This question came a bit out of nowhere. Audrey didn't dwell any further on what that pitying gaze from earlier meant.
"I've only played around near the coast. As for islands deep in the ocean, I've only seen them in some pictures," Audrey answered honestly.
"If we compare the human subconscious world to the ocean, then what do you think the islands that rise above the water symbolize?"
Hastur deliberately used this opportunity to explain some related knowledge to Audrey. After listening to her account this time, he realized just how perilous her adventure story had been.
Luckily, this was a mind world without much danger. If it had been a mind world filled with dark emotions and thoughts...
Then every single twisted tree would have become a lethal monster!
And then there was the issue of casually choosing a direction to walk in, without being able to confirm one's position, leading to getting lost. That was also a very serious problem.
In this Mysteries world, every moment of negligence could be accompanied by the danger of death. Audrey's longing for adventure stories was a very dangerous signal.
It meant her innocent kindness had yet to witness the terrifying side of the world.
Hastur hadn't originally wanted to say so much, but for Audrey's safety, he had to let her understand how frightening the mind world could be. The Beyonder world was not as simple as she imagined, nor was it any kind of fairy tale.
"Islands symbolize the anchors that stabilize a mind world?" Audrey had some knowledge in this area and offered a fairly decent interpretation.
"If the ocean never truly belongs to any one person, and every individual's consciousness is just a drop of water within it, then under such circumstances, what do the islands symbolize?"
Somewhat uncertain, Audrey replied, "Temporary safe harbors?"
"And the surging waves and the hidden reefs beneath the sea, what do they each symbolize?"
"Violent emotional fluctuations and the subconscious." Audrey was quite confident about this answer.
"If a single mind world is an island in the vast ocean, then what do you think it means when you wander around recklessly in an unknown mind world?"
"..." Only then did Audrey understand the purpose behind Mr. Hastur's roundabout words.
He was reminding her that her previous exploratory behavior had been reckless and extremely dangerous.
If she were to leave the safety of the island, or if the island itself were about to be submerged by the sea, then her actions would be no different from seeking death.
Audrey's face flushed slightly, burning with embarrassment, shame, and lingering fear.
"The Beyonder world is terrifying and dangerous. The mind world is even more intricate and unpredictable. In short, try to be as careful as possible."
Hastur stopped there and then shifted the topic, chatting with Audrey about how he had gone on adventures together with Susie.
After the conversation ended, Hastur bade farewell to Audrey and Earl Hall, then boarded a carriage to his estate.
....
Backlund, West Borough.
Having firmly established himself within the Nighthawks team, Klein began searching for traces of Lanevus.
He had been busy dealing with other matters during this period, leaving him unable to free up time to resolve Lanevus' issue.
Compared to Ince Zangwill, Lanevus was a relatively easier enemy to deal with.
The Braveheart Bar, Klein had been here once before. Combined with Leonard's matter, he now had a deeper understanding of this tavern.
As per Leonard's instruction, he met Kaspars and told him that he had been introduced by the old man.
"..." Kaspars stared at Klein for quite a while. Just how many people had the old man introduced by now?
That Baron Hastur Campbell had also been introduced by the old man, right?
Then that yellow haired man. Why did he like introducing people to this place so much?
"Is there a problem?" Seeing the other party remain silent for so long, Klein thought he might have recognized his identity as a member of the Nighthawks.
"You don't look like someone from Backlund."
"So now this place has started questioning guests about their background?"
"It didn't need to before. That was because the old man didn't introduce many people."
"So I don't have the qualifications to attend the gathering?"
"You can attend, but on the condition that you pass along a message to the old man for me."
"What message?"
"If he dares to introduce people again next time, tell him to remember to wash his head clean first."
Klein fell silent. He hadn't actually been introduced by the old man. It was only through Leonard's account that he had learned of such a person.
In the current situation, he could agree to it, but if that so called old man were to introduce someone else later, wouldn't that end up getting the old man killed for no reason?
"Hmph, not even willing to pass along a single message?"
"There's a difference between delivering good words and threats. The old man introduced me here, I won't do anything that would put him in danger because of me."
"Not a bad temperament. Follow me." Kaspars acknowledged the young man's character and no longer dwelled on the matter of the old man.
"Oh right, you'll need to pay me a reward of five pounds." That's a bit expensive... almost equal to three days of my income.
Klein muttered inwardly, but still agreed.
After arriving behind the alley, Kaspars watched Klein head off to attend the Beyonder gathering, then turned and left the alley, going to where Maric was.
"What happened?" Maric, who was sparring with his own living corpse, spoke without even lifting his head.
"Recently, it seems that many unfamiliar people have been coming to the Braveheart Bar. Do we need to change our base?"
"We'll decide after I go back and discuss it. You should leave first."
After Kaspars left, Maric showed no sign of joy despite having successfully won this round of gambling.
Recently, Sharon had also been repeatedly emphasizing the need to act more cautiously, saying that more and more Beyonders were flooding into Backlund. Among them were not only powerful Beyonders, but even traces of activity from the Witch Sect.
"Sigh... why can't there ever be peace wherever we go?"
Maric let out a sigh. Like Sharon, he didn't really want to leave Backlund, but if the situation there became increasingly complicated, staying would be just as dangerous.
....
A little past eleven at night, after soothing the neglected Ariella, Hastur lay on the bed and entered the Hall of Stars.
Recently, he had noticed new changes in that small star representing the High-Dimensional Overlooker.
That devout believer with white cloth wrapped around his eyes had already gained quite a reputation nearby and gathered many new followers around him.
From Hastur's observations, this devout believer relied on blind fortune-telling to help others foresee future events, thereby gaining the support of some people.
He also styled himself as a divine emissary and preacher. This was a very common and very effective way of developing followers.
What made Hastur curious was that this devout believer's blind fortune-telling ability was extremely strong. He didn't know whether it was the gaze of the High-Dimensional Overlooker watching over this place, or whether those white crystal eyeballs were providing assistance.
After watching for a while, Hastur shifted his gaze to another small point of light.
The scene was still on the sea. The only difference from before was that Alger was nowhere to be seen nearby. It was unclear whether he had escaped, or whether the High-Dimensional Overlooker had changed to a new target of bullying.
After observing for a bit, Hastur realized that the High-Dimensional Overlooker had already left the Blue Avenger and arrived aboard the King of Immortality Agalito's Death Announcer.
"This King of Immortality really has terrible luck, to run into the High-Dimensional Overlooker in the vast ocean."
Hastur only glanced once before turning his attention to the surrounding sea. He had no intention of mourning for the King of Immortality, at most, this was just evil meeting its own retribution.
What truly concerned him was that the Death Announcer's course, where the High-Dimensional Overlooker resided, seemed to be heading toward the Southern Continent.
During this period, there had been a constant stream of reports about the chaotic situation in the Southern Continent being sent back to Backlund, published in newspapers for interested readers to catch a glimpse.
Just the Dixi Bay area alone had seen an unknown number of Southern Continent merchants and nobles withdraw there during this time.
All of this information pointed to a single signal: a large-scale war in the Southern Continent was inevitable.
If the High-Dimensional Overlooker truly went to the Southern Continent at this time, then he would warn Bernadette to leave in advance.
Because the High-Dimensional Overlooker was very likely coming for the Son of Chaos.
"Let's hope things won't get that bad."
Hastur was still somewhat worried about Bernadette's situation. She was currently his most capable follower.
After checking on the High-Dimensional Overlooker, Hastur habitually swept his gaze across the stars representing the Mother Tree of Desire, the Son of Chaos, the Supernova Dominator, as well as the True Creator and Adam.
Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, he withdrew his gaze and left the Hall of Stars.
....
Southern Continent.
Deep within a primeval forest, Bernadette could already sense the increasingly heavy scent of war permeating the Southern Continent.
At this rate, before the New Year, or early next year, a great war would begin.
Even if the native forces of the Southern Continent wanted to avoid war as much as possible, with more and more personnel from the Church of the Eternal Blazing Sun being sent here, the Seven Gods' churches seemed to have barely reached a unified agreement, to prioritize exterminating the remnants of the Rose School of Thought.
She had even seen a War Bishop arrive in the Southern Continent a few days ago.
Coupled with a large group of ill-intentioned individuals from the Northern Continent, war was already unavoidable.
What surprised her was that despite the situation in the Southern Continent being so chaotic, and despite the Church of the Eternal Blazing Sun almost digging three feet into the ground in their searches, every member of the Rose School of Thought they captured turned out to be insignificant figures.
Especially Suah, the Abomination, there was no trace of his aura at all.
She had also suspected that the true elite of the Rose School of Thought had already left the Southern Continent, but judging from the actions of the Church of the Eternal Blazing Sun, the Abomination was definitely still in the Southern Continent.
Recently, the seas had also been far from peaceful. First, the Blue Avenger had forcibly charged into the Abyss of Storms, resulting in the fall of a Sequence 3.
Later, Agalito, the King of Immortality, one of the Four Kings, was subdued, and the Death Announcer became someone else's vessel.
Chaos, war... was this the situation the Rose School of Thought had been hoping for?