Old bones from the Fourth Epoch… Lumian disregarded the doll messenger's emotional descriptions and focused on extracting the essential information.
But this didn't provide a deeper insight compared to what he already knew. After all, most of Trier's underground issues had their roots in the Fourth Epoch.
Lumian took a moment to ponder and inquired, "Where does it come from? How do the old bones look like?"
The messenger responded angrily, "I've never seen them before! Their aura alone is so repulsive, disgusting, and filthy!"
So, you're not entirely sure of the situation either… Lumian decided not to press the "doll" messenger further and observed as she vanished, carrying the neatly folded letter.
Only then, as Lumian awaited Madam Magician's response, did he have the opportunity to assess his gains from the night.
A vial of truth serum, a vial of Bliss Society sedatives, a vial of Mysticism Smelling Salts, and 1,500 verl d'or.
…
Apartment 601, 3 Rue des Blouses Blanches.
"So late? I thought you'd resolve it quickly." Jenna, clad in a light cotton dress, stood up and greeted Franca upon her return.
She believed that Franca and Ciel had a high chance of winning, even if they encountered a Fallen Tree Spirit!
Franca muttered, "We ran into an accident. Uh, just a moment."
Franca looked at Jenna with a serious expression.
"What's wrong?" Jenna sensed something was amiss.
Franca walked to her side and examined her pupils.
There were no signs of her wearing blue contact lenses!
"Phew…" Franca let out a sigh of relief and said, "In the future, we need to continuously verify if we're Actors in disguise."
Actors of the Mother Tree of Desire pathway couldn't alter their bodies or fundamentally change their appearances like Faceless. They relied more on makeup items and various props.
Among these, the color of the eyes was the most challenging for Actors to mimic. They had to use external objects. They could prevent Actors from infiltrating their ranks by checking if anyone around them was wearing colored contact lenses.
Of course, this wasn't foolproof. They could always find actors with the same eye color as the target to act.
In the current situation, Maipú Meyer's eyes were dark brown, Jenna's were blue, and Lumian's were the same. Franca's were a lighter shade, more akin to the blue of a serene lake. For the time being, they had no reason to worry about being impersonated by the former manager of Théâtre de l'Ancienne Cage à Pigeons. Maipú Meyer had distanced himself from the Bliss Society, and he couldn't recruit a new Actor anytime soon.
The only person they needed to be concerned about was Anthony Reid, who also had a pair of dark brown eyes.
As an acting apprentice at Théâtre de l'Ancienne Cage à Pigeons, Jenna was particularly attuned to the Bliss Society's activities. She instantly became alert and scrutinized Franca's eyes, fear in her voice as she asked, "Are they targeting the market district again?"
"It's Maipú Meyer. He's back in the market district. We don't know where he's hiding," Franca replied without reservation, recounting the entire incident.
Of the Bliss Society members, the only one Jenna was familiar with was Maipú Meyer. She had a deep-seated fear of him because he had once been her manager and could influence her future.
Unconsciously, she touched the Arrow of the Bloodthirsty concealed in her pocket and nodded solemnly, saying, "I'll be cautious."
Franca didn't offer any additional information. She glanced at the wall clock and retreated to her room. She activated the radio transceiver and prepared to contact 007.
Before long, she used the mechanical typewriter and analyzer to send a telegram.
"007, paging 007!"
Within 20 to 30 seconds, a telegram produced by a machine appeared.
"Hidden Blade, don't do this to me. I'm scared. What's going on now?"
"This could be a significant problem!" Franca honestly warned 007. "Bro, before I disclose the exact situation, help me gather some information. I need to confirm two things: First, if there have been any developments related to the Malady God faith in Quartier du Jardin Botanique, specifically on Rue Pasteur and Rue Evelyn. Second, what lies deep beneath the old cemetery of Église Saint-Robert?"
After a brief pause, a new telegram arrived.
"I'm off-duty tonight, seriously! And now I have to go back to work overtime!
"Give me half an hour to an hour."
Franca replied: "No problem." As she conversed with other members of the telegram group, she retrieved the diamond necklace she had acquired from Beatrice Incourt and used various methods to assess the Beyonder accessory's capabilities and adverse effects.
The diamond corresponds to a total of five desires: lust, appetite, lust, acting, and fulfillment…
It doesn't seem to have many uses. Usage of each desire shouldn't exceed two…
With it on, I seem to be better at acting and makeup…
I'll just keep it in my pocket. Without it coming into direct contact with my skin or flesh, there won't be any negative effects…
After wearing it, I'll become more excited than usual, and my various desires will significantly increase. If I encounter Beyonders with similar abilities, I'll be effectively restrained and even suffer a huge loss…
Among them, the most intense desire is the desire for recognition…
Yes, this thing can't be used against Beyonders of the Mother Tree of Desire pathway. Its weakness lies in their strengths…
What should I call it? The Seven Emotions and Six Desires Pendant? Uh, the style doesn't seem right. Forget it, I'll call it Beatrice's Necklace. It's simple, convenient, and clear!
007's response arrived faster than Franca had anticipated. In less than half an hour, he provided the relevant information.
"According to the heretic database shared by various official factions, the Malady God's envoy hasn't been located. He appears to have sensed danger in advance and hasn't resurfaced.
"The situation at Église Saint-Robert's old cemetery is extremely classified. I can't investigate it for the time being."
Extremely classified? Franca inwardly hissed and relayed to 007 the eerie quietness from organizations devoted to evil gods.
…
Rue Anarchie, Auberge du Coq Doré.
Madam Magician's slow response arrived after an hour of waiting:
"After the death of a bestowed, the return of power to the source is deducible, but typically, you wouldn't be able to sense it.
"This time, it was due to your wearing the Flog boxing gloves. They are made from the Tree of Shadow and are closely related to the one that the Bliss Society believes in, the source of the boon powers. Therefore, when Beatrice's boon power returned and the connection was strengthened, that entity indirectly noticed you and the Two of Cups, which caused the corpse to exhibit an abnormality. This abnormality allowed the flow of the boon power to become visible.
"To retain the boon power and prevent it from returning, you require the corresponding ability or a unique environment. Sometimes, these two elements are one and the same. In simple terms, you need to advance to Sequence 4 and become a demigod or obtain something at this level. Only then can you have a chance of preserving the remaining boon's power and forming a Beyonder item. Of course, in specific underground environments, such as near the Samaritan Women's Spring, you can achieve this without a high Sequence."
Lumian now had a clear understanding of the anomaly of the night.
Unlike his previous killings of members of the Bliss Society, he now possessed the Flog boxing gloves, bringing about a different development.
The use of the Flog boxing gloves attracted the attention of hidden entities to begin with, and its connection to the Mother Tree of Desire through Beatrice's belief had influenced the return of boon power, causing the abnormality.
Understanding the situation and how to prevent it in the future, Lumian continued reading Madam Magician's reply.
"We have already noticed Trier's anomaly and are monitoring one of the leads. However, it is unclear when we will find any answers. What we can say for certain is that changes will occur, with a timeframe ranging from as short as two months to as long as half a year.
"I cannot provide a definitive answer regarding what lies beneath Salle de Bal Brise as it is challenging for me to approach. All I can tell you is that it is certainly more than just the corruption left behind by Blood Emperor Alista Tudor.
"Don't dwell too much on this matter. It is beyond your capabilities to handle. Your focus should be on accumulating strength and biding your time."
Accumulate strength and bide my time… Lumian repeated these words to himself as he absorbed the advice.
The next morning, Lumian had a conversation with Franca and Jenna. Afterward, he gathered all his funds and went directly to 11 Rue des Fontaines in Quartier de la Cathédrale Commémorative.
"Boss, here are 30,000 gold and 30,000 verl d'or banknotes," Lumian said with a smile as he placed the heavy leather bag on Gardner Martin's desk.
He still had 1,000 gold and nominal funds of 1,500 verl d'or.
Gardner Martin glanced at Lumian, unzipped the bag, and began counting the money.
He didn't inquire about Lumian's remaining funds. With a smile, he retrieved a faux goatskin that appeared to have been prepared in advance.
"You need to promise two things. First, memorize this formula before burning the piece of paper. Second, you cannot resell the Conspirer potion formula without my or the Supervisor's permission," Gardner Martin stated these terms without requesting a notarized pledge, as if issuing an order.
Lumian agreed to these terms without hesitation, saying, "No problem."
Gardner Martin nodded in satisfaction and handed over the faux goatskin to Lumian.
Lumian took it and began reading:
"Conspirer potion formula:
"Main ingredient: Black Hunting Spider's composite eye, Sphinx's brain;
"Supplementary ingredients: One Black Hunting Spider's poison gland, 80 milliliters of Sphinx blood, 10 grams of amber powder, and two white oak fruits."
After reading and memorizing the formula, Lumian's right hand trembled, allowing the crimson flames to engulf the faux goatskin.
…
Time passed in an eerie silence. Unbeknownst to them, the heat in Trier began to wane, and the temperature gradually dropped.
One mid-September day, Franca stood before the window of Apartment 601 and cursed Browns Sauron for what felt like the hundredth time.
She had already passed the Demoness Sect's audit and informed Browns that she had joined the Savoie Mob to infiltrate the Iron and Blood Cross Order. However, she never anticipated there would be an assessment period. Only after this evaluation could she officially become a member of the Demoness Sect.
Her current liaison, Browns Sauron, used this as an excuse to prevent her from participating in the Red House Café's female orgies. This left her with no option but to endure tormenting Gardner Martin and his lovers for the past month or so.
Franca turned her attention to Jenna, who appeared lost in thought, and couldn't help but sigh at her companion's fortune.
The Demoness Sect remained oblivious to Jenna's true identity as a Beyonder of the Assassin pathway.
"What's troubling you?" Franca inquired.
Jenna responded with a hint of distress, "My Instigator potion has completely digested."
Franca exclaimed in pleasant surprise, "That's a good thing!"
Jenna scratched her head and let out a sigh. "I haven't even paid you back for the money I owe you, and now I have to consider the Witch potion formula and its ingredients. Dammit, why does it feel like the more I advance, the poorer I become?"
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