'Wait a second. Weren't they just talking about Sequence 8 potion formulas? How did it suddenly become so high-level?' Forsyth's gaze drifted, having originally been somewhat disappointed that no one had produced a formula on the spot. Suddenly, she felt that the jump in scale was perhaps too large.
She had assumed that while the gathering seemed high-end, the knowledge traded would still be within her range of understanding. How had it suddenly jumped to a Creator? How did these people go from discussing Sequence 8 formulas one second to talking about deities the next?
Amidst Fors's bewilderment, Snow stood and offered a slight bow to The Fool. "Honorable Mr. Fool, please forgive my clumsy acting. For certain reasons, I was unable to proactively raise this matter."
"It's fine. Go ahead." The Fool's tone remained calm.
Snow sat back down and spoke respectfully, "Lanevus, who is possessed by the Fallen Creator and is set to become His vessel for descent, is currently at my home."
"???"
This time, it wasn't just the newly joined Miss Magician; even Justice and The Hanged Man's eyes went wide. Even Mr. Sun, who had struggled to join the conversation, realized the severity of the situation. They had expected intelligence, but instead, you had the vessel for an evil god's descent staying at your home?
Although Mr. Fool maintained his composure through his Clown abilities, he still felt a lingering fear. If this was true, yesterday he and the True Creator's vessel might have been separated by only a single wall.
Seeing that he had successfully captured everyone's attention, Snow slightly tilted his head and continued, "While Lanevus's own strength is only at Sequence 8, due to the Fallen Creator's divinity, he possesses the pollution of a Mythical Creature. Through certain means, I have temporarily caused a divergence between his consciousness and that of the Fallen Creator, allowing me to control him. However, nourished by the negative emotions of Backlund, the Fallen Creator will be able to completely replace Lanevus within six months at most. Although the Fallen Creator descending this way won't be exceptionally powerful, by granting consciousness, He can easily obtain power equivalent to Sequence 2 directly from His true body."
In truth, Snow had even considered allowing the True Creator to descend into Backlund. According to his mystical knowledge, a True God descending through a divine vessel wasn't actually as dangerous as one might imagine. Compared to a massive human sacrifice for a divine descent or the birth of an evil god's offspring, this kind of replacement occurred silently. Moreover, the True Creator's descent wasn't for the purpose of a massacre, but to break through the blockade established by the seven deities. After restoring the strength of an angel, He would likely head to the Forsaken Land of the Gods to liberate Himself, giving Him an advantage in the confrontation against Adam, rather than causing a massive scene that would attract the attention of the seven deities only to be chased back home.
But Snow didn't dare to gamble. After all, the True Creator was insane. For a madman,even a clever madman like the Joker,you could never guarantee he wouldn't suddenly snap. Snow couldn't ensure that once the True Creator descended, He wouldn't suddenly shout "First Sword of Huaxia" and charge into St. Wind Cathedral to fight the Storm bunch.
The members of the Tarot Club fell into a brief silence after hearing Snow's explanation of the current situation. Klein couldn't think of a good solution immediately either. After a moment's reflection, he used his Clown abilities to force a calm and indifferent expression.
"Tell me your thoughts."
"Of course, honorable Mr. Fool." Snow spoke respectfully before explaining, "Lanevus is unwilling to be replaced by the True Creator and has been trying to escape, but he cannot go against the True Creator's consciousness. I can create a opening, giving him a chance to flee. Given his current situation, his only option would be to flee toward the Bridge South District and then head south to leave Backlund. At that point, as long as we notify the official Beyonders, they should be able to intercept him. Even if he manages to escape by luck, at least Backlund will be spared from the influence of an evil god's descent."
"Why not head toward the Dock District or St. George District? Wouldn't leaving Backlund be faster by water or steam train?" Miss Justice fully utilized her role as the Tarot Club's primary conversationalist, quickly asking the question everyone was curious about.
Snow didn't hide anything and replied directly, "Because the Fallen Creator's consciousness needs to absorb negative emotions to grow. The East District, Dock District, and Factory District are all filled with various negative emotions. If it takes six months for the Fallen Creator to completely replace Lanevus in the West District, then in those places, it would likely only take a month or two, or even less. Only the slow-paced lifestyle south of the Bridge South District can minimize the time it takes for the Fallen Creator to awaken."
Klein's brow furrowed slightly. He recalled Roselle also mentioning in his diary that the age of steam and machinery he had forged would become a breeding ground for the birth of evil gods.
Meanwhile, a different question came to The Hanged Man. 'Who exactly is this Mr. Devil?' An idea surfaced in his mind. 'A member of the Aurora Order. And likely one with a high status.'
Only this could explain why the other party was qualified to house the vessel for the Fallen Creator's descent and even influence his freedom to a certain extent. If that were the case, he couldn't simply report it. After a moment's thought, The Hanged Man looked at the Devil beside him.
"Mr. Devil, when should we report him for you to ensure your safety isn't affected?"
"I need about a week to make the arrangements so that Lanevus's escape doesn't seem too deliberate. After that, I will notify Mr. Fool through prayer, and I hope Mr. Fool can pass the message on."
Mr. Fool nodded calmly. "No problem."
...
Returning to reality, Snow adjusted his clothes, intending to visit the Braveheart Bar to see Maric. Yesterday was the full moon, so the effectiveness of that charm should have been tested by the two of them. They were likely still hesitating whether to use the messenger. After all, a messenger might seem like just a spirit, but once summoned, the summoner's aura would be remembered by it. No matter where they went, the messenger could find them. Therefore, unless they truly trusted someone, they usually wouldn't use another person's messenger. Only individuals like Xio and Klein, who lacked mystical common sense, would summon a stranger's messenger so easily.
'Since they can't make up their minds, I'll just pay them a visit.' Snow put on his silk top hat and walked toward his safe house in the Cherwood District. Although changing clothes constantly was a hassle, those were the rules of society.
'I definitely need to get a mystical item for clothing that can freely change its appearance in the future.'
[Translated and Rewritten by Shika_Kagura]