Chapter 135
Alistair’s Transcendent Heart
“I…”
Seeing that Mr. Alistair wasn’t mocking or tempting him, but earnestly advising him, the Knight couldn’t help but feel a warmth in his heart.
He opened his mouth, but nothing came out.
Because he truly had no plan.
This was indeed something he had blurted out impulsively.
—Since Mr. Dark Clouds could blurt out even more forbidden words, why couldn’t he?
He was only in his early teens, protected by his family, and had never thought about such complex matters.
“You’re right, Mr. Alistair. I actually don’t know what I want to do.”
Barton remained silent for a moment before admitting:
“My father told me to obey orders, maintain composure, and dare to make sacrifices. To be brave, to fight for honor, for Avalon, and for the Queen.
“And my mother told me to be a good person… to learn to protect the weak, to be honest and just, and to have reverence for life.”
Facing a stranger who didn’t know his true self, nor knew him in reality… yet he could find common ground with him, even when their stances were opposing, Barton couldn’t help but confide his troubles: “They said these were the things a true Knight should do. I’ve also been striving in that direction.
“But every now and then, I wonder… why do these words conflict with each other? Have the important figures in the Path of Authority truly become such model knights? Mr. ‘Dark Clouds’ stories were just an answer… but the real questions have long been in my heart.
“I just wanted an answer. And I thought I had found my own answer. But now it seems I am still on the way.”
“You’re just trying to escape.”
Eivass shook his head: “You even asked me how to walk the Transcendent Path… You know my profession. Do you think I chose to walk this path willingly? If I had another chance, I might not have taken this road.”
“Indeed, a Fiend…”
The Knight suddenly realized.
To become a Fiend, one had to be possessed by a Demon. Those possessed by a Demon, if they couldn’t dispel it and couldn’t become a Fiend, could only die.
For families who couldn’t find a Bishop to dispel the Demon, and for small villages unable to identify Demon possession, becoming a Fiend was not a choice.
Barton shrunk his head, fell silent for a moment, and then honestly lowered his head to apologize: “I’m sorry.”
“It’s alright.”
Eivass sighed: “I have my own plans now.”
Even though he wasn’t a Fiend, his feelings were real.
Eivass was indeed forced onto the Transcendent Path.
Before awakening his past life memories, it was the impulse of his bloodline’s Path that drove him to fanatically pursue Demonology knowledge; after awakening his past life memories, he could only survive by signing a contract with a Shadow Demon. At that time, his Demon Scholar had already reached the First Tier, and there was no turning back.
From this perspective, he was no different from a Fiend. Both had innate impulses, and neither could turn back or face death.
Meanwhile, Eivass’s overt identity was that of a Priest. He had no choice. His initial build could only be based on the Transcendent Path and the Path of Devotion. Fortunately, he was indeed knowledgeable about both Paths.
Therefore, when it came to these youths who, despite being on a single Path, were desperate to open a second one, Eivass advised them to the best of his ability: “In a sense, Avalon allowing you to choose your Path after becoming an adult is to avoid Path incompatibility due to rapid changes in worldview during adolescence.
“It’s very likely that you’ll have one idea at twelve or thirteen, and another at eighteen or nineteen. By the time you’re married and established, in your thirties or forties, your ideas will change again. As long as your current Path is still feasible, it’s best not to switch Paths and leave yourself some room for future changes.
“When you clearly realize that your Path has deviated. That’s when you should choose a second Path. This is a safer approach. You won’t get a chance to regret it.”
“Alistair” advised.
Seeing the Knight fall into thought, he smiled and sighed: “You have very good parents.”
“You too.”
The Knight complimented reflexively.
Alistair said without politeness: “But your brain isn’t very smart.”
“…Ah, I’m sorry,” Barton quickly apologized, “I was zoning out. I didn’t mean to attack you…”
“It’s fine, I’m used to it. People on the Path of Authority are all this dense. You’re already on the smarter side among them.”
Alistair shook his head.
After thinking for a while, the Knight couldn’t help but ask: “Mr. Alistair, if I want to find you in reality, how can I contact you?”
“Why?”
Alistair smiled sinisterly and said impolitely: “Want to catch me?”
“No, I just want to express my gratitude. You’re right, I’m not mature yet… To step onto the Transcendent Path, I’m not ready. But if I hadn’t met you, maybe I would have taken that step.” the Knight said earnestly.
“It’s fine, it’s great that you can take advice,” Eivass said sincerely. “The ability to admit mistakes and willingness to correct them is a very rare and precious talent.”
He had seen countless teammates who, despite being very weak, refused to listen to advice and stubbornly defended themselves. Although the Knight seemed a bit slow, he was willing to accept criticism and engage in self-criticism. Such a person had more potential than those who were somewhat skilled but unwilling to accept opinions.
“That’s why I want to bring you home and introduce you to my parents. I’ll tell them I have such a benefactor.”
The Knight said earnestly: “My parents have some status in Avalon. You don’t have to worry about being arrested… Even if you are, you can be released directly.”
“…You can even involve your parents in such matters? How old are you anyway?”
Eivass complained sarcastically: “I feel like you’re only in your early twenties. Did I overestimate you?”
“I’m fifteen years old.”
Barton replied honestly: “I didn’t actually go to military school… In fact, I haven’t even graduated from middle school yet.”
Oh, that explains it.
“Then it’s fine,” Eivass said sincerely. “Then I take back what I just said. You’re quite smart after all.”
…Wait?
Eivass suddenly realized: “You became a Light Knight at fifteen? And you have your own Gryphon?”
“I got my Gryphon when I was six. It’s a child of my parents’ Gryphon… it was my birthday gift that year.”
Barton regarded “Alistair” as his close friend in the dream, becoming more open the more they talked: “They hope I’ll become an Air Knight in the future, serve the country, and then take over my father’s position after retirement. So I’m an Extraordinary even before I’m an adult. This is only my first month on the path of an Extraordinary!
“I didn’t tell my parents that I’ve already hit the wall of the Second Tier. I came to participate in the Ascension Ritual in secret because they’re often not home, and I wanted to surprise them.”
Although it was the end of the month, Eivass knew… the “Knight” had participated in the Full Moon Ritual half a month ago.
In other words, at fifteen, he took at most half a month to ascend?
This is a genius!
Eivass suddenly understood.
No wonder the Knight didn’t even know that they couldn’t see each other’s faces when entering the Dream Realm, and he had even specifically worn a Knight’s helmet to cover his face.
Such common knowledge would definitely be taught in class. But he had never taken classes related to the Extraordinary, so it was normal for him not to know.
His goal might not have been to hide his identity, but to hide his too-young face. The more precocious someone is, the more they care about their age. He was ashamed and nervous about his young age, so he deliberately disguised himself as an Air Force Academy student, yet appeared so immature, as if he knew nothing…
It was no wonder he always said things like “My mom and dad said.” For a child who idolized his parents, this was perfectly reasonable.
If judged by the standards of an adult in their twenties, the Knight was somewhat slow-witted.
—But if judged by a fifteen-year-old boy, the “Knight” could even be considered astonishingly mature.
Realizing that he might have just found a rare wild teammate, Eivass immediately perked up, and his attitude became much friendlier.
“You can tell your parents everything about the Dream Realm. Don’t talk so much to others next time… Even if I am just a Fiend, I can find out your real-world identity if I want to.”
“I don’t say this to everyone.”
The Knight said earnestly: “I told you so much because I think Mr. Alistair is a good person.”
“Heh, I, Alistair, am not a good person.”
However, when it came to “Eivass”, that was another matter.
“…Since that’s the case, I’ll teach you a lesson.”
Alistair, wreathed in shadow, extended a finger: “Why I say you’re far from ready to step onto the Transcendent Path. I’ll also show you my understanding of the Transcendent Path.
“Question one, do you have the courage to face death head-on?”
He flicked his second finger: “Question two, do you have the resolve to challenge an invincible enemy?”
As Alistair spoke, footsteps began to be heard from outside.
—The Giants who went out to scout were returning!
The Knight panicked: “Mr. Alistair, hide quickly!”
Eivass, however, said in his heart: “Shadow Demon, kill me and send me into the Cauldron.”
“Are you sure you want to do this?”
The Shadow Demon complained in his heart, with the Assassin’s honey-like voice: “You’ve killed the most people, and hiding now is a sure win. But if you try to win with the Holy Lance, you might fail. We don’t know the resurrection mechanism of the Magic Cauldron. What if it counts as you’ve died and your points are reset?”
“Conversely, if I can be resurrected in the Magic Cauldron, obtain the Holy Lance, and deal damage to the Giants… I can achieve multiple victory conditions.”
Eivass replied to the Shadow Demon: “That way, I’ll get the best Path Traits.”
“—But you’ve already won by slaughter, and the Path Traits the Father of Snakes gave you must also be good.”
“I chose the New Moon Ritual, why would I play it safe? Of course, I’ll take as much as I can get.”
Eivass’s lips curled: “Isn’t this for you? I want to give you the best traits, so that you can adapt to your power as quickly as possible and cultivate you into a high-level Phantom Demon comparable to a Heavenly Envoy as soon as possible…”
“So troublesome…”
The Shadow Demon fell silent for a moment, then helplessly said: “Since you’ve said so, how can I possibly dissuade you?”
The next moment, Eivass was lifted by the Shadow Demon and shot into the air.
Under the astonished gaze of the young Knight, the Shadow Demon transformed into a thin blade and painlessly pierced Eivass’s heart, which was suspended above the Magic Cauldron.
Before losing his life and falling into the steaming, bubbling Magic Cauldron, Eivass gave the Knight a wild and free smile, and raised his third finger high.
—Question three, are you willing to abandon the victory you’ve already obtained to pursue a greater victory?
Yes, I dare.
Update complete!
Wuwuwu, I really want to play Baldur’s Gate 3 (scratching the wall)
