Mystery: The Undead Don't Die from Linking the Fire

Chapter 120 Lani: Why are you looking at other women?

"...The better is over, I see. (It's all over now.)"

"I solemnly swear."

"To every living being, and every living soul."

"Now cometh the age of the stars."

"A thousand-year voyaga under the wisdom of the Moon."

"Here begins the chill night that encompasses all, reaching the great beyond. (Let us contemplate in this long, cold night.)"

"Into fear, doubt, and loneliness..."

"As the path stretches into darkness..."

Let's go together.

"My dear consort eternal."

"Ember, wake up!"

The girl's anxious cries beside him pulled Yu Jin back to reality from his dream.

He opened his eyes, and Fors was shaking his body with a worried expression for some reason.

"What's wrong?"

Ember looked at Fors with some confusion.

"I...I just..."

Fors looked at Ember, who had opened his eyes, opened his mouth, then lowered his head and said, "N-nothing, Xiu made breakfast and asked me to call you."

"it is good."

Yu Jin nodded slightly, without any doubt, and simply said softly, "I'll be there in a bit."

Fors pursed her lips, finally suppressing her doubts, and turned to leave the room.

"Snap!"

The door was gently closed, isolating the outside world from the interior.

The dappled sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting overlapping shadows that illuminated Yu Jin's face.

Half in the light, half in the dark.

He sat on the edge of the bed, raised his hands somewhat bewildered, and stared at the lines on his palms.

He had another dream, a very long dream, a dream he'd had many times before. It was as if he were doing something again and again, repeatedly, simply hoping to achieve something and putting it into practice.

But when he woke up, he found that he couldn't remember the contents of his dream at all, except for the last sentence.

"Let's go toghter, My dear consort eternal."

Who said this to him?

He couldn't remember clearly; his hazy memories only revealed a blurry face. She must have been a very beautiful girl, but he couldn't recall her appearance.

"stop!"

Fors walked out of Ember's room, her face suddenly turning anxious. She hurriedly walked towards the kitchen, calling her friend's name anxiously in a low voice.

"What's wrong?"

Xiu peeked out from the kitchen, somewhat puzzled.

Fors looked inside and saw Kuralis skillfully using her tentacles to fry eggs with a spatula.

"Come with me."

Fors pursed her lips, hesitated for a long time, then pulled Kurala out of her arms and locked the two sisters in the kitchen under her questioning gaze.

Then, Fors pulled Hugh into the washroom.

"What happened?"

Seeing Fors's serious expression, Xiu couldn't help but become serious as well, and asked in a low voice.

"I...I just went to Yu Jin's room..."

Fors spoke quickly, but seemed unable to organize her thoughts beforehand, only able to explain while gesturing to his name, "I... I called him but he didn't respond, so..."

"So you checked his breath?"

Xiu was speechless; his friend really did seem like the kind of person who would do something so childish.

No, not only...

Fors's face paled slightly. "Ember... he's not breathing."

"Um?"

Hugh paused for a moment, then finally realized what was happening. His expression changed slightly. "Are you sure you're not mistaken?"

"How could it be wrong!"

Fors was so anxious she almost cried. "No matter what, I used to be a doctor, okay?! Not only was there no breath, but I couldn't feel his pulse either. He was just like a dead man. If he hadn't woken up, I..."

"Don't rush!"

Hugh stood on tiptoe and pressed down on Fors's shoulders, trying to calm her down as she was about to cry.

She took a deep breath and asked in a low voice, "Did you ask him why?"

"no."

Fors said weakly, "I...I'm afraid he'll die..."

"Um?"

"Didn't Emperor Roselle tell a story? A man named Bigan lived without a heart, but when others told him that one cannot live without a heart, he died."

Fors tried to explain with gestures, but seeing the look on her friend's face as if she were looking at a child, her voice immediately lowered, and she asked weakly, "Is there a problem?"

"No, no problem."

Xiu hesitated for two seconds, then gently shook his head.

Although she initially found it somewhat childish—after all, the story of Emperor Roselle was clearly meant to scare children—upon closer reflection, what was impossible when there were extraordinary individuals involved?

Among the extraordinary, aren't there also those who have special methods for manipulating corpses? Perhaps Bigan in the story of Emperor Roselle was actually a corpse controlled by an extraordinary being?

If Ember's condition is also due to this reason, then it's indeed impossible to ask him directly. But if we don't ask, how can we ascertain his condition?

Consider the Kurara sisters; they seem to be entirely spirit entities, even possessing ashes. And what about Ember himself? Is he completely unaware that he is in a similar situation?

Even after a short break, I was still very confused and didn't know what to do.

Although their relationship was initially just a purely monetary transaction, now that Fors is under protection, to put it bluntly, Ember has lost its "usefulness".

But after spending so much time together, they had long since come to regard Yu Jin as a friend, even family. At a time like this, how could they possibly stand idly by?

Even if they wanted to intervene, what could they possibly do? Ultimately, they were just two ordinary Sequence 8s, the kind of wild Extraordinary beings without even a powerful sealing artifact. If a fight broke out, someone could take them down with a single shot.

"Ask Mr. Fool!"

Hugh took a deep breath and gritted his teeth.

In this situation, perhaps only Mr. Fool can help them.

"Then, you do it?"

Fors asked cautiously.

"I'll go outside and keep watch; you come and pray."

Seeing his friend's timid appearance, Xiu didn't hesitate.

She knew Fors was afraid of knowing answers she didn't want to know, but this was something Fors had to do himself—

Because she was scared too!

Before Fors could object, and to her friend's incredulous expression, Hugh pushed open the door and left the bathroom. Fors was left alone, facing her tearful reflection in the mirror, and could only silently begin to pray to the Fool.

"A fool who doesn't belong to this era!"

"You are the mysterious ruler above the gray fog;"

"You are the king of yellow and black who holds the key to good fortune."

……

"Um?"

At 15 Minsk Street, Klein, who had just turned over in bed, suddenly opened his eyes. He heard someone praying to him. Although disturbing someone's sleep so early in the morning wasn't a good habit, he still had to respond to the believer's prayers.

Without even bothering to get dressed, he climbed out of bed and took four steps backward into the gray fog. He immediately saw the deep red star representing Miss 'Magician' constantly shrinking and expanding.

Klein stretched out his hand, spreading his spiritual energy, and touched it. He pieced together the fragmented and incoherent words from the "Magician" lady, and finally understood the ins and outs of the matter.

When the Magician woke Ember up, she found that he was not breathing. Worried, she thought he was in the same situation as Bigan and feared that he was a corpse being controlled by someone else. That's why she came to the Gray Fog to seek the Fool's help and advice.

But Klein wasn't surprised at all; instead, he found it rather speechless and complained:

"Isn't it normal that he's not breathing? It would be a real ghost if he was breathing! After all, the embers are essentially just a mass of remnants and ashes left after being burned by the First Flame, and they're really not much different from his ashes."

"Have you ever seen smog that breathes at dawn... oops, have you ever seen smog that breathes? Well, the smog in Backlund is an exception; this stuff might actually 'breathe'."

"However, since the embers are essentially just ashes and residue, what about his ashes? Could they also have been produced by the First Flame? Hmm, thinking about it that way, it seems quite possible."

"Take the Silver Knights, for example. Weren't they burned along with Gwyn? As the description of the Black Knight's helmet says, 'In the past, they served the First Lord of Cinder, Gwyn, and followed the Lord who linked the First Flame. They were burned themselves and have been ashes ever since, continuing to roam the world.'"

"So essentially, the Black Knights were also reduced to ashes by the First Flame. The reason they can still move freely is, frankly, thanks to the First Flame."

Klein suddenly felt he had found the truth and his spirits lifted. But then, a thought struck him, and something felt off; a hint of suspicion crossed his eyes.

"That's not right. 'Ashes' exist in dependence on the First Flame. Theoretically, if the First Flame were to go out, the 'Ashes' should also die. But the embers are still alive. Doesn't that indirectly prove that the First Flame is still burning?"

"Could he really have ended up with the First Flame? No, it could also be the Weapon of Fire or the Fire Stealing ending. Given Ember's personality, it's unlikely he would step on the Fire Keeper's head, right? So it must be Weapon of Fire or the Linking of the Flame?"

"If it's the linking of the flame, then where is the First Flame now? Ember was awakened by the Church of the Night, so does that mean the First Flame is in the hands of the Church of the Night? And if it's the usurpation of the flame, doesn't that mean the First Flame is inside Ember's body?"

"Is the current state of the Embers related to the First Flame?"

Klein found the situation increasingly complicated, with more and more questions arising, making it even harder for him to see the truth. However, the most important thing now was to respond to Miss Magician first, so that she wouldn't continue to live in fear.

He paused, regaining his composure as Mr. Fool, and replied in a deep, calm voice:

"This is normal, there's no need to panic."

"He is not controlled by anyone, not even the gods."

Above the gray fog, Klein waited a while after responding to Miss "Magician." Confirming there were no new developments, he enveloped himself in his spiritual energy and returned to the real world. But the moment he sensed his body, Klein felt the chill.

"Achoo!"

He sneezed, quickly dispelled the spiritual barrier, and crawled back into bed.

Sadly, his bed was already cold.

……

"Is this normal?"

Fors became even more confused and doubtful after receiving the Fool's response.

"How is it?"

Xiu pushed open the door and peeked out to ask.

"Mr. Fool said it's a normal phenomenon."

Fors quietly repeated what the 'Fool' had said.

"You call it normal not to breathe?"

Hugh opened his eyes wide and stared blankly at Fors, both looking completely bewildered.

"But that's what Mr. Fool told me."

Fors shrugged and replied somewhat helplessly.

Xiu hesitated for a moment, then realized it made sense; he shouldn't doubt the judgment of a deity. Calmly, he analyzed the situation point by point:

"That must be because Yu Jin is different from ordinary people."

"If there really was a problem, Mr. Fool wouldn't have dragged Ember into the Tarot meeting. Besides, Ember is the Night Watchman; the Church of the Night should have discovered the problem much earlier than we have."

"But since the Church of the Night hasn't reacted, does that mean this might actually be... a normal phenomenon?"

Hugh's voice sounded slightly hesitant, still finding it hard to accept.

But Fors nodded vigorously, thinking what she said made a lot of sense. If there really was a problem, the Church of the Night and Mr. Fool would definitely have discovered it much earlier than they had.

After all, Yu Jin goes to work every day... No, wait, he seems, probably, maybe, perhaps, doesn't go to work much... right?

"call!"

Fors breathed a sigh of relief; there was nothing left to worry about!

Yes, that's right, that's it!

Fors regained her usual 'confidence' and opened the bathroom door with her head held high. Then she found Ember standing in the doorway watching her... and Hugh behind her.

"morning."

Yu Jin glanced at the two women entering and leaving the restroom together and greeted them casually. It was as if their relationship was perfectly normal, or as if he had become accustomed to their special relationship.

"morning."

Fors greeted him somewhat guiltily and slipped past Ember.

Then I collapsed onto the sofa. Today was another day full of fun!

Good morning, Ember.

Xiu greeted him casually, but his eyes darted around.

"Actually, you don't need to hide it from me."

Yu Jin looked at Hugh's evasive manner and said calmly.

"Huh?"

Fors, who was sprawled on the sofa with her head buried in the pillows, suddenly froze.

Hugh's expression stiffened, and he chuckled awkwardly, "I...I don't know what you're talking about."

No, you know perfectly well.

Yu Jin shook his head, but his voice remained calm as he slowly said, "You know what I'm talking about, and you know what I mean. But as I said, you don't need to hide it from me, I don't mind."

Hugh glanced at Fors instinctively, while the lazy bum continued to bury his head in the sand. This left Hugh feeling helpless, but he also knew that he had no choice but to bear everything alone now.

In the end, I bore it all alone.

Hugh sighed inwardly, then mustered his courage to meet Ember's gaze and slowly said, "Alright then, I won't hide it from you anymore. Fors and I just consulted the Fool..."

"A fool?"

Yu Jin paused for a moment, looking at the two women with some confusion and hesitation, and asked in bewilderment, "What does this have to do with the Fool? Why are you asking for the Fool's opinion?"

"Because it concerns you, we can't make up our minds, especially considering your health..."

Hugh hadn't quite caught on yet and instinctively replied, but then realized he'd misspoke and immediately covered his mouth to stop himself from saying anything more.

"What does it have to do with me?"

The confusion in Yu Jin's eyes deepened, and he asked疑惑地问道, "Do you guys have to include me in your yuri stuff? Or are you actually bisexual, Hugh?"

"what?"

Even Fors was stunned, raising his head in bewilderment.

Hugh's eyes widened, and she asked, somewhat embarrassed and annoyed, "Yuri? What yuri?!"

"It means exactly what it says..."

"Of course I know what that word, coined by Emperor Roselle, means! Just like 'gay,' it's used to describe an impure relationship between women that goes beyond friendship. But what does that have to do with me and Fors?!"

Ember retorted, "Aren't you two in that kind of relationship?"

"No, that's not true!"

Hugh denied it without hesitation, "If you don't believe me, ask Fors. We're not in that kind of relationship!"

Upon hearing this, Yu Jin glanced at Fors.

Just then, Fors blushed, lowered her head, and buried it back into the pillow.

"..."

Hugh almost laughed out of anger. I was still trying to explain, and I finally managed to make things clear, but why are you blushing like that?! Doesn't this confirm that they have an improper relationship again?

"All right."

Yu Jin shook his head, choosing to believe Hugh's explanation, and asked, "Then what were you doing in the restroom?"

"I……"

Hugh opened his mouth, hesitated for a moment, and then whispered, "We are praying to Mr. Fool and asking about your health."

"How is your physical condition?"

"breathe……"

"oh."

Yu Jin understood and said calmly, "I'm not breathing, that's normal."

"You call this normal?"

Xiu hesitated, but didn't say anything.

It's simply about demonstrating what's normal through concrete actions.

She checked her own breath with her finger, then leaned close to the embers and checked it with her finger again—

Sure enough, there was nothing there.

There was no breathing, and no pulse.

Finally, she took Ember's hand and placed it near her nose, letting him feel her breath. At the same time, she silently looked up at Ember, as if to say, "Hey, this is what I call normal."

Ember remained calm and said indifferently, "For humans, breathing is normal. But for me, not breathing is normal."

"And what about life?"

Xiu pressed on, "In this state, can you even be considered alive?"

Ember glanced at Hugh meaningfully, then said leisurely, "If you mean creating life, I think I can definitely do it. Do you want to give it a try?"

Hugh's face flushed red, and he angrily slapped away the hand of Ember that he had just grabbed.

"Get out!"

Perhaps because the joke went too far, Yu Jin, who had just finished breakfast, was urged to go to work by Xiu with a cold face.

"stop……"

Fors looked at Hugh, whose face was cold, and whispered, "Ember probably doesn't mean any harm."

"I know."

Hugh sighed softly, his previously cold expression softening instantly. He said in a low voice, "He just didn't want us to worry too much, so he deliberately skipped the topic."

"Life."

Yu Jin stood on the street, watching the pedestrians and the carriages speeding through the middle of the road, silent and desolate.

Whether it's a person, a horse, or a rat in the gutter, a pet dog on a leash or a pet cat held in the arms of a wealthy woman, these are all living beings.

He was the only one who wasn't.

In ancient times, before the world had differentiated, it was shrouded in a great fog. Everywhere there were gray rocks, towering trees, and immortal ancient dragons.

Then, one day, the First Flame was lit. As the fire rose, the world began to change.

Heat and cold, life and death, light and darkness.

For the embers who once threw themselves into the First Flame, whose bodies and souls have long since been burned away, leaving only a pile of ashes, neither life nor death has any meaning, because the 'ashes' are merely slaves to the First Flame.

unless……

Yu Jin withdrew his gaze and walked towards the North District.

Having been back for so long without checking in much, he decided to go check out the "Detective Agency".

Throughout his journey, Backlund has remained unchanged—

As people walked through the fog, the distance was so hazy that they couldn't see any direction, and they could only make out the road signs by the roadside. In the distance, tall chimneys continuously spewed out large amounts of gray "fog," intimately connecting the sky and the earth.

In this fog, even if something happens, perhaps no one will know. Even if someone is lurking nearby, those within it will be unable to detect them.

"Oh, the Viscount is here for an inspection?"

As soon as Ember arrived at the detective agency's entrance, Al Hassen looked on in surprise and clicked his tongue in amazement, asking, "So? Are you satisfied with this place?"

Before he could finish speaking, El Hassan suddenly grabbed Borgia's hand and said irritably, "And you, I specifically switched places with you this time, and you still want to pull some tricks without even turning around?"

"No..."

Borgia sighed helplessly, "It's my turn to step down. Captain, aren't you being too sensitive?"

"..."

El Hassan glanced at the chessboard and silently released Borgia's hand.

"Where's Old Neil?"

Yu Jin looked around and asked.

"I gave him a day off a couple of days ago."

Al Hassen casually remarked, "You know he's from Tingen. It just so happens that some of his colleagues, who are also his protégés, have come to Backlund. They've been too busy to have much of a chance before, so this is a good opportunity to give him a break and let them get together."

Who came to Backlund?

Ember sat down on the sofa and asked.

Borgia explained, "You know Dunn and Leonard. And then there's Miss Daly, who came to Backlund two months ago and has been leading Simon's team."

Borgia shook his head and sighed, "The disaster that happened in Tingen two months ago was a huge blow to them. Klein... well, that bookish young man, sacrificed himself to save them in that disaster, and the murderer is still at large."

"Klein."

Ember seemed thoughtful, then asked, "Who is the murderer?"

Al Hassen's expression was extremely serious as he reminded him, "One is named Lanruis, a conman. The other is named Ince Zangwell, the former archbishop of the Church of the Night, a gatekeeper who failed to advance in his cultivation, and who already possessed Sequence 5 strength before his defection. The higher-ups speculate that after he seized Saint Selena's ashes, he may have already advanced to Sequence 4. He even stole a Level 0 sealed artifact before his defection."

"If you were to encounter him head-on, even a high-ranking butler might not be a match for him. If you have any leads on him, absolutely do not act on your own!"

Al Hassen gave his teammates a lot of advice, even though he was usually sharp-tongued. He truly valued them, especially after the lessons learned from Simon and Dunn.

The reason for this reminder was that when they went to Tingen, they felt that Ember and Klein had a fairly good relationship. Although they only spent less than a day together, it's better to be safe than sorry. What if Ember insisted on seeking revenge for Klein?

But Yu Jin happens to possess this strength, even though he has only made a handful of moves—

That was the only time in Tinggen.

That operation nearly wiped them out, yet Ember dealt with it with ease. Even after becoming a Sequence 6, El Hassan still felt he couldn't see through Ember. Furthermore, Ember's file didn't specify his strength, meaning he was at least a Sequence 5.

If Al Hassen didn't tell him that Ince Zangwell had been promoted to Sequence 4, he was afraid that Ince would really act impulsively.

"There are photos."

Borgia obligingly handed over a photograph, which Ember glanced at briefly. In the photograph, Inszangwill was wearing a double-breasted, pure black clerical robe, a soft cap, dark gold hair, and pupils so blue they were almost black.

He had a high nose bridge, tightly pursed lips, and features like a classical sculpture, without a single wrinkle. His most striking feature was that he was blind in one eye.

Al Hassen went on to explain, "The sealed artifact he stole was '0-08,' which is shaped like a common quill pen. The abilities of Level 0 sealed artifacts are all classified at the highest level, so I don't know its specific abilities, but it is said that '0-08' can forcibly create 'coincidences'."

"Yes, this is the result of Dunn and his team's analysis. You can refer to it, but don't be prejudiced, otherwise it might harm you in battle."

"coincide?"

Yu Jin inexplicably thought about his previous actions, and it seemed there were indeed many coincidences. Especially the time he "assassinated" Mr. A, everything seemed normal at first glance. But upon closer reflection, the coincidences were so numerous that they were almost outrageous.

"Oh, right."

Al Hassen paused for a moment, then continued, "Archbishop Anthony asked me to tell you that if you come to the detective agency anytime, please also visit the church if you have time."

After he finished speaking, Al Hassen's expression also became strange.

Archbishop Anthony is the head of the Church of the Night throughout the entire diocese of Backlund, and his status within the church is definitely among the top three.

While Archbishop Anthony was always kind, his attitude toward Ember was perhaps too kind, even summoning Ember in a questioning tone rather than giving a command.

Yu Jin, who had just sat down, immediately stood up, nodded, and said, "Okay, I'll go right away."

After saying that, he left the detective agency without looking back.

"Tsk..."

Al Hassen's lips twitched. He regretted telling him now.

"Captain, you should have waited until he was almost gone before telling him, instead of telling him as soon as he arrived."

Borgia added fuel to the fire from the sidelines.

"Go play your game."

Al Hassen glared at him and said irritably.

Yu Jin walked out of the detective agency and turned into a small alley where two streets intersected, intending to go to the church at the back of the street.

But along the way, somehow, pea vines began to hang down from the sky, weaving together to form a dense forest path. These paths, whether intersecting or spiraling, stretched all the way up into the sky.

At the entrance to the path, the vines and flowers seemed to be extending an invitation to the embers.

After a moment's thought, Yu Jin took the initiative to step onto the path and move forward step by step.

After some time, he saw the green plants forming a hammock-like chair, swaying gently high up.

There was a lady dressed in a white Intes shirt and a dark black jacket, with a thin rapier at her waist, dressed like a standard sea captain except for not wearing a tricorn hat.

The woman sat in a hammock-like chair, her long chestnut hair cascading down her back. Her deep, azure eyes looked over, and she spoke softly but without emotion:

Ash Black?

"it's me."

Yu Jin nodded slightly and asked in return, "How should I address you?"

Ember glanced at the woman's head: [Mysterious Queen] Bernadette Gustav.

Bernadette.

The woman's eyes flickered slightly, and she said softly, "I owe you a favor from last time. If you need anything, you can always call upon my name to repay this favor."

"The Holy Spirit who pursues knowledge;"

A lighthouse in a mysterious world;

Eyes that peer into fate;

The king of the sea;

"The Holy Bernadette Gustave"

"Did you remember?"

Yu Jin nodded slightly. Although he didn't know the woman or what kind of favor she was referring to, the fact that she used her abilities to invite him to meet near St. Samuel's Church clearly indicated that she had the tacit approval of the Church of the Night.

If you have any questions, just ask Archbishop Anthony.

"You can leave now."

The woman's voice remained soft, but it sounded somewhat cold and unapproachable.

After all, who would specifically call someone over just to say a word? Besides, you're the one who owes a favor, shouldn't you be the one taking the initiative?

Perhaps due to some bad habits, Yu Jin subconsciously started to complain in his heart.

But he didn't show it; he simply nodded slightly and turned to leave.

"Snap!"

The woman sat on a chair woven from vines, watching Yu Jin's departing figure, lost in thought. Under the influence of gravity, a pair of long, slender legs clad in black leather boots swayed gently in the air.

As you walk back down the path to the ground, the vines that had spread across the sky faded away in the blink of an eye, disappearing as if they had never existed.

Ember didn't even glance at it before turning and walking toward the nearby Church of St. Samuel.

In the main prayer hall, a pastor was leading the richly dressed believers, seated on benches, in Mass.

Embers weaved effortlessly through the crowd and entered Archbishop Anthony's study. Anthony Stevenson, dressed in a black and red robe, with deep-set eyes and a clean-shaven face, stood before his desk bathed in sunlight, a gentle smile on his face.

"Your Excellency."

Anthony said softly, "I think you've already met that lady."

Yu Jin nodded slightly, somewhat puzzled, and asked, "She said she owes me a favor, what's that all about?"

"Aurora Tour".

Anthony smiled and said, "When Your Excellency raided the Aurora Society's stronghold, there was a follower of the evil god named 'Lanius,' who was chosen by the true creator as a vessel for divine descent."

"And that woman, for some reason, needed to prevent a disaster involving high-level forces. And Lanius's appearance, in a sense, fulfilled her wish."

"ceremony?"

Yu Jin raised an eyebrow slightly and asked.

"Yes."

Anthony looked slightly surprised and explained, "Before that, she was a 'Master of Prophecy' at Sequence 3 of the Seeker Path, and after that, she became a 'Sage' at Sequence 2. In some matters, Your Excellency might want to try using this favor."

After a pause, Anthony smiled and said, "A Sequence 2 angel is at least stronger than a demigod like me. If you have any needs that are inconvenient for the Church of the Night to handle, she can step in."

The Church of the Night is, after all, an official organization, and it's not appropriate for them to get involved in matters that violate the rules or regulations. For example, the assassination attempt on the king would ultimately have a negative impact on the Church of the Night if word got out. Therefore, Ember never intended to inform the Church of the Night or seek their help from the beginning.

But Bernadette is a perfect match, since she currently doesn't belong to any faction. Using the favor of helping her advance to Sequence 2, getting her to kill someone shouldn't be difficult.

"Oh, right."

Anthony thought for a moment, then smiled and said, "The Church of the Night has an operation tonight. If you are free, you might as well listen in."

"it is good."

Yu Jin nodded silently, and after confirming that Anthony had nothing else to say, he turned and left the study.

"A ritual!"

Anthony suddenly gave a wry smile. "So fast? Your Highness Ariana, was all of this really part of your plan?"

……

In a house somewhere in Backlund, Bernadette, back in her room, asked softly, somewhat puzzled,

Why don't you meet him in person?

In front of Bernadette was a small, blue doll-like girl sitting in a chair.

She wore a large, pointed mage's hat, and her chair was piled high with books that seemed to have been stacked there unintentionally. She sat atop this towering pile of books, making her line of sight level with Bernadette's.

Despite her petite stature, she exudes an air of authority.

At this moment, the petite blue doll looked directly into Bernadette's eyes, showing no fear despite the vast difference in their sizes, and spoke in a clear voice:

"It's not the right time yet."

"The king has not yet fully returned; the vile fire thief still troubles him."

"During his long slumber, the King has reached a balance with the Fire Thief. With the passage of time, the King will eventually annihilate it completely, but not now."

"My appearance will disrupt this balance and force the fire-stealers to fight to the death."

"and."

The petite doll looked up at the sky and seemed to see a crimson full moon through the hazy mist. Her voice remained calm, yet it seemed to carry a hint of cold hostility.

"He hasn't discovered me yet, and doesn't know that I've come into the world. But He will definitely keep an eye on the Queen, and once I appear in her sight, I will be completely banished."

"He, or rather they, have always coveted the king and the flame in secret. Therefore, they will definitely stop me and prevent me from reuniting with the king."

"Therefore, I need to wait patiently."

"How long should we wait?"

Bernadette asked instinctively.

"Wait for the king to awaken, or..."

The petite doll looked at Bernadette and said in a calm and indifferent voice, "1368."

"1368..."

Bernadette's expression shifted slightly.

In this world, anyone with the ability to predict the future is certain that the end times are coming, and Bernadette is no exception.

However, due to limitations in her abilities, she could not predict the exact time. But in the sacred texts of the Church of Knowledge, the end times will occur in 1368 of the Fifth Age.

She didn't know where the apocalypse came from before, but now she does—

The Church of the Night had already told her when they helped her advance to Sequence 2 that the end times came from beyond the heavens, from outer gods. They were watching from beyond the heavens, trying to devour and divide this world.

And the petite doll-like girl in front of us is one of the Outer Gods!

In fact, she was one of the most powerful individuals among the Outer Gods. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to forcibly seize the authority of the moon as a newcomer and stand on equal footing with the other Outer Gods.

Bernadette, as a native of this world, naturally did not want to descend, and knew that the doll-like girl before her was waiting for the end of the world. But she was neither prepared to resist nor able to resist.

"Your will."

Bernadette said respectfully.

The petite doll glanced at her, but quickly looked away, seemingly unconcerned about her true thoughts.

And that is indeed the case.

For her, nothing was worth caring about except the king.

"Our journey is far from over, my king~"

The petite doll murmured softly, seemingly oblivious to everyone around her, "I've lost you once, but I won't make the same mistake again. We will embark on our journey anew, free from darkness and uncertainty, and without loneliness."

Bernadette had already quietly left the room while the doll was whispering to itself; these were not things she could hear.

But what Bernadette didn't know was that as she left, a dark figure silently slipped into the room through the open window.

She was a slender woman, taller than average, but for some reason, she was shrouded in a black trench coat, resembling an assassin.

At this moment, the woman with a graceful figure was kneeling on one knee.

The petite doll gazed at the assassin kneeling before her and said calmly, "Go, gather your surviving sisters. Millions of years of protection, now, offer your lives for your king."

After countless years of waiting, she had long since learned patience, but that didn't mean she would do nothing.

The plan began the moment she was successfully born.

No one could stop her plan, not even humans, and certainly not gods.

The assassin, clad in a black trench coat, remained silent, bowing her head respectfully.

A moment later, her figure disappeared into the shadows.

Assassins are just like that.

The doll still sits atop the towering stack of books, gazing at the azure full moon outside the window. Its eyes seem to hold a profound meaning, yet also carry a hint of nostalgia.

Finally, her gaze settled on the crimson full moon.

P.S.: I suddenly realized something.

1368 was the year the Ming Dynasty was established. Hmm, it's probably just a coincidence.

PS2: There are two interpretations of the Star's ending circulating online. One is that he became a guide, and the other is that he took the law away from the borderland and endured loneliness so that the borderland could be free from the invasion of the outer gods.

Without a doubt, the book describes the second scenario, and I will not accept any rebuttal!

Lani could never be a bad woman!

(End of this chapter)