Even Miss Violet was unwilling to linger too long in the Lost Lake region; she too was being affected by the place. Therefore, once it was confirmed that Shade also wished to follow, she beckoned to Miss Theresa—who wore glasses and maintained a very calm demeanor—and rose to prepare for departure.
From the campfire on the island in the center of the lake to the tower, the estimated straight-line distance was no more than 100 meters. However, due to the distortion of space and the special phenomena caused by the mist, the actual distance between the two was around 500 meters.
Based on preliminary probes, the greatest danger of this journey was losing the correct direction; there should be no enemies in the mist. But to be safe, Miss Violet reminded her two companions to be ready for combat, and even temporarily handed [Night Watchman] over to Shade.
After all, it was impossible for him to run away while holding a sword, and judging by Miss Violet's attitude, this weapon didn't seem to be of much consequence to her.
In short, after hanging the relics [Seeking Compass] and [Lucky Iron Cross] from her waist, Miss Violet held a ball of fire in her hand and led Shade and Miss Theresa into the mist.
As they left the range of the campfire, the surrounding temperature dropped rapidly. It was not quiet; strange, sharp sounds rang out intermittently from all directions, unsettling the mind. In the oppressive environment, malicious gazes seemed to lurk everywhere, but even Shade, with his "other self," could not discern exactly what was watching the three of them.
No one spoke during the journey through the mist; the entire process was incredibly stifling. The power of a Rank 13 Witch Emperor protected them in the form of an invisible barrier, but even so, although the three reached the base of that pitch-black metal tower without incident, everyone was panting heavily upon arrival, feeling more exhausted than if they had endured a grueling battle.
Around the tower where the deity resided, there were no physical boundaries like fences. When they crossed a certain invisible "line," the surrounding mist vanished instantly, and their vision returned to normal.
But this also meant that the witches and Shade had finally arrived in the vicinity of the god. The very existence of the god manifested its great power. Aside from the dispersal of the Lost Mist, the evidence lay in the fact that even while standing only on the periphery of the tower, and even with their eyes closed and ears plugged, they could feel what kind of magnificent being existed within.
As an outsider, Shade had met deities several times in this world, but each time he could not help but lament that compared to these higher-dimensional beings, mortal things were truly fragile and insignificant.
"We've finally arrived..."
Miss Violet, wearing her pointed hat, recovered the fastest; she was currently staring at the tower with a solemn expression. Miss Theresa, a Rank 10 witch, silently lowered her head, resisting the powerful mental pressure that the god's mere existence exerted on mortals.
They could all feel that the surrounding air was exceptionally humid, yet there was no identifiable water vapor in the air; this was the most basic environmental influence of the [God of the Lake]. Fortunately, this deity was a benevolent god; the invisible water vapor in the air seemed to have a healing effect on the mind. Walking through this mist felt more comfortable than a spring breeze.
Shade knew he currently possessed no divinity, so he stood behind Miss Violet and surveyed the black tower. The tower was divided into three floors; the Saint was undoubtedly on the first floor.
"Be careful, stay behind me," she said softly, seriously tidying her clothes. Although the deity would not care about such things, mortals had to show their respect.
"Get ready and follow me to meet the god. Be extremely careful; once you find you cannot hold on, do not hesitate—turn around and leave immediately."
Shade had nothing to prepare, but Miss Theresa took out a black rune-stone necklace and hung it around her neck. The stone had white indentations forming the ancient rune for "Believer."
"Demon-grade relic [Proof of Faith]. By wearing the relic and continuously praising the god in one's heart, one can slightly resist the mental influence of the god's existence. It is almost useless against evil gods, but it can play a role when facing a benevolent god," she said softly.
After confirming that her companions were ready, Miss Violet breathed repeatedly to adjust her mood, and then, as if heading toward her death, she reached out to push open the black iron door and stepped inside first.
The inside and outside of the tower felt like two completely isolated, disconnected spaces. After pushing open the door, the interior indeed matched the size and height of the tower's first floor, but the internal space was a serene lake floating with white mist. There was not a single ripple on the water's surface; it was as smooth as a mirror.
In the center of the first floor—that is, in the center of the small lake—sat a desk, and behind the desk sat a lady.
On the tabletop was a golden candelabra with three golden candles of varying heights; a strange light illuminated the surface of the heavy, luxurious brown wooden desk. The lady, who appeared to be in her forties and wore a pointed hat like Miss Violet, was the deity waiting there.
On the desk in front of the deity, besides the candelabra, were a few stacked books and some small bottles. But upon closer inspection, they seemed like hallucinations in the mist, not real at all.
Shade breathed a slight sigh of relief; this was not the god's true body, but a Saint descending through a vessel.
The Saint's image was that of a lady with blonde hair and black eyes. Aside from the pointed hat, the glasses she wore were very peculiar. The left lens was shaped like a pentagram, and the right lens was shaped like an equilateral triangle.
None of the three dared to look directly at the deity. The Great Witch inconspicuously took off her hat and passed it behind her; Miss Theresa caught it deftly and tossed it outside the door. Shade plunged the suddenly quiet [Night Watchman] into the dirt by the entrance; he would not bring a weapon to meet a god.
The god was right before them. The humanoid body occupied the position of a "human," but in actual perception, it was more vast and terrifying than the entire eerie Lost Lake. Miss Violet did not even dare to contemplate what form the being before her actually took; she could only slightly empty her mind to maintain her sanity.
She stepped formally into the tower, her feet standing upon the water's surface. Ripples spread outward as she bowed respectfully. Compared to the other witches Shade had met—except for Miss Felianna—Miss Violet was undoubtedly the most composed when facing a deity.
Compared to the Rank 13 Great Witch, Miss Theresa's reaction was more in line with Shade's expectations. She stepped into the tower almost side-by-side with Shade, standing on the water.
But even with the protection of a special relic, Miss Theresa's body suddenly tilted in the next moment, nearly collapsing onto the water, though she was caught in time by Shade.
She wanted to thank him, but she discovered that on the hand of the man supporting her, dense fire-red cracks were spreading across his entire body. Looking up again, those fire-red embers had already covered his whole person; the red sparks on the hem of his clothes even drifted toward the interior of the tower with the wind blowing from outside, vanishing only after they touched Miss Violet's hair.
The Great Witch standing in front of them also seemed to sense something and turned around, seeing Shade's current appearance with surprise. After a moment of stunned silence, she failed to recognize what it was.
"I'm fine," Shade said softly, steadily supporting Miss Theresa. Compared to the two witches, his current state was not bad. Although the mental pressure became stronger after entering the tower, as long as the god harbored no malice, he could barely maintain himself.
"Miss Violet, let us begin."
"Your state seems to be even better than mine," the Great Witch muttered. Suppressing her doubts about Shade, she turned back and bowed respectfully to the Saint illuminated by the golden candelabra in the center of the water, while the latter watched them with a smile.
"Good evening, Water of No Form and No Shape, Guardian of the Lake and the Waters of Wisdom."
She spoke respectfully, then asked softly
"Please give us a trial, and grant us the wisdom that mortals cannot touch."
"If you wish to touch wisdom, please come closer."
Following the Saint's gentle words, the light of the golden candelabra on the desk grew stronger. The thick mist dissipated slightly, and the light illuminated three chairs beside the desk.
Shade noticed that the face of Miss Theresa, whom he was supporting, immediately turned pale, but she did not give up.
"It's all for the graduation thesis!" she whispered, her tone so firm that Shade almost laughed in this solemn setting.
Miss Violet did not hesitate; she walked toward the desk in the center of the water and chose the chair on the left. She had thought Shade and Miss Theresa would be slower, but unexpectedly, Shade followed almost immediately behind her.
After pulling out the remaining two chairs, Miss Theresa naturally did not choose the center one, so Shade sat in the middle.
"Wisdom is the wisdom of the wise. Show me the wisdom you possess, and only then can you obtain my wisdom," the smiling Saint said softly after the three were seated. The voice was so gentle, like a trickling stream. Shade clearly felt that although there were three people here, the god was absolutely speaking directly to him.
Miss Theresa did not dare to open her mouth at this moment. If she weren't clutching Shade's arm, she might not even be able to sit steadily; she was shaking so violently that even Shade began to vibrate.
The Rank 13 Witch Emperor pursed her lips, struggling to organize her words. But Shade truly had no more time, so the outsider with extensive experience in communicating with deities spoke up
"Greetings, God of the Lake."
"Greetings, Favored of the Recorder."
This was another new title for Shade. Miss Violet, who had been keeping her head down, looked at Shade in surprise, only to find Shade looking up at the deity behind the desk, asking quite familiarly while bleeding from his seven orifices
"O God, may I ask, how shall we manifest our wisdom?"
"You must complete three trials to exchange for my wisdom," the Saint said in a gentle tone. Dealing with a benevolent god like this was far better than brawling with that blood-sucking deity.
"May I ask, what nature are these trials?"
Shade asked again. If not for the fact that the blood flowing from him had already stained his lapel and knees, Miss Violet might have thought he was chatting with an old acquaintance.
*So, he actually helped me?*
Clouds and mist swirled over the small expanse of water; the desk on the surface fit this atmosphere exceptionally well.
The expression of the deity behind the desk was soft. Although the bodies of the three people before the desk were gradually breaking down, under the influence of the god's power, their minds were exceptionally calm, their souls as peaceful as if they were melting into the formless water beneath their feet.
Miss Violet temporarily set aside her suspicions about Shade and listened to the answer along with him
"The first trial: bring me the crystallization of your wisdom."