Chapter 89: Inheritance

Chapter 89: Inheritance

Hearing Cattleya’s words, the Queen of Mysteries Bernadette silently looked at her for several seconds before saying, “This is your choice, and also your freedom.”

Cattleya did not back down. She met the Queen’s gaze for a long while, then pressed her lips together and said, “I know you must have already destroyed every clue, leaving me no chance to follow your tracks…

“To you, this is the ending to everything in the past, whether you return or not.”

Bernadette, whose chestnut hair fell loosely around her shoulders, did not speak. She maintained her silence, as though confirming Admiral of Stars’ guess through that very silence.

Seeing this, Cattleya gave a bitter smile.

“I will not say again that if you do not return after half a year or a year, I will use every means available to search for you. I only want to ask you to remember to recite Mr. Fool’s honorific name at the most dangerous moment.”

She spoke that title frankly.

The Queen of Mysteries Bernadette slowly nodded.

“I will remember.”

Only then did Cattleya reveal a smile, mist covering her eyes as she said, “What items and matters do you wish to entrust to me?”

Bernadette turned her palm and, from some unknown place, took out an item.

It was golden throughout, like a miniature kettle. Its surface was covered in mysterious, complicated symbols, and a length of wick protruded from its mouth.

“It is called the Wishing Lamp, numbered 0-05. It may date back to the First Epoch. Even true gods are unable to shatter it. Normally, it presents no danger and shows no effect at all, but through dreams, hallucinations, and other means, it will continuously tempt you to rub its surface and summon the genie inside.” The Queen of Mysteries Bernadette briefly introduced the origin and effects of the item in her hand. “The genie claims to be eternal and can grant any ten wishes. But those wishes are often fulfilled in extremely twisted ways, or come with terrifying consequences. My father once said that a holder can use language and preparations to avoid the harm attached to the first two wishes, but one must absolutely never make a third wish.”

At that point, Bernadette emphasized once more, “Absolutely never!”

“It sounds rather easy to avoid…” Cattleya’s thoughts shifted. “After you make two wishes, give it to me. I’ll make two more wishes, then pass it to Frank, Heath, and the others in turn. That could accomplish many things.”

She was merely using Frank as an example. She had no intention whatsoever of letting that fellow touch something so dangerous.

Holding the Wishing Lamp, Bernadette gave an almost imperceptible shake of her head.

“A holder and an owner are not the same. Before I die, even if you receive the Wishing Lamp, you will only be its owner. The first wish you make will be counted as both my third wish and your first wish.

“Also, although we can use wording and preparation to avoid the harm attached to wishes, that does not mean the genie lacks intelligence. On the contrary, He is extremely clever, extremely cunning, and possesses strong autonomy.”

Cattleya gave a soft “Mm.”

“Then are there wishes He cannot grant?”

“At present, it seems there are none. But if a wish involves the level of true gods, the degree of distortion will exceed your imagination. To put it simply, if you wish to become a Sequence 0 true god, your body and soul will merge with an evil god of unknown origin. Remember: the genie requires wishes to be concise. Otherwise, He will refuse the wish and treat it as already spent,” the Queen of Mysteries Bernadette explained.

After speaking, she had an invisible servant carry 0-05, that terrifying sealed artifact, toward Admiral of Stars Cattleya.

Only after Cattleya reached out and accepted the Wishing Lamp did Bernadette continue, “If you dream of the genie and are bewitched by Him into making a wish, that means I am no longer able to return. At that point, you will be its holder. I hope your first wish…