1087 - 1095
Chapter 1087 The Deities' Attitudes
The Grain Act was abolished… The Civil Servant Unified Examination… A concession was made, bringing the Church's forces into the military… These seem to be in line with the trends of the times, but in essence, they're oppressive, weakening the nobles, and supporting a new class. Compared to the previous thousand-year rule, this can really be considered to be against the norm. It's the order needed to become Black Emperor…
In the past decade or so, the changes in architecture style have been very drastic as well…
For Roselle to be able to obtain the Uniqueness and obtain the corresponding Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristic, that ancient secret organization must've put in quite a bit of effort. It might've even provided part of it directly. When this emperor perished, who took away those characteristics?
Also, Bernadette has been in Backlund for the past few months and has been coming here frequently…
Sigh, the main issue is that the asymmetrical aesthetics of the empires in the Fourth Epoch had affected my understanding, making me believe that rules that violate normal circumstances are odd and against the order that humans would strive for. Now that I think about it again, what does it mean by normal circumstances? Isn't it just something that everyone has already gotten used to and therefore, won't have an instinctive sense of resistance towards it? From the tribes to the countries, from feudalism to republicanism, don't they all violate the normal circumstances of the period they were in, with countless people wishing to return to the past?
The phrase "old fogies and left-overs from the old dynasties" encompasses this problem…
From the looks of it, as long as a deity doesn't intervene, the revolution that the Black Emperor needs will definitely happen. It's just a matter of time… With the tides of the times surging over, it's really hard to stop it. That brother of Amon is indeed a powerful and terrifying Author…
In the depths of the Blood Emperor's ruins, there should be a mausoleum similar to a pyramid. And according to the ritual requirements, one has to drive one's citizens to build it. Therefore, there are cases of people going missing in the East Borough and overseas slave trade…
When the war develops to a certain stage, using the excuse of praying for victory, or the nation's mourning for soldiers, a huge gathering with a large number of citizens can be convened to participate in the sacrificial ritual in the various cities in the royal capital…
Yes. Many years ago, the Loen royal family obtained the crown of the Balam Empire, and they connected the king's name to the title of "Emperor."
What a great plan!
When he was alerted by the Red Angel evil spirit's questions, Klein's mind tensed up. Many thoughts flashed through his mind, and at the same time, he had another question.
He looked at the tall, thin, young Gatekeeper who didn't look rosy. He said after some deliberation, "George III wishes to directly become Black Emperor?
"But he isn't even at Sequence 4…"
Even if George III could act ahead of time to make himself "more talented" and reduce the impact caused by the mental imprint in the potion, Klein didn't believe that a Sequence 5 Beyonder could become a god directly. Unless he was lucky enough with that very slim chance of success.
And such luck wasn't something that could be described simply as being "sufficient." The Snake of Mercury who represents fate, Will Auceptin, didn't even dare to directly devour the Die of Probability, and he had to seriously find a way to accommodate it.
The Red Angel evil spirit scoffed when "He" heard that.
"How do you know that George III is only Sequence 5?
"How are you so sure that the George III under investigation is the real George III? Could it be that he was 'imagined' into existence, or could it be a Faceless at the angel level?
"These are truly very difficult things to accomplish, but to a certain zealot, these are all within the scope of one's ability and the resources in one's grasp.
"I suspect that George III is an official member of the secret organization that was created to mimic our Rose Redemption. His true level might already be at the angel level. Heh heh, I wouldn't be surprised if "He" is already at Sequence 1."
… This, Emperor Roselle once said that the members of that ancient secret organization are all important figures that he couldn't imagine. When they combine forces, other than dealing with the seven Churches, there's nothing that can't be done… This actually includes the king of a country? That's right, later on, the emperor also became the ruler of Intis… Zealot… Is this what the Red Angel evil spirit thinks of Amon's brother? Although this is clearly a little extreme, with a strong bias, there's a certain reason for it. A nickname isn't given randomly… Klein made his marionette frown slightly.
"You seem to be able to see through the truth of this matter easily, but why hasn't the Church of Evernight, Storm, and Steam realized this problem?
"Their understanding of the Black Emperor is no less than yours…"
After all, the two Churches of the Evernight and the Storm had supported the Tudor-Trunsoest United Empire!
The Red Angel evil spirit wore an amused expression again as "He" sized up Dwayne Dantès and his valet.
"How old are you?
"Why are you still so naive and childish?
"The six deities and the six Churches are not necessarily equivalent at times. The things the six deities know might not be told to the angels and saints beneath 'Them."
The Red Angel evil spirit let out a chortle again when "He" saw that Dwayne Dantès was still frowning in confusion.
"Trust me, what I said, and what I'll be saying next, is undoubtedly a form of provocation to ruin the image of the six deities, but you can consider whether it's the truth.
"Let's put it this way. In regards to someone wanting to become the Black Emperor, the attitude of the six deities—uh, the seven deities is rather ambiguous. They' often have conflicts of 'Their' own. More precisely, 'They' are happy to see a mentally-sound Black Emperor be born, but they also wish that it's one 'They' support. Therefore, 'They' will not give any detailed revelations to the various Churches. 'They' will only follow the normal procedure and deliver punishment if there are results to the investigation. Otherwise, they will tacitly approve of its development.
"Of course, during this process, we cannot eliminate the possibility that a certain existence might want to do some damage, but it will not be so direct and obvious, because it will definitely be stopped by the other deities.
"If it wasn't because he knew of 'Them' taking such attitudes, how could George III dare take the risk?
"Alright, now that the war has broken out, he has overcome the crisis. He can wait for the next opportunity."
At that moment, Klein thought of the news that had been leaked out during the operation launched at the Blood Emperor ruins. He was momentarily unsure if he should suspect that the upper echelons of the three Churches had a member of the ancient secret organization, or that a certain deity had personally reminded Amon's brother. And if it were the latter, the suspect was undoubtedly not the Lord of Storms.
After a moment of silence, Klein hesitantly asked, "So, as long as nothing goes wrong, George III will carry out the ritual to become a god, despite everything that he has done? And if everything goes smoothly and he survives the backlash from the potion, will he ascend to the throne of Black Emperor?"
The Red Angel evil spirit replied in a relaxed tone, "Is there a problem?"
"Why would the seven deities…" Klein couldn't help but ask.
The Red Angel evil spirit tsked and said, "Do you want to know? If you want to know, I can tell you now."
Just as he was about to say "of course," Klein suddenly recalled the warning that Ma'am Arianna had given him.
"There are some things that make it easier to be 'infected' the more you know. Both your body and soul will be infected. Once you become an angel, you can seek out the exact answer."
As these thoughts flashed through his mind, Klein made his marionette smile.
"Forget it then."
"Very good. You nearly died out of curiosity and foolishness." The Red Angel evil spirit shook "His" head regretfully.
"He" then looked out the window and said, "If there's nothing else, you may leave."
"Alright." Klein made the marionette stand up and raise his right hand.
At this moment, the half-slumped Red Angel evil spirit suddenly asked, "I have this nagging feeling that if I had attacked you just now, you wouldn't be completely helpless, am I right?"
Of course, why do you think I chose Flaming Jump instead of "Teleporting"? That was to hide the burning of the paper crane in my wallet! This way, Snake of Fate Will Auceptin's gaze would silently land on me. If anything happens, "He" would use the Yesterday Once More charm… To "deal" with an existence at your level, one can't be too careful. How could one not be careful and keep a trump card hidden? Klein didn't directly answer the Red Angel evil spirit's question. He smiled and expressed his tacit agreement.
Pa!
He snapped his fingers, causing scarlet flames to surge out of his pocket and envelop him.
As the scarlet streams dispersed, Klein's figure disappeared in front of the Red Angel evil spirit.
Backlund, at Dr. Aaron Ceres's home, in a black pram.
The chubby baby rubbed his eyes and muttered silently, "Backlund really isn't suitable for children to live in!"
39 Böklund Street. Having done a divination, Klein saw Member of Parliament Macht who was about to head to West Borough.
"Didn't you go to Maygur Manor? I'm planning on letting Riana and Hazel hide in Moose Manor." Macht pinched the sockets of his eyes.
I wonder when this side effect will disappear… Klein retracted his gaze from this action and sighed.
"I have to prepare some weapons for the manor, so I came to seek your help.
"Also, if you have the means to get food, you can help me buy some."
In his opinion, the low-level citizens weren't able to stock up on food because they didn't have any money at all. At most, they would stock up a few days' worths of food. Therefore, his purchase wouldn't affect them for the time being. Once the food situation worsened, he could donate more of it through Miss Audrey. Before food rationing was implemented, if Klein didn't stockpile, other rich people would do so. Furthermore, they might not donate it.
"No problem," Macht agreed without any hesitation.
Klein didn't ask about the price, because he had given Housekeeper Taneja a total of 5,000 pounds for such matters.
Of course, after confirming that Zaratul was in Backlund and that Dwayne Dantès being equivalent to Gehrman Sparrow was known to the Red Angel evil spirit, he decided not to return to Maygur Manor. He planned on changing his identity so as not to affect the innocent.
As for the excuse, it had been arranged by the Church of Evernight that he would perform certain tasks and that he was unable to return for a long period of time. If there was a charity event that required his help, he gave Miss Audrey the authority to stand in his place.
Chapter 1088 Hiding in Secre
On the way to Saint Samuel Cathedral from Boklund Street, Klein passed by the Loen Charity Bursary Foundation at 22 Phelps Street. He was surprised to find that the door was still open.
As the initiator and current director, he placed quite a bit of concern over this matter. He temporarily slowed down and walked over.
Just as he entered the door, he saw Miss Audrey walking down from the second floor with her personal maidservant, a big golden retriever, and a few staff members beside her.
"Good afternoon. In this situation, there doesn't seem to be a need to insist on doing anything." Klein went forward and voiced out his doubts.
Audrey held the newspaper in her hand as she looked at Dwayne Dantes.
"Some of our beneficiaries were injured in the air raid. I just went to visit them and arranged for follow-up treatment." The noble lady's eyes were slightly red, as though she had seen all sorts of heart-wrenching scenes in the hospital.
"May the Goddess bless them." Klein came to a realization and drew a crimson moon on his chest.
He took the opportunity to say the idea that he had come up with long ago.
"I plan to donate some more money to buy food, medicine, and medical equipment for the foundation. In this manmade disaster, we can do more things."
"A brilliant idea. Those who are suffering will be grateful to you from the bottom of their hearts, Mr. Dantes." Audrey tapped her chest four times in a fluid motion. There was obvious joy and pity in her eyes. "I will do my best as well."
She didn't want to just donate money, but to spearhead certain matters.
Klein nodded.
"You don't have to praise me. At times like these, I only did what I should do.
"Apart from donating funds, I will also donate food. All of you can discuss this directly with my butler, Walter. Yes, Miss Audrey, I can write a letter of authorization to you now so that you can use my name to transfer the resources of Maygur Manor."
"What about you, Mr. Dantes?" Audrey asked with a vague guess.
This was the most normal response in such a conversation.
"I received a notice from the Church that I need to help them perform certain tasks. As for what they are, I haven't gone to Saint Samuel Cathedral yet, so I'm not sure either. The only thing I can confirm is that I have to travel around. I won't be able to return to Maygur Manor for a long time." Klein gave the reason he had come up with previously. "Miss Audrey, during this period of time at the foundation, I have come to understand your character and ability. Your background and standing also determine your visions and style. Handing these matters to you is the best solution I can come up with."
Klein didn't expect his lies to fool a senior Spectator. He only wanted to deceive the people around Justice—oh, these people didn't include the dog.
Does Mr. World want to temporarily give up on his identity as Dwayne Dantes so that he can perform certain matters in secret? Feeling enlightened, Audrey pretended to think. After a few seconds of silence, she said, "With the current situation, I can't refuse such a request."
Klein secretly heaved a sigh of relief. He immediately got his personal servant, Enuni, to go upstairs to get a piece of paper and a pen. Then, while being witnessed by the staff, he personally drafted a letter of authorization, signed his name, printed his thumbprint, and stamped the seal.
After doing all of this, Klein cast his gaze at the newspaper in Audrey's hand.
"Is there anything else? I just came back from outside the city. I only heard the paperboy shout that the kingdom has declared war on Feysac."
Audrey pursed her lips and said with a slightly gloomy expression, "Not long after the airship fleet from Feysac attacked Backlund, their Sonia Sea fleet took advantage of the thick fog to attack the Imperial Navy's base at Pritz Harbor's Oak Island and the shipyards in the surrounding area. Fortunately, the Church of the Lord of Storms received a warning beforehand and sent a telegram in advance. Pritz Harbor wasn't lost, but it lost quite a number of ships and factories. It's said that many people died and were seriously injured…"
"This is war…" Klein sighed. "Can I see how the king declared war?"
Audrey knew that there was something wrong with King George III, so she could tell that Mr. World was hiding his contempt. She didn't refuse and handed the newspaper over.
It was the Tussock Times.
Without needing to spread it open, he directly saw the king's declaration on the headlines:
"…708 years ago, the Feysacians took away Sonia Island from us.
"A year ago, the Feysacians stole half of our interests in East Balam.
"Today, they bombarded Backlund and attacked Pritz Harbor. Many Loenese were killed and injured, and their blood has stained the ground.
"There's no way for us to back down any further. We can only be bullied again and again by the Feysacians if we back off. If we continue retreating, we will lose all our interests overseas. Large amounts of our products will not be sold. Countless workers will lose their jobs, and even more peasants will go bankrupt!
"Everything from the past and now states that justice is in our hands, and we have enough strength to seize complete victory.
"Everyone, I, your emperor, George III, represent the parliament and the kingdom's government to declare war on Feysac. Unless they raise the white flag and surrender, we will never stop advancing!
"Advance, we shall take back Sonia Island! Advance, we shall conquer St. Millom!
"Victory will definitely belong to us. The gods will be with us!"
Klein quickly browsed through it and used his Clown ability to stop his lips from curling up.
He then returned the Tussock Times to Audrey. He took off his hat and bowed.
"I'll leave the rest to you."
"I will, please rest assured." Audrey held the letter of authorization and newspapers and bowed.
Without any further delay, Klein left the Loen Charity Bursary Foundation with his valet, Enuni, and arrived at Saint Samuel Cathedral.
At that moment, the church no longer had many believers present. Most of them had returned to their homes, busy preparing for their life with war having been declared.
In the dark and quiet environment, Klein found a seat and sat down. He took off his hat, clasped his hands, and placed them in front of his mouth and nose. He softly recited the honorific name of the Evernight Goddess, then said, "…I received news from the Red Angel evil spirit that it's very likely that Zaratul has already arrived in Backlund. As for the secret ruins of the Blood Emperor, there's a high chance that it's the mausoleum needed for the Black Emperor ritual …"
After the prayer, Klein waited patiently for a while. He saw the archbishop, Anthony Stevenson, enter from the side door and walk towards him.
This saint was clean-shaven. He wore a black robe that had the crimson moon's emblem on it. He walked without making a sound, as though he was the night that slowly descended.
Anthony didn't say a word after he approached Dwayne Dantes. He only signaled with his eyes before turning towards the library.
With that, Klein got up, put on his hat, and followed silently behind.
As for his personal servant, Enuni, he held his cane and walked to the entrance of the cathedral to wait.
Outside the library, Archbishop Anthony turned around and revealed a smile. He said to Dwayne Dantes, "War has erupted. There are too many things that need to be done. As a devout believer of the Goddess, are you willing to provide some help?"
Indeed… From the looks of it, Ma'am Arianna has left Backlund… As Klein sighed, he drew the crimson moon on his chest.
"It's my honor. Praise the Lady."
After responding, he immediately asked, "What do you need me to do?"
"I'll inform you when needed. Try not to go home during this period of time," Saint Anthony said in an illogical tone.
And in an instant, he understood what the other party meant. He had to hide for now. They had no time to deal with Zaratul. At most, they could provide him protection within a certain range.
Just as I thought, the Goddess is digesting the Uniqueness of the Death pathway. "She will not be able to do a divine descent for a long period of time. The upper echelons of the Church have to deal with the war, while the negative effects of Grade 0 Sealed Artifacts are more terrifying than the last… Klein nodded gently.
"Yes, Your Grace."
"May the Goddess bless you." Saint Anthony drew the crimson moon.
"Praise the Lady. The only escape is tranquility." Klein responded with a familiar gesture.
Then, he left Saint Samuel Cathedral and headed to another street with his valet.
After walking for a while, both of them disappeared at some point in time.
East Borough, in a two-bedroom rental apartment.
Wearing an ordinary face, Klein took out the adventurer's harmonica and blew at it.
Soon, Reinette Tinekerr walked out of the void with four blonde, red-eyed heads in hand. She wasn't surprised by her contractor's appearance.
Without giving a letter, he directly said, "Tell Miss Sharron and Marie that Zaratul has come to Backlund and is very likely to be in contact with the Rose School of Thought. They must be careful. It's best not to go to the Bravehearts Bar in the near future."
"Zaratul…" This time, Reinette Tinekerr's four heads spoke at the same time, as though they had spent a great deal of effort to recall who it was.
"Leader of the Secret Order, a Sequence 1 angel who once lost his mind before becoming normal again." Klein took out a gold coin and handed it to Miss Messenger.
He didn't mention that Zaratul was very interested in Gehrman Sparrow. He believed that, as a high-level spirit world creature, Miss Messenger would be able to sense his uniqueness to a certain extent. Otherwise, there was no need for this angel to lower "Her" status to be his messenger. If it was for Yesterday Once More charms, "She" could provide him help in a more decent manner.
As for why Zaratul didn't discover the gray fog's aura in the foggy town but now shows interest in Gehrman Sparrow, Klein believed that there were three reasons. The first reason was that the gray fog's Beyonder convergence had compelled this powerful Seer to come to Backlund, and "He" predicted something. The second reason was that Gehrman Sparrow was able to leave the foggy town despite receiving the wrong symbol and return to the real world. The third reason was that Gehrman Sparrow was likely related to the organization that believed in The Fool.
By the time Zaratul came into contact with the Rose School of Thought and realized that the Mother Tree of Desire was somewhat interested in Gehrman Sparrow, even if he didn't have a guess, the importance he placed on Gehrman Sparrow would still rise exponentially.
Reinette Tinekerr didn't say anything else. One of the heads tilted forward and bit the gold coin.
After watching Miss Messenger leave, he pulled a chair and sat down. He sized up the sky outside the window across a wooden desk.
The layout of the rental apartment was the same as the one he used to live in Tingen City. There was a bedroom inside, and outside of it was a living room, dining room, and study room. There was also a bunk bed.
At that moment, in the room, other than him, there were only his marionettes—Qonas and Enuni.
Chapter 1089 A Difficult Decision
After sitting for a while, Klein raised his hand to rub his temples. He then stood up, took four steps counterclockwise, and went above the gray fog.
He then conjured Gehrman Sparrow. By praying to Mr. Fool, he sent messages to Danitz and The Hermit Cattleya.
The message for the former was to remind him to be careful of the Secret Order. Although he didn't believe that Zaratul would directly seek out Danitz, a person who had crossed paths with Gehrman Sparrow on the surface, there was nothing wrong with reminding him regardless. As a Bizarro Sorcerer, Klein had a certain level of understanding of the Beyonders of the Seer pathway. He believed that those who could truly advance to such a state were sufficiently cautious and careful. This didn't exclude certain oddities and exceptions, but it definitely didn't exclude Zaratul who was at Sequence 1.
And in this situation, in the eyes of an angel who was in control of enough secrets, Danitz was more like bait that was deliberately thrown out to fish for certain targets. Therefore, it was highly likely that Zaratul would very carefully and cautiously avoid him. At most, he would send members of the Secret Order to do some direct or indirect investigations.
By the same logic, the message that Klein gave The Hermit Cattleya had the same content. However, this wasn't the main point. The main point was for her to immediately contact Queen Mystic Bernadette, saying that Gehrman Sparrow wanted to meet her as soon as possible. In addition, he also informed the Admiral of Stars—something he wanted to delay till the next Tarot Gathering—that she was to decide if she wanted to purchase the Sequence 5 Druid and Sequence 4 Classical Metallurgist of the Planter pathway.
West of the Berserk Sea, Theros Island.
Danitz, who was gathering clues about Vice Admiral Ailment, held a cup filled with golden beer when his expression suddenly became extremely complicated.
"What's wrong? You saw someone and recalled an indescribable encounter?" Anderson shook the Lanti Proof distilled liquor in his hand as he teased the abnormal Danitz.
Danitz gulped down a mouthful of beer and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand before saying with a somewhat depressed expression, "We have to be careful of Secret Order members from now on…"
Ever since he met Gehrman Sparrow, such words were a common occurrence for him. His initial reaction had gone from the point of panic to numbness and depression.
He suspected that one day, he would be listed as being wanted by all organizations of different sizes, except Mr. Fool's organization.
Anderson sized up Danitz when he heard that as he chuckled.
"Sometimes, I feel that Gehrman Sparrow is more like a hunter than me.
"Heh, so the two of you have a special method of communication. You don't even need to summon a messenger."
Danitz was just about to say a few perfunctory words when a person from Intis rushed into the tavern. He held a telegram and shouted, "Feysac launched an air raid on Backlund, Loen has officially declared war!"
Declared war? Anderson and Danitz looked at each other. By relying on their pathway's characteristics, they acutely caught the scent of a large-scale war.
Feysac attacked Backlund and Pritz Harbor, and in return, Loen has officially declared war… The three ironclad warship fleets weren't at the harbor, so there wasn't many losses. They're heading back to the Loen coast…Cattleya's crew happened to pass through Oravi Island, and they had gathered all sorts of information from the telegrams.
Just as she was thinking about how the pirate crew would react in this situation, she suddenly saw an endless gray fog and heard The World Gehrman Sparrow.
"Be careful of the Secret Order members. Be careful of Zaratul…" As someone from Intis to a certain extent, what caught Cattleya's attention was something that with the least importance.
And it was precisely because of this that she had no doubts about The World Gehrman Sparrow's request to meet the Queen as soon as possible. She believed that this was related to the Secret Order and Zaratul.
Finally, she said the two potion names softly, "Druid… Classical Metallurgist…
"This Sequence 4's modern name should be the Ancient Metallurgist. It was previously called Human Metallurgist…"
Cattleya subconsciously walked to the window and cast her gaze down. On these seas which had a time difference between it and Backlund, Frank Lee and Artisan Cielf were leaning on the side of the ship' sunbathing. The former ^ a relaxed expression and looked very pleased, but there was a pensive look in his eyes. It was as though there were still some problems that couldn't be resolved. The latter's face was pale, and his lips were quivering. Scattered over his clothes were mushrooms.
Druid… Ancient Metallurgist… Admiral of Stars Cattleya repeated the two terms again, feeling as though something was pressing down on her.
After about ten seconds, Cattleya adjusted the heavy glasses on her nose bridge and consoled herself.
Mr. Fool didn't give any warnings. It means it's not a big deal…
With this thought in mind, specks of bright light floated down, forming a staircase of light between the captain's cabin window and the deck.
Cattleya went down the stairs and walked to Frank Lee and Cielf s side.
After a few seconds of silence, Cattleya asked, "Frank, what are your dreams?"
Only then did Frank Lee realize that his captain had arrived. With a push of his palm, he flipped to his feet.
"Dreams?"
This Biologist thought about it seriously and said, "I wish to be able to study the soil, the creation of objects, and crossbreeding techniques without restrictions, so as to ensure that humans will no longer be hungry anymore. Equality between people will be achieved. What you can do, I can do. What you can grow, I can also grow…"
Upon hearing this, Artisan Cielf slowly got up and silently crouched to the side, opening his mouth and vomiting.
Frank Lee continued without being affected, "In order to have such a world, one has to have sufficient food and resources, so I hope to create all kinds of creatures that can deal with different environments and conditions. Heh heh, everyone has their own tendencies. I prefer fish, beef, and spores…"
Cattleya finished listening to Frank's description with a deadpan expression. However, during this process, she repeatedly nudged the thick glasses on her nose thrice.
After a moment of silence, Cattleya asked, "There's only one step left to your research now?"
"That's right. I'm just short of a Dmid's ability for catalyzing it. If I can_t get the formula, I_m 伽 help me make the Druid Beyonder characteristic I have into a mystical item," Frank answered frankly.
"No, I won't help you! You devil!" the silently vomiting Artisan Cielf raised his head and shouted anxiously.
Cattleya watched this scene quietly. With a flip of her hand, she produced a gold coin.
Ding!
The gold coin flipped up before landing in Cattleya's palm, heads facing up.
"I have the Druid potion formula. It's from Gehrman Sparrow, 5,000 pounds," Cattleya explained in detail, as though she was deliberately telling Artisan Cielf, informing him who the true "murderer" was.
A look of pure joy immediately appeared in Frank Lee's eyes.
"He really is a swell guy!
"Uh, Captain, I've only saved up to 3,000 pounds. Can you lend me 2,000 pounds?"
Most of his previous savings had been used to buy the Druid Beyonder characteristic, and he had even sold some of his items.
Cattleya fell silent once again. A few seconds later, she nodded while Frank Lee's expectant eyes were on her. "Okay."
North Borough, Backlund Medical University's affiliated hospital.
Eudora lay on the bed with a blank expression, lacking the vibrancy a young girl should have.
She had woken up from her coma some time ago, but she hadn't opened her eyes. Thus, she heard the doctor tell her parents that the injury she received to her right leg from the air raid likely couldn't be saved. They had to be prepared for an amputation procedure.
After that, she lay down in a daze, feeling as though there were many people coming and going one after another. Among them, the person who had originally only visited the student next door, the Loen Charity Bursary Foundation director, Audrey, indicated that she was willing to pay for the subsequent treatments after hearing about her. The school's chancellor, Mr. Portland Moment, had promised to create the most advanced and most convenient robotic limb for her to walk like a normal person.
However, none of this dispelled the gloominess, heaviness, sorrow, and despair in Eudora's heart.
She wasn't even 18, and she had yet to enjoy the beauty of life, but now, she was about to lose a leg and lose her dreams.
Her family wasn't considered wealthy. Her father was the owner of a grocery store that believed in the Lord of Storms. He was violent, barbaric, and unwilling to reason with women. Her mother was timid and weak, and she relied on her father to survive. If not for the fact that her family didn't have a second child at home, Eudora wouldn't have been able to study at all. But even so, her father had chosen a place like the Backlund Technical School where results could be quickly seen.
Previously, she had commented on how lucky she was that the Backlund Technical School had been turned into the Backlund University of Technology; furthermore, she had passed the examinations and become a real university student. This made her smile every day as she passed the joy to the people around her while having the time to indulge in her hobby for poetry.
Eudora's dream was to remain in the university and be a university teacher, finding a husband who loved her as she loved him. At the same time, she could constantly keep true to her pursuit of poetry, hoping that they would one day be published in magazines and newspapers.
Now, all of this had been destroyed by a bomb that fell from the sky. It had been mercilessly and cruelly destroyed.
After an unknown period of time, Eudora silently pulled up the blanket and covered her face. She let out a soft whimper that sounded like a baby beast.
The crying didn't stop for a while. After a while, Eudora suddenly lifted the blanket and saw a black figure standing by her bed.
Half of the black figure's face was covered by mushrooms, while the other half was covered in weeds. In the black figure's hand was a wooden cane.
Eudora couldn't even scream. She felt like her heart was about to burst out of her chest.
The black figure touched her with the tip of the cane.
Eudora felt her heart return to normal while her right leg felt cold, as though she could feel her leg again.
When she looked at the bedside again, the black figure wasn't there anymore.
In her daze, Eudora moved her right leg and realized that it wasn't painful at all. It was if she had never been hurt before.
She pulled up the blanket again and covered her face.
A few seconds later, there was a sound of disbelief under the blanket. It was filled with fear, but it was also mixed with crying that were tears of joy.
Chapter 1090 Haunted Tales
Nighttime, Pritz Harbor, in a cemetery in the suburbs.
The people who died in the airship bombings had been brought here. The priests and bishops of the three Churches were busy comforting the souls of the dead to prevent any anomalies from happening.
In that short day, many wives lost their husbands, many children lost their mothers, and many families were down to a single person. Some of them loitered in the cemetery—some silent, others sobbing. Some even wept until they fainted.
Wearing an ordinary-looking face, Klein stood among them and watched everything without saying a word. It was as if he had recalled the funeral he had attended before.
While it was dark, he had just used Life's Cane to treat the injured in Backlund and Pritz Harbor's various hospitals— victims of the air raid. He had also left behind a strange and horrifying urban myth to help him further digest the Bizarro Sorcerer potion.
And he knew that, once such haunted tales spread like wildfire, Zaratul, who was in Backlund, would immediately be able to understand what was going on. "He" would send his marionettes to monitor the corresponding areas. Hence, before the news spread, he relied on "Teleporting" to travel to all the hospitals in Backlund and Pritz Harbor, leaving behind all sorts of horror stories to treat patients with severe illnesses.
When this matter spread, he believed that he would receive a great deal of feedback, allowing him to take a firm and huge step in the direction of completely digesting the potion.
However, Klein didn't stop there. The existence of a conspiracy created by the Red Angel evil spirit, and the fact that Zaratul was in Backlund, was like a guillotine hanging above his head, urging him to continue searching for opportunities.
Hence, he came here to witness the grief of the ordinary citizens.
After a moment of silence, Klein retracted his gaze and turned to leave the cemetery.
After arriving at an empty spot, his left glove quickly turned dark blue, and slippery fish scales grew out.
With a whoosh, the wind swept over, and Klein flew up into the air towards the harbor.
In the sea beyond the land, the Sonia Sea fleet from the Feysac Empire was quietly waiting. It was as if they were prepared to launch another bombardment after daybreak, destroying the rest of the shipyards.
Soon, Klein arrived above the harbor ruins and looked at the faint flames in the dark night.
At the same time, his two marionettes had used Flaming Jump to rush over from the ground, splitting up into different hidden locations.
From what he had heard and seen, Klein didn't have any doubts or feelings towards what he was about to do. However, he was still confused.
Taking revenge on the invaders was a legitimate matter, but if he were to seriously injure the Feysac fleet, the happiest person would be the Loen King, George III—the true mastermind behind all of this, one of the culprits who had pushed for war!
There are too many principles in this world, but only those who have truly experienced it will realize that there are times when doing nothing is the correct path. It will fill one's heart with conflict… With a sigh, Klein turned his attention to the information he had received from The Hanged Man.
The commander of the Sonia Sea fleet from the Feysac Empire was Admiral Egor Einhorn. He was a demigod from the royal family, currently a Sequence 4 Iron-blooded Knight of the Red Priest pathway!
Through this information, together with the contents of the Red Priest card, more key points surfaced in Klein's mind.
Iron-blooded Knight can make women turn into men, and also make them have courage that is comparable to steel. Not only can they control multiple types of flames, but they're also masters in this domain. They can even turn their own flames into steel…
On the Nepos, the flagship of the Feysac Empire's Sonia Sea fleet.
A burly man with a thick beard more than two meters tall, Egor Einhorn, was sitting behind a desk. As he drank Sonia blood wine, he pondered over what to do next.
After daybreak, Loen's airship crew will definitely attack. Their Pritz ironclad warship and the corresponding fleet will return soon. If they continue staying here, I'll be left in a passive situation.
Although I'm a Iron-blooded Knight, allowing the entire fleet's power to gather onto me while distributing the damage, the commanding officer of the ironclad warship is most likely a demigod of the Arbiter pathway, or they have the corresponding Grade 1 Sealed Artifact, so it won't be easy to deal with them… If I'm not careful, they might be able to make use of the advantage of their fleet's speed and armaments…
Retreating is the best option. After that, we'll continue attacking the coastal ports while the Loen navy is damaged… Heh heh, this war is indeed a good opportunity to digest potions.
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to become a War Bishop before this. Otherwise, I might have a chance to advance to the level of an angel after the war. Sigh, only a War Bishop can truly unleash the strength of an army. It's not like how I am right now, only able to focus power on myself…
In the midst of Egor Einhom's thoughts, he planned on using the hidden connection between an Iron-blooded Knight and the soldiers that were under his command to inform his adjutant to pay him a visit, so that he could give the orders of performing a retreat overnight.
Suddenly, he looked up at the door.
Thump!
There was a knock on the door, and it instantly reverberated in the quiet room.
An advance warning before an attack… This thought flashed across Egor's mind and he became extremely tense.
In a battle between demigods, setting up an environment, sudden attacks, and catching enemies by surprise was a good way to seize the initiative. It was a combination that could effectively defeat or even kill an enemy of the same level. On the contrary, it was very difficult to accomplish it successfully. Therefore, giving an advance notice before an attack was either a warning without any follow-ups, or it meant that the attacker's level and strength far exceeded the target.
As a senior Iron-blooded Knight, Egor instinctively considered the worst situation. He immediately woke up every sailor and soldier on the Nepos to establish a connection with him.
At that moment, the noise sounded again.
Boom!
This time, the knocking sound on the door was comparable to the loud boom of a salvo. It made Egor feel like a bomb had exploded in his ears.
Under his high-strung nerves, he carefully listened to the commotion. This wasn't much different from the roar of a Cataclysmic Interrer!
In an instant, Egor's ears buzzed and he felt dizzy.
He quickly spread out the damage and let every member of the Nepos hear a faint buzz.
Then, Egor grabbed the fountain pen on the table and threw it at the door.
This dark red fountain pen left afterimages along the way, like a cannonball that had been fired.
To an Iron-blooded Knight, no matter how ordinary it was, it could become a terrifying murderous weapon through his augmentation!
Boom!
The door that was hit by the fountain pen cracked open, revealing the person in the corridor who had knocked on the door.
It was a man in a black trench coat. His body was as thin as paper, and his face had no facial features.
At that moment, the fountain pen had already exploded. The tiny fragments were like storms brought about by the sweeping of a machine gun. It embroiled the person who knocked on the door, tearing him into pieces of flesh and blood.
Egor didn't relax. Instead, he stood up and looked around warily.
He clearly knew that the person who had knocked on the door hadn't appeared!
At this moment, the adjutant, whose bunk was diagonally across from him, opened the door and ran out. When he saw the flesh and blood on the ground, he said in surprise, "Admiral, what happened?"
"There's an intruder…" Before Egor could finish his sentence, his gaze suddenly froze on the adjutant.
The adjutant retracted his gaze from the flesh and blood on the ground and slowly raised his head.
There were no eyebrows, eyes, nose, or mouth on his face. It was the same as the person who had knocked just now—a featureless surface.
Egor's heart palpitated, and his entire body ignited, transforming into flames that shot out in all directions.
After the scarlet flames dispersed, they swept forward and surrounded the adjutant.
The fire quickly spread, revealing the already charred adjutant.
When the cold wind blew past, the adjutant collapsed into a pile of ashes.
The flames didn't stop as they flew out of the room, one after another, forming a tall and burly Egor in midair.
At that moment, he saw seagulls flying around him. All of them had a human head without any facial features—their heads bare!
Egor let out a secret grunt as a blazing flame surrounded him before he sent towards the strange seagulls at high speeds.
At that moment, he heard the sound of metal rubbing against each other and immediately looked over with the help of the soldiers.
When he saw this, his body suddenly turned cold. He couldn't help but feel a sense of horror.
On one of the ships on the other sail-powered battleship of the Sonia Sea fleet, the cannons seemed to come alive and had a life of their own!
They turned around and aimed into the air.
As for the cannonballs, they actively leaped into the cannons.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The moment these shells were fired, they were struck by fireballs that followed different trajectories, exploding prematurely mid-flight.
Seizing this opportunity, Egor quickly recited the honorific name of the highest commander in the Sonia Sea theater—a Weather Warlock from the royal family.
"The ruler of the fog of the battlefield, the symbol of weather flux, the totem of the storm and lightning, the great Awatoma Einhorn…"
This was also the reason why it was difficult to kill a demigod of the same level when an advanced warning was given. They could always find an opportunity to seek help.
Of course, the main goal of the attacker, Klein, was to create a bizarre scene to scare a demigod and help him digest his potion. He had no intention of completing the hunt.
Upon seeing this, he hid beneath the water. Having achieved his goal, he immediately got Qonas and Enuni to swap locations over to him and "Teleport" away with them.
As for Egor, he didn't let his guard down. He remained extremely tense and guarded against any possible attacks.
Only when the angel responded did he truly heave a sigh of relief.
Following that, Egor didn't let the fleet stay any longer. He abandoned the sail-powered battleship that had turned into an urban myth, and he left those waters.
After a while, a seagull flew over and landed on the sail-powered battleship that had regained its silence.
The seagull had obvious dark eye circles. It looked around and said in the language of humans, "I can smell the aura of a Seer demigod…"
Chapter 1091 Asking Himself
Backlund, East Borough, in a cramped rental apartment.
Wearing a rather thick jacket, Klein stood behind a desk and looked at the glass window in front of him. He carefully sensed the speed at which the Bizarro Sorcerer potion was being digested.
It's really fast. It's even more than the first three months of my digestion combined… However, there's nothing I can do about it. Before I received Life's Cane, I couldn't provide sufficient treatment. I have to make sure that the heart of the target can withstand the fright they experience, so as a result, I wasn't able to go to the hospital to create an urban
Similarly, if it wasn't for the fact that a war broke out, it would be rather difficult to find other demigods. Those whose whereabouts that I can confirm are mostly on their own home ground. To secretly invade and create a bizarre sense of horror will involve turning innocents into marionettes. Even if there's no other choice, I wouldn't have considered it… Klein shifted his attention away from himself and sighed silently.
He then repeated a word in his mind:
War…
At this moment, the street lamps in the distance were lit up. East Borough was pitch black with the occasional policemen patrolling the streets with lanterns.
In the past, these policemen wouldn't have been so enthusiastic. Now that the war had broken out, they had to carry out the corresponding curfew orders to ensure that there was order and security.
"War…" Klein repeated the word softly again, and in a daze, he saw a part of the ending.
The Loen King, George III, has finally broken through the shackles. He's no longer worried that any of the seven deities will strongly object to his apotheosis. He can officially push for the various rituals needed of Black Emperor. What follows will depend on himself, or should I say "Himself." As long as "He" can withstand the impact of the potion, and as long as "He" can maintain "His" rationality, "He" would be able to ascend to the divine throne and advance to Sequence 0.
The Einhorn family of Feysac used this war that can embroil the entire world to allow its key members to significantly digest their potions, and without much difficulty, they can prepare the corresponding rituals and allow their family's overall strength to be enhanced.
As for Amon's brother, "He" can consume the potion during these tumultuous times and experience a transformation to become a Visionary, allowing this world to have another true god…
As Klein's thoughts drifted, a question suddenly popped up in his mind:
Can I accept such an outcome?
Can I accept such an outcome… Klein opened his mouth and slowly closed it. Everything he saw seemed to pass through the limitations of time and space before returning to another place:
It was the extremely thick, slightly pungent, cold, and moist smog which was yellow and slightly iron-black in color which had permeated through the entirety of Backlund;
It was the tramps who were suffering from ailments, hunger, pain, and cold before being pushed to the brink of death. He was also struggling to survive. For the sake of food, he pushed himself with all his might, not daring to slack off at all. Finally, he saw the light of life. He bought his long-awaited ham, but in the hazy smog, he fell to the ground and never got up again;
She was a hardworking widow. In order to survive, and to provide for her two children, she had abandoned all her dignity and made herself a shrew that spewed vulgarities. With pain-ridden joints that suffered repeatedly from the invasion of the humidity on a daily basis, she supported a roof that could block out the elements. However, the roof had collapsed in the Great Smog. The child she wanted to protect had died in her arms;
It was a young girl who yearned to study and fantasized about a bright future. She doted on her mother and her younger sister, working hard in the room that was filled with moisture, always carrying that tiny bit of hope. However, after the Great Smog, she was no longer able to see the future she longed for;
It was a girl who desperately took in knowledge under the care of her mother and elder sister. She had gone through too much suffering, and she walked out of her predicament one step at a time, hoping to improve herself. She hoped that her mother and sister wouldn't tire themselves out anymore and that she would have a chance to let her family of three to live an ideal life. However, all of this ultimately shattered. In that terrifying smog, this girl was left alone. No matter how much pain or joy she felt, she was no longer able to share it with her mother and sister. That fantasy of her family life never appeared, nor would it ever appear again;
They were living beings that fell to the ground like straw, one family after another, one human after another. They would never be able to erase the pain in their bones;
It was a student who clearly had a bright future, but only half of his body was left—his intestines splattered all over the ground;
They were children who returned home from school, only to suddenly realize that they had lost their parents and had become orphans;
It was the pain of writhing on the ground while crawling with great difficulty. He was an ordinary person who wanted to approach the future, but was powerless to swallow his last breath;
It was the people in the cemetery who were so silent that it made one's heart ache, or those who cried until they fainted several times;
It was a land stained with blood;
It was the air filled with gunpowder;
They were cold and ruthless shells.
And for the mastermind behind all of this, the greatest murderer, he would step up to the divine throne over piles of corpses, only to receive cheers and escape his mortal coils.
Can you accept such a development?
Can you accept such an arrangement?
Can you accept such an outcome?
After a moment of silence, Klein suddenly spoke with a deep voice:
"No, I can't."
This voice immediately echoed in the room. It was layered and interlinked:
"No, I don't accept it!"
There were still lingering echoes in his ears as the corners of his mouth curled up. Klein gave a self-deprecating laugh.
"The seven deities already tacitly accepted it. What meaning is there even if you don't accept it?"
Once again, he fell silent. After a long while, he finally exhaled and said to himself with a calm expression, "Even if it's meaningless, some things still ought to be done."
In this world, how could there be many things that were guaranteed to succeed? That they were of value and be of use?
The corners of Klein's mouth curled up. He looked away, turned around, and entered the room inside the rental flat.
Although he had already made up his mind, he had no intention of doing it rashly. With his current level and status, no matter how hard he tried, it would be difficult for him to affect George Ill's matters. Other than throwing away his life, there wouldn't be any other outcome.
Furthermore, if this resulted in chaos in the Loen Kingdom during a critical period of the war, resulting in the invasion of the Feysac army, then the deaths and injuries of the innocent would only be ten times or even a hundred times worse than the Great Smog of Backlund.
All I can do now is make preparations. On the one hand, I have to improve myself. On the other hand, I have to make more preparations and patiently wait for an opportunity… Klein muttered silently to himself. He found a black sticky blob and split it into two before smearing one half uniformly on a mirror.
This was a way to contact Demoness Trissy.
However, when all the black objects disappeared, there was still no abnormality in the mirror.
There's no response… After being frightened by an angel like Miss Messenger, Trissy has already decided not to have any contact with Gehrman Sparrow… Klein sighed and walked to the bed to sit down.
His thoughts quickly shifted to the reason why the Demoness Sect had helped King George III.
…One of them is that the Demonesses need a catastrophe to digest the potion and hold a ritual. The other is that George III has made a promise to them? He promised them that they could openly spread their religion? No, this should be something that the seven deities wouldn't allow. Even if the Black Emperor is a Sequence 0, and with the Primordial Demoness and the True Creator, "They" wouldn't be able to fight against the seven deity alliance. Of course, after this war, the existence of an alliance between the seven deities is itself a question…
In that case, the seven deities that know that George III is working with the Demoness Sect shouldn't let "Him" become the Black Emperor…
The promise is for something else? The Demoness pathway has a true god, and there are very few valuable items left outside… Similar pathways? Isn't that the Red Priest pathway… George III—no, Amon's brother doesn't only know of the secret mausoleum needed by the Black Emperor from Blood Emperor Alista Tudor, but "He" also obtained the angel-level Beyonder characteristics or Grade 0 Sealed Artifacts of the Red Priest pathway?
With the condition that having a Sequence 0 means no Sequence 1, this is probably the greatest hope for the upper echelons of the Demoness Sect to advance further. Yes, the Primordial Demoness should also be very interested…
This can explain why the Demoness Sect is providing help… The Red Angel evil spirit is searching for Saintess of White Katarina, and it doesn't seem to be as simple as "He" said… No, "He" didn't say anything else besides using common knowledge and reactions to guide me into thinking that way…
Klein's train of thought gradually became clear. He decided to use Saintess of White Katarina, as a breakthrough point, making her his next target. However, before that, he had to listen to what Queen Mystic had predicted. He wanted to know what she was planning to do in Backlund from her mouth.
Only by understanding the situation could he find and seize the opportunity!
The next morning, The Hermit Cattleya conveyed the words of Queen Mystic Bernadette:
Today between 12 to 12:30 p.m. at Srenzo Restaurant, Golden Theater."
It was the name of a private room.
When Klein arrived at 11:55 a.m., he used an illusion to deceive the waiter, and he walked all the way to the room and waited patiently.
After a while, he took out his golden pocket watch and opened it.
With that, he put away his pocket watch and counted down to ten silently. Then, he raised his hand and knocked on the door of the Golden Theater.
At that moment, his marionette, Qonas, was sitting on a bench across the restaurant and reading the newspapers leisurely. Enuni was with a group of students, giving off a flyer that promoted the evilness of Feysac. Of course, the three of them would switch positions from time to time, making it impossible for anyone to make an accurate judgment.
"Come in." Bernadette's voice came from the room.
Very impressive. I didn't notice anyone inside, nor did I notice anyone entering… Well, it's also because I didn't activate my Spirit Body Threads vision… Klein mumbled to himself before turning the doorknob and pushing the door open.
The first thing he saw was large swaths of gold before noticing the chestnut-haired woman sitting at the head of the table.
Chapter 1092 Ridiculous People
Bernadette was wearing an Intis-styled blouse and was sitting there quietly. Her chestnut-colored hair was naturally draped over her shoulders, and her straight brows were spread out perfectly. She actually had the aura of a female professional from Earth, one that had been in a high position for a long period of time.
The Emperor's sense of aesthetics still has quite the influence over Queen Mystic. However, it's limited by the environment around her, and it cannot be fully manifested… Klein took off his hat and pressed it to his chest. He bowed slightly before casually pulling out a chair and sitting down.
With a sweep of her blue eyes that resembled the deep-blue sea, Bernadette's gentle and calm voice rang out:
"Why did you contact me so urgently this time?"
Aren't you a Clairvoyant? Didn't you receive a hint of a revelation? Klein subconsciously replied in his mind before he felt that he was being too arrogant.
This should be the aftereffects of interacting with the Red Angel evil spirit for too long… With "His" level, it would naturally affect the people around "Him." If "He" was willing, this effect would definitely turn into a form of corruption… Klein quickly did a self-analysis and made a judgment.
He pondered for a moment before asking, "Have you attained what you wanted to achieve in Backlund?"
Bernadette slowly shook her head.
"No.
You can even say that I failed."
"Oh?" Klein used a tone to express his surprise and puzzlement.
Bernadette glanced at him and said unhurriedly, "There's a strange name for the Sequence 2 potion of the Mystery Pryer pathway. It's called 'the Sage.' To advance to this level, one has to prevent a disaster that involves a higher level of power."
Sage… So that's where "sage" of the Hidden Sage comes from… Klein was momentarily enlightened. Just as he was about to ask, he heard Queen Mystic continue, "I anticipated such an opportunity in Backlund, so I came here a few years in advance to make preparations. I've recently been waiting for it for a long time.
"Unfortunately, I predicted that it would happen in the second half of this year. Last year, I wasn't in Backlund at the end of the year, so I wasn't able to stop the Great Smog. And in this war, I tried my best to do something, and I achieved something. But to my surprise, Feysac directly attacked Backlund with an air raid, and the disaster ultimately erupted."
That's why you said you failed… Klein nodded indiscernibly and said with a sigh, "I didn't expect the ones to start the war to be the Feysacians either."
As he spoke, he sighed inwardly. The difficulty of Queen Mystic's advancement ritual was controversial. It all depended on one's luck.
One had to know that before he became a demigod, Klein had already stopped the True Creator from descending. He had saved Tingen and Backlund, which were feats that could definitely satisfy the ritual requirements of becoming a Sage. But under normal circumstances, there weren't as many disasters like these, and they weren't things that could easily be stopped.
Just like the present situation, Amon's brother had planned for one to two thousand years. Even if something went awry with King George III, war would erupt as "He" had expected. This was because the root cause of the Uniqueness of the Death pathway hadn't been resolved.
This made him suspect that Mr. Azik's life in the Northern Continent had always been under the arrangement of Amon's brother. If not, how did "He," who had lost his memories, escape from the sights of the various major Churches without a shape-shifting mask?
More importantly, it was unknown why Azik had used his real name in this life!
And this wasn't something that was suspected by anyone, nor did it incur any investigations!
Is this all part of your plan? Amon's brother… Upon thinking of this, Klein felt a certain trauma, a result of post- traumatic stress disorder. His body nearly trembled.
He silently took a deep breath and looked at Queen Mystic and added, "This war involves the son of the Creator, King of Angels, and the true deities. It's not something you can stop."
With Bernadette's knowledge and experience, she still had some changes to her facial expression when she heard the sentence. She repeated a few keywords in a low voice:
"The son of the Creator… King of Angels… Deities…"
She wasn't too surprised by this, as if she had already made a prediction. However, even if she was a Clairvoyant, she wasn't able to pry into the "script" composed by Amon's brother.
After repeating it again, Bernadette fell silent for two to three seconds before sighing to herself, "So that's the reason…" Klein adjusted his posture and thought.
"Actually, to you, this war is also an opportunity.
"Next, there will be many disasters, including the clashing of powers at the angel level. I believe that you should at least be in control of a Grade 0 Sealed Artifact. You can stop certain matters from happening at the critical moment. Of course, you have to choose a good time and method."
Bernadette nodded gently and agreed with what he said. She also tacitly acknowledged that she possessed at least one Grade 0 Sealed Artifact.
Of course, as the daughter of the protagonist of the previous era, as the child Emperor Roselle doted on the most, it would be unbelievable if her father didn't leave her one or two Grade 0 Sealed Artifacts.
What was more important was that Bernadette was already preparing the ritual needed to advance to Sage. This meant that she definitely had the corresponding Sequence 2 Beyonder characteristic in her hands. To a certain extent, it was equivalent to a Grade 0 Sealed Artifact.
After tacitly agreeing, Queen Mystic Bernadette's gentle but emotionless voice changed slightly.
"However, I still don't like war, even though it will give me a chance.
"I once hated him and couldn't understand him. That's why I didn't call him father for many years. It's because he did too many things against the trend of the times and hurt the innocent. I couldn't accept my heroic father turning into a crazy tyrant…
"And now, through the answers from the entity behind you and my own investigations, I somewhat understand his situation. I understand that he was suffering from despair, pain, and loneliness. I understand him as a drowning person, only struggling on instinct."
When Klein heard that, he sighed and felt his emotions in turmoil.
In this world, the only people who understood Huang Tao—Roselle Gustav—the most were probably the two people sitting here.
Of course, this feeling didn't stop him from sensing that Queen Mystic Bernadette's condition was a little different today. In the past few times they had met, this king's daughter had never said so much, nor had she opened her heart so directly. At most, she would play the tune of music, subtly expressing her sadness.
After some thought, Klein pretended not to notice, and he asked, "When did 'He' start changing? Do you think there was any prior warning, or something worth paying attention to?"
Queen Mystic Bernadette's deep blue eyes moved slightly, as though she had sunken into her trove of memories.
After a while, she slowly said, "Not long ago, he proudly said to me, 'Haven't you always wanted to know what's surrounding our moon and other planets? In the future, our journey might be towards the sea of stars."1
The sea of stars… What's on the moon and other planets… As Klein pondered over Queen Mystic's words, he suddenly recalled a key phrase and something.
The keyword was:
Cosmos!
That matter was:
Mr. Door had once told Emperor Roselle that once he had the ability, he could take a look at the moon. That would resolve many of his doubts.
The emperor finally went? That hysterical diary page[l] was written after this exploration attempt? He had unknowingly changed his personality, becoming extreme? Klein recalled the corresponding content. Under Queen Mystic Bernadette's gaze, he deliberated and said, "At your level, you should more or less know that there's corruption coming from the cosmos."
Bernadette nodded and didn't pursue the matter. It was as though she knew that Gehrman Sparrow wasn't sure either. She knew that only an angel-level demigod could detect and resist the corruption.
After more than ten seconds of silence, the topic was directed towards Klein's reason for being here.
"One of the reasons for this war is because the Loen King, George III, discovered the nine secret mausoleums left behind by the Blood Emperor, doing so with the intention of switching to the Black Emperor pathway and becoming a Sequence 0. As such, he abolished the Grain Act…"
Klein didn't care if Queen Mystic knew anything about these matters. He followed his own pace and roughly told her everything without missing out any key matters. Finally, he said, "The Black Emperor does have the ability to revive, but once a new Black Emperor appears, the original entity would perish completely."
The original entity here referred to Emperor Roselle, who might've succeeded before being "assassinated."
Sometimes, Klein even suspected that Roselle had intentionally given others a chance which resulted in him perishing on the spot. This way, when he revived from the astral world and regained his Uniqueness and absorbed the three Sequence 1 characteristics, he would no longer absorb the characteristics of Knowledge Emperor, Arcane Scholar, and the characteristics of another pathway. He could make himself pure; thus, free from madness.
This was a way to live through death, but the prerequisite was that Roselle's ritual had succeeded. He had died during or after the ritual, and not before the ritual.
Queen Mystic Bernadette took it all in before slowly saying, "You want to stop George III?"
"Yes." Klein nodded frankly.
"Why?" Bernadette pressed in an unperturbed tone.
The corners of Klein's mouth curled up as he smiled.
"Some ridiculous reasons that aren't worth mentioning."
Bernadette's gaze landed on his face for a moment before she said, "That's enough. I'm also doing such things for something that has slim chances, one that's almost impossible to happen.
"We can cooperate on stopping George III."
We're all "ridiculous" people… Klein sighed and said, "I'll give you the method to summon my messenger." "Alright." Bernadette reached out her right hand and lightly tapped the table.
The fountain pen that was originally placed diagonally in front of her suddenly jumped up, as if it was held by an invisible elf before writing fluidly on the paper.
"This is the method needed for summoning my messenger," said Bernadette calmly.
[1] Author's Note: From Chapter 715
Chapter 1093 The Angels of The Fool
Queen Mystic's powers are all very fantastical—no, fairytale-like… Klein glanced at the fountain pen that was writing on its own. He took out a pen and paper from his pocket and wrote the incantation to summon his messenger. He also indicated that each letter delivery needed the payment of a gold coin.
Right on the heels of that, he handed the piece of paper to Bernadette and took the other party's piece of paper. He quickly scanned through it.
"An invisible creature that roams the upper realms, a strange spiritual body that is friendly to humans, a messenger that belongs solely to Bernadette Gustav…"
There's a certain difference between this and a standard incantation, but it's essentially the same… Hmm, Queen Mystic must've deliberately changed it to this to prevent others from trying out the summoning incantation and using the connection between the messenger and the contractor to lock onto her… For me, it doesn't matter. My messenger is an angel. Only "She" can threaten others, and no one can threaten "Her." Even if "She" were to meet Zaratul, "She" should have the ability to protect "Herself and escape… Klein mumbled inwardly and shook the piece of paper, igniting a scarlet red flame.
As she looked at the piece of paper turning into dark ashes amidst the flames, Queen Mystic Bernadette said without emotion, "What are your thoughts regarding the preventing of George Ill's matter?"
Having already made some considerations, Klein deliberately spoke slowly, "First, don't be rash. Don't take risks that we can't bear. Don't hurt the innocent."
If not for the fact that Queen Mystic Bernadette had mentioned earlier that she hated wars and hated harming the innocent, Klein wouldn't have said so directly to prevent exposing his weaknesses. He would've used a milder and more roundabout method to achieve his goal.
Upon hearing this, Bernadette nodded slightly in acknowledgment.
"Then, there are only three possibilities. One is to destroy the ritual at the critical moment and let George Ill's advancement fail. The second is to attempt an assassination in advance so that 'He' won't be able to hold the ritual." Klein deliberately didn't give his third idea as he first analyzed the viability of the first two possibilities. "Assassination has an extremely slim chance of success. George III, or should I say, the one who will become Black Emperor should be a Sequence 1, so it's not someone we can deal with.
"Even if 'He1 has yet to advance to Sequence 1, he will definitely have acted ahead of time. Once 'He* completes the preparations for the ritual and consumes the potion, 'He' will be able to quickly digest it and build a foundation for the future.
"Of course, even if this situation has a very slim chance of happening, that person must be at least at the Sequence 2 level. Furthermore, the Augustus family definitely has no lack of Grade 0 Sealed Artifacts. Together with the protection bestowed to 'Him,' it's impossible for us to succeed."
Here, he changed the way he addressed George III from 'him' to "Him."
After calmly listening to everything, Bernadette seemed to do an assessment.
"As long as we can create a good opportunity, a Sequence 2 can also be assassinated, but at least one of us will die, or perhaps both of us."
What she meant was that the Grade 0 Sealed Artifact she wielded was sufficiently powerful, magical, and terrifying. However, if she wanted to fully utilize it, the price paid would be very high.
In that case, there really is a chance. That's because I lied just now. If I really had to give it my all, I could still find Will Auceptin, Pallez Zoroast, and Miss Messenger to help me. I can let "Them" use the Yesterday Once More charm to recover "Their" normal states for a short period of time. The problem is that I don't know how much of a price needs to be paid, or what kind of effects it would have on the situation. I also need to consider if it would end up involving Kings of Angels like Ouroboros and Amon…
It would be great if Mr. Azik woke up. With four angels and Queen Mystic's Grade 0 Sealed Artifact, as long as we create an opportunity, we can even place our sights on a Sequence 1. Of course, the chances of failure are extremely high, since there's no way to sustain it for long… Klein's heart was stirred when he heard that, but he didn't discuss it further.
It wasn't that he wasn't willing to be honest during the cooperation effort, nor was it that he didn't trust Queen Mystic. Instead, Will Auceptin and Pallez Zoroast were being pursued, so once "Their" whereabouts were exposed, it was very likely that it would lead to "Their" deaths. This was something that Klein absolutely didn't want to see happen.
He vaguely said, "If assassination attempt is the only solution left, I can invite at least two angels to help."
This was referring to Death Consul Azik Eggers and Snake of Fate Will Auceptin who Bernadette already knew of. She could guess the latter through the drop of Mythical Creature's blood.
Bernadette was extremely surprised.
"This is that entity's will?"
Without the consent of The Fool, how could "His" Blessed seek the help of an angel?
"'He' has tacitly agreed to it," Klein spoke the absolute truth.
Queen Mystic's blue eyes turned darker. She didn't say another word and only nodded slowly.
As for Klein, he brought the topic back on track.
The destruction of the ritual might be relatively simple, but it has to be done at the most critical moment. Otherwise, it will only be delaying George Ill's apotheosis. 'He' has already received the tacit consent of the deities, so 'He' isn't concerned about that. Even if the mausoleum is destroyed, it wouldn't take long for 'Him' to rebuild it.
"And it being destroyed at the critical moment will cause 'Him' to fail at the advancement and lose control to become a monster. No deity would allow such a creature to roam the world freely. A deity's descent will definitely happen to kill it off. The problem is that, with a King of Angels's reminder and help, George III won't take it lightly. 'He' will definitely arrange for the most secure protective measures. The difficulty might only be lower than directly killing 'Him.'
"This requires us to gather intelligence as soon as possible and find an incisive angle to be used.
"And be it the first line of thought or the second line of thought, it's best that you advance to Sequence 2 in advance and become a Sage."
Bernadette nodded slightly to show that she understood.
She then said, "What about the third line of thought?"
Klein was silent for a few seconds before saying, "If the ritual was successful back then and the emperor had already advanced to Sequence 0, then 'He' would still have a chance to revive. As long as we could find the arrangements left behind by the emperor before George Ill's apotheosis and allow 'Him' to return, the plot of George III will fail."
He didn't use the word "him" to refer to Roselle as Bernadette did, to avoid exposing his identity.
Queen Mystic's eyes clearly flickered before they turned dark and reserved.
She opened her mouth slightly and said, "I'll hand over selected diary entries to Cattleya."
Klein didn't discuss the matter deeply. Instead, he smiled and said, "Actually, there's still a fourth line of thought."
Bernadette's eyebrows twitched as she expressed her doubts.
"That's to do nothing. Let George III hold the ritual and attempt to become a god while we wait for 'Him' to fail." Klein gave a self-deprecating laugh. "The higher the Sequence is, the greater the chance of failure."
This was actually the truth. Even if there was the "script" written by Amon's brother with the road to success completely paved, and even if George III had perfectly digested the previous potions, the odds of "Him" successfully advancing to become a god didn't exceed fifty percent.
Of course, what Klein said was just a self-deprecating remark.
Queen Mystic didn't immediately respond. She looked seriously at Gehrman Sparrow for a few seconds before saying, "The feeling you give off to me now is different from the previous few meetings."
"I'm taking advice from my psychiatrist." Klein smiled, describing himself as a very serious mental patient.
Without another word, Bernadette retracted her gaze and looked at the fountain pen lying on the table.
"Then, let's gather the corresponding information and maintain communication through letters."
At this point, she paused for a moment before speaking again. Her gaze remained unchanged.
"Actually, I'm wondering if he might've already been resurrected. It's just that he's still finding his past self… I'm not sure what details the Black Emperor's resurrection entails. I wonder if he really chose to be the Black Emperor in the end…"
Bernadette's voice gradually became ethereal and carried an indescribable feeling.
As Klein listened, he suddenly understood what Queen Mystic was thinking or expecting.
She suspected that The Fool was the resurrected Roselle, suspecting that the emperor had fooled every one in the past. In fact, he had never thought of switching to the Black Emperor pathway. Instead, he had chosen another path. As such, he needed to find himself by seeking out his past diary pages and Cards of Blasphemy.
Unfortunately, I'm just Uncle Zhou from next door… Klein originally wanted to say something cheeky, but his emotions gradually turned staid, making it difficult for him to force himself to relax.
Without saying anything, he stood up, bowed, put on his hat, and left the room.
After closing the door to the Golden Theater room and taking two steps forward, he suddenly heard a tranquil and melodious tune.
This melody was ethereal and carried with it a faint sense of melancholy.
After pausing for a few seconds, Klein turned towards the hall and left with Flaming Jump.
City of Silver, a team gathered at the city gate and was about to set off.
This was the team that was headed for Afternoon Town to prepare the exploration of the Giant King's Court.
Derrick Berg was standing in the middle and was the second shortest person. In his hand was a bronze cross with sharp spikes.
To his sides were Joshua and Haim. They were prepared to receive the Unshadowed Crucifix at any time to prevent Derrick's Beyonder characteristic from being purged.
This Sealed Artifact required three people to take turns to resist the negative effects.
As he looked down at the Creator's relic, he suddenly felt someone looking at him. He subconsciously looked up and saw that it was a member of the six-member council, Shepherd Elder Lovia.
The woman, who was shortest in the group, had long silver and slightly curled hair. She was looking at the ancient, mottled Unshadowed Crucifix with her pale gray eyes. Her gaze seemed to be blazing hot.
Upon sensing Derrick's gaze, this Shepherd Elder's lips twitched, revealing an indescribable smile.
"This is the Lord's item."
For some reason, Derrick shivered. Then, he heard the Chief, Colin Iliad, say, "Let's set off."
Chapter 1094 Breakthrough Poin
In a small alley in the Backlund Bridge area, Xio once again met the MI9 staff responsible for contacting her.
"This is your reward from exchanging your merit points. A total of 2,500 pounds. Heh heh, I helped you get another 500 pounds." The golden-masked man threw a bulging envelope at Xio.
Xio caught it accurately and didn't count. She instinctively pressed down and sincerely said, "Thank you."
The golden-masked man waved his hand and said, "There's no need to thank me. This is also a good thing for me. If you continue to harp on past matters without letting go, I'm very worried that I'll go to military court one day.
"Are you still going to stay in Backlund?"
"Yes, I'm already used to living in a big city. When the war stops, I'll bring my family here," Xio said, having already made up her mind.
"Wait for the war to stop…" The golden-masked man repeated Xio's words with a slightly odd tone. He smiled and said, "May the Lord bless us to live until the end of the war."
Here, the "Lord" referred to the Lord of Storms.
"I believe in the Goddess," Xio replied seriously.
"You understand what I mean." The golden-masked man waved his hand and said, "Are you still planning to take on missions from MI9?"
"I won't reject an opportunity to earn money," Xio scratched her slightly coarse hair and said half-truths.
"Yes." The golden-masked man nodded and said, "The main thing to take note of during the war is to deal with spies from all over the world. If there's a suitable mission for you, I'll look for you."
"Alright," Xio replied without staying any longer. She cautiously and carefully retreated out of the dark alley.
After watching her figure disappear, the golden-masked man looked at the shadow in the corner and said, "She was likely used by some particular faction. She was abandoned after she stopped investigating the matter."
In the shadows in the corner, a deep voice sounded:
"On the surface, it looks like that, but there's no need to pursue or worry about the truth. Even if she can figure out the truth and spread it, it will not affect His Majesty's matters. Heh heh, the Church of Evernight has already tacitly agreed."
"That's for the best…" The golden-masked man silently exhaled.
After returning to her residence at the edge of East Borough, Xio said to Fors, who was sitting by the bed and reading the newspapers, "I received 2,500 pounds."
Fors put down the newspaper, her eyes moving slightly as she focused on making calculations.
"That's enough."
Xio had savings of more than 600 pounds, and with the 2,500 pounds, other than her necessary expenses, she had 3100 pounds to spend freely.
And her purchase of the Judge potion formula was 2000 pounds, and the Beyonder characteristic was 3,500 pounds. In other words, she was still short of 2,400 pounds, something that Fors could lend her.
After borrowing this sum of money, Fors's savings would be reduced to 780 pounds. However, this didn't affect her at all. She had the subsequent potion formula and main ingredients, so she didn't have many expenditures for a long period of time into the future. Occasionally, she could even earn a little from renting out Leymano's Travels.
Yes." Xio nodded. "I'll complete the transaction as soon as possible and strive to advance to Sequence 6 as soon as possible."
Seeing that her friend's matter was settled, Fors turned to worry about herself.
"I don't know when my Scribe potion will be completely digested. Now that the war has broken out, it will be much safer with the ability to 'Travel.'"
"The crux of a Scribe is definitely 'Recording.' When I become a Judge, you'll have new Beyonder powers to repeatedly 'Record.' This should be able to speed up the digestion of the potion." Xio pulled a chair over and sat down.
Fors sighed.
"I suspect that, other than the 'Recording' of Beyonder powers, I need to 'Record' down the sights and customs of different places. Only then can it be matched with the subsequent Traveler Sequence. But with war having broken out now, it's fine if I go further inland, but it will be difficult and dangerous if I go somewhere else. Sigh, the price of bread is rising. The price of one pound of bread has risen by a farthing. It's even more expensive than before the Grain Act was abolished!"
"Indeed." Xio thought seriously and agreed with Fors's conclusion.
The two fell silent. After about ten seconds, Xio suddenly had an idea.
"Actually, there's a very simple solution."
"What?" Fors sat up slightly and asked.
"You can spend money to hire that person to take you 'Traveling.'" Xio was very careful not to mention specific code names and actual names. "You can be thrown somewhere unfamiliar each time for three to four days, or even a week.
Then, you wouldn't take long to 'Record' all kinds of customs and traditions. Besides, you can rent some mystical items from him—from them—to 'Record' Beyonder powers. This can both improve your strength and help your digestion."
"That's right!" Fors's eyes lit up when she heard that.
Only then did she realize that her usage of the Tarot Gathering was very superficial.
After the pleasant surprise, Fors gradually frowned. This method meant that she had to frequently deal with The World Gehrman Sparrow, and the thought of the crazy adventurer left her trembling.
Indeed, there's nothing that doesn't require a price… To digest the potion, I can only take the risk… Finally, Fors made up her mind to make the request next week at the Tarot Gathering.
In an apartment several streets away from where Xio and Fors stayed.
After returning from the Srenzo Restaurant, Klein was sitting in front of a table. He quickly flipped through today's newspaper and summarized the important information he had received:
The Feysac Empire's Sonia Sea fleet has retreated from Pritz Harbor, their whereabouts are unknown…
The Ministry of Defense, Admiral Amyrius, has indicated that he will strengthen the coastal defenses and allow the three ironclad warship fleet to not return too hastily, and will take detours to avoid being ambushed…
Feysac's two-headed giant army invaded the Winter County's Amantha mountain range and suffered intense resistance. They failed to pass through the few strongholds…
Feysac's Subjugation Fleet attacked Constant and other large-scale industrial cities along the Midseashire's eastern coast. There was a large-scale sea battle with the kingdom's Midseashire Fleet. Both sides suffered losses…
East Balam's Feysac and the Loen colonial armies are fighting in multiple locations…
The rest of the countries have yet to make their stance clear. In the corresponding capitals, the ambassadors are running around to contact each other to have emergency diplomatic meetings… The electrical transmission waves contain all kinds of important news and are intertwining with each other in the different cities of the Northern and Southern continents…
We are still in the early stages of the war… Klein didn't believe that the diplomats were able to avert the war. He put down the newspaper and thought about how he could gather information regarding George Ill's Black Emperor ritual.
According to normal logic, before Blood Emperor Alista went crazy, "He" did things in a reasonable manner. That is to say, "He" couldn't build all nine mausoleums in the same hidden area; this would've been easy for others to wipe them out all at once, causing "His" resurrection to fail.
Therefore, in the surrounding areas of Backlund, in other parts of the kingdom, there should be eight other mausoleums that are similar. They haven't been exposed yet, so they might not be as heavily guarded as Ruins No. 1. This might give us an opportunity…
Perhaps the Red Angel evil spirit might know something, but I can't contact "Him" now. Ignoring the question of whether chanting "His" honorific name will be dangerous, just this act alone will expose my intention to prevent George III from becoming the Black Emperor. To a terrifying Conspirer, there are too many points that can be exploited.
Queen Mystic might have some channels and clues, but I can't just rely on her… At the moment, the Church doesn't know how many of the Blood Emperor's secret ruins there are, or where they are…
Attacking a key figure beside the king, such as a demigod from the royal family who is deeply involved in this matter? They must be on their guard. Furthermore, the angel of the Augustus family and that ancient secret organization would most likely be watching everything, one in the open, and one in the dark… In addition, as long as the royal family's demigod ends up in an accident, George III would definitely guess that someone is trying to stop "Him" from becoming a god…
Yes, Demoness of White Katarina will be easier to deal with than the demigods of the royal family. It would attract much less attention…
Hmm, theoretically speaking, George III, who has been tacitly accepted by the few major Churches, no longer needs to work with the Demoness Sect. Not that there is a need for that. If not for some particular reason, the two sides would've been completely tied together in this matter. The first thing "He" needs to do now is to cut off ties with the Demoness Sect.
Of course, "He" would most likely not betray the Demoness Sect directly. On the one hand, the Demonesses are also adept at ploys, so they wouldn't be unwary. On the other hand, if they anger the upper echelons of the Demoness Sect, George Ill's Black Emperor ritual might not be that safe. This is a secret organization with a true deity, Grade 0 Sealed Artifacts, and angels.
As long as George III is still rational, the correct method is to follow the agreement and give everything that needs to be given. Then, "He" will send the members of the Demoness Sect away. During this process, "He" will use the help of angels from the mind domain or even a King of Angels to erase the key memories of the Demon Sect participating in the matter.
If that's the case, even if Demoness of White Katarina goes missing for some time, it wouldn't alert George III. "He" might not even know.
And from the perspective of the Demoness Sect, the matter has come to an end. The various Churches have also tacitly agreed to it. They no longer need to hide like they did in the past and can move about freely. This gives me and Queen Mystic a chance.
Yes, Vice Admiral Ailment will likely appear again. From her appearance and the attitude of Demoness of White from back then, it can be determined that she and Katarina are related by blood…
With this in mind, Klein heaved a sigh of relief. He cast his gaze out the window and silently muttered, I hope Anderson and Danitz can find that pirate admiral as soon as possible…
I hope that the City of Miracles in Groselle's Travels can effectively destroy the influence of the mind domain…
And all he could do now was to wait patiently.
Berserk Sea, Theros Island.
Danitz said to Anderson in delight, "I just learned that the southwest region of this place isn't a normal sea route. There's an island with no resources but is hidden enough."
Chapter 1095 Acting as Himself
"You suspect that Vice Admiral Ailment's fleet is hidden there?" Anderson asked in thought when he heard Danitz's words.
Danitz replied in excitement, "It's very likely! Didn't the Black Death vanish after steering towards the west and after leaving Theros Island?"
Anderson curled his lips and chuckled.
"If Vice Admiral Ailment's whereabouts were so easily discovered by you, why would she need to hide?
"How can islands that you can find out about be considered hidden enough?"
"Hey! What do you mean by that?" Danitz felt like he had been mocked.
Anderson shrugged.
"I don't mean anything. I'm just using my brain to analyze it.
"That island should exist, but it either belongs to the type that many people here know about, or it's intel that someone deliberately released.
"If it's the former, Vice Admiral Ailment Tracy's fleet definitely wouldn't be hiding there. If it's the latter, that would be interesting. Who would release this intel?"
Danitz was still a little angry at first, but later, he began analyzing Anderson's line of thought.
"A trap set up by some pirates or adventurers? However, an island without any resources isn't enough to lure others into exploring it.
"Vice Admiral Ailment herself? To figure out who's investigating her whereabouts?"
Anderson smiled.
"That's right. After my teachings, you've improved quite a bit. Otherwise, I suspect that even if you drink the Conspirer potion, you wouldn't be able to enhance your brain. You'll only mutate and turn your enemy stupid, bringing him down to a level at which you're familiar with, and then defeat him with experience.
"I didn't say that. It was Emperor Roselle."
After this period of searching, Anderson had already helped Danitz obtain one of the main ingredients of the Conspirer potion and nearly all the supplementary ingredients. He was just one step away from success.
"I suspect that you have such an ability…" Danitz muttered softly in response.
Anderson ignored him and continued, "If Vice Admiral Ailment got someone to release the news herself, the secret island must be a trap. Perhaps there's nothing other than a mirror that monitors the ships and humans that approach the island. Or perhaps it might be an important gathering base of the Demoness Sect that Gehrman Sparrow mentioned."
"Then what should we do next?" Danitz subconsciously asked.
Anderson chuckled when he heard that.
"You can't even figure out such a simple matter?
"Naturally, we'll seek out the person you heard this intel from. After finding the source of his information, we can trace it back, and we'll eventually find something."
That's right… Danitz wanted to nod in agreement, but the words that reached his mouth turned into a "heh."
Nearing dawn, on the second floor of a casino.
Bartz, with his brown hair, yawned and walked into his room.
Before he could use the moonlight outside the window to light the candle, he suddenly saw a bright white flame light up in front of him, momentarily blinding him.
Bartz's heart tightened as he pounced to the side and rolled.
After rolling twice, he suddenly stopped his actions, as though he had been petrified.
This was because there was a bone-chilling coldness and a slight pain around his neck. This made him have no doubt that if he proceeded any further, blood would definitely spray onto the roof.
"What do you want?" At that moment, Bartz's vision had recovered. He saw a blond man with one hand in his pocket and a black short sword in the other. Beside him was a man wearing a black cloak that covered half of his face with a hood.
Danitz didn't answer Bartz's question as he looked at Anderson in surprise.
"Why didn't you disguise yourself?"
"If you disguise yourself, how can you let others know who to hate?" Anderson replied with a nonchalant look.
Danitz exhaled. "Thankfully, I haven't been infected by this crappy habit of yours."
"It's fine," Anderson said with a smile. "Any random person on the island can know who I've been hanging out with." "Dogsh*t!" Danitz cursed.
Bartz, who had Anderson's sword at his neck, didn't dare to move. All he could do was listen quietly. He felt as though he had returned to Trier and was watching a comical scene.
What are the two of them here for…? The intelligence peddler was deeply puzzled.
At that moment, Anderson retracted his gaze and looked down at Bartz.
"Who told you about the secret island to the southwest that deviates from the main sea route?"
Bartz suddenly came to a realization as he looked at Danitz.
"It's you!"
In the past few days, this information had only been sold to one person!
…I was recognized so quickly? Danitz was momentarily at a loss as to how to respond.
Anderson slightly lowered the pitch-black short sword in his hand, making the stabbing pain even more obvious. "Please respect the order of what is to come and follow."
Bartz immediately felt as though his life was rapidly slipping away. He hurriedly replied, "I-it was Vice Admiral Ailment!"
"When did she tell you? Why did she tell you?" Anderson asked without any surprise.
"The night before the Black Death left Theros Island," Bartz replied quickly, afraid that he would die from excessive blood loss. "I didn't ask her why. Back then, I was only focused on admiring her beauty. She lives up to being the infamous Ailment Maiden of the Five Seas…"
Even after a long time, Bartz couldn't hide his admiration of her, even when he recalled her while being in extreme danger.
"Is this the charm of a Demoness?" Anderson muttered to himself before asking, "Do you have a way to contact her?"
"No." Bartz quickly shook his head and said, "She told me to take note of everyone who asked about her whereabouts. I'll tell her when she returns to Theros Island. And if anyone leaves the port after obtaining the information on that secret island, they shall be left alone to leave freely."
"Is that so… Very reasonable." Anderson nodded and withdrew the short pitch-black sword. "Is there a trap?"
"I don't know either," Bartz replied frankly.
Anderson didn't say a word as he searched for the money on Bartz's person and in the room. Then, he pointed at the intelligence peddler with his short sword.
"I wanted to kill you, but no one will hate me if that's the case.
"Live well, curse me a few more times every day."
He then turned around, walked to Danitz's side, and jumped down the window with him, disappearing into the dark, unlit night.
Bartz touched his bleeding neck and stood up in fear. He ran to the window and confirmed that the two of them had disappeared.
Thankfully, I met a guy with mental problems. If not, I would be dead today… He closed the window and locked the wooden door. After carefully inspecting the room, he finally sat down and gulped down half a bottle of Lanti Proof.
In his tipsy state, Bartz collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep.
Time ticked by slowly until it was three in the morning.
Suddenly, Bartz flipped over and sat up. His eyes were bright and spirited, and he didn't even feel the slightest bit drunk.
He found a dagger and pried open a wooden floor in the room. He took out a thumb-sized ball of paper.
After the white paper unfolded layer by layer, there was a sticky black object in the middle.
After taking a quarter of the blob, Bartz walked to the mirror in the room and was about to smear it.
At this moment, he saw two figures reflected in the mirror. One of them was wearing a white shirt and a black vest with one of his hands in his pocket and the other carrying a short sword. The other wore a black cloak that didn't reveal his face.
Just as Bartz's pupils dilated, Danitz punched the back of his head, causing him to faint.
And his final memory was a voice with a smiling tone.
"He really didn't disappoint."
After dealing with Bartz, Danitz bent down to pick up the sticky substance that had fallen to the ground. He chuckled and said, "This fellow actually believed you. He believed that you didn't kill him because you wanted him to hate you."
The conversation he had with Anderson was actually a rehearsed play. It was to make it reasonable for Anderson to let Bartz go without being suspected.
"This means that you acted sufficiently well," Anderson said with a smile. "It's truly different when you're acting as yourself."
"Dogsh*t!" Danitz cursed without any qualms.
He then sighed.
"I didn't expect him to be so patient. He waited past midnight before he took action. But we were more patient."
"If a hunter wants to capture his prey, he has to be patient. Sometimes, he can wait a few days," Anderson replied.
To the two of them, there was actually nothing they could do. Be it a Hunter and Provoker, or Pyromaniac and Reaper, none of them were good at mediumship, much less having the ability to hypnotize others. In order to obtain information, other than interrogating and threatening others, they had to work hard on "scheming."
This is very reasonable, but in the future, it will be done with the words I use to school others… Danitz looked at the black sticky blob in his hand and said, "It seems like it should be applied on the surface of the mirror… before contacting Vice Admiral Ailment?"
"That should be the case. However, what's the point even if we contact her? Are we going to ask her out on a date to join us for breakfast at Theros Island?" Anderson mocked.
Danitz knew that he and Anderson were unable to influence the person in the mirror. All he instinctively wanted to do was to do something more, so as to better complete the task that Gehrman Sparrow assigned him.
He frowned slightly and said, "Then what should we do next?"
"Of course it's to contact Gehrman Sparrow. Let him handle the aftermath. This fellow is very mysterious in every aspect, so he should have a way to resolve it," Anderson said with a tsk. "Besides, the mission he gave us is to seek out Vice Admiral Ailment's whereabouts. And there are results already now."
Danitz acknowledged and began taking out the candles and other items for the ritual.
"What are you doing?" Anderson asked with an odd expression.
Danitz set up the altar without looking back.
"Summoning Gehrman Sparrow's messenger."
Anderson fell silent for a few seconds before saying, "I'll go out for a smoke first."