Research Notes

The next morning.

Gallo arrived on Lubo Lane at his usual time. As soon as he stepped onto the lane, he heard the distant, melodious chime of eight o'clock from the clock tower.

When he reached the Moonlight Cafe, he saw Professor Vanason already waiting at the same table where Gallo had sat the day before.

"Good morning, Professor." Before Vanason noticed he had arrived, Gallo greeted him first.

Seeing Gallo, Vanason let out a long sigh of relief. Half-jokingly, he said, "I was really worried you wouldn't come today."

Then he eagerly added, "I brought something else from Professor Jeffrey." Vanason immediately stood up and took a thick stack of bound notes from his briefcase.

He handed the research notes to Gallo.

"Here. These are Professor Jeffrey's research notes on the ancient hieroglyphs of the Askia Dynasty.

"After you've read through this material, you should be able to decipher the contents of those rubbings from yesterday. Maybe you'll even be able to recall what was on them."

Gallo took the notes. They felt heavy in his hands, and the edges of the pages were slightly curled from frequent use.

"I'll give it a try." He said no more, sat down, and opened the notes to the first page.

Professor Jeffrey's notes were far more systematic than the disorderly expedition records.

They contained detailed classifications of the various hieroglyphic variants, possible pronunciation hypotheses, and examples of their use in the handful of inscriptions that had been deciphered.

Gallo concentrated fully, understanding and memorizing this complex knowledge of hieroglyphics.

His reading speed was still astonishing, but deciphering these completely unfamiliar symbols was noticeably slower than reading an ordinary book.

Professor Vanason watched anxiously from the side, gradually slowing his breathing for fear of disturbing Gallo's reading and concentration.

About ten minutes later, Gallo closed the final page of the thick notebook.

He shut his eyes and tried to summon the vague memories of the rubbings from the research materials in the storage box that he had seen the day before.

But he failed.

The patterns and symbols on the rubbings remained as indistinct in his Memory as if shrouded in fog, impossible to match precisely with the systematic knowledge he had just learned.

He could remember everything in Jeffrey's notes, but he couldn't use that knowledge to awaken his dormant memories of the rubbings.

Gallo opened his eyes and looked at Professor Vanason, gently shaking his head. "I'm sorry, Professor.

"I've completely mastered the contents of the notes, but they haven't helped much with recalling those rubbings... The images of them in my Memory are too blurry. There aren't enough details."

A trace of unmistakable disappointment crossed Professor Vanason's eyes. He took out a one-Copper Nil banknote and offered it to Gallo, but Gallo politely refused.

Gallo didn't accept the Copper Nil. He explained that he hadn't fulfilled Professor Vanason's request, so he wouldn't charge him.

Professor Vanason had no choice but to put the money away. With a sigh, he rubbed his brow. "I can't believe it failed.

"Even your memory can't retain unfamiliar writing and images based on such a brief encounter yesterday."

Gallo rested his hand against his chin and speculated, "Maybe... if I could look at the rubbings again now, I'd be able to memorize them completely.

"Then I could use the notes to translate them accurately."

Gallo's words renewed Professor Vanason's resolve. He picked up the stack of notes and carefully put them back in his briefcase. His voice was firm. "It looks like I'll have to go back to Jeffrey's.

"I'll borrow those rubbing materials again!"

Gallo watched the professor's determined expression but said nothing, simply seeing him off.

He knew that for a scholar devoted to the truth, being unable to uncover the full picture because everything was kept under wraps was the most agonizing thing.

Gallo began his work for the day, and regular customers and students gradually came by to consult him.

A little over an hour later, just after Gallo had seen a customer off, he spotted Professor Vanason approaching the cafe again.

His steps were no longer as hurried as before. Instead, they seemed heavy and dejected.

He came to Gallo's table, looking grim.

"How did it go, Professor?" Gallo asked.

Vanason shook his head. "He refused. He was absolutely resolute, even... agitated."

He sat down and continued to describe what had happened. "When I found him, he looked worse than yesterday!

"His eyes were sunken, his hair was a mess. It looked like he hadn't slept all night.

"As soon as I brought up borrowing the rubbings again, he sprang to his feet like a cat whose tail had been stepped on."

Vanason mimicked the way Jeffrey had angrily waved his arms.

"He practically shouted at me, 'No! Vanason, don't touch those things again! Forget about them! For your sake, and for the sake of everyone you care about!'"

Vanason rubbed the corner of his eye and sighed. "I tried to reason with him and ask what he was so afraid of.

"But he just stared at me, his eyes... bloodshot, filled with a kind of terror that was close to a breakdown.

"He kept repeating, 'You don't understand,' 'We can't go any deeper,' 'Some doors can't be closed once they've been opened'... It was almost as if..."

Vanason searched for the right words, then said, "It was almost as if his mind was standing at the edge of a cliff, and one more step would make him completely fall apart."

He fell silent for a moment, as if speaking to himself. "Maybe I really should report this to the university authorities.

"Perhaps they could order Professor Jeffrey to rest at home for a while, and arrange for a mental health specialist to intervene early."

His expression was bitter. "I'm afraid that if this goes on much longer, I'll only be able to visit him in an asylum."

Vanason didn't stay any longer. He had classes that morning, so he hurriedly said goodbye to Gallo and left.

Not long after Vanason left, a cafe employee brought a cup of coffee with milk and sugar to Gallo's table.

"Uh... sorry, I didn't order coffee." Gallo immediately stood up to explain to the waitress.

He quickly apologized. "Actually, I meant to order coffee when I first sat down, but I had a customer waiting.

"And then several more groups came in, so I forgot..."

The waitress smiled and explained, "Mr. Gallo, this is on the house. We'd like you to try it."

She added in a quieter voice, "It's because you've been here lately, Mr. Gallo. Business at the cafe has been better these past two days than usual."

After she left, Gallo spotted the shop owner inside the cafe, wiping down a gleaming silver coffee pot behind the glass window.

When she noticed Gallo looking, she gave him a faint smile through the window.

Gallo smiled and nodded, then sat down to taste the coffee. He felt warmth spreading through him.

Ever since his soul had crossed over into this world, he had mostly given up hope of ever returning to his old one.

From the looks of things, there was nothing wrong with spending the rest of his life peacefully in this world. After all, he hadn't had much to hold on to in his old one.

As Gallo took another slow sip of coffee, he felt that same sensation of being watched from somewhere out of sight. His hand stopped a few centimeters above the table as he was about to set down his cup.

"Even if all you want is a peaceful life, something always comes along to stir things up."