Bab 494: Adu Strategi (1)
Sekitar waktu Grylls menemukan kota di Forest of the Four Seasons dan mulai mengeksplorasinya.
Selena berkeliling ke berbagai penjuru Avalon, menyelidiki hal-hal yang membuatnya penasaran.
Menggabungkan informasi yang dilihatnya di galeri dengan rumor yang beredar di dunia nyata, keajaiban sedang terjadi di Avalon saat ini.
Gejala pasien gangguan mental membaik dengan cepat, bahkan ada yang sembuh total hingga nyaris tidak berbeda dengan orang normal.
Yang terpenting, pasien gangguan mental yang sembuh itu, dengan kemungkinan besar, menderita demensia. Penyakit yang disebut sebagai penyakit iblis bersama dengan kebotakan.
Dalam skala jumlah orang yang terkena dampak, bisa dikatakan lebih parah daripada kebotakan.
Kebotakan memberikan dampak negatif yang mendalam pada harga diri seseorang.
Tetapi demensia melampaui sekadar mencuri ingatan seseorang secara perlahan—demensia menyebabkan penderitaan yang luar biasa bagi orang-orang tercinta yang menyaksikannya.
'Tidak ada situasi yang lebih menyedihkan daripada orang tua yang bahkan tidak bisa mengenali nama dan wajah anaknya sendiri.'
Karena itu, tak terhitung banyaknya cendekiawan yang berusaha menyembuhkan demensia, tetapi mereka gagal setiap saat.
Itu wajar karena ini adalah penyakit yang berhubungan dengan otak. Ini adalah ranah yang bahkan Selena tidak bisa sembarangan menyentuhnya.
Bahkan obat tidur, jika salah perhitungan sedikit saja, bisa berubah menjadi racun mematikan dan membuat seseorang tertidur selamanya.
Dalam hal itu, keajaiban yang terjadi di Avalon tidak bisa dipandang dari sisi positif saja.
'Ada kemungkinan bahwa Pahlawan-nim adalah Orange Badge, dan aku juga punya rasa penasaran pribadi. Sihir macam apa yang dia gunakan sehingga pasien demensia bisa sembuh total seperti itu?'
Selena percaya pada Tuhan, tetapi dia tidak percaya bahwa Tuhan secara langsung memberikan keajaiban.
Sebaliknya, Dia hanya memberikan kesempatan untuk menciptakan keajaiban itu. Dan orang yang memberinya kesempatan itu adalah Grylls.
'Di satu sisi, keberadaan orang itu sendiri adalah sebuah keajaiban.'
Selena berkeliling ke berbagai penjuru ibu kota Avalon sambil membawa elixir yang dia buat sendiri.
Sebagian besar tempat itu adalah panti jompo atau panti asuhan. Itu untuk mengumpulkan informasi sambil melakukan kerja sukarela pada saat yang sama.
"Terima kasih banyak. Sebelumnya Pahlawan-nim pernah berkunjung, dan kali ini Saintess-nim yang datang."
Saat dia menjadi sukarelawan di panti jompo itu, pendeta wanita yang bertugas menunduk dalam-dalam untuk mengungkapkan rasa terima kasihnya.
"Saintess". Selena mengibaskan tangannya menolak saat mendengar panggilan yang sangat memberatkan itu, lalu menjawab.
"S-Saintess? Daripada aku, bukankah pendeta-nim yang bertugas di tempat ini lebih pantas disebut Saintess?"
"Tidak juga. Ada banyak kali aku memendam pikiran buruk karena semuanya begitu sulit."
"Aku juga sering merasa pesimis tentang dunia ketika keadaan sedang sulit. Ngomong-ngomong, para lansia yang tinggal di sini kondisinya membaik dengan cepat, kan?"
"Ya. Semua ini berkat Air Suci yang dibawa oleh Pahlawan-nim."
"Boleh aku tahu apa itu Air Suci?"
Tidak lama setelah memulai kerja sukarelanya, Selena berhasil menemukan benang merah.
Sebagian besar pasien gangguan mental yang menerima keajaiban dari Pahlawan telah meminum Air Suci itu.
Terlebih lagi, setelah meminum Air Suci itu, mereka mengalami kejang sebelum akhirnya sembuh seketika.
Meskipun detail kecilnya berbeda-beda, proses persisnya tetap sama. Jadi, dia bisa mengetahui bahwa Air Suci adalah titik kuncinya.
"Pahlawan-nim bilang itu Air Suci yang diberkati langsung oleh Aris-nim. Bersinar dengan cahaya putih susu, sangat indah."
"Putih susu..."
Selena menggumam pelan di bawah napasnya. Air Suci dengan semburat putih susu.
Menghubungkannya dengan galeri—yakni Grylls—dia tidak bisa memikirkan hal lain selain Empty Sky Stone Milk.
Cairan yang juga pernah dia terima di masa lalu. Saat itu, dia hanya menilainya baik untuk tubuh atau sempurna untuk pemulihan kelelahan.
'Kalau tahu begitu, sebaiknya aku menyimpan setidaknya satu botol ya?'
Saat itu, dia mencurahkan energi yang sangat besar untuk membuat elixir bagi Grylls.
Grylls, yang menyadari hal ini, menyerahkan Empty Sky Stone Milk untuk menghiburnya. Berkat itu, dia bisa memulihkan tenaganya.
Namun, tampaknya kemampuan sebenarnya dari Empty Sky Stone Milk terletak di tempat lain. Dan itu adalah kemampuan yang berbeda dari Empty Sky Stone Milk biasa.
'Benda itu terkenal bisa membangkitkan orang yang terjebak dalam Qi Deviation atau kondisi setengah mati. Tapi sangat jarang ditemukan, dan bahkan tidak pasti apakah itu benar-benar Empty Sky Stone Milk.'
Selena berfokus pada bagian tentang membangkitkan orang yang berada dalam kondisi setengah mati.
Itu bisa merujuk pada tubuh fisik, atau bisa juga merujuk pada pikiran.
Demensia juga berada pada level yang mengubah seseorang menjadi mayat hidup.
Melalui analisis semacam itu, pertanyaan yang semula dia pendam mulai membesar.
Awalnya masih dalam tahap dugaan, tetapi semakin dia menggali, momen itu berubah menjadi keyakinan.
'Tidak peduli sehebat apa pun Pahlawan, dia tidak bisa memproduksi Air Suci yang sebanding dengan Empty Sky Stone Milk tanpa batas.'
Selena menyelidiki secara menyeluruh catatan kerja sukarela Asella. Tentu saja, dia sendiri yang turun langsung ke lapangan.
Asella tidak akan dengan mudah menyerahkan catatan semacam itu, dan sebagian besar catatan itu diperlakukan sebagai informasi rahasia.
Jadi, satu fakta yang dia temukan adalah bahwa Asella menunjukkan keajaiban setiap kali dia memiliki waktu luang.
'Biasanya, orang-orang akan menunjukkan minat yang sangat besar terhadap orang yang menunjukkan keajaiban ini.'
Kenyataannya, banyak minat yang ditunjukkan. Tapi itu berhenti di situ saja.
Karena itu adalah keajaiban yang diberikan oleh Pahlawan, hal itu tidak bisa dijelaskan dengan kata-kata. Itu pasti diresapi dengan berkah Aris.
Spekulasi berdasarkan iman merajalela, tetapi tidak ada satu pun orang yang mengajukan keraguan.
Mungkin itu adalah hal yang sangat wajar. Melalui berkah ini, Asella menghidupkan kembali iman yang mulai mati di seluruh dunia.
Dia memperkuat status Aris di dunia.
'Kata "Pahlawan" saja sudah cukup untuk membuat semuanya hening.'
Bagaimana jika orang lain selain Pahlawan yang melakukan keajaiban seperti itu?
Sudah jelas orang itu akan menarik seluruh perhatian dunia. Dan orang itu akan bersembunyi karena beban itu.
Pada titik waktu saat ini, tidak ada orang yang lebih cocok untuk menghujani keajaiban dengan bebas selain Pahlawan.
Jika demikian, untuk alasan apa Grylls memasok Empty Sky Stone Milk kepada Asella?
'Hanya karena dia ingin merawat orang sakit jiwa?'
Itu adalah hipotesis dengan kredibilitas yang cukup tinggi. Grylls memiliki kepribadian yang tidak bisa membiarkan orang sakit begitu saja.
Namun, dengan sedikit berpikir, sudah jelas bahwa mendistribusikannya secara sembarangan di galeri dapat menyebabkan orang menyalahgunakannya atau menyebabkan kekacauan.
Artinya, tidak ada orang yang lebih cocok untuk tugas ini selain Pahlawan, Asella. Dan Asella kemungkinan besar adalah "nickname tetap" yang menjalin ikatan dengan Grylls.
'Itu hanya hipotesis. Untuk memastikannya dengan benar, aku tidak punya pilihan selain bertanya langsung.'
Sangat disayangkan dia tidak bisa bertanya dengan lantang. Di dalam hatinya, dia ingin segera bertanya kepada Grylls.
Apakah dia pernah mendistribusikan Empty Sky Stone Milk dengan meminjam nama atau reputasi orang lain.
Dia tidak perlu mengungkapkan nickname tetapnya; dia hanya ingin memastikan satu fakta ini.
'Jangan menginterogasinya. Dari sudut pandangnya, dia pasti mendistribusikannya dengan niat murni.'
Dia adalah seseorang yang melakukan perbuatan baik, jadi dia tidak bisa merusaknya karena rasa penasaran.
Meski begitu, dia sudah mengumpulkan cukup banyak keadaan dan bukti, jadi itu adalah penyelidikan yang memuaskan.
Sekarang, yang tersisa hanyalah menemui Asella dan mengoreknya secara halus.
"Apa kau dapat hasil?"
Saat Selena melangkah keluar dari panti jompo, Ash sudah menunggu dengan tenang.
Mungkin karena dia mengenakan seragam yang dengan jelas menonjolkan sosoknya—terutama garis pahanya—atau mungkin karena kecantikannya yang cemerlang, dia menarik perhatian orang-orang yang lewat.
Melihat ini, Selena secara intuitif merasa bahwa foto akan diunggah di galeri sebelum lama, sambil membuka mulutnya untuk berbicara.
"Ya. Aku sudah mengumpulkan cukup banyak hasil. Ayo kembali sekarang."
"Baiklah."
Setelah kerja sukarela singkat itu, keduanya segera kembali ke Istana Kepausan.
Mereka berniat menemui Asella di sana, memulai percakapan, dan mengoreknya.
"Ngomong-ngomong, kalau Pahlawan benar-benar Orange Badge, apa yang akan kau lakukan?"
Ash berbisik agar orang-orang di sekitar mereka tidak mendengar. Berdasarkan pendapat Selena, dia juga curiga bahwa Pahlawan adalah Orange Badge.
Namun, selain mencurigainya, tidak ada yang terpikirkan mengenai apa yang sebenarnya bisa dia lakukan. Sudah menjadi kelegaan kalau dia tidak dibanned.
Selena juga tidak jauh berbeda. Dia mengangkat bahunya dan menjawab.
"Tidak ada yang bisa kita lakukan segera. Kalau ada apa-apa, aku bahkan bisa dijadikan Lencana Biru."
"Bukankah itu berbahaya?"
"Kenapa harus berbahaya? Lagipula aku hanya pengangguran yang tinggal di rumah setiap hari. Lagipula, kalau Pahlawan benar-benar Orange Badge, akan sulit baginya untuk menunjukku sebagai admin."
"Ah, karena ritual pemanggilan."
Selena mengangguk seolah Ash benar.
Saat ini, kecuali Selena yang mengambil inisiatif, ritual pemanggilan untuk Forest of the Four Seasons akan terhenti.
Kadir ada di sana, tapi tidak ada yang tahu apa yang mungkin dia lakukan. Itu berarti Selena setidaknya harus hadir.
Tetapi jika dia ditunjuk sebagai Lencana Biru? Peluang Grylls untuk melarikan diri yang sudah tipis akan jatuh ke titik terendah.
Jika begitu, pandangan Grylls terhadap Pahlawan tentu akan memburuk. Asella pasti juga tahu hal ini.
"Bahkan jika Pahlawan menyangkalnya, itu tidak masalah. Kita bisa melihat reaksinya setelahnya."
"Maksudmu dia akan bereaksi di galeri?"
"Ya. Sejujurnya, aku menilai kemungkinan Pahlawan adalah
Chapter 494: Battle of Wits (1)
Around the time Grylls discovered the city in the Forest of the Four Seasons and began exploring it.
Selena traveled around various parts of Avalon, investigating the things she was curious about.
Combining the information seen on the Gallery with the rumors circulating in reality, miracles were currently taking place in Avalon.
Symptoms of mentally ill patients rapidly improved, or they were cured to the point where they were virtually no different from normal people.
In particular, the cured mental patients were, with high probability, suffering from dementia. A disease referred to as a devil’s illness alongside hair loss.
In terms of the scale of people affected, it could be said to be worse than hair loss.
Hair loss inflicts a profound negative impact on an individual’s dignity.
But dementia goes beyond slowly stealing a person’s memories—it causes immense pain to the loved ones watching them.
’There’s no situation sadder than a parent who can’t even recognize their own child’s name and face.’
For that reason, countless scholars made efforts to cure dementia, but they failed every single time.
That was naturally because it was a brain-related disease. This was a realm that even Selena could not carelessly tamper with.
Even sleeping pills, if miscalculated slightly, became deadly poison and put a person to sleep forever.
In that sense, the miracles occurring in Avalon could not be viewed solely in a positive light.
’There’s a possibility that the Hero-nim is the Orange Badge, and I also have personal curiosity. What kind of magic did she cast for dementia patients to be so completely cured?’
Selena believed in God, but she did not believe that God directly granted miracles.
Instead, He merely bestowed the opportunity to create that miracle. And the one who gave her that opportunity was Grylls.
’In a way, that person’s very existence is a miracle itself.’
Selena walked around various parts of Avalon’s capital carrying the Elixirs she had personally crafted.
Most of those places were nursing homes or orphanages. It was to collect information while doing volunteer work at the same time.
"Thank you so much. The Hero-nim visited us before, and this time the Saintess-nim has come."
When she volunteered at the nursing home, the female priest in charge bowed deeply to express her gratitude.
"Saintess". Selena waved her hand in denial at the truly burdensome expression as she replied.
"S-Saintess? Rather than me, wouldn’t the priestess-nim in charge of this place be more like a Saintess?"
"Not at all. There were plenty of times when I harbored bad thoughts because it was so hard."
"I also frequently felt pessimistic about the world when things were difficult. Anyway, the elders staying here have seen their conditions rapidly improve, right?"
"Yes. All of this is thanks to the Holy Water brought by the Hero-nim."
"May I know what that Holy Water is?"
Shortly after starting her volunteer work, Selena was able to find a common thread.
Most of the mental patients to whom the Hero granted miracles had drunk the Holy Water.
Furthermore, after drinking that Holy Water, they suffered seizures before being cured immediately afterward.
Even if very minor details differed, that exact process remained identical. Thus, she was able to figure out that Holy Water was the key point.
"The Hero-nim said it was Holy Water personally blessed by Aris-nim. Glowing with a milky white light, it was truly beautiful."
"Milky white..."
Selena muttered softly under her breath. A Holy Water with a milky hue.
Connecting that to the Gallery—that is, Grylls—she could think of nothing other than Empty Sky Stone Milk.
A liquid she had also received in the past. At the time, she simply judged it to be good for the body or perfect for fatigue recovery.
’Had I known this, should I have kept at least one bottle?’
At the time, she poured an immense amount of energy into crafting Elixirs for Grylls.
Grylls, aware of this, handed over Empty Sky Stone Milk to cheer her up. Thanks to that, she was able to recover her strength.
However, it seemed that the true ability of Empty Sky Stone Milk lay elsewhere. And a capability different from ordinary Empty Sky Stone Milk at that.
’It’s originally famous for reviving people trapped in Qi Deviation or semi-corpse states. But it’s extremely rarely discovered, and it wasn’t even certain if it was Empty Sky Stone Milk.’
Selena focused on the part about reviving even someone in a semi-corpse state.
It could refer to the physical body, or it could refer to the mind.
Dementia was also at a level that turned a person into a living corpse.
Through such analysis, the question she originally harbored began to grow bigger and bigger.
At first, it was at the suspicion stage, but the more she dug, the moment it turned into conviction.
’No matter how great the Hero is, she cannot infinitely produce Holy Water comparable to Empty Sky Stone Milk.’
Selena thoroughly investigated Asella’s volunteer work records. Naturally, she pounded the pavement herself.
Asella wouldn’t easily hand over such records, and most of them were treated as classified information anyway.
Thus, the one fact she discovered was that Asella manifested miracles whenever she had time.
’Normally, people would have shown immense interest toward the person demonstrating these miracles.’
In reality, a lot of interest was being shown. But it stopped right there.
Since it was a miracle granted by the Hero, it couldn’t be explained with words. It was definitely imbued with Aris’s blessing.
Speculation based on faith was rampant, but no one raised a single doubt.
Perhaps it was a very natural thing. Through this blessing, Asella revived the faith that had been dying out worldwide.
She solidified the status of Aris in the world.
’The single word "Hero" was enough to quiet everything down.’
What if someone other than the Hero had performed such miracles?
It was clear that person would have drawn every bit of attention in the world. And that person would have gone into hiding due to the burden.
At the present point in time, no one was better suited to shower miracles freely than the Hero.
If so, for what reason was Grylls supplying Empty Sky Stone Milk to Asella?
’Simply because he wants to treat mentally ill people?’
It was a hypothesis with fairly high credibility. Grylls had a personality that couldn’t pass by sick people.
However, with just a little thought, it was clear that distributing it recklessly on the Gallery could lead to people abusing it or causing chaos.
Meaning there was no one better suited for this task than the Hero, Asella. And Asella was highly likely to be a "Fixed Handle" who formed a bond with Grylls.
’It’s only a hypothesis. To properly confirm it, I have no choice but to ask directly.’
It was a pity she couldn’t ask out loud. In her heart, she wanted to ask Grylls right away.
Whether he had ever distributed Empty Sky Stone Milk borrowing someone else’s name or reputation.
He didn’t have to reveal his Fixed Handle; she just wanted to confirm this single fact.
’Let’s not interrogate him. From his perspective, he must have distributed it for pure intentions.’
He was someone doing good deeds, so she couldn’t ruin it out of curiosity.
Still, she had gathered sufficient circumstances and evidence, so it was a satisfying investigation.
Now, all that remained was to go see Asella and subtly sound her out.
"Did you get any results?"
As Selena stepped out of the nursing home, Ash was waiting quietly.
Perhaps because she was wearing a uniform that clearly revealed her figure—especially her thigh line—or perhaps due to her brilliant beauty, she drew the glances of passersby.
Seeing this, Selena intuitively felt that photos would be posted on the Gallery before long as she opened her mouth to speak.
"Yes. I’ve gathered enough results. Let’s return now."
"Alright."
After the brief volunteer work, the two returned immediately to the Papal Palace.
They intended to meet Asella there, strike up a conversation, and sound her out.
"By the way, if the Hero really is the Orange Badge, what are you going to do?"
Ash whispered so that those around them couldn’t hear. Based on Selena’s opinion, she was also suspecting that the Hero was the Orange Badge.
However, apart from suspecting it, nothing came to mind regarding what she could actually do. It would be a relief not to get banned.
Selena wasn’t much different. She shrugged her shoulders and answered.
"There’s nothing we can do right away. If things go wrong, I might even get made into a Blue Badge."
"Isn’t that dangerous?"
"Why would it be dangerous? I’m just an unemployed person staying at home every day anyway. Above all, if the Hero really is the Orange Badge, it’ll be difficult for her to appoint me as an admin."
"Ah, because of the summoning ritual."
Selena nodded as if Ash was correct.
Currently, unless Selena took the lead, the summoning ritual for the Forest of the Four Seasons would be halted.
Kadir was there, but there was no telling what he might do. It meant Selena at least had to be present.
But if she were appointed as a Blue Badge? Grylls’s already slim chance of escape would hit rock bottom.
If so, Grylls’s view of the Hero would naturally sour. Asella would know this as well.
"Even if the Hero denies it, it doesn’t matter. We can just watch her reaction afterward."
"You mean she’ll react on the Gallery?"
"Yes. Honestly, I view the possibility of the Hero being the Orange Badge as very high."
The Hero Asella is the Orange Badge.
With just this single assumption, the puzzles that hadn’t been solved until now fit together perfectly.
Why Grylls spread the video of the Papal Palace’s torture.
Why the Orange Badge was so extraordinarily favorable toward Grylls.
Why the Hero proclaimed Grylls as the Herald of God.
Having received immense grace both privately and publicly, she had no choice but to treat him as her benefactor.
"Since a topic has come up just in time, we’ll be able to naturally continue the conversation."
"You mean the city?"
"Yes."
"I’ve never seen such a sparkling city before."
Selena agreed with those words. The panoramic view of the city glittering with night lights.
Even Setan, overflowing with money, could never pull off such performance art.
A spectacle that only gods could achieve, one that required reaching the pinnacle of technology to display.
’I hope he doesn’t get hurt.’
The two returned to the Papal Palace like that. The current time was lunchtime.
They had plenty of leeway to enjoy tea time after their respective meals. Not to mention, today was the weekend.
Asella also had piles upon piles of work, but she tended to take her own rest on weekends.
For that reason, she could comfortably face Selena’s party and enjoy a conversation.
"By the way, where is Kadir-nim?"
"He is studying the item brought from the Forest of the Four Seasons."
"Still?"
Should she consider it a relief? Kadir was not present here.
Right now, he was fully absorbed in analyzing the fighter jet piece by piece.
According to rumors passing by, there was even talk that he might invite artisans from Mountain to analyze it together.
Of course, this part had been cut off by Asella’s side, so there was no issue.
"He is someone with immense passion for research, so we must understand. Besides, he is also quite busy playing with the cat he recently adopted."
"Did he name that cat?"
"I believe he named it Cheese. How cute it is, purring every time it gets petted."
"...."
Hearing those words, Asella wore a bitter smile. The reason she smiled bitterly was simple.
Whenever she tried to touch Kadir’s cat—that is, Cheese—she got hit with cat punches.
Furthermore, fitting for a creature of the Forest of the Four Seasons, even those cat punches carried tremendous power.
Of course, given Asella’s stats, it didn’t leave a single scratch, but the emotional wound hurt much more than that.
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