Lord of Mysteries: Starting As A Reader

Unknown origin? What kind of place is that? Why can this Liu Bo transmigrate again and again? Could he hold the secrets of transmigration?

Moreover, if he can start over repeatedly, then it's entirely possible he's no longer within the Sealed Artifact "0-22." Perhaps he has already "reincarnated" once more.

If I can, I must find the whereabouts of that Sealed Artifact... and also keep an eye out for anyone who seems like a potential transmigrator.

As thoughts swirled in his mind, Klein mentally set several goals for himself. However, with no immediate solutions coming to mind, he steadied himself and continued reading Roselle's diary:

"Liu Bo's story is certainly extraordinary, but I still can't understand one thing. If he once lived the illustrious life of a 'Vampire Duke,' why were most of his other lives so miserable apart from the one as the 'Death Consul'?"

"In response, he explained: only by reaching Sequence 1 can one recover the memories of their previous lives from that unknown origin. Sequence 2 may sense fragments or vague feelings, but it wouldn't be complete. For anyone below the level of an angel, all they can do is start over from scratch."

"This time, he happened to transmigrate directly into the 'Conqueror' characteristic that formed the Grade 0 Sealed Artifact, which is why he retained all his memories."

"After hearing this, my only thought was: Isn't this just repeating 'deleting your account and starting over'? Even though the 'account holders' themselves don't remember anything... but wait, could I have this cheat too?"

"He seemed to catch on to my thoughts and bluntly stated that his method of transmigration was completely different from mine and therefore not comparable."

"When I asked him how it was different, he refused to elaborate."

"This earned him a spot on my 'must-punch' list, right alongside that damn 'Diviner.' He's clearly provoking me, isn't he? Right?"

Emperor, I support you! People like him deserve a good beating! Klein thought, feeling equally frustrated. After all, anything concerning transmigration wasn't just Roselle's concern—it was also his.

But why wouldn't Liu Bo say more? Judging by his willingness to reveal himself as a 'fellow countryman,' it doesn't seem like he's trying to provoke Roselle deliberately. Perhaps... the knowledge of transmigration is too dangerous for Roselle to handle at that stage?

As Klein speculated, he flipped to the last page of the diary.

The final entry wasn't directly connected to the previous ones, and it was clear from Roselle's tone that a considerable amount of time had passed. His descriptions of Liu Bo carried a sense of familiarity, suggesting their relationship had deepened.

"January 17th

"After two consecutive days of tasting the 'pleasures of a Demoness,' I couldn't resist showing off to Liu Bo—only to be mocked for being indiscriminate in my tastes."

"Why should I care about who or what she used to be? As long as she's a genuine beauty now, that's all that matters! I told him he must be envious of my charm with women."

"Liu Bo, however, dismissed my 'provocation' with disdain. He said that in every one of his lives, he'd had plenty of female friends. When he was the 'Vampire Duke,' he even earned the favor of the ancient vampire goddess Lilith... When he 'fell,' his body was ultimately returned to her care, and she supposedly shed a 'tear of sorrow' for him."

"I asked him curiously how he could be so certain about events after his death. He replied that as the 'Death Consul' Vicente Miranda, he had recovered fragments of his memories and conducted investigations accordingly."

"He revealed that his body as Rhein the Vampire Duke still retained traces of that 'unknown origin.' Lilith had tried to use him to conceive offspring in hopes of extracting and isolating those remnants, but her attempts were unsuccessful."

"The offspring born of this effort were inherently flawed. They couldn't develop divinity or ascend to the status of a demigod... unless they could be 'completed.'"

"According to Liu Bo, he had intentionally left those special remnants within his body before his death, specifically so that Lilith could use his corpse to resist some kind of pollution... a pollution he couldn't disclose to me. Strange... what kind of contamination could even a god struggle to resist? Granted, ancient gods are often a little mad."

"Returning to the topic, Liu Bo seemed to have anticipated his demise and Lilith's subsequent attempts. Thus, he had long designed a method for 'completion,' which involved giving a drop of specially modified blood to another female friend of his, Yaloran, who would later become one of the 'Pillars' of the Moses Ascetic Order."

"As for how this completion process works, he didn't explain, and I didn't ask... Honestly, if not for my subordinate Cullen being one of his countless descendants, I wouldn't have even listened! This was clearly another one of his attempts to show off and provoke me!"

"But an ancient goddess... That really is something to be envious of."

Emperor, Liu Bo was right—you are indiscriminate in your tastes! And you even had the audacity to brag? That's just offering up your black history on a silver platter!

After a few moments of silent ridicule, Klein went through the diary again from start to finish, then closed it and contemplated:

"Liu Bo's situation... Lilith likely knows the most about him. But, even if she's fallen from her position as a deity, she's still far beyond my reach. Perhaps I can dig into the vampire community to uncover some of Rhein's history. There might be valuable clues."

"I should begin investigating Emlyn without delay. I wonder if that doll-loving vampire is acquainted with Viscount Cullen... "

"Additionally, Jane—the female friend of 'Tower'—seems to be on Admiral of Stars Cattleya's ship. Since Cattleya is part of the Moses Ascetic Order, it might be possible to contact Yaloran through her... assuming she's still alive, of course."

"I'll have 'The World' cautiously broach the subject during the next Tarot Gathering."

After finalizing his plans, Klein noted the late hour and decided not to read The Book of Secrets. He left the ancient palace above the gray fog and returned to his bedroom.

With a quick touch-up of his disguise, he headed out towards 48 Riverside Boulevard in the southern part of the bridge district—Emlyn White's residence.

...

In a forest woven of pale green pea vines, Jane feigned contemplation before finally moving a chess piece to make a decisive move.

Swinging gently on a swing formed of interlaced vines, Bernadette wiggled her black leather boots and asserted, "That's not a move someone of your current level could have come up with."

"That's what my friend taught me!" Jane responded with a triumphant smile before adding in a tone bordering on coquettish, "In any case, I've cracked the puzzle you set. What about the material you promised?"

Bernadette's expression softened slightly, her lips curving into what might be interpreted as a faint smile. "Even though you sought external help, a promise is a promise."

She recited an incantation, summoning a gateway to the depths of the spirit world. From within emerged the bandage-wrapped figure Jane had met before.

"Fruit of the Netherworld Flower," Bernadette commanded regally.

The figure bowed respectfully, producing a spectral, pineapple-shaped fruit wreathed in black mist from beneath his wrappings.

Dismissing her servant with a wave, the Queen Mystic turned to Jane with a softened tone. "Since you've obtained this from me when you ascend to Spirit Guide, there will be a task I'll require of you."

Grateful for Bernadette's extensive assistance, Jane agreed without hesitation. "Just say the word when the time comes. What is it, though? May I know in advance?"

"It's not urgent... but when the time comes, you'll need to journey to the Southern Continent." Bernadette paused, gazing at Jane with her cerulean eyes before adding, "I foresee your opportunity to ascend to Sequence 5 will also be there."

...

In the second-class cabin of the White Agate, Ebner rubbed his somewhat dizzy head, sensing a subtle shift in his spirituality. It seemed that the digestion of his Polymath potion had progressed slightly.

"Feedback? Was it from Danitz or Jane? Oddly enough, this feedback feels more substantial than what I've been receiving from the Tarot Club members—almost comparable to what I experienced with Trun."

"As a Polymath, the role demands versatility. Focusing on a single domain, like mysticism, will likely make further digestion increasingly difficult. Perhaps this foray into chess or plotting offered an unexpected avenue to refine my acting principles..."

"Hmm, I'll need more attempts to verify this theory."

As he pondered, his exhausted mind began to cloud over. Unable to continue, Ebner hugged his pillow and prepared to drift off to sleep.

Just as he was about to close his eyes, a dense gray mist suddenly filled his vision. A moment later, he saw a scene of the Sun praying and offering materials.

Meanwhile, Fors, who had just finished her writing and collapsed into bed from sheer fatigue, was also startled awake by the appearance of the gray fog.

Initially reluctant, she perked up the moment she recognized the materials she needed. Without hesitation, she scrambled out of bed and swiftly began setting up her ritual.

At the same time, Klein had just returned from Emlyn's residence. Now seated in the lofty position of The Fool, he observed the two half-awake Tarot Club members through the crimson stars.

Shaking his head with amusement, he mused:

"Is this The Fool's small act of revenge for the late-night 'food show' they subjected me to?"

(End of Chapter)