"Mr. Aventurine, it is my great honor that you would think so much of me. Then, as such a selfless and generous person, surely you wouldn't ask for anything in return, would you?"
The negotiations between Aventurine and Sunday were still continuing, while Ratio had absolutely no interest in getting involved in the conversation between these two hypocritical men.
At this moment, the professor had already selected quite a few things from Sunday's collection of books that interested him and begun reading them.
Compared to the noisy commotion of the two people beside him, the area immersed in books and the sea of knowledge seemed somewhat peaceful and leisurely.
"Of course, you won't lose anything because of this," Aventurine said. "I only want to take back what originally belonged to me: my personal freedom, as well as the personal belongings kept by the Family, that bag of gifts, and..."
"The box containing the Cornerstones," Sunday said.
"That's right," Aventurine said.
"The Cornerstone. I heard that it is a valuable asset of the Strategic Investment Department, a sacred stone that seals the power of the Preservation. Each of the Ten Stonehearts, the experts in liquidation, holds one."
"Such a valuable item is probably far more expensive than the other things you reported." Sunday narrowed his eyes, his gaze becoming dangerous.
"But you also know that if you want the truth to come to light, a certain amount of high risk is necessary."
"Mr. Aventurine, when you go out, do you always pay attention to your appearance?" Sunday suddenly asked.
"Your tie should be on the center line, your shirt must not show from beneath your vest, your trouser crease must be perfectly straight, and it must always align with the direction of your shoe tips."
"Of course," Aventurine answered.
"But I don't, because that would be improper. You should make sure everything is in perfect order before going out and never allow anything to deviate." Sunday shook his head. "I never take any risks. The Cornerstone must be kept by the Family."
Ratio, who was not far away, listened to their conversation. Although he understood what Sunday meant, when he heard this part, he still wanted to scold the Oak Family head for his naive idea.
No one could put everything in perfect order before something happened. With countless probabilities, you simply could not know when an accident would happen or what kind of accident it would be.
Just like you never expected Robin to be harmed, nor did you expect the disappearance of a boy to cause such a storm in Penacony. And even now, you still hadn't realized how magnificent and terrifying this storm would become, even though you had already felt the aftershocks coming from it.
The professor stopped reading and glanced sideways at Sunday, then shook his head. Things were still proceeding according to the plan, so there was nothing he could say for now. As a strict teacher, he would of course also seriously complete the task in his hands.
But he had nothing but contempt for these unrealistic-sounding statements, no matter what purpose had motivated him to say them.
He was quite certain that even someone as composed as Sunday would inevitably become flustered and break down after hearing those words.
This was a term he had recently learned from a young friend, and it seemed particularly appropriate here. After all, almost every word in that sentence was dancing around the Oak Family head's sore spots.
In this regard, Ratio had a very good impression of the boy named Nero, because he knew that, like himself, that child was quite practical in his views on dealing with the world.
If that child were here, he might point out the problems in Sunday's words without hesitation. Sometimes, he really wished that the child could come and speak for him.
In fact, this professor didn't think much of all the schemes currently taking place in Penacony. After all, even before coming here, he had already made his attitude toward this trip very clear.
Do you remember the answer Nero and Stelle reached together regarding the question on the invitation?
That was also Ratio's view. In this regard, he and Nero had almost immediately reached the same conclusion.
It wasn't that Professor Ratio had any prejudice against philosophy, aesthetics, or so-called romance. This could already be seen from his beautiful plaster head and ring-shaped headpiece. In fact, he had quite a bit of research in these areas.
It was just that, regarding the question on the invitation, Ratio felt it was completely meaningless.
This was the conclusion he and Nero had reached long before arriving in Penacony: Why does life sleep?
The simplest, most direct, and most plain answer: because it is tired.
In every sense, Ratio and Nero got along extremely well. He had even once considered inviting Nero to the Intelligentsia Guild to give some lectures to those colleagues of his who had rocks in their heads.
Unfortunately, the Astral Express wasn't sitting around with nothing to do every day either, so the matter ultimately came to nothing.
The learned professor sighed. He silently put on his plaster head and continued immersing himself in the sea of knowledge.
"Nothing to discuss?" Aventurine raised an eyebrow.
"Don't make me refuse a second time." Sunday's voice lowered.
"...All right." Aventurine sighed. "I'll take just the gifts, then. You should at least give me that. A merchant can hardly get anywhere without bargaining chips."
"Your compromise came even faster than I expected." Sunday looked at Aventurine.
"Unfortunately, compared to merchants... gamblers need bargaining chips even more. I can give you the gifts, but before that, I want you to tell me yourself, what exactly is stored in this box you so decisively gave up?"
Sunday slowly walked over to the table and looked at Aventurine. He spoke softly, and his voice suddenly began overlapping and intertwining, as if it were some kind of resonance, or perhaps a harmony sung by countless people at the same time, "'O soul of threefold aspect, brand his tongue and palms with an iron, so that he cannot fabricate lies or make false oaths.'"
As Sunday's voice fell, Aventurine became dazed for an instant. He quickly came back to his senses, slightly furrowing his brows as he seriously questioned Sunday. "...What did you do?"
"Under the light of Harmony, some sins have nowhere to hide. I beseech Them to cast down Their light, and ask you this question on Their behalf." Sunday spoke like a devout believer, as if he were a priest presiding over Mass. "From now on... you have 113 seconds to prove your innocence and earn my trust."
"What if I refuse to answer?" Aventurine asked.
"Then try it, and see whether Harmony will refuse you." Sunday smiled slightly, his face showing an expression of having everything under control, as if the embarrassed person who had faced the Knights of Beauty not long ago had never been him at all.
"Question: Do you possess a Cornerstone?"
Aventurine: "Yes."
Sunday: "A very concise answer. You also understand the principle that the more you say, the more likely you are to make a mistake. When you entered the country, did you hand the Cornerstone over to the Family?"
Aventurine: "Yes."
Sunday: "Does the Cornerstone you handed over to the Family belong to you?"
Aventurine: "Yes."
Sunday: "At this moment, is your Cornerstone in this room?"
Aventurine: "Yes."
Sunday: "Has your memory suffered any form of alteration or deletion, including but not limited to the technology of the Garden of Recollection?"
Aventurine: "Yes."
Sunday: "Are you from the Avgin tribe of Sigonia?"
Aventurine: "Yes. You even know that?"
Sunday: "Do the Avgins have no ability whatsoever to read, alter, or manipulate their own thoughts or the thoughts of others?"
Aventurine: "No. Does that matter?"
Sunday: "Do you love your family more than you love yourself?"
Aventurine: "...Yes."
Sunday: "All the Avgins died in a massacre, is that right?"
Aventurine: "No."
While Aventurine and Sunday were engaged in their question-and-answer session, the professor wearing his plaster head slightly tilted his head, his gaze sweeping across a certain platform above the doorway.
A Nightingale stood there, quietly watching Aventurine and Sunday's conversation. It had already been there for some time, and the professor knew this very well.
Sunday: "Are you the only survivor of your tribe?"
Aventurine: "...Maybe."
At some point, Aventurine's voice had also gradually lowered.
Sunday: "Do you hate this world and wish to destroy it with your own hands?"
"..." Aventurine: "I don't know."
Sunday: "Interesting. Then the final question... can you swear that, at this very moment, the Aventurine Stone is lying safely inside this box?"
The professor glanced at the two people questioning each other and let out a cold snort.
After a brief hesitation, Aventurine also showed a confident expression. "...Of course."
Sunday also revealed a confident smile. "It seems we can reach an answer. Open it, Mr. Aventurine... This is your last chance to defend your reputation."
Sunday picked up the box, placed it on the table, gently pushed it in front of Aventurine, then sat down and gestured for Aventurine to proceed.
"Please."
Aventurine lowered his head and looked at the box, then raised his head and glanced at Ratio in the corner. Only then did he notice that the professor had actually put on his beautiful plaster head.
Then, under Sunday's gaze, he opened the box, only to discover that there was nothing inside.
"What you're looking for is these, isn't it?"
As Sunday spoke, he gently lifted the tablecloth beside him on the table. Beneath it, two stones were revealed.
One yellow and one green Cornerstone were placed there.
———
Several system hours earlier, at the Dewlight Pavilion.
At this time, Tirianders had not yet come knocking, and news of Nero's disappearance had not yet spread among the relevant people.
Sunday and Ratio had a meeting here.
"Since you have come to the appointment as scheduled, learned professor... does this mean you are willing to stand on the Family's side in this farce?"
Ratio narrowed his eyes slightly. The aloof professor coldly looked at the Oak Family head before him. The muscles on his arms were clearly outlined, and his arms were a circle thicker than Sunday's. "What makes you think you can recruit me?"
Sunday smiled slightly. "I have also heard that your relationship with Mr. Aventurine isn't pleasant. I also know that you are a true scholar, and that your pursuit of knowledge surpasses everything else."
"Then you should also understand that a qualified scholar can recognize his own position and will not lose something more important for the sake of pointless dignity."
"If you agree to assist the Family, I will give you all the results of our research on the Stellaron. You should know very well that aside from the Family, no faction is willing to share such knowledge."
"..." Ratio slightly widened his eyes, seemingly surprised by the bargaining chip Sunday had offered. After a moment of silence, he said, "Tell me about it. What do you need me to do?"
"I need Mr. Aventurine's entire plan," Sunday said.
Ratio sneered. "Heh, didn't you already confiscate his Cornerstone? A peacock with all its feathers plucked can't fly."
"But I have also heard that the ten elites of the Strategic Investment Department are extremely united, advancing and retreating together when it comes to the Company's interests."
"You can be more direct."
Sunday looked at Ratio. "The Cornerstone Mr. Aventurine submitted, does it really belong to him?"
"You suspect he would hand someone else's Cornerstone over to you?" Ratio laughed. "You think the Ten Stonehearts are far too united. That thing is much more important than their lives."
"But you also know that he is a crazy gambler." Sunday was clearly very stubborn about his view. "The more ostentatious the display, the more carefully you must guard against it."
Ratio's gaze suddenly lit up as he looked at Sunday, as if he had suddenly discovered an interesting new species. "I never thought there would be someone whose thinking aligned with his. Seriously, you should go see a psychiatrist."
Upon hearing this, the smile that had originally been on Sunday's face instantly disappeared.
But Ratio clearly didn't care at all, or perhaps he had long since grown accustomed to such reactions from others after countless instances of speaking his mind.
He simply continued, "Bring it here. The box containing the Cornerstone is specially made. No one except Company executives and relevant personnel can open it, and I happen to be one of them."
Hearing this, the corners of Sunday's lowered mouth rose again. He led Ratio to the box. "Please."
As the box was opened, a yellow Cornerstone came into view.
"Unfortunately, your guess was correct." Ratio said to Sunday.
Sunday looked at the Cornerstone. "Heh, a golden-yellow stone. Its color is exactly like the light of Qlipoth's sacred body."
"This is precisely what he prepared to deceive you with," Ratio said. "He won't tell you that the Ten Stonehearts must use their own will to carve their Cornerstones, causing them to radiate a unique brilliance.
"And this golden-yellow stone belongs to Topaz. Its other name is Topaz, not Aventurine.
"So, what do you think? Want to confront him?"
Sunday shook his head. "Not for now. What I want to know more is where his Cornerstone is."
"The safest place, somewhere you would never think of. Because he never intended to hide it at all. From the very beginning, that Cornerstone was already in your hands," Ratio said.
From the bag containing the gifts, the professor took out another green Cornerstone.
"I see. This luggage bag... mixing a Cornerstone more precious than life among a pile of cheap jewelry, disguising it as gifts and waiting to have it confiscated, really does fit Mr. Aventurine's style."
"Then make up some excuse, downplay the important parts, and ask you to return the gifts. This is a gamble, and he is all too familiar with it. The gamble is that if you make one wrong move, you lose everything."
"Learned professor, thank you for your assistance. The Family will naturally reward the righteous. As for the villain... may he retreat in disgrace."
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