Tonight, Alice joins the hunt.

"The original exit from the world of painting is the painting's actual location in this world. As far as I know, the painting is currently being kept in a place called Anor Londo, which happens to be the palace of Gwyndolin, the only god still active in the world, guarded by a large number of powerful warriors. Elfried is an enemy of the White Cult, so she cannot leave from there. Therefore, she must seek out the painter to open another new door for her. In the ten or so minutes I've been waiting for you, I've checked the White Cult's surveillance records of various areas across the continent and finally roughly pinpointed the most likely location where that door is to be opened."

"...You're making it sound like you're saying 'putting an elephant in a refrigerator only takes three steps—open the refrigerator, put the elephant in, and close the lid.' Please, at least tell me the specific steps."

"The wisdom of mortals." Chu Xuan adjusted his glasses and made several complex hand gestures in the air. Zhao Yingkong raised an eyebrow and immediately sensed several unfamiliar and powerful auras that had quietly arrived around the Papal Hall after the map on the wall was unfolded. They quickly left in several different directions, and she didn't know what Chu Xuan had asked them to do.

"Let me adjust the itinerary a little and explain it to you. The more you know, the better it will be for my future arrangements." Chu Xuan glanced at her, a look that made Zhao feel like an idiot.

"First, with your intelligence, you should be able to determine two things. First, the person behind the scenes who could silently change Zheng Zha's identity when he descended, separate his consciousness from his body, and even sever our connection with the main god must be an extremely powerful being. Second, that unknown being doesn't seem to have much malice towards us, because we are still safe and sound, and even remained unmoved after your series of ridiculous tests. That means that taking us down is not their goal."

"They're not our adversaries, yet they interfere with us, influencing our plans while allowing us to trigger emergency measures and adjust on their own. This suggests they must have some connection to one of us. The timing of their action suggests a connection to the people of Gensokyo as well. Once these two conditions are met and Patchouli is ruled out, we can confirm that their target is Alice, and a positive one at that—at least in their perception. So, all we can think about is their growth path or something similar."

Chu Xuan suddenly stopped speaking. An unfamiliar aura that Zhao Yingkong had never sensed before suddenly appeared outside the Papal Hall. Then, a directional sound wave containing encrypted information was transmitted to Chu Xuan. He nodded in the direction of the aura and made a gesture before the aura disappeared again.

"The specific details are currently impossible to determine. Perhaps it's 'killing all past friends and lovers to sever ties,' or perhaps it's 'escaping confusion through one's own will to solidify one's identity,' or of course, other options. However, whichever it is, it's definitely related to us and the people of Gensokyo, and the mastermind wouldn't subject Alice, who is already trapped in amnesia, to deeper levels of mental interference. That's because that's the method of creating puppets, and if its goal was to turn Alice into a puppet, then we should have already been wiped out or returned to the Main God Space. Since that's not the case, then my speculation is very likely to be true."

"Therefore, the mastermind behind it won't directly control her, but there's a possibility that it could exert influence around her. The most likely candidate right now is either Elfried's knight Viherer from the story, or the identity of that nameless painter. The latter is more likely than the former, and on that basis, it won't touch Alice's heart."

Several more auras appeared outside the hall, followed by directional sound waves and Chu Xuan's hand gestures—Zhao Yingkong, somewhat curious, tried to simulate Chu Xuan's thought process to decipher the encrypted signal that she had also detected with her extraordinary perception. Then the entire projected shell flickered.

Chu Xuan gave her a cold look, as if she were looking at a small insect trying to knock down a big tree.

Zhao Yingkong turned her head away somewhat awkwardly.

"So it's clear that Alice, who's lost her memories, needs a motivation from within to leave the world of painting. I speculate that the most likely motives are Elfried's two sisters—Julia and Liliana. And naturally, the mastermind wouldn't let her open the door directly in the Londor region where her two sisters are most likely to appear. It would choose a compromise location that is neither too close to the dangerous areas in Elfried's perception nor too far from Londor, while also being close to many other areas to create a suitable place to trigger variables. Once these conditions are met, the rest can be solved by using the information from the White Cult through a process of elimination."

“This is very simple for me, and I can do it through certain means—” He reached out his hand, and suddenly a spatial rift outside Zhao Yingkong’s control appeared beside him. A parchment filled with information fell into his hand from the rift.

"It's now completely confirmed that she's currently in the town of 'Clearspring,' and there are three of them in total. Her disguised identity is that of a distant relative of a miller who also works as a part-time smuggler. The three are Alice, who believes herself to be Elfriede; the nameless painter in the painting; and Fran, who is said to be one of the unlinked members of the Farron Undead Legion—"

The third person should be Flandre Scarlet. She's currently unconscious, which confirms some of my suspicions. With Viherer absent, the interfering party behind the scenes must be the nameless painter. They arrived in the town at least half an hour ago and are now planning to stay overnight to rest. I learned about the painter through the White Cult's informants. So she should—”

Chu Xuan unfolded the parchment, and a white-haired girl with a beaded side ponytail appeared on the paper.

"She calls herself 'Shinki'—I've heard that name before, but I can't remember it now, which must be due to cognitive interference. Without a doubt, she saw us before I saw her. And the fact that she did nothing means she wanted to see if we were qualified to compete with her."

"……What's the meaning?"

"It's simple. She hasn't made a move, but that doesn't mean she can't. All the intelligence we've gathered is probably under her control now. The so-called game is that we can act freely without affecting her goals—I judge that she doesn't want 'Elfried' to find Julia and Liliane so soon. Therefore, the White Cult's 'minions' need to appear in the right place at the right time, and then—do the right thing."

Transformation - Section 19 - Entering Debt Repayment Mode

"Not bad, you know what's good for you." Shen Qi casually added a few strokes to the canvas, erasing the figures in the Icy Valley and the church district of Icy Valley that had just taken shape. The painting was ruined; she tore the paper off and threw it in the trash can, where the ink that had been swirling around turned the discarded draft into utter garbage.

"Kamiki?" Alice, who was sitting on the other side of the hall, deep in thought and preparing two dinners like a normal person, tilted her head slightly and glanced at the artist sitting in a chair, sketching and revising on a drawing board. A look of doubt appeared in her azure eyes.

"It's nothing, I just suddenly had some other inspiration when I was about to draw Irithyll of the Valley, so I had to scrap my previous draft." Shinki waved her hand, her small feet dangling back and forth because she had chosen a chair that was too high. "Alice, what are you planning to do after you find your sisters? You haven't thought about anything, have you?"

“Personal privacy, I cannot disclose.” Alice raised a finger and gently pressed it to her lips. Then she looked back and continued scanning the cookbook in her hand—she wasn’t hungry, but she felt she should prepare some food and stuff it into her stomach.

Cooking eggplant and apple together... seasoned with soy sauce and aged vinegar, seems like a good idea?

The nun pondered, lost in thought. The last time she ate a meal was many, many years ago, so long ago that she had forgotten what sweet, sour, bitter, and spicy meant, forgotten the difference between salt, sugar, and MSG. And now, reliving that old dream… it seemed rather interesting.

[The food needs to be enchanted after it's cooked... Hmm, how is enchanting done? Like 'frozen weapons' in painting, directly filling the ingredients with dark wonders? Hmm... That's indeed a good idea. For ash, elemental damage is barely considered seasoning, but for living people... it seems living people can't do that?]

[I can't figure this out, maybe I should try it out. And have I ever enchanted food before? I don't recall the word "enchantment" existing outside the world of painting... I'll have Shinki try it out later.]

—Someone's eyebrow twitched slightly.

"Hey~~~ Tell me, tell me! As payment, I can paint your portrait, exactly like you, even more beautiful!" Shenqi jumped off the chair, looking determined. Holding up the easel that was half her height, she skipped over to Alice's side—she glanced at the pile of fruits, vegetables, and various meats on the kitchen shelves outside the hall. These fresh foods were ingredients for the celebration dinner that the original owner of the house had ordered before leaving. And they would probably come in handy soon.

Her fingers trembled as she held the paintbrush, but she ultimately decided not to interfere in such a trivial matter for the time being... for now.

"Why do you want to know this?" Alice turned to look at the painter, already having a basic plan in mind for the dinner she needed to prepare. This would allow her to deal with some miscellaneous tasks beforehand. "My agreement with you was simply to take you out of the painting studio and then take you back with me. In fact, you can choose to leave now, and I will naturally come to find you after I finish my business."

"No way! I'm just a weak little girl who can only hold a pen. If I run around alone on the street, I'll get snatched away by a wild wolf!" Shen Qi pouted, looking dissatisfied. "I just want to get to know you better, after all, we have a long time to spend together... Of course, if you don't want to talk about it, that's fine too, I don't really care!"

“I think you’re definitely over two thousand years old now. Don’t you think it’s a bit ridiculous to act like a little girl?” Alice tilted her head slightly, looking at Shen Qi. Suddenly, she had an idea. She put down the recipe and flicked out threads made of frost and magic between her fingers, sending them into the kitchen in the distance. She then began to prepare dinner while multitasking.

“Perhaps you should act in a way that is appropriate for your age and experience,” she said.

“Whatever happens, happens.” Shenqi waved her hand, her gaze fixed on Alice with a slightly burning intensity. “How are you going to deal with your two sisters? Tell me or don’t, it’s your choice.”

Is it that important?

"Because I'm very curious!"

Alice shook her head. Through the makeshift puppet strings, she sensed that the bitter melon and eggplant she had hastily chosen were already chopped into a uniform puree. All she needed to do next was add curry and mustard, put them in a pot, and steam them over high heat for a short while before serving them as a meal. However, a short while was still a period of time, so using that time to do some unimportant things was perfectly fine.

“Alright.” The nun raised her hand somewhat helplessly. “I’ll tell you the truth, I haven’t really thought about this much. Julia and Liliana, it’s been a very, very long time since I last saw them, so long that I’ve even forgotten their faces. I only remember that the three of us sisters look almost exactly alike…” She gently patted her head, a strange sense of disorientation causing her to pause.

But this feeling of confusion was fleeting.

"Of the three sisters, I'm actually the one who's not very good at making decisions. I always choose to listen and then choose one of the solutions offered by Julia and Liliane. Julia is always very conservative and has to follow the rules in everything. Liliane, on the other hand, is much more open and never hides her desires and needs—they always argue and can't reach an agreement, so in the end, I'm the one who has to decide. And after I leave... they'll probably have a huge fight."

“So I need to go back to them, because I’ve been gone for so long, and there must have been a lot of conflicts between them. All I need to do is listen to their opinions as before and then handle all the problems.” Alice replied calmly, “So you see, I don’t need to think about what to do, because I only need to think—and I really don’t need to ‘think’.”

"Oh, is that so?" Shinki blinked, seemingly glancing subtly at the kitchen. "I thought you were going to talk about reviving the Black Church and plunging the world back into the abyss... or something like that. And didn't you consider the possibility that your two sisters no longer need you and might just try to kill you the moment you show up?"

“If that’s the case, I really need to think about it carefully…” Alice frowned, a deep frown. “And the Black Church… Yes, I should go and revive the Black Church. But…”

She suddenly sniffed; the aroma of food wafting from the kitchen momentarily released her tangled thoughts. She tilted her head, looked at the bubbling pot, and stepped towards it.

She abruptly turned her head to look at the outside of the house.

"Several powerful flames suddenly appeared in the town, one of them particularly intense... Have the White Cult noticed this place? I haven't done anything except paint... Perhaps they're after someone else?" She glanced at Shen Qi, who was tidying up her sketchbook after finishing a new sketch. She didn't pay much attention, just gently nudged Shen Qi's shoulder to signal her to stay in a safe place.

“The White Cult is here. I’m not sure if they’re after me. Maybe you made a lot of noise when you opened the door, and the White Cult noticed you. If you’re planning to fight, come out with me. If not, then keep an eye on Fran for me. Of course, you can leave if you want. I think either way is fine.”

She spoke these words, then grasped the giant scythe she had previously sheathed back into her hand, her lithe figure instantly becoming transparent in a subtle burst of light magic. She then awaited Shinki's reply before leaving the gate.

“Of course I’m not leaving, after all, you’ve satisfied my curiosity.” Shen Qi pursed her lips and put her paintbrush and easel away. “However, I don’t have enough paint, so it’s useless in battle. Of course, if you can’t win, I can paint Gale in advance to help you. Although you might not like 'her' very much.”

Alice shrugged, and her transparent form immediately left the temporary hall. Shenqi then leisurely walked into the kitchen and completely destroyed the pot of unknown substance and the spatial discontinuity sketch she had drawn in half a second.

Transformation, Chapter Twenty: The So-Called Witch

Alice stepped out of the courtyard where she had been resting. The question that Shinki had brought up earlier stirred something within her—'Why am I so obsessed with finding Julia and Liliane? And what should I do after I find them?'

Doubt, confusion, but more than anything, a sense of foreboding. A jumble of fragmented, indescribable thoughts surged from the depths of her mind along with this topic. She felt her heartbeat slow, and everything around her seemed to become blurred, as if veiled in gauze.

Blurred and ambiguous, countless colorful clumps seemed to appear in the eyes. Within these clumps, portals of varying sizes opened, from which pale hands and eyes reached out.

The hands are a woman's hands, the eyes are grayish-white, and the eyes grow on the hands, blinking as if they were twinkling stars.

Familiar hands, familiar feeling.

It seemed as if many people were whispering in my ears, telling one terrible yet precious secret after another. From these secrets grew clusters of vibrant flowers, and from these flowers called out a name.

—Alice, Alice Margotrovid.

Who is Alice? Who is Margot Lloyd?

Who is whispering in the darkness? Who is calling this name?

[There are enemies nearby; they are from the White Cult.]

Alice struggled to construct her own ideas in her mind, trying to draw her attention back to the real world. As such concepts surfaced in her mind, the colorful blobs around her gradually faded—her eyelids closed, her hands clenched their fingers, the gates turned their bearings, and the colors dimmed.

The whispers grew faint, yet simultaneously became clearer. And from these clear sounds, a logical meaning was conveyed.

—'How pitiful, how lamentable, how despicable!'

—'Knowing nothing, seeing nothing, gaining nothing'

—'I am not me, I am who I am, I am still me'

—'The rigid me, the willful me, the foolish me'

Alice suddenly opened her eyes, and all the subtle noises vanished in an instant. What came into view was a wide street, and less than three steps behind her was the door she had stepped out of earlier.

The aura of those flames was still there, but they seemed to have moved from inside the town to outside—Alice didn't know what they were planning to do, nor was she sure if they intended to leave.

【what happened?】

The girl thought to herself, and she blinked unconsciously. After everything in her field of vision returned to normal, she suddenly felt a kind of hum in the atmosphere. Many chaotic and complicated messages quickly gathered in her mind and were then clearly and quickly placed in the appropriate places.

Her thinking stagnated due to the overwhelming influx of information. Extraneous mundane emotions were immediately discarded by her brain, and a few microseconds later, her thought process resumed with only coldness and indifference.

She suddenly sensed one of the fiery auras that had left the town returning towards her location.

"It has found me," the girl thought.

"But I also discovered it," the girl thought to herself.

So, what needs to be done now is...

Several strange thoughts suddenly popped into the girl's mind.

'Start, Expand, Recycle'

Organize, summarize, and reconstruct.

She looked out at the main street. The wide, cobblestone street, like any ordinary town, had a few pedestrians, a few roadside vendors, small open-air shops, and one or two quiet taverns. Aside from these, there were sounds of conversation, noise, animal calls, and a few restless chickens and dogs playfully wrestling across the street. A feather was blown by the wind and lingered briefly in her field of vision.

[Concept Analysis - Feathers, Flight, Wind, Air.]

[Conceptual Reconstruction—Air, Wind, Airflow, Tornado.]

The patch of variegated feathers in her eyes suddenly disintegrated, transforming from a single entity into a series of separate macromolecular structures, then from macromolecules into smaller molecules, and from smaller molecules into individual atoms. The atoms then separated again, with protons and neutrons colliding and triggering a chain reaction. However, the reaction only proceeded regionally for a short period before being forcibly stopped. The released streams of energy unfolded according to a model resembling a cellular automata, and then—

—The feathers transformed into a storm.

The surrounding civilians screamed and fled in all directions. The chicken, the source of the storm, had barely spread its wings when it was swallowed by the tornado, and the mischievous dogs were not spared either. They whimpered and pawed at the ground, grabbing at anything they could to hold onto, but the storm still found them and shredded them into a bloody mess.

"Only a storm can knock down a big tree."

"Then where is the tree...? Where the flames are burning."

She didn't know why she suddenly had such thoughts, nor why she said such words. But as these thoughts arose in her mind and she uttered them aloud, the suddenly formed storm roared and crashed into the wisp of fire outside the town—the fire quickly weakened, but the other several auras also began to move. They resisted the storm and weakened it by unknown means.

The flames found refuge in the tree, but the tree could not withstand the fierce wind.

But that only refers to a single tree; one tree and a group are two different concepts. A strong wind that can topple a tree may not necessarily destroy a forest. Perhaps making the wind more agile, allowing it to strike the trees as nimbly as a fighter, would change the outcome, but that requires the operator's direct vision to achieve.

But Alice can't see that far ahead, and she doesn't intend to.

“If the wind can’t knock down a tree, then there’s no need for the wind.” Alice tilted her head slightly—the entire town of Clear Spring, the screaming and fleeing civilians, and the storm that was beginning to disintegrate outside the town all changed in her vision. The town was no longer a town, the civilians were no longer civilians, and the wind was no longer the wind.

They became concepts, and concepts can be changed at will.

[Concept Analysis—Town, settlement, buildings, earth and stone.]

[Conceptual Reconstruction – Earth and Stone, Building Materials, Civil Engineering Integration, Base]