Lord of the Mysteries

“Please come in,” Dunn Smith said with a mellow and pleasant voice.

Klein turned the doorknob and pushed open the door to see the Captain having his breakfast. In his right hand was a cup of coffee emitting a rich aroma. On the plate in front of him, there was white bread toast and bacon.

Dunn placed the remaining sandwiched toast with butter into his mouth and ate it. He then silently pointed to the chair opposite his desk.

Klein didn’t disturb his Captain from enjoying his breakfast. With a smile, he sat down as he waited patiently.

Dunn saw that he was in no hurry, so he relaxed back into his chair, picked up his coffee to take a sip, and swallowed the food in his mouth.

He took a napkin, wiped the corners of his lips and said, “What’s the matter?”

Klein nodded seriously and said, “I’ve met Daxter Guderian, the doctor at the asylum and also member of the Psychology Alchemists.”

As he spoke, he caught a glimpse of the magazine that was spread open before the Captain.

“Did he provide any news?” Dunn asked, crossing his arms.

Klein simply described, “He told me that before Hood Eugen went crazy, there was someone who visited him quite frequently. That person’s name is Lanevus.”

“Lanevus…” Dunn massaged his temples. “I seem to have heard of it before…”

“He’s the cheat who swindled at least ten thousand pounds,” Klein reminded him.

Dunn thought for a while with a serious look on his face. He then shook his head to show that he had no memory of it.

Captain, you’re not sensitive at all when it comes to money! Klein lampooned and told him the related story about Lanevus by highlighting the main points.

“The cheat falsely claimed that he had prospected and purchased an iron mine with rich deposits of iron ore. He raised funds from private individuals in Tingen and swindled more than ten thousand pounds. Someone I know from the Divination Club suffered a loss from this. In addition, a young woman was swindled into an engagement with him and is now pregnant with his child.”

“He visited Hood Eugen multiple times before he went crazy,” Dunn said in thought. “Sequence 8 Beyonder, Swindler? The Marauder pathway…”

Captain, your memory is actually good when it comes to this kind of thing… Klein found it funny as he reflected over it. He nodded faintly and said, “That was my guess as well.

“Because the steelworks company that Lanevus set up was in the South and the victims were of several different beliefs, the case wasn’t passed to us in the end. Even if there had been evidence of Beyonder involvement in the case, it would’ve been passed over to the Mandated Punishers.”

Dunn finally understood the ins and outs of the story. He looked at Klein with his deep gray eyes and said, “What do you want to do?”

Cough, Captain, can you please not be so sensitive… Klein replied with a mask of solemnity, “I want to talk to Hood Eugen via a mediumship ritual and figure out why Lanevus came looking for him. I want to know if that visit is directly related to him going insane.”

Dunn nodded slightly and said, “Even if you hadn’t applied to do it, I would’ve had a similar experiment done when we were certain that Hood Eugen is crazy.

“However, Daly told me that it’s quite risky. Are you confident? I can ask for assistance from the Backlund diocese. It shouldn’t be a problem to delay it for a few days.”

Klein’s main motivation to become a Beyonder was to study mysticism and find a way home. As it was a chance for practical exercise and he was confident enough, he was naturally unwilling to give it up.

“Captain, I’ve mastered knowledge on the subject. I’m confident about this.

Amantha extract, Eye of the Spirit medicine,

Agent…” Dunn ruminated over the

it was a liquid medicine that was rarely used yet was very

into his chair. He said, “Go ahead and fill out a request form. Then, collect what you need from

“Alright,” Klein replied happily.

get up but sat firmly in

said, “It happens to be my turn to monitor the asylum this evening… We can’t visit Hood Eugen directly. No one knows if there are members of the Psychology Alchemists disguised as doctors, nurses, janitors, or patients in the asylum. No one knows if the Psychology Alchemists are monitoring Hood

go at dawn

guard while you perform the ritual to prevent any accidents

be crazy, while I use a mediumship ritual on him, It would be like I barged into the zoo and danced before a tiger…

and walked towards

eyes noticed the title of the magazine article the Captain was reading: “Donningsman Tree Sap in

opened the door, and exited the

was a playful thought that flashed through his

could design a ritualistic magic for hair regrowth. Then, he would pray for the Goddess’s assistance. Whether one would be covered with hair and become a curly haired baboon, that’s another story… What would

sadness, but there

office and sat before the Akerson Model 1346 typewriter and finished typing

he took it down to the basement and walked along the

that moment did Klein realize

time that he was going beyond the mysterious

looks like…” He quickened his pace with anticipation and came before the twin doors of

purposes. Then, Klein took back the document that now had her signature as well. He knocked on Chanis Gate and sensed how

any footsteps but within half a minute, the gate with seven Dark

a stop. Klein then walked in with the help of the gas lamps on both sides of the

elderly man with obvious wrinkles and thinning hair. He was

mixture of light and darkness. His light blue eyes

he said with

Gate with his partners. They would pass by the duty room and take the hallway leading to Saint

were Nighthawks who had aged and volunteered to keep guard

five of them

in his hands to the elderly man before

barn lantern and looked through the request carefully. After he made sure that there were no mistakes, he

He had yet to take a good look around when he felt an

winter, but a chill that would

in succession, and there were silver

Creak!

closed Chanis Gate, and

Klein, a walkway paved with ancient

stone doors labeled “Ingredients,” “Medicine,” “Information,”

the walkway, there was a flight of stairs that connected to the lower floors. It extended into the dark as

ashes?Klein adapted to the brightness behind the gate and suddenly felt that there was something shapeless

he couldn’t help but activate his

Gate. It was filled with fine black lines. They were swaying lightly, occasionally clustered together, occasionally extended. They were