Lord of Mysteries: Starting As A Reader

Oravi Island? Hmm…Sea King Jahn Kottman did visit Oravi a few days ago. Could it be because of this elven temple relic?

The "Hanged Man" Alger squinted slightly, quickly forming connections in his mind.

"Judgment" Xio Derecha, with her broader knowledge, quickly understood. Ebner must have encountered another reality-blurring scenario within the "Dream Labyrinth Tower," similar to the Clover incident.

And this time, the scenario involved a subordinate god? What level has he reached in the tower now?

"Magician" Fors, once again in unfamiliar territory, shyly whispered to "Justice" Audrey for an explanation.

Although Audrey didn't know much about ancient gods either, she had learned some related knowledge during her private exchange with "Sun" Derrick in the previous Tarot gathering. She briefly explained the basics to Fors.

"Sun" Derrick, however, appeared guilty and dejected as he said,

"I'm sorry, Mr. Tower. My permissions are too low to access the high-level knowledge in the library, so I couldn't find anything more about the 'God of Luck.'"

Derrick assumed Mr. Tower had previously inquired about the "God of Luck" specifically for this expedition to the elven temple. He was frustrated that he hadn't been able to help.

"It's fine. That wasn't your obligation in the first place. Our previous trade was fair and just," Ebner reassured Derrick before obtaining Mr. Fool's permission to project fragmented images. These scenes displayed Ebner's experiences and observations to the "Hanged Man," "Justice," "Judgment," "Magician," "Sun," and "World," accompanied by brief explanations.

---

Naturally, he omitted key details, including the existence of the bell-ringer, the Life School of Thought member Ricciardo, the scandalous relationship between Leticia and the Governor of Oravi, the specifics of the trials, the so-called "opportunity" he found in the Grand Hall of the Elven Court, and the subsequent decoding attempts.

Ebner's intention was to broaden the Tarot members' horizons, not to expose his secrets or techniques. Moreover, respecting the privacy of Leticia, Ricciardo, and others was a matter of courtesy.

The scenes materialized vividly:

Adventurers laden with misfortune,

A mysterious whirlpool on the ocean's surface,

A magnificent temple constructed from colossal crystals,

Vibrant, lifelike murals depicting the God of Luck's past,

And, finally, the Coral Palace with nine steps and a towering throne.

These scenes encapsulated the elegance of elven culture, captivating stories, and grandiose settings.

Audrey was particularly moved by the cultural richness and grandeur.

So, these are the kinds of adventures only someone as strong as Mr. Tower can undertake? Even though I couldn't see the actual trials, Mr. Tower appeared remarkably at ease compared to the doomed adventurers… How enviable!

Audrey's imagination ran wild, and she yearned to become as powerful as Mr. Tower. She wanted to set sail and seek out such relics herself.

---

Even Klein, who had heard Ebner's account while assisting him through the trial of will, found the visual representations far more impactful. He couldn't help but ponder:

It seems the rumors of the elven race—or their king, Soniathrym—originating from the Western Continent are true. Otherwise, why would he pin his last hope on sending his wife and subordinates there, even with no clear path to survival?

But those two subordinate gods never found it after so many years. Is the Western Continent so well-hidden? Or was the "hope of return" merely an excuse to ensure his wife's survival?

No… judging by the contamination of the God of Luck by that problematic sealed artifact, the hope of "return" must be real. The Western Continent surely exists… but where is it hidden?

---

Fors, meanwhile, seemed intrigued by the dynamics between the Elven King, the Queen of Calamity, and the God of Luck. She murmured to herself in excitement, though her voice was too low for even Audrey to catch.

Xio, however, guessed Fors's train of thought but refrained from stopping her, merely coughing lightly to signal Ebner to move the conversation along before Fors's enthusiasm caused her to blurt something out.

At that moment, the "Hanged Man" Alger pointed to one of the murals Ebner had projected and addressed Derrick,

"The deity surrounded by half-light and half-darkness who attacked the Elven Court—was that your god?"

Derrick nodded but then shook his head, saying hesitantly,

"The scene depicted here matches the City of Silver's records of the battle that destroyed the Elven Court… but the god in the mural doesn't resemble our Lord."

"But wasn't it the Lord of Storms, the Eternal Blazing Sun, and the God of Knowledge and Wisdom who defeated the elves?" Fors interjected, clearly puzzled.

Despite being only a casual believer of the God of Steam and Machinery, she was familiar with this widespread legend:

In the so-called "Dark Epoch" of the Second Age, dragons, giants, elves, aberrants, demons, phoenixes, dire wolves, and the undead dominated the skies, seas, and lands. But in the end, the Lord of Storms, the Eternal Blazing Sun, and the God of Knowledge and Wisdom led humanity to triumph, ushering in the "Epoch of Glory" at the dawn of the Third Age.

---

"The City of Silver has no records of those three deities…" Derrick replied curtly, unwilling to elaborate further. He had read the Seven Holy Scriptures shared by Mr. Tower and suspected that most of his Lord's achievements had been credited to those three gods. He even wondered if they were successors of his Lord, as their pathways fell under the domain of "Omniscience and Omnipotence."

Alger stared at the blurred figure of the "Lord" in the mural for a while before withdrawing his gaze. He then mused about the audacity of the ancient gods, who dared to consume Extraordinary characteristics from other pathways recklessly.

Meanwhile, Klein deduced Alger's thoughts, as they mirrored his own:

Half-light, half-darkness… Omniscience and Omnipotence… Could this suggest that the City of Silver's Lord was the true god of both the Sun and Shepherd pathways? Perhaps His goal in reclaiming authority is to retrieve the Sequence 1 and Uniqueness of the Sailor, Spectator, and Reader pathways to achieve a level even beyond a true god.

Ebner, unaware that Klein and Alger had ventured so far in their deductions, was thankful they lacked the knowledge of ancient entities' true nature or names.

---

As Ebner concluded his account, Klein, whose spirituality was nearly exhausted, seized the opportunity to declare the Tarot gathering over. He promptly returned to the real world to rest, anticipating potential "sacrifices" and "bestowals."

---

In Backlund, at a standalone house in Cherwood Borough, Fors immediately grabbed a pen and paper to jot down inspiration from the Tarot gathering:

"During a twenty-year war, a general, defending his city against an enemy siege, decided to let his loyal aide escape with his wife while he prepared to die in battle.

"Five years later, the loyal aide and the wife fell in love and started a family. But just then, the general, long presumed dead, returned. It turned out he had been captured and subjected to unspeakable torment before escaping… but his heart was now twisted."

Fors looked at her draft and muttered,

"What follows will be a series of misunderstandings and heartbreaking twists… Not my favorite style, but it's trending now. And it suits a short story to make some quick cash.

"Sigh… Even though the Spirit Eater's stomach is sorted, Deep Sea Tuna Blood isn't cheap either… I've really fallen from grace, all for money."

She glanced toward the entrance and thought, Xio might take a while to return… How should I borrow money from her later? Maybe I could attend tonight's gathering hosted by Mr. A first, then use that as a reason to ask her for a loan.

But Xio, now a formal member of MI9, had stopped attending Mr. A's gatherings…

Sigh… Finding excuses to kick Xio out every Monday afternoon might raise her suspicions sooner or later. What excuse could I use to justify needing time alone every week? Fors scratched her head, stumped.

---

Meanwhile, at a safe house in East Borough, Xio changed out of an expensive dress purchased with MI9 funds for a covert mission.

With the possibility of receiving news about the "Judge" materials from Mr. World at any time, Xio planned to head to the MI9 building in West Borough. She also considered stopping by a pub she used to frequent to scout for lucrative assignments.

As she stepped out, her spirituality suddenly tingled. Turning to look, she noticed a woman hidden in the shadows, ensnared by a strange rope wielded by several men. The ordinary passersby seemed oblivious to the scene.

An official operation? Judging by their methods, they must be Mandated Punishers… Nighthawks rarely operate in the afternoon, and Machinery Hivemind missions usually involve explosions.

After confirming the presence of a Storm emblem on one of the men, Xio averted her gaze and boarded a carriage, pretending she hadn't seen anything.

Once she was gone, one of the younger men asked their leader, "Captain, who was that?"

"Someone from MI9," McCona replied before exchanging a subtle glance with the captured woman. Then, turning to his team, he ordered,

"Take her back. I'll handle the interrogation personally."

"Yes, Captain," the team responded in unison.

---

On Daville Island, Ebner dispelled his spiritual wall and headed to Gaston's workshop.

The craftsman, having finally "grinded out" enough points for the Departure Charm, greeted him with a smile,

"You finally have time to take me to the sixth level, huh?"

(End of chapter)