In fact, before "The Count of Monte Cristo" and "The Three Musketeers," Char had published other books as well. However, due to his mismatched expertise in his past life, the initial attempts at ghostwriting those books didn't go smoothly. Which resulted in those early works being abysmal.
After all, without a template to follow, it wasn't as simple as copying and pasting. Memories were also fragmented, and the conversion into the language of this world required his artistic touch.
As a result, Char's earlier books, unsurprisingly, "flopped."
In his self-indulgence, he had added numerous references and jokes that people in this world couldn't understand, which led to a poor reception among readers.
Therefore, when discussing the writer Cain, people often overlooked his earlier works.
Upon hearing the words of the Countess Violet, Char instantly understood her identity.
A fan.
He immediately recalled the invitation letter mentioning a fan who wanted to meet him. Was it this lady?
With some doubt in mind, under Char's gaze, the Countess Violet stood up, clasping her hands together and holding them against her chest. Nervously, she asked, "Are you... Mr. Cain?"
Watching her trembling and wavering, Char couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for her exhaustion.
He nodded, "Yes, it's me."
"Oh my goodness, divine presence!"
Countess Violet's eyes sparkled, her face flushed as she covered her mouth and whispered.
At the same time, she made a praying gesture, as if she had previously made a wish to a goddess and it had come true.
"Are you a follower of the Goddess of Abundance?"
Observing her actions, Char felt puzzled.
In theory, the two largest religious groups in the capital were the Mage Tower and the Church, and while the worship of other deities was not prohibited, their followers couldn't compete with the influence of these two forces.
It is said that the Church of Abundance has become so weak that there is only one church left in the entire capital, and it is located outside the lower city.
Although Char didn't believe in deities, he would still pretend to be a devout follower when needed.
"Yes, my mother and I both believe in the Goddess of Abundance, hoping to return to the embrace of the Earth Mother after death."
Countess Violet nodded.
No wonder.
Her devotion was so profound that it was evident in her demeanor.
Truly a follower of Abundance.
Char took a deep breath.
"Mr. Cain, I... I really like you, and I've been your fan ever since your book 'Jane Eyre' was released a few years ago!"
Countess Violet's gaze never left Char as she shyly confessed.
After saying those words, she turned around and hurriedly walked, clattering, to a bookshelf. With some effort, she picked up a stack of books and walked back.
Under Char's watchful eyes, she tidied her long dress slightly and then knelt on the floor.
"'Jane Eyre,' 'Gone with the Wind,' the revised edition of 'The Three Musketeers,' the two volumes of 'The Count of Monte Cristo'..."
Watching Countess Violet, who knelt on the carpet like a little girl showing off her jewelry box, enthusiastically listing the titles, Char couldn't help but feel a sense of emotion.
This display of cherishing his books indicated that she must have read them extensively.
So Char thought for a moment and decided to entice her with an offer before extracting information. "Would you like an autograph?"
At that moment, the Countess was still looking down, searching for something. When she heard Char's words, she looked up with delight. "C-Can I?"
Following her gaze, Char's eyes inadvertently fell on her chest.
Then, his eyes narrowed!
It wasn't because he saw something he shouldn't have, but rather because there was a faint mark the size of a bottle cap just above her chest, near her neck.
In the dim light from outside the window, he could vaguely make out the shape of a tree.
Wasn't this the emblem of the Church of Abundance?
Could it be that Countess Violet was a rebellious young girl who got a tattoo to showcase her faith?
Upon seeing Char's gaze, Countess Violet's face turned slightly red. She raised her hand to gently cover her chest, while the other hand brushed her long hair behind her ear.
"D-Don't look there..."
Her gaze seemed somewhat evasive.
"..." Char set aside his doubts, slightly crouched down, and extended his hand, saying, "Of course, please give me a pen, and I'll sign on the cover."
"Ah, okay!"
Countess Violet hurriedly stood up.
It was originally just a simple movement of standing up.
In theory, any other woman with a normal physique wouldn't encounter any unexpected situations.
But she was different.
She was a melon, a follower of the Goddess of Abundance.
So, in the midst of Char's shocked expression, those ample and trembling breasts landed on his face!
Accompanied by a gentle and pleasant fragrance, as well as an indescribable softness, Char felt as if he were ascending to heaven.
"..."
Countess Violet blushed and apologized, then walked to the desk and fetched a pen for him.
After receiving the pen, Char left a signature on the book's title page.
As he signed, Char casually asked, "Madam, are you not allowed to move freely in this house?"
"I..."
Countess Violet's gaze dimmed.
Perhaps he touched upon a sensitive topic because it took a long, long time before she continued, "Since being diagnosed with an illness two years ago, my husband has required me to stay here and not go out."
"I... I'm dying soon."
Countess Violet hugged her knees, imitating Char's posture, and slowly squatted beside him.
Although her entire demeanor seemed somewhat childish or girlish, at this moment, Char clearly sensed a touch of melancholy in her eyes.
But she quickly adjusted herself.
"I'm already very happy to see Lord Cain before returning to the embrace of the Goddess. During my time living in the estate, your works were the ones I read the most."
"What illness do you have?"
Char's hand, while signing, paused for a moment before continuing.
Countess Violet gently shook her head. "I don't know."
"Since two years ago, I've been suffering from a strange illness that occasionally causes me to lose consciousness or hear murmurs that others can't hear. Most of the time, I feel weak all over, to the point where I can't even walk."
"The most famous doctors in the capital couldn't diagnose anything, and even the high priests of the Temple of Light tried to bless me, but the symptoms didn't improve..."
"They said this incurable disease is gradually consuming my vitality, and perhaps the next time I lose consciousness, I won't wake up again."
Indeed, what could be more terrifying than "not knowing" in this world?
Char let out a sigh.
Although he felt some pity for her, it didn't mean he had forgotten the purpose of his visit today.
So he temporarily set aside that topic and said, "When I was outside just now, I saw someone wearing a black mask..."
Before he could finish his sentence, he felt his mouth being covered by a tender and cold hand.
"Hush." Countess Violet's expression became somewhat nervous. "That person is very dangerous, not a good person."
A bad person?
Finally, some useful information?
Countess Violet seemed to hear movement outside the door and gestured for him to be quiet for a moment. After the footsteps grew fainter and faded away, she released her hand covering Char's mouth.
After a moment, she lowered her voice and said, "That person with the black mask has dug out a space beneath the estate. I accidentally stumbled upon it before and was caught."
"Where is it located?"
Char's eyes lit up.
...
Damn it, Char!
The ball had already begun, and as the most prominent woman in the room, Sally had already turned down invitations from at least fifteen men in succession.
If Char were to disappear like this today, knowing her personality, she might even sit through the entire ball without dancing, waiting for it to end.
"Why don't you dance with His Highness the Prince?"
Standing next to his daughter, Count Violet, looked at the distinguished figure mingling in the dance floor and asked, holding a glass of wine.
"I'm tired today and don't feel like dancing."
Sally didn't even lift her head as she spoke indifferently.
"Oh."
The Count took a sip of his wine.
After a while, as if suddenly remembering something, he said, "Don't come back to the mansion for the next two days. Novala's condition has worsened and requires treatment."
Sally didn't respond.
....
After leaving Countess Violet's room, Char didn't linger and headed straight towards the place she had described.
According to her description, the underground altar should be directly beneath the wine cellar.
This coincided with Char's previous speculation.
As for other details, Countess Violet was completely unaware.
Following her guidance, Char transformed into a shadow, stealthily moving through the darkness of the night, and soon found the wine cellar of Violet.
Sure enough, Char saw more tightly guarded security at the entrance than in other areas.
...
Furrowing his brow, Char, lurking in the shroud of shadows, contemplated his options.
It wouldn't be too difficult to sneak in unnoticed if he wanted to, but as the hiding place of Count Violet and the person with the black mask, it was unlikely that there would be only one layer of defense.
There would undoubtedly be stronger guards further inside.
If only he could infiltrate with a suitable identity.
Just as this thought emerged, Char suddenly noticed that the door to the wine cellar was being pushed open.
Soon after, a person wearing a white mask emerged from within and swaggered away.
Upon seeing the white mask, the guards all bowed in unison, as if the person held a much higher position than them.
Char's eyes lit up.
After learning that the assassin came from the organization called Night Shadow, Char had made a mental note of the organization. Before disposing of the bodies, he had taken the white mask along with him, which was now resting inside the Dimensional Ring.
He examined the style of the person's robe and used his control over "Ember" to transform it into a matching style. Then he put on the mask of the Night Shadow assassin.
Once the person had walked away, Char pretended to casually walk out.
...
The guards seemed somewhat puzzled upon seeing Char's figure.
A captain who led the guards approached and saluted, "Sir, why have you changed shifts so early today?"
Char inwardly broke out in a cold sweat.
He couldn't speak, as his voice wouldn't match, and any flaw would be easily detected.
After a moment of contemplation, Char continued walking without haste, passing through the group of guards and heading towards the entrance of the wine cellar.
"Hmph!"
He expressed his dissatisfaction with a low hum, but didn't say a word. Without looking back, Char pushed open the door and calmly entered.
With the guards' gaze on his back, Char closed the door of the wine cellar with a heavy thud.
"It seems this gentleman's mood is quite good today."
After closing the door, Char faintly heard someone outside whispering such words.
He let out a sigh of relief.
He had passed the first obstacle, but judging from the tone of the guard captain, someone would come to change shifts soon.
Once that happened, Char would have no choice but to flee.
Therefore, he didn't have much time left.
Char looked up and saw rows of wooden shelves filled with various expensive wines. Under the dim lighting, the bottles emitted a dreamy purple hue, and the entire wine cellar was filled with the aroma of grapes.
The value of these wines alone could rival a luxurious mansion in the heart of the capital.
However, Char's attention wasn't focused on the wines.
According to Countess Violet's words, the altar was excavated directly beneath the wine cellar, so there must be a passage leading there.
But as Char surveyed the area, all he saw were walls, and the floor was impeccably clean, showing no signs of excavation.
Could there be a hidden door?
Char carefully searched around, even turning all the wine bottles in an attempt to rely on luck and open a hidden passage like he had done in his previous life. But after more than ten minutes, he had yet to find anything.
Just as he was starting to feel slightly anxious, a female voice suddenly emerged in his mind.
"There, in the corner, there's an illusion used for concealment."
The voice sounded somewhat weary, as if recovering from some intense activity.
Char chuckled softly.
After subduing the Formless demon that night, he had forced it to sign a series of unequal treaties. One of the terms was that whenever Char encountered difficulties and the demon happened to have a solution, it had to offer help proactively.
If discovered by Char, it would undoubtedly face torment.
After tasting the bitterness, the shapeless demon chose compromise and cooperation.
After all, it was now just a tiny consciousness, incapable of influencing Char in any way, so it had to survive by compromising like this.
With the guidance of the Formless demon, Char quickly found the spot concealed by the illusion.
With a ripple-like distortion, the scenery before him instantly changed, revealing a deep, bottomless underground passage.
Without much thought, Char, wearing the white mask, walked down confidently.
Soon, the surroundings opened up to a spacious area beneath the underground passage, about the size of Char's apartment. The walls were made of raw soil and supported by wooden frames, much like a mine.
Looking around, there was another entrance to a deeper part of the underground, similar to a mine tunnel.
And at this moment, in this space, there was another person wearing a white mask sitting at a worn-out wooden table, quietly flipping through a stack of papers.
As if sensing someone's arrival, he looked up and glanced at Char.
He then whispered, "What rank are you? What is your codename?"
Char had no idea how to answer.
He hesitated for a moment and asked in return, "And you?"
Seeing Char's lack of response, the person seemed somewhat cautious but still voluntarily reported their codename, "Seventy-Sixth Rank, codename 'Deadly Nightshade.' If you don't speak up, I'll..."
Before the sentence could be finished, Char, in the horrified gaze of "Deadly Nightshade," suddenly erupted like a wild beast, appearing before him like a blur!
In the instant he raised his hand, a black liquid swiftly enveloped Char's right hand, condensing into a grotesque gauntlet with a metallic sheen. Like the claws of a beast, its five fingers were sharp and wrapped tightly!
"Help—"
Before the scream could escape, the member with the codename "Deadly Nightshade" had their throat crushed by an irresistible force!
Accompanied by the sound of bones shattering, their eyes, filled with disbelief, gradually dimmed.
Char had almost instantly killed the person.
A rough estimation suggested that this person had the strength of a mid-level Great Knight, but in the face of his sudden murderous attack, they didn't even have time to react.
Looking at the twitching corpse, Char approached and picked up the person's mask to wear it himself.
He had just noticed that each mask seemed to have subtle differences.
"This codename now belongs to me."
Leaving behind these words, Char marched swiftly towards the deeper part of the mine tunnel without looking back.
Having killed someone, he needed to quicken his pace.
.....
Five minutes later.
"Who are you?"
As Char walked halfway, he encountered two more individuals wearing white masks.
This time, he calmly answered, "Seventy-Sixth Rank, codename 'Deadly Nightshade.'"
Shouldn't there be any issues this time?
With that thought in mind, Char looked at them.
Little did he know, the two members of the Night Shadow faction exchanged glances.
"No, something's not right! I know that guy, and your voice sounds completely different from his!"
Seeing the two members instantly enter a combat state, Char furrowed his brow.
Trouble.
<=SKIP=>
The battle ended in an instant.
Wiping the blood off his mask, Char continued to descend.
The path in the entire mine tunnel was a slope. So far, Char had walked a considerable distance, estimating that he had descended over a hundred meters.
.....
Ten minutes later.
Char finally saw the end of the mine tunnel.
Looking at the partially closed gate in the distance and the two guards vaguely standing on either side, he felt remarkably calm.
On his way here, he had encountered three more groups of white-masked individuals who insisted on causing trouble for him.
But as he delved deeper, his strength continued to grow.
Unfortunately, none of these individuals proved to be a match for Char.
For Char, tonight's adventure had completely lost its original flavor. He had intended to be an elusive assassin, but in the end, all he did was kill everyone he encountered during his infiltration.
Let's finish this quickly.
With that thought in mind, Char walked slowly toward the guards.
At the same time, he faintly heard their conversation.
"Tsk, tsk. Lady Violet is undoubtedly the sexiest woman I've ever seen in my life. That bosom, that rear. If I could sleep with a woman like her, I'd consider it a life well spent."
"Who wouldn't? Unfortunately, in the upcoming 'ritual,' she's going to..."
"Who are you?"
Just as they reached a critical moment, the other guard suddenly lifted the sheath of his sword, assuming a drawing stance, ready to face Char head-on.
"Twenty-Third Rank, 'Siren,'" Char answered indifferently.
This was his third codename change.
So far, it seemed that the lower-ranked codenames were named after various plants in herbalism, while the higher-ranked codenames were extraordinary creatures like "Witch" or "Water Spirit."
Naturally, the higher the rank, the stronger the individual.
"State the passphrase."
The gatekeeper in the white mask demanded.
Char paused for a moment, then sighed in resignation.
Under the astonished gaze of the guard, he gently removed the mask from his face.
"I just wanted to quietly carry out my stealth like an assassin... Why did you have to force me into this?"
Accompanied by two screams, Char, wielding a black longsword, walked slowly through the bloodshed and pushed open the wooden door.
Before him lay a vast underground cavern, not cramped at all, with signs of human excavation everywhere. At the end of his line of sight stood a small altar, roughly the size of a single-story house.
However, before he could examine it closely, he was halted by several voices shouting, "Who goes there?!"
As Char looked at the over twenty white-masked individuals swiftly surrounding him, he shook his head.
Black liquid instantly enveloped his entire body as a knight's armor, gleaming with a black sheen, slowly condensed on his surface. The armor had a peculiar texture, resembling dragon scales, seamlessly interlocking and fitting together, encasing his entire body.
Bowing his head and gazing at his sharp and razor-like five fingers, Char slightly crouched, signaling the prelude to a charge.
At the same time, he quietly recited a word.
"Knight... Forcefield."
.....
Even though it was a lively and festive ball, the atmosphere of the Violet Count's own party, for some reason, made him feel uneasy.
He recalled certain matters and, with a low laugh, apologized to the noblewoman beside him who had been engaging in conversation. "I'm sorry, but I must excuse myself for a moment."
With that, he set down his glass and walked towards a certain room on the third floor.
After pushing open the door, a mysterious figure wearing a black mask sat at the desk.
Approaching him, the Violet Count looked at the masked individual and calmly said, "Is everything fine at the altar?"
"Hehe, I just took a look a moment ago. Nothing seems out of the ordinary."
"That's good," nodded the Violet Count. "The 'ritual' is about to commence. The deity has already passed, and as His followers, we must uphold His final majesty."
"However, to ensure that everything goes smoothly, I want you to make another round of inspection later."
"Hehe, I don't have any issues on my end," the masked individual chuckled. "But what about your wife, as the vessel for the 'ritual'? Is she prepared to sacrifice her life for the faith?"
"That's not something you need to worry about," the Violet Count replied with a cold smirk.
...
Slowly wiping away the blood from his face, Char disarmed himself as the black liquid slowly seeped into his body.
Perhaps his style was somewhat peculiar, but in any case, what should have been a stealthy game turned into a one-man massacre.
He walked slowly towards the altar and noticed the intricate and incomprehensible magic matrices depicted on the platform. With a cursory glance, he could tell it was some kind of ritual magic used for summoning.
However, Char wasn't formally trained in such matters and couldn't make sense of it all.
The problem was, could he understand the materials placed at various nodes of the magic matrix?
"Deep Crimson Stone, Mist Droplet Crystal, Void Sprite's Skeleton, World Tree Branches, and..."
Char's eyes gradually lit up.
When he saw the material at the core of the matrix, he couldn't help but gasp for breath.
A whole piece of Voidstone!
It was as big as half a fist!
Oh, how many levels would he gain if he calculated the dose needed to reach the Abyssal Palace?
With this thought in mind, Char burst into laughter.
Subsequently, like a bandit passing through, he packed all the visible rare materials into his ring.
After completing all of this, he raised his head with great satisfaction.
However, after clearly seeing the stone wall in front of the altar, he suddenly froze.
The wall was carved with dense and fragmented inscriptions, resembling a broken stone tablet embedded in the earth.
In the center of the stone tablet, there was an ancient symbol.
It was the vivid shape of a large tree.
The Abundance Church?
Char instantly recalled seeing the same symbol on Lady Violet's chest during their conversation earlier.
Initially, he thought she was displaying her faith.
But now, something seemed off.
Why was there a hidden altar and stone tablet beneath the Violet Manor?
Why was the symbol of the Goddess of Abundance engraved on the stone tablet?
Moreover, the conversation he overheard between the two guards he killed earlier was thought-provoking.
According to their dialogue, Lady Violet would be the crucial element in this ritual magic.
And considering Lady Violet's own words, it seemed her so-called terminal illness was also related to this ritual.
Char was instantly engulfed in contemplation.
Although he didn't usually meddle in other people's affairs, when it involved the "Sun" organization and their plot, he became interested.
Currently, it seemed that the "Sun" organization was planning a mysterious ritual beneath the Violet Count's estate to summon a certain entity into reality.
Unfortunately, so far, he hadn't encountered any high-ranking members of the organization.
The masked individual might have had some insight, as well as the Violet Count, but they were not easy targets.
However...
Char seemed to suddenly think of something, his eyes gleaming slightly, and he quickly left the place.
Of course, before leaving, he left behind a small surprise.
...
Lady Violet sat by the bedside, feeling a bit despondent.
Although she had met her favorite author, his abrupt departure had left her feeling somewhat sad.
Perhaps this was their first and last meeting.
She gently touched the signature left on the book's cover, letting out a soft sigh.
She suddenly remembered how carefree she had been as a young girl.
It had been many years since she had seen the outside world.
She felt as if she were imprisoned here, confined to the estate, with her husband being indifferent towards her and her daughter unwilling to pay her any attention.
Besides reading, there seemed to be no other form of entertainment for her.
Char had no idea how significant he, or rather his books, were in Lady Violet's heart.
So, when she saw Char, her heart was filled with special delight.
"I really want to go outside and see..."
Lady Violet whispered softly.
"Well then, my lady, how about embarking on a spontaneous journey?" a slightly frivolous voice suddenly came from beside the bed.
She instinctively stood up, covering her turbulent chest, and looked towards the source of the voice.
The window in the bedroom had been opened, though she wasn't sure when.
"Mr. Cain...?" she said.
A young man, dressed in magnificent attire and wearing a black mask, extended his hand towards her, smiling as if he were pulling her out of the abyss.
"Forget about your family, forget about the illness, forget about this mansion that has confined you for years... Forget about everything."
"Leave this place with me!"
That's right.
As the crucial core of the ritual magic, intended to completely whisk Lady Violet away!
This was his ultimate plan to disrupt the "Sun" organization's scheme!