Chapter 1936 Order of Speaking <TOC> Chapter 1938 A Theater Docking
Translator: SumTLMan
After La Pluie’s words fell, the air suddenly plunged into silence.
No one took the initiative to speak.
It wasn’t that they didn’t want to speak; they simply didn’t want to be the first to break the silence. To many, the one who usually speaks first is an Observer, who more or less will announce a prophecy that sets the tone for the meeting. In other words, the prophecy announced by the first speaker doesn’t just potentially influence the future landscape; at the least, it’s considered to be of some use.
Take, for instance, the Star Observing Day a year ago. ‘The Falseless Reader,’ Shura, was the first to speak, and the information he reported was about the planar fusion over the Paramjit Plateau.
This was incredibly useful information, prompting most wizard organizations in the Southern Region to head towards the Paramjit Plateau.
In comparison, the prophecy at the beginning of the Star Observing Day carries significant weight. The people present didn’t feel that the fragments of prophecies they saw were worthy of being the first to be voiced.
Thus, everyone fell silent, casting their gazes towards the eleven Observers at the center. To the majority, the future fragments seen by the Observers were undoubtedly more substantial than theirs.
However, the Observers at this moment had all closed their eyes and didn’t seem prepared to speak. Some felt that since La Pluie suddenly changed the speaking rules, allowing ordinary prophecy wizards to speak first, they might as well yield the floor.
This bore a hint of resentment, but indeed, it reflected the thoughts of some. After all, they see the priority of prophecy as a form of superiority, and being forcibly pulled down from the high pedestal naturally stirred some discontent.
Of course, while they felt somewhat uncomfortable, they only expressed their resistance through these trivial details. If La Pluie truly called on them to speak, they wouldn’t deliberately defy.
But as time passed, La Pluie didn’t call any Observer’s name, still calmly allowing the silence to spread.
The soundless silence persisted for a full five minutes.
The prophecy wizards present exchanged glances, not because they didn’t wish to speak, but rather they felt unqualified. Why wouldn’t the Observers take the initiative?
As impatience grew among those waiting, Maya contemplated speaking first after being confounded by the apocalyptic vision she last saw, eager to discuss it with the others.
Considering this, Maya began, “Perhaps I should…”
Before she could finish with “start,” a voice, more prompt yet with a foreign accent and a cold, firm tone, interjected, “I’ll go first.”
Maya, familiar with the accent, turned to see Totoro speaking.
Totoro glanced back at Maya and softly suggested, “Mentor, let me begin.”
Before Maya could respond, the other prophecy wizards frowned. To them, Totoro was merely an apprentice; what right had he to speak? What could an apprentice discern from the Mystery of Starlight? Even if he saw something trivial, was he really fit to be the first to speak?
Most prophecy wizards disapproved, their silence stemming only from their notice of La Pluie’s apparent admiration for Totoro. Yet, La Pluie’s esteem wasn’t enough to convince them of Totoro’s right to speak first.
Meanwhile, the central Observers remained largely impassive, with a few even showing curiosity and anticipation.
As if Schickel, at this moment, put away his nonchalant laziness and looked at Totoro with slightly devilish eyes: “Very well, I admire those with courage. Speaking of which, I’m most looking forward to the prophecies of a few individuals on this Star Observing Day, and you are one of them. I’m curious to know what you will say.”
Schickel’s words left the assembly of prophecy wizards stunned.
Was Schickel joking, or was it sarcasm?
Upon closer inspection, it was neither. Schickel genuinely anticipated Totoro’s prophecy, but why would he await a prophecy from an apprentice?
“Originally, I thought you lacked only humanity, but now it seems you’ve lost your mind too.” After Schickel’s encouragement, a cold, mocking voice rang out from the side. The speaker was Ivan, who naturally bore a slight displeasure towards Totoro due to the unpleasantness at the last Star Observing Day.
“I never knew sharing one’s insights with others could be considered a sign of losing one’s mind. Perhaps, our wisest Ivan should then refrain from attending this exchange, lest listening further dulls his wits.” The speaker, holding a book and seemingly flipping through it, had his eyes piercingly fixed on Ivan.
This man was “The Falseless Reader” Shura, who originally had no quarrel with Ivan but formally opposed him due to the mysterious object that vanished on Silver Palm Island. Ivan initially assisted the Basket Witch, Summer Dew, in locating the mysterious object, while Shura covertly aided the “Sea God,” Florence.
Due to differing stances leading to greater divergences, their dispute escalated to a point of direct confrontation, even extending their conflict to the Star Observing Day.
Ivan coldly glared at Shura, not taking the bait. It wasn’t that he feared Shura, but engaging further would mean falling into Shura’s trap, and he certainly couldn’t just abstain from the exchange.
So, Ivan did not speak to Shura, continuing to coldly observe Totoro: “On the last Star Observing Day, when you were asked to give a prophecy, you remained silent. This time, you are the one requesting to speak.”
“Fine, you may speak first. However, you better not present us with meaningless fragments of the future just to bluff us. If you truly waste our time, then you might as well not attend the Star Observing Days anymore.”
This time, Shura did not object to Ivan’s words. In his heart, he tacitly agreed that if Totoro was just presenting unconscious snippets of the future, there really was no need to tolerate it.
If Totoro was to present meaningless future fragments on the second or third day of the exchange, it might have been excusable. But this is the first day of the exchange, and the very first slot, indulging in such behavior was something they would not tolerate.
Other prophecy wizards possessed self-awareness and did not speak out prematurely. If a prophecy apprentice like you speaks out, you must be prepared to bear such pressure.
Ivan’s attitude was firm, and the other Observers did not speak up to help, seeing the matter as a foregone conclusion. Maya looked towards Totoro with some worry.
However, Totoro, as usual, maintained a cold expression. It seemed as if the pressure Ivan exerted was as light as a feather to him.
Totoro’s indifferent attitude only fueled Ivan’s anger, but as the harsh words were already laid out, it seemed somewhat beneath him to continue speaking harshly.
Ivan simply closed his eyes, assuming a meditative stance.
At this moment, La Pluie finally spoke up, smilingly looking at Totoro: “It’s been roughly three hundred years since the last time a prophecy apprentice was the First to Speak on a Star Observing Day.”
As La Pluie spoke, he glanced at Schickel. Three hundred years ago, when Schickel was an apprentice, he had been the first to speak and was heavily criticized afterward because his prophecy was considered valueless. Since then, no apprentice had dared to do such a thing.
“I am very pleased to witness this scene once again.”
Chapter 1936 Order of Speaking <TOC> Chapter 1938 A Theater Docking