"Uh…" Edward was momentarily at a loss. "Actually, I spent almost the entire one hundred and ninety years asleep. It doesn't really count as living through them. Psychologically, I'm no different from when we last parted."
"That's true~" Audrey nodded lightly. Her gaze shifted to Lilith. "But Lilith…she truly waited for you for a very, very long time…"
Lilith immediately crossed her arms and huffed. "Audrey, it's very rude to casually discuss a lady's age, you know~"
She then placed her hands on her hips and declared solemnly, "Miss Lilith will forever be the Lilith who never grows up. Physically and mentally, I'm exactly the same as before—"
Before she could finish, Audrey had already wrapped her into a gentle embrace, rubbing her cheek softly against Lilith's silky black hair. "Lilith…you really worked hard."
Lilith tilted her head up with a bright, crescent-moon smile. "Not hard at all~ Not one bit!" She reached out, taking Edward's hand with one of hers and Audrey's with the other. With genuine earnestness, she said, "Everything was worth it."
At that moment, Susie stepped through the doorway—only for her paw to freeze midair.
I shouldn't be here. I should definitely be somewhere else.
I…think I am the extra here.
———
Feynapotter City
Roselle and Bernadette walked side by side on the road toward the cathedral—They had not gone straight there because neither father nor daughter had mentally prepared themselves to face the news that their wife (mother) was still alive.
For years, Bernadette had obsessed over finding her father, and had seemingly paid far less attention to her mother. Not because she didn't care about Matilda, but because—as far as she knew—an ordinary human would naturally die of old age, whereas her father, after becoming a demigod, possessed a long lifespan.
Then came her father's sudden death by assassination late in life, Mr. Sparrow's inexplicable disappearance, and a series of suspicious signs that suggested her father may not have truly died.
Thus she kept searching.
But learning now—so abruptly—that her mother was still alive stirred an overwhelming mix of emotions. She was eager to see her, yet also heavy with guilt.
Roselle's state of mind was not much different. During his century-long "postmortem" years in the mausoleum, the only one he deeply missed had been his beloved daughter Bernadette. As for his two sons and his wife…they rarely crossed his mind.
As they walked down the street, Roselle recounted to Bernadette everything that had happened "after his death."
"It was actually simple," he said. "After learning information about the future, I began preparing in advance with Klein—well, with Edward's avatar. On one hand, I followed what was required of me in the established 'history.' On the other hand, I was laying groundwork for today's resurrection."
Roselle's expression remained calm as he continued, "In the predetermined 'history,' after being corrupted and contaminated by an Outer Deity, I forcefully ascended to the Black Emperor. But to avoid becoming a puppet controlled by an Outer God, I chose not to revive, instead remaining in the last mausoleum to wait for an opportunity."
Bernadette's eyes sharpened. "Contaminated…by an Outer God?"
"Yes. And by the strongest among Them—the Mother Goddess of Depravity."
"…You really were contaminated?"
"That's right. Since it was the 'destined' outcome, I went along with it even though it was infuriating. Of course, that was also part of the deception meant for Adam to see."
He sighed. "And so the years that followed, I was trapped in that damned place, mired in chaos and madness. It wasn't until Edward helped me—over nearly a century—that I finally purged the Mother Goddess's corruption bit by bit."
They stopped walking.
"Until today."
Roselle stared ahead at the massive Church of Earth Mother.
"Grimm, Edwards, William, and Uncle Poli—what became of them?" Bernadette asked softly.
"All dead," Roselle said with a sigh. "They spent all their time building a generational town of 'Black Emperor' subjects to support my resurrection ritual. Because of that, none of them reached demigodhood. Everything they did…was for today. Unfortunately, none of them could live to witness my return."
A faint sorrow flickered in Bernadette's eyes. She then asked, "Then…what about Mr. Dubois?"
Roselle's moustache twitched. "Him? Who knows. The rascal's luck was always absurdly good. Last time I saw him, he'd already reached Sequence 4. Maybe he's dead now, or maybe he's off seducing some noble lady somewhere."
"…"
Bernadette suddenly stopped, staring ahead in a daze. "I think…I may know where he is now."
Roselle immediately followed her gaze—and saw them.
At the entrance of the Earth Mother's cathedral stood a handsome, short-bearded middle-aged man wearing a bishop's robe, arms folded over a thick scripture, expression calm—as though he had been waiting a long time.
Beside him…
Was a familiar yet unfamiliar figure—
Matilda, as she had been in her youth.
"Mama!"
Bernadette dashed forward before Roselle could react, leaping into Matilda's arms just as she had more than a century ago—as if she had never grown up.
Matilda held her gently, smiling with warm tenderness, patting the daughter who now stood taller than she did. Yet her gaze drifted past Bernadette—toward her husband.
For a brief moment, husband and wife locked eyes.
Then Matilda spoke, in the same gentle tone she had repeated countless times in the past:
"Welcome home."
———
After Zaratul was erased by the Eraser Angel, Suah fled immediately, leaving only Klein standing there, staring blankly at the mysterious lady.
He snapped out of it after a moment. Regardless of whether she was merely a historical projection, he bowed respectfully and said, "Thank you, my lady. Thank you for helping me once again."
The Eraser Angel gazed at Klein quietly. Her originally dull, vacant eyes suddenly glimmered with a trace of liveliness. Then the corners of Her lips curved into a faint smile—
And She herself slowly faded away, being wiped out piece by piece.
"…"
As expected of these great figures—they could shift their consciousness into historical projections whenever they wished.
But…what did that smile at the end mean?
Was it simply goodwill?
So why did he suddenly feel a bad premonition?
This was a Seer Pathway Sequence 3 premonition...wait, had he fallen back to Sequence 4 already?
Klein immediately thought of the rampaging marionette. Questions flooded his mind: What exactly was it? Why did it lose control? How was it able to use such absurd abilities that temporarily boosted me to Sequence 3? Where did it go afterwards?
"…This marionette was given to me by Miss Empress on Edward's behalf. Edward must know the truth. But now he's missing again."
Thinking this, Klein flicked out a gold coin. His divination result showed that the marionette would bring him more benefit than harm—But since the divination wasn't performed above the grey fog, he couldn't trust that result completely.
Let's go to the mausoleum first, he decided, then return above the grey fog for a proper divination.
He cast another divination for guidance, then sprinted straight toward the secret mausoleum downstream. For safety, he performed several more divinations along the way.
When he finally returned to the site, he found the place eerily silent.
His earlier battle with Zaratul had been extremely loud. If anyone had been inside, it would've been impossible for them not to react.
That meant either this was a decoy mausoleum meant to attract trouble…or everyone inside had already fled.
He hesitated briefly—should he enter and investigate?
Before he could decide, multiple voices began praying to him from different directions within his ears.
Klein froze.
Did something happen?
He quickly tossed out a coin to confirm that entering the mausoleum was safe, then rushed inside.
Moments later, he came back out—expression grim.
The entire massive mausoleum was filled only with corpses. Nothing else remained.
Could it be that Lady Strength succeeded?
At that thought, Klein hurriedly took out the leather pouch Lilith had given him, found a secluded corner, and slipped inside. Then he walked counterclockwise four steps and ascended to the world above the grey fog.
There, several deep-crimson stars were pulsing and expanding amid the boundless fog.
As Klein infused spirituality into them one by one, Miss Justice, Miss Judgment, Miss Magician, Miss Death, Miss Empress, and Leonard established their connections.
"Praise the Fool! Thank you for eliminating George III."
"Mr. Fool, your judgment is wise and divine."
"Praise the Fool!"
"Thank you, Mr. Fool, for pulling George III down from the altar."
"Mr. F-Fool, were you…the one who killed George III?"
—Leonard's trembling voice.
Klein was stunned.
George III…is dead?!
When did he die?
How did he die?
Who did it?
Was it…me?!
Yes, he had wanted to contribute something.
But from the beginning, he had been hunted by Zaratul and Suah. If he hadn't summoned the Eraser Angel's historical projection, he might have already become one of Zaratul's marionettes.
So George III's death definitely had nothing to do with him.
For a moment, Klein even wondered whether there existed another powerful "Mr. Fool" in this world besides him.
After a long silence, Klein disconnected the links one by one. He responded to none of their flattery, cultivating an ambiguous attitude—neither admitting nor denying anything.
Then he manifested parchment and a steel pen, quickly writing:
"The out-of-control Apprentice Pathway marionette poses danger to me!"
The yellow crystal above began spinning rapidly counterclockwise.
Meaning not only is it not dangerous—it's beneficial?
Klein thought for a moment, then wrote another divination sentence:
"The cause of the marionette's loss of control."
He relaxed backwards and entered a dream.
Within that hazy, illusory dream, darkness came first. Then endless gray-white fog surged in from all directions. His vision zoomed rapidly, and he vaguely saw glowing shapes in the distance—faint silhouettes, outlines…
"That's—"
Klein's heart leapt violently. His mind went numb.
In the dreamscape appeared the very light gate on the steps of light he had visited not long ago—
And the countless hanging "cocoons."
Crack!
The dream abruptly shattered.
Klein opened his eyes sharply, utterly shocked.
The marionette's loss of control…is connected to those cocoons that broke open right under my nose?!
He instinctively wanted to divine the cocoon again—
Only to remember that he had already attempted it earlier, and had gained absolutely nothing.
A wave of intense danger washed over him.
The grey fog—the very foundation of his survival and his "cheat" in this world—Suddenly felt like it might not be entirely safe anymore.
———
[Note]: Don't forget to VOTE. It keeps me motivated.