Jekyll continued to explain the current situation, and Morpheus, through his connection with Jeanne Alter, heard every word.
"Hm, so London is completely isolated. The fog has sealed it off, making it impossible to leave. Well, not for someone like me who can come and go as I please.
"And with the fog, someone's deliberately killing in this extreme environment. It's not just Jack the Ripper... there are definitely others. Those automatons, for instance, are clearly man-made. No way someone like Jack could've created them.
"So far, the Servants we've encountered are Mordred and Jack the Ripper. Are there other Servants in this era?
"What surprised me, though, is that London's government is still functioning. It's practically paralyzed, but it's still doing something... However, with the fog sealing everything off, it severely limits the government's effectiveness.
"Or rather, it completely limits what humans can do here. Unless you're unaffected by the fog, no one would dare go outside.
"As for now, it's been three days since the fog locked everyone in. If this drags on, people will face tough choices... how to find food, whether to resort to cannibalism...
"But that's none of my concern. Once we deal with the mastermind, history will be restored, and all these tragedies will be erased."
Morpheus mused while flipping through the books in the Sea of Books. He was in no rush. The main work could be left to Mash, Fujimaru Ritsuka, and Jeanne Alter, who had successfully set up a summoning circle at Jekyll's place and formed an alliance with him and Mordred.
With the strength of those three working together, unless they ran into something absurdly powerful, they shouldn't face any real danger.
While Fujimaru tackled the crisis and hunted for the enemy, Morpheus could quietly read until the mission was complete.
"Sigh, I must say, this is the perfect trip. Getting to see so many magecraft-related books... it's just fantastic!"
Morpheus happily continued reading, even conjuring a cup of rich milk. Thanks to the ceramic pot gifted by Hestia, his milk supply was endless... true milk-drinking freedom.
...
"Frankenstein?" Mash listened to Jekyll's request, her mind filled with confusion. As someone who spent much of her time in Chaldea reading, the name Frankenstein brought a specific figure to mind.
"I know that one. Isn't it the artificial human from one of the earliest sci-fi novels?" Fujimaru Ritsuka whispered.
"Victor Frankenstein, a Swiss scholar and Jekyll's friend. They were working together on the fog issue, but contact was lost this morning. I'm not entirely sure what happened, since Jekyll handled the communication. He said it's part of his intelligence network.
"The city is full of his collaborators, who often contact Jekyll via radio.
"At least until yesterday, old man Victor was still safe," Mordred explained.
Roman, who had been communicating with the group, sounded surprised. "Victor Frankenstein? I thought he was a fictional character, but he's a descendant..."
Mash hesitated. "I'm not certain, but according to Mr. Jekyll, the magus who inspired the novel's character was this scholar's grandfather."
She shook her head. "Reality is so strange. The scientist in the novel was based on a magus..."
Fujimaru looked puzzled. "What's the issue?"
"Because science and magecraft are supposed to be fundamentally opposed disciplines," Mash said. "Chaldea is an extreme exception, but from the perspective of the world and history..."
Roman interrupted. "But there are always exceptions. In some eras, science and magecraft were nearly synonymous. Alchemy, for instance, is the root of chemistry. Many scientists, chemists, and scholars were actually magi.
"And don't forget, Morpheus's magic doesn't seem to conflict with science..."
Jeanne Alter stayed silent during the conversation, not understanding much of it. She only knew the common knowledge imparted to her by the Root during her summoning.
When she spoke, it was usually because Morpheus had something to say.
Jeanne Alter spoke up. "Morpheus says that, in a way, science is a form of magic. Or rather, science is magic. Magic and science are equivalent and don't conflict, so there's no need to compare his magic to your magecraft."
"He said that?!" Roman exclaimed.
"Yes, that's what he said. He mentioned something about modern Western magicians studying not just magical knowledge but also relativity or something. I don't understand it, but it sounds like a scientific term?"
The group was stunned, especially Mash and Fujimaru, who both knew what relativity implied.
Jeanne Alter continued. "Morpheus was muttering about someone he knows, a powerful magician who founded the world's strongest scientific faction and even created an Artificial Heaven, giving rise to Artificial Angels..."
Fujimaru's eyes sparkled, Mash looked confused, and Mordred was utterly baffled, not understanding a word.
As for Roman, Da Vinci, and Olga Marie on the other end of the communicator, they were dumbfounded.
Olga Marie, who had glimpsed Morpheus's past through dreams, knew he came from another extraordinary world without magecraft as they knew it. So she understood that what he was saying referred to that world.
But what she heard now still felt unbelievable.
"An Artificial Heaven, giving rise to Artificial Angels?!" Roman was visibly shocked. The statement implied that science had created its own god, its own divine realm, and angels within it!
"This... this is like saying humans artificially created a god... a scientific god?!" Roman couldn't comprehend it. The rise of science, the retreat of gods, and the fading of mystery were interconnected in the history he knew.
But now, Morpheus was saying science could create its own angels and heaven. It was mind-boggling!
It was even more outrageous and bizarre than the earlier mention of modern Western magicians studying relativity!
Just as the group wanted to hear more from Morpheus, Jeanne Alter said, "He's done talking. He said he's going back to reading and told us to keep working..."
The group snapped back to reality. Roman asked, "Where exactly did Morpheus go?"
Olga Marie chimed in. "Yeah, he suddenly said he had something to do and left. Where is he?"
Mash shook her head, indicating she didn't know. Fujimaru kept her mouth shut, feeling it wouldn't be wise to tell someone like Olga Marie, with her strong sense of magus pride and family honor, that "he's raiding the Clock Tower."
Jeanne Alter also shook her head, claiming ignorance.
So Olga Marie could only analyze based on what was said.
"Jeanne Alter said Morpheus is reading. Could he be at the London Library? It has a vast collection..."
Roman and Da Vinci exchanged glances. Da Vinci whispered, "Don't you think Morpheus might have gone to the Clock Tower?"
Roman thought for a moment and nodded. "I think his 'reading' might be in the Clock Tower's Sea of Books. Though we're here to save the world in this Singularity, he's always eager to expand his knowledge. London's the perfect chance for him to infiltrate the Clock Tower!"
"Once we complete the mission, the incorrect history will be fixed, and his intrusion into the Clock Tower won't exist in the Root. But his memories will remain," Da Vinci said, giving a thumbs-up. "As expected of him. I'm liking him more and more."
"I have a feeling all the secrets the Clock Tower hid before 1888, even their darkest history, will be dug up by Morpheus... The future Clock Tower is in for a rough time. If they cross him, he might use their dirty secrets to blackmail them."
"Tormenting someone with their dark history is way harsher than just fighting them."
...
While Morpheus was engrossed in his reading, his attention suddenly shifted to Jeanne Alter's side. A name caught his interest after ages.
"Mephistopheles? A demon?" Morpheus was surprised and tapped into Jeanne Alter's vision to see who was claiming to be Mephistopheles.
What he saw was a clown-like figure with purple hair, a tight leather-like coat, and a hat with a pocket watch on it. Most absurdly, the guy seemed utterly brainless.
This figure's actions upon appearing were straightforward. Outside Frankenstein's house, before Mash and Fujimaru could even question him, he spilled everything.
"Yes, I killed Frankenstein. I'm Mephistopheles, a demon. Why did I kill him? Because he interfered with our plans."
That entire confession came within a minute of meeting, without Fujimaru even asking.
Then he started spouting nonsense, only to be promptly sent back to the Throne of Heroes by the group.
Watching this Mephistopheles, Morpheus sighed heavily, covering his face.
"What was I even expecting? The great demon Mephistopheles who could manipulate people effortlessly? Forget it, this is the Nasuverse. No way..."
As Mash and the others entered Dr. Frankenstein's residence, Morpheus confirmed once again that this Mephistopheles was indeed brainless.
Because Dr. Frankenstein, who had interfered with their plans, had left behind highly incriminating information.
It was the doctor's final note, stating that the Demonic Fog plan was led by three individuals: P, B, and M.
Additionally, there was a little girl left behind, barely able to speak, as if lacking much rationality.
Her identity made Morpheus marvel again.
"Well, damn, this is the Frankenstein from the novel... a girl, and a loli, no less... As expected of the Nasuverse!"
But the group had obtained valuable information. After returning to Jekyll's place, they began speculating about the meaning of PBM.
Morpheus paused his reading, pondering the three letters.
"PBM represents three people, likely distinguished by the first letters of their names. Is M for Mephistopheles? No way, that guy's too brainless.
"Maybe I can analyze it based on historical figures I know. PBM could very well be Servants summoned here, connected to London..."
While Morpheus was thinking, the group wasn't idle. They found another of Jekyll's collaborators, a kid called Andersen.
After working with Andersen to defeat another Servant, Jekyll sent them to address another issue.
Scotland Yard was under attack by a Servant!
Rushing over, the group encountered a mysterious man.
He was a long-haired, skinny man holding a flask, and he left Morpheus both puzzled and exasperated.
Because this guy's intelligence was on par with Mephistopheles.
The moment he appeared, before any questioning, he revealed his secrets.
"I'm one of the masterminds behind the Demonic Fog plan. You can call me Paracelsus, the P in PBM!"
Watching the scene through Jeanne Alter's vision, Morpheus began to suspect he was overthinking things. Maybe that brainless Mephistopheles really was the M in PBM?!
Why did these villains love spilling their plans?! Were they brain-dead?!
After saying this, the man explained he was at Scotland Yard for an important item, then started spouting nonsense.
Faced with such incoherent babbling, the group acted instantly. Within seconds, the self-proclaimed P was sent back to the Throne of Heroes.
***
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