Miss Hebe Is Fighting Her Way Out of the Lostbelt!

Thus, Neph could appear at Ozymandias's ritual in her most perfect form. Through the bond between king and queen, she seized control of the ritual and turned the Red King into her stepping stone.

Thus, Neph completed her resurrection across three lives.

Her first life had been as the queen of the Eighteenth Dynasty, Tutankhamun's mother; her second as the queen of the Nineteenth Dynasty, Ramesses II's wife; her third ascended into the wilderness, becoming Nephthys, goddess of houses and the dead.

December Archon—Duke of Sighs—was the culmination of her three lives.

"The new Archon has finally been born. From now on, death will be orderly, natural disasters will cease, and the Duke of Sighs will remember the name of every deceased person. Thus, history will become clearer, and Egypt will no longer be without a future."

Tutankhamun gave a self-mocking smile. "All of this is good, but what was the price?"

Nitocris stared blankly at the ground.

Setting right the wrong history, dragging a king who had brought calamity upon the people down from his throne, raising a new Archon to a position of honor... Imma had done so much. How could there have been no price?

How could there possibly have been no price!

Nitocris remembered those thin shoulders, and her heart felt strangely unsettled. How had such a petite body borne the fates of so many people?

Compared with the violent and tyrannical Red King, Hebe seemed more like the one carrying the burden of Upper and Lower Egypt.

For no reason, she thought of the priests in the temple writing Papyrus Scrolls. They wrote upon them with ink-filled pens, and when the writing ran out, so too would the ink.

"The natural disasters are over. Let those people out," Tutankhamun said. "There is one more thing I think you need to know."

Nitocris looked up at him and said softly, "What else could there be?"

Urged on by Tutankhamun, Egypt's people reappeared upon the calm, vast plains.

Yet one person did not leave. It was Seno.

He held a Papyrus Scroll in his hands. When he noticed Nitocris, the scroll gave off a faint glow.

He walked over and presented the Papyrus Scroll with both hands. Nitocris reached out tremblingly.

Someone's handwriting remained upon the Papyrus Scroll.

"I saw snow, Sister Nitocris. It is snowing in Egypt. I once had some unrealistic fantasies, but I traded them all for a better future."

"Yours included."

"So you should take revenge on me, and the best revenge is to forget. It is merely a return to how things were, and I was nothing to begin with. I saw snow, Sister Nitocris. It is snowing in Egypt."

Seno did not dare look at Nitocris's face. He watched the Papyrus Scroll tremble more and more violently, like a lotus leaf battered by torrential rain.

"The King of Ibis previously sent us to search everywhere for a suitable site for the Silent Temple," Seno said. "In the end, she chose Heliopolis... The Silent Temple has now been completed, but it still lacks a god capable of offering protection."

"The King of Ibis hopes that you can become our protector." Seno dropped to one knee.

Anubis was Nitocris's achievement. So long as it remained remembered by the Silent Temple, Nitocris would not decline, and the Silent Temple would likewise receive protection and endure for ages.

The world was noisy, but only silence remained here.

An extremely hoarse, extremely hoarse voice sounded above Seno's head.

"So she had foreseen this outcome from the very beginning, hadn't she?"

—Those who wished to become heroes died contentedly and in worthy fashion; those who wished for peaceful lives welcomed calm and beautiful tomorrows; those who wished for prosperity and succession became gods who remembered everything... Everything was in perfect order, and all had bright futures.

"But what about herself?" Nitocris asked hoarsely. "In this orderly new world, where did she place herself?!"

Nitocris's voice was like the cry of a night owl, mournful and piercing.

Tutankhamun covered his face. He could not answer that question.

"I see. Then I understand." Nitocris slowly rolled up the Papyrus Scroll and tucked it against her heart. "I once heard a story from Thebes."

Her voice was ethereal, as though it came from somewhere very, very far away.

"It said that if time was long enough, a drop of water that merged into the sea could return; a grain of sand that fell into the desert could come again."

If time stretched far enough, she could see familiar people appear before her once more.

"I will become the guardian goddess of the Silent Temple," Nitocris said. "I will live on, forever and ever. There are no wounds that cannot heal, no descents that cannot end. Everything lost will eventually return in another form at the end of time."

Very Good Settlement Data, It Left Me Stuck for Two Hours

"Settlement in progress."

"Current Lostbelt: Golden Truth Dream: Lost Sand Sea Kingdom. Current progress: 100%."

Achievement: Scribe of the Heavens—You witnessed the final days of the god-king who ruled over scorching sands and saw the birth of the Duke of Sighs with your own eyes. "The Red King's mad words still echo across the sea of sand, while the Duke of Sighs waits eternally in silence."

Exodus—You guided the Sarkaz away from their homeland, and they began a long journey three hundred years overdue. "Suffering can temper a person's mettle; the more so, the stronger it becomes."

Nothing New Under the Sun—You witnessed the rise and fall of the Great Red Sand Sea and its oases. Truth was no longer hidden from you. "One day, familiar people will all return."

Prosperity and Succession—You proved that Egypt still had a future. "The wheels of history roll ever onward. How many bones have they crushed beneath them? Yours and mine are among them."

Lore of the Nine Sages—You mastered all secret teachings within Egypt's system from that era. Even the Red King himself fell far short of you. "Beyond the strong are always those stronger still."

High Priest—You possessed dual authority. Within Egypt's system, you were the singular, insurmountable pinnacle. "No mountain among a thousand could reach this height."

King-Slayer—You personally delivered the Red King's fated death. Yet to him, death was also mercy. "What suffering could be greatest? The Sea of Suffering knows no bounds."

Pact with Gods—You entered into pacts multiple times with beings far surpassing yourself. "Contracts, notarization, laws. The study of gods and all spirits."

Silent Temple—You established your own organization in that era. It underwent several changes thereafter, yet it endured throughout. "We bear the name Atlas because the King of Ibis once held up Egypt's sky; we take silence as our motto because Hermanubis was slow of speech but swift in action."

Ten Plagues—You witnessed every natural disaster. "This is the end of all calamities."

No Remnants—Repeated trials, errors, and sacrifices finally bore fruit. "Silence is the backdrop of courage, and courage is the weapon of silence."

Savior—You saved Egypt. "See nothing in all things, and find salvation in the absence of all hope."

Overall Evaluation: EX.

Comment: Amid the dust of history, within the ruins of the sea of sand, Egypt endured because it was remembered. Every subject living upon the sea of sand and its oases would give thanks for the priest's deeds.

"Through your efforts, another lost secret history has been proven and joined the histories."

"—We all salute you, The Knower."

"Rewards are being distributed."

"Basic rewards: Imhotep's Panacea—Even in this era, it can still cure most diseases;

Demon Lord's Authority—In this era, it no longer possesses the authority to command others, but it allows you to maintain noble freedom before any royal or divine authority;

Sacred Script—Writing carved by temple priests upon obelisks six thousand years ago. It is more effective and more powerful than other languages;

Amon-Ra's Contemplation—When you concentrate, subjective time will pass more slowly;

Khnum's Stomach—You can obtain the substances needed to sustain life by digesting metals and ores;

Sobek's Training—By personally destroying a weapon, you can rapidly master its owner's combat experience;

Thoth's Eye—Your eyesight has been enhanced;

Bennu's Heart—You can resist all curses below the Daylight rank;

Hermanubis's Hand—By touching them with your hand, you can make targets below the Daylight rank feel exhausted;

Shesepenhe's Foot—Under sunlight, you will move faster;

Apep's Skin—Your skin becomes tougher;

Nephthys's Dwelling—You can summon a small wooden cabin with a constant interior temperature;

A-rank special reward: Silent Bookstore—A branch from the Egyptian lands, isolated overseas.

Imhotep established an association known as the Silent Temple, but in the present day, it existed under the name Atlas Institute in the depths of the North African desert. For thirty-two centuries, the Duke of Sighs had protected it. The successive Seven Sages of the Atlas Institute also revered their protector, Nitocris.

In accordance with Imhotep's promise, a branch of the Atlas Institute came to Cornwall in Albion several centuries ago and became the Silent Bookstore.

It had once been a monastery and a military fortress, but it was now a library with no heir.

You will now fulfill your promise and inherit the property that belongs to you.

EX-rank special reward: Duke of Sighs's Remembrance—A promise from December Archon, Duke of Sighs.

However, the time to fulfill this promise has not yet come.

All of the above basic rewards are universal across all Lostbelts."

Hebe sat before her computer in silence.

Only after a long while did she click confirm.

Cobalt-blue starlight descended from the sky, taking longer than it had during The Rose War.

Fortunately, Hebe had been prepared this time, so it did not cause too much disruption.

She lowered her head, pinched her arm, threw a few punches into the air beside her, then quickly paced back and forth by the window.

My physical fitness now seems... perhaps... no worse than that of an armored Knight of the Round Table? Hebe was secretly alarmed.

The Knights of the Round Table here were not those disappointing successors, but the true first generation.

Hebe picked up the cup at hand, held it against her mouth for comparison, then put it back down.

There was no other reason. The rim was too large to fit wholly into her mouth.

Besides, she rather liked that cup.

Hebe went to the kitchen, took out a pair of metal chopsticks, and cautiously bit down on one.

The metal chopsticks were completely unscathed.

Yet when Hebe formed the thought of "eating" the chopsticks, she easily chewed them to pieces, crushed them, and swallowed them.

A faint sensation of fullness came over her, making Hebe understand that she really could replenish nutrients this way.

But then again, whatever nutrients eating metal could provide, she could get from normal food too... Besides, metal did not taste good.

Given the choice, Hebe would still choose delicious food without hesitation to satisfy her appetite.

She sat down before the computer again.

"Lostbelt Golden Truth Dream: Lost Sand Sea Kingdom has been successfully archived. This Lostbelt belongs to First History."

"Secret History Simulator is undergoing a version update. During the update, you will be unable to log into the simulator. Estimated waiting time: 23 hours and 59 minutes."

Hebe stared at that line of text.

She still remembered that The Rose War had been classified under Fourth History.

In other words, were First History, Second History, Third History, and Fourth History connected in sequence? Or did they exist parallel to one another?

Lacking further evidence, Hebe could not reach a conclusion.

She sighed, changed clothes, opened the door, and walked out.

It Had to Be the Special Inspection Department! (Please Bookmark and Keep Reading)

The cold wind brushed across the girl's cheeks.

For a moment, Hebe was even somewhat bewildered.

—Since when had Arfi Antique Market had so many beat cops?

They stood in groups of three or five, holding paper, pens, and recording devices as they methodically investigated from one end of the long street.

Knocking on doors, showing identification, questioning, recording, filing... The entire process flowed smoothly, and they finished investigating a shop in mere minutes.

"Since when have Albion's police been so efficient?" nearby tourists watching the commotion muttered among themselves.

Hearing this, Hebe grew suspicious. She blended into the crowd and moved closer, hearing the patrol officers asking questions.

"Have you recently dreamed of an antique shop?" The patrol officers roughly described the details while carefully watching the respondent's expression.

"Antique shops like that are everywhere in Arfi Market." The bald shopkeeper wearing tortoiseshell glasses answered earnestly. "Gentlemen, even my junk shop is more or less arranged that way. Honestly, I am busy with business every day. I have no idea how many dreams like that I've had."

The bald shopkeeper shrugged. "Gentlemen, are you planning to take me away over such a ridiculous reason?"

The Special Inspection Department's patrol officers neither confirmed nor denied it. They continued questioning him. Some questions were rather subtle, while others were blunt and direct.

The bald shopkeeper's tone gradually stiffened.

Just as he despondently believed he was about to be taken away, those patrol officers patted him on the shoulder and moved on to the next shop.

The bald shopkeeper smiled in relief after surviving the ordeal. Hebe in the crowd could not smile.

What were they trying to do?