“The Non-existent City.” The Newsboy pondered for a moment and asked, “What is that?”
“A rumor in the Ashless Lands,” the Knight clearly knew of this place as well. “It’s said that there is an error on the map of the Ashless Lands, and the location pointed to by that error houses a Non-existent city.”
“If it’s a city, why call it ‘Non-existent’?” the Newsboy asked in confusion.
“Because on the map, it doesn’t exist… it’s invisible, ignored by everyone. An unmarked city that should exist, but ‘doesn’t exist’ on the map,” the Noblewoman explained.
The Newsboy suddenly understood.
The Noblewoman added, “Don’t dwell on the details. Anyway, the mist in the Ashless Lands has dissipated quite a bit recently, so people have started frantically searching for this place again.”
“Why? What’s there?”
The Noblewoman said, “When I was young, I traveled in the Ashless Lands for a few years. At the time, there were countless explorers chasing after that place. It’s said there was an explorer from the Duchy of Kansas who claimed he had found the whereabouts of the Non-existent city, and then he never returned.”
The Dealer thought to himself, Is this Isherwood?
“…After that incident, people considered the place somewhat… taboo. Too many people plunged themselves into eternal darkness for the wealth and power there.” The Noblewoman sighed.
The Knight asked curiously, “Then why is news spreading about it again now?”
“Someone claims to have found an early map of the Ashless Lands,” the Noblewoman said. “A version even older than the existing early versions. The Non-existent City became famous in the first place because of the error on the map, so the early maps are extremely useful for finding it.”
“So, people are tempted once again?” the Newsboy asked.
The Noblewoman nodded and said, “Right now, many people in the Ashless Lands are frantically searching for that guy. Possessing a treasure is a crime in itself.”
They all fell deep into thought.
“I bring this up… because,” the Noblewoman drawled, “I’ve put together an expedition team to the Ashless Lands to search for the Non-existent City, or other clues. If any of you are interested, you can join me.”
The Newsboy couldn’t help but say, “Didn’t you just say the place is very dangerous?”
The Noblewoman smiled slightly. “People die in pursuit of wealth.”
The Newsboy couldn’t help but mock her: “That’s exactly you. The true colors of a merchant.”
Sitting in her wheelchair, the Noblewoman brushed her hair. She said, “No one is truly willing to give up searching for that place. And no one knows exactly what is there. It’s the danger that stops the vast majority of people from seeking out the ‘Non-existent City’ and any other unknowns.”
“The Ashless Lands hide many secrets,” the Dealer whispered.
The other three nodded.
The Dealer added, “I heard that a new underground tomb was recently discovered in the Ashless Lands.”
“Oh, such a new discovery?” The Noblewoman looked somewhat surprised. “I haven’t heard of it before. It seems those archaeologists will be thrilled out of their minds.”
The Knight’s tone sounded deeply worried as he said, “At this critical juncture…”
“Many people are worried about what might happen during the Day of Divine Birth celebration,” the Noblewoman said somewhat dismissively. “But I think the situation isn’t that bad. Those Old God followers hiding in the gutters wouldn’t dare provoke the Church of the Past and Antinam.”
But the Newsboy said, “Who knows how crazy they’ve become?”
The Dealer asked, “Do you think these pieces of news… the underground tomb, the archaeological expedition, the Non-existent city, the Day of Divine Birth celebration, the Withered Wasteland development plan… are all connected?”
“That’s an interesting theory.” The Noblewoman looked thoughtful. “However, I haven’t found any clues to prove your guess.”
“I’d rather I was guessing wrong,” the Dealer said.
The Noblewoman laughed loudly. “Mr. Dealer, you are truly interesting. However, as Revelators, we can’t afford to be so timid and fearful.”
“It’s called being cautious,” the Dealer simply replied.
The Noblewoman laughed resentfully.
The Newsboy said, “Don’t listen to the Noblewoman. She struck it rich in the Ashless Lands and expects everyone else to reproduce her path.” The Newsboy’s childish voice carried a forgiving tone. “Everyone has their own choices.”
Beside them, the Knight suddenly burst into laughter.
“What are you laughing at?” the Noblewoman asked.
“Haha… ahem. It’s just that I find your preaching tone somewhat subtle.” The Knight’s voice was full of amusement. “Maybe Mr. Dealer is an old man?”
The Dealer hesitated, but ultimately remained silent.
“An old man!” the Newsboy shrieked, then suddenly fell dead silent.
The Noblewoman said very elegantly, “But the Salon isn’t the outside world. In here, I am the oldest.”
The Newsboy said grimly, “Maybe that’s the case in reality as well.”
The Noblewoman wanted to say something, but finally looked around, rendered speechless.
The Dealer couldn’t help but chuckle softly.
The Newsboy wasn’t as polite, bursting into loud laughter, his tiny body almost falling off the sofa.
The Knight helplessly shook his head beside them and said, “Noblewoman, you…” He seemed to want to say there was no need to provoke the Newsboy, but under the Noblewoman’s glaring gaze, the Knight eventually stayed quiet.
A rare, cheerful atmosphere filled the Dawn Revelation Society’s room.
After a moment, the Knight said, “This is probably the most joyful moment in this room in the past ten years.”
These words caused the Noblewoman and the Newsboy to suddenly cool down.
The Newsboy asked in dissatisfaction, “Why mention this now?”
The Knight said, “I think Mr. Dealer has been with us for many days now. He ought to be allowed to know more things… the inside story.”
The Newsboy and the Noblewoman looked at each other, then nodded in unison.
So the Knight looked at the Dealer and said, “Mr. Dealer, I presume you know what kind of organization the Dawn Revelation Society is.”
The Dealer nodded.
The Knight added, “But… of course, I assume there are many things you don’t know either. For example, why the Dawn Revelation Society currently only consists of the three of us, chatting about trivial things here every Saturday.”
The Dealer said, “I assumed the others had all quit?”
“How is that possible?” The Noblewoman sneered. “The damn Historical Society was driving people out openly and secretly. But everyone remembers Mr. Xia. He’s only been gone for fourteen years; that’s not enough time to erase everything.”
The Knight asked the Dealer, “Do you know of Mr. Xia?”
“I know of him,” the Dealer said. “It sounds like he was a very powerful Revelators?”
“Powerful?” the Newsboy suddenly interjected. “I don’t think that’s enough to describe him. Even though the three of us never met him, his power was as if bestowed by the gods. Some felt he was Antinam’s proxy.”
Proxy. This was the first time the Dealer had heard someone associate this term with Mr. Xia.
However, in some Patron tier classifications, he had indeed seen this word. It referred to a god’s envoy and was simultaneously the highest tier among many Patrons.
“Anyway,” the Knight said, “The Dawn Revelation Society didn’t disband, and the former members didn’t quit either. It’s just that they’ve all hidden in the shadows. We have ways to contact them.”
He nodded at the Noblewoman. “For example, the expedition to the Ashless Lands to find the ‘Non-existent City’ that the Noblewoman just mentioned could be posted as a task among the internal members of the Dawn Revelation Society, or she could ask if others are interested in joining.”
The Dealer nodded, indicating he understood.
He thought to himself, No wonder.
Mr. Xia had been missing for fourteen years, the other members of the Dawn Revelation Society had quit (at least as far as the Historical Society was concerned), and they hadn’t recruited new members in ten years.
Under these circumstances, the Dealer’s addition to the Dawn Revelation Society had quietly caused a stir in the Historical Society. That in itself was a bit strange.
Could an obscure organization that had been silent for years hold such deterrence?
If the Dawn Revelation Society had never truly disbanded, then this situation made sense.
However, judging by Grenfield’s tone, he genuinely believed that most of the members had left. What about the higher-ups? Were they well aware, or…
Then again, the higher-ups of the Historical Society were already deeply divided, each with their own stance. Their attitudes towards the Dawn Revelation Society were probably worlds apart.
Regardless, the tacit assumption that the Dawn Revelation Society had disbanded seemed like good news for all parties.
The well-meaning faction might know the Society hadn’t completely dissolved, but given the existence of a malicious faction, the facade of a disbanded organization helped the Society preserve its vital forces.
The malicious faction, kept in the dark, might believe the Society was “disbanded,” but with Mr. Xia’s whereabouts unknown, they still felt fear and apprehension. They might feel that the appearance of a new member signified that Mr. Xia was also about to appear.
As for the Dawn Revelation Society itself, Mr. Xia’s disappearance meant the loss of the organization’s strongest backer. Moving their visible forces underground was also a way to protect themselves.
The Dealer stayed silent for a few seconds as these thoughts flashed through his mind. Finally, he asked, “So, you mean that I can now become a true member of the Dawn Revelation Society?”
“Yes,” the Knight’s tone carried a hint of apology. “I hope you can understand our concerns…”
The Dealer nodded and said softly, “Of course, I understand.”
Despite this, the atmosphere in the room still felt a bit heavy.
Seeing that the situation was uncomfortable, the Newsboy and the Noblewoman simply bid them farewell and left—in their eyes, the Dealer was recruited by the Knight anyway, so the Knight could do all the explaining.
When only the Knight and the Dealer were left in the room, the Knight took off his metal helmet, revealing his true face, and sighed in relief.
He said, “Siles, this matter…” He weighed his words. “…is a bit more complicated than you think.”
Siles nodded, saying, “I can understand part of it.”
Carol said, “The three of us—me, the Newsboy, and the Noblewoman—were all recruited into the Dawn Revelation Society after Mr. Xia left. We never got to meet Mr. Xia, so we were viewed with… suspicion by the original members of the Society.”
Siles was slightly taken aback.
“The situation you’re facing is similar to ours back then.” Carol sighed softly. “Of course, the internal members of the Dawn Revelation Society won’t actually do anything. It’s just that we can’t truly participate in their meetings either.
“That’s why we’re like this now, chatting about mundane things in the Salon every Saturday. The Dawn Revelation Society—in the academic sense within the Salon—does exist, and it’s just the four of us left.”
Siles said, “So we’re like peripheral members right now?”
Carol suddenly realized and said, “Yes, exactly.”
Siles thought for a moment and calmly nodded. “I understand.”
Carol observed his expression, unable to understand how this young professor, who had become a prominent figure shortly after joining the Historical Society, could maintain such rationality and composure upon learning this.
Shouldn’t a normal person be full of self-importance and find the Dawn Revelation Society too arrogant? Shouldn’t he feel entitled to better treatment? This was Professor Siles Noel—an Revelators who might actually solve mental corruption!
Siles seemed to notice Carol’s thoughts. He pondered for a moment and said, “Under the current circumstances, the Dawn Revelation Society doesn’t need me, and I don’t need the Dawn Revelation Society either.”
He hadn’t received any help from the Dawn Revelation Society, and it was visibly obvious that he couldn’t do much for them either—his current strength and status were insufficient to get involved in disputes of that level.
He felt that simply becoming a peripheral member of the Dawn Revelation Society was already a massive leap.
Just look at who these peripheral members were—Carol, and that renowned businesswoman. He didn’t know the Newsboy’s identity, but the boy was likely no simple figure either.
Siles had a very clear understanding of his own position.
He had indeed proposed a project that might solve mental corruption, but it was just a project without results yet. There would be plenty of time to judge his status after he actually researched something.
Furthermore—the Dawn Revelation Society, Mr. Xia, the Elders’ Council. It all sounded incredibly troublesome. Siles had no intention of looking for trouble.
So instead, he said to Carol, “I think maintaining the status quo is the better option.”
Carol looked a bit puzzled, not understanding why Siles could be so calm. However, he figured young people had their own ways of thinking.
With that, he calmed down as well.
He said to Siles, “As long as you can remain calm. Now you know about the existence of the internal members of the Dawn Revelation Society. If you encounter any trouble in the future, you can inform them and have them resolve it. Consider it a small convenience.”
Siles nodded thoughtfully.
He realized he now had quite a few channels for help—Grenfield, the Church of the Past, the Dawn Revelation Society. Among them, his most trusted source was naturally Teacher Grenfield.
He asked, “How do I contact them?”
“Write a letter to No. 18 Housewell Street, or you can contact them directly. Address the contact as Mr. Bartender,” Carol said. “That’s a private club that serves as a liaison point they left for us.”
Siles: “…”
He suddenly felt that the Dawn Revelation Society wasn’t that mysterious anymore.
Carol asked in confusion, “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Siles said softly. “I understand.”
Carol nodded, put his metal helmet back on, and left the room. To maintain secrecy, they always left in separate groups.
After Carol left, Siles sat alone in the room for a while, pondering the various pieces of information about the Dawn Revelation Society. Ultimately, he decided that getting himself involved in the Society’s affairs right now was not a good choice.
He didn’t know the specific disputes between Mr. Xia and the Historical Society, nor did he know why Mr. Xia was able to live for nearly four hundred years. With such a long lifespan, disappearing for a mere fourteen years was nothing.
Perhaps that powerful Revelators was still watching everything from the shadows, waiting for the right moment to suddenly appear and turn the tide.
Thinking of this, Siles’s mood lightened considerably.
He didn’t want to deal with those matters. He had enough trouble on his plate already. Besides, his strength was still very weak.
After leaving the Historical Society, Siles went to the Fenn family’s house for dinner.
He was now accustomed to visiting every Saturday to have dinner with the Fenns. This unexpected friendship started because of Anthony but had endured.
At the dinner table, Siles talked with Bertram about the October Market and topics related to the Ashless Lands.
“The ‘Non-existent City’?” Bertram was momentarily stunned.
“You know of it too?” Siles asked.
Bertram thought for a moment and said, “Yes, I’ve heard of it. When I’m in the Ashless Lands, I spend most of my time in Galsworthy, but I occasionally go to Glaston for business.
“That’s when I’d meet some explorers and hear news from them regarding… Glaston’s ruins, treasures, secrets… anything. People are always curious about the unknown.”
Siles said, “I see. Are there really that many people chasing after the ‘Non-existent City’?”
“There are,” Bertram said affirmatively. “It’s far more tempting than you think. Because it is the earliest rumor of treasure in the Ashless Lands.
“Over these four hundred years, people have found numerous treasures and ruins in the Ashless Lands. Many became famous overnight and acquired vast wealth.
“…Under such circumstances, people naturally wonder exactly how much wealth the earliest rumor represents.”
Siles suddenly understood.
Bertram shook his head. “However… I highly doubt if the ‘Non-existent City’ even exists.”
Siles said, “Too many baseless rumors.”
Bertram agreed with him.
Speaking of baseless rumors… Siles thought for a moment and looked at Mrs. Fenn. “Mrs. Fenn, you mentioned to me before that when I was in the West City, I shouldn’t go out after eight o’clock at night?”
Mrs. Fenn paused, thought for a moment, and said, “Yes. It was Mrs. Hovey next door—do you remember her? A woman who loved to gossip. She told me about it.”
“Mrs. Hovey?” Siles asked. “Did she see those inexplicably appearing figures with her own eyes?”
Mrs. Fenn pondered and recalled for a moment. “I believe so. She spoke very convincingly.”
Siles nodded in understanding.
“What’s going on?” Bertram asked, slightly confused.
Siles then recounted the whole matter and added, “A friend of mine believes it might be related to the underground tunnels controlled by the underground gangs.”
Bertram suddenly realized.
Anthony Fenn, who had been quietly eating his meal on the side, suddenly changed his expression and looked up at Siles.
The four of them were sitting around the dinner table, and Anthony happened to be sitting directly across from Siles. Siles noticed the change in his expression and looked over, causing Anthony to shift his gaze evasively.
Bertram complained about the underground gangs’ influence on the West City and rejoiced that he had made the early decision to move to the East City. Following that was a mutual exchange of praise and affection between him and Mrs. Fenn.
After dinner, Siles helped clear the table. Bertram clearly had something to say to Mrs. Fenn, so he shooed Siles out of the kitchen. Siles then went to find Anthony.
Anthony was standing by the window. The young boy had a stubborn look on his face.
Siles asked, “You were the shadowy figure Mrs. Hovey saw back then?”
Anthony: “…”
His expression crumbled instantly, and he asked in disbelief, “How did you know?!”
Siles said, “A guess.”
When he first heard this rumor from Mrs. Fenn, it was the end of July. At that time, Anthony was still trying to join the underground gangs and had made contact with someone inside.
For a young boy to know about the existence of those underground tunnels, he would definitely be itching to try them out.
Back then, the underground gangs were still attempting to extract information regarding Bertram from Anthony. Since they needed something from him, if Anthony requested to walk through the tunnels, he would most likely get his wish.
During that time, Mrs. Fenn had been constantly worried, probably because her son was leaving early and returning late—eventually even running away from home.
Under those circumstances, it wasn’t hard to guess that Mrs. Hovey might have seen Anthony emerging from an underground tunnel.
Most importantly, the change in Anthony’s expression had been too obvious; he had confessed without even being pressed.
Anthony looked as if he desperately wanted to say something, but he managed to hold back. He muttered, “You’re pretty sharp.”
…That’s only because your parents were too busy pouring their hearts out to each other to notice your expression, Siles thought to himself.
Deflated, Anthony confessed, “Yes, back then I kept using the gang’s underground tunnels to go home. I didn’t know… I didn’t expect Mrs. Hovey next door to see me.”
“It’s in the past now.” Seeing his scrunched-up expression, Siles comforted him a bit. “Besides, aren’t you studying hard now?”
Whether it was because studying was mentioned right after the underground gangs, Anthony’s eyes darted around slightly guiltily, and he couldn’t answer Siles right away.
Siles paused. “You still want to join the underground gang?”
Anthony deflated completely. He said dejectedly, “Not me. My friends.”
Siles remembered the group of boys hanging around Anthony when he saw them at the Ernestine Tavern. Suddenly, he understood why Anthony had been studying so hard recently.
“My friends’ families aren’t as rich as mine. They can only stay in the Old City,” Anthony said dryly. “Joining a gang is their chance to make something of themselves.
“You said that mastering addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division up to a hundred would help get a job, so I’m studying hard. I hope that once I learn it, I can teach them. But… joining a gang is a faster way. At least it can make life easier for their families.”
Siles nodded slowly. “If you take over your father’s business as soon as possible, you can help your friends. Let them work for you.”
“I know!” Anthony said. “I’ve thought of that, but that’s a long way off.”
Siles sighed inwardly but didn’t refute Anthony’s point. He simply asked, “But is joining an underground gang that easy?”
“They told my friends to bring them useful information,” Anthony said. “My friends secretly wrote me a letter, and I read it.”
Siles caught the word “secretly” and didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “You didn’t tell your parents about this?”
Anthony said guiltily, “Why should I tell them!”
It seemed that even though the Fenn family’s relationships had improved, the past knots still lingered in this young boy’s heart, making him stubbornly refuse to ask his parents for help and instead wanting to solve his friends’ dilemma on his own.
Moreover, judging by his expression…
Siles narrowed his eyes and asked, “So, you’ve already found a way, haven’t you?”
Anthony had remained silent throughout this entire period, acting as if he had truly turned over a new leaf and started studying hard.
If Siles hadn’t caught him slipping up today, Anthony probably would never have confessed. However, if he were truly powerless, he wouldn’t be acting this calm.
Siles figured as much; a boy his age wouldn’t succumb to the charms of studying that easily.
Anthony opened his mouth wide and finally said dejectedly, “I can’t hide anything from you.”
Siles asked, “What method did you find?” He paused. “What useful information?”
Anthony looked conflicted and clearly didn’t want to say.
Siles then stated, “I could have chosen to tell your parents.”
Anthony said angrily, “How could you…”
“Tell me, Anthony,” Siles said. “You know very well that the underground gangs are not a gathering place for good people. Joining a gang in exchange for a stable life in the West City is just drinking poison to quench thirst.”
Anthony fell silent immediately. His lips moved, and finally, he said dryly, “Alright. I… I know what you mean.”
Siles waited patiently.
From the kitchen came the clattering of pots and pans. Anthony’s father and mother were cleaning the utensils, likely discussing their past and future life.
Anthony stared blankly in that direction before making up his mind. “After we moved recently, I was helping unpack things. We brought over a lot of boxes… I found a document inside.”
“A document?” Siles paused, a faint premonition forming in his mind.
“It’s a… list,” Anthony said. “I don’t know what kind of list it is, but it has many names on it. I suspected it might be something very important.
“I asked my dad. I thought it was a list of his business partners or suppliers. But he didn’t know what it was either and thought I was messing with him.
“So… I guessed it was something someone else dropped. Since no one ever came to claim it, I thought I’d give the list to my friends so they could hand it over to the underground gang.”
Siles’s expression gradually turned serious. He frowned and asked in a low voice, “Have you sent it over yet?”
Anthony seemed frightened by Siles’s expression and stammered, “N-no… I was still hesitating.”
Siles looked at him deeply and said, “That’s good. Anthony, that is indeed very important.”
“You know what it is?” Anthony asked in surprise. “What is it exactly?”
Siles sighed, thinking to himself that “searching high and low only to find it without any effort” perfectly summarized today.
The Church of the Past had searched for that list for so long, yet it was at the Fenn family’s house, stuffed inside a moving box. If Anthony hadn’t noticed that document, its whereabouts might have been lost to everyone forever.
Siles said, “Bring out that document, Anthony. You can make up for your mistakes and make your parents happy.”
Anthony seemed to understand something, but he was still a bit reluctant. “What about my friends?”
Siles thought for a moment and asked, “What do your friends need? Money, or…”
“Daily necessities, school supplies… mostly money. Money can buy those things,” Anthony’s voice gradually lowered. “They are the children of beggars and vagrants.”
Beggars and vagrants… Siles paused slightly.
In the tabletop RPG he played, one of the character sheets was a Vagrant.
Siles considered it. He figured Anthony had done a good deed this time, and thanks to his novel’s unexpected popularity, Siles had accumulated some wealth. If he could really make contact with that Vagrant through these children…
So he said, “I can provide them with a job. How many of them are there?”
Anthony was taken aback, then suddenly filled with pleasant surprise. “Really? There are six of them, around fifteen or sixteen years old. They usually rely on begging or selling newspapers to make a little money.
“If you can just offer a job that pays five Duke coins a week… no, three Duke coins! That would be enough!”
Siles said, “The job I’m offering isn’t based on a fixed salary.”
Anthony was confused and looked at Siles, puzzled.
“I have 500 Duke coins here. I need them to gather some information for me. Depending on the value of the information, they could get these 500 Duke coins all at once, or earn them slowly,” Siles said.
Anthony asked cautiously, “What do you want them to find?”
Siles said quietly, “Nothing dangerous. I just need them to verify a few things.”
“What?”
“Food products related to the Greyson Food Company—the sources of their goods, the locations of their processing plants, the reactions of people who eat their food, the whereabouts of unsold food from their stores… in short, any relevant information.”
The Gourmet Town incident still weighed heavily on Siles’s mind.
Although Bertram suggested it might have been vicious competition from business rivals, Siles still felt that escalating a business dispute to that level was a bit too exaggerated.
Coincidentally, the Greyson Food Company gave him a 500 Duke coin dividend last month. This money could be used to investigate the company. If the investigation showed no problems, then Siles would consider it money spent to buy peace of mind.
And West City just happened to be the Greyson Food Company’s home base. Those fifteen or sixteen-year-old boys, who appeared merely mischievous to most, would be perfect for secretly gathering information.
Until he obtained genuinely useful information, Siles didn’t want to alert the Revelators forces, including the Church of the Past and the Historical Society, lest he expose his own investigation into Greyson.
After all, when the Gourmet Town incident broke out, quite a few Revelators were present. Yet afterward, Siles never heard of any expected Revelators-led investigations.
He preferred to choose caution, investigating through safer, more concealed means.
Siles instructed, “Tell them to be careful during the investigation and not to expose their objectives. For example, to investigate the whereabouts of unsold food, they can pretend they want some free food and ask the shop clerks that way.”
Anthony nodded thoughtfully.
He suddenly grew energized. “500 Duke coins! You just wait; we’ll definitely get results soon!” He thought for a moment, then whispered suddenly, “So, there’s something wrong with Greyson’s food?”
Siles replied, “That’s merely my suspicion.”
Anthony frowned. “I actually really liked Greyson’s desserts.” He unconsciously licked his lips, greed and craving flashing in his eyes. “They’re really delicious.”
Siles observed his expression without reacting, merely taking five ten-coin banknotes from his wallet. “Consider this a deposit.”
Anthony took it and said, “You’re really rich. We will investigate thoroughly.”
Siles thought to himself that he just had… well, a more diverse range of income streams? He shook his head and shifted the topic. “Bring out the list you mentioned.”
A few minutes later, Mr. and Mrs. Fenn walked out of the kitchen, oblivious to the situation, and stared blankly at Siles and Anthony, who were sitting solemnly on opposite sides of the dining table.
Bertram asked in surprise, “What happened?”
Siles tapped the table and said, “Bertram, Anthony says he found something. And I think… this might be related to the Church of the Past.”
Since Anthony hadn’t mentioned the existence of this document to his friends yet, Siles naturally decided to conceal Anthony’s initial intentions, to prevent another family conflict from erupting within the Fenn household.
He decided to simplify the whole matter: while sorting through moving boxes, Anthony found a document; unable to get answers from Bertram, he decided to ask Siles about it.
And Siles happened to know what this list was.
Hearing Siles’s words, Bertram couldn’t help but stare doubtfully and uncertainly at the bound stack of parchment on the table. He said, “This is what the Apostate stole…?”
“Yes,” Siles nodded.
Anthony didn’t know what the names on it represented, but Siles had spotted the names of several priests from the Church of the Past whom he had seen in newspapers.
Given the miraculous powers of the Revelators in this world, knowing names and specific locations—which were definitely the Church of the Past cathedrals in various cities—allowed one to do many things.
Take Grenfield’s biological projection technique, for example. Clearly, with a name, identity, and specific location, a powerful Revelators could pinpoint a person’s existence in the distant past.
Siles didn’t know which group of Old God followers the Apostate Hamlin belonged to, or if he didn’t follow the Old Gods at all and merely opposed Antinam. A tabletop RPG script couldn’t possibly encapsulate such a vast, complex world.
As for what the Apostate intended to do after stealing the list, the RPG script only gave vague hints. For example, they might carry out assassinations or control the priests on the list to threaten the Church of the Past.
Ultimately, the goal of the Apostates was to resurrect an evil god. But… an “evil god”? Now that he had truly crossed over into this world, Siles couldn’t be certain which god the “evil god” in the RPG script actually symbolized.
The final ending of the RPG depended on the Game Master’s judgment based on the players’ progression. As for Siles—when he crossed over, they hadn’t even reached the end of the campaign. He was suddenly transmigrated mid-game.
Having arrived in this real world, the original story from the RPG script had already fallen victim to the butterfly effect.
Siles had always guessed that the whereabouts of the list might involve Dr. Chester; he was an RPG character, wasn’t he? He “ought” to be connected to the whereabouts of an item from the game.
Yet the truth was that the list was right here in the Fenn family’s house. They had nothing to do with the RPG script; they were merely background characters like “the landlord family at 13 Milford Street.”
Once again, Siles reminded himself: this was the real world, not a tabletop RPG script with a fixed plot.
“I think… I have an impression of this stack of parchment,” Mrs. Fenn suddenly said. “I must have picked it up by the door… or in the hallway of 13 Milford Street… I thought it was yours.” She turned to Bertram.
She continued, “But I forgot to check with you. You know, you were busy with the trade fair during that time, and I didn’t want to bother you. Then I went for my medical checkup… then Anthony got hurt, and we moved… I completely forgot about it.”
Bertram hugged her and said softly, “It’s nothing, don’t blame yourself.”
Siles thought to himself that Mrs. Fenn’s mental state hadn’t been very good back in July and August anyway; it was entirely possible for her to forget. He remembered her mentioning recently that she kept forgetting things.
She picked up this list before her medical checkup?
He recalled that the Church of the Past arresting the Apostate and Mrs. Fenn’s medical checkup happened on the same Tuesday. In other words, Mrs. Fenn had picked up this parchment before that Tuesday.
What a massive coincidence, he thought.
He guessed the whole event likely played out like this:
The Apostate Hamlin heard from the underground gangs that a doctor was moving into 13 Milford Street. Severely wounded, he had to try seeking help. By the time he reached 13 Milford Street, his physical condition was probably on the verge of collapse.
Under the agony of his wounds and the relaxation brought by an ordinary environment, Hamlin likely inadvertently dropped the parchment list from his coat. His terrible mental state meant he didn’t notice it at all.
Subsequently, he went upstairs to find Dr. Chester Fitzroy to treat his wounds.
Down on the first floor, Mrs. Fenn probably noticed the commotion outside, walked out, and spotted the dropped document. Thinking Bertram had dropped it, she picked it up.
Therefore, when Hamlin left, since the document on the ground had already been retrieved, he had absolutely no idea that he had lost the most important thing he carried.
When would this have been?
Siles moved out of 13 Milford Street on July 30th. Even before that, the doctor’s rental arrangement was already confirmed. He probably moved in that very day or the next.
The Apostate Hamlin was captured on August 2nd. Knight Commander Bunyan had mentioned that it was already his second time visiting Dr. Chester, to have his dressings changed.
Thus, on the 30th or the 1st, shortly after Chester had moved in, Hamlin had already sought him out.
And during those few days, Bertram Fenn was frequently out for business engagements because he had just returned to Lamifa City, so he happened to not be home—on the day Siles moved out, it was even Bertram who drove him to Lamifa University!
Siles couldn’t help but marvel.
If Bertram had been home, perhaps the list Hamlin stole wouldn’t have been lost for so long.
This lost list was picked up by Mrs. Fenn. Afterward, due to her medical checkup (that Tuesday), Anthony’s injury (that Saturday), moving, and so on, Mrs. Fenn completely forgot about the stack of parchment, letting it gather dust in a moving box.
It wasn’t until Anthony picked it out of the box, hoping to offer his friends useful information, that it finally saw the light of day again.
It had to be said, if not for the butterfly effect caused by Siles’s arrival, if he hadn’t informed the Church of the Past of the Apostate’s location, and if he hadn’t formed a friendship with the Fenn family… things would never have reached this point.
Bertram frowned deeply. Clearly, he had no idea his own family had been entangled in this mess.
He immediately said, “Then we must return this to the Church of the Past.”
Siles said, “Let’s go now. Don’t worry, the Church of the Past won’t suspect you have anything to do with the Apostate.”
“That’s good.” Bertram sighed softly.
He comforted his wife, telling her not to worry about it. Afterward, they headed to the Church of the Past together. Grosvenor wasn’t there; he was probably busy with matters related to the Day of Divine Birth celebration again.
Thus, Siles chose to hand the stack of parchment over to Knight Commander Bunyan.
The sudden burst of pleasant surprise in Knight Commander Bunyan’s eyes made Siles realize that it was for good reason this handsome and gentle Knight Commander was so well-liked.
Bunyan said solemnly, “Professor Noel, Mr. Fenn, the Church of the Past will engrave your help in our hearts.”
Siles recounted the whole story to Bunyan, who nodded repeatedly, indicating he understood.
He couldn’t help but remark, “What a bizarre sequence of events. However, I think this is also a good thing.” He raised the list in his hand and said, “This list failed to cause any disaster, and that is enough.”
Bertram nodded earnestly. He was probably the one most struck with lingering fear in the room. This thing had inexplicably appeared in his house, stirring up such huge trouble, yet he hadn’t cared about it at all.
When Anthony asked him about the parchment, he had thought Anthony was just frustrated with studying and was playing a prank.
Thank goodness Siles was here, he thought.
It was getting late; the two men bid Knight Commander Bunyan farewell.
Before they left, Bunyan said sincerely, “You will receive appropriate compensation; it is what you deserve. However, since the Church is busy with the Day of Divine Birth celebration recently, your compensation might be decided a little later. Of course, it will come eventually, so please do not worry.”
Siles still held some expectations for the generous compensation from the Church of the Past.
By comparison, Bertram was a bit absent-minded. He sighed and said to Siles, “Some things in life are simply impossible to guard against.”
Siles comforted him, “Don’t worry, this kind of thing can’t happen every day, nor can it always happen to you.”
Bertram smiled bitterly, bid Siles farewell, and left.
Siles took a rental carriage back to No. 6 Hayward Street. He figured that the Apostate matter was finally over.
The Apostate stealing the list, which triggered a series of subsequent RPG plotlines, would no longer unfold in this world… although Siles suspected that in the real world, the masterminds in the shadows wouldn’t be willing to let things rest so easily.
However, with the Church of the Past involved, Siles didn’t need to borrow trouble and worry excessively about this matter.
Under these circumstances, he gained a very good night’s sleep—of course, thanks to Akamara’s power, he could always get a good night’s sleep.
The next morning, following the address on the business card Benton had given him, Siles found the gathering place for the city’s famous novelists. It was on the third floor of a bookstore.
