Although Imeve didn't understand many of the terms Ain used, she still understood what he meant.
“So now, you have a way?”
“Of course. Aside from that old woman, the Dean, I already know pretty much everything those bastards are planning, as well as the little schemes they're harboring in their hearts.”
Ain revealed the Cards of Canal in his hand.
Mortal Card
【17】The Star
Upright meaning: Filled with hope and opportunity, healing after tranquility, the correct path.
Reversed meaning: Inverted direction, lost hope.
His speculations were correct!
For divination, proof wasn't necessary.
With enough information, a Diviner's speculation was the truth!
The truth Ain revealed completely shattered their understanding.
Not just Imeve, but even the usually calm Vanessa felt completely at a loss for a moment, struggling to process this massive influx of information.
Vanessa clutched her head.
“But I still don't get it...”
Ain crossed his arms and said proudly, “Want to hear the whole picture? Sure, but Teacher Ain's mini-class isn't free.”
Then, Ain's gaze sharpened as he held up three fingers and said solemnly, “Three pieces of Corona Gold.”
...
Looking at the three shiny gold coins in his hand, Ain's eyes sparkled.
Oh, oh, oh! She really is a rich girl!
Hehe, I can fleece her some more when I get the chance in the future!
Ain coughed lightly, wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth, and said seriously, “To start with, wasn't your Typhon Chain mission to gather information on other factions and locate one of the high-grade auction items?”
Vanessa nodded.
“Those were just a cover. While the academy appeared to be competing with other factions, they had actually struck a deal with them in secret long ago.”
“What the academy wanted was never some compass!”
“What they wanted was simply a human puppet with sufficient power, consumed entirely by despair!”
“They will make Erylin witness the deaths of her companions with her own eyes, and then watch the Dean and the academy perish together! Two years later, they will carefully weave a fake truth for her and use her hands to achieve their unspeakable goals.”
“This rescue team was requested by the academy. The list Lance had was also provided by the academy. The deaths of everyone in the rescue team were also planned by the academy!”
The predetermined fate actually meant that everything happening now was proceeding exactly according to the plans of those bastards at the academy!
So from their perspective, everything that was happening had always been developing in the direction they anticipated!
The main storyline of this game in the early stages had never deviated up to this point!
Imeve covered her mouth in shock. She had never expected that from a simple piece of information she provided, Ain would almost strip the mastermind bare.
Was this guy this smart when he helped me find the truth before?
“But why did Erylin become like that...”
“Does that have to do with the academy too?”
Vanessa asked the most critical question.
Ain, who had cleared up all his thoughts up to this point, sneered. “Of course.”
“I bet they also know the properties of the Ice of Aret.”
Vanessa said excitedly, “Then when did they—!”
“Don't be so excited...”
Ain calmed Vanessa down.
“I originally thought Erylin fell into this state at the end of Act Three because the holy spear's power went out of control...”
“But actually, that wasn't the case.”
“When Erylin stepped into Tier 4, this state was an inevitable outcome.”
The information in this trash game was wrong.
Erylin didn't fall into this state because of the holy spear's power.
The real reason was...
“Erylin cannot accept her own past.”
“She knows the price of this power. To obtain the power of the Ice of Aret, she must lose those she loves.”
“Erylin is unwilling to accept her own power.”
This was the real reason for the backlash of the Ice of Aret.
Even though she had already used the power to step into Tier 4, she was still unwilling to accept the disappearance of her loved ones.
Ain smiled mysteriously. “So, those bastards at the academy know about the existence of the Ice of Aret, they know about Erylin's kind nature and inner thoughts, and they know exactly how to turn her into their puppet in the fastest way possible...”
Finally, Ain suddenly tilted the sorted potion box in his hand, and various small bottles and jars clattered out, scattering across the ground.
“These special potions are the things they intentionally mixed into the ordinary potions, hoping to smuggle them through.”
Vanessa and Imeve asked curiously at the same time, “What are these for?”
Ain replied, “Supplies issued by Hermetica, sent through the academy, and finally signed off by Instructor Finn.”
“These are all special potions that can alienate the emotions in people's hearts.”
“Right now, the academy students probably have a few bottles of these in their hands. They want to use them to exaggerate the tragic state of the students after their deaths, turning Erylin into the puppet they want.”
Both Imeve and Vanessa looked in astonishment at the large pile of potions Ain had separated.
Vanessa said in shock, “So the reason you were messing with all those bottles and jars just now was because of this!”
“My god, so many potions! If they are really used in this operation, the effect would probably cover an entire plain!”
Imeve couldn't help but praise Ain as well.
“You can distinguish normal potions from these abnormal ones just by their color... Honestly, just looking at these things makes my head spin.”
Soon, Ain burst into a wild laugh.
“The moment I thought the academy might be behind this, I divined the thoughts in my head.”
“As it turns out...”
Ain confidently showed a 【The Star】 card.
“I was right.”
“They think they can hurt my woman by playing petty tricks with potionology?”
“Who do they think I am? I have memorized every single potion formula that has ever existed—and even those that haven't—in this world!”
“Hehehehe! Since there are so many valuable potions, I'll gladly take them all...”
Vanessa and Imeve widened their eyes at the same time.
Vanessa asked in shock, “What did you say?”
His woman?
Did this blockhead who abandoned Erylin finally open his eyes?
Ain responded, “Ah, you mean the potion formulas?”
“When we were eating at the dining table earlier and I saw Erylin's new hairpins and earrings, I already anticipated that something like this might happen.”
“So, I made some protective potionology concoctions and had Lillian secretly pour some onto Erylin's earrings, hairpins, and some of her clothing.”
Vanessa quickly waved her hands and replied, “That's not what I'm talking about! The sentence before that, the sentence before that!”
Ain frowned and replied, “Which sentence?”
Soon, Vanessa covered her face.
This guy didn't even remember what he had just said.
Immediately after, Imeve asked again, “What potions did you make to pour onto Erylin's clothing?”
Ain replied casually, “Not that many...”
“Just the Purifying Spring, Cleansing Holy Water, Barrier-Breaking Dew, Breath of Purity, Evil-Expelling Tincture, Shield of Clarity, Purifying Balm, Spirit-Cleansing Nectar, Dust-Settling Barrier, Mana-Filtering Veil, Anti-Impurity Protective Oil, Flawless Barrier, Rot-Resisting Elixir, Circle of Stasis, Misfortune-Averting Elixir, Residue-Filtering Agent, Stabilizing Potion, Anti-Erosion Liquid, Origin Shield, Moonlight Frost, Glazed Pure Domain, Dawn's Embrace, Stardust Veil, Water of Forgetfulness, Quiet Cocoon, Heart of Frost and Snow, Eternal Pure Land...”
“Stop, stop, stop! You're still not done?!”
Ain asked in confusion, “What's wrong?”
Vanessa looked at the man in front of her in horror.
“Y-You're still asking what's wrong...”
“Setting aside how you even memorized the names of all these potions, you actually made so many preparations?!”
“Does Erylin know about this!”
Ain said nonchalantly.
“Of course she doesn't.”
“If she knew, she'd probably say something like, ‘This is something Ain made for me,’ and then be too worried about the potion's effects wearing off to actually wear those earrings and hairpins, right?”
“So you actually do know!!!”
Vanessa was truly exasperated to the point of laughter by this man.
“You said before that you didn't like Erylin, but now...”
“I do like her. When did I ever say I didn't?”
Vanessa widened her eyes, looking at Ain in utter disbelief.
Meanwhile, Ain recalled the image of Erylin crying because of him, and how she had cooked soup for him that night.
Ain asked back, “She already likes me, so isn't it completely normal to like a girl who likes me?”
“...Huh?”
Was this guy crazy?
Is there anyone who understands how godly Ain is?
Vanessa looked at Imeve beside her as if seeking comfort, while the latter shrugged with a face full of helplessness and said softly,
“He's just like this.”
Imeve had already grown accustomed to Ain's train of thought by now.
Vanessa suddenly felt that Ain was terrifying.
This person actually had such a morbidly protective desire for Erylin?!
He had even calculated her psychological reactions!
And that baffling sentence from earlier too...
No, really, this guy is sick!
“You guys head out first. Don't wait for me. I'll go find Erylin first and help her...”
Before he could finish his sentence, Ain froze.
【The God of Light shows favor to you!】
Ain smiled confidently.
Just standard second playthrough operations.
【Note: Maximum mana has increased!】
Ain: “???”
His maximum mana increased just like that?
Wasn't the only way to increase this to do it with Lillian...
As if responding to the thoughts in Ain's mind, the panel popped up again.
【Thank you for bringing happiness to the witch!】
【Please continue to make up for the regrets of this race, and bring happiness to the last witch in the world.】
Ain stood dazed in place like an idiot.
What the hell do you mean I brought happiness to the witch?
So, the Goddess didn't show favor to me because I saw through the truth behind the scenes?
Lillian...
What on earth are you doing?!
Rate on N.U.
