Inside the captain's cabin of the Future, Cattleya struggled to avert her gaze from that drop of mythological creature blood. In her eyes, deep purple was intermingled with silvery white, making them appear extremely mysterious.
At the same time, due to the severe consumption of her spirituality, illusory murmurs originating from the "Hidden Sage" once again echoed by her ears, causing her to collapse onto the floor for several minutes before she gradually recovered.
After that, she took out a bottle of "Blood Flower" potion and drank it.
—It was rumored that this potion had been created by a Sanguine Duke in the Fourth Epoch. It had excellent effects in restoring spirituality and eliminating the "murmurs" originating from characteristics.
It was just that because the raw materials were hard to find, its production had never been very high.
However, within the Moses Ascetic Order, this potion was distributed regularly. It seemed that one of the "Pillars" had resolved the material issue.
In any case, after drinking the potion, Cattleya felt that she had recovered quite a bit. Only then did she put back on her thick-lensed glasses and begin thinking inwardly:
"At the current pace of 'analysis', it will take at least a month to reach the minimum standard required for the ritual… and that's assuming I don't run into any accidents or difficulties…
"But I've already agreed with 'The World' that after advancing to 'Mysticologist' next week, I'd help him hunt the 'Pride' of the Psychological Alchemists… What's more troublesome is that this transaction was even witnessed by Mr. Fool.
"If I go back on my word, will that adventurer go mad? And he just happens to need a large sum of money to purchase materials from Mr. 'Tower'… Even if he won't act against me out of consideration for us both being Tarot Club members, my crew might be in danger.
"What's more, as the witness, Mr. Fool might even punish me!
"Seriously… why did I make such a bold claim on Monday? Was it because the initial 'analysis' went far too smoothly?"
Thinking of this, Cattleya paced back and forth several times inside the captain's cabin, finally letting her gaze fall upon a notebook on the table.
That notebook contained some "mystical" stories that Mr. "Tower" had told her the last time he visited the Future, which she had recorded inside.
"I already asked Her Majesty the Queen. Not only was there no solution, I even got scolded and told not to always think about taking shortcuts…
"Right now, the only one who might be able to help me is that 'erudite' Mr. 'Tower'.
"Mm, although Mr. Fool definitely has a way as well, using such a 'small matter' to disturb a 'Great Existence' is still far too dangerous… Requests for help from Mr. Fool should be saved for moments of life and death!
"As for Mr. 'Tower'… judging from our last interaction, he's quite a decent person. And based on his conduct, methods, and the nickname 'Professor', he's very likely a demigod of the Reader pathway.
"Beyonders of this pathway all like acting as other people's 'teachers' and always enjoy showing off their own accumulation and collections… Maybe I won't need to pay too high a price to get his help!"
After pondering for a long time, Cattleya finally made up her mind and took pen and paper to write a letter.
She then set up a ritual and summoned Mr. "Tower's" messenger—the Ghost Demon Wolf.
At the same time, the "Wisdom Eye" attached to John's mind keenly noticed this scene and couldn't help but complain inwardly: What is this supposed to be? You want me to help you advance as quickly as possible, and then you're going to team up with another man to kill me?
It sounds just like some melodramatic plot!
...
In the living room of the villa at No. 28 Kingster Street.
Ebner accepted the letter carried in the Ghost Demon Wolf's mouth. After patting its head and casually giving it a bottle of "Daniel's Pure Dew", he opened the letter and began reading it.
—Although through the "Wisdom Eye", he already knew the general contents of the letter.
"A method to speed up the 'analysis of mythological creature blood'? I actually do have one…
"The simplest would be the alternative 'knowledge' transmission method I learned from Madam Philina, directly sharing my experience with her… but Cattleya would probably be unable to accept it, and it would also damage my image within the Tarot Club. Better not mention it.
"As for the other method, it would be lending her the 'computational power' of the 'Omniscient Eye', but that requires ritual cooperation and the chanting of my honorific name…
"With Mr. Fool's endorsement, Cattleya will most likely be willing to try it."
As his thoughts turned, Ebner picked up his pen and wrote his proposal in the reply, arranging to meet Cattleya aboard the Future later that night.
After stuffing the parchment into the envelope and personally watching the Ghost Demon Wolf carry it into the spirit world, Ebner finally turned his attention to "Pride" Herwin on the side, who was acting as his marionette.
...
No. 22 Persefield Street, the location of the "Bryan Film and Television Charity Foundation".
Audrey placed the documents in her hands back onto the desk, raised her head to glance at the wall clock hanging in the boardroom, and found it difficult to relax no matter what.
Her "bag-carrying assistant" Islant had told her yesterday that the news of her advancement to "Hypnotist" had already been reported upward, and that Mr. Hilbert Arucard had invited them to meet at his home in the afternoon.
And the branch chairman would very likely arrive as well.
Through a reminder from Mr. "World", Audrey already knew that the so-called "branch chairman" was Royal Advisor Hvin Rambis, a demigod of the Spectator pathway.
Facing this test, although Audrey still couldn't confirm just how terrifying high-Sequence Spectators were, she could already imagine what kind of performance they would have in certain fields. This made her uncontrollably nervous, afraid of being "seen through".
"Fortunately, Mr. Fool will send an Angel to provide me with protection!" Thinking this, Audrey finally felt a little more at ease. She then boarded her family's carriage with her maid Annie, her assistant Islant, and the big dog Susie, heading toward the home of the jewelry designer Hilbert Arucard.
Just as the carriage began to move, a dazzling pillar of light suddenly appeared before Audrey's eyes.
Within the pillar of light, an Angel with twelve pairs of wings on its back, beautiful beyond description, slowly descended. Wings formed of crimson moonlight wrapped around her layer by layer, then dissipated layer by layer.
Audrey's vision quickly returned to normal. Out of the corner of her eye, she subtly swept over her personal maid Annie, her bag-carrying assistant Islant, and the golden-haired big dog Susie, discovering that none of them had noticed the scene just now.
It's not quite the same as that slightly enchanting female Angel from last time… As Mr. Fool recovers further, His Angels are also recovering even more? Her lips moved slightly as Audrey restrained her smile, her heart becoming exceptionally steady.
Less than half an hour later, her carriage stopped at the door of the jewelry designer's home.
Under Islant's guidance, the group quickly entered the living room, immediately seeing an elderly man quietly seated on a single sofa directly facing the entrance.
The old man had a refined temperament, with a pair of blue eyes that seemed filled with wisdom and knowledge. Aside from the deep lines on his forehead, there were basically no wrinkles elsewhere.
This was precisely the Royal Advisor, Hvin Rambis! At the same time, he was also the appraisal committee member of the Psychological Alchemists, "Pride"!
Audrey did not hide her surprise, because she truly was surprised. Although she had guessed that Hvin Rambis would very likely come, she had thought that he wouldn't appear in person, instead observing from the shadows and letting Hilbert represent him in conversation with her.
"Are you very surprised?" Ebner, who was controlling Hvin Rambis, asked with a smile.
However, this scene gave him a somewhat strange feeling… After all, many "hypnosis"-themed fan stories from his previous life had started from right here.
"Fortunately, I'm not some evil person… and Miss 'Justice's' heart is far more resilient than some people imagine!"
(End of Chapter)