Chapter 211: Spirit Channeling |
While Lumian sneezed, Franca swiftly took two steps forward and crouched beside the fake Ive's lifeless body.
With a delicate grip, she extinguished the flickering black flames that still clung to it.
"Thank goodness it hasn't burned too far, or the soul would have dissipated," Franca breathed a sigh of relief, straightening up. She reached into her pocket and retrieved a handful of powder that resembled the pitch-blackness of night.
Lumian stowed away the canister of stimulating gas and glanced at Franca, curiosity etched on his face.
"Are you planning to channel his spirit?"
In the recent battle, the fake Ive had displayed the strength of a Mid-Sequence Beyonder and wielded peculiar abilities. Lumian couldn't hold back, or the situation would have taken a perilous turn.
Franca nodded subtly, responding, "Indeed. Channeling a spirit now will yield significant results."
"And which entity do you intend to invoke?" Lumian asked casually.
Franca chuckled before answering, "None. I've merged the principles of Magic Mirror Divination and devised a spirit-summoning spell. While it may not rival the most professional methods, it suffices. Moreover, it won't attract the attention of deities from the corresponding domain."
Exasperated yet amused, Franca retorted, "It's called having an academic spirit. We—uh, your sister—have conducted similar research and experiments. Usually, I can't be bothered to overthink things. Not because I lack intelligence, but because the burden of endless calculations is tiresome. The key to life is to remain relaxed and not get entangled in every intricate detail."
Her gaze swept over Charlie, still sprawled amidst the rubble in the tunnel. Franca refrained from mentioning Gandalf, the president of the Curly-Haired Baboons Research Society.
Is this why you've adapted so well after becoming a woman? Lumian observed Franca building a wall of spirituality in the vicinity as he approached Charlie.
Witnessing Ciel's approach, Charlie snapped out of his daze and crawled out of the debris on all fours.
Lumian gazed at him, his expression devoid of emotion.
What he was thinking was: Charlie has just witnessed the battle between Franca, me, and the imposter Ive. If he seeks refuge at the Eternal Blazing Sun cathedral, there's a high probability that he won't be able to conceal it when questioned by official Beyonders utilizing their powers. This situation differs from the previous one, where the official Beyonders believed everything was under their control. They were prone to carelessness and had blind spots in their minds…
Charlie's initial elation waned as Lumian continued to scrutinize him in silence. His heart began pounding like a jazz band's drumbeat.
Fear and confusion evident in his voice, Charlie finally mustered the courage to ask, "What's the matter?"
Lumian observed that Charlie's luck remained a blend of red and black, although it had slightly improved since before.
This indicated that Susanna Mattise's threat had not been completely resolved.
He fell silent for a few seconds before speaking up, "Remember to head to Église Saint-Robert later."
Having already contacted Madame Pualis, Lumian no longer needed to stay at Le Marché du Quartier du Gentleman or manage Salle de Bal Brise. As long as he remained with the Savoie Mob, he still had a chance to fulfill Mr. K's mission.
Furthermore, Franca was now involved. With her vouching for him while in the Boss's good graces, Lumian could be assigned other profitable ventures even without Salle de Bal Brise. However, the earnings might not be as substantial.
"Alright, alright!" Charlie heaved a sigh of relief.
Having experienced many things, Charlie possessed an open-minded personality. He belonged to the kind of people who grew more excited as the number of individuals increased. Soon enough, his curiosity got the better of him. Pointing at the lifeless imposter Ive lying on the ground, he asked,
"Who's that? Why does he look exactly like you…"
Before Charlie could finish his question, he paused. As the fake Ive met his demise, the facial muscles relaxed, no longer resembling Ciel. The corpse appeared unfamiliar.
"That's someone who believed in an evil god and gained strange powers," Lumian explained simply, tailoring his response to Charlie's comprehension. "He has a certain connection to Susanna Mattise."
Charlie felt a lingering fear.
"No wonder he kept leading me underground…"
Unable to hold back, Lumian cursed, "You imbecile! You've been with him for so long, and yet you didn't sense anything was off about him? Does having my face mean he's me?"
Charlie replied sheepishly, "When I entered Underground Trier, I sensed something was wrong.
"He was very quiet. He only mentioned taking me underground to completely resolve the Susanna Mattise problem. He's not like you, always cracking jokes and teasing.
"I thought it was because the situation was urgent and you weren't in the mood…"
Lumian sighed and shifted his gaze to Franca, realizing that Charlie, being an ordinary person, couldn't see through the Beyonder disguise that could fool even official Beyonders, no matter how astute he was.
The Witch had finished preparing for her own spirit-channeling spell. Standing before the fake Ive's lifeless body, she held two white candles and chanted a series of incantations in Hermes.
Due to the wall of spirituality, Lumian could only catch fragments of the chant. Franca described herself and the imposter Ive, with the former being the source of spirituality and the foundation for maintaining the ritual, and the latter being the object of prayer—the Magic Mirror that provided answers to questions.
As for Charlie, he heard even less and couldn't make sense of it all.
A faint light emerged on the makeup mirror in Franca's hand, and its interior turned into an abyss of deep darkness, as if it had sunk to the river's depths.
A hazy, pale-white face swiftly appeared in the mirror, bearing a resemblance of 50 to 60% to the deceased fake Ive.
Switching to Intis, Franca inquired, "Who are you and which organization do you belong to?"
The imposter Ive, replied in a dazed manner, "Rentas, a member of the Bliss Society."
Rentas… Lumian suddenly recalled the name.
The word "Rentas" often appeared on the posters outside Thtre de l'Ancienne Cage à Pigeons. He was a prominent male supporting actor.
Franca pressed on with her questioning, "What kind of organization is the Bliss Society? And how is it connected to Susanna Mattise?"
The imposter Ive, Rentas, spoke with an otherworldly voice, "The Bliss Society was originally a secret society for women who love women. Susanna was one of them.
"She grew weary of being involved with members of parliament, high-ranking officials, bankers, newspaper moguls, and other men. She sought solace among fellow ladies and madams who shared her love for women. Eventually, she received divine enlightenment and a boon, becoming a priestess of my lord. She transformed the small Bliss Society into a secret organization that worships my lord.
"In today's society, it's inconvenient for women to be openly involved in many affairs. Therefore, the Bliss Society has admitted some male members who can also receive boons, but they lack the privilege to partake in core matters or possess knowledge of the most confidential aspects."
"Remarkable!" Franca applauded.
She knew that Rentas was referring to the evil god known as the Mother Tree of Desire. Delving into such matters made her apprehensive, fearing that she might stumble upon mystical knowledge she shouldn't acquire.
A secret society for women who love women… Male members excluded from core matters… Lumian suddenly grasped something.
He stood by the wall of spirituality and gazed at the makeup mirror in Franca's hand.
"So, Hedsey frequently seeks out street girls and hunts for prey because his desires cannot be fulfilled within the Bliss Society?"
"Yes," Rentas replied. "Women love women exclusively. When I was a Sex Addict, I had to satisfy my desires on my own. Fortunately, I was more attractive than him and had female audience members who admired me. There were plenty of street girls in the market district, so I didn't need to take the risk of pursuing excitement."
"That's lit!" Franca expressed her feelings with peculiar words. She clicked her tongue and sighed. "Isn't there a regular secret group for women who love women?"
"Yes," Rentas firmly responded. "To my knowledge, there's the Moment Society and the Narcissus Society. They often organize women orgies at Trocadéro's Red House Café. We have been attempting to establish contact with them and convert them into believers of my lord[1]."
Trocadéro was situated in Quartier 16 on the north bank of the Srenzo River, in the square district. Known as the Triumph Square established by Emperor Roselle, it was a small town surrounded by a vast suburban forest. It was renowned for its exceptional wine production. Trocadéro Wine stood second only to Aurmir red wine in the world.
Fascinated, Franca listened and repeated the terms, "Trocadéro… Red House Caf Women orgies…"
Lumian couldn't help but feel more concerned about the term "Sex Addict." It seemed to perfectly suit the twisted state of Hedsey. It likely corresponded to Sequence 8 of the Mother Tree of Desire pathway. However, he feared that time was running out for the spirit channeling, so he didn't rush to delve into the matter. Instead, he redirected his focus to Susanna Mattise.
"How did Susanna Mattise transform into an evil spirit? And why did you bring Charlie underground?"
Rentas's pale-white face contorted in distortion.
"She died while receiving a boon and transformed into an evil spirit.
"She told us that because her name was still on the lips of many Trieriens and her portrait was used by numerous men to satisfy themselves, she didn't completely dissipate. She retained a certain level of rationality, albeit warped. She became more consumed by her own affairs, neglecting all else.
"She was gravely injured by official Beyonders during her last encounter and spent time recuperating at the altar. We were worried that once she fully recovered, she would seek out Charlie and attract the attention of the authorities. So, we took advantage of the election and brought Charlie to the altar in advance, handing him over to her for handling."
Charlie had already moved to Lumian's side. His face turned ashen as he listened, feeling as if he had stepped into the depths of hell.
Franca nodded subtly and spoke, "Where is this altar? How much time until Susanna Mattise fully recovers?"
"The altar…" The surface of the makeup mirror revealed a fading blurry face, unveiling an underground tunnel.
The tunnel stretched endlessly, branching off in multiple directions before leading to a small quarry cave engulfed by vines and branches.
There, a colossal brownish-green tree stump emerged abruptly from the ground. Its form consisted of thick branches, with roots originating from an unknown place.
As the image of the tree stump grew clearer, Franca hastily interrupted the manifestation, fearing any potential disturbances.
Rentas continued, "Susanna will regain her full strength in two days and depart from the altar."
[1] Such things did exist in the real world during that era. Parisians were experts in this regard. For further details, refer to Histoire insolite des cafés parisiens.
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