Chapter 396: Alice of Unknown Material

Duncan had indeed managed to create a spark in that Mirror Frost, but he was plagued with a nagging sensation that this was insufficient.

His experiences with Frost starkly contrasted those with Pland. The spark he had tossed into the mirrored world hadn’t multiplied as rapidly as he had expected. Furthermore, his sense of the spark’s existence seemed significantly less potent and was riddled with intermittent disturbances. Duncan speculated the cause might be a naturally occurring barricade between “both sides”, or perhaps, the mirror image wasn’t a perfect replication of the real world. The discrepancies between the two could be acting as a sort of static interference, obstructing his cognitive abilities.

Regardless of the root cause, it was evident that Duncan had to find a method to augment his bond with the spark and fortify his connection with both the White Oak and Agatha.

As they continued their conversation, Vanna suddenly adopted a thoughtful expression, posing a question, “You’re absolutely certain that you saw the gatekeeper’s reflection in the glass?”

Duncan affirmed, “Without a doubt.”

This perplexed Vanna, prompting her to furrow her brows. “That’s bizarre... If she is indeed confined within that mirror dimension, wouldn’t there have been some sort of reaction from the city-state by now? Even if the news of the supreme protector’s unexplained disappearance were concealed to prevent panic, the Death Church and City Hall would have undertaken some countermeasures...”

She paused momentarily before offering a theory derived from her own experiences, “Secretive investigations, imposition of martial law in specific areas, or alterations to the routine and distribution of the guardian’s nocturnal patrols. Even with a news blackout, these shifts are noticeable to an external observer. However, Mr. Morris and I were extensively active within the city-state today and observed no such changes.”

Upon hearing this, Nina, who had been engrossed in a book, lifted her gaze and offered her own hypothesis, “Perhaps the gatekeeper’s disappearance was recent, and the city-state simply hasn’t had time to respond?”

Vanna shook her head solemnly at this possibility, “If that were true, it would indicate Frost is utterly beyond help. However, based on my observations recently, despite its decline, the city-state seems to be managing fairly well in other aspects. The Death Church and City Hall appear to function smoothly.”

“Maybe we’ll see the city-state’s response tomorrow,” Duncan suggested casually. However, before he could expand further on his idea, a somewhat substantial pressure on his arm halted his speech.

It appeared that Shirley had dozed off, her head having found a resting place on his arm, her snoring stable and rhythmic.

But before Duncan could react to the situation, he noticed Shirley abruptly rousing from her slumber. Even Dog, who had been peacefully napping at the foot of the sofa, was propelled into the air due to the force of her sudden movement. “Ri...right... no... no...”

Shirley’s attempted apology, “I’m sorry”, didn’t manage to leave her lips fully. Concurrently, a loud thud echoed through the room as Dog, who had been unexpectedly flung upwards, fell back to the floor. Then Dog rolled over, his head spinning from the abrupt upheaval, “What’s happening? Are we under attack?”

It was then that he registered the peculiar atmosphere surrounding them. Looking up, Dog noticed a number of strange glances being directed at himself and Shirley.

“We’re not under attack, Shirley just dozed off,” Duncan clarified, a mixture of amusement and exasperation in his voice. He turned his attention to Shirley, who still seemed on edge, “Relax, you should head upstairs and get some proper sleep. It’s important for youngsters to get adequate rest. Nina, you should also stop reading and head to bed.”

“Alright!” Only upon hearing this did Nina begrudgingly mark her place in the book she was halfway through, got up, and clasped the still-rigid Shirley’s hand. Hand in hand, the pair retreated to the upper floor.

The doll woman had just inflicted a large wound on her forehead, leaving an unsettling mark. However, at that very moment, the wound began healing astonishingly fast, almost visible to the naked eye. The wound didn’t bleed; instead, it revealed a smooth and jade-like interior. Within a few short breaths, the surface was restored to its original flawless state.

Feeling uncomfortable under Duncan’s scrutinizing gaze, Alice instinctively touched her face, “Why are you staring at me...”

“...What are you constructed from?” Duncan questioned, his brows furrowed as he extended his hand to the spot where Alice had wounded herself. The texture was akin to human skin, albeit cold and devoid of life, “You had a gaping hole in your head a moment ago, were you aware?”

Alice paused, her hand instinctively moving to touch her forehead, and responded in a somewhat bewildered tone: “It’s healed.”

“Obviously, I’m aware it’s healed!”

“...I don’t understand,” Alice shook her head, “I’m not certain of what material I’m composed of either... It doesn’t seem to be wood or ceramics...”

Duncan held his tongue for a few seconds, then forced a smile: “I suppose I shouldn’t have expected a comprehensive answer from you. Forget it, what were you up to just now? Why were you fixated on the ceiling?”

“There were lines,” Alice stated candidly, “Some lines just manifested out of nowhere, but now they’ve vanished.”

At that, Duncan’s expression shifted instantly: “Lines?!”

Alice was capable of seeing unique “lines,” and these lines represented “people”!

“Yes,” Alice affirmed with a serious nod, “I was perplexed as well about why the lines would suddenly materialize. There’s no one else present here... But I remembered your instructions about not recklessly meddling with others’ ‘lines,’ so earlier I was trying to swat them away with the knife...”

Duncan barely registered the latter part of Alice’s explanation. Instead, his mind was occupied with the “lines” Alice had mentioned, which had mysteriously appeared and then disappeared.

His gaze rapidly swept the entire kitchen, looking for anything that might serve as a link to the “Mirror Frost.”

The glass on the window, the water pooled in the sink, and even the blade of the kitchen knife could be used to connect with the other side. However, none of them exhibited any signs of abnormality.

Regardless, Duncan trusted Alice; she had no reason to lie.

At some point recently, there had been an overlap between the Mirror Frost and their reality. It might have been a fleeting, almost imperceptible intersection, but it was enough for Alice to discern the “lines” that had “drifted” over from the other side.