Closing the Encyclopedia of Ritual Magic on his desk, Aaron couldn't help but sigh in admiration.
So this is what it feels like to have the backing of a major faction—everything readily available. What a stark contrast to Klein's destitute situation when he first awakened.
Heh, but when the time comes, I can offer some help to our dear "penniless god," Mr. Fool. A stack of shiny golden pounds should make "The Fool" quite happy.
Reining in his wandering thoughts, Aaron refocused on the ritual procedures.
First was the symbolic emblem. During his dormant period within the Sephirot, he had often vaguely glimpsed a pattern composed of scales representing order and a scepter symbolizing dominion.
This design bore striking resemblance to the twisted patterns behind the throne in the grand hall. His spiritual intuition told him this was the emblem of the Land of Disorder.
As for the specific prayer incantation, combining the contents and annotations from the Encyclopedia of Ritual Magic with his previously tested honorifics, he refined it as follows:
"You are the Source and Shadow of Order."
"You are the Great Sovereign of the Chaotic Realm."
"You are the Lord of Order Who Commands the Rules."
"Your faithful devotee prays for Your gaze;"
"Prays for You to accept their offering;"
"Prays for You to open the gates to Your kingdom;"
Now that both the emblem and prayer were prepared, and since this was a "sacrifice" directed at himself, Aaron could simplify matters. No specific timing was required, nor were herbs or incense necessary. Even the altar could be rudimentary—after all, he wasn't about to criticize his own arrangements.
The most crucial remaining step was using blood rich in spirituality or supernatural power to establish the channel and complete the sacrifice.
"Hmm... Now that I'm a Beyonder, my blood contains sufficient spirituality to serve as ritual material."
No sooner thought than done. Aaron entered the inner chamber, prepared the candles, and erected a spiritual barrier with his silver dagger.
After resting briefly to recover his expended spirituality through meditation, he picked up the silver dagger and made a light cut on his arm, collecting a small vial of blood.
"This amount should suffice for the ritual. Next time, I must prepare more spiritual materials to carry with me for emergencies."
Exhaling softly, Aaron methodically arranged the altar and swiftly drew his symbolic emblem using the blood.
With the design complete, he recited the prayer in ancient Hermes:
"You are the Source and Shadow of Order."
"You are the Great Sovereign of the Chaotic Realm."
"You are the Lord of Order Who Commands the Rules."
"Your faithful devotee prays for Your gaze;"
"Prays for You to accept their offering;"
"Prays for You to open the gates to Your kingdom;"
As the final word fell, his spiritual intuition stirred. A breeze wafted through the chamber, gradually outlining a pair of dark golden double doors within the spiritual barrier. When Aaron extended his spirituality toward them, the doors slowly swung open, revealing a profound, illusory space suffused with dark golden mist.
"It actually worked!" Aaron couldn't suppress his delight.
Wasting no time, he grabbed the pale mask and silver vial of blood beside him and tossed them through the dark golden doorway.
As the doors gently closed, the sacrificial ritual concluded.
Rather than immediately dismantling the spiritual barrier, Aaron sat in contemplation.
"This experiment confirms my honorifics and prayer incantations correctly point to me. Future sacrifice and bestowment rituals can follow this template."
"Finally, I've attained some divine gravitas worthy of being called a 'hidden existence.' This will help intimidate unruly elements and secure their loyalty."
"Now, let's examine this Death mask properly."
Centering himself, Aaron's spirituality connected with the dark golden mist in the infinite heights of his mind's island. In a daze, he returned to the magnificent hall.
Seated upon the throne, he summoned the pale mask with a wave. Probing it with his spirituality yielded no discoveries.
Frowning, he expanded his spiritual senses, directing streams of dark golden mist toward the mask.
What happened next darkened Aaron's expression. The mask floated undisturbed in the mist, completely unchanged.
Yet this lack of reaction spoke volumes—it confirmed the mask truly possessed supernatural properties of considerable rank.
"It seems when Mr. Azik decided to discard this mask in one of his past lives, he had already regained most of his strength and status, perhaps even approaching angelic level."
"The sealing power he used is beyond what my current control over the dark golden mist can break. Of course—if the seal were so easily broken, the mask's secrets wouldn't have remained hidden all this time, nor would it have fallen into my hands so readily."
"Had I not recalled Mr. Azik's memories of that lost mask and connected it to the Eggers family artifact in Grandfather Wolf's collection, uncovering its secrets would've been near impossible."
"Father must have examined this mask long ago without finding anything. Since even my current ability to harness the Sephirot's power can't affect it, I'll have to wait. What a pity."
With a resigned sigh, Aaron waved his hand, sending the mask and silver vial to a corner of the hall.
Glancing at the four pulsating points of light below the throne, their faint silhouettes indistinct, he murmured, "Not yet. I still have to visit the Evernight cathedral tonight. I'll summon them when better prepared."
His consciousness descended, passing through layers of dark golden mist before returning to his bedroom.
Dismantling the spiritual barrier and tidying the materials, Aaron began meditating to restore his spirituality.
Evening arrived swiftly. Duke East Tucker escorted Aaron from the estate in the ducal carriage toward the cathedral.
The vehicle, crafted from meticulously carved oak, featured elegant curves adorned with intricate embellishments—the Will family crest and esoteric symbols—along its dark golden lacquered frame. Sturdy wheels bore decorative copper fittings, while the opulent interior boasted velvet-upholstered seats, embroidered tapestries, and a ceiling painted with exquisite designs.
A servant had prepared Earl Grey tea, now steaming on the carriage's table as he knelt respectfully to the side.
"Such extravagance. I wonder how many pounds this carriage costs." Aaron's gaze swept over the lavish decor before he sipped the tea. Its rich, full-bodied flavor eased his faint nervousness.