Mystery: Good Witch

Chapter 889 We Care (Two Chapters in One)
On Monday morning, Angel arrived at the Klein home.

Of course, this time he came to visit in an open capacity, riding in a carriage. After all, the two of them couldn't always hide in the bedroom in the middle of the night, and they had almost no contact in formal occasions.

That would make it seem like I was really "hypnotized" by Hvin Rambis and had unknowingly moved away from Dwayne Dantès... While she was secretly criticizing the "manipulator" who had died but no one knew about it because the news was "secret", she was led by an enthusiastic maid to the south-facing reception room on the second floor with large floor-to-ceiling windows, where she met Dwayne Dantès, who was dressed in formal attire and was meticulously groomed.

Ever since he used his own secret doll as his personal valet, things like dressing and grooming were done by him, but outsiders thought it was a caring valet who was helping him... Looking at the "winner" Enuni standing behind Klein, Angel felt that the role of the "Secret Doll Master" was extremely prone to schizophrenia, making it difficult for him to recognize who he really was.

Fortunately, Klein had already passed this stage. He skillfully asked Enuni to ask the other servants to leave the reception room, and "Admiral of Hell" Raphael guarded the door, leaving only the two of them in the room.

"Where's your new secret doll?"

Angel looked around, but didn't see Qonas Kilger, who was defeated by Klein yesterday and controlled the spirit thread to become a secret puppet.

"In the bedroom, I haven't figured out how to perfectly integrate him into my life circle yet. I'm afraid I can only use him as an 'invisible' secret puppet... I'll give him a new identity after Ms. Arianna's matter is resolved."

Klein explained, looking a little tired.

This was certainly not because he was worried about how to deal with the new secret doll. What made him exhausted was everything he did above the gray fog last night after Angel sacrificed the bronze cross to The Fool.

First, through divination, Klein confirmed that Angel's description of this item, which could be called a "sealed object," was correct. It was indeed formed by the extraordinary characteristics of the "No Dark One" of the "Sun" pathway, but its source surprised him immensely.

It was formed from a drop of blood of the "Ancient Sun God" who died in the War of Gods!
At the same time, he also saw in divination the scene of the first appearance of this being also known as the "Creator of Silver City" in the world. He looked like an ordinary human, even similar to the white people Klein had seen before, and wore a cross similar to the one on "Earth". Based on the age of speculation, it was very likely the first cross in the world.

In addition, after he walked out of the strange building, he looked around and said with a smile, "Let there be light," a very religious phrase. Klein could confirm that the other party was also a "traveler" like himself.

The time difference is too big... I am about 200 years older than Roselle, but I am more than years older than the "Ancient Sun God", maybe more than years older. And unlike us, He gained considerable power from the beginning, which is why He killed various non-human ancient gods and accepted the service of the angel kings. Is it because He gained many benefits by traveling through that building... Is He the third person in the light cocoon, or did He travel through time in other ways? Judging from His appearance when He was still human, could it be the legendary "flesh travel"?
Klein's thoughts became more and more confused, and finally stopped at the word "mysterious" that he shouted before being betrayed and eaten by the Wind Angel, the Pure White Angel, and the Angel of Wisdom.

Most importantly, when he shouted this sentence, the "Ancient Sun God" looked up, as if he had passed through the gray fog and was looking at Klein thousands of years later.

Just like when I divined the scene of Angel being affected by Adam, the Angel King looked up at the sky as if predicting it... Should we say that they are worthy of being father and son? Even such bad behaviors have similarities... Klein muttered and refocused his eyes on Angel in front of him.

Today, the "ageless" witch wore a lace dress, exuding the youthfulness of a young girl. She did not wear any jewelry, but the calves exposed outside the hem of her skirt were enough to attract everyone's attention, and Klein was no exception.

Hmm… Coke, yes, Coke, since the ancient sun god most likely traveled through time by other means, then the third “roommate” in the light cocoon is very likely to have earned his first pot of gold by selling knowledge in Backlund. I hope he is also Chinese and understands my bad internet memes, otherwise it will be hard to match the secret code for a while…

After finally getting his mind off those white legs without a trace of fat, Klein swallowed back the words that were about to come out of his mouth.

He planned to wait until the Tarot meeting in the afternoon, and then, as the Fool, remind Angel of Adam's problem, so as to avoid mentioning the King of Angels in real life and causing Him to notice.

But He might have already paid attention to us again. Since the "Darkless Cross" was formed from the blood of the ancient sun god, it is unlikely to fall into the hands of the Loen royal family that rose at the end of the Fourth Epoch. It is very likely to be obtained by His son Adam. Now it has fallen into Angel's hands through Viscount Stratford. Is it His arrangement or some kind of accident... No, everything an Angel King of the "audience" path does has a deep meaning, which means that He is very likely to be deeply involved in George III's plan, and even knows our actions, so He designed Stratford to appear with it and deliver this item to us.

His real target might be the "secret" mentioned by the ancient sun god. Maybe he is referring to me, the fake "Fool", or the original and true master of the gray fog space... There is another possibility. He thinks that I am from the same world as his father, and wants to test us and warn us not to continue to participate in this matter... If he knew that I was the "Fool", why didn't Amon know? Why didn't he come to me directly? Because I was in Backlund?
Moreover, He paid unexpected attention to Angel, in Bayam, in Balam, and now back here...

Looking at Angel who was looking at him with a puzzled expression, Klein couldn't help but sigh.

Suddenly, Angel's expression changed and his eyes turned to the side. Klein understood something and looked over there. He noticed a gradually outlined figure appearing in the reception room.

That was Arianna, the "Secret Servant" who left immediately after receiving the information from Qiunas' mind yesterday evening.

Before the two of them could stand up and salute, the angel on earth from the Church of Darkness spoke:
“Last night, I entered the ruins with the archbishops of the three major churches, but did not find anything special.

"Through the method of Chonas Kilger, we entered the portal and came to the interior of the ruins, where we met Grove Augustus. He was somewhat panicked, but not the kind of panic that comes from having a huge secret revealed. He explained that after the royal family discovered the ruins, they wanted to keep it for themselves and were unwilling to share it with the church, so they cooperated with the 'Witch Cult' to gather people to excavate the ruins and hold ceremonies in order to open the tomb deep inside."

This is different from what Hwin, Katarina, and Qiunas said... Angel frowned and asked in confusion:

"Is there something wrong with the ritual? Is it a ritual that requires the sacrifice of a large number of lives, or is it related to the promotion of the 'Black Emperor'?"

"Neither," Arianna shook her head lightly and answered with a calm expression. "Under Grove's guidance, we went deep into the ruins and checked the rituals. There were a large number of living people preparing for the rituals. It did not involve sacrifices that would harm health or even life, and the interior did not look like a newly built mausoleum... Everything was just as he said, it was just a regular excavation plan."

"What about the heavy smog? Can we confirm that this was caused by the royal family?"

Klein also raised his own questions.

"Prince Grove blamed everything on the Witch Cult, claiming that they colluded with the dead Edessak to steal the kingdom's top power. After failing, they created the smog as revenge. After that, Catalina tried to get back together with them, but was rejected. That's why Qiunas was able to see members of the Witch Cult in the ruins."

"Psychological Alchemy Society?"

Angel asked unwillingly.

"Hvin Rambis is the royal advisor. They know that he is a manipulator, and they used his power to keep the excavation of the ruins secret. But other than that, Grove did not admit to having any other contact with the Psychological Alchemist Society."

Arianna replied calmly.

This completely clears himself out of the matter... Many of Prince Grove's statements have loopholes, but based on the premise that the church cannot use force on members of the royal family, these archbishops and even the "secret servants" actually had no other way to deal with George III...

After all, the royal family also has angels, "0" level seals, and absolute public support. The three major churches may not be able to gain the upper hand if they confront them head-on.

Of course, the result would be different if the three true gods were included. If any of the true gods expressed opposition, even the royal angels would have to hand over George III to seek peace, but they happened not to object... With the power of the church alone, without solid evidence, it would be impossible to do anything to the royal family.

George III and the royal family members who supported him were aware of this and prepared the ascension ceremony of the "Black Emperor" at this time.

If there is evidence...

Klein suddenly raised his head and asked anxiously:
"Was the whole operation 'secret'?"

Arianna nodded without hesitation and answered:
"Everyone is under my power...including now."

"This means that divination and prophecy will not be effective... Is there a possibility," Klein took a deep breath and lowered his voice, as if he was worried about being heard, "that someone inside leaked your operation, causing them to prepare in advance?"

"The three archbishops only knew the specific destination before the operation. Even if there was a way to send the message, the entire ruins could not be disguised as harmless in time."

Arianna obviously knew what Klein meant, and immediately explained.

"But 'fantasy' is OK," Klein added hastily, as if he was attacking. It was as if he was facing a terrifying enemy, and he could hardly suppress his nervousness. "I think you should be able to associate this word with a certain path, and the existence at the top of that path may be related to the 'Psychological Alchemy Society' and George III's plan!"

He didn't dare to directly say the name of the "Angel of Fantasy" Adam, and could only explain it vaguely.

Fortunately, as an angel of the church, Arianna must be able to read all the books inside, and even listen to the goddess's teachings and instructions from time to time. After hearing the word "fantasy", her expression changed, and she took Klein's hint.

Angel, who was standing by, immediately thought of the terrifying Angel King based on this word, the nameless island that suddenly disappeared in the sea, and the sigh that contained some emotion.

If “He” took action, it would indeed be possible to create a ruin that even angels could not see the problem with in a short period of time. Moreover, the royal family might have a plan in advance. This “fantasy ruin” did not need to be prepared temporarily, but was already waiting for the day when the matter was exposed, so as to explain everything to the church...

"The question is, if He was involved in this, why did He sit back and watch us track down clues and eventually lock onto Relic No. 1, instead of solving everything directly from the source..." Angel said, pointing at himself and Klein, "...and solve everything from there? Since He can appear near Backlund, there is every chance that He can make us disappear quietly and prevent future troubles."

"There are two possibilities. First, He thinks it's useless to kill us because the 'key existence' may have known the truth. Second, He thinks it's unnecessary to kill us because... the royal family's plan is nearing its end, and we can just hide it for a while through 'fantasy' and delay it for a short period of time." When talking about the "key existence", Klein and Angel exchanged glances. They both knew that it represented the gods who could easily change the situation in the secular world.

Either possibility meant that their efforts were almost unsuccessful and George III was fully prepared to become the "Black Emperor".

"The ruins are currently open to the three major churches. I will find a way to verify your guess."

Arianna said softly, and her figure was erased. The two could hear the birds singing in the garden outside the window and the noise in the street again.

“He” seemed to be a little angry about the failure of last night’s operation… He just said he wanted to verify his guess, so he probably wanted to find the person who leaked the information during yesterday’s operation. That must be an archbishop of the Steam or Storm Church. But even Arianna didn’t mention stopping George III from “becoming a god” again. Was it because she also sensed a certain attitude of the goddess and even other gods from the actions during this period? And as a servant of the goddess, couldn’t she do more?
Looking at the place where Arianna disappeared, Angel suddenly felt a deep fatigue welling up in his heart.

She initially thought that finding the real mastermind behind the smog would solve the problem, avenge the 100,000 people who died in the plague, and resolve her own knot. But then she discovered that the matter involved the king and his ceremony of ascension to godhood, which was equivalent to facing an angel king. Finally, just when her fingers were about to touch the key, she discovered that the gods she relied on, those self-proclaimed righteous gods, had acquiesced to all this happening.

Adam helped him deceive the church by creating a "fantasy" relic, and the gods tacitly allowed him to harm the interests of the people and use this to become the "Black Emperor". He even had spies inside the church... In the end, is he really going to rely on Triss and the "Original Witch" behind her? Relying on an evil god to fight against the "Black Emperor" who is about to ascend to godhood?
This ridiculous thought flashed through Angel's mind, and he suddenly felt like laughing.

"Just give up. If we continue like this, we will probably be in great danger. It's not about avoiding the pursuit of a demigod holding a '0' grade seal, getting rid of the siege of the cult, or planning to kill a church defector. It's about opposing an angel king who is about to become a god, and the struggle of many forces helping him. The royal family doesn't have much to do with the three major churches, but it's easy to deal with us, the two demigods without the protection of gods."

Suddenly, Klein beside Angel whispered, with his head lowered, and each word seemed to crawl out of his throat with difficulty, extremely dull and dark.

"Moreover, the birth of a new god is bound to be accompanied by changes in the world situation and the transfer of power. It is better for Loen to have a 'Black Emperor' ruling over its own country than for other countries to seize the initiative... The royal family has recently been preparing for foreign wars. I am afraid they have some considerations. On the one hand, they want to weaken the power of the conservatives and complete the ceremony. On the other hand, they want to prepare for their own ascension to godhood. Once successful, the power of the Kingdom of Loen is likely to sweep across the entire northern continent. This is a bad thing for other countries, but not necessarily for the people of the Kingdom of Loen..."

He continued, as if to comfort himself, as if to find a suitable reason for giving up trying.

But Angel knew that his Klein was not that kind of person.

Now I finally understand how he felt when he saw me ready to give up everything and leave in Bayam... Angel sighed softly and hugged Klein gently, blocking his next depressing words.

"I should have pushed you against the wall and said a few polite words like I did to you that day," she whispered in Klein's ear. The teasing tone made him hold his breath. "Are you really planning to do this? Give up all your efforts and watch the success of the 'emperor' who is willing to cooperate with the evil sect, kill his own people, and pile up the corpses into a long stairway to godhood?"

"Or are you planning to do something secretly? Taking the risk yourself?"

Without waiting for Klein to reply, she continued:

"I remember clearly how I fell in the smog. Although Panatia was the one who did it, George III was the one who planned it. In that smog, six figures of innocent people died. They breathed the same pungent and deadly air as me, and died before and after me. Even if I replaced the deadly bacteria, I couldn't save the elderly and children who were already weak and couldn't withstand the slightest wind and waves... Although I don't know them, I have the obligation to avenge them, and I also have the obligation to avenge my own life.

"Moreover, do you really think that the appearance of such a 'Black Emperor' can be of any help to Loen and the world? Will He push more lives into the abyss to satisfy His greater ambitions?"

"Khloe."

Klein in her arms suddenly said, his voice so low that it was almost like a breath, causing her to ask back with a "hmm".

"He was one of the countless people struggling to survive in the East District. He died in the smog without any value, holding the ham he prepared for the New Year in his arms. He rarely ate it... There are countless people like him in the East District. I'm afraid that the high and mighty king didn't regard them as his real citizens. He just regarded them as a number in the population data. They died and that was it."

Klein's voice was a little higher, and he stood up straight again, which reminded Angel that "Dwayne Dantes" was much taller than her, so that now she was the one being embraced.

"He may think that no one cares about these dead people. Their families are crying and their friends are remembering them, but so what? The souls of the millions of dead people cannot move him at all, especially when he is about to become the 'Black Emperor'. When he possesses the power of gods and the supreme secular power, he can ignore these 'noises'."

Klein said in a serious tone, looking at Angel. His blue eyes were like a lake at night, but violent waves were rising inside.

“But I care. We care.”

“Yes, we do.”

Angel repeated his words, the corners of his mouth gradually raised, and he smiled as if he had confirmed the other party and his own thoughts.

"And we are not the only ones who care. Bernadette has been searching for the real tomb of her father, Emperor Roselle, to confirm whether he is truly dead. George III's actions are tantamount to destroying her last hope. She will be the most determined obstacle on the road to the Black Emperor's godhood, and so will Anne..."

She put into words the thoughts that she had been thinking about in her heart and spoke quickly.

"Triss joined the Witch Cult, then betrayed it. Now she has become the Witch of Despair who seeks only revenge. The Original Witch has provided her with a lot of help. This may mean that this evil god in the eyes of the world also opposes the birth of the new Black Emperor for some inexplicable reason. He probably cannot descend from the sky to fight against the church and the gods, but he can be our helper..."

"There is also the goddess, the goddess of night..." Influenced by her emotions, Klein also took over the conversation in a no longer low tone, "Ms. Arianna came to Backlund at this time, which should represent the true will of the goddess. We have speculated that the goddess is in a somewhat abnormal state at present. This may be the reason why "Her" did not directly oppose George III, but if we do this, "Her" should support us."

Thinking of the scene when he defeated Hvin Rambis and exchanged the metal cylinder contaminated by the "starry sky" for the "Ancient Scholar" formula, Angel nodded and approved of the other party's guess.

If even the goddess cannot be trusted, then the two believers of the night, the goddess's followers, will probably fall into deep self-doubt.

"So, with two true gods, two angels, and several saints, our power seems to be quite strong?"

Angel chuckled and said teasingly.

Unfortunately, the only two of us who will really try our best, and maybe Triss as well... A frustrating thought popped up in her mind again.

In order to suppress this thought, Angel tightened his arms and pressed Klein firmly against his chest, feeling his body temperature.

Only in this way could she calm the blood in her body, which was already boiling because she had confirmed the thoughts of both parties.

But the next second, Angel felt a huge force coming from her arms. Klein, who usually had no ability to resist, suddenly became extremely powerful. He broke free from her arms and instead held her tightly in his arms, making it impossible for her to break free.

Hmm, even the Iron Knight can’t do it?
Angel was stunned and lost his last chance to break free with the help of his body flexibility. He was pressed onto the soft single sofa with a bang.

By the way, his new puppet, Chonas Kilger, is the demigod “Fallen Count” of the “Lawyer” path, who can “amplify” his various abilities and powers!

"Hmm? Woo-woo-woo?"

Her panicked cries were "distorted" in the reception room where no outsiders were present, and did not get heard at all.

----

At three o'clock in the afternoon, as crimson rays of light flashed, all members of the Tarot Club came to the palace shrouded in gray fog and sat in their own high-backed chairs.

In the eyes of Klein the Fool, the aura of more than one new member has changed.

This means that another member of the Tarot Club has been successfully promoted!

In this troubled time, the improvement in the strength of the Tarot Club members is probably the only good news... He expressed his feelings with the spirit of a master, and then nodded slightly amid the respectful greetings of all the members.

He was going to reveal some key information today so that everyone could be prepared to deal with the dramatic changes in the world situation, which naturally included "Queen" Angel, who was sitting closest to his left.

Under his secret gaze, the witch who had finally been defeated by him again today tilted her head, looking a little confused.

(Two chapters in one, no more tonight, these words don’t count…)
(End of this chapter)