SWNOVELXO Chapter 474: The Book of Astromancy and Elements
In the serene Silence Cathedral of the Church of the Evernight Goddess, Leonard Mitchell adjusted his black windbreaker, donned his crimson gloves, and entered the office of Senior Deacon Crestet Cesimir.
"Congratulations on officially becoming a Red Glove. May the Goddess bless you," Cesimir said as he drew a crimson moon on his chest.
His face remained partially obscured by the upturned collar of his coat.
"Praise the Goddess; it is my honor." Leonard reciprocated with a clockwise motion of his right hand.
Cesimir wasted no time and got straight to the point.
"As per your request, you've been assigned to Soest's team. He's an 'Soul Assurer' and possesses a powerful mystical item. I've also instructed someone to prepare the extraordinary weapon you need.
"Additionally, the cathedral has just received notice of a peculiar extraordinary incident related to dreams. The location is in the southern continent's city of Gulain. Soest's team is set to depart aboard an airship soon, and they're expected to arrive before the weekend. You'll have only a few hours to pack your belongings."
Leonard tilted his head slightly in curiosity. "Deacon Cesimir, what's unusual about this case?"
"The person involved calls themselves 'Doctor Strange.' They've previously appeared in Tingen and the Sonia Sea. In Tingen, they assisted the Nighthawks in thwarting the Blood Worship cult's schemes. In the Sonia Sea, they intercepted and destroyed a fleet under the King of Immortality," Cesimir replied candidly.
"Tingen!" Leonard tensed up at the mention of the city. Only after hearing that the Blood Worship cult's plans were foiled did he relax, though he found himself puzzled. "From the sounds of it, this 'Doctor Strange' doesn't seem to be a villain, much like the 'Iron Man' who appeared in the mountain town not long ago…"
Cesimir shook his head, his tone grave. "I've told the same thing to the Nighthawks in Backlund. While these 'heroes' appear harmless for now and have even aided us, they remain unpredictable factors. Take this 'Doctor Strange' for example—he's been spreading mystical cards in Gulain that forcibly pull people into dreams. It might seem benevolent on the surface, but we cannot rule out the possibility of a covert ritual being conducted through such means. It must be stopped."
"That does make sense…" Leonard, a seasoned investigator, nodded in agreement after some thought.
"Furthermore," Cesimir added, "based on their methods, it's highly likely that 'Doctor Strange' is connected to 'Iron Man,' the 'Joker,' and the newly emerged 'Bandit Emperor' in Backlund. During your investigation, keep an eye out for leads regarding the significance of their Tarot rituals."
"Yes, Deacon Cesimir," Leonard replied without hesitation.
This will mark the beginning of my revenge… he silently declared to himself as he prepared to leave. But just as he was about to step out, Cesimir called him back.
"Wait a moment. There's one more thing… I've heard that Detective Ebner Bryan is currently vacationing in Bayam. He's a friend of mine. If you pass through there, pay him a visit for me. Whether or not you meet him, send me a telegraph report."
For a moment, Leonard felt transported back to his days at the Blackthorn Security Company, to those moments when Dunn Smith would tack on a final personal errand after issuing a mission briefing.
He quickly shook off the nostalgia, chiding himself for his unrealistic sentiments, and pondered Cesimir's instructions.
Setting aside the peculiarity of the request and its odd specificity, Leonard couldn't help but question aloud, "Why would we pass through Bayam? Wouldn't it be faster to fly directly to Disi and then take a ship?"
Cesimir was silent for a few seconds before replying, "You'll be meeting a team of elite Mandated Punishers there. Together, you'll board a Storm Church warship to Gulain."
Leonard frowned. "Is this 'Doctor Strange,' who hasn't truly caused any trouble yet, worth deploying elite teams from two Churches?"
You ask too many questions, Cesimir thought, casting Leonard a pointed glance. He merely said, "You'll understand when you reach Gulain."
Understood… Investigating 'Doctor Strange' is likely just a cover. Whatever truly warrants this deployment must be significant. And this method of operation… it's meant to deceive someone, isn't it?
Leonard nodded thoughtfully, refraining from further inquiries. As he packed his belongings later, he murmured under his breath, "What do you think, old man?"
"It's simple. Such tactics aren't to evade enemies but rather to mislead allies. So, it's likely the Church of Steam or the Loen government," replied Pallez Zoroast, his parasitic companion. "One of them must have undertaken some significant covert actions in the southern continent without informing the Storm Church or your people, prompting this joint operation to uncover the truth."
"I see. That makes sense now!" Leonard's expression turned pensive as he nodded in realization.
…
Aboard the Golden Dream, Vice Admiral Iceberg Edwina had finished studying The Book of Mystical Experiences and, true to Ebner's expectations, showed no inclination to accept such a valuable gift without reciprocation.
She walked over to a bookshelf, pulled out an ancient tome bound in thick vellum, and handed it to Ebner.
"This is another notebook from the Abraham family, titled The Book of Astromancy and Elements. It was written by one of their rare 'Wanderers' over the past thousand years. It contains a wealth of knowledge about the astral realm and symbolic elements, as well as creative ideas for their application."
Ebner listened intently, growing more intrigued as she spoke. Cautiously flipping through the book, he discovered that the content, particularly the innovative applications, mirrored that of The Book of Stars, a manual he had obtained from Mr. Surrey, Fanny's grandfather.
It seemed The Book of Stars and Elements was the complete version of the abridged Book of Stars.
The Book of Stars had been described by Mr. Surrey as a handwritten copy from his time studying at Lenburg, transcribed from an original penned by a high-ranking Beyonder who had edited and condensed an Abraham family notebook.
Could it be that this very notebook is the original Book of Stars? A book written by a Sequence 3 Wanderer nearly a thousand years ago?
Ebner found himself lost in thought. How could the author avoid contamination from the whispers of 'Door' or other dangers associated with exploring such perilous knowledge?
Seeing Ebner absorbed in his contemplation, Vice Admiral Iceberg Edwina didn't interrupt. She simply pulled up a chair and resumed her study of The Book of Mystical Experiences.
Eventually, Ebner abandoned his futile conjectures. He decided not to conceal the fact that he possessed The Book of Stars and directly asked Edwina about the origins of The Book of Stars and Elements.
Given their current rapport, he believed Edwina would be forthcoming if she knew. After all, a Reader's natural curiosity often made them overly candid in such situations.
Edwina set down her book, contemplated for a moment, and began explaining in her measured tone:
"The Book of Stars, housed in the Lenburg White Tower Library, is actually a summary of this notebook, supplemented with personal insights from my great-grandfather.
"This notebook was a relic of his friend, Benjamin Abraham, and was gifted to him because the material of the book itself didn't contain any mystical properties.
"As for the Wanderer who authored it, I'm not entirely sure. I only know that they were an ancestor of the Abraham family and the only one from the family to successfully ascend to the level of a demigod—Sequence 3—during the Fifth Epoch. After their ascension, they reportedly became withdrawn and refused to share the secrets of their success."
So, your great-grandfather was the daring high-ranking Beyonder who condensed and transcribed it… And Benjamin Abraham? Isn't he one of Roselle's aides?
Ebner recalled that in the original timeline, Benjamin Abraham had helped Roselle rediscover the mysterious island where Gleam had been buried. This connection aligned with Edwina's great-grandfather being Edwards, one of the "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse."
Thinking back, the Abraham family's plight—or rather, the issues surrounding 'Door'—seemed eerily consistent with the anomalies linked to that mysterious island Roselle explored.
Was Edwards acquiring this notebook an inevitable twist of fate? After all, in the original timeline, Edwards not only explored the island but also mysteriously returned there after his centennial death.
Still, I used the Pure White Eye to examine this notebook and found no anomalies. Edwina has also held onto it for a considerable time without issue.
Perhaps the Wanderer genuinely discovered a way to block whispers or other contaminations. However, for safety's sake, studying this notebook on the "Sefirah Castle" would be wiser.
Resolving his inner musings, Ebner closed the ancient notebook and asked, "May I borrow this for a while?"
Edwina nodded lightly without hesitation. "Of course."
After briefly discussing related topics, Ebner bid her farewell.
Since the Golden Dream was operating near the southern continent, close to Gulain, Ebner refrained from using the Edwards-Bryan Teleportation Spell. Instead, he determined the direction and "swam" back to the colonial city built against the hills.
Returning to the basement of the Waugh residence at 22 Molar Street in the Upper Lip District, Ebner skipped dinner to prepare a ritual within his pre-set barriers. He offered The Book of Stars and Elements along with the crystal ball he had acquired after defeating the Strongman Ozil last week to The Fool.
The first item required no explanation, while the crystal ball was something Ebner had specifically retrieved from the Resting Hall of the Dream Labyrinth Tower.
Ever since placing that crystal ball inside, his luck in earning Dream Labyrinth points had taken a significant hit. Several times, he'd left empty-handed. If not for his ability to "cheat" by directly escaping dream scenarios, he might have ended up wasting his Emergency Exit Charms.
(Chapter End)