Chapter 602: The Correct Response

The "Fragment of the Mirror World" had undergone some anomaly? Jian Na first froze, then tensed her spirit.

This item had never exhibited anything similar before; she had no basis to determine why or what it meant, so she instinctively speculated:

Was there a problem with the special "Mirror World" itself?

Or, right now, is there someone near me who has a close connection to that special "Mirror World"?

If it's the latter possibility, does that mean Franca's investigation into the "Mirror Person" has finally yielded a lead?

In that instant, Jian Na felt a powerful urge to look left and right, to find the person who might be causing the fragment to tremble slightly.

She restrained herself in time, because she immediately realized another possibility:

If this phenomenon truly stemmed from someone closely tied to the special "Mirror World," the "resonance" was likely mutual—that is, while the fragment trembled, that person would also have experienced subtle, self-detectable anomalies, searching for the source.

In such a case, if she hastily glanced around, she might be discovered—and then, perhaps, a thunderous strike would follow.

Jian Na maintained her previous posture, gazing straight ahead, slowly moving toward the exit.

During this, she merely tilted her head slightly, like many other audience members, and glanced once at the wall clock in the theater lobby:

11:05.

After memorizing the time, Jian Na exited through the door and returned to the lobby.

The audience around her dispersed, and the space gradually grew less crowded.

Jian Na's "Fragment of the Mirror World" fell silent, its abnormal tremors ceasing.

"Just now, there was no one in the lobby, and during the play, my 'Fragment of the Mirror World' didn't tremble at all… This suggests that for such an anomaly to occur, both parties must be close—perhaps within five meters—and gathered near the exit to the lobby? Now that we've moved apart again, everything has returned to normal?" As thoughts surged through Jian Na, she fully displayed her theatrical skills, behaving like an ordinary audience member: she left the lobby, stepped onto the street, and boarded a carriage from the Empire Carriage Company, reluctantly prepaying 2.5 Faeljin.

If not for this hour—when the subway and public carriages had already stopped running—she truly wouldn't have splurged on a hired carriage to return from the Opera District to the Memorial District.

…………

In the Memorial District, Apartment 702, 9 Aoluosaijie.

Jian Na told Franca about her experience and confirmed:

"Around 11:05, did your 'Fragment of the Mirror World' tremble slightly?"

"No," Franca answered with unusual certainty.

Before Jian Na could draw a conclusion, Franca gave an awkward smile and quickly added:

"Probably not—you know, my 'Fragment of the Mirror World' is kept inside the 'Traveler's Satchel.' Even if it trembled, I wouldn't feel it."

As Jian Na raised her eyes, Franca murmured:

"You suspect this is a universal change caused by an anomaly in the special 'Mirror World'? If so, even if it's inside the 'Traveler's Satchel,' I should still sense it spiritually—I couldn't possibly ignore it entirely."

"Besides, when our two fragments are together, they've never trembled before. I'm likely to have encountered the 'Mirror Person,' or perhaps a member of a specific branch of the Tamara family?" Jian Na said, walking to the full-length mirror in the living room, brushing her fingers across its surface, whispering the hidden name she wished to inquire about.

The mirror's surface quickly darkened, rippling with illusory waves.

Jian Na began the "Magic Mirror Divination":

"Around 23:05 last night, the scene within ten meters of me…"

"Around 23:05 last night, the scene within ten meters of me…"

"…"

After repeating it three times, the deep mirror surface glowed.

Within the light, Jian Na saw herself wearing a soft hat, the theater exit connected to the lobby, and the audience and attendants standing within ten meters of her.

The Spirit Realm had faithfully recorded all this information.

The scene in the mirror was not static or frozen—it flowed, moved. Jian Na soon saw a woman several meters to her side suddenly turn her body and scan the people around her.

She wore a black veil hat, was in her thirties, had faint eyebrows, bright yellowish eyes, skin whitened by makeup, and overall was not beautiful but elegantly dressed, with refined poise.

Yet this elegant woman was now looking around frantically, as if she had suddenly spotted her greatest love—and lost them again.

"This woman is highly suspicious—she reacted to the 'Fragment of the Mirror World,'" Franca leaned close to Jian Na, commenting on the mirror's image. "But over an hour has passed, and she hasn't done any counter-divination. Is she careless—or simply doesn't know how?"

Jian Na nodded:

"Can you see anything else?"

"Nothing else," Franca suddenly slapped her forehead. "Oh no, we should've brought Anthony to observe—'The Audience' would've seen far more."

"Yes…" Jian Na paused, startled.

They still weren't accustomed to seeking Anthony's help.

Jian Na then said:

"We'll ask Anthony tomorrow morning. Calling him this late might make him misunderstand—it's not urgent."

"Right, it could be misunderstood," Franca immediately realized.

The next morning.

After watching the reenactment of the "Magic Mirror Divination," Anthony mused:

"Her dress was custom-tailored—her family must be quite wealthy… After scanning twice, her expression turned slightly confused; perhaps she doesn't understand much about the 'Mirror World' or its fragments. That contradicts her triggering the fragment's tremor—contradictions often conceal the answer… Her gait reveals she received proper etiquette training, yet her status at home isn't particularly high…"

Listening to the newly minted "Audience" dissect the target layer by layer, Franca's lips twitched—she felt as if she had no secrets left before him.

"The Audience" was truly terrifying!

Jian Na listened intently; this resembled character analysis in her drama classes, but was far more grounded, detailed.

In a daze, she seemed to return to the Old Pigeonhole Theater, listening to her teacher's lecture.

"These traits alone aren't enough to identify her—only to provide clues," Anthony concluded.

"Understood. Character profiling," Franca said with a professional tone.

Anthony pulled out paper and a pencil, sketching from memory, planning to use various channels to locate her.

Franca asked casually:

"How did you know the woman's dress was custom-made?"

As a man originally, transformed into a woman by alchemical elixirs, she still only cared whether a dress looked good—not which tailor made it or which shop sold it.

Jian Na hadn't noticed either; before becoming a "Witch," she hadn't reached a social tier where custom clothing was accessible.

Anthony lifted his head and glanced at the two "Witches":

"After becoming 'The Audience,' especially after becoming an information broker, I deliberately trained myself to observe others. I know the materials and features of nearly all clothing stores in Trier, and the styles of many renowned tailors. The woman's dress clearly didn't come from any store."

Both "Witches," Franca and Jian Na, showed faintly embarrassed expressions—glad that Anthony remained focused on his sketch and didn't notice their reactions.

…………

Sangtagang.

Noelfe, in a blouse and light jacket, saw Bartner off at the dock.

Bartner, wearing a half-tall silk top hat, gripped his rapier and hesitated:

"You really intend to stay here?"

Noelfe answered calmly:

I am now a Battle Sister of the Order of Abundance.

"I've only just realized—the Ritual of Prayer isn't a fall into power and pacts with dark gods, but protection, self-sacrificing protection."

"Before, the Fishing Guild used power and wealth to lure people into becoming 'Sea Viceroy' or 'Sea Handmaiden.' Now, they've pledged to the Mother Goddess's Church and the Order of Abundance, and will inform potential candidates in advance of possible risks and consequences, letting them choose for themselves. I want to stay here and oversee this."

"That's good," Bartner sighed. "Too bad I'm destined for the sea—I can't stay in one place."

The delicate, adorable Noelfe nodded:

"I know."

She asked sincerely:

"Do you want to leave a child here?"

"No, no, no," Bartner stammered. "I'm not ready to be someone's father."

He didn't want his child to become a human lizard someday.

Noelfe spoke with quiet regret:

"Alright."

She waved, turned, and walked away from the dock.

After a few steps, she suddenly turned back, revealing a bright, beautiful smile:

"Regardless, I'm glad you came to sea with me."

Before Bartner could respond, Noelfe looked away and quickened her pace, leaving the dock.

Bartner stood there, the memory of Noelfe's final smile lingering in his mind, her words echoing in his ears—he suddenly felt a hollow loss.

Only when Noelfe's figure vanished into the dock did the adventurer slowly climb the gangway onto the ship bound for Falingang.

…………

Evening, aboard the ship's bar.

Lu Mi held a cup of amber-colored sugar wine and said to the patrons at the bar:

"Ladies and gentlemen, I am actually a magician."

"I can perform an illusion magic trick for you right now."

He pointed toward the window:

"Look outside."

The patrons instinctively glanced out—and saw the sea waves suddenly risen to over ten meters high, like mountains.

They had barely blinked when the terrifying sight vanished.

Applause erupted—clapping for Lu Mi's brilliant magic trick.

(End of Chapter)