Leel Femi described the Eye of Secrets in broad terms:
"Compared to most ordinary Extraordinaries of the same Sequence, the Eye of Secrets lets me see more things — and that naturally includes what ordinary people can see."
"So you actually have a third eye? It just isn't open right now?" Ais leaned against the sofa, rubbing her chin thoughtfully.
Leel shook his head:
"No — the Eye of Secrets simply makes a Seer's two existing eyes unusual. Of course, personal experience has already proven one thing: damaged eyes have no negative effect on the Eye of Secrets whatsoever.
I can still see what falls within normal range of vision through the Eye of Secrets. The images seem to be printed directly into my mind."
"Oh—" Ais immediately sat upright and turned to look at him. "So you've been able to see me this whole time?"
Leel nodded and added: "More than that — I can also tell, Detective Fal, that your true appearance is certainly different from what you look like right now. Although I can't directly see what your original appearance is."
So the Eye of Secrets isn't powerful enough to see that I used to be a man. Ais, who had intended to later use divination to confirm whether Leel was lying, kept her composure. She was mainly grateful she hadn't done anything strange before this.
"But do you think it's worth it? The potion's influence can't be pleasant — and the Seer's unique 'Knowledge Pursuit' can't be either." Ais asked.
As a Church of the Evernight Goddess informant, her knowledge of the various cults and hidden organizations was somewhat broader than that of an average unaffiliated Extraordinary. The church had given her rough descriptions of various cult Extraordinaries' characteristics — specifically to prevent Ais from encountering cult members without recognizing them.
One of those fallen organizations — the Mos Ascetic Order — happened to have the Seer as the Sequence 9 potion in its pathway.
Ais didn't know the specifics of what the Mos Ascetic Order had done wrong, only that the Order believed all things were composed of numbers and that knowledge was supreme. They worshipped numbers and knowledge itself as a deity, naming this entity the Hidden Sage.
Strangely, this deity seemed to actually exist — and was particularly inclined to pour vast, irresistible quantities of knowledge into Extraordinaries of the Seer pathway. Those who couldn't withstand it lost control or died. This phenomenon was known as the Knowledge Pursuit.
Adding to this, Seers were prone to seeing things they shouldn't see, hearing whispers they shouldn't hear — perceiving the unknown entities hidden behind the surface of the world — and then dying mysteriously. Ais considered this pathway considerably more dangerous than the Witch's, though she couldn't be certain whether this was the reason the Mos Ascetic Order was classified as an evil organization.
After a few seconds of silence, Leel answered with conviction:
"It's very painful — but it's worth it. At least for me. I was born blind. Without the knowledge that pursues me, I'd have no way of even interpreting what I see through the Eye of Secrets."
His voice gradually filled with excitement and wonder:
"Can you understand what that means, Detective Fal? Even the most ordinary and commonplace knowledge is incomparably precious to me. Because the words I've learned are no longer abstract concepts — I can finally connect them to something clear and concrete."
Blind from birth… Ais exhaled softly and said with quiet warmth:
"I can only try to imagine that situation — but I understand your choice. Do you know how to manage the dangers the potion brings?"
Leel nodded:
"You don't need to worry about that, Detective Fal. My father actually had the opportunity to become an Extraordinary once, but he chose to remain ordinary. The Seer's formula came from a close friend of his, and that person also passed along some advice in a letter. After fully understanding the risks, my father waited until I came of age before telling me this option existed, and left the choice to me."
Leel's father must be remarkable — no wonder they're so well-off. Ais found herself somewhat envious:
"No wonder you've never resented your parents. They really did everything they could for you."
She paused, then added with emphasis:
"With that said, I won't belabor the point — but one thing I must stress: even if the knowledge being poured into your mind includes a method to restore your sight, you must absolutely never attempt it. That knowledge comes from an evil god, and heeding an evil god's temptation is a fast road to losing control."
The Church of the Evernight Goddess had repeated this warning to Ais as well. As for Leel, as long as he had no connection to the Mos Ascetic Order itself, she wasn't necessarily obligated to report him.
Because Seers were still only Sequence 9 — not especially dangerous. And a Seer relentlessly pursued by knowledge had a comprehensive foundational grasp of various occult fields and knew a fair number of ritual magic arts. Among low-Sequence Extraordinaries, they were quite useful as support. Even among Watchers, some chose to become Seers. The bespectacled young man who had conducted the ritual in Moen City was one.
Though Leel had heard similar words from his father, he still said to Ais seriously:
"Thank you for the reminder, Detective Fal. Please be assured — even just for my mother and father's sake, I wouldn't attempt any dangerous knowledge of unknown reliability."
Then Leel seemed puzzled:
"Still, Detective Fal — you're clearly young, yet you always give me the impression of a seasoned Extraordinary. Why is that?"
"I simply know a little more than the average unaffiliated Extraordinary. If you'd had the same varied experiences as me, none of this would seem remarkable."
A modest deflection — and then, remembering her current progress in Hermes was effectively zero, she ventured:
"By the way — since a Seer is continuously being flooded with knowledge, have you already mastered Hermes and Ancient Hermes?"
Leel heard the implication and was genuinely taken aback:
"Detective Fal, you know about the Seer pathway's Knowledge Pursuit phenomenon, yet you don't know Ancient Hermes?"
Is this what it feels like when wealthy people don't know the struggles of ordinary life… Ais explained with performative dismay:
"For an unaffiliated Extraordinary, that kind of lopsided knowledge is quite common. Think about it: the church's restrictions on occult knowledge are strict; unaffiliated Extraordinaries are rare to begin with, and finding one willing to teach is even harder. So while I've wanted to learn these things for a long time, I still only know a handful of Ancient Hermes words."
"I see." Leel nodded, then asked somewhat tentatively:
"Detective Fal, I could help you with that problem. In exchange, would you be willing to tell me about some of the more interesting things you've encountered?"
What a genuinely generous kid. After getting Leel's confirmation, Ais's smile brightened completely:
"No problem at all! Though honestly — what I'd call interesting has been fairly rare."
Leel was actually more pleased than Ais:
"That's all right, Detective Fal. Even very ordinary things would be welcome. Because the chances for me to go out and talk with people are quite limited.
I can now see things, but the Eye of Secrets tends to pick up strange things, so I'm very careful about using it to observe my surroundings. And outside my parents, I can't tell anyone that I can actually see."
So you're still a lonely child with no friends. Ais only now understood why Leel was happier about this than she was.
"Then it's settled. By the way, Mr. Femi — where can one send a letter around here? I suddenly realize there's something I haven't told a friend."
Author's Note (this chapter):So the Eye of Secrets isn't powerful enough to see that I used to be a man. Ais, who had intended to later use divination to confirm whether Leel was lying, kept her composure.
Seeing into the past would require the White Tower's high-ranking members. ·