Chapter 889 We Care (Two Chapters in One)
On Monday morning, Angel arrived at the Klein home.
Of course, this time he came to visit in a public capacity, riding in a carriage. After all, the two of them couldn't always hide in the bedroom in the middle of the night, and they had almost no contact in formal occasions.
That would make it seem like I'd really been "hypnotized" by Hvin Rambis and had unknowingly distanced myself from Dwayne Dantès... While she was secretly criticizing the "manipulator" who had died but whose death was unknown because the news was kept "secret," she was led by an enthusiastic maid to the second-floor reception room with large south-facing windows. There, she met Dwayne Dantès, who was dressed in a formal suit and meticulously groomed.
Ever since he started using his own marionette as his personal valet, things like dressing and grooming were done by him, but outsiders thought it was a caring valet helping him... Looking at the "winner" Enuni standing behind Klein, Angel felt more and more that the role of "Marionette Master" was extremely prone to schizophrenia, making it difficult for him to recognize who he really was.
Fortunately, Klein had already passed this stage. He skillfully asked Enuni to ask the other servants to leave the reception room, and "Admiral of Hell" Raphael guarded the door, leaving only the two of them in the room.
"Where's your new secret doll?"
Angel looked around but didn't see Qonas Kilger, who was defeated by Klein yesterday and controlled the spirit thread to become a secret puppet.
"In the bedroom, I haven't figured out how to perfectly integrate him into my life yet. I'm afraid I can only use him as an 'invisible' secret puppet... Once the matter with Ms. Arianna is resolved, I'll give him a new identity."
Klein explained, looking a little tired.
This was certainly not because he was worried about what to do with the new secret doll. What made him exhausted was everything he did last night after Angel sacrificed the bronze cross to The Fool and went above the gray fog.
First, through divination, Klein confirmed that Angel's description of this item, which could be called a "sealed object," was correct. It was indeed formed by the extraordinary characteristics of the "Darkless One" of the "Sun" path, but its source surprised him immensely.
It was formed from a drop of blood of the "Ancient Sun God" who died in the War of Gods!
At the same time, he also saw in divination the scene of the existence also known as the "Creator of Silver City" appearing in the world for the first time. He looked like an ordinary human, even similar to the white people Klein had seen before, and wore a cross similar to the one on "Earth". Based on the age, it was very likely the first cross in the world.
In addition, after he walked out of that strange building, he looked around and said the religious words "Let there be light" with a smile. Klein could confirm that the other party was also a "traveler" like himself.
That's a huge difference in time... Russell and I are about 200 years apart, but the "Ancient Sun God" is more than two thousand years apart, perhaps even more than four thousand. And unlike us, He gained considerable power from the start, which is why He later slew various non-human ancient gods and accepted the service of the Angel Kings. Was it because He gained so many benefits by traveling through that building... Is He the third person in the light cocoon, or did He travel through time in some other way? Judging from His appearance when He was still human, could it be the legendary "transmigration in the flesh"?
Klein's thoughts became increasingly confused, finally coming to a halt when he was betrayed and the word "mysterious" he shouted before being devoured by the Wind Angel, the Pure White Angel, and the Angel of Wisdom.
Most importantly, when shouting these words, the "Ancient Sun God" looked upwards, as if passing through the gray fog, looking at Klein thousands of years later.
Just like when I divined Angel's fall under Adam's influence, the Angel King looked up at the sky in anticipation... As expected of father and son, even such vile behavior bears similarities... Klein muttered, his gaze refocusing on Angel in front of him.
Today, the "ageless" witch wore a lace dress, exuding the youthful aura of a young girl who had just reached adulthood. She wore no jewelry, but the calves exposed outside the hem of her skirt were enough to attract everyone's attention, and Klein was no exception.
Hmm… Coke, oh, Coke. Since that ancient sun god most likely traveled through time by some other means, then the third "roommate" in the light cocoon is very likely to have earned his first pot of gold by selling knowledge in Backlund. I hope he's also Chinese and understands my internet memes, otherwise it'll be hard to figure out the code for a while…
After finally diverting his thoughts away from his fair, fat-free legs, Klein swallowed back the words that were about to come out of his mouth.
He planned to wait until the Tarot meeting in the afternoon, and then, as the "Fool", remind Angel of Adam's problem, so as to avoid mentioning the King of Angels in real life and being noticed by Him.
But He might have already begun to pay attention to us again. Since the "Darkless Cross" was formed from the blood of the ancient Sun God, it is unlikely to fall into the hands of the Loen royal family, which rose to prominence at the end of the Fourth Epoch. It is very likely that His son Adam obtained it. Now that it has fallen into Angel's hands through Viscount Stratford, is it His arrangement or some kind of accident? No, everything an Angel King of the "audience" path does has a deep meaning. This means that He is likely deeply involved in George III's plan and may even be aware of our actions, which is why He designed Stratford to appear with it and deliver this item to us.
"His true goal might be the "secret" of the ancient sun god. Perhaps he's referring to me, the fake "Fool," or perhaps the original, true master of the gray fog space... Another possibility is that he believes his father and I are from the same world and wants to test us, and warn us not to continue participating in this matter... If he knew I was the "Fool," why didn't Amon know? Why didn't he come to me directly? Because I was in Backlund?
Furthermore, He paid unexpectedly much attention to Angel, having been with Bayam, Balam, and now back here...
Looking at Angel who was looking at him with a puzzled expression, Klein couldn't help but sigh.
Suddenly, Angel's expression changed and his eyes turned to the side. Klein understood something and looked over, noticing a gradually emerging silhouette appearing in the reception room.
That was Arianna, the "Secret Servant", who left immediately after receiving the information from Qiunas's mind yesterday evening.
Before the two could stand up and salute, the angel from the Church of Darkness spoke:
"Last night, I entered the ruins with the archbishops of the three major churches, but found nothing special.
"Using Qonas Kilger's method, we entered the portal and arrived inside the ruins, where we met Grove Augustus. He seemed a bit panicked, but not in the dread of having a huge secret revealed. He explained that after the royal family discovered the ruins, they wanted to keep them for themselves and refused to share them with the church. Therefore, they collaborated with the Witch Cult, recruiting people to excavate the ruins and performing rituals in order to unlock the tombs deep within."
This is different from what Hwin, Katarina, and Qonas said... Angel frowned and asked with some confusion:
"Is there something wrong with the ritual? Is it a ritual that requires the sacrifice of a large number of lives, or is it related to the promotion of the 'Black Emperor'?"
"Neither," Arianna replied with a slight shake of her head, her expression remaining impassive. "Under Grove's guidance, we delved into the ruins and examined the rituals. There were numerous living people preparing for the ceremony. It didn't involve any sacrifices that would harm health or even life, and the interior didn't resemble a newly constructed mausoleum... Everything was just as he said, a routine excavation."
"What about the heavy smog? Can we confirm that this is caused by the royal family?"
Klein also raised his own questions.
"Prince Grove blamed everything on the Witch Cult, claiming they were colluding with the deceased Edessak to steal the kingdom's top power. After their failure, they created the Great Smog in retaliation. Afterward, Katarina approached them to try to reconcile, but was rejected. This is precisely why Qiunas was able to see members of the Witch Cult in the ruins."
"Psychological Alchemy Society?"
Angel asked unwillingly.
"Hvin Rambis is a royal advisor. They know he's a manipulator, and they're using his power to keep the excavation of the ruins secret. But other than that, Grove denies any other contact with the Psychic Alchemist Society."
Arianna replied calmly.
This completely exposes himself... Many of Prince Grove's statements have loopholes, but based on the premise that the church cannot use force against members of the royal family, these archbishops and even the "Secret Servants" actually have no other way to deal with George III...
After all, the royal family also has angels, "0" level seals, and absolute public support. The three major churches may not be able to gain the upper hand if they confront them head-on.
Of course, the result would be different if the three true gods were included. If any of the true gods expressed opposition, even the royal angels would have had no choice but to hand over George III to seek peace, but they happened not to object... With the power of the church alone, without solid evidence, it would be impossible to do anything to the royal family.
George III and the royal family members who supported him were aware of this, so they prepared the ascension ceremony of the "Black Emperor" at this time.
If there is evidence...
Klein suddenly raised his head and asked anxiously:
"Is this whole operation 'secret'?"
Arianna nodded without hesitation and replied:
"Everyone is under my power... including now."
"This means that divination and prophecy will not be effective... Then is there a possibility," Klein took a deep breath and lowered his voice, as if worried about being overheard, "that someone inside leaked your operation, causing them to prepare in advance?"
"The three archbishops only learned the specific destination before the operation. Even if they could send the message, the entire ruins would not be able to disguise itself as harmless in time."
Arianna obviously knew what Klein meant and immediately explained.
"But 'fantasy' is okay," Klein added quickly, as if he were attacking, as if he were facing a terrifying enemy, and his nervousness was difficult to suppress. "I think you should be able to associate this word with a certain path, and the existence at the top of that path may be related to the 'Psychological Alchemy Society' and George III's plan!"
He didn't dare to directly say the name of the "Angel of Imagination" Adam, and could only explain it vaguely.
Fortunately, as an angel of the church, Arianna must be able to read all the scriptures within, and even listen to the goddess's teachings and instructions from time to time. After hearing the word "fantasy", her expression changed, and she took Klein's hint.
Angel, who was standing by, immediately thought of the terrifying Angel King based on this word, the nameless island that suddenly disappeared in the sea, and the sigh that contained some emotion.
If He took action, He could indeed create a ruin in a short period of time that even angels wouldn't be able to detect. Furthermore, the royal family might have already had a plan. This "imaginary ruin" didn't need to be prepared on the spur of the moment, but rather, it was already waiting for the day when the truth would be revealed, so they could use it to explain everything to the church...
"The question is, if 'He' was involved in this, why would he sit back and watch us pursue clues and ultimately locate 'Relic No. 1', instead of just addressing the source directly..." Angel said, gesturing towards himself and Klein, "...and resolve everything there? Since 'He' can appear near Backlund, there's every chance he could make us disappear quietly, eliminating any future trouble."
"There are two possibilities. First, He thinks killing us is pointless because the 'key existence' may have already known the truth. Second, He thinks killing us is unnecessary because... the royal family's plan is nearing its end, and all He needs to do is conceal it temporarily through 'imagination' and delay it for a short period of time."
When talking about "key existences," Klein and Angel exchanged glances. They both knew that they represented gods who could easily change the situation in the secular world.
Either possibility meant that their efforts were almost in failure, and George III was fully prepared to become the "Black Emperor".
"The ruins are currently open to the three major churches. I will find a way to verify your hypothesis."
Arianna said softly, and her figure was erased. The birdsong in the garden outside the window and the noise of the street could be heard again by the two of them.
He seemed to be a little angry about the failure of last night's operation... He just said that he wanted to verify his guess. He probably wanted to find the person who leaked the information during yesterday's operation. That must be an archbishop of the Steam or Storm Church. But even Arianna didn't mention stopping George III from "becoming a god". Is it because she also felt the attitude of the goddess and even other gods from the actions during this period, and as the goddess's servant, couldn't he do more?
Looking at the place where Arianna disappeared, Angel suddenly felt a deep fatigue welling up in his heart.
She initially thought that finding the real mastermind behind the smog would solve the problem, avenge the 100,000 people who died in the plague, and resolve her own grievances. But then she discovered that the matter involved the king and the ceremony of his ascension to godhood, which was equivalent to facing an angel king. Finally, just when her fingers were about to touch the key, she discovered that the gods she relied on, those self-proclaimed righteous gods, had acquiesced to all this happening.
Adam helps him deceive the Church with his imaginary ruins, and the gods tacitly allow him to harm the interests of the people and ascend to the position of "Black Emperor." He even has spies within the Church... Is he really going to rely on Triss and the "Original Witch" behind her? Will he rely on an evil god to fight against the "Black Emperor" who is about to ascend to godhood?
This ridiculous thought flashed through Angel's mind, and he suddenly felt like laughing.
"Let's just give up. This will probably be extremely dangerous. It's not about dodging the pursuit of a demigod holding a Level 0 Seal, escaping the siege of a cult, or planning to kill a church defector. It's about opposing an Angel King who's about to become a god, and the many forces that aid him. The royal family doesn't have much to do with the three major churches, but it's easy to deal with us, two demigods without divine protection."
Suddenly, Klein beside Angel whispered, his head lowered, and each word seemed to crawl out of his throat with difficulty, extremely dull and dark.
"Furthermore, the birth of a new god is bound to be accompanied by changes in the world situation and the transfer of power. Having a 'Black Emperor' ruling over Loen is better than other countries seizing the initiative... The royal family has recently been preparing for foreign wars, and I'm afraid they have their own considerations. On the one hand, they want to weaken the power of the conservatives and complete the ritual, and on the other hand, they want to prepare for their own ascension to godhood. If successful, the power of the Kingdom of Loen is likely to sweep across the entire northern continent. This will be bad for other countries, but not necessarily for the people of Loen..."
He continued, as if to console himself, as if to find a suitable reason for giving up trying.
But Angel knew that his Klein was not that kind of person.
I finally understand how he felt when he saw me ready to give up everything and leave in Bayam... Angel sighed softly and gently hugged Klein, blocking out his next dejected words.
"I should have pushed you against the wall and said a few polite words, just like I did that day," she whispered softly in Klein's ear. The teasing tone made him hold his breath. "Is that really what you plan to do? Give up all your efforts and watch the 'Emperor' who didn't hesitate to collaborate with the evil cult, kill his own people, and pile their corpses into a long stairway to godhood succeed?"
"Or are you planning to do something secretly? At your own risk?"
Without waiting for Klein to reply, she continued:
"I clearly remember how I collapsed in the smog. Although Panatia was responsible, George III orchestrated it. Six figures of innocent people died in that smog. They breathed the same pungent, deadly air as I did, dying before and after me. Even if I replaced the deadly bacteria, I couldn't save the elderly and children who were already weak and couldn't withstand even the slightest wind and waves... Although I don't know them, I have an obligation to avenge them, and I also have an obligation to avenge my own life.
"Furthermore, do you really think the appearance of such a 'Black Emperor' can be of any help to Loen, or to the world? Will He push more lives into the abyss to satisfy His greater ambitions?"
"Khloé."
Klein in her arms suddenly spoke, his voice so low and almost nasal that she couldn't help but hum in response.
"He was one of the countless people struggling to survive in the East District, dying a meaningless death in the smog, clutching the ham he'd prepared for New Year's, a rare treat... There are countless people like him in the East District. I'm afraid the almighty king didn't even consider them his true subjects, just numbers in the population statistics. Dead and gone."
Klein's voice rose slightly, and he stood up straight again. This reminded Angel that "Dwayne Dantès" was much taller than her, so now she was the one being embraced.
"He may think that no one cares about the dead, that their families are weeping, and that their friends are mourning them, but so what? The souls of the millions who died cannot move him in the slightest. Especially since he is about to become the 'Black Emperor,' possessing both divine power and supreme worldly authority, he can ignore these 'noises.'"
Klein said in a serious tone, looking at Angel. His blue eyes were like a lake at night, but violent waves were surging inside.
"But I care. We care."
"Yes, we do."
Angel repeated his words, the corners of his mouth gradually raised, and he smiled as if confirming the other party and his own thoughts.
"And we're not the only ones concerned. Bernadette has been searching for the true tomb of her father, Emperor Roselle, to confirm his true death. George III's actions are tantamount to destroying her last hope. She will be the most determined obstacle on the 'Black Emperor's' path to godhood, and the same goes for Anne..."
She put the thoughts that had been on her mind into words and spoke quickly.
"Triss joined the Witch Cult, then betrayed it. Now, she's become the Witch of Despair, seeking only revenge. The Primordial Witch has provided her with a great deal of assistance. This suggests that this evil god, seen by the world, also opposes the birth of a new Black Emperor for some inexplicable reason. He probably can't descend to fight the Church and the gods, but he can be a help to us..."
"And then there's the goddess, the goddess of night..." Affected by her emotions, Klein took over in a less deep voice. "Ms. Arianna's arrival in Backlund at this time should represent the goddess' true will. We previously speculated that the goddess' current state was somewhat abnormal, which might be why she didn't directly oppose George III. But if we do this, she should support us."
Thinking of the scene when he had defeated Hvin Rambis and exchanged the metal cylinder contaminated by the "Starry Sky" for the "Ancient Scholar" formula, Angel nodded and agreed with the other party's guess.
If even the goddess couldn't trust them, then the two believers of the night, the goddess's followers, would probably fall into deep self-doubt.
"So, with two true gods, two angels, and several saints, our power seems quite strong?"
Angel chuckled and said teasingly.
Unfortunately, the only ones who will truly give their all are probably the two of us, and maybe Triss as well... A depressing thought popped up in her mind again.
To suppress this thought, Angel tightened his arms, pressing Klein firmly against his chest, feeling his body temperature.
Only in this way could she calm the blood in her body, which was burning with heat due to the confirmation of both parties' thoughts.
But the next second, Angel felt a huge force coming from her arms. Klein, who usually had almost no ability to resist, suddenly became extremely powerful. He broke free from her arms and instead held her tightly in his arms, making it impossible for her to break free.
Well, even the Iron Knight can’t do it?
Angel was stunned and lost his last chance to break free with the help of his body flexibility. He was pressed onto the soft single sofa with a bang.
By the way, his new marionette, Qonas Kilger, is the demigod "Fallen Count" of the "Lawyer" path, who can "amplify" his various abilities and powers!
"Hmm? Woohoo?"
Her panicked cry was "distorted" in the reception room where no outsiders were present, and it was not heard at all.
————
At three o'clock in the afternoon, as crimson rays of light flashed by, all members of the Tarot Club arrived at the palace shrouded in gray fog and sat in their own high-backed chairs.
From the perspective of Klein the Fool, the aura of more than one new member had changed.
This means that another member of the Tarot Club has successfully been promoted!
In these troubled times, the only good news is that the Tarot Club members have improved in strength... He sighed with a sense of ownership, and then nodded slightly amid the respectful greetings of all the members.
He was going to reveal some key information today so that everyone could be prepared to deal with the dramatic changes in the world situation, which naturally included "Queen" Angel who was sitting closest to his left.
Under his secret gaze, the witch who had finally been defeated by him again today tilted her head, looking a little confused.
(Two chapters in one, no more tonight, these words don’t count…)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com