Chapter 63: Guardian Dharma God of the State

"Sin Earl..." Fara Osiris, known as the Guardian Mage of Shawen, slightly narrowed his weathered yet still clear and bright eyes. His previously tranquil tone carried a hint of astonishment: "Is it you?"

Mo nodded lightly, the smile on his face serene and casual: "Indeed. To be honest, I did not expect Your Grace the Duke to place such trust in me. If I may not fear your amusement, for a fallen noble, my pressure during this period has been quite substantial."

Affable, articulate, dashing, neither humble nor overbearing...

This was Fara's first impression of the young man before him. Although the half-mask prevented a full view of his features, it did not hinder the fact that his demeanor instantly inspired a favorable impression. Furthermore, his ability to maintain sufficient composure in the face of the oppressive aura deliberately exuded by Fara indicated a certain level of competence. It seemed that this temporary commander, who had caught the imperial court quite by surprise, was neither a fool nor an individual with malicious intent.

This brought a degree of relief to Fara, who had always held Grand Duke Gallos in high esteem. As long as he could be certain that the latter was not treating the heinous tragedy in Banser City as a child's play, he would rest much easier.

However, given the gravity of the matter, Fara, who had come precisely to gauge this 'Sin Earl,' had no intention of relying solely on first impressions to form a judgment...

"Have you heard of my name?" Fara reined in his previously vague pressure and asked indifferently.

Mo immediately smiled faintly: "You jest, Master. As an archmage of both the Arcane and Spatial dual systems, as well as the Empire's Grand Astrologer and Guardian Mage, how could I possibly have not heard of you?"

Fara smiled as well: "Then you have seen me before?"

"That I have not." Mo shook his head. "However, based on that effortless spatial teleportation just now, coupled with the suffocating pressure right up to this moment, combined with your attire... actually, it wasn't hard to guess."

Fara was momentarily stunned, only then recalling that, due to his hasty departure, he was still wearing the attire he frequently donned when entering the palace and the Mages' Guild...

The magic robe of silver patterns on a purple base emanated at least a dozen high-tier enchantment fluctuations, while the gold and blue ribbons at the collar respectively signified his status as Grand Astrologer and President of the Mages' Guild. Fara, who had previously deliberately put away his staff and several amplifying magic rings, suddenly felt like an absolute idiot.

Yet the little fellow before him had very considerately mentioned only two rather subtle clues, which could certainly be considered quite respectful. This detail further heightened Fara's favorable impression of him.

"Heh, when a person grows old, the mind tends to grow muddled. You are quite good," Fara smiled candidly, then furrowed his brow slightly and asked, "It seems Gallos conferring a title upon you is not without reason, but why a Sin Earl? You must know that this word carries no pleasant connotations."

Mo pursed his lips with a trace of awkwardness, fell silent for a long moment, and then sighed softly: "This was not the original intention of Lord Gallos, but rather my own proactive request upon learning that the Grand Duke intended to bestow a title upon me."

"Oh?" Fara blinked with keen interest. "Would it be convenient to share it with this old man?"

"There is nothing particularly unspeakable." Mo fished a shattered emblem from his pocket, his lowered gaze somewhat complex. "As I mentioned to you earlier, I am considered a fallen noble. Although my ancestors once experienced a period of glory, they were exiled due to a grave mistake. Taking 'Sin' as a name is merely a desire to atone for my family..."

Although Fara's study of heraldry was not profound, he could sense that there must be quite a story behind this, though his primary concern lay elsewhere...

"So you wished to perform a meritorious service through this incident to atone for your family's sins?"

The old man's gaze was profound and wise.

"It is merely a matter of meeting by chance." A self-deprecating smile touched the corner of Mo's mouth. "I happened to be passing by here some time ago and discovered that Banser City had turned into a dead zone. Concerned about whether anyone inside might still be alive, I stepped into that cursed land..."

Fara nodded: "And then?"

"That endless lingering resentment nearly shattered my sanity." Mo stroked his chest with lingering fear, his complexion turning slightly pale. "I felt as though I were standing in purgatory. Thinking back now, it was truly fortunate that I did not have my traveling companions explore it with me..."

He revealed a gentle smile, raised a hand to lift the corner of his mask, and the skin beneath unexpectedly exhibited a patch of black: "This is hardly flattering for a young woman."

"This is..." Fara's pupils shrank abruptly, and he said in a low voice to Mo, who was readjusting and securing his mask: "I have never witnessed such evil power!"

The latter shook his head gently: "I do not know either, but it is very likely the power of the perpetrator. Although I left as quickly as possible at the time, I was still corroded by it. Regrettably, I found no survivors."

Without waiting for Fara to continue questioning, Mo took the initiative to recount: "Later, I encountered Viscount Tyre and participated in the investigation as the primary eyewitness. Perhaps due to having been corroded by that power earlier, I could slightly sense the remnants of that force. Once the Grand Duke's noble investigation delegation arrived, I discovered that under the protection of the priests, I could even track that evil power in reverse within the city..."

"And thus you became one of the front-line commanders of the investigation delegation." Fara looked at him with some skepticism: "Just because of this?"

Mo smiled faintly: "I do not wish to see the Grand Duke put himself in peril, nor do I wish to see the slaughtered souls denied peace. Of course, there is also a tiny bit of selfish desire in this. As you have witnessed, the Grand Duke's appreciation has given me hope, and I wish to use the identity of Sin Earl to atone for my sins through meritorious service and revitalize my family..."

[Talent Skill: Original Sin, Cooldown Complete]

System prompts quietly sounded in Mo's ears...

"I sympathize with your plight, and I admire your character." Fara nodded, yet his gaze grew stern. "However, I do not entirely trust you yet..."

Mo nodded lightly: "Understandable."

"I hope you can earn my complete trust in the future." Despite harboring no great doubts regarding Mo's words, Fara still said in a deep voice: "I know Gallos well; unlike most of his peers, he is a noble soul. Let us hope he has not misjudged you... Otherwise..."

A staff of entirely silver appearance materialized out of thin air, surrounded by several rotating, substantial magic runes. At its crown and base rested crystals somewhat familiar to Mo, emitting a dazzling seven-colored radiance.

As Fara waved his hand lightly, countless starlight instantly materialized in the distant midair, followed immediately by a dazzling cascade of rain accompanied by a whistling sound. Those numerous, naked-to-the-eye-hard-to-distinguish 'raindrops' turned out to be falling silver meteors plunging straight down!

"Halt."

Just as they were about to impact the ground, Fara seized the staff and forcefully struck it against the earth. Accompanied by a torrent of magical energy, the distant space was abruptly frozen in place...

"Disperse."

The grand-scale arcane sequence instantly reversed at a soft command. The rain-like falling stars dissipated into nothingness out of thin air one after another, and the completely stagnant space returned to normal as if nothing had happened at all.

The might of a Guardian Mage was terrifying to this degree...

"Do not fail those who look upon you with favor and believe in you," Fara said nonchalantly. "Now take me to... hmm?"

A slender, graceful figure swiftly galloped from afar without making the slightest sound. In a short moment, Ji Xiaodao stood vigilantly by Mo's side, gazing coldly at Fara.

"Allow me to introduce her. This is the companion I just mentioned to you, named Silent Prayer. Although she poses as a maid to a fallen noble like myself, she has actually always been my sole female companion." Mo smiled apologetically at Fara, then quite naturally took Ji Xiaodao's hand, facing her near-shocked gaze as he said softly: "This is Master Fara, the Guardian Mage. Do not be impolite~"

Ji Xiaodao nodded stiffly, then offered Fara an unnatural smile: "Greetings, Master."

"Greetings, young lady." Fara nodded kindly at the seemingly nervous dark elf before him: "Do not misunderstand, I have no intention of harming Lord Sin Earl~"

Ji Xiaodao hurriedly shook her head: "I merely wished to inform you... Mo, something just happened at the forward camp. A soldier suddenly became very strange for unknown reasons, his expression filled with agony, and then... he exploded."

Both Fara and Mo were slightly stunned. The former immediately turned serious: "Quickly, take us to see..."

"Wait a moment." Unexpectedly, Mo spoke up to interrupt: "There is still something I wish to tell you."

"What is it?"

"It is this~" Mo's voice was very soft, and a trace of black radiance quietly lit up within the pupils shadowed by his mask: "If possible, might you be able to..."

BANG!!!

[Talent Skill: Original Sin, Execution Failed]

Concurrently with this system prompt, a crystal on Fara's chest intended for decoration suddenly shattered, and a formidable force surged outward instantly.

The Guardian Mage was actually pushed back several steps, a trace of blood lingering at the corner of his mouth.

Meanwhile, Mo moved immediately to stand in front of Ji Xiaodao, shielding her from that potent shockwave.

"Master Fara, what on earth just happened?!" After the abrupt force gradually dissipated, Mo turned instantly to ask Fara while protecting Ji Xiaodao, who remained in a daze.

"Be cautious!" The Guardian Mage, his complexion pale, rapidly traced a complex seven-colored magic array before him and activated it cautiously. A colorful barrier of light instantly expanded outward from him as its center, sweeping across a radius of several kilometers in an instant...

Nothing happened.

"Nothing..." Cold sweat streamed down Fara's temples. This poised and powerful Guardian Mage appeared somewhat terrified at the moment. He motioned for Mo and Ji Xiaodao to stand behind him, scanning his surroundings with vigilance, yet found nothing at all.

"Master?" Mo asked with a hint of concern: "What is the matter? What was that just now..."

"It has nothing to do with you!" Fara shook his head. "What were you just trying to say to me?"

Mo glanced back at Ji Xiaodao, then lowered his voice to Fara: "I wanted to ask if you could dispel the mark on my face. After all, you are..."

"This is no time for such matters!" Fara impatiently interrupted: "Something major has happened. I must return to the imperial capital immediately. You must return at once, have Gallos evacuate everyone from the vicinity of Banser City, and then bring him back here with you. I will leave a spatial gateway behind; we shall discuss the rest upon arrival!"

Without waiting for the two to react, he immediately mobilized his mana to tear open a relatively stable spatial gate on the spot and plunged right through it...

...

"Just now..." Ji Xiaodao realized Mo had released her hand at some point.

"Quiet." Mo had entirely discarded the gentle demeanor that seemed capable of emerging effortlessly just moments ago, casting a cold glance at her: "Had I not blocked Fara's line of sight in front of you, he might have already begun to harbor suspicions..."

After a brief silence, Mo spoke indifferently: "I originally intended to control that mage directly, but my skill activation failed."

"What?" Ji Xiaodao was startled, then frowned slightly: "Then wouldn't he..."

"He is not suspicious for the time being." Mo chuckled coldly, the black light in his eyes capable of driving anyone to madness gradually receding: "Yet he definitely knows something. Perhaps it will not be long before he comes looking for me..."

Having witnessed Mo deploy 'Original Sin' with her own eyes, Ji Xiaodao lowered her voice: "Then what should we do now? That skill did not take effect, and Fara is the Guardian Mage—his strength and influence far surpass Grand Duke Gallos. If he harbors suspicions toward you... then..."

"So what?" Mo calmly gazed at the spatial gate leading straight to the Shawen Imperial capital, speaking softly: "If it cannot be controlled, then it shall simply be eradicated."

Ji Xiaodao smiled bitterly: "But if he cannot be..."

"Original Sin is not omnipotent, even though this world is brimming with sins." Mo impatiently cut Ji Xiaodao off: "However, if one could succeed effortlessly relying solely on a single skill, this game would truly be too tedious."

The latter appeared somewhat dazed.

"Everything requires a process." Mo paid her no mind, simply turning to walk toward the forward encampment as he muttered to himself: "And I care little for the length of the process..."

Ji Xiaodao followed silently behind him, and after a long while, as if searching for something to say, she remarked: "We are going to find Grand Duke Gallos?"

"Mn."

"Then regarding the soldier who exploded in the camp earlier..." Recalling the incident, the young girl's expression turned noticeably grim: "How shall we handle it?"

"It will not happen again." Mo paused slightly in his steps, recalling the actions of his other self earlier, and turned back with a faint smile: "I did it."

Ji Xiaodao was not overly surprised this time, as any event seemed plausible when attributed to the man before her. She merely shrugged: "Very well, I could sense that he deserved death, anyway. However, how did you pull it off?"

"......"

"Mn?"

"You ask too many questions today."

Chapter 63: End