Mystery: Gray Walker

Chapter 93 The Symbol of Fools

"...It is 'reverence for knowledge'."

Green was not surprised by her answer, because Anaïs had already accumulated a great deal of knowledge about extraordinary beings through her grandfather's notes and some manuscript documents.

This is also why he believes Anaïs is a better fit for the "Secret Seeker" potion.

At the same time, Green also had his own selfish motives.

After what happened last night, he realized that many things were impossible for him to accomplish on his own, while Anaïs possessed knowledge, a certain loyalty, and the courage to intervene in dangerous situations. That was enough.

"Now, I'll ask you one last time, Anaïs Violet, are you willing to take this potion, embark on the path of the 'Secret Seeker,' and bear all the risks and responsibilities that come with it?"

Anaïs looked away from the potion, turned to Grin, took a deep breath, and nodded vigorously.

"I do."

Green pushed the glass bottle in front of her:

Find a quiet time when you won't be disturbed. After taking it, concentrate and try to understand the changes you feel, rather than feeling fear or resistance.

Anaïs reached out her slightly trembling hand and grasped the crystal bottle.

"Now...is it okay?" she asked softly, "Here."

"Okay. I'll be here, and I'll do my best to help you if anything goes wrong. But most importantly, it's up to you."

Anaïs nodded emphatically, gripped the potion bottle tightly, stood up, and walked towards the small cubicle that Henry had decorated in an ambiguous way, which had now become her private space.

Before closing the door, she glanced back at Green.

Green nodded to her.

The door closed gently.

Green sat in front of the fireplace, motionless.

He listened to the faint sounds coming from inside and imagined what Anaïs might be making.

He extended his spiritual perception slightly, watching the activity in the room behind the door, ready to deal with any unexpected events that might occur.

Time passed slowly. The fire in the fireplace flickered continuously.

Suddenly, Green sensed a distinct and unique spiritual fluctuation coming from the small cubicle. The fluctuation was initially somewhat chaotic, but it quickly began to stabilize and gradually subside.

He breathed a slight sigh of relief. At least, the first step of the integration seemed to be going smoothly.

About fifteen minutes later, the door to the cubicle was gently pushed open.

Anaïs came out.

Her face was somewhat pale, and her forehead was covered with fine beads of sweat, but her eyes were completely different from before.

Those blue eyes were still clear, but there seemed to be an added layer of quiet, ethereal light in their depths, and when they looked at people and things, they carried an unconscious, more focused sense of scrutiny.

She saw Green and blinked instinctively.

"How are you feeling?" Green asked.

Anaïs walked to the opposite side of him, but this time she did not sit down immediately. Instead, she stood up, tilting her head slightly, as if she was carefully feeling and describing.

"It's...it's amazing," she whispered. "My mind seems...clearer, like it's been filled with so much more. All the knowledge that my grandfather didn't understand before seems to have become clear in an instant."

She tried to describe it as a typical manifestation of the "peeping to the secrets" improving their ability to understand knowledge in the early stages.

"Very good." Green nodded.

"Remember this feeling, but don't use it recklessly until you're familiar with it, to avoid losing control like Emily. Take your time to adapt."

He paused, then added, "Once I join the Night's Watch, I'll try to gather some useful knowledge for you. This includes the 'acting method' Clarice mentioned, as well as the subsequent promotion path."

"Oh, and don't be too curious," he suddenly remembered his own situation and kindly reminded him.

"Yes, I will remember that, Mr. Morris." Anaïs nodded.

"Just call me Green from now on."

"Yes, Mr. Morris."

"Green".

"Yes, Mr. Green Morris."

Green stopped correcting her on how she addressed him. It was a waste of her life.

He suddenly remembered something, took out the strange brooch, placed it in his palm, and handed it to Anaïs.

"Do you recognize this? Or... have you seen similar symbols or markings in your grandfather's manuscripts?"

Anaïs bent down, not touching, but carefully observing every detail.

The outline of the eyes, the surrounding twisted patterns, and the material.

"I'm not sure," she said hesitantly, her brow furrowing slightly, "...I think I've seen it before."

Anaïs tried to recall, "It wasn't in the usual heraldic encyclopedias... My grandfather seemed to have mentioned similar symbols in some of his manuscripts."

She suddenly looked up at Green: "I remember now! This is one of the symbols of 'The Fool.' It's a symbol in the Church of the Goddess of Night and the Church of the Fool. My grandfather's manuscripts noted that He was revered as 'The Great Ruler,' 'The Guardian of Time and Space,' and 'The Weaver of Fate.'"

"Is there anything else?" Green pressed, his heart pounding.

Anaïs shook her head, then nodded. "There are very few specific records, and most of them are just incomplete fragments."

"My grandfather mentioned a view in his manuscript that was privately acknowledged by many reclusive scholars, but was almost never discussed publicly. That is, at some extremely distant point in history, there was a huge and incomprehensible 'discontinuity'."

She paused, then lowered her voice: "No one knows exactly when the fault occurred, how long it lasted, or what happened during that time."

"Many ancient records, traditions, and even descriptions of certain supreme beings became blurred, contradictory, or completely disappeared before and after that discontinuity. The records related to 'The Fool' are among the most severely damaged parts."

She looked at the brooch and continued, "The manuscript records that from the late Fifth Age onwards, oracles and miracles about the 'Fool' gradually became rarer, until they almost disappeared."

"Although the Church of the Fool still chants His name, it is more of a belief in people's hearts."

"Why?" Green couldn't help but ask, "How could a great ruler...?"

"have no idea."

Anaïs shook her head again, her eyes filled with awe for the unknown. "The manuscript contained very stern warnings: do not speculate, do not talk about, and do not describe that fault line and the silence of the 'Fool.' My grandfather also added a small note next to it, which I remember very clearly: 'Silence is the only safe distance when facing the abyss of the unknown.'"

A brief silence fell over the room.

Green stared at the brooch with its "open eyes," as if it were a silent witness from the distant past, bearing endless secrets and dangers.

"What is the honorific name you mentioned?"

"Praise be to Goddess, praise be to Fool." Anaïs subconsciously recited a common prayer, then realized that Grimm was asking about a more specific, more ancient name.

She closed her eyes, trying to recall the contents of her grandfather's yellowed parchment manuscript.

"A fool who doesn't belong to this era..."

Green waited quietly for what would follow.

Anaïs opened her eyes, frowning slightly. "Grandfather wrote this sentence in his manuscript. But if it's a deity, it should be at least in three parts."

"You mean... your grandfather's records weren't complete?"

"That should be it."

The room fell silent.

A fool who doesn't belong to this era?

Not belonging to this era...

and many more!

These words exploded in Green's mind like a bolt of lightning.

Isn't he himself someone who "doesn't belong to this era"?

Could it be that the supreme "Fool" is also...?

No, that idea is blasphemous and insane.

But if it's true... perhaps...

No, if the Fool is a god, then what power could possibly pull a god into another era, unless... he did it through his own power...

In other words, does the Fool have a way to freely travel through time and space?

If I could find this Fool, or pray to the Fool, would I also be able to travel back to my own time?

Well, you could visit the Church of the Fools when you have time; you might be able to find out some useful information.

Green put away the brooch, took out his pocket watch from his pocket, and it was almost noon.

"Thank you, Anaïs. This information is crucial."

"I'm glad to be able to help you, Mr. Morris," Anaïs said softly.

"I need to go back and check on things at noon. This afternoon, you can stay here and familiarize yourself with the spiritual application of the 'Secret Seeker.' But don't overuse your abilities; it's important to proceed gradually."

After giving his instructions, Green said no more.

He finished the remaining, now-cold coffee in one gulp, put the cup down, picked up his coat and hat hanging on the coat rack, and turned to leave the underground warehouse.