The Shepherds Are Dense – Chapter 1321

## Chapter 1319: Protino’s Awakening

Eivass did not keep Grandet there for long. Grandet, being perceptive, left after conveying his message.

“…Are you sure you want to take in these goblins?” Sherlock asked with a slight frown after Grandet departed. “I don’t think it’s a good idea. No one likes goblins… If they exist in Wanning, they might bring about unexpected changes. And by my conservative estimate—Eivass, these changes might not be for the better.” With the adaptability of his Path of Wisdom, his “estimate” was practically a prophetic calculation.

“Coincidentally, I thought the same thing,” Eivass nodded, much to Sherlock’s surprise.

“…I understand,” Sherlock said, a bit taken aback, then immediately grasped the implication. “You want to divert conflict?” Since Eivass knew these goblins might bring trouble to Wanning, yet still chose to accept their plea for refuge, it meant Eivass surely had his own agenda. And based on Sherlock’s deductions of this cunning fox, it was unlikely to be a benevolent plan. Following this line of thought, he arrived at a possibility:

The conflicts and pains of human existence are inevitable and eternal. Humans cannot easily solve every problem, nor can they perpetually fulfill all their desires. This means that when people pursue their goals, they will inevitably encounter obstacles, which will lead to dissatisfaction. In the past, the greatest difficulties stemmed from the survival crisis caused by lack of water, the uncertainty brought about by the tyrant Lord, and the unrestrained personal violence of Slave Knights. Now, Eivass had resolved these issues through miraculous means.

So… will the Anxi people be perpetually satisfied with demands like “endless water” or “the annihilation of all Lords”? It was obvious that this was impossible. Human desires tend to expand. Outside Anxi, people are no longer affected by thirst and there are no Lords. Do they live in a heavenly paradise, free from worry? Sherlock, having traveled with Eivass through many lands, was qualified to say this: the answer is no.

When people are no longer worried about survival, they desire freedom; when they gain freedom, they desire wealth; when they are wealthy, they desire power; when they have power, they desire longevity… desires are insatiable. Considering this, introducing some external “catfish” might not be a bad thing for Wanning. As the saying goes, “Be prepared for danger even in times of peace.” A nation without enemies or worries is frightening. It means that when it encounters setbacks, it is prone to a cascading, avalanche-like destruction.

“Not entirely. As a nation born from the remains of Anxi, Wanning’s twilight is a bit too high. I cannot let them remain too peaceful, or this nation will fall into eternity.” Eivass responded to Sherlock’s unspoken question with a noncommittal tone. “Although ‘Wanning’ means ‘safe haven,’ I don’t want them to be perpetually trapped in such eternal satisfaction. However, I’m not intentionally preparing an enemy for them to distract them. Because if Grandet’s goblins were just at this level, they would be driven away soon.”

“—Variables.” Isabel was the first to understand Eivass’s intention. “Eivass wants to introduce variables.”

“Precisely. I call it ‘unknown variables.’ This is the core of ‘miracles’…” Eivass smiled. “So, besides goblins, I plan to introduce other things. For example, Fey, Mist Demons. Also Harpies, even Trolls from the Southern Continent, and ancient Yokai… These ‘unpopular’ races can come here. Just as I named it—a ‘Shelter.'”

“Like the Church? Accepting all peoples?”

“Exactly. A Church that is not so holy, has fewer rules, and a less solemn atmosphere.” Eivass nodded. “This is also a form of diversification… Oh, I’m not talking about diversifying from the goblins. I’m targeting all the people of the old era.

“This World has been peaceful for too long. The current brief chaos is not enough to disrupt people’s traditions. Only calamities like Star Antinomy, which nearly destroyed nations, can awaken people. And these people are ‘catfish’ to Wanning, but isn’t Wanning also a ‘catfish’ to this World?

“The ability of a species to resist disaster and interference comes from biodiversity. Or rather, it comes from the ‘differences’ accumulated within the species… And this difference originates from an ‘error,’ which is genetic mutation. It is precisely because of this phenomenon that enough different traits can accumulate to ensure the continuation of the population during different disturbances. This is undoubtedly a ‘miracle.’ This ability is the ability of a miracle.”

And what Eivass intended to accumulate in the Kingdom of Wanning was this “Power of Miracles.”

Knowing that Eivass was not being soft-hearted but had other intentions, Sherlock no longer tried to stop him. Sherlock, the former Law Master, continued his heated discussion with Isabel, the former Queen, on Wanning’s constitution and laws. Eivass, however, felt a bit bored.

—Just then.

The room door was pushed open from the inside.

“—Cough… Cough cough…” A faint cough accompanied the sound of the door opening. The three turned back. They saw Protino, “the Encyclopedia,” emerging from within. He looked so frail—his face pale, his spirit scattered. Relying on the blessing of the “Crown of Thorns,” he had summoned the spirit of Xi Tian Si into his soul, forcibly using the protection of immortality to resist the chaotic and vast consciousness of Abyss Heavenly Envoy. If Eivass had not helped him activate and give him the “Crown of Thorns,” an Illusion Card originally belonging to a Shepherd, Protino would have died by now.

Originally, the offering for the “Ceremony of the Sun Avatar” was not his two Nephthys guards, but Protino himself. Those two Nephthys guards were only responsible for retrieving his “Dreamwalker Heart” after Protino’s self-sacrifice, to prevent the leakage and loss of inheritance. But ultimately, it was a dangerous ritual that used one’s own soul as a vessel to forcibly contain the will of a Heavenly Envoy level and directly confront the consciousness of another extremely powerful Heavenly Envoy. Even though Xi Tian Si was doing his best to protect his soul, and Eivass, the “World’s Second Healer,” provided treatment… the Encyclopedia had completely lost consciousness. His soul was almost burned into a blank slate.

When Eivass examined his soul, he discovered that Protino’s dream had already been burned once. He had burned his own dream through a ritual, obtaining a transparent soul capable of containing a Heavenly Envoy’s soul to the maximum extent, which was why he could no longer soberly enter dreams like a normal Dreamwalker. It was like sand being burned into glass. He was not incapable of entering dreams but had forgotten that he had dreamed. A soul that could contain the consciousness of a Heavenly Envoy without shattering could naturally not be a simple vessel but rather a net with large enough holes to not be torn apart by pressure. However, without a Heavenly Envoy entering his dream, he could not even draw Mana from the Dream Realm when he came into contact with it. Because he had become “transparent,” external influences from the Dream Realm, apart from the descent of Heavenly Envoys, had difficulty affecting him. It was like a follower’s “untargetable” effect, which also applied to oneself. Only Protino himself had forgotten this memory.

“You’re awake?” Eivass turned back with a gentle smile and asked, “How is it? Do you feel much better?”

“—How… how did you do it?” Protino coughed as if he had choked on water, looking at Eivass in astonishment. He had not only woken up from that state of blank soul and remembered his burned memories but had also regained the ability to dream!

“This is because I gave you a gift.” Eivass said meaningfully. “When Zhu Tang left, I couldn’t give him anything. The Dreamwalker Heart you gave him was partly mine… As compensation, I’ll give this to you. It might be useful someday.”

It was something he had found in Haibasha’s workshop—

【”A Good Dream,” Hmm?】
【Sacred Accessory (Pale Gold)】
【Accessory – Dreamcatcher】
【Trait: When this dreamcatcher is hung above the bed, dreams will always enter the Dream Realm – Sea of Sorrowful Waters.】
【Trait: When this dreamcatcher is hung above the bed, you will retain all memories of your dreams.】
【Extraordinary Trait: When entering the Dream Realm through this dreamcatcher, death in the Dream Realm will not damage your soul, only temporarily cause you to lose the ability to dream for three days to three years, depending on the damage.】
【Sacred Trait: When entering the Dream Realm through this dreamcatcher, gain the “Forbidden Body.”】
【Forbidden Body: Your race is considered “Sea Monster,” all other Path Powers are sealed, temporarily lose reason and ability to speak, temporarily gain a Forbidden Path Level equal to the maximum energy level of your held Path +1, maximum Life +1000%, Mana Pool attribute only retains “Water” attribute, Mana is considered infinite.】

Now that Abyss Heavenly Envoy was dead, becoming a Sea Monster posed no danger. It was through the abundant life force gained from becoming a Sea Monster that Protino’s damaged soul was healed. The only thing Eivass was curious about was…

“After Abyss Heavenly Envoy’s fall… what has become of the domain that originally belonged to Abyss Heavenly Envoy, the Sea of Sorrowful Waters?” Eivass asked.

“The Sea of Sorrowful Waters is still the Sea of Sorrowful Waters, only the color of the seawater is not as deep and despairing anymore,” Protino replied. “It has merged with the clouds. That was originally the ‘Lihen Heaven’ (Heaven of Discontent).”

His reverence for Eivass had reached its peak—not only could he defeat so many Heavenly Envoys, but he could also save him even after he had completely burned himself out! Not only that, but even the “ability to dream” that he had personally abandoned through self-sacrifice had vanished with the curse of “turning into a Sea Monster upon entering dreams”—that destined “forgetfulness” was replaced by a new “certainty of memory.” In this way, even though he lost his Dreamwalker Heart, he regained the ability to enter dreams. Such a beautiful outcome! It was like a singer who, due to vocal cord cancer, had their vocal cords removed and was prepared to be voiceless for life, but due to an accident, underwent mechanical ascension and received a better mechanical vocal cord.

Emmy, after drinking the hot soup Isabel had given him and recovering some sobriety, suddenly recalled something. “…Instead of wandering the land in human form, I transform into a giant whale, slowly floating and flying in the seas and clouds of the Dream Realm… This is also quite a wonderful experience.”

“By the way, Master—someone in the Dream Realm is looking for you. Because they couldn’t enter your dream, they asked me to pass on a message… It’s an acquaintance.”

“…Who?” Eivass was somewhat surprised. Someone Protino would call an acquaintance, could it be… Eivass’s first thought was: did “Vagrant” or “Amber” die in an accident? Then, Eivass received an unexpected piece of news from the “Encyclopedia”—that acquaintance turned out to be Cardinal Galatea, whom he had seen at his wedding not long ago!

(End of Chapter)