Lord of Mysteries 2: Circle of Inevitability

136 Initial Summoning Attempt

Lumian, consumed by Madame Alice’s fixation, found breathing increasingly difficult. His body ached more intensely, as if he had once again encountered the Montsouris ghost and teetered on the brink of death.

This was a true death experience.

Concerned he might lose control, Lumian chose not to push further. He ordered Madame Alice’s lingering spirit to vacate his body.

Gasping for air, he wiped the cold sweat from his brow before reverting to his slightly arrogant novice lawyer persona.

Accompanied by the police officer, he headed back to the interview room.

Charlie sprang to his feet, leaning forward with his hand braced against the table. His face was a mix of anxiety and anticipation.

Without waiting for a question, Lumian seemed to hear Charlie ask, “What’s the result?”

Lumian nodded and made a calming motion.

His gesture implied that the autopsy findings aligned with his expectations.

Relief washed over Charlie’s face instantly. It was as though he’d expended all his energy in that moment. He slumped back into his chair, physically drained.

In front of the two constables at the door, Lumian declared firmly, “Don’t worry about anything else. I’ve got it covered.

“You only need to do one thing. During the next questioning, recount the entire story to these gentlemen without omitting a single detail, no matter how absurd or implausible it may seem.

“Of course, stick to what happened up until your arrest. There’s no need to delve into our conversation.”

Since a lawyer-client dialogue might involve courtroom tactics others had no right to know, the two officers at the door didn’t find Lumian’s last statement odd. After all, Charlie Collent was an unfortunate kid facing a serious criminal case for the first time and requiring a lawyer. He likely didn’t know the rules and needed explicit guidance.

Charlie grasped Lumian’s message: Don’t reveal to the police that I discovered the issue with the portrait!

“Alright.” Charlie wasn’t as angry, terrified, or flustered as when he was first arrested and brought to the station, but he wasn’t as chatty as usual either.

After departing the market district’s police headquarters, Lumian circled twice before finding an alley blocked by a barricade. He changed his clothes, removed his glasses, and altered his makeup style.

Now that I have enough money, I can set up a safe house and a place to switch disguises based on Aurore’s novels. Lumian recalled his sister’s writing, piecing together the method for handling such matters.

He also fully intended to purchase a copy of Men’s Aesthetics.

Mastering makeup without guidance was impossible. He’d mainly relied on his hairstyle, glasses, and attire to conceal his identity.

En route to Auberge du Coq Doré, Lumian contemplated how to extricate Charlie from his dire situation.

Who exactly is Susanna Matisse, or rather, the bizarre creature she morphed into? Why did she murder Madame Alice?

Why did she help Charlie in the past and engage in the act with him in the dream?

The prospect of writing to Madam Magician unsettled Lumian.

Judging by the speed of her previous response and its content, he sensed her indirectness: “Don’t bother me unless it’s important!”

If Lumian faced an issue involving Susanna Matisse, writing to inquire would be acceptable. However, this predicament only concerned his neighbor.

It was highly likely that the enigmatic, potent woman who detested complications wouldn’t respond.

And this could impact her attitude towards Lumian.

If I’m not asking Madam Magician, why not inquire at Mr. K’s mysticism gathering? If the attendees are Beyonders at Osta Trul’s level, they might not have the answer… As Lumian mulled it over, he ascended the stairs and entered his room.

His gaze fell on the suitcase containing Aurore’s grimoires, and he experienced a sudden revelation.

Why should I investigate Susanna Matisse and deal with her personally?

My sole objective is to rescue Charlie!

Even if I can uncover Susanna Matisse’s vulnerability and vanquish her, can I coerce a peculiar creature like her to turn herself in at the police station?

If she dares to go, the police won’t dare to entertain her. Given her displayed characteristics, wouldn’t she indulge in an orgy on the spot?

Lumian rapidly discerned the distinction between goals and means.

There was no need for such effort to exonerate Charlie and secure his release from police headquarters!

He simply had to inform Bureau 8, the Eternal Blazing Sun Church, and the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery that Charlie’s case involved Beyonder elements and prompt them to intervene in the investigation!

Even a low-level Beyonder with no intelligence network or mystical powers could detect something amiss with Susanna Matisse. There’s no reason why official investigators couldn’t uncover the invisible force behind Madame Alice’s demise. Eventually, they would not only verify Charlie’s innocence but also help him escape Susanna Matisse’s grasp and resolve the issue with the strange creature entirely. Lumian had a clear conjecture about the subsequent events after the lunatic upstairs had sought refuge in the cathedral upon encountering the Montsouris ghost.

He had urged Charlie to divulge everything at the market district’s police headquarters to attract the attention of official Beyonders.

Nevertheless, he felt compelled to act. He couldn’t rely solely on ordinary police officers.

What if they deemed Charlie’s story a fabrication intended to mock their intelligence and resorted to violence to coerce a confession on the spot?

Lumian’s gaze swept over the crumpled newspaper on the wooden table, recalling how he or his sister had snipped out the livre bleu’s words and pieced them together to compose a letter seeking assistance from the authorities.

Transform Charlie’s experience into a letter and ‘deliver’ it to a nearby cathedral? Lumian nodded, deciding to execute the plan.

Armed with the plea for help and Charlie’s confession, it should pique the interest of official Beyonders.

As he was about to search for appropriate phrases in Novel Weekly, Lumian suddenly frowned.

Could the officials link a similar request for help to Cordu? Would they associate me, a wanted criminal, with Charlie?

Lumian didn’t know if Ryan and his associates had fully reported their findings to official Beyonders nationwide, but he was unwilling to take that risk.

Imitate Aurore’s handwriting?

Unlike a lawyer’s signature that doesn’t raise suspicion, Ryan and his team suggested that the letter would likely undergo various checks, including divination…

Disguise myself and have someone else write it for me? As his thoughts raced, Lumian suddenly had an idea. I can summon a spirit world creature to write it for me!

If the officials detect any issues, they won’t be able to make the spirit world creature identify me since they don’t know the summoning incantation!

The more Lumian considered it, the more he believed it was a solid plan. He pulled out a chair, sat down, and began devising the summoning incantation.

The first sentence was undoubtedly, “Spirit wandering in the void.”

After some thought, Lumian penned the second sentence.

“The friendly creature that can be subordinated.”

Summoned spirit world creatures had to be under Lumian’s command to assist him in writing letters. Friendliness provided essential protection for the summoner.

As for the third sentence, Lumian didn’t have lofty expectations. He merely needed to incorporate the two aspects of being weak and proficient in Intisian.

After several moments of mental permutation, the third sentence materialized on paper:

“Weakling proficient in Intisian.”

Phew… After writing, Lumian exhaled.

He then leafed through Aurore’s grimoire and translated the few unmastered words into Hermes.

Immediately after, he set up the altar and commenced the summoning.

Soon, he completed the ritual and observed the candle flame turning a dark green hue and expanding to the size of a human head.

A hazy, translucent figure materialized, its head resembling an ox’s and the rest, a dog’s.

“Help me write a letter,” Lumian said in Hermes as he gazed at the spirit world creature.

The bewildered ox-headed dog didn’t respond.

“I order you to help me write a letter,” Lumian emphasized in Hermes.

The ox-headed dog appeared dumbstruck, as though it didn’t comprehend.

Lumian made several more attempts, but the ox-headed dog remained unresponsive.

Having no other choice, he terminated the summoning early to preserve his spirituality.

He started pondering the issue.

I can’t communicate with that guy…

Amenable to subordination doesn’t mean it can be communicated with…

With this realization, Lumian modified the second summoning incantation to “A friendly creature that can be communicated with.”

Being able to communicate meant being able to make requests!

This time, a colossal “snail” emerged from the dark green flames.

“Hello.” Lumian attempted to greet it in Intisian.

The snail emitted an ethereal voice.

“Hello, what’s the matter?”

It also spoke Intisian.

“Can you help me write a letter?” Lumian was overjoyed.

The “snail” replied in a troubled tone, “But I don’t have any hands.”

“…” Lumian had no choice but to end the summoning.

After some consideration, he changed the phrase “weakling proficient in Intisian” to “weakling who can write Intisian.”

“Can write” covered both the knowledge and necessary physical requirements.

Before long, Lumian completed his third summoning.

He saw a transparent creature resembling a rabbit.

“Can you help me write a letter?” Lumian asked with intense anticipation.

The “rabbit” nodded, picked up the pen on the table, and wrote an Intisian word on the paper.

“A letter.”

“…” Lumian’s lips twitched.

This creature didn’t seem too bright.

With resolve, Lumian grabbed a pen and paper and scribbled a plea for help, including Susanna Mattise’s portrait, details about the wet dream, Madame Alice’s death, and Charlie’s arrest.

Then, he said to the “rabbit,” “Copy it!”

The “rabbit” took the fountain pen and diligently transcribed it.

Soon, it finished its task.

Lumian examined it and nodded in satisfaction.

In the next second, his smile froze.

Not only had the dimwit copied the entire contents of the letter, but it had also replicated his handwriting.

In other words, it was in Lumian’s script!

Lumian took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. He pointed at Novel Weekly and said, “Copy in that font.”

The “rabbit” nodded slowly and rewrote without complaint.

A few minutes later, Lumian received a seemingly printed plea for help.