Although the secret chamber was small, it was hidden deep underground, and the staircase leading to it was steep. Looking up from below, Lorien could only see the lower half of the visitor's legs.
Black leather boots. Dark trousers. The rest disappeared into the shadows.
"You don't even recognize my voice anymore?"
A deep, commanding voice, one that made Lorien feel an instinctual urge to submit.
Lorien's pupils contracted. He recognized that voice. It belonged to "Horror Viscount," Bird Mustang.
A Sequence 5 powerhouse. He was back in Backlund!
"Sir, you're back," Lorien forced himself to suppress the tremor in his voice.
Why now? I just put the task assigned by him out of my mind, and here he is. Is he here to push for progress? But I have no leads on it.
Wait! The original book described that ironclad warship! 101 meters long, 21 meters wide, four main cannons, a top speed of 16 knots…
But what if he asked where I got this information? Said I heard it from a judge at the Royal Court? No, even I could tell Johnson was lying earlier. A Sequence 5 Beyonder like him would definitely know if I was lying.
"What are you thinking? Am I that terrifying?" Bird Mustang's voice came again.
"Nothing, sir. You're here for the ironclad ship, aren't you?" Lorien cursed himself. Why the fuck did I say that? Am I really a curly-haired baboon? If I hadn't brought it up, maybe I could've dodged it, but now I'm screwed!
Suddenly, the suffocating tension in the air eased. The stale air in the chamber seemed to flow once more.
Lorien glanced around. It wasn't just in his head, tiny whirlwinds appeared out of nowhere, kicking up dust. The gathered dust swirled together into a fist-sized mass and drifted lazily up the staircase.
Bird Mustang descended.
He looked nothing like the man described in the bounty posters. No ornate Intis-style shirt with intricate cuffs and collars. No dark red captain's coat draped over his shoulders. Instead, he dressed like any other gentleman in Backlund: a white shirt, a waistcoat, a black tailcoat, and a bowler hat. The only thing that set him apart was his bronzed skin, a mark of years spent at sea.
Due to the cramped chamber and the steep staircase, Lorien had to lower his head and even bend slightly to descend smoothly. He was nearly 1.8 meters tall. Bird Mustang was about the same height, yet with the bowler hat, he should have struggled with the low ceiling.
But he didn't. He walked straight down, his head held high, as if the space itself had stretched to accommodate him.
Distortion. A power of the "Baron of Corruption," Sequence 6 of the Lawyer Pathway. Mustang had distorted the space between the ceiling and the stairs.
Before Lorien could process this fully, Bird Mustang suddenly appeared right in front of him.
He had distorted the distance between them.
Bird Mustang didn't mention the ironclad ship. Instead, his sharp gaze swept over the chamber before he spoke.
"I thought like your father, you would choose to abandon the Beyonder path and sealed this place away. Why open it today?"
"My father knew about this chamber?"
Lorien ignored the question and latched onto the loophole in Mustang's words. Basic Lawyer tactics, always seize the initiative. But he was genuinely curious too. In his inherited memories, this chamber was supposed to be his secret alone.
Mustang barely reacted. He glanced at Lorien and answered, "Your father built this chamber. But he later chose to settle as a lawyer rather than continue down the path, so he sealed it away."
"Then why—"
Mustang cut him off with a firm pat on the shoulder. "Enough, kid! Don't try your Lawyer tricks on me! You're not nearly good enough!"
Lorien chuckled awkwardly. "Apologies, sir. It's a habit."
"That won't do. Remember the true essence of acting. You're only playing the role of a Lawyer, don't lose yourself in it. Your father made that mistake, and it stopped him from digesting his potion."
Mustang sighed, a rare hint of sadness in his expression.
"My father…" Lorien pressed, eager to steer the conversation away from the ironclad warship.
"Enough! Answer my question! Why did you open the chamber today?"
Lorien felt Mustang's presence suddenly loom larger. The light dimmed for a moment, and the air seemed to freeze.
A Sequence 5 ability "Majesty." The authority of a great royalty.
Lorien instinctively abandoned his probing. Still, his earlier suspicions had been confirmed. Mustang and his father had an unusual relationship.
"For power!"
The Viscount's presence forced him to answer, but he kept it vague. Becoming stronger was one of the reasons he had come here, after all.
"For what purpose?"
Mustang frowned. He had only spent a week openly interacting with Lorien, but he had observed him in secret for a long time.
He knew what kind of person Lorien was. Raised in comfort, yet unlike those ignorant noble brats who recklessly sought out the Beyonder world, Lorien had a lawyer's rationality. He always approached the Beyonder world with caution.
Back then, Lorien had chosen to drink the potion and step onto this path largely because of his coercion. Even when he taught Lorien about mysticism, Lorien had only focused on survival techniques like Acting Method, ignoring most other knowledge.
Lorien didn't hesitate. "I got tired of it."
It was the truth. He had only worked as a lawyer for half a month, but the endless stacks of case files and precedents were already driving him insane.
The Loen Kingdom's legal system wasn't based on codified laws but on case law. Judges ruled based on past cases, which meant lawyers had to sift through mountains of case files.
Some of these precedent collections were dozens of centimeters thick. Others were over a meter tall. High-profile lawyers spent their careers digging through them to find the lightest sentences for their clients, while judges relied on them to justify rulings and avoid public backlash.
Mustang nodded in understanding. Just a young man in his early twenties. No matter how rational he was, he wasn't his father. Lorien wasn't born into hardship like Mason was. Given his privileged upbringing, lasting two years in law was already the greatest tribute to Mason's efforts.
He had been a lawyer once too. He knew exactly what kind of people walked those halls.
Maybe this was for the best. Now, there was no need to keep secrets from Lorien about Mason.
Mustang raised his hand. A sapphire ring, crafted from the Characteristics of a "Wind-blessed," shimmered as he conjured a gust of wind.
The chamber door shut with a heavy thud.
But it wasn't just closed.
The concept of "closing the door" had been distorted, into "sealing the chamber," as a result cutting it off from the outside world.
"Lorien, what I'm about to tell you concerns your father. Don't interrupt me, and don't ask any questions, just listen until I'm finished!"
Mustang was feeling a bit helpless. The kid who used to be so cautious around him was now trying to play the same little tricks he had once used himself.
But he understood, after all, Lorien had established himself in Backlund's legal circles. He had seen a lot and had probably already sensed that there was something unusual about their relationship.
Lorien was startled. 'When he distorted the concept of "closing a door" into "sealing," I thought for a moment that he had sensed something wrong with my response.' He quickly nodded, signaling that he wouldn't interrupt.
Seeing Lorien finally nod, Bird Mustang breathed a sigh of relief. He was genuinely worried that this reckless guy would keep using his lawyer tricks.
It was fine in front of him, but if Lorien tried that in front of other Beyonders and got caught, things wouldn't end well for him. Lawyers weren't well-liked in the Beyonder world, their natural charm and ability to spot loopholes made them distrusted.
"I'm sure you've already figured it out. My relationship with your father isn't as simple as I told you before. Otherwise, you wouldn't be acting so bold."
Lorien forced a sheepish smile and made a zipping motion across his lips.
Bird Mustang shot him a glare and continued, "I've known Mason for nearly fifty years. When we were teenagers, we worked together hauling cargo at the docks in Backlund, earning about 15 soli a week. If we had kept at it, maybe by the time we were thirty, we would've married poor women like ourselves, had children who would grow up to be just like us, and then died in our forties, broken and miserable."
"Back then, I'd come back from the docks every day and just want to collapse on the straw mat we rented as a bed. But Mason was different. He went to a free school run by the Church. I carried extra loads during the day to cover for him, and when he had free time, he taught me to read. We lived like that for three or four years, but our lives never improved. Just when I thought we were trapped in this cycle forever, your father met my captain, Earl of White Maple."
Earl of White Maple was none other than Nast Solomon, the captain of the Black Emperor and the infamous King of the Five Seas. His noble title had been inherited from his father, which was granted by Emperor Roselle himself.
Lorien had assumed that Bird Mustang and Mason had first acquired the Lawyer potion, after which one chose piracy while the other chose the legal profession.
But he never expected that they had encountered the King of the Five Seas while they were still just ordinary people, and that it was actually his father who had met Nast first.
"At that time, the Earl secretly infiltrated Backlund. With his abilities and his stealth, no one should have noticed. But unexpectedly, the 'Sea King' of the Church of Storms, Jahn Kottman, discovered him. The high-ranking powerhouses of the three major churches and the Augustus royal family began hunting him down. Though his allies diverted attention away, the Earl was seriously wounded. Since the entire city had been sealed off with sealed artifacts, he had no choice but to hide. Following Emperor Roselle's idea that 'the darkest place is right under the lamp,' he took refuge near Saint Samuel Cathedral."
So even Nast had moments of desperation? Right, in the original story, Xio had mentioned that Nast had once nearly been captured in Backlund. This must be that incident.
But was Jahn Kottman even in Backlund at that time? Maybe failing to capture Nast was what made him request a transfer to the Rorsted Archipelago? And that's how the archbishop of Holy Wind Cathedral ended up being the Spellsinger of God, Ace Snake instead?
Still, Nast really lived up to his title as the King of the Five Seas! The major churches' archbishops in Backlund were all at least Saints. Add the Augustus royal family's powerhouses and some powerful artifacts, and they had at least five Saints hunting him down. And yet, he still escaped.
But who was Nast's friend? That wasn't mentioned in the original. Did Nast get them killed?Lorien lowered his head out of contemplation.
Mustang saw Lorien lowering his head and assumed he was just shocked by the revelation. Satisfied, he nodded. He needed Lorien to understand the true horrors of the Beyonder world and return to his previous level-headed self.
"At that time, the Earl changed his appearance and clothing. Thanks to Mason and me already having taken the 'Lawyer' potion, we managed to evade the searches by the three churches and the Augustus royal family. Once the Earl recovered, he gave us a choice: follow him back to the Black Emperor, or take some money and stay in Backlund."
Lorien lifted his head. "My father chose to stay in Backlund, didn't he?"
"Yes. He had no interest in becoming a pirate. He wanted a stable life. But I couldn't."
Mustang raised his hand and clenched his fist.
"I just couldn't! I was sick of that life, I'd rather be a pirate!"
Deep down, he knew that even if they had never met the King of the Five Seas, he wouldn't have lasted much longer in Backlund anyway. Nast had just given him a better excuse.
"And so, Mason and I parted ways." Mustang sighed deeply and sat down at the desk.
"When Mason became famous in Backlund's legal world and founded the Ashford Law Firm, I finally heard from him again. I wanted to go back and see him, but by then, I had just advanced to Sequence 7 Briber. My mind wasn't stable, and I had a bounty on my head. Going back was impossible."
"When I finally returned, Mason was already married, and your mother was getting ready to give birth to you. Everything seemed normal, except for your father. He never learned about acting, and after working as a lawyer for so long, the potion's influence had affected his mind. He just thought he was under too much work stress. But over the years, especially with you about to be born, his mental state finally stabilized."
"That time, I had gained some insight into digesting potions. After telling your father, I left Backlund. But I never expected that after your mother gave birth to you, she would pass away, pushing Mason to the brink of a mental collapse."
"By the time I found out, it was already too late. Even though I consulted Earl on the method of digesting potions and learned about the acting method, there was no way to save Mason's unstable mind."
Sigh. Lorien sighed inwardly. Until his death, his predecessor had believed Mason cared more about his work and didn't truly care about him. But the reality was that Mason's mind had never been stable to begin with. And now that I know the truth, does it even matter anymore? Both of them are gone.
"Two years ago, your father had Kane send me a message, hoping to meet me."
"Was it because he knew he was dying?"
Bird Mustang didn't answer Lorien's question. His voice was a little heavy as he continued, "After receiving Kane's message, my spirituality told me I had to return to Backlund as soon as possible, otherwise, I would regret it for the rest of my life."
Everyone has spirituality and can resonate with the spirit world, sensing information about themselves from higher levels. Ordinary people just aren't aware of it. When using divination tools, this information is revealed through them. Even without divination, as a Sequence 5 Mustang had a strong grasp of his own spirituality.
"When I secretly returned to Backlund, Mason was already at his limit. He had wrecked his body in his youth, and after becoming a Beyonder, his unstable mind further burdened his health. Combined with his relentless work, Mason was like a candle burning itself out, ready to be snuffed out at any moment.
I originally planned to have Mason take the Barbarian potion to strengthen his body. As for the potion's side effects, I figured we could deal with them later. But Mason refused, so I could only give him some of the healing potions I brought. Even then, it only bought him a little more time."
Mustang sat on the chair as if in prayer, his hands clasped together against his bowed forehead.
Lorien just stood there silently. That was all he could do.
After a long while, Bird Mustang straightened up and exhaled deeply. He looked at Lorien and asked,
"Did you know your father never wanted you to become a Beyonder?"
How could that be? Wasn't Mason the one who had Mustang come back so that my predecessor could become a Beyonder?
No, Mason should have known the "Lawyer" potion formula. If he didn't want me interacting with Mustang or the Beyonder world, he never would have called him back in the first place.
Seeing Lorien's shock, Mustang seemed a little amused but soon fell back into sorrow. "Your father didn't want you to become a Beyonder. He didn't want you stepping into this world at all. He even wanted me to cut off contact with you forever."
"Why?" Lorien asked, unable to comprehend Mason's reasoning.
"Are you asking why Mason didn't want you to become a Beyonder, or why I went against his wishes and made you one anyway?"
"Both."
"Mason said that even though your relationship was strained, he believed you could live well without becoming a Beyonder. With Edmund around, the firm wouldn't collapse, and with the wealth he left you, you'd never have to endure the hardships we faced."
Lorien found it both funny and frustrating. Was this trust, or was it something else?
"Mason told me that becoming a Beyonder changed his fate, but it also turned him into what he was. He didn't regret it, but he didn't want the same for you. He didn't want you to become a Beyonder and end up as a pitiful wretch, unable to even have a normal relationship with your own child."
Only now did Lorien truly understand that saying, "We are guardians, but also a bunch of miserable wretches that are constantly fighting against threats and madness." Mason wasn't a Nighthawk, but once you stepped into the Beyonder world, there was no way out. You either died, or you went mad.
What a mad and chaotic world.
"I originally planned to follow Mason's wishes, extract his Beyonder characteristic and leave Backlund forever. But I couldn't let go. Mason was my last friend in this world, and you were his only child. So, I stayed. I hid in this secret room."
"I planned to leave after you returned from Tingen and officially took over the firm. But before you came back, Edmund had a heart attack when he heard of your father's death. If I hadn't had some leftover medicine, he might have died before you even got back."
No wonder, in my memories Uncle Robert looked so unwell at Mason's funeral, as if he had been seriously weakened.
"I started doubting Mason's arrangements. After thinking it over for a whole night, I decided to make you a Beyonder. Power in your own hands is the only true right to choose."
"So that's why the night after I arrived, you broke in, put on your big bad pirate act, and forced me to become your informant in Backlund?"
Lorien found it amusing. His predecessor had been scared out of his wits when forced into this situation, but in the end, this was the truth behind it.
"'Put on an act'? I am a pirate! And an 18,000-pound bounty pirate at that!"
Lorien nearly forgot if Mustang hadn't been the second mate of the Black Emperor Ship, his strength alone would have qualified him as a pirate admiral. After all, Vice Admiral Hurricane Qilangos was only a Sequence 6 Wind-Blessed, and he had used "Creeping Hunger" to force his way into the pirate admiral ranks.
"You and your father didn't get along, and I was afraid you'd misunderstand Mason, so I hid everything from you, planning to explain it later.
Unlike Mason, I told you about the acting method as soon as you took the potion. You wouldn't have ended up like him."
After saying this, Mustang fell silent, seemingly lost in thoughts of Mason.
Lorien comforted him, "Father wouldn't blame you. If I hadn't become a Beyonder, I might not even be standing here today."
"Sigh… I stayed here for a week back then, but when I saw how much you resisted the knowledge I tried to teach you, I had no choice but to leave. I hoped you'd come around on your own. But when I returned a year later, this secret room had returned to how it was before, and the books I left you were covered in dust."
Mustang pointed to the books on the desk, now dust-free after being swept clean with his "Ring of Hurricanes."
"I resisted all of this back then because you forced it on me," Lorien said helplessly. He didn't know whether to blame Mustang for being too forceful or his predecessor for being so stubborn.
Mustang picked up a black-covered book from the table, the title written in Hermes: "Cogitation Methods."
"The knowledge in here is just basic mysticism. I had Kane buy it from the underground market in Backlund. It's only useful for those who haven't become Beyonders yet or those who have just stepped into Sequence 9."
But for me, it's enough. I've been a Sequence 9 for two years, yet I'm still a mysticism novice. Lorien couldn't help but mock himself internally.
"I have some more books at my place. I'll have someone bring them to you later. But don't expect anything too advanced. They'll still be useful to you, though. Just don't get too obsessed, knowledge is knowledge, but power is power."
Mustang tossed the book back onto the dark red desk.
"Why? Doesn't knowledge bring power?" Lorien knew that in this world, mystical knowledge was dangerous but also a source of strength, though not to the extreme of Knowledge is Power like the Hermit Pathway.
"You're not wrong, especially for those on the 'Mystery pryer' or 'Savant' pathways, who gain power through acquiring knowledge. They can craft charms, perform rituals, and strengthen themselves just by learning. But lawyers don't work that way."
"What makes Lawyers different?"
"First, our pathway has nothing to do with knowledge itself. Second, we aren't part of the Church, so we can't pray to the Seven True Gods and perform rituals to make charms."
"Doesn't that put us at a disadvantage?"
"Not just us. Plenty of pathways are like this. They have to buy charms crafted by Artisans."
Artisans were Sequence 6 of the Savant Pathway, also known as Mechanical Experts. They could create mechanical wonders and moderately powerful mystical items. In both the real and mystical world, they were master craftsmen. Their products had minimal side effects and worked better than most.
Mustang smirked and chuckled.
"For most low-Sequence Beyonders, close combat is the best option. It's not just about ability, it's also about money. Even a low-level charm costs at least a pound, and they're hard to come by. Plus, charms weaken over time, and most are single-use."
"But for you, money isn't an issue." His tone shifted as he pointed at Lorien. "Backlund has a lot of Beyonders, but compared to a population of over five million, you won't encounter them often. The chances of getting into a fight are low. Charms aren't really necessary for you."
You have no idea how chaotic Backlund is going to get in the future! Anyone could crush me like an ant! Lorien was frustrated but couldn't say it out loud. Thinking about it was one thing, saying it would get him killed.
Still, buying charms sounded useful. Even though Klein was called the God of Poverty, he never hesitated to throw charms in battle! Sure, Klein made his charms by praying to himself, but the materials were still single-use.
"I still want to buy some. Sir, do you know where I can get them?"
Bird Mustang frowned.
"I don't know much about Backlund's Beyonder circles, but Kane might know something. Don't get your hopes up, though.
No matter where you are, charms are rare. Even low-level ones are mostly sold by Church-affiliated Beyonders."
That makes sense. Other than Klein, hardly anyone in the original book used charms so casually. The only other person who freely used high-level charms was Admiral Amyrius Rieveldt of the Royal Navy at the Sonia Sea. And he was already a demigod on the Arbiter Pathway.
At high Sequences, Beyonders didn't need charms anymore, but high-level ones still required Sealed Artifacts or demigod-level materials to make.
"For now, don't think too much about these things. Focus on learning, especially close combat. When you advance to Sequence 8 it'll be easier to digest and play your role. But be careful about hiding your identity. You're a lawyer in Backlund, if you get exposed, the three major Churches will send Beyonders after you."
Lorien nodded quickly. Then he suddenly remembered that he'd been acting strangely lately cutting corners as well as feeling lazy. His thoughts had been slipping in a dangerous direction. He hesitated before asking,
"Sir, I think something is wrong with my acting. I keep wanting to take shortcuts and slack off. Is this a sign of losing control?"
He didn't dare mention his predecessor's loss of control. Instead, he exaggerated the severity of the situation.
The Horror Viscount suddenly stood up, causing his chair to wobble before settling.
"How long has this been happening? Anything else unusual?"
His voice carried an unusual urgency. If Lorien lost control, Mustang would have failed his old friend.
"Around a month. Nothing else has changed."
Mustang sighed in relief. If that was all, then it wasn't too bad. But Lorien was a Sequence 9, why was he experiencing this?
"This sounds more like something that happens after advancing to Sequence 6. That's when spiritual energy becomes hard to contain, and emotions become unstable. Have you eaten anything unusual lately?"
"No. Why Sequence 6? Isn't unstable spirituality normal right after advancing?"
Lorien thought back on his diet for the past month, nothing stood out. As for his past self? He had no idea what happened on the day he lost control.
"A Sequence 6, Baron of Corruption, can make people's minds darker and greedier. They start making reckless decisions. Combined with the Lawyer Pathway's knack for exploiting loopholes, it's easy to develop a shortcut mindset when mentally unstable.
But you're just Sequence 9. This shouldn't be happening. Maybe you've been a lawyer for too long, guiding people's emotions might have backfired, making you more susceptible to those same emotions."
Before becoming mate of the Black Emperor ship, Bird Mustang had spent three months as a lawyer in Intis under orders from Nast. He wasn't too familiar with Lorien's situation.
The Lawyer Pathway lacked flashy abilities, and though they always claimed they didn't care about that, insisting that true power belonged to oneself, it did limit them. Even Bird Mustang, a Sequence 5, didn't have a messenger.
"For safety's sake, you still need to rest for a while. Don't work as a lawyer, and don't handle anything related to the firm. You can use this time to revisit these subjects…" Mustang pointed to the scattered books on the desk. "Relearn them. And find a place to train in close combat and shooting."
"It might be tough at first. You can wait until you become a Barbarian before deepening your close combat training."
Lorien agreed, then asked, "Can you tell me about the abilities of a 'Barbarian'?"
The Lawyer Sequence wasn't detailed much in the original work. Most of the descriptions were about mid- to high-Sequence powerhouses, with little mention of the lower Sequences. Now, with Bird Mustang, a Sequence 5 standing right in front of him, he naturally had a deeper understanding of the Lawyer Pathway than Klein.
"As the name suggests, Barbarian grants you terrifying strength, enhances your physique, and gives you greater endurance and recovery abilities. Your mental resilience will also improve. Think of it as becoming a stronger, more savage Feysacian. You can consider this when playing your role…"
The Feysac Empire was a powerful nation in the northern part of the Northern Continent. They worshiped the God of Combat and claimed their people had the blood of giants. Over 700 years ago, the Loen Kingdom and the Feysac Empire fought the Twenty-Year War, which ended in Loen's defeat and the cession of Sonia Island. To this day, Sonia Island remains under Feysac control. Because Feysacians were generally tall, aggressive, and crude in their actions, the more reserved and conservative Loenese referred to them as Barbarians.
But aren't Feysacians mostly in the Warrior Sequence? Even if I wanted to study them for acting, where would I find Feysacians? This is Loen, even Backlund, no less! There isn't even a Feysacian embassy here!
The relationship between the Loen Kingdom and the Feysac Empire was far from friendly. The two nations frequently clashed. While they exercised restraint along their shared border, their colonial territories, particularly the Eastern Bayam coast of the Southern Continent, were riddled with conflicts. These struggles even cost the lives of a True God and an King of Angels.
Unless the Tudor-Trunsoest Underground Ruins beneath Unit 8 Williams Street appear later, drawing in Feysacians and Intisian Republic personnel due to Rafter Pound being possessed by the "Hotpot Spirit," it's better for Lorien to find an excuse to visit the Feysac Empire or go on a maritime adventure!
The only Feysacian Lorien could recall was Bishop Utravsky from the Harvest Church, but he'd already been "tamed" by the Earth Mother. Even if you cursed at him, he probably wouldn't respond. Besides, Bishop Utravsky was a Blessed of the Goddess. Until Lorien figured things out, he wouldn't dare to wander near him.
Mustang took out a golden pocket watch from his coat, its surface adorned with intricate engravings. With a soft "click," he flipped it open.
"It's already eight. I need to go."
"Huh? You're not staying longer?"
Mustang waved his hand. "I have no more time. I originally planned to just take a quick look. If you were fine, I'd leave immediately. But I found you inside the secret chamber, so I decided to meet you."
He paused before continuing, "As for the matter I asked you to investigate regarding the ironclad warship the Loen Kingdom is building, if you find any intel, great. If not, don't go out of your way to dig for it."
Hearing the "Horror Viscount" mention ironclad warship, Lorien tensed up for a moment before quickly relaxing and responding, "Understood."
"But there's one other thing you should keep an eye on, anything related to Emperor Roselle, especially his possessions. If you come across something unusual, contact Kane to inform me."
"No problem."
"Don't worry too much about it. This task was assigned a long time ago."
That must be about the Black Emperor card of blasphemy… Too bad I'll have to wait a while before the Roselle Memorial Exhibition at the Royal Museum. When the time comes, should I take it myself, or let Klein do it?
As Lorien was lost in thought, he suddenly heard a creaking sound. Looking up, he saw that the "Horror Viscount" had vanished, and the secret chamber's door had opened. The invisible force sealing the room had also disappeared.
Lorien climbed the steep stairs out of the chamber, only to find the place empty.
"He left fast…"
Looking up at the night sky, Lorien saw only a blood-red moon hanging high, accompanied by a few scattered stars. The thought of the moon's terrifying nature sent a shiver down his spine, prompting him to hurry back to his bedroom.
Judging by the moon's phase, it should be full in the next day or two. That means the Evernight Goddess's St. Samuel Cathedral will be holding the Moon Mass soon. I should ask around tomorrow, I'll have to attend anyway.
The Evernight Church didn't have many major holidays. The most important was Winter Gifts Day, followed by the Full Moon Grand Mass, also known as the Moon Mass. Then there were the regular Sunday services and prayers. However, different dioceses and cathedrals had their own unique festival days based on their patron saints or angels.
…
After changing into his night robe, Lorien lazily leaned against the headboard. His bed was custom-ordered from Intis, and including shipping, it had cost him a full 130 pounds.
The bed frame resembled a ship's hull, with asymmetrical decorative details. Four sturdy columns supported a heavy canopy, adorned with ruffles, trim, and tassels. Thick curtains draped from the canopy, reaching all the way to the floor. With its plush cushions and velvet blankets, the bed provided an experience fit for an emperor.
Lorien suspected the asymmetrical design details were remnants of Roselle's influence. After all, becoming the "Black Emperor" required a set of strict yet paradoxical rules, even architecture had to follow suit, so it was natural for furniture styles to be affected.
But this design is probably rare now. The Intis Republic certainly wouldn't want to revive anything associated with Roselle, preferring to erase all traces of the "Black Emperor." Yet, the impact of a transmigrator wasn't so easy to eliminate.
Still, I'm a Beyonder on the Lawyer Pathway. How am I supposed to advance in the future? Switch pathways? But both the Justiciar and Black Emperor relate to establishing order. I'm neither royalty nor nobility, what am I supposed to do? I can only hope the Sequence 2 advancement rituals for both pathways aren't too difficult!
What were the two Sequence 2 titles again? "Balancer" and "Duke of Entropy," right? Just hearing those names makes them sound ridiculously hard to achieve!
Gurgle, gurgle
A wave of hunger gnawed at his stomach.
"Fuck, I haven't eaten yet!"