Lord of Mysteries: The Assassin's Dark Path

Varina was led by the attendant to the second floor, stopping in front of a narrow wooden compartment.

He lifted the curtain and entered, the dim light of a wall-mounted candle revealing a single chair occupied by a woman.

She was a sweet-looking lady with fluffy, slightly curled hair, dressed in a pale yellow gown.

She stood up with a smile and softly asked, "Do you have the Eyes of the Enchanting Banshee for sale?"

Although the woman appeared pleasing to the eye, Varina felt a chill run down his spine, a creeping unease that made his skin crawl.

Steeling himself, he replied, "To be honest, I don't."

"Are you toying with me?"

The woman's delicate face quickly turned frosty. "Do you know that fabricating transactions will earn you punishment from Mr. A?"

Varina shook his head. "I didn't lie. I told the attendant I wanted to speak with the person seeking the Eyes of the Enchanting Banshee about a potential trade."

"So you're here to discuss another transaction?" The sweet-looking woman began eyeing Varina up and down with an eerie gaze.

Varina nodded decisively. "Yes, I'm looking for the formula for the Assassin potion."

"So, it's you."

The woman nodded slightly, a minor puzzle in her mind now solved.

She was about to speak but suddenly thought of something else and blurted out, "Wait, how did you recognize my Sequence?"

"You know about the Path of Bliss and yet still need the Assassin formula?"

The realization brought nothing but malice to her eyes. If not for the fact that this was Mr. A's gathering, she likely would've attacked on the spot.

"Don't act rashly! I can explain!"

Varina raised both hands, gesturing for calm as he quickly explained:

"I'm half an Assassin. My parents died long ago."

"I recognized your Sequence because I had a faint recollection of the material, the Eyes of the Enchanting Banshee, and decided to take a gamble."

"After all, if I didn't take this chance, I wouldn't survive much longer."

The witch's expression shifted slightly, showing a trace of interest. "Prove it to me."

Varina nodded and smoothly moved a few steps sideways, crouching into the shadows where the candlelight couldn't reach.

"A lost child of the Primordial…"

The frost on the witch's face melted, replaced by a warm and gentle smile. "Poor child, for you to find me shows how capable you are."

Varina rose from the shadows, his excitement evident. "So, you'll give me the potion formula?"

"No, not yet."

The witch sat back down and said,

"If just anyone could become an Assassin, why didn't I respond to your earlier request for a trade?"

"Obviously, you're thinking too simply."

She shifted her position, settling into a more comfortable posture before continuing:

"At this point, not only are you unqualified, but frankly, neither am I."

"To become an Assassin, you need to prove your determination by completing a task."

"And as for me…" She paused briefly. "Once I acquire the Eyes of the Enchanting Banshee, I'll finally qualify to recruit subordinates."

Varina was stunned. This strict?

No wonder the Path of the Assassin remains tightly controlled by a secretive cult—it seems nearly impossible to obtain the formula through alternative channels.

"What must I do to become an Assassin as soon as possible?" Varina asked.

"Let's start with introductions."

The witch gazed at him with a smile. "I am Qili, a member of the Witch Sect, Sequence 7."

"Varina Atano. Nothing more to say."

Qili nodded nonchalantly. "Let's be clear—I'm quite satisfied with you, and since I'm about to ascend to Sequence 6, I won't be recommending you to anyone else."

"You'll be the first subordinate I cultivate. Any objections?"

"None."

What else could Varina say? The answer was, of course, no.

"Good."

"Rest assured, I won't waste your time. While I'm searching for materials, you can work on your task to prove your determination and value as an Assassin."

As she spoke, Qili approached Varina and extended her left hand. "Hand over a lock of hair and a drop of blood, and you'll earn my trust."

There was no room for hesitation.

Varina had exhausted all available channels and had no other options.

There was no margin for doubt either.

Qili had made herself clear. Refusal wasn't an option.

Furthermore, recalling how Trissy's early experiences unfolded in the original narrative, Varina knew that joining the Witches' Cult wouldn't overly restrict his freedom. In fact, he likely wouldn't even learn the truth about the cult until he ascended to Sequence 7, Witch.

This left him with enough leeway to maneuver without being overly constrained.

Carefully, Varina drew the dagger strapped to his left arm, cutting off a lock of hair from his forehead and placing it in Qili's palm. Then, he lightly pricked his fingertip, squeezing out a drop of blood.

The blood formed into a small crimson pearl at his fingertip.

Qili reached out, and with the delicacy of plucking a real pearl, took the drop of blood from him. Varina only felt a faint chill on his finger during the process.

Having secured Varina's token of submission, Qili's smile grew even warmer.

She provided him with an address and a code phrase, instructing him to retrieve his task there before leaving the compartment.

Before departing, she left no additional means of contact, simply stating that she would reach out to him soon.

Varina lingered in the compartment for a while, formulating contingency plans. Finally, he donned the black hooded robe provided in the room and returned to the main hall.

He found Xio and Fors, informing them that he had successfully struck a deal for the formula and instructed them to pretend not to know him after the gathering.

"But we still have questions for you!" Xio said anxiously.

After returning home yesterday, she and Fors had discussed the lead about the Raving of the Full Moon. They concluded that the Abraham family was a key clue and had planned to question Varina further after today's gathering.

"Ask here," Varina said in a subdued tone. "Because of this deal, it's best we avoid meeting privately for a while—it might bring unnecessary trouble to you."

"This gathering serves as an excellent contact point. We can set up code phrases for requests and meet in private rooms under the guise of transactions."

"Understood," Fors replied quickly. "I'll go write up a request to sell the formula for Master of Magic."

The conversation was brief, appearing as though Varina had casually exchanged a few words with them before moving on.

To maintain appearances, Varina even went around chatting with a few other attendees, pretending to peddle his "Roselle Notes."

Soon, Mr. A's voice interrupted the faint chatter in the hall:

"The break is over. Let the second half of the gathering begin."

After spotting Fors' posted request on the board, Varina sought out an attendant again.

Not long after, in another wooden compartment on the second floor, the trio reconvened.

As soon as Varina entered and removed his hood, Xio anxiously asked, "What happened? Why are you suddenly being so cautious?"

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