93 LOTM
Cynthia could vaguely sense the deep pain and helplessness inside Admiral Amyrius's heart. Without speaking further, she hugged him tightly and used her company to calm his mood.
After a simple dinner, Klein took a hot bath and entered the quietest guest room once again. He got into bed and stared at the ceiling in a daze.
Klein knew that with him having fully immersed himself in the "character" of Admiral Amyrius, Amyrius's helplessness towards fate and the pain he needed to hide had resonated with his past experiences.
If I hadn't figured out the concept of getting into character and being detached, then I might've lost myself... Heh heh, this is like some actors in my past life. They get too into character and are unable to detach themselves from it, causing them to suffer from mental problems... And to a Beyonder, mental problems might end up magnified... As Klein wallowed in his gloom, he got to learn what kind of person he was.
I never expected that a navy admiral who enjoys a high standing, a demigod saint, would still be faced with such helpless and painful experiences... Strength can bring abundance, but it's not a solution to everything... Everyone wears masks, and this is the truest side of a demigod... Klein watched as the crimson moonlight turned brighter, dyeing all the furniture in the room red.
At that moment, through the resonating feelings with Admiral Amyrius's experience and the contrasting differences, as well as the experience from his previous acting, Klein established a more multifaceted and realistic image of Amyrius. He also gained a clearer picture of his blurry self.
A person who's very sentimental;
A person from Earth, but to a certain extent, a person who has been reconstructed into a new person because of the fusion with Klein Moretti's memory fragments; @@novelbin@@
A person who didn't spend too much time with the Nighthawks but has had that period of time deeply influence his actions and choices;
A person who tries to play safe and is afraid of danger but is able to change his mind at the critical moment;
A person who truly wants to skive, eat delicious food, travel, and enjoy life, but he has no choice but to be busy with more important matters;
A person who likes beautiful women, but he doesn't give himself up to pleasure to keep to his principles;
A person who loves money but is willing to spend large sums of money for his siblings;
A person who hides his pain inside while showing a smile to others;
A person who's used to lampooning inwardly but appears gentlemanly on the surface;
A person who can overcome his psychological traumas but never crosses his bottom line;
A person who feels embarrassed for his acting;
...
He's also a guardian, a miserable wretch that is constantly fighting against threats and madness! the corners of Klein's mouth curled up as he silently added.
These thoughts flashed through his mind as he seemed to come into contact with his true "self."
Without realizing it, Klein fell asleep, his body and mind at peace.
...
Inside the master bedroom, Cynthia had also fallen asleep.
She was dressed in a nightgown with her legs bare. She had a few layers of her blanket in between her legs as she gently grinded against them.
Her hand subconsciously scratched her skin, forming red streaks across them as tiny bumps were produced.
In her dream, she saw the illusory and surreal sea of stars, as well as that bright star that emitted its light at her.
Her vision was pulled closer to it as she could slowly discern the star.
...
Phew... Klein suddenly awoke from his dream as he still had an indescribable scene still seemingly burned into his eyes.
Why did I have such a dream? He frowned as he turned his head in disbelief.
Just now, not only had he dreamed of Cynthia, who was dressed in a silk nightgown, but he also had a sexual relationship with her. He even dreamed of the naked body of Demoness of Pleasure Sharon, the exquisite doll-like Miss Sharron, Miss Justice whose looks were relatively blurry, Trissy Cheek, Tracy, and all the beautiful women he had met before. Then, he gave himself up to pleasure as he engaged in a myriad of positions.
To most Beyonders and ordinary people, this might've been a normal response from suppressing his body when recently faced with temptation, but as a Seer, a dream had a very special meaning!
Klein quickly observed his body and realized he was still erect, semen flooding out from his penis and causing stains everywhere.
This isn't a Seer's dream revelation, but the result of an external influence... There's an enemy! Klein was alarmed as he quickly made up his mind.
At the same time, he cautiously got out of bed and quickly changed into his admiral uniform.
This way, he had the Ninth Law charm and Creeping Hunger on him, equipping him with potent self-preservation powers.
As he wasn't clear of the present situation, Klein didn't attempt to head above the gray fog. He continued viewing himself as Amyrius.
With a staid expression, Klein carefully walked to the door and reached out his hand to grab the handle.
At that instant, he seemed to finally find the connection with the real world as he heard the chaos and din outside the door.
There were clear chewing sounds, debaucherous moaning, angry roaring, and sharp urging.
What exactly happened? Everything was normal just moments ago! Klein gulped a mouthful of saliva as he used Cogitation to maintain the necessary calm.
He had been using Spirit Vision to observe the situation outside the villa every day and had not discovered any problems.
Where are the admiral's bodyguards? Where's Secretary Luan? Klein found the entire ordeal strange and terrifying the more he considered the situation before him.
He touched the Ninth Law charm with one hand and made the deep domineering aura emanate, repressing the unease that was wafting through the air.
Exerting strength in his left hand, Klein twisted the handle and opened the door.
Before he took a step forward, he saw a red-vested attendant sitting opposite him.
The attendant had many cooked and raw food placed in front of him. There was steak, mutton, Dragon-Bone Fish, and Oravi lobster.
At this moment, the attendant picked up a huge fish that seemed to have just stopped struggling, raised his head, and smiled at Klein with a turbid look.
"Admiral, I have always envied your food..."
His stomach was different from before. It was bloated as though he was seven or eight months pregnant.
Just as he said that, the attendant raised his arms and bit into the raw Dragon-Bone Fish, forcefully ripping out a piece of thick flesh.
Fresh red blood dribbled from the corners of his mouth as his chewing sounds sent a chill down Klein's back.
The attendant hurriedly gulped as he swallowed the food in his mouth. His bloated stomach trembled as though he would blow up at any moment.
This is the instinctive reaction to restrict one's appetite... Klein observed the attendant carefully, and for some reason, he recalled the tramp stand-in who had died of a sudden illness due to gorging.
He didn't spend too much time thinking or making attempts to rescue the attendant who was ravenously consuming the food. This was because he knew that nothing would be effective unless he resolved the matter at its roots.
Klein moved his feet and followed his spiritual intuition's guidance, carefully walking towards the master bedroom.
At the door, there were two maidservants. One of them was sitting on the other as she bent her back, strangling the other by the neck.
Wearing a beaming smile, she shook the maidservant beneath her as she hurriedly urged her, "Quick, quickly praise me!
"Quick, quickly praise me!"
She desires acknowledgment... Klein frowned and took a few steps closer, grabbing onto the collar of the maidservant at the very top.
He threw the maidservant to the other side of the wall, slamming her to the wall with a force strong enough to make anyone faint.
However, this didn't prevent the maidservant from getting to her feet.
The maidservant at the bottom kept yawning without opening her eyes. Even though her neck was being wrangled, she appeared as though she hadn't had enough sleep.
Such a scene... Klein instantly had the urge to escape and seek help from the Church or military.
However, the strongest person on Oravi Island was none other than Admiral Amyrius!
And I'm Amyrius at the moment... However, once the situation turns for the worse, I should flee when the time calls for it. I shouldn't act at the cost of my life... Klein pushed open the ajar master bedroom door, his scalp tingling with numbness.
The first thing he heard behind the door was pleasurable moaning that gave itself up to one's primal instincts. Following that, a smell that made his heart race and sent blood gushing to his nether regions inundated his olfactory senses.
In addition, there was an eclectic mix of all sorts of bodily fluids. A scene of indulging pleasure couldn't help but surface in Klein's mind
Right on the heels of that, Klein saw the blond secretary, Luan.
He stood by the door, looking inside with an overlooking and cold manner. His arrogance was extremely real.
Upon sensing someone enter, he turned his head and discovered it was Admiral Amyrius.
His expression and gaze didn't change, as though he was looking at an ordinary, unimportant person.
This secretary is usually very reverent, but he's actually such a prideful person? Klein originally wanted to question Luan who seemed to possess some reason, but he saw him shift his gaze to look into the middle of the master bedroom from a height.
He only looks normal... Klein traced Luan's gaze and discovered a fair body that was three meters tall in the middle of the master bedroom.
It had brownish-green lumps growing on its surface that resembled tree warts. Some parts were cracked open, revealing organs that resembled flowers.
It had the bodyguards and the male attendants gathered around it as they either stood or knelt, prostrating or floating as they mated with those organs, letting out deep grunting sounds.
The other bodyguards and maidservants of varying numbers were scattered across the carpet, enjoying each other's bodies to their heart's content.
In addition, "tree warts" and "flowers" grew from the tall fair body, as well as brown "branches" that extended out as they participated in every promiscuous act of pleasure with the people present.
What kind of monster is this... Klein had his knowledge of mysticism overturned once again. He lowered his left palm and prepared for battle.
At this moment, the terrifying body which towered three meters tall turned a head over.
It was a female. She had blonde hair and blue eyes. She had a high nose bridge and plump lips. She was none other than the beautiful Cynthia with hints of her youthfulness!
As the "tree branches" danced while the "flowers" opened, Cynthia looked down at Klein with flushed cheeks as she said with hints of embarrassment, "Admiral, I want... I want to have a child with you..."
-x-X-x-
Upon seeing Cynthia's huge fair body with tree warts and flowers growing on it as though she was a tree, as well as hearing her shy, reluctant request, Klein couldn't help but shudder as his hair stood on end.
Such a scene exceeded a horror conceivable by human imagination. He had never encountered something like this even in his dreams.
If he were himself back when facing Megose in Tingen, Klein definitely would've been affected by such a scene. He would've temporarily lost his ability to react due to the horror and panic, but after experiencing so much, he was an experienced Beyonder in the true sense of the word. In the moment that Cynthia's words entered his ears, the glove on his left hand had already changed colors.
It had turned black, emitting a noble and sinister feeling. This meant that Klein had activated Creeping Hunger and had switched to Wormtongue Mithor's soul, giving him the powers of a Baron of Corruption!
At that instant, he distorted Cynthia's words, turning "Admiral, I want to have a child with you" to "Admiral, I only wish to have a child with you."
This way, Klein believed that the bodyguards and male attendants around the tree-like monster would be pushed away, far away by Cynthia, after having her will distorted, giving them a chance for a breather.
As for whether he would expose himself as a fake Admiral Amyrius, he didn't care. At this moment, anyone who was still bothered about whether the true acting would be successful would definitely be someone with a serious case of obsessive-compulsive disorder, and he clearly wasn't.
In addition, in an environment with all sorts of desires being magnified to the limit, Klein suspected that the others who had been influenced weren't paying attention to the battle or the actual situation.
The Baron of Corruption's Distortion power was activated silently, but Klein was appalled to discover that nothing changed with Cynthia or the men's actions. They weren't affected at all!
I've already used Distortion... The mutated Cynthia is able to directly resist such an influence... Klein's pupils constricted as he hurriedly jumped to the side.
A brown tree branch sprouted out from where he was standing as a sticky flower bloomed at its tip.
The flower was abnormally large. As it bloomed, it seemed like it was about to swallow a person whole.
Although Klein had never seen cannibalistic flowers in the Southern Continent's rainforests, he didn't believe that they were any less terrifying or ridiculous as the one before him!
Pa! Pa! Pa!
Similar branches drilled out from the walls, floor, and ceiling as they chased after Klein with their moist flowers.
During this process, the flowers bit down on Secretary Luan's head, as well as the bodyguards, male attendants, and maidservants who were gyrating in pleasure on the surrounding carpet.
At this moment, having learned the lesson that his Distortion powers would be resisted, Klein didn't hesitate to pull out his right hand, a dark gold high-level charm clasped tightly in his palm.
Ninth Law!
He originally didn't plan on using the charm so quickly. It wasn't because he couldn't bear to use it, but he wished to engage in a longer battle to determine what Cynthia was good at after mutating into a monster. Only then could he target her weaknesses. After all, the Ninth Law was unable to make a general prohibition, and the clause had to be sufficiently specific. For example, it couldn't make Beyonder powers ineffective in the area, but it could specify the nullification of a specific Beyonder power. To use it to its fullest, he needed to observe carefully and make sound judgment!
However, the present situation was forcing Klein to use his trump card. Otherwise, he suspected that he had no means of damaging this tree-like monster!
If the Ninth Law charm isn't able to create an environment that allows me to kill the monster, I'll have to immediately escape from the villa with its help. I will lead Cynthia outside and find a chance to pray. I'll use the Sea God Scepter above the gray fog to bombard it with attacks! Just as the thought flashed in his mind, Klein, who had been constantly jumping amidst the attacking tree branches and flowers, solemnly chanted a word in ancient Hermes, "Law!"
As the activation incantation resounded, the dark gold charm in Klein's palm instantly turned ice-cold. It was a coldness that seemed to make one lose any emotions.
At that instant, Klein reached an extremely calm state. In the moment he threw out the Ninth Law charm, his thoughts rapidly surfaced as he considered what to prohibit.
His first reaction was to prohibit the generation of any desire, but he knew that it was too general. Therefore, he thought of changing to the desire to procreate; after all, Cynthia's desire was to have a child with Admiral Amyrius. The influence she had on her surroundings was a result of this!
Just as the Ninth Law charm was flying in midair, turning into bits of dark gold beams of light that scattered into the surroundings, Klein suddenly thought of a problem.
Cynthia was only an ordinary person prior to this!
This is a certain fact!
Over the past three nights, Klein had used Spirit Vision, divination, and other methods to repeatedly confirm that Cynthia wasn't a Beyonder.
Similarly, she would've long been discovered by Admiral Amyrius, who could distinguish between ordinary people and Beyonders.
Therefore, her sudden transformation into a mutated monster was a problem he needed to pay close attention to!
Could it be like Megose? She became a vessel of an evil god's descent through some form of ritual? No, if there's a ritual, it's impossible for me not to discover it. My spiritual intuition would've warned me not to activate my Spirit Vision and not look straight at Cynthia... It's some item or trait on her body that has an external force projected on her. Therefore, there weren't any problems the previous two nights until she suddenly mutated today... Regardless, the terror from her comes from somewhere else and not her body... Klein quickly made a judgment in two seconds. Without any hesitation, he seized the opportunity and said in a solemn tone, "This place is prohibited from having any interaction with the outside world!"
The ancient Hermes words, which were filled with mystery, instantly spread out as the dark golden light scattered everywhere and intertwined with the countless law-like symbols and magic labels before merging into the void.
Hum!
There was suddenly a light hum in Klein's ears as he seemed to see the formless light filled with desire get expelled out of the room.
Immediately following that, an illusory and resplendent starry sky appeared before his eyes. They were points of bright stars.
Pa! Pa! Klein's eyes burst as fluid—a mixture of blood and plasma—gushed out horrendously.
Although he had used the Ninth Law charm to isolate any external influence, the level of the power was extremely high. Just a normal level of recoil was enough to penetrate the natural protection of the high-level charm and burst his eyes!
This damage came abruptly and without any warning signs. Klein didn't even have the chance to use Paper Figurine Substitutes, just like Nimblewright Master Rosago from back then.
If not for the Ninth Law charm, his eyes might not have been the only things that burst. He might've turned into a monster just like Cynthia!
Meanwhile, the tree-like Cynthia came to a stop as her body began crumbling, turning into flesh and blood with brownish-green warts. The surrounding bodyguards and male attendants plopped to the ground, unconscious.
Cynthia's head was embedded in the blob of flesh as she muttered to herself, "Admiral, I want to have a child with you...
"Admiral, I want to have a child with you..."
...
She tried hard to extend the remaining tree branches on the ceiling and walls, binding Klein, who was still in a dazed state as a result of the recoil, and she pulled him towards herself.
The moment Klein recovered a little, he immediately began struggling desperately. Despite his attempts to snap his fingers to light a fire or switch the powers of Creeping Hunger, he failed because his hands and arms were bound tightly.
With the help of his Clown powers, he "saw" the brownish-green warts approach. Stirred, Klein changed his appearance, turning his appearance from Admiral Amyrius to Gehrman Sparrow—a Gehrman Sparrow with bleeding eyes!
The binding tree branches paused as they mysteriously released their hold. They began flailing everywhere as though in an attempt to grab at something. @@novelbin@@
Cynthia's head was filled with disappointment and confusion as she muttered, "Admiral, where did you go...
"Admiral, where did you go..."
Without the external force to continue the resistance, she finally only had the thoughts of having a child with Amyrius thanks to the Baron of Corruption's Distortion. This made her release Gehrman Sparrow.
Klein flipped to his feet and covered his eyes with his right hand and pulled downwards abruptly, moving the horrendous wound towards his left shoulder.
As his left shoulder became mangled, Creeping Hunger was tainted with a pure and resplendent glow.
Klein looked at Cynthia's head in the pile of flesh and blood with pity as he spread out his arms.
A holy flame which swirled around a pillar of pure light descended from the sky, enveloping the monster that had been reduced to flesh and blood.
-x-X-x-
Amidst the holy beam of light, having already lost its support from the external power, the tree warts and flesh rapidly disintegrated. It was like snow meeting a red-hot metal ball.
Amidst an indescribable sizzling sound, Cynthia's face winced as abnormal agony showed itself on her face.
She turned around with great difficulty, looking up and down, her expression turning horrified and confused. Finally, she realized that there was a problem with her.
"Admiral..." Her voice trembled as she looked ahead with fear and despair, but all she could find was an unfamiliar face.
Klein could've fed Creeping Hunger with Cynthia's remnant flesh and Spirit Body, but at that moment, he sighed and said with a calm voice, "Try not to make contact with strange artifacts or religions in the future."
From his point of view, the reason why Cynthia had turned into this monstrosity either had to do with a cult or some particularly dangerous artifact. She had connected with some existence which couldn't be looked at directly, resulting in such a response.
Cynthia seemed to understand something as her remnant head and tiny bit of flesh suddenly wept.
"It's the Mother Tree of Desire, the Heavenly Body Sect...
"Admiral, Admiral, I don't want to die! I don't want to die!
"Save me! Save me!"
Mother Tree of Desire... Heavenly Body Sect... This isn't within the confines of my knowledge of mysticism...
Klein maintained his expression as he looked pitifully at the pleading Cynthia. He spread his arms again and said in a deep voice, "Death is not the end. You will be redeemed when you are at god's side."
Another pure beam of light landed as Cynthia's beautiful, weeping face completely fixed in place.
Her eyes widened in despair, but there was the remnant hope of being sent to heaven after death.
Under the sun's radiance, her brain and remnant flesh melted away at a discernible pace. By vanishing, it had obtained its final rite of cleansing.
Klein looked silently at this scene without any expression or movement.
After everything calmed down, he curled the corner of his lips and chuckled, finding it hard to hide his sorrow.
"This is really a crazy and chaotic world..."
He didn't dare to channel Cynthia's spirit after what had happened. The many oddities had made him abandon the thought of bringing Cynthia's Spirit Body above the gray fog to "inquire." Faced with the irremovable evil and the ever-worsening corruption, he could only choose to have Cynthia be cleansed. After all, in this world with true gods, there might exist a heaven after death.
As for Creeping Hunger's backlash, Klein was temporarily not concerned. After spending a long time with it, this mystical item which had been sealed to a certain extent had adjusted to him. It didn't need to be fed after every use. It had been restored to its original state. Once it was activated, it just needed to eat once in a twenty-four-hour period, regardless of how many times it was used. Of course, there was no need for it to be fed on the day it wasn't used.
Therefore, Klein had plenty of time to seek out food for Creeping Hunger without harming the innocent.
If the worst comes to the worst, I can throw it above the gray fog... Klein surveyed his surroundings, and he realized that the bodyguards and the male and female attendants in the room had shaken off the influence of their magnified desires, and they had fallen unconscious. This included the maidservant who was strangling her companion in a bid to obtain her approval and praise, as well as blond secretary, Luan.
Indeed, once the problem is resolved at its root, everything will come to an end...
According to Admiral Amyrius's description, Luan is at least a Sequence 6 Beyonder, and he's suspected to be a Baron of Corruption. He might've secretly reached Sequence 5... Even he was so easily controlled by his magnified desires, which means that the power that descended with the help of Cynthia is extremely potent. But why did I only have a wet dream...
Ignoring my mystical items, Luan and I should be at the same level...
Is it because a portion of the gray fog's power, when mixed with reality, provided me with help? Is it because of the restriction from Admiral Amyrius's temporary contract? Or could it be a mix of both?
Yes, if it wasn't because of these factors, as Cynthia's primary target, my desire towards sex would definitely be magnified. This wouldn't just be me having a romantic dream... Klein habitually reached out with his right hand to cover his face as he changed once again back into Amyrius Rieveldt's appearance.
As the lives of the others weren't temporarily under threat, he carefully observed the room when his spiritual perception was suddenly triggered.
Taking a few steps forward, Klein came to where Cynthia had vanished. He bent down and picked up a necklace from a pile of torn clothes on the bed.
A pendant that was the length of a finger segment hung from the necklace. It was completely black in color and looked like a miniaturized rhinoceros horn. Its surface was full and covered in cracks. Apart from exuding evil, there were no lustrous spirituality activity.
This is the dangerous item that caused Cynthia to mutate? As it had connected to the existence which couldn't be looked at directly, it had completed its mission, allowing all its powers to be injected into Cynthia's body? Klein made a preliminary conjecture based on the pendant's situation and from his past experience.
He checked the area and found nothing. Hence, he pulled out a paper figurine and dealt with the traces left behind. He dispelled the prohibition from the charm before walking towards Secretary Luan, who still had some signs of corruption due to temporarily being devoured by the flowers. He raised his knee and kicked him a few times with the tip of his shoe.
With Amyrius's character, it's unlikely that he would crouch down to shake his secretary awake... Heh, this fellow's arrogant way of looking down on others sure is irritating. I really want to beat him up... Klein paused as he watched sternly as Luan gradually woke up.
"Your Excellency..." Luan was in a momentary daze, as though he couldn't tell dream from reality.
As a high-ranking superior, I'm under no obligation to explain... Klein looked down at him and said in a deep voice, "Wake up all the lightly injured people. Get a number of them to treat the remaining people while the others are to investigate the Heavenly Body Sect on Oravi Island. They worship an evil god named Mother Tree of Desire. Um... Start the investigation with the people around Cynthia.
"I'll be waiting in the study for the report."
With that said, he held the cracked rhinoceros horn pendant and turned to leave the master bedroom before entering the unaffected silent study.
As an important member of the military, although he was somewhat helpless when faced with the kingdom's upper echelons, he needed to choose to ignore certain matters. An example was the telegram which relieved Aston from his post as governor-general and the arrival of the new governor-general. This meant that the new governor-general had departed ahead of time; yet as the highest-ranking commander of the Central Sonia Sea's navy, Amyrius Rieveldt had not received the news at all. However, on Oravi Island, to Secretary Luan and the local police system and naval base personnel, he still held absolute authority. He didn't need to do the investigations himself, as he had plenty of people at his disposal.
A demigod only needed to be wary against any accidents and await news. There was no need to busy themselves!
Inside the study, as Klein heard the chaotic sound of footsteps and horrified screams, questioning, and exchanges, he couldn't help but have the starry sky and the bright, lustrous star surface in his mind.
What does it represent? Klein frowned and sat in the armchair behind the desk. His figure sank into the darkness brought about by the curtains.
He soon made certain connections. Due to the legends from the City of Silver and Emlyn White's description of the Sanguine's situation, he confirmed that the Moon pathway controlled a portion of the authority over reproduction and proliferation. This coincided with Cynthia's intentions and actions. @@novelbin@@
A starry sky... Mr. Door informed Emperor Roselle that the Goddess's corresponding tarot card is The Star and not The Moon. Could it be that this illusory starry sky represents "Her"? Yes, The Primordial Moon is suspected to be a particular deity, angel, or high-level devil's alternate identity. The Goddess has the honorific name of "crimson moon." Could "She" be the one passing herself off as the Primordial Moon and occupying the corresponding spot so as to control the required authority? Although Klein knew that such thoughts were sacrilegious, he couldn't help but suspect the Evernight Goddess.
But he soon rejected that conjecture. This was because, be it Vampire Ancestor Lilith or the Primordial Moon, what they projected was only "reproduction and proliferation." It didn't include the recognition of gluttony, pride, and desire. This was at odds with a number of victims earlier. The other honorific titles of the Evernight Goddess didn't include the corresponding domains.
This does coincide with the traits of the Devil pathway. A Desire Apostle is an expert in such matters... Could the one subjugating the Primordial Moon be a high-level Devil, or even the King of Devils who's known as the Dark Side of the Universe, Sequence 0 Abyss? This is very possible, but the problem with this is that it shouldn't produce an illusory starry sky and bright stars. Be it Moon or Abyss, they have nothing to do with the corresponding symbols... Klein found his conjecture problematic the more he thought over the matter.
Amidst his thoughts, he suddenly thought of a concept.
It was something important back when he was first educated in mysticism but had never received a detailed description or explanation!
That was the astral world!
Apart from the Life School of Thought and a few other organizations' belief in uncommon concepts such as the world of absolute rationality, most schools of thought in mysticism believed that the world was comprised of the real world, the spirit world, and the astral world.
There was no need to explain the real world. Knowledge of the spirit world was the foundation of many ritualistic magic and Beyonder powers. It was only the astral world where Klein's knowledge about it was basically zero.
Therefore, the illusory starry sky represents the astral world. The bright star is a particular existence in the astral world? I've always suspected that the astral world is where the true gods reside. Then, this imagery which represents the Primordial Moon isn't something unacceptable... Klein didn't think further as he recalled the details of the past few days while awaiting the results of his subordinates' investigations.
Time ticked by when Klein finally heard a familiar gait approach.
Secretary Luan knocked before entering. He bowed his head and coldly reported, "Your Excellency. We've already found the Heavenly Body Sect and captured their leader.
"It was a clue provided by Miss Cynthia's parents.
"This sect has been rather active in Oravi over the past few years. They do not wear clothes, in a bid to return to nature. Giving themselves up to their instincts is their purpose, and they believed that humans can attain liberation of their spirituality in such states.
"Reproduction of the next generation is a subsidiary product of this belief."
After pausing for a moment, Luan added, "Their leader is a Beyonder, a Sequence 8 Lunatic."
Lunatic? A Lunatic from the Prisoner pathway? It has something to do with the Rose School of Thought? Yes, the Rose School of Thought internally has two factions, "temperance" and "indulgence." The latter's beliefs are rather identical to the present situation... Klein was alarmed as he said in a stoic tone, "Bring him here."
-x-X-x-
The leader of the Naturism Sect was named Flight Ken, a man in his thirties. His thin face had brown whiskers, and there were evil-looking tattoos on his neck.
He was brought in front of Klein by Luan. He looked ragged, as though he had suffered the most severe mental torture.
"Your Excellency, while he was being captured, he kept exchanging his intelligence for strength, and he's on the brink of a mental collapse..." Luan reported the facts, ignoring the possibility that Admiral Amyrius could tell the exact details.
That's perfect... Klein had been previously worried that, as a Lunatic, Flight Ken would refuse to answer his questions while under the mental pressure. That way, he had to take the risk of being suspected of dismissing his subordinates and attempting a spirit channeling.
As he looked coldly at Flight Ken, Klein's left hand wore a golden luster under the cover of the desk.
He had switched Creeping Hunger to the Interrogator's soul!
And Interrogator happened to be Sequence 7 of Admiral Amyrius's Arbiter pathway!
Deep in Klein's eyes, two indistinct flashes of lightning appeared as they overlapped with Flight Ken's figure.
Psychic Piercing was poised for attack!
However, Klein didn't directly use the Beyonder power, as it was only at the level of a Sequence 7. Once he used it in front of Luan, he would immediately expose himself to the blond secretary.
With the pressure provided by Psychic Piercing on Flight Ken's Spirit Body, Klein sat there like the real Admiral Amyrius as he said in a deep voice, "Do you know Cynthia?"
As he spoke, he raised his right hand high and dangled the black miniature rhinoceros horn from his palm.
"What is its use?"
The dispirited Flight Ken trembled as he felt as if a dagger was being held to his psyche, capable of penetrating him at any moment.
He couldn't help but lower his head as he stammered, "Yes, I know her.
"Cynthia—Miss Cynthia wished to have a child with Your Excellency, a child with Beyonder powers. She was introduced to me by her parents.
"It's a Proliferation Necklace created with the bestowment of the goddess's aura. By consuming its powder and wearing it for prolonged periods of time, it... it will be able to make Your Excellency unable to resist her..."
Klein listened in silence as he was half-convinced by Flight Ken's explanation. However, he still had his doubts.
He believed that it was partially Cynthia's goal. This beautiful lady did wish to have a child with Admiral Amyrius, either by her own will or from the urging of others. This could be seen from her persistence even after she mutated.
Although the Loen Kingdom's aristocrats didn't like or even discriminated against their illegitimate children, it was situational. A child who had successfully inherited their father's Beyonder characteristics would similarly be given importance. Those ancient families who knew many secrets viewed this with importance, and the Rieveldt family was one of those families.
Furthermore, Admiral Amyrius is a stern and old-fashioned man on the surface, but he's someone who treasures his relationships. Even an illegitimate child would receive his love and have importance attached... This might be the real reason why Cynthia was eager to have his child... Klein sighed inwardly.
The doubt towards Flight Ken's answer was concentrated on the true effects of the Proliferation Necklace, as well as the possibility of the Naturism Sect deliberate misleading of Cynthia.
As he strengthened the pressure brought about by Psychic Piercing, Klein silently stared into Flight Ken's eyes until he could no longer take it and bowed his head again.
"What other uses does this necklace have?" Klein shook the cracked pendant.
His tone was calm, as though he knew every secret. His questions were only to obtain the final confirmation.
An indescribable pressure inundated Flight Ken, who was already on the brink of a mental collapse. He plopped to the ground and shouted nearly hysterically, "I-it can corrupt you!
"As long as Cynthia consumed the powder ground from it and sincerely chanted Mother Tree of Desire's honorific name, a-any man who has sex with her and successfully has a child would be corrupted!
"Th-that will make you become a believer of the Mother Tree of Desire! To become 'Her' Blessed!"
So that's how it is... Klein instantly understood the entire story, and he was no longer puzzled by the mutation that happened that very night.
The Naturism Sect's goal is to use Cynthia and the Proliferation Necklace, which looks like an ordinary object, to corrupt Admiral Amyrius, making this important military figure of the Loen Kingdom become the Mother Tree of Desire's devout believer. He can then help their sect develop and provide them protection.
The key to the success of this method is that it's sufficiently concealed and normal. It is in no way directly connected to terms like "potency," "strike," and "terrifying."
Therefore, after three rejections from me, Cynthia was unable to expel the corruptive forces in the Proliferation Necklace's powder from her body. She gradually reached her limit and finally connected with the Mother Tree of Desire and ended up with what seemed like a sudden mutation...
Therefore, the monster after the mutation wasn't able to pose any threat to the real Admiral Amyrius. Even my usage of the Ninth Law charm easily resolved the matter. This is because this wasn't the outcome the Naturism Sect wished to have. They wished to have Admiral Amyrius be secretly corrupted, and not have a conflict with a demigod... Klein silently looked at the Secretary Luan.
Luan had also gained a rough understanding of the entire situation. He immediately lowered his head and said in a deep voice, "Your Excellency, it was our oversight.
"We only monitored Miss Cynthia and the servants here without expanding the monitoring to their friends and family.
"I'm willing to accept any punishment for this, even if you send me to be court-martialed.
How would the real admiral reply? Klein once again immersed himself in the character of Amyrius, experiencing his recent pain, helplessness, grief, and anger.
He maintained his seating posture and sternly said, "We shall leave this for later."
The hidden meaning behind this sentence meant: "I'll decide based on your upcoming performance."
Luan was taken aback for a second, seemingly finding the admiral's mild punishment unbelievable.
Klein half-closed his eyes and said in a deep voice, "My father, the deceased Earl Rieveldt, once taught me this.
"He said to pardon the first mistake of a subordinate.
"Luan, you, as well as the other bodyguards, should be thankful for his benevolence."
Luan's gaze shimmered as he drew a silent breath. He was no longer as calm, as he rather earnestly said, "Your benevolence is admirable.
"I pledge my utmost loyalty to you, apart from my principles, god, and kingdom."
The pride in you is extremely exaggerated... Klein didn't believe him as he said seemingly calm, "There's a second half of the saying, that is 'punish them for their second mistake.'"
Luan nodded, unsurprised at that.
Klein cast his gaze back to Flight Ken who was slumped on the ground. He pressed without a change in expression, "Who instigated you to do this?"
From his point of view, Flight Ken's answer was likely that they had planned it. After coming into contact with Cynthia and learning of her requests and knowing who her lover was, the Naturism Sect boldly had the idea of corrupting the naval admiral, Amyrius.
Flight looked left and right somewhat neurotically as he apprehensively said, "I-it was the Mother Tree of Desire. 'She' instigated me to do it in my dream. I-in the beginning, I only wanted to lend Cynthia the Proliferation Necklace and for her to wear it. I never planned on her consumption of the powder."
Instigated by the Mother Tree of Desire? This is almost equivalent to a revelation... Klein nearly frowned.
Although Admiral Amyrius is an important figure of the Loen military and the highest-ranking commander of the Central Sonia Sea, making his standing and power rather tremendous, it shouldn't be important enough to have an evil goddess set "Her" sights on him... However, I'm not an evil god. I have no way of comprehending their thought process. Perhaps the corruption of Amyrius is for subsequent plans... Yes, I can't eliminate the possibility that Flight Ken is lying. I'll have to confirm it later... Klein thought before sternly asking, "When did you have this dream?"
Flight forced a smile filled with fear and said, "I-it was nighttime on 4th February, last Friday. I-I remember it very clearly. I had just released the spirituality of a lady."
4th February... Klein ruminated over the date, momentarily unable to find anything special about it.
After two seconds of silence, he turned to ask, "What relationship do you have with the Rose School of Thought?
"What relationship does the Mother Tree of Desire have with the Chained God?"
He wasn't worried that Admiral Amyrius might've already known of this, with Secretary Luan having a certain understanding of the matter. This could be easily understood as a confirmation question.
Flight Ken revealed a passionate look he could hardly keep in.
"W-we're a branch of the Rose School of Thought. My mentor is the Rose School of Thought's saint, Zatwen.
"The Chained God is another manifestation of the Mother Tree of Desire.
"The Mother Tree of Desire is the true and only deity that surpasses the seven gods and the True Creator!
"Your Excellency, you are a candidate to be 'Her' Blessed!"
Who can't brag... Can it be understood that the Mother Tree of Desire is an alt of the Chained God? According to the evil spirit in the underground ruins suspected to be Red Angel Medici, the Prisoner path of the divine and the Devil pathway can be swapped. Therefore, it's no surprise that the Rose School of Thought's Chained God can magnify the various desires of creatures. They have the temperance and indulgence factions internally... This matches the situation... Klein thought as he turned his head to Luan and said, "Go out for a while."
He planned on questioning Flight Ken on whether he had done anything evil, and if he was suitable to be Creeping Hunger's meal.
"Yes, Your Excellency." Luan didn't ask why as he briskly walked out the study and closed the door behind him.
After the echoing sound of the door closing subsided, the entire study suddenly turned quiet. It was as though it was isolated from the outside world.
The Beyonder powers of a Baron of Corruption? The Distortion of "door closing" to seal the study? Very considerate... Klein pondered for a few seconds as he recalled the series of thoughts he had previously. Hence, he suddenly asked, "6th February. What did you do on Sunday evening?"
Flight Ken was taken aback as he said, "W-we followed the revelation given by Mother Tree of Desire, and using the Proliferation Necklace and a hair obtained from a particular tramp, we held a ritual to magnify the tramp's gluttony."
The tramp stand-in meant for Admiral Amyrius was indeed killed by you! It was to prevent the admiral from leaving and, hence, fall into a trap so that he can have sex with Cynthia and end up being corrupted? Klein instantly connected all the matters together.
And my appearance provided another possibility that coincidentally destroyed this plan... Coincidence... That's not right! When the words "coincidence" flashed in his mind, Klein suddenly recalled the peculiarity of 4th February—the day the Mother Tree of Desire gave Flight Ken a dream revelation.
It was the first day he arrived on Oravi Island!
-x-X-x-
Don't tell me that this matter was targeted at me? Klein was alarmed as he immediately became abnormally awake.
As a person who had several similar experiences, he had quite a persecution complex.
It really is possible... The Mother Tree of Desire used a dream to send Flight Ken a revelation just as I arrived at Oravi Island and began an entire series of plans. The first day I met Bilt Brando was the day the Naturism Sect held the ritual to make the tramp stand-in die from gluttony...
If they were targeting Admiral Amyrius, the plan needed to ensure that there was no lack of a stand-in, and that he couldn't find an additional helper or other means to conceal his departure. But clearly, this is something that cannot be confirmed. My involvement is proof...
If the target was me, then the previous problem is explained. Klein used his Clown powers to control his facial expression as he gloomily looked at Flight Ken.
With such a theory, more questions emerged in his mind.
But how were they certain that Bilt Brando would seek me out?
The news of Gehrman Sparrow being able to change into anyone was spread from Vice Admiral Ailment Tracy. It's an element beyond the Mother Tree of Desire's control...
Of course, taking a different point of view, it's precisely due to the spreading of this news and my arrival in Oravi Island that made the Mother Tree of Desire send the revelation and put the plan into motion.
But why would "She" want to corrupt me? My grudge with the Rose School of Thought hasn't reached the point of garnering the attention of an evil god. All I did was kill a Sequence 5 Wraith, a Sequence 6 Zombie, and a Sequence 7 Werewolf, with Miss Sharron and Maric, snatching away the Scarlet Lunar Corona and Biological Poison Bottle... My hunt against Admiral of Blood was terminated before it even started. It was an idea that didn't translate into action. The only thing that happened was the killing of Steel Maveti...
The act of revenge that resulted from this matter shouldn't even exceed the attention of a saint!
Was it something special about me that resonated with some item formed by the aura of the Mother Tree of Desire on this island the moment I stepped onto it?
But I've never faced any abnormal reactions from the Holy Artifacts left behind by other deities in Backlund or Tingen City.
Furthermore, I did divine the matter above the gray fog and received the revelation that the death of the tramp was solely a coincidence. It wasn't arranged by a legendary creature or Grade 0 Sealed Artifact, but the outcome ended up different...
Th-this is the first time that divination above the gray fog has been disrupted in the true sense of the word? I didn't even notice that it had been disrupted?
Klein's thoughts came to a pause as he discovered the most serious problem.
Back when the matter involved 0-08, all he received was an ineffective revelation and not a disrupted outcome!
Therefore, it's a power that exceeds a Grade 0 Sealed Artifact? The Mother Tree of Desire personally disrupted the matter, and "She" is a true deity "Herself"? But it's very difficult for the seven gods to influence the real world. There has to be a corresponding ritual... Yes, I had also divined the risks of acting as Amyrius above the gray fog and received a revelation saying that it was an acceptable risk. The outcome does match the development of the situation, so it wasn't disrupted? The more Klein thought about the matter, the more perplexed he became.
What was most incomprehensible about it was that if the target of corruption was himself, why didn't he suffer any demanding trials, and he instead, solved the problem in a relatively simple manner?
This made the Mother Tree of Desire's arrangement appear like a joke! While pondering with this weight in mind, Klein nearly crushed Flight Ken. He asked again to verify his conjecture.
To his surprise, the Naturism Sect hadn't held any rituals to request the Mother Tree of Desire to disrupt any divination over the past week. They didn't make any special arrangements aimed towards the failure of the project.
Strange... Klein took out a gold coin and flicked it as a final confirmation.
Even without divination, he was almost certain that Flight Ken wasn't lying. Firstly, the man was already on the brink of a mental collapse, making him lack the ability to fabricate something reasonable. Secondly, Flight Ken's answers adhered to logic, completely confirming whatever Klein had deliberately kept to himself.
The gold coin landed in his open palm, the king's portrait facing up, indicating a positive response.
Combined with the divination statement, Klein finally confirmed that Flight Ken wasn't lying.
After temporarily suppressing his puzzlement, he cast his gaze towards Flight Ken once again. He asked without a smile, "What deeds have you done in the past that violate the kingdom's laws or the moral fabric of society?"
Flight Ken was taken aback for a few seconds as his mental state seemed to instantly turn for the better.
From his point of view, his ploy against Admiral Amyrius was the most serious crime, something that would most easily enrage this important figure. Everything else was trivial and nothing that needed a demigod to waste his time and energy on.
Therefore, after skipping the important matters and coming to an ordinary topic, it meant that he might enjoy a good outcome.
Flight Ken couldn't help but reveal a discreet smile as he hastened to recount.
"I once tortured a family for an entire night for their property and abandoned them in the woods after murdering them. Then, I used faked documents and successfully obtained a sizable amount of wealth.
"I deliberately enticed many believers to indulge in their desires and watched as their emptiness and regret after the deed slowly paved the way for them to become fertilizer for the Mother Tree of Desire.
"I once tricked many ladies to abide with their nature, an excuse for them to be redeemed by the spirits, allowing me to possess them.
"I tortured believers who attempted to renounce the religion, slicing off every part that protruded off their bodies..."
He recounted each and every sin of his, without any thoughts of concealing the truth.
Klein felt disbelief with what he heard. He never expected anyone to be evil to this extent.
As Flight Ken got increasingly excited from recounting his past deeds, he saw Admiral Amyrius stand up without an expression before circling around the desk and standing in front of him. The admiral then raised his left palm.
A terrifying mouth appeared in the middle of the left palm, revealing two rows of illusory, white, and eerie teeth that were icy-cold.
"No... No!"
A sharp and horrified scream resounded in the room for a long time until silence prevailed.
After a while, Klein bent down to pick up a blob of grayish-white light that resembled a shrunken brain.
This was the Beyonder characteristic of a Lunatic!
Unfortunately, Flight Ken had been searched before being brought here. He didn't leave behind any cash or items.
Klein snapped his fingers and ignited the rest of the clothes.
As he looked at his left shoulder which was beginning its recovery process, he sat behind the desk and remained silent amidst the dancing scarlet flames.
Once the traces were no longer noticeable, he pulled at a corresponding rope, making the bell outside ring.
Luan released the restriction and entered, instinctively observing every corner.
"Instruct the guards and the base personnel to cooperate with the Oravi police to do a cleanup of the Naturism Sect. It's best if clues can be found and a number of Rose School of Thought members are caught," Klein solemnly gave the order.
"Yes, Your Excellency," Luan answered respectfully.
He didn't ask where Flight Ken was, as though the leader of the Naturism Sect never existed.
...
Klein didn't pay too much attention to the raid on Oravi Island. Using the excuse that he was slightly injured, he declined the remaining schedules for the next two days.
This meant that he didn't need to worry about needing to exude the might of a High-Sequence Beyonder of the Arbiter pathway after expending the Ninth Law charm. @@novelbin@@
Nearing noon, Luan entered after knocking the door and reported, "Your Excellency, Mr. Aston has yet to leave on the liner. The new governor-general, Ben Conrad, has sent an invitation to participate in the banquet he's hosting tonight."
Ben Conrad... The person who replaced Aston as governor-general... According to what I know, Viscount Conrad's family is a loyal subject of the royal family. Talim likely got to know Prince Edessak while being the equestrian teacher of Viscount Conrad's youngest son... Klein nodded gently as he immersed himself in Amyrius Rieveldt's complex emotions.
He remained silent for a few seconds before saying, "Inform Governor-general Conrad that it's inconvenient for me to attend the banquet, because of the injuries suffered from the Naturism Sect's assault.
"Apologize to him on my behalf."
"Yes, Your Excellency." Luan didn't persuade him otherwise and calmly left the room.
A demigod definitely had the right to be "willful!"
As long as he didn't engage in some secret ploy or commit any serious mistake, there was no way he would be blamed regardless of what he did. This was because any faction would be willing to rope in a demigod!
As he watched Luan's back vanish from the door, Klein shook his head indiscernibly and sat back behind the desk.
A quiet day quickly passed. When it was almost midnight, Klein, who was sleeping in the guest room, suddenly woke up and sat up.
His spiritual perception told him that someone had entered the house!
Klein focused his gaze at the window and saw a middle-aged man in a tailcoat. He had black hair and blue eyes, with the corners of his mouth slightly sagging. He was none other than Admiral Amyrius!
Phew! He's finally back... Klein slowly stood up and cautiously asked, "What item did you give me before?"
He was afraid that the Admiral Amyrius before him was also a Faceless in disguise.
Admiral Amyrius stood there and answered with a stern expression, "The Ninth Law charm."
Without waiting for Gehrman Sparrow to speak again, he took two steps forward and calmly asked, "Did anything happen in the past few days?"
"..."
Klein controlled his facial muscles and said, "Your secretary committed a mistake and was injured."
"Oh? What else?" Admiral Amyrius nodded with deep reservation.
Klein tried hard not to move his gaze away as he looked straight at him and said, "Your younger brother has been relieved of his post as governor-general. The new governor-general has already taken over.
"Your Miss Cynthia mutated into a monster and was purified by me.
"A number of your bodyguards and attendants were infected to a certain extent and are currently receiving treatment"
"..."
Amyrius's expression turned into shock bit by bit in an uncontrollable manner.
His eyes moved slightly, as though he suspected whether he had returned to the wrong place.
It had only been three days!
-x-X-x-
After a frozen moment of silence, Amyrius quickly brought his expressions under control. He said in a domineering and deep tone, "Tell me the specifics."
Klein didn't hide much of the truth. He began with Aston Rieveldt's question, before mentioning the warning from the mysterious person in the dream, and how he was told not to make a choice that resisted the trend of the times. Following that, he talked about the sudden telegram, and finally he spoke of Cynthia's mutation. He went into detail about the situation, the arrogance of the secretary, how he dealt with it, and the general investigations that followed.
The only information he kept to himself was that the 4th February was the first day he arrived on Oravi Island, as well as his subsequent guesses.
Of course, he was also very vague with matters regarding combat. He believed that Admiral Amyrius was understanding enough. After all, what a Beyonder was good at or what unique abilities he had were one of their greatest secrets. If they were exposed or understood by others, it gave others a chance of setting up a targeted ambush, making it possible for them to die under the hands of an enemy of a lower Sequence.
Below that of High-Sequence Beyonders, many Beyonders could be very powerful or very weak!
After Amyrius listened to the recount in silence, his expression didn't seem to change in the dark room. However, the fact that he hadn't interrupted Klein's recount implied something.
After a few seconds of silence, he asked in a deep voice, "The mysterious person who infiltrated your dream emphasized the fate of an era, as well as the trend of the times?"
"Yes." Klein had already changed back into Gehrman Sparrow's appearance. He didn't deliberately go into detail that the mysterious person had never mentioned Aston Rieveldt's exact plan.
Amyrius fell silent again.
"You maintained my appearance in your dream?"
"Yes, this is my secret," Klein answered succinctly.
Amyrius nodded indiscernibly as he paced around in a tiny area before looking back at Gehrman Sparrow.
"There were no problems with your choices."
Upon hearing this, Klein seemed to receive the ultimate and most effective feedback. A large portion of the potion in him was digested as a result.
Amidst the deep, reverberating tone, Amyrius turned his body to the side and said without any hint of emotion, "I originally had no plans to have a contract with the stand-in, and instead I wanted to inform Cynthia that I had the symptoms of losing control, making it impossible for me to have any physical relationship with her for five days. However, I later changed my mind due to certain reasons."
If not for the temporary contract's forceful restriction, even if I'm able to withstand the temptations during usual times, I might not have been able to resist the magnified desires last night...
Of course, if Cynthia knew of the five-day restriction ahead of time, she wouldn't be in such a rush to consume the powder ground from the Proliferation Necklace. It would've prevented her from sensing the Mother Tree of Desire and end up mutating... But as such, the ball is in the Naturism Sect's court. They could've made up an excuse to get Cynthia to consume it...
This matter was really targeted at me... What does the Mother Tree of Desire actually want? Also, what was the reason that caused Admiral Amyrius to make such an important change... Klein seemed to grasp the crux of the matter as he looked at Amyrius's side profile.
"What's the reason?"
Amyrius said with a deadpan expression, "There's no need for you to know."
"..."
For the first time in his life, Klein hated such a response.
After some thought, he took out the cracked pendant and threw it at Amyrius.
"This is the Proliferation Necklace that originated from the Mother Tree of Desire."
Amyrius raised his hand to catch it before looking down.
"You may leave.
"Go to Bilt to receive your reward."
Aren't you worried that I know of something I'm not supposed to know? That's right. Aston's ploy has been exposed and is known by his political enemies. As for Amyrius, he was clearly not involved; therefore, it doesn't matter if I understand anything... Klein imagined that there would be a long-term confidential contract, but to his surprise, he could leave just like that.
Noticing that Amyrius didn't raise another matter, he pointed at him and said, "Clothes."
Only then did Admiral Amyrius look up, silently taking off the formal attire comprised of a shirt and tailcoat.
Klein had originally wished to ask for additional payment due to the excessive dangers that went beyond the scope of the original agreement. But after secretly confirming that Cynthia's outcome was because of him, he abandoned the idea while feeling guilty. He quickly took off the comfortable sleeping robe, switched into a tailcoat, and under Amyrius's guidance, leaped out of the window, and secretly left the gardened villa while the bodyguards' eyes were "confounded."
Amyrius donned a sleeping robe and clenched the Proliferation Necklace before walking to the window. He stood there silently as he faced the crimson moon and few stars in the dark night.
He stood there without an expression, not even changing his posture for a long period of time.
Pa!
He slightly relaxed his clenched fist as the miniaturized rhinoceros horn fell to the ground in the form of shattered pieces, bit by bit, fragment by fragment.
...
The next day at noon, Klein, who had slept soundly the entire night, left the inn and took a carriage to Sweet Lemon Bar. He went to the second floor to meet Bilt Brando.
"It's over?" Bilt asked with relief and surprise.
Klein nodded and said, "Admiral Amyrius has returned.
"Where's the rest of the payment?"
Bilt revealed an unconcealable smile. After he dismissed his guards, he personally went to a safe and took out the remaining 500 pounds and a blue cufflink.
"This is the mystical item created from the murloc bladder you provided," Bilt introduced. "It can provide illusory scales hidden beneath the skin, so you will be as difficult to catch as a fish. It will also help withstand a certain level of damage for you. With it, you can dive to at least fifteen meters without any protective gear. You can freely move about in the water for ten minutes. It doesn't have any serious negative effects. It will just make you tired easily when in a hot or arid place."
That means this cufflink shouldn't be used with the Sun Brooch... Klein extended his hand to collect the money and item.
"Aren't you afraid that there will be problems?" Bilt cracked a joke.
"Your business is here," Klein answered calmly.
His meaning was clear. If there were any problems, he wasn't afraid that the person-in-charge would go missing.
Bilt's smile froze as he said, "It hasn't been named. You can give it one."
"Murloc Cufflink." Klein couldn't be bothered to waste his brain cells.
"... Nice name. It leaves quite an impression," Bilt said with a forced smile.
He paused for a moment before saying, "That Artisan said that he can fix the summoning ritual of a spirit world creature onto materials with spirituality. It will be able to last a maximum of one and a half years, but you will need to provide detailed information.
"Heh heh, according to our agreement, I'll be responsible for it, so there's nothing to be worried about."
"Alright. Make it a harmonica." Klein took out a pen and paper from his pocket and scribbled the ritual to summon his messenger.
"Messenger? This is rather rare. It's very hard for Beyonders not from the Death pathway to find a suitable one." Bilt received the piece of paper and casually scanned it. "Eh, if the messenger is accidentally summoned during the production process, a gold coin has to be given to her... What happens if it's not given? Heh heh. Spirit world creatures always have something odd about them. I've seen some who love music, as well as ones who loiter around shit."
What happens if you don't give one? Perhaps Ma'am Reinette Tinekerr might bring the heads of you and the Artisan to me. She's a creature with a castle in the spirit world. She might even be stronger than me. Well, under situations when I'm not using the Sea God Scepter... Klein lampooned as he said in a deep voice, "The third promised item can be left to the future."
"Alright." Bilt didn't have any objections. Following that, he asked out of curiosity, "Mr. Gehrman, how did you fool Secretary Luan, Governor-general Aston, and Miss Cynthia—people who Admiral Amyrius specifically mentioned?"
"..."
Klein did his best to prevent his facial muscles from twitching.
"Follow the information and think about it carefully."
He didn't provide an exact description before he stood up and bowed with his hat.
"It's time I bid farewell."
"It was a pleasure working with you," Bilt answered with a smile.
After watching Gehrman Sparrow's figure vanish behind the door, he shook his head and chuckled, muttering, "This powerful and crazy adventurer is actually a natural actor?"
After lunch, his subordinate sent him the day's papers.
As Bilt sucked on a cigar, he flipped through it when his expression suddenly froze.
Last night, the new governor-general, Ben Conrad, held a banquet... New governor-general? Aston Rieveldt has been relieved of his position as governor general? Bilt picked up the other sets of newspapers and found the same piece of information.
With his connections in Oravi, he should've long heard of news regarding a replacement of the governor-general. However, the replacement was extremely sudden. Most people only learned of the situation when the new governor-general officially made his appearance.
After a while, a partner who was secretly serving Admiral Amyrius entered the room.
"Your Excellency wants you to investigate the people around you for Naturism Sect believers and sink them all into the sea," the partner passed on Amyrius's instructions.
"Alright." Bilt asked curiously, "What exactly happened? The Naturism Sect suffered a terrible blow since yesterday."
"His Excellency suffered an assassination attempt from the Naturism Sect yesterday. Miss Cynthia perished as a result. Secretary Luan was injured, and the admiral lost many of his bodyguards," the partner described simply.
"Ah?" Bilt was momentarily stunned.
A-aren't these the people Admiral Amyrius mentioned to be careful of when acting in front of them?
I even specially emphasized it to Gehrman Sparrow...
Now, Miss Cynthia is dead, Secretary Luan is injured, and Aston Rieveldt has been relieved of his position as governor-general... The corners of Bilt's mouth twitched while he wore a blank expression.
...
East Chester County, Stoen City.
Audrey silently listened to a noble lady's words, echoing her from time to time as she provided an ear to listen to.
Towards the end, the noble lady praised her sincerely, "Audrey, you really are an angel. I feel a lot more comfortable after chatting with you."
At this moment, Audrey saw the female priest from the Church of Evernight enter. Hence, she exchanged pleasantries before walking over with a smile.
This priest appeared ordinary, as she only provided low-level preachings, but in fact, she was a secret member of the Psychology Alchemists.
"Audrey, the potion formula is already in my hands. However, you need to contribute enough to obtain it," the female priest whispered while no one was paying attention.
Audrey's eyes darted around slightly as she said, "That wouldn't be an issue.
"However, Ma'am Smine, can you tell me its name?"
The female priest looked around before saying with a suppressed voice, "Hypnotist."