The Shepherds Are Dense – Chapter 511

Chapter 510
The Appointment on February 16th

Eivass always felt Morgan’s smile was unsettling.
But intuitively, he genuinely felt no ill will. Moreover, in the game, Morgan was a friendly NPC. She hadn’t just avoided dungeons; she had even been a teammate in the dungeon to conquer the Shadow Heavenly Envoy.
Just this fact alone gave Eivass a basic level of trust towards her.
Furthermore, as another Lake Fairy on the Path of Love, Morgan’s personality was clearly much more normal than Viviane’s—at least Morgan wouldn’t cruelly kill someone she had loved.
Viviane possessed a strong, fanatical devotion to her Path. Her love was always wholehearted, yet simultaneously driven by a strong purpose. After falling in love with someone, she would kill or remove them to eliminate her own distracting thoughts, allowing her to wholeheartedly love another.
Morgan’s obsession and desires on the Path of Love were not as intense as Viviane’s. She had adaptability to other Paths; the Path of Love was merely the most joyful and suitable Path for her.
She preferred a carefree lifestyle over leveling up.
Therefore, she was always flirting around but never stayed in one place for too long… a stark contrast to Viviane’s seriousness in loving someone wholeheartedly—as long as she liked someone, even if it was their first meeting, she would eagerly pursue them, attempting to be lovers for a few nights with all her heart; but she would decisively leave and cut off all contact before truly falling in love.
In short, she’d hook them and run.
She even ran from the Silver Crown Dragon.
Thus, unlike Viviane, Morgan was very famous in the Material Realm. Whether it was Viviane, Circe, Isis, or Medea, they were all very dangerous Apostles… purely on a physical level, Morgan was the only Fairy harmless to the human body.
Morgan simply enjoyed the “brief and unforgettable love.” Ideally, a state where the two would never see each other again after one night—perhaps meeting again decades later in another place and spontaneously doing it again. But she would never live a peaceful, mundane life with anyone.
However, after being briefly loved by such a gentle, beautiful, mature, and perfect goddess, it was basically impossible for mortals in the Material Realm to catch her eye again. Many people even went mad searching for Morgan… Legend had it that if one accepted Morgan’s affections, their heart would be stolen. Later, this bizarre rumor morphed into the witch’s ill repute, spreading from “Morgan” to all witches.
But in a sense, this ill repute was not entirely absurd.
—Because the “Love Potion” Eivass had previously acquired was a potion invented by Morgan.
It was a potion that could make someone genuinely fall in love with another—when Morgan couldn’t get what she wanted, she would decisively use a drug, never wasting her feelings and time.
And the “gift” she had bestowed with malicious amusement…
Eivass’s expression was somewhat complex.
He shook his head. Upon returning to the Queen’s study, he saw Sherlock, who had reverted to his youthful form.
“Yo, you’re here.”
Eivass stood at the entrance, smiling as he waved at Sherlock. “Long time no see, Great Detective. It’s good that you’re not dead.”
“—*Puchi*.”
Isabel couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
Seeing Eivass’s slightly puzzled gaze, her bell-like laughter grew even louder. She laughed so hard she was doubled over, unable to stop.
Sherlock covered his forehead, his expression helpless, and remained silent.
—This was why I didn’t recognize her at first!
It could only be said that Isabel had truly grasped the essence of Eivass…
Eivass walked over and, with slight dissatisfaction, reached out from behind and cupped Isabel’s face with both hands. Amidst her muffled sounds, he squeezed her soft cheeks, pulling out a smile. “What are you laughing at?”
“Her Majesty was imitating you just now, and I didn’t recognize her at first.”
Sherlock briefly summarized, “Because those were the first two sentences she spoke when we met.”
Eivass made a grunting sound and vigorously rubbed Isabel’s face. He then retreated behind Sherlock, who was sitting in a chair, and leaned his upper body weight onto his shoulder. “Lulu, you’re becoming more cheerful.”
“Don’t you like it?” Isabel retorted.
“Of course, I do.”
Eivass replied earnestly, “You look better when you smile.”
Some people liked seeing girls cry, but he preferred seeing them smile.
Isabel smilingly extended her index fingers, drawing a faint smiley face on her cheeks. “Then I’ll smile more.”
Sherlock expressionlessly pushed Eivass’s elbow, indicating it was a bit heavy.
Eivass shifted to the other side, resting his forearm on his other shoulder.
This way, the pain in his shoulders would be symmetrical.
“What place did you get?”
Eivass lowered his head and asked Sherlock.
Though the question was out of context, Sherlock understood what Eivass meant.
He smiled with a hint of possessiveness and said calmly and melodiously, “That would naturally be first place… a Golden Trait.”
“Not bad, worthy of you.”
Eivass praised, “Good thing we weren’t in the same competition, or it would have been difficult for you to get first place.”
“Tsk…”
This damnable fox.
Sherlock clicked his tongue but did not refute Eivass’s words.
“Ai, I only got purple,” Isabel complained. “But fortunately, it’s the most crucial one, [Cunning Spell].”
“[Cunning Spell] is more practical for you than many Golden ones. It’s not a loss.”
Eivass consoled, “In terms of expected value, Cunning Spell can increase spell effects by nearly half. Most Golden Traits have a hard time achieving this rate of increase.”
“Compared to that, what specialization did you choose?”
The advanced Profession for “Omnitalent” was unique: “Artist.” It was also the initial and most crucial Profession for the Path of Beauty.
Extraordinary Professions in other Paths were generally specialized from the start. But the Path of Beauty was different… The initial Profession for the Path of Beauty was “Artist,” but considering the limits of personal energy and inspiration, other Professions were derived from it.
The Artist, upon each advancement, could specialize in another adjacent and mastered domain.
“I chose ‘Actor’,” Isabel replied concisely. “Now, when I imitate others, I can even imitate their Path power. For example…”
As she spoke, she transformed into Eivass’s appearance.
“Eivass” put on a cunning smile, leisurely crossed his legs. “Now, if a Fifth Tier Cardinal were to look at me, they would only think I’m a Fourth Tier on the Path of Devotion. If I get even stronger, I can even imitate your Extraordinary Abilities.”
Saying this, he extended his hand. A flame ignited at the fingertip of his right middle finger.
But Eivass knew Isabel did not possess a fire-attributed Mana Pool.
Therefore, this flame was also an illusion.
Eivass walked over and lightly tapped “Eivass” on the forehead. A crisp *pa* sound echoed. “Eivass” cried out in pain, clutching his head, yet he did not revert to Isabel.
He was somewhat surprised. “Even when attacked now, the illusion doesn’t shatter?”
“Tenacious Illusion, I dug up a new ability. As long as I can hold on, the illusion can be maintained.”
Isabel reverted back, saying somewhat displeasedly, “However, it still hurts…”
So, “Tenacious Illusion” could have this effect…
Eivass finally realized that these traits were not entirely consistent with the game version. The “Path Trait” itself had possibilities for deeper exploration, not just what was stated in its text.
“My last domain, I plan to choose either ‘Screenwriter’ or ‘Singer.’ Both are domains adjacent to ‘Actor’,” Isabel asked seriously. “Do you have any opinions?”
“Whatever you wish.”
Eivass smiled. “You can choose any you like.”
“I’m asking you seriously!”
“And I’m answering seriously.”
Eivass’s smile faded, and he said with utmost seriousness, “I can tell you now—
Perhaps in a few months, or at most a year, this World’s energy level cap will be raised.
At that time, the World’s limit will no longer be the Sixth Tier of the Eternal Pope, but the Seventh Tier. Those originally at the Fifth Tier will gradually advance to the Sixth Tier, and the Sixth Tier Eternal Pope will reach the Seventh Tier.
Soon, there will be changes in the Church. Following that, everyone’s advancement speed will greatly increase, and then Eighth Tier, and even Ninth Tier, will appear…”
“…As expected.”
Sherlock murmured.
When he took up the “Mitra Worshipper” Profession, he felt Eivass hadn’t said everything. Sixth Tier was far from the end of the Mitra Worshipper’s advancement route—at Sixth Tier, he was merely middle-aged, still far from becoming elderly or even regaining youth.
As expected, Eivass knew this knowledge from the very beginning.
However, this was something that should not be known by anyone. Eivass was not a Prophet, and even Prophets could not see such a distant future—and if high-ranking existences interfered with the future seen by Prophets, it would be disturbed and unclear.
Eivass knew it so clearly, as if…
…he had experienced it before.
Hearing this, Sherlock suddenly recalled the “Heavenly Envoy of Reincarnation” Isabel had mentioned earlier.
He ventured a bold hypothesis.
—Could it be that Eivass had been reborn from the future of another worldline?
That was why he inexplicably knew so many secrets, and why his actions were so urgent and effective. That was why he showed no joy even upon reaching Fourth Tier, and felt no pride or arrogance upon becoming Minister of Affairs. Despite reaching the pinnacle of the world at such a young age, he seemed to be pursued by something…
Sherlock looked up, his gaze fixed on Eivass’s chin, throat, and tightly pressed lips.
That peculiar pressure from Eivass, originating from an unknown source… was it from here?
The future… what exactly happened?
That feverish curiosity entwined itself around Sherlock’s heart.
After leaving the Silver and Tin Hall, he locked himself in his study, meticulously poring over vast amounts of information and analyzing Eivass’s every action, trying to deduce what had happened in the future.
—Although he could have asked directly, no, he definitely could have. Since Eivass had already revealed this much, there was no need to hide the rest.
But Sherlock disdained to do so.
Even if Eivass didn’t say it, he could figure it out himself.
Compared to solving a case, “deciphering the future” held a more devilishly irresistible charm for him. If he directly sought the answer, it would be too uninteresting.
After Sherlock left, Eivass directly sat in Isabel’s previous seat, letting her sit on his lap.
The two whispered to each other, and Isabel relayed everything she had heard to Eivass. Eivass, in turn, told Isabel about his own experiences.
Not only everything he had heard and done.
He even shared his thoughts from before—explaining how she had seen through it, and how he had believed it.
But both of them tacitly avoided mentioning their previous arrangement… the arrangement for the night of February 16th.
—Because they didn’t even wait till night.
Immediately after emerging from the Ascension Ritual, the mental exhilaration, and the recognition, trust, and emotion born from their “tacit understanding” acted like a magical force, transforming into a strong adhesive. The two continued to softly express their trust in each other, their embraces growing tighter. They went from back-to-back to straddling each other; from initial leaning to embracing, and then to deep kissing.
When their lips parted, Isabel’s face was flushed from a brief moment of suffocation.
She was still easily embarrassed. Her entire body blushed down to her neck and collarbones.
“I have a gift for you tonight.”
Eivass’s voice, now hoarse and deep, sounded in Isabel’s ear. “It’s the wine brewed from my soul.”
As he spoke, he lowered his head to kiss Isabel again.
“So, before that…”
Eivass asked in a low voice.
Isabel did not respond, only hugging Eivass tightly. Her neck and earlobes gently brushed against Eivass’s neck.
Thus, Eivass understood.
He scooped Isabel up, and amidst the surprised, delighted, and “I knew it” gazes of the maids and the Queen’s guards, he carried the flushed Isabel back to Her Majesty the Queen’s bedroom.
Only when Eivass placed her on his bed did Isabel seem to awaken.
“Wait, we agreed on tonight…”
She shyly covered her face, then tightly hugged a pillow, blocking her face and muffledly saying, “It’s still daytime…”
“Because I want to look at you more.”
Eivass said, shifting his knees and kneeling before the Queen. “My most honored Queen…”
He leaned forward, firmly and gently removing the pillow Isabel was using to hide her face.
As an Artist on the Path of the Fourth Tier who had obtained the “Actor” Domain, Isabel’s body was no longer as fragile as it once was. Yet her resistance was so weak, as if she were drunk, her fingers becoming powerless.
“Lord Moriarty… you…”
Isabel’s soft voice murmured like a dream, “We haven’t had lunch yet… I also prepared some good wine…”
The midday sun shone on Isabel, making her appear as if she were glowing.
Eivass took off his coat and placed it aside. Then, slowly and deliberately, he began to unbutton Isabel’s clothes, piece by piece.
He said calmly and gently, “We can save it for tonight.
“—We can also play until tonight.”
(End of Chapter)