Edwina knew Alice was talking nonsense. Her expression, her movements, her demeanor all indicated this.
But she was particularly serious: "However, some people were special. They would receive magic school admission letters at eleven, and some would become magical girls at twelve...
"If neither happened, then they could only wait until after eighteen, and according to different talents go to Cassel College or Miskatonic University for college..." [Note 1]
Facing Alice's serious eyes, Edwina deeply regretted asking that question just now—she had to start thinking about which of Alice's words were true and which were false.
She decided to talk to Alice about another matter first:
"Alice, if you feel staying on the 'Golden Dream' is boring, you can leave at any time—okay?"
Alice's movements paused slightly. She hesitated and asked: "Did Gehrman tell you to say this to me?"
"Yes," Edwina honestly nodded, "He said his original intention wasn't to restrict your freedom. If you really don't like it, you can leave."
Alice knew what Klein meant—the Saint Funaro incident had just passed not long ago. Klein was afraid a second Saint Funaro would appear.
Actually, even if encountering the same situation, the "Golden Dream" wouldn't become the next Saint Funaro. There weren't so many ordinary people as tourists on board...
As soon as this thought arose, Alice pressed it back down. She understood such words absolutely couldn't be spoken, because humans didn't like hearing her make such comparisons—at least Klein didn't.
However, Alice still had to speak up for herself: "Even if I do nothing, the sea isn't calm..."
Her voice gradually became smaller and finally disappeared. She suddenly realized she probably couldn't hide such secrets at all.
Ah this.
Alice silently lowered her head and quickly ended the topic: "I understand."
After getting an answer, Edwina didn't say much more and let her leave. Alice immediately ran off to bother the idle crew members.
Next, for the time before nightfall, Edwina was deep in thought.
Facing this question that divination couldn't answer, Edwina had a solution before the bonfire party arrived.
She truthfully reported upward the information about that civilization before the First Epoch from Alice's mouth, just like reporting progress on contact with Gehrman.
At the evening bonfire party, Alice, who didn't get to see Edwina's worried expression as hoped, sighed disappointedly.
This was her last happy day. After finishing the mysticism class the next morning, Alice thought this journey was really too peaceful, which was why Edwina could so calmly teach the crew.
Alice really wanted to do something, but having just made a promise, she couldn't immediately go back on her word. Moreover, even if she were to break the agreement, someone else should break it first, so she could justifiably cause trouble...
Time flowed slowly in Alice's painful waiting. This Sunday, the "Golden Dream" returned to Bayam.
What surprised Alice was that when returning to land, the first thing these pirates did wasn't go to places like the "Red Theater" for pleasure—well, this might be because of Edwina.
Nor was it to gamble—oh, this might also be because of Edwina.
In any case, under Alice's request (threat), Danitz brought Alice into an extraordinary gathering.
This was different from that loose gathering last time, more similar to the feeling of "Brave Bar" gatherings, but the difference was that disguising appearances was self-provided.
Theoretically, one could also not disguise, but one of Danitz's conditions for agreeing was that Alice had to cover herself completely from face to figure. His exact words were:
"Taking a little girl your age out in Bayam—I'd become Bayam's headline the next day!"
Alice originally wanted to say she had ways to make others not notice her, but she suddenly remembered the incident of her appearing with Klein who looked like Gehrman Sparrow, and corrected Danitz's words: "Mm... don't worry, you won't become famous for this.
"Everyone will just think you stole Gehrman Sparrow's lover, or kidnapped his family member or something..."
In any case, after this conversation ended, Alice, at Danitz's strong request, used a wide wizard robe and mask to cover her face along with those strange clothes, appearing at the extraordinary gathering.
The gathering started at nine PM. As time approached, people kept coming in. Just as Alice was boredly playing the game of wrapping her hands in sleeves and suddenly extending them while sitting, her spirituality was suddenly touched again.
...Why do I feel like my spirituality has been inexplicably touched every day recently.
Alice complained in her heart while retracting her hand into her sleeve and lifting her head.
Just then someone pushed the door open. That person wore the same black robe, and Alice even suspected they had just bought them at the same store.
This mysterious person was holding a book with an ocean-blue cover in their arms. Silver patterns were faintly visible at the edges, but the dim environment and distance made it impossible to see specific details.
What touched Alice's spirituality was precisely this book.
The mysterious person sat down at a position diagonally behind Alice, blocked mostly by the person in front. Alice only saw the mysterious person sit for over ten seconds, then place the book on their knees and slowly open it.
Could they really see the words clearly in this light?
Alice doubtfully glanced at the dim lighting around, then returned her gaze to the opposite side. The mysterious person had already closed the book. With the hood and mask jointly concealing them, Alice couldn't see the mysterious person's face.
When turning pages, the mysterious person's hand extended from the sleeve, but besides a pair of black gloves, Alice couldn't determine anything.
Alice had to return her gaze to that book. The ocean-blue cover was incredibly beautiful. The more Alice looked, the more charming she found it, unconsciously becoming absorbed.
That color so close to the sea made Alice unconsciously think of the "Deep Sea Delicacy Fish" she had eaten on the ship a few days ago, and then of that book "The Life and Lies of Roselle Gustav" that she had nibbled a few bites of.
Maybe, maybe the bad taste was that book's problem. Like this book, this book looked very delicious at first glance...
Alice unconsciously licked her lips, and a familiar yet strange desire gradually welled up in her heart.
Just then, the clock's second hand completed its final tick. Nine o'clock officially arrived. The organizer sitting at the center of the gathering coughed lightly and slowly announced in a hoarse voice: "Let's begin."