"...It went well," Melissa suddenly blurted out.
"For... now."
"It'll be fine. I've known Mr. Moment longer than you have, and I know he's honest with what he says."
The girl said those words lightly. She truly believed in that man, and who was Andrew to judge? He was her teacher, not Andrew. Obviously, she would have great faith in him.
Melissa, however, thought for a moment before turning to the boy.
"After you're done with the Chancellor, come to Unit 9 in West Borough. We have a safe house there. I'll be waiting for you inside to talk."
"West Borough?" Andrew asked, confused. It was certainly a very expensive area for a safe house.
Melissa shrugged; clearly, she had asked herself the same question.
"He says it's a good place to escape to... will you come?"
Finding the strength to smile a little, Andrew decided yes. It was an act of good faith on the part of Melissa, who was so confident that everything would go smoothly that she would reveal such an important thing to him.
"I'll come, thank you very much."
"Nothing and... good luck."
With that, the girl left, leaving Andrew alone. But it wasn't an unpleasant outcome; he wanted to confirm something, after all.
Fearing that Trevor Lionheart might still be around, he decided to hide in the bathroom, and once the door was closed, he took out the Clock of Fate.
Entering Cogitation, Andrew repeated the same sentence seven times.
"The Chancellor Portland Moment has malicious intentions."
"The Chancellor Portland Moment has malicious intentions."
"The Chancello-"
Once finished, the clock hands spun wildly as usual until they stopped, the shorter hand pointing to "No" while the longer hand was definitely shifted towards "Yes," still close to "No" but shifted by about a quarter of a turn.
He started studying the result and deduced two meanings.
Depending on how this contract goes, the Chancellor could become my enemy, or the divination indicates that the Chancellor already wants to insert clauses that would not be favorable to me
It was nothing out of the ordinary, so he decided to continue with another divination.
"Going with the Chancellor is dangerous."
"Going with the Chancellor is-"
Andrew watched the same scene repeat itself before him, but the result shocked him to the core.
The shorter hand pointed to "Yes," while the longer hand pointed to "No"...
What does this mean!? Maybe...maybe there's danger, but I have a good chance of surviving. If it were a fight between me versus the old man and the Notary, then I'd definitely lose. Does this mean the danger comes from another threat, or from the Notary himself...is he about to lose control?
Seeing the result, Andrew became unsure whether to show up or not. Sure, the divination had revealed that he had a good chance of survival, but that still didn't negate the presence of danger.
Suddenly, however, a chuckle escaped his lips as he gazed at his pale skin. He really needed to stop abusing his spirituality ...
Finding the cold of the bath comforting, he rested his eyes for a few minutes before reopening them.
...If I don't go, everything I've done will be for nothing. The Chancellor won't have enough trust in me to tell me about possible problems and to let me get close to Melissa...
Having found the answer to the dilemma, Andrew returned to his analytical side. He had just thought of a possibility!
If this Notary somehow dies, then I might be able to demand compensation. It doesn't matter that the Chancellor had good intentions; what matters is that he led me straight into danger during a negotiation. If I play my cards right, I might even get the Beyonder characteristic to trade with Mr. Star for the main ingredient!
He decided not to try to divine the type of danger, mainly due to his low spirituality, and in the end, the previous divination had declared that he had a good chance of surviving, so he should be okay.
Having ended the line of thought, Andrew decided to enjoy the cold for a while longer, and just before the meeting, he chose to get up and leave the building. Once outside, he didn't have to wait long -just a few minutes, enough time for the Chancellor to arrive with his briefcase.
He didn't say many words, not out here in public. Raising his hand, he attracted the attention of a private carriage that came to pick them up, and once they boarded, the man gave the metro entrance as their destination.
Seeing Andrew's surprise, the Appraiser chuckled slowly before explaining.
"As you well know, almost all the carriages are tied to their own borough, and this friend of mine lives in South Borough. So it's best to use the metro."
Or the bike, Andrew mentally pointed out.
Not wanting to remain silent for the entire journey, Andrew decided to ask a rather important question.
"Why haven't you told me about Trevor Lionheart yet?"
He hadn't mentioned it even once, so it was only right that Andrew asked. After all, the Chancellor knew that Andrew possessed that information about the true identity of the head of security. Not only could Melissa have passed information to the boy, but he was also present on university grounds that night.
"...Trevor is a truly commendable person; even as MI9 member, he always showed me respect. Perhaps it was because of my ties to the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery, or perhaps because of my research. But I'm sure he wouldn't have the same attitude towards just any wild Beyonder.
I want to make your honesty official before telling him everything. After that, he'll definitely want to talk to you, but it'll be very light-hearted, trust me."
Listening carefully, a question spontaneously arose in his mind.
He doesn't get along with wild Beyonders...even though his son is one?
Finding a new topic, Andrew promptly asked about Michael, and hearing the question, the Chancellor's face scrunched up.
"Michael? Oh, you're classmates, right? To be honest, he doesn't talk about him much. I don't think he thinks negatively of him, but maybe he's so protective that he doesn't want to talk about him with others... but then again, I know almost nothing about their family situation."
Once this topic was over, the two engaged in sporadic conversation, nothing too serious, just to pass the time.
Once we reached the subway, the Chancellor paid the driver, who left satisfied. At the ticket office, he paid again, buying two second-class tickets.
To be honest, Andrew was a bit off the mark the whole time, too exhausted by his spiritual consumption to do anything.
He regained enough strength when the man asked questions, like now.
"What do you think of Roselle Gustave?"
The question was asked while the two were still waiting to get into what was a miniature express train.
The only good thing to come out of Intis, Andrew joked before composing himself.
"Certainly a visionary. A great artist in both literature and mechanics. We certainly wouldn't have made the same scientific advances of today without him."
"Do you think some of his inventions would exist without him?"
"...Yes, I think so. Development is always global; it doesn't matter if it originates in one nation; new creations will reach the entire world. This is because it's linked to humanity. It only takes one person, even a crazy idea, to spark a common interest. Why do you ask?"
"Oh, nothing," he replied with a nonchalant air. "Especially in my specialty, I often find myself wondering what I would be doing today if that Emperor hadn't existed. Many wise men believe that Roselle was the harbinger of inevitable change, while others conclude that Roselle himself was crucial."
Looking at the train, the man murmured softly, "I was just wondering what you thought, that's all."
Once inside, the two found their seats, and soon the metro left.
It was an interesting sight to see, not that there was much to look at around underground. But after his chat with the Chancellor, Andrew couldn't help but think it was truly incredible how far humans had come. Land, water, sky, and even underground, everything now bore the mark of man.
Now all that's missing are the stars, he thought lazily.
Once they reached the center of South Borough Portland, he led the boy to the house of this acquaintance of his. It shouldn't have taken long he said. And indeed, he was right.
After about thirteen minutes, they reached a house with a green courtyard in front of the front door, with some pipes protruding from it. Perhaps they were from the subway below; now they were pipes from the house.
In any case, the house looked like a classic two-story dwelling, the kind that comes with two bathrooms.
However, there were two things that did not add up for the two Beyonders: first, the presence of a wall of spirituality, one of those created to keep an area pure where a ritual is about to be performed, and second, the door, which was slightly open.
Is this the danger that was revealed in my divination? A thief broke into the house? No, more than a thief, probably
Looking at the Chancellor's serious face, Andrew stepped forward, drawing a silver ritual knife from his cape. Without it, powders like Holy Night Powder would have been required to create such a wall.
Infusing a drop of his own spirituality, Andrew plunged the knife into the wall as if it were made of butter, and by making a vertical cut, he created a gap for both to enter undisturbed. Inside the wall, Andrew nodded to the man before closing the surrounding area; after all, they needed to keep noises from escaping.
Once inside, Andrew scanned the unfamiliar space. The entrance porch was large enough to accommodate a stool with a green plant, but this was merely the entrance to a larger area.
Facing this porch, the main living room was clearly visible, with three closed doors on either side, various family paintings hanging on the walls, a fireplace with dull iron bars, and a nice rug in the center. It also seemed quite expensive, to be honest.
Originally, there had probably been a three-seater sofa and two red armchairs surrounding a coffee table. But now the sofa itself was upside down, the coffee table broken, and one of the armchair...
A pool of blood slowly made its way to the ground as a figure stood with its back to the duo. The first thing they noticed wasn't the target's metallic skin; instead, pipes protruded from its shoulders like chimneys. It was another one of those mechanical monsters!
As it moved its right arm, a disgusting, fleshy sound echoed throughout the house as another spurt of blood gushed out like water from a fountain. Now the arm, dropped to its side, revealed what looked like a pair of claws curling like harpoons.
There had been a battle, it was clear. Not only from the presence of burned flesh in the automaton but also from the disarray of some things in the house.
The Chancellor reached out to Andrew, stopping any sudden movement, but it was of little use. The machine turned in its nonchalant manner, revealing its entirety.
As before, Andrew noted the body was nothing more than a fusion of flesh and metal. The most striking thing, however, was the face. It wasn't entirely human; it was basically a human skull reconstructed with gears; however, part of the face remained intact, showing something similar to a woman.
For such a being, devoid of emotion or sensation, reason is unnecessary. As soon as its "eyes" fell on the duo, a steam-like smoke emerged from its back and pipes, like a train engine, and similarly charged towards them.
Having experienced the propulsion of these beings firsthand, Andrew threw himself aside, pushing the Chancellor as he did so. He had replayed this encounter over and over again in his mind.
A strong creation, not only for its resilience but also for its lack of any shred of humanity. Until it is completely destroyed, it will never stop.
However, its composition presented several problems, including balance. In fact, like last time, once it realized that its targets had stopped, the machine almost fell to the ground, unable to stop on its own. Only thanks to its claws did it manage to grab onto the wall, stopping its advance.
Andrew moved to the other end of the room, being careful not to have his back to the wall. He had no way to fight in close quarters, so he pulled out his gun.
Picking it up Andrew didn't fire immediately; it wouldn't have helped much with all that metal. But there was a chance, a chance amid the burned flesh that connected the various parts.
Bang!
A blow to the flesh of the leg.
Seeing Andrew as its enemy, the machine began to move in his direction.
With the flesh pierced, it was even slower than before!
Realizing the problem in its system, the machine was ready to shoot itself again, but it failed. Why?
Well, from Andrew's point of view, crimson flames collided with the monster's back, sending it flying towards him.
…Okay, maybe the result wasn't much different.
Andrew himself shared this sentiment; in fact, after nearly being hit by the flying monster, he couldn't help but shout, "Hey!"
"Sorry, ah ah."
Ah ah?!
Confused, Andrew decided to look at the culprit of all this. The briefcase was now open, leaving the papers it once contained flying in the heated air. Chancellor Portland Moment's hands were covered in mismatched gloves.
The glove on the left was very colorful: red, purple, yellow, blue, etc. All possible colors were present, giving the sensation of lots of confetti sewn together.
The glove on the right was still surrounded by flames, indicating it was the main culprit. It was dark brown in color, but its appearance was somehow disturbing. It looked as if someone had left a leather glove exposed to sunlight for days, causing any possible liquid inside to evaporate. To use another description, it looked like dried meat.
But above all, the Chancellor's face stood out.
Despite his peril, he wore a radiant smile.
Thinking back to his earlier demeanor, Andrew found it extremely unnatural.
It's a negative effect...
The automaton rose through the now-spreading flames in the surrounding area and propelled itself toward the adult. Andrew had hoped that when forced to choose between two enemies, the machine would stall, but perhaps the presence of the flames had increased the man's risk.
In any case, watching the moving train come toward him, Portland Moment continued to smile, not moving a single step.
To his right, flames were beginning to gather in a swirl.
Is he crazy!? Does he want to face it head on?
The push brought the automaton ever closer to the man. Its right arm rose into the air, its claws pointed like a spear at his face. They were about two inches away from contact, and Andrew was preparing to throw a charm-
Boom!
A deafening noise reached everyone's ears as, before Andrew's astonished eyes, the body, previously in danger, vanished in flames that erupted from it, surrounding it and consuming every gram until it was entirely gone.
As the automaton continued its undaunted advance, laughter echoed where Andrew had once stood!
From the flames, the Chancellor's unharmed body emerged, hurling the gathered flames into a fireball.
The aforementioned ball gave a further push to the monster which managed to create a nice crack in the wall.
It was certainly a good result, but…
"Will you stop setting fires!"
Screaming at the arsonist, the aforementioned smile flickered for a moment before returning to its full expression. However, the flames in his right hand disappeared completely.
As welcome as that firepower was, the possibility of dying suffocated by smoke or buried under the rubble of the house was not so welcome.
The automaton got up (because it obviously had to get up, thought an annoyed Andrew) and, realizing that close-range attacks no longer made sense, made the most sensible choice: attacking from the distance.
Suddenly, the left hand shot out toward the Chancellor, who dodged it very athletically by rolling to the left. This didn't help much, as the hand was still anchored by a long chain, allowing the automaton to change the direction of the attack with a simple movement.
Now, Andrew, despite possessing various charms, didn't want to use them. This was due to the little problem of a lack of Spirituality, but that didn't mean he was useless.
At that perfect moment when the arm was clearly visible, Andrew took aim and fired at the fleshy areas. Sure, if the automaton had been able to shoot its fist once recalled with the chain, the force would have been the same, but it wouldn't have been able to move it with the same ease!
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Four consecutive shots hit as a sense of satisfaction grew in the Reader Beyonder; after all, it seemed that having received gunshot lessons from that witch had been useful.
The fist missed once again as the Chancellor, agile as a flying baboon, put his hands on the ground to give himself a further push in Andrew's direction.
The arm moved again, but this time very slowly, as if the automaton was missing a few bolts. The great time lag gained made the Appraiser smile even more, and he decided to take a big leap in the air toward the machine.
To his right, the flames began to gather once again; he wanted to finish it here, in one fell swoop.
Andrew stood still, wanting to strike some key point, confident that the fist wouldn't hit him. He'd looked at the length of the chain and was sure of it.
However, for Andrew, this confidence would have hurt quite a bit.
From the darkness inside the arm, amidst the clanking of metal, gears, and flesh, four guns barrels emerged.
Gatling?!
The surprise lasted only a moment, long enough for ten bullets to pierce his chest. The boy's body continued to move with each shot, like a rag doll that had been struck again and again without any defense.
Soon the gunfire shifted from the boy to the flying target now too close to him. The man unceremoniously teleported away to another part of the burning house.
Once out of the fire, the man paid no attention to the rampaging android as he turned his gaze to the boy lying on the ground. The Chancellor's face still wore that toothy grin, but now his eyes seemed to have opened slightly, his pupils flickering.
But soon he noticed something strange: there was no blood!
Cracks began to form on the dying boy's body, starting from the numerous holes in his chest. The horrifying image resembled the small ripples created when a body falls into water.
When the cracks became too much, the boy's entire body turned into broken glass. The real Andrew Locke had appeared behind the overturned couch, seeking shelter!
Even if alive and well, the boy was clawing at his own chest in panic and pain.
Although the use of Mirror Substitution, thanks to the small mirror he carried with him, was able to help him recover some strength after using it, being utilized by Mystical Items and not a true Beyonder caused the ability to be incomplete.
There was no bullet in his torso, but he felt as if someone had thrown a hedgehog at him, with a thousand spines piercing his body.
That machine didn't have so many weapons... a different model?
Upon entering Cogitation, Andrew made a plan; it was risky, but it was the only one he could think of.
Pushing past the sofa wall, Andrew ran with all his might toward the stairs. His plan required reaching the upper floor to buy himself more time.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Ban-
Despite all these shots being fired, none of them managed to reach the boy; this was because a wave of flames had prevented them from doing so.
Once again, the machine tried to hit the boy, but once again the Chancellor's right hand moved first. Making another swing, the fire serpents manifested themselves, willing to grow again and again until they became walls.
As Andrew approached the stairs, the fight repeated itself for a third time, but it didn't end there.
"Steam" came out of his back as the machine lunged at the boy, intending to use the wall of fire as cover to attack by surprise. At the same time, the still-detached chain moved backward, causing its fist and arm to meet.
However, as it almost reached the wall of flames, they began to change and concentrate into a vortex. From this vortex, a face took shape, followed by a body. It was Sequence 6 Portland Moment, who raised her left hand this time.
Snap!
In a single snap of the fingers, a projectile made of air hit the android's nose and made it fall backward without any support.
But it didn't end there, because the Chancellor's smile grew ever wider, becoming a maniacal grin. He would have his revenge right now!
Behind him, a multitude of small fireballs formed, but they weren't actually spheres. Like flowers blooming, these spheres opened, revealing two mighty wings. They were ravens!
The aforementioned ravens moved not to strike the enemy but instead to surround and circle him like vultures.
Normally, this wouldn't be a problem, as the metal monster could pass directly past the flock of birds, but this wasn't the main danger.
Once again, the Appraiser 's body caught fire and disappeared into thin air as one of the crows materialized a human arm with a colored glove.
The gloved hand didn't bother waiting for the rest of the body to materialize and snapped its fingers.
Bang!
After the shock that made the automaton wobble slightly, the arm vanished again, only to reappear on another crow!
Bang!
It wasn't about hitting the flesh; it was just about giving the boy time, and that's why this little show continued over and over again.
The machine could only take small steps due to all the blows that made it leap from one point to another. This was possible not only because of the various wounds in the flesh holding it all together but also because of the machine's unbalanced weight.
Meanwhile, Andrew reached the upper floor, and hearing the sound of gunfire, he positioned himself perfectly above.
He took out the sacrificial knife, some candles, and other tools. His plan was to cast ritualistic magic to keep the bastard machine still and glued to one spot, unable to move, so they could finish it off.
The problem was whom to pray to...
Praying for a charm and making a request are entirely different things. The latter requires the deity's direct attention and benevolence in acting, and I'm not a follower of any of them... Mr. Fool is still asleep, according to Ms. Justice, and he's not to be disturbed, at least not after having already prayed some time ago...
The Seven Lights!
Remembering that group of peaceful entities, Andrew perfectly framed which one to pray to: the Seven Light, which represented knowledge and science and whose corresponding gem was topaz and whose domain was alchemy, Orange Light!
Creating a small wall of spirituality, Andrew placed three candles on the ground and created a circle containing various writings in chalk.
He would have used all of his remaining spirituality for this!
He couldn't place the matching gem, the topaz, as it was missing, but he wanted to-no, he had to - rely on their benevolence...
Lighting the candles in order and throwing the respective oils on the small flames, Andrew began to pray.
"The Inextinguishable Light of the Spirit World,
The Embodiment of infinite knowledge,
The Orange who wields knowledge and science,
I ask for your help; I pray for you to immobilize my enemy!"
Once the prayer ended, the energy built during the ritual... vanished into thin air.
He didn't answer..., Andrew thought, but just when desperation began to take root in his heart, something happened.
In the palm of his hand, lights formed. These lights became lines that pulsed like veins with great force. And finally, these vein-like lines joined together to form a symbol, a pupilless eye and twisted lines...!
Andrew recognized it! It was Mr. Fool's symbol! Ms. Justice herself had shown it to him the night of their first meeting!
Suddenly, the missing energy returned again, now even more powerful than before, and a great tremor was felt on the floor below.
Praise Mr. Fool!
From the ceiling, chains formed. They seemed to be made from the stone of the ceiling itself, but it was clear that they held something mystical.
These descended with great speed, circling and binding the automaton, still locked in the grip of the bullets.
Seeing the futility of continuing this series of attacks, the Chancellor fully manifested himself, and after that, he threw all the Fire Ravens at the machine.
His face was pale and clearly tired, but the ending wasn't far.
Andrew staggered down the stairs, his face as pale as death. His hand no longer bore the symbol of his Lord, but held something else: a ceremonial knife.
Tiredness, rage, and fear were all the emotions he felt at this moment. This adrenaline pushed him toward the automaton's "chest."
Stinging a tiny piece of flesh, Andrew began to dig again and again, with only one thought in his head.
Where is the heart?!
To finish it, he had to find the creature's core. Even if it wasn't real, even if it resembled a dead person, it must have had something holding it upright. Something that gave it the energy to move.
Between the sound of shredding flesh and metal meeting metal, Andrew heard a strange sound, a material unlike any other.
Pulling the knife out, Andrew used all his remaining strength to strike that point again.
Claank
A sound, a faint and almost pathetically simple one, reached Andrew's ears. And the machine finally stopped moving.
As the chains created by ritualistic magic began to disappear, Andrew fell to the side, completely uninterested in maintaining his gentlemanly appearance.
I had a good chance of survival, it said! he lampooned internally as the automaton fell practically beside him.
Ironically, they now looked like two tired companions. Perhaps that was precisely why Andrew, disgusted, immediately walked away... or at least wanted to.
Driven by curiosity, he approached that part of the still-human face. It was certainly now damaged not only by the various impacts but also by the Notary's various holy spells and the Chancellor's flames.
As he watched, the man removed his gloves and put them back in his briefcase, and with their disappearance, his smile faded. Passing Andrew, he stopped in front of the Notary's body.
Choosing not to continue observing the Chancellor, Andrew returned to the automaton's damaged face and, with unnatural delicacy, touched a still "healthy" part of it. His finger lightly touched the surface, making a short streak.
Makeup...
After making this consideration, Andrew reflected on the implementation of his plan to obtain the Beyonder Characteristic but... he decided against it.
The Appraiser was looking at the body with a sadness so evident that even the most socially inept could have noticed. On this day, and in his long life as a Beyonder, Portland Moment lost another friend.
"What now?"
The Reader Beyonder's voice startled the Chancellor, who slowly turned around with a look clouded by both exhaustion and despair.
"...I... will call MI9 to contact Trevor. I won't say anything about you... you can go home."
Andrew nodded slowly, stood up, and walked toward the exit. He felt he needed to give the man some space alone.
Just before leaving, he heard his voice again, but it was different.
This time, it was more confident, firm, and decisive. Yet beneath that voice was clearly an inner turmoil.
"I'm sorry for doubting you."
--------------------------
Hearing this, Andrew stood still for a few seconds before continuing to walk.
He didn't know why he came here; he didn't even know how!
Seriously, he had been walking like a zombie the whole time...
The dark wooden door in front of him opened easily as a familiar face appeared.
"What happened?"
Making space, Melissa Moretti ushered the boy into the safe house created by the Chancellor.
It was really nice in a way, very decorated, much more than his house could ever be.
Instinctively, it reminded Andrew of a cave, where small animals gathered to seek shelter.
Being a safe house, it was very small, smaller than Andrew's apartment to be clear, so obviously not suitable for long-term cohabitation.
After the front door, there was a small corridor that led to the only real room in the house.
A round room with several pipes protruding from the walls, cleverly dodging the few shelves that stood there and the windows. At the center of the room was a tall oval table, covered entirely by a long white tablecloth, leaving no wood visible. Oh, and there were also two bookcases brimming with books that looked old and undoubtedly expensive.
For a safe house, the Chancellor treats himself pretty well, the boy thought with some annoyance.
There were two doors, but as he later learned, they simply led to a small bathroom with only a urinal and a small closet.
Around the oval table were two blue armchairs, and Andrew, led by Melissa, threw himself into them with little decorum.
"...Are there any means of defense?"
His voice came out a little too hoarse for his taste.
Hearing the question, Melissa frowned before answering.
"Yes, there are. Are we under attack?"
The last part was said quietly but with a certain urgency.
Massaging his temples, Andrew replied wearily, "No, no, it's just..."
The words that followed came out with great simplicity. One dragged the other along like a great, uniform chain.
Eh, chain..., he thought ironically.
Having listened to the boy's story from beginning to end, Melissa put her hand over her mouth in shock. Seeing her act like this made Andrew think that maybe he made a mistake by saying everything.
"To think that someone would use technology in such a way... horrible! Truly horrible!"
Feeling this burst of emotion, Andrew could only glare.
This doesn't seem like the time to be thinking about the ethics of such matters when your ally is dying at your side...
"If it makes you feel any better, there's a chance they were already dead."
Melissa looked at him in shock.
"What do you mean?"
Rearranging his thoughts, Andrew decided to reveal his notation.
"It had makeup on."
"What, excuse me?"
Melissa looked at him extremely confused.
"What does this have to do with anything?"
"Have you ever heard of post-mortem photos?" he said with his lips slightly upturned.
Perhaps because of the macabre subject matter, Melissa herself fell silent for a long time before responding.
"It's a photo people take of their loved ones' bodies to remember them... usually creating quiet, orderly scenes, like the dead man with his living wife sitting on the couch..."
Andrew nodded.
"To enhance the magic, very light makeup is applied, both to make them appear alive, but also to avoid desecrating their bodies... in reality, it is very similar to when a ruined body is... restored."
Looking at him, the girl with mixed feelings asked one last thing.
"So why can't it be the second option?"
"Or it certainly can be; I'm just illustrating one option..."
It wasn't true. Andrew had other evidence he couldn't share with the girl. He had already met another robot, after all.
If they had been killed while alive, it would mean that two people went missing and were never reported to the public. I won't say that it deserves a curfew, but at least a notice in the newspaper. The matter would be solvable if we were talking about one of the many vagrants of East Borough. But-
A woman wearing makeup from East Borough rarely has a respectable job. And in this case, she'd have both foolish, very loyal clients and a potential don on her tail. Ironically, they'd do a much more intense job than the police...
"You seem... knowledgeable on the subject," Melissa said finally with some uncertainty.
Andrew answered, "Not in the way you think."
For him, there was no body to photograph.
Opening his mouth, Andrew didn't say much for quite a while until he was able to make an articulate speech.
"I'm ready to move on to the next Sequence. I'm already looking for the ingredients. And you?"
The question arose from a simple factor, namely the absurd difficulty Andrew had experienced as a Sequence 8. He definitely had to advance, and the same was true for Melissa; he could barely protect himself, and now he should protect someone else? Absurd!
Suddenly Michael's proposal became much, much more tempting...
"...I'm not sure; the Chancellor told me it would take years. However, I'm already feeling better now...and it's also thanks to you."
Setting her gaze on Andrew, she continued speaking.
"Acting like a Savant these past two days has made me feel so much better, and I've been wondering why. The Chancellor always explained it to me as if we have to conquer the potion's power, but acting on the potion's name has made me think differently. What you wanted to tell me is that we need to harmonize with the symbolic value of the true potion, right?"
Hearing the girl's long speech, Andrew barely stayed awake, but what he heard surprised him all the same.
Harmonizing... sure! She's brilliant!
The compliment wasn't for the concept itself, which Andrew had already grasped long ago, but for the fact that she'd discovered it in just two days...and reminded him of it.
If everything, even the Gods, comes from the Original Creator, then obviously its imprint is found on everything. Such a being would never die! It simply split! The harmonization is not with this symbolic value, but rather with its imprint!
Having reached this epiphany, Andrew couldn't wait to reveal it to Mr. Fortune! He certainly knew about it, but he still had to prove he'd learned something under his tutelage...
Being excited, the boy felt more awake.
"But we need better weapons..." muttered the Savant, who had continued talking in the meantime.
"Of course, one Sequence isn't enough... how are you doing with your gun?"
"Oh, I'm doing okay. I'm still learning; I go to the range when I can..."
"I'll help you when I can; the sooner you learn, the better."
The two fell into silence, each immersed in their own thoughts.
Suddenly, Melissa acquired an ecstatic expression.
"Andrew, is it possible to create bullets with powers similar to charms?"
The aforementioned Andrew responded immediately.
"Sure; demon-hunting projectiles are just that," he paused before continuing, "but I've never made one; they're more complex to make with all that limited space."
"They would undoubtedly be a formidable addition to our weapons. Especially to my firearm."
...Sigh, why are you so happy when we talk about technology or weapons?
Narrowing his eyes, Andrew leaned back further.
"...We could."
Having reached this temporary solution, the two fell into a comfortable silence, at least until Andrew broke it with a certain remark.
"Your brother seems nice."
Melissa turned her head to look at the boy in a mechanical, snappy way.
"...That's it?"
"Just a comment, that's all."
Continuing to look at his face, the girl looked away, "What a strange comment..."
Smiling slightly, Andrew replied, "Then let's make this less strange. Would you like to talk about your brother?"
The Savant seemed extremely surprised by this, but with a speed comparable to that which she used to talk about machinery, she appeared in her gab.
"Benson is currently serving as Deputy Director, a good job he's doing admirably. He had challenges in the past, but he's overcoming them all, and truly-"
As Melissa continued to sing the praises of her brother, Andrew continued to listen in silence...
It's relaxing to hear her talk; at least she's not looking for constant confrontation like that Michael!
"-Overall, after we came to Backlund, he has definitely improved."
After hearing it, Andrew asked, "Are you from Awashire?"
"Yes; how do you know?"
"Oh, well, you have an accent."
"Oh."
The boy immediately moved to repair the damage.
"Not in a bad way, absolutely not! In fact, it suits you very well!"
"T-Thank you."
Looking away, Melissa continued.
"I was saying, he's become so reliable that he got married. Eh, eh, it's a little strange for me to think, but that it finally happened."
"Hmm, congratulations. Oh, so you live with your brother and his wife?"
The boy asked in a curious tone. She hadn't mentioned parents or anything else, so he just assumed it was just the three of them.
"Exactly."
"Ah," Andrew said unexpectedly and later concluded with, "isn't that-er-strange?"
Offering a small, awkward smile, Melissa nodded slightly.
"A little, but she's truly a wonderful person. She's part of our family now..."
Sensing a sad undertone, the Reader Beyonder decided not to push, but unexpectedly, it was the girl who did.
"And who do you live with?"
Restraining himself from snorting, Andrew replied, "Mostly alone; my guardian hardly ever comes by. He works out of Backlund."
Listening to the first part, Melissa showed confusion, which turned into sympathy at the end.
"Guardian?" she repeated in a soft tone.
"Yes, I am an orphan," Andrew said, and then quickly added, "I grew up in the Goddess orphanage," he concluded, making the Moon symbol on his chest.
It wasn't a total lie what he said.
"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to-"
Andrew promptly interrupted her, not wanting her sympathy for a lie.
"I'm sorry too. I hated the choir!"
"Eh, eh."
Hearing the girl's giggle, Andrew relaxed even more. Remembering something, Andrew asked with interest.
"Speaking of faith, which one do you believe in?"
Melissa pressed her lips together.
"I-er-have always believed in the faith of the Evernight Goddess, but I actually find the faith of the God of Steam and Machinery quite interesting ... wh -what I mean is that I greatly respect both gods! Perhaps if we're talking about doctrine, then I find ' The Revelation of Evernight ' more captivating, but I find the inventions brought by the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery fundamentally important ..."
Andrew nodded.
"I understand; you're like me."
"No!" Melissa shouted. "I've heard the rumors, you know? In just one month, you've declared your allegiance to four different Gods! I know there were rumors that you even worshipped an Evil God!"
A little too much, don't you think? he thought with a certain urgency. What if the Tarot Club heard those voices? It would be the end for him.
Feeling tiredness gripping him after all this time, Andrew decided to close his eyes.
"...Is it okay if I take a nap in here?"
"Yes, of course," a soft voice replied. "Sleep as much as you want."
Appreciating the girl's kindness to his weary limbs, Andrew decided to enter Cogitation to help himself. As he did so, however, his mind began to analyze recent events.
Why had he come here? Why hadn't he gone home and gotten a good night's sleep?
Why?
...Maybe it's not the place...
That pain, the pain in Portland Moment's eyes... it bothered him, didn't it?
Letting out a chuckle, Andrew thought one last thing.
What a child; I didn't want to be alone, huh?
--------------------------
It was a winter night many years ago in a little-known village.
Inside a house, there were two living beings, two human beings. One was an absolute beauty, with dark brown hair, almost black, and blue eyes. The other was a child with the same appearance, the only difference being a slightly overlong nose and small glasses perched on his face.
They were sitting on a sofa with the boy 's head in the woman's lap, who was stroking his hair. The only source of light was the fireplace.
The woman's mouth began to open, and her gloved hands began to wriggle.
"A long time ago," she began, "there was a knight."
Infinite strings, invisible to the boy's eyes, tied the little dolls together on the table in front of them, and as if they had a life of their own, they began to move. But in reality, it was all dictated by the will of that lady...
"The knight took his sword and went on an adventure to slay the evil dragon-"
The story was wonderful in the boy's eyes, but above all, the visual representation was spectacular.
At one point, the hero reached some snowy plains, and the woman froze the entire table!
Using her powers for something like that...it was truly amazing! Or at least that's what the kid thought.
Unfortunately for him, stories don't last forever, and the woman finished her tale. But the two remained connected for a long time...
At one point, the woman's melodious voice resounded throughout the house.
"I have to go to work tomorrow, my little. Your babysitters will come and play with you."
The boy was silent for a long time before looking at the elegant woman with a frown.
"Do you have to?" he asked with whipped-dog eyes, "I don't like your friends. They're mean!"
Continuing to stroke his hair, the woman giggled lightly before asking a question.
"Oh yeah? What did those rascals do now?"
The boy didn't answer again, but the pause lasted longer. Not looking the woman in the eye, he moaned softly.
"They do strange things. Last time, they put strange things on my face... they told me, 'I'll be a beautiful woman'..."
The hand stopped for good. Not looking at her, the boy wasn't sure of her expression, but the grip on the back of his neck tightened.
"...I understand," she replied simply, but those words were enough to make the boy smile inwardly. That tone promised pain!
After a little more cuddling, the boy asked a question that had been weighing on his chest for a long time, and this time he looked the woman in the face. He had to be still!
"Mom, when can I become a Beyonder like you?"
The gorgeous face looked at the boy impassively, opening its mouth, and from it came a-
"Clank!"
Clank?
Andrew Locke awoke from his sleep to understand the origin of the noise.
On the same oval table now sat a metal monkey, holding plates that kept colliding. Picking it up, Andrew noticed a built-in clock, and after a bit of fiddling, he managed to deactivate it through a spring mechanism.
Confusedly, he looked around and found a piece of paper on the ground that had clearly fallen. It was a letter written by Melissa.
Summing up the contents, she said she had to leave, which is why she would set a one-hour alarm to allow the boy to get some more sleep.
Looking out the window, Andrew noticed that the little light passing through the clouds had actually diminished, indicating the arrival of the evening.
Taking Melissa's key that she had kindly left, Andrew prepared to leave and lock the safe house.
However, things didn't go as planned because, with a certain déjà vu, as soon as the door was opened, a figure appeared in front of it: a red-haired woman.
...Why?!
It was Jeanne Rolland.
--------------------------
File:
Name: Portland Moment
Bio: Alive
Age: more of less 60
Parents: [REDACTED]
City of birth: Backlund
Residence: Unit 100 Böklund Street, Backlund
Pathway: Savant
Sequence: Appraiser (7)
Occupation:
Chancellor of the Backlund University of Technology
Affiliation:
Backlund of University of Technology (as its Chancellor)Church of the God of Steam and Machinery (thanks to friendship with some members and Portland scientific progress) (former)Unnamed wife (wife)Melissa Moretti (direct student)Andrew Locke (junior)[REDACTED]
Abilities:
Recall: Allows the Beyonder to remember any knowledge he ever obtained;Knowledge: About physic, history and outdoor survival;Ritualistic Magic: After reaching Sequence 8 he obtained an enchantment at his Spirituality which allows the use of Ritualistic Magic, but the Beyonder is far from being an expert;Adaptation: Can adapt instinctively to many situations;Physical: After reaching Sequence 8 he obtained a solid and strong body, far from being strong as those of Hunters and Warriors;Appraisal: Allows the Beyonder to study with just a glance almost all items and allows the immediately understanding of abilities and problems of mystical ones. If the status of the item surpasses their own then the understanding is incomplete or flawed;
Weapons:
Sealed Artifact:
Joy
Origin: Made from the Beyonder Characteristic of a Magician, Sequence 7 of the Seer Pathway.
Powers: Air Bullets and Flaming Jump.
Downside: It locks an emotion that the user is forced to express, changing his way of acting during this period of time. The emotion with the highest chance of being locked is joy. Furthermore, as long as the glove is on the user may feel paranoid about the littlest of things
Carnage
Origin: Made from the Beyonder Characteristic of a Pyromaniac, Sequence 7 of Hunter Pathway.
Powers: Pyrokinesis and some small physical enchantment
Downside: Makes the target more prone to anger and generally as long as the glove is on the user is prone to act recklessly without thinking even without provocation.
Interaction: [Joy + Carnage]: Portland Moment after a lifetime of exchanges and study found this two Sealed Artifacts and fall in love with them. Thanks to his Appraisal ability he learned about their powers even before obtaining them and thanks to his Adaptation discovered the best way to use the both of them.
While together Carnage increases the chance of rage being locked as the main emotion by Joy, yet if Joy is able to still lock joy as main emotion, then the prone to anger effect vanishes. Moreover, the downside of "acting recklessly without thinking" and "may feel paranoid about the littlest of things" contradicts each other causing a negation of the downside or a lessening of the manifesting characteristic.
Update File:
Andrew Locke:
Weapons:
Sealed Artifacts:
Demoness Insignia
Origin: [REDACTED]
Power:
1) Incomplete Mirror Substitution;
2) Threads;
3) [REDACTED]
Downside:
The user feels flames surrounding his body, the pain is intolerable for some;[REDACTED]
Conditional:
1)[REDACTED]
2)[REDACTED]
3)The Beyonder Characteristic that formed this item has a very strong mental imprint, because of that if the user is a descendent of the original Demoness then the Downsides are greatly decreased, but never nullified.
--------------------------
Note:
Uf, uf, I'm done!
Oh my God, this is the longest chapter I've ever written. I wanted it to contain all these elements, and so it reached this level of a total of 19483 words.
I genuinely hope you like it; I welcome any criticism!
I'm sorry I couldn't write Melissa into the fight; however, with her current abilities, she would be dead weight. Once she gets better gear, it will become feasible to include her.
Andrew was originally supposed to get the Notary's Certificate of Authenticity, but I changed my mind, both because of the Chancellor's situation and Andrew's general behavior. He has a weakness for these things.
The Swindler, Thomas, didn't originally have that big of a role, lol, but he gained one when I remembered Hazel. I was thinking of a canon character on this Pathway to write about, and I remembered her and was like, "Of course!" So here we are.
So I hope that even if it is long, I made the chapter easy to read.
These days, I'm finishing playing Silksong, which is a goated game.
Thanks for reading this far, and have a great day!
PS: For webnovel readers, yeah the chapter was too long for the site and so I had to split it in two