Miss Witch's Forbidden Book Secret

But this hesitation didn't last long. When Tia turned around to look at the palace door that was already open, waiting for her to step over the threshold:

Immediately, a pair of hands pressed down on her shoulders and gently pushed her through the door with an unshakeable force.

Tia found it hard to describe this power; if she had to say, it reminded her of the Holy Grail.

Kindness, gentleness, authority, holiness, and unquestionability.

Just like your older sister who argues with you over trivial matters, if you dare to talk back, you'll definitely get a loving pat on the head the next moment.

The moment you cross the threshold.

The firelight faded away, and the sound of moths fluttering their wings gradually disappeared, but the new space that appeared before Tia was not one of the palaces in the Papal Palace.

The Apostolic Palace is decorated in a very Ansu style because it was built only a hundred years ago, rather than a cathedral with a thousand-year history. This is why the corridors are filled with unconventional glass cabinets, giving the entire palace a slightly comical feel.

What Tia saw here, however, was the interior of a building that resembled a banquet hall.

It resembled a stone table meeting for an ascension ceremony, and also a banquet hall from her upside-down sanctuary. A long table stood in the center, surrounded by church-style reliefs and decorations. Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows stretched a lush lawn; the sun was not visible, but sunlight still shone through.

Well, it's a bit more earthly than a promotion ceremony; at least it wasn't made all dark and gloomy, like some kind of cult ritual...

At the end of the long table sat a stone statue, appearing to be an elderly man in his sixties or seventies, dressed in a white stone robe, with a straight back and naturally curly hair. Although it was clearly a stone statue, its eyes had a flowing amber luster, and its skin inexplicably gave the impression of being healthy, firm, and full of elasticity.

The light in those eyes was flowing, as if Medusa's rays had just been dispelled, and her stone-like skin was slowly regaining its normal color.

The old man looked at Tia and said kindly, "Hello, Sulph, right? Peter has already told me about you. I know you have many questions now, but please sit down and listen to me."

Tia hesitated, then, with her hand on the Victory Sword, walked to a chair.

Looking down, I noticed that the chair was in the style of an iris, without armrests, and the backrest was curved backward with a convex shape in the middle, forming a slight arc.

The old man tapped his fingers on the table, a steaming cup of black tea beside him. He chuckled and said, "First of all, I'm not here to harm you, so don't be too nervous or act like you're doing a math problem. I'm here to help you advance to Sequence 7. And with my help, you can smoothly progress from Sequence 7 to Sequence 4. You..."

"If you just say things without thinking, who can believe you?"

"You don't want to reach Sequence 4 so easily? Then let me ask you something else. I can also give you a secret manual that will make you a saint, whose spirituality will endure in the mortal world. Even if you fall into the deep sea, you can still create a sanctuary."

Tia shook her head and said, "If you can do it, why are you asking me for help? What use is it to me if you can't do it?"

The old man took a sip of red tea, looked at Tia with some displeasure, and said, "What you're saying doesn't mean I can't do what you can't, and similarly, it doesn't mean you can't do what I can't. Just because you can't establish a sanctuary doesn't mean I can't. Just because I can't have a lasting spiritual existence doesn't mean you can't?"

That's hard to say... Tia almost couldn't hold it in.

But Tia's purpose in saying this was not to refuse.

Tia pointed out, "You really don't have a lasting spirit! So you're dead? If you're dead, where am I? In a nightmare? But how did you get information about me from Pope Peter in a nightmare?"

Nightmares are slices of history, projections that can only be output, not input. Even if Tia changes history a thousand times in a nightmare, when she enters the nightmare again, it will still be the same.

"you......"

The old man was speechless for a moment, never expecting that Tia had managed to get the information out of him.

But that wasn't the point. He emphasized, "Alright then, let's be frank. I am Ulrich Bonhoeffer, the president of the Alchemy Society. What I'm about to say is hypothetical: hypothetical that I can truly help you become a saint, and that you can also have your spirit endure and establish a sanctuary. Do you want that?"

Tia said, "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. If I had to choose, would you teach me all your knowledge?"

Chapter 189 But I Refusal (4K)

Upon hearing this presumptuous request, Ulrich smiled.

In the banquet hall, the once-famous president and Tia sat facing each other, at the head and tail of the table respectively. The bright and soft sunlight shone through the floor-to-ceiling windows, falling on Ulrich's long, white curly hair.

Looking at Tia's serious expression, Ulrich shook his head with a smile and said, "Sulph, your appetite is a bit too big."

"I can't do what you're saying."

"You are the president of the Alchemy Society!"

“I used to be,” Ulrich said to the girl who was still troubled by it, “but now I’m in a nightmare. You should have learned that nightmares are fragments of history.”

"Actually, that's not a very accurate way of putting it. A nightmare is like a piece of broken glass or an irregular crystal, and inside that glass or crystal is a rose. It may look colorful, but that's just a reflection of countless facets on a single rose. In the end, there's only that one rose in it."

"It's the same in nightmares. Everything you see is just a reflection of the very core people, events, and things in the nightmare. Otherwise, you can go to the bookshelf, pick up my books, and see what's written in them."

Tia hadn't really noticed this.

The main problem is that the promotion ceremony has a time limit, and when she tries to collect knowledge in the nightmare, it's often almost over before she can even start.

At that moment, Tia got up and took out a few books from the bookshelf to look at them.

Surprisingly, the books were all Ulrich's personal biographies and memoirs, along with some knowledge about alchemical sublimation, but they were quite fragmented, consisting of scattered snippets. Tia even saw a street magazine with a very eye-catching and large-breasted pretty young woman on the cover.

Moreover, she has an iris-themed ethnic minority style, a very sunny and cute smile, and pointed ears, like an elf like Branna & Freya.

If this were an ordinary person's bookshelf, it would be easy to mistake it for a genuine one, but for a leader of an alchemical society who is at least Sequence 3...

Tia looked up at the old man.

You're truly young at heart despite your age...

Ulrich said, “Sulph, you haven’t done much deep-sea diving, have you? In fact, this is what nightmares are common. When you go to the ascension ceremony, those nightmares are selected by the saints in advance. They are often realistic, rich, and difficult to distinguish from reality. Those nightmares are also the main targets of false gods and ancient superhumans. Through cutting, splitting, absorbing, and devouring, false gods use them to build sanctuaries, while superhumans also devour forbidden knowledge from them.”

"And I have invited you here for the same reason. I have come to invite you to devour my knowledge."

The girl glanced at the erotic magazines on the bookshelf and firmly refused, saying, "I refuse pornography, gambling, and drugs."

The old man's gentle voice abruptly stopped, his face turning ashen. "I didn't tell you to devour that. This nightmare contains what I learned during my 100 days following my mentor, the essence of the knowledge I gained in my youth. In my youth, I studied under the former president, Bishop, inheriting from him the Book of Ascension, the Book of Transformation, and a bit of his extraordinary sculpting skills. The latter is the key point."

"This knowledge itself has already reached the Sequence 7 level. By devouring this nightmare of mine, you can bypass the ascension ritual and go directly to Sequence 7. At the same time, you will also obtain a sanctuary—you may not know what this means now, but it will be of immense benefit to your future."

Tia said, "You were reading this when you were young and studying...?"

"Can we please stop talking about this?"

"Ok."

After all, she was an elderly person, and her older sister Avina had taught her to respect the elderly and care for the young—although Avina was always ruthless when it came to hitting old men and children, which was somewhat immoral, Tia still had basic morals.

Tia sat firmly in her chair and asked seriously, "So, President, what is the price?"

Ulrich said, "Would you believe me if I said there was no price to pay?"

Tia looked at the old man as if he were a fool.

“Yes, you’re absolutely right, Sulph. There’s no such thing as a free lunch, especially for alchemists. I’m glad you recognize that.”

Ulrich calmly finished his tea and looked at Tia. "As the price for accepting my knowledge, you must go to the Iris and, with the help of my two students, protect that country from division."

Tia countered, "The price is too high."

“Big? No, not big, Sulph. What I’m exchanging with you is this: I’ll help you advance from Sequence 7 to Sequence 4, and I’ll also pave the way for you to reach the Saint realm.”

"But this is still not an equivalent exchange. For me, going from Sequence 7 to Sequence 4 isn't that difficult. But you want me to shoulder the entire empire for Iris? Am I some kind of superhuman?"

"Not that difficult? Damn it, what kind of person did Peter send me!"

Ulrich looked embarrassed for a moment. In his life's plan, he had made a deal with Pope Peter in exchange for curing Eleanor Anzu's curse. Peter wanted to find him a trustworthy alchemist with potential, and most importantly, the Heart of the Holy Grail, to inherit his mantle.

These conditions seem quite simple: trustworthy, promising, and readily available.

But the most difficult thing is having the heart of the Holy Grail—the Holy Grail and alchemy are inherently in conflict, and handling these two conflicts well is a skill no less than that of a miracle. If not handled well, it will cause enormous psychological turmoil and obstacles on a practical level, and on a nightmare level, it will make each ascension ritual much more difficult.

Therefore, for extraordinary individuals who harbor the heart of the Holy Grail but embark on the path of alchemy, each advancement is no less than a life-or-death decision.

In fact, Peter didn't initially intend to send Tia; his original target was "Elvira Salvia," the physical vessel that had been tarnished during the Newport News.

Vera's conditions were practically perfect. She was baptized and blessed by Bishop Kanthus in her childhood, and as a vessel for a deity, she possessed a "sacred" quality, making her highly compatible with the Holy Grail. At the same time, she was an artificial life form created by the Hand of Transformation using alchemy, making her a natural alchemist of extraordinary ability.

However, to his surprise, Bishop Marshall recommended someone even more suitable. He wrote a letter of recommendation to Tia for testing, and to everyone's astonishment, Tia recognized three out of the four versions of the Red Cup ritual at once. She was practically a child born from the Holy Grail.

Ulrich had no idea what kind of monster Peter had sent him, and he was still using his old way of thinking to describe Tia's talents and gifts, which led to him suffering a great loss.

The old man looked troubled and helpless: "Actually, it's not that difficult. The iris's real enemy is never outside."

"How so?" Tia was intrigued.

Seeing Tia's interest, Ulrich exhaled and said, "The true enemy of the Iris Flower has always been itself. The immortal Emperor Pinnock will not allow anyone to disrupt the stability of the empire. In this era where national consciousness has already formed, rashly devouring the Iris Flower—even just a county—would create a lot of unstable elements within the empire. Not to mention swallowing up the entire Iris Flower."

"What they are doing is simply creating an enemy outside, using low-intensity skirmishes to put on a show for the Empire. So for the Empire, the Iris cannot fall."

"And this is precisely what I'm worried about: the two opposing forces within the iris are tearing it apart."

Ulrich spoke of this matter without any concern, appearing instead calm and unperturbed.

He questioned again: "So what do you choose now? Sulph, I can give you the Book of Ascension and the Book of Transformation. You may not know what this means. I can tell you this: the mainstream alchemy of the continent and the surrounding countries all originates from these two secret books. These two secret books can lead any alchemist with a little talent to the path of sainthood."

No, I know everything. I even got hold of 2.5 copies of the secret manual, which is half a copy more than you have.

Tia remained calm and said, "I still don't quite understand what you're saying. What's the connection between the Secret Codex and the Saint, which is Sequence 3?"

"The knowledge of the esoteric texts is one of the most fundamental knowledge of the path. I tell you this: at the end of every path is a shining decahedron. And the esoteric texts are each face of this decahedron."

"Seeing just one facet is enough to glimpse the secrets of Sequence 3. Seeing ten facests is Sequence 1, which is the limit of humanity. As for going further, it would probably require surpassing humanity itself."

Ulrich made no attempt to hide his opinion, saying, "But these things are too early for you; they're probably just wishful thinking."

"Alright, enough small talk. I'll ask you one last question: do you accept my deal?"

Tiah was satisfied with what she wanted to know and asked, "What if you don't accept it, President?"

This deal is still too harsh for Tia.

She already possessed the secret manuals, making the path to sainthood less arduous for her, at least within her glimpse. A few more manuals wouldn't be enough to propel her to Sequence 1, the pinnacle of humanity, yet she was forced to shoulder the heavy responsibility of mending the divisions within the Iris Flower.

This must be exhausting for her!

Ulrich immediately beamed with joy.

“No, little Sulph, you don’t have that right.”

"Not necessarily. I think I can."

Clang!

Tia responded earnestly, and the Victory Sword emerged from the pink fluffy rabbit's sheath.

The moment Ulrich looked up in astonishment at the longsword, the intricate, ornate, and classical sword—which seemed completely out of place with its playful scabbard—shimmered with a silvery-white light.

He had a blood groove with swirling patterns, and within the groove were still subtle dark red lines that were barely noticeable to the naked eye. But now, as the light shone, these lines were highlighted. The power of the two paths, the King and the Ouroboros, intertwined and shone with silver and dark red colors. The dazzling halo spread out ripples that made people break out in a cold sweat.

King Solomon marked the beginning of the royal era, while his ascension to the altar signified the beginning of his descent into the deep sea. Therefore, the Sword of Victory simultaneously embodies the characteristics of royal authority and order, as well as the power of the ouroboros to plunge into nightmares, reach the afterlife, and inflict curses.

The most important of these is the decree brought about by authoritarianism. The king's power distorts boundaries and barriers, allowing the sword to ignore all obstacles.

Previously, Tia hadn't felt anything while casually slashing, but now, trapped in a nightmare entangled with an unknown supernatural ritual, the Victory Sword truly revealed its form. A chilling and indifferent order swept across all directions centered on Tia, almost bringing the air and biological functions to a standstill.

The sword flashed for a fleeting moment.

In reality, in the Papal Palace, Pope Peter sat on the throne with his eyes half-closed, leaning on his scepter, watching the painter who was painting him in front of the throne doze off.

In the blink of an eye, a sword's edge pierced silently from the void.

Peter, his eyes still half-closed, yawned, but the scepter in his hand swayed slightly, and his Adam's apple bobbed.

The sword's edge struck precisely at the prominent, rolling Adam's apple.

But the moment the tip of the Victory Sword pierced the Adam's apple, a soft holy light shone at that point with an almost imperceptible brilliance. The Victory Sword seemed to have pierced a perfectly curved sphere, deflecting at a very subtle angle.

Peter scratched his neck, somewhat regaining his senses.

The court painter from Silver Castle asked curiously, "Your Holiness, are you tired? Would you like to rest for a while, and I'll paint your portrait tomorrow?"

Peter waved his hand and said, "It's nothing, it was probably just a mosquito. Keep drawing, I have a cardinal meeting tomorrow."

Having said that, Peter pressed down on the white crystal on the scepter, securing it securely.

After finishing the portrait, the court painter politely took his leave.

The old pope, who had been sitting on the throne for two full hours, finally slowly opened his hand that was resting on the scepter.

This scepter is a church relic—the genuine kind, a heirloom, not a fake antique he picked up at a street stall.

This scepter, known as the "Decree of Saint Simon," was forged 725 years ago. It was presented by Innocent, the leader of the Church of Ansu, to Saint Simon III, the founder of the Church of Ansu, at a council held on the holy mountain of Herod in the papacy to discuss the restoration of order after the Great Plague.

The main function of this thing is to protect the user from various unknown attacks. The cost is borne by the theocracy.

The Church uses the void of faith to pay the price, and Peter doesn't know how the Church does it; it's their prerogative, anyway. Various denominations have been trying for centuries and still haven't figured out how to use faith as money...

However, thanks to the relatively positive image of the Church over the past seven hundred years, and the absence of various heroes who came to attack it, the Scepter of Saint Simon has remained intact.

—Until just now.

Peter released his grip, and saw that the crystal at the top of the scepter was shattered into pieces, the spiderweb-like cracks adding a fragmented, incomplete beauty to the white crystal.

The old pope glanced in the direction of his usual living quarters and frowned, saying, "This thing is over seven hundred years old. Can it still be sent back to the factory for free warranty...?"