"So, he's still alive?" Bernadette's attention was fully captured. She clearly wouldn't interpret Snow's words as a suggestion for her to die and ask him in the afterlife.
Snow simply gave a slight nod, speaking in a somewhat mysterious tone, "Bernadette, have you heard of the Black Emperor?"
Hearing the change in how he addressed her, Bernadette frowned slightly. But before she could say anything, Snow continued, "For a certain reason that cannot be discussed, your father chose to switch pathways and advance to the Black Emperor. Death was also his own choice. He wanted to use it to escape something, but it wasn't successful. Therefore, though he should have been able to revive, he never has. Where he is, why it happened, and how to save him... these cannot be spoken. But he is indeed not dead, provided no successor to the Black Emperor is born."
"..." Bernadette's emotional fluctuations were incredibly intense, yet all were hidden behind that fine grid veil. This made Snow wonder if it was reached an extraordinary item itself.
About ten minutes later, the lady finally composed herself. She keenly grasped the hint Snow had left her and asked, "Why mention the next Black Emperor specifically?"
"I cannot say."
"Is someone planning an advancement to Black Emperor?"
"I cannot say."
Two consecutive refusals to answer almost clarified the issue itself. If there weren't, there would be no need for a refusal.
"What is the advancement ritual for the Black Emperor?" Bernadette narrowed her eyes, asking a very tactical question. But this time, Snow didn't say "I cannot say" or "I don't know." Instead, he wore a strange expression.
"Madam, you cannot afford that question."
"Name your price." Bernadette didn't argue, simply tossing out a line only the truly wealthy could say.
But Snow didn't immediately state a price. Instead, he chuckled, "To put it bluntly, you're asking to purchase the potion formula for a Sequence 0. What do you think that costs? At the very least, according to the market standard where a formula is worth slightly more than the extraordinary characteristic of one sequence lower, you would need to pay a Sequence 1 characteristic to afford it."
Bernadette did indeed possess a Sealed Artifact equivalent to Sequence 1, but she clearly wouldn't hand over Pale Death to him. As for Roselle's Knowledge Emperor trait, it was likely still held by either the Church of Machinery or the Church of the Eternal Blazing Sun. Of course, if Bernadette truly was wealthy enough to produce a Knowledge Emperor or Justiciar Sequence 1 characteristic, he would be happy to accept it. After all, the potions for his own pathway were a massive headache.
However, Bernadette wasn't wealthy enough to pay with a Sequence 1 characteristic. She shook her head and said, "I can offer a Sequence 3 characteristic at most. However, I can provide support in other areas, such as the support of maritime forces, or several mid-sequence mystical items or extraordinary characteristics."
"Madam, that goes against the principle of equivalent exchange." Snow spread his hands, acting like someone obsessed with money. But before Bernadette could speak again, he shifted his tone, "Of course, for an incomplete formula, that price would be reasonable."
"You may name your price now." Bernadette ignored his verbal sparring.
Snow didn't hesitate, saying directly, "I need two Sequence 4, two Sequence 5, and one Sequence 6 extraordinary characteristics. For the Sequence 4 traits, one must be a Disaster Priest or Prophet, and the other can be any one from Bizarro Sorcerer, Secrets Sorcerer, Manipulator, or Devil. For Sequence 5, I need one Winner, and the other can be either Mentor of Disorder or Affliction. For the Sequence 6 trait, I need a Judge or Baron of Corruption. Additionally, if you can promise to help me hunt for a Silent Disciple from the Indulgence Faction of the Rose School of Thought once you become an Angel, I can tell you the specific intelligence regarding a disaster approaching Backlund. While this is nowhere near the price of a Sequence 0 apotheosis ritual, considering my needs, it can be viewed as a price reduction I must make when purchasing urgently needed supplies from a ruthless merchant like you."
While Bernadette was somewhat speechless at being called a "ruthless merchant," she had to admit that the price this man had quoted was indeed a bargain. Let alone an apotheosis ritual, even information about Sequence 0 was priceless. Yet, despite that, the other party had even included intelligence about a disaster in Backlund. Did this imply that the disaster about to occur in Backlund was related to the Black Emperor's advancement ritual?
After mentally tallying the items he had requested against the resources she held, she gave a slight nod. "The price is acceptable. The protection and support I promised before remain valid. But first, answer my other questions."
"Go ahead." Watching Bernadette agree so readily, Snow felt a professional instinct left by his predecessor kick in, giving him a specific impulse. However, considering the wealthy lady before him wasn't some noblewoman from Backlund, he forcibly suppressed the thought, secretly thankful it wasn't a third type of reflex.
"Do you understand 'Roselle's script'? Are 'Huang' and 'Von' names from that script?"
Snow was slightly surprised that Bernadette would ask such a question after such a major transaction. But on second thought, it made sense. He pondered for a moment before finally nodding. "Yes. Or rather, 'Roselle's script' is the writing belonging to people like us. However, please forgive me for not being able to teach it to you. Some things are best told to you by your father himself. I cannot overstep my bounds. To put it simply, I cannot speak for him. This isn't just a matter of principle; it's also a consideration for your father's feelings. After all, he's a man who would write in his diary even if his daughter massaged his shoulders a few times."
Bernadette didn't react to Snow's teasing conclusion, but a ripple seemed to stir in the depths of her eyes. She bowed her head slightly before quickly looking up again, speaking in a tone almost identical to before, "Were the changes in his later years due to the near-madness caused by switching pathways?"
"No. Or at least, mostly not. But as for the other part, I cannot tell you. Of course, if you can advance to an Angel, I can share a limited portion with you."
As Snow spoke, he noticed Bernadette give him a strange look. She gave a nod of acknowledgment and then waved her hand. From the remains of some unknown Apprentice pathway Beyonder, she produced a metallic book radiating the aura of the Sun.
"This is a mystical item of the Sun pathway. If two people place their hands on it and each recount the terms of the trade, a contract can be established. If you're not comfortable with this, I can use a Grade 0 Sealed Artifact as a 'notary,' though that would lean the contract toward the Collector pathway."
[Translated and Rewritten by Shika_Kagura]