Chapter 2, Coming Along with Oneself

Yet in Lucien's eyes, this middle-aged man appeared like an angel adorned with a pure white halo, an angel who had liberated him from embarrassment and tension

One could easily find oneself bound to the stake and burned alive

In the dilapidated box, in addition to some clothing, Lucien saw two black, bread-shaped items and seven brass coins that glimmered with a metallic sheen

As time passed, darkness gradually descended, and Lucien adapted to the fear, calming himself. Since he had already crossed over, no amount of anxiety, worry, or fear would change anything. He could only proceed cautiously, taking one step at a time. If he were to die again, it was uncertain whether he would have the opportunity to cross over once more.

Lucien was shaken to his core, devoid of the reverence that an ordinary person should possess. Suddenly, a tremendous force struck his left shoulder, causing him to involuntarily lean to the left, nearly losing his balance.

Aunt Eliza originally wanted to invite Lucien to her home for dinner, but the urgently needed quiet Lucien politely declined her invitation

Just now, Lucien moved his mouth numbly

Suppressing his hunger, Lucien rummaged through the crate again and finally found the flint. After several failed attempts, he managed to ignite the wood beneath the stove and began to bake the bread in an orderly manner

The power of divine arts is so formidable; I wonder if I will have the opportunity to learn it

If I cannot obtain this power, will what I have learned be of any use in this world

The stern gaze made Joel shrink his shoulders, but Eliza quickly noticed Lucien's daze on the side: "Oh, sorry, little Evans, Auntie didn't mean to bring this up. You are very talented, it's just that you haven't trained since you were young..."

Lucien's evasion only deepened the sorrow of that lady: "Poor little Evans, you must be so ill that you're confused. Just look at this little face, so thin that you can see the bones..."

"Aunt Eliza, I am completely fine now, just still a bit dizzy from reading too many books," Lucien carefully chose his words to avoid revealing any signs of distress

Lucien was jolted back to reality by a slap, and he saw a brown-haired lady standing beside him, who was at least twice his width. She was wiping her tears while repeatedly patting her shoulder with her right hand, which could rival a bear's paw in strength.

Lucien, feeling restless and uneasy, could only force a smile and say: "Yes, my dream is to become a musician"

The evening sunlight pierced through the clusters of crimson clouds, illuminating the tranquil square of the Aderang Church. The small sun held by the bishop had already lost its bright radiance; he hung it on his chest and turned to walk into the church

As he roasted the bread, Lucien murmured about delicacies such as braised pork, spicy chicken wings, steamed beef with rice flour, and Kung Pao chicken, his mouth watering uncontrollably

Walking behind the middle-aged man, Lucien gathered from Aunt Eliza's ramblings that the events had unfolded as follows: the witch had been caught by the church's night watch while attempting to steal a corpse from the cemetery. As her neighbor, he was also summoned by the church for questioning. During this process, the church likely employed some form of divine magic, which not only cleared the true Lucien of suspicion but also inflicted mental or physical harm upon him, leading to a severe illness that ultimately resulted in his death, thus allowing Lucien to possess his body.

At this moment, a middle-aged man standing nearby patted the plump woman and reassured her, "Elisa, little Evans has just recovered, and he must be very weak. Please do not disturb him. Evan, support your mother; let us go home together"

Step aside a little, lest you be photographed to the point of vomiting blood. Lucien opened his mouth but found he could not utter a single word, because: "What should I call this lady? It seems my full name should be Lucien Evans"

Aunt Eliza wiped her tears: "Little Evans, seeing you recover puts my mind at ease. It's all the fault of that damned mhetushu.com, the evil witch who has already gone to hell"

Upon closer inspection, Lucien couldn't help but widen his eyes: "Aren't these the books from the library? Have they crossed over as well?"

Seeing that Lucien did not speak, the middle-aged man patted Lucien on the shoulder and quietly comforted him: "Elisa is just like that, you can pretend you didn't hear it."

Aiven let out a long sigh

Lucien was devouring his food ravenously, and as he ate, he couldn't help but lament: "If I had to eat such food every day, it would be better to die. No, I must earn money, I must escape this life of poverty"

Lucien sniffed and reluctantly confirmed that it was indeed bread, but it was hard enough to knock out an adult

Swallowing hard, filling his stomach was a pressing priority. Lucien interrupted his thoughts and walked towards the only crate in the room that could hold things

This is a large city called Alto, located near the Dark Mountains, known as the City of Canticles, prosperous and full of opportunities

Joel laughed heartily and patted Lucien on the shoulder again: "How could our little Evans be so fragile? He is the man destined to inherit his Uncle Joel's dream of becoming a musician"

Oh, my poor Evans, you are finally safe, this is all the Lord's protection. I was afraid you would end up like your father, who fell ill and never stood up again. Thank the Lord for allowing such a wonderful young man to continue living

The dazzling white light seemed to linger before his eyes, and the sacred and immense power it contained felt faintly perceptible. Under this impact, Lucien had already accepted his identity, burying all past experiences deep within his heart, not daring to reveal the slightest hint of difference

The emotions that erupted after witnessing the witch's tragic fate finally came to the surface when no one was around, leaving Lucien both astonished and terrified

I actually traveled through time

Of course, as a guy who has not experienced many significant events, although Sean from m.hetushu.com is somewhat introverted and tends to panic when faced with situations, he surprisingly managed to remain calm in the face of immense pressure, only losing his composure after returning

Soon, the four of them arrived at the small cabin where Lucien was located

Realizing that her words were increasingly touching the wounds in Lucien's heart, Eliza quickly closed her mouth and signaled Joel to speak with her eyes

Aunt Eliza turned around and glared at him: "Fortunately, we have the Lord's protection. You should know that all our hopes rest on John and Evan. If it weren't for young John training every day, how could he have been chosen by Sir Wayne to go to his estate for formal knight training? If he can awaken the 'Divine Grace' within his bloodline and become a true knight, he could be granted the title of lord by the duke and become a respected noble."

Moreover, it is a world endowed with superhuman strength

Having just crossed over, Lucien witnessed and experienced the power of divine magic firsthand. He was greatly impacted and found himself in a state of mental unrest, thus he could only manage a faint smile without providing a direct answer. Moreover, he was unsure how to address this uncle.

With a snap, Lucien quickly covered his mouth with his hand, nearly losing a tooth. Was this bread or a stick?

Emotional recovery, suppressing the longing and concern for parents and friends, just as Lucien was about to plan his life, he immediately felt an overwhelming sense of hunger, as if there were a fire burning in his stomach, and saliva was continuously being secreted

In the center of the square, the remarkably beautiful witch in a black robe had been reduced to ashes, yet the echoes of her maniacal laughter and curses seemed to linger, causing many to shudder involuntarily. They glanced around before following the bishop and the priests into the church, where, under the Lord's watchful gaze, they confessed their sins and earnestly offered their prayers

It must be said that the environment and experiences are the greatest tests of a person

Lucien did not know what to say and could only nod his head

The little boy Aiven, who was pulling Lucien to see the burning witch, half-supported his mother while making a face: "Big brother Lucien is not the kind of coward who would die from a single illness; only you still think of him as a little one who needs taking care of"

In one's mind, there exists an entire comprehensive library of books; they do not resemble memories, but rather seem like projections, each volume meticulously categorized and available for Lucien to peruse

The black bread was slightly softer, and Lucien couldn't help but take a bite; the terrifying taste was akin to chewing on wood shavings

As they parted, Aiven quietly and curiously asked Lucien, "Brother Lucien, when did your dream change to becoming a musician?"

This middle-aged man is very thin, with a slightly hunched back and a head of short, somewhat graying golden hair. The passage of time has etched a sense of weariness onto his face, yet traces of his youthful handsomeness can still be faintly discerned.

He appeared to be filled with a sense of life's reflections, his gaze quite profound, and then he paused: "I can no longer defeat her."

Curious Lucien casually flipped through the books, but was puzzled to find that the vast majority of them could not be opened

Upon entering the room, he locked the door behind him. Lucien sat down in a daze, resting his elbows on the wooden table, with his head deeply buried in his arms.

In a state of murmuring, Lucien felt extremely awkward. Having crossed over, he inherited no memories whatsoever, aside from the ability to understand and speak the local language. If he were to respond incorrectly, he could easily be misunderstood as being possessed by a devil. Of course, in a certain sense, Lucien's soul is indeed occupied by a devil at this moment.

If I could learn divine arts and become a bishop or a priest... In this aimless daydream, Lucien recalled the well-dressed bishops and priests he had seen in front of the church, remembered their inhuman power and the noble status that came with it, and couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement. However, in my current situation, wouldn't going to the church be akin to seeking death? I wonder if there are other ways to obtain extraordinary powers beyond human limits? For instance, that divine grace?

Having quelled his hunger, Lucien began to seriously analyze his path to survival. However, just as he recalled the knowledge he had learned, something suddenly occurred; it was as if something extra had emerged in his mind.

Perhaps the uncle was too engrossed in his memories to pay attention to the control of his voice, and Eliza let out a hum: "Joel, you idealistic and passionate bard, the young man who has come to Alto after much hardship in pursuit of his musical dreams, have you not also become a drunken sot who is intoxicated all day long"

The stomach had already replaced Lucien's brain; he had no extra energy to think about anything else and picked up a piece of black bread to gnaw on

The middle-aged man gazed at Aunt Eliza's silhouette and quietly sighed: "Ah, the Eliza of yesteryear was a pure and passionate beautiful girl, but ever since she gave birth to little John, it is as if she has been cursed by the devil, transforming into her current state in just a year."

Joel smiled awkwardly: "Alto is the City of Hymns, where countless young people come every day in pursuit of their musical dreams, but how many of them can truly succeed? Elisa, besides, ever since young John started training, haven't I given up drinking?"

Currently, I reside in the Adajang area, a slum in Alto, and it seems that due to a serious illness over the past few days, I have lost my stable job assisting with the transportation of goods in the market area

Supported by Ivan, Aunt Eliza slowly walked forward while chattering: "When she first moved into the house next to yours, she was so quiet and beautiful, so refined and elegant. I thought to myself, if little John could marry such a girl, it would be a blessing from the Lord. But, she turned out to be a witch, and she even went to the cemetery to steal the remains of the dead to cast her evil spells. Fortunately, the Lord's glory shines upon everything; at that time, the night watchman from the court was in the cemetery and caught her on the spot. Otherwise, if her evil magic had been prepared, who knows how many people in our district would have perished..."

Seeing that Lucien showed no signs of distress, Eliza continued to chatter about various trivial matters, which in turn provided Lucien with a deeper understanding of the city he was in