A brave man may not live, but he cannot die

Chapter 100 Your mother was fired!
Jacob pulled out a large basket from the bottom floor of the safe.

It looks like the storage basket used by airport security to pass through the gate, with 6 rows of glass jars neatly arranged on it, 3 flowers in each row, a total of 18 jars of flowers.

The flowers are shaped like blooming peonies, with white petals dyed light blue. The slender branches support layers of overlapping petals, like a burning white flame.

The flower was actually white, not blue as Borna had shown Quinn. The blue in the painting was because the petals were stained by the light from the center of the flower.

The core of the flower is like a miniature fluorescent star, floating in the center of the white smoke, dazzlingly bright.

Jacob lifted a can and handed it to Quinn.

"Star Flower, the management regulations are posted on the glass jar, please read it yourself."

Quinn looked at the sticker on the lid.

"Note 1: First-year students may not look directly at the light for more than ten minutes in a week. Second- and third-year students may look directly at the light for half an hour. There is no limit for third-year students and above, as well as faculty and staff."

"Note 2: This item and its extracts are not to be consumed. If consumed, or if any student exhibits similar signs of addiction, they must be reported immediately to a senior faculty member and sent to the school clinic."

"Note 3: This item cannot be taken out of the academy. Each item must be used within 12 hours of receipt. Any unused portion must be returned to the Admissions Office for disposal."

His gaze lingered on the word "addiction" for a long time.

“Signs of addiction?”

Jacob explained, "The light of the Star Flower can cause those with weak mental strength to suffer mental pollution, which manifests as a constant desire for light. There is currently no way to eradicate this mental pollution, but once mental strength reaches a certain level, there is no need to worry about the pollution caused by light."

Quinn thought to himself, could this be the reason why the artificial circuit experiment was stopped and the Starlight Potion was sealed?
He picked up a glass jar filled with gray, finely crushed, dusty soil and a star flower stuck in it.

For some reason, the soil in the glass jar reminded Quinn of the photos of lunar soil he had seen on Earth.

After picking it up, the complete prompt of the illustrated system popped up -

Star Flower

[The flowers that bloom on the other side of the starry sky are said to have seeds that once fell from outer space on this earth.]

[In the Golden Age, it was used to brew poisonous wine for the gods. But with the emergence of the first wine thief, the crazy belief destroyed civilization like a plague.]

[Can be collected in the Abyss or Skydome. Can be used to craft Sequence 3, Sequence 2, and Sequence 1 potions for Archer's Fate.]

[This fluorescence is a gift from ▇▇. And it is precisely because of this connection to the starry sky that gaze can descend upon the world.]

▇▇?

It was the first time Quinn saw the description of the atlas system being blacked out. Was it broken?

Oh, it was bad to begin with, that’s okay.

He immediately looked at the array of Star Flowers with some surprise. Could this thing be used to make a potion that would enhance the Archer's destiny?
"Mr. Quinn, there are some mandatory rules you need to follow."

Jacob said seriously, "All controlled items of the academy are prohibited from private possession and may not be used for any purpose other than those requested. Applications for teaching and personal experiments must be kept separate, and must strictly adhere to regulations."

Quinn nodded and said, "Like the seal of the Divine Religion?"

"Almost, but the controlled items in the academy generally won't cause large-scale disasters. Those things from the Divine Cult are too crazy."

He returned to his usual smiling self.

"Does Mr. Cavendish need so many? I don't think there's a Divination class today."

Quinn asked calmly, "Did she write the quantity on the requisition?"

“She never wrote.”

Jacob sighed quietly, "Every time she just wrote a name and sent it over, I had to confirm with her over and over again. Fortunately, you're here now."

Quinn finally understood why Jacob and Amamiya Ningning had a good relationship.

"Of course she doesn't need that many. She wants to use them to predict the safety of the new students entering the Forbidden Forest. One flower per person is enough."

"Four, right?"

Jacob pulled out a suitcase that looked familiar to Quinn and started packing it for him.

"No, I need six."

"Hmm? Isn't there only four students in the Divination Department?"

Quinn smiled slightly.

"She and I are going with you, so it's enough for six people."

"No problem. Remember to have Mr. Cavendish submit a routine safety report after use."

April 9th, Wednesday morning.

On the second floor of the Dema Tavern, Pepe opened the window and looked blankly at the heavy rain outside.

Unlike the strange rain in March, this was the typical summer monsoon rain common in the northern part of the Southern Continent. The room faced the small forest of Eastwell. The raindrops hitting the ground brought with them the pure scent of green leaves and earth, a soothing yet slightly bitter aroma.

The smell of rain is different from that of summer in the harbor city of Aknets.

But Pepe had no intention of feeling the change of seasons. Almost a week had passed since the disappearance of Sealed Object 0-14.

As if it were a bad omen, every morning this week was cloudy.

There is no sun.

In her hand, she held a small cross-shaped sun pendant—the larger one was in her suitcase, having disappeared along with the Heaven's Gate. Her bright golden hair seemed to have faded a little from her melancholy expression.

Pepe, oh Pepe, the first time you go out alone, you get into such a big trouble...
That’s a level zero seal!
How could it actually break through containment?

Yes, Pepe believes 0-14 vanished on its own. She hadn't considered the possibility of the suitcase being stolen. It was perfectly still leaning against the chair before dinner, then vanished afterward. Even Uncle Gu and Grandpa Selvi didn't notice. It must have been a containment breach!
Pepe is an inward-looking person.

When the Level 0 containment object disappeared in her hands, her first reaction was not to blame Archbishop Gonzalez who handed the Level 0 containment object to her, nor was she to question the Pope's decision to let a young nun carry the Level 0 containment object alone. Instead, she fell into deep self-blame.

She lay blankly in front of the window. She had searched the area within ten kilometers around the Dema Tavern in the past few days, but found nothing.

Search all of Ashwell?
This is the most densely populated city in the southern continent.
I fantasized again. I imagined the suitcase was still there, the contents hadn't been lost, and I had used the Heaven's Gate to uncover the suspect's identity. He turned out to be a demonic spy! Fearless and brave, Pepe fought to the death, nipping the demon's plot in the bud and saving the world. Returning to San Camelot, I would receive Mother's praise amidst the crowd's applause. She would hug me, praise me for a job well done, and then personally put the priest's white robe on me.
Pepe stood up with a determined look.

No, even if I can't be my mother's pride, I will never let her down!

She didn't even need to pack her luggage - her pants had been stolen, and now the only belongings left on the girl were a few pitiful pennies. She planned to use them to buy a piece of black bread and then walk to the Church of Light, which was the nearest to Ashwell.

Pepe rushed out the door and prepared to go downstairs.

What was rare was that the boss didn't stay up drunk, but was eating breakfast at the dining table.

"Oh! Pepe, good morning~"

The boss pulled out a chair, poured her a cup of hot milk, and said with a smile: "Go wash your face, brush your teeth and have breakfast."

"Grandpa Selvi, Grandma Selvi——"

Pepe bowed solemnly to the two elders.

"Thank you for your care this week."

"Huh?" The boss and the old lady looked at each other and asked in unison, "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to Rowan Border Church."

She said bitterly but resolutely, "The theft of 0-14 must be notified to the Vatican."

"Why?" Selvi was shocked. "Didn't we agree to search secretly on our own? This city is so big, it won't take too long to find it. Let's not go ahead and start."

"no--"

Pepe looked out the window and saw the people of Sewell looming in the rain along the mountain ridge.

"0-14 could lead to the resurrection of an entire extinct Abyssal Sequence, and even the resurgence of the Tzeentch Rebellion. That pen can change the past, and our memories must have been tampered with. It's too late to stop it now, but I can't stand by and watch a greater disaster happen—"

"But if you report it, you might be expelled from the Vatican, or even face more severe punishment."

"I accept."

Pepe glanced at the sun pendant in his hand reluctantly and muttered softly, "People have to pay the price for their mistakes. This is what my father taught me."

The boss put away his playful smile and said in a stern voice, "You absolutely cannot go back, and you cannot report this!"

"Why, why?"

Pepe was startled by his sudden increase in volume.

"You're too young, you don't understand, but I do—" the boss slammed the table. "Have you ever dealt with the archbishops and saints of the Vatican?"

"Maybe I've fought with some of them?"

"I've beaten them all! I've beaten more Sun Knights than you've eaten rice!"

The boss began bragging about his glorious past: "Back then, your erratic father went into the Central Dogma to steal something and was caught red-handed. Guess what happened?"

“…What’s going on?”

"Oh, my temper! I took him straight from the Central Dogma to the Holy Gate of Camelot, hacking and slashing all the way, and then jumped into the sea and swam for three days and three nights while the warships were chasing him."

Pepe blinked blankly.

"But my mother said that it was she who led the Knights to capture my father. Under my mother's influence, he converted to the Church and fell in love with her."

"?"

The boss's face showed "What kind of wild history is this?"

"Ahem." He coughed. "Anyway, I'm very familiar with those people in the Vatican. Do you know what the consequences will be if you report this?"

“I can accept being fired.”

"No, your mother will be dismissed from the Vatican!!"

The boss threatened in a vicious tone, "Think about it, who handed the Level 0 containment object to you? It was your mother! Only the Pope has this right! Only the Pope can bear this responsibility!"

Pepe's mouth was slightly open and his face was pale.

"Mother, will I implicate you?"

"Of course! That's a Level 0 containment object! Damn it, how can it be equated with a fourth-tier Saint-level transcendent? Let me tell you, those saints in the Vatican who have lived for over a thousand years are all old-fashioned. They've long been unhappy with a woman being Pope. And that old bitch Gonzales has always had his eyes on the Pope's throne."

"But, isn't the Pope chosen by God?"

"They can complain to the Sun." The boss put the blame on everyone in the Vatican.

"Vote, what will happen if you file a complaint?"

"Your mother has been fired! Rating 3.0! At best, she'll be thrown into prison, at worst, she'll be expelled from the Church! Look at her, she's not even as tall as a chocobo, and your Xi Niang has turned against her, so you can't go home anymore! You'll have to live on the streets for the rest of your life, begging for food with a broken bowl. Hey, hey, hey, don't cry, don't cry——"

When Pepe thought about the big trouble he had caused and how it would affect his mother's life for the rest of her life, tears as big as beans could not stop flowing from the corners of his eyes.

The spatula instantly hit the boss on the head. Mrs. Selvy glared at him, then quickly hugged the trembling girl and comforted her, "Don't cry, Pepe, don't cry, don't cry... He's just scaring you. There must be a way."

"What can I do?! Oh my god, can Heaven's Gate change history? I can't find it, woooo."

(End of this chapter)