Being sheltered by a little phoenix that wasn't even as big as her head…
Sharron's feelings were somewhat complicated. But given the situation, it was obvious that all three people here were deeply wary of the little phoenix's presence, and as a result, they also regarded her with a little more importance.
"Sorry to disturb you." Sharron was the first to speak, breaking the silence in the area.
"Your luck is quite good," the mysterious lady said, before adding to the little phoenix, "I hope you won't repeat Salinger' path."
"Chirp."
The little phoenix replied, and the mysterious lady disappeared, as if she were a painting that had suddenly been erased.
With her departure, the strange sensation filling the entire café vanished. The voices of the people chatting around them became clearly audible again, yet they still couldn't see what was happening here.
Azik was in a fairly good mood. With a smile on his face, he said, "You look rather confused?"
"Yes," Sharron answered succinctly.
"Then sit down and have a chat."
"Chirp."
Gregrace flew onto Sharron's right shoulder, signaling that she could sit down and have a proper conversation.
Sharron glanced at the middle-aged man who was still kneeling on the ground and hesitated slightly.
"Get up." Azik's indifferent tone carried an irresistible majesty.
Gerald Egger raised his head and turned to look at the little phoenix on Sharron's shoulder, but the little phoenix couldn't even be bothered to spare him a glance.
After hesitating for a moment, he finally stood up and respectfully remained to one side.
Only then did Sharron sit down. After thinking for a moment, she asked, "Does my arrival symbolize something?"
Azik shook his head. "It isn't you that we care about."
Sharron felt slightly relieved. She didn't want to inexplicably become entangled in some unnecessary fate.
"Does it have some unusual background?" Sharron asked, voicing the greatest doubt in her heart.
"It cannot be said. If you have the opportunity in the future, you will naturally find out."
Azik merely smiled and didn't say much more.
Sharron tilted her head slightly and glanced at the little phoenix standing on her shoulder, which was concentrating on grooming the feathers on its chest. It was difficult for her to imagine what kind of earth-shattering origins such a tiny creature could possibly have.
Back then, she had personally witnessed Hastur signing a contract with it. She vaguely remembered that its name was Gregrace.
"Chirp?"
Gregrace also raised her head and met Sharron's gaze. Then, she gently rubbed her wing against Sharron's cheek as a gesture of friendliness.
Azik said with a smile, "I hope you can guide Her toward a better path."
Her?!
Sharron very keenly caught onto this unusual form of address. This meant that the little phoenix was at least an Angel.
Shock inevitably flashed through her eyes. So She really could shelter her.
Gregrace slightly raised her little head, as if saying, You finally believe that I can protect you now, right?
Sharron sighed inwardly. An Angel had actually become Hastur's spirit world messenger, responsible for delivering letters. That was simply far too extravagant…
"Perhaps this really is the best arrangement." Azik sighed emotionally before continuing, "I'll be staying in the palace of the East Balam Empire for the time being. If you need any help with anything, you can come find me. You can also have him handle it for you."
Sharron replied very politely, "Thank you."
"To be able to serve you is my honor," Gerald Egger said from the side, keeping his attitude extremely humble.
Afterward, Azik taught Sharron quite a bit of mysticism knowledge. This gave her a clearer understanding of the path she would take in the future.
Before leaving, Sharron asked, "How should I address you?"
"You can call me Mr. Azik. I like this identity. Educating students is my current occupation. Of course, I'm on vacation right now."
Azik smiled, and his smile was exceptionally bright.
...
The Hall of Stars.
Hastur had likewise witnessed the entire conversation between them in the café.
He had never expected that Azik and Arianna, a believer of the Goddess of Evernight, would actually be gathered in the same café.
The Goddess of Evernight's failure had long since been destined. The moment Gregrace resurrected from the depths of the Spirit World and returned, She was already destined to be unable to obtain the Uniqueness of the Death pathway.
Even if She really fought Gregrace and won, there would still be the return of the Pale Emperor Salinger.
No matter what, She could not easily obtain the Death pathway's Uniqueness. Moreover, no matter how foolish the God of Combat was, it was impossible for him to remain completely unaware forever.
Speaking of which, all of this originated from the butterfly effect brought about by him.
If he hadn't caused Gregrace to resurrect and return when he signed the contract for a Spirit World messenger, the Death pathway's Uniqueness would still have been within the Goddess of Evernight's grasp.
As for why he had been able to awaken Gregrace, he could only speculate that it was because of the special nature of the Hall of Stars.
"Sharron must be completely bewildered today." The corners of Hastur's mouth lifted slightly.
"I really want to see Sharron's expression right now in person."
...
When Sharron walked out of the café, she still looked somewhat dazed.
What had happened today was simply too bizarre.
"Chirp."
"You still don't plan on returning to the Spirit World?"
"Chirp."
"Suit yourself."
Sharron knew there was no way for her to make Her leave. An Angel, even if She had suffered an accident like her teacher had, was still not someone she could order around.
If She had chosen to stay by her side, She definitely had Her own plans.
Sharron boarded the carriage and continued toward the palace of the East Balam Empire. She had originally thought that since she had spent so much time at the café, the meeting might already have ended.
However, when she reunited with the other people from the Highland Kingdom, she learned that the king of the East Balam Empire had suddenly decided to meet them personally, and the negotiations had not yet begun.
When the meeting began, Sharron finally understood why the king of the East Balam Empire wanted to meet them personally.
This king was precisely the middle-aged man who had knelt before Mr. Azik and the little phoenix.
With this connection, the negotiations proceeded extremely smoothly.
The exceedingly courteous attitude made the people of the Highland Kingdom wonder if perhaps the country that truly needed an alliance to resist the coming risks was actually the East Balam Empire.
Otherwise, why would they be so polite to them? At night, Gregrace finally left Sharron's side, which made Sharron feel much more relaxed.
Although she knew that Gregrace had no ill intentions toward her, being constantly watched by an Angel was simply too stressful.
Deep within the palace of the East Balam Empire, Azik was sitting at his desk, flipping through the two books he had bought that day.
A little phoenix flew in through the window and landed on the desk. Its gaze was deep and profound, with a mass of golden-yellow flames burning within its eyes.
Azik wasn't surprised by this visit.
He had already known that the events during the day had merely been a simple prelude. The real beginning would come at night.
As for the purpose of this resurrected Death God, he had no way of knowing. He could only make guesses.
"I came to give you two choices."
"The first choice is for you to help me suppress Salinger' consciousness. Once I have completely mastered the authority of Death, I will return half of your soul to you, allowing you to restore your complete soul."
"After that, you will no longer lose your memories. You will remain the Sequence 2 Death Consul. If you are willing, you can become an Angel under me."
"The second choice is that if you intend to resurrect Salinger and allow Him to be reborn within your body, then I can only choose to kill you, cutting off the possibility of Salinger' recovery."
"You should understand that when it comes to the struggle over authority, I cannot allow such a hidden danger to exist."
An androgynous voice came from the little phoenix's mouth. The golden flames flickering within Her eyes faintly revealed a ring of pale flames.
That was proof that the Pale Emperor Salinger had not yet been completely devoured.
Originally, She had not wanted to meet Azik so early, because this would awaken Salinger' consciousness and make it unfavorable for Her to seize complete control of the authority of Death.
But by relying on the contract She had signed with the Stars, She had seen a glimpse of the future.
If She did not make this trip, other variables would likely arise. Therefore, taking advantage of this opportunity to deliver a letter, She had stayed by Sharron's side and then appeared before Azik.
Azik remained silent for a long while.
His experiences of reincarnating multiple times had made him deeply yearn for the warmth of familial affection. Yet this was a warmth that Salinger could never give him, because all He had left him with was bone-chilling coldness.
"I want to know who you really are."
"Gregrace."
"The Primordial Phoenix… Didn't you already fall?"
"Since Salinger was able to leave behind a means of resurrection, I naturally prepared a method of rebirth for myself as well."
Azik asked in confusion, "When my father ascended and became the new Death God, how were you still able to survive?"
Gregrace looked deeply at him.
"Death can never truly die."
"So that's how it is."
Azik nodded thoughtfully.
"You should make your choice now."
"Compared to dying completely, I naturally hope to live. But I don't want to become an Angel under you. The life of a Death Consul is far too cold. I prefer my current identity."
Azik did not choose to resurrect his father, Salinger. His resurrection would mean his own death.
Humans were selfish. Since He did not care about familial affection, Azik would not allow himself to be bound by so-called familial ties either.
He preferred his current life, living on as Azik, a history lecturer at Khoy University.
He still wanted to travel to Winter County in the Kingdom of Loen and the northern regions of the Feysac Empire for vacation, skiing, enjoying the scenery, and fishing for seals… If he found himself too bored, he could even bring along his student, Klein.
Like himself, Klein was gentle at heart and fond of a peaceful life.