Chapter 141: The Gods’ Attitude

Chapter 141: The Gods’ Attitude

“The repeal of the Grain Act… the unified examination for government employees… the compromise that brought Church influence into the military… On the surface, all of these seem to accord with the tide of the times, but in essence, they are suppressing and weakening the nobility while supporting a new class. Compared to the way the country has been ruled for more than a thousand years, this truly can be considered a rule that violates normal conditions—the kind of order needed to become the Black Emperor…

“And over the last decade or so, architectural styles have changed greatly as well…

“For Roselle to obtain the Uniqueness and acquire the corresponding Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristics, that ancient and secret organization must have expended considerable effort. They might even have provided part of it directly. And after the Emperor fell, who took those characteristics away?

“Also, Bernadette has been in Backlund for the past few months and came here often before that too…

“Sigh. It was mainly the asymmetric aesthetics of those Fourth Epoch empires that influenced my understanding. I interpreted ‘rules that violate normal conditions’ as bizarre, inhuman orders. But thinking about it now, what exactly counts as normal? Isn’t it simply a state people have long grown accustomed to, one that does not directly oppose instincts such as survival? From tribes to nations, from feudalism to republics—didn’t all of those violate what was normal at the time? Countless people wanted to return to the past, didn’t they?

“The phrase ‘old loyalists and remnants of the former order’ really sums up the problem well…

“Viewed from this angle, as long as the gods do not interfere, the reform required by the Black Emperor is bound to happen. The only question is whether it comes sooner or later… The tide of the age rolls forward and truly cannot be stopped. Amon’s brother really is a powerful and terrifying Writer…

“Hidden in the depths of the Blood Emperor’s ruins should be a mausoleum similar to a pyramid. According to the ritual requirements, it must be repaired by driving the populace to work on it. That explains the disappearance cases in East Borough, the overseas slave trade, and other matters…

“When the war develops to a certain stage, they can use prayers for victory, or nationwide mourning for fallen soldiers, as an excuse to organize large numbers of people across different cities in the kingdom to participate in sacrificial rituals…

“Mm. Many years ago, the Loen royal family obtained the crown of the Balam Empire, connecting the King’s name with the title of emperor.

“What a brilliant scheme!”

Awakened by the Red Angel evil spirit’s question, Klein’s mind tightened. Countless thoughts flashed rapidly through his head, and at the same time, new doubts arose.

He looked at the tall, thin, young, bloodless Gatekeeper opposite him and said carefully, “George III wants to become the Black Emperor directly?

“But he isn’t even Sequence 4…”

Even if one could act in advance, making oneself “more talented” and reducing the impact brought by the mental imprints within a potion, Klein still did not believe a Sequence 5 could become a god directly—unless he was lucky enough to seize an almost impossibly small chance of success.

And that kind of luck could not be described with a simple “enough.” Even Will Auceptin, the Mercury Serpent that symbolized fate, did not dare swallow the Die of Probability directly, and had to earnestly search for a way to accommodate it.

Hearing this, the Red Angel evil spirit gave a contemptuous laugh.

“How do you know George III is only Sequence 5?

“How can you be sure the George III who was examined was the real George III? Could it not have been someone imagined into existence, or some angel-level Faceless who took his place?

“These are indeed all extraordinarily difficult things to accomplish, but for a certain paranoid, they all fall within the scope of His abilities and resources.

“I suspect George III is an official member of that secret organization modeled after our Rose of Redemption. His true level might already be that of an angel. Heh. I wouldn’t even be surprised if He were already Sequence 1.”

…Roselle once said that the members of that ancient secret organization were great figures beyond his imagination. If they joined forces, there was nothing they could not accomplish except confronting the Churches of the Seven Gods… That actually includes the king of a country? Then again, in his later years, the Emperor himself ruled Intis… Paranoid… Is that the Red Angel evil spirit’s evaluation of Amon’s brother? Although it is clearly extreme and colored by strong personal bias, it must have a certain basis. Nicknames are not given at random… Klein made his marionette frown slightly.

“You make it sound as though the truth of this matter is very easy to see through. But if the Evernight, Storm, and Steam Churches have clearly noticed the problem, why have they still failed to discover anything substantial?

“Their understanding of the Black Emperor cannot be any less than yours…”

After all, both the Evernight and Storm Churches had supported the Tudor-Trunsoest United Empire!

The Red Angel evil spirit once again revealed an amused expression. He looked Dwayne Dantès and his personal valet up and down.

“How old are you?

“Why are you still so naive and childish?

“The Six Gods and the Churches of the Six Gods are not always equivalent. Things the Six Gods know will not necessarily be told to the angels and saints below Them.”

Seeing that Dwayne Dantès still frowned, unable to understand, the Red Angel evil spirit gave another heh.

“Believe me, what I just said—and what I’m about to say—are undoubtedly meant to sow discord and damage the image of the Six Gods. But you can think for yourself whether they are true.

“Let me put it this way. Regarding someone attempting to become the Black Emperor, the attitude of the Six Gods—no, the Seven Gods—is rather ambiguous and often self-contradictory. To describe it more accurately, They are happy to see the birth of a mentally sound Black Emperor, but They would prefer it to be the one They personally support. Therefore, They will not give Their Churches overly specific revelations. They only allow them to follow normal procedure. If they can uncover it, they punish it. If they cannot, then its development is tacitly permitted.

“Of course, in the process, it cannot be ruled out that a certain existence might wish to sabotage things. But it will not be direct or obvious, because They will inevitably be stopped by the other gods.

“If he had not grasped this attitude, how would George III dare take such a risk?

“And now that war has broken out, he has passed the crisis. He can patiently wait for the next opportunity.”

Klein immediately thought of how information had leaked in advance during the raid on the Blood Emperor’s ruins. For a moment, he could not decide whether he should suspect that the upper ranks of the three major Churches contained members of that ancient secret organization, or whether a certain deity had personally warned Amon’s brother. And if it was the latter, the Lord of Storms could be eliminated from suspicion.

After a moment of silence, Klein asked with visible hesitation, “So, as long as no accident occurs afterward, George III, having done so many things, will usher in his apotheosis ritual? And if everything goes smoothly, if he withstands the potion’s backlash, he will ascend to the throne of the Black Emperor?”

The Red Angel evil spirit answered lightly, “Is there a problem with that?”

“What exactly are the Seven Gods doing this for…” Klein could not help asking further.

The Red Angel evil spirit clicked His tongue.

“You want to know? If you do, I can tell you right now.”

Klein was about to say “Of course,” when he suddenly remembered the warning once given by Arianna, Servant of Concealment:

“There are some things where the more you know, the more easily you will be ‘infected,’ from body to soul. Wait until you become an angel before pursuing the specific answers.”

As thoughts flickered through his mind, Klein made his marionette smile faintly.

“Then I’ll pass.”

“Very good. You nearly died from curiosity and stupidity.” The Red Angel evil spirit shook His head with some regret.

He then glanced out the window.

“If there’s nothing else, you may leave.”

“All right.” Klein made his marionette stand and raise its right hand.

Just then, the Red Angel evil spirit, half-reclining on the chair, suddenly asked, “I keep having this feeling: if I had attacked you just now, it isn’t as if you would have had no way out. Am I right?”

Of course. Why do you think I chose Flame Jump instead of directly Teleporting? It was to conceal the movement of the paper crane hidden in my wallet as it burned! That way, the gaze of the Snake of Fate, Will Auceptin, would silently fall upon me. Once anything went wrong, He would use the Yesterday Once More charm… When “dealing” with existences at your level, how could I possibly manage without being cautious, careful, and hiding my measures discreetly? Klein did not directly answer the Red Angel evil spirit’s question. He merely smiled, tacitly admitting it.

Snap!

He snapped his fingers, allowing crimson flames to surge from his pocket and wrap around him.

The crimson scattered, and Klein’s figure vanished from the Red Angel evil spirit’s sight.

…

Backlund, Dr. Aaron Ceres’s home, inside a black baby carriage.

The chubby infant rubbed his eyes and muttered soundlessly, “For a child, Backlund is really far too unlivable!”

…

39 Böklund Street. Klein, who had performed divination in advance, successfully met Member of Parliament Macht just as the man was about to leave for the West Borough.

“Didn’t you go to Rose Song Manor? I’m also planning to have Liana and Hazel hide at Elk Manor.” Member of Parliament Macht pinched the sides of his eyes as he spoke.

I wonder when those aftereffects will finally disappear… Klein drew his gaze away from the other man’s movement and sighed.

“I need to prepare some weapons for the manor, so I came to ask for your help.

“Also, if you have channels through which food can be obtained, please help me purchase some as well.”

In his view, the people at the bottom had no way to stockpile food because they had no money. At most, they could prepare a few days’ worth. Therefore, his own purchasing would not affect them for the time being. Once food became scarce, he could donate the extra he had bought through Miss Audrey.

Before any temporary laws on food control were introduced, even if Klein did not stockpile, other wealthy people would—and they might not necessarily donate anything.

“No problem.” Member of Parliament Macht agreed without difficulty.

Klein did not ask about the price, because he had given his housekeeper Tanea a full 5,000 pounds for such expenses.

Of course, after confirming that Zaratul was in Backlund, and that the Red Angel evil spirit knew Dwayne Dantès was Gehrman Sparrow, Klein had already decided not to return to Rose Song Manor. He would adopt another identity instead, so as not to implicate innocents.

As for the excuse, it would be that the Evernight Church had arranged for him to do certain things, and he would be unable to return for a very long period of time. If the foundation’s charitable activities required cooperation, they should follow Miss Audrey’s arrangements.