Is there the aura of this "Priestess" in the Black-robed Skeleton's bathwater?
Ian's reflexes weren't fast enough to span the Earth, and he almost immediately realized the true identity of the "Priestess" before him.
She was the Black-robed Skeleton's past! A... Goddess! Ian rarely felt genuinely panicked about things, but upon realizing he was face to face with a divine being without any warning, his heart did skip a beat.
"So this is the perilous ancient times!"
Coming from an era where deities were not apparent, Ian honestly never expected to encounter such a scene. For a moment, all he felt was strangeness and a magical sensation filling his thoughts.
Facing the Little Wizard's shocked reaction.
The "Priestess" lightly shook the potion bottle in her hand.
"Are you trying to skin me alive and draw my bones, oh, you are terrifying. I'm curious, does my flesh taste good?" She clearly could tell it was the product of large bones boiled into soup.
However.
From her slightly teasing tone, this unknown Goddess surprisingly was not angry. Her high and elegant nose added a certain dimension to her face, below which were soft and full lips, a delicate hue, and the slightly upturned corners of her mouth even carried a faint, elusive smile.
Of course.
Even though the "Priestess" appeared relaxed, Ian dared not let his guard down. He knew many women or girls, and if he learned anything from them, it's that women are capricious creatures. It's hard for an ordinary person to discern a woman's true thoughts just from her face and expressions, let alone her tone.
The Bad Woman Teacher Morgan is a very typical example.
The older the woman, the harder it is to fathom her inner thoughts.
Not to mention the "Goddess" in front of him was undoubtedly much older than Teacher Morgan.
"No, no, no, I am not that kind of evil person. I have never eaten your flesh. I think I can explain what's happening here." Ian hurriedly retreated several steps until his back was against the wall.
"Perhaps it all starts from why I came here..." The Little Wizard gathered his words, ready to showcase his specialty, omitting why he boiled large bones into soup, omitting how he often chased the "Black-robed Skeleton" knocking on their skull, only describing his pleasant interaction with the "Black-robed Skeleton."
However.
Just as he began to speak.
The next moment.
In just the blink of an eye, the "Priestess," who was originally standing more than twenty paces away, appeared right in front of him in the same "instantaneous" manner as before.
"The first rule of time travel... little guy, no spoilers." The "Priestess," now face-to-face, lifted her slender hand and placed her index finger on Ian's lips, signaling him to be silent.
Her face still carried a faint smile. When she spoke softly, her gentle voice was like a melody, seemingly able to calm all the noise and chaos of the world.
"Uh..."
Ian's eyes were only a palm's width away from the "Priestess."'s eyes.
He could see clearly that this Goddess's eyes were constantly changing color, like two deep and mysterious ancient wells, so profound as if they could perceive the essence of all things and the secrets of souls.
The Little Wizard, who had never encountered divinity, was basically clueless about gods.
Perhaps.
His worries might actually be nonexistent. It might not just be that Ian's origins are already known by this Goddess, but even the "misunderstanding" he felt might not exist.
Time.
Can obstruct mortals.
But may not be able to obstruct gods— Ian didn't know if this Goddess knew her own outcome, but he noticed that the contract representing the link with the "Black-robed Skeleton," held in his hand with the Magic Wand, had appeared at some unknown point, revealing much information to the deity before him.
However.
Ian couldn't discern from her expression how much she understood. The only relief he felt was that the appearance of the contract at least indicated he wouldn't be attacked.
The contract restricting the Black-robed Skeleton also restricted this Goddess before him.
"Could you quickly fetch me a basin of warm water?"
Ian tentatively whispered.
"???????"
The Goddess, occupying the identity of the Priestess, suddenly had her demeanor change from calm and graceful to astonished and incredulous, as if she had never anticipated the Little Wizard before her to be so audacious.
The Goddess's face showed a trace of reluctance, but she still gritted her teeth and wordlessly turned to leave the cellar, heading quickly towards the stairs.
It was clear she was going to follow Ian's "command" and bring water— "With love, you bestowed me flesh and blood, I serve you for ten thousand years," so the Black-robed Skeleton had once told Ian of the contract terms.
As the past of the Black-robed Skeleton, this Goddess indeed could not disobey.
Of course.
Ian also understood the principle of leaving room for maneuver, so he loudly explained why he needed a basin of hot water, primarily explaining it to Priest Laine who was still in the room.
"This is to test the source of the Curse on Patient Zero. Of course, if the Goddess can tell us the truth, all the troublesome processes could be spared."
Ian seemed to be speaking to Priest Laine, who was prostrated on the ground, but he also intentionally raised his voice to ensure the distant "Priestess" could hear.