"Father, good evening.
"Good evening, Miss Hazel."
When Ebner walked into the Harvest Church, he greeted Miss Hazel and the half-giant bishop who was standing near the preaching platform.
"Good evening, Detective Bryan… However, you should call me Priest Macht at the cathedral," Miss Hazel corrected him after returning the greeting.
After exchanging some pleasantries, Bishop Utravsky looked at Ebner benevolently and asked gently,
"Child, why did you come to the Harvest Church?"
Eh? Why didn't you say "I know the purpose of your visit" as usual today? Could it be that Earth Mother doesn't care about 1-025 at all? Or has "She" finally recalled something important and stopped paying attention to a puny transmigrator like me?
As his thoughts raced, he said with a smile, "I have something to ask you."
"What is it? Please speak," Bishop Utravsky said with a smile.
Ebner subconsciously glanced at Hazel, who immediately understood. She pursed her lips in displeasure, but she said tactfully,
"Father, I'll be copying the teachings of Earth Mother."
"Alright, child." Bishop Utravsky nodded with a smile. After Hazel left, he sealed the surroundings with his spirituality and said to Ebner, "You can speak."
"Do you know of the abandoned castle in the middle of Delaire Forest?" Ebner asked probingly after some thought.
Upon hearing this, Bishop Utravsky nodded and shook his head. With a solemn expression, he said, "I've read some records about that ancient castle… But within the Church, I'm not allowed to know too much about it.
According to the information I read, only that ancient castle was built in the Fourth Epoch. It was once guarded by an elite knight squad while the Tudor-Trunsoest United Empire was in power… Unfortunately, ever since the War of the Four Emperors began, that ancient castle has been abandoned.
"Before I was sent to Backlund to be a bishop, the archbishop of the Holy Cathedral personally instructed me not to go near it."
The reason why the bishop wasn't allowed to know the secrets of the castle was because he would be corrupted if he did?
In that case, there are people who are permitted to know about the Church of Earth Mother? Hmm… There's a high chance that only members of the Mother and Moon pathway are permitted. Although I've forgotten why I vaguely feel that the Beyonders of these two pathways aren't too afraid of the underground corruption…
Perhaps I should write to Cullen and ask him?
This thought flashed through Ebner's mind, but he immediately rejected it. This was because it was impossible for Cullen to write such knowledge on a letter and get Silika to bring it over.
But I don't have any ties with the local Sanguine…
I can get to know Emlyn ahead of time, but he probably doesn't know as much as I do… Besides, before joining the Tarot Club, this future Mr. Moon wasn't important to the Sanguine. There was no way he could obtain any useful information.
Just as he thought of this, his spirituality was suddenly stirred. He hurriedly activated his Spirit Vision and saw the nearly four-meter-tall messenger take form. It lowered its head and looked at him with its eye sockets burning with pitch-black flames. It then placed a letter on a chair in the prayer hall.
Then, he disappeared.
Ebner picked up the letter and opened it to read. Then, a look of surprise flashed in his eyes.
Jane said that she would be returning to Backlund in the near future… Was this arranged by her, or did she only decide to return after receiving my letter?
"Could it be that her ancestor's mausoleum really has some secret that can't be said in the letter?"
After silently muttering to himself, Ebner put away the letter and bade Bishop Utravsky farewell.
Apart from asking Bishop Utravsky for information, he came to the Harvest Church mainly to use this Blessed to tell Earth Mother about the possibility of him suffering "underground corruption," so as to probe the attitude of this deity who had been paying attention to him.
Since he had already achieved his goal, there was no reason for him to stay.
But just as he walked out of the Harvest Church's door, he heard an ethereal, real, and feminine voice:
"Solomon's gold coin."
This is… Earth Mother giving me a hint? A thought flashed through his mind as he suddenly turned around, only to realize that there was no one in the cathedral other than the half-giant bishop and Hazel.
He frowned and stood at the door of the cathedral, habitually analyzing.
Solomon's gold coin? Is Earth Mother trying to tell me that if I were to encounter 1-025, I would be able to turn the misfortune into a blessing?
But the snake from before had warned me not to abuse that gold coin, especially after I left Backlund…
Wait, little snake… Does Earth Mother mean that I should ask "Her"?
Yes, this is an idea. I can give it a try.
At this thought, Ebner's brows gradually relaxed.
At this moment, Miss Hazel saw Ebner standing at the door. She hesitated for a moment before finally stomping her feet and walking over.
Seeing the lady walk towards him, Ebner snapped back to his senses and asked in surprise, "Is there something, Miss Priest?"
"Are you satisfied with the person I recommended the last time?" Hazel asked after some deliberation.
"Yes, that information is very useful to me." Ebner nodded and acknowledged the man's help. After all, he wouldn't have gone to the Backlund University Library without him, and he wouldn't have easily gotten to know the two ladies, Ema and Fani, on his subsequent expeditions.
"As long as it's useful… Then, can I ask you for a favor?" Miss Hazel asked with a perturbed tone.
"What is it?"
"Do you know where there are safer Beyonder gatherings? Can you take me there? I need to buy some materials."
…
Above the gray fog, Klein, who had already recovered his spirituality, took a deep breath and wrote a divination statement:
"Its origins."
Right on the heels of that, he held the Morning Star of Depravity necklace to prevent the pronoun "it" from pointing to an error.
Leaning back in his chair, Klein recited the divination statement and gradually fell asleep.
In the gray, illusory world, he saw a laboratory with many steampunk-styled facilities.
There were iron hammers driven by steam, boilers that kept emitting white smoke, and various mechanical arms.
In the center was a power well that seemed to be a laboratory. The gas lamps inside were abnormally bright.
A man in a white shirt and black trousers was sitting on a luxurious sofa in the laboratory. His eyes were filled with curiosity as he looked at the five gems of different colors.
The man had long chestnut-colored curly hair, blue eyes, a high nose bridge, thin lips, and a beautifully manicured mustache.
He seemed to be sizing up the five gems as he spoke to his side.
But strangely, there was only a test bench beside him. There was no sign of anyone or anything.
Right on the heels of that, with the help of the mechanical arm, the man made the five gems and many expensive spiritual materials into a beautiful necklace.
After the dream ended, Klein opened his eyes and said in surprise,
"Roselle?"