Chapter 67
Chapter 67: For What Purpose
“Imprisonment and magical drug experiments, constantly shifting hideouts, a laboratory destroyed by fire, Charlotte rescued a girl from the flames… So far, these are all things you’ve already told Charlotte. She knows all of this, correct?”
“Yes, Miss Michelle.”
The pitch-black walls enclosed a narrow, confined space. The only light source was the kerosene lamp at the corner of the table.
Steel plates sandwiched twenty-centimeter-thick layers of wool fiber. Any sound attempting to escape would be absorbed completely. This so-called underground box was actually an absolutely soundproof sealed room.
Not a single hole or gap remained. Even the internal air required regular replacement to eliminate any risk of being spied upon or eavesdropped.
Originally, Michelle shouldn’t have brought such a young girl to this forbidding and terrifying place. But this matter involved church prohibitions that demanded her serious attention, to the point where she could no longer treat the girl sitting before her—who still appeared calm—as simply a child.
The flame illuminated only half of Funniss’s face. She still wore that elaborate dress with cascading silk layers. Sitting on the high iron chair, her small feet in leather shoes couldn’t reach the floor. Yet her pink eyes, gazing across the table at Michelle, held an unusually serene expression.
After several rounds of questions and answers, Funniss repeated the story she had already described to Charlotte, adding some details as she recounted it to Michelle.
Michelle gradually began treating Funniss as an adult. The gentle, coaxing tone she had used with children disappeared without her realizing it.
Upon recognizing that Funniss’s mind was actually quite mature, even though Michelle felt fondness for such an endearing appearance, she couldn’t allow herself to continue treating Funniss like a child—in her view, this was basic respect.
“Charlotte mentioned you have symptoms of amnesia. You also said you can’t clearly remember your background and past experiences… Is this because of the magical drugs?” Michelle operated the machinery beside her.
This was a device that could record sound and carve special patterns onto copper plates. Inserting the patterned copper plates into a sound player could reproduce the recorded audio with near-perfect fidelity.
Due to the high level of secrecy involved, Michelle couldn’t leave written records. Besides the extraordinary and alchemical arts, this era had given birth to new forms of documentation.
“Yes, I didn’t display any obvious extraordinary characteristics as the witch had hoped. Instead, I lost a great deal of past memories.” Funniss nodded. “But you don’t need to worry that I’ll forget recent events. I only told Charlotte that to hurry here and meet with you.”
“Thank you for your cooperation, Miss Celi.” Michelle pressed the stop key on the recording machine. “I understand the above content. Please rest for a moment.”
She marked the previous copper plate with an oil pen and began inserting a new copper plate into the machine’s slot. This meant the conversation would now officially enter the classified stage.
“So we can now discuss the parts you haven’t mentioned to Charlotte yet.” Without making Funniss wait long, Michelle quickly resumed the dialogue. “You mentioned that your reason for not telling Charlotte was at Mr. Cela’s own request. Do I understand this correctly?”
“That’s correct, ma’am.” Funniss lowered her eyes slightly. “Mr. Cela… having suffered torment from the witch for years and being forced to take too many magical drugs from other paths, his body can barely hold on… I didn’t tell Charlotte the truth, letting her think Mr. Cela could still be saved.”
“The right decision. She’s already under too much pressure and shouldn’t face another blow at this time.” Michelle surprisingly gave positive feedback. “This helps me understand Mr. Cela’s most basic motivation for passing on his knowledge.”
Gaining Michelle’s complete trust was impossible, but Funniss was confident she could earn a portion of it. Even just that portion would be enough.
The most basic motivation.
What reason would Cela Fred have for teaching strictly prohibited content to a complete stranger?
Since Funniss claimed to be Cela’s inheritor, she naturally had to answer this question first.
In the background story she had constructed, Cela Fred was a tortured, dying man about to take these precious treasures stored in his mind to eternal sleep. At that time, only one young girl, equally imprisoned and tormented by the witch, remained by Cela’s side.
The motivation was obvious.
This was Funniss’s answer, hidden within the background she had already established.
“But Mr. Cela also warned me that preserving this knowledge carries greater sin than its inherent value. If I didn’t want to bring disaster upon myself, I should choose to hide it.” Without waiting for Michelle to ask, she continued immediately.
“Then why did you ultimately decide to actively inform me about this?” Michelle didn’t overthink it and naturally asked the follow-up question.
But Funniss didn’t rush to answer immediately.
She raised her eyes to gaze at Michelle across the wooden table and smiled silently.
“While accompanying Charlotte to your esteemed institution, I encountered a regrettable tragedy…” The girl’s tone was gentle as she spoke quietly, while her right hand, which had been resting on her knees under the table, rose without any movement in Michelle’s plain sight.
Then it hovered.
Directly above the recording machine’s stop button.
Michelle froze. She stared in bewilderment for a moment, watching the girl complete this series of inexplicable actions, yet couldn’t bring herself to intervene or shout a warning.
Perhaps it was because of Funniss’s mysterious yet calm smile. Michelle locked eyes with the girl’s sparkling pink pupils, as if some inexplicable magic resided within them, making it impossible for her to look away.
Yet the girl made no further moves, only continued hovering. The machine still buzzed and carved one incomprehensible mark after another.
She was waiting for Michelle to take a stance.
This was an invitation.
The Pope and Joseph’s successive pressures left Michelle breathless. The lingering clouds over this city were like a boundless boulder that could fall at any moment, crushing the branch institute in Georgetown District to pieces. Meanwhile, those factory owners and gang leaders were like hungry wolves, ready to pounce and tear the weak and exhausted her into bloody fragments.
Michelle had to consider the future of the Gray Cloud Fort branch.
She had to consider her own future.
As if bewitched by a demon from hell, this honest person who had followed doctrine for over thirty years finally couldn’t endure the scorching sun’s blazing exposure and chose to move half her body into the shadows where sunlight couldn’t reach.
After maintaining mutual silence for half a minute, Michelle ultimately pressed the stop button herself.
The engraving needle lifted, the copper plate stopped, and the buzzing sound no longer echoed in the sealed room.
Her chest felt stuffy. No matter how many deep breaths she took, she couldn’t find relief, as if a hand were tightly gripping her throat. In her difficulty, Michelle slowly raised her head and looked toward the girl.
“Because of inheritance, ma’am.” The girl smiled.
Michelle had asked her why earlier. This was her real answer.