Chapter 1495 Ghostly Hand <TOC> Chapter 1497 Her
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Translator: SumTLMan
“Since you want to know the truth, I’ll tell you,” said Bertrand, his demeanor subtly changed perhaps due to their previous encounter. He walked over to the side and pointed to the dagger that had fallen to the ground when he was subdued by Alex. “But before that, destroy this dagger.”
Alex approached with a sense of curiosity and took the dagger in his hand. For some reason, as he gripped the seemingly inconspicuous weapon, he heard a faint demonic whisper and felt a chilling sensation gradually rise from his spine.
“This dagger is strange,” Alex murmured, “It seems to be saturated with negative energy… it doesn’t belong in this world.”
Angel looked at Alex somewhat surprised. As an alchemist, even without a physical body, he could easily discern that the dagger must have been imbued with the essence of death over a long period, hence its eerie aura. That Alex, a mere mortal, could instantly see the true nature of the dagger was beyond Angel’s expectations.
“This dagger comes from the Church of Kruja and carries its aura. Because of this, ‘she’ could sense the dagger and locate us to kill me,” Bertrand explained. “Even though she thinks I’m dead, the dagger is still here. If she remembers it, she might come back. So we must destroy it as soon as possible.”
Bertrand’s words were laced with layers of information, including details about the Church of Kruja and the mysterious “she,” which deepened Alex’s confusion.
“I know you must have questions. Once we’ve dealt with this dagger, I’ll explain everything,” Bertrand said.
Alex hesitated for a moment, then nodded, ready to destroy the dagger immediately.
However, at that moment, Angel stepped forward and took the dagger from Alex’s hands: “This dagger is steeped in a great amount of deathly essence. It’s harmful to the living but can also damage the ghosts. It would be a waste to destroy it.”
As Angel spoke, he waved his hand, and it was as if a coating enveloped the dagger. The previously abundant essence of death vanished, leaving the dagger simple and unadorned.
Angel handed a transformed dagger to Alex: “This dagger can harm ghosts. I thought it might be of some use to you. The aura it carries is concealed by an illusion spell I’ve cast. The spell is powered by the deathly energy within the dagger; as long as that energy exists, the illusion won’t dissipate.”
Accepting the refurbished dagger, Alex no longer felt the chill he had before. Moreover, the dagger remained concealed when not in use, thanks to the illusion spell. It would only reveal a faint phantom image when wielded.
Knowing that ghosts existed in this cage-like environment made this dagger significantly important for his future.
With that in mind, Alex solemnly thanked Angel, “Thank you.”
Once the dagger’s aura was concealed, Bertrand also sighed in relief.
He glanced at Angel, who had revealed himself: “Were you the one talking to Alex on the watchtower last night?”
Angel nodded.
“I’ve never seen you in Ghust Town. Who are you?” Bertrand asked, puzzled. In a world as closed off as this, an outlier like Angel was perplexing.
“Forced to disembark before my train reached its destination for some reason… I’m just a hurried passerby” Angel replied.
His answer didn’t convince Bertrand, who wasn’t sure whether to reveal the truth, especially in front of such an enigmatic individual.
However, Alex made no move to stop the conversation. Clearly, he had no reservations about Angel. Plus, Bertrand had been saved by Angel himself. Considering this, Bertrand decided to ignore Angel’s presence and began to unfold the truth——
“Your suspicions are correct; Ghust Town is not a complete world. It’s a small, constructed space-time. Perhaps calling it a cage would more profoundly express its nature, as we are all caged birds here…”
In truth, Bertrand’s understanding of what lies beyond this cage was limited. All he knew came from fragments of memories.
“This memory, I once believed it was my ultimate truth, unaware that it didn’t belong to me. It wasn’t until one day, while praying to the Father God, that doubt began to sprout in me like a seed, growing slowly, challenging the beliefs I had held so firmly.”
“Thus, I began to introspect, meticulously dissecting each recollection, and ultimately ascertained that this memory didn’t belong to me. Rather, it was planted in my mind by some enigmatic and powerful entity from beyond this cage of existence.”
“From that day forward, I went into hiding and served the Father God with even greater devotion.”
“I thought my life would continue in this manner until you, Alex, floated down the river into Ghust Town.”
Alex was puzzled by Bertrand’s words, “What is that memory, and how did my arrival change anything?”
Bertrand was silent for a long moment, seemingly contemplating whether to reveal more. Seeing Alex’s steadfast gaze, and recalling how Alex had acted when he thought Bertrand had died, he finally sighed, “That memory, foreign to me, was rather extensive. Stripped of the intricate information about this cage, its core message was simple.”
“Kill all outsiders.”
Alex’s pupils constricted, “You mean to say the Father God’s intention is…”
Bertrand nodded, “Yes, that memory urged me to kill outsiders. Like you.”
A hint of surprise flashed in Alex’s eyes; he had always considered himself a passive observer of this situation, never suspecting that he was actually an integral participant in it.
Angel, who had been listening, wasn’t too shocked. He had initially observed that Alex was entirely different from everyone else here — not just in dialect or way of thinking, but even in the sheer brilliance of his aura that seemed so incongruent with the surroundings. Angel had suspected from the beginning that the very existence of this cage might be specifically tied to Alex.”
The facts indicate that this is indeed the case. However, what Angel didn’t anticipate was that the cage’s existence was intended to kill Alex.
Nevertheless, Alex is still alive and well, indicating that Bertrand has not done so.
“When I saw you drifting with the current, I knew that my mission, my purpose for existing, was to kill you,” Bertrand lowered his head. “Maybe it’s due to a momentary psychological rebellion, or perhaps, your white hair reminded me of the Father God… I know how terrifying death is, yet I’m supposed to kill you because of memories that are not my own. I can’t do it.”
So Bertrand not only spared Alex’s life but also adopted him.
However, that fragment of memory, not belonging to Bertrand, constantly reminds him to kill Alex.
To keep himself from acting rashly, Bertrand is constantly nurturing Alex in reciting the Holy Scriptures. Only when Alex is reciting them does Bertrand feel that he is an envoy of the Father God, under the aegis of His name. He cannot kill Alex in defiance of the Father God.
In short, Bertrand is using his religious faith to combat that fragment of memory.
What Bertrand believes in most is the Father God. To refrain from killing Alex, he has simply nurtured Alex into becoming a ‘Father God.’
“I know you disdain the Holy Scriptures, but I hope you read them, not just to educate you but also to redeem myself,” said Bertrand.
“With your increasingly precise understanding of the Holy Scriptures, the urge to kill within me has genuinely subsided. I thought I had conquered that foreign memory. I thought this way of life would continue indefinitely until, a century from now, I pass on the Church of Kruja to you for generational inheritance. What I didn’t expect was…”
“Lady Connie managed to escape her murder at this time.”
Alex responded, “I was only trying to find the hidden truth of Ghust Town through Lady Connie. What does that have to do with this? And who is she?”
Bertrand did not immediately respond to Alec’s words, but calmly continued, “The tranquility of Ghust Town, I understand, is perched upon a perilous equilibrium. For the powerful being who constructed this cage never intended it to be a utopia.”
“The essence of this cage is chaos, bloodshed, and slaughter… and it serves to keep all newcomers confined within this arena of turmoil.”
“It is precisely because I understand the purpose of this cage that I have been striving to maintain this fragile balance, which includes taking you in and educating you through sacred teachings. My hope is that you would refrain from tipping this precarious scale.”
“However, you are an outsider, and your perspectives have never been confined within this diminutive cage. Your curiosity and thirst for the truth have ultimately dislodged this fragile equilibrium.”
“Lady Connie’s disappearance has granted her an opportunity to turn this cage into a battlefield.”
Bertrand looked towards the distant horizon; the Viscount’s mansion still echoed with cries.
“Killer instincts have awakened. Even if Lady Connie returns, perhaps nothing would change. This cage, in the end, is destined to transform into a quagmire of ghosts… perhaps this is a return to its original state.”
In Bertrand’s eyes lay a sense of disillusionment and despair. Witnessing the collapse of the balance, and the world falling apart, his inner turmoil was palpable.
In Angel’s view, Bertrand appeared like a marionette in a theatrical play — a puppet who had achieved enlightenment due to certain unique circumstances. He realized that he was a marionette, and that his actions were not of his own volition but rather orchestrated by puppeteers.
Thus, the puppet began to rebel, striving to break free from the strings that controlled him.
Perhaps there was a moment when he truly broke free.
However, he forgot that the strings were merely a means; he still remained on the stage. As long as the other actors continue their roles, he could never truly escape this theatrical play.
Such is the essence of powerlessness.
After some time lost in his reflections, Bertrand finally snapped back to reality and spoke of the most critical matters — The Space of the Dead within the cage, as well as “her.”