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!”

interior of the house, and closed the door

and now her stomach is having trouble digesting it… Klein shook his head as he smiled, slowly walking towards

a Nighthawk civilian staff member

will be risky to be under the noses of the Church of

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

civilian staff has to report his leaving of Tingen. No longer would I

a mission is given, I can only wait for the arrangements and accept orders. There

have the risk of losing

…

out one by one, Klein

ritual, I’m not one of the eighty percent of lucky people. In the future, there is bound to be some bizarre event

joining the Nighthawks can I be equipped with

Beyonder cannot be solely reliant on the Gathering. The potion formula is not a major problem, but where can I

not possible for me to consult Justice and The Hanged Man on every matter and exchange every object with them. This would not only hurt the image of The

to produce anything that can pique

not leave behind the trail of my real identity.

used as leverage. Only then can I initiate the

I could also go to an organization that is suppressed by the various Churches

where to look for them. Even if I manage to gain the corresponding information from The Hanged Man, such rash contact with them

leaves opportunity for

superior, the crowd. Perhaps the identity as a Nighthawk can be 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

…

Gazing at the

would find Dunn Smith today and become part of the Nighthawk’s

this moment, Melissa, who had gotten out of bed again, had pushed open the door to the room. She

was thinking through some things.” Klein smiled, feeling

encounter problems, I’ll list out both the pros and cons one by one and compare them.

a good habit. I did that too,”

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

his breakfast and his sister’s departure, Klein took a good nap. Based on what he knew, nearly all the pubs were closed in the

two o’clock in the afternoon, he smoothed the pleats of his silk hat and handkerchief using a small brush. He also removed the dirt to reestablish

a suit of formal clothing, just like he was going for

that he would miss the “working hours” of the Nighthawk. Therefore, he did not walk there, but instead waited

horse carriages were placed under

into account the top of the carriage. Only a general route existed, without specific stations. It had flexible

First, a rail-like service device was laid on the main street. The horses would move on the inner

problem was that the route and stations were

hitting the tracks approached from a distance. A double-decker horse carriage stopped in front

said to

have to transfer at Champagne Street but when you get there, it takes about ten minutes to walk to Besik Street,” explained the carriage driver

to Champagne Street then.” Klein

a young man with a fair and clean face, as he

a worker

fished out four copper coins from his pocket and handed it to the

carriage and found that there were not many passengers. Even on the first floor,

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

there were a few clothed in their work clothes,

strength, oblivious

after station passed until he finally heard the few words “Champagne

inquired along the way and soon reached Besik Street, where he saw the pub with the brownish-yellow

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

pub. Some were temporary workers, looking

lit. In the center, there were two large iron cages with

wine cups and surrounded it, sometimes discussing loudly while

white, similar to the husky found

you want to bet? Doug has won eight games in a row!” said a little man wearing a brown beret, as he neared Klein and pointed

Taken aback at first, Klein regained his

“Dog-fighting?”

Khoy University, those aristocratic and wealthy students would always ask him contemptuously and curiously, if the boorish workers and unemployed hooligans enjoyed

able to gamble on boxing and card games, didn’t it also include cruel and bloody activities like