Mystery: But the Witch's Path

Chapter 59 Hermes

At 7:50 p.m. back in Backlund, Altair, citing the need to rest, went alone into the room originally prepared for Vivian. He used meditation to help himself fall asleep quickly.

He had just lain down in bed, not long ago. His eyelashes fluttered, and drowsiness washed over him like a tide. He barely had the strength to blink, and his body's instincts sent Altair into a deep sleep.

Strangely, even after falling asleep, my consciousness remained awake, but as if drawn by some unknown force, I began to fall continuously, drifting towards an unknown place.

Is this how the "Twilight Hermits' Society" gathers people for meetings? It's similar to the "Tarot Society," both drawing people's consciousness out and then gathering them for a meeting.

But where exactly is he going—a dream world created by the audience, or Adam's "Kingdom of God"?

The thought had barely formed when the feeling of falling vanished, and he found himself standing in an endless gray haze. The ground beneath his feet was a translucent, gel-like substance that rippled when he stepped on it, reflecting countless fragments: people running in the streets, people crying, people laughing...

As Altair watched these fragments, his consciousness instinctively merged with them, becoming lost in the images. A chilling sensation, starting in his brain, spread throughout his body, gradually bringing him back to his senses.

Once he was fully awake, he found himself no longer in the previous image, but in a magnificent and enormous church.

Looking at the church built with 'special' materials, Altair didn't feel gloomy; instead, he felt a sense of holiness.

Every black pillar, every arch, and every dome is inlaid with the bones of different races, densely packed together in a chaotic manner.

On the walls, windows, and doors, there are transparent, distorted faces, as if countless souls are sealed inside.

The skeletons and sealed souls seemed to be telling some sacred story, giving people a sense of solemnity and reverence.

The most striking feature is the cross, which is over 100 meters tall, clustered in the center of the church.

Rows of backrested chairs were placed in front of the cross, and on each chair sat a figure—men and women, old and young—who all shared a peculiar aura. This aura made Altair feel as if he were facing Uncle Rafe and his group.

But regarding their faces, Altair was surprised to find that no matter how hard he tried to remember their appearances, he would forget them as soon as his gaze shifted.

It seems that no matter which organization it is, no one is foolish enough to register their real name online. Um... except for the three idiots of nudism.

Beneath the towering cross, Adam, dressed simply and always with a smile on his face, sat quietly at the head of the long table, observing everyone like an outsider.

Perhaps sensing Altair's gaze, or perhaps feeling someone buzzing at him, Adam broke free from the audience's observation and looked at him.

This action startled Altair, who thought, "Damn it, he's found out again."

Adam's voice, as always, was calm and quiet, speaking in Altair's ear or more precisely, in his mind: "Come sit here."

As soon as Adam finished speaking, a brand new empty seat appeared out of thin air on his left, not far from him, which caused many people in the row to move to a different spot.

Adam's actions successfully drew everyone's attention, allowing Altair, the "little Karami," to enjoy the spotlight.

At this moment, most people's eyes were on Altair, mostly scrutinizing, curious, inquiring, and examining him. This made him feel immense pressure, but he had nowhere to retreat now, so he could only endure the stares of others, walk through most of the church, and sit down in an empty seat.

After taking his seat, Altair glanced at the people around him. Perhaps because his seat was near the front, most of the people around him appeared to be middle-aged or elderly.

It turned out that the person sitting in this "seat" did not hold a grudge against Altair because of Adam's actions. When he looked at the person who had been forced to move, the latter also looked over, smiled and nodded to indicate that he had greeted him, and then went back to chatting with others.

What truly drew Altair's attention was an elderly man on his right, dressed in a greyish-white robe, with an unremarkable appearance and thick, completely white hair. He exuded a remarkably approachable aura, much like Adam!

As he was sizing up the old man, the old man was also sizing up Altair.

After realizing what had happened, Altair looked apologetic. The old man smiled and said to Altair, "There's nothing to apologize for; after all, everyone has curiosity."

"Actually, I'm quite curious too. What's so special about you that you're sitting here so soon after joining? People who joined a while before you are still sitting at the very end of this row."

Altair looked to his left in surprise, trying to see the last group. However, due to the seats and other people blocking his view, Altair couldn't see very far. He only saw the last six members and couldn't see any more.

Left with no other option, Altair asked the old man on his left, "Have you been recruiting new members in recent years?"

The old man chuckled and said, "That's exactly what you said, but at the very least, they're some Sequence Six, or at least have Sequence Six strength."

"Over the years, the only person who has joined at a lower rank than you is that one from over a hundred years ago."

The old man seemed to recall some fond memory, and sighed, "When he first came in, his seat was next to mine, but not here; it was to my right. I quite liked that little guy; he was very energetic."

Even lower, that would be Sequence Nine, and at that time, only Rosell received that treatment. The Twilight Hermits, a member of the Order, called Rosell "little fellow," suggesting a fairly good relationship, and the old man... All these key factors combined mean only Hermes, mentioned in his notes, could be the other one.

As Altair finished pondering, the old man beside him asked at the opportune moment:

"You not only know of my existence, but you also understand our relationship. Are you his successor, or have you inherited his legacy?"

Altair asked in bewilderment, "Why don't you consider me his descendant?"

Upon hearing this question, the old man laughed heartily and said, "I don't believe you are his descendant, and there are reasons for that. His eldest daughter left early due to ideological differences. His eldest son died soon after being overwhelmed by fear and anxiety following Roselle's assassination attempt. As for his second son, poor thing, he can only be used as a tool now."

"So, can you satisfy my curiosity now? Which one are you?"

Altair said helplessly, "I'm neither of those. I just know that he had contact with you before. It's all just a guess."