Beneath the entrance was a cramped space, just enough for one person to stand. Sticking upright from the ground was a short tal rod, about the length of a forearm, seemingly made of brass.
What the heck is this?
A mystical item?
A Beyonder characteristic?
Edward studied it silently for a while.
He attempted a divination on the brass rod, trying to learn its purpose. But the result…was nothing.
This outco ant one of two things: either there simply wasn't enough information for the divination to latch onto, or at least a Sequence 1 powerhouse had tampered with the rod to interfere. (For example, the Quill—a sealed Sequence 1 characteristic—could, to so degree, obstruct the Sefirah Castle's divinations. So while the Castle's authority surpassed even Sequence 0, it wasn't truly omnipotent.)
If he examined the site personally, perhaps he could glean more. But who knew if this rod wasn't actually a trap the Intis had laid specifically for mbers of the Twilight Hermit Order?
After all, during the gathering just now, the Hunter had hinted at the practice of mbers setting traps—or even hunting each other—and no one else had refuted it.
What Edward couldn't wrap his head around was: didn't the Russian Priest care about this at all? Didn't he worry that the "team" he'd assembled might just kill each other off in endless infighting?
Still…looking at the original story, the old priest had ultimately succeeded in guiding history's developnt as he wished, taking the potion and ascending to Sequence 0. But once he beca a Visionary…the Twilight seniors seed to have been discarded entirely.
So, perhaps he'd never intended to maintain the organisation properly in the first place—just gather so useful pawns to help him along.
Hmm. Thinking of it this way, it did make so sort of twisted sense.
"Wait a couple of days. I'll co back one night disguised as an outsider and 'investigate' this again. Do the performance thoroughly. Then…I'll head to Avenue du Boulevard to trade 'intelligence.'"
Heh. I wonder what kind of surprise the Intis will have waiting for there.
At that mont, one of the stars deep within the grey fog began pulsing with light—the one representing Bernadette.
Edward winced, already feeling a headache coming on. Still, he extended his spirituality toward it. After all, in the future, Bernadette would help him greatly. For now, coaxing a child cost him nothing but a little ti.
Her image appeared in the grey mist. She was curled up on her little bed, hugging her rmaid doll, lips pursed, looking terribly wronged.
"…Mysterious Mr. Sparrow, I want to run away from ho. Can you take with you?"
"???"
Edward froze. Run away from ho? At six or seven years old? Isn't puberty rebellion supposed to co much later?
…Fine.
Everything, for the sake of the help Bernadette would give him in the future!
——
Five minutes later.
Edward appeared in Bernadette's bedroom. She was still curled up on the bed, looking just as pitiful and dazed as in her prayer.
"Ahem."
With the combined effects of [Secret Keeping] [Space Concealnt] [False Reality], even a Sequence 3 powerhouse wouldn't notice the extra presence in her room—unless they physically walked in themselves.
"What's wrong, Little Bernie?"
"I am not Little Bernie." She reflexively shot back, then quickly realised and added, "Mr. Sparrow, hurry, take away from here! I can't stand staying another minute!"
As she spoke, she actually grabbed a small bundle from beside her—already packed and ready to go.
"Correction." Edward raised a hand. "If you go out by yourself, that's called running away from ho. If I take you…that's called kidnapping."
"Then when you took to see the rmaid last night, was that kidnapping too?"
"Uh…in a sense, yes."
"Fine." Bernadette looked utterly unconcerned. "Then just kidnap ."
"..."
Edward walked to the bedside, pulled over a chair, and sat down.
"So? What's going on? Why the sudden urge to run away from ho?"
"Papa's always busy with work—he ignores . Mama…she ignores too. So I'm leaving."
Hiss—
Wait, the mighty Queen Mystic was this rebellious as a child?
When I was little, at least I needed both parents to team up with a "double combo" of scolding before I even thought of running away…
"Tell the truth."
Bernadette tilted her chin, lips sealed, eting his eyes stubbornly with an 'hmph, I'm not telling you' expression.
"…Alright, then I'll just head back."
"Wait!"
She blurted out, "It's Mama! She…she…"
She shut her eyes and shouted, "While Papa's hiding away in his study 'in seclusion' for work, Mama went out on a date with another man!!"
"???"
Edward froze for a mont, then his emotions grew complicated.
Well, well, well! Roselle, oh Roselle—you've finally tasted your own dicine! You spend your days in the arms of this lady and that noblewoman, yet your own backyard is on fire? Karma really doesn't miss, does it?
Though he thought so inwardly, he still asked seriously:
"Are you certain? Maybe it was just one of your mother's friends. After all, no one said a man and a woman being together always ans a date."
He paused, then raised an eyebrow.
"Wait a minute—what does a six-or seven-year-old even know about 'dating'?"
Bernadette imdiately huffed, "Of course I know! Papa taught ! He said girls must be careful of n's sweet talk, and never let themselves be tricked into going on dates by so blond rascal."
She frowned in puzzlent.
"But…lots of people in Intis have blond hair…"
Roselle's 'blond rascals' clearly don't an what you think they do.
"Anyway, Papa and Mama are husband and wife. Only they can date each other. If Mama goes on a date with another man, that's very, very bad behaviour—it's…it's betrayal!"
Edward nearly asked her whether she knew about all the things Roselle did outside, but he swallowed it back. No need to scar a child's heart like that.
"Where's your mother now? Let's go see. Maybe it's just a misunderstanding."
Indeed, if Roselle's wife truly had betrayed him, he would never have omitted it from his diary. And judging by the later entries, Roselle still carried guilt toward his wife—if Matilda had truly cheated on him, with his personality, guilt would've been the last thing he felt.
"I don't know. I saw them laughing together when they slipped out the back door. I didn't dare follow."
"Do you have anything of hers? Sothing she uses personally?"
"I'll get it!"
She leapt from the bed and dashed off. Minutes later, she returned clutching a hair comb.
Edward took out his cane.
"Matilda's current location."
The cane floated upright in midair, then tilted toward a direction.
"Let's go."
Bernadette stared curiously. "Why can this cane tell us where Mama is?"
"Just a mystical ability. Has your father ever told you about Beyonders and the extraordinary world?"
Edward took her by the wrist, and together they vanished from the room in a flash, reappearing along the path pointed to by the cane.
"He has, but he said it's too early for to get involved."
Her gaze remained fixed on the hovering cane. "Can I learn this from you?"
"No. You have your own path to walk."
"What?"
She blinked in confusion.
"It's hard to explain for now. I'll teach you slowly in the future."
"Hmph, that's just another adult's way of brushing children off."
They walked through the garden to the small rear gate. As soon as they stepped outside, the cane shifted slightly to the right, pointing toward a new direction. They continued along.
"By the way, you said your father was in his study 'in seclusion.' What exactly is he doing?"
'Seclusion'? That must be Roselle's term rubbing off on her.
"I don't know."
Bernadette shook her head. "Since returning from the church yesterday, he shut himself in the study. He seed pretty happy at the ti."
Edward's mind turned. Right, I saw him at Trier Cathedral yesterday—he really did seem pleased. If Matilda really is out on a date with another man…Roselle, you're going to have a good cry.
Wait…does that an Bernadette's two younger brothers might never be born?
Shit. Ciel, the elder son, wasn't that important—a normal person, no great impact on history. But Bornova? He was supposed to beco an angel in the future! If this changes things, that's no small ss…
The thought made Edward tug at his hair in frustration. No way. Don't tell this is so butterfly effect from my transmigration? But all I've done is spend so ti with Bernadette, take her out to play. How the hell would that cause Roselle's wife to cheat?!
Impossible.
Absolutely impossible!
"Ah—Mama's here!"
Bernadette suddenly gasped in a whisper, tugging on Edward's hand to drag him into hiding—but he didn't budge.
"Relax. She can't see us."
Edward reassured her and looked ahead.
A beautiful, elegant woman ca into view, looking every bit the picture of grace. She was smiling radiantly, chatting with the man beside her, occasionally covering her mouth to laugh, clearly in excellent spirits.
Tsk…no wonder Roselle fell for her in just a few days—going from resisting an arranged marriage to 'Miss Matilda is so beautiful.' Honestly…she's even more stunning than Bernadette will be in the future.
But more importantly—
Why does the man walking beside her look so damn familiar?
The next second, Edward's mind exploded.
Dubois?!!!
After his initial shock, he froze.
Wait a second—when Dubois said he had another way to help get acquainted with Emperor Roselle…did he an…by seducing Matilda?!
Holy shit!
If Matilda really is cheating, does that an it's actually my fault?!
———
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