In the parlor of the Gusitafu residence, Xialuote sat on a wide, high-backed chair with her hands folded over her knees, maintaining the demure composure expected of a noble lady.
She could feel Laila, standing by the door, casting curious glances in her direction from time to time.
First, her young mistress had been rescued at the Gusitafu residence by that young master; then she had visited twice, and between those visits, they had met in private several times at places like the printing plant and the hunting grounds. Even though a maid had almost always been present or the meetings had taken place in public settings, it was more than enough to set her personal maid's imagination running wild.
Still, a young lady of the Suolun household and a young master of the Gusitafu family were of comparable social standing, and both were still young. From any angle, it looked like the prologue to some aristocratic romance. Once both came of age, their elders might well give serious thought to the possibility.
Of course, those are just the sort of thoughts floating around in Laila's head. I only came to talk business... Xialuote muttered silently to herself. Then she reflected that her current female identity was indeed a nuisance: even when what she and Luosaier discussed were partnerships in business or information regarding the Beyonder world, in the eyes of onlookers it easily devolved into "Miss Xialuote went to see Luosaier again."
What others thought naturally would not alter Xialuote's actions, but while waiting for Luosaier to come downstairs, her thoughts inevitably drifted elsewhere—for instance, to Zhuli'an Laite, whom she had killed with her own hands.
According to the Purifiers' subsequent assessment, the abilities the evil cultist displayed were roughly close to Sequence 7, but he was not necessarily a Beyonder who had advanced by properly consuming potions. Following his death, no ordinary remnants possessing Beyonder power had appeared, nor did the corpse show any clear signs of continuing to transform into a Sealed Artifact or other dangerous anomaly.
Weiyefu suspected that the dagger, having absorbed a vast amount of Zhuli'an's blood, might have absorbed that power as well. She had already reported the matter to Saint Luoke Cathedral so they could determine whether that Grade 3 Sealed Artifact had undergone any change.
Xialuote had also written a report detailing her battle and submitted it to Weiyefu. Although Zhuli'an had first been wounded by Weiyefu's solar radiance and the shadow creature he used for his sneak attack had been purified, significantly reducing his combat capability, for a Sequence 9 Arbiter to take down a mid-sequence Beyonder single-handedly was still a glorious triumph.
As for the two "convictions" he had pronounced, she had formed her own conclusions.
The cultist's charge of "murder" was undoubtedly an error in judgment. As for "actively committing a crime," while it seemed reasonable enough from Zhuli'an's perspective—after all, Xialuote had broken into his office and attacked him with a blade—from Xialuote's side, she had been assisting official Beyonders in apprehending a suspected evil cultist, acting in self-defense when met with his resistance.
Such "crimes" did not seem to follow Zhuli'an's subjective verdict, but rather relied on a common-sense judgment. Official personnel apprehending a suspect was clearly not a crime; conversely, a suspect attacking someone assisting in the arrest was the act that truly warranted conviction.
That was why Xialuote, after a fleeting moment of bodily rigidity, had quickly recovered and intentionally feigned being restrained, using the opportunity to draw Zhuli'an near before delivering the fatal blow.
Passing judgment according to universal values... this might be of some help in acting as an Arbiter... She gradually drew her thoughts together, just in time to hear a set of approaching footsteps before Luosaier Gusitafu appeared in the parlor doorway.
He wore a neat coat, clearly tidied up in haste. Seeing Xialuote seated there, he bowed and offered a genuine smile.
"Good afternoon, Xialuote."
"Good afternoon, Luosaier."
Xialuote rose and returned the greeting in kind.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Xialuote turned and signaled for Laila to wait outside. A flicker of hesitation crossed the maid's face, but she withdrew just outside the parlor to a spot where she could keep both in view without overhearing what was said.
She's definitely imagining something thoroughly improper again... Xialuote sighed internally. Unable to be bothered worrying about her reputation any further, she asked directly:
"You've already become a Beyonder?"
Unable to conceal his excitement, Luosaier nodded and answered, "Two days ago, I drank the Savant potion. It gave my memory and capacity for learning a qualitative leap. What's more, a great deal of knowledge I'd only glanced at once before has come flooding back to mind.
"I feel like if I wanted to, I could go and teach as a professor at a university in Telier right now."
Watching him drift further into exaggeration, Xialuote could not help letting out a soft laugh. "Sounds like you feel quite formidable now."
"It's not just a feeling; it's an objective fact," Luosaier answered solemnly, only to break into a chuckle himself a moment later. "Of course, Captain Dante warned me that newly minted Beyonders tend to overestimate themselves, so I'll be careful to exercise restraint.
"Still, your earlier advice was spot on—Savant truly suits me best."
Xialuote nodded repeatedly, smiling as she listened to Luosaier detail all the changes the potion had brought him. Only when he raised his teacup to take a sip did she take the opportunity to bring out the candlestick she had bought for 240 feierjin and hand it across.
"An inverted candlestick..."
With his thirst for knowledge stoked by the potion's effects, Luosaier was immediately drawn to it. He turned it over in his hands, examining it carefully for a moment, lost in thought.
"You recognize it?"
"I've read about it in books before. Candlesticks like this were part of an architectural style popular in the Fourth Epoch. Whether in the Suoluomen Empire or the subsequent Tuduo Dynasty and Telunsuosite Empire, buildings followed this twisted aesthetic: the exterior was taller on the left and lower on the right, irregular patterns had to be chiseled into walls and ceilings, candlesticks were installed upside down, and their numbers were asymmetrical."
What kind of morbid interior design is that? Anyone with OCD would never have survived that era... Xialuote imagined the scene as she listened, suddenly feeling as though it were difficult to breathe.
Luosaier set the candlestick back on the table and continued, "Judging by its shape, it certainly matches the representative style of the Fourth Epoch, yet the material doesn't look as though it has weathered a thousand years—unless it was preserved somewhere completely sealed from environmental exposure... Who do you plan to give it to?"
"Our partner in Suxite Weekly, Mr. Moerwan Dulang," Xialuote answered frankly. "I noticed his workspace is filled with history books. Perhaps gifting him an antique from the Fourth Epoch will please him."
Luosaier agreed. "That's a good idea. Mr. Moerwan has been very enthusiastic about this partnership. He's already prepared several specialized legal articles for the first issue and even brought in some paid promotions from his clients. Our side is lagging behind a bit by comparison, so I've been thinking about finding time for a formal visit."
Xialuote wore a rueful expression. "Then keep the candlestick in your care for now. We can visit him together after my birthday. By then, Laila won't be reporting my itinerary to Father every single time..."
In Yindisi, young men could partake in a considerable share of social activities at seventeen, whereas young women could only officially attend large balls or mixed-gender salons after reaching adulthood. Consequently, their debut following their eighteenth birthday was often set at an important ball.
Recalling this, Luosaier asked curiously, "Will you be having a coming-of-age ball?"
"I'll probably make my formal debut by borrowing another noble house's ball." Considering her family's tight financial circumstances, Xialuote shook her head. "Perhaps at Viscount Abei'er's or Viscount Deliluose's."
Luosaier nodded thoughtfully, his expression even more solemn than when he had mentioned becoming a Beyonder.
"I understand."
What do you understand? Are you actually preparing a coming-of-age gift or something? Luosaier's reaction piqued Xialuote's curiosity, but she did not press the matter. Glancing toward the parlor doorway where Laila kept looking over, she stood to take her leave.
Luosaier saw her to the entrance and watched until the carriage bearing the Suolun family crest drove off into the distance before slowly withdrawing his gaze.
Returning to his upstairs bedroom, he casually placed the oddly shaped candlestick on the edge of the desk and opened a notebook in which he had jotted down all manner of ideas in the Yindisi language. His eyes skimmed over improvements to the printing press, ink formulas, and other subjects, but try as he might, he could not settle his mind.
Less than a month remains until her birthday... No, Luosaier, Huang Tao, right now you should be thinking about how to use the potion's power to reproduce that advanced knowledge and technology, and borrow a few literary classics to put your own name on, not constantly thinking about Xialuote Suolun...
His mind in disarray, he casually snapped the notebook shut. His gaze drifted uncontrollably to the candlestick, finding the asymmetrical branches and inverted base an eyesore whichever way he looked at them.
What was wrong with people's aesthetic sense in the Fourth Epoch? Enduring it for a few seconds, he finally reached out and took the candlestick, intending to shove it into a drawer.
Yet the moment his fingertips brushed the candlestick's surface, a flare of crimson light erupted from among its corroded patterns, swallowing him whole.
————
When his vision cleared, Luosaier found himself seated in a high-backed chair. At his sides, grayish-white fog billowed silently, while before him stretched a long bronze table that looked as though it had witnessed countless years. Farther off, tall classical pillars loomed faintly, supporting the dome above.
From his own bedroom, he had been transported into a boundless palace shrouded in gray fog that felt somehow familiar and comforting!
Where is this? Am I dreaming?
Luosaier was seized with shock. He held his breath, not daring to make any sudden moves, and could only shift his eyes to look to either side.
To his right sat two men, and across from him was a woman. Their faces were veiled by mist, obscuring the details and leaving only rough impressions of height, build, and hair color.
And at the head of the long table sat an even more indistinct, even more eerie figure.
It was a tall, hooded humanoid silhouette whose features were likewise unreadable. Through the surrounding mist, several slippery, tentacle-like outlines coiled faintly—distinctly different from the figures beside Luosaier, exuding an unfathomable aura.
There's nothing about a situation like this in the knowledge the Machinery Heart provided! The captain said that as long as one doesn't recite the honorable names of evil gods recklessly, and doesn't use ritual magic or sacrifices to forge connections with unknown entities, one won't attract their gaze or be affected... Luosaier strove to maintain his composure, wanting to blend in among the other three, but quickly realized that every one of them was looking at him.
Even beneath the hood of that vague figure, a pair of eyes seemed to be gazing in his direction, radiating an immense sense of oppression.
After a moment, the dark-haired man nearest him spoke:
"Were you also summoned here because you came into contact with a special item?"
It's the Luen language... Luosaier felt a slight sense of relief. He already had some grasp of the tongue, and after becoming a Savant, he could easily comprehend and speak most of its vocabulary, so he grasped the man's meaning at once.
Rather than rushing to answer, he quickly glanced at the other two. The somewhat petite, blonde woman sat upright, seemingly observing him as well, while the other, a brown-haired man, cautiously eyed him from the corner of his vision, clearly keeping a low profile. Neither showed hostility; if anything, they seemed curious about the newcomer.
"Yes," he replied in Luen. "I had just touched a candlestick from the Tuduo era when I was enveloped in light and brought here."
"You as well?" he asked in return.
The dark-haired man looked around, waiting until the other two tacitly assented to him speaking before he answered:
"All of us, yes. But we arrived earlier than you; this is already the second... gathering."
"A gathering? Organized by whom?"
Luosaier asked immediately, though his eyes could not help darting toward the figure at the head of the long table, an answer already forming in his mind.
Sure enough, the dark-haired man answered in a tone brimming with both awe and reverence:
"By Him, of course.
"The great Mr. Fool."
Chapter 42