Sometimes, Klein would even miss the "Angel with the Lamp" far away in Backlund.
Mr. Friedrich, who inherited the name of Zarathustra and the imperial title, is at least no more difficult to deal with than the "Red Angel" before us.
After all, the great "Angel of War," the master of turmoil and strife, will never waver in His established will because of the words of others; if it does, there is only one possibility.
However, Klein didn't think the Creator was watching him all the time and interfering in this little thing that was bothering him.
"Your Highness, I..."
"I know you don't smoke."
Medici snorted and continued puffing on his cigarette.
He used his index and middle fingers to slightly cover the cotton mouthpiece, holding the latter half of the cigarette between his fingers, and aimed at Klein's astonished expression with a rather flippant look. With a flick of his fingertip, the ash fell like fragments.
"You're nothing like that bastard Pure White, who pretends to be a gentleman and whose pretentious act is disgusting, but you're pretty pretentious too."
"He was skilled in murder and arson, but when it came to a cigarette, he would change his tune and start dressing up like a respectable young lady, without even giving face to the Lord."
Klein was stunned by what he heard.
Are you talking about me?
No, how could I possibly have the audacity to ask the Creator to offer me a cigarette? You mean "mysterious"?
Despite his surprise, Klein quickly figured out the real object that Medici was inexplicably mocking, and his sharp mind helped him grasp even more details.
Pure white likely refers to the "pure white angel," which is now the eternal sun... No wonder he is the king of angels; he has the potential to become a true god...
Klein moved his feet almost imperceptibly, his gaze darting upwards to observe the halo and the sun. He slowly distanced himself from Medici, as if afraid that the blazing sun overhead would soon unleash divine punishment, burning the eloquent "Red Angel" to ashes.
"Heh, what's wrong? You've become a coward after dying once?"
Klein's little tricks, of course, could not be hidden from the top "hunter". The "Red Angel" curled her lips slightly with disdain, but there was not much contempt in her eyes. Instead, there was more amusement.
Compared to the "Red Angel's" mocking words towards the Eternal Sun, this small look in his eyes made him even more uneasy.
No, no, I don't know if the "Eternal Sun" will unleash divine punishment later, and if we keep talking, "Mystery" might not be able to sit still...
Klein didn't care about the "mysterious" feeling, but he didn't want to get involved in a quarrel between a true god and an angel king.
Thinking of this, Klein hurriedly lowered himself and said helplessly.
"Your Highness, you may have misunderstood something."
"I am not the friend you know."
"Oh, you're not?"
Medici looked as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world, his sarcasm almost overflowing.
His iron eyes were like the sharpest blades in the world. Even before they had advanced an inch, their sharpness, merely hanging above Klein's head, was enough to send chills down the spine of the young demigod who had only recently ascended to godhood.
"Your Highness, I am but a shadow born by chance during the ascension ceremony, an absolute accident, I..."
"Is that what He told you?"
Medici waved his hand slightly, interrupting Klein's argument.
Visibly, the playful tone of the "Red Angels" had vanished, replaced by a profound sense of boredom.
His gaze shifted from side to side across Klein, the cigarette between his lips nearly burned out, the long ash resting precariously on the less than an inch-long, yellowed roll of paper.
After a long while, a smile returned to the "Red Angel's" handsome face.
"Fine, whatever that bastard says."
"Little Moretti, I'm not as heartless as Him, who is merciless in words and actions, watching children cause trouble every day, and not even sparing his own little dog."
Klein felt there was a deeper meaning behind the "Red Angel's" words. The cold light on his back grew even colder, and his thoughts seemed to connect with the Thousand-Faced God resting in the depths of the distant spirit world. He could truly feel the god's silence and the rising anger.
He fell silent.
He dared not continue thinking, fearing that he might uncover some dark history of the "mysterious god" and suffer retaliation, so he quickly changed the subject.
"Your Highness, Mr. A reported to me that you were the one who halted our group's operation to track Gostars?"
Perhaps sensing Klein's rich inner thoughts just now, the "Red Angel" was in a good mood and chuckled as she admitted it.
"I was the one who stopped your childish game."
"Playing house?" Klein lowered his gaze. "Your Highness, I am not qualified to question your opinion, but you have undoubtedly insulted our efforts and hard work. Ever since Backlund, we have been eyeing Gostars, the lackey of the 'Mother Tree of Desire'."
"He brought death and chaos wherever he went. In Backlund, while the witches stirred up a great fog, the demons he summoned killed countless innocent people."
"We witnessed the horrors of the East Side of Backlund and were determined to hunt him down, to end his crimes, and to put an end to the hatred spread by the 'Rose School'."
"you..."
"The end?"
Medici interrupted Klein once again, his arrogant demeanor gradually provoking the good-tempered young "trickster" to anger.
"In your view, killing him is the end?"
"That's better than doing nothing." Klein said dryly, barely suppressing his impulse.
"So, back then, you guys, all Sequence 5, thought you could kill an experienced demigod on your own without any outside help?"
"Oh, you left halfway through, leaving only that little guy A to lead the team."
Medici stubbed out his cigarette, making no attempt to hide the disdain in his tone, and cracked his knuckles as he sneered.
"An immature missionary, a playboy, a pampered young lady, and you, equally naive..."
With each word spoken, the "Red Angel" dropped a finger, her smile growing increasingly malevolent.
"Do you really think you can kill Gostars on your own?"
"Kill a madman who watched all his loved ones perish in the war and whose mind was filled with hatred and twisted beliefs?"
"Are you all too naive, or do you really intend to prove those damned traitors' slander against the Lord?"
"Do you want the dogs of the 'Mother Tree of Desire,' that bunch of scum, to mock the believers of the Lord as fools whose brains have been eaten away by living corpses?"
The "Red Angel's" rebuking voice wasn't loud, but it was like a nail, piercing Klein's heart and causing that not-so-fragile piece of flesh to bleed profusely and tremble uncontrollably.
"I..."
Klein looked down at the ground, saying nothing.
He knew he couldn't find a suitable reason to refute "Red Angel".
When they set their sights on hunting down Gostars, their confidence largely stemmed from the "Lamp Angel's" protection of Sharon and from Klein's inexplicable confidence that the "Mysterious God" would not stand idly by and watch him die.
It wasn't until Klein himself became a demigod that he learned the truth from the "God of Mysteries".
He then realized how ridiculous and naive his initial thoughts had been.
Perhaps the "God of Mystery" wouldn't watch him die, but the god who is indifferent to most things wouldn't care about the deaths of one or two believers like Mr. A and Jerry, let alone Sharon, who has never believed in the Creator.
They might be able to cause some trouble for Gostars with one or two sealed artifacts, but they have absolutely no chance of killing this fallen demigod.
After all, back in the underground of Backlund, even the battle-hardened "Dark Saint" Kesma couldn't leave behind the cunning "devil" and could only die in regret.
"Alright, everyone has moments when they're out of their mind."
Suddenly, the "Red Angel" patted Klein on the shoulder.
He said calmly, a slight smile playing on his lips, as if the rebuke from before had never happened.
"Confidence and impulsiveness are two sides of the same coin. We all have the potential to think we have the upper hand, but one step away from falling into the abyss and never recovering."
"But fate always smiles on us, well, it's watching you. Although you might think now that you didn't actually go after Gostars and that it was just bad luck to die with your henchmen and lovers."
"Just thank the giant snake properly."
Klein was dumbfounded by what the "Red Angel" said.
Why does the "Red Angel" seem different from what I've heard?
At this moment, Klein felt as if he had been dragged into a pre-woven dream. If not, he would find out the compiler of the holy book and the rumors, smash that fist-sized book on the writer's head, and question him about why the product was not as advertised.
Suddenly, Medici glanced at him, her tone rather cold.
"Most of the people who wrote the holy books for the Lord are dead, only Roman is still alive and kicking. If you want to beat someone up, I'll call Him over for you?"
Can you hear my thoughts?
This time, Klein couldn't help but ask a question, but all he got in return was another laugh.
"Use your brain. I'm not a 'spectator,' nor am I that voyeuristic little crow. Why should I be able to hear your thoughts?"
He pointed to Klein's eyes, then to his own ears.
"You wear your heart on your sleeve. Did you digest all your 'clown' potion into a dog?"
"Look at your expression, then follow your intuition, try to discern what you're thinking. Is it really that hard?"
Is it that obvious?
Hearing this, Klein couldn't help but doubt himself and subconsciously reached up to touch his eyelids.
However, the moment he touched that face, which was almost completely restricted by extraordinary abilities and taut like a wax figure, he saw the "Red Angel" chuckle again, the mockery in his voice.
"idiot."
The embodiment of war and conspiracy cursed softly, pulling out a small accessory from beneath his full-body black armor, engraved with an abstract symbol resembling a giant dragon.
"This is the second lesson, kid."
"Don't trust people too easily, even those you know or think are trustworthy."
As he spoke, Medici, as if he didn't believe Klein's intelligence, frankly revealed the first lesson that hadn't been explicitly stated.
"Furthermore, it's stupid to completely deny yourself just because of a few words from others, and to rush to self-criticize.
Is everything I say necessarily true?
He took out another cigarette, lit it, and put it in his mouth.
"Actually, even if you go after Gostars, nothing will happen."
"Ha, that guy and the big snake were both watching, and the little crow was there too."
"Friedrich's report had barely been sent up when the Serpent personally began monitoring your actions. Before you even got out of bed, it took some action against the people around you, to prevent you from foolishly coming to the Southern Continent."
The great serpent… the Pope… is "Angel of Fate" Urolius always watching me?
Does that mean He also knows of Will Onsett's existence? Klein suddenly realized.
Just like in the previous conversation, before he could even speak, the "Red Angel" with smoke swirling around her chin answered.
"According to that guy, fate is a bitch. The more you fawn over it, the more it takes advantage of you and gives you the cold shoulder."
"Under normal circumstances, neither I nor others, including the Lord, would interfere in the affairs of the great serpent."
Although he didn't quite understand, it somehow felt reasonable... Klein asked again.
"From what you're saying, it seems you're not too keen on seeing me come to the Southern Continent?"
Medici frowned, somewhat annoyed. He changed from standing with his feet apart to crossing his legs, as if he felt uncomfortable all over.
"How could I not welcome you to the Southern Continent?"
"You attract too much attention."
He spread out his hands and began counting heads again.
"Within the territory of Rune alone, 'Storm,' 'Night,' and even Augustus's brats are all watching you."
"Although the other two besides 'Night' may not know your true identity, they will screen you by following your actions and following what you have done."
"Sooner or later, they will smell you, sneak up behind you, and when you're unaware and laughing foolishly, they will open their mouths and try to swallow you whole."
"It's only a matter of time, and there's nothing we can do to help you."
"When I left Backlund, Augustus and the Church issued an arrest warrant for one of my identities," Klein added, seizing the opportunity.
Medici nodded in agreement.
"So, the time when they completely crush you is fast approaching."
"If you choose to run to the Southern Continent, you are undoubtedly running to the center stage, which will accelerate their hunting process."
"But if you go to sea, 'Mystery' will definitely use this opportunity to get you to help Him get it back..."
Medici paused, then glanced at Klein, who was deep in thought, with a complicated expression before continuing calmly.
"I want you to help Him get back the 'natural disaster' that only 'He' can receive."
"Once He obtained that thing, He gained another body that could temporarily move around."
"Even if you are completely exposed in the future, heh, Octopus Head and She-Wolf won't dare to have any wicked thoughts."
"As for the little brats of the Augustus family who were completely fooled..."
A hand clad in cold iron armor rested on Klein's shoulder. The sudden chill made Klein glance to the side, catching a glimpse of the "Red Angel's" increasingly ruthless nature.
"I will, bit by bit, skin Him alive."
...
"So stop being so girly, stand up and get to work."
"I have approved your operation. Bring me back the head of that 'devil'."