Dim yellow light quickly illuminated the low, flat-roofed building. Su didn't touch the Abyss Flower stuck in the ground, instead silently circling around it.
Although Eleanor had told him to wait there and not move, why should he obey her?
Since correcting the world line from this angle had proven impossible, leaving and finding a new approach seemed better.
But evaluating Su's actions based on this thought revealed he seemed to be heading in the wrong direction.
He controlled his leg muscles, landing softly on his heels without making a sound, quietly reaching the window of the low building.
It was said the Three Great Families had accumulated immense wealth, but Su couldn't reconcile that notion with what he saw. The entire Schariac orphanage felt like an impoverished monastery—
The gate was heavy cast iron, coated with a thin layer of black paint. Peeling patches revealed mottled rust underneath, which was, strangely, the gate's only decoration.
Inside the courtyard, aside from some wildly growing shrubs, there wasn't a single fruit tree. Weeds grew knee-high between the paving stones, clearly indicating it hadn't been tended to in a long time.
An indescribable odor permeated the courtyard. The only structure towering like a castle, a spire-shaped building, was visible only as a dark silhouette...
If this were truly just an orphanage, it might be understandable. But Su knew that while it bore the name of an orphanage, it was, in fact, the Schariac family residence. Such an appearance wasn't just dilapidated; it could only be described as lifeless, completely lacking the surface luxury expected of one of the Three Great Families.
The low building before him was no different. Perhaps the only distinction from the wooden huts outside the city was that it was built of stone blocks. This time, they hadn't even bothered with paint. The window glass, however, was remarkably clear and translucent, obviously not ordinary—perhaps salvaged from a Fire Moth base.
Setting aside the Schariac name, this single pane of glass could probably buy the entire estate.
Su gently touched the cold glass with his fingertip. The area under his touch gradually fogged over, heat condensing into white mist. But the minuscule warmth of his fingertip couldn't possibly transfer to the entire pane; the mist remained confined to a small circle around his finger.
Yet, that mist seemed to hold some magic, captivating his gaze, unwilling to let go. He had to exert considerable effort to pull his eyes away, feeling an inexplicable weariness wash over him.
Only then did he focus on observing the situation inside the room.
His first glance met Eleanor's. She held a large wooden bucket, steam rising from it, yet Su could still see her features clearly.
She stared towards the window, her brow furrowed into deep lines. Her lips pursed, then turned back towards the children, transforming into a smile.
There were about twenty or thirty children inside, all around the same age. Except for two girls sitting at the far left, the rest appeared to be boys.
No one deliberately maintained order, yet the children sat obediently at a long table made of rough-hewn wood. There was no lively chatter. Everyone had their eyes closed, hands clasped before their chests, silently reciting prayers.
Eleanor held the bucket, using a dark wooden ladle to scoop out barley porridge onto the ceramic plates before each child. One boy seemed to be slacking off during prayers. She instinctively wanted to tap his head lightly with the ladle, but after glancing towards the window, she merely patted the boy's head instead.
It was hard to imagine that this woman, now so gentle with the children, was the same Valkyrie who could decisively kill a comrade turned Dead Apostle on the battlefield without a second thought.
A large bucket of barley porridge, evenly distributed among all the children, ensured everyone received a full plate. Then, Eleanor took a second, much smaller bucket from a nun standing silently nearby. The ladle was smaller too. Following the same order, Eleanor poured a spoonful of greasy meat gravy over each portion of porridge.
Barley porridge with meat gravy seemed an odd combination; perhaps mashed potatoes would be better, but there were no potatoes now...
This time, nothing unexpected happened, unless one considered Su's stomach suddenly spasming in protest at the aroma—
Gurgle—Gurgle—
He gently pressed his palm against his upper abdomen, feeling the eager peristalsis of his stomach and intestinal walls. He grew even more silent.
When was the last time he ate? Su couldn't be bothered to retrieve such distant memories. Besides, he wasn't Hua, capable of recalling every single moment of life due to hyperthymesia.
Forgetting was a blessing for excessively long lives. No matter how large the brain's capacity, the sedimentation of thousands, tens of thousands of years would eventually crush it. Besides, this long and boring life wasn't worth remembering every single moment.
But when was the last time he ate? Su frowned, trying hard to recall, but some things couldn't be achieved through effort alone. Clearly, he didn't get the answer he wanted.
He only knew it was a very, very long time ago.
Vast stretches of time erode one's interest in everything, and eating couldn't escape this curse either. He had long since become a being who could survive without eating anyway. But at this moment, for reasons he couldn't quite articulate, the hunger that had been absent for countless days and nights returned. Though fleeting, it was enough to make him notice things he hadn't paid attention to before.
Fine, I'll stay here a little longer, he thought.
"The Honkai won't arrive immediately. Before the final battle, they still have enough time. They should enjoy their lives as humans."
He had once said this to dissuade Kevin from implementing Project Stigma, but only now did he gradually understand that perhaps it applied to himself as well...
No, given the burdens he carried, "enjoyment" was already impossible. But before the final battle arrived, he did indeed have enough time. At the very least, not everything needed to be driven by a specific goal.
Wouldn't that be getting attached to appearances?
He removed his hand from his abdomen. His stomach had stopped churning.
After distributing the gravy, Eleanor stood at one end of the long table and clapped lightly. Hearing the signal, the children opened their eyes with relief, then looked expectantly at Eleanor.
"Alright, let's begin eating. Sister has a guest to entertain today, so I won't be joining you. After the meal, listen to Matron. After story time tonight, make sure to sleep on time... Okay, Sister won't say more. Bye!"
Laughter gradually filled the low room. Some children solemnly tied their napkins, rinsed their mouths with water first, then slowly picked up the small spoons on the table. Others eagerly buried their faces in their plates.
Witnessing this amusing scene, the corners of Su's mouth inexplicably curled upwards, until a genuine chuckle escaped, as if his whole being had lightened somewhat.
"Hey! Are you some kind of creep? Getting so happy watching a bunch of kids? Ewww—" Eleanor's tone was blunt, but upon closer listening, the initial sharp edge was gone, replaced by something akin to friendly teasing.
However, to someone unfamiliar with her, judging her as arrogant wouldn't be entirely unfair.
Su shook his head, unsure how to respond.
Yes, he, a psychic MANTIS specializing in perception, a physician capable—if not of deep familiarity, at least of prescribing medicine as a psychologist—an old man weathered by unknowable years, was at this moment utterly unsure what to say.
Perhaps right now, through the glass, silently feeling the pure joy born from satisfied appetites was the best answer.
But Su didn't do that. He turned decisively. Eleanor stood with her back completely exposed to him.
Perhaps sensing his gaze, Eleanor visibly quickened her pace, swiftly reached the Abyss Flower, pulled it out, and spun around rapidly to face Su.
"Let's go? You really want to know some secrets about the Schariacs, don't you?"
"Actually, I don't really..." Su opened his mouth, but his high emotional intelligence naturally prevented him from saying the words aloud.
But suddenly, he thought, this might be good too. On one hand, as a comrade of Michael and Elysia, he was somewhat curious why the Schariac family had become so lifeless. On the other hand...
As he thought earlier, based on his understanding of Michael, he didn't believe Michael hadn't had even the slightest contact with his descendants over these endless long years.
True, Michael wouldn't leave overly important information with the Schariac family, so Su didn't hold high hopes.
He just thought that perhaps by observing the manner of Michael's contact with his descendants, the traces left behind, he could create a psychological profile, deduce his mentality, and perhaps figure out what he truly intended to do.
Heavy black clouds filled the entire night sky, determined not to let a single ray of moonlight reach the earth. The Schariac family was also strange. Su looked back; the only visible light came from the dim yellow glow seeping out of the low building earlier. Although such darkness wasn't unfamiliar to him, and he could perceive everything in the night using his mental power, he still worried slightly about Eleanor leading him towards the dark tower in pitch blackness.
However, before he could ask why they didn't light some candles, Eleanor spoke first: "Hey, I asked you earlier, did you know why the Schariacs adopt so many orphans?"
"What about it?" Su felt her words were somewhat disjointed, as if she struggled to organize her thoughts. Sure enough, after his question, Eleanor fell silent for a period.
"It's a long story!" The words, written on paper, might carry a girlish cheerfulness, but to Su's ears, they were filled with powerlessness and resignation.
"The Schariac bloodline is extremely powerful. Mom told me that since I was little. But powerful bloodlines often mean inescapable curses. For the Kaslana family, it's the self-destructing Judgment of Shamash, and the Kaslana stubbornness that makes them charge forward fearlessly even knowing Shamash will burn everything."
"And the inability to ever learn how to cook."
"Haha! Didn't expect an old coot like you to have a sense of humor!"
"Old coot... Are you referring to me?"
"Ha, what's wrong? You might not look old, but you're actually a super old, old, old man, and so skinny too. It fits quite well!"
"...That's not a flattering term." Being inexplicably insulted, Su was naturally speechless. He had no particular fondness for being cursed at, so he pointed it out directly.
"Eh? Is that an insult?" Eleanor tilted her head, looking slightly embarrassed. She had picked up the word from a novel confiscated from a Valkyrie. She always skimmed novels, and besides, what author would specifically add a footnote to explain that term?
Okay, she really knew she was wrong, but making her apologize face-to-face? Might as well kill her...
She coughed awkwardly and abruptly steered the conversation back to the beginning: "The Schariac family is the same, but our curse doesn't come from the Abyss Flower... Okay, maybe it's because no one has fully unlocked its power yet..." Recalling the Immortal Celestial's words on the Kipchak Steppe, Eleanor subtly corrected herself.
"But clearly, we suffer a curse in another area that's arguably worse than the Kaslanas'—childbirth. Yes, difficulty conceiving. It's been a problem plaguing us since Eve Schariac."
"Eve Schariac?" Su felt something was off, but considering this girl's straightforward manner of speaking, referring to an ancestor by name didn't seem entirely incomprehensible...
"Is that why you keep adopting orphans? But the Schariacs need to pass on not just a surname, but a special bloodline. Does adoption work?"
"Let me explain slowly! Initially, our only choice was the Kaslana family. For some reason, Schariacs only avoid the fertility curse when paired with Kaslanas. But long-term inbreeding isn't advisable either. If the two bloodlines gradually merge, the Schariacs would eventually lose their unique... Anyway, Lord Otto's parents were like that. His father, Bishop Nicholas, though surnamed Apocalypse, had one-quarter Kaslana blood."
"Later, we discovered a second option: male Stigmata awakeners. To be precise, this group includes the Kaslana family, but the success rate of matching other Stigmata awakeners with Schariacs isn't as high as with Kaslanas. Also, while there are many Stigmata bearers, not many successfully awaken their Stigmata power... That's why you saw so many boys back there. They are all Stigmata bearers, but only one or two might awaken their Stigmata. They will marry my two younger sisters and produce Schariac offspring."
"Then you..."
"Me? As the eldest daughter, I naturally bear the responsibility of marriage alliances. It's just that I've been busy with Valkyrie duties and haven't had time for these things... Not everyone is like Kallen, engaged to Lord Otto so early! Ideally, perhaps William, Kallen's younger brother. Of course, depending on the situation, it could also be Fabian or Marseille from the Apocalypse family."
Su stroked his chin, listening as the girl discussed her loveless, predetermined marriage with extreme rationality. He couldn't help but feel sorry for her. But... mainly... Eleanor seemed to have misunderstood his question: "Um... I meant, your mother and Otto's mother..."
"Ah, yes, right. In the previous generation, my adoptive mother was the only one in the main Schariac line. So, I was carefully selected and adopted from a branch family, and later Kodra and Julia were adopted too. There are quite a few Schariac branch families; many no longer even use the Schariac name. Like me, I've forgotten what my surname was before I came here."
"The Schariac bloodline isn't that picky either. We haven't diluted our bloodline by marrying Stigmata awakeners; instead, we've absorbed the power of various Stigmata, making the Schariac bloodline itself stronger and stronger. The shackles of fate have also weakened; at least the various branch families haven't faced severe fertility issues."
"I see..." Su pursed his lips. This bore similarities to the Chimera Project; perhaps it was a case of different paths leading to the same destination.
"Then why don't you consider your Lord Otto?"
"You really dare to think... Setting aside Kallen's engagement to him, he and I are siblings. Although he takes good care of me, and maybe I have a little bit of feeling for him... hmm, just a tiny bit. But I think it's more like a sister's love for her brother. That kind of love... just a little bit, just a tiny bit! After all, since Mother passed away, he's my only relative among the Three Great Families."
"Towards Kallen, don't you feel unwilling?"
Eleanor shot Su an annoyed glare. "You old coot! Why do you keep asking such questions? Do you like gossip? Fine, fine, this young lady speaks her mind. Maybe a little, but it doesn't matter. For us, there's no freedom in marriage. Kallen's engagement to Lord Otto wasn't decided by them either. Thinking about it differently, it's fine this way. The three of us grew up together. After Kallen marries Lord Otto, I'll have one more relative... But that woman is sometimes so childish it's really annoying!"
Su nodded. With this, he once again confirmed the answer he sought. Yes, she might have liked Otto before, just like in the world Su observed. This was better than his earlier pessimistic prediction.
But the two Eleanors were fundamentally different. For the current Eleanor, her affection for Otto was more akin to the hazy fondness between youths, far from the obsessive "must-have-him" stage.
Towards Kallen, she naturally bore no significant malice either. The three simply grew up together. Facing the only boy among them, Eleanor's competitive nature made it hard not to see Kallen as her biggest rival in everything, a habit formed over time. But fundamentally, the two were still very good friends.
Unless he used psychic powers to forcibly control her, correcting the world line through her was still impossible.
Having said so much at once, Eleanor herself felt a bit drained. She took a deep breath and summarized her earlier points neatly: "Anyway, one power, one price. Everything in the world is an equivalent exchange—that's our Schariac family motto. Er... although I've always felt this motto suits the Apocalypses better."
"That does sound like something he would say." Su didn't dwell on the inexplicable title. He hadn't paid much attention to the Schariac motto before; after all, when one's timeline stretches so long, it's easy to miss many subtle details. This was true for him, and for Kevin too. But those words, upon first hearing, screamed Michael's style, as pure as it could be.
"Uh... So he was like that?" Although Su didn't explicitly name the "he," Eleanor clearly understood the subtext.
"You... Never mind... Continue." Sensing Su's dismissiveness, Eleanor puffed out one cheek and glared at him, but unfortunately, Su's eyes were closed, so he couldn't see it.
"Hmph—" Eleanor made a low, huffing sound through her nose, aimed a punch at Su's face, but snatched it back just as her fist was about to connect. "Hey, can you actually see?"
"...Miss Eleanor, please continue. Instead of worrying about me, you should worry about yourself. It's quite dark around here..."
"Tch! This young lady has walked this path back and forth for over twenty years! So what if it's a bit dark—Oof!"
Thud. Eleanor's forehead collided with the hard door panel.
"Hiss..." For a Valkyrie, such pain was negligible, but Eleanor still took half a step back, rubbing her reddened forehead and shooting Su a dissatisfied glance. "Hey! Next time you warn someone, can't you just say it directly? Beating around the bush like that is annoying!"
"..."
Eleanor shook her head, produced a string of keys, and unlocked the door.
While she was occupied, Su cracked open his eyes for a quick peek, but the surrounding light was too dim; he could see almost nothing.
He closed his eyes again. Invisible psychic energy spread rapidly forward, quickly outlining a spiraling stone staircase leading upwards.
"This is..." Su turned to look at Eleanor, his eyes involuntarily widening as much as possible.
"Sorry, Uncle!" Eleanor flashed a triumphant smile, twirling the door key around her index finger. "Looks like between you and him, he still has the upper hand."
Before Su could ask, Eleanor revealed everything: "Among the Schariac family, there's a secret passed down orally from Eve Schariac, known only to the heir of the main line. Her exact words were—'When someone claiming to be from the same era as your ancestor comes calling, show him what I left behind. Remember, the visitor's hair color can only be white or silver-gray, and the ancestor he speaks of is not me, but a male.'"
Eleanor smiled smugly, bowing slightly with a flourish. "After you, Uncle."