The Person She Couldn't Look At

This was Alice's first day officially beginning her mysticism lessons.

"Good morning, Rosanne!" Finally free from those annoying general knowledge classes and no longer having to study headache-inducing Hermes Language and Ancient Hermes Language every day, Alice happily greeted Rosanne at the entrance. "Have you seen the captain?"

"Good morning, Alice." Rosanne yawned, then smiled when she saw it was Alice. "The captain is in his office... Ah, you look really energetic."

Alice did not often come underground. Or rather, she had only come down a few times over the past three years. She had actually run into Rosanne at the cathedral, then discovered in surprise that Rosanne worked here as clerical staff.

"Because I'm happy—I finally don't have to take classes anymore! Oh, no, that's not right, I still have mysticism lessons... But they definitely won't be like general knowledge classes, or that damned Hermes Language and Ancient Hermes Language, right?"

Rosanne looked at Alice rather speechlessly. After they had grown familiar with each other, what Rosanne heard most often from Alice was complaints about learning languages. It was obvious that Alice was genuinely bad at studying languages.

Not receiving the affirmation she wanted, Alice disappointedly withdrew her pleading gaze and deliberately Let Out a Long Sigh in sorrow—then could not help laughing halfway through it.

"Alright, I'm going to find the captain, Rosanne. Bye bye~"

"Bye bye..."

Rosanne's listless reply came from behind her. Alice did not turn around. She knew Rosanne would make herself a cup of coffee next, and then...

Her vision blurred, and Alice saw an indistinct male figure in formal attire push the door open and enter. Rosanne was making coffee, and she heard the man greet her—"Good morning, Miss Rosanne."

Alice Blinked Her Eyes, and the image vanished. As If Nothing Happened, she knocked on the office door of Dunn Smith—the gray-eyed police officer she had first met.

"Come in." Dunn's voice and tone were low and gentle.

Alice Pushed the Door Open and Entered. Dunn was sitting behind his desk, and Alice could clearly see that he was shrouded in a deep, dense darkness, as if it were about to swallow him whole. She knew that it was an omen of death.

Alice smiled As If Nothing Happened, as bright and cheerful as she had been before Rosanne. Grinning, she met Dunn's deep eyes and was just about to speak when another image suddenly appeared.

That indistinct-faced man stood before the desk. She heard a solemn reply—"Yes, I have already made my choice."

...But why had his face been blurred both times?

Only after waiting for the image to dissipate did Alice restrain her smile and ask Dunn, "Captain, do you have another visitor this morning?"

"...You saw him?" Seeing Alice's sudden change in expression, Dunn, who understood the characteristics of the Monster Pathway, Realized something.

"Mm... I can..." Alice Frowned as she tried to organize her words. "Can I come back to see you later?"

"Why?"

"Perhaps I shouldn't see him."

"...Was it a revelation?"

"I'm not sure, I..."

"Knock, knock." A soft knock sounded, and Alice instinctively Closed Her Eyes.

Dunn Frowned at Alice, who had Closed Her Eyes, before saying, "Come in."

Alice heard Footsteps approaching her, followed by a puzzled gaze falling upon her—and her Spiritual Premonition was screaming at her not to open her eyes.

The soundless screaming gave Alice a terrible headache. She shifted a few steps to the side, braced herself against the wall, and rubbed Her Own Temples.

"Now I'm sure. I really can't see him—or I might die."

Dunn looked at the scene in some astonishment. Whatever he had guessed, he introduced the two of them.

"This is Klein Moretti. He's a recently joined member of the clerical staff. Do you remember?"

Alice nodded.

"This is Alice Kingsley, a Lucky One. Rosanne should have mentioned her to you?"

"...She's that, that 'Lucky One'?"

"Am I that famous?"

Even though Alice kept her eyes closed and did not dare look at him, Klein could still hear the strong liveliness and curiosity in her tone. Only when Dunn knocked twice on the desk as a warning did Alice restrain herself and return to her weak pose, holding her head.

"I originally wanted you two to go find Old Neil together... Alright." Dunn looked at the scene and Sighed helplessly. "Alice, go back first... Come again this afternoon."

"Okay!" Alice quickly turned around and Took a Step to leave, as if afraid Dunn would regret it. At the same time, after moving past the source of that gaze, she opened her eyes.

"Klein Moretti... I feel like I've Heard Of that name somewhere before..." That quiet mutter, audible to everyone, made the other two Hesitated to Speak—but they soon no longer needed to struggle with it.

Alice froze again. The white mist she had not seen in three years strangely appeared once more, and before her stood the same Young Girl who had linked arms with her and spoken to her all those years ago.

But This Time, the Young Girl's voice was unclear. Alice could only see her lips moving, then discern an indistinct name amid the chaotic murmurs.

"Zhou, Ming, Rui."

"Bang—!"

The loud crash Woke Up Alice, and the frenzied screaming of her spirituality stopped her First Reaction from being to turn around. Behind her, she heard shocked, perfectly articulated Chinese: "You...?"

That single word seemed to contain many questions before being forcibly cut off, making Alice Realized that this person might have Heard Of that name.

That perfectly articulated Chinese, Even If it was only one word, was enough to be evidence in Alice's eyes. Perhaps others could not determine whether it was Chinese from just one word, but Alice's intuition had already told her the answer.

For Alice, her current main goals were threefold: first, to find Huanhuan's past; second, to find her own past; third, to find the sender of that gift.

A discovery involving one of her main goals was naturally worth responding to. So Alice Closed Her Eyes, turned toward the source of the voice, and Replied in Loen Language, "Perhaps I should invite you to lunch. Even If eating with my eyes closed Isn't It a Good Idea... I Mean, you can find me at the cathedral."

Then she turned and left, not caring in the slightest what trouble what had just happened would cause Klein—explaining such troublesome matters to Dunn was, of course, something to leave to someone else.