Lord of Mysteries: The Assassin's Dark Path

·Chapter 24: A Request for Trade15 DecSivellaus Square, named after Sivellaus Street where it resides, is a well-known stand-in for the headquarters of the Backlund Police Department.

It took some audacity to host a Beyonder gathering so close to the police's nerve center, but Mr. A, the local leader of the Aurora Order, was nothing if not bold and unhinged. Nevertheless, he wasn't entirely reckless—the meeting location was set at the far end of the street, a safe distance from the department itself.

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Around 7 PM.

After transferring between a steam metro and a public carriage, Varina arrived at Sivellaus Street early.

Carrying a dagger and firearm meant he couldn't linger too close to Sivellaus Square without drawing suspicion. Instead, he found a bench further away, sat down, and flipped through a copy of the Daily Observer to pass the time.

Yesterday, Xio had mentioned that Mr. A announced his gatherings through a cryptic tip in the newspaper's lifestyle column. If the tips touched on occult practices, it meant a gathering would occur the following evening at 8 PM.

Varina didn't have to wait long. A double-decker carriage stopped near Sivellaus Square, and two women—a tall one and a shorter one—stepped off. Judging by their heights, it was undoubtedly Xio and Fors.

Varina got up and walked toward them.

Xio was dressed in the same traditional knight training attire she wore the day before, moving with a brisk, confident stride. Pointing to her companion, she introduced,

"This is the friend I mentioned yesterday, Fors Wall. She'll join us at the gathering."

Fors, with lightly curled chestnut hair, wore a beige high-collared dress. Standing next to Xio, she regarded Varina with pale blue eyes.

"Miss Fors, I'm Varina Atano. I hope you'll treat me as a friend," Varina greeted her with a smile.

Fors smiled faintly in return. "I hope you find the potion formula you're looking for tonight."

"Thank you. That's my hope as well," Varina replied with a nod.

The three walked a short distance down the street before stopping in front of an unassuming house. Xio approached and knocked on the door in a rhythm of three long and two short taps.

With a creak, the wooden door opened from the inside, and the trio stepped into a spacious hall.

Scattered around the room were numerous attendees. Some had concealed their identities with hoods or masks, while others were unguarded and unconcerned, not bothering with disguises.

Varina, Xio, and Fors were among the latter.

Directly opposite the door, seated in a single chair, was a man cloaked in black with a hood over his head. He silently observed the newcomers, exuding an air of quiet authority, as though he were looking down from a lofty perch.

Leaning close to Varina, Xio whispered, "That's Mr. A, the host of the gathering. He's a very powerful Beyonder."

Varina gave an imperceptible nod, signaling his understanding.

In truth, he was far more aware of Mr. A's capabilities than the two women beside him. This man was an almost fully equipped Shepherd! Arguably one of the strongest Beyonders short of demigod status.

Varina took a moment to survey the room. The windows were covered with thick black curtains that even the bright glow of gas lamps couldn't penetrate. At the far end of the hall, flanking Mr. A's seat, stood two large blackboards, each covered in rows of words.

Fors, noticing Varina's interest, helpfully explained, "The boards list the needs of the attendees. You don't sign your name—just write what you're looking for, what you want to sell, and any relevant prices or requirements."

Varina gave her a polite smile and stepped closer to examine the contents of the boards. His primary focus, of course, was anything related to the Assassin potion formula. But his search wasn't limited to that alone. Keywords like Instigator or the names of specific Beyonder materials associated with the Assassin pathway were just as important.

Even though he couldn't recall the exact formula, Varina was confident he'd recognize something familiar if he saw it.

Perhaps it was the trio's novice-like demeanor, or perhaps it was standard practice for newcomers. Whatever the reason, they didn't get far before one of Mr. A's attendants approached them.

"You can write your requests on paper and hand them to me. During the break, you may also use one of the smaller rooms to update the boards with items you wish to sell," the attendant explained.

Each of them wrote a note and handed it over. The attendant then collected additional notes from others around the room before passing the stack to a colleague managing the boards.

One by one, the attendant read the notes aloud three times before copying them onto the board:

"'Seeking the Master of Magic potion formula. Price negotiable.'"

"'Looking for the Assassin potion formula.'"

By the time Varina's note was read, disappointment was already creeping in—no one responded to his request. It seemed the same was true for the two women.

Fors sighed. "Looks like it's another wasted trip. If I'd known, I wouldn't have... come."

She trailed off mid-sentence, subdued by Xio's sharp glare. Her earlier languid tone evaporated into one of reluctant compliance.

"Varina, potion formula trades rarely succeed on the first attempt," Xio consoled him. "Patience is key. Maybe next time, you'll find what you're looking for."

Varina nodded lightly, though his thoughts were elsewhere. If no one stepped forward, should he approach Mr. A directly? And if he did, what excuse could he use?

While he pondered, Mr. A's voice rang out, announcing, "We've entered the break period. Feel free to interact."

Fors and Xio had no interest in mingling and retreated to a quiet corner.

Varina, however, repositioned himself near the blackboards, carefully scrutinizing the earlier entries.

"10 grams of mummy powder, 5 pounds."

"30 milliliters of Murloc slime, 29 pounds."

"Selling a unicorn pegasus horn, 220 pounds."

…

"Seeking dried adult black-spotted frogs."

"Urgently need three bottles of slumbering potion. Price negotiable."

"Looking for a pair of charming banshee eyes."

Varina's gaze froze on the last entry—Eyes of the Enchanting Banshee! He recognized that material.

That was for the Witch of Pleasure. It was a primary ingredient for the potion of the Witch pathway!

"So, there's a 'Witch' advancing here?" he murmured to himself, brows furrowing. "Why didn't they respond to my request for an Assassin formula?"

After deliberating, Varina finally beckoned an attendant and said, "I'd like to request a private meeting with the individual seeking the Eyes of the Enchanting Banshee."

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