Chapter 138: Chapter 142 Inquiry and Treatment
Duncan’s expression was very sincere, carrying a confidence and determination that said, “If I open my doors to sell fakes, I have to make sure that my dupes die with their eyes wide open, and if you can find something genuine in the back warehouse, I don’t need this shop anymore.” Nina, evidently struck by this honesty, took a moment to respond, “Your honesty… is indeed very impressive.”
“Any more questions about that fire?” Duncan asked, unperturbed by the oddity in her tone. “I heard afterwards that the entire museum was sealed off on the day of the incident?”
“In fact, we highly suspect that there were Transcendent factors influencing the museum fire,” Nina didn’t hide this suspicion, for speculations about it had already spread throughout the streets and alleys. The city hall’s mystics also publicly urged citizens not to approach the museum square lately. For the people of City-State, the existence of Transcendent incidents was not something that needed to be kept secret, only the details and truths behind them, “The fire died down extremely rapidly, far beyond normal… Mr. Duncan, please think back, did you really not see or hear anything unusual after you entered the museum?”
“Nothing,” said Duncan, frowning. “With the situation as it was at that time, where would I have found the spare capacity to notice any changes in the fire? After all, I am just an ordinary person, not a trained guardian.”
At this, he paused and raised an eyebrow, “Does the church suspect that those of us who escaped from the fire might be involved with the ‘Transcendent factor’ behind it?”
“It’s my personal suspicion,” said Nina seriously. “Please forgive me, but being vigilant against all uncontrolled Transcendent threats in City-State is the duty of a Judge. Moreover, I have no intention of suspecting you as the main culprit of the fire—Transcendent powers can contaminate ordinary people, regardless of whether the individual has any subjective intentions. I am concerned that you may have been passively involved in some Transcendent influence during the fire, which is also a concern for your safety.”
“I understand,” Duncan replied, now more open than before since he wasn’t the slightest bit angry. The Judge before him was genuinely discharging her duties. “So, having observed this place for quite some time, have you discovered any clues?”
“Indeed, I haven’t found anything,” Nina shook her head. “There’s no residual Transcendent power here, and the distribution of shadows and flow of auras both inside and outside of the building are quite normal. I think… you truly are just ordinary people caught up in a Transcendent event.”
Duncan thought for a moment, then couldn’t help but add, “Maybe… you should check more carefully? What if there’s some residual Transcendent power here that hasn’t been detected? As you said earlier, it’s also for our safety…”
“I have confidence in my judgment,” Nina asserted confidently without letting Duncan finish, puffing out her chest with firm conviction, “Blessed by the Goddess’s grace, my eyes are the most effective detection tools. Especially during the daytime, no heretical forces or deep shadows can escape my sight—even the most adept at hiding Evil Gods and demons cannot hide from me!”
No sooner had Nina finished speaking than a clatter came from not far away. Sherry had finally knocked the base off the wooden sculpture she was fiddling with.
“I… was trying to find a safer place for it…”
“Leave that stuff alone! If it comes to that, go wipe the windowsill!” Duncan said helplessly to Sherry, who was trying hard to play the part of a shop assistant, and then turned back to Nina, squeezing out after a long pause, “…You’re right.”
“The kid seems a bit clumsy,” Nina glanced at Sherry briefly, then remarked offhandedly, “And she looks… a little nervous, doesn’t she?”
“She’s just helping out for the first day,” Duncan told the truth, “Not an official shop assistant, just a friend of my niece’s. She’s here to learn a few things and to help out with family expenses. Kids from the Lower City District usually start earning money earlier.”
Nina nodded, finding the explanation quite normal, then pondered a moment before looking back at Duncan, “I’d also like to confirm one more thing—after leaving the museum, did any of you experience any lasting discomfort? Have you had any nightmares?”
Duncan didn’t answer immediately.
Someone had nightmares. Not only did Sherry have nightmares, but she also saw incredible things with him at the edge of the Dreamscape—but he couldn’t say that.
The Judge before him, although a “positive character” upholding the order of City-State, viewed Sherry in the eyes of the authorities and church as an undeniable Heretic. In a world strung tight with nerves, even the most just and fair Judge would find it hard to show much tolerance or empathy to a “Heretic” at a first meeting.
“No, everything’s normal,” Duncan shook his head, “But may I ask what kind of nightmares? If anything similar happens to us in the next few days, I would like to be able to confirm it right away and seek help from the nearest church.”
“It must be related to flames,” Fenna answered, “extremely vast flames that surge violently in the darkness of the void, bending during the eruption to form a magnificent arc—considering that you’ve just narrowly escaped from a fire, recent traumatic shadows could also be causing you to dream of similar scenes in the recent period. Ordinary people can’t distinguish between normal dreams and the nightmares influenced by Transcendent forces, so I suggest you seek help from the nearest church as soon as you dream of flames.”
Duncan furrowed his brows.
Flames surging violently in the darkness of the void, a spectacular arc-shaped flame…
This did not sound like Nina’s dreams, nor Sherry’s dreams, nor was it the scene of the fire-ravaged ruins he had seen the night before.
If he had to say, Fenna’s serious expression while describing that sight inexplicably reminded him of something else… the Sun Shard.
Only the shard of the sun could possess the might described, and make a Judge look so solemn.
Duncan pondered for a moment, carefully adjusting his words within the framework of the persona “concerned citizen,” before suddenly speaking, “May I ask out of curiosity… is this related to the Sun Cultists that have been causing trouble in the city lately? Those heretics seem to be always doing something with the sun, flames, sacrifices, and the like, it sounds like they’re about to set fire to the city at any time.”
There were Sun Cultist activities within the city, and the authorities were hunting them down; this was common knowledge. Fenna didn’t think too much about it and nodded, “It’s not ruled out that they are behind this… but you just need to know enough, don’t inquire too deeply; it’s very dangerous for ordinary people.”
As a high-ranking Judge, Fenna was aware that not long ago, a cultist hideout in an abandoned factory had been reported and demolished, and she had even gone to investigate the site in person, but there was no need for her to personally understand more details. Thus, she was unaware that the “concerned citizen” who initially reported the heretics’ hideout was the antique store owner standing before her.
Duncan didn’t bring up his own action of reporting either, as he had already vaguely confirmed his suspicions from Fenna’s answer and was thus lost in thought.
Even the church’s higher-ups believed this matter was related to the Sun Cultists; it must indeed be the Sun Shard—during the fire at the museum, the Sun Shard’s influence had briefly appeared in the real world, alerting Fenna who later dealt with the site.
Then were the “dreamscape scenes” Fenna described… the actual appearance of the Sun Shard?!
A colossal flame, furiously bursting forth in the darkness of the void… this was entirely different from what Duncan had initially imagined when he first heard the name “Sun Shard”!
In his original conception, something like the “Sun Shard,” chased and sought by the heretics and that could seal the Evil God slumbering in the City-State, should have been something “abnormal,” a tangible, substantial entity with a spurious connection to the sun but actually not much to do with the real sun. However, if he went by Fenna’s description…
Duncan tried to supplement his imagination, recalling his impression of the “sun” as a person from Earth, and eventually felt more and more that the thing… seemed like a “solar flare”?!
Leaving everything else aside, just by visual appearance, that was essentially a solar flare ejected into space!
His expression unchanged, his mind, however, was turbulent—
So the Sun Shard… was literally what that TM stood for?!
Meanwhile, at the same time, upstairs in Nina’s bedroom, Heidi had completed the routine questioning and guidance for the “patient.”
She had roughly confirmed that Nina’s dreams were not ordinary nightmares or merely due to mental stress-induced recurring dreams, but whether these dreams were affected by Transcendent factors required further determination.
“We may need a brief and moderate hypnotic treatment,” Heidi picked up the amethyst pendant in her hand, speaking in a calm tone to the girl before her, “Don’t be nervous, just follow my guidance and answer some questions.”