Lord of the Mysteries

The sound of running footsteps entered Klein’s ears, calming him down as he stood at the entrance of the guard room.

Leonard arrived first, holding a revolver. He asked in a solemn voice, “What happened?”

Watching Leonard struggle to stop, Klein suddenly thought of something that Rozanne had mentioned in the past. Three years ago, Leonard, who had just become a Sleepless, tried to run down the flight of stairs despite not having adapted to the potion’s power, causing him to fall and roll down.

With a cough, Klein pointed at Chanis Gate and said, “There was a knocking noise from the inside, which then became a loud slamming noise. Then the door was pushed open a little.”

“Chanis Gate was pushed open?” the short Kenley asked in shock.

“Yes, a slit was opened.” Klein continued his description. He saw that Leonard, Kenley, and Royale had stopped approaching the guard room, instead forming an arc formation a few steps away, loosely surrounding Klein.

He paused for a moment before asking, “Are you suspicious of me?”

“No, it isn’t suspicion. This is protocol.” Kenley shook his head.

In this tense atmosphere, Leonard maintained his flippant attitude, laughing as he added, “There have been incidents like this in other churches. The Beyonder guarding Chanis Gate lost control and pulled the bell before killing two teammates who came to help.”

“Alright.” Klein no longer felt angry and aggrieved at being ostracized. Instead, he asked, “Then how should I prove that I haven’t lost control?”

Leonard wiped away his flippant smile and tapped his chest four times. With a hoarse voice, he recited softly, “Lacking clothes and food, they have no shelter in the cold.

“They are drenched by rains, and huddle around the rocks for lack of shelter.

“They are orphans snatched from the breast, hope lost on them; they are the poor that have been forced off the proper path.

“The Evernight did not forsake them, but bestowed them with love.”

…

The holy, yet pitiful prayer reverberated around the basement, making the bodies, hearts, and souls of everyone present feel purified and tranquil.

Seeing Klein not display any abnormal reactions, Leonard stopped his recital and smiled.

“There’s no problem. You are still our trusted partner.”

Madam Royale, who had been quiet all this time, looked at Chanis Gate and asked, “What did you see when the gate was pushed open?”

“I saw a Misfortune Cloth Puppet, the one wearing the black classic regal gown, 3-0625,” Klein replied, still a little fearful. “But three seconds later, a formless power pulled it back and Chanis Gate was closed once again. What’s going on?”

and

closed once again and there’s nothing unusual, we shouldn’t enter it at this time. We have to

here and guard the

moved his hand and gave a bantering laugh. “As the most powerful person here, I shall stay too. Kenley, return to the second floor just

much, he just nodded

glanced at

can continue our card game? It’s best to have some sort

revolver and put it back into his armpit holster. Royale didn’t voice an opinion, but instead stroked her smooth, black

said casually, “Misfortune Cloth Puppet, I mean 3-0625, according to its description, isn’t equipped with

showed his hand and replied with the same casual tone, “In the past forty years, 3-0625 hasn’t displayed any life-like characteristics. We can

an idea?”

brewed coffee and said, “Yes, since 3-0625 shouldn’t have any life-like characteristics, then its actions today must have been influenced by some other factor. This factor must also be rather recent;

anything different about Chanis Gate

his three deuces and pondered for a few

is only one thing different; the Antigonus family’s notebook and the Sealed Artifact

smile, “If 2-049 can make the Misfortune Cloth Puppet act abnormally, then something similar should have happened behind Backlund’s Chanis

for a moment

the most likely explanation… Leonard, I never expected you to

speaking, being a romantic poet and a

straight from 8

Klein and Leonard

not been concentrating on the game, they forget

‘Evil’

cut the deck, Klein took the opportunity to ask, “Then what power

glanced at him

mechanisms behind Chanis Gate only consists of the buried

would have already left Chanis Gate and returned to Saint

strongest at night and is no longer safe for any living creature. The power only weakens when

reason… Klein thought for a bit before asking, “Defensive mechanisms

magnified versions of amulets and

a reason that Chanis Gates are placed in the central cathedral of each city. The gate is maintained by the followers that go to these churches every day. Their sincere prayers allow a part of their spirituality to enter the

he saw that he had a

laughed and said, “There isn’t just one defensive mechanism behind Chanis Gate. Saint Selena’s ashes are buried inside. She

Beyonder? Sacred ashes? What use do those have? Klein was as puzzled

the Third Epoch and her deeds were written in many holy scriptures. Thus, Saint Selena was a fairly commonly-used

read Klein’s mind as he continued, “Rumors suggest that the skeleton or ashes of High-Sequence Beyonders still contain incredible

focusing his attention on the cards in his