In the dark blue waves that seemed to never stop in the Berserk Sea, the Future was like a leaf, being thrown high up at times and smacking down at other times.
In these waters, there were still some pirate ships that were cruising. They were used to such situations and felt that it was as natural as the sun rising.
After Cattleya returned to the real world, she pondered for a moment before spreading open a piece of paper and writing.
She wanted to ask the Queen what happened recently.
In fact, before Mr. Fool announced that "He" would enter deep sleep, Cattleya had already sensed the impending monumental change.
Whether it was the sudden closing of the doors or the meteor shower streaking across the sky to illuminate the world, it gave her some inspiration as a Clairvoyant, allowing her to see some blurry visions.
Of course, she was limited by her own level, position, and status. She didn't have enough knowledge of what had happened, and she was unable to grasp what exactly had caused Mr. Fool to choose to sleep. All she could do was ask Queen Mystic Bernadette, who had long advanced to the level of an angel and led a mysterious organization while being in control of many powerful Sealed Artifacts.
Just as Cattleya summoned the messenger and took out the letter she had written, she was taken aback.
At that moment, a purple light was accentuated in her eyes. It became extremely saturated and slowly flowed like a river.
She felt that Mr. Fool had entered a deep sleep.
Unconcealable hesitation, confusion, and sadness arose in the Admiral of Stars' heart.
For some reason, she felt an inexplicable palpitation, and two drops of tears unknowingly slid down her face.
She seemed to understand something, yet nothing. She only knew that it was unknown how much time it would take for Mr. Fool to wake up from "His" slumber.
Taking off the heavy glasses on her nose bridge, Cattleya wiped the corners of her eyes, allowing her emotions to return to normal.
She walked to the window and looked at the deck.
Frank Lee warmly invited the crew to taste his newly brewed beer, but none of the pirates dared to try it.
Thankfully, I sent Cielf to the Queen ahead of time. Now, all I need to do is watch over Frank... Without Mr. Fool's watch, I have to be more careful and pay more attention to him. Yes, I have to find something for Frank to do other than research. He's a first mate, so he can't always be working on something else... Cattleya thought with a heavy expression.
After considering how to deal with Frank, as well as how to reorganize the small number of pirates from the Earth and Moon pathway onto other ships, and not frequently interact with Frank, Cattleya focused her focus on the Hidden Sage.
Although she was already one of the ten pillars of the Moses Ascetic Order, due to her background and the influence of the Hidden Sage, she had never received the trust of the president and the other higher-ups. She could only be an ostracized person who teetered on the periphery of the organization who had her own circle and respective faction.
From a certain perspective, her relationship with the Moses Ascetic Order was closer to that of a partner. On the one hand, she needed a faction and a powerhouse to project her will over the Five Seas. On the other hand, she yearned to obtain corresponding knowledge and materials.
And to obtain the information regarding the Hidden Sage that represented a deity suddenly coming to life and confirming "His" current state would necessarily require her to become a core member of the Moses Ascetic Order.
With my present identity, there's no problem with me participating in the internal decisions of the Moses Ascetic Order. Only by truly participating in these will I be able to come into contact with more information and elevate my own status... However, this will be rather dangerous. Even if the Hidden Sage's condition isn't right, and doesn't interfere with the Moses Ascetic Order's operations, the other higher-ups will also be subjected to the infringement of interests and be in constant suspicion. They will counterattack to a certain degree... There are at least two of the ten pillars that I can't see through, making me instinctively feel danger...
And confirming the state of the Hidden Sage will be even more dangerous. If anything goes wrong, I'll immediately be corrupted and eroded by "Him"... The more Cattleya thought about it, the more she felt that the mission given by Mr. Fool was difficult.
She had always been teetering at the periphery of the Moses Ascetic Order with her identity as a pirate. In fact, she had her worries about this matter. She was afraid that if she went too deep into the organization's internal affairs, it would expose the fact that she was still in contact with Queen Mystic. She was afraid that the other ten pillars would one day suddenly point her out as a spy and eliminate her on the spot.
At that moment, Cattleya even wanted to abandon Mr. Fool's mission and identity as one of the ten pillars of the Moses Ascetic Order. She wished to return to the Dawn and returned to the Queen's side.
That way, she wouldn't need to worry about this matter anymore—if there were any problems, the Queen would be able to stop them.
Ever since she left the Dawn, she had to shoulder everything by herself. Cattleya had always felt exhausted as her shoulders remained heavy.
However, this thought was quickly given up by Cattleya.
She sighed softly. She understood that she would never be able to return to the time when she was a little girl without worries.
She wasn't only responsible for her own life, but also the fate of Frank, Heath, Nina, and the other crew members.
Furthermore, she had predicted the arrival of the apocalypse. She hoped that she could become the Queen's most powerful helper and do something for this world.
Cattleya closed her eyes and muttered to herself, "Then face it."
To truly integrate into the Moses Ascetic Order and gather the relevant information.
After making this decision, Cattleya no longer concealed her strength. She raised her hands and used a fairy tale magic.
In the eyes of the surrounding pirate ship crew, the Future and its fleet became illusory at the same time, turning into countless bubbles.
The bubbles reflected a dreamy color under the light's illumination.
Then, they slowly melted into the sea.
Just like that, the Future and its fleet disappeared from everyone's eyes.
Many knowledgeable pirates were first shocked and stunned. Then, they had a thought:
A new Queen over the seas has been born.
Queen of Stars!
...
Backlund, in a particular house.
Xio, who had yet to sort out her thoughts after returning to the real world, saw Fors's figure appear in front of her as she shouted, "That mission of yours is too dangerous!"
Xio was taken aback as she instinctively pointed out a problem.
"You didn't knock."
This was the worst part of living together with a demigod of the Apprentice pathway.
Fors first reflected on herself for a second before confidently saying, "You didn't close the door."
She pointed at the ajar bedroom door.
I actually didn't close the door. That's right. This was a last-minute gathering. I wasn't prepared for it before the matter... Xio opened her mouth, but she couldn't say a word.
Both of them looked at each other speechlessly for a long time, but none of them broke the silence.
Finally, Fors decided to forget the accusation and focused on the mission itself.
"A mission that involves Sequence 1 and a Uniqueness is too dangerous."
With that said, she recalled that Xio had already accepted Mr. Fool's gift. Her eyes reddened uncontrollably as she couldn't help but mumble, "Remember to get my help. At the very least... I can help you escape."
To them, the things they experienced before had involved very few matters at the Sequence 1 level. Apart from Mr. Fool and The World Gehrman Sparrow, at most it was them being watched by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.
At other times, they would at most do trivial matters at the periphery of corresponding matters. They had never faced an enemy that could be addressed as "Him."
Therefore, when she thought of how her friend's mission involved Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristic, or even a Uniqueness and true deity, Fors couldn't help but feel nervous and worried.
Xio smiled and said, "I'm just seeking clues and investigating the truth. It's not like I need to face 'Them' directly."
She paused for a second and said, "The apocalypse is approaching. We have to do something.
"Look, even Mr. Fool has fallen into a deep sleep. What's more, trivial figures like us? If I didn't quickly become a demigod, perhaps there's nothing I can do. Now... There's at least some hope. At the very least, I can try to awaken Mr. Fool."
Fors had experienced many things and had long understood this principle. She had only been venting her emotions, but now, she had calmed down.
She thought for a moment and said, "What are you going to do next?"
"Just relying on myself to investigate it will definitely be very difficult. I'll definitely need to use MI9's intelligence network. I plan on finding a suitable opportunity to let them know that I'm a Sequence 4 demigod. In order to not be suspected, I might need Miss Justice to give me some hints and make some arrangements," Xio answered seriously.
Fors's thoughts raced.
"I'll come up with a script for you. Uh, I'll act as an antagonist and simulate a lunatic who attempted to advance to Sequence 4 Imperative Mage, and then be defeated by you..."
As she spoke, a story took form. She immediately sat beside Xio's desk, took out a pen and paper, and started writing.
"After I write up the story, I'll get Miss Justice to make some amendments and make it appear reasonable," Fors said as she wrote.
As a Secrets Sorcerer, there was no doubt that she could prevent their conversation from leaking out.
Xio thought for a moment and said, "Isn't your most important task now to write the biographies and stories?"
"Ha, that's simple. I've already thought of plenty of scenes, and there's a lot of material on my mind. No, nothing of that sort..." After muttering a few words, Fors placed all her focus on writing a script for Xio so as to gain MI9's approval.
Seeing her good friend focused on her matter, a smile gradually appeared on Xio's face.
She then cast her gaze to the ajar door and heard her brother, Dio Derecha, seemingly reciting the ancient Feysac words. This was a requirement for studying law to become a lawyer.
Their mother was instructing two servants to clean up the living room.
Their voices reached Xio's ears, and her expression gradually became firm.
Although she had no idea what would happen when she faced the MI9 brass, and even though she would encounter unknown dangers when completing Mr. Fool's mission, as well as the unknown future during the dawn of the apocalypse, Xio knew that if she didn't do anything or take on certain risks and just enjoyed the pleasant times with her family just like that, she would ultimately be drowned by the floods like most people who were unprepared.
And now, there was at least a path filled with brambles, one that had a glimmer of light at the end of it.
It needed the realization of sacrifice, and to grasp it with courage.
-x-X-x-
In a room beside the Evernight cathedral in the Southern Continent, East Balam, Leonard's consciousness returned to the real world.
After a few seconds of silence, he picked up the cup of coffee that had turned cold and took a sip.
The bitter taste filled his mouth, gradually waking his mind up.
"Old Man, what happened today?" Finally, Leonard couldn't help but ask.
After a moment of silence, Pallez Zoroast replied wistfully, "Error has perished."
Error... Leonard almost didn't realize which existence Old Man was referring to.
In the next second, he couldn't hide his astonishment as he nearly forgot to whisper, "Amon?"
This was a standard true god!
"Yes." Pallez Zoroast's voice sounded like "He" had aged considerably. "To be precise, Amon's main body perished."
Leonard wasn't in the mood to distinguish the subtle meaning behind Old Man's words. He asked in disbelief, "W-why was there no sign of it?"
He had witnessed the phenomena before and after the God of Combat died. He knew that it was a change that would affect the entire world and bring about many terrifying monsters and dangerous regions.
And just now, the only two abnormalities were:
The doors and windows suddenly closing, and him seemingly forgetting something.
In reality, the latter wasn't strange at all. Most people would encounter something similar during their daily lives.
Pallez Zoroast's tone sank.
"'He' should've perished in Sefirah Castle."
Sefirah Castle? Leonard was shocked.
The venue of the gathering he had just attended was inside Sefirah Castle!
A war between gods has just erupted there? Amon actually infiltrated Sefirah Castle? Amidst Leonard's thoughts, his expression gradually turned solemn.
"Old Man, Mr. Fool was injured because of this and had no choice but to enter a state of slumber?"
"Is 'He' about to enter a state of slumber?" Pallez Zoroast asked in return.
"He" didn't seem to be too surprised about this.
Leonard tersely acknowledged.
"The reason 'He' summoned us today was because of this matter."
Pallez Zoroast fell silent for a few seconds before saying,
"'His' choice to enter a state of slumber is indeed related to the previous battle of gods and Amon's infiltration, but it's not because of injuries, but because of corruption."
"Corruption?" Leonard blurted out in surprise.
Even at Mr. Fool's level, irreversible corruption can still be encountered by "Him?"
Pallez Zoroast regained "His" previous poignant tone:
"Everything has godhood. By relying on godhood to become a powerhouse, one can never escape the shackles of godhood.
"On this point, it's the same for you and me. Likewise for The Fool. Heh, perhaps 'He' shouldn't be called 'The Fool' anymore. 'He' is equivalent to half a 'Lord of the Mysteries.'"
Lord of the Mysteries... Regarding the problem of the mental imprint in a Beyonder characteristic, Leonard indeed had a deeper understanding of it than demigods at his level. However, he still had several holes in the knowledge on this matter. Even though he had heard Old Man mention the term "Lord of the Mysteries," he didn't understand what it meant.
However, at present, he could confirm that Mr. Fool's level had transcended Sequence 0 according to Mr. Fool's words during the gathering, and what Old Man had just said, "His" strength was enough to kill a true god.
Leonard cleverly didn't probe further. He changed the topic in a deep voice:
"Old Man, why is Klein sleeping as well?
"Are you able to wake him up as soon as possible?"
Pallez Zoroast's tone was somewhat odd.
"How could an old and weak angel like me know about matters at the level of gods?
"As for the awakening, even The Fool has no better solution, much less me?"
Leonard remained silent for a moment. He picked up his coffee cup and took another sip.
After a while, he asked hesitantly, "Old Man, do you have any way of 'Stealing' the artistic flair of others?"
Pallez Zoroast scoffed.
"The definition of artistic flair is vague with no clear categorization. There's no way to 'Steal' it.
"However, if you change it to natural talent, there's a way."
"...Forget it." Leonard ultimately couldn't do anything about "Stealing" the natural talent of others to help him resolve his problem.
Pallez Zoroast added with a smile, "If you can't accept this method, then you can find a natural talent that you want of someone who's very poor. Make a deal with him and give him the money he wants to exchange for the corresponding natural talent."
"It's a little like a deal with the devil..." Leonard commented objectively.
Pallez Zoroast chuckled and said, "There's another simple solution. That is to spend money to hire naturally talented people to help you resolve the corresponding problems."
"...Old Man, why didn't you say so earlier?" Leonard instantly saw hope.
Pallez Zoroast scoffed.
"You didn't manage to think of something that simple?
"I thought you had eliminated this option before consulting me."
Leonard ignored Old Man's mockery. After some serious thought, he felt that this idea was indeed feasible.
However, he soon felt a little guilty and uneasy, as if he was avoiding his responsibility.
Regarding this matter, I still have to do something personally... Apart from inviting someone to write songs and poems, I have to write a little... With this in mind, Leonard suddenly stood up and walked to the door.
"Where are you going?" Pallez Zoroast asked in surprise.
Leonard frowned slightly as he said firmly, "I'm going to the nearby bookstore to buy some poem anthologies."
Ever since he advanced to Nightmare, he had given up the collection of poems he had bought in the past, making most of them nothing but decorations. When he became a Spirit Warlock, he began to collect poem anthologies that were suitable for some spirits to read, allowing him to chant the appropriate parts in a battle to create Beyonder effects that worked in concert with him.
Therefore, when he came to the Southern Continent, he didn't bring a single poem anthology book. He only remembered a few of those that he often used in the past.
I never expected that, after becoming a high-ranking deacon, I would need to read poem anthologies again... Leonard sighed inwardly as his steps became firmer.
Pallez Zoroast had never imagined that Leonard's next step would be to buy poem anthologies. After a while, "He" probed, "Is this an order from The Fool?"
"Yes, for promoting the corresponding legendary stories," Leonard answered simply as he opened the door and walked out.
Pallez Zoroast fell silent once again before saying, "Apart from writing poems, you have to pay more attention to the besiegement of the Rose School of Thought."
Leonard walked down the stairs and entered the streets. He looked at the pedestrians and nodded gently.
"Yes."
At that moment, as he walked towards the bookstore, he felt as though he had returned to Tingen, back to the time when he was still a Midnight Poet. At that time, he had also walked along the bustling streets, preparing to buy a copy of "Classical Poems Anthology of the Loen Kingdom" and "Selected Poems of Roselle."
...
Backlund, at the Harvest Church south of the Bridge.
After Emlyn White regained his senses, he found himself standing in front of a window.
The sun was already dim outside, and the flowers were flourishing.
His feelings towards Mr. Fool's slumber were slightly different from the other Tarot Club members.
Other than heaviness, poignancy, sadness, and confusion, there was also the confidence that things would end well.
Internally within the Sanguine, some of the Marquises and Earls were rather old. Even though they lived longer than most demigods at the same level, they were still in advanced stages of their lives. At this time, they often chose to sleep and use similar methods to extend their lifespans. The effects were pretty good.
Therefore, Emlyn had long been accustomed to matters regarding slumbers. He knew that it wasn't equivalent to passing away, nor was it equivalent to perishing. He believed that if the correct solution was found, Mr. Fool would have a high chance of waking up.
He looked out the window and muttered to himself, "Mr. Fool has entered a state of slumber, and the Ancestor's revelation is often interfered with. It's obvious that 'She' can't provide help frequently..."
After a brief silence, Emlyn sighed silently.
Indeed. In the end, I have to face it myself and bear it.
This is the destiny of the messiah.
At the mention of the word "messiah," Emlyn clearly smiled with a self-deprecating hint.
He then repeated inwardly, I can only rely on myself.
Just as this thought flashed through his mind, Father Utravsky's voice sounded behind Emlyn.
"Time to set off."
Emlyn turned his head and saw a huge sword on the back of the priest dressed in brown priest robes.
The sword's length exceeded Emlyn's height, and its width was close to his waist.
Together with Father Utravsky's hill-like body, the terrifying pressure felt corporeal.
As a Sanguine Earl, Emlyn recovered from his stifled feeling and nodded gently.
"Okay."
Today, they would head to the Southern Continent to participate in the besiegement of the Rose School of Thought.
Just as he replied, Emlyn suddenly recalled something and hurriedly said, "Wait for half a day."
He wanted to gather most of the Sanguine in Backlund to discuss the pharmaceutical company.
Bishop Utravsky didn't ask anything and nodded.
"Come find me when you're ready."
After watching Father Utravsky enter the depths of the cathedral, Emlyn turned his head to the Sanguine that were following him to the Southern Continent.
"Inform all the Sanguine in Backlund to come over. There's something we need to discuss."
"Yes, Lord Earl," the Sanguine replied respectfully.
After they split up, Emlyn turned his head to look at the altar and the Sacred Emblem of Life in front of the cathedral. It was a simply drawn infant that was surrounded by symbols like wheat, flowers, spring water, and other symbols.
This made Emlyn's thoughts suddenly turn adrift.
He had forgotten when he started spending less time in his bedroom, spending less time with his dolls. Even his hobby of studying history became more targeted and efficient.
This change didn't take form in an instant. Instead, it was slowly formed over time. It was something that made it difficult for others to notice. By the time Emlyn discovered it, he had already adapted to this new life.
Emlyn retracted his gaze, raised his chin slightly, and shook his head with a smile.
This is the destiny of the messiah...
-x-X-x-
After returning to the real world, Alger patiently waited for the mission Mr. Fool had mentioned.
On this day, he, wearing the pontiff's clothes and the silver-black mask, was discussing the internal affairs of the Church of the Sea God with Oracle Danitz when he suddenly saw a bishop enter.
"Your Holiness, the Church of Storms has sent two gifts to congratulate you on becoming a proxy of God." The bishop held a tin box and bowed respectfully.
Danitz, who had been secretly rejoicing over the malfunction of Bayam's telegram, blurted out in surprise, "Where's that messenger?"
"He left after leaving the present," the bishop at the door answered helplessly.
Although the members of the Church of Storms often had impulsive moments, such behavior was still quite rare.
Alger nodded slightly and said, "If they don't view us as enemies, sending a messenger to deliver a gift is enough."
With that said, he raised his right hand and gently made the tin box in the bishop's hand fly over.
After catching the small box, Alger's actions suddenly slowed down as though he found it heavy.
He slowly opened the container and saw a book made of yellowish-brown goatskin.
On the surface of the book, there was a line of words written in Elven:
"Book of Calamity."
Book of Calamity... After seeing the words clearly, Alger felt a little dazed as though he was dreaming.
But very quickly, he understood what the mission Mr. Fool was talking about was.
Alger sighed silently and looked at the bishop at the door.
"What's the second gift?"
"It's a ghost ship called the Blue Avenger. It has already moored at the harbor," the bishop answered without any abnormalities.
The Blue Avenger... When Danitz heard the name, he instinctively cast his gaze at the pontiff, Alger.
He remembered very clearly that this was the ship Alger used back when he was a pirate.
This meant that the Church of the Lord of Storms knew that the pontiff Church of the Sea God was once their cardinal!
Is this a congratulation gift, or a challenge to war? As Danitz's heart tightened, he realized that he was rather familiar with the other gift.
It was the extremely sinister Book of Calamity he had seen when he followed Gehrman Sparrow.
"Help me return a letter to the Church of Storms, and thank them for their gifts," Alger composed himself as he calmly instructed.
After the bishop left the room, he turned to Danitz and said, "Oracle, I've received Mr. Fool's revelation. I'll have to complete a mission in the time to come. It will perhaps take me a few years before I return."
"A revelation?" Danitz blurted out in surprise.
At this moment, there was only one thought in his mind:
Why don't I know about this?
Alger nodded.
"Mr. Fool is about to enter a deep slumber.
"However, this will not affect responses to your prayers."
"..." Danitz was so shocked that he couldn't speak.
Alger continued, "Gehrman Sparrow has also entered a state of slumber.
"After I leave, the Church's matters will be handed over to Elder Derrick Berg of the New City of Silver. You need to cooperate with him and write into the bible that the Sea God is Mr. Fool and get all believers to accept it.
"Our faith is key to Mr. Fool's awakening. You are 'His' Oracle, and you have to make an example in this aspect.
"Of course, 'He' will give you a new revelation at any time and give you other missions."
Danitz was a little dizzy and confused when he heard that, but he still understood the seriousness of the matter.
He hesitated for a moment before nodding heavily.
"Okay."
After settling the matter, Alger stood up and returned to his room with the Book of Calamity.
He looked at himself in the mirror and laughed. He slowly removed the papal tiara from his head and removed the silver-black mask on his face.
A few days later, at the crowded Bayam Harbor.
Alger raised his head and looked at Derrick, who was taller than him, and said with a smile, "You've been doing very well recently. The Church of the Sea God has been running smoothly."
Derrick subconsciously wanted to raise his hand to scratch the back of his head, but he ultimately held back. He said with some melancholy and reluctance, "Mr. Hanged... Your Holiness Wilson, when will you return?"
Alger shook his head and said, "Everything ahead is still uncertain. No one can tell."
Without waiting for Derrick Berg to respond, he said, "You're already mature and reliable. I don't have any advice for you."
Having said that, Alger paused before saying, "If the Rorsted Archipelago encounters a disaster you cannot stop, don't sacrifice yourself in order to protect it."
"Ah?" Derrick was stunned.
This was the most important place of worship for Mr. Fool. It was the new home of the City of Silver, so how could he give up just like that?
Alger had already expected Derrick's reaction and explained with a serious expression, "To Mr. Fool, the most important thing is the believers here, not these islands. To the City of Silver, the most important thing is the people, not the city.
"As long as you can protect Mr. Fool's believers and protect the citizens of the City of Silver, migrating them away in time. Even if we lose Bayam, the New City of Silver, and the Rorsted Archipelago, we can rebuild a new city elsewhere and rebuild a new home.
"Remember, don't lose sight of the forest for the trees."
Derrick was deeply moved when he heard that. He grasped the crux of the problem.
He replied sincerely, "I understand. Thank you, Mr. Hanged... Your Holiness Wilson. I will protect Mr. Fool's believers and the citizens well."
Alger didn't say a word as he turned around and walked towards the Blue Avenger that was moored at the dock.
The ghost ship was a three-masted sailboat that was still behind the present era era, no different from before.
Alger looked at it and looked at the crew members on the deck. He suddenly felt something and looked down at himself.
He was wearing a linen shirt, brown jacket, and trendy pantaloons. He had a custom-made belt around his waist. Attached to it were a dagger and a scepter made of bone.
The corners of Alger's lips curled up as he took a step forward and landed on the deck of the Blue Avenger.
He then turned his head to look at the boundless blue sea, raised his right hand and said in a deep voice, "Set sail!"
...
Backlund, Empress Borough, inside the Hall family's luxurious mansion.
Audrey sat on a comfortable sofa and watched her father, Earl Hall, her brothers, Hibbert and Alfred, discuss the recent developments of the kingdom. She watched as her mother Lady Caitlyn constantly convene the butler and footmen to make final preparations for the ball.
She didn't say a word. She wore a faint smile as she quietly observed this common scene in her daily life.
After some time, Earl Hall smiled and looked over.
"What is our little princess thinking about?"
Audrey pursed her lips and replied with a faint smile, "Guess."
"I'm guessing you're thinking about which dress you'll be wearing today, and what kind of hair and makeup you'll be matching it with," Hibbert said casually on behalf of his father.
Audrey smiled and said, "Correct, but there are no rewards."
She slowly stood up and said to her parents and brothers, "I'm going upstairs to change into my gown."
Earl Hall smiled and nodded.
"There's no hurry. Everyone believes that you're worth the wait."
Audrey bit her lower lip and maintained her smile as she walked towards the door.
When she was about to leave the room, she paused and looked back.
Her parents and her two brothers continued with their discussion or arrangements.
Audrey's gaze froze as she slowly retracted her gaze.
She walked out of the room and went upstairs to the bedroom.
Susie was already waiting there.
Audrey inhaled indiscernibly and raised her right hand. She used her index finger to draw lines of faint light.
They seemed to come from the deepest part of a dreamscape.
A few seconds later, the faint glow turned into a blonde, green-eyed, abnormally beautiful girl—Audrey Hall.
But unlike Audrey, this girl still carried a little childishness and a slight romantic bearing.
"Good evening, Miss Justice~" The girl greeted her cheerfully.
Audrey smiled and replied, "Good evening, Miss Audrey."
After the last-minute Tarot Gathering, she finally made up her mind to advance to Dreamweaver and prepare to split an identity to accompany her family. She would stay away from them and not let the various dangerous matters she had attracted affect them.
After staring at her for two seconds, she turned to look at the golden retriever beside her and said, "Susie, are you sure you want to follow me?"
"Yes, we are friends forever," Susie replied seriously.
Audrey didn't say another word. She split off a Virtual Person and entered Susie's Body of Heart and Mind which she opened up for Audrey.
Then, she raised her hand again and outlined another Susie in midair.
The moment Susie formed, she opened her mouth and let out a woof.
Audrey retracted her gaze and looked at herself.
After a moment of silence, although she knew that their thoughts and ideas were synced, she couldn't help but say to the blonde girl in front of her, "I-I'll leave it to you in the future.
"Remember to wheedle to Father often and get him to not be so busy. He's not young anymore, so he needs to be mindful of his health. He can hand over many things to Hibbert and Alfred or the butlers.
"Also, slowly counsel Mother and tell her that she doesn't have to pay too much attention to the opinions of others. She doesn't have to maintain a perfect image at social events. It would be very tiring.
"Yes, don't forget about Hibbert. Cheer him up often and don't let him be so gloomy. He shouldn't complicate matters too much from overthinking things. Alfred won't threaten his position.
"Alfred, Alfred, he needs a good wife to stop him from taking any more risks...
"Oh, why are you crying? We've already grown up. We can't be little girls anymore."
Audrey lowered her eyes slightly and smiled at her crying self.
"I know, I know." After Audrey said that, she pursed her lips tightly and nodded heavily with a sad expression.
Audrey retracted her gaze, picked up her cloak, and draped it over her.
Then, she led Susie out of the bedroom and into the corridor.
The hall below was lit with lights, and the guests came one after another to attend the ball. Lord Hall, Lady Caitlyn, Hibbert, and Alfred were already at the door.
Audrey stood behind the railing and watched silently for a while.
She then lifted the ends of her skirt and slowly and solemnly bowed to her parents and brother from a distance away.
After maintaining such a posture for two seconds, she straightened her body and raised the hood from her dark blue cloak to cover her face.
To her side, behind her, there were bright lights and a bustling din. In front of her, many dark lights formed a sea of collective subconscious.
"Let's go," Audrey said hoarsely to Susie.
With that said, she walked into the dark illusory sea.
Audrey rushed out from the bedroom and cried out with a sobbing tone, "You must come back!"
Audrey didn't turn back. She raised her right hand and waved it, indicating that she understood.
The figure wearing a blue cloak gradually disappeared into the distance amidst the deep, silent darkness.
-x-X-x-
In a room of an abandoned castle, sunlight shone through the gaps in the thick curtains, illuminating a pitch-black coffin.
Suddenly, the lid of the coffin creaked and slowly moved to the side.
With a thud, it fell to the ground.
A few seconds later, Azik Eggers sat up, looking rather lost.
At that moment, he was wearing loose pajamas that had been popular in Loen years ago. He resembled a noble who had woken up in his manor.
After a while, Azik narrowed his eyes slightly. He looked around in confusion as though he didn't know who he was.
He then saw the brilliant sunlight that penetrated through the cracks and saw the dust dancing in the sunlight. He saw letters scattered on the table, ground, and coffin lid around him.
They were like giant snowflakes that blanketed half the area.
Azik got out of the coffin. With a puzzled expression, he bent down to pick up a letter and began reading.
As he read, the confusion on his face disappeared a little, as if he had remembered many things from the past.
Azik immediately found a chair and sat down, allowing all the letters to fly in front of him to stack up like a mountain.
He opened the letters one by one, reading them one after another. There would be pauses in between as he fell deep in thought as if he was seriously recalling something.
The sunlight that passed through the gap in the curtains gradually dimmed. After a long time, it shone inside again.
At that moment, Azik finally finished reading all the letters and completed the long contemplations that resembled Cogitation.
"He" looked at the letters that had been stacked on the table and slowly let out a long sigh.
Following that, he took out a piece of paper, a fountain pen, and some ink that he could still use. He wrote with a warm expression:
"...I've already woken up and received all your letters. They made me recall who I am and who you are. I also remember many memories of the past.
"Your experiences, no matter how complicated and exciting, have exceeded my imagination. It also makes me understand some of the problems that previously plagued me.
"I can feel your joy, your exhaustion, your faith in life, and the heavy responsibility that you have borne from your letters.
"I can roughly guess why you ultimately made that choice. If it were me, I might not even be able to make such a decision.
"From the beginning, you've been a guardian. You mimicked others until you were mimicked by others.
"Next, I will begin a journey to pursue the past and witness the changes in this world.
"You seem to still be asleep, but it doesn't matter. I'll write to tell you about the interesting things that I've encountered, the interesting traditions, and interesting people.
"I think I should be able to send these letters to you via sacrifice..."
The tip of the golden pen reflected the sunlight as it rustled on the white piece of paper, continuously penning down more content.
...
Backlund, in a solarium of a terrace house.
Melissa walked in with a girl who was clearly less than ten years old.
"Aunt Melissa, why here?" the little girl asked, puzzled. "All the stories I heard had mysterious rituals held in the basement."
With her hair tied up, the bespectacled Melissa smiled and said, "Those are unconventional mysticism rituals."
She pointed at the altar that had been set up and the unlit candles and said, "You may begin."
"Really?" The little girl tilted her head to look at the bright sunshine outside the window. "Do we need to draw the curtains?"
"There's no need. It's pretty good this way." After Melissa answered, she smiled at the little girl while she awkwardly mimicked her usual method of holding rituals in a clumsy and unfamiliar manner.
During this process, she would instruct her from time to time and even personally help her to complete the pre-ritual preparations.
"Alright, repeat after me." Melissa took a deep breath as her expression gradually turned staid.
"Yes, yes." The little girl tried her best to appear stern.
Melissa looked at the candle flames on the altar for a few seconds before slowly reciting in ancient Hermes, "The Fool that doesn't belong to this era..."
"Da Pool that dun pelong to diz ela..." The little girl had never learned ancient Hermes before. Although she tried her best to imitate her aunt, she still didn't know what she was saying.
"The mysterious ruler above the gray fog..." Melissa continued reciting.
"Da Mesterwes luler apove the gway pog..." the little girl recited in all seriousness.
"The King of Yellow and Black who wields good luck..." After Melissa finished reciting, the candle at the end didn't wait for the little girl to imitate her. It immediately burgeoned to the size of a human head.
In the large flame, a slippery tentacle with a somewhat sinister pattern extended out in an indiscernible manner. It was extremely slow.
The little girl was stunned. She retreated and hid behind her aunt.
Melissa pursed her lips and said with a gentle smile, "Don't be afraid, go greet him."
The little girl timidly poked her head out from behind her aunt and saw the terrifying, slimy tentacle gently swaying in the brilliant sunlight that shone through the windows. It seemed to be attempting to swat away the dust or was waving at her.
"Go, don't be afraid," Melissa repeated.
The little girl finally mustered her courage and stood in front of the altar.
She recited the incantations she had just invented before revealing a sincere smile and raised her palm.
The slippery tentacle whose patterns had disappeared paused for a few seconds. It seemed hesitant and somewhat out of practice.
Then, it raised its head and curled up slightly, lowering itself inch by inch.
Amidst the sunlight, it high-fived that tiny palm.
—The End—