After reading the veritas, Riley wasn't sure how to process the secret he had just uncovered. His mind raced with a torrent of questions, each one more unsettling than the last. Why did Trickster betray Toy Maker? It couldn't have been just for amusement. He thought about the shadow world, and a cold chill ran down his spine. He had always believed these people were merely illusions—echoes of real individuals who had long since perished. But the document told a different story.
These people weren't just illusions; they were products of a simulation. They had never been real, not in the past, and even now, they are mere illusions. After all, what was the difference between a simulation and an illusion? Both followed a set of rules, both lacked the capacity for independent thought or creativity.
Riley's eyes widened as realization dawned—this explained why the soldiers in this world never used guns. They lacked the cognitive ability to grasp the concept of firearms or understand their use as weapons. To them, a revolver was nothing more than a useless object.
"No wonder the justice in this world is twisted," Riley muttered to himself. The veritas had explicitly stated that the sense of justice in this world was warped. Riley could easily guess that the citizens were expected to obey the emperor's orders without question. He recalled the first loop, where he had been sentenced to death merely for demanding compensation after calling off his engagement. The memory of the shock and disbelief on the faces of the onlookers still lingered in his mind.
But that wasn't the most pressing issue. If the veritas was telling the truth and these people were really just shadows. Who had written the veritas? How could a shadow person know such details? The only logical explanation Riley could think of was divine intervention—perhaps a god had revealed the truth to them.
Riley stood up from the chair, a plan forming in his mind. He needed to confirm if what he had read in the document was true, and there was only one way to find out: a random guessing game.
He clapped his hands three times, catching the attention of the three old men in the room. Old Hector's face brightened as he entered and saw Riley unharmed. The trio studied him carefully, relieved to see that his mental state seemed stable—or at least, not more unstable than before. They entered the study, all on high alert. After all, the white-haired boy hadn't moved a muscle since clapping.
"Ryan, I'm happy you're okay," the imam finally broke the tense silence, his voice trembling slightly. None of them could hide their excitement. Riley hadn't committed suicide like other translators had, so they still had a glimmer of hope that they could learn something from him.
"We're going to play a game," Riley began suddenly, his back still turned to the trio. "It's a guessing game. I call it shadow guessing." He turned to face them, his gaze locking onto the trio, who seemed frozen in place as if they had seen a ghost.
"I'll count to three. When I hit three, you all call out a random number. Got it?" Riley's voice was sharp, commanding, like a drill sergeant. The trio hesitated but ultimately nodded, fearing that Riley's fragile mental state might lead him to lash out if they refused. They were old men now, and none of them would be able to escape if Riley suddenly attacked. The thought made them long for their youth.
"One. Two. Three!"
"Eight!" "Eight!" "Eight!" The trio responded in unison. They exchanged quick glances, thinking it was just a coincidence, before turning their attention back to Riley, who was now frowning deeply. But the frown soon broke into a wistful smile.
"One. Two. Three!"
"Five!" "Five!" "Five!" Again, they shouted the same number simultaneously. This time, they all frowned, each trying to think of a number that the others couldn't possibly guess by chance.
"One. Two. Three!"
"Zero point two!" "Zero point two!" "Zero point two!"
It was at that moment the trio realized something was definitely wrong. This wasn't a coincidence; some strange force was at work, and they began to wonder if the veritas had cursed them. Riley, however, wore a thoughtful expression. His little experiment had confirmed the truth of what he had read in the veritas, at least to some extent. But now that he had this knowledge, what was he supposed to do with it? Should he share it with someone? He needed answers, and fast.
Maybe Klein could help—if Klein wasn't a shadow himself. No, it couldn't be. Klein felt different, more aware. Riley convinced himself that the Nexus Spell must have placed them both in this world for a reason, so they could work together. After all, the Nexus Spell typically placed Aspirants in warrior castes.
While Klein had the privilege of being part of the warrior castes, Riley had been dumped in the Raven household to solve some paranormal event. Thankfully, he had gathered most of the pieces he needed; now he just had to put them together and solve the case of the veritas before breaking the loop. The loop wouldn't reset unless he died—at least, that's what he assumed.
Just then, a massive explosion rocked the manor.
"What! Why? I didn't break the engagement!" Riley screamed, panic flooding his voice. The trio, now sprawled on the ground, struggled to stay upright as the intense rumbling shook the entire building. Riley was tempted to believe it was an earthquake, but the roaring inferno that followed the explosion told him otherwise.
The sound of cracking wood and splintering stone filled the air as the manor began to collapse around him. Chunks of the ceiling came crashing down, narrowly missing him as he leaped out of the way. His heart pounded in his chest as he sprinted through the hallways, dodging falling debris with every step.
The once-grand manor was now a deathtrap, each room a maze of destruction. Flames licked at the walls, spreading rapidly as the inferno consumed everything in its path. Riley could feel the heat searing his skin, the smoke burning his lungs with every breath. But he didn't stop. He couldn't stop.
A massive chunk of the ceiling crashed to the floor in front of him, sending up a cloud of dust and debris. Riley skidded to a halt, his mind racing for a way around the obstruction. The path behind him was already blocked by rubble, and the flames were closing in fast.
He glanced up, spotting a narrow gap between the fallen debris and the remaining ceiling. It was a tight squeeze, but it was his only option. Riley dropped to the floor, crawling on his hands and knees through the small space. The heat was unbearable, and the smoke was so thick he could barely see, but he forced himself to keep moving.
As he emerged on the other side, a wave of relief washed over him, but it was short-lived. The manor was still collapsing, and he wasn't out of danger yet. He pushed himself to his feet and continued running, his legs burning with exhaustion.
The walls around him groaned and creaked as they buckled under the strain of the fire. Riley dodged another falling beam, his eyes stinging from the smoke. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, all jumbled together in the chaos of the moment. Was this the end? Would he ever make it out alive?
But Riley wasn't one to give up easily. He sprinted in the opposite direction of the explosion, putting as much distance between himself and the attackers as possible. If there was one thing Riley excelled at, it was escaping. He turned sharply around a corner, but before he could process what was happening, everything went black. His consciousness slipped away, leaving him with nothing but darkness.
"Target Acquired!"
As quickly as it had started, the assault ended. The mysterious group that had launched the attack vanished without a trace, leaving only destruction in their wake. The trio, now in a state of panic, quickly unsummoned the veritas and began searching for Riley. They didn't care about him personally, but without him, they had no hope of deciphering the veritas, and they couldn't afford to lose that chance—not now, not ever.
Outside the Manor was a mess, soldiers were running around, trying to find the culprit of the attack, but failed miserably, the attackers didn't leave any evidence. Almost immediately a nationwide search was organized. The trio had sent a telegram to the II George Steel Heart of the incident. Of course II George Steel Heart didn't make a move until he read that the kidnapped boy had successfully translated and read the content of the veritas, without facing any curse.
At least he didn't kill himself instantly like the other translators.
II George Steel Heart became restless. He mobilized his best detectives, and sorcerers. No matter the cost or the amount of resources needed.
Ryan Raven must be found… Alive.