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In the early hours of the morning.
Inside the ancient, unchanging, majestic palace, Klein and Lin Ruo were examining the bookmark depicting Emperor Roselle.
This was undoubtedly the black emperor card Klein had just acquired.
On the surface, this bookmark seemed no different from an ordinary one. If it weren't for the information provided by Roselle's diary, and Lin Ruo's confirmation, Klein would have found it hard to believe that such an ordinary bookmark was a Card of Blasphemy personally made by Roselle.
"But if it weren't for this disguise, it probably would have been discovered by the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery long ago..." Klein muttered to himself, then looked at Lin Ruo, who was watching him with an amused expression, and complained, "Why do I feel like you're more excited about this card than I am?"
"I'm just excited about your new set, Black Emperor, doesn't it sound cool?" Lin Ruo said with a smile, resting his chin on one hand. "This is the fun of dress-up games."
Klein's mouth twitched. He couldn't be bothered to argue with Lin Ruo, who was a 'fun-Mystery Pryer' in every sense of the word. Instead, he began to figure out how to activate the black emperor card.
Unlike the red priest card, which had no activation incantation and could be read by any Beyonder, the black emperor card was clearly locked by the Great Emperor. Even a fated person needed to find the corresponding key, the activation incantation, to truly unleash the card's mystery.
And Klein, who had a considerable understanding of the Great Emperor through Roselle's diary, after several attempts with incorrect passwords, finally managed to activate the black emperor card with a "Bernadette" in ancient Feysac.
Accompanying an invisible vortex and the consumption of his spirit, Klein could feel the card in his hand suddenly become much heavier. At the same time, a clear light rose from the card's surface, and the image of Emperor Roselle on it was completely renewed.
That was a distinctly different style from the drawing on the red priest card. Roselle on the card sat on an ancient stone throne, wearing a black crown inlaid with various gems. He wore black armor and a matching cape, holding a scepter in his hand, his eyes staring forward indifferently, like a true Black Emperor.
Lin Ruo's gaze also fell on the Black Emperor Roselle on the card. He suddenly felt a moment of trance, as if he saw something in an instant.
It was a dimly lit palace, and in the center of the palace, on the throne symbolizing power, Roselle, dressed exactly like the image on the card, sat in silence, his eyes closed with a hint of pain.
And him?
He stood beneath the throne, looking up at Roselle before him, also silent.
After a long while, Lin Ruo heard Roselle say:
"You're here?"
"I'm here."
He in the memory nodded, then asked:
"Are you ready?"
"Mm."
Lin Ruo didn't know what they were ready for, only hearing Roselle respond and seeing him open his eyes.
In those eyes, madness and indifference alternated, with only occasional softness, allowing one to glimpse a hint of humanity.
"Tsk!"
Lin Ruo heard his own slightly irritated voice:
"I really hate the way you are now."
Lin Ruo saw that after saying this, he in the memory suddenly walked to the throne and placed his hand on Roselle's forehead.
Lin Ruo didn't know what he did, but after his hand moved away, the expression in Roselle's eyes had returned to that of a normal person.
"To be honest, I also hate my state just now." Roselle, whose madness and divinity were clearly temporarily suppressed, pouted, then looked at Lin Ruo and said with a smile:
"Lin Ruo, with this skill of yours, when we fight against the Outer Deities in the future, you will definitely be the healer we protect at all costs."
"And then be maniacally targeted by all Outer Deities? Understand that in team fights, you hit the healer first." The past Lin Ruo, who had retreated to his original position, didn't even lift an eyelid upon hearing this, only saying grumpily.
And then, Lin Ruo heard himself sigh.
He said, "After you enter the state of death, I will help you temporarily suppress all the effects of corruption, allowing you to live consciously, but before everything ends, you cannot leave the mausoleum."
"I also won't let you leave the mausoleum. I cannot let you cause a greater disaster. If that day truly comes, Roselle, I will kill you."
His tone was extremely stern, making Lin Ruo deeply realize the truthfulness of his words.
"Ha, you fellow... still the same." Roselle seemed to want to laugh but didn't, only lowering his eyes. "Staying in the mausoleum alone, if I'm stuck here for hundreds of years, I'll die of boredom..."
"You won't be alone, Lin Bao will accompany you."
Lin Ruo heard himself correct the other's words.
"You won't be lonely."
"Lin Bao? That robot you built?" Emperor Roselle clearly recalled something.
"Yes, he will help you stabilize your mental state, ensure the corruption is always suppressed, and also allow you to occasionally observe the outside world."
Lin Ruo in the memory explained.
Lin Ruo, who was very aware of Lin Bao's other important function, blinked.
Just then, Lin Ruo suddenly heard a noisy sound coming from outside the palace. Was that... someone fighting?
Lin Ruo was suddenly startled.
Roselle and Lin Ruo in the memory were not surprised at all. The latter simply tilted his head to look in the direction from which the sounds of battle came, then looked back at Roselle and said, "Bornova seems to have arrived. Go see him. It's been a long time since you saw him in a conscious state."
Roselle suddenly fell silent. A few seconds later, he cursed with a laugh: "That brat..."
He then muttered, "Damn it, the one I most wanted to see was Bernadette."
"Come on, if little Bernadette really came, you'd probably be worried sick. She's not like Bornova, who's protected by the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery."
Lin Ruo heard himself say, mercilessly exposing a certain truth.
And Roselle didn't refute it, only suddenly saying:
"Lin Ruo, please."
"If possible, please take care of them afterward."
The past him paused upon hearing this. A few seconds later, he turned his Face away, making his expression unreadable.
"Stop it, after helping you, I also need to go into a deep sleep, and... in short, you should wait until the problems are resolved in the future and take care of them yourself."
"And don't underestimate your children. They... have long since stopped being little chicks that need your constant protection."
"You really don't give any Face at all. This is my last request before I die, and even if you don't agree, at least be a little sentimental, pay attention to the atmosphere!" Roselle rolled his eyes and said grumpily. But as he spoke, he rose from the throne and walked out of the hall.
As he passed Lin Ruo, he bumped Lin Ruo's shoulder with his own, smiling with high spirits.
"Then I'm going to see my son, and incidentally, welcome death."
"Goodbye, old friend."
Lin Ruo heard himself say softly:
"Goodbye, Roselle."
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