After nearly an hour of deciphering, thanks to his substantial knowledge in mysticism and the analytical prowess of the "Pure White Eye," Ebner finally unraveled the secret hidden within the mural and uncovered the true reason why the two knights were never given a proper burial by the Augustus family.
It turns out that the "space" containing Solomon's "treasure" had been "exiled" from this world after the fall of the Black Emperor. It now drifted in the boundless cosmos, far beyond reach…
This was also why the angelic Augustus family, despite being aware of the treasure's existence, was unable to access it and had to train specific "knights" to follow a ceremonial process.
According to information conveyed by the mural, the exile of this space was likely orchestrated by a Vampire Duke who, using an inverse application of "Summoner" powers, had banished it.
To bring this "space" back, one would need the ritual swords crafted by that Duke, each smeared with the blood and essence of a half-god of the Solomon lineage from the "Justiciar" and "Black Emperor" pathways. Only then, by performing a particular ritual, could the "treasure" be located and summoned.
Most crucially, even if the ritual were completed, the effect would merely be a "summoning" and "locating." The process of the space drawing close to this world would still take an exceptionally long time…
The reason the two knights' gazes never met was because they served as "beacons" for this world. Wherever their eyes landed on the mural was the coordinate for the current location of the "treasure space." Their "gaze" continuously guided this space.
Finally, Ebner calculated that from the point the Augustus family's two knights became "beacons," it would take until 1193 for Solomon's treasure space to fully intersect with this world…
And that, of course, was when Roselle transformed the Republic into an Empire, declaring himself Caesar.
…
With this, most mysteries were solved… As for why the ritual didn't require a life sacrifice—just a small amount of blood and essence—it was obvious the Augustus family had deceived their two "loyal" knights into willingly sacrificing themselves to keep the secret buried.
But one question lingered: Why would a Vampire Duke help the Black Emperor set up such a treasure trove? And why would the Black Emperor trust him? It was perplexing…
Could they have shared a deep personal connection? Or had that Vampire Duke been shepherded by an angel under the True Creator's command?
No wonder Karren had been skeptical of Roselle's treasure hunt here from the start—he likely knew some of these secrets.
Shaking off the wild conjecture, Ebner turned back to Roselle, who was watching him with anticipation. He explained his findings in detail.
At first, Roselle listened intently, nodding in understanding. But then, his expression shifted—a whirlwind of anger, sorrow, fear, and excitement flashed across his face, eventually settling into a resigned smile.
At the same moment, Ebner received a notification that he had completed Task Two. He was about to request a return to the "Reward Room" when he suddenly heard Roselle sigh in Chinese, "My friend, thank you… At last, I am free."
Startled, Ebner turned back, only to find that Grimm, Edwards, and even the now-visible Karren were frozen, expressions vacant. The space around them began to distort and crumble, as if on the verge of collapse.
"'Doctor Strange,'" Roselle's playful voice came again, "as thanks for setting me free, I can answer some questions… but you'd better be quick. My time is running out."
This Roselle really was unusual! What exactly was he? A lingering spirit? A level-clearing NPC? The tower's consciousness? With these questions swirling, Ebner steadied himself, frowning as he asked, "Are you the real Roselle?"
"I am Roselle, but Roselle is not me… I am only a part of him… a very small part.
"Ever since entering this labyrinth, my memories were sealed, leaving only fragments from my youth and young adulthood, looping endlessly in this exploration of Loen. Before you, no one had ever cleared this level… so I kept losing my memory, resetting to the start… only during the brief moment before the scene resets, when the challenger dies, do I remember everything… but I suspect even those memories aren't complete."
Roselle's face was a complicated mix of emotions.
"Does that mean… once a scene is cleared, it won't reset?" Ebner asked thoughtfully.
"Yes, from the sixth floor onward, each scene is unique. Once 'cleared,' it won't reappear, so future challengers don't have a 'guide' to follow… at least, that's what I recall." Roselle nodded.
How meticulous! Ebner thought, stifling a wry smile as he quickly asked, "Is there really a Blasphemy Card in this tower? Is it on the first floor, and does it require full completion to acquire it?"
"You guessed correctly… but only with maximum access permissions…" Roselle paused, clutching his head, a painful expression twisting his face. "Friend, because of the tower's mechanism, I can't tell you anymore at this level… but I need to warn you about something…"
"What is it?" Ebner noticed that the surroundings were collapsing even faster and hurriedly pressed.
"From the second to the ninth floors, there aren't many problems… but the first floor! The depths of the first floor hold something terrifyingly dangerous! Be cautious!" Roselle's tone turned frantic as he repeated the warning.
"What exactly is hidden on the first floor?" Ebner noticed that Roselle's demeanor had become erratic, and he cast a "Soothing" spell on him while asking further.
The spell had no effect. Roselle continued shouting, "Don't try to understand it! Don't go near it! Don't study it!"
As Roselle finished speaking, his strange emotions suddenly vanished, and he seemed "normal" again. Without any sign of abnormality, he explained, "I was deeply entangled with it once. Every time I recall it, I change."
Squinting thoughtfully, Ebner asked, "So that's why Roselle separated you and placed you here in the tower?"
"Perhaps… I really don't know… I don't remember," Roselle replied with a bitter smile, shaking his head.
By now, the collapsing space had nearly reached completion, and even Roselle's "spirit" was fading. Before he disappeared, he added, "Maybe you'll meet others like me in the tower… If you have questions, you can continue to ask them.
"This is… a bit of help from a fellow countryman… friend."
With those final words, Roselle vanished completely.
Seeing this, Ebner hesitated no more. In the final instant before the dream realm disintegrated, he returned to the "Room of Rewards."
Entering the hall lined with bookshelves, Ebner didn't immediately examine his "reward" but instead replayed Roselle's words in his mind, slipping into thought.
"Though I don't know exactly what corrupted Roselle's temperament later in life, it must've been contamination from some knowledge that's hidden from me…
"Roselle likely tried to cleanse himself of that influence at times he was lucid… so perhaps this 'thing' sealed on the first floor that he warned me about is a part of that very contamination?
"So, the 'Dream Labyrinth Tower' isn't just a vessel to house the Blasphemy Cards but also a test project where he separated and sealed his own corruption?
"It's similar to 'The Groselle's Travels' written by the Dragon of Imagination?"
The tower suddenly seemed much more terrifying… Fortunately, that "thing" is sealed on the first floor, and I'm still far from it.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Ebner decided to set aside these troubling questions for now and turned his attention to the reward table in front of the bookshelf, taking a seat as he waited for his rewards.
Since he had completed two tasks on the sixth floor with a "Perfect" rating, he would receive two rewards.
Shortly, two books of completely different styles appeared on the table beside him.
One book was finely bound with snow-white paper, resembling a modern industrial print, while the other had an ancient design, filled with hand-written pages on parchment.
Ebner picked up the finely bound book first and glanced over it, discovering that it was a biography titled The Memoirs of Stuart.
"Stuart? Wasn't that the name of the 'Mysticism Magistr' who partnered with Ms. Daly on the joint investigation team of the Storm Church? This could be about him… or maybe it's just a common name."
Curious, Ebner opened the book, finding it was about an orphan adopted by a Storm Church bishop who grew up in the church and became a priest in adulthood.
Stuart had an older foster sister, the bishop's biological daughter, for whom he held a long-standing affection.
This sister eventually married a deacon in the Storm Church, only to lead a discontented life because of her husband's temper…
Thus, when Stuart became a Beyonder, he did not choose the "Sailor" pathway but rather pursued the wisdom and calm of a "Reader." He hoped to climb the ranks to help his faith evolve its views on women, giving them more freedom and respect akin to the female followers of the Evernight Church…
The "Reader" pathway seemed to suit him well. Within only six months, Stuart figured out the "acting method" on his own, helping "Mandated Punishers" solve various Beyonder cases, building a reputation, and achieving the title of "Polymath" by the age of twenty-two.
He then focused on studies in the Storm Church headquarters on Passu Island, applying his vast knowledge to solve various issues among Church members and gaining many admirers.
One day, after resolving a particularly troublesome matter for a high-ranking deacon's family, Stuart received a fragment of a potion formula—the incomplete recipe for "Mysticism Magister":
"Main ingredient: the heart of an adult Gemstone Dragon, or the whole brain of a Finks Lion+…"
"Auxiliary ingredients: ten ordinary leaves from a Treant Mentor, 80 milliliters of blood from a Finks Lion+…"