Translator: SumTLMan
“Just the mention of Daus gets your blood boiling, doesn’t it?” Angel whispered softly: “I have a feeling this exploration could spell big trouble.”
Black Count: “……” What do you mean just hearing ‘Daus’ gets your blood boiling? Why does that statement feel a bit odd…
Angel: “How about we shelf this exploration and revisit it next time?”
Angel said this, but his eyes were fixed on the Black Count’s… nostrils.
Black Count could clearly see through Angel’s ploy; it was just because he thought the information was too scant, which is why he said that. If he really wanted to shelve it, he would have done so at the Sandworm Market, not wait until they got to Bylron Tree Court.
Black Count snorted coldly and said: “Although I despise Sanders, there’s one thing I appreciate about him. He talks straight, not like Rhine who makes you guess his meaning. You better not follow in Rhine’s footsteps, or I’d slap you if my hand was here.”
Though Black Count’s words were harsh, they were just that, words. Even without his hand here, it wouldn’t be hard for him to strike Angel.
Angel didn’t take Black Count’s harsh words to heart and smiled, saying: “I just think, since you’re also fired up, it must mean this adventure holds some unspeakable mysteries, and the more mysterious something is, the more unpredictable it becomes. One wrong move and the whole team could be wiped out. For the safety of the entire team, if you know something else, sharing it could at least increase our survival chances.”
Black Count: “You’re hiding half your answer, why should I reveal everything?”
Angel: “The things I’m hiding are just things my mentor forbade me from sharing. But I can tell you, I only know a vague location related to the key; I have no idea what we’ll encounter along the way or what awaits us at the destination.”
“And besides, can’t you just contact my mentor? Let him tell you the rest.”
Black Count took a deep breath, confirming there was no lie in what Angel had just said, and also guessing that what Angel was hiding likely pertained to the Nightmare Plane. After thinking it over, Black Count finally said: “Something that stirs my bloodline suggests that there might be a high-ranking mystery there. Whether it’s strange creatures or some sort of bizarre phenomenon, we’ll only know once we get there.”
Hearing this, Angel seemed to have an idea; maybe Black Count didn’t know about Augustin? His actions were still following the pattern Rhine described.
Pretending to be in deep thought, Angel then said: “How do you define ‘strange,’ Lord?”
Black Count: “Untraceable origins, illogical balance, elusive, that’s what makes something strange.”
“It sounds a lot like the Mysterious Object.”
Black Count: “Why can’t the strange also not be a Mysterious Object? Perhaps, the strangeness there is a Mysterious Object.”
“If the strangeness is created by a Mysterious Object, then I really need to think about whether I should go or not,” Angel said earnestly. If it’s truly a Mysterious Object, even with Eremy present, he might still face disaster. Just think about the Mysterious Fruit created by Number 03; even Gruz De Weld’s split consciousness couldn’t withstand it, what could he possibly use to confront it directly?
Black Count sensed Angel’s hesitation and added: “It’s unlikely. If there really was a Mysterious Object, my blood would boil from such a distance, and its mysterious aura would have spread far and wide by now. Why would it wait for you to come exploring?”
“That’s true. However, there is a type of Mysterious Object that specifically targets those who perceive its existence. Have you ever heard of the Bud?” The Bud does not actively release a mysterious aura, but the moment you recite that phrase, no matter where you are, you will be pulled into the Rhythm of the Bud.
“How could I not know about the Bud? Recently, Rhine even invited me to deal with the Bud’s followers in the Savage Grottoes, but I was too lazy to go. It should be happening during these days; I expect the Paramjit Plateau to be quite lively now.” Black Count made an offhand remark, then returned to the main point: “The type of Mysterious Object you mentioned does exist, but my intuition tells me that’s not it.”
Black Count’s words plunged Angel into a deep silence.
Angel was more concerned about what Black Count said earlier than the main topic he later mentioned.
He now understood why Tree Spirit had assigned him the task, why Rhine had been so busy lately, and why Granny had said Rhine invited old friends to gather… Everything made sense because the followers of the Bud had appeared on the Paramjit Plateau.
And undoubtedly, the followers of the Bud were after Angel.
People hid this from Angel, assigning him elsewhere, probably out of kindness… but Angel felt it was somewhat superfluous; they could have just told him, as he would have avoided it knowing the truth.
Having read the —Culuoli Chronicles—, and heard Frost’s descriptions, Angel had long understood a principle: it’s best to stay away, far away, from those who would open the door of the Bud at a moment’s notice.
“What are you thinking about?” Black Count, seeing Angel silent, furrowed and then relaxed his brow, asked somewhat puzzled.
Angel snapped back: “Nothing much, I was just wondering if your intuition could be wrong.”
Hearing this, Black Count’s energy gathered again, and with a huge snort, it deafened Angel’s ears. Clearly, he felt that Angel’s remark was challenging his authority.
Angel quickly explained: “What I meant to say was, Daus’ spiritual perception is very strong, even potentially a talent. But even his intuition has been wrong; there might be some trick to it.”
“Does his inspiration compare to mine?”
“It naturally doesn’t compare to your true form.” Angel knew this remark was poignant, but he said it anyway, secure in the knowledge that with Eremy around, Black Count couldn’t kill him. Moreover, he had already contacted Rhine; knowing he was going to explore the ruins, as an old friend of Rhine’s, Black Count wouldn’t act against Angel.
“Even if I were just a nose, my intuition is stronger!” Black Count retorted bitterly.
This time, Angel didn’t continue to provoke Black Count, but he still thought that Daus’ spiritual perception and Black Count’s nose’s intuition, though incomparable, shouldn’t be too far apart.
But Daus had no intuition, while Black Count claimed he did, which gave Angel an idea, perhaps Black Count’s intuition came from the Noah lineage?
After all, that place might be related to Augustine, and Augustine was very likely from the Noah lineage.
That said, it seemed Black Count genuinely didn’t know the inside story.
With this reassurance, Angel felt somewhat relieved. If the Black Count knew the inside story, his true form would likely already be on its way. Whether the Black Count would still refrain from acting against him for Rhine’s sake was yet uncertain.
For now, even if the Black Count later discovered the truth, Angel had enough time to seek external help.
After all, Eremt was right behind him!
Considering this, Angel no longer deliberately contradicted but followed the Black Count’s words, saying: “Since you say so, I naturally believe it. However, to be on the safe side, I still need to make additional preparations.”
Now knowing what this “strangeness” could be, whether it was a Mysterious Object or not, Angel needed to prepare more. At least, be prepared enough so he could escape at the first sign of danger.
Hearing Angel’s thoughts, the Black Count scoffed: “Always thinking of running away at the first sign of trouble, I don’t know how Sanders taught you.”
Angel had already taken out various items, preparing to draw a portable magic formation. While taking out various items, he didn’t forget to reply to the Black Count: “I’m not very familiar with Mentor’s methods either, since I’ve only been his disciple for a few years, and he’s often away.”
Angel seemed to be following the Black Count’s words, but he deliberately emphasized the “years,” making his purpose very clear.
Angel was, after all, one of the fastest-advanced wizards in a millennium, and a member of the Research Institute, proficient in enchantment and alchemy.
Thinking this, the Black Count was somewhat choked up.
His descendants, his apprentices, none could compare to Angel. Even among his apprentices, one hadn’t advanced yet, holding his left ear in Genoa, not moving for nearly two hundred years. Fortunately, this lazy apprentice had joined the —City Firefly’s Night Whisper— journal publication, which broadened his horizons and was somewhat useful.
After setting up all his tools, Angel turned to look out the window of the tree house, where the sunlight was just right.
While the Black Count wondered what Angel was doing, he heard Angel’s sentiment:
“I wonder how Daus and Vai are getting along; I’m really envious that they can still enjoy it. Speaking of Vai, he looks really young, full of youthful vibe, not me, not many people call me young anymore. The last time I heard that, it was from a jerk named Cassini, who called me that. Sigh…”
Black Count: “……” Don’t think he didn’t know who Cassini was, he had met him too, none other than the Time Thief!
Black Count: “I won’t comment on the other stuff, but I agree, Cassini is a jerk.”
Angel smiled and said: “However, he’s the only one who saw me as young.”
Black Count: “…… Are you never going to end this?”
Pretending to be oblivious, Angel shrugged, and the Black Count, with a deep sigh, flew directly out of the window, his voice carrying back: “I really hate the people of the Phantom Island lineage.”
Who he was speaking to was clear. Angel, however, didn’t mind and shrugged it off. With the Black Count gone, he could quietly make his preparations.
The spotted tree shadows turned from bright to a reddish glow and finally darkened completely. Only the flickering candlelight remained in the tree house.
The candle burned continuously until the sunrise, when it was extinguished by Angel.
Angel snuffed out the candle, stretched lazily, and then proceeded to check the newly crafted Formation Disc.
After confirming there were no errors, Angel stepped on the ground, and Eremy slowly emerged from the shadows.
Angel tossed the Formation Disc to Eremy; it was a disk designed to forcefully open a planar passage and also stabilize the space, which increased the success rate of forcefully activating the planar passage by at least sixty percent. Moreover, it reduced the time it took to generate the planar passage, making escape more efficient.
However, when exploring and encountering danger, it might be a bit slower for him to activate it himself; it seemed better to leave it to Eremy.
Eremy had never made a mistake in judging the timing. Angel believed that Eremy would definitely use it at the most critical moment.
After handing over the Formation Disc, Eremy did not immediately sink back into the shadows; instead, a flower emitting a faint blue glow slowly grew on its head, and waves of fluctuations emitted from the flower.
Angel sensed it for a moment and realized that Eremy seemed to be making an inquiry.
The inquiry was simple; it was asking Angel how to handle Number x0, whom Angel had encountered in the Snoke Base. This person, who had become semi-mechanical, was of great research value, so Angel had Eremy drag him into the shadows.
This was something Angel did quite often; when he encountered interesting things that his bracelet couldn’t store, he would hand them over to Eremy.
But Eremy had never asked questions before, and this time it actually asked.
Angel carefully sensed it again and discovered that inside Eremy, number Number x0 kept repeating: “Error in the program, current location unknown, beginning guidance search.”
Then after a cycle, it said: “Guidance error, reinitiating guidance search.”
It just kept repeating this, without ever stopping.
Perhaps Eremy was also tired of hearing this, so it asked Angel how to deal with Number x0.
After understanding the situation, Angel comforted Eremy and handed it a rune scroll that silenced noises, telling it to use it on Number x0 first.
Then, Angel placed a modified scouting puppet, capable of recording images for a long time, into Eremy’s shadow.
More curious about the changes in Eremy than dealing with Number x0, Angel wondered what had happened to Eremy recently, suspecting that there might be a problem with the Seed of Distortion.
Thus, he threw the scouting puppet into the shadows to decide to observe the changes in Eremy.
After doing all this, Angel sat at the desk contemplating for a moment, then entered the Wilderness of Dreams and left a message for Rhine using the Tree Group, briefly describing the changes in Eremy.
He didn’t know whether this was good or bad, but perhaps Rhine could offer him some guidance.
Angel only asked about Eremy’s matter and then logged off. As for the Bud’s followers, Angel did not mention them; since he did not want him to know, he pretended to be unaware. After all, there was no harm to him.
After logging off, Angel stepped out of the treehouse.
It wasn’t long before Daus, Vai, and others, sensing Angel’s presence, came over as well.
Daus was about to greet Angel when suddenly the stone tablet on Vai spoke:
“Are you already prepared to desert at any moment?”
The Black Count’s nose was talking!
Daus, Kael, and even Vai looked at the stone slab with astonishment.
As the three turned into statues in stunned silence, Angel chuckled and said: “If having a backup plan in case of danger is called deserting, then I suppose we are all deserters here.”