The Shepherds Are Dense – Chapter 1073

Chapter 1072
Son of Mitra Who Reverses Time

Alistair, the young lady of the Hermes family, was currently staring at the sky, a thoughtful expression on her face. She had just witnessed a significant event: the Count’s Mansion, their current residence, had been “imagined” out of existence by Eivass, turning their surroundings into an open-air environment.

“I’m off,” Alistair announced, her voice tinged with an unusual echo of Eivass’s own. It was a peculiar habit she’d picked up, a side effect of their deeply intertwined connection. “I’ll have it with you around noon. But is the timing sufficient? What do you intend to do? A ring?”

Eivass, the enigmatic Son of Mitra Who Reverses Time, nodded. “Yes, a ring is what I was thinking. Or a necklace would suffice—though I don’t understand these things, so you should discuss it with Haibasha. Preferably something she can wear at all times. Given her artifact-crafting abilities… it would merely be a matter of changing the form of the Heavenly Envoy Fragment, or transferring it to a different vessel. It shouldn’t take more than a day, as no special characteristics need to be added.”

He explained further, “This will serve as an advance payment for resurrecting her daughter. I can’t possibly demand that her daughter remain by my side as a pet, can I? I have no intention of raising an adopted daughter. Of course, if it’s not ready in time, I’ll present her with the gift I’ve already prepared. You don’t need to feel too much pressure.”

Alistair sighed, her voice laced with a helpless exasperation. “You don’t understand, do you think I do? I mean, you can’t expect me to understand things that only girls would know, can you? I have no idea what Isabel would like. You, at least, know Isabel’s measurements—I can’t spend all day and night with an unmarried woman before marriage, even if she is my ring designer. Moreover, as long as it’s something I personally choose, she should be happy. And your aesthetic sense is consistent with mine; only you can achieve this. No one else can… not even the other Great Beasts.”

Eivass offered a comforting tone, “Alright, please, my other self.”

“…Since you’ve called me that, what choice do I have?” Alistair sighed, stretching her lithe body. She then let out a strange, high-pitched cry, mimicking a male voice, “Master, Old Sun will be back shortly—” Before anyone could react, she transformed into a streak of blood-red light and shot towards the sky.

After Alistair’s departure, Sherlock, who had been silently observing, finally spoke. “It felt like two Eivasses were talking to themselves.”

“In a way, it was,” Eivass replied with a smile. “What do you think?”

“Not bad,” Sherlock complimented, nodding. “At least with Miss Alistair, there were fewer taboos. Lately, when I chat with other ladies, I always worry about offending them… just like how I often said the wrong thing and offended Miss Haina before.”

He recalled his past behaviors, where he spoke without restraint, treating truth as the ultimate arbiter. This led him to disregard others’ feelings and the potential harm his words could inflict. Though he often spoke the truth, it frequently led to conflicts. Now, Sherlock was gradually understanding that while truth was important, enabling others to comprehend and accept it was equally crucial.

“It seems you’re well on your way to becoming a Mitra Emissary,” Eivass remarked, looking at Sherlock with anticipation. He elaborated on Sherlock’s unique professional system, which diverged from other professions within the Path of Wisdom. Typically, those on the Path of Wisdom were dedicated to the pursuit of “truth,” seeking knowledge and truth through the torment of the soul surpassing the body, ultimately transcending the soul’s bondage to the physical form.

The Mitra system, however, was different. The power condensed from “Memories of One,” “Boon of Three,” and “Words of Five” seemed to faintly touch the essence of the Path—reintegrating the power of the Origin River.

“A ‘newcomer’ who has not formally received the name of Mitra, upon entering the realm of a ‘Mitra Worshipper,’ only needs their wisdom to be tested. Therefore, your progression to the Fourth Tier was so effortless,” Eivass explained. “But if you wish to advance further, you must obtain a heart of devotion. Only then can you reach the Fifth Tier, become a Mitra Emissary, transform into a mature and steady thirty-year-old man, and possess the power of the Sun God.”

“…I recall you saying something similar,” Sherlock mused, recalling a phrase Eivass had only uttered once. “After that… is it the Path of Authority?”

“Correct, the Sixth Tier is the Father of Mitra, a middle-aged man in his forties. As a hypothetical Sun God, you rightfully possess the power of royal authority. It originally tested the heart of strength, much like the scorching midday sun and the venomous summer heat. You need to possess the arrogance and magnanimity of the Sun’s father, believing yourself to be the greatest existence in the world.”

“Then…” Sherlock paused, then suddenly asked, “What about the Seventh Tier?”

Eivass turned his gaze to Sherlock with interest. “Have you realized it?”

“Since the Sixth Tier isn’t the limit, it means the Seventh, and even the Eighth Tier, exist—you’ve said something similar before, haven’t you?” Sherlock said softly.

“But you only truly understood it now,” Eivass nodded and stated directly, “The Seventh Tier tests the heart of twilight. You must understand that even the most blazing sun will eventually set. At this Energy Level, you will transform into an old man on the verge of decay—from the arrogant title of ‘Father of Mitra’ to the ‘Shadow of Mitra.'”

“Twilight… that’s the limit, isn’t it?” Sherlock looked at Eivass. “Or is it…?”

“Of course, there’s more beyond. At the Eighth Tier, you must grasp the Principle of Balance to simultaneously master the power of beauty and transcendence—by transcending the limitations of time, you will revert to youth, reversing your age back to that of a young boy. Just as the setting sun will eventually rise again… if you pass this trial, you will become the ‘Son of Mitra,’ fully mastering the power of Mitra.” Eivass paused slightly at this point. “But if you fail to transcend time, you will die of old age.”

At that moment, he felt a subtle stirring within him, as if he had grasped something crucial, but the inspiration vanished as quickly as it came.

“So it’s Father first, then Son… I see, is it the power of reincarnation?” Sherlock paused and looked at Eivass. He had suspected before whether Eivass possessed the power of reincarnation and had returned from the future to the present. However, since Eivass hadn’t mentioned it, he was unwilling to speculate rashly about his friend’s secrets. He viewed it as an invasion—a manifestation of his own confidence that he would eventually uncover the truth through his own contemplation. Thus, his contemplation itself might be considered unfriendly, an act of intrusion and willful disruption of another’s privacy.

But… the Eighth Tier… Sherlock had initially thought his Fourth Tier was already nearing its limit. It seemed he was still far from it… After a fleeting sense of melancholy, a competitive spirit ignited within him. If that were the case, he couldn’t fall too far behind. Perhaps it was as Eivass had said… his newfound ability to care for and consider others had cleared the path that had been obstructing his advancement. Sherlock now felt he had touched his limit and only needed to wait for the next Ascension Ritual to attempt advancing to the Fifth Tier.

“Shall we return to Avalon now?” Sherlock asked Eivass. “Or… shall we go back to the Vendome family to rest for a while?”

“It’s best if you come back with us,” Arsen immediately interjected. “We can arrange for a ship to come over; it won’t delay the wedding.” He shuddered at the thought of his father’s glare if he were to return alone after accompanying the distinguished guest, Eivass, on an outing.

“You’re not leaving either,” Eivass said, grabbing Arsen without hesitation. “You’re coming with us.” Eivass’s inner desire was for Annie to accompany him. However, he felt a sense of awkwardness. If he actively requested it, it would make Eivass feel strange, as if an unexpected “theoretical mother” had appeared. But if he didn’t ask, Duke Vendome might insist that Annie stay behind to avoid causing trouble for Eivass. It would be more efficient to bring Arsen along, thus ensuring most of the Vendome family would make the trip.

“Coincidentally, we can also have the Vendome family issue a notice—” Eivass considered for a moment. “State that the destruction of these Child of the Moon families was my doing. Just use my name directly… If you dare not, you can use Alistair’s name.” It was all the same, after all. In the current public opinion of the extraordinary world, Alistair was almost considered Eivass’s mistress.

“Then, selectively release information about the Box of Nothingness and the Mad King’s Skull. The Mad King’s Skull no longer exists, and without its ability to interfere with celestial phenomena, a simple divination will reveal the truth. There’s no need to conceal it any longer.”

“The key is to let people know… the reason why the Iris Flower has experienced so many rebellions is because of the culprit, Count Orléans. As long as people believe the primary fault does not lie with them, they will frantically shift the blame. This will make it virtually impossible for the Iris Flower to experience another rebellion. Anyone who dares to step forward now would be admitting complicity with Count Orléans—there’s hardly anyone willing to step forward to absorb the heat for Count Orléans at this juncture.”

Taking advantage of this opportunity, the Envoy of Mist and her Mist Demons would make their move, preparing to transform the Children of the Moon into Mist Demons in batches. At this point, these Children of the Moon, who so staunchly believed in the Blood Heavenly Envoy, would have no other options. They would lose their advantage of extraordinary power, their accumulated social influence, their temporal advantage, their racial advantage, and their financial advantage…

They would be left with only one path to turn the tide.

—That is, through the Ouroboros Ring ritual, to have the Blood Heavenly Envoy descend personally. And the Blood Heavenly Envoy would not indulge them. Although the Children of the Moon cannot enter the Dream Realm after death, as material realm Phantom Demons, they can physically enter the Dream Realm. But after so long, how many Children of the Moon has the Blood Heavenly Envoy guided to ascension?

These Children of the Moon, from the very beginning, had no choice.

Because Eivass had left them only this final path.

That is, annihilation.