Hearing the cries of a baby again? Is he pestered by the so-called Child of God? Lumian held Madam Magician's reply, unfinished, and adjusted his sitting posture with amusement. He gazed at the door and said, "Come in."
Lugano turned the handle and cautiously pushed open the door, uncomfortably stopping in front of Lumian.
His actions and demeanor, combined with his thick eyebrows, large eyes, and square face, made him appear rather comical.
"Isn't that evil Warlock, the old man n-named Prinpino, already dead? Why can I still hear the cries of a baby?" Lugano inquired with concern, his tone reflecting it.
Having consulted the just-awakened Ludwig, he had received an answer that he hadn't heard the baby's cries.
Lumian playfully shook the letter in his hand and chuckled.
"There are two possibilities. One is that Prinpino's accomplices on the ship also possess the ritual to summon the Child of God. The other possibility is…
Lugano pressed impatiently, "What is it?"
Lumian glanced at the Doctor and grinned.
"Perhaps the unborn Child of God has taken a liking to you and wants to choose you as his surrogate mother. Thus, even though Prinpino is already dead, he's unwilling to leave you and continues to linger by your side. Normally, he can't be seen or sensed."
Lugano's scalp tingled as he listened. Ignoring the question of why he was a mother and not a father, he stammered, "W-what should I do?"
"No rush." Lumian smiled.
"There's no need to hurry in such circumstances." Lugano felt like his internal organs might be devoured by the so-called Child of God at any moment, leaving only an empty cavity.
"Of course," Lumian said in a relaxed state. "Aren't you still alive? Since you're not dead, it means the situation isn't very serious. You can take it slow. There's no hurry."
That seems to be the case… Lugano, caught up in the conversation, nodded and asked in confusion, "Must I die before the problem becomes serious enough for it to become urgent?"
Lumian chuckled and said, "No, it means there's zero need to rush.
"If you're already dead, what's the hurry? Can I revive you?"
In short, there's no need to rush? Lugano was taken aback.
Though he harbored doubts, his employer's ability to crack jokes and play pranks reassured him.
Evidently, his employer didn't view the baby's cries as a grave concern!
Only then did Lumian unveil his true speculation.
"There's a third possibility. The corruption you suffered upon contact with Enio won't dissipate so quickly, and it's highly likely that it won't vanish naturally. Consequently, you'll still form a connection with the unborn Child of God."
"Then, how do I eliminate the corruption?" Lugano accepted this explanation and believed that a solution existed.
Lumian didn't immediately respond to his question. He let Lugano stand in front of him as he perused the rest of Madam Magician's reply.
"Considering your link to the Child of God and the evil god's angel sealed within you, encountering a member of the School of God's Descent isn't a mere coincidence.
"However, your interpreter and guide are of the Planter pathway—that raises other issues. It's only natural for you to encounter matters connected to the Great Mother.
"As for the problem, ponder it and inquire within yourself. I won't spoon-feed you the answer. Conspirers need to employ their brains more…"
Observing this, Lumian looked up at Lugano without uttering a word. The Doctor's body tensed, and a thin layer of sweat trickled down his back.
"Is—is there any other problem?" Lugano stammered.
Lumian reclined in his chair and said contemplatively, "Clearing corruption is an entirely separate course in mysticism. I need to grasp the specifics before providing an answer."
Having underscored the significance, he inquired, "Have you encountered similar situations before? Like peculiar infant cries, mystical occurrences linked to births, sorcery entwined with mothers, and so forth."
Lugano dared not be careless, fearing that if the corruption wasn't rectified promptly, he might end up as an organless being.
He meticulously sifted through his experiences over the years. After a moment, he tentatively said, "There's something I'm not sure if it's relevant…"
It was clear that he was reluctant to discuss the matter.
"How am I supposed to know if it's relevant if you don't tell me?" Lumian didn't care about privacy.
After a brief pause, Lugano cleared his throat and said, "Didn't I mention that I became a Beyonder by obtaining a friend's relic?"
"Yes, did you murder that friend?" Lumian inquired deliberately.
Lugano hastily shook his head.
"No, he committed suicide."
"Suicide?" Lumian raised his eyebrows, finding this matter intriguing.
Lugano finally gathered the courage and spilled it out in one go, "When I worked as a bounty hunter, I utilized the hidden mountain ranges in the Dariège mountain range for smuggling operations. I moved things back and forth, making a decent sum. I even aided some wanted criminals in escaping overseas. Tanko was one of them, but his escape wasn't from Intis to Feynapotter. Instead, he fled from Feynapotter to Intis.
"Eventually, he discovered a secluded valley deep within the mountain range and built a field of his own. He cultivated crops, tended to livestock, and kept to himself. I regularly visited, supplying him with essentials like salt, sugar, fabric, and other goods. In return, Tanko imparted mystic knowledge.
"I never imagined leading an ordinary life, with me out there adventuring and becoming a bounty hunter. Mysticism held a strong allure for me, and the teachings imparted by Tanko seemed invaluable at times.
"Tanko could be an enigma. Sometimes, he'd fall into brooding silence, his temper as hard and unyielding as stone, as if wrestling with inner demons. Other times, he'd be buoyant and loquacious, curious about everything around him.
"Every so often, he'd confess to straying from the Mother's teachings, descending into the depths of darkness. He'd lament how he drifted further from his true self, suffering the consequences. Occasionally, he'd voice suspicions about the Church, believing it to be deceptive, claiming the true Mother had departed long ago…"
In that moment, Lugano couldn't help but draw parallels between Tanko's cryptic musings and the philosophy of the School of God's Descent, as recounted by Father Montserrat.
Was this encounter a foreshadowing, planted in the past? Lugano drew in a deep breath, sensing an ominous shiver down his spine.
He rushed out his words.
"Last autumn, I revisited Tanko. We sipped his brew and discussed various things beyond the mountain.
"Out of the blue, he spilled that he couldn't endure his decadent, sinful self any longer. The demon lurking deep within him was gaining control. Tanko wanted to end his life before it consumed him entirely. His dying wish? I deliver his stuff to Torres, the capital of Gaia Province, and hand it over to a Church of Earth Mother clergyman, preferably a Blessed.
"I pretended to agree, talked him out of it, and thought he had abandoned the idea. But the next morning, I found him dead in the field where he'd harvested grain. Golden wheat ears sprouted from his body. And, get this, he had several female reproductive organs.
"I was freaked out. Felt like I was dealing with a monster.
"Now, for us bounty hunters, a dead monster is a good monster. It's material for a paycheck.
"Summoning courage, I went through Tanko's things. Found a golden blob, like a grain seed, but half the size of a fist, next to him.
"Based on Tanko's mystic know-how, I suspected this blob was the root of his Beyonder powers.
"After much internal wrestling, I debated whether to stick to our agreement and send this relic back to the Church. But in the end, greed got the better of me, and I devoured the blob.
"I'm a guilty man. Broke my promise. Hoping the Sun forgives me."
Lumian listened in silence, a chuckle escaping his lips.
"You just ate it like that?"
Lugano grinned sheepishly and explained, "Yep, that's right. I only learned potion formulas after becoming a Beyonder and diving into mysticism. I didn't want a repeat of that experience, so I got obsessed with buying formulas."
"You're lucky. A few years earlier, and surviving that would've been tough. We might've crossed paths in the Dariège mountain range, you as a monster and me as a monster hunter," Lumian recalled President Gandalf's research and mocked Lugano.
Internally, Lumian muttered, Emperor Roselle was right. The ignorant are fearless… Something's obviously off with Tanko. He probably got tangled with the evil god's faith, corrupting the Beyonder characteristic he left behind. Eating it directly… no wonder you encountered the School of God's Descent and heard baby cries. Easy to be corrupted and influenced, encountering patients like Enio.
Uneasy, Lugano asked, "Was the Planter ingredient I consumed the root of the problem?"
He had ingested it a year prior, and even advanced. Was there no resolution to the problem?
Lumian, seemingly avoiding Lugano's beseeching gaze, feigned deep consideration as he perused the concluding segment of Madam Magician's response.
"I've pondered your earlier caution and have some theories, but presently, I cannot divulge them to you. I can only hint that Amon and the person behind Him must have orchestrated something beforehand to divert the Celestial Worthy's attention from the pertinent issue.
"In essence, this situation seems advantageous for you and the rest of us. For now, it's best to feign ignorance and refrain from delving into it.
"If troubled by infantile cries, seek aid from a clergyman of the Church of Earth Mother."
Wh… Did Madam Magician anticipate Lugano's lingering effects in advance? It seems so. She could discern the root cause of Lugano's plight… Lumian looked up, offering Lugano a reassuring smile.
"The remedy to purge the corruption lies in seeking aid from Father Montserrat."
That's it? After all my exposition? If there's truly no alternative, I would've taken my chances with the priest… Lugano's lips twitched as he mustered a strained smile.
"Very well, thank you, sir."
