Saint Anthony

It was Night in Backlund, and Saint Samuel's Church had a special guest visit.

"Good evening, Your Excellency Lin Ruo," the secret badge bearer said, leading Lin Ruo effortlessly to an elderly man.

The elderly man donned a black and red clergy robe adorned with five dark holy emblems on his chest. His face was thin and clean, but what truly stood out were his deep, tranquil eyes that reflected the essence of the dark night. He was none other than Saint Anthony Stevenson, one of the thirteen archbishops of the Night Church, the leader of the Backlund diocese, and a prominent figure within the night.

In the original story, he was the second person to care for Klein on behalf of the goddess (or so they say), with the first being the secret servant Arianna, affectionately dubbed Aunt Anna by book enthusiasts.

Upon hearing Saint Anthony's warm greeting, Lin Ruo, who had changed his face thanks to the [Faceless] abilities, reciprocated with a gentle smile, saying, "Good evening, Lord Saint Anthony. I hope my impromptu visit isn't causing any inconvenience. In truth, I've come seeking your assistance."

It was no mystery how Saint Anthony knew of Lin Ruo's existence. After all, once Tingen Nighthawks had exposed his identity, Lin Ruo was aware that Dunn had reported it to the church. Lin Ruo had deliberately allowed this revelation, as he had officially embraced his role as the Evernight's Blessed in Tingen, and there was no need to hide certain facts any longer. This is why Lin Ruo dared to wear a secret badge and undergo a physical transformation to visit Archbishop St. Anthony Stevenson.

"I am more than willing to assist you, Your Excellency Lin Ruo, but I am curious about the nature of your difficulties," Archbishop Saint Anthony inquired gently. Perhaps he had received prior knowledge from the goddess or found Lin Ruo's situation particularly intriguing. His demeanor toward Lin Ruo was undeniably favorable.

Lin Ruo pondered for a moment and then posed a question, "Your Excellency Saint Anthony, have you ever come across the Eight Paths of Si Chen and Kai: Lamp, Cast, Cup, Heart, Blade, Winter, and Moth?" Lin Ruo decided to introduce the issue by sharing some esoteric knowledge, even though it meant exposing his familiarity with this obscure religion. As a servant favored by the Evernight Goddess, Lin Ruo believed that being forthright might yield more clues.

Though Saint Anthony's reaction was subtle, he hesitated briefly and then asked with some uncertainty, "Si Chen and the Eight Paths?"

It seemed as though he was recollecting, but eventually, he shook his head and admitted, "I'm afraid, I have no knowledge of what you're referring to."

"Have you ever heard of the Colonel, the Lionsmith, the Night Watchman...?" Lin Ruo persisted, listing all the names associated with Esoteric Religion that he knew.

Archbishop Saint Anthony remained silent, appearing to delve into his memory. After a moment, he shook his head again, saying, "I don't recognize any of those names or have any recollection of them. What manner of entities are they?"

"You can think of them as... malevolent deities," Lin Ruo explained, though his heart sank.

Lin Ruo understood that if Archbishop St. Anthony, in his position, had no knowledge of esotericism, then the Beyonder world likely held no esoteric-related information from the past. However, Lin Ruo found himself facing this very circumstance.

He tried to remain optimistic, hoping that perhaps the Blade Believer was an isolated incident, much like his own arrival in this world. He comforted himself as he listened to the elderly man inquire, "Lin Ruo, is the predicament you face connected to these malevolent deities you mentioned?"

"In a way, it's not a predicament, but rather a need for their information and confirmation of something vital," Lin Ruo replied honestly. His primary purpose for visiting Anthony Stevenson was to ascertain whether the archbishop had knowledge of Tantric Buddhism. Yet, aside from this, Lin Ruo did entertain the idea of collecting materials related to esotericism.

Lin Ruo was aware that his knowledge of Esoteric Religion was limited to the confines of a video game. However, the reality he faced now transcended the shallow boundaries of a mere game. The depth of Esoteric Religion in this world was far beyond what any game could depict.

"I understand. I'll have someone look into the matters you've mentioned," Archbishop St. Anthony responded thoughtfully, his expression turning grave. He inquired further, "Is there anything else?"

"I also need to research the characteristics of the 22 pathways and some ritual magic. Additionally, I'd like to access records of recent extraordinary events in Backlund," Lin Ruo replied, maintaining his composure. This was the third purpose of his visit: to catch up on his studies and gain a deeper understanding of the current state of Backlund's extraordinary community.

Archbishop St. Anthony nodded in response, then stood up and gestured for Lin Ruo to follow him. They left St. Anthony's study, traversed a lengthy corridor, and eventually entered what appeared to be a combination of a file room and a reference library.

"The contents of some cabinets are off-limits, but you're free to access any other information here. If you don't find what you're looking for today, you're welcome to return and search at any time in the future," Archbishop St. Anthony explained. He then led Lin Ruo to a bookshelf filled with documents and began introducing each section.

"In this section, you'll find information on extraordinary events in the Backlund Diocese over the past decade."

"Here are books on ritual magic."

"These records are from the Church of Saint Samuel and contain information on the characteristics of the 22 pathways, though it's not entirely comprehensive. While details on low and medium sequences are abundant, information on high sequences is scarce."

After the brief tour, Saint Anthony expressed his hopes, saying, "I trust you'll find what you seek."

He drew a crimson moon symbol four times over his chest and said, "Praise the Goddess !"

"Praise the Goddess !" Lin Ruo replied in kind, drawing the crimson moon symbol on his own chest. He then added, "If I delve into the information, I'll do so alone. Your Excellency St. Anthony, you needn't accompany me."

"In that case, I shall take my leave," St. Anthony responded with a slight nod, refraining from probing further or insisting on staying. He departed from the archives, leaving Lin Ruo to his research.

The archives room fell into profound silence, with only the sound of Lin Ruo flipping through the documents breaking the stillness.