For some reason, as Iver looked at Sherlock before him, another scene suddenly surfaced in his mind--
It was Lucifer, translucent and standing before him, speaking softly about the scenes from the Past of the Serpent's Past.
"--The serpent was the same. Whenever the serpent lied, he always told the truth. Just like you.
"--His feelings for us were genuine. It was only for the sake of a higher purpose that he had to abandon us.
"--He made me a sacrifice without obtaining my consent. I was dissatisfied with that. But he felt guilty and suffered because of it, so I forgave him. He cut away his own goodness, and that became you. The fact that you suffer because of it is precisely the suffering he endured in the past. When people sin, they must repent; and when they repent, they must atone.
"--Will you deceive me again? Like we did in the past?"
Every word was a brand seeping with drops of blood. Iver had clearly heard it only once, yet it had been carved firmly into the depths of his heart.
Perhaps it was because he had been shaken. Perhaps it was because his wounds had been touched.
It was like watching someone drive a needle into their finger and pry up their fingernail... Even if one had never suffered a similar injury, seeing such a scene—or even merely reading about it—would make one empathize with the corresponding pain.
How similar were Ai Shiping and Lucifer back then to Iver and Sherlock now?
"Is this also a kind of 'Ouroboros Ring'...?"
Iver's lips moved slightly as he murmured.
A faint ripple appeared in his eyes.
But he did not waver.
Because Iver still remembered what he had promised Lucifer back then--
"I won't make promises like 'I will