After hearing
Cattleya held the queen’s gaze without flinching. After a long moment she pursed her lips and said: «I know you must have destroyed all the clues so I have no chance of following your trail…
«To you, this is the end of the past, whether you return or not.»
Bernadette, her chestnut hair casually loose, stayed silent, as if confirming the «Star Admiral’s» guess in that way.
Seeing this, Cattleya gave a wry smile and said: «I won’t say that if you don’t come back in half a year or a year I’ll use every means to find you. I only ask that in the most dangerous moment you remember to recite Mr. Fool’s honorific name.»
She spoke the title frankly.
The «Mysterious Queen» Bernadette slowly nodded.
«I’ll remember.»
Cattleya immediately broke into a smile, her eyes misty.
«Are there any items or matters you want to entrust to me?»
Bernadette turned her palm over and produced an object from somewhere.
The object was entirely gold, like a miniature kettle, its surface covered with mysterious, complex symbols. A length of lamp wick extended from the spout.
«It is called the ‘Wishing Lamp,’ code ‘0–05.’ It may originate from the First Epoch, and even a True God cannot destroy it. Normally it has no harmful effects and doesn’t function, but it will constantly tempt you through dreams and illusions to rub its surface and summon that Lamp God,» the «Mysterious Queen» Bernadette briefly introduced its origin and function. «The Lamp God calls itself Eternity and can grant any ten wishes you make, but they are often fulfilled in extremely twisted ways or come with terribly dire consequences. My father said the holder can use words and preparations to avoid the harm of the first two wishes, but must never make a third wish.»
At this, Bernadette stressed again: «Never!»
«Sounds easy to avoid…» Cattleya thought a moment and said. «You make two wishes, then give it to me. I’ll make two more, then pass it to
She was just using Frank Lee as an example; she had no intention of letting that guy touch something so dangerous.
Bernadette held the lamp and shook her head almost imperceptibly: «A holder and an owner are different. Before I die, even if you obtain the ‘Wishing Lamp,’ you are only its owner. Your first wish will be counted simultaneously as my third wish and your first wish.
«Also, although we can use words and preparations to avoid the harm accompanying a wish, that doesn’t mean the Lamp God lacks intelligence. On the contrary, It is very smart, very cunning, and has strong autonomy.»
Cattleya went «Mm.»
«Then are there wishes It cannot fulfill?»
«So far it seems not. But if it involves the level of a True God, the distortion will be beyond your imagination. Simply put, if you wish to become a Sequence 0 True God, your body and soul will merge with an unknown evil god. Remember, the Lamp God demands that wishes be concise; otherwise It will refuse and count it as a wish already used,» the «Mysterious Queen» Bernadette explained.
When she finished, she had an invisible servant carry the «0–05» sealed artefact through the air to Cattleya.
After Cattleya received the «Wishing Lamp,» Bernadette continued: «If you dream of the Lamp God and are tempted by It into making a wish, that means I can no longer return. From then on you will be its holder. I hope your first wish will be to retrieve all the items
Cattleya looked down at the golden lamp and blurted out: «Can I wish for you to revive?»
The «Mysterious Queen» Bernadette was silent for a few more seconds before saying: «The revived me might only be a monster.
«If you really want to do that, you can ask Mr. Fool’s opinion.»
Cattleya nodded slightly.
«Okay.»
«This is the item I’m giving you and the matters I need to convey. Everything else I will leave to the
— The «Wishing Lamp» was of too high a rank and level to be delivered via messenger.
Before Cattleya could respond, the «Mysterious Queen’s» expression softened slightly.
«Haven’t you always wanted to share with me the experiences you’ve had over so many years?»
The «Star Admiral» Cattleya was startled, then nodded with an «Mm.»
«Yes.»
She walked to the queen’s side, pulled over a chair, and sat down facing the blue sea beyond the emerald railing.
Bernadette sat beside her, listening as she recounted her various encounters after leaving the «Dawn,» just like in the past.
Some of these things Cattleya had mentioned in letters, but limited by length she hadn’t described them in detail; others she was telling someone for the first time.
At some point Cattleya fell asleep and dreamed of a time many years ago.
Back then she was still a girl, stubbornly walking down the «Dawn» without looking back.
Suddenly she woke with a start. She found no one beside her and realized it was already dark, even toward dawn.
Cattleya reached out and tossed a hazy, insubstantial ball of yarn.
The ball rolled into the void, leaving behind a bright strand of yarn.
Along that strand, as if mastering «Teleportation,» Cattleya walked through the Spirit World and arrived above Racha Island.
She stood at the edge of a cliff and gazed into the distance. On the still slightly blackish deep blue sea, a magnificent, huge sailing ship, carrying the orange‑red morning glow, sailed toward the horizon.
Cattleya slowly sat down, leaned forward a little, wrapped her arms around her knees, and stared in that direction for a long time.
The sun gradually rose, scattering a bit of light onto her.
....
Staeling Summer, wearing a veil, no longer kept her head down as often as in previous months for fear of being recognized. She anxiously looked ahead, worried that the free food would run out before her turn.