379 Bold Speculation
Alone Bar? Lumian was taken aback by the answer.
Isnât this a little too coincidental?
Lumianâs impression of the Alone Bar was that it stood diagonally opposite Salle de Bal Unique. In the basement, there was a theater for marionette shows. The lighting was dim, and the colors were dark, giving it a slightly sinister appearance.
Initially, he didnât see it as a problem, but now that he knew that the monocle-wearing patrons of Salle de Bal Unique were in a superimposed state of being âAmonâ and âNot Amon,â he believed that the Alone Bar, which could compete with this dance hall and survive, wasnât simple.
Moreover, he had once observed Leah from Bureau 8 entering the bar. He suspected it to be Bureau 8âs covert hideout, designed to keep an eye on the Amons at Salle de Bal Unique.
Could Loki also be a member of Bureau 8, a true official Beyonder?
Or was it possible that he merely resided in Quartier de lâObservatoire and recognized the uniqueness of Alone Bar? Was that why he used the mechanical typewriter there to create a copy of the information, preventing anyone from tracing it back to him?
âWhatâs the matter?â Franca watched Lumian furrow his brow and plunge into deep thought. After a prolonged silence, she extended her right hand and waved it in front of his eyes.
Lumian contemplated for a moment and said, âThereâs a significant issue with this bar.â
âYouâre familiar with this bar?â Franca looked surprised.
This man appeared to harbor many secrets she was unaware of!
A soft chuckle escaped Lumianâs lips.
âWeâll need to start with Madame Hela and me searching for the Samaritan Womenâs Spring.â
Franca was taken aback. âHow many times do I need to have you give out every detail? Are you a tube of toothpaste, giving out a little with each squeeze?â
âThe focus was on the situation at the Samaritan Womenâs Spring, and this all happened along the way,â Lumian explained, without feeling embarrassed.
Starting from his encounter with the Islander swindler, Monette, and his repeated scares, he connected Charlie being swindled, the uniqueness of Salle de Bal Unique, and Madam Magicianâs connection to Amon. Finally, he mentioned that Alone Bar was diagonally opposite Salle de Bal Unique, and an official member of Bureau 8 had once entered and exited.
Franca felt like she was listening to a ghost story. She subconsciously wanted to hug a pillow, but there was none on the recliner.
Quickly shaking off her daze, she straightened her back, trying to maintain an expression that suggested a âtrue manâ wouldnât be frightened by such a terrifying incident.
All this was used to torment Jenna!
After Lumian finished speaking, Franca hissed and said, âYouâve had quite the array of experiences. Youâve even encountered an old monster that only exists in horror stories.â
âItâs for your own safety. If you didnât suspect anything when you encountered him, he wouldnât pay you any attention. But now, if your demeanor changes when you see him, he might become suspicious and involve you in his Parasitism,â Lumian warned, half-scaring Franca.
She pushed aside her fear of the Amons and steered the conversation back to the main topic.
âThis all ties into the Alone Bar. Investigating it in the future is going to be very challengingâŠâ
Franca suddenly had an imaginative guess.
âDo you think Loki has already been parasitized by an Amon?â
Lumian struggled to follow Francaâs train of thought and responded, âHuh?â
Franca continued, her tone grave, âConsider this. The books and legends of the Ancient Sun God have been missing for two to three thousand years, and since the Churches of the Seven Godsâ bibles are copied from Him, they must have erased relevant information. How did Loki come by this information?
âWhile there are various possibilities, if he is indeed Amon, it would make sense. No one knows His fatherâs situation better than Him.
âAs a child of a transmigrator, not to mention that He can obtain Lokiâs memories through Parasitism, even if He canât, He can perfectly act as our companion. You also mentioned that He enjoys deceit and has frightened you a few times. This is very similar to Lokiâs usual behavior.
âAnd when Amon from Salle de Bal Unique created the duplicate, he deliberately went to the Alone Bar diagonally opposite to use a mechanical typewriter to mislead potential tracing. This also fits with this style.â
Francaâs bold imagination surprised Lumian. After a moment of thought, he responded, âThis does explain why this information oddly points to the Alone Bar.
âUnder the guidance of this evil angel, the April Foolâs team gradually felt despair for the future and pursued their own joy. It was a reasonable development for them to start targeting other members of the Curly-Haired Baboons Research Society.
âHowever, Amon wouldnât intentionally lead the information to the Alone Bar, as that would naturally make investigators suspect Him, who resides diagonally oppositeâŠ
âPerhaps He anticipated the investigatorsâ thoughts,â Franca countered.
Lumian shook his head slowly.
âIf it were Amon, your divination would have been misled or you wouldnât have received an answer.
âYes, regardless, this is indeed a possibility. I plan to visit the Alone Bar for a drink in the next two days and investigate the situation on the ground, but I wonât delve further.â
Franca acknowledged his words tersely and sighed.
âIn truth, I also realize that the likelihood of Loki being parasitized by an Amon is very low. Our primary purpose in attending the gathering is to transition into a special state. In this state, the Sealed Artifact borrowed from Madame Hela should be able to detect any abnormalities in each memberâs bodies. It wonât transform the corresponding object and leave it where it is.
âSigh, Iâm just finding excuses for myself. Itâs not wise for us to pursue Loki without substantial evidence and strong suspicion.
âIt makes me feel like Iâve betrayed the Research Society and my companions. Thatâs why I hope that Loki was indeed parasitized by Amon. That way, I wonât experience a similar sense of guilt. Iâd be helping the Research Society eliminate hidden dangers.â
Filtering abnormalities in the body by entering a special state and attending the gathering? But nothing happened to Termiboros⊠Lumian wondered if it was because Mr. Foolâs seal was unique or if Madame Helaâs Sealed Artifact lacked the ability to filter abnormalities and guard against parasitic angels like Amon.
However, he didnât voice any objections at the moment and instead smiled.
âIn my view, thereâs definitely something amiss with Loki. Itâs just a question of whether itâs a major or minor issue.
âHe did,â Franca confirmed. âHe also mentioned that in such places, the higher the Sequence, the more dangerous it is. Itâs easier to lose control. Only Low-Sequence Beyonders like us can approach it.â
âThatâs only a relative perspective. Did you find it dangerous when I explored the Samaritan Womenâs Spring earlier?â Lumian inquired.
âIt was extremely dangerous,â Franca acknowledged, knowing much about the matter.
And you donât even know that the Blood Emperorâs apparition nearly caught me⊠Lumian muttered, âSearching for the remnants of the Ancient Sun God will likely be even more dangerous.
âIf Loki doesnât make an attempt, heâll be essentially using you as cannon fodder by encouraging you to explore underground. And if he does try, heâll inevitably be corrupted and gradually mutate. He lacks the purification of a great existence like Mr. Fool.
âSo, itâs crucial to locate Loki as soon as possible. Itâs in both your and his best interests.â
Franca bit her lip and agreed, âYouâre right. Loki clearly has malicious intentions in this matter. The other members of the April Foolâs team might be curious and willing to participate, but I believe theyâre cooperating with him.â
After persuading Franca, Lumian asked curiously, âTell me, the prerequisite for entering the gathering is to enter a special state. What state is it?â
Franca, no longer hesitating, shared eagerly, âIâve asked my Major Arcana card holder about it before. Although I couldnât reveal the incantation or provide a detailed description of the gathering, she speculated that it involves a âConcealmentâ power based on my description and its effects.â
âConcealmentâ power⊠Lumian nodded.
It was indeed well-concealed. Even the incantation had been hidden, preventing anyone from discovering it.
Franca went on, âThe power of Concealment is associated with the Evernight pathway, which is the divine pathway controlled by the Evernight Goddess Church.â
She lowered her voice and added, âI suspect that Madame Hela is affiliated with the Church of Evernight.â
âSimilar to 007?â Lumian inquired. He hadnât encountered 007 today, as too many people had participated in the gathering, and he didnât know the usual attire or team of 007.
Franca tersely confirmed his assumption.
âSomething along those lines, but she may hold a more significant position. Sheâs at a higher level and has access to more concealed knowledge.â
Recalling Madame Helaâs actions in obtaining the Samaritan Womenâs Spring, Lumian couldnât help but agree with Francaâs assessment.
Indeed, the lady possessed a wealth of secret knowledge. Moreover, she wore a black diamond ring that clearly exceeded ordinary mystical items and was suspected to possess godlike powers.
Additionally, the Sealed Artifact she had borrowed to convene the gathering was beyond Lumianâs imagination.
In a casual manner, Lumian asked, âWhat are the primary manifestations of the Evernight pathwayâs powers?â
According to Auroreâs grimoires, the first three Sequences of this pathway were Sleepless, Midnight Poet, and Nightmare. They primarily involved enhancing spirituality, increasing mental strength, reducing the need for sleep, the mystical application of poetry, and the unique ability to induce sleep in others.
Franca thought for a moment and replied, âThe power of Concealment, command over spirits, and the ability to create realistic dreamsâŠâ
Realistic dream⊠Lumian was taken aback by the answer.
He couldnât help but recall the realistic dream he had experienced in the ruins of Cordu.