Edward hurried into the washroom. After isolating the space, he swiftly completed the ritual of praying to himself and answering himself. Only then did he dispel the concealment and call out, "Lady Arianna, it's done."

Arianna appeared at once. "Shall we depart now?"

"Let's go."

———

Loen Kingdom, Winter County.

A black, spired Gothic cathedral loomed over the snow-buried Amantha mountain range, vast in its footprint. Before it yawned a sheer cliff; all around lay a boundless pall of white, soundless and still.

This was the headquarters of the Church of the Evernight Goddess—the Cathedral of Serenity, commonly known simply as the Sanctuary.

Those who arrived uninvited would learn, courtesy of the Church's Pope and Archbishops bearing terrifying Grade 0 Sealed Artifacts, exactly what became of anyone who dared "break the serenity."

They entered the silent, ebony nave together and walked deep inside, encountering no one. In the cavernous hush, only Edward's light footfalls echoed—tap, tap, tap—rebounding off the stones.

Soon Arianna stopped before the vast emblem of the Night's holy radiance. She knelt, hands pressed together to her brow. After a brief, murmured prayer she said, "Please wait."

She rose, her steps noiseless as she withdrew—leaving Edward alone in the grand, quiet nave.

He hesitated a moment, then took the frontmost seat near the sacred radiance and spoke softly:

"Your Holiness, you sent for me?"

Only the long hush answered him.

Do I need to arrange a ritual to communicate with the Goddess?

If I have time for that, wouldn't it be simpler to go to the Astral Realm directly?

Suddenly his vision blurred—and a figure appeared beside him: a young woman in a hooded, old-fashioned robe. Her hair and eyes were both black, her features delicate yet empty with stillness.

Though it was their first meeting, Edward knew her at once: Sealed Artifact 0–17, the so-called Mother of the Sky—the Angel of Concealment, and the vessel for the Evernight Goddess' descent.

Edward stood and inclined his head. "Good afternoon, Your Holiness."

The dull gaze of the Angel of Concealment flickered, gaining a hint of spirit. She opened her mouth, and a clear, melodious voice flowed out. "It is a pity that we meet this way."

She continued, "I have only just learned that you are wandering the Astral Realm—and that you intended to come to my divine kingdom."

"Only just learned?" Edward asked, puzzled.

The corners of the Goddess's lips seemed to lift in a faint smile. "Yes. Even if you went to my kingdom now, you would not see me. For certain reasons, I am asleep in the depths of my realm."

"Only a few of my believers can, by special means, communicate with the vestiges of my consciousness. That is why I met you in this way."

Asleep?

The Evernight Goddess is asleep?

Nothing like this had been mentioned in the original course of events.

Edward searched his memory. Gods slept for two common reasons: either to heal from injury, or while attempting to accommodate an adjacent pathway—or even a Sefirot!

Injured?

Impossible…isn't it?

He asked, "Your Holiness, did you summon me for some instruction?"

"No." Her tranquil gaze seemed to pass through his eyes and into his heart. "Only curiosity—and certain conjectures. But the moment I saw you, I knew my conjecture was wrong."

After a brief pause, he asked, "What conjecture?"

"I cannot say. It is bound by an agreement between me and another. I safeguard their secret, and they provide what I require in return."

The Goddess spoke in riddles.

A thought flashed through Edward's mind. "...So, you summoned me because you suspected that I was the one who made that agreement with you?"

"That's right."

This was not the first time. The True Creator and Mr. Door had both, for a moment, taken him for someone else—only to quickly become certain he was not that person.

But why the mistake?

If they could mistake him, there must be some resemblance—some shared essence—between him and that unnamed figure.

What resemblance?

Right—according to the True Creator (the "Russian Priest"), the Door's uniqueness within Edward's body should never have been his. Only an accident had let him pick it up.

But what kind of "accident" allows one to casually pick up a uniqueness?

And the person the Goddess spoke of—was it the same one the True Creator and Mr. Door had meant?

Who is that person?

What did they do in the past? Why are beings as formidable as the Russian Priest, the True Creator, Mr. Door—even the Evernight Goddess—bound to them by threads of connection: dealings, trades…cooperation?

Questions rose one after another, an unbroken chain.

Edward took a deep breath and asked, "Since Your Holiness is certain I'm not the one you were looking for, may I take my leave?"

"Of course."

She nodded slightly, then added, "But aren't you curious—why I mistook you for someone else?"

"I am," he admitted, "but didn't you just say you couldn't tell me?"

The Evernight Goddess regarded him quietly for a long moment before speaking. "The Forsaken Land of the Gods."

"???"

"Go to the Forsaken Land," She said softly. "Perhaps there, you will find the answers to the doubts in your heart."

The Forsaken Land?

How did this suddenly involve the Forsaken Land of the Gods?

Wait a minute—didn't She just say She was bound by an oath of secrecy? Now She was handing him a "clue"?

That wasn't secrecy—that was using him as a pawn!

So that's what this was really about—She'd called him here just to send him running to the Forsaken Land.

What oath? What agreement? These ancient schemers never kept their word when it came to their goals!

…Huh?

Edward froze, a new thought flashing through his mind.

The Russian Priest's task for Hermes—the one he was supposed to pass on—was to pray to the True Creator.

And the True Creator was currently located in the Forsaken Land of the Gods.

Now the Evernight Goddess was also pointing him toward that same place…Could there be a connection between the two?

As though sensing his doubt, the Goddess spoke again, calm and detached, "In truth, the Forsaken Land is only my conjecture. At that time, I merely helped that being conceal something. Under the equivalent of a Sequence 0's binding authority, I am obliged to keep that secret. I cannot reveal anything regarding Them."

Edward frowned. "Then…how do I enter the Forsaken Land? Where do I even begin?"

She gave no answer. Her silence made the meaning clear: figure it out yourself.

Truly worthy of a former corporate executive, Edward thought dryly. Set a grand objective, then leave all the hard work to your subordinates, huh?

If I actually knew how to reach the Forsaken Land of Gods, would I still be racking my brain over Zaratul? I'd have just used the Sefirah Castle to fish that Dark Demonic Wolf out ages ago…

…Wait.

If the Source Castle could lure out the Dark Demonic Wolf, could it also lure out Zaratul?

Edward pondered for a few seconds, then asked, "Your Holiness, earlier you said you kept something hidden for that being—and in exchange, They gave you what you desired. Was that thing the River of Eternal Darkness?"

The Goddess smiled faintly but said nothing—an unmistakable confirmation.

"But…the River of Eternal Darkness has already dried up…"

He hesitated. "The drying of the river...was it related to that person?"

Again, She offered no response.

"Why would They take it? And how? And why do You think I'll find the answers in the Forsaken Land? What could any of this possibly have to do with me?"

The Goddess's serene features softened into a gentle smile.

"These," She said, "are all things you must discover for yourself."

After a brief moment of silence, Edward realised he'd reached the limit of what She would tell him. He exhaled quietly and changed the subject.

"Your Holiness, if I wish to obtain the Sequence 2, Planeswalker's characteristic, what must I offer in exchange?"

"Nothing."

Her answer was calm, immediate. "In a moment, Arianna will take you to the church's underground vault. You may retrieve it there."

So you've already decided I'll be going to the Forsaken Land, and this is the advance payment, huh?

Fine. Since that's the case, I won't be polite about it.

"Then…if I also wanted the Miracle Invoker's characteristic?"

Her tranquil eyes lingered on him for several seconds.

"In my current state, I cannot help you take it from Antigonus. You will have to wait."

"How long?"

"Long."

"…"

Edward rubbed his temples. "Then—if I plan to hunt Zaratul, may I request Lady Arianna's aid?"

"You may. But she can only keep you hidden—she cannot intervene directly."

That was exactly the same treatment Klein had received in the original story. The Evernight Goddess never offered unlimited aid; She merely provided limited support. If one sought to achieve a goal, it ultimately had to be done through one's own strength.

After all, She was an investor, not a nanny.

The Goddess lifted her slender, pale neck, gazing up at the grand Divine Emblem of the Night before Her. "Do you have any other questions? Once I return, I will fall into slumber again and may not be able to respond to prayers promptly."

"Is there anything else you wish to ask? When I return, I will sleep again. I may not answer your prayers in time."

"No. That's all…Oh—may I still visit Your divine kingdom?"

"You may."

With that, Her form blurred—and vanished, wiped away like chalk from a board.

Moments later, Arianna reappeared soundlessly. "Please come with me, sir."

They walked through the church and entered a quiet side chamber. After several turns, the path sloped downward, leading to a dim underground corridor lit by flickering yellow candlelight.

The instant Edward stepped into the passage, he felt countless faint gazes sweep across him—curious, appraising, but gone in a heartbeat.

The silence down here was almost oppressive; even Arianna's normally noiseless steps echoed faintly.

They walked past a dozen ancient wooden doors before Arianna finally stopped.

"Please wait."

She opened one door, disappeared inside, and returned half a minute later—holding a radiant mote of light, burning gently like a suspended ember.

The moment it appeared, Edward felt a powerful attraction toward it.

There was no doubt—this was the Apprentice Pathway's Sequence 2 Beyonder Characteristic.

"Please, take it, sir."

Edward used an invisible hand to lift the glowing object and bring it before him. At once, the worm-like creatures within his body stirred violently.

He quickly hurled the characteristic away—into his spatial pocket.

Arianna asked, "When do you plan to hunt Zaratul?"

"Not decided yet," Edward replied thoughtfully. "I'll need time to devise a proper plan—and find capable allies. If he escapes, tracking him down again would be…troublesome."

"I understand. I shall await your summons."

"Thank you in advance, Lady Arianna."

Edward pressed his right hand to his chest and gave a courteous bow before ending the summoning. His figure vanished from the underground passage.

———

Inside the Sefirah Castle.

As Edward's form reappeared amid the gray-white mist, Amon, who had been unusually quiet lately, suddenly tilted his head and went,

"Eh? You just went to see Evernight, didn't you?"

———

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