After reading the introduction to the dressing mirror named "Voice of Forgetfulness," Angel vaguely feels something amiss.
"Make the user forget someone or something," this effect isn’t particularly potent, as spell techniques can achieve it. For example, Angel uses the Power of Nightmare Illusion to infiltrate others’ minds, achieving a similar effect.
To say even more, without using Extraordinary Power, a simple physical impact might cause a brain neural short-circuit, tossing the Memory Casket into the Abyss of Thoughts, ultimately resulting in amnesia.
Therefore, in Angel’s view, this tool seems somewhat redundant. He doesn’t understand why Culori recorded it specifically and even wrote annotations.
Could it be because Culori crafted this dressing mirror himself, which is why he recorded it specifically?
Angel’s gaze stops on the second line "Hoopa Coefficient: 2." What exactly is this Hoopa Coefficient? He has never heard of it.
With rising doubts, Angel’s brows involuntarily furrow, a strange feeling spreading inwardly.
"Maybe the answer lies ahead." With doubts, Angel turns to the next page.
The hand-drawn illustrations on the second page retain a clean and clear style, with simple lines sketching a swiftly flying meteor.
However, this meteor isn’t a real meteor but rather a faery tale style. A perfect pentagonal star with lines around it that suddenly lengthen and shorten, symbolizing its glow; behind the star trails a light arc drawn in gold powder, representing its flight.
Just looking at the illustrations, Angel is full of questions. He had previously speculated whether these illustrations depicted tools crafted by Culori, but now there’s this fairy-tale meteor... would anyone really craft such a thing? For what purpose?
Full of questions, Angel’s gaze lowers to the introduction of the illustration.
"Name: Star of Hope"
"Hoopa Coefficient: 36"
"Belonging: Unknown"
"Effect: Wish upon the Star of Hope, and perhaps your wish will be granted... although the chance isn’t great."
This information directly punctures Angel’s earlier assumptions. From the effect, it seems almost to encompass the mysterious concept of fate, which in Angel’s view, alchemy hardly achieves... perhaps someone can, but Angel currently cannot imagine it.
Moreover, if Culori truly crafted it, he shouldn’t be unclear about its belonging.
Angel continues looking down to Culori’s notes on the illustration.
"Notes: In this world, many answers are predetermined. You strive with all your might but still can never obtain them. Yet by wishing upon the Star of Hope, at least you can leverage your efforts to pry into that predetermined conclusion, revealing a glimmer of hope... well, no matter how faint, isn’t it still hope? Every three hundred years, the Star of Hope appears once, seize the chance to wish upon it."
After reading the notes, Angel remains stunned for quite a while.
Setting aside the mentioned quirks, analyzing purely the mindset when writing these notes, you can sense from the strokes that Culori is more an absolute calm recorder rather than a participant.
Again confirming that the items in the illustration aren’t crafted by Culori; he’s merely documenting their existence.
Upon confirming this fact, rereading the Star of Hope’s notes, it remains infused with a sense of fate—
Many things are destiny; you must accept it. But with the Star of Hope, you can manifest a path to break fate from within its shackles. Whether or not you can grasp this hope depends on if you seize the opportunity.
You can see that the Star of Hope offers a glimmer of hope, though acquiring hope might not be so easy.
Angel’s initial impression is the effect seems ordinary, not something alchemy can achieve. Yet, combined with the notes and pondering deeply, he gains a new sense.
Since its inception, hope implies remoteness. If hope was so easily achievable, it wouldn’t be called hope.
Thus, the effect of "breaking the ultimate predicament, having a glimmer of hope" indeed isn’t ordinary.
Plus, the Star of Hope’s introduction doesn’t stipulate limits on range, which is quite daunting to think about.
Each individual’s pleas and predicaments vary clearly, so encountering the Star of Hope, the karma in wishing naturally varies too.
But the Star of Hope almost seems to treat all equally, tearing the absolute shackles and paving a hopeful path for different wishes.
This threshold range appears unforgiving, reaching infinity?
If that were truly the case, the effect isn’t ordinary; it’s downright miraculous!
Though Culori doesn’t state directly, Angel still faintly senses the Star of Hope indeed bringing a glimmer of hope to all predicaments.
It’s as if the creator of the Star of Hope—assuming there really is a creator—never considered such limits, but from inception bestowed upon it the ability to defy even Laws.
This sensation, to Angel, carries a familiar flavor.
Breaking through the Laws’ boundaries, entirely illogical... isn’t that a Mysterious Object?
"Could it be that this illustration book is documenting Mysterious Objects?" As this thought arises, it quickly conquers the high ground in Angel’s mind, banishing former doubts, illuminating his thoughts with radiant clarity, showcasing an absolute presence.
"Yes, only Mysterious Objects explain everything!" Angel’s eyes abruptly brighten, the discomfort he’s felt dissipates instantly when explained as "mysterious."
Angel now almost concludes this illustration book is documenting Mysterious Objects! However, he still needs corroboration.
Angel swiftly turns to the next page.
The illustration on the next page is of a very exquisite envelope, framed on all four sides with golden patterns and even the seal embedded with pure white feathered golden mud.
In drawing, Culori likely used much gold powder, as even the flat illustration exudes a golden glow.
"Name: Time Postcard"
"Hoopa Coefficient: 24"
"Belonging: Orderly Guild"
"Effect: Sends a postcard to a specific moment’s future recipient, with an attached ability for the recipient’s temporary use."
"Notes: This is a gift from bygone times. However, can you really see through time and deem that future person worthy of your gift? Of course, if you’re sending it to yourself in the future, pretend I didn’t say anything."
After reading the introduction to Time Postcard, Angel doesn’t ponder the reasonableness of the effect because it’s unnecessary.