Mystery: Mr. Witch and Ms. Hunter

Chapter 344 Fragility
It seems that the possible strange observer is this gem...

Adele stared at the black gem, her thoughts a little distracted.

She has been carrying the hidden blade with her ever since she got it, so it is impossible for anyone to tamper with it. From Wendy's reaction, it can be seen that this was not a part she added later.

Maybe Miss Audrey put it in there... This thought naturally came to Adele's mind.

Thinking back to when Miss Audrey intercepted him in Conston and sent him this hidden blade before he followed the Witch Cult to the sea, it didn't seem difficult to guess her purpose, which was to use the hidden blade to monitor him and the actions of the Witch Cult.

Adele was negotiating with the higher-ups of the witch sect at the time, and secretly setting up such a surveillance device might make Adele feel uncomfortable after being discovered, but it was understandable.

But why didn't she tell herself at the Tarot meeting?
The mission assigned by the Witch Cult has been completed, so there is no reason to continue monitoring. After Adele disassembled and assembled it many times, the principle of the hidden blade is not complicated, and it is almost impossible to conceal the existence of this gem.

According to Adele's understanding of "Justice" Audrey, even if she has lost some of her humanity, she will never deliberately do something that makes others uncomfortable. Even if she really wants to do it, she will use enough reasons to make the other party unable to refuse, rather than using such a low-level method as concealing the truth.

Adele was a little confused and didn't know what Miss Audrey was up to.

Could it be that...she herself doesn't know about this?

Thinking carefully about Miss Audrey's behavior when she met her, Adele was surprised to find that from her words and deeds to her dress, Miss Audrey seemed to show two completely different styles.

Combined with what the other party said at the Tarot Club, Adele felt that she had discovered something extraordinary.

Is this the clone that Miss Justice mentioned? Was it the clone's idea to add this gem?

After returning to her cabin with the gem, Adele untied the pendulum from her wrist and wrapped it around the mirror in the room, preparing to use the pendulum's ability to enhance divination effects to perform a magic mirror divination.

After skillfully arranging the divination ritual, Adele stared at the magic mirror in front of her expectantly until ripples like water appeared on the mirror and began to form patterns.

In the blurry water, Adele saw a female figure with her back to her, kneeling on a dark silk cushion, as if praying to someone. Next to her sat a shivering golden retriever, infected by its owner's emotions, staying there obediently, not daring to move.

The other person's entire body was almost wrapped in a black robe and shadows. Adele could only tell that it was Miss Audrey from her dazzling blonde hair and a pair of green eyes that sparkled even in the dark, but the feeling she gave was completely different from before.

If Miss Audrey usually gave people a feeling of being otherworldly, now she was intimidating.

In front of her was a pot of boiling liquid. Even though there was no heat source, the blood-red liquid continued to boil violently.

After finishing her prayer, Audrey Hall put her right hand into the pot of boiling liquid without hesitation until her white hand was completely dyed blood red.

Then, she raised her hand and poked it into her eye socket, gouging out one of her emerald green eyes.

The wound did not bleed. It was not known whether it was the magic of the liquid or the power of the demigod that was at work, but soon Miss Hall opened her eyes. Her emerald green eyes were still intact, like beautiful gems.

Adele saw that the eye that had been dug out quickly turned black after leaving the body, and its material became hard, shrinking to the same size as the gem in Adele's hand, and then was stuffed into the hidden space by Miss Audrey.

Was it really a backup plan left by Miss Audrey...or was it a backup plan left by the human side of Miss Audrey?
Adele recalled the appearance of Miss Audrey in the divination scene and felt a little worried.

Although "Justice" Audrey said at the Tarot meeting that what she separated was her own human nature, the strange and terrifying ritual in the divination scene made it difficult for people to feel at ease.

This is not a capability of the "audience" pathway...

During the time she joined the Tarot Club, Adele learned a lot of knowledge from everyone, and Audrey would tell her some secrets every time they met her, so Adele also had a full understanding of the ability of the "audience" channel.

The ability that Miss Hall is now displaying is not like that of an "audience" based on psychic abilities, but rather somewhat like the path corresponding to the real Creator, and the abilities she uses are full of an evil feeling.

Although I know that the five pathways of "audience", "sailor", "praiser", "secret prayer" and "reader" are adjacent pathways and can be interchanged at a high sequence, I don't know that a separated independent personality can also complete a similar transformation...

Adele recalled the knowledge she had learned before, including the description that most believers of the "True Creator" and people on this path were crazy. Although she was reluctant to believe that Miss Audrey was affected by the path, she had to admit that the result of this divination did make her more wary of Miss Hall.

In other words, I am under her gaze now?
Adele hesitated for a moment and tentatively called out Miss Audrey's name.

"Miss Justice?"

"Miss Audrey?"

"…Miss Hall?"

However, the black gem only flickered slightly and no longer showed any abnormality.

That's right, the other party's actions must be hidden from Hermes, I can't just call them out casually...

Adele smiled self-deprecatingly, but then she realized she was facing a new problem.

What are the conditions for triggering the backup plan left by Miss Audrey, or now Miss Hall? In other words, what should I do to make this gem play its original role?
Up to now, Adele only knew that this gem was the eye of "Miss Hall", which was always watching her, and that its range was small and could not affect the entire ship. It might be the key to solving this crisis, but she knew nothing else.

This feeling is extremely unpleasant, as if one is trapped in a secret room, and the only key to the door that allows one to leave is locked in a box, and one has to be almost certain to get it no matter what.

Realizing that there was nothing she could do now, Adele sighed dejectedly, carefully put the gem on her body, and went to repair the engine room with Wendy.

……

Hall House, Constantine City.

The big golden retriever Susie wagged her tail and ran across the corridor to Audrey Hall's bedroom. The servants and maids along the way were already accustomed to this and opened the door for her skillfully.

It passed unimpeded into the mistress's bedroom, where Miss Hall was sitting sideways on the sofa, her favorite sitting position when she did not have to maintain social etiquette and did not have to worry about wrinkling her petticoat.

However, when Audrey was in Earl Hall's mansion before, even when she was in the "most undignified" state, she did not dress as casually as she does now.

Miss Hall was now wearing only a tight beige linen cotton shirt with obvious padding on the chest and joints; she was wearing a pair of tapered breeches of the same color, covered with buckles and straps. Her long blonde hair, which had once been loose, had been tied into a bun that saved more space, making her look more capable.

There is no doubt that this kind of clothing that shows off one's curves is obviously not acceptable in aristocratic social settings and can only be worn in private.

However, this was not originally meant to be worn in social situations, but rather as an inner lining for armor.

Before high-pressure steam rifles completely replaced heavy cavalry, knights would wear such clothes inside their iron armor, and would wear many layers, so each lining would be made very tight and close-fitting. Susie could smell the fragrance emanating from Miss Hall's skin, which seemed to be a stress response caused by the skin being stimulated by the too-tight shirt.

However, this was obviously not Susie's purpose. After lying down beside Miss Hall, Susie shook the air and said:

"Ms. Lorota is still trying to investigate Mr. Britton's whereabouts, but she has had little success due to my interference."

Ever since Audrey and Ms. Lorota parted ways unhappily over the issue of compensation, Lorota has been trying to investigate Britton's affairs, while Susie has been secretly interfering with Lorota's investigation, preventing Lorota, who represents the church, from focusing on the former "Honeysuckle Queen", now the "Snow Wind".

"Her willpower is stronger than I thought."

Miss Hall nonchalantly lifted up her nails to observe them, and used a small file to trim the outgrown part of her nails, which had been painted with nail polish, until they were round and smooth, making it easier to hold the weapon.

The dream walker's dream modification is not omnipotent. In essence, it affects the target over time by modifying the dream, causing him to change unconsciously and do things he would not have done before.

The principle of this "modification" is to use dreams as the entry point, the astral body as a springboard, gradually infect the target's spiritual body, and then react to the mental body. It is rooted in the subconscious. Compared with direct "hypnosis", this manipulation derived from dreams is softer, more covert, and less likely to be detected, making it suitable for targeting higher-level targets.

However, this kind of modification is no different from a nightmare that forces people into a dream. The real modification requires the ability of hypnosis. If the "arrangement" directly endangers the life of the hypnotized person and the things that he cares most about in his subconscious mind, the other party will show strong resistance, causing hypnosis to fail. In addition, if the target is mentally strong and has a firm mind, he can also resist hypnosis to a certain extent.

Lolota's resistance to giving up the pursuit of the truth was so strong that Susie didn't even dare to perform similar hypnosis directly. She could only guide her investigation in other directions and let her give up little by little.

"She will give up...it just takes time."

Miss Hall concluded, changing the subject.

"I can sense that the new witch lady has discovered the gift I left for her... It looks like it won't be long before the plan is completed."

"Really? That's a good thing."

A third voice sounded in the room, and Hermes' figure appeared in the room silently like water drops seeping from the wall. He sat leisurely opposite Miss Hall and stroked Susie's hair twice.

Susie was not aware of the other person's presence. She only felt something brushing against her back and she whimpered twice.

"I have done almost everything I should do, and the main body has already negotiated with me."

Miss Hall glanced at the anxious Susie, patted its forehead to calm the golden retriever, and continued to communicate with Hermes.

"She didn't want to destroy everything around me, because it was something she couldn't face, and she even tried her best to escape from it... She was so fragile."

"That's not the case. After all, humans are inherently fragile creatures, and she is no exception. Although she thinks she can rest easy by separating her weak side, that's not the case."

Hermes smiled and said, "During the past two years in Backlund, you have fully realized this, right?"

"Fragile bodies, fragile hearts, fragile souls, fragile ideals... Human beings are so fragile that I don't even dare to talk to them as they really are."

"Even though I created the ancient Hermetic language and opened up a path of mysticism for them, they are still too fragile..."

Having said that, Hermes spread his hands and tapped the ground twice with the cane in his hand:
"How can such a weak creature bear the kindness of a great being?"

"So you're going to work with those people from the Church of Knowledge to turn everyone in the world into something illusory?"

Miss Hall said in a tone that was hard to tell whether she was happy or angry, "Is this making a fuss about nothing?"

"When it comes to the ethereal, you may not be qualified to speak of others, Miss Hall."

A smile appeared on Hermes's old face, which had few wrinkles but white hair and beard.

"How do we clear something that we are not sure exists? How do we destroy something that we are not sure is intact? We can't do it, and neither can they. Even those who are more terrifying than them can't do it."

Although Audrey was the only listener at the moment, the old man still passionately expounded his ideas.

“To make humans less vulnerable—that is my purpose.”

"Perhaps it is difficult for you to understand, but it doesn't matter. I don't need your understanding, just like I don't need the forgiveness of those humans who are so fragile that they died before I could realize my plan."

"...You mythical creatures are really paranoid."

Miss Hall sighed, "But it has nothing to do with me. I just hope that she can really see the place you mentioned."

"Of course. Happy cooperation then..."

Hermes nodded, and his figure gradually disappeared, leaving no trace just as he had appeared. Only Miss Hall was left sitting next to Susie, with a gloomy look on her face, not knowing what she was thinking.

(End of this chapter)