Liveseyd?
Edward quickly reacted—wasn't that the so-called City of Miracles, the one from Groselle's Travels?
But before coming here, out of caution, he'd deliberately left that book at home—yet this dragon could still smell Liveseyd on him?
Shaking his head, Edward said, "I'm sorry, I don't know what Liveseyd is. May I ask who you are? And what exactly happened to Anna?"
The massive, grey-white dragon rumbled:
"I am Ariehogg, one of the last three surviving ancient dragons. Liveseyd is a floating City of Miracles, first discovered by the dragon race, later vanishing after the fall of the Dragon King."
It really was him!
"As for Anna…I merely guided her in recovering the power that should have been hers from the start."
Ariehogg continued, "She's a strange one. Her blood clearly carries the essence of a Mind Dragon, yet she's incredibly fragile—nothing like what a dragon should be."
Both Edward and Audrey were stunned.
A fire dragon from the Harry Potter world…has the bloodline of a Mind Dragon? How is that even possible?
"I tried to trace the source of this power, to find out why her state was so abnormal—but I failed," Ariehogg said as he turned to them. "You brought her here. Do you know her origin?"
Edward was surprised. "She…didn't tell you?"
"No."
Ariehogg shook his head. "Part of her memory has been concealed."
Good job, Goddess!
Audrey silently berated herself—Audrey, you almost messed up again! You knew Anna came from another world, and you still thoughtlessly agreed to let her stay here? What if someone found out Edward's secret? I could've gotten him killed!
Edward paused, then said, "We found Anna on an unknown mysterious island—an island filled with various extraordinary creatures. She was just one of them. Oh, there was also a chapel made entirely of bones."
He was referring to that nameless island—the one associated with the Russian priest.
Ariehogg didn't question his story. Instead, he muttered, "So it was "Him"…that explains it."
Explains what? Edward was utterly confused, desperate to know what conclusions Ariehogg had just jumped to.
Moments later, the great dragon rumbled again, "I need your help with something."
Edward quickly said, "Your Excellency, we're just two mid-sequence nobodies—we couldn't possibly…"
"The reward is the formulas for Sequence 6 through Sequence 4 of the Spectator Pathway."
Edward immediately bowed. "Please, speak."
Ariehogg's nostrils flared slightly. "If you ever gain the chance to enter Liveseyd…bring Anna with you."
"What?"
Edward was stunned. He hesitated before asking, "May I ask why?"
"I don't know."
The dragon's golden slit pupils flickered with confusion. "It's…a premonition. One that tells me it will benefit me."
Shit!
If Ariehogg really was—as many online speculated—a contingency plan for the Dragon of Imagination's resurrection, what's beneficial for him might be bad news for the Russian priest.
Even though the priest had done some shady and repulsive things in his quest for godhood, once ascended, he genuinely wanted to help Earth resist the Outer Gods. He really showed up when needed.
If bringing Anna to Liveseyd ruins his plan…Earth might lose a major defender in the future.
Edward asked, "But…if the City of Miracles has vanished, how are we supposed to even find it?"
Ariehogg glanced at him. "Once you bring her there, I'll provide you with the formulas for Sequence 3 through Sequence 1."
Right. Lying in front of a Sequence 2 Spectator Pathway angel was just…dumb.
Edward could only nod and agree—so far, this dragon, likely a Sequence 2 angel, had been polite and cooperative. No reason to pick a fight.
"Thank you."
At that moment, Ariehogg spread his wings, summoning a powerful gale—though neither Edward nor Audrey felt even a breeze.
He took to the sky, golden eyes gazing down on them. "I look forward to our next meeting."
"Wait—!"
Edward called out, "Is this place part of the Sea of Collective Subconscious?"
"Yes."
"Would you consider it a world of its own—distinct from reality and the spirit world?"
Ariehogg calmly replied, "It counts."
"Great. One moment."
Edward dove down on his broomstick, heading for the subconscious version of Hartlarkh Village. There, he activated his spirituality to set a new coordinate point.
Minutes later, he felt the feedback ripple through his senses—and a wide grin spread across his face: Success! The final coordinate is in place!
"How did it go?" Audrey asked with concern.
"Done!"
She lit up. "That's wonderful!"
High above, Ariehogg suddenly called, "Time to leave!"
In the next moment, the world around them began to blur and peel away like paper. Then, a flicker of light flashed across their vision.
The next thing they knew, all three—Edward, Audrey, and Lilith—were awake again, back in the forest, standing beside the suitcase.
At the same time, everything in the Sea of Collective Subconscious began to collapse.
And within that collapse, an old man appeared out of nowhere—his hair pure white, yet thick, with a wrinkle-light face and utterly unremarkable features.
He looked around at the disintegrating dream world and sighed helplessly.
"Ah…missed them again."
———
Forest edge, near Hartlarkh Village.
The two were still reeling from what had just happened.
Especially Edward. He'd gone in overthinking the last coordinate—was even preparing to risk the Abyss—only to have it resolved just like that.
So now… all he needed for Sequence 5 was a Shepherd's Beyonder characteristic and some Shadowless Demonic Wolf's blood?
Unbelievable. Absolutely incredible.
"By the way!"
At that moment, Edward suddenly recalled something and said, "Wait, didn't that Mind Dragon say they'd give us the formulas?"
Audrey's emerald eyes shimmered. "He already left them in my mind."
Sequence 6 – Hypnotist:
Main Ingredients:Pituitary Gland of an adolescent Mind Dragon, or 60ml of a Black-hunting Giant Lizard's spinal fluid; The fruit of an Illusory Chime Tree.
Auxiliary Ingredients:50ml of blood from either an adolescent Mind Dragon or a Black-hunting Giant Lizard; 20g of sap from an Illusory Chime Tree; 15g of Mind Crystal.
Sequence 5 – Dreamwalker:
Main Ingredients:One heart of a Dreamcatcher, one Mind Illusion Crystal, or the entire brain of an adult Mind Dragon.
Auxiliary Ingredients:70ml of adult Mind Dragon blood, 30ml of bodily fluid from a Dreamcatcher.
Ritual:Seek out a harpy in the Spirit World and sign a contract with it. Then, holding one tail feather, consume the potion amidst intense feelings of either joy or anger.
Sequence 4 – Manipulator:
Main Ingredients:Entire brain of an elderly Mind Dragon, or the Crystalline heart of a Tree Mentor, or the Beyonder characteristic of a Sequence 4 Manipulator.
Auxiliary Ingredients:80ml of elderly Mind Dragon blood; three golden leaves from a Tree Mentor; 7 different drops of tears from different humans or non-human creatures that were shed due to intense emotion.
Ritual:In the middle of a grand event with at least 10,000 people, resonate with their emotions, then take the potion..
After reciting the formulas, Audrey looked slightly dazed.
Edward asked, "What's wrong? You got the formulas—why don't you look happy?"
"It's just…too sudden."
She furrowed her brows and said, "Have you noticed? Every formula from Sequence 6 to Sequence 4 involves Mind Dragons. But these formulas…came from a Mind Dragon. It's as if…"
"He doesn't care in the slightest," she said, voice chilling. "If a human behaved like this, it'd be terrifying."
Edward froze. Pituitary gland of an adolescent mind dragon…blood of an adult mind dragon…entire brain of an elderly mind dragon…Yeah, that was disturbing.
Maybe it was because Ariehogg was from the age of the ancient gods—an era steeped in madness and brutality. Cannibalism and fratricide were just part of life. So maybe that's why he was indifferent to using Mind Dragons as ingredients?
But if so…then why was he so fixated on Anna?
Why does he want me to bring her to Liveseyd? Could he have planted some backdoor trigger on her, waiting for the moment she enters Liveseyd to take her place?
And then…use her as a vessel to resurrect the Dragon of Imagination Ankewelt?
If so, then Anna…is the backup plan's backup plan.
This world really is just a giant matryoshka doll of schemes.
Just then, Lilith whispered, "Edward, let's go back. Miss Lilith doesn't like this place."
"Alright."
———
[Empress Borough—Edwards' rented villa]
Reality twisted sharply. Edward and Audrey reappeared in the living room.
Lilith immediately jumped from Edward's arms. "Miss Lilith was scared to death just now!"
"What happened?" Audrey asked.
Lilith whispered, "That big grey dragon just now…was so scary. I felt like it could gobble me up any second."
She shook her head, ears twitching from the memory.
Audrey asked, "That Mind Dragon mentioned Liveseyd—did you really not know about it?"
"I did," Edward admitted. "And I also know how to get there."
"Huh?"
Edward lifted the couch cushion and pulled out a small leather pouch, from which he took out Groselle's Travels.
"It's this. This book contains a world conjured entirely from imagination—and Liveseyd, the City of Miracles, is inside it."
Audrey's eyes lit up. "So that's why he said you carried Liveseyd's scent."
"Exactly."
"You've already entered it?"
"Not yet. There are still some issues I haven't resolved." Edward then gave her a full rundown on Groselle's Travels.
Audrey's face softened with sympathy. "That's cruel. They've been trapped inside for hundreds, maybe thousands of years…and just when they finally have a chance to escape, time itself threatens to erase them."
"But since you've set all four unique coordinates now, you don't have to enter it just yet."
Edward shook his head. "Not necessarily."
"Why not?"
"There are two ways to enter the book. One is active—by smearing blood or bodily fluid onto it. The other is passive—if you possess it long enough, you'll eventually be dragged in against your will."
He spread his hands. "And you know my Bookworm consumes abilities every two days."
Even though he now had the Black Emperor and Red Priest's Cards of Blasphemy, the two abilities he used the most—Theft and Prohibition—were both tied to Groselle's Travels.
"So if I disappear one day, chances are I got pulled into the book. In that case, gather two or three people, smear your blood on the cover, and come find me. Remember—you need enough people. Without them, you'll never reach the end."
Audrey nodded seriously. "Understood."
"Then…if it comes to that, should I really bring Anna with me?"
"That…" Edward said, "I'll need to consult someone."
Like the Evernight Goddess. Or Adam.
Adam, what do you think? Should I bring Anna into the book world?
He tilted his head back, gazing up at the ceiling.
Moments later, he chuckled softly.
No objections? Then I'll take that as a yes.
"By the way, don't forget to pray to Mr. Fool to help you acquire the materials for Sequence 6. I'll also commission a few people I know."
"Okay~" Audrey nodded. "Oh! Then should I even keep trying to join the Psychology Alchemists?"
Edward thought for a few seconds. "Don't rule it out yet. They have deep knowledge and experience in the Spectator pathway. Infiltrating them will be more of an asset than a risk."
She gave a charming smile. "Alright, I'll follow your lead~"
———
[Note]: 170 Powerstones for an Extra Chapter tomorrow! Go, VOTE~
And if you are like me and want to read 40 Chapters in advance of the current story right now, you can support me on my Patreon. Thank me later~
Link - (P)atre(o)n.c(o)m/ Iseeblack [Remove the brackets]