The Manor of the Count, Alexburg.
Duke Moria sat alone in his study, quietly gazing at the portraits of his ancestors on the walls, reminiscing about his time with Lien.
No one dared to disturb this old man, who had turned white-haired overnight. His face was now lined with wrinkles, revealing the age he had long concealed.
The study, once tidy with books and documents neatly arranged, was now in disarray, with papers scattered all over the floor. The room looked as though it had just weathered a storm. The only thing untouched was the portraits on the walls.
The servants and retainers of House Moria were also immersed in grief.
Young Diana found this to be the most ridiculous joke she had ever heard. Her idolized brother died in the war? She couldn’t accept it at all.
It wasn’t until Parker, mentally collapsed, was sent back through the teleportation portal by the expeditionary force that Diana finally believed the truth, crying her eyes swollen.
Duke Moria also emerged from the study and saw the ruined Parker.
Sending Parker back from the army could be seen as Earl Hall’s way of settling things with House Moria. After all, he couldn’t possibly wipe out all the heirs of House Moria at sea; that would only escalate tensions between the two noble families.
Parker rushed into his grandfather’s arms, wailing bitterly.
Duke Moria gently patted his shoulder. “You’re home now.”
He seemed to have made a decision. After comforting Parker, he went alone to the palace to meet the new Emperor, Ogulas.
Even Ogulas was taken aback by the sight of Duke Moria, once so full of vigor, now looking like an old man.
It seemed he truly cared deeply for his grandson.
“Prime Minister, I know this is hard for you to accept, and even I can’t accept it, but I hope you can pull yourself out of this grief soon. The empire still has much that needs your attention.”
Ogulas consoled him, “I will compensate House Moria.”
“I’m going to the Azure Dragon Court.”
Duke Moria said.
Ogulas hesitated, “What are you saying? You’ve always opposed the expedition, haven’t you?”
“I’m going to the Azure Dragon Court.”
Duke Moria repeated.
“Very well, if you insist, then go.”
Ogulas wasn’t worried about Duke Moria’s safety. He was the pinnacle of the empire’s knights; if even he were to meet with an accident, Earl Hall wouldn’t be able to open the new sea route either.
He thought Duke Moria probably wanted to go to sea to avenge Lien by killing the sea witch that had cursed him.
If he stopped Duke Moria now, it would seem inhumane.
“Even if you must go, wait until Lien’s funeral is over. I’ll hold a state funeral for him in the empire, the highest honor, and let everyone pray for his soul.”
Ogulas said with a mournful expression.
But Duke Moria knew he simply wanted to capitalize on Lien’s death.
The young emperor personally leading the mourning for Lien could make his image of benevolence sink deeper into the hearts of the people. Those who loved Lien in the empire would transfer their reverence to the young emperor.
“There’s no need. Lien’s funeral will be held by the family, and no one else will be invited.”
Duke Moria said coldly, turning to leave.
This was the first time the empire’s prime minister had shown such an unyielding personality in front of Ogulas.
Duke Moria hadn’t come to ask for permission but merely to inform him.
Ogulas watched the aged back of Duke Moria, shook his head, and sighed,
“Who said the empire’s prime minister is a heartless machine? One Lien Moria has made you so fragile; your emotions are your weakness.”
Although House Moria wanted to hold a private funeral for Lien without inviting outsiders, people all over Dragon City, and even the entire nation, spontaneously held memorial services for him. Lien had saved many lives, after all.
Especially the noblewomen who had regained their happy lives; they donated generously to the local churches, holding requiems for Lien in the chapels.
The entire Holy Empire was shrouded in grief and hatred. The people’s passion for capturing the Azure Dragon Court burned fiercely.
Ogulas didn’t need to rally them; more and more young people wanted to take up arms and avenge the empire’s hero. Among them were many women, for Lien Moria had been the dream lover of many.
When they heard of his sacrifice, it was as if their idol had fallen, leaving them deeply sorrowful.
At the Guardian Bureau, Mekaron, Aria, and the eight-year-old witch Aishi gathered to discuss how to evade the director’s notice and head to sea. They couldn’t use the teleportation portal to enter the naval base unless the director agreed, but he certainly wouldn’t allow the Guardian Bureau to join the expedition.
Even though they knew the sea was extremely dangerous for witches, they at least wanted to see Lien’s true grave.
Mary had already realized that her lost divinity wasn’t related to the elder but naturally thought of Lien. Yet, before she could avenge herself, Lien had died at sea.
Losing this adversary didn’t bring her much joy; instead, she felt a pang of regret.
She returned to the south but found that Nasi Stewart had completely betrayed her.
Nasi Stewart had taken control of Useola and poached a quarter of her spies, defecting to the Blue Moon Territory. This infuriated Mary, and she had decided to ignite the flames of war in the south, but she couldn’t target Useola directly as it would be too obvious.
Nasi Stewart and the enchantress Ina didn’t believe Lien was dead; their contract with him still existed. So, they could only do their best to carry out Lien’s arrangements and wait for him in the south.
In the Green Shade Territory, Sophie, persuaded by Anna, didn’t rush to sea. Anna dispatched a military force to the imperial capital in response to the king’s call. This force would join the rear support army for the expedition. Anna and Sophie were among them. The Green Shade Territory was managed by the Minister of Finance, Minister of Internal Affairs, and Minister of Foreign Affairs. Dora was also loaned to temporarily serve as the Guardian Witch of the territory.
This military force would take the train and arrive in the imperial capital in about three days. Then, they would use the teleportation portal in the capital to enter the naval base.
This avoided the danger of witches facing disaster at sea.
In Dragon City, Feia went to the Witch Tower to find Dorothy, inquiring about the entire incident.
Lien, transformed into Nina Owen’s appearance, sat beside Dorothy. He also wanted to see Feia’s reaction to his death.
The real Nina Owen had already returned to the Holy Empire through Parker’s dream portal. Since her identity might be borrowed for a while, she didn’t find it convenient to appear in Dragon City and chose to stay in Lien’s hometown, Green Shade Territory, for the time being.
“...Dad was about to confess the truth to Lien when Lien suddenly had an outbreak of the curse and died. It should have been the curse he contracted on the *September Flower*. As a witch, I’m immune to the curse.”
Dorothy said slowly.
“If Lien was cursed, he wouldn’t have known. It must have been Earl Hall who killed him.”
Feia concluded.
“It’s impossible; Dad wouldn’t do that.”
Dorothy looked at Lien.
Lien shook his head, indicating that the truth couldn’t be told to Feia for now.
The more people who knew, the greater the risk of exposure.
They still hadn’t found a way to resolve Earl Hall’s corruption and didn’t know if there was an unknown evil god hiding behind him.
If Feia were dragged into this, it would only put her in greater danger.
“Perhaps he had reasons he couldn’t avoid, but I trust my intuition.”
Feia stood up, ready to leave the tower.
Dorothy watched Feia’s back and asked,
“Are you going to sea to avenge Lien?”
“No, I can’t kill Earl Hall. I just want to seek the truth. I’ll return to the Vatican and look for a way to bring Lien back.”
Hearing Feia’s words, Dorothy sighed in relief.
As long as Feia wasn’t going to throw her life away, it was fine.
She knew Feia couldn’t possibly defeat her father.
A Seven Star Order Knight had already attained divinity, and her father was far stronger than Mary, who had just become a Seven Star Order Knight. Even a Six Star Blood Knight couldn’t last ten minutes against Earl Hall, let alone Feia, who was just a cleric.
The gap between the ranks of knights was enormous. Perhaps a lower-ranked knight could challenge a higher one through other means, but high-ranked knights absolutely couldn’t bridge that gap.
Dorothy was only relieved that Lien had left a backup; he had sent a clone to face Earl Hall instead of his true self. Otherwise, the one who might have died would truly have been Lien.
“Feia actually cares about you quite a bit.”
Dorothy said slowly.
“She’s an old friend I know well.”
Lien said.
Dorothy didn’t catch the hidden meaning in his words but thought of how Feia had defended Lien at the High Inquisition Court. She was certain they were true friends.
“You’re not going back to the duke’s mansion? I heard the prime minister is holding another funeral for you.”
“Don’t worry. Grandfather isn’t like Parker; he won’t act impulsively. He wouldn’t pursue Earl Hall to sea for revenge just because one grandson died, especially not when the family has major movements in the north.”
Lien believed Duke Moria was a politician, and with the family’s actions in the north, it was impossible for him to go to such lengths for a grandson he had only recently acknowledged.
But Dorothy was still worried about her father.
What if he was killed by Duke Moria before she could find a way to cleanse his corruption?
And then, what would happen?
After the funeral at the ducal mansion, Grand Duke Moria stepped through a teleportation portal and arrived at the naval base of the Sacred Empire, heading to the grave where Lee En was laid to rest.
Grand Duke Moria gently stroked the tombstone, placed a bouquet of mandrakes, turned around, and entered the high-rise building of the base.
The words of the mandrakes spoke of revenge.
"Your Grace."
"Prime Minister."
"Your Excellency."
The naval officers bowed respectfully as they saw Grand Duke Moria.
With a solemn and majestic expression, Grand Duke Moria walked through the crowd, heading straight for Count Hol's office.
As a Knight of the Seven Star Order, he no longer needed anyone to guide him, and Grand Duke Moria knew exactly where his target was. Count Hol, sitting in his office, had already anticipated that Grand Duke Moria would come to demand justice for Lee En.
When the door to his room was pushed open by Grand Duke Moria, he wasn't surprised at all.
"Moria, I'm sorry about what happened to Lee En," Count Hol said regretfully.
"Tell me, where do you want to die? Do you want these people to be buried with you, or would you prefer a place with no one around?"
Grand Duke Moria looked at Count Hol coldly. Although he hadn't heard the details of what happened from Paula, he had pieced together the circumstances of Lee En's death through media reports and his own imagination. There was no evidence, only conjecture.
But the instincts of a Knight of the Seven Star Order were never wrong.
Lee En must have discovered a secret of the upper echelons, angered Count Hol, and been killed by him.
"Have you forgotten the Articles of the Creed?"
Count Hol wasn't afraid of Grand Duke Moria. While Grand Duke Moria had entered the realm of the Seven Star Order Knights ten years earlier, Count Hol was in his prime, whereas Grand Duke Moria was already elderly.
The Articles of the Creed stipulated that the peak warriors of the Seven Great Creed Families could not engage in private duels. This was to maintain both national and human interests.
"This is something you don't need to worry about, because you have never been the peak warrior of House Hol."
Grand Duke Moria removed his white gloves, took off his ceremonial hat, set aside his cane, and pulled out his pocket watch. Inside the lid was a photograph.
The photo showed Grand Duke Moria with Lee En, Park, Angelina, and Dian. This was a family portrait that Dian had once insisted on taking.
Grand Duke Moria hadn't expected that this would be the only photo Lee En had left behind.
Looking at the blond young man in the watch, Grand Duke Moria revealed a bitter smile. He doubted that his parenting approach over the years had been wrong.
His children should have grown up under his protection and care. Why had he insisted on sending Lee En out to train?
He had already experienced the darkness of the world, yet he had allowed his grandson to walk the same path.
Lee En's death made Grand Duke Moria feel at least partly responsible.
If not for his indulgence, Lee En and Park wouldn't have boarded the Blue Whale.
Grand Duke Moria opened the watch and hung it around his neck, letting Lee En's photo face Count Hol.
He wanted his grandson to witness him taking revenge.
Count Hol frowned, fully understanding Grand Duke Moria's intentions.
Since the existence of Paula, House Hol would never have a peak warrior surpassing her.
Thus, even if Grand Duke Moria sought revenge in a private duel, he wouldn't violate the Articles of the Creed.
"Hol, if you don't choose, I will. Let your subordinates accompany you in death to keep you company, so you won't be so lonely."
Grand Duke Moria's expression was indifferent.
He didn't care how many people would die in this battle, nor did he care if the human army would be defeated here. He removed all his badges and honors, took off his ceremonial robes.
At this moment, he only wanted to be Lee En Moria's grandfather.
After killing Hol, he would go to Green Shade Territory, to Blueberry Town, to see the places where the boy had lived, where he had grown up, and the city he had managed.
If he were to die, he had already made arrangements. His eldest son would inherit everything of House Moria, continuing the mission and glory of the Moria Creed Family in the Northern Realm.
"Moria, do you really think you're still the invincible war god who once fought alongside old Frank? You're old now. Even if you go all out, you won't be my match. Don't gamble with the fate of the entire Moria Family. You will lose utterly."
Count Hol set down his teacup, his deep eyes fixed intently on Grand Duke Moria, his longtime political rival. They had never truly clashed before, as their adversarial relationship was largely a show for the public.
In reality, they had always admired each other.
They were two pillars of the empire, standing at the pinnacle of power and strength, among the few Seven Star Order Knights in humanity. While Mary was still a newcomer to the realm, they were in their prime. Even against the projection of an evil god in the world, they had the power to fight.
"As you said, I am old, so I'm not used to losing."
Grand Duke Moria swung his fist at Count Hol's face.
Count Hol tilted his head and sidestepped, avoiding the punch. The fist struck the bookcase behind him.
A white surge of energy erupted from Grand Duke Moria's fist, spreading outward with a loud roar. The bookcase, the wall behind it, and a third of the base's structures were reduced to nothingness.
It was clear that if Count Hol hadn't dodged, he would have suffered unimaginable damage.
Alarms immediately blared across the island. Tina took command, leading all the naval forces to board the ships and get as far away as possible.
"Commander Tina, is this an enemy attack? Shouldn't we go and help?"
Members of the Rose Knight Squadron asked.
Tina shook her head, "No, this is the power of Grand Duke Moria. This is a clash between Seven Star Knights, not something we can intervene in. Let's go quickly."
"Why is Grand Duke Moria attacking us? Has he betrayed the country?"
Franz, Vice Captain of the Flame Knight Squadron, frowned in confusion.
"He simply can't accept that his most proud grandson died in the naval battle. He's here to demand justice from the Count."
Tina felt that if she were in his shoes, she wouldn't be able to bear it either. Lee En was the hope of the entire Moria Family. His death might send the family into decline, and such an extraordinary individual might never appear again.
Of course, Tina didn't think Grand Duke Moria would actually kill Count Hol. She believed the two would just fight it out.
But even so, it wasn't something ordinary people like her could get involved in.
In the face of two Seven Star Order Knights, Tina considered herself an ordinary person.
Thus, she led the troops to retreat to the sea, abandoning the base temporarily.
Earl Yar Frank and Earl Sam Isaacson also quickly boarded the Blue Whale. They had heard that the Imperial Prime Minister had arrived on the island and initially planned to host a grand welcoming banquet for Grand Duke Moria. Now, they were thinking, "Damn it, why did he come here?"
The devastating shockwave from earlier had almost killed the two earls on the spot. If they hadn't been lucky enough to be in a different direction, they might already be dead at the bottom of the sea.
"Damn it, why did they choose to fight at the base?"
"We'll send them both to the military tribunal when this is over!"
The two earls cursed angrily, extremely annoyed.
On the Blue Whale, everyone who had boarded in a hurry was still in shock. Some were rushing to set sail, while others stood on the deck, staring fixedly at the base.
They had never seen such an intense battle between humans before.
Boom! Another loud explosion echoed.
The base's structures were hit again, the high tower collapsing, the ground cracking, and seawater rushing in.
If not for Tina's quick command, it was estimated that 90% of the soldiers would have died from the aftermath of the battle or fallen into the deep sea.
The fleet floated in the ocean, using magic stones to accelerate and get as far away as possible.
The high-ranking officers of the navy used binoculars to continue observing the base.
In the sky, the figures of Grand Duke Moria and Count Hol appeared.
But they quickly vanished, not because they had left, but because their fighting speed was too fast for anyone to catch. All Tina and the others could see were waves of energy rippling through the air, and the sea surface occasionally erupting in massive waves.
The ships were like they were enduring a fierce naval battle, struggling to save themselves from this sudden, unnatural disaster. Still, a number of ships sank.
The sea was soon filled with floating debris, and the soldiers suffered heavy casualties.
"Rescue them quickly."
Old Lieutenant General Cheryl, leading the rescue efforts, ordered her troops to pull the soldiers from the water.
She also disapproved of Grand Duke Moria's impulsive actions and decided that when she returned, she would join others in taking the Prime Minister to the military tribunal.
The smell of blood soon attracted nearby sea monsters and a Kraken.
The Kraken led the shark-like sea monsters in a counterattack, trying to reclaim the island, but they were no match for the aftermath of the battle between the two Seven Star Order Knights.
Their forces were obliterated before they even had a chance to attack.
When the dragon died, the shark-like sea monsters didn't dare to linger any longer. They clashed briefly with the human soldiers before hurriedly diving into the ocean to escape with their lives.
The human army, after a short regroup, used the magic stones to accelerate their retreat once again, fleeing the area.
The Grand Duke of Moria and Count Holle were as swift as lightning, their speed unimaginable, but the disasters they caused were plain to see—landslides, earthquakes, and tsunamis spreading far and wide.
They continuously changed the trajectories of their punches and kicks, each one filled with sharp and fierce momentum.
Their fist techniques were like raging mountains and rivers, and every collision sparked storms, their auras spreading out to form an impenetrable barrier.
The physical agility of the Knights of the Seven Star Order was extraordinary, with every inch of their muscles displaying immense power.
The sound of fists and flesh colliding was like thunder, shaking the heavens and earth as if to shatter the world.
Their movements were precise and deadly, each strike filled with boundless power. Every cell in their bodies fought tirelessly, every ounce of strength pushed to the limit.
Their mutual gazes were filled with hostility, their eyes seeming to tear each other apart.
The surrounding environment was completely consumed by their battle. The small island crumbled into floating rocks, which then shattered into fragments. The sea surface was filled with swirling whirlpools, even the most ferocious sea monsters retreating in fear of being sucked into the chaotic currents caused by the distorted space.
The soldiers aboard the Blue Whale gazed in shock, their minds deeply shaken by the sheer destruction.
This immense power made every knight admire and yet fear them.
"I thought only witches could do something like this," Tina remarked, staring at the turbulent sea in the distance.
"It seems the Prime Minister and the Earl are both Knights of the Seven Star Order," Mathilde said. "He just hid his strength before."
"Damn it, damn it! These two should be sent to the gallows."
Count Yar Frank was consumed by jealousy and anger.
As the island was completely destroyed, the graveyard was no exception, reduced to ruins.
The corpse of Lee's clone sank into the ocean and was taken away by Cecilia O'Neill, the mermaid Baroness, who was agile underwater.
Ever since the destruction of the Golden Island, Cecilia had been keeping an eye on Lee.
She had been waiting for an opportunity to steal Lee's body, knowing he wasn't a vampire and aware of his identity as a Blood Knight. To her, Lee Moria's corpse was the most precious delicacy for her mermaid tribe.
During the chaos of the great battle today, with Count Holle, a Knight of the Seven Star Order, being held back, she finally found her chance and took Lee's body.
However, Cecilia barely escaped death from the terrifying shockwave.
She had underestimated the power of these two humans.
It seemed that even on land, there existed beings as fearsome as their own mermaid tribe's strongest warriors. Perhaps even the so-called strongest land-based witches couldn't compare.
In fact, this was true. Ordinary witches were no match for Count Holle and the Grand Duke of Moria. Only legendary witches like Paula and those ranked in the top ten could suppress peak Knights of the Seven Star Order.
Cecilia's speed underwater surpassed most merfolk, her beautiful tail moving swiftly and leaving a white arc in the water as she successfully carried Lee's body out of the dangerous waters and back to her baronial estate.
Cecilia decided to host an underwater banquet, inviting the royal family and high nobility to elevate her status.
By consuming Lee Moria's flesh, she could transform into his appearance, gaining his memories and talents—a special ability of the merfolk.
Cecilia believed no merfolk would refuse the chance to become a genius.
This was the result of her investigation while following Lee. She knew he was a prodigy unparalleled among humans, possessing two extraordinary paths.
If the merfolk could grasp this, they might gain a third path.
Perhaps the merfolk could achieve dominance in the sea instead of being its subjects.
As Cecilia ordered her servants to write the invitations, Lee, far away in the Sacred Empire's Dragon City at the entrance of the Fiya Manor, suddenly received a new notification.
【Mermaid Delicacy】Your clone has been taken by the mermaid Baroness Cecilia O'Neill to her residence and is being prepared as a delicacy for a feast inviting the merfolk to share.
Do the notifications from the clone also transfer to yourself?
Lee wondered, then used the Splitting Seal to remotely destroy the clone's body.
The Splitting Seal could not only create clones but also destroy them at any time.
Lee had no desire to see a group of merfolk resembling him on land in the future.
Fortunately, the notification had warned him in time, preventing a horrific scenario.
With the disappearance of Lee's clone, the 【Mermaid Delicacy】notification also vanished.
Although Lee initially thought it was better if fewer people knew he was alive, considering Fiya was one of the few women he had met who were even smarter than himself, and given that he likely had his own problems, he decided to seek her help disguised as Nina Owen.
Fiya opened the door, a hint of joy flickering in her eyes. "It seems I won't need to waste my effort reviving you."
"How did you recognize me?" Lee asked in surprise. The transformation cloak had even fooled Count Holle, yet it hadn't deceived Fiya, the great priestess.
"My address is known to very few," Fiya said. "I've only told one person."
Fiya didn't have friends, so there was no one else she would tell or invite to visit.
Moreover, Fiya usually lived in the Vatican Library, obsessed with her studies. This manor on the outskirts was rarely occupied unless she decided to resign from the Vatican.
"Besides, I remember your scent."
"Like a fox's nose?" Lee teased.
"It's just a deep impression."
"You're not going to invite me in and keep me standing at the door forever, are you?"
Lee shrugged helplessly.
Fiya, though brilliant, needed to learn social etiquette from Paula.
Realizing her rudeness, Fiya stepped aside to let Lee enter.
The house was clean but empty, with no servants.
Fiya led Lee to her study.
"Fiya, I need some help."
"What kind of help?"
"I think I've been corrupted by an evil god again, and the corruption might be severe. I can't detect it, and my memories are chaotic. Maybe my vision is also affected."
Lee believed he needed to solve his own problem before dealing with Count Holle.
If he was sick, he needed a doctor, and Fiya was the only "doctor" he trusted and knew.
In a way, priests in this era were like chief physicians.
Fiya nodded slightly, neither asking about the cause of Lee's corruption nor why he had come to her. She stood up and led him to a set of instruments.
"This is a device to detect corruption. Let's check your condition."
Lee gave a thumbs-up. "A true professional."
"I'm not a professional. I'm just a priest about to resign."
Fiya pushed her glasses up.
Lee approached the detection instruments and, with Fiya's help, put them on.
Half an hour later, Fiya shook her head.
"You've undergone three tests, and no signs of corruption were found."
"So there's no way to fix it?" Lee sighed, puzzled.
If the source of the problem couldn't be found, it couldn't be solved.
"Perhaps the instruments are unreliable. I have an ancient method of detection."
Fiya took out an old, tattered book from the shelf. The text was unfamiliar to Lee.
Fiya put on her glasses. "I need a drop of your blood."
Lee pierced his finger without hesitation and handed her a glass bottle with his blood.
Fiya placed a silver bowl in front of a full-length mirror, arranging candles around it to form a strange magic circle. In the bowl was a black goldfish.
She dropped Lee's blood into the bowl, and the black goldfish quickly swallowed it, turning red.
Fiya lit the candles and had Lee stand in front of the mirror.
She closed her eyes and began chanting.
As the red goldfish swam in the water, Lee's reflection appeared in the bowl and then in the mirror.
Lee saw himself in the mirror, in the confinement chamber of the Supreme Court's priests, sacrificing Arthur to 【The Mouth of Seduction】.
It was 【The Mouth of Seduction】!
Lee's mind suddenly cleared.
He finally understood the problem.
When he had traded with 【The Eye of Misfortune】before, he had been influenced by it, gaining a hidden notification he couldn't detect. Now, after trading with 【The Mouth of Seduction】, he must have gained another hidden notification, which was affecting him!
But this simple truth had been ignored because of 【The Mouth of Seduction's】influence.
Lee believed solving his own problem was more urgent than dealing with Count Holle. If he was ill, he needed a doctor, and Fiya was the only "doctor" he trusted.
This was akin to the group of deceased on the *September Flower* who mistakenly believed they were still alive—a problem rooted in their consciousness.
Fiya opened her eyes. "I found it—you once made a deal with a demon god."
"Yes, I know."
Leon nodded.
"You truly are an anomaly," Fiya said flatly.
"I'm sorry, but if you, Great Priestess Fiya, wish to expose me, it's already too late. In the eyes of the world, I am dead."
Leon replied.
The ritual ended, and the red goldfish in the silver basin died. The full-length mirror returned to its ordinary state, reflecting Leon and Fiya's faces, as well as the candles filling the room.
Though it was just the two of them alone together, the scene was neither warm nor romantic; it felt oddly unsettling.
Leon's mood wasn't pleasant. While he had discovered the reason behind his condition—that he was influenced by the *Siren's Mouth*—this only identified the cause, not the solution. He still couldn't see the hidden attributes.
"Unless you die, contamination of this level cannot be purged," Fiya said, admitting her own helplessness.
"It's fine. Finding the cause is already half the battle."
Leon decided to turn to the Attribute Shop. After all, he was a cheater.
For 10,000 points a day, he could refresh the shop's attributes once, and it would display five attributes at a time. Plus, the shop had a feature where attributes might appear based on his current needs, depending on luck.
Perhaps there was a chance to refresh an attribute that could help him.
Leon didn't want to remain under the influence of the *Siren's Mouth* any longer.
Without hesitation, he lay down on Fiya's sofa and began refreshing the shop.
Of course, before he started, he asked for Solara's blessing, as she governed luck.
Solara placed her hand on his, and together they clicked the refresh button.
Though Solara couldn't see anything, she followed her master's orders.
The shop interface quickly refreshed with new attributes.
**[Rebirth in Death]** *(Silver)* You were tainted by the demon god's influence during your transaction. To break free from this taint, you may need to die once. Otherwise, your will might remain under the demon god's control. Death is not the goal; living a better life is the aim.
*Cost: 1,000,000 points.*
Leon's eyes lit up; he couldn't believe he had refreshed such an incredible attribute! And it was only a silver attribute, not even epic.
It turned out that having the Goddess of Luck on his side made all the difference.
He currently had over 800,000 points, and *Rebirth in Death* cost 1,000,000 points. That gave him eight chances.
Dying once was something no one would undertake lightly, but if this was the only way to escape the demon god's contamination, Leon was willing to try.
"Fiya, can you kill a vampire?"
"If you stand still and don't resist at all, it's not particularly difficult," Fiya replied, setting aside the book in her hand.
"Let's try it, then."
Leon exchanged for the attribute in advance and prepared himself.
Fiya looked at him with confusion. "Are you certain?"
"Yes. Are you hesitant to kill me?"
"Not at all. I recently found that researching methods to revive people is quite an interesting topic. If you die, I'll continue my research."
Fiya pushed her glasses and said, "I won't stop you."
Leon twitched his mouth. "Then I should thank you."
"Don't mention it. If you're prepared to die, let's proceed."
With Leon's confirmation, Fiya acted swiftly. She casually picked up a utensil, and the silver fork in her hand became a deadly weapon, instantly piercing Leon's heart.
Blood and life rapidly drained from his body. His face turned as white as paper, his eyes widened in shock, and his expression froze.
His life flashed before him like a fast-forwarding video. Memories of sounds, images, tastes, and sensations surged forth before quickly disappearing. Fiya's figure blurred in his fading vision, and the world around him seemed to spin as everything slipped away.
Leon's face turned pale, then gray, and finally, he was lifeless, like a statue devoid of any vital energy.
"Even his expression at death resembles that of a vampire. This needs to be recorded."
Fiya pulled out a notebook and documented the scene.
It seemed Leon had become an excellent subject for her research.
About five minutes passed.
Leon's heart began to beat again. He opened his eyes, pulled out the fork from his chest, and sat up.
His complexion gradually returned from gray to a healthy tone. He took deep breaths, greedily inhaling the fresh air.
Dying wasn't pleasant, but the moment he revived, Leon saw Fiya and instinctively pulled her into an embrace, biting her neck.
It was a small revenge for treating him like a test subject.
Only after he had his fill did Leon release her.
The satisfaction of being sated overpowered his fear of death.
Fiya touched her neck, recording this moment in her notebook as well.
"Is that a diary?"
"No, it's a research journal. You'll be my subject from now on."
Fiya said without hiding her intentions.
"Alright, regardless, I need to thank you."
Leon patted Fiya on the shoulder.
After his revival, Leon not only remembered everything about Catherine but also saw his hidden attributes.
**[Siren's Seed]** You traded with the *Siren's Mouth* and were implanted with a seed. This seed will take root in your mind, controlling your actions and eventually turning you into a puppet. When he realizes you can no longer resist, he will guide you toward death.
From both the *Eye of Calamity* and the *Siren's Mouth*, Leon learned a lesson: never make deals with demon gods.
But when you're in their comfort zone, you might subconsciously be led to complete transactions with them.
The *Siren's Mouth* had made a deal with Randall, so his influence in the Church must have been extraordinary. This was why, after the trial in the confessional chamber of the Tribunal, Leon had instinctively chosen to sacrifice Arthur and establish a connection with him.
He then used the transaction to plant the seed of temptation, causing Leon's subsequent actions to deviate.
From the moment he set sail, he fell into the demon god's trap.
If not for his foresight in using a clone to die in his place and detonate the bomb planted by Count Hol before the Attribute Shop refreshed the *Rebirth in Death* attribute, his main body might have perished.
Before then, his death would have been permanent, not just an extreme sport with a death experience card.
Of course, without dying once, it was nearly impossible to detect this red attribute.
Would Count Hol's transformation also be due to the *Siren's Mouth*?
