Chapter 178: The Messenger's Response |
Evening, Avenue du Marché, Salle de Bal Brise.
Lumian made his way to the entrance. Just as he reached the door, he was greeted by two mobsters standing guard.
"Good evening, Boss."
Lumian, still donned in a crisp white shirt, a black vest, and rolled-up cuffs, acknowledged them with a smile and a nod.
Louis and Sarkota had been eagerly awaiting the return of their new leader. Spotting Lumian entering the dance hall, they swiftly abandoned their positions at the bar counter and forced smiles on their faces.
"Boss, why don't you let us accompany you? It's not safe to be unprotected like this!" Louis expressed his loyalty with concern.
Lumian chuckled in amusement and replied, "You two? Protecting me?"
"I worry that if anything were to happen, you both would end up beaten to a pulp. I'd have to compensate your loved ones."
Louis smiled sheepishly.
Two fists can't fight four hands? Lumian thought to himself. Wasn't that something Emperor Roselle once said? When did it become a saying? Aurore had always suspected that many vulgarities originated from Emperor Roselle, but nobody had ever confirmed it… Lumian glanced at Louis, who appeared tough but had a submissive demeanor, and Sarkota, with his curly brown hair and full lips. He nodded slightly and responded, "When I instruct you to follow, you may do so. When I don't, keep an eye on the dance hall. If anyone dares to cause trouble, shoot them."
"Right, where can I find a shooting range?"
"There's one in the basement of the dance hall," Louis pointed downwards, indicating his feet. "The other leaders also come there to practice their shooting skills, but they have to bring their own ammunition."
"Excellent." Lumian nodded in satisfaction.
He urgently needed to improve his marksmanship, as he lacked effective long-range attacks.
Louis asked again, "Boss, the environment at Auberge du Coq Doré is dreadful. Are you planning to relocate to the dance hall? There are several rooms on the second floor for you to choose from. Or do you intend to stay in the temporary rest area previously used by Baron Brignais?"
Louis displayed his willingness, recognizing that both he and Sarkota had once been trusted aides of Baron Brignais. If they failed to earn the trust of the new leader, they might be relegated to mere bouncers at the entrance. Their status would plummet, and they would be at the mercy of the members of the Savoie Mob, with whom they had never gotten along. Not only would their income suffer, but they would also face significant bullying.
Lumian pondered for a moment before responding, "Show me the rooms."
This location was ideal for the ritual to summon Madam Magician's messenger.
Lumian had no plans to check out of Auberge du Coq Doré anytime soon. His strategy involved selecting a room on the second floor of Salle de Bal Brise and Room 207 of Auberge du Coq Doré as his nightly resting places after dismissing Louis and Sarkota. This increased his chances of being attacked under the cover of darkness. Occasionally, he would also consider his rented safe house on Rue des Blouses Blanches.
Lumian sensed that the Poison Spur Mob wouldn't let him off easily. He had eliminated three leaders consecutively and had deliberately provoked them. Once the authorities let their guard down a little, the likelihood of retaliation would be high. Lumian was confident that the other side had been provoked, as his potion had been further digested. In another month or two, he might even consider advancing to Pyromaniac.
Lumian didn't worry too much about being secretly attacked by "Black Scorpion" Roger and the other leaders of the Poison Spur Mob. With Mr. K's finger, he stood a good chance of defending himself, even against Susanna Mattise, who was equivalent to a Sequence 5 Beyonder, let alone "Black Scorpion" Roger and the others who had not yet become Sowers.
His concern lay in the possibility that if a fight were to break out, Mr. K might lose control and end up killing "Black Scorpion" Roger. If that happened, Louis Lund would disappear and the trail of clues would come to an abrupt end.
Upon reaching the second floor, Lumian made his way through the café and entered the corridor. After scanning the area, he pointed to a room closer to his office and declared, "I'll take this one."
The room boasted classical furniture, a four-piece set of dark red velvet, and a cushioned recliner.
"Boss, should we replace these fabric items with new ones?" Louis ingratiatingly inquired.
Sarkota, ever quiet in comparison, stood by his side.
"No need," Lumian replied, finding an excuse. He then assigned his two bodyguards to watch over the door leading from the café to the second-floor corridor. Locking the door, he settled himself at a wide wooden table near the window to write a letter to Madam Magician.
In the letter, he emphasized that he had completed Mr. K's mission and earned his trust, even undergoing proselytization. He mentioned the opportunity to join the secret organization supporting Mr. K and inquired about the necessity of praying to Mr. K's lord, as well as the potential consequences of being monitored by that entity. Finally, he highlighted his recent actions and expressed his unease over certain coincidences.
Once he neatly folded the letter, Lumian arranged the altar and conjured a wall of spirituality.
With the summoning ritual completed, he fixed his gaze upon the blue flame of the candle and waited in the chilling and eerie environment.
Before long, a doll-like figure, the size of an arm, materialized above the fire.
Clad in a delicate golden dress, the figure surveyed the area with unfocused, light-blue eyes. Raising its right hand, it delicately pinched its petite, pale-white nose.
"It stinks! It stinks! This place isn't as clean as the last one!"
"Isn't this place supposed to be clean?" Lumian exclaimed, scanning his surroundings in surprise. "There are no bedbugs, and it's just been cleaned."
The messenger continued to wrinkle its nose, its voice ethereal and illusory as it spoke.
"There are old bones buried beneath the ground!
"They're foul, putrid, and repulsive!"
With those words, the blond "doll" snatched the letter and vanished instantly.
Clearly, it had no intention of staying a moment longer!
Old bones underground? Lumian repeated the messenger's words, perplexed.
He remembered that Salle de Bal Brise had been erected upon a cemetery belonging to a cathedral, and the bodies and ashes had been relocated to the catacombs.
Even after the Savoie Mob had acquired the building, there remained an eerie atmosphere. Concerned that some bones might have been left behind deep beneath the ground, they had commissioned a spherical statue crafted from white skulls and placed it at the entrance, accompanied by an engraved inscription.
The messenger's reaction hinted that there truly were ancient remains interred underground.
When the cathedral had moved the remains and ashes from the original cemetery to the catacombs, they likely hadn't intentionally left anything behind, unless they had failed to discover it or were unaware… Could it be that there is a hidden tomb beneath the original cemetery, dating back to the Fourth Epoch? Is that why the messenger reacted so strongly? Well, for now, let's set aside the matter of the old bones underground. After all, nothing untoward has occurred at Salle de Bal Brise throughout these years. It's highly unlikely that anything would go awry the moment I set foot here, right? Lumian mused, concluding the ritual and tidying up the altar.
He settled into the cushioned recliner, gently rocking back and forth, awaiting Madam Magician's response.
Time passed, and the sky darkened completely. Lumian contemplated whether he should have Louis and the others bring dinner to his room or indulge in it at the café or the bar counter.
Suddenly, a stack of papers fell from above, landing on his lap.
This time, the "doll" messenger didn't even reveal itself, clearly displaying its profound aversion to the overall "environment" of Salle de Bal Brise.
In the future, I'll summon it at Auberge du Coq Doré or that safe house… Lumian unfolded the letter and read it attentively.
"Excellent job. It seems you have gained Mr. K's admiration and initial approval.
"From now on, simply follow his instructions. When the need arises, I will inform you of the true objective in advance.
"You can pretend to believe in the entity mentioned by Mr. K. After all, you already bear traces of two entities. Adding another one won't be an issue. I'm just concerned it might get a bit crowded.
"Haha, the previous statement was a jest. The real solution is as follows:
"You can feign belief, but whenever you meet Mr. K and engage in prayer, beseech my lord for the protection of an angel. You should have learned the corresponding ritualistic magic, correct? If not, consult your sister's grimoires.
"Usually, refrain from invoking the honorific name of that individual, even if the order has been disrupted. Unless you are certain you have received the angel's protection.
"I understand that the more one tries to suppress certain memories, the more they tend to resurface. During your next therapy session, you can attempt seeking assistance from your psychiatrist. In other words, you must postpone the matter of becoming a false believer until after the upcoming treatment.
"As for coincidences, they often have multiple factors intertwined in various things.
"Firstly, the corruption sealed within your body stems from an entity known as Inevitability. Clearly, Inevitability is linked to fate. It will subtly disrupt your destiny, leading you to encounter specific individuals and events that you are 'destined' to come across.
"Secondly, it is highly likely that Mr. K has made arrangements to station someone in the shadows, observing you and providing the mob leaders with subtle psychological cues. This leads me to suspect that he is either a Sequence 6 Hypnotist or a Sequence 5 Dreamwalker from the Spectator path. However, based on your earlier description, he also possesses the powers of a Notary. Therefore, there is a strong possibility that he is a Shepherd. Shepherds are Sequence 5 Beyonders from the Secrets Suppliant path, and they serve the entity in whom Mr. K believes.
"Shepherds can graze upon the souls and characteristics of other Beyonders, enabling them to wield their abilities. This renders every Shepherd incredibly formidable, standing at the pinnacle of Mid-Sequence Beyonders.
"Thirdly, this stems from the law of convergence and my previous hypothesis of repulsion. Trust me, I won't be surprised that you will encounter more believers of evil gods, Hunters, and Demonesses in a short span of time.
"Stay diligent, Seven of Wands."
Shepherd? That sounds incredibly powerful… I have already encountered another Hunter and two Demonesses… Lumian ignited Madam Magician's response by channeling his spirituality.
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