Lord of Mysteries: Starting As A Reader

In the deepest part of the Daniel Maze, within the grand palace, Ebner stood on the second platform and deactivated the Pure White Eye.

The "Roselle" who had just appeared before him was naturally not the real Emperor Roselle, but a mere "phantom" left behind at the core of the sealing mechanism.

Or more precisely, it was a "recording"—a "footage" captured when Roselle had "twisted" and "modified" part of the seal.

In the recording, Roselle casually adjusted the sealing effects while speaking:

"I've modified the palace's 'rules' according to our agreement. Now, the 'ticket' will only be obtainable by someone who unlocks the seal using the key. The others at most will find secondary treasures here.

"This is my repayment for the method you provided to separate the pollution... Thanks to you, I've gained more awareness of my condition, though I still can't break free from It.

"But now another problem troubles me... I can no longer tell whether I'm still normal or already abnormal.

"Sigh, your sudden departure made me sad... but you were right. Everything changed after that trip to the moon.

"Forget it, there's no point in talking about this. I recorded this message because I was sure you'd see it. So please allow me to say 'thank you' and... 'sorry.'"

As Ebner recalled this recording, he sank into deep thought:

"Who was Emperor Roselle confiding in? It sounded like a very close friend.

"This person not only provided a method to separate pollution but also seemingly advised Roselle not to go to the moon... Unfortunately, he didn't listen.

"Roselle believed this person would see the recording... Considering the rules he set for the lion and the question he left behind, it's plausible he meant either me, the lion, or Jane!

"Firstly, the lion is unlikely. Although it could be considered both Roselle's pet and friend, it was merely left to roam in the valley, not someone who voluntarily left Roselle's side, so I can rule it out.

"As for Jane, her uniqueness lies in being another contingency of the God of Death, a descendant of the Death Consul.

"Roselle personally visited that consul's tomb; perhaps they formed a connection then...

"That consul might not be truly dead—there might even be arrangements tied to Jane herself. This could explain Roselle's certainty that she would come and see this message.

"The only issue is... I was the one who actually saw it. How did Roselle know I would relay it to Jane?

"Finally, there's me. From the lion's earlier question, it's clear that Roselle anticipated the arrival of a 'fellow traveler.' This might be a result of the Knowledge Emperor's prophecy...

"But it could also be that my transmigration was within his expectations. If that hypothesis is true, then the most reasonable deduction is that the Pure White Eye has brought transmigrators to this world before, and Roselle knew its previous owner!

"This would explain why that person could warn Roselle about the dangers of going to the moon.

"Of course, this is all conjecture without solid proof... So either of the last two guesses could still be valid."

"In fact, I find the speculation about Jane more likely.

"After all, since I'm now the owner of the 'Pure White Eye,' it means the previous owner probably died not long after leaving Roselle, which is how I ended up crossing over...

"To possess such a powerful 'golden finger' and die so quietly... it seems unlikely.

"Not every transmigrator can be as useless as the 'biologist' or 'druid' who cultivated 'plants' in some idle game, right?

"Speaking of which, it's been several days. I wonder if Waver has found any clues about that person."

With that thought, Ebner shook his head, discarding the chaotic thoughts in his mind, and turned his attention to the matter at hand:

"Roselle said that only the one who holds the 'key,' perhaps the sealing item '1-025,' can get the 'ticket' after opening the 'seal'...

"Looking at it this way, I need to figure out how to get it...

"Hmm, as a formal member of the military, even if Xio gets the 'ticket,' she'll likely have to hand it over.

"Edwina's appearance is too obvious. If she snatches the 'ticket,' she will certainly be hunted down by the Loen military, and even with the Church of Knowledge backing her, she might not be able to protect herself... it would be a loss.

"As for Jane, her identity is also easy to trace. Even if she tries to keep a low profile, she is a cadre on the 'Future.' Moreover, she already took the 'Blasphemy Card' on this trip, so it wouldn't be appropriate for her to take the 'ticket' too... Perhaps neither Xio nor Edwina would mind, but if two items of the 'Judgment' path were in one place, just the combined effect could make it difficult for her to safely return to Queen Mystic.

"As for the lion, it's a good 'lion' choice, but I'm not familiar with it, so why should I hand it over?

"Therefore, the safest option is for me, the 'strange doctor' who appeared out of nowhere, to go for it."

While Ebner was thinking, Jane and Edwina walked up. Jane, curious, asked, "Any leads?"

"Yes... I've gotten some information left by Emperor Roselle." Ebner snapped back to reality, thought for a moment, and decided to tell the truth. After all, both Jane and Edwina were people he could trust.

"Emperor Roselle... What information did he leave?" Jane's eyes widened immediately upon hearing this.

On this trip to the Southern Continent, Queen Mystic had tasked her with not only retrieving the 'card' but also collecting any clues left by the emperor.

Although she didn't know the exact relationship between the queen and Roselle, it was clear from the tasks she had been assigned that the queen paid close attention to the world-changing figure from over a hundred years ago.

Beside Jane, Edwina's pale blue eyes also lit up. She had a strong curiosity for hidden secrets.

As for the lion, Leon, though it seemed indifferent, its ears had subtly perked up.

Ebner noticed their expressions, and after teasing their curiosity, he restated Roselle's words, rephrased for clarity.

— In a way, this was also a performance of the 'learned scholar,' so he made sure to be serious.

"Pollution... Was the emperor corrupted in his later years?" Edwina recalled some manuscripts left by her great-grandfather that mentioned the emperor's abrupt change in temperament, showing a thoughtful expression.

As for Jane, she didn't think too much about it, but instead memorized the words to later report them to Queen Mystic when she returned.

As for Leon the lion, it gave Ebner a meaningful look and thought, So you're one of the 'Calamity Seal' agents... no wonder you could answer the emperor's question.

The whole thing about "only those with the 'key' can finally get the 'ticket'" is probably just a surface-level arrangement. From what I know about the emperor and the 'Calamity Seal,' the real meaning behind this is likely that you're meant to personally use the 'key' to lead the ritual to break the 'seal'."

"Heh, the ritual involving the key must be more than just breaking the seal—there's surely a significant secret tied to it."

Though the lion often referred to Roselle as "that guy" or "bastard," deep down, it always regarded him as "the Emperor."

Even the lion itself hadn't realized this.

Just as the lion suspected, Ebner soon shared his plan—to take the lead in seizing Sealed Artifact 1-025 when MI9 and the Rose School arrived, while the others remained hidden to assist as needed.

Neither Jane nor Edwina objected to the plan, but their gazes naturally shifted toward Leon the Lion.

The lion, seeing their expectant stares, quickly raised its paw to indicate its agreement, expressing its willingness to sign a contract.

Ebner then took out various materials and even borrowed some from Lyon's lair before activating the Pure White Eye and leveraging the hall's existing seal to begin his elaborate preparations.

...

Back in the Daniel Valley, the rainfall continued to pour relentlessly until the water level finally surpassed a critical threshold.

Suddenly, the dark water's surface emitted shimmering lights, and before MI9 and the Rose School members could react, most were swept into the glow and vanished.

Only two figures remained atop the lake.

One was the bald elder from the Rose School who had tried to mediate earlier, and the other was Princess Vera of the Loen royal family.

Just before the lights appeared, Vera had only managed to toss a mystical item into Xio's hands before helplessly watching as her subordinates were drawn into the mirrored world of the lake.

"It seems this Daniel treasure only selects mid- to low-sequence Beyonders," the bald elder mused, nodding thoughtfully before sneering at Vera.

"You Loen folks are truly deceitful. We agreed that Saints wouldn't participate, yet here you are, a demigod!"

Vera's expression remained steady as she retorted, "And you're any different?"

Both simultaneously launched attacks—not at each other but toward the water's surface at their sides.

Webs formed from threads and ice materialized out of thin air, effortlessly blocking their strikes.

A figure gradually emerged—a woman clad in a simple, pure white robe with high slits, revealing flawless legs.

This was none other than the "White Saintess" Katharina, who had secretly followed MI9 Colonel Lloyd.

"Don't be so enthusiastic... I can't handle it," Katharina teased with a voice as melodious as a song.

"The Unaging Witch? Even the Demoness Sect is involved?" The elder and Vera both frowned simultaneously.

...

Meanwhile, atop a distant mountain more than a thousand miles away, a group of over a dozen demigods gathered in three distinct factions, observing the center of the Daniel Valley through a massive mirror.

"When did Her Highness Vera become a demigod?" Duchess Georgina, dressed in a black evening gown, exchanged a glance with another Augustus Saint beside her, both filled with confusion.

They were also somewhat relieved—had Vera not already become a demigod, it would have been nearly impossible for them to offer swift support from a thousand miles away.

So they bypassed the contract and secretly arranged for a demigod... the Rose School really can't be trusted!

On the opposite side, Rose School Saint Mahmosi, Disciple of Silence , turned to question the royal faction demigod from the Spirit Cult that had unexpectedly joined them:

"Was the Demoness Sect your doing?"