Chapter 365 Return to Glass Island
Aiwass did not provide too much pastoral care to Shadow Fiend on the train.
It's not for safety reasons - in most areas of Avalon, even if Aiwass is unconscious, Lily and Shadow Demon are enough to protect him.
The main reason is that the train is a public place and many things are inconvenient to do.
When you are in pain and fear, but have only compassion and kindness in your heart, you can strengthen the element of "dedication" and thus enhance the effectiveness of pastoral care.
But if such a nice room is covered with blood, it would really cause trouble to others.
And if the noise is too loud, it might call the waiter at the door in. Then he might be startled and even expose the existence of the pastoral law.
Considering the need to remain silent, Aiwass for the first time tried to abandon the ritual knife—instead, he bit through his wrist with his teeth, nearly severing it. Since Aiwass could cause the wrist to bleed profusely, it meant that he had bitten through a blood vessel.
This fear of gradually approaching death, biting oneself resolutely despite resistance, is far less painful than gripping the ritual knife tightly and carving the blade into the bone. After all, "engraved pain" is not just a word.
However, biting through one's wrist with teeth that are much duller than a ceremonial knife undoubtedly requires a stronger will.
——So, if pastoral care methods are inspired by the same degree of compassion and kindness, which one will be more effective?
By observing Shadow Fiend's reaction, Aiwass got confirmation.
This is better now.
Compared to "pain", suppressing "fear" and "resistance" with good thoughts is the key that is closer to the core.
Aiwass gradually understood.
——That doesn’t mean you can’t use a ritual knife.
It's just a blunt knife! He originally chose a ceremonial knife that was too sharp to ensure that he could penetrate the bone by clenching his fist. This actually violated the essence of pastoral care because he subconsciously chose the tool that was "more convenient and more comfortable."
Then would it be more effective if I pierced my abdomen or heart directly with my hand?
…The only problem is, my fingers don’t seem to be that strong.
Because he had only been fed some snacks this time, Aiwass was in good spirits. Before the candle had even burned a third, Aiwass ended his pastoral care and began using fire rituals to heal his wounds.
"Is it my imagination?"
Aiwass turned back into his original form and lay on the bed, holding the shadow demon who had turned into a black cat on his lap.
He asked doubtfully, "Why do I feel like you've gotten stronger?"
"That is the Master's kindness~"
The pitch-black kitten, which looked like a black hole with eyes, spoke in the sweet voice of Miss Assassin Chloe in a coquettish manner.
"Tell the truth." Aiwass interrupted mercilessly.
“Tsk.”
The Shadow Demon clicked his tongue and stopped speaking in a hoarse voice.
She switched to Miss Bayard's cold and mature voice, completely different from Chloe's: "It started with the promotion ceremony."
Aiwass immediately guessed: "Is it because you ate your past self?"
During his last promotion ceremony, Bayard ate himself as a vampire, Bayard, and also ate himself as a new shadow demon who still had the mark of the sin of wrath.
The other two Bayards volunteered to sacrifice themselves, perhaps unintentionally fulfilling the conditions of some ritual.
After all, the sacred number is three, which belongs to the domain of the Candlemaker. The Candlemaker is the god who binds the body with sin and burns himself to drive out darkness. He himself has the sacred concept of bearing sin and sacrificing himself for others.
Thinking of this, Aiwass suddenly became interested: "Could it be that you have gained the mark of wrath again?"
The Sin Brand is the embodiment of the core power of the Fallen Angels.
Being able to transform material world races like humans and elves into demons capable of freely entering and exiting the Dream World, this power is undoubtedly quite close to the source. Furthermore, demons branded with the Sin Mark only need to continue cultivating their Sin Mark to continuously grow stronger, evolving upwards along the same Sin Mark—depending on their race, the upper limit of their level can fluctuate from level 50 to level 70.
But on the other hand, if the devil "wakes up" and is no longer entangled by his own sins... for example, if he completely stops being angry like Bayard, he will also lose the possibility of continuing to grow stronger.
A demon that has lost the mark of sin cannot evolve.
The Shadow Fiend from hundreds of years ago and the Shadow Fiend summoned by Aiwass had basically no difference in strength except for the obvious difference in combat experience.
However, after a brief silence, Shadow Demon gave a reply: "Yes, I have regained the Sin's Mark.
"...But, it's not [Rage]."
"What's that?" Aiwass asked.
“—It’s [jealousy].”
Although I couldn't see the Shadow Fiend's expression clearly, I felt that its expression was also very subtle: "I got the Mark of Envy... If nothing unexpected happens, I may be the only Shadow Fiend to get the Mark of Envy."
"No wonder."
Aiwass nodded thoughtfully.
This time he felt that Shadow Demon's strength increased much faster than before.
With the same mana as before, Shadow Fiend's growth rate was obviously much slower than Butterfly.
The fifth-level shadow demon who regained the mark of sin has recovered all the strength as a higher-level demon and unlocked the growth potential, making it possible to evolve into a higher-level phantom demon.
Although its future growth path might be subtly different from before, and it might even evolve into a completely new demon, after all, "rage" and "jealousy" are definitely different, and a shadow demon bearing the sin of jealousy... this is probably the only one in the world.
"How far do you feel you are from the sixth energy level?"
Aiwass carefully asked Shadow Demon, "If you receive this kind of pastoral care every day, how long will it take you to reach the sixth energy level?"
"I was originally not far from the sixth energy level, my master."
Shadow Demon quickly responded: "I think it should be two weeks at most."
"Okay, I understand."
Aiwass nodded slightly and decided to allocate more resources to Shadow Fiend this month.
——Then, we can almost start preparing to seal the Shadow Demon.
The most powerful pastoral care will be used to help the Shadow Fiend break through the racial limit.
When Shadow Fiend evolves, it's time to get into the card.
As Aiwas thought about this, he slowly fell asleep while holding the black cat.
When he woke up again, the train had arrived at Glass Island.
Because Aiwass's return this time was completely spur of the moment, he did not notify anyone and therefore no one came to pick them up.
Noble Red is dead, and school is on vacation. So Aiwass returns to his real home after a long absence.
It wasn't 14 Ronin Street, but Moriarty Manor in White Queens.
Aiwass hasn't been back for a long time.
Lily took out her key and opened the gate, and the two of them strolled along the gravel path from the front door to the main entrance. The gardens on both sides were well-maintained and still in full bloom even in winter.
Snowdrops, white daffodils, pink roses, and red roses are carefully arranged to give people a warm and comfortable feeling.
"Good afternoon, Professor Sorensen. Long time no see."
Aiwass greeted the old gardener with a smile.
The old man smiled and nodded to the future head of the Moriarty family in response.
(End of this chapter)
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