The Book of Virtues in Abner's hand had come from Daphne Priestley, vice president of the Secret Order.
The word "Priestley" itself meant "emperor's attendant" in Ancient Feysac. As the Night Emperor's true confidant, it was only natural that the family had been entrusted with an item concerning His Resurrection.
But unfortunately, although the Priestley Family had turned to Zaratul after the War of the Four Emperors and become elders of the Secret Order, ensuring the family's continuation, their "loyalty" to the Night Emperor had gradually faded with time.
By Daphne's generation, she no longer held much affection for him. Even if Abner had not controlled her, she would have wanted to take the Book of Virtues herself, search for the Spectral Empire, and claim the Planeswalker characteristic among the Night Emperor's legacy.
Of course, her actions were likely part of the Night Emperor's calculations as well...
At that thought, Abner deactivated the Pure White Eye. As he stroked the surface of the Book of Virtues, he mused:
Daphne had once said that while the Night Emperor was alive, he could use the Book of Virtues in conjunction with his own Authority to appoint so-called Virtue knights...
There were seven types of Virtue, with each knight corresponding to one: Loyal Augustus, Tolerant Einhorn, Gentle Sauron, Diligent Castiya, Generous Audra, Temperate Monica, and Humble Priestley.
As long as they upheld their own Virtue, they could receive the Night Emperor's blessing in battle and be granted the Authority of "balance," temporarily raising Saint-level knights to the same level as Angels!
At the time, I had only thought this was the Night Emperor's twisted sense of humor. Now, however, it seemed more likely to be some kind of ritual—a ritual meant to seal the Night Emperor's own Soul Stone within the Book of