sonovelo Chapter 60: S2. Resentment Wished Upon The Stars - 3
Chapter 60: S2. Resentment Wished Upon The Stars - 3
Chapter 60: S2. Resentment Wished Upon The Stars - 3
S2. Resentment Wished Upon The Stars 3
On the third day of their stay at Abrahams house.
Bennett reinforced the mansion with magic. This included magic for detecting intruders, Interception Magic, and others. Finally, he was able to get some sweet sleep. Until then, he had been pulling all-nighters.
Niolle once again suggested that she could take the night watch so he could sleep, but he still wasnt completely reassured. After all, he didnt trust her enough. Of course, though, if a suspicious person entered, she might be able to discern where that person was hiding weapons, which hand they primarily used, and even trivial details.
However, he was concerned that if the suspicious person carried a baby and tried to appeal to her better emotions, she might completely fall for it.
Tara had become quite close to Abraham. The reason was unclear, but now she was on a first-name basis with him, without even adding the honorific of Professor. She claimed it was because you said you needed to gather information and thats what Ive been doing all day. Do you have a problem with that?. But it was obvious that she was more so just enjoying herself.
And Niolle had been debating for three days whether to read the diary she had found earlier. She kept feeling like she was being sucked into somewhere in her dreams.
It was a strange sensation, similar to what she felt from the diary, making her hesitate about investigating it further.
They were gradually getting used to life in this place. They had divided the household chores among themselves. Niolle cleaned the mansion, Bennett took care of the occasional heavy lifting and defense of the mansion, and Tara was assigned the task of doing absolutely nothing and lazing around.
Then one day, it all started at the dining table.
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#2 : Abrahams Research
Tara split a well-cooked fried egg in half with a knife, letting the soft yolk flow out. She dipped the bacon with her fork and took a bite along with the egg, rich in yolk. Ang.
While savoring the taste of breakfast, Tara asked Abraham.
What are you working on, Abraham?
As the old man was about to start explaining, Bennett pointed at Tara with his fork and sharply criticized her.
Do not talk with your mouth full.
Dont concern yourself with how I eat!
We can see all the contents in your mouth. It is off-putting. So much so that it makes me lose my appetite.
Then bury your nose in your plate so you cant see! What do I care!
As Tara growled at Bennett, Niolle scribbled a sentence on her whiteboard. And then, she lifted it up high.
[Still, I dont think its a good habit! It looks rude, after all!]
If Niolle says so
Bennett clenched his fist in frustration and chagrin. Why did the Saintess always shit on only me? Is it because of my face?
He glanced at the mirror. Although he had a scar on half of his face, he didnt think his appearance was bad enough to be cursed at
Abraham smiled warmly at this scene. After all, it reminded him of bickering siblings. It was the appearance of a peaceful family he had once imagined.
After chewing and swallowing his bacon, the old man answered Taras question.
On days I have lectures, I go teach, and on days Im free, I do research. Are you curious about what kind of research I do?
Yes! Abraham, you always go up to the rooftop after sunset, dont you?
There is no reason to hide it. Would you like to come up with me after dinner? Not just Tarabut all of you. It will surely be a wonderful experience.
Pure child-like excitement sparkled in Abrahams eyes. He seemed to have great affection and interest in his work.
Everyone was curious about Abrahams research, thus expressing their interest in their own ways.
So, as evening came, Abraham led them up to the rooftop after dinner.
When climbing up the trapdoor on the second floor, they immediately found themselves on the mansions rooftop. There were various items in that place. Stacks of paper and a quill, a primitive calculator, several books about celestial bodies, and a long, elongated telescope.
I teach astronomy at the university, you see.
By astronomyDo you mean astrology?
At Bennetts question, Abraham slowly shook his head.
Assigning meanings to stars and wishing upon them is certainly romantic, but it is not the job of a scientist. We observe and analyze. Our mission is to illuminate the various unknowns, as countless as the stars in the night sky, one by one.
Abraham pointed to the sky with his wrinkled fingers. The stars twinkled on the black canvas and the moon seemed to smile gently down at the earth.
However, the old mans eyes seemed to be reading even more things than just that.
How stars are born, age, and die. What lies in the voids of space. The extent of a stars gravitational pull. And besides that, there are many other mysteries besides that we are battling against.
[Do stars also die?]
Over unimaginably long periods, they die. To humans living short lives, the universe may seem eternal. But nothing lasts forever.
[.]
Yes, Abraham! Its the second cabinet on the left, right? Ill help you!
Very well.
The explanation had ended. Tara helped Abraham down the trapdoor stairs. Bennet, about to follow, noticed Niolle still glued to the telescope. He tapped her shoulder.
Niolle?
..Euah.
With a flinch, Niolle jolted greatly and let out a small, almost inarticulate cry before looking up at Bennett with wide eyes.
.Did I startle you?
[Im sorry, I was just so focused Have Abraham and Tara already gone down?]
Thats right. Abraham mentioned making cocoa. You like that, dont you?
[I do like sweet things. We should hurry down then.]
Niolle quickly got up and trotted down. Bennett, curious about what had captivated her, took a look through the telescope.
There was nothing.
?
The night sky Niolle had been observing was devoid of twinkling stars. And only a vast emptiness remained. Did her keen observation skills perhaps notice something?
Despite intently focusing his eyes for a while, as expected, Bennett discovered nothing. Shaking his head, he left the rooftop.
Later, he unknowingly drank the special cocoa with marshmallows that Tara had prepared for herself
Thus, there was a small incident where Tara shook Bennett by the collar in fury.
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#3 : Threat Letter
During their stay together, Abraham had made just one request. Do not open any parcels that dont have a sender indicated. Is what he asked for.
Given Abrahams otherwise forgiving nature, even towards Tara making a mess out of the mansion, this request sparked a great amount of curiosity.
Tara adhered to Abrahams instructions as if it were second nature, but Niolle and Bennett were different. They were on the lookout for an opportunity to check what exactly was in such mail.
While Abraham was away to lecture at Miskatonic University
Bennett had chased Tara out by nagging at her to, Please, try to keep the room clean. After all, it is not a pigsty, but a place where humans live. How can you spill things everywhere?. Since she would grudgingly clean up after herself, it meant there was time.
And there it was, an unmarked parcel right in front of them.
[Should we open it?]
It might be a trap, so be careful.
[I can smell something rotting.]
A rotting smell, you say
Bennett drew his longsword for the first time in a while. It was so that he could cut down anything that might spring out. Like a small Undead or something. Niolle also remained cautious as she used a stick to maintain distance and opened the parcel.
!
Niolle grimaced and stepped back, covering her mouth. Bennett, too, frowned and clicked his tongue after seeing the contents of the box.
A gruesomely mutilated corpse of a cat and a warning note made in the form of a collage.
Abraham, stop your research and follow the will of God.
It was a chilling warning. Considering Abrahams plea to them, such threatening messages had apparently been sent repeatedly.
The perpetrator was likely connected to the suspicious individuals surveilling the mansion. The likelihood of it ending with just a warning was slim.
Are they trying to stop the research? Why?
[The purpose is unknown, but malice is palpable.]
Agreed. They might even attack while we are staying here
What was the reason? For what purpose was this letter sent?
It was a mystery that could not be solved just yet.
1
Okay, this is a VERY interesting reference. The Number Devil is an actual book for children and young adults that explores mathematics. It was originally written in 1997 in German by Hans Magnus Enzensberger and illustrated by Rotraut Susanne Berner. In the Number Devil, there is a red-skinned figure who is referred to as the Number Devil. And a lot of other novels parody this. When there is a math genius, they are sometimes portrayed as a red devil Now, here is where it gets interesting. Lot is the name of a red devil in the webtoon, Denma (a korean manhwa). Hence where the name Lot comes from. Additionally, in the Number Devil (book), a figure called Bertrand Arthur William Russell comes out. Hes the 3rd Earl Russell, OM, FRS and was a British mathematician, philosopher, and public intellectual. He had influence on mathematics, logic, set theory, and various areas of analytic philosophy. So, the name Russell comes from this book as well! Hence, Lot Russell. Thanks for coming to my ted talk.
/genesisforsaken