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Chapter 150: The Widowed Princess
🕑 Added 2025-01-11 05:20:21 +0000 UTCCharlot Mecklenburg had never met the lady who had taken the ancient painting of the Evil God. When the painting was retrieved, Charlot had been trapped in the Evil God’s Corridor at the Yanmills residence.
Later, when Dubin Alger took up a position with the city patrol guards in the Lukavaro District, Charlot occasionally heard about the incident during their conversations. Intrigued, he had inquired about the identity of the mysterious woman.
Only those related to the imperial family by marriage were entitled to use the emblem of the golden pheasant's tail flower.
The lady in question was the second daughter of Julius VI, the sixth emperor of the Fars Empire—a princess who had been widowed for many years.
In terms of status, she far surpassed someone like Baron Feller, the brother-in-law of an emperor.
This widowed princess was an imperial taboo subject. Even Auguslatin, the Grand High Priest, would only refer to her as “the lady” without daring to use her formal title, let alone mention her name.
Charlot found himself at a loss for how to proceed.
Summoning an Evil God was a grave crime within the empire.
To describe himself as "involved" with an Evil God while still appearing entirely innocent was an art that required immense finesse.
The Grand High Priest Auguslatin, understanding Charlot’s hesitation, smiled warmly and said, “Your natural spiritual sensitivity is the strongest I have ever encountered in my life.”
“Did something happen after you saw that painting at the auction?”
Relieved, Charlot nodded repeatedly and replied, “Exactly so.”
“I was deeply concerned about myself, which is why I have come to seek guidance from you, Grand High Priest.”
Auguslatin let out a hearty laugh and said something that left Charlot momentarily stunned: “You’ve already turned Silver Dove Castle into a labyrinth. What more guidance do you need?”
Charlot instinctively wanted to draw his Blood Rose rapier and stab the old man but quickly suppressed the dangerous thought. To act rashly in the presence of a Saint-rank individual was beyond suicidal—it was sheer madness.
In a low voice, Charlot said, “The Grand High Priest sees through everything.”
Auguslatin patted him on the shoulder and spoke gently, “Child, you’ve been touched by the aura of Agmirlas, gaining the ability to create labyrinths. You are not the first to experience this.”
“That day, I sensed Grandma Saint Karen. I always thought, with her protecting you, you would know how to avoid danger.”
The Grand High Priest chuckled softly. “But it seems she still enjoys watching children make fools of themselves, to the point of not even warning you about the Evil Gods of the New Continent.”
Charlot shuddered slightly and said, “Please enlighten me, Grand High Priest.”
In a soothing and captivating voice, Auguslatin explained, “The Old Continent is guarded by nine Supreme Gods. There is order here, and people live peaceful lives. Do not argue otherwise—you’ve never been to the New Continent. Once you visit, you’ll understand that even amidst wars, this is still a place of relative stability.”
As the aging priest spoke, a faint light radiated from his body. It was soft and warm, enveloping Charlot like a mother’s embrace, filling him with a sense of safety and peace, compelling him to heed his words.
“The New Continent, however, has no such divine order. There, Evil Gods abound, and even Demon Gods are not uncommon. The humans of that land have devised a truly astonishing way to combat them.”
Charlot asked, “What method?”
Auguslatin smiled faintly, a trace of bitterness in his expression. “By having more children.”
Charlot grasped the horrifying implications hidden within the seemingly simple statement. He fell silent, unwilling to delve deeper into the truth.
Auguslatin continued with a detached tone, “To survive better, the people of the New Continent have come up with countless ways to harness the power of Evil Gods. Many of their methods are beyond comprehension, even to me—utterly eye-opening.”
“Agmirlas is one of the thirty-six Great Evil Gods of the New Continent. His followers are numerous, and most cities in the New Continent have labyrinths created in His name to protect their residents.”
“Just think, even a single painting depicting His true visage managed to cross thousands of miles of ocean and end up at an auction in Strasbourg.”
“You can hardly imagine how revered this Evil God is in the New Continent.”
Charlot cautiously chose his words and asked, “But... isn’t He an Evil God?”
Auguslatin countered with a question of his own, “Are you trying to say that prolonged exposure to an Evil God’s aura leads to corruption and transformation into an evil creature?”
Charlot nodded, remembering the terrifying warriors marked by Evil God energy, their grotesque forms still vivid in his mind.
Auguslatin said plainly, “The average lifespan of someone in the Old Continent is forty-one years. In the New Continent, it’s only thirteen years. Over half of the children there don’t live past their first birthday. In such circumstances, do you think an Evil God is still frightening?”
Charlot, having been born on Earth, struggled to imagine such a horrific reality. Even the poorest nations boasted an average life expectancy starting at fifty, with many reaching seventy or eighty. A mere thirteen years seemed inconceivable.
The Grand High Priest spoke softly, “For someone like you, Mr. Mecklenburg, born into a merchant family, living comfortably, attending university, holding a well-paying job, and having the opportunity to court noblewomen, becoming a corrupted creature is unacceptable. But for many others...”
“Life is nothing more than a trivial matter.”
Charlot bowed slightly, performing an imperial salute.
In Auguslatin, he saw not just wisdom but also profound compassion. Even though he had yet to find a solution to his predicament, he felt the journey worthwhile.
“What should I do now?” Charlot asked.
Auguslatin replied, “Do nothing.”
“Agmirlas’ power, having crossed an ocean and come under the gaze of the Lady of the Black Moon, has lost its ability to create labyrinth guardians. At most, it can transform an unclaimed city into a labyrinth—but no more.”
“Besides, as long as I’m here, the residents of Silver Dove Castle won’t be turned into corrupted creatures.”
“While labyrinth power is extraordinary, it cannot trap those of a higher transcendent rank than you. At best, it provides a small home-field advantage. Do not rely on it excessively.”
Charlot felt something was amiss and wanted to clarify, but before he could speak, Auguslatin continued, “Don’t worry about the residents of Silver Dove Castle.”
“I’m here not only to protect Baron Feller but also to keep an eye on him to ensure he doesn’t overstep, such as by imposing arbitrary taxes.”
“That said, some actions should not be repeated.”
“Baron Feller has already come crying to me several times!”
“He even wanted to stay with me on several occasions.”
After a long silence, Charlot once again performed an imperial salute and said, “Thank you, Grand High Priest!”
Auguslatin smiled and replied, “If you can bring me the guards you promised earlier, that would be more useful than your thanks.”
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