Eldritch Horror Theatre

Claudora...

No wonder she gave off a peculiar sense of affinity at first glance. He had seen her before.

The name wasn't incredibly rare, but paired with a Peak Tier 4 Rank that even carried a trace of divinity, the odds of a mere coincidence were exceedingly slim.

"Professor?"

He might as well confirm it one more time.

Watching that young face with interest, Fu Qian casually tacked on the title.

"Hmm?"

Claudora looked surprised. She seemed partly taken aback by her own notoriety, but the rest was clearly a spike in vigilance.

He had to admit, compared to the other knights, she was truly special.

"Apocalypse Branch?"

Fortunately, as a professional with a built-in taunt aura, Fu Qian was quite experienced at dispelling suspicions.

A moment later, without waiting for Claudora to answer, he pressed on with another question to demonstrate just how much he knew.

Not only that, but at the same time, Fu Qian casually wiped a hand over his face, revealing his true appearance.

Of course, this was just his face and features. He hadn't bothered to regrow his hair, still sporting a head as bald as a boiled egg.

Fu Qian had no qualms about showing himself like this. He even took a moment to admire this rather rare look in the reflections around them.

"Such precise control over flesh and blood. It's enviable."

Sure enough, after those two consecutive displays, Claudora was finally moved by his sincerity. She looked Fu Qian's new face up and down, sparing no praise.

Though from Fu Qian's perspective, hearing that from her was a little strange.

"But you shouldn't call me Professor. I haven't earned that title yet."

Then, a moment later, Claudora rejected his earlier form of address.

...

It really was her... That immediately provided some very strong evidence for his earlier guess.

Regardless, as a sage of the Academy, the young Claudora standing before him had long since dissolved into a puddle of flesh and blood inside that metal container. He had already confirmed that.

So the knights really were pulled from history? They were all people who had once existed, whose fates had likely already met their end?

The probability was very high, and it matched the Wanderer's earlier behavior perfectly.

The risk he had taken in pursuit of more knowledge had finally paid off in this moment.

Meeting this legendary figure he had known by reputation for so long was an unexpected bonus.

But solving one mystery inevitably gave rise to another—why was Claudora here?

Judging from the strength and Ranks of the previous knights, it was easy to draw a conclusion: the Holy Infant was selecting the best of the best.

Regardless of how it managed it, the entity was snatching up the absolute strongest experts it could reach from history, using their power to guard its own rebirth.

It made sense. But as he had noted earlier, as the final grand entrance, Associate Professor Claudora seemed a bit underwhelming.

A highly unique predecessor he had only managed to meet by a stroke of fate... and a material.

Fu Qian placed far more importance on Claudora than on the previous three.

During their brief exchange, he had scrutinized her carefully once more. His conclusion was that she likely wouldn't be a match for any of the others.

Casi indeed hadn't boasted about this colleague for nothing. Though she was definitely not in the Demigod Realm, she made a remarkably outstanding impression.

Even in this eerie place, and even if her own state wasn't completely intact, she still gave off a sense of lucid clarity.

This clarity was fundamentally different from the surrounding crystals; it existed closer to the level of the soul.

In other words, as previously noted, the transcendent world was a muddled blend of soul and flesh. She was one of the less muddled ones.

"So that's how it is."

As he appraised her in his mind, Fu Qian gave a slight nod, admiring her honesty.

"Then you can call me Professor Fu Qian, because I did get that title."

He added the extra line to introduce himself.

...

They were both intellectuals within the same system. It was perfectly normal to exchange job titles upon meeting, right?

Her Excellency Claudora was as open-minded as an empty valley. He was sure she wouldn't harbor any negative feelings, only gratification.

"Professor Fu... Apocalypse Branch?"

Sure enough, when a shocked Claudora looked over a moment later, she only cared about Fu Qian's department.

"Yes, the Apocalypse Branch. Granted personally by Dean Casi."

Fu Qian didn't hide anything and answered honestly.

Of course, under the current circumstances, an answer like that would only arouse suspicion.

But just as he had noted when dealing with the Wanderer earlier, the principles of communication varied from person to person.

She might not be as paranoid as the Wanderer, but based on his observations and Casi's past introductions, the Claudora before him was undoubtedly a cautious and strong-willed person.

For a character like her, it was far more efficient to give an unreasonable answer and then rely on melting away past animosity, rather than spinning a casual lie and ending up in a cycle of mutual probing.

Let's not forget, the next round of Death Rock-Paper-Scissors could arrive at any moment.

Not to mention that, given her potentially incomplete mental state, certain specific pieces of information could even help her make connections—like right now.

"Casi? Dean?"

As she repeated the name in disbelief, the wariness and confusion in Claudora's eyes peaked, yet she didn't rush to refute him.

"Don't get too excited. Only the Dean of Apocalypse. That position in the Academy has been empty for many years."

Feeling quite pleased, Fu Qian calmly added another sentence while continuing down step by step.

...

"Am I in an abnormal state right now?"

She didn't disappoint. Vigilant but not obstructive, Claudora spoke up the moment Fu Qian stepped off the stairs, asking a rather abrupt question.

"A dream, a hallucination, a mental projection?"

She even listed out the possible answers.

"Likely your projection from a specific point in time."

As expected of the genius talent even Casi praised endlessly. Dealing with smart people was just that simple.

"Under the influence of an Ancient Higher Being's power, the projections of more than one transcendent, yourself included, have been pulled over to assist in its revival."

Seeing that Claudora had rapidly reached the stage of self-doubt, Fu Qian hid nothing else, quickly explaining his test findings.

"...And you are trying to stop all this from happening?"

She listened carefully, though it was hard to say how much she actually believed. Still, Claudora followed the line of reasoning Fu Qian provided.

"Trying to stop it."

Refining his description, Fu Qian raised his hand and pointed ahead, gesturing to talk as they walked.

Without even waiting for her reaction, he walked on the next moment, continuing his search along the Path of the Calamity Star.

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