Historians across the Northern Continent generally agree that the Quaternary Period was shrouded in a thick fog, obscuring its true nature.
There are too many gaps and ambiguities in the records of this period of history, and the unearthed tombs, ancient cities and documents are very few, which cannot form effective evidence.
However, this does not mean that no one is doing related research; the fact that very little research is being done means that there are still some relics and materials.
Originally, Klein was a passionate enthusiast of Quaternary history, having read numerous papers and books, and he still remembers much of it:
Whether it was the Solomon Empire, the Tudor Dynasty, or the Trunsoest Empire, they all shared a similar architectural style, characterized by defying conventions, chaotic asymmetry, and a preference for black.
Among them, the most representative are the candlesticks hanging from the ceiling and the slashed patterns branded on the black walls.
That's why, when Klein raised the lantern and saw the metal rods extending down from the dome and the candlesticks embedded at their bases, his first thought was that this underground structure belonged to the Quaternary period, to that ancient time shrouded in thick fog, a time that many historians Archaeologist lamented.
"Several papers have mentioned that the number of candlesticks inside different buildings is different. Although the three great empires admired the beauty of asymmetry, they seemed to have strict and detailed regulations in all aspects... Three on the left and two on the right is the highest standard that ordinary people can enjoy. This can be judged from the architectural layout and the remains of the houses..." Klein raised his arm, held the lantern high, and slowly walked forward while counting the candlesticks on both sides.
The hall was much larger than he had expected. He walked at least a hundred meters before he saw the platform half a meter above the ground and the thick wall that marked the end.
"Forty-one upside-down candlesticks on the left, forty on the right... This is a bit exaggerated. What social class does this place belong to? A high-ranking noble family? Hiss, the Antigonus Family and the Zaratul Family are both noble families of the Fourth Age... They are also powerful and terrifying families of Beyonder. Other high-ranking noble families should be no less powerful..." Klein held up the lantern and continued forward, seeing the steps on the side of the half-height platform, and the knife-cut and axe-like marks on its surface of black stone bricks.
Could this really be a relic from the Quaternary Period? As Klein's thoughts raced, he used his keen eyesight and the light of the lantern to discover two iron-black chairs placed on the platform, which was half a meter above the ground. These were enormous, ancient chairs, looking down at the chairs below.
Two whole sheets!
Two? Why are there two? According to the layout, this seat should belong to the person with the highest position and the most power, but there are two? Two high-ranking nobles side by side? Two earls, two dukes, two princes? Klein slowly realized that his historical knowledge was starting to fall short.
He clearly remembered that many papers mentioned that the three great empires of Solomon, Tudor, and Trunsoest had strict hierarchical divisions with distinct and insurmountable classes. Based on this theory, there should not be any co-leaders within a single power.
"Strange..." Klein muttered, as if to himself, referring to the bodyguard.
"What's so strange?" A faint, ethereal voice suddenly sounded behind him, sounding particularly eerie in the dark, vast, empty, and silent ancient hall.
Klein's lips twitched slightly. He truthfully recounted his observations of the structural features, the corresponding historical knowledge, and any points of doubt, adding at the end:
"The ventilation here is very good; I wonder if there are any other entrances."
The bodyguard, half-hidden in the darkness, listened silently, then gave Klein a deep look and said:
How do you know so much?
Because I'm a history major... Klein thought to himself, then chuckled and said:
"If I hadn't chosen to be Detective, perhaps I would have become a conscientious young historian."
The bodyguard didn't respond, nor did she disappear again; she floated up to the semi-high platform first.
Klein, carrying a lantern, followed closely behind and discovered that the half-height platform was very large, nearly forty meters wide and about ten meters high.
"The grand and massive architectural style is also one of the characteristics of the Quaternary Period," he casually remarked, then cautiously approached the two enormous, iron-black chairs, picked up the lantern, and examined them carefully.
"It seems to be for Giant who are three or four meters tall... There are emblem-like patterns on the back of the chair, a black crown on this side... and a hand holding a scepter on this side... I wonder what they symbolize..." Klein muttered to himself, not expecting the bodyguard to answer.
However, the woman who Levitation with her feet off the ground suddenly spoke:
"This is the emblem of the Tudor Family."
"Huh?" Klein looked over in surprise and realized that the bodyguard was referring to the hand holding the scepter.
The Tudor Family? This is the ruins of the Tudor Dynasty of the Fourth Age? Whose palace is this? Klein frowned slightly and asked:
Do you recognize the other badge?
He's actually ranked alongside members of the Tudor Family!
The bodyguard shook her head and didn't say anything.
Seeing this, Klein had no choice but to temporarily abandon his research idea and instead said:
"After the Tudor and Trunsoest Family established their respective empires, they both maintained the style that originated from the Solomon Empire, such as the upside-down candlesticks, the slashing brand, and so on. This is not in line with normal understanding. If I were the emperor, even if many things had to be inherited from the past, I would make certain changes to mark my own uniqueness."
Does this mean that the three empires have a hidden, unchanging connection?
He speculated that the Solomon, Tudor, and Trunsoest Family all controlled the " Black Emperor " route, which was essentially a " Lawyer " approach, and that this similar style was a necessary part of their Acting!
The bodyguard paused for a few seconds, then uttered a few words:
Only the emperor can be called the emperor.
Did this confirm my suspicions? Klein didn't ask any more questions. He picked up the lantern and circled the two huge, iron-black chairs, but found nothing new.
"Let's take another look ahead," Klein suggested.
Before he finished speaking, the bodyguard had already floated away to the end of the semi-high platform, while the surrounding cold and icy atmosphere remained unchanged.
After walking several meters forward, Klein, by the light of the lantern, saw seven tall, heavy black stone doors on the wall at the bottom of the hall. They were arranged in a row: two on the left, one in the middle, and four on the right, perfectly embodying the Quaternary period's pursuit of asymmetry.
Klein handed the cane to the lantern-carrying hand, casually tossed a coin, and muttered to himself:
"We should start from the left."
Clang!
The copper penny tumbled down and landed in his palm, the portrait facing upwards.
"Let's go to the left," Klein said, taking the lead.
The bodyguard followed silently until they were near the leftmost door, then spoke in a daze:
"The same applies from the right."
In other words, whether or not Divination is performed is irrelevant... Klein curled the corner of his mouth, raised the lantern, and examined the symbols and patterns on the door:
A deep black background, adorned with sparkling embellishments, surrounds a crimson circle that is half-hidden.
This... Klein's pupils suddenly contracted.
This is the Sacred Emblem of Darkness! This is the symbol of the Evernight Goddess!
In the Fourth Age, did the Church of the Goddess support the Tudor Dynasty? He thoughtfully placed his hand on the stone door.
tie!
Amidst the harsh, heavy scraping sounds, the black stone door slowly opened behind it.
The light from the lantern shone in, gradually outlining the scene inside in Klein's eyes:
First, there was an open space a few meters long and wide, also paved with dark black stone slabs, followed by a platform nearly a meter high.
Klein walked forward cautiously, raising the lantern to illuminate the things on the platform.
A few seconds later, the fiery glow outlined a huge statue, four or five meters long, which almost filled the far end of the room.
She was a woman with a hazy yet exceptionally beautiful face. She was lying on the platform, propping her head up with her right hand. She was dressed in a layered but not elaborate black classical dress, and there was a circle with radiating lines below her head.
On the lady's dress, tiny sparkles of light shimmered—like fragments of clear, dazzling gemstones.
At first glance, Klein felt as if he were seeing the Evernight and the Star.
Against this backdrop, the circle beneath the woman's head resembles a Full Moon.
This... Klein's thoughts seemed to freeze, but a guess was surging wildly within him, about to burst forth.
" Evernight Goddess?" The bodyguard's tone carried an unusual hint of doubt.
Whether viewed from a symbolic perspective or from its actual appearance, it seemed to be a statue of a goddess! Klein's guess finally took shape and resounded loudly in his mind.
He remembered asking Captain Dunn Smith about one of the differences between evil gods and good gods: the former had an image that resembled Wisdom being, while the latter only had a holy emblem composed of symbols!
And today, at this very moment, in this ancient and eerie underground structure, he saw a statue that resembled the Evernight Goddess, a completely human-shaped statue!
The mere thought of what this meant sent chills down Klein's spine.
Was the goddess once an evil god?
No... perhaps it's another evil god from the realm of Evernight... but the Sacred Emblem of Darkness at the entrance is no different from the one now...
Or perhaps possessing the form of Wisdom being is not the standard for distinguishing between righteous and evil gods? After all, the captain's level is not high enough, and his understanding is not accurate enough.
It's also possible that members of the Tudor Family deliberately blasphemed the goddess!
Hmm, it could also be a way to set up some kind of eerie ritual!
A series of thoughts raced through Klein's mind, making him feel confused, uneasy, and tense, while also sensing a strange, indescribable feeling about the place.
"Let's check behind the other doors." After looking around and finding nothing else, Klein took a breath and spoke up.
He wondered what the remaining six doors corresponded to, and whether they were equally sinister and strange... He thought about it with a heavy heart.
The bodyguard nodded slowly.
P. S.: It's the last day of July, so don't waste your monthly passes.