Eldritch Horror Theatre

”Mr. Anke is sharp indeed. Thinking about it, it seems we really did harbor such expectations.”

Fu Qian’s pointed critique clearly caught the Sanctuary members off guard. Under their icy stares, the atmosphere abruptly tensed.

But Pfeiffer, seasoned and steady, signaled the others to remain calm. A moment later, he even nodded at Fu Qian, readily conceding the point.

Of course, this didn’t make his gaze any less icy.

The old man had made his stance clear with maximum efficiency. Rejecting pointless conversation meant there was no need for pointless emotional camouflage either.

”I understand your point, but I still have a question. Since you have such a clear grasp of what might happen, why didn’t you take the opportunity to flee just now?”

Pfeiffer gestured toward the Sanctuary Madam.

”While I doubt you would have succeeded, it still would have been easier than it is now.”

”Simple. Although I have no interest in showing sincerity, I am here to express my gratitude. To Excellency Prout.”

Fu Qian had endured this kind of nakedly hostile scrutiny far too many times to feel a ripple of emotion.Expressing gratitude...

This utterly bizarre answer left Amira looking bewildered.

The Order couldn’t possibly let Anke leave just like that. Regardless of her personal feelings, she understood the logic behind it.

Yet Anke had known this all along, but still forced his way over just to thank Excellency Prout?

It was hard to fathom why he was thanking him at all. Prout was the main reason he had been trapped in the Nightmare—

Was it because Prout had helped reveal the glory of the Dark Moon? To let lost lambs see the reality of the world?

Suddenly realizing a possible answer, Amira didn’t rejoice in her own imagination; instead, she felt a faint sense of alarm.

Unwittingly, some sort of mental pollution seemed to have seeped into her mind.

”No need to thank me...”

Just then, the sound of a long inhalation carried over. The seated Prout finally opened his eyes and actually returned the courtesy.

”After all, it wasn’t the outcome I wanted to see.”

Although conscious, his condition was clearly still poor; one of his eyes had even turned completely pitch-black.

...

”Thanks for your hard work.”

Fu Qian’s demeanor shifted instantly. He strolled forward with a smile, completely ignoring the fact that he was entirely surrounded by the Sanctuary members.

”So, what outcome were you expecting?”

Taking a seat next to Prout, he asked casually.

”To see the Dark Moon, but not in this form.”

Prout answered straightforwardly.

”What form?”

With this follow-up question, everyone around them, including Pfeiffer, became visibly tense.

”It is among the Stars, and it seems to have always been there.”

Prout’s answer, however, offered no relief for their tension.

”Are you certain? That’s impossible!”

The Sanctuary Madam who had guided Fu Qian over was the first to voice her disbelief.

”I thought it was impossible before this, too.”

Prout gave a hoarse laugh.

”Although it was only for a brief moment, I couldn’t be wrong. It is exerting influence on the Stars in a relatively transcendent form.”

”If this Mr. Anke truly received a gift from it, it seems we ought to invite him to join the Sanctuary, heh...”

The great ups and downs of life were just that unpredictable.

Prout’s hoarse laughter undoubtedly cast a heavier gloom over the hearts of the Church elites.

Just as Fu Qian had called out a moment ago, it wasn’t that they couldn’t perceive certain things; they merely hoped to find a reason to refute them.

However, having been the core of the Nightmare, Prout decisively crushed their last shred of wishful thinking.

The Dark Moon not only existed; it even influenced the Stars from a detached state.

Had the source of this man’s power transformed in the blink of an eye from the pollution of an unknowable entity into something resembling the essence of Star Law?

Prout’s final suggestion and laugh were somewhat lacking in composure.

But as colleagues sharing the same faith, they perfectly understood his mental journey.

For a time, even the emotionally steady Pfeiffer fell silent as he stared at that Dark Moon Apostle.

As the person in question, Fu Qian inwardly marveled but remained entirely unmoved by honor or disgrace, simply nodding in acknowledgment.

”Are there any age or educational restrictions?”

Just as he had said earlier, he hadn’t come here for pointless conversation.

Excellency Prout’s statement was enough. The Order, as a project partner, had clearly delivered its final conclusion and thus outlived its usefulness.

It was time for the next step.

...

”There must be a reason for it. Just because we can’t understand it now doesn’t mean we never will!”

Fu Qian’s question caused more than one Sanctuary member’s eyelid to twitch.

”It’s good to have that kind of resolve. I look forward to the day you wake up.”

Unfortunately, shouting slogans at Fu Qian was always a recipe for humiliation.

Fu Qian’s deadpan agreement instantly turned the speaker’s expression stony.

”In fact, Mr. Anke really does need to return with us.”

Glancing at his colleague who looked ready to bludgeon Fu Qian to death, Pfeiffer finally spoke up. He stared at Fu Qian’s face, refusing to miss a single reaction.

”Herbert. Is that name familiar to you?”

...

His eyes narrowing slightly, Fu Qian dropped his smile for the first time and didn’t rush to answer.

”It seems you are.”

Pfeiffer didn’t give him any more time to react.

”Word has it that he is a highly skilled good doctor. He previously paid a visit to The Order, and we have always been quite ashamed that we didn’t host him properly.”

”A good doctor. I think I know who you’re talking about.”

Fu Qian finally spoke, feigning an exaggerated expression.

”He paid a visit to The Order? Did you have a pleasant chat?”

”Very pleasant. So, what is Mr. Anke’s relationship with this First Apostle?”

Pfeiffer’s ”pleasant” was delivered without a shred of emotional investment. His question, however, prompted Fu Qian to look toward Amira’s group.

The talk about the seven apostles had occurred before entering the Nightmare, but even without surveillance along the way, the chances of them learning about it from subsequent conversations within the Nightmare were quite high.

But the old man’s question and tone just now clearly implied something else.

Between his two identities, he had displayed more than one identical ability. The Old Man clearly suspected that during the few days he had disappeared, he had run off to be the Good Doctor of Laerdin.

And his eagerness to bring it up right now was clearly meant as a counterattack against Fu Qian’s overly flamboyant display from earlier.

”Our minds are one.”

In light of this, under their scrutinizing gazes, Fu Qian pondered for a second before giving an ambiguous answer.

Heh...

This time, even Old Man Pfeiffer sneered.

”That’s wonderful. Please come with us so we can make up for our failure to host you properly. Does Mr. Anke know where we are going?”

”West District Church?”

”Correct... Are you looking forward to it, Mr. Anke? To seeing an old friend again so soon.”

For a moment, even the nearby Sanctuary Madam’s imposing aura recovered slightly.

’Need you even ask?’

Fu Qian blinked and thought to himself.

’I’m still in a rush to attend Brother Jacques’s Blood Clan Gathering.’