Chương 157: The Reason for Everything

"Mia still loves me!"

"And I have a son! I have a son!"

"Hahaha!"

After listening to Richard's story, Werner seemed to forget the tense situation he was in and was immersed in pure joy.

Richard then turned his attention to Berenga beside him, pondering how to completely separate the two groups.

But to his surprise, this cultist with eyes that looked like he'd been punched twice had no intention of getting Werner back into the throes of revenge.

Instead, Berenga seemed to have given up entirely.

He shook his head and sighed, "Worner, you are a pathetic piece of trash—I was hoping you could complete the ritual with the blood of three enemies and become a qualified cultist of killing, but it seems you are still not qualified."

The ghost that was called out did not respond for a moment.

Richard then picked up the thread, recalling the hideous form of the Killer Samurai after his transformation, and commented sharply, "Shut up, you idiots whose heads are full of killing. They're perfectly fine as ghosts, why would they bother becoming giant cockroaches with you guys? What for? For your long whiskers?"

"You seem to know quite a bit about our Killing Order?"

Berengar turned to Richard, grinning to reveal gleaming white teeth, and said, "Oh, I recognize you. You must be that Targaryen Baron who's been making headlines lately?"

"No wonder he has some skill."

"Unfortunately, it's only a little bit; we still know nothing about this place."

Richard shrugged.

"Then why don't you be the good guy and explain it to me?"

He was just being provocative by saying that.

However, Berenga's performance once again surprised Richard.

This guy actually nodded, a hint of infatuation flashing in his eyes, and said, "That's true. While killing out of ignorance is pure, it lacks depth. Since we're going to bet our lives on each other, we might as well explain the reasons. That way, our killing intent will only intensify."

Richard squinted.

Unexpectedly, there was also the classic scene where the villain tells his own story.

While I know that members of your Killing Order may not be mentally healthy, this is just too much— He suspected something was amiss and gave Grace another look.

On the other hand, he was genuinely curious, so he went along with Berenga's words and said, "I don't quite understand your mindset, but—since you're willing to talk about it, I'm all ears~" Across from him, Berenga gave a perfunctory bow, then said slowly in a reverent tone, "Everything is due to the instructions given to us by the great Lord Aidan."

"He saw through the secret that you little robins couldn't understand even after hundreds of years, and directly told us the entrance to the secret room and the incantation to open it, so that we could come and find the artifact left behind by Lady Styx —" This first paragraph left Richard stunned.

It's fine to brag, but can you not exaggerate so much?

Pointing out a school's secrets from thousands of kilometers away—what's the difference between that and a divine prophecy?

That Aidan should still be just a mortal, right?

Most likely, the intelligence was obtained through some channel.

While thinking this to himself, he readily asked, "Oh? What kind of magical artifact is it?"

Berenga spread her arms wide and said, "Of course it's Lady Styx's sewing needle!"

really!

Richard and Grace exchanged a glance and both perked up.

He continued, "However, I didn't feel that this place contained any divine artifacts; all I saw were blasphemous objects scattered throughout the room, and a bewildered ghost—" Wait a minute, could it be that these stylish gadgets are the needles in the eye of Lady Styx or her daughter? Wow, as expected of a deity, they really know how to play it big!

After hearing Richard's outrageous words, even Berengar, a cult member, couldn't help but cough twice.

After that, a hint of appreciation appeared in his eyes when he looked at Richard.

"You can say such disrespectful things to God so casually, which is quite to our cult's liking."

Richard quickly waved his hand in refusal, indicating that the cockroaches shouldn't fly onto his face.

Berenga continued, "Unfortunately, you still lack insight; even when the answer is right in front of you, you remain clueless."

As he spoke, he turned his deep-set eyes toward Werner.

"Both you and that old man Bernd thought he was the so-called Guardian of the Styx, didn't they?"

"However, you are all wrong. From the very beginning, there were no Styx Guardians here, only the Styx Lady's needles!"

"But as an item of the Grim Reaper, that needle naturally has the power to attract wandering souls. As the years go by, the number of souls absorbed gradually increases, eventually coalescing into a chaotic and insane soul that looks like a vengeful spirit."

"Later, due to the ritual magic of your former headmaster, most of the consciousness in the soul was sealed, leaving only Werner, who died last—" Richard's eyes widened as he finally understood the doubts he had had.

No wonder Werner looks so fierce, yet he's such a terrible fighter, always backing down when he encounters a tough opponent.

Because, strictly speaking, this soul is not his own.

The Styx Guardian's past infamy wasn't something he earned.

In that case, wouldn't he be like a ghost possessing the needle?

And that needle is currently inside his soul?

By this time, Werner himself had calmed down from his joy and was equally surprised after hearing Berenga's words.

"Wait, this is different from what you said before! Didn't you say that you weren't interested in the needle, but in me, that you thought I had potential, so you—" Berenga rubbed her temples.

"This—is not entirely a lie."

"After all, your soul has been in contact with the sewing needle for many years and is already closely connected. If you can complete the ritual, bathe in the blood of your enemies, and become a member of our order, that would indeed be more effective than a single artifact."

"That's why we went to great lengths to guide you and expended resources to set up a magic circle to help you escape the pursuit of those priests."

"I even considered using your power to surprise these pleasure-seeking capital city dwellers during the upcoming Assumption of Mary festival, to let them know that slaughter is all around them!"

"Unfortunately, you're just too useless; even if I gave you a chance, you wouldn't be able to do it."

"Three times! You've tried three times, and failed every single time. Really—" Werner angrily retorted, "Stop talking nonsense, you liar! You hid Mia's affair, you hid your purpose in contacting me, you—wait, damn it, what's wrong with my body?"

Berenjia laughed, "—Although you are a piece of trash, you have barely completed half of the ritual, enough for me to control that soul that does not belong to you, allowing the true divine artifact to reappear in the world and be used by me!"

"Of course, I also want to thank everyone for cooperating with me to buy time, giving me the opportunity to use my methods."

"Now, it's time for us to fight to our hearts' content!"

As he spoke, a crimson light suddenly flashed from Werner's translucent body, and a finger-length, purplish-red needle appeared within it, seemingly about to fly towards Berenga's location.

It's too late to say.

Richard and Grace flashed forward, rushing towards Berengar and Werner like arrows released from a bow!

In comparison, Richard was even faster!

"Excuse me, you weren't the only one stalling for time just now—"