His Majesty... Xio was a little confused and filled with confusion when she heard Viscount Stratford's reply.
She found it inexplicable that Shermane would deliberately approach this captain of the royal guards just to investigate where his loyalties lay. This didn't seem to be something of great importance or value.
As for Viscount Stratford's answer, it was very normal and without any faults.
Shermane paid with her life for such an answer? Xio originally wished to press for the reason behind Shermane's investigation of such a trivial matter, but she immediately realized that it might involve key intel too soon. It might cause Viscount Stratford, who hadn't entered the necessary "state," to put up resistance. So she gradually held back her instinctive urge.
She thought for a moment and asked, "Do you know Mason Dere?"
"Yes," Viscount Stratford answered blankly.
Xio Derecha continued asking rather simple and unimportant questions.
"Who is he?"
"He's the former captain of the royal guards," Viscount Stratford answered simply without elaborating.
At this moment, Fors didn't listen to the Telepathy at such a superficial layer. She took out the pure crystal ball and placed it in Xio's pocket.
After transferring her items, she bent down once again and carefully attempted to pick up the bronze cross.
This time, amidst her trembling fingers, the soul-burning feeling didn't assault her. It allowed her to easily pick up the spiky item.
As expected, this cross cannot coexist with other mystical items... Uh, I still have Moon Paper Figurine and the remnant spirituality of the ancient wraiths, but it didn't react... This means that it can coexist with items that don't contain Beyonder characteristics, but won't resist spirituality and strength? If that's the case, will it also reject the Beyonder characteristic within my body? But it doesn't seem obvious... This is its other negative side effect, and it requires some time before it shows signs? Fors had a general idea about this ancient bronze cross. She then warily stored it away in a bag that contained all kinds of ritual materials.
After doing this, Fors looked down at the silver bracelet on her wrist. She confirmed that it was completely empty and was without any accessories hanging from it.
She had used up all five stones that allowed her to use Teleport.
However, Fors no longer felt as anxious as before. Although she believed that the "full moon ravings" would become clearer and more terrifying with the usage of each stone, she also knew that with Mr. Fool's help, this wasn't a problem. Over the past year, if not for her need to spend some time above the gray fog during every full moon or Blood Moon, she would've almost forgotten that she was suffering the torment from the "full moon ravings."
I hope that the curse will be lifted one day... After retracting her gaze from the dull silver bracelet, Fors couldn't help but sigh.
She then sincerely thanked Mr. Fool in her heart.
...No matter what "His" real goal is, "He" has rescued me time and time again. It hasn't only been from the "full moon ravings"...
This cross's level doesn't seem low. I wonder if Mr. Fool will be interested and is willing to accept my sacrifice... I didn't have any good items or news to repay "Him" for his benevolence. I finally see an opportunity...
Uh... This is a common spoil of war. I only own half of it. I wonder if Mr. Fool is willing to accept a sacrifice that I only have half the rights to... No, Xio has also been rescued by Mr. Fool before...
Hehe, perhaps it might please Mr. Fool... If "He" is satisfied, he might produce a few Beyonder powers and allow me to record them in Leymano's Travels. No, Leymano's Travels might not be able to record a deity's powers. It won't be able to withstand Mr. Fool's powers... Hmm, the powers of the angels under "Him" will do too. No, no, no—I can't be too greedy. I'll be satisfied if Mr. World can demonstrate some of his powers for me to record...
Fors's thoughts wandered as she had expectations akin to a dream.
This was the instinct of a best-selling author.
As for why she didn't expect anything else other than the recording of Beyonder powers, it was because she realized today how important and terrifying Beyonder powers at the demigod level were.
If Leymano's Travels didn't have Hurricane recorded, she and Xio might not have been able to capture Viscount Stratford. They might not even succeed in escaping.
Even if she didn't include the bronze cross, Viscount Stratford himself was a rather powerful Beyonder. If he hadn't been injured by Hurricane in the beginning and left dizzy from the fall, their sneak attacks might not have reached this level of success. There was a high chance that they might suffer a counterattack.
Of course, separating the resplendent cross from Viscount Stratford was key to the victory of this brief battle tonight. And again, this was all thanks to Hurricane.
On careful thought, if we switched to a less pressing situation, and if the bronze cross and the demigod powers in the notebook were excluded, Xio and I might have a chance of defeating Viscount Stratford together. We might even have quite good odds...
The Beyonder powers recorded in the notebook are varied, and when put together, they're truly powerful. Together with Xio's Psychic Piercing and the effects of Wintry Blade, in a head-on battle, it's reasonable for Viscount Stratford to be defeated if he doesn't have any special mystical items.
A living Scribe with rich experience is actually this powerful... The more Fors thought, the stranger she felt.
She realized that she had become rather formidable!
Back when they were dealing with the ancient wraith, she had already come to a similar conclusion.
And this time, their enemy, Viscount Stratford, was the captain of the royal guards of the Loen royal family. He was at least Sequence 6 and was probably Sequence 5. Furthermore, he wielded an item at the demigod level. The level of his strength was clear, so this immediately allowed Fors to benchmark her "level" in the world of Beyonders. Although their victory mainly stemmed from a sneak attack, a successful one was also a manifestation of one's strength.
I'm already a Scribe. With a good combination of powers, together with Leymano's Travels, I'm already a rather strong Sequence 5... The only problem is that I lack experience... As Fors reflected poignantly, she cast her gaze at Xio and Viscount Stratford, continuing to listen to their questions and answers.
At this moment, Xio's question had already reached a rather key topic that could easily result in resistance.
"How did Mason Dere die?"
After asking this question, Xio's expression suddenly turned complicated and expectant. She was also in a dilemma, feeling pangs of excitement and fear.
This was a question she wished to ask eight years ago. In these nearly 3,000 days, she had been constantly searching for an answer, but she was also afraid that the answer wasn't something she expected. She was afraid that her father was really involved in a mutiny and thus was executed, marring his reputation.
Viscount Stratford didn't immediately answer Xio's question. He seemed to struggle before saying, "He discovered His Majesty's secret and tried informing the three Churches but failed. He was executed on the spot."
Xio fell into a daze for a few seconds before finally confirming the answer she received.
Although this answer shocked her, it made the heart in her mouth sink back to its original position as she calmed down.
"Secret... His Majesty's secret..." she muttered softly to herself and asked in a pressing tone, "What secret?"
Fors, who was beside her, was also shocked to the point of being dumbfounded. She never expected things to develop to this stage.
At that moment, Viscount Stratford's facial muscles visibly contorted. It took him a great deal of effort to say a few words ："That secret is..."
Suddenly, his body jerked violently. His confused eyes regained their luster.
Right on the heels of that, his body collapsed from the most minute part, instantly transforming into a ball of "fireworks."
The blood-red "fireworks" soared into the sky and exploded, illuminating the night sky as they were reflected in Fors's and Xio's eyes.
This... Having experienced this previously, Fors didn't waste any time after her eyes momentarily blanked out. She immediately crouched down and grabbed Shermane's corpse and Xio's calf.
Their figures swiftly turned transparent as they vanished from the spot, Teleporting to the southern area of the bridge.
Above the gray fog, Klein, who was holding the Sea God Scepter, saw the "fireworks" that stained the sky red.
Back when Fors prayed to him, he had happened to be inside the magnificent palace observing Qonas Kilgor's actions. He conveniently took in the Red Priest card and used the paper figurine he cut, stirred the powers of the mysterious space, and gave a response.
During this process, he discovered that the person lying next to Miss Magician and Miss Judgment was Viscount Stratford.
This was one of the targets he had placed great importance on. Although he hadn't investigated him personally, he knew that there was something wrong with him. He knew that Demoness Trissy was targeting him, so he had remembered his appearance and characteristics at a ball.
Klein didn't know what the two Tarot Club members were up to, but since it involved Viscount Stratford, he definitely didn't write off its importance. He directly observed what subsequently happened to Miss Magician and Miss Judgment through the crimson stars.
After advancing to a demigod and obtaining even more authorities, he didn't need the Tarot Club members to pray to directly observe their vicinity via the crimson star. This was similar to specially marking out believers, but Klein had always held great restraint towards that and had never attempted it.
This made him hear Xio's and Viscount Stratford's conversation.
And since he knew the underlying truth, he knew very well what the true meaning and importance of "who he was loyal to" was.
Combined with the discovery of the king's secret by the former captain of the royal guards, Mason Dere, and how his attempt to inform the three Churches failed, Klein already had a guess.
He suspected that the greatest culprit behind the Great Smog of Backlund was the Loen Kingdom's king, George III!
