"Tell me, boy… have you, by chance, been entangled with a heretical god?"
Right after those words echoed, Tris's heart skipped a beat.
He didn't know why the figure before him could reach such a conclusion.
Nevertheless, Tris maintained his calm expression, with a slight trace of confusion, and replied: "I don't know what you're talking about."
Red: "Is that heretical god somehow related to white?"
Ignoring Tris's answer, another question was immediately raised.
Sovereign enthroned in the endless white.
At once, Tris recalled the description he had found in Zyron's cellar.
Tris: "White?"
Tris still looked puzzled, as if he didn't understand why such a strange question was asked.
Yet, paying no attention to Tris's reply, Red's movements revealed a distinct change, as though she had already received the answer she desired.
'Impossible? Can he read minds?'
Tris thought in fear, but quickly denied it.
'No, it can't be something that convenient. A yes/no question… could he be probing my reactions to discern the answer? How?'
Tris swiftly analyzed, glancing at the red vines binding him.
'Blood… could it be reading my heartbeat?'
From that suspicion, Tris immediately forced his spiritual energy to envelop his heart, compelling it to beat under his control, hiding any abnormal reaction.
Yet, his countermeasure seemed too late. Red appeared to have already learned what she wanted and asked no further.
The cloaked figure in red simply stood there, silently gazing into the void, thoughts unknown...
* * * * * * * * * *
Inside Red's mind, a bizarre dialogue unfolded.
Red: "Oi, old man. You don't have any illegitimate children out there, do you? Don't tell me this brat is my younger brother."
White: "Of course not."
A clear, feminine voice replied.
Red: "Are you sure you never had a mistress outside and accidentally made a child without knowing?"
White: "I only love myself. Where would I find a mistress?"
Red: "Really?"
Red's voice brimmed with doubt.
White: "If you want siblings so badly, I'll send some over."
Red: "I don't need those eight-legged sisters. ￣へ￣"
A blunt refusal came without hesitation.
White: "Some have already switched to walking on two legs."
Red: "What (´･ω･`)??"
White: "…."
Red: "Evolved? Dig*mon or something?"
White: "…."
Red: "Oi, where'd you go?"
White: "I'm busy, don't call."
Red: "Don't tell me you're still fighting Solvaris."
White: "Sneaking your mother across was no easy task. If nothing important, I'm hanging up."
Red: "One last thing. What's with this kid? You don't have some secret plan, do you?"
White: "Just a casual move, nothing more."
Red: "So I don't need to worry about interfering with your plan, right?"
Red asked cautiously.
White: "Yes."
Red: "Fine then."
Satisfied with the answer, she cut the connection.
* * * * * * * * * *
After standing silently for a while, Red turned back and asked again.
Red: "How did you learn about the existence of that heretical god?"
Tris: "I've never met any heretical god."
This was a completely truthful answer. Indeed, Tris had never directly encountered any heretical god. Indirect contact was another matter.
Immediately after, Tris received a punch to the stomach.
Red: "Don't play word games with me. You sly brat. (ㆆㆆ)"
Gasping from the pain, Tris heard another interrogation.
Red: "I didn't ask if you met them. I only want to know where you got the information."
Still dangling from the vines, Tris cried without tears.
'Damn it, first time captured this badly, every trick useless,〒▽〒' he thought in agony.
Red: "Lost your tongue, huh?"
She raised her fist threateningly.
Not wanting another pointless blow, Tris answered:
"Earlier, I found the Honorific Name of an unknown god left behind by a cultist."
Clearly, he carefully hid the crucial matter of his strange dreams, only mentioning the less important part.
Red: "What's the first line of that Honorific Name?"
Tris: "Sovereign enthroned in the endless white."
Hearing exactly what she expected, Red nodded and asked further:
"So how did you learn to fight like this?"
Tris: "Partly my father taught me, partly from books on magic, partly from knowledge left by that cultist, and the rest is self-study."
It was a clever answer, truthful yet convincing. Of course, the most vital secret was buried under the word "self-study."
Red: "Don't believe it. ￣へ￣"
And so, even that honest answer was bluntly rejected.
Tris: "..."
He was secretly astonished, though keeping his face composed.
Red: "You're definitely hiding something crucial. No way that's enough for you to reach this level."
'Again, every trick exposed as if my thoughts were read.' Tris fumed.
'But clearly, he can't read minds, otherwise he wouldn't need to ask so much. It's more like my actions and thoughts are being seen through.'
Tris continued analyzing, realizing something.
'Seen through? Or rather, similarity? Especially his vine combat style… and his special concern for the god of white. Could he also have similar dreams?'
Startled for a moment, Tris reached another conclusion:
'No, judging from his tone earlier, he doesn't know about the dreams. It must be something else. Whatever it is, it's surely tied to that god.'
Red: "Honesty makes you a good kid. Tell me, and I'll give you candy. How's that sound?"
Tris: "What's your connection to that god?"
The sudden question carried a clear intent: he needed to clarify her stance before continuing.
And then, Red truly abandoned the conversation. The vines binding Tris were simply released. Turning away and walking off, Red said:
"Too bad, no reward for you. I was going to teach you how to create a Domain if you were honest. But naughty kids don't get gifts."
Tris: 'What? (⊙⊙)?'
Tris: 'Why didn't you say earlier? Is it too late to regret now? (＃°Д°)'
The crimson Domain gradually collapsed, restoring the lush forest landscape from before.
With its disappearance, the figure in the dark red cloak vanished as well.