Because they arrived early, Melissa and Benson were able to choose a fairly good spot where they could see a strange object on the gray-white stone pillar in the center of the square. It was large at one end and small at the other, painted with dark blue paint, and connected to some kind of cable.
Below this object stood a squad of soldiers in red shirts and white trousers, carrying gray-white metal backpacks and holding complex, large-caliber rifles, watching their surroundings with great vigilance.
As more and more citizens joined in, the square became increasingly crowded and lively.
At exactly nine o'clock, the strange thing on the stone pillar suddenly emitted a hissing and rustling sound, which eventually turned into a deep, resonant voice:
"Ladies and gentlemen, I am your Emperor, Ruler of the Loen, East Balam, and Rorsted Archipelago, George Augustus III."
... That thing can talk? Is it based on the principles of telegraphy? Melissa's eyes widened suddenly, her attention instantly shifting from the content of the speech to the strange object.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I am your Emperor, Ruler of the Loen, East Balam, and Rorsted Archipelago, George Augustus III."
In Memorial Day Square in the West Borough, Audrey stood near the platform with her father, mother and brother, gazing at the King in his formal attire and listening to his speech.
Knowing in advance what George III's focus would be today and what kind of atmosphere he would create, Audrey did not wear her favorite girlish clothes in terms of color and style. Instead, like Countess Caitlyn, she wore a simple and conservative dress in pure black, without any jewelry.
"... I am both happy and saddened to tell you that we have finally stopped the first phase of the Feysac ' offensive and thwarted their plan to destroy Loen within three months..."
"... However, too many outstanding young people have died on the front lines, died in this war. They deserved better futures, they should have been able to accompany their parents as they grew old, matured together with their spouses, and raised their children in a loving environment, enjoying a wonderful childhood..."
"... The Feysac destroyed everything..."
Knowing why the war was started, Audrey was not swayed by the King's speech; she simply felt that he must have a talent for drama.
She heard faint sobs coming from the crowd around her, and felt the sadness gradually emerging, converging, and brewing.
This caused her eyes to well up with tears.
The king's speech was insincere, but the people's grief was real enough, especially since Audrey had met many relatives of the fallen and helped those poor people who had lost their children, husbands, and fathers overnight.
This is the immense resonance of emotions, the perfect occasion to consume the " Manipulator " Potion... Audrey suddenly realized something, but couldn't take advantage of it, because she hadn't fully digested the " Dreamwalker " Potion yet, nor had she accumulated enough contribution points with Mr. "World".
She took a slow breath, controlling her emotions, and shifted her gaze from King George III, letting her thoughts wander freely:
"Mr. World is very interested in today's speech and doesn't know how to use it..."
"Hopefully, this won't lead to any major surprises..."
"That thing called 'broadcasting' is based on radio principles? Mr. 'World' mentioned that there are already powers using this technology at sea... Compared to the Storm -prone ocean, land is clearly more suitable for similar products..."
Just as Audrey was lost in thought, the stern and austere George III, with his small mustache, finished the first paragraph and solemnly said:
"Let us observe a moment of silence here for our heroes. Ladies and gentlemen, repeat after me in your hearts:"
"In the name of Emperor George III, may the spirits of the fallen find peace, and may they live forever in the land of their gods."
These words carried an indescribable authority, causing everyone who heard them, including Audrey, to involuntarily lower their heads, clasp their hands, and silently recite:
"In the name of Emperor George III..."
"In the name of Emperor George III..." On the other side of Memorial Day Square, Klein, dressed in a black wool coat and with an ordinary face, prayed along with the people around him, appearing completely normal.
During the three-minute silence, he carefully observed George III's every move with the help of a bird Marionette perched on the roof of a nearby building, trying to find signs that the king was about to quietly depart, enter his mausoleum, and take Potion potion.
According to Klein's understanding, the phrase "in the name of Emperor George III " is the core of the entire " Black Emperor " ritual. If one is to take the Potion, it must be done at this time, or within two or three minutes after the moment of silence ends. If it is delayed any further, the effect will most likely not be very good.
"Huh, George III is also observing a moment of silence, without making any unnecessary movements..." Klein suppressed his impatience and doubt, patiently waiting.
The moment of silence that brought tears to many eyes gradually came to an end, and people opened their eyes one after another. At this moment, George III still did nothing, but spoke again to deliver his speech:
"We have weathered the most difficult moment. We will surely defeat evil and brutality. This is the power of Justice, the power of every soldier on the front lines, the power of every worker in the factory..."
This... the "0-08" arrangement failed. It seems George III had no intention of becoming a god today; he was simply trying to "lure out" the enemy who wanted to disrupt the ceremony. Anyway, he could give many more similar speeches later. Klein frowned slightly, a series of thoughts racing through his mind.
Suddenly, his expression turned serious as he considered a possibility.
In the blink of an eye, Klein and the Marionette Enuni, hidden in the sewers, switched places. Enyuni dressed the same as him, looked the same, and was indistinguishable from him in appearance alone.
Immediately afterwards, Klein took four steps backward and entered the Gray Fog. With the help of the crimson star representing "Miss Justice," he used " Spirit Vision " to observe the situation in the square.
He has already Sequence 3 and no longer needs to rely on the " Sea God Scepter " to expand his range. Of course, compared to the " Scholar of Yore," the " Sea King's" " Spirit Vision " range is obviously larger, but this time it's not necessary.
Klein's gaze froze the moment he landed on the platform where King George III had given his speech, because there was no one there, or rather, only a false "phantom"!
That's Envisioning George III giving a speech!
Before the speech began, Klein had been wary of this possibility and had made a special observation to confirm that the person present was the real George III. However, in just a few minutes, without his noticing, the real George III turned into Envisioning George III.
During the moment of silence, he used the power of the " Black Emperor " to " Distortion " himself, silently replacing himself with a substitute? This... George III should already be in some secret mausoleum, taking Potion and attempting to advance! With a thought, Klein quickly examined the surrounding area and discovered that beneath the podium, an abnormal, extremely powerful dark force was secretly growing.
Klein immediately picked up the " Black Emperor " plaque from the surface of the bronze table and sensed it. Using the Law of Beyonder Characteristics Convergence, he confirmed that the power belonged to the " Black Emperor " pathway and originated from " Distortion ".
That's impressive! He used a speech to lure the enemy in while simultaneously disguising himself with a dummy, quietly slipping away to consume the Potion... It's almost too late... Klein's nerves tightened, and he immediately returned to the real world. In the sewers, he chanted in Jotun:
" The Holy Spirit who pursues knowledge"
"A beacon in a mysterious world"
Eyes that peer into Fate;
"The King of the Sea"
"The holy Bernadette Gustav..."
This is the title of the " Mystery Queen," but it differs from the normal Sequence 3. Her limited range is very large, and it can also take effect in Backlund. Klein suspects that the eldest daughter of Emperor Roselle used a "0" level Sealed Artifact to achieve this effect.
Bernadette rarely revealed this honorific name to others, fearing that some enemies might use prayer and automatic responses to pinpoint her location before Sequence 2, which perfectly aligned with Klein's thinking.
Klein made a pact with her: whenever he recited this name, she would choose any secret tomb, Door Opening a symbol with the blood he had given her, and attempt to destroy it.
Neither he nor Bernadette expected it to succeed this way, because if the other side had Angel, the guards inside the mausoleum would definitely chant the names of those Angel every now and then, so that they could use the "prayer lights" to remotely monitor the corresponding area and rush to the aid as soon as they found something wrong.
Bernadette's main purpose was to attract attention!
Of course, if the Angel arrive slowly, the " Mystery Queen " can switch from being a support to being the main attacker.
After doing this, Klein immediately reached out his right hand and grabbed at the air.
As he pulled his arm back, a figure appeared in front of him.
She was a woman with ordinary features, dark eyes, wearing a simple long robe, a bark belt, and long, black hair. She was barefoot and unshoes.
Abbess of the Evernight Abbey, leader of the Ascetic, " Servant of Concealment," Angel on Earth, Arianna.
It worked on the first try... Klein was startled, but without thinking too much, he quickly said:
"Keep my existence Concealment and protect the people of Backlund."
He was worried that if George III lost control due to the disruption of the ceremony, he might rush out of his mausoleum and endanger the people of the metropolis.
"Okay," Arianna replied calmly, without any stiffness or awkwardness.
... Could it be a real person coming...? Actually, my summoning failed. The goddess had already sent Lady Arianna back to Backlund quietly. As soon as she sensed that she had been summoned, she came over...? Do the Angel of the Concealment realm also have a certain degree of control over their images in the Historical Void? In the blink of an eye, Klein found himself in a strange state, no longer being sensed by the outside world.