Chapter 99: “The First Step to Testing and Mastery”
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After confirming that Alice showed no response to certain “trigger words” and was completely unaware of the horrific “beheading” ability, Duncan felt compelled to share the disturbing information he had just uncovered with her. Alice, a mysterious cursed doll, had a right to know.
Duncan was slowly forming a theory: the essence of the strange vision known as Anomaly 099-Doll Coffin might not be centered on Alice, but rather on her accompanying “coffin.”
Amidst calm seas and the gentle sway of waves, they sat in a cabin that oscillated slightly with the ocean’s rhythm. The ghostly ship captain, under the dim, flickering light of an oil lamp, began recounting the dark history and origins of the so-called Doll Coffin. His narrative was so chilling that Alice appeared ready to curl up into a fetal position out of sheer terror.
Duncan stared at Alice impassively. She was seated in a corner of the bed, leaning against the wall, clutching her head. “You seem quite rattled, don’t you?”
“This is… horrifying,” Alice stammered, her voice shaky like a regular human girl who had just heard an especially frightening ghost story. “Beheading people at random? Killing everyone within a certain radius? Expanding territories? I swear, I don’t know anything about this!”
“I’m convinced you truly are ignorant of all this,” Duncan glanced at her, “but it’s important to note this is related to Anomaly 099-Doll Coffin.”
Alice looked up from her huddled position, her hands still holding her head. She stared intently at Duncan. “So, what are you saying?”
“I have two theories,” Duncan began, rising slowly from his chair to approach an intricately crafted wooden box near the bed. He lightly tapped on the box with the tip of his sword. “First, the ‘beheading’ incidents might be a result of an ability you activate without conscious intent. As an anomaly, your power could manifest as a passive area effect, possibly active even when you were in a ‘dormant’ state.”
“Secondly,” he continued, “the beheading ability might not originate from you, the doll, but rather from your ‘coffin’—this wooden box.”
“My coffin… you mean this box?” Alice’s eyes widened as she followed Duncan’s hand gesture toward the wooden box. “Are you suggesting that…”
“The full designation for Anomaly 099 is ‘Doll Coffin,'” Duncan elaborated, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “That means both you and this wooden box collectively form Anomaly 099. Initially, I assumed you were the main component because I wasn’t aware of the full title, ‘Doll Coffin.’ Now, it seems the emphasis might actually be on the ‘Coffin’ part, doesn’t it?”
Alice blinked, her thoughts racing before finally converging on a realization. She slapped her palm against her forehead and exclaimed, “Ah! So, I’m basically just an accessory to this box!”
Without changing his stoic expression, Duncan cast a sidelong glance at Alice, who seemed rather pleased with her newfound understanding. “You don’t have to sound so proud about it,” he remarked dryly.
Oblivious to Duncan’s sarcasm, Alice peered at her wooden box, a puzzled and troubled look on her face. “So, you’re suggesting this box has been responsible for decapitating people? I’ve lived in it for so long, but I’ve never sensed anything malicious or hazardous about it. I haven’t felt any unique energies from it either.”
“Do you honestly believe your perceptions can be trusted?” Duncan countered, frowning. “You’re an integral component of Anomaly 099. You might be conditioned to be oblivious to its true nature. Touch your neck; have you ever considered that the reason your head occasionally detaches might be because you’ve been cooped up in this box for so long?”
Alice looked conflicted at Duncan’s explanation. It seemed plausible, but then another doubt surfaced. “If the ‘beheading’ ability is intrinsic to my box, why hasn’t it activated during its time on this ship?”
Duncan’s eyes narrowed as he stared deeply into hers. She suddenly felt a wave of unspoken pressure engulf her, reminding her—perhaps too late—of the true identity of the man before her. He wasn’t just a ship captain; he was something much more formidable.
Duncan continued to gaze at her, saying nothing. It was only after Alice shrank into an even tinier ball, curling up protectively, that he finally spoke. “The only humanoid creature aboard this vessel besides you is me. Is that what you’re getting at?”
“Absolutely not! I didn’t mean to imply anything!” Alice almost sprang to her feet, frantically waving her hands. “I was just wondering about the box…”
“Relax. I have no intention of harming you,” Duncan reassured her, exasperated. “As a crew member of the Vanished, you’re under my protection while we navigate the Boundless Sea. You don’t need to be so jittery. Please, have a seat.”
Somewhat relieved, Alice returned to her position on the bed. Duncan, however, found himself mired in new questions spurred by her line of thought. The Anomaly 099—be it the doll, the coffin, or both—had been aboard the Vanished for a significant time, well past the point where any unusual activities should have been noted. Yet nothing had happened. What or who was suppressing its sinister abilities?
He glanced at his own hands, contemplating. Duncan knew he possessed a supernatural power, a potent force that had not only claimed the life of a cultist named “Ron,” but was also formidable enough to instill fear in Alice, a high-level anomaly. This power was even capable of repelling a demonic entity referred to as “Dog.” While he still didn’t fully understand the extent or nature of his abilities, he recognized there was something uniquely formidable about himself.
The Vanished wasn’t merely ranked among ordinary anomalies in the Boundless Sea—it had held the distinguished position of being considered a “Vision,” placing it fifth in the list of most powerful entities. This meant the Vanished emitted a perpetual, 24-hour “field” that influenced everything within its spatial boundaries.
Within this specially modulated environment, and with the suppressive influences of both Duncan and the ship working in tandem, Anomaly 099 appeared innocuous to both humans and animals. Yet, Duncan knew that if he had followed through on his plan to bring Alice to the city-state of Pland, the potential for catastrophe could have rapidly escalated.
His mind teemed with urgent questions: Was Alice, the puppet, the source of Anomaly 099’s potent effect, or was it her wooden box? What, or who, truly exerted suppressive control over Anomaly 099—himself, as the captain, or the ship? If Alice had been separated from her wooden box, would the anomaly still have functioned? And if it was Duncan suppressing the anomaly, then what was the geographical extent of his influence?
Duncan’s thoughts raced further, exploring nuances. If the box—her “coffin”—was the originator of the lethal “decapitation” ability, could he have safely taken Alice alone to Pland? Could his ethereal flames selectively act upon the coffin? If he gained mastery over the box with his unique fire, would that also mean gaining control over the decapitating power of the anomaly? Could this level of control be analogous to how he manipulated other artifacts, like Ai and the Brass Compass, using his flames?
As his mind filled with hypothetical test scenarios, Duncan arrived at a frustrating realization: he lacked the proper conditions for any controlled experiments. The Vanished wasn’t an ideal testing environment; its own potent influence could confound the results. Moreover, he didn’t have suitable test subjects, especially considering the lethal risk posed by the decapitation effect.
He looked up to see Alice, who sat quietly on the bed. Her eyes, reflecting her internal turmoil, kept flicking toward her wooden box.
Alice noticed Duncan’s concentrated gaze and broke the silence. “Ever since I became sentient, I’ve lived in this box. It served as my bed, my home, and my sanctuary. I felt secure when I was enclosed within it.”
Duncan simply observed her, saying nothing.
“That’s probably why humans are so afraid of us,” Alice added softly, her hand stroking her wooden box. “They fear ‘us.'”
“I had planned to take you to Pland on our next trip through the spirit world,” Duncan stated, his voice grave. “I need an assistant there.”
Alice’s eyes brightened momentarily before dimming again. “That may not be advisable now…”
“The plan is postponed, not canceled,” Duncan replied, his face expressionless. “We first need to thoroughly understand the nature of your powers and the conditions under which this ‘decapitation’ ability activates. In terrestrial city-states, humans have methods to seal or harness various anomalies. Aboard the Vanished, our options are even more varied.”
Alice stared at Duncan, perplexed. Yet, the depth and sincerity in his gaze convinced her he wasn’t making idle promises.
“So, what’s the plan?” she asked.
Duncan considered briefly, lifting his finger to produce a gentle and otherworldly flame.
“First, we might need a little fire,” he concluded.
Why is he so desperate to make Alice his assistant? Going through all this trouble for an assistant is so stupid. He could probably get someone in Pland much faster; just get someone desperate for money and not that knowledgeable. The allure of stability at the price of doing simple tasks will be enough to keep him/her, most definitely a her if the author took this route, in check. So dumb man
I think you are misunderstanding the cause and effect of the situation on the assistant. Lorcan doesn’t need an assistant in the first place, it all started from his intention to bring Alice, an idea that he rationalized to his “niece” as hiring an assistant, thus explaining the doll’s future presence. He wants to bring Alice to the city not for work but for emotional emphasis as she is the only other member of his crew who is able to mobilize and has human form.
What an ironic comment. If he did that then they would need a new home which Nina would be suspicious to. Not to mention the desperate cashier might just have too many questions about where he keeps getting these real antiques. And this isn’t even talking about the emotional side.
My man, you’re getting it all wrong.