Despite Madame Helaâs usual restraint and calm, there are clear emotional ripples this timeâŠ
Franca thoughtfully withdrew her gaze.
By then, many members of the Curly-Haired Baboons Research Society had regained their composure from the shock, voicing their opinions with both excitement and urgency.
Someone shouted, âHidden Blade, you canât make such assumptions so lightly!â
Franca roared back immediately, âWhether or not Resurrection Island is a nexus between two worlds, we still need to find Harrison! This isnât a conclusion; itâs a direction for our investigation!â
Another person yelled, âHow can we find someone just based on a name?â
âI have his portrait!â Franca responded instantly.
As members expressed their expectations, posed questions, and sought answers, a voice, slightly out of control, shouted, âWhy canât you just live peacefully in the present?â
Franca looked towards the source of the sound and saw a male member known as Mole.
After Mole spoke up, several members loudly said, âI donât want to risk everything for a slim hope.â
âWhy canât you give up these fantasies?â
âI have no interest in returning to our previous world!â
In response to the dissenting voices, Franca wasnât surprised but internally sighed, People vary so much when you gather a hundred of themâŠ
She sincerely responded, âSearching for Harrison and verifying the situation on Resurrection Island are both entirely voluntary. Those who want to uncover the truth about our transmigration can decide if itâs worth the risk. Those who arenât interested can continue as before, but please donât stop others from participating.â
Mole and others were clearly still worried that investigating Resurrection Island might disrupt their current lives, but with Franca offering the choice of âfree will,â they could only mutter and retreat to the fringes.
Seizing the opportunity, Franca added, âFor now, our investigation into Resurrection Island is limited to gathering information. Do not go looking for it-itâs very dangerous. Once we obtain key information from Harrison, weâll discuss whether or not to go to the island and how to approach it. Right now, let me show you Harrisonâs portrait.â
Cheers erupted from some of the Curly-Haired Baboons Research Society members who had grasped the situation: âHidden Blade is awesome!â
âHidden Blade, I love you!â
âPraise be to Hidden Blade!â
Franca chuckled and tilted her head, her worries and fears somewhat alleviated by the emotions of the crowd.
She knew that these members were not without fear of the unknown results of the investigation and the potentially disappointing truths it might reveal, but they had waited too long and desired too much. Even a small glimmer of hope could temporarily relieve their pain and sorrow, releasing their excitement and joy.
Franca then took a deep breath, pulled out Harrisonâs portrait, and affixed it to the back of the massive stone chair.
âEveryone, take turns to come and take a look!â Franca called out, stepping back from the area around the speckled stone chair.
âDo you really think thatâs a nexus between two worlds?â Gandalf stopped Franca, asking fervently.
Franca smiled awkwardly. âItâs just a theory, still.â
Gandalf nodded with satisfaction.
âThatâs no problem. Make bold assumptions, but verify them carefully.â
âWhat, in your opinion, is the relationship between Resurrection Island and our world?â
Franca asked Gandalf, both hopeful and nervous.
Gandalf chuckled. âI donât have any predetermined conclusions yet; I need more information to study.â
Franca glanced around and lowered her voice.
She shared the existence of the Samaritan Womenâs Spring, Underworld Daoist, and Celestial Master with President Gandalf, whom she and Lumian had decided to inform before attending this meeting-previously, they had only shared this with Hela. After all, they had worked together in the real world before.
Gandalf listened attentively and made a judgment.
âThe relationship between the two worlds might be closer than we anticipated.
âThe phenomenon of transmigration may have started even earlier.â
Before Hidden Blade Franca could respond, the president of the Curly-Haired Baboons Research Society mused to himself, âWith so many signs and traces, itâs incredible we havenât encountered them, while you frequently do.â
This probably requires your praise for the True Creator.. Franca barely held back a sarcastic remark.
After parting from the half-giant Gandalf, she was cornered by the tall 007.
âWeâve yet to find the person who might be Harrison,â 007 simply reported on the previous âperson-findingâ efforts.
âMaybe heâs no longer in Trier.â Franca refrained from complaining about the Purifiersâ inefficiency.
She glanced at â007â in lion headgear and cautiously asked, âWould you want to return to our original world?â
007 paused for a few seconds before replying, âOf course, but Iâm afraid everything has changed.
âAlthough the era from which Emperor Roselle transmigrated isnât far from ours-if we returned now, weâd only miss a few days of life-no one has gone back yet, so we canât be certain. Maybe the rules for coming and going are fundamentally different.â
Franca fell silent.
007 glanced at Gandalf sitting on the steps, scribbling in a notebook, and asked Franca, âWhat did you discuss with the president? He seemed quite stirred.â
Franca, managing her emotions, took the opportunity to share with 007 what she had told Gandalf.
â007â AngoulĂÂȘme was stunned for a moment, then clenched his teeth and said, âWhy didnât you share this information sooner? What else havenât you told us?â
âI was just afraid you would really go all 007?â Franca joked, only to be met by a stern look from 007, which made her chuckle awkwardly. âSometimes, itâs not that I donât want to share; itâs either not the right time or I donât have the permission.â
Iâm not Lumian, who has to squeeze out information like toothpaste-if I could tell, I would share everything⊠Franca added in her mind.
007 knew that Hidden Blade might have joined a secret organization and understood her predicament. He took a couple of deep breaths to calm himself.
He mumbled to himself, âYou all have found so many traces of another world beneath Trier; I canât believe the two major churches that have watched over Trier for over a thousand years havenât discovered anything.
âWhen I become a demigod, a senior deacon, maybe Iâll be allowed to look at those dossiers, right?â
âMmm, mmm,â Franca agreed repeatedly.
In the corner where the Academy group gathered, Professor, Associate Professor, Principal, Isotope and others had all viewed Francaâs portrait of Harrison posted on the stone chair and were eagerly discussing related matters.
A woman with the periodic table painted on her face in washable paints asked those around her, âIf we really find a way and a path back to our world, would you want to return?â
Professor and Associate Professor looked at each other and said, âIf we can bring our children without having to leave anyone behind, we definitely hope to go back.â
Principal, suspected of being a Sanguine, laughed.
âIf I could keep my Beyonder abilities, then Iâd be willing to go back.â
Isotope, with fake heads on each shoulder and wearing a mannequin headgear, chuckled.
âI have no attachments or affairs that a mere modern life could replace with the sense of accomplishment Iâve gained in this world; I donât want to go back.â
âWhat about you, Muggle?â asked Periodic Table, turning to the quietly listening Lumian.
Lumian paused for a moment and said in the voice of Aurore, âThatâs the place I long for day and night.
âBut Iâd also like to take some people who are close to me with me.â
After much discussion, the topics of âgoing homeâ and âResurrection Islandâ finally cooled down, and as everyone naturally fell silent, Lumian lifted his beautifully curved chin and looked around, asking, âDoes anyone know someone from the Moses Ascetic Orderâ Suddenly, most members of the Academy group turned their gaze toward Muggle, observing her rosy lips and pale skin exposed outside her hoodie.
âWhy are you asking this all of a sudden?â asked Professor wearing a butterfly bow tie.
The Academy group had many Warlocks and had exchanged information about the Moses Ascetic Order, so it wasnât surprising that âMuggleâ knew about this secret organization.
Lumian responded with a smile, âI want to pass a message to the Moses Ascetic Order that thereâs a traitor among them.â
âA traitor?â Isotope and company listened, somewhat bewildered.
Without giving a direct response, Lumian said, âHave you heard of âMirror Peopleâ?â
According to Madame Helaâs latest statement, the members of the Curly-Haired Baboons Research Society who could enter the Nation of the Evernight through the spell were at most mentally disrupted or harbored corruption inside; it was unlikely that their life forms had changed without detection, so it could preliminarily be ruled out that there were any Mirror People lurking here.
âIâve heard of it,â said Professor in a black half-face mask, nodding solemnly. âThere have been occasional incidents of original hosts being replaced by their Mirror People, but why these Mirror People appear is still unknown, and perhaps the official Beyonders have the relevant information.â
You seem to know quite a bit about the mystical world⊠Lumianâs lips curled up with a smile.
âI know a Mirror Person named Griffith who has replaced his original host, and his host was a member of the Moses Ascetic Order; of course, Griffith certainly isnât the name he used in the Moses Ascetic Order.â
Members of the âAcademyâ group remained silent, simply nodding their heads.
Lumian did not continue the topic.
Professor looked at her and ventured to ask, âMuggle, are you still in Trier?â
âYes,â Lumian responded with a smile.
Professor looked around and said, âIâm planning to organize a real-world gathering for members in Trier soon; do you want to join? It will primarily involve our Academy group.â
Lumianâs eyes flickered, and he smiled coyly. âOkay.â