Rorsted Archipelago seas — aboard the slowly sailing Future.
"Admiral of Stars" Cattleya pushed up her glasses and glanced at the "Queen of Mysteries" sitting not far away, fiddling with a chessboard. A faint smile curved her lips.
Ever since leaving the Dawn, she had dreamed of such a peaceful, heartwarming scene—and now it was finally real.
Praise Mr. Fool, she thought silently with gratitude. Then, remembering the message "The World" had relayed through that great existence, she couldn't help but worry for the Queen.
Although "Tower" was also a member of the Tarot Club and had once traded Astral Dust with her, she only knew he was a powerful demigod—nothing more.
Wouldn't it be dangerous for the Queen to accompany him on an expedition so recklessly?
But… it was Her Majesty's own decision. She couldn't interfere.
At least "Justice" would be there too—a kind-hearted young lady favored by Mr. Fool. With her around, "Tower" was unlikely to act improperly.
As Cattleya's thoughts drifted, she suddenly saw the "Queen of Mysteries," Bernadette, pick up every chess piece on one side of the board, then place down even more. The young woman's brows furrowed slightly in confusion.
Why does this feel different from the "chess" Her Majesty taught me before?
Just as Cattleya was puzzling over it, Bernadette stopped her movements, tidied the chessboard neatly, and turned toward the other side of the captain's cabin.
Cattleya's spiritual intuition stirred; after only a few seconds' delay, she also turned her head.
There stood a black-haired, black-eyed gentleman with sharp features and a slightly sickly pallor. He wore a black shirt with leg-of-mutton sleeves and a hooded cloak draped over his shoulders.
Cattleya's eyes narrowed slightly. After a brief hesitation, she asked uncertainly,
"...Professor?"
After all, this "Professor" had become notorious for publicly distributing "educational recordings" that solved the Astrological Cult's aftermath—straight into the homes of Loen's admirals and the Storm Church's demigods.
He wasn't wanted officially, but his face was already widely known.
Cattleya had never expected the flamboyant "Professor" to actually be "Tower."
But thinking about it, that fits his image in the Tarot Club—erudite and fond of teaching others.
While she was still digesting the realization, Mr. Tower lifted his hood, bowed politely, and greeted them with a smile:
"Good evening, ladies."
The young man who appeared so suddenly in the captain's cabin was, of course, Ebner. With Klein's help, he had accurately locked onto Cattleya's location, appearing before the "Admiral of Stars" and the "Queen of Mysteries."
—Of course, he had obtained Cattleya's consent beforehand.
After a few seconds of silence, Cattleya turned to Bernadette. The latter gave her a slight nod before returning her calm gaze to Ebner.
"Good evening… When do we depart?" she asked in her usual toneless, tranquil voice.
"Anytime you wish, my lady." Ebner smiled, then swiftly began setting up the teleportation altar he had prepared.
Unlike the mid-Sequence Audrey, Ebner dared not directly teleport alongside a high-Sequence being he didn't know well.
Even if Bernadette was famously upright and kind—and had always been good to Jane—he still kept necessary precautions.
Besides, the "Saintly Bernadette" probably wasn't fond of physical contact, so this was also out of courtesy.
A ring of flames flared into existence on the cabin floor. Ebner gestured politely, saying, "After you," before stepping into the fire circle himself.
Bernadette gave Cattleya a reassuring look, then followed without hesitation.
…
Intis, Tosck — in the underground ritual chamber of the Surry family.
Her temper and aura… they remind me of my younger self.
So graceful and composed… and such overwhelming presence. Truly the "Queen of Mysteries." She's even more perfect than I imagined!
After exchanging greetings, Audrey and Bernadette studied one another, the same thoughts echoing in both their minds.
Neither spoke further; they weren't familiar, after all. Instead, both turned their gaze to the one leading the expedition—Ebner.
Bernadette's attention, however, briefly lingered on the three "Blasphemy Cards" laid nearby, her expression pensive.
Ebner wasted no time. After surveying the chamber, he said directly,
"Let's go in."
"All right," replied Audrey, her voice muffled behind the silver-white mask.
The Queen of Mysteries glanced again at the three cards before simply nodding.
"Okay."
Ebner immediately performed the ritual, opening the passage into Groselle's Travels.
Soon, amidst snow the size of goose feathers and a biting cold wind, a massive frost dragon lay sprawled pitifully on the ground, allowing Ebner, Bernadette, and Audrey to climb onto its back.
Audrey's eyes lit up as she admired the dragon's translucent blue scales, as beautiful as carved sapphires.
"Can I collect a few scales to take back as souvenirs?" she asked excitedly.
"This is an imagined world," Ebner replied while using his "Nightmare" power to draw the members of Groselle's team into dreams. "The scales can't be brought out."
"Oh…" Audrey sighed in disappointment, running her hand lightly over the "King of the North" Ulyssan's scales.
At that moment, Ebner suddenly had a thought. The state of the "King of the North" Ulyssan reminded him of the "Morning Star City" nightmare back in Afternoon Town. He smiled and added, "Unless you make a wish to me."
"Make a wish?" Audrey blinked, puzzled.
"Make a wish…" Bernadette repeated softly, her calm eyes tinged with curiosity.
"Yes, make a wish." Ebner nodded lightly. "If I remember right, your birthday's next month? Wishing on your birthday might work even better."
After all, Alvin wasn't revived yet—but by next month, that should be about right…
And in a world where mysticism was real, perhaps "birthday wishes" truly did carry power.
Audrey grew even more confused, about to ask further when the scene before her abruptly changed.
Before her eyes appeared a colossal, island-sized city at the bottom of a deep-sea trench.
Its foundation was gray-white, supporting countless towering stone pillars, dozens or even hundreds of meters tall. Some stood alone, others upheld magnificent, ancient palaces—an architecture both strange and grand, clearly not the work of any ordinary race.
Having visited several times before, Ebner skillfully guided the "King of the North" through the collective subconscious sea, entering the "City of Miracles" and landing in the "Hall of Honesty."
So this is the City of Miracles! How magnificent!
The same thought crossed both Audrey and Bernadette's minds, followed by their voices overlapping—Audrey's soft, curious tone and Bernadette's calm yet inquisitive one:
"So this is the City of Miracles! How magnificent!"
Wait—did the hall just echo our thoughts aloud?
Hmm… this is the divine kingdom of Ankewelt, the Dragon of Imagination—it makes sense that it can read minds…
Hold on, no—Ebner's been here before! Why didn't he warn me about this?
Ah! I just said "Mr. Tower" out loud!
Hearing her own inner thoughts being "broadcast," Audrey instinctively covered her mouth—but it made no difference.
"Ebner? Ebner Bryan?" Bernadette's cool, measured inner voice also rang through the air. "The young man who taught Jane all those strange new chess rules—he's already become a demigod? I remember just a year ago he was only Sequence 7."
Strange rules? That's called "Wan Ning Chess," thank you very much! But really, why is that the first thing she remembers?
Right—Emperor Roselle did say she was beautiful, gentle, clever, dutiful to her father, protective of her brother, loving toward her mother… and at times, a little too honest, too earnest—almost naïve. He used to cheat when playing games with her just to tease her, and she never noticed…
Don't tell me she actually studied the new chess rules seriously after learning them from Jane…
Glancing at Bernadette, Ebner deliberately relaxed his secret technique's restraint, letting those thoughts slip out.
Bernadette froze for several seconds before her surroundings echoed with her voice again—now carrying rare astonishment:
"This… this came from the 'Seal of Calamity'? He cheated back then?!"
(End of this chapter)