Chapter 1179: Dreams |
"When you need to advance to Sequence 3, you can come to me." Franca stood at the street corner, took out the Face of the Arcane from her Traveler's Bag, and showed it briefly.
Melissa smiled and nodded, waving goodbye to this enthusiastic older sister before heading towards the research institute under the God of Steam and Machinery Church.
After chatting leisurely for over an hour at the café, Franca had accompanied her all the way here.
Only when Melissa's figure disappeared at the building's entrance did Franca turn around, strolling leisurely under the shadows of Intis parasol trees, blending into the lively streets.
Along the way. she saw the Trier citizens who, as always, loved to stand out. She also spotted Daoists and monks traveling from the Northern Continent, and many young people from the Western Continent here on studying abroad exchanges. Some maintained their original clothing styles, while others adapted to local customs.
Franca also noticed many newly built cathedrals, belonging respectively to the Church of The Fool, Eternal Darkness Church, and the Ruler of Calamity Church-the three mainstream faiths in the world today.
The Eternal Darkness Church had evolved from the merger of the Evernight Goddess Church with the Churches of the God of Combat and the Death. The Ruler of Calamity Church originated from the Sick Church and the Demoness Sect.
Among the remaining orthodox churches, only the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery maintained its former influence. The Churches of the Eternal Blazing Sun, Lord of Storms, Earth Mother, and the God of Knowledge and Wisdom still existed but had become secondary choices with limited influence.
Many Trier citizens even followed trends, engaging in Daoist practices or Zen meditation.
Even across a sizable square, the stained glass windows of the cathedral vividly projected the interior scene into Franca's eyes.
At the altar stood a golden-embedded cross, and before it, a figure knelt quietly in prayer.
The figure had long silver hair and wore a simple linen robe. It was none other than Angel of Fate Ouroboros.
He had returned from the Western Continent, merging the Aurora Order with the Eternal Blazing Sun Church, turning the Aurora Order into the shadow under the sun's rays, handling tasks inconvenient for clergy, and executing acts of punishment.
Franca sighed with mixed feelings and withdrew her gaze.
Naturally, she thought of another King of Angels in the domain of fate - Will Auceptin, who had also returned to Backlund.
"Even if He might attain greatness in the future, He still has to listen to mom now, studying hard, and improving every day..." Franca muttered, purposely making a detour to Quartier de l'Observatoire. At the entrance of an apartment, she saw Jenna's brother, Julien, and Ms. Bella, formerly of the Moses Ascetic Order. Julien appeared confident and ambitious, while Bella looked calm, free of past worries.
They had married and chosen to settle in Suhit. This time, they returned to Trier specifically for the wedding, with Jenna attending in person to offer her congratulations.
After ensuring Julien and Bella boarded a carriage to the steam locomotive station, Franca breathed a sigh of relief and continued her aimless wandering, sometimes in the streets and sometimes within the mirrors.
After some time, she returned to the market district, where she saw Rue Anarchie and Auberge du Coq Doré.
Smiling, Franca entered and skillfully made her way to the basement bar, ordering a glass of absinthe with a dreamy green hue.
Wearing her cap, she took a sip and shook her head in distaste.
This drink never tasted good!
"The landlord of Auberge du Coq Doré changed again?" she casually asked the bar owner, Pavard Neeson.
Without looking up, the ponytailed Pavard Neil replied, "Yeah, I heard some tycoon bought up the entire street's properties. But he promised not to change Auberge du Coq Doré, just maybe renovate it."
"What's his name?" Franca curiously asked without performing any divination.
Pavard Neeson thought for a moment. "His name is... Danitz, I think."
Danitz? Mr. Fool's oracle? Already a Sequence 4 Iron-Blooded Knight, and he's still interested in buying property? And he happened to purchase a building once occupied by the highest existence of the Red Priest pathway... Isn't this another example of the Law of Beyonder Characteristics Convergence? Franca's spiritual intuition quickly confirmed it, and she found it somewhat amusing.
Suddenly, a commotion sounded behind her.
Turning slightly, she saw a young man in a white shirt and open black vest, holding a beer and leaping onto a small round table, cheerfully addressing the crowd, "Ladies and gentlemen, I'm back!
"Though I stayed in Suhit, got another promotion and raise, and became a true middle-class, civilized man, my return to Trier only raised my rank by one, but still - I'm back!
"Don't you want to know why?
"Because this is the Trier that we both hate and love!
"Cheers!"
…
By the afternoon, Franca returned to the villa where she lived.
It was time for the monthly Tarot Club's Divine Council.
Soon, her figure appeared above the gray fog, seated beside Madam Temperance, Sharron.
She held The Empress card.
Madam Justice, Mr. Hanged Man, Madam Magician, Mr. Sun, Madam Judgment, Mr. Star, Ma'am Hermit, and Mr. Moon were all present.
Lord of Mysteries Klein, sat at the head shrouded in gray fog, with slimy tentacles briefly flickering in the fog behind him.
Madam Justice stood first, curtsying politely.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Fool-"
The formal members of the Tarot Club were still most comfortable addressing him this way.
After the greetings, The Magician Fors sat down and awkwardly glanced at the end of the long bronze table.
"Mr. Fool, there isn't much to report this month: we've mainly been on interstellar travels."
Lord of Mysteries Klein leaned back in his chair, chuckled softly, and said calmly, "Then tell me about your travels."
He added, "In detail."
Madam Magician Fors carefully said, "This time, we went to Planet Lorbath, where we even encountered the God of Steam and Machinery. He was quite interested in the local knowledge and technology…"
Seeing Mr. Fool listening intently, The Magician Fors relaxed and spoke more thoroughly.
With additional details from Mr. Hanged Man Alger, The Empress Franca, and others, the vivid retelling of the trip made Justice Audrey and The Star Leonard, who missed it, feel as though they had been there-and regret it even more.
Klein quietly listened with a faint smile, never interrupting.
…
After the Tarot Gathering ended and she returned to reality, Franca walked towards the full-length mirror in the master bedroom.
Relaxed, she stepped through the mirror, plunging into a strange sensation of rapid descent, arriving on a desolate, lifeless planet.
A thin fog emerged before her.
She walked into it.
What met her eyes was an ancient city.
There were skyscrapers, speeding cars, airplanes piercing through clouds, and pedestrians holding cell phones.
Suddenly, two blinding headlights flashed towards her. nearly blinding her.
A rideshare car stopped in front of her.
Franca opened the door and sat in the back seat, complaining to the driver with a monocle on his right eye, "Can't you turn off the high beams?"
The driver pointed to the golden sun ornament on the dashboard and smiled. "Ever since I stole it, I can't turn them off."
Franca said nothing more, admiring the city streets of the past pass by while in the car. There were many buildings from Trier.
Eventually, her spiritual intuition drew her gaze to the screen inside the car.
A beautiful yet pure-looking woman on the screen excitedly announced, "Citizens, I am your Mayor Cheek. My next plan is to eliminate traffic lights and crosswalks..."
Before She finished, the screen distorted with harsh static.
When the picture returned, Mayor Cheek solemnly said, "Ha, that was a joke. Now, onto the main topic."
Franca clicked her tongue, turning back to the window.
Outside stood a Trier-style cathedral, bustling with people.
Through the window and mirror, Franca saw a man at the altar-blood-red hair, blood-stained black robe, handsome and masculine but not sharp - it was Alista Tudor.
He was the priest of this cathedral.
The vehicle continued forward and soon arrived at a vast square.
In the middle of the square stood a peculiar statue. It resembled a vortex, yet its color was indescribable, as if it encompassed all possibilities.
The vehicle kept driving until it reached the edge of the city.
There, a village appeared with lush green pastures and a gently flowing stream.
Franca got out of the car and casually waved at a girl herding geese by the river and the young man beside her, serving as a greeting.
Like returning home, she naturally followed the country road into the village. In the distance, she saw a towering earthen pillar several dozen meters high. At its peak sat a figure with three heads and six arms, quietly enduring the wind and rain, basking in the sun and storms.
Franca headed straight to Ol' Tavern and, unsurprisingly, found Lumian sitting at the bar in his white shirt and black vest. A glass of La Fée Verte sat by his hand, while Jenna, dressed in a light, flowing dress, passionately sang lively songs for the farmers and their wives in the middle of the tavern.
A smile spread across Franca's face as she watched Jenna perform. She strolled to the bar and sat beside Lumian.
"One glass of Kirsch." She snapped her fingers at the bartender, then turned to Lumian and asked, "Where's Aurore?"
Lumian, with his blood-red hair, chuckled and said, "At home, writing travel notes."
Franca let out an "oh" and happily said to Lumian, "I'm planning to stay in the Western Continent for a while soon. Aurore already agreed to come along. Want to join us?"
"Sure," Lumian turned slightly, smiling as he gestured toward the center of the tavern. "You can ask Jenna yourself if she wants to go."
Franca followed his gaze just in time to see Jenna finishing the last few lines of her song. With a bright smile, Jenna extended an inviting hand toward both Franca and Lumian.
Her cheerful singing echoed throughout the entire tavern.
"As long as Trier endures, mirth and glee will never falter!"
(The End)
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