Chapter 112
The Death of Moriarty
After Lawyer York prepared the black tea, he took off his suit jacket, revealing his brown plaid flannel shirt. At this moment, he didn’t look like a lawyer or a high-ranking executive of the Lloyd Society. Instead, he had a friendly demeanor, like a neighborhood uncle.
After serving the tea, York sat down opposite Eivass. He clasped his hands together in front of his chest and said in a low, gentle voice, “But I don’t actually believe Prince Lloyd is a ‘disgrace to the Royal Family’—he might not even consider himself part of the Royal Family. I lean more towards him being a hero. A hero who shakes authority and challenges royal power.
“The Path of Authority is like shackles. Those who walk this path cannot disobey the commands of those higher up. It’s strict and cruel, like an anthill or a beehive. Knights can’t do this, but it doesn’t mean they don’t want to.
“No one wants to be a slave to Path Power. The Silver Crown Dragon tells you to be loyal, disciplined, follow rules, and maintain order, but must we truly be so?”
Lawyer York spoke in a low voice, “Have you ever wondered how Prince Lloyd, who came from a common background, managed to prevent the Royal Family from devouring the Lloyd Society?
Eivass raised an eyebrow and remained silent. He vaguely guessed what Lawyer York was trying to do, so he didn’t speak, merely showing a hint of confusion and curiosity on his face.
“It’s very simple. Because the existence of the Lloyd Society is the common will of those knights in the Round Table Hall; it’s a symbol of the term ‘merchant,’ and countless people support the Lloyd Society.”
Lawyer York spoke slowly, whispering untold secrets, “To this day, over sixty percent of the Knight Families in the Round Table Hall have at least one direct descendant who has secretly joined the Lloyd Society. We share secrets, and secrets are a sharp blade.
“Do you think the Royal Family is unaware of this? No, they know, but they can’t do anything. The Lloyd Society flourished because of the power shared by the Royal Family, but now the Royal Family can no longer reclaim that power—because the era must change, and we march forward.”
“…Why are you telling me all this?”
Eivass remained silent for a moment before asking hesitantly.
Lawyer York slowly extended his left arm towards Eivass, palm facing upwards. In the next moment, his pupils suddenly overflowed with a pure, amethyst-like radiance. The skin on his forearm wrinkled and bulged, writhing like snakes.
In the next moment, four headless, scale-less black snakes suddenly emerged from under the skin of his wrist—These were finger-thick, snake-like fiends. They had no heads, and their front ends were just a hole filled with dense, sharp teeth. They were like snakes that had their heads severed, or like leeches with their mouths agape.
The fiends raised their heads, swaying in the wind like unconscious vines. Lily immediately reacted, her gaze sharp, ready to step forward. But Eivass quickly shook his head, signaling her to retreat, and the silent maid continued to stand calmly behind Eivass. However, her expression was more serious than ever, with faint green, web-like cracks appearing on the backs of her hands, glowing subtly.
Lawyer York merely smiled gently, looking at Eivass and slowly saying, “Do you know how Prince Lloyd won the heart of Her Majesty Malena back then?
“Because he was also a talented poet. In a poem he wrote, there were these lines:
“—One day, I will break free from these leaden shackles;
I will rise with the smoke, free as the wind;
I will have my shining day, brilliant as the stars, radiant as the moonlight…”
Just as Lawyer York finished speaking, a dialog box suddenly popped up in front of Eivass:
[York Hermes is teaching you “Breaching the Covenant.” Do you wish to pay 48 Public Experience to master this Mystical Art?]
The Art of Breaching the Covenant is a Mystical Art of the Transcendent Path, specifically emphasizing the transcendence of the Path of Authority. It is used to break oaths, escape shackles, and evade pursuit, a cunning technique for those who have made promises but decided not to keep them.
“No.” Eivass replied internally without hesitation.
This skill held little significance, but learning it might pollute Eivass’s ability pool. Different Mystical Arts could conflict with each other… Eivass didn’t have a reset potion and couldn’t take risks. Moreover, 48 points were simply too expensive—this was a common-grade Mystical Art, yet it required so much experience. You yourself haven’t figured it out, have you? You just memorized this passage, didn’t you? Eivass mused.
But Lawyer York’s actions proved his stance. Eivass’s gentle and confused expression vanished, replaced by a calm and deep one, as if everything before had been an act.
“…A Devourer?” Eivass retorted.
This was an obscure type of Familiar, ranking lower than lesser demons and on par with Demonic Hounds. They were minor demons that could be created by Demon Scholars. Their aggressiveness was not strong, and they were usually used to torment or interrogate others—Devourers could change size and thickness, allowing them to penetrate or envelop any part of the human body. As they wriggled, their fangs, which were as stimulating as bee stings, would inject a weak toxin. These fangs would easily break off inside the human body, like cactus thorns, making them difficult to remove, causing intense, prolonged pain, and easily damaging one’s dignity.
The ability to conceal a large number of Familiars within oneself without being discovered… This was a unique trait of Fourth Tier Parasites. Not a Demon Scholar, but an advanced profession of a Fiend. The biggest difference between a Fiend and a Demon Scholar is that a Fiend is almost completely integrated with their accompanying demon and difficult to separate. To advance to Fiend, one must first be a Phantom Demon Egg—but the Phantom Demon in the egg was a dark-attribute demon. Before becoming Extraordinary, people called them “Demonic Possessors.” Compared to Phantom Demons of other attributes, demons were very fond of manipulating their host’s body and were more likely to injure or even kill others when out of control. If they were persuaded by the demon within them to enter the Transcendent Path, they could reach an agreement with the demon within and enter a symbiotic state.
Because of this, Fiends could no longer summon other demons. They also couldn’t study rituals or the art of controlling demons, as the demon within would prevent them from mastering powers that could threaten it, and the interference of dark attribute mana with the brain would lower their intelligence.
However, if a Fiend could resist the demon’s suppression, maintain rationality, and advance to become a Parasite, their positions would immediately reverse. The Parasite had transcended the “demon.” The Fiend would no longer lose control periodically, and the demon could no longer control their body. Parasites could accommodate more demons, carrying a large number of demon-level Familiars within them. As their level increased, they could even accommodate a second or third demon.
“—You are a Parasite, aren’t you.” Eivass stated incontestably.
Hearing this, Lawyer York’s eyes widened in surprise. He withdrew his left hand, and the Devourer in his sleeve was recalled.
“Your knowledge of demonology amazes me, Eivass,” Lawyer York marveled. “You are the only one among all fellow travelers I’ve met who could recognize a Parasite at the First Tier.”
“So that’s why you suddenly called me away?” Eivass raised an eyebrow. “Because you recognized that I am also an Extraordinary on the Transcendent Path.”
“Under the influence of Authority, we Transcendent beings should help each other,” Lawyer York said with a smile, very naturally. “Because we are the same kind of people, I’m here to help you find an organization.
“Of course, there’s another reason…” he said, pointing to Eivass’s left pocket, “If you had higher authority, you would sense it too.”
Eivass reached into his pocket and touched it. He suddenly understood.
—It was the “Noble Red” ring.
“Of course, don’t worry,” York quickly said, pressing his hands down and smiling. “I know you likely got your ring from Veronica. But we don’t pry into such matters here—you’re a fellow traveler on the Transcendent Path, aren’t you? They guided you, so you can be considered a new recruit they’ve recruited. It’s normal and perfectly fine for a new recruit to kill an old member and take their token. Just keep it.
“By keeping it, you are also a member of the Noble Red Society. I declare it.”
“…So that’s how it is.” Eivass finally understood.
It wasn’t that the Lloyd Society and the Noble Red Society had reached some agreement… but that the high-ranking members of these two organizations were, in a sense, overlapping!
“You said that over sixty percent of the Knight Families have joined the Lloyd Society,” Eivass said after a moment of silence. “Does that include ‘Moriarty’?”
Upon hearing this, York’s lips curved upwards. The middle-aged man, with deep wrinkles on his face, wore a faint smile. “What do you think?”
“Let’s end this guessing game,” the young man with golden-white hair, sitting in a wheelchair, said in a low voice. Although his identity and abilities were lower than the middle-aged man before him, he showed no respect. Eivass extended his right hand to York, his palm slowly cracking open. A faint purple light began to glow in Eivass’s palm—this was a symbol of his current state resonating with the Transcendent Path, and also a sign of unfriendly intent. It was like slightly drawing a knife, or placing a hand on a gun holster. It wasn’t necessarily a threat, but it conveyed an attitude. To those on other Paths, this might be an offense. But only to those on the Transcendent Path was this a confirmation of resolve, signifying acknowledgment and practice of the Transcendent Path.
Lawyer York smiled with satisfaction and readily replied, “Yes. Professor James Moriarty is, of course, a member of our Lloyd Society.”
“After all, he is a merchant, and a prominent merchant on Glass Island. How could he refuse our invitation? However, he is not a fellow traveler of the Transcendent Path, so he did not join the Noble Red Society.”
“If that’s the case, with my father involved… you don’t need to invite me anymore, do you?” Eivass said unceremoniously. “Because the Moriarty Family already stands with you.”
York was clearly trying to recruit him. Even though he hadn’t explicitly said a single word, his intentions were clearly conveyed. The pressure regarding the suspected leakage of information must be immense. York was desperately hoping Eivass would join the Lloyd Society, ideally before the “Vice President” arrived.
“Since that’s the case, I’ll tell you a piece of information in advance,” Lawyer York said with a triumphant smile. “This is precisely the meaning of our Lloyd Society’s existence—
“According to reliable information, Professor Moriarty has been missing for two days. Although no corpse was found, bloody clothes were. The divination result is that James Moriarty is dead. If nothing unexpected happens, news of his death will reach Avalon within a week.”
The middle-aged lawyer, also surnamed Hermes, wore a kind smile that disgusted Eivass. “This is not a threat, merely a suggestion. After all, neither you nor Inspector Edward are his real children… and Mr. James died too suddenly, without leaving a will. This means your inheritance will encounter resistance. However, it would be good for you to join the Lloyd Society… We prefer fellow travelers like you who walk the Transcendent Path over your foster father.”
—Huh? Eivass almost burst out laughing. You’re saying James Moriarty is dead? Heh, I don’t believe a word of that. …Of course, the information itself might be true. But Professor Moriarty isn’t so easily killed, and divination results aren’t always accurate. This is a hundred percent fake death, intended to pull him out of the situation in Avalon. —That mysterious guy, the Level 0 ultimate BOSS, how could he possibly die inexplicably in some unknown corner?
However, even if he knew it was a fake death, and even if many others knew it, even if only the social identity of “James Moriarty” died… it would mean that the situation in Avalon was about to become unstoppably turbulent.
Update finished, meow!
