This place and the auction house were two different worlds.
The auction house was bright as day, with stimulating herbs mixed into the incense, raising body temperature and excitement. Here, however, it was enveloped in a veil-like darkness, with candles or magic lamps placed at every corner, dispelling only a bit of the night around. The entire room was like an amber stone by the fire, with soft light and shadow slowly flowing, instinctively making one drowsy.
Before the door behind them closed, Teest had already identified their target. Without needing Golden Sword to explain, he knew which one was the Old Duke—
As an elderly man, Old Duke Alva kept a good figure without the shrinkage typical of old age. He had long silver hair and a beard; it was difficult to tell if the color was natural. They were carefully braided and oiled, giving an unreal sense of cleanliness.
Despite his age, the remains of his handsome bone structure were evident. His skin was a dull pink and wrinkled, and his eyebrows almost covered his sharp eyes. Those eyes were pale blue, very much like the White Demon Aesop.
Given the Old Duke's libertine nature, maybe Aesop was a descendant of one of his illegitimate children, Teest thought bitterly.
"Ah, my favorite trading partner." The old man started speaking to Billy, who was leading, with what could be called a gentle voice. He clasped his hands together, resting them on his loose and comfortable silk robe.
He didn't even glance at the White Demon in the cage.
Before the Old Duke could finish speaking, Nol darted out from the robe.
False God-level magic descended, instantly sealing the entire space. Nol cut off all nearby magic flow, turning this sealed room into an island where no message could get out.
The surrounding Eternalists didn't have time to react. Their vision fell, dyed blood-red. In an instant, their heads were sheared off by the wind blades of cat paws, thumping to the ground.
Blood spurted out, soaking the carpet, spraying onto the expensive vases and paintings.
It was evident that the Old Duke's servants were well-trained. Faced with such a bloody scene, no one screamed or fainted. The blood splattered into a maid's wide-open eyes, slowly diffusing across the eyeball, yet she didn't blink.
"…Haa."
The Old Duke sighed, leisurely pouring out the wine from his glass—the blood had also splattered into his wine glass, adding a tinge of red to the white wine.
Teest jumped out of Billy's embrace, taking the lead in hopping onto the Old Duke's table.
"You seem not surprised at all." Teest's four snowy paws were covered in blood, leaving a trail of bloody paw prints.
They came for investigation, not negotiation. Considering Old Duke Alva was no saint, Nol agreed to put a bit of pressure on the old man. After all, this old guy had been buying White Demons for years and had turned into a Supplement Demon himself, so he should value his life.
Starting with a blood sacrifice of the Eternalist, they would proceed based on the old man's reaction. However, the Old Duke's calmness was a bit outrageous.
The old man casually raised his hand, and a servant beside him lifted a wine bottle, pouring him another half-glass of wine. Everyone's face in the room remained impassive, as if what fell to the ground were just a few toy marbles.
The servant withdrew, and a maid stepped forward. Her tray held five steaming cups of tea, along with honey and sugar. The drop of blood flowed down her eyeball, slowly trailing over her cheek, like a tear of blood.
"Your murderous aura is as strong as ever. You're here to ask questions, right? Why not sit down for a cup of tea?"
The Old Duke gestured towards the sofas with a "please" motion. "Let's see, Enbillick, Fischer, Mentor… and Nol and Teest."
What's going on?
For a moment, Nol's mind went blank. Teest's fur bristled, but before he could attack, the direction he intended to strike raised a magic barrier.
Being named, Billy froze on the spot. "I… You…"
Mentor hummed with great interest while Fischer in the cage sighed as he bent a metal rod, carelessly jumping over the bodies of the Eternalists.
Fischer's silver-white hair turned into a rough dark gray, and his pale glacier-blue eyes turned to a murky gray-blue, like the sea on a cloudy day.
As Fischer revealed his true appearance, he glared at Old Duke Alva with an ugly expression.
This wasn't reckless, Nol thought. Hiding was no longer necessary. This old guy accurately named them, not as a bluff. And someone capable of this wasn't just an old noble leading a merchant group, but—
"Star Stealer Sol."
Nol's tone was calm, yet his heart hammered against his ribs. He transformed back to human, picking up the large white cat on the table. His palms were covered in sweat.
Why?
How did this guy know their situation? Even if…
"Why reveal your identity now if you knew about us?"
The Old Duke seemed to hear Nol's thoughts, sipping his wine with a smile. "It's a long story. To avoid trouble, I need to clarify something first."
He elegantly pointed to his temple with his index finger. "This old guy isn't my avatar. Even if you completely eradicate him, it won't hurt me in the slightest. Let's all sit down and have some tea first."
"What are you talking about?" Golden Sword Billy voiced out confusedly, forgetting to draw his sword or resist. "Your Excellency, I, I just…"
"Just want the 'Bystander's Tongue'. I know, my dear boy."
Old Duke waved his hand indifferently. "You're just too stubborn. Why obsess over a vanished memory? Even if it might bring risk, life is about taking risks—well, now you have to sacrifice your whole person instead of just an eye."
Billy's fists clenched slowly. "It was you… No, you're not the Duke!"
"Who I am, you could ask your lovely companions if you still have the chance to ask."
"Duke Alva" said nonchalantly, "To leave you without regrets, I'll compliment you on behalf of the Duke—you're very capable, with a very unique vision. Your judgment this time is also not wrong. The 'Bystander's Tongue' indeed is in the treasury of this room."
With that, he casually grabbed a guard beside him, and with a plop, the guard was shredded into pieces by a golden thread. The next second, dark magic dyed the corpse pieces, which then lay in deathly silence.
Then another attack—the blade of the "Betrayer" was caught between the Old Duke's two fingers, the gloves on his hands shining with a powerful defensive array.
The human-formed Teest immediately clicked his tongue.
"Your speed is indeed very fast," Star Stealer Sol praised. "Really, this speed takes some getting used to."
The moment they were named, Nol began to think hard.
Star Stealer Sol inexplicably knew their names, openly revealing its identity without hesitation.
Star Stealer Sol didn't immediately lift the room's seal, seeming to have no intention of fleeing. Teest's sudden attack was anticipated as if expected—even the defensive gloves were pre-prepared.
Teest couldn't command the corpses of the servants. Including the servants and maids' reactions just now, most likely there was no living person in this room to begin with, and the corpses were pre-treated by Star Stealer Sol…
The God behind the Eternal Church that had a private treasury of blood potions, and traces of related potions…
"How many times has it been?" Nol asked with difficulty.
Teest's body shook, instantly withdrawing to Nol's side. He slightly narrowed his golden eyes.
The Old Duke clapped appreciatively. "Not bad, Mr. Nol. This is your first time 'taking control within the first three minutes'. It usually takes longer."
It was indeed time reversion.
How many times had this guy reversed time? In Star Stealer Sol's eyes, how many times had they landed on the island, how many actions had they taken?
So far, all their actions might have been closely watched, analyzed, and interfered with by Star Stealer Sol.
Honestly, the "Old Duke" in front of them was indeed not Star Stealer Sol's avatar. He was just controlled—Nol could feel it. The Old Duke in front of them had certain combat power but definitely couldn't withstand their group's lineup.
Why did Star Stealer Sol insist on this rewind? …Why could this guy always successfully rewind in their hands?
With preliminary information from the Alva Merchant Group in hand, there was a long way to go. The situation was too bizarre. They'd better withdraw immediately. Nol instinctively wanted to touch Kando, but he saw a fleeting smile in the Old Duke's eyes.
…No.
Nol stopped his movement instantly.
At the greeting upon entry, Star Stealer Sol didn't greet Drake. If he had used the candle before, Star Stealer Sol couldn't have failed to recognize him.
Star Stealer Sol was also investigating them, definitely curious about their means of traversing space. Worse, if he opened a spatial channel here, Star Stealer Sol might "see" the Lost Tower.
An ordinary person might not be able to do much, but Star Stealer Sol also had certain system permissions. If he located the Lost Tower through the system, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Damn, almost lured again.
This guy definitely had an ulterior motive. He must find the reason why Star Stealer Sol kept rewinding this part of the past.
Nol made a mistake and pressed down Teest's sword. He walked in front of Teest, sat down on the sofa, and faced Star Stealer Sol, who was sitting in the main seat.
The tea on the guest coffee table was still warm, with its fragrant steam wafting through the air.
"Mr. Nol understands etiquette after all." The Old Duke swirled the wine in his glass, sizing up Nol through the swirling liquid. "I am willing to answer one question for you."
"How many times has it been?" Nol picked up the teacup, repeating his question. He could tell it was just ordinary tea.
"This is the forty-third time I am conversing with you." The Old Duke expressed in a good mood.
"Oh—" Mentor sighed in relief quite delightedly. "I wondered why there were so many coincidences. It turns out it's time reversion."
Fischer's brow twitched. "That's your takeaway?"
"Finding the unbearable reason for dissonance is quite satisfying."
Mentor stood amid a sea of blood, still speaking as if he was on a tour. "I've heard that normal people need to use time reversion potions to achieve similar effects, and they also can't overly interfere with the past. Forty-two times… Is 'viewing the past' your power, Mr. Star Stealer Sol?"
"Uh, no, that's not right. If you're not an avatar here, can you only drink potions? With so many potions…?"
Mentor lost himself in thought, unconcerned with the surroundings.
Golden Sword was still in chaos. His lips were trembling, and his complexion was pale. "What's going on? What are you all talking about? Is this a conspiracy—"
"This is the fourth time I've heard such a disturbing conversation."
The Old Duke didn't glance away, still focusing on Nol. "Mr. Nol, control your dog. Now is the time for adults to talk."
The handle of the teacup, warmed by the tea, rested obediently between Nol's fingers, slowly radiating heat. Teest, unusually silent, stood behind Nol, across the back of the sofa.
The dimness inside remained, and the air filled with the sweet stench of blood.
[Preserve strength. Don't act rashly.] Nol sent his thoughts. [If we kill, it must be done in one strike.]
[You mean…]
[The laws of time apply to me as well. Star Stealer Sol definitely doesn't have the power to manipulate them. Assuming we successfully destroy this body, it would definitely count as a 'significant impact', and we wouldn't be able to change that by rewinding time.]
Nol slowly sipped his tea. [Even if Star Stealer Sol wants to re-enter the fray, it won't be that easy… If it were so easy to manipulate people, he could've controlled everyone nearby— even Fischer and Billy—not just the Duke.]
Ambushing them by controlling Fischer and Billy would be a more efficient method.
And they had encountered Star Stealer Sol on the battlefield before. If this guy could easily control people, they wouldn't have been sent back last time.
[Oh, I thought you wanted me to preemptively eliminate those two.]
Teest sighed in his mind. [But why bother with this body if he's bound to lose? Why rewind time repeatedly?]
[That's exactly what I'm curious about. His frankness gives me a bad feeling,] Nol responded inwardly.
…It was almost as if Star Stealer Sol was quite certain that they wouldn't make it back alive.
Nol put down the teacup, the bottom touching the saucer with a light clang. At the same time, Golden Sword, the most panic-stricken, collapsed, fainting on a corpse.
To minimize variables, Nol simply knocked out the only "outsider" cleanly. Including Mentor's "Player's immortality", Billy's combat ability was the lowest among the five, and unfortunately, none of them had the time to explain the situation to him.
"Now my person is quiet enough." Nol's tone was cold.
"I just wanted to talk, but every time you treat me coldly."
Star Stealer Sol boldly moved from the main seat to sit across from Nol on the sofa. "Last time too, our heart-to-heart talk was rudely interrupted… If I say I've rewound time forty-three times just for such a peaceful talk with you, would you believe me?"
Nol offered a polite smile, almost as if writing "I don't believe you" across his face.
The elegantly appearing Old Duke sighed deeply. "In this room, we have fought forty-two times… Don't be so surprised, dear Teest. Behind me is the precious treasury of Duke Alva, filled with many good things from the system. As long as I know your attack methods, I have plenty of ways to defend."
"The most direct evidence." He coughed twice, casually pointing at Teest. "I forced you to shout each other's names. Isn't that enough?"
Indeed, Nol thought.
Truly, a Lv.1 character, no matter how hard they tried, couldn't beat a Lv.100 opponent. That was an absolute difference in values. But with the help of SL* magic, a Lv.60 character indeed had the possibility to fight a Lv.100 enemy.
*Save and load.
As long as they could inflict effective damage and avoid all fatal attacks.
Old Duke Alva himself wasn't weak. He was definitely equipped with various defense and healing items. Not to mention this was his home court, and he had a treasury full of system items behind him.
Even if Star Stealer Sol couldn't kill them with this condition, it was enough to drag out the fight and cause significant damage. The question was…
"Alright, what do you want to talk about?" Nor said.
Star Stealer Sol didn't just want a conversation, Nol thought. But for them, this was also an excellent opportunity.
What exactly does this guy plan to do to kill them?
…And how are they going to drag him out?
The author has something to say:
Star Stealer Sol enters the stage again! Good news, there's an SL golden finger. Bad news, the golden finger belongs to the enemy.
SL is save and load.