When the plot-skips players into the game world

"...I just wanted to try."

Yulia whispered, "I've just read about it today in a book... Was my gesture just now correct?"

"Correct. So don't do it again."

The old man sighed wearily, "Go and have your meal, I need to talk to Aiwass."

Yulia agreed, then followed Butler Oswald to the dining room, leaving only two people in the living room.

James reverted to silence, sitting opposite Aiwass.

The old man picked up the cup of tea that Inspector Hayna hadn't touched, poured it out, and then poured himself another cup of hot tea.

Looking at the silent Aiwass, he asked softly while holding the tea cup, "How do you feel... about your current state? Is it still stable?"

What he was referring to was the Shadow Demon that Aiwass had contracted.

Such matters could never be hidden from a foster father.

If Aiwass had woken up at home, it mostly meant that Butler Oswald had brought him back while he was unconscious. That meant James must have already examined his body and applied a simple common seal, at least not letting the Shadow Demon take over his body while Aiwass was unconscious.

It could be said it was very considerate.

In the "future" visions, that crazed, gloomy James Moriarty, hunched over, and the caring, kind old man in front of him looked as if they were not the same person at all!

In his memories, there were only scenes of James's loving care—

When Aiwass was just over ten years old, he once said unintentionally that he missed the special fried cod fish that Mrs. Misu used to make for them during the holidays at the orphanage.

The very next day, Mrs. Misu was hired as a cook in the house for a good salary. Not just the special fried cod fish, but other "commoner dishes" she was skilled at were also taught to the house's cooks. When she was asked to leave, they even gave her an extra bonus.

That had scared Aiwass so much that for over half a year, he dared not say what he wanted to eat or have. He was afraid that no sooner had he spoken than it would be bought immediately.

Even without the recollection of his past life's memories, Little Aiwass always had a clear self-awareness—he was not James Moriarty's biological son after all. He did not deserve to take such privileges for granted.

It was because Aiwass was more sensible that he didn't turn into some spoiled brat under such pampering.

So now, when Aiwass looked at his foster father, he always felt complicated. He harbored a kind of fluke mentality.

...Could there be a possibility that at the start of the story, his foster father was not the mastermind yet? Or perhaps, it was only after the collapse of the Avalon Kingdom that he fell into wickedness?

It was not impossible.

In the original story, when the Avalon Kingdom collapsed, Aiwass had fled to the Holy Nation with the protagonist. From that time on, he had separated from his foster father. The next time they met, it was already three years later.

Maybe...

Something happened during those three years?

...But then again, that wouldn't explain Aiwass being a spy, infiltrating the "player's" side.

"—Aiwass?"

Seeing Aiwass fall back into his thoughts, the old man called out softly again, "If it's not okay, shall I go find the Archbishop Your Excellency to exorcise the demon possessing you?"

"...Ah, I'm fine, father. Among the demon knowledge I acquired from those people, there happens to be a method for sealing the Shadow Demon," Aiwass looked up and said, revealing a comforting smile. "I was just thinking about other things."

"Then I trust you."

The foster father nodded slowly, "The materials you asked for yesterday, I've already brought back for you. The rope from the gallows was easy to find... but the nails from the heads of those executed by drawing and quartering, those were very hard to find. They've been abolished since the queen took the throne, and I found them in the museum."

"I don't know if you'll need them later, so I've brought back all four that exist. The museum records have been dealt with cleanly, so you don't need to worry about anything. Just tell me if you need anything else... and don't trust outsiders so easily anymore."

...He found them so quickly?

Aiwass could hardly believe it.

He hadn't expected the foster father to actually get them within a day.

Is this the extent of power that the Moriarty Family could harness during the existence of the Avalon Kingdom?

"This is great! With these, I will be able to seal the Shadow Demon more steadily."

Aiwass felt a warmth in his heart and gratefully said from the depth of his soul, "Thank you, Father!"

The two ritual materials he requested were actually not for sealing the Shadow Demon. Because using the wheelchair was the simplest and most stable method of sealing, as the Demon Scholars of the Star Antimony Kingdom would test and find out four years later.

"Then I'll skip dinner tonight!"

There was a tingling sensation in his heart, and he seemed a bit impatient. Aiwass had always been such an enthusiast of the mystical arts; his current actions were not at all out of place for him.

"I'll do it."

Seeing Aiwass about to leave by pushing his own wheelchair, Old James quickly stepped forward, grabbed the back of the wheelchair, and pushed Aiwass to his room.

On the way, the old man spoke softly, "Aiwass, although you might be unhappy to hear this... Dad still has to say it."

"During the ritual, make sure not to use humans or their corpses as materials or offerings. Apart from that, whatever materials you need, Dad will find a way to get them for you... Can you promise your Dad that?"

Upon hearing this, Aiwass, seated in the wheelchair, was a bit surprised and his eyes widened slightly.

Not because he was shocked that his adoptive father, the man behind the curtains, would make such an ethically sounding request...

But because he knew that what the old man said was completely correct.

It was not until the "Fallen Celestial Marshal" descended that the Demon Scholars, whose rank ceilings were raised, realized they were entirely on the wrong path.

They all thought that the emphasis on being a Demon Scholar was on "Demon," not realizing it was actually on "Scholar."

Humans cannot use humans as ritual materials, Elves cannot use Elves. If one is a transformed Undead, then they cannot use any animal bones as materials. This is the "Heaven's Scourge" taboo.

Any Demon Scholar who used offerings from their own kin and incurred the punishment of Heaven's Scourge could not advance from their profession to become a "Great Sin Scholar." Those fifth Energy Level Demon Scholars could only transform themselves into various Demons. That couldn't even count as advancement, just swapping their professional level for a racial template stronger than a human's.

Without a doubt, such a limit and strength were much weaker than that of the heroic profession "Great Sin Scholar."

And from the very beginning, players could not use their kin as ritual materials, therefore they could never meet the incorrect conditions for advancement.

Now, James had spoken out this secret so clearly.

Was it a coincidence, or was it...

Aiwass had a thought and simply nodded earnestly.

He raised two fingers of his right hand to his ear and solemnly uttered the oath, "I swear not to use the life or corpses of my kin as materials or offerings for my rituals."

As his voice fell, he suddenly witnessed a phantasmagoria—

Atop a snowy mountain in the darkness of night.

A radiant dragon that appeared to be made of crystal, diamond, and silver, wearing a Silver Crown, quietly gazed at him.

The vision lasted only a brief moment, less than half a second. But when Aiwass awoke, he was covered in a cold sweat.

[You have felt the gaze of 'Authority']

[You have acquired the trait: Authority-Silver Scale]

[Authority-Silver Scale: With this mark as a sign, the Silver-Crowned Dragon is watching over you. A certain oath you have taken cannot be broken. When you attack any oathbreaker, you gain a +1 favorable (divine)]

"...I don't know if this is your luck or misfortune, but even a 'simple oath' has caught Its attention. It must be a coincidence..."

The elder behind Aiwass also seemed to sense something and stopped in his tracks.

He was silent for a while before continuing to push the wheelchair slowly and said softly, "But no matter what, the God of Authority has heard your oath, and now it cannot be broken."

"Of course..."

Aiwass closed his eyes, feeling tired, and felt his heart that was beating so wildly it felt obstructed, "I will never tread down that irrevocable path of degeneracy."