Lord of Mysteries: Starting As A Reader

Inside the personal rest area of the Dream Labyrinth Tower, Vice Admiral Iceberg Edwina Edwards, who had once again arrived via ritual, stood as her spiritual energy neared exhaustion. Bowing slightly toward Ebner, she prepared to leave.

However, Ebner stopped her, offering her a silver card the size of a playing card. With a smile, he said, "Next time you wish to come here, you can try falling asleep with this card in hand."

Edwina examined the card carefully. It was exquisitely crafted, with ornate patterns along the edges. The front depicted a half-length portrait of "Doctor Strange," rendered so vividly that no matter which angle she looked from, it seemed the figure's eyes followed her.

The card's back displayed a star map, exuding a sense of mystery.

To an expert in mysticism like Edwina, though, the diagram seemed rather arbitrary.

"This is your attempt to simplify the ritual?" Edwina asked thoughtfully.

"Exactly," Ebner nodded, though he instinctively placed a hand over his chest as he recalled the grueling process of creating the card.

Edwina considered for a moment before asking quickly, just as her dream-projection began to dissolve, "Could you give me one more?

"I have someone reliable in mind. He could immediately test this simplified ritual for you and even assist with your acting."

Ebner blinked, suspecting he knew who she was referring to. He retrieved another card from the "exchange list" and handed it to her.

Edwina, now holding two cards, dissolved into fragments of light and vanished.

Aboard the Golden Dream, Edwina awoke from her dream. She examined the two ethereal cards for a moment before tucking one securely away. Holding the other, she made her way to the deck, where Danitz was scribbling under the moonlight.

"Captain!" Danitz exclaimed, hurriedly closing his notebook. His tone was tinged with unease.

Edwina arched an eyebrow but then softened her expression. "Learning is commendable. There's no need to hide your efforts."

"Yes, Captain." Danitz exhaled slightly, calming his nerves before asking, "What can I do for you?"

"I need your cooperation in testing an experiment for a friend of mine. It's entirely voluntary," Edwina replied directly.

"Of course, anything for you!" Danitz agreed heartily before hesitating. "Who's the friend, and what's the experiment about?"

"Just hold this card and go to sleep," Edwina said, handing him the card.

Danitz accepted it, confused. As Edwina departed, he scrutinized the card, noticing the face of Doctor Strange depicted on it.

"Captain's friend… Could it really be Doctor Strange? Was the operation against the King of Immortality coordinated with him?"

"But the captain never acted alone…"

Puzzled and wary, Danitz returned to his cabin. Struggling to fall asleep, he eventually resorted to meditation to calm his mind.

---

In the dreamlike library of the Dream Labyrinth Tower, Ebner sensed a connection forming through his Pure White Eye.

"This method is viable," he mused. "It's even more effective than the ritual I gave Edwina. That ritual, while functional, offers too much freedom, especially for someone like her, a Mysticism Magister. She could potentially modify it to gain greater autonomy.

"With this approach, however, every connection passes through the Pure White Eye. It inherently serves as both a filter and a screening mechanism."

Satisfied, Ebner examined the details of this new connection, and upon recognizing the individual, he couldn't help but chuckle.

"Danitz… of course it's him."

With a thought, he used the Pure White Eye to formally accept the connection, completing the final step of the ritual—one that remained firmly under his control as a safeguard.

---

Back in Backlund, at the abandoned Balam Shipyard.

As the power of the Ninth Law Talisman manifested, Wraith Linstor pulled a miniature crimson "full moon" from his pocket—a scarlet lunar corona!

The Prisoner Pathway Beyonders often carried curses tied to the full moon. While these were generally manageable for the Indulgence Faction, who thrived on indulgence, they were crippling for the Temperance Faction, forcing them into a state of intense self-control.

Without his potion's support, Maric struggled to suppress his malevolence as the potion's effects were nullified. His expression twisted as he nearly lost control of his undead minions.

Not far away, Sharon's ghostly form flickered back to a physical state. Her legs seemed weak as she collapsed unsteadily to the ground.

Hidden in the shadows, Klein frowned as he observed the situation. He forcibly suppressed the rising anxiety in his heart.

But upon closer observation, he noticed Sharon's seated posture was oddly deliberate, resembling a poised position ready to spring into action—military-like in its precision. Her sprawling black gothic gown concealed it well, but Klein could see through the facade.

Her legs weren't weak; Sharon was feigning vulnerability!

Realizing this, Klein refrained from intervening, biding his time for the perfect opportunity to strike.

Meanwhile, Jason the Zombie and another werewolf, Stay, grew emboldened, seeing Sharon and Maric seemingly incapacitated.

The zombie cautiously approached Sharon, his gaze fixated on her exquisite face. Under the influence of the full moon, his desires surged uncontrollably. Licking his lips, he sneered, "Sharon, I've always wanted to strip you down and see what's underneath. Finally…"

As he reached for her neckline, a chilling sensation coursed through his body. Despite being a zombie, even he couldn't ignore the cold that now engulfed him.

His stiffened body grew even more rigid, his gaze dulling as two identical reflections appeared in his eyes:

A black gothic gown, golden-blonde hair, a delicate face, and bloodless skin.

It was Sharon.

Wraith Possession!

Jason had fallen victim to Sharon's ambush, succumbing without resistance.

---

In the chaotic confrontation that ensued, Klein's meticulous planning came to fruition. With timed explosives, radiant light from his Sun Brooch, and calculated movements through his Flaming Jump, he kept Linstor at bay, sowing disarray among the enemy.

The culmination came when Sharon, with Klein's assistance, overcame Linstor's assault and seized the Scarlet Lunar Corona. Klein ensured its effects were reversed, restoring Maric's composure and enabling a counterattack against Stay, the werewolf.

---

Elsewhere, deep within Backlund's Saint George Borough, Zatwin glared at the woman before him. His voice seethed with anger:

"You're not Sharon. Who are you?"

The woman, clad in a gothic gown identical to Sharon's, smirked. With a wave of her hand across her face, she revealed her true appearance.

"Surprised, Zatwin?" she teased.

"Helen? So, the Temperance Faction has allied with your blood clan?" Zatwin snarled before attempting to escape through a spatial shift.

However, an ethereal wing-like projection behind Helen blocked his retreat.

"Don't be in such a hurry. Let's talk," Helen said, her tone soft yet brimming with dominance.

Zatwin's face twisted in fury, his mind racing for options.

"Sharon isn't immune to the full moon curse because of potions?" he asked abruptly.

"Of course not," Helen replied, covering her mouth with a laugh. "My son's potions might help an undead like that zombie, but they're useless for Sharon."

Their conversation halted as a fiery explosion lit up the night in the shipyard district. Pillars of flame surged skyward, with one particularly radiant and beautiful burst commanding attention.

"Quite the spectacle," Helen mused, a smile tugging at her lips.

Zatwin seized the distraction to slip away.

Helen didn't pursue. By this point, stopping him served little purpose—especially since she couldn't guarantee his capture even if she tried.

With a sigh, she murmured, "Which Magician put on such a dazzling performance tonight?"

---

Elsewhere in Backlund, Xio Derecha, patrolling the factory district, witnessed the fiery display lighting up the night sky.

Amid her surprise, she recalled Ebner's parting instructions before leaving Backlund:

"When you see explosions at the docks—especially at the Balam Shipyard—or fireworks and flames rising into the sky, immediately arrest Kaspars, the black-market dealer from Braveheart Bar, and bring him to MI9 for protective custody."

(End of Chapter)