**Chapter 667: 145. Not the Right Time**
“Please choose.”
The massive mechanism before him leaned down and asked Fisher this question, but the first to speak was not him, but the Fate Lord standing behind him.
“David?”
“Beep beep. What’s wrong, ma’am? Have we met?”
The blue light flickering from the mechanism’s camera turned towards the Fate Lord and issued a puzzled electronic sound. The Fate Lord opened her mouth and then shook her head,
“. Perhaps not, I must have gotten it wrong.”
“Beep beep.”
The mechanism tilted its head, having gained nothing, and continued to look at Fisher, seeking his response, to which Fisher also looked back without pausing in his tone.
“I’m here to find Captain Alagina and the others.”
“Beep beep.”
It seemed unfazed.
“I’m here searching for my wife.”
“Beep beep. Opinion received, voice recorded, visit uploaded. Welcome, Mr. Fisher Benavides, David will soon open the passage to the Parasol Tree.”
Satisfied with this answer, the mechanism’s weapons retracted sharply into its body, and its tone instantly transformed from sounding somewhat rigid to a more vivid and lifelike mode.
“What’s going on? What’s this noise?!”
“Wait, there’s a mechanism here too? So big…”
Behind them, Felis and the one-armed Balzak hurriedly arrived with Shivali’s delegation, and just as they were halfway through their inquiry, their attention was captured by the massive mechanism, causing their words to get stuck.
“Beep beep. Visitor registration ongoing, inquiry, what is your purpose here?”
The mechanism, claiming to be “David,” quickly surpassed Fisher and his group to walk towards Balzak and the others, while Fisher followed with his eyes just in time to see the Fate Lord inspecting that gigantic machine.
His heart stirred slightly, and he whispered to her,
“This David isn’t the same as the one in your Creation Society, right?”
“. Right, and it’s a big difference. At least the mechanism from Nali doesn’t have such a ‘David’ talking to us.”
Hearing Fisher’s words, the Fate Lord finally withdrew her gaze, her expression slightly serious,
“The mechanism technology obtained by Nali is the remaining technology from the Storm Sea ruins, and if we’re to compare, it’s not as good as the ‘Mechanism Lord’ left within the Society. But the mechanism before us, in terms of intelligence and structure, is quite mature… just like something created in the Holy Realm.”
Upon hearing this, Emhart quickly leaned forward, a tone of uncontainable hope in his voice,
“Are the Holy Spawn still alive? What about the Angel Gabriel, is she still around?”
Though he didn’t say it, it was evident he missed that gentle and wise angel.
The Fate Lord glanced at him and calmly replied,
“Unknown, but high probability they are dead. In the face of the world collapse caused by the True God’s intervention, neither the Holy Realm, Angels, nor the Heavenly Lock could have any chance of survival. They exhausted themselves trying to prevent the destruction of their homeland, like moths diving into flames. It’s hard to say if the wisest of Angels escaped such a fate.”
“Oh…”
Emhart fell into disappointment, even his tone seemed dragged down by gravity.
Fisher contemplated for a moment, looking at the mechanism that had lowered its head to communicate with Felis, recalling the prototype that had carried him and Hela away from the Ideal Nation,
“When I went back to the past, I encountered someone called Trans, who may have been the creator of the mechanism completion manual; his name is Mikhail. When leaving the Holy Realm, due to matters involving the Ideal Nation, the mythical beings enforced a purge strategy against the Visitors from beyond the world, but Mikhail was not included in that, he was protected by Michael.”
“Uh-huh, I know the Mikhail you’re talking about. When I entered this world, it was around eight thousand years ago. At that time, Asuka said the Creation Society was co-founded by them, but I had never seen him in person; he seemed to have always stayed in the Holy Realm. At the founding of the Society, he left some blueprints related to the mechanisms within the Creation Society and also left an artificial intelligence to handle Society affairs on his behalf, which is the David One you encountered earlier.”
The Fate Lord raised her hand, and with a flash of golden light, a similarly glowing blue mechanism structure appeared in her palm,
“Although Mr. Mikhail has never returned, before the Mythical War, all the mechanisms around the world were connected by something similar to what is called ‘the Network’ back in my homeland, so Mr. Mikhail was able to contact us remotely, helping to repair and maintain the mechanisms placed in the Creation Society. After Asuka’s disappearance, Mr. Mikhail’s communications with us became fewer.
“Until during the Mythical War, the network connecting the mechanisms suddenly shut down, David One was reset for the first time, and Mikhail sent his final warning: ‘Definitely do not reopen the link network between mechanisms, or it will lead to chaos.’ I speculate that this network for distance crossing among mechanisms is fundamentally not the same as that in my homeland; it’s more like the manifestation of that foreign deity’s authority.”
Fisher rubbed his chin as he listened to the Fate Lord’s words, growing more curious about how the Parasol Tree could have created such a mechanism, and asked,
“Is this mechanism ‘connected’ yet? It seems to recognize me, but I can’t tell if it’s because of Valentina or things from ten thousand years ago.”
“. Not yet, at most it’s a short-range local network from Nali. You can ask later; isn’t Captain Alagina also your woman?”
“…”
Fisher breathed a sigh of relief slightly, but beside him, Emhart was still very concerned about the fate of the Holy Realm and the Holy Spawn,
“So, are all the Holy Spawns dead? Didn’t you say earlier that the mechanism completion manual is in the Spirit Realm? Does that mean there are still Holy Spawns in the Spirit Realm?”
“Maybe.”
The Fate Lord shrugged, explaining,
“You should know, the so-called Mythical War actually lasted a long time, almost a thousand years, right? From the crazy Duke of Peach initiating it, to the Mother’s interference later, it involved a lengthy process. When the Mother first showed signs of interference, the gods actually took some measures. Although none of these measures could ultimately prevent the Mother from forcibly intervening in the world’s rules and causing a breakdown, they at least gave the Angels time to respond.
“I heard that midway through the Mythical War, the Angels showed signs of transferring to the Spirit Realm. The one responsible for creating their new home in the Spirit Realm was the strongest Archangel among all Angels, Michael, who is skilled in forging and beyond the Heavenly Lock in strength. I previously didn’t know that Michael was protecting Mr. Mikhail, but this seems to explain why when I divined the whereabouts of the completion manual, it pointed towards the Spirit Realm. It appears that Mr. Mikhail ultimately entered the Spirit Realm with Michael but has since become untraceable. They might still be alive, or they might not…”
Emhart’s eyes brightened suddenly, hurriedly saying, “Or they could still be alive. The Angel Gabriel could be the same way. Think about it, if Mikhail were dead, then the completion manual would have appeared in someone else’s hands and entered the world. But since it’s still in the Spirit Realm, it means Mikhail is still alive, and Michael might still be alive too!”
“That is possible; who knows.”
“Big sis, aren’t you the Fate Lord? Didn’t you previously predict the whereabouts of the mechanism completion manual? Why not predict again?”
The Fate Lord shot him a dangerous glance, frightening him into scurrying to the other side of Fisher to escape her gaze, which seemed to want to turn him to stone.
At this moment, in the distance, Felis and the others had also reached a consensus with David,
“Beep beep. Understood, the Parasol Tree has approved the visit by Shivali’s representative, so please come this way, let me take you to Mr. Fisher.”
“Vroom vroom vroom.”
As David’s voice sounded, the empty, snowy valley behind them also reverberated with the roar of mechanism engines. Turning around, it was a flat platform mechanism flying through the snowstorm.
“Beep beep. Everyone, please step onto the platform and hold on tight.”
The platform elevated support handles, and the voice it emitted was indistinguishable from that of the guard mechanism behind them, as if the same person was using a different speaker.
“Come on!”
“Hey, slow down!”
Felis jumped onto the platform in one quick motion, while Balzak behind him hesitated while gritting his teeth, seemingly a bit acrophobic, and took some time to join them.
Fisher also stepped onto the platform holding little Alicia in his arms, gently pulling her curious little face back towards him to avoid scaring her as she looked down at the cliff below. Then, he meticulously adjusted her hood to keep it snug, preventing her from being buffeted by the mountain winds before moving forward.
The Fate Lord nearby chuckled lightly, observing his actions and commenting,
“Has anyone told you that you’re very suited to carrying children?”
“…”
Emhart stood with a deadpan expression on Fisher’s shoulder and mumbled as he looked at the Alicia in his arms,
“Hey, why didn’t I get this treatment when I was in your arms? You tossed me around like I was on a cannonball, how come this little one is treated like a treasure? It’s not fair.”
“Noted~”
Alicia stretched out her little hand and tugged at her hood, giggling at his irritated expression.
One could only say, how enjoyable it was being in front of Elizabeth, and now he was facing this loss.
He was so mad he felt like he was going to change shape.
The mechanism precisely cut through the chaotic spatial currents acting as layers of obstacles and landed in front of the Parasol Tree, a place Fisher had previously visited. The stone statues kneeling to pledge loyalty to the Parasol Tree still stood there, though this area was now bustling with life, unlike its earlier desolation.
In Fisher’s arms, Alicia watched the Subhuman races walking back and forth below with great curiosity. The Snow Fox Tribe and Slime, both with very different appearances from humans, were a rare sight for her in Nali, making her feel fascinated.
“Oh, aren’t you the friend of Miss Valentina from earlier? You’re back!”
The one who came to welcome them from the Parasol Tree was also an acquaintance they had met before.
Stepping out from within the Parasol Tree, surrounded by several Cangniao Tribe guards, was an elderly Snow Fox Tribe member wearing a gray robe. He beamed at Felis and Balzak, and then turned to Fisher, who was holding Alicia and followed by a blonde woman,
“And Mr. Fisher too.”
“Duke Dar.”
It was indeed Dar, the leader of the Snow Fox Tribe.
His expression shifted slightly upon seeing the Fate Lord following Fisher, and he hurriedly stepped forward to speak to him softly,
“Uh, Mr. Fisher, why have you brought another woman here? The matter with you and that Captain of the Sardinia has already given us quite a headache. Also, Miss Valentina went out to look for you but returned empty-handed, feeling quite upset. And now you’ve brought back a child, could it be…”
“. She’s just my friend, and Alicia is the granddaughter of my teacher, nothing more.”
Fisher could only helplessly explain to Duke Dar once again.
His previous actions indeed made it easy to create such misleading impressions, but he had truly reformed, genuinely reformed.
“. That would be for the best.”
Duke Dar’s nose twitched slightly, and upon catching the scent of “honesty” from Fisher, he finally felt relieved.
He let out a breath, turning to Fisher and saying,
“The mechanism has already informed Miss Valentina of your arrival; she wants to see you. Let me arrange these friends of yours; we can discuss other matters later.”
“Okay, please take care of Alicia for now with this Snow Fox grandpa; Miss Ashley will temporarily look after you. I’ll be back shortly.”
“Okay!”
Fisher nodded, placing Alicia he had been holding down, and also handing over Emhart to her.
He initially wanted to turn around and give the Fate Lord a word, but she seemed to be able to predict the future, giving him a slight nod, indicating that she understood. However, seeing the faint smile on her face, Fisher felt there was a hint of mischief in that smile.
After that, he took a deep breath, turned, and followed the two Cangniao Tribe members who had appeared with Dar, entering the Parasol Tree first.
Compared to when he came last time, the space that had been dead black was now brightly lit, and occasional sounds of conversation emerged from certain areas within the expansive space.
The Cangniao Tribe seemed aware of his strength and didn’t take their time leading him on the ground; they spread their wings and flew quickly toward a direction, and Fisher followed them without haste.
“Right here, please.”
Soon he realized that they were taking him to the hall where the base had been.
The doors slowly opened, revealing an extremely spacious interior.
Before the enormous throne at the end of the hall, there was a massive round table, indicating that the leadership of the Parasol Tree made decisions in this space.
Fisher slowly walked into the room, the grand door behind him slowly closing, and he lifted his gaze, focusing on the shadow before the enormous throne.
The figure had long white hair, and at the tips of those strands, a set of giant azure wings was not completely unfolded, sketching the silhouette of the phoenix that was said to preside over the Parasol.
“Valentina.”
She had her back to Fisher, and when he called her, her sculpted form shivered slightly, then she turned her head.
What entered his eyes was her stunningly beautiful face, her skin as white as snow bearing a slightly altered expression. She should have been calm and composed, inquiring about the events during Fisher’s short stay in Nali, which had only been a few days but must have undergone some changes; perhaps that was how she intended it.
But in the next second, the expression she struggled to hold became undone.
She suddenly recalled the moment Fisher let go of her hand, thought of his determination to return to that Elizabeth.
The moment she recalled this, the feeling that had been hidden away surged like a virus.
Therefore, the moment she turned her head, the face that should have been noble like a true phoenix crumbled instantly. Pouting her lips, her small face sagging, she looked at Fisher entering the room both wronged and resentful.
She opened her mouth, seemingly wanting to say “why are you back,” but felt it inappropriate, her pouted lips muttering for a long time without uttering a word, appearing as cute as a little fish blowing bubbles.
But the essence might be: “Have you changed your mind?”
Fisher didn’t know because at that moment he had already approached Valentina, watching her glare at him, even her breathing growing rapid.
After holding it in for a long time, she hesitated to scold Fisher, and amidst all her struggle, she ended up helplessly raising her little pink fist and gently pounding it against Fisher’s shoulder and chest.
The harder she pounded, the higher her pouted lips rose, and her eyes grew redder.
“Thump thump.”
But just as she raised her pink fist for a third time, Fisher suddenly took a step forward, within her incredibly surprised gaze, and pulled her tight into his embrace.
This hug was perhaps something Valentina had never experienced before; she simply felt this hug was exceptionally tight, as if he wanted to merge her into him.
He held Valentina tightly, burying his head in her white long hair, leaning against her neck, instantly causing Valentina’s gaze to drift, even forgetting the earlier motions of her pouting lips.
Her wings flapped behind her twice, and it was only then that she remembered she still hadn’t reverted to her original human form.
This made her panic slightly, but she only sensed that Fisher was holding her tighter; perhaps he didn’t mind her true form after all?
She thought this, but the original grievances and feelings of wrongedness melted into a tangled mess within this embrace, and at that moment, Fisher’s deep voice resounded like a vibrating bell in her ear,
“Valentina.”
“Mm, Fisher, you—”
Valentina bit her lip, as if feeling the emotions buried within Fisher’s body at that moment. She blinked, just about to ask, but suddenly both she and Fisher heard hurried footsteps coming from outside the great door.
“Bang!”
Just as Valentina was in a daze of confusion, the heavy door was suddenly pushed open, revealing Alagina, who was breathless from rushing.
“Fisher, you’re here—”
Her instinctive words came out quicker than her eyes could capture the scene before her, but as her eyes started functioning, her words got stuck in her throat.
Valentina blinked, subconsciously tightening her hold on Fisher, while Fisher blinked in surprise and turned to look toward the door, finding Alagina standing there, stunned, frozen like a statue.
Did I come at the wrong time?
Alagina thought blankly.
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**(End of Chapter)**
