The Protagonists Keep Adding Scenes For Me | Chapter 45 | A New Puppet | Novela.app

Bishop Lance sat with his hands clasped, his emerald-bright eyes lowered and his expression languid. *The Son of God?* he thought dismissively. *Just a polished, beautiful puppet.* As for the true Son of God, the one who could actually commune with the heavens... He chuckled inwardly. That child had likely perished long ago during some forgotten decree's execution. The shock and righteous fury he had felt as a youth upon first discovering the truth had long since been ground away by years of power struggles. Within the man’s deep, forest-green pupils, there was no longer any trace of pure, steadfast faith—only indifferent calculation and schemes. *It turns out the divine prophecies weren't so miraculous after all,* the white-robed Bishop, once a devout believer, mused to himself. Where were they now? The twins of fate—the demon destined to subvert the dynasty and the Son of God who listened to divine oracles? *Knock, knock.* The person had been brought in. Lance looked over casually, his gaze coming to a rest on the visitor's face. What drew his attention even more than that cold, noble countenance was the frost-chilled, mysterious silver pattern between the youth’s brows. Under the Bishop’s unshielded, imposing gaze, the youth looked back calmly. His deep blue eyes were like a vast, profound sea, seemingly unshakable no matter what storms raged in the outside world. He actually looked more like the public’s ideal of a Son of God than the puppet they had already found. "Teacher! It’s actually you this time?" Sue appeared a step behind, her voice full of pleasant surprise as she interrupted their silent exchange. "Speaking of which, I’ve already completed my travel requirements ahead of schedule..." Sue excitedly recounted the results of her journey. Noticing that Lance only gave cold, intermittent nods while his gaze frequently drifted back to the other person, she belatedly realized her teacher seemed more interested in her new teammate. "Oh, this is Ryan. I met him during my travels..." She tactfully changed the subject, pouring out all the information she knew without reservation. In her narrative, the youth was an orphan who had wandered to a small town, having naturally awakened extraordinary talent. One day, while lingering by a church door, he had caught a priest's attention. Upon speaking with him, the priest discovered his innate talent for studying the scriptures and took him on as an apprentice. Later, Sue had recruited him. "Oh? And what other gains has he brought you?" Lance asked tonelessly, still remembering his student’s temperament. Sue pulled several letters from her bag—proof of recognition from church scholars—and presented them like precious treasures, her expression slightly proud. "These are Ryan’s achievements..." Lance scanned them briefly before setting them aside. He turned to the youth, who had remained silent throughout. "You claim to be an orphan. Why were you wandering?" "Oh, his memories of the past are quite blurry. He only vaguely remembers wandering because of some family misfortune." The voice that spoke was Sue’s. Lance frowned. "What? Is he a mute? Do you have to speak for him in everything?" Sue realized her slip of the tongue as soon as she spoke, yet she inexplicably couldn't suppress a certain impulse. She explained in a low voice, "I’m sorry, Teacher. But it’s true that Ryan doesn't like to speak. He only takes the initiative when discussing doctrine. Whenever his past is mentioned, he always stays quiet." She couldn't help but glance at the youth. Meeting his calm gaze, her heart suddenly steadied, and her tone became more natural. "So, I really do need to answer these types of questions for him." Lance turned the ring on his thumb, his expression flat. "Is that so? Then let him 'discuss' with me now." ... During the "discussion," Lance specifically had the youth release his spirit. It was a soft, harmless little rabbit. It only kicked its legs slightly when the environment changed before continuing to indulge in its dreams. A spirit in such a state... Lance felt slightly more at ease. ... The man sat alone in his chair, lost in thought for a long time. Finally, he decided to take Ryan back to the Royal Capital. If he had to choose a puppet Son of God, why not choose one who was more docile and obedient? He turned his ring, his lashes lowered. Moreover, the youth’s answers had been perfectly suited to his tastes, as if he were conversing with his own passionate, younger self... Since the sanctity of the election had long ago been stripped bare before his eyes, did he really need to follow those so-called rules? Rather than letting some eyesore of a noble brat occupy the title of Son of God and receive the commoners' adoration, it was better to swap him for someone with actual substance. That noble boy’s spirit was a lizard; the scales of cold-blooded animals always displeased Lance. The hand gripping the silver ring paused as its owner made his decision. Even if he couldn't get past the other bishops, he could at least warn those nobles: don't just shove any old piece of trash forward, dreaming of using the Church to ascend to the heavens in a single bound. Hmph. *** The System was about to bid farewell to Sue’s team. Upon departure, he gifted the other clergy members badges patterned with lilies of the valley. Someone asked, "Is this... the crest of the Rhine family?" In the distance, the noble girl heard the keyword and couldn't help but look back. The System replied, "These are merely flowers from my dreams. They have nothing to do with the Rhine family." The person hastily corrected themselves. "Oh! My eyes must be failing me. It does look much more vivid and delicate, and the stems are more exquisite. As expected of your dream! I like it very much!" The System smiled. "Is that so?" He looked at the carriage tracks leading toward the city gate, his tone unreadable. "Perhaps you will see it often in the future." ... Just before leaving, the System gazed into the distance. Crimson sparks rose from his fingertips, vanishing into the air. In an unobserved corner, a pile of fallen leaves was scorched by invisible elements into a peculiar pattern. Then, at the white-robed Bishop’s urging, he gracefully boarded the carriage. Through his "discussions" with the church members, he had mastered a certain amount of information about the town. The elder scholars might be pedantic, but the young, active, and passionate apprentice priests could easily accept fresh perspectives—and they were the group that circulated most frequently among the lower classes. This information, these seeds, were all hidden on the leaves in the corner of the city gate. Every time he left, it was like this. This was the optimal route he had planned for those unwilling Remnants. The System lowered the curtain, his expression calm, though a faint smile touched his eyes. *What will it eventually develop into?* *** Mu Ran paused, sensing a frozen moment in time that only he could perceive. Taking advantage of the gap while following Loria to find the empty city, Mu Ran set off mental fireworks in their internal communication. [Mu Ran: Yay! That experiment is finally over!] [Mu Ran: So, are you going to the Royal Capital now?] [System: Yes. I’ve switched teams.] [Mu Ran: Great! I’ll probably be heading to the Royal Capital soon too, mainly to attend that so-called Grand Ceremony.] Looking at Qiong, who was walking at the front of the group in a black dress with a cold expression, Mu Ran typed guiltily in his mind. [Mu Ran: I feel like one of the characters has been triggered pretty hard, cough. She said she’s going to question God at the ceremony...] [System: A fine resolve.] [Mu Ran: Also, I noticed her spirit’s appearance has changed a little... It’s so weird. Can the master’s spirit change the spirit’s form? Or is this a hidden setting of this world!] [System: A change... perhaps it is. Maybe we can use this point to explain some loopholes.] [Mu Ran: Oh, right! How is Xiao Bai? I wonder if he’s still energetic after being away for so long.] On Mu Ran’s side, because his situation was relatively free, he tried to let the grey wolf rest as much as possible. However, whenever he did call it out, he could clearly sense its lethargy. [System: ...] [System: Not very well.] [Mu Ran: Huh?? What’s wrong?!] [System: He misses you very much.] Inexplicably, Mu Ran felt like there was another meaning behind those words. For a moment, he didn't know how to reply. *Ahhh, why didn't he include a subject! It’s so easy to misunderstand at first glance!* Mu Ran felt conflicted inside, but he replied with a light tone. [Mu Ran: We’ll see each other again soon! Tell him to hang in there!] "Found it!" Loria’s voice rang out from ahead. [Mu Ran: I’ve gotta go! Looks like I’m about to follow the plot with them~] Withdrawing his consciousness, Mu Ran caught up with the team. As he stepped forward, he saw Loria standing by the tightly closed city gates, shouting at them, "Look! There’s not a single person inside!" She pushed the door open, but the moment it swung wide, she was swallowed by the light from within. As the leaders, Erwin and Ronald immediately reached out to grab the girl, but they too were swallowed the instant they touched her. The remaining three reflexively tried to grab their teammates, and one by one, they were all submerged. ... The World Consciousness cast its gaze downward. The World Consciousness felt confused. *One, two, three, four, five, six... Why did six people enter?* *Six people? Six people seems just right.* The World Consciousness performed some arithmetic. *Paired in twos, it’s a perfect fit.* The World Consciousness looked away. ... Mu Ran woke up amidst a dizzying blur of confusion. In his hazy vision, he saw a familiar figure nearby. Reflexively, he gripped the other person’s wrist tightly. The person seemed to want to break free, but their strength was no match for Mu Ran’s. Carlos, enduring his discomfort: "...Let go." Mu Ran blinked and released his hand, looking around. "Why is it just the two of us? Where are the others?" "I don't know. I only saw you when I woke up." Carlos looked cautious, surveying the surrounding buildings from where they stood. "We might have entered some kind of illusion." They were in a seemingly ordinary small town. Aside from the eerie absence of people, the carts full of fruit and stalls lined with pastries were no different from the cities where they had previously rested. Carlos looked around warily, then took Mu Ran’s hand, intending to head deeper into the empty city. Mu Ran: "...Wait." Carlos stared at Mu Ran, confusion clouding his eyes. "What is it?" *What is it?* Mu Ran thought to himself: *This is a big problem.* He might have—possibly, perhaps—messed up the plot where the brothers recognize each other. Just a moment ago, Erwin had been telling him about his fondness for Carlos and how he felt an instant connection, and the next moment, Mu Ran had entered the secret realm with Carlos instead. If this secret realm really forced people into pairs, wasn't this supposed to be the opportunity for the twins to recognize each other...? *Cough, well, it’s not the first time I’ve modified the plot. But maybe I should help Erwin gain some favor? To make sure this plotline, which was originally meant for a reunion, doesn't veer too far off track?* After all, the people in the protagonist’s party had left a pretty good impression on him. *Ah, but the prerequisite is to learn more about Carlos.* At the very least, he needed to see the guy’s real face to avoid a massive blunder. Mu Ran shook his head. "Nothing, let’s go!" ... The empty city was truly empty. The two of them walked through almost the entire town without finding a single trace of a human being. This was Mu Ran’s first time experiencing something like this, so he found it quite novel. Carlos, on the other hand, seemed well-acquainted with such things, even discovering the traces of the secret realm’s boundary in a corner. After fruitlessly trying to cut the invisible wall with water blades, Carlos pulled back his hand. His calm voice held a hint of frustration. "I can't break this." Mu Ran couldn't cut it either; he was also a water mage. Watching Carlos stubbornly persist with the air wall, Mu Ran comforted him, "Let’s try somewhere else. Maybe the key to breaking this is inside one of those buildings?" Carlos stood up somewhat reluctantly. ... During their exploration, Mu Ran remembered his plan to help Erwin gain favor, so he took the initiative to start a conversation. "Carlos, do you have any brothers?" Carlos’s back seemed to stiffen. After a moment, he answered sullenly. "Don't ask that." This reaction was the same as when Mu Ran had asked him if he was wearing a disguise. However, they were in a secret realm now; the other boy couldn't run away. *...But this reaction can't hide a secret at all! He’s way too easy to read!* "Mhm~ Okay, okay." Mu Ran thought for a moment, deciding to use Erwin’s words to circle back. "But Erwin said he really wants to be your older brother." This time, Carlos’s silence lasted even longer. "...I suggest he stops thinking that." Mu Ran tilted his head slightly. He decided to temporarily set aside the idea of helping Erwin. *He can do it himself once we get out!* ... They reached another building, but this one was entirely crimson on the outside and looked very unusual. It looked like a little shop a witch might run. As he pushed open the red door, Mu Ran irrelevantly thought of his own little shop from the previous world. His mind uncontrollably recalled the plot of the "Puppeteer" twisting his own self that Yun Luo had shown him. Mu Ran: *...* *Dammit! Stop thinking about that stuff!!* The second they stepped inside, Mu Ran’s vision went dark, and he suddenly lost all sensation. When he regained consciousness, he felt himself curled up in a cramped space. *Thump-thump—thump-thump—* The sound of a heartbeat. *Thump-thump—thump-thump—* Two heartbeats? Mu Ran opened his eyes in a viscous liquid and saw the source of the other heartbeat—a wrinkled, bright red little infant. Wait, he seemed to be one too... Hold on? If he was currently a baby, why could he see things?? What was going on??