Lord of the Mysteries

In a rather spacious living room, Anna and Joyce were seated on different sofas, separated by Anna’s parents.

Joyce sighed with a satisfied expression and said, “Exalted Steam, I am so lucky to come back alive, to be able to see Anna again.”

“My poor Joyce, what happened?” Anna couldn’t help but ask with concern.

Joyce took a glance at his fiancée, and his expression turned grave.

“I still feel terrified to this day. I keep waking up from my dreams again and again. Five days after the Alfalfa left Caesar Pier, we came across pirates, scary pirates. The only fortunate thing was that their leader’s name was Nast.”

“The pirate that calls himself the King of the Five Seas?” Anna’s father, Mr. Wayne, asked in shock.

Although Joyce had already been there for half an hour, he did not volunteer details about his ordeal. He appeared to be fearful, perturbed, and uneasy. It was only after Anna returned and hugged him that he finally appeared to put it behind him.

“Yes, due to his declaration of being a descendant of the Solomon Empire, the King of the Five Seas, Nast didn’t believe in killing captives. Hence, we were only robbed and didn’t lose our lives. His subordinates even left us sufficient food,” Joyce said as he recalled the ordeal.

His body started to quiver, but he continued to describe his deepest and scariest nightmare.

“I didn’t lose much of my wealth. I believed that my misfortune was over, but as we continued towards our destination, a heated conflict erupted among the Alfalfa’s passengers and crew. From disagreement, to fighting, to drawing revolvers, and raising swords to kill each other… I saw nothing but blood during that period. One after another, people beside me fell with eyes opened, never to be closed. Their limbs, hearts, and intestines were scattered across the floors.”

“Those of us who were unwilling to turn into savage beasts, the rational group, had nowhere to hide and nowhere to escape. We were surrounded by deep blue waves and the boundless ocean… Some wailed, some begged for mercy, some sold their bodies, but their heads were hung from the mast either way.

“Anna, I reeled in despair back then. I thought I would never see you again. Fortunately, in such a nightmare, there was still a hero. The captain took us to hide in the sturdy keel of the ship, and we relied on the stored water and food there until the maniacs reached their limits. Mr. Tris encouraged us, courageously leading us in an assault against those murderers…

“After an unforgettable bloody battle, we survived. But the Alfalfa strayed off course, and only a third of the original sailors remained.”

…

When he depicted the most horrible and darkest side of the human psyche, Joyce couldn’t help but recall the “hero,” the man that called himself Tris. He had a round and amiable face. He was shy like a girl and enjoyed staying in a corner. Only people whom he was familiar with knew that he was a very good conversationalist.

But it was such an unremarkable boy who stood in front of everyone with determination in the worst of days.

from eternal separation.” Tears

a

went through storms, lost

didn’t have a chance to send telegrams home to update our loved ones. When they released us this morning, I immediately borrowed some money from my friend and took

he looked towards his fiancée in

me, I could feel your happiness and surprise, but I couldn’t understand why you rushed towards the door so excitedly right after you

and continued in disbelief, “There’s nothing to hide, Joyce. As I was worried about you, I went to the only divination club in Tingen City today for a divination. That fortune-teller—no, the seer told me, he said, ‘Your fiancé has returned; he’s in

the Wayne couple

face

it either, but it happened. Exalted Steam, perhaps there really are miracles in

he asked me if the house with a toy windmill was yours or mine. When I confirmed it was mine, he said, ‘Congratulations Miss Anna, Mr. Joyce Meyer

in Enmat Harbor? No, that doesn’t explain it. How did he know that I

last minute,” Anna replied

be used any time soon. Perhaps, that is the fascinating aspect of divination.” Anna’s father, Mr. Wayne sighed and concluded. “In the known history of more than a thousand

shook his head lightly and

and said,

…

the reception lobby

Anna leave as though she had lost her soul,

asked

did not dare ask the actual result, afraid of violating the unspoken rule

took out three copper coins from his pocket. “One-eighth

and realized that one of them was a penny and two of them were halfpence. She quickly held it out and said, “There’s an additional

my customer. She gave me a tip, so it’s

you for recommending me… he

unknown fear of Klein, but since the reason was appropriate,

meeting room, believing that there would be

did not receive a second customer by forty minutes past

Divination Club’s business was poor, but because most

likely were recommended by others and had long determined whose services to hire… In short, I’m still lacking in