Choked by those words, Will Auceptin, lying in the stroller, mumbled after a long while:
"Your 'recently' means these past few days? How did the advancement to Sequence 1 end so easily for you? Fate is truly unfair to me..."
As if remembering some sad past, tears welled up in the chubby baby's eyes. He picked up the amulet made from the "Yesterday Once More" charm, sniffled a little, and after glancing at it, grumbled, "So ugly."
Without waiting for Aaron to speak further, he sniffled and said to Ricciardo, who stood not far away, eyes tightly shut and somewhat at a loss:
"It's fine, you can open your eyes here; no need to worry about backlash. It just so happens that he's here, so I won't have to waste my power to shatter that Sealed Artifact for you."
Aaron smiled, looking at the translucent scepter floating before him. He didn't refuse, and with a virtual grip of his right hand, he directly separated this space from the outside, with light particles flying and a dull cracking sound.
After being promoted to Hand of Order, he could now perfectly control and restrain the authority and symbols of the Nation of Disorder, neither allowing Ricciardo to see what he shouldn't, nor letting George III and William I of Backlund sense his arrival.
Playing with the amulet, which was even larger than his palm, Will Auceptin shifted into a comfortable position. After observing Aaron for a moment, he quietly continued to mumble:
"Promoting so quickly, I didn't expect your humanity to be maintained so well."
Aaron handed the re-aggregated Chaoswalker characteristic to the somewhat reserved Ricciardo. He smiled at the words and didn't explain, only quipped:
"Isn't this good?"
Will Auceptin pouted, suppressing a scoff that almost escaped, and glanced at the surprised Ricciardo.
Ricciardo, having received the pure characteristic, immediately understood. After bowing to the two Angels, he directly began to concoct the potion.
It had been a hundred years since he achieved Misfortune Mage, and he had finally awaited the opportunity for advancement.
The amulet gradually became transparent, merging into his palm as a stream of light. Will Auceptin lightly coughed, his expression becoming serious again:
"Since you have already been promoted, Ouroboros is up to you. Also, there's one more thing you might find interesting."
As his voice fell, Aaron felt a familiar power dragging his Spirit Body. With a slight thought, his consciousness spread, and a hazy dream world appeared.
The vague, abstract, and unspecific images gradually became clear, settling on the rapidly spreading grey-white. Medici, clad in blood-stained black armor, raised the mottled blood-banner in his hand, a sinister smile on his face covered with deep red, almost black, patterns.
"When I completed the restart and successfully descended, I sensed the fluctuations of the River of Fate. Using the moment I returned to my peak, I attempted to glimpse this scene."
The slightly childish, serious voice drifted away with the disintegration of the image. Aaron frowned slightly, asking with some uncertainty:
"Is that Salinger's blood-banner sealed in the Church of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom?"
Will Auceptin, who had personally experienced the "Pale Disaster" at the end of the Fourth Epoch, and even witnessed the fall of the Underworld Emperor, nodded with a solemn expression. After a moment of thought, he reminded:
"For the Seven Deities, whether it's to deal with the approaching apocalypse or to deal with the Primordial Demoness, tacitly allowing or even supporting a 'Red Priest' whose Pathway is not adjacent to their own is an acceptable option."
"Clearly, someone has placed a bet, otherwise, with Medici's state, it would be impossible for him to obtain 0-01 on his own. Also, don't forget that the 'Blasphemer' knows that the 'Conqueror' characteristic is in your hands."
Aaron slowly nodded after a moment of silence. He had no intention of summoning Arrodes to inquire, as the relevant information must have been concealed by a higher power.
A thin, dark golden mist appeared before his eyes, and Bernadette's prayer could be heard in Aaron's ears. Suppressing the chaotic thoughts in his mind, he spoke:
"Bernadette has already arrived at the Divine Battleground Ruins with the 'Die of Probability' and is prepared. I can now fulfill the request I promised you earlier!"
A smile immediately appeared on Will Auceptin's chubby face. He spread his hand, and a drop of silver blood, with countless tiny, illusory wheels rotating within it, flew towards the visibly excited Ricciardo, who was instructed:
"This is the fate I intercepted using my umbilical cord blood as a medium when I was born. Only when it returns to the River of Fate can my two intertwined but unmerged fate tributaries successfully connect with the outside River of Fate."
"And this is also your opportunity to advance to Chaoswalker. Pay attention to comprehending the essence of fate; it will greatly help you with the digestion of your future potions."
After speaking, Will Auceptin then looked at Aaron, who was staring at his palm, selectively ignoring the blatant gaze before clearing his throat:
"I trouble Duke Aaron to bring him to the Divine Battleground Ruins. I will also keep an eye on things. The time for 'Yesterday Once More' is limited, so I will only act when necessary."
Guessing the rarity of this umbilical cord blood, unlike ordinary mythical creature blood, Aaron glanced at the relieved Will Auceptin, abandoning the idea of taking advantage of the situation, and directly disappeared from the bedroom with Ricciardo.
-----------------
Traveling through the colorful Spirit World, Dunn stopped in front of a dark world, turning back to explain to Klein:
"Ahead is the Spirit World area corresponding to the Cathedral. Entering without permission could very likely lead to silently disappearing. We..."
Before he could finish speaking, he saw a medal quietly appear in front of Klein. It exuded a tranquil aura, was entirely crystalline and transparent, and seemed to be cast from obsidian.
The next second, the dark Spirit World area ahead suddenly rippled, like surging tides, instantly engulfing the two people and one puppet.
When they came to their senses, they were already in a grand hall, surrounded by Darkness, blurring distance and boundaries.
Feeling the silent, peaceful atmosphere, Klein, whose spirituality gave no warning, held his breath, looking at the only light in the night-sky-like Darkness: a magnificent statue that seemed to come from a high-hanging Crimson Moon or the stars.
Countless shimmering points adorned the layered yet not complex, dark black gown, as if the Cosmos night sky were draped over it. The head was indistinct, as if covered by a veil of night.
Feeling the tremor of his Spirit Body threads, Klein's gaze shifted to the base of the statue.
There was a female figure wearing religious robes and a triple crown, currently placing her hand on the head of Egor Einhorn, who was undergoing initial puppetry. Her other hand held the medal that Miss Arianna had given them earlier.
No further words were needed to explain; the iconic attire was enough to signify her status. Klein's lips moved, and a name arose in his mind.
Dabomachie, the Goddess's Blessed, Her Holiness the Pope of the Church!