Chapter 74: Different Treatment

Chapter 74: Different Treatment

Question? This strange wireless telegraph receiver is rather interesting… Danitz cleared his throat and said, “You may ask, but I may not answer.”

Heh, do you think I am the sort of adventurer or archaeologist who lets curiosity kill him? Danitz thought, both wary and smug.

The wireless telegraph receiver remained silent for several seconds before it once again produced tapping sounds. Illusory white paper emerged section by section, covered with words tinged slightly red:

“Are you secretly in love with your captain?”

… I am not! Do not talk nonsense! Who? Who told you that! Danitz’s face immediately flushed red.

The secret he had hidden deep in his heart for many years had suddenly been exposed, leaving him flustered, embarrassed, and ashamed. Instinctively, he was about to deny it.

At the same time, he was shocked and suspicious as to how an outsider could know this. He had never told anyone and had hidden the secret very well!

Danitz opened his mouth and forcibly squeezed out a smile.

“What a boring question. I refuse to answer!”

The wireless telegraph receiver tapped and spat out more white paper:

“Then let us change the question.

“If it were not true love, who could endure such dry and boring lessons for so long? Is this sentence right or wrong?”

“Wrong! It is because I am not strong enough and cannot beat her!” Danitz blurted out, his expression faintly twisted.

The tapping from the wireless telegraph receiver became increasingly brisk, and the words on the illusory white paper gradually multiplied:

“A lie.

“Let us change the question again.

“The type of woman you like is beautiful, powerful, mysterious, intellectual, and capable of stepping on you beneath her foot. Is that correct?”

…Danitz’s lips moved. He felt as though flames were rising inside his body and illusory black smoke was pouring out from the top of his head.

At that moment, his mind exploded. It was as if someone had stripped him naked and thrown him onto a bustling, lively street.

Instinctively, he looked around in panic, both searching for and avoiding any gaze that might fall upon him.

Then he saw that, at some unknown point, the bedroom door had opened. Gehrman Sparrow, wearing a white shirt that had not been tucked into his belt and a pair of looser black trousers, stood quietly there, no one knew how long he had been watching.

“When—when did you come out?” Danitz asked with a wooden expression and a stammer.

Tell me you just opened the door! he screamed and prayed inwardly.

Klein walked toward the spiritualized wireless telegraph receiver and answered calmly, “From the beginning.”

As a Seer, how could I possibly fail to notice strange movements outside? Even asleep, I still have spiritual intuition… Klein inwardly chuckled.

Danitz’s face instantly turned gray-white. He abruptly half turned and charged toward the wireless telegraph receiver, which seemed possessed by an evil spirit, attempting to tear apart the illusory white papers containing the three questions.

However, his hand passed through the words and grabbed nothing.

A crimson fireball once again condensed in his palm. He wanted to blow up this damned wireless telegraph receiver.

At that moment, Gehrman Sparrow swept him with a cold gaze that hid madness within it.

…Right. This is his property… Danitz stiffened where he stood and watched Gehrman Sparrow pass him, stopping before the abnormal wireless telegraph receiver.

Arrodes… How did it connect to this wireless telegraph receiver? It said it sensed a unique, familiar, and soon-to-vanish aura. Does that refer to the “aura” of the mysterious space above the gray fog?

This wireless telegraph receiver had been kept above the gray fog for several days. Although it did not mutate, it was stained with that aura. And because of its own function, it can temporarily receive messages from the spirit world. That allowed Arrodes, this magic mirror that seems to know many things, to discover it?

Wait, what are those questions afterward… I am Gehrman Sparrow. I am a cold and insane adventurer. I am a professional… I—I must not laugh out loud… Klein suppressed the corners of his mouth and quietly took a deep breath.

Danitz secretly glanced at his side profile, like a prisoner standing at the gallows, waiting for the rope to be pulled.

Seeing that Gehrman Sparrow’s expression did not change much, he slightly relaxed, feeling fortunate that the one who had witnessed this was a madman and not a normal human. Such matters would probably not interest him.

If it had been any other pirate, I would have no face to return to the Golden Dream. No, I would have no face to keep adventuring on the sea! He turned a gaze full of hatred and fear toward the wireless telegraph receiver, toward the demon calling itself Arrodes.

Then he heard more tapping and saw the wireless telegraph receiver spit out new white paper, with two neat and elegant lines of Loenese upon it:

“Your loyal and humble servant, Arrodes, is honored to have once again followed in Your footsteps, and awaits the chance to serve You at any moment.”

…This is not the same evil spirit as that Arrodes just now, right… Danitz’s face twitched slightly. He suddenly felt that everything tonight was not real enough.

Having finally suppressed his laughter, Klein keenly noticed one problem from the preceding example: Arrodes itself was not here. It should have used the spirit world and the wireless telegraph receiver’s “special function” to remotely send information. Therefore, when Danitz refused to answer the first question, it was unable to punish him and could only switch to another question.

“That is rather interesting. If I keep the wireless telegraph receiver above the gray fog for a long time, can it become a unique item capable of receiving ghost messages and spirit-world messages? Unfortunately, the law of conservation of Beyonder characteristics still applies. Even with the enhancement of the gray fog’s aura, an ordinary wireless telegraph receiver’s supernatural function will gradually fade away and eventually return to normal…

“Mm. Based on my mysticism knowledge, without using Beyonder characteristics, there is another way to maintain the supernatural quality of an ordinary object over a long period of time. That is to engrave the honorific name or true name of an angel—or even a deity—on it using a language capable of prying open the forces of nature… This is equivalent to borrowing ‘mystery’ and borrowing ‘power’ from the other party. Of course, the premise is that They agree… I myself cannot do it yet. At least, the ‘passwords’ I previously wrote in ancient Hermes did not make the paper mutate…

“Among true deities, I know one true name: the Primordial Demoness, Cheek… If I obtain Her honorific name and add Her true name, then engrave both onto this wireless telegraph receiver in ancient Hermes, what would happen? Would it release a virus? Would it gain a greater industrial aesthetic? Would it make fetishists fall in love with it…

“Uh, the greatest possibility is that, while engraving the honorific name and true name, the Primordial Demoness descends Her power and drains me dry on the spot… That is an extremely precise supernatural pointer…”

Strange thoughts flashed through Klein’s mind until Arrodes greeted him.

Perfect. This is a magic mirror that can answer questions… Klein’s heart stirred. He turned his head toward Danitz and said, “Stand guard outside the door.”

“…Alright!” Without the slightest hesitation, Danitz ran toward the door.

He was afraid that the demon named Arrodes would ask another question!

Only after Danitz entered the corridor and shut the door did Klein turn back to the wireless telegraph receiver connected to the magic mirror Arrodes. In a low voice, he said, “I have some questions.”

“It is my honor. May I address You as Master, great existence above the spirit world?” The wireless telegraph receiver tapped and spat out white paper.

This is far too attentive, far too shameless… It always feels like something is off… Klein considered briefly and said, “You may use any form of address.”

“Yes, Master!” Arrodes used an exclamation mark. “What is Your question?”

“Where can mermaids be found?” Klein asked directly.

Tap, tap, tap. The wireless telegraph receiver produced an answer:

“East of the Gargas Archipelago. Sailing along the route for one week gives a chance of encountering mermaids, but all mermaids there are believers of the Evernight Goddess.”

That is rather impressive… It is within reason, yet beyond expectation… Klein discovered that his earlier speculation had become reality in a way he had not anticipated.

Arrodes continued “typing”:

“If You mind this point, You may continue eastward, but that will be extremely dangerous. There, it is no longer a real ocean, but the ruins of the gods’ war. Of course, You certainly do not care about that.”

Who said I do not… I was thinking that, with the Sea God Scepter, even the most terrifying seas might have some chance of being entered. In the end, it turns out to be an ocean transformed from the battlefield of gods… As expected, there was indeed a divine war in ancient times… Was it the time when the Creator reclaimed the authorities of the ancient gods? Klein did not confirm or deny this. He watched as Arrodes made the wireless telegraph receiver spit out more words:

“In addition, inside the Evernight Goddess Church’s headquarters, the Cathedral of Serenity, and the Cathedral of Repose on Dinos Island, mermaids are kept.”

Aside from the Holy Cathedral, Dinos Island in the Sonia Sea also has mermaids? The former is too dangerous, with Grade 0 Sealed Artifacts and angel-level big shots. The latter can be considered. I could turn into some Nighthawk, priest, or bishop, sneak in, listen to their singing, and take the potion… No. The Church keeps mermaids specifically to guard against Faceless. How could they possibly not be prepared for that… I need to think of another method… Klein was just about to ask a second question when he saw the wireless telegraph receiver spit out a new piece of white paper:

“Great Master, I must follow certain rules. You must answer one question of mine in exchange.”

Answer your question? Klein raised a brow slightly, waiting for Arrodes to ask. He intended to decide whether or not to recognize this servant based on the circumstances.

Amid the tapping sounds, Arrodes formed a question with words:

“What are You preparing to eat for breakfast today?”

That is a high-level question… Klein answered calmly, “Whatever the inn provides.”

“A perfect answer!” Arrodes was only missing the sound of applause.

Without waiting for Klein to speak, it continued tapping out words:

“The aura above the spirit world is about to disappear. I await the next chance to serve You, great Master.”

After this page of illusory white paper emerged, the wireless telegraph receiver stopped and lost its deep, shadowy feeling.

If I want to contact the magic mirror Arrodes again, do I have to throw the wireless telegraph receiver above the gray fog for a few days first? Next time, I should ask about ways to remove mental pollution from Beyonder characteristics… Mm, this method must be used cautiously. Arrodes could use the special connection formed after the wireless telegraph receiver was stained with the aura to come over. It may not be impossible for those stronger and more terrifying than it to do the same… If I keep doing this, perhaps one day I will receive a telegram from the True Creator or the Primordial Demoness… Klein’s thoughts raced, and he noticed the hidden risk.