The Secret Code of Monsters.

Chapter 1097 Ch.1096 Distinguished
A white-feathered bird rests in the bowl.

Bathed in the sunlight streaming through the window, the man, sitting at an angle, slowly turned another page: the spine of the book read "Natural Truths".

That page happens to be the most brilliant part of the entire book of proverbs, using simple and sincere language to explain the theory that all things are equal, and also admonishing every believer who devotes themselves to nature to treat their fellow human beings kindly and cherish other creatures of nature.

You and I, you and him, we share this beautiful world, which may have disasters, and where winter and summer keep turning.

This passage is so well-written that the man sitting at an angle couldn't put it down.

A violin rested at his feet.

“You don’t look well, Mr. Thackeray.”

Florian leaned against the corner of the wall, closed his book, and greeted him with a smile—his room was right next to Fonseca's, perhaps that's where the violin came from.

“...I just...went to see Ms. Fonseca.”

Theodore subconsciously tugged at his robes.

At some point, the robes that symbolized nature and purity began to feel a bit tight.

An indescribable feeling of suffocation washed over Theodore, as if an invisible hand were gripping his neck.

"Oh."

Florian gave a perfunctory reply, picked up the wooden bowl, and stroked the bird's increasingly plump wings with his fingertips.

—This is a little abandoned creature, unlikely to survive. It landed on the windowsill of the imprisoned person and was given a chance at a new life.

"She's gone mad."

Florian said lightly.

"If I hadn't asked for the zither, I probably would have had a sleepless night—this woman is such a chatterbox..."

Theodore's lips twitched.

He found a chair and sat down, feeling angry, but mostly bewildered.

"...How could they treat a lady like that?"

Florian glanced at the fidgeting man: "First, they can. Second, that woman isn't exactly a 'lady'—"

"Ms. Fonseca saved us!"

Theodore pressed his knee down tightly. Florian could almost see the bulging green veins on his neck.

Yes.

Even if she's a prostitute.

Or the 'mothers' of prostitutes.

Theodore also preferred to call her 'Lady' or 'Madam'—in his view, many women, and even men, could not match Gilles Fonseca's courage and loyalty in times of crisis.

She was a courageous woman, but due to her birth and fate, she was never blessed with a respectable and radiant face.

No matter who is in power in the Great Vortex, a lady should not be treated this way.

Horn did something wrong.

“I refuse to testify for Collins because I cannot betray the Great Vortex, the oath etched into my green blood, nor can I speak publicly for the Inquisition’s executors—but Florian, that doesn’t mean Horn is right.”

Theodore never imagined that the cultists of the Tree Mother would mistreat a woman like this—even criminals shouldn't suffer such cruel torture before their execution.

them…

But they are followers of the Crown God.

“You have a misunderstanding about ‘orthodox religion’, Uncle.”

Florian chuckled.

"What you call a cult is this: that we can legally, openly, in the sunlight, buy the bodies of living or dead babies, keep slaves, and run 'pleasant' clubs... On the contrary, what do you think a cult is?"

Theodore saw a mockery he had never seen before on his face.

“A cult is one that does everything we’ve ever done, but is illegal.”

“You’d better know what you’re talking about, Florian,” Theodore said in a low voice, glancing left and right. “Blabolic! You’ve disgraced your own name!”

Lord Sean Westwick is the pride of the Beast Fangs, a great being who, after ascending to immortality, went to the Secret Garden to serve the goddess. "I think few in this world understand the relationship between gods and sects better than I do—I mean, now," Florian said softly.

Theodore had no idea what Florian had witnessed during the ritual. His bloodline was corrupted, and he wasn't permitted by Florian to participate in the grand ceremony, so naturally he couldn't figure out what went wrong with it—or who had bewitched him?

"I really envy you, Uncle."

Florian's sudden remark left Theodore even more bewildered.

"You have a righteous heart with nowhere to vent your passion, the qualities favored by the road, a popular face... a destiny that makes people envious."

"What did you see... Florian?"

Florian only replied with one word to his uncle's question.

pain.

He lowered his head, stroking the bird's beautiful white feathers, and said indifferently, "Soon, you'll understand, Uncle. Your faith has nothing to do with the church anymore..."

Theodore stood up and stared down at him: "It is a disgrace to Lord Sean that a blasphemer has appeared among the descendants of Westwick."

“Blasphemy?” Florian’s expression was strange. “I love Him, Uncle. I respect Him and long for His mercy on me—me, a wretched mortal who should not have witnessed the truth… Blasphemy? The Church represents God, doesn’t it?”

Theodore stared at him without saying a word.

"Everyone pays the price for their character—arrogance, or stubbornness. Mr. Thackeray, I'm already paying it. Soon, it will be your turn… But the difference between us is this: you are much luckier than I am…"

What on earth is he talking about?
Theodore grew increasingly disappointed.

He had intended to discuss with Florian how to rescue Ms. Fonseca.

Obviously.

Florian wasn't crazy, but he wasn't planning on doing anything either.

“The Path of the Saints of the Holy Cross involves a very rare and grand ritual,” Florian’s tone shifted, “a path representing 'hope' and 'purity'…that ritual can, to some extent, avert disaster…”

You can tell just by listening to the results.

When it comes to forces involving fate and cause and effect, ritual materials are unusually troublesome—and this ritual is even more so.

One of the required materials is called: Blood of the Elite.

What kind of noble and grand bloodline is considered 'illustrious'?
“I’ve already told you, Florian. This is your imagination.”

Theodore shook his head.

He doesn't believe it, or rather, he can't believe it.

"The doctrine forbids us from killing one another—Florian, even this time, what have Horn, or the Tree Mother, done to the Beast Fang?"

No.

Florian did something stupid, even trying to kill Horn.

But what became of him…

It's just imprisonment.

Therefore, he disagreed with Florian's words. Moreover, why did Horn insist on seeking out the "Saints" and using... their illustrious blood to perform a ritual to exorcise disaster?

"It's 'avoidance,' not 'expulsion,' Mr. Thackeray. You may not be aware of the effects of the artifacts held by the successive leaders of the 'Beast Fang.'"

Raven's Claw.

This wondrous artifact allows the ritual performer to, to a certain extent, 'borrow' the power of a higher level in advance…

The price was disaster.

An unseen and intangible calamity.

A calamity that everyone fears.

Horn appeared disdainful, but Florian knew in his heart that he was terrified.

I'm terrified.

(End of this chapter)