In a room arranged with a round table, several solemn and distinguished figures maintained a heavy silence. There was a black knight clad in black armor, a cleric draped in dark red robes, a noble in formal attire holding a contract seal, and a woman with messy hair and a pencil tucked behind her ear...
Each of them raised their hands to vote on the proposals on the table. Afterward, a woman acting as a messenger walked into the adjacent room to consult another woman. This woman was sitting cross legged, "fishing" while casually draped in a dark gold silk coat. A small gold crown sat within reach at her side, and her shoulders were left bare to the air as she focused intently on the fishing rod in her hands.
The sighs of souls filled the space of this pool, where a pale blue hook floated silently, seemingly waiting for something.
If Li Yue were present, she would find this place incredibly familiar. This small corner of space was extremely similar to the Underworld. Or rather, this space had stolen a sliver of the Underworld's authority, allowing the river of souls to leave a small trace here.
After listening to the messenger, the woman gave a slight nod. The attention of everyone in the room was fixed on her; seeing her nod, they all seemed to breathe a small sigh of relief. She turned her head slightly to look at the red robed cleric, a strange smile playing on her lips.
“Meng Lan, I perceive that you... already possess the path of death,” she said softly. The fishing rod in her hand remained perfectly still as she continued to wait for the object of her desire.
“Lord Osiris... I do not understand...” The woman in the red robes paused, her brow furrowing. She seemed extremely surprised by what she had just heard.
“Within the phantoms of fate, I saw your soul. It appears you are about to die...” Osiris said tonelessly. She casually pulled up the sleeve that had slipped down her shoulder and gave a lazy yawn. Her pitch black hair flowed all the way to the floor like a length of dark silk.
“I am saying that you will be in extreme danger soon. I hope you will be careful. You are a clever person, and I hope to see your soul at the next ‘Banquet.’” She looked back and smiled. Her dull, pale pupils were completely dilated, seemingly failing to focus on anything in front of her.
In reality, she seemed to only ever look at people's souls. The physical body was merely a vessel that could be replaced at will. To her, only the soul was the so called unchanging constant.
“I understand...” Meng Lan rose and bowed slightly. She whispered a few words to those beside her. “Since the vote on the proposal has concluded, I shall return to the Limbo Cathedral immediately. This matter... shall be known only to those present.”
“Are you not curious? That there is actually someone—or rather, a soul—in this world that can pose a threat to your life?” There was a slight ripple in Osiris’s tone. To her attendants, this indicated she was very interested.
“I am all ears.” Meng Lan’s expression was more solemn than ever, and the red crown atop her head sat slightly crooked.
“If it can kill you, it can kill me too,” the knight in black armor rumbled. His voice was muffled. The woman sitting nearby sketching stared at Meng Lan for a moment and quickly drew her likeness on the paper—not for any other reason, but simply as a memento.
“I do not know either. I only saw death... Indeed, it is quite strange. ‘Death’ killed you. How interesting...” Osiris set down her fishing rod and allowed a servant to help her up. She casually dipped her bare feet into the pool of souls, swaying them as if to soothe her fatigue.
“Then please allow us to stagger our travel schedules with yours to avoid any unnecessary involvement,” a man wearing mercury colored glasses said with a smile. He held a dark cigar in his mouth, its lit end glowing a dull red as pale smoke continuously drifted around him with every breath.
“From the looks of it, this matter isn't directed at the Royal Court. I have no wish to see the situation escalate further. We are but Mages of modest strength; in a moment of crisis, I fear we would be of no help to you.”
“However... I sincerely hope you remain healthy and safe.” The man stroked his neatly groomed beard, took out the cigar, and exhaled a long breath.
Meng Lan’s expression did not change much, as if all of this was within her expectations. She said nothing more. Under Osiris’s gaze, she found herself curious about what her soul actually looked like.
She tidied her dark green hair and silently pushed open the doors of the meeting room. Two Holy Knights had been waiting there for a long time. Under their escort, her figure vanished into the night.
“What a pity that this body and soul cannot leave Fanshui at this moment...” Osiris sighed softly. “Otherwise, I would at least go to witness her death. Her soul is quite good. I wonder if I can catch it later.”
The knight in black armor said nothing. His figure vanished into his own shadow, turning into a patch of pitch black darkness that moved through the night.
“Do not go. You cannot help her.” Osiris looked at her pitch black fingernails. “This segment of fate cannot be changed. Since I have spoken it aloud, it means it is set in stone. Only Meng Lan herself can decide her own destiny.”
“You will encounter countless obstacles on the road. Fate will not allow those who peek at its script to act as they please. Even though its will has nearly dissipated and its power has become part of the rules... even a ‘Miracle’ cannot change it. Fate itself cannot change it,” Osiris said to herself.
She returned to the room and sat cross legged. The dark gold coat slid from her shoulders, revealing her smooth, bare back. She yawned, adjusted the clothes over her chest, and resumed her fishing.
...
“Tick... tock...” In a broken church deep within the forest, a clock that had been silent for ages began to operate eerily, tolling the bell as midnight arrived.
The girl carrying a blood red hell merged with the night. Her fangs remained hidden beneath this dark and tranquil veil.
For whom does the death knell toll?
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