Mystery: Good Witch

Chapter 1443 Showdown
The deepest part of the catacombs is physically connected to the Quaternary caves of Trier.

The "genie," radiating golden light and with a bluish-white interior, was gradually solidifying within the gray mist. Its blank facial features were slowly taking shape. This was a transformation of the "genie," who had been sealed and isolated from the outside world for a long time, as it readjusted and reshaped the rules, allowing its ancient rank to be transformed into more power.

Because He has nothing left but His person.

Beside Him, Klein, dressed in the same trench coat and top hat as himself when he returned to Narcissus Street, and Angel, in a long black dress and without any other jewelry, watched His movements quietly.

Finally, the genie's golden, flowing skin merged with the bluish-white light inside, and its outline became clear. The genie resembled an adult humanoid whose gender and age were indistinguishable, with only a few black holes in its face, lacking a unique appearance.

This is the limit He can achieve without restoring His complete mythical creature form.

Klein and Angel, who were present, were not the real bodies either. If the two great beings, the "Lord of Mysteries" and the "Cataclysmic Destruction," were to descend into reality, they would have to devote a great deal of energy to suppressing the changes in the rules and symbols that naturally appeared around them. Although it would not destroy the entire Earth instantly, it would still be inconvenient.

Just like Klein, who is telling his two daughters about his suddenly disappeared million pounds of gold at No. 6 Narcissus Street in Tingen, and Angel, who is carefully making stew, they here are also just puppets and mirror substitutes.

Of course, their true forms would occasionally descend when they were close to their daughters, but other great beings would also be watching them at those times, so it could only happen occasionally.

Looking at the golden humanoid figure whose body had stopped changing, Klein stroked his smooth chin, not answering His earlier question about "acting," but instead asking:

"Should I continue to call you 'Genius' or 'Son of Chaos'?"

"Let's use the original title. We'll use the latter one once I've truly reclaimed the power of the starry sky." The "genie," whose figure was now clearer than the one summoned from the wishing lamp, replied, "I didn't expect you to actually keep your promise, and not just send the 'wishing lamp' directly to the starry sky, but release me directly from the seal."

"Because you have also helped us in some ways and made some contributions to protecting the Earth, and I don't want to waste a 'Miracle Master' trait."

Klein replied with a smile.

"Besides, you broke six of the seven seals yourself. Although I weakened the first six seals so that you could break them on your own and gain some sense of participation, I still have to do this last one myself. Otherwise, even if a true god came, it wouldn't work. Trensost is the 'role model'."

Upon hearing the name of the deity who perished due to the corruption of the "Wishing Lamp" and himself, even the genie, with his thick skin, couldn't help but wriggle his newly formed body. But ultimately, he still bowed slightly, offering a greeting in the manner of an Earthling:
"In this respect, I thank you for your kindness."

After reluctantly offering his thanks, He glanced at Klein and Angel with a puzzled look, then asked:
"Now, can you let me go back to the starry sky?"

He always felt that the arrival of two great beings here together would cause some changes to his journey to freedom. If it weren't for the surrounding gray fog, he would have already distorted space and distance and left this star system.

It should be understood that the current "Lord of Mysteries" is equivalent to the previous "Celestial Venerable" in terms of status, authority, and symbolism. Since He was able to release Him from the seal, He can naturally reseal Him at any time, not to mention that He also has a "Cataclysmic Destruction" by his side.

The tragic state of the "Super Star Overlord" is still vivid in our minds!
As if noticing His hesitation and fear, Klein smiled kindly and replied:
"Of course, no problem, but before that, there are a few things I need to remind you of."

He looked up at the ceiling of the catacombs, as if piercing through the ground and the city above to look at the starry sky, and continued:

"The original 'Disordered Kingdom' that you once possessed has now been completely divided into two parts. The Earth part belongs to the new 'Shadow of Order,' and I don't think you have any intention of taking it back. The part in the starry sky belongs to the 'Uncertain Mist,' which was severely damaged before the war of the end times and is now hiding deep in a cosmic void where some star is thin, waiting to recover."

This raises three questions.

"First, the Source itself has a tendency to repair and complete itself. Although that disordered kingdom in the starry sky lacks two pathways and has lost some authority and symbols, it is still a complete Source. The 'Uncertain Mist' is also a complete but slightly weaker version of the Old Ones. You, on the other hand, possess only a position, spirit, and consciousness, and are certainly no match for it. Although you two share the same origin, and the Uncertain Mist also has a tendency to complete itself, when a new 'Child of Chaos' is born, will it still be you? Or rather, what percentage of that will be a 'Den God' and what percentage will be the 'Uncertain Mist'?"

Klein asked with a smile, watching with satisfaction as the "genie's" face, which consisted only of holes, stiffened.

His question was very pointed because there was a good example on Earth: the “real creator” Grisha and the “dreamer” Adam.

Both are essentially part of the ancient sun god Grisha Adam. The former incorporates more negative emotions and humanity, while the latter is primarily divine, serving as a contingency plan after His resurrection and a pawn in executing His subsequent plans.

Although the two sides eventually compromised and allowed the ancient sun god to reappear in the world, it was ultimately because both sides possessed a spirit of sacrifice that transcended their own and had a common goal. This allowed them to merge without going through a divine war. Otherwise, before the outer gods invaded Earth, the barrier would probably have been in a fierce battle, which would have been the thing that the "Primordial God" would have liked the most.

As for the current "Genius" and "Uncertain Mist"? Klein doesn't believe they have the spirit to sacrifice themselves. At that time, the latter, who already possesses the source matter and extraordinary characteristics and uniqueness, will have a great advantage. The Genie thinks it is going to restore its power, but in reality, it may just become the nourishment for the other to complete itself and become the "Child of Chaos" again.

The genie had clearly already considered this question, and now, brought up again by the "Lord of Mysteries," his expression gradually turned serious. Klein, however, gave him no time to think and continued to ask:
"Second, the ceasefire agreement still has a long month to go for the 'Fallen Mother Goddess,' which is more than 2100 Earth years, and 46 years for the other Outer Gods. However, there are no constraints between the Outer Gods. Faced with the 'Children of Chaos' who have lost some of their Source Matter and have just completed their fusion after an internal war, what will they do?"

Earth now has two pillars, the "Lord of Mysteries" and "God," and is protected by several Great Old Ones. Even without a ceasefire agreement, the Outer Gods dare not invade. However, the Outer Gods, such as the "Higher Dimensional Overlords," are also eyeing the "Disordered Kingdom" and its symbols and authority.

Even if the "genie" can take the lead in the fusion process and become a major component of the newborn Chaos Child, how can it resist the attacks of other Outer Gods?
Thinking of this, the genie's face paled even more, almost matching the pale blue-white color of his inner skin when he was first released from the seal.

“Third,” Klein’s devilish voice continued, “even if you wanted to find Her during the brief period before the ‘Uncertain Mist’ had recovered from its weakness, and complete the fusion yourself, would the ‘Fallen Mother Goddess’ agree to that?”

"On one side is the 'Uncertain Mist' with whom He once cooperated and almost succeeded, and on the other side is the 'Den God' who has helped Earth several times, intentionally or unintentionally causing the former to be injured and indirectly destroying the alliance between the Outer Gods. Which side will He choose to help?"
"With just a little help from the 'new life,' the Uncertain Mist can recover from its injuries ahead of time. By then, you, who have already entered the starry sky, will have no chance at all."

These three questions struck the genie like heavy hammers, almost solidifying his luminous body into real gold.

He had considered these things within the "Wishing Lamp" and had even deduced them to a considerable extent. However, firstly, His main goal at that time was to break free from the seal, and He always felt that there would be a solution to all difficulties. Secondly, having been fooled and deceived many times, He did not believe that the new "Lord of Mysteries" would so readily release Him back into the starry sky. Therefore, these issues were not really problems.

But when He is truly released and can truly return to the stars, these become fatal problems.

After a moment, the genie looked at the two great beings before him, especially Klein, who had posed a sharp question, yet didn't seem to be mocking Him. In a voice tinged with bitterness and filled with humanity, he asked:

Do you have any suggestions regarding these matters?

“Just like the help you gave us back then, I’ll give you three pieces of advice,” Klein smiled again and replied, “of course, I’m not responsible for interpreting them either.”

"First of all, is it really a good thing for you to return to the stars now? You witnessed countless things during your nearly ten thousand years of sealing and gained a precious humanity that is different from other Outer Gods. You shouldn't be acting solely on instinct."

"Secondly, in order to ensure that the Earth's 'Shadow of Order' has no worries, we will go to find the 'Uncertain Fog' after the 60-year ceasefire agreement ends."

"Finally, He has allies, so why can't you?"

As Klein finished speaking, the underground tomb fell into a long silence. The golden figure of the Genie stood motionless, as if deep in thought.

After a long silence, as if changing the subject, or perhaps glancing at Angel tentatively, He spoke:

“I’m a little curious, why did you deliberately let your daughters find the ‘wishing lamp’ and embark on this day’s journey, and why did you ask me to provide the necessary protection and involve so many angels?”

"If I'm not mistaken, is this also for the sake of 'humanity'?"

Upon hearing this, Angel laughed, a laugh that caught the eye of the "Lord of Mysteries" and left the "Genius" momentarily stunned.

"You should have figured out her true identity by now?"

She countered. “Of course, I’m not as mindless as the part that remained in the starry sky. I could tell at first glance that she wasn’t an ordinary person, or even a human.” The genie wanted to scoff, but under the gaze of the two great beings, he didn’t dare to be so bold. “She, or rather, He, is the feminine aspect of the original creator in the mirror.”

Hearing the other party directly reveal the answer, Angel wasn't surprised. Instead, he glanced at Klein beside him and smiled, saying:
"See, I told you so. As part of the 'Children of Chaos,' as one of the offspring directly born of the original Creator, the Genie should be the most sensitive to this kind of thing. After all, a son always needs to know his father, no, his mother."

Although this joke didn't carry a "provocative" force, it still made the "genie's" already pale face turn even paler.

Of course, He was more sensitive to the disparity in strength between the two sides, and quickly calmed down, waiting for further explanation from the other party.

Angel also stopped smiling and continued:
“Tina is indeed the ‘feminine aspect’ that I separated, but she is also my daughter whom I gave birth to directly. If the original persona and power in the mirror were complete, I would certainly not have dared to do this, but she is now in a similar state to when she was imprisoned deep in the mirror by Chick, having only the persona but no power, and lacking the corresponding symbolism.”

"By separating Tina's 'feminine side,' I can better seal the 'masculine side,' allowing this part of the creator in the mirror, which has not yet developed self-awareness, to fall into complete silence."

"After completing all this, in addition to ensuring that the mirror initially had no chance of resurrection, I can also completely separate Angel Grey, making her a truly independent being. I can also eliminate as many superfluous extraordinary characteristics as possible to prepare for accommodating the second source substance later."

"Of course, the biggest difficulty in this matter is that the original 'negative side' in the mirror has already developed a certain degree of self-awareness in Chick's hands. If it is not controlled, it will inevitably awaken in Tina's body, and no one can predict the final result."

During her narration, the genie kept nodding, as if talking to himself:
"So you designed this 'adventure' to expose her to the world of mysticism in advance, to let her know many secrets, and at the same time to understand the difference between 'humanity' and 'divinity' through her own knowledge, and to choose the former, using her own status to solidify this point?"

As he spoke, He glanced at Klein.

"This must be the idea of ​​the 'Lord of Mysteries', right?"

“It was mainly her plan,” Klein answered honestly. “I only provided some help, of course, it was essential for your ‘fooling’. Other angels from the ‘Tarot Society’ were also involved and knew some of the inside story.”

The genie nodded as if his doubts had been answered, and then smiled:
"Your other daughter should know as well."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

No. 6, Narcissus Street.

Tina's head was still a little dizzy. She kept calculating how much the detached houses in the West Backland were worth and how much the wineries in the suburbs were worth. She could hardly believe that just by going out for a short while, she had gone from being a middle-class family's daughter in Tingen to a wealthy family's child. Even the "Black Bear Cola" that her classmates loved to drink was her family's product!

Did the genie grant my wish, or did He already know about my family's situation and lie to me, saying that my wish "had" already been granted...? Tina kept glancing at the entrance to the basement, wishing she could sneak in right now and call the genie over for a confrontation.

Of course, she guessed that the guy who had regained his freedom might have already returned to the stars, leaving behind only the empty shell of the "wishing lamp".

Compared to her dazed and confused state, Dorothy was much calmer. She glanced at her sister, who sat silently on the sofa, and then at her father, who smiled and waited for his two daughters to process the bombshell news. Finally, she couldn't help but ask:

"Dad, do you really have nothing else to say? I mean... anything other than the property."

Upon hearing this, Klein raised his eyebrows in surprise, shifting his gaze upwards to look behind Dorothy.

Angel had somehow arrived in the living room, and the aroma of stew wafted from the kitchen behind her.

Seeing Klein looking at her, she smiled and ruffled Dorothy's hair, saying:
"She must have inherited my keen intuition."

“It was clearly my wisdom…” Klein muttered, then sat up straight under Angel’s increasingly sharp gaze, nodded and continued, “That’s right, besides the ‘wealth’ we just talked about, Angel and I have been hiding something from you.”

Sure enough... Dorothy pursed her lips, while Tina beside her curiously raised her head, her heart filled with anticipation once again.

"So, you were once angels after all?"

She preemptively asked a question in return.

Huh? Klein's expression stiffened for a moment. He looked at Dorothy and saw the girl helplessly covering her forehead, so he nodded slightly and said:
“That’s right, your mother and I were originally angels, angels in the mystical sense.”

He let out a long sigh, as if relieved of his inner worries, and continued speaking at a faster pace.

"I am Gehrman Sparrow, of course, that's just a pseudonym. I also have other identities, such as Dawn Dantes, who bought the Backlund mansion, Sherlock Moriarty, the private detective who helps his landlord find his cat, and Merlin, the wandering magician."

"And your mother is Angelica Sachs."

Gehrman? And Angelica?

Although Tina had already guessed, she still couldn't help but gape when she actually heard the news. She secretly glanced at the "Great Adventurers" magazine lying on the sofa. The mad adventurer on the cover was holding the "Death Knell" revolver and looking at her with a cold face. Beside him, Angelica, the protagonist of "The Great Pirates," which has a crossover in the latest episode, was standing to the side with a tricorn hat and a dashing outfit. Her slender figure was enviable.

Those were my father and mother?
No wonder the genie always hesitated to speak about his parents' situation; no wonder so many saints and angels along the way seemed to recognize him and offered him much help; no wonder all the sealing locations seemed to be related to these two legendary figures…

Although she had only just entered the world of mysticism, after this day's adventure, Tina already understood the significance of "angels." Compared to them, mansions in the capital, estates with breweries, and even beverage factories were no longer important.

She still had many questions and feelings in her heart, but in the end, all that came out was a coquettish remark:

"Can you tell me your story?"

This is what she cares about most, even above interests and power!

“Of course,” Klein adjusted his position on the sofa to make himself more comfortable, and waved his hand to make the mouse “Puppet” hidden in the shadows transform into human form, replacing Angel, who had sat in the single sofa, to continue cooking dinner. “Let’s start with… the first day a new employee at ‘Blackthorn Security Company’ meets his colleagues on the way to work.”

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Before anyone knew it, Tina, who had been working hard all day, had fallen into a deep sleep. Angel held her in his arms, gestured to Klein, and walked toward the stairs leading to the second floor.

Dorothy was also drowsy, but she forced herself to stay awake and continue listening to her parents' adventure stories. She noticed that most of the content was similar to the stories of "The Great Pirate" and "The Great Adventurer," and it was clear that the plots of these two best-selling novels were reworked and reinterpreted based on their experiences.

Could it be that Ms. Fors Wall was their friend?
As she pondered, Dorothy's gaze followed Angel, who was holding Tina. She had long noticed that her sister's love for her mother was more "balanced" compared to her own love for both parents.

Although her mother was even more terrifying when she got angry, and had even locked Tina in the basement as punishment, Dorothy remembered that when Tina was a child, she could only fall back asleep in her mother's arms when she woke up from nightmares.

The difference was obvious… She withdrew her gaze, looked at Klein who was no longer recounting his early experiences, hesitated for a moment, and then lowered her voice to ask:
"Dad, you..."

"Actually, it's not just angels, is it?"

(End of this chapter)