Mystery: Good Witch

Chapter 956: Refining in an Instant
From Gerdruf, Angel and others knew how to end the turmoil facing the city "prematurely".

That is to use Anne's ability as a "Balancer" to accommodate the extraordinary characteristics of this Sequence 1 before the "Hand of Order" restores order, and use her own intelligence to control it as a law enforcer who only acts according to predetermined procedures.

"In fact, this does not make her a true Sequence 1, but rather uses that characteristic like a seal. Of course, this is more tightly coupled than normal use... and only Beyonders of the same path can do this."

Gerdruf spoke eloquently, then pointed directly downward and continued:

"Right below the City Hall is the tomb of the Night Emperor, which is also the empire's memorial hall. The Hand of Order is at the deepest part. Normally, it is protected by other Sequence 2 Beyonder characteristics that are restricted, and even angels find it difficult to approach. But now..."

Glancing at the increasingly chaotic scene around him, he chuckled.

"Oh, it's already in a defenseless state."

"You know all the layout of this city so well? Why don't you try to steal those extraordinary characteristics yourself?"

Angel asked back with a frown on his face.

"Analyzing all of this is the core ability of a 'cryptologist'... As for why I didn't act in advance, it's because I simply can't swallow these 'trophies'. It will also cause the entire city to collapse, and I will be buried in the depths of the spirit world along with myself, just like what is happening now..."

Geldruf replied with a click of his tongue, as if he was somewhat disappointed that he had failed to succeed.

At this time, he looked a bit like the "blasphemer" Amon.

Of course, the serious expression of the "Consul" soon returned to Geldruf's face. He continued to explain the precautions for entering the mausoleum. It was obviously the information that Amon's clone, who called himself a "decryption scholar", had obtained after lurking for many years. At the end, he looked at Angel and said:

"You'd better go with her. It's impossible to enter there by conventional means... Besides, this may be helpful to you."

"Is this a trick of the Blasphemer?"

Angel said with a pout.

"No, it's the advice of the 'Trojan Horse of Fate'."

Geldruf adjusted his monocle and answered.

So, he saw some kind of destiny again and thought that I would gain more by going underground with him?
Angel thought for a moment, took out a "disaster" spell made with the "worm of time" as the base material, handed it to Klein, and instructed:
"If we don't come out in ten minutes, we'll attack him... Even if he absorbs Nemo's Beyonder characteristics, he shouldn't be able to go beyond Sequence 3."

The latter nodded, his eyes fixed on Geldruf.

The same is true for the ubiquitous rabbit Hermanns.

Taking a last look at the "City of Dreams" where the sun and the moon were shining together and the surroundings were gradually shrouded in the mist of the spiritual world, Angel took a deep breath, took two steps forward, put his arms around Anne, and at the moment when her feet left the ground due to the height difference and her expression became a little stiff, he entered the "mirror world".

……

"I thought you would suggest that I go underground with them. After all, there is an angel and a Sequence 3 Saint there. I have no chance of winning."

After a moment, Geldruf looked at Klein, smiled and said.

Don't answer him. The more you talk, the more mistakes you make... Klein muttered to himself and ignored the other person's words.

Seeing this, Amon's clone smiled even more, and continued as if teasing Klein to answer:
"Aren't you curious about whether it was 'Amon' or 'Nemo' when Nemo was doing that thing last night?"

Klein's expression froze. He tried his best not to look at the other person, but his curiosity once again overcame his caution.

"How do you know what happened last night? As 'Archon', you can monitor the entire city?"

"This is a serious accusation, which means that I have violated three prohibitions in the law... But as long as I absorb his 'Time Worm' and Beyonder characteristics, I will naturally know everything that happened... But at that time, he was using the few 'Time Worms' to parasitize wild birds to secretly observe the witch, and what was left at home was only the body with basic physiological reactions."

Geldruf replied without changing his expression.

It turns out that the bird with white eyes is the masterpiece of "Nemo" Amon. We instead cast our suspicious eyes on the "Archon", although from the results, both are Amon's clones... And what is the strange term "basic physiological reaction"... Klein's mind flashed one thought after another, and he decided to end the conversation and no longer talk to the other party.

But the Amon temperament in Geldruf's heart prevailed again, and he said with a smile on his face:

"You seem to be wary of me... Is it because you have met other versions of me before and were defeated in combat or communication?"

The Beyonder characteristics of those clones have now entered Pallez's stomach, and the "Time Worm" has also been made into various talismans... Klein muttered, and simply raised the "Disaster" talisman in his hand. The purple translucent talisman contained a curled "Time Worm", which clearly explained the "end" of Amon's clones.

"I see... Tsk, the source of this power is very strange. It shouldn't be something that an 'immortal' witch can master."

Geldruf studied the spell with great interest. After a moment, he smacked his lips and added:

"Use it carefully, and don't bring more disaster to this city."

“I’m really surprised to hear such words from an Amon clone,” Klein said with a hint of sarcasm. “I almost forgot that the purpose of your coming here is to obtain everything in the Ghost Empire.”

"To act in a way that is not in line with your ideas is also a form of fraud."

Amon smiled and said while pinching the monocle on his right eye.

----

Holding Anne, who was extremely light, Angel briefly passed through several passages in the mirror world and entered a space located directly below the city hall, which was also the deepest part of the entire floating island, and emerged from the mirror-like black marble floor.

This place was unusually spacious, like a square built underground, but there was not a single gap for light to pass through. Angel was able to identify the surrounding environment with his dark vision, and found that the architectural style here was similar to that on the ground, with a symmetrical design with dark black as the main body, the kind of design from the end of the Fourth Epoch. Above his head were two rows of inverted candlesticks, numbering 40 and 41 respectively, extending into the distance.

Anne, who was put down by her, stepped on the floor with both feet, took two steps forward as if she breathed a sigh of relief, and waved her hand casually. The darkness was replaced by a light that seemed to be everywhere but had no source, filling the entire underground space.

At the same time, the murals engraved on the surrounding stone walls also came into their sight.

The murals included huge ships sailing against the waves, buildings stretching to the horizon, figures that were either tall and serious or had old-fashioned expressions and strange clothes, and the specific images of gods that Angel had seen in Klein's display.

This is the invincible fleet of the Trunsost Empire, the capital Backlund, and those famous nobles. In addition, when this city was built, the six gods had become seven, with the addition of the "God of Steam and Machinery". No, it should have been called the "God of Craftsmen"...

Angel's eyes briefly lingered on the mural of the "new god", remembering the image of him standing on a base formed by gears with his back against a scroll and holding a craftsman's hammer, and then looked at other places in this "memorial hall". The space they were in did not have any entrances or exits, but the stone walls around them were marked with many patterns as if they were cut by knives and axes, and at the end pointed by the candlestick above their heads was a stone platform that stood above the ground.

Unlike the memorial hall on the ground, there are two huge stone thrones on the stone platform. On one of them sits the "Night Emperor" Trunsost, and the other is slightly smaller, carrying a beautiful woman who is slightly shorter than Trunsost, but still has a height ratio that exceeds that of most women.

Even though she was just a stone sculpture, Angel's eyes lingered on her face and body for a long time, unwilling to leave, as if driven by some primitive desire from deep in his heart.

That is the pursuit of "beauty".

"This is the queen of the blood clan and the wife of the Night Emperor, 'Blood Moon Queen' Ornia."

Anne at the side introduced, her eyes reluctantly moving away from the statue of Ornia and looking above the two thrones.

There floated a regular octahedron that emitted dark golden light and was constantly rotating. It was only the size of a fist, but it made Anne feel a deep fear. She wanted to kneel down and surrender to it, and integrate into the "order" it had established.

This is the law enforcement force that controls the entire "City of Hope" derived from the extraordinary characteristics of the "Hand of Order".

Around it, sentences of ancient Feysac language kept appearing and disappearing as if written by invisible strokes. Angel could recognize some of the words. Although they were incoherent, they were all key words that made up the new law.

"It is restoring the original version of the law. There is no 'archon', only strict class divisions, and laws that place Extraordinary people and nobles above ordinary people."

Anne said with a serious look on her face.

That was no different from most of the countries in the Fifth Epoch. Of course, the City of Hope certainly didn't want to revert to that "version" now... Angel muttered, suddenly realizing the reason for Anne's change of expression.

If this version of the law is completed, there will be no position for "Consul", and the "Hand of Order" will continue to control the entire city with strict laws according to its own will until corresponding changes are made again due to changes in the situation.

"Then... let's go quickly. I have a feeling that the more perfect its 'laws' are, the stronger its power will be and the more difficult it will be to control." Angel looked at Annie and said carefully, "If you find it difficult to control its power, we will leave immediately and find other ways to resolve this crisis."

"Don't worry. Although this Beyonder characteristic is of a higher sequence, it will not be active until the law is completed. I am confident that I can master it, rather than being controlled by it."

Anne, who had been looking serious before, smiled at this moment. She opened her right hand, and a strange symbol gradually emerged on her palm.

That was the mark that appeared after she signed a contract with Angel and transferred power many times through this connection. It was symmetrical on the left and right, and different on the top and bottom, like a crumbling city in a storm.

"Besides Roselle, you and Bernadette are my only and most important 'anchors' in this world."

As she spoke, Anne's figure disappeared in a dark golden light, and then appeared next to the regular octahedron, almost overlapping it.

As if sensing the coming of some kind of crisis, the gilded words that were constantly being written and erased around the regular octahedron suddenly accelerated, and a new "ban" was quickly taking shape.

"…'The Emperor's Fall' is the most precious thing. No living being is allowed to touch it without permission. Violators…"

Before the text could completely emerge and solidify, it was pierced by a faster dark golden line.

That's a strikethrough, which means the ban is invalid!

At one end of the line, Anne's soft and boneless right hand suddenly stretched out and grabbed the regular octahedron that was constantly rotating and projecting more words around it.

The entire "Memorial Hall" suddenly began to shake violently.

----

On the rooftop of the City Hall, the conversation became less and less interesting, and it almost became a one-sided questioning by Geldruf. Klein kept silent and the communication came to an abrupt end.

Klein looked around in surprise during the sudden and violent earthquake, and found that the fog that was eroding the edge of the city did not spread faster, and the mutant creatures that broke in were also lost in some kind of "distorted" or "forbidden" force.

"It's not that the disaster has been accelerated. It should be that...Annie is trying to obtain the power of the 'Hand of Order'?"

He took the initiative to look at Amon's clone and asked.

"That should be the case, but this process is not foolproof. The 'Balancer' lady is likely to be controlled by a more powerful force and become a puppet of order, losing herself in the most primitive and ruthless version of the law."

Geldruf tilted his head and answered, his brass-rimmed monocle flickering in the dusk light and crimson moonlight above his head.

"Is this your purpose? To deceive us and eliminate the angel who poses the greatest threat to you? So that you can escape at any time?"

"If I wanted to escape, I wouldn't have followed that witch back to this city," Geldruf sneered, and then said, "That's why I asked Anne Gustaf to bring her into the memorial hall. The contract and connection between the two can effectively maintain the former's 'humanity' and prevent the worst situation from happening."

“Humanity…” Klein muttered, and immediately thought of another word. “Is it the ‘anchor’ for promotion?”

"It's not a promotion, but mastering a Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristic is not much different from a promotion. Let me think about it. The success rate is probably only 10%."

As he spoke, Geldruf pushed the monocle in his right eye socket again.

"With a 10% chance, even the craziest gambler wouldn't do such a thing...Also, why don't you use that pair of crystal glasses? Each clone should have one, right?"

Klein asked coldly.

“If that’s the case, I’m afraid something that neither you nor I want to see will happen, such as my real body coming here…” The corners of Amon’s avatar’s mouth gradually curled up, and while saying the most terrifying words, he looked up at the sky, “Ah, there was a small problem with my calculations. The success rate is actually 90%, and they have already done it.”

The next second, the crimson moon in the sky disappeared from everyone's sight like a phantom, and the quiet light of dusk covered the sky again. The fog that had already touched the edge of the city and was about to invade the streets also dissipated in an instant, and the earthquake that made it impossible for the people gathered in the streets and squares below to stand steadily gradually subsided.

Then, a naive but majestic voice sounded in the ears of every resident of the "City of Dreams":

"Citizens of the Dreaming City, I am your new Archon, Anne Gustave.

"With the help of 'Golden Queen' Angelica Sage, the disaster facing this city has been resolved. Now, I announce several new decrees:

"First, a temporary curfew begins now. All residents are requested to return to their homes in an orderly manner..."

PS: I think I will be very busy today. I will see if there will be a second chapter in the evening...

(End of this chapter)