"Do you think it is plaything?"
Eventually, Bora spoke. His voice remained calm, but that somehow made the question even more uncomfortable.
"Do you know how difficult to get face-changing mask?"
An awkward smile immediately appeared on my face.
"I was just asking."
Bora continued staring at me for another moment before finally taking a drink from his mug.
In truth, I already knew the answer.
Artifacts capable of altering a person's appearance were exceptionally rare. Even the face-changing mask I currently possessed had not been easy to obtain. Bora had relied heavily on his underworld connections to acquire it, and the price he paid had been anything but small.
The rarity of such artifacts was hardly surprising.
A face-changing artifact was useful in ways most people could scarcely imagine. Whether it was espionage, infiltration, smuggling, assassination, or countless other illegal activities, the ability to assume another identity held enormous value.
If artifacts like that were easily available, the entire nation would be thrown into chaos.
Fortunately, obtaining one was neither simple nor cheap. The combination of rarity, cost, and difficulty in acquiring them ensured that only a handful of people ever had access to such items.
Otherwise, the authorities of Elysis would likely have far greater problems to worry about than ordinary criminals.
The face-changing mask was not nearly as miraculous as most people imagined. While it could alter my appearance, its capabilities were actually quite limited. The artifact could only transform my face into a single appearance that had already been stored within it. It wasn't the kind of treasure that allowed someone to freely change into any face they desired whenever they wished.
If it were capable of something like that, its value would be immeasurable.
Across the table, Tara covered her mouth as she unsuccessfully attempted to suppress a laugh. Meanwhile, Bora simply shook his head before returning his attention to the meal.
After considering the matter, I found myself looking toward Bora once more.
"But would it be possible, though?"
For the first time that evening, Bora's usually impassive expression seemed to stiffen ever so slightly.
He simply stared at me.
The silence stretched for several seconds as though he was trying to determine whether I had genuinely asked the same question again after everything he had just explained. His face revealed very little, but the look in his eyes seemed to say enough.
Apparently, my persistence was testing even Bora's patience.
A slow breath escaped Bora's mouth.
"No."
The answer came immediately, as though the question didn't require even a moment of consideration.
I nodded in understanding. If obtaining a single face-changing mask was already difficult, acquiring another one on short notice had never been a realistic possibility.
Unfortunately, that created another problem.
"If that's the case, then I won't be able to enter the Caelthorne estate."
The moment the words left my mouth, the atmosphere around the table changed. Bora looked at me. Tara looked at me. Even Charlie turned in my direction with visible surprise.
Their reactions caused my eye to twitch slightly.
After a brief pause, Bora finally spoke.
"Why?"
"The young master of the Caelthorne Family recognizes me."
The moment those words left my mouth, the surprise on their faces deepened noticeably.
For a few seconds, nobody said anything.
It was obvious that none of them had expected such an answer. After all, we had only recently arrived in Astravia. There was no reason for someone from a noble family to know me, much less recognize me.
Realizing they were waiting for an explanation, I continued before they could ask.
"A while ago, he came to the inn with several of his friends. He sensed energy from me and became suspicious that I was a Controller."
I briefly recalled the encounter before continuing.
"He didn't seem completely convinced, but he definitely noticed something unusual."
Understanding gradually appeared on their faces.
Although I kept the explanation brief, it was enough for them to grasp the problem. If the young master had already taken notice of me once, then placing me inside the Caelthorne estate would create unnecessary risks. Even if he couldn't immediately identify me, there was always the possibility that another encounter would trigger his suspicion once again.
Eventually, Tara nodded in understanding.
"I see."
Bora remained silent for a few moments as he considered the situation. After a brief pause, he shifted his attention toward Charlie.
"Can you enter estate alone?"
Charlie thought about the question for several seconds before nodding.
"I should be able to."
Before Bora could continue, I spoke up.
"Charlie can work inside the estate and keep an eye on them. I'll investigate from the outside."
The proposal seemed reasonable enough. Although having two people inside the estate would have been beneficial, adapting the plan was better than forcing it unnecessarily. Charlie could gather information from within the estate while I focused on investigating from the outside. Together, we would still be able to cover both angles of the investigation.
"Fine."
Bora gave a slow nod, signaling the end of that discussion.
With the matter settled, the conversation shifted toward the remaining details of the investigation. A few adjustments were made to the original plan, responsibilities were clarified, and several precautions were discussed to ensure neither Charlie nor I attracted unnecessary attention once the operation began. Although much of it was straightforward, Bora still repeated certain points more than once, clearly wanting to ensure there would be no misunderstandings later.
As the discussion continued, food gradually disappeared from the table and mugs were emptied one after another.
Eventually, there was simply nothing left to discuss. Every detail that could be planned in advance had already been covered, and the rest would depend on what Charlie and I discovered once the investigation began.
The meeting had finally reached its conclusion.
Not long afterward, the four of us rose from our seats and left the inn together.
The moment we stepped outside, cool night air brushed against my face. Compared to the warm and crowded interior of the inn, the temperature outside felt noticeably more pleasant.
Bora's gaze drifted toward the road leading back to Astravia. In the darkness, only a few lanterns could be seen in the distance, their faint light barely illuminating the path.
"It is too late."
His eyes shifted back toward Charlie and me.
"You stay tonight. Leave tomorrow."
I followed his gaze toward the road for a moment before looking back at him.
The journey from the western outskirts back to the city wasn't exactly short. During the day, finding transportation would have been relatively easy, but at this hour most travelers had already settled in for the night.
After considering it briefly, I nodded.
"Alright."
Just as everyone appeared ready to part ways, Tara suddenly called out to me.
"Arthur."
I turned toward her with a questioning look. "Hm?"
Tara studied me for a moment before speaking again.
"There is one thing I still don't understand." Then she looked directly at me and asked, "You are Controller, so why you don't have energy core?"
A brief silence followed.
Then I smiled. This wasn't the first time she had asked that question.
"I do have it. You're simply not strong enough to sense it."
Tara's eye twitched immediately.
Every single time, no matter how many times she asked, my answer never changed.
"You always say same thing."
She folded her arms across her chest and looked at me with obvious dissatisfaction before letting out an annoyed huff.
"Hmph."
A faint smile appeared on my face.
There was little else I could say.
The existence of the book was not something I could casually reveal to others, and trying to explain my cultivation situation would only create even more questions. After all, how was I supposed to explain that my energy cores didn't resemble ordinary energy cores at all, but instead existed as two black dots within my head?
Even I didn't fully understand them.
Rather than attempting an explanation that would only raise suspicions, it was far easier to give the same answer I always did.