Lord of the Mysteries: I Married the Queen Mystic

~Forsaken Land of the Gods, City of Silver, Bottom of the Spire~

After the Tarot Club gathering concluded, Derrick returned to the real world. He sat cautiously for a few seconds, ensuring nothing was amiss, before finally relaxing with a sigh...

Recalling the information exchanged at the gathering, he quietly pressed his ear against the wall, listening for any movement next door.

Suddenly, a hoarse, ethereal voice spoke from behind him:

"Where did you go just now?"

Derrick froze, every hair on his body standing on end.

But the combat experience he had accumulated from patrols and expeditions allowed him to quickly regain his composure. Instead of turning around in panic, he clasped his hands under his chin as if in prayer.

The dim room instantly brightened as a pure beam of flame-wreathed light descended from the ceiling, striking the figure behind him.

At that moment, Derrick was stunned to see the holy radiance he had summoned suddenly intensify, growing so blinding, he couldn't keep his eyes open... Within the light, a figure lunged at the presence behind him, followed by a sharp, agonized scream.

Only then did Derrick dare to look back...

Through the brilliance, he glimpsed a translucent figure wearing a black classical robe, a pointed soft hat, and a single crystal monocle over dark hair and a broad forehead.

Soon, the light faded, revealing the silver-haired Chief Colin. On the bed behind him lay a semi-transparent worm. It was no longer than a thumb, and segmented by ring-like divisions.

Derrick blinked in shock before realizing the danger had passed.

"Chief…" he greeted.

Colin nodded slightly and said, "We've long suspected something was wrong with him, but we allowed him to remain to uncover Amon's true intentions. Unfortunately, until today, he showed no abnormalities..."

He turned to Derrick and asked, "Why do you think he suddenly changed? Do you feel any difference between yourself and others?"

Derrick frowned, falling into thought. Then, he recalled The Hermit's words... Amon was a descendant of the 'Ancient Sun God'.

So he replied, "Perhaps… it's because my Beyonder Pathway is different from others."

Colin's expression remained unreadable, "What were you doing in your room just now?"

'Attending the Tarot Club!'

Derrick suddenly realized the situation was far more complicated than he had imagined.

Taking a deep breath, he answered, "I was sleeping."

Colin stared silently into Derrick's eyes for over ten seconds before speaking again, "Before his mutation, did you notice anything unusual?"

"No." Derrick shook his head firmly.

Silence returned to the depths of the Spire. After another long pause, Colin finally said, "Your condition has stabilized. You may leave."

Derrick was taken aback, but he nodded, "Understood."

He exhaled deeply and made his way out of the Spire. Along the corridor, he passed guards rushing in, none of whom stopped or questioned him.

Once home, he locked the door and carefully checked for anything out of place. Satisfied, he whispered: "The Fool who does not belong to this era… I just experienced something terrifying…"

He recounted the events to The Fool, including his suspicions, hoping for guidance.

As the tension faded, exhaustion overwhelmed him. He collapsed onto his bed and fell asleep almost instantly.

In the quiet shadowed room, flashes of lightning intermittently illuminated everything before plunging it back into darkness.

In his sleep, Derrick suddenly smirked and made a motion as if adjusting an invisible monocle:

"Heh. 'The Fool'… Interesting."

....

~Unit 51 Henry Street, West Borough, Backlund~

Odis opened his eyes to the ceiling of his lounge before yawning deeply...

He was genuinely tired. But there was no time for a nap today.

After rising, he first offered 260 pounds to 'The Fool' to fulfill his transaction with 'The Magician'.

Then, heading to the front of the shop, he quickly reviewed the accounts submitted by Enoch and Mandy's assistant, listening to their brief reports.

As expected, it wasn't long before a subordinate of Viscount Kelton arrived, delivering the high-level mystical materials Odis had ordered.

The materials were packed in two large leather cases; some for his upcoming experiments, and others for crafting the Flamebolt's arrays.

After inspecting the goods at the counter, Odis paid 2360 pounds, nearly wiping out his remaining funds.

Carrying the materials to the backyard, he began processing them, preparing the spiritual pigments needed to inscribe the Flamebolt array.

'I need to complete this commission quickly and collect the remaining 2000 pounds from Bernadette.'

Notably, Klein hadn't mentioned the Flamebolt transaction during today's gathering, which likely meant it had fallen through.

But it didn't matter. Bernadette's payment would be enough to cover the 'IOUs' he had issued at the Tarot Club...

....

At dinner time, the 'Machinery Hivemind' captain, Max, invited Odis to dinner.

Only then did Odis remember that he had another source of income arriving soon...

They chose a nearby restaurant and secured a private room. Before the food arrived, they discussed business.

Taking a drag from his cigarette, Max said, "I asked Captain Ikanser at the right moment. Unless you join the 'Machinery Hivemind', it'll be difficult to secure the 'Warlock' potion formula for you."

Odis paused... Had this conversation happened before today, he might have had no choice but to negotiate with Bernadette instead.

But now, after obtaining the formula at the Tarot Club, he replied smoothly, "I see... Convert those merit points into pounds, then."

Max looked relieved. He replied, "A wise choice."

'If he had insisted, I wouldn't have known how to persuade him.' Max pondered.

He continued, "Your intelligence led us to dismantle a 'Rose School of Thought' hideout. The captain originally intended to reward you with 600 pounds, and since you're opting for cash over the 'Warlock' formula, I can push for more."

After a moment's consideration, he added, "1500 pounds shouldn't be a problem."

Odis grinned and said honestly, "Perfect. That'll cover my financial gap nicely."

Max raised an eyebrow, "New research project?"

'No wonder he gave up on the Warlock formula...'

"Exactly." Odis affirmed.

Max hesitated before asking, "I've always wanted to ask you this... Why not join the 'Machinery Hivemind'? With your talents, the Church could fund your research indefinitely. You'd have all the resources you need."

Odis chuckled and answered, "Because if I truly unleashed my research, I might bankrupt the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery..."