Her joy was somewhat dampened, but Neph was still in a good mood.
In a world where mysticism and supernatural powers existed, she still held a healthy fear of physical attacks, but the powers of the mystical world were clearly stranger and harder to guard against.
Her happiness lasted only a few seconds, however. Neph soon realized that this protection was actually deeply ominous-the Blank Canvas would shield her from mystical powers, and as long as she returned to that pure-white space, she would have no need to worry about physical forces either. But the problem was...
How was she any different from an item in a collection?
Moreover, judging by Nim's description, their abilities were probably directed at the Blank Canvas rather than her!
The realization made Neph deeply uncomfortable. Being a collectible certainly sounded less like being a contingency for resurrection, but a collectible with no autonomy was also entirely at someone else's mercy. Especially now that she had embarked on this Pathway, the news only seemed worse, because she was already qualified to serve as a vessel for resurrection.
Perhaps that Great Old One thought resurrecting through a collectible would be an interesting experience...
That possibility frightened Neph. She reined in her thoughts and said goodbye to Nim.
In the days that followed, Neph stopped spending all day in the library. She chose to set aside her mornings for Combat practice-if she actually encountered something out in the wilderness now, she would probably do nothing but stand rooted to the spot.
Narani seemed to have recovered her composure by the following day. When Neph passed the classroom after finishing her Combat training, she found Narani attending class as though nothing had happened, her expression gentle, without the slightest trace of grief.
Neph left with a sense of admiration and continued her quiet daily routine.
The Amon she had seen that day seemed to have been nothing more than a hallucination. Neph encountered no further probing from him. Even though she paid particular attention and frequently used the Blank Canvas to examine herself, she found no traces. For a moment, she even considered taking down that clock to have a look.
If I brought it into the Blank Canvas...
Then Neph cautiously abandoned the idea.
Her control over the Blank Canvas was a delicate matter. Nim's repeated reminders had made Neph realize that there was indeed some mystical connection between her and the Blank Canvas, one that could not be severed simply by taking the canvas away. But the person she faced was Amon, a King of Angel of the Marauder Pathway. Neph suspected that he might be able to steal that connection.
As long as Amon had yet to act, Neph would never provoke him herself. She did not even have the courage to activate Spirit Vision in front of that clock. After all, in Neph's mind, there was one phrase that suited Amon from every angle.
-A maggot burrowed into the bone.
The new week's Tarot Club gathering proceeded without incident. During the meeting, Neph requested the True Root of the Mist Treant and at least 60 milliliters of its corresponding sap, along with all the spinal fluid of an Evil-Patterned Black Panther. These were the two main ingredients of the Magician potion, together with the corresponding supplementary ingredient that was difficult to obtain.
Little Sun said he could find a Mist Treant, but he needed to advance and join a patrol team first. He also expressed his wish for a weapon that could increase his strength.
Justice Audrey said she needed the Psychiatrist potion formula. Neph actually knew only its main ingredients, though she could obtain the corresponding formula in Moon City. She knew Moon City had Psychoanalysts, the ancient name for Psychiatrists, and this would not affect the plot too much.
-Later in the plot, the Evil-Patterned Black Panther's spinal fluid would be supplied by Hanged Man Alger, while Audrey would obtain her potion formula through the Psychology Alchemists' Society.
She told Justice Audrey that, if everything went smoothly, she would bring the Psychiatrist potion formula next week. Then, under Audrey's pleasantly surprised gaze, she turned to Hanged Man Alger and told him that she knew only the main ingredients, not the supplementary ones.
-There was no way to act as a Sailor in the Forsaken Land of the Gods. Moon City had never possessed any part of that Pathway.
At the Tarot Club gathering, Klein, in his role as the Fool, issued a mission to assassinate the Intis Ambassador, Beckland Jean Madan. Because she already knew the plot, Neph still failed to show the appropriate emotional response. Only after Hanged Man Alger finished explaining the situation did she tell them that the ambassador was a Sequence 6 Conspirer and describe the abilities a Conspirer possessed.
After a brief pause, Neph cast a seemingly casual glance at Mr. Fool and told them that Beckland also had a Sequence 5 assistant, a Marionettist from the Seer Pathway.
Miss Justice offered the generous price of 1,000 pounds for Neph's detailed intelligence. The hint in Neph's gaze made Klein's heart skip a beat, and he realized that this might be the "highly coincidental way" she had previously declined to explain. As for how that coincidence would come about, Klein easily worked it out-he would probably face an assassination attempt by a Sequence 5.
This really was...
Thus, after the Tarot Club gathering ended, Klein once again asked Neph to stay behind alone.
"He'll send a Sequence 5 to assassinate me?" Klein asked nervously. "How am I supposed to beat a Sequence 5?"
Clearly, he very much wanted to copy his future self's homework.
A small, reassuring hint ought to be permissible. Neph gave him a comforting smile and answered gently:
"There's a gathering for Beyonders at the Bravehearts Bar tonight. You can receive my Lord's protection there."
"...?" Klein's gaze grew wary.
Neph suddenly broke into a broad smile. She shook her head with a chuckle.
"I told you long ago that I haven't gone mad... All right, you can go buy that Listener Beyonder characteristic. My Lord's ravings are dangerous, but they do contain knowledge. Your mental resistance is enough to withstand that brief contact, so you needn't worry about going mad.
"Of course, that won't truly give you the ability to deal with a Sequence 5, even if this particular Sequence 5 is a little too reckless. You'll also need a real Beyonder to help you, so you'll have to visit the Bravehearts Bar again on Wednesday night."
Klein noted down those two times, looking considerably more reassured. He looked at Neph, who seemed to know everything, and said with a smile:
"Although you don't seem to need them, I'd still like to check... Do you need Roselle's diary entries?"
Neph glanced at Klein and answered with her head half turned:
"Yes, but also no... Uh, does that answer sound completely baffling to you?"
"Obviously," Klein answered with an exceedingly cold air.
Before you continue