"So you also encountered that evil spirit and received the same promise, that you'd get benefits as long as you break the seal?"
After listening to Klein's account, Silas asked.
It turned out that Klein, working as a detective, had taken on a task to explore an underground structure and similarly encountered the erosion of the evil spirit within.
To prevent the danger from spreading, he planted explosives and destroyed the passage.
According to his subsequent investigation, that structure originally belonged to Viscount Pound's family, and this family seemed to be connected to the Tudor family, descendants of the Fourth Epoch's Tudor Empire.
The Tudor Empire once produced a "Blood Emperor," and when the evil spirit communicated with Klein, it had called itself "an innocent person killed by the Blood Emperor."
As Silas had suspected, there was an even deeper and more terrifying reason behind this incident.
"Yes," Klein nodded slowly.
"So, are you planning to break the seal?"
"Of course not."
Klein shook his head.
"According to my divination afterward, that evil spirit harbors strong malice toward me. If I really broke the seal, I'd probably be the first victim."
He hesitated slightly, not telling Silas that there had been a Sequence 5 Wraith with him at the time, Miss Sharron.
After all, Miss Sharron seemed to have secrets and didn't want her whereabouts leaked, so it wouldn't be good to tell the unrelated Silas about her.
"A wise choice."
Silas nodded.
"The evil spirit's pitch to me was that it was willing to become a lamb for me to shepherd and command."
The other party was an angel-level evil spirit.
If it were truly shepherded by an ordinary Sequence 5 Shepherd, the master-servant relationship would probably reverse the instant the shepherding took effect.
The Shepherd would become the evil spirit's new shell for its use.
However, I have that high-positioned illusory tide within me... Even a true god's aura can be suppressed by the tide.
If I really shepherded that red evil spirit, perhaps it could actually work...
Silas couldn't help but think this, but quickly dismissed the idea.
The risks far outweigh the gains. It's not worth taking such a huge risk for an uncertain benefit.
"It seems that Red Angel died in the Fourth Epoch, along with two other angels of the Hunter pathway," Klein mused.
He hesitated, then continued, "That evil spirit once told me that Medici had established an extremely secret organization called the 'Redemption Rose.'
Certain absolutely unimaginable existences were once members of this organization, though they later withdrew... Moreover, the birth of the 'Redemption Rose' has an extremely close relationship with the 'True Creator.'"
In the evil god temple that The Sun had explored, similar words had been found, but Silas hadn't joined the Tarot Club yet at that time, so he wasn't aware of it.
The True Creator?
Hearing that damned name, Silas's brows furrowed involuntarily.
Moreover, the term "Redemption Rose" also seemed somewhat familiar to him.
He quickly recalled that after encountering the "Red Angel" Medici, he had seen strange visions.
In those visions, Medici held a gathering with a group of shadowy figures, discussing some grand and secret topic.
Right, those mysterious beings called their organization the "Redemption Rose"...
Silas took a deep breath. A shocking conspiracy seemed to have traversed the long years and reappeared before him.
"After I encountered the evil spirit before, I had some visions..."
He shared what he had seen with Klein, who quickly formed some speculations, his expression thoughtful.
"After hearing what you said, I feel like some questions have been answered, but more new ones have appeared.
Who do you think Medici was referring to when he said 'He'?"
Silas asked.
Klein's heart stirred as he thought of the one the City of Silver worshipped, the original Creator.
The words "Redemption Rose" were found in the evil god temple in the "Forsaken Land of the Gods," and the highest-ranked existence there was the City of Silver's Creator.
As an angel, serving a true god seemed only natural...
However, although he thought this, he didn't immediately tell Silas, because this information had been shared by The Sun at the Tarot Club.
Damn it, at the next gathering, I need to find a way to guide The Sun to tell Silas this information...
Klein thought with some frustration.
Silas didn't know his thoughts and continued, "Moreover, those existences who withdrew from the 'Redemption Rose,' the 'big shots absolutely beyond imagination' in Medici's words, who could they be?"
He could only vaguely see some outlines, but didn't understand their specific forms.
It couldn't be true gods, could it...
Silas pondered for a moment, thinking this as a joke.
But soon, he was frightened by this terrifying speculation. Looking up, Klein across from him also had an odd expression.
"I think we'd better stop discussing this dangerous topic."
"Agreed."
Both nodded simultaneously.
Afterward, Klein brought him a fresh cup of tea, and the two drank red tea for a while, calming their nerves slightly.
"By the way, there's one more thing," Silas remembered another purpose of his visit.
"Can you tell me the Sequence 8 potion formula for the Seer pathway?"
"For your cat?"
Klein thought for a moment and guessed.
"Mm-hmm."
"It's already digested the potion?"
"Not sure, but I'm preparing it in advance... Also, I took your advice and gave it a name, Luna."
Silas said.
"Luna... so it's a female cat."
Klein felt somewhat envious.
When he was seeking advancement, he hadn't had it so smooth, actually having a Sequence 5 as protection.
No wait, if I'm being honest, I also had the "Goddess's Sword" Crestet watching over me back then, but that was surveillance, not protection!
With complex feelings, he scribbled a few lines on the notepad on the table and handed it to Silas.
"Alright, thanks."
Silas took the note and saw it read:
Main ingredients: One adult Hornacis Gray Mountain Goat unicorn crystal + one complete Human-Faced Rose.
Supplementary ingredients: 80 milliliters pure water + 5 drops Mandrake juice + 7 grams Black-rimmed Sunflower powder + 10 grams Golden Cloak Grass powder + 3 drops Hemlock juice.
"How much?"
"Money? No need."
"No, we still need to follow the rules between us."
Silas shook his head and took out about 400 pounds in cash from his pocket, placing it on the table.
At the previous Wisdom's Eye gathering, he'd learned that the price for a Sequence 8 potion formula hovered around this figure.
Although their relationship was unusual, except when absolutely necessary, it was better to avoid freeloading. It wasn't good for either of them.
"You really are particular about this."
Seeing this, Klein didn't stand on ceremony further.
After all, he really was short on money right now.
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~ Push the story forward with your Power Stones