Secret: The years I served as a foreign aid for the Aurora Club

Chapter 152 is not over yet, it ends here

386
On the outskirts of Queens, on a trackless public carriage.

Triss was wearing a veiled hat and sitting quietly in the corner.

She did not run straight for the Tussock River and flee down it, as others had assumed, or head for the nearest railroad and climb aboard a train.

She chose to return to Backlund.

Only this metropolis with a population of over 500 million, where various secret forces and many extraordinary people are mixed together, can help her avoid the subsequent tracking of the Witch Sect!

At this moment, she was extremely nervous and was always on guard against the terrible old butler Finkel.

Suddenly, she felt dizzy. When her vision returned to normal, she found that she had magically left the public carriage and was standing beside a muddy road in the suburbs.

Triss's pupils contracted rapidly and she looked around warily.

Then, she saw a figure wearing a classical robe and a black hood, and noticed the other person's black eyes hidden in the shadows.

For some reason, Triss seemed to have returned to her infancy, so weak that she had no power to resist.

Cold sweat broke out on her forehead and her legs were shaking violently, but she was unable to move.

This is the most terrifying enemy I have ever faced... Even the high-ranking witches I met before didn't give me a similar feeling... Am I going to die here... Is my escape plan, which I have refused to give up despite facing failure again and again, going to end completely... A strong sense of despair and uncontrollable sadness occupied Triss's heart, and she seemed to have fallen into the deepest nightmare.

Suddenly, a faint blue light flashed before her eyes, lifting the "curse" that prevented her from moving.

Triss looked ahead again, and the terrifying figure was no longer there. Everything that had just happened seemed like the most real illusion.

But when Triss lowered her head, she was shocked to find that the sapphire ring on her left little finger had been shattered into pieces at some point and had lost all its luster.

Snap, snap, snap, the remains of the ring and gem fell one after another.

……

In the deserted fields outside the city, the old butler Finkel was running away quickly.

He had lost his hat, his meticulously combed gray hair hung in disarray, and his clothes were covered in mud.

Huh, huh... He paused for a moment, took a breath and looked back. He found that there was no one there, and he felt a little relieved.

But when he turned his head and was about to change direction, he found that a figure had appeared in front of him.

The figure was wearing a classical hooded robe, his black eyes were hidden in the shadows, and his face was dull and expressionless.

Finkel's pupils shrank, and he immediately opened his mouth, trying to pronounce a word in ancient Hermetic language, but was shocked to find that his nose was disappearing and his voice was gone.

There was a hint of despair in his expression, and then his whole body was like a stain in the void, wiped clean by a rag, leaving no trace.

…………

Klein fled and fought at the same time, with the jumping flames burning up two boxes of matches. The "Master Key" turned into a sparking one, and he passed the first two levels by pretending to be Ince Zangwill. Then he transformed himself into a guard, spreading the news that "Ince Zangwill was pretending to be someone else", and successfully ran to the upper level of the underground building.

The reason why he was sure it was the upper floor was because when Klein looked up, he could see a skylight appearing on the ceiling more than ten meters high. White sunlight was pouring down, illuminating the dust in the air.

There seemed to be chaos at the back, so Crane was able to calm down a little and look for the door and stairs to the upper floor.

Then, he found that this underground building seemed to be funnel-shaped. The spiral staircase at the bottom was only 20 to 30 meters in diameter. However, after entering the upper level close to the ground, he could not see the other side of the wall clearly.

In this situation, it would be best to use the "Master Key" and open a door directly on the roof, but without the flame jump, it would be difficult for me to jump to a height of more than ten meters, and it would also be difficult to seize the opportunity to open the door and leave immediately...

He quickly looked around and saw that no one was paying attention to him, so he carefully took out the whistle from his pocket, put it to his mouth and blew it hard and secretly.

Invisible waves spread, and before his eyes appeared a half-snake, half-human spirit with white feathers like a feather coat, two legs, and a tail behind it. It was also wearing a torn robe with gold decorations.

Success! Klein was overjoyed.

After this demigod appeared, he immediately grabbed Klein and entered the spirit world.

Seeing this, Klein finally let go of his worry.

But while traveling through the spirit world, Klein's thoughts suddenly stopped for a moment. He saw himself appearing in a dark and deep world. The feathered demigod disappeared. In this world, there was only a red moon and a sky full of stars that looked like eyes.

——Yes, “stars” like eyes!
The mysticism implied by this foreshadowing gave Klein goosebumps all over his body. However, a short time later, Klein found himself back in the spirit world, and the demigod holding him flying seemed unaware.

After a short moment of anxiety, Klein gritted his teeth and continued to plan his next move... There was nothing to be nervous about. It was just that the angel had come to his door and Ince Zangwill had discovered his true identity! But it didn't matter! Because the Faceless Man's control over the body was very precise, Klein was sure that he didn't leave any hair, skin flakes, or nails in the underground building, so he naturally didn't worry about being cursed like Talim.

The only problem is... a drop of cold sweat ran down Klein's forehead.

He thought of Melissa and Benson who were still in Tingen.

That (beep——) (beep——) bastard Ince Zangwill would definitely go back to Tingen and kidnap or even kill all of Klein's brothers and sisters to avenge his actions!

Damn it, in order not to involve Benson and Melissa, I haven't communicated with them for several months, and I haven't asked anyone to investigate their current situation. Now that this has happened, I must think of a way before Ince Zangwill takes action... Pray to the goddess? No, I have a special identity. After resurrecting from the dead, I claimed to have converted to the god of steam and machinery. There is also a mysterious gray fog. I don't know what the goddess did to the gray fog, but she asked for a "permission" from me, which should be very impressive. I don't know what the goddess' attitude is...

As for the Goddess of Night, Klein had more of an attitude of "keeping a distance".

After all, if it is a more common connection, such as school principals, government employees, etc., being able to build a good relationship is something worth showing off. But if it is a head of state who suddenly comes to meet you, it is estimated that few people can show off, but rather they are surprised, uneasy, or even panicked.

Therefore, if he was not forced to do so, Klein would still be unwilling to have anything to do with the Church of Evernight and the Goddess of Evernight.

Looking for help? My connections in Backlund are limited to the middle and low sequence, and Miss Sharon and I have a slightly strained relationship because of the previous evil spirit incident. It is not appropriate to entrust Benson and the others to Miss Sharon for protection...

If I go back in person, it will cause more problems. Am I going to trouble Mr. Azik again?
Klein sighed heavily, and felt more and more that Mr. Azik had been very kind to him and had deep feelings for him. Not only had he saved him, he might also save his family.

Regardless of whether Mr. Azik agrees or not, I will repay this kindness no matter what in the future.

Where was the original destination of the spiritual world wandering? Klein was suddenly stunned and quickly said to the spiritual demigod:

"Please take me to Mr. Azik."

There is no up, down, left, or right in the spiritual world. The spiritual demigod still grabbed Klein's wrist and flew forward. It was unknown whether it had changed direction.

But soon, the spiritual demigod gave Klein the instruction of "arrival", and the rich colors around him gradually returned to normal, twisting into trees, the ground, street lights, tables and chairs, and an Azik.

It was raining heavily outside Backlund, so heavily that it seemed as if the entire sky was about to collapse. Azik was standing under the eaves outside a cafe.

To his side was an unlit gas street lamp, behind him was the glass of a cafe, and behind the half-closed blinds were the tables, chairs, and warm yellow lights that Klein saw. In front of his toes, raindrops fell from the edge of the eaves, forming a gurgling stream that flowed into the sewer along the dark trough on the side of the road.

The rain seemed to have been going on for a long time and there were almost no pedestrians on the road.

Judging from the dark sky, it was hard to believe that it was not even four o'clock in the afternoon.

The shadow of the feathered demigod appeared on the glass of the cafe, bowed ninety degrees to Azik, and then disappeared into the reflective surface of the glass.

In the real world, only Klein Moretti suddenly appeared beside Azik.

"Mr. Azik! I'm glad you're safe."

As soon as he landed, Klein immediately took the initiative to greet him: "But the demigod I summoned at the beginning has not returned yet. He may be trapped in the ruins by Ince Zangwill and his men. Do you have any way to check his current condition?"

Azik, who had been looking at the window across the street in deep thought, seemed to have just realized Klein's arrival. He was silent for a while before saying:
"Don't worry about him. As long as he is not killed by an angel-level warrior, or by some special method, as long as the underworld still exists, he can be slowly reborn there."

After saying that, he finally made up his mind, turned around, looked at Klein with a complicated and sad look, and said slowly:

"Klein."

"you lied to me."

Klein was shocked and immediately thought of the reason. He asked hurriedly, "Did Edward Vaughn say anything to you?"

After saying this, he seemed to see a notification that Azik's favorability had decreased.

Seeing that he did not deny it immediately but asked this question, Azik's expression became even sadder, but he was relieved after a short moment. He laughed at himself twice, slowed down his tone, and answered softly:

"Yes. He told me many things."

"Klein, maybe I shouldn't use such a general question. Everyone has their own secrets... Well, let me change the question. Klein, can you tell me why you lied to me?"

This question was actually more pointed than the content of the lie... Klein felt it was very difficult and was a little absent-minded for a moment.

Because at its core, the reason for lying was somewhat embarrassing for him - he certainly knew that Mr. Azik was a very kind person, and he had helped "Klein" a lot when he taught at Hoy University, and the same was true for himself. But when he was still in Tingen, he found that the first Baron Ramde from hundreds of years ago looked exactly like Mr. Azik, and his first reaction was nervousness and panic. After calming down, he began to consider whether to report him to the church or conceal it for Mr. Azik. This uneasiness is natural, but what finally prompted him to make a decision was not his trust in Azik Eggers, but the result of his divination in the gray fog - if he concealed it for Azik, he would be able to get help from him when he encountered a crisis of certain death in the future.

It was this time too.

However, because he had no accurate grasp of the other party's strength, Klein had been unwilling to reveal any information about "Gray Mist", "The Fool", "Tarot Club", etc. The reason was simple. Just like not letting Sharon help him test the Blasphemy Card, he was worried that the other party would covet the Gray Mist, which could result in the item being lost or even life being in danger.

In a sense, Klein believed that their relationship was limited to cooperation. Klein helped Azik search for some clues, and Azik occasionally helped Klein do some things and was regarded as a follower, which made the Tarot Society more determined in its identity as a god.

In this sense, he should indeed give Mr. Azik more help and appearance fees... But Mr. Azik's help to him was actually just a piece of cake from his level... Klein felt a little guilty.

"I don't want to believe in demons, but your reaction means too much."

Seeing that he remained silent, Azik became more and more disappointed. "However, Emperor Roselle once said that we should judge a person by his actions rather than his thoughts. Klein, you have helped me many times, allowing me to regain my memory and find myself faster. I have always been grateful to you."

"Maybe this is a little bit forcing you, but if you are willing to tell me about the lies you told me, I am willing to continue our current relationship with you."

…Klein smacked his lips.

At this point, Azik still wanted to hear his explanation, so Klein had to do something no matter how guilty he felt.

But considering that Mr. Azik only said that I deceived him, but did not say that I deceived that part, Azik should have obtained a lot of information from Edward Vaughn and found that I said some lies that would make people feel resentful...

Klein felt a stomachache and carefully picked the nearest one and said:
"I'm sorry, Mr. Azik, I didn't mean to hide it from you, but... I actually don't know what happened to me."

Azik was not surprised and waited for what was to come.

"Do you remember that when I was still in Tingen, I obtained a notebook from the Fourth Epoch. This notebook also caused the deaths of Welch and Naya..." Klein simply recounted the incident. He knew that Azik must still remember it because the diary involved the name of a great nobleman in the Fourth Epoch, "Antigonus".

"After that, I accidentally got some spells, and through the spells I entered a mysterious space filled with gray fog..."

"That's called Sefirah Castle."

"...Oh, Sefirah Castle." Klein knew the name of the place he was in for the first time. He obtained new information and decided to search back to see if this place called Sefirah Castle appeared in any books on occultism.

He looked as if he had suddenly realized something, and it didn't seem fake. Azik frowned slightly and prepared to continue listening.

"During my previous escape, I lied to you and said that I had obtained a magical item. In fact, what I obtained was the Gray... Sefirah Castle. But other than this, everything else is true. I did form a party with the help of Sefirah Castle, and the rituals and mystical knowledge were all prepared for this purpose."

"no yet?"

Klein thought for a moment and said with certainty, "No more."

Azik asked again: "Is it really gone?"

Klein thought about it strangely for a while - no, other than that, he hadn't told any lies, had he? He nodded seriously.

Then he saw Azik looking at him with an expression that seemed to be hesitant and unable to express himself. Klein felt a little uneasy. He waited for Azik to speak, and Azik waited for him to add something. Neither of them spoke for a while.

"You." Azik finally spoke.

"But, isn't your name Zhou Mingrui?"

Zhou-Mingrui.

Klein's mind rumbled. He never expected Edward Vaughn to tell this story!

It is something that no teacher can accept that his or her student is impersonated by an unknown spirit!

“That, that is…” Klein’s mind raced, but he was genuinely confused for a few seconds, not knowing how to respond to this sentence.

"Edward Vaughn told me that the man named Crane died a long time ago, and you..." he said, "You, the latecomer, the soul that occupies this body and identity, came from an ancient past."

Looking at Klein's shocked expression, his eyes revealed deep sadness. But Klein had never acted like a role model, and Azik himself was unwilling to completely believe the devil's words. He could only guess that "Zhou Mingrui" was also an ancient being, or even a god, who had lost his memory and self like himself, and who had not yet awakened and regarded himself as a human.

"I should have discovered it earlier. Klein is a gentle but taciturn child, not as lively and active as you. He and I don't spend much time together, but his love for history and seriousness in learning make me willing to recommend him to become a university lecturer. And you..."

"You are more mature and experienced than him, and much more cheerful than him. Haha, it's also my fault that I didn't pay attention to Klein before. I should have discovered it earlier."

"However, you took over Klein's identity, but you didn't do anything bad, nor did you hurt his family. You even sacrificed yourself to protect Tingen. I believe you are also a kind and sincere person. In addition, you have helped me many times, so I am more willing to believe you..."

Azik talked to himself for a while. He wanted to convince himself that Zhou Mingrui meant no harm, and he also wanted to try to comfort him, but he found that the other party did not react to his words. Instead, he opened his mouth and stared at him blankly.

"you……?"

"Mr. Azik, what did you just say?"

The young man named Zhou Mingrui looked at him through Klein's eyes and asked in a panicked tone:

"You said I came from an ancient, bygone era?"

Why is he focusing on this... Azik was a little confused, but still answered truthfully: "That's what the devil said."

"He said that it was an era older than the First Era. It is impossible to verify how many years have passed since then."

This sentence seemed like a life-saving straw, and a smile instantly appeared on Klein's face again: "Great, then this must be fake. The devil must be trying to deceive me again. He even tried to attack my heart. It seems that he really wants to kill me."

Azik tilted his head: "...What if it's true?"

“Impossible. This absolutely cannot be true.” Klein said firmly.

How could it be true? How could it be true? I wanted to go back, I wanted to see my parents, I wanted to see my friends, and I hadn't even eaten at my favorite BBQ downstairs from my house before I got here...

How can this be true?
"This can't be true..."

Azik opened his eyes slightly, and he clearly saw a glimmer of tears in Klein's eyes.

It is impossible for great beings or gods to be sad for something, and even more impossible for them to endure sadness. They are more indifferent than stone statues, and they last longer than stone statues. Therefore, at this moment, Azik was more certain than ever before that Zhou Mingrui must be a human, a human who was perhaps only slightly older than Klein, and not some ancient god who had not yet revived.

After all, he is just a child...

Azik hesitated and wanted to say something to comfort her, but suddenly the devil's words seemed to ring in his ears:
"Mr. Azik, think carefully about your life and everything you've experienced. Who do you think you are now? The conspiracy of the Goddess of Night has shaped you into a warm person, and also given you a fatal weakness. If every moment of your life is controlled by others, whoever you meet and whoever you fall in love with is just a story arranged by others... Klein is the favored one of the Goddess of Night, and you..."

"...Don't you have a moment of anger, wanting to slam the script hard in the face of the self-willed god for the sake of your real and warm lives and the humans you have loved?"

387
After dumping Richard back where he belonged and wishing him death, the decadent king took on the skin of Edward Vaughan.

He paced around in circles in the Kingdom of God for several hours. Suddenly, He counted with His fingers and found a good opportunity, and then He flashed out of the Kingdom of God.

He saw a beautiful woman standing in the air opposite him. She was wearing a black robe and her eyes and long hair were dark and dull.

Edward's facial expression instantly changed from that of the Eternal Sun to that of the Lord of Storms. He immediately flashed back to the Kingdom of God. More than ten minutes later, he appeared at the edge of the southern continent. From a crack on the land that was closer to the abyss, he set up a tent in the crater of the dormant volcano, brought a picnic pot and newspapers, and prepared blankets and awnings, as if he was prepared to survive in the wilderness of the crater for more than a decade.

0-17 saw all of this. He turned his head and headed in the direction of Klein and Azik with a quiet smile on his face. He looked at them quietly for a while, watching as they seemed to have a dispute and a gap. Then they slowly calmed down and stood under the eaves to chat.

The Goddess of Night looked for a while, and her body disappeared bit by bit as if being erased by an eraser.

……

In the Red Rose Manor, Prince Edessak sat by the French window with an unusually empty look in his eyes.

"Your Highness, please hurry up." A voice sounded beside him.

Edsak's eyes came alive. He took a breath, picked up the revolver on the table, and pressed it against his temple. There was a bullet in it that could annihilate spirits.

He turned around and looked longingly at the golf course and the horses walking outside.

boom!
He pulled the trigger.

TBC
------

The chapter of this severe smog ended with a gunshot from an innocent person.

I was deeply touched when the prince took a look at the golf course and horses before he died. I wonder if the squid did it on purpose. The prince invited Sherlock to play on the golf course after everything was over, and Triss's entertainment in the manor was horse riding.

I have a headache writing. I will take a break after finishing the sequel of the Great Smog (about two or three chapters) this week.

(End of this chapter)