Emlyn tilted his chin slightly, his mind racing. Even if everyone was a Sanguine summoned by that important figure, he would definitely be the first.
No sooner had the thought crossed his mind than he saw Cosmi push open the door from outside the living room and glance at him, saying, "Emlyn, that important figure wants to see you."
"I knew it…" Emlyn's lips curled into an uncontrollable, joyful arc.
He took a deep breath, composed himself, and then slowly walked to Cosmi's side, following him down into the villa's basement.
After passing through a gray-black metal door and entering the underground area, he finally couldn't suppress his curiosity. He tilted his head slightly and asked in a low voice, "Cosmi, who exactly is the important figure we're about to meet? How should I address him?"
Cosmi glanced at Emlyn, not minding his direct address, and without concealment, he said with a tone full of respect and admiration, "Duke Full Moon Olmer."
Duke Full Moon Olmer! Emlyn instinctively straightened his back, trying to appear more energetic.
Every Duke was a living legend to the Sanguines, a witness and guardian of Sanguine history and glory.
Duke Full Moon Olmer was an ancient powerhouse who existed before the Great Cataclysm, one of the first Sanguines who followed the Ancestor. And I, I am a Sanguine favored by the Ancestor, the savior of the Sanguines. This must be the Ancestor's arrangement, to better fulfill my duty as the Sanguine savior.
Thoughts flashed rapidly through Emlyn's mind, causing his heart to unconsciously quicken, and his mood became anxious yet excited.
Passing through layers of heavy secret doors, Emlyn, led by Cosmi, arrived in an iron-gray hall.
The walls and floor here were covered with green grass and flowers, making Emlyn feel as if he hadn't entered an underground space, but rather a suburban jungle.
Soon, he noticed some subtle oddities and distortions: many of the green grasses and flowers had mouth-like slits, or spat out plant fibers like spiders, or grew sharp, fine teeth, or oozed a pale green, nerve-toxic liquid.
The insects scurrying through the grass, upon closer inspection, were all distorted monsters, seemingly cobbled together from many different species, extremely incongruous, yet brimming with vigorous vitality.
Is this an anomaly manifested under the influence of Duke Full Moon Olmer? Does this indicate that the Sanguine pathway, at a later Sequence, controls authority or abilities related to life?
As thoughts flickered, Cosmi led him to a grave and respectfully bowed to it, saying, "Duke, Emlyn White has arrived."
Emlyn snapped back to attention and, somewhat flustered, bowed towards the grave and greeted, "Good afternoon, Duke."
The surrounding light and shadows suddenly distorted, transforming the environment of this underground hall into a brightly lit, magnificent, ancient castle.
A blurry figure sat on a high-backed chair at the head of a dark red long table. He chuckled towards Cosmi and Emlyn, saying, "A very outstanding Sanguine."
"Cosmi, you may leave first."
"Yes, Duke." Cosmi bowed respectfully and exited the refreshed hall.
After Cosmi left, the blurry figure of Duke Full Moon Olmer looked at Emlyn and chuckled, "Sit down. What were you thinking when you saw the vibrant environment here just now?"
Emlyn was momentarily stunned, not expecting Duke Full Moon Olmer to ask him this question. He paused for a second before answering, "Duke, I was just thinking whether our Sanguine pathway, at a later Sequence, would control abilities or authority related to life."
"Not bad, you know about authority." The blurry figure of Duke Full Moon Olmer nodded slightly, then smiled, "Our pathway's Sequence 2 is called 'Life-Giver,' mastering the 'Power of Creation,' which allows surrounding life to feel the joy of all things growing and new life arriving."
"Life-Giver…" Emlyn murmured softly. He instinctively glanced around. Although the dense grass and scurrying insects were no longer visible due to the illusion, he could still feel the vibrant life force around him.
Duke Full Moon Olmer didn't give Emlyn much time to think. After a brief pause, he continued, "For a race, nurturing talented young members is a necessary task. And for you to advance to Viscount in such a short time, you are quite a notable presence among the younger generation of the entire Sanguine race. So, I decided to meet you personally, to give you some tests, and also, some missions."
"Missions?" Emlyn asked with a slight hesitation.
Duke Full Moon Olmer nodded gently, "The Fifth Epoch is nearing its end. In the foreseeable future, the world will become increasingly dangerous, just like the Southern Continent now. At such a time, mere conservatism and retreat cannot protect every Sanguine, nor our living environment. We need cooperation, we need allies."
"I and two other Dukes already have a leaning. Next, we need some consideration on whether to increase investment, or find some more allies to cooperate with."
He paused, then chuckled, "We need a spokesperson."
Emlyn's breathing suddenly quickened, his crimson eyes seemed to brighten, becoming fervent, and also a mix of excitement and helplessness. A spokesperson for three Dukes, this would represent the entire Sanguine race!
Duke Full Moon Olmer smiled, his rich voice carrying a soothing power that gradually calmed Emlyn's heart: "Before that, we need to give you some tests. Of course, these tests are also given to other excellent young Sanguines. I will make a judgment based on your completion."
"This is what a Sanguine savior, a Sanguine chosen by the Ancestor, should do." Amidst his swirling thoughts, Emlyn respectfully replied, "I am always ready."
"Good." Duke Full Moon Olmer praised, then continued, "Your next mission is to find members of the Rose School of Thought hidden in Backlund. This is not only a test for you, but also a show of sincerity from us Sanguines to our partners."
"Most members of the Rose School of Thought are from the 'Mutant' pathway, skilled at concealing themselves. There are very few clues the clan can provide, and you will need to investigate many situations yourself."
"During the mission, you can try to inquire about the attitude of those heretics who believe in the Primordial Moon towards the Rose School of Thought, and clarify whether they have thoughts of leaving the Rose School of Thought."
"Followers of the Primordial Moon?" Emlyn was a bit confused about this additional task. "Has an irreconcilable conflict arisen between the Primordial Moon and the Mother Tree worshipped by the Rose School of Thought, leading to an internal schism among their followers?"
Duke Full Moon Olmer saw Emlyn's confusion and chuckled as he explained, "We have already retrieved the holy artifact left in the Rose School of Thought. Without that item, the Mother Tree no longer has the ability to interfere with the 'Moon' pathway."
"I wonder what kind of holy artifact it is…" As thoughts drifted, Emlyn nodded solemnly, "I understand, Duke. I will diligently search for members of the Rose School of Thought in Backlund."
"Very good." Duke Full Moon Olmer's voice softened slightly, and he nodded gently towards Emlyn, "You should go find Cosmi later to get some information and a suitable entry point."
Emlyn had wanted to ask more questions about the Sanguines' allies, but Duke Full Moon Olmer had no intention of continuing the conversation. After ending the topic, he directly dismissed Emlyn from the hall.
After Emlyn left, Duke Full Moon Olmer leaned back in the high-backed chair, looking at the spot where Emlyn had just sat, and sighed softly, "To be able to advance from an ordinary Sanguine to a Viscount in such a short time, he should not be an unknown person in The Fool's organization. We can indirectly contact The Fool through this young man."
"Even the Ancient Dragon, who stayed in the spiritual world, have started to move. The end of the Fifth Epoch might come sooner than I expected."
On the safe shipping lane of the Berserk Sea near Mid-range Island, storms frequently occurred due to the Berserk Sea's weather.
Amidst the pouring rain and howling winds, a massive three-masted schooner covered in pure black crushed through the waves, calmly sailing on the sea.
Lanterns hung on both sides of the huge schooner's hull, clearly illuminating the nearly hundred-meter-long ship. The three towering sails bore no markings, only a paint black, but on the deck, near the ship's cabin, stood a mottled stone chair two or three meters tall.
Silently, brilliant starlight flew out of the void, quickly gathering on the deck, forming a dark blue double door covered with mysterious patterns and symbols.
Leyton and Roselle emerged from behind the door. As they appeared, the door, seemingly composed of pure starlight, instantly shattered, turning into specks of stardust that flickered and vanished into the dim air.
The moment the two appeared, they were discovered by the pirates stationed on the deck. Bird Mastan, the First Mate of the Black Emperor, his pupils contracted slightly. He recognized Roselle's figure but found it somewhat unbelievable.
Taking a deep breath, he took a step forward, instantly covering a large distance, appearing to the side of Leyton and Roselle. His voice was deep, carrying a strong sense of authority, "Sirs, what business do you have boarding the Black Emperor?"
Roselle ignored the wary and cautious First Mate. As he walked forward, he sighed, "So many years have passed, and the Black Emperor is still the same. Nast's taste really hasn't improved at all."
Leyton helplessly glanced at Roselle, who had suddenly become pretentious, and said calmly, "This is a ghost ship. Besides an Artisan, no one else should be able to modify such a ship."
"Also, why did you insist on me accompanying you to see Nast? Didn't you see the desk in the lounge almost overflowing with documents?"