Chapitre 273: Light and Darkness
After reading the telegram, Ebner didn't think too much about it. He planned on heading to the Harvest Church immediately.
Bishop Utravsky had helped him so much, and now that he had something to ask of him, as long as it was within his capabilities, there was no reason to refuse.
But just as he was about to get a rental carriage, the gray fog suddenly appeared in front of him… Following that, he received the news that the Tarot Gathering would be temporarily canceled tomorrow.
The Tarot Gathering has been canceled… In that case, Mr. Fool is going to die today? It has already come to this day…
Klein's comfort zone was coming to an end.
Ebner sighed. He didn't know if the information he divulged to Klein had any effect, but even if he was a little wary, there wouldn't be much of a change… After all, 0-08's powers were too terrifying. It wasn't something Klein could resist at this stage.
It wasn't that he hadn't thought of telling Klein that Tingen was under 0-08's "arrangement," but other than forcing Ince Zangwill to take action in advance and push the matter into an uncontrollable state, there weren't any benefits.
Captain Dunn might still die, but if Klein couldn't be resurrected due to an accident, that would be a huge problem.
As his thoughts raced, he suddenly thought of another problem. Bishop Utravsky had summoned him on this special day… Was the purpose related to Tingen's story?
…
Tingen City, morning.
As it was Klein's turn to be on duty at Chanis Gate last night, he didn't check on Miss Justice and the other members who were praying one after another. Only when he left the company in the morning and got on his rental carriage did he have the time to head to the gray fog hall to listen to their "messages."
There's actually no "Tower"? That's rare. Sitting in the seat belonging to The Fool, Klein glanced at the few pulsing crimson stars and couldn't help but lampoon.
The "messages" came from Justice, The Hanged Man, and Judgment respectively. Although they used different choices of words when praying, their main meaning was the same: to ask for leave.
Yes, Miss Justice is being protected by her father's men because of the tip-off. It's indeed inconvenient for her to participate in the gathering. Mr. Hanged Man is currently beside His Excellency, Spellsinger of God, and he similarly doesn't have any conditions. Miss Judgment seems to be attending an internal MI9 meeting, and she doesn't seem to have the time…
This way, only me, Mr. Tower, and The Sun are left… I might as well pause it for a moment.
With this in mind, Klein separately replied to Miss Justice and the company's prayers,
"Got it."
Right on the heels of that, he sent a message to the crimson star that corresponded to Tower and The Sun.
"The upcoming gathering shall be temporarily canceled."
After doing all of this, Klein simulated the feeling of falling and returned to the real world. He discovered that the carriage had already arrived at Daffodil Street, so he quickly paid for it and got off.
Just as he took out his keys to open the door to his house, Klein saw Bella wiping the dining table. His sister, Melissa, and his brother, Benson, came down the stairs in their respective outdoor clothes.
"Isn't today's Mass held in the afternoon?" Klein asked curiously.
Benson smiled and said,
"I can understand the memories of someone who hasn't slept the entire night."
"Huh?" Klein was even more confused.
"Today is the first day that 'The Return of the Count' will be releasing tickets," Melissa explained.
Klein smacked his forehead and took off his hat.
"I've been so busy recently that I forgot about it."
Especially in the past three days… he added with a sigh.
Melissa looked at him with concern and said,
"Your breakfast is in the kitchen. Eat it and go to bed. Benson and I are lining up in the morning to buy tickets. In the afternoon, we'll head to Saint Selena Cathedral for Mass."
"Alright." Klein waved goodbye to his siblings and had a simple breakfast before returning to his bedroom and falling asleep.
But not long after he fell asleep, Dunn appeared in his dream in his black trench coat.
Klein immediately snapped to his senses and followed his normal dream-like reaction. He slowly summoned,
"Good morning… Captain…"
Dunn nodded slightly and said,
"While Leonard was investigating the Lanevus case, he discovered a clue that requires your help at 62 Howes Street.
"The Mystery Pryer sent by the Holy Cathedral won't arrive until tomorrow morning because of a train fault."
Only after the Captain left did Klein open his eyes. He couldn't help but mumble to himself, The steam locomotive malfunctioned… Aren't the train accidents between Backlund and Tingen a little too frequent?
Besides, Howes Street… Isn't that the area where the Divination Club, my classmate Welch, and the member of the Aurora Order were located? There sure are many things happening recently. One by one, they seem to be brewing something…
As he thought, Klein quickly got up, dressed, and went out to stop a rental carriage.
…
Backlund, South of the Bridge, Rose Street.
When Ebner pushed open the door to the Harvest Church, he immediately saw Bishop Utravsky preaching in front of the prayer hall… After all, with his height, it was difficult to ignore him.
He looked around, but he didn't see Miss Hazel. He couldn't help but find it odd.
It was Sunday, and as a priest of Earth Mother, Hazel should've come early in the morning.
With a sense of puzzlement, he sat in a pew by the aisle for a while. Only when the sermon ended and the few believers left the cathedral in twos and threes did he get up to walk to the two-meter-tall half-giant bishop.
After politely exchanging greetings with Bishop Utravsky, Ebner asked in passing, "Where's Priest Macht?"
"Heh heh, I gave her a day off today." Bishop Utravsky looked down at him and replied with a gentle expression. Then, he added in a suggestive manner, "Besides, some things aren't up to her yet."
Hazel isn't even qualified to know? Then, an outsider like me, who isn't even a believer of Earth Mother, is qualified?
After lampooning silently, Ebner adjusted his expression and asked solemnly, "Why did you send me a telegram to ask me to come over?"
"I don't know exactly what it is either…" Bishop Utravsky first shook his head, then he turned to look at the door at the basement's entrance, which was still sealed by various rituals and symbols. He smiled gently and said, "You came a little early… Wait a moment, 'He' will personally meet you later."
"'Him'?!" Ebner jumped in fright when he heard that. His mind raced as he recalled the information that Father "accidentally" revealed when he saw the sealed basement a few days ago, as well as his own conjectures.
"A special Sealed Artifact…
"It needs to be regularly protected by faith…
"It's suspected to be a deity's descent vessel!"
Lilith!
The true name of this deity flashed through his mind, and he subconsciously swallowed a mouthful of saliva. If his inference wasn't wrong, then he might be meeting a deity later? Although it was only the manifestation of a deity…
Isn't this a little overboard? I'm just a weak and pitiful Sequence 6.
At that moment, the tiny bit of pride that had been generated from his advancement to the Mid-Sequence Beyonder was gone.
…
Tingen City, 62 Howes Street.
After a series of divinations and searches, Klein and Leonard finally found the letter left behind by Lanevus.
In the letter, the other party told the official Beyonders who might have found the letter in a crazy tone. He had planted a bomb in Tingen that would grow stronger with time! A bomb that could turn the entire Tingen City into ruins if it exploded!
"9th August. The events of the past two days have made me feel a little down. I started the industrial revolution with my own hands and personally ushered in the Age of Steam and Machinery. Will it become the hotbed for the descent of an evil god?"
The sentence Emperor Roselle wrote in his diary flashed through his mind. Klein almost immediately guessed that the child laborers on Lower Street who died before their time were factory workers who seldom lived more than ten years due to their working conditions. The female workers who took the risk of severe illnesses and only received a meager salary were the source of power that constantly grew in Lanevus's bomb.
Hence, he and Leonard immediately returned to the Blackthorn Security Company on Zouteland Street.
The moment he entered, Klein saw two familiar faces. One was voluptuous, while the other was thin. They were Maynard's wife and sister.
As Madam Sharon's matter had been exposed, the current mayor had no choice but to resign. Therefore, they came to express their gratitude and settle the final payment.
But Klein didn't have the time to bother with them. He nodded slightly in greeting before briskly walking to the Captain's office to report.
After Dunn heard that, his expression turned serious. He immediately sent a report to the Holy Cathedral and requested them to send a mysticism expert over to assist him.
While the Captain was sending the telegram, Klein returned to the reception area to read the newspapers to pass time.
But at that moment, a beautiful woman with a bloated stomach walked in. She was apparently more than seven months pregnant.
Klein was taken aback as he felt that he had seen the young pregnant lady before.
Suddenly, he heard Leonard exclaim,
"Miss Megose?"
…
Backlund, at the basement door of the Harvest Church, the Sacred Emblem of Life engraved with spiritual materials and the many mysterious symbols gradually dimmed and completely lost their effects.
Bishop Utravsky easily pushed open the door and motioned for Ebner to enter.
Only an idiot would enter such a situation if he didn't know your character…
Ebner took a deep breath and walked down the stairs into the house.
As soon as he stepped into the basement, he felt a strange force envelop the space around him. The air was also filled with a faint blood color.
Such a scene made Ebner feel a strange sense of familiarity. It was as if he had seen the Sanguine Duke who had stopped him from entering Tingen back in East Chester County…
Soon, his thoughts were confirmed because a handsome, devilish man in a red shirt and black coat appeared before him.
"We meet again." The devilish man stroked his elegant silver hair and said with a smile.
"Your Eminence, I wonder if you're…?" Ebner couldn't help but ask. This was related to what kind of etiquette and attitude he should adopt towards the other party.
"You've already guessed it, haven't you?" The devilish man raised his brows and asked with a smile.
"As expected…" Ebner said to himself. Then, he solemnly drew the Earth Mother's Sacred Emblem on his chest and chanted, "…You are the source of life; you are the mother of all things."
"There's no need to be so reserved. I'm not meeting you as a Snake Spirit." The silver-haired man shook his head.
I feel that Lilith has a lot of humanity in her… Ebner stole a glance at her and lowered his head. He asked respectfully, "May I know what instructions you have for summoning me here?"
Although the other party said that he wasn't meeting him as a deity, he didn't dare to take it seriously.
"There's a mission for you…"
…
In the Blackthorn Security Company, with the activation of the Flaring Sun Charms, Megose completely melted under the bright white light. The semi-illusory and terrifying object in her body no longer had the support of reality. Unable to complete the final step of the transformation, it turned into black gas unwillingly and angrily, melting into the light and flames.
Klein managed to stabilize himself and opened his eyes a few seconds later. He saw Captain Dunn in his black trench coat still standing in his original spot. He saw that the heart in Saint Selena's urn was still beating slowly.
He couldn't help but feel overjoyed. Just as he was about to take out the Morning Star Necklace, he activated the secret technique on it without any regard for anything else. It was the perfect Recovery Art of Ovalt which was said to be able to restore anyone as long as they were still breathing.
Dunn Smith turned his head and looked at Klein. His voice was as mellow as always.
"We saved Tingen."
"We are miserable wretches and guardians."
With that, Dunn fell back and released his hands.
Upon seeing this, Klein, whose expression had frozen, didn't dare delay any further. He took out the Morning Star necklace and put it on the Captain's neck.
But suddenly, he felt a pain in his chest. His pupils constricted as he froze on the spot.
He lowered his head and was stunned to see a slightly pale palm tear through his left chest. It was covered in blood.
Right on the heels of that, the palm was retracted. Following that, it first took away the Fallen Morning Star from Klein's hand before picking up Saint Selena's urn.
But Klein could no longer see anything.
…
In the basement of the Harvest Church, Ebner looked at the vessel of Earth Mother's descent and asked cautiously, "What's the mission?"
"I need you to place this gem on the corpse of the former Captain Dunn Smith of the Tingen Nighthawks… and bring him to the Harvest Church at Enmat Harbor."
With that said, the silver-haired man took out a pitch-black gem from his pocket.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone