Lugano, who had been listening, shot Lumian a puzzled glance. He couldn't fathom why Lumian would strike up a casual conversation with Pierre just as they were on the verge of departing.
A few more moments, and the official Beyonders would make their entrance!
Besides, delving too deep into this matter could invite trouble down the road. They might end up under scrutiny, or worse, attract the attention of the Derangement's source, prompting immediate intervention!
Pierre pondered for more than ten seconds before uttering with uncertainty, "Patient Zero seemed to be a guest renting a room at our bar…"
"Foreigner?" Lumian inquired with composure.
Having already briefed the official Beyonders about the Derangement through Franca and resolved to find an opportunity to "teleport" away later, Lumian was no longer as tense as before. Thus, before leaving, he aimed to unravel more about Derangement and construct a plausible explanation for the inconsistencies.
This quest for information, problem analysis, and uncovering of clues and answers was all part of a Conspirer's acting. With some idle time on his hands, Lumian seized the chance to digest some of the potion.
Lumian wasn't overly concerned about the potential repercussions of being privy to this situation.
Could the information on Derangement hold a candle to 0-01's sealed intel?
Moreover, as long as he didn't go berserk on the spot, he could later seek assistance from his superior to explore potential solutions!
Pierre contemplated for a few seconds, his expression reflecting confusion, and then he said, "Probably… I can't recall her name, and I have no idea where she came from. All I remember is that she suddenly lost her mind and dashed from the motel upstairs to the bar. She tried to bite people and barked like a dog."
The infected foreigner spreading Derangement to Dardel? Then why were the townsfolk displaying no inclination to escape this place? Is this also a manifestation of Derangement? Lumian asked thoughtfully, "Did she manage to bite anyone? What happened to her?"
"We took care of her before she could sink her teeth into anyone. We apprehended her and handed her over to the health department," Pierre recollected.
Sent to the health department? Lumian nodded slowly.
"Did the next person to succumb to madness come from the health department?"
"Yes, exactly!" Pierre affirmed this time.
Lumian pondered for a moment and inquired, "What did the resident look like?"
"A young woman. Her face was a bit pale, and her eyes were vacant. I-I can't recall her appearance…" Pierre couldn't help but raise his palm and rub his head.
Upon hearing this, Lumian's heart stirred.
If the root of all the abnormalities in Dardel indeed stemmed from a deranged individual, many contradictions could find an explanation!
Patient Zero was already in a state of madness; instinctively, she would spread Derangement to those around her in a supernatural sense, regardless of whether it was an isolated village or a bustling town serving as a transportation hub.
Simultaneously, she would subconsciously employ her ability to disseminate the supernatural Derangement, dropping hints to the townsfolk that leaving wasn't an option. She would control all channels that might carry the news. However, due to her madness and lack of thorough consideration, she didn't explicitly order the townsfolk not to discuss Derangement with the steam locomotive passengers.
Certainly, it wasn't necessarily due to a lack of thorough consideration. Lumian believed it was more plausible that the lunatic's instincts desired to involve more people and infect them with Derangement. Consequently, people who were aware of this weren't permitted to leave or seek help from the authorities. On the other hand, the prohibition didn't prevent residents from discussing Derangement with passersby.
This was a limited and relatively safe method of contagion. Passengers who knew about Derangement were akin to approaching the source of the plague. For instance, Lugano's luck had turned, increasing the probability of contracting the disease. Lumian and he had forgotten the option of escaping. The more they communicated, the more desperate they became, ultimately reaching a dead end. They were resolute in entering Dardel to investigate.
This was a precursor to becoming infected with Derangement. Unbeknownst to them, they had inadvertently received a mental cue.
With this in mind, Lumian suspected that the young woman might be a survivor of the village that had previously been eradicated, a potential carrier who had escaped the authorities' purge.
She had intertwined these memories with Derangement and disseminated them. That was how the residents of Dardel learned about a similar plague in a village wiped out by the authorities.
Typically, they lacked the qualifications or means to know such things!
Having formulated this preliminary hypothesis, Lumian smiled and turned to Pierre and the bar waiter, asking, "Where is the village you mentioned that was destroyed by the authorities because of Derangement?"
"I-I think it's somewhere in the Haut-Hornacis Province…" Pierre recalled the rumors he had heard.
Haut-Hornacis Province… That's quite a distance from Upper Coastal Province. Moreover, there's no direct steam locomotive; it requires a transfer through a few provinces in the West Midseashire Coast or Trier. How could you folks, who rarely leave Dardel, have heard such a rumor? Did a bard or passenger from Haut-Hornacis Province pass by this transportation hub? The more Lumian pondered, the more he leaned toward his hypothesis.
He refrained from pressing further and probed Pierre, "This Derangement holds significant research value. We'll venture into Dardel to investigate its source and try to find a cure.
"However, preparations will take some time. Moreover, it's nighttime.
"At dawn, we will step into Dardel. We won't depart until we resolve the problem."
Lumian stressed the phrases "will enter Dardel" and "will not leave for the time being" to gauge Pierre and the bar waiter's reactions.
Their expressions underwent several changes, and they were no longer as hysterical as before.
After a few moments, Pierre implored, "You must come to town tomorrow!"
"No problem," Lumian replied with a reassuring smile.
He was now even more convinced that this was an instinctive infection and influence. There was no structured approach to handling the alterations. As long as he avoided triggering a crucial matter or even took the initiative to broach the topic of cooperation, he could effectively deceive the source of Derangement.
Observing Pierre and the bar waiter about to move toward the other windows of the steam locomotive, Lumian called out to them, "Wait a moment."
After the two of them turned in surprise, Lumian gestured towards the table between the two sofas.
"You can take the cutlery away now."
Pierre and the bar waiter glanced at the dining table in confusion, realizing that only remnants were left on the empty plates.
Had they finished eating already? The delivery men hadn't even departed yet!
Pierre and the bar waiter were aware that they had spent a considerable amount of time discussing the Derangement issue, but it still felt surreal.
Won't they eating too quickly?
Was he feeding three lions?
Burp… Ludwig wiped his mouth with a tablecloth, a content expression on his face.
After the two townsfolk cleared away the cutlery, gathered their food boxes, and departed from the platform, Lumian smiled at Lugano and remarked, "Continue watching. Chill."
I can't chill. How are we to escape when the official Beyonders arrive? Lugano's heart felt like it was being grilled.
Observing his reaction, Lumian muttered silently, He's indeed acting like a wild Beyonder with a low Sequence and little knowledge… He doesn't show anything special like Ludwig… Is he really an ordinary wild Beyonder who only accepted a mission to follow me?
Simultaneously, Lumian focused his attention and checked Lugano's luck. He realized that the ghastly green traces had vanished, and there was no grisly calamity in store.
This meant that the Doctor no longer had the potential to contract Derangement, and he likely wouldn't be embroiled in the officials' operations to deal with Dardel's abnormality later.
After a while, Lumian heard a loud noise and saw the night suddenly brighten outside.
Light streamed down from midair.
Lumian looked up and noticed two colossal objects floating in the night.
They were two airships clad in dark gray paint, frantically spinning their paddles.
They were much smaller than the one Lumian had seen in Trier. The condensed light shone from their front and lower positions, converging on the edge of Dardel.
Simultaneously, the town erupted in a cacophony of barking once more, as if movement was taking place everywhere.
The officials from the Faust region are here? Lumian averted his gaze, awaiting the outcome.
Shouts, cries, gunshots, and various beams of sunlight continued for nearly an hour before completely subsiding.
Before long, a team of police officers entered the private room, questioning the now disguised, fake identification-wielding Lumian and company's interactions with Dardel's residents.
Other than anything related to Derangement, Lumian told them everything honestly.
He was ready to "teleport" away with Ludwig and Lugano at any moment.
After recording and comparing tickets and identification, the police officers left the carriage.
Lumian patiently waited until dawn. The police officers returned, presenting three contracts and requesting their signatures.
The contract explained that the disturbance from the previous night had resulted from a special military operation, and everyone was obligated to keep it confidential.
Does what I revealed before my signature count? Lumian chuckled inwardly and calmly signed with an alias.
His fake identity had just been activated, and it had minimal mystic connections.
After the police departed, Lumian, having intentionally gone through the official process firsthand, intended to grasp Lugano and Ludwig's shoulders and "teleport" away.
Uncertain if the contract signed with an alias would be discovered, he aimed to avoid potential risks.
At that moment, Lumian noticed a towering figure behind Lugano.
It was his messenger, Penitent Baynfel, draped in a dark clergyman's robe and surrounded by charred flames.
Baynfel sent a folded letter drifting towards Lumian.
Lugano was taken aback to see a piece of paper materialize. He instinctively glanced behind him, but Lumian opened the letter and perused its contents.
"Based on the feedback I received, this should be the escape of a Sealed Artifact.
"That Sealed Artifact resembles a young woman. It first surfaced during a catastrophe in Haut-Hornacis Province. Most of the time, she remains in her normal state, appearing lifeless, pale, and muddle-headed. However, once she enters a state of madness, she gradually infects the surrounding people with the same Derangement as her. There's no definite transmission pattern.
"She might not be in the same state every time she goes mad. The same goes for her Derangement symptoms.
"In her normal state, although she's like an unintelligent ghost and acts on instinct, she possesses a power akin to the power of speech, where whatever she says comes true, and if she declares someone dead, they will die…"
