Ever since exploring the "Observer's Castle" that time, Ebner had been intent on recreating the ritual from eleven years ago and completing the long-term task Lilith had given him.
However, because "Vice Admiral Pale" Maria had said she needed time to prepare, he had missed several consecutive "nights of the full moon," and it was only today that she had finally come to keep the appointment.
Ebner looked the pirate admiral over as she came to his door of her own accord, and found that although this sharp and imposing lady was still wearing that standard-issue Intis armor, her sword "Pale Justice" was not at her side.
As though sensing Ebner's gaze, Maria explained: "Although 'Pale Justice' is a powerful weapon, its greatest function is to suppress the influence of the thing inside my body...
"Bringing it along would affect the outcome of the ritual... The reason I took so long before coming to keep the appointment was precisely because I needed time to dissolve the bond between it and myself."
"You know what I intend to do?" Ebner asked with considerable interest.
Maria gave a nod. "Emperor Roselle made a 'prophecy' regarding what you intend to do... And for me to fully rid myself of the thing inside my body and avoid becoming the vessel — or the mother of a vessel — for a certain existence, I too need to rely on this ritual."
Hmm... This should be one of Old Huang's arrangements left before his death, which he then had his lover Bruna help carry out... Tsk — compared to the other three, Maria and Felina, who was picked up by the little serpent's people, have fared rather well. Neither of them was tormented too badly by the "contamination" on their bodies.
As his thoughts turned, Ebner welcomed "Vice Admiral Pale" into his residence and settled her into a guest room, while he himself needed to go and bring over the other four surviving girls from eleven years ago.
——Since he had not been certain that "Vice Admiral Pale" would come today, he had not made arrangements in advance.
Ebner first "teleported" to his estate in Intis and found "Witch" Bianca, who was serving as housekeeper there.
Ever since that former "master" Rosso had died, this former military attaché of the embassy had been freed of all worry, and was contentedly enjoying the quiet, ordinary life she had long dreamed of.
No longer having to fear that her refusal to "acknowledge a master" would cause the people around her to inexplicably fall into misfortune or even meet their deaths...
No longer having to worry, after "acknowledging a master," about how long this particular master could "hold out"...
That Viscount Bryan seemed to be graced by fate itself, and was not the least bit afraid of the "misfortune" on her body.
One could say that these past few months in Ebner's household had been the happiest and most comfortable period of her life.
But such days were bound to come to an end sooner or later... Looking at Ebner, who had appeared before her, Bianca ran her fingers through her reddish-brown hair and let out a sigh:
"Has the matter you said you'd need my help with finally begun?"
After Ebner had exposed her identity before, he had had a long conversation with her, and had made it clear at the time that there was something he would need her help with in the future.
"Yes — a ritual." Ebner gave a slight nod.
"A ritual?" Bianca's expression immediately became complicated. As a "Witch," she was no stranger to all manner of "rituals," and for a moment her mind was filled with images of herself being used as a "material," a "sacrifice," or a "medium" in one.
"Yes... It is the root cause of how you came to have the special constitution you have now, and it may also be the means to resolve the problem on your body." Ebner kept nothing hidden and directly gave her a rough account of the cause and effect of the ritual from eleven years ago.
Of course, he touched only briefly upon the parts concerning the Outer Deity.
Of the five surviving girls, Bianca was the one who knew the least about what had happened eleven years ago... No — she had almost entirely forgotten the events of that time.
"So that's how it was... I might actually be the offspring of an evil god... and the evil god wishes to use me, or my child, as a vessel to descend into reality...
"The power dwelling inside me — the very thing I have always despised — was actually protecting me all along!"
After murmuring to herself for a few moments, Bianca's eyes gradually grew resolute. The hardships of the past had caused her tremendous suffering, but they had also forged her will.
And so she looked toward Ebner and said earnestly: "Mr. Bryan, I will cooperate with you to complete that ritual!"
"There's no rush — the moon won't rise for some time yet. Let me first take you to meet the other survivors who are in the same situation as you. We'll go after dinner."
As he spoke, Ebner extended his right hand and placed it on her shoulder, and the two of them vanished together.
...
In a small village from the pages of "Groselle's Travels," "Abby," the former "Emissary of Propagation" of the "Celestial Sect," was carrying a bundle of chopped firewood on her back like an ordinary farm woman and hauling it into her backyard. She then lugged a wooden bucket over to the pigpen to feed the livestock kept inside.
But just then, a familiar voice suddenly sounded in her ear: "It seems you've already grown quite accustomed to life here!"
Abby's heart gave a jolt of fright, and she quickly turned around to look, only to find the man who had brought her into this world leaning against the wall, looking at her with a smile.
Toward this man, Abby felt both gratitude and fear... Gratitude, because he had brought her into this special world, cut off the "Mother Tree's" line of sight, and taught her a secret art that could isolate the "Affliction" inside her body, allowing her to temporarily escape the life worse than death she had endured for over a decade.
And fear, because the man's method of teaching was far too "brutal" — she, a hopeless student, truly could not bear it!
Abby steadied herself, lifted her skirt, and gave a bow: "Is there something you need from me?"
Please don't let it be another sudden whim to teach me something.
As for Abby, Ebner's current attitude toward her had improved considerably — he no longer thought of using her up and then simply killing her...
After all, although she had done quite a bit of harm, it had been done fundamentally to lessen her own suffering rather than out of any pleasure in killing.
In Ebner's current view, Abby fell into the same category as some of the Demonesses undergoing "reform through labor" in his household — those who still retained a degree of "humanity" and could be handled with some discretion.
Better to let her do good and atone for her sins than to kill her.
While turning this over in his mind, Ebner said directly: "That ritual is about to begin."
The ritual from eleven years ago had left a very deep impression on Abby, and so when she had been "digesting" the potion before, Ebner had also mentioned to her the matter of recreating that ritual.
"Is that so... Very well — there has to be a conclusion to all of this sooner or later." Abby fell silent for a few seconds before sighing.
Having said this, she rinsed out the slop bucket she had used to feed the pigs, and then said with some awkwardness: "I... my other change of clothes hasn't dried yet..."
"Never mind — let me bring you over to my place to bathe first... The ritual is still a good while away." Ebner shook his head, then extended his hand and pulled forward, and a door leading to the outside world suddenly swung wide open.
On the other side of the door was an extravagantly furnished room, and Abby could even see over a dozen beautiful young women holding various bathing supplies, standing in a line waiting there.
...
Inside a small "world" within the "Ghost Empire," Lofia, the "Madam D" of the Aurora Order, was kneeling on a cushion and playing a board game against a child sitting across from her... No — more precisely, she was playing against a soul behind the child that no one else could see.
After several months of study in this "world," "Madam D" had become quite proficient in this game called "Go," yet was still no match for her opponent.
However, though that child had a certain "advantage," so did she... Only to see that after one move had wiped out her "great dragon," Lofia pressed her lips together, and the entire board position reverted to what it had been a dozen or so moves prior, while everyone around them remained entirely unperturbed.
This was "Madam D's" special ability — a small-scale "restart."
Yet in the very next moment, her expression shifted, and she immediately threw down her piece to concede defeat, then rose and left the game hall amid the puzzled gazes of those around her.
But she had barely taken a few steps when the surrounding scene changed abruptly, and she found herself in a room with a distinctly technological feel — where Ebner was waiting.
"It's you!" Lofia furrowed her brow and said in an unfriendly tone.
But bearing in mind the terrifying power he had displayed when he had abducted her, she ultimately did not make any aggressive move.
(End of Chapter)