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Chapter 417: Arrodes
Translator: Atlas Studios
Editor: Atlas Studios
Seeing the scene in the silver mirror, Klein revealed a pensive expression.
This mirror is very powerful, and it even has its own name. It seems to be a living Sealed Artifact…
Such items might not be too harmful, but the difficulty of sealing it is very high. It's seldom used except for special situations. This person named Ikanser Bernard from the Machinery Hivemind seems to be highly-ranked. He should be a deacon, and definitely not a simple one at that…
Divination is limited, so the outcome would almost be the same as the result shown by the silver mirror. Even if I were to go above the gray fog, I wouldn't obtain a better result.
There's no way to determine the Desire Apostle's appearance. There are countless people in Backlund with high cheekbones and blue eyes…
As Klein was in the midst of his thoughts, the scene produced by the silver mirror quickly dispersed.
Following that, words in blood-red appeared.
"Based on the principle of reciprocity, it's my turn to ask the question. If you lie or are unable to answer, you will have to accept an arranged mission by me or suffer a penalty."
"…" Klein pricked up his brows when he saw that.
Is this some Truth or Dare mirror? Interesting…
The words which resembled dripping blood slowly changed into new characters, forming a new sentence: "What is Red Light's true name?"
Red Light? One of the leaders of the Great White Brotherhood? One of the seven pure lights above the spirit world?
Klein thought through it carefully and realized he didn't know the answer.
He only knew of Yellow Light, Venithan.
Ikanser's throat bobbed up and down as sweat gradually appeared on his forehead.
After a brief moment of silence, he said in a deep voice, "Nanides!"
"Wrong." The blood-red words on the mirror changed again. "Mission or penalty?"
There was an obvious struggle on Ikanser's face. Finally, he breathed out and said, "Penalty."
Just as he finished speaking, a streak of silver-white lightning appeared out of nowhere and struck his head.
With sizzling sounds, Ikanser's hair stood on their ends, and his body collapsed with a thud. Small amounts of black smoke billowed from his body.
However, the mirror didn't fall to the ground with him. Instead, it floated by itself and landed on the desk.
After two seconds, Ikanser staggered to his feet and sat there, panting while shaking.
Klein looked at everything in silence, unsure of how to react.
After a while, Ikanser, who had recovered a little, looked at him and said with a forced smile, "You should have heard of Sealed Artifacts and know that they come with certain negative effects."
"Yes." Klein looked at the standing hair on Ikanser's head and suddenly understood why his hairstyle was so frizzled, messy, and stubborn.
Klein couldn't help but say, "Actually, you could do the questioning alone. There's no need for you to do it in front of me."
"Phew, the requirement of using this mirror is that there must be someone watching by the side." Ikanser was still trembling.
It's so sentient…
Klein took two steps forward and came to the table. He carefully looked at the silver mirror out of curiosity and found that, apart from the strange patterns and two decorative eyes, there was nothing special about the Sealed Artifact.
Ikanser, whose side was facing him, trembled as he chuckled.
"You can pose questions to him. We don't mind."
"No, I don't have any intention to." How could Klein play Truth or Dare with something like an ouija board?
As he spoke, he tried to touch the edge of the silver mirror.
It's ice-cold to the touch and has a metallic feeling…
As Klein had this thought, he saw the ancient silver mirror tremble slightly.
White words quickly appeared on it: "Your loyal and humble servant, Arrodes, at your service."
Ah?
Klein's mind momentarily went blank.
Then, he left the table without any change in expression.
What's going on? This mirror was still playing Truth or Dare with others in a very cold and ruthless manner just a moment ago… How did it become like this in the blink of an eye?
Klein was amused and puzzled.
He quickly made a guess based on the information he had gathered.
The silver mirror knows Red Light's true name, so it seems to be related to the spirit world to a certain extent…
And the mysterious space above the gray fog seems to be connected to the spirit world as well. At the very least, when I summon myself, I will be able to see what appears to be the spirit world after passing through the door…
Is this mirror named Arrodes able to sense the aura of the gray fog?
While these thoughts were flashing through his mind, Klein saw that Ikanser had recovered and stood up once again. He grabbed the ancient silver mirror while the other two members in the room also stopped pretending that they hadn't seen anything while they were aimlessly searching the room.
After a series of inspections, Klein bade Ikanser and company farewell and found Isengard Stanton who had returned to the activity room.
"What do we do next?" he asked directly.
Isengard replied with a solemn expression.
"Let's have Stuart and the others have their families move in together. It will make it easier to protect them. However, this can only be a short-term solution.
"You and I, as well as Kaslana, will act normally and receive secret protection. Let's hope the Desire Apostle can be found as soon as possible.
"You're a believer of the God of Steam and Machinery, right?"
"Yes," Klein replied as he drew a triangular Sacred Emblem on his chest.
At the same time, he lamented a little.
For the foreseeable future, I can only go above the gray fog while inside the bathroom…
…
In Empress Borough, the opulent villa of Earl Hall.
Audrey glanced at the elegantly-shaped wall clock and slowly sat down in front of the dressing table despite her nervousness and excitement.
She was heading to the home of her psychology teacher, Escalante, and take the key step of becoming an official member of the Psychology Alchemists.
Before doing so, she needed to time herself well before praying to Mr. Fool for his help.
I should be able to see the angel this time, right?
Audrey thought with anticipation.
After a few seconds of silence, she clasped her hands together in front of her mouth and nose and softly chanted the honorific name of The Fool.
In 15 Minsk Street, Klein was standing in the living room, looking at the scene which had finally turned quiet as he sighed.
To him, the Desire Apostle only meant danger, but to Stuart and the others, it was a change in their lives.
I hope it can be settled as soon as possible… With so many Beyonders with so many Sealed Artifacts, there must be something effective against the Devil pathway…
In the midst of his thoughts, Klein suddenly heard a series of illusory pleas.
It should be Miss Justice…
Having been prepared, he looked around before walking to the bathroom as if nothing had happened.
After locking the bathroom door, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
My life has also changed a little…
Before the threat of the Desire Apostle was eliminated, he had to reduce the times he went above the gray fog while being secretly protected by the Machinery Hivemind.
Next week, during the Tarot Club, the itinerary must be simplified. However, no matter how compressed it is, it'll still take nearly ten minutes. Well, constipation is a very normal thing. Who says that Beyonders can't be constipated?
Being optimistic, Klein took four steps counterclockwise and went above the gray fog.
Next, Audrey followed what she had been previously taught and set up a simple ritual, entering the "artificial sleepwalking" state.
When Klein saw her blurry figure inside the crimson star, he went through the procedure: first using his Spirit Body to contain the Dark Emperor card, then picking up the paper figurine he cut with his improved cutting skills, and sending it out.
As expected, the paper figurine gathered the power that was being stirred out of the gray fog, turning into a gigantic angel with twelve pairs of black wings.
Audrey watched as the sacred and majestic angel descended before her, wrapping herself in its layers of wings. She was left speechless for quite some time.
This is an angel, Mr. Fool's angel… And it even has twelve pairs of wings, an archangel! This is exactly the same as the descriptions in the legends of canon… This is also an angel of our Tarot Club!
Audrey watched as the angel's silhouette rapidly faded away. She suddenly felt that it was exceptionally sweet.
She thanked Mr. Fool with joy, excitement, and piousness, and then she called the maids and told them to get ready for her trip outdoors.
Klein smiled and returned to the living room, looking at the bullet hole in the wall and lost himself in thought.
Should I hang a cheap oil painting to cover it or repair it and paint over it?
…
In Escalante's house at Hillston Borough, Seventh Avenue.
Audrey left her maid and bodyguard in the living room and followed the mistress of the house into the activity room with Susie, her huge golden retriever.
In the activity room, there were two other people waiting. One of them was Hilbert Alucard, the psychologist who was introduced to her by Lady Norma. The other was Stephen Hampres who had organized the previous psychology discussion.
At that moment, although it was already time for the banquet, there was only a single ordinary candle lit in the room.
The candle was placed in the middle of the coffee table as its faint yellow flame flickered, dispersing the darkness in the activity room.
After greeting each other, Hilbert, with his slightly brown skin that was thanks to the tiny bit of Southern Continent blood in him, glanced at Susie, but he didn't say a word.
Audrey smiled apologetically and said, "I feel more secure with it around."
Susie also looked at Hilbert with innocent eyes.
"Understandable. Please have a seat." Hilbert smiled and sat down on the sofa on the other side of the coffee table. Hampres and Escalante also took their seats.
After Audrey had taken her seat, Hilbert lifted the candle wick to brighten it a little.
He looked at Audrey through the candlelight.
"Now answer me honestly. Are you sure you want to join the Psychology Alchemists?"
Under the illumination of the candlelight, his eyes seemed to be dyed with a hint of gold. Deep within his pupils, there seemed to be another eye, a vertical eye.
Audrey's mind suddenly turned adrift for a moment before she regained her senses. She lightly nodded and said, "Yes."
Hilbert asked again, "Will you intentionally hurt the Psychology Alchemists?"
His tone carried a strange inducement, as though as long as the person being questioned gave an affirmative answer, they would unwittingly agree and abide by it from the bottom of their hearts.
"No," Audrey answered very logically.
After a few questions, Hilbert, Escalante, and the others heaved sighs of relief.
The former smiled and asked, "Is there anything else you would like to say?"
Audrey hesitated for a moment and then displayed her sincerity.
"I once purchased the Spectator formula at a Beyonder gathering. I-I'm already a Spectator."
That Beyonder gathering is called the Tarot Gathering…
Audrey thought to herself proudly.
Chapter 418: The Power of the Mind
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Audrey knew that her mind and psyche were being influenced by some kind of Beyonder power. It was only because of the "Angel's Blessing" provided by Mr. Fool that she was able to miraculously be immune to that state. Therefore, she decided to set certain things in motion, using small secrets to stun her counterparts, so as to hide the more crucial matters, in return for obtaining greater trust.
The reason why she was doing this wasn't because she didn't believe in the angel, but because she felt that she could observe her counterparty just like how they were observing her.
Although she had always "hidden" herself in the "dark" and pretended to not be considered a Beyonder, performing in a way which would not arouse suspicion, she was still more willing to take the members of the Psychology Alchemists seriously. After all, they were professionals, and she could only be considered a dabbler in the Beyonder circle. She lacked the experience and wasn't flexible enough. It was very possible that she would expose certain problems from things she had yet to realize.
In that case, she might as well take this opportunity to "confess" and completely dispel some of the doubts of the Psychology Alchemists' members.
She had called the descent of the angel and its envelopment of her with its wings as a "blessing."
Upon hearing Audrey's reply, both Escalante and Hampres showed a brief look of surprise. For a moment, they even doubted their own powers.
As for Hilbert, he curled the corners of his lips into a faint smile, showing no abnormal reaction.
He nodded in satisfaction and gently said, "Your honesty is admirable.
"Anything else?"
Audrey pretended to be in a trance as she shook her head.
"There isn't anything else."
Hilbert thought for a moment before asking a few more questions.
"Which Beyonder gathering did you buy the Spectator formula from? Who did you buy it from? Where did you get the ingredients for concocting the potion?"
Audrey's eyes darted around slightly as she showed an expression of recalling.
"I have to keep the Beyonder gathering a secret.
"I was unable to see what the person who sold me the Spectator formula looks like. But from the way he speaks, I could determine that he was a believer of the Lord of Storms."
Upon hearing that, Hilbert nodded slightly, as though he recalled something.
Audrey continued, "My Spectator potion ingredients were mainly found from my family's vault. The rest were exchanged from my few friends."
Two Spectator potions… she added silently.
Most of them were found from her family's vault… Hilbert, Escalante, and Hampres ruminated over the words, momentarily at a loss for words.
After a few seconds, Hilbert nodded to Escalante and Hampres, indicating that he found everything alright.
After receiving the same reply from the rest, the gold tinge in his eyes faded, and the vertical pupil in his eyes faded rapidly.
Hilbert touched the wick of the candle again, causing the flame to flicker.
In that instance of alternating light and darkness, Audrey discovered that the strange power that affected her had suddenly disappeared.
She controlled her adrift expression and switched to an appearance of doubt and inquiry.
"I didn't expect you to already be a Spectator." Hilbert chuckled.
"Huh?" Audrey showed her surprise and panic at the right moment.
Knowing what kind of emotional reaction to show in the appropriate situation and knowing, in detail, what kind of expression and body language to react with was the basic skill of a Telepathist.
Hilbert smiled and said, "There's no need to be nervous. We don't mind. That was the last of our tests.
"Congratulations, you have passed all the tests. Now, you're an official member of our Psychology Alchemists."
"Alright then…" Audrey hesitated, then she smiled. "It felt like a dream."
She then stood up, lifted the edges of her skirt, and bowed at Hilbert and the others. She then said with a faint smile, "We are now companions."
Escalante and the others immediately stood up and bowed to the beautiful girl of noble status who was so polite to them.
After the two sat back down, Hilbert organized his words and said, "Miss Audrey, I'm going to formally explain to you about the situation of the Psychology Alchemists."
"Alright," Audrey said with a smile. "Just call me by my name."
Hilbert nodded. Leaning back, he crossed his right leg and clasped his hands.
"The original Psychology Alchemists was just a seminar for enthusiasts who all believed that the mind has limitless power and infinite wonders.
"Later on, this seminar obtained a treasure map and found the relics left behind by Hermes."
"Hermes of the Hermes language?" Audrey asked in excitement.
"Yes, he was one of the earliest masters of mysticism from the human race, and the language of ancient Hermes that he created resonated with the power of nature. He was active during the dark Second Epoch. Back then, humans were only the servants and slaves of giants," Hilbert said with utmost reverence.
He let out a soft sigh.
"The original members of the Psychology Alchemists found a lot of things from the ruins. They discovered that Hermes was a mysticism master in the field of the mind. His research target was the dragons that ruled the sky during the Second Epoch. To be precise, the dragons of the mind.
"The information he left behind shows that mind dragons have advanced far into this field and have achieved the same level of achievement as deities."
I know. The Dragon of Imagination Ankewelt was an ancient god… Audrey thought quite complacently.
Hilbert sighed and said, "Those materials laid the foundation and direction for the research of our Psychology Alchemists.
"We believe that the mind has many secrets and that every one of them is hidden somewhere deep and difficult to grasp. Heh, forgive me for using the adjective 'deep,' which seems to be the most appropriate term to me.
"The slightest mistake in the study of those secrets would cause irreversible harm to the body. Audrey, you have to remember that matters in this aspect needs to be done carefully."
After Audrey nodded, he continued.
"If we can unravel the secrets of the mind, then we can, on the one hand, unearth the power hidden deep in one's consciousness, and accomplish many miraculous deeds, and on the other hand, we can influence or even control the minds of others.
"After reaching this level, what lies ahead is the sea of gathered collective subconsciousness, which is the place we look forward to the most. Of course, the description of a collective subconsciousness isn't accurate enough; I prefer to call it the 'mind world of all living beings.' It has a veiled and miraculous connection to the spirit world."
"If one can master this 'mind world,' what kind of Beyonder powers would we obtain?" Audrey showed her curiosity at the right moment and her lack of knowledge in this area.
Hilbert smiled and said, "You should've noticed some of the wonderful phenomena in the real world. When we wish to receive something, it will happen to appear. When we want to visit a friend, they will happen to knock on the door. And when we desire something to happen, it begins at that exact moment.
"You might say it's a coincidence, but sometimes there are too many coincidences. Our research shows that many of these coincidences are caused by an unconscious, magical influence of the mind.
"When you master the 'mind world,' which is also the sea that gathers the collective subconscious, then you will master 'coincidences,' creating magical phenomena that make chance appearances as an echo of your mind. It will appear as you wish."
"Th-this is too amazing." Audrey had heard The Sun mention the Dragon of Nightmare before, but the description was far less detailed than Hilbert's.
Hilbert chuckled and said, "At our level, it's better not to discuss such a deep and profound question. If we do, we'll easily lose ourselves. I'll continue introducing the Psychology Alchemists.
"The discovery of the ruins marked the establishment of the organization. The members at the beginning wanted to maintain a state of pure academic discussion, but they would always need help when encountering matters. Similarly, they lack items and research materials. That's why the Psychology Alchemists slowly became systematic and transformed into a real secret organization.
"However, compared to other secret organizations, our structure and relationships are still relatively loose."
"That's what I like about it," Audrey expressed her opinion.
Hilbert explained the main rules and regulations, before finally concluding, "When you reach a higher rank, you'll be able to meet the other members.
"I'll now give you the Sequence 8 Telepathist potion."
They did prepare a Telepathist potion as expected… Audrey was both glad and proud.
After seeing the lustrous potion, she hesitated and said, "I wish to consume it after I get back."
She still doesn't trust us, and she wishes to make confirmation… Hilbert read Audrey's thoughts and replied with a smile, "Okay.
"With your performance, drinking the Telepathist potion shouldn't be a problem."
Audrey beamed and thanked him before asking a probing question, "Can you give me the potion formula to Psychiatrist? I wish to seek out and gather the ingredients, ahead of time, so that I don't waste any time."
… When other people join the Psychology Alchemists, other than hoping to get a formula, don't they hope to apply for the corresponding Beyonder ingredients? Who says it in such a carefree manner and talk about trying to gather them ahead of time? Hilbert, Hampres, and Escalante were speechless for a while as they looked at the girl who spoke of such things with a normal tone.
A few seconds later, Hilbert forced out a smile.
"I'll help you make the application.
"Normally, this would require contribution points, and contribution points come from the missions we assign you, the research contributions you make, and the new information and materials you gather."
"Okay, I'll do my best," Audrey said briskly.
She remained silent after leaving Escalante's house, but only until she entered her room and sent Annie and the others away did she turn to the huge golden retriever and smile.
"Susie, we got your potion~!"
It's a pity that the Rainbow Salamander that Alfred found for me couldn't be of use. It can only be exchanged for money… Audrey sighed emotively in her heart.
Susie looked at the bottle containing the Telepathist potion and wagged her tail cheerfully.
Audrey had hung a pair of gold-rimmed glasses around her neck just for laughs.
…
Hillston Borough. In Isengard Stanton's house.
Klein had been invited to breakfast. Apart from him, Kaslana was invited as well.
After eating a mouthful of the soft potato pie, Klein praised, "Mr. Stanton, your cooking skills are excellent."
Isengard, who had gray hair at his temples, smiled and said, "It's a specialty of Lenburg. And to the Beyonders of the Church of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom, being multi-talented is a common trait. Its Sequence 6 is called Polymath.
"It's easy for people to lose control for the corresponding potion. Until now, I still don't have the confidence to make the advancement attempt."
Chapter 419: Wishing
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Polymath… This Sequence sounds strong just from its name… The Reader pathway's Sequence 7 is called Knowledge Keeper or Detective. It's a "job" that leans towards grasping knowledge and deduction. At most, it would be accompanied by decent combat techniques and the ability to use machinery, so it cannot be considered powerful. But at Sequence 6, there seems to be a sudden qualitative change, especially more so in the field of Beyonder combat… From the looks of it, each Beyonder pathway has its own critical point below the High Sequences, but it isn't fixed at a particular Sequence. For example, the Seer pathway's critical point is Magician… Klein drank a mouthful of hot coffee and didn't try probing on the secrets to other Sequences. Instead, he smiled and said, "Mr. Stanton, you seem to be quite relaxed. You're not nervous or worried at all."
Isengard didn't answer immediately. He put down his knife and fork, took out his pipe, and said, "You don't mind, right?"
Actually, I do, but the pollution and smog in Backlund is already so bad that a few more puffs of secondhand smoke won't make it any worse… Klein shook his head and smiled.
"This aids in your thinking?"
"More accurately, it's a habit that I have after breakfast every day." Done with his pipe, Isengard took a deep drag.
As the smoke was exhaled, he sighed and said, "Fear, nervousness, and worry doesn't help us face the threat. In that case, why not take it a little easier? The brain will become more active because of this. My assistant easily got worried which led to his fatal disaster. Sigh…"
Isengard glanced at Kaslana and continued, "Furthermore, our opponent is a Desire Apostle. We have to refrain from having intense emotions."
Having said that, he chuckled.
"Most importantly, we have no other means of locating the Desire Apostle."
"What do we do?" Kaslana put down the last piece of bacon and asked seriously.
Isengard took a drag and said in a self-deprecating manner, "When discussing topics like this, I prefer reclining chairs.
"Apart from being able to sense danger, Devils aren't good at divination or premonition. Therefore, if a Desire Apostle wishes to figure out the main revenge target, he would need to actively investigate and gather information. Otherwise, how would he know which group of private detectives had made considerable contributions to the serial murder? How was he able to precisely pinpoint you and me?
"In such a process, he definitely would've interacted with many people. Even in a disguise, he's bound to leave some clues. In addition to the rough image given by the Machinery Hivemind, this will form clues.
"Similarly, if he wants to attack me, then he has to find out where I live, what are my entry and exit patterns, as well as when I work or rest. He also needs to know if there are powerful official Beyonders protecting me. This requires a considerable observation period and corresponding inquiries, and similarly, this means interacting with others and certain locations. Heh heh, once there's an interaction, there will be clues.
"I like the maxim: wherever he steps, whatever he touches, whatever he leaves, even unconsciously, will serve as a silent witness against him."
I know that sentence. It was said by Emperor Roselle… Klein smiled.
Soon after, he felt a little despondent, because this was the second time he heard someone mention this maxim in this world.
The last time it happened was when he was in Tingen.
Kaslana, whose cheeks were drooping, sighed.
"As expected of a great detective. I never thought about such things. I admire your observation and reasoning skills."
Isengard responded with a smile, "Everyone has their own areas of expertise. If it's just fighting, then I would be defeated by you again and again.
"Sherlock must've also thought of the things I just said. He also has outstanding observation and reasoning skills, and he's an outstanding detective."
Actually, I felt a little ashamed when you were speaking so confidently earlier…Klein squeezed out a smile.
"No, you're a true detective, and I'm still a long way off."
"You really are a modest young man." Isengard sighed.
He smiled and said, "Next up, we'll proceed by taking these points in mind. You'll have to use your own resources and information channels."
Aside from the Tarot Club, a third of my resources and information channels in Backlund are from you, my good old man… Klein forced a smile and replied, "Alright."
Apart from the Beyonder gathering held by Eye of Wisdom, the only people he could seek help from were Maric, Miss Sharron, Vampire Emlyn White, and Father Utravsky.
With the Machinery Hivemind secretly protecting me, I'll have to eliminate Miss Sharron and Maric… I can visit Emlyn the vampire as he's now a half-believer of Mother Earth, and is under the protection of Bishop Utravsky. He wouldn't encounter any danger from the official Beyonders… Klein instantly decided on the direction to take.
Kaslana remained silent for a few seconds before replying, "No problem."
Klein wiped the remaining cream onto the last bit of toast, chewed, and swallowed it at a leisurely pace before asking, "Mr. Stanton, you previously mentioned the activation of a particular Sealed Artifact. Will it be able to help us deal with the Desire Apostle?"
"Yes, it played a critical role in finding and surrounding the Devil dog back then," Isengard replied frankly. "Its code name is 1-42."
1-42? A Grade 1 Sealed Artifact is highly dangerous and can only be used in limited ways. Even the Backlund diocese can only keep one or two items… A corresponding description flashed across Klein's mind, and he asked with great interest, "What is it? What abilities and negative effects does it have?"
Isengard laughed and said, "That is a secret of the Church of the Evernight Goddess. I do not know, and I only know that it was originally not in Backlund. It was rushed here as an emergency because of the serial murders.
"It is said that it's a full-body armor which is silver in color with dark-red blood stains. It once caused the destruction of a small city, and over a hundred thousand people died because of it."
"Cursed armor?" Klein asked in return by giving it a name.
Isengard spewed a mouthful of smoke and shook his head in seriousness.
"Perhaps it isn't cursed. Some people call it 'Berserker's Armor' or 'Bloodthirster's Armor.' My Church once guessed that the blood it's stained with comes from a deity from ancient times.
"When it was first discovered, it appeared to be nothing out of the ordinary. It was treated as a simple antique, sold and collected by others.
"But as time passed, those who came into contact with it died, one after another. It was an extremely terrifying death, nearly to the point of dismemberment, and after that, with it as the center, death spread outwards. There was no longer any need for contact, and as such, a small city was destroyed.
"This happened early in the Fifth Epoch. The Nighthawks were responsible for the aftermath."
As expected of a Beyonder from the Church of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom. He knows enough history and Beyonder events… Klein secretly praised.
Kaslana asked, sounding a little worried, "Will it bring us danger?"
"The Church of the Evernight Goddess definitely found the right way of sealing it, but for us, it's best if we avoid contact as much as possible," Isengard said, half as consolement and half as a warning.
After breakfast, he and Klein went into the activity room where the fight had taken place. Kaslana first headed to the bathroom.
Looking at her back, Klein thoughtfully said, "She seems to be a Beyonder from the Arbiter pathway?"
"Your observation skills are indeed outstanding." Isengard sat down in the reclining chair.
As Klein walked to the sofa, he whispered in confusion, "This pathway is strictly controlled by the royal family, the military, and the ancient nobles. Very few formulas and ingredients appear in the outside world. Kaslana has such a background?"
Isengard smiled and said, "Quite obviously.
"However, even to this point, she hasn't taken the initiative to mention the relevant matters. This implies that there really is a reason that makes it somewhat inconvenient for her to mention it."
He looked at Klein with a smile in his eyes, as if to say: "aren't you the same as well?"
Klein laughed dryly and sat down.
After a while, Kaslana came to the activity room and continued discussing the matter regarding the Desire Apostle with Klein and Isengard.
As she was speaking, her expression suddenly became gloomy and she sighed.
"I was pulled into the most dangerous case this time. I have no idea if I'll survive this at the end. I-if I were to be killed by the Desire Apostle, I wish to have this on my tombstone: 'She had a great mother.'"
Kaslana's voice gradually lowered as her difficult-to-get-along-with personality seemed to soften.
Isengard shared the same sentiments and nodded.
"Similarly, he's the most dangerous enemy I've encountered."
He then laughed and said, "If I die because of this, and both of you are still alive, would you be willing to help me deliver my remains to the Holy Temple of Knowledge in Lenburg?"
… Stop raising death flags! Klein's mouth was half open, and he didn't know how to stop the two detectives in front of him.
"No problem, but I hope this day will never come." He tried his best to dispel the thought.
Isengard glanced at him and asked curiously, "Sherlock, what about you? If you were killed by the Desire Apostle, what wish do you have that you hope others can fulfill for you?"
… Revive me! Klein sighed and said, "I hope that I can be buried in a cemetery with good scenery. It's best if my corpse is intact and is sprinkled with holy water and fresh flowers…"
The core meaning of his words was: Do not cremate me!
The three of them fell silent for a while until they heard the tinkling sound of the doorbell.
The visitor was the deacon named Ikanser Bernard from the Machinery Hivemind. His hair was stubbornly squeezing out from the brim of his hat, giving his deep, masculine outline an indescribably messy feeling.
This time, he wasn't holding the silver mirror named Arrodes. It was unknown where he had put it.
If I have a chance, I wouldn't mind using that magic mirror to see how my loyal and humble servant would react… Klein thought.
Ikanser didn't enter. He stood there, looking at the detective trio. He then quickly said in a deep voice, "There's a clue to the Desire Apostle!"
Chapter 420: Devil Family
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
West Borough, 6 Edward Street.
Ikanser Bernard pressed down on his black hat, pointed at the door behind the fountain, and said to Klein, Isengard, and Kaslana, "We have reverse-investigated the various information channels for any leaks of news or information. Combined with the outline of their side profile, as well—as well as getting the help of the magic mirror, we managed to have a preliminary suspect."
You obviously paused for a moment when you mentioned the magic mirror. I wonder what price you paid to get the answer you wanted… Klein sensed the problem in Ikanser's tone and felt a baffling hint of sympathy for him.
"It's the owner of this house?" Kaslana returned with a question, sounding almost certain.
Isengard Stanton looked around and said, as if pondering, "You chose to inform us directly because you found another piece of evidence?"
"Yes, the portrait of the house's owner proves some of it. Heh, he never takes photographs," Ikanser answered frankly. "Besides, the people around here have seen a big black dog in the neighborhood many times in the past."
"This can basically prove that the suspect is that Desire Apostle." Having said this, Isengard couldn't help but laugh. "Sorry, we were too anxious and didn't give you a chance to introduce the suspect."
As he walked around the fountain and toward the front door of the house, Ikanser quickly said, "The owner of this house is Patrick Jason, the principal shareholder of a small bank. According to the description from his neighbors, he's a cheerful, enthusiastic, and optimistic middle-aged man who has remained a bachelor, but it is believed that he had several mistresses.
"At this level of wealth, the number of servants he hires is utterly inadequate. Every time a banquet or ball is held, he would need to hire a batch of temporary attendants from the City Family Servant Assistance Association. In regards to this, his explanation is due to a problem of insomnia. Too many servants will affect the silence he needs."
"I can tell that he has many secrets which need hiding, so he doesn't dare to hire too many servants," Isengard said half-jokingly.
Klein, who didn't hire a single servant, said somewhat guiltily, "Perhaps it's simply because his finances aren't as good as others think."
"Yes, that's a factor that cannot be ruled out." Isengard stepped up to the porch and came in front of the main door.
Ikanser looked at Klein and said as if in enlightenment, "You don't hire servants and only have your landlord's maid do temporary cleaning twice a week. Is it to conceal the secret that you're a Beyonder?"
Of all my secrets, that is the most trivial one… Klein deliberately smiled bitterly and said, "Yes."
As they spoke, Ikanser pushed open the front door, and an indescribable stench drifted out.
"The smell of decay…" Isengard made a judgment in an instant.
Ikanser called over a Machinery Hivemind team member.
"Carlson, any discoveries?"
The Beyonder, Carlson, wore thick glasses and had a complicated expression on his face.
"We found a lot of bodies here.
"In the cement in the basement, in the thick walls, and in the places where the garden is overgrown with weeds, one hidden corpse after another was found. The earliest could be from more than a decade ago, and the latest are the servants who were still alive a few days ago.
"Some of them are just bones, some slightly rotten. Deacon, this place is like a human slaughterhouse!"
As he spoke, the Machinery Hivemind members and the carefully selected police officers behind him carried out one corpse after another.
Some of the corpses were dismembered. Tongues, fingers, stomach bags, eyes, etc. were all lying in disarray. Some of the corpses were only bones.
"It looks like many of Backlund's disappearance cases will be solved because of this." Isengard pinched his nose and sighed.
When Klein saw an intestine which was almost dragged across the ground, he exhaled and turned to look around the house.
Machinery Hivemind member, Carlson, muttered again, "Jason paid his servants very high wages and gave them a lot of holidays. The servants living around him were all very envious… Jason's cook even promised his child that he would be home this week and take him to the circus to watch a performance…"
"A true devil…" Kaslana was slightly perturbed.
Looking around, Klein restrained his emotions and solemnly asked, "Why are the furnishings of the house so simple and crude?
"As a banker, even if the bank he owns isn't big, Jason should've had expensive porcelain, excellent paintings, luxurious wall clocks, and all sorts of items made of high-quality silk. Why can't we see any of that here? Well, the wood for his furniture is still pretty good."
Carlson glanced at Deacon Ikanser, and after receiving an assenting nod, he said, "It's clear that Jason had planned this revenge for a long time. He sold the valuable but inconspicuous items in the house, and he had even agreed to the Varvat Bank's purchase of his estate.
"After killing his servants, he sped up his liquidation and sold the oil painting and other items. He appeared to be certain that he would definitely be found, and he didn't have any thoughts of getting lucky.
"Before taking action, all he had left was his house, furniture, and identity. It's unknown where he had moved large quantities of cash, precious metals, and jewelry to."
After listening to Carlson's description, Klein suddenly thought of a few adjectives: calm, rational, crazy!
"A true devil," Isengard evaluated before sharing his deductions. "He is clear-headed and calm in his actions, but he has a strong crazy tendency and a spirit of adventure, which is characteristic of the past two deeds."
"Therefore, we have to be wary of him taking risks?" Klein grasped the gist of Detective Stanton's words.
"Yes." Isengard gravely nodded.
Next, the few detectives searched the house and found a lot of evidence to prove that Patrick Jason was problematic. They also saw the portrait hanging in the activity room.
It depicted a middle-aged man with tall cheekbones, blue eyes with a tiny of gray, ordinary facial features, and neatly-combed hair. He didn't have any special features.
At that moment, Ikanser came in and said to Klein and the others, "We found some items in a secret chamber that confirms that Jason Patrick had attempted to summon an even more powerful devil, but for some reason, he didn't succeed. And those items have confirmed his identity. He's a member of the Devil family known as Beria, so his real name should be Jason Beria."
The Beria family? Klein nodded, unsurprised.
"In the ancient Fourth Epoch, the human faction that worshiped devils formed a scattered alliance known as the Blood Sanctify Sect. This organization was internally divided quite drastically. The three great Devil families of Nois, Andariel, and Beria were a tripartite balance of forces. Their ancestors once received the bestowment of the Abyss, and they worship an evil god by the name 'Dark Side of the Universe.' They believe that 'He' is the ruler of the Abyss and that 'He' is the devastator of the world who would corrupt and degenerate the real world's entire universe," Isengard introduced to the unaffiliated Beyonders, Kaslana and Klein.
Ikanser shook his head and added, "If a deeply divided organization doesn't eventually split, integration and unification are inevitable trends. Various situations and rumors indicate that the Beria and Andariel families have gradually weakened since at least a thousand years ago, to the point of becoming vassals of the Nois family in recent decades. Well, the Beria family's symbol is the abstract symbol combination of a pentagram and goat horns."
Regardless, the Beria family is still an extremely ancient family with deep roots. It's no wonder Jason was able to raise a Devil dog. Sigh, that's just one of the reasons, another reason is that he owns a bank, even if it wasn't big… In the Second Epoch, the ancient god that corresponds to the Dark Side of the Universe is Devil Monarch, Farbauti. Is there any connection between the two? Klein sighed while feeling curious.
After much searching, the three detectives and the Machinery Hivemind members could only confirm that Jason Patrick was the Desire Apostle, but they were unable to find the man's current location.
On the pretext of getting help from others, Klein took a handkerchief that Jason had used during the Devil summoning ritual, with plans on finding a chance to divine above the gray fog. After all, Jason had dealt with the items he often came into contact with.
Shortly after, Ikanser came to them and said with a heavy expression, "The Nighthawks will be bringing that Sealed Artifact here. We will be making a move first."
"Alright," Isengard and Kaslana answered at the same time.
As for Klein, he had long since raised his hands and feet in approval inwardly.
After exiting Jason's villa, which occupied a large area, Klein looked back and his expression gradually turned grim.
He said doubtfully, "I think there's a problem."
"What problem?" Kaslana hurriedly asked.
Klein deliberated and said, "He sold the bank, his business, and many valuable items ahead of time. That means that Jason is prepared to give up his current identity and life. If his motive is solely to seek revenge on the Devil dog, it's not sufficient to initiate such a series of actions."
"Maybe he had a very deep relationship with the Devil dog? Sherlock, you might not think so, but I've seen people who treat pets as family," Kaslana said in disagreement.
Isengard, who was standing beside them, solemnly said, "No, Sherlock is quite right.
"Kaslana, do you know what the ancient name of the Devil pathway's Sequence 8 is?"
Kaslana revealed a look of contemplation. She had apparently heard of it, but she couldn't immediately recall it.
At that moment, Klein answered for her in a low voice, "Coldblooded."
Coldblooded… As she mulled over the name, she suddenly understood why the two great detectives, Moriarty and Stanton, would say so.
Seeing her reaction, Klein pointed in another direction.
"Let's split up and begin with our own information channels."
After receiving an affirmative response from Isengard and Kaslana, he left in a hurry. However, he didn't rush south of the bridge to find Emlyn White.
He wanted to head to the Chissak Police Station and retrieve the fifty pounds he posted as bail.
He has already been proven to be without problems. Both Isengard Stanton and the official Beyonders had given their respective testimonies.
Chapter 421: Expensive Materials
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
The front door to Jason Patrick's house suddenly burst open, and a group of Nighthawks in black tweed coats jogged inside.
They wore vigilant and alert expressions, as though they were facing an extremely terrifying enemy.
Tap! Tap! Tap! A person decked out in full silver armor walked in.
The armor exuded a feeling that made it seem like it was abnormally heavy. Various details about it adhered to an ancient style, and from its left shoulder, all the way diagonally to the abdomen area, it was stained with a splash of dark red blood that appeared impossible to remove. Coupled with the sputtering red spots in other places, it created a very queer and beautiful scene, as if it was a unique and magnificent decoration.
Soul Assurer Soest took out his pocket watch and gave it a look.
"Change."
The silver armor stopped, lifting its visor to reveal the wearer. It was a handsome man with black hair and green eyes.
"Leonard, hot water has been prepared in the master bedroom's bathroom on the second floor. Don't delay any longer; otherwise, you'll only be able to return to the embrace of the Goddess," Soest exhorted him.
"Yes, Captain Soest." Leonard Mitchell, with the help of the rest of the Nighthawks, removed his heavy blood-stained silver armor.
With red gloves on, he didn't say anything, nor did he hesitate as he rushed to the second floor and found the bathtub still billowing with white steam.
Leonard quickly stripped off his clothes and lied down in the hot water without even exposing his nose.
His skin quickly turned red like a cooked lobster, and strange, scar-like silver lines gradually started to appear on the surface of his skin.
Those silver lines were like pure blade beams which constantly spread outwards and fused with the hot water.
In less than ten seconds, the steam disappeared and a thin layer of transparent ice formed on the surface of the hot water!
Only when all the silver lines dispersed did Leonard sit up, panting heavily.
He cocked his head slightly as if he was listening to something. Then, he said with a lowered voice, "Old Man, do you know the origins of 1-42?"
An elderly voice rang out in his mind.
"You are getting more and more impolite.
"I don't know where that strange armor comes from."
Without waiting for Leonard to ask further, he let out a chuckle.
"But I think I recognize the owner of the blood."
"Who is it?" Leonard asked curiously.
The slightly aged voice said in a low, deep voice, "An ancient god before the Cataclysm."
…
South of the Bridge, Rose Street, Harvest Church.
As soon as Klein stepped into the quiet prayer hall, he saw Father Utravsky and Vampire Emlyn White, one in the front and one in the back, sitting on chairs of different heights. Their hands were placed in front of their mouths and noses, with their fingers clasped together and palms empty.
This was the unique prayer position of the Church of Mother Earth. ( NovelFull )
Right now, Emlyn White's expression was gentle and calm, without any trace of the arrogance and vexation which he had before.
Klein slightly moved the corner of his mouth as he silently drew a triangular Sacred Emblem on his chest.
He took a seat at random, waited until the prayer was over, and then walked over to Emlyn White. He said with a smile, "You are especially pious today."
"What?" Emlyn snapped to his senses as he muttered to himself while his expression was pale. "What have I done, what have I done…"
His voice trailed off, as though recalling what he had just done.
"Maybe it's not a bad thing." Klein consoled the vampire in an utterly unconvincing manner before sitting down next to him.
"I don't want to hear others say something like that. Although I feel my resistance is weakening…" Emlyn wore a livid expression and he said with a tone filled with despondence, "But I don't want to betray the moon!"
Klein didn't continue with the topic that depressed the vampire as he casually asked, "Do you Sanguines worship the Primordial Moon, or a particular deity that represents the moon? Or perhaps, the two of them can be considered the same?"
"All of them." Emlyn slightly raised his chin, "To a pure-blooded Sanguine, we obviously believe in the deity that represents the moon. of course, it is the god who represents the moon. Her name is Lilith, and she is the ancestor of us Sanguine, an ancient deity. And when humans become Sanguine, they tend to worship the Primordial Moon. Under normal circumstances, the two can be considered equivalent, but there are times when they do not overlap and there are differences."
"A human becoming a Sanguine?" Klein wasn't surprised that Emlyn White was able to say the name of an ancient god from the Second Epoch. Instead, he was more concerned about the tidbit about humans becoming Sanguine.
Is this the Vampire Sequence that Mr. Azik had mentioned? he thought.
Emlyn said with a slightly complicated expression, "Yes, there are two types. One is transformed from a bestowment from a powerful Sanguine, and the other is transformed from consuming a corresponding potion. The latter is our most hated enemy."
"Why?" Klein vaguely guessed at the answer.
Emlyn gritted his teeth and replied, "The main ingredient of their potion is our blood essence."
As expected… Klein turned his head and sized up Emlyn a few times.
The gaze left Emlyn feeling a little nervous as he snorted.
"You're already a Beyonder; there's no way you can switch pathways!"
It's only because this is my first time seeing a walking, no—a living, no—talking Beyonder ingredient… However, in a certain sense, every human Beyonder is also such an ingredient… Klein originally only wanted to inwardly make a casual joke, but soon he felt a strong sense of sadness.
At this moment, Emlyn looked at the Bishop Utravsky, who was carefully polishing the Sacred Emblem of Life, and said in a low voice, "I found two ingredients that you wanted."
"What are they?" Klein didn't attempt to hide his joy.
Emlyn responded smoothly, "Thousand-faced Hunter's mutated pituitary gland and blood. The asking price is 2,000 pounds for the former and 300 pounds for 100 milliliters of the latter."
2,300… Klein blurted out, "Can I get a discount?"
After receiving his bail money back, he had a total of 2,185 pounds in cash.
For a member of the middle class, this was already quite an abundant amount of savings. Perhaps some people might not be able to save that much money in their entire lifetime, but Klein found that it wasn't enough…
"No, if it weren't for me, he would've wanted 2,800 pounds, and according to the agreement, you would've paid me an extra 150 pounds for a total of 2,450 pounds," Emlyn said while shaking his head.
Looking at Klein's expression, he quickly added, "In this era, dragons are rare. Other than the long-lived Sanguine, it is very difficult to find similar Beyonder ingredients elsewhere. Even if they exist, they would be more expensive than ours."
I'm still short of 265 pounds… Having saved up so much money with such great difficulty, it will be emptied out at once. Yet, I still don't have enough… I hope Mr. Hanged Man will be able to sell the Werewolf Beyonder characteristic as soon as possible… After this, there's still the characteristic of a Human-skinned Shadow and a Deep-sea Naga's hair. It wouldn't be any cheaper… There's no way to confirm Little Sun's side of things, with him needing to conduct himself properly. The amount he owes me is probably best repaid by using the means to remove a Rampager's mental corruption in a mystical item. That would be a better form of concealment… Many thoughts instantly flashed through Klein's mind as he felt the light outside the window dim significantly.
He took a deep breath and said, "Okay.
"However, this deal will be delayed for some time. I recently provoked a fellow and am now being protected by official Beyonders. You don't wish for that seller to be locked up in the cathedral's basement, right?"
And I still have to gather the rest of the money… Klein tilted his head slightly to look at the cathedral's dome.
"Official Beyonders?" Emlyn White jumped up and looked around.
Klein glanced at him and said, "Don't worry about it. You're now a priest of the Church of Mother Earth, and you have legal status. Moreover, Bishop Utravsky will protect you."
"I'm not…" Emlyn's denial was exceptionally weak.
He sat down again and suddenly thought of something as he said, "Can the official Beyonders resolve the problem of a psychological cue?"
"Maybe." Klein almost burst out laughing. "But in that case, you will most likely become a believer of the Evernight Goddess, the God of Steam and Machinery, or the Lord of Storms. Of course, you can also choose to become a member of the military's special department. They might be able to send you overseas as a spy to seduce some noble woman.
"I only like puppets and pure, beautiful girls!" Emlyn immediately emphasized.
I can tell that you're a little interested, but only a little… Klein switched gears and asked, "Do you know any members of the Beria family?"
"Beria? That crazy family that worships devils? No, they are devils themselves!" Emlyn blurted out. "Why are you looking for them?"
Klein helplessly said, "I've offended one of them, Jason Patrick Beria, due to a serial murder case.
"Help me find out his recent whereabouts and acquaintances in your circle. If you have any accurate information, I will pay you, depending on the importance of the information."
Of course, this could also be claimed from the Nighthawks, the Machinery Hivemind, and the military… Klein thought with relief.
Emlyn nodded thoughtfully.
"You actually dared to provoke a real devil.
"When you have exact information about him, he will know that you will bring him a great deal of harm."
"It's alright, I have the protection of the authorities," Klein replied indifferently.
After a few seconds of silence, Emlyn said, "Well, I'll try. The payment for information needs to be at least twenty pounds."
After finalizing this matter, Klein didn't stay any longer, and he walked out of the cathedral.
His mind was filled with the question of how he was going to gather the money.
Miss Magician's new book is about to be published. She should receive a sizable amount of money for it. There will still be royalties later on. Perhaps I can promote the Astrologer potion formula to her; however, she hasn't even gathered all the potion ingredients of Trickmaster… Miss Justice has joined the Psychology Alchemists, and I have no formulas to sell her. Sell her knowledge?
The Werewolf Beyonder characteristic is worth about 1,300 pounds, perhaps even lower… Must I produce a mystical item? Or should I think of a way to get Emlyn White to become a believer of The Fool, receiving tributes at the cost of offering to remove the psychological cue…
Right, Jason Beria carried a lot of cash, jewelry, and precious metals. If he can be found, perhaps I might get a share!
As his thoughts raced, Klein walked out of the cathedral and saw the dark sky and the thin fog.
He sighed and said, "I'm really short on money…"
…
Back at Minsk Street, Klein walked into the bathroom with a thick stack of newspapers in his hand, as if he was about to fight a protracted war.
He wanted to head above the gray fog and use Jason's handkerchief to divine his whereabouts!
Chapter 422: The True Jason
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Inside the bathroom in 15 Minsk Street.
Klein took out a paper figurine from a concealed pocket, shook it, and transformed it into a body double.
He made the body double sit on the toilet with a newspaper in hand as a way to deceive others. Then, he hid himself in the shadows, took four steps counterclockwise, and went above the gray fog.
These series of actions were even more magical than magic!
Inside the majestic ancient palace, Klein sat at the very end of the long bronze table, conjuring Jason Beria's handkerchief in front of him.
It was only a projection, but it could also be used for divination as long as the handkerchief didn't leave his body in the real world. The earliest instance was back when he used the projection of the Mutated Sun Sacred Emblem in Tingen City as a divination object. At that time, he still didn't know how to summon himself, and he was unable to bring items with spirituality above the gray fog.
Of course, there was still a big difference between using a projection and using the actual object for divination; therefore, Klein often tried his best to use the actual object. But right now, with him being protected by official Beyonders, it wasn't that convenient to carry out a ritual.
If anyone were to find him lighting candles in the day while on the toilet, he would be in deep trouble.
If I can really manage to obtain Jason Beria's location via divination, I can always take the risk by summoning myself and bringing the handkerchief up here if the revelation isn't clear enough… With a mumble, Klein produced a goatskin and a fountain pen. He wrote the divination sentence: "Jason Beria's current location."
Normally speaking, relying on a handkerchief that the target used only during a certain ritual made it impossible to divine the whereabouts of the target since the connection wasn't strong enough, and there was too much interference. For example, it was very easy to end up provoking the Abyss Grand Duke which the ritual was directed at.
But for Klein, interferences could be eliminated. The so-called Abyss Grand Duke was at most a High-Sequence Devil, and not the incarnation of the Dark Side of the Universe. Above the fog, the mysterious space had already handled deities like the Eternal Blazing Sun and the True Creator. Even a slightly weaker one was at the level of an angel, Mr. Door, and up to this point in time, he hadn't suffered any serious mishaps.
As for the problem of the connection not being strong enough, Klein, who could only be enhanced to a certain degree by the gray fog, was helpless as well. He could only give it a try and try his luck. Perhaps it would only be after he became a High-Sequence Beyonder Saint in this domain that he could have the corresponding confidence. ( NovelFull )
In theory, it's possible. After all, when holding a ritual, one's body, heart, and mind were unified the most. It was also the easiest to communicate with the outside world… Klein, who was now barely considered an expert in mysticism, muttered. He held the handkerchief and the goatskin with the divination statement written on it, and he leaned back into his chair.
He quickly entered a state of Cogitation and constantly chanted, "Jason Beria's current location."
After chanting it seven times, Klein fell into a deep sleep and entered the dream world.
Within the gray world, countless images flashed and intersected with each other in a rather dispersed manner.
Soon, the scene became clear and filled Klein's "vision," which made him feel as if he had entered a dream.
In the dream, the lights were dim and the desk was dark red. A figure was standing in front of the oriel window, looking out at the garden.
There was a glass shed in the garden, with roses blooming inside, bright red in the December cold.
The figure of a man was projected on the window. He was of medium height, with curly brown hair and cold brown eyes. He looked to be in his thirties.
This… Am I not divining Jason Beria's location? Who is this? He feels a little familiar… Klein was puzzled, he but didn't think further about it. He let his spirituality remain in a dispersed state, as if he were roaming some mysterious world.
Just as he raised the question, the man turned and walked to a corner of the room, where there were two large leather suitcases.
The man squatted down and opened one of the suitcases. Inside was a neat stack of bills, with gold bars placed on top of them.
The notes that were exposed were all in ten-pound denominations, while the gold bars shone with an enchanting luster.
The man pulled something out of a hidden pocket of his suitcase, shook it, and opened it.
It was a slightly pale piece of human skin!
A complete piece of human skin!
The man quickly stripped off his clothes and put on the human skin. In just ten seconds, he had become Jason Beria with tall cheekbones, blue eyes with a tint of gray, and neatly combed hair!
At this point, the scene suddenly shattered, and Klein opened his eyes.
It's no wonder that Jason was willing to take a risk. So it turns out that in the past ten years, he has always been wearing a human skin and has never shown his true face… As expected of a calm and crazy Devil… Klein couldn't help but sigh.
Jason had left his portrait in the house, and it didn't garner any suspicion from Isengard and the others, because his neighbors had seen him and knew what he looked like. Even without the portrait, with the powers of the Beyonders of the official organizations, it would've been easy to reconstruct his likeness, and the result would've been even better than a photograph; therefore, there was no reason for Jason not to have the drive to destroy something like it. This was something very logical.
Who would've thought that he would've left a hoax in somewhere that looked to be most natural! If searches are made according to the portrait, even if the Nighthawks have Sealed Artifact 1-42, it wouldn't be that easy to lock onto the target… Moreover, in both times, he had used his own abilities to conceal his face. Who would've thought that his face, which had been tightly covered and concealed, was actually fake! Klein realized how cunning Jason was.
He rubbed his temples and began to recall the scenes he saw in the dream divination.
A house with a glass greenhouse. That's a pretty obvious feature. There aren't many similar buildings in Backlund! But the question is, how do I report it? The moment I tell the Machinery Hivemind, Jason would definitely sense the danger and start to disguise himself and move away…
Directly find the Nighthawk with Sealed Artifact 1-42? What if I encounter someone familiar? I don't want to turn into ashes and be scattered into the Tussock River… Besides, I can't rush to report it. I just started gathering information, so how is it possible to receive any information from my various channels so quickly…
That fellow is really carrying a large sum of cash and jewelry, a whole suitcase worth of bills… The total value may exceed 50,000 pounds…
Thoughts raced through Klein's mind and it took him a moment to calm down. He decided to wait another two days, then use the appropriate means to inform the Nighthawks in charge of this matter with the revelation he received.
With the divination coming to an end, he returned to the real world, removed his double, and sat on the toilet himself.
…
In the afternoon, Klein threw a coin when he was about to leave.
The revelation he received was that it wasn't beneficial for him to head out.
"There will be danger if I head out?" Klein didn't hesitate to return to his living room and sit down.
After about twenty minutes, he heard the doorbell ring and saw that it was Isengard Stanton who had come to visit him.
"Mr. Stanton, any progress?" Klein asked rather delightfully.
Isengard pointed to the back of the hall.
"Let's talk inside."
"Alright." Klein made way by stepping aside.
After sitting on two sofas which faced each other, Isengard held his hunter's hat and took a deep breath.
"The Desire Apostle has appeared again."
Seeing Klein maintaining his silence, he nodded in satisfaction and continued, "The families of two detectives refused protection, believing that they wouldn't be implicated, so they remained outside. Today, at lunchtime, they were found dead in their respective offices. One was so horrified that he died from fright. The other was too excited that he expanded the last of his energy.
"They were too stubborn, as expected of believers of the Tyrant, But as a result, the Mandated Punishers have formally involved themselves. It's said that the few Churches and the military's High-Sequence Beyonders have cast their gaze over, and they've placed the matter of the Desire Apostle as one of the most important events in recent times."
"Are you hoping that I wouldn't reveal your identity as a believer of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom?" Klein asked, seemingly enlightened.
"It's easy to talk between detectives." Isengard smiled and nodded.
"No problem." Klein made the promise first, then said, "I have some information channels that are convenient to expose. If I get valuable information from them later, I hope you can help me inform the Nighthawks and keep it confidential."
As for why it's the Nighthawks instead of the Machinery Hivemind, he believed that he didn't need to be too clear about it. With the intelligence of a great detective like Stanton, he could easily figure it out.
Isengard first agreed to Klein's request, then said in puzzlement, "By telling me, it's the same as letting Jason notice it ahead of time."
"Let's hope we can think of ways of avoiding that… Also, please help me think about other possibilities. That ring of yours should be able to mimic several Beyonder powers," Klein calmly replied.
"Alright." Isengard didn't say anything further.
He pondered for a few seconds and took out his pipe to take a whiff.
"The Desire Apostle's actions today have verified one of my guesses. Heh heh, it's also the question you thought of previously."
"His main purpose isn't revenge?" Klein understood what Isengard was implying.
Isengard leaned forward and solemnly said, "Since Jason has already been through the Coldblooded stage, it means that he's definitely coldblooded. It's impossible that he would go this far for that Devil.
"Sherlock, look. Up until now, all of the official Beyonders in Backlund have been mobilized, and even the High-Sequence Beyonders have shifted their attention to this matter. At this point, if Jason wants to deal with someone else—the true target—wouldn't it be much easier?"
Klein thought over it for a moment and replied heavily, "That makes sense!"
…
After a short exchange, Isengard went on to find Kaslana. After Klein tossed the coin, he went out as planned, heading for the Quelaag Club.
Neither of them had yet revealed their suspicions to the official Beyonders, fearing that it would end up directing harm at Jason, making him detect it and abandon his series of actions.
As soon as he entered the Quelaag Club, Klein met the surgeon, Aaron in the lobby.
"Long time no see," he smiled and greeted him.
"I've been really busy recently," Aaron replied in a friendly manner, but he maintained his cold expression out of habit. "Besides, my wife recently got pregnant, and I'm going to be a father again."
"Congratulations. When did this happen?" Klein asked casually.
Aaron thought for a while and said, "It was just confirmed. She should be pregnant for more than a month."
"More than a month?" Klein was startled, and then he looked into his eyes.
Chapter 423: Winds Arise
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
"Yes, a month or so ago." Aaron nudged his gold-rimmed glasses and gave him a positive answer.
A month or so ago? Isn't that when you were being troubled by Will Auceptin-related nightmares? Klein was surprised and puzzled, but he didn't let his emotions show.
In the blink of an eye, he thought of the two divinations he had made.
Will Auceptin was in a dark room with the sound of running water outside.
Was that symbolizing amniotic fluid or blood? Klein's heart chilled as he suddenly understood something.
When he looked at Dr. Aaron again, he wore a rather complicated look in his eyes.
He suspected that his wife was carrying Will Auceptin, a Snake of Mercury!
In the symbolism of mysticism, the Snake of Fate's head and tail are connected, with it devouring its own tail. It implies the cycle of destiny in a hidden manner… In order to avoid his enemy, Will Auceptin took the initiative to secretly initiate a new cycle in advance? Klein guessed based on what he knew.
Dr. Aaron didn't notice the abnormality he was trying hard to hide. He smiled and said, "He'll definitely be a cute guy. When he's born, I'll hold a party to celebrate his arrival. Sherlock, don't refuse my invitation when the time comes."
"Perhaps it's a she," Klein replied with a smile.
Frankly speaking, he was curious to see what kind of state the newly born Snake of Mercury was in.
However, he was also a little afraid and worried. After all, the Snake of Mercury was a Sequence 1 of the Monster pathway related to fate, and it also involved the fight for the position of being a deity. No one could be sure whether the future would be smooth sailing, with peace and bliss.
For Dr. Aaron, I don't know if it was fortune or misfortune… Whether Will Auceptin is kind is one matter, but whether or not the other Snake of Mercury would discover him is another matter… And Will Auceptin hasn't done anything as of now. Informing the Nighthawks now would seem a little cruel. I've always understood wild Beyonders… It's best to just quietly watch from the sidelines and not get involved, or perhaps taking advantage of the situation is the best choice… Maybe I made a mistake in my interpretation and am overthinking things? Perhaps Will Auceptin isn't a Snake of Mercury at all! Perhaps the child Mrs. Aaron is carrying is very normal! Many thoughts flashed through Klein's mind.
"She? That's even better." Aaron said in anticipation.
After some thought, Klein asked another question, "Have you had any nightmares lately?"
"Occasionally, but they were all normal nightmares. There are no longer any nightmares of Will Auceptin anymore. Sherlock, thank you for your guidance," Aaron said earnestly.
No, no, no, that makes it abnormal. As a keyboard warrior, my limited general knowledge of psychology tells me that occasionally dreaming of Will Auceptin would be the natural thing to do. It's a standard response from overstimulation. Since Will had caused you so much trouble and left such a deep impression on you, it would definitely be reflected in your dreams. Therefore, the correct outcome would be to occasionally dream about Will Auceptin, but the dream wouldn't be too clear, to the point of only knowing that something like that had happened without remembering the details… Klein was pretty sure.
At that moment, he heard a rustling sound.
He subconsciously looked outside the hall, only to see the darkness in the air being dispersed by a strong wind, and the thin light-yellow fog was swept away as a result.
The leafless branches swayed back and forth, and the strong gust of wind left a clear trail towards the southeast.
A few seconds later, everything returned to normal.
"It's hard to see such strong winds in Backlund during winter. At least, I don't remember anything like it before." Aaron sighed as he looked out the window.
That's not an ordinary wind… What happened? Klein suppressed his curiosity and made an excuse to go to the bathroom to perform a simple divination, but he failed to obtain any effective revelations.
He temporarily put this matter to the back of his mind and prepared to head to the underground shooting range to practice his shooting.
At that moment, a waiter wearing a red vest came through the warm hall and respectfully said, "Mr. Moriarty, your friend is here for you."
"Who?" Klein asked in surprise.
"Mr. Ikanser Bernard," the red-vested attendant answered.
The deacon who's often forced to "perm his hair"… Why is he suddenly looking for me? Have there been any new discoveries? Klein immediately walked to the reception hall of the club.
Ikanser pressed down the hat which had been pushed up by his fluffy hair, walked over, and said with a lowered voice, "The Mandated Punishers have found Jason Patrick Beria."
"How was he found?" Klein asked, half surprised, half curious.
According to his divination, Jason Beria had always been wearing human skin. His true appearance and aura weren't what they had assumed they were. It was almost impossible for him to be found so easily!
Ikanser surveyed the area and said, "I'm not sure. I just received the news."
He pointed to a small white bird standing on the tree outside the door.
The bird was leisurely cleaning its feathers with its beak.
Before Klein could ask further, Ikanser gave a general account of what had happened.
"The Mandated Punishers found clues and confirmed Jason's location. However, the Devil discovered the danger in advance and managed to kill two Mandated Punishers and fled before they managed to close in on him. This infuriated the higher-ups of the Church of the Lord of Storms. As such, Spellsinger of God, Ace Snake, is currently personally in pursuit. You likely saw a gust of wind just now. It was caused by him. He's the Archbishop of the Church of the Lord of Storms's Backlund diocese, and he's also one of the Cardinals of the Church of the Lord of Storms.
It sounds normal, but it also feels weird… According to my theory with Mr. Isengard, this can be also understood as a way for Jason, the Desire Apostle, to draw away High-Sequence Beyonders… Klein asked after some deliberation, "Are you sure that the person discovered is Jason Beria?"
Ikanser's expression instantly turned heavy as he replied with an odd tone, "I'll give it a try," he replied in a strange tone.
He motioned to Klein to follow him out and into a large carriage parked at the side of the street. There were two members of the Machinery Hivemind inside.
Ikanser took a deep breath and took out the strange-patterned silver mirror from a special pocket in his clothes.
After doing the necessary steps, he gloomily said, "Honorable Arrodes, my question is: 'Where is Jason Patrick Beria's current location.'"
The surrounding light suddenly warped, as if they were lights after a rain. A scene rapidly surfaced on the silver mirror.
It was a riverboat with a sail raised. Jason Beria, with his high cheekbones, blue eyes with a gray tint, and neatly combed hair, pressed down his cap, propped up the collar of his coat, and hurried into the cabin.
"He's really trying to escape Backlund! Spellsinger of God seems to be heading towards the dock area…" a female Machinery Hivemind member said in realization.
That's way too easy for him to be exposed, right? Klein was filled with doubt.
Ikanser wasn't concerned with any of this; all his attention was placed on the silver mirror's surface.
This time, there was only the choice of answering. Answering it wrongly or lying meant suffering a terrifying penalty.
Soon, words in blood-red appeared on the mirror:
"If the man you like is covered with lumps; has his skin shed, reducing him only to flesh and blood; or has become a monster, but it is still able to communicate with him, will you still like him?"
What a shameful question… Wait, a man? Klein almost turned his head to look at Ikanser.
Ikanser slowly breathed out and said, "I will, but I will kill him with my own hands."
"Very honest." A new combination of words appeared on the surface of the silver mirror.
… This question and answer game is simply a public hearing… Klein really wanted to cover his face.
He looked at the other two Machinery Hivemind members and saw no abnormalities from them, or perhaps, it should be said that they were pretending to not have any abnormal expressions. He hesitantly said, "I keep feeling that all of this has been too easy. Perhaps that's not the real Jason Beria?"
"But Jason Beria was directed at him." Ikanser was planning to put away the silver mirror.
Klein thought for a few seconds and said after organizing his words, "No, what I truly mean is that we have to abandon any ingrained judgments. What we are looking for is that Desire Apostle, not Jason Beria. The two might not necessarily be the same.
"This is a point that I have to mention as a detective."
…
On King's Avenue, a luxurious carriage left the kingdom's parliament.
The carpeted carriage was furnished with a bed, a sofa, a table, and other furniture, like a mobile room.
Duke Pallas Negan, who was dressed in a dark blue admiral's uniform, was drinking a polished crystal glass of red wine that resembled crimson blood.
As he sampled the wine, he said thoughtfully, "Invite Earl Hall to be my guest tomorrow. I would like to discuss with him about increasing the remuneration of the factory workers and improving their working hours, as well as amending the Poor Law. These are bills he has been pushing hard for recently. He should be very interested. Heh, why would the Church of the Evernight Goddess suddenly be concerned over such matters?
"When sending the invitation, you can first inform Earl Hall about the topics I wish to discuss. The property restrictions for the elections are necessary and cannot be lowered. Otherwise, those who are in control of a large number of workers will take up more seats. Also, suppress the recent attack on the invalid voting districts…"
The secretary at the side quickly scribbled down Duke Negan's orders.
After he was done, Duke Negan sighed and said, "The reason I'm doing this is also for the sake of the nobles. However, there are more and more useless fellows among us, and there's even quite a number of them who owe money to the tycoons."
At that moment, the carriage didn't turn towards Empress Borough but went straight ahead.
As the greatest property-owning noble apart from the king, Duke Negan had many mistresses, but in the relatively conservative Loen Kingdom, this was something which would leave him vulnerable to his political enemies. Therefore, even as a noble duke, he still had to sneak around when he went to his mistress's place, but this seemed to only give him more pleasure.
Today, he was planning to go to his most beloved mistress of the past two to three years, a young girl who had just turned twenty.
Duke Negan took out a bottle of medicine made of mummy powder and drank it. He couldn't help but touch the accessory hanging from his neck. It was a dark blue thumb-sized conch.
It was a mystical item that the Church of the Lord of Storms had specially provided after his last assassination attempt by Qilangos. As long as Duke Negan blew on it, the Holy Wind Cathedral's Spellsinger of God, Ace Snake would hear it and lock onto his position.
In order to protect himself, Duke Negan even moved the residences of his mistresses to areas near the Holy Wind Cathedral.
The carriage slowly moved until it reached an extremely luxurious building. At a glance, there was a glass greenhouse filled with bright red roses.
Chapter 424: The Problem of Change
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Inside the carriage outside the Quelaag Club.
"The Desire Apostle might not necessarily be Jason Beria? You believe that we might've been misled?" Ikanser didn't scoff, show contempt, or think lightly of what Klein had said. Instead, he began to seriously discuss the problem with him.
Not a bad deacon… However, it could also be due to him frequently using the magic mirror name Arrodes. No matter how bad his temper is, it would eventually be worn out… Klein praised silently and nodded sincerely.
"This is my personal opinion, derived from a cautious standpoint.
"It's very easy to prove it again. Ask the magic mirror of the Desire Apostle's location, and not of Jason Beria's location."
Ikanser pressed down his hat and said, "Makes sense."
His expression turned serious once again, and his gaze landed on the magic mirror in his palm.
"Deacon Ikanser, if you were to ask for any clues here, the Devil will definitely be able to detect it," Klein reminded them.
"That's right." Ikanser turned his head to the other two members and said, "Continue protecting Mr. Moriarty in secret. Even if the Desire Apostle attacks, the three of you should be able to last for some time. Besides, there's military personnel nearby."
"Yes, Deacon!" the two Machinery Hivemind members answered without hesitation. ( NovelFull )
Ikanser left at once, heading for where the Nighthawks were, which was around Isengard Stanton.
With the Spellsinger of God stirred, and the Sealed Artifact of the Church of Goddess Church out in force… if the Desire Apostle were to really do anything, it would definitely be this afternoon… Let's hope that there's enough time and that the magic mirror will give him the correct answer… But this way, I won't have a chance to get involved, and I won't be able to personally see the Devil that has harmed all of us die, and I won't have access to his suitcase full of money, gold bars, gold coins, and jewelry… Klein looked at the Ikanser's departing back and sighed in disappointment.
However, his mood soon recovered.
That's good too. At the very least I won't have to take any risks and be able to safely get out of this predicament.
Furthermore, the Machinery Hivemind definitely won't treat me unfairly. If I were to succeed, my opinions and suggestions definitely would've played an important role. Furthermore, I'm a believer of the God of Steam and Machinery, so it's likely I'll receive some of the spoils… Considering the premise of 50,000 pounds, it shouldn't be too small…
Klein couldn't help but feel a bit regretful as he thought of this.
But he wouldn't risk himself by getting involved.
A Magician never performs unprepared!
It happened too quickly and hastily, without giving me any time to plan at all…Klein nodded at the two Machinery Hivemind members, got out of the carriage, and returned to the Quelaag Club, where he had no trouble getting the attendant to allocate him a break room.
…
Hillston Borough. In Isengard Stanton's living room.
Leonard Mitchell combed some of his slightly unruly black hair. In accordance with Captain Soest's instructions and the help of the other Nighthawks, he barely managed to put on the silver armor, which was stained with large amounts of blood.
He pulled down his visor and hid his green eyes in the darkness. Then he extended his left hand, which was covered by a silver metal gauntlet, and held the magic mirror Ikanser handed him.
Within the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery, the code name of the silver mirror was 2-111.
"It's only a Grade 2 Sealed Artifact?" Soest asked, slightly surprised.
Ikanser nodded.
"Yes, it's not that dangerous."
As he said that, he suddenly sounded like he was gritting his teeth.
"That is to say that it's other aspects have reached the standards of a Grade 1 Sealed Artifact?" Soest asked in thought.
Ikanser warily glanced at him.
"Only in certain aspects."
He refused to divulge any more information.
At this moment, Leonard used his right hand to gently stroke the surface of the silver mirror. The living room suddenly became quiet.
After repeating it three times, he said in a deep voice, "Honorable Arrodes, my question is: 'Where is the current location of the Desire Apostle who assaulted Isengard Stanton?'"
The entire house turned dark as though a dark cloud had passed by.
The surface of the silver mirror glowed with an aqueous light, and a blurry image quickly formed—it was a luxurious villa with a large garden in front of the window.
In the center of the garden, there was a glass greenhouse, with bright red roses blooming inside.
Above the glass greenhouse, the pale sun could still be seen behind the thin fog.
"It's in Backlund!" Isengard Stanton immediately derived the location of the scene based on the angle of the view and the position of the sun in the sky.
"This is completely different from the answer when we asked about Jason Beria! We've been tricked!" Ikanser said in a deep voice.
Soul Assurer Soest exhaled and said, "How crafty.
"Then, who's the Jason Beria that Spellsinger of God is chasing?
"Sigh, there's no time for discussion. We need to narrow down the general location of the presented scene. Then, we'll immediately take action. I suspect that the Desire Apostle is planning to cause a huge incident!"
At this point, the silver mirror known as Arrodes had dissipated the scene, replacing it with words.
It required Leonard Mitchell to answer a question, and if he lied or refused to answer, he would be severely punished.
For some baffling reason, Leonard felt a little nervous. He put away his usual frivolous attitude and quietly waited for the question.
A few seconds later, he saw the blood-red words change, taking shape one by one.
"On your body, is there something attached…"
Halfway through the question, Leonard's pupils rapidly contracted. His back tensed up, and a cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
If it wasn't for him being concealed by the blood-stained silver armor, the others would've already noticed his abnormality.
Right at this moment, his left palm inexplicably trembled.
The silver magic mirror suddenly trembled, and the scarlet words were strangely tainted with a tint of green. If one didn't keep staring at the mirror with rapt attention, it would be difficult for others to discover that the color of the mirror had slightly changed.
The words continued warping, changing the question to: "On your body, is there a scar which you cannot tell others?"
"Yes, that scar resides in my memory," Leonard answered stably, but his body inside the blood-stained silver armor felt a sense of exhaustion from suddenly relaxing a high tension.
This mirror is too dangerous… It actually noticed it! Thankfully, Old Man has recovered a bit after such a long time… he thought; his lips were dry.
Soest took out his pocket watch, pressed it open to take a look, and said to Leonard, who was inside the blood-stained silver armor.
"There's still time, you'll be in charge of the rest of the operation!"
"Yes, Captain Soest." Leonard let out a secret sigh.
…
Dock area, Backlund Shipyard.
Patrick Jason Beria entered a cabin he had reserved in advance.
He looked out of the window and observed the sky filled with fog as he silently counted the time.
After a while, he quickly took off his hat and clothes. Then, with a tug of his hand, he pulled off the outer layer of human skin!
Under the human skin was a beautiful woman in her early thirties with a profound look in her eyes. She wasn't the man with brown hair and brown eyes whom Klein had seen during the dream divination!
The woman took out some clothes and put them on methodically, quickly becoming an absolutely charming woman.
Finally, she pulled out a fist-sized stone figurine from the bottom of a suitcase and wrapped it tightly with the peeled off skin before tying a dead knot.
Having done all this, the riverboat was already some distance away. She opened the window and threw Patrick Jason's skin along with the stone figurine into the river.
Plop!
The human skin that was tied to the heavy object quickly sank.
The woman clapped her hands and closed the window. Carrying the suitcase, she changed to a different cabin she had prepared.
Then, she sat down at the window of the new cabin, propped up her elbows, her face in her hands, and looked out leisurely.
After an unknown period of time, she saw a strong gust of wind blowing in the air, dispersing the thin fog.
The corners of her lips curled up into a brilliant smile.
…
In a luxurious villa not far from the Holy Wind Cathedral in Cherwood Borough.
The bloated, blue-eyed Pallas Negan bear hugged his approaching mistress, a beautiful young girl with a bit of innocence on her face.
There were two people following him. One of them was a middle-aged man wearing a black tailcoat. He had brown hair and blue eyes, but he didn't wear an expression. He was a Beyonder guard provided by the Church of the Lord of Storms, a Sequence 6 Wind-blessed.
The other person was Duke Negan's secretary.
He was a thin blond young man with delicate features, looking refined and reserved. His biggest flaw was his receding hairline which didn't match his age.
As for the other guards, or security personnel, they were spread out outside the house.
On the second floor, the Wind-blessed entered the bedroom before Duke Negan for a quick inspection. Meanwhile, Duke Negan's secretary was in charge of searching the surrounding rooms.
After confirming that there were no problems, they nodded at Duke Negan, indicating that he could continue.
"My roused up feelings have almost calmed down," Duke Negan said half-jokingly.
His mistress happily responded, "Then we can have a nice chat. I'd like to hear about your time at sea."
"I hope you'll eventually have the energy to do so." Duke Negan carried his mistress into the bedroom and closed the door behind him with his heel.
His secretary and the Wind-blessed entered the rooms on either side of him, not relaxing in the slightest.
In the attic of this house.
A man in a dark overcoat sat on an old chair, his eyes half closed. It was unknown what he was trying to sense, but he would occasionally smile and shake his head.
His brown hair was slightly curled, and his brown eyes were cold. It was the same person that Klein had seen in the dream divination! The difference was that there was one fewer suitcase by his feet.
"How vigorous, and what intense desire… This doesn't match my judgment of him. It looks like he took some medicine… That just works so well for me… Heh heh, how could they possibly imagine that Patrick Jason Beria is actually two people…" The man tilted his face up slightly as if he was intoxicated.
"It's almost time… Right now!"
His right hand suddenly clenched, as if he was tightly clutching someone's heart!