Chapter 1762: The Demon, The God, and The Diviner

The corpse hit the ground with a heavy thud. Immediately, the bonfire flared up, and tens of thousands of coins clattered out again, forming that demonic face. It widened its eyes, staring at Xia De and the young witch:

"Look at you, actually killing your own companion."

Yet it was not there to condemn their actions:

"Actually, I can also reclaim corpses. Corpses can be exchanged for coins too."

Miss Higgins raised a hand, and the boy's corpse burst into flames. Within a few short seconds, it had been burned to a black char:

"Although he tried to murder me, I will not give his corpse to a demon. This is the difference between me, an elegant, noble, and perfect witch, and him, such a lowly fellow."

However, she did take the two remaining coins from the boy. She had originally intended to share one with Xia De, but Xia De waved his hand and refused:

"Consider it compensation for his attempt to murder you."

Miss Higgins snorted but did not refuse.

"If you won't give me a body, does that mean I can't take the soul? He just came back and promised to sell his soul to me!"

The demon, laughing heartily, sucked in sharply. The boy's terrified soul appeared within the black mist, then flew uncontrollably toward the mouth made of coins.

Xia De and Miss Higgins frowned simultaneously. The Chain of Great Sins flew out again, instantly shackling the soul's ankles. Meanwhile, Miss Higgins whispered a prayer, and countless golden crosses flew out from behind her, shielding Xia De, Old Lady Miles, the boy's soul, and herself.

Preventing demons from taking any soul is the consensus of all Ring Mages and witches. Even for an enemy with whom one has deep hatred, their soul should not become a demon's prize after death. Regardless of good or evil, this is the shared responsibility of all intelligent life wielding supernatural power after the Third Era.

"You cannot take him."

Miss Higgins and Xia De stood side by side:

"Even if he promised to sell his soul to you, we can buy him back. He himself still has two coins left."

Xia De was now pulling on the chain with all his might, yet the force sucking the boy's soul away did not weaken in the slightest.

"Two coins? Is that how little you value the soul of your own kind?"

The demon asked amidst the firelight. Flames leaped from the gaps between the coins but could not break the witch's shield.

"Then how much do you want?"

Even knowing that asking this question meant falling into the demon's trap, Xia De had no choice but to speak.

The demon laughed heartily again:

"This is the fairest place for transactions. Fifty coins. His soul, full of venom and hatred, is worth fifty coins."

Hearing this number, Xia De knew that neither he nor Miss Higgins would be willing to pay that amount.

"Throw two coins at it."

Xia De told Miss Higgins, then held the chain in his right hand while his left hand wrote a contract in the demon's language in the air. This was content from the *Book of Malphas the Demon*:

"This is a deposit. When I return next time, I will buy his soul. If I cannot buy him, you take his soul, and I will not ask for the deposit back."

"A deposit? Excellent, I like that word! This is a fair deal!"

The two coins were sucked away by the demon. Immediately afterward, it scattered again into tens of thousands of coins, returning to beneath the bonfire.

The boy's soul was not temporarily freed by this. He remained frozen in space, maintaining the struggling posture he had when being sucked into the air. Xia De retracted his chain, leaving him be, and spoke to the witch and Old Lady Miles, who had just closed her eyes:

"This time, I am truly leaving."

Leaving early on purpose was to lure the boy, who was certainly nearby, into appearing. Now, the time had truly come:

"I will handle the soul matter. If I truly cannot buy him back, then consider it the price he pays for his own actions."

Xia De sighed, and Miss Higgins nodded as well:

"It seems we have no choice. People must always pay the price for their actions."

Xia De then spoke to the old woman:

"Lady Miles, please save the final memory for the next time. If anything unexpected happens then, I can still help."

"Very well. Having waited so long, a final wait makes no difference. I myself also wish to prepare mentally. Having just seen the stories of what happened between me and him in the past, I am already very satisfied."

The old woman nodded too. Both she and Miss Higgins thought Xia De did not want to miss the exciting parts, but in reality, Xia De was still thinking of that deity who had yet to appear.

Old Lady Miles's wish would likely be fulfilled soon, barring any accidents. The boy had also realized his wish to gain the power of revenge. As for Miss Higgins, having obtained the mithril mine, she was probably the one who gained the most. The next time Xia De came, he would not only try to retrieve the soul from the demon but also make that deity appear voluntarily.

There must still be ways for Xia De to gather information in the market, and these ways were likely all related to that deity. The outsider had actually guessed roughly where the deity was; the only thing remaining was to make Him appear voluntarily. And the demon should be a very good means.

Of course, Xia De also maintained considerable curiosity about whether Old Lady Miles could truly reunite with her lover from the distant past who had left their homeland.

After bidding farewell to the two ladies, he turned and walked into the black mist. As he moved forward, the glowing white mist gradually replaced the black mist until Xia De stepped out of his own bedroom door, seeing the Thursday morning home, and seeing Luvia holding Mia, waiting for his return.

Just now, listening to Old Lady Miles tell her love story, Xia De had also recalled his own love story. Seeing his heroine—one of them—now, he could not help but smile.

"You look in a good mood. What, did you not encounter any trouble this time?"

The purple-eyed girl holding the cat asked.

"No, the trouble this time was huge, but it doesn't matter."

Xia De thought for a moment:

"The rest can be solved by finding a doctor. However, I want to ask you about a Relic, a divination Relic."

"Go on."

The purple-eyed girl looked at him curiously. The cat in her arms finally took the opportunity to escape.

"If all goes well, that Relic should be of the Unknown Grade (Grade 0). I only know its name from the previous Era; I am unsure if it is still called that now. The Relic was inscribed with 【See the Truth Through the Fog】, and at that time, it was called the 【Throne of Fate】."

In the next instant, Luvia lunged entirely toward Xia De.

This was not an exaggerated metaphor; the purple-eyed girl really did lunge at him. Except in the bedroom at night, Xia De rarely saw her so emotionally agitated.

Her purple eyes widened, and her hands grabbed the front of Xia De's clothes:

"The Brass Crystal Ball Base? You saw the 【Throne of Fate】?"

"Yes, don't get so excited. Oh, Mia, Luvia is not trying to hurt me. Don't extend your claws."

He took out the transparent book with the colors of the starry sea from the air. Opening it, he held it before him, intending to show the appearance of the Relic. But strangely, this time, the object on the pages was unusually blurry, even though Xia De's memory was perfectly clear.

"That is it! It really is the 【Throne of Fate】!"

Seeing the blurry appearance of the Relic on the pages, the expression of excitement on Luvia's face grew even more intense:

"Where did you see it? Where did you see it?"

"The Black Fog Camp, but it's certainly gone now. However, I am certain this relic has a great connection with the Old God, the Golden Sovereign. Although the Golden Sovereign departed in the Fifth Era, perhaps His followers remain!"

The girl with purple eyes held his head and gave him a deep kiss:

"I'm going to the Association! If I can use the Association's power to find this relic... wait for my good news!"

She kissed Xia De's cheek once more, then waved her hand, grabbed the coat from the clothes rack, and rushed out of the room.

Xia De followed and caught up with Luvia in the downstairs foyer:

"Don't run around on the road; be careful on the way."

"I know, Xia De. You might not understand the significance of this relic to the Diviners."

The smile on her face, born of excitement, was quite brilliant:

"Even if it's just a clue, the Association is willing to pay any price except the Card of All-Encompassing Change to exchange for it. Detective, Knight, you have truly brought earth-shattering good news this time. The Throne of Fate belongs to that Ancient God. Tonight, at home, take a bath and wait for me."

She bit her lip, her eyes filled with charm:

"I'll reward you tonight, but this isn't repayment; I feel it is what you deserve. Mr. Young Man who locked us with love, just wait... I'm going to the Association now."

Then came another kiss.

Xia De paused for a moment, not because of the kiss, but because of Luvia's words just now:

"Locked love?"

A similar description had been spoken by Sister Sister Daifulin not long ago.

"It's just a metaphor; don't take it so seriously. I'm not a writer as skilled with words as Dorothy. But rather than saying you locked us, it's more accurate to say we locked you with various means. For instance, on that night, I locked you with an oath."

The girl with purple eyes waved goodbye with a smile on her face:

"I really must go to the Association now, Xia De. See you tonight."

"Alright, see you tonight. Be careful on the way."

He opened the door to see Luvia out and waved goodbye to her as well.

After Luvia had gone far away, Xia De closed the door. Turning around, he found Mia had followed him at some point, squatting on the stairs and watching him.

Xia De looked into Mia's eyes, touched his own chest, and stood in the foyer without immediately returning upstairs.

【What are you considering? Your loyalty and guilt regarding love? Or perhaps the reason for your arrival in this world, which you just learned?】

"She" asked gently:

【That old woman's story was indeed very warm. This is probably what love is.】

"Locked love, locked emotions."

His eyes looked at Mia, but the cat clearly felt that Xia De was not looking at it.

PS: Begging for votes!

This chapter has two illustrations, both of Luvia. I don't know which style everyone likes.

Begging for votes again!

(End of this chapter)