Chapter 2: The Meaning of Existence

Chapter 2: The Meaning of Existence

In Audrey’s view, Mr. World’s current condition could not yet be called a mental illness, nor would it lead to losing control. Rather, the collapse of his life goal and the meaning of his existence had created a certain psychological obstacle. As long as it was properly guided, and as long as she helped him establish short- and mid-term goals so that he could step by step rediscover the meaning of life, the problem would gradually resolve.

Inside the tranquil darkness, Audrey heard Gehrman Sparrow answer in a low voice from the other side of the wall:

“No.”

As expected… Audrey was not surprised. Following the flow, she asked,

“Then has he gone to search for his family’s last words? Has he looked for their graves? Has he tried to understand the reason he fell into slumber?”

Behind the wall, the spirit seemed to vanish for several seconds. There was no sound or movement at all. Only after quite some time did that hoarse voice slowly say,

“No. Not yet.”

Not yet… In other words, he may in the future? Audrey’s heart immediately lightened, because she could clearly sense that The World, Gehrman Sparrow’s emotional state was no longer so low and gray, no longer so completely lacking in interest toward anything. He had gained a certain amount of motivation, a small measure of urgency, although he still seemed rather confused.

Seizing the chance, Audrey used Pacify again. This time, the effect was much better than before. At the very least, she believed Mr. World had left the ever-sinking abyss of depression and returned to the state of an ordinary person feeling low.

Next, Audrey did not discuss how to search for traces or investigate reasons, because that might bring resistance. Instead, she nodded naturally inside the dark confessional.

“Mm. There are still many things one can do, and many regrets one can make up for. Perhaps there may still be a chance to meet someone of the same bloodline. Perhaps his family did not pass away from old age, but survived until now for certain reasons. Life has meaning precisely because it holds infinite possibilities.

“And during the search, one must not neglect the scenery around them. Life is not only a single broad road. It also has many side paths and alleys. If only the former existed, how monotonous would that be? One must learn to come into contact, to experience, to discover…”

While trying to recall suitable phrases from various books, Audrey suddenly thought of something. Her voice softened slightly.

“Also, do not put on a thick mask.”

A comparatively thin and transparent one is fine. After all, in interactions between people, no one is completely without a mask, and no one likes to directly expose their more private and less pleasant sides. That is both self-protection and respect for others… Once Mr. World has a few friends, life will naturally reconstruct a new meaning… Audrey added these words silently in her heart, but ultimately did not say them aloud, because she believed they were too direct and might instead produce an unfavorable effect.

As she expected, Gehrman Sparrow fell silent again, still rather confused.

A few seconds later, a voice no longer quite as hoarse came through:

“Thank you for your counseling and treatment.”

“No. This all comes from the strength within your own heart,” Audrey replied earnestly.

For the final step, she used Pacify once more, ensuring that Mr. World’s mental state was close to normal and would not relapse.

Then she heard Gehrman Sparrow say,

“May we end here today?”

Audrey adjusted her tone again and answered lightly,

“Of course. This is not a serious problem. When you have free time next week, we can do another follow-up session.

“Also, if possible, prepare some medicine to stabilize your mental state and take it for seven consecutive days. The ingredients are ten grams of chamomile powder, five grams of rosemary powder, ten milliliters of lemon balm extract… During this period, don’t reduce your intake of sweets, and relax properly…”

Inside the dark, peaceful confessional, she propped one hand against the wall and slowly stood.

At that moment, Gehrman Sparrow’s voice pierced through the wall:

“What is the consultation fee?”

Audrey supported herself with one hand against the wall, tilted her head slightly, and thought for a moment.

“We can talk about that after I obtain the Sequence 5 potion formula of the Spectator pathway. At that time, I may have to ask you to help gather the ingredients.

“If the Psychology Alchemists provide the ingredients as well, then, mm…”

The corners of her mouth gradually lifted.

“When you return to Backlund from the Southern Continent, remember to bring me a local specialty as a gift.”

A super-luxurious, eight-person-carried, lightweight travel coffin? On the other side of the wall, Klein inexplicably felt an urge to make a sarcastic remark. Then, standing up along the wall, he sent Miss Justice back to the real world.

With a wave of his hand, he made the confessional disappear, then returned to the head of the bronze long table and sat in The Fool’s seat.

On the surface of the table before him, to the right lay three Cards of Blasphemy: Black Emperor, Tyrant, and Red Priest. To the left lay Creeping Hunger, which Leonard Mitchell had just returned through Miss Messenger, Reinette Tinekerr.

“I owe Miss Messenger another ten thousand gold coins…” Klein withdrew his gaze and raised his right hand to rub his temple.

To prevent Ince Zangwill from fleeing through the spirit world, Klein had communicated with Reinette Tinekerr before planning this murder, asking her to drive away the spirit world creatures in the area around Resurrection Square. The price was still ten thousand gold coins.

The only thing he had not expected was that 0-08 would be even more terrifying than he had imagined. Under the circumstances where Ince Zangwill had suffered a God’s Curse and had also been exhausted by the King of Angels Adam, its first attempt still “drew in” an unknown creature capable of breaking through Reinette Tinekerr’s blockade. If Daly Simone had not forcibly channeled it and made a contract with it, Ince Zangwill might very well have escaped just like that.

Of course, with the God’s Curse weighing on him, even if Ince Zangwill had successfully escaped, he most likely would still have encountered other disasters afterward—such as being thrown by that unknown creature into an even more dangerous place, or directly harmed by it—but that would no longer have been within Klein’s control.

Thinking of the debt of another ten thousand gold coins, Klein felt a stab of headache, but his mental state had improved considerably.

After ascending the staircase of light and reaching the gray clouds, after seeing that “door of light” and those “cocoons,” his mind had been struck as if by a flood bursting through a dam. He felt as though all his hopes had been shattered, and his mature worldview, view of life, and values had collapsed along with them. His entire being had turned dazed and muddled, as if he were a living corpse.

Fortunately, he still possessed the instinct to survive and had promptly asked his private psychiatrist, Miss Justice Audrey, for treatment.

Hah… Klein exhaled and forced his thoughts back onto those “cocoons.” When he had seen that scene, his instinctive reaction had been this:

Some extremely high-level existence, or some Sealed Artifact, had simultaneously snatched a large batch of people from Earth through different means. Among them were people who had used transmigration rituals, people who had bought strange silver plaques, people whose phones had been infected by bizarre viruses…

Then the soul bodies of these transmigrators had been sealed within “cocoons” and hung from the “door of light,” awaiting the emergence of certain opportunities so that they could be sent into the real world.

Based on Klein’s observation, that “door of light” currently had no intelligence. It operated purely on instinct. In other words, as long as the conditions were met, it would catalyze one “cocoon” and send the soul body inside into a specific target’s body.

From the present situation, Klein guessed there were probably two conditions that needed to be met:

First, there could not be another transmigrator ahead, or that transmigrator had to be judged as failed or dead. Second, there had to be a “summons” from some object, some item, or some ritual—just like the dark divination Klein Moretti had performed according to the Antigonus family notebook.

“As for whether there are other conditions, I can’t know unless I find the corresponding entries in Emperor Roselle’s diary… Combining all the circumstances, my current conjecture should be very close to the truth. This also explains why the Emperor and I were from the same era on Earth, separated by no more than a year, yet after transmigrating, we arrived more than two hundred years apart… because we transmigrated at the same time, but were ‘deployed’ in different eras! Before entering the real world, both the Emperor and I had slept for who knows how many years… brothers in neighboring bunks?” Klein leaned back against the chair, the faint flicker in his eyes returning to deep gloom.

This was the rough judgment he had formed based on the “door of light,” his own situation, and the Emperor’s diary.

Of course, that did not mean there were no other possibilities. It was only that, at present, Klein could not find other evidence to support them. For example, perhaps one “cocoon” represented one life of a transmigrator, but that contradicted the fact that Klein’s resurrection had become more and more difficult, and also contradicted the fact that his spirit body had never changed.

And if his conjecture was not far from the truth, that meant he had left Earth and transmigrated here at least two hundred years ago—perhaps even several thousand years ago. Even if he found a road and a method to return to Earth, he could no longer go back to the home that existed in his heart.

Compared to the distance of space, the barrier of time brought even greater despair.

That was why Klein’s mental state had collapsed so suddenly. “Going home” had always been his ultimate goal.

“Miss Justice is right. There are still many questions to solve, to explore… What is the meaning behind that door of light hanging so many transmigrators? What purpose does it have? Who arranged everything back then, pulling so many people over? Where are they now? The Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth for Blessings?” Klein worked hard to immerse himself in a state of thought, searching again for future goals.

Unfortunately, for now, he could only approach that “door of light.” He could not touch it, control it, or even see it clearly. He temporarily lacked the ability to research it and could not obtain the most direct information.

“Consider looking for clues in the real world… Also, since reaching Sequence 4 lets me climb onto that gray cloud and see that ‘door of light,’ then at Sequence 2, when another qualitative change occurs, will I be able to control the ‘door of light’ to some degree and figure out the reason?

“Heh. Influenced by the attitude of the Seven Lights, the Goddess, and Arrodes, I almost believed I really was the master of the gray fog, some great ruler above the spirit world. Now, it seems I’m only an ‘experimental subject’ randomly selected and deployed. If I fail, another transmigrator will appear…” Klein muttered silently, tapping the edge of the bronze long table with his finger.

Another point he was curious about was:

Of the three broken “cocoons,” one represented himself, one represented the Emperor, and the last represented whom?