The day of Divine’s birth celebration was drawing near, and Grovner no longer had time to wipe the base of Antinam’s statue in the church nave every day.
So when Siles arrived at the Central Cathedral, the person he met in the nave was Knight Commander Banyan.
“Good morning, Professor Noel,” Banyan greeted him. “What brings you here today?”
“Good morning, Banyan,” Siles said. “I’m here to see Dominic. Is he in?”
“He is. He’s still in the same office as before,” Banyan said. Then he added, “By the way, do you still remember the thing that apostate stole? We’ve already decided what to give as payment, and I was just thinking about when to contact you.”
Siles paused. The matter of the list had been over for quite some time, and hearing Banyan mention the reward again made him feel slightly disoriented.
Banyan said, “Since you were accompanied by a merchant at the time, we decided to let him take part in some of the Stardust business. As for you, since you’re an Enlightener, we prepared two time relics and the corresponding rituals.”
Stardust business and two time relics? Siles thought that the Old Church was indeed generous and thoughtful.
Speaking of Stardust, he could not help asking, “Knight Commander Banyan, if you don’t mind… I’ve heard some things about Stardust. Is it always mined in the Ashless Land?”
“Some of it is,” Banyan said after thinking for a moment. “But not all of it. If you’re curious, you can ask Dominic. He knows about this.”
Dominic? Siles was slightly surprised by this information.
“I see,” he said.
Banyan said, “Then go see Dominic. I’ll go get the time relics to hand over to you. I’ll be waiting in the nave, so there’s no need to rush.”
“Alright, thank you,” Siles said.
Banyan smiled, his eyes narrowing slightly. “No, it should be us thanking you.”
Siles felt somewhat unworthy of that gratitude, so he shook his head and went through the side door to the office behind it to find Dominic.
As always, Dominic was buried in heavy stacks of records and documents. When Siles entered, he looked up as if surfacing from another world and stared blankly at Siles for a moment before saying loudly, “Ah, Professor Noel!”
“Good morning. You look very busy?”
“No need to make it a question,” Dominic said, shaking his head. “The day of Divine Birth is coming, and it feels like the whole city of Lamifa is full of those damned old-god followers.”
“Who are they?” Siles asked.
“Oh, actually, you know them too,” Dominic said suddenly, recalling something. “Do you remember the Torture Study Society?”
Siles nodded.
“Good, I’m glad you remember. Those damned organization members have recently been causing trouble all over the outskirts of Lamifa City, and many people have been reporting them to us.
“Sometimes they do bizarre acts of self-punishment, and sometimes they go outside the city to ‘practice’—at least that’s how they describe it. Fasting, meditation, asceticism, that sort of thing, but…
“Do you know Food Town in the southern suburbs?”
Siles paused, then said in a low voice, “I do. They’re connected to Food Town?”
“No, not in the way you’re imagining,” Dominic said, shaking his head. “Those madmen sit outside Food Town, smelling the food, yet they deliberately let themselves go hungry and drool…
“They say it’s a form of self-punishment and self-restraint, and that one day they’ll be able to sense their god and awaken Broncani. If you ask me, even if Broncani really did notice them and wake up, it would be because they irritated it to death.”
Dominic spoke mercilessly, and Siles also found these old-god followers’ behavior extremely strange.
“At least they aren’t doing anything indecent,” Siles said.
“No?” Dominic gave a cold laugh. “That’s not true. One of them—I don’t even know how to put it… In short, after smelling the food aroma, he couldn’t resist, rushed into Food Town, and ate like crazy, almost stuffing himself to death.”
Siles: “…”
He thought for a long time, then gave up on judging the behavior and stayed silent.
Dominic sighed and shook his head. “Thinking about it now, I was once one of them too… People probably saw me then as a madman. In any case, we’ve already been talking with the Dwight family, hoping they can restrain them…”
“Dwight?” Siles suddenly interrupted.
Dominic blinked. “Yes. The Dwight family is the hidden sponsor behind the Torture Study Society. Rumor has it that Esmond—the main culprit behind the society’s increasing madness in recent years—is a member of the Dwight family.”
Siles frowned slightly.
Dominic asked, “What’s wrong?”
Siles said, “I have a student who’s a member of the Dwight family.”
He did not mention that one of the higher-ups in the Historical Society was probably also an elderly Dwight.
“Oh, what a coincidence,” Dominic said, but he did not seem especially surprised or concerned. “Still, you don’t need to worry. From what we know of the Dwight family, there’s a huge difference in outlook between the younger and older generations. Besides, their support for the Torture Study Society is only a small part of the family’s business, a very small part.”
Siles slowly nodded.
A big difference between younger and older generations? Judging from Horatio Dwight’s daily behavior, Siles did not really agree with Dominic’s statement, though Horatio’s actions were not outlandish either.
Because Horatio had founded the club Record of Suffering, Siles was not all that surprised that the Dwight family supported the Torture Study Society. He simply felt a subtle kind of… unease?
Perhaps it was because the day of Divine Birth was approaching, and everyone seemed to be saying that on that day someone would want to do something… so he had become nerves on edge as well.
Dominic looked a little helpless. “In any case… I hope they can rein themselves in after this.” He muttered, “If this keeps up, I really don’t want to bother with those madmen anymore.”
Siles said, “I hope you get your wish.”
“I hope so,” Dominic said, stretching and letting out a long sigh. “By the way, Professor, I haven’t asked yet—what brings you here this time?”
Siles said, “I’m here about Professor Cabel.”
Dominic looked at him with mild surprise.
Siles paused, then explained the investigation he had carried out over the previous period of time: that seven years ago Professor Cabel had investigated the tribal ruin discovered by Alfonso, and the possible origin of that fountain pen. He also mentioned the possibility of a safe house.
As he spoke, Dominic’s expression gradually became dumbfounded.
When Siles stopped, the dark-skinned man weighed the matter for a moment, then sincerely exclaimed, “Professor Noel, you are more of a detective than I am.”
Siles remained silent for a moment, then said, “This is what I should do.”
After all, he had taken over Professor Cabel’s post, and besides, that scale necklace was still lying quietly on the bookshelf in his office.
Dominic shook his head and did not say much more on that point. He could see that Professor Noel was a very calm and self-contained person, so such direct praise probably did not suit him.
Dominic then said, “A safe house… we also guessed that, but we didn’t find any evidence. However… your mentioning his connection with the Folklore Society gives us a direction we hadn’t found.”
“If we investigate along that line, we may be able to find Cabel’s hidden network and contacts… folklore studies…”
He murmured softly, his voice gradually fading as he thought about what had been overlooked in their earlier investigation.
Suddenly, his eyes widened. “Cabel’s sister!”
“What?” Siles was slightly startled.
Dominic said, “I once saw records on Cabel’s sister. She had also been a student at Lamifa University, and her major at the time was folklore studies. But after graduation, she didn’t work in that field. Instead, she went to manage the family shop.
“Even so, that might be the most convenient channel Cabel had for contacting someone in folklore studies!”
Siles nodded. He thought that Cabel’s sister probably knew something, though maybe she did not realize it was related to Cabel’s disappearance… or perhaps she was deliberately hiding something?
With that in mind, Siles asked, “What about Professor Cabel’s brother?”
“His brother?” Dominic thought carefully. “He seemed to be a lazy man living off dividends from the shop, doing nothing all day.”
Siles thought about it and then asked, “Where does he live?”
“In the West City, I think,” Dominic said. “Daw… Dawson Street?”
Siles inhaled lightly, feeling a subtle emotion. He could not help asking, “Dominic, what exactly does the Cabel family shop sell?”
“Some expensive handicrafts, I think. In the East City,” Dominic said, looking a little confused about why Siles was asking these questions, but he still answered honestly. “They’re very popular with some nobles.”
Siles then said, “As far as I know, Dawson Street in the West City has an underground black market that sells some rather…”
He weighed his words carefully. “…rather illegal things. Very likely from the Ashless Land.”
Dominic widened his eyes and asked in surprise, “What? I had no idea!” He muttered, “In that case, Cabel’s brother and sister both look very suspicious.”
Siles quietly nodded.
Thinking about it now, when Cabel left, he wrote in his letter that he would return in about half a month to twenty days. But his brother and sister only chose to report him missing after nearly a month.
Dominic lowered his head and wrote something on a sheet of paper, then said to Siles, “I’ll have others investigate this right away. If there’s news, I’ll inform you.”
With that, he got up and quickly prepared to leave the room, clearly excited by the new information he had just obtained.
“Wait, Dominic!” Siles called after him. “I still want to ask you something.”
“What is it?” Dominic said.
Siles asked, “I want to ask about the Old Church’s Stardust business. Do you know whether there is any abandoned Stardust vein near Hell’s House in Glastown?”
“Hell’s House?” Dominic looked at Siles a little strangely, then nodded. “Yes, there is. It’s a little to the west of Hell’s House.”
“It seems to have been a vein developed by a merchant in the city. Part of it was supplied to us, and the rest seems to have been sold elsewhere. I don’t really know the details of that part.
“As for the exact location…”
“No, you don’t need to tell me too precisely,” Siles said sincerely. “That bit of information is enough.”
Dominic looked very puzzled, but his mind was already occupied by Professor Cabel’s matter, so he did not ask why Siles wanted to know. He only said hastily, “I’m glad it helps.”
Then he left the room directly.
Siles remained alone in the room, lost in thought for a while.
West of Hell’s House, an abandoned Stardust mine.
He thought that it was probably the place marked by the diamond-like symbol on Quinto Praia’s map. It was most likely the same place where the merchant Lanmere had once met Fredman.
…So it really was near Hell’s House!
By now, Siles had become highly wary of Hell’s House, always feeling that this relay station concealed something suspicious. Perhaps there was nothing wrong with the station itself, but the people there…
He thought for a while, then stood up and walked out, shifting his thoughts back to Professor Cabel’s case. What had Cabel discovered that led to such a sudden disappearance? Was there enough evidence and enough clues hidden in his safe house?
In any case, he was still very much looking forward to what the Old Church might uncover.
He might be able to use his position to investigate Cabel’s past more easily than the Old Church could, but the Old Church clearly had greater ability to unearth the secrets hidden behind these stories.
Siles looked forward to their findings.
He also stood up, left the office, and went to the nave of the church. There, Knight Commander Banyan was already waiting for him.
When Banyan saw Siles approaching, he handed over the two items in his hands: a brand-new pair of leather boots and a pair of gold-rimmed pince-nez frames.
The latter did not yet have lenses installed.
Banyan explained, “You can replace the lenses according to your own myopia level.”
Siles nodded to show that he understood. Then he asked, “What are the rituals?”
“The ritual for these boots is called [Natural Boots], derived from the power path once blessed by Trisli, the god of mountains and rivers. That group of blessed ones was called the ‘Natural Walkers.’
“They could hide their presence in the wilderness, blend into natural environments, and when wearing these boots, they would not feel fatigue while traveling. The effect is constant; you only need to put the boots on.
“If you need to strengthen the concealment effect, you can crouch in place—have you ever seen a beast crouching low, preparing to hunt? Mimicking an animal’s posture will do.
“I’ve estimated your size. You can go try them on in a room nearby. If they fit, that would be perfect.”
Siles thanked Banyan for his kindness. These boots were indeed very suitable for his needs, after all he was about to go to the Ashless Land, and he did not usually have time for exercise.
Not to mention the concealment effect—just the fact that they would let him walk without getting sore feet was already very powerful and practical.
Knight Commander Banyan then introduced the ritual of the glasses.
He said, “These glasses come from the power of the dream and illusion god Akamara. The ritual is called [Akamara’s Eyeglass Frame].
“According to legend, Akamara’s gaze can see through the distinction between truth and illusion, so the power of these glasses is to see through the fog and see scenery farther away.
“Both effects are constant, just like the boots. As long as you wear them, they work. Of course, if you want to see farther away, you need to focus your gaze in that direction.
“Also, the lenses do not affect the glasses’ function. However, if your myopia is very serious…” he pointed at the glasses hanging on Siles’s chest, “you can consider wearing them as an accessory rather than inserting lenses into them.”
“I understand, though my myopia isn’t that severe,” Siles said. Then he asked curiously about one more thing. “Banyan, what does ‘see through the fog’ mean…?”
Knight Commander Banyan smiled and said, “There is only one kind of fog in this world.”
The fog of the Ashless Land? Siles was slightly startled.
He said in mild astonishment, “These glasses must be very expensive.”
These glasses, derived from Akamara’s power, had two effects. First, they were like a telescope, allowing the wearer to see things farther away.
Second, they could allow a person to move across the fog of the Ashless Land with ease, seeing everything hidden within it clearly.
The reason that fog was so troublesome was that the gray-black mist obscured people’s vision, rendering them effectively blind, and it also subtly affected their willpower, gradually driving them mad, making them lose their way forever in the mist.
“To see through the fog” did not only mean to clearly see what the fog concealed, but also to dispel the invisible effect it had on human will.
Siles could not help thinking: [Akamara’s Eyeglass Frame]—did it really once belong to Akamara? After obtaining this frame, if he entered the Deep Sea Dream again, would that place undergo some strange change?
Banyan smiled slightly and said, “Professor Noel, compared to the help you have given us, this pair of glasses is worth nothing. In any case, an item must be used by someone before it can become a ‘time relic.’”
Once again, Siles felt a little awkward at the Old Church’s overly friendly attitude.
He thanked Banyan once more and thought that if he did not know the Old Church had no idea he was about to go to the Ashless Land, he would almost think the Old Church had specially given him these two time relics as payment because of his upcoming journey.
Both items could help him move through the Ashless Land more safely and easily.
Banyan shook his head to show it was unnecessary, then said, “By the way, the boots require at least a potion of 5% purity to function, and the glasses require 10%.”
With that, he picked up a small wooden carrying case from the side, opened it, and let Siles see about fifty brown potion bottles inside. Half of them were 5% purity, and half were 10%.
Then Knight Commander Banyan closed it and handed it to Siles with a smile. “A bonus.”
Siles accepted it, but could not help saying, “I even feel uneasy—receiving such a huge and precious gift.”
It was also quite amusing: since becoming an Enlightener, he had never bought potions himself. The potions from Professor Glenfield had already been enough, and now he had also received gifts from the Old Church.
Banyan laughed. “The church has scholars who can mix potions internally, so this isn’t anything too precious. Professor Noel, in any case, it’s good that we can help you.”
Siles said, “I feel you have already helped me very much.”
He meant this sincerely. Whether it was The Karacoc Diary, the previous cash reward, the shield fragment provided by Knight Commander Banyan, or the two time relics now, all of these had helped him tremendously.
“We needn’t be so polite here,” Knight Commander Banyan said heartily. “Please take them and use them well. Everything belongs to the gift of our god, not to us.”
Siles paused at that final sentence, though he had no intention of arguing with a devout believer from this world.
After that, Knight Commander Banyan handed Siles the last item: an invitation.
He said, “On behalf of the Old Church, I invite you to come to the church on October 20 to watch the day of Divine Birth celebration. It will be a very lively and special day.”
Siles did not refuse. He was already planning to leave for the Ashless Land after the day of Divine Birth, so he gladly accepted.
After that, Siles was about to say goodbye to Banyan and leave the church. Just then, he suddenly remembered Banyan’s earlier letter saying that the Old Church was investigating Doctor Chester Fitzroy’s past.
So Siles asked about the progress of that investigation.
When the matter was mentioned, Banyan could not help sighing. “The investigation is progressing very slowly. After all, those were events from many years ago, and they did not even happen in the Duchy of Konst.”
“Did they happen in the Ashless Land?” Siles asked casually, testing the waters.
Banyan hesitated, then said, “No, actually, not there.” He said, “We suspect that Doctor Fitzroy had some connection with Middleton… a distant country.”
Siles listened in surprise.
He had thought the Old Church was investigating the case of Chester accompanying the archaeological team seven years ago to the Ashless Land to search for the ruin Alfonso had discovered. But apparently not?
So Chester had other secrets as well?
“I’m afraid the doctor himself probably doesn’t know it either,” Banyan said with a soft sigh. “His mother was a traveler from a distant foreign land, and she gave birth to this descendant of her bloodline while abroad.”
Siles: “…”
He suddenly started to wonder whether he truly understood the few characters in this campaign script.
Merchant Lanmere had somehow become involved in the Stardust and Grayson business; Doctor Chester’s background and past were suddenly shrouded in countless mysteries; the circus where the clown belonged had strangely embarked on an improper livelihood…
What about Herman Grove? What about Knight Commander Banyan? What about the vagrant Bern? And those two characters he had never even met yet—did they also hide secrets of their own?
Siles looked deeply at the handsome Knight Commander Banyan in front of him and finally said, “Perhaps secrets will eventually be discovered one day.”
He thought that this world was far more than just a campaign script. It was a real world, with countless mysteries and secrets beyond the script itself.
Banyan probably did not know what Siles meant. He only smiled faintly.
Siles tried on the boots in the room Banyan mentioned and confirmed they fit, then thanked Banyan again and left the Old Church.
When he stepped outside, he noticed the sky had once again begun to pour with dense raindrops. The gloomy weather cast a thin shadow over Siles’s heart as well.
He opened his umbrella and checked his pocket watch. It was already past ten o’clock. So he simply walked along the tree-lined road, crossed Atherton Central Square, and continued all the way to 18 Housewell Street, where he went up to the third floor and ordered his usual favorite set meal for lunch.
The third floor of 18 Housewell Street was as quiet as ever. The rain kept falling outside, and Siles occasionally looked toward the people in Atherton Square.
At that moment, he thought of the painter he had once seen painting at the edge of Atherton Square.
Why did he think of him? Perhaps because the sky now was gloomy, as if rain were about to come down, just like the sky in that painter’s sketch—dark gray, oppressive, and covered with heavy clouds.
The world was in the midst of a storm. The storm never ceased.
After lunch, Siles went to Room 52.
He sat quietly there, thinking about the plans for the coming days.
The novelists’ gathering on Sunday, visiting Professor Culverly on Monday, nothing on Tuesday, and then day of Divine Birth on Wednesday. By that calculation, if nothing unexpected happened, he could leave Lamifa City on Thursday.
That was just in time to mention it to his companions at the gathering.
He would need to find time to pack… oh right, there was still a stack of books in Emmanuel’s room at 13 Milford Street. He needed to find a time to move them over. Perhaps tomorrow morning?
If he was going to West City, then maybe he could also look for Jimmy near the Ernestin Tavern. He was a West City child and should know better than Siles which shop would be more suitable for the underground black market.
Siles took out paper and pen from his bag and wrote down the arrangements for the next few days, only then relaxing a little.
…If he was leaving on Thursday, then he probably needed to buy train tickets in the next two days.
There was no direct train from Lamifa City to the Ashless Land. He would have to transfer in a city on the edge of the Duchy of Konst; perhaps the border city of Martz, Julius’s hometown, would be a good choice.
The train station in Lamifa City was in the western suburbs, so tomorrow morning when he went to the West City, he could also stop by the train station to buy the tickets.
Besides that, he still had a few small matters to handle—changing the lenses in his glasses, buying a gift for his mother, and taking time to write to Glenfield to let him know about the plan to go to the Ashless Land during winter break.
He also had to hope that nothing would go wrong during the day of the Divine Birth celebration, or else his plans would be delayed.
Siles let out a slight sigh.
After twelve o’clock, his friends arrived one after another.
Angela was the last to arrive. As soon as she entered, she said, “Good afternoon! I was just about to share something with you all.”
Her expression was impossible to describe as either anger or anxiety; it looked very complicated.
Siles thought of Millicent’s matter from yesterday’s club activity and looked up at Angela. Angela sat down on the sofa, then looked at Eric. “Eric, you’re a father.”
Eric nodded blankly.
“A father with a daughter,” Angela said.
Eric nodded blankly again.
So Angela said, “Do you think a father with a daughter would slap her just because she did something that didn’t obey his wishes?! I was furious about this!”
“What?” Eric said in astonishment. “What kind of father would do something like that!”
“I don’t understand either!” Angela said angrily, with a trace of fear in that anger. “I really can’t understand how a person could change so much in such a short time…”
Siles had already heard the implication in her words, so he asked, “Is it Miss Austin’s matter?”
“Yes,” Angela said, calming herself a little and then taking a deep breath to organize her thoughts.
Mrs. Fuller and Darrell listened with curiosity too.
Angela roughly recounted what had happened in Millicent’s family: a merchant had gifted a portrait from the Ashless Land, and after that Millicent’s father had become irritable and gluttonous, refusing to let anyone handle the matter.
“After the professor gave me that idea yesterday, I immediately took Milli and Thea to the Historical Society to ask a trustworthy elder for help,” Angela said. “That elder was very concerned too, and visited Milli’s family that same night.
“Thea and I went along. At first the conversation went quite smoothly, and Milli’s father was even willing to share with us what happened with the portrait. That was when we learned that he had been spending many nights sitting in front of the portrait for a long time, quietly staring into the eyes of the figure in it…”
Hearing this, Eric could not help saying, “That’s a very dangerous action.”
After studying and training in the Second Corridor for some time, Eric understood very well the danger of runaway time relics, especially those with human forms and human eyes.
Siles, who had once inadvertently locked eyes with the statue of the woman’s head, also nodded.
The eyes of such time relics always carried an almost eerie allure.
“I know that too. We all felt that behavior was very dangerous,” Angela said with a tone of indignation. “But the person who was ‘mentally inactive’ himself didn’t realize the problem.”
Eric sighed too. “Yes,” he said. “The Second Corridor always encounters this sort of thing. People go mad without realizing it.”
The atmosphere grew tense for a moment.
Then Angela continued, though her tone had become much calmer. “That elder said he wanted to see the portrait, but Milli’s father immediately became alert and refused.
“The elder insisted. After that, Milli’s father was completely enraged. He insulted us, slapped Milli, and then locked himself inside the study.
“Milli and her mother were both crying, and Thea and I could only comfort them. The elder also didn’t know what to do. He talked with Milli’s father outside the study for a long time, but in the end he still dared not use force and could only leave.
“I stayed at Milli’s house last night. Until I left this morning, Milli’s father still hadn’t come out of the study. I feel… very uneasy.”
Her voice faded and finally stopped.
The others all frowned, feeling that this was a very difficult problem.
With some hesitation, Mrs. Fuller said, “Austin… do you mean the Marquis Austin?”
Angela nodded.
Mrs. Fuller shook her head. “That man is…”
She did not continue, but from her tone it was clear that this matter had also stumped Mrs. Fuller. He seemed to be a powerful nobleman with real authority.
At that point, Siles suddenly thought of something and asked, “Is this marquis an Enlightener?”
They all paused at the question.
Generally speaking, ordinary people were unlikely to be affected by runaway time relics, because their “spirituality” was not high enough. Of course, not every ordinary person with enough spirituality could become an Enlightener.
For example, Professor Cabel. That crazy old man was not an Enlightener, at least Siles had seen no signs proving he was. But he had indeed come into contact with many runaway time relics, and his mental state had gradually worsened as a result.
But this Marquis Austin…
Angela frowned and said uncertainly, “He probably… isn’t. As far as I know, he is not. Among nobles, there are indeed many Enlighteners, but most of them are not from the Historical Society or the Old Church. They come from family inheritance.
“They draw power from their family’s history and glory; their bloodline is their most important source of power. Some families’ ancestors even deliberately leave behind power guidance for their descendants.
“And Marquis Austin… Mrs. Fuller, you should know this family. They only acquired their title in these centuries of the Mist Era through business dealings and political marriages. They don’t have any family inheritance.
“As for the other official organizations… the Old Church is impossible. Nobles and they have never gotten along. As for the Historical Society, I haven’t heard anything from the Council of Elders either. And the elder who visited last night didn’t show any abnormalities.
“So I think Marquis Austin cannot be an Enlightener.”
The others nodded, accepting Angela’s inference.
Eric said with some complicated emotion, “Perhaps this marquis has the qualifications to be an Enlightener, but simply doesn’t know it…”
That was also a kind of danger.
Siles pondered this in his heart and thought it was not impossible. But… a merchant?
If this Marquis Austin’s family had risen from commerce, how could they not know that certain goods from the Ashless Land were extremely dangerous? Bertram Fane knew this very well.
Even though Bertram was an ordinary person, he also knew of the existence of those dangerous and mad old-god followers. A merchant should naturally understand this kind of unstable factor, let alone a marquis of the Duchy of Konst.
In that case, why would he willingly accept this portrait? Wouldn’t he feel any warning signs?
Or perhaps…
He himself was already a believer in the god of Gluttony and Desire. And that portrait was like a kind of…
Siles thought, like an official credential for joining a secret organization.
Were not the strange chef portraits pasted on the ceiling of Grayson Dessert Shop’s kitchen exactly like that?
Siles asked, “Angela, do you know what that portrait looked like?”
Angela shook her head. “It was always kept in Mr. Austin’s study. When the merchant brought it over, Milli glanced at it, but didn’t really see it clearly. She only knew it was a portrait of a person.”
Siles nodded, feeling a little disappointed. If he could know the exact content of the portrait, he would probably obtain more information.
But then he thought again: it was probably better that not many people had seen it. At least that meant one fewer victim.
Mrs. Fuller said, “If Marquis Austin continues to stay in the study and doesn’t come out… then the situation may change within a few days. And very likely not for the better.”
Her words were relatively tactful, but everyone could hear the somewhat pessimistic attitude behind them.
Angela also sighed.
After a moment, she said, “Fine, let’s not talk about such depressing things. What new things have happened to you this week?”
Siles said, “I plan to go to the Ashless Land during winter break.”
“The Ashless Land?”
“Now?”
They all looked at him in surprise.
Siles nodded. “My project at the Historical Society has already been handed over to someone else, so I don’t have anything to do this winter break. I thought I’d go to the Ashless Land for a trip and broaden my horizons.”
He gave a flawless-sounding explanation.
Darrell could not help saying, “Professor, your project being handed over to someone else… a lot of people at the Historical Society know about that, and they were furious on your behalf. Some of the higher-ups in the Historical Society are really nauseating.”
Siles smiled faintly. “That project had already made progress, so handing it over to someone else isn’t a big problem. Besides, I trust Miss Aston.”
“Even so, this kind of situation is different,” Darrell muttered.
Voluntarily handing something over and being forced to transfer it were absolutely not the same.
“Don’t worry,” Siles said slowly. “At least I know who pushed for this.”
“Who?” Their eyes all turned toward him.
“Clarence Dwight,” Siles said.
Angela was the first to cry out, “Oh, that old rigid oddball!”
Siles thought that there really were quite a lot of people in this world called “old oddball.”
Mrs. Fuller said thoughtfully, “The Dwight family?”
After a moment, Mrs. Fuller explained it to them: “The Dwight family is also descended from nobility, but they no longer hold a title now. This family once had close business ties with my husband’s family.
“But in recent decades, the family head of the Dwights… seems to have been associating with some rather unsavory people, which ruined the family’s reputation, and many families cut off ties with them. But overall, the family still has substantial assets.”
Angela added from the side, “I’ve seen this man in the Council of Elders. He’s somewhat…” She frowned. “How should I put it? Rigid, harsh, old-fashioned, and…
“There was once a meeting where an elder was one or two minutes late, and this old oddball actually argued with him… It was really unbelievable, at least that’s what I thought.”
Siles nodded. These descriptions all fit the guess that “Clarence Dwight is a believer in the god of Asceticism and Silence.”
At that moment, Mrs. Fuller suddenly said, “I remember now. Clarence Dwight… yes, he once asked the First Corridor for a list of newly joined Enlighteners in the Historical Society.
“At the time, organizing those lists and the exact joining times took quite a bit of effort, but after we submitted the list, there was no feedback at all, and many seasoned Enlighteners complained about it.
“At the time, someone even rebutted those complaints, saying that it was ‘Lord Clarence’s request,’ and there was nothing to complain about.”
They all paused in surprise.
“A council elder asking about newly joined Enlighteners?” Eric asked in confusion. “Was that necessary?”
Mrs. Fuller shook her head, indicating she did not know.
Angela said, “I’ve never heard of this either… at least I never saw that list at Council meetings.”
Darrell seemed to understand and said uncertainly, “So… he wanted that list for personal reasons?”
Angela looked at Darrell, muttered “personal reasons,” and said, “What personal reasons could he have?”
Mrs. Fuller seemed to suddenly remember something. “At that time…” She looked at Siles. “Professor, at that time, you had joined the Dawn Revelation Society.”
The five of them looked at one another.
Angela cried out, “That’s it! This old oddball wanted to figure out who had joined the Dawn Revelation Society, so he deliberately asked for that list? Did he trace it to the professor?”
Siles thought that it seemed he had.
According to Carol, every Enlightener who entered the salon would receive a brand-new identity. The croupier was present for the first time in the salon. And during that period, there were not that many Enlighteners joining the Historical Society.
In addition, Siles’s past actions had not been that secretive, since going to the salon and the Dawn Revelation Society both required going through the Historical Society.
So after a few weeks of observation, Clarence Dwight very likely saw the connection between Siles’s movements and the time the croupier appeared in the salon, and thus determined that Siles was the croupier.
This elder was clearly from the conservative, stubborn, and deity-worshipping faction, and he very likely had some ideological conflict with the Dawn Revelation Society. Add to that the fact that Siles had proposed the theory that “human will can resist divine will”…
That was probably the real reason his project had been frozen.
A young Enlightener who had just joined the Historical Society and did not know his place, making such bold and reckless claims?
No, a member of the Dawn Revelation Society suddenly reappearing after fourteen years, trying once again to stir up internal conflict within the Historical Society.
Siles suddenly found the whole thing almost funny.
So this elder had already been painstakingly trying to deal with him, while he had only now, belatedly, realized the other man’s intention. He had absolutely no self-awareness as a member of the Dawn Revelation Society.
They were completely speaking past each other.
