Louis Lund shook his head.
"I've got no idea, but when Madame came back, she wasn't well either."
"Then she saw the castle in ruins and the important items destroyed. She gathered the remaining ones and prepared to leave Cordu."
Based on what I witnessed, it seems that Madame Pualis had indeed been engaged in a fight with someone else. Lumian asked with curiosity, "Why didn't Madame Pualis try to bring the dead back to life?"
Louis Lund looked at Lumian, surprised.
"I never told you any of that…"
In other words, he wanted to know how Lumian had this knowledge.
Lumian smiled but offered no explanation.
Louis Lund couldn't contain his urge to spill the secret.
"Madame can resurrect the dead and restore their bodies, but it's far from perfect. The resurrected ones aren't quite human anymore. They're part corpse, part monster. They only retain fragments of their original memories and can only exist for seven days."
Madame Pualis's resurrection ability is severely flawed at this level… Lumian was disappointed.
He diverted the topic.
"What did Madame Pualis want in Cordu?"
Louis Lund looked puzzled. "Didn't I already tell you?"
Lumian was prepared and smiled as he replied, "Given what happened afterward, I believe you might have a different perspective now."
Louis Lund felt the need to share the information, so he sighed and said, "Back then, I couldn't comprehend it. I was even scared. That's why I dropped hints to the padre during Mass, hoping for assistance."
"Yes… I later discovered that Madame wanted to create an entirely new world in Cordu. In this world, when humans die, their souls return to the earth and roam the wilderness. On special occasions, they can return home and experience the joy of reunion. By redeeming their sins, they can be reborn, emerging from the Mother's womb as human fetuses."
"Paramita?" Lumian remembered the term from his dream.
"Yes!" Louis Lund replied, fear evident in his eyes.
He suspected that Lumian had asked the question to gauge his reaction.
Lumian knew the correct answer and sought to determine if Louis Lund was lying or how much of his story was false.
"Why establish Paramita?" Lumian pressed further.
He could only inquire about it from Louis Lund, not Madame Pualis.
Louis Lund shook his head slowly.
"Madame briefly mentioned it, but it was very vague.
"She said she had only established a small, caricature Paramita, a part of the complete Paramita. She also mentioned that by creating her own Paramita, she could please the Mother and bear more."
A part? What would happen if those Madames managed to create a complete Paramita? Lumian wondered if constructing a miniature Paramita was a prerequisite for their unusual path towards godhood.
He gazed at Louis Lund, attempting to inquire, "What is Madame Pualis's Sequence now?"
"Madame's condition is rather peculiar. It might be related to the destruction of her Paramita or something else she possesses," Louis Lund replied, catching himself mid-sentence.
Why can't I control my words? Why did I say what I shouldn't have?
Louis Lund realized that his behavior had likely been influenced by one of Lumian Lee's Beyonder powers.
Now understanding the cause, he no longer blamed himself or felt anxious. He felt a sense of relief and relaxation.
"Madame should be somewhere between Sequence 5 and Sequence 4. At times, she exudes an imposing aura that makes people afraid to meet her gaze. Other times, she lacks such grandeur."
It's reminiscent of the state Madame Pualis displayed in my dream… Lumian recalled and stated, "Sequence 9 Villain, Sequence 8 Gardener, Sequence 7 Heretic Spellmaster, Sequence 6 Sower… What comes after Sequence 5? And what about Sequence 4? What lies beyond that?"
He knows more than I anticipated… Witnessing Lumian Lee divulge so much information about the pathway's Sequences in one go, Louis Lund didn't dare take any risks. Yielding to his desire to confide in him, he responded, "Banshee is Sequence 5, and Evil Overlord, also known as Benevolent Overlord or Madame, is Sequence 4. I don't know what lies beyond that. I'm merely a Gardener. I don't possess the right to receive any further boons and advance to become a Heretic Spellmaster."
Banshee… The name implies a change in gender… Pulitt became Pualis… Titles like Madame Moon and Madame Night symbolize godhood and demigods, but Madame Pualis doesn't precisely fit the role of Madame Night… Lumian pondered for a moment before steering the conversation back to Cordu.
"Were Madame Pualis's initial followers in the village mostly lovers and the elderly?"
"That's correct," Louis Lund affirmed, nodding. "People like Naroka, who were quite old, yearned deeply for their departed loved ones. They longed to see them again and worry about what awaits them after death. They experience both fear and longing. That's the aid Madame can provide them. Unfortunately, Naroka passed away suddenly before fully embracing Paramita. Madame suspects that she discovered the padre's scheme and was killed by her youngest son, who follows the padre."
That explains it… Lumian gained new insight into Naroka's death from his dream.
Her demise was the result of being silenced.
Ava and Reimund likely met the same fate.
Sighing, Lumian changed the subject.
"When did you realize something was amiss with the padre?"
Louis Lund contemplated for a moment and replied, "In early January, I caught sight of the children in the castle tower. You can't fathom what it was like. To put it briefly, it terrified me and nearly drove me insane. I was desperate to leave Madame.
"Initially, I believed she was just like those mystical fanatics who enjoy purchasing magazines like Psychic and Lotus and engaging in futile practices. I didn't think there was anything wrong. However, as time went on, I noticed that the other residents of the castle were becoming increasingly peculiar. The administrator locked himself and Madame in their rooms on two separate occasions, coinciding with the birth of a child each time. My valets and maids often did the same, and Madame was remarkably understanding of their behavior.
"From time to time, the distant cries of a baby reached my ears, causing deep suspicion to well up within me. Seizing the opportunity presented by Madame's absence and the others' lack of vigilance, I stealthily slipped into the tower. Oh, Mother, the sight that greeted me was utterly terrifying!"
Louis Lund, originally intending to speak of Guillaume Bénet's abnormal behavior, found himself unable to contain his thoughts on the castle tower incident, and he began to ramble.
Lumian could vividly imagine the scene, for he had witnessed it in his dream: human children with bird-like claws, sprawled against the walls, densely packed and scattered throughout.
Louis Lund gulped nervously and continued his account, "I initially dropped hints to the padre during Mass. Later, I took the opportunity to reveal Madame's abnormality to him. I suspected she might be a follower of an evil deity. He instructed me to keep it hidden and not expose myself, assuring me that he would handle the situation.
"It was around mid-January when things took a turn for the worse. The padre continued his normal routine as if nothing was amiss. Despite my repeated urging, you eventually discovered the truth and threatened me.
"After that, Sewell, the carriage driver, and I received a revelation. We repented and wholeheartedly pledged ourselves to Madame.
"Then, in March, the padre suddenly launched an attack on the castle with a group of people."
Louis Lund has limited knowledge about the padre's situation. When Lumian inquired further about what had transpired in Cordu, Louis Lund seemed unfamiliar with the village's circumstances. This aligned with his role as the castle's butler, primarily tending to matters in Dariège and other cities.
He only mentioned that since January, the villagers of Cordu had been frequently discussing horoscopes, believing that it would bring them glory and alter their destinies. Prior to that, they merely followed certain folk traditions to ward off any changes in their fate. Specific discussions regarding these matters were rare.
With the understanding that former administrator Béost and Madame Pualis's lady's maid, Cathy, were now Heretic Spellmasters, and that Madame Pualis had left Cordu before Lent, Lumian realized he wouldn't glean any more information from Louis Lund.
Knowing when to stop, Lumian posed a direct question, "Where does Madame Pualis reside now?"
"In Quartier de Noël…" Louis Lund instinctively moved to cover his mouth but added another detail. "Rue de Scotch Broom…"
Rue de Scotch Broom in Quartier de Noël… A map of Trier from a magazine article flashed through Lumian's mind.
Quartier de Noël lay northeast of Le Marché du Quartier du Gentleman, divided by the Srenzo River. It was renowned for its numerous hospitals, including the Veterans' Home and Wounded Soldiers' Hospital. Additionally, being situated in the suburbs, it boasted a fair share of farmland.
Lumian refrained from pressuring Louis Lund or intensifying his desire to extract more information. Instead, he smiled and said, "I bear no ill intentions towards Madame. I merely wish to speak with her about the events in Cordu.
"I will allow you to depart. Please inform Madame Pualis that if she is willing to meet with me, she can choose the time and place. Ah, please send your response to Room 302, 9 Rue des Pavés, Quartier du Jardin Botanique, before tomorrow night."
It was a safe house Lumian had prepared in Quartier du Jardin Botanique, and now it would finally serve its purpose.
Louis Lund let out a sigh of relief before responding cautiously, "Got it."
Anxious thoughts plagued him, fearing that Lumian might allow him to depart only to trail behind him. Yet, considering Lumian's evident capability to uncover Madame's precise whereabouts without pressing the issue, Louis Lund found himself compelled to place his trust in Lumian's amicability.
He then gestured towards his shorts and remarked, "I cannot leave dressed like this."
