"Is this... the ability to heal injuries by becoming a cocoon?"
Lin was highly receptive to all kinds of mysteries, and quickly figured out what was happening.
She took a step forward and gazed at the giant cocoon, a delighted smile appearing on her face.
"Wonderful, this person is all right. The Lord's oracle can still be fulfilled..."
Inside the cocoon, she saw what seemed to be a source of light, illuminating the shadowy outline of a person. She could just make out that it was female. The woman looked like an embryo, her arms wrapped around her curled-up legs like a fetus in the womb.
But as the heartbeat grew louder, countless shadows seemed to writhe behind the black silhouette, rapidly expanding... until they became... a pair of misshapen wings?
The figure's shape grew strange, too. Its mouthparts elongated, its body mutated, and it seemed to be evolving into some kind of insect...
"This is bad... Is this... corruption?"
Lin's expression turned grave. She knew that after suffering such severe injuries, the woman could no longer maintain her sanity and was turning into a monster.
In truth, Olivia's transformation was also related to the ritual she had performed earlier, after exhausting her spiritual power.
If this continued, the one to emerge from the cocoon would definitely not be her.
"So that's it. The Lord saw everything long ago. Is this the true meaning of saving a soul?"
Lin suddenly understood. "She's already been drawn in by the terrifying entity at the end of her own path, and lost in the abyss... Only our Lord's radiance can save her..."
She knew what she had to do.
Lin immediately began preparing a ritual and praying to the Spirit of Void:
"Spirit of Unknown Void, Absolute Neutral Entity, Silent Observer..."
"Please bestow your grace and redeem this lost soul before me!"
"Can I just say this wasn't my doing? I was only running a little slow, so I almost didn't make it in time?"
Aaron Sothoth grumbled inwardly as he accepted the ritual.
He gazed at the giant cocoon before him, his eyes filled with astonishment. Still, he channeled the mysterious energy produced by his dream and poured it into the cocoon.
"Thank you, my Lord!"
Lin sensed the change and looked into the glowing cocoon. The hideous black shadow had gradually faded away, returning to human form.
Riiip!
The gray cocoon covering tore open. Olivia, naked, struggled out and saw Lin. A hint of embarrassment crossed her face, but it was quickly overwhelmed by shock. "That was..."
"Fortunate one, you have received our Lord's grace and been saved by Him..."
Lin glanced at Olivia, grabbed a piece of clothing from a corpse on the ground, and tossed it to her. "Put this on first. I'll explain everything."
A short while later, at the Department Store.
"So... you were called upon by an entity, founded the Light of Redemption, and then received an oracle telling you to save me?"
Olivia asked in astonishment. "What kind of benevolent entity would pity someone as insignificant as me? No... Would an entity like that even communicate with mortals? The Cocoon never communicates with its followers, not even the highest-ranking Cocoon-Men. There are even rumors that everyone who's truly seen the Cocoon has died, whether they were a follower or not!"
"The Cocoon? Cocoon-Men?"
Aaron was confused, and Lin asked outright, "What is the Cocoon?"
"It is the ruler of the 'Chrysalis' element, the symbol of life and change..."
Olivia's expression grew extremely complicated. "I came from the forests in the south, where many people worship the Cocoon. They call themselves Cocoon-Men, and they've even founded a sect called the Wasteland of Wild Woods... Many people who join them undergo terrifying changes in temperament. After undergoing several cycles of cocooning, some even become inhuman... I didn't want to stay there, so I left for distant lands..."
Lin thought of the Black Sun Cult's fanatics and the high priest who had turned into a Black Flame Beast. Suddenly, she understood. "The mysterious path is far too dangerous. Madness and terror are its constant companions. No matter which path we follow, we need our Lord's protection to preserve our humanity. Praise our Lord!"
"Could I have the honor of learning His revered name?"
Olivia asked solemnly. "After I left the sect, my hallucinations and other symptoms had become quite severe. But after receiving that entity's grace, I feel completely cured. I want to learn His teachings, and... would He be willing to accept someone like me, a follower of the Cocoon?"
"Of course. Our Lord accepts all."
Lin's eyes lit up, and she immediately began preaching. "He stands at the very top of the Light Realm. He is the Light of Redemption, humanity's only hope!"
Hey, hey, all I told you was that I'm a spirit! Just a spirit! Don't go adding all kinds of weird stuff on your own!
Aaron listened from the side, feeling horribly awkward.
Especially since Lin had taken it upon herself to give him all those powers, talking about redemption and protection... He hadn't agreed to any of that!
Forget it. I never said I accepted any of it... Besides, the Chrysalis?
Aaron tried to reassure himself. Apart from that, he was quite interested in this newly discovered element and path.
I need to find a way to trick Olivia into revealing her Secret Lore. No, not trick her... make a deal! A deal!
But does life and change overlap with Crimson? No, Crimson is mainly about fertility and vitality... And there's something stubborn, conservative, and unchanging about the Chrysalis, too...
He watched Olivia get talked into joining the Light of Redemption by Lin.
It was only natural.
As long as Olivia wanted to continue on the mysterious path without being influenced by the Cocoon and turning into a monster, she had no choice but to bow before him.
Aaron could tell that Olivia was somewhat naive, but she was still more mature than Lin. Could she really not see that there was something fishy about this Light of Redemption?
Rather than say she had been talked into joining the sect, it was more accurate to say she had been won over by the "miracle" he had displayed.
"Olivia, now that we've become fellow believers, I'll announce our first major decision."
Lin surveyed the Department Store, clearly very pleased with it. "I'm requisitioning this place as a branch of our sect... Hmm, we can't move the headquarters. Our Lord's altar is there, and we can't relocate it without His permission."
Olivia pursed her lips as she watched Lin put on an air of authority, as if she were a grown-up. Then she asked, "So... Lady Saintess, how many members does our sect have?"
Lin's confidence faltered. In a very quiet voice, she replied, "Five, counting you... And only you and I are Beyonders."
Olivia's expression froze. She'd had some suspicions and was somewhat prepared, but she hadn't expected the sect to be this ridiculous!
The true Esoteric Sects all had thousands of members, and their leaders were powerful figures in their own right.
This one was barely even a combat squad compared to theirs.
Could she still leave the sect?
Before you continue