Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
In Maria’s World, there was a legend that, somewhere in the clouds above and deep within the space of the bitwall, there was a mysterious paradise called Black Jack’s Dreamland. Only the most noble and fortunate guests could get tickets to enter Black Jack’s Dreamland.
At Black Jack’s Dreamland, one could see the world’s most exciting and extraordinary performances, the world’s largest stage, the most innovative songs and dances, the best classical operas, a large band composed entirely of elves, the top-notch sahagins’ acrobatics troupe, the most magnificent Orcs military music, and top actors from all over the world.
It had the world’s largest amusement park. The Ferris wheel was underwater and the roller coaster dashed through the clouds. There was a sky park, an underwater theme park, a volcanic theme park, and all kinds of other theme parks. One could experience the best variety of exquisite entertainment at any one of them.
There was a virtual-reality game that used projection to turn the whole world into a battlefield. They had the world’s largest tennis court. There was also an Astral World telescope used to satisfy one’s desire to spy on the mysteries of the Astral World. There were not only games from Maria’s World there, but also from other worlds and the bitwall. One could even see special races from the Astral World and other exotic people.
Black Jack’s Dreamland distributed platinum tickets to people around the world every year on March 6th. It was an invitation to 300 children to visit Black Jack’s Dreamland for free. The world’s largest Black Jack Festival was hosted at Black Jack’s Dreamland. It was the children’s paradise and dream land, a world from their dreams. Every invited child would be the subject of their peers’ envy.
Tickets would be sent out by wind raven to each invitee’s bedside. Every year on March 6th, children would check their nightstands to see if they had received the free tickets to Black Jack’s Dreamland. Children who didn’t get tickets were extremely depressed. The winning children would be as happy as if they had won the lottery.
Because of Black Jack’s Festival and Black Jack’s Dreamland, the wind raven, which had once been synonymous with mail delivery, gradually became a symbol of luck and fortune. Some people even thought that the wind raven was Natasha’s spokesman.
March 6th arrived again. Morning came, and children with tickets in hands waited by their windows or stood at their doors. They were waiting for the platinum train to pick them up and take them to Black Jack’s Dreamland.
A little girl led by her parents stood on their balcony. She was holding onto a ticket with a picture of a mischievous cartoon wind raven with its tongue out. She was looking out into the far distance.
Just then, a burst of movement was seen in the sky. A platinum train passed through the clouds, gliding all the way down until it had stopped at the little girl’s door.
The train cabin was full of children heading to Black Jack’s Dreamland. The little girl cheered as she boarded the platinum train with the help of several alchemy dolls dressed in their uniforms and red hats.
The little girl stood on the train and waved to her parents who watched enviously as she rode away. The long carriages of the train cut across the sky, all the children cheering in excitement as they watched the world slip by under their feet.
The train went through the portal and arrived at the next stop. It picked up the next child, then continued on its path, crossing through several more portals. At last, it brought everyone to Black Jack’s Dreamland.
The first scene which the children saw upon entering Black Jack’s Dreamland was the gate above the clouds. From there, they watched the world’s most exciting performances and were entertained by a multitude of games. The whole park was filled with childlike laughter.
The well-known play “The Legend of the Mysterious Wizard Tower” was staged at Black Jack’s Theatre, the world’s largest theatre. But the Wizard Tower in the play was portrayed as the evilest place in the world. It was behind all of the world’s disasters. Finally, it was destroyed by the brave and powerful Saintess Kelly, and all the wizards were driven to another world. The world was peaceful under the protection of the Goddess of Light.
The whole story was fabricated and nonsensical, but it was joyful and funny. The wizards of the Wizard Tower were all turned into comical characters. The Great and Wise Anthony was played by an old man with his mouth stuck out and an apelike chin. Threatened by Saintess Kelly who was wearing the Mask of Faross, Anthony fled the world.
“Ha-ha-ha-ha!”
“Anthony is a bad man! Kill him, kill him!”
“With all your might! Yes!”
Watching from the audience seats among the herds of children, a young man squeezed into the crowd. He awkwardly sat down with a group of children to watch the drama on the stage. Soon, his face had filled with embarrassment and helplessness.
A wind raven stood on Lu Zhiyu’s shoulder. It gloated, saying, “How is it that the children’s reactions are so pure and innocent? Did you hear that? That’s the whole world cheering!”
Lu Zhiyu squinted at the wind raven, Black Jack, and replied, “I heard BBQ wind raven is pretty delicious!”
Black Jack pulled its feathers closer to itself. “I didn’t choreograph this. The story was written by those specialists. I’m only responsible for the layout of the thing.”
“I didn’t expect that you’d be able to get Rode to help you build such a large spell garden. You even let him help you with that grand Black Jack Festival every year!”
“Of course! I’m the man who raised Rode! I’m his benefactor!” Black Jack had no qualms about Rode’s divine identity. It joked around with The God of Space and Exploration frequently.
Lu Zhiyu looked at Black Jack. “I came here to see if you’re alive and how you’re doing. I also wanted to ask you that question I’ve asked you before!”
Black Jack spread its wings. “How about now? Ask me! Just ask!”
Lu Zhiyu shook his head. “Perhaps I no longer need to ask! I’ve seen the answer! Go ahead with your work. Don’t interrupt me watching the play!” Black Jack spread its wings and flew off. Lu Zhiyu suddenly said to it, “The truth is, I envy you.”
Black Jack laughed. “More people like us are envious of you than you are of us.”
Lu Zhiyu sat at the back of the stage. He accompanied the children to watch the performances. There were performances by various ethnic groups on stage constantly. Out of nowhere, a few figures appeared beside Lu Zhiyu and accompanied him to watch the performance and embrace the children’s laughter.
“It’s been so long. You’re finally willing to come back?” Delmedi looked unhappily at Lu Zhiyu.
“Dad, welcome back!” Verthandi said as she hugged Lu Zhiyu around his neck.
Kelly smiled at Lu Zhiyu, only to say, “Welcome back!”
“I didn’t expect time to pass so fast. I only wanted to have a few words with the others!” Lu Zhiyu made an apologetic expression. “Hence, this time I’ve personally came to pick all of you up! Well, have all of you played enough? If you’ve had enough, come home with me!”
Delmedi, Verthandi, and Kelly all smiled brightly as they kissed Lu Zhiyu on his face.
“Yes, let’s go home!”
In 1586, the Goddess of Light, Kelly, gave up her divine duty and everything related to it. She transformed into brilliant light and faded away.
At the same time, the Goddess of the Sun and the Goddess of Death also disappeared. The three powerful goddesses, having mastered the world, left at the same time. It shocked all of Maria’s World. Their respective believers and saints and their respective side-gods inherited their duties and ascended the divine thrones.
Inheriting the role of the God of Death was Deputy Lord Cetisius. Inheriting the Goddess of the Sun’s role was the first generation Holy Knight, Tiridan. The successor to the Goddess of Light was from the first generation of The Church of Light, Pope Hodap.
No one knew why they left or what they left for.
Some said that they went to the depths of the Astral World to find the legendary Creator, while others said that the Creator had long ago left the Crystal Wall System and was not in their world anymore. Some people said that outside their world, there was The Capital of God, which was the home of the Creator, and that they had gone there to live with the Creator.
