Tingen Once Again

One day later.

"Sizzle, sizzle."

Luther took the Ritual silver dagger and used it to carve an intricate pattern on his arm.

The pattern spiraled and circled, its beginning and end connected, constantly oozing blood, appearing eerie and mysterious.

Upon closer inspection, this pattern seems somewhat similar to the strange rings created by Ouroboros's released power.

Of course, Luther wouldn't be foolish enough to summon the "Angel of Fate" again. This design came from another Snake of Mercury Chairman, the Sacred Emblem of the "Life School of Thought." He arranged the candles on the Altar, placed his wounded arm between two candles, letting the candlelight illuminate the bloodstained Sacred Emblem, and then lowered his head to chant incantations.

That's right, he wants to hold the "Mystical Pact Ritual" again to establish contact with the Chairman of the Life School of Thought.

"There are two things I'd like to discuss with you."

Luther directly included his questions in the prayer. "First, that Foolish Snake you mentioned has come after me. Second, I want to know if you know the Potion recipe for Sequence 3 of my Pathway..."

So far, he has obtained clues about the "Trinity Templar" from two sources: first, Medici's deal, and second, the Church of Evernight's recruitment. However, both sources come with additional conditions: either Medici must be allowed to be resurrected, or he must return to the Church of Evernight.

Leaving aside Medici's situation for now, returning to the Church of Evernight has both advantages and disadvantages.

The advantages are gaining official status, access to more resources, and a strong backing, eliminating concerns about the Aurora Order's Angel suddenly appearing again; the disadvantages are being subject to control, losing the freedom of the past, and the Goddess's true purpose remaining unclear.

Just as Luther was struggling with this decision, he suddenly realized that he had another Pathway to explore. If the Chairman of the "Life School of Thought" could also provide the necessary resources, he would have another option.

"Hopefully, there will be good news..."

With this thought in mind, Luther gradually closed his eyes and Dream Infiltration.

The wilderness Desolation, with a Tower standing out abruptly; the scenery was exactly the same as what he had seen last time.

However, when Luther entered the Tower with practiced ease, he found it empty; the giant white snake that had been coiled inside was nowhere to be found.

Where are they?

He thought with some apprehension, when suddenly he noticed some glittering spots on the ground. Approaching them, he saw they were scattered tarot cards, pieced together intermittently to form lines of Loenese on the ground:

Thanks for reminding me, I'll remind them to keep a close eye on that Foolish Snake.

As for the Potion recipe you asked about, I regret to inform you that I do not know it. Perhaps you could try your luck with organizations that believe in True Creator, such as the Aurora Order or the Iron and Blood Cross Order.

[Also, Ouroboros may still be watching you, so don't contact me unless absolutely necessary.]

This...

Luther grinned.

It seems He's a bit afraid of Ouroboros. Not only did He not show up this time, He even asked me to contact Him less... He calls Ouroboros Foolish Snake, but he's actually so wary... Well, He's in a crucial developmental stage, and He's even more afraid of Ouroboros directly confronting Him than I am...

He shook his head regretfully, waking up from his dream.

After tidying up the items left over from the Ritual, Luther once again took out the flower that Arianna had left behind. The afternoon sun shone brightly on the Deep Sleep Flower. It showed no signs of wilting and still exuded a faint fragrance, bringing a sense of peace and tranquility.

It seems I have no choice but to accept the Church's conditions.

After all, the Church of Evernight seems more reliable than Medici.

But before that... there's one more thing I need to do.

Loen Kingdom, Tingen City, train station platform.

"Waaah-"

-"

Steam rose up, filling the platform with a white haze that obscured the view. Hurried passengers were bathed in this vapor, their heads jostling and figures blurring, like some strange Dream.

A man emerged from the Steam. He was handsome, with slightly disheveled hair and Green Eyes that held the romantic air of a poet.

Leonard looked around the familiar station, a nostalgic expression on his face.

Tingen, I'm back...

Those past memories rushed back, and on the crowded platform, he suddenly felt a dizzying sense of loneliness, making it difficult to move for a moment.

Passengers passed by him, and people would occasionally glance at him, not only because his behavior was a bit strange, but also because of the conspicuous red gloves he was wearing, which stood out against his black suit.

Leonard raised his hand, smoothed his hair, and finally took another step, walking out of the station before more people noticed him.

Daffodil Street, Tingen City.

A foot emerged from the void and landed firmly on the street, followed by more human body parts being "squeezed" out of the void and appearing in the air.

Someone came out.

However, the people on the street Consciousness ignored this unusual situation, continuing with their own activities, and no one gave the suddenly appearing man in red a second glance.

Luther removed his hand from the anchor symbol on his arm, ending the Spirituality output. He used "Spirit World Traversal" to travel directly to Tingen, wanting to see the place where he Oldest One lived one last time before heading to Backlund.

At this time, Antiya had already entered hibernation.

She no longer manifested in human form as frequently as before, nor did she use her abilities at will. Instead, she attached herself to the anchor mark on Luther's arm.

However, Miss Ship Spirit did not completely fall into slumber. Although the Angel abilities of the Black Emperor Pathway could not be used for the time being, the functions added to her during the creation of the "Ghost Ship" were not affected - simply put, Luther could still use her to Spirit World Traversal.

Similarly, Antiya could also serve as Luther's messenger, solving the latter's inability to Contract with Spirit World Creature... Of course, this will have to wait until she awakens.

"Tap, tap."

Luther walked along the cement road of Daffodil Street. With each step, familiar street scenes came into view, and memories surfaced in his mind. His expression was unusually calm, but his eyes were like a volcano, accumulating intense emotions.

He stood in front of the three row houses.

Number 2 Daffodil Street, the house that Klein's family used to rent, is now empty, with a rental sign hanging on the door. Next door, number 6, which he and Cecilia used to rent, has new tenants.

As dusk fell, the house was bathed in warm light, filled with the sounds of children's laughter and adults' conversations. The clinking of knives and forks against the tableware created a pleasant ambiance. This haven sheltered people weary from a long day, protecting them from the cold and the storms.

Luther stood in the darkness, gazing silently.

This place is still beautiful, but it no longer belongs to me.