Lord of Mysteries 2: Circle of Inevitability
Chapter Summary
While it might be challenging for other Beyonders to detect these traces, Madam Justice was a high-ranking Beyonder of the Spectator pathway, also known as the Psychiatrist pathway. Gazing at the portrait of I Know Someone, with gold-rimmed glasses, a freckled face, and a thin visage, Lumian caressed the paper and muttered to himself, “Wherever you go, you leave your mark… One day, those unable to control their sinister desires will be exposed.” Taking the portrait, he knocked on Room 305 before...
Lumian examined the portrait in his hand and let out a chuckle.
He hadn’t anticipated that the Major Arcana card holders would swiftly uncover the source of the rumors and unveil I Know Someone’s true identity.
It made sense. Rumors had started circulating two to three months ago, and Lumian hadn’t yet arrived in Trier or infiltrated the Curly-Haired Baboons Research Society. Loki and I Know Someone hadn’t met with any genuine threats. They were naturally audacious when it came to pulling pranks. No matter how cautious they were, leaving traces behind was inevitable.
While it might be challenging for other Beyonders to detect these traces, Madam Justice was a high-ranking Beyonder of the Spectator pathway, also known as the Psychiatrist pathway. She possessed a profound understanding of I Know Someone’s various abilities and was his match in every aspect.
Even if this Major Arcana card holder herself didn’t execute the operation, her partner, Susie, was more than capable of completing the mission. Lumian knew that this lady was at least a Sequence 5 of the Psychiatrist pathway, just one step away from becoming a demigod.
Gazing at the portrait of I Know Someone, with gold-rimmed glasses, a freckled face, and a thin visage, Lumian caressed the paper and muttered to himself, “Wherever you go, you leave your mark… One day, those unable to control their sinister desires will be exposed.”
Taking the portrait, he knocked on Room 305 before Anthony Reid, who frequently came and went from Auberge du Coq Doré.
“Keep an eye on this individual for me. He’s most likely a doctor or a medical researcher.” Lumian presented the portrait to Anthony Reid, who was disguised as a clerk.
Then, he briefly recounted I Know Someone’s performance at the gathering and a few of his typical pranks. He asked earnestly, “Where could someone like him be hiding?”
Anthony Reid sighed and replied, “I’m a Psychiatrist, not a Seer.
“You mentioned that he often exhibited extensive medical knowledge at gatherings?”
Receiving Lumian’s affirmation, Anthony Reid pondered for a moment and continued,
“In a gathering filled with pranks, the various details displayed by a Beyonder of the Spectator pathway are what he wants you to remember. They don’t necessarily reflect his true identity and could even be misleading.
“I suspect that I Know Someone isn’t actually a doctor, but he possesses a deep understanding of medicine and has accumulated extensive knowledge.”
Not a doctor… Madam Magician’s letter had also mentioned not restricting the search to doctors… But this way, millions of people in Trier could be suspects… Lumian felt both relieved and frustrated.
Anthony Reid added, “A person with antisocial tendencies and enough intelligence might have a fondness for flirting with danger. He enjoys playing with others like a clown. Perhaps it won’t be long before he pulls another prank, mocking all those who pursue him.”
The only condition being that he remains unaware of the many demigods observing this matter… Lumian watched as Anthony Reid hastily departed and then turned toward Rue des Blouses Blanches.
He had initially intended to locate Lugano Toscano, a quasi-doctor, and inquire if he recognized the person in the portrait. However, it was still too early for that. Salle de Gristmill had not yet opened, and he had no information about where Lugano resided.
Apartment 601, 3 Rue des Blouses Blanches.
Franca had already risen early, having also received a letter from her Major Arcana card holder, and was discussing the potential course of their investigation with Jenna.
Franca cautioned Lumian, saying, “We can’t involve too many information brokers in the search. I Know Someone might notice it beforehand and change his appearance or leave Trier.”
Lumian nodded slowly and responded, “It’s nearly impossible to locate someone like this in Trier on our own…
“Don’t forget we still have Anthony.” Franca winked at Lumian, implying that they had all the card holders in Trier on their side.
“Yes, and I’m here to help too,” Jenna chimed in.
Lumian tersely acknowledged her words and decided to proceed with his original plan to begin with doctors.
…
In the afternoon, Jenna arrived at Avenue du Marché and patiently waited by the public carriage stop sign.
Today, she had donned a beige dress and a light brown straw hat, which shielded her from the sun and was adorned with a few cloth flowers. Her brownish-yellow hair was neatly tied into a bun at the back, with the rest cascading naturally.
Without any makeup, her face remained fresh, and her blue eyes held a sweeter charm despite the absence of black eyeliner.
Jenna boarded a public carriage and headed towards Quartier 7, Quartier des Thermes.
Situated on the west side of Quartier de l’Observatoire, this district boasted a pleasant environment and was home to many affluent individuals. The now-bankrupt owner of the Goodville Chemical Factory had once lived here, as had the H?tel du Cygne Blanc, where Charlie had worked as an apprentice attendant.
Quartier des Thermes, also known as the Museum District, featured numerous renowned museums. Adjacent to one of the hot springs lay Delta Asylum, Trier’s largest and most formal asylum.
Jenna was visiting Showy Diva, the underground singer who had once taken care of her. Showy Diva had been the victim of rape by Margot of the Poison Spur Mob and had subsequently left the market district to reside in an asylum.
After Lumian eliminated Margot, Jenna had intentionally approached Showy Diva to share the good news. Since then, she had been regularly visiting her.
Initially, Jenna had limited funds and was preoccupied with repaying her debts, so she couldn’t do much for her friend. However, when Lumian hunted the padre, Jenna earned a substantial sum of 5,000 verl d’or. Coupled with two compensations and various other sources of income, she still had over 7,500 verl d’or left after repaying all her debts, except the one to Franca.
With less pressure from Franca to repay the debt, Jenna could now afford to allocate a portion of her money to send the former Showy Diva to Delta Asylum, where the facilities, environment, doctors, and nurses were clearly superior.
She visited her friend regularly, partly to pay the fees and partly to demonstrate to the doctors and nurses that this patient had family and friends looking out for her. Anyone who dared to mistreat her would have someone to answer to.
Jenna disembarked from the public carriage, adjusted her brown straw hat, and proceeded along a bustling street.
After a few steps, she noticed a seven- or eight-year-old boy standing alone by the roadside.
The boy had a chubby face and was dressed in the attire of a young gentleman. His neatly combed light-yellow hair complemented his appearance.
Seeing the confusion in the boy’s eyes, Jenna approached, crouched down, and asked gently,
“Are you lost? Do you need me to take you to the police station or bring a police officer here?”
The boy sported a mercury bow tie on his white shirt. He sighed and replied, “I’m not lost. It’s just that a lady who likes to drink asked me for a favor. I didn’t know how to help, and it seemed a bit dangerous where she went, so I decided to wait here.”
Over there… Jenna followed the boy’s outstretched finger and realized he was referring to either Quartier de la Cathédrale Commémorative, the market district, or Quartier du Jardin Botanique.
“Why did you choose to wait here to help?” Jenna couldn’t quite fathom the child’s reasoning.
The chubby boy let out another sigh and said, “I don’t know why. My instincts just told me to do it.”
At this point, the boy looked up at Jenna with a pitiful expression.
“Could you buy me some ice-cream? The weather in Trier is unbearably hot!”
“Where’s the lady who likes to drink and asked for your help?” Jenna inquired, her curiosity mixed with caution.
The boy scanned the area and replied, “After I said I wanted to wait here, she went off by herself to find a place to drink.”
Isn’t this too irresponsible? What if the child goes missing? Jenna couldn’t help but frown.
The boy eagerly asked again, “You can buy ice-cream from this café. That way, I can have ice-cream and wait inside without worrying about getting lost.”
Jenna, now financially stable, hesitated for a moment before agreeing, “What flavor would you like?”
“Vanilla!” the boy quickly exclaimed with enthusiasm.
Jenna then spent 1 verl d’or to purchase a cup of vanilla ice-cream for the boy from a nearby café.
Seated by the window, the boy received the ice-cream with pure delight on his face.
“Thank you. You’ll be lucky!”
Jenna paid little attention to his gratitude. Instead, she observed as the boy joyfully savored the ice-cream and then quickly left. She found patrolling constables and informed them of a missing child in the café ahead.
Once she saw that the two constables had entered the café, Jenna breathed a sigh of relief and continued on her way with determined steps.
Before long, she arrived at the Delta Asylum.
The asylum was situated near a hot spring, and behind a wall, there stood a three-story building with a grayish-blue exterior and an annex. The surroundings were adorned with lush lawns bathed in the golden sunlight, along with various mobility aids. It was an excellent environment.
Jenna successfully met with her friend.
The former Showy Diva, like other female patients, had short hair that reached her ears. Her face appeared ordinary, and her eyes held a serene expression. She seemed no different from an ordinary person.
When Jenna conversed with her, it was easy to forget that she was afflicted by mental illness. However, Jenna knew all too well that provoking her could lead to an immediate and frenzied outburst, endangering both herself and others.
After chatting for nearly half an hour, Jenna left the designated meeting room, ready to depart.
As she walked along the outer corridor, she gazed out of the window absentmindedly.
On a green lawn, around 20 to 30 mental patients strolled leisurely, each lost in their own thoughts. They leaned against trees, soaked in the sun, or gathered in small groups, engaging in quiet conversations.
They appeared just like ordinary people.
Jenna scanned the surroundings casually, preparing to shift her attention elsewhere.
At that moment, she spotted a figure dressed in a blue-and-white striped hospital gown.
The figure stood tall at over 1.75 meters. His short brown hair was parted in a 3-7 fashion. Gold-rimmed glasses mostly concealed his flaxen-colored eyes, and his face appeared notably thin, adorned with freckles. In that moment, he paced back and forth on the green lawn, seemingly lost in deep contemplation, as if pondering some philosophical question.
Jenna’s pupils dilated.
Th-this is I Know Someone!