Chapter 406 Returning to the Garden <TOC> Chapter 408 Choir Selection
Translator: SumTLMan
The High Priest bowed his head and whispered: “You flatter me.”
“I promised you before that if what you said was true, I would owe you a favor.” Angel paused and looked at the High Priest: “If you have any requests, you can make them now, as long as I can fulfill them.”
Since he had made a promise, Angel did not intend to break it.
The High Priest, however, remained silent for a long time, his thoughts racing through countless possibilities, and finally, he sighed deeply: “For a thousand years, the ones I feel most guilty about are my people. I don’t know if my request can be fulfilled, but I have no other choice.”
“What do you mean?” Angel looked at the High Priest, who trembled and knelt before him.
The High Priest performed a long kowtow: “I hope, Lord, that you can save our tribe.”
Although Angel had roughly guessed the High Priest’s idea before he said it, he still didn’t know how to react when the words were actually spoken.
Save a tribe? The concept was too broad. He didn’t know to what extent the High Priest needed him to do, and if the scope included the entire Kulakuka tribe, he could not afford it with his current strength.
Seeing that Angel remained silent for a long time, the High Priest knew that it was impossible for him to save the entire tribe. He sighed secretly in his heart and said his second sentence: “As long as you can guarantee that our tribe will not be wiped out, I will be deeply grateful.”
This was the lowest limit he had set in his mind.
“In fact, staying in the Living Soul Garden, you basically don’t have the disaster of extinction.” Angel calmly stated.
The High Priest shook his head: “Being under someone’s control, one will always be inferior. I hope that the Kulakuka tribe, even if it’s just one branch, can have absolute freedom.”
“Is this the change you seek?”
“After you went to the Holy Castle, I thought about it for a long time. Our tribe has already fallen into a quagmire, and it is almost impossible to completely change. I have pondered for a long time, and the choice was made by ourselves in the beginning. Only I am still alive from that generation, so I have to take responsibility for this. I am not seeking a complete transformation, as that would be like slapping my own face. So, even if it’s just one branch of the tribe, if they can have freedom, I will be content.”
Angel fell silent. From the three Gao brothers freely traversing the three layers of the world, it can be seen that the Kulakuka tribe was not confined. They could leave the Living Soul Garden if they wanted to, but they were unwilling.
Therefore, the absolute freedom the High Priest requested was actually to have an independent branch of the Kulakuka tribe at the “bloodline” root, not affected by the magic formation drawn by Ciporak, and free to reproduce and thrive.
This request was still not easy to achieve.
Angel turned to look at Shadow and sent a message: “Gami, Gao, Gmiao, are they all in Sky Mechanical City?”
Shadow nodded: “Yes, the Kulakuka tribe possesses exceptional micro-carving skills, and my mentor greatly valued this craft, so he took in the three of them. However, he did not formally accept them as disciples; they were simply under my mentor’s name.”
“Do you know the issue with their bloodline?”
“My mentor once mentioned that their three brothers’ bloodlines were bound by a certain keystone; I didn’t understand it before, but now I roughly know that what the mentor was talking about should be the magic formation inscribed below Ciporak.” Shadow sighed and said to Angel: “The demand put forward by the High Priest seems not difficult. However, to solve it, you must start with the magic formation, but if you really tamper with the magic formation, it will definitely lead to a chain reaction.”
Angel understood Shadow’s words. Because no matter how far the Kulakuka brothers went, after their death, their souls would still be attracted back to Ciporak’s magic formation. This bond connected to their bloodlines, which could not be severed and did not allow true freedom.
“This request is not easy to fulfill; this old man is pushing his luck.” Shadow grumbled through the mental link.
Angel, however, replied: “Wouldn’t you want to grant the Gami brothers absolute freedom if you could?”
Shadow fell silent, and after a long time, he finally squeezed out: “Of course I would, but this is not a problem we can solve. This is a magic formation set up by a third-level true knowledge high wizard; who can now break the shackles of their bloodline? Unless…”
“Isabelle herself.” The two thought of this at the same time.
Angel lowered his eyes, and after a long while, he looked up at the High Priest. The High Priest was still kneeling on the ground, with more than half of his body already decayed. Not only were his arms trembling as he knelt, but sweat was also constantly seeping from his forehead.
“I…” Angel uttered the first syllable, paused for a long time before continuing: “I don’t know if I can fulfill the promise, but give me a week, and I’ll try.”
“If it really doesn’t work, when I return to my wizard organization, I will consult my mentor. If he has a solution, I will come back.”
Angel didn’t make an absolute promise, but hope still flickered in the High Priest’s eyes. He had struggled to survive for a thousand years, and what he was most concerned about was his own people. If one of his tribe could achieve absolute freedom, at least his heart would be at peace.
“Thank you, Lord.” The High Priest’s forehead touched the ground for a long time, and a puddle of water spread out from where he had kowtowed. It was unclear whether it was sweat or tears.
After a while, the High Priest stood up, wiped the tears from his face, and bowed devoutly: “Lord, now that you have returned, should the ceremony be held now?”
Angel nodded: “In one hour, in the Centennial Hall.”
Upon hearing this, the High Priest hurriedly withdrew, as there was not much time, and he had to rush back to the temple to prepare for everything.
After the High Priest left, Shadow said: “Are you really going to look for Isabelle? If you make this request, let alone whether she will agree or not. Once she does, the opportunity and compensation she promised you will probably be gone.”
“I never expected much to begin with, so it doesn’t matter if it’s there or not.” Angel’s attitude was quite relaxed. “What I fear the most is that he doesn’t make a request. The longer the favor is owed, the more it becomes a thorn in the heart. If he can make this request immediately, even if it’s difficult to achieve, I still think it’s good. At least, it can quickly clear the favor.”
Shadow pondered for a moment and also thought Angel was right. Wizards have such long lives that dealing with favors becomes more difficult as they grow more powerful. Now the High Priest’s request is merely to ensure the survival of the Kulakuka, but perhaps in the future, his request will be to protect the Kulakuka tribe or even to oppose Black Castle directly. By then, the debt of favor will be even more challenging to repay.
The two chatted for a while, and then there was a knock on the door outside the hall. The priest sought an audience.
Angel glanced at Shadow: “It’s up to you.”
Having said that, Angel concealed his figure. Shadow also hid and controlled Fiona to face the group of selected priests.
With Shadow puppeteering Fiona, her performance deceived all the priests, and after instructing them on a few trivial matters with vague words, Shadow had Fiona go upstairs, excusing herself due to discomfort.
The hall was left for the knights and craftsmen to set up the selection venue.
An hour later, the knights and craftsmen left, and a simple yet delicate stage showcasing master craftsmanship was set up in the open area of the hall.
Then, the High Priest led a choir of nearly a hundred people into the hall.
The priests lined up in a row, welcoming the High Priest with the grandest ceremony.
At the same time, Fiona came down from the second floor, looking listless and picked a seat. As her gaze swept over the choir, the women lowered their heads.
“High Priest, come here.” Fiona stretched out her hand, and a series of transparent threads formed a bridge, landing in front of the High Priest.
The priests looked at each other, as this kind of opening scene was a first for them. Moreover, the High Priest had always presided over the ceremonies from the mountaintop temple in the past, and they did not expect him to be invited to the side of the summoner today.
It was Shadow who brought the High Priest over, of course.
As soon as the High Priest sat down, an illusion was arranged in front of him. When he turned his head, he found Angel and Shadow sitting next to him.
“A single illusion can deceive their eyes, and they can’t see the specific situation here.” Angel explained to the High Priest and continued: “Where is the treasure you mentioned that can purify souls?”
The High Priest stretched out his hand, and visible white vapors began to emerge from his hand.
As the miraculous aura materialized, a small object appeared in the High Priest’s hand, which he gently tossed, causing it to grow larger and larger until it reached its normal size, floating in mid-air.
“Expandable and shrinkable?” Angel looked closely at the object: “At least it’s an entry-level alchemy item.”
This was a black disk made of an unknown material.
From its appearance, there was nothing special about it, and the disk was covered with a thick layer of coating, concealing many runes.
Angel wanted to reach out and touch it, but the High Priest said: “The relic bears the mark of the Queen, and apart from me, anyone who touches it will be sensed by Her Majesty.”
The queen he referred to was not Isabelle but her disciple Isabella, the current ruler of Black Castle.
Isabella had an unusual obsession with her mentor, not only changing her own name but also her title. However, the nickname “Dusk Queen” was something Isabella gave herself after Isabelle left the Wizarding World, which seemed to take advantage of Isabelle’s absence.
Angel withdrew his hand, as Isabella was too insane. If he touched this relic, she might return to Black Castle without any regard for the consequences, and who knew what changes would occur.
Since he couldn’t touch it directly, he could only observe it with his eyes.
There were no magic runes on the disk, and it seemed to be an “alchemy mixing” item. Unable to identify the material and having little research on alchemy mixing, Angel could not figure out its purpose for the time being.
However, as Angel carefully sensed it, he discovered a familiar subtle vibration on the disk.
It was very similar to the mysterious power he had manipulated not long ago.
He looked at Shadow, which also appeared to be pondering.
“It should be the Mysterious Object; I can sense a hint of the mysterious essence.” Shadow communicated through the mental link.
Angel hesitated for a moment and then nodded: “It should be, but the mysterious power is limited. If, as the High Priest said, this is a item that can combine two into one, then the true Mysterious Object might only be revealed after combining.”
Currently, just one half of the Mysterious Object contained about the same level of mysterious power as the revolver he had just crafted.
Since even this half of the Mysterious Object could “purify souls.” Angel began to wonder what kind of mysterious properties his crafted revolver would possess.
Chapter 406 Returning to the Garden <TOC> Chapter 408 Choir Selection