Chapter 29: Revive, My Love
Monday morning, the air in Tingen City was filled with the unique scent of a mixture of coal ash and humidity.
The fog was as thick as ever, and on this day, Klein officially became a "Seer." His life trajectory had officially turned into a fork in the road full of unknowns and dangers.
Regarding the matter of being peered at before, he ultimately did not tell Nairn.
Although the senior was mysterious and powerful, he seemed more like an existence hidden behind the scenes, enjoying a peaceful life.
Klein didn't want to needlessly involve him in disputes with ancient secret organizations because of his own affairs.
The Church of the Evernight had already intervened, and the Captain and the others were also paying attention; he shouldn't cause more trouble for the senior.
Moreover, Nairn's reminder that day was correct.
The Captain was indeed observing him in secret and was also on guard against The Faceless.
His every move might be within the eyes of that experienced Nighthawk.
After the night the member of The Faceless was killed, and after swallowing the Seer potion today,
Klein had truly stepped one foot into this cruel and mysterious world.
He had indeed seen those eerie eyes behind Old Neil, but Old Neil had brushed it off with a clumsy excuse.
As for Old Neil, when Klein mentioned those eyes, the waves in his heart were far more turbulent than they appeared on the surface.
He thought of that figure so extremely similar to his wife, Salist.
Reason told him that it was a forbidden path leading to the Abyss.
But since he had already stepped into the forbidden zone, what did it matter if he went to see someone who might bring hope?
What if he saw her just one more time?
"Revive, my love."
This obsession hidden deep in his heart was the source of all his madness and courage.
Besides, the location the other party agreed upon was so perfect, filled with the warmth of memories... Meanwhile, inside Nairn's luxury apartment.
The fire in the fireplace burned quietly, dyeing the entire room in a layer of warm orange.
Triss knelt on one knee, her hanging hair obscuring her increasingly beautiful and moving face, her voice humble and respectful.
"Master, everything has been completed according to your instructions."
Triss's voice was soft.
"I made him believe that I am the 'ghost' returned from the past, a perfect replica wandering the world due to obsession. He has completely believed and accepted my invitation."
She had succeeded.
She had perfectly replicated the voice, appearance, and demeanor of the woman in the painting given by Nairn onto herself.
Then, she appeared before that lonely old man immersed in the prison of memories, like a most brilliant fisherman, lightly flicking the fishing line to 'hook' that dying big fish out of the deep pool called 'memory'.
Even the time and place of the talk had been arranged.
"Well done."
The corners of Nairn's mouth curled up, his eyes flashing with the brilliant light unique to a Fun-seeker when anticipating chaos and accidents.
A Nighthawk falling to the brink of madness to resurrect his deceased wife.
And an invitation for the "return of the dead" personally handed out by himself.
What a good script, what an interesting opening.
"As for what follows, there's no need for you to show your face," Nairn suddenly spoke.
Triss was slightly stunned, then lowered her head: "Yes, Master."
She had no questions; her Master's will was everything.
"Your current identity is a 'Demoness'; moving around in a place like Tingen City is too conspicuous," Nairn explained unhurriedly. "Moreover, you have a sect background; once exposed, it will involve unnecessary trouble."
He picked up the black tea on the table and took a light sip.
"Most importantly..."
Nairn put down the teacup, the smile in his eyes deepening.
"...it will be more interesting and more convenient if I take the stage personally."
Yes, convenient.
After all, he had the support of the Chaos Theater Sefirah; the entire world was his stage.
"Continue with your previous mission," Nairn instructed. "Also, go to the Asylum and keep an eye on a Psychiatrist named Daste. If I remember correctly, he should have already become a 'Spectator.' Someone from the Psychology Alchemists is nearby, a fellow named Hood Eugen. Don't let him discover you; your face is very flashy right now."
"Go, return to where you should be, and continue your infiltration. Remember the 'Acting Method' I taught you; that is the only torch you can hold in the Darkness."
"As you command, my Master."
Triss did not hesitate in the slightest. After a deep kowtow, her figure quietly receded like a melting shadow.
Silence returned to the room.
Nairn slowly stood up and walked to the full-length mirror.
The young man in the mirror had a handsome face and a lazy temperament, as if he had no interest in anything in the world.
But the next second, the corners of his mouth turned up slightly, sketching a playful arc.
He glanced at the Sequence ability in his mind that had been randomly refreshed by the Chaos Theater this week.
Path of a Thousand Faces Sequence 6: Magician.
An unprecedented sense of power surged from the deepest part of his spirituality. This was a qualitative change belonging to the Path of a Thousand Faces.
Nairn could clearly feel that as long as he wished, he could actively adjust his bones, muscles, and skin, change his height and physique, and even completely reverse his physiological characteristics to become a brand new individual, entirely different from before.
And this was no longer simple disguise, but had begun to touch the level of turning the fake into reality at the "conceptual" level.
Even better, a core Beyonder ability of this Sequence lay in weaving complex Lies and conspiracies that could fulfill themselves.
"Using Lies to leverage reality... it really is a wonderful ability."
Nairn sighed softly, the light of anticipation in his eyes becoming more intense.
He reached out and lightly brushed the surface of the mirror.
The reflection in the mirror began to ripple, like the surface of water into which a stone had been thrown.
His figure elongated and contracted in the light and shadow, his bones making subtle cracking sounds, and his facial contours rapidly softening and reshaping.
Within just a few breaths, the person in the mirror was no longer Nairn, but a gentle-faced middle-aged lady with fine lines at the corners of her eyes from the accumulation of years and a quiet temperament.
She was exactly the long-deceased wife of Old Neil whom Triss had imitated.
No, it wasn't just imitation.
Under the power of the Magician, he was "her."
From demeanor and temperament to the most subtle habitual movements, everything was perfectly replicated. Even because of a trace of the Sefirah's aura, she appeared more ethereal than the person in memory, possessing a divine sense that didn't seem mortal.
This was exactly the effect Nairn wanted.
Combined with his Beyonder abilities, he would weave several complex Lies and conspiracies that could fulfill themselves.
Coupled with the abilities of the two role cards, thousand faces and Lovers.
He was completely confident in truly persuading Old Neil to return from the wrong path, step out of the past, and even become "vigorous in old age."
However, he was in no hurry.
After all, a good show always waits until the audience is in place to begin.
Moreover, this afternoon, there was an even more important "meeting" waiting for him.
He glanced at the wall clock.