Chapter 967: The Dazzling Transparent Arrogance
"So that's how it is. Morgan went south and subdued over half of the clan fairies. This must be the Winter War prophesied by the Shrine Maiden."
Grimm lowered his head, lost in contemplation and sighs.
Eiji remained silent.
"Shrine Maiden's prophecy? Besides the prophecy of the Mirror Clan leader, Einsel, are there other prophecies?"
"Yes, there are!"
Little Da Vinci humbly sought guidance, and Grimm casually shared the contents of the Shrine Maiden's prophecy with her.
After consolidating their information, everyone was filled with awe.
This British Lostbelt hardly felt like a Lostbelt at all—it was more like a different world with its own unique culture and worldview. The historical depth here was entirely different from the Lostbelts Chaldea had experienced before!
"Originally, our next goal was to find Mash, but we ended up running into her here instead, and we even gained so much support! That means there's only one thing left for us to do now!"
Little Da Vinci couldn't help but break into a cheerful smile.
"That is, as the prophecy indicates, to assist Castoria in ringing the six bells!"
Einsel's prophecy clearly stated:
"Six bells make the truth known, the path of the true king begins here."
This meant that the Child of Prophecy would ring the six bells one after another, simultaneously embarking on the path of the true king to resist the Queen's harsh rule!
"But which six bells are they?"
"According to the Heroic Spirit from Proper Human History who brought us here, the six bells correspond exactly to the six great clans. In other words, each clan has one bell, and ringing all six bells of the great clans would signify the fulfillment of the prophecy!"
As Little Da Vinci spoke, she let out a frustrated sigh.
"Actually, Salisbury, which is ruled by the Wind Clan, happens to have one of these bells, located inside the great cathedral! A few days ago, while searching for Mash with the help of fairy powers, we went to pay our respects to the Wind Clan leader, Lady Aurora. However, Lady Aurora did not permit us to ring the bell!"
"That's hardly surprising. Ringing the bell would mean declaring opposition to the Queen. No one would dare let the Child of Prophecy ring the first bell so easily!"
Grimm chuckled.
Rumors of the Child of Prophecy had long spread throughout the fairy kingdom, with countless fairies eagerly awaiting their arrival. Even the Queen was constantly searching for individuals suspected of being the Child of Prophecy, hoping to nip this rebellious sprout in the bud.
Now, whoever helps the Child of Prophecy or allows them to ring the first bell would be making an enemy of the Queen!
To maintain her authority, the Queen might very well send troops to eliminate them first!
Given this stance, naturally, no one would dare stand by the Child of Prophecy so easily.
Castoria's expression fell, and she stiffly forced a smile.
"Someone like me... I guess I'm just not cut out for such grand tasks, am I..."
Her voice was soft, her tone vague, and no one noticed her words.
"Even so, Aurora did give us a chance! She is a benevolent fairy, always eager to help others and unable to bear seeing other fairies or humans suffer. That's why she offered us a condition!"
Little Da Vinci tapped the blackboard, her chalk pointing to the far eastern side of the simplified map of Britain.
"That is the Great Calamity of the port city Norwich! As long as we can resolve this once-in-a-millennium disaster, Aurora will open the Belfry to us!"
"So that's how it is. Doesn't this perfectly match the prophecy? The prophecy also stated the Chosen One's first destination would be the 'Town of Iron, Sea of Coal'—isn't that Norwich?"
The group collectively understood, and the path forward suddenly became clear.
Heading to Norwich to defeat the once-in-a-millennium Great Calamity—that would be their next objective!
Not only would it establish the Chosen One's reputation, but it would also grant them the chance to ring the bell. Truly killing two birds with one stone!
Caster's ahoge shifted with a complicated expression.
...
After the meeting concluded.
Eiji left the Mike Hotel through the back door. This was the deepest part of the alley, where almost no one passed by—perfect for calming one's emotions.
"Ah."
In the shadows untouched by sunlight, Eiji had just arrived when he heard a startled exclamation.
Turning to look, a golden-haired girl was curled up in the corner, her dejected appearance reminiscent of a struggling student who could never catch up to the top achievers no matter how hard they tried.
The moment she spotted the strange cloaked figure, she immediately discarded her despondent expression, stiffened her face, and put on a "I'm seriously contemplating, don't bother me" look.
"Wallowing in self-pity here?"
"?!"
Caster's ahoge expressed shock at how he could possibly know.
"Your thoughts are written all over your face. All that 'communication is important' talk—you're just plain cowardly, aren't you?"
Eiji mercilessly mocked Caster.
This girl was far too green!
With Eiji's discernment, he could see it at a glance.
Though she shared the same appearance as the King of Knights, she was definitely not the King herself. At only sixteen years old, she lacked the kingly breadth of mind and determination, instead resembling an ordinary person troubled by daily hardships.
Though the King of Knights in Pan-Human History also became king at fifteen or sixteen.
"Who are you calling cowardly?!"
Caster's ahoge flared up instantly.
"If we're talking courage, I'm not lacking in the slightest! Want me to fight you right now?!"
"Then it's a lack of ability?"
"..."
The previously combative Caster's ahoge fell silent at once.
"Or is it a lack of resolve?"
"..."
Caster's ahoge averted her gaze dejectedly.
"I see. You have courage, but it's just reckless impulsiveness, not the driving force born from true resolve. Even if you have the desire to act, without the corresponding strength, you'll just keep hitting wall after wall."
Eiji approached the corner and slowly sat down beside the girl.
With each sentence he spoke, the girl trembled slightly.
She was terrified—this person seemed to have completely seen through her heart. Every word was like a sharp blade piercing deep, making her feel an uncontrollable urge to tear up.
This was a technique called 〈Complete Mastery〉—capable of discerning a person's most fundamental motivations and behavioral patterns through brief contact, no less effective than mind reading.
Eiji had only just begun training this skill and was barely seeing initial results.
"Still, it's fine if you continue lazing around like this. After all, this world now has me!"
Eiji gave a thumbs-up, pointing it toward himself, striking the classic Super Vegeta pose.
His pride was palpable.
Caster's ahoge stood stiff with shock.
Someone actually said such words to her?
This guy must be lying!
Because until now, everyone she had seen, no matter what they said with their mouths, secretly anticipated the arrival of the Child of Prophecy to save them or bring them joy—
"Really? You actually think that way?"
Caster saw through the cloaked stranger's heart.
No, it would be more accurate to say she saw through his "color."
That transparent, unyielding arrogance, perfectly aligned with his words, held not a trace of falsehood—so much so that its brilliance shone dazzlingly in Caster's eyes.