Chendo did not leave immediately; instead, he waited until Mary returned.
Mary said in a relatively cheerful tone, “It’s been resolved. That coat… seemed to have turned into an out-of-control Time Trace. Miles neutralized the coat’s activity.”
Everyone present knew what an “out-of-control Time Trace” meant, but…
Chester said in utter disbelief, “How could that be? That was my coat! How could it possibly turn into an out-of-control Time Trace?”
Mary shook her head as well. It remained an unsolved mystery.
Siles thought lost in thought: An out-of-control Time Trace… It seemed he needed to re-evaluate this concept. The emphasis wasn’t on “Time Trace,” but on “out-of-control.”
Through the perspective of [Akamara’s Eyeglass Frame], he had seen that strange, hazy mist…
What on earth was that?
Before he could think further, Chendo quickly bade them farewell. The other three felt somewhat uneasy about Chendo’s temporary departure, though it seemed necessary to resolve the current incident.
Once the decision to leave was made, Chendo showed no hesitation or reluctant sentimentality. However, before departing, he still wrapped Siles in a gentle embrace.
Alva stood by with wide eyes. Upon realizing that they had merely shared a simple hug, Alva let out a deeply disappointed sigh.
Chendo cast a glance at him, offering a surprisingly genuine smile instead.
Mary remarked with emotion, “Mr. Chendo, you have become much gentler now.”
The Chendo Praia of the past would never have conversed, communicated, or even analyzed and solved a dilemma alongside them so cordially. He had always maintained a lofty, arrogant stance, refusing to communicate with anyone and taking action only at the most critical moments.
Now, however, he seemed to have transformed into an entirely different person.
Chendo offered no comment, taking one last look at Siles before waving goodbye to them.
“I will try my best to return before tomorrow evening,” Chendo said. “So, please do not put yourself in danger tomorrow.”
This time, Alva knew full well that this injunction was not meant for bystanders like them, but solely for Siles alone. Opening his eyes wide as he stared at Siles, he waited in eager expectation for the habitually cool and reserved Professor Noel to say something sweet.
Regrettably, in the end, Siles merely said a simple line: “I understand.”
Chendo appeared to depart fully satisfied, but the other three let out a collective sigh.
Siles glanced at them, finding their reaction completely incomprehensible.
Alva was the first to recover, asking impatiently, “Professor, quickly tell us, what did you two discover outside this afternoon?”
Siles pondered for a moment before sharing their findings, keeping the explanation similar to what he had told Mary. Naturally, he also added his suspicion regarding how “Lila caused the deaths of the workers.”
However, regarding the nature of the Stardust and the condition of the tent fabric, he kept those confidential for the time being. Those involved the secrets of the world, and speaking of them now might not be appropriate.
Mary had a sudden realization and said, “So, you asked Mr. Chendo to return to Biedel City specifically to investigate Joseph and Lila’s affairs?”
“Yes,” Siles nodded.
Alva mulled it over for a while, appearing to understand as he muttered to himself, “So, a group of Old God followers once split, leading to both the Doctor’s experience and the experiences of Joseph and Lila.
“And these Old God followers are still carrying out their conspiracies, planning to do something at the House of Hales. Likely in the near future—is that right?
“…Wait, then it seems to have nothing to do with my grandfather Barnett!”
He let out a huge sigh of relief, having likely been anxious and fearful over the past period because of the “error” on the map, terrified that it might trigger some terrible aftermath.
“That Corinna Canyon…” Mary pondered for a moment. “It indeed didn’t cause any tragedy. However, the concept of an ‘error on the map’ itself has kept people permanently obsessed with the ‘Non-existent City’.”
They all fell silent for a moment.
Chester said in a gentler tone, “However, now that the truth has been spoken, the winds and waves associated with this rumor will gradually melt into people’s casual banter.”
“Perhaps so.” Mary’s mood seemed a bit low as she said, “To be honest with you, I also grew up hearing the rumor of the ‘Non-existent City.’
“I can’t imagine that this story was merely a coincidence, or even something deliberately pushed along by people taking advantage of a mistake, causing countless explorers to go to their deaths.”
To their deaths. Indeed.
Siles thought that the appearance of the Corinna Canyon was also a very strange issue. Even stranger…
Siles finally recalled the train of thought that had been interrupted by the attack earlier.
Why did the Corinna Canyon actually appear?
The reason this Corinna Canyon appeared on the early Barnett version of the map was that Barnett wanted to use it to please his wife. The Corinna Canyon in the lower right corner, toward the southeast, happened to symbolize the beating heart in the left side of the chest cavity.
If one held the map facing outward toward someone, the Corinna Canyon would overlap precisely with the human heart. A romantic gesture and confession that only a cartographer could have conceived.
And that was something that occurred during the first century of the Age of Mist.
In other words, at that time, the deities had already all fallen, Antinam had appeared, and human civilization was entering an extremely declined yet burgeoning state. At that time, the rumor of the “Non-existent City” had already begun spreading through the Ashless Lands.
…Subsequently, the mist covered the area where the Corinna Canyon was located—that is, near the House of Hales.
Thus, humans could not go and verify whether the Corinna Canyon actually existed, or whether that was the place where the “Non-existent City” was located.
If they could have explored nearby, this “error” would have quickly been discovered and eliminated, leading to a happy resolution for all. Although Barnett’s reputation would have been damaged, the four hundred years of death, slaughter, and loss that followed would not have existed.
Yet as fate would have it, the mist covered that vicinity. And by the time the mist dissipated, the Corinna Canyon had actually appeared. Thus, this “error” was covered up as a matter of course, and people could no longer find that “error.”
Because there was no longer an “error” on the map!
Who least wanted explorers to find this error? Those masterminds pushing things behind the scenes.
…The mist. Why was it so coincidentally that the mist enveloped that area precisely at that time?
Siles lowered his eyes, thinking of those dark human figures hidden within the mist. He thought: Old God followers… mist… the three elements of deities…
What on earth was the mist?
If Stardust was the ember of a deity’s Divine Title, then what about the mist? The Divinity or the Divine Name?
Those Old God followers—could they control the mist to some extent? Or perhaps, summon it?
Wait, mist?
Siles suddenly thought of what happened in the kitchen after the royal palace banquet. At that time, the frenzied believers sacrificed themselves to achieve a grand feast, thereby attracting Timiafa’s power—this was Siles’s deduction, and he believed it to be the truth.
And at that time, Timiafa’s power manifested as a very peculiar red mist.
Mist. Power. But the colors were different, Siles pondered.
He had actually encountered several different colors under the dual perspectives of ritual time and [Akamara’s Eyeglass Frame].
The dark blue of Lusmi, God of Stars and Radiance; the red of Timiafa, God of Gluttony and Violent Desire; and perhaps the overly rich blue on Chendo could be said to symbolize Ligadia? That could almost be described as a blue-purple.
Just now, on Doctor Chester, he had seen a light black-gray mist. Not grayish-white, but closer to a steel gray. That was highly likely the color of Hoodoka’s power.
In other words, color symbolized the power of a deity—that is, the Divinity—which was why different kinds of colors appeared. However, mist was likely merely one form of manifestation.
For instance, the blue radiance on Revelators obviously symbolized Antinam, but it did not manifest in the form of mist.
Although these powers had indeed appeared and still existed, their whereabouts did not seem fixed—at least not as “inherent” an existence as Stardust.
For example, summoned divine power, power controlled by certain Old God followers, or the deep-sea dreams Siles encountered… Regardless, these powers were indeed extremely scattered, as if dissipated across different corners of the world.
…An out-of-control Time Trace, Siles thought.
An out-of-control Time Trace caused the devitalization of human spirits, which was the loss of spirituality, corresponding precisely to an Old God’s Divinity. The strange mist Siles saw on Doctor Chester’s coat could also support this point.
The problem was, why was that kind of mist connected to the Stardust in the tent fabric?
This point left Siles utterly baffled.
Perhaps an Old God’s Divinity was still linked to the Divine Title? Or perhaps the Old God followers had a way to utilize both together?
Siles once again felt deeply that he did not understand the extraordinary powers of this world well enough, especially regarding the Old Gods. That was, after all, the past that had already become historical dust. He could only rely on imagination and known information to make guesses.
Perhaps when Chendo returned, he could ask this descendant of an Old God.
The Divine Title became Stardust, the physical husks of these Old Gods transforming like mineral deposits deep underground; the Divinity dissipated throughout the world, the power of these Old Gods returning to the earth like a whale fall.
That left only the Divine Name.
…The layers of mist enveloping this world.
Siles had previously considered the chronological order between the appearance of the mist and the fall of the Old Gods. Today, Siles gradually leaned toward the idea that it was the fall of the Old Gods that caused the appearance of the mist.
After all, in the Age of Mist they currently inhabited, no Old Gods existed anymore, yet the mist still remained in this world. If the mist had appeared to kill the Old Gods, why continue to exist after the Old Gods had fallen?
Furthermore, the appearance and characteristics of the mist made Siles even more certain of his deduction.
Those mists were without exception gray-black, and when people walked inside, they would feel lost and driven mad, which clearly related to the Divine Name, causing mental pollution.
…Was this the aftermath following the fall of the Old Gods?
Siles thought once more that he truly didn’t know what had happened to this world during the Age of Shadows and Age of Silence.
He sighed secretly to himself, reigning his thoughts back to the current situation.
Now, they already knew that the final goal of the masterminds was the House of Hales. However, they still didn’t know what actions these people would take, nor what purpose they ultimately wished to achieve.
Awakening the Old Gods… Indeed. But the actions of Timiafa’s believers had a very clear outcome: they failed. So, what method would these Old God followers who utilized Timiafa’s believers choose?
After thinking for a moment, Siles asked, “Ms. Mary, could you introduce the controllers behind the House of Hales to us?”
“The House of Hales…” Mary pondered for a moment, then answered, “I mentioned to you before that the initial embryonic form of the House of Hales came from a post station established by a merchant, consisting of tent structures, which has continued down to this day.”
Siles nodded, saying, “We already know this point.”
“Later, during the Age of Mist, people reused the structures from that time, turning them into a gathering place for explorers in Glaston, which slowly developed into a massive post station,” Mary said.
Hearing this, Chester couldn’t help asking, “So, the House of Hales doesn’t have a clear ruler?”
“A ruler…” Mary found it somewhat difficult to explain, “If one insists, perhaps it would be the merchants. Not the merchants who became rich in recent years, but the merchant families that have done business for generations.
“Many post stations in the Ashless Lands were established by them. They jointly formed a merchant alliance—you could describe it that way, though it is covert.
“They control businesses such as taverns, casinos, restaurants, horses, banks, and so forth, essentially acting as the underground controllers of the Ashless Lands. But from another perspective, compared to explorers, they are not so… ‘powerful.'”
“Powerful in terms of strength,” Siles said in a low voice.
Mary nodded, adding, “So, people generally consider merchants to be a bunch of cunning, profit-seeking fellows. They sometimes look down on merchants.
“I was originally an explorer myself, but later felt that kind of life was too unstable, which is why I accepted Mr. Lanmere’s employment. Because of this, my reputation among explorers can be said to be mixed.
“They always believe that my choice was extremely despicable—submitting to those greedy merchants, that’s how they see it. Although they have heard of and even fear my past reputation, that fear is always laced with a touch of contempt and disdain.”
Siles suddenly understood. Given the attitude toward merchants in this era, such a posture was entirely normal. Rather, people had not yet realized that economic activity could exert such a massive influence.
And this era was a stagnant one. Because of the existence of the mist, this world had, in a sense, lost its future. Although the mist was indeed dissipating, it seemed to have taken away certain things from people’s hearts as well.
…Old Gods. This was a world with deities.
Alva hurriedly said, “But, Ms. Mary, your life now is much better than theirs.”
Mary gave a laugh, saying heartily, “Indeed! So, I don’t care how those fellows evaluate me. If you asked me to continue risking my life at my current age, I wouldn’t be willing!”
They all laughed, adopting a posture of considerable agreement and approval.
Siles did not join in, merely waiting for the topic to pass before continuing to ask, “In the Ashless Lands, would merchants be suspected of being linked to Hoodoka?”
“Hoodoka?” Mary was visibly stunned for a moment.
Alva said, “Surely not? Isn’t there Menavaca?”
As expected, Siles thought to himself. Because of Menavaca’s existence, people would naturally default to believing that merchants must worship Menavaca—that was directly related to their profession!
However, didn’t Hoodoka’s attribute of deception also align very well with the desires of merchants? Especially those merchants who liked to take crooked paths.
Doctor Chester hurriedly said, “Wait, Professor, do you mean merchants might also be related to Hoodoka and involved in the current incident?”
“Perhaps.” Siles offered no definitive answer.
As for the possibility that Menavaca might have devoured Hoodoka… there was even less need to mention such a thing. That was merely a conjecture.
Mary then said thoughtfully, “Then, the House of Hales…”
“I’m not sure if the House of Hales is abetting the villain,” Siles said. “Purely judging from Miles’s actions, I can’t tell whether he is helping the other party.”
“Miles is merely the manager of the House of Hales,” Mary said. “Or rather, the operator. It’s unlikely he is truly involved in the conspiracies behind the scenes and the matters discussed under the table.”
Siles was somewhat surprised to learn this, though considering what Miles had been doing… it seemed understandable.
He then asked, “Then who would be?”
Mary thought for a moment, offering a name that caught Siles completely off guard: “Andy.”
Siles froze.
Andy, the tavern owner?
Mary said, “The Clinking Glasses… this tavern has existed in the House of Hales for a very long time, at least several decades. The current tavern owner, Andy, inherited his father’s work and became the owner of the tavern.
“You’ve met Andy as well; he is very short in stature, and that’s because he is of mixed blood.”
“Mixed blood?” Siles was a bit puzzled. “You mean… those tribes?”
“Yes, you are truly sharp,” Mary said. “Andy’s mother—or rather, his maternal family—are indigenous people who have lived near the House of Hales since very long ago.
“After explorers gathered here, people had some conflicts with those indigenous inhabitants over land or other conflicts of interest. In short, after peace negotiations, it was the faction of Andy’s mother that ultimately agreed to peaceful coexistence between both sides.
“This area of low houses—many of them were originally the houses of those indigenous people. They were short in stature, which is why the height of these houses is so low. This land originally belonged to them, so no one dares to come here to make trouble.
“As time passed, these indigenous people gradually grew close to others, even intermarrying.
“However, for the line of Andy’s mother, their intermarriage partners were always very sensitive, because they nominally controlled the land of this House of Hales area. That is also why no adventure teams exist in this area.
“In short, Andy’s mother is the leader of this generation of the tribe, while Andy’s father… if I remember correctly, was originally a high-ranking member of a nearby larger adventure team. Because he was injured, he opened this tavern in the House of Hales.
“During this process, he met his wife, eventually marrying and having children. The union of the two sides… ultimately resulted in no explorer in all of the House of Hales daring to mess with Andy, and Andy also became a sufficiently influential figurehead within the House of Hales.”
Siles suddenly understood.
Andy, the tavern owner… he was also a figure Siles had once suspected.
Curiously, though, if Andy knew the inside story—knew, or even supported the actions of those masterminds—then when Alfonso, Emmanuel, or even Siles appeared, why didn’t he deliberately mislead them?
He had even provided Alfonso and Emmanuel with information regarding that survivor.
Unless…
Siles’s heart sank. He thought: Unless that survivor himself would lead them astray.
If the explorer encountered by the apprentice Jules was indeed that survivor, then his tone when mentioning the “palace in the sky” didn’t sound like fear or regret.
As for Andy’s claims, such as the survivor once saying he “felt sorry toward Isherwood,” those were merely Andy’s one-sided statements. They could even have colluded to deliberately mislead Alfonso and Emmanuel.
Whether that person was truly a survivor from Isherwood’s team was open to question.
…If that were truly the case…
Siles faced such a possibility almost calmly: that both Alfonso and Emmanuel were already dead.
He thought of another reason that caused Alfonso and Emmanuel to speak ambiguously in that letter: namely, they suspected the letter couldn’t be delivered safely into Siles’s hands, so they didn’t want to mention the clues they had found in the letter.
Siles couldn’t help frowning slightly.
“Do you think Andy is abetting the villain?” Mary asked shrewdly. “That’s not impossible… In fact, that tavern is a very important channel for information flow in the House of Hales.
“Andy must be very clear that over these past years, rumors related to the ‘Non-existent City’ and ‘treasure maps’ frequently surfaced out of nowhere. If he hadn’t provided secret help, such rumors wouldn’t have spread so fast.
“…On the other hand, he might simply feel it’s none of his business. After all, in the House of Hales, no one dares to mess with him. The Clinking Glasses has always existed—past and present.”
Siles nodded, acknowledging that this was equally possible. Whether it was Alfonso and Emmanuel, or those Old God followers behind the scenes, Andy taking neither side and maintaining strict neutrality… could be considered a better situation.
Then he suddenly realized a piece of information Mary had mentioned: “You said The Clinking Glasses is an important channel for information flow in the House of Hales?”
Mary froze for a moment, saying, “Yes.” She paused, then added, “Because this tavern is ancient enough and its backing is strong enough, people trust the information it provides.”
Siles nodded. He closed his eyes, pinched the bridge of his nose, and said in a low voice, “I feel we are very close to resolving this incident. But…”
But they still hadn’t found that breakthrough point to crack the situation.
…Actually, there was a simpler and more brutal method: setting a fire to burn down the tents of the House of Hales. However, if they couldn’t find the masterminds, such an approach would merely be drinking poison to quench thirst.
Chester checked the time and said at an appropriate moment, “It’s getting late. Perhaps we can rest for a while first and continue thinking tomorrow. Professor, don’t carry too much burden. It’s out of your kindness that you are willing to investigate this matter.
“Regardless, you must also pay attention to your body to ensure safety and health.”
Siles froze for a moment, then softly thanked Chester.
The time was nearly ten o’clock, so they each returned to their rooms.
After Chendo left, Siles was the only one left in his room. The empty room instead made him feel a bit uneasy. He stood there for a moment, thinking that habit was indeed a force not to be underestimated.
However, he didn’t have much time to indulge in sentiment, quickly washing up before drifting into a deep sleep.
In his dream, that puzzle seemed to still plague him.
He had actually tried his best to refrain from thinking about that tangled mess of truth. He simply wanted to resolve this matter as quickly as possible; further investigation and logical reasoning could wait until after they found the culprit.
However… “finding” them. That process clearly required them to investigate the truth related to this matter.
…A tangled mess, he thought inadvertently.
Early the next morning, Siles, having woken up early, realized after washing up that the others were still fast asleep. So he returned to the bedroom, thought for a moment, put on [Tranquil Heart], and offered a prayer.
This brought his Will to 97. A terrifyingly high number.
However, since Chendo wasn’t around and Siles’s trust in Mary wasn’t that deep yet, he had to take various measures to protect himself.
He couldn’t help thinking that although the followers of Brancani, God of Asceticism and Silence, were somewhat annoying, the deity Himself was quite respectable—after all, this ritual was extremely useful.
Then again, in that gossip book full of fabricated nonsense, Gods and Believers in the Shadows, it was once mentioned that Timiafa and Brancani had a meal together.
…”Had a meal together”?
Could this “meal” be Elco, God of Wine and Pleasure…?
The book also mentioned Elco suffering from alcohol poisoning… So did Timiafa get Elco drunk, and then “eat” Elco together with Brancani? But why would two deities eat together?
Thinking of this, Siles couldn’t help taking a deep breath. He felt he must be letting his thoughts run wild. No one could say the contents of that book were definitely true, right?
He shook his head, pushing these thoughts aside to turn his mind toward the chaotic situation before them.
They had two pressing tasks: first, they needed to find the hiding place of the masterminds; second, if they couldn’t find it, they needed to wait and see, waiting for the masterminds to expose themselves voluntarily.
And that would very likely force them to face a situation similar to the kitchen after the banquet on the eve of the Day of Divine Birth. Even if they knew the House of Hales was the final stage, they still didn’t know what those Old God followers intended to do.
That was extremely dangerous and hung by a hair. Of course, Siles didn’t believe they could truly revive an Old God. However, the uncontrollable nature of divine power also made it hard for him to believe the situation would easily turn around—leaving aside that “great failure” that occurred in the kitchen after the banquet.
He couldn’t possibly rely so heavily on the dice roll results. That was by no means a wise choice.
So… it would be best if they could take the initiative and find those culprits.
Siles thought so.
Where would they hide?
Siles pondered, then listed several options:
The House of Hales, the mist outside the Stardust vein, and Corinna Canyon.
These three options were the suspicious locations currently known to them.
The House of Hales. The strange glowing fabric proved that this was very likely the ultimate “sacrificial altar.” Siles believed the masterminds definitely had arrangements laid out here, but would they be here in person?
Siles thought for a moment before shaking his head, placing this option last. He didn’t believe that before the grand curtain truly rose, the masterminds would go to the stage, even if they had indeed made arrangements here.
The mist outside the Stardust vein. This was because Siles had already seen the black human figures inside the mist. Of course, those black human figures didn’t seem to know that Siles had discovered them.
The mist was a natural hiding spot because even if people knew there might be some “thing” inside, no one could actually walk in personally to take a look.
Siles could, however. But from another perspective, they had been attacked there, yet hadn’t died.
From the enemy’s perspective, they would definitely assume that Siles’s group of three already knew enemies existed over there. Even if they didn’t know the enemies were hidden in the mist, they would certainly know enemies existed in that area.
Therefore, they were very likely to choose a temporary relocation, as that area had already been exposed.
That left only the last suspicious location… Corinna Canyon.
The reason Siles found Corinna Canyon suspicious was that it was a wonder created out of thin air, out of nothing. And that was very likely created specifically by the masterminds to conceal their purpose.
Since it was man-made, it was entirely normal for it to contain mechanisms or secret passages to serve as a settlement or safe house.
…Of course, Siles actually suspected another place as well: namely, that tribal ruin discovered by Alfonso and Emmanuel back then.
Thinking about it now, that tribal ruin appeared extremely strange.
Ten years ago, Isherwood set out to find the “Non-existent City.” They had a high probability of straying into a temple ruin or similar place, ultimately turning into statues.
Based on their actions, if Alfonso and Emmanuel followed Isherwood’s trail and searched according to the same treasure map, they should have arrived at the same location.
…Yet they found a strange tribal ruin instead?
Prophet, parchment, fountain pen. Alfonso had once mentioned information related to that tribal ruin to him in vague terms, but none of it sounded related to Hoodoka.
According to the usual style of these Old God followers hiding behind the scenes, they seemed to have been intentionally or unintentionally guiding explorers toward those temple ruins or other dangerous locations. Yet Alfonso and Emmanuel’s team became an exception.
Why did they find that tribal ruin? Ten years ago, why did the masterminds make such an oversight?
Siles pinched the bridge of his nose with a headache, thinking that questions were truly multiplying.
Furthermore, there was a question that had been ignored for a long time—not as important, yet still concerning: Where on earth were Professor Cabel and Assistant Mervyn?
He thought for a moment, and hearing the movement of others waking up outside, he left the bedroom.
Ten-odd minutes later, the four of them left the low house together, heading toward the tent structure.
After a night of drifting snow, the air at this moment was filled with a damp, cold atmosphere. Snow had accumulated on the ground, making them stomp their feet from the cold all along the way. Although it wasn’t snowing right now, the gloomy weather still cast a dark cloud over everyone’s hearts.
Once they reached the tent structure and lifted the door curtain, the warm and cozy atmosphere finally made the chill in their hearts vanish completely.
Early in the morning, the explorers were already playing cards there. Catching sight of Chester and Alva, they even greeted them with great enthusiasm. Alva asked in surprise, “Did you stay up all night playing cards here?”
“Some did, some didn’t,” an explorer said nonchalantly. “In such cold weather, no one wants to go outside, so we might as well play cards in this warm place.”
Siles thought to himself that it was quite exaggerated. These days, were explorers unwilling to go out adventuring just to play cards?
They went up to the restaurant on the second floor for breakfast.
Chester asked, “Professor, what do you plan to do today?”
Siles pondered for a moment, then said, “Let’s go to the tavern first. I have some questions I’d like to ask Andy.”
Due to what happened last night, they were all extremely cautious now, not intending to move separately. Even the most lively Alva obediently followed behind them at this time.
However, he still quite excitedly discussed card-playing strategies with Chester.
The Clinking Glasses on the second floor was already open, still quiet inside, with one or two explorers sleeping right there on the tables, dead drunk. Andy didn’t drive anyone out, merely browsing through something behind the counter out of boredom.
Seeing Siles, he said in surprise, “Ah! Mr. Noel.” Glancing at Alva and Chester, he said, “You and your companions have truly brought a different atmosphere to the House of Hales.”
Andy indeed already knew about the playing cards.
This did not surprise Siles. He walked over and sat at the bar counter. The rest sat around a table not far away, naturally handing over the right to speak to Siles.
Andy looked at them, then asked, “Cherry wine, sir?”
“No, I’m not used to drinking,” Siles said. “I’m here to ask you for a piece of information.” He paused, then added, “I can pay the corresponding amount in coin.”
“Oh, of course!” The short tavern owner laughed loudly. “You already understand the rules of my place—that’s great!”
Siles remained silent.
Andy didn’t mind either, merely asking, “What would you like to ask?”
“A crazy old man and a gloomy, pale young man—both of them should be coming to the Ashless Lands for the first time,” Siles said. “Have you seen these two people? Sometime during this summer.”
“Summer… that was a very distant time,” Andy fell into thought. “Is there any more information?”
Siles thought to himself that, as expected, one could buy information on explorers’ whereabouts from Andy.
The Clinking Glasses was the information circulation center of the House of Hales. That, of course, didn’t refer merely to information related to the mist—that wouldn’t be enough to be called an intelligence center.
The most crucial part was information related to other explorers’ actions.
Of course, if Siles could buy information about others, then others could also buy information about Siles. From this perspective, the reason he was attacked yesterday might have been that someone bought news related to Siles from Andy.
…An intelligence broker could truly be considered a double-edged sword.
Siles added, “They might be searching for… locations related to the fall of the Old Gods.”
Andy’s expression remained unchanged as he mumbled that his memory wasn’t great and he needed to think carefully. He looked down and flipped through something, which Siles noticed was an extremely thick volume, looking like an account book or a record ledger.
After a short while, he suddenly clapped his hands and said with a smile, “I remember! That old and young pair!” He then turned to say, “I don’t need you to pay money—I only need information.”
Siles nodded slowly, suddenly smiling faintly: “And you will exchange the information I provide with others again, won’t you?”
Andy said with a smile, “Of course, sir.”
Siles thought to himself that, to some extent, Andy also served a role similar to a “Secret-Keeper.” Except, it was limited purely to this form of “relaying information.” In reality, Andy had never kept a secret.
A subtle sense of regret abruptly arose in Siles’s heart.
As a novelist, he actually quite appreciated Andy’s method of information exchange; but from another perspective, as a Secret-Keeper, he disliked such a lighthearted act of leaking information.
Because no one would ever know what kind of consequences the information they leaked would ultimately cause.
Siles took a deep look at Andy, then said, “I will provide information that satisfies you—of course, that depends on whether you can provide information that satisfies me.”
“You can rest assured,” Andy said in a low voice. “I never boast.”
Siles waited in silence.
Andy flipped through the ledger, then continued, “That old and young pair came to my place twice respectively. The first time, the old man came alone; the second time, the two of them came together.
“As for the specific time… late July and early August. That old man asked me if there was a Stardust vein nearby. I said there was, but didn’t know the exact location. Afterwards, he probably went to look for related information.
“The second time, the old man and the young man came together. However, this time they weren’t here to inquire about news, but just to find a place to chat. The old man said he hadn’t been able to find the specific place yet, while the young man mentioned a name…
“Let me look. Ah! Madame Debriss. Yes. That lady. At the time, I even wondered which lady that was. They talked about this lady, speaking vaguely, but seemed to reach a consensus.
“I remember… they were jointly studying something that looked like a manuscript at the time. Afterwards, they started arguing again, probably saying things like ‘impossible,’ ‘one body,’ ‘same source,’ and the like, perhaps discussing some secret lore.
“After another while, they left together. They seemed to intend to go search for some evidence.”
At this point, Andy couldn’t help pausing, then said, “That is my entire impression of them. Mr. Noel, I wonder if you are satisfied?”
Siles said thoughtfully, “Indeed… satisfied.” He paused, then asked, “So you don’t know where specifically they went either?”
“No,” Andy said with a smile. “However, an old man and a young man, visiting the Ashless Lands for the first time—they might have been directly swindled or fallen into a desperate situation, for all we know.”
“That is indeed a possibility,” Siles said in a low voice.
These two had been missing for nearly half a year. Siles didn’t believe they could escape unscathed either. Professor Cabel and Assistant Mervyn’s situation was, after all, different from that of Alfonso and Emmanuel—the latter two were both powerful Revelators.
However, Siles also hoped they could survive. After all, they were knowledgeable parties as well.
From Andy’s words, Siles deduced that these two might have already investigated something regarding Hoodoka and Menavaca.
“One body,” “same source.” This was the second time Siles had heard such a statement.
The first time was in the kitchen after the banquet on the eve of the Day of Divine Birth. Elgar had said such a sentence in an almost frantic manner: “They are one body after all… once so, and ultimately so!”
And that referred to Timiafa and Brancani.
The second time was right now. Professor Cabel and Assistant Mervyn were investigating matters related to the fall of the Old Gods, and from Professor Cabel’s excerpts, book collections, and the like, it was evident that he was investigating precisely the fall of Hoodoka.
Their conversation in this tavern mentioned Madame Debriss. That was the agent of Menavaca, God of Commerce and Oaths. In other words, the matter they were discussing inevitably involved Hoodoka and Menavaca.
Siles had likewise read that manuscript obtained from Hoodoka’s follower, which mentioned “a group of profit-seeking deceivers,” which could almost certainly point to Menavaca’s followers.
And in that manuscript, regarding Hoodoka’s fall, this follower also displayed an extraordinary degree of nervousness and guilt, as if he himself had caused the deity’s fall.
…One possibility was that Menavaca and His followers jointly deceived Hoodoka’s followers, or they made a transaction—in short, they collaborated. The result of that collaboration was Hoodoka’s fall.
Siles believed Menavaca had devoured Hoodoka; while those Old God followers, such as Elgar and Clarence, or Professor Cabel and Assistant Mervyn, seemed to believe that “Old Gods originated from the same source.”
They were originally one body, separated for some reason, and perhaps merged back into one for another reason.
Which of these two guesses was more likely?
For believers, the latter felt more like a beautiful vision hoping for the deity to grow stronger, but it wasn’t necessarily entirely impossible. After all, no one knew what the essence of this world’s deities truly was.
Stronger extraordinary beings? Incarnations of world rules? The condensation and sublimation of concepts? Unknowable dimensional creatures?
Siles could think of many possibilities, but those were merely possibilities.
Compared to these guesses, he was actually more concerned with the manuscript Andy mentioned that Professor Cabel and Assistant Mervyn were holding.
This meant, he thought, that the investigation he and Dominic conducted in Lamifa City regarding these two was not comprehensive enough. They actually possessed information and clues that Siles was unaware of.
What could that be? That manuscript… was it still in their hands right now?
Just as Siles was thinking, Andy reminded him, “Sir, I have provided my information; shouldn’t you provide yours as well?”
Siles snapped back to reality, saying, “Of course.” He paused, then said, “The information I want to provide is…”
A noisy sound came over, interrupting Siles’s words. This familiar feeling made Siles subconsciously turn his head to look, and sure enough, he once again caught sight of the adventure team suspected to be hired by the noblewoman.
