"So, he's still alive?" Bernadette's attention was indeed drawn in. She clearly would not take Sno to mean that she should die and ask him herself, and Sno merely nodded lightly before saying in a somewhat mysterious tone:
"Bernadette, have you heard of the Black Emperor?"
Hearing the change in how he addressed her, Bernadette frowned slightly. However, before she could say anything, Sno continued:
"For reasons that cannot be spoken of, your father chose to switch Pathways and advance to become the Black Emperor. His death was also his own choice. He wanted to use it to break free from certain things, but he failed. Therefore, although he should have been able to resurrect, he has yet to do so. Where he is, why, and how to save him—none of that can be said. But he truly is not dead—as long as no new Black Emperor is born."
"..." Bernadette's emotions surged violently, but they were all concealed behind that fine-mesh veil, making Sno wonder whether it, too, was an Extraordinary Item.
About ten minutes later, the lady finally adjusted her emotions. She keenly seized upon the opening Sno had left her and asked:
"Why did you specifically mention the next Black Emperor?"
"Cannot say."
"Is someone planning to advance to become the Black Emperor?"
"Cannot say."
Two consecutive "cannot say" answers had practically made the issue clear. If there were no such thing, there would naturally be no need to say "cannot say."
"What is the Black Emperor's advancement ritual?" Bernadette narrowed her eyes and posed a very cleverly worded question. This time, however, Sno neither answered "cannot say" nor "don't know." Instead, he wore an odd expression as he said:
"Madam, you can't afford that question."
"Name your price." Bernadette did not argue with him, merely tossing