Klein withdrew his gaze and directed it toward the portion of Beyonder characteristic that had crystallized out of Bouli Delro's body.
It was composed of wisps of thin fog, resembling a vaguely unreal, ashen-gray brain drawn from a dream.
"He considered 'Eden' the safest place, which is why he kept his true body here—the versions active in the outside world were all different personas? Who would have guessed that
Snap! He snapped his fingers and fulfilled his wish.
He then collected the "Dream Weaver" Beyonder characteristic along with the auxiliary materials, removed the "Pride" mask from his face, and stepped out of "Eden" in a single stride.
As he departed, the remaining fragments of the city crumbled one after another, dissolving into the boundless ocean of the collective unconscious.
From this day forward, the legend of "Eden" would appear in countless dreams, eventually being depicted by certain artists, woven into stories, and circulated far and wide.
And every version of the story would inevitably converge on the same ending: the destruction of "Eden."
Back on the terrace of the Hall family estate, Klein looked at Miss "Justice" across from him, who had already adjusted her psychological state, and handed over the "Dream Weaver" Beyonder characteristic, the corresponding materials, and the potion formula he had seen on the second "Stone Tablet of Blasphemy."
Before Audrey could speak, he said in a low voice: "You can still change your mind before the formal advancement."
Audrey accepted Mr. "World's" gift and nodded silently, indicating she would give it serious consideration.
Wearing a delicate straw hat, she then watched Gehrman Sparrow turn and walk toward the edge of the terrace, vanishing step by step.
…………
After eliminating his tracks and obscuring all clues, Klein cleverly exploited his "grafting" ability and the unique properties of the "Sefirah Castle" to return to
The colonel of
She prudently refrained from calling him Mr. "World" and also avoided uttering the name Gehrman Sparrow.
Klein gave a slight nod: "Mr. 'The Fool' asked me to inquire whether you would like to obtain the potion formula, Beyonder characteristic, and auxiliary materials for Sequence 4, 'Arbiter'?"
Xiu furrowed her brow slightly, showing not a trace of joy, and asked in a rather grave tone: "Then, what is the price?"
Klein nodded approvingly: "The apocalypse is approaching, and many changes have begun to take place. Because of this, Mr. 'The Fool' has foreseen certain things.
"When that time comes, He will very likely fall into slumber once more, and as His chosen, His left hand, I won't be spared either. The price you'll need to pay is this: when that situation truly arises, you must follow the oracle left behind by Mr. 'The Fool' and make certain attempts — attempts that may be dangerous or easy, complex or simple, long or brief — in order to awaken Mr. 'The Fool.'"
As an Angel-king-level "Diviner," as the Master of the "Sefirah Castle," Klein had long been capable of a certain degree of prophecy. Recently, he had even glimpsed blurry visions and gained a measure of insight, so — though his thoughts weren't entirely clear, he was most certainly acting with conscious intent — he began making various arrangements.
*The real charlatan is me,* he mentally quipped.
Before "Judgment" Sue could speak up, he added, "You can refuse. You're not the only option."
Sue believed that Mr. "The World" wouldn't say the opposite of what he meant on a matter like this. She didn't answer immediately, carefully weighing the proposition.
If there were no apocalypse, she knew she would refuse. A demigod was powerful, terrifying — able to dominate a battlefield and command the fate of others, a being truly possessing divinity. But for her, advancing to Sequence 4 wasn't all that urgent.
As a Sequence 5 "Punishment Knight," as a colonel of MI9, her strength was enough to guarantee the completion of most missions, and her salary combined with various additional income was sufficient to let her and her family maintain a comfortable, dignified life.
Even if she encountered danger, she could receive ample support from official channels, and she could also prepare "Lyman's Travel Notes" in advance and ask her friend Fors to watch over her from the shadows.
Furthermore, the wish she'd harbored — to investigate the cause of her father's death and restore his honor — had already been fulfilled.
So from every angle, there was no need for her to pay too great a price for Sequence 4. Besides, it wasn't impossible that she might get an opportunity from MI9 in the future.
Of course, how far off that future might be, Sue had no way of knowing.
Whether it was the intelligence relayed by Mr. "The Fool" or the various prophecies she had deliberately gathered through the convenience of her position, all of them pointed, explicitly or vaguely, toward the approaching apocalypse... Only sixteen years left... Sue instinctively turned her head and glanced toward the second floor.
Under their current living conditions, her mother could certainly live to see the day, sixteen years from now. By then, she wouldn't be too old yet, and there was also Mr. "The Moon," who provided all manner of potions to keep her healthy...
Sixteen years from now, Lo would be in the prime of his life, at the peak of his career...
Fors would probably have reached Sequence 3 by then, rushing about, searching for hope in preparation for the end — and Sue wouldn't be able to do much of anything to help. She slowly retracted her gaze, sitting in silent, somber contemplation for a time.
Then she looked at "The World" Gehrman Sparrow and gave a solemn nod: "Alright."
"You can set up the ritual at any time and make a wish to Mr. 'The Fool' — He will grant it." Klein didn't belabor the point, offering only a simple instruction.
His "Arbiter" Beyonder characteristic and potion formula had both come from the sacrificial offerings at New Crescent City. Naturally, he had also bestowed the sealed artefact "The Pupil-less General" upon those believers.
Having made her decision, Sue no longer troubled herself over the matter and instead said: