"However, I, who have been secretly monitoring his movements, did not detect any displacement or magical fluctuations caused by spells near that location before he disappeared. These two points are not true."
“Me neither.” [Aisha] nodded in agreement.
What is certain is that no matter what means are used to cast a spell—whether it is stored in advance, drawn or inscribed, or chanted silently—as long as the action of casting a spell is chosen, a certain amount of magical energy fluctuation will inevitably be generated, which is commonly referred to as the pre-cast animation.
This fluctuation is controllable, and therefore can be used to adjust the specific casting situation. However, no matter how subtle it is, the presence of magical fluctuations cannot be completely concealed; the only difference is whether it can be detected in advance from the sea of magic.
I am convinced that my perception is correct, and this question has remained unresolved since then.
"Then, let's list the fourth one ahead of time."
[Aisha] adjusted the order of the list in time: "Of course, this is because it is impossible to determine whether there is continuity between the second and the fourth, since this is Adrian who returned from the outside world and the Lord of the Frost Tower together."
"According to the tower master's statement, this Adrian chose to join the battle against the invaders on his own initiative, rather than being taken away with his help. He may be lying, but he doesn't have a reason to lie, so let's assume it's true for now."
I said, "Then the third one is Adrian, who was found unconscious in the lounge earlier."
"When he was found, he was in very poor condition. He was not only tied up with ropes, but also showed signs of dehydration, shortness of breath, and rapid heartbeat. His lips were also bluish-purple, which suggested that he might have been drugged. Of course, it could also be due to prolonged dehydration and sugar deficiency. However, the clothes he was wearing at the time were the same as those he wore when we met, and even his accessories were no different... In addition, Grey later tried to inquire with the staff of the Chamber of Commerce, so it can be confirmed that there was no one in that lounge before the auction."
"Could he have been moved there by someone?" the artist wondered, then dismissed the question herself. "No, maybe he appeared and disappeared on his own, just like the other Adrians before him."
"Then why is he in a coma and bound position?"
I asked, "Of all the Adrians we've met so far, this one is the most unique. The rest are all conscious and capable of conversation and action; the second one even ate with us."
[Aisha] points out: "Then you even said the same thing to the fourth person as you said to the second person."
I spread my hands, trying to explain: "I just wanted to test whether the other person was the second Adrian I had ever met."
"Then he didn't give any unusual response or questioning, he just smiled and nodded at you and left."
"That proves it isn't."
I said, "Under the premise of the argument, the second and fourth are both true and are different individuals, and their consciousness is not shared... or rather, only partially shared."
You mean, common sense?
"Yes, he clearly recognized me and acted as if he knew me, but he wasn't entirely clear about the conversation we had. If we were the same person, or if we shared a common consciousness, he would have reacted somewhat to my repeated phrases. But I didn't see that reaction in his eyes."
“Grey clearly reacted with doubt when I said that, so it is certain that she also expressed doubt about Adrian’s existence.”
After a brief pause, [Aisha] then posed a new question: "Then how was he able to join forces with the Frost Tower Master to deal with the intruders and thieves?"
I'm not entirely sure about this either: "Perhaps common sense dictates that there's a problem with either of them?" But that doesn't make sense in any way, "...I can't understand it."
"I didn't witness that battle firsthand; relying solely on hearsay is insufficient to grasp the full picture and make any further deductions."
"Then let's put our opinions aside."
Yao emerged from the pile of books a little further away, approached me and [Aisha] who were sitting by the window, casually and elegantly sat down in an empty seat next to us, and complained indifferently, "You guys are too noisy, you're affecting my work."
She turned to me again, her usually expressionless face illuminated by the bright moonlight, which added a touch of holy beauty to her already prominent facial features: "Master of the Box Garden, you shouldn't have forgotten about meeting with Adrian and the others two days ago, right?"
I nodded.
"The situation was the same then as it is now."
Yao continued, "I also consulted several books that recorded his movements, and apart from the initial few times two months ago, they all ultimately reached the same conclusion as now:
“Adrian has not made any movement.”
"That's obviously impossible!"
The artist jumped up before me, then sat down awkwardly under the gazes of me and Yao. I had no idea what she was so excited about.
Anyway, this is the conclusion we can draw right now.
Yao casually detached his right arm, lowered his head, and examined it carefully by the moonlight. He then took out a piece of cloth and gently smoothed the scratches on it. "I've done all I can. The rest is up to you. I don't have much knowledge about illusion magic, but I might be able to offer some advice on other aspects."
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