When the plot-skips players into the game world

After the most crucial information had been conveyed, Aiwass gently squeezed Isabel's hand, signaling that the charade could end.

However, their conversation did not conclude; rather, it continued for a short while longer.

Under Aiwass's guidance, they gave the Counselor some information that was of little use. This was to slightly dilute the substantive content of the earlier discussion.

Subsequently, Aiwass removed Sherlock's jacket and began treatment with a "normal" technique—as if he were a genuine bishop, wielding the Illumination Art in a standard manner, lacking in spirituality.

Undoubtedly, this was also the expected skill level for "Aiwass." As a prodigious bishop who had reached the Third Power Level by the age of nineteen, it was reasonable for him to lack experience.

While Aiwass's treatment was halfway done, "Sherlock" gently moved his eyes and slowly came to.

"... Bishop."

"Don't be so formal, Mr. Hermes."

Aiwass nodded slightly, his face full of mercy and gentleness under the glow of light, casting no shadows: "Just call me Aiwass."

"... Mr. Moriarty."

"Sherlock" struggled to sit up but was gently yet firmly pushed back down by Aiwass.

With a furrowed brow, he asked softly, "How is Princess Isabel... Oh!"

As he spoke, he caught sight of Isabel standing behind Aiwass.

"Sherlock" suddenly realized, his eyes brimming with tears of relief: "Your Highness, it's so good that you're unharmed!"

"... But I'm of no help at all."

Isabel appeared somewhat somber: "I can only cause you troubles."

She looked timid, standing in the corner of the room, her body lightly leaning against the standing mirror. Isabel, standing sideways in front of the mirror, was reflected as another self in it. From afar, she seemed like a pristine white butterfly.

At her words, Aiwass and "Sherlock" fell into silence.

Thus, Aiwass could only offer Sherlock an apologetic look, then stepped forward, pulling her outside the door to whisper words of comfort.

This act... truly befitting of a Transcendent of the Path of Beauty.

The Counselor, left sitting alone on the bed, thought so to himself.

He quietly calculated in his mind.

He wondered what Power Level of Transcendence Isabel had reached by now... If it was true that she became a Transcendent in the autumn of 1898, then she could only be at most at the Second Power Level. But if she had become a Transcendent as a child, she might even have reached the Third Power Level by now.

As a half-elf, if she had reached the Third Power Level before the age of twenty...

... it meant she was almost certain to reach the Fifth Power Level.

Even Aiwass was the same, the Counselor thought.

In the real world, Minister Moriarty, because of his pursuit of The Path of Transcendence, was distracted and could not advance on the Path of Devotion—not only did he not become a bishop, but he also did not become a priest or an acolyte. According to the reports from the spies at the University of Law, he scarcely attended classes anymore.

—Although the rumors were rampant in Avalon that Aiwass's devout prayers had invoked the miracle of the Eternal Self, which had eradicated the succubus-incarnate Countess Emma. But as an experienced Transcendent Counselor, he knew that was not possible.

The Eternal Self is a god of solipsism, in whose eyes only the reflection exists, alongside themselves.

Even the Eternal Self's favored Son of the Moon could not summon Her miracles...

And he was well aware that the blood rain was not a power of a succubus... it bore more resemblance to the legendary Night Fiend.

The divine and bizarre stone statue that appeared on the blood moon night could be seen only by avengers with hearts filled with envy. If one prayed devoutly to Her, they could trade their soul for power... Consequently, in some regions, the Night Fiend was also known as the God of Wishes.

Compared to a Transcendent who stopped attending classes not three months after becoming one, being able to invoke the miracle of the Eternal Self through prayer was less believable. He would sooner think it was one of Aiwass's admirers who, to protect him, made a deal with the Night Fiend. After all, Queen Isabel was indeed beautiful and powerful, and it would be normal for his past lovers to be jealous.

—His reputation for dalliances had even spread to Star Antimony, so the number of lovers he had in Avalon was something the Counselor dared not contemplate.

As for the claim that he had reached the Third or even Fourth Power Level on the Path of Devotion... that was simply implausible.

After all, the reports from the Eye Demon indicated that Aiwass had already reached the Third Power Level on the Path of Transcendence. He had even defeated the last royal bloodline of the Giants.

That was within less than six months of his involvement with the Path of Transcendence!

At the beginning, his transcendent knowledge came from Noble Red. At that time, he had nearly been sacrificed by his own mentor due to his adaptability to the Path of Devotion, and his revenge involved the use of guns, without seeking help from the church, evidently not yet a Transcendent.

Such nearly public intelligence could easily be obtained by "The Chamber" without any mistakes or omissions.

A mere child who had just come of age, reaching the third energy level of Dedication and Transcendence in half a year… Just thinking about it, one would know it's impossible. If he had gone far enough on a single Path, one might argue that he was particularly attuned to it.

Not everyone was a prodigy like his beloved student "Albert Lorey".

Even for little Albert, he had been exposed to Alchemy and Necromancy from a young age. Under the guidance of his parents, he completed the creation of a Patchwork Corpse at seven, and by the age of ten, he could summon the dead by his own power. Thus, he reached the fourth power level of the Path of Dusk and the third power level of the Path of Balance at the age of twenty-five.

That was a talent that made the Counselor feel tingling in his scalp and green with envy.

It would have been acceptable if it were complementary Paths like Beauty and Dusk, Authority and Balance, or Love and Transcendence.

But the Counselor truly couldn't imagine what kind of person could both be devoted and transcendent.

He certainly did not believe Aiwass was such a monster!

If reaching the third power level of both Paths was possible in half a year, then what was he?

In the world line deduced by the Lord of Scalefeather, Aiwass hadn't come into contact with Noble Red, and thus hadn't embarked on the Path of Transcendence. Instead, he concentrated solely on the Path of Devotion.

As a result, he became a bishop at nineteen, becoming the youngest bishop in Avalon, and indeed in the entire human world—this was enough to illustrate his talent.

…It was probably only a genius of this caliber who could contend with Isabel.

Thinking this, the Counselor's mind stirred.

The precise information concerning "Merlin's Ceremony of Avalon's Shadow" could be found by just a bit of investigating upon returning. If nothing else, merely asking Merlin or another Angel Envoy who was familiar with Merlin through prayer would suffice.

If the ceremony did indeed exist and was functioning well, then Star Antimony definitely could not have succeeded in invading Avalon, and Valentine VII's plan was doomed to failure from the start.

If Star Antimony couldn't do it, the other nations were even less likely.

Based on this assumption… if Star Antimony couldn't handle the pressure of a rebellion in Daffodil Territory and ended up fragmenting, then the beneficiary would be Avalon.

Although Isabel temporarily lacked the adaptability for the Path of Authority, such matters were never certain. Perhaps she might acquire it after reigning as queen for a while.

To confront the strong-willed Isabel, Minister Moriarty needed his own power base. He had plenty of money and even controlled the Lohar Society. However, he lacked a sufficient number of high-quality Transcendents as subordinates; as a Transcendent of the Path of Transcendence, he couldn't cultivate trustworthy underlings. Besides his lovers, who were unfit for public view, he only had a group of fair-weather businessmen.

Compared to moving to the volatile Iris Flower or running to the southern continent to witness the ridiculous grinning Trolls…

—it might be better to bring the Spirit Summoning Tower to Avalon and pledge allegiance to Aiwass.

Such a genius was worth investing in, and the ever-peaceful Avalon suited the pursuers of the Path of Dusk—far more than Star Antimony, where there was constant turmoil and bloodshed.

He'd ask the principal and vice-principals about it when he returned. The Counselor had made up his mind.

However, he couldn't discount the possibility that he might die in this ceremony or leave it with scrambled memories.

So, the first thing he had to do now was to find those two fools. He needed to pass on this critical information—that might very well determine the future of the Spirit Summoning Tower—to them and advise them to flee immediately.

After all, even General Karl had been bombed.

Others might not know, but the Counselor was well aware—although he might have been able to control a fully hatched Flame Demon momentarily, he probably wouldn't be able to control it for four days. He needed support from the rear… but now that they were on Glass Island, where was the "rear"?

As a Calamity Stitcher, the "himself" in the initiation ceremony definitely didn't have the Elite Patchwork Corpses stored in the "Amber Egg" from his laboratory. He wasn't a Corpse Ghoul Shepherd who could easily summon numerous skeletons, and his current strength could probably not even exhibit one-third of its capacity.

That was the hallmark of the Path of Balance. A large extent of their transcendent powers came from previously created constructs. It was the same for Botanists, Alchemists, and Calamity Stitchers.

The ceremony of the Lord of Scalefeather, although it only required one to survive to have the chance of completing the assignment and advancing.

But this also meant that just surviving in His ceremony was going to be difficult. No matter where one fled, danger was certain, and it would grow more perilous as time passed.

This initiation had merely two strategies: either escort Isabel to the Holy Nation or avoid going altogether and find a corner to rack up points.

The former was highly intense but had a controllable duration and would be relatively brief; the latter would certainly be more comfortable at the start, which is why they had been lured here. As more time passed, the danger would intensify. Either choice would present distinct dangers—just as in nature, there are no absolutely safe places.

If one were to use this fundamental design mechanism to infer what they would face when performing different tasks… then the answer was quite clear.

—Forces from Star Antimony would arrive at Glass Island within three days at most.

They would destroy everything.