Chapter 106
Unlike the Lord of Years who ventured to the United States Federation to develop their lands, the Lord of Years of Sicily typically used "wine" as the medium through which they sold their lifespans.
This is why the Saluzzo Family is famous for winemaking and the wine trade—they built several wine cellars on the island of Sicily, where deep within them lies a wine as rich as gold.
"The Elixir of Immortality, the Wine of Longevity, the Fountain of Youth, the Water of Longevity... Call them whatever you like, but in Sicily, they are just 'wine'."
The Saluzzo Family's White Wolf, holding a candlestick, brought the flickering flame close to the well-sealed wine barrels.
In the candlelight, the White Wolf's smile was exceptionally sinister... or rather, insane.
This is the price the Lord of Years pays for trading lifespan, whether it's mental problems, physical mutations, or both.
Typically, the most common symptom among the Sicily Lord of Years is bestiality.
As the name suggests, the skull is deformed, fangs proliferate, and the beastly heart hidden deep within is hard to suppress.
This is a curse placed by the slain wolf within their bloodline, so the Sicilian Family usually pray to the power of the Scar Father to counteract it.
They reinforced the authority of the clan head through patriarchal rule and bound everyone with oaths and private rules.
Power allowed the family bloodline to survive the wrath of the wolves, but there are always exceptions, and the exception was right before Mostima's eyes.
Lapland Saluzzo, the only White Wolf in the Saluzzo Family.
She killed her father and all her blood relatives with inheritance rights, using violence to subjugate the Saluzzo Family to her feet.
"Do you understand what I mean? This world has been silent long enough—too long enough to be boring, too long enough to be unsettling."
Lapland slapped the cellar wall with his palm, making a thud.
"If I were a wandering fire, I would burn joyfully and freely, but now I am nailed here... Do you understand what I mean? I want a carnival that will overturn the whole of Sicily, and before that... I don't want to pay attention to either the official decree of Siracusa or the notice from the Silent Bookstore."
The White Wolf burst into laughter, her face contorted as she stared at Mostima, seemingly ready to pounce on him at any moment.
Mostima simply watched her quietly, the silver Power Ring on his thumb gleaming in the candlelight, its crisscrossing lines piercing the White Wolf's pupils, somewhat tempering the madness on her face.
Twenty minutes later, the Communications Director of the Silent Bookstore emerged unharmed from the Saluzzo Family's wine cellar, bringing back a bottle of ten-year-old "Elixir of Youth".
This is a gift from the White Wolf, capable of granting someone ten years of youth out of thin air.
But Mostima showed little joy; she looked at the priceless bottle of wine in her hand and sighed.
A cooing pigeon suddenly landed on a nearby branch.
"In other words, the daughter of the Head of the Saluzzo Family seized power in a coup, taking control of the entire family, and at the same time declared that she would sever ties with the Silent Bookstore. Hmm? This person might regret it."
Hebe scattered some pigeon feed on the windowsill and saw off the messenger who brought the message from Mostima.
"He betrayed Scar Father's path and joined the ranks of the Wolves? Well, that's not surprising. After all, Siracusa was influenced by the Wolves during the World War... Even though Scar Father later regained control, people's hearts are fickle and their movements are like smoke. The lingering poison of the Wolves still exists."
"Not to mention, Saluzzo's bloodline already carries the influence of the Crippled Wolf."
Hebe fully understands Lapland's actions, but understanding doesn't mean she'll stand idly by.
In this world, dominance is either one or the other. The wolves have already formed an alliance with Eris, so Hebe will stop at nothing to overthrow His power.
"What do you plan to do?" Morgan looked at Hebe. "Do you need me to take action?"
Hebe glanced at her. "No, you don't need to do that."
The Lord of Years have existed for a long time and are a significant force in the hidden world. If Morgan were to eradicate them, it would easily trigger a series of upheavals—and this time Celestial Flint might not show any mercy.
Minutes later, a two-finger-wide strip of paper was passed across the Alchemy Bottle Bridge, the contents of which caused a stir among Blanckug's apprentices.
Few people have actually seen the note, let alone what was written on it.
But each apprentice spoke with absolute certainty, as if it were the truth.
If a careful observer were to compile a list of the rumors that arose as a result, they would find that these rumors all ultimately pointed to the Lord of Years of Sicily, and incidentally exposed a certain exile who was taking refuge in Blanckug.
Within just a few hours, the contents recorded on the slip of paper became widely known and spread to various Europe countries through the apprentices' own channels.
This is only the first step in the Hebe Project.
She then began to summon guests who had traveled from the United States Federation, or rather, exiles who had taken refuge there.
—Cellina Texas.
In the past, the word Texas referred to both a state in the United States Federation and the Texas Family, who were thriving in the "treasure land" of the United States Federation.
As we all know, the United States Federation, this newly emerging power, has a short history, but its spirit of territorial expansion is undeniable.
What is the spirit of the federation? Empty-handed, but harboring dreams of wealth. Will stop at nothing to achieve their goals.
The vibrant vitality displayed in the process of striving is the embodiment of the federal spirit.
Due to the United States Federation's long-standing Prohibition, the Texas Family did not run an alcohol business for a long time, instead using cigars as a medium for transferring lifespan.
Soon, the Texas Family became the most prestigious Lord of Years in the United States Federation.
But good times don't last, and prosperity inevitably declines.
Amidst intrigue, power struggles, and rebellion, the Texas Family declined due to internal strife. When they fell to a certain point, the federal government intervened and swallowed up all their assets.
By handing over these properties, the remaining Texas Family were able to retreat to Sicily and retreat back to their homeland.
What is truly despairing is that the Texas Family, having returned to their homeland, can no longer adapt to the order of Sicily.
Just like the moment it crawls onto land, the fish is no longer the same fish it used to be.
The Texas Family had become completely accustomed to the United States Federation, while Sicily was a place that valued "rules." In some ways, this could be seen as a provocation by the savage wolf against Scar Father.
And the result is obvious.
Families who adhered to Scar Father's many rules united to wipe out the Texas Family.
If it had ended there, it would have been fine; it would have just been another victory for Scar Father... But things changed.
Cellina Texas, the last surviving member of the Texas Family, escaped the siege of the Sicily Union, and her appearance profoundly changed the heart of the Saluzzo Family's daughter.
The latter gradually began to yearn for "unrestrained freedom".
Of course, Celinina herself was unaware of what happened next—she traveled westward, crossed Gaul, sailed across the sea to Albion, and "temporarily took refuge" in Blanckug.
The shrewish purgeers under the Lord of Years initially continued to search for her throughout Europe, but with Lapland's ascension to the throne, the purgers who were hunting her have gradually disappeared.
Just when she thought she was about to live a carefree life, the shadow of the purges loomed over her once again with Hebe's plans.
Cellina Texas did not venture into the foyer.
She didn't feel psychologically unbalanced.
The Silent Bookstore has this rule: only visitors of sufficient importance will be received in the lobby; otherwise, they will only meet in the waiting room on the first floor of the tower.
Welcome to Silent Bookstore.
When she saw Toyokawa Shoko enter, Cellina stood up and opened her cigarette case.
"I don't smoke." Toyokawa Shoko paused for a moment, then waved her hand in refusal.
"Don't worry, young administrator, this isn't a cigarette." Gray Wolf shook his head. "It's a chocolate bar."
God knows why she put chocolate bars in the cigarette pack; putting aside the shocking fact, the chocolate bars tasted pretty good.
After sharing the chocolate bars, the gray wolf introduced himself, "I am Texas, an exile far from home. Greetings once again, librarian."
The gray wolf performed an ancient ritual.
As the last descendant of the Texas Family, no one is more qualified than her to use this code name nowadays.
Texas began to recount: in a calm tone, she described the perils she had encountered during her exile, and how she had almost died because of them.
"I spent a rather secluded and happy time in Blanckug," Texas said calmly. "To this day I still consider it a pleasure. I had almost forgotten about the rain in Sicily ... but today the rain has come back to haunt me."
The gray wolf slightly bared her canine teeth, and she exuded an extremely intense rage.
"Librarian, do you think I should resist the rain?"
Toyokawa Shoko took a deep breath.
She never expected that the scene Hebe had warned her about would actually appear before her eyes with almost perfect accuracy.
"Of course it is necessary." Toyokawa Shoko relayed Hebe's words, "It is better to let others bleed than to shed tears yourself."
The gray wolf nodded thoughtfully, its eyes gleaming.
"I see. Then, can the Silent Bookstore offer me some assistance?" Texas said. "Of course, I won't let the Silent Bookstore spend money for nothing. I know the rule established by the Island Council: 'When life is involved, there must be an exchange'... How about the Texas Family's secret cigar recipe?"
"Say yes to her," Hebe whispered in Toyokawa Shoko's ear.
"Okay, I promise you," Toyokawa Shoko replied, taking a book off the shelf.
Texas's expression grew increasingly suspicious upon seeing this, but then Toyokawa Shoko handed him the book and recited a string of numerical codes.
Suddenly, she seemed to realize something.
Texas followed the numerical code provided by Toyokawa Shoko and searched the book—and her work soon paid off.
"Opposing Blades... Power Struggle... the conflict and opposition between the lord and the wolf!"
"Thank you very much. With this knowledge, I am more confident in fighting the past."
Texas staggered to her feet, took out a handbook filled with cigar recipes that she had prepared beforehand, handed it to Toyokawa Shoko, and then left the Silent Bookstore without looking back.
Hebe stared at the spot where Texas had disappeared.
The second step has now been completed.
Hebe never intended to eradicate all the Lord of Years, but rather to support some, win over others, and overthrow others.
"The Lord of Years are all heroes, and Texas is a valiant one," Hebe narrowed her eyes. "Let heroes kill heroes, and valiant ones kill valiant ones..."
Hebe's perverse sense of humor is not limited to this.
She deliberately provided Texas with information about the Opposing Blades and the Power Struggle, so that she could better deal with her fellow tribesmen in Sicily.
According to Hebe's calculations, a fierce infighting among the Lord of Years will erupt in Sicily within about a week... but that's not enough.
What Hebe wanted was to overthrow the Saluzzo Family, reshuffle the power of the Lord of Years, and thus seize control of the influential pillar of lifespan trading.
Immediately afterwards, Hebe contacted Mostima again, asking her to go to a monastery near Sicily.
163 Randon Rose
Sicily is a large island with a long history, where all sorts of legends are told, some beautiful and romantic, others eerie and terrifying.
In Siracusa, the story of the "Rose Abbey" has been passed down through generations. Legend has it that this monastery is located high in the mountains, and deep within it lies the "Secrets from Before the Great Flood."
However, a great fire in the 14th century destroyed the monastery along with its secrets.
"Legend has it that the interior of this monastery is like a labyrinth, filled with countless staircases. The walls of the rooms inside the monastery are made of mirrors, reflecting and echoing each other. Without the right methods, one will only exhaust oneself and die in it."
Mostima heard Hebe's voice in her ear. "You still have that book, 'The Rose Magic of the Rose Magician,' right?"
This was naturally prepared, Mostima thought to himself.
Before leaving, Hebe handed her this handwritten copy, which was said to be from the secret teachings of the great sage Merlin.
Originally, it was intended to serve as proof of the alliance between the Silent Bookstore and the Lord of Years, becoming a treasure of the Saluzzo Family; but now that the cooperation has fallen through, what role can it play?
It certainly became the catalyst for the downfall of the Saluzzo Family.
"So I'm going to have you go to a nearby monastery and leave this manuscript there." Hebe's voice was calm and indifferent. "After you've done that, you don't have to turn back immediately. Take a detour to Gaul along the way."
Mostima took a deep breath. She didn't know Hebe's intentions, and she didn't want to find out at all.
The less you know, the safer you are.
She wandered around Sicily, seemingly oblivious to the family liquidators trailing behind her.
Before long, Mostima found his target—an old Orthodox Church monastery.
She visited the place, listened to a sermon, and then quietly left.
As dusk fell and the sun dipped below the horizon, the portico of Randon Abbey appeared narrow and deep, flanked by two-tone stained-glass windows on either side.
By this time, most of the believers had left, but seven or eight believers remained scattered in the prayer hall. Some bowed their heads and closed their eyes in prayer, some stared blankly ahead, and some covered their faces and muttered to themselves.
Suddenly, hurried footsteps sounded, and a dozen liquidators entered the prayer hall.