Staring at the question in the mirror while acutely aware of her friend's gaze, Fors' face flushed crimson in an instant. She froze stiff, like a stone statue.
Fors could only pray this was all a dream, that she'd wake up any second.
If it's not a dream, then let the world just end already! After burying her head in the sand for a while, she finally forced herself to face reality.
Remembering Xio's earlier description of this secret ritual, she steeled her heart and declared, "I choose to accept the punishment."
At that moment, she realized with painful clarity just how severely she had underestimated the threat of those "shameful questions" Xio had warned her about!
But just then, Fors saw boundless gray fog and witnessed "The World" making a gesture of prayer.
Immediately after, words reached her ears:
"He wants me to ask the Abraham family if they have the starting-sequence potion formula for the 'Savant' pathway? In exchange, he's offering any two formulas from 'Spectator,' 'Bard,' 'Hunter,' 'Lawyer,' 'Assassin,' 'Apothecary,' or 'Sleepless.'"
Two for one? Is "The World" in a hurry?
While Fors was lost in thought, the lightning that had been gathering in the mirror vanished without a trace before it could strike, as though it had never existed.
Only a faint glimmer of light brushed past her hair.
On the mirror's surface, the dark-red words suddenly took on a silvery hue, swiftly rewriting themselves as if pressed for time:
"Today's Q&A session is now concluded. Goodbye!"
Before Fors and Xio could react, the rippling light within the mirror stilled abruptly. The eerie gloom in the room shattered, swallowed by the candlelight.
"...The punishment?" Fors blinked, waiting a few seconds before turning to Xio, who had been watching the whole time.
Xio pointed at her head. "A beam of light grazed your hair just now..."
After a pause, she added thoughtfully, "Did something else happen to you earlier?"
That must've been "The Fool" protecting me... But Xio, I'm sorry, I can't tell you. Fors rubbed her burning cheeks and offered a flimsy excuse: "Maybe the punishment varies depending on the person?"
I see. So "The Fool" provided shelter... No wonder Ebner said he couldn't use this ritual himself. I thought he was just making excuses, but it turns out he was telling the truth!
Arrodes probably refuses to respond to summons from those blessed by great existences—after all, even if they don't answer its questions, it can't punish them...
And Ebner has "The Fool," "Mother Earth," and the "God of Knowledge and Wisdom" behind him. Arrodes wouldn't dare provoke any of them, would it?
Though these thoughts raced through her mind, Xio simply nodded on the surface. "Maybe."
Just as Fors sighed in relief, secretly congratulating herself on her narrow escape, she noticed Xio studying her intently.
"You... Is there something you want to ask?" Fors' heart skipped a beat.
Xio narrowed her eyes, her gaze turning dangerous.
"What did you do with my 'Veil of a Hundred Faces'?"
"...Huh? Ahaha, what else would I do? Miss Editor Aina came to pester me for the manuscript, so I used that artifact to disguise myself as you and shooed her away..." Fors forced a dry laugh, trying to bluff her way through.
Xio let out a noncommittal "Hmm" and asked, "If that's the case, then why didn't you answer earlier?"
"...I was afraid you'd hold it against me for using your image without permission!" Fors deliberately glanced at her watch as she spoke, then stood up abruptly. "Oh, right! I still need to mail a new letter to my teacher before the post office closes!"
With that, she dashed back to her bedroom at lightning speed to change clothes.
As for the letter? She planned to write it at the post office—after all, it was just to inquire about the "Savant" potion for "The World."
Once dressed for going out, she cautiously opened the door and peeked out. Seeing that Xio had already returned to her own room, Fors finally exhaled in relief. "I'm heading out!" she called loudly before using her supernatural abilities to teleport directly from the living room to the street outside.
"I managed to dodge the bullet for now... but there's no way Xio actually bought that... That 'evil spirit' summoned by the ritual is terrifying! Once it asks a question, whether you answer or not hardly seems to matter anymore..."
"As Ebner would say, is this what they call 'social death'?"
After muttering a few rueful remarks to herself, Fors took several deep breaths, trying to calm the lingering heat in her cheeks and the adrenaline still coursing through her.
Meanwhile, back in the apartment, Xio picked up the "Veil of a Hundred Faces" and inspected it carefully—only to notice that it seemed to have been freshly laundered...
...
In the only school in Damir Town, Klein took a sip of Ferrmore coffee from the Paso River Valley and couldn't help but marvel inwardly: No wonder this high-end brew costs 10 soli per cup—it's leagues better than the cheap 1-penny stuff I usually drink.
—This coffee had been brought back from the Southern Continent by Ebner, where it was significantly cheaper to purchase locally.
Setting down his cup, Klein turned his attention to Ebner seated across from him. Though the two had known each other for some time—even holding private meetings above the gray fog—this was their first face-to-face conversation in the real world.
Since Klein had previously met Ebner in Williams Street while filling the tunnel dug by Viscount Pound—using the identity of Gehrman Sparrow at the time—"The Tower" naturally knew he was "The World." Thus, Klein cut straight to the point: "It's Klein Moretti who asked me to inquire about something on his behalf... Well, he and I are the same sort of person."
Even in the real world, with no eavesdroppers around and despite the spiritual barrier set up in the room, Klein avoided uttering the word "The Fool" outright, opting for vague phrasing instead. He trusted "The Tower" would understand.
"Klein Moretti? No wonder... So he's like you, also..." Ebner feigned sudden realization, though internally he added: Another alt account!
"You seem to know him—and that he isn't dead?" Klein maintained Gehrman Sparrow's cold demeanor, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly.
"Of course. The night before I went to dig up Dunn's grave, I actually ran into him at an inn... At the time, he was dragging a man into his room, though I've no idea what he intended to do... Naturally, that caught my attention." Ebner glanced at Klein, the corners of his lips quirking up.
...So you were the source of that eerie feeling of being watched that night! And while technically true, the way you phrased that makes it sound downright scandalous!
Klein nearly lost his grip on Gehrman's persona.
I am Gehrman right now. No unnecessary expressions. I am Gehrman...
After mentally repeating this mantra, he replied flatly, "Since you're aware of him, this simplifies matters... He asked me to find out whether you've agreed to guide his sister Melissa into the world of the supernatural."
"Melissa has high spiritual sensitivity and considerable talent in mechanics. She'd make an excellent 'Savant' or 'Reader.'" Ebner took another sip of coffee before continuing, "I do intend to honor her request.
"Given that she's already been exposed to the supernatural, she'll inevitably seek answers... Rather than leaving her ignorant and vulnerable to unforeseen dangers... it's better to provide foundational guidance—to help her understand what the extraordinary truly entails, and just how perilous it can be."
(End of Chapter)