Chapter 23: Vince-Nadette
Cattleya was no stranger to Emerald City, nor was it her first time undergoing the trial and questioning by the guardian statue. However, the questions she had faced before were mostly about mysticism and ancient knowledge, but these… these questions seemed so… strange.
Could it be a test set up by Her Majesty the Queen?
She lowered her head, pondering for a moment, then adjusted her glasses and spoke:
"The first question: Wanted posters feature photos taken before the criminal committed the crime. At the time the photo is taken, they may not have committed the crime yet, so they can't be captured while the photo is being taken."
"…Prisoners are sent to prison after being captured by the police, so there is no need to capture them again."
"Regarding the third loaf of bread, it involves the principle of quantitative and qualitative change. Without the first two loaves, eating the third one alone wouldn't make you full. Moreover, without the first two loaves, the third loaf is effectively the first one."
"The fourth question is a paradox…"
In the semi-open room, Vincent Moriarty watched the girl in the mirror, answering the guardian statue's questions with a serious expression. He couldn't help but feel speechless.
Is this kid really using my questions to test others? Isn't that a bit lazy? Besides, if you can't even answer them yourself, how can you judge whether her answers are correct?
A moment later, the girl had finished answering, and the door opened.
Wait, how irresponsible can you be?!
As the girl stepped into the castle, the image in the mirror gradually faded and lost its light.
Maybe… I should find a hidden place to hide. According to the letter, she should think that Bernadette isn't in Emerald City right now.
After hesitating for a moment, Vincent shook his head. "No, sooner or later, I'll have to face Bernadette's subordinates. It's safer to face them than her enemies. Let's just call this… an impromptu preliminary test."
He walked to the mirror, recalling Bernadette's self-description, and closed his eyes.
Three minutes later.
Vincent opened his eyes, and his expression was calm. His sapphire eyes were deep and empty, devoid of emotion, yet not cold or distant. His demeanor was casual—this was "Vince-Nadette" making his appearance.
After passing the trial by the guardian statue, Cattleya walked along the familiar path into the magnificent castle made of emerald.
She was actually quite familiar with the place, as she had spent some time here during her youth. Back then, she often felt the island was deserted and lonely.
But looking back now, those were the moments she cherished most. It had been over ten years since she last came here, and she greedily observed everything around her, wanting to imprint it in her memory.
When she naturally looked up towards the high room's terrace in the castle, a tall figure suddenly caught her eye, and Cattleya froze. Shouldn't Her Majesty the Queen be at the Divine Battle Ruins right now? How could she…
The next second, her thoughts were overwhelmed by wild joy, and she instinctively quickened her pace.
It wasn't until she stood at the door of the semi-open room that she snapped back to reality. In that instant, the excitement and joy in her heart suddenly settled, and she lightly knocked on the door.
"Come in."
Hearing the familiar voice, Cattleya pushed open the door. Her Majesty the Queen was leaning against the railing with a book in hand, gazing out at the rolling waves in the distance.
Her flaxen short hair fluttered with the sea breeze, giving her a more graceful and majestic appearance. It made Cattleya feel at ease, comfortable, and free.
Cattleya opened her mouth, but all the words she had prepared in her mind were condensed into a simple greeting:
"Good afternoon, Your Majesty."
Vincent turned his body, nodded lightly. "Mm."
His gaze briefly lingered on Cattleya's face before he looked back down at the book in his hands, his mind quickly running: In the original story, not many people wore glasses, and the most well-known was certainly "Monocle Wizard" Amon.
As for women who wore glasses…
I think Tarot might have had one, who later got punished for spying on "Mr. Fool," right? Yes! She seemed to have a close relationship with Bernadette—wasn't she her foster daughter?
Is it her?
But the problem is, I don't remember her name.
"Where is it?"
Vincent flipped a page, casually asking.
"Oh!"
Cattleya immediately realized why she had come to Emerald City. She hurriedly took out a palm-sized object from her pocket, holding it with both hands and saying, "This is what Naster gave me. He said it's the thing you've been looking for. The clue is hidden inside."
Vincent turned his head, his gaze shifting. His expression changed slightly. This object, this design… why does it look a bit like a Lu Ban lock?
Another item left by Emperor Roselle?
"Mm, put it on the table."
Without overthinking, Cattleya did as the Queen instructed.
"When Naster gave you the item, did he say anything?"
"He said the thing you're looking for is very dangerous."
"Oh? What specifically?"
She pushed up her glasses and said, "He didn't say much, just that when the Emperor gave the item to his father, he made him swear an oath and sign a contract, never to be curious about it, but also never let it fall into the hands of Solomon, the Night King, or the Blood King's descendants."
Vincent's lips curled into a cold smile. "Oh? But now he's giving it to me. Is this for it to return to its rightful owner?"
Cattleya responded with a serious expression. "Perhaps… it's to throw away this hot potato."
Vincent didn't respond directly and asked, "Do you think Naster has unlocked it?"
"He said he hasn't."
"Mm, I see."
Seeing that the Queen was no longer speaking, Cattleya fell into a moment of confusion, unsure of what to do or say next.
She hadn't seen the Queen in over ten years since leaving the Dawn. Although they had met several times during this period, each time was brief, and after completing her tasks, she left quickly.
In fact, just seeing her this time was an unexpected delight. She comforted herself and was about to say goodbye to the Queen.
Vincent closed the book and entered the room. "If there's nothing else, you can find a room to rest."
"???"
Cattleya was stunned, a look of disbelief flashing in her eyes. Did the Queen want me to stay?
Oh no!
Vincent immediately caught the fleeting surprise in her gaze, but he felt somewhat helpless. It's almost dark, so wouldn't it be normal to let her stay for the night? What's so surprising about that?
Could it be that Bernadette and her foster daughter's relationship is actually bad, or that this glasses-wearing woman isn't the foster daughter I thought? But even if she's just a subordinate, it shouldn't be this surprising, right?
Ugh, these relationships are truly hard to understand!
Cattleya quickly regained her composure. "Alright."
"I'll stay in my old room."
Old room?
So she's stayed here before.
"Sure."
Cattleya placed her right hand on her chest and bowed. "Then I won't disturb you further."
She stepped back and left the room. As she turned around, the joy on her face was impossible to hide, and her steps became lighter.
She arrived at the door of the adjacent room, took a deep breath, gently pushed open the door to the room she had stayed in for years, then…
She was dumbfounded.
The once simple and cozy room had completely changed. At a glance, everything was about food—just food.
Hearing the door of the adjacent room open, Vincent was stunned. So the room she used to stay in… is now Bernadette's "kitchen + dining room" for me?
This poor kid, how little Bernadette must care for her.
To be continued…