The revelation of Sage Arthan's true identity and his hidden control over the Ledger's primal laws filled Elias with a chilling dread. He was facing an enemy who could rewrite reality, and he was forced to rely on a sentient fragment of that very system to fight back.
The Observer, through Magistrate Lian, presented him with his next task, a mission that tested his already strained moral compass.
"I have located a key figure in the Alchemists' Guild," the Observer said, its glowing eyes fixed on Elias. "An alchemist responsible for the final calibration of the resonance bomb. We must disrupt their work, delay their progress. You must plant a karmic trigger in their record, ensuring their next potion fails catastrophically."
Elias felt a surge of unease. This was no longer about manipulating data; it was about directly influencing a person's life, potentially causing harm. "What kind of failure are we talking about?" he asked, his voice carefully neutral.
"A significant one," the Observer replied, its tone devoid of emotion. "Enough to incapacitate them, to destroy their lab, to set back their work on the weapon."
Elias hesitated. He had manipulated the Ledger, caused indirect harm, but he had never directly targeted an individual. He felt a growing sense of moral conflict, a resistance to becoming a tool of the Ledger's cold, calculating justice.
Then, the Observer added a detail that made his blood run cold. "This alchemist," it said, its voice almost imperceptibly softer, "is Mei Lin's cousin."
Elias froze. He stared at the Observer, his mind reeling. He had drawn Mei Lin into this conflict, used her idealism, and now he was being asked to harm her family. The price of his alliance with the Ledger was becoming unbearable.
He couldn't do it. He couldn't directly endanger Mei Lin's family, not even to stop the Guild. He had to find a compromise, a way to fulfill the Observer's request without sacrificing his own humanity.
"I will plant the trigger," Elias said, his voice strained. "But I will modify it. It will cause a failure, a significant one. But it will not be lethal. It will burn their lab, but it will not harm them. I will not be responsible for their death."
The Observer remained silent for a long moment, its glowing eyes studying him. Then, it nodded, a slow, almost imperceptible movement. "As you wish, 'Accountant.' But understand this: the Ledger demands balance. Every action has a consequence. You may mitigate the immediate harm, but the karmic ripples will spread. Be prepared to bear the weight of your choices."
Elias knew the Observer was right. He was delaying the inevitable, postponing a difficult choice. But he couldn't bring himself to directly harm Mei Lin's family. He would find another way, a better way, to stop the Guild, even if it meant risking everything.