Hearing Ebner's question, "Lady Julia's" face showed a clear trace of dazed confusion as she murmured:
"I've lost part of my memory…
"My impression of that 'medium' is very blurry… It seems… it seems to be five things…
"Like… different internal organs?
"But I remember that I didn't fully open that 'Door'. It's very possible that those organs, as 'mediums', were not quite qualified… and that's why I ended up in this state.
"Also, the only reason I didn't die on the spot was probably because I knew the name 'Liu Bo'…"
Five different internal organs?
Ebner immediately frowned, recalling the "bloodied butcher" case in Tingen sixteen years ago that Miss "Justice" once asked about on the gray fog.
In that case, the murderer killed five young girls and removed five different internal organs.
Although Miss "Justice's" final deduction matched the official result obtained by the Night Watchers, the "Dream Labyrinth Tower" still judged the mission as "failed", saying the true culprit was someone else…
But how could those organs be related to the Sefirah?
Hmm… Five… Five? Eleven years ago, that experiment also had five surviving girls. Could there really be a link between them?
Also, this explained why this hidden chamber, and the "tunnel" leading to it, were filled with such severe Sefirah contamination.
Ha… This matter clearly involves an extremely high level. Even with everything I know, I still can't "Cognize" the whole truth.
While thinking, Ebner felt the tremors growing more intense—"Arc de Triomphe" was collapsing, and the chamber beneath it, including its "Door", was about to be destroyed.
And this version of "Lady Julia" was clearly nothing more than a uniquely existing "dead person", bound to the Door itself.
When the Door ceased to exist, she would vanish as well.
Ebner considered for a moment, looked at the serene-faced "Lady Julia", and said carefully:
"I have a way to let you continue to exist, but you would need to put your faith in a great—"
He didn't finish before "Lady Julia" interrupted him. She smiled gently and said:
"No need… I've long been someone who should have died…
"And besides, I don't want him to see me looking like this!
"When you meet Roselle in the future, tell him that everything he entrusted to me—
I completed all of it.
"We don't owe each other anymore…"
Judging from her tone, she and Old Roselle clearly had deep feelings… Weren't they supposed to be in a purely transactional relationship?
Outwardly calm, Ebner asked:
"How are you so sure Roselle is still alive?"
"Lady Julia's" eyes softened, and she said with complete certainty:
"A disaster like him… won't die so easily!"
Having said that, she paused, then looked back at Ebner. While reminiscing, she showed a beautiful, sorrowful smile:
"He doesn't like to invest feelings easily, but he values affection deeply…
"By dying here, I can ensure he remembers my good side forever!
"Speaking of which, I'm pulling a small trick…
"It's my way of easing the regrets of my life… and giving him a bit of punishment…
"Ah… When I was young, I never cared about feelings, but now at death's door, I actually want to fight for them!"
Damn… Old Roselle, this is entirely your fault.
Seeing her unshakable determination, Ebner could only sigh and stop trying to persuade her.
At that moment, a deafening crash came from overhead—the Door in the chamber finally collapsed completely.
"Lady Julia's" mismatched, "burly" body began shrinking once the Door was destroyed, quickly reverting to the form she had in her most beautiful years.
But the shrinking didn't stop. After passing through the forms of a maiden, a child, and an infant, she cast one final glance at the world—
then turned into a crystalline gem.
"A soul stone? How did Lady Julia condense something like this upon death?"
Ebner, having already retreated to the tunnel entrance, halted immediately, shock flashing across his features.
Is she also one of those special souls who left the "God Box"?
He first considered this possibility—
but quickly dismissed it.
If she were truly a special soul like the Elf King or the Calamity Queen, she wouldn't have needed artificial "mediums" to enter the Door. She herself could have served as the medium.
So the issue must be the mysterious "medium"—
Those five internal organs she could no longer remember.
If this, too is a scheme left behind by Roselle… then he really used her completely!
While he was thinking this, the underground space began to collapse rapidly. Ebner had to let one of his "Cognizer Eyes" continue analyzing while he scooped up the soul stone and dashed into the tunnel.
—Although this room was physically located beneath the "Arc de Triomphe", it was a mystical hidden space. The only possible exit was the tunnel.
Without being a true "Wanderer", Ebner knew that if he missed that exit, he could easily be lost in the space turbulence forever.
Once he left the tunnel and re-entered the Delien family's vault, Ebner finally breathed out, then carefully walked toward the exit while reviewing the entire incident:
"Although most of my attention was used to manipulate the 'River of Eternal Darkness', I still sensed multiple beings casting their gaze here…
"They must be the gods and angels who once interfered with the Delien family!
"Their goal?
Roselle's method of bypassing the Sefirah Castle's seal and 'communicating' with the West Continent's Sefirot—
a method derived from the collaboration between the Calamity Queen and Mr. Door, mixed with his 'Knowledge Emperor', and possibly 'Black Emperor' uniqueness, plus the Magic Wishing Lamp…
"And because the tunnel and hidden chamber were contaminated by Sefirah, the gods and angels hesitated.
The more they know, the worse the contamination.
Any slight taint could upset the balance of their Anchors and their divinity.
"That's why Lilith gave me this short-term mission to explore the Delien family's secret…
Right now, besides me, only Mr. Fool wouldn't fear such contamination.
"And since I can borrow His power, I'm naturally the best choice.
"Also, the God of Steam and Machinery probably wanted answers too.
That's why He let Bornova maintain contact with me, and even when I brought three angels to 'negotiate', He didn't drive me away…
"Furthermore, all abnormalities within the Delien family began around ten years ago…
That means the gods didn't know the true purpose of the Arc de Triomphe at all.
They thought it was just a monument.
"So what exposed it?
"It must have been Lady Julia's failed attempt to open the Door!
"In Owen's memories, from that time onward, the 'ancestor' rarely met people…
"And it was also around then that he joined the Psychology Alchemy Society.
"Next—
Behind all of Intis' chaos, there's one person's shadow that can't be ignored:
Roselle's adopted son, who crawled out of the Abyss—
Yaldabaoth!
"Without him, the Chancellor wouldn't have had such insane plans;
Without him, the Churches wouldn't have been pushed into political intervention.
Without him, the Abyss wouldn't have descended!
"According to what I Cognized, he even fooled the God of Steam into thinking his target was merely Nois Farbauti… but he was actually aiming for the Abyss itself…
"No—maybe even the Abyss wasn't his final goal…
What exactly does he want?
"Well, besides Yaldabaoth, only one issue remains unresolved—
the five 'organs' Lady Julia mentioned, and whether they are linked to the Tingen serial murders…
"If yes, then who was behind that case?
"Also, do those organs relate to the experiment eleven years ago?
Did the contamination on the 'medium' originate from the experiment involving the five girls?
"If everything is connected, then who is the mastermind?"
A series of questions flashed through his mind when Ebner suddenly remembered something the little snake Will once told him when asked a similar question:
"'Of course, it's you!' "
"Don't tell me all of this is the Calamity Seal's leftover scheme?!
What exactly is it planning?
Why is it behind everything?!"
.....
Meanwhile…
At Delien estate's entrance—
Or rather, the ruins of the estate.
The battle between the demigods and angels had ended.
The "Wild Hunt" and "Nightingale" had reverted to badges, now being held by Ebner's historical projection, who had arrived to assist.
"Magic Mirror" Richelieu's "Yesterday Reenacted" had already ended; his spirit shrank back into the mirror, which was currently held by its released "puppet", Chessia.
Owen's clone was standing guard nearby, with the fully restrained "Red Saintess" Margaret at his side.
The red-haired, fiery "Unaging Demoness" looked extremely obedient at this moment.
Yaloran's projection personally guarded Natalia.
The "Catastrophe Demoness", the "Yellow Saintess", was lying peacefully among the rubble, her flower crown scattered beside her like a sleeping beauty.
Indeed, she was asleep—
locked in a dream she could not wake from.
She had not escaped the tiny droplet of "River of Eternal Darkness" that Ebner had guided onto her, and had been slightly contaminated.
Compared to Nois Farbauti—who was force-fed an entire stomachful—her contamination was minimal. As long as she had enough time, she could have removed it by relying on her angelic level.
But she had faced three opponents simultaneously—
Yaloran's projection, Richelieu, and Ebner's historical projection.
Naturally, they did not give her a chance to stabilize.
Ebner's historical projection immediately used that tiny bit of the River's power to drag her into deep dreams.
Yaloran's projection followed up with four layered "Dreams by the Riverside", creating a tightly woven dream labyrinth.
As for the "Blue Saintess" Veronica and "White Saintess" Katrina, they were much more alert. Taking advantage of the moment when Ebner focused on suppressing the Yellow Saintess, they used their methods to escape.
The two seal artifacts were far weaker than the Ageless Witches, so they could only defend themselves, having no ability to block their escape.
When Ebner's true body was dug out from the ruins, this was the scene he saw.
As for the "Black Knight" Sero?
He remained in the estate, cleaning up the materials and items in the vault that "didn't manage to escape".
(End of Chapter)