A little boy who looked no older than seven or eight was swinging his legs, smiling at Aaron. In his hand was a stack of tarot cards, the top one being the Wheel of Fortune card.
"When did you come in?" Aaron narrowed his eyes, his body tensing up, the Sun Ring glowing slightly.
The light golden necklace on Evelyn's neck also began to glow. As a Spectator, she hadn't even noticed that an extra person had appeared in the room.
The little boy holding the tarot cards jumped down from the tea table, looked at Aaron and Evelyn, who were on high alert and ready to strike at any moment, and chuckled:
"No need to be nervous, I mean no harm, I just wanted to see..." He paused, "Hmm, this favored one of Evernight."
Seeing the still wary human and cat, he sighed helplessly, put away the tarot cards in his hand, and introduced himself:
"Then let's get acquainted. My name is Will Auceptin."
He then continued in a familiar tone:
"Speaking of which, we're quite fated, aren't we? Mr. Aaron Weil?"
Aaron was immediately startled. Will Auceptin?
"That chairman of the Fate Council of the School of Life, the Sequence 1 Mercury Serpent of the Monster pathway?"
"How did he find me? And what does he want from me?"
Aaron's mind raced, but he didn't respond verbally. However, Evelyn next to him didn't think that much and directly questioned,
"How did you get in?"
Will Auceptin unhurriedly drew out a tarot card. The card face flipped over, revealing the Goddess of Justice holding the Sword of Justice in her right hand and the scales distinguishing good from evil in her left.
It was precisely the Justice card among the 22 Major Arcana. He then chuckled and replied:
"Of course I walked in. I told that butler gentleman that Lord Aaron invited me to be his guest."
"Hehe, that butler gentleman believed me, and then I came here unimpeded."
Aaron exhaled, pressing down Evelyn who still wanted to say something, and bowed slightly to Will Auceptin, saying very politely:
"Respected Chairman of the Fate Council, may I ask what brings you here for this visit?"
A hint of surprise appeared in Will Auceptin's eyes, and he looked Aaron up and down again, muttering something under his breath.
Perhaps his voice was too low, or there was other interference, but Aaron didn't hear clearly.
Without giving Aaron time to think, Will Auceptin raised his small face, put away his smile, and spoke with a serious expression:
"Since you already know my identity, I won't beat around the bush."
"Presumably, you also know that our School of Life was established in the early Fifth Epoch."
"It was an alliance formed under the immense pressure of the Seven Great Churches by Beyonders who believed in fate and considered themselves transcendent and absolutely rational, and believers who worshipped the Original Moon and sought the essence of life and spirituality."
"Originally, under my coordination, there hadn't been any major problems within the School of Life."
"The worship of the Original Moon was always limited and fixed to its symbolic meaning, and it was gradually truly integrated through master-disciple inheritance and formula exchange."
At this point, the expression of pride mixed with authority on Will Auceptin's face suddenly became difficult to maintain. He cleared his throat and continued:
"But due to certain events, I had to stay in Backlund for a long time and couldn't directly contact the members of the Fate Council."
Aaron listened attentively and subtly glanced at Will Auceptin, muttering to himself:
"Isn't it just that he couldn't defeat Uroboros and fled to Backlund to escape the pursuit? It's normal not to be able to defeat him; there's no need to be ashamed."
Will Auceptin perhaps didn't notice Aaron's small movement, or perhaps noticed but ignored it, and continued on his own:
"The believers of the Original Moon quickly became fanatical, causing a split with the faction representing fate and even joining the Rose School.
"They had a fierce conflict in the Southern Continent, and this involves a very important Sealed Artifact."
He paused, looking at Aaron's gradually furrowed brow, and spoke with a slight hint of embarrassment:
"I hope you can help the School of Life deal with those traitors who joined the Rose School and hand over that Sealed Artifact to Reijord."
"Hmm, Reijord is a member of the 'Fate Council,' a Sequence 4 'Calamity Mage' of the 'Monster' pathway."
Aaron fell into thought. Will Auceptin seemed to see his concerns and added with a smile:
"Of course, I'm not asking you to go to the Southern Continent right now. Our School of Life is not so fragile that it will collapse at a single blow."
Then he put on a mystical expression and deliberately lowered his voice:
"Although many things about you have been concealed by that existence, making it impossible for me to glimpse too much."
"But I can still feel the fluctuations of fate. You will leave Backlund for the Southern Continent in at most three months."
#104Chapter 104 Remuneration
"Three months?" Aaron couldn't help but frown. Will Auceptin chuckled and added,
"So as long as you complete it within a year, I can agree to act for you 3 times and give you some extra rewards. But due to my own condition, I can only act with restrictions through a certain medium."
"I don't think you want to cause another big trouble just because of my action, do you?"
Aaron thought about Uroboros, the "Angel of Fate" who had always served the True Creator, and with a plan in mind, he nodded slightly.
Seeing this, Will Auceptin's childish face instantly showed a satisfied smile. He put the tarot cards in his pocket, took out a paper crane folded from white paper, and placed it on the table.
"This is a paper crane I made myself. If you need help or have any questions, you can write your questions on the surface of the paper crane, and I can answer them for you in a safer and more convenient way."
Will Auceptin, with a bit of childlike mischief, beat around the bush and didn't want to say it clearly. But Aaron didn't care, because he had known for a long time, wasn't it just meeting in a dream?
Seeing Aaron reach for the paper crane on the table, Will Auceptin quickly added,
"Of course, if you encounter irresistible danger, you can directly light this paper crane, which can attract my attention."
"Within my ability, even if you haven't completed my task, I can act for you once in advance."
Aaron's eyes lit up, and he quickly put away the paper crane. This was indeed a good thing.
Seeing Aaron put away the paper crane, Will Auceptin hummed a little tune and jumped off the sofa. He touched the obviously bewildered Evelyn, and then walked towards the door.
Aaron's eyes shifted slightly, and he quickly walked to the door to stop Will Auceptin, retaining him with a smile all over his face:
"My chef was specially transferred from East Tussock County and knows how to make many ice creams with exclusive recipes."
"And I can guarantee that even in many high-end restaurants outside, you can't eat such delicious ice cream. I wonder if Mr. Speaker is willing to try it?"
Will Auceptin's childish face showed a strange smile. He glanced at Aaron and shook his head slightly, saying,
"All gifts bestowed by fate are already marked with a price in the dark."
Just when Aaron thought He was going to refuse, Will Auceptin chuckled and added, "However, I am willing to try the ice cream that Lord Aaron praises so much."
-----------------
Backlund Factory District, in a slightly dim basement.
A young woman with a sweet appearance but full of malice between her eyebrows stood with her hands down, her fists clenched tightly, her shoulders trembling slightly, and she wore a dark green ring on her right middle finger.
"Quinn Mahel, venting desires and releasing pain should also be done at the right time. Don't you know that this period is the time for our sect's important mission?"
A mysterious figure in a black hooded robe walked out of the shadows in the corner, with a distinctly female voice.
Quinn Mahel lowered her head so that no one could see the distorted expression on her face, and argued while suppressing her emotions:
"I just used the ring you made to let those damned commoners feel the taste of pain. I did it very secretly, deliberately reducing the power of disease spread and disguising it as an ordinary infectious disease."
Looking at Quinn Mahel who was still arguing, the woman in the black robe said indifferently:
"It seems you still haven't adapted to life as a witch. Stay away from those factories from now on. Go."
Quinn Mahel clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging into her flesh, but she still left in silence.
In the dim basement, a mirror glowed slightly, and "Despair Nightingale" Panatiya, wearing a simple pure white robe and with her hair loosely tied up, walked out.
She was holy, dignified, and unstained by any dust, with a bright and radiant appearance that made people's eyes light up, adding a bit of restrained and lazy temperament to her.
Panatiya played with her hair with her right hand, a soul-stirring smile on her face as she looked at the black-robed woman standing respectfully beside her, and spoke with a chuckle, revealing an indescribable charm and temptation:
"Natali Mana, does she know our plan?"
Natali Mana took off her black hood, revealing an equally beautiful face, and replied respectfully:
"She doesn't know our plan, she is only responsible for some auxiliary work of population plunder."
Panatiya nodded slightly and continued:
"She is no longer suitable to be the vessel for our Lord's descent. When this is over, you will leave Backlund and find a better vessel."
Natali Mana replied respectfully without any surprise.
-----------------
Backlund Queen's District, in Aaron's study.
The desk made of high-quality golden silk wood was covered with empty boxes. All 5 different flavors of ice cream were eaten by Will Auceptin.
He put down the last empty box, let out a satisfied burp, and nodded in satisfaction:
"Your chef's ice cream is quite good, well, it's just too sweet…"
Seeing that he had finished eating, Aaron sat next to Him with a smile all over his face, and took out a stack of white paper and a small bottle with some special patterns on the surface from behind.
Looking at the expression on Will Auceptin's face that said "I knew it", Aaron cleared his throat:
"Among the conditions you mentioned just now, you said you could act three times and give some rewards."
"So I want to draw some rewards in advance, such as folding more paper cranes, and a drop of your mythical creature blood."
Will Auceptin sat up from the sofa with a swish, glared at Aaron and pointed at the empty boxes on the table. Although he didn't say anything, the meaning was already obvious.
Aaron, with a thick skin, maintained a smile and pretended not to see it. Anyway, since He was willing to act in advance, paying a little reward in advance was certainly not a problem.
Looking at the smile on Aaron's face, Will Auceptin's mouth twitched, and He silently took the white paper and folded two more paper cranes.
Looking at the little boy sitting on the sofa and folding paper with his head down, Aaron always had the illusion of exploiting child labor, and quickly shook off the inexplicable thought that appeared in his mind.
Seeing that Will Auceptin's hand stopped folding paper, Aaron just wanted to shamelessly ask for a few more paper cranes.
But before he could speak, a drop of silver blood appeared, as if countless tiny, transcendent, illusory wheels were rotating, forming a long band, with the beginning and end almost connected.
Just by looking at it, Aaron felt as if he had lost the ability to think, and only felt that all thoughts were repeating themselves.
He quickly shook his head and put the drop of "Snake of Fate" blood, which was obviously sealed, into the special small bottle.
After Aaron finished dealing with the matter, he was surprised to find that Will Auceptin, who was originally sitting on the sofa, had long since disappeared, and all the empty boxes that contained ice cream had also disappeared, leaving only two paper cranes lonely on the table.
#105Chapter 105 Transaction
Aaron looked at the now tidy desk and placed the original paper crane and the small bottle containing the mythological creature's blood he held in his hand on the desk.
Looking at the items on the desk, the smile on Aaron's face had long disappeared as he began to ponder the true purpose of 'Mercury Snake's' visit.
First, Will Aucetin, due to Ouroboros's interference, was forced to restart his life and went into hiding in Backlund to evade pursuit.
'Mercury Snake' can reincarnate while retaining original consciousness and memories, being reborn and growing up as a baby again.
Although this restart resets one's madness and significantly reduces 'Fate's Snake's' need for anchors, the loss of a large number of anchors would definitely cause His state to drop significantly.
Years later, the School of Thought of Life declined to the point of hiding everywhere, being hunted by various forces. The Will Aucetin at that time was sickly and in poor condition, possibly affected by the anchors.
Restarting again, becoming Dr. Aaron's child, might also have been a consideration to reduce the need for anchors and stabilize His state.
Coming to me, a favored one of Evernight, was likely also intended to test the Evernight Goddess's thoughts through my attitude at this crucial juncture of internal strife within the School of Thought of Life.
However, as 'Mercury Snake', the Sequence 1 most likely to see through my uniqueness, Will Aucetin only referred to me as a favored one of Evernight and didn't mention anything else.
This at least indicates that the state of concealment provided by the Evernight Goddess is sufficient to hide my special nature until a true god or an Angel King accommodating a Uniqueness appears in the Black Emperor or Arbiter pathways.
With some ideas forming, Aaron reined in his scattered thoughts, looked at the three paper cranes and the bottle filled with silver blood on the desk, curled his lips, and muttered, "How stingy."
.....
In an empty room, Will Aucetin's figure appeared out of thin air. The trash can in the corner instantly contained many empty boxes.
Recalling the scene of the meeting just now and his feelings after observing the favored one of Evernight up close, Will Aucetin frowned, pondered for a moment, and then took out his tarot cards again.
A silver light flashed in Will Aucetin's eyes, as if illusory silver rings appeared. A moment later, the familiar scene reappeared, with four tarot cards spread face up on the table.
At the top was the 'Judgment' card, the 'Emperor' card was at the bottom, and the 'Star' card and 'Wheel of Fortune' card were on the left and right respectively.
Looking at this slightly peculiar combination, Will Aucetin frowned tightly and muttered to himself, "Aaron Will..."
-----------------
At 12 o'clock on Friday midnight, figures appeared within the magnificent grand hall shrouded in dark gold mist.
Under Aaron's leadership, everyone bowed to the great existence on the throne before the Chaos Council began.
"Five tail feathers of the Blazing Feather Bird, 200 pounds," Chuck Wald's eyes glowed slightly as he spoke directly.
This was one of the auxiliary materials for Sequence 7 'Arsonist'. Yesterday, he had already arrived at Kookv City in the Northern Continent with the caravan from the Church of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom.
He had already purchased the other auxiliary material, Magma Heart Powder, at a Beyonder gathering there, leaving only the Blazing Feather Bird's tail feathers unavailable.
As for the main material for the potion, he planned to use the Beyonder characteristic left by his father. In his view, this was more like an inheritance, a continuation of spirit and will.
Ever since he learned that Ferran Eddas was preparing to advance to Sequence 7 'Navigator' and had successfully joined Iceberg Admiral's crew, he felt a sense of urgency.
As someone with extreme inner pride, he never believed he would fall behind others. Therefore, even though he hadn't completely digested the 'Provoker' potion, he began collecting materials.
Louise Sears raised her hand slightly, completing the transaction. Aaron nodded inwardly. As the future heir of the East Tassel family who controlled the Hunter pathway, he naturally had the auxiliary materials for the Hunter pathway.
However, unless no one else responded, he generally wouldn't speak. Aaron still hoped that the members of the Chaos Council would strengthen their connections with each other.
Seeing that the two had completed their transaction, Ferran Eddas also spoke in a deep voice:
"A pair of Ghost-faced Sea Shark eyeballs, hmm, 600 pounds."
This was one of the main materials for Sequence 7 'Navigator'. After learning that he was about to advance to Sequence 7, 'Iceberg Admiral' Edwina Edwards explicitly told him that she had the other two auxiliary materials and the other main material in her collection, only lacking the Ghost-faced Sea Shark's eyeballs.
Moreover, as long as Ferran Eddas made sufficient contributions in the subsequent exploration missions, she could sell these materials at a low price or even give them to him for free as a reward.
Seeing that the others around him were silent, Ferran Eddas looked hopefully at Mr. Favored One not far away.
Aaron looked at the hopeful eyes and thought for a moment, realizing that there didn't seem to be any Ghost-faced Sea Shark eyeballs in the warehouse.
However, Aaron immediately remembered that he seemed to have a Sequence 6 'Wind-blessed' Beyonder characteristic. This was offered by Louise Sears in exchange for that Sequence 6 Blood Baron Beyonder characteristic.
"Hmm, I can use the Sun-seeking Staff to extract the surplus Beyonder characteristic from that 'Wind-blessed' one. The 'Navigator' Beyonder characteristic within it can be sold to Ferran Eddas, which directly saves him the main material."
Having made up his mind, Aaron spoke calmly:
"I don't have Ghost-faced Sea Shark eyeballs, but I have a 'Navigator' Beyonder characteristic, 1000 pounds."
Ferran Eddas, who was somewhat disappointed initially, immediately brightened up. He currently only had 600 pounds in savings, and the remaining 400 pounds could be borrowed from Danitz.
Watching the two gentlemen quickly complete the transaction, Louise Sears's eyes showed obvious fluctuations. She wanted to speak but held back.
Having become a Blood Baron, what she most desired now was naturally the Beyonder characteristic for Sequence 5 Blood Viscount.
However, a normal Sequence 5 Beyonder characteristic costs at least 8000 pounds or more. A relatively rare Blood Viscount Beyonder characteristic like this often comes with a significant premium.
Her dilemma, in more colloquial terms, was that she was short on cash recently. Even if the knowledgeable and kind Mr. Favored One sold the Blood Viscount Beyonder characteristic at a low price of 8000 pounds, she couldn't afford it.
When she first arrived in Backlund, she had over 4000 pounds in cash, but due to socializing and befriending Bloodlines in Backlund, most of this cash had been spent, leaving less than 1000 pounds.
However, her actual assets were much higher than when she first arrived in Backlund. As such a young Blood Baron and a descendant of Count Mystral,
Many Bloodlines gave gifts when attending parties. In such occasions, no Bloodline would be so shallow as to directly give cash. The gifts were basically various valuable calligraphy, paintings, and collectibles.
But she couldn't just sell these valuable calligraphy, paintings, and collectibles given by elders or peers! How impolite that would be! At least she had to wait for a while, not sell them right after receiving them.
Moreover, Backlund was only so big. If the news of her reselling gifts spread, as a proud Bloodline, Louise felt she couldn't afford to lose face.
Of course, some Bloodlines were eccentric. Louise remembered that among those gifts, there was a very beautiful doll, which seemed to be given by someone named Emlyn White.
"Worst case, I'll sell that doll first. Sigh, this is the first time I've realized how poor I am. I need to find a way to make money." Louise's thoughts gradually wandered.
Chapter 106 Borrowing Money
Not noticing the lady beside him was completely lost in thought, Syd Watson's eyes flickered, but he didn't speak. He had only just become a Sequence 8 "Gravedigger" last week, and the potion hadn't been fully digested yet.
Originally, he wanted to inquire about purchasing a Sequence 7 potion formula, but the Sequence 7 formula was around 800 pounds, which was a bit too expensive for him.
But even if he couldn't afford it for now, he could at least inquire about the potion's name. He really hoped it wouldn't be names like "Corpse Collector" or "Gravedigger" again.
However, during his conversation with Sharon earlier today, he unexpectedly learned the name of his next Sequence was "Spirit Medium," and Sharon was willing to offer the "Spirit Medium" potion formula as payment for Syd helping them leave Kaiser Port.
As a long-standing local indigenous noble family, even though they had declined, their influence still remained. Moreover, the Church of the Evernight Sun might have gathered some clues; the previously strict searches had been canceled, and all port inspections were handed over to the guard team, showing a hands-off attitude, as if they couldn't be bothered to interfere.
Based on these circumstances, Syd was still confident he could handle the local guard team and get Sharon and Maric onto a ship. Thus, he abandoned his original plan, no longer inquiring about purchasing the formula, and became increasingly expectant of the upcoming discussion session.
After the two transactions were completed, seeing that no one else was speaking and noticing the eager expressions on the faces of many members, Aaron announced that the discussion session would begin.
Syd spoke first, directly recounting in some detail how Sharon and Maric of the Rose School of Thought had evaded pursuit in Kaiser Port with his help.
Having heard Syd's account during the previous gathering, the other members were also familiar with Sharon and Maric, knowing they were defectors from the Rose School of Thought, and listened with great interest.
"A few nights ago?" Chuck immediately recalled the abnormal behavior of the Church of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom's caravan and the appearance of the Archbishop that night. After thinking for a moment, he also spoke about the matter.
Looking at the members' faces, which showed expressions of understanding mixed with confusion, even Syd, who had initially brought up the topic, didn't fully understand Sharon himself and only knew some superficial information.
After agreeing to Will Auceptin's request, Aaron planned to use this opportunity to train the members of the Chaos Council and find a chance to bring Sharon into the council as well, better intervening in the situation on the Southern Continent.
Thinking of this, Aaron spoke up proactively:
"The situation on the Southern Continent is very complex, with intertwined forces."
"A split has occurred within the Rose School of Thought, dividing into the Temperance faction and the Hedonism faction. Their philosophies and views differ, leading to constant conflict. Those two are from the Temperance faction, who advocate for restraint and resist madness with a life of hardship and low desires."
"The Temperance faction believes that desires must be constantly suppressed within the heart, like underground fire and magma, only erupting at critical moments to produce terrifying power."
"Meanwhile, the abnormal Hedonism faction believes that indulging desires helps improve one's will. The indulgence of many together can even influence each other, adding fervor and elevating their state to its peak."
"And now, the leader who had been protecting the Temperance faction has fallen. The Hedonism faction has completely gained the upper hand, and the remaining members of the Temperance faction are being hunted."
He briefly introduced the situation on the Southern Continent and the Rose School of Thought, but Aaron didn't elaborate, as more in-depth information would require payment. He also showed a hostile attitude towards the Hedonism faction of the Rose School of Thought.
After speaking, looking at the members with varying expressions, Aaron thought for a moment and added:
"Recently, due to a split within the School of Life, some members who believed in the Original Moon defected and joined the Rose School of Thought. Many artificial vampires among them completely degenerated by indulging their desires."
"Original Moon! Artificial vampires." Louise showed a look of disgust. Already repulsed by the indulgence of desires, she felt even more disgusted by the Rose School of Thought for taking in those artificial vampires who believed in the Original Moon.
As for the School of Life mentioned by Mr. Favored, she had also learned about it from the book "General History of the Northern Continent in the Fifth Epoch" at the Earl of Mistral's residence.
She knew it was a newly established secret organization in the Fifth Epoch, mastering the Monster pathway and part of the Apothecary pathway. She just hadn't expected such an organization, which passed down knowledge through a master-disciple system, to also fall apart.
The atmosphere suddenly became silent. Everyone had different thoughts. After a moment, seeing that no one else spoke, Aaron's spirituality stirred slightly, and a light tapping sound immediately came from the throne.
A grand and majestic voice rang out: "You may inform Sharon of My honorific name and tell her that I can help Reinette Tinekerr revive and assist Her in confronting Salinger."
Chuck Wald was stunned for a moment, quickly reacted, and bowed in haste to respond.
The other members were inwardly shaken. Although they didn't know who Reinette Tinekerr and Salinger were at the moment...
...the use of "He/She/It" (He) was enough to explain everything. That was an Angel, and an existence capable of confronting an Angel was naturally also an Angel.
Two Angels in total! The members, who were only in the middle and low Sequences, felt somewhat out of place suddenly discussing such high-level topics. For a moment, they exchanged glances and remained silent.
In this atmosphere, Aaron controlled the phantom above the throne to end the gathering. Dark gold light surged, and silence returned to the grand great hall.
Northeast of the Raging Sea, somewhere east of Harman Port.
The weather was somewhat gloomy, the sun obscured by dark clouds, and the sea wind raged. The crew members of the Golden Dream, having finished their lessons for the day, all went up on deck to get some air.
Ferran Eddas poked Danitz beside him, poking him several times before Danitz reluctantly withdrew his gaze from the Captain, thinking to himself, "Hmm, the Captain has a pirate teacher vibe today, truly beautiful..."
He then turned back, glaring at Ferran with dissatisfaction: "You'd better have something important, or I'll show you how powerful an Arsonist is." As he spoke, a fiery crow appeared on his hand, and he raised his hand in a show of force.
Ferran curled his lip, but since he needed a favor now, he chuckled and put his arm around Danitz's shoulder, saying:
"Danitz, lend me 400 pounds. How about I return 450 pounds to you in a month?"
Danitz almost jumped up, "Shit, 400 pounds! You really think I'm a rich local tyrant? Where would I get 400 pounds?"
Ferran said with a smile, "Everyone knows you, Fiery Danitz, are wealthy. Iron Bucket and the others can testify."
"Iron Bucket, you two traitors, just you wait..." Danitz gritted his teeth inwardly, while pretending not to hear on the surface. Seeing this, Ferran cleared his throat and muttered to himself as he walked towards the Captain's cabin:
"I heard someone on our ship is always staring at the Captain. They wouldn't be plotting against the Captain, would they? I should report this properly to the Captain. Maybe the Captain will reward me a few hundred pounds."
Danitz perfectly demonstrated the flexibility of a Hunter. His figure instantly appeared in front of Ferran, and he said with a face full of smiles:
"Look at what you're saying! How could there be any plotting? It's just borrowing money. With our relationship as brothers, it's absolutely no problem. Let's not trouble the Captain with such a small matter."
#107Chapter 107 Key
Danitz enthusiastically put his arm around Ferrin and led him away from the captain's cabin to his own room in the ship's interior. Standing at the doorway with a constipated expression, Danitz gritted his teeth slightly and said, "Wait here, don't wander off. I'll go get the money."
A moment later, the door opened, and Danitz walked out holding a small box, his face full of reluctance.
Ferrin's eyes lit up. Without much thought, he reached out to take the box, but grabbed empty air. Danitz skillfully pulled the box back, took a promissory note from his pocket and handed it to Ferrin while saying:
"Words aren't enough. Write your name on this promissory note. You have to pay me back 450 pounds next month. You said it yourself."
Ferrin readily wrote his name on the note, snatched the small box from Danitz's arms, and seeing Danitz's reluctant gaze, Ferrin cleared his throat:
"It's just 400 pounds. It's not like I'm not paying you back. Next month you'll earn an extra 50 pounds. Shouldn't you be happy?"
Danitz snorted and offered no explanation.
As the Fourth Mate of the Golden Dream, even though the fleet didn't plunder merchant ships but mostly sought treasure, he had accumulated a considerable amount of wealth over the years.
However, most of his property had been converted into real estate; numbers 12 to 16 on Bayam's Sweet Tree Avenue were all his houses. Danitz only kept 430 pounds in cash on the ship, money he had planned to spend during his vacation in Bayam after this mission.
Thinking of the singing and dancing girls at Bayam's Red Theater, Danitz sighed and turned to close the door.
Ferrin returned to his room with the box and looked at the 1000 pounds in cash placed together, feeling pleased. Although he had taken on a 450-pound debt, the thought of obtaining the Beyonder characteristic of a "Voyager" tonight filled him with inexplicable excitement.
Just as he finished putting away the money, Ferrin was wondering whether to borrow some books from the captain's library to learn more when he heard noisy shouts on the deck: "Found it, found it..."
As soon as Ferrin arrived on the deck, he saw a group of people standing beside Captain Edwenna Edwards, their faces full of excitement, staring at a strange compass-like object in the captain's hand that pulsed with a spot of light.
As a new crew member, this was Ferrin's first time participating in a treasure hunt. The previous few days of learning had been mostly theoretical training, and he didn't know much about other things.
Just as he was about to ask someone, a familiar and annoying voice sounded from behind, "Heh heh, don't understand, do you? A newcomer is just a newcomer, you still need this old man to guide you."
Danitz, with a smug expression, slowly walked out of the cabin and explained:
"That's the 'Guidance Compass.' It's a magical item the captain made herself, specifically for tracking treasures. It can sense the general location even underwater, and it can also be used as a medium for various ritualistic magic."
Combining this with the earlier commotion, Ferrin's eyes widened instantly. Could the captain have found that treasure?
"Ferrin, Danitz." A clear, cold voice sounded. Ferrin immediately snapped back to attention and ran to the captain's side with Danitz. The First Mate, "Gourmand" Blue Wales, and the Second Mate, "Singer" Orpheus, along with a total of 5 people, stood by the ship's railing.
A faint light flickered in Edwenna Edwards' light blue eyes, which were like clear spring water. A pale blue light film covered everyone.
Ferrin only felt a strange sensation surrounding him. As a Sequence 8 "People of Rage," he already possessed excellent underwater mobility, and now he felt this ability was significantly enhanced.
Based on his understanding of the captain during this time, Ferrin guessed this was likely an analysis and imitation of some abilities of the Sequence 7 "Voyager." Its greatest practical use was the ability to move freely underwater for over half an hour.
Not far away, the group leaped into the water, moved nimbly beneath the surface, and quickly reached the seabed.
What came into view was a massive multi-masted sailing ship hundreds of meters long. The ship's surface was severely damaged, with broken remnants everywhere, and the hull was largely sunken into the seabed mud.
A nearly transparent eye appeared on Edwenna Edwards' forehead. It had no eyelashes and was cold and indifferent, precisely the "Eye of Mystery" she had analyzed and imitated.
The eye without eyelashes looked around, paused on the right side of the cabin, and then shifted its gaze.
After confirming there was no danger, Edwenna was the first to float into the right side of the cabin. The scene before her made her stop.
On the inner wall of the cabin, which showed signs of decay, a large door over 10 meters high had been drawn with something unknown. This door was mainly blue-gray, with numerous symmetrical symbols, marks, and patterns carved on both sides, making it both solemn and mysterious.
It seemed the arrival of Edwenna and the others triggered some change. The large door originally drawn on the cabin wall actually detached from the cabin and floated in mid-air.
In the dim seabed, a sudden twilight glow appeared. The light shone vaguely, giving the double doors a distinct sense of decay, as if the world's daytime was nearing its end and eternal darkness was about to arrive.
The change was very sudden, and no one reacted in time. By the time the light disappeared, the large door on the cabin wall had already vanished.
The nearly transparent eye without eyelashes reappeared on Edwenna's forehead. She stared intently at the cabin wall but found nothing.
Ferrin, standing slightly behind and to the side, lowered his head to look at his feet. Seeing the thick mud, he suddenly felt something was slightly off.
Phantasmal phosphorescence appeared on him, and waves of invisible fluctuations surged towards the mud beneath his feet. Such fluctuations naturally attracted the attention of the people nearby.
Just as Danitz was about to remind Ferrin not to disturb the captain's thoughts, he saw a section of a large black iron key-shaped object exposed beneath the mud.
Edwenna's eyebrow twitched slightly. With a wave of her hand, a black iron key as large as a zither immediately detached from the mud and floated into her hand. Looking at the exaggeratedly shaped key in her hand, which had no trace of rust, Edwenna fell into thought.
The First Mate, "Gourmand" Blue Wales, looked at the huge black iron key in the captain's hand and said with unconcealed excitement:
"Could this be the legendary 'Key of Death'? The key that can open the treasure left behind by the God of Death!"
Everyone recalled the most famous treasure legend at sea and looked with fervent eyes at the huge black iron key that didn't seem meant for human use.
Edwenna glanced back at the excited crew members and calmly and concisely interrupted their fantasies:
"This is not the legendary 'Key of Death,' or to put it more precisely."
"'Key' is a revelation, a symbol. What opens the God of Death's treasury is most likely not something shaped like a key, but rather a certain characteristic, a certain bloodline, or even specific individuals and their descendants."
Saying this, she paused, showing no regret, but instead added with even greater interest:
"This key should belong to a much older era, at least not one belonging to humans."
#108Chapter 108: Tell Your Name
Seeing the smile on the Captain's face, Danitz regretted not observing more carefully. Such a good opportunity to show off was taken by Ferran, the newcomer.
Edwina Edwards pondered for a moment before saying, "Before the Cataclysm, creatures like giants, dragons, elves, and demon wolves were still active in this world. The shape of that key vaguely points to one of them. Spread out and see if you can find any other clues."
Hearing this, everyone spread out to search the shipwreck. A moment later, they gathered again, looking disappointed. On the shipwreck, let alone treasure, there weren't even any remains that should have been there, only thick mud remained.
Edwina Edwards didn't say much to the disappointed crew members. For treasure hunters like them, searching for treasure and finding nothing was very common. Moreover, obtaining this black iron key that clearly contained a secret was already well worth the trip for her.
Everyone surfaced and returned to the deck. The remaining crew members looked at the iron-black key in the Captain's hand, which was as large as a lyre, and then at the empty hands of the few people behind the Captain. They couldn't help but show a mixed expression of disappointment and curiosity. Whispers on the deck were constant.
Edwina Edwards glanced around. After silence returned to the deck, her clear, cold voice rang out:
"This expedition is over. We can prepare to return. I will announce the arrangements for bonuses and holidays within two days. Hmm, Ferran, come with me."
Ferran, who was looking at the iron-black key in the Captain's hand, paused for a moment. Under the envious gazes around him, he walked into the Captain's cabin.
In front of rows of bookshelves filled with various books, Edwina Edwards' light blue eyes watched Ferran as she said in a calm tone:
"You performed very well this time. I will fulfill my promise. One of the main ingredients for 'Navigator' that I promised you last time can be your reward for this mission. Of course, in that case, you won't receive a bonus."
Ferran opened his mouth, unsure of what to say for a moment. After mumbling for a bit, he spoke somewhat awkwardly:
"Thank you, Captain, but I don't need that main ingredient for now. Can I exchange it for the supplementary ingredients for 'Navigator' instead?"
Edwina Edwards' pale blue eyes, like clear spring water, stared at Ferran for a moment. Just as Ferran was wondering whether to explain, her clear, cold voice rang out again, brief and powerful: "Yes."
...
Ferran held two boxes and looked somewhat speechlessly at Danitz, First Mate Blue Wales, Second Mate Orpheus, Third Mate Jodson, and Iron Barrel, who were blocking his doorway.
Danitz stared intently at Ferran and spoke first, somewhat eagerly. It was also the question the others wanted to ask:
"What did the Captain want you for? What did you say to the Captain?"
Seeing through their little thoughts at a glance, Ferran said helplessly:
"She just praised me for doing well this time, gave me the reward for this mission in advance, and gave me the supplementary ingredients for 'Navigator'."
Navigator supplementary ingredients? Everyone looked at Ferran strangely, and Danitz even remembered the 400 pounds Ferran had borrowed earlier.
"He's not going to advance to Sequence 7, is he? Damn it, I'm only Sequence 7 myself..." Danitz's expression immediately stiffened.
---
South Continent, Port Kaiser, Port District.
Sharon, with her long, light gold hair tied in a bun and azure eyes, sat on the sofa wearing a complex and exquisite black Gothic court dress. She wore a small black soft hat and had a rather delicate appearance, but her face was exceptionally pale.
Maric was playing poker with three zombies in the adjacent room. Those three zombies were bodies Syd had collected when he was a 'Corpse Collector'. At the time, he had buried the bodies in this warehouse. After learning about Maric's hobby, Syd generously gave Maric the three bodies.
Syd Watson smiled and greeted Sharon opposite him, speaking concisely:
"I've sorted out your ship tickets. You can depart on the weekend. You and Maric can start preparing."
Sharon stood up and bowed slightly, replying with a hint of gratitude:
"Thank you. I will also prepare the 'Spirit Medium' potion formula you need."
Syd nodded slightly and pondered for a moment. Seeing that Maric was still playing poker in the adjacent room, he walked to the door, closed it, and turned back to look at Sharon's slightly puzzled eyes.
Clearing his throat, Syd said meaningfully, "Reinette Tinekerr, Salinger."
Sharon's eyes instantly sharpened. She then thought of the winged figure she had seen that night. Putting away her sharp gaze, she asked hesitantly, "Did the one behind you tell you?"
Syd nodded, acknowledging it, and continued:
"That one asked me to tell you that He can help Reinette Tinekerr revive and assist Him in fighting Salinger. This is that one's Honorable Name."
As Syd spoke, he took out a piece of paper and handed it to Sharon, looking at her seriously and adding, "Burn after reading."
Sharon took the paper and unfolded it. A line of text written in Dutianese appeared:
"The Origin and Shadow of Order;"
"The Great Emperor of the Chaotic Kingdom;"
"The Lord of Order Who Holds the Rules;"
Sharon's pupils contracted sharply. As Reinette Tinekerr's student, even though her Sequence wasn't high, her knowledge of the Beyonder field was extremely comprehensive, and she naturally knew the meaning of a three-part Honorable Name.
"Can help Teacher revive..." Connecting this to the previous sentence, Sharon's heart couldn't help but beat faster. But after a moment, she suppressed her inner emotions and regained her composure.
Sharon stood up again and bowed slightly to express her gratitude. She then placed the paper in her hand on a nearby candle flame and watched it burn. Her eyes flickered slightly as she turned and asked:
"Do you know where the underground gathering in Port Kaiser is? I need to buy some materials to make some potions to deal with the surge of malevolence during the Crimson Moon."
"One I know of is at the 'Sea Shark Tavern' at 67 East Wall Street in the Port Kaiser Port District. Hmm, there's a gathering tonight at 8 o'clock." Syd nodded, adding with a hesitant expression:
"However, I have something tonight and probably can't take you. You can go directly to the side door of the 'Sea Shark Tavern', find the bartender, and tell him 'I want a glass of Emerald Blood Wine'. He will then take you to that gathering."
Syd was also quite helpless. The person in charge of the Spirit Cult in Port Kaiser tonight, Anthony Ous, a Sequence 6 'Necromancer Instructor', had urgently summoned the members of the Spirit Cult in Port Kaiser, and he had to go.
After such a long time of investigation, Syd also generally knew that the faction he belonged to was the relatively weaker Sleeper Faction within the Spirit Cult, which only had one Saint.
A Sequence 6 'Necromancer Instructor' could already be considered near the top within the Sleeper Faction. Syd didn't need to think to know the purpose of tonight's summons; it was definitely about Sharon and the other person. After all, he was the one who had cooperated with the Rose School to issue the arrest warrant in Port Kaiser back then.
After leaving Sharon a black robe that could cover her entire body and a black iron mask, Syd opened the door, greeted Maric who was still playing cards, and left alone.
Chapter 109 Meeting at the Party
The blood moon hung high, and Caesar Harbor was still bustling at night, with ships at the port continuously unloading cargo.
Sharon, clad in a black robe and a black iron mask covering her face, stood in an alley not far from the "Sea Shark Tavern" at 67 East Wall Street in the port district. After observing silently for a few minutes, her figure flickered, and she arrived at the side door of the tavern.
Seeing the emotionless pupils beneath the black iron mask, the doorman wisely shut his mouth and, as requested by the lady, led her to the Sea Shark.
"Sea Shark" Galen Lynn narrowed his eyes. He sensed a dangerous aura from the person before him. Just as he was about to speak, he heard Sharon's deliberately hoarse voice: "A glass of Emerald Blood Wine."
"Newcomer?" Galen Lynn nodded slightly. A person also wearing a black robe behind him led Sharon to the basement.
Unlike the noise above, the atmosphere in the basement was silent and oppressive. After passing through about two checkpoints and hidden passages, Sharon arrived at a spacious room.
The candlelight was dim, and quite a few people were already sitting sparsely in the chairs around the room. Sharon looked at the almost identical black robes around her and chose a corner with fewer people to sit down.
A few more robed figures arrived during this time. Everyone remained silent until "Sea Shark" Galen Lynn entered and announced the start of the gathering.
A chubby man sitting at the front, wearing a black robe in the style of a village witch doctor, was the first to speak:
"This time I've brought six bottles of precious potions. Three of them can effectively stop bleeding and promote wound healing. Believe me, this is definitely better than getting stitches at a clinic, and it's more discreet and convenient. They are effective for up to six months."
Noticing the gazes directed at him, he suddenly let out a strange laugh and continued to describe:
"As for the other three bottles, although they only have a shelf life of one and a half months, they can help gentlemen regain the impulse of their seventeen or eighteen-year-old selves and become extraordinary in bed."
"Hehe, you know what I mean. Even if they exceed their shelf life, they can still produce effects, but it will spread from there to the whole body. The user will become abnormally violent, with greatly increased strength, speed, and agility. Uh, then they will fall into weakness after half an hour."
Ignoring the strange looks around him, he puffed out his chest and added:
"Hmm, I'm going to Loen afterward, so this time I only accept Loen gold pounds as payment. Each bottle of potion is 2 pounds, no bargaining."
"Is that an Apothecary?" Sharon raised her head with interest, looking at the somewhat annoying-sounding fat man in front.
During this time, people had already made offers, and the six bottles of mystical medicine were instantly snapped up. For most wild Beyonders, these two types of potions were quite practical.
Even the second type of potion, while sounding somewhat bizarre, was equivalent to activating a berserk state for combat, well, normal combat, which might just turn the tide.
Sharon thought for a moment and spoke in a hoarse and indifferent voice:
"Do you have potions to treat issues like spiritual frenzy or bloodthirsty rage?"
The chubby Apothecary answered without hesitation: "Yes, tranquilizers. I brought 5 doses to this gathering, 15 Soli per dose."
"Believe me, these are definitely much more effective than those from the hospital. I added some spiritual materials; they are absolutely worth the price."
Sharon was silent for a moment, calculating how many Loen gold pounds she had left, then said: "I'll take 4 doses."
The chubby Apothecary chuckled and took out four more doses of the potion, handing them to the attendant. As the attendant approached, Sharon also took out three 1-pound Loen gold pound notes and placed them on the tray, simultaneously taking the four doses of potion. Feeling the spiritual fluctuations emanating from the potions, she nodded slightly.
Subsequent transactions were a mix of successes and failures, but the traded items were limited to low Sequences. After buying what she wanted, Sharon stopped speaking and observed quietly.
About fifteen minutes later, seeing the gathering fall silent, "Sea Shark" Galen Lynn, who had not spoken until then, suddenly said: "This gathering is over. Things are tight recently, so everyone be careful. Everyone will leave one by one according to the attendant."
The attendant led people away one by one from front to back. When it was Sharon's turn, the attendant stood still, and Galen Lynn personally got up, made a gesture of invitation, and walked ahead.
Sharon's eyes narrowed slightly, and her hand under the black robe gripped the "Wraith Dagger." Although the negative effects were significant, it was a powerful escape tool in a critical situation.
Quietly following behind Galen Lynn along the corridor, Sharon suddenly spoke:
"Where are you taking me? This isn't the way out." As she spoke, she was on full alert, ready to strike at any moment.
Galen Lynn didn't turn around, showing no fear as he calmly replied: "An important person wants to see you. Please follow me."
Upon hearing this, Sharon's pupils constricted, and she no longer hesitated, about to activate the "Wraith Dagger" in her hand. However, as she exerted force, the dagger shattered into a cluster of dazzling bubbles.
The surrounding environment changed accordingly. Clusters of starlight appeared out of thin air, surrounding the figure of a lady wearing a shirt with a lace floral collar, a knee-length gray skirt, and a pair of knee-high leather boots. She wore a soft hat with a fine black veil hanging down, obscuring her face. It was Bernadette.
Galen Lynn stood respectfully to the side. Bernadette's azure and profound eyes watched Sharon through the fine black veil hanging down, toying with the "Wraith Dagger" in her hand.
Sharon felt as if she was looking into a pair of cold eyes without pupils, and a sense of powerlessness immediately rose in her heart. The mark on her palm flickered slightly, but it seemed to be blocked by some barrier, bringing no change.
Just as Sharon decided to make a desperate move, Bernadette glanced at the mark on Sharon's palm, and a textured voice sounded:
"You must be Sharon, right? The disciple of the leader of the Temperance faction?" What was a question was filled with certainty.
"You can call me Mystic Queen. I assume you know that name, don't you?"
"Mystic Queen? The leader of Element Dawn?" Sharon's heart relaxed slightly, and then confusion surfaced. "If it's not the Rose School, why are you looking for me?"
Seeing the confusion in Sharon's eyes, Bernadette chuckled softly and threw the "Wraith Dagger" back to Sharon.
"The guidance of fate has brought us together." As she spoke, an indescribable pressure erupted from the pirate king who had dominated the Five Seas, directly striking the soul and making people unable to resist.
Bernadette's azure and profound eyes stared intently at Sharon, saying word by word: "Have you heard of the 'Lord of Order'?"
"Lord of Order? The hidden existence pointed to by that honorific name?" An expression of astonishment appeared on Sharon's delicate face, her thoughts racing, forgetting to answer.
Bernadette looked at the expression on Sharon's face and felt a slight relief in her heart. She had finally found a clue about that hidden existence, and it wasn't in vain that she had stayed in Caesar Harbor for several days following the prophecy's revelation.
What surprised her was that it had somehow become connected with the Rose School.
#110Chapter 110: Reciting the Name
Bernadette put away her terrifying aura from just now, and her nearly void, lashless eyes also quietly receded. She asked in a gentle tone, "How did you know that name?"
Seeing Sharon remain silent, Bernadette added in a relaxed tone, "I have no ill intentions. I just want to find an answer and don't want to hurt anyone."
Then, her tone shifted, "As far as I know, there are two of you. Through you, I can find the location of the other person. Since you know my identity, you should know that I am not exaggerating."
"Let me guess, is he with the person who told you this name?"
Sharon's heart sank, but then she thought of her current situation and her teacher's condition. She exhaled slowly and spoke:
"I hope you keep your promise. I also recently learned the title 'Lord of Order' from a honorific name I had never heard before."
"A few days ago, my teacher used her last strength to kill the pursuers. After escaping to Port Kaiser, the person who told me the honorific name helped us escape the search."
"That person told me that by chanting that honorific name, there would be a chance to help my teacher recover and fight against Sıeah."
Bernadette's eyes flickered slightly. She didn't press further and changed the subject:
"From your appearance, you probably haven't chanted that honorific name yet. Your current situation is not optimistic. The Rose School is currently entangled with the Life School, which is why last time only a Sequence 5 'Wraith' was pursuing you."
"However, the appearance of the remaining power of the previous Temperance faction leader last time has shifted some of the Rose School's attention here. This time, the pursuit will not be so simple."
Sharon's expression turned serious. She looked at Bernadette, paused for a moment, and then said:
"Your Majesty, what should I do?"
Bernadette smiled, and the surrounding environment suddenly changed. Sharon became momentarily dazed and then appeared in a spacious secret room. Green pea vines hung down, and Bernadette sat on a swing made of vines, speaking slowly:
"A deal: you chant that honorific name. I want to establish contact with that existence through you, and I will be responsible for ensuring your safe departure from the Southern Continent."
After a long period of contemplation, Sharon finally nodded. Looking at a section of vine that extended towards her, she reached out and took the various spiritual materials placed on it.
Sharon stood in the corner and, following the standard ritual process, lit the candle and burned the precious essential oils and common herbal powders.
A hazy, flickering atmosphere spread out. Sharon recalled the contents of the note, lowered her head, and began to meditate, repeatedly chanting the honorific name of "Lord of Order."
"The origin and shadow of order;"
"The great emperor of the realm of chaos;"
"The Lord of Order who holds the rules;"
...
In the monotonous and rhythmic sound, Sharon gradually entered a strange state. Her body was relaxed and withdrawn, as if sleeping, but her spirituality was lively and light, constantly spreading outwards.
Backlund, Empress's Quarter, the luxurious villa of the East Tussock family.
Aaron was looking at the drafted "Proposal on the Establishment of the Kingdom's Air Pollution Investigation Committee" when he suddenly heard layers of prayers.
"It's a female voice, not Louise's voice. Could it be Sharon?" Aaron quickly made a judgment, recalling the task he had given to Sid during the last meeting, and had some guesses in his mind.
Putting down the document in his hand, Aaron went to the partition and skillfully arranged the ritual to enter the Kingdom of Disorder.
In the magnificent palace shrouded in dark golden mist, Aaron sat on the throne in the deepest part, looking at a point of prayer light below that was contracting and expanding.
Through the rippling light screens, Aaron saw a lady wearing a complex and exquisite black Gothic court dress and a small black soft hat, who was indeed Sharon.
Next to her, on a swing made of vines, Bernadette, wearing a lady's shirt with a lace floral tie, had a "Peeking Eye" appear in front of her, looking around.
"Bernadette? How is she with Sharon?"
Without thinking too much, Aaron beckoned the Black Emperor card into his body, abandoning the idea of pulling Sharon into the Kingdom of Disorder. He condensed a ball of light and threw it into the prayer light point.
Sharon, who was closing her eyes and chanting the honorific name in a low voice, suddenly felt as if she had fallen into a dream. She dreamed of boundless dark golden mist, of a throne located in the deepest part of a magnificent palace, and of a figure sitting on the throne, looking down on everything with indifference.
A majestic and indifferent voice echoed in Sharon's mind:
"Every Friday night at 12 o'clock, Ruen time, find an undisturbed environment and participate in the gathering."
Just as Sharon was about to speak, everything shattered and disappeared. Opening her eyes, she saw a pair of cold, lashless eyes filled with various symbols, but they disappeared in an instant.
For a moment, Sharon was stiff and thoughtless, like a marble statue sitting there.
Bernadette groaned, and the "Peeking Eye" shattered with it. Large areas of distorted chaotic colored marks appeared on Bernadette's body, her pupils were somewhat scattered, and only one image remained in her mind.
In the boundless dark golden mist, a lashless, chaotic colored eye appeared.
Driven by the instinct for survival, pairs of illusory holy wings unfolded behind Bernadette, and her mythical creature form unfolded. The falling white feathers prevented some invisible contamination from further eroding her, but she could not get rid of it.
This was the "Ugly Duckling" from fairy tale magic. It allowed Bernadette to exhibit an incomplete mythical creature form while remaining conscious, twice a day, for fifteen seconds each time.
The white wings vibrated slightly. Sharon, who was still in a dazed and scattered state next to her, seemed to be covered with a thin veil, blurry and between illusion and reality. Bernadette quickly recovered her consciousness from the confusion, feeling the contamination clinging to her.
Without hesitation, as a Sequence 3 "Prophet," Bernadette decisively chose the most effective method of response in the spiritual feedback.
Bernadette maintained her mythical creature form and simultaneously extended her right hand, quickly outlining word after word with starlight in mid-air.
These words, which seemed to contain infinite mysteries, quickly intertwined into strange symbols, opening a "Secret Door" that led to the depths of the spirit world.
Immediately after, the "Secret Door" opened, and a strong wind blew out, transforming into a man with a human upper body and a current of air for a lower body, wrapped in white cloth.
"Sage's Forehead Ornament." Bernadette's voice was somewhat urgent as she commanded in a majestic tone.
The man respectfully agreed and took out an accessory from a piece of white cloth wrapped around his body.
The core of this accessory was a vertical eye inlaid with "diamonds," which glittered with pure light, giving a feeling of extraordinary holiness and wisdom, yet it also appeared quite cold and devoid of warmth. It was one of the Grade 0 Sealed Artifacts Bernadette controlled, the "Sage's Forehead Ornament."
#111Chapter 111 Sage's forehead ornament
Bernadette immediately took the "Sage's Circlet" and "embedded" it in the center of her forehead.
As her spirituality surged and gradually integrated into her body, and a diamond vertical eye appeared on her forehead, Bernadette's body began to dematerialize, decomposing into streams of complex knowledge.
In an instant, Bernadette transformed into a pure information flow creature.
However, the large areas of distorted chaotic pollution on her body surface did not achieve this state; they detached from her body and gradually converged into a fingernail-sized crystal.
At the same time, the flood of information that Bernadette had become, free from the pollution, reassembled her original body nearby.
During this process, she seemed to catch a fleeting glimpse of boundless dark golden mist.
Above the dark golden mist, Aaron withdrew his gaze. After peeling off the Black Emperor card, he rubbed his slightly swollen forehead. The chaotic eye at the apex of the throne flickered a few times before dimming and returning to silence.
Aaron watched the scene reflected by the still-undissipated prayer light spots and muttered:
"Truly boundless audacity, a inherited bad habit. Daring to observe anything with the Eye of Peeping. Thankfully, I stopped myself in time, otherwise, it would have been troublesome."
"However, the effect of this warning should be quite good. At least next time she'll use a different method of communication...."
Seeing that Bernadette had reassembled her body and Sharon was also fine, Aaron thought about leaving after the prayer light spots dissipated.
Suddenly, he heard layers of pleading voices again. Another prayer light spot lit up below, and a dark golden door, between illusion and reality, opened.
"Gate of Sacrifice and Bestowal? Quite efficient." Aaron's spirituality probed over and indeed saw Ferran Eddas praying with his eyes closed, and a pile of 1000 pounds on the altar in front of him.
Aaron raised his hand and retrieved a blue crystal from the pile of miscellaneous items. It was the precipitated "Voyager" Beyonder characteristic. After collecting the 1000 pounds offered in sacrifice, he threw it into the Gate of Sacrifice and Bestowal.
The dark golden portal closed, and Aaron returned to the real world, tidied up his belongings, and continued to read the "Proposal on Establishing a Kingdom Air Pollution Investigation Committee" on his desk.
As the proposer and promoter of this proposal, he had to finalize the last version before its formal submission to the parliament tomorrow, satisfy the demands of all parties, and gain the maximum degree of support.
-----------------
In the partitioned room, Bernadette palely removed the "Sage's Circlet." Several ethereal, holy white feathers appeared, enveloping the crystal floating in the air. She summoned the spirit world creature again, the one with a human upper body and wind lower body, and handed both the "Sage's Circlet" and the feather-wrapped crystal to him.
Bernadette waved her right hand, and the room returned to its original state. Sharon's slightly ethereal figure also solidified and reappeared. This was a protection for her, to prevent immediate loss of control and madness from directly facing a mythical creature form.
Sharon had now recovered. Recalling the dream-like scene from earlier, she looked up and saw Bernadette, whose true appearance was now revealed.
Seeing the fatigue on the face of this pirate king, famous throughout the Five Seas, Sharon immediately had some guesses in her heart, but she still restrained her curiosity and recounted the scene and words she had just received, as per their original agreement.
"Friday, gathering...." Bernadette's pale face showed a slight change in expression. After a moment of contemplation, an exquisite, golden whistle appeared before Sharon, and she spoke, meeting Sharon's puzzled gaze:
"Blowing it can summon my messenger. You can relay messages or seek help."
Seeing Sharon accept it, Bernadette seemed to think of something and softly chanted in ancient Hermes:
"Holy spirit who pursues knowledge;"
"Lighthouse of the mysterious world;"
"Eye that gazes upon destiny;"
"King above the seas;"
"Holy Bernadette Gustav."
Without waiting for Sharon to ask, Bernadette proactively explained: "This is my honorific name. I will be staying in Port Caesar for these few days. If you encounter a difficult or dangerous situation, you can find me. Well, this is faster than summoning a messenger."
"And you only need to help me ask one question at the gathering you attend next week. I will pay the price required to answer that question."
Sharon looked up at Bernadette, bowed, and said, "I will. Thank you for your help."
-----------------
On the other side of the Port Caesar harbor district, Dackwill, wearing a black robe like a country witch doctor, in his thirties, with black hair, brown eyes, a very round face, and a chubby build, furtively poked his head out. After confirming again that no one was following him, he slowly walked towards another street.
Finally, he stopped in front of an unmarked pharmacy in the alley diagonally opposite the Red Theater in Port Caesar. Dackwill clicked his tongue, took down the red cloth hanging with the sign for exclusive aphrodisiac potions, opened the door, and went inside.
Checking his valuables again, the chubby pharmacist Dackwill confirmed nothing was missing. He took out a letter from a hidden compartment, muttering as he unfolded it:
"I wonder if the old man can escape this time. He must not get caught. I just became a pharmacist, and he hasn't given me the subsequent potion formulas yet..."
However, the letter contained only a few short sentences: "Situation tense, no meeting for now. South Continent is dangerous, leave as soon as possible - Roy King."
Scanning the letter again, Dackwill sighed with some worry. He immediately put the letter away and unfolded his newly purchased map of the North Continent. Looking at the few locations marked in red, he secretly planned his route:
"Hmm, first take a ship to Bayam, then to Port Enmat, Tingen, and finally to Backlund. Stay in each place for a while, sell some potions to save money, and leave when I'm about to be discovered..."
-----------------
October 21st, Thursday. Backlund West District, Belotto Street, MI9.
Aaron was wearing a crisp Loen major's military uniform, followed by Glenn Wall and a few others from the 4th Special Investigation Team.
Due to the dangerous nature of the target for this mission, Aaron only called Glenn, who was Sequence 6, to assist in the operation. The others were responsible for the outer perimeter security.
Accompanied by the clatter of hooves, the carriage drove towards the East District. Glenn looked at Aaron, who was sitting beside him, and couldn't help but ask:
"We've already left MI9. What exactly is the target of this mission? You can tell us now, right?"
Aaron looked at the questioning eyes of his team members, took a stack of documents from his Pregnant, and handed them over. This was the result of several weeks of investigation by Hie and Fors.
After being informed and warned about the Witch by Aaron last time, they quickly adjusted their thinking after a brief shock and decided to use this Witch as a breakthrough point for the matter.
The two did not rashly track and investigate directly. Instead, they decided to first inquire at various Red Theaters in the East District to see if there were any beautiful women with very unique sexual orientations recently. Originally, this was just an attempt, but unexpectedly, they actually found something.
"122 Tito Street, East District." Looking at the address finally given in the investigation report, Aaron rubbed his chin and thought to himself:
"My Interrogator potion should be fully digested after interrogating this Witch. However, this interrogation must be conducted secretly in another location, so that others cannot detect and destroy evidence."
Chapter 112: Mysterious Ring
The carriage stopped at the outskirts of the East District, having passed through the acrid smoke that permeated the streets.
Everyone alighted from the carriage, left the streets filled with trash and waste, and proceeded along the East District's tributary of the Tussock River to an alley not far from 122 Tito Street.
After Aaron briefly assigned the tasks, the remaining members began setting up surveillance points, hiding around street corners, disguised as ordinary pedestrians, waiting for the appearance of the Witch Queen Maher.
Not long after, a woman wearing a black cloak and with long hair draped over her shoulders walked from a nearby street towards 122 Tito Street. As she walked, a hint of her fair skin was visible at her shoulders, and she wore a dark green ring on her right middle finger.
She walked gracefully down the street, attracting the attention of many passersby. Behind her followed two men, both gazing infatuatedly at Queen Maher ahead, occasionally glaring fiercely at the surrounding pedestrians.
"Tsk tsk, truly a Witch. Are these two unfortunate souls who've been bewitched? There's no spiritual power fluctuation, so they should just be ordinary people."
Aaron withdrew his scrutinizing gaze and muttered to himself.
Seeing the three enter 122 Tito Street, and after waiting a moment longer without detecting any other anomalies, Aaron and Glenn exchanged a glance and began their operation. The others quickly gathered, setting up a simple Wall of Spirituality around the room.
Inside the room at 122 Tito Street, the decor was drastically different from the dilapidated exterior, appearing luxurious. Queen Maher entered a strangely styled room further inside.
Inside the room were several people, both men and women, bound in various ways. They all had flushed faces, dazed eyes, and their bodies were covered in red whip marks.
Queen Maher had already taken off her black robe, revealing her fair skin. She picked up a long, whip-like object with red stains from a shelf nearby and looked at the two men who still wore infatuated expressions, a twisted and ferocious smile appearing on her delicate face.
Whip after whip, watching the scene of flesh and blood flying, Queen Maher felt her suppressed twisted desires being satisfied. Suddenly, she sensed something was wrong, because not only were there no screams or wails, but even the sound of breathing had disappeared.
Queen Maher's pupils contracted slightly. Just as she was about to raise the dark green ring on her right hand, she found her hand empty. Before she could react, accompanied by intense pain, everything around her shattered and vanished like a broken mirror.
Aaron stood outside the room, his face expressionless, watching the scene inside. A faint blue illusory portal behind him was slowly closing. On his left hand, an ancient silver-gray ring shimmered with a faint light; it was the "Bizarre Ring".
Under the previous friendly communication, this living and powerful Sealed Artifact no longer chanted randomly at any time, only requiring one chant per day. After howling in the junk pile of the Kingdom of Disorder, Aaron had sacrificed it.
Before the mission, he had gone to St. Samuel's Cathedral and found the Red Glove Captain "Restorer" Sauron, using the "Bizarre Ring" to record the "Nightmare"'s ability to forcibly pull people into dreams.
Looking at the men and women who had all fallen to the ground and fallen into dreams, as well as Queen Maher who only woke up when attacked, Aaron nodded with satisfaction.
Logically, recorded abilities would be weakened to some extent, and the effect on a Witch, who is also Sequence 7, wouldn't be so pronounced. However, thanks to the Black Night Mark's significant enhancement of Beyonder abilities in the Black Night pathway, it was almost as effective as the original.
Glenn, surrounded by flames, used his flaming longsword to directly sever Queen Maher's right arm with the ring on it. After kicking her away, a flaming spear shot out and hit the fallen Queen Maher.
Queen Maher's figure shattered in response, turning into a pile of mirror fragments covered in black flames and frost on the ground. On a pitch-black mirror in another room, the figure of the dismembered Queen Maher appeared, her face ferocious and terrifying, her eyes blood-red. This was the Sequence 7 "Witch"'s Mirror Substitute technique.
Her remaining sanity and survival instinct told her that she was no match for the two people before her and had to escape.
Before she could use the Mirror Substitute technique again, she felt a sharp pain in her brain, as if currents of electricity were coursing through her mind, forming barbed whips that continuously lashed at her soul. Coupled with her previous injuries, Queen Maher immediately fell to her knees, howling in pain, blood gushing from the stump of her right arm.
Aaron's light golden pupils watched the kneeling Queen Maher, who was howling on the ground, with indifference. Taking advantage of this time, Aaron spoke coldly, "Steal." The "Bizarre Ring" on his left hand flickered continuously before finally emitting a faint glow.
Just as she was recovering slightly and preparing to escape at all costs, Queen Maher felt as if something was missing from herself. In her spiritual perception, the mirrors that were originally clearly visible suddenly disappeared, and she could no longer sense them.
Aaron raised his left hand and beckoned. The "Bizarre Ring" on his left hand flickered slightly, and Aaron used it to summon a historical projection.
The figure of a man around forty years old appeared. He had soft facial features, long sideburns, wore a flamboyant standard top hat, and carried a black straight staff inlaid with gold. It was "Restorer" Sauron.
"Sauron"'s gaze was dim, and an invisible wave emerged. Queen Maher, heavily injured and somewhat dazed in spirit, immediately fell into a deep sleep. The expression of resentment on her face gradually turned to terror, as if she had fallen into some terrifying nightmare.
Aaron nodded slightly at Glenn, who had rushed over from the adjacent room. Glenn then glanced at the one-armed woman lying on the ground with a terrified expression, said nothing, and exited the room to call the other team members in to handle the scene.
Watching the few people being dragged away and loaded onto several somewhat dilapidated carriages, Aaron looked around, picked up the severed arm with the green ring on the ground, and threw out a dark gold paper crane. It burned into ashes in mid-air and scattered.
The carriage drove towards East Tussock Manor on the outskirts. Aaron sat inside the carriage, contemplating the battle.
The functions of the "Bizarre Ring" are very comprehensive. Whether it's recorded abilities like opening doors, Nightmare, or the ability to steal, they are all very practical.
However, the probability of stealing is indeed a bit low. Even against a heavily injured target, it takes eight or nine attempts to successfully steal.
As for the historical void summoned at the end, even though it was only the Sequence 6 "Restorer" being summoned, perhaps due to insufficient familiarity, it failed six times.
These failed attempts also consumed a large amount of spiritual power. Moreover, maintaining the historical void projection after success consumes even more, to the point where even Aaron's spiritual power was struggling to keep up.