The black figure stiffened, releasing its grip on Bernadette's neck, as if it were staring at this "Mysterious Queen" with nonexistent eyes.
A dry, hoarse voice echoed in the hidden space:
"Homeland..."
The voice carried a hint of hesitation, a touch of confusion, and something like a need for confirmation—as if it came from another world.
The erosion Bernadette had been experiencing vanished, and her connection to her sealed artefact was instantly restored.
"
Just as she opened her mouth to say something more, the black figure suddenly reached out its hand again.
But this time, it wasn't going to grab Bernadette's neck; it gave her a strong push.
With the push came the collapse of the hidden space, and a voice filled with obvious pain, as if resisting something, rang out:
"Leave!"
As the voice echoed, the black figure vanished from the spot.
An instant later, it appeared on the central platform and sat down on the huge iron-black high-backed chair.
Its face immediately split into two gaps, like two asymmetrical eyes.
But those "eyes" had no pupils—they were entirely blood-red.
Then another gap opened below the "eyes," filled with the same pure crimson light.
Thus the black figure finally had a "mouth."
It turned toward Bernadette, and the voice filled with pain and resistance echoed again:
"Get out of here!"
After being pushed back a dozen meters, Bernadette easily regained her footing, but she didn't follow the order to leave this "Black Emperor" tomb. She stood there, staring blankly at the central platform and the black figure, her expression revealing a sadness she could neither hide nor wanted to hide.
She could sense it, and now she was certain: the black figure was her father, the man who called himself "Caesar,"
The next second, more cracks split open on the black figure, spreading from the head downward, opening crimson flowers on different parts of the body.
It made Roselle seem like nothing more than a shadow, inside which was a mass of crimson radiating pure light.
Klein, above the
At this moment, Roselle appeared to have become a shadow trying to cover the crimson moon, but was being torn open one hole after another, letting more and more moonlight into reality.
When these holes connected, the black shadow would completely split open, giving birth to a brand new crimson moon.
Then, something extremely terrifying would inevitably happen.
Just then, Roselle's black figure became much more ethereal, as if it had become a projection.
It made him seem isolated in another world, separated from reality by an invisible barrier.
Then, Roselle laboriously raised his shadowy right arm and pinched his forehead.
The frequency of the blood-red cracks on his body dropped to the extreme, but the pre-existing "eyes" began to blink, once, twice, again and again.
However, this didn't bring any negative effects to the surroundings. It seemed to be merely a change in order—the trend of new blood-red cracks being "born" was twisted toward the already existing ones, which gradually became active.
After doing this, Roselle lifted his head, looked at Bernadette a few dozen meters away, and said in a dry, hoarse voice with a laugh:
"You really have become a big figure in the mysterious world, able to come here all by yourself.
"Come here, let me see what my little princess looks like now."
Bernadette's eyes suddenly reddened, and she stepped forward.
Roselle laughed again:
"When I made picture books, wrote textbooks, and invented little games for you, you were only that big, and now you've come to save your poor old father.
"I remember you really liked the clothes I designed for you when you were little. Too bad you can't wear cake skirts anymore after growing up..."
The Great Emperor rambled on, as if in the twilight of his life, fondly recalling beautiful memories of the past.
Bernadette walked faster, and Klein above the Gray Fog frowned imperceptibly.
Suddenly, Roselle the Great Emperor lowered his head slightly and said very forcefully:
"Stop!"
His voice was filled with indescribable pain.
Bernadette was startled, then quickly slowed down and stopped.
In her gaze fixed on the black shadow, an indescribable sadness gradually emerged.
Roselle raised his head again, cleared his throat, and said:
"Aren't you dying to ask why the outside of the 'Black Emperor's' tomb is engraved with the order and customs he established? Actually, it's not necessary; I just wanted those who see it to remember my greatness..."
Before he finished, the Emperor grabbed the armrest with one hand and, with a strained voice filled with extreme pain, said:
"Don't... come closer!
"I am corrupted..."
The sadness in Bernadette's eyes deepened a little more.