Before the Banquet Begins

Finally, after enduring the terrifying threat of the "ultimate insult" mentioned by Rovey, Lita Rojaan, who had been constantly yelling along with Aozaki Touko, immediately transformed from a furious tigress into a wildcat, losing the courage to continue fighting and only daring to breathe slightly below the limits that Rovey could accept.

Furthermore, under coercion from Rovey, she had no choice but to verbally describe the transplant technique Rovey needed, and she couldn't play any tricks, because doing so would only make her situation worse.

After all, in the special field of ergonomics, Aozaki Touko, as Grand Puppet Master, is undoubtedly the world's best. Lita might be able to fool Rovey by secretly leaving a backdoor in the transplant technique, but she could never fool Aozaki Touko, who knows all the secrets of the body.

So in the end, she had no choice but to honestly reveal the technology, despite her great reluctance.

Moreover, from the moment Aozaki Touko took charge of recording, she began to deduce this technique, and at a glance, she also felt that there seemed to be no problem with the technique.

But Dead Apostle is Dead Apostle, and a Rotten Orange is always a Rotten Orange. She certainly wouldn't harbor any illusions about Lita Rogan, who had recently been plotting to kill her. Therefore, this technology must undergo repeated verification and testing until it is confirmed to be completely problem-free before it can be officially put into use.

Similarly, Rovey felt that Lita Rojaan was not the kind of person who would simply sit and wait for death if she was coerced, so he specially gave Lita's private room a major upgrade, adding several times more Rune to the walls and floor.

After all, the Primordial Runes that Aozaki Touko possessed were ultimately only from the Northern Europe, and she was also somewhat affected by her previous creation of modern Rune, so she was not quite used to the Enki foundation of the Age of Gods, and therefore her power against the Dead Apostle was somewhat insufficient.

So, Rovey removed the mixed Rune from the room and redrawn thousands of modified crimson runes, a blend of Puritan Magecraft and basic runes. He then reinserted his wand above the altar deep within, fully activating the workshop's angelic incantation. This way, even if Lita Rojaan, the Dead Apostle, was immune to the Holy Water, the remaining runes would still inflict excruciating pain on her. And even if she managed to escape, the angelic incantation below would automatically activate. The four angels would then appear in turn, trapping her inside and giving her a taste of the ultimate humiliation from the Four Heavenly Kings!

This can be considered a kind of guarantee, after all, Rovey wouldn't be foolish enough to trust the character of the Dead Apostle Ancestor just because of a few words of submission from this guy.

Bah, she's not even human, so where does her morality come from?

Rovey screamed as Lita made his move right in front of her, and she felt a strong sense of betrayal.

This was the first time in her life that she had been so submissive and willing to cooperate with a human being, and this was the only feedback she received. This made her realize the wickedness of human nature.

After recording all the necessary technical materials, Rovey ignored Lita's hissing behind him, which resembled that of a wildcat. He also disregarded her furious roars and, without looking back, took Aoko and returned to Lev's lab.

A few minutes after I got back.

"Phew, this is a great thing, really a great thing... It's truly eye-opening, how could anyone think of such a solution?"

"Truly worthy of being the legendary Twenty-Seven Dead Apostle Ancestors. Such a great figure who has lived for hundreds or thousands of years possesses knowledge and accumulation that is indeed incomparable to that of humans. Not only those Mystic Eyes she has accumulated, but this transplantation technology alone is at least several generations ahead of the Clock Tower's achievements in ergonomics."

Placed the collected materials on her workbench, Aozaki Touko read them carefully, uttering her own thoughts and exclamations of admiration.

The more talented a person is, the more they can sense the extraordinary nature and mystery of it, and the more they can understand its value.

In her eyes, the transplantation technology she possessed was far more precious than those Mystic Eyes.

After all, this is a technology that can completely avoid rejection and ensure stability, with a 100% success rate for transplantation.

Based solely on the value of this material... as long as one has a solid foundation, using it as a family heirloom in the Clock Tower, one can accumulate unimaginable wealth within three generations, and even surpass some ancient Mage Families of six or seven generations, becoming true magical nobles.

Among Magus who place the utmost importance on the number of generations of inheritance, the fact that it can bridge the gap of more than three generations of inheritance makes its value beyond doubt.

If Rovey were to hand over this information to the Clock Tower's higher-ups, he wouldn't even need to participate in the Grand Rank assessment; its value alone would guarantee his advancement. However, Rovey certainly wouldn't need to resort to such underhanded tricks to advance; with what he has, even a few drops slipping from under his fingernails would suffice. But...

"This time I've really gained a lot... Now that I have this information as a reference, it seems that my research on the new direction of the Multiple Mystic Eyes will be much easier."

Aozaki Touko hugged the clipboard tightly, her face beaming with pure joy, which made Rovey happy for her as well.

"Yes, once you fully understand this technology, you won't need to go through the trouble of replacing and using the Multiple Mystic Eyes as before. In short... let's start our research from this direction. Anyway, we have plenty of experimental materials on hand. Even if we encounter any bottlenecks, we can just go to the dungeon and ask the people involved, and they will solve everything."

Rovey also specifically mentioned the unjustly imprisoned Dead Apostle, prompting Aozaki Touko to echo his sentiments. She couldn't possibly remain unmoved by the knowledge and magical accumulation possessed by the Dead Apostle Ancestor.

"Honestly... You two seem to be having an easy time, but how am I supposed to sleep peacefully if things continue like this? Just thinking about how there's an almost immortal vampire trapped in the room next to mine, and who knows when it might escape, makes my heart race. It's really terrifying."

Compared to Aozaki Touko, who was overjoyed at obtaining the technology she wanted, and Rovey, who didn't pay much attention to Lita, Lev's face was extremely ugly. He gently took off his hat and wiped a bead of cold sweat from his forehead, looking at his two colleagues who had caused him trouble with a resentful expression.

"I'm sorry, Lev, but the only places that can imprison her right now, besides the Church, are the artificial sanctuary we're standing in. If we don't keep her here, her escape is almost inevitable. In the entire Clock Tower, I'm afraid only this place and the Department of Law can keep her under control to a certain extent."

Rovey sat down in a chair, looking at Lev with a resentful expression, and a hint of apology appeared on his face.

"That woman is definitely not as simple as she seems. Even though I used the 'ultimate insult' to scare her, what she fears is not me, nor the church, but the loss of her own honor and pride. A large part of her current compromise is feigned, an attempt to lower our guard, even trying to bargain for my release. She's incredibly naive, and..."

Rovey picked up the document from Aozaki Touko's hand and handed it to Lev: "Although it looks fine, I still don't trust her. So I dare not let anyone around me use this document right now."

He shook his head slightly, then turned to look at Aozaki Touko beside him and continued, "The question about this information can only be verified by you, Aoko- senpai. And be careful of her; that woman is definitely not as simple as she seems on the surface."

"No problem."

Aozaki Touko nodded, then raised her question, "But... Crowley, do you still think that guy was just faking it?"

"Is she still lying?"

Lev understood what Rovey meant.

You mean there's something wrong with this technology?

"Well, it's just my guess. There's still more to be determined, but it's always good to be cautious."

"The rabbit is killed and the dog is cooked; the birds are gone and the bow is put away. She couldn't possibly not understand such a simple truth after living for so long."

Rovey shared her opinion. "If I were her, I would also worry that I would be executed once I lost my value in this situation."

"You're right... After all, that's just human nature's weakness."

Lev nodded, agreeing with Rovey's point of view.

"However, keeping this guy here is no different from a time bomb. Even with the angels' suppression, it's hard for her to cause any trouble. But constantly diverting some of the angels' power to suppress her will definitely slow down our research progress, which is definitely not worth it."

Lev was still somewhat unhappy about his research being interfered with by the Dead Apostle Ancestor.

"So just weaken her first, lock her in that targeted room, then find some artifacts that are specifically designed to counter Dead Apostle and add to the setup. Just ignore her."

"Even the Dead Apostle Ancestor needs to eat and replenish himself. As long as Lita Rogan is kept from drinking blood for a long time, her abilities will become extremely weak. We can then figure out how to deal with her."

After thinking for a moment, Rovey casually revealed his true thoughts at that moment.

To be honest, he really wanted to erase Lita Rogéan's memories and then train her to be a servant.

After all, that's top-tier Servant -level combat power. If used properly, it can indeed save him a lot of effort.

However, she was right.

As a holder of Mystic Eyes that is almost at the level of a god, Lita Rojaan's mental resistance has long been maxed out, so brainwashing would not work. Therefore, she can only be nurtured for now, and we can find a way to train her later.

As for letting him go so easily?

That's impossible.

Putting aside whether Lita will retaliate, she already knew too many of her secrets when she arrived here.

Without even thinking about it, Rovey knew that if this guy really escaped, he would definitely inform the church and report his research on divine power and his attempt to build an earthly kingdom, thus inciting a conflict between the church and him.

When that time comes, he definitely can't stay in the Clock Tower any longer; he'll have to wage a holy war against the Church. And those Dead Apostle Ancestor might even join in.

He could also experience Aleister's past as a villain being hunted by various forces and then branded as a heinous Magus.

Therefore, Lita will never be able to leave him in this lifetime.

If Lita Rojaan knew about this right now, she would definitely expose it to Rovey without hesitation.

"That's a real shame, but..."

Lev sighed, for he could certainly see the value that the Dead Apostle Ancestor possessed.

"Actually, compared to your current methods of imprisonment and domestication, there is another plan that can better utilize her value. Would you like to hear about it?"

"Oh, do you have any ideas too, Lev?"

Rovey became interested, Aozaki Touko also wanted to hear what insights this guy had.

"There is something I do want to verify."

Lev stroked his chin, then pondered and said, "Why don't you control her and have a child with her? I've recently been researching the idea that all humans have Original Sin, so I want to see the birth of an existence that has escaped this Original Sin. You're gradually moving towards that now, and Lita, the Dead Apostle Ancestor, is not human either."

"Therefore... I speculate that a child born in the Sanctuary who inherits both your divine blood and the bloodline of the Dead Apostle Ancestor might actually be able to escape humanity's Original Sin and successfully replicate a miracle similar to a 'God Child'? And even if it's not a 'God Child,' it doesn't matter, since the bloodline foundation is there. A child born in this way will inevitably be an absolute genius..."

"Puff!"

Upon hearing this, Rovey's face suddenly darkened, while Aozaki Touko couldn't help but laugh.

He patted Rovey on the back and then said with a hint of amusement, "Actually... to be fair, Crowley, Lev's suggestion is really good. It's only beneficial to you and has no downsides. Anyway, you're the one who'll enjoy it, and you definitely won't lose out. All you have to do is give up some of your genetic material."

"Although I'm not sure if humans and Dead Apostle can actually have children, what you've said makes me want to see what the specific results are. After all, it's really a curious thing."

"Then, it's your turn to personally go and 'seduce' that Lita Roggean!"

"..."

Listening to Aozaki Touko's teasing remarks, Rovey was momentarily speechless.

"Yes, Miss Aozaki is right, I think so too. If a 'God Child' who has been freed from Original Sin could truly be born, it would be a blessing for the entire world..."

Lev continued to talk incessantly about his conjectures, while looking at Rovey with an intense gaze. From his excited tone, one could tell how curious and serious he was about this matter.

This even led him to encourage Rovey to have a child with the Dead Apostle Ancestor, whom he had recently fought to the death with, completely disregarding the likelihood of such a situation.

From Magus's perspective, Lita Rozian is indeed top-tier in both talent and bloodline. She is undoubtedly the most suitable mother, and as a bloodline inheritor, she would certainly not be at a disadvantage. Moreover, there's the possibility that such a rare miracle as a "God Child" might be born during this process.

So while Lev was satisfying his own thirst for knowledge, he was genuinely thinking of Rovey's best interests, but...

"Lev, come here a little."

Rovey lowered his head and gently beckoned him over with a few fingers.

"What? You agreed? That's wonderful!"

Lev wasn't on guard and assumed that Rovey had agreed, meaning he wanted Rafe to make the arrangements. Just as he was about to say something, Rovey suddenly shouted something loudly into his ear.

"Oops! Lev!!"

This loud shout startled Lev, who was still immersed in joy.

"What on earth is going on in your head? You green caterpillar, what's with all that imagination?! How could you even think of me having a child with the Dead Apostle Ancestor?!"

Rovey was completely speechless at this guy, and then immediately signaled to Lev to stop the topic.

"I think this suggestion is pretty good to write. With the looks of that Dead Apostle Ancestor, you won't be at a disadvantage. Since you're unwilling, just pretend I didn't say anything."

"But seriously, you've just casually moved your lips and gotten me into a whole bunch of trouble."

Seeing that the idea of creating a "God Child" was directly rejected by Rovey, after a brief complaint, Lev frowned, no longer paying attention to the question about the Dead Apostle Ancestor, and instead said in a deep voice:

"Our research on the 'Guardian Angel' Aiwass has yielded some results. Using the unique magic of the four archangels we simulated, we've gained some understanding of divine power, and its prototype has been successfully created. Next, we only need to shape it and form a contract to bring it to life. The process is similar to the four archangels you summoned before, so I won't elaborate."

"However, this 'Aiwass' doesn't exist in any religious texts; there's only a Law Book as a template. Although your experimental theory was successful and the results were ideal, its popularity is too low, practically nonexistent. This means the time required is far too long. Even with the Leyline beneath our feet, shaping it would conservatively require decades of magical accumulation. Furthermore, whether the final result will meet your expectations and reach the true 'angel' level is currently completely uncertain."

"You mean we still need decades to accumulate magic?"

Upon hearing this condition, Rovey's expression gradually became somewhat strange.

"If you feed the Philosopher's Mace to Aiwass, a few years will be enough."

Lev offered the simplest solution: the staff that had compressed decades of magic power from the Greater Grail was undoubtedly the best source of magic.

"No..."

Upon hearing his proposed method, Rovey gently shook his head.

While his current combat power appears strong, his stats on paper are still too low. The Philosopher's Mace alone accounts for more than half of his combat power. Without this artifact, he wouldn't be able to unleash his Sanctuary at will and summon four Elemental Angel to fight simultaneously.

Although he can summon a single Elemental Angel, the difference in combat power between summoning one and controlling four simultaneously is incomparable, and he cannot sacrifice this Mystic Code at the moment.

"If you don't want to, then let's take it slow. Let's finish the preparations first."

Lev proposed another solution.

"Then I'll leave it to you, Lev. But... it requires a huge amount of magic power, right?"

Rovey nodded and continued speaking to Lev, "Never mind, don't worry, I'll find a way to fulfill this condition."

"Yes, it's good that you know what I mean."

Lev did not say anything about this.

After all, it doesn't matter whether or not Rovey can find such a large source of magic.

In any case, the birth of this angel is only a matter of time. Even if it takes decades, it will still be a true miracle. After all, this is a feat comparable to a real angel, created through unrecognized means.

If this can be filmed, it will be an absolutely genuine Mystic Revival.

Despite this, Lev still harbors endless hope.

"In that case, I'll take my leave for now. I have some matters to attend to outside. I hope you can handle things here?"

After some discussion, Rovey had finished doing what he needed to do.

With Lita Rogan's condition stabilized, she obtained the desired Mystic Eyes transplant technology and is now aware of the progress of her research on the "Guardian Angel," as well as the crucial need for a massive amount of magic power.

Seeing that things were almost over, he prepared to get up and leave.

Lev and Aoko both agreed that there was no problem with this, and that the rest of the research could be left to them. Rovey's immediate priority was to get rid of the swarm of flies that were persistently buzzing around the area.