Northwest Suburbs of Tivian, far outside the Gale Fortress.
During the day, in a clearing between the trees on a rolling hill, the transaction between Nephthys and the Nether Coffin Order has officially begun. At this moment, Dorothy is sitting in her carriage in the distance, using the perspectives of Nephthys and several small corpse marionettes to observe the scene of the transaction. Through the Information Channel, Dorothy is guiding Nephthys on how to respond to Larena’s questions.
That’s right—the words and even some of the actions Nephthys directed at Larena were all instructed by Dorothy in real-time. Living Marionette Manipulation is a Beyonder ability of the Spiritual Thread Path, and without the protection of Shadow, it can be detected by Illuminating Beacons.
However, the Information Channel is different. The ability of the Information Channel comes from the mysterious system Dorothy possesses. For today’s transaction, Dorothy conducted experiments... When she uses the Information Channel to communicate with others, it doesn’t trigger any anomalies under ordinary Illuminating Beacons, whereas Living Marionette Manipulation and Corpse Marionette Manipulation do.
Initially, Dorothy thought that the detection effect only worked on the mystical powers of this world, and since the system was not of this world, it couldn’t be detected.
However, subsequent experiments proved her wrong. Dorothy used abilities obtained from the system to test. She used an Illuminating Beacon to detect her use of Dragon Shouts, and found that when she used shouts like Slow Time, the Illuminating Beacon did react. The moment the shout was released, the Illuminating Beacon showed a purple anomaly. Under the Illuminating Beacon’s detection, the Dragon Shout was identified as a Revelation-type Beyonder ability.
After the experiment, Dorothy was somewhat surprised. The results showed that abilities from other worlds could indeed be detected by Illuminating Beacons, but the system’s inherent abilities, such as the Information Channel, could not. This result left Dorothy puzzled for a while. After some deep thought, she came up with two possible explanations.
First, Dorothy’s initial conclusion might still be correct—the detection only works on the mystical powers of this world. The abilities Dorothy obtained from the system could be detected because, in essence, these abilities from other worlds had integrated into this world’s power system upon arrival, becoming part of this world’s mystical abilities.
The best example is the Sunlight Spear. In the world of Dark Souls, the Sunlight Spear is a miracle that relies on faith and imitates Gwyn, the Lord of Cinder. However, this world has no Gwyn, and the power structures of the two worlds are incompatible. Thus, when the Sunlight Spear arrived in this world, it became a skill that relies on Lantern to activate, consuming this world’s Lantern spirituality. Therefore, it is undoubtedly a power of this world.
Similarly, while Dragon Shouts don’t require spirituality for ordinary use, their enhanced versions do consume Revelation after full mastery. Therefore, the abilities Dorothy currently uses, such as Dragon Shouts and other knowledge from other worlds, are actually localized by the system. In a sense, they are abilities of this world, while the system’s own abilities are the true outsiders.Second, the system’s abilities might also be part of this world’s power. The system can connect to other worlds, receive prayers, allow Dorothy to impersonate a deity, enable it to replace a guide in completing promotion rituals... Dorothy can consult it on certain matters, and it can even warn her when certain actions might attract the attention of divine beings...
All these signs seem to indicate that the system has some connection to this world. It might also be a form of power in this world, but a very special one... or perhaps... a very high-level one...
These were some of Dorothy’s thoughts on the nature of the system while verifying whether the Information Channel could be detected by the beacon. Although she conducted some experiments and made some inferences, Dorothy still knows too little about the mysterious system in her mind, so she didn’t spend too much time delving deeper into it.
Returning to the scene of the transaction, in the clearing on the hilltop, Larena has now arrived at the wooden table, and Nephthys, dressed in a long robe, follows closely, standing in front of Larena. The two now face each other across the small wooden table.
"Now, let’s first see if both sides have fulfilled their previous promises..."
Larena says this, then places her hand on the beacon on the table and activates it. The beacon immediately emits a warm orange-yellow light, unlike that of an ordinary gas lamp. This is clearly an Illuminating Beacon.
The faint yellow light shines on Nephthys and Larena, using the radiance of Lantern spirituality to detect them. Any mystical items, sigils, spiritual storage items, or active mystical effects, as long as they are not protected by Shadow, cannot escape the detection of this Illuminating Beacon.
After shining for a while, the indicator light on the Illuminating Beacon emits a faint red glow. Seeing this, Larena asks Nephthys.
"You have traces of Chalice spirituality on you... What is it?"
"Ah, this? It’s just a tool for controlling those flesh puppets..."
Hearing Larena’s words, Nephthys responds. She then extends her gloved hand, showing a ring on her finger before removing it. As a result, two of the three coachmen standing in the distance collapse lifelessly to the ground. Nephthys then takes out a button from her person, and the last standing coachman also falls.
"With so much cargo, it’s a bit difficult to transport it all without some help."
With that, Nephthys walks to the side, placing the two flesh puppets’ control tools on the ground where the Illuminating Beacon’s light doesn’t reach. She then returns to the table, standing in front of Larena. Now, when the Illuminating Beacon shines on her, the indicator light shows no other colors, indicating that Nephthys has no other active Beyonder effects on her. In Larena’s eyes, Nephthys’ soul can now be sensed, and she is not using any Shadow-type Beyonder items to shield herself from the Illuminating Beacon.
“This thief can sense spirits, so she must also be a Silence Beyonder. Holding two flesh marionette control tools, she seems to have some connection to Chalice... Could she be…”
Seeing this scene, Larena has an idea, a guess about the identity of the person before her. As a White Ash-rank Beyonder, she has some knowledge of the mysticism world. The combination of Chalice and Silence spirituality immediately brings to mind two possibilities: the Filth Coven of the Afterbirth Cult, or the treasure-hunting societies active in North Ufiga and ruins around the world. Given the current situation, the latter seems more likely.
“Well... I was wondering who would dare to be so bold. So it’s those thieves…”
Staring at Nephthys, Larena thinks to herself. She now suspects that the person before her is a member of a treasure-hunting society. After all, these thieves, originating from North Ufiga, are found all over the world. While their main business is tomb raiding, they have many side hustles, including theft and extortion targeting other Beyonder societies or organizations.
"Now... you’ve confirmed everything, right? I’ve brought the goods. So, where’s your payment?"
At this moment, Nephthys speaks to Larena. Hearing her words, Larena remains silent, gesturing to one of her subordinates in the distance. The subordinate quickly approaches with a small bag. Larena takes the bag and pulls out several items, placing them on the table.
These items include several bundles of the highest-denomination Pritt pounds, three books of varying thickness and age, and an emblem engraved with a crown of bones and a closed single eye. After arranging these items, Larena shines the Illuminating Beacon over them to confirm there are no anomalies, then speaks.
"Here’s the ransom you asked for: six thousand Pritt pounds, three mystical texts, and the holy symbol of the Eternal King of the Underworld. Hmph, as a thief, do you also wish to worship the divine will of the King of the Underworld?"
"Something like that. After all, in our line of work, we deal with the dead every day. Carrying this feels like being under the protection of the King of the Underworld. It gives me some peace of mind."
After hearing Dorothy’s words in her mind, Nephthys maintains her composure and responds to Larena. She then reaches out to take the items on the table, but Larena stops her.
"Wait. Your goods have been checked, but ours haven’t."
Larena says this, then gives a look to her subordinates around her. The subordinates immediately start moving the boxes, and a few even summon skeletons from the woods to help.
Thus, with the help of skeleton marionettes and Larena’s subordinates, the boxes on the two carriages are unloaded and placed on the ground. Larena’s subordinates begin inspecting each box.
After opening the boxes, they examine the Soul Confinement Coffins inside, checking the Wraith Alarms and the state of the spirits within. They also use the Illuminating Beacon to carefully inspect the boxes and coffins for any additional mystical traces, to ensure there are no tracking sigils attached. The iron coffin containing Black Hoof is given special attention.
Inspecting over forty boxes takes a considerable amount of time. Nephthys and Larena watch the inspection process, their attention focused on the goods.
Meanwhile, behind a tree not far from Nephthys, a figure is hiding. He occasionally peeks out to observe Nephthys from a distance. It’s Calais.
Calais, one of Larena’s subordinates, has quietly hidden himself during the inspection process. With a serious expression, he observes Nephthys while pulling out a small, sharp bone dagger about the size of a thumb from his person.
Gripping the bone dagger, Calais focuses intently on Nephthys. He then activates the ghost attached to the dagger, causing it to float in the air. With a determined look, the tiny bone dagger shoots toward Nephthys in the distance. However, its target is not Nephthys herself, but the long robe she is wearing.
The bone dagger flies very low to the ground, almost skimming the surface under Calais’s control. It doesn’t attack Nephthys directly but instead cuts off a small piece of fabric from the hem of her robe at a tricky angle. The small piece of cloth falls to the ground, and the dagger quickly returns. Nephthys only feels a slight flutter in her robe, which she dismisses as the wind.
As time passes, the inspection of the over forty boxes is completed. All the boxes are immediately resealed after being checked, and the coffins are placed back inside.
"Lady Larena, we’ve finished the inspection. There are forty-two boxes containing forty-two Soul-Sealing Coffins, with almost no issues. We found no additional mystical traces, and the spirits are all inside the coffins. Except for one coffin that shows signs of being opened, the rest are completely fine."
A subordinate reports to Larena, who then looks at Nephthys. After a brief pause, Nephthys responds.
"We just tried to see if we could open one coffin without triggering your Wraith Alarm. We failed. It was just a thief’s attempt to challenge themselves. Don’t worry about it."
Nephthys says this. The coffin that shows signs of being opened was the one Kapak attempted to open in the warehouse. It was this act that allowed Dorothy to discover the Wraith Alarms on the coffins.
Hearing Nephthys’ words, Larena doesn’t respond immediately. She glances at the pile of wooden boxes and then says.
"Leave the one that was opened behind. Move the rest to our carriage and take them away."
"Yes, Lady."
After receiving the order, the subordinate gets back to work. At this moment, Nephthys speaks again.
"You’re very cautious, ma’am. Now that you’ve finished the inspection, can I take my things?"
Nephthys looks at the items on the table and speaks. Hearing her words, Larena nods, and Nephthys smiles politely in response.
"Pleasure doing business with you, members of the Nether Coffin Order."
With that, Nephthys picks up the money, mystical texts, and emblem from the table, placing them in her bag. She then walks to the spot where she left the flesh puppet control tools, picks them up, and puts them back on. The fallen coachmen stagger to their feet.
"Well then... until next time, everyone."
With that, Nephthys, dressed in her long robe, boards the carriage. The corpse marionette coachmen drive the three carriages away from the scene, slowly descending the hill and disappearing into the woods.
Larena watches the departing carriages, standing still. At this moment, Calais approaches her, holding a small piece of black fabric in his hand.
"Ma’am, I’ve successfully obtained the item..."
Calais respectfully hands the black fabric to Larena, who examines it briefly before letting out a cold snort.
"Hmph... Using a piece of clothing as a medium, while it’s far from enough for a curse to kill, it’s sufficient to temporarily impair her spiritual senses."
Muttering to herself, Larena crouches down and pulls out a jar from under her cloak, placing it on the ground. After opening the lid, she activates her spirituality, and strands of withered yellow grass crawl out like snakes, wrapping around the piece of fabric that once belonged to Nephthys. Eventually, the grass forms a small straw doll around the fabric.
This is a Curse Doll created by Larena using a medium from the target. With this doll, she can curse the source of the medium. The strength of the curse largely depends on the strength of the connection between the medium and the target.
The medium can be any object associated with the target. The stronger the connection, the more potent the curse. While a piece of clothing is far less effective than hair or blood, it can still be used to inflict minor curses.
Larena plans to use the piece of Nephthys’ robe to cast a minor curse, causing her to fall ill immediately. This illness will impair Nephthys’ spiritual senses, significantly reducing her ability to detect ghosts.
Then, Larena will send her ghost to follow Nephthys, possessing her and tracking her until she is far from the Serenity Bureau headquarters. At that point, Larena can either take action or continue tracking her back to her base, launching a full-scale retaliation against her organization.
Normally, such ghost-based surveillance methods are ineffective against Silence Beyonders. However, for a Silence Beyonder who has unknowingly been cursed and lost her spiritual senses, the situation is different.
Thus, Larena focuses intently on the Curse Doll, channeling her spirituality to apply the curse. Using the piece of fabric within the doll as a medium, she begins to curse Nephthys, who has just left.
Meanwhile, in the distant East Tivian, in the basement of the Boyle Mansion, the dark golden bird-shaped scepter embedded in the massive magic circle begins to emit a faint glow.
The moment the scepter lights up, Larena’s mind is suddenly filled with the image of a giant golden eye opening. The eye seems to open in the sky, gazing down upon the earth with an all-seeing, piercing gaze. Its penetrating stare causes intense pain in Larena’s soul, making her scream in agony.
"Ahhh!!!"
With a scream, the Curse Doll in Larena’s hand shatters. She collapses backward, writhing in the pain of her shattered mind, leaving her subordinates staring in shock.