Chapter 974: Mind World
Hvin Rambis picked up the porcelain teacup and took a sip. Looking at
Audrey, who sat in a flawless posture, he said genially, "There's no
need to act so reserved. This isn't our first meeting. I still recall
discussing Birman's philosophy of ethics and Kongsoka's pragmatism with
you two years ago."
Audrey smiled faintly and said, "I just find it difficult to put the
idea of you and a Psychology Alchemists councilor together."
Hvin Rambis hadn't introduced himself, but it was a reasonable inference
based on Audrey's knowledge of the Psychology Alchemists and the present
situation.
Hvin crossed his right leg and said with a smile, "This isn't something
worth paying attention to. Never forget that our Psychology Alchemists
is an organization established with the goal of studying the psyche and
to build knowledge. We are more about the academic side of things rather
than handling matters. Heh, since it's academic, you can always treat a
councilor as a university's professor."
If she hadn't learned from Mr. World that Hvin Rambis was behind
Cuarón's suicide, Audrey would've been able to conclude that he was a
knowledgeable, amiable, humorous, and humble scholar, regardless of the
amount of observation that she did. However, since she was wary, Audrey
wasn't someone who would so easily believe things that appeared on the
surface.
As she looked at him and organized her words, she prevented herself from
focusing too much on one point. She kept her thoughts lively and
scattered to prevent herself from being hypnotized.
At this moment, her mind suddenly turned adrift. She seemed to see the
seven pure lights that contained infinite knowledge, and the dense,
indescribable figures. She saw them blanketing everything from high
above.
This was the spirituality sky, the reflection of the spirituality in
one's mind!
And beneath the spirituality sky was a deep, dark sea. Every drop of
water resembled a point of light as though they represented an imprint
on each subconscious.
Near this sea were several islands. One of them belonged to Audrey.
She clearly knew that this was a manifestation of her consciousness.
What was exposed above the sea was what she could detect, and the parts
covered by the "seawater" were her deeper consciousness that she was
usually unable to grasp or know.
Floating above the island, Audrey looked to the bottom. She first
noticed that the area was a solitary, quiet, gray blur. They screened
out her vision, making her only capable of seeing the massive and dark
black outlines of the subconscious, as well as the illusory and rippling
sea of collective subconscious. She was unable to obtain much
information from that.
Audrey was puzzled as to how she had entered this strange state when she
saw large swaths of gray split apart like the sea deep in the sea of
subconscious at the island below. It revealed a stone platform that had
appeared at some point in time.
On the platform, a figure grew up rapidly in a fashion akin to blinking,
entering Audrey's field of view almost instantly.
His hair was completely white but remained thick and lush. He wore a
standard three-piece suit, matched with blue-gray trousers with lines
adorning it, as well as a dark red bow tie. This man with deep wrinkles
on his forehead was none other than Hvin Rambis.
Compared to the Hvin sitting on the sofa, he appeared more sinister. He
didn't wear a smile, and his head was slightly bowed. It was as though
he was observing Audrey's subconscious that lay behind.
In a few steps, he walked into Audrey's island of consciousness through
the sea of collective subconscious. Then, he went from the subconscious
to the area exposed above the sea like a silent visitor who didn't knock
on the door or receive any permission.
After arriving on the island, Hvin Rambis raised his head. His facial
skin was already covered in grayish-white scales. His irises were gold
and vertical, and it didn't show any hint of emotion.
This... Floating in midair, Audrey observed this scene and fully
understood the situation she was in.
This was the world of the mind, a mind world formed by the spirituality
sky, sea of collective subconscious, and the island of consciousness!
Due to the blessings from Mr. Fool's angel, Hvin Rambis's intrusion of
my Body of Heart and Mind and psyche through the sea of collective
subconscious sounded alarms... That force has separated my most
fundamental part of my self-conscious, allowing me to control everything
on the island from the spirituality sky. Thus, I'm able to truly resist
true forms of telepathy... How magical --- No, how despicable of Hvin
Rambis! He's not polite at all. He intruded into my "house" without
gaining any permission or providing any notification! Audrey grumbled in
midair.
After understanding her current situation, she secretly controlled the
changes that were influencing the island while answering the casually
seated Hvin Rambis in the real world.
"I'm also very reserved when facing university professors."
As she spoke, Audrey made her inner island "mumble."
This isn't a good analogy. As a elderly Psychology Alchemists councilor,
he should be a Sequence 4 at least. This is a demigod, one that
naturally makes one feel fear, awe, and reserved!
On the sofa, Hvin Rambis chuckled immediately.
"Then I won't be forcing you. I've heard about you from Hilbert. I heard
that you've advanced from Psychiatrist to Hypnotist in a short few
months. I'm very curious about how you did it? Oh, I've also heard of
the answer you gave Escalante-having the courage to make use of matters.
However, I wish to hear something more detailed."
At this moment, the Hvin Rambis on Audrey's mind island was observing
his surroundings with a deadpan expression, listening the resonating
voice. Audrey was already prepared for this as she deliberately
pretended to be organizing her words. After a few seconds, she said,
"It's just the superficial meaning of 'having courage to make use of
matter.'"
"Uh... Let's put it this way. In my future plans, I've always had one of
my options being a Psychiatrist. Since I've acquired the corresponding
Beyonder powers, I-I was definitely very happy to try it out and help
the people around me resolve their mental and psychological problems."
While saying that, she showed some signs of embarrassment towards such
actions that bordered on childishness. Her mind island faithfully
reflected
this.
After a pause, Audrey continued, "During this process, I discovered that
my control over the potion's powers became better until, one day, I felt
something in me shatter and fuse into my blood. It also allowed me to
vaguely see illusory stars. Mr. Rambis, what does it represent?
"Uh, for some reason, I firmly decided to become a Hypnotist from that
day. This might also be a cue from my subconscious."
After saying that, Audrey deliberately stuck out her tongue on her mind
island like when she was little, doing things she usually wouldn't do.
It was a way to prove that she was feeling a little embarrassed because
playing psychiatrist was no different from playing princess when she was
little.
And embarrassment often meant the truth.
Hvin Rambis nodded gently and said, "Very talented. You seem to have
figured out the 'acting method' by yourself."
"Acting method?" Audrey wore a surprised and blank look both inside and
outside before coming to a realization.
Hvin Rambis said with a genial smile, "It's exactly as you think it is.
By acting based on the potion's name, and concluding the corresponding
principles, that will speed up the digestion of the potion. It is an
effective method for reducing the negative influences."
"However, before Sequence 6, we do not teach it because we do not
advocate members using this method to accelerate the digestion of their
potions. Surprisingly, you have figured it out yourself."
"Why don't you advocate it?" Audrey asked sincerely out of curiosity.
Hvin Rambis sighed and said, "This will make the members not be
themselves. Some might even be assimilated by the remnants of the
potion.
"To put it simply, the first three Sequences are for one to slowly grasp
their powers and get used to being extraordinary. It allows one's
subconscious to be deeper, become clearer, and turn more mature. It aids
in resisting the subsequent problems that come from the 'acting method.'
"Of course, I can only give my opinion on the Spectator pathway. As for
the other Beyonder pathways, I'm not too sure if they're the same. But
clearly, pathways that focus on the domain of the mind would have some
differences in the area of self-consciousness."
Audrey was unable to determine the veracity of Hvin Rambis's words. She
felt that there was definitely some reason to it, but it was not
entirely the truth.
Little Sun mentioned before that one key thing to remember regarding the
"acting method" is "remember that you're only acting"... I find this
more appropriate. Yes, I've been strictly abiding to it, and will keep
doing so in the future... Audrey, you mustn't be careless. From this
moment forth, you must put more emphasis on your self-consciousness!
From Mr. Fool's point of view, this must be trivial and doesn't require
additional emphasis since it's included in the statement of "only
acting." But to the ordinary person, perhaps it's relatively more
important... As Audrey's thoughts raced, she asked, "Can you explain the
'acting method' in more detail?"
Hvin Rambis explained it to her in a relatively more detailed manner
before saying, "You are indeed talented and qualified to obtain the
Sequence 5 Dreamwalker potion formula, but before that, I'll give you
several missions. This is out of fairness and also a form of training
for you. This is because once you achieve Sequence 5, you will be
leading two to three psychological discussion groups. Your every
judgment and choice will influence the future and even the lives of the
members beneath you. Therefore, we mustn't allow people who deeply lack
experience in handling matters to advance to Sequence 5."
"Understandable." Audrey didn't object to it. "What's the first
mission?"
Hvin Rambis said with a smile, "A simple but rather long-term mission.
Every piece of feedback you provide will count towards your
contributions."
At this point, he sighed.
"The fracture between the New Party and the Conservative Party is
widening. The more conflict there is, the more divided the kingdom's
internal politics will be. I wish that you can take note of the attitude
of your father, Earl Hall. Inform me of some of his views towards
various bills and matters. Don't worry, this will not cause him any
harm. We only wish to mend the fractures."
His final statement was, in fact, not supported by logic. It was solely
a promise. But with Hvin Rambis raising his right hand to his temples
while on Audrey's "mind island," Audrey felt that what he said was very
reasonable and deeply relatable.
Floating above her mind world, she immediately snapped to her senses and
realized something was amiss.