Chapter 120: Then Let the Misfortune Come Fiercer

Then Let the Misfortune Come Fiercer

“Are you okay?” Hearing Avena’s voice, Ciel gradually regained her senses and looked towards Avena.

Although her spirit had recovered significantly, faint red mist still lingered before her eyes, but most things around her no longer mutated.

Ciel looked at Avena’s dark purple eyes, yet a strange feeling arose inexplicably within her.

Clearly, Avena’s eyes behind her glasses were looking at her own eyes, but she always felt Avena’s gaze wasn’t focused on her face, but rather looking at something behind her.

Ciel had already observed her surroundings when she looked around earlier; there was nothing behind her...

The most unwelcome possibility surfaced in Ciel’s mind.

Previously, when Avena helped heal her spirit, she seemed to have shouldered part of the spiritual contamination as well, having experienced some of the pain Ciel felt.

Did this treatment also let Avena experience the scenes from the Other Side, thus contaminating her spirit and causing hallucinations?

Ciel didn’t feel much guilt, because she had already anticipated this possibility before coming. All she could do now was find a way to compensate.

Ciel stood up directly from the bathtub, stepped out of the pure copper tub, placed her somewhat wet hands on Avena’s shoulders, and asked worriedly:

“Are you alright? Avena? What did you see? Can you tell me?”

Just now, Avena was trying hard to focus her attention on the water droplets on Ciel’s forehead hair, trying her best to avoid direct eye contact with Ciel.

She was doing her utmost to maintain her composure, preventing her gaze from sliding down Ciel’s perfect face—even though she had seen it before.

But earlier, Avena was more concerned about Ciel becoming immersed in the false comfort caused by hypnosis, observing Ciel’s mental state after falling into the water, having no time to think about other things.

At this moment, Ciel’s sudden standing up and her somewhat urgent questioning instantly disrupted Avena’s meditative state.

In her line of sight, the water droplet from Ciel’s forehead hair dripped down. Avena subconsciously followed the path of the falling droplet downwards.

This work is hosted on mananovel.com

Instantly, Avena felt her emotions were about to break. A fiery heat rose on her face.

“I... I’m fine... I didn’t see anything. I was just trying to make you better feel the sensation of falling and hitting the water so...” Avena shut her eyes tightly, took several steps back, and stepped onto the puddle of water spilled on the floor from adding water earlier.

The soft slippers, designed only for comfortable indoor walking, had no anti-slip function. Stepping onto the puddle with eyes closed, Avena only felt her foot slip, followed by a dizzying spin.

It’s over... I’m going to make a fool of myself in front of Ciel...

“Careful!” In a daze, she only heard Ciel’s cry of alarm, then shut her eyes tightly, waiting for the sharp pain after her back hit the ground.

The expected sensation of the hard floor didn’t come. She fell backward, almost reaching a lying position.

But the back of her head felt a soft touch... like a hand supporting the back of her head.

Click—

“Milady! What happened...”

Bang— Thanks for reading on ManaNovel!

The bathroom door opened for an instant. Before even hearing clearly what Nia said, the bathroom door slammed shut again with a bang.

“Are you okay?” This question, which should have been asked by Avena, now sounded above Avena’s head.

Avena’s glasses had fallen to the side. Feeling the damp strands of hair brushing against her face, she slowly opened her eyes a sliver.

Before Avena’s eyes, she saw the naked Ciel, currently sitting astride her lower abdomen with her legs slightly parted.

Ciel’s slender waist was slightly bent, her left hand supporting the ground, while her right hand cradled the back of Avena’s head. The soft touch from behind earlier came precisely from Ciel’s right hand.

At this moment, Ciel looked at Avena, whose eyes were slightly squinted open, and her heart relaxed somewhat.

Seeing Avena’s unstable state earlier, starting to back away, Ciel already had a slight premonition.

When Avena was about to slip, Ciel directly summoned a black shadow from the shadow beneath Avena, supporting Avena’s head to prevent impact.

But to avoid startling Avena upon opening her eyes with the black shadow, she swapped places with it.

Actually, Ciel’s heart was also somewhat apprehensive and worried now, because she didn’t know if her current self, in Avena’s eyes, would transform into the appearance of those fleshy monsters.

“I’m fine...” Avena shook her head gently, the blush on her face completely unconcealable.

“Sorry,” Ciel looked at Avena beneath her and said, “I originally didn’t want to involve you, but I’m rather selfish... I want to live a little longer.”

Ciel’s words, for some reason, caused a slight pang in Avena’s heart.

Ciel’s personality of shouldering all the bad things alone made Avena feel somewhat distressed, but she couldn’t say anything.

Her identity was only Ciel’s friend. She could only offer help from a friend’s perspective, not yet reaching the point of “sharing joys and sorrows.”

If possible, Avena also wanted to face these things together with Ciel.

But Ciel always habitually maintained a certain distance from others, her psychological defenses extremely high. And whenever dangerous matters arose, Ciel would exclude others.

Just then, Ciel’s voice came from above again.

“Is there anything you want to do, or anything you desire? I can help you to the best of my ability, as compensation for this soul healing...”

Compensation...

Is there anything I can’t obtain?

Hearing Ciel talk about compensation, Avena’s originally somewhat heated mood gradually cooled slightly.

Ciel didn’t consider her one of her own at all.

She pressed her lips together tightly, looked up at Ciel, and said, “Yes.”

“What is it?”

“Revenge.” Before Ciel could react, Avena supported herself on the floor with her elbows into a half-sitting position, took a bite on Ciel’s soft neck, showing absolutely no mercy.

After taking a bite, the frustration in Avena’s heart lessened slightly. She slowly tilted her head back, looked at Ciel on top of her, and calmly said, “Please move.”

“Mm...” Ciel got up and moved aside, watching Avena stand up again, slightly adjust her clothes, then turn and leave the bathroom.

Revenge?

Revenge for biting Avena before?

For Ciel, that incident actually happened not long ago, but for Avena in this simulation, it had likely been over forty days?

Ciel raised her hand, touched the bite mark on her neck. A slight pain emanated, leaving her somewhat confused.

Judging from Avena’s appearance, the impact didn’t seem significant. After all, even Ciel wouldn’t be able to bite down on a terrifying fleshy monster.

But why did she seem somewhat angry?

Ciel found she could no longer quite grasp Avena’s thoughts.

-

Now wasn’t the time to think about these things. She had to leave Avena’s side quickly before the next calamity arrived—constantly contacting Avena and Nia also counted as contacting the transcendent.

She looked towards the clean clothes placed aside and began dressing.

Meanwhile, outside the bathroom, Avena was walking towards the dressing table.

Her glasses were left in the bathroom, but she no longer wanted to go back for them.

Nia, who had been guarding nearby, also approached after seeing Avena come out and said, “Sorry, Milady, I didn’t know you were...”

“It’s fine.” Avena put on a new pair of glasses, walked to the window, slightly pulled back the curtain, and looked towards the fountain and garden outside.

In Avena’s vision, faint blood-red mist shrouded the entire estate. Even the water jets from the fountain were tinged with some blood color.

Avena looked up. She saw a blurry dark red shadow circling above the estate, like some ominous sign.

Had Ciel been enduring contamination several, even tens of times stronger than this all the way here... How on earth did she manage to persevere?

“Nia, have the investigation department intervene in the case of the police officer’s death at the junction of the Gem District industrial area and Clock Tower Alley. Don’t let any other organization interfere.” Avena spoke, instructing Nia.

The death of a few police detectives wasn’t a major issue, especially the corrupt ones in the Clock Tower Alley area. Firing a shot randomly wouldn’t even kill an innocent person.

“Yes, I’ll notify someone immediately.” Nia nodded and quickly left the room.

She had to quickly relay the information and return to Milady’s side. Nia instinctively felt that Ciel had too many secrets recently, making her too dangerous. She feared arriving a few steps too late might result in Milady encountering misfortune.

Or simply being abducted.

Avena watched the raindrops gradually falling outside. Her previously chaotic mood had now settled, and simultaneously, a trace of shame arose in her heart.

Having calmed down, Avena felt her actions just now were somewhat childish.

Ciel chose to face things alone ultimately because she didn’t want to involve her. Avena, who couldn’t offer much help anyway, had no reason to be angry.

Why, though? This conflicted feeling...

Like Ciel, Avena was also adept at hiding everything in her heart. But now, she had a premonition that if she didn’t speak openly, she and Ciel would only drift apart, walking further and further away from each other.

Not long after Nia left, Ciel pushed open the bathroom door and walked out. Ciel was now dressed in the black and white dress Avena had prepared for her.

This time, the dress wasn’t slightly larger like before; it fit perfectly. It was unknown whether it was Avena’s old clothes or specially tailored for Ciel.

“Ciel,” Avena turned to look at Ciel, pointed towards the window, and said, “That shadow in the sky, has it been following you all the way here?”

Ciel, who was just preparing to say something she wasn’t sure about, now walked to Avena’s side after hearing her question. Through the rain-streaked glass, she looked towards the sky outside.

A dark red shadow shaped like a monstrous bird circled in the sky. Even without a specific shape, Ciel could still recognize it at a glance.

“Yes.” Ciel nodded, then said, “Sorry, Avena, I must leave quickly, before the next calamity arrives...”

“Ciel.” Avena spoke, interrupting Ciel’s words, asking directly, “Can you tell me in detail about the true form of the shadow you saw?”

“Avena...”

“I hope there aren’t too many reservations between us, Ciel.” Avena looked into Ciel’s eyes and said, “I want to help you.”

Ciel remained silent for a moment, then nodded gently.

When Avena mentioned the shadow in the sky, Ciel already knew Avena’s spirit had also been contaminated by the power of the Other Side.

The impact had already been made. She could only be thankful this was a simulation; Avena in reality wouldn’t be affected in any way.

At the same time, Avena’s words also brought a trace of warmth to Ciel’s heart at this moment.

Even knowing what Ciel was facing, Avena still felt no fear or other negative emotions... Words might deceive, but negative emotions couldn’t fool a “Judicator.”

Although Ciel very much didn’t want to involve Avena and the others in this matter, constantly seeking ways to resolve it alone, she fell into a cognitive bias in the process.

Ciel didn’t need to bear too much moral or psychological burden.

She could completely use the simulation, employing any trickery or violence to obtain results, then deduce a solo solution process from the results, instead of constantly increasing the difficulty for herself like before.

After all, Ciel was just one person. There would inevitably be times when she acted emotionally, unable to maintain absolute rationality and accuracy.

If Ciel were to act like a completely cold-blooded demon in the simulation, then upon entering the simulation, Ciel should have abandoned her sister Lichie, who was a “waste of time,” and returned directly to Berren City.

In that case, perhaps she would hear news the next morning about her sister being stabbed to death in the small town inn.

This was absolutely unacceptable to Ciel, even in a simulation.

It was precisely these interwoven bonds that supported Ciel, allowing her to remain clear-headed and not lose herself after killing so many people.

Perhaps, she should also trust and rely more on these friends of hers.

“Okay.” Ciel looked at Avena, nodded gently, then turned and walked to the dressing table, picked up a pen and a piece of paper, and began drawing rapidly.

Although Ciel’s drawing skills were poor, she still managed to draw the approximate shape of the monstrous raven through precise control of her fingers, then filled its body with messy lines.

Avena, who had been watching Ciel draw nearby, looked at the bizarre image drawn with the dip pen, her brow furrowing slightly.

Wings...

At this moment, Ciel, having finished the drawing, pushed the paper towards Avena, looked at her expression, and asked, “Can you tell what it is?”

Complementing the drawing, Ciel slowly recounted her true feelings when she saw the monstrous raven, along with more specific features and imagery, including its wings that lacked feathers and were covered in long, hair-like messy threads.

As someone who spent almost all day immersed in the library, Avena indeed knew more about the transcendent than ordinary transcendents.

“I can roughly imagine its appearance. Based on the features you described, we can basically rule out it being a transcendent or a monster mutated from a mad transcendent.” Avena raised her hand, pushed her thin gold-rimmed glasses. The delicate chain at the edge of the frame swayed gently.

She lowered her hand, gently tapped the monster’s wing with her index finger, and said, “You should also know, apart from transcendents of the ‘Ascetic’ and ‘Avenger’ paths mutating to show wing features, transcendents of other paths do not exhibit wing features upon mutation.”

I don’t know. Ciel still nodded, letting Avena continue.

“From your explanation earlier, being enveloped by it causes misfortune... But this is actually unlikely,” Avena continued. “Transcendent abilities and sealed artifacts also have range limitations. If this were a transcendent ability, it couldn’t possibly take effect after you left the city.”

“Even a ‘Misfortune Bringer’ or ‘Favored’ cannot achieve such long-range locking... unless it’s a Grade 4 or higher sealed artifact.”

Speaking here, Avena shook her head and said, “But this is impossible. Currently known super-tier sealed artifacts don’t have such capabilities, unless secretly held by some hidden organization...”

“But these organizations have no need to use a super-tier sealed artifact with immense side effects just to deal with a few third-tiers and you...”

Speaking here, Avena paused slightly, looked at Ciel, and said, “You, or the organization behind you, haven’t actually provoked an Ascended, have you?”

With anyone else, Avena might not believe it, but with Ciel, Avena felt anything was possible.

-

Hearing Avena’s words, Ciel recalled slightly.

Ciel had heard about Ascended from Uris before. Below Ascended were five tiers. Only those reaching fifth-tier or higher qualified to be called Ascended.

Ciel in reality was cautious. The only high-tier transcendent she had direct contact with was Nia, and she was an ally.

How could she possibly provoke an Ascended beyond fifth-tier?

Honestly, the abilities of a third-tier were already unimaginable to Ciel. She didn’t even have the capital for a direct confrontation. How could someone like her possibly catch the eye of an Ascended?

“Unlikely.” Ciel shook her head.

“According to what you said earlier, the misfortunes didn’t descend immediately after violating the rules, but had some delay.” Avena looked at Ciel and said, “I suspect that on the train when you left Berren City, there was a transcendent, or someone holding a sealed artifact.”

“After causing your misfortune, they went back to cause Lucy’s misfortune, then concocted Oppold’s disaster—chronologically, this is entirely feasible.”

“But I don’t understand why someone would do such troublesome things just to make you obey some ridiculous rules...” Avena frowned deeply, finding it increasingly unreasonable the more she thought.

Someone capable of perfectly evading Nia’s detection on the train, possibly even stalking several third-tiers long-term without being discovered... Someone with such abilities, if not Ascended, must be close, right?

There were ten thousand ways to kill them silently, but why choose this method?

Unless...

“Could it be not human?” Ciel’s question interrupted Avena’s thoughts.

Ciel’s idea coincided with Avena’s.

But after careful consideration, Avena still shook her head: “Unlikely... This is almost impossible...”

Hearing Avena’s words, Ciel somewhat understood.

From the beginning, Avena had been negating her own ideas because those ideas lacked rationality, thus being directly excluded by her.

Including the investigation of the incident, the word “rational” also heavily influenced Avena’s judgment and thinking.

And Ciel’s greatest strength was turning the irrational into the rational.

Ciel glanced at the current time, 4:30 AM.

It was time to break Avena’s fixed mindset of “conventional” and “rational.”

“Eight hours and fifteen minutes ago, the train exploded.” Ciel looked at Avena and asked seriously, “If I returned to that time and killed everyone on the train, would it be possible to find that person or ‘thing’?”

Hearing Ciel’s words, Avena’s high-speed thinking process suddenly stalled. She blinked at Ciel, and after a moment, finally said, “Possible... but unlikely...”

Ciel’s words left Avena momentarily unable to organize her thoughts, because it was simply too absurd.

According to Ciel’s suggestion, returning to the past, back to that train to kill everyone, might indeed force out the mastermind. But the act of “returning to the past” itself was impossible.

And putting other things aside, just Ciel’s thought itself was somewhat terrifying.

Regardless of whether returning to the past was possible, just killing everyone on the train was already too cruel—it felt like something the Divine Advent Church or other cults would do.

A train held at least three or four hundred people. Let alone actually doing it, just thinking about it already made Avena feel some physiological discomfort.

Helping Ciel cover up a few killings or deal with some scum, Avena had no burden doing so, but this was somewhat too extreme.

The usually rational Ciel proposing such unrealistic fantasies made Avena feel a slight sense of unfamiliarity.

“Just hypothetical, Avena.” Ciel looked at Avena before her and said, “No matter how absurd the hypothesis, you can say it. As long as it’s a hypothesis that might uncover the truth, even if the premise is traveling to the Other Side, it’s conceivable.”

Looking at Ciel’s somewhat encouraging eyes, Avena felt her thoughts were somewhat chaotic.

She took a deep breath, rested her hands on the dressing table, and calmed down slightly.

Forget it... Ciel saying this must have her reasons. I just need to follow the information Ciel provides and make these assumptions...

After mulling it over in her mind, Avena started to feel a bit resigned.

She was terrible at making such assumptions devoid of logic.

After a moment of silence, she looked at Ciel and said, “If we really have to assume like this, I would choose to return to the past, back to a time before encountering these disasters, avoid the disasters...”

So there’s nothing to assume. Avena silently recited this sentence in her heart, not saying it out loud.

“Yes, exactly.” Ciel nodded, smiled, and continued:

“I thought so too.”

“But returning to a past where I wasn’t locked by the misfortune rule would make it harder to find the real culprit behind it.”

“Most crucially, I haven’t determined yet when exactly I was targeted... But this point, I should have a way to resolve.”

Listening to Ciel speak so reasonably made Avena somewhat stunned.

Making it sound so real.

“So, Avena, what method do you think is most likely to find the mastermind now?” Ciel looked at Avena and asked.

Having someone to discuss these matters with indeed broadened Ciel’s thinking. Even if it didn’t broaden her thinking, it allowed Ciel to reorganize her own thoughts, which was very helpful.

Hearing Ciel’s question, Avena took another deep breath, decided to abandon so-called rational thinking, and said:

“If it were me... I might gather everyone affected by the misfortune rule together and see what happens.”

“Although this might double the misfortune, gathering together might reveal commonalities among the individuals, and might also directly draw out the mastermind...”

As Avena spoke, she closed her mouth.

Because she saw Ciel’s eyes light up slightly.

She wouldn’t really think...

“Good idea, Avena.” Ciel nodded and said, “But what method can make them willing to gather? After all, both are third-tier.”

“Lucy’s side is manageable. She’s currently severely injured and hasn’t recovered yet. We can just tie her up and take her.”

“But if we take Lucy directly to Clock Tower Alley to find Oppold, it will definitely attract Hugh from the Church of the Savior Goddess.”

Seeing Ciel actually start analyzing the feasibility of this matter, Avena began to panic slightly.

Ciel couldn’t be serious, right?

Does she really want to gather everyone affected by the misfortune rule?

Although unsure of the consequences, just thinking about it made Avena feel immense danger.

This will definitely lead to death...

But she also knew clearly that Ciel wasn’t the type to seek death...

“Oppold’s side, I have a way to get him out.” Avena looked into Ciel’s eyes and said:

“Lucy’s side, you can only rely on yourself.”

“But there’s one condition.”

“For your safety, Nia and I will go together to the place you specify—but we will only watch from afar. If you are in danger, I will have Nia intervene.”

At this moment, Nia, who had just finished instructing the messenger on the first floor, inexplicably shivered. Her entire iron frame clanked against itself, emitting faint sounds.