Chapter 213: Chapter 118: I Shall Witness
Help?
Wei’en recalled the last time Clelia had said that. It was when she asked him to hold onto that necklace for her.
’No, wait, it was that she wanted to stay with him for a while.’
This time...
"Actually, I don’t know much about this crisis in the Caster City State either."
The seductive look on Clelia’s face vanished. Expressionless, she toyed with a cane. Judging by its brass texture and rugged appearance, it clearly wasn’t hers.
Wei’en didn’t ask, just waited for her to continue.
His lack of basic general knowledge made all the information he possessed feel unmoored. It was all hazy and disjointed, leaving him with an awkward sense of confusion.
For example, the Desire Sect in Nocturnal City, the conflict between the Despair Sect and the Eternal Life Association, the clash between Vasquez and the Ceres Clan, and the relationships between the various factions within the Caster City State...
"Remember I told you last time that I only came to the Caster City State after something happened."
"Right. Because of that scroll, the Era Relic."
Clelia clasped her hands together. Her gaze fell on Tina’s face as if she were just now noticing her—or more accurately, on her vacant eyes.
’Her own reflection didn’t appear in those pupils?’
’Such a shame. A pair of eyes that big, and you can’t even use them as a mirror...’
"To be honest, I’m not very clear on how that relic was lost. I only found out after coming here that you had already found and secured it. Do you know what was recorded on it?"
"Uh, you don’t know?"
"Probably," Clelia said with absolute certainty. "I don’t know."
"You really don’t know what’s on it??" Wei’en stared at her, astonished.
"I’m not a scholar specializing in the Gonzalez language. Besides, the Eternal Life Association has countless Era Relics. No one is interested in going through them scroll by scroll."
"So, you came straight to Caster knowing nothing?"
"Is that so strange? I happened to have the time, and I happened to feel like a change of city state," Clelia said, tilting her head to look at him, the corners of her mouth turning up slightly.
"Not strange at all..."
Wei’en didn’t know how to describe her, so he just said, "It recorded information about the location of a Forbidden Item."
"What Forbidden Item?"
"This one..."
"Go ahead and say it. As long as the Forbidden Item is more than ten kilometers away from you, it won’t be a big problem. Besides, those things have high standards. They’re not interested in a Wizard Apprentice like you."
’Ten kilometers...’
This was the first time Wei’en had heard of such a restriction. Not that it seemed to matter. The Forbidden Items he’d built up encounter progress with before had all been quite close to him.
He didn’t know if other Wizard Apprentices could attract the interest of Forbidden Items.
But he certainly could.
"Well, say it," Clelia’s expression froze for a moment. "Don’t tell me it’s somewhere nearby?"
"Probably, maybe, a little closer than you think."
"Even closer?"
"Forbidden Item 0-34, the Revival Coffin, is right..."
Before he could finish, Wei’en’s expression changed drastically.
[You mentioned "Forbidden Item 0-34, the Revival Coffin," attracting its attention. Your path of fate has been altered. Current Encounter Progress: 50/100. Evaluation: Ever heard of a lighthouse? That’s you. Special Rewards: Survival Points +30, Origin +3, Spirit Level +4, Resilience Level +4.]
’It’s at 50...’
’No way.’
He remembered that when he saw the Revival Coffin with his own eyes, the progress had only increased by ten points. But this time, just by mentioning its name...
’What’s happening?’
"Forbidden Item 0-34, the Revival Coffin, you... huh?"
Clelia mulled over the name. Seeing his dazed expression, she reached out and tapped his forehead. "Getting distracted while talking to me? Don’t tell me it’s because I’m not pretty enough for you today?"
As she spoke, her clothes slowly faded away, revealing a large expanse of white... dress.
[You heard "Forbidden Item 0-34, the Revival Coffin." Your path of fate has been altered to a certain degree. Current Encounter Progress: 60/100. Evaluation: I think I understand how you feel right now. My condolences. Special Rewards: Survival Points +10, Origin +1, Spirit Level +2, Resilience Level +2.]
"..."
’Again??’
Under Clelia’s astonished gaze, Wei’en grabbed her hand and forced a smile. "Promise me you won’t say that name in front of me."
"Forbidden Item 0—Mmph, mmph?"
Wei’en clamped his hand tightly over her mouth, looking utterly miserable. "Don’t say it! It’s... it’s too sensitive! A few more times, and I’m afraid it’ll actually show up."
"Mmph, mmmph mmmph?!"
"Hmm?" Wei’en let go and put his hands together as if in prayer. "Please, just don’t say its name again."
"Oh. You can sense it?"
Clelia took a deep breath and looked at him, puzzled. "That can’t be, can it? Forbidden Items have always been hidden outside the threads of fate. Apart from a few specific tools, very few people can detect their existence."
"Just don’t mention it, and we’ll be fine."
Wei’en couldn’t explain the existence of his panel, but he knew with absolute certainty that he was doomed if he heard the name "Revival Coffin" a few more times. The Demon Clown, even with Tina suppressing it, was already giving him enough trouble.
If the Revival Coffin was added to the mix, how was he supposed to survive?
"I didn’t expect that on top of being able to distinguish between my real body and my puppets, you can also perceive the gaze of a Forbidden Item..." Clelia licked her lips. "I’m getting more and more interested in you."
Wei’en shot her an exasperated glare. Not wanting to get bogged down in this topic with her, he cut to the chase. "You’re asking about this because today’s events are related to that Forbidden Item?"
He’d been wondering what the underlying cause was for the recent series of events in the Caster City State.
