RNP Chapter 803 Flower God Birthday Festival (4)
Chapter 803 Flower God Birthday Festival (4)
Caesar said: "A scholar who truly masters the gift of the gods is enough to become the pillar of Sumeru's knowledge and national strength - it can only benefit the entire country."
"But the prerequisite is that it must be a true legacy of the gods, not a disaster in disguise. Otherwise... I fear that Xumi will eventually follow the same fate as Kanriya."
[Pattern, this is the pattern! ]
He wasn't worried about the royalists getting hold of the divine canned knowledge and suppressing the reformists; he was only concerned about whether it contained divine wisdom.
[I can only say that the Great Compassion Tree King has carefully selected his talents. Judging from his performance in the plot so far, Caesar truly deserves the title of Sage.]
[Thinking wholeheartedly of his country and the gods, Caesar's character is truly like a stabilizing force.]
[His sense of security isn't as good as the Emperor's, but if he can compare to the Emperor in terms of security, how bad can he be?]
Ying's expression suddenly froze, her pupils shrank slightly, and her voice trembled slightly: "What do you mean...?"
Caesar shook his head slowly, a look of deep worry between his brows. "There is no solid evidence for all this yet, it's just my speculation. But I suspect—"
As he spoke, his tone grew deeper. "I suspect this so-called canned knowledge of the gods may not contain the wisdom left behind by the gods."
On the contrary, it is very likely the same force that destroyed Kanria five hundred years ago."
Paimeng gasped, his face instantly turning pale:
"Y-You mean...the abyss?"
Caesar looked into the distance, his eyes complex and heavy:
"I hope not."
Ying opened her lips slightly, but no sound came out for a long time, and her heart was filled with turmoil.
She looked in the direction of the House of the Decrees in disbelief—those people actually planned to make use of things that might be related to the abyss instead of completely destroying them!
Have they never read history?
Don’t you know how the last country that touched the abyss was reduced to ruins in flames and curses?
Everyone was talking in low voices, and the atmosphere was as heavy as lead.
At this moment, Yiya suddenly felt something in his heart, as if being pulled by some invisible force, and suddenly turned his head to look at the other side of the Grand Bazaar.
A familiar figure quietly appeared in the bustling crowd.
He immediately stretched out his little hand, held Ying's hand tightly, and shook it gently, as if seeking confirmation.
Ying lowered her head, her eyes softened, and she asked softly, "Xiao Yiya, is there something wrong?"
"Sister, sister... over there, over there! It's... Catherine!" Yiya pointed to the distance, waving her little hands and speaking incoherently.
Ying, Paimon, and Caesar immediately looked in the direction she pointed.
Catherine, who was supposed to be waiting quietly behind the counter of the Adventurer's Association, was now walking alone in the venue of the Flower Goddess' Birthday Festival.
Paimon's eyes widened, his face full of confusion:
"Huh? That's...Katherine?"
“Hmm…?”
Under the gaze of everyone, the usually gentle and quiet receptionist was humming an unknown ballad and walking leisurely among the colorful flags and lanterns.
He admired the festive decorations with a mesmerized look in his eyes, a strange yet gentle smile on his lips.
This scene was completely different from the Catherine they remembered, but she seemed more humane.
[Surprise! Catherine has grown legs (bushi)]
【Medical miracle, medical miracle! 】
[Holy crap, she can actually walk!]
【Shock, Catherine comes out! 】
【Katherine really came out.】
[If I go to the Adventurer's Guild now, will I still be able to see Catherine?]
[Catherine Shumagia Limited Edition. (After using the Void Terminal, Catherine really looks like Shumagia.)]
Caesar stared at Catherine, his gray-blue eyes flickering slightly, like sparks dancing in the cold night, revealing a hint of elusive depth.
"Miss Catherine actually walked out from behind the counter of the Adventurer's Guild - what a rare guest." Ying sighed softly, her eyes full of surprise, as if she had witnessed a strange sight that defied common sense.
Paimon's eyes widened as he floated in the air, clicking his tongue repeatedly: "Oh! Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever seen Catherine leave her post before!"
"In my impression, she's like a nail behind the counter of the Adventurer's Guild, always there, handing out quests, stamping, and distributing rewards... She's more punctual than a clock!"
Caesar raised the corners of his lips slightly, revealing a meaningful smile, his voice low and somewhat playful:
"Congratulations, both of you! Today I finally have the pleasure of meeting this receptionist who works all year round. This is a rare time to get off work."
"Huh?" Paimon was so shocked that he almost fell from the air. "Open all year round? Is the work of the Adventurer's Guild really that hard? Don't you even have time to breathe?"
Ying frowned slightly, thought for a moment, and then analyzed, "Perhaps it's because adventurers come from all directions and may arrive at any time, so the receptionist must be on duty at all times and can't leave easily."
Caesar shook his head slightly, his tone suddenly turning cold: "No, the real reason is not like this."
He swept his eyes across the two of them like a knife, and said with a helpless smile:
"It's because—the Catherine you know is not human at all."
"what?"
"She's not human?"
Ying and Paimon said in unison, their voices filled with shock and disbelief.
"Well, that's right. She..." Caesar said word by word, "is an intelligent puppet."
"Intelligent...puppet?" the two asked again in unison, their voices filled with confusion and caution.
Caesar laughed helplessly. "Please, if Catherine were an ordinary person, how could she possibly be working as a receptionist at the Adventurers' Guild of the Seven Kingdoms?"
"Could she be seven? Or is it possible that each person's facial features, tone of voice, and mannerisms are exactly the same, even the fingerprints are the same?"
He spread his hands, his tone growing more emotional. "Oh—and there's more than just the Seven Kingdoms. Nordkalai also has an Adventurer's Guild."
"That's even more ridiculous. Could it be that all the Catherines in the world are just the same actor performing a one-man show? And performing it flawlessly?"
[This is such a sharp comment.]
[Every complaint is spot on. How about you be the one making the complaints?]
[By the way, Caesar, are you this kind of person who makes fun of others? ]
[I knew it. Characters are meant to be broken. Aloof characters are meant to be turned into comedic characters.]
[But... Caesar seems to have mentioned a new term, Nordkalai? Could this be another new map? We can't possibly have to visit another place before we complete the Seven Kingdoms, right?]
His eyes flashed, and he quickly sorted out his logic and concluded in a low voice:
"So there is only one answer - Catherine is not human, and has never been human."
"correct."
Caesar nodded, his voice low and deep, like the wind sweeping across the wasteland: "Every Catherine you have ever met is actually an intelligent puppet created by the Sixth Chief of the Fatui—the Puppet."
"They appear to be real people, eloquent, well-versed in etiquette, and can even simulate emotional responses... but ultimately, they are nothing more than sophisticated mechanical creations, perfect products produced on an industrial assembly line."
"Well... maybe there is Catherine who has truly possessed her own feelings, but at least I have never seen it."
Paimeng suddenly covered his mouth, his cheeks pale, and his voice trembled: "Sixth...sixth seat? Higher than "Sir" and "Madam"? Oh my God...it turns out that we have been chatting, accepting tasks, and receiving rewards with a puppet..."
She shuddered suddenly, "Does she...know that she's not real?"
Ying nodded and said, "I think she knows. Sometimes when I'm doing a mission, I often hear Catherine mumbling to herself about things like clockwork, lubricants, and charging."
"Then why don't you tell me!" Paimon was dissatisfied with Ying's concealment.
Ying shrugged. "I thought you could hear it. After all, you were right next to me, right? And you never asked."
[Classics are all classics: You didn’t even ask me.]
[Sixth place, isn't that right in the middle?]
"Speaking of which, Executive, I think we've only fought one Young Master so far. Using Young Master as a reference, we can't be sure of the Sixth Seat's level."
[Don't talk like our young master is weak! ]
Caesar tilted his head slightly, looked at his companion with a gentle gaze, and asked softly, "Do you want to meet him?"
Ying and Paimon looked at each other and nodded at the same time.
After all, she is a puppet created by the Fatui, and her identity is subtle. To be cautious, we should ask her real purpose of appearing in the Grand Bazaar.
So, the group walked towards Catherine.
“Catherine—”
Paimon called out in a clear voice with a long tone.
"Ok?"
Catherine turned around when she heard the voice, her eyes gently falling on everyone, a familiar smile on her lips: "Oh, it's Ying, Paimon, and Caesar the Sage, hello. And..."
She leaned forward slightly, her gaze gently falling on Yiya, a trace of pity in her eyes: "Hello to you too, little one, your name is Yiya, right?"
"Yes...it's me." Iya responded a little stiffly, his fingers unconsciously clenching the corner of his clothes.
Catherine's eyebrows twitched slightly, and she looked at Ying with concern: "Isn't she able to speak yet?"
Ying gently stroked Yiya's soft hair, and said in a gentle tone: "I have only learned it for a while, so I am not very proficient yet."
"Is that so?" Catherine smiled, a soft light flashing in her eyes. "If I have the chance, I'd be happy to teach her how to speak. Of course, the prerequisite is that you are willing to trust me."
Caesar raised the corners of his lips slightly, his eyes as deep as the night sky, and he said softly: "I believe they will be willing to believe you."
Catherine's smile deepened upon hearing this, but she humbly shook her head, "Thank you, Sage Caesar, for your trust. However, whether or not they are willing to give this trust ultimately depends on Ying and the others' own choice, isn't it?"
Caesar nodded, his tone calm but firm: "Indeed."
Paimon placed his hands on his waist, looked up at the woman before him who was always smiling, and exclaimed, "Wow, Miss Catherine's temperament is really different when she's resting! I thought your first sentence in any occasion would be "Towards the stars and the abyss!"
The already deep-rooted impression became even more profound after learning that Catherine was actually an intelligent doll.
Paimeng was even certain in his heart:
In her program settings, "towards the stars and the abyss" is the highest priority instruction. No matter when and where, as long as someone appears, this sentence will be automatically triggered - as precise as a mechanical clock.