Mystery: Good Witch

Chapter 1350 The Traveler Returning Home

On an ordinary day, the walled streets of the Princess Red District in Trier slowly awoke in the afternoon sun.

The streets, where magnificent palace-like buildings stand alongside ordinary apartment buildings, are sparsely populated. The plane trees of Intis sway gently in the breeze. Some of the cafes and restaurants along the street are already open, while others are closed with their doors and shutters shut, waiting to open when the area truly comes alive in the evening.

Fors Wall, dressed in a dress woven from an unusual material that reflected colorful light in the sun, sat quietly under a parasol at the café entrance. She picked up a soufflé, which was piled high with cream and garnished with nut pieces, with two fingers, took a small bite, and squinted her eyes as if she hadn't enjoyed a dessert in a long time.

She took another sip of coffee to neutralize the sweetness in her mouth before unfolding the letter paper, picking up her pen, and writing furiously.

"Dear teacher, I am happy to tell you that I have returned safely from my long journey. Due to the special nature of this trip, I have been unable to contact you for more than a year. Please understand."

"Although the journey was not without its hardships, it was completed smoothly with the help of many friends, and I also achieved my predetermined goals."

"That's right, I have become an angel."

At this point, Fors smiled slightly and paused his writing.

The "teacher" in this letter is not Mr. Bethel, the "Door" of the Abraham family, but her first introducer and mystical mentor, Dorian Abraham, who, although far ahead of his students in the Sequence, is still one of the people Fors respects most.

Of course, the journey wasn't arduous at all; in fact, it went quite smoothly. If the other angels knew that I had become an angel less than two years after being promoted to Sequence 3, and that I was complaining to my teacher about how difficult the process was, they would definitely kill me... she muttered to herself.

Now that Fors has become a "Planetary Planeswalker" and knows the true secrets of the starry sky, he naturally understands that the "Gate" path he is on is currently the most difficult path to ascend to angelhood, if not the only one.

If it weren't for the protection of the "Fool" who ruled the spirit world, and the "Door" who planned her route in advance to avoid star fields full of malice towards travelers, and her own recording of many god-level abilities repeatedly displayed by the "Goddess of Calamity," she would probably have died in some unknown corner of the universe long ago.

Within the Abraham family, there are numerous records of "Wanderers" and "Planetary Planeswalkers" who, while venturing into the stars to digest potions and prepare rituals, were corrupted, lost control, or died suddenly. When Fors first saw these incidents before setting off, he simply thought it was due to the nature of the pathway. However, after truly becoming an angel and understanding the truth about barriers, Outer Gods, and the end of the world, he realized why the "starry sky" was so terrifying.

If I had backed down then, I probably would have completely lost the chance to become an angel. Although the respected "Fool" said he could provide the "Miracle Worker" and "Trojan Horse" of adjacent paths, I hadn't made any further contributions... Fors shook his head, collected his thoughts, and continued writing:
"The various wondrous tales I encountered on my journey, along with the extensive information I gathered from various star systems, will be further summarized and given to you as a supplement to the Abraham family's knowledge base. Now that the bloodline curse has vanished, the family will likely see the birth of more saints and angels, who will need this information..."

"Of course, I will not record certain dangerous content, so please rest assured."

She did not intend to hide these things about the outside world from her teacher, Dorian, because as early as the Fourth Age, many saints and angels from the Abraham family had left this planet to travel to the depths of space and returned successfully. Their experiences and summaries, after removing key parts such as "Outer Gods" that would cause contamination, were already known to other family members and were not secrets that could not be told.

Compared to others still living in the steam age, whose understanding of the stars was limited to the sun and moon, and who only knew they lived on a planet, the Abrahamic family's understanding of the world was far ahead of their time. They knew that there were galaxies beyond galaxies, with highly advanced civilizations, and that the universe was so vast that even "travel" could not reach its end.

Unfortunately, this knowledge was also a curse, corrupting more than one family's saints and angels, causing their untimely deaths. The "Old Box," which was stolen by a traitor and then returned to its rightful owner, was formed from the characteristics of a "Planets Walker" who died suddenly after returning from a journey, combined with His favorite jewelry box, and also mixed with some unknown power.

This meant that after the decline of their family, the Abrahams dared not study the stars and other civilizations' information carefully, and could only seal it away. Otherwise, many advanced inventions might not have been proposed by that Emperor Roselle, but by some Abraham.

Thinking of this, she looked up at the Wall Street, named after the eastern wall that Russell had built before expanding the city of Trier. Her gaze swept over the buildings, some luxurious and some simple, and finally settled on the golden roof of a church in the distance.

That was the church of the "Eternal Sun" in the Red Princess district. Four large bell towers surrounded a perfectly round golden sphere symbolizing the sun, which shone brightly in the sunlight. However, the huge sun emblem that used to hang at the highest point had been removed, and a cross had been erected above the golden sphere instead.

This is just one of the many astonishing changes that have taken place in the Church of the Eternal Sun in Intis over the past two years.

Long before Fors left the planet for interstellar travel, she had heard that the Church of the Sun no longer used such drastic methods to spread its faith and suppress heretics, but had greatly reduced its activities and become much "milder".

The name of that deity has also been modified to some extent, referring solely to the concept of "sun". The emblem has also been changed from its previous form to a cross radiating light above and shrouded in shadow below. This symbol was previously one of the sacrificial symbols recorded in the scriptures, but now it has replaced all others and become the sole symbol of the "eternal sun".

Having already learned in the Tarot meeting that the "Eternal Sun" had fallen and its authority had been seized by the "True Creator," Fors could guess the reason for these changes.

Of course, this inevitably led to the wavering of believers who originally worshipped this deity. In various parts of Intis, especially in rural areas where faith was already weak, many cult members who were impossible to eradicate began to preach their belief in the "great being." In some cities, large numbers of Sunbeam believers began to convert to the god of steam and machinery, or to the "Church of the Fools," which has emerged in the last two years and focuses on the well-being of the lower classes, and the "Church of the End Times," which encourages mutual support and assistance in the face of impending doom and disaster.

Even so, these dominant churches did not actively try to poach believers from the Church of the Eternal Sun, as if they had some concerns or tacit understanding.

They certainly had an understanding… Fors chuckled softly, but immediately suppressed her smile, glancing around as if worried about being spied on. Her gaze lingered for a long time on a decorative mirror that appeared deep and dark in the shadows, before she picked up her pen again and continued writing:

"...Speaking of the advancement of family members, Teacher, you should have already become a 'Recorder' and have digested a considerable amount of magic potion. Is there any hope of becoming a 'Traveler' in the near future? The new generation of Abrahams has not yet grown up and still needs the help of experienced elders. I think you are able to touch the threshold of demigod within three years."

Fors knew that with the advice of her, the newly ascended angel, Dorian could definitely secure resources within the family to become a "mystic" and unlock the door to demigodhood. While this was partly due to the considerations she had written in her letter, it was also largely driven by her own selfish motives.

She hoped that her teacher would have a longer lifespan and be able to continue living after the apocalypse.

After writing this sentence, she folded the letter and put it into an unmarked envelope. Then she summoned her own spirit messenger and asked it to deliver the letter to her teacher.

Watching the exquisite doll, no bigger than an arm, clutch the envelope and disappear back into the spirit world, Fors closed her eyes contentedly. When she opened them again a second later, the afternoon sunlight, the wide street, and the aroma of coffee beside her had all vanished, leaving only the half-eaten soufflé still clutched between her fingers.

The "Planetary Guides" was standing at the foot of a huge palace, bathed in the orange-red light of dusk, and hearing the sounds of a drunkard's rambling conversation that required him to bite his tongue.

In an instant, she went from a street-side café in Trier, the capital of Intis, to the "Twilight Palace," a landmark building in Saint Milon of the Fursac Empire. This was not Fors' first time here; she had been here several times before, when she was digesting the potions of the "Recorder" and the "Traveler," but this was her first time since the Fursac invasion of Rune.

This abode of the gods, built on a mountain peak and consisting of countless massive walls, towering towers, and magnificent palaces, was said to be the divine kingdom of the god of war in the Fourth Age. After the god ceased to walk in reality, it became the headquarters of the Church of the God of War.

However, compared to Fors's last visit, the twilight glow of the Twilight Palace, which was unchanging both day and night, appeared somewhat dim. A thin veil of black velvet seemed to shroud the magnificent building, as if it were the end of twilight about to be dispelled by the night.

This meant that the Goddess of Night had gained a deeper grasp of the power of "twilight"... Fors dared not look any longer, feeling a tiring light envelop her, and her figure quickly disappeared from among the Fusak people, who were over two meters tall on average and could almost be lifted up and used as a stick.

In just a few minutes, she appeared at several iconic locations, including the Temple of Knowledge in Issara, the capital of Remnantburg; the Church of the Mother in Feneport; the whaling ship in the White City of the Gargas Islands; the inverted pyramid ruins in West Bayram Matani; and even the "Red Theater" in Bayam.

People of different skin colors, different styles of dress, bizarre buildings, magnificent natural landscapes... Fors saw all sorts of images flashing before his eyes. They overlapped with each other, ultimately allowing this traveler, who had been traveling for more than a year and had been promoted to angel during that time, to re-establish a solid connection with this world.

Her first instinct wasn't to seek out acquaintances, but to write a letter to her teacher, Dorian, for the same reason. If she were to appear directly before him, Fors worried that it would frighten him more than surprise him, and also feared that her unstable state might have a negative impact on Dorian.

"It should be fine now..." Her thoughts flashed, and the scene around her changed again. A sofa with a coat and trousers casually draped over it, a coffee table with a few empty lunch boxes on it, an armchair with a blanket on it but no one using it, and a face that was half wary and half surprised appeared in Fors's sight.

"You're back?"

Dressed casually, Hugh Deercha, short in stature yet exuding an awe-inspiring majesty, jumped up from the rug beside the coffee table, a fleeting look of surprise on his face before turning into confusion.

"You're already... an angel?"

With her high-sequence "arbitrator" abilities, she could sense the subtle differences between the friend in front of her and the one who left her a year ago.

"Yes, it was tough, but I succeeded... After the promotion, I came back to see you as soon as possible. Aren't you a little touched?"

Fors, forgetting that she had rushed to Trier to enjoy dessert, asked with a straight face.

"A little bit..."

Hugh had intended to hug the other person, but as he raised his hands, he felt a little awkward, so he reluctantly lowered them and changed the subject, saying:
"A lot has happened in the year or so since you left."

"Hmm, I can guess. For example, you've already advanced to Sequence 3 'Chaos Hunter'?"

Fors pulled up an armchair and sat down, directly exposing her friend's "surprise" for her. In the ensuing conversation, she learned about many events she had missed.

Aside from the changing world situation, what she cares about most is the development of the "Tarot Club".

Before she left, "Justice" had already been promoted to "Dream Weaver". Now, she is preparing for the long and complicated Sequence 2 promotion ceremony while secretly guiding the situation in Rune. She is using her public identity and the power of the "audience" to promote the independence movement in the Southern Continent and influence the people's views on this major event that may change the world.

Thanks to her efforts, the northern continent kingdoms, led by Rune, have reached a treaty to peacefully withdraw from their numerous colonies in the southern continent and archipelago while retaining most of their economic interests. The Byron Kingdom and the Highland Kingdom in the southern continent are likely to be restored during this liberation movement, and it seems they are now worshipping a true emperor…

The Hanged Man and the Sun have been spreading the Fool's faith, including the branch Church of the Sea God. The Hanged Man, unable to obtain the "Cataclysm" trait for the time being, chose the "Elder of Filthy Words" trait that the Tarot Society possesses, planning to switch to the "Hanged Man" path and become an angel befitting his prestigious name.

With the help of the "Goddess of Calamity," this is easier than advancing to Sequence 2 "Cataclysm."

Meanwhile, Mr. Sun, busy with internal affairs of the Fool's Church, remains at Sequence 3, digesting the potion through the process of missionary work.

Mr. Moon and Mr. Star are both in charge of important affairs in their respective churches and have both advanced to Sequence 3. This is undoubtedly very conspicuous among the extraordinary beings in the church who originally started from the same point, perhaps because of their connection with "The Fool" and "Goddess of Calamity".

The Hermit Lady is said to have already digested the Sequence 3 potion, but has not yet had the opportunity to advance to the rank of Sage. Even so, the fame of the "Queen of Stars" has already spread throughout the five seas.

Before the Rune military was even aware of it, Hugh, the "Trial," obtained a Sequence 3 potion recipe and extraordinary properties from the Tarot Society, making his Sequence even higher than that of his superior.

Although the "Chariot" lady, who joined the Tarot Club last, rarely participated in discussions and whose identity was the most mysterious, in nearly two years of getting along, everyone confirmed that she was a high-sequence extraordinary person of the "Hunter" pathway. This pathway forces one to become male when advancing to a high sequence, so Hugh had always suspected that she had used some kind of ability to change her external gender.

As for Mr. "World"... Thinking of this, Fors was both surprised and relieved. Many of his original guesses and his epiphanies after advancing to Sequence 2 were confirmed.

Of course, this matter is no longer a secret within the Tarot Society, and among the higher-ups of the "Church of the End Times" and the "Church of the Fools".

In front of Hugh, Fors recited the name of the "Goddess of Calamity," also known as the "Queen."

"The terminator of calamity and strife, the queen who rules over chaos, the origin of the world in the mirror..."

She paused, a flood of sad memories naturally washing over her, suppressing the upward curve of her lips, before continuing to recite the last sentence:
"...The eternal companion of the Lord of Mysteries."

(End of this chapter)