Shadow of the Evil God

"That's... strange," she said, "and you're the first person to speak to me in all these years."

Cesar looked at Phils and saw that her eyes were wandering. It was obvious that she had also seen Bernadette at that time, but she didn't say a word. She just stared at her like a ghost until they both walked away.

"Your young ancestor has also seen you," Cesar said, "but she is very shy. When she saw you over here, she said nothing. Not only that, she thought everyone saw you over here."

Bernadette smiled brightly and leaned down to look at Fils's face. In an instant, she felt that her love was unquestionable and unwavering, requiring no personal doubt. She smiled and asked Fils what spell she was studying. Her white teeth were carefully arranged between her plump lips, and her deep blue eyes seemed to ripple with water.

Cesar raised his hand and saw that the frosted Bernadette was still sitting at the desk. Not only was she oblivious to what was happening around her, but her position and posture were also different from those of the old Bernadette. "I'm sorry," he put his hand back on Phils's. "Can you do this alone?"

A smile broke out on her face again. "I can move within her mist. Also, I want to say that I've been enjoying the changes in the world and the growth of my child with her, so please don't misunderstand me as being imprisoned. Having said that, I'm still happy to talk to different people. If possible, please bring our little ancestor to talk to me about Diana."

"Actually, you can meet her yourself," Cesar said.

She shook her head slightly and sat back in her chair. "If Diana knew about this, she would definitely not be able to hide it. If the school found out, it would put both her and me in trouble, and she would suffer unnecessary harm. I hope to see her again when she takes over the school, or even effectively controls it. At that time..."

"Don't you want the school to know about your existence now? Well, if you want Diana to reach that place, I will go with her, ma'am." Cesar said, "Until then, this matter can be considered a gift."

"Madam? You don't need to be so serious. Do you know what you should call me according to custom, child?" Bernadette turned sideways on the bench and patted her knees. There was an elusive mischievous glint in her eyes. "Half-kneel here, lean your head up, and say to me, -Mother."

Chapter 362 Your Children

"Is this the custom?" asked Cesar.

"There is such a custom," Firth muttered. "It's the custom of the ancestors. We mages are closest to the ancestors and have adopted many of their customs."

Cesar wanted to argue, but seeing the expectant look on Bernadette's face, he held his tongue. He could sense that Bernadette had done similar things many times when Diana was little, and that this was her birthright. He also realized that she had lost this right when she was forced to shoulder the burden of the school; otherwise, she would have cared for Diana from childhood until she grew up.

The years had not left any traces on her beautiful, smooth cheeks, because the life experience she should have enjoyed had disappeared from her. Before she had time to fully appreciate it, everything had been quietly interrupted, just when Diana was still ignorant and didn't know how to express herself.

Mothers rarely see the radiance of early life. Although Fils always huddled in the dark corners, that radiance shone forth in her, radiant and brilliant. Diana was also shrouded in this radiance, and Altinya shone even brighter from behind, radiating her brilliance wherever she went.

After people have passed the stage of life they should have lived through, these brilliances will gradually dim, and it will be difficult for even a trace of halo to remain. Bernadette actually lived in this stage of life.

Unlike the others, Bernadette's life experiences were incomplete, she hadn't fully experienced many things, and thus she still had a lingering afterglow. It was the radiance of a young, beautiful mother embracing her child with initial curiosity and love. Seeing this radiance, César couldn't help but feel a little intoxicated.

"I don't want to refuse your kindness." He shook his head and said, "It's just that I've never done anything for you, so naturally there's no reason for me to deserve this kind of care."

"Okay," Bernadette said with a hint of regret, "then could you get me a few books? I mean, some of the books that were burned along with the Great Library of the Kasar Empire and have not yet been restored."

"How do you know that?" Cesar asked her.

"When I was young, I always wanted to visit the Great Library, but I never had the chance. By the time I could, it had burned down. This place keeps adding books that I've heard only exist in the Great Library, so I come here often, day after day, to see what new books appear on the shelves. You own this place, so you must have some connection to it, am I right?"

"Yes, ma'am," he admitted, "if you could point out the specific books, I would do my best to find them."

"Call me mother," Bernadette emphasized again. "If you call me that, you can come to me with ancient books that you don't understand. I will tell you the stories in the books in the words you want to hear. Many years ago, my mother told me the same thing, just as I once told Diana stories with her head resting on my knees."

"I've never experienced anything like this." Cesar wanted to continue with his usual name, but he stopped himself when she opened her eyes wide.

"Very good," she nodded. "At least you don't mention it anymore, which means we've reached some consensus. Then, I want—Crus's Natural Philosophy, Lenisius's Principles of Theology, and Drot's Book of Destiny."

He was slightly surprised.

"What's wrong?" Bernadette asked him, very perceptive.

Cesar held out a manuscript. "Besides 'Crus's Natural Philosophy,' the other two are theological texts Diana used to study by her bedside." He handed it over. "I'll take one of them. Look, it's 'Droit's Book of Providence,' which Diana copied herself. She asked me to come and see if it's suitable for the small library. Because, as you know, there are too many temple people here, and they might not be very receptive to critical literature."

As she took the manuscript, Bernadette touched his hand, running her long, white fingers across the pages before opening the manuscript in his palm. "She actually copied it herself," she whispered, looking at Diana's handwriting. "She must have studied countless theological texts to prepare for the Grand Temple, but I..."

"I can convey part of the truth in a tactful way, saying that you want to know about the books she has read," said Cesar.

She blinked. "Well," she said, "could you please bring another copy of Diutner's The Garland of Time? Any one will do."

"This book is..." He was quite confused.

"It's a collection of stories from the ancestors of the Kuna people," Bernadette explained. "Some say that reading it in different ways conveys different feelings, like a cipher manuscript, but much gentler and more beautiful. I once told Diana about 'The Wreath of Time,' but only part of it, and our school only has one copy. Tell me, if I tell you, child, can you tell Diana and your children the story I told you?"

As she spoke, Bernadette held his hand tightly with both of hers, showing no sign of letting him go. However, Cesar felt that even if she didn't hold on so tightly, he couldn't refuse this request. "I think I can," he said.

"Great!" Her eyes almost twinkled.

"I'll prepare cushions and a seat cushion, and tell you the story in the most comfortable way possible. I haven't told you a story in a long time, so I might be a little rusty. I beg your forgiveness. I will definitely gradually regain the feeling of telling stories to Diana."

"Um," Firth suddenly said, "Can we add 'The Wasteland of Spells'?"

Cesar stared at Phils in disbelief for a long moment. This guy wanted his own descendant to lecture him on magic theory? And he even took advantage of the situation to join in the discussion without paying any attention to anyone else. He would have blushed, but Phil didn't care at all. He clearly believed that it was not only okay for descendants to lecture their ancestors, but also a matter of course.

"I've been having some trouble lately," Firth muttered. "Diana's been busy with government affairs lately. You can't ask me to bother her."

"That's right," Bernadette nodded. "This proves that you are making great strides. I'll bring the book and explain it to you as I tell the story."

Cesar shook his head. With Phils forcing him to join him, he couldn't refuse. "Would the other you let you spend your time like this?" he asked.

Chapter 363: The person in the mirror is not me

"She's not actually me," Bernadette denied.

"A soul from somewhere else?" Cesar demanded.

"She is now part of my soul, not from somewhere else, but she is definitely not me, and she is definitely from somewhere else."

"You've got me a little confused."

"It is a perplexing story indeed," she said, "but I wanted to tell it to you, Cesar, as a preparation for the future. Do you want to hear it?"

Cesar really wanted to hear the story, so he accepted it. Still, she held onto his hand, as if afraid the person she could talk to would disappear. Finally, it dropped down by her leg, like a lady accepting an invitation to a ball, and rested in his palm, feeling white and soft to the touch, like a lily fresh from the rain.

Seeing him sitting on the carpet beside her, holding Phils, Bernadette relaxed. She had already sat up, but now she leaned back on the bench with a smile. She looked down at him, her left hand resting on his, and her right hand stroking the top of his head, finding a strand of Diana's hair in his hair.

Those deep blue eyes seemed to reflect the phantom of the past.

As her neck drooped, her hair fell from her shoulders, forming a curtain before him. The flickering light that fell through her hair was serene and tranquil, like a child waking up to the hazy sunlight from sleeping on its mother's lap under a tree. Truth be told, it took a tremendous effort of willpower for César not to fall back on her lap, like a lovestruck man, and close his eyes without warning.

"I was only ten years old then," Bernadette said. "The school already knew I wasn't qualified, but they still asked me to take on the helmsmanship. I didn't think too much about it then. I didn't consider why the school could remain standing even though it chose the helmsman based on bloodline inheritance, nor did I consider that since they wanted me to be the helmsman, they would let me do whatever I wanted and let me wander among the flowers."

Her words seemed to hold a magical power. As her lips gently moved, ethereal visions emerged before his eyes. Cesar felt as if a gentle breeze blew around him, bringing with it the ethereal scent of flowers. Perhaps this was a fey ability; like Diana, she too was partly human.

She lowered her voice. "Then one day, the school found me a friend named Dongye. Although it was a strange name, I didn't think much of it. She looked very beautiful at the time, just like frost and snow. She was the same age as me, maybe a few years younger. Of course, you already know that she is the Bernadette that everyone else sees now."

Cesar frowned slightly, feeling that something was getting strange. However, he said nothing and just listened.

"I know you'll find it strange," she said, "but please believe me, of all the things the school has given me, she's the one who treated me the best. Of course, Diana is different; she's a beautiful memory I brought into this world. When I was ten, I began to study the school's magic in depth. While I was troubled by the fact that I didn't meet the school's expectations, I played with Dongye, trying to forget those feelings of shame."

Unlike Diana, Bernadette was a mage of ordinary talent, but the Yestren School didn't care. They insisted that she shoulder this burden. They didn't even care if she could handle it.

"When the school was still in Itris," she continued, "we had a magnificent, ancient building called the Corridor of True Knowledge. There were many mirrors scattered throughout the corridor, taking up entire walls and standing facing each other. If you went to the Corridor of True Knowledge, you could see countless reflections of yourself standing in countless mirrors. When I was little, the Corridor of True Knowledge scared me once, and then one day, when there was no other place to play, I dragged Dongye there."

Cesar felt that this was the turning point of the story. He was actually a good storyteller, but he hadn't told a story in a long time.

Thinking of this, he actually missed Brother Kallen, who had endless stories to exchange with him.

"There's a saying that when a wizard names a place after True Knowledge, there must be a deep meaning behind it," she said, "but I didn't know this at the time. That night, Dongye and I went to the Corridor of True Knowledge to play, running back and forth in the long corridor lined with mirrors. Unlike before, she was by my side, and I knew it was just a mirror, so I was happy and content. We showed off our clothes in the mirror, admiring our appearance, and didn't notice my mentor coming to find me. I remember you were the mentor who killed Diana, right?"

Cesar frowned, but Bernadette told him it was okay.

"I don't know what Diana thought of her mentor, but I was afraid of him," she said. "Many times when I saw him outside, I would run and hide. He was dressed in gray, and his hair and beard were also a dark gray, as if they had been dipped in fog. He once said to me, 'You came here too early, Bernadette, but if you want to get to the truth first, it doesn't hurt to stay a little longer.'"

Cesar felt that the people who served as mentors to the heirs of this school were all very strange, and each had his own strangeness.

“At that time, I didn’t know what the mentor was talking about,” she said, “but he was standing at the door of the Corridor of True Knowledge looking at me, and I didn’t dare to go to him, nor did I dare to go out.

I was terrified at the time because I wasn't allowed here. I wanted to run away, but I was sure my mentor would punish me, so I didn't dare approach him. So, Touya and I agreed to stay together all night, hiding in a corner of the corridor until he left.

Bernadette paused, as if calming down for a moment, before continuing, "It was a small room, right next to the corridor. We saw it was very secluded, so we hid inside and closed the door. The moment the door closed, I was sure that we were alone in a place where no one could disturb us. It was dark and quiet, as if everything had disappeared. If I hadn't been holding her hand, I would have thought she had disappeared too.

"At that moment, I saw a candle appear in the mirror. Although there was no candle in the real room, it appeared in the mirror. Soon, I saw the candle transform into a hazy red light, slowly rotating around our reflections. The light was like a swimming fish, shuttling through the mirrored world, as if it were alive within it."

The fish slowly drifted through the mirrors covering the walls, gradually reflecting the entire room—a hexagonal enclosure, each wall a complete mirror. I could see the fish, and I could see myself smiling at myself. Then a second me, her smiling face appearing behind my shoulder, staring intently at me. Then a third me, and then a fourth me—an endless number of girls, each with a smaller girl staring at a slightly larger version of me. And so on, an endless cycle of me, forming a long, endless chain.

"Suddenly I found that Dongye quietly took a step closer to me. I thought she was going to hug me, but she walked to one of my selves, and then, the girl disappeared. She turned into Dongye, and then the girl Dongye was looking at also turned into Dongye. Like an infection, the endless self in the mirror gradually turned into endless Dongye..."

Cesar watched Bernadette, lost in her memories, and felt that things had reached a terrifying point, a silent terror. The outwardly Bernadette was actually an unknown entity, created by the Yesterlen School using some terrifying magic to replace her mind and personality. Thus, an unqualified heir could become the heir who would lead the school's continuation.

At first glance, the Yestren School appears to be a school with a succession of rulers, just like a secular kingdom, but this is not the case at all. The so-called helmsman is just a shell, and if they decide that the contents are not up to par, they simply replace them.

Chapter 364 I am your mother now

"Why are you telling me all this?" Cesar asked her.

Bernadette sighed softly, and the slight smile disappeared, just like the warm sunshine leaving the lush woods and no longer shining through her tangled hair.

"I haven't spoken to anyone except you in ages, Cesar," she whispered. "And I've been hearing all about you, hearing Diana say how much she loves you, hearing what you've accomplished. Your love for her is different from my past love, at least, I think it's different. When the blood curse is gone, I still want to see you by her side."

"I've been trying this, but it's hard to guarantee. The magic in this world is too strange."

"Then do for her what I failed to do," Bernadette clasped his hands with both of hers. "You must, you must tell her the story I left unfinished. Tell her that this is something you have taken from me, and that you can tell her everything I failed to do. You can keep telling her."

"I will," Cesar promised, "but I still want to know what kind of existence is Dong Ye?"

She blinked. "That's a long story, too. But if you understand that the soul is merely an empty perceiver, relying on a synthesis of personality and memory to perceive itself and the world, you might understand that Winter Night is the synthesis the school has placed within my soul. The longer she stays with me, the deeper she imbues me with. After all, the me within my soul is merely a record..."

"Perhaps you were also influenced by that winter night," Cesar said finally. "After all, your school didn't intend for you to continue existing, and she, as a record, secretly violated their wishes. To me, the combination of two personalities and memories within one soul will always influence and change each other."

Just like him and Ajeh who was far away.

.......

A few days later, Cesar went to Sodoris with the book he had found from Brother Mira, and of course, he also brought the magic literature that Fils had requested. They spent more than an hour with Bernadette, most of which was Cesar asking Fils various magic questions on her behalf.

Dongye was far more skilled in magic than Bernadette. To ease their relationship, Bernadette handed over the responsibility of teaching her. After all, she possessed a remarkable mind, embodying the wisdom of the Yesterlen School. However, since Firth couldn't see her, Cesar had to ask questions and relay explanations. After completing her magic instruction, Bernadette approached him with questions and concerns from theological texts, seemingly eager to catch up with her daughter.

By the time Bernadette put down her theology book, she was already dizzy from reading the criticisms and analyses of the various temples by the philosophers of the Kasar Empire. She felt completely uneasy. Cesar mentioned the recent developments, hoping to give her some respite. After all, this was the easiest thing to understand.

"The Kingdom's Knights have dispatched a portion of their forces, approximately three thousand strong, and are currently crossing the lands ruled by Evered IV and heading north," Cesar said. "Recent meetings haven't been productive, but I believe the outcome will be clear once they reach Sodoris or Gural Fortress."

"Although I'm not good at this," Bernadette said, "I've followed Dongye and observed him for a long time, so I understand a little bit. Are you trying to ensure that your position in this land is unshakable? Whether it's the king, the noble families, or even the temple, it won't work. What do you want in the end?"

"I want to do what only someone in a high position can do," Cesar replied. "Because I want to enforce my own order, I will inevitably offend the nobles and royal family of Olidan. However, when the bloody battle begins, one of them will choose to stand on my side, and the other will choose to stand against me."

"It sounds like you want to teach the world?" she asked.

"It's not teaching," he denied. "It's just using my broader perspective to do things that others haven't had time to do, or don't know how to do. If I can win the war, people will see the difference I've made."

"Does this mean you won't go to war simply for territory and power like others do?" she continued.

"I may not be, but I will use the territory and power I have obtained to do more."

Bernadette nodded, her chin resting on one hand, revealing the elegant curve of her white neck. "So who gave you a more far-sighted vision, and what would you say?" she insisted.

"Maybe an ancient beast, or an ice fairy if you don't mind, any reason is fine." Cesar replied.

"You mean making up stories," she said.

“Without making up stories, many things would be too complicated.”

"No, it's not complicated." Bernadette shook her head slightly. "I think it must be a secret that only someone as close to you as Diana can know. It's still a long way before I know it, but I guess it won't take too long. Do you care about this secret?"

"I can't say I care, but I think there's no point in me saying it out loud. Letting people speculate about my identity like this,

My situation is better. After all, I don’t care whether I am a Frank or a Sassulai.”

"You are indeed an incredible person. No wonder Diana stayed with you despite having such strange views. So have you been running around for a long time today?" Bernadette asked him.

"I came here after finishing all the tasks she asked me to do," Cesar admitted.

"Then you must have irritated her at that meeting," Bernadette said. "When Diana was little, she said that if she had a husband, he would always be by her side. To be honest, it seemed like she was in charge, but you're not that kind of person, are you? You would definitely argue with her, and then each of you would do your own thing. I think if lovers are always away from each other and rely only on the comfort of the night to maintain their relationship, there will inevitably be gaps and rifts. You should be more, um... come here and sit next to me."

Cesar wanted to hear Bernadette's opinion, and just as he approached, she grabbed his shoulders and pulled him down. He wanted to resist, but found it difficult to resist.

She pressed her legs together on the carpeted mat and gently placed his head on her lap. "Yes, just like this. Don't be shy, Cesar," she said softly. "Years ago, I told Diana those distant stories in the same way, just like my mother and I. You have to experience it yourself, to know how to do this to Diana, and to your own children... Do you think we can start?"

“It’s hard for me to think of myself as a kid and to relate to that,” he said.

"But according to our customs, I am now your mother," Bernadette said stubbornly. Not only that, she even put her finger on his forehead. "If you don't care whether you are a Frank or a Sassuale, then you shouldn't care that you are still a person who follows the customs of your ancestors, or even an ancestor of the Kuna people. It doesn't matter if you don't accept it now. After I tell you all those stories, you will definitely call me that. No matter how tall you look, you must call me that."

Chapter 365: Inheriting the Name of the Past

......

"Are you having doubts, Master?" The dog stared at him in the dark night. "Is it because you've experienced so much gain and loss recently?"

Cesar sat down in his room and removed the stitched head from the Faceless One's ripped chest, placing it on his desk. The clash between the Living Armor and the monks had destroyed the entire room, and the stitched body had been torn to pieces. He didn't know why Gouzi cherished the stitched head so much, but since she had brought it back from Solaire's city, he could put it to good use.

It was Gouzi who had found a military theory book in the woods, and that had sparked his suspicions about Gonzales's situation. While most of the items she found were useless junk, some were always surprising. Ultimately, if she hadn't retrieved the head, given his current situation, he would never have thought of secretly taking the stitched skull.

"I have many doubts." Cesar examined the head, which had not yet decayed. "One of them is that the so-called Dong Ye and the right half of its face are somewhat similar."

"A dead ancient ghost still controls her school?"

"It's hard to say," he said. "Perhaps Dongye is also a prisoner of the Yesterlen School. The true ancestor is dead, and she is just Firth to Ferriers, or something even stranger. But I think that if Dongye is really related to her, the truth in Bernadette's eyes is very questionable."

"And it will involve Diana?"

"Bernadette's disregard for Archduke Urbino is the most complete disregard," Cesar said thoughtfully. "Perhaps I need to reconsider my assumptions and explore this strange school and their bizarre blood curse. If her feelings don't even include remembrance and nostalgia, then I've misjudged the severity of this matter."

"What possibilities do you think of?"

"A blood curse doesn't disappear just because it's passed down from parent to child; it persists. Bernadette is too obsessed with Diana and me. I don't see her own existence in her actions."