599 If You Have “Power,” Use It
Lumian didn’t hurry Lugano. He preferred to observe the Doctor’s decision-
making.
After a pause, Lugano gathered his courage and inquired, “Will you be bringing Ludwig along in the future?”
“Of course,” Lumian replied, glancing sideways at Ludwig, who was devouring a roasted octopus.
Had he not received the 0-01 information from the Church of Knowledge, he wouldn’t have considered keeping such a child around. However, Ludwig had proven his usefulness.
In the future, he might serve as another Loki trap.
Lugano swallowed and offered, “I can assist you in caring for Ludwig, so you won’t need to factor him in when dealing with matters—unlike how you could simply leave whenever you pleased in the past.”
As anticipated… Lumian wasn’t taken aback by Lugano’s proposal.
He raised his chin slightly and inquired, “Reason?”
Lugano smiled sheepishly and explained, “During this journey, I’ve witnessed much and faced attacks. It made me realize that Sequence 8s are still insignificant in the mysticism world. They’re ill-equipped to handle risks. Yes, if I return to Trier and discreetly wield my Doctor powers, I’ll undoubtedly attain middle-class status. It’s not inconceivable to ascend to high society, but I fear that garnering too much fame will draw the attention of official Beyonders. Trier isn’t as lenient as Port Santa, which is more accommodating to wild Beyonders.
“Furthermore, those dangerous Beyonders are always lurking around us. I refuse to be defenseless the next time I’m targeted.”
“If you refrain from participating in mysticism gatherings and solely run a clinic as a doctor, you wouldn’t be entangled in dangerous affairs. You could easily handle ordinary thieves and bandits,” Lumian countered nonchalantly.
Lugano shook his head.
“The Beyonder who left me his relics, enabling me to become a Planter, once warned me that once I enter the mysticism world, escape is impossible. Beyonder incidents will always surround us. If I’m fortunate, I might survive until natural death, but if I’m unlucky, I’ll end up like him.
“At first, I didn’t fully believe it, but the events of the past six months have increasingly convinced me of its truth. I did nothing, yet Rue Anarchie collapsed, and a peculiar tree sprouted. Before you hired me, I dreamed of becoming a figure in a painting, unable to return to reality. Upon waking up, I found myself wanted. This time, all I did was care for Ludwig, staying clear of any involvement, yet I was still senselessly attacked…”
Mm… Lumian’s expression grew more peculiar as he listened.
I seem to be the common denominator in all your tales…
Yet, you persist in following me…
Is this another instance of Beyonders encountering mysticism incidents? You didn’t encounter those incidents, but me…
Lugano continued,”I’ve also witnessed Beyonder powers like teleportation and tsunamis. Being just a Sequence 8 no longer satisfies me. I believe I’ll find more opportunities by following you.”
Lumian gazed at Lugano, unsure if someone had influenced him to insist on following or if Ludwig had somehow “tamed” him to be his “nanny.”
Initially, Lumian thought Lugano, as a Beyonder of the Planter pathway, had ties to the Church of Earth Mother. However, despite paying close attention, he hadn’t observed any additional communication between his guide and the Fertility Order or the Church of Earth Mother’s clergyman. Furthermore, Lugano seemed like a stranger.
Seeing Lumian stay silent, Lugano smiled ingratiatingly and proposed, “I have a gift for languages. I can self-learn Dutanese from the Southern Continent. As long as you pay me 300 verl d’or a month and promise me a share of the spoils, I can continue to be your guide, private doctor, child caregiver, and be half a fighter.”
“Sure.” Lumian handed over a total of 10,000 verl d’or. “This is the final 5,000 verl d’or from before. Additionally, you were attacked. As per our agreement, I’ll pay you an extra 5,000 verl d’or, making it a total of 10,000.”
Lugano gladly accepted the payment and began packing.
Lumian seized the moment to count his cash, confirming he still possessed 1,000 verl d’or in gold, 76,000 verl d’or in gold coins, along with other coins, banknotes, and the remaining 2,000 gold risot yet to be spent.
As long as he refrained from acquiring Beyonder characteristics, potion formulas, mystical items, or high-end mysticism knowledge, the money he carried could sustain him for a considerable time.
The following morning, Lumian boarded the ship bound for Feynapotter, adopting the guise of the adventurer Louis Berry. Approaching the first-class suite, he turned to Ludwig, posing a thoughtful question, “In your memories, or rather, Loki’s memories, are there any peculiar creatures? They resemble lizards but are quite small. They can crawl into a human’s mouth, appearing transparent and blurry, suspected to be Spirit Body. They have brownish-
green scales and dark-green eyes.”
This description deviated significantly from the Starlight Lizards transformed by the Children of the Sea.
Ludwig shook his head.
“No, it’s not in the Batings Black Insect’s memories either.”
Lumian fell silent, observing Lugano as he opened the suite door with the mannerisms of a servant.
Another hour passed, and amidst a whistle, the ship departed Port Santa.
After nearly two hours of sailing, the weather gradually worsened. The waves surged, and the strong winds compelled passengers on the deck to retreat to their cabins.
Observing the dusky sky, the dark clouds stirred by the wind, and the rising waves, many passengers, sailing for the first time, felt a sense of anxiety.
Noticing the confidence of the sailors beside them, they sought reassurance, “This is a common occurrence at sea. It’s not dangerous, right?”
A Port Santa native, working as a sailor, replied with a smile, “It’s relatively common, but it can be a bit dangerous. If the storm intensifies, we might need to seek shelter in a nearby port. But don’t worry. This year’s sea prayer ritual was a success. The current Governor of the Sea will protect us and prevent any shipwrecks!”
Governor of the Sea… The passengers became even more uneasy upon hearing the sailor’s response.
They had taken part in various sea prayer rituals and celebrations in Port Santa. While enjoyable, they didn’t truly believe that the Governor of the Sea could exert any significant influence on the waves.
Amidst their unease, they were astonished to find that the rising waves suddenly subsided.
Despite the dark clouds and strong winds, the seawater seemed to be pressed down by an invisible force, showing no noticeable fluctuations.
The Port Santa natives erupted in cheers.
“Long live the Governor! Praise the Governor of the Sea!”
Witnessing this, the passengers exchanged glances, momentarily speechless.
In the first-class suite, Lumian relaxed in a recliner, sipping undiluted Manzan. On his lap lay a Southern Continent Dutanese introductory textbook.
Clenching his right hand into a fist, he pulled it downward.
A section of the dark clouds in the sky descended, forming a formidable funnel.
Sunlight penetrated the massive hole, brightening the cabin and highlighting Lumian’s book.
Retracting his right hand, Lumian flipped through a page of the book. He found the Governor of the Sea’s abilities truly advantageous at sea.
Unfortunately, he could only use it for one more day.
…
Late at night in Trier, Angoulême returned to his residence and habitually switched on the radio transceiver.
Before long, a telegram arrived.
Upon seeing “Hidden Blade,” Angoulême frowned.
“Two bits of good news and a spot of bad news. Which one do you want first?
“I know. You must want to hear the good news first. I’ll get straight to it.
“The first piece of good news is that the humanoid Sealed Artifact has been located and secured. You don’t have to worry about the business trip to Feynapotter. You can focus on investigating the Mirror People matter in peace.
“The second piece of good news is that after communication, we’ve confirmed that the faction controlling the humanoid Sealed Artifact might return it to you. We’re willing to facilitate the matter, but you’ll need to provide all the information about the humanoid Sealed Artifact in exchange. Of course, it’s just a possibility, nothing set in stone. You won’t need to make a substantial payment until we reach an agreement.
“Bad news. Heh heh, there’s a traitor in your Church. The humanoid Sealed Artifact was lost because of a mole! We’re certain of this.
“Go, 007. Your chance to render meritorious service has arrived!”
After reading it in one go, Angoulême felt a sense of relief. This was because after the humanoid Sealed Artifact was lost, the Church’s upper echelons suspected a traitor and conducted an investigation, but to no avail. There was indeed an issue with the case leading to the loss of the humanoid Sealed Artifact, but the five Purifiers in charge of that case had been cleared of any wrongdoing during the investigation. They hadn’t performed well back then and had merely encountered an accident.
It seems that the mole has concealed himself well… Angoulême muttered to himself.
…
Quartier de la Cathédrale Commémorative, Apartment 702, 9 Rue Orosai.
Franca sat by the bed and chatted in the telegram group, waiting for Jenna to return.
Her female companion would visit the Quartier de la Maison d’Opéra once a week to watch a theater performance and only return at midnight. However, the exact day she went was uncertain. Furthermore, she would disguise herself to prevent others from noticing her travel patterns.
Anthony, who lived nearby, had been busy infiltrating a circle of psychology enthusiasts, hoping to come into contact with a true Psychiatrist.
I seem to be the only one with time on my hands. I haven’t received any feedback about Mirror People… Franca wasn’t the kind of person who insisted on having something on her hands. She excelled in finding joy in life.
While Franca thought about Jenna, Jenna—who had just finished watching the last play—put on a hat with a black veil and stood up to leave the theater, where many spectators were still lingering.
At the exit, she patiently queued up and moved out.
Suddenly, Jenna sensed a slight tremor from one of the items on her.
Instinctively, she reached in and realized that it was the Mirror World Fragment from the Tamara family’s tomb.
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