268 Possible Encounters
Upon hearing Termiboros’s question, Lumian felt a jolt of alarm.

He had never suspected that there might be something amiss with Flameng’s prolonged stay at Auberge du Coq Doré, evading the clutches of the Montsouris ghost.

From Lumian’s perspective, Flameng’s immediate family and wife had already met their demise, and it was only a matter of time before he met a similar fate. The archives at Psychic’s headquarters revealed instances where victims had been slain by the Montsouris ghost up to 11 months after encountering it. While Flameng’s circumstances were rare, they were not unprecedented.

In an instant, Lumian’s mind seized upon an intriguing detail.

The previous victims had all met their end within the same year of their encounter, whereas Flameng had crossed paths with the ghost last year. He had even sought the sanctuary of the clergy during the New Year festivities.

Although less than a year had passed since Flameng’s encounter with the Montsouris ghost and his subsequent suicide, it was an unprecedented delay compared to the other cases.

“Could this Earth Blood ore be responsible for protecting Flameng, causing the Montsouris ghost to repeatedly postpone its actions and disrupt its usual patterns?” Lumian asked Termiboros, his voice hushed, seeking confirmation.

Termiboros was a true angel, devoid of power due to a perfect seal but possessing remarkable insight, knowledge, and level made Him capable of deciphering many matters.

Termiboros replied in a majestic voice, “It instills fear and repulsion in the Montsouris ghost, but it holds no power of its own. For you, this could be a crucial key.”

“A key?” Lumian swiftly made numerous connections. “The key to a hidden chamber in Fourth Epoch Trier?”

Termiboros responded in an unusually deep voice, “You will inevitably enter Fourth Epoch Trier. It is where your destiny, both treacherous and serendipitous, awaits you.

“Rather than remaining passive, it would be wiser to explore proactively, leveraging the insights gained from each venture to better prepare yourself.”

“Aren’t you revealing your intentions too quickly?” Lumian couldn’t help but chuckle. “Are you trying to hasten my demise? So that you may utilize the unique underground environment to block the signal of the collapsing seal and ensure your own safe escape?”

Given that the Tree of Shadow hadn’t taken root in Fourth Epoch Trier, Lumian held no interest in venturing underground.

Without awaiting Termiboros’s response, he left the room and made his way to the nearest washroom, eager to wash off the mystical makeup that concealed his true identity.

Having eliminated the latent threat, Lumian settled at a wooden table and began to write.

It was clear that both Flameng and the Earth Blood ore were extraordinary cases. He couldn’t simply follow Termiboros’s directives; consulting Madam Magician was imperative.

If he lacked knowledge and blindly believed the words of an angel tied to an evil deity, he would inevitably suffer dire consequences, even risking his life.

Termiboros’s voice resonated once more.

“Can you truly trust this Magician, this Tarot Club, as they claim?
“They sealed me within your body instead of seeking my eradication. I fear they have ulterior motives, intending to exploit you for their nefarious purposes.”

“They cast you into Trier, the very heart of the storm, yet they displayed no concern nor made any inquiries about your well-being. Don’t you find this suspicious? It cannot be explained away as mere training.”

Lumian beamed and said with a sigh, “Have you never deceived or manipulated others in the past, relying solely on your status and abilities to achieve your goals?

“Would you like me to purchase a copy of the Art of Persuasion and read it aloud daily for your instruction?

“Allow me to enlighten you. Such tricks wouldn’t have ensnared me during my early teenage years. I am well aware of those I can depend on, my true friends, my adversaries, and those I must remain wary of.”

Termiboros fell silent, seemingly contemplating whether to acquire the art of rhetoric.

Lumian swiftly penned a letter to Madam Magician, detailing the recent developments, and entrusted it, along with the Earth Blood ore, to the puppet messenger he had summoned.

In due time, a reply arrived from Madam Magician, who returned the mineral specimen.

“I’m relieved to see that you remained cautious and didn’t fully trust Termiboros’s words.

“However, there is some truth to what He said. The ore lacks inherent power, but it carries remnants of unknown auras and characteristics, mostly dissipated. It won’t aid you directly, but it seems destined to bring about encounters in the future, which could be either beneficial or detrimental. Its current state is highly chaotic, making it difficult to provide an accurate interpretation.

“What Termiboros intentionally misled you about is that the fortuitous encounter He spoke of might not necessarily occur in Fourth Epoch Trier, but somewhere underground.

“If, in the future, you wish to explore the potential encounters and are prepared to take risks, carry it with you whenever you venture into Underground Trier. Alternatively, if you wish to avoid the risk, keep it safely stored in your room.

“The symbolic elements I mentioned previously have already begun to unfold. A friend of mine mentioned that he possesses great proficiency in deciphering such matters. Once he completes his current tasks, I will arrange for you to meet him…”

Suddenly, a blaze erupted from Lumian’s hand, reducing the letter to ashes.

Contemplating the words of both Madam Magician and Termiboros, Lumian couldn’t help but believe that the Earth Blood ore before him could trigger some kind of mutation within Underground Trier. It could lead to a fortuitous encounter or even claim his life.

For now, it’s best not to take unnecessary risks, Lumian thought, aware of his current strengths.

As a Sequence 7 Pyromaniac, he had overcome any deficiencies in both close-quarters combat and long-range attacks, excelling in hand-to-hand combat and spellcasting. He had surpassed the limitations of an ordinary individual. However, Hunters leaned more towards conventional battles and lacked the peculiar abilities and methods to deal with the peculiarities of Underground Trier.

Lumian decided to wait until he had fully digested the Pyromaniac potion and obtained the Contractee boon. Then, he would consider carrying the Earth Blood ore based on the information he had gathered about Underground Trier.

It would be even better if he could transform the Shadow Branch into a mystical item before that.

Suppressing his thoughts, Lumian took the mineral specimen to Rue des Blouses Blanches and concealed it in his safehouse.

Before the afternoon sun waned, he delved into Aurore’s grimoire, meticulously studying its contents alongside Franca’s teachings and his own experiences with fire spells, searching for any potential issues.

After more than an hour, Lumian stumbled upon a section about summoning creatures from the spirit world and forging contracts.

His mind immediately turned to White Paper, Aurore’s contracted creature.

The fragile spirit entity possessed the ability to withstand a specific ability of the contractor.

I wonder if the contract between Aurore and White Paper has been severed. According to the notebook, aside from the designated ritual, the contract can only be broken if one of the parties is completely deceased.

Regrettably, contracted creatures can only be summoned by the contractor and not by others like a messenger. Otherwise, I could utilize White Paper to determine if Aurore is truly deceased…

Hm… Is it possible that Aurore left behind any information with White Paper?

Lost in thought, Lumian’s mind shifted to another matter that had previously escaped his notice.

Considering that Aurore occasionally gained clarity and assisted him in cutting up the livre bleu, reassembling letters, and seeking aid from the authorities, and since her initial response in the dream was to summon the messenger of the Curly-Haired Baboons Research Society’s Vice President, Hela, to seek her counsel, why didn’t she occasionally summon the messenger when she was lucid and inform Madam Hela about her predicament?

In Madam Hela’s earliest response to me, she clearly seemed unaware of the situation.

What prevented Aurore from making such an attempt?

Or could it be that she did summon a messenger, and Hela is concealing it?

Lumian narrowed his eyes. Without the accompanying memories, he couldn’t discern the source of the problem.

For now, he wasn’t overly suspicious of Hela, believing there must be another explanation.

It was worth noting that Hela’s messenger knew Lumian’s exact location. If the woman was truly entangled in Cordu’s affairs and played a dishonorable role, she would undoubtedly wish to eliminate the final “survivor” without leaving any loose ends. Yet, all this time, she not only refrained from making any substantial moves but also kindly provided knowledge and suggestions.

For a moment, Lumian considered writing down his questions and sending them to Hela to gauge her response. However, he restrained himself, fearing that it might expose the king’s new clothes and lead to unfavorable outcomes.

He decided to first have a conversation with Franca and gather opinions from her teammates in the Curly-Haired Baboons Research Society and the Tarot Club regarding Hela’s trustworthiness.

If Franca believed Hela to be reliable and had shared information about the Curly-Haired Baboons Research Society with her Major Arcana card, Lumian would request Madam Magician to keep a watchful eye before sending inquiries to Hela.

He forced himself to regain composure and resumed studying Aurore’s grimoire. Only when evening arrived did he leave Rue des Blouses Blanches, making his way onto Avenue du Marché and entering his Salle de Bal Brise.

“Good evening, Boss!” Greetings echoed from all directions as Lumian nodded in acknowledgement and led Louis and Sarkota to the second floor.

Before he could settle in at the café, René, the dance hall manager, approached him.

The slender middle-aged man pressed a hand to his chest and bowed respectfully.

“Monsieur Ciel, Monsieur Martin requests your presence at Rue des Fontaines tomorrow at 10 a.m.”

Boss wants to see me? Lumian was both surprised and delighted.

He was taken aback that Gardner Martin had sent for him despite the recent lack of incidents. Yet, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of joy at the prospect of further interaction with Gardner Martin and the opportunity to gain his trust to join the Iron and Blood Cross Order.