The Strange Adventures of Hearn the Believer

She is too young and lacks the voice of an adult. She cannot easily allocate resources and assemble manpower like other members of the society. Given the example of that old fox Morgan, we must be more careful when selecting people this time.

However, human nature is unpredictable, and achieving this is easier said than done.

Over the past five days, she had tried to negotiate peacefully with every member of the society she had worked with over the past five years, but all attempts ended in failure. The first five people scoffed at what this kid, who was not even thirteen years old, had to say. After being stood up by Morgan, they turned their anger on this little girl, who they thought was Morgan's niece. The negotiation process became very unpleasant, and the result was naturally not good.

When she knocked on the door of the secret workshop of the only person in the know left in Ys with her last hope, she thought she had found a way to reorganize the Society, until she smelled an overdose of tranquilizer in the hot drink Valentine brought her.

After that young lady made her vow, something intangible changed forever, and she only realized it six days after she left.

As the devil made his vow, he also took some things from Cinderella. Just as the devil had said, she changed her mind and wanted to add a third compensation, which meant that it was no longer free and had to be exchanged for treasures of equal value.

Miss Cinderella began to feel the blatant malice from the outside world. After saying goodbye to Miss Devil, even her father's protection could not bring her peace of mind. By the time she realized this, she had already lost her eternal peace.

A chilling, viscous, and fine sound, accompanied by the pungent stench of blood and the nauseating smell of tissue fluid, unexpectedly filled the deep, dark space. It came from the cave entrance from which she had just escaped.

As the scattered pieces of flesh and blood gradually slid out of the hole and flowed onto the soft umbrella, Miss Cinderella showed no sign of distress. Before the tissue fluid spread to her feet, she put away the rivet gun used to set up the piano mesh and the scattered documents and photographs, turned around, and limped away into the darkness where the fluorescent light could not illuminate.

She did indeed have some old wounds, so she needed to hurry back to the Grey Elf Courtyard beneath the abyss.

……

Chapter 79 Departure

The boy opened his eyes and saw the familiar ceiling.

He stretched his stiff neck and sat up in the exotic-style room. Not far from the bed was a sandalwood incense burner, from which wisps of pleasant incense smoke curled.

He reflected for a moment with a guilty conscience, and realized that Mr. Drake's body had ultimately been cut into horribly mangled pieces by the ingeniously woven piano netting during the descent, rendering his wish for a peaceful burial futile.

A woman's intuition is sometimes quite accurate, and he slightly regretted not heeding Yu Yi's advice.

However, this slight sense of regret lasted for less than ten breaths before his cheerful disposition returned.

He got out of bed, put on his shoes, went to the bathroom to wash up, and then walked out of the room. It was noisy outside.

He squeezed through the somewhat crowded corridor with understandable confusion. The other people passing by consciously made way for this menacing figure who had crossed the wilderness, for fear of encountering an accident.

Soon, he made his way through the hotel's congested corridors and out of the crowd to the rooftop open-air platform.

Finally, he stopped beside a large cat dressed like a desert bandit from Arabian Nights, and together they looked up at the night sky, watching the once star-adorned night sky of Thranheim turn into an apocalyptic orange-red.

"Joshua, do you have any clues?" he asked softly, looking straight ahead as he gazed northward.

The silent leopard-man awoke from his meditation, devoutly made the sign of the cross on his chest, and then answered in a deep voice, "The gods in the heavens sent sulfur and fire upon Sodom and Gomorrah, and the sinful cities and their inhabitants, along with the many sins that arose there, were burned away."

"I didn't ask you to sing hymns... never mind."

In the far north, a magnificent pillar of fire falls from the sky to the ground, and then rises back up from the ground to the sky.

That place was so far away that it appeared as a mere sliver of wheat in the eyes of the people of the Southern Continent.

Even so, he still couldn't help but catch a whiff of something that disgusted him in the wind blowing from the north—something about fate, sacrifice, and compensation.

Below the abyss, the lonely Cinderella returned to the Grey Elf courtyard bathed in the deep blue twilight. She carried with her the fruits of her labor over the past few days—a complete set of aircraft blueprints and some throbbing bruises, looking travel-worn.

The girl walked through the dark blue and purple flower bushes in the courtyard and stepped into the ivory-colored temple in the center of the gray elf courtyard. She had some injuries that she couldn't take back to the surface to treat, so she returned here.

She piled the clutter in a corner of the temple, then climbed the twelve steps leading to the temple's core, removing all her clothes and finally immersing herself naked in the warm spring water that shimmered with a bluish light, just as she had done in the past.

The dull pain caused by bruising and ligament strain will soon be relieved and will disappear completely over time.

A moment later, she resurfaced and leaned against the familiar spot by the pool, her chest rising and falling slightly, refreshing the air that had accumulated in her lungs.

Pandora raised her left hand, gazing at the mark in her palm depicting a snake and a silver key. She softly called out the name of someone who had left, and a faint mist welled up in her pure purple eyes.

"I'm here."

"!"

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In the darkness and silence, a familiar voice rang out. It was so memorable to the little girl that Cinderella recognized it as soon as it spoke.

Pandora's feelings were a mixture of joy and panic. In the week that Miss Devil was away, she experienced difficulties and malice she had never faced in the past thirteen years. In order to protect herself, she made a choice, even though she clearly realized in the process of making the choice that she was gradually becoming unlike herself. She desperately needed a trustworthy friend to confide in about her experiences, her wavering and confusion, but she was ashamed of her current naked appearance. She was not psychologically prepared to present herself to that devil so unreservedly.

"Just kidding, I'm not actually here."

"?"

The earring that once belonged to the devil, hanging on Pandora's chest, moved without wind. It slowly floated up, loosening the ties around the girl's neck. Soon, it hovered less than ten inches in the air in front of Pandora, gleaming with a mercury-like luster. Then, in the next moment, just as when the devil first gave it to her, after a magical and inexplicable reconstruction, it came to a complete stop, transforming into a silver pocket watch with the same style as before—the mercury serpent with its head and tail intertwined formed its outline, and the silver key that had been wrapped around the serpent had all become the hands on the dial. Now, they were completely still.

The whole world lost its color and became as dark as a black and white silent film.

"The basic tricks of the Time Realm are something that any spellcaster with a little skill can do. With diligent practice, you will be able to master them in the future. However, in this realm, the corrupt bloodline theory and the level of one's status determine everything. Most mortals can only use it to bully weaker opponents; it doesn't count as real strength."

“Miss Nobu…” Pandora called out instinctively, despite being told that “she’s not here.”

"When you hear this message I left behind, you must have already faced some difficulties that children should not have to face, and successfully overcome them. After all, I have never doubted your determination to do whatever it takes to survive. I am proud of you, and as always, I feel sorry for your fate."

"If you can hold out until now without getting angry or throwing this pocket watch away in a fit of rage—that means our strong friendship hasn't been tested by the deaths of some insignificant scoundrels. In fact, I didn't take anything from you when I left; I just returned something that originally belonged to you—the right to be loved."

“Pandora, do you remember the story of ‘The Little Prince and the Fox’ that I told you at midnight? At the beginning of their encounter, the Little Prince was just a boy to the fox, no different from millions of other boys; and the fox was just a fox to the Little Prince, just like millions of other foxes; until they tamed each other.”

"You asked me about the meaning of 'taming,' and I answered you like this: taming is about creating a relationship. Once a relationship is created, the two people will need each other and will no longer be just passersby in the crowd, but unique beings to each other."

"I think someone as intelligent as you should already understand how I felt before opening that door for you when I heard this."

"Because I am an honest and trustworthy devil, I agree with the philosophy in that story—to always be responsible for what you have tamed, even if she is just a little thief who likes to sneak into my garden in the middle of the night to pick flowers."

"I've actually been observing you for longer than you've been with me. Don't be confused. Now, I'll give you some time to adjust your mood. Also, don't drink water or eat anything. Trust me, I'm going to tell you a secret."

"I think you're ready."

Pandora nodded subconsciously.

"Well, as you know, I am a devil who runs a small shop in my spare time. Before opening the shop, I did many menial jobs, the most representative of which were the old-fashioned jobs of part-time ruler of hell and messiah of heaven. To be honest, I didn't like either of these jobs. The former was because there were too many crazy colleagues, and the latter was simply because the titles were too silly. You don't need to understand the meaning behind them now. You just need to understand that after you fell into the abyss when you were five years old and stumbled into this courtyard built by the gray elves, what ultimately saved you was the spring water that you used to come here to heal your wounds and bathe whenever you wanted. Its essence is a drop of blood that I spilled in the mortal world in the past. It was through this drop of blood that I anchored myself to this place. And before that, you personally recited the prayer left by the gray elves. This is very important."

"Okay, although I don't know how things are on your end, I'll still give you five minutes to compose yourself."

……

"Five minutes are up. Please forgive my lack of romantic understanding, but we have more important things to do."

"As I've said before, I'm a miserly devil who believes that giving away things for free and being generous with charity will only breed even greater evils. Now, I admit that I haven't been able to live up to that statement. If you don't believe me, you can count for yourself how much you've taken from me."

"Flowers, potions, knowledge, and multiple lives."

"And now, that enormous cause and effect is about to bear bitter fruit."

"This is also why I left this message. At this very moment, tens of thousands of kilometers above the sky above Issu, in the star realm described in the Tertiary documents, there is a giant with excessively grown wings, who is determined to recreate the miracles left by the supreme deity in the past. Even though it will be weakened for a long time due to replicating the power of the god, that giant is determined to evaporate this place."

"Don't be afraid. Isu will be fine, and so will everyone you know. The reason that big molting creature recreated the miracle with all its might was to evaporate the blasphemous blood I once spilled here. That's all."

"Unfortunately, because of all the mess you've made over the years, the day I first met you, I discovered that you had been hopelessly corrupted by that blasphemous bloodline. This also meant that you would be regarded as the 'Great Enemy of God' and evaporated by the impending heavenly fire."

"Hey, don't panic. Didn't I just say that I've completely frozen time at the [outer] level and below? That big molting thing won't make any moves until we finish talking, so don't worry."

"This is not a long-term solution; every problem should have its own solution."

"As I have said, I am a trustworthy devil who will always be responsible for what I have tamed. This is my attitude, not your will."

"So, this is the last time I'll ask you, my lovely little Cinderella. Would you like to put on the glass slippers I've prepared for you? To be or not to be, that is the only question you should be considering now. As for whether all the magic will wear off after the midnight bells, that depends entirely on your choices."

"So, should we accept or refuse?"

"If you refuse, I will prepare a burial plot for you in my garden, where I will plant many flowers as blue as those in the courtyard outside. This way, you can bid farewell to this world that has only given you suffering, surrounded by violets, and embrace eternal peace from now on."

"If you accept, I will send you to a place, a corner I cannot interfere with, existing in my childhood memories, to settle an old matter and clear a debt for me; you have a high probability of dying there, so I will teach you some knowledge to reduce the risk."

"Of course, risks and rewards always go hand in hand. I promise you that if you come back alive, I will gladly share everything I have with you. To be honest, I am ashamed to say that because I was too passive and lazy in the past, no matter how many divine titles are recorded in the prayers of the gray elves, my seat of 'Chosen God' has always been vacant. I don't mind if you add the word 'eternal' in front of it, as long as you have the ability."

……

"Ah, it seems you've made your choice. Very good, brave Miss Cinderella. I'm delighted. Now, let's begin with the very first step. First, to enter that long-dead world, a corner that's not even worth remnants, you need a suitable name, and my surname. Let me think about it..."

……

"How about Charlotte Hearn?"

……

Chapter 80 God and Man

"Ultimately, I will separate the divinity and humanity in your soul."

"The world of the divine has nothing new, but it is controllable; the world of human intelligence, though full of brilliance, is full of uncertainty."

"I judge that unnecessary human intelligence will do more harm than good to this trip, and you still have a karmic connection left in the world of Thranheim that no one has settled. Therefore, I choose to preserve your childhood and let 'her' quell the last echo of that earthly heaven."

"Childhood is a precious treasure that no child should easily give up; when you come back, I will return it to you intact, so you can rest assured."

"The train is about to depart, so I'm giving you a fox to guide you. This little beast may lack intelligence, but it's the perfect means of transportation."

"That's all I have to say. Now, say goodbye to your childhood, my lovely little Cinderella."

……

In any world, the speed at which news becomes outdated seems to be directly proportional to its speed of dissemination. The apocalyptic midnight starry sky did not shake the opening of the market in Sweetwater Bay, a corner of the southern continent, on the second day. The weathered and self-disciplined Black Panther opened his eyes in his lodging room on time before sunrise, pushed open the half-closed window, and listened to the shouts of merchants coming and going from all directions.

Joshua shook his cat-like face, went to the bathroom to wash up quickly, slung his sword over his shoulder, left the room, and went downstairs.

As a renowned deep-water port east of Thrandheem, Silver Harbor in Sweetwater Bay boasts an immeasurable flow of passengers. This port, surrounded by the boundless ocean and the equally vast Rosetta Forest, is like a pearl beloved by many tour groups, with countless white sails docking throughout the year.

In his early years, Joshua sailed to the Far East across the ocean and learned that there was an empire called "Gazance" there. It was founded by the dragon people and the whole country worshipped an ancient god called "Taiyi". The dragon emperor in the Far East built a white tower that reached the sky to define the territory and resisted the invasion of the mechanical race for hundreds of years.

As one of the main trade nodes between the two continents, Silver Harbor is also home to many dragonkin. Most of them are descendants of the Far East caravans of the past. Since the end of the Dark Age, the continent has entered the Fourth Age of Recovery. The natives of Thranheim have returned to the surface to live and multiply, and have been dealing with these strangers from the Far East for hundreds of years.

Including the inn where Joshua previously stayed—the one called "Cloud in the Sky," which is favored by free mercenaries according to unwritten rules—it also belongs to the local dragonmen of Silverport.

The proprietress of 【Yunzhong】 is a gentle and elegant beauty. Even a seasoned veteran like Joshua can calm down completely when talking to her. In the elegant incense in the shop, it seems that the bloodlust that has seeped into his soul has become thinner.

Everyone in the group held this dragon woman in such high esteem, gratitude, and admiration for her, who provided shelter for mercenaries who made their homes across the world. As a result, the inn called "Cloud in the Sky" became one of the few peaceful places in the turbulent port city of Silver Harbor. Once unwritten rules were established in the same industry, a group of rough but shrewd men spontaneously stepped forward to secretly maintain order at the inn.

Apart from that one clueless idiot who recently arrived...

“Miss Jiang Xue, this is the twenty-eighth time this week that I have sincerely invited you to join me on a trip to Guiwang Cliff to see the sea. While I was doing some ‘archaeological’ work there, I unearthed some interesting relics from the Shang Dynasty. I believe you will enjoy them…”

Almost the instant Joshua stepped into the hotel lobby, a familiar voice inevitably reached his ears, causing his blood pressure to spike, even though the voice was as clear and pure as a child singing hymns.

In a corner of the inn's lobby, a handsome young man in white robes was chatting warmly with the elegant innkeeper, holding her delicate hand. The dragon maiden named Jiang Xue wore her usual troubled expression, yet a subtle shyness lingered within her distress—something never seen before. Joshua, watching this, grew anxious. He glanced at his colleagues sprawled across the lobby, dead and helpless, knowing he couldn't let the situation continue. Blazing holy light coalesced behind him, and the black panther he had sworn to protect drew its sword and roared in fury.

"Her-Hern!"

"My big cat friend, you're lucky you're a black panther and not a black cat, otherwise I would have skinned you alive by now."

On the bustling street, the boy, whose good deed had been ruined, sighed repeatedly, "I was so close."

"..." Joshua was silent for a moment, then let out a wild roar at him, a warning in its own right.

"Meow~" The believer Hearn pulled out a blade of grass from somewhere and teased the black panther with it.

“Believer Hearn, you are too frivolous. I see very little of the virtues of loyalty, hope, generosity, justice, perseverance, temperance, and frugality in you. I believe you should not be near that kind and tolerant lady. As I have said countless times, you are not a good match.”

"You, with your thick eyebrows and big eyes, are a paladin, fine, but you're even pretending to be the matchmaker?"

"Roar!"

"Can't you even take a joke? Creatures related to cats are really annoying."

"It's because of your joking attitude..."

"Then why don't you go?"

"By the Lord of Light, my heart has long been dedicated to the Holy Lord, and that lady is the one I have sworn to protect."

"You holy light guys were really awkward when you were young... No wonder you turned into gay priests who are obsessed with pretty girls in the choir when you got older. I can already foresee your filthy appearance twenty years from now—solemnly declaring to the handsome choir boys brought here in the flickering candlelight of the confessional: 'Kneel before me, boy.'"

"You filthy scoundrel!"

The man and the cat exchanged a few words and nearly came to blows in the street, but eventually parted on bad terms.

……

"Mr. Hearn, Mr. Hearn, about the story of the Little Prince, what happened to him?"

After the frightening cat slunk away, several dragon-human girls surrounded the believer, chattering like a flock of sparrows, urging him to continue telling the stories he had told the little ghosts living in the nearby streets the day before to pass the time. The group then gradually disappeared into the distance...

"...The little prince did not want the pilot to see him leave, because it would be painful, like he was going to die."

He once met a snake, and the snake promised the Little Prince, "If one day you miss your planet, I can help you."

"The pilot believes that snakes are very bad things, and one should not associate with them—"

"But the little prince kept telling the pilot that what he saw was just an empty shell. Even though the little prince looked like he was about to die, it wasn't real. The road was too far, and he simply couldn't carry his body with him. There was nothing sad about that..."

"...The little prince hesitated for a moment before taking the final step. A yellow 'lightning bolt/[serpent]' swept past his feet. He stood for a moment, then fell like a tree being felled, without making a sound..."

"This was the last time the pilot met the little prince. Later, he repaired the malfunctioning plane and left the desert."