Crossing the Boundary Again

Under Duncan's gaze, Anomaly 132—"Lock" obediently opened itself, slipped free of its clasp, and hopped to the other side of the table where it would not be in the way.

Duncan opened the dark wooden box, took out the carved wooden Goat Head inside, and placed it on the nautical chart table.

The first mate at the edge of the table turned its head and stared fixedly at the carved wooden Goat Head that looked exactly like itself. Two pairs of obsidian-like eyes met. After a long while, it finally let out a drawn-out sigh. "Wow..."

Duncan raised an eyebrow. "That's all you have to say?"

"It's too shocking. That was the only thing that came to mind," the Goat Head said, twisting its head around on its base as though trying to observe its "other head" from every angle. It stretched its neck out and stared for a long time, muttering as it looked. "I vaguely sensed it when you returned to the ship, and I knew you would bring this 'Skull of the Dreamscape' back from that ship. I'm not surprised by that, but seeing it with my own eyes is still incredible. There really is one that looks exactly like me..."

It abruptly stopped, seeming puzzled again. "Why isn't it moving?"

"You're asking me?" Duncan wore an odd expression. "This is your own head."

"But I'm not familiar with it either," the Goat Head said, utterly matter-of-fact. "Before this trip to Lightwind Harbor, I didn't even know I had a spine..."

Duncan was left speechless. "..."

The awkward, bizarre atmosphere lasted for several seconds before the Goat Head finally moved again. It stretched its neck toward the Skull of the Dreamscape. "Could you bring it a little closer?"

"Like this?" Duncan brought the lifeless Skull of the