Upon hearing the "Duke of Graycastle's" warning, the "Undying," "Dim Starlight" Fink Vasika nodded coldly and did not argue further.
Meanwhile, the "Murmurer" Yarubed Beria at the side smiled and said, "If we want to obtain information, interrogation isn't the only way. Let me go have a chat with that little baron.
"I'm sure you're also curious about what's inside that room on the second floor."
The "Duke of Graycastle" Wimbledon frowned upon hearing this, but he did not immediately reject the proposal from the head of the Beria family. After thinking for a moment, he reluctantly nodded. "Very well… but be careful not to harm him."
Seeing Wimbledon being so protective of that "Iris" Baron, Yarubed glanced at him with a half-smile but did not expose anything. Then she transformed into a "Demon of the Mind" and entered the collective subconscious sea.
After she left, the "Undying" beside him gave a gloomy laugh and said, "Aren't you afraid that 'succubus' will drain that little fellow dry?
"Honestly, falling into her hands isn't much better than ending up with me."
Wimbledon, however, shook his head. "Suffering a bit is better than losing his life… Heinrich won't let this go so easily. With that 'succubus' following him, I can be more at ease."
"If you really cared about him, you should warn Heinrich yourself, or just bring him home… speaking of which, isn't it because you're afraid the one in your house will notice? Some things, once done, you have to take responsibility for them!" the "Undying" sneered.
Wimbledon sighed. "You don't understand… I already have one daughter who ran away from home and doesn't dare return. I don't want another child to die an unnatural death…"
…
Inside the hall of the ancient manor in Lasting Town, the "Iris" Baron Francis had just regained consciousness when he realized he had already been teleported back from the "trial."
He hurriedly checked the gains he had obtained earlier. Seeing that they were still there, he finally let out a sigh of relief… but at the same time, he felt somewhat dejected.
Although the Beyonder item he had obtained was precious, it was still not enough to invite a noble powerful enough to make Count Heinrich take their conflict seriously and mediate it.
Not only did I fail to change anything, I even got three adventurers killed because of this… Just as Francis was feeling self-reproachful, he suddenly froze, because he suddenly remembered that he had never hired any adventurers!
Given his family's current financial situation, he couldn't possibly afford such powerful adventurers…
What's going on? Could it be that under Count Heinrich's pressure, I've already gone mad? Hallucinating?
Or could it be that those three mercenaries were powerful Beyonders, and they tampered with my memory?
Various thoughts churned in his mind. Even after leaving the manor and stepping onto the road back to the inn, he remained in a daze, as if unable to distinguish between reality and dreams.
Just as he passed the entrance of an alley, he faintly heard a woman's cries for help and sobbing.
The voice sounded exceptionally desperate and pitiful, as if it could stir any man's protective instincts, instantly snapping Francis back to his senses.
He turned his head and glanced into the depths of the alley, only to see two thugs tearing at a lady's clothes.
What happened next was obvious, natural, and inevitable…
In short, after going through a classic "hero saves the beauty" scenario, Francis brought the rescued lady back to the inn.
After one night, he had completely fallen into desire, opening his mental island to the woman before him, who claimed she wanted to repay him with her body.
Only then did the woman cautiously invade it… Immediately afterward, a scream rang out deep within Francis's mind, but it soon fell silent again.
…
At the same time, Ebner had already brought Miss "Plant," Flar, to Blue Mountain Island, returning to the valley where Lamia and Giuseppe had once lived in seclusion.
Last night, after sharing part of their respective gains from the "Observer Castle" with "Sloth" and "Greed," he had teleported back to Fenepot City with Closfia and found Judy and Miss "Plant" Flar, who had not yet gotten up.
After stating that he wanted to study her essence, Miss "Plant" showed no intention of refusing, allowing Ebner to bring her to the hidden valley on Blue Mountain Island, which might be her "birthplace."
However, Ebner did not immediately examine her body. Instead, he activated the "Pure White Eye" and carefully inspected every inch of land in the valley.
From Auernia's dream, he had learned that Isis, the subordinate god of the progenitor of the Sanguine—the "Goddess of Life"—was buried in this valley. Ebner had thus decided to personally come and see the current state of that goddess.
As a former "Nature Walker," even after losing her characteristics, she would still possess a method similar to the "Black Emperor's" resurrection cycle of life and death—only that, with only a soul remaining, the cycle would be extremely long.
Ebner suspected that Frank, whom Lamia had taken in and raised, might be Isis's reincarnation.
If that's really the case… the arrangements Lilith has placed on Frank must be far from simple…
It's just that the contrast between the "Goddess of Life" and Frank's image is a bit too great—it's hard to accept!
While Ebner was thinking this, his expression suddenly shifted, because the "mine" he had planted in the Iris Baron's mind had been triggered.
Heh, still quite cautious. Both Ksenia's and Closfia's methods were cracked, and only mine managed to hit… not really their fault, after all, I have far too many ways to secretly contaminate someone!
I originally wanted to set up that so-called "Dim Starlight," but didn't expect to be preempted by that succubus friend of Helen from the Beria family…
Should I say that "I" truly live up to being the "Father of Succubi"? Not long after seeing a succubus from the Witch pathway, now another one from the Demon pathway delivers herself to my door?
After making a few sarcastic remarks inwardly, Ebner did not further "contaminate" Ms. Yarubed Beria—personally named by Roselle. He only intended to "plant an eye" inside her to monitor Yaldabaoth's movements, with "concealment" as the priority.
After stroking his chin and thinking for a moment, Ebner temporarily stopped searching the valley and instead brought Miss "Plant" into the cave.
Searching for the tomb of the "Goddess of Life" was not something that could be completed in a day or two. He planned to spend some time each day over the next week searching, while dedicating the rest to studying Miss "Plant."
…
In the blink of an eye, more than two months passed, and time arrived at September 26—a Monday.
At exactly three in the afternoon, in the ancient palace above the gray fog, crimson and illusory light rose. Audrey Hall, in a good mood, glanced around, then led the members of the Tarot Club in greeting the mysterious and powerful figure at the top:
"Good afternoon, Mr. Fool~"
(End of Chapter)