"Hibbert" outside the door smiled. This unidentified person acquired the identity of Hibbert and joked to Audrey like a real brother:

"My sister is so impatient. Audrey, no matter where you go, you are the most dazzling gem in the crowd."

"Our family afternoon tea does not require special changes of clothes, but if you insist on doing so, I will wait for you outside."

Audrey's palms felt cold, but she still smiled and said:

"Then I can't keep you waiting any longer."

She was not sure whether this was a test or a "surprise", so in order to facilitate her escape, she chose to wear convenient trousers.

When she opened the door, her brother Hibbert was standing outside. Audrey was in a daze for a moment, but she came back to her senses immediately.

If she hadn't heard something strange in the room just now, she would have naturally believed that this was "Hibbert"!

Audrey showed an impeccable smile, and her tied up hair and light and convenient riding clothes gave her a more refreshing beauty. "Hibbert" praised:

"Pearl white suits you very well, Audrey."

"Thanks."

Audrey walked to "Hibbert" as if nothing had happened, and the two of them walked side by side towards the garden balcony.

Along the way, all the servants in the castle seemed to have come out, carrying large and small things back and forth, and placing items covered with black cloth in every corner of the castle.

Audrey was confused and had a vague bad feeling, but "Hibbert" looked like he was used to it, so Audrey didn't dare to ask questions.

Finally, amid Audrey's anxiety, they reached the third floor. Two servants worked together to carry a huge item past them and walked downstairs.

The wind while walking blew a corner of the black cloth.

At the moment of intersection, Audrey caught a glimpse of the back of her head in the black cloth - this thing was a huge mirror.

The servants are constantly taking out the mirrors from the room and placing them in the castle in a strange order and at different angles.

Audrey moved her feet slightly, and the mirror bracket just scratched her trouser leg.

She stopped and complained:

"What a pity, my brand new clothes."

"Hibbert" stopped naturally, followed Audrey's gaze, and comforted his sister:

"These servants are too careless. Don't be sad. I will ask the tailor to make you a new one."

"Audrey, forgive them. After all, decorating the castle is an urgent matter."

When Audrey heard this, she said glumly: "I know."

She stood up straight again and continued to move forward. Before entering the balcony, she loosened her clenched right fist and let the sweat in her palms dry naturally to prevent attracting "Hibbert"'s attention.

As one of the owners of the castle, she knows it better than anyone else.

——There is no requirement to "decorate the castle with mirrors" at all.

469

"...I have heard of your name, but I never thought that the philosopher who proposed the theory that 'man is born free' is still alive in this world. I have also read your books and papers you have published.

"On Human Nature Formed by Man in the State of Nature" gave me great inspiration and gave me a deeper understanding of thinking about 'human nature'."

Amon expressed his opinions seriously like a philosopher.

Standing opposite him was an old man with white beard and hair, wearing a simple bishop's robe, tall and thin.

His beard was trimmed properly, his face was friendly yet serious, and his sea-blue eyes shone with a wise light that was almost non-existent among Storm believers.

"Life is born free, but it is always in chains."

"The kindness of our nature is being tested all the time, and our freedom is also running in shackles. In reality, our world is full of danger and chaos, and shackles are both constraints and protection."

The professor-like bishop smiled and talked to Amon.

He didn't wash the ground with lightning in a furious manner, he didn't ask the other party quickly for information about the lost sealed artifact, and he didn't show vigilance or fear in his eyes towards this young man whose rank was higher than his own.

"That paper was written almost ninety years ago. I used it to obtain a doctorate in philosophy from the Lemberg State University."

He smiled and sighed: "I'm honored that my immature works when I was young can inspire you. Your understanding of 'human nature' is equally novel and new. If I hadn't met in this situation, I would have wanted to invite you.

Let’s discuss it together.”

"One of your points is very interesting... In the state of nature, human beings live in harmony while fighting nature for their own survival, and have formed good and simple virtues in their mutual relationship with nature. There is no unified moral code

, but human nature is natural and perfect, and you think that the development of civilization has destroyed these primitive virtues, people are becoming smarter and smarter, but private ownership has made people's minds worse..."

Amon then changed his title and used honorifics, trying to make himself look more humane, more trustworthy, and less like a fraud.

——However, this behavior itself is naturally a kind of "fraud"!

After saying this, he joked humorously:

"If another professor I know well heard this point of view, I guess he would be eager to debate with you."

"oh?"

Lurmi asked with interest: "It seems that my colleague does not agree with my concept."

"Not necessarily." Amon shrugged, "After all, the textbooks he gave me still include your works and papers, right?"

"Sounds like an interesting man. The debate happened a long, long time ago."

The professor and bishop showed a nostalgic look in his eyes. Then he broke away from the atmosphere of the academic discussion, looked around at the people standing still, and said:

“What is your insight into the current situation?”

"Although this is presumptuous, you need to share some intelligence. Your sealed artifacts have caused big problems to my city, and you should take responsibility."

Amon had no choice but to shift from the topic of "human nature" that he was most interested in to the pursuit of sealed artifacts that he was not interested in:

"The sealed object I lost corresponds to the 'thief' path and has the ability to 'deceive'. The current identity confusion is its influence. The spiritual imprint left in it has strong malice towards me, but I am not sure about it.

Will you choose to run away or attack me?"

"The crowds, obstructions and car accidents you see are all behind the scenes, and the purpose seems to be to prevent me from getting closer..."

Amon thought for a moment and said:

"Somewhere in the manor area outside the city."

"Well, that's a useful piece of information..."

At this moment, some slight noises attracted the attention of the two saints. They turned their heads together and saw a large golden retriever dog with its tongue hanging out walking back and forth among the still crowd.

What they heard was the sound of the big dog's paws hitting the ground.

"animal?"

Amon was confused at first, and then he realized: "Animals may not be within the scope of influence of that sealed object."

Lurmi had already walked over: "Maybe it represents someone's cry for help."

The silent crowd made a sound of dense footsteps, and all stepped back a few steps, exposing the position of the big golden retriever dog.

The golden retriever was treading on the spot a little uneasily. Lurmi touched its head, then reached out to open the small leather bag that the golden retriever was carrying, and took out a note from it.

After unfolding, a woman's beautiful handwriting wrote:

"An abnormality occurred in the Hall family castle, and I was trapped in the castle."

Lurmi looked at it, thought about it, and then said clearly to Amon:

"Your information is correct."

When Amon heard this, he looked over and saw the words clearly. He couldn't believe it:

"It's actually hiding in that area. Isn't this a fraud?"

"The northern urban area is under my jurisdiction, as are the manor areas of the nobles. The Hall family is a believer in the goddess. I will contact the Church of the Night and go there first to check the situation. If conditions permit, I will rescue the survivors first." Lu

Ermi put away the note and said to Amon in a friendly manner, "I am already an old man and have no courage. Therefore, I hope you can... protect the people in the northern urban area on my behalf."

He slightly emphasized the word "protect".

Amon frowned: "I should be the one to handle my sealed artifacts."

"And you shouldn't give me the responsibility of protecting the people. I'm a wild Extraordinary."

He didn't want to take responsibility, and he didn't understand the reason why Lurmi did this from the bottom of his heart. Although the reasons were very good, he really couldn't understand the reason why the other party trusted him so much.

Is it possible that my "sincerity" actually succeeded in deceiving me?

"Citizens need protection, and I don't have the means to control them on a large scale."

Lurmi looked at the librarian's uniform and colorful scarf on him, and smiled kindly again: "I like the Municipal Library in Stone very much, and I often go there. The window seat on the fifth floor is the best."

"I also know that the number of thefts in Ston has dropped significantly in the past two months."

"I am already an old man and I just hope that I can live peacefully every day."

TBC

——————

I'm going to take the test for subject 4 in the afternoon. If I pass it, I'll get the textbook and I'll update it today or tomorrow.
Chapter completed!