Chapter 1286: Chapter 13 Overly Perfect Balance

Aiwass felt his consciousness gradually sinking into a warm ocean.

It was like being pushed and rocked by waters akin to a hot spring.

The feeling was similar yet different from the full moon ceremony. This peculiar, enveloping warmth was clearer and sleep-inducing. And the depth of the conscious “submersion” wasn’t that deep–he only lost awareness for a short moment before waking up.

When Aiwass awoke, he looked around.

He immediately realized the biggest difference between this ordinary dreamland and the Dream Realm ascension ceremony–

It seemed to be a middle school campus, and theoretically, it should be an all-girls school.

The students all wore black uniforms–resembling nun outfits, but with a stronger emphasis on aesthetics. Aiwass looked at these school uniforms, a modified version of nun attire, and felt they somewhat resembled black-and-white maid outfits.

Judging by their physique, these students were mostly around thirteen or fourteen years old.

The reason for saying “mostly” is that some looked noticeably older, around seventeen or eighteen; a few even appeared to be in their twenties, akin to college students, with physiques noticeably taller than the others. This is probably because the dream’s owner remembered them at different ages.

Yes, “they”–though the uniforms and campus seemed to belong to an all-girls school, inexplicably, there were a few male students.

Some students’ faces were entirely blurred, as if many faces were merged together. It gave the impression of a “not very clear picture quality,” with even facial features gradually changing. If you didn’t look carefully, it was like having no face at all.

–As if some people had a 4K resolution, while others had less than 1080P.

Yet, the dream’s owner, Mia, had a surprisingly low resolution–almost the lowest among the crowd of stitched-together people. She appeared around twenty years old, quite different from her classmates. Her face seemed to be shrouded in mist, with facial features constantly undergoing subtle shifts… This sensation inexplicably gave a creepy, eerie feeling.

The desks here were set for two people.

And beside her sat a much younger Arsene.

This “Arsene” looked to be about ten years old, at most in his early twenties, appearing younger than Mia. His face carried a hint of boyishness, handsome and confident.

Unlike everyone else, he wasn’t wearing a school uniform but donned an outfit resembling an orchestra conductor’s tailcoat. It was as if he was about to attend a banquet, with starlight glimmering in his eyes.

This “young Arsene” appeared completely different from the calm and graceful demeanor of Arsene from outside.

He was intently gazing at Mia, with an obvious infatuated look on his face–if put more elegantly, one might call it a “mischievous smile.” He even reached his hand under Mia’s skirt. Mia’s face turned red with shyness, gently patting his hand, but it seemed less like resistance and more like anticipation.

The teacher on the podium was delivering an exceedingly hypnotic lesson, seemingly about some modern literary theory. However, the nun teacher, who looked to be in her thirties or forties, with severe reflection from her round glasses and a bookish air, seemed blind, completely oblivious to their small movements.

Only about half of the students in the classroom were listening to the lecture.

The others were either whispering to each other or peacefully sleeping. One girl with quite high clarity was engrossed in drawing in a notebook. There was also a pair with equally high clarity, exuding a couple-like atmosphere, sitting by the window. The golden sunlight poured over them, and the girl with short hair had slid her hand from her companion’s sleeve into her embrace, while the long-haired girl reclined directly into the short-haired girl’s arms.

Evidently, those students with high clarity were Mia’s familiar and memorable friends or classmates.

–As for the teacher on the podium, she still hadn’t noticed any of this, continuing to recite from the textbook.

“…How nostalgic.”

Aiwass suddenly heard his desk mate speak: “Never thought I’d see myself when I was young again.”

He turned back and looked at the forty-something-year-old Arsene in a middle schooler’s uniform beside him.

Aiwass couldn’t help but chuckle–when Arsene wore that ceremonial outfit, he looked like an elegant yet dangerous gentleman thug. But now, in a middle schooler nun’s dress, he seemed like a pervert.

…Wait?

He was momentarily stunned.

Looking down at himself.

–Haha, it turns out I’m also wearing it, so that’s alright.

“When you were young?”

Aiwass tried not to look at the forty-something Arsene in a black skirt and instead turned to the charming couple by the window, casually asking, “Weren’t you a sailor and dockworker when you were young?”

“That was after,”

Arsene said with nostalgia. “When I was still a sailor, our ship met with a calamity, colliding with a huge sea monster.

“Including me, only three survived on the whole ship. Before dying, the captain entrusted me with his personal belongings… It was a codex book called “Stealing Heaven Secret Continuation.”

“That’s how I embarked on the transcendent path from that book.”

“…You’re an heir?”

Aiwass was somewhat surprised, “That’s quite rare.”

Although professionals can also read the Codex Book and acquire skills, heirs can also become professionals by learning extraordinary skills at lower levels… but obviously, Arsene doesn’t have a “mentor.”

“Yes, I am the heir.”

Arsene said calmly.

“Devotion and adaptation?”

Aiwass asked.

“No,” Arsene denied, “I am not destined for the Path of Adaptation. The paths I’ve taken are Devotion, Balance, and Beauty.”

“…Three path continuations?!”

Aiwass was shocked.

Three path continuations–this signifies extreme danger.

Dual pathways are basically the limit of human ability, because adding even one more path can cause a significantly skewed outcome.

The logic is simple–like “three points determine a circle.” If two of the points are determined as two paths, it actually means that these two points must be on the circle. Then this circle can be above or below, left or right, big or small, and it’s actually quite flexible.

But if three paths are confirmed, it means there’s absolutely no retreat.

From then on, any hesitation towards one’s own path would lead to the collapse of the “Ring,” causing the loss of extraordinary power, or even going out of control and becoming a twisted Phantom Demon.

“Actually, it’s fine,” Arsene was comforting Aiwass instead, “The Holy Number of the Path of Devotion is three, triangles are extremely stable, and coincidentally, there are three paths; both the Path of Balance and the Path of Beauty emphasize mirroring and balance. These three paths are basically the ones with the highest compatibility and stability. See, I’m still balancing the path power till now, isn’t it?”

“…So that’s when you became a Phantom Thief?”

Aiwass asked quietly: “You showed your face? I remember you have the ability to disguise… but you hadn’t learned it at that time?”

“I knew how from the very beginning.”

Arsene shook his head, and said candidly: “It’s just that I felt, since I believed I was right, there was no need to hide my identity. Just like if the reason for murder is revenge for a friend, one shouldn’t hide evidence or conceal the crime. I distributed what I stole to the poor, and for that, I’m proud–why would I need to hide my identity?”

This candid middle-aged man in a skirt was undoubtedly a respectable eccentric.

He said earnestly: “Moreover, I think… when anyone walks the path of crime for any reason, no amount of explanation or sophistry can deny that what he’s embracing is the very essence of crime itself. Doing the right thing, and walking the path of crime, these two matters do not conflict. Just revenge is also revenge, but it is also the crime of murder. And I walk between the two, just as I balance the ‘Hourglass’ and ‘Gemini Mirror.’

“Based on this philosophy, any modification or disguise to my face signifies ‘I am escaping from crime,’ indicating my cowardice. It might even transfer the crime onto innocent people. Hence, when I first took on the role of a Phantom Thief, I had already abandoned my original identity and lifestyle–I stole directly showing my true face and true name.

“Yet even so, they couldn’t catch me. I could disguise myself to look like someone else and thus avoid the chase–but I wouldn’t change myself to look like someone else to steal, or rather… I would reveal my true face after theft to bear the crime on myself, not on others I transformed into.”

While speaking, Arsene glanced over there: “At the time, many newspapers had my real face because I allowed interviews. The Iris Flower police were extremely angry at such provocation and didn’t think I would distribute the money to ordinary people as promised. The name ‘Phantom Thief’ probably started circulating then… she might have become one of my lovers after seeing that newspaper as a child.

“However… a thief is still a thief. No matter how brightly packaged the reason, it can’t hide the fact that I’m a thief. So I never consider myself to be a ‘savior of the poor’ or ‘executor of justice.’ I still ultimately harm others, even if they deserve it–thus, if one day, I get arrested or killed, it’s what I deserve.”

“…Remarkable awareness.”

Aiwass turned his head to look at Arsene.

There was admiration in his tone: “I probably understand why you became friends with Sherlock.”

“Being praised by His Holiness is truly an honor.”

Arsene nodded warmly: “However, Your Majesty–now that you have entered the Dream Realm, aren’t you going to remove your disguise?”

“Why do you think I became the Son of the Moon?”

Aiwass no longer pretended, speaking directly and frankly.

“I think, perhaps to give others some face. If appearing as the Pope in Iris Flower, whatever you do would appear as pressing down with power… even if no one dares to casually wield this power, you might feel embarrassed?”

Clearly… as one devoted, Arsene could understand Aiwass. Just as Aiwass could understand Arsene.

“Partly the reason.”

Aiwass nodded: “And another part of the reason is because my body is bestowed by the Gemini Mirror. It indeed has the power of the Son of the Moon… this allows us to respond to more situations.

“After all, in the Dream Realm, anything can happen. Speaking of which, do you know how to enter the Dream Realm?”

“…I know a bit.”

Arsene hesitated, then said: “Taking the ‘unmanned ship of white sails’ at the seaside in a dream… but Mia hasn’t dreamt by the sea. Another method is jumping off the cliff. But I’m unsure if this works… after all, we’re entering physically, and if we’re accidentally killed or fall into the void, it won’t be good. Do you have a method?”

“Of course,” Aiwass nodded, “follow me.”