"So, the Turand Family is also looking for the Frost Snow Phoenix Tree? Since Erwin also wishes to go to the Frost Snow Phoenix Tree, a conflict is bound to occur at that ti. With the Turand Family as our support, our odds of victory will be higher—is that your plan? From this perspective, that Helldor is your spy? What exactly is his situation? The card you gave shows that he is your Cardinal..."
The Cardinal before him shook his head and fell silent for a few seconds before speaking,
"Actually, I haven’t started implenting the plan yet. It just occurred to that we could use the power of the Turand Family to deal with Erwin. Only after my consciousness returned to the Northern Realm did I realize that my injuries were more severe than I had imagined. Moreover, Mr. Fisher should be aware that Erwin has also recently landed within the McDowell Feudal State."
"A few days ago, my Cardinal in a coastal village found traces of him. His original form had absorbed the flesh and blood of an entire village. Although the damage to the soul is temporarily irreparable, I no longer have any extra Cardinals to delay his progress. Erwin has glimpsed Ice, and it is hard to say what he saw within the Ice. But soon, he will find clues leading to the Frost Snow Phoenix Tree... As for the matter of Helldor, that’s a bit of a long story..."
Fisher looked at the Cardinal before him, whose words seed sowhat listless. He had long realized that the Creation Society seed quite fragnted after the forr Magic Minister left, but now Erwin was brazenly acting against the society, and it seed no one but the desperate Cardinal was willing to deal with this ss.
This compelled Fisher to gain a deeper understanding of the so-called Creation Society.
The Cardinal before him flickered human-like for a mont, then suddenly started to disassemble in front of Fisher’s eyes, its layers of tallic shell peeled open like crab carapaces, revealing a core component flowing with blue light in the central position of the Cardinal.
While exposing what looked to be a key position, the Cardinal explained to Fisher,
"The reason a Cardinal can be a Cardinal, the reason I can attach my consciousness to an object, is key to this core inside the chanical body."
"I need a kind of precious mineral—Moon Stone, to process and create the Cardinal’s core. This Moon Stone is only produced by the Turand Family, who are located near Sema Snow Mountain. Regrettably, a few years ago they stopped mining this mineral; aside from using it as raw material for making Cardinals, the rest of humanity seed to only see them as decorations..."
"I cannot disclose the technology in the Completion Manual, but in order to secure a relatively stable supply of minerals, I made a trade with the Turand Family, extending the life of one of their family mbers who was about to die from illness..."
"However, even if they resud mining the Moon Stone, it could not sustain the enormous consumption of manufacturing Cardinals. The Moon Stone mine owned by the Turand Family was nearly depleted a few months ago. I heard they are looking for new sources of the mineral, otherwise, I would have had more Cardinals to capture the Life Minister."
Fisher narrowed his eyes and quickly guessed who the trade partner with the Turand Family was,
"You an, Helldor’s body was made by you?"
"To be precise, it’s not just the body. I used a unique thod to duplicate his consciousness, then uploaded the copied consciousness into the Cardinal, in exchange for a certain amount of Moonstone Minerals every year. But the number of Cardinals Erwin has damaged far exceeds the Moon Stone minerals that the Turand Family provided with, which is why I no longer have extra Cardinals to face the current Erwin."
After listening to the Cardinal’s words, Fisher’s expression turned sowhat odd, because he suddenly realized a problem,
"You an to say, you replicated Helldor’s consciousness, but his original consciousness has already died with his dying body, right?"
"...Regrettably, my database does not currently contain considerations for this ’Cardinal ethics.’ I will record your newly raised concerns in it... But as you said, that’s my thod, Helldor’s real consciousness cannot be transferred out of his brain."
Despite the Cardinal’s undramatic words, they still gave Fisher a profound sense of shock.
According to current theory, a person’s consciousness and Magic Circuit both originate from the soul, and if Helldor had already died, his soul should naturally have returned to the Spirit Realm, and his consciousness would also dissolve. If the Cardinal could replicate Helldor’s consciousness with so technology, wouldn’t that suggest he had detached himself from the world’s rules in so sense?
"Although that Mr. Helldor Turand’s consciousness is stored in my database, it doesn’t share any of my data. He knows nothing about the Completion Manual and other matters. When you speak with him, Mr. Fisher, please distinguish us, to avoid any misunderstandings..."
As Fisher was stroking his chin in thought, his room door was knocked. Then, the voice of Ilois ca from outside,
"Mr. Fisher... that thing, isn’t it ready yet?"
"It will be ready soon; please wait a mont."
"Oh oh, I understand, I... will wait for you by the door."
Mr. Fisher withdrew his gaze and looked at the Cardinal before him. He saw the Cardinal sway his chanical body and stand, then, like a little dog, wag his backside and hop off the bed. At the sa ti, he spoke to Fisher,
"Mr. Fisher, Erwin’s destination is the Frost Snow Phoenix Tree; he will inevitably co into conflict with the Turand Family. The Turand Family is not simple; it won’t be easy for Erwin to make his move... Moreover, according to the Cardinal of Destiny’s intelligence, it seems you have an exceptionally dangerous weapon on you?"
The "dangerous weapon" the Cardinal spoke of was, if one didn’t expect otherwise, the Death Rune that Elliog had given him—a short sword that could be drawn only once, which did not need to be carried on one’s person; he could summon or it could follow him just by calling, and it had very similar properties to the Completion Manual.
According to Elliog’s statent, the blade was made by a Demon God nad Agares, who had stolen a piece of the world’s laws, and it had a special effect that would kill instantly upon hitting its target.
"Erwin is much more anxious than we are, and before that ti cos, Mr. Fisher, you can wholeheartedly assist the young Lady of the Turand Family in finding the Seal to enter the Frost Snow Phoenix Tree. It would be even better if you could establish a good relationship with her. Perhaps later, when we go to war with Erwin, we can get more support. The Cardinal of Destiny says you are very adept at dealing with Ladies... Well, I will take my leave now. Now that I know where Mr. Fisher is, I will co to inform you if there is any new information."
While speaking, the Cardinal climbed to the room’s ventilation opening. His limbs, which seed quite cumberso, clung tightly to the wall like a spider, swiftly ascending to the ceiling. Before Fisher, with a face full of black lines, could react, the Cardinal had bid him farewell and left his room.
Fisher sighed, massaged his temples, and sorted through the many pieces of information he had just received. Just as he pushed the door open to leave the room, he saw Emhardt sitting on Ilois’s shoulder in the corridor, whispering sothing into her rabbit ears.
When Emhardt noticed Fisher coming out, he didn’t panic, but Ilois suddenly blushed and nearly jumped in fright.
"Mr... Mr. Fisher!"
Fisher raised an eyebrow and, watching Emhardt slowly fly back, asked Ilois,
"What were you two talking about?"
"May the Mother Goddess bless us, nothing... nothing... it seems like it’s ti to eat, let’s go down quickly, shall we?"
She covered her stomach and slowly walked to Fisher’s side, her eyes darting away as she pointed down the corridor and walked ahead.
Watching her slightly upturned rabbit tail, Fisher firmly grabbed the playing-dead Emhardt and stared at him,
"What did you just tell her?"
"Nothing... nothing; she asked ! She wanted to know what you used to do, and why you knew the young Lady of the Turand Family, and all that! You know ; the great Book Knight always tells the truth!"
"...So, what exactly did you say?"
"I said... I told her you are a scholar who likes demi-humans the most, that’s all."
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