Chapter 110: The True “Devil”

Chapter 110: The True “Devil”

After roughly grasping the situation, Klein looked at the full-length mirror in the room and asked instead,

“What is the king’s secret?”

On the mirror surface, which seemed to lead into another world, watery light gently floated and gradually reflected a scene:

It was a ruin hidden deep in darkness, covered in the dust of history, yet almost perfectly intact.

Meaning the king’s secret lies inside the Blood Emperor’s ruin… Does Arrodes not dare answer directly, or can it genuinely only see this much? Klein considered for a moment, then said to the Magic Mirror,

“It is your turn to ask.”

The scene inside the full-length mirror did not change at all. Only one silver word after another emerged in relief:

“Great master, do You have any other questions?”

“Yes.” Klein nodded without hesitation. “Where is White Saintess Katerina currently?”

Inside the mirror, the silver words rapidly faded and vanished, yet the background did not change at all. It remained that Blood Emperor’s ruin.

If not for those words appearing and disappearing, I would have thought this Magic Mirror had crashed… Katerina is hiding inside the Blood Emperor’s ruin? The real one? Klein nodded thoughtfully.

“Your turn.”

Over that scene, silver words gathered again:

“Merciful master, why do You not leave Backlund?”

That is a good question. I originally did have that plan… At first, I investigated the Great Smog of Backlund out of righteous anger over the innocent deaths of poor people like Old Kohler, and because I felt lost after my primary target almost collapsed. Later, I became tied to the identity of the Goddess’s favored one. After that, I wanted to stop the coming disaster, let the people I know avoid the pain caused by the ambitions of the powerful, and keep them from becoming drowned victims in the tide of the era. I was willing to bear a certain amount of risk for that…

As for now, after learning that a war that might sweep the entire world could arrive, and after discovering that the Scholar of Yore advancement ritual is nearly tailor-made for me and full of traces of arrangement, I already understand that even if I truly want to flee, I may not be able to. Or rather, even if I leave Backlund, I most likely cannot escape the fate I have carried from the very beginning. Since that is the case, I might as well take the initiative to risk and challenge, to see whether I can uncover the truth, find a possible opportunity, and grasp my own destiny… Klein’s thoughts surged and gradually settled.

Then he answered calmly,

“Leaving cannot truly solve the problem.”

After saying that, Klein began asking questions:

“Where is Trissy currently?”

Inside the full-length mirror, the scene finally changed. This time, it was a stretch of pure darkness, with thick, massive things occasionally sliding across its surface.

Arrodes likewise cannot see Trissy’s situation… Klein gave a slight nod.

“It is your turn to ask.”

Inside the mirror, watery light floated again, and threads of silver gathered into a coherent sentence:

“Great master, there is something I would like to tell You. May I say it?”

“Go ahead.” Klein responded with some curiosity.

The silver words squirmed and transformed into new text:

“You must be careful next!”

It even used an exclamation mark… Has the Magic Mirror Arrodes smelled something bad? Klein thought for several seconds and said,

“What do you believe could threaten me?”

“I do not know. It is a feeling…” Arrodes reassembled the words, changing them from silver to grayish-white, directly showing what dejection and self-blame looked like.

Before Klein could respond, new grayish-white words jumped one after another from inside the mirror:

“Great master, there is another scene I would like to show You. May I?”

“You may.” Klein slowed his speaking pace.

On the surface of the full-length mirror, ripples spread through the watery light, and that stretch of darkness changed.

It became increasingly profound, dotted with one dazzling, diamond-like point of light after another.

This was a beautiful and vast night sky.

Does the scene Arrodes is showing point to the Goddess, whose essence is the “stars,” or to the “starry sky,” from which gazes are being cast down? It seems it does not dare express this directly… Klein thought for a moment and did not try asking any more.

“That will be all for today.”

“All right!” The grayish-white words became silver again, though for some reason, the speed at which they emerged slowed. “Great master, You have not yet said that if You have questions afterward, You will summon me again—Your loyal servant Arrodes…”

What a ritualistic mirror… Klein found it funny and said aloud,

“Of course. I will summon you again when I have other questions.”

“Yes, Master! Goodbye, Master!” On the mirror surface, the silver words returned to normal speed and outlined a simple stick figure waving continuously.

After everything returned to normal, Klein burned the paper drawn with the summoning symbol, pulled open the curtains, and once again looked toward the cold, dim sky.

…

Queen Borough, inside a small Church of Evernight.

Xio and Fors had both received Miss Justice’s words through Mr. Fool’s relay. They knew that the problem had been resolved, and they roughly understood what the king’s secret was.

“…Truly impressive.” Fors, who believed in the God of Steam and Machinery, opened her eyes inside the dim and tranquil prayer hall. She turned her head and lowered her voice, sighing with emotion.

She had originally wanted to directly say that Mr. World—or Gehrman Sparrow—was truly impressive, but by now, she no longer made mistakes at that level.

This past week had given her the feeling that she had already drifted through the mysterious world for more than ten years.

Xio also opened her eyes. However, she first drew the crimson moon before her chest, repenting for the disrespect her earlier behavior had shown the Goddess.

“Yes. That was a…” Xio did not finish the sentence, but the meaning was accurately transmitted to Fors’s mind.

What she wanted to say was that Hvin Rambis was a true demigod. Yet counting from when she and Fors entered this church, not even ten minutes had passed before he had been dealt with by Gehrman Sparrow.

How could the gap between Saints be so huge!

“Perhaps there was… an angel’s blessing…” Fors, combining her experience with extraordinary incidents and novel writing, made a veiled guess.

Because the prayer hall was dim and tranquil and truly unsuitable for conversation, Xio did not directly respond to Fors’s words. She nodded, stood, and entered the aisle.

The two left the prayer area shoulder to shoulder. Only when they were near the main door did Xio breathe out and say,

“I truly hope one day I can become that powerful too…”

“I think that way sometimes too,” Fors said with a smile. “Uh, no matter what, you can be considered to have completed the investigation, can you not? Although the so-called secret certainly still has many parts worth excavating, the general outline of the matter is already rather clear.”

Xio looked toward the door ahead. She was lost in thought for several seconds before saying,

“But what meaning does that have? I cannot do anything because of it. There is nothing I can do.”

“No, no, no. As an enemy alone, that person’s status is not that noble. At least, we can still look directly at him.” Fors earnestly comforted her friend. “Once you undergo a qualitative change, you will discover that you have the ability to participate in this matter—at least, the parts that do not involve higher levels.”

Compared to Xio, who had joined the Tarot Club much later, Fors had witnessed some of Mr. Fool’s plans. Through His favored one and members of the Tarot Club, He had destroyed the True Creator’s descent, uncovered the secret of Bansy, obtained part of the Storm domain’s authority, and intervened in the destination of 0-08. Compared with the angels, Kings of Angels, and even true gods involved in those matters, George III alone truly was not that much.

Xio slowly walked to the door. After a period of silence, she said,

“I understand what you mean.

“Next, we will return to the East Borough. There is no need to move in a hurry. After I obtain the Judge potion formula, we can completely hide. I think, after what happened today, they will not dare risk investigating us again.”

“Definitely. They are nothing more than shadows hiding in the dark, unable to face the light.” Fors hurriedly echoed, then sighed. “I only hope Teacher’s reply can arrive before we move again.”

Xio raised a hand and scratched her yellow hair. As she stepped out of the church, she said seriously,

“After I obtain the formula, I will buy that button and strive to improve myself as soon as possible.”

“Not bad. Your fighting spirit has returned.” Seeing this, Fors teased her with a smile.

Xio did not speak further, continuing forward with a solemn expression.

After walking several dozen steps, she suddenly stopped without turning back and said,

“My money probably—probably will not be enough to buy that button. When the time comes, when the time comes, lend me a little…

“I will definitely pay you back.”

Fors froze for one second, then burst into laughter.

“All right.

“If my guess is correct, I should be able to get what I need next from my teacher.”

…

Thursday noon. Klein used the excuse of resting to return to the master bedroom, enter the washroom, and take four steps counterclockwise to arrive above the gray fog.

He believed that the glass bottle containing the “potion” should have completed its absorption.

Sitting in The Fool’s high-backed chair, Klein beckoned with his hand, removed the isolation, and drew the target over.

The transparent glass bottle had already been dyed a somewhat dark color. Its surface was covered in grids that flickered with faint light, giving it the air of a work of art.

It was empty inside, with not a single drop of potion remaining. At its comparatively wide mouth, a layer of mist with floating light had gathered, making Klein feel as though his gaze would be sucked inside the moment it landed there.

Vaguely, a voice came from within the bottle:

“Put in one hundred gold coins, and you can realize one wish…

“Put in one hundred gold coins, and you can realize one wish…”

Who did you learn that from… I have to admit, this repetitive, monotonous speech really does help with hypnosis… If someone truly puts in one hundred gold coins, it would be equivalent to opening the door to their Mind Body on their own. They would be manipulated by this bottle and become its slave… After a brief analysis, Klein drew over the Unshadowed Cross and, with the pressure of the gray fog, inserted it into the mouth of the bottle.

“You devil!” the voice inside the bottle screamed shrilly.

Then it was mercilessly blocked by the gray fog.