"It's a terrifying thought... that this world might have a consciousness of its own."
The huntress sighed. A mont of silence settled over the group as they nursed their teacups and gazed out the window. The world outside was shrouded in an oppressive fog.
The only plan the four of them could devise was to head for the Mattel Horse Farm outside the city to search for an exit. That was the location of the circus, and in the material world, it served as a fixed entrance to this Mirror World. Since the Mirror World was a reflection of the material one, it stood to reason that a corresponding exit might exist there as well.
But things were unlikely to be that simple. If they were, the Orthodox Churches of Nolan City would have already dispatched large teams to explore the Mirror World. Still, with no other options, they had to try their luck. Waiting around was not a solution.
Ti still passed in the Mirror World. By the ti they had resupplied at a roadside shop and set out again, the sun had already set in the east, and two moons now hung in the sky.
At night, the streetlights in the Mirror World's Nolan City naturally remained dark. The thick fog made the streets even more dim and desolate. The four of them made their way across the uneven cobblestones, a bone-chilling wind biting at their skin. Only light born of supernatural power could pierce the gloom, but fortunately, all four possessed such ans.
"Speaking of which, Miss Warfield, what did you an when you said the Mirror World contains reflections of intelligent beings?"
Jenkins was holding his Bestowal candle, its undying fla dancing quietly on the wick. The light was small, but it cleared the largest area of fog among all their light sources.
"Theoretically, the Mirror World can reflect everything from the material world," she explained. "But in this strange place, the reflections of intelligent beings beco monsters that manifest the dark side of their souls. They're not common, but their abilities are peculiar."
The group ca to a fork in the road. Jenkins was about to turn left, but then he rembered that everything here was reversed. He quickly advised his companions to turn right.
Aside from him, none of the won had ever been to the Mattel Horse Farm, so the task of leading the way fell to Jenkins.
"Have you encountered one of those monsters before?"
Jenkins asked curiously.
"We ran into one yesterday evening. Unlike inanimate objects, which are mirrored here just as they are in the material world, living reflections appear sporadically, without warning. That's a pattern we've tentatively figured out, but in truth, no one really knows what rules govern this place."
Miss Knight answered while using the emblem in her hand to cast light behind them. The Sun God she worshipped had a divine domain related to light, so a simple ritual was enough to make her holy emblem glow. The light was faint, however, far weaker than the thods her companions employed.
Because of the decisive battle in the Evergreen Forest, Miss Knight was aware of Jenkins's status as a Saint. The Church of the Sage had already made an agreent with the other churches that this information was not to be spread. But as long as Jenkins was here with them, she felt a sliver of hope. Even if he couldn't find a way out, the Church of the Sage would never allow its Saint to simply vanish.
The four of them followed four different faiths; in fact, only Jenkins's church was local to the city. The relationship between believers of different gods was a delicate one. Whether between followers of Righteous Gods and pseudo-gods, or even among followers of different Righteous Gods, deep divisions still existed.
But this was no longer the era of "heretics must die." The major churches maintained, at the very least, a superficial peace.
"Those human reflections are terrifying and... disgusting," the huntress continued. "Their power is supplied directly by the Mirror World, and the amount of strength they can manifest is directly proportional to how twisted the original person's heart and soul are."
The huntress continued her explanation, showing none of the typical deanor of a black market rcenary. If Jenkins couldn't directly perceive her spiritual aura, he would never have connected her with such a profession.
"The monster last night nearly killed us. But those things clearly lack intelligence. If you encounter one, it's best to just flee. Fighting them head-on is foolish."
Of the three won, Sigrid Capet of the Church of All Things and Nature was the most beautiful young woman. Celtic Knight of the Church of Sun and Justice was slightly less so; she was about the sa age as Miss Capet, but her features were more rugged, which Jenkins attributed to her knightly training. The oldest, the huntress Warfield, was a plain-faced woman, but it was very likely she was the most powerful of the three.
"When you've seen these monsters, were there any warning signs before they appeared?"
Jenkins asked, peering into the depths of the fog.
As night fell, the surrounding mist grew thicker, compressing the radius of light from their hands. On either side of the cobblestone road, wide enough for three carriages to pass side-by-side, stood typical two-story stone city buildings, their rooftops creating a jagged silhouette against the sky.
If the weather were better, this would be one of Nolan City's most bustling streets. But now, it felt like the gloomy path to a witch's house in a horror story.
"A mirror materializes in the air, and then the monster shatters it to erge," Miss Knight said. "The whole process takes about ten seconds, which is enough ti for us to escape."
She was the last of the three won to arrive here. The huntress had been here the longest—she had already been trapped in the Mirror World for nine days.
"What I an is, are there any signs before they att—... never mind."
The intense fla of his candle pushed back the dense fog, revealing the grotesque black shadow lurking within. Their vision was still obstructed, but the four of them could make out a massive phallus-shaped head swiveling in the mist, while four slender tentacles writhed where its feet should have been.
"Any bets his dark side is an insecurity about being too thin down there?"
The huntress quipped. The two unmarried young won and Jenkins remained silent.
At this distance, turning to flee was no longer an option unless soone was willing to stay behind and cover their retreat. The monster's obscene form was so unsettling that the won subconsciously took a step back, leaving Jenkins at the front.
He still had so sense of chivalry. With a nod, he nudged his cat off his shoulder. He had a feeling that if he charged in for a close-quarters fight, the sheer sight of that thing would be nauseating enough to render him unable to battle.
Glancing at his teammates, he swept his right hand forward, and a brilliant burst of fla shot out from his sleeve.
The technique was reminiscent of a circus magician's trick, but the light of the Bestowal fla truly did disperse the fog between them and the monster. Jenkins clearly heard the three won behind him let out simultaneous gasps of disgust.
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