Vincent's mind was reeling: That outfit, that look, that bearing… don't tell me this is the Russkie Priest?
Being noticed by this particular "Author" didn't surprise Vincent in the slightest. What did surprise him was that He had chosen to appear before them in person. It didn't take a genius to know this couldn't be anything good.
Without needing Vincent's warning, Bernadette could sense that this priest who'd materialised out of nowhere was extraordinarily dangerous. But she didn't panic overly — she simply heightened her vigilance while asking: "Sir, may I ask what brings you here?"
The priest's golden eyes were warm as jade. His gaze settled on Qilangos. "I've come for him."
Bernadette's eyes narrowed. "Qilangos works for you?"
"Not exactly. I simply had a task I needed his help with. Unfortunately, he was captured by you before he could even begin."
"…"
After a quick assessment, Bernadette didn't hesitate. "I can release him."
Letting a Pirate Admiral slip through her fingers was a shame, certainly, but provoking an unknown high-Sequence powerhouse over it was clearly not worth the trade.
The priest shook his head slightly. "He has already demonstrated through his actions that he lacks the ability to carry out this task. However…"
He paused for a few seconds. "You could perhaps help me finish what he failed to do."
Vincent: ???
I'm a bit lost here. What's happening?
Qilangos came to assassinate Duke Negan. Is the Priest saying… he wants us to do it instead?
Uh.
"I'm sorry, but—"
Bernadette hadn't even considered it before moving to refuse.
But the priest cut her off: "You are Roselle's daughter?"
Her pupils contracted instantly. "You knew my father?"
"I did." He nodded. "Your father left something with me. Would you like it back?"
"…"
Bernadette was silent for a few seconds. "Yes!"
"Complete this task for me, and I'll return it to you."
"…Go on."
"Kill Loen's Duke Negan."
"Why?"
A duke of a nation might seem to occupy an incredibly lofty position, but for a being like the one before her, status was clearly meaningless. She couldn't fathom what reason this priest could possibly have for wanting the deed done.
More to the point — doing it himself should be utterly effortless. Why go through someone else's hands?
"I have my reasons."
The priest's expression remained placid. "Whether or not you do this is entirely your choice. I won't force you."
After some deliberation, Bernadette asked in a grave tone: "Can you tell me what it is my father left with you?"
"The Wishing Lamp."
Bernadette froze.
A moment later, she beckoned toward the vine-mummified Qilangos, had the vines carry him over, drew her revolver, and fired a Hypnotic Bullet. "How were you planning to assassinate Duke Negan?"
"…"
After a brief daze, Qilangos spoke as though talking in his sleep: "I killed a baron named Gramir ahead of time and planned to attend Duke Negan's ball tonight using his identity. Once there, I'd create chaos and use the opportunity to assassinate the Duke."
"Hm."
Bernadette nodded. Not a bad approach, actually.
The priest then spoke again, his tone mild: "Once you've completed my commission, I'll naturally return the item to you." A pause. "As for him, I still have other uses for him. But what you need — I'll send it to you by other means."
"What?"
Before she could grasp his meaning, the priest vanished along with Qilangos, as though they had never been there at all.
"Madam Lovers, I'll go fetch the evidence of Qilangos's crimes for you right away."
At that moment, Alger seemed to restart after being paused for several minutes, returning to normal. He immediately noticed Qilangos was gone and blurted in shock: "Where's Qilangos?"
Bernadette flexed her fingers. "He escaped."
"Wh… what?"
Alger was dumbfounded. How was that even possible? In Qilangos's state just now, what could he possibly have used to flee from a demigod? He stared at "the Lovers," wanting to speak but not daring to press.
"I apologise, Mr. Hanged Man. A moment's lapse on my part allowed him to get away."
Alger's expression soured slightly, but he also guessed that something he didn't know about had probably just occurred. "No… Qilangos is indeed too cunning… Do you still need his criminal evidence?"
"Not for now. But I did manage to keep a scrap of his clothing. Once tonight is over, I'll find a way to track him down."
Alger's eyes brightened. "Thank you."
With that, he retreated swiftly into the darkness and was gone.
"Bernadette."
Vincent spoke up urgently. "You're really… going to assassinate Duke Negan?"
She asked flatly: "What's your opinion?"
"Well…"
Honestly, Vincent was thoroughly confused by tonight's turn of events. They'd come to hunt Qilangos, and somehow it had morphed into assassinating Duke Negan.
He didn't particularly care about killing the Duke, truth be told. His only concern was what the Priest might do next. Setting everything else aside, the two of them were currently Blessed of the True Creator — and there was no way the Priest hadn't noticed. Given the tangled relationship between those two, who were destined to merge yet locked in a death struggle until they did…
Who knew what the two of them might encounter caught in the middle of all that?
"Sounds like you don't object either."
"Mainly, that priest used your father's belongings as bait — and it's a powerful Sealed Artifact at that. I know you won't want to give it up."
Vincent's mind churned with suspicion: I never expected the long-missing Wishing Lamp to be in the Priest's hands. What on earth happened? What went on between those two in the past?
He didn't doubt Adam was telling the truth. From what the original novel showed of Adam's words and actions, there didn't seem to be any instances of outright deception.
"Not necessarily."
Bernadette shook her head. "A stranger appears out of nowhere, claims he has something of my father's, and asks me to do something for him. Obviously the whole thing is riddled with unknowns and uncertainties."
"Even if it involves my father's Wishing Lamp, I'm not stupid enough to believe everything he says at face value."
Vincent hesitated. "So what are you… going to do now?"
"Attend Duke Negan's ball."
"???"
"Have a look first. Then decide."
...
Inside Duke Negan's residence in Backlund's Queens District, a grand ball was in full swing. Noble gentlemen and ladies — some waltzing across the dance floor to the music, some drifting through the crowd with champagne or red wine and making conversation, and some tucked away in quiet corners, keeping to themselves.
Audrey very much fell into the last category.
So boring!
She attended dozens — sometimes hundreds — of these things every year. She truly could not extract an ounce of enjoyment from them anymore, but attendance was non-negotiable.
Can't they just let me sit somewhere and observe in peace? I have to say, some people's expressions while dancing are truly something else — they always remind me of animals performing courtship displays.
Xio and Fors, who'd been cooped up for days, had tagged along tonight. Both had been done up with cosmetics and were attending as Audrey's personal maids.
Neither of them had any interest in the ball itself, but Fors could smoke and drink to her heart's content here, and Xio could wander around freely. So the moment they'd arrived, those two had ditched her without a shred of loyalty.
Hmph! And here I was thinking of bringing them into the Tarot Club. I wonder if they've even read the three-part Honorific Name of Mr. Fool in that book yet.
The thought made Audrey somewhat glum. She'd wanted to recruit the two of them into the Tarot Club, and instead it was she who'd ended up being chosen by the Lord of Chaos thanks to Xio's "kind help."
Is… is this what they call karma?
No!
Wait!
I wanted to bring them in out of goodwill — to help them hitch a ride on Mr. Fool's ship. How could good intentions bring karma?
Just then, she caught a figure approaching from the corner of her eye. She quickly slowed her pace, straightened her back, and in an instant transformed back into the elegant, poised Miss Hall.
"Good evening, Baron Gramir." Audrey greeted him with a flawless smile and impeccable etiquette.
Baron Gramir gave her a smiling nod. "Good evening, Miss Hall. You truly are the brightest and most dazzling jewel in all of Backlund."
With that, he turned and walked straight toward the main hall.
But Audrey watched Baron Gramir's retreating figure and suddenly furrowed her brow, her green eyes filled with puzzlement. "Baron Gramir seems… different from usual. Before, whenever he saw a lady of higher standing who was particularly beautiful, his gaze would drift to the side — he'd never dare look directly, just steal glances. But today… he seems completely disinterested in everything."
"And his cologne is off too… Right — his eyes, his gaze, they're clearly different from before. He looks like Baron Gramir, but I feel as though I'm facing a complete stranger."
Suddenly, a possibility struck her. Her bright green eyes hardened in an instant: Could this be Qilangos in disguise? I recall that his extraordinary item has the ability to let him assume different appearances!
Audrey's heart hammered. Fear and panic warred within her. "So Qilangos might be doing something at the ball tonight? According to Mr. Hanged Man, he's a bloodthirsty, ruthless pirate — which means whatever he's planning is probably—"
At that thought, she forced her alarm down, composed a flawless smile, and made to walk toward her father. But at that very moment, the Baron Gramir who'd just departed suddenly appeared before her, blocking her path with a smile.
"Miss Hall, where are you off to?"
To be continued…
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