Fors had seen Xio on the verge of breakdown before. To support her helpless mother and young brother, and to investigate the truth of her father's death, too much weight rested upon this girl's shoulders.
But this,bursting into a loud sob,was a first.
In truth, Xio wasn't breaking down; she was venting suppressed emotions. After a good cry, much of the pressure was released. She took a deep breath, took the tissue Fors handed her, wiped her messy face, and said in a slightly nasal voice:
"That honorific name... I've heard it before."
"What is it? The True Creator? The Hidden Sage? Or the True Entity of the Cosmos?" Fors listed several well-known evil gods (speaking their names in common language doesn't draw their gaze). Xio shook her head each time. Finally, with a confused look, she uttered a single name, "The Fool."
"The Fool? It sounds like a Tarot card." Fors narrowed her eyes, recalling the journals she had inherited from Madame Anisa. There was no mention of such a name.
Eventually, she gave up on the internal search and looked at Xio with a strange expression.
"I've never heard of a hidden entity or evil god by that name. Where did you hear it?"
"That..." Xio hesitated.
Although she had only heard it once, she remembered it clearly. Mr. Snow von Panreadax had mentioned two "less dangerous hidden entities." One of them was The Fool.
But should she tell Fors?
Would Fors try to pray to that entity?
'Should I judge it myself first? If it's really as "safe" as Mr. Snow said, then I'll tell her.'
Seeing Xio lost in thought, Fors grew a bit angry. She raised her voice slightly.
"Xio, we are friends. I'm worried about you. If you think there's danger, tell me. I won't pry, but I hope you at least tell me how I can help you."
"..." Seeing Fors's mixture of anger and concern, Xio's heart warmed. After a moment's struggle, she finally spoke, "Do you remember Mr. Panreadax?"
"Panreadax?" Fors didn't recognize the surname immediately, but a [Student]'s brain was sharp. After a quick search, she found the name.
"You mean that Snow? Did you visit him again? Was that exhausting mission from him?"
As a best-selling novelist capable of writing brilliant mystery plots, Fors immediately constructed a logical chain of evidence. Snow was a famous social butterfly in high society; it was normal for him to know the secrets of the nobility. He could tell at a glance that her teleportation stone had issues, so he was definitely a Beyonder. Xio had gone to him out of curiosity, found a lead on her father, and was forced to complete tasks for him in exchange.
But...
What did this have to do with a hidden entity?
"Could it be... Snow is a believer of this 'Fool'?"
Fors frowned, even beginning to suspect if many Ruen nobles were actually secret cultists.
Xio shook her head.
"I don't know if he is. But when I asked him about a way to solve your full moon ravings, he told me that one could gain protection by praying to a deity or a less dangerous hidden entity. He gave two examples. One was 'The Fool.'"
"What? You asked him about my full moon ravings? Didn't I tell you it was fine?" Fors was startled, but a spark of undeniable hope flickered in her eyes. Xio frowned at her.
"Fors, don't lie to me! You never sleep with me on full moons, and if I hadn't stopped you, you would have tried that thing! I asked Mr. Panreadax. He said it's an ancestral influence from a hidden entity, and it will only get heavier with time!"
"He really knows?" Fors's eyes widened. She tried to hide it, but how could an [Apprentice] with no facial control lie to an [Arbiter]?
"I knew it! You've been lying to me!" Xio's eyes glared, taking the initiative. Overwhelmed by Xio's authority, Fors shrank her neck and whispered, "I just didn't want you to worry... Wait! We're talking about your problem right now!"
Xio realized her tactic had been exposed but stood her ground.
"In any case, we both lied to each other. We're even."
"How is that... ugh, fine. Tell me, what exactly did Snow say to you? And what price did you pay? Since you asked for my sake, you shouldn't carry the burden alone."
Fors took a deep breath, adjusting her mood for the coming answers. Xio's face showed a complex emotion, but she eventually nodded.
"He told me there are only two ways for your full moon ravings: become a demigod yourself, or pray for the protection of a Great Existence. He said the one influencing you is a 'Great Existence' even stronger than the Hidden Sage."
"That's it?" Fors was disappointed. A demigod? she didn't even know where her Sequence 8 was; how could she dream of being a demigod?
"That's it. He also said that if you were a loyal enough believer, you could go to the Orthodox Churches and pray for help..."
Xio spoke in a tone that suggested it was a useless piece of advice. Fors nodded in agreement. Even if she had once been somewhat devout, those years of full moon ravings had long since worn away any scrap of faith.
"Since he said 'The Fool' is 'less dangerous,' it should be fine for now. I'll go with you to see Snow tomorrow. I want to hear what he says about the full moon ravings myself."
Fors comforted Xio softly while gently stroking her hair. But then, she suddenly remembered something.
"You mentioned he listed two 'less dangerous hidden entities.' What was the other one?"
"It sounded like... 'Paradox'?" Xio thought for a moment and said the name tentatively. Fors had a strange expression on her face.
"Paradox? That sounds like a mathematical term. Is there really a hidden entity with that name?"
"Maybe it's precisely because it's not dangerous that so few people know of it." Xio seemed to be comforting herself as much as Fors. Fors nodded.
"Let's leave it at that for tonight. We'll sleep together, and I'll go with you to find him tomorrow morning."
[Translated and Rewritten by Shika_Kagura]
T/N: "Great Existence" (伟大存在) - A term for powerful beings beyond the standard human/Beyonder hierarchy.
T/N: "Paradox" (悖论) - Also the name of Snow's pathway.
T/N: "Apprentice" (学徒) - Reminder: Sequence 9 of the Door pathway.