all living beings that dared approach it.

Mr. Hanged Man has gone over… He's going over… The corners of Klein's mouth twitched as he decided to switch his approach.

He raised the Sea God Scepter a little higher, allowing the blue gems at the tip light up one after another, emitting a bright, blinding light!

Right on the heels of that, he directed the violent aura of Lightning Storm over, casting it on the Obninsk.

The thick tentacles that thrashed about at the bottom of the sea suddenly froze before falling down. They clung close to the seabed as countless green points of lights appeared in the dark cave.

Amidst a jarring rumbling sound, a terrifying monster that could devour a sailboat crawled out. Its patterned black body was massive and distorted. It had a total of three heads, and each head had more than a dozen eyes. All of them were emitting a green light!

The monster then prostrated, appearing as obedient as a trained hound.

"Indeed, tricks are needed in communication." Klein nodded in satisfaction and once again used the Beyonder affinity powers to make the Obninsk open the mouths of its three heads via a psychic connection.

This made Alger instantly see three dark "caves," each of them large enough to provide a sailboat passage inside.

Praise be to Mr. Fool… Alger looked at the "magnificent" scene before him as he couldn't help but mutter inwardly.

He didn't waste any time, and he chose the middle head by quickly swimming towards it.

A spiraled and warped passage quickly appeared in Alger's vision as the walls were made of flesh. The width was comparable to the bow of the Blue Avenger.

Whoosh. Water flowed into the passage, heading right for the deep depths. Alger took the opportunity to let his body go with the flow.

Suddenly, he felt as though he was back as a Sailor, engaging in combat amidst waves, groggy from being tossed around. It couldn't be sustained.

By the time Alger used his Beyonder powers and got a hold of himself, he had already left the tunnel of flesh. He was in a dark, spacious world, with a sticky sensation by his feet. There was a putrid stench everywhere around him.

In just a second, Alger realized that the liquid inside was corroding him. He hurriedly produced a water membrane as he made it swell into a transparent sphere.

He knew that he was already inside the Obninsk's stomach. Without any hesitation, he took out all the bottles he had long prepared and began concocting the potion.

As the supplementary ingredients were thrown into the wide-mouthed metal bottle, they mixed into a dark blue liquid. Following that, Alger carefully threw in a "jellyfish" that enveloped azure-blue seawater in its translucent membrane.

The distant and ethereal singing grew in intensity before calming down. In the bottle, there wasn't any ripples or bubbles. The liquid was dark, just like the ocean before a storm.

Alger calmed his mind, entered Cogitation, and picked up the metal bottle before cleanly downing the Ocean Songster potion inside.

The liquid was cold as it brought about a numbness that slid down his gullet and into his stomach. It then spread throughout his body cells at an unimaginable speed.

At that instant, Alger vaguely heard countless voices. They came from all life at sea, but the Obninsk's body blocked most of it, leaving a relatively screened out version.

Plop! Plop! Plop!

Alger felt his heart beating violently as it spewed blood outwards. His spirituality and the sound waves began to remold his voice and soul.

He couldn't help it as he opened his mouth, letting out a loud sigh.

Amidst the sigh, Alger felt his Spirit Body being ripped slightly. As the sound waves spread outwards, they first turned into mottled scales on his skin before pulling out long flesh tendrils that appeared like flailing tentacles.

The sound wave continued spreading outwards with his Spirit Body fragments, making contact with the sticky liquid within the Obninsk's stomach, and they magically bounced back, infusing Alger's body once again.

Alger, who was on the brink of losing control, instantly felt better as he seized the opportunity. Without any fear of embarrassing himself, he began singing loudly in a bid to vent the invisible sound waves that would blast his body apart.

Rough, messy, off-tune singing filled with a metallic quality spread outwards, wave after wave, mixing with the numerous Spirit Body fragments before bouncing back on the Obninsk's sticky stomach walls.

In this process, Alger was like an ingredient being baked in sound waves as he was molded into form.

Finally, he regained control of his body, and he grasped his spreading spirituality.

At last… Alger closed his eyes as a smile couldn't help but appear on his face.

He had completed the first goal he had for all these years—to advance to Ocean Songster!

I've gained superficial control of lightning, gaining a more all-rounded underwater mobility, as well as the ability to use singing to affect targets… The latter ability is different because of every person's uniqueness, producing different branching paths. One of them is to use beautiful singing to disrupt an enemy's Spirit Body, causing him to turn adrift and fall into a daze; another is to raise one's explosive strength; another is to simulate a thunderous boom to leave others in awe; and another is to use chaotic and unpleasant singing to leave the enemy frustrated, causing them to lose their rationality… Alger inspected himself as his expression turned a little odd.

He soon put these thoughts away, picked up his items, and swam towards the Obninsk's mouth before gently tapping on the already closed mouth.

The mouth slowly opened as it roared suddenly, spewing out everything in its mouth.

Alger instantly felt as though he was in midair as he nearly collided with a shark.

After a series of actions, he surfaced and swam towards the Blue Avenger.

Only after the ghost ship's outline was reflected in his eyes did he truly heave a sigh of relief.

Alger was only worried that something out of the ordinary would happen to the Blue Avenger while he was advancing.

Although an hour or two wasn't a huge problem, there were always all kinds of surprises in this world.

…

After receiving Mr. Hanged Man's gratitude again, Klein returned to the real world, washed, and dried his hands before leaving the washroom and walking towards the dining hall.

As the fragrance of food inundated his olfactory senses once again, he slowly drew a breath as he returned to his seat with a smile. As he gestured to the guests, he sat down.

At this point, it was already time for dessert.

From the looks of it, I stayed too long in the washroom… I hope that after today there wouldn't be talks about Dwayne Dantès having constipation… Klein silently muttered to himself as he smiled at Ma'am Willis to his right and said, "When I was young, I ate all kinds of strange food in the Southern Continent. One of them was called Tenet Tree plums. They taste like bland butter, just like these desserts."

He euphemistically explained the reason for his delay by implying that he had weakened his stomach from his younger days.

Chapter 784: Character Assassination

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Ma'am Willis glanced at Dwayne Dantès and said with a smile, completely unfazed, "Your past, and your experiences in Desi Bay and the Southern Continent, are more interesting than any novel I've read. It makes me feel like having a similar experience of my own."

Of course, they're just real-life stories that have been tweaked. It's all thanks to Anderson Hood, a hunter that goes everywhere… As Klein cast his gaze on a tiny butter cake, he chuckled.

"It's because those are only the interesting ones. There are many that I'd rather not be reminded of."

After that simple statement, he began enjoying the dessert. However, when Ma'am Willis and the other ladies heard that, they were somehow reminded of a best-selling novel, "A Man with a Story." To them, Dwayne Dantès was such a man. Although he looked like a placid lake, there was more deep down. Hidden there were more pleasant surprises and plenty of pain.

The banquet ended twenty minutes to ten. A number of gentlemen and ladies went to the card room to play two hours of Texas hold'em, while the remaining men headed for the activity room to have a chat. They didn't bar women from joining, but as it was inevitable for them to broach on sexual matters while smoking, no women joined them. They either circled the piano at the first story and listened to and sang along with the performer, or they grouped up to play chess.

Klein chose to head to the activity room on the second story. Private conversations with a few people had helped him speed up his admission into the circle.

After entering the room, he observed the environment and went straight for the windows to open them. Then, he pulled a nearby high-back chair to sit down.

Just as he did this, he saw the banquet's host, Portland Moment laugh with a pipe in hand.

"Men often need some space for themselves."

His voice was sonorous, and he had a big build. He was an elder in his sixties with a ruddy complexion and rather thick hair despite being all white. His facial features were the most classic features of a Loenese man with nothing that stood out.

"Yes, men have to take note of their image when the ladies are around. We have to be considerate about their thoughts. I've already wanted to kiss this an hour ago," Hazel's father, Member of Parliament Macht, took out a gorgeous silver box, taking out a cigar from inside.

The other men in the activity room did the same as pipes or cigarettes appeared in their hands as though they were pulling off a magic trick.

As the flames flickered, wisps of smoke began to billow, filling the room as though the smog from yesteryear hadn't dispersed.

After enjoying it for a few seconds with his eyes closed, Portland Moment looked to the guest by the window and asked, "Dwayne, do you not smoke?"

Klein clenched his fist and placed it to his mouth, coughing slightly as he said, "I have yet to recover. The doctor advised me not to smoke for the time being."

To be frank, he was almost choking. Thankfully, he had smartly chosen a seat by the window.

This group smoke like chimneys… Klein curled his right index finger and rubbed against his nostrils.

He had the urge to use the Beyonder powers of a Magician to create an invisible air pipe that extended outside to draw in fresh air so as to escape the harm of second-hand smoke. But considering how there might be Beyonders hiding amongst these men, he wisely gave up on the idea.

Portland Moment laughed upon hearing that.

"I heard from Bishop Elektra that it's not without reason that you were sick. You lack a wife!"

This professor was a believer of the God of Steam and Machinery, but his wife was a believer of the Evernight Goddess. Therefore, they had taken up residence in Böklund Street near Saint Samuel Cathedral. He often had bishops visiting him and having exchanges.

Is he mocking me for thinking about women despite being sick? I really couldn't tell that Bishop Elektra is actually a man who likes spreading gossip… It's all Arrodes's fault! Klein lampooned and shook his head with a smile.

"I place great importance on marriage. I'd rather remain single if there's no one suitable."

At this moment, the high-ranking employee of the Backlund municipal office, Mr. Willis, spewed out smoke and said, "Actually, I envy Dwayne's single status. it allows him to be able to pursue any kind of woman that he likes."

He had deliberated enunciated "any kind," causing ambiguous laughter to sound out.

The matter of Dwayne Dantès's wide preferences and him never rejecting any charming woman has already spread across this street? Klein held back his right hand to prevent himself from subconsciously rubbing his temples. He felt that the deep, dignified, handsome, gregarious new tycoon's image was undergoing a subtle change.

He first suspected that it was the loudmouth, Bishop Elektra, that had spread the news, but later believed that it was Butler Walter who had proactively gotten the servants to spread the gossip.

This was because a nearly flawless, charming gentleman would often be unknowingly ostracized by members of the same sex in a circle. But when a blemish surfaced, with a topic that could be used in jest, it made it easier for him to build closer ties.

Klein wasn't angry about such treatment; instead, he deliberately gave a wry smile in a rather gentlemanly manner.

"That's why I have difficulty choosing, causing me to remain single to this day."

"Haha." Portland Moment and company laughed in unison.

Member of Parliament Macht then said, "What you need is to be a little more decisive. A good marriage and a good family aids a man greatly."

He stopped teasing him and gave serious advice.

From the looks of it, no matter which world you're in, you can't escape the fate of being pressured into marriage… Klein nodded gently and glanced out the window, taking in the night scenery of Portland Moment's garden.

At this moment, he saw a figure. It was Hazel Macht, who was dressed in a black-green gown, following a trail going deeper into the garden, pausing from time to time to look around as though she was looking for something.

Wasn't this lady playing the piano just now? Why would she suddenly be in the garden? When Klein retracted his gaze, Hazel's figure was blocked by flowers.

When guests attend banquets or balls, leaving the hall to head into the garden isn't something impolite. After all, it's a very stylish habit to take a stroll under the moon and take in the flowery aroma of the night winds. However, this often implies a rendezvous.

Who's Hazel rendezvousing with? No, it doesn't seem like it. No one that came today is truly her "equal." Although she doesn't appear as arrogant after the fright she suffered in the sewers, making her occasionally look depressed, she still seems to belittle ordinary people deep down… She's dealing with the negative effects of the mystical item? That doesn't make sense. Entering a lounge or the washroom would be better than the garden since there's more privacy. Furthermore, back at the ball held at her place, she also went to the third story and not the garden… Klein eliminated the various impossibilities and finally had a theory.

From the way Hazel is trying to sense or find something, she seems to have noticed some abnormality and plans to observe and deal with it up close?

Does this also mean that there's some paranormal activity happening in Professor Portland Moment's house?

If that's true, this professor or someone in his family isn't simple at all… The bishops of the Saint Samuel Cathedral haven't realized anything despite them visiting often!

Hmm, a Marauder's senses and observation skills in certain areas definitely stand out…

Klein didn't have any thoughts of intervening in the situation outside. After all, something that Hazel could sense was definitely nothing too dangerous. Besides, Saint Samuel Cathedral was nearby. If there were any hidden secrets, no one would attempt to escalate matters and, would instead, try to lay low.

At this moment, Macht finally calmed down from an untasteful joke and looked towards Portland Moment.

"I heard you'll be leaving Backlund University?"

Professor Portland Moment sucked at his pipe and said, "That's right. The Higher Education Commission wishes that I become the chancellor of the reorganized Backlund University of Technology. Heh heh, although a large amount of my wealth comes from metal alloys, what I'm best at is mechanical engineering."

"They've promised to build me a better laboratory there, and also provide me with more funding. Ha, at my age, having more autonomy and helpers is more important."

Mr. Willis echoed with a smile, "And Backlund University will have a full-time professor spot empty up. Those Senior Associate Professors that have been waiting for decades can finally have a chance."

In Loen's tertiary education system, full-time professors weren't just a title, but also a post. It was equivalent to a dean, so there was only one.

Backlund University of Technology… Klein smiled as he listened, keeping silent on matters he didn't know much about.

…

In the garden, Hazel arrived in a dark and secluded corner.

She had discovered that ants and other insects on the ground were gathering in an abnormal manner, and her spiritual perception felt that something was hidden here.

This was innate to her Sequence, and it had never failed in the past.

Without any additional help, she could directly choose the precious items hidden among several sealed boxes. Of course, she wasn't able to distinguish what it was exactly. All she knew was that compared to the rest, what her spiritual perception told her was something definitely more valuable.

Just like Mr. Dwayne Dantès. He definitely has extremely precious items on him… Hazel curled the corners of her lips as she cast her gaze at the soil which looked a little loose.

She sensed that copious amounts of spirituality were gathered underneath, thus attracting insects and souls.

It's not a human body. It's some spirituality-equipped materials that have been used… They should've been thrown away in batches, but they were instead buried together, causing unnecessary changes… Hazel's eyes turned darker as she interpreted the situation underground based on the unhidden spirituality traits and changes.

She tipped her chin slightly and looked back at the building. She believed that Portland Moment's family had at least one person with extraordinary powers.

And if this problem in the garden wasn't resolved, the nearby houses would have paranormal activity in the coming days!

Hazel retracted her gaze, extended her left hand, and aimed it at the soil. With a gentle grip, she slowly twisted her wrist.

The gathered spirituality vanished as though it had been stolen by someone.

Chapter 785: Trissy's Discovery

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

100 Böklund Street, in a corner of the garden in Portland Moment's residence.

The many ants and worms that were gathering there slowly dispersed as the cold, creepy sensation faded.

That person with extraordinary powers likely doesn't have any experience… With her goal achieved, Hazel nodded indiscernibly before turning around briskly and strolling through the garden.

She wasn't in a rush to return as she enjoyed the crimson moonlight, the cold air, and the faint flowery scent.

After a long while, Hazel stopped her stroll and left the garden, entering the hall on the first story.

At this moment, apart from the guests still playing Texas hold'em, many ladies and gentlemen had bid farewell. Moments after Hazel found her mother, Ma'am Riana, she saw her father, Member of Parliament Macht, and a few other gentlemen walking down as they conversed with lively expressions.

"Are you ready to head home? You have to visit a very important guest tomorrow morning." As Riana gestured for her daughter to come close, she walked towards her husband and greeted the others with a smile.

Macht nodded and said, "I would've loved to try another of Portland's cigars if not for that matter."

Riana swept her gaze to Willis, Dwayne Dantès, and company, and she asked in passing, "Gentlemen, what are you talking about? It sounds interesting."

Macht turned his body to the side and said with a smile, "Dwayne said that he encountered ghosts when he was in the Southern Continent.

"He and his companions suddenly woke up in the middle of the night and found themselves unable to open their eyes. Their bodies were heavy, as though someone was pressing on them.

"They used a great deal of strength before escaping such a state and left their beds. However, they discovered their rooms were extremely cold. You might not know this, but East Balam's weather is hot most of the time.

"Then, Dwayne and his companions each held double-barreled hunting rifles and stood guard the entire night. They frantically left the town after the sun rose."

After hearing that, Ma'am Riana looked at Dwayne Dantès with piqued interest.

"Is that true?

"Do ghosts really exist?"

Klein shook his head with a smile.

"That I'm not sure of. Perhaps my companions and I had just experienced a harrowing adventure and our bodies and minds weren't in the best of conditions. This might've resulted in all kinds of problems."

The stories he told were sourced from one of Anderson's experiences. Back when the Strongest Hunter of the Fog Sea was exploring a temple in the primitive forest, he chanced upon a specter, creating a large-scale breakout overnight.

Ghosts… Hazel turned her head to look towards the garden as the corners of her mouth curved up slightly before she held back.

She didn't say a word as she quietly listened to her parents bidding the rest of them farewell before returning home together.

Late at night, Hazel, who had changed into a sleeping gown, walked to the balcony and stood behind a gap in the curtains. She looked towards the sewer manhole on Böklund Street.

As she looked at it, her face gradually turned pale as though she had recalled an experience filled with pain and horror.

She forced herself to retract her gaze, took two deep breaths, and turned around to walk to her bedside.

During this process, she bit gently on her lip and muttered silently, That was likely a wraith… Definitely…

I need items or charms in the Sun domain…

While Hazel was looking at the manhole, Klein was also doing the same.

It's been days. I wonder how well that Demoness, Trissy, has recovered and whether she has left or not… Thankfully, after Hazel was given a scare by me, she hasn't dared to approach the manhole… Klein's gaze swept the iron-black street lamps as he nodded slightly.

He opened the iron cigar case and made his Wraith marionette appear within the full-body mirror.

He had already decided to send Senor down the sewers to check the area to confirm Trissy's condition. He didn't want that Demoness to cause any trouble.

Furthermore, the sewers were just physically too close to his identity as Dwayne Dantès. Klein didn't wish for Trissy to be in the vicinity any longer, wishing that she could recover soon and take action. That would prompt her to leave Böklund Street.

Hmm, having Admiral of Blood Senor appear every once in a while would fulfill the character setting I previously created. It doesn't live nearby, and because the sewers contains a secret, it often wanders around in search of it… As Klein was thinking, he made the marionette in the ancient triangular hat leap onto the street lamp's surface before passing through the manhole cover in a Wraith form, quickly approaching the hidden fork where Trissy hid herself at.

Before reaching the dead end, Senor, who had night vision, could see that the area was empty.

She's already recovered and left? Klein thought as he made the marionette continue forward, stopping at the spot where Trissy was previously sitting.

He discovered that the place was tidied up. Not only was the ground not muddy and moist, even the moss on the walls and corner had vanished.

There isn't any leftover food either… That fellow became a germaphobe after becoming a woman? No, perhaps he was like that to begin with… With Senor's vision, Klein surveyed the area and determined that either Trissy hadn't left, or she hadn't left for more than a day; otherwise, it was impossible to maintain the cleanliness of the place.

Just as this thought flashed through his mind, light footsteps sounded into the Wraith's ear.

Under his control, Senor retraced his steps and wasn't surprised to see Trissy in her black dress.

This Demoness had her luscious black hair cascading down, unlike peers her age who had different hairstyles. It was simple and neat.

Matched with her pale face that had just recovered some of its ruddiness, Trissy looked like a dreamy flower that was silently blooming in the night.

As expected of a Demoness… Thankfully, there's a marionette in between us; otherwise, I would just end up staring at her… Heh heh, a dead person won't be enticed! No matter how charming a Demoness is, there's no way they can make the deceased climb out of a tomb like a zombie… Klein lampooned as he looked at Trissy who had a blank expression but was secretly wary, having released the invisible threads.

"Where did you go?"

Trissy pricked up her brows and said, "Would you like to relieve yourself where you sleep?"

Uh… I thought a Demoness wouldn't need to use the washroom… Klein gave a self-deprecating comment and made Senor chuckle.

"Are you referring to pissing and shitting?"

He had deliberately made the marionette say such words, as it matched Admiral of Blood's persona of a boorish pirate.

Trissy indiscernibly frowned and said, "Is there anything else?"

Senor didn't continue on the topic as he said, "You look like you've almost recovered."

Trissy smiled.

"Not bad. I'll be leaving tomorrow."

She paused as she slightly narrowed her slender eyes.

"To be frank, I doubt whether you're the real Admiral of Blood at times."

Of course it's real! You should ask if he's alive or dead… With his interest piqued, Klein made Senor ask, "Why do you say that?"

Trissy's gaze swept over the Wraith's face and said, "It's said that Admiral of Blood is someone who indulges in his desires, and he has no resistance towards beautiful females and males.

"Yet, I don't see any sparks of desire when you face me.

"I believe the real Admiral of Blood would've added the condition of doing something I wouldn't want to in the agreement."

Klein deliberated for two seconds and made Senor give a self-deprecating smile.

"I'm afraid of finding myself lost to Pleasure and ending up being controlled by you."

Trissy's expression instantly changed. This was indeed one of the reasons why she had raised the topic.

To a Demoness of Pleasure, Beyonders who habitually indulged in their desires were natural prey.

Klein actively ignored the topic and made the marionette say, "You're seeking out the target tomorrow?

"Very clearly, the royal guard captain knows you and knows what you look like."

After all, you were arranged by them to be by Prince Edessak's side… Klein silently added.

Trissy lowered her head and looked at her toes before chuckling.

"Rest at ease, I have the perfect plan."

As she spoke, she turned her body sideways and casually looked deep into the sewers.

"If you set off from here, at the end of the sixth left fork is a hidden passage. It has signs of prolonged human activity. Heh heh, I discovered it while walking around in the past few days.

"I believe it has something to do with that girl, right…

"It's also the reason why you're here?"

Hidden passage? Klein didn't confirm or deny it. He made Senor smile and say, "Did you discover anything?"

Trissy shook her head.

"There was nothing at all. Perhaps only a certain pathway, or someone with a specific item, can find the clues."

A Marauder's intuition, or something on Hazel's person? Klein didn't make Senor continue on the topic as he pressed his hand to his chest and bowed with a smile.

"Since you've recovered, I can be at ease."

The moment he said that, he suddenly vanished.

Trissy focused her eyes into a stare, but it was to no avail. Only when the invisible threads she had released was hit by a breeze did she retract her gaze, confirming that Admiral of Blood had really left.

At that moment, Klein had brought the Wraith back to the manhole without attempting to explore the spot which Trissy had mentioned.

There were three reasons for his decision. First, it had exceeded a hundred meters. Second, he suspected that he wouldn't find anything since he wasn't from the Marauder pathway, nor did he have the corresponding items. Third, Trissy was still around.

…

Fors woke up naturally on a Sunday morning as she got up to wash up. As she chewed on a fresh piece of toast, she retrieved a stack of items from her mailbox.

As she walked to the coffee table with a cup of coffee on it, she casually flipped through the items and discovered a reply letter she had been looking forward to.

Throwing down the papers, bills, and other letters, Fors tore open the envelope.

"…Teacher is already in Backlund?" Fors quickly read through the letter as she muttered in surprise.

At the same time, she saw the toast in her mouth plunge to the ground.

Chapter 786: Accounting Fraud

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Hat Trick Inn on Cherwood Borough's 22 Hope Street.

Just as the attendant at the front desk was about to drink some water, she saw a lady walk in.

The lady was about 1.65 meters tall, and she wore a light-colored dress with frilly sides. Her brown curly hair cascaded down as she wore colored glasses. She looked casual, just like someone who had just returned from Desi Bay.

She held a dark brown leather suitcase as she unhurriedly walked to the front desk.

A lady with extraordinary disposition… Her attire is nice… How I wish I could see what she looks like without her glasses… As a female, the attendant habitually sized up her clothes and accessories.

She then heard the lady say in a languid tone, "One night. A single room."

"2 soli and 8 pence." The attendant gave her the room rate for the day and directly asked, "Do you have any identification documents?"

She wasn't too adamant about registering her identity, because the inn had no means of confirming the authenticity of the documents.

"Yes." The lady put down her dark brown suitcase and took out an identification document from her handbag before passing it to her.

"Margaret Taylor…" the attendant muttered as she registered her before finding a bunch of keys. "Room 2012."

"Thank you." The lady in fashionable attire received the keys, carried the dark brown suitcase, and walked towards the staircase.

At this moment, an attendant in a red vest came over. He bowed and asked, "How may I help you?"

He immediately cast his gaze on the dark brown suitcase.

The lady curled her lips into a smile as she shook her head.

"There's no need. It's very light."

With that said, she didn't stop as she walked up the stairs and entered Room 2012.

Only after she closed the door and put down the suitcase did she raise her right hand to her chest, letting out a long sigh of relief.

Why do I feel like a psychotic murderer…

She was none other than the disguised Fors. There was nothing in her suitcase except for Mr. X's head which was wrapped in newspapers!

The two attendants from before probably wouldn't have guessed that a fashionable lady didn't have any clothes, facial products, or makeup in her suitcase, but a cracked, bloody head… If they were to discover that, everyone in the inn would be given a fright… This is source material for a detective novel! Fors calmed her feelings of anxiousness and picked up her suitcase again and opened the door.

She observed the corridor and saw no one walking through it. She hurriedly walked out and headed for Room 2016 and rapped on the wooden door.

Her teacher, Dorian Gray Abraham, was living in the same room he previously used.

After sensing someone sizing her up through the peephole, Fors heard the doorknob twist as the gears unlocked.

Dorian Gray was dressed in a black suit with very broad shoulders. He looked to the left and right warily before making way, allowing his student to enter.

"No one noticed you, right?" Following that, he closed the door and asked cautiously.

Fors put down the suitcase and removed the colored glasses that hid half her face.

"No, I used a fake identity."

As a Beyonder in Backlund with rather rich experience as a Low-Sequence Beyonder, having a few fake identification documents was necessary.

Furthermore, she had Xio's expert help in such matters.

The only problem was that it was ultimately a fake identity that couldn't stand up to police scrutiny.

However, Fors had heard that there were places where real identity documentation could be obtained. Furthermore, they were documents which the police department had a record of, with the pictures swapped. Of course, the price was much more expensive.

Dorian nodded gently and silently exhaled. As he got Fors to sit, he brought a chair over and said, "You mentioned that someone is paying to find the direct descendants of the Abraham family at a Beyonder gathering in Backlund? And the goal is to find information on Mr. Door?"

"Yes, Teacher," Fors said nothing but the truth. "I don't know much about the family, so I thought of asking you to see if you knew anything."

She hid two points, namely the Beyonder gathering being called the Tarot Gathering, and that she long knew that her teacher was a member of the Abraham family.

Dorian sat down and drank a sip from a white porcelain teacup. He asked with a calm expression, "Who was the one asking?"

"I'm not sure. I can only confirm that it was a woman. She had concealed her appearance. Uh, she seemed very powerful and must have quite a strong backing." Fors described her impression of Ma'am Hermit.

What she didn't say was that this woman had close ties with Queen Mystic Bernadette.

Dorian Gray pondered for a few seconds before saying, "I don't know much either. All I know is that Mr. Door is the ancestor of the Abraham family. He vanished during the War of the Four Emperors. You can try using this piece of information to get some of the bounty."

Mr. Door is the Abraham family's ancestor? Mr. Door, who made the Abraham family suffer the curse of the full moon, causing many members to lose control, is actually the Abraham family's ancestor? Fors was alarmed.

Having already learned some of the problems of the Abraham family from Mr. Fool, she couldn't believe that the cause of all of this was the source of the bloodline!

Does Mr. Door not know the consequences of his actions? Fors muttered silently as she couldn't help but frown.

Dorian Gray noticed his student's abnormal reaction as he asked, somewhat puzzled, "Is there a problem?"

Oh no, I didn't manage to hide my expression… Fors deliberated and said, "I just don't understand. It's been more than a thousand years, so apart from the Abraham family's direct descendants, who would wish to gather information on Mr. Door and why?"

Perhaps they're trying to find Mr. Door? Ah right, Queen Mystic is Emperor Roselle's daughter, and Mr. Door has appeared in Emperor Roselle's diary. Therefore, the queen is trying to find Mr. Door to figure out the truth of the past. That's normal… However, Mr. Door vanished in the War of the Four Emperors, more than a thousand years before Emperor Roselle's era. How did they manage to contact each other… Could it be that Emperor Roselle could also hear the full moon ravings… Hmm, I remember Mr. Door making a remark that Mr. Door might be calling for help… If that's the case, it's really… it's really… As an author, Fors was momentarily at a loss for words to describe her feelings.

Dorian revealed a wry smile and said, "Certainly, I'm also puzzled about this problem. Remember to tell me if you find the answer."

Fors didn't harp on this matter, afraid that Dorian Gray would notice anything amiss. She then said, "Teacher, why did you suddenly come to Backlund?"

Dorian smiled and picked up a cigarette as he raised it to his nose to give it a whiff. Without lighting it, he said, "I happen to have some matters that need me to be in Backlund. I also decided to check on your digestion progress."

In fact, he had been alarmed by Fors's letter. He couldn't believe that anyone in the world would still be asking about Mr. Door. One had to know that even the Abraham family had given up such attempts. He was the only one who kept at it, teaching students on his own accord.

This also made him recall a prophecy that was passed around within the family—the Abrahams were increasingly approaching their destruction.

When he connected the two matters together, he rushed over to Backlund to confirm his student's situation. He wished that she could advance as soon as possible, leaving some hope for the Abraham family.

"I just grasped the various astrological knowledge," Fors replied, feeling a little guilty.

Due to her lack of money, she hadn't bought the high-quality crystal ball needed by an Astrologer.

To not continue on this topic, Fors began asking Dorian Gray about the acting principles needed for Astrologer, obtaining advice such as "astrology isn't all-powerful."

Towards the end, Fors glanced at the dark brown suitcase beside her and said, "Teacher, there's one more matter."

"What is it?" Dorian leaned back into his chair as he leisurely drank a mouthful of black tea.

Fors followed the script she had prepared and said, "After knowing that Lewis Wien betrayed the organization, inflicting a great deal of harm upon all of you, I've always had the thought of finding him and exacting revenge for all of you."

"Give up that thought!" Dorian sat up straight. "Even if you have Leymano's Travels, you are no match for him, much less able to kill him! I'm very glad that you have such thoughts, but there's no need to take unnecessary risks."

I'm definitely not able to do it alone… Fors mumbled silently before saying, "I got to know a very powerful bounty hunter. I spent about 10,000 pounds to seek his help."

She wasn't able to estimate the cost of the job, so she had used the price that Miss Audrey paid when previously entrusting them to kill the Intis ambassador.

That might be a cheat… Lewis Wien is likely a Traveler, and he has the support of the Aurora Order… Dorian didn't hold any hopes of any bounty hunter being Lewis Wien's match when he heard his student say, "He has already succeeded."

Cough! Cough! Cough! Dorian choked on his saliva as he broke out into a fit of coughs.

He dropped the teacup to the ground, but it bounced up like magic, firmly landing on the coffee table.

"He has given me Lewis Wien's head." Fors held up the dark brown suitcase and opened it, taking out the spherical object which was wrapped in newspapers.

With the newspapers unfolded bit by bit, Dorian saw that face he would never forget. The smug smile on Lewis Wien's face back when he attacked the Abraham family's headquarters was gone. His head was covered in cracks, as though it had been glued together piece by piece. It was gruesome, filled with pain and despair.

As an Astrologer, Dorian Gray's spiritual intuition told him that it was undoubtedly Lewis Wien's head.

"Good, very good…" Dorian muttered in excitement before looking up at his student. "Who was the bounty hunter? I can't imagine Backlund having such a powerful bounty hunter."

Fors hesitated for a moment before saying, "Gehrman Sparrow."

Chapter 787: Dorian's Warning

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Gehrman Sparrow… Dorian felt the vessels on his forehead pulse when he heard that as he held his hands together, tensing up without realizing it.

Situated in Pritz Harbor, he inevitably learned of the various news at sea, both actively and passively, knowing far more than the residents in Backlund who relied on the newspapers.

In recent months, he often heard from different channels of information about Gehrman Sparrow. From killing Steel Maveti to severely injuring Vice Admiral Ailment Tracy, to successfully hunting Admiral of Blood Senor, all these stories were colored with mania.

He left the sea and came to Backlund? He hasn't changed his trait of craziness! Dorian held back the horror and wariness that subconsciously rose in his heart as he looked at his student and said in a deep voice, "It's best that you minimize your communication with that bounty hunter.

"He's bound to get into big trouble one day, and it wouldn't take long for that to happen."

Teacher is indeed experienced and has great acumen. He instantly saw through Mr. World's intrinsic nature… Unfortunately, I'm already a member of the Tarot Club, so it's impossible not to communicate with him… Fors adjusted her state of mind and sincerely nodded.

"Yes, Teacher."

Dorian composed himself and once again looked at his former student and current enemy, Lewis Wien.

However, this Traveler could no longer speak. He didn't even have an iota of spirituality left.

After a few seconds of silence, Dorian leaned back slightly and looked at Fors.

"You mentioned paying 10,000 pounds for the job?"

He wasn't aware of Fors's financial situation, other than knowing that his student was a best-selling author who likely earned quite a bit from her royalties. Furthermore, she seemed to be doing quite well in the few Beyonder circles with transactions that rewarded handsomely. Therefore, it wasn't too surprising or unacceptable that she could save up 10,000 pounds.

Fors fidgeted, feeling a slight guilty-conscience as she said, "Is it too expensive?"

She deliberately asked a question in order to hide the fact that she had mentioned a fake number, so as to show that she didn't have much experience in such matters.

Dorian shook his head.

"No, it's too cheap.

"It's so cheap that I suspect whether Gehrman Sparrow has other motives."

As a member of the Abraham family which had suffered numerous setbacks, he often maintained a relatively high level of wariness.

In the professional terminology of various clubs and gatherings, that's called a membership fee… Fors lampooned as she "frankly" said, "There were other conditions, including everything on Lewis Wien's person belonging to him, as well as the requirement of me providing him help. Also, I promised that if he's in need of cash in the future, I will compensate him an additional 3,000 pounds."

"That's reasonable, but just barely." Dorian nodded gently and said, "Usually, assassinating Lewis Wien who had the Aurora Order backing him would cost at least 30,000 pounds. Hmm, and if there are other situations, the price will be higher."

Back then, Mr. World had used demigod powers recorded in Leymano's Travels… He probably encountered something else… An Aurora Order Saint? Having had an edifying experience exerted on her by the Tarot Club, Fors wasn't unfamiliar with the Aurora Order's structure. She didn't hide her frown as she said, "From the looks of it, it's indeed a little abnormal. Perhaps he's in desperate need of cash?"

Dorian thought and said, "Perhaps he cares more about Lewis Wien's Beyonder characteristic. To the Beyonders of other pathways, it can be forged into a rather useful mystical item as long as he finds a suitable Artisan…"

Dorian paused for two seconds before adding, "There's no need to worry about that. Just stay away from him in the future.

"Perhaps he had long targeted Lewis Wien, and he was just using the information you provided to carry out the assassination while still getting an additional bonus."

Dorian didn't continue on the topic as he took out a fist-sized pure crystal ball from his pocket.

"It's made of Star Crystal, and it can effectively raise your astromancy."

The light shone in from outside the window as resplendent "waves" surfaced within the crystal ball.

Without waiting for Fors to reject, Dorian chuckled.

"Lewis Wien is my enemy. The payment used to get rid of him should be paid by me. I don't have that much cash at the moment, and I can only use some items to deduct from the payment."

"No, there's no need…" Fors shook her head, partially genuine, but partially in contradiction to her will.

It was genuine because she only wanted to seek revenge for her teacher back when she thought of getting rid of Lewis Wien without considering the possible rewards she could later receive. It was in contradiction to her will because she couldn't reject the reward.

Dorian said with a stern expression, "Do you wish for me to be ashamed and uneasy?

"Don't worry. I still have quite a bit of wealth."

Fors nodded in response.

"Alright then…"

Dorian smiled once again.

"Also, I've brought you the Scribe potion formula. You can gather the corresponding ingredients as you digest the Astrologer potion. Heh heh, I'll prepare one of the main ingredients for you—the brain of an Asmann. You'll have to rely on yourself for the rest."

An Asmann was said to be a monster that existed in ancient times. It looked like an unprotected human brain that could fill a room. Not only could it create terrifying illusions, but it could also make its attackers die from their own attacks.

As he spoke, Dorian took out a yellowish-brown goatskin and passed it to Fors.

Fors received it in gratitude and quickly scanned the list of main ingredients:

"One complete brain of an Asmann, cursed artifact of an ancient wraith…"

I hope I can gather the remaining ingredients before I finish digesting the Astrologer potion… Just as Fors rolled up the goatskin, she saw Dorian take out a pure golden box from his suitcase.

After removing the wall of spirituality, Dorian opened the box as he said, "Without the gold enclosing it, the brain of an Asmann will constantly affect you, causing you to hallucinate until you lose your mental facilities."

Inside the squarish box was a blob of grayish-white, translucent, and wrinkled object. It was about a fifth the size of Lewis Wien's head.

As expected of a family with a long history… Fors sincerely thanked him once again and received the golden box and skilfully closed it and used a wall of spirituality to seal it.

Dorian didn't stop and instead gave an excuse for Fors to stay back. He set up a ritual and summoned the void creature Malmouth who enjoyed music. He then took out two documents from the creature's spherical body.

He had prepared the three items for Fors when he received the shocking news regarding Mr. Door; therefore, he had it on him.

"These are two pieces of property in Backlund. One of them is in Hillston Borough, and the other is in Cherwood Borough. They're in excellent locations and should have a total valuation of about 6,500 pounds. The amount you can sell them for will be yours," Dorian said with a smile.

Although the Abraham family was in a state of decline, as a former angel family with a long history, it still had quite a bit of resources, including land, tree farms, property, manors, and mines. However, Dorian only had control over a few, with most of the remainder belonging to the various smaller families.

The place I'm renting costs 2,500 pounds and s in an okay district but an average location… What Teacher gave me today does add up to about 10,000 pounds… Fors couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

…

In the Holy Wind Cathedral, Deep Blue Officiant Randall Valentinus looked at the Mandated Punisher deacon and said, "Any findings?"

The new Backlund archbishop was a middle-aged man with a domineering demeanor. His dark blue hair was thick, and he had large earlobes. His eyes seemed to constantly hide lightning and storms within them.

The Mandated Punisher deacon standing before his desk was a thin middle-aged man wearing a modified captain's hat. His looks didn't stand out, but there was an anchor tattoo on his neck.

The man answered reverently, "Your Eminence, we've already caught some of the members who participated in the gathering.

"However, they have no idea who the rest are, much less know of the person who assassinated Mr. X.

"According to their description, the assailant was about 1.6 meters tall and likely female. We can't rule out the possibility that it's a short man."

Randall held back his anger and asked, "What do you plan on doing next?"

"As we are temporarily unable to know who Mr. X invited to the gathering, and 1.6-meter-tall women are common, our plan is to relax our stance on the surface as we target a few suspicious targets and convert those we've caught into informants. Without us exerting any danger, those bunch of lunatics from the Aurora Order will definitely seek out the murderer themselves in order to avenge Mr. X. They'll likely do a carpet search, and this way, not only will we find the assassin, but we can also discover more clues to the Aurora Order," the thin middle-aged man explained in detail.

Randall nodded in thought and said, "Roy, when taking action, remember to apply for a Grade 1 Sealed Artifact.

"The situation is clear that the Aurora Order has at least a Saint in Backlund. And the assassin's strength is greater than the typical Sequence 5 Beyonder, and they similarly have a demigod backing them."

"Yes, Your Eminence." Roy Wellesley struck the left side of his chest with his right fist.

…

"Dwayne, you often exceed my expectations. It hasn't taken you long to finish studying The Revelation of Evernight's Book of Wisdom." Inside Saint Samuel Cathedral, Bishop Elektra closed the bible in his hands and smiled at the pious tycoon with gray sideburns and deep blue eyes.

Klein laughed and replied, "This is expected of a believer.

"Next up is the study of the Letters of the Saints?"

"Yes, which saint do you wish to begin with?" Elektra asked.

Klein looked to his sides and chuckled.

"Let's do Saint Samuel then."

Elektra wasn't surprised at that as he seriously introduced, "Saint Samuel was a Backlund archbishop during the Fourth Epoch of the Trunsoest Empire. He contributed greatly to the spreading of the Goddess's faith and entered 'Her' divine kingdom before dying, becoming an angel…"

As he spoke, he flipped to the corresponding Letters of the Saints.

At this moment, Klein's spiritual perception was triggered. He felt a deep sense of evil and diabolical will spread above him.

Following that, a cold and quiet feeling extended from underground, leveling everything and restoring the cathedral to its former tranquility.

Bishop Elektra snapped out of his daze and said to Dwayne Dantès who didn't seem to detect anything, "Sorry, I just recalled something."

Chapter 788: Hidden Passage

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

"It's fine," Klein replied with a warm smile.

Although he didn't seem to notice anything, thoughts were flying through his mind. He began considering what the anomaly that happened during that instant meant.

Previously, the Keepers would head upstairs along the nearby staircase. It can be preliminary determined that they live there, coinciding with the area where the anomaly happened… The Keepers aren't in the best of conditions, so the chances of them losing control are greater than ordinary Beyonders, causing them to suddenly release a sense of an evil and diabolical will?

And this was suppressed and quelled by the core seal deep behind Chanis Gate?

If that's the case, there are two possibilities. One, the core seal behind Chanis Gate can sense all the anomalies in Saint Samuel Cathedral, and then react instinctively. Second, during the Keeper's watch over the years, they are constantly corroded by the core seal's powers. In a certain sense, they are a part of it, or they bear the weight of the corresponding traits. Once any abnormalities happen, their bodies will immediately intervene.

If it's the former, that means that when I knock a Keeper unconscious and replace him, it will easily be detected by the core seal behind Chanis Gate. It will produce an anomaly like before, causing my plan to fail right at the beginning. If it's the latter, I'll definitely be repelled when entering Chanis Gate, even when disguised as a Keeper…

I need to figure out the problem before coming up with a direct countermeasure…

It's really difficult to steal Sealed Artifacts from the various Churches. It's no wonder almost no one is willing to do so…

As Klein's thoughts wandered, he superficially paid attention to Bishop Elektra's explanation of Saint Samuel's experiences and letters that he left behind. When it was almost time, he politely bade him farewell.

After returning to 160 Böklund Street, he saw his butler approach just as he handed his hat and cane to Richardson.

"Sir, do you plan on holding a ball or banquet next weekend and invite the neighbors?" Walter wasn't using a suggestive tone, but a tone of inquiry.

However, Klein knew very well that since his butler had raised the matter, it meant that it was almost time.

He nodded gently and said, "Saturday night then. A ball.

"I'll have to trouble you and Taneja to make the preparations.

"Is there enough money?"

When saying the last statement, Klein looked to his housekeeper.

Taneja sternly nodded and said, "There's enough.

"The various alcoholic beverages in your wine cellar is enough to handle several banquets."

When moving into 160 Böklund Street, Klein had handed her 1,000 pounds in cash for the household expenses. From the looks of it, even with the need to replenish fine wine, tea leaves, and coffee beans, it wasn't something that could be spent in a month.

The gold pound is rather strong after all… Klein nodded and smiled.

"Let's not use wine that's too expensive for our first ball. It's common to be reserved in Loen."

"Yes, sir." Although Walter was very aware of how to run a ball, he still paid serious attention to his employer's instructions.

He paused and said, "There are only two things you need to do. First, it's to settle the guest list with our help, thinking up some small talk for each guest, matching the person's corresponding status and experience. Second, it's to order a suit for the ball."

How troublesome… When greeting Hazel, can I say that the sewers here are cleaner than the squares in the Southern Continent? As Klein sighed and lampooned, he nodded slightly.

"No problem."

…

Deep into the night, the crimson moon hung high in the sky. The smog which had significantly thinned made Backlund have an additional sense of tranquility.

In Dwayne Dantès's master bedroom, Klein set up a ritual to summon himself.

He planned on entering the sewers tonight to confirm that Trissy had left. He then planned on heading for the fork she had described, to explore the so-called hidden passageway to see if he could discover anything.

Klein didn't have extravagant hopes of gaining anything. He was only worried that the secret hidden in the sewers would pose a hidden risk that would one day explode. This could easily involve Dwayne Dantès who lived nearby, spoiling his plans in stealing the Antigonus family's notebook.

On this matter, I can't be an ostrich that buries its head in the sand and pretend not to know anything… I should discover the problem early and destroy what needs destroying or report what needs reporting before it completely erupts. That's the most effective solution… Of course, I also need to be sufficiently careful. I mustn't let my exploration end up lighting a fuse… Klein's Spirit Body tore out of the candlelight, and with Azik's copper whistle augmenting him, he possessed the physical body of Dwayne Dantès, controlling him to walk to the boundary of the wall of spirituality and sit in the reclining chair.

To the external world, it looked as though the tycoon had dozed off reading the papers.

Summoning my soul to possess my own body feels different from returning to my body. There's an obvious barrier in between… Klein did a comparison of the experience and floated to his desk, cleaning up most of the items on the altar and leaving behind the candle that maintained his summoning to burn silently.

After doing all of this, Klein wore Creeping Hunger, and with Azik's copper whistle, Death Knell, and the Senor gold coin in possession, he flew out of the master bedroom and left 160 Böklund Street, drilling into the sewers.

Just as Klein found himself in the moist and dirty environment, he immediately released Wraith Senor and made his marionette open up a distance from him, turning into the hidden fork where Trissy was previously recuperating.

This time, he saw that the clean region in the sewers was already stained with dirt containing signs of rats.

From the looks of it, Trissy has really left… Klein, who was following far behind, heaved a sigh of relief.

As a Spirit Body, he didn't need to breathe, nor did he need to walk on the ground. Therefore, he didn't mind how disgusting the sewers were.

Senor walked out of the area and continued walking ahead and turned on the sixth left turn. Klein constantly maintained a distance of fifty meters, perfectly acting the role of the person behind the scenes.

At the end of the fork was a corroded wall covered in moss. At a glance, there weren't any abnormalities to it. If Trissy hadn't mentioned it, Klein wouldn't have gotten his marionette to observe every inch of the area in detail.

A few minutes later, Senor suddenly straightened his back and walked forward, entering the wall.

Passing through the rather thick obstacle, Klein's eyes opened up. With the marionette's vision, he saw a half-natural, half-artificial cave. It wasn't more than 1.8 meters high and was about 3 meters wide. The ground was littered with tools like shovels which were wrapped in oilskin and large piles of mud and rubble. Right up ahead were two hidden passageways that extended downwards.

The left one was about five to six meters deep, while the one on the right was nearly ten meters deep. However, nothing seemed to have existed in them, as though they were still being excavated.

This was dug up by Hazel? In the day, she's an arrogant lady of high society, and at night, she's an excavator in the sewers? Furthermore, she's moving the dirt and rubble one pail at a time? She was loitering around to find the exact spot, and digging was the subsequent step? That wall must've been a secret door… Klein hid himself at the fork's entrance as he made Senor scrutinize the area.

Following that, he made the Wraith enter the left passage until he reached a completely sealed off area.

Senor's figure slowly turned faint as it turned incorporeal. In this state, he passed through the soil and explored deeper.

But even when reaching the hundred-meter limit, he didn't discover anything of use. All he saw were ordinary insects and worms.

Klein made the marionette switch directions, "swimming" in the sea of soil without finding anything.

Senor soon returned to the cave from before and entered the right passageway without being affected by any obstacles.

There's still nothing… It's not without reason that Trissy determined that it will only work for a particular pathway or being in possession of a certain item… Hmm… She must've probed the area with the invisible threads of a Demoness of Pleasure… Unfortunately, I've already lost Tinder… I wonder if the gray fog's aura on me would work. It seems to strongly attract Beyonders from the Marauder pathway… Klein silently commented and, using his Spirit Body state, planned on personally visiting the two hidden passageways that Hazel had dug up.

However, he curbed his desire because he was now a Marionettist. Doing it personally in situations that didn't require it was in violation of the acting principles.

It's fine even if I don't use the gray fog's aura. I'll just request to purchase a mystical item from the Marauder pathway during tomorrow afternoon's Tarot Gathering. It doesn't need to be too expensive. It can just correspond to Sequence 8 or 9… Hmm, that badge from Lanevus is only a signal receiver, not an item of this pathway… While not aware of the exact situation of what's hiding inside, rashly using my Spirit Body to explore it might result in me attracting a High-Sequence monster… Being careful and cautious will forever be a condition for myself… Klein slowly heaved a sigh of relief and retrieved Wraith Senor.

He wasn't worried that Hazel would continue coming in the near future. Any person with normal intelligence wouldn't continue coming unless they had the means to deal with the situation from before!

Ignoring how Hazel hasn't had any contact with Beyonder circles, even if she has, getting an item from the Sun domain isn't simple. After all, Backlund is the territory of the Church of Storms… I do have something that I don't use often. Heh heh, can I find an opportunity to sell it to her and then let her use it to harm my marionette? Klein jeered at himself before shaking his head with a laugh.

He ended the summoning and returned above the gray fog, vanishing from the sewers.

…

On Monday morning, the bright sunlight tore through the thin clouds, shining onto every corner of Backlund.

Emlyn White pulled down on his silk top hat. As he left the carriage and walked to the Harvest Church, he squinted his eyes and mumbled, "What terrible weather…

"Backlund's worst season is coming soon…"

He was just about to step onto the stairs when he saw a paperboy approach him, handing him a copy of the Tussock Times.

"Sir, today's morning papers!"

Emlyn wanted to reject it when he discovered a small slip clasped in the middle of the boy's fingers.

"…"

Emlyn maintained his countenance as he took out a penny and passed it to the boy, receiving the copy of the Tussock Times and the slip.

Before entering the Harvest Church, he quickly spread it open and scanned it.

"There are clues to the people you are looking for. Please come to the Bravehearts Bar."