[Backlund, inside the luxurious villa of the Hall family]
After finally sending away Phoenix—who may or may not have been more concerned about the Resurrection Stone than him—Edward stepped out of the suitcase.
The moment he emerged, Audrey rushed into his arms, embracing him tightly as if using all the strength she had.
It had only been two or three days of separation, but for her, it felt unbearably long.
A deadly smog that claimed the lives of tens of thousands, her father being stabbed by her own brother before her very eyes, the enormous vertical eye looming above the Hall residence, Edward's sudden disappearance without a trace, and even Mr. Fool no longer responding to her prayers…
Everything had happened too quickly and too intensely, leaving her no room to breathe.
Audrey, who had changed from the once naïve young lady of the Hall family after meeting Edward, still hadn't become the war-forged demigod of the future.
Only upon seeing Edward appear again did the weight on her heart finally lift.
Edward gently patted her back.
"Sorry…I made you worry again."
Audrey shook her head hard. "It doesn't matter. You're safe—that's all that counts."
They didn't say much more—just quietly held each other.
After a few minutes, Lilith finally couldn't take it anymore. "Edward, Audrey, how long are you going to hug? Miss Lilith is hungry and wants food."
Audrey let go of Edward, a little embarrassed as she glanced at the damp patch on his chest—she hadn't really cried, but in that moment, a few tears had still escaped her eyes.
She reached out to pet Lilith, who was squatting on the table.
"Alright, I'll get something for you right away."
Edward sighed helplessly. "Didn't you just throw up? And now you're hungry again?"
Lilith immediately replied with utmost seriousness, "It's because my stomach is empty that I'm hungry!"
"Fine, fine—you're always right."
"Exactly!"
The two humans and one cat headed out of the room toward the dining hall. Along the way, Lilith looked around curiously.
"Huh? Where's Susie?"
"She's with Hibbert."
Audrey's pretty face darkened slightly. "With the help of the Church, Hibbert has been freed from hypnosis and mental suggestions. But…he's been wracked with guilt and has locked himself in his room."
"How's your father doing?"
"He's alright now."
As she spoke, Audrey pulled out the Resurrection Stone ring and handed it to Edward. "By the way, you left in such a rush back then, the ring was still on my father's hand."
After a slight pause, she asked hesitantly, "So…does that mean it's useless now?"
Edward took the ring, noticing that the gemstone had developed several fine cracks. When he put it back on, the first ability—[Resurrection]—was indeed marked as "Unavailable."
"It's not completely useless… just can't resurrect anyone anymore. But hey, that just means it served its purpose."
He smiled faintly. "Come on, let's not overthink things. Lilith's stomach is already growling."
"No it's not~!"
Once they entered the dining hall, Audrey raised her voice slightly. "Annie, prepare some food, please."
Annie, one of the few Hall family servants privy to the recent events, was especially respectful toward Edward. She hurried off to the kitchen, instructing the chefs to prepare everything at the highest standard.
Soon after, Lady Hall arrived as well, showering Edward with another round of heartfelt gratitude.
As for Earl Hall himself, he had yet to return.
The political scene in Loen had become wildly unstable in the past few days—practically shifting by the hour. As one of the few surviving powerhouses, Earl Hall had no choice but to step forward.
That said, having walked through the gates of death twice now, he had become incredibly cautious. Wherever he went, he had two Sequence 5 bodyguards by his side—even when using the bathroom.
And of course, he also carried a magically expanded bag enchanted by Audrey. Inside were emergency charms requested from the Church—usable even by ordinary people—as well as two Portkeys: one to teleport to the Church of the Evernight Goddess at Saint Samuel Cathedral, and another to return to the Hall residence.
All of this, Edward heard during the meal, while Audrey poked fun at her father for being too cautious—though it was clear how much the recent events had shaken them.
"Do you think it really was the Psychology Alchemists behind those assassinations of officials and nobles?" Audrey casually asked, gently stroking Lilith, who was gnawing aggressively on a steak.
"Given what you told me before, that they had been making early contact with various noble heirs…it's highly likely they were involved," Edward said thoughtfully. "But what I don't get is—why would the Psychology Alchemists do all this?"
'Let's not even talk about their cooperation with the royal family before this. Forget the political entanglements. And ignore that 'Russian Priest' has been setting the stage for the tide of times…But this is Backlund—the domain of the Goddess! Stirring up this much chaos is like shaking the anchor of the Evernight Goddess herself. Aren't they afraid "She'll" just smite them outright?"
Audrey sighed. "Father said yesterday that if Loen's government can't stabilise soon, the chaos may spill into the military. And once it touches the armed forces…"
She looked at Edward gravely. "He's worried Feysac will seize the opportunity to start a war with Loen."
Edward blinked, stunned. He muttered under his breath, "War…?"
Could that be why 'Russian Priest' hasn't intervened at all until now?
In the original novel, he had orchestrated so many things, laying down countless preparations, all to bring about the ultimate war that would follow the tide of the times.
And now…
Holy crap.
So that's what's happening?!
They always said Russian Priest's "Tide of Times" was a reflection of World War I. But the First World War hadn't been sparked by a single event—it was the result of years of policy changes, deepening internal conflicts between old and new powers, widening class divides, and escalating tensions between nations. At its root was the imbalance of political and economic development.
So if all those steps were skipped over entirely…wouldn't that be a problem?
Edward slapped his forehead.
Ugh, I'm being dumb. All those problems had already been festering in each country. The only thing missing was a spark to ignite the powder keg.
In fact, in the original storyline, the war broke out just a year later.
Damn…no wonder Medici is the embodiment of war.
"What are you thinking about?" Audrey looked at Edward, who had sunk deep into thought, curiosity written all over her face. "In the future you saw…was there a war?"
"Yes." Edward nodded. "The war broke out about a year from now. It started with an aerial assault—Feysac launching a surprise attack on Loen."
She froze.
"…So it really can't be avoided?"
"Most likely, no," Edward said. "Because this war isn't just about nations—it involves the gods themselves."
Audrey recalled what she had heard during the Tarot Club meeting. "Does it have something to do with someone in the Loen royal family trying to ascend to Sequence 0?"
"That's part of it," Edward replied. "But the matter touches on far deeper layers…I can't tell you just yet."
After all, it involved the scheming of the Evernight Goddess and the Russian Priest, not to mention the apocalypse and Outer Gods. It was far beyond what Audrey should know at this stage.
"What's your father planning to do?"
"He…doesn't seem to be putting all his chips on Loen," Audrey said. "He's already secured escape routes in Intis, Lenburg, and even the Southern Continent. If war does break out, he'll choose whichever path offers the best advantage."
Mhm…Just like in the original novel. A textbook merchant response. The only question was—would he still be stabbed in the back by his beloved "little princess" when the time came?
"Well, there's no point fretting over something like this. Let's focus on protecting ourselves first. Anyway, I've given my parents magical pouches enchanted with undetectable extension charms. Each of them has a Portkey to the Church of Evernight. If war really breaks out, they can hide inside and instantly teleport to the church."
Edward added, "And each of them also has a set of defensive charms!"
"Exactly!"
Audrey then straightened her expression and said, "Alright. Now, tell me everything that happened to you these past few days."
"It all started with Klein's disappearance…"
—One hour later—
After hearing the full account, Audrey was silent for a long while.
"So…you borrowed that doll's luck to save my father…and that's how you provoked the King of Angels?"
"Most likely, I already attracted "His" attention during the mental realm battle against that Spectator demigod."
She fell into deep thought. "The True Creator had that angel bring you back…just to say a few words to you?"
"He—well, "He's" practically insane at this point. Who knows what logic a lunatic follows?"
Even as he said this, Edward couldn't help but recall what he'd seen before leaving the Forsaken Land of the Gods: Sasrir—and the very first Blasphemy Slate.
But if the matter truly involved the True Creator, why would "He" go to such lengths and roundabout methods?
Sigh…
"If it weren't for Queen Mystic helping you out this time, facing Amon alone would've been too dangerous," Audrey said with a sigh. "If only I had her level of power…"
Edward smiled. "Don't worry, I've already prepared a Sequence 4 Beyonder characteristic for you. Focus on digestion—you'll become a demigod soon enough."
She nodded slightly. "Mm."
After a pause, she added, "I think…you really should be honest with Queen Mystic as soon as possible. The more hope she places in you, the greater the disappointment when she learns the truth. It's not fair to her."
"I understand."
But…revealing the "truth" now still felt too soon.
So Edward had made up his mind: once he advanced to Sequence 4, he'd take Bernadette to the original island to meet Emperor Roselle. At that point, he'd come clean—and maybe letting her reunite with her father would help make up for it, even just a little.
"By the way, how far along are you in digesting your potion?"
"About halfway."
Edward sighed. "If it weren't for the threat of Amon, I'd have made another trip to the City of Silver. I probably could've pushed it to two-thirds by now."
Even though the "knowledge" he passed to Moon City was mostly just basic common sense, to those who'd been isolated from the world for millennia, it was all new and groundbreaking. And with such a massive population, the volume made up for the simplicity.
"What about the remaining half? How do you plan to digest it?"
Edward rested his chin on his palm. "I've realised that spreading knowledge isn't the hard part—it's how to combine it with wandering."
Audrey asked curiously, "How's Queen Mystic doing with Rosellean now? Can she read his diary fluently?"
"Probably not yet."
"Then…why not keep asking her for help?"
"Mhm."
The sooner he advanced to Sequence 4, the sooner he could take Bernadette to see Roselle. Edward had no qualms about continuing to ask her for assistance.
"Woof!"
With a joyful bark, Susie came bounding in on light paws. She first trotted up to Edward and gave him a friendly "woof" of greeting, then nudged her head affectionately against Lilith.
Lilith meowed in response, grabbed a piece of steak, and dragged it over to toss to her.
"Meow~"
She turned to look at Edward.
"Alright, go on—but be careful."
With a leap, Lilith landed lightly on Susie's back. The two little companions dashed out of the room together.
——
Not long after, Hibbert walked in. "Edward, you're back."
Compared to their past encounters, Hibbert looked completely different—his face covered in stubble, hair dishevelled, dark circles under his eyes…and yet, his deep blue eyes sparkled with clarity.
Gone was the confident and composed young noble of old.
"Hibbert…" Audrey's voice was full of heartache. "You finally came out."
"I'm sorry for worrying everyone."
He apologised quietly, walked to the dining table, picked up a steak and a glass of iced sweet tea, and began eating ravenously.
"…Huh?"
With her Spectator's perception active, Audrey suddenly noticed something. Hibbert's mental state was very active—completely unlike the depression she had expected. It felt like he had come to some sort of realisation or made a firm decision.
Burp~
A few minutes later, Hibbert downed the last sip of iced tea, threw aside half-eaten bread, and—completely ignoring gentlemanly decorum—let out a loud belch. Then he looked seriously at his sister and future brother-in-law.
"I want to become a Beyonder."
———
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