047: Departure

Regarding the question of how to attract the attention of those high-ranking Church personnel, Don had already figured it out.

He took out another 'Ring of the Curator' given by the system.

The system had given him three rings in total. If he wanted to continue adding more, he would need to consume knowledge fragments to replicate them. The Ring of the Curator, which was also produced through 'Artisan', could be remotely destroyed or have its effects sealed by Don as the host of the system's 'Artisan', even if it was lost.

He planned to give one of them to his father.

"A high-sequence Beyonder, the Death God's remaining contingency, plus the Theater With Curtains That Never Draw most likely falling into his hands—three unstable minefields, it's practically like dancing at the Church's doorstep."

That night, Don went to find his father. After handing over the ring, he invited him to enter the interior of the Theater With Curtains That Never Draw.

This was for the theater's records.

Angels who entered the theater and were recorded by it could summon corresponding historical projections.

Don had no intention of hiding anything in this regard. He explained everything, including wanting his father to draw away the Church's attention, then quietly waited for his father's decision.

Baron Lamud likewise looked quietly at his second son.

After a long silence, Baron Lamud finally let out a soft sigh.

His eyes and brows softened considerably, and the inhuman feeling about him—that cold, aloof aura—dissipated somewhat, as if he had returned to his true self.

Baron Lamud didn't say much. He stood up and walked toward the exit.

"Let's go."

Don nodded, but Baron Lamud paused as he passed by Don's side.

"After tonight, I will leave."

Don was stunned, then immediately realized what he meant.

Father... was about to enter the next cycle of reincarnation...

It was so sudden.

Although he knew this day would eventually come, Don still felt somewhat uncomfortable, along with a sense of the dust finally settling—like the sword of Damocles that had been hanging over his head finally falling at this moment.

There was still a heavy feeling.

Don sighed inwardly, but remained calm on the surface. "I understand, Father."

No farewells, no other send-off ceremonies. Owen and Lady Boianca didn't even know about any of this...

Don silently entered the Spirit World with his father, entering the Theater With Curtains That Never Draw.

Soon after, the two emerged again quickly.

Don waved his hand, and another figure walked out from the gradually closing black iron gates.

It was an elderly man dressed as a butler, with an aged and peaceful countenance, carrying the weight and vicissitudes of historical years.

He first bowed to Don, then his figure gradually began transforming in the direction of the undead.

[Bionic Marionette created, Remaining Creation attempts: 0.]

Soon, the old man's figure disappeared, his shadow falling into the gold coin in Don's hand.

This was a Wraith.

Wraiths were among the favorite marionettes of Marionettists, being convenient to carry and able to cooperate quite well with various Beyonder abilities of Marionettists.

He handed this gold coin containing the Wraith to his father.

Baron Lamud took the gold coin and placed it in his coat pocket.

"In the second drawer from the top, I've left some gifts. You can go look after you return."

Don remained silent. Baron Lamud reached out and ruffled the young man's hair. "Don't worry about me, and take care of yourself too."

He was about to 'die'—this might be the last time his humanity could be preserved in this lifetime.

"Don't you need to say goodbye to Mother, and Owen..."

Don couldn't help but ask.

Baron Lamud's expression stiffened, then he shook his head slowly but firmly. "No need."

He didn't have much worry about his children. High-sequence Beyonders' lifespans would be extended, and barring accidents, both Owen and Don could reach high sequences.

The only one he couldn't let go of was his wife... but it was meaningless and would only leave unpleasant things behind.

At the moment of parting, Don took out something he had prepared long ago from his pocket—a mystical item made from a Faceless.

Baron Lamud... Azik Eggers likewise took it, then stepped into the Spirit World and left this place, leaving behind a somewhat lonely silhouette.

The Death God's remaining contingency...

Don stood in place for a long time.

"He was a good father…" But Mother and Owen would be sad, wouldn't they?

Don's family in his previous life had always been quite harmonious, without major ups and downs. Instead, for his parents, losing a child in their old age was even harder to accept.

Families that had experienced love were sensitive to love. Who loved him and who didn't—he could clearly feel the difference.

He also truly regarded this Death Consul as his second father, Lady Boianca as his second mother, and Owen as his elder brother.

Only after a long while did Don slowly exhale.

He took out a cane, and the black iron gates behind him opened again.

A man dressed very similarly to Baron Lamud walked out from the doorway. His face began to change, countless flesh buds growing from his face, his height and build undergoing strange transformations.

"I need to digest the potion quickly."

Although the Wraith was equipped with the 'Bionic Marionette' module, the Wraith marionette still occupied one of Don's marionette slots. When the potion hadn't been digested to a certain degree, he could only control one marionette and now needed to rely on the optimized Sealed Artifact 'A Moment of Luck' to operate the marionette.

However, he only needed to operate a Sequence 6: Faceless, which was quite familiar territory for Don, who was already a Marionettist.

He took out the Traveler marionette, had the walking stick control it as well, then brought 'Baron Lamud' back to the castle.

The room became quiet again, exactly the same as before.

'Baron Lamud' sat behind the desk, the flickering candlelight making his face appear somewhat sinister.

'Baron Lamud' reached out and easily opened a drawer. He took out the contents—a feather, a rose, and a book.

Don received those three items and placed them in the system inventory.

Subsequently, the surrounding 'Concealment' was broken.

He walked out the door.

Owen, who seemed to have been waiting outside for a while, opened his eyes.

"Father, he..."

Before Don could finish speaking, Owen glanced into the room, then said very calmly, "He's gone."

Don was choked up and couldn't say anything, his expression somewhat strange.

"What? What's with that expression..."

Owen, being mischievous, reached out to touch Don's hair, but was nimbly dodged by Don, who also struck down with his walking stick, making Owen grimace in pain.

"Could you not be so aggressive?" He looked at his younger brother with some exasperation.

Whose personality did this tendency to strike with a cane at every turn come from?!

Don used his cane to block the other's restless hand that wanted to pat his head: "...I think you should just become my marionette."

Kill him to liven things up for everyone.

Under Owen's extremely complex gaze, Don threw him the feather their father had left behind and turned to leave.

(End of Chapter)