Eldritch Horror Theatre

Hmm... Er...

It was obvious that Mister Layton was experiencing some complicated emotions.

His previous question had carried a certain grand resolve of wanting to hear the Dao in the morning and die content in the evening.

But the true difficulty of making such a grand vow always lay in what came after the wish was fulfilled.

Though he didn't actually have to die, being given the answer—and simultaneously being told that knowing it was useless—made it quite difficult to maintain his composure.

For a moment, Mister Layton's expression looked a bit like he was dissociating. He was genuinely surprised, yet his face was as stiff as a painting.

"Look on the bright side. Now you can fully enjoy the pleasures of folklore research. You can go about your work with more peace of mind, without constantly worrying that your discoveries will be found out by the Night Watchers, forcing you to act cautiously at every turn."

Empathizing deeply with those feelings, Fu Qian casually served up a bowl of psychological arsenic.

'...So as long as I'm a piece of trash, I don't have to worry that heaven envies the talented?'

However, while it wasn't exactly friendly, Expert Fu's advice was always rock solid.

Thinking about it carefully, it really was the truth.

A major reason The Club maintained such a delicate relationship with the Night Watchers was that everyone still held out hope.

They believed there was still a slight chance that, right under the Night Watchers' noses, they could grasp some sort of power by skirting the rules, which would greatly benefit their path to the Transcendent Tier.

But what if an almost despairing outcome turned out to be true? Namely, that The Club's theories might be correct, but in the future, it would most likely just be an academic research institution?

Since one is unyielding without desires, he would naturally cooperate if the Night Watchers came knocking again. But if a similar situation ever arose, Mister Layton obviously wouldn't have to carry so much psychological baggage.

"You're right... Thank you for your guidance. I just don't know if there's anything I can do to repay you in some small way."

After a moment of deep thought, Layton seemed to have finally navigated his long and winding emotional journey, thanking him with a sigh.

"It's fine. I know."

As a mysterious expert and a suspected Ancient King, Fu Qian's demeanor remained forever gentle and natural. He waved his hand, signaling for him not to worry.

"In The Club's research over the years, have you ever paid attention to the Dancer demographic?"

...

Given that they were the target of his very first mission, Fu Qian was quite interested in that group of cultural industry workers.

Not to mention their highly creative design of using the belly button as the first ring of the Inviolable.

As a professional accustomed to all sorts of filth and distortion, Fu Qian naturally wouldn't think that a slightly risqué performance could constitute a blasphemy against authority.

But by the same token, he wouldn't carelessly underestimate the service sector.

This relatively "people-oriented" social mechanism often made it both sensitive and adaptable.

Gregor's theory that Layton had mentioned earlier—namely, that "mutations in the spread of folklore are akin to biological evolution"—might be a bit of an exaggeration, but it was still an interesting idea.

Furthermore, since a core member of The Club—which had been dedicated to studying related subjects for years—was standing right in front of him, wouldn't it be a massive waste not to squeeze him for some findings?

"...Of course!"

No matter how gentle his attitude was, it was still hard to believe that the man standing before him was some selfless sage.

Layton had clearly prepared himself to pay a price.

In the end, not only did the other party refrain from demanding any bloody sacrifices, illegal acts, or the like, but the question he asked was so specific that it genuinely caught him by surprise.

After a brief moment of shock, Layton quickly gave a firm nod, slipping back into his element of professional expertise.

"Although this group doesn't have many members, they are undoubtedly a distinct cultural symbol with high influence. Ever since they started embedding the mark of the Inviolable on their bellies, we've been keeping a close eye on them the entire time.

"Relatively speaking, however, the consensus within The Club regarding them is quite clear: they hold little value... because this industry hasn't even been passed down continuously. Strictly speaking, it has existed for a shorter time than The Club itself."

Without needing any interaction from Fu Qian, Layton continued to share everything he knew, even offering up an interesting piece of information.

"At the same time, because they've been protested against on multiple occasions, the designs on their bellies have been forced to undergo continuous evolution. It's gotten to the point where more than one person in The Club believes they no longer need to be kept as subjects of observation."

...

'So it's actually a form of artificial folklore? I've certainly seen quite a lot of that.'

However, if one were to judge actions not intent, the art form was still quite commendable.

Given that the research subject came into being even later than the research group itself, it was entirely logical for Mister Layton and his peers to classify the Dancers as a secondary project.

It didn't even contradict what Clara had said at the time.

Different ages yield different perceptions of timespans.

Given how young she was, this piece of artificial folklore had likely existed before she was even born.

The evolution of the Inviolable decoration on their bellies naturally left a much deeper impression on Clara.

However, as he gave a slight nod, the dance routine he had just been admiring surfaced in Fu Qian's mind.

Although the performer had been a bit tacky, the art itself wasn't. It didn't look like something a random folk dance expert had just thrown together.

"The dance they perform should have a prototype, right?"

Remaining noncommittal about the internal disputes of the folklore club, Fu Qian focused on the deeper details.

"It does. The dance itself is indeed an ancient creation, even tracing back to the Mythological Era at its earliest. It's a type of prayer dance to the gods related to faith, although no one knows exactly who it was directed toward anymore."

He had originally intended to answer the questions cautiously, but during their conversation, this mysterious figure actually gave off a genuine feeling of academic discussion. While Layton found this hard to comprehend, he also discovered a certain thrill in the exchange.

"The currently accepted consensus within the academic community is that its original meaning was extremely solemn, and it very likely represented disaster and ominous tidings. Because of this, more than one person has been deeply pained by how it has evolved, urging others not to consume it..."

"That might not be of any use. That sense of contrast might actually make them even more popular."

Fu Qian didn't spoil the mood. Making a rare display of his stance, he showed little optimism regarding the efforts of those conscientious academic professionals.

The reasoning was simple. While watching the performance, Clara had mentioned the evolutionary history of the Dancers' aesthetic.

The entire process was enough to prove that, fueled by an excessive abundance of hormones, any holy and pure object could easily be warped into an erotic accessory.

"Indeed, otherwise the Inviolable wouldn't have appeared on the bodies of those Dancers.

"All in all, these are The Club's views on the matter. In addition, from what I understand, the Night Watchers share a similar attitude... and I will keep the contents of today's conversation a secret."

Layton had clearly thought of this as well. While marveling at the meticulousness of Lao Wang's Insight, he sighed in agreement.

"There's no need."

However, faced with his final declaration, Fu Qian simply shook his head.

"Just continue fulfilling your duties as a good citizen."

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