Chapter 68: A “Better” State of Mind

Chapter 68: A “Better” State of Mind

Who? Who is speaking?

Every muscle in Klein’s body instantly stiffened, and his eyelids nearly opened.

At that moment, cold sweat wildly seeped out from his back, soaking his shirt.

What terrified him most was not what the voice said, but why it could ring directly in his heart—and why it was identical to his own unchanged voice.

That dream just now… although I maintained my clarity, was my spirit body still polluted by the other party’s out-of-control mental corruption? Or is someone using that internal caretaker to send me a message?

Countless guesses flashed rapidly through Klein’s mind. Combining the content of what had just been said with his own situation, he formed a preliminary judgment.

There were already very few people who knew his identity as Klein Moretti. There were similarly few who knew that Klein Moretti had established an oath by touching a holy artifact. And the two groups almost had no overlap.

Mr. Azik had heard me speak of the latter matter, but if he wanted to warn me, he could simply have the messenger pass on the message. He would have no need to use such a frightening method… Will Auceptin might know, since He is the Mercury Snake who represents fate, but the same logic applies—He can contact me directly… Of course, it cannot be ruled out that He suddenly wanted to scare me. I was only thinking at noon that perhaps I might have a chance to become His godfather…

Could the Antigonus family notebook have corroded the internal caretaker and used him to transmit a symbol like last time, when it used the Misfortune Cloth Puppet? But if it were that notebook, why wouldn’t it directly give me the potion formula? Or negotiate a “notebook jailbreak plan” where we help each other… Saint Samuel Cathedral is the headquarters of the Backlund diocese, higher in level than Saint Selena Church. That notebook should not have much ability to carry out additional movements. It must be tightly sealed…

Other than them, the only one who could possibly know both things at the same time would be the Evernight Goddess. But with the pride of a deity, She has absolutely no need to pretend to be some passerby and address me with a polite, distant tone… I am inside Saint Samuel Cathedral. With only a divine revelation from Her, dozens of Beyonders would come out and knock me down. And this place is the diocesan headquarters; with preparation, there is a high probability they could interfere with Travel. There is no need for Her to make things so troublesome…

Mm, there is one more person who knows both things…

That is myself!

Before planning this operation, I had actually considered the corresponding problem. My conclusion then was that there was no need to worry too much, because only after I advanced to Faceless did a small portion of the gray fog’s power enter the real world, allowing certain demigods to sense something special about me. Before that, only Beyonders of the Monster pathway could detect some slight abnormality. And when I touched the sacred sword and established the oath, I had not even become a Clown yet…

Even if the hidden connection established by the oath allowed the Goddess to slowly notice my problem afterward, so much time has passed without Her taking any action… That female angel of the Church—yes, she should be an angel—even smiled at me after erasing Mr. A… Therefore, perhaps the Goddess is pleased to see me take away the Antigonus family notebook. Although I do not know Her purpose, at my current level, I can only accept it for now and find a way to deal with whatever comes later. This is still safer than climbing the main peak of the Hornacis mountain range… Of course, the premise is that the lady who erased Mr. A truly is a Church angel…

Mm… Although during the Faceless stage, through various acts, I already recognized my true self, I have currently consumed too many potions and have not yet fully digested them. And a Marionettist requires giving every puppet a persona suited to its traits, which likewise easily leads to split personality… Also, in order to steal the Antigonus family notebook and in order to play Dawn Dantes, I am under tremendous pressure. Deep in my subconscious, there are strong tendencies toward wavering and doubt… In this state, the internal caretaker’s out-of-control mental pollution just now stimulated my spirit body and caused me to split off a second personality?

Just as Klein thought this, that familiar yet unfamiliar voice echoed again in his mind.

“Heh. You are thinking too optimistically. All your actions are built on luck. If that high-ranking deacon who wields the sacred sword, Crestet Cesimir, comes to Backlund to handle some other supernatural case, can you guarantee that, while in the same cathedral, that sacred sword will not sense you? You have a contractual connection!”

When Deacon Cesimir comes, I will give up this plan… Besides, it isn’t as if I cannot avoid it in advance. I can find some reason or excuse to leave for an inspection trip for a while…

Klein instinctively muttered inwardly.

Then he heard that voice belonging to him speak in his mind.

“There are too many accidents and unforeseeable factors.

“Before coming to the cathedral today, did you imagine that merely observing Spirit Body Threads would trigger a mutation?”

I was nervous at the time precisely because I worried about unexpected changes. However, because I was only observing and would not directly contact the target, I did not think there would be too large a problem. I simply need to be more cautious afterward… Besides, every matter contains accidents and change… Who exactly are you?

Klein kept his eyes closed, appearing as if he were focused in prayer.

The voice hesitated for a moment, then said, “I am Klein. You are Zhou Mingrui.

“No. I am Zhou Mingrui. You are Klein…”

As expected…

Klein once again felt all the hair on his body stand. He decided to immediately leave Saint Samuel Cathedral, return home, and resolve the issue of his split personality.

When the symptoms had just appeared, the matter would be relatively easy to handle. If he waited until the personality stabilized and strengthened, beginning to fight for control of the body, perhaps he would have to rely on outside help!

He opened his eyes and said to Bishop Elektra beside him with a peaceful expression, “I feel I have calmed down.”

Ever since I got mental illness, my mind has become much better…

As he spoke, Klein mocked himself inwardly.

He liked making internal quips. Partly, this was due to his personality. On the other hand, it was to emphasize himself, always remember himself, and not sink fully into acting.

Bishop Elektra revealed a smile.

“The Goddess is protecting you.”

As he spoke, he took a glass of clear water from a pastor who had come over and passed it to Dawn Dantes.

No explanation was needed. Klein knew this was holy water. He had drunk it before. And so, hiding his worry, he accepted the cup with a normal expression and drank it in one gulp.

A cooling sensation slid down his throat, causing Klein’s mind to clear. Even the voice in his head weakened.

It has a soothing effect on the spirit body… The Church takes Dawn Dantes quite seriously. Of course, this was caused by their Beyonder…

As Klein nodded to Bishop Elektra and traced a crimson moon over his chest, he calmly walked toward the altar and donated fifty pounds in cash before the donation box.

After finishing all this, he left the cathedral with his personal valet Richardson and took a carriage back to Böklund Street.

During this process, he did not go feed the white pigeons again, because after what he had just experienced, an ordinary person would have no mood for such a thing.

After returning home, the ever-silent Klein used the excuse of a midday rest to dismiss everyone else. Inside the master bedroom’s washroom, he took four steps counterclockwise and entered above the gray fog.

As he passed through those roars and ravings, he did not feel anything inside him being purified. This made him even more certain that the voice speaking in his mind came from himself—from a secondary personality produced after pollution and stimulation.

Sitting in the high-backed chair belonging to the Fool, Klein immediately inspected the state of his spirit body. He discovered that it did indeed show certain traces of disorder. It was not as pure as before, and the corresponding aura colors appeared slightly mottled.

After carefully thinking for two minutes and ignoring the noise echoing in his mind, Klein manifested the World, Gehrman Sparrow, and had him pray sincerely:

“Great Mr. Fool…

“Please inform the Moon that I wish to rent the Nightmare Candle for half a day. I know he has a way to obtain it…”

In the very beginning, the identity of the World had been prepared for Sherlock Moriarty. Therefore, Klein was not worried about anything.

…

Backlund Bridge area, inside the Harvest Church.

Emlyn White, who was looking forward to receiving Lilith’s Ring that evening, suddenly saw boundless gray fog and heard the World’s words.

Extremely astonished, he muttered soundlessly, “How does he know I can obtain the Nightmare Candle?”