61 LOTM

Klein didn't have too big of a response in regards to Isengard Stanton's suggestion. He looked at the tightly-closed door of the activity room and said, "As far as I know, a Devil can predict danger before we take action, and they can even determine the source of the danger, thus providing an effective response.

"It's hard to find and restrain him."

Isengard nodded slightly and said, "Yes, that's indeed the case, but this doesn't mean that there are no solutions."

"What solutions?" Kaslana immediately asked.

Isengard smiled and said, "I fought him head-on and witnessed his Beyonder powers of predicting danger, so I have a rough idea of its strengths and weaknesses.

"A Devil can indeed detect danger before it happens, and it can be done so for quite a significant period of time prior to the danger. As long as we make any plans and take decisive action that targets him, he would receive the corresponding premonition. Of course, it has to be something that can really harm him."

No, the truth is that the strengths and weaknesses of different types of Devils are different. Some of them might only be capable of detecting danger ten to twenty minutes in advance... Klein silently retorted, but he didn't say it out loud. @@novelbin@@

Isengard continued, "The flaw of premonition powers is that it can only detect the person and location of the danger, but it doesn't know the specific details. This gives us an opportunity to take advantage of it."

"What opportunity? I don't think we can trap a Devil that can predict danger," Kaslana asked incredulously.

Klein also nodded in agreement.

Of course, I can use the gray fog to deceive the Desire Apostle, making him unable to detect danger ahead of time. But the problem is, how can I expose the secret of the gray fog in front of others... Klein silently added a few words.

Isengard chuckled.

"It's true that it won't work normally, but the Beyonder world is full of incredible things.

"I'm a Sequence 7 Knowledge Keeper of the Reader pathway, also known as Detective. By honestly telling you this, it's a way of showing my sincerity in cooperating.

"In this situation, I think honesty is more important than anything else."

Only Sequence 7? How could a Sequence 7 escape from a Desire Apostle? It seems like Mr. Stanton has a powerful mystical item... Enlightened, Klein shifted in his seat.

"Does a Knowledge Keeper have the ability to suppress a Devil's premonition powers?" Kaslana asked with her body leaning forward.

"No," Isengard said with a laugh. "However, I have a ring. It originates from a Sequence 6 Rampager of the Reader pathway. It allows me to differentiate, recognize, remember, and mimic all the Beyonder powers I've seen before. Of course, against more powerful Beyonder powers, the chance of failure is higher.

"Haha, there is a maxim in our Church, omniscience means omnipotence."

Why does it sound so familiar... Furthermore, the description of the item... Klein was about to run through his memories when he saw Isengard Stanton take out a gorgeous ring.

The ring was inlaid with many small diamonds. Together, they surrounded a beautiful emerald-green gem that looked like a human eye.

Just by looking at this ring, Klein felt dizzy, as if he had overworked his mind.

Isn't... Isn't this Sealed Artifact 2-081? Isengard Stanton is Old Mister Eye of Wisdom? Klein looked up in surprise at the detective sitting in the reclining chair.

That ring was the Sealed Artifact 2-081 which Eye of Wisdom had flaunted to him previously and had used several times in the Beyonder gathering!

Eye of Wisdom... This code name does sound like it's related to the Church of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom... Klein, using his Clown's ability to control his expression as he looked quietly at Isengard Stanton.

In the end, he found that some of the outlines of the great detective did match Eye of Wisdom, but there were many details which were highly different.

His ability to disguise himself is very impressive... Was it done with the help of 2-081? Klein made a rough judgment.

At this moment, he suddenly thought of a scene.

If Mr. Stanton says, "Let all of us work together to resist the Desire Apostle, and the most important thing is honesty. I have already described my Sequence and mystical item. It's your turn." What should I say? Silently take out the Sun Brooch which he sold to me?

At that moment, wouldn't he be going, "Nice, so it's you, punk!"

While Klein was imagining things, Kaslana looked at the ring Isengard Stanton showed and asked in envy and puzzlement, "What power are you planning on mimicking to resist the Desire Apostle's ability to predict danger?"

Isengard curled the corner of his lips and chuckled.

"The premonition that Devils have towards danger."

At that moment, he looked like a hoary fox.

Ah? That actually works? Klein was instantly momentarily unable to figure out the intricacies.

Seeing Kaslana and Klein puzzled, Isengard laughed and explained, "First, which is what we're currently doing, draw up a plan that can actually harm the Desire Apostle and begin working on it.

"Second, the Desire Apostle will sense the danger and know that the danger comes from us and that it stems from this place.

"Third, as a Devil, without any advanced preparations, there are certain things that are instinctual to him that he cannot change. His first reaction is definitely to kill us or to exact revenge on us, and there will be certain changes to his body, after which he will consider whether the current situation is suitable for a counterattack or not, and whether he should choose to stay away from us.

"Fourth, by mimicking the Devil's premonition powers, I'll sense the threat of the Desire Apostle and grasp the source of danger, which is also his present location."

That's... some godly operation... Klein was quite surprised.

But what happens next? The Desire Apostle would run away as soon as he realizes that something is wrong. We won't even have time to chase after him... Doubts immediately arose in him.

Isengard looked at the two of them and smiled.

"According to my deductions, he must be hiding in our surroundings right now. No matter how good he is at remotely controlling the emotions of others, there must be a distance limit. And just now, he had led Stuart and the others to lose control of their emotions.

"After I escaped his pursuit, the reason why it took me so long to appear here was because I was discussing a plan with the Nighthawks, Machinery Hivemind, and the military. They will each send two to three squads who are in charge of monitoring the nearby districts. These districts all have their code names. Heh heh, this will all be within the Desire Apostle's expectations. Even if he senses the danger, he will only treat it as normal.

"As soon as I confirm his location, I will inform the official Beyonders, and they will rapidly seal off the corresponding areas and close in on him."

"But herein lies the problem. How are we to inform the official Beyonders? If we're unable to accomplish this within seconds, the Desire Apostle will escape. Of course, he might've fled when what he just did had failed," Klein said, in thought.

"If that's the case, we would be out of solutions as well. There's no plan that's absolutely perfect. We can only wait for a particular Sealed Artifact's activation process to complete. When the time comes, the Desire Apostle might've already left Backlund, but he might return at any time," Isengard explained.

He then took out a golden palm-sized item. It looked like a miniature telegraph, but it also had a trumpet on it.

"This is a Sealed Artifact; it can allow my voice to sound out simultaneously up to a range of five kilometers," Isengard smiled as he introduced it. "Its negative effect is that once it's activated, all sounds within five kilometers will be transmitted to the user's ears for an extended period of time. Of course, I can mimic a Beyonder power to mitigate this effect."

After listening carefully, Kaslana frowned slightly.

"Since there are official Beyonders involved, there doesn't seem to be any need for our cooperation?"

Isengard carefully put on Sealed Artifact 2-081 and earnestly said, "In order to not alarm the Desire Apostle ahead of time, there's a void of power in the nearby district. If the target is really here, the three of us need to help each other to retain him as best as we can."

"I have no problem." Klein pondered for a moment before agreeing.

Kaslana also nodded and said, "Mr. Stanton, there's no need for you to explain so much. After all, we'll cooperate for our own sake."

"Haha, an explanation is part of the plan, and an agreement means that the operation is about to begin..." Isengard half closed his eyes.

The emerald-green gem on the ring of his right hand began to glow with a dark blue light.

Suddenly, Isengard Stanton stood up, pointing upwards with a grim expression.

"He's right here, upstairs!"

Klein and Kaslana stood up at the same time, one ready to snap a finger and light a match on the second floor to jump up there directly, while the other followed Isengard towards the door.

None of them expected the Desire Apostle to be so bold as to remain in the vicinity after the failure of the previous machination, right in 15 Minsk Street!

Maybe he was upstairs watching it all with a cold gaze while we were discussing the plan to deal with him! This thought suddenly popped up in Klein's mind.

At that moment, he saw Kaslana's eyes suddenly turn red, and her right hand formed a fist as she punched out at Isengard Stanton's back where his heart was!

This... Klein's pupils contracted as he instantly came to a realization of many things.

The reason why the Desire Apostle didn't flee was because he still had other plans set up!

He still had a seed of corruption in someone's heart that he didn't catalyze.

That person was none other than Kaslana!

One of the only three Beyonders here!

The reason why the unsuccessful attempt at instigating them was so easily resolved was to let their guard down and wait for the critical moment to make Kaslana lose control of her emotions!

The Desire Apostle's biggest target was still Isengard Stanton.

How crafty... Klein snapped his fingers, but it was only an Air Bullet that was fired at Kaslana.

At the same time, he shouted, "Be careful!"

Isengard had a lot of experience too. He didn't care what the situation was as he threw himself forward.

However, Kaslana ignored the bullet, allowing it to strike her arm and allowing blood to splatter everywhere.

Bam!

She punched Isengard in the back, throwing her entire body forward.

Kacha!

Klein heard the sound of bones breaking, and the point of contact was the spine.

-x-X-x-

Kacha!

When Klein saw Isengard Stanton's back cave in, even he felt a faint pain in his spine.

Isengard fell to the ground with a thud, seemingly instantly losing consciousness from the pain.

Kaslana, on the other hand, stood in her original spot, gasping for breath with a blank look in her eyes. Her forehead was covered in cold sweat, and there was no follow-up attack.

It was as if she had just awoken from a long nightmare caused by her emotions. All the strength in her body had completely disappeared from her previous outburst.

Huff! Puff! Kaslana's body swayed, on the brink of collapsing.

Klein's eyes narrowed as he rushed up to Isengard Stanton in two steps.

He kneeled and tried to help him up.

Isengard, who was sprawled on the ground, cried out in pain, "Run!

"Don't worry about me!"

Obviously, he didn't think that a three-person group which instantly had one heavily injured member and another losing all her strength could retain the Desire Apostle. Thus, he told Klein to immediately escape and meet up with the official Beyonders; otherwise, all three of them would die there and then.

At the same time, Isengard raised his right hand with difficulty, attempting to use some of his Beyonder powers so as to attract the attention of the official Beyonders who were quite a distance away.

As for the tiny "telegraph" with the trumpet, it had long since flown to the wall because of Isengard's fall.

Klein showed hesitation and just as he was about to make a decision, he saw a thick black "liquid" flowing down from the ceiling, quickly forming a pitch-black figure.

The figure seemed to be completely wrapped in a black curtain, only exposing a pair of cold blue eyes.

At the sight of him, Klein felt as if he was seeing the most intense emotions and desires of a living creature: fear, wrath, greed, jealousy, hunger, lust, etc.

The Desire Apostle didn't waste the situation he painstakingly created, and he entered the activity room almost immediately.

At this moment, out of the three-person team of detectives, Kaslana was exhausted from the outburst of emotions, while Isengard Stanton's spine was severely injured, causing him to lose his ability to partake in combat. Only Klein was left unscathed.

However, other than his revolver and Beyonder bullets, all of his mystical items were above the gray fog. Besides, he was facing a Sequence 5 Desire Apostle, a powerhouse capable of nurturing a Devil dog!

At that moment, the corners of Klein's lips curled up slightly.

His right hand, which had been placed on the wound on Isengard's back, abruptly swiped, causing the obvious depression to shift to the side and onto a rib!

The Magician's most miraculous Beyonder power: Damage Transfer!

It allowed a wound to be transferred once on a body, turning a serious injury into a minor injury, but it was unable to transfer the damage to other people or items!

When Klein saw that Isengard Stanton was injured, he had already thought of the subsequent countermeasures.

By first acting as if they were out of solutions to make the Desire Apostle appear, and then transfer the great detective's wound to leave him with only a slight fracture in his ribs, Klein believed that Isengard would then be able to deal with the Desire Apostle with him. It was a struggle for survival that all humans on instinct.

In this way, even if the Desire Apostle realized that something was amiss, it would be too late for him to escape. Once Klein completed the "treatment" and joined forces with the great detective, they would be able to stall the target until the official Beyonders arrived!

Almost at the same time, the ring that Isengard had pointed outwards began to produce greenness that was filled with vitality. A faint glow soon enveloped Isengard's body, allowing his wounds to quickly heal.

The fracture on his ribs was instantly healed.

The great detective's pain was real, but his helplessness was just an act!

However, this overlapped with Klein's help.

When the Desire Apostle who was about to take action saw this scene, his eyes suddenly widened, and his body stopped abruptly.

Being free from any ensnarement, he turned around and ran towards the window.

During this process, his body quickly collapsed into a sticky black liquid.

The liquid seeped into the ground, penetrated the wall, and disappeared.

Klein raised his right hand just in time to snap his fingers.

The Air Bullet went through the open window and shot outside, sending sparks flying everywhere. However, the Desire Apostle had completely disappeared.

He ran really fast, without any hesitation at all... Are you a Devil or not?... This will only make things worse in the future... The corner of Klein's mouth twitched as he turned to look at Isengard Stanton who had rolled around and stood up.

The great detective happened to look at him.

"You're capable of healing wounds?"

"You're capable of healing wounds?"

The two of them opened their mouths at the same time and asked the same question.

After looking at each other, Isengard shook his head and smiled bitterly, "I never expected that the trap I set would allow him to escape."

As he spoke, his ring began to glow, and he looked around to confirm that the Desire Apostle had already left.

Isengard then gave a brief explanation.

"I didn't have the chance to mimic the healing ability this afternoon. Later, I believed that I could use this to set a trap and make the Desire Apostle appear by making him think that I'm injured. Therefore, I deliberately bundled my wound in an exaggerated manner." @@novelbin@@

He pointed to the cushion that elevated his left arm to his shoulder.

"Sure enough, it worked. But I didn't expect you to be able to deal with serious injuries, and..." Isengard sighed softly.

As a result, both of them putting "healing" the injuries as their top priority. No one held back the Desire Apostle, so the moment he realized that something was wrong, he immediately fled.

Both Stanton and I had trump cards that the Desire Apostle didn't know about, and we wanted to use that to trick him. Who knew that we would cancel each other out and allow him to flee... Is this the so-called two rights make a wrong? Klein helplessly laughed.

"This is because we don't know each other well enough, and we didn't have good teamwork."

"No, it's my fault," Isengard said sincerely. "When I saw that you didn't run away or defend yourself, and instead came over to help me, I should've deduced that you weren't flustered, that you had the confidence and means, but unfortunately while wearing this ring, my brain remained in a highly-taxed state. I wasn't able to consider anything else."

So Sealed Artifact 2-081 will passively reduce one's intelligence... Klein smiled and said, "Mr. Stanton, it's not the time to discuss who's responsible. The Desire Apostle has already fled. We should consider our subsequent actions."

Isengard took off his ring and turned to the door of the activity room.

"The official Beyonders are arriving soon. I'll go outside to calm Stuart and the others. After that, we can come up with a plan. Are you joining me, or do you plan on handling some of your matters?"

The official Beyonders... Mr. Stanton previously mentioned the Nighthawks, the Machinery Hivemind, and the military... Please don't be an acquaintance... Yes, my spiritual intuition hasn't warned me, so it's probably not... Mr. Stanton is giving me a chance to clean up and dispose of any sensitive items so that I don't get into trouble with the unfriendly official Beyonders... Many thoughts flashed through Klein's mind as he asked, "Mr. Stanton, when you grasped the Desire Apostle's location, where was he?"

Isengard thought and said, "Your bedroom. He was sitting in front of your desk."

... How arrogant... Klein pointed out the door and said, "I'll head over there to investigate. I'll see if he left behind any traces.

"If we can figure out what the Desire Apostle truly looks like, it'll definitely make apprehending him much simpler.

"I'll leave the rest to you."

"Alright." Isengard moved to the side and helped up the weak Kaslana.

Seeing this, Klein suddenly found it amusing.

Having discussed so much and made preparations to set up a trap, we still failed to retain the Desire Apostle and ended up in this state... There are always more accidents than preparations... That's why Magician is just a Sequence 7...

After leaving the room, Klein went straight to the second floor and entered his bedroom.

The arrangement inside remained unchanged, and even the distance between the chair and desk was no different from before. However, Klein seemed to see a figure wrapped in a pitch-black liquid.

He sat there, looking straight ahead, waiting patiently and calmly for a chance.

As expected of a Coldblooded... Klein looked at the glass panes of the oriel window and felt that he could divine if it had reflected something.

The Devil pathway is good at crime, so it wouldn't be so easy for him to leave clues behind... However, I can try going above the gray fog to give it a try... Klein inspected the area and began to burn some of the mysticism notebooks he wrote in passing.

Not long after he finished dealing with the items, he saw a few strangers coming up to the second floor.

The leader of the group was a man with a stiff face but a head of frizzled, messy, and stubborn brown hair.

In his hand was an ancient silver mirror with strange patterns. On both sides of the mirror there were black gems which were decorated as "eyes."

"Hello, Mr. Moriarty. I am Ikanser Bernard of the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery. Can I inspect this place?"

Klein immediately nodded and said, "No problem."

He then politely said, "Do you need me to follow you and answer any of the questions you might have?"

"Alright. Sorry for the trouble. Mr. Stanton has mentioned to me about your situation," Ikanser said with a smile.

Several of his team members followed behind him. They treated him differently—some ignoring him, some curious, some filled with hostility.

My situation? How exactly did Mr. Stanton introduce me and what story did he make up? As his thoughts raced, Klein followed Ikanser into the bedroom again, while the rest of the official Beyonders paired up, each responsible for a different zone on the second floor.

"This is where the Desire Apostle sat?" Ikanser pointed at the chair in front of the desk.

He had clearly asked Isengard Stanton.

"Yes," Klein answered frankly.

Without another word, Ikanser raised the silver mirror and stroked its surface three times with his right hand.

After a short pause, he said in a deep voice, "Honorable Arrodes, my question is: 'What did the Devil who was previously sitting here look like?'"

The lights around them suddenly turned dark, as if enshrouded by mist after a rainstorm. A strange aqueous glint appeared on the surface of the silver mirror, forming a scene: a man covered in a sticky black "liquid" sat on a chair with his back to the window while he faced the bed.

Immediately after, the scene changed. The mirror in the corner vaguely reflected the dark shadow's side profile which was similarly covered by the "pitch-blackness."

But he could vaguely make out an outline.

The Desire Apostle had very high cheekbones and a pair of cold-looking blue eyes.

-x-X-x-

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. @@novelbin@@

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.

-x-X-x-

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. @@novelbin@@

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."

-x-X-x-

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." @@novelbin@@

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!"

-x-X-x-

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.

-x-X-x-

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. ( Boxno vel. co m )

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." @@novelbin@@

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!