Chapter Forty-Seven: Miss Amethyst, I Have a Proposition p2
Conflicts between Godchosen were rare, for one reason.
Such conflicts were usually fought on behalf of their Gods, ending in a life-or-death struggle, incredibly brutal.
This also indirectly confirmed a previously established fact—the leader was indeed omniscient, her judgment never wrong.
Twelve petals merged into Luo Ling’s forehead, adding to her previous seven, a total of nineteen, almost two complete floral patterns.
Iris looked at the glowing floral pattern on Luo Ling’s forehead enviously. In just two months, Amethyst had acquired petals equivalent to her ten years of savings.
Of course, the main reason for Luo Ling’s success was the information on the path to godhood, something most tea party members, including the leader, were interested in, allowing her to sell the same information multiple times.
Only Snowdrop, for some reason, remained uninterested.
“Does anyone else have information on the path to godhood to trade?” The leader asked, looking around.
The others exchanged glances, their expressions wry.
How could they?
The information they possessed, compared to Amethyst’s, was insignificant. She was selling them for a single petal each, while their own… they would keep them for now.
Besides, Amethyst seemed to have an advantage in gathering such information. The other members were considering abandoning their own investigations.
It was better to find something Amethyst was interested in, exchanging it for her information.
The grandmotherly figures looked at Luo Ling with an almost predatory gaze.
Almost like the leader’s…
Luo Ling discreetly scooted her chair back.
These grandmas were a bit too enthusiastic…
“It seems there’s no more. Then let’s begin individual transactions.” The leader said slowly, then looked at Luo Ling intently, a smile appearing on her lips. “Amethyst, I have a proposition for you.”
Although she said “transaction,” her tone was… strange.
Luo Ling felt a strange sense of unease.
At the tea party, although the leader traded various items and information, her prices were always high. For example, information Luo Ling sold for a single petal would fetch three from her.
Therefore, unless necessary, the leader rarely participated in transactions.
However, although her prices were high, she was also a generous buyer, willing to pay handsomely for anything that interested her.
The leader rarely initiated transactions, but considering the target was Miss Amethyst…
It wasn’t that surprising.
The other members exchanged glances, then discreetly erected barriers, beginning their own transactions, leaving the leader and Amethyst alone.
“Come, Amethyst.”
With the others gone, the leader’s smile widened, her body leaning forward, her voice seductive. “Let’s… make a deal.”
“…….”
Luo Ling remained calm, facing the leader.
But she didn’t know how to react.
Sometimes, being alone was truly helpless.
“Don’t you have anything you want to know from me?” The leader’s tone was filled with temptation. “For the right price, I… know everything.”
Why did that sound so familiar?
Luo Ling looked at the leader, a question forming in her mind.
Was she the Naraku Apostle, or was Luo Ling?
She had considered this before, but after learning the truth about Naraku Apostles, she dismissed it.
Naraku Apostles were despised for a reason. They wielded incomplete power, paying a price to Naraku for each use of its “Omniscience.”
Not all Apostles’ “Omniscience” was as weak as Scientist’s. The higher the price, the stronger the power, though never the complete Authority.
The leader clearly wasn’t like that, but if she were an Agent or even an avatar…
It seemed improbable.
Regardless, although not truly omniscient, the leader had lived for a long time. The truths she possessed were far more accurate than the Company’s or the Harbingers’ speculations.
Her explanation of the Seventh Path had proven this. Both the Company and the Harbingers’ theories were flawed.
“What is the true nature of the Realm of Nothingness?” Luo Ling asked after a moment of thought.
This was a question she had pondered, especially after her experiences within the Realm of Nothingness.
Why did the Realm of Nothingness exist after a Boundary was annihilated?
Luo Ling had initially thought it was simply an empty void, but after her recent experiences, she realized it wasn’t truly empty.
The Spirit Walker and some Sacred Tools could traverse it. The Realm of Nothingness itself contained something.
However… humanity’s exploration of the Realm of Nothingness was limited. Even the Harbingers, judging by Artist and Scientist’s reactions, hadn’t progressed much further than the Company.
In fact, humanity’s combined knowledge of the Realm of Nothingness was likely less than Luo Ling’s alone. She had, after all, spent a considerable amount of time there.
It was important to note that neither Apostles nor Agents should be considered part of humanity’s forces.
Whether they could even be considered human was questionable. Even Luo Ling’s Apostle, Elsa, possessed some inhuman traits, necessary to control the Grotesqueries sealed within her.
“Five petals,” the leader said with a smile. “Considering it’s you, Amethyst. Otherwise… it would be a complete flower.”
“That expensive?”
Even Luo Ling, with her limited understanding of petals’ value, was shocked.
“Amethyst, you don’t seem to realize… what you’re asking about. You’re essentially asking about the root cause of this world’s disorder, something even I can’t fully explain.”
Despite this, the leader’s tone remained calm, as if discussing the world’s essence wasn’t a big deal. “Can’t fully explain” didn’t mean she didn’t understand it.
Such abstract concepts were perceived differently by everyone, difficult to convey through words… including the nature of the Realm of Nothingness.
“Of course, Amethyst, I must warn you, the information I provide might not answer your question. Knowing this… do you still wish to ask?”
The leader’s tone turned serious.
“Yes.”
Luo Ling nodded, offering five petals.
“So decisive, as expected of a little tycoon who just earned twenty-four petals.”
The leader raised her hand, her fingers tracing the petals before absorbing them.
“In that case… I’ll offer you another piece of advice. They owe you a considerable debt. Perhaps you can use this to your advantage.”
The leader’s gaze deepened as she looked at Luo Ling, a hint of something unreadable in her eyes.
However, her words gave Luo Ling pause.
She realized she had priced her information too low… the grandmas would likely make concessions in other areas.
“The transaction is complete. Here’s what you wanted.”
The leader pondered for a moment, then extended her hand, something seemingly swirling around her fingertips.
A sealed memory fragment entered Luo Ling’s mind, carrying an ancient and terrifying aura, momentarily disorienting her.
It was hard to imagine the consequences of receiving this memory unsealed.
“Examine it later. Thanks to your ability, I can do this. Otherwise, I would have had to let you experience it firsthand, which would be less effective.”
The leader smiled. This was what she had gained from Luo Ling, settling her previous debt.
Luo Ling was shocked. “Did the leader just learn the Puppet Ballad’s ability?
“No, wait…”
Not the Puppet Ballad.
Just a similar ability to transfer memories.
The leader seemed to have analyzed Luo Ling’s ability and replicated it in her own way, achieving the same result.
Luo Ling’s second ability, “Read,” had other uses.
But even this was impressive, deepening Luo Ling’s understanding of the leader’s power.
Luo Ling stared at the smiling leader, a truly unfathomable woman.
A bit terrifying, but fortunately, she was on her side, at least for now.
After the transaction, Luo Ling saw Iris fidgeting anxiously, although still seated, her gaze constantly shifting towards Luo Ling, her leg bouncing nervously.
Clearly, it was about the twilight Kingdom.
But… hadn’t they already made a deal?
After a moment of hesitation, Iris still didn’t approach. Instead, Camellia walked over, bowing slightly.
“Miss Amethyst, please forgive my rambling.”
Camellia seemed approachable, her gentle demeanor evident even through the mystical veil.
She offered Luo Ling an item.
“Our previous encounter was brief. I didn’t have a chance to properly introduce myself. This is a small gift, I hope you don’t mind.”
“Oh…”
Luo Ling was stunned. She hadn’t even said anything, and Grandma Camellia—sister Camellia—had already given her a gift.
Whether it was a greeting gift or repayment for the previous favor… was unclear.
Luo Ling took the item.
Her heart skipped a beat, seeing what it was.
It was a palm-sized crystal bottle, containing a core-like object, surrounded by a faint aura, seemingly belonging to a Grotesquery.
But… it was alive.
A living Grotesquery, not a Sacred Relic.
Likely a phenomenon-type Grotesquery, sealed within the crystal bottle, in a light slumber.
Humanity possessed similar containers for restraining living Grotesqueries, but they were considered top-tier treasures, unlike Camellia, who offered it as a simple container.
As expected of a Grotesquery Apostle, even her gifts were unusual.
“Thank you.”
Luo Ling accepted it readily. Even if it was nothing to Camellia, the bottle itself was valuable!
Camellia was clever. Owing a favor was troublesome. Repaying it with an item of definite value avoided future complications.
After Camellia left, Moonflower, the grandmotherly loli, approached.
This supposedly oldest member of the tea party, besides the leader, always maintained a childish appearance, even younger than Elsa, and enjoyed acting cute.
However, upon reaching Luo Ling, she turned sideways, pouting and feigning anger.
“Sister Amethyst, why haven’t you come to see me? Hmph, I hate you!”
She turned her head away, looking up with a sulky expression.
“…”
Luo Ling suddenly understood why Iris called Moonflower an old hag.
Knowing her true age, and seeing her current appearance… it was unbearable.
And despite her efforts, Moonflower’s cuteness couldn’t compare to even a tenth—no, a hundredth!—of little Elsa’s.
A real loli was far more endearing than a grandmotherly loli.
Moonflower sneaked a glance at Luo Ling’s indifferent expression, wondering,
“Is tsundere no longer in fashion? She doesn’t seem to like it either…”
The cute loli act hadn’t worked last time, and now even tsundere loli wasn’t effective…
Could it be that she preferred… tomboys?
She hadn’t tried that before. This was a challenge…
As Moonflower pondered Amethyst’s preferences, she saw her turn to the sweating Iris.
“Iris, let’s go.”
“Huh?”
Moonflower was stunned. She had come over, like Camellia, to offer a gift! Didn’t she want it?
Luo Ling wouldn’t refuse a gift, but… seeing Moonflower’s current appearance, she wanted to avoid her at all costs.
So, without hesitation, she turned to Iris and practically dragged her away.
“Hey, hey, hey…”
Moonflower wanted to stop them.
At least acknowledge her presence!
But Luo Ling and Iris vanished into the black mist, leaving the lost Kingdom.
“…Damn it!”
Moonflower stomped her foot, then seeing Camellia’s mocking smile, she snorted and left the Kingdom as well.
“Heh…”
The leader’s gaze lingered on the spot where Luo Ling had disappeared, a faint smile on her lips.
Only after all the members had left did she close her eyes, seemingly savoring something.
“Truly… interesting.”
“My lovely Miss Amethyst.”
“The tea party is over.”
The swirling black mist engulfed the lost Kingdom, seemingly abandoned in a forgotten corner of the world.
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