Swallowing hard and trying to make himself seem as innocent as possible, Michael opened his mouth and calmly inquired.
"Sect master, Miss Livia... did I do something to offend you?"
Seeing the young man's genuine confusion, Helena and Livia exchanged a glance. Then, gesturing at the paused video showcasing a beautiful woman with blond hair, blue eyes, and pointy ears, Helena took a deep breath to calm her emotions and calmly asked Michael.
[What is that?](Helena)
"Huh? That? A woman?"
[Michael...](Helena)
"???"
[She means the race of the woman, Michael.](Livia)
"That's an elf."
Apparently, that wasn't the correct answer as his body started levitating from his chair and into the air, around thirty centimeters above the floor.
Then, Livia pretty much teleported next to him and placed a hand on his forehead. Unlike her previous lively appearance, there was now a cold look in her eye.
[Choose your following words very carefully, Michael. Why do you know of the Elven race?](Helena)
"Huh!?"
It didn't take a genius to realize there was some sort of taboo involved since they were reacting this strongly.
He wasn't sure what exactly happened, but these two women knew of Elves before seeing them on Michael's video, and it apparently wasn't in a fantasy setting.
Knowing he was possibly at the risk of death, he immediately 'confessed.'
"I created this race, among many others, to better give the impression of a fantasy setting."
[...](Livia)
Livia turned to look at Helena and nodded to show he was telling the truth. The sect master gestured, and the pressure suspending him above the ground lessened, slowly dropping him back into the chair.
Livia also retreated back to her chair but kept her eyes on Michael like an eagle looking at a small critter. She was basically warning him that at the smallest suspicious movement, his head would most likely separate from his body.
Back soaked in cold sweat, he extended his right hand, grabbed the cup of tea, and brought it to his lips with a slight tremble.
Then, he tried calming down and waiting for an explanation. The two women wouldn't be insane enough to randomly attack him for no reason, especially given their high cultivation realms.
So, he patiently waited to hear the taboo he touched upon.
[What other races, Michael?](Helena)
"...Demons, Titans, Dwarves, Undead, and a race of intelligent beasts."
[...](Helena)
[Fuck...](Livia)
"???"
Noticing the even more intense reaction than before, Michael's legs considerably softened. He thanked his stars he was on a chair rather than sitting up.
Since he might be fucked either way, he took a deep breath and boldly asked what was bothering him.
"May I ask again what I did wrong?"
Seeing his confused and somewhat wronged expression, a wry smile appeared on Helena's face. Livia, on the other hand, was carefully scrutinizing his movements.
Even if her older sister had already activated the array around the house from which even a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator couldn't escape, she wanted to make sure they wouldn't be caught off guard if this strange kid attacked them suddenly.
[*Sigh* It's hard to explain, but you know things you shouldn't, Michael. And trust me when I say that this knowledge puts not only you but also your family and close ones at risk.](Helena)
"What!? It's a goddamn video! That's absurd!"
[...I will ask again, Michael. Where did you find knowledge of these races?](Helena)
"I already answered, sect master. They are fantasy races. The Elves who love nature, the Dwarves who love to stay underground and are expert craftsmen, the violent and warlike Titans, the Undead who renounced life and primal Beasts."
The moment he finished speaking, he realized that, due to his flustered emotions, he might have said too much.
Livia's eyes sharpened even more, and Helena covered her face with both hands.
"No fucking way! Do those races actually exist!?"
[...](Livia)
[*Sigh* Yes. The reason why you are currently under suspicion is because you know their existence. All public records have been scrubbed, and for over four thousand years, the World Cultivators Alliance had ensured no documents remained detailing their traits.](Helena)
"Fuck..."
[Do you now understand how absurdly illogical it is for you to have intimate knowledge of these races?](Livia)
Michael was ready to call 'GG!'
There was no talking his way out of this one. He could try to argue his innocence based on the fact that he came to show them the video and that he wouldn't have done so if he knew this was a taboo, but the chances of that working are minimal.
He could also try to lie and say that he found a strange book he had read and learned about these races there, but Livia had a way of confirming if he was lying or not, so it was out of the question.
As for telling the truth and explaining how he, a person from a parallel world, was brought here and took over the body of the original host... doesn't that sound like a motherfucking invasion?
Like he possessed this body to spy on the cultivators and try to find weaknesses to exploit?
There was no way out! The only thing he COULD do was plead the 5th!
"As I already said, I came up with these imaginary races after getting the idea for this new Secret Realm. I wasn't aware of their actual existence."
Turning her head to look at Livia, Helena saw her nod in confusion.
Leaning onto the sofa and looking at the ceiling, the sect master sighed despondently and then operated her smartwatch.
Seeing the number she was calling, blood drained from Livia's face.
[I am sorry, Michael. But I cannot risk the lives of the innocent on the slim hope that you are telling the truth.](Helena)
[Big sis...](Livia)
[We'll let the Council decide how to handle this matter.](Helena)
Realizing he had arrived at Destination Fucked, Michael took a deep breath and nodded powerlessly.
The call connected, and a small holographic figure appeared above the watch.
[State your business.](?)
[Greetings, senior! One of the juniors of my sect somehow touched upon forbidden knowledge.](Helena)
[...cultivation realm?](?)
[5th level Qi Gathering.](Helena)
[...the Council will convene in two minutes. We'll contact you shortly. Prepare to travel to Euressia.](?)
[Understood.](Helena)
[All three of you.](?)
Hearing the words, Livia stood up and walked to the right wall, revealing a three-by-three hidden room.
A strange formation was inscribed on the floor, reminding him of the Gates from The Battlefield of Heroes. It was, without a doubt, a teleportation formation.
'Fuck me sideways! Things went from 0 to 100 real quick: a Council, taboo knowledge, and teleportation to wherever this Euressia is. To begin with, I don't remember reading about it when I checked this world's geography. So maybe it's a secret base?'
Rubbing his eyebrows, he realized there wasn't much he could do anyway, so he grabbed one of the cookies on the table and drank more of the tea.
It might as well be the last time he ever enjoyed such delicacies.
Then, the call reconnected, and the same voice emerged.
[The restrictions have been lifted. You can travel to Euressia now.](?)
Without further delay, Helena first deleted the video from her email and the device she downloaded it onto, then gestured for Michael to follow.
The teleportation process was much blander than the one in his game. He simply felt dizzy, as if the world was spinning for a moment, and then the scenery changed.
Before he could gather his bearings, a woman wearing a veil obscuring her face walked to the trio.
[Greetings, senior!](Helena)
[Greetings, senior!](Livia)
"Greetings, senior!"
Mimicking the two beauties, he showed respect to the woman, who emanated a stronger aura than Helena.
And it didn't feel like just a couple of levels difference, but rather a whole realm.
'An Ensoulment realm powerhouse!? I wonder if she's one of those 'nation-toppling' beauties. Also, this is definitely a secret base or something. A Council represents decision-making power, and since I touched on some taboos and was brought here, their power might be higher than that of the World Cultivators Alliance. Also, since I don't remember hearing the name 'Euressia' anywhere, it might be a government-hidden floating island. Maybe it's hidden by some sort of illusion array or something, making it so that even if it's floating above people's heads, they couldn't notice it.'
Trying his best to let his mind wander so as to distract himself from the impending doom, Michael looked left and right, curious about this place.
'Unfortunately, the architecture is garbage, and the hallways are disturbingly empty. I've seen beggars with better living conditions.'
Following a four or five-minute walk, the four people arrived in front of a door at the end of the hallway. The possible 'nation-toppling' beauty pushed it open, entered the room, bowed, and then went to take a seat.
The room looked like a courthouse, with about thirty or so desks behind which similarly masked cultivators observed the trio.
Going through the motions and bowing again, Michael curiously looked around.
'Again... barren and furnished in poor taste.'
Chuckles followed from about ten or so people as every pair of eyes in the room focused on him.
A bit creeped out, Michael swallowed his saliva and tried his best not to run.
'Since I didn't do anything wrong, there's nothing to fear. After all, even if I am innocent and they want me to vanish, there's nothing I can do about it. What was that saying? If Yama wants you dead at midnight, you won't live to see the dawn.'
[That's an interesting statement, young man.](?)
Confused, Michael looked toward the source of the voice. The 'desks' of the Council members were split into three different locations around the room.
The left and right held a similar number of 15 seats each, while in the middle, another six.
The sudden sentence came from one of the middle seats, which Michael assumed to be a Council member holding more power than the rest—maybe a representative or something.
Probably noticing his confusion, the same person waved his hand with a smirk, and a voice similar to Michael's, but slightly different, echoed through the room.
[An Ensoulment realm powerhouse!? I wonder if she's one of those 'nation-toppling' beauties. Also, this is definitely a secret base or something. A Council represents decision-making power, and since I touched on some taboos and was brought here, their power might be higher than that of the World Cultivators Alliance. Also, since I don't remember hearing the name 'Euressia' anywhere, it might be a government-hidden floating island. Maybe it's hidden by some sort of illusion array or something, making it so that even if it's floating above people's heads, they couldn't notice it.]
[Unfortunately, the architecture is garbage, and the hallways are disturbingly empty. I've seen beggars with better living conditions.]
[Again... barren and furnished in poor taste.]
[Since I didn't do anything wrong, there's nothing to fear. After all, even if I am innocent and they want me to vanish, there's nothing I can do about it. What was that saying? If Yama wants you dead at midnight, you won't live to see the dawn.]
The two sect masters were doing their best to control their thoughts, even though cold sweat was already pouring from their foreheads like a river.
This brat really dared to say whatever crossed his mind!
Well... he was thinking it...
"A mind-reading device, I assume?"
[Correct. You don't seem to be too worried about your situation, child. Are you that confident? Or simply ignorant?](?)
"Probably a mixture of both, senior."
[Well, to answer the first thing you were curious about, Elder 29 is indeed incredibly beautiful.](?)
Seeing the person who led them to this room turn and glare at the Council member spilling the beans, Michael couldn't help but think that with great power comes less and less responsibility.
Especially when controlling one's mouth.
[Well, it's not wrong of you to think that. Unfortunately, you seem to suffer from the same affliction. Also, just so you know, the 'architecture' of this place was also designed by Elder 29. And it's not a floating island.](?)
"Hmm... probably hidden deep within an ocean then."
Noticing a slight reaction from some of the people, Michael inwardly nodded, confirming his theory.
"The view must be a feast for sore eyes. Is there like a glass bubble or something covering the island, allowing the 'residents' to observe the marine life?"
[*Sigh* Unfortunately not. No matter how I pestered them about it, they didn't want to do it. Something about security risks and the like.](?)
"That's also understandable. Though, I doubt there are people bored enough to scour the ocean floor for secret bases..."
[*Cough* That's enough, Elder 4. We have already established the baseline.](?)
Hearing another one of the six 'main' Elders addressing the one casually conversing with Michael mention a baseline, he immediately realized they had a way of distinguishing between truth and falsehood.
So, the 'casual conversation' served this purpose.
[Let's start the hearing, then. What do you think we should do first, kid?](Elder 4)
"Probably, watch the video? On the off chance I get out of this mess scot-free, it would serve as an advertisement to a group of influential individuals. I would have a much easier time selling this game whenever it's finished."
Hearing the audacious words, most of the Elders burst out laughing as a strange formation activated underneath Michael and the two beauties' feet.