Alice returned home without realizing anything, lay down on her bed, but did not try to sleep. Instead, she stared at the ceiling with her eyes open and began to think.
What exactly... was wrong?
It started from the moment she stepped out of Charlie King's house.
The monster that had emerged from the Depths of Darkness... incredibly subtle, yet seemingly everywhere.
The unease that had not faded even after she escaped.
The sudden calm she had felt while sitting in the carriage.
And the coachman's words...
Playing cards with himself.
The recently popular "Fighting Evil."
Living in a remote place with scarcely anyone around.
Driving carriages as a hobby.
And finally, that gesture of reaching up to press against his right eye socket...
A familiar voice echoed in her mind.
"Don't let the Error pathway's name make it sound too impressive... it's really just thieves and swindlers."
"Thieves and swindlers?"
"Yeah. It starts with stealing money, then progresses to stealing thoughts, memories, abilities, fate, status... It starts with deceiving people, then goes on to deceiving the laws of nature... Put simply, they're just thieves and swindlers!"
Thieves and swindlers?
Recalling Song Shu's description, Alice's gaze gradually filled with terror—He could steal thoughts and memories, so could He... steal away her unease?
Alice sprang up and rushed outside. The street in front of her door was empty, in complete silence. Only Evelyn, who happened to be returning, greeted her, "...Morning?"
"...Morning." Alice nodded and retreated into her room, closing the door.
Reviewing everything that had happened along the way, Alice reached a conclusion: even if that really was Amon, she was probably still interesting enough in His eyes that He had no intention of killing her yet.
As for how He had found her... did she even need