Siles calmly sat down opposite the two merchants. The restaurant waiter brought them drinks and snacks, and Siles thanked him politely and coolly.
But inwardly, his entire mind felt a bit numb.
…What? Lanmere? The merchant Lanmere?
He only knew that Lanmere’s caravan traveled back and forth between the Ashless Land and Lamifa City, but he had absolutely no idea that Lanmere’s business also involved Stardust! Why couldn’t the tabletop RPG script be more detailed!
Siles’s social instincts kicked in, prompting him to say, “I didn’t expect it to be Mr. Lanmere. I even received your business card once.”
Jerome Lanmere was a robust, well-built middle-aged man in his forties. Judging solely by his appearance, people might assume he was a thug or a bodyguard. Who would have thought he was actually a shrewd and capable major merchant?
“Where did you get my business card?” Lanmere asked, somewhat surprised.
“From your son,” Siles replied. “He sold a travelogue at the booksellers’ market, and I heard he got it from you.”
Lanmere thought back to what his son had mentioned a few days ago and suddenly realized, “So that was you. Mr. Noel, have you found a suitable translator?”
Siles shook his head.
Lanmere sighed regretfully. “I feel that travelogue is extremely important. That deceased explorer came from the Duchy of Kansas. You know, the Grand Duke currently wants to accelerate the development of the Ashless Land, and that will inevitably require cooperation with the Duchy of Kansas.”
…The Duchy of Kansas?
As Siles listened, he realized that going out today had actually brought an unexpected bonus. It seemed he would have to trouble Kellogg again; he just hoped the student had enough free time.
Perhaps she could recommend a more suitable translator to him? Constantly bothering a young student made Siles feel somewhat embarrassed.
“Indeed,” Bertram chimed in at the right moment. “I remember Stardust was also discovered in the Withered Wasteland near the Duchy of Kansas, right?”
“Yes,” Lanmere nodded, steering the topic toward Stardust. “I might sound a bit blunt saying this, but Mr. Noel, Stardust is actually not a very good investment choice.”
Having already learned that Stardust was an indispensable supplementary ingredient for magic potions, Siles had actually already realized this.
The vast majority of the Stardust business was undoubtedly monopolized by the Church of the Past. If he wanted to get involved, he might as well seek information from Grosvenor and Knight Commander Bunyan.
However, he was curious as to why Lanmere would say this.
Lanmere paused for a moment before continuing under Siles’s gaze: “Because the Stardust mine we discovered is almost depleted. And we haven’t been able to find a second one.”
Siles suddenly understood.
“I see,” he said.
He figured that since the bulk of the Stardust supply was reserved for Revelators’ magic potions, even if it was a convenient energy source, it couldn’t be widely applied in this era.
For some reason, Siles felt a profound sense of melancholy.
Was this a good thing, or a bad thing?
The individuals with extraordinary powers in this era monopolized the energy supply. Yet they themselves might not be able to equivalently substitute the technological advancement and societal progress that these energy sources could bring.
No wonder, he thought, the Age of Mists had been over for four hundred years, yet the technology of this world hadn’t managed to return to the level of the Sardinian Empire. He knew, of course, that the existence of the mist was an even bigger obstacle.
But what about energy? Such a convenient, highly efficient clean energy—although Siles didn’t know the scientific principles behind Stardust—should it really only be supplied to Revelators rather than being used to develop the economy and society?
This world was trapped by something, Siles thought, whether it was the mist shrouding the Fisher World or these extraordinary powers that never stepped into the sunlight.
Siles then added, “Still, thank you very much for making this trip.”
“It’s nothing,” Lanmere said cheerfully. “I was planning to discuss a business deal with Bertram anyway.”
Siles looked at Bertram in slight surprise.
If Lanmere’s main purpose was to discuss business with Bertram, then Siles didn’t need to make this trip at all. Bertram could have simply written to Siles regarding the Stardust matter.
Bertram opportunely explained, “Because this business deal also concerns you.”
Before Siles could process this, Lanmere asked with great interest, “Is Mr. Noel also involved in the business of the Greyson Food Company?”
Siles finally understood Lanmere’s intention today. He glanced at Bertram, then nodded and said, “Yes.”
He didn’t really understand the ins and outs of these business dealings, so he simply chose a brief response and passed the floor to Bertram.
Bertram nodded and said, “Mr. Lanmere wants me to introduce him to the person in charge of Greyson Food Company. However, I wanted to discuss this with you in person.” He directed the latter half of his sentence to Lanmere.
Siles finally grasped the entire context of this meeting. He breathed a sigh of relief inwardly and adopted an attitude of peaceful detachment.
Lanmere pondered for a moment and said, “Actually, I don’t want to invest… or get directly involved. I know a publisher who has recently been trying to provide brochures, advertising cards, and similar promotional collaborations for major companies, so I wanted to ask if Greyson has any need for this.
“I imagine a food company could probably use the help of such promotional methods?”
Bertram listened with some surprise, then said, “I suppose so. However, Greyson’s business has been exceptionally good lately.”
Lanmere nodded in agreement. “I’ve noticed that. Greyson’s food is inexpensive—but you wouldn’t call it cheap—and the quality is quite good. But,” he added tactfully, “there’s always room for improvement.”
As they talked, Siles listened rather absentmindedly, as a different question formed in his mind.
Has Greyson Food Company’s business really been that good recently?
He usually ate at the Lamifa University cafeteria, so he hadn’t noticed this. But if it were true, it was a good thing; after all, he now held a share of their profit rights.
Soon, Lanmere and Bertram seemed to finalize their discussion. Lanmere generously handed them both business cards bearing his private address, telling them to write him a letter if they ever needed his help.
Afterward, he took the business card Bertram handed him—presumably belonging to the higher-ups of Greyson Food Company—and left satisfied.
After his departure, Siles asked Bertram about Greyson Food Company’s recent developments.
“Haven’t you noticed? My wife has been telling me lately that many shops in Logan Market have closed down, while Greyson’s shops are popping up everywhere. At first, it was just a butcher shop, and later other shops opened too,” Bertram said.
Siles was somewhat surprised. He asked, “Is Greyson’s food really that delicious?”
“It truly is delicious.” Bertram unconsciously smacked his lips. “I don’t know how to describe it, nor do I know what they add to it; that’s their trade secret.
“In short, whether it’s their meat, vegetables, seasonings, soup bases, or even their desserts and pastries, the taste is exceptionally good. My wife has been buying ingredients and prepared foods from them for the past few days.”
Siles froze slightly, feeling that Bertram’s description made him a bit uneasy.
He thought to himself, Could they have added some unhealthy ingredients to those foods? To seize the market and attract customers… Moreover, when he passed by Greyson’s butcher shop before, he remembered hearing that the meat sold there was very cheap.
Cheap and delicious—could such perfect food really exist?
Feeling suspicious, Siles shared his thoughts with Bertram.
“Don’t worry,” Bertram laughed heartily. “I mentioned to you that a companion of mine from the Ashless Land provided a few recipes to Greyson, and he is still working there now.
“I trust his character completely; he would absolutely never tolerate any food meant for consumption causing harm to people’s health. I think they might have just discovered some unique sauce recipes.”
Siles nodded dubiously.
Bertram’s explanation wasn’t impossible. Furthermore, Greyson Food Company’s shops hadn’t just opened yesterday.
After Bertram’s companion provided some base recipes, they might have innovated upon them, thereby suddenly sparking a craze among the residents of Lamifa City.
It wasn’t impossible. After all, people are always eager to satisfy their culinary desires.
Siles temporarily pushed aside his unease and instead asked Bertram, “I heard that Ernestine’s trade fair is starting today?”
“Yes. You’re very well-informed,” Bertram said. “I have to make a trip there this afternoon as well. I expect this year’s trade fair will be exceedingly lively.”
“Because the Grand Duke plans to develop the Ashless Land?”
“It’s said to have already been confirmed.” Bertram nodded. “During this year’s Divine Birth Festival celebrations, the Grand Duke will probably officially announce the grand development plan for the Withered Wasteland.
“Originally, people thought it would be announced after the winter holiday market, but surprisingly, it’s going to be announced during the Divine Birth Festival. Some people think that the reason the Grand Duke left Lamifa City during the July rainy season was specifically to inspect the development of the Ashless Land.
“And the so-called ‘after the winter holiday market’ timeline was just a smokescreen… Anything is possible. Regular folks aren’t entirely clear on what the big shots at the top are thinking.”
Siles couldn’t help but sigh. He said, “So this matter is finally settled.”
Bertram nodded and added, “Right now, some people in the Old City have already begun considering investing in railways, or looking for work related to railway development. The first step in developing any area is always transportation.”
“That’s very true,” Siles agreed. He suddenly grew curious. “I’ve never been to the Ashless Land. What do the railways there look like?”
“Long tracks, swaying carriages… the smell of sweat and smoke… Oh, the smoke I’m talking about isn’t the kind from men’s pipes—though there’s some of that too—I mean the smoke produced by burning coal.”
“…Coal?” Siles asked hesitantly.
Bertram said, “It’s an energy source inferior to Stardust. It releases heat when burned, and then through certain mechanical structures, it ultimately propels the locomotive forward.”
Siles thought to himself, That’s exactly like Earth… The origin of the coal was probably the same too. After all, this world’s natural environment was largely similar to Earth’s.
“No one knows how coal came into being, just like no one knows the origin of Stardust,” Bertram said with a sigh. “I think all of that might date back to before the mist was even born.”
Siles remained silent.
The massive loss and destruction of historical records from the Age of Shadows effectively caused the humans of the Fisher World to lose a huge chunk of their history; and the appearance of the mist during the Age of Silence made it impossible for them to go to the Ashless Land to explore that lost past.
Fortunately, the mist in the Ashless Land was dissipating, so people now had the motivation to explore history and uncover its mysteries.
…Speaking of which, since Antinam is the God of the Past and History, does that mean He knows about those historical events swallowed by the mist?
Siles pondered this matter a while longer.
Bertram sighed a couple more times before steering the topic back: “If you want to go to the trade fair, you must pay attention to your safety. Right now, the hearts of the people in the Old City are restless; everyone wants a piece of the pie from the Withered Wasteland development plan.”
Siles said, “Perhaps not just the Old City.”
Bertram chuckled. “The nobles in the East City wouldn’t be so… blunt,” he said. “They use much more covert methods. Plus, they definitely received the news from the Grand Duke much earlier.”
Siles nodded in agreement.
The topic came to a close.
Siles took a sip of his drink—secretly missing Earth’s milk tea—and then asked, “How are things on Milford Street lately?”
“Nothing more than the usual,” Bertram sighed. “I’m thinking, should I bring my wife and Anthony and move to the East City? The environment is better here, there are more opportunities, and it would be more convenient for Anthony to go to school.”
Siles thought about it and answered honestly, “I think so. The sooner, the better. Maybe Anthony could enroll during the winter. Even though he missed the first semester, he should be able to catch up in the second.
“The curriculum for middle school education isn’t overly complex or profound; some tutoring would be enough for him. Or he could just start studying at home right now.”
Bertram pondered for a moment, and finally said, “Perhaps you’re right, Siles.” He smiled bitterly. “I’ve neglected my family far too much over these past years.”
“It’s still not too late,” Siles comforted him, even though it didn’t help much. “Then perhaps you should inform your tenants early.”
He subtly shifted the conversation toward the tenants of 13 Milford Street.
“Yes… The tricky part is that one tenant moved in not long ago… Oh, the doctor,” Bertram said. “Perhaps I could hire someone to manage 13 Milford Street and collect the rent.”
“That’s also an option. Simply selling the house wouldn’t yield much profit for you,” Siles replied. “I know of that doctor; is he currently living in the room I used to rent?”
Bertram said, “Yes. He’s a good man; he noticed my wife was in a bad mood and suggested she see a doctor. We went together a few days ago, and sure enough, they found some issues.”
Siles said, surprised, “Is that so? You must make sure Mrs. Fenn takes care of her health. Perhaps I should go to him for a checkup as well.”
Bertram laughed heartily, “You are still young and perfectly healthy!” He added, “I heard he’s a school doctor at some school, but I didn’t listen too closely.”
Hearing this, Siles showed no reaction—of course, he knew this doctor was the Lamifa University school doctor! But he wasn’t supposed to know that right now, so he simply held his tongue.
Bertram circled back to the topic: “If you have anyone reliable to recommend to work for me, please do let me know.”
Siles originally wanted to say no, but he suddenly thought of Eric Collens. He hesitated for a moment and said, “I know someone from the Old City, but I’m not sure if he wants this job.”
“Oh, you can go ask him,” Bertram said. “I need someone reliable enough; they don’t necessarily need to have many talents. I can offer a salary of twenty-five Duke coins a month, as well as free accommodation on the first floor of 13 Milford Street.
“And all they’d need to do is collect the rent, deliver it to me regularly, and make sure the rooms are in good condition; someone else will be hired to do the cleaning, though he might need to handle reception occasionally.”
Siles thought that this actually sounded very suitable for Eric’s wife. Judging from Eric’s tone, his wife’s health didn’t seem very good either. However, collecting rent should be relatively easy work.
The only issue would be if they encountered an awful tenant…
Siles gathered his thoughts and nodded. “I will go ask him.”
Bertram didn’t pay too much mind to it.
Siles then remembered something else. “By the way, is Anthony still in contact with the underground gangs?”
“He always runs out to play, but it’s no big deal. The underground gangs don’t recruit underage children, and I haven’t told him any important information.” Bertram sighed. “Once we move to the East City and he starts school, perhaps it will get better.”
Not necessarily, Siles thought.
Using a somewhat deliberative tone, he suggested, “Perhaps you could let Anthony participate in your business. Just a little bit. Like what Mr. Lanmere and I just talked about—his son goes to the booksellers’ market to set up a stall and sell books.
“Perhaps you could also give Anthony some unimportant items and let him try peddling them outside. If he makes some money, that’s great, but the main goal is to give him some practical experience.”
Bertram stared blankly for a long time, then nodded repeatedly. “You’re right. Why didn’t I think of this before… He’s not really a child anymore. I should let him learn to grow up a bit. This Ernestine trade fair is a great opportunity.”
Siles smiled faintly.
They talked about raising children for a long time. Siles surprisingly had more opinions and insights than Bertram, earning repeated thanks from the latter. Mindful of the time, Bertram had lunch with Siles and then left in a hired carriage.
Before leaving, he thanked Siles once again for the advice. He didn’t want his son to actually go astray, but he was somewhat at a loss on how to handle a child of that age.
Siles said, “He might be a bit naive, but he’s not completely clueless. Try letting him do some real work and learn some practical knowledge. Children always have a broader world ahead of them.”
Bertram agreed with Siles’s words, finally sighing, “Siles, if you ever marry and have children, you will definitely be a wonderful husband and father.”
Siles: “…”
He said tactfully, “I haven’t thought about that. That’s still very far away for me.”
“Not necessarily,” Bertram blinked. “Siles, when I was young, I never thought I would marry my wife so early either. Fate always arrives unexpectedly.”
Siles thought for a moment and ultimately maintained a polite smile.
Bertram probably saw through Siles’s thoughts, smiled, and finally bade him farewell.
Siles finally breathed a sigh of relief.
He really didn’t know how to handle such topics.
On Earth, when he was in his twenties, his parents would urge him to marry; by the time he reached his thirties, his parents had begun enjoying their retirement and completely stopped mentioning marriage.
Siles was used to a solitary life, and even more so after arriving in this world.
But he understood the goodwill in Bertram’s tone, so in the end, he didn’t show his inner resistance.
As for the future…
Siles thought about it, but still couldn’t see himself developing feelings for anyone, or anyone developing feelings for him. He couldn’t imagine it. Love and marriage were concepts incredibly distant from him.
Even if he could write romantic love stories in his novels, that didn’t mean that in reality, he had to act like the characters in the books, finding a partner to spend the rest of his life with.
He was satisfied with his current situation, and right now, he had much more important things to focus on.
Siles walked along the tree-lined path surrounding Atherton Square, planning to head to the Historical Society. Before leaving, he once again caught sight of the painter standing silently at the edge of the square, quietly painting.
He was somewhat curious if the artist was still painting the city and the dark clouds above the square, but recalling their awkward previous encounter, Siles decided against walking over to check.
Speaking of that painting, Siles couldn’t help but think of Brewer Darrow and the records from his family archives he had mentioned.
A believer meeting a god, he thought.
Brewer Darrow should show up this afternoon, and Siles wanted to ask him in detail about the contents of those records. After reading Grenfield’s notebook, Siles realized that those records might also hold secrets regarding the Blessed Ones.
This world is full of secrets, Siles couldn’t help but think, feeling a sense of lament.
The original owner of his body had studied at Lamifa University for four whole years and had already mastered quite a lot of knowledge himself—as a comparison, his starting knowledge attribute was 45 points, while Herman Grove, who was also a brilliant student highly regarded by professors, only had 22 points.
They could both be said to already understand a lot of the historical knowledge of the Fisher World, yet it was still just a drop in the bucket.
At twelve noon, Siles arrived at Room 666 of the Historical Society.
He still chose to arrive a bit early to read the books on the shelves in the room. After realizing the connection between wandering bards and Ligadia, Siles picked out a popular science book explaining the Old Gods.
Siles’s research on Ligadia was currently limited to titles like “God of Leaving Home and Journeys” and “The Fading, Blurry Silhouette.”
He generally knew some information and common sayings about this god. For example, he knew Ligadia was the patron god of people traveling far from home, just as merchants always worshipped the God of Commerce and Oaths.
But because this god had never appeared in the literature of the Age of Silence, he didn’t know much beyond that.
Now, he has gained more information from this book.
Rumor had it that no one had ever truly seen Ligadia. Other gods had legends of manifesting miracles before the masses or believers meeting them face-to-face, but Ligadia’s reputation was widely spread among those who embarked on journeys.
His figure faintly flickered within the diaries of those travelers. People would often see a blurry white figure walking silently at the far end of the road during their journeys.
And if this figure was seen, the misfortunes people often worried about on their trips—like being robbed halfway, running out of travel funds, or missing a connecting train—would definitely not happen.
Ligadia was the patron god of people traveling and leaving home.
This gave Him a very good reputation in the hearts of the common folk. However, from another perspective, His believers acted completely contrary to such a reputation.
Ligadia was the God of Leaving Home and Journeys, so the vast majority of his believers were homeless vagrants. Those who just went out for a casual trip might be grateful for Ligadia’s protection but wouldn’t truly or devoutly worship this deity.
And these vagrants weren’t well-liked wherever they went. The locals rarely interacted with these foreigners, nor did they know much about their origins or beliefs.
Therefore, over the long course of years, Ligadia’s believers were just like Him—blurry shadows in the mist of history; despite existing, they never drew attention.
And the god Himself didn’t seem to care much about matters of faith or preaching.
In the legends of certain regions, He secretly protected a community formed by vagrants and foreigners. But no one knew exactly where this community was located.
“…This god, from a certain perspective, seems content with this state. From the Age of Divine Birth to the Imperial Age, He always flickered vaguely in various records; rarely seen in official history, but more commonly found in private documents and records.
Finally, attached here is the symbol of Ligadia’s amulet. In times long past, before people left home for long journeys or traveled, they would always carry such an amulet, praying with a simple mindset for the god to bless their upcoming trip.
The method of making such amulets has long been lost, but we can still use a more tolerant mindset to treat the customs of people in the old days.
The author described the origin of this amulet with a slightly arrogant tone.
Siles looked at the symbol.
It was a symbol resembling a ship’s steering wheel, with three intersecting lines placed over a concentric circle.
…Perhaps it truly evolved from the shape of a ship’s wheel. After all, it symbolizes the direction of sailing on the sea… But wait, he remembered, wasn’t there already a patron god for pirates?
Siles continued reading.
Shortly after one o’clock, the others arrived one by one. Siles put the book back on the shelf and placed the draft paper with his notes into his bag.
At exactly two o’clock in the afternoon, Carol pushed the door open and walked in. He checked the number of people, then revealed a surprised expression.
Because, once again, Brewer Darrow hadn’t appeared in Room 666 of the Historical Society.
“What exactly happened to him?” Carol stood there and asked with a trace of vigilance in his tone.
Angela Clayton also said worriedly, “Even if it was for his engagement, that was already on Tuesday; it shouldn’t keep him from coming today. And even if he couldn’t come, there should have been enough time to write a letter explaining.”
Communication in Lamifa City, while not comparable to Earth, could still deliver a letter in about a day.
And it was already Saturday. Four full days had passed since the day of Brewer’s engagement on Tuesday.
Young Darrell said with slight panic, “Could something have happened to him?”
It seemed Darrell had been thoroughly terrified during the last lesson after hearing about the existence of the out-of-control Time Trace, and still hadn’t managed to recover from that fear.
Mrs. Fuller, the eldest present, looked at Siles and said, “Professor Noel, you should be the last among us to have communicated with Brewer. Did he say anything?”
Hearing this question, Siles pondered for a moment.
Upon realizing that Brewer had failed to show up for the Historical Society’s introductory class for the second time, Siles had felt an inexplicable sense of unease.
Missing the first class was justifiable; but missing it this time was inexplicable no matter what.
He thought for a while, then said, “The last time I met with him was Monday afternoon. At the time, he told me that on the previous day, which was Sunday, he took your advice, Mrs. Fuller, and arranged to meet his fiancée…”
“Wait.” Mrs. Fuller keenly interrupted him.
At the same time, Angela also showed a surprised expression.
The other few—Carol, Eric, Darrell, and Siles, the four men—all looked somewhat baffled.
An inexplicable authority radiated from Mrs. Fuller as she asked, “You mean to say, he arranged to meet his fiancée three days before their engagement, and his fiancée actually met with him?”
Siles nodded slowly and said, “Yes.”
Mrs. Fuller exchanged a glance with Angela.
Mrs. Fuller remained silent.
Angela, however, couldn’t wait to say, “That’s impossible! That goes completely against the engagement customs of the nobles in the Duchy of Konst. Those noble ladies would never tolerate their daughters doing something so incredibly rude—an engaged couple is absolutely forbidden from meeting one week prior to the engagement!”
All four men showed astonished expressions.
Angela waved her hand. “You guys definitely wouldn’t know. Only the conservative nobles still strictly adhere to this rule, and moreover, men understand even less about this matter. I was specifically instructed on this by my teacher during etiquette class… Uh, yes.”
She seemed to suddenly realize she had misspoken, but no one present noticed this slip, so she secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Mrs. Fuller chimed in at this moment, “If I had known Brewer was getting engaged in three days at that time, I would never have suggested he go meet his fiancée. That would never have been agreed to by his mother, nor his fiancée’s mother.”
Siles finally understood, and he said, “But… he did indeed meet his fiancée.”
A deep authority still brewed between Mrs. Fuller’s brows: “Then something definitely went wrong in between.” She looked towards Carol. “Carol, what do you think?”
Although she threw the question to Carol, at this moment, no one could underestimate this previously smiling, kind, and amiable old woman.
Carol pondered for a moment, and finally weighed his words before saying, “I am also somewhat worried. But I’m not clear on the level of danger regarding this matter. Perhaps we can wait until after class…”
“Wait, Carol,” Siles said. “I’m not finished yet.”
Carol and the other Revelators all looked at him with some confusion. They all thought Brewer had just told Siles about meeting his fiancée—which was bizarre enough!
Someone with an active imagination, like Angela, was already thinking about things like marriage fraud. Perhaps Brewer’s fiancée was an imposter pretending to be a noble lady, and because she agreed to meet Brewer before the engagement, the deception was exposed.
Brewer, who initially hadn’t caught on, might have informed his parents about it upon returning home, instantly realizing the truth. He confronted his fiancée privately, whereupon the young lady resorted to murder, forcing Brewer to go on the run these past few days…
Angela’s train of thought was already developing in the direction of the adventure novels sold in bookstores.
But at that moment, Siles spoke again.
He looked at Carol, his tone completely devoid of emotion: “He said that when he saw his fiancée, it was like a believer meeting a god. And his family archives indeed contain records related to believers meeting gods.”
Carol’s expression changed almost instantly.
Room 666 fell into silence for a brief moment. The others didn’t quite understand what Siles meant, but it was precisely because Carol understood that his expression turned serious in a flash.
He looked deeply at Siles and said, “Please tell us more details.”
Siles recalled for a moment and then said, “He said his family archives recorded that an ancestor had once obtained a pamphlet detailing a story about a believer meeting a god, complete with illustrations.
“This pamphlet had been lost during the family’s migration, but the relevant records survived. He said the illustration depicted a small figure bowing, and a mass of dark clouds hovering high above, as if something were hidden within the clouds.
“…His family arrived in the Duchy of Konst four hundred years ago, right after the mist dissipated.”
Siles’s tone had always been flat, but the slight pauses when he spoke always made people feel like he was telling a story with a long history. And what he revealed indeed brought a bit of shock to the listeners.
Carol asked very seriously, “Are you sure he said this pamphlet was already lost?”
Siles recalled, then nodded. “Yes. He said it was lost four hundred years ago.”
Carol breathed a slight sigh of relief, then said, “Then this matter might not be as serious as I imagined. Of course,” he paused slightly, “it might already be very serious.”
The clueless Revelators widened their eyes.
“I originally planned to explain this content to you clearly today. I didn’t expect Brewer to possibly get involved with…” He spoke vaguely, “problems in this area.”
Mrs. Fuller asked, “So, this is something we would have known sooner or later?”
“Yes.” Carol nodded, and added, “If Brewer had known a bit earlier, perhaps…”
“Then why wasn’t this lesson moved up?” Darrell blurted out almost immediately.
Carol looked at him with slight distress, then said, “As I mentioned in the last class, the out-of-control Time Traces, and… some people related to out-of-control Time Traces, don’t appear very often.
“Letting you grasp this power earlier and letting you understand the meaning of being a Revelator earlier was more important. If you don’t even know the most basic concepts, then even if I wanted to explain the out-of-control Time Trace to you, you wouldn’t understand it at all.”
Darrell froze for a moment, then said somewhat ashamedly, “I’m sorry, Carol.”
“It’s nothing.” Carol smiled as usual. “Actually, I also wanted to suggest to the Society that they let newly initiated Revelators understand more about the sources of danger in this field earlier on.
“Recently, there have been more and more people in the city trying to fish in troubled waters. But… this is a difficult problem to explain. The strength of one’s own power is the greatest guarantee of safety.”
They all nodded, having learned their lesson.
Carol then looked at Siles, who had remained silent all along: “Siles, I want to say—please don’t blame yourself. You knew nothing at the time, and couldn’t possibly have known what exactly happened when Brewer went to meet his fiancée. Don’t carry a psychological burden.”
Siles shook his head. He said, “I just feel… if I could have been more vigilant on Wednesday…”
“There is no ‘if’.” Carol said. “Things aren’t that simple. If Brewer truly drew the attention of some people because of his family history, then this incident was very likely premeditated. It’s not a matter of us wanting to help him and actually being able to.”
Siles took a deep breath and said, “I understand. Thank you, Carol.”
Siles indeed felt a bit of remorse for his oversight at the time, but in reality, there was nothing he could have done back then. And this psychological burden was meaningless both for him now and for Brewer in his unknown predicament.
So he quickly calmed down and looked at Carol.
Carol briefly organized his words and began to recount the matters concerning the Blessed Ones and the followers of the Old Gods.
When Siles read Grenfield’s notebook back then, he had quickly accepted it because he already had his own guesses about the extraordinary powers of the past.
But some of the other Revelators present lacked Siles’s foundation of academic knowledge, nor had they been bombarded by the information explosion of Earth’s internet age. So after listening to Carol’s lengthy explanation, they couldn’t help but sit there in a daze, finding it difficult to accept and believe.
At this moment, they felt that the Fisher World they had always known seemed to slowly fade away, transforming into another bizarre and eerie world.
Eric opened his mouth wide, looking lost for a long time before finally saying with a bitter smile, “Carol, I think I can understand why the introductory course arranges these matters for later.”
Because even if they were told these things right at the beginning, they wouldn’t have believed them! They might have outright dismissed Revelators as frauds and stormed out the door.
Darrell, who had just questioned things, now sat stiffly on the sofa, his whole being still unable to recover.
Carol said, “Indeed. We also have to consider the psychological acceptance capacity of those who have never encountered this power. After personally experiencing the power of a Revelator, I figure it’s easier to accept this information.”
Angela sat there blankly, and after a moment, said softly, “How magical.”
Carol laughed. “Yes. This is this world—the world we live in. In the past, countless things have happened that would leave us obsessed.”
After listening to their words, Mrs. Fuller said thoughtfully, “So, regarding Brewer’s disappearance…”
Carol thought for a moment, then said, “I have two speculations regarding Brewer’s situation.”
