Chapter 100: A ‘Test’

Chapter 100: A ‘Test’

That gentle voice seemed to resonate with thoughts deep within Audrey’s heart. With only the slightest resistance, she felt that it came from her own heart, that it was her truest thought.

Hvin Rambis looked into her emerald eyes, speaking at a pace neither fast nor slow as he continued:

“Second, at the next banquets and balls, do not be quite so resistant to the advances of several princes. Before Earl and Countess Hall, offer them a few words of praise.

“Remember these words. This is the projection of your subconscious. Then, forget that I have ever come and spoken these words to you. Forget that this behavior differs from your original performance. Do not attempt to seek protection. And when attending the Church of Evernight’s major Mass, deviate from key positions…”

After saying this, Hvin Rambis withdrew his gaze from Audrey’s eyes and turned instead to suggest to Annie and the others that they should not feel surprised by their young lady’s subsequent abnormal behavior.

Once he had handled these matters, his figure disappeared from the carriage just like that, without causing the slightest disturbance.

Jingle jingle!

Another bicycle passed outside the window, and Audrey’s slightly unfocused eyes immediately recovered their luster.

She looked at the people and vehicles on the street. Then she suddenly let out a small “Oh no!”

Next, somewhat embarrassed, she turned back to Annie and the others and said,

“I forgot something. I have to visit Glaint first.”

At this time, the carriage had not yet left Queen Borough and was not too far from Viscount Glaint’s residence. Annie and the other servants did not find this strange or troublesome. They quickly instructed the coachman to turn onto another street.

Busy until 9:40, Audrey finally arrived at Pessfield Street, walked up to the second floor of the Loen Charity Bursary Foundation, and entered the office that belonged to her as a director.

Watching her personal maid Annie and the others either sort the file shelves or use the mountain spring water they carried with them to prepare black tea, Audrey brought the golden retriever Susie and opened the door to the small attached lounge, as though she wanted to examine her face again and determine whether she needed the maids’ help touching up her makeup.

During this process, Audrey glanced at the keyhole. In a rather relaxed state, she asked Susie,

“Was there anything abnormal about my behavior today?”

This was a habit she had developed only in the last few days, beginning after Hvin Rambis disappeared!

She knew that the angelic blessing from Mr. Fool was not permanent and could only last for a period of time. She also had no way of predicting whether Hvin Rambis would come looking for her, or when he would come. She could not pray to Mr. Fool in advance and make corresponding preparations. Thus, based on her understanding of psychology, mysticism, and a cautious attitude, not only did she review her own behavior three times a day to see whether there were any abnormalities, and whether there had been too many coincidences in the things that happened around her, she had also specifically instructed Susie to pay attention to her state and serve as her mirror.

This was to guard against being hypnotized and suggested by Hvin Rambis without realizing it!

The golden retriever Susie sat beside her and thought seriously for a moment before saying,

“Yes.”

“…” The faint smile on Audrey’s face froze at once. She hurriedly looked toward Susie and waited for her explanation.

Susie twitched her nose, glanced left and right, then continued,

“When you left the house, you had no plan to visit Viscount Glaint, but halfway through, you changed course and went there.

“Over the past few days, you have been telling me your general schedule in advance. You also said that if you temporarily added or changed plans, you would first discuss it with me.”

After hearing Susie’s answer, Audrey’s expression had already become solemn.

She still did not feel there was anything abnormal about the matter, but that state itself was the most abnormal thing!

This gave her an almost certain judgment:

Hvin Rambis had come. He had come after she left home and before she went to Glaint’s residence!

The other party had already given suggestions and hypnosis, eliminating all kinds of traces!

However, he did not “instruct” a dog and make “it” feel that everything it saw was normal… Audrey subconsciously wanted Susie to go outside so she could pray to Mr. Fool, but she then hesitated.

Is my behavior right now being monitored by Hvin Rambis? Could he be sitting somewhere in this room, quietly watching me… No. If that really is the case, then when I asked Susie just now, he would already have discovered the problem. Praying would not lead to a worse result… Even if he truly is here, Mr. Fool can also discover him. I can promise a future sacrifice and pray for Him to directly descend divine punishment… But why do I still not want to pray, not want to seek aid… Audrey stood in place, all kinds of thoughts flashing through her heart. Instinctively, she wanted to evade the matter.

This allowed her to detect the contradiction and discover the trace of resistance inside her heart.

From the perspective of psychology and mysticism, she vaguely formed a guess. She quickly discarded the thought of asking for help and put herself into the state she usually used when praying to the Goddess but not yearning for a response.

This immediately reduced most of the contradiction in her heart.

Audrey instantly grew certain. She first gestured for Susie to leave, then looked into the mirror and hypnotized herself in a very low voice:

“You are not seeking aid. You are merely carrying out daily prayer…

“You are not seeking aid. You are merely carrying out daily prayer…”

After repeating this many times, the shallow-green, soul-attracting whirlpool deep in Audrey’s eyes slowly dissipated, and her eyes returned to normal.

She then raised both hands, clasped them before her mouth and nose, and recited quietly in ancient Hermes:

“The Fool that doesn’t belong to this era… I may have already met Hvin Rambis…”

In her words, she did not mention hoping for help. She merely described what she had discovered just now.

After waiting for a while, crimson light surged before Audrey’s eyes, drowning her like a tide.

All of a sudden, her thoughts became clear, and scene after scene flashed rapidly through her mind.

There was Hvin Rambis, wearing a black three-piece suit, sitting inside the carriage directly opposite her;

There was the old man using a gentle voice to instruct her, sentence by sentence;

There was the demigod of the Spectator pathway whose pale-blue eyes seemed to contain endless wisdom and one whirlpool after another.

At the same time, those sentences echoed again beside Audrey’s ears, allowing her to completely remember everything that had previously happened.

When the crimson light vanished, what appeared before her eyes was the ancient, mottled bronze long table, and the mysterious figure shrouded in grayish-white fog who sat in the high-backed chair at the very top.

As emotions such as lingering fear, terror, and panic surged within her, Audrey stood and lifted the hem of her dress, curtsying toward that great existence.

“Thank you for Your protection, respected Mr. Fool.”

Klein gently nodded and smiled approvingly.

“You handled it well.”

Hearing these words, Audrey suddenly felt at ease and was no longer so frightened. She sat down and calmly described her experience from beginning to end, leaving nothing out.

As The Fool, Klein could not directly discuss the matter with Miss Justice, analyze it for her, or offer advice. He could only smile and say,

“This is a test from fate.”

A test? Only by passing this test will I truly have the qualifications to become a demigod and protect the people I wish to protect in the complicated situation of Backlund? Justice Audrey interpreted Mr. Fool’s hint and nodded seriously.

“I understand.”

Klein said nothing more. Half sighing and half smiling, he said,

“Return, and go welcome it.”

Audrey was about to express her gratitude again when crimson had already risen before her eyes, blurring everything she saw.

In the blink of an eye, she returned to the real world, yet she no longer forgot or ignored anything.

A test? Does this mean I must resolve the danger from Hvin Rambis while ensuring that my secret is not exposed? Even if Hvin Rambis dies, afterward, the Psychology Alchemists must not suspect me? How should I do that… Audrey looked at the exceptionally beautiful blond girl in the mirror. Her head tilted slightly, and she glanced toward the room diagonally opposite.

That direction held a large lounge used by directors who held no internal position in the foundation. When Audrey had gone upstairs nearly ten minutes ago, she had seen Mr. Dwayne Dantès inside.

…

Above the gray fog, Klein’s fingers lightly tapped the edge of the mottled long table as he analyzed what Miss Justice and Miss Judgement had encountered last night and this morning.

“This is not quite right. Adam already used Miss Judgement and Miss Magician to deliver the Unshadowed Cross to me, so how could He not know which existence stands behind them? Why would He need to test anything?

“Last night, I thought the investigation into Miss Xio was purely an action by the king’s faction, merely borrowing mid-sequence Beyonders from the Psychology Alchemists, while Adam, for some reason, had not shared the matter of The Fool with the king’s faction and the Demoness Sect. After all, He still hopes that I can feed some information back to Him…

“But looking at it now, this test also contains part of Adam’s will. Otherwise, Hvin Rambis would never have gotten involved. Even to the Twilight Hermit Order, a Saint is quite precious and important, not something so easily given up or sacrificed…

“What does Adam want to test? Whether Miss Judgement’s actions are purely based on her own reasons, or whether they also carry The Fool’s will?

“If The Fool has obtained the Unshadowed Cross, understood that the king’s secret is connected to Adam’s plan, and still insists on having His subordinates investigate, then that means He is an enemy of the Twilight Hermit Order. And Adam knows the true identity of Gehrman Sparrow, that favored one…

“But with Adam’s ability, He would not need to test anything. He could simply sit beside Miss Judgement, listen to her thoughts, and grasp the truth. There is no need to go through so many twists and turns…

“Unless He has already left Backlund—or rather, due to certain taboos, He does not dare enter this great metropolis again and can only investigate through subordinates…

“My reminder to Madam Arianna and the Church of Evernight worked. Adam detected the danger of divine descent?

“That is most likely the case. Although He clearly knows that Gehrman Sparrow is connected to the Death Consul, He probably has not yet discovered that something has gone wrong with the artificial Death. Even the Numinous Episcopate’s artificial Death faction has not discovered that point yet. Therefore, with the additional boost from the authority of concealment, He does not know that for a long period of time, the Goddess will be unable to descend…

“When dealing with Hvin Rambis next, Miss Justice must absolutely be cleared of suspicion and not be suspected.”

Just as Klein thought this, through the corresponding prayer light dot, he saw Miss Justice Audrey enter the directors’ lounge in search of Dwayne Dantès.

He hurriedly reined in his thoughts and returned to the real world.