"Sir, you don't have to feel sad for us; this was all our own choice."
Grace's tone was very gentle, and her figure embraced Helen's figure once again. Behind the thin three-layered veil, surrounded by Red Butterfly, the two were exceptionally intimate.
"We originally thought that the story would continue like this until one of us grew tired, or until we walked to our end with all things. But we didn't expect you to appear."
Xia De's heart trembled:
"Speaking of which, I'm very curious, how did you find the Hamilton Detective Agency in Tobesk? That commission was clearly not for Sparrow Hamilton Detective, but for me, but at that time, I... was not yet the me of today."
"We didn't find it; Miss Mana Feilianna told us."
Helen replied, her tone very calm, as her hand stroked her sister's earlobe:
"That was many years after we parted at that banquet, and many years after the great war on Sicar Mountain. Having become like this, we found the already established Saint Byron's Comprehensive College and saw Miss Feilianna, who had helped us before, again."
Miss Olanorde also said that the Twins had indeed seen Miss Feilianna before and, with her help, became true witches, and that was before the great war on Sicar Mountain.
"She was not satisfied with our choice and could do nothing about our situation. We wanted to know about you, but Miss Feilianna refused to say, and even had the Librarian lock us in the Library, prohibiting us from wandering around the College... Our initial containment record, in fact, came about this way."
The truth of history is often more astonishing than a story.
"Later, unable to resist our pleas, Miss Feilianna spoke three words: 'Tobesk,' 'Saint Delan Square,' 'Hamilton.'"
Grace's tone carried a smile:
"She really didn't deceive us. When Delarion was established and Tobesk became Tobesk, we were really happy. When the original low-rise buildings at Saint Delan Square were destroyed and the Square appeared, we were really happy. When that spy from the southern country, Sparrow Hamilton, appeared at Saint Delan Square No. 6 with his secret, we knew you were coming."
It seems that Sparrow Detective's identity was not a secret to everyone. To clarify the relationship between Sparrow Detective and Xia De, the Twins probably investigated all of his past. Perhaps the identity of a top secret agent of the Carson Rick United Kingdom had unimaginable secrecy for ordinary people, but for the Twins, it was no secret at all.
"We originally thought that Detective would marry and have children in Saint Delan Square, and then you would appear. But we didn't expect that after only one spring, you appeared... Although you looked blind and foolish, as if you were an empty shell without a soul, that must have been you."
Helen said with certainty:
"So, when that Detective was cursed, I came to commission him. And you, as expected, found us because of it; everything was destined. Sir, it's truly good to see you again after such a long time."
Xia De didn't ask Helen why she didn't remove the curse for Sparrow Detective; that question was meaningless. He only wanted to know:
"So, you also don't know where that blind and foolish me came from."
"Yes."
It was still Helen who answered, because it was something that happened when she walked alone in the material world:
"We are the Red Butterfly Twins who bring disaster. Even if I wait alone, I cannot stay in one place for long, as that would bring disaster to the people around, let alone Tobesk. In the winter of 1852, common era, of the sixth epoch, I spent it in Middelsburg, and when I returned to Tobesk, you had already appeared."
The date matched; Sparrow Detective found the tramp in the spring.
"I investigated your origin: born in Green Shade Town, Carlton County, southern Delarion, you fled to Tobesk due to the great famine and wandered for several years. Ordinary, nothing special."
This intelligence was completely consistent with Saint Byron's investigation of Letter-based Ring術士 Xia De Hamilton. It seems that the original body truly had no story.
"Her" soft laughter came from beside his ear.
"How did I look in the spring?"
He hesitated for a moment before asking.
Helen, leaning against her sister Grace's chest, began to laugh. Behind the veil, the tall girl folded her arms backward, wrapped them around the other figure's neck, her back against the other figure's front, and slowly sat up:
"I met you alone once. You looked very dull then, but also very interesting. I think you must have encountered something else later to become like this now."
From Helen's description, she didn't realize at the time that Xia De, who had problems with his head, also had other secrets.
Xia De frowned, suspecting in his heart that his doubts about the original owner's identity were simply his own paranoia.
Ten minutes were about to pass in a flash. He actually still wanted to ask about ways to help Dorothy and Leia, and about the past of epoch changes. But these could be discussed later; there would be plenty of time then.
Three Red Butterfly flew out from inside the veil and landed on Xia De's shoulders. His left shoulder felt a slight burning sensation. Xia De pulled open his collar and saw three Red Butterfly-shaped symbols on his shoulder.
"These three Red Butterfly can help you find the remaining three resurrected nails. When you come into close contact with them, the Red Butterfly will give you hints and also some temporary power. We cannot go out now, otherwise the power of the Red Butterfly Twins might immediately accelerate the collapse of the Gap, so we cannot help you for now. We hope the butterflies can guide you in the direction."
Grace in the veil said, and Xia De nodded:
"I actually have many more questions I want to ask. So, when can I see you again next time?"
"In a week, sir. Please come again in a week. My sister and I both don't want you to see our ugly appearance."
"Alright, see you in a week, Grace, Helen."
He said goodbye and prepared to leave, but as his hand grasped the doorknob, a voice came from behind him again:
"Sir."
It was Helen speaking:
"May I ask, why did you generously use the opportunity to make a wish to God back then to block the God of Vampires's blood brew for us?"
The voice was very soft, and some syllables were even completely suppressed by the crackling bonfire.
"Generous?"
Xia De thought of the Evil God's smiling expression again. He didn't think it was his generosity at all; he never wanted any gifts from that God:
"I helped you because you needed help."
"Is that all? Isn't it because we are pretty?"
The voice was full of laughter.
"Oh, girls, when you were thin and small back then, you weren't pretty at all."
Xia De said something against his true feelings, and the laughter of Grace and Helen came from behind him again. The interwoven laughter, with its chaotic elements and mental power effects, meant Xia De had exceeded his time.
He pushed open the door and saw Miss Lita Swift outside, as well as the cat with a sour expression.
Finally, he said:
"I'm truly happy to see you again in this epoch."
He lifted his leg and stepped out of the room.
"Yes, sir. It's good to see you again."
PS: How will the story of the Red Butterfly Twins, which has been foreshadowed for an entire volume, conclude?
