The Mental Landscape, the inner domain where his consciousness existed as a separate entity, had proven to be a sanctuary of sorts, a place where the rules of the physical world held less sway. Within this space, Elias's Inner Self possessed capabilities far beyond what his physical form could manifest. At this moment, he planned to exploit such capabilities to test a potential solution to bypass Mystral's physical laws.
"If I can't use the full power of the Quantum Sight directly in the real world, perhaps I can access it through my Inner Self."
He murmured to himself, a glint flickering across his boundless eyes.
Taking a deep breath, Elias allowed his consciousness to sink deeper, past the superficial layers of thought and emotion. He descended into the core of his being. The familiar sensation of his Mental Landscape enveloped his entire metaphysical body on the majestic throne.
—A vast, limitless space where reality bent to his will was at his command.
Here, he stood as his true self, unbound by physical limitations. The Thaumaturge Sigil on his forehead in this inner domain was two Omega signs, one inverted atop the other. Channeling the boundless energy around him into it, the Sigil glowed with ethereal light, pulsing in rhythm with his thoughts.
"Now."
He spoke slowly in a rhythmic tone, his voice echoing in the infinite expanse, his eyes and Thaumaturge Sigil simultaneously radiating golden light.
"Let's see if this works."
Elias focused on the Quantum Sight and activated the unique ability to perceive the branching paths of possibility. In the physical world, attempting this would trigger the World Overseer's restriction, even if he had enough energy, but here, in the domain of his Inner Self, perhaps different rules applied.
—This was a gamble.
On one hand, he was certain his idea was feasible, but on the other hand, he wasn't sure of the extent to which the World Overseer's influence could reach. If the Overseer could even reach his inner sanctuary, then Elias would have to tread lightly in the future.
But if that wasn't the case…
For a moment, nothing happened. Then, suddenly, like a veil being lifted, his perception expanded infinitely. The grand castle of his inner domain shimmered and was shrouded in a dreamy fog. Before him appeared two distinct pathways—
—One bathed in soft, golden auspicious light, and the other shrouded in ominous shadow.
These two depictions were a positive branch of reality and a negative branch of reality, respectively.
As he witnessed the two possibilities before him, Elias felt a surge of triumph.
—It had worked!
The restriction hadn't triggered within his inner sanctuary. He could use his Quantum Sight through his Inner Self, bypassing the limitation imposed by the World Overseer. A smirk graced his lips in condescension.
How dare a mere World Overseer attempt to hinder my path!
Without hesitation, Elias chose the negative branch. Drawing from his experience, knowledge of potential dangers would be more valuable than reassurances of success. As he stepped onto the shadowed path, the grand castle dissolved around him, replaced by vivid scenes playing out like a movie, except he viewed them from a third-person perspective, as if watching himself from afar.
…
The vision began on the following day.
He saw himself in the inn's common room, speaking with Selina. Unintelligible words passed between them, with his future self explaining something that caused the girl's expression to fall. He handed her a portion of the Mystic Stones Genevieve had given them, then watched as she departed the inn alone.
Elias couldn't hear what they were saying at this point because he was adjusting to the new laws governing the world within the reality branch. However, he could infer what had happened based on Selina's reaction.
The vision changed.
Selina wandered through the streets of Sun City, clutching the pouch of Mystic Stones, her expression a mixture of determination and uncertainty. She approached various establishments to inquire about employment opportunities. Most turned her away with barely a glance.
Meanwhile, his future self remained at the inn.
A commotion in the lobby drew his attention. A group of finely dressed individuals had arrived, led by a young man whose features bore a striking resemblance to Elias's own. The Blaze Family crest adorned his elaborate robes, marking him as the original Elias's relative. His future self recognized him as the family's heir and his cousin.
The encounter was brief but hostile. The cousin recognized his future self immediately, his surprise quickly giving way to mockery and thinly veiled threats. He taunted the fallen noble about his disgrace, the loss of his Thaumaturge Sigil, and his three-year disappearance from the public. The confrontation drew unwanted attention from other guests, and his future self retreated to his room, expression grim.
Elias's perspective shifted back to Selina.
Exhausted and disheartened after a day of rejections, she noticed a shop with a "Help Wanted" sign in the window. Hope rekindled in her eyes as she entered the establishment. It was a small, dimly lit place filled with exotic trinkets and artifacts.
The proprietor, a middle-aged man with a too-wide smile, welcomed her warmly. He offered her tea as they discussed the position, and Selina, grateful for the kindness after a day of dismissals, accepted without hesitation.
As she sipped the tea, her eyelids grew heavy. The cup slipped from her fingers, shattering on the floor as she collapsed. The shopkeeper's benevolent facade vanished, replaced by calculating coldness as he checked to ensure no one had witnessed the scene.
Elias watched in horror as the vision continued.
Selina awoke in chains, confined in a covered wagon with several other young girls. Their terrified whispers revealed the truth about their predicament. They had been captured by slave traders and were being transported to an underground auction.
The auction was a nightmarish affair, held in an underground chamber beneath the city. Wealthy buyers bid on human lives with casual indifference, as if purchasing livestock. Selina, small and malnourished but with a certain delicate beauty, fetched a high price from a nobleman whose eyes held no warmth.
What followed was a montage of cruelty.
The nobleman and his family treated Selina as less than human, a plaything to be used and abused at their whim. She endured beatings, humiliation, and worse. All the while, her captors spoke of a coming ritual, a sacrifice to their god, an entity they referred to in hushed, reverent tones as the Enigma God.
Through it all, Selina's spirit dimmed. The light in her eyes faded, replaced by a hollow emptiness.
In her darkest moments, her thoughts turned to Elias, the once-noble who had shown her kindness only to send her away the following day to fend for herself. Her initial gratitude twisted into resentment, then hatred, as she conflated him with her current tormentors.
If even the kind-seeming Elias had abandoned her, what hope could she have for mercy from any noble?