Lord of Mysteries 2: Circle of Inevitability

88 EQ

Ryan nodded at Lumian’s confirmation.

“You can interpret it that way, but if there are any other abnormalities worth investigating, we can’t ignore them.”

“Alright.” Lumian actually shared the same thought.

He hadn’t even planned on participating in Lent, just in case he couldn’t resist attacking when he saw the “performance” at the celebration.

The four of them rapidly reached Lumian’s residence, where Aurore led them to the second floor.

Now dressed in a pure white cotton dress that accentuated her down-to-earth charm, Aurore pointed to Lumian’s bedroom and study, offering the three official investigators a choice.

“You can choose either room.”

Ryan glanced at Leah, seeking her opinion.

After pondering for a few seconds, Leah raised her right hand, pointed at the study with a smile, and said, “That recliner looks pretty good; I could sleep there. Ryan, bunk in that room with Valentine.”

While Aurore had the same question in mind, Lumian asked, “You trust us that much?”

He assumed the three foreigners would opt to sleep in the same room on the floor, fearing an attack if they were separated.

Leah grinned and answered Lumian’s half-mocking, half-doubtful query, “My divination tells me the two of you can be trusted.”

As she spoke, she walked into the study. Accompanied by tinkling sounds, she lay on the recliner with a contented expression.

Aurore found Leah intriguing and approachable. She smiled and advised, “A friend once told me that you can believe in divination, but not blindly. Divination is not all-powerful.”

“My mentor said something similar, but we’re all in the same situation. If I don’t trust it, what else can we do?” Leah replied with a grin, snuggling into the recliner.

Aurore didn’t mind relinquishing her favorite seat. She pulled over a chair and sat down.

Their study also served as a small living room. It occasionally hosted afternoon tea parties, so there was ample space and chairs.

Ryan surveyed the corridor briefly before returning to the study. He said to Aurore and Lumian, “I have some suggestions.”

“Please, go ahead.” Aurore politely assumed an attentive posture.

Ryan nodded and offered, “First, when you sleep at night, don’t close any doors. Let everyone be in the same space. This way, no matter where an abnormality occurs, we can react promptly.

“Second, considering we’ve destroyed the altar, someone might attempt to deal with us before Lent. Starting tonight, everyone will take turns on night duty. Yes, from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. the next morning, two hours per person…”

How professional… Aurore muttered almost silently.

Lumian glanced at her, as if asking why she hadn’t thought of it.

Aurore spread her hands slightly, signaling her lack of experience in team operations.

She then turned to Ryan and Valentine, stating confidently, “Lumian will cover the period between 10 p.m. and midnight.”

Leah and the others didn’t object to this arrangement.

From their perspective, it made sense. Among the five present, Lumian had the lowest Sequence and least experience. He was most prone to mistakes on night duty, but from 10 p.m. to midnight, others would still be awake to cover for him.

Lumian knew his sister’s intentions extended beyond this.

He had to explore the dream ruins undisturbed after falling asleep.

After finalizing the first schedule, Valentine volunteered, “I’m used to sleeping and waking early. I’ll take the 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. slot.”

“You get up early to welcome the sunrise?” Lumian teased instinctively.

Valentine’s gaze on him softened.

“Yes, I want to greet the rising sun and praise the light.”

His eyes seemed to say: “As expected, only a devout believer of the Eternal Blazing Sun understands me.”

Hey, I’m mocking you, brother! Lumian felt slightly defeated by Valentine.

In the Eternal Blazing Sun Church, “brother” was a term used among believers. The two mainstream organizations within it, the Order of Preachers and the Brotherhood Minor, employed the term.

“I’m not used to being woken up mid-sleep,” Leah chimed in. “I’ll take the midnight to 2 a.m. slot.”

Aurore nodded.

“I like to wake up late. I can take 2 a.m. to 4 a.m. And don’t wake me for breakfast tomorrow. I’ll get up around noon.”

“Leave the rest to me.” Ryan claimed the worst period with satisfaction.

He also entered the study and found a chair to sit on.

A conversation flowed effortlessly. Aurore, though seldom venturing out, possessed a wealth of knowledge spanning from astronomy to geography. She had her finger on the pulse of the latest trends, scandals, and supernatural events in metropolises like Trier and Backlund. This left Leah, Ryan, and the others secretly in awe of her.

“As expected of the renowned author, Aurore Lee,” Leah couldn’t help but exclaim. “No wonder you can tackle any theme.”

Aurore inquired with genuine curiosity, “Have you read my novels?”

Leah’s eyes sparkled as she replied with a smile, “I’ve been reading your first novel since I was a young girl. By the way, I’d love your autograph!”

As she searched for papers and fountain pens, the silver bells on her veil and boots jingled.

“Are those Sealed Artifacts?” Having heard Lumian mention Leah’s performance with the four bells, Aurore couldn’t resist asking.

Leah produced a stack of post-it notes and a fountain pen, casually responding, “Yes, they can proactively warn me and enhance my divination abilities. The downside is they’re rather noisy and not exactly discreet. Plus, the wearer must dress fashionably, with a dress being mandatory. It has to look good, or it’ll be not only useless but also potentially misleading or even dangerous.”

Aurore chuckled. “I can’t decide if these bells were originally a man or a woman.”

Lumian agreed. If they were from a woman, it was a remnant of her vanity. If a man, he was undoubtedly a pervert.

Leah offered a faint smile.

“That involves some confidentiality, so I can’t say any more.”

She stood up, handing Aurore a post-it note and the fountain pen.

Aurore signed and asked, “Which genre of my novels do you prefer?”

...

“Romance,” Leah replied without hesitation. “Your first novel, Eternal Love, left a deep impression on me.”

“I wrote that book too early,” Aurore admitted with a hint of embarrassment. “I was young, and my writing skills were unpolished. I lacked experience. Many scenes felt rigid, and much of the dialogue was overly emotional and unrealistic…”

Lumian chimed in, “But it’s sincere and original.”

Having read his sister’s novel, he knew it dealt with a couple’s separation through life and death, interwoven with adventure, misunderstandings, and terminal illness. It was a trailblazing piece in the Intis literary world.

Naturally, this drew criticism from conservative authors and critics. They echoed Aurore’s self-assessment and claimed it couldn’t qualify as literature, deeming it a mere pedestrian novel.

“That’s right,” Leah agreed, retrieving the paper and pen. She looked at Aurore and asked with a smile, “Ms. Author, would you consider becoming our informant at Bureau 8?”

Seeing Aurore’s surprise, she continued, “Our primary objective in targeting wild Beyonders is that they’re unpredictable and may lose control or cause disaster at any moment. Otherwise, they can use their Beyonder powers for all sorts of malicious purposes to satisfy their desires.

“Over the past few days in the village, I’ve carefully observed both of you and confirmed that you’re orderly Beyonders. Prior to arriving in Cordu, the information we gathered indicated that you haven’t committed any wrongdoing on the surface.

“This meets our recruitment standards. Moreover, once you become our informants, you won’t need to worry about being targeted by official Beyonders.”

Aurore found the proposition enticing. She glanced at Lumian and gave a slight nod.

“I’ll think about it. I’ll give you my answer when the cycle is over.”

...

Lumian immediately understood why his sister had looked his way.

I don’t have a problem, but will a heavily corrupted guy like you bomb the test?

After chatting briefly, the siblings bid adieu to Leah and the others and headed back to Aurore’s room.

Aurore perched on the edge of the bed and glanced at the door. She hushed her voice and muttered, “Leah’s socially adept.”

“What do you mean?” Lumian also sensed Leah had made the vibe harmonious in the study.

Aurore smiled and said, “She took the initiative to bring up my novel and asked for my autograph to bond with me, so she could pitch recruiting me. The recruiting was to fix the distrust and barriers we have, easing teamwork the next few days.

“The whole process seemed natural, not off-putting or wary. That’s a sign of high EQ. You should follow her lead!”

Lumian remembered the chat and said self-deprecatingly, “If it were me, I might’ve been booted by now.”

Amused, Aurore leaned back and said, “At least you know yourself!”

She ruffled her blonde hair and said, “I’ll nap a bit. My eyes haven’t fully healed so I need more rest. Rouse me at ten and I’ll keep watch over you. It’s your first night shift, so better safe than sorry.”

Lumian didn’t object and agreed instantly. He watched his sister lie on the bed unhesitatingly, pull the blanket over her and close her eyes.

The room instantly turned eerily silent.

Lumian quietly switched off the electric lamp and drew the curtains.

Then, he sat on the chair by the desk and quietly watched his sister sleeping peacefully under the crimson moonlight. His heart gradually calmed down.

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