Chapter 106: Old Acquaintance

Chapter 106: Old Acquaintance

“It is you?”

When he heard that slightly surprised and puzzled female voice, Klein was startled, almost thinking someone had seen through his true identity.

He quickly calmed down, because he had already changed his appearance. He was now the dead Vice Admiral Hurricane Qilangos, and inside Qilangos was the mad adventurer Gehrman Sparrow. Inside Gehrman Sparrow was the great detective Sherlock Moriarty, and only inside Sherlock Moriarty was Klein Moretti.

And that was not all. Inside Klein Moretti was Mr. Fool, and Zhou Mingrui.

“There is no reason she could directly see through to my essence. And how would she know a small figure like Klein Moretti… Even Vice Admiral Hurricane Qilangos should not be enough to make the helper Vice Admiral Ailment Tracy invited so astonished! Someone specially invited by a Sequence 5 pirate admiral to protect herself and deal with an enemy must be at least a Sequence 4 demigod…

“So this sentence should be directed at Mr. Azik? Did that high-level Demoness recognize Mr. Azik, who disrupted their cooperation with the royal family and Ince Zangwill in Backlund? Or Mr. Azik from some past life?” Klein swiftly straightened out his thoughts while remaining alert against any sudden attack from Tracy and her helper. At the same time, he examined Mr. Azik’s reaction from the corner of his eye.

He was not surprised by the appearance of a mysterious powerhouse. First, Mr. Azik had already given warning. Second, he believed that Vice Admiral Ailment Tracy was not an arrogant fool. After nearly being assassinated, and while still unclear about the other party’s objective or what force stood behind them, she would most likely retreat, leave the waters of the Rorsted Archipelago, and seek help from the upper ranks of the Demoness Sect.

The only thing he had not expected was for the other party’s helper to arrive so quickly, as though she had been nearby, or as though she possessed a mystical item similar to that of a Traveler.

Combining the voice’s feminine qualities and soft beauty, Klein suspected that the one who had come was a demigod-level Demoness.

Standing on the thick carpet, Azik hesitated for two seconds before saying, “You know me?”

That tone is very uncertain… Could this big shot have spent one of his previous lives together with a Demoness? No, I cannot think that way… Klein first let his imagination run wild, then inwardly made a serious confession.

He noticed that Vice Admiral Ailment Tracy also wore a stunned expression. The certainty and calmness from before had both turned into confusion.

The soft female voice still came from no discernible place.

“Of course I know you. You should know me as well.”

Azik listened carefully for a moment, then shook his head and smiled bitterly.

“My apologies. I have lost my past memories again and again, and I am currently in the process of recovering them.

“If you can remind me and help awaken more of my memories, I would be very grateful.”

Hearing their conversation, the shock and confusion on Tracy’s face gradually settled into caution.

She solemnly swept a glance over Klein, only to frown when confronted by the face of Vice Admiral Hurricane Qilangos.

The soft female voice gave a long sigh.

“The last time we met was more than thirteen hundred years ago, was it not? At that time, the Primordial and Death cooperated, raising the Pale Disaster upon the Northern Continent. You may have already forgotten that we once fought side by side against the saints and angels of the Church of Evernight.”

I know this part of history. It was in Emperor Roselle’s diary… Mr. Door mentioned that the ending was the Primordial Demoness suffering heavy injuries, only recently showing signs of being able to descend again, while Death directly fell, producing the Berserk Sea and cutting off the Northern and Southern Continents… The Demoness Sect and Death’s forces once had this kind of cooperation. No wonder this demigod-level Demoness recognizes Mr. Azik. Hiss. She is also a monster who has lived for at least fourteen hundred years! Klein’s inner monologue became exceedingly lively.

Immediately, he developed another doubt. He had originally believed that Mr. Azik had suffered serious injuries during the War of the Four Emperors after being glanced at by Blood Emperor Alista Tudor, leading to his repeated loss of memories and repeated forgetting of the past. But this demigod-level Demoness’s words indicated that Azik had not only smoothly survived the War of the Four Emperors, but had even participated in the Pale Disaster years afterward. In between, he seemed to have had no problems.

Azik closed his eyes briefly, as if squeezing his memories.

Several seconds passed before he asked hesitantly, “Caterina Pelle?

“You… have already become an Unaging Demoness?”

“I am glad you still remember me. Compared to you back then, I could only be considered weak.” A figure slowly outlined itself to the side of Vice Admiral Ailment Tracy. She wore a simple, sacred white robe. Its side slits were very high, revealing a pair of flawless legs, and her skin was snow-like and as tender as that of a young girl.

This woman had black hair and blue eyes. She was pure, elegant, and beautiful, carrying an indescribable charm.

Looking at Azik Eggers, the corners of her mouth curled into a faint smile.

“After more than a thousand years, we can still meet alive. That alone is worth celebrating.

“Mr. Death Consul of the Balam Empire.”

Mr. Azik is the Death Consul of the Balam Empire… Is that the name of a later potion in the Death pathway? This Unaging Demoness, Caterina Pelle, looks only around thirty. Dignified and holy, yet mature and alluring… Wait. Why am I thinking about this? Has her Pleasure charm reached this level? Klein hurriedly shifted his gaze away and nearly had to rely on meditation to calm his emotions.

Before Azik could speak, Unaging Demoness Caterina Pelle said in a melodious voice like singing, “I am quite puzzled. Why are you still repeatedly losing your memories?

“I remember that your pathway only has this condition at the Undying stage. Once every sixty years, one dies, resurrects, and forgets the past. But you advanced long ago and broke free from that curse.

“What did you encounter at the end of the Pale Disaster?

“Heh. Back then, the seven gods were divided and enemies with one another. We all believed the Primordial and Death would succeed. Who would have expected that the proudest sun would bow its head, and the most arrogant tyrant would also bow? They very quickly united again. If I had not just happened to advance, I might have already fallen at the tail end of that divine war. I imagine you must have been harmed as well to become what you are now. Death’s fall itself would have been the greatest harm to you.”

Azik fell silent. A not-quite-obvious look of pain gradually appeared on his face.

“I… I cannot recall it…”

Only then did Klein realize that Unaging Demoness Caterina Pelle looked somewhat familiar. He felt she was likely the white-robed woman who had guided Madam Sharon onto the path of the Demoness.

Suddenly, Caterina’s eyes turned and swept over Klein. With a light laugh, she said to Azik, “Then you surely have not forgotten the purpose of today’s visit, have you?

“I am very curious. Why did he assassinate Tracy? Was it for justice?”

The glance the Unaging Demoness gave was enchanting yet restrained, sweet and playful, like that of a young girl not yet of age. Her features and temperament seemed to wondrously support that impression, without the slightest awkwardness of a mature woman pretending to be young. At that moment, what Klein saw in Caterina Pelle was a sixteen- or seventeen-year-old girl.

…She can perfectly present the charm of every stage of womanhood, with skin condition, features, and temperament all cooperating… As expected of an Unaging Demoness… Klein was already trying to use meditation techniques to resist that indescribable charm.

He took the initiative to look toward the Maiden of Sickness, Tracy.

“Do you know the wealthy merchant Jimmy Necker?”

Tracy opened her mouth, then closed it again. Her expression seemed both blank and stifled as she replied, “Who is that?”

“You may not know him. He once collected a batch of ancient documents related to Death. He died at the hands of Vice Admiral Hurricane Qilangos.” Klein spoke while wearing Vice Admiral Hurricane Qilangos’s face.

Tracy’s blue eyes narrowed. First, they were misty, then anger entered them.

“You came for that batch of documents?”

So they did fall into your hands… Klein made the judgment based on her tone.

He answered indifferently, “Yes.”

Tracy took a small breath.

“Where is Elaine? What did you do to her? I know she is still alive. If something happened to her, my spiritual intuition would tell me.”

Klein no longer tried to use an ambiguous tone and answered directly, “She has already returned to Intis. She is about to begin a new life.”

Tracy’s expression sank. A storm brewed in her eyes, and the presence of a pirate admiral appeared without reservation. But one casual glance from Azik instantly made her sober.

The corners of her mouth slowly outlined a smile.

“That batch of documents excavated from the royal mausoleum of the Balam Empire did indeed fall into my hands.

“But I was not interested in them. I simply flipped through two pages, then handed them over to the Sect.

“Heh. Even if your assassination had succeeded earlier, you would not have obtained them. I barely read them, and even channeling my spirit would not let you reconstruct them. What a pity. If I could bear to part with my own life, then perhaps I could have seen your disappointment at that moment. That would surely have been very interesting.”

Klein said calmly, “No. I would not be disappointed. I would gain the soul and characteristic of a Witch of Pain. I would shepherd you and command you.”

As he spoke, he lifted his left palm, which wore Creeping Hunger—currently in the form of a black glove.

Tracy’s eyes narrowed, and her gaze became extremely dangerous, like a provoked tiger. If not for the two high-Sequence powerhouses present nearby, she might already have attacked.

But the instant Klein finished speaking, he noticed that something was not quite right.

I am clearly not acting as Gehrman Sparrow right now. Why am I still speaking in his persona and style… Klein was suddenly startled, suspecting that he had been too immersed in the role lately.

“I must remember: I can only be myself.

“I cannot be influenced in reverse by a role because of long-term acting… That will lead to losing myself. That will nurture loss of control!”

He swiftly reflected on himself, placing the conclusion into his Faceless acting principles.

Seeing his brief silence, Azik looked toward Unaging Demoness Caterina Pelle and said in his usual tone, “Can you have that batch of documents copied for me?”

“That is not a difficult matter,” Caterina said, turning her head to glance at Tracy. “What is your request?”

Tracy stared at Klein and said in a slightly hoarse voice, “Tell me Elaine’s whereabouts.”

Klein gathered his thoughts and looked back at her. Then he looked at the holy and serene Unaging Demoness Caterina.

He had already made his decision in his heart, but he still could not help feeling somewhat uneasy.

He turned his head to glance at Mr. Azik and discovered that the latter wore a gentle smile, neither urging nor pressuring him.

Klein withdrew his gaze and said concisely, “I refuse.”