Chapter 7: I Say, I'm Not Normal!

"Ant, I am curious: where did you learn that name?"

A calm voice echoed throughout the cabin.

"..."

Mo Wen looked at the masked girl before him with great difficulty. He was certain that she was Frelia. The designation displayed by his "Appraisal" skill remained unchanged: [Witch of the End - Frelia Augustus: ???]

But... hadn't they been cooperating perfectly well before? How could she turn hostile the moment he regained consciousness? It was the sheer definition of a "hit-and-run"—an utterly heartless act!

However, feeling the increasingly profound and undeniably lethal coldness in her gaze, Mo Wen, knowing his life was on the line, let his mind race.

*Is she bothered by how I addressed her? Is there something wrong with the name Frelia? Wait, her exact words were "true name," and back when she was still wearing prison garb, the name she gave me was "Fria."*

*The name Frelia... I obtained that through Appraisal.*

Realizing this, Mo Wen felt a headache coming on. He knew he had made a fatal error. From Frelia's perspective, being called by her true name rather than the pseudonym she had provided—even if it was only a one-character difference—was suspicious. Between a simple slip of the tongue and being secretly investigated, the latter seemed far more likely to her.

Mo Wen suspected that if he weren't so weak, he would already be a corpse; she wouldn't have even given him a chance to explain. Realizing this, he felt a sense of helplessness. Who would have guessed that a single character could lead to such a dangerous situation? Even after he had promoted to the Black Iron rank and his Appraisal skill was no longer a trial version, he still couldn't obtain detailed information on Frelia, which showed just how vast the gap in their power truly was.

Attempting to escape by force was unrealistic. Right now, there was only one path to survival.

Under the masked girl's gaze, Mo Wen took a deep breath and hurriedly explained with sincerity, "I am not normal. No, what I mean is, I possess a special ability."

"Oh?" The red lips beneath her mask curled slightly, and she said noncommittally, "Let's hear your excuse. If you can convince me, you might just keep your life."

Feeling the unknown force restraining his body loosen slightly, Mo Wen kept his expression steady, though his heart settled a little. He knew he had found the right way to escape, but finding the path and actually walking it were two different things.

He pondered his next words. He certainly couldn't mention the System; all he could talk about was the Appraisal skill.

"It is like this," Mo Wen said, weighing his tone carefully. "Not long ago, I discovered that I possess a unique ability. As long as I see any special person or object, and examine it carefully, I can obtain a certain amount of information."

"And you..." He used "you" as a respectful address, mindful of her sensitivity toward her true name. "You are so unique that I was naturally curious, and so, through this ability, I learned your true name."

He hurriedly added, "However, because the difference in our ranks is so vast, I only learned your name; I know nothing else."

*How is that possible...*

After hearing Mo Wen’s words, Frelia’s first thought was that it was impossible. Abilities that granted information were not rare; in fact, they were the primary way for professionals to comprehend the unknown. But all such abilities were bound by rank limitations. Someone capable of obtaining basic information—like the name of an unknown entity—from a being one rank higher was already considered an extraordinary talent, highly valued by the Empire's elite.

And Mo Wen? Even if she ignored the fact that he was a commoner when they first met and treated him as a Black Iron rank professional, the gap between them could not be described by a mere rank difference; it was a chasm as wide as heaven and earth. In such a situation, he had managed to obtain her "true name"?

Such an absurd thing was something Frelia had never even heard of, let alone witnessed.

After a brief moment of shock, Frelia quickly regained her usual composure. Without expression, she tossed the palm-sized doll, which resembled a white-haired little girl, toward Mo Wen. "Tell me, what kind of information have you obtained?"

The unknown force binding him vanished, and Mo Wen, feet back on the floor, instinctively reached out and caught the doll. *Isn't this the Cursed Doll I successfully contained? I haven't even had a chance to check its hidden traits yet because of the emergency.*

*But just taking it from my pocket—isn't that a bit unreasonable?*

*Fine. You're stronger, so you're right.*

Complaining inwardly, Mo Wen obediently used Appraisal on the Cursed Doll.

——
[Name: Curious Object - Cursed Doll]
[Introduction: A cursed doll existing on the boundary between life and death; it provokes others with a unique, mocking style.]
[Ability: ...]
[Containment Method: ...]
[Hidden Trait: While dormant, the Cursed Doll cannot spread its curse, but by way of "sacrifice," one can integrate the doll into their body to obtain a certain amount of puppetry-related abilities. The number and strength of these abilities depend on the intensity of the "sacrifice."]
[There are three methods of sacrifice:
1. Blood Sacrifice: Use the flesh and blood of a large number of humanoid races as a tribute (at least one, with a professional being preferable).
2. Material Sacrifice: Consume a minimum-grade "Rust Stone" (at least one) to satisfy the doll's craving. Please note that this method may increase the doll's "Contamination Value" and must be used with caution.
3. Self-Sacrifice: Use one's own flesh and blood as a tribute. Upon completion, depending on duration and intensity, the user's doll-transformation rate will increase (if the user is not already cursed, a part of their body will become permanently wooden).]
[—A doll that has lost its memories and emotions, craving the memories and souls contained within flesh and blood.]
[Contamination Value: 0.1]
——

After reading the hidden traits of the "successfully contained" Cursed Doll, Mo Wen was filled with astonishment. Setting aside the cost, a Curious Object could actually be used by someone after being "contained" through specific methods?

If an ordinary person possessed a Curious Object and knew how to use it correctly, they could inflict massive damage—or even death—upon an unsuspecting Black Iron rank professional at the cost of some price. And if a professional held such an object, their strength would be unpredictable.

For a split second, the thought of using the Cursed Doll to fight Frelia and escape crossed his mind, but he immediately dismissed it. The gap in power was too great; even with the doll, he had no chance of victory.

Thus, he dutifully recited the information he had gathered.

"Cursed Doll. Its abilities are... the containment method is... the contamination value is 0.1. It is an auxiliary of the 'Taboo Object: Puppet Kingdom'..."

As Frelia listened, her brows gradually knitted together. This information was far too detailed. However, considering his peculiar nature, she could barely accept it. But when he mentioned the "Taboo Object: Puppet Kingdom," she couldn't help but interrupt.

"Taboo Object, Puppet Kingdom?!"

"You even obtained the name of a Taboo Object?"

Due to her shock, she almost failed to maintain her cold, detached tone. A person's true name was one thing, but the true name of a Curious Object often revealed its power alignment and was considered a top-secret of the highest order. If that was the case for a Curious Object, it was even more so for a Taboo Object.

Frelia looked deeply at the young man before her. To be able to state the information of the Cursed Doll so clearly, and to know her true name as well as the name of a Taboo Object...

To achieve this with the body of a Black Iron ranker...

His status might be high enough to rival the gods!