Lord of The Mysterious Realms Chapter 1176

"Mister," the woman began, "my question is this: if you know of Nolan City, which is far from here, then please tell me, when was it that the Six Gods appeared there? I know you must be an Enchanter; otherwise, you couldn't possibly be speaking with me so calmly."

That was the woman's question, and it was certainly a curious one.

"She knows about the Six Gods descending on Nolan, yet she's asking me how long ago it happened," Jenkins mused. "She could be from the past, someone who gleaned clues from a prophecy. Or she could be from the future, where gaps in the historical record have left her missing crucial information."

Jenkins analyzed the situation. After a moment's thought, he settled on his next question, but of course, he had to answer hers first.

"That event you mentioned happened on the very last day of last year," he replied. "The descent of the Six Gods on Nolan caused a tremendous uproar in the material world. Even someone who doesn't know Nolan City would have heard of it. And just so you know, it's the latter half of March now, so that was about three months ago."

He made no attempt to decipher her eerie, green-glowing face, instead pressing on without hesitation.

"What time are you from?"

It was a direct question. Since he couldn't guess, he figured he might as well ask. After all, he could tell if she was lying.

"I can't answer that. To avoid any unnecessary trouble, the Dawn Express forbids us from revealing our origins—it's part of the agreement we signed when we bought our tickets. Even though we ordinary passengers have been granted special permissions this time because a person of high status is traveling with us, I still can't break the most basic rules. You may ask something else."

"Then I'll change my question... Why are you riding the Dawn Express?"

The woman answered with a smile. And damn it, she was telling the truth.

Jenkins repeated, astonished. The answer only strengthened his belief that she was from the future. After all, who but someone from the future would engage in something so... frivolous.

"Yes, tourism. I paid a small fortune for this trip, you know."

The woman made a gesture at Jenkins, rubbing her fingers together as if counting money. She paused in thought for a moment before continuing.

"Now it's my turn. Let me think... To be honest, I've already learned most of what I wanted to know, but you seem to want to continue. Very well, I'm happy to keep playing this game of questions and answers. A journey ought to have a little fun... My next question is the same as yours: why are you traveling on that train outside?"

She was prying into his private life. It might be a ploy, or she might just be a bored traveler curious about her fellow passengers.

Jenkins decided to answer, since it wasn't a secret he needed to protect.

"I'm on my way to Ruen to meet a friend. A pen pal, actually. Now, it's my turn again. My question is: are you from the material world?"

Jenkins asked without missing a beat.

The woman's earlier answer about being a tourist had made Jenkins aware of a slim possibility beyond simply "past" or "future," and he needed to confirm it.

"Of course. I have never left the material world. From that standpoint, I am indeed a person of the material world."

As she spoke, the woman picked up the equally eerie green glass from the desk. The liquid inside was also green, making the act of drinking it look as though she were sipping a dangerous poison.

"Would you like some water? This isn't my question, I'm just asking."

Jenkins chose to remain cautious. The woman had been perfectly friendly so far, but there was no telling what traps this sinister steam train might be hiding.

"Alright then. My next question... to be honest, I'm running out of things to ask..."

She said, sounding a little troubled. Her gaze shifted to Jenkins, lingering on his face for a moment before dropping to the squirming movement at his chest.

"What is that? That's my question."

"That's my cat. I was worried he might run off, so I tucked him into my coat pocket. Now for my question: if you can't give me specific details about your own time, can you at least tell me if you know the names of any famous people from mine?"

"So, you can't get specific clues, and now you're looking for any information that might help you?"

The woman asked, though it wasn't her official question—more of a musing observation.

"It's no use. Once you leave this train, you won't remember a thing. That's one of the rules. But I can still answer you, just to satisfy your temporary curiosity. Yes, I do know the names of famous people from this era. Quite a few, in fact."

She didn't name anyone, as Jenkins hadn't asked for specifics. But her answer alone confirmed everything: she was from the future.

Observing the future from the past could never be so detailed as to know numerous names. But looking back from the future, even if history was fragmented, it was entirely possible for names to survive, their stories passed down as distorted or even completely contradictory legends. Read complete versıon only at NoveIＦire.net

"So the Dawn Express is a tourist train," Jenkins realized, "carrying 'visitors' from the future to see the past!"

Jenkins reached this conclusion.

"Oh, my turn again. To be honest, young man, I'm quite enjoying this game. A tedious train ride needs some amusement. And to encounter something so unlikely on this tour... it's enough to keep me happy for years. So, allow me to ask another interesting question. Young man, if you'll permit me to pry just a bit more... do you find me beautiful?"

"Beautiful. In my experience, you are a very beautiful young lady."

Miss Schwieger looked genuinely pleased. At the very least, her heartfelt smile was impossible to fake.

"What a delightful answer. Now it's your turn, young man. I've had a wonderful time talking with you."

"No, this is enough," Jenkins said. "Thank you for wasting your valuable time speaking with me, Miss Schwieger."

Jenkins spoke with surprising finality. Before the woman could react, he pulled open the door, took a step outside, and then quickly turned back to face her.

"While I do find your face beautiful, I'm also curious whether the faces we see now are our real ones, or just illusions provided by the Dawn Express. But it doesn't matter anymore..."