Blodeuwedd found himself gazing at his strange body again as he was lying on the hay. He met his own sun-kissed gold eyes reflection in the mirror ceiling before he decided to take a seat. While looking at himself, he had realized that there weren't any scratches in him nor that his white garments were drenched in black liquid.
He massaged the sides of his head for it was hurting.
It was like needles struck into his head, blaming him for not opening the door when he got his chances.
Blodeuwedd could still recall every single detail that Time unveiled.
'First, I would like to thank Mr. Death for messing with me with His warning. While Miss Hope did say that Mr. Time will tell me everything I asked for, He still wanted to mock me by not telling me about the Entity of Sufferance.' Blodeuwedd stared at the void for about a short while before he recollected some matter. 'Ancient luck, what does that even mean? Does that have to do with them knocking on my door even though they know I will reject them? They even called me old Slumberer, and time did say I have entered Slumbering far longer than the others. What's so special about hibernating that long?'
When Blodeuwedd summoned his Handbook, a page was torn and floated midair, and several notifications appeared.
「A [Severity] is revealing Herself.」
「A [Severity] has introduced Herself as [Sufferance].」
「The [Widower] is rejecting the [Severity].」
「The [System] detects the [Severity] [Parent].」
Blodeuwedd took a deep breath upon the updates regarding the previous incident.
「You have encountered the [Parents].」
「The [Tradition of Knocking] has ceased.」
「A [Path] is being tread.」
「[Orphanhood] is showing you its [Path].」
Blodeuwedd bit his lower lip as he scanned thoroughly for them. He was shocked, confused, and lost all at once. He couldn't feel satisfied by what was displayed on the panel, as he was hungry for more revelation.
He noticed the new notifications who replaced the previous ones.
「The [Door] is waiting for you.」
「The [Door] is revealing its value.」
「The [Asylum] is revealing its value.」
Then another batch of them.
「The [Door] is the [Ascentdoor].」
「The [Ascentdoor] is the [101st] [Door].」
「The [Asylum] is the [101st] [Asylum].」
Blodeuwedd wondered if he could open the Ascentdoor, or just wait until he was bored inside.
But...
「The [Ascentdoor] is calling for you.」
「You have acquired a new knowledge [Doors].」
「You have acquired a new knowledge [Asylum].」
The information came flooding in his mind once again, and before he knew it, he's already learning a glimpse about the doors and asylums.
Though he could still read it in the Handbook had he forgotten about them.
'There are supposedly three kinds of door. One among them is the Ascentdoor, that is the door that will lead to the Sequences. I don't know what the Sequences are for, but it's said that this door is the only way to enter another Child's Asylum below. That is why, in order to do so, one must pass through a certain Sequence. I should've asked about that, but I think Mr. Time wouldn't spoil such information that I couldn't comprehend well. A feeble-minded human like me... I even forgot about the Heritage stuff...' Blodeuwedd wondered as he brushed his hair. 'If I am to assume about the Sequence, perhaps it's a given test, like what Mr. Time said, that not all could reach the Lowest Asylum. It only indicates that an Ascentdoor will lead to a respective Sequence — which can be a trial — to fully enter the next Asylum.'
But then, he also pondered as to why would they have to descend toward the Lowest Asylum. He was searching for the very reason, until his thought stumbled upon the Nun. For the only way to actually uncover such reason of his Slumbering for a long time was to conversate with the said Entity.
He was in trance with his cogitation.
Until...
Knock, knock.
When Blodeuwedd was eyeing the door and sighted its sullen glow, he could only perceive one matter.
'There are only four Parents, as is said by the Handbook.' He could sense a lump in his throat. 'Is it the Nun who is knocking? But how could the Entity be doing that?'
Blodeuwedd abruptly pushed his feet forward and let the black liquid taint his trousers.
When he was in front of the double door, he retaliated to the Entity outside, "I heed your knock."
His plan was to determine who the Entity was, but he remained silent after his retaliation.
Something was telling him that it wasn't quite right.
Upon checking the notification system of the Handbook, there wasn't a single update about the knock.
'Stupid. The Tradition of Knocking has already ceased. Surely, the Parents could only knock once. They're also not that desperate. Especially for the likes of me.' Blodeuwedd waited. 'So who could this be?'
It couldn't be another Child, because it was his Tower.
It couldn't be the Nun, because it would have to enter revelation.
'Could It be another Severity?' he asked in his mind. 'But if It is a Severity, the Widower would notice Its presence.'
「"You can call me Chances."」 Its voice was not of one but of many, and whenever It spoke, there were hisses in the ambience, like snakes were engaged to slither and prey.
'Chances.'
Blodeuwedd's lips twitched partially.
"Mr. Chances," he called with a troubled tone, "what do you need? Surely, you are not a Parent, so whatever trick you will lay won't work on me."
Blodeuwedd cleared the lump in his throat.
"Are you perhaps a Severity?"
Blodeuwedd cursed silently, 'Why would I even ask that?'
「"I am simply Chances, and the doors are yours to open."」 The Entity had an amused utterance. 「"If you want a more honest answer, you will have to open this door."」
It was not a Severity, not a Parent, and not something that even the Widower or the Handbook could sense. For Blodeuwedd, such triviality was by far the most puzzlement for him. If the Entity was neither of them, then what the hell could It be?
"What are you... really?" Blodeuwedd could feel his voice tremble. "What do you want to achieve?"
「"I know you more that anyone else,"」 It paused for a second, 「"Blodeuwedd Morningstar.」
Blodeuwedd's eyes widened.
'He knows my name... What the hell is It?'
「"I have paid the price of knocking,"」 the Entity said weakly this time, as though it wasn't feinting a deceit, 「so if you reject such offer, it will be your loss."」
He remained silent.
「"Therefore if you wish to ascend the First Sequence, you will need me."」 Its many voices and hisses were fading away, and any moment, it would vanish. 「"But — "」
Before It could even completely persuade him, Blodeuwedd had already pushed the door.
He didn't know if he regretted it.
He didn't know if Death would be waiting instead.
Or if he had failed a trial.
When the Ascentdoor was finally parted, and the view was fully unconcealed, the light caused his arm to raise and shield his eyes.
Blinding.
But it was warm.
Like the light was from the sun.
When he opened his eyes and gazed at the sky, they widened in bafflement.
For the sun was an art with eight tails.
Indeed, it was emitting light. However, it was the only truth left to justify its essence. The nessecity to shine like the real sun, while having an appearance of an art that a kid would do.
However outside, there was no Entity, but only a cold brush of the wind.
And a notification.
「Something has inhabited your existence.」
「Your existence [Child] is destabilizing.」
「The [System] is analyzing the [Inhabitant ].」
Did the Entity fool him?
「The [Inhabitant] is unable to reveal itself due to the [System] restriction.」
Blodeuwedd could only curse in the air.