Krismona nodded. "Yes."
Edward's mind went blank.
Cheek wants to become the Oldest One? The Original Creator?
What kind of absurd, deranged ambition was that?
Did she not realise that the Original Creator was the aggregation of everything—all existence, all consciousness, all chaos combined?
The "Primordial One" might have been unimaginably powerful, but It was far less sane than even Primordial God Almighty or Celestial Worthy.
Besides, extreme aggregation inevitably led to a new round of separation—so what possible benefit could there be in becoming the Primordial One?
"…"
Just as that thought formed, a ripple stirred through his spirituality—potion of the Deconstruction Scholar suddenly progressed by a full stage.
Together with what he had already digested, the total reached nearly one-third.
After a brief moment of surprise, Edward understood.
"Cheek wants to become the Primordial"—that was the final answer left behind from yesterday's conversation with the Little Snake!
But why did the potion digest from merely hearing it?
He hadn't personally deconstructed anything.
Then the realisation struck him.
For a Deconstruction Scholar, the key was obtaining answers and truth. It didn't matter whether he derived them step by step from clues or heard them directly from others.
Just like when he used [Deconstruction]—the mechanism of "taking things apart" wasn't the point; what mattered was that he could perceive and comprehend the essence beneath.
In that sense, the role resembled the Scholar of Yore of the Seer Pathway—both revolved around gathering information and insight.
The difference was that the Scholar of Yore pursued forgotten history, while he sought to unravel mysteries and expose hidden truths.
That meant the potion would be far easier to digest than he'd expected.
"Can you take me to the so-called shallow layer of the Mirror World?"
"Of course."
Krismona produced a palm-sized mirror. "Anytime."
"Let's go."
She grasped Edward's arm and leapt forward.
In an instant, Edward felt his entire body lose its sense of reality, plunging straight into the tiny mirror.
Everything in his vision became layered upon layers, as though he had stepped into a house of mirrors. Countless mirrored surfaces surrounded them, and every one reflected the two of them—but each reflection moved differently, wore different expressions, as if every reflection was an independent entity with its own awareness.
Krismona, long accustomed to the Mirror World's uncanny nature, led Edward forward swiftly through the maze.
Before long, a dim, hazy road appeared ahead, seeming not quite real. It linked to other similar paths in the area, forming a vast and intricate web—a mysterious lattice that intertwined into a strange world utterly unlike reality.
"This is as far as I can go."
She stopped and pointed ahead.
Before them stood a massive, transparent wall of glass that seemed to extend between heaven and earth.
On the other side, clear as day, was another world—the study of the villa at No. 28, Emerald Street.
Just as Krismona had said, the Mirror World truly was the reverse side of the real one.
Edward stepped forward slowly until he stood before the glass.
He pressed his palm against it—but felt nothing at all, as though it didn't exist. Yet it undeniably blocked his path.
Zzzzt.
Silver-white lightning erupted from his palm, crackling outward—but to no effect.
"It's useless."
Krismona moved to stand beside him.
"This 'barrier' involves authority. It can't be broken by brute force alone."
Regression.
The ancient gears turned within Edward's eyes.
Minutes passed. Half his spirituality was drained—yet the wall remained intact.
Unfazed, he invoked [Deconstruction] once more. His gaze pierced the "glass," delving into its inner structure.
Krismona was right. The "wall" only appeared to be a wall of glass; its composition wasn't material at all.
In essence, it was a verification construct—a kind of mystical code. If one possessed the Mirror World's authority, they could pass through freely.
Otherwise…they could not.
As his spirituality continued to flow, more and more information surfaced before his inner sight.
The good news: this barrier could indeed be dismantled through deconstruction.
Once complete, he could not only cross into the so-called deep layer but even replicate the barrier itself.
The bad news: it would take a very long time.
Yet his spirituality told him this much—once he advanced to Sequence 2, the time required would shrink drastically.
"Mr. Edward, you…what's happening to you?"
Krismona's startled voice reached him.
Edward turned his head—only to find that her height had suddenly increased. No—wait. It wasn't that she'd grown taller. It was he who had become shorter. More precisely, he had reverted to the form of a child once again.
The intense pain of spiritual depletion coursed through him, forcing him to close his eyes and stop the deconstruction.
"Didn't Will tell you?" he muttered. "I'm under a sort of curse. Sometimes I turn into this. It's fine."
"Let's head out first."
"Alright."
She gave a graceful flick of her hand. At once, Edward felt an invisible force pull him forward, drawing him into a field of hazy darkness—that, in the material world, corresponded to a mirror.
Seconds later, they had left the layered illusions of the Mirror World and returned to reality.
Edward dropped onto the sofa, eyes shut, rubbing at his aching temples.
"Are you sure you're alright?" Krismona asked softly.
"Just overused my spirituality. I'll be fine after a short rest."
Curiosity glinted in her eyes. "What were you doing just now?"
"Trying to crack that wall—to enter the deep layer of the Mirror World."
"But that's impossible. Only—"
"If I were Sequence 2," Edward interrupted, opening his eyes, "I might've succeeded just now."
"…"
Krismona fell silent, momentarily choked for words.
Reason told her that was impossible, yet her instincts said he wasn't joking.
No wonder Mama always remembered him…
"When Lilith entered the Mirror World," Edward asked, "you could only wait for her to return?"
"Yes."
"And there's nothing you can do to help her at all?"
Her gaze lowered. "That's the realm of the gods. I…am powerless."
Edward's brow furrowed. "Then you can't even tell what condition she's in now?"
"No!" she said quickly. "Although Mama took Arrodes's main body with her, I was able to communicate with the conscious fragment he left behind. Through him, I could still learn of Mama's situation."
Arrodes can do that?
Oh, right—he had done similar things in the original timeline, trying his hardest to flatter Klein through remote links.
"Can you take me to him?"
"Of course. He's in the dressing mirror in my bedroom."
In a flash of [Wandering], Edward appeared inside Krismona's bedroom.
He strode up to the ornate redwood dressing mirror.
"Arrodes, can you hear me?"
"…"
No response.
"Arrodes...Hey, Arrodes?"
Edward rapped his fingers against the mirror. "Respected Mr. Arrodes, I have questions for you."
Silence.
He frowned and turned as Krismona entered behind him. "Are you sure he's in there?"
She looked just as perplexed. "Impossible—I was talking to him only moments ago."
She approached the mirror and stroked its surface gently. "Mr. Arrodes, can you hear us?"
——
Meanwhile, inside the mirror, Arrodes was panicking.
Someone please understand me!
A being who's clearly not my Great Master, but wearing His "skin"—radiating full-blown pillar-level aura, has shown up demanding to see me!
I'm terrified. Should I keep playing dead? Pretend to be confused? Or…should I just accept him as my new master and call it a day?
Help! Urgent situation here! What do I do?!
——
Edward frowned deeper.
Strange…isn't this mirror dog supposed to start wagging his tail the moment he senses the Owner of the Sefirah Castle?
Back in the future, when Klein had still been a humble Sequence 6, Arrodes had fallen over himself to curry favour.
But now—Edward, a full Sequence 3 and the actual master of the Sefirah Castle—he was pretending to be dead?
Oh…I see.
He only recognises Klein as his supreme master, is that it?
Klein can, but I can't?
The hell kind of logic is that?
"Miss Krismona," Edward said evenly, "could you give me a moment alone with Mr. Arrodes?"
"Of course."
She nodded and quietly left the room.
"Alright, drop the act, Arrodes," Edward said coldly. "Explain yourself."
Silence.
"You really want me to believe I can't make you talk?" His tone chilled. "Keep this up, and I'll make sure you never see the 'Great Master' you long for again."
Instantly, a pair of eyes appeared on the mirror's surface—blinking pitifully.
Then, hurriedly, a line of text etched itself across the glass:
'Respected and Great Existence, what may the humble and insignificant Arrodes do for you?'
"Oh, so I have to threaten you before you'll respond, huh?" Edward sneered. "Don't tell me you haven't sensed the aura of a Pillar radiating off me?"
"…"
The mirror went blank again.
Edward felt his temper flare. Fine. Keep this up and I'll—wait, what the hell am I thinking?
He quickly quelled the childish impulse brought on by his cursed form and said through clenched teeth, "Forget it. I'll just ask the question—how is Lilith right now?"
Arrodes replied at once, text forming swiftly:
'Miss Lilith is currently safe, but as She continues deeper into the Mirror World, I will soon be unable to obtain real-time information about Her.'
The same answer he'd given Arrodes earlier.
Edward pressed on. "What exactly is Lilith seeking in the Mirror World?"
'I do not know, Great Existence. That is beyond my capacity.'
"Is there truly no other way to enter the deep layer besides possessing the Primordial Demoness' authority?"
'If you ascend to the level of a Pillar, you will naturally be able to enter.'
A pause—then another line appeared:
'I have answered one of your questions. According to the rule of equivalence, it is now my turn to ask.'
Edward raised an eyebrow. "I asked you a question earlier and you didn't demand one in return."
'In fact,' came the prim response, 'I already did, Great Existence.'
"…"
Oh.
That line—'What may the humble and insignificant Arrodes do for you?'—counted as a question?
Excellent. The familiar feeling of irritation was back.
———
[Note]: Don't forget to VOTE. It keeps me motivated.