Lord of the Mysteries

Phew, I finally got through the round with the medium…

Klein let out a foul breath. He slowly turned around and enjoyed the cool breeze and tranquility of the night while walking closer and closer to the apartment building’s door.

He took out his keys, inserted the correct one in and turned it gently, allowing the crimson-mixed darkness to expand with the creaking sound of the opened door.

Walking on the staircase without a single person in sight and taking in the cold air, Klein had an inexplicable and amazing feeling. It felt like he had a few more hours than others. This caused him to hasten his pace.

In a similar state of mind, he opened the door to his room and before he even stepped inside, he saw a silhouette sitting silently in front of his desk. It had reddish black hair, bright brown eyes, and a delicate, pretty face. Undoubtedly, she was Melissa Moretti!

“Klein, where did you go?” Melissa asked curiously as she relaxed her eyebrows.

Without waiting for Klein’s reply, she added, “Just now, I got up to go to the bathroom and realized you weren’t home.” It was as if she wanted to know everything clearly, from the causes and effects of the matter to the underlying logic.

With great experience at lying to his parents, Klein’s brain took a spin before he gave a bitter smile and calmly replied, “I couldn’t fall asleep again after I woke up. Instead of wasting time, I decided that I should train my body. So I went out to run a few rounds. Look at my sweat!”

He took off his jacket and half-turned his body, pointing to his back.

Melissa stood up, took a glance half-heartedly and deliberated for a few moments before saying, “Honestly speaking, Klein, you don’t have to stress yourself out. I’m sure you can pass the interview to Tingen University. Even if you can’t, er—I mean if —you can still find better ones.”

I haven’t even thought about the interview… Klein nodded his head and said, “I understand.”

He did not mention the “offer” that he had gotten because he had not decided whether he wanted to join them or not.

Staring at Klein intensely, Melissa suddenly turned around and trotted into the interior of the house. She took out an object that resembled a tortoise. It was comprised of items like gears, rusted iron, torsion springs and ordinary springs.

After quickly tightening the torsion spring, Melissa placed the object on the desk.

Ka! Ka! Ka!

Dum! Dum! Dum!

The “tortoise” moved and jumped with a rhythm that could pull anyone’s attention.

“Whenever I feel irritated, I feel much better seeing this tortoise move. I’ve been doing this very often recently and it’s very effective! Klein, give it a try!” invited Melissa as her eyes brightened.

Klein did not turn down his sister’s goodwill. He approached the “tortoise” and waited for it to stop before laughing. He said, “Simplicity and regularity can indeed help relaxation.”

Without waiting for Melissa’s reply, Klein pointed to the “tortoise” and casually asked, “Did you make this yourself? When did you make this? Why wasn’t I aware of it?”

“I made use of unwanted materials from school and things picked up from the streets to make this. It was only finished two days ago,” Melissa said in her usual tone, the side of her lips upturned a few more degrees.

“That’s impressive,” Klein praised sincerely.

As a boy with poor skills in machine assembly, he encountered great difficulties even assembling a four-wheel toy car as a child.

With her chin slightly raised and her eyes slightly bent, Melissa calmly replied, “It was okay.”

“Being overly humble is a bad trait,” Klein smiled slightly and continued, “This is a tortoise, right?”

Instantly, the atmosphere in the room took a great plunge, leaving behind an air of graveness for a while. Then, Melissa faintly replied with a voice that seemed enigmatic like the crimson veil, “It’s a puppet.”

Puppet…

Klein gave an awkward smile, and tried to forcefully explain, “The problem lies in the materials, they’re too rudimentary.”

Following that, he tried to change the topic and said, “Why would you go to the bathroom in the middle of the night? Isn’t there a toilet here? Don’t you always sleep till dawn?”

Melissa was taken aback momentarily.

It was only after a few seconds, before she opened her mouth, prepared to explain.

At that moment, an intense sound of digestion sounded from herthoracoabdominal 1 area.

“I-I’ll go get some more sleep!”

her tortoise-like “puppet”, trotted to the interior of the house, and

now her stomach is having trouble digesting it… Klein shook his head as he smiled, slowly walking towards his desk. He sat down soundlessly, silently pondering Dunn Smith’s invitation as the crimson red moon

staff member

be risky to be under the noses of the

as I join Dunn Smith and his team, I would certainly aim to become a Beyonder. I could then cover up the benefits gained

staff has to report his leaving of Tingen. No longer would I be able to go wherever I want or

I can only wait for the arrangements and accept orders. There is

risk of

…

one by one, Klein turned to

the luck enhancement ritual, I’m not one of the eighty percent of lucky people. In the future, there is bound to

one of the Beyonders or by joining the Nighthawks can I be equipped

formula is not a major problem,

me to consult Justice and The Hanged Man on every matter and exchange every object with them. This would not only

I am unable to produce anything that can

often than not leave behind the trail of my real

channels. This can sufficiently accumulate into a corresponding social circle and can be used as leverage. Only then can I initiate the Gathering and in turn gain the greatest benefits from Justice and The Hanged Man. In reality, the gains can feedback into reality, allowing me to obtain

by the various

I’ll also lose my freedom, and be in a constant state of fear and anxiety. However, more importantly, I have no idea where to look for them. Even if I manage to gain the corresponding information from The Hanged Man, such rash contact with

opportunity for a buffer

crowd. Perhaps the identity as a

future, when I become one of the top authorities of the tribunal, who would imagine that I am a heretic, the head of the secret organization who

…

the first rays of the morning sun shone, the crimson disappeared. Gazing at the

would find Dunn Smith today and become part of

gotten out of bed again, had pushed open the door to the room. She was surprised to see her brother stretching in an unglamorous manner. “You didn’t

some things.” Klein smiled, feeling

by one and compare them. After

I did that too,” Klein smiled and

not add more. Holding a yellowish sheet of paper and her

Klein took a good nap. Based on what he knew, nearly all the pubs were closed in the

he smoothed the pleats of his silk hat and handkerchief using a small brush. He also

formal clothing, just

hours” of the Nighthawk. Therefore, he did

were placed under two

drawn by two horses and could sit approximately 20 people while taking into account the top of the carriage. Only a general route existed, without specific stations. It

on the main street. The horses would move on the inner lane while

route and stations were

minutes, the sound of the wheels hitting the tracks approached from a distance. A

Klein said

about ten minutes to walk to Besik Street,” explained the carriage driver to

go to Champagne Street then.” Klein nodded

four pence”, said a young man with a

was a worker

his pocket and

not many passengers. Even on

three pence on me now, so I can only walk when I go back…” Klein pressed his hat down and sat

women were mostly well-dressed although there were a few clothed in their work clothes, leisurely reading newspapers.

eyes and recharged his strength, oblivious to the coming and going of passengers around

after station passed until he finally heard the

carriage, he inquired along the way and soon reached Besik Street, where he saw the pub with

The heavy door gradually opened, inundating him with a wave of uproarious noises and an impetuous

customers in the pub. Some were temporary workers, looking for opportunities here, waiting to be hired. Others were simply idling around, numbing themselves

lit. In the center, there were two large iron cages with a third of its bottom sinking deep into the ground without

held wooden wine cups and surrounded it, sometimes discussing loudly

One was black and white, similar to the husky found on Earth. The

a row!” said a little man wearing a brown beret, as he neared Klein and pointed to the

at first, Klein

“Dog-fighting?”

wealthy students would always ask him contemptuously and curiously, if the boorish workers and unemployed hooligans enjoyed participating

being able to gamble on boxing and card games, didn’t it also include cruel and bloody activities like cock-fighting, dog-fighting, and