《When the plot-skips players into the game world》


 Chapter 1: 1 Are you here to arrest me?

    "Yes, hello... I am Inspector Hayna who made an appointment yesterday... to investigate the assault case involving Mr. Aiwass Moriarty."


    A young lady, about in her early twenties, wearing a blue and white uniform, stood nervously and helplessly in front of the grand entrance of a manor, holding her wide-brimmed hat.


    Her chestnut-colored curly hair was tied into a ponytail at the back, and her high nose bridge. Panic about messing something up filled her lake-blue eyes.


    "...I''m sorry, the division''s Supervisory Bureau had a last-minute inspector meeting... Another warehouse combustion incident occurred in the White Queen District yesterday, and traces of Flame Spirits were detected at the scene, suspected involvement of a Demon Scholar¡ªI think it might be the same fugitive who attacked Mr. Aiwass the day before yesterday!"


    As Hayna spoke, her voice grew quieter and quieter: "So, that''s why..."


    "¡ªSo, you took it upon yourself to attend that inspector meeting, which you were not actually required to attend, and you are late... by two hours and twenty-three minutes?"


    An old and grave voice resonated from the other side of the iron gate. It carried the long, drawn-out tones peculiar to the Elven accent of the people of the Royal Capital.


    He snapped his gem-studded pocket watch shut and tucked it back into his chest, staring sternly at Hayna.


    Standing opposite Hayna was an old, thin, and tall elf wearing a butler''s uniform.


    The wrinkles on his face could remind one of tree bark, and his dark green pupils were closer to those of a wolf than to the waters of a lake.


    The old elf seemed to be nearly two meters tall, and his posture with his hands clasped behind him was like a phantom of a withered tree under the moonlight. His pine-straight, motionless spine emanated an intense aura of oppression at this moment.


    Although Hayna was actually an intern inspector, not yet graduated, she had passed her final assessment prematurely and could be knighted by the queen at any time. She was currently wearing the intern badge only because her assigned Gryphon was still en route.


    Normally, she shouldn''t be so afraid of a butler.


    But this old man was different.


    Because this aged Elf Butler was her mentor.


    Though he followed an ancient covenant, serving the Moriarty family as a butler since the inception of the state... at the same time, he was also a former Grand Inspector who retired eighty years ago.


    "¡ªI assumed you would be even later, Miss Hayna."


    The old butler, with his hands behind his back, spoke with that Elvish accent that always imparted a slight sense of arrogance to Hayna: "Mr. Aiwass was attacked by a Demon Scholar two days ago and remained unconscious until last night. But upon hearing that the Supervisory Bureau was coming to ask some questions, he very cooperatively gave up going to the Glass Step Sanatorium. After taking some medicine, he dragged his weak body to the fireplace and waited for you for two hours, while I also waited for you at the gate for two hours.


    "Now it is almost dark, and if you were any later, you might as well simply postpone until tomorrow; since it''s already postponed until tomorrow, I don''t think a week''s worth of recuperation is urgent. According to the rules of the Supervisory Bureau, a case that has been signed off on must yield a result within a week¡ª given Miss Hayna''s commendable conduct that allowed her to graduate early, you must be able to find that Demon Scholar smoothly.


    "Since you have already apprehended the criminal, why trouble my poor Mr. Aiwass? You might as well return, I will explain to Mr. Kent."


    Mr. Kent is the Director of the Supervisory Bureau in the White Queen District. Even after Hayna becomes a full-fledged inspector, Kent would still outrank her by three levels.


    If the old butler''s tone hadn''t been so sarcastic, she would have taken to her heels right this moment and dumped this troublesome matter onto her superiors. But the problem is, she''s actually still a senior student.


    Despite being able to call the wind and summon the rain at school, she hasn''t graduated yet.


    She didn''t have enough social experience to discern whether the old man was seriously making such a suggestion or just mocking her. But her intuition told her that if the old man had not intended to do so, and she foolishly ran away now, she would indeed be bringing disaster upon herself.


    "...I''m truly sorry."


    Thus, Hayna could only bow her head in apology first, "I will also apologize to Mr. Aiwass."


    In any case, she had already scheduled a meeting time in advance but didn''t say a word before being so late... She indeed was at fault to begin with.


    "But that''s because Mr. Aiwass is kind-hearted. I had already decided to call the Supervisory Bureau when you were an hour late. It was Mr. Aiwass who stopped me. He said, ''Everyone deserves a chance... Whatever the reason, they should at least be given an opportunity to meet first.''"


    The elderly elf continued at his leisurely pace, taking a while before reaching the entrance of the manor.


    Then, his voice grew softer, yet still clearly reached Hayna''s ears: "Although Avalon has no so-called ''nobility'' like other nations, the descendants of the Founders are equally noble. Without the sacrifices of those twenty Founders, everyone would be dead¡ªeven the Queen must respect the descendants of the Founders.


    "I sensed your sincere contrition, and so I forgave your tardiness. But you might want to consider carefully whether you have offended someone or blocked someone''s path... As I mentioned, this was an Inspector meeting that you needn''t have attended."


    Upon hearing this, Hayna suddenly froze.


    The old man at the door now turned gracefully, bowing slightly to Hayna: "Please follow me, Miss Hayna. The young master has been waiting for some time."


    It was then that he donned the butler''s mask to greet the guest.


    The previous demeanor was more like that of an instructor facing a disappointing student.


    And Hayna, her mind in turmoil, followed the elderly elf to the living room.


    The softness of the carpet under her feet startled her, and she looked up, wondering whether she ought to remove her shoes¡ªbut the elf''s indifferent composure made her uncertain, so she could only follow with an anxious heart, warmed by the sudden heat of the fireplace in the wintry season.


    Only then did she realize that she had made an elderly man wait at the door for two hours in the evening cold of winter.


    Feeling both guilt and shame, she did not know how to begin to speak.


    Even the suspicions she had towards Aiwass were strangely diluted by this penitence.


    Then, she saw the somewhat reckless and dissolute Mr. Aiwass Moriarty.


    At the moment, he was sitting in a wheelchair, a blanket over his legs.


    His pale, fragile face was colorless, and his appearance, seeming to be only seventeen or eighteen years old, was strikingly different from the handsome features of Professor Moriarty.


    Drapped in a pure white fleece nightgown, he looked as though he had just come out from a bath. His soft platinum hair reflected the warm light of the fire. He was reading a book quietly and intently by the fire, his delicate features conveying a gentle intention... It made her think of poets and the flames rising in the fireplace at home.


    That beautiful scene was like a painting, and Hayna unconsciously widened her eyes.


    But just then, the young man heard something, adeptly turning his wheelchair around.


    It was at that moment that Hayna noticed he was seated in a wheelchair.


    ...Could this be the price paid for the attack by the Demon Scholar?


    From some point on, she instinctively dismissed the possibility that "the Demon Scholar was Aiwass."


    The young man looked over, his deep blue pupils akin to the sea.


    "Miss Hayna."


    This was a voice that carried a sense of nobility, clear and luxurious, matching his appearance.


    His voice was more vibrant and polite than his frail appearance suggested: "Nice to meet you for the first time, hello.


    "¡ª¡ªAre you here to arrest me?"

 Chapter 2: 2 Mislead

    "Not a lady..."


    Hayna whispered, "I actually haven''t graduated yet."


    And this was just questioning...


    But before she could finish her sentence, she was gently interrupted by Aiwass:


    "Being able to enter the Supervisory Bureau without having formally graduated... I see, Miss Hayna, are you studying at the Royal University of Law?"


    Aiwass spoke with a standard, clean accent, free from the sense of nobility that Royal Capital dwellers took pride in¡ªthe "Elvish accent." But this only made Hayna, who had come from a small place to study abroad, feel more favorable towards him.


    Therefore, she nodded in response, "Ah, yes."


    As she spoke, she puffed out her chest proudly, "I was the student council president last year, and also the top female student in the senior year. As a distinguished graduate of the Royal University of Law, I obtained employment permission from the Supervisory Bureau a year early. Although my Sword hasn''t been issued yet, my name is already there at the bureau."


    "In that case, you could also be considered my senior,"


    Aiwass said as he interlaced his fingers and rested them on his knees.


    He relaxed his upper body back, speaking deliberately, "I''m actually also a student at the Royal University of Law. A freshman this year."


    "...Really?"


    Hayna expressed her surprise, feeling more affinity for this common ground, "But I haven''t seen you..."


    "That''s because I''ve been ill. I fell seriously sick even before matriculating and ended up bedridden at home for three months."


    The paleness of Aiwass''s complexion lent credibility to his words.


    What a tough kid...


    Aiwass''s lips curled slightly upward, "I am, after all, the victim here, senior. Didn''t you just say that... Why did you grow suspicious again at a mere mention? Don''t you have any confidence in me?"


    Hayna suddenly realized that this seemingly gentle and refined young man may have some hidden malice.


    "These are serious matters, not to be joked about."


    She put on a stern face, reproaching with the seriousness of a school setting, "The Demon Scholars often use living people as material for sacrifices, and to eliminate any witnesses, they kill the offerings after the ritual. It''s absolute evil! They would kill people as mere material without any grudge or grievance; it''s infuriating! How can you make a joke about such things?"


    As she spoke, something came to her mind, and her gaze sharpened, "Come to think of it... if you were an offering, how did you survive?"


    "They tried to sacrifice me to summon a powerful demon, but they didn''t expect the demon to favor me more. So, I turned the tables and commanded the demon to kill them all."


    The young man spoke with an ever-increasingly ridiculous grin, "In fact, the Moriarty family is filled with evil deeds; my father, Professor James Moriarty, is a Demon Scholar with dreams of destroying the world. And I''m not his adopted son, but a demon he summoned from another world, capable of destroying the Kingdom of Avalon within a year."


    Hayna was dumbfounded halfway through before realizing Aiwass was just spouting nonsense.


    "...What are you rambling about?!"


    She shouted angrily, part of her anger stemming from embarrassment that she had, even for a moment, taken Aiwass''s wild words seriously.


    This youth, who looked gentle as a poet, was cunning like a fox, spouting lies about anything and everything!


    Her anger flared, but not daring to raise her voice in front of the old butler, she ended up with a flushed face, "Come clean¡ªwhy were you at the Demon Ritual? Someone filed an anonymous report that you went to Stone Arch Gate Park of your own accord, and were not coerced."


    "I''m telling the truth, if you don''t believe me, just take me to the Supervisory Bureau,"


    Aiwass shrugged, appearing genuinely regretful.


    But Hayna knew that was impossible¡ªwith the obvious bias in favor of Aiwass at the Supervisory Bureau, she couldn''t arrest him without evidence. Indeed, if she took Aiwass, who was still in a wheelchair, the one to suffer would likely be herself.


    Afterward, Aiwass slowly tucked away that foxy smile.

 Chapter 3: 2 Mislead_2

    He revealed a serious expression and said earnestly, "That is true, but since you, senior, know that what I am saying is all nonsense, then why would you believe an anonymous tip-off letter? What''s the difference between what I say and that accusation letter?"


    "...So, what is the truth?"


    "I can give you another version of the story¡ªI was attacked and taken to Stone Arch Bridge Park while out for a walk. When I came to, I was sitting in a wheelchair. I had no idea what had happened in between, had no clue that I had been offered as a sacrifice to a demon, nor did I know how they were driven off, or how I managed to survive..."


    "But this version of the story is too smooth, without any flaws. It''s like the defense made by a Legal Mage in court. If I tell you directly, you might actually become more suspicious."


    Aiwass sighed, again appearing very helpless and innocent.


    He said, "So, which one do you believe?"


    ...If emotional parts are set aside and judged from a rational perspective, it seems the latter is more reasonable.


    I might have misunderstood Aiwass again. Is it because the jealousy in my heart hasn''t completely dissipated?


    ¡ªAnd indeed, he couldn''t possibly summon a demon of that level because Aiwass was too weak. Hayna could sense that he was probably a Transcendent, but the reaction was very weak. At most, he had only ignited the first layer of the Path.


    The Transcendent knowledge Hayna had learned indicated that a Transcendent in such preparatory stages, even if really summoning a demon, could only muster something on the level of a Familiar and definitely couldn''t cause such massive destruction¡ªbesides, the confirmed dead at the scene of the ritual were indeed fugitives who had drifted into the Royal Capital.


    That person had once sacrificed a small village and was now a third-level Demon Scholar, even capable of summoning an Upper-Level Demon.


    ...Could it be that after he summoned the demon, the Demonic Pact failed and he was devoured by the demon?


    It wasn''t impossible.


    If that was the case, the demon would have been banished back with the summoner''s death. Aiwass was just severely drained by the ritual and then picked up by the old butler. Logically speaking, this possibility is much greater.


    ...But why then would Aiwass tell such an outrageous lie to me?


    Soon, Hayna came to realize¡ª


    She came up with a very reasonable explanation: because her own attitude had changed too simply. She had pronounced Aiwass''s innocence without thorough interrogation. And Aiwass, as an truly innocent person, felt angry because of such a hasty attitude and deliberately spoke some strange words to mock her for being prone to preconceptions and too trusting of others.


    That''s how it was.


    Watching Hayna caught up in her excitement, talking nonstop, Aiwass, sitting in his wheelchair, narrowed his eyes, showing a harmless smile.


    If Hayna weren''t so careless and had observed carefully, she might have noticed the old Elf who stood quietly by her side, whose shadow beneath him didn''t move at all. However, the shadow cast by Aiwass''s wheelchair was trembling slightly, like a wild beast breathing steadily in sleep.


    This was entirely a ''deduction'' you made on your own, I hardly told any lies.


    Deduction is prone to bias when you determine a conclusion first and then look for evidence. It seems you are not yet qualified.


    ¡ªYes, Aiwass indeed was a sacrifice.


    But at the same time, "Aiwass" was also indeed a participant in the Demon Ritual.


    What he said before was not a lie.


    Had he not suddenly recalled memories of his past life, he might well have been an "Otherworldly Demon" summoned by the ritual using Aiwass''s soul as the offering.


    Because accompanying those memories of the past life was the familiar light screen that appeared before his eyes:


    Aiwass, human male, combined level 4


    Basic professions¡ª


    Priest LV1: [Basic Prayer-1st level (93%)]


    Demon Scholar LV3: [Demonology Knowledge-1st level (13%)], [Basic Ritual-1st level (5%)], [Demonic Pact-1st level (99%)]


    Paths illuminated: Dedication-0th Layer; Transcendence-1st Layer


    Mana Pool: 1/1 (Light), 3/3 (Darkness)


    Free Experience: 24


    Path Traits¡ª


    Transcendence-Shadow Affinity LV1: You have formed a lifebinding pact with a Shadow Demon, enabling you to freely use first energy level shadow abilities.

 Chapter 4: 3 Aiwass Moriarty

    ```


    Now, the Shadow Demon summoned from the ritual lay within the shadows beneath Aiwass''s feet.


    He sat in a wheelchair, not because his legs were paralyzed due to the sacrifice, but because if he stepped on his own shadow, he would immediately rouse the Shadow Demon, causing it to materialize.


    This wheelchair was what Aiwass asked for from the old butler upon waking.


    Because now, his Shadow Affinity level was too low.


    The Shadow Demon belonged to the Upper-Level Demons, and to control a Shadow Demon, one had to at least level up Shadow Affinity to level three, and to merge with the Shadow Demon, level five was necessary. Until then, he could only extract part of the Shadow Demon''s strength to use "special abilities." Although the Shadow Demon would not harm him and would even protect Aiwass based on their pact, he had no way to bind the Shadow Demon''s actions.


    From this perspective, a Demon Scholar who contracts lower-level demons is like walking a dog; whereas in Aiwass''s case, it''s more like the dog walking the person.


    How to seal the Shadow Demon was not part of "Aiwass''s" knowledge. Instead, it came from memories of another world.


    Aiwass Moriarty, Path, Demon Scholar, Kingdom of Avalon... This was the world within an MMORPG game called "Ring of Ouroboros."


    Their company, "No-Face God Studio," developed and operated this game.


    As a result, now, Aiwass couldn''t remember what the early main storyline was. However, he retained a more vivid memory of the later story, as the storyline performances of the main raid bosses were quite impressive. Even without paying close attention to the earlier storyline, he could guess the gist through the unskippable raid cutscenes.


    At the very beginning of the main story, "Aiwass" made his appearance.


    He was kidnapped in the year 1898 of the Scale Calendar and brought to an altar for a ritual. A "player" accidentally lifted the barrier set up to drive away passersby and witnessed the brutal sacrifice. In the nick of time, he pretended he had already reported the matter to the Supervisory Bureau and was leading the Gryphon Knights there, scaring away the two people present.


    Aiwass was saved by the "player" from the sacrificial altar, and then he offered hospitality to the player, who had nowhere to go after having their wallet and identity stolen, inviting them to his home for food and rest.


    Afterward, Aiwass would join the player in their studies, grow together, and continue to investigate the case. As they delved deeper, the case grew increasingly complicated, even involving the upper echelons of the kingdom...


    It was because Aiwass fell into mortal peril that his sister, Yulia, suddenly lost control¡ªwith the catalyst of the Blood Crystal Stone, she transformed into "Phantom Demon ¡¤ Defiant Flame Butterfly," the first eight-person raid boss.


    That was also the first Phantom Demon that the players encountered in the game.


    Her real body was curled up, encased in an amber-like transparent butterfly thorax, protected by wings made of Flame Spirits. Because the dungeon was of a low level, this eight-person raid was the easiest to match in daily random dungeons, meaning one had to fight Yulia three to four times a week on average.


    Since Yulia didn''t want to harm Aiwass, the boss had no intricate mechanics or desire to attack, turning it into a classic entry-level boss where you hit what comes and dodge what comes. With high enough levels, one could even get by without worrying about mechanics and just keep hitting the main body. If you defeated Yulia and then read the main quest book, you could get some rewards in terms of appearance.


    ```

 Chapter 5: 3 Aiwass Moriarty_2

    Finally, she was killed, and after losing most of her spirituality, she shrank into a flame butterfly, which Aiwass contracted to become his first familiar. Aiwass used this method to preserve her spirituality, hoping to eventually find the master of the "Insect Amber" who possessed the legendary revival magic to bring her back to life.


    Only in version 5.0 of the main story did Aiwass master a new ability. He could seal the theoretically unkillable phantom demons into cards, which acted as enhancement-type equipment to arm his familiars. It was only then that Aiwass finally received a major enhancement that was exclusive to him.


    After that, he stopped joining players in dungeon raids and instead became the plot''s finishing move against phantom demon-type bosses in the CG.


    "...Brother?"


    Just as Aiwass came to this realization, he suddenly heard a young voice.


    He was startled.


    Hayna, excitedly discussing "Sherlock and Deduction" with Aiwass, also instinctively turned her head when she heard the voice.


    There was a little girl standing silently at the door.


    "You woke up yesterday, just when I was asleep. After I woke up, you went back to sleep," she said, somewhat aggrieved and somewhat astonished. "Brother, how come you''re... in a wheelchair now?


    "¡ªAnd who is she?"


    She was dressed in the same pure white fluffy pajamas as Aiwass, her silver-white hair reaching her shoulders, her deep red pupils reminiscent of roses. Her features were delicate and gentle, evoking the image of a white cat or rabbit, a type utterly different from Aiwass''s dazzling handsomeness. Whether it was her eyebrows, hair color, or pupil color, everything proved that there was no blood relation between the two.


    If there was any resemblance between them, it was that sense of frailty passed down in their lineage.


    She had a similar frailty to Aiwass, and it was even more pronounced in her.


    The girl''s skin was somewhat sickly, almost transparently pale. She stood at the door unconsciously leaning on the doorframe, her body slightly tilted to shift her weight and reduce the pressure of standing upright.


    But now, he also clearly realized another fact¡ªthat the current plot was different.


    The Aiwass in the game definitely had not contracted with the Shadow Demon.


    Because the ritual this time was interrupted by players, it never successfully took place.


    And this probably meant that there were no "player characters" in this world.


    In an epic fantasy game, players usually take on the role of a one-time savior; and if the game is an MMO, they usually become a continuous, high-frequency, low-forgiveness savior.


    They have to save the world with every major update.


    ...And that would be troublesome for him.


    Because "players" are, by design, descendants of the "Serpent Father," one of the Nine Pillar Gods who once controlled "The Path of Transcendence." This is the reason players can have "Experience Points" and "Levels," allowing them to grow stronger endlessly, unimpeded by any threshold or talent. By design, players didn''t actually do dungeon raids, nor did they form teams. Instead, they defeated all enemies by themselves.


    But Aiwass, despite being a key character, couldn''t defeat calamities like the "Fallen Celestial Marshal," "Calamity Demon Dragon," or "Shadow of Avalon," the world-ending disasters, by mere conventional strength.


    Aiwass knew that in about half a year, something terrible would happen to the Kingdom of Avalon.


    Though he didn''t remember the main story in detail, at least he remembered key moments like the version update.


    What he told Hayna was no lie. The Kingdom of Avalon would indeed face a catastrophe in half a year, and it was deeply related to the current unnoticed Demon Ritual.


    But now, Aiwass still had a chance to change everything.


    To change everything¡ª


    He hugged Yulia tighter subconsciously, and the girl, sensing something, asked perceptively, "Brother?"

 Chapter 6: 3 Aiwass Moriarty_3

    "...nothing much."


    Aiwass smiled composedly, "Just, last night I had a very long dream... I dreamt that Yulia left me."


    However, at that moment, he suddenly felt Yulia''s body in his arms tense up sharply.


    ...Hmm?


    A flicker of movement crossed Aiwass'' mind.


    As if to cover something up, Yulia suddenly asked, "Brother''s wheelchair... how long must you use it?"


    "Probably... about a year?"


    As Aiwass spoke, he looked towards the old butler, "That''s what the doctor said, isn''t it?"


    "Yes, Mr. Aiwass."


    The old butler asked without hesitation, "So, you''ll be taking a year off from school? After all, you have already taken three months off."


    That was a lie.


    For ordinary students, this was a mark of release from penalty, worthy of celebration; but for the proud Hayna, it felt like a slap on the face, burning and silencing her, leaving her mind blank.


    Aiwass was giving her that feeling at this moment.


    It was like waking from a dream upon seeing the report card¡ª


    "Yes, I want to participate in the investigation."


    Aiwass suddenly became serious, "Since they kidnapped me once, there will be a second time. I can''t rest easy leaving home until those cultists are cleansed; likewise, I can''t sit idly at home waiting for an investigation result that I may not be able to accept¡ªso I, too, want to join the investigation."


    Upon hearing this, Hayna felt embarrassed. Undoubtedly, this was an implicit comment on the Supervisory Bureau''s extremely slow investigative efficiency.


    The Supervisory Bureau, very particular about "rules," must report everything to the higher-ups and follow standard procedures. These are the edicts of the knights in the Senate.


    Because they can hardly uncover anything, they even have to request assistance from detectives. The "Sherlock" Hayna mentioned earlier is a detective who has recently become quite famous in the newspapers.


    Sherlock graduated from Royal Law University years ago, but didn''t choose to join the Supervisory Bureau, the Court of Law, or the Arbitration Hall. Now, he is a special counselor to the Supervisory Bureau, conducting investigations free from the myriad of regulations imposed by the bureau, and has successively cracked several major cases, his status now far surpassing that of his old classmates who entered the Supervisory Bureau after graduation.


    "If Miss Hayna can''t decide, feel free to report my words to your superior and ask for his opinion,"


    Aiwass said calmly, with his hands crossed, "After all, according to the rules, you must submit all the content of this conversation to your superiors, mustn''t you?"


    For some reason, Aiwass at that moment reminded Hayna of an Inspector from the Supervisory Bureau.

 Chapter 7: 4 The Gaze of the Silver-Crowned Dragon

    Hayna had just left not long ago when James Moriarty returned home with a heavy suitcase in tow.


    "Have the folks from the Supervisory Bureau just left?"


    Old James asked as soon as he entered the door.


    He apparently had met Hayna at the manor gate and exchanged pleasantries for a while.


    James was a genteel old gentleman with distinct wrinkles on his face. His grey pupils were somewhat cloudy, his eye sockets deep, and his hair white and sparse. However, his skin was remarkably well-maintained. With gaunt cheeks and prominent cheekbones, he seemed skinny in his coat, but it was immediately apparent that he was not frail once he took it off.


    Whenever he spoke, he did so softly and with an elongated, gently curling elven accent. One could tell that he was well-educated and certainly possessed a fine temperament.


    He set down the suitcase at the entrance, took off his double-breasted overcoat, handed over his hat to the personal manservant waiting by the door, and said, "They didn''t grill Aiwass for several hours, did they... Ah, thank you, Wade. Remember to bring this suitcase to Aiwass''s room later."


    "Yes, sir. I have noted it," his personal manservant responded quietly as he took the items and retreated.


    "Miss Hayna has been late."


    The old elf chose not to cover for her but directly expressed his dissatisfaction, "It''s always the same with her, thinking of the hat and forgetting the tie, so absent-minded. If she keeps this up, she''ll sooner or later miss something big and get a harsh lesson from her superior."


    "Let''s wait for ''sooner or later'' to happen before we talk about it; if she makes a mistake because of her bad habits, let her mistakes teach her."


    The old man just smiled, narrowed his eyes, and said warmly, "Don''t scold her now for mistakes she might make in the future, Oswald. You are only her instructor, not her superior."


    He was quite friendly and close to his elf butler named Oswald.


    This was normal because when he was about the same age as Aiwass is now, more than sixty years ago, he had also been raised under Oswald''s care.


    Besides the old butler, the mansion employed sixteen other live-in servants¡ªincluding a housekeeper, two personal maids, two personal manservants, two maids, five manservants, a cook, two assistant cooks, and a coachman. Edward Moriarty, Aiwass''s elder brother, usually did not come home. Aside from him and Yulia, there were only the old master left in the house.


    "Mm, I understand."


    Yulia responded absently.


    The old man sighed helplessly and reiterated, "Don''t stay up late, you silly girl.


    "You don''t go out anyway, day or night makes no difference to you. Better to sleep early and look at whatever books during the day. It''s also better for your eyes."


    As he continued, Yulia fell silent again.


    Old James had no choice but to stress, "I''m old now, I can''t stay up late. I need to sleep by ten at night, and I won''t be able to answer your questions. But if you read during the day, you can come to me with any questions at any time. I don''t have classes tomorrow, and I will be home for several days. Whatever you don''t understand, you can ask me, okay?"


    "...Okay."


    This time, Yulia didn''t pretend not to hear; she looked up earnestly, her ruby-like eyes fixed on the old man, "I''ve recently been reading books on alchemy... Discussions from the ''Balance'' Path. Do you understand this topic, Dad?"


    "I know all the books at home," said the old man calmly. "I understand a little about all nine Paths."


    His tone was even, yet a sense of confidence naturally emerged.


    "Then I will definitely go to bed early today."


    The girl raised two fingers next to her ear, pointing to the sky, and earnestly said, "I swear, my word is my bond¡ª"


    "Don''t."


    But the old man just reached out, gently bent the girl''s fingers back, and made a fist.


    "Don''t do that."


    James spoke sternly, "That''s a [Simple Oath], a gesture with spirit. If you break the promise, there will be real consequences."

 Chapter 8: 4 The Gaze of the Silver-Crowned Dragon_2

    "...I just wanted to try."


    Yulia whispered, "I''ve just read about it today in a book... Was my gesture just now correct?"


    "Correct. So don''t do it again."


    The old man sighed wearily, "Go and have your meal, I need to talk to Aiwass."


    Yulia agreed, then followed Butler Oswald to the dining room, leaving only two people in the living room.


    James reverted to silence, sitting opposite Aiwass.


    The old man picked up the cup of tea that Inspector Hayna hadn''t touched, poured it out, and then poured himself another cup of hot tea.


    Looking at the silent Aiwass, he asked softly while holding the tea cup, "How do you feel... about your current state? Is it still stable?"


    What he was referring to was the Shadow Demon that Aiwass had contracted.


    Such matters could never be hidden from a foster father.


    If Aiwass had woken up at home, it mostly meant that Butler Oswald had brought him back while he was unconscious. That meant James must have already examined his body and applied a simple common seal, at least not letting the Shadow Demon take over his body while Aiwass was unconscious.


    It could be said it was very considerate.


    In the "future" visions, that crazed, gloomy James Moriarty, hunched over, and the caring, kind old man in front of him looked as if they were not the same person at all!


    In his memories, there were only scenes of James''s loving care¡ª


    When Aiwass was just over ten years old, he once said unintentionally that he missed the special fried cod fish that Mrs. Misu used to make for them during the holidays at the orphanage.


    The very next day, Mrs. Misu was hired as a cook in the house for a good salary. Not just the special fried cod fish, but other "commoner dishes" she was skilled at were also taught to the house''s cooks. When she was asked to leave, they even gave her an extra bonus.


    That had scared Aiwass so much that for over half a year, he dared not say what he wanted to eat or have. He was afraid that no sooner had he spoken than it would be bought immediately.


    Even without the recollection of his past life''s memories, Little Aiwass always had a clear self-awareness¡ªhe was not James Moriarty''s biological son after all. He did not deserve to take such privileges for granted.


    It was because Aiwass was more sensible that he didn''t turn into some spoiled brat under such pampering.


    So now, when Aiwass looked at his foster father, he always felt complicated. He harbored a kind of fluke mentality.


    ...Could there be a possibility that at the start of the story, his foster father was not the mastermind yet? Or perhaps, it was only after the collapse of the Avalon Kingdom that he fell into wickedness?


    It was not impossible.


    In the original story, when the Avalon Kingdom collapsed, Aiwass had fled to the Holy Nation with the protagonist. From that time on, he had separated from his foster father. The next time they met, it was already three years later.


    But because he knew that what the old man said was completely correct.


    It was not until the "Fallen Celestial Marshal" descended that the Demon Scholars, whose rank ceilings were raised, realized they were entirely on the wrong path.


    They all thought that the emphasis on being a Demon Scholar was on "Demon," not realizing it was actually on "Scholar."


    Humans cannot use humans as ritual materials, Elves cannot use Elves. If one is a transformed Undead, then they cannot use any animal bones as materials. This is the "Heaven''s Scourge" taboo.


    Any Demon Scholar who used offerings from their own kin and incurred the punishment of Heaven''s Scourge could not advance from their profession to become a "Great Sin Scholar." Those fifth Energy Level Demon Scholars could only transform themselves into various Demons. That couldn''t even count as advancement, just swapping their professional level for a racial template stronger than a human''s.


    Without a doubt, such a limit and strength were much weaker than that of the heroic profession "Great Sin Scholar."


    And from the very beginning, players could not use their kin as ritual materials, therefore they could never meet the incorrect conditions for advancement.


    Now, James had spoken out this secret so clearly.


    Was it a coincidence, or was it...


    Aiwass had a thought and simply nodded earnestly.


    He raised two fingers of his right hand to his ear and solemnly uttered the oath, "I swear not to use the life or corpses of my kin as materials or offerings for my rituals."


    As his voice fell, he suddenly witnessed a phantasmagoria¡ª


    Atop a snowy mountain in the darkness of night.


    A radiant dragon that appeared to be made of crystal, diamond, and silver, wearing a Silver Crown, quietly gazed at him.


    The vision lasted only a brief moment, less than half a second. But when Aiwass awoke, he was covered in a cold sweat.


    [You have felt the gaze of ''Authority'']


    [You have acquired the trait: Authority-Silver Scale]


    [Authority-Silver Scale: With this mark as a sign, the Silver-Crowned Dragon is watching over you. A certain oath you have taken cannot be broken. When you attack any oathbreaker, you gain a +1 favorable (divine)]


    "...I don''t know if this is your luck or misfortune, but even a ''simple oath'' has caught Its attention. It must be a coincidence..."


    The elder behind Aiwass also seemed to sense something and stopped in his tracks.


    He was silent for a while before continuing to push the wheelchair slowly and said softly, "But no matter what, the God of Authority has heard your oath, and now it cannot be broken."


    "Of course..."


    Aiwass closed his eyes, feeling tired, and felt his heart that was beating so wildly it felt obstructed, "I will never tread down that irrevocable path of degeneracy."

 Chapter 9: 5 Enchantment Card: Blade of Shadows

    Aiwass didn''t even wait for authorization from the Supervisory Bureau before he knew that he would inevitably be involved in the investigation.


    If all went well, he could also investigate independently¡ªwithout being closely monitored by Inspector Hayna, he could directly participate in the investigation under the identity of "Supervision Bureau Assistant."


    On the one hand, it was the face of his foster father; on the other hand, the Supervisory Bureau, bound by the superior''s rules, was very welcoming of help from outsiders¡ªsince Mr. Sherlock started, now running his own office, being employed by the Supervisory Bureau, consulting "Detectives" have even become a profession.


    If the investigation went poorly, it would be due to the incompetence of the hired detective, at least sparing them from harsh internal accountability; if everything went smoothly, then it would be because the guidance proposed by the Supervisory Bureau was correct, at the very least it would count as a merit, ensuring a fair share of the benefits.


    Although Hayna was a genuine inspector, Aiwass knew the Supervisory Bureau even better than she did.


    The reason Aiwass was so actively involved in the investigation was that he had his own reasons.


    ¡ªThose were revenge and silencing.


    The two versions of the story that Aiwass had told that inspector from the Supervisory Bureau before were actually false. Or rather, they weren''t entirely true.


    He was indeed a participant in the ritual and indeed knew those two Demon Scholars.


    But he was also indeed a sacrificial offering in the ritual.


    Because those two Demon Scholars were actually Aiwass''s "pen pals."


    From a young age, Aiwass has been very interested in knowledge related to taboos. The more the Avalon Kingdom prohibited mystical skills, the more excited he became in studying them.


    Aiwass thought that if the other party wanted to deceive him, they would have likely already done so. The value of the secret knowledge they had given him was already quite high¡ªalthough Aiwass, who had never been to the black market, was unclear on how much this knowledge would really sell for, even if not high quality, the quantity was already considerable.


    ¡ªWhat kind of scammer would operate for so long and invest so much just to trick one person?


    It didn''t make sense nor was it rational. It also did not conform to the principle of maximum benefit.


    So, Aiwass gradually let down his guard and truly regarded this pen pal as a friend whom he had never met but with whom he had a great rapport.


    A few days ago, the other party claimed that they had something to do in the Royal Capital and wanted to meet Aiwass.


    Aiwass believed them without hesitation, without any defenses.


    ¡ªThis was the lie he told the inspector. Because "Aiwass" was not kidnapped, but had actively approached them.


    They were a man and a woman both dressed in red robes and shaved bald. The man looked to be in his forties or fifties, and the woman was in her twenties. In addition to their roles as mentors and apprentices, they were also lovers.


    He warmly invited his "two friends" for a meal, afterward the middle-aged man suggested that he could let Aiwass witness, even personally participate in a real Demon summoning ritual¡ªAiwass agreed excitedly.


    But after he busied himself setting up the ritual for over an hour, he suddenly realized something as he looked at the ritual platform.


    Doesn''t summoning a Demon require some expensive materials?


    And it was then that he belatedly realized that by setting up the ritual platform himself, he had just precisely become a "willing sacrificial offering." At the same time, as a student of the Royal College of Law Theological Seminary, before graduation, Aiwass could become a Priest.


    Although he had not truly embarked on the Path of the Transcendent, he had already taken the first step towards [Dedication].

 Chapter 10: 5: Enchantment Card: Blade of Shadows_2

    Reflected on his data card was that he now possessed a Level 1 Priest profession. Once the experience for "Basic Prayer," the basic skill, was fully accumulated, Aiwass would be able to promote his Priest profession to Level 2 and master his first Path of Devotion trait.


    Of course, he excitedly shared this with his pen pals¨C¨Calthough "Priest" wasn''t as interesting as "Demon Scholar," it was still an extraordinary profession. To embark on a transcendent path and possess extraordinary abilities was better than having none at all.


    More importantly, Priests were respected professionals in Avalon.


    The symbol of the "Dedication" Path was light, guardianship, and candles. It was the path of devoting oneself for others and one''s ideals, where gaining strength was only possible by truly practicing this concept from one''s heart. Hence, all professions stemming from the Path of Devotion were promising and recognized as extraordinary professions by society.


    Thus, as a "willing sacrifice" and follower of "Dedication," Aiwass became a sacrifice of the highest caliber.


    It was also not until that moment, when facing the threat of death, that Aiwass recalled his memories from a past life. He recognized the type of demon first and successfully made a pact with it.


    He manipulated the Shadow Demon to stealthily assassinate the stunned middle-aged man, who was the "mentor" Demon Scholar. But the woman, his apprentice, was still alive.


    If she had been just a little slower, she would have been killed by Aiwass; but if she dared to turn back to look, she could have turned the tables and killed Aiwass instead.


    It was so close.


    Aiwass sighed.


    ¨C¨CIt was so close, he was nearly sacrificed and silenced by that man; yet again, so close, and he could have been killed by that woman.


    Betrayed, deceived, and plotted against for murder.


    Taking into account that he could dual-class as an Illuminator, the answer became simple.


    That was the version 5.0 "Aiwass," who, after mastering the Phantom Demon Power, advanced into the "Master of Beasts."


    It was a later-stage profession after further advancing from the Great Sin Scholar.


    Capable of defeating the undying Phantom Demon and extracting their essence to form his own summoned creatures, the "Great Beasts" of six attributes.


    While only one "Great Beast" could be summoned at a time, it was possible to switch to the most suitable Great Beast for the current situation, then use Support Cards, Equipment Cards, and Field Cards, created with the power of other "Great Beasts," to enhance the current one.


    And most critical was that this summoned creature was considered a "teammate."


    Not only was its output far greater than the caster''s, but it could also benefit from all types of team buffs.


    In gaming terms, it meant this profession had the highest leverage in terms of buffs.


    Because the buffs from the cards were all noble mechanical boosts¨C¨Clike Triple Speed, Armor Piercing, Poison, Burning, Evasion, Spell Penetration, and notably didn''t include damage increase boosts. Coincidentally, they wouldn''t be diluted by various damage-increasing buffs from the mainstream support profession, the Illuminator.


    Although after summoning the "Great Beast," the main body couldn''t benefit from attack buffs, and thus the main body''s output would be somewhat weak.


    However, during burst cycles, the Master of Beasts could temporarily merge with the summoned, fully enhanced "Great Beast" to unleash tremendous power.


    With the Illuminator complementing the Master of Beasts, Aiwass could use his summoned creature as a "teammate" for enhancements. And he wouldn''t lose the social prestige benefits that came with his publicly known Priest identity, while also being able to switch to a summoned creature that countered different enemies, with a high potential ceiling.


    In the worst-case scenario, where he alone had to contend with a BOSS¨Cthis job combination might not yield the highest outburst under ideal conditions, but it was certainly the most comprehensive in terms of performance and adaptability.

 Chapter 11: 5 Enchantment Card: Blade of Shadows_3

    The ability to extract the power of a Superior Phantom and create a Phantom Card using Tarot Cards as materials, came from the preceding profession, the Great Sin Scholar.


    The Great Sin Scholar could, after thoroughly researching and analyzing a Phantom Demon, obtain corresponding ritual knowledge¡ªwhat card this Phantom Demon could be used to print and what materials and rituals were needed. Once this knowledge was known, even a Demon Scholar could make preparations in advance.


    The most important prerequisite for advancing to become the Master of Beasts was to use the abilities of the Great Sin Scholar to make six Blank Cards of different attributes, each sealing a Phantom Demon of the corresponding attribute.


    Then, by repeatedly defeating Phantom Demons of the same attribute as experience materials, the level of all six Phantom Demons would be filled.


    According to Aiwass''s memories, there was a Fire-attribute Superior Phantom residing within Yulia.


    It was to nourish that Phantom, that her body was so weak.


    After the Phantom fully matured, it would claim Yulia''s life. To save her, one must confront the juvenile-phase Phantom Demon; and since Phantom Demons are immortal... it meant that conventional means could not save Yulia. At most, it could only delay the time the Phantom awoke and went out of control.


    "Master of Beasts" was different, however.


    If Aiwass could successfully create a "Blank Card" with enough capacity to contain the Phantom inside Yulia, he could directly extract the consciousness of Yulia''s internal Phantom.


    In doing so, not only could he save Yulia''s life, but he could also prepare the materials for his advancement to Master of Beasts in advance!


    And Yulia could also incidentally gain the residual energy from the Phantom¡ªmaking this unstable and dangerous power stable and growth-capable, thus stepping onto the Path of the Transcendent as well!


    All of this was based on the fact that the ritual to create cards from Aiwass''s memories was reliable and feasible.


    He had already tested other rituals before, and the ritual knowledge from the game was indeed usable!


    These Tarot Cards, part of a large batch of mysterious items related to various rituals that Aiwass fervently worshiped in the past, which he had no use for, now happened to be suitable for creating the Phantom Cards of the Master of Beasts.


    The Tarot card depicted a moon with two towers on either side. Beneath the moon there was a wolf and a dog, both howling madly at the moon. At the very center of the image, at the bottom, was a lobster climbing out of a river, looking up at the sky in confusion.


    This was "The Moon." The Moon card in Tarot divination symbolizes bewilderment, hardship, and unease.


    The creators of the Tarot, the Prophets from the Path of "Adaptation," scorned the Astrologers who belonged to the same Path and compared them to dogs barking at the moon¡ªbecause all Prophets agreed that the future was never precisely predictable, whereas Astrologers strove to create an elaborate, accurate "Grand Unified Star Chart" that could predict all futures.


    This behavior was laughable in the eyes of the Prophets. It was as ridiculous as dogs barking at the moon, trying to figure out what it stood for. But it only exposed their ignorance and fearlessness.


    Aiwass held his breath, becoming extremely careful.


    That''s because the "The Moon" on the Tarot card had been smeared with mercury by him. Using this as a medium, he infused three points of Dark Attribute Mana into it yesterday.


    The maximum capacity of Aiwass''s Dark Attribute Mana Pool was also only three points.


    And to create the most basic, weakest card, at least five points were required. No matter how strong the card to be made, the other materials used were the same, the only difference being the amount of gemstone powder used.


    ...Although creating such a weak card was somewhat wasteful of materials, succeeding once to confirm feasibility was more important.


    Moreover, at worst, it''s a reusable Magic Scroll. Once the card was completed, only one-tenth of Mana was needed to trigger it, any amount less than one point was considered zero. The only restriction was that only one Tarot-based card could be used per day. That means if Aiwass used this Moon Card, he wouldn''t be able to use another Moon Card for the rest of the day.


    But that did not matter.


    When it was no longer needed, he could simply sell it or give it away¡ªportable Magic Scrolls that could be triggered without Mana and automatically recharged daily would surely fetch a good price. From this perspective, these ritual materials weren''t really wasted.

 Chapter 12: 5 Enchantment Card: Blade of Shadows_4

    Aiwass had already infused his three points of Dark Attribute Mana into the card yesterday. It was for this reason that the card slightly darkened, not an illusion but because it was indeed weakly absorbing the surrounding light. If placed under the sunlight and compared with other objects, perhaps it would be more noticeable.


    Now, Aiwass''s Mana Pool was replenished and full.


    He touched the mercury-coated moon gently again, slowly infusing all three points of Dark Attribute Mana inside. A card crafted with six Mana Points would be slightly stronger than one with five.


    "What a pity..."


    Aiwass murmured in a low voice, "Let''s create one for now. The materials for the remaining three cards can wait until I have more Mana in the future."


    After the card had been infused with the minimum of five Mana Points, the ritual was immediately activated. If not crafted immediately, it would be wasted in an hour. Otherwise, Aiwass could even save up Mana day by day, possibly accumulating for ten days to craft a "Field Card: Shadow Cellar" that would require thirty Mana Points.


    He could also infuse one more point today and then start crafting tomorrow with seven Mana Points.


    But from five to ten Mana Points, all that could be crafted were the weakest "Enchantment Card: Blade of Shadows." Hoarding one more point wouldn''t bring a qualitative change... Better to seize an extra day instead.


    The card automatically floated up, flying into Aiwass''s hand.


    The card''s attributes appeared automatically in his eyes:


    [Enchantment: Blade of Shadows (Moon)]


    [Required: Darkness 0]


    [Instant, Contact, Immediate Effect]


    [Effect: Temporarily grants the target "Weapon" shadow, cutting, and corrosion properties, considered an Extraordinary Weapon. Duration: one minute (+20%)]


    It''s done.


    Aiwass thought to himself.

 Chapter 13: 6: Copy: Sin Nexus Pelican Bar

    Early the next morning, Inspector Hayna went to Moriarty Manor with the authorization from the Supervisory Bureau.


    Clearly, she had learned her lesson from yesterday.


    After a quick breakfast, Hayna immediately hurried over, even arriving before seven o''clock.


    At that time, Mr. Aiwass had not yet risen, so the butler Oswald could only settle her in the parlor and have the maids serve her some tea and pastries.


    It wasn''t until Aiwass had gotten up, washed, and finished breakfast that Oswald informed him that Inspector Hayna had been waiting in the parlor.


    "...You''ve come so early, senpai. Wasn''t the agreed time half past nine?"


    Aiwass sat in his wheelchair, which Oswald slowly pushed into the parlor.


    The moment he entered, he saw Hayna dressed in "formal attire."


    Completely different from her attire the previous day, Hayna was now wrapped in a two-piece suit of leather armor.


    However, this leather armor was closer to a uniform than protective gear. It didn''t completely cover all skin, but even so, it could still provide some protective function. Yet, its meaning seems to be more ritualistic than practical.


    "Armor" is sacred in the Kingdom of Avalon.


    In the Kingdom of Avalon, the main power hierarchies are divided into "Knights" and the civil system of "Civil Servants". Aside from hereditary Knight Families who could enter the Senate, this also includes Inspectors, Arbiters, and the entire cavalry system. Only "Knights" are allowed to don armor, and lawmakers must be fully armored when entering the Senate; entering the Senate in ordinary clothes is seen as a provocation to the authority of the Round Table Hall.


    Apart from knights, anyone who wears or even owns armor could be directly sentenced to the severe punishment of capital execution. Even for Knight Families, the children of the house head cannot wear their parents'' armor without the Queen''s authorization.


    As she spoke, Hayna cheerfully tapped the sword she had placed on the table.


    Aiwass followed her gaze.


    It was a leaf-shaped shortsword with a scabbard gleaming with a silver sheen. About twenty-four inches long, or sixty centimeters, the scabbard was etched with beautiful thorn patterns, and nestled among them were red, green, and blue grains of glass, the size of sand particles, dazzling under the reflection of the sunlight from outside. It was evident at a glance that this was very typical Elven Style¡ªwhether functional or not was a different matter, but it sure was good-looking.


    Because the sword''s appearance was so striking, it didn''t quite match the somewhat simplistic leather armor on Hayna. Instead, it blended seamlessly with the Elven Style ornaments in Aiwass''s home.


    It made Aiwass first think that it was one of his family''s artistic pieces.


    If it''s something you brought, then it''s fine.


    "I will definitely protect you well!" Hayna said with utmost determination.


    Her calloused fingers carefully brushed over the thorny pattern on the scabbard. Once she held the sword, a confident aura suddenly burst forth from her.


    Different from the timid, clumsy, cautious demeanor of last night, her entire temperament changed. Even her eyes brightened up.


    As an analogy, it was like the difference between a horror game player without a gun and one who has just obtained a firearm.


    Aiwass watched Hayna''s eyes deeply, falling silent and reflective.


    He could tell that she obviously hadn''t slept well last night¡ªshe was too excited to rest peacefully.


    Of course, part of the excitement came from early contact with her own sword. But a bigger thrill, perhaps, lay in her belief that she could finally "show her mettle."

 Chapter 14: 6 Copy: Sin Nexus Pelican Bar_2

    After yesterday''s test, today''s interactions, and investigating her background, Aiwass had already roughly figured out and organized Hayna''s thought processes.


    She was clearly not very bright; once things got complicated, she would get too lazy to think logically. At the same time, she must have come from a poor background but possessed a Transcendent talent in her own field¡ªlike swordsmanship¡ªthat she could be proud of. As a result, her personality tended to become stubborn, favoring her own intuitive judgments over hesitation, reflection, and complex analysis.


    In short, she was a kind of "Martial Fool".


    Since she truly came from humble origins, and as a village girl who never dressed up, her appearance naturally couldn''t compare to the delicate ladies of the Royal Capital. This resulted in a subtle, self-unrecognized inferiority complex.


    This inferiority would transform into a sense of aggression and hostility towards those "of higher status" than herself. But at the same time, she was afraid of causing trouble for herself because of her lack of background, so it wouldn''t manifest as concrete words or actions. However, it could still be revealed through attitudes under pressure and instinctive reactions when making choices.


    Because of her straightforward personality, more approachable background, and excellent achievements, as well as a wisdom for survival that avoided offending others easily, she would be quite popular in a school setting, especially among the relatively simple-minded students¡ªyet her initial contact with society led to repeated setbacks, which could easily confuse her and even make her susceptible to manipulation, or lead her down the wrong path in life.


    This was precisely the moment she felt perplexed.


    This kind of person was entirely exploitable.


    The weakness and helplessness that Aiwass had shown when he first met her yesterday were carefully selected postures intended to attract her immediately, after he had reviewed Hayna''s information in advance.


    Today and in the future, she could become a very reliable bodyguard for him.


    After their interaction yesterday, Hayna would believe they had become friends. And she urgently needed to showcase her proudest skill¡ªher swordsmanship¡ªin front of this new friend of noble identity, innocence, gentleness, and artistic and weak beauty.


    If she could truly demonstrate this skill, she would feel that she "has shown her proudest strength", thereby hoping to gain Aiwass''s affirmation.


    If Aiwass affirmed her in this regard and expressed his genuine need for her help, such a request would greatly satisfy her social needs.


    In that case, Aiwass, who was initially a suspect and met with her caution and defense, could turn into her good friend after just a day''s encounter, and naturally bring Aiwass into her social circle at school.


    Even though taking advantage of a young girl who had just graduated made Aiwass feel somewhat guilty.


    This was his debt.


    Aiwass never liked to owe people favors. Once he owed something, he would immediately look for ways to repay it.


    Otherwise, after a few exchanges, it would be easy to get close with others. And having "friends" is a very dangerous thing; often, one may be dragged into dangerous situations in an attempt to help friends, and also easily betrayed by friends due to lowered guard.

 Chapter 15: 6: Copy - Sin Nexus Pelican Bar_3

    Aiwass had never liked getting too close to others.


    ¡ª¡ªThat only made him feel tense, uncomfortable.


    It was better for both parties to maintain a relationship of mutual assistance and utilization. Staying within a healthy, efficient, and sustainable business relationship meant there was no sorrow over betrayal by the other party, no resentment for being abandoned... Likewise, there was no hesitation and guilt when preparing to betray another.


    Aiwass''s current predecessor was just such an example.


    Because of excessive enthusiasm and naivety, trusting pen friends and regarding them as friends, indeed, came at a heavy price.


    But paying back a favor was a very simple matter for him.


    In Aiwass''s memory, there was no name "Hayna" in the game. Without a doubt, she must have been the one who died in battle when Avalon was invaded in the game''s first version.


    Aiwass did not save Avalon for her sake, he did it for the stability of his own life. Therefore, saving her in the process could hardly be considered a repayment of a favor.


    But given Hayna''s character, insights, and abilities, there must be many scoundrels in the school with intentions as dark as his own attempting to become her fake friends. Aiwass could easily identify those people and then help her distinguish the true friends who were trustworthy and less likely to betray.


    He was very skilled at analyzing others.


    If anything, the HR profession did have a slight resemblance to the East Factory in nature.


    It required not only a discerning eye and objective attitude but also enough ruthlessness to take tough actions.


    Because of this, Aiwass needed to gain sufficient influence.


    Not the name "Knight" of his foster father. That was only a nominal position, and even entering the senate meant a game of wits with a bunch of old, sophisticated folks, making any action sticky like syrup, unable to unfold freely.


    The feeling of life drifting with the tide, fate not under one''s own control... It was unbearable.


    What Aiwass wanted was to make those in power consult his opinion before making decisions. He could not become one of them, and it was best not to get close to any faction. He could not become the sacrifice in internal power struggles... but had to become an existence even higher than theirs.


    Not to control others, but to ensure he was not controlled.


    To ensure he was not sacrificed, nor did he have to sacrifice others.


    Aiwass vaguely remembered that this incident would eventually involve a certain minister.


    In the original history, it was the player who gained high prestige by resolving this incident.


    Without the presence of a player character in this world, he had to join the investigation of this incident.


    Luckily, thanks to Toyulia''s favor¡ªalthough Aiwass still skipped the plot animation, he remembered some details. For instance, where the crucial intelligence was, what enemies were in the last instance they opened, and their level.


    Because after a messy investigation, the first instance of this game would be unlocked:


    The level 10 instance, "Sin Nexus Pelican Bar."

 Chapter 16: 7: Armed with a Powerful Weapon, the Urge to Kill Arises

    Oswald did not offer to accompany her.


    Clearly, although he did not have a high opinion of his student''s concept of time and intelligence, he had great trust in her martial prowess. This also confirmed Aiwass''s judgment.


    Although he could not see Hayna''s attribute panel, just thinking about it told him... After all, she was among the best batch of elite students in the nation''s top Transcendent school. Lacking resources and early education, being able to keep up with, and even stand out from, the country''s elites in class had already proven her talent.


    Despite her self-satisfaction of having become an Inspector of the Royal Capital before graduation, it actually wasn''t all that impressive.


    The Supervisory Bureau, albeit a combat-related profession, did not hold a very high status. They mostly dealt with civil cases. Their main responsibilities were patrolling the streets, maintaining public order, inspecting whether businesses met safety standards, investigating relatively simple Transcendent cases, processing public accusations, dispersing illegal gatherings, arresting low-level Transcendents, and so on.


    In the face of formidable foes such as enemy nation spies, high-level Transcendents, or cultists, it would be up to the Supervisory Court to take action; and when members of the Knight Families committed serious crimes, it would be the Arbitration Hall, the highest authority, that would intervene.


    "Arbitrators" started at career level thirty, and all of them were young Knight senators who could enter the Round Table Hall. They were extremely wealthy, fully equipped, and experienced, constituting Avalon''s highest level of elite troops. A notch above them were the few top-notch powerhouses.


    Although Hayna did not have a distinguished background or any significant connections, and even appeared clumsy and simple due to a lack of experience and training before her graduation,


    Based on Aiwass''s experience, having no background or connections and being forthright and ingenuous might not be a bad thing, given her sufficient personal strength.


    Now she was placed in a district Supervisory Bureau as a front-line Inspector to rapidly accumulate experience, and also to lower her personal expectations. Hayna was clueless about her own value, and if she adapted to a job that clearly didn''t match her education and abilities, then her leader who promoted her "out of turn" would become a person to be grateful to.


    After a few years, as she became exposed to society and gained sufficient work experience, and her career level as a Transcendent also increased, she could at least secure a position from district bureau chief upwards before the age of thirty.


    If things went smoothly, there was a chance to join the Supervisory Court by the age of thirty. Making it into the Round Table and receiving an armor from the Queen before forty wasn''t impossible either.


    Aiwass estimated her career level to be around twenty.


    A lady''s pistol, then. So be it.


    Initially wanting to refuse, Aiwass happily accepted it after seeing the attributes.


    A Finely Crafted Weapon was the highest grade a mortal craftsman could achieve!


    It was only one level below the purple Extraordinary Weapons, which required the use of Transcendent power to create.


    Who needs a bicycle?


    In the game, it was only after level thirty that dungeons would reliably drop blue gear. As for purple Extraordinary Weapons, they had to be crafted through ritual spells and alchemy or dropped from defeating high-level Transcendents.


    Not to mention that the gun''s modules were quite good ¨C with blue equipment, only the trait and style are fixed, the other one to three random attributes could be positive or negative.


    Two positive attributes, and pairing "recoil" with "precision" at that... This was a tool-type weapon useful even in the mid-to-late game, at least for rapidly firing special effect bullets and ritual bullets that didn''t require high damage.


    Even higher-level pistols would certainly do more damage, but they might not be as accurate as this one.


    However, as Aiwass was leaving, Oswald suddenly called out to him.


    "The master said to remember to wear this, and put on the cloak," Oswald said, handing Aiwass a black neck brace and a black hooded cloak.


    Aiwass pinched the neck brace and quickly recognized its material: "Asbestos?"


    "The Strangler Party has been rampant lately. If you plan to leave the White Queen District, it''s wise to wear a protective neck brace against strangulation," Oswald said with utter seriousness, like a tall and lean specter. "They act quickly, and Lady Hayna may not always be able to protect you. And the hood is to conceal your identity ¨C to prevent those with ulterior motives from memorizing your face."

 Chapter 17: 7: Armed with a Sharp Tool, the Urge to Kill Arises_2

    Aiwass somewhat reluctantly put it on.


    He had heard of the Strangler Party.


    It was an upgraded version of robbers.


    To leave no survivors who could trace them and also to increase work efficiency, they would suddenly emerge when passersby crossed sparsely populated areas or alley entrances, strangling their victims with a thin rope and dragging them into the shadows. After successfully strangling their prey, they would strip everything of value from the body.


    It was not easy for citizens to report such crimes immediately, or even to find the bodies. Because the Strangler Party killed directly instead of subduing or intimidating the victims, it also prevented the possibility of being counter-killed by low-level Transcendents.


    Although asbestos is carcinogenic... life is more important after all. And it''s not like I have to be exposed to it for a long time.


    It''s just that my level is too low.


    If I were at level twenty or thirty now, why would I fear those petty thieves?


    Watching Aiwass put on the neck protector and drape a black cloak over himself, the old butler then handed Aiwass a thick stack of banknotes, "This is the investigation fund provided by the master. It''s just the first investigation, so you probably won''t need too much."


    Aiwass could clearly hear, Hayna beside him let out a soft hiss.


    He counted briefly. There were twenty silver-white, slightly reflective large bills, each stamped with crossing rods and a sword, and in front of them lay a white crown. This symbolized the god of authority, the "Silver-Crowned Dragon".


    There were also twenty red bills of medium size. Ten of them showed five red candles and the number "5"; the other ten depicted just one candle and the number "1". These represented the deity of the Path of Devotion, also the god served by the Church, the "Candle Master".


    This was Avalon Kingdom''s unique currency, which could also circulate in other countries.


    Indeed, she had lost money before. As a child, she lost her tuition money by carelessly running around on the street... which resulted in her mother crying that day. It was not a heart-wrenching cry, but a silent one, with her mother quietly wiping her tears away.


    But that scene was deeply etched in Hayna''s heart.


    Since then, she never ran wildly on the streets again. Whenever she wanted to run, it felt like her legs were weighed down with heavy weights.


    She carefully searched her pockets a few times before finding one that she felt somewhat secure to put the money in. But she dared not take her hand away, instead, she half-protected the pocket with her elbow, occasionally needing to use her hand to make sure the money was still there. Her other hand rested beside her treasured short sword.


    With this vigilant posture, she pushed Aiwass''s wheelchair away from Moriarty Manor.


    "Where are we going?"


    She asked Aiwass subconsciously, "To the warehouse where the incident happened the day before yesterday? Or to Stone Arch Gate Park?"


    "¡ªNo."


    Noticing Hayna''s stance, Aiwass let out a gentle breath.


    "Those places have been thoroughly searched. Any information to be gained you must have already found."


    "We''re heading east, to the Pelican Bar," Aiwass said.


    "...What''s that?" Hayna obviously did not recognize the place name.


    Or rather, apart from the two streets around the Red Queen District where the university was located and the single route from the White Queen District Inspection Bureau to Moriarty Manor where she now worked, she was unfamiliar with any other area of the Royal Capital.


    Her monthly allowance of 50 Red Candles, which was equivalent to a laborer''s monthly wage, did not leave her the luxury to roam around the Royal Capital freely.

 Chapter 18: 7: Armed with a Sharp Weapon, the Urge to Kill Arises_3

    "In Lohar District."


    "Lohar District? By the harbor?"


    Hayna''s expression changed, and she suddenly remembered the name of this bar.


    She had indeed heard of this bar''s name before!


    When she first came to the Royal Capital, a good friend had advised her not to venture into Lohar District for no reason; she trusted her friend, so even when her roommate often excited her to visit the bars in Lohar District, she was very firm in her resolve never to go.


    Of course, part of the reason was that she really didn''t have the money, and she was too embarrassed to let her friends treat her.


    Since she had decided not to go, she automatically blocked out those words in her mind. She feared that, if she listened too much, she might accidentally be tempted.


    Hayna remembered that the name she heard most was "Old Captain Bar." It was a frequent spot for sailors on leave from the kingdom to drink, where her peers liked to search for handsome men¡ªyoung, strong, good-looking, and who hadn''t seen women for a long time while at sea. They were an easy catch.


    One of her roommates even got herself a young sailor as a boyfriend. He was said to be a sergeant, always boasting about being on some secret mission... whether that was true or not, who could say?


    If it were truly a secret, would he be telling it to college girls?


    Hayna was quite skeptical.


    In the small town where she was born, the blacksmith uncle would always boast about having spent time in the Royal Capital, claiming to be knowledgeable and cultured.


    Later, when she arrived in the Royal Capital herself, she found out that "having spent time" meant he had come here as an apprentice to learn his trade when he was in his early teens, but he ran away after a few years because he couldn''t stick it out.


    With a weapon in hand, the intent to kill arises naturally.


    All this was within Aiwass''s expectations.


    Having trained for so long and risen to such a level without ever truly facing an enemy... a bit of excitement was normal.


    "So, are you ready to kill, senior?"


    Aiwass''s eyes narrowed like a fox, his mouth curling into a smile that could be either good-natured or mocking.


    Hayna paused at his words.


    Then, she spoke gravely, "Actually, I''ve already killed someone."


    Oh?


    Aiwass raised an eyebrow.


    This was an unexpected answer.


    "Then let''s go."


    He didn''t interrogate further, simply said softly, "My legs aren''t good, so I''ll trouble you to push me there."


    "Of course."


    Hayna breathed a sigh of relief and quickly agreed.

 Chapter 19: 8 Hayna Wants to Hear a Secret

    Mr. Aiwass sat securely in his wheelchair, gently pushed along by Inspector Hayna from behind.


    The sensation was very comfortable¡ªespecially considering that Mr. Aiwass actually had no problems with his legs, it suddenly felt even better.


    He even closed his eyes, luxuriating in the early winter sun, drowsy and close to falling asleep.


    For a moment, he had the illusion that he had aged into retirement, taken out for a walk and sunbathing by his own daughter.


    Wrapped in a black cloak, Mr. Aiwass only revealed half his chin, quietly observing his surroundings.


    Therefore, Mr. Aiwass clearly observed an interesting phenomenon: the pedestrians walking near Moriarty Manor, upon seeing Inspector Hayna in her inspector''s attire, felt no fear at all.


    They merely glanced her way and continued on as usual.


    But as they left the White Queen District and gradually entered the Lohar District toward the southeast... the situation began to change.


    The looks pedestrians gave Inspector Hayna turned increasingly fearful. They would deliberately avoid her path well in advance, and some would even stop and step aside over ten meters away, cautiously making way for Inspector Hayna.


    When Inspector Hayna entered a fresh market, a terrifying solemnity rapidly spread among the crowd with her at the center. Once residents realized that an inspector was pushing some important figure through, the somewhat crowded tide of people automatically parted to either side.


    It was a miracle akin to Moses parting the sea¡ªalthough the crowd was noisy and packed shoulder to shoulder, the wheelchair beneath Mr. Aiwass never once stopped moving. No one dared to block his path or strike up a conversation, not even daring to speak loudly, lest they disturb the mysterious figure wrapped so snugly.


    Even the residents previously engaged in shopping stopped their transactional chatter. They looked on with curiosity and a bit of fear as Mr. Aiwass slowly passed through the crowd, watching him... until they left the market.


    "Do you see, Hayna?"


    After that, Mr. Aiwass closed his eyes, his body relaxed slightly as he leaned back, speaking softly, "People are very afraid of you."


    "I don''t understand why."


    Hayna did not attempt to conceal her voice, and her words did not waver in the slightest: "People without guilt have no reason to fear us.


    "Everyone knows that in Avalon, ''rules'' are essential¡ªit''s not a secret but common knowledge known by all. As such, one must not break the rules or violate the law. I don''t understand what they are afraid of."


    As she said this, she stood tall and straight. Her eyes blazed like fire.


    Mr. Aiwass was somewhat surprised.


    "I thought you would sympathize with them," Mr. Aiwass said.


    "Why should I?"


    Hayna countered: "Did I do something wrong? Or is it just because I come from a poor background?"


    ...In matters of her background, she seemed a bit too sensitive.


    Mr. Aiwass realized that Hayna didn''t wish to discuss this subject. Yet even so, she didn''t end this unpleasant topic.


    "Yes, my family is poor. But my parents told me since I was a child to be an upright person¡ªabide by the law, loyal to the Queen, honest to my mentors. Though I have no money, I have never committed even a petty theft."


    Hayna''s voice was filled with strong confidence as she spoke: "I will not require others to be like me, because not everyone believes in the way of Authority. But I will do my utmost to bind my own actions¡ªnot because I am forced, but because I willingly do so.


    "Nowadays, I devote myself to obeying my superiors, carrying out every order within the rules they give; but should the day come when I rank above him, then he must also obey me in the same manner.


    She only felt itchy in her ears, and her back followed suit. Blood rushed to her head, and even the lobes of her ears grew hot.


    It wasn''t embarrassment but excitement and fear.


    "Please, a little quieter, Mr. Aiwass¡ª"


    She lowered her voice, speaking softly.


    She was too afraid of being overheard discussing such heretical ideas... but from another perspective, she was somewhat curious.


    Something inside her itched to hear more.


    These were things no one would discuss with her at home or at school... even if they had, she wouldn''t have deigned to listen. But now, already feeling a sense of agreement as if she had thought this way all along.


    Under this conflicted mindset, she had even started referring to Aiwass, who was four years her junior, with a respectful title like "Mr."


    That''s why she subconsciously said "please, a little quieter" instead of "please, do not speak anymore."


    But at that moment, Mr. Aiwass instead closed his mouth with a smile, as if he was a villain hum-humming with suppressed laughter.


    Listening to the soft laughter of Mr. Aiwass in the wheelchair, Hayna felt her ears, neck, and back stop itching¡ªnow her teeth began to itch with irritation.


    Why did you stop halfway through? So why after all!?


    But Hayna didn''t dare admit she wanted to listen¡ªthere was no doubt that would be disloyal.


    ¡ªCan''t you just keep speaking on your own?


    I''m just trying to persuade you a bit, if it doesn''t work, then I won''t insist, okay?!


    "When the time is right," Mr. Aiwass said, "I''ll tell you."


    "So when is the right time¡ª"


    "It''s simple."


    Mr. Aiwass replied: "After we''ve resolved this matter, after we''ve reunited from the university... I''ll find a quiet place to continue telling you.


    "You understand, right? This kind of secret shouldn''t be discussed in public."


    "¡ªAlright!"


    Hayna said confidently, "You don''t have to tell me, I will help you catch the criminal.


    "At that time, I want to hear the rest of the story you haven''t finished!"


    Somehow, she no longer cared whether she had deviated from the Path of Authority.


    Maybe she had always known in her heart she was off the Path, it was just now that she was willing to admit it to herself.


    And yet, she hadn''t realized something¡ª


    That was, without being aware of it, her reason for wanting to arrest the criminal had shifted from "orders from the Supervisory Bureau" to "helping Mr. Aiwass catch the criminal." But she remained completely oblivious.

 Chapter 20: 9 Yes, I like children

    Two hours had passed on their journey, and Hayna had not felt the slightest fatigue.


    As they left the Red-White Queen District at the center of the capital "Glass Island", the number of smoke-belching factories and speeding trains gradually increased.


    The choking fog mixed with the fishy smell of seafood, the whistle of steam mingled with the hawker''s shouts.


    The scent of baking bread from the street-side bakery wafted over as people in thick overcoats and top hats walked by.


    A destitute painter wearing a beret sat at the street''s edge, sketching the dark high-rise buildings across the street, along with the serpentine metal pipes coiling around the exteriors of the factories; Meanwhile, an inspector clad in silvery white armor soared past on the back of a grand and majestic white Gryphon, two meters tall, high above.


    A red-haired newsboy around eleven or twelve, carrying two bundles of newspapers, shouted at the street corner:


    "Glass Staircase Daily headlines today! Bishop Mathers of the Red Queen Diocese was recently appointed as Clergy Councilor by Her Majesty the Queen! The number of clergy councilors from the church has now increased to six!"


    "The Minister of Finance plans to tax matches and kerosene lamps next year! The Star Antimony Kingdom expels three Knights of Avalon for charges of murder, espionage, and interference in internal affairs, Her Majesty the Queen expresses strong condemnation!"


    Most copies of the Glass Staircase Daily had been sold, with only a few remaining. The ropes had to be tightened again and again to prevent them from slipping off the shoulder.


    As for the other bundle of newspapers behind the newsboy, less than a quarter had been sold.


    He yelled with his somewhat cracked lips: "Lohar Union Weekly, only five Red Coins a copy¡ªThe day of execution is drawing near, the list of convicts sentenced to death in November has been confirmed! Thirty-eight people will be executed this month, it''s the second highest in the past three years, with a definitive list of the condemned!


    "The third apprentice recruitment round for Nikast''s Plaster Factory in the Port District lowers the age requirement to fourteen!"


    "A painter in Green Flute Street committed suicide at home last week! Lohar Harbor Bank was robbed yesterday, and all the thieves have been arrested! Come and take a look! Only five Red Coins a copy¡ª"


    "Senior Sister."


    Aiwass suddenly spoke, "Buy me two newspapers."


    "Hmm?"


    Hayna paused, "Shouldn''t someone from your house deliver the Glass Staircase Daily to you? Do you want to buy a Lohar Union Weekly?"


    "No, buy one of each," Aiwass insisted.


    "...Oh, I see."


    It took Hayna a moment to realize. Aiwass was looking at the newsboy busily selling papers and wanted to help him sell out sooner.


    "It''s almost noon, no one will buy them. And this is the Lohar District, it''s mostly sailors, fishermen, and laborers here, they don''t have that much money to spend on newspapers," she whispered, "Should I buy them all?"


    "No, just one of each is fine."


    Aiwass shook his head, "The child is working, not begging."


    "...I understand."


    Hayna nodded earnestly with respect.


    She spoke seriously, "I''ll go buy the newspapers, you be careful."


    Aiwass opened his eyes, nodding silently.


    Hayna had only just left when a girl stealthily approached Aiwass.


    She was somewhat dirty, thinly dressed, and scrawny.


    Seeing Aiwass in a hood, the girl hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to address him.


    "...Mister, would you like to buy a bouquet of flowers?" she asked softly.


    She had evidently noticed that Aiwass was sitting in a wheelchair¡ªalthough she could tell from the pattern on the wheelchair that Aiwass must be wealthy and likely a kind person, having eavesdropped on their conversation earlier.


    But because Aiwass seemed to be a disabled person, her sales pitch wasn''t as confident.


    Aiwass reached out and touched her head.


    Hayna, as if realizing something, pondered. Compared to his attitude towards herself, Aiwass''s demeanor towards the two children was clearly much friendlier.


    "Yes, I like innocent children,"


    Aiwass nodded and surprisingly, without lying, spoke a truth that came from his heart: "Just like liking cats and dogs, being with them relaxes my mind. There are many things I like, I just don''t particularly like people."


    "...That sounds almost like an insult,"


    Hayna joked in response to his words, "You can''t treat children like pets."


    "It just sounds like it,"


    Aiwass''s lips slightly curving, offered no further explanation.


    He indeed was complaining about people¡ªexcept he was talking about adults.


    To him, adults with their filthy minds, greed, and duplicitous natures, were worse than cats and dogs... and that included himself.


    As they chatted, following Aiwass''s directions, they finally arrived at the Pelican Bar.


    But calling it a bar was somewhat misleading; it seemed more like a house or a warehouse. Its front door was whitewashed and extravagantly painted with a cartoon-like pelican with its mouth wide open. Various fishes stuffed into its enormous mouth, floated in the beer foam, as if the pelican were stewing fish in beer.


    Next to it hung a wooden board with a long string of words spelt out in capital letters, imitating the sound of a drunkard''s belch.


    ¡ªThat was precisely the bar''s sign.


    Strictly speaking, this "Pelican Bar" ought to be pronounced as "[(hic) Bar]."


    It was nearing noon, but the doors weren''t shut, and there were quite a few customers inside.


    Clearly, it operated as a restaurant at noon as well.


    The moment Hayna, pushing Aiwass''s wheelchair, slowly entered,


    Her steps suddenly faltered.


    She widened her eyes, shocked.


    Because the bartender leisurely cleaning the wooden cups at the front wasn''t human¡ªit was a rare Wild Elf!


    Elves, with lifespans four to five times longer than humans and generally taller, had females usually over 1.8 meters tall, occasionally reaching 2 meters, and male elves even taller, some reaching 2.45 meters.


    This meant that if an elf had poor upbringing, they could easily become hunchbacked during their teenage years by frequently interacting with shorter humans. And if they were well-raised¡ªor rather, cared for by parents¡ªelves generally did not hunch.


    Therefore, hunchbacked elves were referred to as Wild Elves. Wild Elves were even less in number compared to regular elves.


    Elves valued honor, family, and lineage greatly, thus they had a substantial disdain for Wild Elves and their parents, considering them a stain on the elf race. If an elf''s parents died for matters of honor, they would usually entrust their children to relatives or friends'' care.


    Unless they died of shame... for example, if they were executed, they would not entrust their children to others; or if the children were abandoned by their parents or were rebellious youngsters who ran away from home, for these reasons they would grow up as Wild Elves.


    Wild Elves lacked the grace and dignity of elves but shared their lifespan, intellect, and extraordinary abilities, hence they were often regarded as unstable elements.


    They were usually active in rural areas and their professions were often scammers, assassins, or mercenaries. Within the Royal Capital "Glass Island," all Wild Elves were theoretically registered. If there was trouble, they could be easily traced, so those who valued freedom typically disdained living in the Royal Capital.


    However, for some reason, the Wild Elf bartender showed no reaction to seeing Hayna, even giving her only a disdainful glance.


    On the other hand, when the bartender saw Aiwass, he paused noticeably, his hands stopping for a moment.


    Even covered by the cloak, the bartender easily recognized his identity.


    ¡ªAs if he had never imagined Aiwass would come here today.


    ...Why is that, Mr. Bartender?


    Do you think I... should be dead by now?


    Aiwass narrowed his eyes, his deep blue pupils profound as the abyss.

 Chapter 21: 10 Evil Bartender

    The bartender''s face briefly flashed with astonishment, quickly disguised as an annoyance at seeing customers at this time.


    "If you''d like a drink, old sir... and you, Inspector,"


    The bartender, Mr., drew out his words wearily, squinting his eyes and speaking leisurely: "You''ve come too early. We haven''t opened yet."


    "Ah, just to let you know. Our bar''s dishes are much more expensive than outside. Don''t complain about the price after ordering... We don''t do refunds."


    For some reason, although it was the same elongated vowel sounds and numerous glides typical of an elf accent... Hayna felt that the bartender''s voice lacked the elegance of Aiwass''s butler.


    Perhaps it was because some of his trills were too harsh, too clear, or perhaps it was because his throat had a raspy tone from long-term smoking, which gave off a seasoned, unsavory air.


    "How much more expensive?"


    Hearing this, Hayna instinctively asked.


    But she quickly remembered that she was here to investigate. No matter how expensive the food was, she had to order it.


    Instead, the investigation funds provided by Butler Oswald were meant to be used at times like this.


    So she immediately changed her question: "What dishes do you have here?"


    "Heh..."


    It was a book on the Alchemy Cipher of the Star Antimony language. Those alchemists following the "Balance" path were very concerned that their knowledge leaking out would disrupt the world''s equilibrium. Therefore, they used some mysterious language when writing books and communicating with peers that outsiders couldn''t understand.


    For example, "King," "Queen Consort," and "Queen" all indicated different things. Similarly, "The Sun" and "The Moon," "Toad" and "Flying Dragon" could all be alluding to something. And, based on the principle of "keeping secrets from the uninitiated," each alchemist had unique ciphers. There were no standard industry terms or common understanding among them.


    They each had their own codebooks, secretly taught to their students for decoding; and if they were communicating with a sufficiently skilled peer, they could interpret the intended meaning from those hints.


    It was the so-called "those who know, know; those who don''t, wouldn''t understand even if it''s explained."


    "Alchemy Cipher," this book, revealed several classic ciphers as examples. In the examples, the author demonstrated an alchemical process for making "Antimony Glass," a mildly poisonous emetic. With slight adjustments to the proportions, one could obtain "Mercurial Antimony," a sweet-tasting, thick, flowing deadly substance.


    Not to go into details, this was knowledge for concocting a lethal poison!


    This taboo knowledge struck right at Aiwass''s excitement. In the noisy bar, he sat in a corner absorbed in his book, and in the blink of an eye, it was almost six o''clock. It wasn''t until the two men slapped his shoulder to wake him up.


    Originally, Aiwass only intended to meet with them and leave.


    Not because he doubted them, but because the security in the Lohar District was indeed poor. If he lingered too late, even taking a taxi might not be safe ¡ª the Strangler Party had been stirring up fear recently.


    But by then, it was mealtime, and as they drank and chatted, they grew merrier and more excited. Eventually, Aiwass casually used a White Coin to order a lavish meal on the spot, treating the two "friends" to an extravagant feast. He didn''t even ask for the change, instead buying a round for the other customers.


    ¡ªHis two friends had assured him that it wouldn''t matter if it was late, they would escort him home. And after dinner, they chatted for a long time. By the time they left the bar, it was already past ten o''clock.


    "Midnight is the most suitable time for summoning demons."

 Chapter 22: 10 Evil Bartender_2

    The bald man said, "Preparing the ritual will take about an hour, and right now it''s just about that time... Do you want to try it out for yourself?"


    ... By that time, he had already discerned through those hours of conversation Aiwass''s burning desire to touch upon the taboo. He knew that Aiwass could not refuse this invitation.


    Looking back now... they must have deliberately arranged to meet here and were intentionally late.


    Since it was already mealtime and they were caught in hunger, with other customers around ordering food, they naturally wouldn''t go looking for another place to eat.


    So, could it be understood that the two "Noble Red" scholars of Demonology had specifically asked to meet him at the Pelican Bar and even prevented him from taking them elsewhere because they believed this was the only absolutely safe place?


    And there was a handsome young man from the upper echelons of society, dressed neatly, sitting in a cheap bar in the Lohar District filled with laborers and sailors, staring at a book for a full two hours over a pint of light beer.


    ¡ª So, could a bartender with a good memory possibly forget him?


    Even if he wasn''t a Wild Elf but just a human bartender... bearing witness to such an outrageous scene, he could easily remember it for a whole month, and he''d use it as small talk, frequently boasting or making fun of him to others.


    Not to mention, the turnover in the Pelican Bar wasn''t too high to begin with, they didn''t even get thirty customers a night.


    Therefore, there was definitely something wrong with this bartender.


    His deliberate pretense of not recognizing Aiwass, in fact, betrayed his inner fear. Since Aiwass had come wrapped in a cloak, it was on purpose not to have his identity recognized. Hence, the bartender played along with Aiwass''s intention, attempting to help him hide his identity as well.


    This was to lower his guard and stabilize him temporarily;


    At the same time, it was also in the hope that Aiwass would assume this identity.


    If Aiwass truly wanted to conceal his identity, going along with the bartender''s words and pretending to be an "elderly man."


    Then he couldn''t have a clear conversation with the bartender, and for the time being, there would be no interaction between them.


    ¡ª Thus, it would buy some time.


    "Mr. Admar, right."


    Out of nowhere, Aiwass, wearing his hood, suddenly spoke, "Are you waiting for someone?"


    This was the name of the bartender he had overheard from other customers the last time he came.


    "... What?"


    Hearing this, Hayna turned back with some confusion, "Do you know him?"


    But after glancing at Aiwass, she couldn''t see any particular reaction from him.


    Purple lines spread from the starting point below his lower eyelids, sprawling across his face. Like veins that suddenly change color, a web-like pattern covered most of his face. The only area left uncovered, which was where a beard might have grown¡ªskin around the mouth and chin, remained free of the purple lines.


    With every deep breath he took, the purple lines on his face brightened. They would illuminate with each inhale and slowly fade with each exhale.


    These lines, like a curse, spread rapidly across his skin, extending from his sleeve cuffs until reaching the tips of his fingers.


    "Demon Scholar¡ª"


    Hayna recognized his identity. Or rather, she had a rough idea.


    A Transcendent could use mystical skills and all sorts of casting materials to use their transcendent powers in a non-combat state. But to get serious and mobilize the power of their Path to unleash those powerful transcendent skills, they had to resonate with the Path.


    Everyone''s resonance characteristics were different, but the common point was that there would be a light effect corresponding to the color of their Path.


    Just as white is the color of the Path of Sovereignty, purple is the color of The Path of Transcendence. The former symbolizes diamonds, while the latter represents amethyst.


    Although she really did not know what the specific profession of this Wild Elf was, it certainly belonged to The Path of Transcendence.


    The Path of Transcendence is always illegal!


    So she would just assume the other party was a Demon Scholar¡ª


    ¡ªMr. Aiwass really found him!


    A sense of joy rose in her heart.


    She had no idea how Aiwass had identified the man''s identity because she had not seen any flaws revealing his identity.


    But once the battle started, this was her area of expertise!


    And looking at the Wild Elf bartender with purple web-like lines covering his skin beneath... Seeing such an obvious feature, Aiwass finally recalled his identity.


    The original "Sin Nexus Pelican Bar''s" number one, "Evil Bartender" Admar!


    In his memory was that burly man with arms as thick as war hammers, hunched and bare chest, his upper body covered in glowing deep purple lines¡ª


    His image gradually overlapped with the Wild Elf who was inflating like a balloon.


    ¡ªOriginally, Aiwass just intended to let Hayna intimidate him a little, to put some pressure on him.


    He hadn''t expected him to be unable to withstand the pressure, morphing at just a light press!


    Now they had found their true target directly!

 Chapter 23: 11 How Did He Do It?

    Even though it was the first boss of the first dungeon... but the name was so hard to remember that Aiwass had long forgotten it completely.


    Not to waste his teammates'' time, Aiwass always skipped all the cutscenes in this four-player dungeon.


    He had no idea what Admar looked like outside of battle mode. He only remembered that he was a hunched giant, with skin covered in purple webs.


    They used to call Admar Little Purple.


    Because this was the first enemy in the Transcendence Path. In the early stages, players rarely saw other bosses and NPCs with purple light effects, so they named them in a straightforward manner.


    He was called Little Purple because there was another "Da Zi" later in the dungeon; and in another dungeon, there were enemies called "Old Purple" and "Purple Sister." Once version 1.2 started, with more enemies in the Transcendence Path, they stopped using these names.


    Along with the recovery of his memory, there also came the simple mechanics of the "Evil Bartender"¡ª


    Admar was seen leaning on the counter, his arms swelling at a visible rate, bursting through his sleeves.


    He slammed his right hand out with incredible speed, as if whipping up a gale.


    "[Steadfast Demeanor]."


    And Aiwass, even before Admar could swing, preemptively commanded from behind.


    At the moment she heard the order,


    Hayna''s body moved reflexively, her pupils'' rings spinning rapidly. She turned her sword sideways, left hand bracing the front half of the blade. She sank her weight, pushing off with her right foot. In the blink of an eye, she assumed a posture to withstand the impact.


    ¡ª Clang!


    The sound of a hammer smashing into an anvil rang out, despite it being a mere contact between palm and rapier.


    The blade, empowered by Rhythm Tactics and the path of Authority, solidly blocked the strike!


    As her mind quickly processed complex thoughts, Hayna, distracted for a moment, realized that her body, trained through countless drills, had already moved on its own.


    Upon receiving Aiwass''s command, she took a deep breath, held the short sword with both hands, and her back slightly hunched over like a cat about to pounce.


    After about half a second of charging, her figure shot out like a bolt of lightning.


    A crescent moon-like sharp and cold arc of white light burst in the air, and the counter in front of the Wild Elf Bartender was cleaved in two by her slash.


    The immense force of the impact made the bartender''s body freeze in place.


    Even the left arm he reflexively used to guard, which was in front of him, was severed in one go!


    His forearm had a chillingly clean break. His purple, swollen-looking left hand fell to the ground as he let out a piercing scream, with the purple veins rapidly receding along their paths.


    The scream was so agonizing that it startled Hayna.


    And his posture, shifting out of combat mode, left Hayna uncertain whether she should continue fighting him.


    But then, Aiwass''s stern voice came again.


    "Hayna, move."


    She stepped nimbly to the side, taking a half step away.


    ¡ª A gunshot rang out.


    The bartender''s left eye was pierced by the bullet, blood blossoming from the back of his head. The blood, like a flower, spread across the liquor cabinet behind him.


    His body slipped down helplessly, trailing a deep red stain.


    She didn''t even see where Aiwass had hidden the gun. He was still sitting in the wheelchair, motionless, with a wisp of white smoke coming from his black cape, a slight upward curve at the corner of his mouth under the cloak.

 Chapter 24: 11 How Did He Do It?_2

    From Aiwass''s perspective, tiny white light dots gradually emerged from the corpse and flowed into his own body.


    [Killing a second energy level Transcendent, gained 14 free experience]


    Aiwass showed a delightful smile, relishing the moment.


    "Let me steal a kill, thank you."


    Although direct experience from killing monsters in "Ring of Ouroboros" was rather insignificant, leveling up mainly depended on quests, crafts, buying and reading books, and the daily dungeon''s reward experience... but every little bit adds up.


    Not to mention, his level was low. The benefits of consuming free experience to level up were still pretty substantial.


    These 14 points of free experience, along with the 24 points provided by the counter-kill of the Demon Scholar before, if distributed evenly over the Demon Scholar''s three skills, would almost suffice for a four-level increase.


    He could also allocate some experience to his Priest profession, reaching second level to access a Path. Then he could give three levels to the Demon Scholar ¨C this was the plan that would yield the greatest short-term benefits.


    Alternatively, he could hold off a bit, learn other skills from the Path of Devotion such as "Rite of Fire," "Illumination Art," and "Blessing" ¨C these were more useful than "Prayer" and harder to level up ¨C and then spend the experience points. These points could at least bring the Priest class directly up to level five. This was the most cost-effective promotion method in the long term.


    After all, "Demonology Knowledge" could be steadily improved simply by reading mystical demonology books; "Basic Prayer" guaranteed steady progress as long as you prayed twice a day, three minutes each time; and "Demonic Pact" would even passively grant him slow strength replenishment from the Shadow Demon.


    Only "Basic Ritual" was a bit of a hassle, mainly because of the "basic" in its name.


    It was too low-ranked. The rituals Aiwass used to create "Blade of Shadows" were too high-leveled and it didn''t even gain experience. Aiwass truly couldn''t remember such low-leveled rituals ¨C the ones worth memorizing were either frequently used by him or were formulas that could be sold for a high price.


    From this perspective, the Demon Scholar could level up without any effort. However, improving the Priest profession would be much more difficult and could only progress slowly.


    If he could quickly promote the Priest to the second order, he could prove that he was "a person willing to devote."


    So, Aiwass shifted the topic and sternly said, "Did you notice? When he saw you display the Path, his first reaction was to resist, even to attack you.


    "What does this represent? It means that he had no intention at all of confessing and submitting to the law!"


    ¡ªRidiculous, a desperate villain with blood on his hands and a lethal weapon, who would face the death penalty if caught, how could he just surrender when he suddenly encountered a cop all alone? Even if he didn''t counter-attack, at the very least, he would try to escape.


    Aiwass mused internally.


    But his face showed no signs of doubt.


    He continued, emphasizing each word, "If from the beginning you could tell, even without lifting a finger, that he was far weaker than you, then wouldn''t he know it too? Knowing this, yet he still actively resonated the Path and attacked you¡ªwhat does this indicate?"


    It indicates that he knew he couldn''t outrun you and in his desperation, he had to fight for his life.


    Aiwass thought to himself.


    "...What does it indicate?"


    Hayna was somewhat hesitant.


    Her mind felt blank¡ªif it was on an exam paper, she believed she could come up with a perfect answer after serious thought. But now, the fresh corpse was giving off the scent of blood, and she felt her heart was in disorder.


    "Think about it," Aiwass suddenly changed his tone, "At first he said that the food here was expensive, trying to dissuade us. This shows that he didn''t want to confront the Supervisory Bureau directly..."


    "Yes, I understand."


    "But later on, I just asked you to draw your sword, without even attacking¡ªand under these circumstances, he dared to attack you instead of running away or lying. Why did he dare do that?"

 Chapter 25: 11 How Did He Do It?_3

    "...So, he must have a power that is very costly to use, hence cannot be normally used... but at the same time, is very strong?"


    Hayna tentatively answered.


    Aiwass nodded with satisfaction, "Exactly."


    You wouldn''t say, but it''s true.


    This deduction wasn''t wrong. It was also one of the reasons why the Evil Bartender chose to fight desperately, because he indeed had a chance of winning.


    The profession of the Evil Bartender was a "Demon" who surpasses the Path; upon entering a critically wounded state, he could restore half of his maximum health in one breath, then enter a demonization state where he quickly loses health and receives an enhancement to all attributes.


    It''s just that your damage was too high; two strikes caused him to skip phases.


    With correct information, and wrong deductive reasoning, she arrived at an equally correct answer. No one would realize there was a problem here¡ªeven after she brought back the body, the conclusion would only be that "Aiwass''s judgment was correct."


    "...So that''s how it is!"


    Hayna said with genuine conviction, "Thank you, Aiwass! You''ve saved me!"


    Aiwass nodded solemnly, "That''s why when facing extremely vicious bandits, you must not hesitate. You might want to take captives, but they surely wouldn''t think the same."


    See, she even has to thank me.


    "What should we do now?" she had gotten used to asking Aiwass, following his command, "Should we pack up the body and take it back?"


    "No rush."


    Hayna didn''t recognize this Spell, but she distinctly felt the threat.


    And the woman, clutching this long-gathered Magic Orb, did not launch an attack.


    That was correct.


    If she launched the Magic Orb at this distance, Hayna could possibly dodge it; if she attacked Aiwass with it, then Hayna''s charge would surely not be stopped.


    But Hayna didn''t dare charge either, because she was unclear about the specific effects of this Spell.


    If she were to take this Magic Orb at close range, she might end up in a losing position immediately.


    So she stood slightly in front of Aiwass but did not block his line of fire. The three of them fell into a brief stalemate.


    "...Why did you know I was in the basement?"


    The bald woman stared at Aiwass, emotionless, and countered, "Did I leave any evidence somewhere?


    "...How did you manage it?"


    "Experience."


    Aiwass answered simply. Because this instance had more than one BOSS.


    ¡ª¡ªSure enough, it was deduction!


    How on earth did he guess?


    Hayna felt invigorated by this realization, her excitement hard to contain.

 Chapter 26: 12 Evil Sorcerer Veronica

    After Aiwass recalled the identity of the Evil Bartender, he completely remembered the details of this instance:


    The first elite enemy, "Evil Bartender", was a level 15 demon. The main mechanic was that after charging up, he would launch a powerful attack that could be dodged but not blocked, which was capable of knocking back players, and it did not completely abide by aggro. This mechanic revolved around roughly a fifteen-second cycle. If players were knocked back, they would easily hit tables, walls, and other players, causing secondary damage and stunning them.


    Moreover, if a player was close enough to him¡ªwithin a meter, they would immediately be hit by the attack, regardless of aggro. Thus, if the front line was knocked back, it would easily expose the back line.


    When his health was first reduced below 30%, he would enter a demonized state. His attack speed, movement speed, and the frequency of using his first ability would all double.


    Beyond that, there were no other mechanics. The mechanics could be countered by skills that prevent knockback or by dodging. Melee damage dealers could also approach him from behind just as the mechanic was about to be triggered, take the hit, and then continue as the tank pulled the aggro back. In this way, it would become a simple tank-and-spank boss.


    The second boss of the instance was a Demon Dog named "Evil Hound" Shell, created by a high-ranking Demon Scholar. Its trait was high-frequency attacks, with additional burn, armor piercing, and poison effects. Moreover, every time its health dropped by 10%, it would reset its aggro, though it was basically easy to handle with just a little attention.


    Of course, if this were in reality, the boss would definitely not come out one by one like Scourge saving grandpa. If the Bartender and Evil Hound appeared simultaneously, it would become difficult to fight.


    ...But now, this Evil Hound had disappeared.


    The moment Aiwass saw the bald woman''s face, he immediately realized.


    The creator of this "Evil Hound" must have been the bald man he had counter-killed that night!


    ¡ªBecause this woman, was none other than the "apprentice" Aiwass had met that night!


    Many fragments immediately reassembled in his mind, forming a new thread of events:


    According to the original history, players were supposed to suddenly appear, startling both individuals, and rescue Aiwass, who was already on the sacrificial altar, preventing the arrival of the Shadow Demon. Afterwards, the man would leave, creating "Evil Hound" to guard this secret base.


    And the "Pelican Bar" was supposed to be related to The Association of Noble Red.


    Or rather, this was simply an outpost of their organization in Avalon.


    The reason it''s called an outpost...


    Is because even Aiwass, who didn''t remember the plot well, knew that the mysterious association known as Noble Red was actually a front for the spies of the Star Antimony Kingdom among the populace!


    The higher-ups of this association were all secret agents of Star Antimony Kingdom¡ªthey supported the suppressed Demonologists within Avalon by distributing demonological tomes and forbidden ritual materials.


    As a healer class, Aiwass definitely needed to study the mechanics.


    If a tank or DPS didn''t handle the mechanics well at the start, he would have to die deliberately. With more experience came increased proficiency.


    ¡ªBut after all, as the boss of the initial dungeon, players would inevitably get lazier with more attempts.


    So the players also worked out a way to ''skip classes'' with Veronica.


    And to be honest, it was extremely simple.


    Aiwass''s earlier preparations were for this very moment¡ª


    His left hand, hidden beneath his cloak, opened slightly, and the Power of Shadows silently converged in the gaps between his fingers. The "Enchantment Card: Blade of Shadows," which he had created the night before, materialized in the twisted void. He held it between his index and middle fingers.


    To divert Veronica''s attention, Aiwass spoke calmly at this point, "The number of openings you''ve left is simply too many¡ªto the point of being innumerable.


    "It even took me a moment longer than it should have to uncover the truth. I believe, if it were that famous Mr. Sherlock, he would have guessed right away."


    As he spoke, the gun in his right hand drew closer to the "Moon" Tarot card in his left hand.


    The moment the gun touched the Tarot card, which had been rewritten to be "Enchantment Card: Blade of Shadows."


    Aiwass''s thought triggered, and the Enchantment Card he was holding in his left hand instantly transformed into a shadowy mass, seeping into the lady''s gun in his right hand.


    Then, he raised the gun overtly and aimed at the Evil Sorcerer Veronica.


    The woman in the red robe recognized Aiwass''s identity at that moment.


    She had originally wanted to ask Aiwass how exactly he survived that night¡ªon seeing the Shadow Demon lose control and kill her mentor in an instant, she didn''t hesitate to turn tail and run. She didn''t know that Aiwass had taken control of the Shadow Demon, thinking instead that the mentor''s contract had failed.


    But seeing Aiwass''s ridiculous gesture, her doubt and wariness were overshadowed by disdain.


    She couldn''t help but snort in laughter, even too lazy to dodge, "You don''t think such a thing would be useful against me, do you?


    "Elf-made, Grip of the Lady, with a capacity of five rounds¡ªam I right? Do you think it will be useful against me?


    "I''m too lazy to even dodge. How about I just stand here and let you shoot me once?"

 Chapter 27: 13 You heard it, she told me to hit

    Upon hearing the battle above, she had already cautiously initiated multiple rituals in the basement for herself.


    ¡ª¡ª[Bullet Protection], [Minor Piercing Natural Resistance], [Slash Protection], [Stable Spellcasting], [Weakness Reinforcement].


    Of course, she had maximized her status effects, preparing her strongest attack in advance before she came out to face them.


    Even though she was speaking with Aiwass, her attention was actually focused on Hayna.


    The moment Hayna got distracted, she would immediately throw the "Cursed Infant" in her hand. It would automatically track the heart; upon contact, it would burrow into the body and tear through the internal organs, causing frost damage.


    Accompanied by an unbearable sharp pain, it would also freeze the blood vessels near the heart. Even if one didn''t die after consumption, any violent movement could tear their own internal organs, resulting in massive bleeding. Not even a bishop could save such a wound.


    ...But if this attack missed and she got caught in a melee.


    Even though she had enhanced herself with multiple buff statuses, she likely couldn''t defeat this young Inspector.


    She could sense that he must have mastered the power of the third energy level.


    Although she was unsure of the properties of his Path, she might lose in a direct confrontation.


    ¡ª¡ªThere''s only one chance!


    The instant she saw Aiwass raising the gun at her, she had already decided on her tactics.


    She had specifically reinforced her defense.


    She might have been wary of a high-powered firearm, but Grip of the Lady''s was weak.


    It might not even fully penetrate a thicker oak barrel filled with wine. That lady Knight across from her could probably block the bullet with her muscle.


    Such a bullet, even if it hit her precisely in vulnerable spots like her eyes or throat, couldn''t inflict a serious injury on her.


    "What a laughable and pitiful boy. You escaped last time, but not this time. Don''t tell me you think that because this thing could kill that idiot, it could also..."


    ¡ª¡ªBang!


    The next moment, the gunshot rang out.


    A dark line passed through Veronica''s head.


    Her bald head burst apart like a watermelon exploding.


    The spells in Veronica''s hands went out of control and scattered, a raging cold wind blew through the entire bar. It made Hayna step back involuntarily, and Aiwass''s wheelchair rolled backward until it hit the wall and stopped.


    There was even no need for a follow-up attack.


    Because she died so quickly, so utterly, that the sustained damage from "Shadow" and "Erosion" didn''t even manage to occur.


    Tiny white points of light gradually emerged from her corpse, flowing into Aiwass''s body.


    [Eliminate a second energy level Transcendent, gain 16 Free Experience]


    ¡ª¡ªThis is the simplest way to skip class.


    Among the protective rituals she could use, there was no "Cutting," "Piercing," or "Blunt" types of physical resistance. That is, at most, she could only resist "Slash" and "Shooting." But the level of her rituals was too low to be effective against Extraordinary Weapons.


    So all that was needed was to find an Extraordinary Weapon with "Cutting," "Piercing," and "Blunt" properties and attack her weak spot with a sneak attack before entering combat. It could penetrate all resistances like attacking a normal unit, deal at least one-third of her health in single damage, and directly render her defenseless and unconscious.


    Then one round of output could take her down.


    And in reality, without the three times health boost from the four-person boss module, she could be headshotted and killed with a single shot.


    After all, the Enchantment Card system was derived from the Great Sin Scholar''s abilities. In the 1.0 environment, purple-grade Extraordinary Equipment was exceedingly rare, but two versions later, almost everyone had a set, so the term "Extraordinary" was quite generous coming from the Great Sin Scholar''s Phantom Card.

 Chapter 28: 13 You Heard It, She Told Me to Hit_2

    It would be more accurate to say that without the "Transcendent" tag, the Weapon Cards materialized by the Phantom Cards couldn''t even scratch monsters two versions later¡ªmost enemies by that period were basically covered with non-Transcendent resistance, and weapons and consumables that didn''t involve Transcendent power had become ineffective against people.


    Unlike now, where even this blue and white outfit could kill someone.


    What is this?


    This is the suppression of version updates.


    "You see, she made me shoot. I just wanted to scare her,"


    Watching Hayna''s somewhat astonished and somewhat bewildered gaze, Aiwass innocently shrugged: "It''s not my fault."


    "...I know. Don''t be afraid, Mr. Aiwass. You are completely innocent, it was because your life was threatened that you were forced to shoot¡ªI can prove it for you,"


    Hayna was half a step late, then slowly nodded her head.


    She turned her head back to look at the body of the female magician, and fell silent for a while.


    "...But why did she dare to be so arrogant?"


    She tried to rationalize everything that happened in front of her: "Perhaps she thought your shot would miss..."


    "¡ªRight, she said ''I didn''t manage to kill you last time.'' Could she be the Demon Scholar who kidnapped you? That''s why she underestimated you, not expecting that as a Priest, aside from having the ability to reason, you also possess the courage to fight her!"


    Hayna spoke more and more smoothly, feeling like she had completed the logic.


    Aiwass shook his head repeatedly.


    This person is charmed, really can say anything... if you covet my body, just say so. He didn''t know how to respond to this logic.


    So this was not something he could deceive anyone about.


    And Aiwass had to be especially careful about the perspective issue.


    If he truly was an innocent man, then he shouldn''t know anything special about these two people. So it made perfect sense that he didn''t report it on the first day¡ªat the time, from Aiwass''s perspective, indeed he was just someone who went out for fun and was then attacked on his way home.


    But now, he had to reveal this matter. Because once the investigation of Pelican Bar began, his activities that day could not be hidden from anyone.


    Likewise, from his perspective, he definitely wouldn''t know that the man had already been killed by him in retaliation. The fact that there was one dead person at the ritual site, and he was a wanted criminal, was something he didn''t know.


    Sure enough, Hayna immediately explained to him: "Don''t be afraid, that person is probably already dead¡ªI now completely understand the whole course of the incident.


    "They must have been hiding in this bar from the start. Then that day, seeing you come to the bar alone, they planned to use you as a sacrifice to summon a Demon.


    "The bartender is their man, so he poisoned you, making you unable to resist their sacrifice."


    "That woman just said things like ''I didn''t manage to kill you last time,'' and that man also died at the ritual site... It must have been the Demon they summoned who turned on them, and his student decisively fled the scene. Unexpectedly, the Demon first killed its summoner, and as a result, you survived."


    "So that''s how it is."


    Aiwass nodded thoughtfully: "If that man is already dead... then that matches up with my guess, roughly."


    "In that case, senior sister¡ªwe don''t need to go to the Supervisory Bureau right away,"


    It was time to make use of Hayna, so Aiwass dropped the direct name and returned to addressing her as senior sister.


    "Why?"


    Hayna was a bit puzzled: "Wouldn''t it be quicker to search with more people?"

 Chapter 29: 13 You heard it, she told me to hit_3

    "Among the guests who escaped earlier, someone must have informed the Supervisory Bureau. And I just fired two shots, the people outside probably heard it. The Inspectors should be here soon, we just need to wait here,"


    At this point, Aiwass''s face showed a clear hesitation, one that even Hayna could easily discern.


    She immediately asked, "What''s wrong?"


    "Actually," Aiwass lowered his voice, "I might have left a book here."


    "I was groggy when I left that day, and I left some things here."


    "What book?"


    "It''s a forbidden book."


    "A forbidden book?!"


    "Yes."


    Aiwass nodded, speaking gravely, "It''s called the ''Alchemy Cipher,'' probably taken down to the cellar by the bartender."


    "I didn''t dare to take it back before. But since we can avoid notifying the Supervisory Bureau right away, I still want to retrieve it. That book is very precious... and I''m also worried, if it remains here, someone might discover the book''s connection to our Moriarty Family."


    "...You,"


    Hayna just felt a headache coming on.


    Even discounting his looks¡ªwith only a day''s acquaintance, she had come to greatly appreciate her junior.


    Smart, serious, cultured, even a seeker of the path of Dedication, and a comrade in battle. Judging from the way he handled that female Demon Scholar, he could even be credited with saving her life.


    She was not one to be ungrateful.


    But how to deal with this situation...


    After thinking for a while, Hayna sheathed her Sword, and the halo in her eyes gradually extinguished.


    "Just this once."


    She too lowered her voice, speaking seriously, "I know there are big shots who''ve secretly studied such taboo knowledge, but I didn''t expect you to be one of them...


    "I don''t want to report you, but you at least shouldn''t bring it into public places, right? It''s very dangerous!


    The expression on his face, that of a guilty puppy, was instantly gone, vanishing without a trace. He became expressionless.


    ¡ªAt the next moment, Aiwass stood up from the wheelchair.


    His movements were very smooth, with no delay at all.


    And the moment he left the wheelchair, his shadow beneath him began to stir like a living creature being awakened, slowly moving. Like an indeterminate magical beast, it crept up from his skin, spreading and twisting across the ground.


    The entire shambles of the bar hall darkened.


    It was as though it was not noontime, but rather late evening with the lamps drawn. It blocked out all the light coming in from the outside.


    Splashing, splashing...


    Aiwass stepped on his own shadow, making a sound like boots trampling puddles on a rainy day. His shadow seemed to have become a sort of viscous liquid, like flowing, black blood.


    Aiwass, completely ignoring this mutation, walked straight to Veronica''s body and began to search painstakingly in the dark.


    That night when they met, Veronica had shown him¡ªshe had hidden a thick stack of letters against her body, inside her clothes.


    He had seen it clearly at the time. The last letter he had sent to them was hidden among them.


    These letters were tucked inside her own brassiere.


    ¡ªIf Veronica forgot to destroy it, or intended to temporarily keep this letter after suspecting that she was killed by the Shadow Demon...


    Her sudden death would turn it into evidence that could implicate Aiwass.


    Aiwass had tricked Hayna away to secretly retrieve this fatal piece of evidence.


    And just as Aiwass expected.


    Aiwass found a stack of letters of various sizes from within Veronica''s clothing and immediately spotted the one belonging to him.


    "Heh."


    Aiwass let out a cold laugh, clenching the letter.


    As expected.


    ¡ªThis was the final piece of evidence.

 Chapter 30: 14 The Awakened Shadow Demon

    In the game, when searching Veronica''s corpse, one can obtain the "Letter Sent to the Noble Red Society by Someone".


    This is a guaranteed drop, an early main quest item that directly initiates the next stage of the main quest.


    And this "Someone" is a proxy for a certain minister who later gets involved in the incident.


    Aiwass couldn''t remember who this somebody was, nor could he remember which minister it was... but knowing a general range was enough.


    It''s just like when a teacher outlines the scope of the final exam before it takes place.


    Eliminating those who Aiwass had no impression of, as well as those he was sure could not possibly be involved, the remaining possibilities were actually only three.


    The Minister of Finance, the Minister of Justice, and the Minister of Commerce.


    What they have in common is that all three are highly ranked and influential, over fifty, amiable in their dealings, well-liked, and middle-aged fat men who can''t see their shoes when they look down in their regular clothes¡ªthat was Aiwass''s impression of this "certain minister".


    Classic process of elimination.


    One of these three had been bought by spies sent by the Star Antimony Kingdom, delivering top-secret high-level intelligence to them regularly and secretly. The other two were innocent.


    ¡ªAnd the medium they used to transmit intelligence was "the Noble Red Society".


    Behind the Noble Red Society was the Star Antimony Kingdom, intent on overthrowing Avalon¡ªthis was the main storyline up until version 2.0.


    This minister was the internal link between Star Antimony Kingdom and Avalon.


    A bona fide traitor.


    Certainly, his letters of communication were top secret. Such important items surely wouldn''t leave his person.


    After all, there were many thieves within Avalon; should such an item be quietly stolen and made public, they wouldn''t have enough lives to pay with.


    If this letter fell into the hands of the Supervisory Bureau, it might not have any effect. If he had planted moles within the Bureau, perhaps it would be disposed of directly.


    But, if Aiwass got hold of it, things would be different.


    He could use this letter to track down that "someone". Then he could know which one of the classic three choices was the traitor.


    [...My master]


    A low, roaring, raspy voice, like a lion that had just awoken, sounded by Aiwass''s ear.


    It was the Shadow Demon beneath Aiwass.


    A slender black serpent made purely of shadows, as thick as a young girl''s arm, was climbing up Aiwass''s left leg, waist, chest, all the way to his throat.


    The eyes of the shadow serpent glowed with a sanguine light as it hissed, exhaling black, smoky forked tongues.


    Then that lion-like voice turned into a raspy, serpentine hiss:


    [What are you... doing?]


    "As you see, destroying evidence of my own crimes," Aiwass answered, showing no fear and not even bothering to look down at the black serpent wrapped around his neck.


    If only the Shadow Demon was a bit stronger... After Aiwass fed it some other demons as sustenance, allowing it to evolve again, it would qualify to be sealed as a Great Beast. At that point, it wouldn''t be a demon anymore, nor could it possibly betray him.


    But for now, Aiwass still needed to particularly demonstrate his abilities.


    ...No choice, it was a worker''s market.


    He still had to put on a bit of a show.


    Afterward, once he signed a lifelong contract, he wouldn''t have to worry about the Shadow Demon devouring its master.


    Though the Shadow Demon was sealed in a wheelchair by Aiwass, it had always stayed in his shadow. Everything that had happened before was certainly witnessed by it.


    This was also another purpose of Aiwass''s trip¡ªby showcasing his layout abilities, scheming level, and standard of lies along the way, to stabilize the job-seeking demon that was tricked. To give the Shadow Demon enough mental sustenance to gain its approval.


    "Now, what do you think of me?"


    Aiwass asked casually in return.


    At these words, the black snake on his neck melted and dripped down, transforming into a pure black hound.


    It affectionately nuzzled Aiwass''s calf, making a low sound.


    [Perfect, delicious, outstanding...]


    Clearly, the Shadow Demon was quite satisfied.


    The black dog articulated each word clearly with cadence: [I am looking forward immensely to your future... our future.]


    "¡ªSince that''s the case."


    Aiwass casually discarded the letter that belonged to him, "Then destroy it and leave."


    [Hehehe...]


    The Shadow Demon chuckled with a deep, low laugh.


    After several seconds, it finally responded:


    [As you wish... Master.]


    [Looking forward to the time you wake me up again...]


    [I hope to feast on real flesh then.]


    The black dog leaped up, snatched the letter, and upon landing, submerged into the mire-like shadows, disappearing along with it.


    The letter was directly dissolved into nothingness. Just like a plastic bag being roasted by fire, turning black, shrinking, wrinkling, diminishing, vanishing without a trace.


    Without a doubt, if what it bit into was a living being, it would also be dragged into the shadows and melted away.


    This was certainly not something Aiwass, with only level one "Shadow Ability," could accomplish. It was the work of the Shadow Demon itself.


    ¡ªThis was the Shadow Demon showing off its "hunting" capabilities to its master.

 Chapter 31: 15: Transcendent Ring: Noble Red

    ```


    After an unspoken agreement, wherein both parties had showcased their abilities, objectives, and intentions, Aiwass and the Shadow Demon temporarily reached a consensus.


    As the Shadow Demon submerged back into Aiwass'' shadow, the murky spread of darkness that had oozed across the entire bar was retracted into the shadow beneath him.


    It was as if a pool had opened its drain, and soon the shallow lake of shadow had become "dry."


    The warm winter sunlight once again streamed in, filling the room of the bar.


    It was as though the previous damp cover of shadow was merely an illusion.


    ¡ªVery good.


    Aiwass breathed a sigh of relief.


    Now, the four main tasks at hand had been completed.


    He had accomplished his revenge, killed the "friend" who had betrayed him; successfully eradicated his incriminating evidence; obtained the next clue for his investigation; and awakened and soothed the Shadow Demon.


    Now, it was time for the delightful task of opening the treasure chest!


    Aiwass carefully listened and found that Hayna was still searching below, and had not come upstairs.


    ¡ªLoot licking time has arrived!


    He rubbed his hands together eagerly, prepared to search for his valuable loot.


    Aiwass quickly found a thumb-sized round box that looked like a container for cooling oil. It was etched with an image of a crescent moon sporting a human face and inscribed with a line of small characters "1886-03-071, Living Silver Workshop."


    This item was familiar to him.


    It was a dose of Dream Intoxicant, a special product from the Kingdom of Star Antimony.


    "Nice find. What a great start."


    The corners of Aiwass'' mouth lifted slightly as he carelessly pocketed it.


    Dream Intoxicant was a type of magic potion that could stabilize dreams and anesthetize the body to prevent easy awakening; an alchemical product of the Path of Balance. It could also be used as an anesthetic for surgeries, but its primary purpose was as an auxiliary substance to strengthen the success rate during advancement.


    In a cultivation fantasy novel, it would be roughly equivalent to a Foundation Establishment Pill. At lower levels, it significantly boosts the probability of breakthrough success.


    Within the player community, Dream Intoxicant was known as a "minor advancement potion," able to increase the success rate of advancement rituals. It was somewhat like those classic MMORPGs where you can use potions to enhance the probability of successful equipment enhancement.


    In the game setting, advancing a professional level involved entering a dream to hold a complicated ritual with a very high failure rate. But in the game, it was represented by a cold percentage of advancement success, and preparing certain specific rituals or materials could improve those odds.


    If successful, dazzling effects would signal the success of the advancement, with the professional level cap increasing by ten. Then, three options would pop up for you to select one.


    This was the pathway trait obtained from successful advancement.


    If it failed, you would be demoted back to level 19. Players would simply lose their materials and prepare for another attempt at advancement; for NPCs, a failure meant waiting for a cooldown that increased with level and could take at least half a month.


    Veronica was currently a level 19 Demon Scholar and was nearly ready for her advancement; alternatively, she might have failed several times already and thus had prepared Dream Intoxicant for herself.


    Judging by the number of ritual spells she mastered, she must have been stuck at the second energy level for a while now¡ªwith a cap on her level, though her skills could still improve, it would no longer increase her professional level.


    The difficulty for Aiwass to rise from the first energy level to the second energy level was not great, with almost certain success. He wouldn''t need it for now.


    He would use it later when advancing from level 19 to 20.


    Also, because Aiwass was progressing on two paths, he would need two doses.


    Dream Intoxicant wasn''t an exceedingly rare magic potion, so it didn''t warrant special treasure. It was reasonably priced in Star Antimony at forty-six White Crown Coins, but due to exclusively being handcrafted by alchemists, the supply was limited; hence it was by reservation and quantity restricted.


    [Gesture, Medium Distance, Immediate Effect]


    ["¡ª¡ªWe are all fists of wounds, hands of blood, and blades without scales."]


    Yes! Good loot!


    Aiwass''s eyes lit up.


    This was the best gear that could come off of Da Zi!


    Minor Decree Resistance allowed first-energy-level Decree Spells and Rhythm Tactics - Scold from the Path of Authority''s interference and control effects to be nullified and weakened the control effects of anything below the third energy level by one level.


    The Path of Authority was the most common power seen in Avalon. If Aiwass wore this ring, any Transcendents under level ten who deployed control skills couldn''t subdue him; the strength of control skills from Transcendents under level thirty would be reduced by about ten levels. The only downside was that the ring was a bit too conspicuous; wearing it would make it easy for others who knew their stuff to mistake him for a member of the Noble Red Society.


    But the ring''s effect was indeed excellent, exceptionally useful in the early stages... and Aiwass was on the Path of Transcendence, able to trigger the passive effect. It suited carrying in his pocket, to be worn only when necessary.


    As for the ring''s affiliated spell "Severe Coughing Spell," although it sounded a bit silly, it was actually quite practical.


    The fact that the ring itself was needed to cast the spell, coupled with the requirement of two points of Dark Attribute Mana to release it, made it clear it was not some low-end trinket.


    "Coughing Spell" belonged to the first-energy-level spells of the Transcendence Path. Its effect was to cause a person to enter a choking state. If Aiwass got his hands on a relevant book of mysteries now, he could learn this spell.


    "Severe Coughing Spell" was the second-energy-level upgraded version. Its effect was to plunge a person immediately into a state of severe coughing. Judging from the description, it was like having chili oil or seawater poured down one''s nose, causing seconds of uncontrollable coughing before one could recover.


    If someone was constantly coughing violently, then it''s difficult for them to exert strength.


    Since they cannot breathe properly, their strength would weaken somewhat. In the game, the effect was described as "damage -10%, hit rate reduced by 10%, and attack and movement speeds decreased by 10% for three seconds," but Aiwass thought the figures were definitely conservative.


    In reality, if someone was suddenly struck by this move without warning, it was entirely possible for them to expose a fatal flaw.


    Similarly, a person in a state of severe coughing would also be unable to speak, let alone shout at someone.


    Even after the effect ended, they might not be able to speak clearly for a while. The mucous membranes would have been damaged, making it easy to slip into coughing again accidentally.


    And the Decree-class abilities of the Path of Authority all required shouting.


    From this angle, the ring seemed specifically designed to counter the powers of the Supervisory Bureau. Once discovered, it could be used to hold back enemies and then make an immediate escape.


    Aiwass couldn''t help but feel fortunate.


    ¡ª¡ªThankfully, he had sold a flaw, enticing Veronica to commit to using Hayna as the point of attack.


    She probably thought that his shot lacked power to pierce through her defenses. It would be better to endure a shot and then play dead, using the moment Hayna let her guard down to cast the spell and take her out.


    So she didn''t want to appear too threatening¡ªwhat she needed was Hayna''s underestimation.


    Those from the academy were very prone to exposing mental weaknesses.


    But Veronica knew that... and of course, Aiwass knew it too.


    He was aware that Veronica looked down on Hayna, so he deliberately set the stage by pretending to target her, allowing Veronica the opportunity to carry out her plan. As Veronica watched her plan getting closer to success, she also relaxed her guard.


    Luckily, he had dug a pit and chose a righteous, sneaky pitfall attack!


    Otherwise, if a real fight ensued, even if Veronica''s continuous spellcasting didn''t hit, she could simply grab and use the "Severe Coughing Spell" to weaken Hayna.


    Moreover, the ring itself was proof of membership in the Noble Red Society. Only full members could obtain it, unlike affiliated personnel like the Evil Bartender who didn''t have such an item.


    Even though it was just a piece of equipment in the game...


    Aiwass thought.


    In reality, it might have other uses.


    Just as Aiwass dared not wear it on an ordinary day, fearing being misunderstood about his identity¡ªthe reverse might also be true.

 Chapter 32: 16: The Temptation of the Demon

    When Hayna came back from the tavern''s basement, she felt as if she was almost full of dust.


    When she went down, she was actually very nervous and apprehensive. Hayna always felt that there might be some sort of trap, mechanism, or curse in this basement¡ªthere might even be a Familiar being raised, or one could possibly see synthetic beasts in jars.


    But to her disappointment, after cautiously exploring for half a day, she found nothing at all.


    There wasn''t even the kind of altar filled with the smell of blood and various limbs described in novels. Aside from a few areas with signs of habitation, there was dust everywhere. The most numerous items placed around were various bottles and barrels of alcohol which she did not recognize.


    The double bed in the corner, perhaps due to poor ventilation and lack of sunlight, was damp and musty. She even felt a bit of sympathy for those Demon Scholars¡ªtheir quality of life was too poor.


    The "Alchemy Cipher" that Aiwass wanted, she had found quite effortlessly.


    It was a book that looked like a textbook, about the thickness needed for a mandatory course lasting one semester. It was only about two fingers thick and one and a half palms long. Unlike a textbook, it had a unique dark red leather cover that felt like cowhide.


    It looked very expensive.


    At least... worth ten White Coins, right?


    Perhaps even more, but this price was enough to make someone think about stealing it.


    Aiwass lacked life experience¡ªcarrying such an item outside, one would certainly attract attention. Even a thief completely ignorant of the Transcendent world and Taboo knowledge could easily judge its value from the material of the book.


    And this evil female Magician, she must also cherish this book.


    This meant that when you find a Demon alone, the evil Magician who summoned the Demon must be nearby¡ªand has most likely already noticed you. But you haven''t been able to find them.


    And when you really encounter such a formidable enemy, it''s generally up to the white-gloved ones of the Supervisory Court. It''s not their turn to act.


    So Hayna fell into a very frustrated mood.


    Despite possessing a great deal of specialized knowledge, she essentially could not apply it at work.


    In most cases, the work involved checking taxes, various forms of identification, maintaining public order, inspecting hygiene, safety hazards and prohibited items¡ªtedious, overwhelmingly busy, and completely lacking any sense of adventure.


    Even in most cases, there was no need to draw the Sword. Ordinary stupid thieves and thugs could be stopped in their tracks just by her shouting. And for those who could not be stopped by a shout, at least a numbers game was in play¡ªfacing a formidable enemy alone with no quick victory was a serious rule violation, punishable by solitary confinement.


    And once the numbers were in, the Sword was even less necessary. In such situations, engaging the criminals in close combat could actually make it hard for teammates to intervene. It was better to use guns for a cleaner resolution.


    As a result, the Rhythm Tactics tested during the hiring process were actually of no use at work.


    Hayna was quite dissatisfied with this.


    ¡ªHad she known that the work at the Supervisory Bureau was so dull, she might as well have joined the military as a Sky Cavalry member!


    Her Gryphon had been going through two months of processing, and she still hadn''t seen a single feather!


    Hayna had dreamed that once her gear and Gryphon arrived, she would show off at school, riding her Gryphon, clad in armor, sword in hand. She would undoubtedly look amazing, and her classmates and juniors would surely come to admire her, and the teachers would definitely use her as an example to instruct those younger ones¡ª

 Chapter 33: 16: The Temptation of the Demon_2

    ...but now it seemed that she might not be able to touch her Gryphon before she graduated.


    Hayna coughed and pushed the door open with her left elbow. Her right hand gently fluttered in the air in front of her, while her left hand carefully carried the book as if she was holding a plate with a teacup on it.


    She saw that Mr. Aiwass was sitting quietly and neatly in his wheelchair, as if scared of the smell of the corpse, keeping a very long distance from the frightfully dead body.


    "Does it smell too bloody?"


    Hayna casually asked, coming over to hand the book to Aiwass, "Hide it quickly... The inspectors from Lohar District will be here soon. Don''t let them see it."


    As she passed by the corpse, the strong smell of blood instantly surged up, making her cough even more violently.


    "This is the one, thank you, Senior Hayna!"


    Aiwass happily received the book, responding sweetly.


    Hayna''s lips curved up slightly. She liked the feeling of being needed.


    She hadn''t noticed during the fight, but now that she was idle, her gaze involuntarily drifted towards the body. And the smell was getting stronger, choking her more and more.


    Eventually, Hayna couldn''t bear it any longer. She pulled a white cloth from the nearby table and covered the upper body of the female magician''s corpse.


    "If it bothers you, why didn''t you cover it?"


    "Because I was thinking, we need to preserve the crime scene..."


    Aiwass hesitated before saying, "Wouldn''t covering it with a cloth destroy the evidence on the body?"


    "What?"


    Hayna was stunned for a moment.


    She turned to look at the body again, instinctively feeling that it might make sense.


    ...but why hadn''t the school taught this?


    Unable to think of a reason at the moment, she turned back and stubbornly said, "Because we don''t need to bother with any clues. We all know she was shot dead by you... Is there anything to investigate? I saw it clearly. I myself am a living witness, no other evidence is needed."


    "Of course, this isn''t your fault. Your action in firing the gun was a brave act of justice, and I''ll make sure to explain this to the Supervisory Bureau."


    Having said this, she couldn''t help but admire¡ªAiwass really was a well-mannered, polite good kid.


    ¡ªCompletely different from herself.


    Mr. Aiwass is too fragile to defend himself properly. One wrong shot from him and he might accidentally kill someone.


    Killing the Demon Scholar is no big deal, he might even be commended; but if a civilian was killed, he could end up in prison.


    And what if there were more people involved? Surely, he didn''t have many bullets left. He might also be afraid to shoot, or his weapon could be seized...


    Thinking this, Hayna hurried upstairs, worried, only to find Mr. Aiwass unscathed.


    Then, when she turned back, she felt that itch again.


    The previous browse did nothing to quench her thirst; on the contrary, it made her even more curious.


    "I am a little curious," she admitted after taking a deep breath, openly acknowledging her desire, "I want to see... that book again."


    "Could I come over to your place to see it afterward?"


    "But as an Inspector, it wouldn''t look good for you to keep coming over to our house for no reason, right?" Mr. Aiwass gently refused, "It might give rise to gossip, both for my father and for you. You know, there are some Inspectors who take money from merchants to act unfairly¡ªand I mean, even if you don''t do that, you can''t refute when others say you do. Because the things you actually do can''t be explained."


    "...Indeed," Hayna nodded dejectedly, "You''re right."


    "However," Mr. Aiwass shifted his tone, "You saved me, avenged me, and helped me retrieve this book¡ªmorally and rationally, I owe you thanks for your help."


    "So if you want to see this book, you could arrange to meet me during your free time. You should know of those more private spaces, right? Or if not, I can bring it to school. The school always has such places."


    Narrowing his eyes, Mr. Aiwass revealed a kind and gentle smile like a sly fox, persuasively adding, "Work can be exhausting sometimes, right? If there''s anything to complain about or if there''s been any big incident at the Supervisory Bureau lately, you can talk to me about it then, have a chat."


    She''s actually interested in Alchemy...


    An idea clicked in Mr. Aiwass''s mind. Now that he knew her personal interests, things became much easier. Hayna could easily become his inside connection embedded within the Supervisory Bureau.


    ...Learning to do good is not easy, learning to do bad just slides right out.


    The upstanding and righteous Senior Hayna, in the moment her steadfast beliefs faltered, was so effortlessly tempted by him.


    It''s hard to tell who the real demon is.


    Whether it was an illusion or not, Mr. Aiwass felt that if he became a demon, he might outdo the Shadow Demon professionally.


    Hayna, upon hearing this, was exceedingly grateful.


    She respected Mr. Aiwass''s generosity and the empathetic kindness he showed, and involuntarily she started to speak to her junior in an honorific tone, "Thank you, Mr. Aiwass! Only... wouldn''t this trouble you too much?"


    Mr. Aiwass just smiled and waved his hand dismissively, "No problem, it''s not a bother. This is called mutual benefit."


    "¡ªAfter all, I''m quite curious about the daily workings of the Supervisory Bureau as well."

 Chapter 34: 17 Nurturing Secret Sequel

    The Avalon Kingdom, Glass Island, White Queen District Inspection Bureau.


    The Inspection Bureau was still exceptionally busy this morning.


    Men and women in light or leather armor hurried by, looking smart and brave. On the wall of Director Kent''s office still hung the silver-white majestic head of the Silver-Crowned Dragon¡ªconstantly watching over them.


    Now in his forties but still physically robust, Director Kent sat in his leather seat.


    He sat with a straight back, his round shoulders, and big arms filling out his loose clothing. His bronze skin and the flesh on his face gave him the look of a fierce and tough man. A deep scar ran from above his left eye to the corner of his mouth, and with his black eyepatch, he resembled a one-eyed pirate.


    As a matter of ritual and etiquette, even though it had been more than ten years since Director Kent had taken part in front-line combat, he still had to wear armor in the office and maintain a proper posture and demeanor. His arms, abdomen, and calves¡ªareas less burdened¡ªwere covered in metal silver-white armor, while the rest was adorned with shiny armor plates.


    If he were not a Transcendent of no low level, he would probably be exhausted just by sitting there all day.


    Four hundred and twenty years ago, the founding Monarch Lancelot I of the Avalon Kingdom established three major judicial institutions.


    The Supervisory Bureau, which was responsible for "inspecting and protecting the people"; the Supervisory Court, which oversaw "inspection of knight officials"; and the Arbitration Hall, which decided "the righteousness and evil of affairs." At their inception, these three judicial institutions had equal status among each other, all manned by Knights of the Round Table who could enter the Senate to take on important responsibilities.


    The national emblem of the Avalon Kingdom is a green eye set within a silver-white triangle that symbolizes power.


    The eye signifies the royal family, representing the still healthy, nearly eighty-year-old Queen Sofia I of today.


    Protecting the royal family, the silver triangle refers to the Supervisory Bureau, the Supervisory Court, and the Arbitration Hall.


    But with the progress of the times, the affairs that the Supervisory Bureau needed to handle became more and more numerous: taxation, safety, health, firefighting, public order, censorship, imprisonment... As a result, the Supervisory Bureau gradually subdivided into many departments within itself, establishing branches everywhere, recruiting a large number of apprentice inspectors, Inspectors, and Chief Inspectors to be responsible for local affairs, and thus, their power was also disseminated.


    The Supervisory Court and the Arbitration Hall, because they dealt with more difficult and specific issues, did not expand in scale. The former evolved into an organization similar to a special service agency¡ªresponsible for scrutinizing the loyalty of officials, the moral integrity of hereditary Knight Families, the disciplinary transgressions of grassroots inspectors, as well as monitoring spies from other countries, or independently collecting intelligence abroad; while the latter became today''s courtroom.


    The common point is that they are now both one level higher than the Supervisory Bureau.


    As a result, in the Supervisory Bureau, anyone with the strength of the fourth energy level had to be transferred to the Supervisory Court and the Arbitration Hall. Attractively termed "after all, you don''t need such talent anyway." Even in the White Queen District, a core area adjacent to Glass Staircase, its Director Kent only had the third energy level.


    The young girl named Hayna who was recently transferred in was just over twenty years old, and her strength was already nearly on par with Director Kent, who was heading straight for his fifties.


    Kent didn''t even need to think about it to know that the Supervisory Court would definitely come for her.


    This was an era of producing geniuses. Hayna, Sherlock... these new-generation prodigies were far stronger than those old-timers who grew up in an era of peace, like himself.


    This boded ill, Kent thought to himself.


    Perhaps it was a prelude to the coming of chaotic times...


    He picked up the telephone on the desk and started turning the dial. 0¡ª1¡ª2, the call connected.


    Therefore, the selected reward must be substantial; otherwise, it would be considered garbage to the Moriarty Family. Presenting something deemed unworthy would instead disgrace the Supervisory Bureau.


    ...What a hassle.


    "A Priest on the Path of Devotion... a student from the Theological Seminary..."


    Director Kent murmured to himself as he searched through the bookshelf.


    Suddenly, his movements came to a halt. He looked towards a corner.


    There lay a book with a dark cover, its spine bearing no name.


    The director picked it up with one hand, while the other gently flicked the cover. Sparks scattered from the pages, like a hammer striking an anvil.


    "This one might do," he murmured to himself, reading the title: "Nurturing Secret Sequel"... Judging by the name, it ought to relate to ''Priest''."


    This entire bookshelf was filled with contraband seized by those below during book raids, valuable items.


    The Kingdom of Avalon strictly prohibited accepting bribes in any form, as that act could undermine "Authority." Conversely, profiting appropriately within the scope of one''s official capacity was tacitly permitted. This was meant to prevent officials and ministers from being bought by foreign spies¡ªespecially spies from the Kingdom of Star Antimony¡ªor from selling important intelligence and internal resources to the public, both actions that could also undermine "Authority."


    One of the tacitly permitted methods of profiting included selling confiscated banned books to the Knight Family¡ªfrom that perspective, this bookshelf could also be considered Director Kent''s personal property.


    Kent was not a forerunner on the Path of Devotion; he was certain he couldn''t open the book.


    But judging by the name and the burst of sparks, this was in every way a mystical tome belonging to the Path of Devotion.


    After the death of a Transcendent, their soul would fall into the "Ninefold River" of the Dream Realm, flowing into the Path they had traveled the farthest on. The power therein would become "Path Traits" obtained by followers during their advancement rituals, while their memories and knowledge would scatter across the land, chaotically drifting amidst the flora, fruits, sea of clouds, and tides of the Dream Realm, becoming part of the materials that constituted the Dream Realm.


    The Dream Traversing Monks of the Path of Wisdom could capture and collect these fragmented, scattered secret teachings from the Dream Realm.


    They would compile them into books. These mystical tomes filled with magical knowledge were called "Primordial Texts."


    The writing in "Primordial Texts" was in Juntu script, a language long extinct, and incomprehensible to most people. Typically, a local translator from the Path of Wisdom was needed to forcibly translate it into understandable language.


    As per the conventions in the translation community, such primordial texts capturing knowledge from the Dream Realm and recorded in Juntu script were uniformly translated as some sort of Secret Sequel. The prefix depended on the translator''s understanding of the contents of the primordial text.


    Usually, one could acquire a complete mystical skill from a Secret Sequel¡ªwhile it might be possible for it to have been replicated by others in later times, there was also a significant chance that the skill had been lost.


    Though not necessarily useful, the skills were nevertheless lost.


    In other words, they were something that couldn''t be acquired through normal means...


    "As a prize and ''gift,'' it would be prestigious enough," Director Kent said to himself.

 Chapter 35: 18 Sherlock Hermes

    ```


    In the hallway of the Supervisory Bureau, a young man with a languid demeanor, black hair, and brown eyes leaned against the wall, deeply engrossed in the newspaper he held.


    He looked quite young, probably just over twenty, like a college graduate fresh out of university.


    His build was lean, with a sharp, hawk-like nose and thin lips that were perpetually pursed, giving him a somewhat severe appearance.


    As he read the newspaper, Hayna stood by his side, incessantly mumbling something.


    "...that''s the way it is, Mr. Sherlock! I''ve told you everything I remember, so can you answer that question for me now?"


    Hayna was clearly excited.


    Not only had she made a name for herself, but she had also been interviewed and featured on the front page of the Glass Staircase Daily. She might have even caught the Queen''s attention¡ªthis made her feel as if she were walking on clouds, almost deliriously happy.


    After realizing she might have become famous, she resolutely clenched her teeth and spent all her money, except what was necessary for daily life, on that issue of the Glass Staircase Daily. She planned to take them all home during the holidays to share with relatives and friends.


    Today, she happened to run into Counselor Sherlock at work, and with a mix of excitement at seeing her former idol and a desire to show off, she asked him a question¡ª


    "...What question?"


    Sherlock Hermes looked up and casually asked, "Are you asking ''why Mr. Aiwass could guess there was something off with that bartender''? That''s simple because he''s a very smart man.


    "He knew the bartender''s name, which means he had been here before; Mr. Aiwass carries himself upright, sits with good posture, and it''s clear he is not an old man¡ªthe shoulders of an old person are different from a young man''s. Of course, considering the bartender might not understand this anatomy, I think more conclusive, more direct evidence would be his boots.


    "Handcrafted Elven boots made with mystical skills of Alchemy and Blessing. They deodorize, absorb sweat, ventilate, are waterproof, and increase grip to prevent slipping. A pair of such shoes would cost at least one hundred and twenty Silver Crowns. Not something a common Knight Family could afford.


    "Bars in Lohar District often engage in illegal activities, and they are good at sizing people up. He could not have missed such obvious characteristics. Yet, he recognized Mr. Aiwass but deliberately addressed him as ''old sir''... Do you think a bartender from Lohar District would utter such polite and cultured words?


    "Moreover, why wasn''t he afraid when he saw you? One of the jobs of the Supervisory Bureau is to collect taxes by force from people who appear not to have paid them. To extract the little savings they have, it would be strange if they did not resent or fear you. People in business would fear you even more¡ªbecause their accounts usually have some irregularities.


    "So why wasn''t he afraid of you? That means he didn''t care if you were going to ask him for money. Or maybe he''s simply not a local¡ªor even possibly not an Avalonian, unaware of what an unplanned appearance of an Inspector in this country means.


    "And the image in the newspaper was clear, the wheelchair only highlighted the style of his boots¡ªeven more so, his Elvish Style precision wheel-chair. The etchings in the Elvish Language were very clear¡ªMoriarty. Here, in the open. Didn''t you see it?


    "I mean, Miss Hayna... the Professor mentioned you graduated with high marks. I would think you passed in Elvish, didn''t you?"


    "...Ah, yes. I recognize it."


    Embarrassed, Hayna replied, "I just didn''t notice it."


    Having said that, Mr. Sherlock precisely folded the newspaper in his hand and handed it back to Hayna.


    It was a perfect alignment of all four corners, without a single deviation. Through this, one could glimpse the perfectionism inherent in Mr. Sherlock.


    "Ah, he actually dropped out for two or three months and hasn''t started school yet..."


    Hayna somewhat awkwardly took the newspaper.


    The dark-haired young man did not seem surprised by this outcome, simply nodding calmly: "That''s normal. Universities cannot educate true talent. They are merely a group of knowledge nannies, trying hard to break down knowledge into a mush that is easy to digest, stuffing it into the mouths of the lazy and foolish, in an attempt to mold them into barely usable social instruments. It is not a place dedicated to serving geniuses, solely teaching the intelligent.


    "I guess Mr. Aiwass''s knowledge and wisdom, most likely come from the professor''s personal tuition. Even within the entire Royal Law University, Professor Moriarty is among the smartest of the lot."


    "...I see."


    Hayna said sheepishly.


    She felt a bit disheartened... because she thought her record of getting into the Royal Law University and serving as the class representative for girls from her sophomore year was quite impressive. But she also knew that Mr. Sherlock indeed had the right to speak in this manner¡ªbecause he too was a valedictorian graduate from the Royal Law University.


    When Hayna was a freshman, Mr. Sherlock was the senior in his fourth year. With no guile and no background, relying solely on her excellent academic performance and good relations, she managed to run the student council work smoothly, entirely depending on the many rules laid down by Mr. Sherlock before her.


    The same title of valedictorian, the same position of student council president, and also the same full marks upon graduation. Yet the gap between them was still significant. After all, the transcendent subjects were meant for ordinary people starting from zero, and for transcendent individuals with a higher level, getting full marks wasn''t that difficult.


    "¡ªWait a minute, Mr. Sherlock," Hayna finally couldn''t help but speak up, "I have a question:


    "If you consider the Supervisory Bureau to be a bunch of fools, to the extent that you refused the internships from the Supervisory Bureau and even the Supervisory Court when you graduated... why are you now working at the Supervisory Bureau as a mere counselor?"


    No matter how well a "counselor" performs, they can''t climb up the ranks. All the achievements belong to Director Kent, and at most, he could only get a book or two as a personal gift from the director.


    If he had chosen to enter the Supervisory Bureau back then, by now he might have already been a deputy director. And sooner or later, he would become the director¡ªby that time, the entire bookshelf would be his.


    "...''Mere''?"


    Upon hearing this, Mr. Sherlock turned around in mild surprise.


    After sizing up Hayna for a few moments and understanding her words, he sighed.


    The young man shook his head and lowered his voice: "Remember not to say such things to others in the future.


    "Followers of the path of authority should not be so focused on ''advancement'' and ''prospects''. An inspector should not have such clear-cut ''ambition'', as it signifies that you possess suitability for the path of transcendence.


    "In Avalon, those who wish to get promoted are the very ones who will not be promoted¡ªdo you understand what I''m saying?"

 Chapter 36: 19: Hall of Silver and Tin

    Hayna was stunned for a moment before she realized with fear what she had just said.


    Fortunately, she had asked Mr. Sherlock this question, not Director Kent!


    "As for why I do not enter the Supervisory Bureau..."


    Mr. Sherlock said indifferently, "Because you and I are similar but not the same, I also cannot reach far¡ªthe world does not elevate the more talented or excellent. I understood this when I graduated."


    "...What do you mean?"


    "It means I am like you. Compared to the Path of Authority, I lean more towards other paths."


    The dark-haired young man fearlessly spoke with candor, "What I requested from Mr. Kent was the mysterious book of the Path of Wisdom. I handle difficult problems for him, and he gives me forbidden books in his personal capacity¡ªit''s a fair trade of mutual use. Now, my second Path is almost reaching the second Energy Level... Compared to the Path of Authority, it is the Path of Wisdom that I truly aspire to."


    "But..."


    Hayna wanted to say something more.


    But her intuition was suddenly triggered, so she immediately became alert and fell silent.


    After five or six seconds of silence face to face, a middle-aged man gasping for breath finally came running from around the corner.


    "Hayna¡ªfinally found you, I''ve been looking for you for ages! Ah, Mr. Sherlock is here too! Great, the Director is looking for both of you!"


    "Does Mr. Kent need something?"


    Mr. Sherlock retorted without courtesy, "I have other matters to attend to right now."


    "He didn''t say... but I think you should go check it out. It won''t take long, will it?"


    The middle-aged man said with a cheery smile, "You know, Mr. Sherlock¡ªif it were something boring, Director wouldn''t have asked you to come, right?"


    "Alright then."


    Mr. Sherlock nodded in agreement.


    He said, looking at Hayna beside him, "This is another reason.


    "I am restless. If I have nothing to do, I''ll be uneasy... but if asked to do ordinary, repetitive work, I''ll grow bored. I need tough challenges and formidable opponents to excite me.


    "Your kind of routine patrols are too dull. With that time, I would rather read more books, conduct experiments. Even traveling alone like a wandering monk would be more meaningful than that repetitive every day.


    "I do not seek fame, nor do I desire achievements. I just want work to utilize my intellect and vent my boundless energy¡ªand incidentally, to satisfy my curiosity. That''s why I collaborate with you guys."


    "Alright, Mr. Sherlock."


    The middle-aged man said with a wry smile, "You should get going¡ªfinish listening to the Director''s tasks sooner, and you''ll get back to your own matters earlier, won''t you?"


    Isabel was somewhat annoyed and also a bit disheartened, "I can''t even paint well."


    "You are already a genius, Isabel."


    Mrs. Yanis became serious when the topic was brought up: "It''s just that the people you have encountered are even more genius than you.


    "Isn''t your Path of Beauty also close to advancing? To be able to engage with the second energy level at this age is already quite impressive... And the way I have taught you is to build on a more solid foundation, so although you may start a bit later, you''ll be able to go much further."


    "I feel that is just because my father is Prince Albert."


    Isabel dropped her gaze and spoke softly, "I myself am nothing remarkable.


    "If Mr. Aiwass were a prince, he would be able to start even earlier and go even further."


    "Aiwass is an exception. You shouldn''t think too much about it. Even Her Majesty the Queen said after seeing the newspaper, he is an extraordinary young man... You don''t need to compare yourself with such a person."


    "...Even Grandmother?!"


    Isabel was astonished: "Grandmother rarely praises people... Is that Demon Scholar really that amazing?"


    "It''s not the battle, nor even the searching ability. What Her Majesty the Queen values is his decisiveness when he fired those two shots. Although the results were only the death of a second-level Demon Scholar, it actually exhibited his outstanding judgment, that absolute confidence in his own judgement, and a steady execution.


    "Her Majesty the Queen said it herself, he has the makings of a great general. You should also think about it, surely it was because she nodded her head that I dared to put him on the front page, in such a large article. It''s because Her Majesty the Queen said, to let the young people of the kingdom learn a lesson¡ªthough I believe they certainly won''t be able to learn it, but it''s still nice to let everyone have a look at a handsome young man."


    Mrs. Yanis shook her head helplessly: "You must stop this habit of only comparing yourself with the strongest, and then immediately feeling inferior and backing down when you fall short."


    "I feel that if I have to compare myself with my peers, then I must compare myself with the strongest among them."


    Princess Isabel said earnestly: "Because I have enjoyed the best resources, if I can''t become the best, then it''s a waste of those resources. They should be given to someone who needs them more."


    "...You,"


    Mrs. Yanis sighed, finding Princess Isabel''s stubbornness astonishing.


    "By the way, Mrs. Yanis."


    Isabel suddenly asked, "What did Mr. Aiwass see at that time? What was he gesturing at?"


    "Actually, I wasn''t at the scene either."


    Mrs. Yanis shook her head: "But I asked the recorder. He said it was a little girl selling flowers nearby.


    "That girl called him ''a very gentle big brother.'' I''d imagine he politiely bought a bouquet from her before. Aiwass indeed is a very polite young man¡ªyou could invite him to sit in the Hall of Silver and Tin sometime. Chat about what happened then, his thoughts, how he made his judgement... I think it would be very interesting. And I believe Her Majesty the Queen would allow it."


    "¡ª¡ªYou''re looking forward to it too, aren''t you, Isabel?"


    Isabel didn''t reply, but simply clenched her small fists a little tighter, like a child with yearning in her eyes, which widened beautifully, emerald-green as her grandmother''s.

 Chapter 37: 20 Bishop Mathers

    The Cathedral of the Candle Master in the Red Queen District is Avalon''s most orthodox Nine Pillars Divine Church, as well as the highest-status cathedral.


    The coronation ceremonies of successive Avalonian kings and queens have all been held here, and it is also where the royal mausoleum is located. Other "great" individuals in the Kingdom of Avalon are also buried here following their state funerals.


    Its daring to take the name "Candle Master," the Guardian Pillar God of the Path of Devotion, is sufficient to prove its sanctity.


    "Please come this way."


    An elderly man turned his head, wearing a solemn, floor-length red robe and a mitre. He spoke politely and gently to Aiwass.


    This man, with his sideburns and glasses, appeared to be in his forties based on his skin and features, exuding an aura akin to that of a stern head teacher. Yet, there was an inexplicable sense of "agedness" about him, causing one to instinctively view him as an elder. Perhaps it was due to the unnatural paleness of his hair, not as one naturally grays, but as if faded by age.


    The old man looked up and warned Butler Oswald, who was pushing a wheelchair behind Aiwass, "Be careful, there''s a slope ahead."


    The design of his mitre resembled a ceremonial and sacred candelabra with intricate detail.


    In fact, it could indeed hold candles ¡ª although they wouldn''t actually insert and light candles except on important occasions.


    According to the design of this mitre, it could accommodate up to three candles. The large candle in the front and the two smaller ones on each side indicated that this elder''s clerical rank was quite high.


    Counting from the top down, even including the Pope of the Eternal Theocracy, he would be considered the third tier.


    Strictly speaking, all high-ranking clergy, including the Pope, were "bishops," and all bishops had three candles on their mitres and were the only ones entitled to wear red robes. The Pope''s mitre could fit three large candles, whereas a bishop of the lowest rank could only have three small candles.


    One tier down, a priest would have two candles, and an acolyte at the lowest rank would have just one.


    Although the churches in this world all worship the Nine Pillar Gods, the church itself has its preferences. Most clergy follow the Path of Devotion, hence the Nine Pillars Divine Church reveres the "Candle Master" and the "Red Candle" that signifies ''burning oneself to illuminate others'' as its sacred emblem.


    While Aiwass was also a priest, he had not yet graduated, and therefore had not been conferred his own mitre. This meant he was not considered part of the religious system, was not on the church''s payroll, and was not bound by its rules.


    "Thank you, Bishop Mathers."


    Aiwass expressed his polite gratitude, "And thank you for personally teaching me the Sacred Arts."


    "It''s no trouble at all. My election as Clergy Councilor was largely thanks to Professor Moriarty."


    Bishop Mathers clasped his hands in front of him, linking his fingers. He walked alongside Aiwass on the east side path of the Cathedral of the Candle Master.


    He chuckled good-humoredly, "I read this morning''s paper ¡ª you did well yesterday.


    "Aside from teaching you the Sacred Arts of ''Rite of Fire,'' ''Illumination,'' and ''Blessing,'' I will also assist you with your first advancement. Don''t be too nervous, the first advancement does not require entry into the Dream Realm. The situation in Avalon is not good right now, and I think you need some ability to protect yourself."


    "So, what exactly has happened?"


    Oswald persisted in asking.


    Bishop Mathers closed the doors of the chapel and turned on the light switch.


    The next moment, the chapel, which seemed like a university lecture hall in its construction and size, suddenly became brightly lit.


    On both sides, the statues stored within the niches became illuminated, as if awakened by that light, silently beginning to move ever so slightly and gradually turning their gaze towards them.


    Bishop Mathers gently tapped the three candles on his mitre and respectfully greeted the sacred images:"The seventy-three trailblazers.


    "May the Candle Master watch over your flames."


    Aiwass and Oswald also slightly lowered their heads in respect.


    These seventy-three sacred images represented every figure in Avalon, including past monarchs, who had been buried here with national funeral honors since the founding of the kingdom. Each one''s name was etched in Avalon''s history books.


    When Queen Sofia passes away, she would become the seventy-fourth.


    Aiwass had already noticed that a new niche without a sacred image had appeared in the corner of St. Genvieve Chapel.


    Noticing Aiwass''s gaze, Bishop Mathers kindly explained to him, "This is the spot prepared by Her Majesty for herself. Her sacred image was commissioned five years ago and completed two years ago. It is now kept in the Hall of Silver and Tin."


    Then, he turned back to Oswald.


    "The Round Table Hall probably doesn''t know about this yet, but I have reported it to Her Majesty," he said.


    Bishop Mathers spoke gravely, "There has been important intelligence from the Holy Nation.


    "They captured a spy from Star Antimony and got something out of him.


    "¡ªIt is said that there are traitors within the high levels of the kingdom. They plan to incite an ongoing chaos on Glass Island, with the timing, scale, and location all unknown. The ultimate goal is to ''obtain or get close to some kind of Holy Entity''.


    "The Royal Capital is likely to fall into chaos soon, and I think there is no need to wait for Aiwass to finish his final exams.


    "Just in case, he must immediately embark on the transcendent path."

 Chapter 38: 21 Sacred Arts: Rite of Fire

    At least in this matter, Aiwass could be sure that Bishop Mathers knew less than he did.


    Although Aiwass had completely forgotten the plot, the letter he obtained at the Pelican Bar, which was sent to the Noble Red Society by "someone," mentioned some key intelligence.


    The letter vaguely mentioned that the Demon Scholars sent by the Noble Red Society this time should be "a group of people," not just two. "That person" would coordinate with their actions, continuously creating incidents around Glass Island in advance to divert the attention and manpower of the Supervisory Bureau.


    Similarly, the mysterious person who wrote the letter also issued a warning to the Noble Red Society with an attitude nearly equal to that of a partner¡ªthe gist was that the credit he was willing to extend to the Society was limited. If the Society failed to provide him with what he wanted this time, then he would be "heartbroken yet resolute in executing some unkind deeds that neither of us would like to see or wish to witness."


    The two "pen pals" who came to meet Aiwass in person had actually split from the main group and arrived in advance.


    Their motives were easy to understand.


    They had been running the "Aiwass" line for a very long time. Perhaps they thought Aiwass would die in the ongoing turmoil; or maybe they feared that their superiors would take Aiwass, this resource, from them; or they felt uneasy about this operation, thus activating Aiwass as a reserve to supplement important resources in advance.


    Initially, they may have been attracted by the "Moriarty" family name, but when Aiwass became a Priest and continued to trust them, he himself became of special value.


    Noble blood, a pure heart, a soul striving for Transcendence, a voluntary sacrificial offering¡ªperhaps there were other factors as well. But Aiwass, as a sacrificial offering, was of very high caliber.


    Because the ritual sacrifice was not a summoning specifically for the Shadow Demon, but any superior Demon could answer the call. And indeed, as soon as the ritual began, the Shadow Demon was attracted by the scent and came forth.


    Aiwass offered half of his life force as a sacrifice to sign a contract with the Shadow Demon¡ªthis was actually the correct price.


    The correct price for a sacrifice is "half." No matter how much you offer, the Demon only takes half, and it is usually the regenerative half, because the essence of this ritual is "division."


    Equal division of wealth, power, profit, risk¡ªsuch parties can then be termed collaborators. If the summoner''s quality satisfies the Demon, the summoner may symbolically take an extra 1% to signify the distinction between "master and servant"; if the summoning is barely successful, then it''s typically an even split.


    But in reality, this has no binding effect on the Demon''s actions. It is merely a verbal distinction of being called "the master" or "the partner."


    Demon Scholars are a legal profession in countries other than Avalon and the Eternal Theocracy. If the art of sacrifice necessarily required killing one''s offering, then Demon Scholars would inevitably be murderers, and the profession would not be legal. Moreover, if Demon Scholars performed self-sacrifice, it would amount to suicide.


    The sacrifices made by Demon Scholars in the Kingdom of Avalon accompanied by slaughters are actually not demands of the Demons, but rather for silencing, robbery, or preparing ritual materials.


    Given the limited circulation of mystical knowledge, most ordinary people don''t even know what the Extraordinary Professions of the Path of Transcendence are, let alone the formal title of "Demon Scholar." They use "Magician," a term that means "some lord who can cast spells," as a folk substitute.


    But actually, Demon Scholars'' spellcasting abilities are not strong, and the types of spells they can use are quite limited.


    Compared to Mages of the Path of Wisdom, Necromancers of the Path of Dusk, and Sages of the Path of Adaptation, they are much less capable, and even less so than the Legal Mages of the Path of Authority¡ªDemon Scholars'' main strength comes from "rituals" and "Demons." Many spells rely on rituals, requiring advance preparation, and the power far exceeds that of normal spells.


    For example, Veronica''s "Cursed Infant" requires an infant cursed to death by the caster as ritual material. A second-level Demon Scholar-led ritual spell can threaten or even instantly kill frontline professionals of the third energy level.


    If they lack appropriate materials or do not have a contract with a sufficiently powerful Demon, Demon Scholars become very weak.


    However, if Demon Scholars plan covertly and prepare in advance, they can completely unleash destructive power far beyond their own level.


    Now, I am in the Light while they are in the Darkness.


    "First, light a new candle. Any color will do, there''s no difference¡ªwhen you''ve become proficient enough, carrying a pack of matches will suffice."


    The old bishop said, extending his left hand, "I don''t know how well you understand mystical knowledge, so I''ll start from the beginning.


    "Among your ten fingers, the thumb represents fire, the index finger represents air, the middle finger represents ether, the ring finger is earth, and the pinky is water. Each of the four basic elements has two corresponding fingers, while light and darkness are represented by the left and right hands, respectively. Therefore, we usually use the left hand to perform the Rite of Fire¡ªsince the elements of the Path of Devotion are light and fire, our most important fingers are the left thumb and middle finger.


    "I don''t recommend you use your right hand for any operations until you can use it skillfully and have it ingrained in your instinct."


    Saying this, a white flame ignited on the old bishop''s left thumb, lighting the candlestick in front of him.


    There was a thick, long, white candle placed in advance. Once ignited, its light instantly illuminated the entire space.


    "To facilitate guiding you in your first visualization, I specifically chose the brightest type available."


    Bishop Mathers explained, gesturing Oswald to push Aiwass''s wheelchair closer.


    "Come, raise your left hand. Do as I do..."


    His movements were slow, "Imagine that what''s in front of you is not a candle flame within reach but the unattainable golden sun.


    "No matter how bright the flame before you is, you must envision it shining with an extremely brilliant light¡ªlet that light fill every corner of your field of vision, filling your entire sight without a trace of shadow. Imagine that it can penetrate your palm, and even with your hands wide open, your hand should be as transparent as glass."


    Aiwass did as instructed.


    But just as he extended his hand,


    A pop-up suddenly appeared before him:


    [Samuel Mathers is teaching you the ''Rite of Fire.'' Would you like to pay 1 public experience to master this Mystical Skill?]


    The moment Aiwass saw the pop-up, he froze for an instant, instinctively looking towards Bishop Mathers.


    In the game, if a player''s Mystical Skill was acquired through a quest¡ªthat is, not through reading but after maxing out the personal affection of a certain NPC and being taught one-on-one¡ªthe experience consumed to learn the skill is directly proportional to the skill level and inversely proportional to the level of the instructor.


    In other words, the easier the Mystical Skill is to learn and the higher the level of the instructor, the less experience the learner has to expend.


    In the game, this setting didn''t mean much; it simply served to show how powerful a person was indirectly because players didn''t lack that bit of experience¡ªthere were no stamina limits in this broken game, and the experience needed to learn Mystical Skills wasn''t much.


    However, when discussing "who is stronger than whom" or "who can one-shot whom" on the Wargame forums online, people would bring out this factor as a basis to deduce the actual professional level corresponding to that NPC.


    When players in those days learned Sacred Arts, they uniformly needed to spend seven points of experience to master them¡ªand that NPC, whose name Aiwass couldn''t remember, was at least some sort of bishop.


    So, what''s going on with you, old man? You have such a high level even in version 1.0, so why have I never heard your name in the game?


    ¡ªOh no, it looks like I''ve encountered a Sweeping Monk.

 Chapter 39: 22 Contact with the Blood of Candle Master

    Currently, it is still version 1.0, and "Phantom Demon¡¤Candle Celestial Marshal" has yet to descend and be defeated. The level cap for the Path of Devotion is only 50. The highest-level individual is the Eternal Pope of the Eternal Theocracy.


    Aiwass conservatively estimated that Bishop Mathers must be at least level 39.


    In Avalon, that would be top-tier level within the Arbitration Hall. One more level up and he would be akin to the current version''s top-level powerhouses¡ªif one were to make a bolder estimate, it''s likely that Bishop Mathers has already reached beyond level 40 and touched the strength of the fifth energy level.


    Even the Cardinal Archbishops of the Eternal Theocracy could only aspire to so much.


    But thinking about what his foster father said to him before he left, Aiwass was able to let it go.


    Bishop Mathers is the highest-ranking bishop at the Cathedral of Candle Master. In other words, he is the highest authority of the Nine Pillars Divine Church within Avalon.


    Such a powerhouse, if he did not directly suffer and perish in the impending chaos of Avalon...


    Then the likelihood is that he later changed his name and identity.


    Because Aiwass really has no recollection of such a person as Mathers.


    The Eternal Theocracy is an Elf-governed nation, and hence the pace of life is very slow. Not all humans can adapt to life there.


    Two-thirds of the higher echelons of the Nine Pillars Divine Church are women, and over ninety percent are Elves. The Pope who rules the Holy Nation rotates every three hundred years. A retiring Pope automatically becomes a Saint and continues to traverse the earthly nations as an agent of the Holy Nation, dispensing blessings and mediating disputes until they are too old and frail to walk before returning to the Holy Nation. Thus, only an Elf can aspire to become Pope.


    Mathers, not only being male but also human, belongs to a rare minority among the Holy Nation''s high-ranking officials. Aiwass was certain that there should be no one by that name among the church''s hierarchy.


    Because there was another rather peculiar aspect of the Nine Pillars Divine Church.


    It was about face.


    One doesn''t necessarily need to possess startling beauty, but at the very least, one must not be ugly.


    Because the healing from the Path of Devotion requires physical contact with others, if the recipient resists the treatment, the efficiency of the healing would drop significantly. Moreover, the "Rite of Fire" has an obvious beautifying and age-defying effect on the body, so it''s certain that the high-ranking officials of the church won''t be ugly.


    But Bishop Mathers...


    Was it because he was too old?


    The expression on Aiwass''s face turned somewhat subtle.


    "Don''t look at me, Aiwass. Look at the candle."


    Noticing that Aiwass had suddenly turned to look at him, Bishop Mathers, whose appearance was akin to that of a stern and strict headteacher, naturally issued a voice full of a stereotypical sternness: "There''s no light and fire on my face, looking at me is useless."


    "Yes."


    Aiwass came to his senses and obediently responded.


    ¡ª¡ªPay with experience.


    "Of course," not wanting to dent Aiwass''s confidence, Bishop Mathers quickly added, "you don''t need to rush. A priest who has just encountered ''Rite of the Sacred Fire'' would do well just to fill the gaps in their health. You have just been sacrificed by a demon, so your vitality will definitely be depleted; that''s why I prioritized teaching you ''Rite of the Sacred Fire.'' This way, you can gradually replenish the vitality, blood, and lifespan lost to the sacrifice.


    "The mastery of Sacred Arts is simple but not immediate. Generally speaking, mastering ''Rite of the Sacred Fire'' within five days is normal, but I feel you should be able to get a preliminary grasp in two days. Illumination Art is much simpler, you can master it immediately, so we''ll talk about it last. Blessing, however, is the hardest and generally takes about a week to learn.


    "So, this time I''m only teaching you how to practice, and when you go home..."


    Bishop Mathers was in the middle of speaking when his words suddenly stuck.


    Because he saw Aiwass''s pupils becoming suddenly empty.


    Deep blue like the sea, his pupils abruptly showed hints of a sunset-like deep red. Like the sea at dusk, the deeper it was towards the top, the deeper blue it seemed, while closer to the bottom, it resembled the half-submerged sunset on the sea horizon, shining with a nearly golden red halo.


    Aiwass opened his left hand towards the candle flame and touched it with his middle finger.


    The flame ignited instantly and flowed into his bloodstream through his fingertip.


    Aiwass suddenly felt a relaxing warmth.


    It was like after exhaustion, soaking in a fragrance and petal-infused warm spring while listening to gentle music. He felt the heat soothing his entire body, a strong sense of drowsiness and satisfaction overwhelming him.


    In the pure white world of illumination he envisioned, leisurely walked a deer.


    The deer was transparent, with a purity and brilliance of red similar to the finest rubies. At the moment of Its arrival, Aiwass''s gaze was irresistibly drawn to it.


    ¡ªThat was none other than Candle Master! The supreme being of the Path of Devotion, the God of Devotion!


    Unlike the immense pressure from the Silver-Crowned Dragon of the Path of Authority that Aiwass felt, gazing upon Candle Master did not cause Aiwass to experience illusions or pressure. For It had bound Its own divinity, allowing Itself to interact with mortals¡ª


    Its body was bound with black thorns. Those thorns pierced Its skin and caused It to bleed red. As It walked, Its blood continually dripped to the ground, causing groups of eternal, undying red flames in the form of footprints to rise.


    And Its massive crystalline red antlers were like a candelabra thrusting in all directions, with dozens of clusters of pure white flames burning on them.


    The deer slowly approached the motionless Aiwass, who was like a statue, and gently licked his outstretched left hand.


    Afterward, It raised Its head and softly pressed a wound beneath Its neck, pierced by the black thorns, against Aiwass''s palm.


    A drop of blood fell into Aiwass''s hand, transforming into a tear-like ruby.


    In Aiwass''s heart, three lines of text appeared.


    These were the three choices that one received upon advancing in their path¡ª


    [Affinity with Flames LV1 (Blue): You crush the Blood of Candle Master and grasp a hint of the essence of flames.]


    [Everlasting Health (White): You are cleansed by the Blood of Candle Master and can better resist diseases.]


    [Flame Container LV1 (Blue): You ingest the Blood of Candle Master, and your soul is expanded.]

 Chapter 40: 23: Holy Sword Guardian Samuel

    Each time a Transcendent Profession advanced, three random stat lines would be given.


    It was only when all these stat lines came together that each Transcendent Profession formed unique and subtly different from one another.


    In the game, players could repeatedly run advancement dungeons to reroll these stat lines. Otherwise, it would be difficult for players to experience various fancy builds.


    But Aiwass clearly didn''t have any in-game shop items.


    His choice in stat lines during advancement was a one-time opportunity.


    However, he had already decided on the direction he wanted to take¡ª


    To advance to Master of Beasts, he needed to seal his own six-attribute Great Beasts.


    And to craft an Affinity Card for each attribute, fifty points of pure-colored mana were required.


    When leveling up, the Priest profession would increase the mana pools of both Light and Fire attributes. The ratio was mostly three Light to one Fire.


    The Demon Scholar typically could only increase the Mana Pool of the Darkness attribute when leveling up. If contracted with an Upper-Level Demon such as the Shadow Demon, one could also increase the Mana Pool of the contracted demon''s corresponding attribute. Even though Aiwass''s first contracted demon was a Darkness-attribute Shadow Demon, he could still possibly end up with a random stat line for expanding the Wind, Earth, Water, or Fire Mana Pools during his advancement.


    If Aiwass leveled up normally, he feared only the Light and Dark attributes could reach fifty points.


    Therefore, except for Light and Dark, he must choose any stat lines that expanded other attributes if available¡ªeven so, it was not guaranteed that he could raise all six attributes to at least fifty points. By then, he either had to endure the experience penalty to open a third Path and take up a specific spellcasting profession to increase the corresponding Mana Pool, or slowly elevate the attribute limits through various kinds of magic potions, or wear Extraordinary Items to temporarily increase the mana limit.


    The basic principle was that any stat line offering expansion of the Wind, Earth, Water, or Fire attributes must be selected.


    Unless a rare gold stat line appeared, Aiwass would hesitate, seriously contemplating whether to pass on the expansion this time.


    But in the first advancement, only blue stat lines could appear. Additionally, spellcasting professions were bound to present both Affinity and Expansion stat lines¡ªhence he had no room for hesitation, as he had no other choice.


    However, Aiwass was quite fortunate.


    Having Blood of Candle Master did not guarantee the appearance of a Fire attribute stat line; it could also be Light. If the random expansion was for the Light attribute, then he could only choose Affinity. This was because his Light Mana Pool was quite ample¡ªhe was not a Transcendent specializing in the Path of Devotion, no need to raise the blue lines too high.


    Moreover, the Phantom Demon Yulia possessed was of the Fire attribute.


    This meant that Aiwass had to craft a Fire Affinity Blank Card before that incident began if he wanted a chance to seal it.


    He had previously calculated that the standard Mana Pool for a level 10 Priest should be 8 points of Light and 2 points of Fire, while at level 20, it should be 23 Light and 7 Fire.


    When Aiwass reached level 20, counting the current time, he needed to advance three times in total. These were the guaranteed successful one at level 2 and two Ritual Trials at levels 9 and 19.


    As long as he randomly received a Fire attribute expansion in these two trials, Aiwass''s Fire Mana Pool could increase by another 28 points. Without using any Extraordinary Items, adding the original 7 points and the 14 points given this time would be exactly 49 points.


    ¡ªA maximum Mana Pool of 49 points, if he stored four points in advance the day before, would already be enough to create a Fire Affinity Blank Card with a capacity of 50!


    And once he possessed the "Phantom Demon: Defiant Flame Butterfly," Aiwass would gain combat strength far greater than that of a mere level 1 Fire Affinity!


    At the very least, he would have no trouble fighting his way through to the end of version 1.0!


    So Aiwass didn''t hesitate.


    After the stat line appeared, he thought it over, and the teardrop-shaped flame instinctively rose up and entered his mouth.


    The very next moment, the illusions before his eyes abruptly shattered.


    But seeing the tension and worry on Aiwass''s face not dissipating, Bishop Mathers bit his lip, "This way, Aiwass! Listen to me¡ª"


    "You have now gained a powerful mana equal to a second-level caster, you just don''t know how to use it yet. You can start learning spells or divine arts that rely on the power of fire, but before that..."


    Speaking, Bishop Mathers took the huge key he had used to open the door from his waist and gave it to Aiwass.


    It was a deep red key.


    It was so heavy that it felt not like a key, but like a broken sword.


    "During this time, St. Genevieve Chapel will be closed. I''m lending you the key; use it to defend yourself for the next two months¡ªdon''t underestimate it, just channel fire mana into it, and it will ignite a searing, phantom blade. Even if you are not able to move, it''s enough to scare off most enemies.


    "Just make sure to return it to me before the Candle Master''s festival on the first of January."


    The moment Aiwass grasped the heavy key with uncertainty, he almost blurted out a curse.


    Because this key, despite its very ordinary name, had an incredibly heaven-defying effect.


    This was not only proof of his importance to Bishop Mathers but also revealed his pessimistic verdict on the current situation...


    The instant Aiwass saw this effect, he knew who Bishop Mathers really was¡ª


    [The Key to the St. Genevieve Chapel]


    [Extraordinary Weapon (Deep Purple)]


    [Dagger, Heavy, Unedged, Resilient]


    [Characteristic: It can be used to break the seal of St. Genevieve Chapel (limited to triggering by the Path of Devotion)]


    [Extraordinary Module - Flame Infusion: Spend 1-10 points of fire attribute mana to ignite a blade of fire, lasting 1-10 minutes]


    [Extraordinary Module - Light Infusion: Spend 1-10 points of light attribute mana to ignite a blade of sanctity, lasting 1-10 minutes]


    [Extraordinary Module - Wind Infusion: Spend 1-10 points of wind attribute mana to ignite an invisible blade, lasting 1-10 minutes]


    [Spell: Holy Sword Skill (Once a month)]


    [Requirement: Light 11+Fire 11+Wind 11, or Light 33, or Fire 33, or Wind 33]


    [Instant, Touch, Immediate Effect]


    [Effect: Sanctify this Weapon, transforming it into the Holy Sword¡¤Red-Handled Sword (Sacred Weapon - Two-Handed Sword, Heavy, Exorcising, Sharp, Resilient, Lightweight, the bearer temporarily gains Curse Vulnerability LV4), and retain the activated module effects until the next sunset]


    ["¡ªThe key forged from Galahad''s broken sword, its power along with the curse is sealed within."]


    No wonder Aiwass had no impression of the so-called "Bishop Mathers."


    Because he was not entirely from the Eternal Theocracy... He was a native Avalonian.


    His true identity was that of the final boss from a main quest in version 3.2, "Shadow of Avalon"!


    The avenger from the annihilated kingdom of Avalon, controlled by the curse entwined with the reforged Holy Sword - Red-Handled Sword¡ª


    ¡ªHe was called "Holy Sword Guardian Samuel," the Cursed Holy Knight!

 Chapter 41: 24 Aiwasss Planning

    So you''re a boss too, big bro!


    Aiwass immediately felt a sense of kinship.


    Although theoretically, Aiwass should be on the protagonist''s side, he was acutely aware of his own vile nature. It seemed that becoming a boss wasn''t that far off for himself.


    Moreover, in Aiwass''s view, a boss was, in a sense, a "hero who had taken a misstep."


    ¡ª¡ªAt least, that was the case after the mid-point of the version, when everyone''s presence had been established.


    Because they had sided with the wrong team, stood against the tides of their times, or because of various reasons had made a misstep... they had become bosses and entered the dungeons.


    If they had taken the right step during critical moments of wrong decision-making, perhaps they could have survived. They might have even become great heroes, as they too harbored their own beliefs.


    Take the Holy Sword Guardian Samuel, for instance.


    He loved his homeland, Avalon. Hence, after the destruction of the Kingdom of Avalon, he traveled the world, seeking power. Eventually, he found the technique to reforge the Holy Sword, turning the key of the St. Genvieve Chapel, which he guarded, into the "Holy Sword-Red-Handled Sword," once wielded by the ancient hero Galahad.


    What he didn''t know was that this sword contained a powerful curse. It was for this reason that it had been cut off and sealed by the Mage Merlin.


    One must wield this sword with a steadfast and pure will. Samuel, who picked up the Red-Handled Sword without any warning, was almost instantly overwhelmed by a curse that had been brewing for hundreds of years, dominated by a Light-affinity Phantom Demon born from the curse, ultimately becoming a key executor of the "Shadow of Avalon" plan.


    Aiwass treasured the heavy key and accepted it.


    He knew how much Bishop Mathers valued this key and that the Bishop was aware of the key''s origin and worth.


    He valued Aiwass so much that he was willing to lend it to Aiwass temporarily for self-defense¡ª¡ª


    At that moment, Aiwass had made up his mind.


    Apart from his sister Yulia...


    He would also seek to change the destiny of Samuel Mathers as a way of repaying the trust and esteem he was shown at this moment.


    Strictly speaking, this wasn''t difficult; all he needed to do was prevent the reforging of the Holy Sword. But a more radical solution would be to prevent the fall of Avalon itself.


    And that was something Aiwass was already intending to do.


    Because our goals align.


    In Aiwass''s heart, the tasks he set out to do intensified, but he didn''t feel burdened by it; rather, he was eager to begin.


    "Imagine yourself as a candle, and your palm is the candle''s wick. You can ignite your own life force by drawing on your fire attribute, or you can use an external flame to help ignite it, which could save some of your mana. But since you possess the Path of the Flame Container, you don''t have to be that frugal.


    "Then all you need to do is continuously channel light attribute mana, gently touch the other person''s forehead, back of the head or heart with your palm, and infuse the light generated from burning your life into them. This can help soothe the mind, dispel curses, heal wounds..."


    The Illumination Art is very simple. Anyone with a bit of light attribute mana can easily learn it.


    Aiwass didn''t use experience to speed up the learning process and took only about ten minutes to get it, proving his talent indeed.


    After that, he paid three experience points and quietly learned the Blessing Skill. However, he did not show it off¡ªbecause the Blessing Skill is the most difficult in the Sacred Arts. He could explain quickly learning the simpler Rite of Fire Skill due to Aiwass''s innate affinity for flames.


    But the Blessing Skill is not something one could learn instantly.


    That involved strengthening allies, sanctifying the environment or items, producing Holy Water, among other measures...pretty complex. He listened to the lecture for more than an hour.


    And the fact that Aiwass spent three experience points to learn it is proof of its difficulty. This confirmed that Bishop Mathers'' initial calculations were entirely correct¡ªfor Aiwass, Blessing was indeed three times more difficult than the Rite of Fire.


    That is to say, Aiwass used four experience points to save two to three days and a week''s time¡ªwhich was totally worth it.


    Because what he lacked now was time.


    ¡ªTomorrow night, it would be the full moon of November.


    The full moon and the new moon of each month are the two specified days for advancement rituals.


    The success rate of rituals during the full moon is twice that of the new moon, while the new moon is more likely to yield rare terms.


    In a month and a half, he was going to participate in a tough battle. Before that, he only had three opportunities for advancement at best.


    If Aiwass does not hold back his leveling, he could advance to Priest, Demon Scholar, and Priest respectively, during the full moon, the new moon, and the full moon.


    If he missed this day, Aiwass would have to wait another two weeks to advance. And before the advancement is completed, the overflowed skill levels would not translate into professional grades. That would be a waste of experience... which would directly lead to the collapse of subsequent plans.


    As long as Aiwass wanted to produce the first Blank Card within a month and a half, he had to complete these two advancements as a Priest, and he must complete the first advancement tomorrow¡ªotherwise, with only half a month left, even if he took shortcuts, he would definitely not be able to raise his Priest level to 19.


    ¡ªFortunately, the two from the Pelican Bar provided valuable shared experience!


    Aiwass still had fifty points of shared experience. If he distributed it evenly among the four Sacred Arts, raising each by one or two levels, he could get his Priest level to 9!


    Thus, he could enter the Dream Realm during the full moon tomorrow to complete the first advancement ritual... and light up the second tier of his Path of Devotion directly!


    ```

 Chapter 42: 25 "The Last Case

    Aiwass and Oswald returned very late.


    Bishop Mathers'' time teaching the Sacred Arts was not very long.


    Once the necessary information had been imparted, what remained was the persistent practice.


    After all, such things cannot be rushed. In the end, these mystical powers are only resonated with because Transcendents walk their own Paths, and because they align with the philosophical essence of their Paths.


    The reason why studying, practicing, and using Mystical Skills can raise one''s Extraordinary Profession level is that while Transcendents perform these skills, they are essentially practicing their own Paths.


    Since it''s about practice, it surely cannot be achieved overnight.


    Unless someone like Aiwass has made a breakthrough.


    Apart from "Basic Prayer," Aiwass had quietly mastered the remaining three types of Sacred Arts. Prayer didn''t need to be taught specifically since it''s part of Theological Seminary''s curriculum.


    Aiwass''s original "Basic Prayer" was just that he hadn''t learned the correct incantations and prayer rituals. Teaching this was too long, too troublesome... and whether or not one mastered the correct method of prayer, it didn''t affect his professional advancement.


    The correct incantations only served to summon the power of the Candle Master to heal the soul. Bishop Mathers demonstrated this to Aiwass once.


    Countless specks of light, like larvae, flew toward Mathers from all around. As he prayed, a thin shell of light gradually covered him, becoming brighter as time passed.


    During this process, Bishop Mathers'' Light attribute mana was visibly recovering at a slow pace.


    Generally, a depleted Mana Pool would only refill after adequate sleep.


    Aiwass also noticed that Bishop Mathers had not mentioned the fact that Aiwass was in a wheelchair at all.


    He hadn''t even offered to heal Aiwass''s body, to help him "stand up again."


    A healer of this caliber would likely know just by a touch that Aiwass was brimming with life force, without sickness or disability.


    So why was Aiwass in a wheelchair?


    Bishop Mathers must have had such questions. If Foster Father James hadn''t specifically mentioned this to him, then it indicated his emotional intelligence was maxed out¡ªthough he didn''t know why, if you didn''t mention it, I wouldn''t ask.


    Better to avoid the topic. Pretend not to have seen, not to know.


    After that, Bishop Mathers took Oswald to watch a soccer match that seemed to be a big event.


    The teams were the "Unicorn Club" and the "Lake Sword Club."


    The former was a team from the Holy Nation, while the latter was from Avalon.


    Although Aiwass didn''t see the point of these two high-ranking Transcendents watching a bunch of mortals play soccer... it seemed to be an important match. That''s why Oswald didn''t send Aiwass back but instead agreed, albeit reluctantly, to take him to the stadium.


    With their protection, surely nothing would go wrong.


    Even though Aiwass was uninterested, both were respected elders worth accompanying for a bit of leisure.


    So Aiwass also put on a cheerful and happy appearance. Evidently, the company was quite satisfactory.


    The former beat the latter four to nothing, a dominant performance that even a complete soccer novice could discern. Oswald seemed very pleased, and while Bishop Mathers showed no particular reaction, he complained, "I knew there was an issue with the club manager of Lake Sword." Overall, it was a happy occasion for all.

 Chapter 43: 25 "The Last Case"_2

    However, Aiwass did get a strange piece of information from their chatter¡ª


    It was that the Moriarty Family''s old butler, Oswald, despite having served the Moriarty Family since the establishment of the Kingdom of Avalon, felt a deep sense of identity and affection for the Eternal Theocracy.


    Yet even so, when Aiwass tentatively asked him if he wanted to "go back and have a look," Oswald simply shook his head.


    "There''s nowhere to return to," the old butler sighed, saying casually.


    "The Holy Nation is good in every way, but there is no home left. Better not to go back."


    It was the first time that Oswald, who was as silent and reticent as a shadow, had ever mentioned his past in front of Aiwass and the other "young masters."


    After that, Aiwass fell somewhat silent as well.


    By the time Oswald, pushing Aiwass in his wheelchair, made their leisurely way back home, it was already evening.


    The setting sun hung in the sky, with the lake in Moriarty Manor gleaming with a shattered gold brilliance. And at the iron gates of the manor, a lean young man with black hair and brown eyes leaned quietly.


    He was perusing a dark gold-colored book, seemingly indifferent to his surroundings.


    The pages in his hand were emitting a mysterious blue-green glow, as clear and pure as the bottom of a lake.


    He was boldly reading a forbidden book in front of Moriarty Manor without any fear, clearly very familiar and comfortable with the place.


    Because Aiwass was seated in a wheelchair, with a lower line of sight, he noticed the name of the book in the young man''s hand at a glance.


    ¡ª"Clarity Secret Sequence."


    Aiwass knew this book.


    This was a mystical skill from ancient times¡ªback in that era, the boundaries between Paths weren''t as defined as they are now. Thus, many ancient skills could possibly belong to multiple Paths. But this book was an exception.


    It was strongly attributed to the Path of Wisdom. The "Art of Vacant Clarity" it described was the precursor to the Path of Wisdom''s mystical skill "Meditation" that came later.


    In the game, the owner of this book was supposed to be Sherlock Hermes. It was a collection he acquired shortly after the main storyline began.


    Sherlock was a Transcendent with adaptations to the Paths of Wisdom and Authority, and already had the dual professions of "Legal Mage" and "Mage" in version 1.0.


    He was a powerful ally who remained outside the main character group.


    Although he didn''t become a player''s companion, he would occasionally step in to help solve a few difficult issues. After the collapse of the Kingdom of Avalon, he didn''t follow the player to the Holy Nation, nor did he go to Star Antimony Kingdom. Instead, he accepted an offer from the Iris Kingdom and held a government position for a while.


    It was clear from the name that this character was based on Sherlock Holmes.


    But even after Aiwass crossed over, the storyline of Sherlock''s "The Empty House" had still not come about. Instead, James Moriarty leaped out, displaying his identity as the ultimate boss of the version''s main storyline.


    As if he had noticed that extremely complex gaze, Sherlock suddenly looked up in Aiwass'' direction.


    Seeing Oswald approaching with a wheelchair, he smiled and put away the book in his hand.


    "Good afternoon, Mr. Oswald,"


    he cheerfully greeted the old butler and nodded to Aiwass with a smile.


    Oswald obviously recognized Sherlock and greeted him warmly, "Mr. Sherlock, why don''t you come in and sit? The professor has been mentioning you a lot lately."


    Aiwass knew that the old butler was quite proud, with the stubbornness of an elf and a sense of superiority.


    If it were not someone he approved of, he would never be so cordial.


    "Forget about it, if I go in, the professor will nag me again. I''ll just deliver the things and leave, I have other matters ¡ª just say hello to the professor for me."


    The young man with black hair politely declined.


    "If you''re busy today, how about coming to the family dinner tomorrow? I will instruct the cook to prepare some good dishes in advance. After all, the professor really has been talking about you for a long time ¡ª and Mr. Sherlock, it''s been almost a year since you visited the professor."


    Oswald asked affectionately, with an attitude starkly different from the indifference he showed when meeting Hayna, "You haven''t visited the professor in almost a year."


    "I''m busy tomorrow night... You understand. When I have time later, I will send a formal invitation to visit."


    Sherlock responded vaguely.


    He exchanged a look with the old butler, and Oswald seemed to understand, nodding his head and not pursuing the matter further.


    Aiwass also realized what Sherlock meant.


    If he says he has something important tomorrow night, it very likely involves advancement.


    His vague attitude suggested that this time his advancement was probably illegal ¡ª he dared to openly read the Mystical Skills books about the Path of Wisdom, yet was evasive about this matter.


    It must be that he had just recently acquired the secondary Path, and the "Mage" profession of the Path of Wisdom was about to advance to the second level!


    ... Just like himself.


    Aiwass was taken aback.


    Well, well.


    ¡ªWe won''t meet in the Dream Realm, will we?

 Chapter 44: 26 Benefit Exchange

    Aiwass actually didn''t know the specific process of the advanced ritual.


    The main reason was that the officials hadn''t created a map of the Dream Realm, so the player''s advancement experience wasn''t complete. Among those essential materials for the ritual, only a few were slightly more expensive, and the rest were just fillers.


    As long as all the materials were gathered, a dungeon could be opened.


    Before level 50, entering the advancement ritual would line up a nine-player dungeon, with each Path having one spot. Then, these nine players would enter without fighting any minor monsters and directly combat a randomly spawned boss which was fairly easy to defeat.


    After completing the dungeon, there was a random determination of whether the players successfully advanced. The higher the level of the advancement dungeon, the greater the failure rate. Without the use of extra materials to increase the success rate, the number of players who advanced during the full moon was double that during the new moon.


    In the beginning, the success rate was quite high. When advancing from level 9 to Energy Level 2, six out of nine players would succeed, and even during the new moon phase, three could smoothly advance. However, as the levels increased, advancement became more difficult. When advancing from level 49 to 50, only the full moon dungeon guaranteed at least one player would succeed. It was even possible for all nine players to fail the new moon dungeon.


    Players had gotten used to it.


    Just like not getting the desired cards when drawing. It was seen as a very normal thing.


    Starting from level 59, subsequent advancement dungeons would be high-difficulty solo dungeons.


    By version 6.0, the level cap for most Paths had been raised to 85. The Paths of Authority, Balance, and Wisdom were the first to be opened up to level 90, while the others were still being unlocked in succession. The final advancement from level 89 to 90 was frighteningly difficult, so much so that although the level cap was raised to 90, the vast majority of players were stuck at level 89. Only a few who were both dedicated and willing to spend money, with a good skill set, could truly reach the maximum level.


    It was estimated that only after the level 90 cap for all nine Paths had been unlocked would they specifically lower the difficulty of previous Paths'' dungeons.


    This was what the officials did when they opened the level 80 cap previously.


    However, although Aiwass didn''t know how NPCs advanced, he at least understood one thing.


    That was, NPCs also definitely needed to match up with nine people from different Paths of the same rank for advancements in the first 50 levels. If there weren''t enough people, the ritual couldn''t be carried out¡ªof course, low-level advancement rituals would certainly have enough participants.


    In cases where there were enough players, the nine nearest people would be selected first. If it wasn''t possible to gather enough locals, then they''d reach out further afield and grab one or two people to keep the distance between the nine players as short as possible.


    According to the mysticism texts of the Path of Beauty, the advancement ritual was "sharing prosperity under the full moon, and joint loss at the new moon."


    Based on the speculations of the leading players, perhaps during the full moon PvE was encouraged, and PvP on the new moon. This could also explain why the success rate of the ritual was higher during the full moon.


    And tomorrow is the full moon, requiring a certain degree of cooperation in the dungeon.


    That means Aiwass would enter the Dream Realm tomorrow as a practitioner of the Path of Devotion. Sherlock would be of the Path of Wisdom.


    The Path of Balance and the Path of Authority would probably be Avalonians. Where the advancers from the other Paths come from is hard to say.


    Meanwhile, Sherlock chatted amicably with Oswald for a while before bringing up serious matters.


    This slim man, who looked somewhat indolent, as if he wasn''t too concerned about anything, took a dark-covered book from his chest.


    Sherlock, holding the book upside down with the title facing downward, handed it to the old butler, casually saying, "My visit this time is just to bring something to Aiwass on behalf of Mr. Kent."


    "I thought it would be that girl with no sense of time handling this minor task."


    Oswald clearly remembered the incident where Hayna was two hours late.


    He handed the book to Aiwass without looking at its title himself.


    Thus, Director Kent probably intended for Aiwass to take a stand¡ªsimply mentioning at the awards ceremony that "the Pelican Bar incident is related to the Supervisory Bureau" would suffice.


    For this, he had even sent Aiwass a rather precious Codex Book.


    What''s more, by accepting the book, Aiwass would likewise be accepting this commission.


    Meaning Director Kent owed him a favor.


    So, Aiwass thought it over and revealed a fox-like, mischievously pleased smile.


    "¡ªSupervisory personnel?"


    He feigned confusion, but he was confident that both Sherlock and Oswald would understand his meaning: "But I''m just an ordinary person. I''m even still a student."


    Sherlock clearly understood what Aiwass meant.


    "It''s no problem,"


    he said decisively: "You''re not formally an Inspector, but even as a student, you can serve as a counselor for the Supervisory Bureau. Just like me, with a nominal position at the bureau. There won''t be any actual tasks; you just need to indicate you are part of the Supervisory Bureau at critical moments. Later, if you''re interested in participating in any incident investigations, you can also join as a counselor."


    Sherlock''s words were very smooth, clearly reciting verbatim what Director Kent had said.


    With Sherlock''s counselor status, he could make such promises to Aiwass was obviously because Director Kent had foreseen Aiwass''s reaction before Sherlock''s departure.


    That meant the director had previously sought out Hayna for a detailed inquiry into Aiwass''s character, abilities, and the tasks at hand.


    When he realized that Aiwass was a smart man who wouldn''t be easily fooled, he immediately arranged for Aiwass more substantial benefits.


    "Mr. Kent''s exact words were, ''This is a reward for your act of bravery and also an advance appearance fee for inviting you to the awards ceremony.''"


    "Of course, if you really don''t want to attend, it''s not a problem; you can still keep the book, and I can decline on your behalf to Mr. Kent."


    Sherlock readjusted his top hat, pressing the brim down a bit.


    "¡ªSo, what''s your answer?"


    "Of course I agree. Please tell the director that I will be there on time,"


    Aiwass said, his smile gentle as he deliberately omitted any mention of the Nurturing Secret Sequel book.


    It wasn''t until then that he truly understood the weight of his own identity.


    Now he wasn''t just an undocumented player with no backing... he was Aiwass Moriarty.


    When James was still alive, before Avalon was destroyed, no one could take his credit away. No one could treat him as a tool, to be ordered around at will. If they wanted Aiwass''s help, they had to exchange benefits, never to take without returning.


    And immediately following, Aiwass also realized another matter:


    ¡ªGood lad.


    So when I was playing as a gamer, these people quietly took so much from me!


    ```

 Chapter 45: 27: The Two Who Were in the Orphanage

    When Oswald pushed Aiwass through the door, they were greeted not only by the male servants of the house.


    Yulia, wearing her pajamas and holding her doll, stood quietly by the window.


    She had been eagerly watching Oswald push the wheelchair, slowly making his way along the front path. Then she ran to the door to welcome them.


    "Miss Julia was waiting for you," Oswald whispered behind Aiwass.


    Aiwass nodded, also lowering his voice, "I think Yuli is just feeling a bit lonely. After all, kids her age are usually playing with classmates at school. But the only peer Yuli has to see is me."


    The old butler sighed but said nothing more.


    He simply closed the door as Yulia approached, keeping the biting winter wind of the early evening outside.


    His brow furrowed, he said sternly, "Miss Julia, the wind is chilly in winter. Please don''t come too close to the front door."


    "...I''m fine."


    Yulia stubbornly murmured, "I''ve already taken medicine twice."


    "That''s still not good," the old butler said without hesitation. "You''re already frail, and catching a cold would only make things more troublesome..."


    "...It''s alright, Mr. Oswald. If Yuli gets sick now, I can also treat her," Aiwass interjected warmly. "I believe the Sacred Arts taught to me by Bishop Mathers are meant to be used at times like this."


    With that, he first took off his coat to reveal the sweater underneath.


    Aiwass placed his hands inside his sweater, trying to warm them with his own body temperature.


    He had just come back from outside, his coat and hands covered in the chill. This would be very uncomfortable for Yulia, whose body temperature was higher than normal. It was much like how a person with a fever would feel cold.


    This was also an old problem for Yulia.


    From a young age, Yulia''s body had been home to a Phantom Demon in its larval state¡ªthe Defiant Flame Butterfly.


    Individuals like her, hosting a larval Phantom Demon within them, were called "Phantom Demon Eggs."


    Their spiritual, physical, and even life force would be continually drained, nourishing the Phantom Demon inside. If they died due to weakness or external forces, the Phantom Demon within would awaken and cause a disaster. However, if the Phantom Demon could be safely nurtured to a certain stage, they could borrow some of its power even without taking the Transcendent path.


    As the Phantom Demon further developed, the strength of a Phantom Demon Egg would gradually increase, requiring more and more stringent nutrition for growth. Only when the Phantom Demon developed a complete personality would its growth be considered complete. At that point, it could choose to awaken forcefully or become a symbiotic partner with its host.


    The choice lies in the hands of the Phantom Demon, not the host, which is why hosts are called Phantom Demon Eggs¡ªbecause most Phantom Demons choose the former.


    Even though the Phantom Demon inside Yulia had not yet awakened, it had already granted her some of its powers. This, in turn, placed a heavier burden on her.


    Yulia''s body temperature was a few degrees higher than that of a normal person.


    Specifically, it was as if she was in a constant state of fever. Her body temperature was a bit higher than average... at six or seven years old, it was half a degree higher; and now it was two degrees higher than the average person''s.


    With a constant temperature around 38.5 degrees Celsius... if it weren''t for regular treatments from the church priests, she would''ve probably died a long time ago.


    More troubling was the fact that this kind of fever was unrelated to diseases or curses, and thus could not be cured through Transcendent methods. It could only be treated using Illumination Art on her nerves and organs, and with magic potions to help her body replenish the nutrients required by the Phantom Demon.


    Yulia was not James''s biological daughter, either. She was his foster daughter as well.


    The reason she was so close to Aiwass was that they were both in the same orphanage as children.


    As the gentle light seeped through Aiwass''s fingers, Yulia''s body gradually relaxed. Her breath, which was short and shallow, also slowly became steady¡ªthe illness was easily dispelled by Aiwass.


    Although she had been ill for a long time, under the premise of James''s continuous treatment, she wasn''t very sick¡ªbecause before each deterioration of her condition, he would call for a Priest to heal her hidden injuries. Aiwass used only two points of Light mana to heal her body.


    Subsequently, Aiwass moved his still-glowing right hand from her back and placed it on Yulia''s forehead.


    With the nourishment of the light on her spirit, her languid mental state also immediately improved significantly. This time, Aiwass used less than a point of mana.


    Yulia''s body remained feverishly hot. But clearly, she would be able to have a good night''s sleep today.


    "Good girl," Aiwass''s mouth lifted slightly, "Let''s go, time to eat..."


    Just then, Aiwass absentmindedly touched the Codex Book that lay on his knee.


    His movement paused for a moment.


    For he had never touched Yulia''s Codex Book, yet now when he did, it radiated the same burning heat as her body, and a distinctly different, bizarre sensation.


    It felt as if Aiwass wasn''t touching the cover of the book but was making contact with the skin on Yulia''s back instead.


    Without the barrier of clothing, the heat was even more intense than what Aiwass felt when touching Yulia moments ago, almost to the point of being scalding.


    But the strange sense of incongruity made Aiwass look down.


    There was no steam rising from the air, and the material hadn''t changed at all. It was still the same sort of leather-like material.


    That''s when Aiwass suddenly realized¡ªthat although it was burning hot, his legs didn''t feel the heat at all. Only his right hand, which had just used Illumination Art, experienced this illusion. Even when touched with his left hand, it felt like a normal temperature.


    So, discreetly, Aiwass handed the hot Codex Book to Yulia, "Can you help your brother put this book in his study, alright?"


    "Mhm."


    Yulia nodded lightly in response.


    Receiving the book, she showed no particular reaction.


    It was as if she didn''t feel any of its heat at all.


    "Does it feel a bit cold? It has also been exposed outside for a while," Aiwass asked with concern.


    "A little, but it''s okay," Yulia hummed a reply and then asked, "Where should I put it, brother?"


    "Just place it in front of the desk. It''s a book that your brother wants to read after dinner."


    "Okay."


    Yulia nodded, then left with the book.


    Aiwass confirmed something.


    It seemed that only he could feel the change in temperature and touch of the Codex Book.


    Interesting, he thought.


    I''ll thoroughly examine it after dinner.

 Chapter 46: 28 Shepherd

    In the depths of the night, the waxing gibbous moon almost dipped back into the earth. The horizon showed the faintest hint of dawn.


    In Aiwass''s room, the seat clock rhythmically swung its pendulum, its hands now pointing to 4:20 a.m.


    Yet he sat still in his wheelchair, motionless as a statue, leafing through the "Nurturing Secret Sequel".


    Two streams of eerily purple-red tears slid continuously from the corners of Aiwass''s eyes, who sat dazed at his desk, dropping tepidly onto the pages of the book before being absorbed into it.


    Aiwass was engrossed in the secrets within the book.


    His skin flushed crimson, the veins on his forehead and arms visibly swollen. Those veins, which should have been tinged with blue, showed a web of deep purple.


    Despite it being winter, the room remained warm. Yet with Aiwass''s deep and harsh breathing, wisps of a pale, white hot mist continuously exhaled from his mouth. Occasionally, a low cough would spark a few embers.


    Only when morning came and birdsong was heard outside did Aiwass seem to awaken from a great dream.


    His eyes cleared, and the purple veins on his face slowly retracted.


    By then, he had unwittingly reached the end of the thin black leather book. The knowledge had been deeply etched in Aiwass''s memory, vividly recalling it the moment he closed his eyes. The words even seemed to glow.


    "...So it''s such a thing," Aiwass murmured with a solemn expression.


    The black Codex Book contained the description of a mystical skill known as "Shepherd''s Nurturing".


    It was a mystery dating back more than a thousand years¡ªlong before the concept of "profession" existed.


    At that time, almost all Transcendents were journeying along various Paths because the superhuman common sense of "minimizing the number of Paths to delve into simultaneously" had not yet been established.


    Walking multiple Paths at once not only made it easy to go mad and hindered progress on each Path but also was extremely detrimental to inheritance. In that environment, every Transcendent, after a lifetime of developing and mastering mystical skills, had to pass them on to successors who matched their personality, hobbies, and essence exactly.


    Therefore, in ancient times, Transcendents were a rare presence in human society. Moreover, their superhuman powers were not very strong.


    Without an inheritance system, almost no Transcendent could pass on their legacy beyond three generations. Each individual''s progress along their Path was severely limited by their personal exploration alone.


    It was not until about the fourth or fifth century that the concept of "profession" began to form. Transcendents, through various forms of practice, gradually purified and radicalized their personalities, rejecting the Paths they did not intend to traverse. They were careful not to let their intrinsic nature be corrupted, and while maintaining their original intent, they aimed to align as much as possible with the safe paths already explored by their ancestors.


    The principles of the nine major Paths are actually quite blurred. Their boundaries overlap each other and are constantly changing.


    For example, the Path of "Beauty" associated with art has the most noticeable shifts. Almost every few hundred years, people''s understanding of "beauty" changes. Many arts considered unorthodox in the past became "ancient trends" decades or centuries later.


    But if a Transcendent had no guidance, they could easily stray.


    Because all mentally healthy ordinary people would certainly fit the criteria of multiple Paths at once.


    For instance, wild Transcendents of the Path of Devotion might also stumble upon the Illumination Art. But if they do not know that the core principle of the Path of Devotion is "altruism," they can easily take the path of "exploiting their healing abilities to grasp power." For example, becoming the leader of a small religious faction.


    The legion garnered various secret treasures and usurped wealth for him. The man, growing weaker and weaker, started to nurture more and more Phantom Demons. At this point, not only demons followed him. Even light-attribute Phantom Demons appeared by his side.


    They were all raised by the man from a young age. Without a contract, they willingly accepted the man''s commands and shared a portion of their strength with others.


    Under the management of the man in the black robe, his followers increased in number, and they grew increasingly powerful.


    Like a snowball rolling, in a short time, they formed a terrifying force. This attracted attacks from all sides.


    In the end, during the encirclement by the alliance, he sacrificed those followers who had followed him as food, nourishing powerful Phantom Demons with the Art of Herding.


    Anyone who had been nurtured by him was powerless to resist the forceful sacrifice of the Shepherd''s Nurturing.


    They were used as sustenance, summoning even more powerful Phantom Demons.


    Aiwass saw it all clearly in the illusion.


    Although it was only a silhouette, it was undoubtedly the "Fallen Celestial Marshal" who had descended in version 3.0 and had been defeated!


    The plan of the man in the black robe went awry at the last moment¡ªhe tried to use the Nurturing Skill to infuse the Fallen Celestial Marshal''s power into himself.


    ¡ªbut he had not expected that the Nurturing Skill would suddenly fail at that moment.


    He himself could not properly contain the power of the Fallen Celestial Marshal. He missed the optimal moment.


    Without using the Nurturing Skill capable of extracting the essence of Phantom Demons without harming their nature, his actions became a theft of the Phantom Demon''s essence¡ªand the infuriated Fallen Celestial Marshal struck him down in retaliation, and thus he was killed by an assassin from the alliance.


    The man known as "Shepherd," his evil legacy was thus severed.


    "...Because when he tried to infuse the power he had seized into himself, he had already deviated from the Path of Devotion," Aiwass sighed.


    This name, he really hadn''t chosen it incorrectly.


    To use humans as a sacrifice to feed the Phantom Demons, then extract power from the Phantom Demons, or directly sacrifice the entire Phantom Demon to nurture humans.


    It was like a real shepherd.


    Using omnipresent grass to herd cattle and sheep, then obtaining milk and meat from them.


    The grass represents the common people.


    The cattle and sheep represent the Phantom Demons.


    Such a deplorable metaphor.


    ¡ªIf one does not regard the endless grass as a cost, "nurturing" cattle and sheep would then seem like a secret technique that creates something out of nothing.

 Chapter 47: 29 Forbidden Technique: Nurturing Skill

    When Aiwass closed the "Nurturing Secret Sequel," the black leather-bound book no longer conveyed that warm and delicate feeling akin to human skin.


    It became quiet, as if everything before had been but an illusion.


    And at this time, Aiwass finally understood why he had not seen this book in the original history.


    Because, if someone could indeed open this tome correctly, they would most likely destroy it immediately.


    ¡ªThe knowledge recorded in it was far too dangerous.


    It resolved a core issue with the Path of Transcendence¡ªTranscendence could not make others apart from oneself stronger.


    The nature of the Path of Transcendence is to rebel against the higher-ups, to pursue surpassing and seek elevation, it is an extremely selfish path.


    Reliant solely on the power of Transcendence, one cannot bring profit to others. This has led to Demon Scholars often gathering together, yet their strength never uniting as one.


    And the "Art of Herding" integrated the characteristics of the Path of Devotion. It allows one to benefit others by sacrificing oneself.


    Feeding one''s own flesh and blood to a demon, then bestowing demonic power upon mortals¡ªthis logic conformed to the criteria of the Path of Devotion because in this logical chain, the demon is merely a symbol. It''s like earning money and then sharing it with the poor.


    Similarly, using humans as sacrifices to nurture demons, supplying these Phantom Demons with strength for growth, without taking any kickbacks or demanding any return also meets the criteria of the Path of Devotion¡ªThe ''altruism'' of the Devotional Path is not limited to humans or kin, as Phantom Demons are certainly considered ''others'' too.


    And when demons want to reciprocate the nurturing with strength, one still takes nothing for oneself, giving it all to others. Thus, no ''trade'' is formed, also in accordance with the standards of the Devotional Path.


    The entire act is filled with ambitious demonic traces; from the motive, one can discern the unmasked ''desire to ascend''¡ªat any cost, to become stronger. Yet it does hold a divine compassion, always adhering to the sole principle of ''helping others gain strength to fulfill their wishes.''


    What the Shepherd does is not a trade, but an unconditional charity.


    But in the end, the Shepherd still gets everything desired, achieving an almost perpetual cycle.


    After Aiwass finished reading the book, a new skill had silently been added behind his Priest and Demon Scholar professions.


    Now, Aiwass''s complete panel looked like this:


    Priest LV6: [Basic Prayer-2nd level (3%)],[Rite of Fire-1st level (5%)],[Illumination-1st level (15%)],[Blessing-1st level (0%)],[Shepherd''s Nurturing (Flesh)-1st level (0%)]


    Demon Scholar LV5: [Demonology Knowledge-1st level (16%)],[Basic Ritual-1st level (5%)],[Demonic Pact-2nd level (3%)],[Shepherd''s Nurturing (Essence)-1st level (0%)]


    Unlocked Paths: Dedication-First Layer; Transcendence-First Layer


    Mana Pool: 2/5 (Light), 4/5 (Darkness), 11/15 (Fire)


    Free Experience: 50


    Path Traits¡ª


    Transcendence-Shadow Affinity LV1: You have signed a life pact with a Shadow Demon and can freely use first-level shadow abilities.


    Dedication-Flame Container Lv1: You have consumed the Blood of Candle Master, expanding your soul. Your Mana Pool (Fire) maximum capacity has increased by 14


    Authority-Silver Scale: With this mark as a token, the Silver-Crowned Dragon watches over you; a certain vow you have made must not be broken. When you attack any who break their vow, you gain a +1 advantage (Divine)


    ¡ªAs the selected heir, the perfect inheritor of the "Shepherd," Aiwass indeed received the complete transfer of the "Shepherd''s Nurturing" skill.


    And undeniably...


    This taboo skill was indeed very useful to Aiwass.


    Because when the "Nurturing Secret Sequel" mentioned using "flesh to let Phantom Demons grow," Aiwass realized he had previously overlooked something vital¡ª


    In the game, Great Sin Scholars and Masters of Beasts leveled up "Great Beasts" by repeatedly farming Phantom Demons of the same attribute. Just by setting up a boss as the designated attribute Phantom Demon, they could immediately challenge and defeat it. The Great Beasts would then grow by devouring the remains.

 Chapter 48: 29 Forbidden Technique: Nurturing Skill_2

    But this isn''t very practical in real life.


    Because he didn''t have an "Instance Finder" to randomly arrange instances, and Phantom Demons couldn''t infinitely respawn like the bosses in the instances. So he could only feed them corresponding rare materials to level up the Phantom Demon¡ªwhich required a huge cost, and collecting materials also took time and energy.


    But if he had the "Shepherd''s Nurturing" skill, he could use himself as fodder, sacrificing to the Phantom Demon.


    Aiwass''s oath was "I will not use the lives or corpses of my own kind as ritual materials or offerings," and he certainly didn''t fall under that category.


    After all, "self-sacrifice" was a standard ability for Demon Scholars. Moreover, it wouldn''t prevent advancement to become a Great Sin Scholar.


    Though "Shepherds" would become emaciated and scarred due to this flesh nurturing.


    But Aiwass had the most orthodox Priestly heritage. Among the four Sacred Arts prepared over hundreds of years through meticulous selection by the church, the "Rite of Fire" could enable Aiwass to quickly recover lost life and heal his own bodily injuries.


    ¡ªNo need to use others as sacrifices.


    It''s enough to let the Great Beasts slowly feed on my own flesh.


    Only, this cycle of spiritual flesh, feeding off the masses and perpetual movement, was unachievable for him.


    He could grant others the power of the Phantom Demon and use his own flesh to feed it, but he couldn''t feed humans he nurtured to the Phantom Demon in return¡ªbecause that would involve sacrificing his own kind and would taint his soul.


    At this moment, Aiwass also finally understood why this black-leather book reacted when it got close to Yulia.


    Because it sensed the malnourished Phantom Demon that had been suppressed inside Yulia for a long time.


    The original tome itself also had a faint spiritual awareness.


    Incubating a Phantom Demon Egg was the simplest way to obtain a weak, juvenile Phantom Demon.


    Within the illusions of that black-leather book, Aiwass saw that a "Shepherd" at mid-development acquired a multitude of juvenile Phantom Demons through this method:


    The children, used as Phantom Demon Eggs, were gathered from all over the world by his legion. After long-term feeding with soups prepared using his blood, the Phantom Demons inside them grew rapidly, ultimately causing the "eggs" to crack and hatching out the Phantom Demons.


    Aiwass drew his pure silver dagger from the table as the Shadow Demon was expressing discontent.


    It was a Ritual Dagger, excessively sharp but lacking in resilience.


    Aiwass smeared the dagger with essential oils infused with cinnamon essence and rosemary, into which he had injected a bit of Light Attribute Mana and Dark Attribute Mana respectively.


    Then, he passed it gently over a candle flame, and a deep, dim light emerged from the dagger.


    Aiwass extended his right hand and took a deep breath.


    Then, he clenched it fiercely until the blade cut through the flesh and lodged into the bone.


    "Then take it, my blood, my bone, my flesh..."


    Enduring the intense pain, he murmured in his heart:


    [Feast in silence, my lamb...]


    [This is the Holy Communion, this is mercy]


    The Mana Pool within Aiwass suddenly loosened¡ªthe little remaining tri-colored Mana randomly infused into his blood, like water surging out uncontrollably from an unplugged bathtub.


    He imagined that the blood flowing from his wound was not red but golden honey and white milk. He lowered his eyes and looked at the Shadow Demon with a compassionate and mournful gaze.


    Aiwass strove to keep his heart free from any fear, greed, pain, and hatred, filled only with pure goodness and love.


    As if what lay before him was not a cunning and deadly Demon but a starving street child begging for food.


    It was pure, equable, supreme benevolence.


    ¡ªVoluntary sacrifice carried a sanctity. Just as when Aiwass volunteered himself as an offering, he could summon an Upper-Level Demon.


    And now, his willingly offered blood, transformed through the proper ritual, became an exceedingly sweet and delectable offering, potent enough to addict a Phantom Demon¡ª

 Chapter 49: 29 Forbidden Technique: Nurturing Skill_3

    The Shadow Demon, which had been full of complaints, immediately fell silent.


    It rose from the ground like a mad creature, wrapping around Aiwass''s right hand as gently as dozens of entwined snakes, greedily licking up every drop of blood, along with the spaces between fingers and the back of the hand.


    Not until the Mana Pool within Aiwass was completely depleted, unable to produce another drop of mana, did the "Shepherd''s Nurturing" ritual come to an end.


    Aiwass withdrew the Ritual Dagger, and the wound scabbed over by itself.


    Even though that scorching, searing blood had vanished without a trace, the Shadow Demon still intently licked Aiwass''s right hand, reminiscent of a pup continuing to lick its master''s palm even after having eaten the food from it.


    "...It seems you like it a lot."


    Aiwass''s face was pale, but the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.


    His voice was somewhat weak¡ªhalf due to blood loss, half due to severe pain.


    During the ritual, he couldn''t afford to furrow his brow or show disgust and fear due to the pain, or the nurturing ritual would fail.


    But now he could.


    The deep, bone-visible wound indeed caused him tremendous pain, but fortunately, he endured it forcefully, allowing the ritual to succeed.


    One strike merely tore the leather book, but it did not corrode immediately.


    The Shadow Demon, as if provoked and losing face, instantly morphed into an even more ferocious and massive wolf and charged again at the "Nurturing Secret Sequel."


    This time it could no longer resist¡ªthe corrosive shadow continued to pour into the pages, and they withered, decayed, darkened, shriveled, and twisted at a visible pace until they turned to dust and vanished without a trace.


    The Shadow Demon sunk back into Aiwass''s shadow, disappearing without a trace.


    Aiwass had no time to carefully wipe off the blood remaining on the Ritual Dagger and could only thrust the silver blade back into its sheath. This would undoubtedly ruin the Ritual Dagger, but he had no choice but to ignore that now.


    After the ritual was over, he felt an increasingly intense exhaustion and dizziness.


    His fingers trembled wildly from the intense pain and loss of blood, the completely depleted mana making his brain swell wave after wave. Everything before his eyes contracted and then expanded, as if he was drunk and on the verge of blacking out, or as sleepy as one might feel during a complex mathematics class...


    ¡ªNext time, at least I need to reserve some mana for the Rite of the Sacred Fire. Being entirely devoid of mana is indeed debilitating...


    Good, this is a very important lesson. Better to learn it in a safe place than to first understand it in a moment of crisis...


    With these choppy thoughts floating in his mind, Aiwass stumbled toward the bed.


    He didn''t even manage to undress or cover himself with a blanket before he passed out on his own bed.

 Chapter 50: 30 Department Head Meg

    ```


    It was the day after Hayna grabbed the headlines, coincidentally a weekend.


    Hayna returned to the Royal Law University after a long absence.


    Though it was a rest day, there were still quite a number of people on campus. After all, final exams were only a month away, and even last-minute cramming had to start sometime.


    Hayna, however, was not the least bit anxious.


    She even donned her armor and paired it with the short sword exclusive to Inspectors, standing at the bottom of the girls'' dormitory building, smilingly watching her juniors come and go.


    "Hello, senior!"


    "Hayna, senior."


    "Good morning, Senior Hayna."


    "By the Silver-Crowned Dragon... I wish you well, Miss Hayna."


    The juniors passing by, and even those of the same level as Hayna, politely greeted her upon seeing her. The busy students couldn''t help but cast envious glances at the leisurely Hayna.


    They were still working hard preparing for their final exams, but Hayna had already graduated early!


    But they could never have guessed Hayna had done this on purpose.


    She wasn''t back because she was busy with something.


    She simply wanted to stroll around campus leisurely while watching her juniors busy with their exams.


    So refreshing. Ah, so refreshingly liberating.


    It was as if the fatigue and pressure accrued from staying up late to prepare for her early graduation exams had been cleansed...


    ¡ªThis was Hayna taking advantage of the Royal Law University''s strong educational resources and the plethora of professional books readily accessible in the library, based on the assumption that she might be severely injured or even disabled and lose her job in the future, preparing in advance by learning four courses that would likely be able to sustain her.


    But at the same time, she was unsure what would be profitable in the future. So she studied four completely unrelated fields haphazardly.


    With a foundation laid down, further learning would be much simpler.


    Just then, Hayna suddenly shivered.


    Instinctively, she sensed someone had silently appeared behind her.


    A paralyzing fear gripped her heart as her eyes opened wide instantly. Like facing a gust of wind head-on, she gasped for air but couldn''t draw a single breath.


    Tense with nerves, she subconsciously clutched at the short sword in its scabbard¡ª


    "¡ªGood morning, Hayna."


    A robust and clear female voice rang out, "Hey, don''t be scared. [Put it back]."


    With a clink, the short sword that Hayna had drawn slightly slipped from her grasp and slid back into its sheath as if the weapon itself refused to be drawn in front of this person.


    Only upon hearing her voice did Hayna finally relax and slowly released her hand.


    "Department Head Meg..."


    How could such a significant figure appear out of nowhere without any noise? It really gave me a scare...


    She mentally grumbled, turning around and, with her right hand over her chest, bowed respectfully: "Good morning, Department Head Meg."


    Before Hayna stood a middle-aged woman with silver-white hair, prominent cheekbones, and clear wrinkles on her face.


    Judging purely by skin and appearance, she looked to be at least in her fifties, maybe even over sixty. But her bright and spirited eyes, along with her robust body and loud voice, made her appear at least twenty years younger.


    ```

 Chapter 51: 30 Department Head Meg_2

    Department Head Meg''s most distinctive feature were her high, strong shoulders. Muscles that even fitness-focused young men would struggle to attain bulged under her loose clothing.


    "Ahahahahaha!"


    Meg laughed heartily.


    Her laughter was bright and resounding, audible clearly even dozens of meters away, "I knew it¡ªstartled you, didn''t I?


    "But not bad, Hayna! A few months ago, you wouldn''t have even noticed my presence when I touched your shoulder. Now, I merely approach from behind and you sense it¡ªthis shows that the months of experience have indeed paid off!"


    This incident could be considered Hayna''s humiliation.


    A few months earlier, she had applied to graduate early¡ªemboldened by her exceptional grades, she had been full of confidence. Her request to graduate early had even alarmed Department Head Meg, who personally came to witness Hayna''s graduation assessment.


    Back then, just like now, she had appeared behind Hayna without a sound. But Hayna had been oblivious.


    Even when her bow tie was leisurely undone by Department Head Meg, she was completely unaware throughout the process.


    It wasn''t that Meg had entered Stealth, but that she made Hayna''s brain "dare not acknowledge her existence."


    It was the Authority Force at work, forcibly altering cognition, much like calling a deer a horse.


    And now, at least Hayna could sense the danger¡ª


    Even though Department Head Meg surely wasn''t being serious, it still indicated Hayna''s growth.


    After Department Head Meg''s arrival, the students around them visibly dwindled.


    Initially, there had been quite a crowd around Hayna, but now a large space had cleared around them.


    This wasn''t just awe of a school leader.


    Hayna, of course, was not this esteemed lady''s student. She wasn''t qualified yet.


    Sherlock had been invited to be her last disciple¡ªhowever, he refused.


    The old lady did not insist. But since then, she stopped taking on new students.


    It was rumored that she had recently begun preparing to step down from her position as Deputy Director of the Arbitration Hall. This was a well-known secret within Royal Law University¡ªbecause the new Deputy Director would be their young chancellor.


    And this chancellor had also been a student of Department Head Meg.


    "It was in the newspapers, wasn''t it?"


    Old Meg assessed her, raising her eyebrows with an inscrutable question.


    Hayna, extremely nervous, kept her head down, not daring to raise it: "Yes, very fortunately... I actually didn''t do much, it was mainly because of Mr. Aiwass..."


    "¡ªOh, ''Mr.''."


    The old lady repeated with a sly smile: "You respect him a lot, don''t you."


    Hayna was startled, holding her breath. She didn''t know how to respond.


    "Don''t be ashamed, you did right. I''ve heard about him from Yanis," Meg said with a voice as firm as iron: "''The correctness of the stronger is more correct.'' No matter if you''re his senior or predecessor, you''re not his match in this respect. So you follow his command¡ªthis is in complete accordance with the concept of the Path of Authority."


    At these words, she finally relaxed.


    Being acknowledged and encouraged by such a respected mentor uplifted Hayna immensely. The world seemed to brighten before her eyes, and her body felt much lighter.


    This even gave her the courage to ask proactively: "Excuse me, Department Head Meg... Did you perhaps come looking for me?"


    "Yes, I did," Meg replied with a candid smile. "Isn''t that obvious?


    "You''re a good kid, hardworking and diligent. But still a bit slow," Meg commented on Hayna who had graduated a year early with full marks in all subjects.

 Chapter 52: 30 Department Head Meg_3

    This left Hayna feeling somewhat disheartened.


    She knew she was far inferior to Sherlock... but she didn''t realize how incredibly talented Sherlock was in comparison.


    The seniors before Sherlock had all become mid to high-level officials, and all their past information was confidential.


    But seeing her demeanor, Meg''s lips curved slightly upward, offering rare praise, "However, we, the royal blades that walk the Path of Authority, need not be overly clever."


    "I ask you¡ª you know the Pelican Bar has been shut down, right."


    "...Yes."


    It''s normal that it had closed, thought Hayna.


    After all, it was a gathering place for the Noble Red Society, a group of illegal Transcendents¡ªthey couldn''t possibly be getting together to discuss iris literature and Elf poetry, could they?


    "Then do you know, your roommates often went to the Pelican Bar?"


    Department Head Meg, seeing the shock on Hayna''s face, raised her eyebrows and added, "Be honest."


    "¡ªNot often," blurted out Hayna, "but they did go."


    She almost immediately realized she had let something slip.


    But in front of someone higher up on the Path of Authority, she had no secrets.


    "Have they ever invited you?"


    "They invited me once, but I refused. After that, they didn''t invite me anymore."


    "Oh."


    Meg said meaningfully, "No wonder you didn''t know."


    Didn''t know... what?


    She muttered, "So they are smuggled goods... I get it, that''s why they didn''t insist on inviting me. Because they knew I had no money."


    "...Wait, isn''t the Pelican Bar a gathering place for the Noble Red Society? Why can one buy smuggled alchemical products from the Pelican Bar?"


    She suddenly jolted, realizing, "Is the Noble Red Society involved in the smuggling case?


    "No, that''s not right¡ªthey''re involved with the official Star Antimony authorities?"


    "Not too stupid."


    Old Meg nodded in satisfaction.


    Finally, she began to speak about serious matters: "Our spy in Star Antimony has sent back important information¡ª"


    "Wait, wait a minute, am I qualified to know this..."


    Hayna, sensing a strong sense of crisis, muttered hesitantly in a voice only she could hear clearly.


    Without paying any attention to the now intimidated Hayna, Meg continued, "There''s a batch of powerful, small-sized portable Alchemical Bombs that have been shipped to Avalon. The target is believed to be Glass Island.


    "The power of this batch of bombs is enough to blow the entire Red Queen District sky-high. We had been unable to trace the entry of these bombs until now. But since the day before yesterday, while investigating the Pelican Bar... the Supervisory Court found that these bombs were being transported through the Pelican Bar.


    "The achievement you''ve made is much greater than you think."


    Meg''s eyes were sharp as a hawk''s.


    She laughed heartily, slapping Hayna''s shoulder: "So, I give you an opportunity.


    "Both the Inspector''s Court and the Arbitration Hall are investigating this matter. Normally, your Supervisory Bureau would not be able to touch such affairs. But whether it''s you, Sherlock, or Aiwass, you all interest me."


    "I grant you temporary authority to investigate¡ªnot that your bureau chief has anything to say, let him come to me. Take along any counselor you want to invite, whatever you want, I''ll reimburse; it''s okay if you don''t find anything, I''ll take care of it.


    "I want to see if I was mistaken a few months ago. If you can dig up vital information before we resolve the matter... "


    Meg said with profound meaning, "I still have a spot for a closed-door disciple... which I might reserve for you."

 Chapter 53: 31 Preparations for the Promotion Ceremony

    "Sulfur, salt, mercury."


    At dusk, Sherlock Hermes was in his room, confirming the alchemical materials he would need for the advancement ritual that evening.


    He wore a monocle, diligently checking the scrawled labels on the bottles and jars.


    Murmuring softly, Sherlock''s finger traced over the bottles and jars on the shelf: "Sanctified silver powder, blessed holy water. A bunch of wind-dried black sage, an unused clear quartz crystal, six new red candles..."


    Meanwhile, in the Hall of Silver and Tin.


    Princess Isabel was also pacing nervously in her room.


    Her mouth continuously muttered the list of materials needed for the advancement ritual, visibly restless.


    "There''s also clove essential oil, cinnamon essential oil, cypress essential oil, Parthia essential oil... and everlasting flower essential oil, chamomile essential oil... and... and..."


    Watching her, the elf artist Yanis, who was humming a tune and writing a composition, put down her pen with a sense of helplessness.


    "¡ªAnd there''s ginger, dill, white bread. Look here... Little Isabel, what are you so nervous about? You must trust your court ritualists; they''re much more reliable at setting up rituals than you are at preparing them."


    "Yes, I know..."


    Isabel murmured, not even insisting on the usual correction to "Call me Isabel, not Little Isabel."


    Feeling somewhat breathless, she lightly clutched the neckline of her white gauze dress, as though she wanted to lift the collar to fan air inside and ease her tension¡ªbut considering the image and dignity of the royal family, she dared not perform such a vulgar act in front of others.


    "The first advancement is very simple; there''s no need to be nervous."


    Yanis encouraged her gently: "You have to believe in yourself. You are very strong, with a foundation firmer than most people''s. With the first advancement, especially during a full moon... There should be around six or seven people who will advance, so what are you afraid of?"


    "...What I''m afraid of is exactly that."


    Isabel''s face showed worry: "If among nine people, six manage to advance and I do not¡ªthat would be a loss of face for the royal family if word got out.


    "Moreover, people would gossip about you, saying negative things. They would spread terrible rumors..."


    She had embarked on the Path of Beauty purely due to Queen Sofia''s doting love. Because for the royal family of Avalon, the Du Lac lineage, one would normally only be allowed to choose the Path of Authority.


    Of the queen''s six grandchildren, the one Her Majesty favored most was the second youngest, Isabel.


    Isabel was younger than only one, her two-year-old brother.


    And from a very young age, Isabel had shown exceptional artistic talent.


    When she was only four years old, she attended the opera "Lulu''s Magic Flute" with Queen Sofia. Without understanding the Star Antimony language, she was able to hum the arias after hearing them just once.


    Queen Sofia was very pleased. After all, before she became queen, she herself had dreamed of becoming a grand opera master. She even wrote a few operas in her spare time after ascending to the throne, only refraining from publishing them out of consideration for her status.


    Among her many children, only Isabel inherited her talent for opera.


    For this reason, she opposed many and made an exception.


    She allowed Isabel to step onto the Path of Beauty and formally study the "arts."


    ```


    The Path of Beauty is the way of harmony and art, flow and eternity.


    And the key skill of the Path of Beauty is "art."


    This includes opera, music compositions, painting, sculpture, theater, dance, poetry, all of which are part of the mystical skills of the Path of Beauty.


    Art in itself is mystical. Great masters of art without exception, are all pioneers of the Path of Beauty.


    Just like the key skill of the Path of Authority is "Leadership Art"¡ªthe Monarch''s art of commanding and coordinating others to submit to one''s will, which also possesses a mystical nature.


    If one wishes to deepen their path, excelling in just one skill is definitely not enough.


    Perhaps because of her quarter elfin lineage, Isabel''s talent lies in singing and dancing.


    And since she was to embark on the path, she had to walk it steadfastly.


    She patiently practiced the basics for thirteen years.


    It was boring and seemingly meaningless, painful enough to induce vomiting. But she still persevered.


    Because she wanted to show that she wouldn''t abuse royal privilege capriciously.


    She hoped that in doing so, those voices of dissatisfaction would be silenced.


    Isabel strived to diminish her identity as a "princess," hoping that people would see her as an ordinary person and not the third heir to the kingdom.


    It was only now that she suddenly realized¡ª


    Perhaps she had never truly been an "ordinary person."


    She was still served by people, pampered by them, helped by them.


    While other Transcendents were preparing their rituals by themselves, she could only sit to the side sipping tea. The Court Ritualist would take care of everything for her¡ªshe didn''t have to worry about her Ritual Array being drawn incorrectly, nor fear acquiring inferior or counterfeit materials that could cause the ritual to fail.


    "...I think, I''d better do it myself," Isabel decided firmly.


    She bowed deeply to the Ritualist, "Master Osborne, my apologies... It''s not that I don''t trust you. It''s just that, perhaps my presence on the side... might not be good."


    Isabel didn''t know how to describe the tension and anxiety in her heart.


    But watching the white-haired Ritualist prepare the ritual for her always made her feel restless.


    It felt as if a mistake of hers was being borne by someone else.


    Her elder brothers and sisters had always been very protective of her. Whenever she accidentally broke something, they were the ones to admit fault first.


    Although young Isabel was never scolded, she still always felt restless.


    ¡ªJust like now.


    It was as though something was tormenting her heart.


    "Please let me prepare the Ascension Ceremony myself," Princess Isabel repeated.


    Her voice became clearer, not as timid as before, "You can assist me from the side, Master Osborne."


    To the side, the white-haired Ritualist chuckled, stroking his beard and nodding his head in agreement.


    "Sure, my little princess. Indeed, such matters... one truly needs to do it oneself to feel the ritual significance.


    "Remember this feeling well, Your Highness. The first time entering the Dream Realm, the first contact with the other eight Paths. Truly leaving the status of ''apprentice'' behind, becoming a real Transcendent¡ª"


    Meanwhile, on the other side.


    In Moriarty Manor, Aiwass, holding his forehead, got up from his bed.


    He hadn''t really slept enough.


    But his spiritual intuition told him that if he didn''t wake up now, it would be too late for certain matters¡ªso he forced himself awake.


    The evening sunset was falling outside.


    With trembling hands, Aiwass struck a match several times before finally managing to ignite it.


    Shivering, he lit the white candle by his bedside¡ªobviously a "healing remedy" prepared by Oswald.


    Gripping the flame, Aiwass felt the vitality steadily flowing from the candle into his body, which finally allowed him to breathe a sigh of relief.


    Fortunately... due to his interest in mystical studies, his room was equipped with various materials. There wouldn''t be a delay.


    As the saying goes, "The worse the student, the more school supplies they have."


    Even though he didn''t know how to use them, he had bought whatever he could find.


    ...It''s just that he hadn''t eaten all day. He was so hungry it made him panicky.


    Better figure out a way to fill his stomach, then come back and hurry to prepare for the Ascension Ceremony.