Everyone present could sense that something was wrong with the Finn. But out of respect for privacy, no one asked about his situation, which only made his inner torment worse.
Magician naturally could not stand such a stifling and heavy atmosphere.
"What's wrong? Aren't you going over to have a drink with them?"
Yet the Finn continued to sneak glances at Reanna Brigantia as though sleepwalking, muttering under his breath.
Vill-V called out to him several times before he finally snapped back to his senses.
"Ah!" He pushed up his drooping glasses and looked at the young lady before him. "My apologies. I was thinking about something. Hello, beautiful miss. May I ask... what is it you need?"
Sneaking glances at a young Valkyrie while thinking about something?
Vill-V handed him a postcard. "Hello, I'm Vill-V. Wouldn't you like to introduce yourself first?"
When meeting for the first time, it was only proper for the gentleman to introduce himself first. After all, girls were often reserved. Of course, the word "reserved" had never applied to Magician.
"Oh, forgive me. My name is Elias Nokianvirtanen. I'm a librarian, and also a translator of ancient texts employed by Dr. Edison."
Elias accepted the postcard and discovered that his own name was boldly written on it. He looked up. "You know me?"
"Mm-hmm. I do now. Just a little magic trick."
Vill-V flicked the postcard in Elias' hand. The Finn lowered his head, following the girl's gesture, only to find that the postcard had already turned into a gleaming coin.
Elias' eyes lit up. He recognized it instantly—it was a coin from the Previous Era, and it was brand new.
After fifty thousand years, there should not exist such a complete, pristine coin. If there were, it must have been minted last week.
Yet Elias could tell that this coin had undeniably been manufactured using the craftsmanship of the Previous Era. The subtle markings upon it were not something modern crude machinery could possibly replicate.
"Where did this come from?!" Elias asked excitedly. Perhaps this coin originated from a newly discovered ruin of the Previous Era.
Well, I swiped it from little Pardo last week. If you can dig up the legacy of the world's kitty, maybe you'll find one too.
Vill-V did not explain the coin's origin. Instead, she stepped closer to Elias, nudged his arm, and grinned mischievously. "Hehe, I noticed you've been staring at Miss Reanna for quite a while. Do you have some thoughts about her?"
Although Reanna was a Valkyrie from Schicksal headquarters—the very organization Tesla and the others were about to betray—Edison had still invited her to the celebration banquet out of friendship and trust.
"N-no, no!" The Finn immediately denied in a panic. "I already have a son..."
At the thought of Joachim, the light that had returned to his eyes because of the Previous Era coin dimmed once more.
Joachim's whereabouts were unknown. He had very likely been taken hostage by Schicksal.
Schicksal's Overseer, Otto Apocalypse, had used Joachim's safety to threaten him into concealing the incident regarding the Dead Sea Scrolls. But he had never anticipated that the data Otto tampered with would lead to such severe consequences.
At the time, Otto had only said lightly that the deleted data would merely waste research time, and that he did not wish to see Edison claim a "groundbreaking breakthrough" for herself.
Who could have known that Edison and everyone in the laboratory would nearly die because of the information he concealed?
Otto Apocalypse could not be trusted. Even if he had kidnapped Joachim... he still had to tell Tesla and the others the truth.
Perhaps... they would have a way to rescue Joachim.
As for Reanna, although she was a Valkyrie of Schicksal, Elias could tell she was someone with principles and faith. She would never do something like kidnapping a child. She should be trustworthy.
That was why Elias had been scrutinizing Reanna throughout the banquet.
At this thought, the confusion in Elias' eyes turned into resolve. He was just about to say the line that would get him stabbed by that scoundrel Otto (Reanna-limited edition), when Vill-V interrupted him.
"Oh, you have a son? What's his name?"
Vill-V had of course noticed the shift in the Finn's expression. His emotions were written plainly across his face.
Reanna was still here. Vill-V was not about to let Elias input any strange voice passwords.
Vill-V had no intention of hearing something like, "Password correct. Your Otto account has logged in..."
What kind of account-hijacking Otto was that supposed to be?
"His name is Joachim—No! That's not what I meant to say!" The Finn grew agitated.
Vill-V tapped her small hand against the table. "Oh, I see. You must still want to watch the Magician's splendid performance!"
She immediately removed her top hat and performed a dove trick for him. The employees from Edison's laboratory nearby applauded at the sight.
The Finn grew increasingly anxious at Vill-V's one-sided theatrics. "Your magic is indeed wonderful, but I really don't have the mood for that right now..."
Reporting Otto's conspiracy was of utmost importance. How could Elias possibly have the leisure to appreciate a magic show?
"Don't be in such a hurry. Maybe the next trick will interest you? Take a look."
Vill-V placed the top hat on a nearby empty table, then spun the table around.
Gulu gulu~
Seeing that Vill-V had no intention of listening to his explanation, Elias sighed and prepared to go speak to Tesla and the others.
However, the scene that followed made him halt in his tracks, his jaw dropping.
"Ta-da~"
Vill-V lifted the tablecloth. Beneath the table, a person had appeared—a brown-haired, green-eyed little boy who looked just as startled and flustered.
"Wow, this time... I conjured up... an old—no, a boy!" Vill-V raised the tablecloth high and cheered together with the audience.
"Joachim!"
"Dad!"
Upon seeing his father's face, Joachim instantly stood up—only to bump his head against the table. He immediately clutched his head.
The gentle and refined scholar of ancient texts hurriedly shoved the table aside, then tightly embraced Joachim, stroking his head... tears streaming down his face.
"Thank goodness... you're safe. Thank goodness..."
Joachim was the treasure his wife had left him. He had nearly thought he had lost him forever.
Guilt, fear, regret, joy, excitement—the complex emotions he had suppressed for so long finally burst forth.
As a linguist, Elias naturally possessed extraordinary control over language.
But at the moment he saw his son, those emotions rendered him incapable of controlling even the words he knew best.
"Dad..." The young Joachim allowed the man's tears to soak his clothes. He wrapped his arms around his father's thin back, not knowing how to comfort him.