"Hiss..."
Elliot now understood the difference in [Prayer].
The prayers of ordinary Believers were more like messages left for him, which he could only see when he remembered to check.
Victoria's, on the other hand, was the equivalent of calling him directly. Her voice could reach straight into his head.
"That's Victoria for you. She really does know a lot. I wonder how she managed this [Prayer]. Is it the effect of some Ritual, or an ability unique to Retainers?"
Elliot considered it for a moment, then returned to the Difference Engine and inserted Victoria's Card into [Dream Entry].
Victoria should have only recently returned to the Grand Library. She had probably begun [Prayer] immediately after getting Vanessa settled.
He could somewhat understand why Victoria was doing this. Today's Historical Node had probably heightened her sense of danger, making her want to build her Abode quickly and escape the scrutiny coming from the Present World.
Never mind Victoria-even Elliot himself wanted to hide inside the Abode after learning about Historical Nodes, prophecies, and the like.
[The Thinker] computed the world, Great Beings could make prophecies directly, and someone behind the Veil kept rewriting history...
The Present World really was far too dangerous.
Victoria sat upright on the brick floor, surrounded by a circle of inscribed Ritual runes. Farther out, it gave way to flooring woven from Spider Silk, bookshelves, and the Void.
This was her Abode... the beginnings of one.
Vanessa lay in an armchair not far away, some distance from her.
Victoria glanced at her, her expression growing a little firmer, and continued praying quietly:
"Great Being above the Dream, please allow me to enter your Abode."
A brick she had brought over not long ago lay in front of her, glowing faintly within the Ritual.
Victoria