Those time travelers that year

Over the next thirty years, he conquered several surrounding city-states, annexing lands equivalent to half the size of the kingdom. The entire kingdom flourished; however, like all famous emperors, the fear of growing old gripped this powerful ruler. Thus, in his twilight years, the king became madly obsessed with black magic and countless forbidden mystical knowledge…

Finally, one day, the king went mad. He first killed all his descendants, then his queen and princess, and every one of his relatives. Through an evil ritual using the blood of his loved ones, he regained his youth.

The king, now young again, began an even more insane reign. Every subject under his rule had to sell their firstborn child to him, and he used these newborn lives to carry out even more wicked rituals.

At this point, the king was no longer human...

He became a mad demon in human skin...

78. An Encounter on the Train (5)

However, as in all stories, the king, transformed into a demon, could not escape punishment. In the second year of his tyrannical reign, a prophet, in anger at the cruel monarch, made a prophecy: the king would surely die by sword and rose.

Upon hearing this news, the king imprisoned the prophet and tortured him to death. However, the prophecy was fulfilled; the following year, a young knight named Colgus infiltrated the palace alone and stabbed the king, who was destined to become a demon, to death. Afterwards, to recognize the young knight's achievement, the church bestowed upon him the title of a meritorious nobleman.

The knight's surname was Galgwen, and the family crest was a sword and a white rose. From then on, every generation of this family members served as clergy members of the church, or rather, the sanctuary, and at its most glorious moment, even produced a pope.

However, no one expected that the prophecy was incomplete. Unable to endure endless torment, the prophet revealed the unknown second half of the prophecy: the demon would be reborn from the blade and the blood of its offspring.

Thus, the king did not truly die by the knight's blade; rather, only the demon's mortal body perished, while his soul lurked within a statue born from a blood sacrifice, quietly awaiting the passage of time. Finally, he witnessed the fulfillment of the latter part of the prophecy...

——————————Back to the main topic——————————

The atmosphere in the private room remained awkward. Well, perhaps this was just Charles's perspective; at least the girl from the sanctuary remained silent, gazing at the rain outside the window. In this atmosphere, Charles tried to focus on the book in his hands, but for some reason, his eyes kept catching glimpses of the girl out of the corner of his eye.

The last royal banquet was the first time Charles met Iris Galgern, his only thought being to witness the power of the supernatural society behind the main world. Today was only their second meeting since then. He hadn't noticed before, but now, this girl who looked to be only seventeen or eighteen was unexpectedly beautiful!

Her golden hair was still piled up behind her head, and her gray eyes were like a mysterious mist. Her face was even cuter and prettier than the 21st-century beauties that Ciel knew, who were made up. She was more like a perfect girl who had stepped out of a two-dimensional world than a three-dimensional character.

Moreover, she has a beautiful figure, and paired with her simple and capable knightly attire, she looks...

Wait, what am I thinking? Ciel suddenly realized. What the hell? What's going on?! Is this supposed to be a slice-of-life romance drama? Shouldn't this be an infinite flow story?! Why am I thinking about these things related to the dead?!

Slamming the book on his head to block his vision, Charles took a deep breath and began to suppress the jumbled thoughts in his head, while also trying to sort out his thought process.

Although the girl in front of him was indeed pleasing to the eye, with impeccable looks and figure, in terms of appearance alone, she had surpassed many women that Ciel had seen on his original Earth. Even in other infinite worlds, Medea, who came out of Fate, was slightly inferior to the girl in front of him in terms of appearance.

In terms of temperament, she was equally impeccable. From her behavior to her habits, Charles could tell that Miss Iris Galgervin had definitely received an excellent education, although it didn't seem to be the traditional education of a noble lady; rather, it was more like a chivalrous education. But this only gave her an aura of being a woman who was no less capable than men.

If possible, it wouldn't be unreasonable to consider pursuing this girl as a life partner. In fact, she is indeed a woman who could easily attract the attention of young men. At least, during his last days in the capital, Xia Er had heard more than once about young nobles fighting over her, and there had even been several so-called duels... Well! That's all these idle second-generation rich kids know.

But for Charles, pursuing the girl before him was truly impossible. If he had transmigrated into this world not as a villainous sorcerer, but as one of those two professions that had spent thirty years professionally censoring pornography and adding mosaics, then things would be different. But as a potential villain, a latent schemer…

This is just as unreliable as the Demon King and the Hero not immediately engaging in a life-or-death battle upon meeting. Instead, they dedicate themselves to discussing national affairs, especially agricultural production and economic development...

Wait a minute, there actually is a Demon King and Hero pair who are this combination...

"I guess this is just youthful impulsiveness!" Charles concluded after thinking for a while. Or rather, it was just a craving or longing for beautiful things, and then, under the influence of excess hormones, a seriously unreliable idea popped up. Was this a belated adolescent restlessness?

Romance? Absolutely impossible!

Putting aside the deep malice of the FFF group that crossed dimensions, at least in Ciel's eyes, one of them looked like a villain who also acted as a heretic. The other had received specialized ideological education from a young age; the two were fundamentally opposites. It was impossible for them to actually create a Nephalem! An angel and a demon falling in love and then creating a godlike Nephalem—that's only in the Diablo script, right?

How could such a thing happen in reality, where good people and bad people can live together happily, setting aside the conflicts arising from their different values?

So, after using his mental strength to extinguish all those unrealistic thoughts and random ideas in his mind, Charles finally felt that his mind was finally clear.

So, I truly reopened the book in my hands.

Compared to unreliable romance, strength is far more tangible. If the coordinates and hints given by Alaya truly represent the world of his memories—a chaotic battleground with hundreds of heroes, two opposing armies, and countless wild monsters—then it's incredibly dangerous. It's best to prepare thoroughly before heading there. After all, even though the changes in the main world have made it somewhat unrecognizable to Sharl, he's certain that if that world were transferred to this world, no matter how many secrets the supernatural society of the main world holds, it would be utterly annihilated in the face of that world.

Even if the Lord, as the church proclaims, truly exists, he would still be utterly defeated by the heroes of that world, whose abilities defy all odds.

If he really wanted to take advantage of the chaos in that world, it would be too much of a stretch for him with his current strength. He might end up making a mess of things.

79. An Encounter on the Train (6)

In World of Warcraft, the Guardian is a very powerful class, although every Guardian seems to have a particularly tragic past, especially the last two. One failed in both love and career, while the other was ruined by his mother. Even Khadgar, the triple-spec mage who later inherited the Guardian's Staff of the Rooster, tragically turned gray in his prime.

However, the Guardians' ways of showing off were truly impressive. Medivh's showing off led to the death of Terenas Menethil II, the fall of Lordaeron, and its eventual transformation into Undercity. Khadgar's showing off similarly resulted in the downfall of our King Varian. It's a striking contrast; the master and apprentice, both acting arrogantly, caused the deaths of two different generations of kings.

Seriously, why can't you guys come up with a better design? Why are both of you black-feathered crows? Isn't that just cursing someone to die? But even so, when I saw the CG version, the way those transforming crows flew up to someone and then turned into humans in a burst of light and shadow effects was really cool.

So after obtaining the Agmani spell from the Harry Potter universe, Ciel has been researching how to implement it. However, unfortunately, he still has no clue how. His Transfiguration skills are barely passable; for a spell that is considered top-tier in the Harry Potter universe, Ciel's progress is indeed slow.

Even Medea couldn't help him with this, because after examining it, she stated that this kind of spell wasn't the kind you could learn simply by being taught it. In fact, the Agmani spell was the kind that had to be mastered and learned personally.

'Looks like I'll have to figure something out in that world. Hmm, I remember somewhere, my mentor had a hero who did indeed use shapeshifting, a wolf…' After looking at the book in his hand for a while, Sharl had to admit that he truly couldn't understand Agmani. 'Let's see if there's any chance to take advantage of the chaos in that world. Hopefully, that seemingly wicked Alaya hasn't tricked me…'

He shoved the book back into his hands, looked up, and saw Iris Galgerwin staring at him.

"Um, is there something you need, Miss Galgwin?" For some reason, when he saw those gray eyes looking at him, Charles felt his heart race, but it seemed like an illusion. In any case, Charles still felt a little awkward facing those gray eyes.

“Heretical books!” Elise suddenly exclaimed.

"Ah! No, it's just a book about how to turn yourself into a small animal..." Shaking the book in his hand, Charles replied, "Don't worry, although I have indeed read those books that describe gaining power through evil rituals, the effects are absolutely terrible. The best one produced a result that can be done with a fire. So, you don't need to worry that one day I'll be like those cultists, resorting to blood sacrifices or something like that at the drop of a hat."

"Where did you learn this knowledge?" Elise asked. "I've looked at your records, but I've never found any information about you having contact with other wizards. Who taught you this?"

“Self-taught!” Charles replied. “That’s none of your business… By the way, Miss Calgwen, I have a feeling that I’m just heading back to my hometown, and why did you happen to be on this train, and coincidentally in the same carriage and compartment as me?”

“I am not here to deal with you, Mr. Gret,” Elise said. “I am a deacon of the Judgment Realm, not a fanatic of the War Realm. According to the rules, I have no right to execute you until I find you to repent for your crimes.”

"Should I say, 'Thank you for your leniency'?" Charles leaned back in his chair and teased, "However, it doesn't seem like it's embarrassing to condescend to say 'Thank you for your generosity' to a young and beautiful lady..."

"...If I were you, Mr. Gretel, you'd better forget everything you've learned," Iris said coldly. "Otherwise, one day, you'll be executed by our Sanctuary. Wouldn't it be better to be an ordinary person, living a simple and ordinary life?"

“Hey!” Charles laughed, then leaned over, placing his hands on the table between them. “Miss Galgwen, do you know how beautiful you are? In terms of both looks and demeanor, there are very few women I know who can compare. To be honest, I’m quite amazed by you, even smitten. Not to mention those idle noble sons in the capital.”

Looking at Iris's beautiful face, Charles continued, "Do you know? If you didn't have the Church as your backer, and you didn't have those extraordinary powers, would those nobles who pride themselves on their noble bloodlines still be so eager to please you?"

"Wrong. They are usually straightforward. Believe me, compared to someone like me who is completely harmless, your church should pay more attention to the private lives of nobles, especially the old-fashioned ones... Believe me, at least seven out of ten are scum who should be killed outright."

“In other words, Mr. Gret, are you sure you want to go down the path of heresy!” Iris’s expression turned cold. “Then you cannot escape the judgment of the Holy See’s enforcers. No heinous black wizard has ever escaped the Holy See’s pursuit after committing a crime… and you will be no exception.”

“No, you’re mistaken, Miss Galgwen. I’m not like those guys,” Charles said. “They… well, I don’t know how many of them live like rats in the sewers. But I’m certain I’m not like them. I have the power to flip the table at any moment. I mean, flip the table. This isn’t some kind of threat. Besides, do you really think your Holy See is capable of taking me down?”

"If your level is considered a main force in the Holy Temple, then you should save your breath!"

"Or do you think you can threaten me with that... cross you're wearing around your neck?" Charles leaned closer, and Iris instinctively leaned back slightly. "While that cross is indeed a nice thing, it depends on who has it. If it were its original owner, that would be one thing, but you're not qualified..."

“You’re not qualified, Miss Calgwin.” Charles sat back down in his chair. “Just like you haven’t noticed the changes that have taken place outside the box… don’t you think so, rookie!”

80. An Encounter on the Train (7)

After Charles finished speaking, Iris suddenly stood up from her chair and turned toward the door of the private room.

Through the blurry glass of the private room, one could clearly see that the red stain had covered most of the glass, and some pale red, almost living mist was trying to get in through the cracks in the door.

Clang!

Iris drew her longsword from her waist, pointing it at Ciel, who was watching with amusement. Tiny glints of light appeared on the blade. Iris stared at Ciel with absolute coldness and murderous intent.

"Aren't you going to give me an explanation, Mr. Charles Gretel!"

"It wasn't me... and besides, I'm not that bored," Ciel replied nonchalantly. "If it were me, I wouldn't use such a troublesome method to kill. If I wanted to, I could just use a fireball. Why go through all that trouble and effort for nothing?"

Iris remained silent, still gripping the blade and pointing it at Ciel, a platinum light beginning to flash in her grey pupils. After staring at Ciel for a while, she finally lowered the blade, a hint of doubt in her eyes.

“Hey, miss! Don’t try to smear others just like that. I’m not the idiot who caused this.” Charles spread his hands, his face full of disdain, and said, “Things like blood sacrifice are actually something only the most unskilled people do. It’s simple, crude, and wasteful, and it’s damn easy to attract attention.”

"By the way, instead of just watching me here, I suggest you find the culprit. Don't forget, there are hundreds of people on this train. Hundreds of lives could very well be lost because of that culprit."

"Moreover, this train will eventually reach its destination, and if everyone on board dies... that would be no small matter."

What would happen if an uncontrolled train rushed into a station at top speed? It was obvious. Add to that the presence of these clearly hostile creatures on board, and who knows what kind of greater casualties might occur once the train entered the station. Therefore, after watching Ciel for a while, Iris ultimately decided against attacking him. Of course, she didn't sheath her sword either; instead, she gripped the blade and pulled open the sliding door that blocked the pale red mist.

The door opened, and a pale red mist rushed in, but the moment it entered, the white light emanating from Iris, like sunlight, melted away the mist. However, after the door opened, both Iris, who wanted to leave, and Charles, who sat in his seat with a gloating expression, smelled blood—a very strong smell of blood.

The smell of blood made Iris's expression grow even colder, and her grip on the sword tightened. However, she still stepped out of the private room. Then, without hesitation, she swung her sword directly to her left.

The stench of blood splattered in mid-air as a figure lunging towards Iris was cleaved in two and collapsed lifelessly to the ground. It was a person, or rather, a human transformed into a monster, its entire body rotting, bones visible in many places. The blood flowing from its body was thick with a foul stench, and deadly! Charles only glanced at it but sensed a different kind of corrosive power within the splattered blood. Of course, compared to his own corrosive spell, this power was much weaker; however, for an ordinary person, being touched by it would be like being splashed with sulfuric acid. They would be doomed.

Moreover, that red mist is no good either. Ordinary people who stay in it for too long will have their minds clouded by the negative energy within, and might even die instantly. Even after death, they won't find peace; otherwise, where did those zombie-like things come from?

The changes are not limited to these...

Elise stood in the carriage corridor outside her compartment. Well, perhaps "carriage corridor" was no longer the right word at this point. The outside environment had undergone a complete transformation. What should have been the middle of the train carriage had, at some point, become walls and passageways made of gray-white stone bricks, with torches hanging from the walls, barely illuminating the darkness of the passageways.

She took a step back into her compartment, where she could still feel the vibrations of the train as it started moving. Iris then stepped forward and stood in the stone-paved passageway. At that moment, the vibrations disappeared, and even the steam whirring of the train vanished.

“Outside the corridor, it has been transformed into an alien space!” At this moment, Charles, still sitting in his chair, spoke up. “The train is covered by some kind of barrier... Most of the train carriages have been pulled into this alien space. Well, this should be the junction between reality and illusion, but if it can’t be resolved before it’s completely covered, the entire train will probably disappear directly from the real space very soon.”

Her grey eyes glanced back at Charles, but immediately, Iris turned and ran toward the front of the train.

At the far end of the corridor was a wooden door, which Eli cleaved in two without hesitation. The door shattered, revealing the same scene as before: one side of the corridor was paved with stone bricks, and the other side led to the train compartments. The zombie-like monsters roamed the corridor, two of them crawling on the ground, devouring a bloodied corpse. The clothing on the corpse belonged to someone waiting to board the train; even the monsters wore clothes, though now they were tattered.

It seems this is already a train destined for death.

But faced with a scene that would terrify any ordinary person, Iris remained silent and continued running at her pace. The blade traced a bright trail in mid-air, and the monsters blocking her path were instantly shredded by the white sword light, unable to even slightly slow her advance.

She ran past several carriages, all of which were the same, until after passing the fifth carriage, Iris cleaved open the wooden door, and the outside world was finally no longer the alien space.

The rain in the real world grew heavier, and as soon as she opened the door, the rain poured in directly onto Iris. Looking ahead at the undamaged carriages, Iris swiftly and decisively severed the connection between the carriages with a single stroke of her sword.

With a whoosh, the front carriage detached, and the locomotive continued pulling the remaining half of the carriage, braving the heavy rain. Just after Iris severed the connection between the front carriages, the air began to distort. Seeing this, Iris took a few steps back, and in the blink of an eye, the scene before her changed; it was no longer the wind-swept outside world, but a stone wall.

The carriages had completely disappeared, replaced by clean stone walls.

"Fifth Order?" Iris looked at the completely changed world with a puzzled expression, and muttered to herself, "No, that's not right, this is not the power of the Fifth Order."

"Too careless..."

81. An Encounter on the Train (8)

"So what exactly is all this?" Watching the girl rush out, Charles remained seated, even observing the faint red mist spreading in with interest. "It looks like something a natural plague, but this is far too weak. If it were a real plague, not only that young lady, but even I would be in serious trouble."

"Hmm, no, this thing has a mental corruption effect and a distortion effect. It's more like Nightmare 7.0, but only a little bit, the power is completely different."

A pale red mist began to spread throughout the private room. Seeing this, Charles didn't want to touch these things, so he simply created a barrier to keep the mist out.

"Huh?" After the pale red mist was blocked, Charles was surprised to find that the scenery before him suddenly began to distort, like a pebble breaking the surface of calm water. "What's going on? An illusion?"

"No, Master, this must be a special kind of barrier." Medea's voice came through the telepathic communication. "Like the Mirror Corridor I used before, this is a barrier that operates in the gap between reality and illusion, but its range isn't as wide as the reverse world I created by using the ley lines of the earth I control as a source of magic, which enveloped the entire city."

"How effective is this stuff? I mean, what kind of effects will it have?"

"At this point, all we can see is that although the barrier is quite crudely made, it carries the power of a curse and constant mental pollution," Medea explained. "This mental pollution amplifies the thoughts of those affected. If there are thoughts like fear, the barrier will amplify those thoughts several times over, even to the point of materializing within the barrier itself."

"So, the more fear you feel, the faster you'll die within this barrier?" Charles suddenly frowned, then continued, "Then what about my previous... well, that thought and..."