The Secret Code of Monsters

Chapter 106 Ch.105 The wrinkled candle

When Roland and Xander arrived at the trial court, Fernandez had been waiting in the office early.

He bought a bag of French fries that were still warm, and cups of coffee and mushroom soup that he placed on the fireplace slab to warm. In addition to the ink tank that had not been used for an unknown period of time, there were two plates of fried fish and a piece of bread cut into several portions on the desk.

A lackluster late-night snack, with Fernandez particularly fond of french fries.

"Come on, the soup is still hot."

He shouted to the door, asking Xander and Roland to come in.

The walls of the office are bare, and the backs of chairs and sofas are littered with clothes and debris.

"Compared with the lady's room, it's a little smaller and a little messy."

"Why don't you compare me to the Queen's office?" Fernandez said he didn't want him to comment on the place where he stayed every day.

He divided the fish and chips among them, and went to the fire to bring coffee and soup.

"You choose what you want to drink."

There's really nothing to choose from.

Fernandez wiped his mouth, pushed the dead fish to Roland, and carefully removed the oil paper wrapping them.

After the two people started chewing, he took out three candles from the drawer and placed them on the table.

"A very simple ritual: light this candle with "Secret", and the road to your destination will naturally unfold before your eyes. "

This is a curious object.

Following Fernandez's words, lines of text appeared in Roland's sight.

…

"Name: Drowned Baby's Wrinkled Candle"

"Type: Strange Object (Spiritual Body)"

"Something attached to the candle... (7/10)."

"Every time it is used, the wielder will hear the cry of a drowned baby."

"They will slowly swim towards the holder..."

"Until they find him."

"This strange object will spontaneously ignite after being deeply exposed to the mystery. It will guide the holders to the same place."

"Note: Every ten minutes, the flame will decay according to a certain fixed pattern. Those who fail to return to the waking world before it extinguishes will be left in darkness forever... But this may also be a good thing: they have new friends. 」

"Note: No one can control where it is born. Likewise, you don't want to know how it is 'born'."

…

This is the first time Roland has seen a strange object from a 'spirit body', and Fernandez has never told himself this part.

But now is obviously not a good time to teach.

"Parties usually end within twenty to forty minutes. We've tried to keep each candle burning for no more than an hour at a time - and once the ceremony begins, don't pay attention except to move forward. Any sound... and anything that makes a sound."

He took a sip of coffee and saw that their minds were not on the fish and chips, so he pushed the mask to them.

"Choose one. Although you won't need it, it's just in case."

The one in his hand was painted with a bear's mouth and sharp teeth, and it was very dark.

"Are you ready for the code name?"

Xander nodded: "Caramel."

In fact, Caramel was the codename given to Roland by Zander - the full version is:

Caramel cat.

However, Roland politely refused.

He also rejected a bunch of weird code names like amber, angel, black gem, etc...

"I think they are all very appropriate code names."

-

Thanks.

-

But I don’t want to hear someone say: ‘Hello, Mr. Black Jewel’ or ‘I want to make a deal with you, Mr. Caramel Cat’ when I’m talking to someone. ’

"How cute."

-

I don’t have to be so cute.

"You really don't understand the style."

"If it were me, my code name would be 'Father' or 'Dear Grandfather'."

-

You're going to be kicked out, Wrench.

That's what he said, but when Roland thought about it...

‘Hello, dear grandfather. ’

Then he grinned.

"Isn't it interesting?"

-

Very.

"Caramel, very good. Where's yours, Roland?" Fernandez turned to the young man playing with the mask.

Roland thought for a moment: "...Awl, okay?"

Fernandez had a 'can you please stop joking at a time like this' look on his face.

"Give me a normal one... Roland."

"Then what's yours?"

Fernandez shook his mask: "Sharp-billed bear."

Roland:......

-

What's the difference with my awl?

"There's a big difference actually, although I don't think you can tell the difference in your brain."

Fernandez stood up holding the candle: "Forget it, just call her Amber. You should listen more to Kratof. At least she is more talented than you... than you in this area."

"Fernandez, I don't think Amber is..."

"Amber, caramel, it's almost time, come with me."

"Fernandez..."

"It's just a code name, Roland, you can call it whatever you want."

"Then why can't we call it Cone..."

"follow me."

Xander also put on a mask, stood up with Fernandez, and patted him teasingly: "Come on, Mr. Amber."

Roland:......

The flames in sight were laughing wildly.

What happened to them.

The three people came to a wall in the office.

Fernandez turned his head and said to the two of them: "Remember, don't interrupt the "Secret" before reaching the table... Also, don't say you know me, I don't think either of you are fools, you should know how to do it right. Bar? "

"What table?"

"You'll know when you see it."

Fernandez turned back and stared slightly: the wrinkled candle cluster suddenly ignited a flame.

Roland found that the space around him was distorted for a moment:

Mystery filled the room.

"See you later."

Fernandez said.

The wall in front of him melted.

The smoke was transformed into a soft, swaying path, leading to the deep, unknowable darkness. With the rise and fall of his footsteps and the swaying of the candlelight, the road also swayed gently: like a snake that kept winding into the distance.

This is a road that shuttles between the waking and sleeping worlds-it does not belong to either, but is in the gap between the two.

"Collins."

After Fernandez completely disappeared at the end, Shandel gently reminded him.

Roland held the candle and raised half his arm forward.

Mystery flowed through his fingertips like water.

The candle was lit.

"See you later, Kratov."

He looked at the swaying path under his feet. When he stepped on it, it felt as soft as cotton.

Gradually, the office behind him faded away.

The dim light of the gas lamp also faded away.

Until Kratov's voice disappeared, a kind of uncomfortable suffocation appeared:

Water vapor.

Very thick water vapor.

Breathing became difficult, and at the same time, the faint cry of a baby echoed in his ears.

In the indissoluble darkness, only the fire in his hand was still bright.

'Come to me.'

The childish voice tempted.

Some broken, swollen, white and wrinkled limbs flashed from time to time on the wet path: arms or calves, soft skulls and rotten faces of babies.

They swelled to be much larger than ordinary babies, crawling towards him with a grin.

Roland ignored it and stepped on the increasingly sticky water stains and broken limbs forward, forward.

Always forward.

Soon.

He saw another ball of light.

Or several other lights.

The candles were placed on a huge, dark brown round table.

In addition, by the faint light of the flames, he could vaguely make out the figures sitting in the chairs corresponding to each candle.

He seemed to know what to do.

Pick a place.

Then, place the candles on the table.

Sit down.