Chapter 433 The Secret After Drinking

“…Hmm.”

Aiwass climbed out of bed in a daze, making meaningless whimpering sounds.

Lily came over immediately, supporting Aiwass's back with one hand and handing him a glass of water of suitable temperature with the other hand: "Drink some water, Master."

Lily gently fed Aiwass warm water, and his consciousness, which had been as stuck and dry as an unoiled machine, quickly recovered.

...Am I, having a blackout?

His last consciousness stopped at the moment Isabel took Edward away, and his memory after that disappeared out of thin air.

It's really strange.

How could a third-level extraordinary person on the path of dedication get so drunk?

"I'm feeling much better...give me a candle, Lily."

Aiwass raised his head and drank the last sip of water. Then he said in a slightly hoarse voice, "Is it time for dinner?"

Only then did he suddenly realize that the room was filled with lit candles.

Lily handed over a candle and stood up to draw the curtains.

Looking at the sky outside, Aiwass was stunned for a moment: "It's already the second day?"

Aiwass, holding the candle, quickly reacted: "Is it because I'm making 'that' Phantom Card?"

His memory and rationality gradually returned.

Aiwass recalled that the last step in making the "Lust" phantom card was to make the card maker fall into a completely uncontrollable drunkenness under the surging passion.

At that time, I would use my own will to drip blood with a high concentration of alcohol onto the card. This would also sacrifice a small portion of my last memory to Hengwo... The final effect would be like "blacking out after drinking too much."

...but is that a lot of memory consumed?

He couldn't even remember whether he had eaten.

While using the Fire Sacrifice technique to restore his physical condition, Aiwass asked, "Did I have dinner with you yesterday?"

"have eaten."

Lily went to pour water and explained softly, "You didn't perform the final step of the ceremony until ten o'clock last night."

As she spoke, she showed Aiwass the blood-soaked tarot cards on the table that had been sealed into two crystal plates by Aiwass.

It was now flashing with a hazy phantom light, making the card surface blurry, distorted and constantly fluctuating.

It was like a distorted view seen through the air above a barbecue grill.

Seeing that the card had been completed, Aiwass finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"...Did I say anything while we were eating? I mean, after I got drunk."

But then, Aiwass suddenly became worried: "Besides, when did I get drunk? Was it when I was having dinner with everyone? Or after that?"

To create this card, one must be in a state of complete excitement and intoxication, a state far too dangerous.

——There is a considerable risk of death in both physiological and social terms.

The people who dined with Aiwass last night for New Year's Eve were essentially the people he trusted most in the world. At most, there was Sherlock and half of Haena... He trusted Haena not to betray him, but he didn't trust her mind.

If Aiwass didn't dare to make this card when he was with them and under their supervision... he would definitely not dare to do it under other circumstances.

This card is a necessary item to completely "kill" the succubus Emma.

Without the seal of the Phantom Card, even if Emma is killed, she will be reborn again.

By then, Aiwass's secret might be revealed, and she might even attract the attention of the Fallen Angels. Therefore, to kill her, she must be sealed and silenced—or, in other words, all the higher-level phantom demons that Aiwass killed with the Sin Beasts before the Fallen Angels were brought down must be silenced in this way.

Although I know this is inevitable, and the card has been completed.

But now Aiwass suddenly began to worry about gains and losses.

In order to get Aiwass completely drunk with ordinary wine, he likely used the feast master's ritual to ensure he entered a chaotic state. After that, he lost his memory for about four hours.

...excited and drunk.

Although Aiwass was quite confident in his rationality... he still couldn't be 100% sure that he was not drunk or saying some meaningless crazy words.

Aiwass looked at Lily expectantly and asked, "What did I do then? Or rather, what did I say?"

Based on Aiwass's understanding of Lily and himself, Aiwass would have kept Lily by his side before losing control. In other words, Lily must have witnessed the entire process.

But Lily just smiled and shook her head.

She rarely answered Aiwass's words, but only comforted him, "Master, you didn't get drunk at the banquet, nor did you go crazy. You got drunk in your bedroom after the banquet, and then you only had time to say a few drunken words.

"It was Her Majesty the Queen and Lady Ligeia who drank with you. You used a special ritual to get yourself drunk quickly... and the second person to get drunk was Her Majesty Isabel. However, after you were both drunk, Lady Ligeia took Her Majesty away.

"As for what you said at the time...you should ask Miss Isabel."

The corners of Lily's mouth turned up slightly, as if she was holding back a smile.

...Huh?

This was the first time Aiwass was explicitly rejected by Lily.

But Lily's words reassured Aiwass a little. He was sure he hadn't said anything crazy. Otherwise, Lily and Isabel would definitely not have reacted this way.

But this made Aiwass even more curious: "Can't you just tell me, Lily?"

"That was your own order at the time."

Lily said seriously, "After you completed the ritual, you briefly regained consciousness. You said it yourself. There's no need to share this with your awake self. Tell me—unless Her Majesty Isabel is willing to share it with you, otherwise, what you said must remain confidential."

"……Um?"

Ai Huashi suddenly became more curious.

"You can't tell me what I said...but you can tell me what I didn't say, right?"

He could only ask in a roundabout way, "I didn't say anything excessive or disrespectful at the time, did I?"

"No."

"I didn't say anything about another world or the future?"

What Aiwas said actually revealed something.

Lily glanced at Aiwass in surprise and said affirmatively, "No."

"That……"

Aiwass hesitated: "Did I confess my love to Isabel?"

“…No.”

Lily paused, as if thinking for a moment before answering with certainty: "Yes, no."

What else can I say?

And why did Isabel have to agree to tell me? Did Ligeia hear it too?

Aiwass felt that his brain, which had just sobered up, had not fully recovered yet - or rather, his mind was not thinking in that direction at all.

"Not a bad thing, right?"

Aiwass finally confirmed: "It won't affect the relationship between Isabel and me..."

Lily's lips suddenly curled up for a moment, and she answered simply and crisply, "Definitely not—rather, the relationship might get better. At least that's what I think."

Isn't that a confession? What else can I say? But Lily said it wasn't a confession...

...Could it be that I went crazy in front of her?

Not really.

Aiwass couldn't think of an answer for a while.

But since Lily said it wouldn't be a bad thing, Aiwass simply ignored it for the time being.

Isabel would definitely tell herself - at worst he could just give her some serious comfort!

I just thought I had said some flirtatious words, and when I sobered up, I realized that it was inappropriate for Lily to relay them...

...But if that were the case, Lily's expression of trying not to laugh would become very strange.

Strange, what else can I say?

Although Aiwass was still a little confused, he finally relaxed and said with some regret: "It's a pity that I forgot how Edward behaved at the dinner table... By the way, where is Isabel now?"

"It's the Candle Ceremony outside now. Your Majesty is going to watch the ceremony."

Lily folded her hands in front of her and answered seriously.

Aiwass frowned. "Is she alone? That's too dangerous... Didn't she bring Lady Ligeia with her?"

Although Aiwass praised Isabel's performance yesterday and told her that tomorrow, January 1st, she could go out in Yulia's appearance, so she wouldn't have to worry about encountering someone who intended to assassinate her.

But Yulia herself is a somewhat beautiful but fragile young lady... Although Isabel is actually quite strong, Aiwass is still very worried about her.

——What he meant yesterday was that he would change into Yulia’s appearance when they went out together!

"She used Miss Yulia's appearance, and at least Master Edward couldn't tell her apart. Few people know Miss Yulia, and no one would want to harm her."

Lily looked at the uneasy Aiwass and quickly whispered to him, "Besides, today is the Candle Festival, so there will be no problem. And His Majesty didn't go far, he just went to the Red Queen District to watch the ceremony... Bishop Mathers was there too."

The Candlelight Festival took place at the Candlelight Cathedral, not too far from the Temple of Silver and Tin, within the one-minute response range of the Griffins.

Moreover, Bishop Mathers knew Yulia. Whenever Yulia had health problems before, she had asked Bishop Mathers to help her "illuminate the situation." With him watching over her, there shouldn't be any problems.

But having said that...

But for some reason, Aiwass always felt a little uneasy.

...No, I have to go and take a look. Thinking of this, he made up his mind.

"I'm not going to have breakfast."

He rubbed his stomach. Although he was a little hungry, it was not a big problem.

Let’s wait until we find Isabel and then go find a restaurant to eat together.

By the way, let me ask her what she said at that time...

"—go away, Vignes."

Aiwass called out casually.

The crow resting in the corner like a gargoyle suddenly opened its bright red eyes, fluttered its wings, and flew onto Aiwas's shoulder.

"If Yulia wants to go out, remember to accompany her. Watch her wherever she goes. If she doesn't let you go, just follow her in the shadows. Got it?"

Aiwass ordered, "Of course, if Edward wants to go out, don't worry about it."

"I see."

Lily nodded calmly: "I will protect Miss Yulia."

Aiwass sighed with satisfaction.

Fortunately, Lily is here, so I don't have to worry about which side to take care of...

As he passed by the table, he picked up the phantom card he had just made and put it in his pocket.

Right now.

Elsewhere, Isabel, who was watching the ceremony with great interest outside the Candlemas Cathedral, suddenly felt someone tap her shoulder. At the same time, a strange, sweet aroma, like boiling rose wine, filled her face.

Isabel turned around in confusion and saw a beautiful woman with platinum curly hair looking at her with a smile.

The woman raised a finger and made a "hush" gesture to Isabel.

Isabel immediately understood what she meant and nodded seriously and obediently.

"Don't make it public."

She smiled gently and whispered, "Follow me."

As she spoke, the woman raised her head and nodded friendly to Bishop Mathers who was not far away, revealing a charming and friendly smile.

She raised her hand to say hello, then gestured, meaning that she was going to take "Yulia" away.

Then, she held Isabel's hand, and Isabel was very obedient and did not resist at all.

Mathers smiled and nodded, indicating that he understood. He then turned his gaze away from "Yulia" and continued to preside over the ceremony.

"Come on, Yulia. I'll take you out to play."

The woman smiled gently, then pulled "Yulia" out of the Candlelight Cathedral.

But she didn't notice that when she heard the word "Yulia", the "Yulia" who was facing away from her suddenly froze.

Isabel's pupils suddenly became clear.

——"Yulia"'s back was instantly soaked with cold sweat.

But her face showed no sign of abnormality, and she didn't even pause in her steps, nor did her hand, which was being held, tremble. She continued to follow the woman obediently.

Seven thousand words, updated!

On the first day of the new year, I'm asking for double monthly tickets~

(End of this chapter)