Chapter 4 - Shepherd’s Secret Continuation

Hajina had barely left when James Moriarty returned home with a heavy briefcase. "The Bureau's people just left, I assume?" Old James inquired as soon as he stepped through the door. He had clearly encountered Hajina at the gates of the estate and exchanged some pleasantries. James appeared as a courteous elderly gentleman, with clear wrinkles etched on his face. His gray eyes were somewhat murky, deep-set within their sockets, and his hair was speckled with white and thinning. However, his skin was remarkably well-maintained. Though his face was gaunt with prominent cheekbones, and he appeared slender while wearing a coat, once he removed it, one could tell he was far from frail. He always spoke in a gentle and soothing tone, with a long-drawn, soft, and lilted elven accent. It was evident that he had received a good upbringing and undoubtedly had a pleasant temperament. Setting down his briefcase at the door, he removed his double-breasted overcoat and hat, handing them to Wade, his personal valet who stood by the entrance. "They didn't interrogate Aiwas for hours, did they... Hmm, thank you, Wade. Remember to send this case to Aiwas' room later." "Yes, sir. I've noted that," Wade replied quietly, taking the items and retreating. "Miss Hajina was late." The old elf, not hiding his displeasure, said, "She's always like this, losing her tie while thinking of her hat, always so haphazard. If she continues like this, sooner or later she'll miss something important and get a stern reprimand from her superior." "That's something for the future. Let's discuss it when 'sooner or later' actually happens. If she errs due to her own bad habits, let those errors be her teacher." The old man merely chuckled softly, closing his eyes as he added warmly, "There's no need to scold her now for mistakes she might make later, Oswald. You are her mentor, not her boss." He treated his elven steward, Oswald, with warmth and familiarity. This was natural, for over sixty years ago, when he was about the same age as Aiwas now, it was Oswald who had watched over his upbringing. Besides the old steward, the household employed sixteen other live-in servants — including a housekeeper, two personal maids, two personal valets, two maids, five footmen, a cook, two kitchen assistants, and a driver. Aiwas's elder brother seldom returned home, so the only residents apart from him and Julia were Old James. James conducted himself with understated calmness, treating even the servants with politeness. Though he rarely smiled, he never seemed to display anger or fury towards anyone. — Or, to put it more accurately, no one had seen him lose his temper in decades. Even when facing the rudest of guests, he maintained composure and dignity. Yes, the old man. Although James was nominally Aiwas' adoptive father, in practice, his age was closer to that of a grandfather. This made sense... Aiwas was only six years old when James adopted him, and now Aiwas was eighteen. Aiwas and Julia's elder brother, Edward Moriarty, was eight when he was adopted by James. He was now thirty-five. "...Father." Julia, standing beside Aiwas, approached, greeting him softly. Like a well-behaved cat, she leaned in, and the elderly man affectionately patted her head. "How have you been feeling today, Julia?" He asked earnestly, "Have you been taking your medicine?" "I have." Julia replied in a gentle voice, her tone carrying a dreamlike and ethereal quality. "Rest early and don't stay up reading. There's always more to learn." The old man advised kindly, "Don't stay up past nine; your health isn't good — understand, Julia?" Seeing her gaze start to wander as he spoke, he slightly raised his voice, emphasizing, "Julia?" "Yes, I know." Julia replied vaguely. The old man sighed, somewhat exasperated, and reiterated, "Don't stay up late, you silly girl. "You never go out anyway, so day and night don't make much difference to you. So you might as well sleep early, and read whatever you want during the day. It's better for your eyes that way." As he spoke, Julia fell silent again. With little choice, Old James emphasized, "I'm old now; I can't stay up late anymore. I need to sleep by ten, so if you have questions at night, I won't be able to help. But if you read during the day, you can come to me anytime with your questions. I don't have a class tomorrow, and I'll be home for several days this time. You can ask me anything you don't understand, alright?" "...Okay." Julia finally lifted her head earnestly, her ruby-like eyes gazing into the old man's. "I've been reading on alchemy... theories from the Balance Path. Do you know about this, Father?" "I understand all the books in this house." The old man said calmly, "I know a bit about all nine paths." Though his tone was mild, a sense of confidence seemed to naturally emanate. "Then I'll definitely go to bed early tonight." The girl raised two fingers beside her ear, her expression earnest as she promised, "I swear, I won't break my word—" "No." The old man gently extended his hand, curling the girl's fingers back into a fist. "Don't do that." James said seriously, "That's a 'Simple Oath,' a gesture with a spiritual significance. If you break such an oath, you would face consequences." "...I was just curious." Julia murmured, "I just read about it in a book today... Was my gesture correct?" "It was correct. So please, don't do it again." The old man sighed in mild exasperation, "Go have your meal. I have something to discuss with Aiwas." With an acknowledgment, Julia followed Oswald to the dining room, leaving only two people in the living room. James fell back into silence, taking a seat opposite Aiwas. He picked up the untouched cup of tea Hajina left behind, poured it out, and poured himself a fresh cup. Watching the silent Aiwas, he gently asked, "How do you feel... How's your condition now? Is it stable?" He was referring, of course, to Aiwas' contract with the Shadow Demon. Such things could never be concealed from a foster father. Since Aiwas had woken up at home, it meant that Oswald, the steward, likely brought his unconscious form back. Therefore, James had surely checked him over, ensuring a simple, common seal was in place — at least preventing the Shadow Demon from taking over Aiwas' body while he was unconscious. It was all very considerate. In the vision of "the future," the demented, brooding, hunched figure of James Moriarty seemed to bear no resemblance to the kindly elder who cared for Aiwas now! Recorded in his memory were moments filled with James' affection— When Aiwas was just over ten, he casually mentioned missing Aunt Misu's special fried cod fillet prepared during holidays at the orphanage. The very next day, Aunt Misu was hired with a lucrative salary to work temporarily as a kitchen aide at home. Not only did she teach the special fried cod fillet, but all her "common dishes" were imparted to the household cook. When she left, she was given an additional bonus. It spooked Aiwas so much that, for over half a year, he didn't dare voice any cravings or desires, fearing that they'd be catered to immediately. Even when he hadn't recalled his past life, young Aiwas was always keenly aware of his position — he was not James Moriarty's biological son, and he didn't deserve to take such indulgences for granted. Indeed, Aiwas’ own sensibility had kept him from turning into any sort of spoiled scion. So, whenever Aiwas gazed upon his foster father now, a complex mix of emotions would take over. A hint of wishful thinking lingered in his heart. ...Could it be possible that at the start of the story, his foster father wasn't yet the mastermind behind the scenes? Or perhaps, only after the collapse of the Avalon Kingdom did he fall into darkness? It was not out of the question. In the original narrative, when the Avalon Kingdom was falling apart, Aiwas escaped to the Church Nation alongside the protagonist. From then on, he and his foster father were separated. The next time they met was three years later. Maybe... It was within those three years that something transpired? ...However, that would fail to explain Aiwas’s role as a spy infiltrating the "players." "—Aiwas?" Noticing Aiwas had drifted into his thoughts again, the old man called to him softly, "If this won't do, shall I seek out the Bishop to dispel the possessing demon for you?" "...Ah, there's no problem, Father. Among the knowledge I gained from those people, there's precisely a method to seal a Shadow Demon." Aiwas looked up and offered a reassuring smile. "I was just thinking about something else." "I trust you." His foster father nodded slowly. "The materials you asked for yesterday, I've already brought back for you. The rope from the gallows was easy enough to find... but the nail from the head of someone executed by quartering, now that was quite difficult. The queen abolished that method after her coronation. I had to procure it from a museum." "I'm not sure if you'll need more in the future, but I've brought back all four that were available. The museum's records have been dealt with thoroughly, so there's nothing to worry about. If you need anything else, just let me know... and please, don't place your trust in outsiders so readily." ...So soon? Aiwas found it hard to believe. He hadn't expected his foster father would actually find them in just one day. Is this the kind of power the Moriarty family wielded while the Avalon Kingdom still existed? "Fantastic! With these, I can seal the Shadow Demon more securely." His heart warmed with genuine gratitude. "Thank you, Father!" The two ritual materials he had asked for weren't actually meant for sealing the Shadow Demon. Using a wheelchair was the simplest and most stable method, as verified by demonologists of the Starnan Kingdom four years down the line. "Then I'll skip dinner today!" Clearly eager and somewhat restless, Aiwas, always a passionate occultist, was now acting with an expected zeal for such mysteries. "I'll do it." Seeing Aiwas about to wheel himself away, Old James quickly stepped forward to take hold of the wheelchair and guided Aiwas to his room. As they went, the old man spoke softly, "Aiwas, though you may not want to hear it, I must say one thing." "In your rituals, never use humans or human remains as materials or offerings. I'll do everything I can to provide whatever else you need... Can you promise me that?" Hearing this, Aiwas, seated in the wheelchair, widened his eyes in slight surprise. It wasn't that he was shocked at the apparent moral uprightness in a request coming from his foster father, a supposed mastermind... But rather because he knew the old man was entirely right. Until the "Fallen Sky Event," when the limitations on demonologists' rank lifted, the old generation didn't realize their approach was fundamentally wrong. They had focused on the 'demon' aspect of demonology, overlooking the 'scholar' aspect. Humans can't use humans in rituals, elves can't use elves. And transformed undead can't use any creature's bones as material. These are the taboos of "Heaven's Wrath." Any demonologist who used kin as offerings or invoked Heaven's Wrath could never advance to the "Grand Sin Scholar" rank within their profession. Those at Level Five could only transform themselves into various demons — not an advancement, merely exchanging their level for a more powerful form than a human. Unquestionably, this outcome fell far short of the strengths and capabilities of hero-class "Grand Sin Scholars." Where players couldn't use their own kind from the start, they naturally avoided the pitfalls leading to false advancements. Now, hearing James articulate this secret with such clarity... Was it merely chance, or was it... Moved by this contemplation, Aiwas nodded earnestly. He extended two fingers from his right hand, placed them near his ear, and solemnly declared his oath: "I swear not to use the lives or remains of my own kin as materials or offerings for my rituals." As he finished speaking, a vision suddenly overcame him— In a snowy mountain at night. With a diadem of silver adorning its head, a dragon, resplendent and crystalline as if made of diamond and silver, looked on in silence from above. The vision lasted but a fleeting second, barely even half of one. Aiwas awoke covered in cold sweat. [You have felt the gaze of 'Sovereignty'] [You have gained the trait: Sovereignty - Silver Scale] [Sovereignty - Silver Scale: With this mark inscribed, the Silver Diadem Dragon watches you; a particular oath sworn by you cannot be broken. When attacking anyone who breaks an oath, you gain +1 Advantage (Divine)] "...I can't quite tell if it's your fortune or misfortune, that merely the 'Simple Oath' would catch His attention. Must be coincidence..." Even the elderly man seemed to sense something, pausing his steps. After a long silence, he resumed pushing the wheelchair, speaking softly, "Regardless, the God of Sovereignty has heard your oath, and you mustn't break it now." "Of course…" Exhausted, Aiwas closed his eyes, feeling the pounding of his heart grow almost obstructive. "I'll never tread that irreversible path of corruption." (Chapter End)