As Selene and Aiden bowed before the woman the system seemed to call Indigo, Selene could barely keep nausea from boiling over and making her throw up.
It was not unlike the claustrophobic dungeon, where the masked man himself had walked right past them.
That feeling of inevitable death.
The kind that did not truly leave for days after.
It was not unlike what she had felt when she saw her father raise a sword at her that night.
Yet what truly horrified Selene was how easily Indigo made her body move on its own.
She did not move her hand.
Did not use any visible energy.
Did not even take a preparatory breath.
Indigo asked a question, and Selene's body lunged to answer like a lapdog desperate for attention.
"Tree," Indigo said, "why don't you give us a table and some chairs?"
A small part of Selene prayed it was not that easy for her.
The tree shook.
Vines burst forth.
A simple, ornately woven table formed from the twisting growth, followed by three chairs.
Indigo sat at the single chair on one side and said, "Let's sit down. I'm sure your knees must be getting sore."
It was as if the weight of the entire castle Selene had grown up in was lifted from her shoulders.
She turned to Aiden.
He stood and glanced back, a silent look of apology and fear on his face.
Then they both sat down.
Now that Selene could actually look at her, she saw the mask.
It was very different from the one Red had worn before.
Yet it carried the same ominous promise.
Countries reduced to rubble for the smallest slight.
"Now," Indigo said, "since little Selene here does not know about me due to your concerns about the knowledge hunters, let me see about calling them off."
She raised one hand.
A screen appeared before her, not unlike a system screen, except it was the same color as her dress.
"While I am doing that, Aiden, explain to Selene why I am here."
Indigo turned her attention to the screen.
Aiden looked to Selene.
"Okay," Aiden said. "No short way to say this."
He took a breath.
"Basically, the Fateless are created when a creature outside our world wants to play around in our world. So they have You-know-who make them a custom vessel to their standards by doing things like messing with their past and stuff."
Selene stared.
"They don't always control them," Aiden continued, "which is why Jackson and Emi are currently free. Ymer and his team are working for someone Miss Indigo hates with a passion."
Aiden glanced at Indigo.
"I met her outside the bookstore when we were staying with the duke. When I revealed the letter we got after beating Ymer the first time, she said Mr. Lee should treat me nicely."
Aiden looked like he might say more.
Then Indigo turned back.
She collapsed her fan with a sharp zipping sound as the pieces brushed against one another.
"Very good," Indigo said. "But the real question is whether you can guess why I have come back so suddenly."
Aiden seemed to rack his brain.
Whether because of the more relaxed atmosphere, or because Selene had already fought against Ymer's new party and shown which side she was on, she sheepishly raised her hand.
Indigo glanced over.
"W-Well," Selene said, "from what I can guess, it's b-because Ymer's group also received external help?"
Indigo smiled at her.
For a moment, Selene's entire body tensed like she had been struck by a full-body muscle cramp.
"Well done," Indigo said. "I assume the level gap tipped you off?"
Aiden's eyes widened slightly as if he was catching on.
"Yeah," he said. "Ymer was level fifteen last time we saw him, and since the XP requirement goes up per level, the fact that he somehow expanded the gap between us means he was either going on quests day and night or he got help."
"You are close," Indigo said. "But Fateless are not bound by the XP leveling most are made to use. They have something called milestone level-ups. They do something difficult, and they can level up."
Her fan rested against her palm.
"Though that is not what made me come to intervene."
Aiden and Selene shared a look of confusion.
Selene swallowed.
"T-Then, if not because of the level gain, why are you here, M-Miss Indigo?"
Indigo looked over at her.
For one horrifying second, the casual atmosphere that had been forming seemed to drop away.
Selene was certain she was about to be told to snap her own neck.
Then Indigo said, "Because they are using illegal classes."
Selene blinked a few times.
She waited.
Aiden asked first.
"Illegal classes?" Aiden said. "Like, a country doesn't allow them, or…?"
He crossed his arms, seeming to listen to Will.
Probably because Will was commenting on his lack of awareness regarding just how comfortable he was getting in front of someone who could literally kill them with a word.
At least, Selene hoped that was what Will was doing.
"No," Indigo said. "Illegal as in they are not supposed to exist."
Aiden's expression sharpened.
"It seems the Observer gave the players free rein to make their own classes and skills for Ymer and his group. As such, some are not as powerful as they could be, while others are far beyond what they should be power-wise."
Indigo tilted her head.
"Personally, I think it is because that bitch Purple probably begged Red, and he caved, as he always does when Purple is involved."
She sighed.
"He will not even let me skin her and make a harp out of her nerves to play when I get lonely. Can you believe it?"
Aiden and Selene shared the same horrified expression.
Both of them tried to imagine what that kind of instrument would look like.
Both of them quickly stopped.
"B-But," Selene said, "if they have classes that are stronger than they should be, and a level gap, h-how are we supposed to win?"
Indigo gave her a grin that made Selene flash back to the shape of Red's mask.
"It is simple, really," Indigo said. "We abuse your status as Fatebound to grant you all some skills to help."
Her gaze shifted.
"Oh, Selene, you have consumed Aiden's potions, yes?"
"She has," Aiden said. "But hold on. Fatebound? I've seen the term but don't know what it is. Also, how exactly do my potions play any part in this Fatebound thing?"
Indigo sighed.
She seemed to be getting tired of answering questions.
Aiden and Selene shivered.
Then Indigo placed her fan through what seemed to be a small ripple in the air.
It vanished.
She began removing one of her lace gloves, one finger at a time.
"Well," Indigo said, "Aiden got it from his grandfather after it was shipped to his father. Due to his soul skill, people who drink his potions can become Fatebound if they consume them regularly for a time."
Aiden stiffened.
"As for what a Fatebound is, think of yourselves as the immune system of fate," Indigo continued. "Fateless walk around breaking and damaging fate to avoid being bound by it. You reinforce it in the same way."
She flexed her bare fingers.
"And where fate cracks but still holds, small fragments remain. Those fragments can be absorbed to better enhance your ability to reinforce fate by becoming stronger."
The explanation made sense in theory.
But the words, speed, and everything else left Selene clutching her head.
"S-So how exactly can we gain skills just from being a…"
She paused.
"A, uh…"
Selene grimaced.
"Fate-gone?"
Indigo flashed what seemed to be an annoyed look.
The pressure from before sank in slightly.
Not to the same level as before, but enough.
Whatever strikes they had before she killed them, it seemed Selene had used the last one.
"Well," Indigo said, "you need fragments of fate. And I want Ymer dead."
The air seemed to still.
"So if we can agree on that exchange, I will break off a chunk of fate for you to absorb."
Selene looked to Aiden.
Not with any message or intention.
She only wanted to see what he would choose.
On one hand, adventurers of higher ranks always warned against making deals with beings stronger than you. Bad wording could catch you in loopholes.
On the other hand, this seemed less like a deal and more like paying off a guard to avoid execution.
Aiden looked over at Selene, as if wanting to know if she agreed.
Selene just shrugged.
Aiden turned back to Indigo.
"Lady Indigo," Aiden said carefully, "we accept your offer and thank you for your willingness to help us."
Maybe it was paranoia.
Maybe fear.
Maybe the nature of the mask giving Selene terrifying flashbacks.
But as she looked over, she could have sworn there was a manic smile hidden behind Indigo's mask.
Then the air cracked like glass.