"The seamstress—she's listening to everything."
Bartunik asked incredulously, "W-what?! Boss, you mean...?"
"You stay to the side and don't make a sound... I'll deal with her."
Cipher stepped forward. "Oh, seamstress! Your methods are getting more and more despicable. Do you really think you can't notice the little ear hanging next to me?"
The Golden Thread Nymph slowly spoke, "... Heh. As time goes by... I've also become increasingly reliant on my own wishful thinking."
"Even with the power of such a tiny nymph, it's no wonder it couldn't escape your sharp eyes... Cifera."
"Hmph... Even if you can completely control Bartunik's consciousness, I can still see through your disguise— Aglaea."
"What are you up to by going to such lengths to eavesdrop on my every move? I've already said that you can succeed without me, so why are you being so persistent?"
"I already made an exception and helped Castorice and Huizi that time. To ask for an exorbitant amount again would be a bit too much, wouldn't it?"
The Golden Thread Nymph remained silent for a long while before saying, "I... I'm sorry, Cifera."
"I've schemed and plotted my whole life, but I never imagined our relationship would freeze to the ground."
"To figure out exactly what I did wrong... I've spent hundreds of years thinking and reflecting; but you've never been willing to give me a chance to be honest with you face to face."
Cipher lowered her head, "You... don't use that tone, you know I can't stand it."
"A thousand years ago, in my ignorance... I lost the most beautiful splash in my life because of my silence."
" Hysilens..."
"So this time, even if it's futile, I must get the message to your ears—I need you, Cifera. The mission of the Chrysos Heirs needs you."
"My long-delayed final act... is finally coming. Whatever resentment you harbor towards me, it will vanish with my departure."
"Come back to Okhema, I beg you. Without you, they cannot win the fight."
Hearing the weak tone of the Golden Thread Nymph, Cipher finally wavered:
"... Tch. I'll consider it, seamstress. Stop spying on me... unless you want to completely disappear from my sight."
"Heh... don't worry. Even though I desperately wish to hear your voice again, to see your face once more..."
"... I'm afraid there won't be another chance. Goodbye, Cifera."
As soon as the words were spoken, the golden thread holding the nymph together snapped and vanished.
"... Farewell, Aglaea."
However, all of this was merely a final safeguard taken by Aglaea before Canis's attack.
Turning our attention back to the "holy city" of Okhema, the Cloud Stone Heavenly Palace
After Aglaea had her men dispose of the bodies of the " Purgers," led by Canis, she fell into deep thought.
This was an unexpected situation. She hadn't expected the silver-haired elf, who had long resided in the " Vortex of Genesis," to emerge from seclusion, and hadn't even uttered a single word throughout the entire encounter.
One has to admire Fulisina's swift and decisive action; she even used a magical calligraphy technique to immobilize their minds, allowing the golden thread to be squeezed dry of its last bit of value.
Admittedly, Canis wasn't blindly foolish enough to prepare only a few " Purgers," and similar situations were probably unfolding in other regions as well...
Hmm... Xing and Phainon are at the Grove of Epiphany, while Dan Heng and that " Audience of Divine Ordeals " are at Janusapolis.
The captain of the Purgers from the Grove also sent a message saying that he had learned the name of a writer of unofficial history, named... Ye Yan?
Meanwhile, in the ancient city of Styxia, known as the " Ancient City of Dragonbone "
Cipher opened the last treasure chest, her expression regretful:
"Oh dear, what a pity. I thought there might be some hidden treasure."
"As a result... everything in the treasure chest was soaked in the River of Souls, so it had no practical value."
"Those collections were indeed priceless in the past. It's just that time has taken its toll, and they've lost their original value."
"Oh... it sounds so sad coming from you?"
Bartunik rubbed his face. "No, why am I even reminiscing about this!"
"I'm still reeling from what just happened—that terrifying woman, when did she...?"
To say something without anyone noticing, something even you yourself don't know, is chilling just to think about.
Hiss~ " Goldweaver " Aglaea is terrifying!
Speaking of which, it seems that it was captured by Aglaea once before in the "Holy City" of Okhema, and it appears that it was then that this woman marked it.
"You remember now? Looks like I don't need to help you recall. She must have taken advantage of your carelessness and secretly slipped the nymph into your 'pocket'," Cipher said.
"Don't underestimate that insect; it's as powerful as the seamstress's gold thread."
"If you let your guard down even slightly, it might take over and control you like a puppeteer—and then you'll blurt out words you would never normally say."
Bartunik gasped, "Wow, it's like... it's like a brainwashing monster that bred from the Black Tide, it's terrifying!"
"So... Sister Cipher, how did you discover the anomaly? I'm a little Curiosity, what strange things did that little bug make me say?"
"Hmph, it actually gave itself away a long time ago..." Cipher turned her head.
"Speaking of the World-Bearing Titan, Sister Cipher, didn't you mention to me before... that you were once an apprentice at the priesthood of Kephale?"
Cipher read aloud the words that had aroused her suspicion.
"We've been committing crimes together for a thousand years, and we've long since run out of things to share. The only thing I've never talked to you about is that experience at Dawncloud Cliff."
"And then there's this line: 'However, uh... Boss, there's also the possibility that Aglaea didn't mean to lie to you...'"
"In my memory, the embodiment of ' Trickery ' despises the Golden Thread for forcing people to reveal the truth. You absolutely cannot defend Aglaea..."
"Right, Zagreus?" she asked, looking at Bartunik.
Bartunik was unusually silent for a moment. "... Hmm."
"You... you're frighteningly shrewd, hehehe..."
"After all, I'm the only one in this world who knows you're still alive. I went to great lengths to fool the whole world so you could survive the Titan Trial."
"If you don't want your lies to be exposed... you'll have to behave well in the future, okay?"
Bartunik nodded repeatedly, "Even if it weren't for my worthless life, I would gladly go through fire and water for Sister Cipher!"
"Hmph, the only thing you haven't lost since being shrunk to this size is your art of speaking."
"Ahem~ Speaking of which, boss... you shouldn't have taken what that heartless woman said to heart, right?" Bartunik asked cautiously.
"We're enjoying our leisurely lives so much, why bother getting involved in this mess... Don't you agree?"
Upon hearing this, Cipher sighed helplessly, "Sigh... to be honest, I've been thinking..."
She gazed into the distance, "Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to go back now."