LFN02 (May 21, 2023)
Summary of Receipt
Blackwood writes in one of her books and does, in fact, receive a response. Unfortunately, Nine is currently 'out' and nobody's sure when he'll be back, whether that be in a few weeks or a few years. The rest of Nom De Plume also declines her request to interfere with Zeh, since they have a non-aggression pact with him and don't want to seek him out if he's not doing anything actively dangerous.
Transcript
Receipt: LFN02
Author: Blackwood
Status: Open
Subject: The Society
I was really hoping that'd work again. I used the same copy of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd and everything, but no matter what I tried, Nine wouldn't write back. I mean, I did try other books, too, just in case it's a one-book-per-message situation, but I've come up kind of empty. I guess the first time, I actually sent them a snail mail… so I could try that again. It's just a lot less cool than getting a book-based DM.
It's possible that Nine can't actually tell when someone writes to him in a book. Like a one-way type of deal where he can only tell when someone is… reading a book? Though that seems even more illogical. I guess somehow he had to have known that I'd be reading The Murder of Roger Ackroyd at that specific time a month ago. I guess he would be able to know when things that should have happened will happen. Aghhhh!! All the time, stuff makes my head hurt.
I think I'll just send a—wait a sec. Someone did write me back! Though it's not Nine. Uh, looks like Nine is out at the moment. Here's what the message says:
"Dear Miss. Blackwood,
Mevon is currently out at the moment. The Society is uncertain when he will return. Unfortunately, "when" for Nine tends to be a rather obtuse range of later today, later this year, or later this decade. Regarding your request for aid, The Society must politely decline your request at this time. We have a strict non-aggression pact with Mr. Zeh. It would not be wise for The Society to interfere with Mr. Zeh's proclivities so long as his collecting does not threaten the integrity of the beginning, middle, or end of things.*
Yours in Nom de Plume,
Will."
…so wait. They can tell when I'm writing to them in a book?! How do they do that?