"This outfit suits you well." Hastur smiled, turned, and left with a light step.
Tonight's rain truly was wonderful.
-------------------------
June 28th, Thursday.
At nine in the morning, Hastur finally crawled out from under the blankets, stretched lazily, washed up, and then went downstairs for breakfast.
Maric and Sharon didn't like dealing with Butler Neil and the others, so they hadn't come down.
Going without food for several days didn't affect them anyway.
After breakfast, Hastur asked Butler Neil to send someone to buy two or three sets of Gothic-style clothing, which were for Sharon.
He couldn't just let Sharon wear a maid outfit all the time, even if it was amusing.
Because Sharon, in her maid outfit, would never appear before him.
In the study, after a night of rest, Maric's injuries had improved a lot.
The Chained pathway had a very strong recovery ability; as long as their head wasn't cut off, it was difficult for them to truly die.
Hastur chatted with Maric for about half an hour before Sharon, dressed in new clothes, finally appeared in the mirror.
Maric asked in surprise, "Sharon, I thought you had left last night."
"It's safer here." Sharon replied simply.
Hastur said, "For now, just stay here at ease. Once the Rose School of Thought people leave, you can go back."
"Mm, alright." Sharon nodded, then disappeared back into the mirror.
Hastur was curious about how Sharon, hiding inside the mirror, could heal herself.
Maric explained to him, "Wraiths are a very special existence. No matter how badly their body is injured, it doesn't matter. As long as their spirituality isn't lost, the body will gradually heal along with the recovery of spirituality."
It was similar to nourishing the body with spirituality. Hastur thought about it briefly in his heart.
They chatted a little longer before Butler Neil came to knock on the door, saying that people from the Church of the Storms had come to visit.
Hastur understood they were here because of what happened last night.
He had already prepared for this, so he wasn't nervous.
"Be careful in dealing with them yourself."
"Don't worry, I know how to dismiss them."
Hastur left the room, first asking Butler Neil to prepare 500 gold pounds, and then slowly went downstairs.
The visitors today were led by the same bishop from last night, accompanied by two priests.
Hastur greeted them politely, invited them to sit, and asked the maids to prepare tea and pastries.
After some pleasantries, Bishop Rohen directly stated his purpose.
"Baron Campbell, regarding your actions last night, I hope you can give the Church a reasonable explanation."
Hastur didn't hide anything and said directly, "Recently, I made two friends from the Temperance faction of the Rose School of Thought."
"Last night, one of them was injured by those rats and came to me for help. I'm just an ordinary person, I couldn't possibly deal with those rats, so I took the opportunity to seek help from the Church, borrowing your strength to clear the rats in Backlund, while also saving my other friend."
Took the opportunity?
Bishop Rohen's eyelid twitched, but he still said politely, "I would like to meet your friends."
"Unfortunately, they left this morning. By now, they've probably already left Backlund."
Bishop Rohen didn't believe Hastur, but he didn't press the issue. Instead, he emphasized his tone: "Baron Campbell, when dealing with those people in the future, you must be careful. Don't be deceived by them."
Hastur smiled and said, "Thank you for the reminder, Bishop Rohen. I will keep it in mind."
When the conversation was almost over, Butler Neil brought in the 500 gold pounds at just the right time.
Hastur smiled and said, "This small donation can hardly express my gratitude to the Church. I hope Bishop Rohen won't refuse."
"The deity will never refuse the devotion of a faithful believer."
"After last night, I too believe the deity has been protecting us all along."
Hastur's respectful tone made Bishop Rohen quite pleased.
"Yes, the deity is everywhere. He is always watching over us." Bishop Rohen spoke piously.
"I wonder, was that group of rats completely eliminated last night?"
"Before the majesty of the Storm, they were scared into fleeing in disarray."
"Praise the Storm."
Hastur understood then, the battle last night hadn't been very fierce. It was more about showing the Church of the Storms' stance.
Before leaving, Bishop Rohen reminded Hastur a few more times before taking the 500 gold pounds and departing.
As for what happened last night, it was considered settled.
But still, 500 gold pounds! Hastur felt a bit of heartache. Last time, when he and Maric saved that Count Richard, each of them only got 1000 gold pounds as a reward.
Even so, 500 gold pounds to have a demigod act was actually quite worth it.
If not for the Church of the Storms' demigod acting last night, Sharon would never have escaped safely.
Hastur sat in the hall for a while longer. Only after finishing two cups of marquis red tea and confirming no one from the Church was watching did he go upstairs.
In the study, Maric and Sharon were both surprised to see Hastur return so quickly.
"The people from the Church of the Storms were dismissed by you just like that?"
"You didn't do anything wrong, and besides, I am still a Baron. They were only here as a routine matter."
Hastur thought privately, could it be that Bishop Rohen had come so quickly just to push him into fulfilling his promise of donating 500 gold pounds from last night?
"In Loen, nobles truly enjoy privileges." Maric sighed.
Hastur corrected him, "No matter the country, nobles are always the privileged class."
Maric fell silent.
In the mirror, Sharon appeared again, asking about the Church's results last night.
"They didn't capture anyone, but the other side won't dare appear openly again."
The Church of the Storms had only sent one demigod. The deterrence was greater than the actual strength.
Sharon nodded, then hesitated. "It seems there's something unusual on the third floor."
Hastur was silent for a moment, then smiled. "Ignore it. Just pretend it doesn't exist."
Before he figured it out, he didn't want to go to the third floor or touch things related to fate.
Who knew if such a change would be good or bad?
For him now, everything was gradually falling into place.
There was no need to take risks unless there was truly no other choice.
"Is there some trouble?" Maric asked with a serious expression.
"If we don't bother with it, there shouldn't be trouble."
Hastur looked at Sharon, telling her not to investigate the third floor out of curiosity.
"What exactly is up there?"
Hastur's behavior made Maric even more curious.
Sharon calmly said, "What should come can't be avoided. If it's never handled, it might breed bigger trouble."
"Perhaps you're right, but I'm planning to move soon."
Hastur smiled and mentioned he was moving to the Empress Borough.
Maric was envious. The Empress Borough was where the true high nobility of Loen lived. If they stayed there, even the Rose School of Thought wouldn't dare cause trouble easily.
Seeing Hastur drop the subject of the third floor, Sharon didn't pursue it further.
But she had a feeling, Hastur would inevitably go to the third floor one day, as though it was his unavoidable fate.
Fate, even though she was about to advance to higher sequences, she still found it hard to comprehend that word.
Even her teacher, an Angel, probably hadn't expected the Rose School of Thought to become what it was today.
"Relax. You should believe in my luck."
Seeing Sharon still somewhat troubled by the matter of the third floor, Hastur smiled to comfort her.
He was the favored of fate, the exception of fate, the child of fate.
Sharon looked at Hastur for a moment, then nodded, disappearing back into the mirror.
…
At night, a few decorative lanterns hung on the balcony. Hastur sat there, sipping fruit wine, tasting delicacies, and gazing in the direction of Tingen.
Today was June 28th, the birthday of Klein.
Toward this future Fool and fellow transmigrator, he felt a natural fondness.
He didn't mind offering Klein some help early on, even rewriting Tingen's tragedy.
After all, every gift from fate is already secretly marked with its price. Whatever kindness he gave, the Fool would one day repay.
As for how to guide and help Klein, he already had some ideas. Now he only waited for Miss Audrey to come to him.
Hastur raised his glass toward Tingen and softly said, "This glass of wine is for your birth, the future Fool."
…
Tingen.
In the sky, upon a black velvet curtain, a scarlet full moon hung high, shining quietly.
Under the crimson glow, in an ordinary home,
Zhou Mingrui held his head, slowly adapting to the intense pain from deep within his mind.
When he recovered and accepted the memories, his eyes fell on a notebook on the desk.
On its yellowed pages, written in Hermes, were the words: "Everyone will die, including me."