The enigmatic leader of the "Evening Hermit" society enjoys sitting there, quietly observing the conversations, and once a course of action is decided, consensus is swiftly reached—this truly embodies the characteristics of the "audience" approach. I am increasingly convinced that He is Amun's brother, the son of another Creator, Adam. By the later years, when the Great Emperor learns the hidden truths from the "Gate" gentleman, he too will likely arrive at a similar conclusion. While reading the remaining content of the journal, Caine cross-references the descriptions with his own knowledge and speculations, his gaze gradually shifting downward: "On the eleventh of March, the more I reflect upon yesterday's events, the more terrifying they seem. A being half-god, half-human, is determined in fate merely through a few words—without even an opportunity to object. The composition of this ancient, secretive organization convinces me that, beyond the churches that oppose the seven High Gods, they are capable of achieving anything. Even overturning a nation is not beyond their reach." "I'm truly grateful to have joined this organization—otherwise, one day I might have faced an unexpected, utterly unpreventable assassination, dying without peace of mind! This kind of organization, working behind the scenes, quietly judging others and deciding their lives and deaths—just imagining it is enough to make one feel overwhelmed, even as one of its own. One can hardly help but feel trembling and afraid. This world is far more perilous than Earth. Perhaps it's simply due to a naturally higher spiritual sensitivity. Perhaps it's merely reading an ancient text. Perhaps it's simply sailing and trading as one normally does. Perhaps it's simply falling in love with a beautiful young woman. Perhaps it's simply passionate about travel and visiting certain castles. Perhaps it's simply being woken up in the middle of the night by the sound of a fight next door. Perhaps it's simply inventing or creating something meaningful. And yet, at any moment, one might suddenly meet an unexpected, tragic end!" "And this is one of the motivations that drive me to strive, to advance, and to take control of my own destiny. I'm certain I can succeed—I'm the protagonist of this age, after all. Smile." "On the twelfth of March, I feel it's necessary to proactively seek out and gather materials from the Fourth, Third, and even the Second Ages. My experience with that ancient, secretive organization has shown me that there may be countless secrets hidden within, ones that could profoundly influence the course of the current era." "Unfortunately, such materials are scarce—so rare that they're almost beyond belief. Either they're preserved in the Church's archives or they've been completely destroyed. I believe my current team alone won't be able to yield significant results. The best course of action, therefore, is to elevate my own rank within the Church, securing a higher status and greater authority." It's clearly evident from this entry that the Emperor established contact with the "Gate" gentleman long after joining the "Dusk Hermit Society"—perhaps even at a high sequence level, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to endure the "Gate" gentleman's ramblings. Compared to the Emperor, I find myself far more inclined toward historical exploration: the Fourth Age has his journal entries, the Second Age has the Silver City, and occasionally I still encounter spirits evolved from the remnants of the King of Angels. Indeed, since the mid-phase, the Emperor's mid-tier adolescence has improved noticeably. Caine casually turned to the second page of the journal: "May 18th. I've been having nightmares lately, dreaming of myself clad in ancient silver-gray armor, seated at the edge of a cliff, with dark mist flowing steadily before me—its base invisible, filled with decay and strangeness. Simply witnessing it affects me deeply. In the end, the dark, intricate patterns emerge on my face as I watch over the Abyss, my skin hardens, and a viscous liquid seems to seep across its surface. My eyes lose all sense of reason. "This is a reflection of the Abyss—the very Abyss I saw and attempted to enter last month! As these nightmares grow more frequent, I find myself increasingly prone to extreme thoughts. What might have previously been merely a good punch now occasionally sparks the idea of dismembering the target. Moreover, dark red bumps have started appearing on my back, and my body temperature is gradually dropping. Is the Abyss slowly corroding me? I need to figure this out and address it! For now, I can't reach out to the Church—otherwise, I'd have to reveal the existence of that primordial island and the Abyss itself. Ah, I could instead consult the priests and bishops of 'Eternal Sunlight'—they should be more skilled at purification! On the 19th of May, through connections, I received a secret treatment, and I feel significantly lighter and more at ease. All my previous anomalies are showing clear signs of improvement." "Excited as I am, I've also been pondering a question: I've only explored the outer reaches of the Abyss, never directly encountered any high-ranking demons. Even certain items aboard the Black Throne have resisted corrosion, yet they've nonetheless begun showing signs of decay. The 'offenders' who follow the path of the demons—those exceptional beings—must frequently offer sacrifices to the higher demons, and their erosion is undoubtedly far more severe. Over time, these damages likely accumulate to the point where recovery becomes impossible, and they must be completely purified, both in body and spirit. Similarly, high-tier exceptional beings—especially the angels—should now be able to actively influence those of medium and lower tiers following the same path, with the range of influence depending on their own rank. Once they ascend to the status of true gods, they will probably be able to communicate seamlessly across the entire world and throughout the entire spiritual realm. Now that I've thought about this so deeply, wouldn't I, too, be subtly influenced by the 'God of Craftsmanship'? No—more accurately, by the 'God of Steam and Machinery'?" This is rather terrifying—it seems only by becoming half-gods can one begin to break free. "Fortunately, since the Fifth Age, there have been no true gods who have left the Stellar Realm to descend upon the mortal world. With fewer true gods reaching the land, the issue has not become as severe." "On the twenty-fifth of May, after a period of sluggishness, I've returned to the social scene! "For heaven's sake, those bunch of jerks have been privately mocking me for not stepping out lately, claiming it's because I've been too wild in the past and my body has weakened! All because I've been having nightmares and sleeping poorly, with pronounced dark circles under my eyes? "Hmph—I'll show them what true talent truly means!" The impact of angelic-tier beings on lower sequences within the same path remains unknown... Could it be distant, murmured whispers? A proactive attraction of inherent traits? A divine essence that allows a response simply by the recitation of a name, regardless of location? Or, upon meeting, a direct erosion or even stripping away of their exceptional qualities? If all these qualities are present, then it's equivalent to a minor deity... That's why, in the Second Age, angels were said to have come directly from the gods. Kline thought for a moment, flipped the paper over, and began reading the final page of the journal: "October 12: Edwards came to me to report that one of his knights had stumbled upon a strange little chapel, possibly linked to the worship traditions prior to the Fourth Age. This immediately piqued my interest, so I rushed to the small town named Beumang." "October 13: Beumang is a town built upon a hill, with all its houses featuring projecting domes, resembling white hats, quite distinctive. Following the streets upward, climbing several staircases, I finally reached that unusual chapel. From the outside, it looked like a typical residential building, unremarkable—until one entered, when its uniqueness became apparent. "There is only one priest here, a calm, reserved middle-aged man dressed in simple white robes, with a light golden beard that nearly conceals the lower half of his face and bright, childlike eyes. He calls this place the Temple of the Creator, where any being from any race and any follower of any deity may enter. Hearing him mention this, I recalled a question I had previously: aside from the Seven Principal Deities, all other faiths were considered foreign and could not build churches openly—except for the Creator himself—yet no corresponding churches had ever emerged, and churches themselves were exceptionally rare. In front of this small chapel, there is a modest altar housing a man bearing a cross, which must be the image of the Creator. I took a seat in the front row and chatted casually with the priest, who shared with me many unique stories." "He said that in the early days of humanity's emergence, the sky, land, and sea were ruled by various wild, bloodthirsty monsters—precursors to later races such as dragons, giants, and elves. These monsters freely expressed their desires, ravaging lands across the world, seemingly destined to destroy the entire world in no time. At that moment, the Divine Awakened, reclaimed the unique gifts and powers bestowed upon them, and bestowed them upon humanity. Subsequently, the Divine returned to slumber, leaving behind a prophecy: 'When frenzy, cruelty, greed, indulgence, coldness, and bloodthirst once again overwhelm the earth, I shall awaken and reclaim all.' As he spoke, the priest clutched the cross pendant at his chest, praying silently. This myth differs significantly from what is found in church texts—there are several intriguing aspects to it, quite fascinating. It has been eleven days since I returned to Trier, and only now did I realize I had never asked the priest's name!" "Well, there's always next time. My husband's sixth sense tells me I'll definitely return to that little chapel someday." Isn't that just a vague, condensed version of the Silver City myth? Hmm, the period at the end of the Second Age and the beginning of the Third... That priest seems to know quite a bit—either the priest himself, or the organization that passes down these myths through generations. At that moment, Klein's thought flashed, and his journal vanished from his hands. Then, he lifted his head and looked at the "Recluse" lady. "Go on." The "Recluse," Gauthier, immediately bowed. "Respected Sir 'The Fool,' I would like to know where Emperor Roscel's soul and spirit rest—on that island, or deep within the stars?" That island? The one that caused the Emperor to be astonished when it claimed the life of Green? It seems the Emperor came to deeply value that island in his later years, even drawing certain awareness from the then-"Mysterious Queen" Bernadette. What does "deep within the stars" mean? The Celestial Realm? Or, other planets? The Emperor often appears so far ahead of his time that his daughter suspects he might be an alien. Though this sounds a bit absurd, it makes perfect sense—many studies have proven that we are on a planet, the Sun is a star, and beyond that, there lies an endless cosmos filled with countless star systems... How can I respond? I can't simply mention time travel, yet I can't remain silent either. Klein paused thoughtfully, smiled gently, and shook his head. "Neither." PS: Please support with a monthly subscription!