Chapter 464: Intermission 81
“Are you saying that the Ideal Nation was created by Margaret?”
Fisher caught the information in Pandora’s previous statement and asked, to which Pandora nodded affirmatively.
“That’s right. At that time, I didn’t delve deeply into their city-states; I only encountered the residents in the wilderness. It was clear that the charm of that Trans was significant, and I observed a strong desire for reproduction among many male humans and even subhumans. Although it’s not comparable to yours, you are a special case that requires further discussion. In their desires, they refer to Margaret as ‘the leader.'”
Fisher was momentarily taken aback, failing to catch Pandora’s teasing remark. Although he was accustomed to the capabilities of mythical beings to see through Trans and the owners of the Supplement Handbook, he still felt somewhat uncomfortable when his own reproductive power granted by the Supplement Handbook was revealed, attributing his discomfort to the absurdity of the Handbook.
“Since you can find that settlement known as the ‘Ideal Nation,’ the elves, who lost such an important object, must be more anxious to search for her whereabouts. They have no reason not to know where Margaret has gone. In other words, Margaret has found a way to threaten the elves, making them afraid to act recklessly? Could it be related to the Loom of Fate?”
Pandora smiled slightly; even without eyes, her expression conveyed her thoughts.
“You are indeed clever, but although she is a Trans, it is unlikely that she can fully utilize the power of the Loom of Fate. Just relying on the Loom of Fate cannot stop those elves. While it may relate to the Loom, there must be other factors at play. I will further investigate this information, and during this time, you can rest in the Holy Realm. You all probably aren’t satisfied with just regaining your freedom through the information about the Tears of the World Tree, right?”
As per the deal previously made with Pandora, bringing back the news about the Tears of the World Tree from the Tree Continent would only restore their freedom. If they wanted additional rewards, such as allowing Fisher to see the Holy Grail’s true form, they would need to bring back the Tears.
Fisher recalled that in the future, he and Emhart had encountered another conscious relic, which was her prosthetic eye. This meant that Pandora’s eagerness to find the Tears of the World Tree was related to her missing pair of eyes.
But the question lay in two aspects: why was Pandora, as the Archangel, different from the other Archangels, having no eyes? Additionally, if she needed to create a prosthetic eye, why could she not seek help from Mikhail, who also had a mechanical prosthetic eye?
Unless the prosthetic eyes made from ordinary sacred materials couldn’t meet her needs, and neither could those brought back from another world by Mikhail; it must be a conscious relic.
Thinking of this, Fisher kept his expression unchanged, nodded in acknowledgment, and said, “Alright, we will wait for your news. But I have another request; I want to see my book friend. I need to ensure his safety.”
Pandora, who had just turned her head to continue choosing forging materials, paused slightly. Then she raised her head a little and said with some distress, “That guy… To be honest, I can assure you he is in good condition, but arranging for you to meet is quite difficult. Previously, to prevent Michael from secretly taking him for research, I entrusted him to Gabriel, who has lost her mind. But ever since Michael went there looking for information, the Sixth Day has been completely sealed off, and now no one can enter; only Gabriel and your conscious relic friend are inside. It’s possible that Gabriel is also annoyed with Michael, which is why she did this?”
“You can try to open the door of the Sixth Day, but I advise against it in the end. A deranged Gabriel can do anything; her level is not lower than the Duke of Peach, and you wouldn’t want to face an angel intent on taking your lives, would you?”
After a moment of silence, Fisher turned to bid farewell, preparing to leave with Tang Zeming Asuka. But just as he reached the door, Pandora’s gentle voice came again, “If you don’t mind, please tell the Hela, who is resting on the second day, to come see me. Of course, it would be better if you accompanied her during this time to help her heal before you tell her.”
Fisher’s expressionless face slightly sank; he didn’t say whether he agreed or not, just left with Tang Zeming Asuka, who had been secretly watching him.
After Fisher left, Pandora sat alone in silence for a while, as if sensing something.
The smile on her face gradually faded, and she slowly removed the silk covering her eyes, revealing the smooth area that lacked any eye structure.
Her fair fingers gently touched her cheek, as if caressing a gruesome scar, rubbing the empty space back and forth. As she slowly stroked, the flesh in that area gradually receded, returning to its most authentic form.
In the area where her eyes should be, there was only a gruesome, skinless mass of blood and flesh. Beneath where her eyes used to be, dense, writhing fleshy branches twisted like curses, and upon closer inspection, it seemed those branches contained an authority akin to the astral realm.
“Clink, clink, clink.”
With each crisp sound coming from seemingly beyond the realm, countless thin, fleshy branches rose towards the sky. Accompanying their movement, Pandora’s face seemed to express waves of intense pain.
She painfully covered her face, collapsing to the ground as drops of horrifying angelic blood seeped from her empty eye sockets. Yet she remained kneeling, trembling as she spoke, “God Salie is here. What are your orders?”
In her sight, which had never seen light, at that moment, she finally connected with a specific vision from somewhere beyond, which was the only scene she could see.
First, she saw a vast starry sky, and she thought she heard a sound akin to forging. However, those forges were not like the ordinary ones, merely forging sacred artifacts for the gospel; she saw the birth and shattering of stars, the boundaries of matter, and the one still cultivating at the edge of the universe.
That was the true form of a true god!
“Buzz, buzz, buzz!”
As the terrifying pressure, reminiscent of ancient chaos, approached, Pandora’s gaze glimpsed something that caused her fear and astonishment every time they met. That emotion stirred her fear, and even though she was a Nineteen Rank Archangel, her body trembled uncontrollably.
She dared not look any further and quickly lowered her head, her gaze in the distant starry sky sinking gradually until it fell on a desolate planet, on which floated a holy silhouette.
That silhouette had four pairs of pure white wings, monitoring the silent and soundless deep space border like a divine being, and like a solid lock sealing off the end of matter.
That was one of the three demigods birthed by Ramastia, the Heavenly Lock Yahweh.
“Salie, the World Tree says that my angel entered her Tree Continent and even hurt her child in front of her?”
That silhouette remained motionless, only a neutral voice, akin to a heavenly song, came forth, calm yet causing Pandora to lower her head even further.
“God, I am truly apprehensive, but please allow me to explain this matter.”
Pandora disclosed everything she learned from Fisher regarding the Elf King and the Duke of Peach, also informing that pure Loom of Fate had been stolen, after which she did not dare to move, merely bowing her head humbly, waiting for the response from the Heavenly Lock.
The silhouette of the Heavenly Lock was silent for a moment before finally asking, “Are you saying that two Trans have come to the Holy Realm, along with the one from the Tree Continent who stole the Loom, making a total of three?”
“That’s right. I, in my ignorance, thought of the Trans as enemies and didn’t care if they died. Recently, a whale folk intruded upon the Holy Realm; upon discovering the unusual closure of Jianmu Palace in the Tree Continent, I simply used the freedom of these three sinners to coerce them into investigating the truth, nothing more.”
“I understand. I will deal with the World Tree’s side. You may keep those two Trans; as for the whale folk, if they can stay, let them stay. The Mother remains alone underwater; the whale folk can hear the Mother’s voice. Unless necessary, don’t kill even one. As for the Loom of Fate, you need not concern yourselves with it; leave it to the elves to resolve.”
“Yes, I will inform my compatriots of the divine oracle.”
Pandora lowered her head and replied, but the aching in the place where her eyes should be grew stronger, as if it were reaching into her very heart.
She knew, from the moment she was created by the Heavenly Lock to serve as a divine envoy, that only demigods could gaze directly at the true gods, and only three demigods could understand the secret of the true gods’ true form.
Even an angel as close to demigods as she would be subject to severe curses, so from the day she was chosen by the Heavenly Lock to serve as a divine envoy, she had her eyes gouged and her heart sealed, prohibited from leaking even a little about the secrets of the true gods.
Pandora kept her head lowered, allowing the angelic blood on her face to drip onto the ground, yet she still dared not move her body.
But after waiting for a long time, the Heavenly Lock gave no further response, leaving her sight engulfed in darkness and silence.
The Heavenly Lock had quietly cut off the connection.
In the unresponsive silence, Pandora’s outstretched hand gradually tightened around the nearby forging materials, pressing her forehead firmly onto the ground, her entire body trembling uncontrollably.
“I…”
She simply did not understand why it had to be her.
Pandora maintained her posture, resembling one punishing herself, silently questioning in her heart.
The Sixth Day, in the Library of the Vortex of Wisdom.
A square book was cautiously traversing the enormous bookshelves, and it seemed to exhale in relief each time it passed through a shelf. After moving through several shelves, it finally stopped on a middle layer of one shelf, collapsing as if drained of energy.
It seemed to slide down the shelf in exhaustion, looking up at the ceiling with a somewhat withered expression, muttering softly, “That guy should have gone to rest and not come looking for me. So scary, so scary… Boohoo, Fisher, when will you come to get me? I can barely hold on any longer.”
Yes, this book was the long-lost Grand Minister… No, a good friend, the great Sir Book Emhart.
“Bang.”
Just as Emhart finally had a moment to breathe while lying on the bookshelf, a dull thud came from a distant bookshelf, startling him enough to float up, warily looking in that direction, fearing to see that horrifying figure.
He bit his lip, but following his cautious gaze, he only saw slightly swaying curtains; there was no frightening shadow.
“So it was just me scaring myself.”
He let out a sigh of relief, just about to lie back down when he turned and found a deadpan, vacant face staring intensely at him from the other side of the bookshelf.
It was a beautiful light brown angel, yet for some reason, her expression was so vacant that it made one feel she was somewhat abnormal. However, the illusory floating objects behind the angel, resembling a hundred eyes, constantly showcased her authority and high rank.
She was a top Nineteen Rank Archangel, representing wisdom, Gabriel.
“Ahhhhhh!!! A ghost! Fisher, save me!”
Emhart, overwhelmed with fear, turned to flee, but before he could escape, Gabriel easily reached out and caught him; his prideful speed seemed incredibly slow before her, and unsurprisingly, he was detained.
The moment he was captured, Emhart’s expression instantly turned into a calm dead fish eye, as if he had experienced this many times before and could predict what would happen next.
“Little Nob, where are you going? Time for mommy to take you back to sleep. When did you learn to fly? That’s really impressive.”
As expected, the next moment, Emhart was tightly hugged by Gabriel, pressed in with another crystal in her arms, enveloped by her overflowing maternal instincts.
But Emhart was not Fisher; he did not feel comforted in a woman’s embrace—instead, he felt indescribable pain.
Indeed, after spending time together, Gabriel’s condition had worsened.
She began to see Emhart as her second child, the brother of the crystal in her arms, and even gave him a silly name, “Nob.”
“But little Nob isn’t obedient; you need to be as good as your brother. If you keep running around like this, you might get hurt, and that would worry mommy.”
Gabriel, holding the “failed runner 227 times” Emhart, traversed through the bookshelves again, returning to the center of the Vortex in his expression devoid of hope.
At this moment, it was not just empty; Gabriel had also taken many baby supplies from the clutter of the Vortex, seemingly prepared for her stillborn children—cribs, halo chargers for angels, and various sacred artifact toys.
“It’s time to sleep; you should sleep with your brother now, little Nob.”
Gabriel first placed the crystal, which contained the phantom of a baby, in the crib, then lifted the blanket and prepared to place Emhart beside it.
Emhart struggled to rise, angrily shouting, “I don’t want to! You, mom! Sleeping every day, all day long! I don’t want to! Let me go! Ahhh!”
But of course, he could not escape Gabriel’s grasp.
However, this time, the vacant-looking Gabriel surprisingly held Emhart with both hands and brought him before her.
Faced with this sudden and unseen action, Emhart was momentarily stunned, unsure of what new reaction Gabriel might have.
The next second, Gabriel tilted her head and picked up the spherical halo charger next to her, like a small sun, then pressed that dazzling light ball against Emhart’s face while inquiring, “Is little Nob hungry? Here’s something to recharge.”
“You, mom!”
Emhart’s mouth, slightly open, was stuffed with such a large glowing ball, which immediately angered him.
He quickly spat the light ball out and began to angrily curse at the blank-faced Gabriel in front of him, “You, mom! How many times do I have to say it? I’m not Nob! My name’s Emhart, the great Sir Book! Your child is already dead, the one whose name I don’t even know, that crystal! Do you understand?! Just treat it like your child and leave me alone, okay?!”
After this outburst, Gabriel remained unresponsive, continuing to hold Emhart as if she were a puppet, staring blankly at him.
Emhart’s rising anger gradually decreased under her vacant stare. Perhaps because he felt pity, or perhaps he was too tired to argue with the already deranged archangel. After several seconds of standoff, he sighed in defeat once more.
Then Emhart’s gaze transformed into that of a hopeless dead fish; he cleared his throat and read monotonously, “Ah, mommy, Nob is very sleepy; please let me go to sleep. Wuu, wuu, wuu.”
Gabriel listened to the voice that had turned into a childish quack and finally reacted, gently wrapping the book in her arms. Then, she cautiously placed Emhart by the crystal in the crib that already housed one such child, tucking him tightly under the blanket.
“Little Nob, sleep well, grow well. Mommy is right here.”
“…”
Then, Gabriel got up and gently rocked the crib. The slight swaying felt no different than the dead fish eyes on Emhart’s face.
He glanced over at the crystal beside him that seemed to contain a phantom of a baby, then turned away as if struck by a chill, facing away from the crystal while muttering softly, “Hey, Fisher, when will you come to get me? You must take good care of yourself in my absence. That Baemon guy is a real man-eater; if you’re not careful, you might trip over her.”
Emhart in the crib didn’t notice that the Gabriel outside, gently rocking the crib, seemed to have heard his words.
Then, she tilted her head vacantly, gazing out at the world beyond the Vortex.
(End of this chapter)
