When the plot-skips players into the game world-Chapter 1316 - 39 Should we also move the quilt?

Hebashia’s studio was surprisingly normal.

It was just like an ordinary office—two desks, a few scattered chairs. There was also a cabinet for documents and books, and even a single bed.

Judging by the furniture alone... apart from that bed, it looked like an ordinary teacher’s office. Everything seemed very plain, with no patterns. If anything, everything here was made of wood, not a bit of metal or stone. As a result, the cabinet didn’t even have glass.

The walls, ceiling, and floor were entirely wooden. Even the blanket on the bed or the paper on the desk could be considered plant products.

Apart from this furniture, the studio was filled with a large number of plants.

These were special flowers or vines that could only survive in the Dream Realm—each had a completely different appearance and was full of vitality. Aiwass even spotted a well-cared-for Sin Thorn. It resonated from afar with Aiwass, who felt that if he transformed into a Sin Beast, he could absorb it back into his body.

"...If there are some similarities between the laws of the Dream Realm and the Material Realm..."

Sherlock murmured softly, "Could it be that someone visits here often?"

He had evidently noticed the state of the plants in the room.

"Not necessarily."

Aiwass said meaningfully, "You could think about it differently—don’t think with the perspective of the Material Realm. The Extraordinary Power in the Material Realm is limited by the Wall of Balance, but the Dream Realm doesn’t have such constraints. Why not think more absurdly?"

"You mean..."

Seeing Aiwass so calm and unperturbed, Sherlock hazarded a guess, "It’s not that someone is constantly tending to these plants... but rather that these plants don’t need tending?"

"What do you mean?"

Astonished by the power of the Moonlight Key, Arsene had just put the key away, only to hear Sherlock say something he didn’t understand, "I don’t get that stuff, detective. Just speak your mind."

"What I’m saying," Aiwass explained, "is that the time here has been frozen."

"—It remained as it was when Lady Haibasha left until you opened this door."

Sherlock continued.

On those chairs were five elf dolls. The soul of Lady Haibasha’s child was inside one of those dolls.

These dolls were exquisitely made, each about thirty centimeters to half a meter tall, resembling small girls... Probably around the age of eleven to fourteen in human terms, or to be more precise, "like the age of a Magic Girl." However, since they were elves, the age span would be another sixty to seventy years.

And their attire was a bit like Magic Girls—color-wise, precisely like a five-color squad.

Each doll wore a differently colored dress. The shape of these dresses was not the typical style used by elves but rather themed like some flowers.

"...White Narcissus, yellow Laurel, blood-red Silver Lotus, blue Hyacinth, pink-purple Saffron."

Aiwass recognized the five colors and decorations representing flowers and fell into deep thought.

What could these flowers mean?

Meanwhile, Sherlock headed to the desk to investigate.

He saw an unfinished scratch draft of a calculation—that was a computing equation of one of the "Final Formulas." And Hebashia’s pen was still on the desk.

"This is..."

Realizing something, Sherlock raised an eyebrow.

He looked at the bed and found the blanket wasn’t folded. Books were placed next to the bed, and one book still had a bookmark inside.

This is the Dream Realm, the source of Extraordinary Power. Living in the Dream Realm, Angel Envoys no longer needed sleep to regain their strength... Therefore, theoretically, one could forego sleep and spend all the time working. Those who still maintained the habit of sleeping did so simply as a way of entertainment to maintain their humanity.

Reading in bed could be considered learning for some. But for an Angel Envoy on the Path of Wisdom, it could only be regarded as entertainment.

From this perspective, a bed and card table were fundamentally no different to the Angel Envoys.

"...Judging from the signs, Lady Haibasha should have just finished resting not long ago and had only just started working when she unexpectedly left."

Sherlock said, checking the draft papers.

There were twelve pages of completed drafts, which, for Hebashia, would take at most a few hours. It was even possible that the completed drafts were from the last time, and this time she had just begun writing.

"What does this mean?"

Not understanding, Arsene asked.

Sherlock calmly explained, "It means that at least before Lady Haibasha left the room, she didn’t expect that she wouldn’t return here."

"In other words, her reincarnation was a sudden event. She didn’t even have time to return to her room to tidy up her things..."

Aiwass said, picking up one of the dolls from the chair.

Just like playing with a doll, he moved her arms and legs. He made her pose like Ultraman transforming, or Superman flying, then placed her upright on the desk.

"...She didn’t have the chance to hide her daughter either."

"Which one is her daughter, Aiwass?"

Sherlock looked up and asked, "Can you find the one with a soul?"

"Lady Haibasha’s sealing technique is excellent; it’s impossible to find the right one without damaging the dolls."

Aiwass replied calmly, "However... if I’m not mistaken, all five of these dolls should contain souls."

"...You mean, are there four sacrifices? Or is a single soul split into five parts?"

Sherlock frowned deeply.

"Sacrifices... perhaps. It could also be test subjects. And at the worst... it’s an artificial soul."

Aiwass’s voice was low.

Sherlock realized what Aiwass implied.

When it comes to the technology of artificial souls, one can’t avoid mentioning Aiwass’s grandfather—Jacob.

What initially drove him to research this taboo?

This was research that the Hourglass explicitly prohibited.

"Since we can’t tell which one," Arsene proposed the absolutely correct approach, "why not just take them all? If you guys have trouble carrying them, I can take two."

"That’s possible, but not necessary."

Aiwass said, gently patting the girl he placed on the desk: "It should be her."

That was the little girl in the pink-purple dress representing the saffron.

Though Aiwass didn’t know why it had to be her, he remembered the game’s plot—the broken doll was wearing a dress of this color.

He originally planned to only take her.

But Arsene’s words reminded Aiwass—he wasn’t alone.

—Since they were many, why not take them all!

And since they decided to take everything...

"Just as well... Arsene broke the door to get in, and now it’s broken too."

Aiwass calmly looked at the numerous rare Dream Realm treasures and collectibles hanging on the wall: "Let’s take them all as well; they’ll be easy to lose if left here."

"Take everything?"

Arsene sounded neither shameful for breaking the door nor tempted by it.

"Take everything," Aiwass confirmed, "Sherlock, see if there’s any important information or intelligence in the bookcase and take it too. I’ll guard the door."

"...Wouldn’t we then be burglars perpetrating a home invasion?"

Sherlock sounded somewhat unwilling.

But Aiwass believed it was more about Sherlock not wanting to do this unskilled work than a sense of morality...

"Not quite."

Aiwass rigorously corrected, "This should count as a home robbery. We broke in by blasting the door, the same as bank robbers."

"—Come on!"

The lone professional indeed spoke with utmost righteousness: "But didn’t you have the property owner’s commission? This is just a move! It’s legal! Besides, she violated the taboo and doesn’t plan on coming back, right? Then just take all her stuff—how about taking the blanket too? Ask if she still wants it, and if she doesn’t... A blanket used by an Angel Envoy might sell for a lot. This bed might also have things hidden in its gaps; should we break it apart and check?"

"Reasonable." "Reasonable."

Aiwass and Sherlock both nodded, not helping but admire:

—The professionals really are professionals!

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