Chapter 165: Good Evening (2/2)
Gray and Angela were intrigued while Fray frowned in confusion. And Rakna, who was watching from the roof of a far building after leaving through the mirror dimension, hummed meditatively. He still hadn't returned to his base form and his nine tails wagged behind him as he pondered.
'Eternal Maiden… Alexa, anything?'
[The Eternal Maiden, the Holder of Eternal Night's esteem and whose power was directly granted to her through tribulation trial,] the AI responded in a roundabout way. [It is a herald. Or, in other words, it is a prophecy.]
'I see…'
Meanwhile, there was no one more confused than Nyx herself as she stared at O'Gram prostrating in front of her. It's not like it was the first time someone ever did that, but the reason behind it was now one that completely escaped her.
”What do you mean… by Eternal Maiden?” She finally asked.
The priest answered without raising his head, ”It was prophesized that a Maiden with the element of Eternal Night personally given by the Kind Demon himself would come to us; you are the only person besides our God that possesses True Aeter. I was sure of it the moment you conjured it.”
Nyx made a complicated expression at that. 'Given? And they herald me? The believers of the man who defeated me, deprived me of my powers, imprisoned me, and sent me away through space and time?' She almost laughed at the idea. 'But… would that explain why I awakened Aeter? Did that demon really give me his power? Why?'
”My Lady, you wanted to know about the Basilica, right?” O'Gram followed up. ”If you're willing, I can lead you to the local branch and you can discuss with one of my superiors.”
Nyx scrunched her eyebrows and hesitatingly glanced at Fray, directing her doubt at Rakna who was watching through him.
”{…just go. Regardless of if you're that Maiden or not, I believe there is no reason to refuse the privileges that this could provide you,}” he replied to her through telepathy and she nodded.
”All right. I will follow you.”
O'Gram immediately stood up in delight. He was excited to bring the news back to the Basilica. This might be a sign of a new era for their faith and the entire System.
”In that case, I guess it's time for us to go,” Fray said and he nodded at Gray.
”I wish you good luck on your future journeys,” Angela said with a radiant smile.
”So do I,” O'Gram said. ”I am profoundly grateful for giving me the chance of meeting the Eternal Maiden. I swear that the Basilica will always be on her side and yours, whatever happens.”
Fray blinked in surprise. ”Well… you're welcome and thank you. On this note, goodbye. See you later, Nyx,” he ultimately said and left with Gray while O'Gram escorted Nyx to the Basilica.
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At the same time, Rakna sighed in relief as this was finally over. It had been quite stressful even for someone like him. One single retaliation from Hybran would have exposed him. That's why he did all he could to convince him. He purposefully released a trace of mystic magic and entered the mirror world to disappear without a trace.
He also made sure to keep his attention on the mayor's emotions and carefully judge how far he could push him. When he released his bloodlust, it was truly a gamble on his part.
”{Haha, even my mighty devourer can be nervous after all,}” Higure commented. ”{Still, that killing intent was not half-bad for someone your age.}”
”Not half-bad? No, it was weak,” Rakna retorted indifferently as he used Fabled Sight to 'zoom in' on Gray and Fray while waiting for them to get to a concealed location.
Meanwhile, the lioness was perplexed. ”{Weak? What are you saying? It's the first time I hear you being falsely humble like that.}”
The wolf snorted. ”My brain is therapeutically constrained. At least, that's what the old man's underground doctor told me. Have I never told you? I can barely feel anger or sadness without my psyche tilting in an unhealthy way. If I had been my other self… I have a feeling that the little show I did would have been a hundred times better.”
Higure fell silent in shock. She didn't really know what he meant since other than his cold berserk state during the full moon, she had not seen him get pushed until Obsidian Blood was triggered.
But she didn't need to know that to imagine what a killing intent a hundred times stronger would be like. 'A horrifying prospect,' she thought. Unlike others, she was aware that killing intent didn't just equal the number of people the individual had killed.
It wasn't how it worked. In fact, you could say that bloodlust was like a defect of the mind. It was a defect formed from the psychological impact of taking the life of another living being. Normally, the guilt would often mentally wound the most innocent ones. They would be emotionally harmed to cope with it.
But some people do not experience that guilt. Then… does that mean they suffer nothing? No, it's the opposite. Without guilt, they have no inhibitors. Their killing intent grows day after day and their will to kill either turns into enjoyment or a casual daily idea. The more they live, the easier it becomes, the more they hurt themselves, and the more bloodlust they accumulate.
Higure had no wish to know which type Rakna was exactly.
”Anyhow,” Rakna continued. ”Gray and Fray are about to enter an alley. I'll go join them,” he said and was about to flash step over to them when he suddenly sensed a familiar smell from behind him. He froze on the spot and a million thoughts ran through his head to save the situation.
”Wolfy~ Do you mind explaining what the fuck this is supposed to mean?” A very irate voice laced with mock joy entered his ears and every contingency plan he was making in his head fell apart.
He mechanically turned his head and had to look down because of his size. He spotted a certain red-haired vixen with a chilling smile on her face, even by his standards, and uttered the only thing that came to his mind.
”…good evening?”