After hearing Elias's description of the little girl, Edmond fell into a long silence.
Elias didn't press him either.
"A little girl..."
After a long time, Edmond's voice finally echoed faintly in his mind, carrying a hint of confusion and caution.
"Though I'm loath to admit it, since she appeared during the advancement ritual, the possibility that she is an avatar of the Moon Lord is not nonexistent; in fact, it's quite high."
"The Moon Lord is honored as the Three-Phase Moon in the church's scriptures."
Edmond began to explain seriously:
"This refers to the three phases of the moon's waxing and waning."
"As you saw in the prayer before, the one representing the Waxing Moon phase happens to be the Moon Lord's image as a maiden."
"This seems to match up."
"But it doesn't."
"Because in legend, the Moon Lord has silver hair."
"The Waxing Moon phase, Full Moon phase, and Waning Moon phase correspond to the Moon Lord's supreme authority in the three domains of spirituality, warding, and passage."
"This can also be confirmed through the spells."
"For example, 【Darkvision】, 【Malice Perception】, 【Interpretive Insight】, and 【Spirit Sensing】—these four spells clearly represent the 'spirituality' side of the Moon Lord's authority."
Edmond began to analyze them as if counting his family treasures:
"【Darkvision】 grants you clear vision within a sixty-foot range in lightless environments; this is a direct enhancement of the senses by spirituality."
"【Malice Perception】 and 【Spirit Sensing】 are even more special. They don't require you to actively construct complex casting circuits; instead, they have solidified into a sort of instinct."
"The former allows you to keenly perceive the malice emitted by surrounding spirit world creatures."
"The latter allows you to lock onto the positions and emotional fluctuations of spiritual bodies within a thirty-foot radius."
"As for 【Interpretive Insight】, it allows you to read strong emotions remaining in objects, which are traces left by spirituality."
Elias nodded thoughtfully.
These were so-called passive skills and scouting skills.
With this set of tools, his survival rate on this perilous, isolated island would indeed double.
This also seemed to be why Edmond was confused about why he wasn't sleeping when the old ghost didn't know he was an ordinary person.
After all, a transcendent didn't need to stay awake at all times to sense danger.
He suddenly had a thought and immediately closed his eyes, mobilizing that spirituality that moved as easily as his own limbs, attempting to extend it outward.
Edmond was right on his wrist; logically, he should be as clear as a moth under a searchlight.
However, in his spiritual perception, that simple and unadorned bracelet was like a lifeless object, with no spiritual body reaction at all.
"Don't bother."
Sensing Elias's intention, Edmond said flatly.
"I don't count as being within your range."
"Remember? I told you before that I reside in a spirit world space within the bracelet."
"I remember."
Elias opened his eyes.
Edmond continued to explain:
"The interior of this bracelet is connected to an independent space in the spirit world, which is how I've been able to preserve my soul until now."
"So, you won't find me simply by relying on 【Spirit Sensing】."
"Perhaps you can try it the next time that thief named John comes."
"Understood."
Elias responded.
"Continue."
Edmond didn't waste any words and kept explaining.
"Next is 'warding'."
"【Moonlight Veil】, 【Moonlight Blessing】, and 【Moonlight Enchantment】—these three spells represent this authority of the Moon Lord."
"【Moonlight Veil】 can create a soft curtain of spiritual light, slightly obscuring your figure and lowering your presence in the eyes of others."
"【Moonlight Blessing】 has become a part of your constitution; when you are under moonlight, your wound healing, spirituality recovery, and stamina recovery speeds will significantly increase."
"As for 【Moonlight Enchantment】, as I said just now, it can imbue an object with a layer of moonlight attribute, allowing it to burn spiritual bodies and cause damage to those evil things loathed by the Moon Lord."
"Finally, there are the spells on the 'passage' side."
"Which is the last of the spells you learned—【Mental Message】."
"Based on the authority of 'passage', this spell allows you to establish a temporary mental link with another intelligent creature for direct conscious communication without opening your mouth."
Hearing this, Elias's brow twitched slightly.
Doesn't this sound exactly like the way Old Ed communicates with him?
"No wonder you can do this."
He had always thought Old Ed could speak in his head because of the bracelet's effect.
He hadn't expected it to be a proper spell.
"But isn't your main body in that sealed spirit world space?"
Elias keenly pointed out the contradiction.
"That is the wonder of the Moon Lord's authority."
"Because this bracelet itself is an alchemical item made based on the authority of passage."
"Its core ability is connection and passage, which is why my soul can be preserved inside."
"So, I borrowed the bracelet's properties and then cast 【Mental Message】, thereby opening a channel directly connected to your consciousness."
"It was the same when I spoke to John before."
Elias didn't speak.
Sitting in the dim wooden hut, his expression gradually stiffened.
If... 【Mental Message】 was used for conscious communication...
If that were the case...
'Then doesn't that mean...'
Elias didn't open his mouth.
This time, he constructed the sentence directly with his consciousness in his mind.
'Then doesn't that mean I don't have to move my lips at all, and I can talk to you just by thinking in my head?!'
"Yes."
Edmond answered as if it were a matter of course, his tone carrying a hint of indifference that said "you finally figured it out."
"God damn it!"
Elias couldn't help but curse out loud.
He stood up abruptly, nearly knocking over the chair behind him.
Thinking back on everything from the past few days.
Whether he was repairing the buoy, fishing, or confronting John.
What had he been doing?
He had been talking to himself like a complete idiot!
He had been shouting at thin air!
"John was right there watching while I talked to you for ages!"
Elias covered his face with both hands.
"That made him think I was crazy from the start!"
"And I even thought that misunderstanding was unavoidable!"
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?!"
He roared in his mind, questioning this old ghost who lacked any sense of public morality.
"You didn't ask!"
Edmond's voice sounded almost aggrieved.
Elias slumped back onto the bed powerlessly, staring blankly at the ceiling.
His heart was tired.
Just let it all end.
A deathly silence fell over the room.
After a long while.
"How? Are you depressed?"
Old Ed asked tentatively.
"No."
Seeing that Elias wasn't having a major breakdown, he cleared his throat and dragged the conversation back on track.
"Then shall I continue?"
"Regarding that little girl you saw."
"Combining the image you described with that sense of pressure capable of seeing through the essence of your soul."
"I currently have two guesses."
"The first is what I said just now: she is one of the phases of the Moon Lord, or some kind of avatar."
"She just differs from the legendary image."
"The second."
Edmond paused.
"This one is more dangerous."
"Have you ever heard of..."
"Spiritual hijacking?"
Rate on N.U.
