The brass key left behind by Lei·Nora was actually a gift from a friend—this completely exceeded Duncan's expectations.

And it aroused his immense curiosity even more.

Just who was it that created that key, and for what purpose? What was the essence of that key? And what about the illusion he had seen after touching the key, of a "spaceship crashing to earth and disintegrating in an explosion"?

He couldn't wait to know the answers. Fortunately, the Frost Queen didn't conceal what she knew, but frankly told him:

"It was a friend I met shortly after leaving the Cathedral. At that time, I was planning to take power and often met with all sorts of people or participated in public affairs. That old man appeared at a fundraising event...

"He wasn't on the guest list, but he easily bypassed all the security and eyes. I thought he was a professor from a university because he was wearing a scholar's robe and had a refined demeanor—I didn't know he had snuck in, and I even chatted with him. The breadth of his knowledge was astonishing, until... the bodyguards at the gathering finally reacted and kicked him out.

"But after that, the old man began to appear frequently in my sight. Sometimes it was at upper-class gatherings, sometimes at private dinners organized by friends. He would appear when everyone's attention was diverted, then calmly strike up a conversation with me, discussing history, mathematics, and matters of the occult, and quietly leave before anyone could disturb us—except for the first meeting when he was discovered by the bodyguards, he was always able to hide himself from everyone's sight.

"Isn't it incredible? A friend known only to me, a knowledgeable consultant, an... imaginary friend.

"I never revealed his existence to the outside world. At first, it was because I was worried about causing concern within the church. The bishops would suspect that my psychic talent was out of control and lock me back in the cellar—I knew my power wasn't out of control, and I wasn't worried about being imprisoned, but I felt my time was precious and couldn't continue to waste it in a cage. Later... I gradually took control of the city-state's power, so it was even more impossible to expose the existence of this 'secret consultant.'

"This state of affairs lasted for about three years. The mysterious old man and I became close friends, but just when I thought he would continue to serve as my 'special aide' until my coronation, he suddenly appeared before dawn one day and bid me farewell.

"This is what he said—'The window of opportunity is closing; this is our last meeting.'

"Then, he handed a brass key to me and told me that the key was a twisted aggregate, a key that could establish connections in space-time. It could also carry knowledge and memories. One day in the future, it would definitely play a role...

"After telling me many things about the key, my 'imaginary friend' turned around and walked towards the first rays of sunlight at sunrise—in the second the sun rose above the sea horizon, he disappeared. That was the last time I saw him."

Duncan listened to Lei·Nora's account in astonishment, his mind already flooded with countless associations, and all of them quickly pointed to one term. When the Frost Queen before him finished speaking, he immediately said, "Wait, the person you're describing sounds like a..."

"Yes, an Eschatological Messenger, Captain Duncan," Lei·Nora smiled. "I guessed it after the first few meetings—during my years of training at the Cathedral, I had access to countless books, so I naturally knew what an Eschatological Messenger was."

"You became friends with an Eschatological Messenger, and he even..." Duncan said, frowning, but he realized the incongruity halfway through. "Wait, that's not right, it doesn't seem like a normal Eschatological Messenger..."

"That's right, as you said, although he's very similar in 'nature,' the old man's state is completely different from those crazed cultists. He's sharp-minded, clear-headed, and has a gentle and friendly attitude. The only thing he has in common with the Eschatological Messengers is this one thing: 'Non-linear intervention and disappearance.'"

"...Normal Eschatological Messengers can't think and communicate calmly because the tearing of the timeline has already disturbed their cognition, and their worship of the subspace has destroyed their rationality," Duncan quickly realized. "And the one you knew was the opposite..."

He suddenly stopped.

Because at that moment, he remembered something else, something related to "himself"!

Tirian had mentioned in a conversation with Vanna and Valentine that a century ago, on the eve of "Duncan Abnomal's" last voyage, the *Ghost Ship* had welcomed several mysterious visitors. They were wearing robes like mendicant monks, suddenly appeared on the ship, and had a long conversation with the "Captain Duncan" of that time, then mysteriously disappeared at sunrise the next day...

Tirian had always believed that the visit of those mysterious visitors was the direct reason why the *Ghost Ship* sailed to the "Border" on its last voyage.

And those mysterious visitors... from the description, they were completely a group of clear-headed, gentle, and friendly "Eschatological Messengers"!

The body Duncan was currently using couldn't express complex emotions, but his momentary silence and the slight change in his eyes didn't escape the Frost Queen's keen observation. Lei·Nora immediately reacted, "Did you think of something?"

Duncan raised his head and didn't speak for a moment, just quietly gazing into her eyes.

The "friend" Lei·Nora knew was not an isolated case—among the Eschatological Messengers, a group widely regarded as ferocious and insane cultists, there were indeed individuals with rationality and unclear motives, and they were running through the timeline, using a contact opportunity called a "window of opportunity" to constantly interfere with the affairs of the mortal world!

Thoughts surged in his mind, countless ideas flashing through his mind, and Duncan finally broke the silence: "They once visited the *Ghost Ship* too."

For the first time, Lei·Nora's eyes widened instantly.

It seemed that she wasn't as completely devoid of the emotion of "surprise" as she had initially said.

"You've also been in contact with lucid Eschatological Messengers?" Lei·Nora said quickly, "What did they say to you? What are they..."

"Unfortunately, I don't remember," Duncan interrupted her hurried inquiry. "This part of my memory has disappeared with the erosion of the subspace. I only learned from other sources that I had actually interacted with them."

An undisguised look of regret appeared on Lei·Nora's face.

Duncan quickly sorted out his thoughts and brought the topic back on track: "After realizing that the other party was a special Eschatological Messenger, didn't you discuss the issue of his true identity with him? Didn't you ask about his purpose?"

"Of course I asked—but do you think I got an answer?" Lei·Nora sighed helplessly. "We got along well. He was my elder, like both a teacher and a friend, and he was happy to answer most of my questions, but whenever I tried to steer the topic towards his... 'identity,' he would always fob me off with one sentence—

"'It's not the time yet; don't come into contact with things beyond the 'Border' too early.'"

"Don't come into contact with things beyond the Border too early..." Duncan repeated the meaningful words in a low voice, then frowned slightly. "You were actually able to make friends with such a suspicious person in this situation; that can be considered... broad-minded."

"I need help, and most of the things that can be called 'power' in this world are dangerous," Lei·Nora's expression was calm. "Compared to the 'dreams' I've come into contact with since I was a child, an Eschatological Messenger is really too gentle and harmless."

Duncan didn't say anything more; he just got up again and slowly came to the darkness at the end of the room.

"...One last thing: What are your plans for your future...?"

Lei·Nora frowned slightly. "Future?"

"Do you need to stay in this room called the 'Drifting Ground' forever?" Duncan said, then raised his chin and pointed to the huge "tentacle" in the dark sea. "Do you need to stay here forever, using dreams to suppress the activity of this 'corrupted copy'?"

"Do you have another way?"

"Maybe, but I'm not sure," Duncan said. "If I can completely destroy this corrupted copy, what will happen?"

"...Freedom," Lei·Nora was silent for a few seconds, then nodded solemnly and slowly. "Both He and I will be liberated."

"What about after that?"

"I don't know," Lei·Nora shook her head. "That's beyond my understanding—I've never imagined what it would be like after this long nightmare finally ends. Perhaps this 'Drifting Ground' will lose this connection point, and it will reconnect to something else. Perhaps I will lose contact with the real world and no longer be troubled by nightmares, becoming an idle wandering soul, waiting for the day this room is opened again."

"That doesn't sound like a good ending," Duncan's tone became serious. "Eternal exile is not much better than sinking into a nightmare."

"In fact, it's even worse because this room is not under my control. Instead of reconnecting to a 'connection point' in the real world, it's more likely to sink into the subspace side during its uncontrolled drifting."

Duncan fell silent, not saying a word for a long time.

Lei·Nora took the initiative to break the silence after a moment: "But even so, I still suggest you do it—if you can really do it, end it all, while I still have time."

Duncan gazed into the eyes of the Frost Queen: "...Are you sure? Even if it means you'll suffer eternal exile?"

"Being trapped in a nightmare is also a kind of eternal exile," Lei·Nora smiled. "Being liberated from it can at least truly resolve the long-standing threat facing Frost—at least for quite a long time, my city-state and my people will be safe."

(End of Chapter)