Chapter 112: Death of Moriarty
After making some black tea, Lawyer York took off his suit jacket, leaving only his thick tan plaid shirt underneath.
He didn't look like a lawyer, much less a Lloyd's executive. Instead, he looked like the friendly uncle next door.
After York served the tea, he sat down opposite Aiwass.
He crossed his fingers, placed them on his chest, and spoke softly, "But I don't think Prince Lloyd is a 'disgrace to the royal family'—he doesn't necessarily consider himself part of the royal family. I'm more inclined to think of him as a hero. A hero who shakes authority and the royal power.
"The Path of Authority is like a pair of shackles. Those who walk this path cannot disobey the orders of those above them. It is strict and cruel, like an anthill or a beehive. The knights cannot do this, but they may not want to do so.
"No one wants to be a slave to the power of the Tao. The Silver Crown Dragon tells you to be loyal, abide by the rules, and follow the order, but do we really have to do so?"
The York lawyer whispered, "Have you ever wondered how Prince Lloyd, a commoner, managed to prevent Lloyd's from being taken over by the royal family?"
Aiwass raised his eyebrows and remained silent.
He vaguely guessed what Lawyer York was going to do, so he didn't say anything, but showed a little confusion and curiosity on his face.
"It's simple. The existence of Lloyd's is the shared will of the Knights of the Round Table. It symbolizes the word 'merchant,' and countless people uphold it."
Lawyer York spoke slowly, whispering a dark secret: "To this day, over 60% of the Knights of the Round Table have at least one direct descendant secretly affiliated with Lloyd's. We share secrets, and secrets are a sharp blade.
"Do you think the royal family doesn't know about this? No, they do, but they can't do anything about it. Lloyd's thrived on the royal power to share profits, but now the royal family can no longer take that power back - because times must change, and we are moving forward."
"…Why are you telling me these things?"
Aiwass was silent for a while before hesitantly asking.
Lawyer York slowly extended his left arm toward Aiwass, palm facing up.
The next moment, a pure amethyst-like light suddenly emanated from his pupils, and the skin on his forearms wrinkled and bulged, wriggling like a snake.
The next moment, four pure black headless and scaleless snakes suddenly emerged from under the skin of his wrist—
It was a snake-like monster, finger-thick and slender. It had no head, only a hole in the front, filled with densely packed sharp teeth. It resembled a decapitated snake, or a leech with its mouth wide open.
The monster raised its head, swaying in the wind like an unconscious vine.
Lily immediately reacted, her eyes stern as she tried to step forward, but Aiwass immediately shook his head, signaling her to step back, so the silent maid continued to stand quietly behind Aiwass.
But her expression was more serious than ever before, and dark green spider-web cracks appeared on the backs of her hands, glowing faintly.
Lawyer York just smiled gently, looked at Aiwass and said slowly: "Do you know how Prince Lloyd won the heart of Her Majesty Marlena?
"Because he was also a talented poet. Among his poems were these lines:
"—One day I shall break free from these leaden fetters;
“I will ascend in smoke, free as the wind;
"I will have a day of shining, as bright as the stars, as brilliant as the moonlight..."
Before York Lawyer finished speaking, a dialog box suddenly popped up in front of Aiwas:
[York Hermes is teaching you "Perverse Covenant". Do you want to pay 48 public experience to master this mysterious skill?]
The art of breaking promises is a mysterious skill that transcends the Way, with a particular emphasis on transcending authority. It's used to break vows, break free from shackles, and evade pursuit; it's a cunning technique employed by those who have made a promise but decided not to follow through.
No. Aiwass answered in his heart without hesitation.
This skill wasn't particularly significant, but learning it might contaminate Aiwass's pool of abilities. Different mystical skills could conflict with one another... Aiwass didn't have any medicine to cleanse himself, so he couldn't take the risk.
And 48 points is way too expensive—it's just a normal-level arcane skill, yet it requires so much experience. You don't really understand it yourself, do you?
You didn't just memorize this paragraph, did you?
Aiwass complained inwardly.
But York's actions had already proven his position. The hesitation and confusion on Aiwass's face vanished, leaving him calm and subdued, as if everything before was just an act.
"...Stripping Demon?"
Aiwass asked back.
This is an unpopular familiar, ranked lower than a lower demon, on the same level as a demon dog. It's a small demon that can be created by demonologists. It's not particularly aggressive, and is often used to torture or interrogate others. A flayer's size and thickness can vary, allowing it to penetrate or wrap around any part of the human body.
As it wriggles, its sharp, piercing teeth, like bee stings, inject a mild toxin. These teeth easily break off inside the human body, making them as difficult to remove as cactus thorns. They cause intense, long-lasting pain and can easily damage someone's dignity.
Able to conceal a large number of familiars within his body without being discovered...
This is a unique characteristic of the fourth-level demon parasite.
It's not a demonologist, but an advanced profession for demons.
The biggest difference between a demon scholar and a demon scholar is that a demon scholar and their companion demon are almost completely fused together, making them difficult to separate. To advance to a demon scholar, one must first be a phantom demon egg—but the phantom demon in the egg is a dark demon.
Before they became transcendent beings, they were said to be possessed by demons. Compared to other types of phantom demons, demons greatly enjoyed manipulating their hosts' bodies and were more likely to harm or even kill others when out of control. However, if they were persuaded by the demon within them and entered the path of transcendence, they could reach a consensus with the phantom demon within them, entering a state of companionship.
Because of this, demons can no longer summon other demons. They are also unable to study rituals and the science of controlling demons, because the demons within them prevent them from mastering power that is enough to threaten them, and the interference of dark magic in their brains will reduce their intelligence.
But if the demon can withstand the oppression of the devil, remain rational and advance to a demon host, the positions of both parties will immediately be reversed.
The Demon Host has surpassed the "Demon." The Demon Host no longer loses control, and the Demon no longer possesses its body. The Demon Host can now harbor even more Demons, capable of carrying numerous Familiar-level Demons within its body. As its level increases, it can even host a second and third Demon.
"—You're a demon host, right?"
Aiwass said without hesitation.
Hearing this, Lawyer York opened his eyes wide in surprise.
He withdrew his left hand, and the peeling demon in his sleeve was taken back by him.
"Your knowledge of demonology amazes me, Aiwass."
Lawyer York exclaimed, "You are the only one among all the fellow practitioners I have met who can recognize the demon hoster at the first level."
"I see. Is that why you suddenly called me away?"
Aiwass raised his eyebrows: "Because you recognized that I am also a transcendental person who has transcended the Tao."
"Under the influence of authoritarianism, we Transcendents should help each other."
Lawyer York smiled and said naturally, "Because we are the same kind of people, I will help you find the organization.
"Of course, there is another reason..."
He pointed to Aiwass's left pocket and said, "If you have higher-level permissions, you can also sense that."
Aiwass reached into his pocket and touched it. Suddenly, he understood.
——That is the "Noble Red" ring.
"Of course, don't worry."
York quickly lowered his hands and explained with a smile, "I know you probably got the ring from Veronica. But we don't ask about such things here—after all, you're a fellow traveler on the path to transcendence, right? They led you on, so you can be considered their new recruit. It's normal for a new member to kill an old member and then obtain the old member's token. There's absolutely no problem with that. Just take it."
"If you take it, you too will be a member of the Noble Red Order. That's what I say."
"……I see."
Aiwass finally understood.
It’s not that Lloyd’s of London and the Noble Red Circle have reached any agreement... but that the top leaders of these two organizations, in a sense, overlap!
"You said that more than 60% of the Knight families have joined Lloyd's."
Aiwass was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Does this include 'Moriarty'?"
Hearing this, York's mouth corners slightly raised.
The middle-aged man, whose face was already covered with deep wrinkles, smiled faintly: "What do you think?"
"Let's put an end to this charade."
The platinum-haired young man sitting in a wheelchair whispered.
Despite being of lower status and ability than the middle-aged man before him, he showed no respect. Aiwass extended his right hand toward York, his palm slowly cracking. A faint purple glow shone from Aiwass's palm—a symbol of his current state of mind resonating with the path of transcendence, yet also an unfriendly gesture.
It's like pulling a knife slightly out, or putting your hand on the holster. It's not necessarily threatening, but it demonstrates an attitude.
For those on other paths, this might be an offense, but for those on the Transcendental Path, it is a confirmation of resolve, signifying recognition and practice of the Transcendental Path.
Lawyer York smiled with satisfaction and answered readily, "Yes. Professor James Moriarty is, of course, also a member of our Lloyd's."
"He is a businessman, after all, and one of the largest merchants on Glass Island. How could he refuse our invitation? However, he is not a fellow traveler on the path of transcendence, and therefore has not joined the Noble Red Society."
"In that case, with my father here... it seems you don't need to invite me anymore, right?"
Aiwass said bluntly: "Because the Moriarty family has stood with you."
York is clearly recruiting himself.
Even though he didn't say a single word, his intention was conveyed very clearly.
The suspected leak of intelligence put a lot of pressure on him. York was eager for Aiwass to join Lloyd's, preferably before the "Vice President" arrived.
"In that case, I'll tell you a piece of information in advance."
Lawyer York smiled proudly: "This is exactly the reason why we, Lloyd's, exist—
"According to reliable intelligence, Professor Moriarty disappeared two days ago. Although his body has not been found, blood-stained clothing has been recovered. The divination results indicate that James Moriarty is dead.
"If nothing unexpected happens, news of his death will be reported back to Avalon in a week."
The middle-aged lawyer, also named Hermes, smiled a kind smile that disgusted Aiwas. "This isn't a threat, just a suggestion. After all, neither you nor Inspector Edward are his real children... and Mr. James died so suddenly that he didn't leave a will.
"This means that your inheritance will face resistance. However, it's fine for you to join Lloyd's... We prefer you, your adoptive father, to fellow travelers on the path of transcendence."
--ha?
Aiwass almost laughed out loud.
You mean, James Moriarty is dead?
Haha, I don’t believe a word of it.
...Of course, this information itself might be true. But Professor Moriarty wouldn't die so easily, and the divination results weren't necessarily accurate. This was absolutely a fake death, simply to extricate himself from the situation in Avalon.
——That mysterious guy is the final BOSS of version 6.0. How could he die inexplicably in such an unknown corner?
Even if he knew it was a fake death, and many others probably knew it, even if only the identity of "James Moriarty" died on a social level...
It also means that the situation in Avalon is about to become unstoppable and turbulent.
Update completed meow!
(End of this chapter)
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