Backlund, Harvest Church on Rose Street.
After using the "Nightmare Candle" to enter Bishop Utravsky's dream and completing the task of "killing his former self," Klein successfully summarized the first rule of acting as a Magician: never perform without preparation.
As soon as he returned to reality, he noticed the half-giant bishop's cloudy eyes were brimming with tears. Despite this, they were filled with gratitude, joy, and clarity.
If the half-giant had previously seemed towering and burdened, he now carried only the weight of his physical body, free from spiritual heaviness.
At that moment, Klein felt as though he were gazing at a newborn baby.
Those tears were proof of rebirth.
Miss Haziel, witnessing this, genuinely felt happy for Bishop Utravsky. She silently approached and handed him a handkerchief.
"Thank you." Bishop Utravsky expressed his gratitude, his lips gradually curving into a gentle smile as he warmly addressed Klein:
"You're far more capable than I expected."
"No, it's only because I had enough prior knowledge and made the necessary preparations. The former you knew nothing about your opponent's strengths and was significantly weakened. If we were to fight in the real world, I'd be considering how to escape instead," Klein replied candidly.
The bishop didn't dwell on this topic. Radiating a newfound ease, he said:
"As agreed, I'll give you the Apothecary formula and also a Beyonder artifact."
With that, he walked toward the pulpit to use Haziel's pen and paper to write down the formula.
Klein naturally followed and was immediately drawn to the Chinese-filled pages on the desk.
Roselle's diary? Klein's heart leaped as he feigned curiosity and quickly skimmed through the text.
However, he was disappointed to find that not only had he read the contents before, but he also recognized the neat handwriting.
So, some of the Roselle diary entries that "Mr. Tower" submitted at the Tarot Club were sourced from Miss Haziel!
As Klein pondered, Bishop Utravsky noticed his interest in the manuscript and smiled.
"These are the Roselle manuscripts that Pastor Mahtr copies as part of her routine. Are you interested? I can gift them to you on her behalf. I'm sure she wouldn't mind.
"Another friend of mine took some before."
That "friend" must be Detective Bryan. Never mind, I've already read these entries. Taking Miss Haziel's personal handwriting doesn't sit right with me anyway.
Shaking his head, Klein declined the bishop's kind offer and waited for him to finish writing the formula.
Soon, Utravsky handed Klein a sheet filled with text and said, "You can have it appraised. If there's any issue, I'll always be here at Harvest Church."
Main ingredients: horn of an adult unicorn pegasus, 3 grams of crystallized poison from a crowned jellyfish… Klein glanced over the formula, smiling as he replied, "I'll confirm its authenticity."
Nodding slightly, Bishop Utravsky retrieved a brass-colored, antiquated key from his pocket and explained with a smile:
"This is the 'Universal Key.' It can open any lock without mystical power and some with Beyonder effects. Even where there's no lock or door, it can open a path to a place beyond reality—so long as there's no Beyonder restriction and the barrier isn't too thick.
"It's entirely unassuming when not in use. Even Beyonders would struggle to distinguish it from an ordinary key."
To demonstrate, the bishop showcased the Universal Key's capabilities.
This is far more convenient than the "Unlocking Charm" Mr. Tower gifted Miss Justice. It even works on mystical locks. Truly an excellent support tool.
After some thought, Klein cautiously asked, "What are its negative effects?"
Utravsky chuckled warmly. "The bearer will occasionally get lost. Randomly, I might add."
Lost? I'm a Seer with spiritual intuition… Klein muttered inwardly, feeling quite pleased as he accepted the Universal Key.
Beside him, Haziel seemed like she wanted to say something but ultimately remained silent.
---
Damir Port.
After using Cullen as an excuse to send Lydia away, Ebner decided to discreetly check on Terrance aboard the Aarunheim. He found the young man looking a bit drained and weary but otherwise unharmed, which finally eased his concerns.
Though Cullen hadn't asked him to watch over his sister, as a friend, Ebner didn't want her to make a mistake she'd regret.
By briefly "tracing back" the events in the cabin, he saw an alluring yet horrifying scene. Fortunately, the strong psychological suggestion he had implanted ensured that Lydia regained her composure at the last moment. Otherwise, young Terrance would have been left severely weakened—at best.
The bloodline compulsion is frighteningly intense. Judging by Lydia's state, it's worse than some addictive substances…
It's almost as if Lydia's branch of the vampires has an inherent "defect" that requires the bloodline of Lady Yalorlan from the Moses Ascetic Order to stabilize it.
Cullen himself doesn't seem to have this "defect." Is it because his father also comes from that family?
Although there might be deeper secrets behind this, it wasn't Ebner's concern. He dismissed these thoughts with a shake of his head.
---
Monday.
By this day, news of the Immortal King Agalito's five fleets being decimated had spread across the seas. Rumors and "insider stories" were rampant. Among these, the mysterious rise of Doctor Strange added a particularly captivating twist.
Everyone knew that "Grey Giant" Gravina wasn't a nobody. Together with his Ghost Ship, his strength at sea was second only to that of pirate admirals.
Yet this renowned pirate was sunk along with his ship by the newly emerged Doctor Strange. How could such a feat not leave people in awe?
Moreover, Doctor Strange had acted alone, without the aid of a fleet, further amplifying the reverence he garnered.
His fame even overshadowed the other four female pirates who had fought the Immortal King's fleets. While the details of their battles were vague, Doctor Strange's encounter was unusually well-documented, as if meticulously recorded.
Initially, skeptics doubted the tale, but it was later revealed that a pirate ship had been observing the battle from the sidelines, providing firsthand accounts. Even more infuriatingly, after sinking the Ghost Ship, Doctor Strange had left without claiming any spoils, leaving the treasure to the onlookers.
Listening to the tavern chatter, Ebner's lips curved upward. Doctor Strange's first step had been a resounding success. Now he just needed to leverage this fame before it faded to advance his "acting."
Having learned Roselle's Dream Journey Ritual, he already had a plan in mind. Tonight, he would put it into action.
---
Backlund, 1:30 PM.
Fors glanced nervously at Xio, who was nearby, and for the umpteenth time inwardly shouted, Why isn't Xio out on patrol yet?!
After another look at the clock, Fors finally couldn't resist. "I need a quiet environment to write… Xio, could you leave for a while? I can't focus with you here."
Xio gave her a skeptical look, clearly unconvinced. "There's still time before your manuscript is due… You? Voluntarily writing?"
"Inspiration! It's all about inspiration! It just hit me, so I need to start writing now!" Fors stood up and defended herself passionately.
Xio gave her a meaningful glance before replying, "Fine, I happen to have a task to attend to."
Hearing this, Fors breathed a sigh of relief and cheerfully saw Xio out. However, her joy soon turned to worry as she returned to her bedroom to await 3 PM.
Outside, Xio let out a heavy sigh, shaking her head as she muttered:
"You missed your chance. Don't blame me for keeping things from you…
"Maybe it's for the best… At least this way, the dangerous tasks I get through the Tarot Club won't drag you into trouble…"
(End of Chapter)