"What description should I use to refer to the Pure White Eye?"
Ebner pondered for a while and tentatively wrote a line on paper:
"Pure White Eye from an alternate dimension."
Unlike Klein, he didn't need to share his prayer incantation with others, so even if this wording exposed his origin from another world, it was of no consequence—he'd be the only one using it.
"Typically, a high-rank entity requires three lines of description. The last two lines should elaborate or supplement the first…" Ebner furrowed his brows, carefully considering his next lines. After a full minute, he crafted the remaining phrases to reflect the Pure White Eye's purpose:
"You are the embodiment of all truth, the analyzer of the universe and its secrets."
Since he wasn't sure of the Eye's exact rank, he avoided using terms like "Lord" or "King" as Klein had when he crafted the Fool's title.
"Next, I'll transcribe this in ancient Hermes, then analyze it with the Pure White Eye. Ancient Hermes has inherent 'power' in its words, so even without speaking aloud, I should be able to see if it connects with the Eye."
As he thought this, Ebner carefully transcribed the phrases while activating the Pure White Eye.
Yet after a second of analysis, his brows drew tighter.
"Hm? No connection… And according to the analysis, the issue lies with the first line…"
Ebner narrowed his eyes, trying several alternative phrases, but none established a connection with the Pure White Eye.
"Maybe…I need to think even bolder." Determined, he rapidly tried ten different phrase variants, only to find that referring to the God of Knowledge, high Sequences in the White Tower pathway, or even Knowledge itself did not resonate with the Eye. Surprisingly, when he wrote "Pure White Eye from the Unknown," he felt a faint response.
He quickly burned the other notes in a nearby brazier, then gazed thoughtfully at the single remaining slip that read, "Pure White Eye from the Unknown."
"From the Unknown? But what's the difference between that and an alternate dimension? Aren't alternate dimensions also unknown realms?"
"No… 'Unknown' seems to be the key! Perhaps I should dare to speculate even further… Could I have misunderstood something essential? What if the Pure White Eye isn't the actual source of that bug-level analysis ability but rather an 'interface'? Perhaps it's simply a 'mask'…"
With a theory forming, Ebner immediately began testing it. He rewrote his incantation to say:
"Oh, unknown realm connected to the Pure White Eye,
You are the embodiment of all truth,
You are the analyzer of the universe and its secrets."
This time, the Pure White Eye's response was far more intense; he almost felt a faint sense of a misty expanse within his vision. However, with his current capabilities, he could only just perceive it, unable to see clearly or establish direct contact. Attempting anything further would be beyond him.
"As expected… It turns out the Pure White Eye is just a mask or interface—a passageway. It's that unknown realm it connects to that is the true source of its power. This also explains why my status elevates each time I activate the Pure White Eye! If the Eye itself held an intrinsic high rank, its rank would remain constant regardless of activation."
Of course, this was only hindsight—Ebner had never suspected such a thing before.
"As for that unknown realm… all I know is it's not the Spirit World. Otherwise, the initial wording would've facilitated at least a slight connection through spirit contact."
"Nor does it seem to be the Astral World; several earlier wordings clearly pointed to that."
"So it really does seem like an utterly unknown place—a true unknown of this universe."
After thinking about it for a long time without any further insights, Ebner set it aside. He destroyed all the notes he'd written and, by then, noticed the sky was already brightening. It was now 6:00 a.m. on July 13.
Feeling the familiar pangs of hunger, he decided to invite Xio to breakfast in the ship's dining room. With such amenities available, they didn't need to rely solely on dry rations.
Since it was still early, few people were in the dining room. As soon as they entered, Ebner and Xio spotted Aetris dining with his employer's family at a nearby table.
Seeing Aetris busy with "work," Ebner hadn't intended to greet him, but his employer, a man in a double-breasted suit, noticed the pair's refined demeanor and sharp dress, sparking his interest in acquaintance.
Recalling that his bodyguard had conversed with them shortly after boarding, he turned to Aetris and asked, "Are they your friends?"
"Yes, Mr. Furnal," Aetris replied with a nod.
"They seem like remarkable young people. Go on and invite them to join us," Mr. Furnal said with a warm smile.
"Very well, sir." Aetris, seeing no issue, agreed readily and approached Ebner.
"An invitation to breakfast?" Ebner was somewhat surprised upon learning their purpose, but a free breakfast was nothing to refuse.
He accepted gladly, though Xio sighed beside him. As a former noble, she found Ebner's lack of reserve a bit hard to get used to.
First Fors, now Ebner… Why are all my friends so reliable in big matters but such eccentric personalities otherwise? Xio thought to herself, quietly bemused.
"Thank you for the hospitality, sir. I'm Ebner, a detective. And this is Miss Xio." As they sat down, Ebner introduced himself. While he hadn't used an alias, "Ebner" and "Xio" were common enough names to offer without worry.
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Ebner. I am Konse Furnal, an archaeologist." Mr. Furnal introduced himself in a gentle tone and then gestured toward his family. "This is my wife, Katrina; my son, Lott; and my two little angels, Alina and Phyllis."
Katrina was a fair-featured woman with a graceful figure, bearing a faint resemblance to Feysac lineage. She inclined her head slightly in acknowledgment when introduced.
Lott, who looked around ten, stood up and performed a dignified greeting like a little adult. The twin girls were too young to heed the adults, focused only on the food before them.
"An archaeologist? Then you must be quite the scholar," Ebner said with interest, offering a few courteous compliments before steering the conversation toward the ruins Mr. Furnal had previously explored. Having read several historical records from Detective Isengard's library, he easily kept up in the discussion, making Mr. Furnal feel delightfully at ease as he shared his knowledge.
Mr. Furnal hadn't expected such an engaging conversation with a random acquaintance and, delighted, revealed much about his work. Eventually, he even disclosed that his recent return from overseas was because a student had discovered interesting ruins in the mountains of Sivellaus County. The ruins likely belonged to Fourth Epoch inhabitants, and the student had invited him to lead an excavation.
"Sivellaus County… the Hornacis Mountain Range?" Ebner recalled the Loen Kingdom's map, recognizing the mountain range.
"You've got it! According to Hoy University lecturer Azik Eggers's Studies in the Private Histories of Sivellaus County, during a period we can't yet fully date, the Solomon Empire and Tudor Dynasty coexisted in the northern continent, and their border likely fell along the Hornacis Mountains and the Feynapotter Highlands."
"In that mysterious stretch of history we barely understand, some inhabitants may have fled their cities to escape the turmoil, entering the mountains to form isolated tribal communities within the Hornacis Mountains."
Mr. Furnal spoke with excitement, unaware that Ebner had already begun mentally praying for him, hoping some benevolent deity would watch over him so he wouldn't uncover anything lethal on his next dig.
For mortals to settle within the Hornacis Mountains during the time when gods walked the earth… Ebner shuddered at the implications.
After breakfast, Ebner took Aetris aside and advised, "Once you've escorted Mr. Furnal to Emmat Port, it might be best to quit this job. And if you can, persuade him to avoid digging into the Hornacis Mountains…"
"Is it really that dangerous?" Aetris asked, mulling it over.
"Extremely. If he's lucky, there'll be no findings… but if he does unearth something…" Ebner shook his head, unwilling to imagine the potential consequences.
"I understand." Aetris nodded gravely. After a pause, he hesitated and added, "Ebner, can I trust that Anderson fellow?"
Did Anderson approach Aetris? Ebner's suspicions flared but didn't lead him to stop it. After a brief thought, he replied, "From what I know, Anderson may not have the best reputation, and he has a bit of a sharp tongue. But he's generally reliable in serious matters and treats friends fairly well."
Aetris furrowed his brows, nodding thoughtfully before saying goodbye and catching up with his employer.
Afterward, Xio went off to gather more intel from Captain Elland, hoping to pry further information from him.
As for Ebner, he returned to his cabin, sealed the room with a spiritual wall, and set up a ritual altar. Finally, he placed an intricately engraved fountain pen on the altar.
Since he now had an incantation that could connect to the Pure White Eye, or rather, the unknown power behind it, it was time to craft an item linked to Sefirah Castle!
"Oh, unknown realm connected to the Pure White Eye,
You are the embodiment of all truth,
You are the analyzer of the universe and its secrets.
"I pray for the power to reach the spirit world.
I pray for the wisdom of the gray fog,
I pray for the blessing of the unknown.
"Grant this pen the ability to connect to the red star in the fog…"
(End of Chapter)