Chapter: 91-95:Lord of the Mysteries

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Chapter 91. Solution | Lord of the Mysteries

The scenery started to distort, turning illusory and began to fade away.After Klein left his dreamlike state, his vision adapted to the darkness in the room.He knew that with one pound and ten soli, which was thirty soli a week, Benson didn't have an easy time supporting the family according to the standards of an average family.He had thought that the majority of workers earned twenty soli a week.He had once heard Melissa remark that Lower Street of Iron Cross Street had five, seven, or even ten families squeezing into the same room.He also learned from Benson that as a result of the situation in the Southern Continent, the kingdom's economy was in a recession for the past few months.He knew that a maid, with board and lodging provided, could earn between three soli and sixpence to six soli a week.Klein extended his hand and pinched his glabella. He was silent for a long time, until Sir Deweyville asked, "Officer, aren't you going to say anything? The psychiatrists I went to would always speak to me and ask questions in such a situation."However, I must say that I feel at peace. I almost fell asleep. I haven't heard any moans or cries yet."How did you do it?"Klein leaned back in the rocking chair. Instead of providing an answer, he asked with a gentle tone, "Sir, do you know about lead poisoning? Do you know about the dangers of lead?"Deweyville fell silent for a few seconds. "I did not know about it in the past, but I do now. Are you telling me that my psychological illness stems from my guilt—my guilt toward the female lead and porcelain factory workers?"Without waiting for Klein to answer, he continued just like he always had—in his position of power during a negotiation."Yes, I did feel guilty about this in the past, but I did compensate them. At my lead and porcelain factories, the workers do not earn less than other workers in the same industry. In Backlund, lead and porcelain workers are paid no more than eight soli a week, but I pay them ten, sometimes even more."Heh, many people criticize me for breaking ranks since it makes it hard for them to recruit workers. If not for the Grain Act that made many farmers bankrupt, sending them to the cities, they would have had to raise their wages just like I did."Furthermore, I've also informed the supervisor of the factories to make sure that those with repeated headaches and blurry vision are to leave the areas where they are exposed to lead. If their illness is really severe, then they can even ask for help at my charity foundation."I think I have done enough."Klein spoke without a ripple of emotion in his voice, "Sir, at times, you cannot imagine how important a salary is to a poor person. Simply losing work for a week or two can result in an irreversible loss to their family, a loss that would cause tremendous grief."He paused before saying, "I am curious, why wouldn't a kind person like you install equipment that can protect against dust and lead poisoning in your factories?"Deweyville looked at the ceiling and laughed ruefully."That would make my costs too high for me to bear. I would no longer be able to compete with other lead and porcelain companies. I no longer pay too much attention to my profits in these areas of my business. In fact, I am even willing to fork out some money. But what's the point of keeping the business if I have to keep doing that? That can only help a number of workers and not become a standard in the industry or effect change on other factories."That would merely result in me forking out money to support the workers. I heard that some factories even secretly hire slaves to minimize costs."Klein crossed his hands and said after a moment of silence, "Sir, the root of your psychological illness comes from the buildup of guilt, despite you believing that the guilt has faded and disappeared over time. It wouldn't have any visible effects under normal circumstances, but there was something that triggered you and set off all the problems at once.""Something that triggered me? I'm not aware of such a thing," Deweyville said puzzled, but with conviction.Klein allowed the chair to rock gently as he explained with a gentle tone, "You did fall asleep for a few minutes just now, and you told me something.""Hypnosis?" Deweyville made a guess as he usually did.Klein did not give a direct reply and instead said, "You once saw a girl dying on her way to work while you were on your carriage. She had died because of lead poisoning. She was one of your workers who glazed porcelain while she was still alive."Deweyville rubbed his temples, speechless before saying somewhat doubtful, "I think that happened once… but I can't remember it clearly…"His prolonged insomnia had left him in a poor mental state. He could only faintly recall seeing such a scene.He thought for a moment, but gave up taxing his brain. Instead, he asked, "What was that worker's name?"Well, what I meant was, what should I do to cure my psychological illness?"Klein replied immediately, "Two things.""First, the worker that died by the side of the road was called Hayley Walker. That was what you told me. She was the most direct trigger, so you have to find her parents and give them more compensation."Second, spread information about the dangers of lead in the newspapers and magazines. Allow your charity foundation to help more workers who suffered from the damage. If you succeed in becoming a member of parliament, push for enacting laws in this domain."Deweyville sat up slowly and laughed in a self-deprecating manner."I will do all of the rest, but to enact a law, heh— I think it's impossible since there is still competition from nations beyond our country. Setting up such a law would just slip the entire industry in the country into a crisis. Factories would become bankrupt one by one, and many workers would lose their jobs. Organizations that help the poor cannot save that many people."He slowly got off the bed and adjusted his collar. He then looked at Klein and said, "Hayley Walker, right? I'll immediately get Cullen to retrieve information about her from the porcelain company and find her parents. Officer, please wait with me and continuously evaluate my mental state.""Alright." Klein stood up slowly and smoothed his black-and-white checkered police uniform.…At eleven in the morning in the living room of Deweyville.Klein sat on the sofa in silence as he looked at the man and woman being guided into the house by Butler Cullen.The two guests had blemished skin, wrinkles already woven into their faces. The man had a slight hunch while the woman had a mole under her eyelid.They looked nearly identical to what Klein had seen through Hayley, just older and more haggard. They were so skinny that they were almost all bone. Their clothes were old and ragged. Klein even learned that they couldn't continue living on Lower Street of Iron Cross Streets any further.Sob…Klein sensed an icy wind start to spiral through his spiritual perception.He pinched his glabella and shot a glance toward Sir Deweyville. It was unknown when a faint white, translucent, contorted figure had appeared behind him."Good-good morning, Honorable Sir." Hayley's parents were unusually polite.Deweyville rubbed his forehead and asked, "Are the both of you Hayley Walker's parents? Doesn't she also have a brother and a two-year-old sister?"Hayley's mother answered in fear, "Her-her brother broke his leg at the harbor sometime back. We got him to take care of his sister at home."Deweyville remained silent for a few seconds before he sighed."My deepest condolences for what happened to Hayley."Upon hearing that, the eyes of Hayley's parents immediately turned red. They opened their mouths and said over each other, "Thank-thank you for your goodwill."The police told us-told us, that Hayley died from lead poisoning. That's the term, right? Oh, my poor child, she was only seventeen. She was always so quiet, so determined."You had sent someone to visit her before and sponsored her burial. She is buried at the Raphael Cemetery."Deweyville glanced at Klein and changed his sitting posture. He leaned forward and said with a serious tone, "That was actually an oversight of ours. I have to apologize.""I have considered that I need to compensate you, to compensate Hayley. Her weekly salary was ten soli, was it not? One year would be five hundred and twenty soli, or twenty-six pounds. Let's assume that she could have worked for another ten years."Cullen, give Hayley's parents three hundred pounds.""Three-three hundred pounds?" Hayley's parents were dumbfounded.They never had more than one pound of savings, even at their richest!It wasn't only them who were dazed. Even the expressions of the bodyguards and maids in the room were also all that of shock and envy. Even Sergeant Gate couldn't help but draw in a deep breath—his weekly salary was only two pounds and among his subordinates, only one chevroned constable earned one pound a week.Amidst the silence, Butler Cullen walked out of the study and held a bulging sack.He opened the sack and revealed stacks of cash, some one pound, some five pounds, but mostly made up of one or five soli.It was clear that Deweyville had made his subordinates receive "change" from the bank earlier."It's an expression of Sir Deweyville's goodwill," Cullen handed the sack over to Hayley's parents after receiving confirmation from his master.Hayley's parents took the sack and rubbed their eyes, looking at it in disbelief."No, this-this is too generous, we cannot accept this," they said as they held the sack tightly.Deweyville said in a deep voice, "This is what Hayley deserves.""Y-you truly are a noble, charitable knight!" Hayley's parents bowed repeatedly in agitation.They had smiles on their faces, smiles that they couldn't repress.They praised the knight repeatedly, repeating the same few adjectives they knew. They kept insisting that Hayley would be grateful towards him in heaven."Cullen, send them home. Oh, take them to the bank first," Deweyville heaved a sigh of relief and instructed his butler.Hayley's parents hugged the sack tightly and walked toward the door quickly without stopping.Klein saw the faint translucent figure behind Sir Deweyville attempt to extend its hands towards them, hoping to leave with them, but the parents' smiles were abnormally radiant. They didn't turn back.That figure turned fainter and, soon, vanished completely.Klein also sensed that the icy feeling in the guest hall had instantly returned to normal.From beginning to end, all he did was sit there silently, not expressing his opinion."Officer, I feel much better. Now can you tell me why my butler, servants, and bodyguards could also hear the cries and moans? This shouldn't just be solely a psychological illness of mine, right?" Deweyville looked at him curiously.Inspector Tolle, who knew the underlying truth, instantly became nervous.Klein replied without much expression, "In psychology, we call this phenomenon—mass hysteria."

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Chapter 92. Psychological Expert | Lord of the Mysteries

"Mass hysteria?" Sir Deweyville, who had met many psychiatrists recently, ruminated over the term Klein had said.Despite their curiosity, his butler, bodyguards, and servants didn't make a single sound since they had not been given permission by him.As for Sergeant Gate, he looked towards Klein doubtfully as if he had never heard of that concept.Klein controlled his habit of tapping the armrest with his fingertips and calmly explained, "Humans can be fooled easily by their sensory organs. Mass hysteria is a kind of psychogenic illness that is a result of tense nerves and other factors amongst a group of individuals as they influence each other."The jargon he spewed out confused Sir Deweyville, Sergeant Gate, and the rest, causing them to subconsciously opt to believe him."Let me give a simple example of this; this was one of the cases that I previously dealt with, one man held a dinner banquet and invited 35 guests. Midway, he suddenly felt disgusted and puked. After that, he even had severe diarrhea. After a couple times, he began to believe that he had gotten food poisoning. He shared his speculation with the other guests on the way to the hospital."In the next two hours, there were more than 30 guests that had diarrhea amongst the 35 guests, with 26 of them experiencing nausea. They flooded the entire emergency room of the hospital."The doctors went through a detailed examination and performed cross checks, and they concluded that the very first man didn't have food poisoning at all. Instead, it was a result of stomach inflammation caused by the change of weather and cold liquor."The most surprising fact was that none of the guests who went to the hospital had food poisoning. In fact, not a single one of them was sick."That is mass hysteria."Deweyville nodded slightly and marveled, "I understand now. Humans do lie to themselves easily. It's no wonder that Emperor Roselle once said that a lie would become reality once it was repeated a hundred times."Officer, how may I address you? You are the most professional psychiatrist I have ever met.""Inspector Moretti." Klein pointed at his epaulet and said, "Sir, your troubles have been resolved temporarily for now. You can try to sleep now while I determine if there are any other problems. If you are able to sleep well, please allow us to bid farewell ahead of time instead of waiting for you to wake up.""Alright." Deweyville massaged his forehead, took his cane, and walked upstairs to his bedroom.Half an hour later, a police carriage left the fountain at the door of Deweyville's residence.When Sergeant Gate got off on the way and returned to his police station, Inspector Tolle looked towards Klein. He complimented in jest, "Even I believed that you were a real psychological expert…"Before he finished his sentence, he saw the young man in a black-and-white checkered uniform looking expressionless. His eyes were deep and serene as he forced a smirk on his face and said, "I only had some experience with it in the past."Inspector Tolle fell silent until the carriage arrived outside 36 Zouteland Street."Thank you for your assistance, allowing Sir Deweyville to be finally free from his problems and be able to find sleep again." He extended his hand and shook Klein's hand. "Thank Dunn on my behalf."Klein nodded slightly and said, "Alright."He went up the stairs and returned to the Blackthorn Security Company. He knocked and entered the captain's office."Done?" Dunn was waiting for his lunch."Done." Klein massaged his forehead, and kept his reply short and simple. "The root of the problem stemmed from the lead and porcelain factory under Sir Deweyville. From the moment they were established to this day, too many deaths have been caused by lead poisoning. And every accident left Sir Deweyville with some resentful spirituality.""Generally speaking, that wouldn't bring too big of a problem. That might cause nightmares, at the most." Dunn had experienced similar cases with his plethora of experience.Klein nodded slightly and said, "Yes, that's usually the case. But, unfortunately, Sir Deweyville encountered a female worker who died of lead poisoning on the streets. She collapsed by the side of the street and happened to catch a glimpse of the Deweyville's family emblem. She also harbored intense indignation, worry, and desires. It was only when Sir Deweyville gave her parents, brother, and sister a compensation of three hundred pounds did her emotions dissipate.""This is a societal problem. It isn't rare in the Age of Steam and Machinery." Dunn took out his smoking pipe, smelled the tobacco, and sighed. "Workers that make linen work in damp environments, and are generally diagnosed with bronchitis and joint related ailments. As for factories with serious powder and dust issues, even if the dust isn't poisonous, it can still accumulate into lung problems… Sigh… We don't have to talk about this. As the kingdom develops, I believe these problems will be resolved. Klein, let's find a restaurant tonight to celebrate you becoming an official member, alright?"Klein thought for a moment before saying, "How about tomorrow… Captain, I have used Spirit Vision for an extended period of time today and also used dream divination to directly interact with those resentments. I'm feeling especially drained. I want to return home in the afternoon to get some rest. Would that be okay? Oh, then I'll head over to the Divination Club at about four or five in the afternoon to see how the club members are reacting to news of Hanass Vincent's sudden death.""No problem, that's only necessary." Dunn chuckled. "Tomorrow night it is. Let's do it at Old Will's Restaurant next door. I'll get Rozanne to make a reservation."Klein took off his police peak cap and stood up to salute him."Thank you, Captain. See you tomorrow."Dunn lifted his hand and said, "Hold on, did you mention that Sir Deweyville gave the female worker's parents a compensation of three hundred pounds?""Yes." Klein nodded and immediately understood the reason why the captain had mentioned it. "You are worried that they will get into trouble because of their wealth?"Dunn sighed."I've seen many similar situations in the past. Pass me their address, I'll ask Kenley to arrange for them to leave Tingen for another city, to start life anew.""Alright," Klein replied in a deep voice.With all of that done, he left Dunn's office and entered the break room diagonally opposite. He changed into his original suit and left the police uniform in his locker.Klein took the public carriage back to Daffodil Street in silence. He took off his coat and top hat. He then heated up the leftovers from last night and ate them with the last piece of wheat bread to fill his stomach.Then, he went to the second floor, hung his clothes, and slumped into bed.When he woke up, the pocket watch showed that it was already ten past two in the afternoon. The sun was hanging high up in the sky and the sunlight shone through the clouds.Underneath the golden splendor, Klein stood next to his desk and looked out the oriel window. He watched the pedestrians in old ragged clothing as they entered or left Iron Cross Street.Phew… He let out a breath slowly, finally overcoming his low spirits.Every journey had to be taken one step at a time. Likewise, his Sequence needed to be advanced one level at a time. Everything worked like that.He shook his head and sat down. He started concluding and reorganizing his encounter over the last week, so as to reinforce the important points in his mind to prevent himself from forgetting them.Five minutes before three in the afternoon.Above a blurry, boundless, grayish-white, silent gray fog stood a lofty palace. An ancient mottled bronze table sat there quietly.On the seat of honor at the long table sat a man already engulfed by the thick gray fog.Klein leaned against the back of the chair and contemplated. He suddenly extended his hand and tapped on the crimson stars that represented Justice and The Hanged Man.…Backlund, Empress Borough.Audrey lifted her dress as she quickly walked towards her bedroom.Suddenly, she felt something and looked sideways at the shadow sitting on the balcony. As expected, she saw her golden retriever, Susie, who was sitting there in silence, observing her as always.Audrey sighed and drew a crimson moon on her chest. She then got closer and looked down at her golden retriever from a commanding position."Susie, that's not right. This is peeping. A Spectator has to observe in an open manner."The golden retriever lifted its head to look at its owner and shook its tail.After nagging her dog, Audrey didn't delay any further and continued walking towards her bedroom again.In the few seconds of opening and closing the door, she suddenly had a weird idea."I wonder if Mr. Fool would allow Susie to enter that mysterious space. Then, there would be four members in the Tarot Gathering! And all of them would be Beyonders!"No way, Susie can't talk. If they were to let her express her opinion and share her thoughts, what would she do? Woof woof woof? Howl howl? Eww, why am I mimicking a dog's bark here…"Just imagining such a scene feels really strange. A mysterious and solemn gathering with the sudden barking of a dog… Mr. Fool would definitely kick us out of the Tarot Gathering directly…"Audrey locked the door and sat by the side of her bed. She took out a piece of old yellowish-brown paper from underneath her pillow.She read it repeatedly and entered her Spectator state.…In a particular area of the Sonia Sea, an old sailboat which was in pursuit of the Listener had already left the Rorsted Archipelago.Seafarer Alger Wilson was worried that the wall clock's machinery would malfunction, so he entered the captain's cabin about half an hour earlier in case he had misjudged the time which would cause his subordinates to see him getting pulled into the Tarot Gathering.In front of him was a glass of nearly transparent liquor. The rich aroma swirled strand after strand into his nostrils.Alger trembled once again when he thought of the impending Gathering, the boundless fog that presented itself in front of him in the hotel's corridor, and the mysterious Fool who sat in the middle of the gray fog.He lifted his glass and took a gulp, using the burning sensation in his throat to ease the emotions that had stirred within him.Very soon, he restored his calm. He was as calm and stoic as he always was.

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Chapter 93. New Diary Page | Lord of the Mysteries

Above the gray fog, gigantic stone columns held up a majestic divine hall.Two dark red blobs extended out into faint human figures by the side of the ancient mottled bronze table."Good afternoon, Mr. Fool." Augmented with a blurry effect, Audrey greeted him with a bow and smiled. "It is unfortunate that there is no wine here; otherwise, we could have a toast to your successful trial."She was referring to the ritualistic magic."You are more powerful than we imagined," Alger Wilson praised as well.Klein was surrounded by the thick fog as usual. He pressed down with his right arm and spoke with his normal tone, replying as though it was natural."Great, this means that we are on the path of excellence. If you have any matters to tend to that leave you unable to attend the gathering on Mondays, conduct the ritual and inform me. All you have to do is change the line in the incantation 'I pray for a good dream' with the reason.""Alright," Audrey quickly agreed. "Mr. Fool, I obtained another page of Emperor Roselle's diary. I believe I still owe you one page.""I was away from land this week and haven't found any new pages." Alger placed his right hand near his chest and bowed in apology."No matter. I expected my request to take a long time." Klein leaned back into his chair and tapped the armrest with his index finger. He looked at Miss Justice and said, "You can express the contents of the diary now."Audrey bowed slightly and said, "As you wish."A pen suddenly appeared before her. She recalled the symbols that she had memorized and tried her best to transcribe them.In seconds, she saw that the goatskin was already filled with content. The strange symbols neatly covered the entire page.After checking the contents, she put down the fountain pen and said, "It's done."Klein raised his hand and the goatskin parchment appeared in his palm.Shifting his gaze down, he started reading without emotion."July 9th. I suddenly thought of an interesting question. Since the Sequence pathways are also called the 'Blessings of The Divinities' or 'Pathways of The Divinities', then why would the stone slate that records the completed twenty-two Sequence pathways be called the 'Blasphemy Slate'. Blasphemy, what an interesting term… Just who is the one blasphemed?"And who created the Blasphemy Slate? How could that person hold all of the Sequence pathways? Just what other information was on the stone? I really want to see it…"July 12th. I've realized another fact today. The Sealed Artifacts are an important component of a church's overall strength, even though some of the sealed items are very, very dangerous. Among the seven churches, the God of Craftsmanship wields the least number of Sealed Artifacts which are also relatively less dangerous… Did I join an organization without a future? No, I should think of it this way; only a blank piece of paper can produce a good painting. A weak organization is the best place for me to display my abilities!"July 14th. I saw that mysterious Mr. Zaratul again. I never expected him to be the leader of an ancient organization, the Secret Order!"Klein's pupils constricted when he read this. He nearly revealed an unnatural expression.The Zaratul family only had a certain connection with the Secret Order in the notes of the Church of the Evernight Goddess. But now, he learned from Emperor Roselle that the mysterious Mr. Zaratul was further determined to be the leader of the Secret Order.From the looks of it, it is an unquestionable fact that the Secret Order holds the Seer Sequence pathway…While Klein was reading the diary, Audrey looked over and began observing him out of habit.However, her field of vision was completely obscured by the thick fog.Momentarily taken aback, Audrey snapped back to her senses and turned her head frantically to look at the other illusory dark red star.I was too reckless, too insolent, too foolish in trying to observe Mr. Fool… I was lucky, lucky that he isn't angry. Audrey stuck out her tongue secretly and pretended to admire the scenery. She was just short of humming a lively tune.Alger sat silently, his gaze never leaving the long bronze table. He knew his place, as if he was in the presence of a true god.Klein collected himself and scanned the last portion of the diary."After learning that I had become a Savant, Mr. Zaratul mentioned that I had chosen a difficult, yet relatively safe path. I asked him why that was the case, but all he did was smile before telling me that the Sequence pathway contains secrets beyond my imagination. I couldn't help but ask him which Sequence pathway he selected. He told me that his Sequence 9 was Seer."I intentionally mocked him and asked if every Seer only disclosed half-truths, never explaining things more clearly. Furthermore, he was clearly a powerful High-Sequence Beyonder. There was no need for him to continue acting as a Seer!"Mr. Zaratul told me that it was a habit he adopted from back when he was a Seer, and that this was a method that could pique my curiosity and make me cooperate with him. He hoped that I could help him steal a dangerous sealed item from the Church of the God of Craftsmanship, a relic of the Antigonus family."Clearly, this must wait until I become a core member of the Church of the God of Craftsmanship. I asked Mr. Zaratul how long it would take to digest the potion if I used the acting method, and what standards I should use to determine if I had digested it completely."He told me that for the lower Sequences, it would only take half a year to digest the potion as long as one strictly used the acting method. In fact, in the fastest case, it might only take a month. And standard measure for progress was simple; every Beyonder would sense it immediately once the potion was completely digested. It is what it is."I asked him for more details, but he merely smiled at me."To hell with his smiles, I'll beat up every Seer I see when I become a High-Sequence Beyonder!"…Rest in peace, Emperor… Klein read the diary several times before looking at Justice and The Hanged Man again."Sorry for the wait.""It is our honor." Audrey was still shocked, forgetting that she was a Spectator.She looked at The Hanged Man and organized her words."Where can I find the Psychology Alchemists?"Psychology Alchemists… Klein suddenly recalled the man buying supplementary ingredients for the Spectator potion at the Tingen underground market.Perhaps he was a member of the Psychology Alchemists?Just as Klein was considering how to get closer to that man, The Hanged Man, Alger Wilson shook his head and said, "Miss Justice, firstly, I don't have a clue. Secondly, I don't think there's any rush in seeking out the Psychology Alchemists. What you should focus on now is completely digesting the Spectator potion."Audrey glanced at The Fool and noticed that he didn't have any intention of adding to the conversation. She nodded in disappointment and said, "All I want is to have plenty of time to prepare so that I can approach them more naturally. Alright, then when can I digest the Spectator potion and stop acting? Is there a standard that indicates when I can? I'm almost at the point where I no longer feel frustrated, nor do I hear the constant murmuring anymore."Alger looked at The Fool in the fog but saw that he didn't have any intention of speaking. He then deliberated before saying, "If you don't use the acting method, the typical rule of thumb is to wait three years and confirm that you no longer feel restless or receive any auditory or visual illusions. There is one simple test to determine when you can. That method is to exhaust your body to its limit. If you still don't hear any maniacal murmurings or see any strange things at that point, that would mean that you're ready to advance.""With regards to the acting method, I have also just come into contact with it. It feels good, so I don't think it'll take three years."That wasn't useful at all… Three years, that's too long… Audrey criticized inwardly.She had just thought about this when she heard an armrest being tapped.Audrey froze, then turned her head in joy. She saw The Fool tapping on the edge of the long table.Alger sat straighter, waiting for The Fool to speak.Klein said in his normal tone, "For Low-Sequence Beyonders, as long as you strictly stick to acting, you should be able to digest the medicine in half a year. It's even possible to do it in a month."He looked at Justice and added, "As for the signs of digestion, you'll know it when it comes. It doesn't need to be taught.""One month… Great! Thank you, Mr. Fool!" Audrey exclaimed while brimming with joy.Miss Justice, don't think that you are the chosen one. The key point is half a year…Klein lifted his right hand and placed it beside his lips."Half a year…" Alger repeated softly.Audrey sensed joy, relief, and intense doubt in his tone.What is he suspicious about? Audrey thought as she asked, "Mr. Fool, have you considered adding more members?"Klein leaned back casually. He had long prepared an answer."This started as a trial, so I didn't spend much time thinking about extending our meetings."But now, as a regular gathering, we must choose our members carefully. Secrecy is our motto."Audrey nodded gently and said, "That is to say that we have to follow a process of observation, recommendation, and testing process. Yes, a process.""You can interpret it that way," Klein affirmed.In his mind he was thinking about how he could inquire about the Secret Order and the Clown potion.How can I ask questions in a way that befits my status? Klein was placed in a difficult spot.At that moment, realizing that Justice temporarily had nothing else to say, Alger took the initiative to speak, "I've heard that a Listener from the Aurora Order is searching for traces of the True Creator, which is the holy residence they advocate.""True Creator?" Audrey asked, puzzled."It is an ancient entity worshiped by numerous secret organizations and cults. They believe that the Creator hasn't completely perished. The Core he left behind is the True Creator." Alger gave a rough explanation. "Since the Fifth Epoch, the True Creator has appeared in many forms, such as The Hanged Giant or the Eye behind the Shadow Curtains. Heh heh, many people believe that Emperor Roselle referenced the imagery of the True Creator when he was creating the tarot cards; hence, there exists the card of The Hanged Man."At this point, he looked at Klein and said, "Mr. Fool, there's nothing with what I said, right?"Is he trying to probe for my views on the True Creator? Klein thought about the bloody man on the cross that the Captain saw in Hanass Vincent's dream and immediately had an idea.Doesn't both the hanging and the shadows imply evil connotations?Therefore, he chuckled and said, "I am more inclined to call him, the Fallen Creator."

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Chapter 94. Hidden Sage | Lord of the Mysteries

"The Fallen Creator… Fallen…" Alger ruminated over The Fool's words and fell deep in thought.However, what struck Alger the most was The Fool's relaxed, natural, and nonchalant attitude.He acted as if they were equal!If he hadn't experienced their previous ritual, Alger might have thought The Fool was merely bluffing, and building himself up to intimidate him and Justice. But now, he was of the opinion that even if The Fool was inferior to the True Creator, he was at least close to that level.It's dangerous. It's also an opportunity… Alger muttered softly. He then spoke with a smile, "Mr. Fool, your description is indeed more appropriate. According to our observations, Beyonders who believed in the True Creator, no—the Fallen Creator, have a higher probability of losing control. The rest of them are mostly psychopaths."That's something that the Nighthawks' intelligence mentioned as well… And the so-called 'psychopaths' didn't lose their sanity; instead, their ideologies become twisted… Klein maintained his seated posture but didn't continue with the conversation.He was still considering how to inquire about the Secret Order and Clown potion, but he couldn't figure out a way of asking the questions in a way that fit with his persona.It's such a pity that the Gathering is still so different from an Internet forum. Otherwise, I could create another smurf account to join the Gathering, and that account would be in charge of asking questions that are inconvenient for me to ask… Perhaps, one day, I'll learn mirror-related magic and give it a try. For example, I can make half the members here my smurf accounts…There are twenty-two chairs here, and there are twenty-two cards in the tarot deck. That matches up perfectly. But when I 'created' this divine hall, I didn't even name myself 'The Fool' or have any intention of forming a 'Tarot Club'. Hmm, do these symbolize the twenty-two different Sequence pathways?I wanted a divine hall, so a divine hall appeared. If I wanted a smurf account, would I get a smurf account…Upon seeing The Fool remain silently engulfed in the thick gray fog, Audrey asked both wistfully and curiously, "That sounds scary. Mr. Hanged Man, could you share, in detail, information about each, and every mysterious organization? And also the matters regarding each secret cult? It's hard for me to come into contact with them during my daily life. I can only understand them through the both of you. I'm willing to pay for it. May I know what you'd like in return?"That's a great question! Miss Justice, you're playing the role of my smurf account to a certain extent… This way, The Hanged Man will definitely bring up the Secret Order… You're the best! Klein's mind stirred when he heard that, but he didn't let his emotions show through his expression or movements.Alger thought for a moment before saying, "I need money—a thousand pounds. It'd be best if they weren't bills marked by a serial number. Or maybe gemstones that have just been unearthed. Price them according to the Backlund Jewelry Exchange's monthly average price."A thousand pounds? That's a huge sum of money. It could be used to buy a house in a high-class street in Tingen City! Not everyone would have that available immediately… Captain might have an annual salary like that, I guess? Hayley's death compensation was only three hundred pounds… Although Miss Justice is a noble, she obviously hasn't inherited her family's wealth yet, and she'll only be receiving some sort of annual allowance… Hmm, it's no wonder that The Hanged Man stated that it could be paid via gemstones… Klein was very sensitive towards monetary figures. Luckily, he was blanketed in thick fog.For a single lady or madam, two thousand pounds could let her live a decent life!If two thousand pounds were invested, the investment could reliably produce an annual return of about a hundred pounds."A thousand pounds?" Audrey said, sounding shocked. She then replied happily, "No problem, do I send it to the previous address?"Judging by Miss Justice's tone, she finds it very cheap? Klein didn't look over.Alger was quiet for a good twenty seconds before he said, "Yes, send it to the Warrior & Sea Bar at Pelican Street, in the White Rose Borough of Pritz Harbor. Tell the boss, Williams, that it's what the 'Captain' wants."Alright." Audrey leaned back and posed in a Spectator-like manner. "Mr. Hanged Man, you can start now."Alger looked at The Fool, deliberated for a moment before saying slowly, "Let's start from the Moses Ascetic Order. It is the earliest hidden organization. Of course, many think that the earliest hidden organizations are the Church of the Evernight Goddess, the Church of Mother Earth, and the Church of the God of Combat."These people must be from the Church of Lord of Storms, the Church of Eternal Blazing Sun, or the Church of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom," Audrey refuted sulkily.The Church of the Goddess is the earliest hidden organization? That was the first time Klein had heard of such a claim.What exactly happened in the Fourth Epoch or the Third Epoch?Alger smiled and said, "The truth is buried in ancient history. Only one thing is certain: no one has ever said that the Church of Lord of Storms, the Church of Eternal Blazing Sun, or the Church of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom were once hidden organizations."Alright, let's save some time and return to main topic. The Moses Ascetic Order was first established by a few humans that had read the Blasphemy Slate. They believed in an non-anthropomorphic god, called 'the Hidden Sage'.""The description is that of a god, but it is more of an ideology, a natural law. For example, all objects are numeric. The Hidden Sage is an embodiment of Spirit Numerology. Or that knowledge is supreme, and the Hidden Sage is knowledge itself. Hence, the original Moses Ascetic Order was a very respectable organization, and it maintained a good relationship with the other major churches."The members of the organization led ascetic lives to resist losing control and to resolve the effects of the Remnant potion. They strictly kept their order's secrets, and they upheld moral and religious precepts. They believe that humans continuously reincarnate after death…"The Sequence 9 that they grasp is called Mystery Pryer… The word 'Warlock' was also spread from that organization."Audrey listened to The Hanged Man's description carefully and asked sharply, "You said that the Moses Ascetic Order used to be a respectable organization. Are they not one anymore?"Alger nodded his head indiscernibly."Yes, they have fallen into corruption and are now an evil organization.""Why? I find their beliefs very good and very normal," Audrey expressed her confusion.That was Klein's confusion too. The information that he could get at his security clearance didn't provide the reason for the Moses Ascetic Order's fall from grace.Alger looked at the unfathomable Fool and tersely agreed."I am not sure of the real reason. It might be because it has been buried by history. However, I have heard one terrifying explanation."In that story, the main reason why the Moses Ascetic Order fell into corruption was because the god that they believed in, the Hidden Sage, had come to life!"He became the personification of an evil god!""Came to life? This… how?" Audrey found it unimaginable as she replied with an incredulous tone.Without realizing it, she had exited from her Spectator state.It's like a horror story, but the ghost is even a god… Klein's heart stirred with a surge of emotions as well."I'm sorry, no one knows the answer." Alger had originally wanted to casually say, "Maybe Mr. Fool would know," but he held back the urge.He had already teetered on the borders of danger once.In the The Book of Storms 5:7, there was a saying that Alger remembered clearly, which was: "Do not test God!"Audrey calmed herself down and didn't press for more answers. She gestured for him to continue.Klein maintained his seated posture and his silence, validating The Hanged Man's descriptions with his own understanding.Finally, he realized that there were four points that he needed to take note of.First, the Demoness Sect was also known as the Demoness Family in the Fourth Epoch. Back then, they had very few members, and their beliefs were passed down through their bloodlines. Plus, they would kill the fathers of their children and abandon the baby boys. Hence, all the members were female. Of course, that was all from Alger's description, and there was no way to verify it at the moment.Second, the Numinous Episcopate that believed in Death and the Rose School of Thought that liked bloody sacrificial worship ceremonies both originated in the Southern Continent. After the colonial era came, they almost vanished under attacks by the seven churches. But as such, they began spreading to the Northern Continent.Third, the current Psychology Alchemists was similar to the earlier Moses Ascetic Order. They believed in an non-anthropomorphic existence and believed that the human spirit could change everything.Fourth, the Secret Order had the lowest activity level among all the other hidden organizations. Thus, they were the most unknown. Every time they appeared, they seem to be after something or looking for something.What are they after or looking for? Klein suddenly recalled the diary which he had read earlier: The leader of the Secret Order, Zaratul, cooperated with the Roselle. His goal was to get something left behind by the Antigonus Family.Their appearance that time was to look for the lost notebook, the Antigonus family notebook… Klein narrowed his eyes slightly and felt that he had apparently found the key reason for the Secret Order's actions.They are after the things that the Antigonus family left behind!Klein suppressed his urge to tap the edge of the table as his thoughts appeared one after another.Oh, they were looking for remnant traces the Antigonus family left behind?Then must I direct my focus onto these areas to obtain the Clown potion formula from the Secret Order?After a further exchange of information, Klein announced the end of the Gathering."By your will." Audrey and Alger stood up together.Cutting off the connections, he saw both their figures shatter and disappear. Klein rubbed his glabella and attempted conjuring a smurf account with his mind.As he thought, a figure appeared at the furthest end of the long bronze table. That figure was wearing a black tuxedo, a silk top hat, and a dull expression. His actions were clumsy and inarticulate. Even though he was engulfed in gray fog, it was obvious that something was wrong with him.That won't do… Klein experimented a few more times before sighing and dismissing the idea of creating a smurf account.He attempted other things too. He continued to sit above the gray fog in the seat of honor at the long bronze table. He considered what Audrey had said, and he cast his gaze curiously at the illusory crimson stars.After a moment of silence, Klein started to pray as a form of feedback instead of establishing contact with those stars.Amidst the tranquility and silence, he didn't receive any feedback from the ten plus crimson stars nearby.In order to receive feedback, I need to pull someone above the gray fog before I can reply? Klein nodded as he thought, feeling somewhat disappointed.He didn't want to violate someone else's will and forcefully pull them into this mysterious space.Hmm… Klein was just getting ready to leave, but he habitually touched a nearby illusory crimson star.Just then, he suddenly felt that there was a faint and insignificant prayer deep inside the crimson star!

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Chapter 95. The Supplicant | Lord of the Mysteries

"A prayer?"Klein's mind stirred as he used the same method he used back when he spied on The Hanged Man. He allowed his spirituality to spread outward and touch the crimson blob.A hazy and contorted image appeared within his sight. He could faintly see a blond teen kneeling on the ground, facing a pure crystal ball.That teenager was dressed in a tight-fitting black outfit, with a style very different from the contemporary styles of the Loen Kingdom. It was more congruent with the traditional clothing of the Feysac Empire and the Intis Republic that Klein had seen from reading magazines.The area surrounding the teenager was dark and had old furniture. From time to time, the room would be illuminated, but Klein couldn't hear the roaring thunder or the pattering of rain.In the image, the teenager had his hands on his forehead, fingers crossed. He bowed forward, continually praying for something. His thick accent buzzed in Klein's ears.Klein listened attentively but discovered an awkward fact.He couldn't understand what the other party was saying. It was a language that he had never come across in his life!…To think that I cannot understand a foreign language even though I am the mysterious ruler of this world above the gray fog… Klein gave a self-deprecating laugh. He indignantly tried listening in once again in a manner more attentive than when he had to do English listening comprehension tests back on Earth.As he was listening to the prayers, he gradually discovered something.Even though he had never learned the language the young man was speaking, he found that it had similarities to Ancient Feysac!Father… Mother… Those are likely the meanings of those two terms, right? It is quite similar to Ancient Feysac, but not without its differences… Klein creased his brows and slipped into deep thought. Ancient Feysac was a common language in the Fourth Epoch. It is also the root language of all the contemporary languages of this era. Furthermore, it is still evolving… I cannot confirm it right now…He listened to it over and over again, eliminating the possibility of the language being a modern language like Loen, Feysac, or Intis.Could it be a dialect of Ancient Feysac? Like the language used in the Antigonus family's diary? Klein tapped his finger on the edge of the bronze table and nodded indiscernibly. There was another possibility. Ancient Feysac didn't spring into existence out of nothing, it was an evolution of Jotun, the language of the Giants… The Feysac Empire in the north has always claimed that its people possesses the bloodline of the Giants. Perhaps, this is ancient Jotun.At this point, Klein, who lacked knowledge, could only stop. He retracted his spirituality, without looking or listening in to that scene.He had no intention of pulling the praying teen up above the fog immediately. He wanted to know what the young man was talking about first.Of course, before that, he had to observe him frequently and conduct basic 'tests'.Phew. Klein exhaled as he leaned back in his chair.He enveloped himself with his spirituality and simulated the feeling of falling.…After "revising" Roselle's diary, Klein changed into his formal wear and left for the Divination Club.He took the public transport despite his pay rise, but he did splurge to support Mrs. Wendy's business. He spent 1.5 pence on sweet iced tea to combat the afternoon heat.When he arrived at Howes Street, Klein tossed the empty cup into the trash can and walked up to the second floor.Before entering the building, he pinched his glabella and activated his Spirit Vision.Klein had just entered the hall when he felt a faint, lingering grief.The pretty receptionist Angelica was sitting there; her slightly red eyes looked unfocused."The grief will pass in time," Klein said with a gentle and firm tone as he walked toward Angelica.Angelica looked up abruptly and muttered, clearly confused, "Mr. Moretti…"She quickly came to her senses and asked, perturbed, "Y-you already know about Mr. Vincent?"Oh right, I forgot that you're an exceptional fortune-teller."Klein sighed appropriately."I only managed to divine a very rough outline of what transpired… Just what exactly happened to Mr. Vincent?""The boss told us that Mr. Vincent had a heart attack in his sleep and left this world peacefully." Angelica cried as she said, "He was so friendly, so polite, a true gentleman. He was the spiritual mentor of so many of our members. H-he was still so young…""I am sorry for bringing up this sad topic." Klein didn't console her any further. He walked toward the meeting room slowly.Angelica took out a handkerchief and wiped her eyes and nose. She then looked at Klein's back and asked loudly, "Mr. Moretti, what would you like to drink?""Black tea." Klein preferred black tea to coffee, even though he found the black tea average.In comparison, he preferred ginger beer and sweet iced tea. But as a gentleman, it was not right for him to act like a child in a formal setting…As it was a Monday, there were only five or six members in the meeting room. Using his Spirit Vision, Klein saw that they each had different colors of emotion. Some were grieving, some more dull, some relatively unaffected.They're all rather normal… normal reactions. Klein nodded slightly. He picked up his cane and found a spot in the room.He was about to deactivate his Spirit Vision when he saw Angelica walk in and walk towards him."Mr. Moretti, a customer is looking for you. Well, it's the person from last time," the beautiful lady said with a hushed tone."You still remember him?" Klein asked with a smile.Hmm, I wonder if he bought the magical medicine as I instructed… I wonder if he still needs surgery…Angelica covered her mouth and said, "He was the only person who was willing to wait an entire afternoon in the club for a divination."Klein grabbed his cane and stood up. He walked outside without saying anything.In the reception area, he found the person who had sought his services the other day. He also noticed that the aura near his liver had regained its normal color. His overall health had also improved."Congratulations, the feeling of being healthy is wonderful indeed." Klein smiled as he extended a hand.Bogda was first taken aback before he immediately extended both hands. He grabbed Klein's right palm tightly."Mr. Moretti, you truly can 'see' my condition!"Yes, I have fully recovered! The doctors asked me questions over and over again, ran repeated tests on me, but they cannot believe that I recovered just like that!"Upon hearing Bogda's ecstatic description, Klein calmly confirmed one thing—the apothecary at Lawson's Folk Herb Store was definitely a Beyonder!He had seen how severe the man's liver disease had been. Fully healing him in the span of a few days was beyond the capability of herbs and medical ability. The only possible explanation was that of a Beyonder!Coupled with the incident with Glacis, there could only be one answer."I have to repent to God. To think that I would suspect you, suspect that miraculous doctor." Bogda refused to let go of Klein's hand. He continued on about his shame and gratitude, "…those ten pounds were truly money well spent. It bought my life back!"What? Ten pounds? You spent ten pounds on the miraculous medicine? And you only gave me eight pence for my divination… Just eight pence… eight pence… pence…Klein was dazed just hearing about it.At this moment, Bogda released his hands as he took a step back while beaming. He bowed reverently and said, "I am here today to express my gratitude. Thank you, Master Moretti. You showed me the way and saved my life."This was the outcome of you paying to have something divined. You need not thank anybody." Klein lifted his head slightly and looked at the divide between the wall and the ceiling. His answer fully expressed the vibes of a charlatan."You are a true seer," Bogda praised. "Next, I'll be heading to Vlad Street to thank that apothecary and buy the medicine he recommended.""Haven't you already recovered?" Klein expertly hid the shock in his voice.Bogda looked around, and laughed when he confirmed that the receptionist was not paying attention to them. He chuckled softly and said, "The doctor mentioned a concoction of herbs that includes mummy powder. It is a prescription that would satisfy both men and women… I didn't believe the doctor back then, but I have no more doubts now."…There's a prescription like that? Klein suddenly felt that the apothecary was a cheat, and suspected if he had pushed the person in front of him into a fiery pit of doom.He observed Bogda and confirmed that there was no problem with his aura."Mummy powder?" Klein cautiously asked."Yes, mummy powder. I have asked a friend, he said that even the nobles of Backlund are maniacally looking for such an item. It's a powder made by grinding mummies which gives men peak performance in bed. Even though it's disgusting and sounds dirty, it truly is a material used by the aristocrats…" Bogda gave a detailed description. He had an eager desire in his eyes.Mummies? Mummies made from corpses? Then grinding them to powder? Klein was dumbfounded. He nearly retched in front of Bogda.Those nobles sure are hardcore… Just as he was about to advise Bogda against doing so, Glacis, who had suffered from a lung disease previously, stepped into the door and heard Bogda's description."Yes, it's very effective. I would recommend that you head to Lawson's Folk Herb Store at Vlad Street. Mr. Lawson's secret recipe is very effective!" Glacis took off his spectacles and leaned over with interest. He recommended with a hushed tone, "My experience was very, very, very perfect.""You know of it too? I was just about to head to Mr. Lawson's Folk Herb Store." Bogda's worries vanished completely.After a short conversation, he left the Divination Club in a hurry.Up until then, Klein was still a little dumbfounded.He waited till twenty past five in the afternoon before putting on his hat and picking up his black cane. He took a carriage down to Vlad Street, intending to observe the apothecary named Lawson Darkweed before deciding if he should notify the captain or not.…18 Vlad Street.Klein stood outside the herb store and saw the closed door, as well as a subletting notice.…Quite a wary man… he muttered silently.Since this had happened, he no longer had to be troubled or perform any observations.

Lord of the Mysteries