"I, the tour guide, kindly reminds you not to try to change history because whatever you do won't affect the final outcome. You might even disrupt my and the Angel of Secrets' mission to rescue people." Lynn paused for a moment as if remembering something and turned to Klein, saying, "By the way, make sure you digest as much of the Bizarro Sorcerer potion as possible during this time. It would be best if you could finish it all at once. That way, you can immediately take the Scholar of Yore potion and advance. After all, your ritual is essentially complete."
"I'll do my best," Klein nodded. Though he was very excited about reuniting with his family and friends from the past era, he hadn't forgotten the mission.
"Alright, everyone, get ready. 3, 2, 1, go!"
---
Zhou Mingrui felt like he might be seeing things.
Otherwise, how could he have woken up to find a whole group of people in his room?
"Who are you?" Zhou asked cautiously, already gripping the phone under his pillow and secretly dialing.
"Am I still dreaming?" A thought suddenly flashed through Zhou's mind. It was abrupt but strangely convincing, and in the next second, the surprise and confusion on his face were replaced by drowsiness. "Thud" He just lay back down on the bed again.
"Hahaha, little Zhou, this must be the old you, right? You look so young, are you just a few years out of school?" Roselle couldn't help but laugh aloud, though his laughter carried a touch of excitement.
He's back. Really back!
Even though Roselle had mentally prepared for this, he still found it hard to contain his emotions at this moment.
"I'll be sure to tell Bernadette that all of her father's great works were plagiarized," Klein said casually, instantly cutting off Roselle's laughter.
"Hey, you can't… Klein, you're definitely picking up bad habits from Lynn!" Roselle's voice carried a strange tone of sadness.
"Heh…" Klein chuckled softly as he walked over to Zhou. He stared at his past self, who had fallen back asleep under the influence of Beyonder powers, his expression dazed for a few seconds.
Then Klein sighed and carefully pulled the phone from Zhou Mingrui's hand. He unlocked it expertly and opened a certain app, finding his mother's account.
Klein pressed his lips together. His body abruptly shifted, and within seconds, he became an exact copy of Zhou lying in bed. Yet, he hesitated, staring quietly at his mother's profile picture, unable to press down on the screen.
It was hard to say what Klein felt in that moment—excitement? Fear? Or perhaps something even more complex.
This mixture of emotions made Klein's hand tremble with anticipation, but he still couldn't bring himself to tap on his mother's profile to send a message.
"What's the matter? Afraid to face home?"
Someone sidled up next to him, and before Klein could stop them, Lynn swiftly tapped on his mother's profile and started a video call.
"No…" Klein's words of protest were too late. The call connected, and his mother's face appeared on the screen. She seemed to be hanging clothes, and from the camera angle, Klein could just make out the clothesline behind her.
"What's wrong, Mingrui? Why are you calling so early in the morning? Did something happen?" his mother's voice came through the phone, her tone filled with unrestrained concern and worry.
"Nothing, Mom. I just suddenly missed you," Klein blurted out instinctively before his brain could even register the words.
Then he saw his mother on the screen smile.
"Oh, you… calling so early…" She seemed taken aback by the direct sentiment, a little embarrassed, but her eyes lit up with joy. After scolding him playfully for a moment, she noticed Klein's somber expression and quickly changed her tone. "But I miss you too. By the way, you're not wearing much—be careful not to catch a cold. It's getting chilly."
Once she started talking, she didn't stop. His mother rambled on, and Klein listened quietly to those familiar words. Words he had once found mundane now made his nose sting with emotion. If it weren't for the Clown ability helping him keep his composure, Klein might have cried.
"Shh, let's give him some space…"
Lynn lowered his voice and signaled the others to leave. They filed out of the room, giving Klein a moment alone to reconnect with his family.
"I'm not exactly sure where your families are, so I won't be the one to lead you to reunite with them. I'll leave that part to you. Take some time to catch up with your loved ones and maybe visit some close friends as well," Lynn said, looking around at the group with a smile.
The Angel of Secrets then produced a pile of crystalline candies and handed them out. "These candies can be given to the people you want to save. After they take one, I'll be able to locate them and smuggle them into Sefirah Castle. They can also protect their souls from the Mysteries influence to a certain extent. Each of you can choose up to ten people to save, but any more than that, and there might be problems. The choice is yours."
"Thank you." Even Roselle offered sincere gratitude at that moment. He clutched the candies tightly, knowing they were a rare item from the Wheel of Fortune Pathway. He glanced at the others and said, "I will go off first. See you all later!"
"Collaborating with you might have been the best decision I've ever made," Amanises said, casting a deep look at Lynn. "And I truly hope that you come back safely." With those words, she vanished, as if erased from the air.
Adam, on the other hand, examined the candy thoughtfully before storing it. He turned to Lynn and said, "I do not regret what I did to Medici. It was a necessary sacrifice."
Lynn looked at him, waiting for more.
"It's the same for me," Adam continued in his usual mild manner, smiling at Lynn. "If the Sasrir awakens, I wouldn't mind letting him take control."
Necessary sacrifices, even if it meant sacrificing himself.
Adam had always been prepared for this.
Lynn paused, studying the blonde priest in front of him as if seeing him in a new light. Finally, he said, "You'd better mean what you say."
"You can supervise me personally," Adam replied with a smile, before disappearing into thin air, just as he'd come.
"That…" Lynn gritted his teeth and glanced at the Angel of Secrets beside him, who, playing along, asked with a smile, "Do you think he means it?"
"Of course…" The Angel of Secrets chuckled, looking in the direction Adam had left. "It has to be true, even if… heh, I'll make sure it is."
(End of Chapter)