Exchanging Information

"Name: Hand of Wisdom

"—When your enemy loses his mind to arrogance, you are the wise one.

"Appearance: A pitch-black chainmail glove.

"Functions: After putting on the glove, the user can gain terrifying strength and a powerful physique for a short time. By giving a target an actual or symbolic 'bribe,' the user can establish a 'connection' with them, 'weaken' them, and make them 'arrogant.'

"Negative effects: Wearing it for more than ten minutes will throw the user's mind into confusion, causing them to do inexplicable things and increasing the risk of corruption and Loss of Control.

"Recommended use: Use it while the Pure White Eye is active to reduce the risk of mental erosion."

Looking at the Pure White Eye's analysis report, Abner nodded to himself. Though the Mystical Item corresponded to a relatively low Sequence, its abilities were remarkably useful. Otherwise, Baron Kangwa would never have used it as one of the items sealing himself.

The Hand of Wisdom was only one core component of the ritual sealing the stone coffin. Abner suspected that the armor the baron wore and the weapon in his hand were also Beyonder items—and core components of the seal as well...

Unfortunately, the baron's corpse, possessed by 1-025, had taken them away.

Then again, if the ruins' seal had remained intact, Miss Emma and Miss Fanny probably would not have survived long enough to reach that stone door after barging in.

As for Miss Emma's question about why the baron had sealed himself, Abner was not entirely sure. He had merely worked backward from the damaged ritual arrangement to reach that conclusion.

After putting away the Hand of Wisdom, Abner smiled and answered, "I'm afraid we'll have to rely on the notebook Miss Fanny threw away to learn why the baron sealed himself."