Chapter 72: The lamp God Minor Victory

Chapter 72: The lamp God Minor Victory

Aster flowers, Aster Manor… Could it be such a coincidence? He paused in his steps, his expression solemn. Any coincidence could be the prelude to a conspiracy.

Moreover, having recently provoked an extraordinary being on the path of fate, any coincidence or chance encounter could harbor something terrible.

Aster flowers…

Hastur stopped in front of the door, pondering for a long time before recalling the records about the aster flower.

The aster flower represents elegance and mystery; many believe it possesses magical powers. In ancient Rome and Greece, it was considered a sacred blossom.

The star-shaped aster, in particular, was used to represent the stars in the sky.

Representing the stars?

Hastur Looked up instinctively. The grey mist obscured the sky above Beckland, and only with effort could a ray of bright sunlight pierce through and fall.

The stars, clearly visible at night, were now hiding behind the blazing sun, out of sight.

Hastur stared for a while, then laughed lightly, saying, "Too many coincidences seem overly deliberate."

"Today is another beautiful day."

Hastur Called for a carriage and headed to the Grelint family home.

When Hastur Returned 2,200 pounds to Grelint in the form of 220 ten-pound notes, he was visibly shocked.

Given what he knew of Hasta's financial situation, how could he suddenly produce such a sum?

"Hasta, are you the baron who assisted the police in solving the charity house case?" Grelint exclaimed in surprise.

"Just happened to be there."

"No, no, you're too modest, although that is a fine quality."

"The police department gave me a bounty, quite a generous one."

"They always cry poverty to the king, yet they can produce such a sum; it seems you played an important role in this case."

Grelint instructed his butler to take the money, leading Hastur to the study.

"You should have Lord Greck help you with this; perhaps you could even receive a reward from the king."

With no one else present, Grelint spoke much more directly.

"The king doesn't really like our Campbell family."

Hastur Sat on the sofa, sipping a cup of Marquis tea, his tone more casual.

"Your father Voltaire, hmm… indeed, he's not the king's favorite, otherwise he wouldn't have been demoted for those absurd actions."

"Wasn't his title lost due to gambling?"

"Not entirely. Your father lost too much land gambling, and his unrepentant nature eventually drew the king's ire, leading to his demotion from earl to baron."

Hastur Thought for a moment, then smiled, "Just helping to solve a case, this little merit is hardly enough to make the king look at me differently."

Grelint chuckled, "Adding Duke kenigan's weight should be enough."

"Grelint, you're still too young."

Hastur Shook his head and smiled, "Aside from the king's lineage, the Nigan family is the most prestigious. Their influence is already too great. On matters of title promotion, Duke kenigan would not easily express an opinion, even actively avoiding it."

"True, Duke kenigan has been low-key these years, and the king now favors Earl Holle, even intending for his son to marry Audrey."

Grelint thought about it seriously, and realizing Hastur Was right, dropped the subject.

The two chatted in the study for another two hours, during which Hastur Shared many esoteric knowledge with Grelint and encouraged him to learn some ancient Hermes language and Giant language.

Leaving the Grelint home, Hastur Visited Beckland University, then spent the evening at the Brave's Tavern playing cards and chatting with Maric.

Another fulfilling day.

…

Xibailong.

Here, warlords ruled, and behind them lurked the shadows of many other countries, turning this half of the southern continent into a colony.

Tonight, in an obscure small town, a dark light surged from the town center. The black light spread with the wind, quickly enveloping the entire town.

The townspeople came out of their homes, gathering in the large square at the town center.

Their faces beamed with happiness, their eyes filled with desire.

Regardless of gender or age, they shed their cumbersome clothes, baring themselves under the crimson moon.

The crimson light added a hazy charm to their pale bodies.

Reproduction is the instinct of many creatures.

Even immobile plants show extreme eagerness in reproducing their offspring.

Reproduction is the continuation of new life, the truth of the world's existence to this day.

To resist reproduction is to defy human nature.

Only by breaking free from the shackles of ethical doctrines and indulging the desires from the heart can one achieve true freedom and happiness.

Indulge desires, propagate life.

As more townspeople joined, the scent of desire grew stronger, and strands of life force drifted from the men and women, converging on an altar at the center.

Mahams stood in the middle of the altar, with calm and seductive words, enticing each townspeople to shed their restraints and join the celebration.

His eyes were fervent, and a smile played on his lips.

He could feel their god watching over this place, looking at him!

Before, he always thought that the union of man and woman was a desecration of sanctity.

Only by restraining desire could one awaken divinity from this struggle and behold the gods.

But it wasn't until he truly met a god that he realized he had been going in the opposite direction.

Desire needs to be indulged.

Indulging desire is the best way to love oneself.

Only by being honest with oneself can one face others with the same attitude.

Restraint, controlling desire, is just self-deception.

It is the instinct of being human, the reason for the propagation of all things.

If all things in the world restrained themselves and no longer reproduced life, what a silent world it would be!

Here it comes, the gaze of the god piercing through the layers of the starry sky.

Mahams trembled with excitement; every time he witnessed a miracle, his soul was baptized.

"Indecent assembly, indeed you are the scum of humanity!"

A stern shout broke the tranquility of the place.

Mahams looked up to see a large group of figures surrounding them in the night!

"The dogs of the Church! You dare to disrupt the coming of the god!"

…

The sea, Dawn.

In the captain's cabin, The lamp God phantom emerged from the wishing lamp, saying with a smile, "Now you believe I didn't deceive you, right?"

His mood was good. This time, the Storm Church, in alliance with the Eternal Sun Church and the Church of Knowledge and Wisdom, thwarted the Desire Mother Tree's divine descent ceremony in Xibailong.

Helping him win the bet with the Mother Tree of Desire allowed him to negotiate and trade with more confidence.

It was a small moment of triumph.

Bernadette stared at the genie, "According to the information I received, this divine descent wasn't presided over by that godly scourge, and the whole ceremony seemed much simpler than before."

"It was just a trial."

"You're definitely hiding something from me."

The genie pondered, "I did conceal some news. I made a bet with the Mother Tree of Desire that if I could disrupt this divine descent, it would give me a tarot card."

Bernadette's expression shifted slightly; she knew the tarot card mentioned by the genie must be the one left by her father Roselle, endowed with mystical power.

"The Mother Tree of Desire originally wanted to bet with the Devil card, but I refused. It's too dangerous for you, so I had it changed to a Temperance card."

"I won't go for that Temperance card."

Bernadette refused outright. The items of the Mother Tree of Desire were not so easily taken. The Devil card was dangerous, but was the Temperance card safe?

The genie looked up at the ceiling, his gaze as if piercing through the barriers, seeing the twinkling stars above.

"That Temperance card, I never intended it for you from the start."

…

"Extra, extra, the Storm Church in alliance with the Church of the Eternal Blazing Sun and the The Church of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom thwart a large-scale heretical sacrifice ceremony in Xibailong!"

"Extra, extra, the mysterious queen of the seas, Dawn, spotted near Damir Port!"

"Extra, extra, the mysterious baron who secretly helped the police solve the Sunrise Charity House case is him!"

On the street, a newsboy held a stack of newspapers in his left hand and waved one in his right to attract customers, loudly selling today's paper to passersby.

"I'll take one."

Passing nearby, Hastur had the coachman stop the carriage to buy a newspaper.

Inside the carriage, Hastur Unfolded the paper and read intently.

From the news revealed, the genie had won the bet.

Had the genie and the Mother Tree of Desire already completed their private transaction? Bernadette's Dawn appearing near Damir Port, could it have secretly entered Rune and come to Beckland?

With The lamp God unusual behavior lately, Bernadette would surely carry the wishing lamp to avoid accidents.

It seems I must be wary of The lamp God Prying eyes, best not to encounter Bernadette.

Hastur then looked at another piece of news, wondering who the kind soul was that revealed his assistance in solving the police case.

The paper lavished praise on him, the young and handsome baron, sparing no words of admiration.

Hastur Put down the paper, feeling a bit of a headache. He didn't want to be so famous.

(End of Chapter)