Transmigrated as the Devil of the Meaningless-Chapter 95: Reliance and Alliance

Fiona’s hand tightened around her bracelet.

Her eyes searched his masked face, looking for any sign of deception.

"You can see such things?"

She asked.

"I can try," Seth admitted.

"My abilities are limited. But I will know if something is wrong."

Silence stretched between them.

Outside, the empty street remained unnaturally still.

The whole world seemed to hold its breath.

Finally, Fiona lowered her hand from the bracelet.

"Do it," she said.

Seth gave a small nod and stepped closer.

Without wasting time, he activated the ability of [Fate Consumption].

However, he had no intention of taking anything from her.

Instead, he carefully used its secondary function— the ability to trace and observe the lines of a person’s fate.

His instincts as the spell caster guided his senses as he followed the threads connected to Fiona.

He did not go too far back.

Only yesterday.

Specifically, the moment when Fiona had touched the Guide of Malum.

Seth focused.

The scene unfolded before him in fragments, like broken reflections pieced together.

He examined every detail and irregularity.

Then, slowly... his brows began to furrow.

There was nothing...

No sign that her fate had been altered in any way.

"...There are no signs of tampering."

Seth said quietly as he withdrew his ability.

Fiona let out a soft breath, her body trembling ever so slightly.

The sensation of having her very "existence" observed so closely left a strange chill running through her.

It was not exactly painful... but it was not comfortable either.

’What a mysterious ability...’

She thought.

There was a hint of admiration in her eyes, but beneath it lay a thin layer of fear.

But while Fiona was focused on that feeling, Seth’s expression had grown darker.

"If that’s the case..."

He muttered, his voice low.

"Then maybe it’s not our fates that were tampered with..."

He paused briefly before finishing his thought.

"...but our minds."

The words subtly left a heavy atmosphere.

Seth had already checked his own fate many times before.

Ever since receiving the blessing of secrets from Lady Light two weeks ago, he had been cautious to ensure that there were no problems with his fate.

Yet, every time he examined himself, there were no signs of manipulation.

Which made this possibility even more unsettling.

Fiona fell into thought for a moment before slowly nodding.

"That... might make sense," she said.

"Yesterday, when we were deciding where to meet, I did find it strange. You weren’t very resistant when I suggested this place."

She crossed her arms lightly, her brows knitting together.

"We could have chosen somewhere safer. Like discussing things during the Black Lantern gathering, under Lady Light’s protection."

Seth gave a small nod.

"Exactly. It’s as if our thinking became... dull. Like we naturally accepted things we normally wouldn’t."

He paused, then added,

"Almost like we were filled with carelessness and ignorance."

Fiona visibly flinched at his words.

Seth immediately noticed.

"What’s wrong?" he asked.

Fiona hesitated.

A trace of nervousness appeared on her face, as if she had just realized something important.

Her thoughts seemed to spiral for a brief moment before she suddenly glanced down at her bracelet.

"It’s nothing," she said quickly.

But her tone lacked its earlier calm.

After a short pause, Fiona forced herself to continue.

"Shall we... explore the building further?"

Seth shook his head slightly.

"If you feel the need to, but I doubt it will accomplish much. The building itself isn’t the trap, the spell is. And I doubt there’s such a thing as a "hidden key" that can help us get out."

Fiona nodded, but her feet carried her forward anyway.

She moved toward the left side of the teahouse, where a small reading nook sat beneath a frosted window.

Cushioned chairs, a low table, shelves lined with decorative books that were probably never opened.

Everything looked ordinary.

"You said there was another person in the building," she said, her voice low.

"And that they’re part of the School of Deceit?"

Seth followed a few paces behind, keeping his eyes on the corners of the room.

"Yes. I tried to find them after they disappeared into one of the back rooms, but it seems they’ve hidden themselves well or left entirely."

"Left?" Fiona turned to face him. "But the spell—"

"If the spell truly traps everyone who enters, then only someone with peculiar abilities could bypass it. Or perhaps they were the one who cast it to begin with."

Fiona considered this.

"There’s also the possibility that they’re simply stronger than the spell. Strong enough to ignore it... right?"

Seth paused.

"That’s true. But even then, they’d need the right kind of ability. Raw strength alone doesn’t bypass spells. Perhaps they can break it..."

"But breaking the spell would mean letting everyone out. Since we’re still here, either they didn’t break it, or they left without breaking it."

Fiona moved toward another section of the teahouse, her fingers trailing along the edge of a shelf.

Her movements were restless, like she needed to keep doing something even if there was nothing to find.

"Mr. Black," she said, her tone shifting a bit.

"What did you mean earlier? When you said my goals and dreams might have been affected by the book?"

Seth chose his words carefully.

"I am not certain. There are many items in this world that can alter a person’s mind... their desires, their memories, even their sense of self."

"The woman from the School of Deceit warned me that the Guide of Malum had already affected you. That your ambitions would quietly shift to match whatever the book intends."

Fiona’s hand stopped on the shelf. She stared at the wall without seeing it.

"And you confirmed it hasn’t touched my fate?"

"Your fate is clean. Whatever influence is present, it is not rooted in destiny... that leaves the mind."

She was silent for a long moment.

Then, slowly, she looked down at the sapphire bracelet on her wrist.

The gem caught the pale morning light filtering through the windows.

Seth watched her. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"Perhaps that bracelet of yours can tell you more."

He said it plainly, making no effort to hide that he had noticed her reliance on the item.

Fiona did not seem surprised.

She had never been good at hiding her reactions, and in some strange way, she found his straightforwardness comforting.

It meant she did not have to pretend.

"Sort of," she admitted.

"But it told me yesterday that there was nothing wrong with my mind."

Seth nodded slowly, though his thoughts were already moving ahead.

’It told her.’

Interesting phrasing.

’More likely... it’s not just an item...’

A quiet suspicion formed in his mind.

’It’s probably the witch protecting her in secret... disguised as a bracelet.’