Lord of Mysteries 2: Circle of Inevitability

In the Quartier de la Cathédrale Commémorative, Apartment 702 on 9 Rue Orosai.

Franca waited a while for Jenna to return.

She sniffed and asked in confusion, "Have you been drinking?"

Didn't Jenna say she was going to the market district to find an opportunity to act as a Witch?

Could it be that she had been deliberately drinking and engaging in sting operations to carry out law enforcement?

Jenna removed her black cloak and said to Franca with a solemn expression, "I ran into Lumian."

"Huh?" Franca was taken aback. "He's in the market district? Didn't he go to the Aurora Order to meet Mr. K? I thought he hadn't returned because he was being tested and preparing to choose a reward…"

Jenna didn't hold back and recounted Lumian's condition and words in almost complete detail.

"Is that so…" Franca's emotions beccomplicated.

She understood Lumian's current feelings and sympathized with the plight of Muggle Aurore. She still remembered that the Ancient Sun God, suspected to be from the Third Epoch and whom the Aurora Order believed in, had returned in sform. There was a high chance that the Ancient Sun God was an earlier transmigrator, a transmigrator like them!

Transmigrators harming transmigrators… It's the way of the April Fool's group; likewise for the Ancient Sun God… Franca sighed silently and decided to summon MadHela's messenger later. She would inform the vice president of the Curly-Haired Baboons Research Society about the School of Truth's vortex operation and the True Creator's role in the catastrophe at Cordu, and request a gathering of all members soon.

It wasn't that she wanted to publicly warn all members of the Curly-Haired Baboons Research Society at the gathering about the True Creator and the Ancient Sun God. Certain matters could beccatastrophic if people below a certain level knew about them. After all, that entity possessed the ability to know whenever He was mentioned.

Franca hoped to raise the vigilance of Hela and the other organizers of the Curly-Haired Baboons Research Society before indirectly alerting the other members through them.

Furthermore, Franca found the Overseer of the School of Truth formidable, but that wasn't the most terrifying aspect about her and her accomplices.

Franca's greatest unease stemmed from the Broker's ability and willingness to unite the evil god sects, which had been in disarray, fighting independently and even attacking each other. The Hostel plan was the embryonic form of such a change, and perhaps the vortex incident represented the outcin a stepped sequence.

Facing the evil god cults that had begun to collaborate, Franca wanted the factions she associated herself with to take action and collaborate as well. To this end, she was willing to share information about the vortex and the Mirror People with MadHela, a demigod likely backed by the Evernight Church, free of charge.

She had already written and sought Madam Judgment's opinion on this matter, and her response was affirmative.

"How is he now?" Franca asked with concern, contemplating whether to drink with Lumian until dawn to express her support and comfort him.

"He's fine for now," Jenna replied after a few seconds of contemplation. "Perhaps it's also because the one the Aurora Order believes in is far superior to him. Although the hatred is real, it's very intangible and can't be acted upon for a long time."

She had authority to speak on such matters.

Franca tersely acknowledged her words and contemplated her next move.

At dawn, Franca visited Clarice immediately and reported her encounter to the Demoness of Black. The latter expressed her approval and inquired about Franca's recent needs. Franca didn't stand on ceremony and mentioned her desire for the ingredients for the Affliction potion.

Back then, the Demoness of Black didn't agree or reject her request. She only instructed Franca to visit in two days and to find the Mirror People that Moran Avigny had mentioned as soon as possible. She could provide any assistance Franca needed.

As for the Mirror People that Moran Avigny had mentioned—Griffith, Palia, and Caratanza Tamara—none of them used their real names in reality. They could only rely on their unclear identities to investigate. Franca hoped to obtain official "assistance" through 007, and she also wanted to see if there were any members of the Moses Ascetic Order in the Curly-Haired Baboons Research Society. This was one of the reasons why she had requested a full-scale gathering soon.

The only Mirror Person who could be identified was Trier's Deputy Commissioner of Police, Sport. Franca had investigated the situation before dawn and realized that the Mirror Person had vanished. It appeared that the fleeing Overseer had used smethod to alert the Mirror People. For example, news of Moran Avigny's accident had quickly spread.

…

After downing the last of the absinthe and saying goodbye to Jenna, Lumian rubbed his temples and headed back to his bedroom.

Under the crimson moonlight pouring through the curtains, he noticed a folded letter on the table.

Madam Magician? Didn't she just leave not too long ago? Lumian frowned and picked up the letter.

It was indeed from Madam Magician, with a few short paragraphs:

"I forgot to mention we ran into Loki while tracking the School of Truth's Overseer.

"His condition has changed significantly. It seems something went wrong during his resurrection after the sea prayer ritual. This led to the owner of Castle Dylan, the former Secret Order leader, being resurrected inside him somehow.

"Zaratul has cback from the dead and becthe Celestial Worthy's attendant. Right, but He hasn't fully taken over Loki's body, and Loki hasn't died completely. This has turned them into an unstable, stitched-together monster in mind and soul.

"For now, don't try finding Castle Dylan and expending Loki's remaining resurrection. It's best to avoid any situations where he could track you down."

Zaratul… Franca had said the former Secret Order leader played a major role in Emperor Roselle's rise, but ultimately betrayed the Emperor… The Sauron family's Vermonda Sauron seemed to have gone insane from His and the Emperor's schemes, prompting Him to enter Fourth Epoch Trier alone… Is Loki considered half-dead now? When Zaratul fully controls his body, he should be completely dead. What a shame… Lumian regretted not finishing off Loki's final life himself, but didn't feel too disappointed or indignant.

After burning the letter, Lumian pondered for a moment, then left the bedroom. He sat across from Ludwig, who wore yellow cotton pajamas and a matching nightcap, watching the boy quickly nibble on a cold bone-in steak.

Ludwig stayed unfazed by Lumian's gaze, continuing his feast.

After nearly a minute, Lumian probed, "Are you willing to callGodfather?"

Ludwig glanced up at him, then lowered his head, scooped up sbanana puree, and spooned it into his mouth.

Lumian changed the question. "Are you willing to follow my orders, accept my commands, and build a tacit understanding here?"

This time, Ludwig didn't even look up, his mouth constantly moving.

Lumian silently watched as he slowly took something out of his Traveler's Bag.

It was a mercury eyeball in a glass jar—a Sequence 7 Lucky One Beyonder characteristic of the Monster pathway. It had re-condensed after the Flog boxing gloves shattered.

Ludwig immediately looked up.

Ignoring Ludwig's gaze, Lumian leisurely pulled out the Serial Killer Beyonder characteristic and a few other items, placing them on the dining table in front of him.

Then, he smiled at Ludwig, who wore the yellow cotton nightcap, and said, "Are you willing to callGodfather?"

Ludwig fell silent for a few seconds before saying in a low voice, "Godfather."

Lumian probed further, "Are you willing to follow my orders, accept my commands, and build a tacit understanding here?"

Without hesitation, Ludwig replied, "I am."

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As he spoke, his eyes were fixed on the pile of items before Lumian.

Sigh… Lumian sighed silently.

He could rely on "food" to control someone, but couldn't rely solely on "food." Otherwise, it'd be so easy for Ludwig to ignore him when there was no "food" around. This likely didn't meet an Iron-blooded Knight's ritual requirements.

Deep in thought, Lumian pointed at the pile and smiled.

"Since you've admitted to being my godson, you can choose one item.

"But there's a condition. You have to answer two or three of my questions."

Ludwig hesitated a moment, then spoke with a stern look, "Okay."

"Which one do you want?" Lumian asked kindly.

Looking around, Ludwig yearned for every item, but was reluctant to abandon any.

Finally overcoming himself, he pointed at the Serial Killer Beyonder characteristic and said, "That one!"

You really want that Beyonder characteristic… Can it be turned into smagical dish or cocktail? Lumian put away the other items and smiled at Ludwig.

"First question:

"What pathway does your Beyonder power belong to? What are its characteristics? What's your rough Sequence level?"

He hoped to gain inspiration for taming the sealed Angel based on Ludwig's Beyonder pathway information.

Ludwig muttered under his breath, "That's three questions."

Lumian pretended not to hear.

Seeing his protests were futile, Ludwig could only pick up sbeef and mutton to munch on. He mumbled, "Yes, yes…"

It seemed he couldn't recall the original name, so he had to find another term for it.

"It's the Gourmet pathway."

Lumian wasn't surprised at all. "No wonder you're always acting like you're savoring delicacies and ingredients."

Ludwig added earnestly, "To put it simply, it's a way to get superpowers by being hungry and eating.

"What corresponds to your Sequence 9 is Tramp. You lose everything and are always searching for food, barely surviving."

Could you be the ultimate Tramp embodiment? You'd even lost your mind, only never forgetting to eat… From that description, I can't tell what abilities a Tramp has… But Lumian didn't mock him.

Rather than detail the Tramp Sequence, Ludwig said, "Sequence 8 is Glutton."