When the plot-skips players into the game world-Chapter 1330 - 52: Threefold History, Threefold Truth_2

Arsene has a special "treasure preservation box," which is one of his phantom thief tools. This box is infused with intense preservation arts; Arsene needs to place the items inside immediately after stealing them.

Otherwise, during any form of time-space crossing or high-frequency movement, or if struck by spells or curses from others, the thin layer of preservation arts around it might be interfered with and shattered by his transcendent powers, potentially damaging the hard-earned items he stole.

Ultimately... it’s because "preservation arts" itself is regarded as a form of extraordinary power. Therefore, it also has a priority.

The preservation arts can act as a shield to defend, as it can counteract spells of lower energy levels than itself; just like it can be shattered by spells of higher energy levels, the preservation state applied to anything will instantly break upon contact with any transcendent power higher than the spellcaster’s energy level.

"—And this is also the ’transcendental detection’ mechanism of the old Iris Flower nobles."

Sherlock explained.

The popular transcendental paths among the Iris Flower are the Path of Love, the Path of Beauty, and the Path of Adaptation. And it’s clear that these three paths are not good things.

These three paths have far too many extraordinary skills that can bewilder the mind, manipulate will, stir desires, and rewrite memory. If not careful, one might be controlled.

"To combat this situation, an inventor developed a countermeasure technology."

Sherlock said: "It involves having low-energy-level preservers create an ’insurance.’ These insurances are placed in the guest hall or under the guests’ seats.

"Because it is maintained by preservation arts, even the heaviest guest won’t crush or break it with their weight. But if it comes into contact with any transcendent power higher than the caster’s energy level, it will suddenly shatter. This triggers an alarm device, recording the time and place of the corresponding event, and handling it according to the predetermined method. By observing the fracture pattern of the ’insurance,’ one can deduce its breaking speed, thus roughly calculating which energy level of transcendent power influenced it."

"Very clever. It’s a good idea."

Aiwass commented: "After going back, you could install a set in the Avalon Round Table Hall. Put it under everyone’s seat and check after a meeting whose has cracked, then you’ll know who has used path powers."

Sherlock said: "The ’insurance’ in Swan Castle is of the third energy level. And almost none of the insurances throughout the castle shattered... which means that at least no transcendent higher than the third level has used power in front of the Swan King."

"You said... almost?"

Aiwass sharply detected a detail in Sherlock’s words.

Sherlock nodded: "That’s right, ’almost’—of course, I’ve investigated it. Those few broken insurances are unrelated to this matter. They are either due to age and disrepair or an error during inspection work."

"Not necessarily."

Aiwass shook his head: "Even without any evidence, one must maintain skepticism. After all, there are too many abilities in this world that can erase evidence. More than the ’method,’ I’m concerned with the ’motive.’ Because many people have means to reach miracles, what is ’impossible’ for some doesn’t exist for others. But since he wants to do it, he must have left a trace—that trace is his ’desire.’"

Seeing this, Sherlock smiled wryly: "You’re right. By the way, I’ll give you some information... no need to pray, I’ve already asked. The ’Swan King’ neither entered the Dream Realm nor became an angel envoy. He disappeared after being beheaded."

Back in Avalon... he already knew Aiwass was such a person.

Aiwass didn’t value evidence and logic so much; he preferred to find psychological flaws in the opponent’s motive. This made Aiwass always half a step ahead of Sherlock because he didn’t need to gather evidence or demonstrate his reasoning. He just needed to convince himself.

This made Sherlock somewhat discontent—although his intelligence and wisdom were also innate, his thinking pattern was developed by educational structure, akin to being halfway academic.

But Aiwass, without any intelligence or information, speculated an entire behind-the-scenes truth out of thin air. And it happened to be correct; when asked, he would say "I know everything." But upon careful questioning, Sherlock could feel that he knew nothing... at least Aiwass himself knew what but not why... he didn’t know why things developed to such an extent.

Sherlock could only acknowledge that Aiwass just had this trait.

When things involved people related to him, he could directly skip reasoning through those heart-penetrating eyes and get results.

But the "Swan King" incident was clearly a headless case.

No one knew the origin and whereabouts of "Young Louisov." Or perhaps someone knew and deliberately concealed it... but in any case, this could have no connection with Aiwass. Aiwass even didn’t have a clear grasp of the case at this moment and still depended on Sherlock’s careful explanations.

—Under such circumstances, surely you can’t draw a direct conclusion!

Sherlock had gone through all related files and dossiers in the Mirror Hall, looked up a lot of relevant information, and even used the special mechanism of the Mirror Hall, reaching for books one by one—obtaining information through "reading the life of deceased artists" to confirm his investigation results indirectly...

Now, he could finally provide a detailed and perfect conclusion.

"Your two questions have been answered."

Sherlock asked Aiwass enthusiastically: "Then I ask you, Aiwass—what do you think the truth is? Which side is Louisov on?"

Blue flames burned in his pupils, a trace of resonance with the Path of Wisdom.

"...I’m not very sure."

Aiwass was silent for a long time before quietly speaking: "But I have some hypotheses... conclusions based on my common sense.

"If you ask me, just bring him down and ask directly to know. For a genius of Swan King’s level, death is an ascension. Just as the Fool in the past, when he ascended to the Dream Realm, he could become an envoy of the Celestial Marshal and Pillar God. Even if he didn’t do so, he could still become a new Celestial Marshal.

"But you said... the Swan King is not in the Dream Realm. So I can think of only three possibilities. These three possibilities exist simultaneously, perhaps in different world lines, or may stand at the same time.

"—The first possibility is that the Swan King’s soul was intercepted. For instance, he made a deal with a demon or was simply branded with the Mark of Sin by the Fallen Celestial Marshal. But I can’t see any possibility of the Swan King having the Mark of Sin, the closest might be the Pride Mark, yet his purity is still insufficient. There’s also the possibility of being preyed upon by a wild phantom demon from the Dream Realm... leading to oblivion.

"The second possibility is that his soul did not enter the Dream Realm at all. For instance, he died with grievances, his soul attached to some instrument, or inside a family. For example... the beheading execution platform, or even..."

Here Aiwass glanced at the Duke, then continued: "The Vandome family’s strange illness."

"Probably not."

Old Argon wasn’t angry, just shook his head: "Our family’s history of the cold sickness dates farther back than the Third Rebellion..." frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓

Yet he was slightly expectant, asking Aiwass: "Then what’s the third possibility?"

Aiwass and Sherlock exchanged a glance, providing the only answer to that question:

"—Very simple, the Swan King never died."

"...Correct."

Sherlock sighed, responding with a hint of regret and fulfillment: "This is the conclusion of my investigation.

"The Swan King is not completely dead—he, or his soul, still watches over everything in a certain part of the Iris Flower."

This chapt𝓮r is updat𝒆d by (f)reew𝒆b(n)ov𝒆l.com