Chapter 1036 "Expected" Development
"According to Mr. Door, the main difference between the second Blasphemy Slate and the first Blasphemy Slate isn't that the latter has many unique Sequence names, but that the former had many additions. It was a secret the ancient sun god caught a glimpse of towards 'His' later years. Alright, as a true god, there's no such thing as later years. I'm just using the human concept of the period from 'His' birth to fall, so that would be considered 'His' later years.
"In other words, the second Blasphemy Slate's creator was the ancient sun god?"
"Towards this question, Mr. Door answered with almost certainty. 'He' told me that the ancient sun god's fall resulted in the birth of the Blasphemy Slate.
"Does that mean that it's considered a key relic of the ancient sun god?
"Then, who was the one who created the first Blasphemy Slate? The original Creator who truly created everything? And what were the additional pieces of knowledge that appeared on the second Blasphemy Slate?
"Mr. Door didn't answer, only saying that it involves too many secrets. It cannot be explained in just a few words. If 'He' were to return to the real world, 'He' would be able to tell me in detail.
"Heh, do you think I'll fall for it?
"As the Blasphemy Slate was mentioned, I recalled two questions that had been bothering me since a long time ago. What does it mean to be the trend of the times? Who defines the trend of the times?
"Mr. Door's reaction was very odd. 'He' laughed for nearly twenty seconds before telling me, be careful of the 'Spectator.'
"What has this got to do with my question?
"With 'His' reminder, I carefully recalled the contents of the second Blasphemy Slate and discovered an unusual problem. As a Beyonder of the Savant pathway, my memory is something I can be proud of due to my eidetic memory. However, I only recalled that Sequence o of the Spectator pathway is Visionary, but I have no impression of its ritual to become a god!
"I can clearly remember all the rituals for the other twenty-one pathways, but this is the only one where, not only do I lack an impression of, I have even subconsciously neglected it.
"I tried asking Mr. Door what the ritual is for becoming a god for the Spectator pathway.
"Mr. Door laughed and said with a teasing and leisurely tone, 'didn't you already say it?'
"This… The ritual for a Spectator to become a god is to make the development of the times to be in line with one's expectations. Then, consume the potion for their advancement when it's at a certain time node in that trend?
"I believe that's the truth!
"Compared to 'the times is part of the original Creator; only when the times develop according to a certain expectation can 'He' draw energy from it and revive,' this seems more objective. Heh, I knew that among the founders of that ancient secret organization, there had to be someone with their plans apart from the zealots!
"On careful thought, this is really quite a terrifying matter. It's fine when stuck in the Low- and Mid-Beyonder levels, but once someone is of a high standing, they might suffer an unknown and sudden destruction simply because their particular thoughts, ideas, or matters that they would like to push forward disagrees with a particular existence's expectations…
"Be careful of the 'Spectator'!
"I'm very curious how Mr. Door knows what's on the second Blasphemy Slate, as well as the various rituals needed to become a god. 'His' answer was that 'He' had seen the complete second Blasphemy Slate, and with 'Him' were Solomon, Zaratul, Tudor, Trunsoest, Augustus, Einhorn, Sauron, Castiya, Zoroast, Stiano, Constantine, and company… These were families who reigned over all the Beyonders in the Fourth Epoch!"
The secrets contained in this diary page made Klein feel as though he was facing a Mythical Creature's form, embroiling his mind in a storm of knowledge.
The Spectator's ritual to become a god is to make the times develop according to one's imagination? If that's the case, Adam has been subconsciously preparing for this since the beginning of the Fourth Epoch… So the secret that King George III is hiding, and the possible developments, are in line with "His" expectations, to the point of "Him" giving a helping hand? Once the tide of the times come rushing in, with things not being capable of changing in short time spans, "He" will be able to become a god?
In that case, engaging in a deep investigation of the Great Smog is abnormally dangerous. Even if I'm currently a Blessed of the Goddess, having an official Beyonder's background and being able to cooperate with angels anytime, my safety can't be guaranteed. After all, the Goddess isn't able to descend for quite some time… Amidst his thoughts, Klein suddenly had the intention of cowering back.
If this were in the past, he could relax after reporting the matter to the Church of Evernight and even leave Backlund for a vacation. But now, as a Blessed of the Goddess, he had already promised to seek out Hvin Rambis and Saintess of White Katarina, making it very difficult for him to escape.
It was truly a case of "you win some, you lose some."
Furthermore, Klein didn't know how Adam wished for the times to develop. If a Great Smog of Backlund happened again, he really had no way of extricating himself. There were people he cared about, and he yearned for peace.
At the very least, I have to know what the king's secret is before deciding what to do… On the second Blasphemy Slate, apart from the Beyonder pathways and Sequence potion, what are the secrets it has? Klein retracted his gaze and made Roselle's diary page vanish.
Then, he looked around with a calm expression and said with a smile, "You may begin."
At this moment, Audrey didn't hide her curiosity. She raised her hand slightly and asked, "Honorable Mr. Fool, is there any special meaning to the cross beside your hand?
"If the answer requires an equivalent exchange, you can directly make the request."
Klein placed the Unshadowed Crucifix on the table precisely because he wanted the Tarot Club members to ask. He could then use this opportunity to inform Little Sun and The Hanged Man, who might have a chance of using the cross, of the news. After all, such matters were beneath Mr. Fool to expect him to raise them.
Therefore, he smiled at Miss Justice.
"This question is nothing.
"It's something left behind by the sun god of ancient times."
Sun god of ancient times… Ancient sun god? The Creator that the City of Silver believes in? T-this cross actually has such origins? A captain of the royal guards who's just a Sequence 5 or 6 actually had a relic of the ancient sun god on him? Isn't that too much a coincidence? Fors couldn't believe her ears when she heard Mr. Fool's answer.
At this moment, The Fool Klein mentioned in passing, "Its level isn't too high, corresponding to an Unshadowed. It's greatest use is to eliminate the mental corruption of Beyonder characteristics and help people who have consumed excessive potions to expel the excess characteristics. It will allow those who do not wish to remain in the mysterious world to return to normalcy."
This power is rather fascinating… It's no wonder Mr. World once asked me if given a chance, will I be willing to completely leave the mysterious world… Audrey felt that her curiosity was satisfied.
Strange… It really is an item that makes me uncomfortable… Emlyn made a judgment as he looked to the side at The Sun.
Derrick was surprised and delighted, having a feeling that he had his dream fulfilled.
His dream was to free all the residents of the City of Silver from the curse and return under the Sun, and not constantly suffer the madness, pain, and torture.
And if such a dream could be fulfilled by the relic inherited from the ancient sun god—the Creator who the City of Silver believed in-it would truly appear to be destiny and inevitable.
He spoke before The Hanged Man.
"Honorable Mr. Fool, can I find a way to trade for this item?"
"As long as you pay a sufficient price," Klein said with a slight nod.
…Mr. Fool really is the best, the greatest! Derrick praised from the bottom of his heart.
As long as a sufficient price is paid… Alger gained inspiration from Miss Magician's rental of the notebook and hurriedly asked, "Honorable Mr. Fool, is it possible to rent the cross for a day or a few hours for a fixed price?"
He currently didn't have any plans on renting it. As his Wind-blessed potion had digested relatively quickly, he planned on considering the problem of purging the excess characteristic after he consumed the additional Ocean Songster potion.
"Yes," The Fool Klein answered simply.
It can be rented? The Star Leonard had benefited quite significantly from borrowing Leymano's Travels previously. After he heard Mr. Fool's answer, he focused, seriously thinking if he had any need for the ancient sun god's relic.
A few seconds later, he realized that he didn't have such a need.
Not only was the Sun pathway good against wraiths and specters, the Evernight pathway was good at it too!
Furthermore, when he returned from Tingen to Backlund, he had already obtained four Flaring Sun Charms, planning to give half of them to Klein who had provided him the information, keeping the other half for himself.
As for purging the excessive Beyonder characteristics and leaving the mysterious world, he didn't need it. He was about to hold the ritual to become a Spirit Warlock!
At this moment, Fors glanced at Xio and felt pangs of regret.
She wasn't regretting them sacrificing the cross to Mr. Fool, but rather that she didn't attempt to use her powers or Leymano's Travels to "Record" the corresponding powers before sacrificing it.
Of course, this was mainly because she was rather timid. Without being able to use an Astrologer's means to determine the cross's uses and effects, she didn't dare to rashly make attempts.
After all, I can still rent it from Mr. Fool in the future… She tried hard to cheer up.
Noticing no further requests, The Fool Klein retracted his grace, gesturing to the Tarot Club members to begin the transactions and discussions.
In fact, the Unshadowed Crucifix had someone who potentially needed it. It was the Fog Sea's Strongest Hunter Anderson. This fellow had undergone various experiments after boarding the Golden Dream under Vice Admiral Iceberg's arrangements, doing so in a bid to digest the alien object inside him. There was already a certain level of success, but it wasn't enough to completely eliminate the latent problems.
Upon thinking of this, Klein silently mumbled, I'll get Danitz to ask later…
At this moment, Audrey raised a request for a transaction.
"Ladies and gentlemen, which one of you has a Dreamcatcher's heart, mind illusion crystal, or an adult mind dragon's complete brain?"
Chapter 1037 Gehrman's Problem
After hearing Miss Justice, Derrick very enthusiastically replied, "Our City of Silver's warehouse likely has the complete brain of an adult mind dragon. I'll inform you after confirming it when I return."
He originally wanted to say that even if there was the complete brain of an adult mind dragon, it was most likely filled with madness and distorted mental corruption, but after seeing the bronze cross, he felt that it wasn't a problem.
That simple? Audrey's eyes lit up when she heard that. Her depressed mood from last night had brightened up significantly.
Indeed, compared to the outside world where dragons are decreasing in number, the City of Silver, which has a history dating back to the Second Epoch, will likely possess such ingredients. Hmm, it's mainly because they do not have the higher Sequences' formula for the Spectator pathway, so even with the ingredients, they are of little use. Furthermore, they lack an Artisan and are unable to turn Beyonder ingredients into mystical items. At times, they'd rather just store them… Many thoughts ran through Audrey's mind as she asked with a faint smile, "If you do have it, what would you exchange it for?"
"I haven't thought of it…" Derrick felt a little embarrassed as he raised his hand and scratched the back of his head.
His main goal now was to obtain the Creator's relic from Mr. Fool, but he didn't have anything of equal value.
In the past, he would definitely be worried, but now, he quickly came up with an idea despite his worries.
He decided to ask the Chief because he was certain that the Chief was interested in the Creator's relic.
Due to having such thoughts, he really didn't know what payment he needed from Miss Justice. He planned on figuring out the other matter before telling her.
"Alright, confirm it first. It's best if you can check if there's any blood of an adult mind dragon." Audrey didn't press as she nodded gently.
It was the hardest supplementary ingredient she needed in the Dreamwalker potion formula.
Audrey immediately looked around, indicating that she was done.
You don't have to look at me. Although I do have some savings, there's nothing I wish to buy. It mainly has to do with Teacher not having given me the Traveler's potion formula… Among the first five Sequences of Apprentice, I like Traveler the most. I've always been looking forward to heading to different places to take in their vistas and delicacies. But thinking of the long journey, the crowdedness or crude transportation tools, and the inns whose level of hygiene is questionable, I'll definitely be obstructed by all the bulky baggage… After I become a Traveler, these won't be a problem… Fors's thoughts gradually wandered as she fantasized about her future life.
Xio pondered for a moment and said, "Everyone, please look out for the potion formula for the Arbiter pathway's Sequence 6 Judge and Sequence 5 Disciplinary Paladin."
She had a chance of obtaining the Judge formula from her MI9 contact, but she believed that Viscount Stratford's death would definitely cause a storm in Backlund, and when that happened, many things might change. Therefore, she planned on getting the Tarot Club to make additional preparations. After all, it was only for them to be on the lookout and not to search for them.
Besides, at Sequence 6 and 5, that would make her a quasi-high-ranking member of MI9. For informants in the peripheral to apply for the potion formula, there was a high probability that she needed to undergo a new round of investigations. This wasn't something she could skip because of the contact who had been very friendly to her.
To Xio, who was anxious to advance to a High-Sequence Beyonder and figure out the secret of the king, she undoubtedly couldn't place her hopes in the military.
"Alright." Alger was the first to reply.
Due to the influence from the royal family and the military, the Church of Storms likely had some of the potion formulas of the Arbiter pathway. Of course, this wasn't something a "Sequence 6" captain responsible for acting as a pirate would know. He only had a chance of knowing them after he officially became a Sequence 5 and was summoned back to the Church or was assigned to deal with more important missions.
Following that, Cattleya said, "The potion formula of the Arbiter pathway is strictly controlled by the Loen and Feynapotter royal families and military. They seldom appear in the wild. However, I can try to help you obtain it, but not able to guarantee you success. Also, if you need it, I can provide you with a Judge pathway's mystical item. After its shattering and reformation, it will become the corresponding main ingredient."
When she mentioned the words "shattering" and "reformation," Cattleya subconsciously thought of turning her body sideways as a hint to Miss Judgment that she could seek Mr. Fool's help, but ultimately she held back.
As for the method to obtaining the potion formula, it was actually very simple. It was to take the initiative to listen to the ravings of the Hidden Sage and accept the knowledge "He" imbued. At Sequence 4, her level of tolerance as a demigod had undergone a qualitative change.
However, the Hidden Sage was definitely not an existence that lacked intelligence. "He" could attach negative influences in the knowledge in "His" ravings, and even send "His" powers down from above, corrupting the listener. Therefore, such actions were still dangerous. Cattleya had the courage to attempt it, not because she was rash and overly confident, but because she was a member of the Moses Ascetic Order.
As an ancient organization that believed in the Hidden Sage, the Moses Ascetic Order's upper echelons had gradually found a relatively safe method to "listen" while under this existence's influence. Likewise, the Hidden Sage didn't have a ridiculous level of malicious intent towards members of the Moses Ascetic Order. "He" seldom brought harm, and most of the time, "He" was simply imbuing knowledge and letting them pursue "His" believers.
To her, as long as she controlled the frequency and quantity, she could obtain knowledge from the Hidden Sage in a rather safe manner. As for the tiny influence and corruption that came with it, she suspected that the process of entering the area above the gray fog every time she participated in the Tarot Gathering allowed them to be eliminated in a natural and simple manner.
The only problem was that the knowledge she received each time wasn't something under her control. It depended on the Hidden Sage's mood and thoughts at that particular point in time.
In a sense, this was a passive and irresistible secret deed ritual.
As for the Judge pathway mystical item that she was willing to provide, it came from the Fog Sea's Strongest Hunter Anderson—a button. After she became a demigod, some of the items she held had little use. One of them was the button.
After hearing that, Xio didn't hesitate to agree.
"Alright, I'll consider purchasing it after obtaining the Judge potion formula."
I hope I can raise my Sequence again by then, allowing me to use the gray fog's powers that isn't just close to the level of an angel, but that of an angel. Only then can I shatter items and let the characteristic reform. Otherwise, I'll still have to bother Ma'am Arianna or Will Auceptin. Yes, if Mr. Azik were to awaken, things would be a lot simpler…
I wonder if the Unshadowed Crucifix can purge an item's Beyonder characteristic out. I don't think it will work. It can't coexist with those items, preventing them from even coming close… Other than this restriction, it should be possible in theory. I'll later try to use the gray fog's powers to force the Unshadowed Crucifix to be bound to other mystical items… Klein, who was listening by the sidelines, thought.
After discussing Miss Judgment's matter, the other members didn't seem to have any needs to make a transaction. Leonard had already covered up the weaknesses of his mystical item. Alger was working hard to become "legal."
Derrick was only thinking of the Creator's relic. Emlyn and Cattleya had just advanced recently, so they had nothing they needed for now.
Amongst them, Cattleya had the intention of renting the cross to see if she could cleanse the remnant corruption in Artisan Cielf. However, the Roselle diaries she gathered came from Queen Mystic and were used for obtaining answers. She believed she was temporarily unable to produce anything that would gamer Mr. Fool's interest.
I'll try to gather the emperor's diary out at sea… Cattleya secretly made the decision. After some thought, Emlyn said to The Magician, "Ma'am, in the next two weeks, I might need to rent that notebook."
"No problem." Fors was originally thinking of spending money to get Mr. Moon to add Abyss Shackles and other Beyonder powers to the spellbook, so she was very happy to permit his request. This meant, not only would she not be spending money, but she would even earn some money.
At this thought, she couldn't help but add, "Try not to record 'Full Moon.'"
She would be very troubled if Leymano's Travels's powers were mainly filled with "Full Moon."
While Emlyn nodded in agreement, Alger interrupted as though in thought, "Is the Sanguine's hunting of the key members of the Rose School of Thought about to begin?"
"Yes." Emlyn didn't hide the truth at all. "Once the plan is finalized, I'll get everyone to provide me with suggestions."
"No problem." The first to answer wasn't The Hanged Man, but The World Gehrman Sparrow who had been sitting silently at the bottom end of the long bronze table.
He's interested in this? Not only did Emlyn think this, but the other members also had the same idea no matter how slow they were.
With The Hanged Man, The Hermit, and Justice agreeing to help Mr. Moon in plotting the Sanguine operation, the Tarot Club's transaction segment came to an end, ushering in the free communication segment.
The World Gehrman Sparrow sat up slightly and looked at The Star Leonard.
"Help me ask if that person has seen the second Blasphemy Slate."
"Blasphemy Slate?" Audrey and the other members immediately grasped the peculiar term.
They immediately had astonished thoughts:
The second Blasphemy Slate?
Mr. Star isn't as simple as he appears! He knows someone that has seen one of the most important items in mythical legend!
Other than his identity as a member of the Church and official Beyonder, he had other secrets!
No wonder he has joined the Tarot Club…
Leonard jumped in fright as well, never expecting Klein to raise such a request.
After a few seconds of silence, he exhaled and said, "Okay."
Chapter 1038 Name Lis
After answering, Leonard snapped to his senses and grasped the hidden message contained in Klein's request.
Does he mean that Old Man has once seen something like the Blasphemy Slate?
Without giving Leonard the chance to think, The World Gehrman Sparrow surveyed the area and mentioned something else:
"The Church of Evernight has confirmed that Loen King George III hides a particular secret from the intel they received from MI9's deputy director, Brigadier General Qonas Kilgor… He secretly sent people to dig up the Blood Emperor's ruins and colluded with the Demoness Sect and Psychology Alchemists…"
Klein controlled the fake person and described the matter which he had previously told Miss Justice in greater detail. After he was done, he made special mention:
"The three Churches don't seem to have found enough evidence. With Hvin Rambis's disappearance, the matter seems to have calmed on the surface… There is reason to suspect that there's a traitor amongst the upper echelons of the three Churches."
…Something so major actually happened in Backlund this week? Klein seems to have obtained information from the Church… Why don't I know any of that? As he listened, Leonard shot a look at The World Gehrman Sparrow with an odd expression. He temporarily had his thoughts adrift, unsure as to who was the Red Gloves of the Church of Evernight and a target who was about to become a high-ranking member to be nurtured.
Recalling the past, he seemed to grasp something, but he was unable to fully grasp that spark of inspiration and develop the idea fully.
Xio, who had planned on sharing her encounter with Viscount Stratford and his testimony at the Tarot Club and seek assistance, was stunned to realize that the matter Mr. World was investigating overlapped greatly with her goals.
If I had known this would happen, I would've sought Mr. World's help when following Viscount Stratford to the dock area. We might've been able to circumvent the restrictions and obtain more clues… Xio looked around and deliberated over her words, preparing herself to speak.
At this moment, while Alger was feeling shocked, he connected it to the period three-to four-months ago, a period before The Star and Judgment had joined the Tarot Club. Back then, The World Gehrman Sparrow had requested the Tarot Club members to help take note of information regarding Qonas Kilgor, and he had accused Hvin Rambis of being the mastermind behind Cuaron's suicide.
Indeed, a simple suicide case by Cuaron wouldn't make The World expend so much of his time and energy. Matters he's investigating and the people he takes note of are very likely secrets that have an influence on the global situation…
Also, there might be a traitor amongst the three Churches' upper echelons? Which cardinal or high-ranking deacon could it be? Alger could sense the surging undercurrents and the scent of an opportunity.
Normally, he wasn't someone the Church of Storms placed a great importance on. The best outcome of a Beyonder who acted as a pirate for prolonged periods of time was to become a Sequence 5 Ocean Songster. After returning to the Church, they could become an assistant to the Mandated Punisher's upper echelons. It was almost impossible for them to wield holy artifacts and become demigods.
Only with the situation changing and through frequent developments could he rely on the Tarot Club to showcase his capabilities and make great contributions. That way, he would be made a target to be nurtured.
Likewise, Cattleya seemed to see the dark clouds accumulating in Backlund, as well as the strong winds brewing there. She vaguely understood why the Queen had been staying in Backlund over the past half-year. As for Emlyn, he frowned, feeling once again that Backlund was no longer a safe place for the Sanguine to live in.
I can only hope that it doesn't affect my hunting operation of the key members of the Rose School of Thought… Also, I hope it doesn't make Father and me be that busy like the period after the Great Smog last year… Emlyn's frown deepened upon recalling that episode.
He swept his gaze from the corner of his eye at The Sun and discovered that the youth was sitting upright, his eyes vacant. He couldn't help but scoff inwardly.
"I will take note of Hvin Rambis's whereabouts." Audrey broke the temporary silence.
Judgment Xio also looked at The World Gehrman Sparrow and said, "I'm investigating a matter that involves the king's secret. If you need my assistance, please don't stand on ceremony."
Having said that, she briefly mentioned the problem of someone monitoring Shermane.
"Alright." Klein knew that it was Demoness Trissy and made the fake person, The World, nod and chuckle hoarsely. "Be it taking note of Hvin Rambis's whereabouts or investigating the king's secret, take note of any matters that seem too coincidental around you. If there are any coincidences, immediately inform me."
He didn't directly mention the Twilight Hermit Order or Adam, afraid that Miss Justice and company couldn't help but think about it in private and be overly anxious. If they were to reveal any problems, they might attract unneeded attention.
Too many coincidences… Fors and the other Tarot Club members repeated this phrase in their minds as they made their own guesses.
After about ten seconds of silence, Derrick said, "I'll be following the expedition team to the Afternoon Town camp after a period of making preparations and adjustments. This time, we might attempt to enter the Giant King's Court."
To Audrey and company, this wasn't something too sudden. They had long known that the City of Silver would launch such an operation after The Sun advanced to Sequence 5.
Therefore, they weren't shocked or surprised. Instead, they had the feeling that their patience had paid off, as though a mythical legend was about to unfold before them in a real, corporeal manner.
Alger thought and gave a vague reminder:
"When the time comes, listen to your Chiefs arrangements and try your best to pray to Mr. Fool frequently. If you're stumped, you can request a mini-gathering for a discussion like The Moon."
"Alright, Mr. Hanged Man." Derrick had no problems with that since those were things he usually did or thought of doing.
After this matter was over, Alger turned to the seat of honor at the end of the bronze table and reverently said, "Honorable Mr. Fool, I have the answer to the matter you wanted me to investigate."
Under the other members' looks of puzzlement and curiosity, he continued, "There were five Feysac colonels who participated in the Konotop Sea battle in 1338. Two of them died in battle, and one died two years ago due to excessive drinking after being discharged due to age. One was promoted to Commodore and was transferred to the Imperial Navy College and became its vice-chancellor. One became a Rear Admiral and is currently serving as commanding officer of the Feysac Subjugation Fleet's second squadron.
Just as he said that, Alger requested for the right to conjure a piece of paper filled with the detailed intel.
The Fool Klein allowed it to flash in his palm and quickly scanned through it.
He had made The Hanged Man investigate the Feysac Enmat's colonel in the 1338 Konotop Sea battle mainly to seek out Creeping Hunger's original owner. That naval officer had captured the Enmat's second mate, Andy Haydn in that sea battle and "Grazed" him. He was one of the absolute victors, so it was impossible for him to have died in battle.
As for his subsequent discovery and encounter in that primitive island with The Hanged Man, they made Klein suspect that Qilangos had been given the glove by the Twilight Hermit Order.
Be it an official or periphery member, it's impossible for him to die that easily or die from alcoholism… Of course, I can't eliminate the possibility of being silenced… Klein thought quickly and remembered three names on the piece of white paper.
Boris… Died in 1347. Cause of death: Excessive drinking…
Suzdal… 48 years old. Commodore. Feysac Imperial Navy College's vice-chancellor…
Dmitriev… 45 years old. Rear Admiral. Commanding officer of Feysac Subjugation Fleet's second squadron…
Retracting his gaze, The Fool Klein nodded gently and said to The Hanged Man, "Continue gathering detailed information of the latter three. Figure out everything about their lives."
"Yes, Mr. Fool." Alger agreed without hesitation.
This was an opportunity for him. After the mission was completed, he could attempt to request to borrow the cross.
After another round of exchanges, the week's Tarot Gathering came to an end. Leonard then returned to the real world.
Sitting on the sofa, he hesitated for a moment before placing his feet on the coffee table. Then, he asked with a suppressed voice, "Old Man, have you seen the second Blasphemy Slate before?"
In his mind, Pallez Zoroast's slight-aged voice sounded:
"No. The one who saw the second Blasphemy Slate was my great grandfather. Heh heh, who mentioned this?"
Leonard didn't answer Pallez Zoroast's question as thoughts resonated in his mind.
The Blasphemy Slate really exists!
Old Man's great grandfather had seen the second Blasphemy Slate!
No wonder "He" could become an angel!
After a few seconds, Leonard asked curiously and expectantly, "Old Man, do you know the potion formula of Nightwatcher?"
Pallez Zoroast immediately scoffed.
"Naive! According to my great grandfather, it was an urgent situation and a limited opportunity. The Blasphemy Slate could disappear at any moment. Any smart person will know to grasp a complete Beyonder pathway before looking at the rest.
"In addition, the knowledge of the Blasphemy Slate appeared in its essence and not in textual form. Everyone who saw it needed some time to interpret it. When the Blasphemy Slate was taken away, not everyone managed to memorize a complete Beyonder pathway, so how could they care about the others?
"I do have quite a number of potion formulas of the other pathways, but they were slowly gathered by the family over long periods of time. There aren't many High-Sequence formulas among them."
"Is that so…" Leonard chuckled dryly and asked, "Who took the second Blasphemy Slate away?"
Pallez Zoroast fell silent for a second before saying, "If my great grandfather's description isn't wrong, that should be King of Angels Adam."
"The seven deities—no, it should've only been six deities back then, didn't participate in this matter?" Leonard pressed in puzzlement.
Pallez Zoroast laughed in an ambiguous manner. "At least not on the surface."
Chapter 1039 Hope
A bolt of lightning streaked across the deep, dark sky, illuminating the entirety of the City of Silver. However, it didn't last too long, and it soon disappeared into the darkness, returning the world to its pitch-black state.
After Derrick Berg opened his eyes, he immediately got off the bed and dashed for the door.
He slowed down his pace as he walked, his expression clearly conflicted.
How should I mention the Creator's relic to the Chief? Directly tell the Chief that an item has caught my eye? No, no. Although, according to Mr. Hanged Man, the Chief has a tacit understanding towards such matters, I can't be too direct… Derrick was always a thin-skinned youth. Even when his parents were alive, he seldom made requests for items.
He paused in place, seriously trying to recall the discussions with Miss Justice, Mr. Hanged Man, and the rest of the Tarot Club members, hoping to imitate them and find a reasonable excuse.
After simulating the possible developments all day, Derrick bit his lip and decided to be direct.
Carrying Thunder God's Roar, he pulled open the door, entered the streets, and headed for the twin towers that was north of the city.
Along the way, many City of Silver residents came out of their houses, wearing smiles as they gathered at the training field.
This period of time was the harvesting season for Black-Faced Grass, a "festival" for the City of Silver to offer sacrificial offerings to the Creator. It was also one of the rare days when people could feel happy deep down in a darkness with harsh survival conditions.
Seeing cMdren who were skipping about and adults wearing Black-Faced Grass amulets and rings while hearing their discussions and singing, Derrick's heart calmed down as his footsteps grew firmer.
Coming to the spire of the twin towers, he passed the message and met the Chief of the six-member council, Colin Iliad, in a particular room at the top of the tower.
This Demon Hunter was messy and grizzled as always, having not put effort into combing it. The wrinkles on his face were rather deep, leaving behind either deep or distorted old scars. His light blue eyes were deep with experience as though they could see through a person.
After Derrick saluted him, he nodded and said, "How's your grasp of the Priest of Light potion?"
This was referring to the spirituality convergence and the corresponding familiarity with the various theurgical spells.
Derrick answered in a frank manner, "Almost grasped it."
Yes, there's no rush. The other members of the expedition team have yet to make preparations. They still need a certain amount of time, just like Lovia. She's gathering and searching for the ingredients needed for her advancement." Colin Iliad gave a casual mention.
Indeed, Elder Lovia will also participate in the expedition to the Giant King's Court… She's trying to become a demigod? Derrick was taken aback as he asked without hiding anything, "Elder Lovia has the subsequent potion formula?"
This was a problem that had plagued this Shepherd Elder all this time, preventing her from becoming a demigod for years.
Yes." Colin gave an affirmative answer, but he didn't provide an explanation.
He instead asked, "Is there something this time?"
Derrick turned anxious when he heard this. He didn't make a request, but rather directly said, "Your Excellency, I discovered a relic of the Creator. It corresponds to the Sequence 4 Unshadowed of the Sun pathway."
The tall and muscular Colin in a linen shirt narrowed his eyes as the look in his eyes changed.
Those complex and indescribable emotions made Derrick freeze on the spot, causing him to momentarily forget what he was about to say next.
Amidst an indescribable silence, Demon Hunter Colin said in a deep voice, "Relic?"
Derrick's pupils constricted as he realized that he accidentally mentioned something of great significance.
He had felt pained that the Creator had been eaten for a very long time, knowing that "He" had completely fallen, never to return again. This made him develop the illusion that it was common sense.
Faced with the Chiefs question and gaze, Derrick fell silent, momentarily at a loss for an explanation.
He hesitated for a few seconds and finally opened his mouth with great difficulty.
"Yes, relic.
"The Kings betrayed the Lord…"
He subconsciously used the term the ecclesiastic at Afternoon Town had used in referring to the Kings of Angels.
Colin looked at Derrick, his light blue eyes seemingly losing focus temporarily.
This Demon Hunter remained silent for a long while, and after nearly a minute did he calmly say, "Got it."
His voice subconsciously turned deeper. He didn't ask where the relic of the Creator that Derrick had discovered, or what it looked like and what its use was.
His eyes regained their depth as he didn't continue the topic. Instead, he said, "You've already become a Sequence 5. You have the right to know what holy Sealed Artifacts the City of Silver has. Once you're able to converge your spirituality and fully grasp the theurgical spells, I'll give you the corresponding information and take you to the place where they're sealed.
"If you have an affinity with one of the holy Sealed Artifacts and can reduce its negative effects, you can wield one."
The affinity he mentioned here referred to the similarity between Derrick's psyche and the remnant High-Sequence Beyonder's psyche mark on the Sealed Artifact. It could reduce the terrifying negative effects by deceiving it to a certain degree.
In the City of Silver, there wasn't a lack of common Beyonder characteristics and ingredients. Furthermore, everyone knew the acting method. The only thing preventing them from advancing was the rituals. At times, without a potion formula, it didn't stop a Sequence 8 from advancing to Sequence 7, or Sequence 7 to 6. As long as one had advanced correctly via consuming potions the previous time and had completely digested it, if one was willing to take the risk, they could attempt to directly consume a Beyonder characteristic to advance. The chances of success weren't too low, but from Sequence 6 to 5, without the help of a ritual, the chances of success were very low.
Therefore, in the City of Silver, there were a lot of Sequence 6 Beyonders, but Sequence 5 and up became rare. It was a level that earned serious considerations.
Why did the Chief suddenly mention this… He means that I can choose a holy Sealed Artifact to exchange for the Creator's relic. I haven't even mentioned this yet… Yes, I'll first offer the information to Mr. Fool and see which item will please him… Derrick was stunned for a moment before he came to a realization. He nodded heavily.
Yes, Your Excellency."
He didn't say anything else as he bade farewell and prepared to participate in the harvest.
Demon Hunter Colin watched his figure disappear as he slowly walked to the window and cast his gaze at the altar near the training field.
There were already many people gathered there. They were circling the Creator's altar, and they were using ancient dances to please the deity. Others were singing praises of the mighty existence.
They had obvious smiles on their faces, their eyes brimming with hope and anticipation. It was as if the Creator would return if they held on for a few more years, and all hardships would come to an end.
Such expectations had been repeatedly shattered in the past two to three millennia, but it rose up, again and again, to support their hearts in resisting the despair and burdens.
Colin Iliad stood by the window and watched intently.
Backlund, Bdklund Street-
After returning from above the gray fog to the real world, Klein's heart felt heavy.
Emperor Roselle's diary page allowed him to understand the secrets of the Spectator. He understood how dangerous it would be for him to continue investigating the king. Even with the Church of Evernight and the Goddess's blessings, it wouldn't be completely safe.
It mainly has to do with the Goddess's digesting of the Death pathway's Uniqueness. "She" won't be able to descend for quite a long period of time… I hope the Lord of Storms and the God of Steam and Machinery can react in a timely manner at the critical moment… Regardless, with Ma'am Arianna, Will Auceptin, and Pallez Zoroast, even against a King of Angels, it isn't an outcome that spells certain doom. Even if I were to die, "They" still have a chance of grabbing my corpse… The longer I hold on, the higher the odds of my survival will increase… Klein relieved his stress by making a self-deprecating comment.
Previously, above the gray fog, he had already decided the focus of his investigation. It was to pursue Saintess of White Katarina and Demoness Trissy whose current Sequence was unknown. As for Hvin Rambis, as long as he didn't take the initiative to contact Miss Justice, he wouldn't try to seek him out; otherwise, he might encounter an accident he couldn't fend off.
On the one hand, I'm waiting for Miss Judgment's feedback, and on the other hand, I should try to see if I can find Vice Admiral Ailment. By using their blood connection, I can try to lock onto the Saintess of White. This isn't too realistic. The three Churches will definitely come up with this method, so the Demoness Sect will definitely counter this… I'll later get Danitz to search for items related to Vice Admiral Ailment, and I'll use the gray fog's ability to interfere and screen… Yes, I'll also ask him about Anderson. This isn't too pressing. The Unshadowed Crucifix is still being experimented with… Klein retracted his thoughts and got out of bed.
He had already used the gray fog's suppression to bind Unshadowed Crucifix and the mystical item, Broken Finger, together. He wanted to see if the Beyonder characteristic would be purged.
After resting at home for a while, Klein changed his clothes and went out with his valet, Enuni. He planned on praying at Saint Samuel Cathedral before visiting the Loen Charity Bursary Foundation.
This valet wasn't actually the Winner, but Qonas Kilgor. The real Earl of The Fallen had been turned into flesh with the Flower of Blood and was hiding inside the Earl of The Fallen's stomach.
Backlund's weather these days was often gloomy. The gas lamps lining the two sides of the road had yet to be lit up, but the houses on both sides of the street had already been lit up.
Klein watched all of this expressionlessly. He rode his carriage from Boklund Street to Phelps Street. He first headed to Saint Samuel Cathedral to pray before he wore his top hat and cane and walked to the Loen Charity Bursary Foundation.
As he approached the door, he heard a ringing sound. He saw Miss Audrey riding a modified bicycle which didn't have a horizontal bar and was rather exquisite. She had come out from an alley.
She was wearing a plain white dress and a pair of black leather shoes. Her blonde hair was tied up as her green eyes were peeled on the road. Sitting on the seat harness behind her was a golden retriever who could maintain her stability no matter how much the bicycle shook.
Upon noticing the elegant gentleman with white sideburns, Audrey smiled brightly and greeted in a cheery tone, "Good morning- Mr. Dantes."
"Good afternoon, Miss Audrey. You seem to be in a good mood?" Klein watched as she hit the brakes and used her foot to support herself.
Audrey pursed her lips as her smile brightened a little.
"You're right. I am indeed in a good mood. After riding this for a while, all my troubles have disappeared."
Chapter 1040 The Tranquil Surface of the Sea
Not bad, a Spectator's ability to adjust their own emotions are rather impressive… Klein commented inwardly as he looked at the golden retriever on the back seat of the bicycle. He then sized up the bicycle that looked different from the bicycles on the street. He casually asked, "Is this a new bike designed specially for women?"
"What do you mean specially designed for women? If you wish to ride it, you can too," Audrey replied with a smile. "I only told the people at the Bike Company that they needed to consider the requirements of the different demographics. This is their latest product they designed. It has yet to be industrialized. I was given a prototype to give them some feedback."
"An excellent idea," Klein praised with a smile before asking thoughtfully, "Do you know the owner of the Backlund Bike Company?"
Audrey's eyes narrowed a little as she answered, "Of course, I'm one of the major shareholders of the Backlund Bike Company."
Major shareholder… I almost forgot about that… She ultimately succeeded… Klein seemed to understand something as the comers of his lips curled up slightly as he shook his head in a self-deprecating manner.
"I see. My imagination still isn't good enough.
"How is it? How does it feel after riding it?"
Audrey held the bicycle's handles and darted her eyes about slightly, recalling as she said, "It's great. It's very suitable for women."
Honorable lady, that wasn't what you said a moment ago… Klein pricked his brows, but he didn't interrupt the girl.
Audrey smiled and continued, "To me, it can help me adjust my mood and relieve stress. It's like riding a horse. However, that requires special equipment, and I have to do it at the horse ranch in the suburbs. It丨s impossible to get the horse to gallop at full speed at home or on the streets. It lacks that feeling, but bicycles don't have that problem. I can even head into the alleys which horse carriages can't enter. It allows me to take in different sights. Just now, I rode past a house and saw their garden blooming with flowers. It made me feel especially happy.
"Oh, when I encountered other people on bicycles, I feel very happy too. They work hard to live, carrying that little bit of hope. Although they're busy and in a rush, they don't appear listless. Alright, don't laugh at me. I know you want to say that those who can afford bicycles are definitely not those at the lowest rungs of society. I'm just happy for them.
"I hope that one day, I can ride through every street in Backlund."
Klein listened quietly as his mood improved.
With Miss Justice's description, it seemed possible for the scene to appear in front of him. And this was a trivial change he had brought to this world.
He laughed and said, "No, I have no way of refuting it. It sounds very interesting. This is what I wish to see in Backlund —the more the merrier.
"I originally had doubts about certain things, but now, I seem to have fewer doubts."
With that said, he pointed at 22 Phelps Street, the Loen Charity Bursary Foundation's door.
"Let's go in. It looks like it's going to rain soon."
"Alright, I'll park the bicycle." Audrey got off the bicycle and pushed it and her golden retriever towards the back door.
There was a parking spot for bicycles which had been specially demarcated. It was indoors, so there was no need to be afraid of the rain. In an organization like the Loen Charity Bursary Foundation, more and more of the staff who often needed to travel deep into East Borough were beginning to ride bikes. Of course, none of them dared to venture too deeply into East Borough on such a transportation tool, as everything could be stolen there.
As they approached the back door, Susie jumped off the bicycle. She turned back to look at the spot from before and said in puzzlement, "Audrey, that Mr. Dantes person had a mixed tone when he heard you say that you were one of the major shareholders of the Bicycle Company, but I failed to decipher his true meaning."
Audrey pursed her lips and chuckled.
"I previously heard that Mr. Dantes was one of the people who attempted to compete with Hibbert for buying the shares of the Bicycle Company."
"I get it now!" Susie revealed an obvious smile and felt happy for the accuracy of her observation.
Inside the Loen Charity Bursary Foundation, Klein very gentlemanly waited until Miss Audrey returned with her Beyonder dog and followed them to the second floor.
At this moment, a staff came forward and said to Audrey, "Director, Chancellor Portland Moment from the Backlund University of Technology is waiting for you in the reception room."
"Why is Chancellor Moment here?" Audrey asked in surprise.
The staff first greeted Director Dwayne Dantes before answering, "He didn't say…"
Before the staff could finish his sentence, the stout and ruddy Portland Moment walked out of the reception room while combing his white hair.
He then pressed his hand to his chest and bowed.
"Honorable Miss Audrey, please forgive me for rashly paying a visit.'
In Loen, after getting to know each other, they greeted noble ladies by their last names and greeted the young ladies by name.
"It's my pleasure," Audrey replied politely.
Portland Moment was a chancellor who paid more attention to academics. Without any further flattery or pleasantries, he bluntly said with a smile, "This is the thing: I wish to add a mechanical laboratory to our technical university. The goal is to invent and promote various mechanical technologies that aids businesses and daily life. I wonder if you're interested in donating or investing in them?
"Heh heh, Dwayne. How about it? Do you have any thoughts of working together? Don't worry, I'll definitely get a grant from the Higher Education Commission."
It's a very good idea, but Backlund and the entire kingdom might be falling into a maelstrom afterward… Klein was a little dazed after hearing Principal Moment's words.
Audrey nodded slightly and said with a smile, "It sounds interesting, but I need to see more information. This is a responsibility for myself and my responsibility towards you."
"I think so too," Klein added.
Portland Moment chortled heartily.
"No problem. I'll arrange the information when I get back."
In the Fog Sea, on the Golden Dream.
Gehrman Sparrow is actually concerned about Anderson's situation… Also, what's the meaning of searching for items related to Vice Admiral Ailment? Many pirates are wildly going after something similar, but they hav^ succeeded… Danitz, who had received Gehrman Sparrow's message, was completely puzzled.
But regardless of his puzzlement, he thanked Mr. Fool seriously and carefully.
Following that, he put down his fishing rod and turned to enter the cabin, heading straight for the room where Anderson was residing.
He knocked on the door and opened it in one fell swoop. With his arms crossed, Danitz stood at the door and said to Anderson, who was composing a portrait, "How is it? How's the digestion of that thing in your stomach?"
Anderson put down his brush, glanced at Danitz, and replied heavily, "It already knows how to call me Daddy."
Danitz subconsciously took two steps back.
Anderson immediately returned to his relaxed state as he said with a smile, "Just joking. It's not bad. Your captain has ideas and the drive. The only problem is that we've met with failure too many times.
"Uh, the object in my stomach has been isolated. It won't affect me for a long time."
As he spoke, he rubbed his belly.
Danitz pricked up his brows and curiously asked, "There was originally some sort of effect?"
Anderson sized up Danitz a few times.
"You should've heard that some Beyonder characteristics or potions will seep into items that are in prolonged contact with them and transform them into Sealed Artifacts that are difficult to use. However, a human's body is just a relatively special item.
"At times, I really do suspect that you obtained Beyonder powers through contact with potions and not through consumption. That's why your brain has rotted."
In the past, Danitz would definitely be furious, but now, all he did was chuckle.
"In other words, if you don't isolate it, the thing in your stomach will gradually fuse and reconstruct your body, including your brain?"
Anderson was amused when he heard that.
Very good. Continue, don't stop. I think you can attempt to advance to Sequence 6. Yes, you're usually very skilled at setting up fires."
Danitz replied disdainfully, "I'm only lacking in the ingredients."
Thinking of Gehrman Sparrow's instructions, he pressed unwillingly, "How is the matter supposed to be dealt with after its isolation?"
Anderson stroked the first button of his shirt as he chuckled.
Two possibilities. One, is to seek the help of a demigod, such as an Unshadowed, allowing the object to seep out bit by bit. In this aspect, your captain knows someone who can do it. The only problem is that my Beyonder characteristic might be purged while purging that object. It will drop my Sequence and even turn me into an ordinary person.
"The second line of thought is to think of a way to obtain the Iron-blooded Knight potion formula. Prepare the corresponding ritual and supplementary ingredients and see if there's a way to accommodate that object and use it to become a demigod."
"That sounds very dangerous." Danitz gave an objective assessment of the second line of thought.
Anderson's smile became more obvious.
"Indeed, this is very dangerous. I don't even know if it will work.
"But don't you think it's interesting to have such a challenging task? At least, this is more consistent with my aesthetic judgment than the first method."
Danitz shook his head seriously and said, "No."
Following that, he asked in a provocative and probing manner, "Don't you have a large inheritance—no, wealth? I can bring back your ashes."
Anderson wasn't annoyed at all as he solemnly nodded.
"When the time comes, you can consider eating my ashes directly."
…Why isn't it possible to provoke this guy at all… The corners of Danitz's mouth twitched as he decided to give up. He wanted to seek the captain and ask how he could obtain items related to Vice Admiral Ailment.
Late at night, at 160 Boklund Street, just as Klein was about to sleep, he saw Miss Messenger walk out while holding four blonde, red-eyed heads in hand. One of them bit on a thin envelope with a letter stuffed in it.
"Who's it from?" Klein asked out of habit as he extended his hand to receive it.
Reinette Tinekerr's four heads spoke one after another:
"Sharron…" "Who…" "Doesn't Like…" "Nicknames…"
1041 King's Daughter
Sharron who doesn't like nicknames? How did she know? She's interacted with Miss Sharron before? Upon hearing Reinette Tinekerr's answer, Klein was first taken aback before questions emerged one after another in his mind.
From his point of view, a messenger and a mailer wouldn't communicate under normal circumstances. The entire process would be the messenger's appearance, the retrieval of the letter, and its departure.
Besides, when did Miss Messenger need to obtain the permission of the other party when she gives nicknames? Did Frank Lee and Patrick Bryan agree to it?
A few seconds later, Klein instinctively had a guess—Miss Messenger and Miss Sharron definitely had some kind of connection, and Reinette Tinekerr didn't wish to hide anything.
Reining in his thoughts, Klein opened the envelope, unfolded the letter, and quickly scanned the contents.
"There's something I hope you can help me with. Let's meet at the Bravehearts Bar to discuss in detail…"
Compared to before, Miss Sharron isn't that stingy with her words. She's slightly improved in this aspect for the better. Is this a change that resulted from a demigod advancement? Klein thought for a moment and walked to his desk. Picking up a pen, he wrote:
"When do you wish to meet?"
Putting down his pen, he glanced at Reinette Tinekerr, who was standing by the side, seemingly waiting to write the reply. Klein felt even more certain again.
He folded the letter, handed it over, and casually said, "For Miss Sharron."
One of Reinette Tinekerr's heads bit on the letter while the remaining three said, "You…" "Haven't…" "Paid…
"No…" "Postage…" "Payment…"
Klein cleared his throat, took out a gold coin, and handed it to Miss Messenger.
Seeing Reinette Tinekerr disappear, he revealed a pensive look as he walked to the reclining chair and waited patiently.
Less than a minute later, Miss Messenger walked out of the void again in her complicated dress. She was biting the letter from before.
Klein didn't inquire as he received the reply letter and unfolded it.
"If you don't have any problems with it, it would be best if it happens tonight.'
Tonight… Klein nodded thoughtfully and flicked his wrist, causing the letter to ignite into scarlet flames, quickly turning it black.
The flame burgeoned and enveloped his body as well.
By the time the flames extinguished, Klein's figure had already disappeared from the reclining chair. The floating ashes hovering in midair automatically fell into a nearby trash can with the help of an invisible wind.
In the houses that were connected together in Backlund's North Borough, Cherwood Borough, and the Bridge area, the wall gas lamps brightened slightly before returning to normal.
Before long, Klein appeared in a room he had privately rented at the periphery of East Borough. He changed his clothes, put on gold-rimmed glasses, and went out with the appearance of Sherlock Moriarty, heading straight for the Bravehearts Bar.
This time, he didn't seek out Ian, who was in the card room playing tabletop games with a bunch of people. He listened for a few seconds before pushing open the door to one of the billiard rooms and entered slowly.
Just as he flipped open the door, he saw figures outlining themselves on two sides.
Sitting on a high stool to the left was the blonde, blue-eyed Sharron. She was wearing an exquisite bonnet and a regal dress. Compared to the past, her face was no longer as pale as before. It just looked like she was anemic, making her look less like a female ghost and more like a doll.
Standing to the right of the billiard table was Marie. This young man who liked to play cards with zombies had turned increasingly pale. The malice in his eyes had become unobvious, but it gave a suppressive feeling to others.
"Good evening." Klein took off his hat with a smile and bowed.
"Good evening, Mr. Detective." Sharron's body seemed to float up weightlessly as she seriously bowed. Marie did the same.
At that moment, the billiard room seemed to be filled with paranormal events.
Klein casually pulled a high stool chair and sat down. He chuckled and said, "What is it this time?"
"I'm very sorry to trouble you again." Sharron bowed again.
Marie quickly said, "We made an agreement for a cooperative effort with the Sanguine to deal with the key members of the Rose School of Thought in Backlund.
"We will definitely carry out the bulk of it ourselves. It will include how we lure them out, how we ambush them, and how our attack will happen. We just hope that you will watch the entire process by the side and aid in our escape when an accident happens.
"If you want anything, just mention it. We can discuss it."
That is to say, I'm a contingency to prevent any accidents… What if that fellow, Emlyn, also enlists The World to secretly help? When that happens, they would have two demigods in their contingency plans…Uh, I think it might work. I can be Sherlock Moriarty while letting Qonas Kilgor be Gehrman Sparrow… Klein considered for a few seconds without immediately agreeing. Instead, he said, "Let me ask a few questions."
Marie glanced at Sharron and nodded.
"Okay."
Klein looked at Sharron, who was sitting on a high stool like a doll.
"The Tutanssess II mummy we previously obtained was a preparation for you to advance to Sequence 4 Puppet, and you've already become a demigod?"
This was something he had previously learned from their conversations and letter exchanges. His main goal was to make a confirmation and start the subsequent topic.
Sharron quietly looked back at him as she said with an ethereal and inhuman voice, "Yes."
Klein nodded slightly and directly asked, "What's your relationship with Reinette Tinekerr?"
Sharron's blue eyes darted about almost indiscemibly as she said, "'She' is my teacher."
Teacher… "She"… Although Klein already had some guesses, he nearly drew a gasp. He felt his head aching.
In the blink of an eye, although his expression remained the same, countless thoughts were bubbling in his mind. …Miss Messenger was originally an angel?
I'm actually using an angel as a messenger? Isn't that too exaggerated?
"She" is even Miss Sharron's teacher… It probably wasn't that simple when "She" requested to be my messenger!
From the looks of it, "She" definitely isn't on the same side as the Mother Tree of Desire. Miss Messenger signed the contract with me because the Mother Tree of Desire was coveting me? No—that "She" is bound to be my enemy?
It's no wonder Miss Sharron was able to obtain the puppet potion formula and the corresponding ingredients with the help of her teacher…
As his thoughts raced, Klein decided to ask another question. He wanted to use the process of Miss Sharron's or Marie's replies to calm his emotions.
He deliberated and said, "What's the exact situation?"
This time, it was still Sharron replying. Compared to Horamick's mechanical dolls, she appeared more lifeless as she calmly said, "Early in the Fifth Epoch, Death perished. There was resistance stirring against the Balam Empire in places like the Southern Continent's Star Highlands and Paz Valley.
"During this process, the Chained God appeared, and the Rose School of Thought was born. My teacher was originally the daughter of the ruler of the local highlands, but 'She' later became the Blessed of the Chained God, assisting 'Her' father in establishing the Highlands Kingdom.
"Later on, 'She' became a Sequence 2 angel, one of the leaders of the Rose School of Thought. 'She' advocated temperance and using austere and few desires to resist the madness in life.
"About 922 years ago, the 'Son of God,' Suah, was born. Everything began to change as the indulgence and bloody rituals gradually took over the dominating faction.
"At first, Teacher was barely able to maintain it, preventing the temperance faction from being affected. However, as time passed, the influence of the Mother Tree of Desire grew. Suah also successfully advanced a few years ago, becoming a true Abomination.
"An internal war broke out. Teacher protected us as we escaped from the highlands, valley, and grasslands. I watched 'Her' fall under the siege of Suah and the other high-ranking members.
"However, 'She* didn't completely die because of prior preparations. 'She' resurrected in a special state in the spirit world and now yearns to complete 'Her' body."
Is that so… In other words, Miss Messenger is currently, in essence, an angel without the corresponding powers. "She" is in a weakened state. It's no wonder she wasn't able to easily deal with the Rose School of Thought demigod, Shanks… Wait, although there are many angels cooperating with me, why are they all incomplete or weak? Apart from Ma'am Arianna, all of them are in such states… Mr. Azik, Pallez Zoroast, Will Auceptin, Miss Messenger… Is there a problem with my title as The Fool? Are they all waiting for me to give them the charms corresponding to Scholar of Yore? Klein came to a realization as he felt rather poignant.
He didn't ask why Reinette Tinekerr still desired money, as he thought for a moment before saying, "Miss Sharron, the Rose School of Thought definitely has no lack of the Puppet potion formula. After you obtained the Tutanssess II mummy, they would likely view you as a demigod. In addition, Ma'am Reinette Tinekerr had once appeared before the Rose School of Thought's demigod and engaged in a battle with them. This also means that the Rose School of Thought definitely knows that 'She' is alive, and they wouldn't not be prepared against 'Her.' And your relationship as master and disciple with 'Her' is no secret to them.
"In such a situation, isn't it a little too naive to use yourself and Marie as bait to fish out the key members of the Rose School of Thought in Backlund?
"Do you think they will only send one or two demigods to deal with you? Up to what degree of help can the Sanguine provide?
"Also, I previously mentioned that due to one of my identities, the Mother Tree of Desire places a great deal of importance on me. Even Abomination Suah was sent to attack me. And your teacher's cooperation with me is something they are similarly aware of.
"Summarizing all these points, if you and Marie appear, the kind of assault you would invite is unpredictable."
Having said that, Klein's expression turned serious as he asked, "Do you wish to cause a divine descent in Backlund?" The entire billiard room instantly turned abnormally quiet, but there weren't any changes to Sharron's expression.
1042 Plan From a Different Angle
After a few seconds, Sharron calmly replied to Klein, "It's not bait, but a ploy to lure them out."
Just as Klein was about to ask what the difference was, Marie explained in detail, "Back when we were pursued by the Rose School of Thought, we discovered that they had quite a number of members in Backlund. However, due to our lack of strength and our fear of traps, as well as to not attract the attention of the Church, we didn't take any action against them.
"This time, we plan on attacking one of the more important ones. We'll deliberately miss some out, allowing the hidden ones to secretly escape and pass the information to the Rose School of Thought's person-in-charge in Backlund.
"In secret, the Sanguine's demigod will be watching them. Through the message chain, they will find the person in charge. That person must be a key member of the Rose School of Thought.
"Once he's killed or even captured, we'll take the next step in our operation based on the information we manage to obtain."
That's more reasonable. The main point is to use your own understanding of the Rose School of Thought to create a plan instead of using yourself as bait. That's a way to effectively control the situation and not destroy Backlund… Klein nodded gently and said, "If that's the case, I can participate."
He didn't say that he needed to think about it or return to confirm the level of danger. This was because this matter wasn't something that needed to be done anytime soon for Sharron and the Sanguine. When he divined problems, he could always call it off as a participant.
"What kind of payment do you need?" Marie's standing posture relaxed as he asked.
Klein smiled.
"If there aren't any accidents the entire time, I wish to receive one instance of free assistance from Ma'am Reinette Tinekerr. If I have to involve myself in the operation, I can always add the condition of having priority on the spoils of war.
You can discuss this with Ma'am Reinette Tinekerr before writing to tell me the answer."
In fact, he was still a little puzzled. He believed that with such a plan, there was no need to seek him out. With Miss Messenger hiding in the shadows, it was enough to prevent any accidents that Sherlock Moriarty could deal with!
"There's no need." Sharron, with her exquisite looks and pale face, shook her head gently like a doll. "I can agree to it now."
Has she already discussed it with Miss Messenger? Klein thought for a few seconds and honestly asked, "Then why don't you directly ask Miss Reinette Tinekerr for help to prevent any accidents from happening?"
Sharron's hair remained motionless as though bound tightly by the petite bonnet. She replied in an ethereal and fleeting voice, '"She* doesn't wish for the Sanguine to discover 'Her' existence."
Is that so… Klein deliberated for a moment and raised another question:
"You advocate temperance, so why are you seeking out the key members of the Rose School of Thought?
"Is revenge not within the limits of temperance?"
Sharron looked at him with her blue eyes and said, "In recent decades, the Rose School of Thought has been trying its best to let the Mother Tree of Desire descend into the real world. This will bring about an unimaginable disaster.
"In addition, Teacher also desires 'Her' body to be complete."
If the Mother Tree of Desire were to descend into the real world, it would be an unimaginable disaster for me… However, what has this got to do with the completeness of Miss Messenger's body? Her—"Her" body was once torn apart and is being held by different key members of the Rose School of Thought? Or can the bodies High-Sequence Beyonders of the same Sequence and their characteristics be made into a part of "Her" through some ritual? Klein mumbled inwardly as he probed, "Is Abomination Sequence 1 of the Mutant pathway?
"Then what are Sequence 2 and Sequence 3?"
He had asked Miss Sharron the first question before, but he had only received a vague answer.
Sharron answered without any hesitation. She didn't speak too fast, but her voice remained ethereal and inhuman.
"I wasn't too sure about it in the past. Now I can confirm that Sequence 1 is Abomination, Sequence 2 is Ancient Bane, Sequence 3 is Cursed Artifact but is now known as Disciple of Silence."
Does that mean that you weren't certain when I asked you the last time? That is to say, when you summoned Miss Messenger and reunited with "Her," you managed to learn more secrets? Klein nodded in enlightenment.
"I have no more questions. After confirming the time for the operation, write to me."
"Thank you." Sharron once again floated up and bowed.
Marie pressed his hand to his chest and slightly bent his back.
"There's no need." Klein stood up from the high stool and wore his top hat with a smile.
This time, without a smacking sound, scarlet flames rose and engulfed him.
Under the night sky, countless lights silently lit up in Backlund, as though they were stars that were covered in clouds descending upon the land.
With the few "stars" twinkling, Klein returned to the rental apartment at the periphery of East Borough.
After changing his clothes and preparing to return to North Borough's Boklund Street, he heard a series of illusory pleas.
It was from a man.
After nodding in thought, Klein immediately took four steps counterclockwise and arrived above the gray fog. He extended his spirituality towards the constantly expanding and shrinking crimson star.
As he expected, this corresponded to The Moon Emlyn.
The vampire who was already become a Viscount prayed sincerely, "Honorable Mr. Fool, I wish to apply for a minigathering that includes me, Mr. Hanged Man, Ma'am Hermit, Miss Justice, Mr. World…"
To Emlyn, these people are the Tarot Club's representatives in intelligence, experience, and knowledge… Poor Leonard… Klein chuckled silently as he leaned back into his chair and agreed to Emlyn's request.
Above the grayish-white fog, inside the ancient palace.
Five dark red beams of light appeared on both sides of the long bronze table, forming different figures.
"Mr. Moon, has the Sanguine's plan been finalized?" Audrey greeted everyone before asking with interest.
Emlyn surveyed the area and frankly said, "Yes, the detailed plan is this. Through two temperance faction members who escaped from the Rose School of Thought…"
He recounted the plan Sharron had described to Sherlock Moriarty from a different angle to The World Gehrman Sparrow and company. When he was done, he said, "If we can obtain effective information, we Sanguine plan on seizing the opportunity to launch a surprise attack on the Rose School of Thought's headquarters. We hope to take an important item from them."
"What important item?" Cattleya asked curiously.
This was an item that could spur an ancient faction into an attempt on attacking a secret organization's headquarters. It definitely wasn't simple!
"Its" importance might even exceed that of an ordinary angel, stronger than some Grade 0 Sealed Artifacts!
Emlyn didn't hide anything.
"It's a Holy Artifact left behind by our Sanguine ancestor. I'm not sure what particular accident led to the Rose School of Thought obtaining it."
A Holy Artifact left behind by Lilith… In the hands of the Rose School of Thought… The Sanguine has placed great importance on it… This time, Klein, who was acting as The World Gehrman Sparrow with his true body, had key points flashing through his mind. Then, together with his understanding of many secrets, he quickly had an unconfirmed theory.
That might be the key to the Mother Tree of Desire's ability to intrude and control part of the Moon domain's authority!
This is something Miss Sharron and the others didn't mention. The Sanguine have kept things from them as well and have quite great ambitions… Yes, I can't use ambition to describe them. That Ancestor Lilith whose identity is unknown seems to have foreseen the chaos from the situation and the coming of the apocalypse. Therefore, the Sanguine was made to change its style and become more proactive, so as to have more things to rely on? This is the acquisition of a lifebuoy in preparation for the apocalypse… Klein didn't say a word as he listened silently.
The others were also taking in the important information that The Moon had revealed, and Alger was no exception. He pondered for a few seconds before saying, "In other words, you Sanguine will be hiding in secret this entire operation and won't be targeted by the Rose School of Thought?"
"Yes," Emlyn answered rather casually.
The Sanguine's plan was jointly decided by Duke Olmer and Marquis Nibbs, as well as a few Earls in Backlund. Many problems had undoubtedly been brainstormed and reconsidered. Regardless, even if a pig were to live for more than a millennium, it would definitely gain a certain level of wisdom and experience.
Alger nodded slightly.
"I have another question. How are you so sure that the Backlund person in charge of the Rose School of Thought is only a saint? There might be more demigods or even an angel hiding.
"You should know very well that the situation in Backlund is very complicated. It's not impossible for the Rose School of Thought to increase the number of powerhouses it has to plot certain matters. If that's the case, you will end up resembling thieves who wish to steal something, only to storm right into Sivellaus Yard."
Sivellaus Yard was another name for the Backlund police department.
Emlyn became more relaxed.
"This time, Duke Olmer will personally watch over the entire process. Even if the Rose School of Thought's angel descends, we can easily escape.
"In addition, no matter which side, they're not actually willing to create an intense conflict in Backlund. Without any crushing advantage or the confidence to not cause a huge commotion, they will naturally cease any fighting."
Upon hearing his answer, the comers of Cattleya's mouth curled up indiscemibly as she warned, "To Beyonders who aren't demigods, even a slight clash between angels would produce aftershocks that are enough to destroy them."
Emlyn snapped out of his state of drowning in pride from experiencing the potency of the Sanguine. He was momentarily at a loss for words.
At this moment, Audrey's eyes darted around as though she was thinking of something.
"Mr. Moon, what do you need to do in this plan?"
What do I need to do? Monitoring the secret members of the Rose School of Thought and locking onto the true target from the information received will be done by Earl Mistral… The one who will ultimately take action is Marquis Nibbs, Earl Mistral, and the Rose School of Thought temperance faction's demigod… Duke Olmer will be the one monitoring in secret to prevent any accidents… M-my only job is apparently to contact that Wraith named Marie and maintain communications between both parties… Uh… The more Emlyn thought about it, the odder his expression became.
It seemed like there was nothing for him to do, or at least, nothing particularly important….
Chapter 1043 Each Having Their Own Plans
Emlyn blinked as he leaned back in his chair. He spoke unhurriedly and with a hint of a smile, he answered Miss Justice's question, "What I need to do is very simple. My role is to ensure that both parties can complete the collaboration successfully."
That means you don't need to participate in the battle, right? Audrey had originally wanted to press with such questions, but after sizing up The Moon, she reflected on the words said and said with a faint smile, "Since that's the case, there's only one thing you need to do to ensure your own safety."
Makes sense. I can't affect myself because of this matter. Anyway, there's nothing that needs my assistance… I'm not in charge of the risky parts of the operation. I'll later rent Leymano's Travels and spend money to get The World to record a few pages of Teleport. My safety will basically be guaranteed… Emlyn thought for a few seconds and said with a nod, "Excellent suggestion."
As there were no other members of the Tarot Club participating in the Sanguine's hunting operation and wasn't under their control, the private min-gathering quickly ended and the participants returned to the real world.
Klein wasn't in a rush to leave. After his figure disappeared, he appeared in The Fool's chair again and beckoned for the Unshadowed Crucifix and the Marauder pathway mystical item, Broken Finger.
At that moment, the surface of the two grayish-white "tweezers" that resembled the polishing of finger bones had produced a piece of gravel that sucked all the light around it, making it look pitch-black. It slowly swirled and gathered as though it was trying to form a new shape.
As for Broken Finger, the grayish-white color had turned transparent as it reflected some light, producing tiny holes.
The Unshadowed Crucifix can actually slowly purge the Beyonder characteristics from mystical items and Sealed Artifacts and let them combine together. Of course, the premise is that there's a power similar to the mysterious space above the gray fog to suppress it, allowing it to willingly "make contact" with items with Beyonder characteristics… Klein nodded in satisfaction.
At this moment, the grayish-white Broken Finger suddenly began to belt out in a fervent voice:
"Oh, my Sun!
"Praise you!
"Praise the Sun!
As the tweezer-like object sang, a cracking sound emitted from it as though it would shatter into pieces at any moment.
But this did not affect its praise of the Sun.
"…" Klein gaped at the scene, momentarily at a loss for what expression to show.
After a few seconds, he sighed. He separated the Unshadowed Crucifix and Broken Finger and threw them to the corner of the junk pile in different spots. He then suppressed the former using the powers of the gray fog.
Then, he prepared to leave and return to the real world.
At this moment, the point of light, which represented The Fool's only believer, emitted ripples of light as the sounds of stacked prayers were heard.
Klein reined in his thoughts and extended his spirituality over. Immediately, the scene of Danitz praying in his room surfaced before his eyes as a corresponding voice echoed in his ears:
"Honorable Mr. Fool, your faithful servant wishes you to pass the following words to Gehrman Sparrow:
"According to my captain, there are many items at sea that's rumored to belong to Vice Admiral Ailment, but without any exception, they're all fake. And ever since she was injured after that assault, this pirate admiral has placed great care in the secrecy of her course and seldom plunders. The last time her ship appeared was two months ago at Theros Island west of the Berserk Sea. Later, it cruised into the massive ocean, her whereabouts unknown.
"The foreign object in Anderson's stomach is now controlled to some degree and is separated from his body to a certain extent. It won't be able to penetrate his flesh for a very long period of time.
"There are two ways to completely resolve this latent problem. One is to seek the help of the Sun pathway's Sequence 4 Unshadowed. However, this has quite a high possibility of cleansing most of his Beyonder characteristics. The second is to find the Hunter pathway's Sequence 4 Iron-blooded Knight potion formula. Through the help of the ritual and ingredients, he can directly absorb the foreign object.
"Anderson is inclined toward the latter choice. He's happy to take the risk."
It's obvious that Danitz is forwarding me Vice Admiral Iceberg's answer by imitating her style. This isn't his usual style of speech… However, some of his terms aren't precise enough. Could it be that Danitz had secretly modified it to use terms he understands better? I-is he worried that Gehrman Sparrow wouldn't be able to understand? Klein pricked up his brows and cast his attention back onto the content itself.
Vice Admiral Ailment adhered to the advice from the Demoness Sect and has hidden in this relatively critical period? If that's the case, it's basically impossible to capture her in a short span of time. In one or two months' time, perhaps the matter will completely blow up and I wouldn't have a need to seek her out…
I'll first send Danitz to look for her and keep some hope… My focus will be on finding Demoness Trissy. I have a way to contact her and can consider using the excuse of working together to deal with Saintess of White Katarina to make her meet with Gehrman Sparrow. I'll see if I can control her and use her to fish out Katarina…
The elimination of Anderson's latent problem has two solutions, both of which I can help with. Since he's inclined toward taking risks by advancing to absorb the foreign object, I don't have to worry about using Danitz to promote the option of leasing the Unshadowed Crucifix to him… That's good. At least I don't have to worry about the crucifix given by Adam creating some nasty chemical reaction with the foreign object Adam left in him…
As for the potion formula for Iron-blooded Knight, with how Anderson had played an important role in luring Ince Zangwill, it's not like I can't give it to him. The foreign object in his stomach is Adam's payment… Hmm, I can't directly bestow it to him since he isn't a believer of The Fool… Gehrman Sparrow has no reason to give him something at such a high level…
Amidst his thoughts, Klein quickly made a decision. He conjured The World Gehrman Sparrow and made him take on a prayer stance.
In the Fog Sea, on the Golden Dream.
Bang!
The wooden door was pushed open and slammed heavily into the wall.
Amidst this loud commotion, Anderson, who had been flipping the pages of a book, looked at Danitz, who was standing by the door, with his usual expression.
"There's a very good mission for you." With a cloak draped over his shoulders, Danitz raised his chin and chuckled.
Anderson sized up the pirate opposite him and tsked.
"You seem to be very smug…
"What's the mission?"
Danitz glanced at Anderson and said, "Accompany me to Theros Island and help me seek out Vice Admiral Ailment's whereabouts.
"In addition, help me gather the Beyonder ingredients needed for Conspirer. Heh, you'll have to pay for it."
Anderson nodded in thought.
"Then, what is the reward?"
The corners of Danitz's mouth widened as he said in a condescending manner, "The Iron-blooded Knight's supplementary ingredient list and the advancement ritual."
Anderson didn't respond. He didn't say a word as he focused his gaze on Danitz for nearly ten seconds.
Then, as though he was burning with impatience, he threw away the book in his hand and stood up. He said with a bright smile, "When do we set off?"
Backlund, East Borough, in a rental apartment that had its curtains drawn.
Trissy, who was dressed in a black dress, packed her luggage, preparing to head to her next hideout.
Her slightly round face was a little slimmer than before. Apart from her sweet smile, she had an indescribable, elegant, and beautiful look. Even though she was in the dirty and chaotic East Borough, she seemed to be untainted by any dirt.
Trissy didn't immediately pick up her black suitcase. After looking around, she walked to the desk and unfolded a piece of paper. She picked up a pen and wrote:
"Mr. Gehrman Sparrow, I've obtained the information I need from that captain of the royal guards: He is truly loyal to King George III.
"You should understand what this means.
"Next, my goal is to figure out what this king wants. For that, I plan to oppose the Demoness Sect's Saintess of White Katarina. She definitely knows the corresponding secrets.
"She's a Sequence 3, a Demoness of Unaging. She's very difficult to kill, and it's very difficult to capture her.
"I have to admit that just my strength alone isn't enough to deal with her. If you're interested and confident, we can try cooperating
"You know how to contact me.
"Trissy."
Putting down the pen, Trissy folded the letter and began setting up the ritual to summon Gehrman Sparrow's messenger.
She had only written to the crazy adventurer now because she was worried that he would lock onto her hiding spot with the help of his messenger, and then Teleport over, bringing help to launch an assault. Therefore, she waited until she was about to move before making the attempt.
Although Trissy wasn't sure what Gehrman Sparrow's motives were and couldn't determine if he would launch a surprise attack on her, out of habit, she chose the most reliable method for her, just to be safe.
After handing the letter to the messenger, I'll leave and wait for Gehrman Sparrow to contact me. I'll try not to meet him until we begin taking action… I wonder what faction is hiding behind him. I have to focus on mobilizing and using him, and not to trust him too much… This is indeed troublesome, but it's sufficiently safe… As Trissy thought, she ended what she was busy with and took two steps back. Looking at the candlelight, she chanted in ancient Hermes:
"I summon in my name:
"The spirit that wanders about the unfounded, the friendly creature that can be subordinated, the messenger that belongs to Gehrman Sparrow."
Just as she finished speaking, the candlelight burgeoned and turned abnormally pale.
Following that, a figure stepped out of the candlelight and wore a dark and complicated robe, holding four blonde, red-eyed heads.
The four heads had eight bloodshot eyes that darted around simultaneously as they cast their gaze at Trissy.
Trissy's pupils dilated as though she saw something extremely terrifying.
1044 Placing Herself in the Tides
Backlund, St. George Borough, in a factory room filled with junk.
Light flashed in a mirror filled with obvious cracks. Its surface turned dark and deep, as though it was connected to another world.
Suddenly, a white hand reached out from under the mirror, as though it had penetrated through layers of aqueous waves.
A figure walked out from the shadows—she was none other than the sweet and beautiful Demoness Trissy in a long black dress.
There was a rare paleness to her face, as though her face had lost all its ruddiness. Her forehead was covered in dense beads of sweat.
With a smacking sound, the suitcase in Trissy's hand fell to the ground. She could hardly suppress the horror in her eyes.
She then muttered to herself blankly, "His messenger is actually an angel…"
At that moment, Trissy felt a chill run down her spine, as though a cold wind had blown at her.
She had never expected how dangerous it would be to summon a messenger previously. Thankfully, the woman holding the four heads in her hands watched her silently for a while before she left without doing anything.
160 Boklund Street, inside Dwayne Dantes's mansion.
"Who's it from?" Klein asked with anticipation as he received the letter from Miss Messenger.
The four heads in Reinette Tinekerr's hand spoke one after another:
Vessel…" "Of…" "Dirtiness…" "Darkness…"
This nickname… Klein was taken aback when he heard that. For a moment, he didn't immediately figure out who Miss Messenger was referring to.
In his mind, the people who knew how to summon his messenger quickly flashed past, one by one, as he filtered through them.
In a few seconds, he had the corresponding guess.
Trissy!
From what Klein knew, this Demoness, who had been renamed to Trissy Cheek, might very well be one of the mediums for the Primordial Demoness's awakening or descent upon the world.
In such a situation, calling her a "vessel" wasn't wrong.
And people who knew enough about the mysterious world knew that the Primordial Demoness was an evil goddess, one that was known as the ultimate bringer of the apocalypse that would end everything. "She" had the creation of the apocalypse and the destruction of everything as "Her" mission. She also wielded authorities such as desires related to feelings and emotions. It wasn't very apt to describe "Her" with dirtiness and darkness, but it was understandable.
Similarly, dirtiness and darkness could also describe Trissy, who had been corrupted by the evil goddess to a certain extent.
As expected of an angel. "She" actually dared to say that about the Primordial Demoness… Klein secretly marveled as he opened the letter and quickly read it.
At that moment, he suddenly recalled something. He hurriedly looked at Miss Messenger and said, "What reaction did the sender have when she saw you?"
"She…" "Was …" "Very scared…" Reinette Tinekerr's three heads spoke one after another without giving the last one a chance to speak as its head was simply left agape.
Klein's expression turned slightly heavy as he deliberated and asked, "Did you mark her?"
The head of Reinette Tinekerr, which failed to speak previously, rushed to speak.
"No…"
The remaining three blonde, red-eyed heads added, "Because…" "She…" "Had…"
"The aura…" "Of…" "Primordial…"
Klein fell silent for a few seconds before nodding.
"I understand."
After watching Miss Messenger step into the void and leave, he unfurled the piece of paper and quickly read Trissy's letter.
She actually sought me out to deal with Saintess of White Katarina… Isn't this exactly what I wanted to do? Klein's eyes shimmered a few times as he immediately rummaged for a black sticky blob.
Right on the heels of that, he transformed into Gehrman Sparrow and smeared the blob uniformly onto a tiny mirror in the room.
After patiently waiting for nearly ten minutes, the black sticky blob vanished into thin air, leaving nothing behind. Klein had failed to contact Demoness Trissy.
As expected, Trissy, who has been corrupted by the Primordial Demoness to a certain extent, managed to identify Miss Messenger's level and was given a fright… She probably wouldn't communicate with Gehrman Sparrow anytime soon… Sigh, if I had known Miss Messenger is a special angel, I definitely wouldn't have let "Her" appear in front of Trissy, or I would've informed "Her" that if a Demoness were to summon "Her," she can bring both the person and letter over… Klein sighed silently and could only blame it on his luck.
At that moment, he suddenly heard a series of illusory pleas.
In a dark alley in the Backlund Bridge area.
Xio hid Wintry Blade and entered the area, looking around warily.
"Not bad, you're getting more and more experienced."
A deep male voice sounded, and a figure walked out from the darkness around the corner.
He stood tall, wearing a golden mask that revealed his eyes, nostrils, mouth, and cheeks. It was none other than the MI9 member who had contacted Xio before.
"Why did you contact me so urgently?" Xio asked.
The golden-masked man didn't make any small talk and directly asked, "You still seem to be monitoring Viscount Stratford's surroundings. Have you discovered anything unusual recently?"
Xio thought and said, "Yes.
"He had intimate contact with a girl of unknown origins. He made her visit him at his residence late at night several times.
"I tried to track that woman down, but I failed both times.
"Also, Viscount Stratford suddenly went out in the middle of the night two days ago. I don't know where he went because I didn't manage to follow him."
The golden-masked man tersely acknowledged this as he went deeper into the details. Xio answered according to the details she had seen back then. She only concealed the fact that she had met Shermane in the carriage and how she had followed Viscount Stratford all the way outside the warehouse.
"Not bad. Your persistence was rewarding." The golden-masked man nodded slightly. He didn't seem to doubt what Xio had said.
He sighed and said, "With this, your contributions to us will increase significantly.
To be frank, if this continues, you'll soon be able to accumulate the contributions needed for the Sequence 6 potion. However, before that, there will definitely be a strict examination. And with your background, heh heh, it will fail the examination without a doubt. After all, I know it very well.
"Actually, there's no need for you to seek the truth. I know that this was the motivation for you to persist in continuing the mission regarding Viscount Stratford, but my personal suggestion is to put the matter aside.
"With your current Sequence and abilities, it's enough to let your mother and brother lead a very good life. Don't worry, no one will cause you trouble.
"And if you wish to continue persisting, I cannot guarantee what will happen."
Although Xio had already expected such an explanation, she was helpless in resisting her emotions and throbbing heart. She blurted out a question:
"Who exactly are you?"
"I'm just an ordinary Mid-Sequence Beyonder," the golden-masked man said with a smile. "You might not know that the post of 'captain of the royal guards' has the corresponding authority in MI9. It's equivalent to a deputy director that handles matters related to the royal family. Back when your father was alive, I was his subordinate and had received his help in various aspects. After his passing, I, who didn't commit any wrongs or hide any matters, was removed from the core of MI9. See, heh—I'm only responsible for informants on the outside like you."
Upon saying that, the golden-masked man sighed.
Your father helped me a lot. So, after I recognized you, I deliberately made you become an informant under me. With the extent of my power, I provided you some help. I have a family of my own and my own life, so I can't take excessive risks or do anything too dangerous for you.
"Let's do this, I'll help you get the potion formula for Judge. Afterward, stop your contributions and your pursuit to advance your Sequence. Do something that will improve your life. As for what you want to do or plan to do in private, I don't know, nor do I want to know."
Xio fell into a daze. Her lips trembled as she said, "What kind of person was my father?"
The golden-masked man sighed as he replied, "He was a really brave, noble, and just aristocrat, but he wasn't that perfect. He was impulsive, eager, prone to anger…"
Xio silently listened and had planned on asking further, but all she said was a phrase:
"Thank you."
"Go back. After obtaining the Judge formula, I'll leave you a message to meet me," the golden-masked man said with a wave.
After Xio completely disappeared from the alley's entrance, the golden-masked man was just about to turn around when a slightly ethereal voice sounded in his ears:
"She's lying.
"She had tailed Viscount Stratford to the scene back then. It's something that can be confirmed."
The golden-masked man fell silent for a moment before saying to the shadow beside him, "She might've only been worried that this would arouse suspicion.
"How can she defeat Viscount Stratford at her Sequence? Besides, wasn't it said that Viscount Stratford carried a Grade 1 Sealed Artifact?
"I believe that she likely didn't dare approach. Otherwise, she wouldn't even be able to survive!"
The slightly ethereal voice replied, "No matter what, since there is a doubt, we need to do further investigations. Don't inquire about it in the future."
Outside the alley, Xio walked calmly along street lamps.
She deliberately didn't mention that she had followed Viscount Stratford.
This wasn't to hide the truth, to clear herself of suspicion, or to not invite trouble; in fact, that was contrary to her true motives.
Before the Tarot Club, her plan was to say that she had followed Viscount Stratford to a particular warehouse in the dock area. Outside, she was scared off by a terrifying hurricane. This was more convincing and made it less prone to suspicion. However, after knowing that this matter piqued The World Gehrman Sparrow's interest, she secretly changed her mind and decided to use her explanation to garner suspicion.
She felt that if she wanted to investigate the king's secret at her level, it might take another three to five years, or even longer. Perhaps, there wouldn't be any hope forever. But with The World's help, success was a possibility.
As such, she was willing to bear the risks and place herself right in the middle of the tides.
And today, before meeting the golden-masked man from MI9, Xio had prayed to Mr. Fool so that "He" could inform The World Gehrman Sparrow of her thoughts.