Chapter 537
Candlemaster Courier, Mission Guaranteed
Eivass handed the information he obtained to Cardinal Matilda.
“Mr. Red Wine… I don’t have much of an impression.”
Cardinal Matilda replied after a moment of thought, “He’s likely not someone who frequently stays in the Church. Of course, he might not use that name when active in the Church.”
“Is there any way to check? After all, this matter might be related to Bear Heavenly Envoy.” Eivass pressed.
Cardinal Matilda chuckled, “There are certainly ways. Even if His Majesty the Pope is in slumber, it doesn’t mean we’ve lost control of the Church. However, I can’t help you investigate from my end. The Thirteenth Ring is primarily responsible for guarding and preserving these amber biomorphic statues, as well as protecting cultural specimens. It was already against regulations for me to accompany you before, but it should be fine for a short while. I definitely cannot go with you to investigate something like this.”
As she spoke, she extended her finger and drew a window on the adjacent wall. Then, she peeled off a piece of tree bark from it. She gently touched the wall, and it healed and restored itself again.
Matilda extended her finger and began writing on the bark. Azure light flowed across it, forming lines of Elvish script.
“Alright,” she said with a smile, handing the bark scroll to Eivass. “I’ve written you a letter of introduction.”
“A letter of introduction?”
“Yes. If you need to find someone, it’s best to go to the Eleventh Ring.” Matilda said, “That’s where the Central Observation Bureau is located, and you can see the entire view from the First Ring to the Twenty-first Ring from there. I’ve written a letter of introduction to Cardinal Loki, who is in charge there.”
“…Cardinal Loki?” Eivass heard a somewhat familiar name.
Matilda nodded, “He’s the leader of Controlled Fire, whom I mentioned to you before.”
“Is it okay to contact him?” Eivass frowned slightly, a little worried. “He and Her Highness the Saintess… seem to have some conflict?”
No, dismissing it as “some conflict” would be too understated – he was clearly Grey’s opponent. While the current number of Controlled Fire members didn’t hold an overwhelming advantage, if Grey’s amber crystallization were to be leaked, Cardinal Loki, who was advocating for “professional reform,” would immediately become a strong contender for the Pope.
“It should be fine.” Matilda pondered for a moment, then shook her head hesitantly. “Although Controlled Fire has caused quite a stir recently… Cardinal Loki is, after all, a Cardinal.”
—He’s also an Extraordinary of the Fifth Tier of the Path of Devotion and possesses a sufficiently pure heart of devotion. Furthermore, this matter involves a curse on an Archbishop and also touches upon human trafficking and international kidnapping. Even the direct relatives of those involved have come forward. Given the Elven nature, this cannot be ignored. Elves are like that, very contradictory. They strive to stay away from trouble as much as possible, but they are not afraid of it. Normally, they avoid matters if they can. But if someone approaches them with sincere devotion, they will most likely help them to the end. After all, Elves have long lifespans and a weak sense of time, and there’s nothing they’re in a hurry to do. Some Elves might even pursue a single matter for twenty or thirty years.
“Moreover, he is now a professional himself. The professional system, once one reaches the Fifth Tier, has a significant impact on the spirit. Even if Cardinal Loki wasn’t reliable before, he would be reliable by now.”
“…Not reliable before?” Eivass keenly detected informative content in Matilda’s words. “What does that mean?” He was quite interested in this Cardinal with an ominous-sounding name, especially knowing that Controlled Fire was the main enemy in this version of events.
Hearing this, Matilda shook her head sternly, “Don’t concern yourself with this matter.”
“Is it due to insufficient authority?” Eivass guessed the reason for Matilda’s attitude.
“Precisely. If you have the chance to become a Cardinal, you will understand this matter.” Matilda’s lips curved slightly as she said this, “But you must first learn High-Tier Divine Art. That’s the threshold for becoming a Cardinal… Without High-Tier Divine Art, even a Fifth Tier individual cannot become a Cardinal.”
“I will work hard,” Eivass replied humbly. Learning High-Tier Divine Art would not be difficult for Eivass. The free experience points Eivass had accumulated were precisely for quickly learning High-Tier Divine Art.
After leaving, he did not immediately head to the Eleventh Ring. Instead, he returned to the Fifth Ring, to his residence. The trolls who delivered the goods had already left. Their work was busy; after completing one delivery, they had to immediately take on the next. There was no time to delay, and their Goblin masters did not allow them to do so. Although corporal punishment was not allowed in the Church, Goblins had long abandoned such clumsy and primitive taming techniques. They had plenty of management techniques that were far more effective than whips.
The first thing Eivass did upon returning home was to organize the altar in his room. He placed the two books he bought for Isabel on it. Then, he put on his Episcopal Crown and lit the candles.
Eivass held the Corona Scepter high and solemnly chanted:
“I solemnly call upon You, the Noble Fire-Thief!
The God of Sacred Number Three, the God of Sin Thorns Binding the Body, the God of Burning Body and Chasing Darkness—the Doe of the Candlemaster!”
As golden-red light shone in Eivass’s pupils, a scorching halo suddenly appeared above his head. A crimson flame swirled into a crown of thorns, omitting a portion of the subsequent prayer. This was not out of disrespect, but because igniting the sacred fire and raising the crown of thorns was itself a praise to the Candlemaster.
“I implore You to descend within the candle flame!
May the Fiery Wings of Life come before me, carrying my thoughts and offerings to distant lands; I offer my blood and swear this blood is shed for the benefit of others. May the Disciple of the Candlemaster respond to me—”
As Eivass chanted, he suddenly felt a wave of dizziness. He had the sensation of being watched by something terrifying, causing his spine to tingle. The palm of his left hand suddenly cracked, and blood floated in the air like jewels.
In the next instant, Eivass’s left and right eyes saw completely different scenes— With his left eye, he saw the candle flame on the altar suddenly flare up without wind, turning into a violently flickering pure white flame. With his right eye, he saw this flame condense into a vertical, jet-black ring. A strange creature flew out from within.
It looked like a small beast, but it was impossible to tell what specific animal it was. It had slender four legs, resembling a small white deer or foal, but it was two-headed. On its head was a small, transparent, glowing horn, and its body was as pure white as stone, as pure as jade. Its pair of shiny jewel-like red eyes gazed at Eivass—there was no white to be seen, like the eyes of a teddy bear. On its back were a pair of fiery butterfly wings, like Flame Butterflies, allowing it to float in the air. Despite its seemingly cute appearance, it was a messenger of the Candlemaster—it was called the Fiery Wings of Life.
With his left eye, Eivass saw a ball of flame split from the candle flame, extending backward in a “V” shape. It landed on the altar, absorbed the blood drops in the air, and the two books began to burn. Soon, these two books burned to nothingness, leaving no ash.
In Eivass’s other field of vision, he saw the “Fiery Wings of Life” land on the altar with its hooves. The blood Eivass had suspended in the air was transformed into a red radiance by it. The two books were enveloped in the radiance, becoming ethereal and transparent, and fell into the Dream Realm.
Eivass felt no worry, merely bowing respectfully. “Please send it to the Great Cathedral of the Candle Holder on Glass Island in Avalon… to Bishop Mathers.”
Then, this pure white flame elongated— the small beast leaped onto the candle. It was an extremely peculiar posture: only one of its four hooves stood on the flame, while the other three were suspended in the air. It seemed to be saying something, but Eivass couldn’t hear its voice, only seeing it lift its head towards him as if urging him on.
Normally, this was for destroying items used in the ritual, but this was a devotional prayer, and there were no items needed. Therefore, Eivass offered his injured left hand. The small beast extended its tongue and gently licked Eivass’s wound. The wound on Eivass’s palm instantly healed, and a warm current flowed through his body. As Eivass gently rotated his left hand, the small beast’s tongue licked from his palm to his fingers, then to the back of his hand, as if washing Eivass’s hand.
From Eivass’s normal field of vision, he merely saw the candle flame washing the wound on his hand. Eivass lightly tapped his chest, mouth, and forehead with his left hand in succession.
“Thank you for coming, Fiery Wings of Life,” Eivass said solemnly to the small beast before him. “I will be forever bright like a candle flame.”
A happy smile appeared on the small beast’s face, and it tilted its head to let out a cry that Eivass could not hear. At the same time, the flame flickered three times. The next moment, it elongated and disappeared like a bubble— Then, the candlelight returned to its original color and shape. Eivass’s fractured vision unified once more.
“…So the sacrificed vision can see the apostle projected from the Dream Realm?” Eivass murmured, touching his eyes. This was the first time he had seen the true appearance of the “Fiery Wings of Life.” In the prayer class, the summoned Fiery Wings of Life should have been a trailing flame in a “V” shape.
He quickly composed himself and prepared to get some wine. He would visit Morgan’s Wonderful Dream House to tell her that he had sent something for Isabel, and to remind her to personally go to the Great Cathedral of the Candle Holder to “pick up a delivery” tomorrow morning.
(End of this chapter)
