When the plot-skips players into the game world Chapter 1128: 454: Perhaps No Longer Ascending?

Chapter 1128: Chapter 454: Perhaps No Longer Ascending?

Cardinal Galatea’s opinion didn’t carry much practical weight, but at least it served as a convenient excuse for everyone—to stop marveling endlessly at the miracle Aiwass summoned and continue moving forward.

As Aiwass transford into the Sin Beast, the Illusion Technique previously cast on him by Cardinal Galatea was also dispelled.

Now, everyone could clearly see the true face of “Mr. Pope”—although, in truth, they had already speculated about his identity beforehand, especially since this “Son of Si Zhu” appearance was one that no one else could possibly replicate… but now, it had finally been laid bare.

Aiwass did not continue wasting mana maintaining his transford state.

After reverting to his original form, he changed back into his regular clothes. Following a full recitation of prayers to restore his mana, he once again blessed the group with “Group Protective Curse,” “Group Death Prevention Barrier,” and “Group Order Shield” before they planned to proceed further.

This eighth level was still far from the top—the exact number of levels the Tower of Heaven had during its peak was a mystery now, but the fact that the tower had been severed and the eighth level wasn’t an open sky ant there were certainly more levels above, which likely ant more, stronger Demon hordes.

Thus, making defensive preparations in advance to guard against ambushes and dirty tricks was the cautious thing to do. One couldn’t completely trust the warnings from the wanderers—after all, you couldn’t put all your eggs in one basket, and there was always a chance of encountering powerful foes who couldn’t be predicted or detected.

When Sine was resurrected, he had no clothes to wear, so Professor Bard, in a gesture of kindness, lent him his coat. They were about the sa size, making the exchange convenient.

The Old Mage sincerely expressed his gratitude for Professor Bard’s kindness and magnanimity, but at the sa ti, he writhed in discomfort, frowning deeply… As a chief mage, he had never worn such diocre clothing since the day he was born. If he didn’t know that Professor Bard was an Avalonian, he might have suspected that the man was deliberately insulting him.

Though he found it repugnant, he couldn’t bring himself to say so outright—it would make him seem petty and undignified—which left him with no choice but to suffer silently with furrowed brows, mumbling complaints under his breath and sighing incessantly, as if he were wrestling with so great problem.

In reality, he was rely distressed by the coarse, scratchy texture of the coat scraping against his skin, not to ntion the faint, lingering sweat odor that occasionally triggered his nausea.

Aiwass, who was privy to the full story, nearly burst out laughing.

This was a textbook example of cultural differences.

In Avalon’s scholarly circles, and even in the broader archaeological community, Professor Bard was infamous for his frugality. This coat had likely been in use for at least a decade, specially designated for fieldwork given its durability and low cost—it wouldn’t be painful to part with it if it got ruined. Even if it had been relatively clean when he left initially, after their extensive journey, it was no doubt soaked with sweat.

Even after being cleaned with spells, there was still a psychological barrier making it feel unclean.

This kind of “stingy” behavior would be unheard of in places like Star Antimony or Narcissus.

Among Avalonian scholars, frugality was almost a badge of honor; it was considered a form of political correctness, primarily born out of disdain for the Lohar Society.

It was well-known that the Lohar Society was ford by the wealthiest Avalonians. They were fond of “sponsoring” others—whether scholars or knights—as a way to buy influence through their wealth.

Therefore, if a scholar was wealthy—unless they ca from a wealthy family—people often assud they had accepted sponsorship from the Lohar Society, sothing so Avalonians would outright label as “bribery,” despite the fact that these scholars wielded no real power.

Conversely, if a scholar remained in poverty, there were only two possibilities.

Either the Lohar Society deed them unworthy of sponsorship, or they had actively refused the Lohar Society’s money. The forr was a mark of incompetence; the latter, a badge of integrity visible to all. Thus, in Avalon, residing in a high position as a scholar or knight often ant leading a humble life.

For instance, the Great Guardian’s household employed very few servants and did not own any extravagant estates or inland villas. His ho lacked lavish decorations and extravagant wardrobes, and he never once took Little Barton on a vacation.

It wasn’t because he lacked money—soone at his level viewed money as little more than a number. Whatever he wanted to buy, all he had to do was na a price or state a need, and whether it was the Old Queen or Isabel, they would fulfill most of his requests. For figures of his stature, their personal wealth was practically tied to royal treasuries.

His simple lifestyle was a deliberate choice to avoid generating negative political impressions. Even though he had never taken a penny from the Lohar Society and had no regard for rchants at all, rely *looking* wealthy would naturally cause public concern over whether he had been corrupted. Old g’s habit of mingling in taverns and fried chicken shops stemd from the sa reasoning—though in her case, it was also because she genuinely loved beer and fried chicken.

Hayna was no different—back in her school days, she had dread of buying trendy makeup, fashionable clothes, or simply going out shopping. Back then, she didn’t have the money. Now that she could afford it, earning a hefty salary, it was no longer appropriate for her to indulge in such desires.

Because of the Lohar Society’s influence, having an Arbitrator appear overly wealthy… in people’s minds, it was never a good look.

By contrast, in places like Star Antimony and Narcissus, things worked differently. As a noble scholar, you were expected to possess wealth and status… A life too humble would instead indicate that no nobles were willing to sponsor you, or that no Mage Lords regarded you favorably. That, in turn, suggested that you had “failed the test of the market” and lacked any “true talent or solid learning.”