After getting a grasp of the situation, Klein looked at the full-body mirror in the room and asked, "What's the king's secret?"
The surface of the mirror that seemed to lead to another world had aqueous light ripple before revealing a scene:
It was a ruin that was hidden deep in the darkness, covered in the dust of history. However, it was completely intact.
Does that mean that the king's secret is in the Blood Emperor's ruins... Arrodes doesn't dare to answer directly, or is this as much as it can see? After some deliberation, he said to the magic mirror, "It's your turn to ask."
The image in the full-body mirror didn't change at all. It only revealed silver words:
"Great Master, do you have any other questions?"
"Yes." Without standing on ceremony, Klein nodded and asked, "Where is Saintess of White, Katarina, presently?"
In the mirror, the silver words rapidly faded and disappeared, but the background didn't change at all. It was still the Blood Emperor ruins.
If not for the word's appearance and disappearance, I would've thought that this magic mirror "crashed"... Katarina is hiding in the Blood Emperor's ruins? The real one? Klein nodded thoughtfully.
"It's your turn."
Above the scene, silver words condensed once again:
"Benevolent Master, why don't you leave Backlund?"
That's a good question. I originally had such plans... I originally investigated the Great Smog of Backlund because of my outrage over the innocent deaths of the poor like Old Kohler, as well as being lost due to the shattering of my main goal. Later, I ended up with the identity as a Blessed of the Goddess. Later on, I tried to prevent a disaster from happening and prevent the people I know from suffering due to the ambitions of the powerful and to not drown because of the tides of the times. I was willing to bear some of the risks...
As for now, knowing that there might be a war that would sweep the entire world, and discovering that the advancement ritual of Scholar of Yore is practically "tailor-made" for me, with signs of things being arranged, I've already come to a realization that I might not be able to escape even if I tried. Or should I say that I'm unlikely to escape my destiny even if I were to flee Backlund. In that case, I might as well take the initiative to face the risk head- on and see if I can figure out the truth and find a chance to survive, grasping my fate in my own hands... Klein's thoughts kept churning before they settled.
Following that, he calmly replied, "Leaving can't really solve the problem."
With that, he asked, "Where is Trissy now?"
The full-body mirror finally changed the depicted scene. This time, it was pitch-black. Occasionally, thick objects would slip across the surface.
Arrodes also can't see Trissy's situation... Klein nodded slightly and said, "It's your turn to ask."
The mirror was filled with aqueous light and wisps of silver formed a sentence:
"Great Master, I have something to tell you. May I?"
"Go ahead," Klein replied, somewhat curious.
The silver words changed into new words:
You have to be careful with what follows next!"
It even used an exclamation point... Arrodes noticed something unpleasant? After thinking for a few seconds, Klein said, "What do you think can threaten me?"
"I don't know. I have a feeling..." Arrodes reorganized its words, turning them from silver to grayish-white. It was obvious that it meant to express its sadness and self-reproach.
Without waiting for a reply, new grayish-white words appeared in the mirror one after another:
"Great Master, I have another scene to show you. Is that okay?"
"Sure," Klein spoke slowly.
The full-body mirror's surface produced ripples as the pitch-black darkness changed.
It became deeper and deeper, sparkling like diamonds.
This was a beautiful and vast night.
The scene that Arrodes displayed is directed at the Goddess who's intrinsically the stars, or it's the gaze cast from the cosmos? It seems like it doesn't dare to express it directly... Klein considered for a moment and didn't attempt to ask further.
"Let's end it here for today."
"Alright!" The grayish-white words were once again dyed with silver as the speed at which they appeared had slowed down for some reason. "Great Master, y-you haven't said that you would summon me, your loyal servant, Arrodes, again if you have other questions in the future..."
It's a mirror that needs to follow procedure... Klein said in amusement, "Of course, I'll summon you again when I have other questions."
Yes, Master! Goodbye, Master!" The silver words on the mirror returned to their normal speed, forming a hand that kept waving.
After everything returned to normal, Klein burned the paper with the summoning symbols and drew the curtains. He once again stared at the cold and dark sky.
Empress Borough, in a small Evernight cathedral.
Xio and Fors received Miss Justice's update thanks to Mr. Fool, and they knew that the problem had been resolved. They roughly understood what the king's secret was.
"...Truly impressive." Fors, who believed in the God of Steam and Machinery, opened her eyes in the dark and quiet prayer hall, turned her head, lowered her voice, and sighed.
She originally wanted to directly say that Mr. World or Gehrman Sparrow was truly impressive, but she no longer wanted to make such a mistake.
The past week made her feel like she had been in the mysterious world for more than ten years.
Xio opened her eyes as well, but she first drew a crimson moon on her chest, a form of showing her penitence towards her disrespect for the Goddess.
"Yes, that's a..." Before Xio could finish her sentence, the message she tried to convey reached Fors.
What she wanted to say was that Hvin Rambis was a true demigod, but from the time she and Fors entered the cathedral, less than ten minutes had passed; yet, he had been finished off by Gehrman Sparrow.
As saints, there was such a huge gap!
"Perhaps, it's the blessings of an angel..." With her experience in supernatural events and writing novels, Fors made a vague guess.
As the prayer hall was dark and quiet, making it unsuitable for communication, Xio didn't directly respond to Fors's words. She nodded, stood up, and walked into the aisle.
The two of them left the prayer area, and after approaching the door, Xio exhaled and said, "I really hope that I'll be this powerful one day..."
"I have such thoughts occasionally too." Fors smiled. "Uh, no matter what, you've already completed your investigations, haven't you? Although the so-called secrets are definitely worth digging into, the outline of the matter is rather clear."
Xio looked at the door ahead of her and fell into a daze for a few seconds.
"But what's the point? I can't do anything about this matter."
"No, no, no. When it comes to enemies, that person's identity isn't too lofty. At least, he's someone we can look at directly." Fors seriously comforted her friend. "When you obtain a qualitative change in strength, you'll discover that you have the ability to participate in that matter. At least in matters that don't involve even higher levels."
Fors, who had joined the Tarot Club for quite a long time ago, had witnessed matters that had been planned by Mr. Fool. "He" had used his Blessed and the members of the Tarot Club to destroy the descent of the True Creator, revealed Bansy's secret, obtained a portion of the authority from the Storm domain, and interfered in the ownership of 0-08. Compared to the angels, King of Angels, and even true gods that were involved in these matters, King George III alone was indeed nothing special.
Xio slowly walked to the door and said after a moment of silence, "I understand what you mean.
"We'll return to the East district. We won't be in a hurry to move. Once I obtain the Judge potion formula, we'll disappear and go into hiding. I believe that after today's incident, they probably wouldn't dare to investigate us."
"That's for sure. They're just lurking in the dark, in spots that cannot see the light of day," Fors hurriedly echoed before exclaiming, "I only hope that before we move again, my letter to my teacher can be delivered,
Xio grabbed her yellow hair and walked out of the church gates as she said in a serious manner, "After I get the formula, I'll buy that button and try to advance as quickly as possible."
"Not bad. You've recovered your fighting spirit," Fors teased with a smile.
Xio didn't say another word as she continued proceeding forward with a solemn expression.
After walking a few dozen steps, she suddenly stopped and said without turning her head, "I d-don't think I have enough money to buy that button. When the time comes, lend me a little...
"I'll definitely return it."
Fors was taken aback for a second before chortling.
"Okay.
"If my guess is correct, I should be able to get the subsequent items from my teacher."
Thursday afternoon. Using the excuse of having some rest, Klein returned to the master bedroom and entered the bathroom. He took four steps counterclockwise and arrived above the gray fog.
He believed that the glass bottle that was filled with the "potion" had already finished absorbing it.
Sitting at the high-back chair of The Fool, he waved his hand and removed the isolation barrier, pulling his target over.
The transparent glass bottle was already stained with a dark color. It had a mesh pattern on its surface which shimmered slightly, giving off an artistic flair.
It was empty inside, with not a single drop of the potion remaining. The spacious bottle's mouth was covered with a layer of mist that glowed. It made Klein feel as though his gaze was being sucked in the moment it landed upon the mouth of the bottle.
A voice sounded from the bottle:
"By throwing in a hundred gold coins in it, you can fulfill a wish...
"By throwing in a hundred gold coins in it, you can fulfill a wish..."
Who did you learn this from... I have to say, this monotonous statement does have some hypnotic effect... Throwing in a hundred gold coins would be akin to opening the doors of the Body of Heart and Mind and becoming the bottle's slave... Klein did a simple analysis before beckoning for the Unshadowed Crucifix. Using the pressure brought about by the gray fog, he stuffed it into the bottle's mouth.
"You devil!" The voice in the bottle screamed shrilly before it was miserably blocked by the gray fog.
