Lord of Mysteries: Starting As A Reader

Backlund, the Bridge District

The night was deep, and the bridge lay silent, with no pedestrians in sight. The area was eerily quiet, save for the faint presence of a team of bridge guards stationed nearby.

Jane Grant Miranda, cloaked in a hooded cape, passed by the guards, enveloped in the embrace of a unique spiritual entity. The guards seemed oblivious to her presence, as if they could neither see nor sense her.

Descending from the bridge, Jane quickly arrived at the southern entrance of the Tasok River. She stood silently for a few minutes, her patience rewarded by the sight of tendrils of pale green pea vines cascading down from above, weaving together to form a lush, verdant forest.

Jane was long accustomed to such phenomena. She skillfully navigated the floating pathways created by the pea vines, ascending step by step into the air.

Soon, she saw Bernadette, the "Mystic Queen," gently swaying on a swing woven from the vines.

After respectfully curtsying, Jane heard Bernadette speak in her soft, composed voice:

"Here are a few pages of manuscripts. Copy them and then deliver them to Sharon."

This task was one of the main reasons Jane had sought the Mystic Queen. Nodding in acknowledgment, she summoned a tentacled spirit, instructing it to copy the manuscripts with remarkable speed.

Bernadette's deep blue eyes lingered on the spirit for a moment before she commented evenly,

"This spirit bears traces of deliberate intervention… Your ancestor likely possessed the means of 'creation.'"

Jane's exploration of the relics in the Rampaging Sea had been at Bernadette's direction, so the queen was well aware of the peculiar spirits Jane had inherited from her ancestor.

"Wasn't my ancestor a 'Death Consul'? How could they create anything?" Jane asked, puzzled.

When she had explored her ancestor's crypt, Jane had acquired not only a number of sealed artifacts but also a "Blasphemy Slate" card belonging to the Death pathway.

Though she had since handed the card over to Bernadette, Jane had gleaned enough from examining it to learn the names and formulas of high-sequence potions in her pathway.

"Creation falls under the authority of a Vampire Duke, something a Death Consul indeed lacks. However, with the appropriate knowledge, rituals to borrow power, or the use of specific sealed artifacts, such feats are still possible," Bernadette explained patiently.

"Now that you mention it, my ancestor did have a profound understanding of vampire abilities. The Book of the Dead contains numerous potion recipes they improved… One of them, the 'Amanda Potion,' is said to taste far better than all current recipes and is highly sought after by spirits of the dead," Jane mused.

Though the original Book of the Dead had been entrusted to Ebner, Jane had made a copy beforehand for her personal reference.

Bernadette had little interest in the Death Consul, who still slumbered deep within Calderon City, as there appeared to be no direct connection between them and her father.

As the tentacled spirit finished its intricate task of copying with "pointillism-like precision," Bernadette remained seated, her gaze fixed on Jane.

"You came for more than just this, didn't you?"

Jane hesitated for a few seconds before speaking carefully, her words pre-rehearsed:

"As expected, nothing escapes your notice… Actually, I wanted to borrow the Peach Blossom Paradise you used to trap Baron Conva last time.

"This time, one of my opponents is a Wraith. I might be able to defeat him, but I can't guarantee he won't escape."

Bernadette shook her head slightly.

"That was a spell, not the ability of a mystical artifact."

Seeing Jane's disappointed expression, she added,

"However, I can lend you a sealed artifact with similar capabilities."

Jane's brows lifted in delight. After a moment of consideration, she asked cautiously,

"What will you require in return for this artifact?"

Bernadette's expression softened, and she said with a hint of amusement,

"Just play a few rounds of the chess game I taught you last week."

Jane was momentarily stunned but soon broke into a bright smile.

"Of course."

Bernadette said no more. She raised her right hand, tracing unfamiliar symbols in mid-air, words that bore traces of the giant, dragon, elven, and ancient Hermes languages, yet belonged to none.

The symbols glowed with a starlike radiance, forming a portal that seemed to lead deep into the spirit world.

From the portal emerged a wind-like figure, its upper body wrapped in white fabric resembling a man.

"Gray-White Mirror," Bernadette intoned softly, her voice gentle yet carrying an undercurrent of authority.

The wind-formed figure responded with deference, drawing a mirror about one meter tall and half a meter wide from the folds of the white fabric. The mirror's surface was covered by a piece of black cloth that radiated a sense of tranquility.

"Unveiling this cloth will pull you and all living beings within a 500-meter radius into the mirror world.

"Remember, you have only ten minutes. If you fail to replace the cloth within that time, you and all others trapped will become permanent parts of the mirror world, never to leave."

Bernadette's tone carried a solemn warning.

"Thank you very much." Jane summoned another spirit, carefully taking the mirror. Her gratitude was sincere.

Without this artifact, she might have had to turn to her captain for assistance—but this was her vengeance, and she wished to carry it out alone unless absolutely necessary.

Bernadette's auburn hair hung loose as if she wanted to say more but ultimately remained silent.

The deep-seated hatred corroding Jane's heart had the potential to twist her character if left unresolved. Fortunately, she now had both the power and the opportunity to exact her revenge in less than half a year.

Let's hope she can find some peace after this, Bernadette thought.

Her serene voice broke the silence once more:

"All right… After you're done, don't forget to come back for our chess game."

"Of course. Thank you for your help." Jane curtsied deeply.

The pea vines began retracting upward, fading from sight, and the lush green forest disappeared swiftly.

Standing quietly at the bridge entrance, Jane gazed at the crimson moon for a moment before turning to head towards Iron Gate Street.

---

St. Wind Cathedral, Underground Cells.

Former Mandated Punisher squad captain Kuhn, current captain McConaughey, and the restored "Mysticism Magister" Stuart sat face-to-face, discussing a case involving multiple secret organizations.

"Stuart, what do you think the Aurora Order and Secret Order hope to achieve with all these tactics? Simply to frame you? Even if their plot succeeded, and your views faced criticism, at most, you'd suffer a tarnished reputation or a transfer out of Backlund…

"Surely they don't think the Storm Church incapable of uncovering the truth?" McConaughey asked, his analysis revealing the nature of the orders' maneuvers.

Stuart, having anticipated this question, organized his thoughts and replied,

"I suspect their true goal is to isolate me, eroding my credibility to prevent church support.

"As a Mysticism Magister, I would naturally investigate the truth on my own if framed. That would likely lead me into their trap.

"A lone me is far easier to handle than someone with the church's full backing."

"So, they want to bait and isolate you? That's a cunning scheme!" McConaughey exclaimed, nodding in understanding.

"No wonder you believe some within the church might be compromised… Your stances and position aren't widely known outside."

"That's why you'll need to be discerning after reporting tomorrow. Some may genuinely oppose my views," Stuart advised.

"I understand," McConaughey replied. After a moment, he added cautiously,

"Should we inform the Spellsinger of God?"

Kuhn and Stuart exchanged glances before Kuhn shook his head.

"We have no direct evidence yet. Let's wait until we see results."

"Understood." McConaughey nodded after a brief pause.

---

Later, Ebner and Gaston returned to the Dream Labyrinth Tower's "Reward Hall." While Ebner appeared at ease, even smiling faintly, Gaston wore a pensive expression as if questioning everything.

"Guided runs don't reward as richly as first clears, but the rewards aren't bad…"

Flipping through a finely crafted book, Ebner muttered,

"Fifth-level rules prevent group entry… You'll need to rely on your own efforts."

The book's cover bore a flamboyant Intis inscription:

"Roselle's Golden Armor Technique: Aries Edition."

(End of Chapter)