It had to be said that Freya's last words hit the nail right on the head. Thorne immediately showed a hesitant expression, while Victor spoke up, “Hey, don't use me as a bargaining chip!”
But his protest was invalid. Thorne said, “I think what you two said makes a lot of sense!”
He thought about it and said, “Actually, we don't know much about this case either. It's like a mad killer going on an indiscriminate killing spree on the streets—there's no pattern or reason, and the crime scenes are completely random.”
“Captain Joan once captured an out-of-control extraordinary alive. I also used my ability on him to try and obtain information from his memories, but I failed. I don't know if his brain was fried from drinking the potion, but his memories were incredibly chaotic, and I couldn't extract any useful information at all. The only thing I saw was a blurry figure handing him a potion, which he then drank.”
Euphemia spoke up at this point. “That's very, very similar. A case we investigated before was just like this. Do you think these so-called extraordinary rampages are just a smokescreen? That's why there's no pattern or reason. The purpose is to draw the authorities' attention, and then take advantage of the chaos while the authorities are dealing with these troublesome situations to do something else.”
“For example, preparing a massive occult array in the city, using an entire city as the price to prepare an advancement ritual or something.”
Victor couldn't help but complain, “Whoa, whoa, that sounds way too exaggerated! Are you saying you two have solved a case like that before?!”
Freya nodded. “Yes.”
Victor asked curiously, “Then... can you reveal which pathway's advancement ritual it was? To actually use a city as a sacrifice?”
Freya pondered for a moment and said, “Sorry, I don't think more detailed information can be shared.”
Freya and Euphemia were from the Kingdom of Tarapaca. If she said this was a Rank Five to Rank Six War Pathway advancement ritual, and considering today's newspaper headline was about the Pentagram Alliance's internal conflict and a destroyed city, any extraordinary with some connections would surely know it was essentially an extraordinary rampage incident. It wouldn't be good if others started connecting the dots.
Although the probability was low, if Jerome's plan to buy time at the cost of his life was exposed just because of a casual remark from Freya, that would be too ridiculous.
Then she realized, wait, this is a simulation right now, so what if it gets exposed? Thus, Freya changed her tune. “Well, actually, I think I can share it. It was a Rank Five to Rank Six ritual of the War Pathway. So, we've even experienced a case like that. I don't think this current case will be any more dangerous than the last one.”
Euphemia couldn't help but glance at Freya, seemingly not expecting her to say it so directly. Victor smacked his lips. “My goodness, a Rank Five to Rank Six ritual? That's terrifying.”
Thorne frowned in thought. “A decoy, distraction, an advancement ritual? Perhaps that really is possible.”
Perhaps persuaded, Thorne pulled out a map, drew several circles on it, and handed it to Freya and Euphemia. “These are the locations of all the extraordinary rampage incidents that occurred within the past month. Thirteen in total. The first eleven were of the Devil Pathway, and the last two were of the Mind Pathway.”
“I don't know much about occult arrays. Can you two see any patterns in this?”
Euphemia stared at it with furrowed brows for a long time. “I need some time to compare them. I'll take this map first and give you an answer later, is that alright?”
Thorne said, “Of course. If there's any progress, you can come find me anytime.”
Pausing, Thorne pulled a potion from his drawer and said, “Right, the Rank Two potion that just arrived today. This is for you.”
After Freya stepped forward and took the potion, the three of them left the Mind Research Association. They first went to have dinner together before returning to the hotel. After watching Victor return to his room, Euphemia immediately dragged Freya out of theirs and went outside the hotel. As they strolled, Euphy whispered, “I suspect Branch President Thorne might have some issues.”
“Drinking potions can indeed cause loss of control, but to say that all memories of losing control disappeared is just too ridiculous! In many cases of rampages, those who have lost control might even suddenly have a brief moment of clarity in the middle of a fight, temporarily regaining consciousness and begging to be killed. That's why I suspect Thorne is lying!”
After all, the Scholar Pathway was the pathway that understood potions the best. In comparison, the Mind Pathway's understanding of potions was like that of a layman. It was normal for them to make such a rookie mistake.
Euphemia said, “Anyway, Thorne is the only one who used his ability to view the memories, so what he saw is entirely up to him to say. Furthermore, only the Mind Pathway can erase memories. Maybe he's the one secretly distributing these potions and then blurring the victims' memories, so that even if other Mind Pathway extraordinaries went to check, they wouldn't get any useful information!”
“So, is it possible that he's the one orchestrating all of this? That Thorne is plotting something, and Victor, who has been in constant contact with him, might also be influenced by mind abilities.”
At this point, Euphemia suddenly realized that she and Freya had also spent quite some time with Thorne, meaning they could also be influenced by mind abilities!
Euphy quickly said, “Quick, Fufu, check the amulets I gave you earlier.”
Freya rummaged through her clothes and pulled out the thick stack of amulets. She counted them, and not a single one was missing. Seeing this, Euphy breathed a sigh of relief. But Freya asked, “What about you, Euphy? Do you still have your amulets?”
“Uh...” Speaking of this, Euphy scratched her head, showing an embarrassed expression. “Well... actually, I lied to you before. I gave you all the amulets, and didn't keep a single one for myself...”
Freya showed a helpless expression. “Oh, you...”
Euphy said, “That's not the point. What should we do now? If Thorne really is the mastermind, we can't discuss the case with him anymore. Maybe we can try to find that pink-haired lolita, Captain Joan?”
However, Freya hesitated. If Thorne really was the mastermind, reporting him to the pink-haired lolita and having him arrested would mean their previous deal would be void. Wouldn't her subsequent Rank Three and Rank Four potions go down the drain?
If it were in reality, Freya would definitely choose to report Thorne. Potions and human lives—human lives were definitely more important. But right now, she was in a simulation, so Freya was still more inclined to get the potions.
Thus, Freya said, “How about... we just stay out of this?”
Euphemia was stunned, seemingly not expecting Freya to suddenly suggest this. They had clearly found a key clue to the case, and all they needed to do next was follow this line of thought. Why would she give up at a time like this?
Immediately after, Euphemia realized something. “Could it be because Thorne hasn't given you the remaining two potions yet?”
“Uh...” Although it was a bit embarrassing to admit, it was the truth. Freya lowered her head and said in a very soft voice, “Yes...”
An incredibly startled expression appeared on Euphemia's face, and the two of them fell into a long silence. Freya didn't know what to say. Euphemia was undoubtedly a good person, and seeing her disregard ordinary people's lives for the sake of potions, she would definitely be very disappointed.
In fact, Freya wouldn't even be surprised if Euphy turned around and left right now. But in the next second, Euphemia spoke in a puzzled, tentative tone, “Fufu, I've been wondering about this before... Is the place we're in right now really the real world?”
A question mark appeared over Freya's head, while Euphy continued, “No matter what happens here, it actually can't affect reality? But the things you obtain here can be brought back to reality?”
Actually, if it were anyone else, they would definitely feel they had misjudged her at this moment, look at Freya with an expression of 'so you're that kind of person,' and leave in disappointment. But Euphemia was truly different. Perhaps because of her micro-expression observation ability and having lived together for so long, she already understood Freya very well. After all, a person's daily micro-actions and habits couldn't be faked.
Euphemia didn't believe Freya was the kind of person who would abandon saving lives for two potions, so there must be a reason why Freya chose this. Furthermore, Euphy had asked Freya twice before why she didn't use her miraculous little ability, and Freya had just blurted out Jerome's matter so easily earlier. All of this was very strange.
Adding all of this together, the conclusion was, “So, are we already inside your miraculous little ability right now?”
Hearing this, Freya was even more dumbfounded. “This... you...”
Can something like this actually be guessed?!
Seeing her expression, Euphemia became even more convinced of her thoughts. “So your ability isn't Future Prediction at all, but rather briefly entering a 'false future'?”
Since she had guessed to this extent, there was no need for Freya to deny it. She said, “Uh... it's pretty much like that...”
Euphemia immediately walked up to Freya, pinching and kneading her cheeks with both hands. “So you entered the future to investigate the Jerome incident in advance, and that's how you learned so many details? Doesn't that mean you faced Jerome all by yourself several times?!”
With Jerome being such a dangerous fellow, Euphemia didn't believe Fufu could get away unscathed every single time. Just thinking about it made her heart ache.
Freya said, “No, no! Every time, there were other people with me. I wasn't alone, and I didn't really get hurt myself, though quite a few others died because of me... But it's fine, at least everyone is safe and sound in reality!”
Euphy still didn't let go of Freya's face, saying huffily, “Then why didn't you tell me before? Do you know I almost misunderstood you just now?”
“Isn't this just an extraordinary ability? Although it's a bit powerful, there's no need to hide it, is there? Do you distrust me that much!”
Rather, it would be stranger if you didn't misunderstand. Euphy, how can you trust me this much? Freya complained silently in her heart, then said, “S-Sorry, but... this...”
Euphemia said, “Still, you have too many little secrets. Countless Blessings, Countless Resentments, that strange constant luck, and this ridiculous ability to enter the future. Are you really not some high-rank extraordinary masquerading as an ordinary person?”
Freya said, “I... don't know...”
The Future Simulation System was a system function, which really couldn't be explained. It was actually a good outcome that Euphemia understood it as an extraordinary ability. Or, in essence, was there really any difference between the two?
To others, wasn't Freya's system just her superpower?
Euphemia said, “Are there any other little secrets I don't know about? Tell me all of them right now, or I'll really get angry! You hide everything from me, even though I told you my own secrets the moment you casually asked.”
Obviously, she now understood how Freya knew about her feeding potions to a parrot. It must have been told to her by herself during one of those "false futures."
Freya thought about it. Since this secret had already been exposed anyway, there was no harm in saying a bit more. She said, “It's just... my self in this 'false future' can be summoned into reality in the form of a clone.”
Euphemia was shocked. “Ah?!”
She had to admit this was truly too ridiculous. She said, “Doesn't that mean once we return to reality, whichever rank you reach on the Mind Pathway right now, you'll have a clone of that rank?”
Pausing, she added, “Wait, do you already have other clones? The Earth Pathway? The War Pathway?”
After all, Freya had explicitly said she could jump straight to Rank Five on those two pathways. Yet, when Euphemia recommended pathways to her, Freya had clearly rejected those two pathways and chose the Mind Pathway instead. At first, Euphemia hadn't understood, but now, everything made sense!
Freya nodded. “Do you remember during the battle with Jerome, you said a girl in a white dress was very cute? She was the Earth Pathway clone I summoned.”
Euphemia took a deep breath. “Alright, I think I understand you a bit now. Your secret is indeed quite big. But Fufu, can you please stop hiding things from me? I mean the real me. Once you return to reality, can you explain it to me again just like this?”
“I swear I won't leak this secret to anyone. And once I know, Fufu, you can tell me directly whenever you enter a false future in the future. I'll do my best to cooperate with whatever you need me to do!”
Rate on N.U.
