Chapter 149: Three Days Apart

Chapter 149: Three Days Apart

Could this entire matter have been aimed at me? Klein’s heart lurched, and he instantly became exceptionally clearheaded.

As someone who had experienced similar incidents more than once, he had already developed a little “persecution paranoia” in this regard.

“It really is possible… I had just arrived on Olavi Island when the Mother Tree of Desire used a dream to give Flett Ken a revelation, setting the entire plan in motion. And when Bilt Brando and I met for the first time, the people of the Naturist Sect held a ritual and caused that vagrant substitute to die from binge eating…

“If their target was Admiral Amyrius, then their plan would have had to guarantee that once he lost his substitute, he wouldn’t be able to find another helper, or wouldn’t have any other way to keep the matter hidden. Clearly, that wasn’t certain at all. My involvement is proof of that…

“But if the target was me, then all those issues can be explained.” Klein used his Clown abilities to control his facial expression, silently watching Flett Ken.

Once such a suspicion took shape, even more questions immediately surged through his mind.

“But how could they be sure Bilt Brando would come to me?

“The information that Gehrman Sparrow can transform into anyone was spread by Vice Admiral Ailment Tracy. That’s a factor the Mother Tree of Desire couldn’t control…

“Of course, viewed from another angle, perhaps precisely because that information had spread, and because I had arrived on Olavi Island, the Mother Tree of Desire sent down a revelation to push this matter forward.

“But the question is, why would She want to corrupt me? My grudge with the Rose School of Thought is nowhere near enough to attract the attention of an evil god. At most, I helped Miss Sharron and the others kill a Sequence 5 Wraith, a Sequence 6 Zombie, and a Sequence 7 Werewolf, while taking the Crimson Lunar Corona and the Biological Poison Bottle… As for the hunt targeting Admiral of Blood, it was interrupted before it could truly begin. It was never actually carried out. We only killed Steel Maveti…

“Even if those matters led to retaliation, it shouldn’t exceed the level of a Saint!

“Is there something special about me? Did I form some kind of resonance the moment I stepped onto the island with the object here that contained the aura of the Mother Tree of Desire?

“But in Backlund and in Tingen, I never saw any abnormal reaction from relics left behind by gods.

“And there’s another thing. Before this, I divined above the gray fog and received a revelation that the vagrant’s death was a coincidence, not an arrangement by a mythical creature or a Grade 0 Sealed Artifact. Yet in the end, that wasn’t the case…

“This… Is this the first time a divination above the gray fog has truly been interfered with? Interfered with in a way I couldn’t detect?”

Klein’s thoughts froze. He realized that this was the most serious problem of all.

Previously, when matters involved 0-08, he simply failed to receive an effective revelation. It had never been a case of the result itself being interfered with!

So this was power above the level of a Grade 0 Sealed Artifact? Did the Mother Tree of Desire personally interfere? Is She truly a god? But even the Seven Gods find it very difficult to directly influence the real world. They require corresponding rituals… Mm, I also divined above the gray fog about the danger level of impersonating Amyrius. The revelation I received was that it was bearable, and the way matters unfolded fully matched that result. That one wasn’t interfered with? The more Klein thought about it, the more he felt that the entire matter was shrouded in fog.

What he found most difficult to understand was this: if the target of the corruption had been him, why had he solved the problem relatively easily, without encountering any truly arduous test?

That made the Mother Tree of Desire’s arrangements seem like a joke! When the heavy, oppressive feeling was about to crush Flett Ken, Klein once again opened his mouth and asked questions, confirming the suspicions in his heart.

To his considerable surprise, throughout the past week, the Naturist Sect had never held a ritual to pray for the Mother Tree of Desire to interfere with divination, nor had they made any special arrangements for the failure of their scheme.

Strange… Klein took out a gold coin, flicking it upward with a ringing sound for final confirmation.

Even without divination, he was almost certain Flett Ken was not lying. First, the man’s mind had already collapsed and he no longer had the ability to fabricate a reasonable explanation. Second, Flett Ken’s answers were logical and matched certain details that Klein had deliberately not mentioned.

Pa!

The gold coin landed in his open palm with the king’s head facing upward, indicating confirmation.

Together with the divination statement, Klein finally confirmed that Flett Ken had not lied.

Temporarily suppressing the questions in his heart, he looked once more at Flett Ken and asked without the slightest trace of humor, “What have you done that violated the kingdom’s laws and social customs?”

Flett Ken stared blankly for a few seconds, and his mental state seemed to improve all at once.

In his view, the plot involving Admiral Amyrius was the gravest crime and the matter most likely to enrage the great figure before him. Everything else was only a minor issue, not worth a demigod’s attention.

Therefore, skipping over the important part and moving to ordinary topics meant that he might yet have a good ending.

Unable to stop the faint smile tugging at his face, Flett Ken hurriedly confessed, “I once tortured an entire family through the night in order to seize their property. After killing them, I threw their bodies into the jungle. Then I used forged documents to smoothly obtain a substantial fortune.

“I deliberately guided many believers into indulging their desires, watching them become nourishment for the Mother Tree of Desire, step by step, amid the emptiness and regret that followed.

“I deceived many married women, using the excuse of helping them liberate their nature and obtain spiritual redemption to possess them.

“I tortured some believers who tried to apostatize to death, mainly by cutting off every protruding part of their bodies bit by bit…”

He confessed crime after crime, as if he had no intention of concealing anything.

Klein listened and found it almost unbelievable. He had never imagined that human nature could become so evil.

Just as Flett Ken grew more and more excited the longer he spoke, he saw Admiral Amyrius stand expressionlessly, walk around the desk, come before him, and raise his left hand.

In the center of that left palm, a terrifying mouth split open. Two rows of illusory teeth gleamed white and cold.

“No… No!”

A shrill scream of terror echoed through the study, lingering for a long time before finally fading.

After a while, Klein bent down and picked up a grayish-white cluster of light that resembled a miniature brain.

It was the Beyonder characteristic of a Lunatic!

Unfortunately, before Flett Ken had been brought over, he had already been searched and had left behind neither cash nor items.

Pa! Klein snapped his fingers, igniting the remaining scraps of clothing.

Glancing at the injury on his left shoulder, which had begun to heal, he returned to the seat behind the desk and remained silent for a long time amid the quiet, leaping crimson flames.

Only when all traces had become faint did he pull the corresponding cord, ringing the bell outside the door.

The blond secretary, Luan, released the “seal” and entered, instinctively examining every corner.

“Order the guards and the people from the base to cooperate with Olavi’s police system and carry out a purge of the Naturist Sect. Ideally, find clues and arrest some members of the Rose School of Thought,” Klein instructed steadily.

“Yes, Your Excellency.” Luan responded with respect.

He did not ask where Flett Ken had gone, as if the leader of the Naturist Sect had never existed.

…

Klein did not pay much attention to the arrest operations on Olavi Island. Using the excuse that he had suffered a minor injury, he canceled all scheduled arrangements for the next two days.

That meant he no longer needed to worry about how to display the authority of a high-Sequence Arbiter pathway Beyonder at a critical moment after losing the Ninth Law charm.

“Your Excellency, Mr. Auston still has not left by passenger ship. The new Governor-General, Ben Conrad, has sent an invitation, inviting you to attend the banquet he is holding tonight,” Luan reported after knocking and entering near noon.

Ben Conrad… the man replacing Governor Auston… As far as I know, Viscount Conrad’s family are loyal supporters of the royal family. Talim should have become acquainted with Prince Edessak while serving as riding instructor to Viscount Conrad’s youngest son… Klein gave a slight nod, immersing himself in Amyrius Leavitt’s complicated emotions.

After several seconds of silence, he said, “Tell Governor Conrad that I sustained certain injuries during the Naturist Sect’s attack and am unable to attend the banquet.

“Apologize to him on my behalf.”

“Yes, Your Excellency.” Luan offered no persuasion and calmly left the room.

A demigod had more than enough right to be “willful.”

So long as Amyrius had not participated in the conspiracy or committed a serious error, no one would harshly blame him no matter what he did. After all, any faction would be willing to accept a demigod!

Watching Luan’s back vanish through the doorway, Klein shook his head almost imperceptibly and returned to the seat behind the desk.

A peaceful day soon passed. Near the early hours of the morning, Klein, who was sleeping in the guest room, suddenly woke and sat up.

His spiritual intuition told him that someone had entered the house!

Klein focused and looked toward the window. There stood a middle-aged gentleman in a tailcoat. He had black hair and blue eyes, and the corners of his mouth drooped slightly. It was none other than Admiral Amyrius!

Phew. He’s finally back… Klein slowly rose and cautiously asked, “What item did you give me beforehand?”

He was worried that the Amyrius before him might likewise be a Faceless in disguise.

Standing there with a solemn expression, Admiral Amyrius answered, “The Ninth Law charm.”

Before Gehrman Sparrow could speak again, he took two steps forward and asked calmly, “Did anything happen over the past few days?”

…Klein controlled his facial muscles and said, “Your secretary made a mistake and suffered some injuries.”

“Mm? What else?” Admiral Amyrius nodded deeply and reservedly.

Klein worked hard to keep his gaze from drifting away, staring directly at the admiral as he said, “Your younger brother was removed from the office of Governor-General. The new Governor-General has already arrived.

“Your Miss Cynthia mutated into a monster and was purified by me.

“Some members of your guards, as well as attendants and servants, were infected to varying degrees and are currently receiving treatment…”

“…” Amyrius’s expression changed bit by bit, unable to suppress its astonishment.

His eyes shifted slightly, as though he were beginning to doubt whether he had returned to the wrong place.

It had only been three days!