Phil Gray counted, “40 gold coins.”
"Well, it wasn't a wasted trip."
"I always felt there was something strange about her."
"He's got mental problems, how can you not blame him?"
"What a touching love story. No wonder it has captivated a young girl with such a fantasy." Eli held the book and read it carefully.
Wait, a book?
"Why did you bring this book back with you? Isn't that a bit inappropriate?" Phil Gray looked at Eli with a helpless expression.
"I just wanted to see what kind of magic this book possessed that could captivate even a Listener-level Chosen One."
"You suspect there's something wrong with this book?" Phil Gray asked thoughtfully.
"No, the most likely explanation is that Miss Julie's mental state was already worrying, and she experienced hallucinations due to the stimulation of this love story."
Eli was still reading, and the sound of him turning pages filled the entire carriage.
As they neared the tavern, Eli put down his book and casually looked around, only to see a man standing on the street beside him.
With a lean physique, short brown hair, and a pair of sapphire blue eyes, his handsome face wore a charming smile that made him stand out dazzlingly in the sunlight.
“Wait, look, doesn’t that person look like the little carpenter Miss Julie described?” Eli pointed in a direction.
Phil Gray looked around, but saw no one.
He looked at Eli with a strange expression.
“Nobody’s here, are you seeing a ghost?” Patrick laughed.
"Stop!" Phil Gray hurriedly called for the carriage to halt.
Although the driver was puzzled, he still stopped.
“Impossible, he looks so real.” Eli frowned, staring intently at the man.
Immediately, he relaxed and focused his divine power on his eyes. The figure gradually faded, turning into a string of colorful bubbles that disappeared before his eyes.
"He disappeared, turning into countless bubbles..."
Eli was somewhat dazed.
Then, in unison with Ernest, they exclaimed, "The Cult of Dreams!"
The people in the carriage exchanged bewildered glances. "This book can induce hallucinations in the reader, perhaps through the arrangement of the words or some other means," Eli said.
“Even someone as prominent as you, a favored one of the gods, can hallucinate. So, Miss Julie’s mental state isn’t the problem; she’s just affected by this book,” Phil Gray said, then asked, “So her date with the carpenter that night was real, just in a dream?”
“That’s right. The followers of the God of Dreams are very powerful in the realm of illusion and dream creation. I was deceived by their illusions back then…” Ernest’s voice was somewhat heavy.
"To Earl of Tours' mansion!" Phil Gray said to the coachman. "I'll give you double the money when we get there."
The coachman was a little confused. Hadn't they just come from there? Why were they going back? But he didn't ask, since there was money to be made anyway.
The car turned around and drove in the opposite direction.
"You're saying it's the followers of the God of Dreams who are behind this?"
Count Tours watched the group return and picked up his teacup.
“Yes, this book will give readers the illusion that they can clearly see the characters in the book.” Phil Gray handed over the book.
“I haven’t looked at it closely.” Count Tours took the book. “Ivy, where did you get this book, Miss?”
The maid standing beside her thought for a moment and replied, "More than half a month ago, Miss attended a gathering, and she brought this book with her when she returned. She said it was a gift from her friend."
"What kind of gathering?"
"The young lady didn't take me with her. She said that only those chosen by the gods can participate."
"You can go down now."
"yes."
It seems to be a gathering of those favored by the gods. Thinking of what that nobleman named Caesar said, it must be the same gathering they knew.
“If it was a gift from her friend, then this book must have become popular in noble circles, which makes the matter more complicated than it seems.” Count Tours said with a serious expression.
Phil Gray thought so too, wondering how many copies of the book were printed and how many noble ladies fell into the illusion.
“It’s not appropriate for me to go. You and my daughter are both chosen ones. Please inform the Church of Life about this.” Count Tours was just an ordinary person, although he was very knowledgeable about various religions and the affairs of chosen ones.
"OK."
"Thank you, but I don't know how my daughter can get rid of these hallucinations?"
Phil Gray shook his head. “We don’t know yet, but don’t worry, the Church of Life should have a way.”
Eli is male and a highly regarded being, which is why he can see the truth through divine power. However, Miss Julie is too deeply influenced by this book. It's not just a simple illusion. Her story has progressed to the point where her father is interfering with their relationship. Getting out of the illusion will not be easy.
“Then let’s head to the Cathedral of Life first.” Phil Gray said goodbye to Earl Tours and then drove with the others toward the cathedral.
“Things are getting more and more interesting.” Eli stretched. It was almost evening; they had spent almost the entire afternoon traveling in the carriage.
Fortunately, there were still people at the Cathedral of Life at night. After they entered the mission hall on the third floor, they saw the priest from that morning. He was dozing at the table, and it seemed that there hadn't been many people around.
Phil Gray politely woke him up, “It’s you!” The pastor was quite impressed with them.
“We have something important to say, about today’s mission…” Phil Gray briefly explained the situation.
“I’m afraid you can’t make that decision, and neither can your supervisor. Call your bishop,” Eli said.
"The bishop is not in the church. I'll tell the person in charge first. You all wait a little longer." This priest, being a chosen one, also realized the seriousness of the situation.
The person in charge of the mission hall was the elderly priest, and after waiting for a short while, Phil Gray saw him walk over in a hurry.
"He has already told me that this matter is indeed worth taking seriously, and that it will be handled after we report it to the bishop." The older priest's expression was solemn, and his eyes revealed his worry.
"Thank you for your hard work. When you come to take on the next task, the church will give you an extra 20% of your reward as compensation," he added.
"Okay, if there's nothing else, we'll be going now."
Phil Gray said.
They walked out of the church side by side. "Next mission? Tomorrow?" Eli raised an eyebrow.
“Of course, we didn’t get anything else today besides these forty gold coins,” Phil Gray laughed.
"May the gods of fate help that young lady return to normal," Patrick said, drawing the pattern of the flower of destiny with his finger.
Eli smiled but didn't say anything.
They finally returned to the tavern unharmed.
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