Chapter 3744: The Sixth Actor

The moment Lady White in the Drowned Ghost Tavern announced the start of the card game, five people across the island of Fatu-Monster—Stella, the old Mr. Zarathos, Mr. Mortis, the "Priest," and Miss Katrin Schwartz—all looked up toward the sky simultaneously.

Though they had undergone no physical change, they could all sense the presence of the other four players in this game. Their gazes pierced through the void above, seeing directly the players sitting around the tavern's round table, holding their cards, along with Lady White.

They felt infinitely small, like wine glasses, plates, or trinkets standing on the round table; meanwhile, the players staring at their hands were gargantuan, holding their future fates like puppeteers.

The tavern's noise and the shifting lights were merely background; the candidates finally felt, in truth, that they were actors on a stage. Each looked toward the player they sensed was holding their fate, and each face wore an expression of astonishment:

"What is happening? Isn't it supposed to be a one-to-one correspondence?"

Of course, the players in the tavern could not see these protagonist candidates, so Xia De could not guess what expression Stella was wearing.

In the 【Prophet Society】 within the city and the 【Doom Sect】 stronghold outside, the prophets and cultists who sensed the opening of the Seventh Act immediately brought out the means they had prepared long ago but had not revealed to any allies:

"The Seventh Act has finally begun. Zarathos, for the sake of this world and the Society's future plans, you must obtain the position of the Chosen of Fate—Relic: Fate-Replacing Card!"

"Fate must ultimately return to fate. For this moment, the Sect has prepared for five hundred years—Relic: Tear of Rebirth!"

The instant these two precious Angel-level relics were used, on the card table in the Drowned Ghost Tavern, two cards slid from the top of the deck to the right of Lady White toward the Baron and Miss Erfurt.

They had originally corresponded to Mr. Mortis and the "Priest," but the cards they now held were the old Mr. Zarathos and Katrin Schwartz. Both were stunned as they picked up their fourth cards, but they threw them down together.

The Baron recited the effect of his card:

"The Prophet uses 【Fate-Replacing Card】 to gain an additional character card."

And what Miss Erfurt said was:

"The Daughter of Doom uses 【Tear of Rebirth】 to revive on the spot in her best state after dying during the game."

Xia De deduced the identities of the character cards in their hands from this. As for the appearance of such game-changing items at the very start, he was not surprised at all. It would be strange if two sects associated with the God of Fate hadn't found a way to gain an extra advantage.

So, after the two cards landed on the table, Xia De threw out the card in his hand named 【Myriad Changes · Fate】:

"The Snow Maiden uses 【Myriad Changes · Fate】 to stir fate once, interfering with the effects of all cards played this turn."

After saying this, he smiled at the two who had just used their cards:

"Sorry, I also have a wish I want to realize."

As for using the card provided by the Prophet Society to interfere with a play favorable to the Prophet Society, Xia De felt no psychological burden; after all, he had also interfered with the cultists' means, so even if the Society found out later, they wouldn't blame him.

Three cards were thrown onto the table. The people around the round table saw no sound or light effects, but the two precious relics held by President Lenormand and the Archbishop of the 【Doom Sect】, Kalai Wotuna, shattered at the sound.

The shattered relics released points of light that crossed space and gathered at the top of the deck on the table. The effects of the two Angel-level relics were reversed. Lady White flipped over the brand-new card and took a look; this was a result even she hadn't expected:

"Fate is turned; the effects of substitution and death-replacement are nullified. The extra identity and life have been forged by inconstant fate into a brand-new possibility. A change that should not have existed has appeared on the stage of fate."

After a one-second pause:

"The sixth actor enters."

She ignored the surprise on the players' faces and threw the card onto the table. The pure white beast on the card looked as if it could rush out the next second:

"Unicorn - Ellie."

"Do unicorns really exist?"

Even though they knew something about Ringed Shushi, except for Xia De, the other four had never known that such creatures from fairy tales were real. They were more surprised by the unicorn itself than by the entry of the sixth actor.

As for the five candidates tonight, they all sensed at this moment that a sixth person had joined the story.

But before they could explain the situation of the sixth person to their companions, they disappeared from where they were in a white light, and subsequently appeared in different locations at the foot of the snow mountain.

Lady White took five cards from the face-down deck and pressed them onto the table, sliding them toward the five people:

"The story begins. First, determine your respective starting positions."

The five flipped their cards and threw them onto the table.

"Entrance to the Frost-Kissed Corridor at the southern foot of the snow mountain."

"Nameless beach in the north of the island."

"Outside the west gate of Keltod Town."

"Top of the sea cliff in the west of the island."

"Shore of Selin Lake in the east of the island... Since there is a sixth actor in the story, which player does this actor correspond to?"

Prince Anru couldn't help but ask. He had already decided to fight for victory with the strange character card in his hand. Although this wasn't his aunt's identity card, as long as he won and obtained the chance to make a wish, his status would not be affected by this event, which was the most important thing.

Lady White gave the answer:

"The sixth actor was chosen by inconstant fate. She has not yet been able to manifest her own fate upon the snake's slough, so she cannot form the cards in your hands. She will enter tonight's story as an extra actor, but cannot receive support from the players."

"As compensation, fate will choose a weak companion for her nearby. The sixth actor will perform in tonight's story accompanied by her companion. Her fate is written by herself and her companion together. Every time the number of cards used on the table reaches twelve, I will draw a card for her and use it immediately."

The players nodded in understanding. Compared to the actors with corresponding players, the sixth actor clearly had the greatest disadvantage. People who had never participated in similar games should have found it difficult to understand the rules, but at this moment, everyone easily understood the meaning; perhaps Lady White's power was influencing them.

Meanwhile, on the "Radiant Messenger" which had returned to the Keltod Town pier, Claire hurriedly explained Stella's sudden "disappearance" to Luweiya and Beiya, who were preparing for divination in the banquet hall.

Because they were unsure what state Stella would be in after the card game started, Stella had been standing by on the deck accompanied by Miss Elayse and Claire.

The Great Mage of the Sun, having finished explaining the situation, discovered that the little unicorn was missing from the banquet hall:

"Where did Ellie go? Wasn't it agreed that Ellie would stay on the ship tonight?"

Luweiya's expression was very grim:

"Ellie has also disappeared. If Stella's appearance when she disappeared was turning into white points of light, then Ellie is the same as her. However, the biggest problem right now is not Ellie's disappearance."

Beiya's expression was also quite ugly:

"We have encountered another big trouble. If this big trouble is not solved, even if everything else goes smoothly tonight, everyone present will still have no way to answer to Xia De."

Claire was frightened by them:

"What problem is so serious that you describe it like this? Wait, you don't mean..."

Claire's eyes widened, and she searched the banquet hall, but did not see the tiny figure that should have been there. Most of the Great Mages had already left the ship according to the plan, and there were not many girls left in the banquet hall. Everyone's expression was very serious; the problem was indeed quite tricky:

"Yes, Little Mia, who was standing on Ellie's head, disappeared with Ellie just now."

"Huh?"

On the beach in the southeast of Fatu-Monster Island, Ellie's figure appeared in the thick fog under the night. The little unicorn looked around blankly, not understanding how she had come here from the ship. Because she had no player, she could not sense the card game currently in progress.

However, although she didn't understand how she had suddenly changed positions, Ellie recognized this beach. She had been here after being driven out of the ice castle by the demon. Since she identified the location, she took a few running steps, wanting to spread her wings and fly back to the ship, which had a large stock of apples.

But she had only just taken off when she fell back down into the fog. The little unicorn had a strange feeling that she should go into the snow mountain now to find some strange seals, destroy them, and then climb to the peak of the snow mountain.

"Meow~"

She was curious about where the information in her head came from, but at this moment she heard a cat's meow. Ellie immediately turned her head to look around, and then realized that the meow came from Little Mia on her head.

The orange and white cat was not as confused as Ellie. It stood on Ellie's head and looked at the surrounding environment as if patrolling its home, and then patted Ellie's little head with its right front paw:

"Meow!"

"Huh!"

The unicorn, having received instructions, carried the cat happily across the desolate beach by the sea and ran toward the direction of the pine forest at the foot of the snow mountain.

The thick fog could not swallow the glowing little beast and the cat that had lazily laid down again on its head. Ellie, in fact, like Little Liana, could not understand what Little Mia's "meow" meant.

However, just as Ellie could know many things and find many things by feeling, she believed that she could also understand the cat's meaning by feeling.

Now that she had left the big ship, she should do something that could help Xia De. With the cat's company, she didn't feel lonely even when acting in the middle of the night. Ellie believed that she would definitely be able to play a big role tonight, and the first step of the action was to enter the snow mountain.

?? PS: Ask for votes at the beginning of the month!!! ===== CHAPTER 3745 =====