Cthulhu Gonfalon

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

In the empty world encircled by white light, Sui Xiong took some of the chaos formed naturally over the years and used it to strengthen the protective walls while ruminating.

The fifth avatar used to "Experience Life" had died. After its death, all it experienced in its short life was sent back to Sui Xiong, becoming the reference material he would use to understand this world and its society.

In this sense, the death of every "Sui Xiong the Traverser" was worth it. However, he was not happy.

The death of the fifth traverser had displeased him greatly. Not just the fifth, in fact. The way the third and fourth avatars died also made him very unhappy.

The fifth traverser was a conscientious working man who had a large workload each day. But the pittance he earned did not let him live out his days in peace. Overworked, he succumbed to poverty and starvation.

Another was a warm and generous chef. For the sake of keeping the poverty-stricken refugees from starvation, he poached and cooked a few deer secretly. In the end, he lost his life, and the refugees were all killed as well.

The next was an adventurer filled with righteous zeal. He killed a scoundrel who had committed countless crimes for the sake of avenging the innocent common folk who were murdered. In the end, even the aristocrats that appreciated and sympathized with him could only sentence him to death.

Sui Xiong was not happy. He was very unhappy!

"The laws in this world are so problematic!" he muttered to himself. "I should really find the God of Righteousness and Law and have a good talk about this!"

Thus he went, dispatching a doppelganger to the God of Righteousness and Law's Holy Kingdom, the "Temple of Balance." He wanted to consult with this God, who was in charge of law and its enforcement for the whole world.

"I discovered what you're telling me a long time ago." The God of Righteousness and Law was a serious looking old man, dressed in broad black robes. There was not an ounce of gentleness in his face though there were traces of fatigue. "There are many areas in the laws of this world which are inhumane and heartless."

He paused for a moment, thinking. "However, this type of law is best suited for this world." Sui Xiong raised his eyebrows, asking, "Why would you say this? Why would a law which helps the aristocracy commit evil acts to oppress the commoners be suited for this world?"

"This world is moved by those with ability and strength. Those who lack talent or strength are deemed less important to the world," the God of Righteousness and Law said. "Between humans, there will always be differing levels of inborn talent. A good law should aim to maintain the rule of those with better abilities. They have the strength to control subjects."

"Your way of thinking is too weird! How are people unequal at birth? Everyone is born to their parents. Everyone has to experience old age, sickness, and death. They all have to eat, drink, pee and poop, experience happiness, anger, sadness, and joy. Why can't there be equality!"

"This is decided by their worth. Those that are worth more must have a higher position."

"Having a powerful position does not mean one can casually oppress other people!"

"As a shepherd, one naturally has the right to decide how to manage one's livestock," the God of Righteousness and Law shook his head and said. "There are many things I cannot stand to see. But these issues are in accordance with the theory of law, and in accordance with the laws of this world, I am powerless to take action."

"Shepherds and livestock? Is this the way you look at the relationship between the aristocrats and common folk?" Sui Xiong asked furiously.

"How I see it does not matter. The laws of this world are like this. The people believe it to be this way," the God of Righteousness and Law calmly said. "As an enforcer of the law, I cannot use my own views to warp the law. Else it would be unfair."

Sui Xiong stared at him coldly for a long time before turning around to leave.

"I will change the laws! When that time comes, you'd better not get in my way!"

Watching the emerald green jellyfish disappear before him, the God of Righteousness and Law was silent for a long time. He sighed wearily.

He reminisced about the past when that shabbily dressed hulk of a man who carried an ax on his shoulder came to quarrel with him.

"No wonder you two became friends. Although your races differ, your natures are exactly the same!"

He sighed inwardly to himself, but there was a glimmer of expectation in his eyes.

If the strength of one powerful person was insufficient to change this world, then what about adding one more? Perhaps that would be enough?

Furthermore… Since there was a second, perhaps there would be a third, and a fourth… perhaps he would really be able to see the day where the laws and regulations he was dissatisfied with could change.

Of course, until that day arrived, due to the nature of his divine duty, he would have no choice but to support the strong. When the time came, he would choose to fall to an ax or a tentacle. He would use his own death to deliver an elegy for the laws which had caused him so much displeasure for such a long time.

Recovering the doppelganger he had used for communication, Sui Xiong contemplated his next course of action.

He had a rather good grasp on this world. The previous five avatars, especially the last three, had covered the perspectives of an underprivileged menial worker, an artisan, and that of an adventurer. They let him experience society through the lenses of the most common social classes and provided him with a lot of valuable information.

Yet… if one gave it more thought, there was still some information missing. Some very important information…

The nobles!

Indeed, he still had not experienced this world through the position of an aristocrat. Perhaps this made his current understanding of the world too one-sided.

As the saying went, "To listen to both sides is wise; to blindly believe one side is foolish." All this time he had used the perspective of a commoner to experience and understand this world. Perhaps if he used the perspective of a noble he would be able to obtain a different viewpoint.

He had actually already completed half of the puzzle that was this world.

With this in mind, he set out to search for an aristocratic identity.

Nobles were different from common folk. It was not possible to do a "Body Transmigration" and have them believe that the avatar was a noble. He could only use possession. As such, he had to find a suitable noble, one that would not arouse suspicion even if his actions and personality changed after being possessed.

He very quickly found a suitable target.

He was a baron in the Duchy of Thunder named Crick Keane.

The Keanes were a family that wasn't old or new nobility. Crick's grandfather's grandfather was a mage and moved to the Duchy of Thunder from the Mifata Federation. After going through some adventures and reclamations, he finally became a member of the nobility. He did not have a very high level of magic power, only living to his seventies before passing away. Furthermore, he only finally used his magic when he was in his forties, to obtain a son who would inherit the family fortune.

Crick's great-grandfather did not inherit his father's magic power and thus chose to engage in business. His ability was average, neither making the family prosperous nor causing it to decline. He peacefully and steadily governed his estate for his entire life, leaving behind two sons.

Crick's grandfather was the second son. His brother died at the hands of a red dragon before he had the chance to leave behind an heir. Coincidentally, this was the giant evil dragon "Brutal Burner" Uherskreider, who Sui Xiong had killed before.

Crick's grandfather was burned by a dragon in his youth, and was in poor physical condition his whole life, passing away in his forties. He left behind two sons and a daughter which could be said to have been his greatest contribution to the family.

Crick's father was the eldest son and ran the family business steadily. His uncle was so enthusiastic about studying magic that he ran off to the Mifata Federation in his youth. In the end, due to some accident that happened during his research, he died without leaving behind a single heir.

His aunt married another noble and lived a stable life. It was just that they did not inherit the noble titles or territory, and became a branch family. Later on, their children simply became businessmen who were nobles.

Crick had two brothers and a younger sister. He was not originally in line to become the next family head. But due to friction between the Church of the God of Aristocrats and the Church of the Master of Mystery a few years back, both of his brothers died an untimely death. The position of heir was passed to him.

As a young man who didn't believe in the God of Aristocrats or the Master of Mystery, Crick enjoyed reading and painting. This gave him a reputation as a talented man, but no one saw much in his ability to govern.

He indeed proved that he had no governing ability whatsoever. In his two years as lord, not only did he not manage his territory well, but he exhausted himself and fell ill. Then, he died.

Sui Xiong was in the bedroom, gazing upon this recently departed young man.

His face had an unnaturally ashy hue to it, which was the effect of some poison.

Crick's soul still floated around in the air, not understanding the situation.

"You're dead," Sui Xiong told him frankly. "You were most likely poisoned by someone."

Only then did Crick return to his senses. He dumbly stared at his own corpse before turning around to look at Sui Xiong. After a while, reality finally hit him and his eyes were filled with resentment and worry.

"You must be His Majesty Void Mask?" he said. "I have nothing right now, other than my soul… It might be brazen, but I implore you to help me. My clan has been plunged into a great crisis, and I'm sure my family is in danger too…"

Sui Xiong nodded his head. "I came for this exact reason."

Then, he raised the plan that he had.

Crick thought for a long while before agreeing.

Honestly speaking, he felt that this plan was not very reliable. But now that he had no other alternative, he could only hope for the success of His Majesty Void Mask's plan.

Fortunately, His Majesty Void Mask was infinitely resourceful, and also well known for being kind-hearted. With his attention, even if problems cropped up with the plan, even if the Keane family territory and title were not able to be protected, at least his family would be safe.

For he, who had already died, this was his only wish.

"Then… I'll leave it all to you!" The recently deceased young lord who had no talent worshipped the verdant green jellyfish, praying for the protection of his family.

His soul slowly left, along with the path of his beliefs, towards the country of the God of Art and Culture.

As a believer of the God of Art and Culture, and a lord who had used his power and identity more than once to help the church, this was his well-deserved benefit.

Seeing off Crick's soul which had passed on, Sui Xiong stood before the corpse which had already begun to cool and smiled.

"Alright. Let's get this started!"