Lord of the Mysteries

After confirming his plan, Zhou Mingrui immediately felt he had a mental crutch. His fear and unease were all swept away into a corner of his mind.

Only then did he had the mood to carefully study Klein’s memory fragments.

Zhou Mingrui habitually stood up before turning off the pipe’s valve. He watched the wall lamp gradually dim until its flame extinguished before sitting back down. As he subconsciously fiddled with the revolver’s brass cylinder, he pressed the side of his head. He slowly recalled his memories in the crimson-dyed darkness as though he was the most attentive viewer in a movie theater.

Perhaps as a result of having a bullet pass through his head, Klein’s memories were like shattered glass. Not only were the memories not contiguous, there were many spots which were clearly missing. For example, memories pertaining to how the exquisite revolver appeared in his possession, whether he had committed suicide, or was killed, as well as the meaning of the words ‘Everyone will die, including me’ on the notebook, or whether he had participated in anything odd two days before the incident.

Not only had these particular memories become fragmented, there were also missing pieces. It was the same even for knowledge he ought to know. In light of the present situation, Zhou Mingrui believed that if Klein were to return to university, it was unlikely he could graduate. This was despite him having left campus just days ago without relaxing one bit.

He needs to participate in the Tingen University’s History department interview two days later…

The university graduates of Loen Kingdom do not have the tradition of staying at their alma mater… His mentor had given him a recommendation letter for Tingen University and Backlund University…

…

Through the window, Zhou Mingrui silently observed the red moon setting in the west. The gradual sinking of the moon continued until faint light glowed from the east, dyeing the horizon golden.

At that moment, there was a commotion inside the apartment. Soon, the sound of footsteps approached his door.

“Melissa is awake… She’s really as punctual as always.” Zhou Mingrui smiled. Due to Klein’s memories, seeing Melissa made him feel as though she was really his younger sister.

However, I do not have a younger sister… He immediately contradicted himself.

Melissa was different from Benson and Klein. Her rudimentary education was not completed at the Sunday school classes offered by the Church of the Evernight Goddess. When she reached schooling age, the Loen Kingdom had enacted the ‘Basic Education Law.’ A Primary and Secondary Education Committee was established and was specially provided with funding, increasing the kingdom’s investment into education.

In less than three years, under the premise that numerous church schools would be incorporated, many public primary schools were established to strictly maintain the principle of religious neutrality. This was to prevent education from involving itself in the conflicts between the Lord of Storms, Evernight Goddess, and the God of Steam and Machinery.

Compared to Sunday school that only cost a copper penny a week, a public primary school’s cost of three pence a week appeared rather expensive. However, the former only provided education every Sunday, whereas the latter provided six days of classes a week. In conclusion, the price was so low that it was almost free.

Melissa was different from most girls. From a young age, she enjoyed things like gears, springs, and bearings. Her ambition was to be a steam mechanic.

Having suffered from a lack of culture, Benson, who knew the importance of education, supported his sister’s dreams just like how he supported Klein’s university education. After all, Tingen Technical School was only considered secondary education. There was no need for her to attend language school or a public school for more knowledge.

In July last year, fifteen-year-old Melissa passed her entrance examinations and fulfilled her dreams of becoming a student at the Tingen Technical School’s Steam and Machinery department. As such, her weekly school fees raised to nine pence.

of the employees were retrenched. In order to keep his job and maintain their livelihood, Benson could only accept more arduous tasks. He had to work overtime more frequently or head to places with harsh environments. That was what he was occupied with

think of helping share his elder brother’s burden but being born a commoner and having been admitted into an average language school, he felt a strong sense of inadequacy when he enrolled into university. For example, as the origin of all languages in the Northern Continent, the ancient language of Feysac was something all the children of nobles and of the wealthy class would

similar aspects during his schooling career. Klein nearly gave his all and often stayed up late into the night and woke up early before barely

the doorknob

a

It will scare children!

still the wound on my

onto his temple and hurriedly pulled open a desk drawer and

looked over curiously when she

food to eat, making her

his sister’s brown eyes look over, he forcibly composed himself and picked up an item beside his hand before calmly closing the drawer to conceal the existence of the revolver. He placed his other hand on his temple, the texture confirming

watch and pressed the top gently, causing its cover to

second-hand item, it would often malfunction from time to time in recent years even though he had gotten a watchsmith to fix it. It had embarrassed Benson who enjoyed bringing it with him to elevate his status many a time, so it was thrown away back at

principles behind the watch, she borrowed the tools from her Technical School to fiddle with the pocket watch.

the watch’s open cover and saw that the second hand was not moving. Subconsciously,

it a few times, he did not hear the sound of taut springs. The second

looked at his sister while trying to find

expressionless glance and briskly walked over

stood in her spot and pulled up the button sitting atop the pocket watch. With a few simple turns, the

pulling the button up usually meant to adjust

from a faraway cathedral. It chimed six times, sounding distant and

tilted her head to listen to it and pulled the button up once again.

simply without emotion. She then pressed the top button back and

a smile

to the cupboard. She took her toiletries and towel before opening the door to leave. She

a look of

a look of love and concern for a

the pocket watch’s cover with a click

as his idle thoughts focused

should have caused

is Klein’s suicide shrouded in mystery to

opened. Clack! The pocket watch closed… Melissa returned from washing up and saw her brother’s