"Thanks for sharing. We'll take our leave, then."
Fu Qian set down his empty cup and rose, thoroughly satisfied.
Though it seemed he hadn't uncovered any truly core secrets, they had come here to study and learn in the first place. He'd already gained quite a lot.
As for making peace and turning enemies into friends, Fu Qian wouldn't waste time indulging in such a fanciful notion.
They were all sensible people. They could sit down for tea in pursuit of mutual interests without that stopping them from trying to kill each other the next time they met.
"Can we just walk out through there?"
As he made to leave, Fu Qian gestured toward the door.
"No need. I'll take care of it."
Nepheli waved her hand casually. The tea set vanished, and the world around them—including Nepheli herself—began to blur.
This peculiar place was rapidly disappearing. So was the spire outside.
At the very last moment, though the ship hadn't struck the tower and had merely passed it by, the towering structure was suddenly far beyond reach, as if it had become a backdrop painted on the horizon.
And the ark was heading toward a darkness devoid even of stars.
"Stos was right. That night was far more than a massacre for this world. Even concepts, symbols, and reality itself have become indistinguishable..."
Drawn in despite herself by the scene, Nepheli left them with that parting reflection as she disappeared.
Her words had undeniably confirmed their earlier suspicions: nothing happening in there had escaped her notice, including her conversation with Old Man.
She truly was a technical specialist. Even though she'd described the ship's power as chaotic and in need of purification, she'd still managed to keep it under control to this extent.
"Shall we head back?"
As the