Chapter 8: So, Who is the Guardian?
Chapter 8: Who is the Guardian?
Flipping a coin couldn't actually provide an answer, but when Alice saw the tails side and wanted to flip the coin again, she realized what her answer was.
Just as after realizing that she couldn't speak of someone plotting to kill the captain, Alice chose to study hard—she wanted to do something else, but since she couldn't speak of it, there wasn't much she could do. However, this at least showed that Alice couldn't just stand by and do nothing when she knew someone was going to die.
Of course, this was assuming the person wasn't a completely despicable villain.
However, going to Blackthorn Security Company at this time, not to mention finding Dunn, Alice was somewhat worried that this inexplicable behavior would provoke Old Neil.
After all, Alice didn't need to go there at night under normal circumstances, because she was underage and still growing…
"Tomorrow I'll go find the captain… Yes, that's decided," Alice murmured to herself.
…
The next morning, Alice stepped into Blackthorn Security Company again and greeted the sleepy Roselle at the door with a smile: "Good morning, Sister Roselle."
Miss Roselle responded weakly: "Good morning, Mr. Neil is…"
"I'm here to see the captain," Alice interrupted Roselle.
"Huh… Ah?"
"Is the captain in his office?"
"Yes, he is."
With that response, Alice didn't wait for the puzzled Roselle and headed straight for Dunn's office.
"Come in," Dunn quickly responded to Alice's knock. Seeing Alice enter, he couldn't help but show a surprised expression.
"What's wrong?"
At this moment, Dunn must have been wondering if he had forgotten something again, but seeing Alice close and lock the door, he realized she might have something important to say.
"Captain…" After checking the door lock, Alice approached the desk and asked in a lowered voice, "Behind Mr. Neil, I saw a pair of eyes!"
"A pair of eyes?" Dunn frowned.
"A pair of nearly transparent eyes, without eyelashes… No, that's not the point," Alice paused, frowning as she organized her words, "The owner of those eyes, that kind of gaze will lead to his death."
Alice pursed her lips, facing Dunn's now solemn expression: "He's already on the path to death, and if we don't stop it…"
Alice didn't continue, but everyone could imagine the consequences. The atmosphere in the office became heavy in this silence. After who knows how long, Dunn finally said, "You go back first, don't provoke him."
Alice nodded and quickly left Blackthorn Security Company.
The matter soon came to a conclusion. After reporting it, Old Neil received a comprehensive examination—fortunately, the symptoms were not severe and treatable.
Old Neil was sent for treatment, Dunn had a false alarm, and the biggest impact of the incident was that Klein and Alice, who were just starting in mystic studies, lost their teacher…
Of course, this wasn't too big of a problem. If it was just basic enlightening instruction, other members of the team could do it as well, but Old Neil, as a seasoned seer, had more authority in this area.
So, Alice resumed her relatively regular life. After requesting Klein to knock and announce himself before entering each room, Alice could rest assured staying at Blackthorn Security Company.
…
Time quickly moved to the second Tarot meeting. After completing the diary submission process, Audrey spoke first: "Mr. Fool, Mr. Hanged Man, Miss Fortune, I have three questions to ask. If you think the answers are of great value, tell me what you want, and I will try to find it later."
After the three of them agreed, Audrey posed her first question.
"The first question, what exactly does 'acting' mean? I found that the residual spirits in the potion have a very minor effect on me, is it because I've been acting as an audience this time?"
Alger Wilsondidn't speak, turning his gaze to the Fool, seemingly waiting for an answer as well.
Alice… Alice followed and looked at Klein.
Klein tapped the edge of the long table with his finger, speaking in a relaxed tone:
"Let me explain with a more vivid example. The core power of the sequence potion is like a heavily guarded castle, with those residual, backlash-causing spirits residing within. Our goal is to resolve them and truly become the master of the castle.
"We have two methods now. One is to forcefully break in, which may not succeed and will certainly harm ourselves unless we can overpower with absolute superiority, which obviously we don't have.
"The second method, we have an invitation from the castle's master. This invitation allows us to pass the guards' scrutiny and easily eliminate the enemy. But the problem is, the invitation has the guest's appearance and corresponding temperament described, so we must disguise ourselves, act as the invited guest, understand?"
"Is the invitation the name of the potion?" Alice and Alger Wilsonasked in unison, causing Alger Wilsonto glance at Alice.
"Yes," Klein affirmed.
"But where do the guards come from?" Alice mused aloud, as if asking herself.
As soon as she spoke, she realized she shouldn't have—Klein's obvious silence indicated that he didn't know the answer either, and such questioning could easily puncture the image Klein had built.
Hmm… I should ask him these kinds of questions privately next time. But if I follow this line of thought…
Why isn't the method that can reduce the risk of lower-level extraordinaries losing control and accelerate promotion speed public among the lower-level extraordinaries of the three major churches? Rather than believing that the three major churches are also unaware of this, in the case of the real existence of deities, Alice is more inclined to believe it's the will of the deities—so, are the guards the deities?
No, that's not right.
The guards shouldn't be the deities because if that were the case, there wouldn't be any extraordinaries—who would bother raising a group of people to fight against themselves?
Perhaps the deities are already at the center of the castle… Wait? Perhaps, the deities need the help of lower-level extraordinaries to deal with the guards? Lost in thought, when Alice came back to her senses, Alger Wilsonwas already introducing information about the blasphemous stone tablet.
After Alger Wilsonsaid with a smile that he had sunk the member of the Psychological Alchemy Club who provided the information into the Sunia Sea, Alice looked at him with an astonished gaze.
Then, Audrey's third question made Alice feel the wonder of the world.
"The third question, if, I mean if, an ordinary animal drank a sequence 9 potion, what would happen?"
"…Do you have a friend who did this?" Alice asked hesitantly.
"No, I mean if…" Audrey, stimulated by Alice's deliberate emphasis on "friend," couldn't even maintain her audience state and showed obvious panic, nervousness, and embarrassment.
The respected Mr. Fool was also made somewhat unable to maintain his expression by this sentence, thankfully everything was obscured by the gray fog, otherwise Mr. Fool's image would have been ruined…
(End of Chapter)