Magician in Type-Moon

Page 429

Bai Ruolong did not respond, but Luvia murmured to herself:

"Iskandar's parents, Philip and Olympias..."

Van Fem smiled slightly, a faint curve appearing at the corners of his mouth, as if expressing some kind of appreciation for Bai Ruolong's silence.

"As expected of the head of Edelfelt, it seems you have indeed studied hard." His words carried a hint of disdain, yet also a sense of approval. "The story of Iskandar, the Conqueror, in a sense, began on this island."

He paused, his gaze deep, "The Queen Mother Olympias was deeply attracted by the secret rituals on the island, and eventually brought this influence back to Macedonia, bringing tremendous changes to the great power that conquered the world."

As he finished speaking, Van Fem raised his cane and tapped it lightly, producing a crisp click, as if emphasizing something of paramount importance.

Orthodoxy. Or Dionysianism.

Chapter 475 Suspect

Van Fem announced that name.

"As I said, the mysteries of Orphism are extremely secretive, completely isolating outsiders like myself."

He paused, his tone still calm, yet revealing an excessive understanding: "Even in Greece at that time, it was still a special sacred place, from which batches of outstanding witches and magicians emerged one after another."

"Van Fem said slowly and deliberately."

The words trace back to a distant history, to details that have long been forgotten.

"Although there are legends such as Olympias releasing a giant serpent from her bed, in fact she did do everything in her power to protect her son. She hired prophets, summoned magicians, and in some ways, she transcended her status as a Macedonian queen and devoted herself to something far more profound."

Van Fem gently twirled his cane, his gaze like a beam of light piercing through the darkness, firmly fixed on Bai Ruolong. "In any case, having said this, the options regarding your true identity have diminished."

Bai Ruolong did not respond, neither confirming nor denying, but simply stared intently at Van Fem, as if waiting for him to unveil some mystery.

“At the heart of the Dionysian faith that Queen Mother Olympias was so devoted to was a ritual.” Van Fem paused, seemingly enjoying the moment of suspense. “Its name was: Raw Food.”

Bai Ruolong's cheeks twitched slightly, as if some hidden meaning suddenly burst forth from this short sentence.

"It means the etiquette of consuming raw meat." Van Fem's tone seemed to carry a provocative ease. "Oh ho, the keyword 'consumption' appears here too."

He raised his hat in a gesture of greeting, as if he were performing in a captivating play.

"The story of the famous Minotaur—or Asterius—is also associated with it."

Van Fem's gaze sharpened further. "The act of consuming raw meat is considered to have a special significance. Ah, it also has practical significance."

He grinned, a calm wisdom gleaming in his eyes. "There's a technique involved. The way you exert force around your throat when swallowing can make a big difference in the outcome."

He paused, then his tone became more explanatory: “In modern terms, it’s about how to prevent bacteria from staying in your throat and instead let stomach acid burn them all up. That’s the key.”

Van Fem looked at Bai Ruolong's distorted expression, and his own expression was quite complex.

The feeling that "I did it, so what can you do about it?" is the most prominent among them.

"Now, let's get to the heart of the matter. In the raw meat ritual I just mentioned, the god that will definitely appear is Zagres."

Throughout history, various magic tricks have been interested in, and even fascinated by, the internal workings of the human body.

In Greek mythology, there is also an anecdote about Zeus, the chief god, who ate the heart of his son Zagreus and then had intercourse with a woman, allowing his son to be reborn.

“Zagrus,” Van Fem said casually, “This goddess has characteristics that are extremely rare throughout Greek mythology.”

Luvia's eyes lit up instantly, clearly moved by the name.

“A god who can reincarnate,” Van Fem continued, his tone carrying a hint of mystery.

“—Reincarnation.” Luvia repeated softly, almost in a whisper. She clearly understood its meaning. Her breathing quickened slightly, and her eyes deepened.

"The Dionysian faith itself is a religion closely related to life and death."

Van Fem observed Luvia's reaction, his tone becoming even more composed:

"This Zagreus is the symbol of this faith. Although he was raised as Zeus's successor, he was dismembered during the Titan attack, and only his heart remained. The merciful Zeus swallowed the heart and then had intercourse with a woman, allowing Zagreus to be reborn. How joyous, how joyous!"

Van Fem's last few words carried a hint of sarcastic irony.

Luvia frowned slightly and murmured, "That...that means..."

She had clearly grasped the key, but had not yet fully pieced together the scattered clues.

There's no doubt that Luvia knows the legend of Zagreus. However, if Van Fem's words are true, then this explanation is all too fitting.

Zagres, who has deep ties to the Macedonian royal family, and the magician who travels to and from the "Gate of Preservation" in the Wandering Sea, all of this seems to be gradually unveiling a huge mystery.

Luvia's mind raced, and suddenly an idea flashed into her head. She looked up sharply, her voice tinged with unease:

"Could it be that the selection criteria for myth reconstruction are..."

“Yes, that’s right.” Van Fem nodded slightly. “This is exactly what Giz of the Wandering Sea did. The so-called magic of the Age of Gods sounds very impressive, but in reality, the principle is quite simple. Compared with modern magic, magic of the Age of Gods is not complicated.”

As he said this, his tone carried a hint of admiration:

"The standard for the vessel of the gods is this. Through the blank of succession, Alexander IV, the legitimate son of Iskandar, was chosen. The standard for the vessel of the dragon is also this, using the blank of Zeus, his legitimate son Zagreus was chosen."

Van Fem paused for a moment, then gave Luvia a cold glance.

"That is to say——"

Luvia's eyes widened suddenly, and she responded almost instinctively: "—In accordance with Iskandar's legitimate son, you chose Zagreus, Zeus's legitimate son?"

Bai Ruolong stared coldly at Van Fem, her gaze seemingly capable of freezing a person.

His tone carried a hint of disdain and contempt: "Why, Lord Twenty-Seventh Ancestor of the Deadline Joy Ship, are playing this childish detective game, trying to uncover my true identity?"

Van Fem's smile remained gentle and refined, seemingly unconcerned by Bai Ruolong's cold gaze. He lightly waved his cane, his tone leisurely:

“As I said, Bai Ruolong, I want to talk about the temple of my old friend Kiz. If that doesn’t please you, so be it. A siege always starts with filling in the moat and proceeds step by step. Bai Ruolong—or rather, do you prefer to be called Zagres?”

A flash of coldness crossed Bai Ruolong's eyes, but her tone remained calm: "Call me Ruolong. Some people have been giving me nicknames lately, but I still prefer this one."

Van Fem nodded, seemingly unsurprised by his reaction.

"Well then, Ruolong, let's get down to business."

As he spoke, his tone suddenly changed, becoming sharper, "Did you orchestrate the murder of Kiz of the Wandering Sea?"

Chapter 476 Fierce Battle

“I killed that bastard father? You’re wrong.” Bai Ruolong chuckled, her tone provocative. “Oh, you mean plotting? Van Fem, you know what, that’s certainly true.”

"What's going on, Bai Ruolong!" Luvia's eyes widened, clearly not expecting Bai Ruolong's response. She recalled Ruolong's actions, pondering the details. In the church underground where the Mafia members were killed, when the Origin Bullet was first mentioned, Bai Ruolong's reaction had clearly alerted him—he must have noticed.

"What happened at the church is true." Bai Ruolong didn't directly answer her question, but instead gently scratched the tip of her nose, seemingly a little guilty.

“At that time, I hadn’t asked about the methods, nor did I know about the connection to the Origin Bullet of the Magic Merchant.” He continued, his tone flat, “I had only heard that there was a way to kill that bastard old man.”

"You mean you're the principal offender but not the executor?" Luvia frowned, seemingly beginning to understand the layers of the matter.

Bai Ruolong didn't answer, but instead changed the subject: "In any case, this kind of thing is meaningless."

His voice was cold, as if he was no longer willing to delve deeper into the topic.

The moment the words left her lips, wings suddenly unfurled from Ruolong's back. Transparent demonic feathers emanated from the dragon wings, and she swiftly attacked Van Fem, instantly creating a tense atmosphere.

“Coopera.” Van Fem’s voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable sense of oppression.

Upon hearing its master's command, Cooper moved with lightness and grace.

She slightly raised her hand, just like her sister.

With a gentle wave of her hand, the phantom wings surrounding Van Fem suddenly froze in mid-air, as if bound by some invisible force.

Cooper, standing in front of her master, blocked that power with just one hand.

Repulsive force is the opposite of attraction—gravity.

What he saw there was a conceptual castle that even the wings of a dragon could not pass through.

"...So that's how it is, this thing is a castle." Bai Ruolong's eyes narrowed slightly as he sensed the power.

Although his phantom wings were powerful enough to alter the terrain of the battlefield, they couldn't even penetrate a fraction of the terrain in front of Coopera.

“This is the magic city I’m so proud of.” Van Fim smiled calmly, as if he was full of pride in his magic and golems. “But to describe it as enormous instead of sturdy, it truly lives up to the reputation of the God’s Eye. It makes me even more afraid.”

On one side are the Twenty-Seven Dead Apostles who rule the dark side of Monaco and the golems they control; on the other side is the Orphic god who devoured the great ancestor Typhon.

The atmosphere was tense, as if a deadly conflict could erupt at any moment.

Two powerful figures, on the verge of conflict, confront each other on an old cargo ship in Monaco—a truly untimely stage.

“Lord Fem,” Cooper said softly.

“Come on,” Van Fem replied succinctly.

Suddenly, Cooper's body contorted. Not metaphorically, but literally. From her back, like a chrysalis bursting open, ten thin, thread-like metallic lines blossomed, their ends swiftly connecting with Van Fim's ten fingers. Each line, as if alive, embedded itself precisely into his fingertips.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve had puppet manipulation,” Van Fem said casually, but a long-lost excitement flashed in his eyes. “I’m counting on you, Coopera.”

"Heh, what an interesting toy." Bai Ruolong pouted.

“I’ve been a Dead Apostle for far too long. Mysticism as a human is fundamentally no longer suitable for me. But that doesn’t mean I can’t manipulate mysticism.”

Cooper's limbs moved with every movement of Van Fim's fingers, like a leaping fish on the water, light yet full of power.

The moment she leaped off her toes, the air seemed to be torn apart by her speed, and a loud cracking sound suddenly rang out.

With a sharp "sizzle," followed by the sound of metal tearing behind Bai Ruolong.

He reacted swiftly, dodging the attack in an instant, but he could still feel a sense of pressure from behind.

Several slanted cracks were deeply etched into the walls of the cabin, resembling deep wounds.

"Hey, really?" The young man's face lit up with a big smile.

Simply, compressed magic...?

Luvia, who was watching the battle, saw through the principle behind that phenomenon.

Her cousin Rin Tohsaka's Gandr, through the compression curse, even possessed physical influence.

However, Van Fim and Cooper didn't even need a spell; they achieved the destructive power to cut through the ship's walls simply by compressing and releasing their powerful magic.

"What is that?! Does that golem have a power plant inside its body?!"

Luvia almost couldn't help but shout in her heart. She hadn't deliberately compared the difference between magic and electricity, but the scale of that magic was almost enough to support the energy needs of a city.

The sheer overwhelming power cannot be ignored.