Lord of Mysteries 2: Circle of Inevitability

Lumian unpacked the remaining spoils of war from his Traveler’s Bag, placing them on the coffee table.

He shot a glance at Mr. K, who, now adorned in a black robe with a deep hood, spoke first, “These are the gains from the operation. Perhaps there’s a revelation from the Lord among them.”

Mr. K nodded subtly, diverting his attention to the items, his gaze fixating on the dark-gold mask.

In a deep, hoarse voice, he mused, “I sense something special about it. This should be a revelation from the Lord.”

With a swift motion, Mr. K extended his right hand, pulling the strange dark-

gold mask into his grasp amidst a sudden gust of wind.

However, the Aurora Order Oracle didn’t put the mask on; instead, he discreetly stowed it away in a hidden pocket within his black robe.

Witnessing this, Lumian was momentarily taken aback.

He had been contemplating how to subtly carry out Madam Magician’s instructions, aiming to inquire if Mr. K desired the dark-gold mask. Surprisingly, he had spontaneously fabricated a Lord-given revelation as an excuse. Before Lumian could specify which item it was, Mr. K had chosen the dark-gold mask himself.

Could it genuinely be a revelation from the Lord? Hiss… Lumian took a deep breath.

Had Madam Magician sent me to ask Mr. K because she foresaw something or glimpsed something?

These high-ranking figures always prefer to communicate through hints and revelations. Couldn’t they be more direct?

Amidst his thoughts, Lumian stowed away the remaining items and earnestly addressed Mr. K,

“I didn’t expect the matter to escalate like this. I initially believed that with you and my sister’s friends from her past, it would suffice to seek vengeance. Yet, it spiraled into something of a much higher magnitude. Thankfully, my sister’s allies were vigilant and leveraged their connections.”

The sincerity in the first half of Lumian’s statement contrasted with the second half, which explained the influx of demigods, even Angel-level forces, this time. He subtly shifted the blame to Franca and Aurore’s associates.

Lumian sensed a high likelihood that Mr. K might not fully buy into his explanation. Disregarding the possibility of the Aurora Order’s Oracle Grazing a relatively high Sequence Spectator, Lumian believed that the intentional arrangements and subtle traces left behind by the entity he believed in were sufficient evidence of constant watching, listening, and awareness. As for Sequence 8 of the Shepherd pathway, known as Listeners, they often received revelations from that figure.

Nevertheless, Lumian needed a plausible excuse. He couldn’t just tell Mr. K outright, “Yes, I am a member of the Aurora Order, part of the Tarot Club, and also affiliated with the Curly-Haired Baboons Research Society. My Major Arcana card holder is an Angel, and I know countless demigods who can lend a hand. Besides worshiping your Lord, I also believe in Mr. Fool. Occasionally, I praise the Sun and say By Steam…”

Wasn’t this equivalent to provoking him in his face?

Unspoken truths didn’t always need to be voiced.

Mr. K subtly nodded.

“Good job. Dealing with matters involving evil gods demands all your strength.”

Then, he added, “After learning that your adversary is tied to an ancient evil god, I’ve already reported it to the higher-ups. At that time, our Aurora Order’s Angels were likely keeping an eye. If anything truly occurred, one or more would have definitely descended.”

“…” Lumian’s expression froze.

Did the Aurora Order’s Angel also observe the spaceship back then?

Isn’t this setup too exaggerated? April Fool’s isn’t even an organization with a single demigod!

Is Celestial Worthy such a taboo when it comes to Madam Magician and the Aurora Order?

It’s understandable for the Tarot Club to give it significance, especially considering its connection to Mr. Fool’s awakening. But why does the Aurora Order behave as if they’re confronting a formidable adversary…

Lumian pushed aside the issue of inviting an Angel and four demigods for his revenge. He couldn’t help but sigh at the Aurora Order’s exaggerated reaction.

Mr. K fixed his gaze on his subordinate and delivered a passionate lecture, “Just because high-ranking individuals are keeping an eye on us doesn’t mean we can be lax and handle things half-heartedly. These individuals have numerous crucial matters to attend to. They might only cast an occasional glance our way. If we don’t put in enough effort and work diligently, it could easily lead to complete failure. And in that scenario, death won’t be sufficient to atone for our sins.”

“Yes, yes, you’re right,” Lumian echoed Mr. K without any intention of arguing.

…

Upon returning to Loki’s rented apartment, Lumian gathered the remaining five spoils of war and grinned at Franca, Jenna, and Anthony.

“It’s finally our turn to choose.”

Not wanting to tease the eager Franca any further, Lumian pointed to the dining table where the items were laid out.

“Take your pick first.”

“Hehe.” Franca smiled sheepishly, shamelessly picking up the Seven-Stone Bracelet. She exclaimed excitedly, “I can teleport too!”

“Aren’t you afraid of overhearing something you shouldn’t?” Lumian teased.

Franca had already considered this issue.

“It’s not like I’ll wear it forever. I’ll only use it when I need it. And teleportation takes only a short time. If I really hear an unknown voice, the impact will be minimal. I should be fine if I remove it in time.

“Don’t worry. The negative effects of Beyonder items similar to charms aren’t strong. They can even be considered weak.”

Lumian scoffed dismissively.

“Have you forgotten what you have on you?

“Primordial Demoness figurine! Mirror World Fragment!”

What if she heard the Primordial Demoness’s ravings?

Franca cleared her throat and said, “I’m now a member of the Demoness Sect and a believer in the Primordial Demoness. What’s wrong with listening to the voice of God? At most, it’ll make me excited. When the time comes, heh heh…”

She glanced at Lumian and Jenna, keeping her thoughts to herself.

“I’ll get your help!”

Franca immediately added, “Furthermore, my Primordial Demoness figurine and the Mirror World Fragment are stored in the Traveler’s Bag. They won’t be taken out unless absolutely necessary. It’s as if they’re sealed.”

Lumian remained silent. He turned to Jenna and Anthony, asking, “Which one of you wants to go first?”

“Anthony. He played a more significant role than me this time,” Jenna replied politely.

Anthony smiled.

“Are you disregarding me as an Intisian man? I still believe in ‘lady’s first.’”

Considering Jenna’s usual Showy Diva demeanor, she might have typically responded with something like, “Those Intisian men who claim ‘lady’s first’ only want to get them in bed. Are you having such thoughts about me too?”

Jenna, despite her lack of overt actions, had a knack for teasing in a crude manner.

However, at this moment, after exchanging glances with Lumian and Franca, she turned to Anthony with sincerity.

“I’m in a dilemma. I want you to help me eliminate an option.”

Anthony didn’t decline and assessed the remaining four items.

“The Blood Gold ring enhances my survivability and strengthens my direct attacks. However, whether it’s dependency or madness, it’s something a Psychiatrist should avoid. Furthermore, I’m now a Hypnotist. I can use Psychological Invisibility and have the protection of Dragon Scales.

“Apart from underwater mobility, this brooch can only be used in close combat. Why would a Hypnotist like me engage in close combat?

“The Dream Stealer Beyonder characteristics and blank painting album aren’t bad. If the former is crafted into a mystical item with weak negative effects, it should be very useful. However, that’s not a certainty for the moment unless I find a very good Artisan…”

Anthony decided on the blank painting album.

“As an information broker, I’m adept at sketching. Such an item that can create different effects is very suitable for a Hypnotist to observe first before taking action.”

Without needing Madam Magician’s explanation, Franca had already used Magic Mirror Divination to confirm the function of the blank painting album: “The objects drawn on it might become alive and stay so for a short period of time. They might also have different effects. The painting paper will lose its mystical effects after being used once. The negative effect is never to respond to the knocks coming from the painting paper.”

Lumian and Jenna agreed that it was very similar to the abilities of Pixies.

After Anthony stored the painting paper, Jenna seized the Dream Stealer Beyonder characteristic without hesitation.

“Why?” Lumian inquired with amusement.

Jenna looked at him and grinned happily.

“It’s the most valuable! Among the remaining three items, only it corresponds to a Sequence 5. Even if it fails to become a mystical item, it can be sold for a large sum of money.”

I still owe Franca 45,000 verl d’or. In the future, I might even purchase the Demoness of Pleasure potion formula from her.

“An excellent reason.” Lumian casually glanced at the remaining two items and placed the grayish-white lightning-shaped brooch on his chest. “I want this. In the future, call it the Fury of the Sea.”

He chose the brooch over Blood Gold because, as an Ascetic, he could bear impatience and other emotions. Pure madness was too dangerous for him, given the darkness in his heart.

Lumian tossed the Blood Gold ring to Franca.

“Put it in your Traveler’s Bag. Anyone can use it whenever needed. It shouldn’t be used often.”

“You won’t give it to Madam Magician?” Franca asked in puzzlement.

“Do you think she’ll take a fancy to it?” Lumian stuffed the Fury of the Sea into his Traveler’s Bag and chuckled. “Her spoils of war are naturally the humanoid Sealed Artifact, but she might return it to the Eternal Blazing Sun Church.”

With that, Lumian turned to Franca, Jenna, and Anthony, “Next, I’m going to do something unsuitable for others to see. Do you want to watch?”