The Divine Armor of the Old Century（Book 1）

Chapter 4

Wind Bell Herb, a medicinal herb originating from the fertile land, according to the scholars' records, also goes by a more widely known name: Mandrake. However, the truth is that these two herbs are not the same. Mandrake is a common hallucinogenic herb used by local natives as an anesthetic and is now a component of the rampant hallucinogens found in the lower city.

Lloyd's cigarettes were rolled with Wind Bell Herb. Unlike the common Mandrake, this herb is carefully cultivated by the local wizards as a "medium." They believe that inhaling this herb can bridge the gap with the unknown, serving as a touchstone to the mysterious, often used to communicate with the dead.

With the advancement of steam technology, the tales of ghosts and gods have been forgotten, but there are still remnants of the old era who firmly believe in these things.

It was in an ancient book that Lloyd discovered the effect of Wind Bell Herb. With the help of the Shrike, he procured some from some smuggling merchants. Initially, he tried it out of curiosity, but after so many investigations, Lloyd found that it indeed served a purpose.

What he saw was not just simple hallucinations; there was a part of it that was real, and that real part was what Lloyd needed.

As the lights went out one by one, the cold air in the darkness became damp. Lloyd once again smelled the scent of the sea. Countless raindrops fell on the deck, and he was back on that ship.

In the darkness, the corpse was slowly wriggling, as if it were coming back to life. Although the glow of the cigarette was not particularly bright, everything in the darkness was so clear. Lloyd watched silently.

The internal organs began to shrink until only a small segment of the stomach and intestines remained. The bones twisted and deformed, and the fragile skin, stretched by past growth, revealed the dark red blood vessels beneath.

A hoarse voice emerged from that dry throat, sounding like a mournful cry before a tragic death.

It was a scene that sent shivers down one's spine, but Lloyd didn't seem to care. He appeared to be devoid of the emotion of fear.

Halfway through the cigarette, the Wind Bell Herb had connected him to that mysterious world. The duration of the tobacco's burn was the time he could spend in this realm of the dead.

It wasn't enough. Not nearly enough.

Suddenly, the sensation of being watched washed over him, a familiar feeling like the one he'd experienced in the carriage. Something had been lurking in the darkness, watching him. Lloyd jerked his head around, trying to spot the eerie figure in the gloom, but the next instant, a twisted body, carrying the heavy scent of blood, collided with him, knocking him to the ground.

It was Vol, or rather, Vol's corpse.

It slammed into Lloyd, knocking him off his chair and pinning him down. Sharp claws dug into his skull, and his ribs spread open like a predator's jaws, clamping down on him with a grip coated in dry blood.

Look at me!

A voice seemed to echo, and the ghastly face that came into view was contorted in agony. The pupils of its eyes were murky and black, but within them, a faint green light flickered.

The body screamed in pain, but Lloyd ignored it, staring straight into those eyes. In the reflection of the blackness, he finally saw a glimpse of the truth.

It was a beacon rising from the sea of emerald light.

...

Finally, the cigarette burned out, and the world was bathed in light again.