When the plot-skips players into the game world

The Stranger guessed right, yet also didn't guess right.

Because the one at the door wasn't just one of the two people—it was both of them.

After all, the losers didn't need to choose keywords or accept the soul enhancement from the Path traits. They were ejected immediately after viewing the settlement screen, while the winners were kept in the hall by the Pillar God for a while longer.

The old count, his hair white with age, came rushing in on his cane.

He seemed to have developed some physical symptoms due to the failure of the promotion ritual, as just yesterday, he was striding along vigorously... but after the promotion ritual, he had to rely on a cane.

Undoubtedly, these were symptoms of severe soul damage.

But even with the cane, he moved as if he were racing a car—almost as if he would miss a train if he were any later, rushing quickly into the room.

First, he angrily tore off the red lampshade that covered the light, then, enduring the pain, he used his immobile leg to forcefully kick the offerings aside. It appeared that this pain actually gave him some comfort.

Although he didn't lash out at the Stranger, one could visibly feel his anger.

"Earl Karl..."@@novelbin@@

The Stranger sheepishly approached, greeting him in a low voice.

"Call me General, Lieutenant Lorey!"

The old man shouted back, his voice resolute and powerful.

And with his voice, another sound, crackling like a campfire, rose alongside his.

His golden pupils blazed brilliantly, as if flames were burning in them at all times. Indeed, that was the case—with just a thought, a newborn Flame Demon could rise from his decrepit, aged body.

Usually, he would do his best to suppress this impulse, maintaining his social identity in the name of humanity. But with the current damage to his soul, just speaking raised the room's temperature abnormally high.

"That's enough, old friend."

The middle-aged man who walked in with a black cane spoke calmly, "Don't take it out on Albert— he hasn't done anything wrong."

He looked to be in his early thirties, with a pair of crimson pupils. His golden hair was neatly combed back, styled into a pompadour. And even so, his hair looked quite thick.

"...Thank you, Your Highness."

Albert scratched his head, responding politely.

His naturally curly hair was a bit messy from just waking up. He was currently wearing black, round-framed glasses, looking like a young academic who hadn't graduated from college yet, introverted and shy.

Codenamed "Stranger," the genius necromancer Albert Lorey had reached the Fourth Power Level even though he was just over twenty years old. But unlike mainstream necromancers who also took on a level of the Path of Devotion and advanced to become Corpse Ghoul Shepherds, capable of easily summoning numerous skeletons, he chose to take on two levels of the Path of Balance, advancing to a brand-new Extraordinary Profession— the Calamity Stitcher.

The Path of Dusk has a special characteristic different from other Paths.

If they don't supplement their desire to advance by taking on another Path, the increasingly powerful "Still" force of the Path of Dusk will cause them to stop advancing. Most Transcendents of the Path of Dusk stop at the Fifth Power Level, and reaching the Fourth Power Level generally requires taking on another Path to gain basic momentum beyond Dusk.

One needs to become a second-level Alchemist to advance to a Calamity Stitcher.

Compared to Corpse Ghoul Shepherds, this is a promotion direction closer to that of Amber Artisans.

If Amber Artisans are masters at manipulating souls, then Calamity Stitchers stitch and modify corpses. When Albert had just advanced, the first Patchwork Corpse he created was a monster assembled from four corpses, a Hook Demon, and an Aberrant Limb Demon—he called it an Abomination.

This profession had only recently been discovered because alchemists in the Antimony Kingdom have such high social status. Just reaching the Third Power Lever allows one to directly obtain the title of Lord, along with a piece of land. Moreover, they receive a generous monthly subsidy to practice Alchemy and recruit alchemical apprentices.

In contrast, those on the Path of Dusk usually could only join the army, and Preservers were mere attendants to alchemists—used to extending the preservation time of precious alchemical potions or rare alchemical materials.

If one could become an Alchemist, who would choose the Path of Dusk?

But Prince Heinrich—also count of Leipzig, master of the City of Knowledge—realized the potential of this profession, and thus directly invested a large sum of money in Albert's research.

The first investment was ten thousand Gold Coins.

A third-level Alchemist could only get two hundred Gold Coins from royal grants a month—equivalent to over three hundred White Crown Coins in neighboring Avalon. That is to say, at their first meeting, he directly invested a huge sum of fifteen thousand White Crown Coins in Albert.

This investment yielded very good returns.

Gargoyles are classic creations of Amber Artisans. They have imitation souls that can obey complex commands like soldiers. But Gargoyles are driven by curses, meaning the simplest dispelling Spell could massively destroy these expensive creatures, and a Purification barrier set up by a Priest would leave them powerless as soon as they entered.

But as a "Calamity Stitcher," Albert gave the Crown Prince a surprise.

He stitched an independently conscious layer of flesh over the outside of the Gargoyles to absorb external curses, then covered it with a metal shell to ensure its protection. Just like that, the Gargoyles' fear of dispelling and purification was resolved.

It was exactly due to his outstanding talent that Albert, as a genius necromancer, began to be noticed by the royal family. Old aristocrats started to approach him... and even the proud Earl Karl started seeing him in a new light.

"Based on my understanding of you," Count Leipzig said with a smile, "you aren't the kind of person who would be so happy just because of successful promotion. Did something good happen?"

"Yes, Your Highness!"

Stranger finally had the opportunity to talk about the incident he encountered.

He excitedly recounted his encounter with Bashir Valentine during the promotion ceremony to his sponsor, and just when he was halfway through his story, old Earl Karl silently came over and listened.

——What puzzled Stranger was that, for some reason, the old man suddenly got angry as he listened. He huffed loudly and swiftly moved to the side of the window, seemingly somewhat depressed.

"...to think I actually met His Majesty."

The expression on Count Leipzig's face became slightly intricate, "He actually went to that kind of event ..."

"I think it was just his friend who took him there. That guy named Pengbonazi—"

Despite being the medium through which Stranger saw Valentine I, he was obviously discontent with the person who brought Valentine I to Crescent Moon Manor.

Valentine I was not the type of man who longed for carnal desires!

Count Leipzig cleared his throat, reminding, "This 'Pengbonazi' you mentioned is the 'Red Chancellor' from the early days of nation-building."

Valentine I was assisted by two anonymous chancellors, known as "Black Chancellor" and "Red Chancellor." They were also the meritocrats who ensured the stable functioning of Antimony Kingdom during its initial days.

"...It's actually him?"

Albert was somewhat stunned.

He opened his mouth, fell silent for a while, but still somewhat stubbornly said, "He still shouldn't have taken His Majesty to such a dangerous place to have fun ..."

"It was Teacher Pengbonazi who transformed me into the 'Son of the Moon.' From this perspective, he could also be considered my father."

Count Leipzig interrupted Albert's words again, softly reminding him.

"...I'm sorry, I got carried away."

Albert apologized without hesitation.

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"It's alright, gaining inspiration is a good thing."

Count Leipzig smiled soothingly, "Even if your promotion wasn't successful, it's still not a loss. You are now the deputy director of the third research institute, even if your Path of Dusk doesn't advance to the Fifth Power Level. His Majesty will certainly not forget your accomplishments—cold Path ranks are ultimately inferior to actual achievements as proof of strength."

"Your hard work for the kingdom is remembered by the kingdom. Antimony Kingdom respects Alchemists because they have brought change and progress to Antimony Kingdom, not because they possess extraordinary powers."

Although his own soul was also damaged, Count Leipzig showed not a trace of worry.

On the contrary, he spoke with great enthusiasm, "Moreover, I have recruited Miss Alai. If this recruitment is successful ... you might even meet her again in the future."

On the other side.

Lily and Aiwass, who had returned to his original form, switched their clothes back, while Hayna had not yet awakened.

So Lily began to tell Aiwass about the recruitment she experienced, as well as the secret code left by "Count Leipzig."

She was somewhat worried, "I feel this is a bit dangerous, young master. Shall we not go?"

"No, of course we're going."

Aiwass laughed, "It's rare to have a way to disguise as 'Miss Aleister' ... of course we must go."

"When will you go then? You're a minister now, leaving the country would attract attention."

"It will be during the time I follow my mentor on an archaeological expedition."

Aiwass said confidently, "During my studies in Holy Nation, accompanying my mentor on a trip makes perfect sense, doesn't it? I'm not leaving Avalon, just going from Holy Nation to Antimony Kingdom—their reach might be long, but they wouldn't dare plant a spy in Holy Nation. Who could find out I left Holy Nation?"

But Sherlock suddenly asked, "Do you know that Count Leipzig?"

He keenly sensed the excitement hidden deep within Aiwass upon hearing the news.

Aiwass stopped and gave him a smile.

"Of course."

Aiwass slowly answered, "On him lies ... the key to the next era."