Even now, when he thinks back, Bologue still finds everything so wondrous. At the end of that conflict, Aimou stripped away the Constant Motion Core, protected Alice’s Philosopher’s Stone, and returned everything to Teda. Facing Aimou’s death, Teda suddenly awakened and carried out that noble sacrifice.
Bologue isn’t sure what kind of deal Teda made with the Devil, but after the golden storm descended, Aimou was no longer just that cold Steel Body; warm blood and soft flesh constructed her brand new shell.
"What do you an ’should be’!"
Serey slapped the bar forcefully, questioning loudly.
"Because I’m not entirely sure!" Bologue replied, "She seems more like she can switch between a Steel Body and flesh and blood."
"I haven’t had the chance to ask her before she disappeared."
Bologue’s gaze wandered, thinking that Aimou must be with Belli now, and then? What will beco of Aimou’s destiny?
The Alchemy Workshop and the boundless flesh marched toward destruction, and Teda also vanished into dispersed dust. Since Aimou’s rebirth, the forr bonds have been severed.
Bologue murmured, "Aimou has no ho."
Serey said, "The Undying Club can open its doors for her."
"She’s not undead." Bologue shook his head, knowing the rules of the Undying Club, not wanting to trouble Serey with them.
"She can enter as a good friend; we’re always generous to good friends." Serey raised his eyebrow at Bologue.
Bologue deliberately elongated his tone, questioning, "Really?"
"Are you questioning the sincerity of our friendship?"
Serey, agitated, stood up with a start and grabbed Bologue’s head, the two foreheads pressing together with an exaggerated expression.
"Your perfu is too overpowering."
Bologue waved his hand dismissively, pushing Serey away.
"Alright, alright, I’m just curious and... um... concerned about so precious things." Serey expressed his true thoughts.
"Concerned about precious things? Your words sound like those of a Devil." Bologue was intrigued by Serey’s words.
"Pretty much," Serey nodded, not denying it, "If you think of the Devils as collectors with strange habits, you can understand many of their bizarre actions."
"Think about it, an Alchemy Puppet that awakened self-awareness is already incredibly precious, and now she’s beco human, which defies valuation."
Serey added so ice to his glass, gently stirring, the ice clashing within the liquid, bubbles rising incessantly.
"Aimou is one-of-a-kind, unparalleled. If I were a Devil, I would definitely keep her in my safest vault."
Bologue’s expression turned somber, the conversation touching upon what troubled him most.
Serey suddenly rembered sothing, speaking to himself, "Coincidentally, I happen to know a collector with particularly wicked tastes."
Bologue asked, "A Devil?"
"Yes, when you live long enough, you’re bound to interact with these sinister beings."
Serey’s face showed a bitter smile, "Fortunately, the tiline disorder happened within the Great Rift. Although the Tyrant is also one of the Devils, compared to his siblings, the Tyrant is the easiest to get along with.
At least, the Tyrant genuinely reasons with you."
"Sounds like you’ve been through a very bad experience." Bologue said.
"More than just bad. In my lifeti, I’ve had many won, thinking myself a master of romance, but in that woman’s hands, I almost lost everything."
Recalling that figure, Serey’s hand trembled uncontrollably. He continuously drank to numb his nerves.
"She was a particularly malignant woman. She would numb you with a poison called beauty, and when you believed your desires were fully satisfied, she would cruelly shatter that false illusion, fixing that mont eternally at the peak of your emotions.
You will forever wander in endless tornt, and she will consider you one of her precious collectibles, claiming you as her own."
Serey grew more furious as he spoke, seemingly ready to go out seeking revenge, but upon recalling the woman’s posture, his breath deflated.
As furious as he was, that life-threatening experience was not one Serey wanted to repeat.
"Who is she?"
Bologue beca curious about the identity of that woman, soone who left such a profound psychological shadow on Serey that he must be cautious.
Serey hesitated briefly, refraining from naming the woman, only lightly calling out that sinister title.
"Joyful Witch."
Unwittingly, Serey’s words seed to stir sothing; montarily, he again heard that familiar laughter, his muscles tensed up, eyes fixed on the Undying Club’s door.
This tense state lasted for over a minute before Serey relaxed, drowning himself in several drinks, and babbled away.
"Scared to death, did you feel it? The na of a Devil bears magic power, even their titles too."
Bologue shook his head, sensing nothing. From his perspective, Serey was rely complaining until he abruptly fell silent and relaxed afterward.
"Is that so? Forget it, don’t think too much about it."
Serey shook his head as well, discarding those strange thoughts. He hadn’t seen that woman for nearly a few hundred years, she probably wouldn’t still rember him, right?
"Did she initiate the birth of the Night Race?" Bologue asked curiously.
"No, the Devil whom the Night Race serves is soone else." Serey denied.
"So you have connections with more than one Devil?"
Upon hearing the denial, Bologue was surprised. Serey had connections with more than one Devil.
"Being valuable is like this, isn’t it the sa for you?" Serey glanced at Bologue, not understanding what was worth worrying about.
Bologue froze, then suddenly realized that he too had multiple connections with Devils, feeling strangely uneasy.
Everyone fell into silence, quietly drinking for several minutes before Bologue spoke again, initiating a topic.
"Aimou’s rebirth is inseparable from the Devil... from the Tyrant. She may have already established a connection with the Tyrant."
"Becoming a Debtor, is it?" Serey spoke of what Bologue was unwilling to face.
Bologue lanted, "Mm... rebirth has a price; Aimou ultimately was claid by the Devil."
"Don’t think so absolutely, Bologue. You’ve yet to see her, haven’t you? Nothing is set in stone." Bode comforted from the side.
"Hopefully so." Bologue tried to relax, avoiding thoughts of these complexities.
There’s no need to worry about this; once he sees Aimou, all questions will be answered.
Bologue leaned back in his chair. Apart from the bar, the rest of the Undying Club was enveloped in shadow, this place being the only light in the darkness.
The regular undead of the Undying Club gathered here too, and Bologue thought of soone, asking Serey.
"Where’s Sai Zong?"
At the beginning of the tiline disorder, Bologue was in that bizarre circumstance, it was Sai Zong who first provided him the hint to recognize the anomaly.
Thinking back, it’s unexpected that the most unpredictable dog in the Undying Club would play such a role at the pivotal mont.
Bologue wanted to thank Sai Zong, even if he incessantly barked at him, covering everywhere with drool, he wouldn’t mind.
Serey looked around, then asked Wei’Er and Bode, "Sai Zong? Have you seen Sai Zong?"
Bode said, "No, he’s been missing since this morning."
"Is that so? It’s normal, he disappears for a while every now and then," Serey said indifferently, "After all, they are undead, no need to worry too much."
"Besides, why are you suddenly interested in Sai Zong?" Wei’Er asked curiously, "I see you’ve never particularly liked him."
"Nothing, it was Sai Zong who reminded this morning, making aware of the outbreak of the tiline disorder."
Bologue recounted his morning experience with Sai Zong, but after finishing, he found the Undying Club plunged into silence, even the lively singing ceased.
Serey waved his hand grandly, sweeping all bottles and jars off the bar onto the floor. The light focused on Bologue, as he seriously stared at Bologue, questioning him.
"You said Sai Zong spoke to you?"
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