Endless Debt-Chapter 894 - 33: Tool_2

The bourgeois lady cast her gaze upon Bologue, raising her hand. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

"Please sit."

Bologue was momentarily taken aback, then noticed a chair right behind him. Once more, he looked at the bourgeois lady before him, recalling that twisted mass of flesh and the cold broadcast voice.

He did not believe the mass of flesh had turned into the lady before him but rather that some force had distorted his perception, transforming the image of that mass into its current form.

So what could this chair truly be? A blood-oozing tentacle?

Bologue did not ponder too much; the question would soon meet its answer. All he needed was patience.

Sitting on the chair, before Bologue could speak, the bourgeois lady initiated the conversation.

"Allow me to introduce myself. In my past life... more precisely, before I became part of the Undead, I was the second Director of the Order Bureau.

Maria of Iron Trees and Steel Branches."

The human brain is like a book; you often struggle to recall all its contents, but a simple index can help you remember the story.

Maria Ellen.

Bologue searched his mind for information related to this name, recalling everything associated with it.

Unlike other mysterious directors of history, Maria’s information spread widely; virtually every Order Bureau employee had heard her name and was familiar with her deeds.

If the first Director established the Order Bureau, then as the second Director, Maria successfully expanded the Bureau, laying a solid foundation.

One could say the entirety of today’s Bureau is practically built upon Maria’s foundation, earning her the nickname Iron Trees and Steel Branches in praise of her contributions to the Bureau.

Maria’s end was not mentioned in the records; some say she returned to her family to retire, others say she had already passed away. Bologue was not interested in diving into mysterious conspiracy theories, but he never imagined meeting Maria today in such an uncanny manner.

Bologue took a deep breath and, with unyielding will, asked:

"First of all,

what are you, the Undead, exactly?"

Maria slightly tilted her head upward, "Explaining this is quite troublesome indeed."

Bologue said, "I’ve come for this purpose, haven’t I?"

Maria pondered for a moment; compared to other personalities, she was undoubtedly the most talkative, hence she was awakened to explain to Bologue all these deeply buried matters.

"Don’t you think, Bologue, humans are excessively fragile?"

Bologue paused for a while and nodded.

"We are too fragile, thus stubbornly pursuing power. Yet after the wrath of scorched earth, we suddenly realized that even if we ascend as Seekers of Glory, we are still bound by the limitations of lifespan.

When we’re alive, we might be incredibly powerful, but eventually, we will die. And our enemies—the Devils, nearly eternal—can easily rest for a while to evade our edge.

A hundred years are but a blink for them. No matter how powerful we are, if the Devils prepare their strength in the shadows and return in an era where we are already deceased, there’s little we can do."

Maria slowly narrated the past story, "We acknowledged this truth and tried to become eternal entities like the Devils to confront them over long ages and changing eras."

"Is this some undead life-support facility?"

Bologue asked, Maria’s story reminded him of the Clarks’ Wind Cellar and the Elders hidden within. Clearly, this eerie collective was far more advanced than the Wind Cellar.

Those who attain power inevitably desire immortality. Bologue felt a deep sorrow welling up from within, and realizing that he too was an Undead only intensified this sorrow.

"No, this is not some life-support facility. From a material perspective, I have indeed perished. What stands before you now is merely a virtual persona crafted by the collective based on my memories, behavioral logic, emotional patterns, etc."

Maria crossed her legs, hands intertwined on her lap, "All mortals must die, correct?"

"In other words, I am not Maria. I am merely the ’Undead’ conversing with you in Maria’s identity."

Maria’s form began to shift; in an instant, she transformed back into the shell of steel and flesh, countless masks adorning her skin. But in the next moment, the horrifying creature disappeared, leaving only her seated before Bologue.

Bologue stiffly nodded; he somewhat grasped Maria’s existence but remained unclear about the true nature of the collective.

"Preserving a will eternally is an exceedingly challenging endeavor; only the power of Devils can achieve such a feat. However, resorting to the Devils’ power clearly contradicts our original intention."

"We attempted to achieve this immortality through human means, which is evidently impossible but much like the Devils often promise the undying.

What form truly constitutes eternal immortality?"

Once Bologue could readily provide an answer.

Individual immortality.

But after all he had experienced, Bologue realized the naivety and absurdity of his thoughts, much like a contract full of loopholes, where the Devil always fulfills your wish in a bizarre way.

Becoming an immovable statue is immortality.