Sorcerer's Handbook-Chapter 584: Its Not You I Believe In, But the Observer

Even after exiting the Virtual Realm, Ashe was still in a daze, unable to comprehend what had just happened.

What exactly had the Sword Princess figured out?

This state of confusion persisted until the Trial began. When a knight clad in silver armor, wielding a double-headed sword, charged at him, Ashe instinctively drew his sword to block, guided by his body’s reflexes. However, the sword’s trajectory erupted in flames, forcing him to dodge in a panic.

“Be careful,” the voice behind the fox Mask remained crisp and pleasant. “He’s the leader of the Silverfire Knight Order, a seasoned two-wings sorcerer, and an expert in killing and burning. The towns and caravans he’s raided often end up in flames. If you keep this half-asleep attitude, he’ll offer you a permanent sleep package.”

Sensing Cut!

The moment the knight swung his double-headed sword down, Ashe drew his blade and struck the weak point of the sword, pinning it to the ground.

Yolan didn’t waste the opportunity Ashe had created. She lunged from above, her chain-laden hands ready to strike the knight’s pituitary gland through his helmet-

Whoosh!

With a roar of flames, the double-headed sword swung again, creating a curtain of fire that nearly enveloped the knight. Both Ashe and Yolan were forced to retreat, dodging the impending fiery explosion.

“I don’t remember many disciples of the Tribulation Fire,” Ashe said.

“It’s a Copy extracted from my memories,” Yolan replied cheerfully. “Frank, the leader of the Silverfire Knight Order. You wouldn’t know him.”

Funny enough, Ashe actually did know him. He had vaguely come across Frank’s story in the Sorcerer’s Handbook, which detailed the rise of Silver Lantern. “The guy who competed with you for the Tribulation Fire Seed? The one who lost his qualification because of an intimate relationship with a member of his order?”

“Huh?” Yolan blinked. “You actually know about that… but you’re wrong about one thing.”

“Oh?” Ashe knew he must have missed something. After all, he hadn’t read Frank’s or Silver Lantern’s Sorcerer’s Handbook, but rather that of an outsider, so there were bound to be subjective assumptions-

“Frank was framed,” came the cheerful laughter from behind the fox Mask. “By me and Nobeta.”

As if hearing their conversation, the phantom Frank’s fiery curtain exploded, and he charged at them, his body Entangled in boiling flames!

“But wasn’t there evidence of Frank’s misconduct-“

“Humans can never grasp the Truth,” Yolan said lightly, deftly dodging the phantom Frank’s slash. Her chain-laden hands struck the side of his helmet. “Instead, they choose to believe in one layer of the truth, one facet of reality, and create a delusion they can accept.”

“When you need a certain conclusion, you’ll naturally find evidence to support it, even if that evidence only accounts for 1% of the truth. But in your narrative, it can become 100%.”

Seizing the opportunity, Ashe lunged forward, his blade piercing through the gap in the flames, precisely stabbing the phantom Frank’s neck guard.

However, steam and fire erupted from within Frank’s armor, his body transforming into boiling molten lava-Frank was actually a berserker knight who had mastered Swordsmanship, fire spells, and Physical combat!

Ashe noticed something amiss: “Wait, the one who provided the clues wasn’t you or other interested parties, but someone else from the Tribulation Fire Temple-“

“Because of suffering, because of bias, because of delusion.”

Yolan dodged the phantom Frank’s fiery heavy strike and said, “The Tribulation Fire Temple demands abstinence from its disciples, and we do faithfully abstain. With external oppression and internal discipline, all the disciples’ thoughts naturally become fuel for the Demi-God. That’s why the Tribulation Fire Temple can sustain five Demi-Gods.”

“But it’s too harsh, Ashe. Do you understand? Such a life is too harsh.” She continued, “The Demi-Gods are vessels for the disciples to escape reality and entrust their souls. But over time, people grow weary. So, once another vessel appears, they eagerly dive into it, collectively creating a delusion that offers fleeting joy.”

“Everyone gazes at the stars but forgets they’re standing in the gutter.”

“About Frank’s rumors, 10% were true, and 90% were artistic embellishments born of others’ imaginations. Nobeta gathered these rumors and turned them into seemingly irrefutable evidence.”

“So, rather than saying Frank was framed by Nobeta…”

Yolan grabbed the phantom Frank’s wrist and struck his pressure point until he released the double-headed sword.

“…it’s more accurate to say he was betrayed by the entire Tribulation Fire Temple.” Yolan said, “He became the ‘delusion.’”

Even after discarding his sword, the phantom Frank’s momentum didn’t wane. His armor suddenly exploded, and his entire body transformed into a molten lava beast, his fists slamming down in an attempt to crush Yolan-

Clang.

With a sharp sword hum, a wave of air burst from the phantom Frank’s throat, and his head flew off, the severed neck spurting blood that seemed to burn.

Facing an enemy he didn’t know, Ashe naturally felt no psychological burden.

Thud! The phantom Frank collapsed, extinguishing into a pile of blackened charcoal, from which two glowing flames flew toward them.

However, Ashe didn’t pay attention to the improvement in his physical abilities. Instead, he gazed thoughtfully at Yolan.

“He was clearly killed by you,” Ashe said seriously. “Silver Lantern, who views reality as a delusion, wouldn’t shirk such responsibility.”

“I’m not Silver Lantern, I’m the Mirror Master. It’s not a good habit to bring up another lady in front of a woman,” Yolan feigned anger. “But you still don’t truly understand our philosophy.”

“Reality is a fleeting delusion-not just that reality is a delusion, but more importantly, people are also chasing delusions,” she explained. “No one really cares about the Truth. Everyone just wants to drown in the delusions they’ve created. The knight order leader who broke his vows, the lofty ideal, the Demi-God… they’re all the same.”

“But hope without results is a toxic delusion,” Yolan’s voice was soft. “The firmer the will, the deeper the poison. In the end, the delusion becomes a shackle, and eternity naturally turns into a cage.”

If Silver Lantern’s tone exuded a pure, boiling, intense darkness, then the Mirror Master’s words carried a murky, stagnant, almost imperceptible gloom. Though expressed differently, they ultimately led to the same conclusion.

Yet Ashe sensed that while the Mirror Master acknowledged Silver Lantern’s philosophy, she didn’t care about Silver Lantern’s pursuits. Silver Lantern was like a child still gazing at the stars, Entangled in the blazing light of a star, while the Mirror Master had already lowered her gaze to the path ahead. The faint starlight in her eyes seemed to emanate from stars that had long since burned out.

Seeming to notice Ashe’s unease, Yolan let out a bell-like laugh. “Are you just now realizing I’m also a dangerous individual? Would it be better if I stood in front of you during the next fight?”

Ashe snapped out of his thoughts, realizing this issue had reached a point where it could no longer be ignored.

Without the protection of the Chrysalis, the Mirror Master could strike him down at any moment. So, in the Trial, how much trust and how much caution should he extend toward her?

Could he really trust his own judgment completely?

After all, his life no longer belonged solely to him. He couldn’t afford to gamble it recklessly.

Nightfall-Igor and the others were surely trying to rescue him.

The Gospel-he had promised to return to see Lise.

The Virtual Realm-someone was waiting for him.

“Mirror Master,” Ashe pondered for a long time before finally speaking, “you refuse to remove your Mask, our values are too different, we’ve spent too little time together, and there’s a direct conflict of interest between us… Honestly, I can’t place my trust in you.”

Yolan sighed, though there was a hint of relief in her expression. “I understand.”

“But.”

Ashe extended his hand to her. “I trust the Observer’s judgment.”

Yolan blinked. “What does he have to do with this?”

“The combat ability you just displayed, while slightly higher than mine, still isn’t a match for the Observer,” Ashe explained. “Therefore, when you said last night that you didn’t fight him, it must be true. If a fight had happened, you wouldn’t have come out unscathed.”

“The fact that you didn’t fight can only mean one thing: the Observer doesn’t see you as an enemy.”

Yolan shook her head. “What if we made a private deal? For example, what if we Copies agreed to replace the originals? Or what if he’s secretly a pervert, and I just used a little charm to-“

“I don’t like that way of thinking,” Ashe said with a smile. “Is anyone who likes me scheming something? Is anyone who gets close to me plotting my harm? If I approached every person and every situation like that, it would be exhausting and tedious.”

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“If the whole world seems like a web of Schemes, it just means I’m arrogantly pitting myself against everyone.”

“Maybe you’re right, maybe everyone is drowning in their own delusions,” he winked at Yolan, “but the Observer and I are complementary Twins. It’s impossible for both of us to be deluded at the same time!”

In truth, Yolan had already prepared backup plans. For instance, they could divide the battlefield-one in the air and one on the ground against ranged enemies, or one in front and one behind against close combat foes-so they wouldn’t have to worry about betrayal from their teammate. After a few battles, they could gradually improve their coordination within a safe range…

But looking at Ashe, she suddenly felt like she’d been outmaneuvered.

When they returned, she was sure to get scolded by the Observer. After all, if they had fought properly in the Cicada Hall, Ashe wouldn’t have discovered this loophole…

“What if both you and the Observer are wrong?” Yolan said. “Or what if I suddenly change my mind and just decide I don’t like you?”

Ashe didn’t respond, but his eyes sparkled with amusement, as if he saw through her bluster.

“Hmph.”

Yolan took his hand and said something honest,

“Everyone who’s ever worked with me has regretted it.”