After thinking about all these things, I finally asked Den, "Do you know anything about the Order Eye Group?" Den replied without hesitation, "No. I don't know anything at all about that group."
Then I asked, "So can you tell me something more about Angel of Dragon, Mercury?" Den stayed silent for a few moments and then said, "To be honest, apart from the information you've given me, I don't know much either. I only know this much—that Angel of Dragon… is a dragon."
I stared at him. Then I said, "Wow, Den. Amazing information." "That's something even the royal family would know." "I mean, Angel of Dragon is a dragon—thanks for that revelation." Den looked slightly embarrassed and said, "Thanks… for the praise." My patience snapped. "Bro," I said irritably, "if Angel of Dragon wasn't a dragon, would she be a snake like you?" "Tell me something useful."
Den replied, "Look, I really don't have more information than this. If you want to ask something else, ask."
At that moment, there was a knock on the door. I called out from the room, "Who is it?" Historia's voice came from outside. "Master, it's time for dinner. You've been called to the dining table." Without opening the door, I replied, "I'll come in five minutes." "Alright, Master," Historia said. "I'll wait."
After she left, I looked out of the window. Darkness had completely descended over the city. I had done a lot today, but one problem still remained—this notebook. I had to secretly return it to the basement tonight after everyone slept. For now, I would have to keep it in the room. Just as I said that, Den spoke, "Why so much tension? Give the notebook to me. I'll keep it safe."
I was shocked. "What do you mean?" Den said, "Put it into my stomach." I stared at him. "Den," I said in disbelief, "this notebook is thick. And you… are very thin. If I put it into your stomach, your stomach will burst." Den laughed and replied, "You don't need to worry about that. You still don't know my abilities."
"Oh really?" I said. "So apart from running your mouth, you can use other abilities too?" Den made a face. "I have abilities far better than yours." "Then go on," I said. "Tell me about them."
Den started explaining. "My first and main ability is Vacuum Pocket." "Vacuum Pocket?" I asked. "What does it do?" Den said, "Inside my stomach, for now, I can store up to about 20 kilograms of items. Whatever goes inside my stomach enters a vacuum space. No pressure, no distortion. And the route—" Den showed his teeth. "—is through my mouth."
Saying this, Den went to the notebook lying on the table, opened his small mouth, and swallowed the notebook. I stared with my eyes wide open. The notebook completely disappeared inside him, but Den's stomach didn't bulge even a little. It looked completely normal. "See?" Den said. "Now it's completely safe." I nodded. "Wow… this is truly an amazing ability." Den smiled. "I have more abilities."
He said, "With one ability, I can slightly hypnotize normal humans, make them tell the truth, and show them small illusions." "And there's another ability—Sleeping Bell. With it, I can put children to sleep, and force normal humans into drowsiness. I can't fully put them to sleep, but resisting it is difficult." I took a deep breath. "Alright," I said. "Now I should go downstairs." Den said, "Okay. I'll wait here."
I left the room and went downstairs. Dinner was laid out in the dining room. Mom Rose looked at me. "Jona, where were you the whole day?" "I just went to the library," I replied. "Nothing much." "Did you find any useful books?" she asked. I hesitated slightly. "I just went for some light studying." After that, I quietly ate my food. As soon as dinner ended, I returned to my room. Now I just had to wait for everyone to sleep.
Slowly, time passed. It was now 11:00 PM. The family had gone to sleep by 10:30. The maid staff had finished work by 10:45. Now it was safe to go to the basement. But today, the holo's diamond wouldn't be useful. From yesterday's events, I already knew it only glows on a full-moon night. So I took a lantern and, along with Den, headed toward the basement.
I reached the basement corridor, stood in front of the basement door, and slowly opened it. Everything looked normal—the same junk room, the same old items. But the box from which I had stolen the notebook was not there. That meant this wasn't the room where the notebook was kept. I panicked. Then I remembered last night.
When I opened the door the first time yesterday, I saw a woman chained inside. When I closed the door and opened it the second time, a different room appeared—the one with the notebook. With that thought, I closed the door and opened it again, but it was the same room. No change in smell, no change in items. I closed the door again, opened it again—still the same room. I kept opening and closing the door repeatedly, but every time, the same room appeared—the room I didn't want to see.
Den asked, "What are you doing?"
At that moment, footsteps echoed from outside the corridor. Maybe a maid was still awake. I didn't take the risk. I abandoned the basement plan and quietly returned to my room.
Back in the room, I started pacing angrily. I was extremely frustrated because my plan had failed. I kept thinking why the door wasn't opening to the room with the box. No matter how many times I opened it, it only opened to the junk room. But last night, the door had changed rooms. Seeing my reaction, Den asked why I was reacting like this and why I hadn't told him how I stole the notebook.
I calmed down a bit and told Den everything—how I went to the basement, stole the notebook, and about the chained woman I saw behind the door. After hearing all this, Den reached a conclusion. He said the door might be a type of Hallowed that connects different rooms. A bell rang in my mind. Maybe the door connects three or more rooms, but when anyone other than Narco opens it, it only opens to the real basement room. Narco, however, can open it to any room at will.
If that's true, then when I saw the chained woman, did Narco imprison her there? But why would Narco do that? He's a Senator Council member. If that woman committed a crime, he could easily put her in jail permanently. Why would he personally keep her imprisoned? Den said he didn't think Narco would do something like that and that there might be another reason behind it.
Den asked again how I stole the notebook. I replied that I stole it secretly last night. When I opened the basement door the first time, I saw a woman chained inside, wearing an old-fashioned skirt, her hair reaching her waist, injuries on her face showing her pain. She looked like she wanted to escape but had accepted her fate, maybe out of guilt or as punishment for her sins. Den listened carefully but didn't react much. He said, "We may need to know more about the night of that party."
I asked, "But why and how will we find out what happened that night?" Den's eyes shone. "I have a way. Mirror Divination."
"What is that?" I asked. Den smiled. "I won't tell you. I'll show you."
He asked if I still had the clothes I wore to the party. I said yes; Historia must have cleaned them and kept them in the wardrobe. I opened the wardrobe, found the shirt, and took it out. Den said, "Perfect."
Then Den asked about Heater. I told him Heater had left some time ago, but there was no need to worry because Heater had given me a spell to summon him. Den was shocked. "That spirit even gave you a summoning spell? Amazing. Then summon him quickly."
I started chanting Heater's spell
From the depths of the void , I call the become the unseen wall stand guard for your massage
Manifest... heater
and he appeared from blue particles. "Master, did you summon me? How can I help?" Den ordered Heater and said we summoned him for clothes. Both Heater and I were shocked. Den explained that we would use Mirror Divination. Heater was told to hold the shirt and press it against the mirror while Den performed the ritual. I brought a mirror about four to four-and-a-half feet tall and placed it in front of us.
Den sat in front of the mirror and started chanting a spell
"O' Echo of the Shattered Past,
Trapped in the Silver, Bound to the Glass.
Thread of the Garment, Spark of the Night,
Burn through the Veil, Reveal the Sight!
ORUM-VOS-MIRRA...
REVEAL THE TRUTH THAT TIME HAS HIDDEN!"
, while Heater kept pressing the shirt against the mirror. As the process continued, an unnatural silence filled the room with a strange Aurum influence. Suddenly, I saw movement inside the mirror—black and white pixels like a TV that had lost its signal. Then images started forming, but the very next moment, everything vanished. Even my reflection disappeared. The mirror turned completely black, and then cracks appeared with a breaking sound.
It was clear. Den's Mirror Divination had failed.
But the question remained
but why?