"Lastly... the gods' attitude toward this matter...
"Heh, even Adam, who might be directly involved, may not bother to pay much attention. How could the other gods be so idle?
"To put it a bit narcissistically, even if They do pay attention, isn't it only me They're watching?
"After all, from those options, it's clear that no matter what happens, 'I' come out unharmed in the end...
"Even in the most dangerous branch of fate where Ouroboros appears, Yaloran exposes herself to shield me from disaster.
"But precisely because of that one 'fate' option, I can't just leave her be!"
Ebner sighed softly, put down the pencil he had "constructed," and began to consider how he should respond to this situation.
Thanks to his understanding of all sides, and having "perceived" most of the truth, he quickly noticed the key to breaking the dilemma:
"In fact, Yaloran's 'concealment' was already flawless, so much so that the Hidden Sage hadn't been able to locate her true body for years...
"Her only flaw will be revealed tomorrow at midnight, before she meets me.
"That Psychological Alchemists' team seized this exact timing, cracking part of Yaloran's arrangements, which allowed the Hidden Sage to succeed.
"From those options, it's obvious that notifying Yaloran to cancel the meeting is already too late. She must have sealed the deepest nightmare of Kabas town completely after sending that letter, waiting until the appointed time arrives.
"And that Psychological Alchemists' squad is actually just being controlled by the mastermind behind the scenes. Taking action against them is meaningless...
"So the real key lies with that mastermind—either the 'Dragon of Imagination' Ankewelt or Hermes!"
At this thought, Ebner gradually formed a plan. He decided to first go speak with Princess Vera. If she truly had not been involved, he would ask her to hold off those two angels for a while, giving Yaloran time to respond.
If Vera was aware of, or even involved in, the matter, then he would have to think of a way to seek the Goddess's help.
For some reason, when it came to Yaloran, Ebner felt the Goddess was more neutral than Lilith.
Of course, if even the Goddess refused to intervene, he still had backup plans, including—though not limited to—temporarily using the body of the God of Luck to forcibly bless Yaloran with "luck"...
After calculating for a while longer, Ebner dressed himself, then stepped through the window and vanished into the night.
—Because of Vera's invitation after last Tuesday's banquet to "come visit her sometime," Ebner already knew where the princess was staying.
…
Since Vera's relationship with George III was not harmonious, she did not live in the noble-filled Empress's Borough, but instead resided alone in a luxurious villa at No. 5 Williams Street in the West Borough.
Of course, "alone" was relative—there were still butlers and maids, no fewer than thirty attendants in all, serving only her.
And this was considered the lowest level of arrangement, often judged "frugal" by outsiders.
At that moment, Vera had just finished bathing. Dressed in a simple silk nightgown, she leaned against her bed's headboard, reading a novel.
Suddenly, she turned her head slightly toward the window. The corners of her mouth curled up. Setting the book aside, she smiled and said:
"Since you're here, come in... Even though it's already April, Backlund's nights are still a bit chilly."
Shortly after her words fell, a neatly dressed figure appeared in her bedroom.
The newcomer looked to be about twenty, with brown wavy hair, blue eyes, a pair of gold-rimmed glasses perched on his nose. Handsome and upright, he was none other than Ebner, who had rushed over through the night.
He removed his top hat and pressed it to his chest in a polite gesture. "Good evening, Lady Vera."
Vera gazed at him with a playful smile and teased, "Climbing through an unmarried lady's window at midnight is hardly gentlemanly."
Isn't climbing windows at midnight actually the deeper essence of being a 'gentleman'? Ebner muttered inwardly, though outwardly his mind turned swiftly. Smiling, he replied:
"Wasn't it you who invited me to come 'sit' with you?"
He even put on an innocent expression.
Seeing this, Vera raised her bold brows. Half-reclining against the bed, she lifted the quilt and patted the spot beside her. "Then come and 'sit'."
If it had been the old Ebner, he would probably have shrunk back... But after becoming a demigod and regaining Giuseppe's memories, he had gained no small amount of experience. Without hesitation, he walked to the bed and sat down.
"If I were to summon someone in right now, tomorrow's headlines would be about 'Viscount Bell Dane sneaking into a princess's chamber at night.'" Vera said with half-truth, half-jest.
"Are you sure? You should know I can change my appearance at any time..." Ebner did not back down. But because the matter was urgent, he didn't waste time bantering. His expression grew serious as he said solemnly, "I came here because I have an important matter to ask you about... I hope you can answer truthfully."
"What is it?" Vera's smile vanished, and she instinctively sat up straight.
However, her nightgown was loose. Reclining earlier, it hadn't mattered, but now that she sat upright, a wide expanse of fair skin below her neck was revealed, nearly distracting Ebner.
Fortunately, his self-control was strong. Refocusing, he recounted one by one the dangers Yaloran might face, and in the end asked, "I hope you can tell me truthfully... Did you have any part in this?"
At that moment, faint mist spread across the room. Vera suddenly embraced Ebner, only letting go after a long while. Biting her lip, she said with emotion:
"Ebner, I'm touched... Since you're willing to ask me directly, it shows you actually trust me!"
Her sincere eyes locked with his as she declared solemnly:
"So of course I won't let you down... I promise you that until tonight, I had no knowledge of this matter at all!
"You can call upon any god to 'notarize' my words."
"That won't be necessary." Ebner waved his hand. Behind his 'Pure White Eye' hovered a phantom 'Sun.' When Vera had made her promise just now, he had already performed a 'notarization' and confirmed that she wasn't lying.
Though the mist had interfered, and the result wasn't absolutely certain, Ebner still chose to believe her.
What's more, he would surely verify it again later through the Wheel of Fortune's manifestation.
Seeing Ebner accept her answer so readily, Vera narrowed her eyes, leaned against him, and said with a sigh:
"To think that arrogant ancient dragon even counted me in his scheme... I had always thought His plots were outdated."
Ebner did not push her away, since he still had to ask for her help later. Sacrificing a little "charm" was acceptable.
"How are you so sure this is the 'Dragon of Imagination's' work, and not Hermes's?" Ebner asked after a few seconds of thought.
Vera shook her head seriously. "You haven't fully recovered your memories yet, so you may not understand Hermes... He actually fears you a great deal. More than Adam, even. He would never take the initiative to target Yaloran."
Fear means he's suffered before... Did Hermes learn the meaning of the name 'Liu Bo' and get contaminated? Ebner wondered.
Just then, Vera continued:
"You don't need to worry too much... From what I know of Yaloran, she wouldn't act without preparation...
"Even if she's caught off guard and the Hidden Sage discovers her true body, she surely left behind countermeasures... At a certain cost, she still has a good chance of escaping.
"Moreover, since this breach happened because of me, I will take responsibility!"
She lifted her chin and looked at Ebner again with a smile. "You came to me because you want me to stall that ancient dragon, don't you?"
…
Tuesday morning, Stone City, capital of East Chester County.
After a sleepless night, Ebner yawned as he stepped into a café and sat across from Xio Derecha, who was already waiting there.
(End of this chapter)