Lord of Mysteries: Starting As A Reader

The figure clad in thick black armor, crowned, and masked in matching black, didn't speak after Bishop Utravsky finished reading the note. Instead, it gave the bishop and the nearby priestess a slight nod before vanishing.

Only then did Hazel relax, easing the tension in her bowstring.

She lightly waved her metal arm, and a lion-like spiritual entity—visible only to her—emerged from it, swallowing the "Fire Raven Shortbow" in one gulp before retreating back into the arm.

"Father, was that the hero bandit 'Black Emperor'?" Hazel couldn't help but ask.

When she and Xio had accompanied Freya to Capim's home to search for Daisy, they had caught a distant glimpse of the hero bandit's back. Earlier, in her tense state, she hadn't recognized him, but now, upon reflection, she realized that the scene she just witnessed matched that distant silhouette from her memory.

"It indeed was the hero bandit…" Bishop Utravsky's expression remained grave as he handed the stiff paper note to Hazel. He then strode purposefully toward the room behind the prayer hall, where a telegraph machine was kept—he needed to notify the Machinery Hivemind and the Nighthawks immediately.

The note contained only a few lines, but after a quick glance, Hazel understood why the usually calm bishop looked so serious.

"6 Rhine Street? That's not far from Rose Street, where several of the Mother's followers reside…

"The Mandated Punishers have fallen into an Aurora Order trap… and the expected reinforcements are likely to be intercepted.

"Mr. A of the Aurora Order possesses semi-divine abilities…"

As Hazel absorbed the unsettling information, Bishop Utravsky returned. This time, he was dressed differently. Instead of his usual bishop attire, he wore a vest and trousers suitable for combat, with a large sword strapped to his back.

"Father, what are you doing?" Hazel asked, startled.

"Life is precious, and harvest is joyful… When innocent lives are under threat, I will do what I can," Bishop Utravsky said, his gaze gentle but resolute.

Moved by his words, Hazel pursed her lips. Her eyes glimmered with determination as she firmly declared, "I'll go with you."

Bishop Utravsky sensed her resolve and replied with a smile, "Very well."

....

Above the Gray Fog

Klein, hidden in the shadows, watched as Bishop Utravsky finished sending the telegram. Only then did he lift the "summoning" and return to the ancient hall above the gray fog. There, he sifted through his collection of oddities, hoping to find inspiration to further disrupt Ince Zangwill's "plans."

This wasn't just about aiding his "true" follower, Shoko, but also the first step—or a test—in his revenge against Ince.

After some contemplation, Klein picked up a yellow crystal ball, no larger than a fist.

This was the "Misfortune Crystal" recently delivered by Mr. Tower. Before "sacrificing" it, Mr. Tower had given a brief explanation of its abilities, but some of his descriptions still puzzled Klein.

For instance, the "Misfortune Crystal" could supposedly bring bad luck to a specified enemy. But how exactly was the "enemy" determined? Could Klein simply imagine the target and immediately curse them with misfortune?

With these questions in mind, Klein held the crystal in one hand while manifesting pen and paper with the other. He wrote the divination statement:

"Its function."

This wasn't meant to replace a proper identification, but since Klein already had the item and some knowledge about it from Mr. Tower, he felt there was sufficient basis to attempt a divination for further insights.

After reciting the statement, he swiftly entered a dream state, where he witnessed a series of scenes:

A ruthless pirate deliberately negotiated with a rival competitor. Throughout the talks, the pirate seized every opportunity to shake hands and even theatrically slapped the competitor's shoulder. After the negotiations concluded, the pirate took out the "Misfortune Crystal," cursing his rival with bad luck. The competitor gradually fell into misfortune, leading to their eventual death.

The pirate skillfully avoided the Misfortune Crystal's negative effects by relying on thorough preparation to evade various accidents.

In another scene, he was targeted by a Sequence 5 powerhouse. Feigning submission, he offered the "Misfortune Crystal" to the stronger foe, only to ambush and eliminate them after they were struck by bad luck during an encounter with a formidable enemy, reaping the benefits.

Opening his eyes, Klein roughly grasped the functions of this extraordinary item and quickly came up with several ways to use it in his mind.

"No wonder Mr. Tower wanted to leave it with me… He was probably already affected by misfortune and encountered some bad luck, wasn't he? And he didn't say a word about it… He must've assumed that I, 'The Fool,' would disregard this item and wouldn't investigate its capabilities, right?

"Hah, I can't let that slide. During the next Tarot Club, I'll need to give him a little warning… Not too harsh, of course—he didn't violate any of the rules I've set. Just a small reminder to instill a little respect."

With this in mind, Klein shook his head and began contemplating how to use the "Misfortune Crystal" against Ince Zangwill:

"From the scenes I saw earlier, the so-called 'enemy' must have relatively close physical contact to establish a 'connection' for the curse to work… Moreover, the target's proximity seems to matter; they must be within the same city, at least.

"Hah, Ince once pierced my chest with his arm. That 'contact' should be close enough, right? Practically negative distance…"

With a wry smile, Klein decided to let the hero bandit "Black Emperor" use this mystical item to curse Ince Zangwill with misfortune. Even if it couldn't kill him outright, it would at least disrupt his current "arrangements."

As for the Misfortune Crystal's negative effects? While the hero bandit "Black Emperor" might lack strength, his position—bolstered by the fusion of the "Blasphemy's Card"—was high enough. Coupled with the power drawn from the gray fog, the negative effects could be ignored.

Soon, the spiritual body clad in black armor and a matching crown appeared once more in reality. It raised the yellow crystal ball and silently recited a name in Hermes.

Immediately, a slightly blurry figure appeared within the crystal ball.

The figure had dark golden hair, wore a soft hat favored by elderly gentlemen, and had graying sideburns that contrasted with his otherwise middle-aged appearance. His facial features were indistinct, yet Klein instantly recognized him—it was Ince Zangwill!

...

At the same time, seated in a room with thick, soft carpeting, Ince Zangwill suddenly felt a pang of unease, his spirituality abnormally active.

The sensation flashed by, and everything around him returned to normal as if nothing had happened. However, as someone who could impose a degree of misfortune on others—a "Nighthawks"—Ince Zangwill immediately understood what had occurred.

After all, he had previously experienced backlash from his own misfortune-related abilities when that damned pen had nearly deprived him of his manhood.

"Who is it?" Ince Zangwill narrowed his one intact eye. Suddenly recalling something, he hurried to the desk and grabbed the feather quill, which had already begun writing on its own.

After steadying himself, he glanced at the notebook and his expression instantly darkened. Without a moment's hesitation, he extended his left palm, grasping the "Fallen Morning Star." Activating its secret techniques, he prepared to combine his spirituality with the "Gatekeeper" ability to escape into the spirit world.

This was because the last two lines written in the notebook read:

"The hero bandit 'Black Emperor,' for unknown reasons, used the 'Legacy' of the Goddess of Fortune to bestow misfortune upon Ince Zangwill.

"Due to this effect, Azik Eggers, who was coincidentally traversing the spirit world, keenly detected Ince Zangwill's presence."

(Chapter End)