Edward stopped abruptly and looked over in shock. "What did you say your name was?"
"What's wrong?"
The other man looked somewhat puzzled. "My name is Dirac Odom."
"No, that wasn't what you said just now."
Edward stared fixedly into the man's eyes, hesitating over whether to use Legilimency.
Bornova Gustav was Emperor Roselle's youngest son, a Sequence 2 Knowledge Mentor, the Chosen of the God of Steam and Machinery, ranking above an Archbishop.
How could he possibly have misheard that name?
"But..." The man was clearly baffled. "My name really is Dirac Odom."
Legilimency.
A little over ten seconds later, Edward said apologetically, "Sorry, I must have misheard you."
Dirac smiled. "It's all right. That used to happen to me a lot too."
Of course, Edward did not believe he had misheard.
Legilimency showed that this Dirac really knew nothing.
That left only one explanation: Bornova had used some method similar to a divine descent to speak to him through Dirac.
But what was the point of coming all this way just to give his name?
Was this the Steam Maiden's idea again, sending His Chosen to say hello to me?
Was that really necessary?
Besides, he had addressed him as "Mr. Sparrow" rather than "Mr. Edward." At first glance, there was nothing wrong with that. Both identities were his, after all, and there was nothing wrong with Bornova knowing he was Sparrow.
Yet coming specifically to greet him while using that form of address seemed strange. But if asked exactly what was strange about it... Edward could not say.
Could it be... that he deliberately threw out a smokescreen to lure me to Intis to have my questions "answered" in person?
For a while, Edward could not make sense of it, no matter how he tried.
Soon, they