Regarding Penelope’s disappearance, Konehl-Ghervil’s initial reasons for intervening in the investigation were now largely clear, excluding the parts where information had been lied about or concealed.
The mastermind behind it all was identified as Baron Flaman-Cambaton.
The plan was to relay this information to Callan, arrest the Baron in reality, devise a way to awaken him for interrogation, and thus locate the true Baron and the three missing individuals.
Ostensibly, the disappearance case would conclude, with the remaining critical tasks handed over to the Hospital Department, the Epidemic Prevention Bureau, and the Knights Order, who would dispatch more specialized personnel to the city or desert to resolve the latent cursed threats.
Ideally, the mythological entity would be annihilated.
However, little hope was held for this ultimate outcome.
Without a clear understanding of the mythological entity’s state, location, or even its true existence, many actions taken would prove futile, potentially even backfiring disastrously.
Konehl-Ghervil felt the burden on her shoulders growing heavier; if the investigation into the real-world Baron proved unsatisfactory, she would need to consider the possibility of him also being trapped within the dream, leaving her no room for complacency.
Upon closer reflection, this scenario seemed highly probable; the Baron’s ability to set a trap and pull her into the dream implied he possessed a method for entering dreams himself.
While Govet had stated it was difficult, difficult did not equate to impossible.
Currently, two paths lay before her: either continue the investigation within the dream, or, more simply and efficiently, locate the hidden notes torn from a book in reality, which contained the truth of the town as remembered by Penelope.
Feigning curiosity, Konehl-Ghervil inquired about the notes’ location.
It was a place exceedingly difficult to discover; Penelope had secreted the notes beneath a conspicuous diamond on the roof of the Blue Rose carriage.
The more perilous the hiding spot, the safer it became.
Konehl-Ghervil had never before witnessed anyone embody this philosophy to such an extreme.
“That’s the situation. If there are no further questions, I shall return to the dream.”
****
In the waking world, Govet relayed the circumstances to Callan, eager to be rid of the woman before her.
Ever since Callan had interceded on her behalf, Govet had felt an awkwardness, unsure how to face this individual who harbored ulterior motives concerning her sister.
She, of course, understood the reason for Callan’s actions: nothing more than an attempt to curry favor and breach her defenses.
From the perspective of an elder sister, she would not lower her guard simply for a favor, nor would she ever betray her own kin.
Outwardly, her hostile demeanor had softened somewhat, precisely what Konehl-Ghervil had hoped to see.
Yet, certain lines remained inviolable.
The removal of the three-meter perimeter warning line represented her greatest concession.
“Please wait, Govet…”
Seated on the edge of the bed, Callan hesitantly called out to the fluffy creature that was about to settle back onto the sleeping girl’s chest.
“Given your status as a nun or a senior, our acquaintance hardly warrants such familiarity as using my name directly.”
“I’m not quite accustomed to that. Perhaps I should call you Sister Govet?” she probed gently.
“Don’t push your luck, you brat,” Govet snarled, her large tail bristling.
“Then, Senior Govet, might I enter the dream once more?”
Callan’s request was not born from a genuine desire for a sisterly bond.
Through their nocturnal conversation within the dream, she had learned that offending Govet would not directly incur Konehl-Ghervil’s displeasure; on the contrary, the blame might even fall upon Govet instead.
Thus, shedding her reservations, she ventured a simple test.
Presenting a plate of freshly baked, exquisite pastries, she then speared a strawberry with a fork and held it near Govet’s snout.
Ascertaining her attitude was sufficient, though timing was also crucial.
“I can help relay any message you wish, and I promise not to speak ill of you.”
Seeing Callan’s perceptiveness, Govet snatched the strawberry with a bite, her demeanor softening considerably.
“There’s nothing particular I wish to convey; I merely desire to converse with her for a while.”
“You would squander my time and energy for such a trivial matter?”
“If our adversary truly is a mythological entity, then I believe this might be our last chance to speak with her…” Callan murmured, her head bowed in quiet resignation.
She had been continuously plagued by the nightmare encompassing everyone in Mistfall City.
A profound sense of powerlessness washed over her.
Against the absolute power of a mythological entity, any resistance felt utterly futile.
Though dreams might not manifest into reality, some experiences could never be forgotten.
She could not erase the image of Konehl-Ghervil in the dream, utterly transformed, cold and unfamiliar, confronting every peril alone…
From that truly terrifying nightmare onward, certain empty spaces within her heart had begun to fill, sparking an intense curiosity about this enigmatic girl, so different from everyone else, and an urgent desire to understand her more deeply.
By the time she realized it, her curiosity had already undergone a subtle transformation.
“How did you become the Chief of the Hospital Department?”
Govet’s exasperated inquiry pulled Callan’s drifting thoughts back to the present.
“I simply passed the regular assessments. Why do you ask…?”
“Your conduct makes me question the authenticity of your identity,” Govet declared, leaping directly onto the woman’s shoulder.
“Every Chief of the Hospital Department I’ve encountered has rightfully earned the moniker of ‘Executioner.'”
“People are not immutable,” Callan replied. “The former me was capable of facing insurmountable foes with calm resolve, even sacrificing myself or ending the lives of infected comrades.”
Tilting her head, Callan gazed at the tranquil sleeping face of the girl on the bed.
“…And I remain capable of it now. I merely wish to act without regret and prevent someone from committing a foolish act.”
A pang of envy struck her for Esli, who had the privilege of confronting the dream’s dangers alongside Konehl-Ghervil.
“Alas…”
A sigh wafted into her ears.
“If we emerge from this ordeal unscathed, I can fulfill the Director’s promise and cure your ailment.”
Callan’s expression underwent a profound change.
She wondered if she had misheard.
Since the Director’s demise, she had adopted a passive attitude towards her own illness.
By all accounts, no one infected with the Crimson Lotus disease should have survived to her age.
Yet, with the Director’s aid, she had defied expectation.
Having broken free from the shackles of fate and overcome the curse, she had grown somewhat protective of her life; no one desired death unless absolutely necessary.
If her ailment could be cured, her lifespan extended, she would have more time to pursue her aspirations.
This promise was, without a doubt, a potent stimulant.
The weight on her shoulders imperceptibly lifted.
Setting down the pastries, she went to the washroom to splash cold water on her face a few times. Returning, she donned the trench coat hanging on the wall, slipped on her tall leather boots, and softly murmured her thanks towards the bed.
The door softly closed, and silence once again settled over the room.
****
In their subsequent conversation, Penelope explained her reasons for resurrecting Alamany.
According to her investigation, he had been among the first to discover the lizard’s lair two years prior.
His cause of death could largely be attributed to an encounter with that lizard, suspected to be a mythological entity.
Both the bizarre patterns and the frontal portrait of the lizard had been extracted from his memories.
Acquiring this portion of his memories would still require some time.
What truly concerned Konehl-Ghervil was the power Penelope had displayed: altering appearances, extracting memories, resurrecting the deceased; it was even possible that their initial encounter with that lizard had been orchestrated by her.
The claim that this power stemmed from a goddess’s divine response had already been debunked by Govet.
“Are Father Aylmer and Dr. Blumberg also within the dream now?”
Her sudden inquiry caused Penelope’s brow to furrow slightly.
Truthfully, Konehl-Ghervil was more inclined to believe the power belonged to those two men.
Before their disappearance, they had absconded with the entire lizard blood inventory from the Hospital Department; to achieve such a feat, their abilities must be extraordinary.
“Since you have already surmised as much, there is no longer any need for me to conceal it.”
Penelope stated after a moment of silence:
“If you do not object, we can meet Dr. Blumberg shortly.”