Trap

She knew how to summon the White Whale and the Great Rabbit.

Therefore, the next goal is clear.

"Reid Astrea."

She arrived at the Pleiades Watchtower, but was killed by Shaula as soon as she got close.

But it doesn't matter.

Under the influence of her Authority, she was virtually immortal.

Reid Astrea, a figure from four hundred years ago, was the strongest swordsman in the Lugunica Kingdom; he was practically synonymous with the strongest.

He died four hundred years ago, and his soul remains in the Pleiades Watchtower as an examiner.

Pandora doesn't need to be alive; she only needs his perception.

Vanity Authority can distort perceptions.

It's not about altering the perceptions of the living, but about altering the world's record of the dead.

The dead are gone, but the world remembers them, and their legend lives on.

Those legends, those blessings, those powers still linger in some corner of the world.

She can alter those lingering perceptions, making the world believe that Reid's enemy is Higashino Makoto.

The cost was enormous.

Her Authority was being diminished, she could feel it, but she didn't stop.

Next is...

"Volcanica."

Dragon God, the guardian deity of the Lugunica Kingdom.

It is enormous in size, possesses unparalleled strength, and may have lived for thousands of years.

They've all become mentally unstable, which suits Pandora's purposes perfectly.

Pandora doesn't need to affect it; she only needs to affect a portion of the contracts.

The Lugunica Kingdom has a pact with the Dragon God; the Dragon God protects the Re-Estize Kingdom, and the Re-Estize Kingdom worships the Dragon God.

That contract was ancient, sacred, and inviolable.

But Pandora doesn't need to be destroyed.

She only needs to make changes.

"Higashino Makoto is the enemy of the Re-Estize Kingdom. Dragon God, please protect the Re-Estize Kingdom and destroy the enemy."

The Pleiades Watchtower stands deep within the Augria Sand Dunes. The gray stone tower has stood for four hundred years amidst the wind and sand, like a nail driven into the sky, solitary and steadfast.

There were no plants, no animals, no life at all around the tower, only sand.

Endless, golden sand, rippled by the wind.

Shaula sat atop the tower, her long, greyish-white hair fluttering in the wind and sand, her golden eyes gazing at the distant sand dunes.

"Master..."

Her voice was very soft.

When will you be back?

For four hundred years, no one has ever answered.

She simply sat there, day after day, year after year, waiting for the sage to return.

That was her duty: to guard the Pleiades Watchtower and prevent anyone from getting close.

Pandora stood on the sand dune, her long platinum-gold hair fluttering in the wind and sand, her eyes gazing at the Pleiades Watchtower in the distance.

"Everything is here."

The corners of her mouth turned up slightly.

She was like a hunter who had finally set up a huge trap, and now all she had to do was wait for her prey to take the bait.

"The Sirius, is already on his way to the Pleiades Watchtower; the White Whale has awakened in the mist; the Great Rabbit has begun to split; Shaula of the Pleiades Watchtower will regard him as an intruder; the perception of the first Sword Reid, Red, has been altered; and the contract of the Dragon God Volcanica, has also been modified."

She turned around and looked in the direction of Novas Etier.

Higashino Makoto.

Her voice was very soft.

You will die here.

"Because you are an arrogant fellow, even more arrogant than Typhon, I am waiting for you to arrive and then step into my trap."

She closed her eyes, and the image of the silver-haired, golden-eyed man appeared in her mind.

"You're going to die there."

The wind blew, ruffling her white hair.

On the sand dunes, her figure gradually faded and disappeared.

Novas Etier, Fourth Level, Silent Great Library.

Higashino Makoto sat on a sofa in the common area, holding Tome of Wisdom in his hands, his eyes scanning the flowing words.

Reisen stood ramrod straight behind him.

Elsa Granhiert leaned against the window, looking languid. Her recent life seemed to have made her appear even more alluring.

Meili sat on the ground, hugging her teddy bear, her emerald green eyes fixed on Reisen's rabbit ears.

She had been staring at it for a long time, and Reisen's rabbit ears were trembling slightly.

"Reisen."

"Exist..."

Your ears can still move.

"Yes... yes..."

"Wow, that's amazing... even more amazing than a real rabbit!"

Reisen's face flushed slightly.

"I... I really am a rabbit..."

"Really?"

"Real..."

Meili smiled; she always had that innocent, naive look on her face.

"Then I'll bring Reisen carrots tomorrow?"

"Thank you... thank you..."

Higashino Makoto turned a page in his book, his finger pausing for a moment.

How embarrassing, Reisen.

He actually got manipulated by a little girl like that!

A new line of text appeared in the Tome of Wisdom--

"The Sirius, has appeared near the Augria Sand Dunes and is slaughtering villages along the way, heading towards the Pleiades Watchtower."

"The Pleiades Watchtower... a trap?"

"Higashino Makoto," he said in a low voice.

Elsa Granhiert turned her head.

"What?"

"The Sin Archbishops, on his way to the Pleiades Watchtower, killed many people along the way."

Are you going?

"Go."

"Why?"

"Because she was blocking my way, and she was killing people to lure me out. I hate senseless killing, especially when it's my fault."

Elsa Granhiert looked at him, her dark red eyes flashing with a complex light.

Higashino Makoto.

"Um."

"Careful."

"I will."

Higashino Makoto closed the book, stood up, and walked out of the library. Reisen followed him, Elsa Granhiert walked over from the window, and Meili got up from the floor.

"Big brother, are you going out?"

"Right."

Where to go?

"Don't ask so many questions, just stay with Elsa Granhiert."

When are you coming back?

"Soon."

Meili looked at him, her eyes flashing with worry.

"Then be careful."

Higashino Makoto reached out and ruffled her hair.

"Good."

He turned around, stretched out his hand, and made a light sweeping motion in the air.

A pitch-black spatial rift appeared silently before him.

Through the other side of the crevice, one could see a gray sky, a sandstorm raging, and a towering stone tower faintly visible in the distance.

Pleiades Watchtower.

Higashino Makoto did not go over immediately.

Just to be on the safe side, they retrieved a World Item from the treasure vault: the Sand Scepter.

"I'm leaving. I'll go alone this time."

Higashino Makoto stepped into the crevice.

The crack closed quietly after he passed through.