BXBX NOVEL Chapter 92: The Pale Mask
That evening, Rose\'s message finally arrived.
[Rose: I have prepared the equipment you need, and I have carefully written down the usage instructions and precautions.]
[Charles: Thank you very much, Your Highness.]
[Rose: I must remind you of something even more important. The Abyssal races harbor deep hatred toward you. So, never expose your aura when facing them.]
In response to Rose\'s reminder, Charles could only manage a helpless smile.
When he decided to teach the prince of the Fallen Angel Clan a lesson, he had already anticipated such a situation.
[Charles: I hope the equipment you provide can perfectly conceal my aura.]
[Rose: No problem at all. You can even use it to create an entirely new identity.]
Rose abruptly ended the communication with Charles, and soon, a box imbued with the essence of the Succubus Castle appeared in front of him.
This time, the box imbued with the essence of the Succubus Castle was even more exquisite than the last one.
Charles opened the box, revealing an unremarkable white mask inside. Beside the mask, there was a letter filled with writing.
Charles first inspected the white mask. After ensuring it was safe, he picked up the letter next to it.
Even though he had collaborated with Succubus Princess Rose many times, he still maintained a necessary level of caution.
"If you\'re reading this letter, it means you\'ve already opened the box. I need to warn you that The Pale Mask cannot be exposed to the air for too long.
Either wear The Pale Mask on your face or keep it sealed in the box. Prolonged exposure to air will cause the mask to gradually absorb colors.
If the mask absorbs too much color, it will no longer be usable."
Charles hurriedly closed the box after reading the first paragraph.
"Based on what I know about you, you should have closed the box by now. So, there\'s no need to rush. You can take your time reading the rest of the letter."
After reading this, an image of the elegantly adorned Rose from the Succubus Castle appeared in Charles\'s mind.
Although there were many beautiful women in Charles\'s territory, none could compare to Succubus Princess Rose.
"The Pale Mask is very simple to use. Just wear it on your face, and your aura will be completely concealed by The Pale Mask\'s aura.
When you wear The Pale Mask for the first time, you can set a new persona in your mind. This way, when you wear The Pale Mask, you will appear as that new persona to others."
When Charles read about how to use The Pale Mask, he couldn\'t help but remark, "I have to admit, the equipment Rose provided fully meets my needs."
Charles felt that The Pale Mask was worth the significant risk he was taking. Even if it meant offending the Abyssal races, he would have no regrets.
The Pale Mask could solve the biggest problem he faced.
Moreover, once he wore The Pale Mask, the Abyssal races would have no way to detect his aura, making revenge impossible.
With this thought, Charles continued reading with a smile.
"If I\'m not mistaken, you should be quite satisfied with the effects of The Pale Mask right now. But what I\'m about to say next may slightly disappoint you.
The Pale Mask indeed has excellent effects. However, it comes with negative side effects, not just positive ones.
The negative effect of The Pale Mask is that, as you wear it longer, your true persona will gradually be replaced by the new persona you set.
If you don\'t remove The Pale Mask before the new persona takes over, The Pale Mask will permanently replace you with the new persona, which means the original you will be gone."
The negative effect of The Pale Mask was actually within Charles\'s expectations.
An item with such powerful effects couldn\'t possibly have no downsides. Moreover, the negative effect of The Pale Mask could be avoided.
Charles didn\'t need to wear The Pale Mask all the time, he only needed to wear it when he needed to conceal his aura.
"I know what you\'re hoping to read right now. However, I can\'t determine how long you can wear The Pale Mask before the new persona replaces your original one. You\'ll have to figure it out through your own experience while wearing it.
Lastly, I wish you good luck. I don\'t want you to get killed off so easily. After all, I still want to continue our collaboration."
The letter concluded with the signature of Succubus Princess Rose.
Charles carefully read the entire letter twice. After ensuring he was thoroughly familiar with The Pale Mask, he opened the box and took out the mask.
Charles immediately placed The Pale Mask on his face.
The moment The Pale Mask touched Charles\'s face, he felt it merge with his skin. At the same time, a blank-faced person appeared in his mind, staring at him.
This blank-faced person was likely the default persona that came with The Pale Mask. Charles needed to set up this blank persona quickly.
After pondering for a while, Charles finally figured out what kind of blank persona he needed.
"The new persona should be a curious but slightly timid Overlord. They became a vassal to another powerful Overlord and choose to explore different regions. The race should be set as an ordinary human, with strength at mid-tier second level."
After completing the basic setup of the new persona, Charles made some additional adjustments.
Ultimately, The Pale Mask\'s new persona became a human traveling around to explore otherworldly continents.
With this persona, he wouldn\'t arouse much suspicion when he went to the Serpent Empire in the Desert of Sands. After all, Charles had seen similar characters on the forums.
After setting up the new persona, Charles directly tore The Pale Mask off his face.
The reason for using "tore" is because The Pale Mask had completely merged with his facial skin. During the process of removing The Pale Mask, Charles felt like he was tearing off his own skin.
"After just a few minutes of wearing it, The Pale Mask had already fully fused with my facial skin. If I wore it for a longer time, wouldn\'t The Pale Mask merge with my brain?"
Charles felt a bit panicked.
He hadn\'t expected the negative effects of The Pale Mask to be so intense.
If The Pale Mask was worn for too long, it might become impossible to remove. This might be what Rose referred to in her letter about the new persona completely replacing the original one.
Although slightly surprised by the negative effects of The Pale Mask, Charles was still very pleased to have obtained the gear.
Charles decided to find Medusa and Little Green. Since all the preparations were complete, they should set off as soon as possible.
After getting ready to depart, Charles, Medusa, and Little Green met with Catherine and Eve one last time.
It was evident that Catherine and Eve were very reluctant to see them go.
"Master, when exactly will you return? Can you give me an approximate time so I can prepare for your return?" Catherine asked with a tear glistening in her eye, her voice tinged with reluctance.
"As soon as I find the items I need, I will return. However, I can\'t say for certain how long it will take to accomplish these tasks. But you don\'t need to worry too much. I will stay in touch with you regularly!"
Charles\'s words did little to lift the spirits of Catherine and Eve.
Their expressions remained deeply sorrowful.
"No matter what, I have to go. This mission is not only for myself but also for you and even for all the beings in Serene Forest."
"If I am unable to promptly enhance my own strength and thereby elevate the power of our entire territory, we will have absolutely no chance of standing against those formidable enemies."
Charles\'s statement was something that everyone agreed upon.
Eve quickly composed herself. Although she still harbored some reluctance, she said to Charles, "Since you have already made your decision, I will support you. I hope you can find all the items you need as soon as possible."
As she concluded her speech, Eve couldn\'t hold back any longer and burst into tears.
Charles and Medusa continued their efforts to console her with a few more comforting words. Under their persuasion, Catherine and Eve reluctantly ceased their crying and came to terms with the reality of Charles\'s imminent departure from the territory.
Catherine and Eve watched as Charles, Medusa, and the others departed from the territory.
All sentient beings within the territory fervently hoped that Charles would be able to achieve his goals as quickly as possible.