The story told by Angel was entirely a reconstruction of a relatively reasonable logical chain, based on known results and reverse engineering. If one really wants to pick out flaws, there must be some, because human thinking is multi-threaded, and finding order out of chaos promptly is relatively difficult.
However, if we don’t consider these deeper issues and solely look at it from both surface and deeper layers, Angel’s inference can be valid.
Moreover, the final effect was better than Angel imagined.
Cicia not only believed Angel but also filled in some gaps herself, revealing the secret story between Margaret and the Wise Sovereign back then... And Cicia’s assumptions are very likely true.
This actually corroborates Angel’s suspicion, the Wise Sovereign certainly knew about Margaret and Augustine’s story, and it even might have pushed for them to meet secretly.
Even Dororo’s inspiration—"The Sage is not foolish"—points towards this Sage.
Thus, it is basic certainty that The Sage surely knows about the existence of that wall, and knows Augustine left a secret land there. But whether The Sage ever entered it is somewhat hard to say.
Angel leans towards the idea that The Sage hasn’t entered because refining the key might not be difficult for The Sage, but passing that Alchemy Omen would be no easy task.
Yet, even if The Sage did enter, Angel wouldn’t mind. While he seems to be exploring the wall in the present world, his true target is the wall in the Nightmare Realm.
But now the problem loops back to the Origin Point, even if understanding The Sage is key, knowing many secrets, how to make him speak remains an unsolved mystery.
After contemplating with no result for a while, Angel turned his gaze towards Cicia.
Although Cicia always says not to flaunt her name, she just clearly stated that the identity of The Sage was comparable to her own at the time. Which means, Cicia was certainly not a minor figure back then, her special status had to be cautiously handled, even by dominator-level figures, otherwise Cicia wouldn’t have so easily been in touch with Margaret.
The Sage has also always helped Cicia to monitor the movements of the Baiyuanians outside, which shows that he hasn’t treated Cicia poorly.
Therefore, to truly make The Sage speak, not only would it require finding the Wood Spirit, but perhaps also require Cicia’s assistance.
Thinking of this, Angel asked, "Miss Cicia, do you want to know the final outcome of your two dear friends?"
Cicia instinctively replied, "Of course I want to know."
She was naturally very concerned about her only two dear human friends.
"Why are you asking me this question? Do you happen to know?"
"I naturally do not know," Angel said, "However, if Miss Cicia also wishes to know their final outcome, then actually we are on the same path. Because now, the only one who knows all the truth is the Wise Sovereign."
Cicia furrowed her brow, "So then? You still hope I will help you ask the Wise Sovereign? Or, using my name to make the Wise Sovereign speak?"
Cicia shook her head, "Even if I agreed, the Sage wouldn’t tell you."
"Do you think I haven’t asked the Sage about their situation over the years? Every time it comes, I ask, but it has never given me any answer. So begging me is useless."
Angel said, "Logically, your two dear friends have very special identities but aren’t so extraordinary. Yet, the Wise Sovereign completely refuses to answer your questions about them, isn’t there more to it?"
After Angel finished speaking, the air suddenly fell into a deep silence.
After a long while, Cicia finally spoke softly.
"What you said, how can I not understand?" Cicia leaned back on the throne, her eyes hidden in the shadow of her hair, emotions revealed between light and dark were filled with helplessness.
"But what can I do? I can’t even leave this platform, all my news of the outside world has to be delivered by the Wise Sovereign... Thousands of years, long and lonely days, all I can do is hope things will go for the better."
Cicia curled up her feet, burying her head in her knees, her voice low, emotions forlorn.
Angel could probably guess the unspeakable words hidden within Cicia’s voice.
Once, Cicia was equal to the Wise Sovereign, but after the box transformation, not only did her status plummet, but she couldn’t do anything and knew nothing of the outside world.
Only the Wise Sovereign could help her obtain outside information.
So even if Cicia knows the Wise Sovereign surely knows Margaret and Augustine’s whereabouts, she has no way to force him to answer. The result of breaking this relationship could very well eliminate even the final channel to the outside world.
Consequently, the only thing Cicia can do is silently pray in the dark, hoping things will develop for the better.
Feeling Cicia’s transmitted somber mood, Angel suddenly understood her a little more. To Angel, thousands of years are merely a number, but to Cicia, it is a tangible experience.
She once said Margaret was a caged bird, but now, isn’t she a caged bird too? And, her situation might be worse than Margaret’s, as this box is both her body and a prison, confining her for thousands of years.
Angel had often complained of Cicia’s lapse in intelligence, but now, thinking back, for her to still maintain normal thinking after thousands of years, is quite remarkable.
Considering this, Angel’s voice softened unconsciously, "You can’t act because you’re restricted in your moving range, there’s no solution for this currently. However, we have come, we can act for you."
Cicia lifted her head to look at Angel, lightly chuckling, "What can you do? You might not even find the Wood Spirit, how would you make the Wise Sovereign speak?"
Angel, however, replied with seriousness, "I can’t guarantee for others, but I can definitely achieve it."
"Just you? Why?"
Angel answered seriously, "Of course it’s because I’m a genius."
Cicia rolled her eyes, disinclined to respond to such an unhelpful comment.
Angel continued, "Do you think it’s a coincidence that I could acquire the Primeval Flame, find the Baiyuanians? Aren’t you surprised that I could arrange for you to meet Popota, and right inside your box? The Alchemy Blueprint for the secret key, few can understand it, but somehow, I do, and have refined it; is this also a coincidence?"
"I always achieve what I claim I can."
Angel’s words weren’t very resolute or emphatic, he just laid them out plainly. But Cicia inexplicably felt the deep-seated confidence within Angel’s heart.
This confidence wasn’t absurd or unfounded; it seemed like another form of power emanating from within Angel.
It was a hard-to-describe feeling but it oddly moved Cicia.
A youth under twenty, burning with dazzling confidence like the midday sun.
The long-lost "youthful spirit," like a fiery wind, swept into Cicia’s perpetually cold and lonely heart.
She was silent for a moment, then turned her head, "Who do you think you are?"