Case solved. She really did need Potion Ingredients.
Alice's candid attitude let Edwina arrive at the answer directly. Ignoring Alice's final question, she offered her advice:
"Perhaps you could try interfering with their judgment of danger."
Hmm, that actually seemed feasible. After all, if their judgment came from Fate, then my standing was obviously higher...
It sounded like the real difficulty wasn't defeating them at all, but finding them. As long as I found them, even Klein should be able to beat them... Pah, what am I thinking?!
Alice removed the esteemed Mr. Fool from her units of measurement, then, with the mindset of taking full advantage since she was already freeloading, asked:
"What about Misfortune Phantoms?"
Edwina did not continue answering. Instead, she glanced at Alice and said thoughtfully:
"In my impression, Beyonders of the 'Fate' pathway seem to place great emphasis on Equivalent Exchange... but you don't seem to have mentioned compensation yet?"
"Uh..." Alice paused, thought for a moment, then asked tentatively, "One prophecy, or a dose of luck?"
Edwina shook her head and told her, "Within the Church, we usually exchange knowledge for knowledge."
Exchange knowledge for knowledge? She did not have much knowledge she could trade... Oh, no, she wanted to ask about the civilization before the First Epoch!
Having figured out the answer, Alice frowned at Edwina's bright eyes and said:
"The last time I brought up something you wanted to know, the Hidden Sage came over to take a look..."
A clear flicker of astonishment passed through Edwina's eyes.
Alice had meant the Internet, but considering how much the Church of Knowledge cared about knowledge, she added thoughtfully:
"Still, this actually seems quite suitable for you..."
Although they likewise revered knowledge, Readers were not Mystery Pryers, after all. Their pinnacle, the God of