Lord of Mysteries 2: Circle of Inevitability

The street lamps outside the window had already lit up. Franca gazed at Browns Sauron and spoke, “I’ve already mentioned my name. I reside in the market district and hold a significant position within the Savoie Mob. That’s all I can reveal. You’re free to investigate me as you wish. In any case, I have two objectives. Firstly, I intend to probe into the Bliss Society and eliminate any hidden threats. Secondly, I plan to take the opportunity to gain insight into the female gathering.”

Her strategy for the day involved connecting with people genuinely—a tactic she had devised with Lumian. If the Demoness at the Red House Café approached her, she would “confess” her intentions and assess if the other party had any ties to the Bliss Society.

Franca had even discussed specific details with Anthony Reid, a Psychiatrist, to prevent herself from reacting excessively. If that happened, it could do more harm than good.

According to Anthony Reid’s suggestion, she was “candid,” but not completely forthcoming. Revealing that she was once a man, had transformed into a Demoness of Pleasure, and was infiltrating the Savoie Mob to join the Iron and Blood Cross Order and eventually return to her original gender would not only fail to gain trust but also raise suspicions of ulterior motives due to her excessive honesty.

Thus, she only disclosed her identity and primary motives on the surface, leaving the rest hidden in the details, allowing the other party to uncover and investigate on their own.

Information gathered through effort was much more credible than mere words!

Browns Sauron fixed his gaze on Franca’s eyes and remarked, “With the strength you’ve demonstrated, why limit yourself to being a mob leader?”

“For something of great importance, I believe you would have done the same,” Franca replied cryptically, hinting that she had also discerned the other party’s path, approximate Sequence, and original circumstances.

With that, she raised her hand to touch the silver-white earring fastened to her right earlobe and added with a grin, “I forgot to mention that this isn’t my true appearance. My disguise is quite effective. Otherwise, why did you lose track of me the last time?”

Browns glanced at the silver earring, nodding in comprehension.

Instead of delving deeper into Franca’s identity, the conversation shifted toward the topic of the Bliss Society.

Franca could discern that the Demoness placed significant importance on the Red House Café’s female orgies and was cautious about any organizations or individuals with hidden agendas.

Are you telling me that you genuinely form romantic connections with some of the participants in these orgies and have developed feelings for them? If this continues, you’re bound to encounter trouble sooner or later. It’s perfectly natural to have emotions, but seeking them in such gatherings is a sign of a narrow perspective… Can’t you completely separate the spiritual from the physical? When there’s too much spiritual connection, the desire for physical intimacy grows. Conversely, with too much physical intimacy, it’s inevitable for souls to draw closer… As an observer, Franca offered her critique of Browns Sauron’s situation, drawing from the knowledge and experiences of two lifetimes that had led to her philosophical reflections.

This insight allowed her to grasp her first principle as a Demoness of Pleasure to some extent.

She didn’t withhold any information. On the one hand, she suspected that the Demoness Sect had fostered such an “innocent” and emotionally driven Demoness because they had their sights set on the Sauron family. On the other hand, she recounted the general activities and abilities of the Bliss Society.

Upon hearing the name “Sex Addict” and its corresponding behavior, Browns Sauron’s expression grew serious and cautious.

Franca knew when to conclude the conversation. She finished her after-dinner liqueur, rose gracefully, put on her blue bonnet, and departed from the Red House Café.

As she entered the rental carriage and returned to the market district, her mind raced, analyzing potential vulnerabilities.

I need to persuade Jenna to move out. But having her stay in my apartment might reveal my true gender. I must remind her not to display her Assassin and Instigator abilities for the time being…

The issue with Ciel is that if Browns Sauron and Poufer Sauron frequently interact, they might discover that the affluent merchant’s generous scion is, in reality, the leader of the market district’s mob, exposing the Iron and Blood Cross Order’s hidden agenda. Yes, Browns is affiliated with the Demoness Sect and doesn’t share the same interests as the Sauron family. There is a significant likelihood that she would conceal this fact and exploit it…

“…”

Rue du Rossignol, market district.

Lumian “teleported” back to his safe house.

While waiting for Franca to return Lie to him and allow him to revert to his original appearance, he contemplated the rumors circulating about the human blood bread.

It would have been manageable if I had discovered it from the outset, but now it’s already widely believed. Hundreds or perhaps thousands of people have bought into it. Tracing it back to the source will be extremely challenging. Moreover, even if I locate the origin, the person responsible may be filled with false information and unable to identify their source… Finding a skilled Psychiatrist who can hypnotize people is quite a task…

The Mandrake rumor La Nou Bruch had heard appears suspicious…

After careful consideration, Lumian decided not to dwell on it. He would report it to Madam Magician and explore the possibility of hiring someone like Madam Susie or even a high-ranking Psychiatrist such as Madam Justice to investigate the source of the rumors.

They were experts in similar operations and possessed all the abilities of “I Know Someone,” and even more!

The matter concerning the Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth for Blessings was a shared mission of the Tarot Club.

Likewise, Lumian intended to burden the Major Arcana card holders with the other clue. Given his abilities, it was practically impossible for him to investigate it further.

He believed that since Loki was operating within Bureau 8, there was a chance he had either subtly influenced some of his colleagues or been discovered by them. All these were potential leads.

However, based on his experiences dealing with a Marionettist, Lumian recalled the events at the Alone Bar and the puppet show in the basement. It wasn’t as murky as he had initially thought. It exuded an aura of malevolence, obscurity, and terror, and he could distinctly perceive the tangible danger concealed within the various details.

He suspected that most of the spectators at the marionette theater were, in fact, marionettes themselves, fitting the bar’s name: Alone!

It seemed that there was only one living person amidst the marionettes!

Of course, this was somewhat exaggerated. It was evident that a few Bureau 8 members were working as bartenders and waitstaff at the Alone Bar, including Loki and Leah.

Nevertheless, Beyonders capable of manipulating an entire theater filled with marionettes were far more powerful than Loki. They likely exceeded Sequence 5 and might even be demigods of the Seer pathway.

Regardless of Lumian’s confidence, he didn’t believe he could uncover any clues in a bar protected by a demigod. He didn’t dare to attempt it.

Only the Major Arcana card holders of the Tarot Club could conduct a thorough investigation in that direction!

Without hesitation, Lumian unfolded a letter and began reporting his findings to Madam Magician.

As the “doll” messenger was summoned, it cast a glance at Lumian and remarked, “Do you enjoy dressing up?”

Is that because I’m wearing a new face? Lumian smiled and replied, “It’s a necessity in certain situations. Disguises help ensure that one remains unrecognized when carrying out certain tasks.”

The messenger nodded slowly.

“No wonder you can’t tell I’m different every day.”

Lumian gazed at the light-golden attire of the “doll” messenger, unsure whether to offer a truthful response or a white lie.

Observing Lumian’s silence, the messenger snatched the letter and stated sharply, “My hair is smoother, my skin is more elastic, and my dress is new…”

With those words, the messenger’s voice gradually faded away as it dissolved into the candlelight.

Lumian let out a sigh and muttered to himself, Perhaps the more familiar I become with someone, the less I notice their subtle changes…

It was akin to Franca, who appeared so relaxed around him that she didn’t feel the need to rack her brains on many things.

If one had to rack their brains and be on edge when interacting with others, their mental state would inevitably deteriorate over time.

Seeing that it was time, Lumian left Rue du Rossignol and arrived at Apartment 601, 3 Rue des Blouses Blanches. He knocked on the door, and Jenna opened it, looking surprised.

“Who might you be?”

Lumian scoffed. “Can’t you still not tell from my gait?”

“Dammit, your aura, which makes others want to beat you up, will make your disguise useless!” Jenna knew that Lumian possessed a mystical item capable of altering his appearance.

Once Lumian entered the living room, he glanced around.

“Where’s Franca?”

“She hasn’t returned from her visit to the Red House Café,” Jenna replied, already aware that Franca had intentions of engaging with a member of the Demoness Sect. She had also heard her companion mention the secret organization’s animosity towards female Assassins.

Lumian stroked Franca’s Mirror Substitution in his arms and settled into an armchair when he saw that nothing was amiss.

This was Jenna’s usual spot.

Jenna rolled her eyes at him and perched on the armrest of a nearby chair. She asked thoughtfully,

“Why do you have so many enemies? How many of them are there?”

Lumian had briefly recounted the Cordu disaster but had omitted much of his past. He replied simply, “The Soul Summoning Spell that caused my sister’s problem was acquired from an organization called April Fool’s. They intentionally sold it to my sister. My current objective is to locate their key members and execute them one by one.”

Jenna pursed her lips, refraining from delving into the specifics to avoid upsetting Lumian.

“How can I assist?” she inquired earnestly.

Lumian pondered for a moment and replied, “Your dedication to becoming a Witch is the greatest assistance you can provide me.”

Not only were the core members of April Fool’s formidable, but they also had no boundaries. Jenna could only participate in the pursuit of these individuals after becoming a Witch and gaining the ability to create a Mirror Substitution of herself.

Internally seething with anger, Jenna refrained from voicing her frustration. She quietly observed Lumian for a few seconds and remarked, “I sense that you’re more exhausted than before…”

Lumian subconsciously smiled.

“But I’m also more motivated.”

“But isn’t this too intense? Franca mentioned that a constantly tense string is prone to snapping. The best approach is to alternate between tension and relaxation,” Jenna expressed her concern.

Lumian gave a self-deprecating smile.

“But they won’t allow me to relax. They’re determined to kill me themselves.”

Noticing Jenna’s confusion, he added with a cold expression, “They haven’t reported me to the authorities despite knowing that I’m a wanted criminal. It’s clear they want me to remain in the market district until they finalize their plan and make all the necessary preparations.”