Lord of Mysteries: Starting As A Reader

The owner of this inn was named Gagarin Belov. Thirty years ago, he had sold off his ancestral property to enter the emerging hot spring tourism industry.

Thanks to a favorable location and support from the local Indo government, his business had been thriving.

Although he found it difficult to expand further, it was more than enough to secure a comfortable middle-class life.

But everything changed last month. His son, who worked for the government, was suddenly dismissed over a trivial matter, and their connections within the Church swiftly distanced themselves.

Then came the harassment from the local gangs, repeated trouble from various regulatory departments, and even newspapers launching a "smear campaign" against the inn. The number of guests dwindled rapidly, and by this past week, almost no one came at all…

Belov initially thought he had offended someone, but after extensive inquiries, he found no clues—only that a certain gang had set its sights on his hot spring inn and wanted to acquire it at a low price.

Neither the police nor the Church took any action, instead turning a blind eye to the matter.

When Ebner first heard that the innkeeper's surname was "Belov," he didn't think much of it. Although Miss Gwen had once mentioned that her grandfather's family lived here and also bore the surname "Belov," it was an exceedingly common name in Feysac.

Especially after Roselle's industrial revolution spread across the continent, countless serfs had been freed and given surnames—there were even entire villages where every resident shared the same name. So, at first, Ebner hadn't paid it any mind.

But the timing was too coincidental—this family started being targeted around the same time Miss Gwen was placed on the Church of the God of Combat's wanted list. That raised some alarms in his mind. So, in Mr. Belov's dream, Ebner continued "guiding" the conversation until he learned that the old man had a daughter married in Backlund.

That made everything clear. The hot spring inn was likely being targeted because of its connection to Miss Gwen… and ultimately, it was because he had helped her take the blame for that "Lady of Dragon Might."

Even though it had been the smuggler-backed pirates—secretly supported by the Church of the God of Combat—who had caused trouble in the first place…

"But even if the Church of the God of Combat is lacking in morality, as an Orthodox Church, it wouldn't go this far in pressuring ordinary people…

"And besides, the suppression began the moment the Church's attitude shifted… That suggests someone had already been eyeing the Belov family's hot spring inn for a while.

"The gang? Or someone behind the gang?"

After some thought, Ebner decided to investigate. Even aside from his own interest in this hot spring inn, the fact that Miss Gwen was his friend was reason enough to help her family resolve the trouble.

Since Mr. Belov had already tried negotiating with the gang called "Law of Indo," Ebner was able to obtain the address of their base in the Indo Port district.

Under the cover of night, Ebner "flew" to the outskirts of the city. Then, simulating "Dream Traversal," he transformed into a "Dream Spirit" and leaped from one sleeping mind to another until he arrived at a certain bar.

Since everyone here was either passed out drunk or still awake, there were no dreams for him to traverse further. So, Ebner had no choice but to exit the dream world and return to reality.

Under the effects of "Psychology Invisibility," he moved unhindered through the building, reaching an office on the third floor.

This was the very place where Mr. Belov had last negotiated with "Law of Indo."

Just as Ebner used his "Unlock" ability to slip inside, he overheard a heated argument.

A rough, deep voice spoke in Feysac, "That old bastard Belov really doesn't know what's good for him! I already offered a fair price, but he still refuses to sell me the inn!"

A sharp female voice responded, "So your plan is to send men to take out his whole family? Idiot! If that were an option, I would have done it already."

Oh? Did I just walk in on a conspiracy meeting? Ebner's heart stirred, but he didn't act immediately. Instead, using "Psychology Invisibility," he casually walked right up to the two people in the office and began carefully observing them.

The rough-voiced man appeared to be in his early forties, towering at over 2.2 meters. His skin was dark, suggesting years spent at sea as a sailor.

The most striking feature about him was the fierce wolf tattoo gleaming on his bald head.

"Fierce Wolf" Livov! The leader of 'Law of Indo'! A series of names flashed through Ebner's mind—knowledge he had gleaned from Miss Gwen's grandfather, Mr. Belov.

Rumor had it that Livov ruled his gang with the philosophy of the "wolf pack." He saw himself as the "alpha wolf" and named his organization "Law of Indo" to reflect the strict hierarchy and discipline of a pack.

Well, this gang was probably inspired by some nonsense Roselle spouted when he visited Feysac back in the day…

Hah, considering Roselle was a salesman in his past life, it's no surprise he knew about "wolf culture."

Ebner ridiculed Roselle in his mind, placing the blame on him without any real evidence, before shifting his focus to the woman.

She was dressed in a red gown with a fur-lined coat and adorned with an excessive amount of jewelry. She appeared to be in her early twenties.

Her features were attractive, but her expression carried a sharp, mean-spirited edge—like a wicked noblewoman stepping straight out of a fairy tale.

Ebner didn't recognize her, but his instincts told him that she was likely the true mastermind behind everything.

...

"His son was fired, and the Church of the God of Combat has backed off… Why can't we just get rid of them? As long as we make it look like an accident, no one will care, right?" Livov scratched his bald head, clearly frustrated.

"The Church and government only abandoned them because of an offhand remark from His Highness Panin! But in reality, there are still plenty of priests and officials who sympathize with their family.

"Using smear campaigns and business suppression is one thing… but killing them? Do you really think the 'Demon Hunters' wouldn't show up the next day?"

"Demon Hunters" was the official special operations team of the Church of the God of Combat.

"The Demon Hunters have ties to you as well… As long as no supernatural abilities are used, it shouldn't be a problem, right?" Livov countered.

"Idiot! We're all Beyonders. If we merely pressure the old man into selling, we'll just be seen as greedy—nothing unusual, nothing suspicious. But if we resort to extreme measures, do you really think the authorities won't suspect us of having ulterior motives? If the Church starts digging, we'll end up with nothing!" the woman scolded in a hushed voice.

"There really is some kind of treasure hidden at the hot springs?" Livov fell silent for a few seconds before asking.

"There must be! I've done my research. That place was once the fief of a giant-blooded noble at the end of the Fourth Epoch. His castle was built right there.

"Later, this giant lord set sail on a voyage, seeking something unknown, but he never returned…

"And not long after, his family and his entire castle mysteriously vanished in a strange cataclysm! There's definitely something hidden there!

"I was skeptical at first, but the sudden rise of that 'Lady of Dragon Might' convinced me. She must have discovered something… Unfortunately, the people I sent to capture her failed.

"Since I can't get answers from her, I have no choice but to search beneath that hot spring inn instead."

(End of Chapter)