Alice's lips curved slightly as she removed the brooch from Evelyn, then turned to Audrey and asked:
"Do you have a suitable container here?"
Audrey did not disappoint Alice. After taking the test tube, Alice gently lifted Evelyn's hand and felt her icy fingertips and sweat-soaked palm.
Alice could not help but laugh. Looking at Evelyn, who had not moved for quite some time, she suddenly asked:
"You're not a Nighthawk, are you?"
"No." Evelyn froze for a moment before replying, "The Nighthawks refused to let me join them, and they refused even more strongly to let me become a Beyonder."
Right, this was what was normal... Alice gave her an unreadable look, then drove her hand down hard, piercing Evelyn's fingertip.
After collecting the blood, Alice naturally put away the brooch, as though taking her pen with her after signing something. Then, pretending not to see Evelyn's expression, she smiled and said:
"I think you should know this, right? If you have recited the honorific name of a Great Being, and that being has your blood, then the Connection Between you has already become impossible to sever completely.
"Unless a True God is willing to personally help you—though even then, it would be very difficult."
Evelyn said nothing. Her gaze hesitantly fell on Alice's pocket before she asked, "My brooch...?"
After two seconds of silence, Alice leaned back in her seat and smiled.
"Don't rush. Answer a few questions first.
"Since you're not from a church, how did you become a Beyonder?"
—Even if the Hidden Sage had set Its sights on her, there had to be a reason.
Over the next few seconds, Evelyn's expression changed several times before she finally broke down completely.
Alice watched helplessly as Evelyn dropped to her knees, tears glimmering in her eyes