Lord of Mysteries: The Assassin's Dark Path

At around 3:30 in the afternoon, it was the perfect time for tea.

The café had a decent number of patrons. A quick glance revealed that nearly half the booth sofas were occupied, with young couples making up the majority of the clientele.

Varina and Xio chose a corner to sit in, and a waiter promptly brought over the menu.

Varina ordered a Dissi coffee and a lemon pudding, while Xio opted for sweet iced tea and a scoop of ice cream.

This was, by far, the most extravagant treat Varina had offered anyone. The bill came to a little over two soli—a seemingly modest amount but equivalent to his entire daily expense.

"Did you notice the way that waiter looked at you just now?" Xio pointed to the retreating waiter. "His gaze was a bit... unusual."

"Of course."

Varina nodded, smiling. "I imagine he might have mistaken you for an underaged girl."

Xio shot Varina a glare and refrained from commenting further.

Moments later, the waiter returned with their drinks and desserts, signaling the beginning of their real conversation.

"Let me formally introduce myself. I'm Varina Atano, a half-Beyonder."

Varina's expression turned serious as he continued, "If I'm not mistaken, Miss Xio, you're a Sequence 9 'Arbitrator,' am I right?"

This opening caught Xio off guard. Her expression instantly grew cautious.

"No need to be alarmed. I mean no harm."

"I only wish to use Miss Xio's network to find a suitable potion formula."

Xio, who had also been a half-Beyonder before becoming a Beyonder, quickly grasped Varina's intentions.

"How did you determine my Sequence?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.

Varina delivered a pre-prepared explanation:

"Though my parents passed away early, I found a book at home that contained a wealth of knowledge about the supernatural world."

"With enough information, it's not difficult to deduce someone's Sequence from their abilities."

Xio's eyes widened in astonishment. "That book didn't have the potion formula you need?"

To her, this seemed almost impossible.

Potion formulas are among the most precious pieces of knowledge in the supernatural world. If Varina's parents left behind a book like that, how could it not include the potion formula most suited to him?

"Unfortunately, no."

Varina spread his hands and shrugged.

"If it did, I wouldn't be in such a dilemma or troubling you, Miss Xio."

"To be honest, I wouldn't have dared reveal my secret to anyone if it weren't for your renowned reputation for fairness."

Xio nodded, her demeanor softening considerably.

After some thought, she said, "I do know of a gathering circle for Beyonder and could take you to one. But I can't guarantee you'll find the formula you need there."

"Also, my fee is at least 30 pounds. Can you manage that?"

Thirty pounds… Varina contemplated for a moment. Xio truly lived up to her reputation as an experienced bounty hunter. The fee she quoted was precise—not overly high, yet not undervalued.

The worth of Beyonder gatherings was difficult to determine. For someone like Kaspers, who knew little about the supernatural world and lacked the strength to navigate it, a mere 2 pounds was enough to secure a recommendation. Xio, however, was different. Her quoted price was well-calculated, akin to the membership fees of mid-to-high-tier clubs.

"Thirty pounds is reasonable."

Varina first acknowledged Xio's price, signaling his lack of intention to bargain, then asked:

"Although I can pay in gold pounds, would Miss Xio have any interest in information and knowledge from the supernatural realm? Personally, I'd prefer to repay your goodwill with those rather than money."

"As I mentioned earlier, I've acquired many rare and hidden pieces of Beyonder knowledge from that book, even though I'm not yet a full Fey."

"Considering how scarce basic Beyonder knowledge is, it only hit me just now—after meeting someone as well-known as Miss Xio, who still couldn't determine my Sequence—how fortunate I truly am."

"What kind of knowledge?" Xio asked, her curiosity genuinely sparked.

Before becoming a Beyonder, Xio had fought tooth and nail for it, her understanding no different from that of most "wild" Beyonder. For someone to surpass her knowledge without even crossing the threshold into the supernatural world—this naturally intrigued her.

"Plenty. Let me think…"

Varina deliberately dragged out the moment, building anticipation before casually listing:

"There's obscure historical knowledge, like the origins and development of secret sects and organizations. For example, the East District's well-known 'Aurora Order.'"

"There are also accounts involving high-ranking entities—terrifying and eerie ones, like the 'Ravings of the Full Moon.'"

"And, of course, quite a few low-Sequence potion names and their general abilities. That's how I identified your Sequence, Miss Xio."

"What do you think? Any of that pique your interest?"

Xio was initially listening with some detachment, but when she heard Ravings of the Full Moon, her expression turned instantly grave. She knew that her close friend, Fors Wall, was enduring those very ravings!

Secrets, high-ranking entities, terrifying and eerie...

Xio suddenly became desperate to know everything about the Ravings of the Full Moon.

"What about the 'Ravings of the Full Moon'? I want to know more."

"Could you tell me why?" Varina feigned curiosity. "I thought you'd be more interested in practical knowledge."

"It's about a friend of mine. She hears strange ravings during the full moon." Xio blurted out, immediately regretting it as she clamped her hand over her mouth.

"You know someone from the Abraham family? I thought they'd disappeared, just as the book described. Oh, you do know about the Abraham family, right? An ancient line dating back to the Fourth Epoch."

"No, she's not," Xio replied firmly, confident that her friend didn't have a prominent family background.

Having already revealed too much, she decided to prioritize seeking information over hiding it.

"Then it must be related to them."

Varina adopted a thoughtful look as he explained:

"The book mentioned that the Ravings of the Full Moon is a bloodline curse borne by the Abraham family. It's possibly the result of malice from a high-ranking entity and the chief cause of their decline."

"Every member of the Abraham family suffers from those ravings, making them prone to losing control after becoming Beyonder."

"That's all I know. Does that satisfy you?"

"Is there no solution?" Xio asked urgently.

"None," Varina shook his head. "If there were, I doubt the Abraham family would have fallen. Though, who knows—maybe they've found a way by now."

Hearing this, Xio paled. She hadn't realized Fors's condition was this severe. "Has she been hiding this from me, or does she not even know herself?"

Suppressing the urge to confront Fors immediately, Xio made her offer:

"There's a gathering tomorrow night. I'll take you there. Also, I owe you a favor."

She felt the information was invaluable, prompting her to willingly offer a favor in return—her sense of fairness as an Arbitrator demanded such equivalence.

After an exchange of polite, detached pleasantries, their relationship began to grow a little more familiar.

They finished their tea while discussing the gathering's details, such as its location and how to confirm the time.

The two agreed to meet at 8:00 p.m. near Sivellaus Square, where the West District borders the Queen's District, to attend the Beyonder gathering together.

Finally, as they parted ways at the café's entrance, they almost seemed like friends.

Their initial rapport had been established; the rest was up to time.

---

That night, Varina set his book aside and lay down to sleep.

He said to himself, "I hope everything goes well tomorrow."

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