The answer

"Half a father"—hearing this again, Neph couldn't help but twitch her lips, but she absolutely refused to believe the reason was true. She even suspected deep down that Amon had just overheard her need for help, so she sneered, "You mean me, your half a father?"

The mirror fell silent.

After a brief silence, a figure dressed in a classic Warlock's robe stepped out of the Mirror. He turned his Monocle with one hand and pulled out a deck chair from somewhere with the other, then lay down comfortably.

"Still as eloquent as ever," He commented, "But it was indeed my half-father who told me you were here."

In other words, this reason is something you made up— Neph naturally concluded. She dropped her questioning tone and, instead of asking Amon why he had come to her, said, "How many versions of yourself did you put in that answer? I don't think you have a clone living behind the Chanis Gate of the Church of Evernight."

"How do you know there isn't?" Amon adjusted his Monocle.

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Neph's eyes widened in surprise, and she immediately exclaimed, "My God! I didn't know—I... I never expected this—it's terrifying! You're right, as the God of Deceit, you may not be able to deceive the God who hold Concealment, but it's not impossible for you to deceive the Church under them."

"I'll tell that sister I've never met before to be on her guard!"

"----" Amon twirled his Monocle around his face twice. "Who are you calling 'sister'?"

"What do you think?" she countered.

Meng Fang, propped himself up, stared at her for two seconds, and suddenly burst out laughing, "Okay, okay."

"In that case, you might actually be qualified to discuss that deal with me."

"What deal?" Neph pricked up her ears.

"Ten thousand years," Amon lay back down, "And give me a different answer."

"An answer?" Neph was a little confused.

She couldn't think of any answer worth ten thousand years, so she looked obviously bewildered. Amon beckoned to her with his finger, and Neph looked at Amon hesitantly. After a few breaths, she tentatively leaned forward.

Amon smiled very clearly, then sat up again, leaning forward as well. Neph was startled; the posture made her feel a little hallucinated. She seemed to sense something and looked up. Amon reached out and grabbed her, and the light in the room suddenly disappeared. At the same time, a ball of light appeared between the two of them.

"I've seen other people whispering like this," Amon told her.

Neph opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but feeling powerless, she suddenly understood Klein's hesitant feelings and raised her hand to her forehead, saying, "----Yes."

That's generally how it is.

"But I don't think we're the kind of people who can whisper secrets to each other."

"Why not?" Amon chuckled softly, lowering his head. "Answer me a question, and I think you'll know the answer—or if you don't, that's okay too, just go ask for me."

He seemed to take it for granted, Neph almost blurted out, "Why?" Then she remembered the ten thousand years he had promised, and although she genuinely felt that the promise was unlikely to be kept, she still asked, "What's the problem?"

"Why not me?" He asked. "What is it that I lack compared to those He favors?"

Neph paused, then looked at Amon. Amon's face was unusually expressionless, seemingly without any questions, only a blank stare.

Frankly speaking, given Amon's status and temperament, it wasn't surprising that he asked such a question. Neph pondered for a moment, and realized that the answer wasn't impossible for Amon. If Amon truly had an epiphany because of this and learned courage and sacrifice in this year, it wouldn't be impossible for him to become the "Lord of the Mysteries".

As for feigned courage and sacrifice? Well, she could only pray for Amon's good luck, after all, the one Amon was trying to deceive was his half-father, Adam, who possessed the Authority of the Mind.

But then again, why did He only think about winning over Adam and not about trying to win over my My Lord? Was it because He felt he couldn't deceive Him?

Neph carefully chose her words before speaking, "His public narrative is that you lack humanity."

"Humanity?" Amon's tone suggested incomprehension. "Back in the Third Epoch, He said I lacked humanity."

Neph blinked.

"Then," Amon continued, "I tried various methods in the Fourth Epoch and Fifth Epoch to understand what He meant by humanity—I think you know something about it?"

"----If you're referring to the Amon Family, and other similar acts of impersonating human life, then I do know about it." Neph nodded.

"That's all," Amon replied. "I dare say that among the existing God, none understands humanity better than I do."

You—well, you really do have the right to say that, as the God of Deceit, and having observed humanity for so long—

Neph shook her head and said, "But it sounds like you still haven't grasped the humanity He was talking about."

"Do you understand?" Amon countered.

"I don't know," Neph curved her lips slightly, "I don't think I could do it, but if it were really just me, I'm not really sure I could run away with a clear conscience—I mean, the humanity he wants you to understand is specifically what He thinks you lack courage and the spirit of sacrifice."

Amon was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly sat up, the room suddenly brightening. He adjusted his Monocle, chuckled, and said, "I can't refute that."

"This is indeed something I neither possess nor can understand."

"If that's His standard, I think I can give up now."

"Are you just going to give up like this?" Neph asked hesitantly.

"Otherwise what?" Amon seemed uninterested. "Will I understand what courage and sacrifice are if I don't give up?"

"I don't believe it," Neph said sincerely.

"I don't believe it either," Amon said with a smile.

?----

Neph moved her lips slightly, realizing that Amon had really just said it casually, and she gritted her teeth and continued, "----This is just for external reasons."

In fact, I've been thinking—

"Well, I think you should be aware of your connection with that—that Lord of the Mysteries."

If you become

As the Lord of the Mysteries, He will surely be unable to resist His resurrection; at that time—

Perhaps, just perhaps another reason He didn't choose you is that He doesn't want to lose you.

"----" Amon raised his hand and adjusted his Monocle. "You really care about the relationship between my son and me."

Neph froze for a moment. She suddenly thought that having a Monocle on her face wasn't so bad. That way, in such an awkward moment, she could simply raise her hand and pinch her Monocle.

"I'm sorry," she began, "I used to—I'm used to it."

"It's alright," Amon chuckled, leaning back in his recliner. "Gossip is part of human nature—well, of course, it's not impossible that it's actually your Divinity."

Amon's words startled Neph. It wasn't as obvious as her obsessive-compulsive disorder; such traits were simply part of her personality. But now that Amon mentioned it, she suddenly remembered the final comment on her file in the Pure White Space.

This seems to be someone from the Great Old One who loves to join in the fun.

That gossip isn't entirely impossible—

Neph was silent for a few seconds, then sighed, "Perhaps it's a combination of both."

"Both—" Amon repeated the phrase, seemingly deep in thought.

Neph didn't know what He was thinking, nor did she care. Having answered the question, she asked without much expectation, "Does that ten thousand years you mentioned still count?"

"It counts," Amon nodded firmly, "Of course it counts."

Neph's eyes widened. A glimmer of hope rose within her at those words, but it quickly dissipated—she still couldn't believe Amon would keep his word.

"What's with that expression?" Amon looked at her with dissatisfaction. "Do you really think my words are so unreliable?"

"I'd have to be insane to believe the words of the Avatar of Deceit." Neph said expressionlessly.

Amon sighed slightly, looking somewhat regretful, and replied, "Alright, you've convinced me, but—"

"For those ten thousand years, I was truly sincere."

"----?" Neph stared at him with a suspicious look.

"I really agreed," Amon emphasized, "But you have to go get it yourself."

"Goodness, this is what you've been waiting for me to do—" Neph nodded as if she had expected this, and asked, "What do you mean, 'go get it yourself'?"

Amon thought for a moment and said, "I once had a Mausoleum in Backlund, which contained many Treasure, including the ten thousand years you requested."

"Then one day, bandits from the Church of Steam and Machinery broke into my Mausoleum and took most of the items, including the ten thousand years you wanted."

That was a portrait—a portrait of me.

"They should be in their Holy Cathedral now."

"So you're telling me to go to their Holy Cathedral and steal something, right?" Neph questioned.

"You can just go and ask," Amon said matter-of-factly. "Unlike me, you have a living, acknowledged True God sister, while I... not only has my father fallen, but he's not on my side either—"

She fluttered her eyelashes twice, and her expression naturally shifted to one of loss and dejection. Neph gasped and couldn't help but retort, "Look on the bright side, you haven't just not lost your father, you've gone from having one father to having two."

"----" The sadness on Amon's face froze. He looked up at Neph, his Monocle reflecting a cold light. "Very good."

He nodded, a cold smile playing on his lips, his voice striking Neph's mind, stirring waves of Spirituality: "Very good."

Oh no, she's really angry— Neph didn't dare say anything more. She lowered her head and confessed, "I didn't mean to offend you—"

Amon glanced at her, slightly toning his intimidating aura, and scoffed, "Medici told me before that you'd be perfect as Hunter," and I replied—

"It's a good thing you didn't become Hunter," otherwise you would have been killed by some high-ranking being the moment you drank the Potion.

"----?" Neph moved her lips slightly. "I... I have something to say----"

Amon looked up at her, gesturing for her to continue.

"If that's the case," Neph began, "the first high-ranking being I came into contact with was your half-father—"

"Then you're definitely doomed," Amon commented.

Neph lowered her head. Amon glanced at her, then smiled as if he had thought of something, and said, "Speaking of which—did my father ever remind you of something?"

"What?" Neph asked, puzzled.

"Are you really going to call yourself Pure White?" He asked. "I feel awkward calling you that; it always reminds me of—oh."

His voice trailed off with a genuine chill, even more so than when he expressed anger towards Neph. Neph immediately realized who he was referring to, and coughed lightly as she replied, "No, I didn't intend to. Your other half of your father also reminded me of that."

"However, I couldn't think of a suitable word either—"

Amon glanced at her thoughtfully and suggested, "Perhaps you could ask Him."

He really enjoys giving people names.

"----?" Neph looked confused.

Amon smiled and said, "Our names were basically given by Him. Even those who already had names received a name from Him."

"That seems to be one of His hobbies."

Now that you mention it, I'm starting to worry—I'm used to calling her Neph, I hope He won't change my name— Neph carefully said, "I feel—it would be a little strange for me, as the Oracle Identity of your half-father, to ask your other half-father this question."

"Simple," Amon said matter-of-factly, "You can come and be my attendant."

Neph looked terrified. She suppressed her urge to run away and calmly refused, saying, "No need."

"Your Angel of Time."

This is the default address for Angel, but Neph had clearly never addressed the King of Angel before her in this way. He glanced at Neph in surprise and chuckled, "It seems you really don't like this suggestion."

Neph didn't say a word, but just glanced at him expressionlessly.

Amon sighed softly, shook his head, stood up, and said with a smile, "Alright, whatever—"

Thank you for your answer.

His figure vanished from the spot, leaving only a trail of twelve...

A transparent worm, its segments sculpted, lay quietly on a recliner.

Neph hesitated before stepping forward, picking up the transparent worm, realizing that this was the real reward for answering the question. She squeezed the worm tightly and looked at the recliner.

—Speaking of which, where did He steal this recliner from?

Neph kicked the recliner, then began searching the room, checking her clothes for anything missing.

Surprisingly, Amon seems to have actually stolen nothing this time—not only that, He left behind a Worm of Time and a reclining chair.