Lord of the Mysteries

by Shih

The story begins from chapter 239 onwards.

9. ch 551 - 600

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 551: The Ten Commandments

"Second Commandment: Thou shalt not use my name in vain.

"Third Commandment: Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

"Fourth Commandment: Honor thy father, thy mother, and thy children as you love me.

"Fifth Commandment: Thou shalt not commit adultery.

"Sixth Commandment: Thou shalt not kill the innocent.

"Seventh Commandment: Thou shalt not bear false witness, frame, or violate contracts.

"Eighth Commandment: Serve me with your heart, not with your offerings.

"Ninth Commandment: Those who have committed lesser wrongdoings, first atone for your sins before seeking forgiveness.

"Tenth Commandment: Honor my name by helping your compatriots and companions."

One commandment after another echoed in the ears of the bald rebel, Kalat, causing him to completely prostrate himself. He held his head close to the ground, uncontrollably trembling slightly with reverence, fear, and excitement.

As a Mid-Sequence Beyonder, a rebel who had once been educated in the Feysac Empire, he had sufficient insight to understand that the worship of the Sea God was based more on fear—fear of powerful forces, fear of the fearsome natural risks that mankind faced, and many rituals that retained primitive bloodshed, a backward faith that reveled in inhumane and uncivilized practices, something that would be eliminated sooner or later.

However, the faith he had developed since he was young had made him afraid to go against the divine revelation. He could only bury the idea of modifying the ritual process deep in his heart and avoid the parts which conflicted with his own wishes as much as possible.

Now, the Sea God's sudden change left him extremely delighted. It was as if he could see the so-called "primitive totem," that outsiders claimed it to be, evolving into a true god.

Blessed are we; blessed are the rebels; blessed are the true believers…In his blurred vision, Kalat raised his head, spread his hands sincerely, and placed them against his mouth.

"I will abide by your teachings as if I am praising your name."

The blurry figure in front of him disappeared, the magnificent voice by his ears vanished, and the scene in the cave returned to its original state.

However, Kalat knew that everything was no longer the same.

He moved his elbows several times and quickly crawled back to his wheelchair. He once again sat on it and turned to the other side of the cave.

Kalat quickly met with Edmonton. This member of the Resistance with a blue sea serpent tattoo was standing in front of the deity figurine that was bleeding abnormally. His forehead was a mix of scarlet red and black, dirty and gruesome.

However, Edmonton's expression was joyful, excited, and satisfied. He looked at Kalat and blurted out, "Did you receive the revelation?"

"Yes, it's the aura of God, just like before." Kalat nodded in excitement. "Not only has God rebuilt the earth, but 'He' has also rebuilt his covenant."

Edmonton let out a sigh of relief.

"I was even suspecting that I was hallucinating before.

"It seems like as long as an outsider touches the holy sword, God will be able to walk the land again. There's no need for it to be completely lifted."

Kalat chimed, "Indeed. The reason why the deity figurine shattered and bled is because God has changed 'His' image. We must build a new one! Just like the scenes we saw earlier!"

"God also showed his Sacred Emblem. Above the symbol of the waves, there was a scepter in the shape of lightning, surrounded by strong winds," Edmonton said as he recalled.

Kalat immediately patted the armrest of his wheelchair.

"Let's find the High Priest right now. He should've also received the revelation.

"We will usher in a new world!"

…

Above the gray fog, Klein put down the Sea God's Scepter and rubbed his temples in exhaustion.

He had noticed a problem earlier. The Sea God Scepter could respond to ritualistic magic, which meant that it could provide a certain amount of strength to help the worshiper complete the ritual and achieve their goals. However, it could only be concentrated within his domain and could not exceed the limit. Whatever could be done was relatively limited.

For example, the Evernight Goddess could use a method of influencing fate to let "Her" believers naturally obtain the money they needed and pay their debt. As for the Sea God Scepter, it could at most produce fake money on the altar, and after a while, it would become ineffective and return to its true form.

This is the difference between a false god and a true god…

Besides, apart from the gray fog, as long as it fulfills the procedure and prayer, the Sea God Scepter is capable of automatically responding to ritualistic magic, unless it will use up more than half of its power in one go… This might be why the steps to ritualistic magic are extremely important…

Above the gray fog, prayers will be screened, reduced to points of light. The Sea God Scepter is unable to automatically respond; hence, requiring me to manually handle them. This makes it relatively troublesome. It's impossible for me to stay here all day. Of course, there's also a benefit to it—as long as the prayer doesn't have any mistakes, and it is accurately pointed towards the Sea God Scepter, regardless of how perfunctory the ritual is, they will be able to receive a response. The only criteria is that I'm in a good mood…

I'll think of a solution when I'm free. I'll make it so that even if the Sea God Scepter is above the gray fog, it will be an automated answering machine… Produce a paper angel? That's useless, as it doesn't have any soul injected into it… Make a mechanical and rigid puppet to handle the repeated and trivial ritualistic magic? Hmm… I wonder if a Nimblewright Master has powers related to this. At the very least, Rosago only showed traits of controlling a person like a puppet…

As Klein's thoughts slowly settled, his eyes moved to the iron cigar case.

After some research, he discovered that this cigarette case that had a severely corroded exterior had undergone some abnormal changes. It was firmer, tougher, and more resistant to corrosion. However, it was still within a comprehensible and acceptable range of normal humans.

It isn't equipped with any special properties… However, if it were placed here for a few years, decades, or even longer where it holds Beyonder characteristics and mystical items, perhaps it could really evolve into a "sealing case" whose effects would gradually fade one day…The corner of Klein's mouth twitched, and he turned his head to look at the junk pile in the corner.

They were covered by the gray fog, almost blending in with the surroundings.

Heh heh…Klein laughed dryly and looked away.

He fiddled with the crushed golden wine cup again, confirming that there was nothing wrong with it.

After doing all this, he entered the real world and summoned himself once more to bring the Sun Brooch and other items back to his room in the inn.

At this very moment, the clouds in the sky had disappeared, and the moon was scattering its crimson tranquility. The entire City of Generosity, Bayam, remained asleep in its dreams.

…

9 a.m., Cathedral of Waves.

Alger was summoned, and by using the excuse of a confession, he once again met the diocese bishop, Chogo.

"Look for this person." Chogo handed over the portrait in his hand.

Another mission… What's going on recently?Alger muttered in his mind as he unfolded the piece of paper.

When he saw the contents of the portrait, he almost couldn't control his laughter.

It was impossible to tell if the figure in the portrait was male or female, or what they looked like. How was he supposed to find them? In a split second, he thought of something and didn't try to hide his change in mood. Instead, he deliberately blurted out, "Who is this?"

The portrait depicted an unusually blurry and mysterious person, with no characteristics that could be used to aid in a search.

There was no such mission yesterday… A sudden demand to pursue this person this morning… What happened last night? Hmm, Kalvetua perished completely… With that happening, the Church and the military would definitely search for its remains… Symeem Island is the clue? This person took away the most important item ahead of them? Who is this person?Alger's heart skipped a beat, and he almost didn't dare meet Chogo's eyes.

Chogo nodded.

"A dirty, despicable thief! He may be from Intis or Feysac, and he may belong to the Church of the Eternal Blazing Sun or the Church of the God of Combat."

Someone from Intis or Feysac, or someone from the Church of the Eternal Blazing Sun or the Church of the God of Combat? Why would there be such a guess and conclusion? His Eminence Jahn Kottman only received little information at the scene and was unable to pinpoint the target? In this case, it's indeed possible to presume that this person is from either Intis or Feysac, as the main supporters of the Resistance and Kalvetua are from those two countries. Heh heh, there is reason to believe that they may have already known where Kalvetua was hiding… It fits my theory from before… Of course, it could also be something else…Alger controlled his emotions and asked, "What did he do?"

"You don't need to know. Just pay attention to any abnormalities from people from Intis or Feysac in Bayam. Yes, also include the locals who have become Beyonders. Also, find the people who previously posted the notice on the front door of the cathedral. They might know something, and they could quickly give you further information," George ordered in a deep voice.

This is indeed a direction… This is tantamount to telling me that this person has something to do with the notice and the perishing of Kalvetua… I wonder whose hands Kalvetua's Beyonder characteristic landed in… Who…. Right, The World is in Bayam. Something happened to Kalvetua not long after he came here! Could this be Mr. Fool's purpose? Would this help him in the process of removing the seal and regaining his strength?Alger's pupils contracted as he recalled his conjecture from a while ago.

…

When he woke up, Klein, who had reaped a bountiful harvest last night, was uplifted and in a good mood.

He decided to treat himself today and make sure that his three meals would be sumptuous and delicious.

As he pushed open the door and walked into the living room, he saw that Danitz was out of "bed," untying the bandage and splint around his arm.

He recovered that quickly?Klein was stunned for a moment.

Seeing Gehrman Sparrow look over, Danitz chuckled and said, "My ability at recovering isn't too bad. My Sequence 9 is called Hunter. I received a clear improvement in various aspects of my body, allowing me to surpass ordinary humans. When it comes to combat, I experienced a great enhancement. Besides, I'm already at Sequence 7."

Sequence 9 Hunter? I've killed one, and I know the corresponding Sequence 6's name is Conspiracist…Klein suddenly recalled the first enemy he encountered back when he first arrived in Backlund. It had sucked him into a maelstrom that he was almost unable to extricate himself from.

"Sequence 8, Provoker?" Klein asked in passing.

He had long since guessed Danitz's Beyonder pathway from his adeptness at using fire. It was the Red Priest pathway which Roselle had called a true man. Sequence 7 was called the Pyromaniac, also known in ancient times as Fire Mage.

Danitz froze for a second, thinking that Gehrman Sparrow was doubting him. He subconsciously raised his voice.

"Do you think I'm not good at provoking?

"No, I'm an expert in this field!"

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 552: Pomp

Danitz threw the splint and bandages into the trash, flexed his left arm, and said, "Typically, a pirate's provocation is an insult, but I'm different. I do targeted insults.

"This requires one to grasp a lot of information and rumors, and also understand the provocation target. Only by doing this will you be able to make him lose his mind and cause his brain to be burnt out with a single sentence."

He paused for a second and said, "Just like with Steel. You can curse him, calling him dogsh*t, or you could curse his parents and captain, but that will be useless. However, if you do an action and throw in a line with that, he will definitely turn into a bull who only sees red."

With that, Danitz put his hands on his hips, held his crotch, and shouted in a low, scornful voice, "B*tch!"

… I really want to hit him… He lives up to being a Provoker… Indeed, Steel Maveti has such tendencies and hobbies, tsk…Klein loosened his subconsciously clenched fists.

"This is what you call 'professional provocation.'" Danitz spread out his hands in conclusion. "If I meet a beast, a monster, or someone who cannot be communicated with since they had lost control, I can proactively emit a feeling that they hate. This is a Beyonder power."

People with such Beyonder powers would either be great at receiving beatings, or they would be great at escaping. Clearly, you belong to the latter…Klein cursed inwardly.

Without having to worry about his injured left arm, Danitz was in a good mood as he continued, "Actually, I'm very good at setting up traps. It's a pity that you didn't agree with my plan when hunting Steel Maveti."

Klein resisted the twitching of his mouth as he calmly replied, "You still have a chance."

"What chance?" Danitz asked out of curiosity.

"A chance to set up traps for Beyonders such as Steel. One by one, I'll introduce you to them." Klein smiled.

"…" Danitz was momentarily at a loss for words.

He knew very well that traps were often ineffective against a man who wasn't afraid of guns, projectiles, fire, or water.

Danitz let out a hollow chuckle and turned to look out the window.

"The weather has cleared up…

"Does that mean that the serpent, Kalvetua, is dead?"

Klein answered tersely without hiding the truth.

Danitz exhaled, hesitated, then said, "Regardless, after this city-wide sweep, few pirates will dare come to Bayam for some time. This will definitely include Admiral of Blood.

"Your plan of hunting him with Captain might have to come to an end. The Sonia Sea is so big, so it's very difficult to find a fleet that intentionally hides their whereabouts. Moreover, they can head for the Fog Sea, Berserk Sea, North Sea, and Polar Sea."

If it was that easy to kill a pirate admiral at sea, the Church and the military would've done it a long time ago! Let me return to the Golden Dream as soon as possible!Danitz lampooned under his breath.

Don't worry, I have a way, and this will be your job…Klein asked without batting an eyelid, "What's your Captain's opinion?"

He had already spent twelve pounds to obtain a radio receiver through Fors, but he had been too busy with matters regarding the sea god to bother with it. Hence, he hadn't taken it out from the junk pile above the gray fog to bring to the real world.

Meanwhile, Klein had received the money from Miss Justice and Mr. Hanged Man, raising his fortune to 7,085 pounds and five gold coins.

A wealth at this level was enough to buy a rather large and productive manor anywhere.

If it wasn't for my revenge and my hope of finding a way back to Earth, I could've already retired…Klein thought in satisfaction.

Captain's opinion…Danitz forced a smile and said, "Although Captain and the others should've entered within a 500-nautical-mile radius, in theory, allowing the attempt of a Soulfall Ritual, you should know that the sea routes aren't entirely safe. Pirates have to be careful not to get caught by the military or the Church. For this, they often need to take detours.

"I believe we should wait another day before doing the Soulfall Ritual so as to prevent any wastage of energy and materials."

"Okay." Klein didn't give any affirmative answers and had turned towards the washroom.

He planned on heading out again today to search for a chance to act as another person.

Seeing Gehrman Sparrow's back, Danitz exhaled.

I must first contact Captain in private and persuade her to let me return to the Golden Dream before I can use the Soulfall Ritual in front of you! Gehrman Sparrow is someone who likes to head out. I have plenty of opportunities and space. Heh heh, don't tell me that he enjoys shopping?Danitz thought, curling his lips.

…

After leaving the Cathedral of Waves, Alger Wilson went straight for the Ralph Trading Company in reflection and found the owner, who was reading a newspaper.

He was well aware that this middle-aged man, in formal attire, a bow tie, and glasses, was a veteran pirate. He supported the Resistance in secret and reverently worshiped Sea God Kalvetua.

"What is it, our captain of a ghost ship?" Ralph put down the newspaper, crossed his right foot over his left, and smiled leisurely.

He was an illegitimate child. His father was an adventurer of Loen and Feysac blood, and his mother was a native. He had made his fortune by becoming a pirate, then being a merchant that did business with both pirates and the officials. He established a vast network of connections that provided him with help at the governor-general's office, the city council, and the police station.

Upon hearing Ralph's question, Alger almost frowned, because the man's attitude and tone were rather abnormal.

This abnormality was a state that wasn't in accordance with Alger's expectations.

In his opinion, after the fall of Sea God Kalvetua, he was certain that there would definitely be bad omens in the Rorsted Archipelago. The pious believers would definitely sense that something was amiss, either feeling apprehensive or downcast, so how could they still be so relaxed and natural!

Alger didn't directly mention Kalvetua; instead, he chuckled and asked, "Do you know where Kovaro has been recently?"

Kovaro was the pirate captain who possessed the Beyonder characteristic of the Sanguine baron. It was said that he was once a sailor aboard the Dark Emperor, and that he was part of the periphery forces of the King of the Five Seas, Nast.

"Who knows? But he's surely not in Bayam; otherwise, he would've been caught in the raids in the past two days." Ralph shrugged his shoulders. "I heard that his boat went south."

Alger actually had an appointment with Kovaro on this matter, and he was only using it as a way to start the conversation.

Of course, he was well aware that to avoid the tsunami in the waters of the Rorsted Archipelago, Kovaro had definitely gone far away and would take some time before he returned to Bayam.

However, Alger wasn't too anxious, as he already knew that Mr. Moon had been given an acceptance draft. If he withdrew the sum before its maturity, he would receive a discounted value and lose a large amount of interest.

He deliberately nodded his head and said, "Got it, thank you for telling me."

At this point, Alger pretended to be unaware of what happened as he asked, "I heard that many Sea God figurines in many places shattered by themselves?"

He hadn't witnessed any instances of this himself, but he could make a reasonable deduction based on the Church's archives.

In many of the colonial islands and countries of the Southern Continent, more than one or two false gods like Kalvetua had been finished off by the seven Churches. What happened after their deaths had already long been recorded in the archives.

Ralph calmly nodded.

"Yes, there was such a thing.

"But that's not bad news."

His expression turned fervent.

"Because God has appeared over the land once again in a new image!"

God has reappeared over the land once again with a new image?Alger's eyes remained fixed on him, and he felt that this was both reasonable but also unexpected.

Judging from the Church of Storms's reaction, he was certain that Kalvetua was already dead. Then which Sea God was responding to the believers now?

Connecting it with his previous judgment, he quickly came up with a bold idea:Is it an embodiment of Mr. Fool?

He used Sea God Kalvetua's perishing to create a new identity? He can release his powers through the seal to directly affect an identity in the real world?

Is this the real reason for The World to come to Bayam?

Hiss, Mr. Fool really does things with pomp!

Alger secretly swallowed his saliva and suppressed his excitement.

…

In the Wind of Azure Inn, Klein, who had yet to leave, saw the stack of cash Captain Elland handed him.

"Here is your reward for a total of a hundred pounds."

He didn't mention how much Gehrman Sparrow and Danitz each received, but he gave a total amount. As for how exactly they would split the reward, that was something he left to them.

The military is really generous…Klein silently mused as he received the thick stack of cash, instinctively taking out two five-pound notes and tossing them to Danitz.

He lowered his wrist and finally drew another two ten-pound notes in an expressionless manner.

Gehrman Sparrow is still rather just, far more just than Just Elland…Danitz put away the reward in pleasant surprise. His wallet that had slimmed down quite significantly over the past couple of days had finally been replenished.

Glancing at Gehrman Sparrow in his new clothes, Elland asked, after some deliberation, with his boat-shaped hat in hand, "News from the Church of Storms has revealed that the person who posted the notices on the cathedral's door, informing them of the problem between Leticia and Sea God Kalvetua, was Blazing Danitz.

"What do you think about that?"

He stared straight into Danitz's eyes and waited for an answer.

"Haha." Danitz gave a hollow chuckle. "I don't know him."

Klein was silent for two seconds before saying, "While fulfilling a dead adventurer's wish, I came across Leticia and her companions at the inn.

"Snakes invaded our place in the middle of the night, but they easily resolved it.

"After returning to Bayam, I went to purchase some items from the Resistance and discovered that they had taken out their holy sword. Furthermore, there were two Mid-Sequence Beyonders guarding that small base.

"I felt a crazy will invade my body just by making contact with that holy sword for a moment, and I had nearly lost control on the spot.

"They were still after Leticia."

What Klein said was the truth; it wasn't the entire truth, but it was enough to infer the contents of the announcement.

Even if the kingdom's military and the Church of Storms were to investigate further, they would only be able to unearth the fact that Gehrman Sparrow could change his appearance.

After listening carefully, Elland sighed and smiled, "If there are such things in the future, you don't have to post notices in the middle of the night. You can come find me directly. This will allow you to reap even greater rewards."

He stood up, put on his hat, and said to Danitz, "I heard that the bounty for Blazing is going to rise again."

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 553: Danitz's Hard Work

Bounty…The muscles in Danitz's cheek twitched as he forced a smile, pretending that he wasn't Blazing and that he didn't care.

When Elland left, he turned sharply to face Gehrman Sparrow and said, "I think we should move to another inn. No, we'd better leave Bayam as soon as possible!"

If I'm worth a bounty of more than 5,000 pounds, I won't be safe anywhere! The pirates and adventurers who are at the same level as me would definitely rush over like sharks smelling blood! Prey that they can finish off while also proving themselves and giving them a high bounty are always very popular. They're worth no less than treasure!Danitz suppressed even more of his inward shouting.

Klein didn't agree or disagree, he slowly smiled.

"Are you worried that your bounty will be too high?"

Danitz nodded heavily, finally feeling as though the madman, Gehrman Sparrow, was finally saying something sensible.

"Besides hiding, there are other solutions," Klein said as he walked over to the coat rack.

"What are they?" Danitz asked subconsciously.

Klein took off his half top hat and put it on his head.

"Raise your Sequence."

Let your strength match the bounty…He put on his coat, twisted the handle, and walked out of the suite.

Raise myself to Sequence 6? Become a Conspiracist?Danitz paused for two seconds, then he frowned and grimaced.

When he consumed the Sequence 9 Hunter and Sequence 8 Provoker potions, he didn't find it much of a problem. In fact, he began to long for finding the legendary treasures, obtain mid or high Sequence formulas and their corresponding materials to advance to a demigod, and then become the new king of the sea. However, the intense pain and discomfort brought to him by the Pyromaniac potion had left him in fear and apprehension. He didn't dare believe that he nearly lost control despite strictly following his captain's instructions of constantly provoking his opponents.

This forced Danitz to consider whether or not he was fine just getting rich so that he could return to Intis a rich man.

He stood there, troubled for several minutes. Finally, he thought of a question.

Even if I want to advance by consuming a potion, it's not something I can do in a short period of time. I'll still have to find the formula and collect the ingredients. It wouldn't be an easy task, and the new bounty might be released tomorrow or even today!

So, I must change inns and leave Bayam as soon as possible!

…

After Alger left the Ralph Trading Company, he casually went to a few places to inquire about the situation. When it was almost noon, he received a new report from the Church of Storms.

"It's confirmed that the person who posted the notices at the door of the cathedral is Blazing Danitz.

"Pay attention to his whereabouts."

Blazing Danitz…Alger held the slip of paper in his hand and ruminated over the name silently. The corners of his mouth curled up, and he no longer had any doubts in his mind.

With ease and certainty, he felt confident about going out to sea to hunt for materials.

This was because his quest would happen at sea and because Mr. Fool has a new identity: "Sea God!"

…

Having missed the morning's blue star, Danitz waited until four in the afternoon to attempt the Soulfall Ritual while Gehrman Sparrow was out.

He drew the God of Knowledge and Wisdom's Sacred Emblem with familiarity—an omniscient eye on an open book—with the appropriate altar set up.

Inside the wall of spirituality, he lit a candle and picked up the lavender and mint extract before dripping it onto the still burning flame.

A refreshing fragrance filled the air, and Danitz burned several more herbal powders.

Having done all this, he took a step back and said in ancient Hermes, "I pray for the power of knowledge;

"I pray for the power of rationality;

"I pray for the God of Wisdom's loving grace;

"I pray that you allow me to communicate with the spirit of Edwina Edwards, the teacher who pursues knowledge, the researcher of spirit world creatures, Vice Admiral Iceberg of the seas, who hails from Lenburg."

…

Whoosh!

Along with the echo of the incantation, the interior of the altar suddenly became cold. Apart from the three candles, the remaining brass dagger, the salt plate, the bottle of extract, and the fountain pen and paper all floated in midair.

Danitz waited nervously, not knowing what was going to happen next.

After nearly twenty seconds, the flames of the three candles began to sway, coloring the candles in a pale green color!

Danitz's body suddenly stiffened. He felt an icy chill invade his body in an irresistible manner.

He saw his feet move uncontrollably, and he took a step forward.

He saw his left hand rise and grab the black fountain pen and a piece of white paper.

He saw himself bend over with a pen in his left hand, quickly writing: "Is there something?"

The words were exquisite and artistic, very different from Danitz's own style.

It was only then that Danitz realized he could control his head and his throat.

"Captain, Sea God Kalvetua is dead!" He squeezed out his hoarse voice as though he was suffering from a heavy cold.

"Details." His right hand wrote smoothly.

This was the opportunity Danitz had been waiting for. He immediately recounted everything that had happened, including Gehrman Sparrow's visit to Symeem Island in order to fulfill some adventurer's dying wish, the possibility that Gehrman Sparrow had suffered the sea god's curse and how he easily resolved the problem after closing the door, including the madman's mistake of mistaking the ancient elven ruins as a Sea God ruin.

Towards the end, Danitz quickly added his own take on the matter.

"I believe that Admiral of Blood won't come to Bayam for quite a substantial period of time. Most famous pirates wouldn't.

"It will take at least half a year for this matter to pass.

"Captain, your hunting plan with Gehrman Sparrow might have to be shelved for the time being. I-I wish to return to the Golden Dream."

His left hand froze for a few seconds before writing: "Continue to follow Gehrman Sparrow, and be my contact point with him."

"Captain, y-you can teach him the Soulfall Ritual!" Danitz yelled hoarsely.

His left hand wrote: "This can only be done within 500 nautical miles, and in the case of the person holding the ritual, it would be quite risky for him. And you have our points of contact on the various islands. Those are things that cannot be told to outsiders."

Indeed… Gehrman Sparrow is just an outsider… But, Captain, I really want to go back to the Golden Dream!Danitz racked his brains and said, "Maybe we can invite him to be a guest on the ship. No, this…"

Suddenly an idea came to Danitz.

"Captain, he has a messenger! He has a messenger!

"A messenger that travels through the spirit world to deliver letters for him!"

This should be an unrestricted means of communication, and it should be more private and secure! I don't need to be the contact person anymore!Danitz thought in abnormal delight.

His left hand hung in midair for a few seconds before he wrote: "If that's the case, there's no problem.

"As the new year holiday is coming to an end, it's indeed time for you to return to the ship. You do have some talent in languages, but you still have quite a few problems in other areas. You need to attend more classes and work harder."

Danitz opened his mouth, but nothing came out of it.

He suddenly felt that returning to the Golden Dream wasn't anything to look forward to.

…

In the evening, Klein returned to the Wind of Azure Inn.

He didn't find a suitable target for acting despite an entire day's work. Due to the sweep from before, many pirates and adventurers that were wanted were arrested. The remaining ones continued hiding cautiously, not daring to go out at all. Whether it was the bars, casinos, or brothels, business was poor and there weren't many customers.

"So this is the situation." Danitz came over. He cleared his throat and gave a hollow chuckle. "It would be my first time using the Soulfall Ritual, and I don't have much confidence. I did a test ahead of time, and haha, it succeeded. I managed to communicate with Captain, and she believes there's no chance to hunt Admiral of Blood any time soon. She plans on summoning me back to the Golden Dream. As for us communicating, don't you have a messenger? You can use the messenger to send Captain a letter."

My messenger was given by a bigshot, and it's not mine… Moreover, the messenger can only send messages back and forth between the owner and the owner of the token, without involving anyone else. Yes, it can also be between the host of a ritual and the owner… That reminds me, I have to find a way to get a messenger of my own, or many things will be inconvenient… As for the solution to this, obviously, it's to write to Mr. Azik who has to be an expert on the matter…Klein calmly pulled over a chair and sat down. He leaned forward and said in a low voice, "Tell your Captain that I have a way to find Admiral of Blood."

"Huh?" Danitz was stunned, having not expected such an answer.

Then, he saw the corners of Gehrman Sparrow's mouth slowly widen as he repeated, "Tell your Captain."

"…"

Danitz shivered. He didn't dare to make any inquiries as he forced a smile.

"We'll have to wait until the next blue star, which is between 11 p.m. and midnight tonight."

"Very good." Klein smiled as he praised.

But Danitz wasn't happy at all.

Klein stood up slowly, recollecting a special dish he had eaten for dinner, and he headed for the bedroom.

The food was called the Teativa, and translated into Loen, it was "meat within fruit." The cook used a giant local fruit, Teana, hollowed out its flesh, leaving only a solid shell; then stuffed it with mashed mutton and fish, followed by sea salt and several types of spices; and repeatedly roasted it over the fire. The meat was fresh, fragrant, and perfectly blended with the sweet and slightly sour flavor of the fruit.

Closing the door behind him, Klein first wrote a letter thanking Mr. Azik for his earlier guidance, then he asked again how he could have a messenger of his own.

After folding the letter, he took out his copper whistle and summoned the messenger.

The messenger didn't stay, disintegrating the moment it took the letter.

Phew…Klein rested for a moment, ready to enter the space above the gray fog to see if the prayers of the believers could bring him any useful information, such as who he could actually act as.

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 554: Acting as God

Above the gray fog, inside the palace that looked like a giant's residence.

Seated in The Fool's chair, Klein raised his right hand, allowing the Sea God Scepter to fly out of the junk pile and land in his palm.

He originally planned on placing this Sealed Artifact, that was on the level of a Grade 1 Sealed Artifact, beside his chair. This was to show respect to a demigod item, but after careful consideration, he believed that the Sea God Scepter was still unable to match up with the mysterious and powerful Fool, who was able to fight against the True Creator and Primordial Demoness. Only a Card of Blasphemy was barely qualified to match his status. Therefore, he threw the Sea God Scepter into the junk pile.

Looking at the blue dots surrounding the white bone staff, Klein willed them to split into preliminary categories.

Just as he had expected, those blue dots of light automatically split according to his will. Those that merely praised Sea God and were prayers with no clear reason sank to the bottom and then rapidly disappeared. Those regarding confessions and pleas floated upward and came closer to Klein's palm.

Following his spiritual intuition, he "tapped" one of the latter.

All of a sudden, he saw tall, surging waves and heard the violent whistling of a gust of wind.

A fishing boat was bobbing up and down in the undulating deep blue sea, as though it was ready to capsize at any moment.

Above the fishing boat, the natives were either hugging the mast or pulling on ropes, making their last-ditch efforts to survive. Many of them were panicking as they chanted the honorific name of Sea God.

Noticing that this was an ongoing prayer, Klein lifted the milky-white scepter.

At the tip of the scepter, the blue-colored "gems" emitted a halo of light one after another before they connected into one and shone onto the scene.

The fishermen were gradually losing all hope when all of a sudden, they felt the ship which had been thrown into the air stabilize.

They looked around in amazement and saw that the mountain-like waves had calmed down at some point, and the raging winds were slowly calming down, turning as mild as Zarhar beer.

The overbearing dark clouds in the sky dissipated, and a storm was forcefully pushed back by a mysterious force before it could fully assume its full form.

The fishermen quickly recovered from their dazed states and understood what had happened.

Sea God has protected everyone! Sea God has shown his majesty!

Plop! Plop! Plop!

All of them prostrated themselves on the deck, spread their hands, and placed them to their mouths, reciting the honorific name of Sea God in an irregular fashion.

"Thank you, praise you. Adorer of the sea and spirit world, guardian of the Rorsted Archipelago, ruler of the undersea creatures, master of tsunamis and storms, the great Kalvetua!"

Above the gray fog, Klein felt a little depressed.

I was the one who saved you, so why are you thanking Kalvetua?

That sea serpent will only deliberately create hurricanes, set off waves, and intimidate you so that you would piously believe in it…

Klein fell silent for two seconds, then he suddenly burst out laughing.

Kalvetua is already dead, and the current Kalvetua is another one of my identities.

Why should I be in a bad mood when people are thanking my other identity?

This is something a Faceless has to take note of when acting for real? To fully immerse oneself in the role, treating all emotions one receives as their own, but also never forgetting who they really are… This is difficult to accomplish. Failure to pay attention to it can result in an abnormal state of mind. And once a Beyonder's state of mind becomes abnormal, they won't be far from losing control…

After thinking for a while, Klein let out a sigh and chuckled to himself.

Acting the role of Sea God has been quite rewarding after all.

Although such acting doesn't provide feedback due to the gray fog's screening and isolation nor does it facilitate the digestion of the Faceless potion, it can provide me with experience and lessons, helping me figure out a safer and more effective way of acting.

Wrapping up his thoughts, Klein spread his spirituality to another point of light.

This time, the plea came from under a bridge. A woman with tattered clothes and a festering body was leaning against a corner, mumbling the honorific name of Sea God as she made her final confession.

Through her descriptions, Klein seemed to have witnessed her short life.

She was a native woman whose parents believed in Sea God. As a result, she inherited the faith of Sea God. In the first decade or so, her father worked as a miner, repairing roads and laying the rails, while her mother focused on temporary jobs—sewing, doing laundry, helping out at the docks, and occasionally working as a street girl. Only then did the family barely survive.

An abrupt change occurred two years ago. Her father had died during a road repair accident, and the Rorsted Railroad Company had offered only a pittance of compensation. This pushed the family onto a path of no return.

Subsequently, the girl was sold to the Red Theater by her mother and became a legal prostitute.

Although Emperor Roselle had long invented the condom, many pirates and adventurers were unwilling to use one in their desire for momentary pleasure. And since the Red Theater didn't enforce the use of condoms, the girl's resistance was ineffective. All she could do was submit, eventually getting infected with some disease.

The manager of the Red Theater had tried to provide her some simple treatment, but seeing that she wasn't getting any better, she was chased out because the cost of the follow-up treatment was obviously much higher than the cost of buying another girl.

Not only was the ill girl unable to find a new job, but she didn't even have the money to rent a house. Her mother and younger siblings had long since disappeared, perhaps already dead or abducted to become slaves.

The girl became a tramp and lived under the bridge. She managed to survive for some time thanks to the food and free medicine provided by charity organizations.

But it was ultimately a short period of time. Her illness got worse and worse, and her body became weaker and weaker. Very quickly, she reached the end of her life.

At that moment, she recalled the days when she was the most well-fed and dressed. She recalled the words that the pirates and adventurers would occasionally say. She whispered and prayed to Sea God, "I want to live like a human being…"

Klein once again raised his staff, but he found that this Sealed Artifact didn't possess the ability to cure diseases.

He thought of purchasing some medicine from Emlyn White via The World, but he found that the prayer scene happened at noon. The girl had already passed away under the bridge, in mud and dirt, her body filled with agony and intense hunger.

Klein was silent for a moment, then he raised the angle of the prayer screen to reveal the location of the bridge.

After memorizing the characteristics of the nearby streets and the surrounding area, Klein leaned back in his chair, sighed, and said with an insincere smile, "What a humble wish.

"There isn't much of an opportunity to act… I'll try my best to bury you like a human being…"

He retracted his attention and scanned the other points of light, searching for someone he could act as, but he found nothing.

During this process, Klein noticed that Kalat, Edmonton, and the other members of the Resistance were carrying out a ritual. They had placed a batch of items on the altar, and they prayed for Sea God to imbue them with power.

So that's how they receive the Beyonder items they use for trade… To be at the level of a demigod is truly different… Moreover, they're used to not receiving any immediate replies. It's as if they plan to leave the items on the altar the entire night… Apparently, that sea serpent, Kalvetua, didn't respond immediately either. It depends on its mood, or whether it was asleep or not. Otherwise, it could only respond instinctively, unable to produce any Beyonder items in batches…Klein picked up the Sea God Scepter, making the blue "gems" shine again.

Boundless spirituality magically merged together, gushing into the prayer scene with transcendent vibes and randomly fusing with various items.

Some of them are Electric Shock charms, some that allow people to swim in the sea like fish, some that allow a gale to blow… Within three months, their spirituality would gradually decline to nothingness…Klein half-closed his eyes, feeling the changes in the items.

Although he had only responded twice, he was already rather exhausted despite mainly relying on the power of the Sea God Scepter. However, the first response had to do with him forcibly dispersing a storm and calming the waves, while the second response was to simultaneously provide an "enchantment" to dozens of items. They were all at the level of a demigod, so it was rather draining on his spirituality.

Even if I frequently use the Sea God Scepter, I wouldn't be able to last very long… On the other hand, the negative side effects wouldn't be a burden on me. I can attempt to use it at times…

Yes, the situation with the Resistance reminded me. I can also pray to myself and make a bunch of charms, mainly to allow me to do things underwater. This way, even if I find myself in a sea battle, I wouldn't be so restrained. Oh right, I still don't know how to make lightning charms. I need to seek out the corresponding mysticism information, and with it, I can deal with enemies who have air superiority…

Klein silently muttered a few sentences and threw the Sea God Scepter back into the junk pile while swiftly returning to the real world.

…

East Chester County. By the side door of a huge manor in the vast and beautiful countryside.

Audrey Hall was dressed in a waist-fitting black riding suit with a simple blouse lining her insides. She skillfully sat on the back of a brownish-red mare without showing the slightest sign of wobbling.

Her black leather boots were in the stirrups, with her white trousers slightly tucked into them. She smiled at Susie, who had a leather bag on her back.

"I'll wait for you at the edge of the woods!"

With that, she bent down with the whip in her hand and let the brownish-red mare gallop across the open field.

Compared to the gorgeous yet gloomy family castle, Audrey preferred the beautiful manor and the scenery of the countryside.

One handsome horse after another came running out. The riders were servants and maidservants, and their only mission was to protect Miss Audrey.

Susie was also running happily, a feeling she couldn't experience in Backlund.

Moreover, she and Audrey would have a little adventure today, and that was exploring an ancient tower in the forest that had collapsed a long time ago. The valuable items there had long been taken away, but there had never been any accidents that happened there. It was a perfect place for an inexperienced person to practice her various abilities.

The only problem was that it would be dark in two hours, and there might not be enough time.

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 555: The Message Late at Night

East Chester County was still cold in January, with snow often piling up. The branches and leaves of the trees were withered, with beasts hiding themselves, making it appear lifeless.

Audrey led Susie around the ancient tower several times while surrounded by her attendants and maidservants, but they found nothing.

There were only piles of gray bricks and rotten wood, and in the gaps, there were weeds and the corpses of tiny critters.

Audrey had thought she could find some murals on the wreckage of the walls, allowing her to decipher the origins of the ancient tower and use the appearance of wild beasts to secretly practice her Beyonder skills such as Awe, Frenzy, Placate, but she was only left very disappointed.

This isn't a tiny adventure… It's just a stroll on horseback…She pursed her lips, held her whip, and walked to her horse.

Unwilling to resign herself to this, she asked the attendants and maidservants around her when she had traveled half the distance, "Are there any legends of monsters nearby?"

Half of the attendants had followed her from Backlund to the family castle before coming to this manor. The other half were locals and were usually busy in the manor. There was no doubt that Audrey was asking the latter.

The reason why she had come to this manor was because, historically, there was a folk tradition of worshiping dragons in the surrounding areas.

A young attendant secretly shot a glance at his noble and beautiful mistress. He mustered his courage, took two steps forward, and bowed while saying, "Deep in this forest, there are many fearsome wild beasts. Every year, hunters die there, but no one has ever encountered a monster before.

"It's just like the situation described in an old folk song that goes around this place…"

He recounted the folksong and the general meaning was:

"Monsters are in your dreams;

"Dragons are in your dreams;

"The great imagined palace, floating in the air, is also in your dreams;

"There is the place where you will have everything, all the way until you wake up."

Curious children, brave adventurers, go and find the dragon in your dreams…The attendant deliberately left out the last line, because he might be misunderstood as being sarcastic to Miss Audrey.

A dragon in a dream… The great palace that is imagined and floating in the air is also in a dream…Audrey carefully pondered for a few seconds before she suddenly felt that this ancient folk song wasn't completely meaningless.

According to the information about dragons that she'd bought from Little Sun, the Dragon of Imagination, Ankewelt, had actually imagined a floating city with massive temple pillars supporting a towering palace complex. The name of the city was Liveseyd, meaning the City of Miracles.

In dreams… The Spectator pathway comes under the mind dragons, involving the conscious, subconscious, the sea of collective subconscious, and the sky of spirituality. No matter how you look at it, it certainly involves the "dream" domain… Perhaps this ancient folk song really is pointing to something… Could Liveseyd really exist in the sea of collective subconscious, in dreams? But a dream is purely in the mind…Many thoughts flashed through Audrey's mind. Even when she returned to the manor, she was still unable to come up with a clear train of thought.

Entering the room, she glanced at Susie, suddenly having the urge to show off.

Susie doesn't know anything about dragons, so she definitely wouldn't be able to detect the peculiarities of this folk song… No, don't be arrogant; that's too superficial… And it's easy for Susie to discover that I'm hiding something…Audrey walked a few steps back and forth with her back straight, and she asked in a seemingly casual manner, "Susie, what do you think that folk song is really about? I have a nagging feeling that it's not as simple as it seems."

Susie opened her mouth, momentarily at a loss for words because she didn't know anything about poetry.

She gave it some serious thought and said, "Audrey, I'm only a dog."

…

In a forest in Blue Mountain Island.

Because of his agitation and excitement, Kalat didn't sleep at all. Sitting on the wheelchair, he inspected his surroundings, as if he had found a reason to live apart from revenge.

After making a full circle, he returned to the altar to pray once again.

He remembered the contents of the "Ten Commandments" very clearly. He knew that he couldn't use Sea God's name in vain, so he planned to use the relatively vague "God" as a replacement during his prayers.

When he approached the altar, his gaze suddenly turned into a stare because the items placed on it all had an unusual aura. For example, a dagger didn't reflect any crimson moonlight but released silver lightning. A leaf had become increasingly greener, making him feel that it was easier to breathe from a mere glance.

God has bestowed his grace…This thought suddenly flashed in Kalat's mind.

Up to this point, he no longer had any doubts regarding the transformation of Sea God. The sacrilegious thoughts hidden deep within him were completely dispelled.

The revelation from God that previously said that "'He' will walk the land again" was an implication that "He" is reconstructing "His" image… This layer of meaning goes very deep, and we actually failed to interpret it before…Kalat slowly took in a deep breath and propped himself up with his hands before solemnly prostrating himself before the great Sea God.

Soon, he returned to his wheelchair and headed for the residence of the High Priest, Edmonton, and the others.

He couldn't wait to tell his companions about what had just happened, to share with them the grace of God.

…

At a quarter past eleven in the evening.

Klein sat in his chair and watched with a blank expression as Danitz held the Soulfall Ritual, memorizing all the details while he did it.

It still requires help from the spirit world…He made a preliminary judgment.

If it's a spirit world creature, one can locate them as long as there's no mistake in the description. Just using a language with a certain amount of "power" can allow direct summoning or allow them to make their spirit descend. It has nothing to do with distance or range.

To a certain extent, deities have this trait as well, but sometimes it's possible to get a response from them even if the prayer is in an ordinary language. Of course, that is only if they have become believers and have caught the notice of the deity.

At the level of demigods, they seem to have blended with the spirit world to a certain extent. That's why one can point towards them with an accurate description to receive the possibility of a response. But there will be a distance limitation. Once it's beyond a range, they wouldn't be able to receive the "signal"… Sea God Kalvetua is an example.

Vice Admiral Iceberg is considered a powerful Mid-Sequence Beyonder. To achieve something like this, relying on herself isn't sufficient. She needs to use the aid of a corresponding deity, and use a precise and unambiguous description; furthermore, there are restrictions on distance and range.

The moment Klein finished organizing his thoughts, the various items on the altar began to float up, with the exception of the three candles.

Danitz shuddered uncontrollably, his expression turning cold.

Very soon, he let out the female voice of Vice Admiral Iceberg.

"Good evening."

Her tone seems to contain the anger of being woken up…Klein felt that Danitz's entire person had turn feminine.

He hesitated for a moment and said, "I have a way to find Admiral of Blood."

"What?" Edwina Edwards, whose spirit had possessed Danitz, already had her tone return to normal—one that usually lacked emotion.

Klein said simply, "They use the latest wireless telegraphy technology. I received the frequencies and passcodes from White Shark."

"Wireless, telegraphy… You know such things?" Edwina appeared surprised to learn that Gehrman Sparrow, who was an expert in mysticism, would also have some general knowledge of radio communication technology.

Klein politely smiled.

"A little."

Edwina was silent for two seconds, then she asked through Danitz, "Have they discovered that?"

Are you referring to whether Admiral of Blood and company have discovered the leak of their frequencies and passcodes? In theory, they should've since their intelligence officer, Old Quinn, has died at the hands of Mr. Hanged Man. However, wireless telegraphy hasn't reached the level of wide-scale adoption yet, so it's easy for those who use it to ignore security risks…Klein didn't respond with absolute certainty.

"Perhaps.

"But we can try."

As long as I can listen in on the frequency, there's a very high chance of finding Admiral of Blood! As Sea God, even at the level of a demigod, making it difficult for me to know about matters in neighboring seas like the back of my hand, I can still control sea creatures and ask them to seek people out…Klein silently added.

Edwina said thoughtfully, "I'll have Danitz help with the surveillance."

You know a lot about wireless telegraphy as well…Klein grinned and said, "Okay."

When the Soulfall Ritual was over, Danitz watched Gehrman Sparrow take out a sizable piece of machinery and its corresponding accessories, with mixed emotions.

"What is this?" he asked in astonishment.

Klein said flatly, "Radio transceiver."

Danitz turned agape as he finally forced his question out.

"Where did you get it?"

Klein glanced at him.

"Outside"

As he spoke, he tossed the manual and information on the frequencies and passcodes to Danitz and went back to his bedroom to sleep.

So this is what he does on his frequent trips out…Danitz felt as though he had understood something.

After much reading and experimenting, he finally mastered the usage of the radio transceiver and settled back into his reclining chair. He was soon snoring away.

Without knowing how long he slept, he was suddenly awoken, astonished to hear rhythmic clicks.

What?Danitz rolled to his feet and looked towards the source of the sound.

He saw the radio transceiver in the dim room working on its own, spitting out illusory sheets of white paper under the serene moonlight.

… What's this?Danitz conjured flames in his palms as he carefully inched forward.

This scene reminded him of the horror stories that pirates often spoke off when they were bragging!

There's a problem with the radio transceiver? It's connected to an evil spirit?Danitz decided to yell for Gehrman Sparrow the moment he discovered anything amiss.

As he approached the radio transceiver, he saw several lines of ancient Feysac on the illusory sheet of paper.

"Hello.

"I sense a familiar but unique aura, but it's about to dissipate."

"… Hello." Danitz attempted a response. "Who are you?"

The radio transceiver produced its clickety-clack again, spitting out a piece of white paper.

"My name is Arrodes.

"In exchange, you have to answer one of my questions."

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 556: Discriminatory Treatment

A question? This strange radio transceiver is a little interesting…Danitz cleared his throat.

"You can ask, but I might not answer."

Hehe, you think I'm the kind of adventurer or archaeologist who ends up killing himself because of curiosity?Danitz thought with both caution and pride.

It took a few seconds for the radio transceiver to produce its clickety-clack again. An illusory piece of white paper was spat out with red words on it: "Do you have a secret crush on your Captain?"

… No! Don't speak nonsense! Who? Who told you that?Danitz's face instantly reddened.

He felt at a loss to have the secret that had been buried deep in his heart for so many years revealed so suddenly. He was embarrassed and ashamed at the same time and subconsciously wanted to deny it.

But at the same time, he was also shocked and confused as to how this matter had been discovered by an outsider. He had never told anyone, and he had kept this secret very well hidden!

Danitz opened his mouth, forced a smile, and said, "What a silly question, I refuse to answer!"

The radio transceiver produced its clickety-clack and spat out more white paper.

"Then let's change the question.

"If you really don't like her, who can endure such dry and boring lessons? Isn't that right?"

"No! It's because I'm not strong enough to beat her!" Danitz blurted out, his expression twisted.

The clacking of the radio transceiver became increasingly brisker and the words on the illusory white paper increased.

"A lie.

"Let's change the question.

"The type of female you like is beautiful, powerful, mysterious, intelligent, and someone who is able to step over you, right?"

"…"

Danitz's lips quivered as he felt as though flames were seemingly rising from his body and smoke was billowing from his head.

At this moment, he felt his state of mind explode. It was as if someone had stripped him naked and tossed him into a busy street.

Subconsciously, he looked around in panic, searching and avoiding the gazes that might be cast on him.

Then, he saw that the bedroom door had opened at some point. Gehrman Sparrow stood there quietly in his white shirt which hadn't been tucked in and his rather loose black trousers. It was unknown how long he had been watching.

"You, when did you come out?" Danitz stuttered, his face blank.

Please tell me that you just opened the door!He prayed inwardly.

Klein walked over to the radio receiver that had become paranormal and answered calmly, "From the beginning."

As a Seer, how could I not have sensed the strange activity outside? Even in my sleep, I'll still have my spiritual intuition…Klein chuckled inwardly.

Danitz's face instantly turned ashen. He turned his body in a half-circle and rushed toward the radio transceiver that seemed to be possessed by an evil spirit, in a bid to rip up the illusory white paper with the three questions.

But his hand went through the words without him grabbing onto anything.

A scarlet-red fireball formed in his palm again as he thought of blowing up the damn radio transceiver.

At this moment, Gehrman Sparrow's cold gaze swept over him.

… Right, this is his…Danitz froze, looking at Gehrman Sparrow step past him and stop in front of the unusual radio transceiver.

Arrodes… How did it connect to this radio transceiver? It said it sensed a familiar but unique aura which is about to dissipate. Is it referring to the aura of the mysterious space above the gray fog?

This radio transceiver was placed above the gray fog for a few days. Although it didn't show any abnormal signs, it still came into contact with the aura. And because of its own functions, it temporarily received information from the spirit world, and this was subsequently discovered by Arrodes, the magic mirror, that seems to know a lot?

Wait, what kind of question was that… I'm Gehrman Sparrow; I'm a cold, crazy adventurer. I'm a professional… I-I can't laugh out loud…Klein suppressed the corners of his mouth and secretly took a deep breath.

Danitz stole a sidewards glance, like a prisoner by the gallows waiting for the noose to be released.

Seeing no change in expression from Gehrman Sparrow, he was slightly relieved. He was glad that the person who had watched from the side was a madman and not a normal human being. He wouldn't have any interest in such matters.

If it were any other pirate, I would be too embarrassed to return to the Golden Dream. No, I would be too embarrassed to adventure out at sea!He looked with hatred and fear at the radio transceiver, at the demon who called itself Arrodes.

He heard the clacking again and saw a new piece of white paper spit out from the radio transceiver. There were two neat lines in Loenese: "Your loyal and humble servant, Arrodes, is honored to follow in your footsteps once again, constantly at your service."

… This isn't the same evil spirit as that Arrodes from before, right…Danitz's face twitched, and he suddenly felt that whatever happened tonight was surreal.

Klein, who went through great difficulty to stifle his laughter, keenly caught onto a problem. Arrodes wasn't here in person and had likely used the spirit world and the radio transceiver's "special function" to send messages remotely. Therefore, when Danitz refused to answer the first question, it was powerless to punish him and could only ask another question.

That's interesting. In the future, I'll just need to place the radio transceiver above the gray fog for prolonged periods of time, and I'll be able to make it turn into a unique item that receives spirit world information from ghosts? Unfortunately, by the law of conservation of Beyonder characteristic, even with the augmentation of the gray fog's aura, its extraordinary abilities would dissipate bit by bit, eventually returning to normal…

Yes, to maintain an ordinary item's extraordinary traits without the use of Beyonder characteristics, there's another method according to my knowledge in mysticism; that is to carve the honorific name or true name of an angel, or even a deity in a language that can stir the powers of nature onto it… This would be equivalent to borrowing the target's mysticism and power. Of course, the premise is that "They" agree… I can't do it myself. At least, the piece of paper that I previously used as my bank's passcode in ancient Hermes hasn't undergone any abnormal changes…

For real deities, I only know the true name of one; Primordial Demoness Cheek… If I get "Her" honorific name, together with "Her" true name, what will happen when I engrave them in ancient Hermes onto the radio transceiver? Will it release viruses? Will it appear more aesthetically pleasing in an industrial sense, mesmerizing those with fetishes…

Yeah, the outcome with the greatest possibility is that when carving the honorific name and true name, the powers of the Primordial Demoness will descend, sucking everything dry… This is an extremely, extremely precise supernatural direction…

Strange thoughts flashed through Klein's mind until Arrodes greeted him.

Perfect. This is a magic mirror that can answer questions…Klein's heart skipped a beat. He turned his head to the side and said to Danitz, "Go out and guard the door."

"… Alright!" Without any hesitation, Danitz rushed to the door.

He was afraid that the demon named Arrodes would ask him new questions!

When Danitz entered the corridor and closed the door behind him, Klein turned to the radio transceiver which was connected to the magic mirror, Arrodes, and said in a low voice, "I have some questions."

"This is my honor. Can I address you as Master? The great existence above the spirit world?" White paper spat out of the radio transceiver amid clacking sounds.

You're too obsequious and too shameless… Why do I have a nagging feeling that there's a problem…Klein pondered a little and said, "You can use any form to address me."

"Yes, Master!" Arrodes used an exclamation mark. "What's your question?"

"Where can I find mermaids?" Klein asked directly.

Amid clacking sounds, the radio transceiver answered: "To the east of the Gargas Archipelago, sail the sea route for a week and there's a chance of meeting mermaids. However, the mermaids there are all believers of the Evernight Goddess."

This is a little amazing… It's within expectations, but it's also surprising…Klein realized that his previous speculation had turned into reality in a way he didn't expect.

Arrodes continued to "type": "If it bothers you, you can continue heading east, but it will be very dangerous. That place is no longer a real ocean, but the ruins of the war of the gods. Of course, you definitely wouldn't mind that."

Who said that… I was still imagining that with the Sea God Scepter, I would have the chance of entering even the most treacherous of seas. Now, you are telling me it's a sea evolved from the battlefield of gods… Indeed, there was a war of the gods in ancient times… The time when the Creator reclaimed the ancient gods' authorities?Klein didn't make comment as he watched Arrodes make the radio transceiver produce more words.

"In addition, there are reared mermaids in the Church of Evernight's headquarters, in the Cathedral of Serenity, as well as the Sleep Cathedral on Dinos Island."

In addition to the Holy Cathedral, there are mermaids on Dinos Island as well? The former is too dangerous. They have Grade 0 Sealed Artifacts and powerhouses at the level of angels. The latter can be considered. Transform into a Nighthawk or a bishop and sneak in to listen to the singing and consume the potion… That's not right, the Church rears mermaids to target Faceless Beyonders, so how can they not be on guard against this point… I have to think of another way…Klein was about to ask the second question when he saw a new sheet of white paper come out of the radio transceiver.

"Great Master, I must abide by certain rules. You must answer a question of mine in exchange."

Answer your question?Klein raised his eyebrows slightly and waited for Arrodes to ask the question. He decided to acknowledge this servant depending on the situation.

Amidst the clacking, Arrodes used words to spell out a question: "What are you planning to have for breakfast today?"

Nice question…Klein calmly replied, "Depends on what the inn offers."

"A perfect answer!" Arrodes was almost short of giving a round of applause.

Without waiting for Klein to speak, it continued to type: "The aura above the spirit world is about to disappear. I await the next opportunity to be at your service, great Master."

After the illusory piece of paper was spat out, the radio transceiver stopped and lost its gloomy feel.

How many days would it take above the gray fog before I can contact Arrodes again? I'll ask it for the method to remove the mental corruption of a Beyonder characteristic the next time… Yes, this method should be used prudently. Arrodes can use the special connection after the radio transceiver is tainted by the aura. Those who are stronger and more terrifying than it might be capable of doing so as well… If I keep doing this, maybe one day I'll get a telegram from the True Creator or the Primordial Demoness…Klein's mind raced as he noticed the hidden risks.

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 557: Planting a Cue on Herself

East Chester County, the Hall Family Manor.

Audrey sat at the dressing table and lit a candle.

Afterwards, she looked at herself in the mirror across from the slightly swaying light of the fire. Her green eyes gradually became deep, making it impossible for anyone who laid eyes on them to shift their eyes away, as if even their souls wished to drown in them.

"Audrey, you have to remain lucid tonight in the dream," she said to herself softly.

This was a simple "psychological cue."

The ancient folk song she had heard at dusk had inspired her to explore her dreams and see if she could enter the sea of subconscious sea and the spiritual skies of all living things.

This was an experiment that other Psychiatrists had never attempted. At least, there was no similar experiences in the reference materials provided by the Psychology Alchemists—giving oneself a psychological cue to explore their own dreams.

Perhaps I might be able to find traces of a mind dragon or even the City of Miracles, Liveseyd…Audrey withdrew her gaze; removed Lie, which was now in the form of a ruby necklace; and placed it inside a jewelry box.

She was afraid that the mystical item that amplified her emotions would affect her while in her dream and cause unnecessary harm; therefore, she removed it in advance out of caution.

After doing all of this, Audrey subconsciously looked at her reflection in the mirror and saw little blemishes on her face.

While wearing Lie, she felt that her beauty was intoxicating.

Wake up, Audrey. That's only a lie!She lifted her right palm and caressed her cheek.

At that moment, she was very glad that she had chosen the name "Lie" for that mystical item. It kept her constantly alert; otherwise, she feared the day that she would one day be completely dependent on it and not want to face her true self. The day she lost it, it would be very possible that she would lose control.

Those girls who are relatively ordinary looking might never wish to take it off again after wearing Lie to perfect their looks. They might be willing to die to keep it on them… For a Beyonder, I can't have such a state of mind either…Audrey sighed and stood up.

She walked briskly and expectantly through the warm room in her slippery silk robe, back to the soft, comfortable, and springy bed, and pulled a rope from the headboard.

Her personal maidservant, Annie, entered and gently extinguished the lights.

Before long, Audrey fell asleep.

In the hazy world, she suddenly jolted to her senses and realized that she was dreaming.

She looked around with interest and silently said to herself,Is this what's known as lucid dreams in psychology?

In mysticism, there is a similar concept.

It's really effective. I relied on a simple psychological cue that I planted in myself to get a lucid dream. Audrey, you really are a genius~ No, no, no, this is mainly an application of a Beyonder power. I mustn't be arrogant.

At this moment, Audrey had already figured out what the current dream was.

She was walking along a dark, narrow road surrounded by a dark forest, and ahead of her was the castle with its spires.

The prolonged howls of the wolves, the slow and frightening gasps, and the shrill and intermittent screams came from every direction, creating a dangerous and depressing atmosphere.

I haven't gotten over the fear of Duke Negan's assassination. I'm still afraid that one day, many Beyonders would suddenly attack my father, my mother, and my brothers…Audrey dissected her dreams from the point of view of a Psychiatrist.

In this strangely real dream, she walked slowly toward the castle that was almost identical to the Hall family's ancestral house.

As she walked, a figure suddenly jumped out of the dark forest. It was a gigantic dragon with golden scales all over its body. Its eyes were pale gold with vertical pupils, and its thick tail looked like it could sweep away everything.

This dragon's facial features were exactly the same as Audrey's. When paired with its body, it gave off an indescribable feeling of strangeness and horror!

Audrey jumped in fright, almost waking up from her dream. Fortunately, having been a Spectator before, she was able to stabilize her emotions in time.

This made her realize that she had never really forgotten how she had almost lost control back when she consumed the Psychiatrist potion. Back then, her self-relief and the improvement in her mood was only superficial. The trauma had already taken root in the depths of her subconscious and would occasionally reflect itself in her dreams.

Fortunately, I discovered this today. In the future, I can try to treat this trauma in my subconscious. I'm a Psychiatrist! If I continue to ignore this issue, I might lose control due to this fear when advancing to Sequence 6…Audrey examined herself carefully.

As she walked and stopped, Audrey's dream kept changing in an erratic fashion. It would've been considered quite an unsatisfactory story.

Finally, she arrived in front of the castle and saw an arm-length magic staff sweeping through the air, scattering down specks of light that were as resplendent as starlight.

The castle that was shrouded in the light instantly became magnificent, and all the gloom disappeared.

The melody of a band came out from inside the castle as one wall lamp after another lit up.

This was the most beautiful expectation that I had towards Beyonder powers at the very beginning… It really was a little girl's fantasy…The corners of Audrey's mouth curled up, and her mood turned for the better.

She didn't stop, but she walked past the castle to the edge of her dream. She didn't care how the scene behind her changed, or how the story unfolded.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, she passed through the barren wasteland and arrived at the top of a cliff.

Looking out, the gray, blurry void extended into the distance. The area beneath her was so deep that it seemed to be bottomless.

Audrey was keenly aware that this was the boundary of her dreams. Once she left, she had no idea what would happen.

And how do I leave? Jump down? Will I fall to my death…Audrey thought awkwardly, not too courageous in taking the risk.

After thinking for a few seconds, she slowly came up with an idea.

This is a dreamland that originates from the world of my mind. As the mistress of this place, I can use my will to open up a path for myself!

With the thought of making the attempt, she tried to conjure what she thought, just like the way she did it above the gray fog. The only difference was that the former needed the help of Mr. Fool, and now she had to rely on herself.

Audrey stretched out her right hand, pointing it downwards into the depths of the gray fog.

In front of her, the gray fog suddenly surged, revealing layers of stairs that led downwards, without an end in sight.

Audrey took a slow breath, lifted her skirt slightly, and stepped onto the first step.

Step by step, she continued down the stairs. The surroundings grew increasingly quiet, so quiet that it was almost as if she heard auditory hallucinations.

In this place, there was nothing else apart from the gray fog. It was lonely and filled with the unknown.

A howling gale blew in from different directions, causing Audrey to sway back and forth. The fear she felt slowly deepened.

Before she lost control of her emotions, her green eyes shone with a warm light that seemed to be able to see through the hearts of others.

Audrey used her Psychoanalysis powers to placate herself!

She continued her search. After nearly a minute, a point of light suddenly lit up in the surrounding gray fog.

Audrey took a cautious look, only to see that the point of light was of herself—back when she had just consumed a potion and almost became a dragon monster. While on the verge of losing control, emotions such as worry, horror, fear, and nervousness were clearly overflowing from her.

… This is my subconscious, so this is my trauma?Audrey vaguely understood where she was after she left her dreamland.

She was in no hurry to resolve this trauma as she continued to walk down, step by step, filled with anticipation.

According to the theories of the Psychology Alchemists, the subconscious was at the bottom of her destination—the sea of collective subconscious for all living creatures!

During her exploration, Audrey once again saw herself listening to her parents' storytelling when she was young. She saw herself, someone who valued her image but wasn't actually very elegant deep down. She saw herself participating in the Tarot Club, only that all the specks of light regarding the latter were tightly wrapped in a gray fog.

These are things in my subconscious… They influence my character and behavior?Audrey instinctively analyzed what she saw with her knowledge of psychology.

Amidst the coruscating points of light, there were several times where she was pushed to the verge of an emotional breakdown due to the lonely, aimless exploration, but she had used her Beyonder powers to placate herself in time.

Just as she was about to lose all sense of the passage of time, she saw the last step.

In front of the steps was a solid, blurry, gray "ground." Above it, there were streams of light and shadows. They were dense and overlapping, like an illusory sea.

The sea of collective subconscious…Audrey took a few steps forward and raised her head to look up. To her surprise, the gray fog no longer blocked her vision as the clear high skies appeared.

There were countless indescribable silhouettes, seven of which were of different colors. They were lustrous brilliances that seemed to possess immense knowledge.

Audrey pursed her lips and happily said to herself,The sky of spirituality.

Then, she cautiously moved forward, forging the adventure that she could call her own.

Those figures of light that formed the sea would flash past her from time to time. Some contained ancient memories of being burned by flames, while others bore the excruciating pain of seeing something indescribable…

Apart from the imprints of the ancients from ancient times, Audrey also saw the gazes of admiration cast on her one after another, as well as the activities of the people who worshiped dragons.

As she walked, she noticed a grayish white mountain on the far left. It extended upwards until it emerged from the sea of light and shadows. The top of the mountain was shrouded in a dense fog, making the entire place seem hazy.

Is that someone else's consciousness? The sea is the subconscious, and beyond the surface of the sea is the ordinary consciousness? Yes, he's dreaming…Audrey suddenly thought of a possible application of a Psychiatrist. It was to move closer and climb up, directly affecting the other party's subconscious thoughts, allowing them to naturally act according to her bidding.

But it should be very difficult and very dangerous…Audrey looked away, not daring to make the attempt.

She clearly remembered that her purpose this time was to seek out traces of the mind dragon and the City of Miracles, Liveseyd.

Audrey passed by more than a hundred other people's consciousness. Gradually, she felt exhausted.

It's time to return.Instinctively, she raised her head and looked into the distance, rationally making the decision.

She stood there for a long time, unwilling to leave.

A shadow suddenly appeared in the air just as Audrey was about to turn around.

It was a pair of two huge gray wings!

Under the wings, there was a long lizard-like monster.

Its entire body was covered with huge scales that were like grayish-white stone slabs. It had four thick and powerful legs, seemingly bathing in the sunlight that didn't exist as it flickered in what seemed like the afterglow of the setting sun.

The monster flew over. Its eyes were pale gold with its pupils vertical, looking cold and arrogant.

Its grand and epic figure quickly disappeared into the sea of the subconscious of all living beings.

Dragon… A mind dragon!Audrey jumped on the spot and looked around, afraid of others noticing her inelegant behavior.

She paced around excitedly, feeling very satisfied with her adventure.

Indeed, the tradition of dragon worship here isn't without an origin. In their subconscious, there lives a mind dragon…Audrey resisted the urge to praise herself and had decided to return immediately and wake up from the dream.

She didn't have the urge to continue her exploration, as she wasn't prepared for it at all. She was going to consult Mr. Fool, Mr. Hanged Man, and the others at the Tarot Club next week in the hope of receiving some advice.

Audrey returned the way she came, entering the "mountain" formed by her consciousness. Then, she woke herself up and successfully escaped from the dream.

…

At that moment, Danitz was also permitted to return to his room.

He glanced at Gehrman Sparrow and said with an embarrassed smile, "You won't tell anyone what you just saw, will you?"

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 558: Search for Abnormalities

Klein didn't answer with "yes" or "no." Instead, he stopped walking towards his bedroom and flatly said, "That was a question."

"Right, right, a question! That was a slanderous question with no basis! Besides, I also gave a negative answer," Danitz responded with delight and had emphasized that he had never admitted to it.

Klein gently nodded his head.

"I will clarify this with your captain."

Clarify…Danitz stared, then he half opened his mouth, his expression twisted.

He was also considered a somewhat knowledgeable person, so he stopped explaining and arguing, and he forced a smile.

"Is there anything I can do for you?"

Klein took a deep breath and used his Clown powers to control his facial expression.

"Monitor it well."

"Yes, alright!" Danitz quickly agreed.

Seeing Gehrman Sparrow turn around and walk to the bedroom's entrance, he couldn't help but ask, "You're not going to clarify this with Captain, right?"

Klein twisted the handle and replied expressionlessly, "Monitor it well."

After he finished speaking, he pushed open the door and entered the room. Before he could widen his mouth into a laugh, he closed the door behind him.

…

The next morning, after breakfast, Klein put on a pair of pantaloons, a thick brown jacket, and a cap. He changed his appearance and went out, leaving Danitz alone in the room to watch the radio transceiver.

Along the way, Klein changed his appearance again, making himself look more like a native.

He found a special store, bought a pair of linen gloves, a shroud, and a body bag. Then, according to the surroundings he had previously witnessed, he scanned the area around him for landmarks before finding the bridge and the girl who had died amid the mud in a corner.

As it was still winter, the weather wasn't too hot, and there were no obvious signs of decay from the corpse, but the festering skin and the stench still made Klein instinctively nauseous.

He didn't immediately come to bury the girl who wanted to live like a human being last night, due to the recent events—Bayam was under strict curfews at night, as well as the fact that the cemetery didn't open until dawn.

Pulling out a small metal bottle, Klein poured some Quelaag Oil onto his hand and rubbed it at the tip of his nose.

A choking sensation invaded his mind. The smell of peppermint mixed with disinfectant filled his olfactory senses, making him sober as if he had just fallen into a sea of floating ice. He was no longer affected by any other smells.

Putting away the metal bottle, Klein put on his gloves, took a few steps forward, and crouched next to the female corpse.

He unwrapped the shroud and began to gently move the corpse into the body bag.

Carrying the bag over his shoulder, he deliberately walked through the most bustling streets of Bayam until he reached the outskirts of the city. Along the narrow road where horse carriages couldn't pass, he scaled a mountain to its mountainside.

There was a cemetery specially prepared by the Church of Storms and the governor-general's office, for the natives.

As for foreigners, such as businessmen, adventurers, people from Loen, Intis, and Feynapotter, who had settled down here, they had their cemeteries situated on the opposite side of Bayam on a flat and soothing plain with forests backing them.

Klein climbed higher and higher and entered the unnamed cemetery, where he found the gravekeeper dozing off.

"How do you want to bury him?" The gravekeeper pointed at the body bag. "If you want to do it for free, you have to wait a few days until the corpses in the morgue accumulate to a certain amount, then they'll be cremated together and buried in the same grave. Of course, there will be priests who will do a send off for the souls of the dead in advance. 5 soli and he will have an urn and a niche he can call his own. 2 pounds, he'll get an urn and a grave with a tombstone. If you don't want him cremated, you'll need a coffin. You can pick one over there. They're priced differently based on the type of wood."

Klein thought for a moment, then he took out 5 soli in notes and handed them over.

"What's his name?" the gravekeeper counted the notes, picked up a fountain pen, and asked with a good attitude.

He didn't actually know how to write words, he just wanted to draw symbols to help him remember.

Klein paused for a second and said, "Bourdi."

"Bourdi…" the gravekeeper repeated it in a low voice and drew a symbol.

Without looking up, he continued, "She can have an epitaph on the niche."

Bourdi was a typical female name in the Rorsted Archipelago; therefore, the gravekeeper no longer mistook her gender.

Klein remained silent for a few seconds, then he said in a low voice, "She is a human being."

"She is a human being? What a strange epitaph…" the gravekeeper muttered, "Do you have a picture? I know you don't."

Before he could finish his words, he saw the other party hand over a "photo."

It was a portrait that Klein had drawn using a ritual. It perfectly reproduced the girl's looks before she fell ill. In order to not be suspected, he used the corresponding type of paper and some technique to make the portrait look like a real photograph.

The gravekeeper was surprised but didn't say anything. He quickly took the information and carried the body bag to the hut where the priests resided with Klein.

After the send off and cremation, as well as the storing of ashes into an urn, the photograph was pasted on, and an epitaph was engraved, putting an end to the entire matter. Klein took a deep look before turning around to leave the cemetery.

As he walked down the mountain path, he saw Bayam in its entirety.

The sea was pale blue, nearing the color of green. It was empty as far as the eye could see. Sails were stacked by the harbor, and the chimneys towered high. The streets were crisscrossed as people came and went. The surrounding estates were densely packed, and there was plenty of greenery. The distant public roads were wide, and the railways were straight… It was like a beautiful oil painting that was produced by a master. It was filled with vitality that was hardly describable.

…

At the top of the clock tower of the Cathedral of Waves, the Church of Storms Cardinal, high-ranking deacon of the Mandated Punishers, Jahn Kottman, stood at the edge, looking out over the refreshing sea and the mountain range that stretched out along the coastline.

The pollution in Bayam was rather low as the mining and smelting industries were located in other cities on the island. The mainstay here was the spice trade, the brothels and casinos, and the accumulation and transit of goods. It lacked a fully-formed industry, and there was a limited number of days needed for coal to be burned for heat.

As soon as Sea King Jahn Kottman retracted his gaze, he saw a Mandated Punisher running up the spiral staircase.

"Your Eminence, there's new information." The Mandated Punisher struck the left side of his chest with his right hand.

"What is it?" the well-built Jahn Kottman turned around and asked.

The Mandated Punisher handed over the piece of paper in his hand.

"News from within the Resistance. They've received a response from Kalvetua. They're in the process of creating new statues."

"New statues?" Jahn Kottman unfolded the note and skimmed through it.

He then turned his head to the interior of Blue Mountain Island, which was covered in a sea of dense forests. After a moment of thought, he said, "Search for abnormalities in the archipelago's sea area."

He was certain of one thing from the intelligence, that the mysterious person who had taken away the characteristic left by Kalvetua hadn't left the waters of the Rorsted Archipelago. This could be determined from the fact that the person could disguise himself as Kalvetua and reply to his followers.

Meanwhile, Jahn Kottman knew very well that the Beyonder characteristic left behind by Kalvetua, who had gone mad before its death, would lead to severe side effects regardless of whether or not it was reduced to a real item; therefore, it would definitely result in an abnormality in the surrounding area.

Moreover, he believed that it wouldn't be easy for the mysterious person to find a proper sealing method.

Even if he had found it, there was no way he could control the effects when responding; hence, exposing the problem.

This was the clue!

"Yes, Your Eminence, May the Storm be with you!" The Mandated Punisher bowed again.

…

After entering Bayam City, Klein dispelled his Faceless power when no one was paying attention. He returned to the Wind of Azure Inn via carriage.

As soon as he opened the door and entered, he saw Danitz sitting in front of the radio transceiver, his expression strange and grave.

"Got something?" Klein asked in a low voice.

"No, no." Danitz raised his right palm and shook the papers in his hand. "My bounty! My bounty has been raised to 5,500 pounds…"

This was almost reaching Steel Maveti's bounty!

Because of this, he didn't dare head out to drink or relax; all he could do was stay in the room and listen out for a signal.

This rate of appreciation is really tempting…For a moment Klein didn't know how to react, so he said without expression, "This is just the beginning.

"Mr. 10,000 Pounds."

… Dogsh*t!Danitz cursed inwardly, but he didn't dare to show any disrespect on his face.

All of those things were done by Gehrman Sparrow. Why did it end up increasing my bounty? Those sons of b*tches from the Church of Storms!He forced a smile and shook his head, his facial muscles twitching slightly.

Klein held back his laughter and ignored him. He went back to his bedroom to catch up on his sleep.

At this moment, he saw a letter suddenly appear, floating down from midair and landing right in front of him.

Klein raised his right hand and grabbed the letter.

The messenger didn't even show its face and just left after throwing the letter?Klein clicked his tongue, opened the letter, and read it.

"… There were two methods for obtaining a messenger. The first method is to think of an accurate description, hold a ritual, summon the corresponding spirit world creature, and make a contract with it. The second method is to directly enter the spirit world and search for a messenger that you wish to obtain. After obtaining its consent, sign a contract with it and then record down the accurate description language for later use.

"The first method is relatively simple, but it is also rather dangerous, because what fits the description might be a powerful spirit world creature or a strange evil spirit. Every time you summon it, you cannot be completely sure what you will attract, and this is a risk that is hard to divine in advance.

"The danger of the second method is that it isn't easy to find the appropriate messenger, and there's a risk of getting lost in the spirit world.

"Unless you're a Traveler; otherwise, I do not suggest the second method. For the first method, I can provide you a description that has been tested and verified. As long as the process is done accurately, the level of danger will be rather low. But it might not satisfy you. Also, the contract needs to use powers in the undead domain. You can use my copper whistle to provide for that.

"The format includes the following paragraphs…

"Of course, if you don't mind, I can transfer a messenger to you as a gift and have it sign a contract with you…"

Transfer it to me as a gift? It's no wonder that the messenger didn't even dare show its face…Klein thought in enlightenment.

Considering that he had used the previous messenger as a shield and was unfortunately finished off by Mr. A, causing the later messengers to become increasingly rude to him, he inwardly declined the offer.

Use the first or second method? The first method is prone to error. I might even summon a candidate messenger and get beaten up… A commonly used description isn't unique enough, making the messenger's strength worrying… The second method? I'm not afraid of getting lost since I'm able to instantly return above the gray fog. Furthermore, in my Spirit Body state, I can use the Sea God Scepter. The spirit world creatures aren't afraid of having their blood drained either. Yes, I have to do it outside the archipelago; otherwise, I'll be affected by the prayers.Klein quickly came to a decision.

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 559: Meeting on the Way

With that idea in mind, Klein immediately began making preparations.

It was to explore the spirit world and select a suitable target to become a messenger. After he left the Rorsted Archipelago and its surrounding sea, he could bring the Sea God Scepter along with him to reason with the target and convince them to become his messenger.

Once I find myself lost or in a dangerous situation, I would immediately halt the summoning and return above the gray fog. There's basically no risk…Klein thought for a few seconds, then he locked the door and began the ritual of summoning himself.

At the end of the ritual, he quickly arrived above the gray fog, but he was in no hurry to respond to himself. Instead, he sat down and let the Sea God Scepter fly out from the junk pile and land on his palm.

He intended to scan the prayers of the believers as per routine for anything to respond to.

During this process, Klein discovered that some of the prayers were actually quite interesting, because humans could deceive friends and relatives, but it was difficult to keep their truest thoughts when confessing or praying to the gods. At most, they would modify the truth to make them look less bad.

A mixed-blood, who had clearly changed his faith to the Lord of Storms, had already reached the middle ranks of the Bayam police department, but in his confession, he tried hard to portray his behavior as a plan of burdening himself to carry out a mission. For the sake of a brighter future for his kinsmen, he could only confess to god in misery, hoping that "He" would protect him, so that he could climb up the ranks in the police system as a believer of the Lord of Storms.

Although his words sounded flawless, the fluctuations in his thoughts and emotions during his confession were clearly displayed in the prayer scene. It was something that couldn't be hidden.

Trying to deceive God while you are deceiving yourself… If it were a gigantic sea serpent like Kalvetua who lacked intelligence, it might've believed you… Should I give him a lightning bolt or ten wind blades? Yes, it's pretty impressive to have a mixed-blood rise up to the ranks of senior inspector. I'll keep him. There are benefits to having a snitch…Klein raised his Sea God Staff, making one of the blue gems glow.

The light poured into the scene and imperceptibly seeped into the senior inspector named Boulaya.

This wasn't a curse, nor was it a cue. It was a mark of divinity that almost no one could discover.

Simply put, it's a unilateral way for me to "keep tabs" on you…Klein silently added inwardly.

He continued browsing and saw a young believer with slightly curly bronze hair praying for a man named Zangmo to be caught in a storm and buried at sea. He claimed that Zangmo wasn't pious enough, but the truth was that, as a competing fisherman, Zangmo was always able to harvest more fish than he did.

What kind of nonsense prayers are these? The human heart sure is hard to fathom…Klein frowned and mumbled to himself. Then he had a vague idea.

For a Faceless to engage in real acting, it not only requires a flawless performance in terms of external appearances and habitual actions, but it also needs to maintain the core personality. Not many changes are allowed. As for personality, every person is different, so there must be a difference to a certain degree…

By browsing the prayers of my believers, it's equivalent to me realizing different kinds of personalities and mental states without going through the trouble. When talking about the many masks we wear, it's not only about looks…

This will be rather important for my subsequent acting as a Faceless. It can save me time from figuring things out through accumulated experiences.

Klein increasingly felt that acting as Sea God was very beneficial towards him.

When you are acting the role of a demigod, even if you don't get any feedback, you will still definitely get some considerable benefits… This is a way of gaining experience of being someone of a higher level…Klein perked up, no longer being perfunctory about skimming through the prayer scenes.

After quickly browsing through one scene after another, his gaze stopped at a merchant named Ralph.

The businessman praised the miracle of the reappearance of the sea god, and he had indicated that he planned to offer a third of his fortune—worth 20,000 pounds—to the Resistance, half for military expenses, and half for the reconstruction of God's statue.

Actually, there's no need to go through all that trouble. Just directly offer it to me…Klein muttered half-jokingly.

He thought for a moment, and then he conjured a background of waves and storms with heavy rain and lightning falling together. He responded in a low voice, "You have honored my name by helping your compatriots and companions.

"The young lambs need help, food, and education."

He intended to get Ralph to set up a charity fund with the 20,000 pounds, and to seek donations widely from the community to make up for the damage, create a consensus; and help to provide local children with food, clothing, and education under the pretext of governance.

As for the military expenditures of the Resistance, Klein understood that in a world with Beyonder powers, it was very difficult to rely solely on the opposition from the natives of the colony to succeed. Therefore, they needed the help of foreign countries like Feysac and Intis.

Funding was undoubtedly needed.

Unfortunately, it's not possible to add a line in the Ten Commandments about "boldly and confidently seek funding"; that would damage the image of Sea God… The Resistance shouldn't be thinking about annihilating the garrison troops. They should just focus on destroying the transportation infrastructure and make it more difficult for the governor-general's office to rule, so as to initiate talks…As a keyboard warrior, Klein wasn't lacking in ideas in such areas.

He quickly restrained his wandering thoughts and made a divination to see if it was dangerous exploring the spirit world today.

After obtaining the revelation that it wasn't considered dangerous, Klein took the Dark Emperor card, naturally changed his image, and stepped into the Door of Summoning.

After entering the real world, he stuffed the mystical items he needed into his body as a precaution. Then, like last time, he used Cogitation to sense the spirit world.

Taking a step forward, he passed through an invisible curtain as Klein's illusory figure floated up.

Around him, red, yellow, blue, green, and other colors were superimposed, like they were like the most abstract oil painting ever. The concept of direction that humans were used to could no longer be used here. If one used the old means of distinguishing direction and one's location, they would definitely find themselves lost.

Klein roamed carefully and casually, sometimes seeing a yellow sun like a child's sketch, sometimes brushing past an incorporeal river that flowed quietly.

There was also a flat women with her upper body naked and a face resembling a smiling moon, a canoe with its end upturned, a tangled ball of thread, and a serpentine staircase leading to the seven pure lights.

In this extremely chaotic world, other than spirit world creatures, all kinds of information existed as abstract symbols. Thus, what one received from a divination process would only be a revelation that required one to interpret it on their own.

As for those symbols, there was a chance that they would come to life and become incorporeal monsters.

This was the spirit world that couldn't be understood and viewed with common human knowledge.

The last time he came in, he had easily discovered spirit world creatures, and he had noticed the creepy gazes from unknown locations that made his hair stand on end. There was the headless woman who carried four heads, a round eye with clear blacks and whites, and a giant jellyfish with a skull attached to each tentacle. He had easily encountered all of them back then.

But this time, he failed to see a single spirit world creature despite roaming for so long. Even the indescribable figures in the distance had disappeared, as if they had hidden themselves.

It can't be that you're afraid of being my messenger, can it? Yes, I entered the spirit world in the form of a Soul Body. Perhaps the thoughts in my mind will appear in a special, formless manner here, turning into hidden symbols that interact with the spirit world. This then naturally affects my path options?Klein was puzzled, but he couldn't find the reason.

All sorts of thoughts flashed through his mind when his body suddenly sank down and he fell freely.

After a while, Klein could only see the vivid superposition of the colors and the various symbols that took physical form.

What's going on?He began to consider whether he should write to Mr. Azik and ask him about it, or to throw the radio transceiver above the gray fog and get it tainted with the aura, so that he could contact the magic mirror, Arrodes.

While floating, Klein's heart suddenly palpitated as he quickly dodged to the side.

A tinge of yellow and green flashed across his eyes as a giant foot that was large enough to squash his entire body landed, stepping into the interlaced red and blue color spots.

Above the sole of the foot was a long, festering leg covered in a yellowish green liquid. The leg was over three meters long, and above it was a huge body that was wrapped in corpse oil bandages.

Amidst the solidified aura in the area, the two legs that were filled with yellow-green pus alternated as they rose up. Carrying a body that was difficult to discern, the legs quickly disappeared into the depths of the spirit world.

Klein stood at a distance, not daring to make a sound.

Finally, he confirmed that he was fine as he grimaced and thought,The spirit world is really scary. You can accidentally encounter a powerhouse just passing by… A powerhouse among the spirit world creatures?

Klein shook his head and continued his search.

At that moment, he had no idea where in the spirit world he had wandered to.

After drifting for a while, he finally found some traces of spirit world creatures.

Just as he was about to switch from flying forward to descending to his left, he was surprised to find that his body continued to move forward uncontrollably at an accelerating speed.

In front of him, the chaotic superimposed colors and the grayish-white mist that filled the area suddenly split open, and a large, purely black three-masted sailboat leaped in.

The boat was nearly a hundred meters long, and three pitch-black sails were hanging high up like flags.

On the left and right sides of the ship, there were cannon muzzles and all kinds of sailors were running around on the deck.

All of this was so real, so substantial, and so out of place when it came to the spirit world as a whole.

However, as the ship entered the spirit world, its black color quickly turned richer, tainting itself with an ethereal vibe.

On its deck stood a mottled stone chair that was two to three meters high; its back facing the cabin. Leaning against the chair's back, a colossal figure that was comparable to an ancient giant sat there.

He had a black beard that went just past his neck, and he wore a tall, pointed crown on his head. He wore a gorgeous black robe with silver fringes. The wrinkles on his face looked hardened and filled with magnificence. It made one subconsciously wish to bow their heads.

Under the slightly wrinkled forehead and on the high nose bridge, Klein's pitch-black full-body armor and black crown were reflected into those two dark red eyes.

As for Klein, he was having trouble stopping his slow flight toward the giant.

Their gazes met among the layers of colors and symbols in the spirit world, and then Klein disappeared.

The giant on the mottled stone chair didn't withdraw his gaze as he continued staring over in a long silence.

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 560: The Hanged Man Gets Fleeced

Above the fog, Klein took out the Dark Emperor card that he had fused with his Spirit Body and instantly reverted to his original form.

This is called a one-click gear swap…he mocked himself as he recalled what had just happened.

He was almost certain that the "giant" wearing the sharp crown was King of the Five Seas, Nast Solomon. The hundred-meter-long sailboat that could sail through the spirit world was the ghost ship named Dark Emperor, which was built by the ancient Solomon Empire!

I've always thought that a ghost ship simply means that it can sail on its own and wouldn't sink, making it closer to a strange creature. I never thought that the most powerful ghost ship would be able to turn itself incorporeal and wander through the spirit world…

That makes it almost a demigod, right? As expected of the most famous Dark Emperor on the Five Seas. Yes… I can't eliminate the possibility that it sacrificed a Traveler during its creation process…

For one of the most famous legendary treasures, the Specter Empire which carries the final inheritance of the Trunsoest Empire, could it be that the ship also comes equipped with this capability, making it impossible to find?

Klein's thoughts slowly drifted without immediately realizing the reason why he had suddenly met King of the Five Seas, Nast.

This was very obvious: the law of convergence of Beyonder characteristics!

Although the Dark Emperor card didn't contain any Beyonder characteristics, Roselle had added or carved something onto the card when he made it. It allowed the wielder to use the Card of Blasphemy after they advanced to a High-Sequence Beyonder, to subtly sense the Beyonder ingredients that they needed.

There was no doubt that such a sensation was mutual. As one sensed the other, the other would naturally sense them too. As for the wielder, they would appear to approach a certain fate before they crossed that step into becoming a demigod.

This was something Klein was deeply aware of. He ultimately suspected that the existence of the gray fog had brought together certain Beyonders or supernatural events to him.

Traveling with the Dark Emperor card in the spirit world makes it easier for such situations to occur. This is because the real world needs to abide by many rules. Even the fate from drawing lots needs to abide by logic, developing bit by bit. It doesn't make sense for me to use the Dark Emperor card in Backlund, and for the King of the Five Seas, Nast, to immediately appear in front of me with the ghost ship…

Even if he sensed the attraction force, he would have to go through the process of locating me, and through the process of traveling through the spirit world, take hours or even days to arrive. If he didn't sense it, he would only naturally think of sailing towards the Sonia Sea and head closer to the borders of the Loen Kingdom. In that case, it might take months before we bump into each other.

By being in the spirit world, things are simple; there is no concept of distance or direction in there. Locations and distances are all extremely chaotic. Perhaps the King of the Five Seas, Nast, might've wished to go out on a spin in the spirit world, but he ended up seeing me pass by the moment he entered. This doesn't need to abide by any restrictions or limitations on geographical locations,Klein thought as he rapped the corner of the mottled table.

In addition to this, he was certain that the reason why he was thrown uncontrollably towards the Dark Emperor and at King of the Five Seas, Nast, wasn't because of the law of convergence of Beyonder characteristics. The effects of the law was only reflected in fate, perception, and desire, nothing too exaggerated; otherwise, there wouldn't be High-Sequence Beyonders—all of them would be involuntarily drawn by the "Uniqueness" of their respective pathway.

Klein could sense that it was a type of Beyonder power that twisted and strengthened his intent to move forward, resulting in him being unable to stop.

This is a very simple analysis. Even if I had thrown out the Dark Emperor card at the time, I wouldn't have been able to stop… This is a Lawyer, which is a Beyonder power wielded by the Dark Emperor pathway?Klein leaned back in his chair and decided not to use the Dark Emperor card any time soon.

This meant that he was unable to roam the spirit world in search of a messenger.

If he hadn't brought the Dark Emperor card and had used his main body with the Sea God Scepter, he would appear in the spirit world, which was filled with all kinds of revelations and information. He would inevitably leave many clues and could be divined about at any time. In terms of anti-divination and anti-prophecy, Azik's copper whistle couldn't be compared to the Dark Emperor card.

If I were to really do that, I might meet ten people who know that I obtained the Sea God Scepter, when buying a beer at the bar… Of course, it was taken by Klein Moretti, so what has that got to do with me, Gehrman Sparrow?Klein shook his head in a self-deprecating manner and decided to use the ritual method to get a messenger to respond. He could find something more suitable later on.

After he covered the Dark Emperor card, his figure disappeared from the mysterious space above the gray fog.

…

Early morning, Bayam.

Alger prepared to take a carriage out of the city and take a detour to a private harbor behind the cliff. That was where his Blue Avenger was docked and waiting to set sail.

As a disguised pirate captain, he couldn't dock so openly at the main port of the City of Generosity. That would be sufficient proof that he had close ties with the authorities. It was the same with the other pirates who had to consider their berth in advance before coming to Bayam to sell their loot or gain enjoyment. They either went to a small port in the surrounding waters, or to a private port controlled by someone with a deep background or by the Resistance.

Finally, there are no more missions. I can go out to sea again… I need to first obtain a mystical item that can increase my strength and also square my accounts. After that, I'll head to the primitive island and hunt for the Blue Shadow Falcon, allowing me to advance to Sequence 6 as quickly as possible…Alger was about to walk towards a rental carriage when he unexpectedly saw a familiar figure.

The former pirate merchant, Ralph, walked out of the carriage with a ruddy face and looked towards the governor-general's office that wasn't far away. He seemed to be abnormally excited.

What happened to him?After a moment of puzzlement, Alger took the initiative to go over and greet him.

From his point of view, Ralph was, in a sense, also one of his comrades. They were all subordinates of Mr. Fool.

However, one is a core member, while the other just remains on the periphery…Alger calmly confirmed their identities and positions.

"What happened to deserve such joy?" Alger asked after chatting about the weather.

Ralph laughed out loud and narrowed his eyes, saying, "If I were to say that I received the blessings of God, would you believe me?"

I believe…Alger answered in his mind without hesitation.

Suppressing his curiosity, he asked, "What are you doing here?"

Ralph was about to answer when his eyes suddenly lit up.

He looked around, and after confirming that there was no one around him, he said in a deep voice, "Didn't you say that you also believe in God?"

In order to befriend him, Alger had lied, saying that his faith lay with Sea God, Kalvetua. In any case, this was common among pirates, so it wouldn't arouse suspicion—at sea, the weather was usually more frightening than any enemy, so most pirates, adventurers, ship crew, and sailors had great respect for gods who controlled similar fields, believing in them to a certain extent.

"Of course." This time, Alger's answer was firmer than ever.

This was because he knew that the "Sea God" that the other party believed in was the embodiment of Mr. Fool.

Ralph nodded in satisfaction, revealed a smile, and whispered, "I received a revelation yesterday. God sent me to help 'His' young lambs.

"I intend to establish a charitable fund for this purpose.

"This is the will of God. As 'His' believer, I think you would be happy to provide some assistance."

He held out his right hand and waited for the donation.

Alger's expression stiffened, and he was momentarily unsure of how to respond.

Although his present fortune was worth 3,245 pounds, he was preparing to buy a mystical item, making his overall financial situation somewhat tight.

Of course, he could still donate quite a bit if he skimped and saved.

If the "Sea God" was still Kalvetua, Alger, who claimed to be a believer, wouldn't have hesitated to find an excuse. But now, he had to seriously consider the deeper motives of Mr. Fool.

Noticing Alger's reaction, Ralph's eyes darted schemingly before he said, "We want to help children who are suffering from unnecessary discrimination because of their bloodline. They live a hard life, and it is hard to see any hope for them. There are pure-blooded natives, as well as mixed-bloods."

Alger was silent for a few seconds, then he pulled out a wad of cash.

"Here's 100 pounds."

Ralph took it and said with a smile, "Your kindness will definitely be rewarded.

"God will protect you."

…

The door slanted over the entrance to the warehouse.

Klein prepared the summoning ritual for the spirit world creature and was surrounded by the hallucinatory scent of herbs and essential oils.

He was afraid that there would be some kind of accident if he held it in the inn, and although it might not be risky for him, it might end up harming the other occupants; therefore, he went back to the abandoned warehouse where he had gave a sacrifice to Kalvetua.

As for Danitz, having his bounty raised to 5,500 pounds, he was very proactive in asking to stay in the suite and monitor the radio transceiver.

The procedure is to light the candle that symbolizes me, and to use a verified incantation to summon the appropriate spirit world creature as a messenger…Daly Simone's three-lined description and the various incantations provided by Mr. Azik went through Klein's mind.

When summoning a spirit world creature, the first sentence needed descriptions such as "wanders about the unfounded" and "roaming in the upper realm." Only by doing so could it accurately point to the spirit world. The suffix would clearly indicate that the Spirit Body was being summoned and that it was a creature that had a corporeal body. The second and third lines were an accurate description of the creature, but due to the restrictions of the format, one couldn't use too many words to pinpoint a creature. Therefore, it was difficult to predict or divine what would ultimately be summoned by the ritualist.

In this sort of situation, using an incantation previously used by others implied a much lower risk.

Then, after signing a contract, the description of the third sentence: "the messenger that belongs to whomever" or "Contract Companion of whoever" could be made, allowing the three-lined description to accurately summon the corresponding messenger.

Yes, my messenger has to run very fast; otherwise, it might be killed by some malicious creature in the spirit world, resulting in the loss of important letters…Klein's mind raced, and he came up with a clear plan.

He took a step back and said in ancient Hermes, "I!

"I summon in my name:

"The spirit that wanders about the unfounded, the friendly creature that can be subordinated, the creature whose speed surpasses imagination."

Whoosh!

There was the sound of wind, tainting the candles to a dark green and turning the surroundings cold and creepy.

Klein saw a blurry figure rush out, too fast for him to see anything.

After that, he couldn't find the fellow ever again.

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 561: Recruitment Fair

That's way too fast… Did it already circle the planet several times… Or maybe it's still there, but it's too fast for my vision to keep up…Klein's mouth twitched, deciding to wait a few seconds to see if the "creature whose speed surpasses imagination" would appear again.

He wasn't worried that the summoned spirit world creature would harm the innocent, as one of the descriptions was of a friendly creature. Besides, as long as he forcefully ended the summoning and stopped the ritual, the creature would be immediately sent back to the spirit world, no matter where the "creature whose speed surpasses imagination" went.

A few seconds later, Klein inhaled after failing to see any response from him waiting. He said with ancient Hermes, "I!

"I end this summoning in my name!"

The chilling air around him instantly vanished as the swirling cold wind died down and the candle flames returned to their normal color.

Klein stepped forward and extinguished the candle, intending to revise the last sentence and try again.

As for the two phrases "the spirit that wanders about the unfounded, the friendly creature that can be subordinated," he had no intention of changing them. The first sentence was directed at the spirit world, and it could only be replaced with synonyms, so it didn't matter if he changed it or not. The second sentence was a prerequisite for Klein to ensure his own safety; otherwise, it would've been a horror story instead of a hilarious one.

Hmm… I don't need to use "surpasses imagination" as an adjective. But others might not meet my needs. Perhaps… I can change my train of thought. A messenger doesn't have to run that fast. A normal speed is fine. There are other ways to ensure safety. I just need to get malicious beings to ignore it and neglect it… I'll try a spirit world creature that's easily neglected…After two or three minutes of deliberation, Klein held a ritual again.

When he was done with the preparations, he chanted a new incantation, "I!

"I summon in my name:

"The spirit that wanders about the unfounded, the friendly creature that can be subordinated, the being who is easily neglected.'"

The interior of the warehouse became abnormally quiet. There was no wind, nor did it turn cold within the wall of spirituality. Even the color of the candle remained unchanged.

Klein waited, watching, hoping for a good messenger.

After about ten seconds, he sighed and looked around.

There's nothing. The description was of no effect this time.

He didn't wait any longer and followed the procedure of ending the summoning and extinguishing the candle.

To his puzzlement, the candle flame even shook a few times in the end.

Did I miss something…Klein frowned, and then he relaxed, throwing the matter to the back of his mind.

He reconsidered the question of how to modify the description and continued targeting the third sentence.

I'll switch to another train of thought. If a messenger is especially good at enduring scuffles and has great survivability, it's still okay. No matter what, a messenger that can deliver the letter to the target is a good messenger…Klein pondered for a moment, then he held the summoning ritual for the third time.

Amidst the fragrance of herbs and essential oils, and under the dim light of the candlelight, the shadows on his face darted about as his mouth gaped open and closed.

"I!

"I summon in my name:

"The spirit that wanders about the unfounded, the friendly creature that can be subordinated, an extraordinary creature who has extremely high survivability."

The flame of the candle flared and stretched, illuminating the bright red interior of the altar.

In Klein's Spirit Vision, white bones drilled out from the ground, overlapping to form what looked like a safe.

I've finally summoned something I can see. Furthermore, it's a creature with extremely high survivability… It looks very much like a safe. Just one look is enough to tell that it's good at taking a beating…Klein breathed a sigh of relief and spoke in the ancient Hermes, "Are you willing to be my messenger?"

The skeletal creature that looked like a safe quickly indicated its willingness.

Then it wriggled the bones beneath it and crawled toward Klein slowly, very slowly.

It took ten seconds to crawl a centimeter.

… This is way too slow…Klein's smile froze on his face.

Although messengers completed their mission by traveling through the spirit world, that didn't mean that they didn't need speed.

Within the spirit world, distance and orientation were chaotic. The most important thing was to find and lock onto a location.

As long as an accurate, clear, immediate coordinates were provided, such as the summoning ritual just now or a simplified ritual that involved blowing a whistle, then no matter where the messenger was in the spirit world, it would immediately appear within the altar.

When the location wasn't that immediate and only had a contractual connection or a previous anchor point, the messenger needed to spend time to distinguish the location, roam the spirit world, and search for the target. This required a certain amount of speed.

If it were to deliver the letter, the recipient might not even receive it by the time they die…Klein helplessly thought as he looked at the slowly crawling skeletal creature.

He let the smile reappear on his face.

"After some careful consideration, I think it's best I don't trouble you.

"Thank you for your willingness."

The creature made of illusory white bones stopped. Compared to before, it appeared as though it hadn't moved at all.

Klein quickly canceled the summoning and rubbed his forehead.

He was a little depressed and had decided to abandon himself to despair. He decided to use a less troublesome method to find messengers, which was "public recruitment, an interview selection!"

After taking a deep breath, Klein calmed his mind and began the ritual seriously.

Looking at the candle flame that was quietly burning, he took a step back and said, "I!

"I summon in my name:

"The spirit that wanders about the unfounded, the friendly creature that can be subordinated, a unique being that is willing to be my messenger."

Whoosh!

The wind blew fiercely inside the wall of spirituality, and Klein's half top hat almost flew off of his head.

The candle flame shook and expanded to the size of a human head. It was so pale that it seemed to have lost its body temperature.

A translucent head slowly emerged, as if it had just broken through a thin membrane. Its hair was a light gold color and was smooth. Its eyes were blood-red, and it had an imposing appearance.

Looks a little familiar…Klein silently muttered.

The head had fully shown itself, but what followed wasn't its neck, but an illusory hand that held the end of the head's hair.

Behind the palm were complicated patterns, but the color of the cuffs was dark.

The summoned spirit world creature appeared at an increasingly rapid speed, and soon, it was before Klein in its entirety.

It was indeed a familiar "person." It was the headless woman that Klein had met standing at the top of a castle while he was on his way to Kalvetua's ruins at the bottom of the sea.

She was no longer as large as a castle like she was before. She was now a tall, "ordinary" woman.

Of course, there were still only cuts on her neck and four identical heads in her hands.

"Did… you… summon… me?" The headless woman in the complicated black dress stood there quietly. Her four drooping heads spoke one after the other in ancient Feysac.

She can directly communicate through words… The level of this spirit world creature isn't low… I remember you having a castle… You're already a property owner, so why are you "applying" for the job of a messenger?Klein sighed with emotion and lampooned. Then, he looked down at the candle behind the headless woman. He was disappointed to find that no other spirit had emerged.

He had originally imagined that many spirit world creatures would be willing to be his messenger as they swarmed over, having to form a line to be interviewed. In the end, only one had responded.

It should be a problem with the summoning ritual itself. It's considered a relatively simple and basic summoning ceremony, so it's impossible to summon multiple targets at once…Klein looked at the headless lady and solemnly nodded.

"Yes."

Without waiting for the other party to speak, he added another question.

"Can you roam the spirit world at a relatively fast speed? How good is your survivability?"

The head which the headless lady lifted answered, "Yes. Not… bad."

As she spoke, she floated upwards and then quickly descended, displaying her speed.

Phew…Klein decided to stop making attempts which led to unknown results. He asked in a serious manner, "Are you willing to sign a contract and become my messenger?"

The headless woman's dress fluttered slightly, and her four heads with blonde hair and red eyes nodded at the same time.

"Yes. Every time… One… gold coin."

Ah? A gold coin for each letter sent? Mr. Azik didn't mention that spirit world creatures have such hobbies… Right, he mentioned that when signing a contract, persuasion and communication are key factors. Does this mean that this is a form of persuasion and communication?Klein was surprised and wanted to cancel the summoning immediately.

Wait a minute, I might not need to be the one paying for it… Whoever summons the messenger pays for it… Heh, maybe when our communication improves, there would be the option of paying on receipt…After some thought, Klein agreed to the other party's request.

"Okay.

"Let's sign the contract."

He picked up a dark red, round fountain pen and yellowish-brown goatskin parchment that he had prepared earlier, and he quickly wrote down the contract in the language which could stir the forces of nature, ancient Hermes.

The format and terms were described in detail in Azik's letter. They were concise and to the point, and they contained clauses such as the messenger not being allowed to look at the letter, not discarding the letter, or endangering the life of the contractor. Of course, if the contents of the letter were related to the messenger, the messenger had to be informed in advance.

In addition to these, Klein added a clause to send one gold coin for each letter, specifying that it could be borne by the contractor or by the receiver of the letter.

In order to ensure the effectiveness of the contract, the final part used the honorific name of the deity in charge of this domain.

It was an undead contract, and normally it meant using Death's honorific name, but Death had long perished with no response from "Him." Hence, Azik mentioned that it could be replaced by using the description of someone high in the undead domain or the Underworld itself, but the binding force wasn't that strong.

Without a doubt, Klein chose the Underworld, which had a close relationship with the bigshot.

"The home of all death, the hell hidden deep within the spirit world, the witness of the decay of all living things, one that solely belongs to the kingdom of Death."

After penning these four sentences, the yellowish-brown goatskin parchment began to burn with a green flame, illuminating the gloomy surroundings.

After he was done with the text, Klein took out Azik's copper whistle, placed it on the goatskin, and wrote his current name: "Gehrman Sparrow."

This didn't necessarily require a real name, because his aura would enter the contract. The name was only used for summoning, which was to say, using "the messenger that belongs to Gehrman Sparrow" worked, but "the Contracted Creature of Klein Moretti" wouldn't.

When Klein finished signing, the goatskin floated up, carrying Azik's copper whistle and the dark red fountain pen, and flew to the headless lady.

The headless lady held the head with golden hair and red eyes, let it bite down on the fountain pen and wrote her name: "Reinette Tinekerr."

The green flames quickly gathered together, wrapping around Azik's copper whistle and the yellowish-brown goatskin parchment.

A few seconds later, the goatskin was reduced to ash, and the copper whistle fell into the palm of Klein's hand.

The headless woman, Reinette, collectively blinked with the eyes of her four heads, and her body rapidly faded away into the pale candle flame.

After the contract was made, Klein no longer needed to undo the summoning. He could do it with his own will.

Phew, I finally have a messenger. "The spirit that wanders about the unfounded, the friendly creature that can be subordinated, the messenger that belongs to Gehrman Sparrow"… Well, when there's an opportunity, I'll get an Artisan to create something like the copper whistle, so that I don't have to summon my messenger every time via a ritual…Klein cleared up the mess in a rather good mood.

Over the next few days, Bayam gradually returned to normal, but Danitz still hadn't been able to receive any telegrams from Admiral of Blood's pirate crew.

On Sunday morning, he flipped through the newspaper and suddenly lowered his voice as he said to Klein, "There's a Beyonder gathering tonight. Want to attend?"

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 562: Helene

Beyonder gathering?Klein thought for a bit, then he nodded and responded, "Okay."

I should bring forward to the collection of the supplementary ingredients of the Nimblewright Master potion. I can also see if I might meet an Artisan…He subconsciously started to make arrangements in his mind.

Upon seeing Gehrman Sparrow agree, Danitz breathed a quiet sigh of relief, unable to contain his joy.

For the past few days, having had his bounty raised significantly, he had obediently stayed in the suite to monitor the radio transceiver. He was so bored that he yearned for the evening to arrive immediately.

The Beyonder gathering that Danitz mentioned was at the Amyris Leaf Bar, where pirates, informants, and adventurers were active. It was the first choice if one wanted to gather information and buy supplies.

Dressed in a black coat and silk top hat, Klein followed Danitz through the crowded bar's lobby and into a card room. Under the watchful gaze of several bouncers, he gave the predetermined signal and descended down a flight of hidden stairs to a wide underground area.

It's like the Evil Dragon Bar in Tingen City. There's an underground market for herbs, essential oils, ancient books, charms, and all sorts of common mysticism materials. However, the difference is that there are also all sorts of guns and ammunition for sale.Klein even discovered antiquated muskets and lead bullets.

Heh, they also sell fake identity documents and fake seals… As expected of an overseas colony, their industry is much more developed than Tingen's… I'll buy a batch of ingredients later to make charms in the Sea God domain. There will always be some discounts if I purchase them in large quantities…Klein slightly turned his head from side to side to take in the situation in the underground area.

Next to him, Danitz, who was already doubtful about his own disguise skills, had deliberately put on a cap, keeping the front of his cap down to cover half his face. With great familiarity, he led Klein to the other end of the underground market and knocked on the closed door with two long knocks and four short knocks.

Behind the door, there was only a single candle. It swayed on the lampstand on the side wall, scattering yellow light onto the tiny room.

Danitz pointed to the long robes, masks, and other items which were hanging or placed on a table, and said to Klein, "It's up to you to decide whether you would don a disguise. You can also choose not to."

Klein looked around, his gaze sweeping past the bouncers in the room.

"I don't need it."

I am now an informant for the kingdom's military, and the Church of Storms also knows of my identity, so there's nothing for me to be afraid of… If the pirates and adventurers have any malicious thoughts about me because of my lack of a disguise, and if they attempt to attack me, hehe…Klein suddenly pictured bounty rewards flying towards him one by one.

Danitz curled his lips secretly, picked up a black iron mask, and wore it.

Then, he and Klein passed through a dim corridor and into another room under a bouncer's lead.

The place was lavishly decorated. The floor was covered with a thick carpet from the Southern Continent; the walls were decorated with shining lampstands, and the fresh smell of candles could be caught as they suffused with light.

Klein glanced around and, without Danitz's help, found a brown leather sofa and sat down on it. He leaned back and crossed his right leg.

There were already more than twenty people of various genders gathered here. Some were in hooded robes, while others showed their faces. According to Danitz's description in the morning, not all of the people attending this gathering were Beyonders, there were spokesmen for certain factions, as well as adventurers, pirates, and mysticism enthusiasts who wanted to become Beyonders.

Time slowly passed in that quiet environment. About seven or eight minutes later, the old man who was sitting on a reclining chair straightened his back and crossed his hands. He chuckled.

"Everyone, let's begin."

Because he was old, his white hair was sparse, leaving only a thin layer. However, his light brown eyes weren't turbid, with them being bright and sharp.

"The organizer of the gathering, Strongman Ozil, a famous pirate in the past, and now the secret boss of the Amyris Leaf Bar," Danitz leaned slightly and introduced the man to Klein with a suppressed voice.

He'd actually mentioned it in the morning, but he was afraid that Gehrman Sparrow failed to match a name to the face and would later vent his anger on himself.

It's a sorrowful matter to have a secret grasped by others…Danitz sighed inwardly.

Klein nodded indiscernibly as he silently watched the transactions happen.

There were potion formulas for Warrior, Sailor, Mystery Pryer, and others, but no one bought them. The expectant sellers were disappointed again and again.

Danitz glanced at Gehrman Sparrow, who wore an expressionless face, he then leaned over, and explained in a low voice, "There is no Notary at this gathering, nor any powerful Seer. The authenticity of the potion formula cannot be guaranteed. It's too easy to fake such things, and even if people recognize that the formula is fake, the seller cannot be punished because he might be a victim as well."

I know… This is one of the reasons why potion formulas fail to be widely spread…Klein uncrossed his right leg, leaned forward slightly, and said in a voice that was neither loud nor low, "I need the remnant spirituality of an ancient wraith."

He didn't mention the eyes of a six-winged gargoyle, the spring water from Sonia Island's Golden Spring, or any other supplementary ingredients. He was worried that others would guess that he was a Faceless who was preparing to advance to Nimblewright Master.

When he was in Tingen, Klein had relied on the purchase of supplementary ingredients to accurately suspect that Daxter Guderian was a prospective Spectator, and thus, he figured out his identity as a member of the Psychology Alchemists.

It was impossible to deduce any more from the remnant spirituality of an ancient wraith alone, as many of the rituals in the undead domain would use it.

Although Klein didn't disguise himself, he still had to be careful.

The room was silent for two seconds. Then, a slightly hoarse voice sounded.

"How much do you need?"

Someone really has it?Klein controlled his expression and didn't let his joy show on his face.

He tilted his head to look at the speaker and saw that he was a man in his thirties who was clearly of native blood.

The man's skin was bronzed, but he had a dull luster from chronic malnutrition or a lack of light. His face was thin, his cheekbones protruded, and his eyes were sunken, more white than black.

"A small bottle." Klein pulled out a small metal bottle as an example.

The thin, dark man was silent for a moment before saying, "500 pounds."

That's reasonable…Klein originally wanted to haggle, but he caught a glimpse of Danitz sitting beside him out of the corner of his eye.

I'm Gehrman Sparrow, a cold, crazy adventurer…Klein repeated this line three times inwardly, quietly took a deep breath, and calmly nodded.

"Okay."

He took out the large stack of cash he had prepared, and he counted out a sum of 500 pounds.

The man with the mostly white eyes took out a glass test tube from his pocket, threw it at Klein, and said, "All the spirituality will be gone after a year."

He wasn't afraid that the other party wouldn't be unable to catch it, because even if it were to break, it wouldn't affect the material itself. It would only be a matter of changing the container.

Klein raised his right hand and accurately caught the glass tube. He saw many phosphorescent spots floating in the tube, and when they touched the glass wall, they would strangely expand, forming a face with blurred features that opened to form a mouth that screamed silently.

It's real…Klein nodded to himself and handed the thick stack of cash worth 500 pounds to the attendant who approached and handed it to the seller.

The trading continued, most of it failing with only a small number succeeding.

At the end of the day, the gathering's organizer, Strongman Ozil laughed and said, "I have a request."

As he spoke, he pulled out a photo from his inside pocket.

"The reward for finding the person above is 1,000 pounds or some other common Beyonder ingredient of equal value. Remember, do not hurt her."

1,000 pounds? This would make most adventurers go crazy… I wonder who he's looking for, to offer such a high reward…Not surprisingly, Klein saw that everyone present was willing to give it a try.

The picture began to be passed in a counterclockwise fashion, and a few minutes later, it was in Klein's hands.

As he casually swept a glance over it, a bit of surprise suddenly surfaced in his heart.

The woman in the photo was rather pretty, with bright red hair and a pair of green eyes that resembled emeralds. Her skin wasn't fair, but she gave off a healthy feeling.

At the time of the photoshoot, she was wearing a long, lake-colored skirt. Her waist was tightened with a flower-shaped ribbon, making her appear exceptionally slender. Although her face seemed to be smiling, her overall appearance was one of displeasure and awkwardness.

A girl with a good family background… Who would pay 1,000 pounds to find her? Furthermore, the premise is that she cannot be hurt… Hmm, a picture of her forcing a smile…Many romance stories with intertwined love and hate flashed in Klein's mind.

Stories like a tyrannical pirate falling in love with a wealthy merchant's daughter, abducting her onto his boat before she eventually escaped; or some noble lady from a declining noble family turning into a pirate, and was later caught due to a mistake, only to have a sinful relationship with a mid- or high-ranking Mandated Punisher or military officer, thus escaping from her predicament and imprisonment; how a newly advanced Demoness accidentally fell into a debt of love when giving someone pleasure… Such thoughts flashed through his mind, and Klein almost raised his hand to cover his face.

I've read too many novels in my previous life… And I happen to have a trauma because of Demonesses in this world…He sighed to himself, looked up at Ozil and asked, "What's her name?"

"Helene," Ozil answered succinctly, "but she must have switched to using a fake alias."

Helene, a typical female Intis name…Klein asked again, "Is there anything she often wears?

"Hair is fine too."

This was a medium that could be used to seek her with divination.

Klein didn't mention things like recently worn clothes that hadn't been washed, afraid that the employer behind the scenes would throw him a piece of lingerie, making it awkward.

Ozil shook his head.

"Nothing.

"She has a strong anti-tracking ability."

"What's her strength like?" another member of the gathering asked.

Ozil said in a serious manner, "The employer didn't give a detailed description. It's said that she isn't too strong, but she's stronger than a Sequence 9.

"You don't need to capture her. As long as you determine her whereabouts, you will be paid."

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 563: The Fool's "Blessing"

"As long as you can confirm her location, you can receive 1,000 pounds! This is the first time I've seen such a mission!" On the street outside the Amyris Leaf Bar, Danitz rubbed his hands together with a hint of excitement. He clenched his fists and hit the tall iron-black gas lamppost, yearning to immediately wander around the city and find the red-haired woman named Helene.

To him, 1,000 pounds wasn't a small sum. It was enough to add one more house to his line of properties in Bayam. It just wouldn't be located in the most prosperous and valuable districts.

The Elf Flying Carpet he had previously obtained was only around two to three thousand pounds, and this was the reward he had gained from fighting dangerous fellows such as Steel Maveti and Blood Brambles Hendry. It was completely incomparable to the easy mission of finding someone.

Klein, who was walking ahead, held a package wrapped in newspaper. They were the charm materials which had cost him fifteen pounds. He slowed his pace a little, glanced at Danitz, and spoke without expression, "5,500 pounds."

"…"

Danitz's excitement froze on his face.

Only then did he remember an important problem. In the eyes of the other pirates and adventurers, he was as "attractive" as red-haired Helene.

They didn't need to fight him. Once they recognized him, they could report his identity to the military, the Church, or the police, and they would receive a reward worth more than 1,000 pounds. After all, he was already a great pirate worth 5,500 pounds.

Searching for red-haired Helene would be equivalent to a lady with a nice figure and good looks entering the Red Theater for entertainment.

Dog… sh*t…Danitz spat out a single word, his face grim, as he stretched out the middle consonant.

At the same time, he automatically pulled down his cap even lower.

Klein, who had poured cold water on Danitz, resumed his normal walking speed and considered the question of finding the red-haired Helene.

The lack of a medium and the necessary information had made it difficult for him to use divination, so he had to consider other methods.

Activate my underlings to do an investigation of the entire city? This is something that can only be done by the Church, the military, and the police. Even the local gangs would find it difficult to accomplish… Wait, I think I can…

I'm not Sea God Kalvetua. My believers are all across Bayam and Blue Mountain Island. I just need to make an announcement, no—a revelation to all my believers, and I can get them to search for red-haired Helene… But would this damage my standing? To do something like that for 1,000 pounds, even a god wants some face…

If I were the real Sea God, I wouldn't care about this. However, I'm now acting as Kalvetua. I have to maintain the dignity of a god as best as I can.

Back when Kalvetua was on the verge of collapse, it didn't even broadcast a revelation when it was urgently trying to find Leticia and her subordinates. Instead, it only gave orders to his worshipers in the upper echelons… I can change its commandments as part of reconstructing an image, but I can't appear too low-class… Well, that should also be a requirement of true acting.

It would be difficult to organize an investigation just by giving Kalat, Edmonton, and the others a revelation. Furthermore, they would definitely magnify the severity of the issue and cause a huge commotion. It would only make things more difficult to deal with later.

There's another solution. I can throw the radio transceiver above the gray fog and attempt to contact the magic mirror, Arrodes. I'll ask him about red-haired Helene's location. I have to be careful about this. I need to prepare ahead of time and confirm it via divination. I don't want to receive strange telegrams from the True Creator or the Primordial Demoness. Even a glance at it would probably make me go mad.

Having quickly come up with ideas, Klein boarded a rental carriage parked at the corner of the street. Danitz pressed his cap and followed closely behind.

Returning to the Wind of Azure Inn, Klein took off his hat and coat while saying to Danitz, "If your captain contacts you through a dream, ask for information about red-haired Helene."

"She probably doesn't know. Otherwise, I would've known this red-haired Helene." Danitz grinned. "I don't know who's looking for her, to be willing to pay a thousand pounds."

His thoughts were whirling, imagining a love story akin to the ones Emperor Roselle had penned.

Klein glanced at him and casually mentioned, "I'll do the monitoring tonight."

"You're doing it?" Danitz snapped out of his fantasies, wondering if he had heard wrongly.

"Yes." Klein nodded.

Gehrman Sparrow realizes that I'm too exhausted? Although this fellow is a little crazy, he's still a good person at heart. He had actually decided to risk his life to save those people when we were at Bansy Harbor for reasons that couldn't be considered good…Danitz sighed to himself.

Carrying the radio transceiver and its relevant parts, Klein went into the bedroom, locked the door, and threw them above the gray fog with a sacrificial ritual.

After doing all of this, he was in no hurry to leave the towering palace. He waved his hand, and the Sea God Scepter flew out from the junk pile. He scanned through the prayers of different people and gathered experience on how people had multiple facades.

In the process, he would occasionally respond, like a child who still had great interest in a new toy.

As Klein's browsing drew to a close, ripples of light began to form around the seat of The Fool.

Someone is praying to me, to The Fool and not to Sea God…Klein raised his eyebrows and emanated his spirituality, scanning the scene within the rippling light.

…

Enmat Harbor, in a room with closed curtains.

Dressed in a classic black robe, Ed Sheeran resisted the impulse in his heart and said to the sweet, young girl, Denise, "The gift of god is in our bodies, but if we want to obtain it, we must have a teacher guide it out.

"Your soul is pure and beloved by the gods. I will personally guide you. In the process, no matter what happens, you must trust me and listen to me.

"Before that, do you have any questions?"

Ed Sheeran was a swindler. His specialty was to establish a cult to cheat others for money and sex. He would then decisively flee before it reached a certain scale that would garner attention from the police.

This time, he had come from Backlund, disguised as one of The Fool's Blessed that many gangsters in the capital were looking for. He had also developed a batch of believers in his target group.

He falsely claimed that The Fool was the incarnation of the Lord of the Storms and that he would come to save the faithful during the apocalypse. This was a secret that could not be widely publicized and could only be spread in secret; otherwise, it would attract the attention of the gods of the other Churches. Only those who were chosen would be able to believe in The Fool in advance and be the first batch of the redeemed.

To make himself appear more persuasive, he spent a lot of money in Backlund, buying a piece of paper with the honorific name of The Fool written on it.

As for what was on the piece of paper, his comment was: "It looks like it's real."

Denise asked with both fear and anticipation, "Lord Adorer, why didn't we get a response when we read the honorific name of God? Aren't we Blessed who have been selected and should bathe in God's grace?"

I'll immediately give you God's grace…Ed Sheeran took a deep breath and suppressed the tantalizing images in his mind.

"Two reasons. First, you haven't discovered the grace of God which is hidden in your body. I will help you complete that later.

"Second, you are not devout enough. Don't argue, I can see right through you.

"After you do all of this, you will be able to recite the honorific name of God and receive a response, just like me."

Under Denise's idolizing and curious gaze, Ed Sheeran picked up a pen on the table beside her and scribbled a line of words.

It was the Hermes language used for a sacrificial offering.

In order to make the scam a success, Ed Sheeran had acquired a lot of religious knowledge and even went to a university's Department of History to sit in on archeology courses.

Holding the paper in front of Denise, he proudly recited the words he had written in Hermes, "The Fool that doesn't belong to this era.

"The mysterious ruler above the gray fog.

"The King of Yellow and Black who wields good luck."

Following that, with half-closed eyes and open arms, he said dreamily, "I feel the blessings of God."

At this moment, a streak of silver lightning descended from the sky and landed right on Ed Sheeran's head.

With a sizzling sound, the tiny electric bolts snaking across his body scurried. With God's blessing, he fell to the ground and his body quickly charred while his muscles twitched violently.

After a few seconds, he stopped all movement, including breathing as Denise exclaimed, "Lord Ed Sheeran is indeed God's Blessed."

Denise finally sensed that something wasn't right. She stepped forward carefully, lifted her skirt and knelt down, placing her finger to the tip of Ed Sheeran's nose.

He… he's dead… He's dead!Denise jerked back and fell to the ground in terror.

She burst into tears and stumbled out of the room, heading for the nearby police station.

…

Atop the gray fog, Klein silently retracted the Sea God Scepter.

You actually dared to use my name to cheat others of their wealth and sully women…The corner of his mouth twitched, wishing he could give another bolt of lightning to that man named Ed Sheeran.

This was called a corpse mutilation.

The girl would probably call the police, right? This kind of case would inevitably be referred to a corresponding Beyonder team. I wonder if it will be the Nighthawks, the Mandated Punishers, or the Machinery Hivemind… After what Mr. A has done, my reputation as The Fool isn't small in Backlund. Perhaps I already have a dossier in the official organizations. Well, maybe they'll put everything together and hand it over to the Red Gloves or something similar for handling…Klein's past identity and insight as a Nighthawk had allowed him to consider the possible future developments.

However, he quickly put this matter to the back of his mind, because no matter what, they wouldn't be able to detect that it was him.

Klein threw the Sea God Scepter back into the junk pile, ready to return to the real world.

Suddenly, one of the dark red stars that were quietly floating in the boundless gray fog had lit up all of a sudden, emitting a light that was as bright as water!

It swelled and shrunk repeatedly in an abnormally conspicuous manner.

This was a crimson star that didn't belong to any member of the Tarot Club.

What a busy day today… Who could it be? Like Miss Justice, Mr. Hanged Man, and Little Sun, someone is relying on a certain object to connect with the gray fog?Klein's spirituality spread out as he thought. He didn't respond and only observed.

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 564: Knowledge Pursuer

As Klein's spirituality made contact, the constantly expanding and contracting crimson "star" presented the images and sounds contained within.

A black-haired woman in a classical robe had fallen to the ground, writhing in pain.

She held an ordinary-looking celestial globe in one hand, and in the other, she held a short scepter that wasn't even the length of a small arm. Her strong will to survive almost broke through the binding of the crimson stars and directly entered Klein's ears.

Like Justice and The Sun, this woman's figure appeared rather blurry, making it difficult to discern her exact appearance, but there were some things Klein could clearly see, such as her facial features, such as her splitting cheek muscles and the flesh inside that was contracting into eyeballs. Other features included her ears stretching outwards like a trumpet, or her fingers which were scratching at the floor to create bright streaks of blood, as well as a pair of cold, lashless eyes that were almost transparent and were situated above her.

The black-haired girl's mutation didn't decline. Her body was tenaciously healing itself, causing the flesh and blood which resembled an eyeball to melt away. Her ruptured muscles fused together, and her extended ears shrunk inward… Every detail was in a repetitive see-saw-like struggle between the two states.

Klein was dazzled by the illusory, lashless eyes. It was as if he had returned to Tingen, back to the time when he had first mastered Spirit Vision.

Back then, he had seen a pair of eyes like that on Old Neil's back!

Hidden Sage?Klein leaned back in his chair, stretched out his hand, and took hold of the Sea God Scepter that once again flew out of the junk pile.

He planned to lend a helping hand and smite those evil eyes with a few bolts of lightning.

However, after careful examination, he sharply realized that the black-haired woman's abnormality had stemmed from the crazy ravings that no one else could hear. This was because the source of everything was in her ears, deep within her Spirit Body, her Soul Body!

It's very similar to the situation when Miss Magician suffers from the ravings of the full moon… Fortunately, I'm experienced; otherwise, I would've given the wrong response…Klein thought for a moment and thought of a way to save her. It was to pull her Spirit Body above the gray fog and directly block out the crazy ravings. As long as the source of the power was gone, the mutation would be quickly dealt with by the lady's self-recovery powers.

As for whether she was worth saving, or if she harbored malicious intentions, the current him was no longer as troubled as he was in the past.

If the black-haired lady had committed a heinous crime to a certain degree and had already established a connection with the mysterious space above the gray fog through the crimson star, Klein could give her a few lightning bolts at any time and let her be thrown back to where she belonged.

If she really has any kind of malicious intentions, or if she causes any accidents, I, who possess the Sea God Scepter, the Dark Emperor card, and am capable of using the gray fog's power to some degree, wouldn't lack the ability to resist…Klein held onto the white bone scepter in his right hand and pointed at the remote star.

His spirit energy surged and poured into the crimson red light that was like flowing water.

This time, he was able to establish the mysterious and stable connection with ease.

The black-haired lady's figure instantly appeared at the side of the long bronze table, sitting on a chair that didn't belong to any of the current members of the Tarot Club.

As for Klein, he could see from the final image of the crimson stars that the mutation on her body had weakened significantly.

He nodded indiscernibly, patiently waiting for the other party to speak.

The black-haired lady was still somewhat adrift. One second, she was struggling in extreme pain, with her vision gradually turning black, and the next second, she was inside a towering domed palace. Beneath her was an endless and silent gray fog that extended outwards endlessly. How couldn't she be taken aback?

After a brief moment of silence, she turned her gaze to the figure leisurely sitting at the very end of the mottled long table. She asked with an ethereal voice, "Is this the Underworld?"

"You aren't dead." Klein laughed.

At this moment, he saw that the symbol tainted with starlight quickly changed on the back of the black-haired lady's high-back chair, forming a pair of eyes that contained countless resplendent stars. They were cold and indifferent, and they lacked eyelashes.

Based on his past experiences, he believed that this was a symbol representing the Mystery Pryer pathway.

The black-haired lady froze, gradually regaining her senses.

Instinctively, she scanned her surroundings before finally casting her gaze at the mysterious man shrouded behind the gray fog.

White shirt, tailcoat, no tie, black pants, bright leather boots, seemingly black hair, and a blurry appearance. There's nothing strange about this… He casually holds a milky-white scepter that's slightly longer than an arm in his hand, and that scepter…The black-haired lady's pupils contracted as the depths of her eyes reflected, in its entirety, the blue "gemstones" and the aura of a storm from the surroundings that it stirred. Furthermore, there were countless points of light that surrounded it, giving it a holy and majestic feeling.

It's a scepter at the demigod level! He's playing with it like it's a toy… He doesn't care about it at all…The lady in black narrowed her eyes and cautiously asked, "How may I address you?"

"You may call me Mr. Fool," the experienced Klein answered.

The Fool…The black-haired lady ruminated over the word before asking with deliberation, "I've heard of your honorific name from the Aurora Order's Mr. Z."

She waited for his assertion or denial.

You know the Aurora Order's Mr. Z… He can be considered an old friend…Klein laughed but didn't reply; instead, he said, "Do you not plan on introducing yourself?

"This is the most basic of etiquette."

The black-haired lady recalled what had happened to her and fell silent again.

After a few seconds, she said in a slightly muffled voice, "My name is Cattleya, and I have the nickname 'Admiral of Stars.'

"Mr. Fool, were you the one who saved me?"

Admiral of Stars? The Admiral of Stars, one of the seven pirate admirals, someone with a bounty of 37,000 pounds? I've saved a treasure trove, no—a person of high status…Klein shifted in his seat slightly, half surprised, half amused.

He chuckled and replied, "Wasn't that obvious?"

Admiral of Stars Cattleya immediately stood up and said, "Thank you for your assistance. If you have anything you need me to do, you can directly instruct me—as long as it is within my capabilities and doesn't violate my principles."

That's nice of you… Very seasoned and experienced… She's indeed worthy of being the well-known Admiral of Stars…Klein couldn't help but sigh.

Among his Tarot Club members, with the exception of The Hanged Man and his incarnation, The World, all of them were rather inexperienced when they first participated.

Miss Justice was one of those who vaguely understood the mysterious world, but she hadn't really stepped into it yet. The Sun was one of those who received sufficient "education," but due to the isolated environment and his relatively young age, he was very simple and honest. The Magician may have been stuck at Sequence 9 for several years, but she had always been an unaffiliated Beyonder. She didn't know much about all sorts of hidden factions, and she lacked experience. The Moon, Emlyn, comes from a Beyonder race, with a faction with a deep heritage backing him. However, due to his preference of staying home to play with dolls, he is greatly lacking in experience in certain aspects. He was very gullible as a result.

That fellow, Emlyn, is smart, but if he were to, heh heh, meet Tris, no, Demoness Trissy, he would be tricked by her into selling his dolls…Klein secretly teased the vampire which could be considered a friend in the real world.

He looked at Admiral of Stars and didn't directly respond to the matter of her repaying him for saving her life. Instead, he smiled and asked, "Are you a member of the Moses Ascetic Order?"

"Yes." Cattleya didn't believe that this was something she could hide from Mr. Fool.

Klein smiled.

"What did you just do to provoke that guy?"

He wasn't sure that the pair of eyes belonged to the Hidden Sage, so he used a vague term 'that guy' instead, so that, no matter what, The Fool was absolutely correct and upheld his standing.

After a moment of silence, Cattleya said, "No, I didn't provoke him."

She paused, then she continued, "The members of the Moses Ascetic Order believe that all objects are numeric, and we pursue knowledge itself.

"However, Emperor Roselle once said that we aren't pursuing knowledge, but that knowledge is pursuing us. The Hidden Sage is an embodiment of knowledge itself. 'He' is chasing us—every single Moses Ascetic Order member. When too much knowledge is injected into us, without us being able to quickly digest and master it, a situation like before would happen. Either I lower my defenses and open my mind to accept the modifications from the Hidden Sage, or I would tenaciously resist it or end up losing control."

If that's the case, you aren't specifically targeted by the Hidden Sage. Even if you managed to escape from the previous predicament, you wouldn't be suspected of anything… According to what you said, you are very knowledgeable… Back then, Old Neil only wanted to obtain the knowledge of human body refining and of a perfect revival…Klein suddenly sighed, but he didn't show it on his face.

The reputation of Admiral of Stars isn't too bad. She's the kind of pirate with a code of honor…Klein stopped his thoughts and calmly said, "If something similar happens again, you can recite my name."

Recite your name…Cattleya's lips quivered, instinctively wanting to refuse.

In the end, she didn't say anything as she fell silent for a long time.

After repeatedly weighing the pros and cons, she stood up, crossed her arms in front of her chest, and slightly bowed as she said, "How may I be of service?"

Klein laughed and said in an indifferent tone, "In the future, provide some assistance to my Blessed."

"By your will." Cattleya sat down again and asked cautiously, "Is the honorific name provided by Mr. Z yours?"

She then repeated the honorific name of The Fool to him.

Klein nodded his head, indicating that she was right.

Cattleya looked at the other empty seats and asked after some deliberation, "Honorable Mr. Fool, will there be others here as well?"

Klein laughed and replied, "People like yourself.

"They set up a regular gathering, and I bear witness."

After a few seconds of silence, Cattleya asked, "Can I participate?"

She thought that since she wasn't connected with the mysterious existence known as The Fool, it was better to know more than to do nothing.

Of course, you have money, knowledge, influence, and needs…Klein casually leaned against the back of the chair.

"Sure.

"Without my permission, you are not to leak this matter."

"Alright!" Cattleya answered without hesitation.

Klein tapped his left index finger and revealed the rest of the tarot cards on the bronze table.

"They use tarot cards as their code names. These are the remaining ones.

"Pick one."

Cattleya scanned the cards and immediately said, "The Hermit."

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 565: Eye of Mystery Prying

Inside the captain's cabin, Cattleya slowly got up from the floor and walked in silence to the full-length mirror next to the bookcase.

In the mirror, the skin on her face was fair and smooth, without a single crack. Her ears were small and normal, showing no signs of expanding. Her deep purple eyes were calm, as if nothing had happened.

However, she could see more with her eyes that carried a sense of mystery.

Hidden beneath her skin were eye-like flesh and blood that hadn't fully dissolved; her Soul Body, whose pain and madness were rapidly dispersing; innumerable illusory objects with ineffable forms that roamed about; sailors who were cleaning the deck several rooms away…

Everything within a range of a few dozen meters was revealed to her in an unobscured but unusually chaotic manner.

From the day she had become a Sequence 5 Constellations Master, her Mystery Pryer powers had been greatly enhanced. She could faintly see that there were thick curtains around her that resembled shadows, and behind the curtains, something seemed to be watching her and all living beings.

There are no traces of being influenced by Mr. Fool, which in turn explains many things… He, no, 'He' was able to directly pull my Soul Body into that mysterious space with a strange, tyrannical, and secretive power. It's not something that a demigod scepter can compare to… Although 'He' was dressed in contemporary clothing, this doesn't mean anything. For an existence at this level, it's very easy for different people to see 'Him' in different forms, and 'His' true appearance would probably cause every person that sees him directly to lose control and die… Cattleya stared at herself in the mirror, thinking silently about what had just happened.

It was inevitable that she had some predictions about Mr. Fool's identity, but this was only guesswork without any evidence.

The fact that 'He' is wearing a tailcoat doesn't mean that 'He' is very young or that 'He' was born recently. Perhaps, 'His' essence is ancient, even older than the seven gods. The knowledge that is pursuing me tells me that before the Cataclysm, there were indeed older gods, and 'He' might be one of them, Cattleya said silently to herself before turning away from the full-length mirror and walking back to the place where she had struggled in pain. She picked up her glasses that had fallen to the side.

She put the thick glasses on her nose, hiding her deep purple eyes. Everything that didn't appear under a normal person's vision quickly disappeared from her sight.

Cattleya stood there, thinking again about the influence Mr. Fool and the so-called "Tarot Club" would have on her.

Unknowingly, a tall figure surfaced in her mind. The words that she would never forget had once again echoed in her ears.

"Leave. Your destiny doesn't lie with me."

Is this my destiny, Your Majesty? She closed her eyes.

…

In the ancient and majestic palace above the gray fog.

Klein's fingers tapped the edge of the long, mottled table as he made all the tarot cards on the table disappear.

He was thinking about what the subsequent developments would be after the Admiral of Stars joined the Tarot Club.

If there's no other way, and if I might really need to take a detour from a safe sea route and enter the sea that was once a battlefield of the gods, to search for singing mermaids, having The Hermit, who is fearful of The Fool, in my control is better than cooperating with Vice Admiral Iceberg Edwina. Using her ship would be much safer… Yes, Mr. Hanged Man will be a backup choice.

Admiral of Stars is a Moses Ascetic Order member. She grasps plenty of knowledge and is very helpful towards the Tarot Club, but it's a latent risk for me. Mr. Fool's image is built on the foundation of being unfathomable… In the future, I have to be more careful. I mustn't answer things I'm not sure of. On matters I'm unconfident about, I'd rather be vague and handle matters like a charlatan. Of course, to fully resolve this problem, I should quickly improve myself and become a High-Sequence Beyonder. My strength needs to match my level, and my standards need to match that pedestal.

With such a Sequence 5 powerhouse with many subordinates under her, the overall strength of the Tarot Club isn't considered low.

After obtaining the Sea God Scepter, I don't have to worry that members of the Tarot Club will be too strong, with problems easily arising.

I hope that there will come a day when this member of the Moses Ascetic Order, Admiral of Stars, will be able to play an important role in my revenge against the Hidden Sage.

Klein exhaled as he vanished from above the gray fog.

…

Backlund. Beneath Saint Samuel Cathedral.

A red-gloved Nighthawk entered the temporary office assigned to them, with a telegraph in hand.

"Captain, something happened at Enmat Harbor," he said to Soul Assurer Soest with some excitement.

Soest touched the right side of his hair and asked, "What happened?"

"There's a new development from The Fool, the one the Aurora Order is seeking." The member holding the telegraph handed the piece of paper over.

His answer immediately attracted the attention of several Red Gloves who were present, including the man with black hair and green eyes who was taking an afternoon nap with his chair lifted up and his feet on the table. He had covered his face with his hat.

Soest took over the telegraph and scanned it before immediately laughing.

"Someone lied by claiming to be his Blessed in an attempt to scam others, but after chanting his name, he was smote to death on the spot by a bolt of lightning.

"There really is a hidden existence known as The Fool…"

The files relating to the Tarot ritual and The Fool had been handed over to Soest's Red Gloves team. They were in charge of the investigations, but there were no leads, and they didn't put much emphasis on it because they had other missions on hand.

"The Fool has powers in the lightning domain?" Leonard Mitchell removed the black hat from his face.

"Who knows? If he's the embodiment of some old friend of ours, it's possible to do something similar by preparing a corresponding mystical item. It's not without precedent. This is especially so for the fake gods in the Southern Continent and the colonial islands. Holy Lord of Storms, those cheats claim that The Fool is another manifestation of the Lord of Storms. This might also be why he was smitten to death." Soest leisurely threw the telegraph aside.

Leonard glanced at it, lowered his feet, half turned, and chuckled.

"Aren't we going to perform some investigations?"

"How? Are you going to feign ignorance and recite his honorific name?" Soest sneered.

This has a high probability of catching the tail of The Fool, but I will basically be bidding farewell to this world. My digestion of the Nightmare potion has been going pretty well, and I just got another good item. There are still plenty of Sequences up ahead which are waiting for me. How can I enter into an eternal sleep so soon? Leonard stroked his drooping hair strands and said, "We can get a few criminals on death row to give it a try?"

"But he could just as easily not respond." Soest shook his head.

"We can start from the two cases that involved the tarot rituals. I'm more and more convinced that it has something to do with The Fool. Firstly, The Fool is one of the Major Arcana tarot cards. Secondly, the organization that is seeking or cracking down on his Blessed is the Aurora Order. And the first case that involved the tarot ritual is the Lanevus case. As such, the Aurora Order's attempt to allow the True Creator's descent was foiled." Lanevus pulled at his black vest and got up.

Soest thought about it seriously and said, "The clues from the other cases happen to have been cut off as well. For now, we have nothing else to do. You can try to investigate the two tarot ritual cases."

"Sure." Leonard smiled back.

This was exactly what he wanted. With a case that no one cared about being handed to him, he had won a certain amount of time to act freely.

…

At 2:50 p.m., Fors returned from the cold streets to her residence while trembling.

It wasn't that she wanted to go out in this damp, cold weather, but it was that she had run out of food at home. As for Xio, she had gone all the way to Pritz Harbor to capture a fugitive and collect the bounty. It was unknown when she would be able to return home.

She's always instinctively chasing after and capturing fugitives. It can be said that she has been acting in some way… Holding the large brown paper bag in her arms, she habitually fished for her keys to open the mailbox and take out the letters and bills.

She entered the house, put the food away, and took off her thick coat that tightly clung to her body. Fors began to look through the letters.

Suddenly, her eyes lit up. There was a letter from her teacher, Dorian Gray.

After she advanced to Trickmaster, the first thing she did was to write about it in her letter and mail it to Dorian Gray, hoping to receive her teacher's praise and subsequent guidance. However, days had passed without her receiving a reply. For a moment, she wondered if she should visit Pritz Harbor out of concern.

Fors quickly opened the envelope and began to read through it.

"… I'm sorry that I have only replied now. I previously left Pritz Harbor for some time for a relative's funeral.

"… Your talent leaves me gratified. Perhaps the stories hidden in your heart have helped you in acting. After you digest the Trickmaster potion, I'll provide you with the Sequence 7 Astrologer formula and some ingredients, as well as a gift…

"… The crux when it comes to acting as a Trickmaster lies in 'performing' and 'hoodwinking.' Hoodwinking can also be replaced with deceit. This has been verified by generations of Beyonders… You can take into consideration other pathways like Swindler and Magician. The meaning behind their names is, in some sense, similar…"

Fors heaved a sigh of relief, glanced up at the wall clock, and hurried back to her bedroom before locking the door behind her.

The weekly Tarot Gathering was beginning.

Not long after, a crimson light flooded her eyes, drowning everything.

In the ancient and mysterious palace, just as Fors was about to look at Mr. Fool, she suddenly saw a figure beside her.

That seat had always been empty!

A new member? A lady? The Magician Fors moved her eyeballs slightly, pretending not to care as she half turned her body.

Another new member? And it's a lady… Miss Justice was about to get up and greet Mr. Fool when she saw an unfamiliar figure.

While feeling puzzled and expectant, she discovered a problem. The women were on one side of the table, while the men were on the other side.

This should be divided according to Mr. Fool's intentions. I wonder if there's any symbolic meaning behind it… Yes, the ladies are on the left, and the men are on the right. Being neither left or right is what defines a god like Mr. Fool. Ah, yes, there's also Mr. World… Heh heh, could it be that he's neither man or woman, or even a human? Audrey, you're thinking too much… Justice stood up and bowed, speaking with a light and brisk tone.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Fool~"

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 566: The Details of Clothes

Klein's lips curled up in a slight nod in response to Miss Justice's pleasant greeting.

He was just about to introduce The Hermit to everyone, and everyone to The Hermit when he noticed that Miss Justice didn't stop. Her gaze shifted to the other side as she greeted, "Good afternoon, Mr. Hanged Man."

This time, she didn't follow the order of the tarot cards but followed the order in which the person joined the Tarot Club.

After this round of greetings, The Hermit will essentially get to know everyone, and there's no need for The Fool to introduce her… Miss Justice is obviously doing it on purpose. She's really considerate. As long as a Beyonder of the Spectator domain gets serious, they act differently for matters like this… Klein was surprised for a moment before he praised her silently.

At the same time, Alger responded to Audrey's greeting while cautiously sizing up the new member.

Female. It's barely possible to tell that she's wearing a black gown with many patterns on it… Her hair is black and her eyes are a little purple… Alger managed to find certain traits in her blurred, distorted image.

Suddenly, his heart sank as he recalled the scene he saw a few months ago at the pirate convention.

Back then, scattered starlight had magically formed a long bridge between the huge sailboat and the palace in the depths of the island. Admiral of Stars Cattleya, who was wearing a black classical robe, had walked in midair, carrying a celestial globe and a short scepter by her waist.

And the celestial globe resembled the strange weather bottle that Alger had previously received. The latter had coincidentally shattered after he had been pulled into the gathering by Mr. Fool.

Could it be her? She looks somewhat similar based on her attire… But the Admiral of Stars wears glasses, while she doesn't… It cannot be confirmed. It'll require further observation and evidence. Unfortunately, I only saw her from afar and know little…

Regardless, I should be careful. When exchanging information, I should try my best to avoid divulging details about my actual situation… The World is Mr. Fool's Blessed; letting him know of my identity is totally different compared to the others—no, the other members…

After the matter regarding the "Sea God," Mr. Fool has recovered a considerable amount of strength. He's even able to pull in a powerhouse like a pirate admiral?

Thoughts flashed through Alger's mind as he slightly fidgeted in his seat.

Mr. Hanged Man's body language tells me that he is alert and guarded… Does he know the female newcomer, or has he guessed something? How intriguing… Audrey's gaze swept across without leaving a trace and landed on Derrick.

At this moment, Cattleya was also carefully and seriously examining the members of the Tarot Club in the order they were greeted in.

The mysterious purple color in her eyes slowly flowed in an indiscernible fashion. Although she couldn't truly see through the blurry concealment of the fog, she could still make out the details of their clothing.

The Hanged Man, a man in his prime, in his thirties, and has messy hair like seaweed with a rare deep blue color. This is a common mutation seen in the Sailor pathway… He's wearing a robe with the patterns of storms and waves… Someone from the Church of Storms? Cattleya's pupils contracted. She didn't show any abnormalities as she continued to observe the rest of the members.

The Sun, a young male, perhaps still underage. His attire is rare and has a simple ancient sense of beauty. It's very tight, making it suitable for combat. Is he a Beyonder in this aspect?

The World, neither an old man nor a young man. He has a gloomy temperament and wears a hooded robe. Eh, he has a feeling as though he's not a living person. Is this something similar to Senor or Steel Maveti? Or some other Sequence I'm unaware of…

The Magician, a young woman, wears a common Loen-styled dress. Apart from having a trait of languidness, she doesn't have any other characteristics. This kind of person is the easiest to ignore, so she needs to have more attention paid to her.

The Moon, a young man. He sits very casually. Black hair, red eyes, and wears an Earth Mother priest robe… There seems to be only one possibility for such a combination—a vampire…

As expected, the members of Mr. Fool's Tarot Club aren't that simple. Just a preliminary judgment involves two Churches… Cattleya withdrew her gaze and met Audrey's gaze.

Sensing the other party's intention to ask, she nodded lightly.

"The Hermit."

Cattleya had spoken in ancient Feysac, deliberately avoiding the more familiar languages of Intis and Loen, as she had done so back when she was communicating with Mr. Fool.

And she had noticed one thing. Mr. Fool had previously told her that the time the gathering was being held was at 3 p.m. on Monday, Backlund time.

Does this mean that the members of this gathering are currently predominantly made up of people from Loen? Cattleya made her own judgment.

"Justice." Audrey smiled faintly in return. "Good afternoon, Ma'am Hermit."

She had noticed what The Hermit had been up to and had summarized the person's traits in her heart.

She's a very cautious woman who has rich experience in the Beyonder world. She's quiet but not introverted, and she's very confident in her observation skills or certain abilities related to her eyes. Furthermore, her clothing style and the short scepter hanging at her waist indicates that her Sequence pathway leans towards mystery. This requires confirmation. Perhaps it's just a hobby.

At the same time, Cattleya also managed to clearly make out Miss Justice's clothing.

She wears two hanging earrings, and the earrings are small and exquisite, inlaid with very high quality emeralds which accentuate her emerald-green eyes. They're obviously worth a lot…

The necklace around her neck looks unique. It's lined with diamonds that are quite difficult to count, but it's nothing ostentatious…

Her milky-white dress is simple yet beautiful. It's tailored to be elegant and befitting of her status, like the work of a stylish designer…

As she went through the details, Cattleya couldn't help but close her eyes.

A 17-18-year-old girl… Very rich… The way she moves and her etiquette makes her highly suspect to be a noble with high status, a Loen noble? Cattleya didn't know why she sighed in her heart.

After a round of greetings from Audrey, there was no need for Klein to introduce the original members of the Tarot Club to The Hermit or The Hermit to the rest.

Just as she sat down, Audrey once again turned to the very end of the long bronze table.

"Mr. Fool, I'm out of town and have only managed to find one page of Roselle's diary."

At the last gathering, she had provided two pages, so she was two pages short of paying off the debt. However, with her being in the manor, even if she often went to the city, all she managed was to collect one diary page.

In addition, due to the addition of the new member, Hermit, she was careful not to mention the Psychology Alchemists. She didn't mention Backlund or East Chester County at all.

Roselle's diary… Diary!? Cattleya almost lost control and couldn't help quickly turning her head to look at Miss Justice, who sat on the same side as her.

She clearly remembered that the tall and beautiful figure had once sighed.

"It's not a notebook. It's his diary. However, other than him, no one else would be able to understand it."

The members of the Tarot Club know that Roselle's notebook is a diary? Mr. Fool is collecting Roselle's diary? Is "He" trying to crack it to find the secret hidden in that part of history? This is more like a revived ancient god… All sorts of confused and shocked thoughts surfaced in Cattleya's mind.

She maintained her staidness, just turning her head in a normal fashion to observe the first "transaction."

After experiencing many things and trudging her way towards becoming one of the seven great pirate admirals, she understood that the most important thing for her to do after joining the Tarot Club was to listen more and speak less!

"Mr. Fool, I received three pages," Fors said with a smile.

They had been mailed by Dorian Gray.

At last week's gathering, as she hadn't received her teacher's response, and due to the cold weather, she hadn't attended any Beyonder gatherings, so she couldn't provide a single page.

Derrick followed immediately, "Mr. Fool, I've copied a new legend of the ancient gods."

Tsk, he's always using the legends of ancient gods as a perfunctory payment… Emlyn glanced contemptuously at The Sun.

Suddenly, he thought of something. Although The Sun claimed that the one they worshiped was the Lord that created everything, he had never tried to cover up the influence that Giant King, Aurmir, had on them. However, he had never mentioned that Giant Queen Omebella was who the Kingdom of Silver originally believed in.

Could it be that the City of Silver isn't equal to the "Kingdom of Silver"? I'll wait a minute and try it out… Emlyn had never been able to get over The Sun's earlier slandering of the Sanguine.

Four pages of Roselle's diary, a legend of the ancient gods; that's pretty good… I wonder if it contains information about the high elf, Cohinem… Alas, after Mr. Hanged Man learned that The World is a Blessed, I cannot make The World ask questions without any qualms… Klein thought quickly and said with a chuckle, "Very good."

He helped Miss Justice, Miss Magician, and Little Sun conjure their respective content, which flashed into the palm of his hand as he casually browsed through them.

Mr. Fool doesn't seem to be deciphering it… "He" can read Emperor Roselle's diary? Wh-what's "His" background? What is "His" true identity? A sense of indescribable terror and dread suddenly welled up in Cattleya's heart.

She quickly retracted her gaze and looked at the long bronze table, as if she was memorizing the simple patterns on the table's surface.

The reaction The Hermit showed when realizing that Mr. Fool is able to read Roselle's diary exceeded my imagination. Is she concerned with this matter, or is it somehow related to her? Audrey pursed her lips thoughtfully.

Although the other party hid it quickly and naturally, this was still obvious enough for a Sequence 7 from the Spectator pathway.

Klein sensed the abnormality of the new member, The Hermit, because he also wanted to see how this member of the Moses Ascetic Order, who had a great deal of knowledge, would react to it. The result left him surprised.

Isn't that a little too intense? Klein didn't have the luxury of time to think about it as his gaze fell to the first page of Roselle's diary.

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 567: Source of the Matter

"4th April. I just returned from Countess Wawrinka's masquerade party when I suddenly felt an emptiness in my heart.

"One woman, one woman, one woman after another. The monotonous and mechanical movements, the indistinguishable smell of perfume, and the warmth from the entanglement of their limbs; all these in exchange for a few seconds of pleasure, followed by endless boredom, disgust, emptiness, and numbness.

"What pleasure is there in such a life? Is the meaning of life to just do this every single day?

"I can't go on like this. I have to get out of this sorry state.

"Also, I need to remind myself that I shouldn't habitually write Arabic numerals."

… Emperor, there are actually times when you reflect on yourself and act like a hipster? This doesn't fit with my image of you! Klein almost pricked his brows up.

He looked down at the second entry of the diary.

"4th April, Countess Wawrinka invited me to a private salon, and she told me that Ma'am Julia would be there, too.

"Ha, will this conservative blonde girl who had come to Loen because of her marriage participate as well?

"I really look forward to it!

"I've been imagining her in bed for a long time. I hope her husband, Viscount Dellien, doesn't mine."

Emperor, have you forgotten what you wrote a few days ago in your diary. Tsk, how nice, isn't it? Also, you have a typo. Mind! Klein couldn't help but lampoon.

"14th April. I've been attending too many events recently, and the flesh is weak even though the spirit is willing…

"But that's nothing!

"Although I'm still young, I should be careful about the risk of retrograding. Temperance! Temperance!

"The Archaeologist Sequence has improved my physique and effectively enhanced a certain degree of my powers. However, this isn't its area of expertise, but just something that comes with it.

"As I continue raising my Sequence, the changes from the previous potions will also intensify. This is my motivation.

"Apparently, Apothecaries can concoct medicine that lack side effects. Perhaps, I should ask a few of them.

"Also, I really have to control myself. Unrestrained behavior will only lead to continuous increases in the threshold, and the degree of satisfaction wouldn't be like how it would normally be.

"After calming down and thinking about it carefully, there are many things that can be done. Humans are always like this, bound by desire, unable to see what's of value. Why did I transmigrate over here? What secrets lie hidden in the depths of the stars above my head? Where did the original consciousness come from, and if self-cognition purely comes from one's consciousness, then who was I before I had the identity of Huang Tao? Who does the essential part belong to…"

Emperor, are you describing to me what it means to be a pervert and philosopher before and after the deed? Hehe, so you do have worries about such matters. I thought you were already fixed in certain traits… Thankfully, you didn't teach Chinese to your children. Yes, you likely didn't teach them. Otherwise, what would they think after seeing such content? Zaratul prophesied that your eldest daughter, Bernadette, would be at odds with you and betray you. It's not without reason… Of course, not teaching them is more of a form of protection… Klein was successfully amused by Roselle's diary entries, but he didn't show it on his face.

To him, the diary of Emperor Roselle was both a book of knowledge and a collection of jokes.

With this thought, Klein turned to the next page of the diary.

"2nd October, Zaratul came to visit me again.

"Now that I've become a demigod, he wishes that I can honor a promise. He wishes to steal that dangerous Sealed Artifact from the Church.

"That is a Grade 1 Sealed Artifact, the Antigonus family's notebook from the Fourth Epoch!"

At this point, Klein's pupils contracted uncontrollably.

This was likely the notebook that the Secret Order lost later on.

This was likely the notebook that led to Klein Moretti's death and how he, Zhou Mingrui, had used Klein Moretti's corpse to successfully awaken in this world!

This was the source of everything!

It turns out that it didn't fall into the hands of the Secret Order from the very beginning. Instead, it was sealed within the Church of the God of Craftsmanship which later turned into the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery. Zaratul successfully obtained it through Emperor Roselle.

Right, the Secret Order member inside Creeping Hunger was very fearful of Zaratul. He believed that Zaratul is an undying and abnormal monster. Does this mean that Zaratul gained benefits through the notebook, but an accident happened? He turned from a person who could communicate normally with Roselle into a monster. Therefore, this eventually led to the loss of the Antigonus family's notebook?

Of course, it cannot be ruled out that Zaratul deliberately allowed it to be lost…

Yes… As Zaratul became a monster, the Secret Order lost all the mermaids, causing subsequent Faceless Beyonders to risk their lives out at sea? Rosago succeeded because he attempted to enter that sea which is a ruin of a battle between gods?

All of these thoughts flashed through Klein's mind, causing his heart to feel abnormally heavy.

He didn't assume that the Antigonus notebook that he had encountered was closely related to Roselle, because the theory he always had had stemmed from the law of convergence of Beyonder characteristics, and that some of the details that followed were in line with similar logic.

Are they all involved with the upper echelons of the Seer pathway? Klein glanced over the palace and took in the endless gray fog.

Could it be the cause? he asked himself this question once more from the bottom of his heart.

Steadying his emotions, Klein went on to read the subsequent diary pages.

"Heh, I'll have to do it depending on the situation. If it's easy to steal and there's no risk of exposure, I'll try to do it. Otherwise, I'll pretend as though none of this ever happened.

"It doesn't matter even if Zaratul were to expose me. With my present identity, status, Sequence, and influence, as long as I'm willing to repent, the Church won't do anything to me."

The other two diary pages recorded Roselle's train of thought towards constructing his plans to steal the notebook, but none of them seemed likely to succeed. However, Klein knew that Roselle eventually obtained the notebook and handed it over to the head of the Secret Order, Zaratul.

After a moment's thought, Klein turned the page.

"10th December. I once again attended that ancient and secret gathering.

"At the gathering, I discovered that they were unanimous in being extremely hostile to the Solomon Empire of the Fourth Epoch.

"I raised the question which Mr. Hermes quickly answered. In the Fourth Epoch, the ally and supporter of the Solomon Empire was the True Creator.

"This is very real.

"I resisted the urge to ask what exactly our organization had done in the history of the Fourth Epoch, but as I left the palace and returned from my dreams, I found that Mr. Hermes's route this time coincided with mine to a certain extent.

"This ancient man who lived since the Cataclysm definitely knew more. I build up a rapport with him and earnestly asked him the question—is that why the organization hates the True Creator? Is it solely because 'He' had used the Creator's holy name in 'His' name?

"Mr. Hermes chuckled and said that they weren't such superficial creatures.

"He asked me in return if I knew what the actual abilities of the Shepherd were.

"'Of course' was my answer.

"He asked again in a profoundly meaningful manner, 'Who do you think would be most likely to develop in the direction of being omniscient and omnipotent among all the present gods?'

"This… The first thought that came to me was the Shepherd pathway which could engage in Devouring and Grazing, so as to control the souls and characteristics of other Beyonders.

"So that's the reason…"

This page only had this diary entry, but it contains a lot of information… The Solomon Empire originally came under the True Creator's camp… Yes, in the Tudor family's underground ruins, there are humanoid statues of the six true gods. Although it isn't certain whether they were worshiping or desecrating the gods, one thing is certain. The six gods were involved in the affairs of the three empires, and they later had a close relationship with the Trunsoest dynasty… Did the three great empires represent three different camps of gods? Klein tried to use his "archaeological" discovery and historical knowledge to decipher the hidden truth of the previous epoch, but he was still shrouded in fog.

Towards Hermes, the oldest master of mysticism, Klein's answer came close to Roselle's.

As a Beyonder's Sequence was raised, the saints and angels of the Shepherd pathway were able to engage in the Grazing of more souls, gaining more and more Beyonder powers. In the end, if the True Creator had finished Grazing the other twenty-one Beyonder pathways, he would be, to some extent, the omnipotent and omniscient Creator.

There are still a lot of secrets hidden in the Sequence pathways… Klein turned to the fourth page.

This diary page recorded the actions Roselle took after he consumed the Savant potion. He read a lot, studied a lot, tamped down on his foundation very firmly, and increased the scope and depth of his knowledge to a whole new level.

In this period of time, he had almost no entertainment. Learning was his greatest form of entertainment.

In one of the diary entries, he wrote: "… When a person knows with certainty how much he will gain after putting in the effort, and is able to directly tell how much he gains, then he will certainly work as hard as I am now."

Isn't this the fundamental attraction of many games? Klein turned over the last diary page and read the legend of the ancient gods provided by Little Sun.

During the entire process, the majestic palace was completely silent. Be it Justice or The Moon, they were both considering what to trade and communicate later on.

It was the first time that The Hermit Cattleya had encountered such a situation, but she didn't feel uneasy or uncomfortable at all. Instead, she carefully analyzed the information that the scene revealed.

This isn't the first time this is happening… Mr. Fool has the habit of reading Roselle's diary at the Tarot Gathering… The members will proactively or passively search for the pages for "Him." However, it can't be confirmed if there were any advance payments…

"He" really can read Roselle's diary… He's searching for secrets that have sunken in the river of history?

Just now, that Sun mentioned that the information he handed in was about legends of ancient gods… This is roughly in line with my previous speculations…

At this point in time, Klein had roughly finished reading the new piece of information regarding ancient gods.

In the Second Epoch, in those dark years, every ancient god had a "god" attached to them, just like the Dragon of Imagination Ankewelt and "His" child, the Dragon of Nightmare, Alzuhod.

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 568: Subsidiary "Gods"

In the information provided by The Sun, there were detailed examples of some typical subsidiary gods, but most of the information didn't provide their true names, only their titles. These included the God of Beauty and the Goddess of Life who were subsidiaries to Vampire Ancestor, Lilith; the Goddess of Misfortune and the God of the Dead who were subsidiaries to Annihilation Demonic Wolf, Flegrea; the God of Luck and the Queen of Calamity who were subsidiaries to Elf King, Soniathrym, and so on and so forth.

Queen of Calamity… Klein suddenly thought of the Book of Calamity and the golden wine cup he had taken from the ruins of the high elf. The name Cohinem and the word "Calamity" was engraved on it in Elvish.

This caused him to make the connection that Cohinem was the Elf King's subsidiary—Queen of Calamity!

Unfortunately, I can't directly seek confirmation with Little Sun. I'll have to wait for further information from him… Klein sighed silently.

At the same time, he made some theories about the fact that these titles didn't correspond with their true names.

The City of Silver was originally the Kingdom of Silver that came under the Giant King's Court's rule. Other than having sufficient understanding of its own forces and enemies, the information regarding the other ancient gods will only come from legends and rumors, and they aren't that detailed. Compared to the simple and easy to understand titles, a god's true name can consist of complicated and difficult words to remember which can make it harder for them to be spread.

The information provided to Klein when he turned over the page confirmed his theory. However, it gave him new doubts.

The dragons also had a Dragon of Wisdom which was the equivalent of a god in the City of Silver, called Herabergen, and under Giant King Aurmir, there was also "His" eldest son, the God of Dawn, Badheilbrunn, and "His" queen, the Goddess of Harvest.

Why doesn't the Goddess of Harvest have a real name? Isn't "She" the queen of the Giant King's Court? The City of Silver should have records of it… These so-called subsidiary gods are equal to the angels or King of Angels of later times? Yes, the Sequence 2 of their pathway, and Sequence 1's of the other pathways? Klein suppressed his perplexion and inferred the truth from the information recorded in the Card of Blasphemy—within the same pathway, if there was a Sequence 0, then there wouldn't be a Sequence 1, and if there was no Sequence 0, then there would be at most three Sequence 1's.

However, Klein didn't dare to base his judgment on this. After all, his knowledge was partial, and he didn't even know if there were any preconditions for the Sequence 0 and Sequence 1, which was derived from the Law of Beyonder Characteristics Conservation and Indestructibility.

I'll assume this for the time being… Klein leaned back, letting the information in his hands disappear, smiling as he said, "You may begin."

At this point, Alger was still seriously examining himself.

After considering how to communicate properly, he used the technique of being in the other person's shoes. He started from the point of view of The Hermit, who was suspected of being Admiral of Stars, to see what exactly he had exposed.

Mr. Fool's protects every member's true identity with a blurred and distorted image, but this method doesn't affect the representation of colors. Dark brown colors can be difficult to distinguish, but bright colors are easily grasped. At the very least, I can tell that Miss Justice is blonde with bright green eyes…

And for me, the most obvious thing I can't hide is my dark blue hair. But this doesn't say anything. It's not a problem to say that dark blue hair is a common mutation in Beyonders within the Sailor pathway, but the converse isn't true. This is because such traits are hereditary. On Sonia Island and in the Berserk Sea around Desi Bay, they were places where elves originally gathered. Many humans with traces of elvish blood will also have dark blue hair. Heh, it's the same for districts where there are a certain number of Church of Storms Beyonders…

Ignoring any other trait, it's difficult for The Hermit to determine any further information based on the situation.

Just as Alger heaved a sigh of relief, he caught sight of the Storm robe he was wearing.

After returning to the Blue Avenger, not only was he the captain of the ship, but he was also the bishop of the sailors. He often needed to wear the corresponding clothes to celebrate Mass.

If he didn't show his devotion in his daily actions, there might come a day when he would be reported by his subordinates.

The Church of Storms has always been wary of those members who had been drifting out at sea for a long time, as prolonged acting as pirates might one day turn them into real pirates. In any case, the Lord of Storms has never given a revelation to exclude pirates from "His" followers.

Under the cover of that blurred distortion, it's hard to see the details of one's clothing clearly. This isn't a problem… However, I still have to pay attention in the future. During Tarot Gatherings, I should change into a set of ordinary clothes… Although I can't be sure, I still have to treat her as a pirate admiral. I can't afford to be careless… Alger thought cautiously.

At this moment, he heard the seemingly suppressed voice of The Moon Emlyn, which was a result of him being unable to hide his emotions.

"Mr. Hanged Man, I've done the preparations. When can you obtain the inheritance of that Sanguine baron? You mentioned before that it's in the hands of some powerful pirate?"

You didn't have to say the last sentence… Alger's body instantly stiffened.

Powerful pirate… The Hermit's eyes swept over The Hanged Man once again.

Alger's expression didn't change as he turned his head to The Moon and asked, "Have you obtained the funds?"

"Of course!" Emlyn raised his neck.

He originally wanted to wait until the three-month maturity was up before he went to the bank to withdraw the money, but he soon discovered that he was in a completely different mood after deciding to buy the Sanguine baron's inheritance.

He no longer had any qualms or hesitation. He was filled with expectation and desire, wishing that he could get his hands on it immediately. It was just like how he felt in the past when he was about to buy a beloved doll!

He had held back for more than a week before finally giving up by selling the acceptance draft. Although he had lost some money, it was still acceptable.

In many situations, an acceptance draft could be used as a currency.

"I'll get it for you within the week. Finally, let's confirm the price: 4,500 pounds. Is that alright?" Seeing that a deal was about to be struck, Alger didn't pursue The Moon's act of exposing him.

Emlyn thought about the dolls in his room, cleared his throat, and said with his eyes furtively darting around.

"Can it be cheaper?"

"It's not up to me to decide, but I can try to acquire it for you at a lower price. Also, don't forget my commission. Let's lower it. How about 300 pounds?" Alger's tone didn't change at all.

"Alright." Emlyn exhaled quietly.

Not a very powerful vampire, an underaged or a recently matured one… Cattleya silently watched from the sidelines and made her judgment.

Seeing that the deal between Mr. Hanged Man and Mr. Moon had been concluded in a few sentences, Audrey habitually felt that she should buy something.

In a week or two, I'll contact the members of the Psychology Alchemists in East Chester County and tell them that I've become a Psychology Alchemists member. I'll exchange my contribution points for the subsequent potion formula. There's no need to make a request to purchase it here for the time being… Once I find out what ingredients are needed, I can ask for everyone's help… There's no need to buy any mystical items for now. I've already had one of them reimbursed… Being able to obtain such rare items with too great a frequency might imply many problems… Audrey's thoughts raced, and she came up with an idea.

She turned halfway and looked at the gloomy man at the end of the table.

"Mr. World, you mentioned that you have clues to the characteristic left behind by a Psychiatrist. Have you successfully acquired it?"

I plan on buying it for Susie… she silently added in her heart.

In fact, when she was considering this matter, she had another slightly mischievous idea, which was to find an excuse for Mr. Fool to turn over the Dark Emperor card which sat beside him.

From her point of view, Ma'am Hermit was particularly affected by the matter regarding Roselle's diary. And from how her reaction was extraordinarily excessive before she quickly hid it, it was quite possible that she knew about the Cards of Blasphemy; therefore, the moment she saw it, she would expose a lot of problems and express the truest thoughts in her heart.

But she dismissed the idea in the end, not because she thought it would be bad to sound out Ma'am Hermit, but that this was a way of showing responsibility to both herself and the Tarot Club, and that she shouldn't make decisions for Mr. Fool.

If "He" wanted Ma'am Hermit to recognize the Card of Blasphemy, "He" definitely would've flipped it open himself. If "He" didn't want to do so, then any attempts would be against his will… Audrey nodded solemnly but almost imperceptibly.

At this moment, The World replied hoarsely, "If you're certain that you want it, then I will give it to you as soon as possible.

"The price is 1,800 pounds."

Normally, it would be more appropriate to charge 1,200 to 1,500 pounds for a Psychiatrist's Beyonder characteristic, but Klein had raised the premium slightly to see how much Miss Justice could pay.

"Alright," Audrey agreed with a light tone.

She had paid off the money owed to Viscount Glaint. She had received many gifts for having reached adulthood after returning to her family's fief. It was a time when her finances were in a rather good condition. She had even arranged for the money to be returned to Mr. Fool's Blessed next month.

In the future, her monthly income would be above 3,000 pounds, and a substantial portion of her normal expenses wasn't going to be borne by her, due to the love of her parents and the results of her previous meritorious exploits.

While the two were discussing, The Hanged Man was somewhat surprised. The World had just sold the Faceless Beyonder characteristic the previous time, and he had recently acquired Steel Maveti's Beyonder characteristic. Yet, he appeared to have a Psychiatrist characteristic in his collection, and all of this happened in less than a month!

On second thought, Alger quickly came to an understanding.

The World represented a group of Blessed of Mr. Fool. That might be the harvest from the other Blessed!

As he imagined this, The World, who was Klein, was in a state of shock towards Miss Justice's opulence.

He had thought that Miss Justice, who had just spent 5,500 pounds on a mystical item, wouldn't be as well-off as before. It was just like last year, so he had reserved space for her to haggle. Who knew that she would still agree to the deal without hesitation.

Has she dug up a gold mine? Klein couldn't help but silently lampoon.

Seeing that they had finished their discussion, Derrick hurriedly raised his hand, having learned from Miss Justice.

"Which one of you has the fruit of the Radiance Spirit Pact Tree?"

He had rather successfully collected the other ingredients of the Solar High Priest potion.

Just as Cattleya had initially figured out that Miss Justice was a yet-to-advance Psychiatrist, she heard this request. After a few seconds of silence, she said, "I do.

"What can you provide in exchange?"

After observing for a long time, she decided to intervene in a small transaction to gain a deeper understanding of how the Tarot Club operated.

"Uh… I can use the history of the City of Silver or the history of dragons, elves, and other dark creatures to barter," Derrick said sincerely. "Ma'am Hermit, this is a list of commonly seen monsters around the City of Silver. You can choose any ingredients you need from it."

How honest… Klein almost looked up at the dome of the magnificent palace.

What is he talking about… Cattleya frowned slightly, momentarily failing to understand a single word from The Sun.

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 569: A Straw Will Show Which Way the Wind Blows

After a brief moment of consideration, The Hermit Cattleya made the choice that benefited her the most. She said without betraying her emotions, "I'll make a decision after seeing what the commonly seen monsters are around the City of Silver."

Another person who gains something without risking anything of her own… Are the people who spend too much time at sea good at fleecing others? Or is Little Sun in such a state that makes it impossible to resist fleecing him… Klein instinctively excluded himself from the group of seafarers.

"Alright." Under Justice and company's scrutiny, Derrick didn't hesitate to agree to Ma'am Hermit's request.

He recalled the content and conjured it, recording the most commonly seen monsters around the City of Silver into a list. However, it wasn't as detailed as before, and there were quite a few missing. After all, the Sun pathway's improvement in regards to his memory was rather limited. A few days had passed.

Cattleya received the piece of information and read through it in a serious manner.

The more she scanned through it, the more alarmed she became. This was because the types of monsters had far exceeded her expectations by nearly a hundred times!

Most of the names used were ancient names. If not for her being a Moses Ascetic Order member who had been pursued by knowledge, and having reached Sequence 5, making her experienced and knowledgeable, there was no way she could've known what these names would really be referring to.

But even so, there were still a few monsters she had never heard of. They were like shadows who would never reveal themselves in dreams or imaginations, forever lurking in the depths of the darkness.

Where exactly is the City of Silver? Why are there so many monsters? Ten seconds later, Cattleya raised her head without a change in expression. She said with a staid tone, "Use the history of your City of Silver in exchange."

"Alright." Derrick's eyes lit up as he seemed to see hope in advancing.

He soon conjured the historical materials of the City of Silver with the help of Mr. Fool. Having had ample experience, he knew that even more complete and detailed information was worth more than the fruit of a Radiance Spirit Pact Tree; hence, he retained some of what he knew.

Cattleya knew that she wasn't Mr. Fool, so it was impossible for her to let the members patiently wait for her to finish reading. Therefore, she casually flipped through it. After confirming its value, she deliberated and asked, "How should I hand over the fruit of the Radiance Spirit Pact Tree to you?"

Just as she said that, she suddenly thought of something. With a guess, she looked to the end of the long bronze table.

"Mr. Fool, is it done by a sacrificial ritual?"

This left Audrey, who had prepared the answer, to be clearly stunned. She swallowed the words that she was about to say.

Ma'am Hermit is very impressive and knowledgeable. She directly guessed that it's done via a sacrificial and bestowment ritual! Audrey controlled her minute facial expressions as she clicked her tongue and sighed inwardly.

"Yes." Klein gently nodded without going into detail.

He believed that it was impossible for a pirate admiral, a Sequence 5 powerhouse of the Mystery Pryer pathway, to not know how a sacrifice was made. This was even something they were good at. Furthermore, she knew The Fool's honorific name, so she didn't lack any of the necessary conditions.

Indeed, with a godlike existence bearing witness to a gathering, a sacrificial and bestowment method is the safest and most convenient way of trading… And a conversation through the Soul Body can result in direct knowledge transfer… Cattleya thanked him before saying to The Sun, "I'll do it as soon as possible."

Although she didn't show any abnormalities, her heart was in no way calm. From her casual flipping of the information provided by The Sun, she discovered that the City of Silver was truly filled with oddities.

It included matters about being forsaken by the Lord, how it didn't have a sun, resulting in a state of eternal darkness and high- and low-frequency lightning. Matters like how strange and terrifying monsters hid in the darkness when there was no light, and how they survived thanks to Black-Faced Grass. It mentioned that they had survived for more than two thousand years since the Dark Ages. All of this exceeded Cattleya's expectations.

As a powerhouse at sea who was knowledgeable and had acquired many secrets, she instantly connected the time and descriptions to a famous concept in history—the Cataclysm!

Following that, she followed this line of thought and made a further inference.

The Forsaken Land of the Gods!

Suddenly, the figure she looked up to surfaced in Cattleya's mind once again. A sentence filled with an emotive sigh surfaced.

"He had always been searching for the Forsaken Land of the Gods back when he was alive. He said that the ultimate answer towards everything is hidden there."

The Sun comes from the Forsaken Land of the Gods which Emperor Roselle couldn't find despite all his efforts? Mr. Fool can connect to that place directly? No, perhaps, "He" awoke from that place… Cattleya thought in alarm and solemnity.

She had previously belittled the Tarot Club because The Moon, Justice, and The Sun were of low Sequences. She believed that with Mr. Fool having awoken only recently, he was obviously unable to pull members of significant strength. However, she now had to reevaluate matters.

It involves the Forsaken Land of the Gods, the Church of Storms, the Church of Mother Earth, the Loen aristocrats… Perhaps, it's precisely because they're low Sequences that these members can be nurtured to be able to reach higher ranks in their respective circles without being suspected. This will allow them to play a more important role… As for me, is it because of the Moses Ascetic Order or Her Majesty? Cattleya seriously analyzed the motives of Mr. Fool.

At this moment, the transactions were nearly coming to an end. The Moon, The Sun, and Justice had all confirmed their respective transactions. As for The Hermit Cattleya, she was still observing. Out of caution, she didn't rashly open her mouth to expose more information about herself.

Alger had originally planned on making a request to buy the Sequence 5 Ocean Songster's potion formula so that he could make the subsequent preparations, but with the addition of The Hermit, he became especially wary. He gave up on his decision at the last minute and prepared to push it back until he had really advanced to Wind-blessed. Only with him being stronger would he have the room to breathe.

As Fors would be able to obtain the Astrologer potion formula and a certain amount of ingredients from her teacher soon, she hadn't prioritized her purchases yet, so all she did was watch silently.

She actually curbed her desire to buy a mystical item to make up for her relatively showy Trickmaster powers that were lacking in strength, as well as how her Apprentice powers were only good for passing through walls and opening doors. However, her real life circumstances restricted her desires.

Up to this day, her savings had exceeded 400 pounds. For a member of the middle-class, that was rather good, but she clearly remembered how Miss Justice had bought a mystical item for 5,500 pounds previously.

Even if it was a relatively average mystical item without significant negative side effects, it will still require one to two thousand pounds… Fors languidly sat there, unable to open her mouth to make a purchase.

Klein controlled The World to scan his surroundings before hoarsely saying, "I need a pair of eyes from a six-winged gargoyle."

The supplementary ingredients of a Nimblewright Master—drago bark and the spring water from Sonia Island's Golden Spring—were commonly seen items in the mysterious world. As long as he purchased them at different occasions, he wouldn't garner suspicion from anyone. Therefore, Klein only requested for the eyes of a six-winged gargoyle.

The Hermit glanced at The World and said without rushing, "300 pounds, or the equivalent cost in gold coins."

She had noticed that the previous transactions were all made in Loen's gold pound.

As expected of the Admiral of Stars who has a pirate crew with an ancient faction backing her. She is very resourceful, and her prices are cheaper than usual… If not for Little Sun's imminent advancement, and how he would soon obtain the method for removing the mental corruption of a Beyonder characteristic, I would've even consulted her on this problem… Klein thought as he made The World smiled deeply.

"Okay."

With the transaction completed, the palace that resembled a giant's residence fell silent for more than ten seconds.

Without Mr. Fool's reminder, Justice, The Sun, and company knew that they had entered the free exchange segment.

The Hanged Man Alger deliberately looked at Miss Justice and Miss Magician without looking at Ma'am Hermit.

"Something major recently happened in the Rorsted Archipelago."

He didn't plan on divulging The World's involvement since it was very likely that Mr. Fool was in possession of the Sea God's identity. If he were to rashly confirm this matter, it might spoil Mr. Fool's plans and throw himself into danger.

He planned on using a normal tone to mention the happenings on the surface while emphasizing the Moses Ascetic Order member—archaeologist and adventurer, Leticia. He planned on using this to sound out The Hermit to figure out if she was Admiral of Stars, Cattleya. This was because this pirate admiral was rumored to also be a member of the Moses Ascetic Order.

"What happened?" Justice asked with piqued interest.

Alger said calmly, "A disguised archaeologist, Leticia, discovered an ancient elvish ruin in Symeem Island and took out an item from it. This pushed the deity the locals believed in, Sea God Kalvetua, to be on the brink of collapse.

"This fake god wished to create tsunamis to drown the island so that everyone could accompany it in its death, but it was stopped by the Church of Storms's Sea King.

"Finally, Leticia was found and Kalvetua had died. The threat of the tsunamis was leveled, but strangely, the devout believers of the Sea God would still occasionally receive responses."

Leticia is dead? For an ancient elvish ruin… Cattleya had heard of this archaeologist, who was part of the same organization, before, but she wasn't too familiar with her. This was because formal members of the Moses Ascetic Order had to spend a certain amount of time in silent ascetic training. When fully paying attention, she was able to control her powers in a way that significantly exceeded the average person. Therefore, she only seemed slightly stirred as she listened seriously to The Hanged Man's description without showing any obvious abnormalities.

When The Hanged Man said that Kalvetua was dead and how the "Sea God" still responded to its believers, Cattleya first frowned in puzzlement before using her spiritual intuition to recall a certain scene.

Yesterday, she had seen Mr. Fool hold a milky-white scepter when "He" pulled her above the gray fog.

At the tip of the scepter were many tiny blue "gems" which were swirling with countless points of holy light.

And more importantly, it emanated an aura of godhood, one that seemed like the corporeal aura of the ocean and storm!

This… Cattleya instinctively turned her head to the end of the long bronze table, where Mr. Fool was shrouded in the grayish-white fog.

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 570: Not Admitting or Denying

Eh, why is she looking at Mr. Fool… Audrey sharply noticed The Hermit's subtle motion. This left her somewhat suspicious.

From her point of view, this was an atypical response. Mr. Hanged Man was clearly mentioning something that had little to do with everyone. He was talking about the so-called Sea God Kalvetua's ability to occasionally reply to its believers despite its apparent death, so why would Ma'am Hermit look towards Mr. Fool?

Kalvetua's death… Occasionally replying to its believers… Ma'am Hermit is looking at Mr. Fool… Could it be… Audrey's eyes lit up as she came to a conclusion.

Could it be that Mr. Fool is the one replying to Kalvetua's believers?

Ma'am Hermit knows about this, so?

As thoughts whizzed through her mind, Audrey had turned her body halfway to look expectantly at Mr. Fool, who was seated leisurely at the end of the long bronze table.

Meanwhile, Alger was also surprised and alarmed about The Hermit's unexpected reaction.

I was only trying to sound her out about what connection she has with the Moses Ascetic Order member, Leticia. Why would she suddenly turn to look at Mr. Fool?

Could it be that she knows that the current "Sea God" is a manifestation of Mr. Fool?

Her reaction implies this is highly likely!

Before she was recruited into the Tarot Club, did she have a lot of secret exchanges with Mr. Fool, and was already secretly working for him?

The more Alger thought, the more he paid attention to The Hermit. Then, he subconsciously joined her in looking towards Mr. Fool, who was shrouded in the grayish-white fog.

He, The Hermit, and Justice turned around at different times, but their nearly unanimous actions made The Magician Fors and company notice something amiss.

Why are they looking at Mr. Fool? Does Sea God Kalvetua's death have to do with Mr. Fool? Believing they were smart, Fors and Emlyn began guessing at the reason as they cast their gaze to the end of the long bronze table.

Derrick didn't know who Sea God Kalvetua was, nor did he understand what it meant for it to respond to its believers even after its death. However, since everyone was looking at Mr. Fool, he naturally looked over as well.

The World was late by a second, as though he was deliberating over something.

He first scanned The Hanged Man, making him shudder in fear. Then, he changed the direction of his gaze.

At this point, Klein had already come to realize which detail Ma'am Hermit had used to guess that he was the one replying to Sea God Kalvetua's believers in its stead. He was still stumped over what stance to use.

Should I pretend that it's a trivial matter and that I didn't take it to heart, but since you mentioned it, I'll just admit it in passing? Or should I take the stance that since I'm a god, there's no need for me to explain myself to you, so there's no need for me to admit or deny anything… Klein recalled The Fool's persona and quickly made a decision.

The choice was to neither admit or deny anything, so as to prevent him from losing his standing as a god. However, he would add a single sentence on a particular point, making those who had failed to guess it become more puzzled, while the suspicious ones would be enlightened but would still be left shrouded in confusion as they realized, deep down, how unfathomable Mr. Fool was.

With this in mind, Klein, who had leaned back, chuckled. He said leisurely and indifferently, "Kalvetua became a demigod by relying on a relic left behind by Calamity Cohinem."

So they're consulting Mr. Fool about the situation with the "Sea God"… But that doesn't convince me. It feels like there's a deeper truth hidden behind this matter… Could it be… No way, right? Fors frowned as she began coming up with all sorts of thoughts.

As expected! Cattleya believed Mr. Fool was giving a straightforward answer while also informing them of some secrets.

That demigod scepter is Kalvetua's characteristic or Calamity Cohinem's relic, or is it something that covers both definitions? Who is Calamity Cohinem? The name sounds elvish. Yes, The Hanged Man mentioned that Leticia found an ancient elven ruin… It's the residence of a high elf?

How did Mr. Fool get that scepter? Did he rely on The Hanged Man or someone else? No, it doesn't seem like The Hanged Man; otherwise, he wouldn't have proactively mentioned this matter… What motive does Mr. Fool have behind responding to the Sea God's believers? Is this required for "His" awakening, something that can truly affect reality?

The more Cattleya thought, the more she found Mr. Fool unfathomable. It was just like how "His" body was being concealed by the thick gray fog. The clearer she could see him, the more puzzled, horrified, and apprehensive she became.

This might be a tussle between gods… Cattleya sighed inwardly as the emotions got the better of her.

I guessed right! Alger finally verified that the present "Sea God" was a manifestation of The Fool. His worries and indecision from before were instantly rewarded.

On certain occasions, as a fake Sea God believer, I can openly pray… I wonder how much Mr. Fool has recovered. How much of his power can he release from the seal? It's at least at the demigod level. He will be able to provide tremendous protection at sea…

The Hermit's unsurprised reaction implies that she had long interacted with Mr. Fool and had learned of certain things ahead of time. This implies that her Sequence isn't low. She might really be a powerhouse at the pirate admiral level… This is both good and bad news for me.

The good news is that I have an additional powerful faction at sea supporting me. At times, we can tacitly cooperate and complete matters that were previously deemed unimaginable. The bad news is that a lot of my news and resource channels will be overshadowed by hers. My purpose in the Tarot Club will drastically decline. Of course, that's under the premise that she really is Admiral of Stars.

Yes, I have to adjust my focus from gathering news and resources and align it towards the Church. This is something she can't supplant me, Alger thought with joy and wariness.

That Sea God is really Mr. Fool! No, no, no, it should be said that the present Sea God is Mr. Fool's manifestation! "He" has truly begun interfering with the real world? This is great! In the future, I can pray to Sea God directly and receive a response when I'm out traveling at sea? Audrey felt surprised, overjoyed, and proud.

According to what she knew, the Churches didn't do fixed ritualistic magic internally. The ones who received responses by solely praying to the deities were mainly priests or a chance occurrence; otherwise, they were Blessed who just numbered at a handful.

As for receiving a response from every prayer, they would be an extreme exception, even among Blessed.

But I can! Mr. Fool is returning to his throne, one step at a time. Replacing Sea God is one of those steps… Audrey didn't hide the changes in her emotions as she smiled, sitting straight and elegantly.

Cohinem? That's an elf's name. I think I've heard someone mention it before… Emlyn attempted to recall, but it was in vain.

As for Kalvetua's death and how the "Sea God" still replied to its believers, as well as the reason why The Hermit, Justice, The Hanged Man had looked towards Mr. Fool, he had made a slight guess without thinking too deeply about the matter.

What has this got to do with me? It doesn't affect my saving of the Sanguine, nor is it anything of interest! Anyway, I can just pray to Mr. Fool if there are any problems! Emlyn mumbled to himself, showing disdain towards the emotional changes the others had.

Calamity? Queen of Calamity? But there are no records that say that her name is Cohinem… Derrick turned his head to the left very slightly, a common tick he did when he recalled things.

From the looks of it, Little Sun isn't sure if Cohinem is the Queen of Calamity; otherwise, he wouldn't have such a reaction… Klein retracted his gaze in disappointment.

He controlled The World to cough, pulling everyone back from their thoughts.

Following that, The World conjured a picture with The Fool's help. He showed it to both sides of the table and asked, "Does anyone know her?"

It was a picture of the red-haired Helene. Klein mainly wanted to know if Admiral of Stars Cattleya or The Hanged Man Alger knew her. After all, they were well-informed people out at sea.

Alger glanced at it and just as he was about to say that he didn't know her, he heard Ma'am Hermit say with a deep voice, "Red-haired Helene. She's from a fallen noble family and has the bloodline from the Intis's Sauron family."

Cattleya paused before adding, "She was once a trader out at sea, but she was later said to have been abducted by Ailment Maiden Tracy."

Abducted by Ailment Maiden Tracy? I thought it would be some contrived story about a domineering pirate and a noble lady… However, Tracy can be considered a domineering pirate. Heh heh… Klein instantly made some connections.

Fors was still lost in her thoughts over the connection between Sea God and The Fool when she suddenly snapped to her senses. She acutely noticed that great opportunities lay in red-haired Helene and Vice Admiral Ailment's story as she began to daydream.

To her regret, Ma'am Hermit had only said a few sentences without continuing.

The Hermit knows Vice Admiral Ailment… However, that doesn't imply anything. Beyonders of a certain Sequence or knowledgeable people will know who the seven pirate admirals are. Their bounty posters are everywhere… Hmm, The Hermit is rather aware of matters over at Intis. This is something that can be determined for now… The Hanged Man wasn't interested in red-haired Helene, only The Hermit's real identity.

With red-haired Helene's matter coming to a close, Audrey began considering if she should consult the others about the mind dragon.

Unlike before, there was now the addition of Ma'am Hermit, who was of unknown character and dubious allegiances. This left her hesitant.

After a brief deliberation, she said, "I recently sought out the traces of a mind dragon and went to a place which has the tradition of worshiping dragons."

She had concealed the exact location as the details might implicate her.

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 571: Huge Pressure

Audrey simply mentioned the ancient folk song, but she didn't describe the content in detail. She was afraid that the knowledgeable Ma'am Hermit would be able to guess at the exact location.

She only mentioned the inspiration she had, and how she used a Psychological Cue to retain her lucidity in her dream before beginning a magical journey.

Psychological Cue? She knows how to plant a psychological cue? She's likely a Sequence 7 Psychiatrist… Cattleya habitually made a judgment, but she immediately felt even more perplexed.

Then why would she be buying the Beyonder characteristic of a Psychiatrist?

Taking the same potion gives a limited increase in strength while being prone to losing control. Furthermore, it will be an obstacle towards the digestion of the potion…

To create a mystical item? But this will overlap with her own Beyonder powers. There's no value to that.

To give it to someone else?

Amidst Cattleya's guesses, Audrey had already mentioned her chaotic dream and how she came to the edge of her conscious. Then, she used the conjuring method she learned from Mr. Fool to create a staircase that led downwards. She then slowly delved deep into her conscious.

She didn't describe in detail the various points of light in her subconscious, as it involved embarrassing secrets she didn't wish to share.

She focused on her lonely and long journey with no end in sight. She also expressed how there were various monsters hiding in the surrounding grayness that placed immense pressure on her. She mentioned how she nearly broke down several times and barely managed to endure it thanks to her Beyonder powers. Then, she reached the point of her finally arriving at the illusory sea of collective subconscious.

The memory imprints of the human pioneers and the spread and reflection of the consciousness of the surrounding creatures were presented under Audrey's coherent and unhurried descriptions. Then, it was fixed onto the dragon with grayish stone scales that had flown out from the sea of collective subconscious.

There's a dragon that lives in the sea of collective subconscious? What a magical and beautiful journey! Although Miss Justice didn't encounter any enemies or danger, it still leaves me a little surreal… Fors suddenly thought of a title of a book: "Miss Justice's Dream Tour."

While rounding things up, Audrey scanned the area and asked, "Ladies and gentlemen, do you have any suggestions? Do you think that the dragon's City of Miracles, Liveseyd, is also hidden in the sea of collective subconscious?

"If I wish to continue searching, what should I take note of? What advanced preparations do I need to make?"

The Hanged Man Alger glanced at The Hermit and said in a serious tone, "I don't think you should continue exploring.

"It's a very dangerous act.

"According to the records, most dragons are creatures with flesh and blood; this includes the mind dragon. By allowing itself to survive and swim through the so-called sea of collective subconscious, it means that the dragon you saw was a sufficiently high Sequence. At the very least, it's at the level of a demigod.

"Before you reach Sequence 5, it's best that you don't consider this."

Cattleya nodded and said, "There are many other dangerous things in the sea of collective subconscious—the accumulated maleficent thoughts of humanity, the desires that can corrupt Soul Bodies, the terrifying memories since ancient times that resemble storms and waves at sea—all of these will deal severe psychological harm to you. It might prevent you from ever waking up.

"Besides that's the sea of collective subconscious of all creatures, which isn't only limited to humans. There might be evil spirits, evil gods, or the consciousness of some terrifying existence hidden in there. They're like gigantic maelstroms that can devour ships.

"Before you truly acquire Beyonder powers that allow you to travel through the sea of collective subconscious, it's best not to rashly explore too deeply."

Audrey, who was filled with expectations, felt disappointed. However, she couldn't help but admit that Mr. Hanged Man and Ma'am Hermit had spoken very logically and sincerely.

She silently inhaled and said to herself, Audrey, don't be headstrong. Wait till you're Sequence 5 before making the attempt again!

She totally didn't consider how difficult it was to become a Sequence 5. At that level, one could even compete to become one of the seven pirate admirals, or even make the seven become eight.

From Audrey's point of view, with Mr. Fool and the Tarot Club, as long as she was careful and calm, she would definitely be able to successfully attain that level in a year or two if she didn't take unnecessary risks.

Only the gate to being a demigod was hard to push open!

Ma'am Hermit knows a lot and is very knowledgeable… Audrey clung onto the last sliver of hope and looked towards Mr. Fool at the end of the table, hoping that this godlike existence would provide a suggestion that was different from Mr. Hanged Man or Ma'am Hermit.

Don't look at me… I have no idea! Klein tried his best not to blink.

His understanding of the conscious, subconscious, and the collective subconscious was still stuck at a theoretical level that Spirit Medium Daly had described. He didn't understand anything more. Despite having his dreams intruded frequently, he had never thought of exploring the world outside the dream despite retaining his lucidity. Therefore, how was he to provide any suggestions to Miss Justice?

In fact, he had a natural idea regarding this. However, he wasn't sure if it would work without having done any verification.

In the past, even if he lacked the confidence, he could vaguely make a comment, but now, with Admiral of Stars Cattleya sitting at the side, watching, it only made it easier for him to make mistakes the more he spoke. The less he spoke, the fewer mistakes he would commit. And there was no chance of making mistakes by keeping silent.

What a pressure-inducing new member… Klein sighed inwardly. He didn't say a word and maintained his faint smile.

If not for him being above the gray fog and how he existed in the form of a Spirit Body, he suspected that such highly difficult acting would make the muscles around his eyes spasm.

Mr. Fool doesn't have any suggestions… Audrey retracted her gaze in depression. She stopped fantasizing about exploring the sea of collective subconscious so soon.

At this moment, The Moon Emlyn, who was already turning impatient, cleared his throat.

"I've seriously researched the history handed down by us Sanguine…"

Sanguine… He really is a vampire… Nurturing vampires and pulling vampires into the Church is really a tradition of the Church of Mother Earth… Cattleya nodded as she looked like she was listening seriously.

Meanwhile, she felt that some of her conclusions needed adjustments.

The Moon directly expressed his identity… Does this mean that Mr. Fool has a potent deterrence, even in the outside world, that the members aren't afraid of information being leaked?

It seems like I don't have to completely hide my circumstances…

Emlyn paused and looked at The Sun before tipping his chin.

"Before the Cataclysm, there was no City of Silver, only the Kingdom of Silver!"

If it were anyone else who had thrown such doubt on him, Derrick would've hastened to retort, expressing the fact that the people of the City of Silver were descendants of the Kingdom of Silver and that he hadn't lied. However, after glancing at Mr. Moon and sensing his smugness, Derrick turned his head to the side, feeling that an explanation was beneath him.

Why must I let an arrogant vampire who doesn't acknowledge the City of Silver's history believe me? he thought silently to himself.

From his reaction, Emlyn could tell that the City of Silver was indeed related to the Kingdom of Silver. He tsked and said, "The faith of the Kingdom of Silver wasn't originally Giant King Aurmir, but 'His' queen, Omebella."

Omebella? Derrick turned his head and blurted out, "Our City of Silver has no records of this matter, nor are there any records of a queen named Omebella."

Emlyn chuckled and spread out his hands.

"That's why, there's nothing wrong with me saying that your City of Silver's history is flawed and incomplete, right?

"Clearly, there are mistakes in your records of Sanguine history."

… You took such a roundabout way to prove this… Should I say that a vampire like you has clear logic, or that you're someone who bears grudges? Klein held back his laughter and stopped himself from sizing up Emlyn White.

The Moon and The Sun's debate benefited him greatly, allowing him to know that the Giant Queen, the Goddess of Harvest, was named Omebella.

The Sun Derrick was just about to give a retort to Mr. Moon when he heard Ma'am Hermit speak.

"Omebella is the Goddess of Harvest from the Second Epoch. She's also the queen of the Giant King's Court.

"Legend has it that she perished at the end of the Second Epoch, but it's impossible to verify since no one has seen her corpse or relics."

The Goddess of Harvest is really named Omebella… Derrick was stunned. He wished to retort, but he was unable to say a word as this matter proved that the history of the City of Silver had several holes. He instantly felt somewhat aggrieved.

When Emlyn saw this, he felt good. Pleasure rose from the depths of his heart.

After another round of exchanges, the Tarot Gathering came to an end. Klein smiled and said, "Everyone, we shall meet next week."

"By your will." Audrey immediately got up to bow.

The others weren't any slower, including The Hermit Cattleya.

…

Upon returning to reality, Admiral of Stars Cattleya looked at the shattered celestial globe on her desk. She then seriously recalled what had happened at the gathering.

A few details made her believe that the Tarot Club involved itself in many matters that made it nothing to scoff at. And hidden deep in the gray fog was Mr. Fool. Like The World, who was hidden behind thick shadows, "He" was unreadable and unfathomable. It was unknown what he was planning.

After more than ten seconds of silence, Cattleya retrieved a pen and some paper and wrote while deliberating: "Someone has been deliberately collecting the Emperor's diary pages."

She didn't dare to expose any information that involved the Tarot Club, as she was afraid of being punished by Mr. Fool. All she could do was give a heads-up on things that could be discovered under ordinary circumstances.

After she was done writing and folding the letter, she took out a golden, exquisite harmonica she carried with her. Putting it to her lips, she blew it.

In the blink of an eye, she saw the letter strangely vanish.

Even though she wasn't wearing her glasses, she was unable to discover the arrival of the messenger.

Phew… Cattleya sighed and reached for her forehead and said silently, The pressure is really huge when participating in a gathering while under the supervision of a god."

…

With Admiral of Stars joining, the pressure on me as The Fool has greatly increased… Klein rubbed his temples above the gray fog and directly returned to the real world.

He wanted to attempt the inspiration Miss Justice had received from exploring her dreams.

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 572: Recite My Name

After a series of chores, Klein opened his locked bedroom door and looked into the living room. He saw Danitz sleeping soundly on a reclining chair.

Although he had long heard it, Klein couldn't help but lampoon.

It's not even four in the afternoon!

Has this guy completely let his hair down now that he doesn't need to monitor the radio transceiver?

With a thought, he gradually smiled, feeling that this was exactly what he needed.

The premise of him maintaining his lucidity in dreams had involved someone invading his consciousness. Typically, his dreams were a turbid mess, which meant that he alone wasn't able to complete the experiment. After all, he couldn't plant a psychological cue on himself.

Therefore, he planned on using external forces to enter the dreams of others. This way, he could maintain his lucidity like a Nightmare.

He originally planned on heading out to find a suitable target, but Danitz's posture was in such a perfect state that he could hardly stop himself from kicking him.

No, I should be experimenting… Klein corrected his thoughts.

He contemplated for a moment and didn't use a Dream Charm. As a Sequence 7 Pyromaniac, with the ancient name being Fire Mage, Danitz's spiritual perception wasn't to be written off. Once he softly chanted an incantation that could stir the powers of nature, Danitz would definitely be awoken.

As such, it would be a question of whether he could evade the matter in a timely fashion.

After some deliberation, Klein took out another thing he had prepared. It was a gem-like object that seemed dark and deep; it was the Beyonder characteristic left behind by a Nightmare.

It could be used to a certain extent, just like Nimblewright Master Rosago's All-Black Eye. However, the effects were inferior to one that was from a mystical item. For example, this Nightmare Beyonder characteristic didn't allow Klein to pass through the dreams of someone across the city from his inn's suite, nor was he able to forcefully pull people into a dream. However, it was still simple enough to perform the most basic form of intruding into someone's dream at a close distance.

Klein held the dark "gem" and spread out his spirituality.

The illusory darkness rapidly spread before his eyes, filling his vision. Everything before his eyes were blanketed over, including Danitz.

There was no longer a humanoid figure but an ellipsoidal blob of light.

Klein immediately extended his spirituality out and made contact with it.

Without any warning, various scenes flooded his surroundings as they flashed rapidly. Finally, it came to stop on a ship that was dozens of meters long. It had a smoke-churning chimney and large sails that were fully raised. The deck was polished abnormally bright, shimmering with the glimmer of a gold coin when sunlight hit it.

Danitz stood under the main cannon as he had his arms crossed. He was leisurely rushing the sailors, shouting from time to time, "Scrub that area again!

"Dogsh*t, do you wish to copy down the ancient Feysac dictionary?"

This fellow is quite impressive on the Golden Dream… Klein ignored the owner of the dream and flew to the other end of the ship. He found a hidden spot and landed on the deck before preparing to test his spiritual perception.

What he planned on experimenting on was simple. He wanted to know if chanting The Fool's honorific name in a dream was effective. He wanted to know if he could sense someone praying!

This way, if Miss Justice encounters danger in the sea of collective subconscious, she can use this method to seek help… After stretching his back, Klein's expression gradually turned solemn as he softly said, "The Fool that doesn't belong to this era.

"The mysterious ruler above the gray fog.

"The King of Yellow and Black who wields good luck."

…

With the words in Hermes being spoken, he very quickly finished reciting The Fool's honorific name. However, Klein didn't hear the series of illusory pleas.

It doesn't work? Klein frowned in thought. He analyzed whether it was really impossible, or if he had made a mistake somewhere.

Yes… Chanting in the dream doesn't actually produce any noise. Relying on Hermes alone isn't sufficient… To achieve the effects of praying, I'll have to use a language like ancient Hermes that can stir the powers of nature. This is the same state as me copying the account password of my anonymous account… Klein nodded slightly and began to chant his honorific name in ancient Hermes.

He wasn't afraid that there would be an accident, but that his stirring of the powers of nature would wake Blazing Danitz from his sleep.

He recited each word, quickly finishing the three sentences. Following that, Klein heard the stacked series of irritable and illusory pleas.

At that moment, Danitz's dream quivered as the Golden Dream quickly disintegrated.

Klein didn't stay any longer and immediately left. He returned back to his bedroom before Danitz woke up.

After seven to eight seconds, Danitz sat up in a daze as he muttered to himself in fear, Why did I dream of that madman Gehrman Sparrow causing trouble on the Golden Dream…

What a terrifying matter!

Dogsh*t! It must be the result of me worrying over this matter all this time!

Inside the bedroom, Klein had already taken four steps counterclockwise and gone above the gray fog. Without any surprises, he saw a rippling light by The Fool's high-back chair. In it was the scene of him in the dream.

It really works. One can still receive a response when chanting The Fool's honorific name in languages such as ancient Hermes or Jotun! It's no wonder some people might suddenly die in their sleep despite not doing a thing. They might be reading some materials or had memorized certain symbols in the day and accidentally replicated them in the dream? The danger in this world really cannot be prevented… Klein dispelled the rippling light and considered if he should inform Miss Justice of the results of the experiment.

To only inform her later instead of saying it on the spot is a little damaging to The Fool's image… But Miss Justice is the kind of girl with a huge sense of curiosity. Although she has been warned by Mr. Hanged Man and Admiral of Stars, and even if she's a little more mature now, there's still the chance of her taking risks… Of course, if anything were to happen, it's on herself and it has nothing to do with me… Klein couldn't help but recall Miss Justice's adoration of The Fool and the thought of her optimism and cheerfulness that brought him happiness, as well as her contributions towards the Tarot Club all this time.

Finally, he sighed and said in a self-deprecating manner, "I still need to inform her and give a warning.

"This is the treatment a VIP gets…"

After making the decision, Klein didn't hesitate to spread out his spirituality to touch the crimson star representing Miss Justice.

…

In a room of the huge manor in East Chester County.

Audrey had her legs leaning sideways as she sat before her dressing table. She was recalling the words Mr. Hanged Man and Ma'am Hermit had said.

After being warned by two senior Beyonders, she suddenly realized something. It wasn't that the mid- and upper-echelons of the Psychology Alchemists wasn't aware that one could explore dreams, the icy mountain of the subconscious, and the sea of collective subconscious by using a self-induced psychological cue.

The reason why they didn't tell me anything is because it's too dangerous for a Psychiatrist. Many people have already died in such explorations… But they should warn me… Ah, right. From their point of view, I'm only a Sequence 8 Telepathist. I'm not equipped with the powers of a Psychological Cue, so there was no need to warn me… Audrey finally understood the perplexing matter.

Just as she was about to let Susie enter the room to calm the disappointment in her heart, she suddenly saw thick gray fog spew out, instantly flooding her vision.

In the middle of the endless grayish-white, a figure sat in a high-back chair. Looking down at her, it said, "Do not make attempts without careful consideration."

Before Audrey realized what was happening, she heard the deep and majestic voice sound out again.

"If you encounter dangers in your dreams, you can recite my name."

Recite your name? Audrey's eyes widened as she became overjoyed.

"Yes, Mr. Fool."

Seeing that Miss Justice was excited instead of showing any doubts, Klein secretly heaved a sigh of relief and chuckled.

"Use ancient Hermes."

With that said, his figure faded away and the gray fog vanished.

Audrey sat there stunned for two seconds before hurriedly pursing her lips, afraid that she wasn't on her best behavior.

Mr. Fool actually specially warned me! He even permitted me to recite "His" name in my dream! Audrey excitedly took a few steps on the spot, believing that she had really become a Blessed of God.

Of course, she also remembered Mr. Fool's warning. She planned to understand more from the Psychology Alchemists and make another attempt only when she was sufficiently prepared.

The corners of her mouth curled up slightly as she randomly tapped her chest, saying silently, "May Mr. Fool watch over me~"

…

Above the gray fog, Klein began to consider another matter.

Red-haired Helene, who had a reward worth 1,000 pounds, was actually related to Vice Admiral Ailment Tracy!

Tracy took over Qilangos's crew and changed his flagship to the Black Death. As for Qilangos, he previously plundered a tycoon named Jimmy Necker… That tycoon had previously obtained parts of Death's chronicles. It came from a Balam royal family's mausoleum… This information came from that Nightmare inside Creeping Hunger. It should benefit Mr. Azik to a certain extent. I can also investigate the matter in passing… Klein found another reason to look forward to finding red-haired Helene.

He originally planned on using the magic mirror, Arrodes, to find her, but now, he planned on mobilizing Sea God believers to perform a search.

In the past, it's quite demeaning to send a revelation for just 1,000 pounds. But now that it involves a pirate admiral, it can barely make people guess that there are secret motives behind it… Klein conjured red-haired Helene's photo and summoned the Sea God Scepter.

He had never done a mass revelation, so it was possible that it would be a burden that he couldn't withstand.

He chose higher-ups like Kalat and Edmonton. With waves reaching high into the sky as a background, he said in a deep voice, "Find her and protect her.

"Be careful of Tracy's forces."

Klein didn't provide further explanations as he broke down this scene along with red-haired Helene's photo into many sets before projecting them into the corresponding dots of light.

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 573: Teaching a Lesson in Reality

In a forest in Blue Mountain Island where the Resistance base was located.

Sitting in a wheelchair, Kalat raised his bald head and looked towards the sunlight that was scattering at the cave's entrance. His eyes couldn't hide his joy.

He acutely sensed that ever since God reappeared over the land and stated "His" ten commandments, the previous bloodshed and chaos had changed. From time to time, "He" would provide them with guidance which was filled with wisdom. Furthermore, "He" would observe all creatures and proactively interfere with the situation at sea in a bid to help the Resistance and everyone in Rorsted, allowing them to pass through a difficult, thorny path while still being able to see some hope.

Perhaps this is the true meaning behind "His" reappearance over the land… Kalat recalled the revelation he had just received and guessed that the red-haired woman named Helene was like a fulcrum for Vice Admiral Ailment Tracy and the forces out at sea. She was the key to spoiling the balance between the countries, and only by making the world's situation more chaotic would the people of Rorsted receive the opportunity of being liberated!

Kalat drew in a breath and quickly set up a ritual to pray to Sea God, conjuring Helene's picture.

After doing all of this, he instinctively turned his head to the side and wore a somewhat mixed expression.

Living in that direction was the high priest of the Church of Sea God, a priest who was a high-ranking member of the Resistance.

Although they don't dare go against the revelations and have made tremendous changes, in many ways, they're still immersed in the past. They're obstinate, conservative, backward, and savage. They refuse to embrace a more civilized Church… If this goes on, they'll one day be abandoned by God… Kalat couldn't hide the smile in his heart while he felt a strong sense of anguish.

…

After scanning through all the believers' prayers and picking a few to respond to, Klein returned to the real world. He planned on heading out to search for a chance to enact true acting.

When his right hand gripped the door handle, a ridiculous but possible thought came to his mind.

My true goal is not to find red-haired Helene, but to use this opportunity to get to Vice Admiral Ailment Tracy and figure out what happened to tycoon Jimmy Necker, so as to get to know the location of the ancient chronicles of Death.

That is to say, I only need to lure Vice Admiral Ailment Tracy out with red-haired Helene. As for whether she's the real person or not, that doesn't matter.

I can make myself red-haired Helene and let Danitz send me to Strongman Ozil, get the reward, and easily meet Vice Admiral Ailment Tracy.

What an impressive sequence of actions…

Klein suddenly shook his head as he found a reason to reject the idea.

Although I'm a Faceless, I can't accept wearing drag!

… Could it be that overcoming my inner resistance is also one of the principles for acting?

Furthermore, I don't know red-haired Helene. Acting as her wouldn't work. I would just be like her on the surface, and I wouldn't be able to fool people who are familiar with her. That way, I won't be able to meet Vice Admiral Ailment Tracy.

Yes. The person searching for red-haired Helene might not be Tracy, but an enemy of hers.

I don't know Vice Admiral Ailment Tracy's background. Rashly doing such an act would result in immeasurable danger.

It's best to be safe and abide by my wishes. I'll first search for red-haired Helene, and after determining the details, I can consider the subsequent actions.

At that moment, Klein suddenly felt that something was amiss in the living room. Danitz's snoring had softened, and the time between each snore shortened.

Vice Admiral Iceberg is here? Klein turned the handle and opened the door to the bedroom.

While making this silent action, Danitz sat up with his eyes open.

He tried hard to hide his smile as he said, "Captain came.

"She said that Admiral of Blood's crew was sighted at Longtail Island and is continuing south. His destination seems to be the Berserk Sea.

"The source of the news is trustworthy!"

Longtail Island? The island at the southern end of the Rorsted Sea? From the looks of it, Admiral of Blood previously planned on coming to Bayam, but the fight between Kalvetua and Sea King Jahn Kottman scared him away. He circled around the area and headed straight for the Berserk Sea… Yes, it's probably because his intelligence officer, Old Quinn, didn't send a telegram to inform him… Klein felt pangs of regret and could only lament how reality changed faster than his plans.

He had planned to make his hunt of Admiral of Blood become the crowning battle of the crazy adventurer and bounty hunter, Gehrman Sparrow.

Killing a single Steel Maveti ultimately lacks that shock and awe effect… Klein didn't say a word as he calmly looked at Danitz.

Danitz felt a little uneasy from the intent stare as he gave a hollow chuckle.

"Admiral of Blood has fled. Your cooperation with Captain has come to an end, right?

"I can now return to the Golden Dream, right?

"Further developments can be done via your messenger!"

Klein pondered for a moment and took out a piece of paper from his pocket. He scribbled the method to summon his messenger.

Following that, he flicked his wrist, sending the piece of paper out like a metallic plate.

Danitz was a Hunter at Sequence 9, so he easily reached out and caught the piece of paper.

He scanned it before a scarlet flame rose in his palms, burning the paper to ashes.

"Haha, even if I forget it, Captain will have a way of making me recall it."

He paused and squeezed out a smile before asking again, "I can now return to the Golden Dream, right?"

Klein nodded slightly and said, "Yes."

I… I can! Danitz held back his urge to pump his fist in celebration, afraid that he would end up antagonizing the madman, Gehrman Sparrow.

He smiled cautiously and said, "I'll first pay off the room for this period of time and buy a ship ticket. As you know, Bayam hasn't been calm recently. Captain doesn't wish for the Golden Dream to dock at the harbor here."

At least you know how to settle the room's payment… Klein didn't say a word as he maintained his austere attitude. He draped himself with a coat and took his hat before walking towards his luxurious suite.

When his back disappeared into the corner of a staircase and vanished from Danitz's sight, Danitz shrank back into his room and clenched his fist, pumping them into the air.

"Wonderful! Wonderful!

"I'm finally free!"

He didn't delay in wearing his cap and heading to the front desk of the Wind of Azure Inn to settle the bill. He informed them that this didn't mean that he was checking out.

Danitz quickly hit the streets and ran straight for a place known as the Seaweed Bar. He found the air fresh and invigorating.

After he took a few steps, he suddenly noticed bounty posters pasted along the walls around a bend.

"… Blazing Danitz, 5,500 pounds!"

The posters were just two steps away from Danitz—that familiar face allowed for a clear comparison with his cap-wearing face.

"…"

Danitz clenched his teeth and revealed a sorrowful smile.

He hurriedly pressed down his cap, nearly concealing his normal line of sight.

But even so, he still felt uneasy. He went to a recent department store and bought a gray scarf. He wrapped it around his neck and hid his nose and mouth in it.

At this point in time, Danitz relaxed somewhat as he sped up his pace and rushed for his destination.

The Seaweed Bar was a place where gangs gathered. It was common for infamous pirates to appear there.

Although this place wasn't like the Swordfish Bar or Amyris Leaf Bar that allowed access to a lot of information and resources, it had its own unique niche—it had many resourceful secret channels!

What Danitz wanted to do was buy a scalped ticket to Galagos, as this wouldn't need him to provide any identification.

He knew very well that be it in the past or present, his bounty poster would be plastered across all the ticket booths. He had bought the first-class tickets to the White Agate via the same method as well.

After entering the bar, Danitz didn't take off his cap and scarf. He carefully surveyed the area and found Deniel who sold scalped tickets.

He didn't directly approach him and instead retracted his gaze from the thin and somewhat swarthy man who was in his thirties. He began searching for someone unfamiliar.

After a round of choices, Danitz squeezed through the crowd and arrived beside a lad who was drinking at the bar counter. He tapped him on the shoulder and suppressed his voice.

"Do me a favor."

"What?" The lad turned his head warily and ended up seeing a suspicious man. The lower half of his face was covered in a gray scarf and the cap on his head nearly hid his eyes. He revealed almost nothing about his face.

Such a dress-up simply meant that he was suspicious!

This was because the Rorsted Archipelago's lowest temperature during the winter was about 10C!

Danitz pointed at Deniel.

"See that guy over there?

"Buy me a ticket for Galagos tomorrow."

He handed over three one-pound notes and chuckled.

"The rest is yours."

Although a scalped ticket was much more expensive than a retail ticket, Galagos wasn't too far, making three pounds more than sufficient. Of course, this was also because the journey was relatively shorter, and there was no need for him to buy a first-class ticket.

The reason why Danitz didn't buy it himself was because he was worried that Deniel would recognize him, bringing him unwanted trouble.

Back when his bounty was only 3,000 pounds, pirates and adventurers at his level or lower had to consider how many people were needed to take him down. The bounty received wasn't something that could make them forget about their fear towards Vice Admiral Iceberg and the risk of losing their lives. Hence, very few people would take the initiative to attack him. As such, his safety was pretty much guaranteed in such black markets.

But now, his bounty reward had already reached 5,500 pounds. Even if several people joined forces, the amount of money each of them could get was a sizable sum. Furthermore, there were many people out at sea who were desperadoes!

Apart from that, there would be people who found their own bounties too low and wished to prove their strength. These people would definitely challenge a target like Danitz, who was infamous but was of little risk.

It was precisely because of this that Danitz was afraid that Deniel would betray him. Therefore, he hired a random person to buy it on his behalf.

The lad held the cash and gave Danitz another look before getting up from his seat. He then walked towards Deniel.

He deliberately slowed down his footsteps when he walked past some drunkards as he whispered to them.

When Danitz saw this scene, he suddenly became guarded. He thought of a problem—with him acting suspiciously, it was very obvious that there was a problem with him. He was a perfect target for being betrayed.

Heh, do you think my reputation as Blazing was bought? Danitz planned on teaching the lad a lesson after he obtained the ticket.

At this point, he discovered that a familiar figure had walked in. He was an infamous pirate, Blue Eyes Meath, with a bounty of 2,800 pounds.

And this pirate clearly knew this group of people were planning to betray him.

Blue Eyes Meath still has a few rather powerful subordinates… Danitz didn't hesitate to get up and head for the bar's back door.

His speed increased as he agilely forced himself through the drunkards and escaped from the bar. Then, with his rich anti-tracking skills, he completely escaped from the group of people.

Danitz didn't dare to stay on the streets since it was already dark. The patrolling police and soldiers would begin increasing.

He went straight back to the Wind of Azure Inn and opened the door to the luxurious suite. Inside, he saw Gehrman Sparrow admiring the dusk.

Danitz had a thought as he forced a smile.

"There's something. I forgot to mention it just now.

"Captain wishes to ask if you have any interest in meeting her at Galagos?"

This was a question he had previously kept secret. He had planned on returning and telling his captain that Gehrman Sparrow wasn't interested. But now, he realized that he had a low chance of surviving in Bayam once he was separated from the crazy adventurer.

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 574: Fail to Accomplish

Head to Galagos to meet Vice Admiral Iceberg Edwina Edwards? Klein was taken aback, nearly frowning in the process.

This wasn't something he considered unacceptable, but instead a chance for him to use this face-to-face meeting to ask about matters with trite details that were cumbersome to pen down. It was possible for him to be inspired and gain information for his subsequent advancement and High-Sequence potion formulas.

One more friend, one more channel… Klein silently muttered this sentence before taking out a heavy gold coin. He divined if there was any danger in front of Blazing Danitz.

The shiny gold coin flipped into the air and tumbled down into Klein's palm, tails facing up.

This implied a negative response, which meant that there wasn't much danger meeting Vice Admiral Iceberg Edwina in Galagos.

Klein shifted his gaze upwards at Danitz and calmly said, "Okay."

"On the Captain's behalf, I thank you for accepting the invitation." Danitz heaved a sigh of relief and beamed, his brows easing.

Klein took a look at the wall clock and said, "I'll first head to the washroom."

Head to the washroom? You mean you plan on heading out later to buy a ticket for me? Danitz's gaze followed Gehrman Sparrow's body as he sharply read in between the lines.

After using spirit dowsing to confirm things above the gray fog, Klein washed his hands and left the washroom and said to Danitz, "Let's go."

"Me?" Danitz pointed at himself.

Klein put on his coat and nodded.

"There's no need to, right? You can directly find Elland and get him to help us buy two tickets…" In this rare occasion, Danitz sincerely provided a suggestion.

Klein coldly swept his glance across him and didn't say a word. he wore his hat and went out the door.

Danitz trembled and swallowed his second suggestion of buying fake identification documents and use Gehrman Sparrow's ability to change appearances to buy two tickets via official channels.

He wrapped the scarf around him once again and pressed down on his cap before quickly following Gehrman Sparrow.

…

After nearly twenty minutes, Klein pointed ahead where there was a noisy commotion.

"Is it there?"

That was the Seaweed Bar where Danitz had failed to accomplish the purchase of scalped tickets.

"Yes…" Danitz never expected them to circle over and was momentarily stunned.

Along the way, he had roughly described his early experience; therefore, he wasn't sure why Gehrman Sparrow would return here.

Amid his thought, he suddenly had a guess as he blurted, "A-are you going to seek revenge for me?"

This fellow might be crazy, but he's quite nice to his friends. His act of venturing out into Bansy Harbor for Elland and the others is an example… Danitz couldn't help but reflect on the matter.

Klein shot him a glance and didn't say a word. He widened his strides and walked into the Seaweed Bar.

"There's really no need…" Danitz followed behind as he weakly persuaded him.

To him, if he wasn't afraid of escalating the matter, he would've baked those bunch of backstabbing b*stards in cement and sank them to the bottom of the sea!

The bar was noisy and lively, with local music reverberating through it, bringing about a trance-like feeling.

Danitz seriously surveyed the area in an attempt to find the bunch of backstabbers, as well as the infamous pirate, Blue Eyes Meath.

"That's Deniel," Danitz casually introduced the black market merchant.

What a pity that this place is just too chaotic. I've no idea if that group of people are still around… he thought with some regret.

Klein traced his gaze and touched Creeping Hunger with his right hand.

He turned his head and looked at Danitz, saying with his usual expression, "Take off your scarf."

His tone was akin to instructing Danitz to buy a glass of beer.

Ah? Danitz was left stunned on the spot as he wondered if he had heard wrong.

Klein widened the ends of his mouth and said, "Take off your scarf. Do not make me repeat thrice."

"Why…" Danitz choked back his question under the icy cold and crazy stare.

He blankly removed his scarf in puzzlement, and he had a baffling feeling that the people around him were sizing him up and also recognizing him as the great pirate worth 5,500 pounds, Blazing Danitz.

Klein maintained his smile that concealed madness and continued instructing, "Take off your cap.

"Go over and buy a ticket."

In an instant, Danitz felt as though he had been struck by lightning. He nearly leaped up.

"I'll be recognized…" Under Gehrman Sparrow's stare, his voice became softer and softer.

At this point in time, he had already understood what Gehrman Sparrow was up to.

He wishes to use my worth as 5,500 pounds as bait to fish out those greedy pirates and powerhouses behind those gangs! Dogsh*t! To think I thought he was nice to his friends a moment ago. No, why would I even consider him my friend? This son of a b*tch! Danitz kept cursing inwardly with vulgarities.

He couldn't put up any resistance since he knew how crazy Gehrman Sparrow was.

This was a madman who was even thinking of hunting a pirate admiral!

Danitz revealed a twisted smile. As he slowly turned his head back, he took off his cap and slowly walked towards Deniel.

Around him, gazes swept past him and paused for two seconds before they were retracted.

As the drunkards moved away from him like the receding tide, they opened a wide path for him as though the ocean was split.

Upon seeing their reaction, Danitz was surprised at this turn of events despite his horror and concerns.

This is the might of a great pirate? This is what it feels like to be the center of attention? Damn it, I heard someone say my name. Someone is whispering Blazing… Danitz knew he had been recognized. As he walked forward anxiously, he hung his hands down and prepared to do battle.

Among the crowd, Blue Eyes Meath blurted out, "Danitz? Blazing Danitz!"

His subordinates exchanged looks and said excitedly, "Boss, it's really Blazing Danitz! 5,500 pounds!

"Shall we attack?"

Meath narrowed his azure-blue eyes and raised his left arm, slapping the back of his subordinate's head.

"You stupid a*!

"If Blazing Danitz were a stupid a* like you, he would've been killed numerous times!

"He dared to appear here because he's not afraid of being attacked! He has a powerhouse hiding behind him?"

Meath suddenly felt horrified as he looked around.

He suspected that Vice Admiral Iceberg Edwina Edwards had secretly arrived in the City of Generosity, Bayam!

Through the gaps in between the crowd, he saw a young gentleman in a black double-breasted frock coat. He wore a half top hat and had black hair and brown eyes. He looked thin, but he had an angled face.

Without any words, Meath's spiritual perception told him that this was a terrifying existence.

His high spiritual perception had previously brought him numerous troubles, but it had also helped him successfully evade even more dangers!

"Let's go!" he suppressed his voice as he ordered. Then, with the help of the patrons blocking him, he fled from the bar's back door just like how Danitz did previously.

Danitz came right in front of Deniel while shuddering in fear before buying two tickets to Galagos from a blank and horrified opponent.

Even after he returned the way he came and received the signal from Gehrman Sparrow to walk out the bar, he didn't notice anyone suddenly assaulting him.

Isn't it said that there are many desperadoes among pirates? Indeed, a last-minute and rushed trap is hardly effective… Something abnormal usually implies that something is amiss. Of course, one can use the abnormality to scare the enemy… Unfortunately… Klein pressed down on his hat before following Danitz out.

At that moment in time, Danitz was loitering around a street lamp. When he saw Gehrman Sparrow walk out, he barely smiled and said, "Can I wear the scarf and cap already?

"Haha, that group of cowards!"

"Yes." Klein didn't stop as he sped up once he reached the other end of the street.

Danitz's pupils contracted as he hurriedly chased after him and inquired, "Why are we suddenly running?

Klein didn't turn his head as he calmly said, "Do you wish to stay here to be invited back by the Mandated Punishers?"

As he spoke, he took out a paper figurine, threw it out, and burned it to ashes.

Only then did Danitz snap to his senses. Although that group of cowards didn't dare to attack him, they definitely had the courage to report him. If he was successfully taken down, they still had a chance of receiving parts of the reward!

They ran all the way into a secluded alley before Gehrman Sparrow stopped. Only then did Danitz have the time to wrap his scarf properly and wear his cap.

"Where are we heading now?" Danitz asked with a slight pant.

Klein glanced at him.

"Find Elland."

The corners of Danitz's mouth twitched, yearning to throw a fireball over.

"To buy tickets to the Dilynius Island," Klein added as he passed through the alley.

Dilynius Island was the first island past the south of the Rorsted Archipelago.

… Right, there's a ship there that heads for Galagos! Now, with everyone's attention focused on the liners from Bayam to Galagos, no one would imagine that we'd take a detour to Dilynius Island and travel from there! Danitz followed as he was enlightened.

…

On Tuesday morning, Klein personally helped Danitz don a disguise, making him look like a mixed-blood who wore gold-rimmed glasses.

Although there was no way to use his Faceless powers, it was still at least ten times better than Danitz's own attempts at disguising himself.

They successfully boarded the ship and prepared to head south to Dilynius Island Harbor. The journey was expected to take ten hours.

Whoosh!

The liner left the harbor and steered into the sea.

Under the bright sunlight, thin clouds, and blue skies, this hybrid-powered ship silently sailed through the gentle waves amid the cold breeze all the way into the afternoon.

At this moment, Klein was inside the cabin, pondering over some content in the Book of Secrets. Danitz was pacing about, thinking about how he could brag to his mates.

Suddenly, their vision darkened as though a cloud had drifted over to blot out the sun.

Klein subconsciously looked out and saw that a gigantic pitch-black sailboat had appeared at some moment in time. It was nearly a hundred meters long and had its sail fully opened. By the side were rows of cannons.

Before it approached, it steered in a different direction, but it still made the surroundings seem to have a black sun pass by.

Danitz revealed a reverent and apprehensive expression that was mixed with a longing but abhorrent look. He hissed before whispering in a dreamy manner, "Dark Emperor…"

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 575: Golden Dream

Upon seeing the gigantic black sailboat, Klein's first reaction was fear and wariness. He suspected that the demigod, King of the Five Seas Nast, was here for him.

But he quickly refuted that guess. This was because, apart from using the Dark Emperor card in the spirit world, he had nearly never made the Card of Blasphemy appear in the real world ever since he came out to sea. There were only two or three times when they appeared due to a summoning before it quickly entered the spirit world.

With the gray fog's screening abilities and the Card of Blasphemy's anti-divination and anti-prophecy traits, it's impossible for Nast to lock onto me! Klein calmed down as he got up to walk towards the window. Together with Danitz, he looked at the Dark Emperor which defied sailboat logic.

The gigantic ship slowly approached in the massive shadows as the scene on the deck became increasingly clear. The sailors were either washing the deck or bragging on the shipboard. None of them had drawn their cutlasses or guns. There was no sign of them planning to plunder the ship.

Near the cabin, there was a mottled stone chair that was two to three meters high. On it sat a colossal man that was comparable to a giant.

Before he could take in Nast's appearance, Danitz couldn't help but lower his head as his body became numb and trembled, to the point of prostrating himself.

Klein also sensed the inexplicable sense of might and awe.

He didn't forcibly resist it to keep his head up and continue looking at Nast. This had a high chance of attracting his attention, bringing him unwanted trouble.

As a person with many secrets, he had to bow his head when required!

Klein retracted his gaze as he admired the rugs on the deck.

After an unknown period of time, he saw the sunlight illuminate the area again as the shadow vanished.

He looked up and could no longer see the gigantic pitch-black sailboat. The wind and seas were calm, and the skies were clear.

"Why would he suddenly be here? Wasn't it said that he was still at the Fog Sea recently?" Danitz frowned as he muttered to himself in puzzlement.

That Dark Emperor can cruise through the spirit world, so it's very normal for it to come all the way from the Fog Sea in a span of a few days… This is also probably one of the reasons why Nast is the greatest of the Four Kings… Klein thought to himself.

He believed that Nast was lured by the Dark Emperor card, but it was likely that Nast could only determine a vague area.

Klein retracted his gaze and sat back down as though nothing had happened.

The straight line distance between Bayam and Dilynius wasn't great, but a sufficiently safe sea route was filled with twists and turns, so it took the liner until sunset before it reached the dock.

After that, Klein changed his appearance and used a fake identity to buy two early tickets and set off before it got dark. They arrived at Gargas at dawn.

Danitz didn't enter the city and instead brought Klein on a detour to a private harbor. They then took a simple fishing boat and set off to sea.

After nearly two hours, Klein saw a sailboat which was dozens of meters long. It was clean and produced a golden luster from the sunlight reflected on it.

Compared to similar sailboats, it appeared extremely special. Along the central axis was the main cannon which was stacked with symbols and patterns. Faint but pure light swirled around it.

"That's the Cannon of Purification. It can only be used ten times before six Priests of Light are needed to hold a ritual. They will pray to the corresponding deity to fill it up with spirituality," Danitz introduced smugly.

A gigantic version of a charm? After a certain period of time, it will likely automatically lose its spirituality… Backing Vice Admiral Iceberg is the Church of the Eternal Blazing Sun? Or one that can nurture Priests of Light? Klein's remained stoic as he mumbled inwardly.

Back when he first saw the Golden Dream in Danitz's dream, he wasn't too surprised by the main cannon. After all, dreams didn't need to adhere to logic. Perhaps Danitz had seen an ironclad warship and its main cannon had left a deep impression on him, causing him to reproduce it in his dream.

To Klein's surprise, the Golden Dream really had something that required extremely copious amounts of knowledge in mysticism—it wasn't something an ordinary faction could produce.

Soon, the Golden Dream dispatched a dinghy and quickly steered towards the fishing boat.

Danitz spread his hands open before clenching them tightly. He then jumped down and landed in the dinghy without causing it to shake.

He whistled and struck palms with the pirate who was steering. He found the former feeling of ruling over the ocean again.

However, this excitement didn't last long as the dinghy behind him suddenly dipped a little. One more person had joined them.

… I forgot about that madman… Danitz wiped away his smile and sat down.

Klein observed the pirates and pressed down his hat. He sat down calmly without a word.

Before long, he landed on the deck of the Golden Dream and saw Vice Admiral Iceberg Edwina Edwards standing in silence.

This pirate admiral was nearly identical to how she looked when they met in the dream. There weren't any changes to her hair or looks; she now wore dark trousers with a pair of leather boots instead of wearing a dress. She also had a valiant bearing to her wisdom and beauty.

She's more like a pirate this time than a teacher… Klein nodded gently and smiled politely.

"Good morning, Ma'am Captain."

"Good morning, Mr. Gehrman," Edwina replied with a smile.

She turned around and walked to a spot where fishing nets were being hung out to dry. She signaled the pirates to walk away and get busy with their own work.

Fishing nets… As expected of a pirate crew that's more like treasure hunters… This is in preparation to improve their meals? Klein followed in silence. Danitz very naturally found a few of his companions he was most familiar with to have drinks and to brag to.

Of course, he didn't let down his guard. From time to time, he would glance over, afraid that his captain would end up exchanging blows with Gehrman Sparrow. He was ready to get his companions to join the brawl at any moment.

This time, Klein didn't wait for Edwina to explain why she had invited him. After two seconds of silence, he asked, "What do you know of Tracy?"

He planned on asking all his questions before listening to Edwina's motives. He wanted to prevent himself from being embarrassed to ask further after rejecting a request he couldn't agree to.

"Tracy?" Edwina's eyes quivered a little. "She's a Demoness, a Sequence 5 Demoness of Affliction."

Demoness? Klein nearly lost it. He felt that his fate seemed to be intertwined with Demonesses. First, it was Witch Trissy, and then there was Demoness of Pleasure Madam Sharon, and then there was Demoness of Pleasure Trissy Cheek, and a high-ranking Demoness he only heard the voice of. Now, there was another Demoness of Affliction, Tracy.

Edwina didn't sense the upheavals he was going through and continued, "She's different from the typical Demoness. She has her own ideals and pursuits. She's quite an oddity in the Demoness Sect. However, she would still work for the organization doing work such as human trafficking or something else."

Different from the typical Demoness? She doesn't give up on herself and chooses to give pleasure to women? Klein suddenly thought of red-haired Helene.

However, he couldn't be certain because not every Demoness was the result of a man changing into a woman. There were real women who wished to become an Assassin.

After asking for the details, Klein deliberated and asked, "We met Nast and his Dark Emperor on the way here.

"In the recent months, matters involving you, Senor, Tracy, and Nast have happened in this area of the sea. This is rather abnormal."

Four out of the Four Kings and Seven Admirals had involved themselves in the Rorsted sea in a short span of time. This wasn't even including the recently recruited Tarot Club member, Admiral of Stars Cattleya. In terms of probability, this was indeed quite abnormal.

Of course, Klein had some theories, but he wished to see if Vice Admiral Iceberg was able to provide some fresh insight.

Edwina listened without saying a word. She pulled the edge of a fishing net and held it in front of her.

She took out a fountain pen, a brass dagger, metallic bottles, and other things from her pockets and the inner section of her belt and placed them on the spread out net.

They latched on firmly without moving. It didn't seem like there would be any interaction between them.

At this moment, Edwina bent over and picked up a rock used to press down the net, and she placed it in the middle of the open net.

The net immediately depressed, causing the surroundings to contract. The fountain pen, dagger, and bottles tumbled towards the center and gathered beside the rock.

"It's probably something like this. Some unknown existence has appeared in the net of fate and is pulling us towards it," Edwina explained simply.

This is like an actual model of the law of convergence for Beyonder characteristics… Klein thought as he nodded.

With regards to this, he was both enlightened but puzzled as well. He was enlightened because Edwina's explanation was nearly the same as his guess, but he was puzzled because it couldn't be used to analyze the problems.

The King of the Five Seas Nast appeared because of me… Vice Admiral Ailment Tracy can also be barely explained, since I did come into contact with Trissy Cheek… As for Vice Admiral Iceberg and Admiral of Blood, I can't find a reason… Perhaps it's purely a coincidence? Besides, it's the latter that attracted the former out… Klein retracted his gaze and asked about something else.

Then, he said, "Ma'am Captain, is there a reason for inviting me here?"

Edwina gave him a deep look and said, "Your identity indicates that you came from Backlund. According to what I know, this identity isn't authentic enough. There's no powerful bounty hunter named Gehrman Sparrow from there."

The faction backing you is very powerful. Furthermore, it has quite an extensive network in Backlund. You managed to so quickly notice a problem with my identity… Klein didn't panic as he smiled calmly.

"Everyone will have some secrets."

Edwina remained silent for a few seconds without pressing the issue. She then said, "Not long before Kalvetua died, you sacrificed something to it."

Klein turned his head slightly and swept his gaze across Danitz, who was drinking beer.

Cough! Cough! Alarmed, Danitz spewed the beer all over himself.

Klein retracted his gaze and didn't deny or admit it as he looked at Vice Admiral Iceberg Edwina.

Edwina continued without a change in expression, "After Kalvetua died, the 'Sea God' is still replying to its believers."

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 576: Vice Admiral Iceberg's Collector's Room

Is she suspecting something? Klein looked straight into Edwina's eyes without moving them away. Nor did his eyes blink or dodge.

After knowing that Danitz had divulged his sacrificial ritual to Kalvetua before it died, Klein had the necessary preparations. If he wasn't standing on the shipboard and was instead sitting on a soda, then he definitely would've crossed his right leg and leaned back to give a calm and composed answer.

He smiled as he raised his left hand. He introduced with a calm tone, "This glove of mine is called Creeping Hunger."

Klein believed that Danitz, who had witnessed him in combat, had definitely passed the relevant details on to his captain. Therefore, with Vice Admiral Iceberg Edwina being of equal rank as Vice Admiral Hurricane Qilangos, it wasn't difficult for her to guess that he had acquired Creeping Hunger. In that case, taking the initiative to divulge it gave him a psychological advantage rather than being exposed by her.

And for him to suddenly mention it gave it a double meaning. First, he was hinting to her that he had an organization backing him, one that could kill Vice Admiral Hurricane and orchestrate Kalvetua's death and reply to its believers in its stead. Second, it was a warning for Edwina that she was not to attempt to investigate or delve deeper into the matter. Otherwise, the instantaneous death of Vice Admiral Hurricane awaited her.

At this moment in time, Klein continued maintaining Gehrman Sparrow's persona. He didn't directly threaten her or refuse to admit it. Instead, he provided a calm answer that hid madness within it.

Edwina Edwards nodded slightly and suddenly changed topics.

"I plan on providing a certain amount of assistance to the Resistance in the Rorsted Archipelago, mainly in food and fabric."

Assistance? Her backing faction is against Loen, or it just wants to make things difficult for the Church of Storms? Klein wiped his smile and calmly replied, "This has nothing to do with me."

Don't expect me to trip up… he said silently to himself.

Edwina turned her head and raised her arm to point to Blazing Danitz who was drinking while secretly stealing glances.

"I will entrust him to handle it, including contacting the Resistance and confirming the time. We'll arrange for a private harbor, and I wish you can provide sufficient help."

Pfft… Danitz spewed out a golden waterfall from his mouth.

Haha. Pfft! Bam! Bam! Bam! The two pirates sitting beside him laughed as they bent their backs and struck the deck, spewing out the beer that they had just drunk.

One of them had dark skin like he was covered in a layer of metal skin. His waist was rather thick, and although he wasn't fat, he had no curvature to speak of.

Edwina retracted her gaze and added in an unhurried manner before Klein could speak, "You're an adventurer. I believe you won't decline a job that pays well."

You really have found me an excellent excuse… Klein smiled in response.

"Of course."

He didn't ask how much the payment was, while Edwina seemed to forget mentioning it.

This intelligent and beautiful pirate admiral gloomily said, "Senor got someone to pass me the news that he's willing to buy the key of the giants, which I previously discovered, for 5,000 pounds."

It was the item proclaimed to be Death's Key. It was a gigantic black iron key that nearly made Danitz lose his life in Bayam. Klein suspected that it didn't originate from the dark Second Epoch, but it was something that was connected to the Giant King's Court.

She's hinting at me to offer a price? Klein was first taken aback before he came to a realization. He couldn't help but inwardly mumble, 5,000 pounds? I don't even know if the key is of any use, or if it really involves the Giant King's Court! If it doesn't have anything to do with it, can I return it for a refund?

Besides, there's no prior information about it. Even if I take it above the gray fog to divine it, I wouldn't receive any effective revelations.

Yes, a simple inference is that if it doesn't involve the Giant King's Court but some other treasure that I have no idea about, then it would be useless if I buy it. The only benefit is that it will disrupt Admiral of Blood's plans. It harms him without benefiting me. If it involves the Giant King's Court, Admiral of Blood is unlikely to find the target location even if he bought it, as it's located in the Forsaken Land of the Gods. Besides, I plan to hunt him. When the time comes, I can obtain the key without spending any money. It's equivalent to having him buy it for me and watch over it for some time.

Although such thoughts are very idealistic, it's not impossible…

Klein pondered for a few seconds and said, "It might be hiding a huge secret."

He deliberately mentioned this to make Vice Admiral Iceberg unwilling to sell the gigantic black iron key to Admiral of Blood Senor. It was to prevent the latter from rapidly strengthening himself after obtaining the treasure and step into the demigod realm. That would bring a considerable calamity upon Klein.

Edwina listened silently and didn't continue on the topic. She turned her body halfway around and pointed at the cabin's entrance.

"Breakfast has been prepared for you."

"Thank you." Klein took off his hat and bowed.

As he followed Vice Admiral Iceberg into the cabin, he quickly recalled the conversation they just had and sought out the true motive behind Edwina's invitation.

From Gehrman Sparrow's identity problems, to the mystical item suspected to be Creeping Hunger, to the matter of the sacrifice to Kalvetua while the dead Sea God continued responding to believers, all of these matters put together does allow one to imagine that I have a secret organization backing me, one whose motives are unknown.

As for the faction that Vice Admiral Iceberg belongs to, it's very wary, guarded, and interested in this matter. Therefore, it got her to probe me in person to see if they can obtain something?

They're still rather friendly at the moment. Extending their assistance to the Resistance is a way to convey their intentions. It seems they're leaning towards cooperating with the organization backing me. Of course, the unknown always leaves others afraid. Without grasping the situation, the chances of Vice Admiral Iceberg and company attacking me is very, very low.

Heh heh, if they realize that the secret organization backing me was established only about half a year ago, including The World and Miss Xio, whose connection has been established but not recruited, there aren't more than ten people. I wonder if they will get so infuriated that they end up losing control…

As his thoughts raced, Klein entered the cabin and followed a dim passageway, passing through one wooden door after another.

He followed Edwina up some stairs and arrived at a brighter second level.

Before entering the pirate's dining hall, they passed by a half-opened room.

Klein casually glanced inside and saw a gigantic black iron key sitting on a wooden table.

"These items are evidence from our various treasure-hunting expeditions. Most of them are mementos, while others have yet to show their value and require further study." Edwina appeared cold, but her explanations were in great detail. It had the feeling like she was afraid that he wouldn't understand her or was left puzzled.

And when she mentioned the word "study," her aqueous blue eyes clearly lit up a little.

Evidence of the various treasure-hunting expeditions? Klein couldn't help but look inside carefully.

At this point, Edwina pushed open the door and walked in. She then introduced in passing, "This is a gold coin from the Fourth Epoch's Solomon Empire."

Klein's gaze shifted over and saw a coin placed inside a frame.

It was entirely dark gold in color, as though it was combined from two semicircles of different dimensions. It looked extremely asymmetrical, and there was a sharp crown engraved on its surface. It looked very similar to the crown worn on the King of the Five Seas, Nast.

Edwina was like an owner who liked to flaunt her collection. She began introducing the items in the room, making Klein recall a familiar person—Old Mister Eye of Wisdom, the great detective, Isengard Stanton.

In regards to the trait of flaunting collections, they're very similar… Is this a tendency of people with huge collections? Wait, Mr. Stanton had studied in Lenburg for four years. Vice Admiral Iceberg's description includes information that Edwina Edwards that hails from Lenburg. This… Lenburg's capital is the headquarters of the Church of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom. Mr. Stanton also admitted that he converted his faith to the God of Knowledge and Wisdom while studying abroad… Could the faction backing Vice Admiral Iceberg be them? Klein listened in thought until Edwina stopped in front of the huge iron black key.

Just like he had seen in the dream, the key was about the size of a seven-string zither. An ordinary human would have to wrap their arms around it to move it. It was dull and ancient-looking.

The patterns on it are similar to the City of Silver's style. It clearly has giant traits… Klein nodded and was just about to retract his gaze when he heard Edwina say, "You can study it."

You are letting me study it? You probably have no idea how many latent problems I've triggered in the past. Aren't you afraid that the Golden Dream will disappear once you let me study it… Klein criticized himself in a self-deprecatory manner before reaching out his right hand to touch the black iron key that seemed to belong to a giant's.

He found it ice-cold to the touch, and regardless of how much spirituality he injected into it, it was useless.

Unfortunately, I cannot bring it above the gray fog to study it… Klein retracted his right hand and shook his head indiscernibly.

He shifted his gaze onto a book in goatskin placed on the same table. On the brown cover were words written in ancient Feysac: "Groselle's Travels."

"It originates from a sunken ship. It had been soaked at the bottom of the sea for 165 years without suffering any damage," Edwina introduced. "It records a story about a giant named Groselle. He had decided to head to the Nation of Frost to hunt the King of the North, a powerful frost dragon. Along the way, he encounters companions, a female elf, a devout ascetic, an aristocrat of the Solomon Empire, and a Loen soldier. The story develops until they encounter the King of the North before it suddenly comes to a halt. It's not the end, but the later pages cannot be opened no matter what methods are used. You can give it a try."

This isn't a notebook in a journal style, but rather a novel? This novel sure is odd. It puts together characters from different epochs and eras. It should be something that was recently produced… Klein flipped through the book and allowed the yellowish-brown pages to slide past one after another.

The content was roughly what Edwina said, but the story appeared rather abrupt and fractured. It kept making Klein suspect if he had missed a paragraph. For example, the protagonists would become familiar with one another moments after encountering each other as strangers.

Soon, he browsed to the last few pages and found that they were stuck together. There was no way he could pry them apart.

Such effects… probably can be dealt with above the gray fog… I wonder what sort of accidents might happen… Klein turned his head to look at Vice Admiral Iceberg.

Edwina fell silent for a moment before saying, "If you wish to have it, I can sell it to you. I've studied it for years without gleaning anything from it.

"However, I have a condition.

"What is it?" Klein returned with a question.

Edwina pursed her lips and said, "If you figure out something, you have to tell me the result, so that I won't have to be puzzled over it.

"As long as you agree to this condition, I can sell it to you for cheap."

Klein's interest was suddenly piqued.

"How much?"

"8,000 pounds," Edwina said calmly.

"Uh…" Klein deliberately pondered as he nodded indifferently. "I'll consider it."

I'll consider how to pretend that this never happened… he thought silently to himself.

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 577: Book from More Than 3,000 Years Ago

Vice Admiral Iceberg Edwina didn't show any changes in her expression when she heard Gehrman Sparrow say that he needed to consider it. She nodded calmly.

"No hurry."

She seems to feel that I'm unable to make the decision regarding a transaction of this scale and that I need to seek advice from the secret organization backing me… Is this a problem of me not being able to make the decision? This is a problem of not having the money! Klein lampooned and closed Groselle's Travels. He asked in a deep voice, "Do you know who the author is?

"What happened to the people who last possessed this book?"

Edwina walked in front of him and reached out her right hand. She rubbed the cover with her fingertip and said, "The owners from before cannot be identified, as the sinking of the ship has resulted in the relevant information being lost to history. Similarly, we are unable to confirm who the author is. Oh, the book doesn't include the author's name.

"I've used some mystical arts to study it and discovered that the goatskin was created at least 3,000 years ago, before the Cataclysm.

"This is why I believe it's worth at least 8,000 pounds."

A book from three thousand years ago. There's a dragon, an elf, and a human ascetic, a Solomon Empire noble, and a Loen soldier… These are all concepts from years later! A magical book that contains the power of prophecy? Or did someone specially use an ancient goatskin to create it? But it's meaningless to do so. It's purely a hoax? Klein deliberately curled the corners of his mouth without any intent of smiling.

"The giant's name is Groselle. Could the author be Roselle?"

"No, Roselle's name originated from a root word in Jotun. When ancient Feysac evolved into Intis, there was a second change, making it have a different meaning…" Edwina explained in detail the origins of Roselle's name. It left Klein stunned as he felt like he was back in school.

He nodded gently and said in an unperturbed tone, "If it's an ancient piece of work, I'm very curious as to why a frost dragon would be named the King of the North. What Sequence and pathway does it correspond to?"

Edwina raised her gaze from Groselle's Travels and looked at Klein.

"Before the appearance of the first Blasphemy Slate, there was no concept of Sequences and pathways. Furthermore, many creatures didn't abide by such arrangements. In that Epoch, chaos and mania was the basic attitude to everything.

"Some dragons might gather many Beyonder characteristics related to frost, just like a Demoness's frost, a Zombie's frost, and a Weather Warlock's frost. As such, it would possess rather powerful strength and a relatively high level. Of course, such a gathering would definitely lead to death and a loss of control.

"This means that if it doesn't die, it would definitely lose control and become a monster. However, a dragon is a monster in and of itself."

If there are many similar products of this sort from the dragons, giants, and elves, then it can be understood why the Second Epoch is known as the Dark Epoch… Klein pondered for a moment and inquired as though he was talking to himself, "This results in the wastage of Beyonder characteristics."

Edwina looked at him for a few seconds.

"Emperor Roselle once said this:

"Whatever separates will definitely converge, and whatever converges will definitely separate."

The Emperor said that before? I understand the first part. That's another form of saying the law of convergence of Beyonder characteristics. But what does the second part mean?

After the convergence happens to a certain extent, it would tend to separate and dissociate? When one doesn't belong to a particular pathway, the extremely chaotic convergent mix will cause a dissociation? The more chaotic it is, the more repulsion there is between the characteristics?

Such words aren't likely to be said to anyone. It definitely isn't something that's spread out in the public… Last time, I guessed from the Vice Admiral's usage of the Roselle's Dream Spell and her last name that she's a descendant of one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, Edwards… It's extremely possible…

After the Emperor perished, their family escaped to Lenburg and gradually converted their faith to the God of Knowledge and Wisdom?

What a good teacher. She answers any question!

Klein didn't speak further as he continued admiring Vice Admiral Iceberg's collection.

At the same time, he had some thoughts. He planned on asking Little Sun via The World during the Tarot Gathering if he knew of the book, Groselle's Travels.

Of course, in order to prevent The Hanged Man from sensing something problematic with The World and hence, figure out that something was amiss with The Fool, he decided to communicate in private while blocking everyone else.

After a brief excursion of the room, Edwina led Klein out and entered the captain's room in the dining hall.

"The relatively special food here is yogurt. You can add strawberry jam and other things. You can also directly add honey…" Edwina pointed to the row of food outside. "There's some dried fish that isn't bad. They come from the deep sea, species that have yet to be named."

As she spoke, she gestured for Klein to take the food for himself to bring back to the room. She then got up and made herself an example.

Klein took some yogurt of unknown origins and added a few spoonfuls of honey. Then, he carried his tray and placed pork sausages, buttered bread, and other food on it.

During this process, he saw a young man dressed in a white shirt and black vest, decked out with a flowery bow tie, looking more like an office worker than a pirate, approach Vice Admiral Iceberg Edwina and have a hushed exchange with her.

The man had pretty good looks with almost blond hair other than his slightly black hair roots. His hair was neatly combed to the sides.

His eyes were a very light lake-green color, and his nose was sharp. He had thin lips and that made him exude a trustworthy vibe.

"Don't be fooled by that guy's appearance. He's a wolf-fish can. He stinks deep down!" Danitz whispered in contempt, having entered the pirate's dining hall and arriving beside Klein at some point in time.

Klein turned his head and glanced at him without saying a word. This was because he knew Danitz would offer to explain without him egging him on.

Without waiting for Danitz to speak, a man with a swollen waist beside him said with a crude and sharp voice, "He's the third mate, Jodeson. He used to be a casanova and part-time pirate, saying that he would steal our Captain's heart, but he ended up getting a beating. He ended up staying to be educated. Dogsh*t!"

"In short, he's a bad egg!" Danitz emphasized.

"He's a bad egg!" another pirated with iron-black skin echoed.

Why do I have the nagging feeling that all of you are the same… Klein thought and said, "Flowery Bow Tie Jodeson with a bounty of 5,200 pounds? Sequence 6?"

As expected of the standard Gehrman Sparrow reaction… Danitz glanced to the side as a lingering sense of fear was hidden within his contempt.

"He's not that strong, but he's very strange. In my brawls with him, no—when in combat, fireballs suddenly can't be used, and he will be able to replicate my fire powers."

A very familiar description… Klein subconsciously glanced towards Jodeson. After some careful thought, he recalled the familiarity.

This is very similar to the Sealed Artifact, Blood Vessel Thief, found behind Tingen City's Chanis Gate!

Klein had already forgotten the Blood Vessel Thief's Sealed Artifact number, but he still remembered clearly that it could temporarily steal a person's Beyonder powers for themselves.

The corresponding pathway? Klein retracted his gaze and discovered that Danitz and his two companions were drinking while looking in that direction.

Thinking back to how Danitz divulged his sacrifice to Kalvetua, Klein took a cup of beer and carried his food tray towards the Captain's dining room. He said indifferently, "All of you like her, right?"

Pfft… Pfft… Pfft… Behind Klein, there was the sound of alcohol being spewed out at the same time.

He saw Danitz jump backward through the corner of his eye, looking at him in horror before turning his head in relief to size up his companions.

They had unknowingly opened up a gap between themselves as the look in their eyes turned complicated. They looked like they had the fury of being fooled.

Klein didn't stop. He returned to the Captain's dining room and enjoyed breakfast.

After a while, Edwina carried a meal tray back.

She drank a mouthful of milk and paused before saying, "Danitz showed me the summoning ritual of your messenger.

"It mentions that one gold coin is a necessary component.

"I'm somewhat perplexed. Does it refer to Loen gold coins, or those from Intis, Feysac, or somewhere else? Their weights are all different, and the amount of gold they contain is different."

Klein thought for a moment before saying, "Loen's gold coin."

This is also the gold coin that's worth the most… It's not like I need to pay for it myself… Klein added inwardly.

Edwina nodded.

"Payment also needs to be done when receiving a reply?"

"Different spirit world creatures have different hobbies," Klein said.

He knew that Vice Admiral Iceberg Edwina was a researcher of spirit world creatures, and he believed that she could understand what he meant.

Furthermore, he wasn't lying. He just hid the fact that the messenger's owner could also pay for it.

"Yes," Edwina very seriously answered him, "I once attempted to find a messenger, but I could only use trial and error for the incantation. Not only was it dangerous, but it was very difficult to satisfy the requirements. I eventually had to give up.

"This is one of the reasons. The other reason is that simulating the power of the undead isn't enough to sign the contract.

"Your incantation has given me quite the inspiration."

Klein ate his breakfast in silence without explaining anything. This was because this was the knowledge he had learned from Mr. Azik. He wasn't at liberty to teach it to others without receiving permission from him.

After a delicious and quiet breakfast, the Golden Dream approached a private harbor and dropped Klein and Danitz off.

Danitz looked back at the glimmering golden ship and suddenly sighed.

"I feel like my friendship has sunk into the ocean!"

Klein pressed down on his hat and calmly said, "Losers can always form alliances among themselves."

"…"

Danitz was unsure whether he should be happy or sad.

After changing their identities and creating fake identification, they successfully bought tickets back to Bayam and boarded the ship. Klein finally had a private space for himself.

He entered the washroom and went above the gray fog and began scanning through the believers' prayers.

This time, the first thing that appeared before him was the bald member of the Resistance, Kalat.

"Honorable God, we have discovered the whereabouts of red-haired Helene. She's currently hiding in the Intis embassy.

"This has been confirmed by a laundry maid and gardener."

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 578: "Abduction"

In the Intis embassy of the City of Generosity, Bayam.

Helene sat in front of a dresser, looking at her beautiful yet somewhat frail reflection. She sat there in a daze for several minutes.

Her escape from the Black Death had been filled with anticipation and torment. She was afraid that any tiny mishap would cause her to be discovered by pirates or adventurers, causing her to be caught by Vice Admiral Ailment Tracy once again and making her lose all her freedom. She would then never be able to return to her hometown and return to the life she originally enjoyed.

Only when she used the meager connections left by her family did she manage to hide inside her country's embassy and obtain a ticket to leave the sea, providing her a little relief.

However, this still wasn't enough to make her feel at ease. She believed that everything would only be truly over when she stepped onto the Northern Continent.

With this in mind, Helene couldn't help but raise her right hand and touch her cheeks which weren't considered fair but was sufficiently healthy. She realized that her exquisiteness had improved significantly since her time as a sea merchant. She felt like time had reversed, making her mistake herself as returning to her days as a young lady.

In fact, after entering the Intis embassy, she had an additional choice other than escaping the sea—cooperate with the Church of Storms, Loen's military, or the embassy. By using herself as bait, they could capture Vice Admiral Ailment Tracy.

But after considerable thought, she finally gave up on this plan. She even begged her family elder who was an officer in the embassy to keep the information of her hiding in there from others.

Regardless, she ultimately didn't cause me any actual harm. Many a time, she indulged and satisfied me… Apart from every night… every night… But that's only on the surface… Amid her recollections, Helene quickly blushed red.

Those intoxicating nights, the fiery passion from having limbs intertwined with each other, and the unimaginable pleasure flashed past her mind, leaving her unable to compose herself.

Helene slowly took a deep breath before exhaling.

She shook her head and made her pining for freedom, her homeland, and her family occupy her heart again.

She once again looked at her reflection and coiled up her drooping red hair.

Then, she thickened her eyebrows with makeup and darkened the contours, making her facial features sharper and pronounced.

After this round of make up, Helene looked more androgynous, with a maculine air to her.

Finally, she took off her clothes and used a cloth to flatten her chest. She then wore a white shirt, a black vest, men's trousers, and a double-breasted frock coat.

Finally, she took a silk hat and wore it on her head, hiding the coiled red hair inside.

At this moment, her reflection appeared more like a handsome young man than a lady. Her emerald-like eyes specifically seemed to suit her getup, giving her an alluring level of profundity.

Helene patiently waited until someone knocked on her door.

She picked up her luggage and walked out the door. She followed the good friend of her senior family member all the way to the side door in the embassy's garden.

A carriage was there waiting for her. It was to send her to the harbor where she would board a liner and head for the Loen Kingdom's Pritz Harbor. There, she would make a detour to return to Intis.

Helene had anti-tracking Beyonder powers. She carefully observed the surroundings, including the carriage driver.

A thin and virile local. Doesn't like wearing hats. His looks are identical to the one I met before. He looks a little nervous, but that's normal… After Helene did her final checks, she thanked her family senior's friend, carried her luggage, and boarded the carriage.

As the wheels started to roll, she pursed her lips and looked out the window, watching one Intis parasol tree after another being quickly left behind.

This gave her an inexplicable feeling as though she was back in Trier.

It was a huge city filled with sunshine, located in the region of the Ryan River and Srenzo River. It was a radiant and enchanting scene with all sorts of roses. It was a place with bustling arts and humanities, a sacred land for artists, musicians, and novelists.

That was Intis's capital. After Emperor Roselle rebuilt it, it was in the true sense of the word, a world-class metropolis. It was also Helene's hometown. She grew up there and often cried when she saw it in her dreams.

After an unknown period of time, Helene suddenly felt something was amiss. The surrounding streets were turning more deserted and remote.

As a sea merchant, although she spent most of her time in the Fog Sea and wasn't too familiar with Bayam in the Sonia Sea, being a Sequence 9 Hunter made her sufficiently alert.

"Is this route correct?" Helene moved from her seat and carefully asked the carriage driver.

She was prepared to jump off the carriage and produce a fireball at any moment.

The carriage driver didn't look back as he continued looking forward. He said with a sycophant smile, "Honorable Lady, this route is closer, and it's not that easy to get into jams.

"As you know, Bayam was built years ago. Back then, there weren't that many people or carriages. Many streets are narrow. Around noon and in the evening, it's very easy to encounter jams. Walking would be even faster than taking a carriage."

Is that so? Helene thought about it and believed his explanation. This was because she had encountered such situations in several cities.

Trier is still the best. When Emperor Roselle reformed the old city districts, he had the foresight to widen the roads. There's sufficient space even today… Helene had this thought flash through her mind when she heard the horse pulling the carriage neigh, seemingly in pain.

"Wait a moment. It seems to have stepped on something." The carriage driver stopped the carriage to the side and jumped off.

Helene originally didn't think much of it, but sweeping the area with the corner of her eye, she realized that they were in an uninhabited quiet alley.

Her heartstrings tightened as she didn't hesitate to attempt breaking through the carriage walls and escape.

Regardless of whether it was an overreaction or not, she believed that it was necessary.

At that moment, an intense horror surged out from the bottom of her heart. It felt like she had been locked onto by an extremely hungry monster.

The pressure she felt at a spiritual level left her hesitant. She didn't dare to rashly take action.

Following that, she heard a deep voice.

"I won't harm you.

"I have some questions for you."

Helene's mind raced as she quickly considered the options placed before her.

Ultimately, she didn't rashly escape. She sat back in her spot under the tremendously terrifying pressure.

She planned on assessing the situation first before adjusting her plans.

The door to the carriage opened, and the thin and virile local carriage driver walked in. He sat opposite Helene, and he was none other than Faceless Klein.

In order to act as the carriage driver, he had specifically practiced how to drive a horse and carriage. This was a technique he had failed to properly learn while he was on the Tingen City's Nighthawks squad. Due to the little amount of time he had, he didn't master it sufficiently and could only use Creeping Hunger's aura to successfully make the horse obedient.

At the same time, Danitz, who was hidden nearby, quickly ran over and took the carriage driver's seat and began driving the carriage.

His round felt hat was pressed low, and he was dressed like a real carriage driver.

Helene bent her back in a guarded manner, like a leopard who was ready to pounce at any time.

She felt that the gaze of the man opposite her was sweeping through her forehead, her eyebrows, her eyes, nose, mouth, neck, chest, waist, and legs. It left her extremely uneasy.

She had encountered such gazes and methods of sizing her up back in Intis, in Trier, and during the days when she was out at sea. It was something that disgusting perverts filled with sexual desires possessed.

But this time, she strangely didn't feel insulted. She didn't have the feeling that the man would rip off her clothes or was fantasizing about something abnormal.

Instead, he looks like he's studying food… He's like a icy-cold snake that's slithering across my skin… Helene finally couldn't bear it as she asked, "What questions do you have?"

After fully grasping her looks and features, Klein leaned forward and placed his arms on his thighs in a natural manner. He slightly clasped his palms and said, "Have you heard of a person named Jimmy Necker?"

Helene took a few seconds to recall before firmly shaking her head.

She slightly frowned and asked in a daze, "Have you gotten the wrong person?"

"He's a tycoon, someone who likes to collect things. Have you heard of such a person from Tracy?" Klein asked again.

Tracy… Helene sighed secretly and replied seriously, "No. She never mentioned a tycoon who likes collecting."

Klein looked at the red-haired lady's eyes and said with an unhurried tone, "Then, does her room have any ancient documents regarding the Southern Continent's Balam Empire?"

"No. She's not someone who enjoys reading documents. She hates reading. She even gets me to read novels to her." With that said, Helene revealed a bitter smile.

"What novels does she read?" Klein asked without a change in tone.

"Those classics by Roselle, as well as any contemporary romance stories," Helene answered frankly.

Klein nodded.

"Does she have a collector's room?"

"Yes, but apart from her and a few mysterious visitors, no one is allowed entry, including me," Helene said as she recalled.

Klein fell silent for a few seconds as he maintained an unchanging posture.

"Tell me your story."

"Mine?" Helene pointed at herself in surprise.

Klein nodded gently without repeating himself.

Helene said after momentarily being dazed, "My story is very simple.

"My father is a member of the former Sauron royal family of Intis. He received quite a bit of wealth, but he lost himself to alcohol, mistresses, marijuana, and gambling, causing him to eventually go bankrupt.

"In order to repay the debts, I chose to accept some conditions raised by the family and became a Beyonder. I then went out to sea to become a sea merchant."

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 579: Academic Question

As she spoke, Helene's eyes moved up slightly as though she was immersed in her memories.

"Early on, I transported iron and coal from Midseashire to Feynapotter, then I shipped back tobacco, coffee, cocoa, and other native specialties back to Intis. This is a sea route that borders the shore, so it was rather safe. The competition was intense as well. In order to quickly get out of my predicament and save up money, I worked hard to raise my Sequence, hoping that I could trade in the colonies.

"Unfortunately, just as I familiarized myself with the sea route and made some money, I chanced upon Ailment Maiden Tracy, who wasn't Vice Admiral Ailment at the time, in one of her raids during my second trip to West Balam. She only had one ship back then, but she was very powerful. My partner and I resisted with our lives, but all of that was in vain.

"She doesn't have the habit of killing mindlessly. All she did was snatch the goods, as well as myself…"

As expected of an oddity among Demonesses…Klein listened in silence and used his Clown powers to suppress his embarrassed emotions to expressionlessly ask, "How far did the relationship between the two of you go?"

"We didn't!" Helene instinctively denied. "She forced me! I-I didn't want to die. I-I could o-only choose to accept it. B-besides, she's a woman!"

Lady, there's no need to get so worked up. If I had asked if the two of you had a relationship that went beyond friendship, would you have jumped out? It's only because I'm kind enough and had considered your shame which had prevented me from being so direct… Sigh. Under the facade of the crazy Gehrman Sparrow is a gentlemanly me… That's the true me…Klein switched to asking without a change in expression, "What kind of food do you like? Are there any dishes you especially like? Do you prefer sweet or salty food, or somewhere in between?

"What food do you dislike? What food are you allergic to?

"Do you have any dietary restrictions? If you do, what are they?

"…"

These questions made Helene feel like she was in a dream, as though everything was surreal.

She never imagined that the man would ask her such questions. It was like a pursuer was asking his crush what hobbies she had.

No! No pursuer would ask such questions! These are all indirectly obtained from numerous chats, or are obtained by other means! No woman would like to be questioned like that! T-this is like a survey which Emperor Roselle created… W-what does he want? He's asking these questions without any expression. I'm so afraid…Helene fell silent for a few seconds before answering them one after another under Klein's cold, unmoving gaze.

Klein maintained his seating posture of leaning forward and continued asking, "How do you usually sit? Do you have any habitual motions…"

The more Helene answered, the more panicked she became. She had the inexplicable feeling that answering these questions would make her disappear.

By the time the perplexing and terrifying "survey" was done, she felt heavy deep down, constantly suspecting that a terrible outcome awaited her.

Why don't I risk it and jump off the carriage while he isn't paying attention?Helene seriously considered the possibility.

However, the man didn't seem to have any indication of attacking her, and this made her indecisive. She felt that there was hope to resolve the matter amicably.

After grasping Helene's personality, habits, and preferences, Klein turned the topic towards Vice Admiral Ailment.

"What do you know of Tracy?"

Helene fell silent as her mouth quivered a few times. She couldn't bring herself to speak.

After the carriage continued on for quite a while, it was only then that she finally smiled ruefully.

"She possesses excellent combat abilities. She's good at infiltration and curses, with her being capable of turning invisible and becoming light.

"She grasps the means of swapping bodies with a mirror or magic staff, as well as black flames and frost. She can make enemies in a certain range suddenly fall sick, including colds, pneumonia, gastroenteritis, and other illnesses. The longer the fight lasts with her, the worse the ailments inflicted. Some Beyonders might even directly die from a heart attack.

"She c-can also create invisible threads to control her enemy. She knows human ana-anatomy very well. She can easily give people pleasure through contact—th-that kind of pleasure.

"She has an active charming ability that would make many pirates give up putting up a resistance once they're near her.

"S-she's often friendly, but she's cruel to her enemies. She enjoys destroying the perfection that others would wish to protect, making them suffer immense pain and torment…"

Helene didn't go into detail on how Tracy destroyed the state of perfection of others. There were many cruel stories and hilarious matters. This Ailment Maiden had once made her enemies—a father and son duo—kill each other, as well as instigate an enemy's wife to betray him and let him come across the scene.

As expected of a Demoness. She's a Sequence 5 Demoness who's one Sequence higher than Demoness of Pleasure…Klein gained a basic grasp of Tracy's combat style, and he calmly asked again, "Does she have any mystical items?"

"… Yes. A bangle that's inlaid with diamonds. As long as she wears it, it's very difficult for Tracy to be injured." Helene hesitated before revealing Vice Admiral Ailment's secret.

Klein asked a few other detailed questions as he straightened his body a little.

"Tracy is helping the Demoness Sect perform human trafficking?"

This was something he took great notice of when he heard Vice Admiral Iceberg Edwina mention it.

The Demoness Sect cooperated with Ince Zangwill, and it was related to the royal family. It involved an underground ruin whose location was unknown.

Tracy helped them in the human trafficking.

Baelen, who was pointed out by The Hanged Man, was someone who orchestrated numerous disappearance cases of slaves and the disappearance of primitive tribes in the Southern Continent. With him appearing at the underground ruins, he would be a member of the upper echelons.

The biggest human trafficker, Capim, had Beyonders who were of the Arbiter pathway protecting him. And this is a pathway controlled by the Loen and Feynapotter royal families, as well as their military…

All of these matters that Klein was aware of linked together to form a line, but he wasn't sure what it actually exposed. Vice Admiral Ailment Tracy was a breakthrough point.

"What Demoness Sect?" Helene asked in puzzlement.

"You don't have to know," Klein calmly replied.

If you don't know what a Demoness is and end up suspecting that the extremely charming Vice Admiral Ailment who gives you pleasure is a dirty and savage man, then I'm afraid that you would've lost control on the spot… You don't have to thank me. I'm a good person…Klein lampooned inwardly.

Helene suppressed her puzzlement and said while recalling, "In recent years, she's been busy shipping slaves. The other end of the trade is Crazy Captain Connors Viktor. Rumor has it that he and many human traffickers and slave merchants in Loen have a deep partnership."

Crazy Captain Connors Viktor…Klein remembered the nickname and name.

He nodded and no longer spoke in a heavy voice. Instead, he said in a relatively gentle voice, "Did you involve yourself in such matters? Such as being a part-time pirate?"

This very polite and amiable tone left Danitz trembling for some baffling reason. He felt that Gehrman Sparrow being in such a state was much more terrifying than his cold and expressionless state.

"No." Helene shook her head. "The blood of the Sauron family flows in me. I will not bring shame to my family. Be-besides, Tracy always said that she wouldn't let me be tainted by bloodshed and darkness. All of that would be faced by her."

She must've read too many romance novels…Klein took out a gold coin and allowed it to weave between his fingers like it was dancing.

He didn't keep it from Helene as he performed a divination in front of her to confirm that she wasn't lying.

The result was that she was rather honest.

This is also because I didn't ask in detail about her emotional entanglements with Tracy; otherwise, she wouldn't be that honest…Klein secretly reflected and put away the gold coin.

At that moment in time, the carriage had circled around the harbor, no longer heading for the ship that Helene was meant to board.

Klein looked at the scenery outside the window and took out a small metal bottle. He handed it to Helene and said, "Use the liquid inside to wipe away your makeup."

"Why?" Helene subconsciously asked.

"This isn't something you should be asking," Klein leaned forward once again and said without expression.

Despite feeling aggrieved and furious, Helene didn't wish to agitate the man and get on his bad side at such a critical moment. She could only remove the bottle cap and took a sniff at it to test if it was poisonous.

"Can it be used directly?" she asked.

Klein tersely acknowledged in the affirmative.

Helene took out a white handkerchief and dabbed it with the bottle's liquid. Then, she began wiping her face and quickly cleaned away her prior disguise.

Her aesthetically-pleasing masculinity vanished and her contours became softer as Helene's original looks were presented before Klein.

After careful observation, Klein calmly said, "Take off your hat and let down your hair."

Helene furrowed her brows and had a nagging feeling that what followed would be unacceptable instructions such as taking off her clothes.

She took a deep breath, removed her hat, and released her coiled red hair. Immediately, she appeared extremely feminine.

Klein straightened his body and leaned back on the carriage wall before calmly instructing, "You can put on your disguise again."

Is he a madman? After all this, he wants me to revert to how I was before?Helene didn't dare to voice her displeasure, afraid that the man would raise unacceptable requests. She hurriedly opened her suitcase and took out a mirror to look at herself.

The makeup has been removed so cleanly…She was stunned for a moment before she quickly put on makeup and coiled her hair.

When the carriage came to a stop, she was already looking like a handsome young man.

Klein nodded indiscernibly and looked out the window before retracting his gaze.

"One last question."

"What?" Helene asked nervously.

Klein raised his line of sight a little as his facial muscles moved.

"How big are your breasts?"

"…" Helene was first taken aback before her face flushed red.

This wasn't a redness caused by embarrassment, but an anger from wanting to punch the man in the chin.

Klein didn't move his gaze as he calmly added, "It's an academic question."

"…" Noticing no sexual intent from his eyes, Helene inhaled and closed her eyes to answer the question.

Klein secretly heaved a sigh of relief and took out a boat ticket and a stack of papers.

"New identification, tickets to Tiana Port.

"Once you're there, buy tickets to Pritz Harbor."

Helene glanced at him vigilantly before receiving the tickets and documents. She carried her suitcase and carefully alighted the carriage to see the ship she was taking.

Klein followed behind her and watched her leave. From the corner of his eye, he saw Danitz trying hard to hold back his laughter.

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 580: Wormtongue

Klein slowly turned his head and shot a glance at Danitz.

The pirate with a bounty of 5,500 pounds immediately shut his mouth and clamped up. It was as though nothing had happened.

After confirming that Helene boarded the liner without issues, he turned around and walked to the side of the carriage. He pretended to casually ask, "Did you hear the conversation?"

"No, no. A little, just a little…" Danitz shook his head as he gave a hollow chuckle.

Klein nodded slightly and said, "You have to remember; otherwise, it'll be easy for people to see through you."

"See through… me?" Danitz raised his hand and pointed at his nose and said blankly.

Klein said without changing his expression, "She's from the Sauron family. She has anti-tracking Beyonder abilities. Together with her ticks and behavior, it can be confirmed that she's a Sequence 7 from the Hunter pathway, Pyromaniac. She's very similar to you, and you'll be able to do a good job acting as her."

"Me? I won't do! I won't be able to disguise myself like her! I'll be identified with just a look!" Danitz jumped in fright.

Klein held back his laughter and said in a deep voice, "I'll lend you Creeping Hunger."

"… No, no! I have no experience in such matters. I won't be able to fool Vice Admiral Ailment's subordinates!" Abnormally nervous and horrified, Danitz declined the mission.

To him, this was an extremely embarrassing and dogsh*t matter. Only a pervert or a madman would complete it without any qualms.

Klein nodded in agreement and said without an expression, "Indeed, you are rather stupid."

Danitz forced a smile. "Yes, I'm very stupid."

Klein didn't say a word as he walked past Danitz and opened the door to the carriage.

Danitz followed him with his eyes when he suddenly saw Gehrman Sparrow's hair turn red.

He blinked his dull eyes and saw the man's facial contours turn soft and his eyes turning emerald-green. His lips turned thin as they pursed, making him look frail and insecure. He had a masculine beauty and looked identical to Helene who had just left.

"…" After watching Gehrman Sparrow enter the carriage, Danitz turned his head back as the corners of his mouth twitched.

He was silent for a few seconds before he muttered silently,What a madman. He changed into a woman without any hesitation!

I have to say that Helene looks pretty good when disguised as a man.

This Beyonder power sure is useful. If I can receive an item like that and figure out what Captain's ideal type is, then I can make the corresponding changes and make her fall in love with me.

But in that case, would the person that she falls in love with still be me?

Danitz found himself pondering over philosophical questions until he heard a cough from the carriage behind him.

He snapped to his senses and drove the carriage away from the harbor. He planned on making a huge detour before circling back.

Inside the carriage, Klein wasn't as calm as he appeared. Although Helene was in male clothes, allowing him to temporarily not bother about the most embarrassing parts, he still felt quite embarrassed to have his face change into a woman's while squeezing out breasts. This left him feeling down and awkward.

Sigh, a Faceless's change in appearance is very easy. The difficult part is apparently the mind. To act as a good Faceless, I'll have to cross many mental blocks. If I don't, then I'll have to spend a great deal of time to act as a real person for many years. My identity has to be recognized by everyone as I fully immerse myself into that character until I almost treat it like it's real… This is more challenging on my bottom line. It's crazy and warped.

To speed up my progress, I have to overcome a certain number of obstacles.

Klein pulled out a suitcase from under the carriage's seat. He rummaged for some cloth and clothes before replicating Helene's disguise.

He could've gotten Danitz to act as Helene and borrow the mystical item with the Faceless Beyonder characteristic from Justice for a few days without a problem.

However, that meant that there was a high chance of Danitz facing Vice Admiral Ailment Tracy directly. Without the Clown's powers, it was almost impossible for him to hide it from her, putting his life in extreme danger.

It was impossible for Klein to make others bear such huge risks for his own matters; therefore, he could only challenge himself and do it himself.

Soon, he looked identical to Helene. Under the black top hat was a handsome androgynous face with soft and pronounced contours. His emerald-green eyes looked as beautiful as gems.

He adjusted his build, making himself shorter by a few centimeters and narrowing his shoulder width. His frame shrank and he looked like he had lightened significantly.

His current appearance quickly surfaced in Klein's mind with his Clown powers.

It's still not bad. There's not much to it… Perhaps it's because I'm not in female clothes, so it doesn't feel much different from turning into Gehrman Sparrow, Danitz, or someone else. I just look prettier and have some discomfort in my chest… If I look like that on Earth, I wouldn't have needed to worry about not having a girlfriend,he mocked and consoled himself as he curled the corners of his mouth.

What looked like a normal action on Gehrman Sparrow now looked pitiful and sorry.

F*k! Klein cursed silently as he quickly adjusted his state of mind. Bit by bit, he immersed himself into the state of true acting.

With the passage of time, he discovered that the resistance he had had lessened significantly. Following that, he felt relaxed and calm as though the potion had harmonized itself further.

And that meant that the speed of his digestion would speed up.

It really is useful…Klein said silently as he got up and took four steps counterclockwise. He went above the gray fog and once again confirmed the danger level of his upcoming operation.

After returning to the real world, he switched to using Helene's voice and deliberately suppressed it.

"Head to Pier 6 at the harbor."

Danitz didn't find anything amiss, but he suddenly came to a realization after changing directions. He couldn't help but tremble.It's like the real person… I wouldn't be able to distinguish him if the day comes where he transforms into Captain to fool me…

After a while, the carriage reentered the harbor and went to the liner which Helene was originally meant to board. But it didn't truly approach it and had instead circled around to a nearby warehouse.

Danitz jumped off the carriage and knocked on the warehouse's door, according to a prior agreed pattern.

Out came a group of dock workers who were clearly of native blood. Following that, they made way.

After confirming that there wasn't anything amiss, the bald member of the Resistance, Kalat, came out on a wheelchair.

"Where is she?" he looked at Danitz as he asked.

Through Helene's matter, Danitz had successfully established communications with the Resistance.

Danitz laughed mischievously.

"In the carriage.

"She's been drugged with medicine that makes her lose her strength. Its effects will last another ten hours.

"Remember, I want 70% of the thousand-pound reward."

Kalat raised his right arm and waved it. Immediately two thin members of the Resistance got onto the carriage.

"Boss, it's that woman," they soon poked their heads out and said in the tone of a local gang.

"Take her down. Our mission is to protect her," Kalat emphasized again.

Helene, who was disguised as a male, was helped down from the carriage with two soldiers supporting her on either side of her

With his control as a Clown, Klein pretended to be weak in the knees as he staggered.

He was soon moved to a room among the Bayam populace. At the same time, Kalat instructed a local gang member, who believed in Sea God, to find Strongman Ozil and tell him that they had found the target. He was to bring 1,000 pounds in exchange for the woman. As for Danitz, he had returned to the inn to await the news.

At noon, Ozil replied saying that he couldn't be sure if the person was the real deal and had planned on sending a person over to confirm things.

Kalat agreed to his request.

Closer to the evening, a figure appeared outside the house.

He was a man wearing pantaloons and a jacket. He was Loenese and was dressed in the style of a native. He had short brows, about half of the average person's. His brown eyes were recessed, and his face looked cut.

Kalat pushed himself on a wheelchair and appeared by the door. After seeing the man, he said in a heavy voice, "Mithor King?"

"Should I be honored that you actually know me?" The man laughed.

He was originally a captain of one of the pirate ships under Vice Admiral Hurricane Qilangos. After Vice Admiral Ailment Tracy took over the crew, he took on the role as third mate of her flagship, the Black Death. His nickname was Wormtongue, with a bounty of 5,400 pounds.

Kalat didn't reply as he wheeled himself to make way.

Mithor entered a nearby room after being led by a gang member. Inside, he saw Helene sitting by the bedside in a gentleman's outfit. Her eyes were darting about and glaring at him. Her teeth bit down on her lip as she looked furious and fearful while having feelings of despair and obstinacy.

"It's her alright. However, I can't be certain because she's wearing thick makeup. It's hard to tell what a woman really looks like once they don thick makeup. Wipe her face clean for me. Hey, why didn't you cuff her? Don't you know she's dangerous?" Mithor surveyed the area and took two steps back in a guarded manner.

"She's been drugged. She doesn't have much strength and hasn't resisted. But since you asked…" Kalat lifted his chin to a Resistance soldier.

The soldier found a pair of cuffs and walked over. After pulling Klein's hands back, he cuffed him.

Klein continued wearing mixed emotions like before, trying hard to act like he was struggling despite having a lack of strength.

Then, another gang member got some water and wiped his face with a rough towel.

Thankfully, most of the makeup in this era isn't waterproof…Klein began changing his face's contours as the towel covered his face.

Before long, Mithor saw Helene's moist face. She looked extraordinarily frail and beautiful in this state. Her emerald-green eyes shot out with intense hatred and a look of perplexity.

Unfortunately, she's Captain's…Mithor's throat moved.

As a man and a pirate, he often fantasized about Vice Admiral Ailment Tracy and red-haired Helene falling into his embrace at the same time, but of course, it was only his imagination.

The way he looks at me is disgusting…Klein nearly puked.

Although he knew that it was targeted at red-haired Helene and had nothing to do with him, he couldn't help but feel goosebumps.

In that instant, he got to know the real him a little deeper. He knew what things he couldn't accept at all.

"It really is her." Mithor turned his head and said to Kalat, "This is your reward."

He threw the tiny leather bag in his hand over to him.

Kalat did a brief inspection and threw it to his subordinate. He pondered for a second and said, "We still need your help."

"No problem. Seek out Ozil when needed." Mithor pointed to red-haired Helene in the room and asked, "I'll take her away, right?"

"Yes." Kalat made way once again.

Klein didn't wish to be helped by Mithor as he pretended to have regained some of his mobility while stumbling out.

Mithor was afraid of Vice Admiral Ailment Tracy, so he could only hold her by her shoulder and lead her to the carriage parked outside.

The carriage left the city and came to a private harbor. Mithor led Klein, who was disguised as red-haired Helene, onto a fishing boat which had been long prepared. Under the cover of the night, they left Bayam.

After about an hour, they saw a ship docked under the shadow of an island's cliff. Fluttering in the wind was a huge flag with white bones drawn on it.

Black Death!

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 581: Both Getting into Chapter and Detachment

Only a single Black Death… The other ships are anchored beyond the Rorsted Archipelago's confines because they're afraid of being discovered? This is good news…Klein retracted his gaze and deliberately bit his lip to express his agitation.

After taking a glance at Helene's side profile, Mithor lit a torch and began swinging it to signal to the flagship.

Before long, a dinghy came and took him and the disguised Klein back to the Black Death.

As the dinghy was being hoisted up, Klein boarded another pirate admiral's flagship. Under Mithor's lead, he entered the cabin.

Waiting for them up ahead was a blonde female attendant. She glanced at Helene with a cold stare before pointing sideways to the room.

"Go in."

This attitude… It's like meeting a love rival in the flesh… Both men and women fall to this Vice Admiral Ailment's charm…The cuffed Klein instantly increased his vigilance as he wore a heavy expression and followed the blonde female attendant into the room.

He originally believed that he would immediately meet Tracy and obtain a chance to meet her in private. He was already ready to strike, but apart from a wardrobe, sofa, and full-body mirror in a cramped carpeted room, there was nothing.

Could it be that Tracy has deliberately given Helene the cold shoulder to express her anger?Klein recalled the romance novels and contrived television serials he had previously watched while contemplating the reason for the Ailment Maiden's actions.

The blonde female attendant shot a glance at "Helene's" male attire that lacked the androgynous beauty to it due to the lack of makeup, took two quick steps, opened the wardrobe, and pointed to the dresses inside.

"Captain doesn't like your present attire. Change."

F*k…Klein cursed inwardly.

He originally imagined that he could be granted a meeting with Vice Admiral Ailment Tracy while looking like Helene and dressed as a male. He was thankful that he didn't need to overly humiliate himself to achieve his goal, but in the end, he didn't manage to escape this outcome that he wanted to avoid.

Seeing Helene standing there in a daze, the blonde female attendant glared at her.

"You have two choices. Either you change yourself, or I'll help you!"

Klein did one of red-haired Helene's habitual motions and inhaled slightly.

"Remove my cuffs."

He turned his body sideways and gestured with his chin towards the door.

"And go outside."

"Conniving whore…" the blonde female attendant cursed under her breath and used the key given to her by Mithor to release Helene from her cuffs.

After she left the room and closed the door, Klein walked to the wardrobe and stood there in a daze for twenty seconds.

Suddenly, he closed his eyes and extended his right hand.

After an unknown period of time, he came in front of the full-body mirror and saw Helene's red hair cascading down in the reflection. Her green eyes shimmered while she wore a golden-red dress. By her waist was a ribbon tied into a flower. It was pulled tight, accentuating her slender waist.

Helene's beautiful face was flushed red as her lips were tightly pursed. Her expression was heavy, looking very identical to the picture from before.

Klein looked at his present image and first felt somewhat embarrassed. However, he had gotten over it to a certain extent while changing. Besides, there wasn't anyone inside. Second, he gradually found a different feeling.

This wasn't to say that he was gradually liking such acts. Instead, while overcoming his mental aversion, he gained some form of detachment from his self-awareness. It felt like his soul had flown out of his body, allowing him to calmly observe "Helene" dressing up in female attire and adjusting her clothes through the mirror with a calm attitude. He believed this was a necessary step in his mission and that there was nothing embarrassing or odd about this.

Klein felt a baffling sense of familiarity as he tried hard to recall and compare this feeling, in a bid to fix it in place and gain an understanding of it.

Soon, he found the source. This was similar to him playing role-playing games. In it, he could choose a female character, carefully choosing the facial features and attire of the character, allowing the beauty to please his eyes.

There was nothing kinky or embarrassing while doing this. On the one hand, he was viewing it from an angle of a god through the screen, making his attitude detached; and on the other hand, he was seriously acting and going through the plot. By combining the two perfectly and not distinguishing between them, he didn't have any aversion to it because he was playing a game.

This…Klein suddenly opened his half-closed eyes, feeling like this was the Faceless state he had been searching for!

He could act as anyone, but he was still only himself.

As he got into character and worked hard to act, he could detach his feelings and observe things calmly. By making comparisons, he could figure himself out and find his true self!

It's both getting into character and detachment… This is the actual application of the Faceless's main principle.Klein suddenly felt at peace as the remnant embarrassment coexisted with his changed attitude.

With a detached attitude, as though he was playing a role-playing game, he observed himself in the full-body mirror and tried hard to find any flaws.

Thankfully, I got Danitz to get two sets of female clothing to study the way it's all put together. Otherwise, there's no way I could wear them so quickly and normally as a first timer. It will be easy to expose any flaws. Heh, this is called professionalism. Women's clothing sure is complicated… From the perspective of a Faceless, there are many flaws in Helene's facial features and contours. She might be beautiful, but it's definitely nothing I call stunning… Yes, with this state of mind, I can clearly feel the potion digesting…Klein looked at himself in the mirror as though he was looking at a character named Helene.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

The blonde female attendant banged on the door and asked impatiently, "Are you not done?"

Klein's face instantly sank, as though she hadn't returned him the ten thousand pounds she owed him.

He maintained this state as he walked to the door and pulled it open.

The blonde female attendant shot him a glance and raised the handcuffs.

"Put your hands to your back.

"You're now a prisoner!"

As red-haired Helene was on the Black Death, she wasn't afraid that she would bring her any harm. All she wanted was to humiliate her as much as she could.

Klein grunted and half-turned his body, putting his hands to his back. He felt relaxed because the woman wasn't paying too much attention to his attire.

After putting on the cuffs, he was led by the blonde female attendant to the entrance of the captain's cabin.

The door was half open, allowing a fragrance of warmth emanate outside. It wasn't too strong, but it was sufficiently long-lasting. It was a scent that kept pulling one back as they would involuntarily wish to head to bed for pleasure.

The blonde female attendant knocked on the door and was just about to say a word when a gloomy but sufficiently beautiful female voice sounded from the inside.

"Let her come in alone."

The blonde attendant's face instantly sank as she pushed open the door, signaling with her eyes for Klein to enter.

The moment of truth is here…Klein took a deep breath and stepped into the room.

The door behind him closed with a thud, isolating the inside from the outside.

Klein walked across the thick carpet and, using the candlelight from the golden candle racks, saw a rather beautiful lady sitting behind a desk while leaning back. She was wearing beige trousers with her feet extended diagonally while crossed.

Her brows were long and straight, and her azure-blue eyes were sharp and bright. She wore a white linen shirt, allowing her intimate body to faintly peek through. Raven-black curled hair cascaded down to hide the critical bits, making Klein instantly feel uncomfortable.

Upon seeing red-haired Helene enter, Vice Admiral Ailment Tracy raised her left hand and asked with an ambiguous smile, "Tell me, how should I punish you?"

She held a black leather whip in her hand.

… Ma'am, there's always room for discussion…Klein lampooned to resist his discomfort.

His eyes first moved upwards before leveling towards her. He said without a hint of emotion, "Returning to this place is already the greatest punishment. Anything else is just a bonus."

"You're as stubborn as usual, yet always so indecisive…" Tracy stood up. She was tall and slender, and under the illumination of the candlelight, her figure's shadows danced with extreme charm.

She held back her smile and walked towards red-haired Helene, with the leather whip in her left hand. She didn't have an ounce of doubt.

During this process, Klein noticed that she wore a bangle with inlaid diamonds on her right wrist.

The mystical item described by Helene? It can reduce most forms of damage?Klein, who had originally planned to take action the moment the gap between them narrowed, held back his urge.

"Oh, they cuffed you. That's nice. We haven't played such a game before," Tracy said with a smile, but her azure-blue eyes seemed to be a stormy ocean that was gathering strength.

Ma'am, your lines are quite terrible…Klein pursed his lips tightly and didn't say a word.

Tracy came in front of him and raised her right hand to slide down his cheek.

"Returning is the greatest punishment?"

As she spoke, her eyes turned misty, looking extremely alluring.

"You usually don't seem to think so. Although you always resist in the beginning, you're often more passionate than me towards the end…"

Before she finished her sentence, Klein pulled out his left hand from the handcuff, and he grabbed the bangle on her wrist in a manner that was as fast as lightning. He then violently swiped it down!

At the same time, that hand turned a shade of gold. Klein's green and deep eyes suddenly lit up with two bolts of lightning.

This was Creeping Hunger! This was Psychic Piercing!

And the ability to pull his hand out of the cuffs was a Magician power. It was the Bone Softening power which Klein very seldom used!

He had long made plans and preparation for what he would do after infiltrating. It was to find a chance to be alone with Vice Admiral Ailment Tracy and assassinate her without holding back.

Only by doing so did he have a chance of defeating a pirate admiral. Only by doing so could he severely injure and capture her.

And even if it couldn't be done, he didn't mind killing her. He was already very accustomed to channeling spirits above the gray fog. He wasn't afraid of not being able to obtain the intelligence he needed. A human trafficker didn't deserve any pity!

In addition, in order to prevent himself from tripping himself up, he only brought the most difficult-to-detect Creeping Hunger, which was good at disguising itself. The other mystical items were placed in the mysterious space above the gray fog. Furthermore, he was on the Black Death with several opposing Beyonders on board. He had to finish the battle as quickly as possible!

This was also to avoid being taken down by Tracy's ailment powers.

The longer he fought her, the worse the ailments inflicted on him would be!

In that instant, the bangle with inlaid diamonds was removed from Tracy's wrist. Klein's green eyes flashed with lightning while the beautiful and charming Vice Admiral Ailment remained in a daze. All she did was instinctively dodge.

She couldn't believe that Helene would attack her, or dare believe that she possessed such reactions and abilities.

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 582: "Provocation"

Tracy saw two bolts of lightning light up in Helene's beautiful emerald-like eyes as the blinding silver occupied her entire vision.

Her beautifully contoured chin was suddenly lifted as though she was about to let out a tragic scream.

However, she stiffened on the spot, shattering like a mirage. The full-body mirror placed in the room cracked and quickly crumbled, scattering to the floor.

Mirror Substitution Spell!

Tracy's figure, in her pure white shirt, beige trousers, and black leather boots, appeared in the corner where the full-body mirror was located. Before she could catch her breath, she heard heavy footsteps and saw red-haired Helene's dress fluttering to the back as she charged forward like a chariot. The glove she wore on her left hand was pale and gloomy green.

Klein had already switched to a Zombie state. His muscles were taut, and his strength had increased substantially.

His sleeves fluttered as he clenched his fist tightly before throwing it at Vice Admiral Ailment Tracy like an iron hammer.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Although he continued maintaining Helene's appearance, his actions were like a ferocious beast's. He was fierce and formidable. As he bombarded Tracy with his punches and kicks, all she could do was desperately parry his attacks without having the time to use other Beyonder powers.

If a Demoness of Affliction's corresponding Sequence 9 wasn't Assassin, allowing her to have extraordinary combat skills and dodging capabilities, this barrage of attacks would've left her heavily injured.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Klein's fist emanated a white, frosty air, causing Tracy to tremble with every time she made contact. Gradually, ice began to form on the surface of her body.

This was a Zombie's mastery of frost powers!

Seeing her blood gradually stiffen, Tracy didn't hesitate and took the blow.

Her lips turned pale as her mouth opened slightly as she let out a formless scream.

Accompanied by this scream, a blue illusory halo surged out from her body. It left stacked layers of frost in its wake.

In just one or two seconds, both of them found themselves in a frozen world. They were surrounded by thick and transparent ice, and there was loose frost blanketing the exterior. The two looked very close to one another, but they needed to break through the various obstructions to fight each other.

A smile appeared on Tracy's gallant and brilliant face as a silent black flame ignited within her body.

It quickly melted the surrounding ice as it began to launch a counterattack, allowing Ailment Maiden to grasp the advantage.

At this moment in time, she saw Helene, who was often frail and indecisive, snap her fingers without an expression.

A matchstick she hadn't noticed lit up as scarlet flames leaped. Instantly, it enveloped the red-haired figure's dress.

Tracy's pupils constricted as her spiritual intuition gave her an extreme sense of foreboding.

In the silent black flames behind her, Klein leaped out in the form of Helene. He extended both his arms and hugged Tracy, locking her arms in the process.

At the same time, he opened his mouth and shouted, "Bang!"

A formless Air Bullet shot out with might that exceeded that of a revolver. It was comparable to the latest rifle models.

It passed through the void and accurately hit the back of Tracy's head.

Oof!

The bullet drilled through her skull, but Vice Admiral Ailment's figure suddenly contracted, turning into a broken black staff.

Magic Staff Substitution Spell!

Tracy rapidly appeared diagonally across him. The buttons on her shirt dropped as she revealed a mesmerizing view of fair skin.

However, what caught Klein's attention wasn't that but the blood on her palm!

While Klein restrained Tracy, she had clawed behind her, ripping off a piece of fabric and injuring his thigh.

At this moment, Tracy quickly opened and closed her mouth twice as illusory black flames appeared from her palms to burn the blood.

This was black magic, a Witch's curse!

Klein couldn't help but tremble. A black flame ignited from within, from his soles to the top of his head. He was rapidly reduced to paper shreds.

Just as he appeared in another corner, he felt countless invisible spider webs swirl towards him. Some were hard and attempted to bind him, while others were soft, in a bid to stimulate different parts of his body. Klein, who was a Beyonder who acted extremely calm during combat, felt his heart race as his ears heated up. His body turned numb and sore, having the discomfort of a cold while having the urge to have his blood surge downwards.

Compared to Madam Sharon from Tingen City, Tracy's spiderweb was far more terrifying!

Klein didn't dare to underestimate it as he immediately snapped his fingers.

The snap ignited all the surrounding spiderwebs as scarlet flames extended from where they came from and surged towards Tracy like a tidal wave.

Back in Tingen, Klein already knew that the spiderwebs from a Demoness of Pleasure were weak against fire!

Instantly, the middle of the room became a huge ignited web. Tracy was caught by surprise as the flames swept towards her.

"Humph!" She exhaled as an eerie blue illusory light surged outwards and froze her within a transparent but gigantic crystal.

The scarlet flames surged over and kept melting the ice, but it gradually weakened.

Klein didn't pick up the diamond-inlaid bangle, because he wasn't sure what negative side effects it might have.

To rashly use a mystical item without sufficient comprehension of it was highly likely to be harmful rather than beneficial!

He straightened his body and opened his arms, letting his left glove be dyed in the lustrous glow of the sun.

Priest of Light!

At that instant, Tracy, who was hiding inside the ice, felt that that extremely familiar Helene wore a holy luster. In between her brows, an unprecedented tenacity surged out. She was pretty and no longer frail. Like a blooming sunflower, she was like a flower of war stained with blood.

Tracy shouted with a clearly hoarse voice, "Who are you?

"Why don't you dare to show yourself!?"

While wearing a dress, using my own looks would look so odd. It's more suitable to use Helene's appearance…Klein detached himself as this thought flashed through his mind.

Following that, he praised the sun.

A magnificent pure beam of light descended with golden flames swirling around it. It completely blanketed the ice and Tracy.

As the ice rapidly melted and vanished at a discernible pace, the bright and holy light dimmed before disintegrating.

The color in Tracy's face drained as she did a somersault and agilely dodged Klein's Psychic Piercing from his switch to the Interrogator soul, letting whatever damage she received happen inside the beam of light.

The Light of Holiness was strong against the undead and corrupt, so it was only considered an ordinary Sequence 5 strike on a Demoness.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Tracy did multiple somersaults and dodged Klein's Air Bullets, leaving holes in the carpet.

As she rolled, her figure vanished from her enemy's sight.

A Demoness's invisibility…Klein bent his back slightly as he was on high guard. He then used his spiritual perception and his sense of danger as a Clown to seek out Tracy's location.

However, he was unable to find her in that short amount of time. Furthermore, his forehead was heating up and his lungs were burning. His throat hurt and itched. He nearly couldn't keep himself from coughing any longer.

No, I can't let this drag out any longer!Klein's thoughts raced as he suddenly laughed deeply. He then used a stiff male's voice and said, "Helene told me your secrets.

"She also told me all of her secrets…"

Before he finished his sentence, his spiritual perception was triggered. This was because he discovered an intense emotional fluctuation in a particular corner. The emotions of rage and hatred were impossible to hide from him.

Klein immediately turned around and looked over.

Instantly, layers of golden scales appeared on his left glove. His eyes were tainted with a pale gold color as his pupils turned vertical.

Silently, Tracy's figure was outlined as she wore a painful and twisted expression.

Her extremely feminine raven-black curly hair grew uncontrollably as they spread in every direction.

Psychiatrist's Frenzy!

Tracy, whose emotions had been stirred, nearly broke down when faced with such an attack. She temporarily lost her reasoning.

Klein took the opportunity and snapped his fingers.

An Air Bullet crossed the distance between them, heading straight for Tracy's face that remained beautiful despite the twisted expression.

Suddenly, a wisp of thick, raven-black hair swept over, changing the trajectory of the Air Bullet. It struck Tracy in the left shoulder, causing her clothes to tear and blood to spurt. Even her bones were exposed.

"Ah!"

Tracy let out a shrill cry as immense amounts of black flames spewed out of her body and enveloped her.

Following that, thick ice crystals formed outside the black flames.

Beyond it, raven-black curly hair that frantically grew wrapped Tracy, the black flames, and the ice in thick layers. It seemed to form a gigantic cocoon made of human hair.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Klein's Air Bullets shot out one after another, but they only penetrated the black hair and got stuck in the ice.

He paused and made his left glove emit the brilliance of the sun.

At that moment, his throat itched. Unable to control himself any further, he began coughing violently. He failed to produce the attacks he was preparing to deliver.

Inside the black-haired cocoon, Tracy had recovered her senses. She raised her voice and shouted sharply, "Enemy assault!

"Enemy assault!"

At that instant, Klein paused for a second. In his moment of adrift thoughts, he felt as though he had returned to Backlund, returning to the first time he encountered the Devil dog. He knew he wasn't its match and could only shout "murder" and "save me," before successfully escaping from the danger.

At that moment in time, Tracy's cries had the same effect.

Even if there weren't a dozen Beyonders on the Black Death, the number was close to that. Furthermore, there were relatively many Beyonders of relatively high Sequences.

Indeed, killing a pirate admiral in a short period of time is too difficult, even if it's an assassination…Klein coughed twice and snapped his fingers. He stopped attacking and hesitating. He turned and ran for the window in the captain's cabin.

The last thing he noticed was the diamond-inlaid bangle, but he didn't dare to retrieve it.

Firstly, he was afraid that the severe negative effects would affect his escape, and secondly, he was afraid that Tracy would be able to lead a bunch of Beyonders to pursue him with the help of the item's location after she recovered. A pursuit at sea would then unfold.

I can't be greedy!Klein turned his head and smashed through the window and fell onto the deck.

Two pirates happened to come over as they thrust their cutlasses forward.

Oof! Oof!

Their cutlasses pierced through a paper figurine.

Klein's figure instantly appeared behind one of the pirates, as he extended his left hand, opening up a ferocious and creepy mouth on his palm.

Creeping Hunger bit down on its "food" while Klein lifted the pirate up before other Beyonders rushed over. He took wide steps and ran to the shipboard. Under gunfire, he plunged into the dark sea under the night sky.

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 583: Contingency Plan

The ice-cold water instantly inundated Klein, drenching his golden-red dress and making him sink like a rock.

At the same time, Creeping Hunger had already finished eating the pirate, lightening his load.

Klein didn't attempt to float up and had instead continued sinking downwards. He could faintly hear splashing sounds across the distant waves. Apparently, pirates from the Sailor pathway had engaged in pursuit.

This was their home ground!

They could act like fish in such environments for a very long period of time!

Klein wasn't alarmed. As a Magician who never performed unprepared, he had obviously thought of his escape plans if he met with failure. After all, there was nothing guaranteed about such matters.

To do his best acting as Helene and not be discovered by Vice Admiral Ailment Tracy, he had not only left the other mystical items and cash above the gray fog, but he had even done so for the charms that came under the water and wind domain that he recently made. However, this didn't affect him. As a god, a Blessed, and a believer trinity, he had many miraculous methods to deal with the corresponding situation.

He quickly made Creeping Hunger turn pale and be dyed in a gloomy green. The surrounding seawater froze, forming layers of frost.

Before the frost completely turned into ice, Klein spread his wing muscles and spread out his arms. With the strength of a Zombie, he shattered the frost, sending them slightly further away.

This way, he temporarily produced a narrow space that didn't have any seawater around him.

The water instantly surged backwards to fill the space. Klein extended his left palm and released the terrifying cold and spread it out, creating layers of ice walls.

For a brief moment, he seemed to be encased in an ice prison. He could stand in it and produce sound, but he was only limited to that tiny space.

Klein immediately took tiny steps in a counterclockwise fashion while murmuring "Blessings Stem From The Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth," before rapidly letting his Spirit Body go above the gray fog.

Just as his body appeared at The Fool's high-back chair, he immediately picked up the Sea God Scepter which he had placed on the table.

Without needing to identify anything, he selected the point of light representing Gehrman Sparrow who had recently been promoted to a believer of Sea God. Through a previously established connection, he raised the short milky-white scepter and made the blue "gems" on it emit a blurry luster.

He replied to his "believer" and augmented himself with all sorts of spells, including but not limited to underwater breathing, freedom of movement, and pressure resistance.

Finally, he used a paper angel to interfere with any divination. He then ordered the nearby undersea creatures to help protect Gehrman Sparrow's escape.

After doing all of this, Klein didn't delay and had immediately returned to the real world and gained control of his body.

At that moment, the seawater's pressure had crushed the constantly melting ice wall and had retaken that "independent" space.

However, Klein could already breathe easily and swim rapidly.

Through the rippling but crystalline water, he saw fishes swimming towards him. A dark shadow rose up from beneath his feet as an unknown behemoth rapidly rose.

It was a strange brownish-red creature that looked like a squid. It was so massive that its tentacles were enough to bind an entire ship.

It spewed black ink and instantly dyed the surrounding sea black. The few Sailor pathway Beyonders who were pursuing Klein instantly saw black as their bodies turned numb.

Unclear of what was happening, they immediately floated to the surface and dealt with the abnormalities in their bodies.

By the time they dived down again to find the enemy, they had already lost track of Klein.

At this moment, Klein was swimming at the bottom of the sea with great satisfaction; he even had the time to divert his attention to recall his failed operation and reflect on what he had done.

I had sufficient preparations to act as Helene. Even Tracy, who had shared numerous nights with her on the same bed, couldn't instantly see through me. It accelerated the digestion of the potion.

During this process, I still had to overcome my aversion and find a way to both get into character and be detached. This was extremely helpful to the digestion of the potion.

I basically did the best I could for the battle. It can be considered a prepared performance, but I underestimated the strength of a Sequence 5 Demoness of Affliction and the experience of someone who inched her way to becoming Vice Admiral Ailment. Even though she lost her mystical item in the beginning, just my present strength and my mystical item weren't enough to kill her quickly, unless I had used the Sea God Scepter… But this is around the Rorsted Archipelago.

Through today's battle, I can clearly tell that I lack a mystical item with powerful offensive abilities…

Facing the reality of a failed mission, Klein was no doubt somewhat disappointed. However, he wasn't depressed, because this wasn't the end of this matter. He planned on writing to Mr. Azik to see if he was interested in the ancient chronicles related to Death and if he had the time to pay a visit.

Before Klein left the captain's cabin, he had snapped his fingers to ignite the male clothing he had left in the changing room, as well as any hair or skin he had left behind. This was to make it seem like he didn't wish to leave any traces, but it was in fact a form of concealment and deceit.

What he was concealing was the hair and button he had secretly thrown into a particular room without anyone noticing after he entered the cabin.

Having wiped away any traces of himself, Vice Admiral Ailment Tracy would mistakenly believe that the assassin was afraid of exposing himself because of the fear of suffering a remote curse. Then, it would be difficult for her to seriously get the pirates to check for any remnant items.

With the hair and button, Klein could use divination to lock onto the location of the Black Death up to a certain amount of time. This way, as long as Mr. Azik was willing, he could bring him to Vice Admiral Ailment Tracy.

Sigh, I originally thought I wouldn't need Mr. Azik's help. I thought I could succeed just by myself, alone. Ultimately, I fell just short… Klein sighed and felt a blow to his self-esteem.

This was one of the reasons why he didn't seek Mr. Azik's help in the beginning. The other reason was that he wasn't certain that Tracy was in possession of the ancient chronicles related to Death. If she really didn't have it, it would be rather awkward to have Mr. Azik make a trip for nothing. Furthermore, he was worried that even with Mr. Azik's help, that he would still need to act as Helene to find the Black Death and Tracy. He still needed to wear her clothes and use himself as bait.

That would be too embarrassing to do it in front of someone he knew!

In fact, if it wasn't to obtain intelligence and solely to eliminate Vice Admiral Ailment Tracy, it would've been a lot simpler. Once I swim back to Bayam and go above the gray fog, I simply need to lock onto their location and use the Sea God Scepter to create a storm…

This isn't to say that a huge area-of-attack blast will definitely kill Tracy on the spot, but it will attract Sea King Jahn Kottman's attention. When the time comes, the Black Death's location would be exposed to the Church of Storms… Sea King will happily take down Ailment Maiden…

Klein shook his head with self-deprecating mockery. With his Seer's spiritual intuition guiding him, he rapidly swam towards the shore.

…

On the Black Death, Tracy removed her layers of defense and walked to the diamond-inlaid bangle, in her damaged, blood-stained clothes. She bent down to pick it up.

What a cautious attacker. I might not even be comparable to her back when I was an assassin… No, him… Tracy suddenly clenched her teeth.

This wasn't because she nearly died at his hands, but because he had sensed that the man had done something to Helene.

According to the way Emperor Roselle put it, she suspected that there was something green 1 growing on her head.

"Helene, are you really that cold and heartless? No, perhaps she was forced." Tracy turned her head to look at the nasty wound on her left shoulder as she felt the heart-wrenching pain.

If not for the strengthening of her physique brought about by the Assassin and Instigator Sequence, with a significant enhancement in subsequent Sequences, just that one blow alone could've made her lose her entire arm. She would be like those pirates who had their arms blown off by rifles.

As the blood flowed and stained her vision red, Tracy got the blonde female attendant to enter and use her abilities to help her deal with her injuries while instructing the surrounding pirates who had their eyes fixated on her to search for any items the attacker had left behind.

Unfortunately, the pirates informed her that all of his clothes had been automatically destroyed.

This made Tracy recall the snap the enemy had made before he left. She sighed once again.

"How careful.

"Furthermore, he's not one bit greedy. If he had taken the bangle, then I wouldn't need to worry about not catching up to him."

Tracy waved her hand, motioning for most of the pirates to leave, leaving behind Wormtongue Mithor King and a few high-ranking members of the crew.

"Third Mate, go to Bayam again. Perform a thorough investigation to figure out where the Resistance found that Helene," Tracy ordered in a solemn voice.

With great difficulty, Mithor retracted his gaze from his captain's chest.

"Alright!"

Tracy thought for a moment and added, "Spread this matter. Say that I'm seriously injured and will not be able to recover anytime soon.

"Also, First Mate, immediately set sail. Don't stay here any longer."

As she issued orders, silence was quickly restored around Tracy.

Only at this point did she have the time to figure out which faction the attacker came from, why he would attack her, and what motives he had…

Unfortunately, the more Tracy thought, the more puzzled she became. She had no idea what the truth was. Although she had many enemies, none of them possessed similar powers.

Finally, she found a clue as she muttered to herself, "Creeping Hunger?"

…

In the middle of the night, in a private harbor on Blue Mountain Island.

Standing by the receding and advancing waves was a female figure. She was none other than Klein, who was still disguised as Helene.

He circled under the water and quickly came onto shore. He infiltrated the house of a nearby fisherman and got some tattered clothes to change into before changing back into Gehrman Sparrow.

Leaving behind the rather expensive dress as compensation, Klein rapidly left the private harbor and returned to the City of Generosity, Bayam, before daybreak.

He wasn't in a rush to meet up with Danitz. Instead, he found a random motel to stay in. He used a ritual and brought back Azik's copper whistle, other mystical items, and cash back to the real world.

After confirming that he could divine the location of the Black Death, he blew the copper whistle.

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 584: Scapegoat

After lowering the copper whistle, Klein had already activated his Spirit Vision.

He saw illusory white bones being weakly thrown up from the ground as they slowly formed a gigantic figure. If the past scenes were like a fountain in a fantasy setting, then this was more like the flow from an ordinary reversed tap.

The corners of Klein's mouth moved indiscernibly as he pretended as though he hadn't noticed anything amiss.

After a few seconds, the skeleton messenger finally took form. Its nearly four meters body tore through the ceiling once again as the pitch-black flames in its eye sockets burned silently.

Klein folded the letter he had finished writing and threw it up.

He described in detail the tycoon, Jimmy Necker, in the letter. He mentioned the connections between the Death chronicles found in the Southern Continent's Balam Empire's mausoleum, as well as the connection the item had with Vice Admiral Hurricane Qilangos and Vice Admiral Ailment Tracy. He also mentioned how he had successfully sneaked in, and although his assassination had failed, he had left behind something that could be used to determine the location of the Black Death.

Of course, he didn't go into detail how he sneaked in. He had only roughly recounted Vice Admiral Ailment Tracy's combat techniques and style.

After the messenger caught the letter with a swipe that could send an adult human flying, Klein coughed and cleared his throat.

"I already have a messenger."

The pitch-black flames in the skeleton messenger's sockets clearly flickered before its body collapsed like a waterfall before drilling into the parquet.

You don't have to be afraid of becoming my messenger anymore, right? Am I that detestable to your kind? Yes… These messengers from the Underworld probably can't bear to leave Mr. Azik. After all, that's a direct descendant of Death. There might not even be any skip in the generational line. You want to cozy up with someone powerful. I get it!Klein was just about to pack up and check out when his nose itched suddenly and sneezed.

Achoo! Achoo! Cough! Cough! Cough!

Mucus flowed out as he coughed. His forehead slowly but decisively began burning with heat.

Oh no. Vice Admiral Ailment's ailment is still lingering in my body. And I confronted a 10C cold wind in order to return to Bayam. I really fell ill as a result…Klein used inferior tissue paper to wipe his mucus, contemplating whether to summon himself and act using a Spirit Body state, so that his physical body could heal by itself.

After serious consideration, he believed that it was impossible. Firstly, his physical condition would clearly affect his Spirit Body's condition. The two were closely related in some magical manner. Secondly, if he ignored it, his physical condition would definitely worsen.

I'm becoming a little dazed from the fever…Klein touched his forehead and prepared to return to the Wind of Azure Inn to meet up with Danitz. Then, he had to consider if he should head to a hospital or clinic to buy some medicine.

…

In the Berg household in the City of Silver.

Derrick finally obtained the Radiance Spirit Pact Tree fruit from Ma'am Hermit, and he successfully concocted the Solar High Priest potion.

It was golden in color and had a scorching hot temperature. When Derrick drank it, he felt the burning sensation in his throat.

His eyes lit up suddenly as they grew brighter like there were two miniature suns hidden in them.

His body radiated concentric ripples of pure light as his exposed skin protruded to form black patterns that were visible to the naked eye.

At the same time, his body hair grew longer, as though they were changing into feathers that were swirling with golden flames.

Derrick knew that there would be similar changes when consuming a potion at Sequence 7. He didn't panic or become flustered. He clenched his teeth and repeatedly recalled that pain of him personally killing his parents and the hope that arose from the depths of his heart after meeting Mr. Fool. Despite being on the brink of losing control, he managed to persevere through it.

After a while, everything abnormal about him was restored back to normal. However, the air he exhaled was mixed with the warmth of the sun.

He felt that his body had become stronger again, and he had some considerable resistance against ailments and treacherous environments.

However, that wasn't the main point. Derrick liked the various theurgical knowledge that appeared in his mind.

They included Fire of Light, Horror Immunity, Holy Oath, Cleave of Purification, Sun Halo, Holy Light Summoning, Holy Water Creation, etc.

Derrick paced around in delight as he felt that the related theurgical spells he had were very suitable for him in dealing with the evil monsters that hid in the dark.

He didn't hide the news and immediately ran to the twin towers and recorded the information of his advancement.

This way, after a preliminary inspection, he would have the qualifications to helm a small patrolling team as its captain. He could come into contact with more of the City of Silver's information.

This includes the method to removing the mental corruption of a Beyonder characteristic, which Mr. World wants…While Derrick was answering the registration clerk's various questions, he couldn't help but recall the promise that he hadn't been able to fulfill all this time.

Owing something to others often left him uneasy and uncomfortable. And now, he could finally see the light that could restore his calm.

…

In the Amyris Leaf Bar, Wormtongue Mithor King was holding a cup of red wine. He sat across from the elderly Strongman Ozil, crossed his right leg, and leisurely asked, "Did you figure out anything specific?"

He had been instructed by his captain, Vice Admiral Ailment Tracy, to return to Bayam and investigate the fake Helene. For this, he found Ozil who had originally issued the mission. He couldn't directly seek out the Resistance, because there was a small chance that they were cooperating with the fake Helene. To question them in person was no different from directly bringing his head to the governor-general's office in exchange for the bounty reward.

Ozil pulled a chair and sat down.

"They didn't hide anything, but I can't be sure if they're speaking the truth or not. As you know, I prefer using fists rather than brains.

"They said that Helene was brought over by Blazing Danitz. He represented Vice Admiral Iceberg and hoped to establish a cooperative relationship with the Resistance. They wanted to provide a certain amount of help, and Helene was a way to express their goodwill."

"Blazing Danitz? Vice Admiral Iceberg…" Mithor ruminated over the two names as his expression slowly turned solemn.

He leaned back into his chair as he knitted his brows bit by bit.

As one of Vice Admiral Hurricane's former captains, he was now the third mate of Vice Admiral Ailment's flagship. He was no stranger to the other pirate admirals, and he knew that Vice Admiral Iceberg was powerful and had a rich collection. With just one ship and a few subordinates, she was able to resist the other pirate admirals. In terms of strength, she was a little stronger than two of his bosses. More pertinently, Vice Admiral Iceberg seldom involved herself in the conflict between pirates. She sought information and explored the unknown to seek out treasure. She was more like an adventurer than a pirate.

Why would she suddenly want to assassinate Captain? This doesn't suit her character… She previously suffered a setback because of Admiral of Blood's rumors. She should be focusing on seeking revenge on him…Mithor took a sip of red wine as he rubbed his forehead with his other hand.

He temporarily stopped thinking about Vice Admiral Iceberg, and he placed his attention on Blazing Danitz.

As he carefully recalled, his pupils suddenly shrank. He discovered that there were some recent problems regarding this fourth boatswain of the Golden Dream he was familiar with.

He laid a trap and killed Steel Maveti, Blood Brambles Hendry, and Calm Squall. His bounty was raised to 4,200 pounds, and in a short period of time, he got embroiled in some matter, causing his bounty to rise again, reaching 5,500 pounds. This has already exceeded my bounty…Mithor thought to himself silently as Blazing Danitz's figure surfaced before him. He found him mysterious and terrifying.

He advanced? Or did he receive some great benefits because of something?Mithor leaned forward and put down the cup.

He whispered seriously, "I originally treated his bounty increase as a joke.

"But reality has informed me that Blazing Danitz is a great pirate worthy of a 5,500-pound bounty!"

Mithor looked up and said to Strongman Ozil, "Help me seek out intel on Blazing. The recent ones!"

…

In the luxurious suite in the Wind of Azure Inn.

When Danitz opened the door and saw Gehrman Sparrow, he glanced around warily before making way.

"How was it? Did the hunt succeed?" he asked in excitement and curiosity after closing the door.

Vice Admiral Ailment is a famous beauty. Back when I saw her, she was even more charming than I imagined. What a pity if she were to just die like that. She should be locked up forever without parole… Pui! How can she be prettier than Captain? Those with looks like her are plenty in the Red Theater!Contradictory thoughts ran through Danitz's head.

Klein clenched his fist and placed it to his mouth before coughing violently.

After calming down, he answered coldly, "Almost."

"What a pity…" Danitz sighed.

But deep down, he was thinking,This madman, Gehrman Sparrow, is really strong!

He infiltrated the Black Death to assassinate Vice Admiral Ailment but was only just fell short of success. Even though he failed, he successfully returned almost without any injuries!

One had to know that the reason why every pirate admiral was famous throughout the Five Seas, being second only to the Four Kings, wasn't only because they themselves were strong; it was also because they represented a crew, a force to be reckoned with. They had many Beyonders under them. To be able to escape from the Black Death after a failed assassination had indicated that Gehrman Sparrow was in no way weaker than any pirate admiral!

Is Creeping Hunger really that powerful? No, even if I were in his shoes and had Creeping Hunger, I wouldn't be able to go that far…Danitz was increasingly convinced that his choice of not resisting during his first encounter with Gehrman Sparrow was extremely wise.

Klein coughed twice again and prepared to instruct Danitz to buy some medicine for him from the hospital.

He then recalled that the cause of his illness was complicated. The medicine provided to him without a doctor's careful examination might not be effective. Even the many medicines that Emperor Roselle had previously invented were the same.

If it wasn't because it's impossible to use the gray fog to establish a remote treating system, I really wish that I could consult Emlyn White to make me some medicine…Klein went to the washroom to wash up and change into his original clothes and burn the clothes he obtained from the fisherman.

Upon seeing him come out, Danitz went over with a paper bag and said in a sycophantic manner, "This is the 700 pounds they gave."

At this point, he and Klein heard someone knock on the door. It was Captain Elland.

When the captain rushed into the room, he gave Gehrman Sparrow a deep look and suppressed his voice.

"I planned on returning to Pritz Harbor, but I received a piece of intel.

"Something huge seemed to have happened at Bansy Harbor."

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 585: Buying Medicine

The Church of Storms has finally taken action on Bansy Harbor? Klein clenched his fist and placed it to his mouth before coughing. He asked calmly without any qualms, "What happened?"

Elland didn't notice any abnormal reaction from Gehrman Sparrow. He retracted his gaze and surveyed the area.

"I don't know what exactly happened. I only know that it might've involved the upper echelons of the Church of Storms.

"And for a period of time before that, all routes that lead to Bansy Harbor were canceled. This might've been a so-called omen."

Involved the upper echelons of the Church of Storms? No, it should be the most elite forces. I suspect that the pontiff of the Church of Storms, that Grounded Angel, had personally taken action. He might've even used a Grade 0 Sealed Artifact. After all, he might be facing a King of Angels, one that's even older than the Fourth Epoch, as well as "His" descendants… Klein nodded and calmly asked, "What's the outcome?"

He wasn't the least bit surprised that the Church of Storms had only taken action on Bansy Harbor in the past few days. Even though the Mandated Punishers were known for being rash and irascible, there was still a protocol that needed to be followed for serious matters like this. For example, they needed to make a confirmation, evacuate a portion of innocent residents, or seal off the surrounding sea. All of this needed time.

Elland was unable to read Gehrman Sparrow's true emotions as he sighed with a smile.

"There won't be a Bansy Harbor for a very long period of time."

… As expected of the Church of Storms… Klein secretly clicked his tongue, feeling even more curious about the detailed process.

He wanted to know whether Red Angel Medici had appeared, and if "He" really was sleeping near Bansy Harbor. He wanted to know if "He" had been wiped out by the Church of Storms and wished to know what happened to the natives in Bansy Harbor. He wanted to know what it meant for them to speak in such a staccato manner, and he wished to know what secrets were hidden in the Green Lemon Restaurant and the telegraph office.

Unfortunately, with Bansy Harbor's destruction, it was difficult for him to obtain any actual answers.

Perhaps the internal record of the Church of Storms would mention them, but Klein had no way of getting them. With The Hanged Man's rank, there was no way he could gain access to such confidential information.

I'll have to nurture Mr. Hanged Man into a High-Sequence demigod before I can know the answers to my questions… Klein sighed silently and said without a change in expression, "That place is indeed very dangerous…"

Before he finished his sentence, his throat itched as he coughed violently.

"You fell ill?" Elland asked, puzzled.

He originally imagined that Gehrman Sparrow was like him, a Beyonder whose physique had been considerably enhanced. It was unlikely for Beyonders like them to fall ill before they grew weak from age. But from the looks of it, his previous guess might've been wrong.

Klein answered tersely without giving an explanation.

A question of no value or meaning… It would be odd if he isn't ill after an intense battle with Ailment Maiden… Danitz grumbled in contempt from the side.

Elland chuckled and said, "I can recommend you an Apothecary that's better than a hospital or clinic.

"That's his Beyonder job. He has a tiny herb store in the alley diagonally across Red Theater. Heh, he's known for selling male enhancements, but that's not what he's best at."

Does every Apothecary develop such medicine? That's right. It's absolutely one of the most profitable medicine based businesses. It's only odd not to do it if they're capable of doing it… Klein nodded slightly in response.

"Why haven't I heard of him?" Danitz asked, surprised.

"He only came to Bayam in the past few months. When was your last visit here in the City of Generosity?" Elland asked with a chuckle.

When I took your crappy boat… Danitz answered silently in his mind.

He carefully recalled and discovered that in the past few months, apart from this period of time, he had passed by Bayam once during the early days of his vacation. At other times, he was drifting out at sea in search of treasure. Otherwise, he was at other places or harbors enjoying himself, so it was true that he wasn't aware of any minor changes in the City of Generosity.

"I've already spent quite a few days in Bayam. I've been to the Red Theater several times, but I've not heard anything about this Apothecary! This can only serve to imply that his male enhancement medicines are limited in effect!" Danitz bragged as he said stubbornly.

Elland smiled and didn't debate with the great pirate. Instead, he said to Gehrman Sparrow, "If it's only an ordinary ailment, the Apothecary will only charge a slight premium.

"And for you, it doesn't matter if it's expensive. What's most important is to recover your health as quickly as possible. No adventurer wishes to stay in a sick state. This implies danger and that you might become the target of someone else. It implies the increased risk of losing control."

Indeed, maintaining a good state is a rather important matter for Beyonders. However, the price is still very important, alright? If that Apothecary were to charge 1,000 pounds, then I might as well buy medicine from the hospital. Or I can describe the situation of my illness and get that vampire, Emlyn White, to make me some medicine! Although I already have 6,000 pounds in savings and have several Beyonder characteristics, I still need to consider it. I still want to add a mystical item with lethal offensive power and seek out clues to the High-Sequence potion formula… Klein mumbled inwardly.

High-Sequence potion formulas were impossible to put a price on in this mysterious world. Therefore, Klein only thought of buying the relevant clues.

After Elland left, Klein took the 700 pounds and gave Danitz 200 pounds.

Wearing his hat and holding his cane, he coughed and wiped his snot before stepping out the door in preparation to take a carriage to the vicinity of the Red Theater.

Danitz was very curious about the Apothecary's medicine. He pasted two mustaches on his face, wore a cap, and followed. With Klein's guidance, he already knew that using a scarf to hide his face was an act that strongly attracted attention in Bayam. He took his advice to buy some fake mustaches.

…

In the alley diagonally across the Red Theater, the moment Klein entered, he saw a man furtively come out of a nameless herb store. The moment the man saw someone, he hurriedly lowered his head and rushed off.

Don't worry. We won't be guessing what medicine you're buying… Klein coughed twice again, increased his pace, and walked into the dark herb store.

He scanned the area and was surprised because the boss was someone he knew.

The boss was wearing a black robe that resembled a village witch doctor. He was in his thirties, with black hair and brown eyes. His face was round and his body chubby. He was none other than the chubby Apothecary who often liked to use sarcasm at the gathering held by Old Mister Eye of Wisdom in Backlund. Klein had once recognized him at a circus.

He stopped showing up at Old Mister Eye of Wisdom's Beyonder gathering because he left Backlund… Klein coughed and took two steps forward.

"Make some medicine for me."

On the chubby Apothecary's shoulder stood a round-eyed owl. The man and the bird looked up at the same time at Klein.

After a brief examination, the chubby Apothecary revealed a warm smile.

"Friend, it's cold outside. Don't do those deeds out in the open, although it's true that it can be rather exciting."

What the hell… Klein was first stumped before he understood what he was getting at.

When batting Tracy, I was influenced by her Pleasure powers. Blood flowed down to my nether regions, and my desires undulated. This resulted in my body emptying out, making it faster and easier for the ailment to strike me. When escaping, the ice-cold sea was fine since I had theurgical spells protecting me. But the wind on the way back was rather cold. It worsened my sickness. In conclusion, doesn't this look like getting sick as a result of having pleasure out in the open? As expected of a Apothecary; he has sharp eyes… Klein maintained a composed expression and just looked at him without answering him. All he did was wait for him to concoct the medicine.

Danitz turned his head to look out the herb store as he held back his laughter with great difficulty.

What dogsh*t Apothecary is this? He can't even distinguish the ailments released by Ailment Maiden! he thought in glee.

When the chubby Apothecary didn't get a response, he dully opened some cabinets, took out some common or strange herbs and insect carapaces, stuffed them into a paper bag, and handed it over.

"Put it all in water and cook it for half an hour. Drink the liquid that's left over.

"4 soli."

It's a little expensive… Klein glanced at Danitz.

The latter immediately took out the money automatically.

As the chubby Apothecary collected the money, he bent his back and suppressed his voice to say with a chuckle, "I have medicine that can make you stand out in that area. The kind that has mummy powder added. Need it? I guarantee you that you'll be satisfied.

"I know you might be very strong, but men always seek to be stronger."

Firstly, I need to have a girlfriend… Klein coldly shook his head and rejected the chubby Apothecary's recommendation.

The chubby Apothecary straightened his back in disappointment.

He turned his gaze and sized up the two before asking, "Are the both of you adventurers?"

"Yes," Klein answered simply.

The chubby Apothecary rubbed his hands and said, "I have a request, but you'll only be paid after completing it."

"How big is the reward?" Klein pinched his nose.

"100 pounds!" the chubby Apothecary shouted as his heart pained for the money. "Help me find someone. His name is Roy King. He's my teacher. He got me to meet him here, but I haven't seen him after waiting for months. And I have no way of contacting him."

"Is there a portrait—Cough! Or a photograph?" Klein inquired.

The chubby Apothecary took out a photograph from a secret pouch by his waist and handed it over.

It was of a relatively young man. His hair was neatly combed back and he wore glasses. He appeared very gentlemanly.

"Your teacher?" Klein asked.

I might believe it if you're the teacher…

The chubby Apothecary coughed dryly and said, "He's at least sixty, but he looks young."

A Beyonder power or a mystical item? Klein nodded in thought and began asking about the specifics.

After confirming that there weren't any items he could use to divine, he took the paper bag and left the store.

After he disappeared from the alley, the owl standing on the chubby Apothecary's shoulder suddenly said, "Darkwill, that guy might know you."

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 586: Farewell and Goodbye

"What? He knows me?" the chubby Apothecary, Darkwill, was alarmed as he whispered back.

The owl's round eyes looked ahead and said, "I noticed that he clearly paused for two seconds the moment he saw you when he came in."

"Perhaps he thinks someone like me doesn't match his image of an Apothecary?" the chubby Apothecary retorted.

The owl spread its wings and landed.

"Suit yourself if you wish to think so."

"… What books have you been reading recently?" The fat on the chubby Apothecary's face trembled.

The owl replied sternly and seriously, "My reading is based on your knowledge standards such as those involving soccer.

"Unfortunately, the words you grasp and can teach me are limited. I have no choice but to read popular novels that have a lower requirement on one's vocabulary.

"Besides, they're all serialized on the newspaper."

Darkwill chuckled.

"I'll buy a recipe cookbook later. It's called Guide to East Balam Bird Culinary Methods."

Without waiting for the owl to answer, his expression sank and he muttered to himself, "He knows me? He looks like the standard Loenese man. More than half his blood is at least Loen.

"I used a fake name to stay in a few cities in Loen. It's not odd to be recognized by him. But I still need to be on guard. If I don't receive any news about Old Man before March, then I have to leave this place…"

Having said that, he turned his head to look at the owl who was perched on his shoulder.

"At times, you're still rather useful."

"No, your eyes and your body language tells me that your real thoughts are 'darn it. I wanted to buy a pet that can help me beat monsters and gangsters. I sought out Beyonder ingredients of a potion recipe according to the standards of a dragon, but I ended up getting a silly bird who only knows how to read newspapers and plays. Darn it. I want to stuff another potion down its throat!'" the owl repeated like a parrot by mimicking the chubby Apothecary's tone.

Darkwill's expression stiffened for a few seconds before he chuckled.

"It's good that you know this, silly bird!

"If I didn't have the powers of a Beast Tamer, you wouldn't have even managed a single potion!"

Inside the herb store, the man and bird fell into silence.

After a while, the owl pretended as though nothing had happened as it asked, "Darkwill, is it really going to work? You've already entrusted this to dozens of adventurers."

"I'm not good at finding people, so I can only entrust it to someone else. Besides, they have to find and confirm Old Man's location before I make a payment. I don't even need to spend a single penny!" the chubby Apothecary tsked as he said before he sighed. "Old Man always calls himself a lucky person and a winner of fate. He should be fine…"

…

"Will the medicine brewed from this really be effective?" While returning to the Wind of Azure Inn via carriage, Danitz looked at the paper bag beside Klein.

The things inside were black herbs, strangely-shaped insect carapaces, and weirdly-colored flowers. It didn't seem like anything reliable.

Klein nodded.

"Yes."

"You haven't drunk it…" Danitz subconsciously retorted.

I trust him. Although his mouth stinks and is rather vile, he has a rather kind heart… Besides, Captain Elland believes that his medicine is sufficiently effective…As Gehrman Sparrow, Klein didn't respond to Danitz's doubts. He directly picked up the paper bag and threw it over.

Without needing any spoken words, Danitz knew what he meant. He was in charge of brewing the medicine.

Furthermore, he was accustomed to doing similar matters recently, so he didn't have any urges to resist.

After returning to the Wind of Azure Inn, Klein got a chair to sit in while he watched Danitz light up the fireplace and prop up a pot. He then added water and the herbs into it.

Leaning back, Klein felt his head feel groggy. He was very exhausted and felt like he could fall asleep at any moment.

In order to wait for the medicine to finish brewing and for him to quickly resolve his illness, he forced himself to consider various problems to combat the fatigue.

On careful consideration, during the battle with Vice Admiral Ailment, if I hadn't succeeded in sneaking in an attack on her and suppressing her from the very beginning, preventing her from getting into her rhythm until she eventually found a chance to force open a gap between us by turning invisible, then I might've not been her match.

The two powers of invisibility and ailments are really like a bug in a game. Matched with an Assassin's lethal strike, and the interference of pleasure, it really makes one unable to find and hit her or escape. One can only watch their body gradually weaken and become inflicted with all sorts of ailments. One can even get mesmerized and give up resisting…

On the one hand, it's because every Sequence 5 is very powerful. As expected of the Sequence just before a demigod. On the other hand, it's because Creeping Hunger's various powers aren't a good match. It cannot be considered to be multifaceted without any weaknesses.

Yes. The powers of a Sequence 5 Nimblewright Master of the Seer pathway is highly effective against invisibility…

I can try to help the chubby Apothecary find his teacher in the meantime, but without any information, with just a picture, I can only try my luck. I'll have to see when I can directly find a clue. After all, I'm not a god, and I can't find people remotely…

Wait, in a certain way, I am a god!

I can get Sea God believers to help find him. As long as that old gentleman named Roy King once visited Bayam, he would've definitely encountered others and be seen by them. Most native residents secretly believe in Sea God… This is what it means by a sea of people…

Also, before Captain Elland leaves Bayam, I should get him to introduce me to a point of contact for the military. In the future, I can get him to reimburse me for any intel. They can also check if there were any travelers named Roy King, who registered on any liners in recent months.

There's another method. I've placed the radio transceiver above the gray fog for some time. I should be able to contact the magic mirror, Arrodes, if I take it down. I was originally planning on asking for Helene's location, but I no longer need to find the red-haired lady anymore. I can switch to Roy King.

Hehe, for a matter which many adventurers have no clue on how to begin, I have three solutions!

…

Amidst his thoughts, Klein finally held on until the medicine was successfully brewed.

Looking at the bottle of blackish-green liquid that Danitz brought over, he hesitated for two seconds before extending his hand to receive it and placed it to his mouth.

Gulp!

Klein immediately felt his throat burn as his face flushed red.

This made him recall his attempt at eating crazy spicy food in his previous life.

Suddenly, his entire person awakened as his stuffy nose quickly cleared.

Gulp! Gulp…He barely finished drinking it and felt as though he had nearly recovered from his sickness.

By night time, he had fully recovered. He no longer showed any doubt towards an Apothecary's abilities.

No wonder the potion's name is ApothecaryKlein wore his hat and left the inn with Danitz. Under the cloak of night, they left Bayam and came to a secret harbor hidden on the other end of the jungle.

Tonight, the Golden Dream was providing aid to the Resistance.

After some coordination and hassle, Danitz used the Soulfall Ritual to contact Vice Admiral Iceberg Edwina.

After some time, the ship, that was often scrubbed clean and had a strange main cannon, docked by the private harbor. Its gigantic sails drew five types of gold coins. They were the gold pound of Loen, the gold hoorn of Feysac, the verl gold of Intis, the gold risot of Feynapotter, and the sassen gold of Lenburg.

This was the flag of the Golden Dream, it was also the symbol of this pirate crew.

It's still not professional enough. If it were me, I would add porter gold from Masin, złoty from Segar, motif gold coins from Balam Empire, etc…Klein stood by the side with his hands in his pocket as he watched Edwina Edwards appear at the bow.

At that moment, she was wearing a hunter's hat, a rider's shirt, and a black coat. She matched the image of a female pirate admiral in the minds of the Resistance.

She often dresses like she's a private tutor…Klein mumbled and took a few steps back, allowing Danitz to run around and busy himself.

This pirate worth 5,500 pounds did the liaison, sending a batch of food and fabric to Kalat and the Resistance before the transaction came to a close.

Danitz secretly inhaled and came to Klein's side and forced a smile.

"There's nothing else, right?

"I can now return to the Golden Dream, right?

"Also, how do you plan on settling the hiring fee?"

That's only an excuse your captain and I used. In a particular sense, this batch of food and fabric is my payment…Klein nodded.

"Your Captain has already paid.

"You can return."

"For real?" Danitz found it unbelievable.

Although Vice Admiral Iceberg Edwina wasn't far behind him, he was still afraid that Gehrman Sparrow would suddenly have a crazy fit.

Klein didn't reply and turned around, walking straight towards the path that led out of the private harbor.

Danitz exhaled silently and held back his excited feelings before briskly running back to the Golden Dream.

Only when the Golden Dream steered far away into the night, with the private harbor that belonged to the Resistance slowly shrinking in size, did he really believe that he was back on the Golden Dream.

At that instant, he felt that he had experienced just too many things over the past half a month or so. It was an unprecedented level of exhilaration, as though it was an interesting dream.

At this moment, a sailor came close and asked out of curiosity, "Boss, was Steel Maveti really killed by you?"

Danitz immediately laughed out loud and secretly stole a glance at Captain Edwina before saying to his subordinate, "I contributed greatly to this deed. Let's talk over drinks!"

Above the dark sea, the Golden Dream drifted off into the distance.

…

After returning to the Wind of Azure Inn, Klein was just about to sleep when he saw the surrounding colors turn abnormally bright.

The white bedsheets turned whiter, and the brown floorboards turned more brownish-yellow. The dark red curtains appeared like fresh blood…

In the scene with all sorts of colors stacked upon each other, Azik Eggers suddenly walked out from a rippling aqueous void.

He was dressed in his usual shirt, bow tie, tailcoat, and a top hat. His skin was bronze in color, and he had soft facial features.

How enviable… I also wish to have such powers of traveling through the spirit world…Klein silently sighed as he smiled in greeting while maintaining his appearance.

"Good evening, Mr. Azik."

Azik took off his top hat and looked at the rather unfamiliar face. Without finding it strange, he chuckled.

"Apologies. I came in a hurry. I should've knocked on the door.

"What's the exact situation with those Death chronicles?"

Klein invited him to have a seat. He then described in detail things he couldn't explain in the letter. Towards the end, he mentioned in passing about the matter regarding Bansy Harbor, saying how it involved King of Angels Medici and "His" descendants.

Azik leaned back into the chair and said with a frown, "There's such a name in my memories. 'He' should have the two titles of Red Angel and War Angel…

"However, 'He' had perished long ago."

"Perished long ago?" Klein asked in surprise.

Azik nodded and thought over it.

"I remember that 'He' was killed by Blood Emperor Alista Tudor."

Killed by Blood Emperor Alista Tudor?Klein's pupils shrank as he recalled the evil spirit that loitered in the underground ruins beneath Backlund.

It had claimed to be an innocent killed by the Blood Emperor!

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 587: Confusing

Could it be that that evil spirit is Red Angel Medici, the King of Angels who once served that Creator and was one of the founders of Rose Redemption?Klein instantly generated such a thought and began utilizing backward inference to seek out any traces or clues.

The former holder of the Red Priest card was attracted to the underground palace because of a certain level of attraction and had died beside the Tudor descendants.

The evil spirit I saw in my dream could easily kill a powerful dragon back when it was alive.

It knows the potion formula of the Mutant pathway's Sequence 4 and even more.

It's very aware of matters regarding Rose Redemption.

The orthodox Churches that have existed ever since the Cataclysm don't know that the former Binsy and that the present Bansy has a descendant of the Medici family residing there, but the evil spirit was able to provide the corresponding information.

There's a very high chance of deriving this from the death of Red Angel Medici… And this King of Angels was actually killed by Blood Emperor Alista Tudor. Does this mean that the latter had already exceeded Sequence 1 and had reached the rank of true god as a Sequence 0 and could no longer be witnessed directly…

That evil spirit said so itself that in the late stages of the Fourth Epoch, Solomon Empire's Dark Emperor, Tudor Empire's Blood Emperor, and Trunsoest Empire's Night Emperor were fighting for the position of Sequence 0 until Alista Tudor went crazy… Does this mean that from that point onwards, Blood Emperor was a half-crazy true god?

Right, Mr. Azik mentioned in the letter that he lost his senses from merely being glanced at by Blood Emperor Alista Tudor. Back then, he was at least a Sequence 4 demigod. To have such might, it can only be explained that Blood Emperor was at the true god level…

Mr. Azik also described the revival of the true Dark Emperor in his letter. He described "Him" as sitting on a gigantic throne as he overlooked the land… For the Dark Emperor to revive and return, there is a high chance that he was a true god at the Sequence 0 rank… If that were the case, the War of the Four Emperors was of a higher order than I previously imagined. It's no longer a battle of three Sequence 1s fighting for the position of Sequence 0…Klein connected all the dots from the past, gaining a brand new understanding of Fourth Epoch history.

But as a result, many questions arose.

If that ancient evil spirit really is King of Angels Medici, then the underground palace might very well belong to Blood Emperor Alista Tudor. Then, why would there be two thrones of equal standing? Why would there be six humanoid statues of the true gods?

Why would the half-crazy Blood Emperor kill Red Angel Medici? After "He" became Sequence 0, which spot did he occupy? Firstly, Dark Emperor can be eliminated… It can't be Red Priest, right? Red Angel Medici was killed for its Beyonder characteristic?

But Red Priest and Dark Emperor do not seem like neighboring pathways that allow exchanging. I can basically confirm that the former is paired with the Demoness pathway. Yes… Captain mentioned before that consuming the potions of other pathways might not mean death, but there's a high probability of going mad and obtaining warped but terrifying powers. This matches Blood Emperor's half-crazy trait!

In "His" final step, as there was no hope for Dark Emperor and any neighboring pathways, "He" took the craziest choice and switched to another pathway that's completely unrelated, becoming half-crazy as the price?

But the same problem arises. Advancing to Red Priest requires King of Angels Medici to be killed, but before advancing, Alista Tudor wouldn't have been able to complete it by "Himself." Unless—"He" had more Sequence 1s helping him or other Sequence 0 true gods…

Upon realizing this, the statues in the underground palace suddenly flashed past Klein's mind.

The Evernight Goddess statue who used the moon as a pillow, the Earth Mother statue that hugged a baby in her bosom, the Lord of Storms statue that had lightning flashing behind him, the handsome Eternal Blazing Sun's statue, the tall and royal God of Combat statue, and the God of Knowledge and Wisdom statue who wore a hood all cast ice-cold gazes at him from the darkness.

At that instant, Klein couldn't help but tremble.

However, he remembered that the six gods supported the Trunsoest Empire, not the Tudor Empire.

The history of the Fourth Epoch becomes more harrowing and confusing the more you delve into it…Klein sighed secretly.

"What are you thinking about?" Azik Eggers noticed his pause.

Klein said in passing, "I was only thinking that since Red Angel Medici had long perished at the hands of Alista Tudor, then who is the God of Weather who has a following in Bansy Harbor during the recent centuries?

"And what's the reason for their odd behavior…"

With this in mind, Klein came to a pause. This was because the matter regarding Bansy Harbor was unlike what he imagined.

He originally believed that Red Angel Medici was asleep there, but to his surprise, 'He' had long perished.

In that case, the secrets underlying the Green Lemon Restaurant and the telegraph office became even more indecipherable. He had no way of deducing anything without any further information. The more he thought about it, the more horrified he became.

Could that evil spirit have expected such an outcome when "He" indicated Binsy Town? That might've been a required step for "Him" to escape the seal? Should I tell this matter to Mr. Azik and gain his opinion?

Yes, I'll let Miss Magician, whose in Backlund, to monitor the area and see if there's any abnormalities. If there's none, it can wait till I return to Backlund and contact Miss Sharron. After seeking her opinion, I can inform Mr. Azik. After all, it's a ruin we explored together. I have to respect her opinion. If there are any abnormalities, then the matter can only be expedited due to the seriousness of the issue…Klein quickly made a decision.

When Azik heard his question, he laughed.

"Don't think about such matters. They've definitely been buried by the Church of Storms. To forcibly seek out the reasons will only bring about extreme danger. Even at the level of an angel, there's still a chance of perishing."

In the mysterious world, curiosity is often the leading cause of death…Klein recalled the matters he had experienced and heard of in the past.

He switched to saying, "Mr. Azik, I already have a messenger that I can call my own."

"Much faster than I imagined," Azik said with a smile.

Klein simply explained how he changed the incantation and how he completed the summoning and ended up encountering an oddity in the spirit world.

"When summoning spirit world creatures, there's indeed a chance of such things happening when it's not done by someone of the corresponding job. It requires repeated trial and error before obtaining the desired result. But repeated attempts make it easy to encounter danger. Even if you add descriptions like 'friendly,' it isn't absolutely safe. The spirit world creature which is summoned might not have any malicious intent towards you and wouldn't wish to harm you, but it doesn't mean that its very existence won't hurt you. Perhaps just the aura it has can reduce you to a pile of blood." After Azik heard about the creature whose speed surpassed imagination, the being who was easily neglected, and the creature with extremely high survivability, he laughed and warned him. After that, he asked, "How did you succeed in the end?"

Klein said in embarrassment, "I changed the final sentence to 'a unique being that is willing to be my messenger.'"

Azik was taken aback for a second as he curiously looked at Klein.

"… This description is too generic. Typically, it wouldn't succeed."

"Perhaps I was rather lucky…" Klein cautiously described his messenger's appearance and even hid the matter of her request for a gold coin.

Azik thought over it carefully and said, "I do not have an impression of this spirit world creature, but since you've already signed a contract and have had it witnessed by the Underworld, she likely wouldn't cause you any harm. However, before you fully understand her, try not to get her to do anything apart from sending letters."

"… Alright." Klein originally wanted to say that he had nothing he needed her for other than sending letters when he recalled his battle with Mr. A.

The room fell into a brief moment of silence before Klein pulled the conversation back on track.

"Mr. Azik, when can we head for the Black Death?"

The longer the delay, the higher the chances of whatever he left on the Black Death to be cleaned up during the daily cleaning jobs.

"Now." Azik stood up and put on his hat.

Klein was dressed properly, and just as he was trying to find an excuse to head to the washroom to divine if there would be any danger taking action tonight, Azik grabbed his shoulder and pulled him into the spirit world.

Amidst the stacked colors and nearly formless figures, he heard Mr. Azik say, "Let's begin."

That direct? Don't you need to confirm things? Perhaps a big shot has his own way of determining the level of danger…Klein silently mumbled and held up his cane and began divining the location of the items he left behind.

The cane flew automatically as it tumbled ahead.

Azik followed closely behind with Klein in tow as they smoothly passed through the spirit world.

Before long, the black hardwood cane paused with thick black and stacked shadows ahead of it.

Through this abstract scene, Klein could vaguely identify it as something resembling the Black Death.

At this moment, Azik's body came to a pause as he solemnly said, "The spirits here tell me that there is danger."

There is danger? Something that can make even Mr. Azik find it dangerous? Vice Admiral Ailment got help? A high-ranking member of the Demoness Sect?Klein frowned suddenly.

He fully believed the judgment of the big shot, since Sequence 7 of the Death pathway was Spirit Medium. After advancing to the realm of demigod, being able to notice this was considered very normal.

Azik half-closed his eyes for two seconds before opening them.

"But the problem isn't serious. Let's enter."

Problem isn't serious… That's probably the case when it's directed at you…The corners of Klein's mouth twitched as he decided to change his looks.

This way, even if he was no match and had to flee pathetically, he didn't have to be afraid of someone coming to knock on his door!

In an instant, Klein possess a distinctive broad chin and cold blackish-green eyes. His hair turned brown and was tied into a bun at the back of his head like an ancient warrior.

He had disguised himself as the former owner of Creeping Hunger, Vice Admiral Hurricane Qilangos!

Azik gave him a glance as the surroundings suddenly seemed to plummet as all sorts of bright colors flew by.

In a blink of an eye, Klein found himself in Ailment Maiden Tracy's captain's cabin again.

This gallant and brilliant female pirate was wearing a different white shirt. On her left shoulder was a clear bandage while her black hair was coiled up instead of cascading down amorously.

Faced with this sudden visitor, she didn't show any panic but smiled.

At this moment, a gentle female's voice from a difficult to identify location sounded.

"It's you?"

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 588: Old Acquaintance

"It's you?"

Upon hearing this surprised and curious female voice, Klein jumped in fright, imagining that he had been recognized by someone.

He immediately composed himself because he had already changed his appearance to that of the deceased Vice Admiral Hurricane Qilangos. And inside Qilangos was the crazy adventurer, Gehrman Sherlock. And inside Gehrman Sparrow was the identity of the great detective, Sherlock Moriarty. And inside Sherlock Moriarty was the identity of Klein Moretti.

This wasn't the end. Deep within Klein Moretti was Mr. Fool—Zhou Mingrui.

There's no reason that she can directly see my true essence. Besides, how can she know of a trivial character like Klein Moretti… Even Vice Admiral Hurricane Qilangos wouldn't have left the Vice Admiral Ailment Tracy's helper surprised! To be specially invited by a Sequence 5 pirate admiral to protect herself and deal with her enemy, the person must be at least a Sequence 4 demigod…

Therefore, that sentence was directed at Mr. Azik? That high-ranking Demoness recognizes Mr. Azik, who had destroyed their cooperation with the royal family and Ince Zangwill in Backlund, or does she recognizes him from one of his former lives?Klein quickly cleared his train of thoughts and remained guarded against Tracy and her helper's sudden attacks. He also looked through the corner of his eye to observe Mr. Azik's reaction.

He wasn't too surprised that a mysterious powerhouse would appear. Firstly, this was because Mr. Azik had already given a warning, and secondly, it was because he believed that Vice Admiral Ailment Tracy wasn't a self-conceited person. To almost be assassinated without knowing the assassin's backing faction and motive, there was a high probability that she would leave the sea around the Rorsted Archipelago to seek help from the upper echelons of the Demoness Sect.

The only thing hadn't expected was that her helper would arrive so quickly. It was as though she was nearby or had a mystical item like that of a Traveler.

Combining the female characteristics of the voice and the gentleness within it, Klein suspected that it was a Demoness at the demigod level.

Azik stood on the thick carpet and said after two seconds of hesitation, "You know me?"

This tone sounds uncertain… Could it be that my big shot had once spent a period of time with a Demoness? No, I can't think of it that way…Klein began to imagine things before he seriously felt penitent for having those thoughts.

He noticed that Vice Admiral Ailment Tracy wore an aghast look. Her certainty and calm had turned into puzzlement.

The gentle female voice sounded out from an unknown location again.

"I obviously know you. You should also know me."

Azik turned his ears to the side to listen before he shook his head and gave a rueful smile.

"I'm sorry. I've repeatedly lost my memories and am in the midst of recovering them.

"If you can remind me and invoke more of my memories, I'll be very grateful to you."

Upon hearing their conversation, Tracy's puzzled and confused look settled.

She cautiously swept her gaze at Klein but frowned when she saw Vice Admiral Hurricane Qilangos's face.

The gentle female voice sighed.

"The last time we met was 1,300 years ago. Back then, Primordial and Death were working together, instigating the Pale Disaster in the Northern Continent. You might've already forgotten that we once fought the Saints and Angels of the Church of the Evernight Goddess.

I know this piece of history. It was recorded in Emperor Roselle's diary… Mr. Door said that it resulted in the Primordial Demoness being heavily injured, and she had only managed to descend only in recent times. As for Death, "He" directly perished and created the Berserk Sea that separated the Northern and Southern Continents… The Demoness Sect and the forces of Death had previously cooperated, so it's no wonder that a demigod-ranked Demoness knows Mr. Azik. Man, she's also a monster that has lived for at least fourteen hundred years!Klein thought with a creative mind.

Following that, he felt puzzled again. He originally imagined that Mr. Azik had suffered heavy injuries from being glanced at Blood Emperor Alista Tudor during the War of the Four Emperors, which resulted in him constantly losing his memory and forgetting his past. However, what the demigod-ranked Demoness indicated was that not only did Azik survive the War of the Four Emperors, but he had even participated in the Pale Disaster many years later. He didn't seem to have any problems in between.

Azik closed his eyes as though he was trying to squeeze out his memories.

After a few seconds, he asked hesitantly, "Katarina Pellè?

"You… are already a Demoness of Unaging?"

"I'm very happy that you can still remember me. I could only be considered a weakling compared to you back then." A figure outlined itself beside Vice Admiral Ailment Tracy. She wore a simple and pure white gown which had high slits that revealed her flawless legs. Her skin was as white as snow and as tender as a young maiden's.

The woman had black hair and blue eyes, and she looked elegant and pretty. She had an indescribable charm.

She looked towards Azik Eggers as a faint smile curled at the corner of her lips.

"More than a thousand years have passed. It's a cause for celebration for us to meet, alive.

"Balam Empire's Mr. Death Consul."

Mr. Azik was Balam Empire's Death Consul… This is the name of a later potion in the Death pathway? This Demoness of Unaging Katarina Pellè looks like she's in her thirties. She's elegant and pure, yet she exudes a mature charm… Wait, why am I thinking of this? Her Pleasure charms are already that potent?Katarina hurriedly moved his gaze away and nearly had to use Cogitation to calm his emotions.

Without waiting for Azik to say a word, Katarina Pellè said with a melodic voice, "I'm curious over why you would still be constantly losing your memories.

"I remember that it only happens for your pathway during the Undying stage. Dying once every sixty years to revive again and forget the past. However, you have long advanced past that and escaped from that curse.

"What happened to you at the end of the Pale Disaster?

"Heh heh, the seven gods had fractured back then and treated each other as enemies. We both believed that Primordial and Death would succeed, but who knew that the proudest Sun and the most arrogant Tyrant would bow 'Their' heads. They quickly joined forces again. If I hadn't managed to advance by chance, then I might've already perished at the end of that divine battle. I believe you should've suffered some damage which resulted in your present state. Death's perishing is itself the greatest injury for you."

Azik fell silent as he wore an indistinct painful expression.

"I-I can't remember…"

At this moment, Klein realized that Katarina Pellè looked somewhat familiar, and he suspected her of being the white-robed lady who had led Madam Sharon onto the path of a Demoness.

Suddenly, Katarina's eyes turned to sweep a glance at Klein. She chuckled at Azik and said, "I believe you haven't forgotten the reason for visiting today?

"I'm very curious why he would assassinate Tracy. Could it be for justice?"

The glance the Demoness of Unaging swept over was filled with hidden amorousness and sweet playfulness. She resembled an underage young maiden, and her facial features and bearing had magically accentuated that feeling. She didn't have the jarring feeling of a mature lady acting young at all. At that moment, Klein viewed her as a maiden who was sixteen or seventeen.

… She can already perfectly present every charm a woman can bring. She has the skin, facial features, and bearing to match it… As expected of a Demoness of Unaging…Klein had already attempted to use Cogitation to resist this indescribable charm.

He took the initiative to look at Ailment Maiden Tracy.

"Do you know the tycoon named Jimmy Necker?"

Tracy gaped her mouth before closing it again. She replied blankly and aggrieved, "Who is he?"

"You might not know him. He once collected a batch of ancient chronicles related to Death. He died at the hands of Vice Admiral Hurricane Qilangos," Klein said while bearing the appearance of Vice Admiral Hurricane Qilangos.

Tracy narrowed her eyes. She wore a dazed look before turning angry.

"You came for those documents?"

It really is in your hands…Klein determined based on her tone.

He answered indifferently.

"That's right."

Tracy inhaled slightly and said, "Where's Helene? Did you do anything to her? I know she's still alive. If something happens to her, my spiritual intuition will tell me."

Klein didn't attempt to speak ambiguously as he directly answered her, "She has already returned to Intis to lead a brand new life."

Tracy's expression sank. A storm raged in her eyes as the aura of a pirate admiral fully revealed itself. However, Azik casually swept his gaze over and instantly made her calm down.

The corners of her lips curled up.

"That batch of documents from the mausoleum of the Balam Empire's royalty is indeed in my hands.

"But I wasn't interested in it. I flipped through it casually before handing it to the sect.

"Hehe, even if you had succeeded in assassinating me, you wouldn't have received it. I didn't read it much, so even if you channeled my spirit, I wouldn't be able to reproduce it. Unfortunately, I can't bear to part with my life; otherwise, it definitely would've been interesting to see your disappointment."

Klein calmly said, "No, I won't be disappointed. I can obtain the soul and characteristic of a Demoness of Affliction. I can Graze you and subdue you."

As he spoke, he raised his left palm which had Creeping Hunger on it. It was in the shape of a black glove.

Tracy narrowed her eyes. The look in her eyes became extremely dangerous, like a provoked tiger. If not for the two High-Sequence Beyonders beside her, she might've already attacked.

And the moment Klein finished his sentence, he noticed something amiss.

I'm not acting as Gehrman Sparrow at the moment, so why am I speaking in accordance with his persona…Klein was alarmed as he suspected whether he had been too into character recently.

Remember, you can only be yourself.

I cannot be influenced by the character I act as, because of prolonged acting… This will cause me to become lost and result in losing control!

He quickly reflected on himself and added his conclusions into the acting principles of a Faceless.

Noticing his brief silence, Azik looked at Katarina Pellè and said in his usual tone, "Can you copy a set of those documents for me?"

"That's not a big problem." Katarina gave Tracy a glance. "Any requests?"

Tracy stared at Klein and said with a clearly hoarse voice, "Tell me where Helene is."

Klein withdrew his thoughts and looked at her before looking at the pure Demoness of Unaging, Katarina.

He had already made his decision, but he couldn't help but feel hesitant.

He turned to look at Mr. Azik and discovered his warm smile. He wasn't urging him or forcing him.

Klein retracted his gaze and simply said, "I refuse."

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 589: "Sowing Discord"

For an instant, Klein imagined that Tracy would directly attack him, as her face was already flushing red with anger. Her blue eyes had turned dark like the surface of a sea before an impending storm.

But eventually, Tracy didn't act rashly. She looked towards Katarina Pellè and awaited the decision of the Demoness of Unaging.

She knew very well that, although Sequence 5 and Sequence 4 were just separated by one level, there was a qualitative difference between them. There was no way to bridge the gap with one's battle skills or execution. One was a normal human with special powers, while the other was already a demigod, a legendary creature possessing godhood.

Furthermore, the two present were clearly not Sequence 4. Placed before them, Tracy felt like she was a Low-Sequence Beyonder.

Katarina Pellè didn't seem furious. She looked at Klein, who wore the face of Qilangos, and chuckled as her eyes moved across him.

"What an interesting lad. If not for Mr. Death Consul being here, I might've not revealed the upheavals within my heart and have an unexpected encounter with you which would lead into having a pure and romantic story with you."

No, you don't want to… This sounds really terrifying… Klein didn't dare look at her as he continued looking at Tracy.

Seeing no response from Azik Eggers, Katarina retracted her gaze and said to Tracy with her melodious voice, "Embrace the afflicted pain; this might be something beneficial for you."

She then looked towards Azik.

"I remember that batch of documents. It records the various attempts used by the Balam royalty to revive Death, but unfortunately, they seemed to fail miserably. Towards the end, they seemed to consider creating an artificial Death.

"Are you still interested?"

An artificial Death? How can Death be artificial? Apart from the Uniqueness and Beyonder characteristics, how can there be other methods? It's not like it's something you can find on the street… Was the former Balam Empire and the present Numinous Episcopate all crazy? Klein mumbled silently and didn't interrupt the conversation between the demigods.

Azik pondered for two seconds before asking, "What price do I need to pay?"

Katarina smiled youthfully.

"No, there's no need.

"I thought it over. Helping you regain your memories and find your past in order to become the Death Consul from before should be a rather interesting matter. This can bring more changes and fun to this world."

Those words sound like a rebellious teenage girl… A Demoness of Unaging not only doesn't age in body but in mind as well? Klein felt it somewhat impossible to grasp her thought process.

Perhaps only a Sequence 6 or 5, or even Sequence 4 of the Spectator pathway can tell? he subconsciously guessed.

Azik nodded and extended his right hand. A piece of paper and a fountain pen in the room automatically flew over as though invisible spirits were at his service.

After scribbling, he threw the paper over.

"You can summon my messenger."

So there's only one copper whistle… For it to remain effective for more than a thousand years, that copper whistle is definitely no simple item… Klein instinctively wished to reach out to touch Azik's copper whistle inside his pocket, but he held back.

Katarina caught the piece of paper and scanned it before pursing her lips into a smile.

"I thought you would've directly told me where in the Underworld."

She looked up as her blue eyes effused an indescribable warmth as she smiled faintly.

"I still remember how Mr. Death Consul from before was such a powerful but cold man. He left a deep impression on me.

"I'm also curious as to why you would become so soft."

Azik held his fist to his mouth and shook his head with a bitter smile.

"I'm immortal, but that doesn't mean I don't age. Once a person ages, they will often become placid."

"No." Katarina's eyes flickered deep down as she said without concealing anything, "I look forward to the day you recover all your memories. I wish to see how you would evaluate the present you."

Upon saying that, she curled her lips slightly and winked at Klein.

"Perhaps we will release an existence more evil than a devil."

… This is her trying to sow discord, right… Klein muttered inwardly, but he couldn't help but recall the Pale Disaster recorded in many historical books and Church tomes. It had caused a large number of casualties and had turned the Northern Continent into a living hell. And this disaster was mainly led by Death and the Primordial Demoness, with Death's entourage and the Demoness Sect from the Southern Continent. In this entire matter, Mr. Azik, who was known as Death Consul, definitely played a rather important role…

Azik fell silent for a few seconds as he grabbed Klein's shoulder and pulled him into the spirit world and traversed it. Instantly, there was only Demoness of Unaging Katarina Pellè and Vice Admiral Ailment Tracy left in the Black Death's captain's cabin.

The latter looked at the spot where the two had disappeared, and after taking a while to calm herself, she clenched her teeth and said, "I'll never forget this matter!"

Katarina resumed her pure demeanor and smiled faintly.

"Feel the afflicted pain. The more pain you feel, the more you will realize how weak you are. When the pain reaches a threshold, the desire to change yourself will reach a certain intensity, allowing you to withstand the potion and obtain godhood during the ritual to become a demigod…"

When Tracy heard this, she suddenly thought of something. Her expression froze as she blurted out, "Helene was able to escape the Black Death because of…"

Katarina smiled mildly.

"You are my youngest child, but you are the one who's most promising at becoming a demigod. As a mother, I will naturally want to help you."

Tracy's facial muscles twitched as she said with a warped expression, "That's right. I have a mother like you, and a mom…

"Why didn't you tell me the truth in the beginning. You clearly knew the mid- and low-Sequences of several other pathways!"

Katarina turned her body as her white gown fluttered. She said ethereally, "We all need to approach the Primordial.

"We are all 'Her' children."

As she spoke, surging but silent black flames soared over the huge sailboat which was dozens of meters long. The flames covered every corner as they burned silently without injuring any of the pirates on the Black Death, as though they were clearing up any accumulated dust.

…

The stacked colors quickly receded, and the indescribable transparent figure went far into the distance. Klein's spirituality suddenly stirred as he felt that the items he had left on the Black Death had all vanished.

As expected of a Demoness of Unaging… Klein sighed. Just as he was about to say something, he felt himself plummet. He had left the spirit world with Azik.

He found themselves in a mountain valley with a river flowing. There were fertile fields with a manor and town that was built in a Loenese style.

Klein looked around him and discovered that he was standing in a dark cemetery that had long been abandoned.

"Mr. Azik…" he shouted in puzzlement.

Azik walked to a grave with a broken tombstone that was covered in weeds. He said solemnly, "After meeting Katarina Pellè, I recalled some matters again.

"I once told you that in a particular dream, in one of my lives, I had a daughter. She had soft black hair and enjoyed sitting in a swing I made myself while requesting sweets from me.

"When traversing the spirit world, I suddenly sensed the call of my bloodline."

Klein was infected with his emotions as he asked solemnly, "Is this her…"

Azik nodded and crouched down. He touched the halved tombstone as his bronze face wore a gentle, sorrowful, and confused look.

"This is her grave.

"If I recall correctly, she's been dead for 926 years…"

926 years… Klein wanted to say something, but he was stopped by that extended period of time.

If it wasn't for the Churches compelling people to be buried in cemeteries and providing a certain degree of surveillance, it would've been hard to find this grave and tombstone, since there hadn't been any all-out wars since the Fifth Epoch.

A human's life was on the order of decades, but this was 926 years.

After a long moment of silence in the cemetery, Azik got up again and grabbed Klein's shoulder.

"I'll send you back first."

After a few minutes of traversing the spirit world, Klein saw the white bedsheets and yellowish-brown floorboards.

Azik pressed down on his hat and said in a deep voice, "I'll continue my journey while you continue on your adventures."

Klein nodded. Just as he was about to say something, he saw Mr. Azik curl his lips and smile.

"Were you afraid that I would become an evil person like a Demoness after fully recovering my memories?"

Before Klein could reply, Azik sighed.

"I'm also very worried.

"But, I have a greater desire for discovering myself."

After saying that, the surrounding aqueous void around him rippled as he vanished from the room.

For a long period of time, Klein stood in his spot, silent.

He shook his head and laughed silently as he consoled himself, Perhaps when the time comes, I'll already be a powerhouse at the level of angel. I can establish a treatment facility that treats antisocial personalities and have Miss Justice be the head doctor…

Retracting his thoughts, Klein sat down and habitually reflected over his operation.

I originally thought that I could Graze a Demoness of Affliction and obtain Death's chronicles while making further progress in the human disappearances. Who knew that the development and outcome were completely out of my expectations. I only managed to complete the initial goals.

Sigh, I cannot incite Mr. Azik to take action since he hasn't completely recovered. Furthermore, the person we were facing was a Demoness of Unaging… What's most important is to be strong myself. Relying on myself is better than asking for help from others. Heh heh, on careful consideration, I do rely on myself most of the time…

I can attack the human disappearance cases from the angle of the buyer, that Crazy Captain Connors Viktor.

Klein changed his sitting posture and nodded to himself as he murmured inwardly, The greatest gain that I received was to establish the preliminary acting principles of a Faceless. It's to get into character and be detached, overcome any aversions, and to be careful about being too immersed in the role.

This way, by relying only on simple, ordinary, real acting, perhaps it will take a year or two to digest the potion. But for me, I should be able to fully digest it in about four to six months…

After reflecting on the matter, Klein prepared to sleep. He planned on taking down the radio transceiver from above the gray fog once it was daybreak, so as to establish communications with the magic mirror, Arrodes.

Of course, he had to first divine the level of danger above the gray fog.

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 590: Arrodes's Bottom Line

Early in the morning, above the gray fog.

Klein conjured a pen and paper as he deliberated over the divination statement: "Using the radio transceiver is dangerous."

After carefully checking the statement twice, he took out the spirit pendulum under his left sleeve and began divining.

During this process, he was on high alert and was somewhat afraid. He was like a child covering his ears while lighting firecrackers—if the outcome would involve the True Creator or the Primordial Demoness, then he would encounter danger simply from divining it. If it were any other person, they would only end up losing control or dying. However, Klein had the gray fog to shield him and prevent him from having such a tragic outcome. Hence, it was obvious that anything that happened above the gray fog was better than courting death in the real world. He was afraid that the using it repeatedly would allow the evil gods to lock onto him and personally pay him a visit.

He quickly entered the state of Cogitation and silently recited the divination.

After chanting seven times, he knew the answer without opening his eyes, since he was completely fine sitting there in his seat and wasn't suffering from any extreme pain.

When Klein looked at the dangling topaz, he discovered that it was indeed spinning counterclockwise.

Phew…Klein heaved a sigh of relief and immediately returned to the real world and began preparing a ritual to bring the radio transceiver from above the gray fog to the real world.

After about half an hour, he finally heard the radio transceiver produce its clickety-clack. An illusory piece of white paper was spat out with lines of Loenese words written on it.

"I'm here.

"Great Master, is that you?"

Why does it feel like it's craning its neck…Klein suddenly recalled the emoticons from his previous life. It was an adorable alpaca that craned its neck out.

He took two steps forward and tersely answer in a reserved manner.

Amidst clicking sounds, more illusory paper was spat out.

"Your loyal and humble servant, Arrodes, at your service."

Klein hid his discomfort in the depths of his heart and asked, "Arrodes, tell me. Where is Roy King from the Life School of Thought?"

Due to the chubby Apothecary's description, he knew that the organization developed itself based on a master and apprentice system. He inferred that they grasped the two Beyonder pathways of Monster and Apothecary. This matched the characteristics of the Life School of Thought.

Meanwhile, Klein prepared Roy King's picture, with the intention of relying on himself rather than on others.

The tapping sounds intensified as Arrodes produced a portrait with the radio transceiver. It was none other than Roy King with his hair neatly combed back while wearing a framed pair of glasses.

"Is this him?" A line of Loenese appeared behind the portrait.

Klein nodded.

"Yes."

Arrodes made the radio transceiver's tapping sound turn abnormally brisk.

"Great Master, the person you wish to find is imprisoned in the governor-general's office of the City of Generosity, Bayam."

Locked in the governor-general's office?Klein frowned slightly and wasn't in a rush to continue asking. He said with confidence and frankness, "Alright, according to your rules, it's your turn to ask."

Tap. Tap. Tap.Arrodes used the radio transceiver to produce a smiley face and a line of text.

"I've already asked, and you have already answered."

When did that happen?Klein was taken aback before looking at the content before the illusory piece of paper. He saw the previous question: "Is it him?"

This works? That actually counts?In that instant, Klein finally understood how much freedom Arrodes had to its rules. Against any ordinary person, it could be as strict and vile as it wanted. It even needed spectators, but when it came to Klein, those rules were ignored, and he blatantly made it easy.

How did this guy adopt such a personality…Klein considered for two seconds before asking another question.

"Arrodes, do you know the book 'Groselle's Travels'?"

Arrodes fell silent for two seconds before making the radio transceiver type. It spat out more illusory paper.

"Great Master, your question is too nice for me. All I needed to do was answer 'yes' to be done with the question. I've modified the question a little, changing it to 'tell me what you know about Groselle's Travels.'

"This is a very magical book. Many of its owners have vanished.

"I'm unable to tell who it's creator is, but I'm certain that it first appeared among the dragons, after the disappearance of the City of Miracles, Liveseyd."

It appeared after the City of Miracles, Liveseyd, which was conjured by the Dragon of Imagination, Ankewelt? I might be able to recommend this to Miss Justice. She might be interested. If she really wishes to buy it, as a middleman, I can study it ahead of time above the gray fog… If something bad happens from the study, resulting in the complete destruction of the book, I can tell her that the seller went back on their word and a refund was made… Thinking of this, being a platform is really promising!Klein's thoughts raced as he said to the radio transceiver, "It's your turn."

I do want to know what kind of odd question you can ask…Klein thought silently.

Arrodes didn't pause as he produced a line in Loenese: "Great Master, I've already asked and you have already answered."

When did that happen…Klein looked in confusion and amusement at the first few pages of illusory paper before finally seeing the so-called question at the beginning: "Great Master, is that you?"

I have to say that this magic mirror named Arrodes really shows no shame when it tries to suck up to me… However, such a paired question format really satisfies an OCD. It's like the AND operator back when I studied programming languages myself…Klein cleared his throat and continued asking, "Why was Roy King imprisoned in the governor-general's office?"

The radio transceiver produced its clickety-clack and spat out illusory paper.

"Ever since the disappearance of the Snake of Mercury from the Life School of Thought, the organization fractured and encountered plenty of danger. Some even died at the hands of the Rose School of Thought.

"The Life School of Thought developed in a secretive manner with the master and apprentice format, but they have an Elder Council among the upper echelons. They harmonized the conflicts between the different internal factions. Since the Fifth Epoch, the Elder Council changed to a more trendy name known as the Fate Council. There are seven councilors, and the Snake of Mercury is the president.

"Roy King's teacher is one of the Fate councilors and had got into trouble after the Snake of Mercury's disappearance. And before this, he had handed an important Sealed Artifact of the Life School of Thought to Roy King. This is the reason why Roy King was secretly captured by the Loen military."

The disappearance of the Snake of Mercury?Klein instantly made the connection to Will Auceptin, who was hiding in Backlund, as well as the other Snake of Mercury that had been pursuing him without ever showing its face. Klein suspected the other Snake of Mercury to be Angel of Fate, Ouroboros.

The Life School of Thought's Snake of Mercury is definitely not the one searching for Will Auceptin, as he has had plenty of opportunities to contact his organization and not be "missing"… Perhaps it's Will Auceptin or a third snake. This cannot be determined…Klein gently nodded and said to the radio transceiver, "Ask."

I'm sure you haven't asked me any other questions. Hehe, let's see what you'll ask… I have to say, people have a little bit of masochism in them. Others are afraid of Arrodes's questions, but it has already waived off two questions for me. Now, I do wish for it to formally ask me a question…Klein waited with piqued interest.

Tap. Tap. Tap.The radio transceiver's sounds suddenly became somewhat solemn as the illusory piece of paper spat out with increasing difficulty.

"Well, Great Master, what should I do to be a better, loyal, and humble servant?"

… I've underestimated your bottom line…Klein restrained his exasperated expression as he replied in a deep voice, "Just maintain your present state."

"Alright." The tapping sounds became lighter again. "The aura is about to disperse. Your loyal and humble servant, Arrodes, awaits to be at your service."

Finally, Arrodes added a drawing of a hand waving.

It's really talented… That's right, it's not hard for a magic mirror that knows so much, to know such things…Klein watched as the radio transceiver turned silent.

He took a few steps and sat by the edge of the bed, considering the matter regarding Roy King.

He had no intention of infiltrating Bayam's governor-general's office and rescuing Roy King under the military's tight security. This was because he didn't know the man at all, and he hadn't even seen him before. The only connection they had was through the chubby Apothecary.

The basement of the Church of Storms definitely has many Beyonders locked up there. But what has that got to do with me?Klein chuckled as he shook his head.

In the information provided to him by Arrodes, Klein noticed that the mystical item which Admiral of Blood Senor had, which made him sufficiently lucky, came from the Life School of Thought. There was a high probability that the faction backing this pirate admiral was the Rose School of Thought. They were taking advantage of the Snake of Mercury's disappearance, so they could kill members of the Life School of Thought.

This also reminds me that I need to be more careful than before when dealing with pirate admirals. Vice Admiral Ailment Tracy had gotten Demoness of Unaging Katarina Pellè without any notice. The other pirate admirals wouldn't be without their supporters. They often represent a faction, an organization… Admiral of Blood is backed by the Rose School of Thought, while Admiral of Stars is backed by the Moses Ascetic Order, as well as for our Tarot Club. The backer of Admiral Hell is likely the Numinous Episcopate and the King of the Five Seas. As for Vice Admiral Iceberg, she's likely backed by the Church of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom…

The backers for Vice Admiral Deep Sea and Vice Admiral Dusk are currently unknown, but it's definitely impossible that they relied solely on themselves to reign supreme over the seas for so many years.

Now on second thought, which faction was backing Vice Admiral Hurricane Qilangos? The one that gave him Creeping Hunger, or the unspeakable organization that instigated him to assassinate Duke Negan?

Yes, I must be careful not to expose my intention of hunting pirate admirals in the future. Furthermore, I can only make one attempt and immediately distance myself if I fail.As Klein's thoughts varied, he suddenly thought of something.

The paper crane that was personally folded by that Snake of Mercury, Will Auceptin, was still with him!

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 591: Making Good Use of Things

Klein's memories of the paper crane were still fresh on his mind. Back then, Will Auceptin had used this item to locate Dr. Aaron's Astral Projection and injected information into him while he was dreaming of the spirit world in his dreams. It created a revelation that evolved into a specific dream.

Klein later exchanged a paper crane, he had folded himself, for Will Auceptin's and had gone above the gray fog to make a divination. He failed to gain any effective conclusions until Dr. Aaron's wife got pregnant. By calculating the time and from his understanding of the situation between a Sequence 1 and Sequence 0, he guessed that Will Auceptin was performing a cyclic restart, and he guessed that Will was in an intense battle with another Snake of Fate for the position of Sequence 0. And the nightmare that came with the paper crane was only an auxiliary outcome. Its true purpose was to help Will Auceptin secretly become a fetus.

What was most humorous about this matter was that the paper crane, that Klein had folded, had ended up being treated as the original from Will Auceptin, and the Nighthawks had used even cruder means to replicate one to swap them.

Will Auceptin's paper crane had always been above the gray fog after I had thrown it up there. I nearly forgot about it… Performing divination on it can only gain an extremely vague revelation. If there weren't any other developments, it would be hard to infer that the child conceived by Dr. Aaron's wife was Will Arrodes. On the contrary, Will Arrodes can use it to locate it in the spirit world, just like how Arrodes can rely on the gray fog's aura to connect to the radio transceiver via the spirit world…

Eh, there seems to be some possibility for this matter… Klein suddenly sat straight and had an extremely creative idea.

He wanted to use the paper crane to communicate with Will Auceptin in a dream!

This might not be of any use to me, the present me. There might even be certain hidden dangers, but if Will Auceptin is really the Snake of Fate from the Life School of Thought, my act of providing him with intelligence will definitely win me a favorable impression… Towards an existence at the level of a King of Angels, it's necessary to make investments ahead of time. If I wait until he's really born, I might be repaid dozens of times over. Since I won't die from trying, uh—I can still revive if I die… Although Klein had such a thought, he was in fact very cautious. He planned on divining the danger above the gray fog before deciding on executing his plan.

After busying himself and confirming that the danger involved was acceptable, he used a ritual to bring back the paper crane from above the gray fog into the real world.

Perhaps it was because it came from a Sequence 1 Snake of Fate, the paper crane didn't exhibit any peculiarities from its prolonged stay above the gray fog. It remained ordinary.

I hope the aura above the gray fog didn't neutralize its uniqueness; otherwise, Will Auceptin won't be able to locate it. Hmm, the Sequence before Snake of Fate is Soothsayer. Would this matter already be within Will Auceptin's expectations?

The reason why he chose Dr. Aaron is because he's my friend. And by doing so, he can establish a connection with me? Am I being too narcissistic…

However, this question is worth suspecting. After Will Auceptin used the paper crane to locate Dr. Aaron, he could've directly "reincarnated," so why did he repeatedly make him have nightmares? Furthermore, the dream also indicated the struggle between the Snakes of Fate. To an ordinary person, they would neither understand it or play a meaningful role in this matter. Isn't this like using a gaze to entice a blind person?

Will Auceptin created the dream for me?

Klein frowned slightly and had certain guesses.

He suppressed his puzzlement and picked up a fountain pen. As he filled it with ink, he considered a sentence to leave on the paper crane to garner Will Auceptin's attention.

What should I write? Klein recalled what Arrodes had informed him about the situation with the Life School of Thought, and he felt that there was one line that could encompass everything while feeling extremely fresh and filled with emotions.

That line was: "Your home blew up!"

This sentence is overly crude and direct while lacking manners. Besides, Will Auceptin might not be the president of the Life School of Thought… Klein deliberated and slightly spread open the paper crane. On the different surfaces, he wrote different words that formed a very short sentence: "Roy King has been captured."

After doing all of this, Klein put down the fountain pen and placed the paper crane into his wallet, just like Dr. Aaron had done before.

…

In the periphery of the Rorsted sea, on a gigantic fog-covered island far from the main sea routes.

Amidst a shrill cry, a blue bird of prey that resembled a shadow had plummeted from the sky and crashed heavily into the ground. It sent soil scattering as its blood splattered.

Alger Wilson remained cautious. He stood far away and raised his left hand which had an iron-black ring on his thumb. He pointed it at the terrifying Beyonder creature known as a Blue Shadow Falcon.

On the tip of the ring was a spike-like protrusion. It was tainted with old blood, looking ancient and sinister.

This was the mystical item he had bought from an Artisan, using Steel Maveti's bounty. He publicly claimed that it cost him 5,200 pounds despite it actually only costing 3,100 pounds.

The ring's name was "Whip of Mind." It could deliver irresistible intense mental damage to an enemy. Apart from that, it could strengthen Alger's mastery of various weapons; therefore, it wasn't actually very expensive.

Back then, the Artisan and his friend had two mystical items. One was the "Whip of Mind" and the other was the "Ring of Witchcraft." The latter had more abilities and high adaptability while costing almost the same as the former. It was a better choice, but after serious consideration, Alger still chose the Whip of Mind. He believed that without such an item, his hunting of the Blue Shadow Falcon would be several times more difficult. This was because it was a Beyonder creature that could fly. And reality had proven that his judgment was right.

For this, Alger was willing to experience a constant headache, a nagging feeling that made him want to slam his head into a wall.

After waiting for several minutes, he saw points of light float up from the Blue Shadow Falcon. Six crystalline feathers condensed around its wing as Alger heaved a sigh of relief and walked over.

He had a flaxen cloth tied around his forehead, and embedded inside it was a blood-red gem that emitted a light that resembled the moonlight.

This was meant to be the Vampire Baron inheritance for Emlyn White, but Alger wasn't in a hurry to complete the transaction after obtaining it. Instead, he used the characteristic, which he could use to a certain extent, to add insurance to his hunt for the Blue Shadow Falcon.

At times, being a middleman is rather nice… Alger put away the six crystalline feathers as he sighed silently.

He straightened his body and looked towards the towering mountain peak and dense forest around it on the primitive island. He felt that many indescribable dangers lurked there.

My strength is insufficient to explore the area… Alger retracted his gaze and walked towards the island's periphery, constantly wary for any "predators" around him.

Soon, he jumped into the sea, and with his powers as a Seafarer, he easily swam into the distance. His ghost ship was anchored there, and his sailors were still sleeping thanks to the Sanguine's anesthetic gas.

To come to this primitive island, the ship had to steer away from the main sea routes. In a situation where sea monsters lurked while the storms lingered, navigating would take at least six hours, with the danger of sinking at any moment. Only a Seafarer who was familiar with the route could bring the ship close.

…

Deep into the night, Klein, who had rested an entire day, put down his newspapers and burrowed into bed.

Just as he was about to fall asleep, he suddenly thought of a problem.

Now that Danitz has returned to the Golden Dream, would it be a waste for me to stay in a large suite alone? Klein nodded indiscernibly and decided to check out at daybreak and switch to another inn.

After making up his mind, he quickly fell asleep. Suddenly, his mind became clear from its prior haziness.

He knew that some force had intruded into his dream!

I'm very impressive to be able to sense the dream intrusion of a Snake of Fate. No—the gray fog is very impressive… Klein surveyed his surroundings and discovered that he was located in a pitch-black desolate plain. Not far away was a black steeple.

This was a scene he had formerly seen in Dr. Aaron's dream, but at this moment, there wasn't a mysterious silver giant snake on the steeple.

Klein nodded in thought as he sped up his pace and entered the pitch-black steeple. It remained ancient and decadent. The layout was chaotic, with the staircase occasionally spiraling upwards and dropping downwards diagonally at times. Some of the rooms were normal; others were upside down, and there were others that were embedded into other parts.

Passing through, door after door and wall after wall, Klein once again arrived deep inside the black tower.

There were tarot cards scattered around here as they clustered towards the ground in the middle which was slightly protruded.

There was a line of silver words and a portrait.

The portrait was that of the chubby Apothecary, and the silver words formed the sentence: "Inform Darkwill."

So the chubby Apothecary's name is Darkwill… Will Auceptin really is the Snake of Fate from the Life School of Thought. And I really can use the paper crane to communicate with him in a dream… Klein waited for a moment, and seeing that there weren't any other revelations, he exited the dream and fell asleep again.

…

After daybreak, Klein asked if there weren't any additional charges for checking out at noon, he then put on his top hat and rode a carriage to the Red Theater's entrance.

This famous brothel was in its quietest period of the day, it was like it was a ghost house.

Klein glanced at it before walking diagonally across to the alley and arriving outside Darkwill's folk herb store.

He suddenly sensed something as he looked up at the roof, and he saw a fat owl perched there, looking at him.

The chubby Apothecary was apparently attempting to tame a Beyonder animal before… Klein retracted his gaze in thought as he knocked on the door.

Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

After waiting for a while, he saw Darkwill open the door with his eyes hardly open.

"… You aren't sick," Darkwill said after observing him.

Klein maintained Gehrman Sparrow's cold expression and politely widened the corners of his mouth.

"Good morning, Mr. Apothecary.

"I've found your teacher."

"For real?" Darkwill asked in disbelief. "You just received the mission the day before yesterday…"

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 592: Three Advancements in a Week

What has "me receiving the mission the day before yesterday" have to do with when I find him? If I didn't need to spend a day waiting for the Snake of Fate, Will Auceptin, to locate me, I could've done so 24 hours earlier… That's what professionalism is!Klein answered calmly, "You can choose not to hear what I have to say."

Darkwill choked back the words he had prepared as his facial muscles twitched.

"Go ahead and say it."

Klein described flatly, "I received intel that Roy King has been captured by the military and is presently imprisoned in the governor-general's office."

News I received from Arrodes…he added inwardly.

"For real?" Darkwill couldn't hold back again as he widened his eyes and blurted out a retort.

Klein nodded indiscernibly and said, "My information source is sufficiently reliable."

"But I have no way of confirming it…" Darkwill said in hesitation.

"This is because it involves an important Sealed Artifact of the Life School of Thought," Klein said directly.

Darkwill immediately jumped in fright as he took two steps back and looked around warily, afraid that someone had heard what Klein had just said.

Can this sort of thing be said out on the street? He knows that we're from the Life School of Thought, and he knows that Old Man is involved in an important Sealed Artifact… I only learned of that from my last communication with him…Darkwill gradually began to believe the adventurer in front of him.

Klein swept a glance at the owl who swooped down and landed on the chubby Apothecary's shoulder.

"You can make your payment."

"I can't confirm it. I can't just believe what you say, right…" Darkwill said stubbornly.

Then, he saw the eyes of the adventurer in front of him turn abnormally cold.

He trembled and hurriedly said, "Alright. I'll barely count it as you completing the mission."

Unwillingly, he took out a wad of cash from a secret pocket in his witchdoctor robes and handed Klein 100 pounds in change.

Although he was a Beyonder, the physical enhancements he obtained from his job as an Apothecary and Beast Tamer wasn't enough to play a role in direct combat. He wasn't necessarily able to defeat an ordinary person with a revolver. As for the Beyonder pet he reared, it was also a fellow without any combat powers. Faced with an experienced and resourceful adventurer who was also likely a Beyonder, both he and the owl together wasn't necessarily his match. All he could do was act as he said.

It wasn't easy saving up that amount of money…he lamented inwardly.

It was indeed profitable being an Apothecary, even more so when out in the colonies. There were pirates, sailors, and adventurers. There were all sorts of people, and the official organizations were more relaxed on enforcing the rules. He could sell certain banned medicine without anyone coming to knock at his door. For the past two months, just the customers from the Red Theater was enough to earn him more than what he previously earned in a year.

However, as a Beyonder, his expenses were huge as well. The savings he had had primarily been expended when advancing to Beast Tamer. Later, he reared a pet and, with great difficulty, bought the potion formula and ingredients for it. He also purchased defensive charms for himself, leaving him only a few hundred pounds in savings.

Klein received the cash and, while counting it, verified their authenticity before putting it in his pocket and leaving.

After seeing Klein's figure disappear from the alley, Darkwill's expression sank.

It's too dangerous here… Too dangerous… I have to leave as quickly as possible!As he mumbled, he returned inside his herb store. Once inside, he dragged a brown suitcase and quickly stuffed all sorts of clothes and cash which had been folded neatly into it.

Finally, he poured out the notes and coins of different denominations from the cash register, stuffed them into his pocket, and took the fake identification documents he had spent a fortune on. With the brown suitcase, he walked out of his folk herb store.

Looking back at the various medicinal ingredients he hadn't finished selling yet, Darkwill's chubby face clearly twitched.

He took a breath and locked the door while resisting his aching heart. He went straight for the harbor by getting a rental carriage, heading for Bayam's liner ticketing company.

It's too dangerous, way too dangerous. Old Man has been caught… He's been caught…he sat in the carriage and repeated himself silently as he trembled.

In this state, he finally arrived at the ticketing company, and after paying for the carriage, he rushed into the lobby and queued up for the liner to East Balam.

Phew… Phew…Darkwill kept taking a few deep breaths as he closely followed the customer ahead of him and shifted forward.

"Get me the first ship out of here," he emphasized to himself.

As he sporadically inched forward, Darkwill finally calmed down.

His expression occasionally turned twisted before quickly calming down. This repeated numerous times.

When there was only one customer left in front of him, Darkwill paused on the spot.

Dumbass! You dumbass!he cursed himself and immediately turned around, carried his suitcase, and walked out the ticketing lobby with his identification documents.

…

Klein didn't care how Darkwill was saving his teacher, Roy King. He believed that it wasn't something that needed his concern.

They have the Life School of Thought backing them. Even if they recently fractured, they're an ancient organization that was born in the early Fifth Epoch, making it have hundreds of years of history. It has a considerable heritage. Chubby Apothecary will naturally be able to find someone to help… If even the Life School of Thought can't do it, it will be useless even if I get the entire Tarot Club to help. So there's no need for me to worry for him. The military in Bayam has a demigod… Of course, he might not be in the governor-general's office and might be in the military base.Inside the carriage, Klein took out his wallet and looked at the paper crane in it, wondering if he should immediately throw it above the gray fog.

I'll wait longer. Perhaps that Snake of Fate, Will Auceptin, might want to give me some perks… I should prepare a pencil next time. I neglected a problem. A paper crane is only this big. Using a fountain pen will quickly leave it without space to write… That will make me unable to contact Will Auceptin and end up just waiting passively. And I can't keep the paper crane on me all day. In a few days, I'll send it back to the junk pile above the gray fog. After all, I cannot always have Will Auceptin tracking me. I have to be careful…Klein quickly made a decision and returned to the Wind of Azure Inn, packed his suitcase, and checked out of the luxurious suite.

To his delight, on Danitz's second time here, he had made a prepayment, making him responsible for the 5 soli in fees.

Soon, Klein switched to a different district and came to Otum Street, which was close to Amyris Leaf Bar. He stayed in an inn called Tiana. He got a clean and simple room which cost him 2 soli 2 pence every day. There was also a complimentary cup of fruit juice squeezed from the gigantic fruit named Tiana.

As he drank the slightly sweet milky fruit juice, Klein no longer cared about his image. He slumped into a reclining chair and decided to daze off and take a nap for the next two hours before going above the gray fog to browse through the prayers of his believers to experience the different facades people have.

…

Backlund, the White family.

Emlyn looked at the blood-red "gem" that appeared in front of him at the altar, and he seemed to be able to hear it resonating with his blood.

After thanking Mr. Fool, he picked up the gem and felt the uniqueness flowing within it, so as to confirm that it was the inheritance from a Sanguine baron.

As long as I prepare the corresponding inheritance ritual and supplementary ingredients, I'll become a Baron. And this isn't difficult at this stage,Emlyn thought with anticipation and glee.According to the humans' system, I would be a Sequence 6 Beyonder. The corresponding name is Potions Professor!

…

In the blink of an eye, it was Monday again. Above the Fog Sea, a fleet was tearing through the thin fog and blue sea.

Their flagship was a gigantic sailboat which hung a unique flag on it. It depicted an eyelash-less eye with ten stars surrounding it.

Admiral of Stars Cattleya stood by the window of the captain's cabin as she quietly looked at the sunlight that shone through the thin fog until the wall clock produced its cuckoo.

She glanced at the time and quickly converted the time to Loen time. She then pulled the curtains and sat behind her desk.

Placed on the red wooden table were a brass sextant and a light-blue celestial globe. The latter's surface had a large swath of blankness, regions that hadn't been explored or were impossible to explore.

Cattleya reached out her fingers and played with the celestial globe before closing her eyes as she awaited The Fool's summoning.

Before long, a crimson light flooded her eyes, drowning the prepared her completely.

By the time she got used to the changes, she found herself in the holy palace propped up with stone columns. She was before a long, mottled bronze table.

While Miss Justice was greeting everyone energetically, Cattleya also expressed her respects to Mr. Fool who was still covered in the grayish-white fog.

She did a simple sweep, and her black eyes with a slight tinge of purple suddenly constricted.

She realized that The Hanged Man, The Moon, and The Sun who were sitting opposite her had slight changes in their outward spirituality. It was different from before!

This indicated that they had advanced!

This meant that they had advanced in the past few days!

In just a week, three Tarot Club members have advanced. It's likely that The Hanged Man and The Moon have already reached Sequence 6… Is this a coincidence? They happened to consume the potion this week? In terms of probability, there's a possibility. The Moon and The Sun were purchasing ingredients last week, but this also serves to show that the Tarot Club members advance very quickly; otherwise, there wouldn't be such a coincidence…

Of course, it's not strange to advance quickly below Sequence 5 once a Beyonder masters the acting method and isn't lacking in resources… From Sequence 6 to Sequence 5, there's a need for a ritual, and the digestion becomes increasingly difficult. It's difficult for such matters to happen again…Cattleya retracted her gaze.

Following that, Audrey apologized to Mr. Fool, saying that she hadn't been in contact with the Psychology Alchemists recently and wasn't able to provide any Roselle diary pages. Fors was in a similar situation. Her teacher was slow in replying to her, and the cold weather outside left her resistant against the idea of heading out.

Having just advanced and having many things to settle, Derrick wasn't able to produce new ancient myths. Klein could only calmly nod.

Upon seeing this Derrick heaved a sigh of relief and turned his head to the other end of the long bronze table.

"Mr. World, I've obtained the method for separating a Beyonder characteristic from the mental corruption left by a Rampager."

Don't say it so directly…At the other end of the bronze table, Klein's expression nearly froze.

Little Sun, although you have promised several times in the past, making Miss Justice and Mr. Hanged Man know of this matter, can't you see that Ma'am Hermit just joined?Klein resisted the urge to facepalm.

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 593: Solution

The method for separating a Rampager's mental corruption from a Beyonder characteristic…The Hermit Cattleya shot a glance at The World and guessed that he might've obtained one to two Beyonder characteristics that a Rampager left behind. In addition, one of them likely involved the advancement characteristic for The World or someone close to him.

This was a very easy inference since if one didn't use a Beyonder characteristic as the main ingredient of a potion, the mental corruption of a Rampager in it didn't matter if it was made into a mystical item. At worst, the negative side effects would be extremely strong, making it equivalent to a Sealed Artifact, but that didn't mean that there was no way of using it.

After adjusting his emotions, Klein controlled The World to answer hoarsely, "Write it on a piece of paper and pass it to me."

With that said, Klein originally wished to encourage Little Sun for being a trustworthy person, but upon considering how The World's image was that of a gloomy and reserved person who didn't say anything else unless he had ulterior motives. He instantly fell into a slight dilemma.

No, there's an ulterior motive… By letting Little Sun maintain his principles, it will make things a lot easier in the future. To put it simply, it will be easier to fleece him… Of course, I'll have to suffer the damage from his honesty and uprightness as a result… The World is an experienced and shrewd Beyonder in the eyes of Miss Justice, Mr. Hanged Man, and the others. They likely wouldn't notice any problems…Klein's mind raced as he made The World let out a deep laugh.

"You're really a trustworthy person. Your character is worthy of praise."

The Hanged Man pricked up his brows and took the initiative to say to Derrick, "I'm also interested in the knowledge regarding this. What can I use to trade for this information?"

He planned to do the transaction if it wasn't too expensive, and he would give up if it exceeded his expectations. After all, he didn't have any use for it at the moment.

Having been praised, Derrick was still lost in his joy. After two seconds of thought, he said with abnormal sincerity, "Mr. Hanged Man, there's no need. You've often been giving me suggestions in the past when I was faced with trials. Just treat it as a way of showing my appreciation."

… If The World is a real person and was drinking, he definitely would've spewed out all the water in his mouth. Thankfully, he's neither drinking, nor is he real.Klein mustered all the Beyonder powers of a Clown to ensure his expression remained unchanged.

"…"

The Hanged Man was briefly at a loss for words. The Sun's reply was completely out of his expectations.

He had been traveling the seas for years and had experienced numerous encounters. His outlook on things was no longer that of black and white, with it mainly shades of gray. At this moment, he felt a baffling sense of guilt.

"Your character is really worthy of praise," Alger quickly composed himself and praised Little Sun.

Don't copy what I said! Can't you use a different sentence…The World glanced at The Hanged Man as The Fool lamented how wily old foxes were all one and the same.

Dumbass! No, he's dumber than an ass! A dumb sheep!The Moon Emlyn silently condemned The Sun.

From this morning, he had been filled with anticipation for this Tarot Gathering, as he had already advanced to Baron and had wished to find a chance to covertly flaunt himself.

They might not be able to tell, apart from Mr. Fool… Mr. Hanged Man likely can guess it… I should do something later to let them know that I'm an honorable Lord Baron…Emlyn pondered as he listened.

Towards Little Sun's words, Justice Audrey didn't feel any guilt or anger, as she knew very well that Mr. Hanged Man had been the one who had been guiding him every time. The others were only occasionally giving suggestions.

This is the natural result of being a good person… I hope Mr. Hanged Man will become kinder in the future…She watched this scene in delight and didn't have the urge to spend money to obtain the method for separating the mental corruption from a Beyonder characteristic.

Derrick quickly turned around and obtained Mr. Fool's approval and conjured two yellowish-brown goatskin parchments.

Klein controlled The World and took a piece. He scanned it impatiently.

"There are two methods. The first is to use an item that can steal the Beyonder powers of others. Extract the mental corruption left behind by a Rampager and concoct the Beyonder characteristic into a potion before the theft loses effect. This way, the mental corruption will have nowhere to go and will directly dissipate.

"The second is to hold a ritual and pray to one of the two mystical items in our City of Silver. Use its feedback to shatter the Beyonder characteristic and let the mental corruption expire. After that, the Beyonder characteristic will automatically gather together slowly.

"I only managed to obtain the corresponding ritual's procedure and was unable to obtain the precise description of the item. Only the elders of the six-member council have the right to know it and preside over such a ritual.

"The ritual's procedure is…

Hmm…Thoughts went through Klein's mind as he nearly forgot to control the dummy, The World.

The first method is indeed something I never considered before… The Sealed Artifact, Blood Vessel Thief, behind the Chanis Gate in Tingen City is able to steal a target's Beyonder powers. By viewing a mental corruption as one of them, there's nothing wrong with this logic…

But here comes the problem. The mental corruption inside the All-Black Eye isn't that of an ordinary Beyonder but from the evil god, True Creator. Regardless of if it's the Beyonder who's stealing the power or a mystical item of a similar trait, it will not be able to withstand such mental corruption. The former has a hundred percent chance of losing control, while the latter will directly be corrupted…

In theory, I can sacrifice a similar mystical item and use it to replace the All-Black Eye's corruption. However, the timing has to be done perfectly without any errors; otherwise, the two items might end up corrupted.

Klein quickly analyzed the viability of the first option. As for the second option, it was similar to his and Edwina's previous guess. Only the details were somewhat different.

The two powerful mystical items in the City of Silver are, at best, Grade 0. Basically, it can't be a true god's Sequence 0 remains; otherwise, they wouldn't be in such a pathetic state in the Forsaken Land of the Gods. Therefore, does it mean that in order to shatter a Beyonder characteristic, one doesn't need a god's strength? It's enough to do it at the level of an angel? According to Little Sun, an angel is equivalent to a subsidiary god and can barely be considered a god…

Yes… This matter can be verified. Sea God Kalvetua only obtained a portion of Calamity Cohinem's characteristic. The remaining part is in the Book of Calamity… There might even be a third part. I wonder where it's hidden since it helps this high elf, at the level of an angel, be able to resist death. In short, it can be seen that Cohinem's Beyonder characteristic was split into at least two parts. This is essentially the same as shattering a Beyonder characteristic.

With all the evidence validating each other, I can make a preliminary conclusion that as long as the ritual is right, the feedback of a powerhouse at the angel level will be able to shatter a Beyonder characteristic. Then, here comes the problem. Where do I find an angel…

Mr. Azik might be one at his peak, but he clearly hasn't recovered yet. As for Saints, Snake of Fate, Will Auceptin, is only a fetus that hasn't even been born at the moment.

Klein didn't spend too much time thinking, deciding to consider how to resolve the problem after the Tarot Gathering ended.

With that, Alger quickly scanned the area and gained an understanding to a certain degree.

Towards this, he had a theory.

Getting The World to seek the method to separate the mental corruption from a Beyonder characteristic is likely a test Mr. Fool had given to his Blessed.

But does this imply that Mr. Fool's strength has only recovered to the level of a Saint and not an Angel? Otherwise, there's no need to go through such trouble. He could've directly removed it.

How long has it been? It's just been seven months and Mr. Fool has already recovered to this extent… Right, "He" can already respond in place of Sea God Kalvetua!

In another one to two years, he will likely be able to escape from his seal. Standing at the pinnacle as an Angel, he will just be one step short of the ultimate goal.

Ignoring The Hanged Man's reaction, Cattleya looked at The Hanged Man and thought for a few seconds before chuckling.

"I'm not sure if those methods include one of the methods I know of.

"I can provide it for free. An Unshadowed of the Sun pathway can directly cleanse away the mental corruption in a Beyonder characteristic."

Ma'am Hermit is a lot more proactive than the last time… Has she adjusted her state of mind, or does she have a motive? Or could it be that she's discovered that everyone else is a weakling, so there's no need to be too careful…Klein was first surprised with Cattleya's attitude before being delighted that he had obtained a third method. It was from the Sun pathway which the City of Silver lacked.

But I can't find the help of an Unshadowed, although I do have an incomplete Unshadowed potion formula…He controlled The World to deliberate for a moment before having him turn to Cattleya to laugh deeply.

"Thank you for your generosity, Ma'am Hermit."

Following that, he switched to the demeanor of a salesman and asked Derrick, "Do you know of a book named Groselle's Travels?"

Derrick thought seriously before honestly shaking his head.

"No."

No…Klein nearly failed to continue what he had to say, but thankfully, he steadied himself and let The World explain himself, "It's a magical book that originates from dragons. Many of its owners have vanished."

"Originates from dragons?" Audrey keenly noticed this important point as she asked with interest.

"Yes, a Beyonder plans on selling it for 8,000 pounds," The World said hoarsely.

He didn't raise the price above Edwina's offer because he had yet to bargain with her. This was where he could profit on the trade. Besides, even if Edwina insisted on 8,000 pounds, he could still obtain Groselle's Travels and study it. It was worth the time he spent closing the deal.

Audrey pursed her lips slightly as she darted her eyes around a little and cautiously asked, "What's so magical about it?"

"… It requires further study." The World chose to be honest.

"I'll consider it." Audrey wasn't in a hurry to agree to it because 8,000 pounds was also a considerable sum of money to her as well. Especially with her having just been reimbursed for Lie, it was very difficult for her father, Earl Hall, to accept a book of unknown purpose. And if she were to rely on herself, it would take her at least three to four months—this was built on the premise that she had already purchased the Psychiatrist's Beyonder characteristic for Susie.

Hence, she turned to ask The World about the Psychiatrist Beyonder characteristic.

… I mainly spent this week hunting Vice Admiral Ailment and failed. I didn't find a Grazing target to switch to…Klein was instantly left somewhat embarrassed, feeling as though The World's shrewd image had been damaged.

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 594: The World's Commission

Thankfully, The World didn't have the ability to blush red. As long as he wasn't controlled, there was no change to his state.

He chuckled darkly.

"Another few more days."

Audrey nodded with a reserved attitude and didn't rush him. This was because Susie didn't express any desire in advancing anytime soon. After all, she was only a dog.

The Hanged Man, The Moon, and The Sun had just advanced a few days ago, so they were in the stage of converging their spirituality and practicing their new Beyonder powers. They had no desire to purchase the subsequent potion formulas or corresponding Sanguine inheritance. They calmly waited until the transaction phase came to an end.

Besides, they didn't have spare cash. Although Alger had "lowered" the price Emlyn White had to pay for the Sanguine Baron inheritance to 4,300 pounds and 300 pounds in commission, allowing him to earn 1,400 pounds, he had spent quite a bit on the Whip of Mind. All he had left was 1,445 pounds.

After purchasing the Sanguine Baron inheritance, new dolls, and doll dresses, he still had 2,300 pounds in savings. Although it seemed like a sizable amount, the subsequent ingredients were that of a Sanguine Viscount. It would cost at least 8,000 pounds. As for Derrick, he had exchanged all his merit points that he had previously accumulated, and he was waiting to be sent out for a patrolling or exploration mission.

Fors and Audrey were similarly not seeking to purchase the potion formulas of the subsequent Sequences since they could obtain them from their own resource channels. Furthermore, there was no need to hide it or waste money at the Tarot Club. Audrey simply wasn't too nitpicky when it came to money; it didn't mean she was dumb.

On the other hand, Cattleya was still observing and wasn't in a rush to reveal what she needed. On the other hand, she didn't believe that the other Tarot Club members apart from Mr. Fool could provide anything she needed. After all, to a pirate admiral who had advanced to Sequence 5 for years, what she desired most was the level of demigod. Therefore, she only looked calmly at The Sun and the others, with her slightly dark purple eyes, and without making any attempts at speaking.

Klein thought for a moment and controlled The World to add, "Is anyone able to obtain a mystical item with very potent offensive strength?"

The target of his question was directed at The Hermit. This was because only Admiral of Stars, who had traveled the seas for so many years, could satisfy his request. Even The Hanged Man and the that Artisan he knew couldn't do it unless he could provide them with a corresponding Sequence 6 or even a Sequence 5 Beyonder characteristic.

Cattleya fell silent for two seconds before slowly shaking her head.

"If something similar appears at the Beyonder gatherings I participate in, I'll help you take note."

All these years, she had killed several Beyonders and had indeed obtained a certain number of Beyonder characteristics and mystical items, but they were either rewarded to her pirate subordinates, or she had exchanged them for two powerful items that greatly enhanced her strength and survivability. She didn't have anything to spare. Furthermore, she needed the two items and wouldn't sell them before she advanced to the level of demigod.

From the looks of it, Admiral of Stars isn't a well-to-do person either. A huge faction implies large expenses…Klein silently sighed and made The World thank her with his hoarse voice.

With the transactions quickly coming to an end, he controlled The World to look at Fors.

"I wish to entrust you with a mission."

"Me?" Fors was a little surprised.

Could it be something like buying a radio transceiver again?she thought as the corners of her mouth twitched slightly.

The World nodded.

"Go to Williams Street, which borders West Borough and Empress Borough, and circle the place. Do it once every two to three days. Take note of any abnormalities. If there are any, then inform me immediately."

He didn't use Mr. Fool to bring focus on the matter, as everyone was already used to it and experienced. Furthermore, beneath Williams Street was precisely the location of the Tudor family's ruins where the evil spirit was lingering.

"Abnormality? What would be considered abnormal?" Fors asked, feeling puzzled and cautious.

There might be something abnormal about Williams Street in Backlund?Audrey was originally not very interested in the topic, but at that moment, she pricked up her ears and paid close attention.

She trusted Mr. World's ability to gather intelligence to a great extent. The Great Smog of Backlund was evidence of his ability!

West Borough, Empress Borough… Sounds like it's located at Loen's capital, Backlund… Miss Magician is presently in Backlund? Indeed. She looks ordinary, but she isn't in any way. To a secret organization, members in a city are often more powerful in other places… Of course, she might also be like me—a coincidence of fate because she requested to be roped in…Cattleya swept a glance at Fors and quickly analyzed the information revealed from the conversation.

Alger was suddenly interested since he knew that The World was the representative of Mr. Fool's Blessed. Whatever he paid attention to had a high chance of involving a conflict at the upper echelons!

Just what secret lies within that street named Williams Street?Alger couldn't help but try to guess at the deeper truth.

How would I know what abnormalities there will be…Klein mumbled before getting The World to answer gloomily, "I believe there will be sufficient abnormalities.

"I have to warn you that if you really notice anything abnormal, do not attempt to investigate it on your own or hire someone to do the investigation. It will be very dangerous.

"How much do you think is an adequate reward?"

Very dangerous…Fors instinctively wished to decline the mission.

However, considering how immense the influence of the Great Smog of Backlund was, one that even affected her, she wasn't sure if this abnormality wouldn't cause her harm. As such, she became hesitant.

After a few seconds, she changed her languid seating posture and said, "100 pounds."

"Much lower than I imagined." The World chuckled.

Fors spread her hands and said, "It's because it's for myself as well."

I'll just treat it as "people observation" in order to gather material for my novel… That's right, I can't stay at home all day. It's time for me to get out. I have to push forward the matter of acting as a Trickmaster. Just conjuring tricks to amuse Xio isn't enough to digest it… How should I act? Join a circus to perform tricks? Or should I do individual performances at different squares? I don't have to be worried about how the people I know view me. As an author, life experience is a basic trait…Fors's thoughts gradually dispersed.

After settling this matter, Klein made The World turn his head to The Hanged Man and chuckle darkly.

"I received intel that the Church of Storms has taken action. The matter at Bansy Harbor has been preliminarily been resolved."

Having been drifting out at sea for the past week, Alger, who hadn't had any contact with the Church, immediately replied with a solemn voice, "What's the final outcome?"

"There won't be a Bansy Harbor for some time," The World replied with a concealed smile.

At this moment, Audrey and company realized what they were talking about.

That was the place with the ancient name Binsy, and it had the present name of Bansy!

It was the place where descendants of the King of Angels Medici resided!

Is Mr. World implying that the Church of Storms has leveled Bansy Harbor? That's really in their style. That's good too. There's no need to worry that the innocent there will be corrupted… I wonder if the King of Angels Medici appeared or escaped. Would the pontiff of the Church of Storms appear in person, or was a Grade 0 Sealed Artifact used…Audrey heaved a sigh of relief as she asked with brightened eyes, "Mr. World, do you know of the specifics?"

"No, no one knows, other than the upper echelons of the Church of Storms." The World stole a glance at The Hanged Man.

The Hanged Man fell silent, feeling the burning ambition in his chest once more.

I want to become a member of the Church's upper echelons!he emphasized to himself.

The Hermit Cattleya, who had joined the Tarot Gathering a second time, basically didn't understand what they were talking about.

As a pirate admiral, she was no stranger to Bansy Harbor, but she didn't know what had happened there. She also had no idea why the Church of Storms would destroy the place and why it would require a long period of time to rebuild it.

It should be a very serious matter that deals with the higher-ups… The members of the Tarot Club seems to be aware of the reason… Although their Sequences aren't high, they seem to know a lot and are involved in many matters… apart from The Sun… This is the reason why Mr. Fool tacitly agreed to have them establish this gathering? Through the Tarot Club, they will indirectly influence various matters of different organizations?Cattleya once again reevaluated her understanding of the other members and was increasingly impressed with them.

She still maintained her silence and didn't inquire. This left Audrey, who was waiting to flaunt via answering in response to The Hermit's puzzlement, disappointed.

Even for Ma'am Hermit, it's unlikely that she'll be involved in matters regarding a King of Angels. No, she might not even know about the existence of a King of Angels…Audrey thought spontaneously.

After talking about the outcome of Bansy Harbor and waiting for a moment, Emlyn White immediately cleared his throat and said, "Thanks to Mr. Hanged Man's help, I'm already a Baron.

"I have a question. As a Sanguine, do I need to use the acting method like you humans do in order to expedite the so-called digestion after advancing to a Baron, so as to better grasp the Beyonder characteristic?"

His back was extremely sharp as his neck was slightly elevated while his chin was slightly tipped upwards.

I'm sorry. Mr. Fool isn't able to answer this question of yours. But in theory, it's required. After all, you are using the "inheritance" of others…Klein leaned back in his chair and sat amidst the gray fog as he leisurely looked at the other members of the Tarot Club.

Cattleya scanned her surroundings and said, "A Sanguine Baron corresponds to the Sequence 6 Potions Professor?"

"Yes," Emlyn replied, unable to hide his smile.

He wasn't stupid. From the previous transactions and interactions, he had determined the Sequences of the other members apart from The World. He believed that he was one of the strongest members of the Tarot Club. Of course, this was excluding Mr. Fool and the recently recruited Ma'am Hermit.

Mr. Moon is already at Sequence 6? Why does he seem more immature than The Sun…Audrey pursed her lips.

At that moment, Cattleya said, "It requires acting because this pathway only has the name Vampire at Sequence 7. As for you, you were born in that state. There's no need to act, but it's required for the other Sequences."

"Ma'am Hermit, which pathway does that Sequence 7 belong to?" Audrey blinked her eyes as she curiously asked before Emlyn White could say a word.

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 595: Domain

Without waiting for The Hermit to answer, Audrey added, "If you believe this is an important piece of information and isn't something to be given for free, then I can provide you with some payment."

"No, there's no need to. Anyone familiar with the Feynapotter's Church of Earth Mother will have some understanding of this." Cattleya didn't doubt Miss Justice's sincerity when it came to the principle of equal exchange. She believed that Miss Justice was fully capable of satisfying her price in terms of wealth and resources, but she decided to provide the information for free.

Firstly, it raised Miss Justice's impression on her and would build a foundation for any future transactions. Secondly, by providing the information, she could observe the reactions of the members and estimate their standing in their own organizations and factions.

I'm very familiar with the Earth Mother's Blessed, Bishop Utravsky, but I didn't know anything about that… Of course, I truly am a little scared of him. His height and build are just too intimidating. Every time I'm there, I only seek out Emlyn White…Sitting at the end of the long bronze table, Klein thought in a self-deprecating manner.

Cattleya didn't pause as she continued, "Vampire is from the Moon pathway. The corresponding Sequence 9 is Apothecary; Sequence 8 is Beast Tamer; Sequence 6 is Potions Professor; Sequence 5 is Scarlet Scholar; Sequence 4 is Shaman King. I'm not sure about the higher Sequences."

"Ahem." Emlyn White coughed. "Ma'am Hermit, I have to emphasize that it's Sanguine, not Vampire. Heh heh, I won't object it if you call those humans who consume the characteristics of my kinsmen vampires. I would even be very agreeable to it."

So Vampire is from the Apothecary pathway. So is Shaman King. It's no wonder they revere the Primordial Moon and not the Goddess…

Could the Scarlet Lunar Corona, that Ma'am Sharron obtained, be from a dead Scarlet Scholar or Sanguine Viscount? Apart from being able to recreate the effects of a full moon and neutralizing the corresponding effects, it can provide terrifying speed, unimaginable recovery speed, and rather powerful darkness-related spells. The negative effects can be neutralized by drinking the fresh blood of the living… Indeed, it does seem to be a result of a Sanguine…

Among the various jobs of this pathway, there are some that resemble the Seer pathway. There's no connection between the Sequences, while there are some that have an obvious progression. How strange…

Klein joined the bits of bread crumbs together, feeling somewhat enlightened and puzzled.

Alger, Fors, and company were either in thought, listening in relish, or pretending to be disinterested. Everyone had different reactions, but Cattleya was able to figure out that they didn't understand much about Vampires prior to this.

They are low- or mid-ranking members in their organizations or factions. They match the characteristics of being recently pulled into the Tarot Club and at the stage of rapidly advancing… The World didn't react. Either he's very staid, or he long knew of the matter regarding Vampires, or both… After repeated observations, I have to admit that The World is the Tarot Club member that needs to have the most attention paid to and be guarded against…

Audrey listened with great interest as she thought over it carefully. As though she was attending a family education class, she raised her hand slightly.

"Ma'am Hermit, why are the Sequences in the Moon pathway seemingly unrelated?"

The Hermit Cattleya looked at Miss Justice and discovered that the dress and accessories she wore were completely different from the last gathering. There was no repeat, but it exuded her luxurious and noble bearing.

As her mind went adrift, she seemed to see the portrait of the Queen back when she was young. Every piece of clothing she wore was completely different. The same set of clothing was never worn a second time at a formal event.

After a moment of silence, Cattleya said, "A pathway's Sequence doesn't necessarily need to be related or superficially connected. The common trait is that this pathway corresponds to the god's domain. For example, the Moon represents spirituality, plants, beauty, parts of life, parts of darkness, and parts of mystery. Therefore, this pathway has Apothecary of the plant domain, Vampire of the life domain, and Beast Tamer of the intersection of life and spirituality."

"Sanguine!" Emlyn White emphasized and lifted his chin slightly. "This should be why us Sanguine are very handsome and beautiful."

No, that's not the case. The vampires I've seen are all disgusting and ferocious…Derrick retorted weakly in his heart.

It can be explained in such a manner? It's quite different from Captain's and Daly's explanations… Different pathways represent the domain possessed by a Sequence 0… Or could it be that the two combined is the most accurate answer? I wonder what the domains the Sequence 0 of the Seer pathway represents. From the symbol behind my chair, it represents strangeness and change?Klein's expression didn't change as his mind whirled.

Audrey easily understood Ma'am Hermit's explanation and couldn't help but guess the name of her pathway's Sequence 0.

It's definitely Dragon. There are many species of dragons. Many powers are not contained within this pathway. It's closer to the domain represented by the mind dragon…

I wish Mr. Fool can quickly find the Card of Blasphemy of this corresponding pathway…

That Groselle's Travels originates from dragons. I wonder if it has anything to do with a mind dragon…

At this moment, Emlyn asked as a form of validation, "That is to say that to successfully become a Sanguine Viscount, I similarly have to act as a Potions Professor, even if I'm a favorite of the Moon?"

My dear Emlyn, I know you are trying to bring attention to the latter half of your sentence…Klein nearly reached out his right hand to pinch his chin.

This was also one of the reasons why he had entrusted Miss Magician to check for abnormalities in Williams Street. He ultimately felt that Emlyn White, a vampire who didn't enjoy going out or socializing, was rather unreliable at present. Another reason was that he knew that he was being controlled by the Sanguine's upper echelons in secret. Getting him to head to Williams Street made it easy to expose the matter regarding the underground ruins.

"Yes." Cattleya nodded.

The exchange continued, and as it came to a close, Audrey seemed to recall something. She turned her body and looked towards the end of the long bronze table.

"Mr. Fool, the second round of the Civil Servant Unified Examination officially ends today. What's left is the final interview."

Her tone was brisk and with clear delightful emotions. It was like an excellent student reporting her results to her parents.

From her point of view, the Civil Servant Unified Examination was a suggestion raised by Mr. Fool in passing. She had pushed forward the idea via inconspicuous methods, the first time she had attempted to use her Beyonder powers to change reality. Therefore, she had always paid great attention to it, often reporting the situation to the suggester.

The second round of the examinations are over? I wonder if Benson can pass and have the opportunity of entering the final interview…Klein leaned back and suddenly felt wistful.

He nodded slightly and said with a smiling tone, "Not bad."

Audrey, who had been praised by Mr. Fool, became happier. She felt that she was indirectly changing the fates of many people, allowing people who were stuck in the lower and middle classes to have a chance at entering the middle and upper classes.

When Cattleya heard this exchange, she couldn't help but frown. She felt that this was very different from the style the Tarot Club had previously shown.

Could it be that the reforms of the past half a year in the Loen Kingdom were a result of the Tarot Club's turning of the wheels? As a young noble lady, Miss Justice played an important role? If that's the case, I have to reevaluate my views… Although the members aren't of a high Sequence and are low-ranking members of their organizations, they're still able to influence the situation of the world to a certain extent?Cattleya retracted her gaze and considered whether she wanted to use her different resource channels to figure out the backstory of Loen Kingdom's reforms.

After a few minutes of exchanges, The Fool Klein announced the end of the Gathering.

While Miss Justice and company got up to express their farewells, he severed the connection and leaned back into his seat. He silently watched the endless grayish-white fog around him for a very long while.

…

Backlund. In a coffee shop next to King's Avenue.

Melissa was holding a porcelain teaspoon as she gently stirred the black tea which had a lemon in it. From time to time, she would turn her head to look out into the faint fog.

Her black veiled hat was sitting beside her. Placed in front of her was a plate of the cheapest toast, but she hadn't taken a single bite.

She originally imagined that she would anger the coffee shop's owner for sitting there all this while, preventing him from earning more. But she later discovered that there were many people waiting for the end of the test opposite the road like her.

As seconds turned into minutes, the water condensing on the glass windows grew thicker. Melissa couldn't help but extend her hand to clean up a relatively clear spot.

Finally, she saw a bunch of people surge out of the test venue. The glass-inlaid wooden door of the coffee shop was pushed open as about eight men and women entered.

Just as Benson took off his rather old top and before he could smooth his rather high hairline with his fingers, he discovered his sister standing as she asked nervously, "How did you do, uh—Were the questions tough today?"

"It might've been considered difficult for others, but it was a piece of cake for me. Mathematics is my forte." Benson looked around and saw everyone discussing it without noticing him. Hence, he chuckled. "After the test ended, I saw quite a number of people with blank sheets. Do they think a low-ranking civil servant will have a mathematics secretary? If that's the case, what's the difference between hiring a curly-haired baboon and them?"

Melissa heaved a secret sigh of relief and looked to her side before turning her head back.

"Benson, if you're really confident, you should consider the matter regarding the interview.

"You need to buy a new decent set of clothes."

"Let's leave that to tomorrow. We should celebrate today. I've already decided on the restaurant." Benson smiled as he pointed outside.

Melissa pursed her lips and looked at her elder brother in an extremely serious manner.

"I've already bought the meat and vegetables."

Benson locked his gaze with his sister for a few seconds before moving it away in submission.

"Alright, let's go home."

…

Above the gray fog, Klein gradually found his train of thought and calmed his emotions. He began considering how to separate the True Creator's mental corruption of the All-Black Eye.

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 596: Clue

In the majestic palace with stone columns propping it up, Klein sat in a high-back chair as he lightly tapped the corner of the long mottled table. He first eliminated the method of seeking a Sequence 4 Unshadowed from the Sun pathway.

This was because he had almost zero contact with the Church of the Eternal Blazing Sun. It was very difficult for him to find help from anyone. Secondly, he suspected that an Unshadowed was unlikely to be capable of cleansing the mental corruption in the All-Black Eye. After all, The Hermit Cattleya's suggestion was directed at remnant influences by an ordinary Rampager, and not the True Creator!

Seeking the help of an angel or true god's power isn't realistic either. In theory, I can use the mysterious space above the gray fog to perform a divination on the Eternal Blazing Sun and use "His" help to shatter the All-Black Eye and evaporate the mental corruption, but the problem lies with the fact that an experienced "Him" might be able to use this opportunity to invade this place and take over the gray fog. If that happens, it wouldn't be worth it…

And when a power than exceeds my level an unknown number of times instantly comes into effect, there's no delay. It targets me, and I'll have no time to redirect it to the All-Black Eye. I will lack the ability to control the situation.

Also, it's not like I can divine it as I wish. I need a medium. I previously used the mutated Sun Sacred Emblem, which had the Eternal Blazing Sun's divine blood in it, as well as the ear that was corrupted by the True Creator.

Currently, the mediums I have are Mr. Door and the Hidden Sage. I can use the ravings that Miss Magician hears during the full moon, as well as knowledge's pursuit of Admiral of Stars to make an attempt. But similarly, the counterattack isn't directed at the All-Black Eye, and I don't have the means to divert the attack.

Mr. Azik has yet to recover. Snake of Fate Will Auceptin has yet to be born. From the looks of it, I can't find an angel to help me either. Sigh, I still know too few high-ranking figures… Right, there's also something akin to an angel, the evil spirit in the ruins under Backlund that's suspected to be King of Angels Medici! But that fellow is scheming with unknown plots and malicious intent. Unless there's no other method, I will not consider it.

Yes, taking the risk isn't worth it at all. If that's the case, I might as well give up on the All-Black Eye and search for the main ingredients of a Nimblewright Master. It's only the dust of ancient wraiths and the core crystal of a six-winged gargoyle. It's even possible that the former can be found in the Underworld!

In that case, performing a new search is a viable choice, while finding a mystical item that's similar to the Blood Vessel Thief is another choice. With the gray fog shielding me, I can use its theft abilities to its full extent. I'll definitely be able to separate the True Creator's mental corruption from the All-Black Eye, and I wouldn't be afraid that it would return.

The easiest method is to throw the corrupted mystical item far away once the theft is completed. Then, I'll bring the pure All-Black Eye back to the real world, causing the "physical" separation of the two items.

Well… How am I to find a similar mystical item? Mr. Hanged Man didn't say anything after seeing the methods, which implies that he doesn't know either. However, I can ask at the next Tarot Gathering. Ma'am Hermit, Miss Magician, Miss Justice, Little Sun, and Emlyn White all have their corresponding information and resource channels…

I can try searching for it myself this week. I'll start with Vice Admiral Iceberg. Her third mate, Flowery Bow Tie Jodeson, has Beyonder powers that can steal. Perhaps he might know where there might be similar mystical items.

Klein's thought process gradually cleared up as he formulated an initial plan.

He first performed a divination before rapidly returning to the real world. He got out of the decadent state of laying slump in the reclining chair drinking beverages and reading newspapers as he quickly set up a ritual.

It was still three candles, but the difference was the symbol he drew. It was the Sacred Emblem of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom—an omniscient eye on an open book. The ritual's silver dagger also switched to a brass knife. In mysticism, the blue star corresponded to the God of Knowledge and Wisdom, and the metal that belonged to the blue star's domain was mercury and brass.

Klein had long considered the problem of contacting Vice Admiral Iceberg Edwina Edwards. Therefore, he prepared a set of Soulfall Ritual materials. After a series of processes, he burned the corresponding herb powder, and he dripped the extract and essence from lavender and mint.

Amidst the faint, clear, and mysterious fragrance, Klein took a step back and used ancient Hermes to recite an incantation.

"I pray for the power of knowledge;

"I pray for the power of rationality;

"I pray for the God of Wisdom's loving grace;

"I pray that you allow me to communicate with the spirit of Edwina Edwards, the teacher who pursues knowledge, the researcher of spirit world creatures, Vice Admiral Iceberg of the seas, who hails from Lenburg."

…

Klein's voice reverberated as the altar instantly turned gloomy and cold. Be it the brass knife or the metallic bottles, all of them floated up.

It succeeded. The Golden Dream is still within 500 nautical miles…Klein first felt a sense of delight before he saw the flames of the three candles lengthen. They were tainted with a pale white with a hint of dark green.

He knew that the Soulfall Ritual was essentially to free his body and allow the target's Astral Projection to possess him to establish an effective communication channel. He would be lacking in the necessary protection, making it easy to be attacked by the target of the Soulfall Ritual. Therefore, he had divined ahead of time to determine the danger from this matter. Besides, after meeting and conversing with her, he believed that Vice Admiral Iceberg Edwina wasn't a person with malicious intent. He temporarily found her trustworthy.

At this moment, the wind within the wall of spirituality produced mournful sounds. Klein only felt an ice-cold power descend upon him from the void in an attempt to enter his body.

Then, he was surprised to discover that it wasn't like he expected. He had the necessary strength to resist and control himself instead of being possessed by her!

What's happening?Just as he had the thought, he began to see a faint, formless gray fog around him.

This was a trait he possessed after advancing to Faceless. The power of the gray fog was able to slightly leak into reality!

Amidst his racing mind, Klein didn't hesitate to wave his arm. He pointed to a coat hanging on a coat rack, throwing the ice-cold power onto it.

The black tweed coat on the coat rack strangely floated up as the arms raised up, looking somewhat clumsy.

It was as though an invisible person was wearing his coat!

The black coat floated two meters forward before coming to a pause.

The two sleeves raised up and formed an .

What does that mean?Klein was taken aback before he realized what Vice Admiral Iceberg meant.

Without a mouth, I can't speak! Without hands, I can't write!

This is awkward…Klein thought for a moment and directly said, "I need a mystical item that can steal the Beyonder powers of others. Ma'am, might I know if you have one?

"If you don't, can you ask your third mate for me? Flowery Bow Tie Jodeson?

"The corresponding answer can be written in a letter. Summon my messenger to send it over."

The black coat's sleeves spread out and motioned with a lowering gesture.

Following that, it lost its soul and fell to the ground, no longer appearing as straight as before.

That means "yes?"Klein sighed silently and quickly ended the ritual. He hung up the black coat and used a brush and handkerchief to clean it.

Then, he wrote a letter and asked Mr. Azik a similar question.

He summoned the messenger by blowing the copper whistle. After the letter was taken away, Klein attempted the third method with great drive.

He took out the paper crane from his wallet and carefully spread it out. He wrote with a pencil on it: "Might I ask where I can get a mystical item that can steal the Beyonder powers of others?"

Putting down the pencil, Klein restored the paper crane according to its lines. He was quite pleased with his improvement at handicraft.

…

In the evening, after Klein browsed through the prayers of his believers, he returned to the real world and went to the washroom to enjoy a rather comfortable hot bath.

This allowed him to quickly fall asleep after entering his bed. This continued until he suddenly sensed an external force invading his dream.

It was the same desolate plains with the towering pitch-black steeple. With familiarity, Klein passed through the doors and walls until he entered deep inside the tower.

There was still a deck of tarot cards scattered here. They surrounded a central protrusion as though they were making a declaration. However, as a Seer, Klein could only interpret it as chaotic and contradictory.

On the protruded area, the text had already changed. The silver words formed three sentences.

The first line wrote: "I'm only a child that has yet to been born."

Klein's expression froze as though he was hearing an infant cry, "Please, I beg you. Don't make things difficult for me. Such communication is very tiring…"

The second line was equally succinct.

"The clue lies in you."

The third line was: "Don't ask me what the clue is because I have no idea either."

That is to say that Snake of Fate Will Auceptin can foresee a clue on me, but he is unable to foresee what it is exactly… That feels like a charlatan's divination. No, I can't say so. I can't include myself in such criticism…Klein remembered the information and exited the dream before returning back to sleep until daybreak.

After breakfast, he began recalling the items and matters he had experienced before to seek out the so-called clue.

At this moment, his spiritual perception was triggered as he quickly activated his Spirit Vision.

The skeleton messenger remained huge, but unlike the last time, its head didn't pass through the ceiling.

This was because it had spewed up from the floor, so half its head was in the level below.

In such a situation, it looked at Klein at his eye level and placed the return letter on his palm.

Seeing the messenger crumble like a falling waterfall, Klein was taken back. He muttered, feeling both angry and amused,So you do know some manners!

You're getting more considerate after all!

You've changed greatly after knowing that you wouldn't be transferred to me…

Klein rapidly retracted his gaze and opened the letter to read Mr. Azik's reply.

"… Stealing the Beyonder powers of others is from the Marauder pathway. In the Fourth Epoch, it belonged to the Amon family, the Zoroast family, and the Jacob family… They seldom appeared after the War of the Four Emperors. Rumor has it that some of their members have formed an alliance and call themselves Hermits of Fate.

"I can't remember any further. You can try attacking from the angle of the descendants of these three families."

Amon… So a Blasphemer refers to this pathway? The Jacob family was one of the five Angel Families of the Tudor Dynasty. It was equal to Abraham, Amon, Antigonus, and Tamara. As for the Zoroast family, it's from the Solomon Empire… Hermits of Fate. Fate, Hermit… The clue lies in me…Klein suddenly sat up and recalled an item.

It was the mysterious badge from Lanevus. The symbols on it were none other than that of fate and concealment!

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 597: Klein's Plan

Lanevus is likely a Sequence 8 Swindler. This happens to be from the Marauder pathway. It's not incomprehensible or unacceptable that he would have the "admission ticket" to the corresponding gathering. On the contrary, it's very logical… Purchasing a mystical item, which can steal the Beyonder powers of others, at a gathering with the Hermits of Fate is definitely much easier than other circles… From the looks of it, this is the so-called clue Will Auceptin mentioned…Klein sat by the edge of the bed and suddenly brightened up.

He hurriedly set up a ritual to summon himself and went above the gray fog to bring back the eyeball-sized badge to the real world.

On the front of the badge was a symbol that depicted fate and concealment, and behind it was a ring of tiny and compact words in ancient Hermes: "You can join if you have this item."

Klein was just about to inject his spirituality to activate the badge and send out the "information" to synchronize it with the latest gathering time and location when he suddenly turned hesitant.

… How careless am I. I actually forgot to divine if doing so will be dangerous! If that gathering has Lanevus's demigod senior and he uses it to lock onto me, that will be troublesome. It's just like how Vice Admiral Ailment Tracy was able to quickly find a Demoness of Unaging to help her. I must take precautions… A person should be rash when the time calls for it, and be a coward when necessary!Klein smacked his forehead and cautiously returned to the mysterious space above the gray fog where he used spirit dowsing to perform a divination.

After receiving a revelation that there wasn't any danger, he breathed a sigh of relief and left the gray fog. He then sat in the reclining chair in his inn room.

With the injection of his spirituality, the badge emitted a blurry luster and quickly condensed into an inconspicuous light beam, shooting out into the air.

Before long, the same light beam returned and dispersed, transforming into a palm-sized piece of illusory goatskin parchment. On it was written the words in ancient Feysac: "6 June 1350, 9 p.m. at the Tussock River's estuary."

That's another four more months… With this much time, it wouldn't be a problem for me to find the Nimblewright Master's main ingredient all over again. The only obstacle is a lack of money, but that's not too difficult. I now have a wealth of 6,945 pounds. I should have more than enough after selling another one or two Beyonder characteristics. Besides, there are so many moving bounties at sea, no… I can't be so conceited. I have to eliminate the Four Kings and the Seven Admirals… What kind of clue is this?Klein leaned forward, arched his back, and began thinking hard.

As he thought about the gathering of the Hermits of Fate, he suddenly thought of someone: Leonard Mitchell!

My dear poet had participated in the Hermits of Fate gathering in Babur Valley. Regardless of his goal, whether it's for official work or private matters, there's a possibility of him obtaining a mystical item that can steal the Beyonder powers of others… I can borrow it from him or buy it through him? This is the real clue?Klein felt energized as he quickly came up with a rough plan.

First step. Place the radio transceiver above the gray fog to accumulate its aura;

Second step, use the radio transceiver to contact Arrodes a few days later;

Third step, ask it where I can, with relative ease, obtain mystical items that can steal the Beyonder powers of others;

If the answer is very clear, the fourth step will follow what the information says, easily completing my goal. If the answer is vague or fraught with danger, the fourth step can be to ask my dear poet's present location.

The fifth step is to get Emlyn White to take this badge to find my dear poet to see if he has any corresponding items and if it's possible to do a transaction. I won't appear in person, for I might end up being recognized. That will similarly make it very troublesome. As for Emlyn, he's presently considered someone from the Church of Earth Mother, no—considered a ghost of the Church of Earth Mother. To get him to initiate first-contact, even if he were reported by my dear poet or ends up captured on the spot, he wouldn't be framed or put up for torture.

With the plan on what to do and how to proceed, Klein immediately felt refreshed. In his good mood, he decided to head out to eat a Bayam delicacy—roasted fish.

…

Above the blue sea, the Golden Dream, which was sparkling thanks to the setting sun's golden rays, was silently cruising forward.

Receiving his captain's permission, Danitz apprehensively walked into her room with his head up as people stared at him with envy.

Bookshelves filled the room and on top of them were different books.

Vice Admiral Iceberg Edwina stood in front of a desk as she held a black fountain pen in her hand. She quickly wrote the following: "… I do not have similar items. Same for Jodeson. He says he will help you look out for it, but that will require you to be sufficiently lucky."

Edwina raised her head and turned her clear, aqueous blue eyes to look at Danitz.

"You, hold the ritual, the ritual to summon Gehrman Sparrow's messenger."

At that moment, Danitz was wondering if he would receive any special treatment from his captain, but when he heard that, he pointed at himself in astonishment. "Me?"

"Yes." Edwina folded the letter, straightened her body, and nodded. "This can help you familiarize yourself with similar rituals. In the future, I'll be testing you on this."

"Alright…" Danitz hid his disappointment as he tried his best to recall the procedure as he slowly set up the ritual that only needed one candle.

Finally, under Edwina's watch, he took out a shiny Loen gold coin and placed it on the altar.

After taking the letter, Danitz ran through the subsequent ritual in his mind twice before he dared to do it.

He took a step back and said in ancient Hermes, "I!

"I summon in my name:

"The spirit that wanders about the unfounded, the friendly creature that can be subordinated, the messenger that belongs to Gehrman Sparrow."

Whoosh!

The wind howled in the wall of spirituality, sending Danitz's yellow hair flailing upwards.

The flame rapidly burgeoned to the size of a human's head. It was as pale as the letter in Danitz's hand.

Soon, Danitz saw long blonde hair, bloodshot eyes, and a gorgeous head appear.

Hiss. Gehrman Sparrow's messenger is very unique. How can a spirit world creature look like a human, and it's so beautiful at that. She's just slightly inferior to Captain, uh…Danitz suddenly choked because he discovered that the head didn't have a neck underneath. Furthermore, it was held up by a pigtail with a hand.

He looked in a daze as one head after another appeared. he saw the headless figure dressed in a complicated dress appear before him.

She's indeed a creature from the spirit world…He felt ashamed for having those thoughts.

Taking a deep breath, Danitz hurriedly handed over the letter and saw one of the beautiful heads open its mouth to bite at it with pearly-white teeth.

At this moment, Reinette Tinekerr's other head bit on the gold coin on the altar.

However, she didn't immediately leave. The four bloodshot eyes on other two heads darted towards Edwina Edwards who was outside the wall of spirituality. She sized her up a few times.

Edwina felt herself being observed, and it made it impossible to contain the horror that ensued.

Reinette Tinekerr retracted her gaze as her body turned illusory, fusing into the white candlelight.

The flame lit up again as the colors spread outwards. Everything had restored to normal.

Just as Danitz removed the wall of spirituality, he heard his captain say in a deep voice, "That's not an ordinary creature from the spirit world…"

Not an ordinary creature from the spirit world?Danitz was stunned.

He knew that his captain's profession was a researcher of spirit world creatures. If she said it wasn't ordinary, it definitely wasn't one. It was far more extraordinary than ordinary!

Gehrman Sparrow really is a man with many secrets…Danitz reflected.

…

Backlund, Cherwood Borough.

Fors mustered every fiber in her body before she triumphed over the laziness brought from the fireplace. She switched to a thick dark blue cotton dress, wrapped a light gray scarf around her, and wore a warm lady's hat. In the not-too-cold temperatures, aside from the cold that seeped into her bones thanks to the prevailing fog, she took a carriage to Williams Street.

She took in the cold air and told herself that this was a common excursion for an author to gather material outside. There was no need for her to be nervous or appear abnormal.

Taking a few steps forward, Fors entered a coffee shop and sat by the window. As she drank the thick, warm liquid, she observed the pedestrians and the houses across the road.

There's nothing abnormal. There's no fighting or theft at all… This is a place where the rich live, so the security is much better than East Borough… Heh, I can still see someone from Feysac. He's really tall and muscular, like a bear. He also has companions… Haha, are those people from Intis? They really wear exaggerated clothes, it's like they're acting in a play… Backlund is indeed the Capital of Capitals. I can meet many foreigners here…Fors gradually forgot her goal and opened up a notebook to record down material for her novel.

After she finished her coffee, she circled the street and left after finding nothing peculiar. She planned to come again on Thursday.

…

After taking Edwina's reply letter from Reinette Tinekerr's "hands," Klein watched as the messenger vanished, confirming that she hadn't asked for an additional gold coin.

From the looks of it, using a gold coin as a ritual material works…He smiled, feeling pleased with himself as he opened the letter.

With a fruitless answer, he planned on going out to walk the streets to find a chance to engage in true acting so as to conclude the principles.

At this moment, he heard knocking at the door. It was Captain Elland.

Klein silently opened the door and said, "I was just about to look for you."

Elland chuckled and said, "There's no need. As long as you register a place with your identity, I'll be able to know where you're staying."

The governor-general's office and the military have quite good control on the inns after all…Klein nodded without a word.

Elland turned his body halfway and pointed at the corridor.

"I'll bring you to see someone.

"The White Agate is about to return to Pritz Harbor. If you need help or have any information to provide, you can find him. We're often generous when it comes to payment."

This was what Klein had previously mentioned to him before.

"Alright." Klein reached out to the coat rack.

After wearing his coat, Elland led him straight to the Amyris Leaf Bar and to a corner inside.

…

In the basement of the Amyris Leaf Bar.

Wormtongue Mithor King looked at Strongman Ozil opposite him and asked, "Have you gathered the recent intel about Blazing Danitz?"

"Yes," Ozil said with a smile. "Last week, Blue Eyes Meath saw Blazing Danitz with an unknown adventurer."

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 598: Windfall

In a corner of the Amyris Leaf Bar.

Elland found a man wearing a coffee-colored jacket, patted him on the shoulder, and laughed.

"Why aren't you drinking Lanti Proof?"

The man was in his thirties, having a rather common face. It was obvious that he had Loen blood running through his veins.

He had brown hair and eyes, with a somewhat high nose bridge. His tipsy appearance instantly vanished as his eyes turned sharp.

He swept a glance at Elland and Klein before his eyes turned turbid again. He said, sounding completely intoxicated, "I've already drunk. I'm drinking Zarhar to lessen the effects of the alcohol."

Zarhar was a locally-produced malt beer. It was cheap and tasted quite good.

Elland chuckled and pointed at Klein.

"Gehrman Sparrow."

Then, he introduced the man to Klein, "Oz Kent. You can call him Kent.

"Chat amongst yourselves. I'll have to return to make preparations. I'll be setting off early, tomorrow morning."

He waved his hand and left without any hesitation.

Klein pulled over a nearby chair and sat down. He didn't get any alcohol as he expressionlessly looked at Oz Kent.

The staring made Kent feel extremely uncomfortable as he downed a mouthful of Zarhar and said, "Find me if there's anything in the future. You'll be paid as long as you provide any intel of value, or if you help us do certain things."

He wasn't worried that the drunkards around them would hear their conversation, as many gangs and pirate crews would say the same thing. The words used to rope in informants were usually the same.

"Alright." Klein had the strong urge to ask if he could be reimbursed for dressing up as Helene to assassinate Vice Admiral Ailment despite it being paid by Danitz.

However, it was just a thought.

Oz Kent chuckled while appearing completely drunk.

"I heard Elland mention some things about you, but I have to remind you that one shouldn't be too crazy out at sea. You need to take note and try your best not to provoke the pirates. What I mean is to not fight them head-on. Privately providing us information would be fine. We will keep it a secret for you."

This time, he had clearly suppressed his voice.

Seeing no response from Gehrman Sparrow, he added, "Pirates wouldn't bother with any chivalrous code, nor will they abide by the kingdom's laws and rules. Burp . If you have a family at different port cities or some island colony, they'd definitely be capable of attacking your family."

Family… Klein fell silent for a second before calmly saying, "I do not have a family."

"…" Oz Kent was nearly at a loss for words. All he could do was say, "They will also attack your friends."

Then, he heard Gehrman Sparrow reply in an unperturbed tone, "I do not have friends."

"…" Oz Kent instantly choked up. He subconsciously drank a mouthful of Zarhar beer to calm himself.

After coughing twice, he said in a deep voice, "They will also ambush you. They will also bribe people to learn about your schedule and intercept your ship. At sea, a single person's strength is often so inconsequential."

Klein said rather calmly, "I wouldn't reject them from giving me money.

"That's basic courtesy."

Giving money? Oz Kent was clearly taken aback as he found Gehrman Sparrow's words incomprehensible.

A few seconds later, he realized that the man was treating pirates as mobile bounties.

He drank mouthful after mouthful of beer, momentarily at a loss for words.

…

In the basement of the Amyris Leaf Bar.

"An unknown adventurer?" Wormtongue Mithor King's mind stirred as he sat straight up.

Strongman Ozil nodded.

"According to Blue Eyes Meath, that adventurer is new. He likely hasn't been to the archipelago for long, but Meath felt that he was considerably dangerous."

Considerably dangerous? Could he be the person who killed Steel Maveti and company with Blazing Danitz? Could it be the person who disguised himself as Helene to attack Captain? Mithor immediately made certain connections as he asked with a deep voice, "Do you have his photograph or a portrait?"

Ozil beckoned to a subordinate and received a piece of white paper.

"We used a ritual to get Blue Eyes Meath to draw the unknown adventurer's appearance. As you know, it's different having a firm footing in Bayam's underground world than being a successful pirate. I need supporting members. Sigh, to hire them, I spent quite a bit of money."

Mithor could read between the lines as he chuckled.

"As long as you get to the bottom of this matter, Captain wouldn't be stingy with her reward."

He took the portrait, spread it out, and discovered a cold-looking man with black hair and brown eyes. His face was slightly thin, and he had a cut face. He wore a black double-breasted frock coat and a half top hat.

Never seen him before. It's impossible to confirm if he's the person who disguised himself as Helene… Mithor raised his head and said, "Find out his identity and whereabouts."

"I've already instructed my men to do it," Strongman Ozil said with a deep laugh.

The two fell silent at the same time as they drank their Southville red wine.

A few minutes later, a bar bouncer entered and broke the silence.

He glanced at Wormtongue Mithor, leaned in towards his boss's ear, and whispered.

Ozil's expression instantly turned odd as an unconcealed smile appeared.

He put down the wine glass and said after pausing, "That unknown adventurer has been found."

"Where is he?" Mithor asked.

Ozil pointed upstairs.

"At this very bar."

Mithor looked up at the ceiling and remained silent for a few seconds.

"I'll go up to verify."

He believed that having had some interaction with the disguised Helene, he had a general understanding of the man's abilities. He believed that no matter how good the man was at disguising himself, he would definitely feel a sense of familiarity; therefore, he decided to confirm it himself.

According to his usual habits, he wouldn't have taken such initiative and would instead perform an investigation from the outskirts. Only with enough confidence would he get himself involved. But this time, he wasn't too convinced of Ozil's subordinate. If it was really the person who disguised himself as Helene, he would immediately change his appearance and identity and vanish once he noticed something was amiss.

Besides, Mithor knew that he was presently being punished by his captain. He had to quickly perform a deed of merit in order to return to the Black Death.

Sigh, regardless if I was lacking in ability or not being careful enough, the outcome cannot be changed. I was fooled by that disguise and brought "her" onto the Black Death, nearly killing Captain…

If it were Qilangos, he wouldn't have spared me. Heh, he has always been very greedy. He had long thirsted for my Beyonder powers…

Captain didn't believe that I had been in cahoots with the assassin simply because Qilangos could also change his appearance with Creeping Hunger. She didn't summon people to surround and kill me. She only sent me to Bayam to investigate this matter. She's already being forgiving enough… Compared to Qilangos, she is truly a captain worthy of being loyal to. I have to quickly provide some meritorious service and find an excuse to contact her, so as to live up to her treatment towards me. As Mithor King got up and walked out, he couldn't help but have these thoughts churn through his mind.

Although he was a pirate who had killed countless and had plundered countless ships, he had a soft spot in his heart. Besides, he didn't notice that he was being constantly mesmerized by Vice Admiral Ailment Tracy via prolonged interactions with her. His fondness for her had seeped deep into his bones. Even if Ailment Maiden didn't have helpers, he wouldn't have resisted, kneeling down and kissing her toes at her behest.

Of course, this didn't affect his fantasies of doing countless deeds with Tracy. If he had the chance, he believed he would take the initiative to do so even if he didn't get her permission.

As a pirate, he had done such things plenty of times.

When he went upstairs, Mithor King followed the guidance of Ozil's subordinates and circled halfway around the bar's walls. From afar, he saw the unknown adventurer sitting in the corner.

Identical to the portrait… but I don't feel any familiarity… Is it because his disguise is sufficiently good, or is he someone else, for example, Vice Admiral Iceberg Edwina? She can mimic the Beyonder powers of those she had seen before. It's not impossible for her to change appearance like Qilangos… Mithor's gaze paused for two seconds before he cautiously retracted it.

But at this moment, Klein's spiritual intuition as a Seer told him that someone was observing him.

Without concealing anything, Klein immediately turned to look back. He saw a man with short eyebrows, deep eye sockets, and bronze eyes.

Wormtongue Mithor King… Third mate of Vice Admiral Ailment's flagship, Black Death… Klein instantly recognized the person observing him.

Instantly, two thoughts flashed in his mind.

One of them was: 5,400 pound bounty!

The other was: Why is he observing me? He managed to find me by investigating Danitz?

The military contact person, Oz Kent, discovered Gehrman Sparrow's abnormality as he traced his gaze. However, due to his angle, he was blocked by a few drunkards.

At this point in time, Klein already instinctively came up with a solution. It was to pretend that he didn't recognize Mithor King, retract his gaze, and get a cup of alcohol to drink. He could then secretly observe where he went, and then use his powers as a Faceless to infiltrate where Mithor hid himself before silently hunting him.

As this thought flashed past his mind, Klein suddenly discovered a problem.

That's me being myself.

But I'm now Gehrman Sparrow, a seemingly calm but crazy adventurer!

With this thought, he suddenly turned around, drew his revolver, and aimed at Wormtongue Mithor King inside the rowdy bar.

Bang!

A gunshot rang through the bar as many customers reflexively crouched down while hugging their heads. All of them were extremely experienced.

Many drunkards slumped to the ground, with more than ten people throwing themselves to the side or rolling on the ground to dodge. These series of actions were well-practiced. And Mithor King was one of them.

However, Klein didn't really pull the trigger, as he was afraid of injuring the innocent bystanders by mistake. There were many customers in between him and Mithor.

The gunshot stemmed from his powers of Illusion Creation!

At that moment, everything before him opened up as people crouched down. Hence, having aimed at Mithor, who had thrown himself sideways to the ground, he pulled the trigger this time.

Bang!

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 599: Dragon Might

Bang!

The brass bullet traversed past half the bar, flying straight for Wormtongue Mithor King's body.

But just as it was about to hit him, Mithor's brown eyes suddenly turned dark.

The bullet made a turn, and its trajectory was thrown upwards slightly as it accurately hit a glass cup filled with golden beer.

Amidst a loud noise, the glass instantly shattered, splashing beer everywhere.

At the same time, Mithor grabbed a cup from a customer, extended his arm, and threw it at Klein.

What's the point of that? Klein only dodged slightly to allow the glass cup to miss him, shattering onto the wall.

At this moment, Wormtongue Mithor immediately lunged forward and rolled, heading for the entrance to the basement. He attempted entry in order to get help or escape via a secret path.

He had initially confirmed that the unknown and crazy adventurer was the assassin, who had disguised as Helene and boarded the Black Death, targeting Vice Admiral Ailment Tracy.

Furthermore, his series of actions, which had nearly succeeded, told him that in a one-on-one situation, he wasn't a match for him!

This was a powerhouse at the pirate admiral level!

Tap! Tap! Tap! Klein quickly chased after Wormtongue Mithor.

He was fast and agile. Despite being inside the chaotic bar, he didn't step onto anyone.

Seeing that the bouncers in the basement were coming with revolvers in hand and how Mithor King was about to enter the basement with bouncers in the bar approaching, Klein didn't hesitate. He suddenly clenched his left hand.

The black glove was instantly covered with dense dark golden scales. His dark brown irises turned pale and became vertical.

Right on the heels of that, an invisible wave surged outwards with him as its epicenter.

In the areas where the wave passed, the customers who were holding their heads down turned limp or trembled. The military contact, Oz Kent, also clearly lost his sense of reason, as though he had encountered the most terrifying thing in the world. All he wanted to do was to escape.

The bouncers who had approached were no different. Extreme horror gripped their hearts as they ran around aimlessly, making the situation turn even more chaotic.

Clang! Clang! Clang! The bouncers in the basement threw away their weapons, either running to a corner and shrinking into a ball, or they were trembling on the spot, their crotches rapidly turning moist.

Wormtongue Mithor felt as though he was struck by lightning. In his fear, he began running in circles at the entrance.

This was a Psychiatrist's Awe, also known as Dragon's Might or Mass Chaos!

This was Klein's only crowd control Beyonder power!

At this moment, Klein's rapidly approaching figure didn't stop. In a few steps, he had arrived beside Mithor.

In that instant, a scene suddenly surfaced in his mind. Mithor, who looked to be lost in extreme horror, suddenly raised his head and swung his right fist over, aiming straight for Klein's head.

Without any thought, Klein fully trusted his Clown's intuition for danger. He immediately bent down and turned his body sideways.

Almost at the same time, Wormtongue Mithor suddenly raised his head. His brown eyes were dark and clear, without any sense of muddleheadedness.

At some moment in time, he had shaken off the effects of Dragon's Might!

This was something that exceeded Klein's expectations.

Bang!

Mithor's muscles bulged as he bent his back and threw a punch that resembled a cannonball. However, he didn't hit his expected target and instead hit the wall of the entrance.

Creak!

The spot where his fist connected threw up pulverized bricks. Quickly, a huge hole that seemed to be covered in a "spider-web" appeared. The entire bar seemed to shake.

The power of the punch was far stronger than a revolver's bullet!

But at this moment, Klein had already flashed behind him. His body straightened up again as his glove seemed to be covered in a layer of gold.

His brown eyes lit up with two flashes of lightning as they shot out like bullets.

Interrogator's Psychic Piercing!

"Ah!"

Mithor King let out a shrill cry, but he didn't fall to the ground. He rolled as he grimaced in pain, holding his arms to protect his head.

He soon magically recovered from the pain of Psychic Piercing, but he felt ice-cold metal at his forehead. He saw the cold and thin adventurer pull the trigger.

At such a close distance, even though Psychic Piercing's effects could only be maintained for a second, it was enough for Klein to raise his right arm and place the revolver's barrel at Wormtongue Mithor King's head!

Bang!

Mithor King's pleas shrank back from his half-agape mouth and into his throat as a picture seemingly formed of blood and white material appeared on the wall behind him. it was melancholic, fresh, and messy.

The luster in his eyes vanished as Mithor collapsed backward, leaning against the wall before sliding to the ground.

At noon on the 1st of February 1350, Wormtongue Mithor was hunted.

Klein glanced around at the chaotic bar and closed the door to the basement. He chained the door with the existing chains and forcibly made a knot.

He bent down and dragged Mithor King down a few steps, but he didn't directly enter.

As he was wary of enemies who might suddenly charge out from inside, he opened up his palm and aimed it at Wormtongue Mithor's corpse from above.

He had no qualms about Grazing the Black Death's third mate. He believed that he was definitely someone with heinous crimes to his name. Firstly, he was once a subordinate of Vice Admiral Hurricane Qilangos, and the deceased pirate admiral had once massacred an entire ship. He was a rather coldblooded person. It was simply obvious from what the Red Glove Nightmare inside Creeping Hunger had encountered. Secondly, Mithor was working for Vice Admiral Ailment, which was equivalent to working for the Demoness Sect. It was unknown how many cases of human trafficking he had been involved in.

Creeping Hunger restored its thin human skin appearance as his palm cracked open, producing two bloodshot eyes.

In an instant, a biting cold wind stirred in the entrance's passageway to the basement. It constantly spun around Wormtongue Mithor's corpse, slowly outlining a blurry figure with short eyebrows and deep eye sockets.

Black but undull points of light rapidly surged out of the corpse, combining with Mithor's Spirit Body. All of them were injected into Creeping Hunger, where an empty finger was waiting for it, forming a connection with the surroundings to a certain degree.

Creeping Hunger first went from a black color with a sinister and noble vibe before returning to its original state as it suffused its desire for flesh and blood.

Klein silently diverted his senses to it for a few seconds and was pleasantly surprised that the powers he received were rather useful. Although there were only two, they were much better than the previous three he had obtained from the Zombie Sequence!

At this point, he learned that the Mid-Sequence Beyonder was a Sequence 6 Baron of Corruption from the Lawyer pathway. One of them came from a Baron of Corruption and the other came from the Sequence 7 Briber.

The former was Distortion. By distorting the target's words, actions, and intent, he could formulate a certain order that provided himself with an advantage, so as to achieve the goal of restraining and influencing his opponent.

The latter was Bribe, which was one of the various powers of a Briber. More accurately, it would be Bribe—Weaken.

The premise behind using this power was to give the target a certain item, then for a certain amount of time, greatly weaken the target's attacks, defense, and control over him.

Give the target a certain item? His act of throwing a cup of alcohol was considered a Bribe? As expected of the Black Emperor pathway. It finds loopholes in "order" while it appears domineering… It's no wonder my Dragon's Might and Psychic Piercing powers weren't as effective as I imagined them to be on Mithor. Even my bullet's strength was reduced. I thought that shot would've blown his entire head up… Klein came to a realization.

At the same time, he understood why he had involuntarily flown towards the Black Emperor where King of the Five Seas, Nast, was. It was because Nast had distorted his intent to proceed forward, making it impossible for him to stop.

Not bad at all… Klein lowered his head to steal a glance at Wormtongue Mithor's corpse before he went down to the basement.

He was trying to find some food for Creeping Hunger.

It was unknown whether it had to do with him throwing Creeping Hunger above the gray fog repeatedly, but Creeping Hunger wasn't as crazy anymore. It seemed to be able to bear with its hunger; therefore, Klein wasn't in a hurry. He slowly proceeded forward so as to be careful of encountering any accidents.

Before long, he saw Strongman Ozil leading his subordinates over. There were Beyonders and gunmen, and their numbers were sizable!

Klein's expression remained stoic as his black glove was covered in dark golden scales once again.

His irises turned light in color as they suddenly turned vertical. Invisible waves instantly surged forward.

Psychiatrist's Dragon's Might!

Lord of the Mysteries (Web Novel)
Chapter 600: Clearing the Place

With Dragon's Might surging out, Strongman Ozil and his subordinates quaked on the spot, as though a gigantic hammer had struck them.

Suddenly, some of them ran in every direction, escaping aimlessly. Some kept going in circles on the spot, while others stood on the spot, trembling uncontrollably. There were all kinds of different reactions.

Unlike previously when he was afraid that Wormtongue Mithor would recover, making it necessary to make every second count, Klein had plenty of time to observe his surroundings at that moment. He instantly grasped the situation.

Different reactions stem from their mental fortitude and resilience. The weakest and most ordinary ones were the ones who ran wildly. Those with relatively stronger mental fortitude among the ordinary people would run about aimlessly. For Beyonders, who had their psyche enhanced, as well as ordinary people who had strong mental fortitudes, they would circle around on the spot, trying to escape but stopping themselves as well. The strong Beyonders with strong mental fortitude would stand on the spot as they tremble or go around in circles on the spot.

Those who suffer from incontinence as a result of fear belong to the escaping and avoiding group…

Klein swept his gaze and was about to raise his gun to shoot, making the enemies who could threaten him lose the ability to do combat.

At this moment, he discovered that a man who had been trembling on the spot had recovered the clarity in his eyes. He was about to escape the influence of Awe, as for the others, they were also showing symptoms of recovering.

Considering how he didn't have the ability to finish all of them off in such a short period of time, and how a gunshot would jolt a number of them back to their senses, as well as how different Beyonders, when combining their different powers together, could cause him harm, Klein changed his mind and made the glove on his left palm be tainted with a sinister, reflective blackness.

His eyes turned dark as he forcefully distorted the intents of the people who were waking up.

The trembling man pounced forward suddenly. He could no longer resist his thoughts of fleeing. He ran straight for the secret exit, leaving his employer, Strongman Ozil, as a constantly shrinking back.

Klein rapidly switched between Psychiatrist and Baron of Corruption, using Dragon's Might followed by Distortion as he repeated this sequence. Soon, and he chased all the mentally Ozil's strong or resilient bouncers to the basement.

Although there was no way of comparing Creeping Hunger to a genuine Shepherd, switching between different souls required a certain amount of time to cooldown, Klein grasped this rhythm very well. He easily completed his goal while there were still some remnant effects from Dragon's Might.

However, he also discovered a problem. For certain targets, if they were repeatedly exposed to Dragon's Might and Awe within a short period of time, the effects would weaken with repeated use. Of course, most of Strongman Ozil's subordinates were already slumped on the ground after repeatedly being hit by Dragon's Might. They were pissing and defecating themselves, emitting a stench.

Dragon's Might and Distortion are quite a good combination… If Mithor hadn't tried to counterattack, he could've escaped with Bribe—Weaken and Distortion, and I might not have necessarily been able to catch up to him and finish him off. Yes, that counterattack of his was very potent. There weren't any signs prior to it. If it wasn't due to a Seer and Clown's reliance on their spirituality and intuition, I might not have been able to use Paper Figurine Substitutes in time, much less talk about dodging the strike.

This reminds me that even though Creeping Hunger provides the combat strength of a Sequence 5, I shouldn't belittle other Sequence 6s. A careless mistake might have me killed…

Amidst his thoughts, Klein made the glove turn as though it was gilded. His eyes suddenly lit up with two bolts of lightning.

Strongman Ozil immediately cried out in pain as he couldn't bear it anymore. He crashed to the ground like a toppling mountain peak. He held his head as he struggled in pain like a catfish that had just been caught.

Unfortunately, I don't have Beyonder powers that can perform an area-of-effect attack. Otherwise, I'd be able to keep the other Beyonders back… I remember that there's a Lightning Storm in the Sea King's domain… However, such charms are of too high a level. It exceeds the realm of my knowledge…Klein swept his gaze across all the goons before unhurriedly walking to the basement.

This place was originally a market, but with everyone fleeing, it was empty.

Dressed in his double-breasted frock coat, Klein pulled a chair out from behind a stall. He placed it before Ozil and leisurely sat down. He leaned forward as he observed the boss of the Amyris Leaf Bar without a word.

After Ozil tumbled around for a while, he finally recovered from the pain that nearly made him lose control. However, he still suffered from a splitting headache.

He was just about to stand up when he saw a pair of pale-colored eyes that reflected pale gold light. He saw a glove covered in dark golden scales.

In that instant, cold sweat was still dripping from his forehead. He felt that one maelstrom after another was appearing in his eyes, sucking in all his attention.

Klein calmly asked, "Were you once a pirate?"

"Yes." Ozil realized that he had the strong intention of answering the man.

This was a Psychological Cue!

Klein asked again without a change in tone, "What deeds have you done in the past that violate the kingdom's laws?"

Ozil didn't hide anything from him. He simply explained what he had done as a pirate and as the boss of the Amyris Leaf Bar. It included his plundering of liners, raping female passengers, and killing the innocent. This included striking down competitors and kidnapping their family members, setting ambushes to sink an entire family to the bottom of the ocean.

Klein listened to all of this in silence, and the corners of his mouth curled up slowly. He clapped his left palm against his right hand and said, "What a competent pirate and passable gang boss."

Amidst his praise, he extended his left hand as a ferocious mouth opened up on the thin human skin.

Shrill screams resounded in the basement, but it stopped after a few seconds. All that was left were echoes.

Klein sat in his seat, watching silently as the bright points of light slowly gathered in front of him.

Around him, all the goons who were suffering from incontinence instinctively distanced themselves from him. As they crawled, they left stains on the ground.

Moments later, Klein slowly stood up. He bent down to pick up a pure spherical light that was the size of a baby's fist, as well as the wallet inside Ozil's clothes.

After stealing a glance at the thickness of the wad of cash, he put away the two items and holstered his revolver. He took off his half top hat and bowed at the trembling goons in the corner.

Klein checked the underground area after he was done with everything. To his regret, he didn't discover any items like a safe. All he could do was return via the passageway, pick up Wormtongue Mithor King's corpse, and walk to the entrance.

He paused for two seconds as the scene outside was naturally outlined in his mind. He discovered that the bouncers, who he imagined would attempt to open the door to provide help, had already disappeared.

The Dragon's Might from just now made them realize that it's a battle between Beyonders, so they retreated? As expected of a region where pirates are everywhere. Some ordinary people still have a chance of understanding about Beyonders… It seems such matters happen often here? Some fugitive suddenly gets arrested by the Mandated Punishers?Klein undid the metal chains and reached for Mithor King's pocket in passing and took his cash.

He held back the urge to count his earnings as he burned a paper figurine and threw it outside before opening the door to the entrance. He then walked out with Mithor's corpse.

At this moment, most of the customers in the bar were gone. There were only about eight people hiding in different spots to await the outcome.

Klein surveyed the area without any expression as he saw gazes frantically retract.

The only person who dared to look at him head-on was Oz Kent. he was frowning as he watched Gehrman Sparrow carry a corpse over slowly.

Bang!

The corpse flew in front of him, smashing over a table.

Oz Kent focused his gaze as his pupils instantly contracted.

Wormtongue Mithor King! Vice Admiral Ailment's third mate, Mithor King!He looked up in shock, stealing another glance at Gehrman Sparrow.

Klein revealed a faint smile.

"Remember my bounty."

With that said, he took his half top hat, bowed slightly as a form of bidding farewell, and turned to leave through the Amyris Leaf Bar's main door.

…

Bayam Harbor. On the White Agate.

Elland watched as the door to his captain's cabin was slammed open. He asked in surprise, "Kent, what happened?"

Oz Kent questioned him with a warped expression, "Elland, what kind of monster did you introduce me to?"

"… Gehrman Sparrow?" Elland returned with a question, feeling somewhat uncertain.

Oz Kent nodded.

"He killed Wormtongue and Strongman without batting an eye, right inside Amyris Leaf Bar, right in front of me! It didn't even take him five minutes!"

He felt like he was going crazy.

"Mithor King?" Elland asked, but he sounded like he was repeating the name to himself.

Then, he revealed a rueful smile.

"From the looks of it, we have to report to the higher-ups."

He didn't mention Blazing Danitz nor Steel Maveti's death.

"Alright!" Oz Kent was waiting for him to say that.

At three in the afternoon, inside a garden building near the governor-general's office.

Elland and Oz Kent were sitting in an elegantly decorated living room as they awaited the reply from an important figure.

After an unknown amount of time, a young man with neatly combed back blond hair walked down the staircase and said to the two, "The General says that since he temporarily doesn't show any animosity, we should honor the agreement and continue our cooperation from before. However, we must be careful. Send a telegram back to Backlund and secretly investigate his true identity and intentions here at sea.

"Also, spread the news that he killed Mithor King. To the pirates."

"Yes, Mr. Luan." After receiving clear instructions, Elland and Oz Kent immediately heaved a sigh of relief.

…

Inside the inn, Klein did a divination and counted his cash, confirming that he had received 327 pounds 9 soli 5 pence, and a Beyonder characteristic from a Sequence 8 Pugilist from the Warrior pathway.

This is also an item worth six to seven hundred pounds… Furthermore, there's Mithor's bounty. Even if I deduct the "labor fees," there will still be several thousand pounds. Heh, Oz Kent might not dare to take his cut… This is quite a good harvest. It's like a windfall!Klein thought in comfort before holding a ritual, sending Creeping Hunger up to the gray fog.

To be frank, he felt that Dragon's Might, Frenzy, and Psychological Cue were three rather useful Beyonder powers that he couldn't bear to part with. However, since he had already promised Miss Justice, he ultimately chose to abide by his promise.