Chapter 163: Reply, the Library is About to Open

He did not dismiss the Smoke Demon, for Shugyin required a presence to converse with, a means to dampen the interference of the rage that clouded his judgment.

Though the Smoke Demon was incessantly garrulous, Shugyin had long grown accustomed to its company, knowing that while its words were biting and laced with mockery, they were invariably the truth.

"So what is it you intend to do? Build some fabricated organization? Don't be ridiculous. Having followed you for all these years, do you think I am unaware of how shackled the Night’s Edge is by the royal family?"

"This relic of a bygone era may possess a certain transcendence in name, but in this day and age, you know as well as I do how little of that remains. Where do you even find the capacity for this? And once exposed, you will become the primary target for both the nobility and the crown. Damn it, I have no desire to die alongside you."

The smoke swirled ceaselessly around Shugyin, the noisy voice relentlessly reciting cruel realities. Its words were true, and Shugyin understood this well...

"You are right, yet I do not intend to abandon this. You know the essence of the Spirit Possession; it is a tragedy in itself. I will not allow this tragedy to continue, even if it costs me my life. I once believed the Night’s Edge could help me achieve this goal, but now, I know I was mistaken."

Shugyin pulled open his desk drawer and withdrew a sheet of paper that appeared entirely ordinary, yet the power contained within it bore a seven or eight-tenths resemblance to the divine power of the God of Order he had once presented to Charles.

"I will not drag Zig, Wang Yu, and the others into this vortex that likely leads to nothing. I will face it alone..."

Shugyin fell into a long silence, ignoring the incessant chatter of the Smoke Demon beside him, until a complex look in his eyes signaled that his resolve was absolute.

He could not turn a blind eye to these hidden sins. Regardless of whether the perpetrators were nobles or others, they deserved punishment. This punisher would not be the Night’s Edge, but it could be what the Night’s Edge once was.

He pressed the seal, which represented the highest authority of the Night’s Edge in the royal city, onto the seemingly unremarkable white paper. The divine power of Order within, guided by the unique magic circuits of the emblem, projected its singular identity onto the page. The paper began to change; as the divine power dissipated, it stirred other existences of the same origin.

In the homes of certain individuals across the royal city—retired members of the Night’s Edge, the owner of an obscure tavern, even a member of the city guard—a change invisible to others manifested on a plain white sheet of paper, a change only they could comprehend.

......

After Wang Yu and the Night’s Edge strike team eradicated the Abyss Cult’s stronghold, he left the cleanup to Gilbert and his men. His purpose in going had been to eliminate a hidden threat to the royal city’s shadows and to test the efficacy of the Prayer Communication Network.

The network’s ability to process spiritual corruption was highly satisfactory. As the followers of the Lady of Night grew in number, its effects would only strengthen; it was already capable of helping the Night’s Edge ignore most forms of spiritual contamination.

Following his battle with Morak, Wang Yu had also gauged the utility of his weapon, the Furnace’s Fury. It was not well-suited for one-on-one combat, but once an opportunity arose to land a charged shot, this alchemical revolver, perfected by Avia, would be his most potent offensive tool.

Having finished his business in the shadows of the royal city, Wang Yu returned to his home on Red Maple Street. Just as he reached the corner, he spotted a familiar figure squatting across from his doorway.

"What are you doing there, Charles?" Wang Yu asked, walking over, puzzled by the man’s behavior.

"It is I." Charles’s tone was flat, devoid of his usual levity. Wang Yu immediately understood the implication: the devil known as "One" was currently inhabiting Charles’s body.

"What is it? Why seek me out so suddenly?" Wang Yu ceased speaking aloud, switching to a ripple-based communication that could not be intercepted. Given his understanding of "One," it was unlikely to be anything trivial.

"Primarily to offer a warning. Though it may be of little help, I felt it best to inform you. For the coming period, my precognitive abilities show only a blank gray void. In other words, I am blind to everything that will occur during this time."

"This implies either the presence of an entity so powerful I cannot fathom it, one that has shrouded all things, or someone with an understanding and mastery of the Void that utterly eclipses my own has set a trap. In any case, something is likely to happen soon. Be careful and remain vigilant."

"One’s" tone remained flat, yet the information revealed was anything but simple. To be so powerful that "One" could not comprehend it—what level of existence could that be? Or perhaps someone whose grasp of the Void surpassed that of a devil, the very darling of the Void?

"Understood. I will be careful." Wang Yu nodded, signaling his comprehension. He had never lowered his guard to begin with. The advance warning from "One," lacking concrete details, was of little practical use, save for prompting Wang Yu to pay closer attention to events within the royal city.

"Also, I truly underestimated you. That device which diverts the corruption—I can sense it within Charles as well. It is truly a remarkable thing... In any case, both Charles and I hope that everything moves toward a favorable outcome. Good luck... Eh? Why am I here?"

As "One" spoke, adding his thoughts on the Prayer Communication Network, he ended the conversation. His eyelids drooped, and with a blink, his tone shifted from the flat, detached cadence back to the confusion of a man wondering why he was standing in front of Wang Yu’s house.

"Indeed, why are you here?" Wang Yu had no intention of answering for Charles; Charles’s memories had been tampered with by "One," and he could not be told what the devil had done with his body.

"Ugh... my head feels a bit dizzy. No matter, let me think how I ended up here." Charles rubbed his hair and shook his head. Clearly, his mind had been dulled by "One’s" influence, causing him to overlook the irregularities he would normally have noticed.

"Take your time." Wang Yu leaned against his garden wall, curious to see how "One" had rationalized Charles’s sudden displacement.

"Oh, I remember. Damn it, it’s that guy Edward. He’s been all lovey-dovey with his cat-folk girlfriend. Even though he’s always been a coward, just drinking tea and chatting, you know the atmosphere, don't you?"

"That damn atmosphere! It’s unbearable, isn't it? Even just sitting nearby, it felt like voices were screaming in my ear, 'Get out of here! Get out!'"

"What was I supposed to do? Stay there and watch him show off his relationship with his cat-folk lady? Don't give me that 'it was just a casual chat' nonsense—it was a blatant display! That love-struck fool... I’m just jeal—ah, no, I’m truly happy for him."

Charles gritted his teeth. He certainly knew how to embellish his own drama, though his envy was palpable. Wang Yu imagined the scene; yes, being a third wheel was never pleasant.

"By all rights, given your standing, no noble lady in the royal city would refuse you. Even some noble wives, well, if you didn't mind, they’d be yours for the taking, wouldn't they?"

Wang Yu asked with a clear, teasing tone. It was the truth; with Charles’s looks, talent, and status, most women in the city would be infatuated with him. He had nothing to envy Edward for.

"Don't joke around. Am I that kind of person? Noble wives, indeed." Charles shuddered and waved a hand, clearly uncomfortable with Wang Yu’s teasing.

"And what about others?" Wang Yu raised an eyebrow.

"Ugh, I don't know. Even though I don't feel any aversion to it, if I were to actually do it, it feels like I’d be betraying someone. It’s a strange feeling." Charles scratched his head, clearly puzzled by his own odd sentiment.

"Fine, keep struggling with it yourself. I’m going inside. The royal city is still not very peaceful, so keep your wits about you. Don't get dragged into any family feuds; it’s nothing but trouble."

Wang Yu, thoughtful regarding Charles’s strange intuition, waved a hand and offered a casual warning before opening his door and stepping inside, leaving Charles outside to ponder his peculiar feelings.

"You're back? How did the mission go?" Avia’s voice sounded softly, naturally concerned about the outcome of his task.

"Smoothly. Took out a bunch of animals, and the Prayer Communication Network worked quite well. Are you writing a reply to your mother?" Wang Yu answered as he walked over to the dining table where the girl was writing, glancing at the letter spread out before her.

Due to the vast distances, long-range communication in this world was imperfect. Aside from specific, large-scale magical arrays—such as those used for military-to-capital communication—real-time magical messaging was generally limited to the scope of a single city.

The hundreds of kilometers between Avia and her mother at the Mine Estate exceeded the limits of magical communication, leaving letters as the only viable means of exchange.

"Yes. Doesn't the faith in Lady Darkness allow for real-time communication between believers via the Prayer Network? I’m hoping Mother will also embrace the faith, so our correspondence can be much more convenient."

The girl waved her fountain pen and smiled. It was clear that exchanging letters with her mother brought her great joy, and perhaps this network Wang Yu had created would make their connection even easier.

"Doesn't your mother already have a faith? Does the deity she worships allow for dual-faiths, like the God of Light?" Wang Yu asked, puzzled. He recalled that the girl’s mother followed a specific deity.

"Well, she used to mention praises to that deity in her letters, but lately, she hasn't. I asked in my last reply, and it seems Mother has chosen to stop worshipping that god. It’s normal, though; she was only a shallow believer, and that faith was just a habit she picked up while living with my grandfather."

"The requirements to believe in Lady Darkness are very simple, so I don't think Mother will mind." The girl pressed a finger to her lips in thought, then nodded with satisfaction.

"Come, help me check if my reply has any issues. And you should write a little something, too. I’ve been mentioning you to her, and I suspect she’d like to hear from you as well."

Avia suddenly remembered and pushed the letter toward Wang Yu. It contained the exchange between her and her mother, Mira.

"Ugh, I have to write back too? I don't think I have much to say."

Wang Yu was taken aback. Previously, the girl had always replied to Mira on her own. Out of respect for her family affairs, Wang Yu had never looked at the contents of her letters, and he hadn't expected her to ask him to contribute.

"Why not? Honestly, you already promised me." The girl poked Wang Yu in the waist with a playful pout, staring into his eyes until her face flushed slightly.

"I suppose..." Thinking back on his promise to Avia, it was true; he should be one of the people writing to her mother.

He took the letter and scanned the contents. It was lighthearted—what she was learning at the academy, the progress of her witchcraft, the recent state of the royal city, and some mentions of Wang Yu. It was much like the messages he used to send home after starting work on Earth: reporting the good and omitting the bad, all to put his parents at ease.

Mira’s letter was similar. It was clear that Mira, a great witch, still wanted to guide Avia’s studies, though limited by the medium, it mostly consisted of advice and—oh—some teasing about Wang Yu.

Wang Yu turned to look at Avia. The girl, who usually wasn't easily embarrassed around him, turned her head away, blushing and unable to meet his gaze.

With a wry smile, Wang Yu picked up his pen and pondered what to say to Avia’s mother.

There was no need to mention the chaotic affairs of the royal city. While this clever woman likely had her own suspicions, there was no point in sharing burdens.

"The situation in the royal city is quite good. Mira, you should spend more to hire guards for the estate. During wartime, safety is the top priority. The pay from the Night’s Edge is quite generous..."

Once he decided what to say, his knightly constitution guided the pen, and the words soon flowed onto the paper with a soft, scratching sound.

Avia handed Wang Yu a magic-sealed envelope. Once the letter was tucked inside, it would be delivered by the courier who made rounds three times a month.

"By the way, news came from the Stevenson Academy of Magic. The Great Library will open in about half a month. Those of us qualified will enter through the academy’s entrance."

"That’s sooner than expected." Wang Yu nodded. The opening of the Great Library was earlier than he had anticipated, and a month before the Council of Elders was set to reconfirm their seats, which would avoid some unnecessary trouble.

"Wang Yu, have you thought about what knowledge you want to seek from the Great Library? Based on past experience, the knowledge one can obtain is limited. Usually, you can only find one path, much like your Bloody Gale Knight secret technique."

"I haven't decided yet, but I’ll likely choose knowledge that can further enhance my strength—perhaps something regarding the internal potential I can't awaken, or my battle aura, which is hard to grow further... As for the qualification to bring out an object, I don't know what that is yet. We’ll see when the time comes. What about you?"

Wang Yu thought for a moment; he hadn't settled on a specific goal, though he had a general direction.

"As for me, I think I’ll choose knowledge of space-based arts. It can improve my self-preservation and agility. Also, you haven't started working on returning to Earth yet, have you? Even if we are still a bit weak, it wouldn't hurt to prepare early."

"Thank you."

"Heh heh..."