Lord of the Mysteries

The figure sitting diagonally behind the statue was an elder in a black robe. He wore a hood and his head was bowed with his eyes closed. By his mouth was a thick, long, and white beard. It was as though he hadn’t had it trimmed for years, preventing anyone from telling what he originally looked like.

And in Klein’s eyes, this hoary elder was even more bizarre than the figures hanging in midair.

After his Spirit Body Threads extended out from his body, it didn’t drift up to the spot which seemed to hide “magnets.” Instead, they coiled around his body and back on themselves, making the source and destination one and the same!

Ordinary Spirit Body Threads stemmed from inside a Spirit Body, extended outwards in different directions into infinity. As for the figures that hung from above, the sources of their Spirit Body Threads was no different. The destination which they extended out to was gathered at the top of the cathedral; thus, it was obvious that there was something wrong about it.

This is the reason why he hasn’t been hung up? Or should I say, this is how he avoids the danger inside the cathedral? As Klein controlled his Spirit Body Threads to resist the continuous upward drift, he silently muttered and guessed at the reason.

Suddenly, he saw a pair of eyes—a pair of pitch-black eyes that looked like an unlit water surface.

The elder sitting behind the statue opened his eyes.

He was still alive!

Klein subconsciously took a step back as he bent his back slightly, holding out his left palm in front of him.

Amidst indescribable silence and anxiety, he saw the hoary elder’s eyes move slightly, open his mouth slightly, and speak in a muffled manner:

“Finally, another Seer has come here...”

Another? Beyonders from the Seer pathway have entered this cathedral? That’s right, apart from Eraser angel’s erasing of people, sending them to this foggy town, and those who vanished in the night at the battle of god ruins would also appear here, amongst them, there might be a few Seer pathway Beyonders who attempted to seek out mermaids in those waters, or had successfully advanced and were looking to leave... Seeing that the other party had no intention of immediately attacking him and had the intention to converse with him, he forcefully composed himself and said after some thought, “Why do you say that?”

The hooded elder with black eyes and white beard didn’t immediately reply as he asked with a muffled voice, “Do you wish to escape?

“I can tell you how.”

Klein wasn’t moved as he immediately asked, “Then why are you still here?”

Since the method to escaping this foggy town was known, why would one stay inside such a dangerous cathedral?

The elder drooped his head and chuckled in a throaty manner.

“It’s because I’ve died long ago.”

“...”

The hair on Klein’s back stood on end as he broke out into a cold sweat. He was speechless.

He could tell that the elder wasn’t an existence in the form of a soul!

Seeing no response, the elder slowly lifted his head and swept his glance at Klein in his Gehrman Sparrow appearance.

“I’ve used special Beyonder powers to seek out the void in this world’s history and fate. I sliced off a portion of my projection and left it here. It has been maintained to this day. As for my body and my spirit, they have long died and dissipated.

This is such a fascinating power... Klein was unable to verify the claim, so all he could do was ask, “Then why are you giving guidance on how to escape to Seers who enter?”

The elder’s voice remained muffled.

“After you open the door, the history and fate in here will experience a change. The projection I sliced will also vanish, and when the time comes, you will see an urn of ashes.

“I only wish that they could be scattered in the Srenzo River near Intis’s capital, Trier. That is my hometown, the place where I was born.”

“Do you know the place I’m referring to? I’ve no idea how much time has passed in the real world.”

He’s been imprisoned for at least a century? Klein frankly replied, “They still exist.”

“Excellent,” the elder said with a nod, his throat apparently filled with phlegm.

Although Klein didn’t fully trust the person before him. He believed that knowing more made it beneficial for him to make a judgment. Hence, he decided not to waste any time, for fear of being interrupted again.

“Then, how should I escape?”

The elder remained sitting in his spot and said without any obvious movement, “See that wall behind the statue?

“Do you see an inset?”

Klein actually didn’t wish to follow his instructions. After all, he had been led by Panatiya to do so, resulting in him seeing her incomplete Mythical Creature form and, hence, suffered from shock and damage. However, he had previously planned on surveying the surroundings in search of clues. Therefore, he ultimately carefully shifted his gaze to look at the wall behind the statue.

Engraved on it were short and ancient symbols, but there was an empty spot in the middle, preventing it from being connected as one.

The blank area was the size of two palms and was obviously indented. It was as though someone had dug away a brick on its surface.

“As long as you find the corresponding obsidian rock and insert it, this wall will tentatively be released from a concealed and secret state. It will showcase illusory colors. When the time comes, I’ll tell you of a complicated special symbol. It will be the key to opening the door on the wall, allowing you to escape.” The elder didn’t turn his head as he looked straight ahead and spoke in detail.

A complicated special symbol... A key to opening the door... Klein listened to the ravings of “Hornacis... Flegrea...” resound with the wind behind him as a symbol suddenly came to mind.

It was the vertical eye formed from many secret symbols!

It was the information that the Antigonus family’s notebook had passed to him by corrupting the Misfortune Cloth Puppet!

And the Antigonus family appeared to have a deep connection with the Nation of the Evernight on the main peak of the Hornacis mountain range!

Could this be the so-called key? Klein retracted his gaze in a calm manner as he asked, “Why did all the Seers from before fail?”

The elder chuckled and said, “Some of them are as naggy as you are, failing to leave this cathedral before the crimson moon turned clear. They ended up being hung up. It’s the case for that fellow who gave himself a handsome face. Likewise for the lady with flawless features.”

“...” Klein was nearly rendered speechless by the elder’s jibe.

However, he also learned something. The danger inside the cathedral would greatly increase once the crimson moon turned clear. Even Marionettists were unable to control their Spirit Body Threads!

I’ll have to constantly take note of the changes in light. Once the crimson moon turns clear, I’ll pass through the wall... Klein looked around him and confirmed that the wall closest to the pitch-black altar was six to seven meters away. Then, he quickly came up with an emergency plan.

The hooded elder didn’t look at him as he continued, “The rest weren’t very lucky. They encountered enemies that had lost their reasoning and only wanted them for food. They were then devoured.

“You have to know that there aren’t many Beyonders from the Seer pathway to begin with. The ones that can become Marionettists are even fewer. The number that can come in here due to various reasons are only a handful.

“Of course, there are a lot more that were attracted and enticed in here, but it was difficult for them to come all the way here as they...”

He didn’t finish his sentence as he slowly looked up and glanced at the top of the ancient cathedral. He then said with a muffled voice, “Their outcomes were equally tragic.”

What do you mean... If I didn’t attempt to steal the notebook, I would have to rely on the ravings from these hanging corpses inside this cathedral and climb up the main peak of the Hornacis mountain range to seek out the Antigonus family’s treasure. Will I be considered as one of those that got attracted or enticed? It’s difficult to come in here, and the outcome would be equally tragic? Klein’s mind stirred as he began suspecting that the so-called treasure of the Antigonus family was nothing but a trap based on the dilapidated palace and translucent worms he had previously seen from his divinations.

He didn’t bother asking in more detail as he tried to sound out more important information.

“Do you know where that obsidian rock is?”

The elder chuckled.

“It’s in the hands of that Demoness of Despair.”

Demoness of Despair. So Panatiya really is a Demoness of Despair... Klein had previously addressed Panatiya inwardly as such, but that was because he knew that she was called Lady Despair, as well as him being certain that she was a Demoness. Hence, he had simplified the two tidbits of information and given her such a nickname. He never expected that the Sequence 4 of the Demoness pathway was Demoness of Despair.

“That will be very difficult for me to obtain that obsidian rock. She’s a true demigod.” Klein didn’t conceal the difficult position he was placed in as he waited to see if the elder had any suggestions.

The elder shook his head and said, “I’m a person who is long dead. There’s very little help I can provide.

“Hmm... Didn’t you have a marionette when you came in?”

“Yes, but it has already been eaten by the Demoness of Despair,” Klein replied in a seemingly calm manner.

The elder sighed and chuckled.

“I can help you summon him from the history of this world.”

Just as he said that, Klein saw lines quickly outline themselves beside him, drawing out Admiral of Blood Senor in his triangular hat and dark red coat. Furthermore, the Spirit Body Threads were still under his control!

Klein’s pupils immediately constricted as he heard the hooded elder add, “It can only be maintained for thirty minutes. Make good use of the time.

“I’ll help you strengthen some of the connections, enhancing your control of the marionette. This way, you can let the marionette use your Beyonder powers, and also allow you to swap locations with him instantaneously. Heh heh, the controllable distance and traits of him looking alive will also be boosted.”

Allow my marionette to use my Beyonder powers? Doesn’t this mean that I can use the powers of a Faceless to make my marionette turn into another me? A perfect body double? This is a demigod of the Seer pathway? This is one of the powers of a Bizarro Sorcerer? The enemy never knows if the one killed is the real Bizarro Sorcerer? Also, summoning a marionette from history. This is completely inconceivable... Thoughts surfaced in Klein’s mind as he could hardly compose himself.

The elder looked up and glanced at him before continuing, “Give me a paper figurine.”

Klein frowned slightly and hesitated for a few seconds before taking out a paper figurine and handing it over.

The elder reached out his wrinkled hand and took the paper figurine before swiping across it casually.

Klein’s headache, fever, and enlarged tonsils suddenly disappeared!

The paper figurine was tainted with spots of red rust as it quickly cracked after becoming brittle.

Using my paper figurine to transfer my ailment? Klein thought and finally asked, “Sorry for my breach of etiquette. How may I address you?”

The elder didn’t immediately reply as he said with a sigh, “I can only provide you a little help.”

He paused as he gave a muffled laugh.

“You can call me, hmm...

“Zaratul.”