Inside the room, Bishop Alyssa Linton stared at the question that had appeared in the silver mirror. Her expression shifted several times before she finally let out a breath and said:
"It was me..."
"Very honest." A new string of words appeared on the mirror's surface.
...Good thing I recovered my memories in time and didn't touch that mirror. This question-and-answer game is practically a public humiliation! My own Magic Mirror is much better behaved...
Abner wanted to cover his face, but he forced himself to resist. He merely touched the small, unremarkable Magic Mirror in his pocket.
Through their Contract, the Magic Mirror sensed its master's praise and promptly sent him a burst of delight. Then it seemed to do something else and began seeking credit from Abner...
Unfortunately, the Pure White Eye intercepted all of it, and the mirror received no response from its master.
Abner had sensed the Magic Mirror's reply, but with so many Machinery Hivemind members present, he could hardly activate the Pure White Eye to check it. Instead, he tapped the mirror's surface again, telling it to settle down.
Just then, Isengard coughed, breaking the awkward silence in the room. He skipped over the circumstances behind the reassignment of his two friends and offered his analysis:
"In the ancient Fourth Epoch, the human factions that worshipped devils formed a loose alliance called the Blood Sanctify Sect.
"Within it, the three great Demon Families—the Nois Family, the Andariel Family, and the Beria Family—stood as equals. Their ancestors had all received gifts from the Abyss. They worship a false god called the Dark Side of the Universe, believing Him to be the sovereign of the Abyss and the destroyer destined to erode and corrupt the entire Real World and the vast universe beyond.
"As for the