181 LOTM
On the surface of the mirror, silver words surfaced one by one amidst the aqueous light:
"...adopt Beyonders from the Church of the God of Combat and the Feysac military who are willing to pledge their loyalty. Only the extremely pious, faithful, and those willing to be martyrs, as well as a few mid- and upper echelon members of the Church are to be eliminated. This is both the benevolence and compassion of the Goddess, as well as the necessary measures to deal with the subsequent situation ... With the apocalypse approaching, the number of Beyonder incidents will inevitably increase all across the world. To maintain the stability of the world, we have to do our best to increase our strength as quickly as possible.
"If we were to cull the Beyonders of the Church of the God of Combat and the Feysac military, obtaining their corresponding characteristics, that still doesn't aid us in nurturing a Beyonder of the same level within a few years. A Beyonder with rich experience, be it in their digesting of the potion or accumulated knowledge, requires a sufficient amount of time..."
Upon seeing this, Klein mumbled inwardly. He felt that this wasn't the usual tone of Arrodes. It was more like an official document.
It's showing documents of unknown origins that it peeped at... By using words like "digesting," it means that both the writer and the reader have mastered the acting method. And from the tone of the document, it's from the Church of Evernight... Based on these two points, it's not difficult to tell that these documents are for the eyes of archbishops and high-ranking deacons. The author should be the Apostolic See from the Cathedral of Serenity... Arrodes's secret-prying abilities are very impressive... Klein nodded indiscernibly as he waited for the contents in the mirror to "flip the page."
The silver words vanished one after another, quickly forming new sentences and paragraphs:
"There's no need to spread the fact that the Goddess has replaced the God of Combat to the ordinary nobles and citizens of Feysac. This allows them to retain their faith in the God of Combat. On the one hand, it's beneficial for us and the priests, bishops, and various major cathedrals who have surrendered to us. It will stabilize the situation in Feysac in the quickest way possible. On the other hand, it also prevents the Goddess from being disturbed by the unresolvable problem of faith before "She" completely gains control of the God of Combat's authority.
"An update will be disseminated after a new revelation is given. Now, we will only draw up the corresponding draft.
"...Try not to incite the strong resistance of Feysac and other countries. We've lost too many Beyonders and soldiers, and we have expended a large amount of resources and items. Be it the Church, the countries, or the people of different classes, we are all very weak. We need some time of peace and stability to recover... We should work with the Church of Storms, the Church of Knowledge, the Church of Earth Mother, countries like Feynapotter or Lenburg. We will force Intis and Feysac to make an unconditional surrender. We will obtain what we hope for at the negotiation table. During this process, we can use the purging of the stubborn old-fashioned faithful to exert pressure on them.
"When dealing with the domestic situation and the filling of the void left behind by the Church of Steam, the Church of Storms should be given enough respect. We can even make concessions on certain matters. This is the will of the Goddess.
"Finally, from this moment forth, the number of times the crimson moon that appears in the sermons, preaching, rituals, and Masses should be reduced. In official canon, the Goddess's title of 'Lady of Crimson' shall no longer be mentioned..."
"Lady of Crimson" shall no longer be mentioned... Klein's brows twitched as he felt a strong sense of confusion towards the last sentence.
Soon, he thought of the Sanguine Ancestor, the ancient god of the Second Epoch, and the present Earth Mother, Lilith, who was once a Sequence 0 of the Moon pathway. She was the true Lady of Crimson. In a moment of enlightenment, he vaguely understood that this might be an exchange under the table. It was a necessary price.
Yes... The Goddess's attitude is very clear. That is to stabilize the situation as quickly as possible... Before "She" truly controls the authority of Death and that of the God of Combat, and becomes a Great Old One, "She" undoubtedly doesn't wish for any more orthodox deities to perish. If that happened, the invisible barrier left behind by the Primordial One will have no one to mend it; this will allow the Outer Deities to find an opportunity to bring the apocalypse forward... Also, based on Loen's present situation, if we continue the war, the anchors will waver even more. It might lead to the awakening of the Primordial One in the Goddess...
The Goddess took a huge risk having the frontline retreat all the way to Backlund. "She" had to divert more strength to suppress the Primordial One. If Earth Mother betrayed "Her," "She" might've perished even faster than the God of Combat. Uh, could "She" have other trump cards?
The losses that the Church of the Evernight Goddess and the Church of Storms suffered seems quite significant. It's no wonder that after the Resistance announced that they would retain the corresponding cathedrals and respect the Storm religion, that bunch of irascible fellows didn't attempt to retaliate, and they silently agreed to the establishment of the new government... Klein mumbled to himself as he had a rough idea of the current situation.
He asked a third question:
"If the Evernight Goddess wants to advance further, does 'She' need to find the River of Eternal Darkness?"
This was one of the nine sefirot. Klein remembered Arrodes mentioning it once, saying that this "river" was related to the ancient Death, the Phoenix ancestor, Gregrace. The clues seemed to be hidden deep in the spirit world's Calderón City.
"Yes, Great Master." The silver words twisted and distorted, forming new text. "The Death at the end of the Fourth Epoch should've been able to use the River of Eternal Darkness. 'He' attempted to use this sefirah to forcefully accommodate the Uniqueness of neighboring pathways. Then, 'He' went mad."
So that was how Death went mad back then. I knew it; a Sequence 0 true god, one who has lived for three Epochs and has seen the Blasphemy Slate, wouldn't lack common sense and randomly drink potions. It's not like "He" is Alista Tudor, having reached a point of only having the options of madness or death... It's no wonder Death challenged the fractured seven deities with just a Primordial Demoness. Back then, "He" was equivalent to half a Great Old One... Yes, Mr. Azik had a golden phoenix accessory that came from Death... Klein strung up certain matters.
Suddenly, he inwardly let out an exclamation. He suspected that the price of so many bestowments was the River of Eternal Darkness.
Just like how the True Creator had repeatedly tolerated him so as to force him into the Giant King's residence to obtain the first Blasphemy Slate!
As the owner of Sefirah Castle, he was probably the only relatively high Sequence Beyonder who could resist the corruption of other sefirot.
Of course, the Evernight Goddess could also wait up to a decade or so. After the Primordial One's will faded further, "She" could personally retrieve it. However, this way, Klein wasn't sure if "She" could complete the ritual before the apocalypse happened.
He composed himself and raised the fourth question:
"Where can I get the potion formula for Attendant of Mysteries?"
Arrodes made the silver words reassemble into brand new content:
"Zaratul; first Blasphemy Slate; second Blasphemy Slate; The Card of Blasphemy, The Fool; The Fool Uniqueness that has become a Mythical Creature."
The first choice and second choice might be plotting against me... Zaratul is even more terrifying and cunning than the Dark Demonic Wolf. If I were to plot against "Him," there's a high chance of me falling into "His" trap. The danger is extremely high... The third choice is Amon's brother. "He" should've used this war to become a Visionary. If I were to provoke "Him," Sefirah Castle might not be able to save me... The fourth and fifth options are related to The Half-Fool of the Antigonus family. It's related to the Goddess's foggy town. Uh, the Goddess should have a way to circle around The Half-Fool and extract the Card of Blasphemy, but perhaps I'll need to use the River of Eternal Darkness to exchange for it... Klein realized that he had reached a dead end.
The path ahead was the River of Eternal Darkness, and behind him was the leader of the Secret Order, Zaratul.
Unfortunately, if I can find the Dark Demonic Wolf, I can try to negotiate with "Him." "He" should've seen the first Blasphemy Slate and grasp the potion formula of Attendant of Mysteries... Sigh, "He" will flee far away once he smells me... Klein thought for a moment and said to Arrodes, "Fifth question, what did you mean when you said you saw a pillar and support from me?"
The aqueous light in the mirror swirled slightly as the deepness became more obvious. The corresponding silver text seemed to turn a little whiter.
"Great Master, this is a feeling that I can't describe using words.
"However, I've experienced similar feelings in another existence before. Apart from 'Him,' only you possess it. That existence is the ancient sun god."
The ancient sun god... Klein nodded in thought.
"Alright, it's your turn to ask."
On the surface of the mirror, the words on the silver screen suddenly turned golden:
"Supreme Master, do you think you can take away your loyal and humble servant, Arrodes?
"Supreme Master, do you think you can take away your loyal and humble servant, Arrodes?"
...
This question appeared five times in a row, completely covering the surface of the mirror.
Having become an angel, Klein no longer feared Arrodes. After thinking for a few seconds, he smiled and said, "Let me talk to that angel. This is basic courtesy."
With a boom, illusory beams of different colors spewed out from the mirror and exploded into fireworks in the carriage.
Almost at the same time, two dark rays of light reached out from the edge of the mirror. Two arms that appeared surreal grew out.
The two "arms" originally wanted to reach out to Klein's calf, but they silently shrank back and gently swayed on the spot.
"Praise the Supreme Master!" After the fireworks fell, a golden message appeared in the mirror.
...
In the middle section of the steam locomotive, in a simple room.
A tall and handsome young man with long chestnut hair sat on a hardwood chair. Facing the triangular Sacred Emblem, he clasped his hands and closed his eyes as he sincerely prayed.
On the side of the narrow table was a mannequin made of metal components. Behind the mannequin was a faint meshed glow.
Suddenly, the young man opened his eyes and looked towards the other side.
Someone had appeared there.
And in the young man's blue eyes, the figure only looked like a person. In essence, it was an invisible vortex wearing a silk top hat and a black trench coat. Inside the vortex, there were transparent and distorted maggots squirming about in the cluster.
"Gehrman Sparrow." The young man calmly read out a name.
All the items around him floated up, but there was no wind in the room.
Klein pressed his top hat and revealed his human face.
"How may I address you?"
The young man nodded slightly and said, "Bornova Gustav."
-x-X-x-
Bornova Gustav... Klein's gaze swept across the young man's face, landing on the floating items and the mannequin made from metallic components.
The mannequins have a postmodern style... Some of the physical laws here seem to have changed a little... Klein nodded in thought.
"I want to take the mirror."
He very honestly stated his request.
Bornova's expression didn't change, as though he was just a puppet.
"You're a Blessed of Evernight?"
"I guess so," Klein said with a smile.
Bornova nodded.
"Then take it away."
He's of the impression that I'm asking for the spoils of war for the Church of Evernight? Klein didn't explain as he politely took off his hat and bowed slightly.
"Thank you very much."
As he spoke, Klein's figure suddenly faded and vanished.
He had only come in the form of a Historical Void projection.
Following that, in the carriage where Ikanser and the Machinery Hivemind member were, nothing happened.
Of course, they were only situated in a historical scene, and the actual situation in the car had been covered up without their knowledge.
On a carriage more than ten kilometers away, a mirror suddenly appeared in Klein's hand.
It was silver in color, and the patterns on its back were ancient and mysterious. On both sides was an eye-like ornament.
"Don't speak." Klein looked into the mirror and gave a simple instruction.
"Yes, Supreme Master." Silver words surfaced from the depths of the mirror.
Klein immediately took out a pen and paper and used the magic mirror as a backing to write.
He thought for a moment and wrote with a faint smile:
"Dear Mr. Azik,
"It seems like I haven't written to you for a long time, as I went to the Forsaken Land of the Gods and had a wonderful journey.
"There are only two types of living creatures there. They are either living sentient creatures, or monsters. Those sentient beings either bear a curse or have obvious physical mutations. They're even more tragic than I imagined.
"I tried helping them. This wasn't only for the ritual, for my anchors, or to satisfy my sympathetic heart. It holds meaning on its own...
"Putting aside the suffering, the situation in the Forsaken Land of the Gods is completely different from the outside world. It's like an oil painting with a black theme... What's surprising is that Artificial Death can influence the undying creatures there. I was very confused back then, but today, I finally had a guess. I suspect that this is related to the River of Eternal Darkness, one of the nine sefirot...
"This reminds me of Calderón City in the spirit world. I'm reminded of the golden phoenix accessory you mentioned before... Rumor has it that the Phoenix Ancestor—Death of the Fourth Epoch—could use the River of Eternal Darkness to a certain extent. I wonder if you know anything about this?
"The war that lasted for more than a year has finally ended. The Evernight Goddess clinched victory in the end, and the God of Combat has perished. I believe that, with your level and status, you should know what this means...
"No matter what, the long-awaited peace has finally arrived. People are gradually returning to their normal lives. This is a scene that I like to see, but some wounds may never heal...
"I don't know if the apocalypse will arrive on time, and I don't know when you'll wake up. I can only hope that everything's heading in the right direction.
"Finally, let me mention something trivial. I've already advanced to Sequence 2 and am now a Miracle Invoker. This is both a curse and hope.
"I wish you well.
Your eternal student,
Klein Moretti."
After he finished writing, Klein examined it carefully before folding the letter. He blew Azik's copper whistle and summoned the bone messenger.
When the gigantic messenger emerged from the ground, its bones trembled as though it had sensed the aura of "the great ruler above the spirit world."
Klein chuckled softly and handed the letter to the messenger whose number was unknown. He watched it clumsily bow before disintegrating into a fountain and burrowing into the ground.
After doing this, Klein cast his gaze at the magic mirror on his thigh.
Sensing his gaze, the aqueous light on the surface of the mirror rippled and produced silver words:
"Great Master, where are we going next?"
Where to next? Klein repeated the question inwardly. He really wanted to "Teleport" to the main peak of the Hornacis mountain range and enter the ancient palace that bordered reality and foggy town. He wanted to see if he had the chance to take away the most useful Card of Blasphemy from the Antigonus family's Half-Fool.
With his present strength being equivalent to half a Sequence 1, this wasn't an impossible task. Back when Zaratul was a Sequence 2, he had managed to obtain the main ingredient of Attendant of Mysteries from The Half-Fool.
Of course, the premise was that the Evernight Goddess maintained the suppression and seal of the Antigonus family's ancestor.
Hence, he had gone full circle, circling back to a deal with the Evernight Goddess.
The present me is the owner of Sefirah Castle. I can split a portion of the Worms of Spirit to stay above the gray fog, constantly responding to any prayers. This way, apart from having certain latent problems to my mental state, I'll gain quite a bit of benefits in other aspects. Yes, I can help my main body at any time, giving me another resurrection method... Even if my main body is completely destroyed, with the Worms of Spirit above the gray fog, I can still reassemble my will and body... However, if I were to walk in the real world and get "Concealed," and also end up having my connection with Sefirah Castle severed, the Worms of Spirit left in Sefirah Castle will lose control and turn into monsters, just like Zaratul from back then... Klein quickly analyzed the situation. With his current strength, he felt that it was best if he didn't venture deep into Calderón City for the time being.
Even if he were to search for clues regarding the River of Eternal Darkness, he would have to fulfill many wishes and obtain the true strength of a Miracle Invoker.
With this in mind, Klein patted the mirror and said with a smile, "Next, let's go wander together.
"Where do you want to go?"
"Trier—no, you can go wherever you want," Arrodes replied humbly.
Klein smiled and jumped off the carriage, heading towards the city closest to him.
After the carriage continued for several meters, it disappeared inch by inch and returned to the fog of history.
At the same time, Klein's trench coat turned into a black robe. His top hat changed in shape, giving off a classic vibe.
This made Klein feel like a wandering magician walking through the streets and alleys.
...
In a rather intact house in Backlund.
Dressed in holy white robes, the beautiful Demoness of Unaging, Katarina, put down the mirror in her hand and turned her head to the young man who was rocking in a reclining chair.
"The war is over. They finally decided to summon me back to headquarters."
"I've been waiting for this day for too long," the young man sitting on a reclining chair scoffed.
He was wearing a long black robe with red patterns. He had a pale-white brown-skinned face with a soft outline. He was the Gatekeeper possessed by the Red Angel evil spirit.
Katarina pressed down on the table with both hands and sat on it. The corners of her lips curled up as she said, "You don't seem testy at all."
"When you get locked underground with two detestable fellows for nearly two thousand years without being able to escape, you'll know that two years of waiting is extremely easy and relaxing. I'm not in a rush at all," the Red Angel evil spirit said with a chuckle. "After this matter ends, I'll let you experience it. Of course, I'll remember to throw you two male companions. As for how long you can last, it's up to you to decide if you can hold yourself back."
As "He" said this, the Red Angel evil spirit's two cheeks didn't reveal any retorting mouths. This was because, to "Them," this was the truth.
"They" and two other detestable fellows had been locked underground for nearly two thousand years without any means of escape.
Upon hearing this answer, Katarina's eyes darted around as she asked with a faint smile, "Aren't you worried that Primordial would learn of this once you head to our headquarters?"
"So what? There's always a need to take risks in doing things. Furthermore, the worst outcome is to fuse with 'Her.' I'm already three in one, so becoming four in one isn't a problem," Sauron Einhorn Medici said with a nonchalant attitude.
"Let's set off." Katarina hopped off the table with a smile.
Just as she finished speaking, a red-haired man with a trademark imprint on his forehead was reflected in her eyes.
The Gatekeeper, who wore a black, red-patterned robe, stopped breathing. His skin and flesh rapidly rotted, turning into yellow-green pus.
In just a few seconds, there was only a white skeleton and a Beyonder characteristic left on the reclining chair.
Katarina waved her hand, pulling the Beyonder characteristic over by using invisible threads. It fell into her palm.
Immediately after, she lost all corporealness and suddenly entered the mirror she had used before.
A dark and illusory path that appeared surreal presented itself in front of the Saintess of White. It formed a complicated and mysterious "web" with similar objects in her surroundings, interweaving into a strange world that was different from reality.
Katarina quickly traversed the mirror world and approached the target node.
At that moment, she felt a powerful suction force. She couldn't help but deviate from the path and cast a dark and blurry fog. It represented a mirror in the real world.
In an instant, Katarina, along with the Red Angel evil spirit, left the mirror and came to an unfamiliar room covered in carpets.
At the edge of the room, a young man with ordinary facial features who was dressed in common clothes leaned against the staircase railings and smiled at the Demoness of White.
His left hand was constantly tossing an item, a strange crown covered in rust and blood.
Before Katarina could react, the young man took out a crystal monocle and put it on his left eye.
"Heh..." The Red Angel evil spirit's sneer echoed in Katarina's mind.
The next second, the young man took off the monocle and shifted it to his right eye before saying with a smile, "Sorry, I wore it in the wrong spot."
-x-X-x-
Upon seeing this scene, Katarina's body took a step back uncontrollably as her mind fell silent.
Two seconds later, she opened her mouth and let out a male voice:
"Hey, little raven."
Without waiting for the young man to respond, Katarina smiled and said, "Aren't you looking down on me by bringing just a few avatars?
"Could it be that you're a mailman, specifically here to deliver me Beyonder ingredients?
"Tell me, what kind of cooperation do you want? I don't hate you too much. After all, what happened back then was planned by that zealot. The mastermind was Alista Tudor, and you can only be considered an accomplice."
The man opposite "Him" caught the crown that was covered in rust and blood. "He" straightened up and shook "His" head with a smile.
"I have my reservations in cooperating with you after hearing your voice. Why don't you get Sauron and Einhorn to talk to me?"
"Tsk, tsk. It's been so many years, yet you're still as willful as a child. Do you still remember who was responsible for carrying you when you were still a baby? Who was the one who burned away your hair?" The Red Angel evil spirit mocked without any compromises.
The young man opposite "Him" used "His" empty hand to straighten "His" monocle and calmly turned around before walking out the door without any hesitation.
During this process, "He" sighed softly.
"Childish."
Seeing that Amon had no intention of stopping, the Red Angel fell silent for a few seconds. Before the other party walked out of the room, it controlled Katarina's body and chuckled.
"Don't think that I don't know what you want to do, but it doesn't matter. Since you don't have the same thoughts as that zealot, then there's room for cooperation."
Amon stopped and turned halfway to look at Demoness of White Katarina, who was possessed by the Red Angel evil spirit.
The monocle on "His" right eye seemed to glimmer slightly.
...
Awwa County, in a city that was being rebuilt after war, inside a bar which had burn marks.
"Toby, did you add too much damned water to your beer?" A man wearing an old cap took the cup and took a sip. He couldn't help but complain.
The boss, who doubled up as bartender, wiped his cup and snorted.
"Do you still remember the alcohol ban from before? Olić, you should be thankful that you even have alcohol to drink!"
The burly man, who was named Olić, murmured a few words before he focused on drinking his beer.
Beside him was a bronze-skinned man with rolled-up sleeves. He looked up and surveyed the area.
"I heard that the alcohol ban will soon be lifted because Feynapotter's food will soon be sent over. Also, Feysac and Intis will pay reparations with plenty of food!"
"I can only say that I hope so. May the Lord watch over us." The bar owner, Toby, had just responded when he heard the door open.
He looked up and saw a young man who seemed to be a wandering magician walk in.
This man was wearing a long black robe and a classic top hat. He walked to the bar counter and sat on a high stool.
"A cup of Southville beer." The man placed several copper pence on the counter.
The burly man named Olić turned his head to look at the stranger and asked curiously, "Not from around here? A magician?"
The young man, who didn't have any outstanding features, laughed and said, "Yes, the magic that I'm best at is to satisfy the wishes of people."
Olić immediately whistled.
"What did I hear?
"To satisfy the wishes of people!?
"Lord, there's a fellow pretending to be a deity here!"
This teasing caused everyone to burst into laughter.
The young man who claimed to be a magician wasn't angry. He smiled and said, "That's just a special magic trick."
Olić gulped down a mouthful of bland beer and laughed.
"Then fulfill my wish and let this stingy boss treat me to a glass of beer."
"Alright." The young man in a black robe raised his right hand and tapped lightly on the table.
With the glass slamming onto the counter loudly, the bar owner poured a glass of beer and pushed it in front of Olić. Then, he retracted his hand and repeated his glass wiping.
This scene that seemed familiar to him stunned Olić. He shouted blankly,
"Toby, you know him?"
"No." The boss, Toby, glanced at Olić like he was a fool.
"..." Olić raised the glass of beer with uncertainty and took a careful sip to see if Toby would make him pay for it.
Seeing that the bar owner no longer bothered with him, the burly man turned his head in surprise and looked at the young man in a black robe and a tall hat.
"How did you do it?
"I told you that it's a special magic trick." The young man leisurely drank a mouthful of Southville beer.
While Olić remained in shock, the man beside him with rolled-up sleeves sneered.
"I dare bet that you and Toby must have colluded beforehand. Your knocking on the table is to say that you'll pay for the beer."
"You can make another wish," the wandering magician replied nonchalantly.
"My brother and I have a house that collapsed during one of the bombings and is being rebuilt. My wish is that it will return to its original state before I return," the man with his sleeves rolled up said smugly.
This wasn't an easy task.
The wandering magician raised his right hand and snapped his fingers before smiling.
"Alright, your wish has been granted."
The people who were paying attention to this broke out into laughter. They no longer paid attention to the foreigner and his clumsy magic show.
After drinking, the man with his sleeves rolled up left the bar in a drunken stupor with Olić, and staggered down the street towards the suburbs.
Fifteen minutes later, they returned to the area where they were rebuilding their home. They were about to enter the tent that was issued by the government.
At this moment, a gust of cold wind blew and made them shudder at the same time.
Soon after, a two-story building appeared before their eyes. It was a house that they were very familiar with and had spent years building.
Olić and his brother subconsciously turned their heads and saw the same confusion in each other's eyes.
"I didn't drink that much... That damn Toby mixed so much water into the beer!" Olić murmured, as if he was seeing things thanks to his intoxication.
His brother didn't respond. After being stunned for a few seconds, he suddenly widened his stride and rushed to the house, touching the wall and the door.
"It's real, it's real..." He kept muttering to himself as if he had gone crazy.
Olić did the same thing. Finally, he confirmed that their house had been restored to its original state. This made him both surprised and scared.
At this moment, his brother suddenly said, "My wish was granted. That magician, that magician..."
Before he finished his sentence, he turned around and ran towards the bar. Olić came to his senses and followed closely behind.
Bang!
They pushed open the bar's door and rushed in, casting their gaze at the bar counter.
However, the black-robed and tall-hat wearing wandering magician had already left.
Olić and his brother looked around. They appeared relieved, but they also felt like they had lost something.
In the square of the city, the young wandering magician was squatting in front of a ten-year-old girl.
"My magic is to fulfill your wish." He turned his head and glanced at the nearby Evernight cathedral.
The little girl had run out from the Evernight Mass, seemingly preferring the empty square.
After some thought, she looked at the gentle Mr. Magician and said, "My wish is for my father, uncle, and brother to come back to life. I don't want their bereavement money..."
The wandering magician didn't respond as he gazed deeply at the little girl in front of him.
The girl pursed her lips and forced a smile.
"I was just joking. Mommy said that such a wish is not something even the deities can grant..."
As she spoke, she lowered her head and looked at her toes.
"I just want Daddy to hug me again..."
Before she could finish speaking, she suddenly realized that there was a shadow in front of her. She quickly raised her head and looked to the side.
Standing there was a Loen soldier dressed in a red shirt and white pants. He didn't hold a rifle and was wearing a hearty smile on his face. He crouched down and spread open his arms like always.
"Daddy..." The little girl pounced forward and threw herself into the warm embrace. "I miss you so much..."
At that moment, the young magician pressed down his hat, straightened himself, and walked towards the entrance of the square.
Amidst the night breeze, his long black robe swayed gently in the vast plaza.
...
In a blink of an eye, it was Monday. In the ancient palace above the gray fog, the members of the Tarot Club appeared simultaneously and greeted Mr. Fool in unison.
Klein looked around and suddenly felt emotional.
The Hanged Man is currently a cardinal of the Church of Storms, and he's in charge of the Rorsted Archipelago diocese. Although Justice has temporarily lost contact with the Psychology Alchemists, she has the right to become one of their councilors. The Sun is an Elder of the six-member council in the City of Silver, and The Moon is a Sanguine Earl. The Star is a high-ranking deacon of the Church of Evernight's Nighthawks. The Hermit is a hidden queen at sea, one of the ten pillars of the Moses Ascetic Order.
Apart from The Magician and Judgment, the other members of the Tarot Club are all demigods. They are the upper echelons of different factions in the mysterious world.
And with the support of the Abraham family, The Magician has a high chance of advancing to Sequence 4 Secrets Sorcerer within the year.
In other words, Judgment is the one who has the hardest time improving her strength. She is only one of the mid-to-upper echelons in MI9, so it's extremely difficult for her to become a demigod.
Klein, who was shrouded in grayish-white fog, quickly retracted his gaze and laughed self-deprecatingly in his heart.
It's finally like a high-end secret organization... However, it always gave me the feeling that this is some conference between the various factions...
He then nodded at the Tarot Club members and said, "Let's begin."
-x-X-x-
Upon hearing Mr. Fool's words, Alger's heart skipped a beat. He suddenly felt the feeling he had when praying to the Lord of Storms on Pasu Island.
When he greeted The Fool, he didn't notice any changes in him. Everything seemed to be the same as before, but at that moment, he believed that Mr. Fool was different from before.
This was something at the spiritual level, one that Alger wasn't able to describe accurately with words. He only felt that the body that was enveloped by the grayish-white fog contained a terror that was tens of thousands of times more terrifying than before. A simple sentence or simple action could suppress a person's natural order.
Mr. Fool has awoken further... After The World went to the Forsaken Land of the Gods and brought out the City of Silver, Mr. Fool went one step further in "His" awakening... "He" already has the level of a Sequence 0? If it wasn't for the fact that the Sailor pathway is sensitive to the level of a high-ranking person, I wouldn't have even noticed it... Alger wanted to say something, but he forgot what he was about to say.
Leonard surveyed the area and saw the other members remain silent. He probed, "According to the information we have gathered, there was indeed a battle of gods. The participants that have been confirmed to appear high above Backlund include the Evernight Goddess, God of Combat, and Earth Mother. As for the outcome, I believe everyone knows it very well. What are your thoughts on this?"
During the Tarot Gathering last week, Leonard had already mentioned the corresponding matter and had taken the initiative to ask Mr. Fool what had happened.
Unfortunately, Mr. Fool only told him that "He" was recently paying attention to the Forsaken Land of the Gods, and didn't give a direct answer.
"I can't understand why such an outcome would occur. Earth Mother and the God of Combat should've collectively defeated the Evernight Goddess as a mother-son duo..." Cattleya didn't conceal her puzzlement.
Alger retracted his thoughts and said after some deliberation, "I received a report. Just as the war ended, Feynapotter changed sides."
"This means..." Audrey vaguely grasped something.
At that moment, Derrick mimicked the lady across him and raised his arm.
"I roughly know why."
"You?" Emlyn uttered a voice of distrust. After all, The Sun had previously been isolated in the Forsaken Land of the Gods, so his understanding of the outside world was all thanks to the other members of the Tarot Club. How could he know more about the details of the battle of gods than everyone present?
Alger, who knew that The Sun had always been honest, suppressed his curiosity and excitement from the bottom of his heart as he asked in a deep voice, "Why?"
Derrick looked around and calmly said, "You have to promise with Mr. Fool as a witness that you can't reveal what I'm about to tell you."
"No problem." Cattleya took the lead.
After everyone made a promise to The Fool, Derrick nodded.
"Earth Mother isn't the Giant Queen, Omebella. The real Omebella has long died. 'Her' remains are in the City of Silver."
This news was like a bomb that landed in the hearts of all the members. It created a massive upheaval that threatened to destroy their minds.
For a moment, Alger, Audrey, and company were unable to say a word. It was as though they had been struck by lightning. They were paralyzed in their positions like stone statues.
After a while, Leonard asked in disbelief, "Are you sure?"
As soon as he said that, he began regretting his question. Since the City of Silver had the remains of the Giant Queen, Omebella, it meant that the whole matter was highly credible.
Subconsciously, Audrey, Fors, and Xio cast their gazes at the figure at the end of the long, mottled table. They discovered that there was a smile in Mr. Fool's eyes as he maintained his sitting posture without any changes.
This indirectly means that "He" is in agreement with the information that Little Sun just provided... Before Audrey answered The Sun's question, she nodded indiscernibly and said, "This can explain many things, but if Earth Mother isn't the Giant Queen, then why would Angel of Fate Ouroboros believe that "She" is Omebella?
"Oh, why does the God of Combat want to work with 'Her'? Who is 'She'?"
Upon hearing Miss Justice's series of questions, Alger suddenly felt a little emotional.
The topic of discussion amongst the Tarot Club had finally raised from Kings of Angels to true deities!
Previously, although they had stopped the descent of evil gods and had communicated knowledge of secret histories, they had rarely directly discussed the true deities. This was a subconscious fear, a deep mark left in them due to their upbringing in the present world.
And now, the members of the Tarot Club had unknowingly lost the reverence that came from the depths of their souls.
Cattleya didn't notice this as she focused on Miss Justice's questions. She said thoughtfully, "Perhaps that Earth Mother has always been disguising herself as Omebella. This has managed to fool the Angel of Fate, as well as the God of Combat...
"How is that possible..." Xio instinctively muttered.
Fors took a deep breath and said, "What a horror story."
At that moment, The World, who had been silent all this time, said, "Nothing is impossible.
"What if this cover-up had the assistance of the Evernight Goddess and other true deities?"
...A conspiracy that lasted for two to three thousand years... Alger's eyes froze as he instinctively shrank back. He had an instinctual fear of the Evernight Goddess and Earth Mother that stemmed from his soul.
The Tarot Club members fell silent once again until Leonard repeated Miss Justice's final question:
"Who exactly is Earth Mother?"
As he spoke, he looked at The World, Klein Moretti, and attempted to get an answer from his former colleague.
At this moment, they heard a long-awaited knock.
It was Mr. Fool knocking on the table.
Audrey and company perked up as they turned to the end of the long bronze table, waiting respectfully for Mr. Fool's answer.
The Fool Klein chuckled and said, "I can give you some hints."
He looked around and continued, "Why does the Church of Earth Mother like to turn the Sanguine into believers?
"The Earth and Moon are two neighboring pathways.
"Legend has it that during the Second Epoch, the ancient god, Lilith, who represented the Moon, died because of the Giant King's betrayal.
"'She' occasionally responds to the Sanguine's prayers as though 'She' hasn't completely perished."
After the four prompts, all the Tarot Club members, including The Moon Emlyn, thought of an answer:
Earth Mother's true identity is Sanguine Ancestor Lilith!
Emlyn's eyes widened as he instinctively sat up straight. His mind was a mess as all sorts of ideas ran through it.
Leonard was first astonished before he muttered in thought, "A few days ago, the Church of Evernight stopped promoting the title of 'Lady of Crimson,' and changed the prayer sign from the crimson moon to that of stars..."
As a high-ranking Nighthawk deacon, he was qualified to read the corresponding documents.
"The Evernight Goddess used the authority of the Moon domain as a bargaining chip?" Cattleya said the conclusion that lingered in everyone's hearts.
At this moment, they no longer had any doubts about the true identity of Earth Mother.
"Thank you for your hints." Audrey immediately bowed to Mr. Fool.
After the others expressed their gratitude, they looked at The Moon Emlyn, who was still looking stupefied.
Mother Goddess is the Ancestor... The Ancestor is Mother Goddess... So I've never changed my faith... It's no wonder I still continue going to the Harvest Church even without Father's corresponding psychological cues... That's because my intuition told me that the Mother Goddess is the Ancestor! Therefore, the Ancestor has favored me and made me the savior of the Sanguine... Thoughts flashed through Emlyn's mind as he found a reasonable explanation for the guilt he had previously felt.
He began to believe that he was the most devoted Sanguine!
Glancing at the "Earl," Fors smiled with interest.
"Mr. Moon, perhaps you might become the archbishop of the Church of Earth Mother after some time. No, it should be the sole Sanguine representative of the Church of the Earth Mother."
This writer immediately came up with a nickname.
"Why?" Emlyn asked in puzzlement.
He believed that the Ancestor would allow the Sanguine to maintain their former state and not merge with the Church of Earth Mother directly.
Leonard smiled and said, "Since the Evernight Goddess doesn't have the title of 'Lady of Crimson,' Earth Mother will soon have a similar honorific name. It's impossible to fool the other Churches."
Emlyn roughly understood what the upper echelons of the Church of Evernight were thinking. He nodded slightly and began imagining a series of scenes.
His kinsmen, who had previously mocked him for believing in Earth Mother, would queue up in front of him and accept his baptism.
With this in mind, Emlyn's mood turned extremely happy as he couldn't help but raise his chin.
After the exchange, the members of the Tarot Club fell silent for a moment, not knowing what to say.
A few seconds later, Alger broke the silence and calmly said, "Most of our members are demigods, so the time it will take to advance will lengthen. Furthermore, we have our own factions. We might need a few years before having a single chance of obtaining Beyonder characteristics, potion formulas, and Sealed Artifacts. The focus of the gathering now might switch to exchanging information and engaging in secret cooperation."
Audrey, Cattleya, Leonard, and company nodded in agreement.
At this moment, The Fool Klein surveyed the area and chuckled.
"With the matter regarding the Forsaken Land of the Gods over, my condition has recovered quite a bit. You can exchange items of higher levels from me."
He pretended to be calm as he revealed the "truth" that he was recovering. This was an answer that every member of the Tarot Club had long guessed.
Just as Audrey and company were guessing which level Mr. Fool had awakened to, Klein smiled and added, "Those items of higher levels include:
"The Sea God's identity, level, and strength."
-x-X-x-
Sea God's identity, level, and strength... Hearing Mr. Fool's example, Alger's mind went blank for nearly two seconds.
This was something that he had never dreamed of!
From his point of view, by obtaining the authority of Sea God through Gehrman Sparrow and replacing Kalvetua, Mr. Fool had obtained a stable and large number of believers. This was a crucial step for "His" recovery. Therefore, this secret existence definitely wouldn't give up on the corresponding identity.
To his surprise, at that moment, he actually heard Mr. Fool inform everyone that the Sea God's identity, level, and strength could be exchanged.
After further recovery, Mr. Fool no longer needs the identity of an entity at the level of Sea God, as well as the corresponding believers? This is the performance of a great existence. Something that isn't qualified is only used temporarily, never monopolized... Alger first sighed inwardly before feeling excited. He felt that Mr. Fool's words were directed at him.
In the Church of Storms, he had relied on external forces to become a Sequence 4 demigod. Although he barely managed to rise up to the brass, it was almost impossible for him to advance any further. As for the theft of the Book of Calamity, he couldn't see any hopes of doing so at the moment. Therefore, Alger could only temporarily suppress his ambition and patiently wait for the opportunity to arrive.
Now the opportunity was here. And it came fast!
Alger was currently a cardinal of the Church of the Lord of Storms in charge of the Rorsted Archipelago. Once he secretly became Sea God and controlled the authority of those waters, he would become the king of the Rorsted Archipelago, a true king!
With this in mind, Alger nearly couldn't contain himself. It took him a great deal of difficulty to calm himself down.
Although Audrey, Derrick, and company couldn't hide their shock that the Tarot Club was beginning to trade the identity, level, and strength of a deity—even if it was only a false god—they didn't have any intentions of switching to the Storm pathway. Compared to Alger, they weren't that excited. They quickly controlled themselves and cast their gazes at Mr. Hanged Man.
Alger took a deep breath and humbly said to the end of the long bronze table, "Honorable Mr. Fool, what price is needed to exchange for these items?"
The Fool Klein was waiting for The Hanged Man's question and said with a smile, "The missions I shall give you, as well as frequent praying and the sincere making of wishes."
What he wanted to emphasize were the words towards the end of the sentence, but he believed that the members of the Tarot Club wouldn't be able to tell.
As for how he could complete the corresponding wishes, he currently had two methods. First, he used the other Beyonder powers he possessed to achieve the corresponding effects. For example, he could summon historical scenes and repeat the segment of gifting beer to fulfill the wish of the "bar owner treating the patron." Second, he could directly grant a relatively low-level wish with his accumulated power of "Wishes" and create a true miracle. For example, using a snap to cause the collapsed house to instantly return to its original state, succeeding in rebuilding it in the full spirit of the wish.
In addition, Klein could use Sefirah Castle's level and powers above the gray fog that was equivalent to a King of Angels who had yet to accommodate a Uniqueness. In other words, when he responded to prayers, he could use the core powers of a Sequence 1, which was also the core power of the Attendant of Mysteries.
After this period of experimentation, Klein had a rough idea of the two effects:
The first was to create a nascent divine kingdom, and the second was "Grafting."
The term "Grafting" was coined by Klein himself. After all, he wasn't a real Attendant of Mysteries, nor did he obtain the corresponding mysticism knowledge.
This ability could allow an object that couldn't be directly connected under normal circumstances to achieve an inconceivable effect by "Grafting."
A simple example was to mix the concept of the beginning and the end of a path into one common node, making it impossible for anyone who walked that path to leave.
To Beyonders, there were quite a number of powers that could do something like that, but an Attendant of Mysteries's "Grafting" directly acted on a "concept" itself. Not only was it at a very high level, like the descent of a true deity, but its effects were bizarre and had a hint of concealment.
In addition to the replication powers of the Grade 0 Sealed Artifact, the Staff of the Stars, Klein could completely respond to prayers like a King of Angels while inside Sefirah Castle. Furthermore, he could do more things.
Upon hearing Mr. Fool mention missions, Alger suddenly recalled something. He hurriedly lowered his head and asked, "Honorable Mr. Fool, do you still need me to carry out further investigations regarding the three targets of the Feysac Empire that participated in the Konotop sea battle?"
He had previously obtained information regarding the three suspected owners of Creeping Hunger, but he hadn't found anything abnormal.
The Fool Klein nodded slightly and said, "There's no need for that anymore."
He originally wanted to use this clue to grab the tail of the Twilight Hermit Order, but since Adam had likely become a god, it was better to avoid doing so.
Respecting a Sequence 0 true deity was Klein's usual principle. He had to compromise and give up if necessary.
Without waiting for Alger to speak again, The Fool Klein said in a relaxed tone, "Your current mission is to cooperate with the Sea God believers, and settle down the people who have left the Forsaken Land of the Gods."
"Your wish is my will!" Alger replied without hesitation.
This made Derrick silently heave a sigh of relief. He no longer had any doubts, hesitations, or worries about the subsequent developments.
He had full trust in Mr. Hanged Man's ability to handle matters.
At this moment, The Fool Klein looked around and smiled.
"Apart from the Sea God's identity, level, and strength, there are many things that can be exchanged for. For example, the Imperative Mage potion formula and Beyonder characteristic."
He didn't list down too many examples so as to prevent himself from damaging The Fool's standing. As for having said so much, it could be explained away that Mr. Fool was in a good mood from having taken another step towards recovery.
Moon City had been passed down the heritage of an Imperative Mage, something Klein could exchange for when granting them the wish of "being saved." Of course, even if he directly made the residents of Moon City sacrifice the corresponding items, the people who had finally found his blessings and protection would definitely be very willing to do so.
They were more afraid that Mr. Fool would abandon Moon City and not accept their sacrifice.
Apart from that, Klein himself had a Silver Knight marionette; the Seer pathway's Sequence 9 to 3 Beyonder characteristics; the Sealed Artifact, General of the Pupil-less Eye; a drop of the Primordial Moon's blessed blood; and various kinds of charms and bullets that came from Worms of Spirit.
If the wish maker wanted a consumable or something for a temporary loan, Klein could even take out more from the Historical Void.
The Imperative Mage's potion formula and Beyonder characteristic... Xio inexplicably felt that Mr. Fool was looking at her.
To be frank, she lacked the motivation to advance. On the one hand, she was only one of the mid to high-ranking members of MI9, so the chances of getting a ticket to the ranks of a demigod were very low. On the other hand, her father's reputation had been restored to a certain extent, so she had no pressing goals.
At the same time, the war had ended. Her mother and brother had returned to Backlund and were about to start a normal life. With Xio's current overall income, it was enough to support a wealthy family.
All of these reasons made Xio feel that her current life was pretty good, and she didn't really want to change it.
Of course, if she had the chance to advance to the demigod level, she wouldn't let it go. Due to the war, she had experienced the helplessness of a Sequence 5. Furthermore, in the Tarot Club, aside from her and Fors, everyone else was a demigod. There was no doubt that she didn't want to fall behind that much.
Amidst her thoughts, Xio looked at Fors before bowing her head to the entity at the end of the long mottled table to indicate that she would work hard.
Fors could roughly guess her friend's attitude because it was roughly the same for her.
If it wasn't because she needed to advance to Sequence 4 to effectively resist the "full moon ravings" so as to stop troubling Mr. Fool, as well as the Abraham family having prepared the potion formula and Beyonder ingredients for her, she wasn't in a rush to become a Secrets Sorcerer.
As a Traveler, she could go wherever she wanted. She could immediately head to a location to eat whatever delicacy she wanted. It completely satisfied Fors's initial expectations of being a Beyonder.
Of course, she had another motivating factor to improve herself. After becoming a demigod, she could further help her teacher and family.
Seeing the fog-covered Mr. Fool leaning back into his chair, Audrey didn't say another word. After some hesitation, she opened her mouth and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, I have a question:
"If there's a matter, and you're aware that its outcome has nothing to do with you at all, with it solely being the result of the feelings and gambling of certain existences, what will you do?"
Just as she said that, Alger laughed.
"Everyone is destined to die. It's inevitable no matter how hard you try to change that. Then, does that mean one's life is meaningless?"
He seemed to have long since thought of this problem before adding, "Since you can't change the outcome of the matter at the moment, then try your best to improve yourself, obtain more power, and wield more authority until, one day, you can participate in the gambling. If you die during this process, it's better than not doing anything."
That's the most sincere words Mr. Hanged Man has ever said. It seems to come from his heart... The insignificant can also become great... Audrey was touched and nodded indiscernibly.
At this moment, The World Gehrman Sparrow looked around and spoke:
"Everyone, I have something to remind you of."
When the Tarot Club members looked over at the same time, Klein controlled The World and said in a deep voice, "The apocalypse will arrive in about a decade. There's a possibility for everyone to be destroyed, including the deities."
-x-X-x-
Apocalypse... Although Audrey had long learned about the prophecy of the apocalypse from the Church of Knowledge and Wisdom demigod, she never found it corporeal enough, feeling that it was meant to deceive the people.
Even though she had already slightly experienced a war where the individual was puny, she didn't believe that the world was just about a decade away from the apocalypse.
There were no signs of this at all!
However, the person who had given the apocalyptic prophecy was Mr. Fool's Blessed, Mr. World, who had always been trustworthy and daring to strike at angels. Furthermore, his tone was firm, as though he had already seen what was about to happen a decade later.
This made Audrey choose to instinctively believe him. Her heart sank as she felt nervous and flustered.
Apart from that, she also felt her confusion fade significantly—there was still another decade before the end of the world. Even those who were drowning would struggle a little, much less a perfectly fine Sequence 4 demigod.
Apocalypse... As a cardinal of the Church of Storms, Alger had recently seen many apocalyptic prophecies, but those unverifiable matters couldn't compare to The World Gehrman Sparrow's abnormally serious warning. The impact brought by the two sources wasn't on the same level.
At the same time, he acutely noticed a detail—the World said that even deities would be destroyed.
Alger's first reaction was that Gehrman Sparrow was being disrespectful to Mr. Fool, as Mr. Fool was also a deity.
However, he quickly rejected this idea. After all, The World Gehrman Sparrow was Mr. Fool's Blessed and was the most devout believer. The other members of the Tarot Club might accidentally blaspheme Mr. Fool, but it was impossible for The World Gehrman Sparrow.
Due to the two prerequisites that "Gehrman Sparrow wouldn't be disrespectful to Mr. Fool" and "him saying that even deities would be destroyed," Alger quickly came to another conclusion:
In The World's Gehrman Sparrow's heart, Mr. Fool's level was higher than that of a true deity!
This... Alger never doubted The World Gehrman Sparrow's knowledge; after all, he was a powerhouse who often interacted with angels.
This knowledge made him both shocked and puzzled, momentarily unable to find an even more reasonable explanation.
Having used the blood of a Snake of Fate to advance to the level of a demigod, Cattleya would also occasionally dream of the scene of the dawn of the apocalypse thanks to her pathway having Clairvoyant as its Sequence 3. In addition, Queen Mystic Bernadette would occasionally remind her, so she didn't feel any surprise or shock regarding Mr. World's words. She just felt like the dust that had been stirred had finally landed on the ground.
As for the future, this Mysticologist was equally lost. Apart from improving herself, she didn't know where to direct her efforts.
Apocalypse... Xio and Fors looked at each other across Ma'am Hermit and sensed the raging upheavals in each other's hearts.
They had never thought that the wonderful life they were living wouldn't last more than two decades unless something happened.
This was a time where they were in their prime. Even if they weren't demigods, they didn't have to worry about the inclination towards losing control due to their aging bodies.
As the person who spoke was The World Gehrman Sparrow, the two ladies didn't suspect the authenticity of the prophecy. They momentarily felt fearful and heavy.
At the beginning, Derrick couldn't help but feel depressed. This was because the City of Silver had just left the Forsaken Land of the Gods and came to the world of light. Yet, none of this would last long before the apocalypse was ushered in.
Soon, he composed himself and chose to believe in Mr. Fool.
Since this great existence was able to rescue the City of Silver from the Forsaken Land of the Gods, "He" too could also stop the apocalypse.
Although I'm the savior of the Sanguine during the apocalypse, I never expected it to happen so soon... I'm only an Earl... Emlyn couldn't help but frown. It was as though a student who had just attended a few days of lessons had to suddenly sit an exam.
Of course, this also made him excited. After all, it wouldn't be long before he would fulfill his mission and display his greatness in front of his fellow kinsmen.
Leonard had heard of the doomsday prophecy from Old Man Pallez Zoroast. Although he didn't know the reason behind such a development, he had long been mentally prepared. At this moment, he was the first to snap back to his senses and asked, "Why would the apocalypse suddenly happen? There are no signs of it..."
Klein controlled The World to reply:
"It's just that you didn't notice the signs.
"Do you think that a battle of gods erupted for no reason?"
Seeing that all the members of the Tarot Club were stunned and lost in thought, The World Gehrman Sparrow added, "You aren't qualified to know the exact reason. Just understanding it would bring about an irrepressible corruption. Only angels and above can resist it."
This is similar to what the demigod from the Church of Knowledge's demigod said... It's close to the corruption from the cosmos... I seem to have forgotten something... Mr. World seems to have figured out the whole story... Isn't he afraid of being corrupted? H-he's already an angel? He is now a "He"? Thoughts flashed through Audrey's mind as she acutely sensed that The World Gehrman Sparrow might've completed his advancement and become a true Mythical Creature.
In ancient times, this could even be called a subsidiary god, a member of the deity lineup!
Right on the heels of that, Alger, Cattleya, and the other members of the Tarot Club understood the truth. They knew that The World Gehrman Sparrow had already reached the top of the real world, becoming an angel that walked the land.
Their guesses were related to Gehrman Sparrow's plan to deal with a Mythical Creature. Some believed that it was the benefits that Mr. Fool's recovery gave to "His" Blessed.
But no matter what, it was the first time the Tarot Club had a member at the level of an angel, aside from its host and convener!
Of course, they weren't too surprised by The World Gehrman Sparrow's advancement to Sequence 2. They had long been numb to his progression rate.
Klein controlled The World and made him look around.
"You can think about what you plan to do next and how you would go about doing it."
Xio, Fors, and the other Tarot Club members nodded slightly as acknowledgment.
Another ten minutes of free exchange followed before this session of the Tarot Gathering gradually came to an end.
...
After returning to the real world, Xio surveyed her bedroom. Her expression slowly turned solemn.
She once again felt a pressing sense of urgency.
After walking out of the room, Xio saw that Fors had also walked out to the corridor at the same time. She no longer suffered from momentary paralysis before coming out.
"Where do you plan on going?" Both of them asked in unison before falling silent.
A few seconds later, a handsome young man walked out of the guest room. He wore a pair of narrow-framed spectacles and had slightly fluffy hair. He held a few thick books in both hands.
"Oh no, I forgot that I have classes this afternoon!" The youth mumbled to himself as he rushed towards the staircase, completely ignoring the presence of the two ladies.
He was Xio's younger brother, Rio Derecha. He had just entered a pre-law school.
In Backlund, one had to pass a pre-law examination before becoming a paralegal. Such a paralegal had to study and work for at least five years under a full lawyer before one was allowed to take part in the qualification examination and get a license to practice law.
If one wanted to become a senior lawyer, one had to enter the Backlund Lawyer School to receive university-level education.
Xio watched her little brother run down the stairs, and a smile subconsciously appeared on her face.
She immediately looked up and said to Fors, "I plan to return to MI9 and work hard."
"I plan on making a trip to Teacher's place," Fors answered the question.
Right on the heels of that, the Traveler's figure quickly turned transparent and vanished.
A few seconds later, Fors appeared at a relatively intact building in the rebuilding Pritz Harbor.
Then, she took out a pen and paper from her pocket and wrote a note. She planned on telling her teacher that she had finished digesting the Traveler potion.
Putting away the fountain pen, she stuffed the paper into the mailbox at the door.
This wasn't Dorian Gray Abraham's residence. It was the place where Fors and the gentleman had previously agreed to send letters to.
The next day, when Fors arrived, she saw Dorian providing her with the meeting location and time.
...
Emlyn opened his eyes in his room and changed into his coat with a standing collar, intending to visit Marquis Nibbs.
When the carriage passed Rose Street, he subconsciously looked out the window and was somewhat surprised to discover that the door to the Harvest Church had opened.
After a brief hesitation, he got the carriage driver to stop the carriage, and he paid for the ride.
After putting on his top hat and holding his cane, the red-eyed Sanguine Earl walked up the steps and entered the Harvest Church. He saw Father Utravsky, who seemed to have grown a little taller, cleaning the prayer hall with his back hunched.
He has been released as expected... It really was protective custody... Emlyn shook his head inwardly.
At this moment, Father Utravsky raised his head and looked at him.
"Wipe the candle stand."
...I'm trying to please Mother Goddess, Emlyn mumbled. He walked to the room behind him, changed into the brown priest robe of the Church of Earth Mother, and began working.
Neither of them spoke a word. They did their own jobs and tried their best to restore the Harvest Church to its former cleanliness and tranquility.
After an unknown period of time, a group of people suddenly entered the door.
Emlyn subconsciously looked over and saw Baron Cosmi Odora. He saw Viscount Ernes Boyar, who had once "worked" at the Harvest Church, and many familiar faces.
Emlyn's lips subconsciously curled up.
-x-X-x-
On a steam locomotive heading for Midseashire's Constant City.
Klein, who was dressed as a wandering magician, looked at the young man and his parents across the narrow table with items placed on it.
"I have two types of magic tricks. The first is to let your wishes come true. The second is to use a mirror to answer your question. Of course, the first type of magic requires payment, and the second requires you to answer questions posed by the mirror. What kind of performance do you want to watch?"
The young man had black hair and brown eyes. He seemed to have received a good education. He looked at his parents sitting beside him and said with a smile, "My wish is too difficult, so I won't trouble you.
"In comparison, I'm more curious about the mirror that can answer questions."
Klein sighed as he shook his head. With a flip of his left hand, he revealed a silver mirror with a black gem on both sides.
"It seems to be an antique." The young man opposite him commented with piqued interest before saying, "My question is, what is the purpose of my visit to Constant City?"
A commonly seen smile, one which was often seen on the faces of street magicians, appeared on Klein's face as he stroked the surface of the mirror with his right hand and said in a serious tone:
"Mirror, Mirror, please tell me the answer to the question."
After repeating it three times, he released his right hand and showed the surface of the mirror to the three passengers.
There were a few silver words on it:
"To get married."
"...Amazing." The young man and his parents looked at each other in disbelief.
After boarding the train, they had never mentioned anything related to the wedding, nor did they reveal anything that people could use to make the connection.
This was the first time they had seen a magic trick that didn't rely on props or a fake audience.
"Alright, it's time for the mirror to ask." Klein smiled as he covered the surface of the mirror with his right hand.
"Alright." The young man replied, feeling intrigued.
"Next, let's see what question the magic mirror will raise." Klein released his right hand in an exaggerated manner as though he was performing a formal magic trick.
The silver words on the surface of the mirror had already changed, extending into a complete sentence:
"You would prefer your bride to be a woman in her forties or above, right?"
The young man's expression froze for a moment before turning pale and then completely red.
"How is that possible!" He immediately rebutted. He couldn't help but turn his head to look at his parents and grumble, "What kind of strange question is that!"
"...It's just kidding." Klein smiled apologetically as he hurriedly pressed his right hand onto the surface of the mirror, as though he didn't know that would happen.
Then, he released his right hand.
Indeed, the words on the mirror changed again.
"How old are you?"
"25 years old..." The young man replied carefully, afraid that he would fall into a trap.
He felt the gazes of his parents and the surrounding passengers on him change.
"Alright, that's the end of the magic performance." Klein smiled as he put away the mirror. "You can try another magic trick."
Just as he finished speaking, the steam locomotive whistled. This was the sign that it was about to enter the station.
"Sorry, that's my call." Klein took out his golden pocket watch and checked the time.
He carried his luggage and left the steam locomotive along with a group of passengers. He arrived at the station platform that had yet to be lit up with the gas lamps.
This was Midseashire's Belltaine City, a city that had both prospered and declined due to the coal mines.
To Klein, the greatest significance of this place was that it was a strategic node in the previous world war.
Feysac had taken three routes in its invasion. One attacked the border along the Amantha mountain range to break through the land defenses. Another involved setting off from Sonia Island, attacking the coastal harbors, and attempting a landing. The third was to follow the main railway as they marched towards Backlund for the invasion.
Among them, due to the existence of the Church of Storms and the combined might of the ironclad warships and high-level Arbiters, the naval forces of Feysac and Feynapotter failed to obtain the results they expected. They even failed to obtain naval superiority. And on the battlefields on the Amantha mountain range, the headquarters of the Church of Evernight blocked one wave after another. It didn't fall throughout the war, thus preventing Winter County and East Chester County from going through the fiery crucible of war.
Of the three routes, the only successful one was the Midseashire troops. They did a joint naval-land operation and conquered Loen's second biggest city—Constant City, the capital of Midseashire. Then, they made their way southeast, rendezvousing with the Intis troops in the greater area of Backlund.
Klein acted as a wandering magician. On the one hand, he had to accumulate wishes, display miracles, digest the potion, and increase his strength. On the other hand, he was planning on taking the path of the war, using his eyes, ears, and his soul to truly see the damage brought about by war.
After knowing the secrets of the cosmos and the underground, he could understand the Evernight Goddess's plan and accept it to a certain extent. However, this didn't mean that he was indifferent to the sacrifices.
At the same time, he confirmed one thing: even if he didn't stop George III from becoming the Black Emperor, the world war would've still erupted. However, Loen would've had the upper hand. The Evernight Goddess and "Her" allies would face the God of Combat head-on, forcing "Him" to seek help from Earth Mother.
When that happened, the number of battles between the gods, the intensity, and scale would far surpass what had transpired.
Due to this reason, Klein followed Feysac's invasion path and wandered forward.
After leaving the station that still had traces of gunpowder, he carried the worn suitcase with a set of clothes and made his way towards the area where hotels were located.
At night, he would stroll along the streets and alleys of the city and perform wishing magic for everyone.
After taking a few steps forward, Klein's spiritual perception stirred as he cast his gaze to the end of the street.
There was a black-haired woman wearing a simple linen robe and a tree bark belt with no socks or shoes.
Arianna!
The leader of the Church of Evernight ascetics, the Grounded Angel, Arianna!
Why would "She" be here in Belltaine? Shouldn't "She" have returned to the Evernight cloister at the Cathedral of Serenity? Or be sent to the Feysac capital, St. Millom to preside over the handing over of the God of Combat's "estate"? It isn't a simple matter if a Grounded Angel were to suddenly appear in such a small city... Klein was puzzled as he frowned slightly.
He hesitated for a moment before deciding to ask.
This wasn't because he was a busybody; if anything happened while they were in the same city, no one could escape.
However, at this moment, Arianna had already vanished from the crowd. As a Servant of Concealment, Klein couldn't track her down even if he wanted to. Similarly, when it came to the matter of "Concealment," Arrodes was helpless.
Klein slowly took a deep breath and turned to enter the hotel in thought. He got a room and stowed his luggage away.
Then, he maintained his attire as a wandering magician and brought Arrodes along with him. Following his spiritual intuition as a Seer, he walked all the way to the municipal square of Belltaine City.
Erected near the municipal hall was a noticeboard that had many notices pasted over it.
Klein saw that several people surrounded it. There seemed to be a brand-new notice, so he approached them and stood in the periphery of the crowd, looking at the wooden signboard.
In the middle of the signboard, a slightly yellowed piece of paper covered over the other notices. On the surface were black ink and Loenese writing:
"Ladies and gentlemen, I am your new consul.
"Now, I will issue three new laws:
"First law: Without my permission, no living being can leave this place.
"Second law: All life is equal in front of the law. Even ordinary people can kill angels.
"Third law: Those who commit the crimes mentioned below will be punished severely. The highest penalty being the death sentence.
"1. Murder;
"2: Theft;
"3. Chanting the complete honorific name of a deity;
"4. Offering sacrifices to evil deities;
"5. Fraud;
"6. Leaking secrets;
"..."
An announcement like this... Klein pricked up his brows when he saw this. Without using his spiritual intuition, he could sense that there was something wrong with the content.
He instinctively tried to make his Spirit Body return to Sefirah Castle.
But an invisible force blocked his "departure," making it impossible for him to make contact with the grayish-white fog.
This... Klein narrowed his eyes as he took a few steps back to distance himself from the crowd.
From his point of view, an abnormality of this level had reached a near-deity level.
He had previously been in situations of not being able to return to Sefirah Castle, but the reason was that he didn't have the time to take four steps counterclockwise, recite the incantations, or he had been obstructed and interfered by "himself."
There was only one instance when he failed to leave the real world due to external forces:
It was a powerful seal personally created by the Evernight Goddess in the foggy town.
Apart from that instance, even Blasphemer Amon couldn't do such a thing. Of course, at that time, Amon's main goal was to force Klein to stir Sefirah Castle before "He" seized the opportunity to use a loophole to replace him as the "great ruler above the spirit world." Otherwise, this Angel of Time could've used "His" ability to steal Klein's thoughts to stop him from returning.
Who is this new consul of Belltaine City...? Is this the reason Ma'am Arianna came here? As his thoughts raced, Klein made the magic mirror slip from his wide sleeve into his left hand.
"What happened?" Klein asked softly.
The aqueous light on the silver mirror's surface shook wildly as slightly pale silver words appeared:
"A few rules here have been replaced. As for who did it, there's no way of knowing. Great Master, you can try finding the Servant of Concealment, Arianna, to learn the truth from 'Her.'
"Are you satisfied with my answer?"
The rules have been replaced... Lawyer? Arbiter? Or a "bug"? Klein thought as he looked around. He realized that the citizens in the square were puzzled, perplexed as to why the new notice would mention angels. Why did they have to request permission to leave?
The war had already ended!
-x-X-x-
Inside a bar in Belltaine City.
Roy, Biles, Phil, and Pasha sat around a small round table, guzzling down Southville beer.
They didn't talk much as they listened to the drunkards in the next table discussing supernatural powers and mysticism incidents.
"Before this, hic. I saw that, not only do the Feysacians look like bears, but they could also control fire, throwing them out like javelins!"
"No way... Supernatural powers actually exist?"
"Haha, that's because you don't know a thing. I was drunk one day and slept near the cemetery. I saw people from the Church of Evernight appear with a few ghosts out. Yes, ghosts! They floated in the air, and it was terrifying!"
...
It was unknown if the drunkards were sharing stories from personal experiences or from hearsay, but the way they described it was with so much agitation that saliva kept flying as their faces flushed red.
"That's what they're like. They only become more excited after drinking. They always like to brag and be dramatic despite usually being depressed." Biles was a Belltaine local. Upon seeing this, he explained, "Ever since the coal mines began to run dry, young people gradually left Belltaine and headed for Constant and Backlund. The atmosphere here has become more and more oppressive, and the city is just declining by the day."
This man, who was less than thirty years old, had also been a miner when he was young. He was lucky to survive in the mines, his skin was tanned from all the labor.
His exposed muscles weren't too exaggerated, but it gave people the feeling that they were made of steel.
As the leader of the group, Roy smiled and said, "What they're saying might be the truth. They're not bragging. The previous war has indeed exposed supernatural powers to many people, especially the soldiers who were directly involved. As long as they're still alive, they will have the corresponding experience.
"Besides, this also brings about many fortuitous encounters, making it so that people who had zero chance of interacting with supernatural powers or true mysticism to become Beyonders."
The way he expressed himself was very subtle, as though he was talking about others, but in reality, this was exactly what the four of them had experienced.
Biles and Roy had participated in the defense of Belltaine City before. Phil had once been ransacked by the Feysacians, but he was lucky to not have died. Pasha and her former citizens had seduced and ambushed a few Intis soldiers in the harbor battle.
They had witnessed the deaths of many of their friends and obtained supernatural powers due to various reasons.
After that, due to the chaos brought about by the war, they either lost contact with their unit, or they avoided it on their own accord without the officials learning about it. Slowly, they got to know each other and became friends with each other due to their common experiences.
This time, they had come to Biles's hometown in Belltaine to seek out any friends and family who might've survived.
"The reality of this world far exceeds our imaginations." Pasha, who had long dark-blonde hair and deep-blue eyes, sighed.
She was only in her twenties, and she was quite good looking. However, her face was a little thin, accentuating the protrusion of her cheekbones. This made her look much older than her actual age.
"In the future, we will lead different lives." Roy, who had the typical Loenese characteristics, raised his cup. "To a brand new future..."
Before he could finish speaking, someone in the bar suddenly screamed.
The experienced Roy and company quickly raised their vigilance and cast their gazes over.
They saw a young man dressed in ordinary clothes, lying on the ground, rolling back and forth as if he was in extreme pain.
Under the dim yellow gas wall lamps, everyone realized that the clothes on the young man's back had been torn open, revealing blood-red streaks. It was as if he had been whipped by a whip.
However, no one around him held a whip. The victim had only let out one scream. This was only possible if he had been whipped countless times in an instant.
But if that were the case, how could no one notice it?
"...He's holding a wallet... Could this have something to do with the anomaly just now?" The thin Phil took several looks and said after some deliberation, "Shall I take a look?"
Roy thought for a moment and nodded.
"Be careful."
Phil grunted and walked over from the small round table. With the help of the crowd, he approached the young man who was now whimpering instead of rolling about.
He quietly extended his left hand. His target was the seemingly ordinary leather wallet.
"Ah!"
Phil suddenly screamed as he watched his left wrist snap and land on the ground.
Blood splattered from the stump onto the faces and bodies of the people around them.
The scene instantly froze. The drunken guests were first stunned before swallowing their saliva. Then, they turned around and ran frantically towards the door or to the corners!
"Something's wrong... No one attacked me!" Phil nearly fainted from the pain, but he still forced himself to tell Roy, Biles, and Pasha what he had just experienced.
Roy's eyes narrowed as he decisively said, "Let's get out of here first!"
He then turned his head and said to Biles, "Pick up Phil's hand and preserve it well. I remember that a military doctor I met before is also from Belltaine. After he got discharged from the army, he came here and opened a private clinic. H-he can effectively treat this kind of wound."
The military doctor named Weber was also a Beyonder. When he participated in the war in the south, he had advanced step by step, obtaining medical skills that surpassed reality. It was said that he could sew up a severed limb and restore it to its former flexible state.
"Alright." Biles agreed without hesitation.
He took a few steps forward, took out a wooden box, picked up Phil's severed hand, and put it in.
At the same time, Pasha used the mystical ointment she had bought previously to stop Phil's bleeding, and bandaged it.
Soon after, the group of four left the bar.
After many inquiries, they finally found Weber's clinic with the help of passersby.
The clinic hadn't closed for the day, and the light from the gas lamps inside spread outwards, casting a dim yellow light.
Roy politely pulled at the doorbell again and again as he heard the ringing echo inside.
However, after a few minutes, no one came to open the door.
"He's drunk?" Pasha looked at the miserable Phil and made a guess.
Roy shook his head.
"I remember that Weber isn't one to drink. Other than being more amorous, he doesn't have any bad habits. Perhaps, he's currently..."
As he spoke, the middle-sized man with a face full of weathered pockmarks pushed the door open and realized that it was not locked. It was ajar.
As the door opened, Roy, Biles, and the others saw two figures.
Two figures were hanging in the middle of the clinic. Due to the wind blowing in from the outside, they swayed gently.
One was a man in his thirties wearing a white coat, while the other was a young lady in a nurse's uniform. Their lower bodies were naked and their eyes were protruding. Their mouths were half-open, and their tongues were squeezed out. They were hung on the ceiling by an invisible rope. Their expressions were filled with fear, despair, and blankness.
"Weber..." Roy recognized the dead man.
He, along with Pasha, Phil, and Biles, felt a chill run down their spines. They didn't know why something like this had happened, nor did they know what kind of horrors such an unknown might bring.
Boom!
The sound of a chair being knocked over sounded from the side, jolting the dazed Roy and company.
They looked in the direction of the voice and saw a lady carrying a baby standing up in a fluster. She whispered in horror and confusion, "They were having an affair..."
What had this got to do with their encounter? Roy took a deep breath. He felt that he shouldn't stay here for long.
He quickly instructed, "Let's go!"
He didn't ask Pasha to comfort the lady, nor did he attempt to obtain the clinic's disinfectant and bandages.
Biles and the others swallowed their saliva with great difficulty, turned around, and warily left the clinic.
To Phil, the horror of the unknown had completely suppressed the pain in his left hand.
"What exactly happened?" Phil asked as he turned into another street, asking as his facial muscles winced.
"How would I know?" Biles blurted out. He had seemed to lose control of his emotions.
Roy looked around and exhaled.
"Calm down.
"This should be a terrifying Beyonder matter that has exceeded our imaginations."
"Right. All of this is too strange. That can be the only reason." Pasha nodded in agreement.
"Then what should we do?" Phil asked anxiously.
Roy thought for a moment and said, "Let's try to leave Belltaine.
"Also, analyze what happened before and summarize the patterns hidden within.
"We can't be sure of the anomalies we might encounter later. We can only ensure our own safety after knowing the underlying rules."
"Right." Biles calmed down and agreed with Roy.
They discussed as they walked, gradually having some ideas.
"Weber was hung for adultery. Before Phil's hand was cut off, he tried to take the wallet. That's a form of theft..." Pasha summarized the common point the two incidents had in common.
Roy suddenly had an idea:
"Could it be that they suffered such a situation because they did something illegal?"
"How is that possible?" Biles and Phil both replied.
As soon as he said that, they suddenly had a corresponding guess, and their expressions turned solemn.
"Maybe there's an invisible law enforcer. That's the essence of this Beyonder incident..." Biles said in thought.
Roy tersely acknowledged and said, "That's highly possible.
"Next, we'll take note of our actions."
Pasha and the others nodded and walked on the streets cautiously.
Not long after, they arrived at the municipal square and saw that there were many people standing around the noticeboard.
"Notice?" Roy and the others exchanged looks, wondering if it was a warning that the officials had given to the supernatural incidents.
Hence, they approached and used the light from the street lamps to look at the notice on the wooden board.
There was a piece of white paper stuck in the middle, and beneath it was a piece of yellow paper. It seemed to be an annex.
As they quickly scanned through the notice, Roy, Pasha, and the others quickly had their eyes filled with horror. They seemed to understand the source of the matter.
After reading the paper, their eyes landed on the yellow paper.
"All citizens are to arrest foreigners using all possible means."
Arrest foreigners... Roy and the others felt their hearts tighten as they instinctively looked at the citizens around the noticeboard.
As if sensing their gazes, the citizens turned around and cast their gaze at them.
Under the dim yellow light from the gas lamps, their eyes seemed to glimmer with a strange light.