Pastor's Tantra

It has been a while since Professor Bard arrived in the Narcissus Principality.

The Royal Law University has been on holiday since mid-April, and the third semester will be dedicated to internships, experiments, certifications, and exams after the school starts on May 1st.

Now it is the exam season for the second semester, and the formal teaching time has ended.

——As for trivial matters such as exams and reading papers, just find an assistant among the students. The school can't control him at all.

Although it is impossible for Aiwass to come back to be his assistant... but Aiwass inspired Professor Bard's thinking. When Aiwass went abroad to study in the Church Country and became an archbishop on the first day, Professor Bard found his second assistant in advance with a good sense of foresight.

At that time, Professor Bard had a premonition: Aiwass would most likely not come back to class.

Originally, he planned to go to Xingti at the end of the second semester, which was in mid-April.

Xingti's archaeological model is quite favorable to foreign archaeologists like him.

It doesn't matter whether it's hiring archaeologists or sponsoring archaeologists - he's not going to resell antiques anyway, he just wants to come back and write a paper. With the official signature of Star Antimony, no one would worry about his academic fraud. He himself is not a Star Antimony person, so there is no point in helping him lie. This is called taking what you need.

And the order given to him by Queen Isabel is just what he wants.

Originally, he just wanted to conduct an excavation of the ruins of the Hengwo era - that is, at most, to dig up the ruins of the elves, and there may be some guardians such as magic beasts and undead.

But when he heard that someone had found a relic that might be from the Amber Age, Professor Bard was immediately excited.

That was an ancient relic before the birth of humans... even before the birth of elves!

- This is exactly what Professor Bard regrets!

He knows that the era before the elves is called the Amber Age... That was the era when the winged and scaled ones were kings, and the "hundred children of the giant tree" who were "breasted ones" had just been born and were still in the era of civilization and ignorance. It was not until the death of the second sun that that era gradually came to an end, and the era of elves and magic beasts gradually arrived.

Unlike island countries like Avalon and the Theocracy.

As a continental country on the sea, the Herasl Empire should have traces of ancient civilization. But until now, human historiography has not confirmed any traces of existence before the Hengwo era. The oldest historical fragments that humans can get are the "civilization of sacrifice and language" left after the fall of the second sun.

Although it is known from the elves and dragons that there must be civilization in that era, they know nothing about it. And the elves are unwilling to share the secret.

As an archaeologist, there is nothing more exciting than discovering this prehistoric civilization!

Professor Bard is very old. Although he looks only in his fifties or sixties, his hair is not even completely white, but he is completely bald. But in fact, Bard is of the same generation as Meg... He is already ninety years old this year.

Minister Droste, who is the same age as him, already needs to rely on magic potions to prolong his life. In this case, Minister Droste is still infected with the adaptability of the Dusk Path - that is, he is beginning to fear death.

Professor Bard can still travel abroad at this age because he has been blessed by the sand clock with his academic research results. In addition, the official attention of Avalon allows this old man to walk around without illness and in high spirits every day.

But even so, the old man's energy and state are obviously declining.

He knew that this might be his last time to visit the site for archaeology. So after getting the healer Aiwass, he boldly wanted to open a relic of the Hengwo era-it was only the Hengwo era.

Because the elves have strict regulations on archaeology, the "Ancient Monuments Restoration Association" does not allow non-professionals to conduct archaeology in principle. They believe that any form of archaeology may cause damage to the ancient monuments. It is for this reason that the old man can never find a priest teammate. No priest above the bishop dares to come, after all, that may offend the Ancient Monuments Restoration Association.

That is the core force composed of three cardinals.

Professor Bard asked Aiwas to follow him because Aiwas was still a student, not a regular clergyman with holy orders. The core rule of "children are ignorant" is applicable in various places. This will not bring any bad influence to Aiwas.

And the more ancient the ruins are, the greater the danger inside.

But Professor Bard not only wants to become "the most powerful historian since the founding of Avalon", but also wants to... go further.

Historical knowledge does not belong to the nine great ways, but the act of digging and restoring history is in line with the concepts of the Way of Balance, the Way of Dusk and the Way of Wisdom. If he can get the favor of the Heavenly Master or even the Pillar God, maybe he will have a chance to become an apostle!

- That is Bard's ambition!

This is not a fantasy, after all, he has received a blessing once.

If he goes one step further, maybe he can become an apostle!

As long as he can become an apostle, he will not die of old age again. And he can keep his consciousness clear, explore the dream world which is more vast, mysterious and ancient than the material world, communicate with the dead great men in the past, and get first-hand information directly from the people involved... Nothing is more attractive than this.

Whether he can become an apostle... depends on this last archaeological excavation!

Turned into ashes, or stepping into eternity——

For this reason, Professor Bard attaches great importance to this archaeological excavation.

Because the employer "Master Dürer" intends to hire a top-level team with a high salary, Professor Bard did not even bring his own team. He traveled alone overseas... Although he was escorted by the Griffin Corps when he came, he had to take care of his daily life by himself.

And the quality of this archaeological team also made him quite satisfied.

The six fourth-level protectors are a temple-guarding monk, a dream-wandering monk, a great wizard, a trap master, a survival expert, and a great wizard. One dedication path, two wisdom paths, two adaptation paths, and one transcendence path——plus the employer's own dusk path preservationist profession, the professional distribution can be said to be extremely reasonable.

In this way, their team can make complete solutions to illusions, mechanisms, poisons, rituals, runes, and magic beasts at the same time.

——It's just a pity that they still can't catch a high-level priest.

Professor Bard touched his chin with some regret.

If there is a priest who can help them to supplement the countermeasures against the undead and curse, and further get the ability of immediate treatment... their team can be said to be flawless.

"Mr. Dürer."

Professor Bard asked: "Are you waiting for someone?"

Since this morning, their employer Albrecht Dürer has been sitting at the door of the villa they temporarily rented, motionless.

This manor is their place of residence. After all, it takes some time to gradually gather people. In order to prevent these talents from leaving, giving them a good enough living environment is a necessary condition.

Their people are obviously complete, but Mr. Dürer still hasn't left. Even if asked, he just said "It's not time yet."

In view of the fact that they will be paid a large amount of salary every day they stay, the other people in the team are very patient to play in the Narcissus Principality. Just treat it as a holiday for yourself... Probably only Professor Bard will be a little anxious, but it's actually okay.

The third semester has not started yet, and he has at least several months to spend here. And for this archaeological excavation... he could even stop teaching, and everything could be compromised for this supreme cause.

Now, the heavy snow caused by the winter position has just dissipated. Snow can still be seen falling on the roofs of some places. The slightly warmer April sun shines on the snow, giving people a warm feeling of sunshine and a cool breeze.

Therefore, almost everyone else in the team went out to play.

Except for Albrecht Dürer and Professor Bard, only the temple monk was meditating here.

And the taciturn Mr. Dürer did not respond.

Professor Bard felt a little bored, he just shook his head and habitually asked: "Speaking of which, do you know how the name of Protagoras came from?"

This is not to show off knowledge, but just to have some fun when bored.

He always likes to tell people stories, which is probably why he likes to be a teacher. It's just that the stories he tells are always boring, even his students yawn when they hear them.

"——This name comes from Protagoras, the apostle of the Great Master, who was a wizard lord during the Herasser Empire."

It was not Mr. Dürer who answered Professor Bader, but a familiar yet somewhat unfamiliar voice outside the door: "There is a wizard tower in the Narcissus Principality called 'Protagoras'. Its name comes from Protagoras's magic inheritance... According to the "Land Management Act for the Land Attached to the Wizard Tower", wizard lords are given powers close to those of nobles in other countries, including the right to name.

"Generally speaking, the names of the counties in the Narcissus Principality come from the surnames of the local wizard lords. Unless the wizard lord specifically named the land..."

The voice came from far away. Dürer suddenly raised his head and looked outside the door.

After that, Aiwas pushed the door open.

He looked at Professor Bader with a smile on his face: "You said, am I right?

"——Teacher?"

"Evans!...Evans?!"

Professor Bard was stunned: "You are not——"

Didn't you go to the contemporary pope of the Church? How come you have time to come here? !

Just when he was about to say this, he saw the decorations and runes on the robe of Evans.

He recognized the truth at a glance: "Hollowed out ancient scripture gold ornaments, nine holy gold buttons, nine-inch deer antler thorn pattern... It is really the standard of the daily uniform of the Eternal Pope."

Unbelievable.

Although he had heard before that his student was now the acting pope... He was stunned once at that time. But because it was too outrageous, there was no sense of reality at all.

But now it is different.

He saw it with his own eyes——

At that moment, the absurdity accumulated in the past few months came to his mind.

——My student really became a cardinal? My student became the Eternal Pope? Why did the Pope come here in person? You are also here to do archaeology? Is it really okay for the Church to leave the Pope?

Countless questions crowded into Professor Bader's mind, making him widen his eyes but unable to say a word.

At this time, Dürer stood up and bowed deeply to Aiwass: "Your Holiness."

When Aiwass looked at Dürer, the exaggerated smile on his face that said "Aha, you didn't expect it" was slightly restrained. He nodded gently: "May the Pillar God protect you, Master Dürer... or Master Chongbo."

"... You really know my identity."

"I have met Mr. Grunewald. You also knew I was coming after reading the letter over there, right?"

Evans smiled and put his finger in front of his lips: "But remember... don't tell those people my identity. But there is no need to hide it deliberately, just call me Aiwas. Or Moriarty is also fine."

In the past, Aiwas would be used to using the pseudonym "Aleister".

But now he inexplicably feels awkward and doesn't want to use it.

At this time, Professor Bard's hesitant voice came again: "Who are you...?"

That was the girl with pure white long hair and snow-like temperament who came with Aiwas.

She looked cold and silent, as quiet as a lifeless sculpture. The long hair that seemed to be cut off by a knife gave people a silent and cold sharp feeling.

Master Chongbo nodded and responded to Aiwas' words. Then he looked up at the girl.

He took a look and was stunned. Then he opened his eyes wide and tried to look.

"...Is it a machine?"

Chongbo was a little confused: "And there is a soul?"

"This is Cardinal Galatea."

Ewass introduced: "A... Star Crystal Man born in the Amber Age, a helper I found.

"——She may know more about this relic."

At this time, Master Chongbo suddenly felt a bad feeling in his heart.

Three fifth energy levels, six fourth energy levels... The number of extraordinary people has unknowingly reached nine.

Nine people——

...That is the "ultimate" number, and it is also the number required for the grand ceremony.