Chapter 78: Traditional Art

Chapter 78: Traditional Art

Above the gray fog, inside the palace, Klein held the Sea God Scepter and stared at the Black Emperor card and the Tyrant card laid out on the table before him, his expression rather grave.

Although Viscount Stratford’s answer could only prove that King George III hid an enormous secret, that he had played a key role in the Great Smog of Backlund, and that he was very likely the greatest culprit, it could not show that he had directed everything and was the true manipulator. After all, he could also be a puppet. But to Klein, this was already enough. The target was exceptionally clear, and there were clues by which he could investigate what they were truly planning.

Seeing that Miss Magician and Miss Judgement had already moved far from the place where the abnormality had occurred, and that their safety was basically guaranteed, Klein withdrew his gaze and continued observing the actions of Major General Qonas Kilgor, deputy director of MI9, through the prayer light dot.

After a while, Qonas Kilgor—who had already “marked out” his territory and confirmed whether he was being followed—walked before a mountain wall and took out an object.

A deep-blue glow then spread across his entire body, and he gradually became hazy and indistinct.

Then he disappeared into thin air, going who knew where.

“A relatively special form of Traveling. Through a fixed ritual and item, short-distance point-to-point ‘teleportation’ is achieved… When I came out from the underground ruins where Ince Zangwill had been, I passed through a similar ‘door’… Mm. This place is not too far from the mountain where Mr. A chased me…

“This kind of arrangement is very suitable for areas that need secrecy. Without permission from the inside, even if one holds the opening item, it will have no effect whatsoever. And if something goes wrong, destroying the corresponding ritual can prevent enemies from entering, leaving them unable to locate the specific place…” Klein nodded with some realization.

Combined with what Viscount Stratford had just “confessed,” he initially believed that the king’s secret and the three parties’ scheme were hidden deep within that underground ruin. As long as one could enter that place and investigate carefully, there was a high probability of obtaining the truth.

However, the more he thought about it, the more he felt this investigation would be extremely difficult, because first, he would need the corresponding item. Only then could he rely on a Faceless’s transformation to deceive the guards and “teleport” inside. And this was not an easy thing.

According to the Magic Mirror Arrodes, not only was Qonas Kilgor himself a demigod of the Black Emperor pathway, but he also possessed quite a powerful Sealed Artifact.

Even with preparation, Klein was not too confident that he could defeat this MI9 major general and deputy director without inviting angel-level help, let alone secretly resolve the target without being discovered. And the angels he could invite all had their own difficulties and problems. They might not necessarily agree.

Even if I take down Qonas Kilgor without alerting anyone, I must still consider the dangers after entering… Having had the previous experience, they definitely will not fail to guard against Faceless… The king is cooperating with the Psychology Alchemists and the Demoness Sect. Whatever they are plotting is certainly not small. There is a very high possibility that an angel currently exists within those underground ruins… Klein’s brows furrowed slightly. For a moment, he actually could not find a reliable way to complete the investigation.

His finger lightly tapped the edge of the mottled long table. He decided to jump out of his previous thinking and consider the matter from another angle.

Several seconds later, inspiration arrived familiarly.

“Why am I thinking about completing every step myself?

“The king’s secret and scheme are most likely disadvantageous to the three Churches of Storms, Evernight, and Steam. Otherwise, the former royal guards’ captain Mason Dill would not have thought to inform the three Churches. As a favored one of the Evernight Goddess—at least for the moment—what I should do could not be more obvious, could it?

“This can also accumulate merit, preparing me to exchange for the Scholar of Yore potion formula in the future!”

In an instant, Klein’s thoughts became exceptionally clear. Without hesitation, he left the gray fog and returned to the real world.

Gehrman Sparrow, dressed in blue-and-white checkered pajamas, once again raised both hands, assuming a posture of prayer, and recited in ancient Hermes:

“The Evernight Goddess who stands higher than the cosmos and more eternal than eternity; You are the Lady of Crimson, the Mother of Concealment, the Empress of Misfortune and Horror, the Mistress of Repose and Silence…”

This time, Klein did not hold any ritual, because he was not praying for a bestowal and did not wish to receive a response. He was merely describing Viscount Stratford’s confession and his own observations of Qonas Kilgor, so a direct prayer was enough.

After finishing the prayer, Klein breathed out and stood in that secluded part of the mountain forest, patiently waiting for possible developments.

Only a few dozen seconds later, a human figure suddenly outlined itself before his eyes, like a portrait being swiftly drawn.

The newcomer wore a simple robe, a bark belt, and her hair down. She was barefoot, with a pair of dark, tranquil eyes. It was the leader of the ascetics, first among the thirteen archbishops of the Church of Evernight, the Servant of Concealment, Arianna.

“Good evening, Madam Arianna.” Klein bowed without the slightest surprise.

Arianna glanced at him and returned the greeting.

“Good evening.”

She made no small talk and directly asked,

“Qonas Kilgor is nearby?”

“Yes. Less than ten kilometers away.” Klein raised a hand and pointed in the direction. “He has already used an item and vanished from where he stood. What should we do next?”

Arianna nodded lightly.

“Wait for him to come out, then find an opportunity to capture him.”

This… Is that not a little too direct? You look so quiet and simple, an introverted, cultivated person—no, angel—so why is your style this aggressive? If Qonas Kilgor did not go to the underground ruins this time but to some other secret base, or if he is not deeply involved in the king’s scheme, then a Church archbishop taking the initiative to attack a high-ranking MI9 officer would be major news. Internal divisions in the kingdom would suddenly intensify! For a moment, Klein actually did not know how to respond to Arianna.

Although if he were handling this matter himself, he would certainly also act against Qonas Kilgor—just the other party’s involvement in slave trafficking and murder to silence witnesses gave him sufficient reason—but the issue was that a demigod of a secret organization attacking a high-ranking military officer and an archbishop of an orthodox Church attacking a high-ranking military officer were two utterly different concepts.

Seeming to sense Klein’s thoughts, Arianna calmly explained,

“You will make the move, not I.”

“…” Klein was somewhat unused to this lady’s style.

Arianna continued,

“I will create a concealed world for you and provide necessary assistance.”

Fighting in a concealed state? Fighting with an angel’s help? Klein nodded thoughtfully.

“Then where should we ambush him?”

Arianna answered concisely,

“Inside your Rose Song Manor.”

…The same as I thought… But I did not want to say it myself… Klein sighed deeply inwardly.

His choice of ambush location was based on a very simple logic: when would Qonas Kilgor be most relaxed and most unguarded?

Without question, after the other party completed his secret mission, returned to Rose Song Manor, and believed that all of tonight’s danger had already ended, he would be at his most relaxed and unguarded.

By the same reasoning, if the king’s secret and scheme were truly important, then during Qonas Kilgor’s round trip to the underground ruins, there might very well be an angel remotely “watching” him and paying attention to his safety. The moment he was attacked, that angel could immediately respond. But once he returned to ordinary life and a normal state, the gaze cast upon him would most likely be withdrawn. After all, there were only so many angels. They would not be that idle.

Fortunately, my tracking method earlier was the most concealed possible, and the distance was large enough… Looking at it this way, the fact that Madam Arianna is leaving the battle to me is not mainly to avoid risk or reduce negative effects. It is because she has to maintain concealment and prevent the battle from being discovered by the existence inside the underground ruins. That will consume a large portion of her energy… As thoughts flashed rapidly, Klein gained a further grasp of the entire matter.

At that moment, Arianna added,

“Battles within the concealed world will not damage reality.”

That sounds quite good… Klein silently muttered, then said after some thought,

“Then I need to hurry and make some preparations.”

“All right,” Arianna calmly responded.

She is not even asking what preparations I want to make. I had already prepared the line, “At the very least, I need to change clothes”… Klein inwardly mocked himself as he lowered his head and glanced at the blue-and-white checkered pajamas he was wearing.

The glove on his left hand rapidly turned transparent, and his entire person vanished from where he stood.

Inside Rose Song Manor, Klein’s figure flashed into existence, still maintaining Gehrman Sparrow’s appearance. He swiftly changed clothes and put on his top hat.

Immediately afterward, he drew out a blank sheet of paper and directly began writing with his finger.

A point of scarlet flame surged out from the tip of his finger, leaving scorched black marks across the paper without igniting it.

Those black marks resembled patterns and quickly combined into a complicated symbol, merging the symbols for “Peering” and “Concealment.”

As the symbol was completed, the surface of the full-length mirror in the room abruptly became deep and dark, rippling with watery light.

Silver lines then emerged one after another, forming word after word:

“Great and supreme master, Your loyal and strong servant Arrodes has come at Your summons!

“Is there something You wish to ask me?”

“Yes.” Klein nodded and glanced out the window. “What demigod-level abilities does Qonas Kilgor possess, and what powerful Sealed Artifact does he hold?”

This was information he already had a rough grasp of. After confirming Qonas Kilgor as a target, he had made corresponding inquiries. Now, he wanted to understand further, to prepare more fully and with greater precision.

On the surface of the full-length mirror, the silver words twisted and squirmed, rapidly forming new text:

“Great master, Qonas Kilgor is a Fallen Count. In order to conceal his strength, the Sealed Artifact he holds also belongs to the Lawyer pathway, but it is mixed with some characteristics of the Arbiter pathway. It is called Concerto of Light and Shadow.”