Would You Be My Flagship?

"Alexander Gascoigne..."

"Black Throne," Antiya Troliss repeated, reading Luther's pseudonym. Her red eyes scrutinized him from head to toe, lingering particularly long on his overly handsome face.

"She's alright looking..."

She murmured.

"So, who are you, and why do you possess the key left behind by Roselle?"

She quickly raised her voice again and said to Luther, "I've shared my story with you; in return, you should at least tell me about your own situation."

"My words..."

Luther thought for a moment, "I haven't had any direct contact with Roselle, but in a way, I have a connection with him."

"We've never met, but we still have a connection..."

Antiya smiled slightly upon hearing his words, without questioning him. "You, like Roselle, have your own secrets, right? Just like how, even though you are Sequence 4 of the Secrets Suppliant Pathway, you still maintain your rationality and haven't become Frenzy believer in the True Creator."

She saw through my Pathway... Well, as Sequence 2 Angel, it would be strange if she didn't discover something. Luther thought to himself, but even she probably didn't discover the Tide within me.

As his experience grew, he became increasingly certain that his Golden Finger ability was at least at the level of True God, and possibly even higher.

"As you said, I am Sequence 4 of the Secrets Suppliant Pathway, the Black Knight."

Luther readily admitted it.

"Countless dead lie in the shadows beneath your feet."

Antiya added that she clearly saw a heavy and terrifying aura of death emanating from Luther.

"Some were wicked people who deserved to die, but most were innocent people who died unjustly."

Luther's expression was calm. "The wicked will suffer eternal torment within me, while the innocent will receive my redemption from their Degeneration and find peace in my shadow."

That's what he said, and that's exactly what he did.

"Very good."

Antiya's clear eyes reflected his calm expression, then a smile suddenly appeared on her face. "It seems you are an extraordinary being who has truly grasped the essence of the Hanged Man."

Luther did not answer; if he could, he actually did not want to gain these painful insights.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm wanted by several countries in the Northern Continent, nominally Great Pirate, but I haven't done those things like robbing ordinary people. Most of the time, I'm attacking those maritime colonists, either Destruction their government institutions or attacking their slave ships..."

Luther replied, "In a way, it's Destruction the colonial boom that Roselle started."

Antiya remained noncommittal.

She seemed to be judging me... Luther thought to himself. Seeing that she hadn't spoken for a long time, he finally couldn't help but ask, "What are your plans for the future?"

"What are my plans for the future? Hehe..."

Luther's words elicited a soft chuckle from Antiya.

If I told you I was planning to leave on my own, would you really be willing?

She looked at Luther with a playful smile.

"... I can't say."

Luther shook his head.

Even if I don't want to, I can't stop you. He thought to himself, you are the Duke of Entropy, Sequence 2, Grounded Angel, while I am just Demigod, Sequence 4... Although he possesses some powerful abilities that are enough to overturn the table, using them here would be too irrational.

If you pretend to be willing to let me go, I'll think you're being hypocritical.

Antiya said, "Don't worry, I have no intention of disobeying Roselle's final orders."

In other words... she wants to acknowledge me as her master?

Luther raised an eyebrow slightly.

"To be honest, I'm a little surprised," he said. "After being treated like that by Roselle, you're still willing to follow that emperor's final instructions."

If he were to suffer such a fate, not only would he refuse to obey orders, but he would also seek revenge on Roselle, dig up the corpse, and beat him up to vent his anger.

The black-haired Antiya shook her head. "Because you don't understand. That's Roselle Gustav. He wouldn't leave any potential threats for himself."

"I was bound by restrictions from the moment I was created." She pointed to the chains around her neck, "My Spirituality instincts prevent me from refusing the Contract with you."

He truly deserves the title of "Son of Steam."

"Roselle's skill in Artisan is indeed remarkable."

Luther remarked with emotion.

"More than."

Antiya glanced at him. "With Artisan alone, it's impossible to impose such severe restrictions on Sequence 2 Angel... The reason I'm being so obedient is for another reason."

Luther was taken aback.

"Other reasons?"

He repeated.

"Yes, he exerted an influence on my mind. It was a Root-Level shock from the depths of my Spirituality, an unconditional suppression of the inferior by the superior in the same Sequence Pathway..."

Antiya said in a deep voice, and seeing that Luther did not understand, she simply said in more direct terms, "I suspect that Roselle and I are from the same Pathway, and that his Sequence is higher than mine..."

Indeed, this reasoning makes sense. As Secrets Suppliant "Pathway, Luther knows best how profound the influence of those in higher positions on those in lower Pathway can be. However, at the same time, he was also somewhat taken aback by this information.

Her Sequence is even higher?

She's already Angel!

Could Roselle be Sequence 1 of the "Lawyer" Pathway, or... a higher True God? But looking at the records in his diary, he was undoubtedly an extraordinary being of the Paragon Pathway, a god-given figure certified by the Church of Steam... Unless, he switched Pathway midway?

Many thoughts rushed through Luther's mind. He felt as if he had grasped some clues, but he still seemed to be lacking some key information.

Are you sure this was an influence exerted by Roselle himself?

He asked seriously.

"Probably, after all, it happened 152 years ago."

Antiya asked, "What, is this matter so important?"

It's important, of course it's important. I'm not even sure what this really means... However, her words alone are a bit weak. Perhaps I should contact the Queen.

Luther thought to himself, then shook his head.

"We can talk about these things later."

He looked up at Antiya, "Let's deal with the immediate problem first."

Looking into the other person's beautiful red eyes, Luther's expression gradually became serious.

Now that things have come to this, he has decided to persuade the other party to let this Sequence 2 Angel become an ally on his side. With a Sequence 2 ship as his Flagship, his strength will be greatly enhanced, and he will not be at a disadvantage when fighting against other kings or official extraordinary beings at sea.

"Let me be frank, Antiya Trois, would you be willing to become my Flagship?"

Finally, Luther revealed his intentions.