After roughly recounting this sudden and inexplicable encounter, Edwina looked to the black-haired girl resting her chin on her hand, tapping the table.
“That’s about it, Miss Violet. When you came over, I thought about it, and although there are some speculations, they all seem unreasonable, so I hope to hear your opinion.”
“My opinion...” Violet pondered without an immediate response, then smiled and glanced around at everyone present.
“Since everyone is here, why don’t we start by discussing our individual perspectives? It’s only by pooling our thoughts that we can make up for each other’s shortcomings.”
“Oh! Indeed, that’s true! Miss Violet is truly insightful!”
The holy knight, who was directly involved, wholeheartedly agreed, wearing an expression that said, “Exactly!” However, regardless of what the priestess did, she always had a similar reaction, so it didn’t hold much reference value.
The other girls exchanged glances, but ultimately it was Theresa, trembling, who couldn’t help but speak up.
“It’s haunted! It must be haunted, Miss Violet! I’ve heard of a story called ‘Ghost Hitting the Wall’, and it’s very similar to what Miss Edwina described!”
“Um, okay, let’s hear from the next person.”
The priestess remained expressionless, gesturing for the unhelpful commentator to sit down, then turned to Leila beside her.
“I think it might be some kind of illusion or something. Edwina may not have actually left the Demon Suppression City at all.”
This answer... is quite reasonable and sounds plausible. It seems Leila has genuinely thought it through.
But before Violet could speak, Edwina herself immediately shook her head in denial.
“I’ve also considered this possibility, but holy knights are sacred servants blessed by the goddess, with high resistance to abnormal magic like illusions. Moreover, every detail in that misty mountain was very realistic, unlike anything fake.”
“And there’s another crucial point: if it were an illusion, how could nobody notice a problem while I stood there for so long, unless everyone nearby was also under the illusion?”
“Um... speaking of which.”
Violet interjected at an opportune moment.
“Did you not inquire about the testimonies of the witnesses around you? How did they perceive the situation from their perspective?”
It was apparent that Edwina had anticipated this question and nodded immediately.
“I did ask, but that area is somewhat remote, and I heard that there was a curfew for some reason that afternoon, so most people didn’t go out. Perhaps that’s why I felt particularly quiet at the time. Although the curfew was lifted by the time I returned to the Demon Suppression City, to those residents, I simply seemed to suddenly emerge from a remote corner, rather than standing there motionless.”
“A curfew, hmm...”
It seems something indeed happened in that place, and Edwina’s experience might not have been coincidental.
At this point, Rene, the relatively introverted sister, tentatively speculated.
Updat𝓮d from frёewebnoѵēl.com.
“Could it be spatial magic? Someone transported you to that place for a while and then brought you back... or something like that?”
That’s even less likely. Violet immediately vetoed it and provided some explanation.
“Spatial teleportation has a distinct process, it’s impossible to suddenly appear or disappear without any signs. Short-distance instant movement within spatial magic might be possible, but the scenes described by Edwina clearly indicate that she was outside the Demon Suppression City.”
Finally, the priestess directed her gaze to the little dragon girl beside her.
“Xiao Guang, what’s your take?”
“...Probably a minor dimensional space.”
“Mmm, indeed! Just as I thought! My lovely little Xiao Guang is getting smarter~ Here’s a reward pat for you!”
Violet raised her head satisfactorily and rubbed the head of the dragon lady. The latter, unconcerned about the surrounding gazes, leaned against her owner, closing her eyes and purring contentedly.
Clearly, the attention of the girls immediately shifted to this so-called reward. Their eyes widened involuntarily, and even Edwina herself, the victim, couldn’t help but mutter enviously, “Wow! I wish Miss Violet would pat my head like that too...”
“Ahem... ”
Feeling somewhat embarrassed under those envious and expectant looks, Violet had to prematurely end the interaction with her pet, redirecting the topic back amidst the latter’s slightly disappointed expression.
“In any case, from Edwina’s description, I tentatively deduce that she might have coincidentally stumbled into, or was deliberately sent into, a special minor dimensional space, trapped for a while before escaping... Of course, it’s just speculation and may not be the truth.”
“A minor dimensional space...? Miss Violet, are you suggesting something similar to what happened in the Forgotten Land’s reflection?”
Having been one of the firsthand witnesses to the events in the Forgotten Land in the Human United Kingdom, Edwina immediately understood, pondering thoughtfully.
“Not exactly, but not far off. Since we have some free time, why don’t we finish our meal and then head to the place you mentioned? Let’s see if we can find any clues.”
Then, the waiter brought the food, and the discussion on this topic ceased. Instead, they began sharing their observations and experiences from their separate ventures, especially when Violet recounted the possible connections between the official stance of the Demon Suppression City and the current situation. Their expressions varied accordingly.
After the satisfying meal, guided by Edwina, the group ventured to the location where she had encountered the strange events before.
This was the northern part of the Demon Suppression City, at the end of a small street. Although not particularly bustling, it was still busy, with quite a few night stalls and illuminated shops along the roadside, even in the now late evening.
“Miss Violet, it’s right around here. At that time, all these shops were closed, and there weren’t many pedestrians on the street. I just felt the surroundings become unusually quiet, and then the environment and scenery suddenly changed.”
“Hmm...”
Watching the holy knight gesturing in the dim light, Violet furrowed her brow slightly.
The spot where Edwina stood now wasn’t exactly in the central area of the street, but it wasn’t particularly remote either. It would still be noticeable to anyone observant, so the idea of an illusion should be completely ruled out.
Additionally, this street only had two main directions, north and south. The alleys that branched off were dead ends. If there was a curfew imposed by the authorities here, Violet’s best guess would be some sort of operation, perhaps a roundup.
But what were they trying to capture?
And why would Edwina suddenly be transported into a minor dimensional space?
It was still too early to judge. After all, the description they had, solely from the holy knight, might not depict the whole picture. Her observations were bound to be biased and subjective.
It would have been much easier to judge if they could experience it firsthand.
However, it was unfortunate that despite wandering around for quite some time, they hadn’t witnessed any remarkable anomalies. Inquiries with the locals didn’t yield valuable clues either. These people only knew that they were prohibited from going out freely in the afternoon, but the reasons remained unclear.
The misty mountains sounded more like Edwina’s imagination.
But Violet knew she wasn’t someone who spoke without basis. The sweat on the holy knight’s body when they met in the evening was a strong testament. According to her description, the mountain likely had some kind of suppression effect similar to rules.
The priestess had also attempted to secretly conduct a deeper investigation with her special abilities, but to no avail. This place was indeed as ordinary as it could be, with no hidden entrances.
“Oh? Miss Violet, what’s this?”
Suddenly, Theresa’s puzzled exclamation came from beside her. Everyone leaned in, seeing her squatting next to a plant on the roadside, gently wiping the bark with her fingers.