Chapter 2945: Chapter 2946: Demonic Ghosts within the Mirror
After bidding farewell to Luigi, Angel and the others didnāt linger and directly left the City of Hot Gold.
The journey was silent until they returned to the Mirror Corridor, when Laplace finally spoke: "Whatās wrong with you?"
Angel gently shook his head: "Itās nothing."
Laplace gave a soft snort and didnāt respond further, turning to the Rabbit Girl: "You noticed it too, right?"
The Rabbit Girl hesitated for a moment before speaking in a timid voice: "An... Angel has had a furrowed brow ever since he got the mirror."
Laplace looked at Angel without saying anything, but her gaze was clear: What do you say now?
After a moment of silence, Angel said, "The mirror just now was an alchemy tool."
Laplace: "I could tell, but it shouldnāt be a very high-level alchemy tool."
Angel nodded: "Its level is not high, but its function canāt be measured by its level."
Laplace: "What do you mean?"
Angel glanced at the road ahead and pondered, "Letās talk as we walk."
Angel said as much, but in the following minutes, he remained silent, just walking along. Laplace didnāt urge him; if Angel didnāt want to talk, she was indifferent to it.
As they stared silently at each other, the Rabbit Girl suddenly said, "Weāre about to pass Resentful Women Town."
When the Rabbit Girl mentioned "Resentful Women Town," her voice trembled noticeably, and the strange tone interrupted Angelās thoughts, leading him to look down in confusion.
By then, they had long left the Immortal Mirror Sea, returning to the dark Void of the Mirror Domain.
All around was boundless and silent, like a dead land, except for the occasional birth and death of mirror surfaces.
Within this boundless dead land stood a dome black as ink, looming nearby.
This dome looked much like the one in the City of Hot Gold, but the darkness above it was like flowing black mire, chilling to the spine.
What caught Angelās attention the most was a blood-red mirror beneath the black dome, which he had never seen before.
The eerie blood light seeped out, failing to be fully concealed by the dark dome.
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Angel: "This is..."
Laplace said in a low voice: "Resentful Women Town."
"I hate Resentful Women Town the most. Every time we pass by it, it feels like entering a Ghost Phantom..." The Rabbit Girlās lips trembled as she looked at Laplace with dissatisfaction: "Clearly... we could have taken a detour."
Laplace glanced indifferently at the Rabbit Girl: "Detouring is your choice, I donāt want to waste time."
The Rabbit Girl pouted but remained silent.
Watching the childish disagreement between Laplaceās young form and her adult form, Angel found the scene absurdly amusing. Stifling his chuckle, he asked curiously, "What is Resentful Women Town?"
Laplace: "A ghost town made up of mirror ghosts from the Demonic Ghosts within the Mirror."
"Demonic Ghosts within the Mirror?" Angel was taken aback. "Thereās such an area in the Mirror Domain?"
Laplace: "Yes. Almost every Mirror Domain has an area of Demonic Ghosts within the Mirror, but the scope varies in different domains. The Daylight Mirror Domainās corresponding world actually has few living beings, so the Phantom isnāt very large."
"Itās said that in another Gloomy Mirror Domain, the Phantomās radiation covers over half of its area. Itās the main battlefield for the mirror ghost races."
The Demonic Ghosts within the Mirror are actually the domains where mirror ghost races exist.
The Mirror Grudge is a type of mirror ghost.
Angel owns a Mirror Grudge, and the space it opens would be classified as a Demonic Ghost within the Mirror.
There are often ghost stories about mirror ghosts in the Wizardsā Realm. If those stories were true, the corresponding Mirror World would also be a Phantom.
The Demonic Ghosts within the Mirror are filled with enigmas and lethal dangers, with many unreasonable instant-death rules, making them the most dangerous areas in the Mirror Domain, second only to the Sea of Void Mirror.
Laplace: "Resentful Women Town was established by a female Mirror Grudge to harbor many stray mirror ghosts in the vicinity. When the numbers are adequate, they are collectively sent into the Demonic Ghosts within the Mirror."
Angel: "Stray mirror ghosts? Are you saying mirror ghosts can get lost in the Mirror Domain?"
Laplace shook her head: "The Mirror Domain has no concept of getting lost, just where one should be. Mirror ghosts, generally speaking, should go to the Demonic Ghosts within the Mirror. However, the rules there differ slightly from the ordinary Mirror Domain; they appear to merge but are actually separate, somewhat similar to..."
Laplace pondered before saying: "I recall that in the Southern Domain, thereās a subordinate world capable of multi-layer overlay."
Angel immediately caught on: "You mean the surface and inner layers of the Fairy Tale World?"
Laplace: "I donāt know if itās the Fairy Tale World. The Sage mentioned before that the surface is the human world, while the inner layer is where transcendent organizations and lives reside. Clearly, theyāre in the same area, yet distinguished by inner and outer layers."
"This is the relationship between the ordinary Mirror Domain and the Demonic Ghosts within the Mirror. Overlapping but not merged."
"Only at very special times does the Mirror Domain open a passage to the Ghost Phantom. Resentful Women Town serves to find this special moment and send the stray mirror ghosts into the Demonic Ghosts within the Mirror."
Angel nodded in realization: "So, Resentful Women Town acts as a sweeper, helping the Mirror Domain clear out some ghosts?"
Laplace gave Angel a peculiar glance: "No, even if all mirror ghosts lived in the ordinary Mirror Domain, they wouldnāt affect its residents."
Angel paused for a few seconds before realizing, this is the Mirror Domain, not the human world. In reality, ordinary humans exist in great numbers, and ghosts would only wreak havoc. But in the Mirror Domain, traveling mirror ghosts would likely have to tread cautiously because there are so many extraordinary creatures here.
Angel: "If mirror ghosts can live in the ordinary Mirror Domain, why does Resentful Women Town still guide them?"
Laplace said flatly: "Most unnecessary actions hide an agenda. However, it has nothing to do with you or me. The Demonic Ghosts within the Mirror may be special, but they canāt cause much trouble in the Daylight Mirror Domain."
Laplace didnāt reveal if she knew the underlying reasons, but her disdainful attitude suggested she likely understood Resentful Women Townās intentions but didnāt care.
Angel watched Resentful Women Town fade from view without asking more questions.
"Since Resentful Women Town has mirror ghosts, doesnāt it mean that souls appearing in the Mirror Domain arenāt improper?" Angel inquired, looking at Laplace.
Laplace: "The Mirror Domain is a vast world; accommodating souls is quite basic."
Angel: "Then summoning a soul here shouldnāt be an issue? I mean, in the Mirror Corridor."
Laplace wasnāt sure what Angel intended but followed his logic: "The Mirror Corridor can house souls, but itās like the Void, which can harm extremely fragile souls. However, souls like mirror ghosts and Mirror Grudges are fine."
Upon hearing this, Angel pondered: "Then... perhaps not."
Laplace: "The soul youāre releasing is quite fragile?"
Angel nodded: "Yes, I suppose."
Laplace: "Then itās better to wait until weāre at the destination. Rabbit Mountainās space is stable, and unless the soul is overly fragmented, it should be fine."
She paused, then asked: "Does releasing the soul have a special purpose?"
Angel nodded: "Yes, I want to ask him a few questions."
Laplace seemed to grasp something: "Is it related to the mirror we encountered?"
Angel nodded once more: "It is. I suspect this mirror is linked to a Wizard Family in the Southern Domain."
Laplace raised an eyebrow: "So youāve already formed an assumption about that Dudubi?"
Angel didnāt hide anything: "I already had some guesses before. By the time we left, I had a few answers in mind. I wasnāt sure who exactly, but when Luigi handed me the mirror, my guesses narrowed down, locking onto one person."
"Oh, who?" Laplace often communicated with The Sage and had great insight into the Southern Domain Wizard World. She, too, had speculated on Dudubiās identity, although without definite answers. Hearing that Angel had it narrowed down, she was curious about who it could be.
Angel was about to speak when he noticed the leading Rabbit Girl had halted.
Laplace looked over and chuckled lightly: "Rabbit Mountain is near; we can resume after weāre past the Ghost Mirror Ring."
After speaking, Laplace passed by the rabbit girl and resumed the duty of leading the way. The rabbit girl, with her mouth puckered, followed with some reluctance.
Seconds later, within the vast void, there suddenly appeared a massive pitch-black shadow that stretched beyond the horizon.
Even from a distance, Angel felt an inexplicable sense of crisis.
This feeling of crisis had also appeared earlier when seeing the Immortal Mirror Sea. However, this time the sense of crisis was even more intense than before.
What exactly is this?
As Angel pondered, he noticed the Mirror Corridor charging directly toward the pitch-black shadow.
Shortly thereafter, the Mirror Corridor intersected with the shadow, yet like before with the Immortal Mirror Sea, the corridor remained calm and steady, constructing a passage into the dark shadow.
While traversing the passage, Angel finally saw the truth of these pitch-black shadows.
ā Ever-rebirth mirrors.
Indeed, much like the Immortal Mirror Sea, it was mirrors that were continually being reborn. However, during the rebirth of the Immortal Mirror Sea, faint light would flicker, creating a long galaxy.
Yet here, the mirror shatters and remains shattered, without any light. Instead, like squids squirting ink, it releases deeper darkness forming shadows here.
"This is the Ghost Mirror Ring." Perhaps sensing Angelās confusion, Laplace spoke: "The inhabitants of the Mirror World call this place by that name. Although itās named a ring, its true form is actually a giant sphere composed of countless ring-shaped Immortal Ghoul Mirrors, hence āGhost Mirror Ringā is appropriate."
"Immortal Ghoul Mirror?" Angel queried: "Is it related to the Immortal Mirror Sea?"
Laplace nodded: "In terms of rules, itās identical to the Immortal Mirror Sea. Only, the latter comprises ordinary mirrors in its rebirth, while here, itās ghost mirrors tainted with mirror ghost aura."
"The Immortal Mirror Sea releases vast amounts of aggregation energy, and the Immortal Ghoul Mirror does the same, but this energy comes with pollution, absorbable only by the Mirror Ghosts of the Ghost Phantom."
Angel seemed to realize something: "Is that why Resentful Women Town is built nearby?"
Laplace: "Exactly."
"Why isnāt Resentful Women Town built directly atop the Ghost Mirror Ring then?"
Laplace: "Theyāre not strong enough. While some forces in the Ghost Phantom can survive in the Ghost Mirror Ring, the Mirror Ghosts of Resentful Women Town cannot. They avoid getting too close, fearing their aura will drag them into it."
Through Laplaceās explanation, Angel roughly understood the Ghost Mirror Ringās information.
The Ghost Mirror Ring, or Immortal Ghoul Mirror, much like the Immortal Mirror Sea, belongs exclusively to the Mirror Domain. Yet, Immortal Ghoul Mirrors mostly appear within the Ghost Phantom, rarely manifesting in reality.
This appearance of the Ghost Mirror Ring here is indeed rare.
However, it is precisely because of this Ghost Mirror Ring that Resentful Women Town could develop continuously. Otherwise, even with plans, they couldnāt remain in reality long-term.
Upon understanding the Ghost Mirror Ring as a sphere, Angel suddenly realized they seemed to be entering its interior?
"Rest assured, while the Ghost Mirror Ring is dangerous, its interior is very safeāone of the few safe zones in this Mirror Domain."
"Our destination lies within the Ghost Mirror Ring."
Just after the words fell, a crystal mountain shaped like rabbit ears suddenly appeared before Angelās eyes.
Angel stared at the floating mountain in surprise: "This is..."
"Weāve arrived." Laplace: "This is Rabbit Mountain, Little Laplaceās home."
...
The rabbit girl looked at the nearby Rabbit Mountain with a resentful expression.
But Laplace ignored the girlās resentment, directly aiming the Mirror Corridor at Rabbit Mountain.
The rabbit girl then weakly said, "Thisāthis is my private domain... Canāt we find another place..."
Laplace: "No, because this too counts as my private domain."
The rabbit girl wants to refute but doesnāt know how. She is Laplaceās Temporal Body and originates from Laplaceās childhood memories, making the connection even tighter, one might say inseparable.
Now that Laplace wants to take over her domain, she can only purse her lips and mutter inwardly without daring to obstruct further.
Angel, gazing at the floating Rabbit Mountain, quietly remarked: "It seems different from other mirror lights."
Other mirror lights have protective domes, but Rabbit Mountain simply stands in the void.
Laplace: "This isnāt a mirror light; itās a special reflection space. Itās more stable than mirror lights, and with the Ghost Mirror Ringās protective exterior, itās incredibly safe. No other mirror creatures will appear, nor will mirror fractures occur, unless faced with the disaster of mirror expansion, it can stand for thousands of years without issue."
Angel didnāt inquire what mirror expansion was but guessed it involved the Ghost Mirror Ring.
Indeed, with the external coverage of the Ghost Mirror Ring, Rabbit Mountain is unlikely to face any problems. If issues arise, theyāre likely due to the Ghost Mirror Ring, not Rabbit Mountain.
Angel: "Do Glaipnir and Luigi also have places like this?"
Laplace shook his head: "They prefer staying in the Sea of Void Mirror."
"Then why did Little Laplace create..." such a Rabbit Mountain?
Angel stopped halfway, sensing from Little Laplaceās somber gaze that he might have touched a sensitive topic, so he quickly paused.
Laplace: "Donāt be fooled by her appearance; she just doesnāt want outsiders to enter Rabbit Mountain."
"Why?"
Laplace: "Did you have a secret base as a child?"
Angel paused and nodded.
From a very young age, Jon would tell various fantastical storiesāsome educational, some fairy tales, and many more like the enlightening animations from the holographic tablet.
These stories all promoted truth, goodness, and beauty, featuring a clear yet not altogether terrible villain, with the hero daily battling them.
Different stories had varied outlines, but the flow was similar: each hero or villain had their secret base.
Thinking back, the villain knew the heroās secret base, and vice versaācould that truly be called a secret base?
Of course, present thoughts differ from childhood ones.
Back then, Angel, after hearing many such stories, decided to find his own secret base. That way, when the villain came, he could hide inside.
Jon supported this notion and even constructed a secret base for him, behind the wardrobe, leading to a downward passage that reached the cellar. Jon transformed the cellar to be richly supplied, and this became Angelās childhood secret base.
Jon even named this base: Demon Capital Fortress.
As for why itās called Demon Capital Fortress, Angel didnāt know, but he knew Jonās hometown was called Magic Capital.
Laplace: "You had a secret base as a child too? Then you should understand Little Laplaceās obsession with secret bases; yes, Rabbit Mountain is her secret base."
Thatās why, as a "secret" base, the rabbit girl doesnāt want outsiders to enter. This is also why sheās been reluctant throughout the journey.
As for why Luigi and Glaipnir donāt have their "home," itās simply because...they donāt need one.
Rabbit Mountain isnāt truly the rabbit girlās home; as a secret base, she seldom visits. But if an outsider proposes to come, sheāll promptly declare itās her den, forbidding entry.
In the past, it was overlooked, but this time, the entity Laplace speaks, the rabbit girl wants to refuse, but finds it impossible.
Soon, they arrived at the entrance to Rabbit Mountain. It was a sealed crystal gate, and under Laplaceās urging, the rabbit girl reluctantly opened it.
"Come on, letās head inside." Laplace: "I want to see what soul youāll bring out."
Angel didnāt immediately move but glanced at the still-sobbing rabbit girl, softly asking: "Now that weāre here, can you tell me the purpose of coming here?"