The Shepherds Are Dense – Chapter 1204

Chapter 1201: The Benevolent Adler

Grimoires that record secret knowledge are not limited to a single copy.
The “secret” in “Grimoire” refers to “esoteric knowledge,” while the root of “grimoire” itself carries the meaning of connection, continuity, and extension.
—This is an interpretive translation from the Hrasal nations.
However, if translated directly in the language of the Horus Empire, the origin of the Dream Traveling Monks, its original meaning is a fusion of “propaganda” and “rescue,” implying the rescue of lost knowledge and its dissemination.
Therefore, Grimoires are meant to be passed on to different peoples and cultures, naturally leading to them being written in different languages.
It is precisely because what is hidden within is not mere text, but the concentrated, activated, and personified “secret” itself, that only one Grimoire can exist in a single language.
Although Eivass has destroyed the Avalon language version of the Shepherd’s Secret Manual, the shepherd’s lineage must exist elsewhere.
For example, here.
“No wonder…”
Eivass gazed from afar at Lord Adler, seated in his palanquin as if in a shrine, and suddenly understood many things.
It was precisely because Adler possessed the shepherd’s lineage that he performed such merciful acts—the free provision of water and food to the residents was his “flesh and blood” of shepherding.
Now that Eivass had personally arrived in Heaven City, he knew that the slaves also had water to drink. They were only forbidden from eating, but not from drinking.
The Anxi people worshipped water, so their drinking water contained no pigment. This meant that even the slaves could receive free drinking water.
However, providing water to the city on such a scale undoubtedly required immense sacrifice. Whether it was by directly taking large numbers of people from the slaves within the city or by purchasing slaves from outside for sacrifice, a significant amount of wealth would be lost.
It could be said that Adler could by no means become wealthy through this model.
He could only continuously incur losses.
Even if he kept the slaves underground working, it would be difficult for them to recoup the money spent. How could a slave work to earn back the money spent to acquire them? As the saying goes, it’s better to sell than to buy; if slaves could rapidly create wealth, why would sellers sell them? Wouldn’t keeping them for oneself yield more profit?
In this country, the number of slaves was equivalent to water, equivalent to money, equivalent to the strength of the city. Water was equivalent to everything, equivalent to life itself.
“If Adler is to ensure the supply of drinking water for the slaves, it means he must continuously lose money, no matter how he operates—the contract from the Abyss Heavenly Envoy is a bottomless pit. This level of personnel loss would only lead to a decreasing population… Even river monsters only require a pair of virgin boys and girls annually.
Only by relying on external populations can the deficit be filled. This implies that Adler must dedicate his wealth to maintain this operation.
In other words, since Heaven City began operating under this rule, Adler’s wealth has been flowing away non-stop.
…This is the truth behind the so-called “Generous Adler.”
Truly generous.
And his people’s worship of him could be understood—
Just like the Shepherd’s Method controlling Phantom Demons…
The “shepherding” Adler performed daily, unmixed with the power of a Path, also generated loyalty unmixed with the power of a Path!
That ancient ballad was still being sung repeatedly: “Who shall be sacrificed?
“What shall come to an end?
“What words shall endure for eternity?”
As those words were chanted, a purplish-red radiance gradually appeared in the depths of Eivass’s pupils, mirroring those in Adler’s.
—They met each other’s gaze.
Each was acutely aware of the other’s presence.
It was a resonance of similar powers.
Not just Devotion and Transcendence…
But even the power of Twilight!
Eivass felt an ineffable silence.
He gripped a crystal card between his fingertips, his lips pressed together, ready to cast it at any moment.
The entire world around them calmed. He also remained silent, as if that silence could last forever.
“—Hold on for a moment.”
Suddenly, Adler spoke.
He appeared to be only in his forties or fifties, thus his voice did not sound ancient but steady and firm.
The instant Adler spoke, the palanquin instantly stopped, and the ancient song ceased abruptly. It was as if a pause button had been pressed, so synchronized. Even the surrounding citizens who were singing fell silent instantly, not mistaking his “stop” to refer only to the palanquin rather than the song.
“I am their shepherd,”
Adler gazed at Eivass and said slowly, “and I shall not let my lambs lack.
“—Shepherd from afar, Generous Adler is willing to be your friend.”
The moment Adler’s voice fell, Eivass suddenly felt a sense of “connection.”
It was like a phone with data turned off suddenly connecting to local Wi-Fi, instantly bombarded with pings—those who worshipped Adler immediately transferred, or rather, replicated, this worship onto Eivass.
The originally “unfamiliar” goodwill instantly turned into respect, even reverence.
…A dangerously intelligent person.
Eivass thought.
If those people ignored him or even opposed him, Eivass would not have cared about their lives or deaths.
But if they showed him great respect and friendliness, Eivass would indeed find it difficult to abandon them.
Did he discern my personality the moment we met?
—Or perhaps, he himself is such a person?
Where did his shepherd’s lineage come from? Clearly, he had the profession of Devotion, but he was not a priest of the church, and most likely not a Demon Scholar… Judging by the symbols all over Heaven City, he should be a Ritual Mage… or rather, a Grand Mage.
“Devotion, Transcendence, Twilight… An extraordinary of three Paths.”
Eivass murmured.
He could not sense any trace of Adler’s Path fluctuations or hostility.
This meant that he either possessed something capable of masking his Path perception before a Fifth Tier being… or that his Devotion Path was at least Fifth Tier. And Eivass already knew that his Transcendence Path was Sixth Tier.
He was at least a Level 456, or possibly a Level 556—a genuine world-class powerhouse.
Adler continued to chant words from the Shepherd’s Secret Manual:
“I am the secret serpent, coiled, a snare; for in this coil there is delight.
“I am the axle of the Wheel, the square of the Circle. ‘Come unto me’ is the fool’s word—for I myself am the onward progress.”
Hearing this, Eivass suddenly understood.
…Oh, I get it.
Is this a secret code?
So Eivass opened his mouth and responded with words from the Shepherd’s Secret Manual: “O Prophet, you study these things with malice. I see you hate the hand that writes, but I am mightier; for you do not know the ‘I’ that dwells within you.
“Why? Because you are the perceiver, and I am you.
“Now shall the shrine be veiled—let bright light consume the fools, and blindness swallow the multitude!”
These were words from the Shepherd’s Secret Manual, and also from the Book of Law. Due to the somewhat obscure translation, they were difficult to read and pronounce—nevertheless, after reading them, knowledge would flood into one’s mind.
What they expressed was the concept of “you and I are one.”
This was what the demon said to the shepherd after being summoned by him. It meant: “I know you don’t like me, but there’s no need to be overly nervous, we’re on the same side, don’t believe the worldly talk too much.”
Clearly, Adler understood.
His expression instantly brightened.
He did as Eivass said, veiling the “shrine,” then enthusiastically jumped down from the cart and hugged Eivass tightly.
Eivass frowned in resistance but did not fight back.
He had clearly realized that Adler was a Ring Heavenly Envoy… or even an Apostle of the Ring Heavenly Envoy!
Starting from here, there would surely be a way to gather information about the Ring Heavenly Envoy!
So Eivass put the Illusion Card back into his sleeve.
For now, he would not make a move and see what Adler intended to do.
And evidently, Adler did not possess the abilities of a Sin Scholar, so he did not recognize this Illusion Card. He merely glanced at it with some curiosity but said nothing.
“Modify the command,” Adler said sternly, turning back. “This is my sworn brother whom I have never met—the Dazzling Sun. But he is not just my brother; you shall regard him as me. If one day I am no longer here, you shall all belong to him.”
With that, Adler politely asked Eivass, “May I ask, what is your name?”
Although such politeness was quite difficult for the Benevolent Lord… Eivass still found Adler’s words rather absurd.
—How could they be sworn brothers?
Their appearances were completely different—and you don’t even know my name, damn it!
For some reason, Adler’s words inexplicably made Eivass think of “entrusting one’s child.” He seemed to sense approaching death, otherwise, given the Benevolent Lord’s arrogance, he would not have extended such goodwill for no reason.
Although he couldn’t quite understand, Adler’s words clearly carried great weight in Heaven City.
After Adler spoke, the people in unison bowed their heads towards Eivass.
Even passing pedestrians stopped and knelt, beginning to kowtow reverently to Eivass.
It was a full kowtow with no reserve of strength, as if they had lost their minds in fanaticism.
And the floor of Heaven City was made of excellent quality bricks and stones. After just a few kowtows, their heads began to swell and turn red, then purplish-blue. At first, their sounds of kowtowing and praise were somewhat chaotic, but after a few repetitions, they quickly synchronized, becoming as orderly as marching stomps.
The synchronized kowtows were like those of marionettes, utterly bizarre!
Clearly, if Eivass did not tell them to stop, they would have kowtowed themselves to death.
This made Eivass’s scalp tingle.
This was almost mind control… but the Shepherd’s Method was not supposed to have such an effect!
But then.
Eivass suddenly felt a strange and intense sense of danger from a passing pedestrian who was kowtowing—