Chapter 479: The Watcher, Lost Realities

[A/N: Read before Chapter 478! These publishing timers are a real pain] ;(

While Ash and a few of his wives entertained themselves until the Grand Ball, his two daughters had finally decided to go see the Watcher.

Clara and Evelyn stood together at the boundary at the edge of Reality Nine.

The boundary was the same as always.

It was a vast, shimmering wall of translucent energy stretching endlessly in every direction—like a curtain separating one True Reality from the next.

Clara, her short purple hair framing her face, raised a brow as they stood there.

"So... this is it, huh?" she said. "The Threshold of Existence... I wonder what’s so special about lost Realities that even Dad is interested."

Evelyn, her long white-purple hair cascading over her shoulders, tilted her head as she studied the wall.

"Well, whatever it is, it’s not often Dad personally gives us a task," she remarked with a sly grin.

"Let’s make sure we get everything we can out of this little owl."

Clara chuckled softly at the comment.

"Yes, but remember, we’re here for information, not a fight."

Evelyn nodded, her expression briefly turning serious.

"Of course... we were chosen for a reason."

She reached out and took Evelyn’s hand, squeezing it once.

"Ready?"

Evelyn squeezed back, her gentle aura flaring slightly.

"Duh."

Together, they stepped forward and crossed the boundary.

----

They found themselves in the long hallway of the Threshold of the Ninth Veil.

As before, the walls shimmered with shifting prisms, each one catching the light and bending it into fleeting images of whatever the mind most desired to see.

Along the corridor stood exactly eighteen doors, each promising a passage into a different reality.

At the far end, the Watcher awaited — the regal, snow-white owl, still poised on its plain wooden stand, watching in silence.

The moment they appeared; the Watcher’s large eyes fixed on them with unblinking intensity.

Clara and Evelyn strolled forward in an easy, relaxed manner, their steps light and inviting.

Clara offered a polite, easy smile.

"Hello. I’m Clara, and this is my sister Evelyn." She said introducing themselves.

Like her mother, Layla—known to many as Lady Truth—Clara possessed the remarkable gift of shaping reality itself with the simple power of her words.

It wasn’t so much about speaking the Truth; she had a gift for uncovering all the unspoken ones.

Her words could gently guide someone to open up about whatever they treasured most.

"We’re travelers who recently started crossing between Realities. We were told this place is important... and that you might be able to help us understand a few things."

Evelyn bowed her head politely, allowing a gentle aura to radiate warmth.

"We don’t want to take up too much of your time." She said, "We hail from Reality Nine, and we’re still learning how all of this works. The way realities connect... it’s quite different from what we’re used to."

The Watcher tilted its head, golden eyes studying the two young women with quiet curiosity.

With just a quick glance, he sensed something was off, though he couldn’t quite pinpoint it in that moment.

Hearing they were from Reality Nine instantly put him on guard... because as The Watcher, he could see far beyond the countless Mana-Verses.

Normally, he could also identify the type of Mana tied to someone’s reality, yet right now, he couldn’t see any at all.

Still, a flicker of intrigue lingered.

"New travelers are rare," the owl said calmly. "Most who come here already know what they seek. What exactly are you hoping to understand?"

Clara shrugged lightly, keeping her tone casual.

"Just the basics, really." She said, "Things like how the doors work... which one leads where. And... if there are any places that are particularly difficult to reach."

Evelyn nodded, her voice smooth as she said, "We don’t want to venture anywhere too dangerous."

As she spoke, her powers over change began to stir, and a warm aura started radiating from her, gradually making the entire Threshold of Existence feel more inviting.

The shift in the atmosphere was subtle but undeniable, softening the edges of the moment and easing the tension.

She gently altered the emotional temperature in the room, causing The Watcher’s suspicion to waver until he began to see them as old, trusted friends.

"We’re just trying to piece together a clearer picture of how everything connects," she continued.

"After all, knowledge is important—especially when you’ve traveled so far from home."

The Watcher’s eyes narrowed slightly.

He was no ordinary being after all, he was tasked with watching over all Realities.

As the subtle shift unfolded, he could tell they were treading carefully with their words, guiding the conversation without making it obvious.

’Hmm, no matter which Reality they come from, there’s little that won’t be known,’ he mused, his thoughts drifting to the Ancestor Seeker.

If these beings truly hailed from Reality Nine, why not simply consult their Library?

That meant if they were seeking information, it could only point to one possibility.

They weren’t directly asking about "lost" or "forbidden" realities, but the path their questions took left no doubt about their true aim.

It hooted softly.

"All doors here lead to stable realities." He explained, "Each of the Eighteen Realities are what we call, Mana Verses."

He paused for a moment as its head tilted.

"Though overtime like all organisms, some die... or simply vanish."

Clara tilted her head in turn, pretending to be thoughtful.

"Vanished...? That sounds strange. I didn’t know entire realities could just... leave."

The Watcher observed them for a few moments, its golden eyes narrowing slightly.

The more he spoke with these women, the more he felt the balance tipping subtly in their favor.

Still, there was something about their questions—and their complete lack of Mana—that kept drawing him in.

’Normally, those from lost realities have no Mana... but they seem so clueless,’ he mused before speaking again.

"If you truly seek knowledge," it said, "then I can offer you a path. You may enter Reality Three for a limited time."

"There, you will find a being called Ancestor Gambler. He holds a great deal of information regarding the matters you seem interested in."

Evelyn kept her expression calm and respectful, though she quietly noted how swiftly the owl had changed the subject.

’Looks like these lost realities really are something...’ she mused.

Clara offered a polite smile.

"How much would that cost?"

"One hundred million per hour," the Watcher answered without pause.

The two sisters exchanged a brief glance.

And without saying another word, they each summoned the required amount and handed over the mana stones.

The Watcher accepted them with a small nod.

"Very well. Twenty-four hours each."

Two glowing sigils appeared on their wrists — delicate circles with nine radiating lines, marking their authorized passage and time limit.

The Watcher raised a wing, and one of the doors at the far end of the hallway slowly opened with a soft hum.

"Use your time wisely." He said, "The door will remain open for exactly twenty-four hours. Do not overstay."

Clara gave a small, grateful smile.

"Thank you. We appreciate it."

Evelyn bowed her head politely.

"We’ll be careful."

The two sisters turned and walked toward the open door together.

As they stepped through, the door closed quietly behind them.

The Watcher remained on its perch, golden eyes lingering on the now-closed door for a few seconds longer than necessary.

"Those two..." it murmured to itself. "Let’s see what you’re hiding...."