Lord of Mysteries: Starting As A Reader

After leaving the apartment where the gathering had been held, Ebner, carrying 350 pounds in cash, two sets of Beyonder ingredients, and a bag of study materials, didn't head home right away. Instead, he removed his disguise and took a roundabout path through the Bridge District, eventually returning to Braveheart Bar.

In the lounge, he found Kaspars Kalinin, who greeted him with a laugh. "Thank the Storm you're still alive. Looks like you didn't manage to piss anyone off."

Ebner brushed off his banter and cut straight to the point. "Mr. Kalinin, I could use your help with a few more matters."

Kaspars stopped smiling, his brow furrowing as he said, "What is it? But let's be clear—I consider my debt to your father all but repaid. Any more favors won't come at a discount."

With a wallet full of cash, Ebner felt bolder and nodded, saying, "Money isn't an issue. I need three things for now. First, I want to buy a revolver."

Thinking back on his powerlessness against the Beyonders he'd encountered, even if they'd meant him no harm, Ebner longed for some way to defend himself, even if it was through external means.

"Understood, that'll be three pounds. I'll also throw in 50 bullets and a holster," Kaspars answered, giving him a slightly better deal than he might have given anyone else.

"Second, I'd like you to recommend a shooting club." After all, having a weapon he didn't know how to use wouldn't help him much—he couldn't rely on sheer luck for accuracy.

Kaspars nodded, tearing a page from a notebook on his desk and quickly jotting down an address. Handing it to Ebner, he said, "Head to this location after 9 a.m. tomorrow and look for a man named Dev. He'll take you to the club. And just a heads-up: memberships at these clubs aren't cheap."

Ebner glanced at the note, seeing that the club was on Riverside Street in St. George's District—a fairly remote area, nearly on the outskirts. Great, so I'll be commuting by subway to practice shooting? Setting aside his musings, Ebner maintained a serious expression as he continued, "Third, I'd like to rent a laboratory with basic equipment, preferably right now."

Kaspars raised an eyebrow, giving Ebner a long, appraising look. Clearly aware of Ebner's intentions, he hesitated before advising, "Are you sure you need it this urgently? Wouldn't it be better to make some additional preparations?"

Ebner's face remained firm as he replied, "No, the sooner, the better." Initially, he hadn't felt so pressed, planning to use the academy's laboratory tomorrow. But tonight's encounter with Beyonders had shaken him. He realized he needed the means to protect himself as soon as possible. In just three days since arriving in this world, he'd either directly or indirectly brushed against multiple supernatural events. Nothing had happened so far, but who could say what dangers lay ahead?

Thanks to Emperor Roselle's contributions to the language, Kaspars understood the idiom Ebner used, nodding as he motioned for him to follow. "A friend once told me that Beyonders may seem glamorous but are really just poor souls treading the edge of danger…"

"Thank you, Mr. Kalinin. I'm well aware of the risks, but I have no choice but to take this path," Ebner said, following Kaspars's limping stride. He couldn't help but think that the original owner of his body was fortunate to have had such a loyal friend in his father's time.

Without another word, Kaspars led Ebner out of the bar, across the street, and to a secluded courtyard where he produced a key and unlocked the gate.

Looking around, Ebner noted that the place was tucked into a corner, with buildings on three sides offering plenty of concealment.

"This was a former residence of a friend of mine who left town without dismantling the laboratory. You can use it; I won't charge since nothing here is mine. Feel free to spend the night if you like." After opening the door to the living room, Kaspars turned to Ebner with a small nod.

"I truly appreciate it, Mr. Kalinin!" Ebner replied gratefully. Without his help, Ebner wouldn't have had such convenient access to a safe space for his work.

Waving a dismissive hand, Kaspars replied, "It's just business. Take care of yourself. I'll be back in the morning to escort you out—and bring that revolver you wanted… if you're still around, that is…" He turned and left without waiting for a reply.

"Drinking a Sequence 9 potion shouldn't be that risky…" Ebner muttered, feeling slightly unnerved by the older man's words. But he had come too far to turn back now.

Taking a deep breath, he switched on the gas lamps inside, their bright light filling the room.

With the room fully illuminated, Ebner quickly located the laboratory and began setting up the ritual to create a "Spiritual Wall," ensuring his work wouldn't be disturbed.

"Alright, I have all the auxiliary ingredients except for distilled water, which I'll need to prepare here. The main ingredients are sealed in tins and require no extra handling… So all I need to do is distill the water, grind the threadball grass into powder, extract the calamus juice, and add everything in the right order?"

According to Lord of the Mysteries, Sequence 9 potions were supposed to be simple, requiring only that ingredients be added in precise ratios. Even so, Ebner was tense, taking nearly half an hour to finish the potion.

Staring at the blue, viscous substance, which hovered between liquid and solid, Ebner swallowed hard. He clenched his teeth, raised the glass flask, and downed the potion.

Gulp! Gulp!

The icy liquid slithered down his throat, popping with tiny bubbles as it went. Suddenly, a flood of information rushed into his mind, exploding like fireworks within his thoughts.

Someone with a weak will would likely lose control and become a monster on the spot!

Fortunately, Ebner had both a strong character and prior experience with such mind-bending sensations, thanks to using the Pure White Eye. This familiarity allowed him to pass the most challenging step with relative ease.

Even so, he felt his head swelling as though it were about to burst, his vision blurring with countless afterimages, and his ears filling with a cacophony of buzzing and roaring.

Realizing this was the overflow of the potion's power, Ebner recalled how Old Neil had advised Klein in the novel. He slipped into a meditative state, allowing himself to regain control over his senses and rid himself of the visual and auditory distortions.

After a while, Ebner came out of his meditation, clenched his fists, and muttered with satisfaction, "I've finally become a Beyonder!"

He examined his body but found no abnormalities. Yet he could sense that his focus, memory, and comprehension had all significantly improved. While it wasn't comparable to using the Pure White Eye, it was at least two to three times better than before drinking the potion.

Once he had calmed down, Ebner took out the blue gemstone in its tin case, ready to test whether his abilities with the Pure White Eye had improved after becoming a "Reader."

He blinked his eyes rapidly four times—his trigger gesture for activating the Pure White Eye. Instantly, his pupils turned pure white.

After ten seconds, he blinked again, deactivating the ability and returning his pupils to their normal pale blue. This time, he only felt mentally fatigued, with no hint of impending unconsciousness.

"Now that I'm a Beyonder, I can sustain the Pure White Eye for about fifteen seconds. If I stop at ten seconds, it doesn't burden my mind too heavily, though I can't use it consecutively. I'd estimate I need at least a two-hour break between uses. If I reach the fifteen-second limit or activate it multiple times in quick succession, I'll still likely end up comatose for six hours. This limit should improve as I digest the potion and my spirituality strengthens."

"More importantly, I can now control the Pure White Eye's behavior while it's active, rather than merely turning it on and letting it run. Previously, it processed everything at once, recalling, analyzing, and planning all sorts of information in countless threads. It was overwhelming and a huge waste of processing power. Now, though, I can focus its abilities on specific tasks! For instance…"

Thinking along these lines, Ebner opened his bag and took out the Ancient Feysac study materials from "Eye of Wisdom." He blinked again to trigger the Pure White Eye.

Within seconds, he closed his eyes and slumped onto a cushion he'd prepared, fainting. His last thought before blacking out was:

"So my hunch was right—activating it twice in succession does cause forced unconsciousness…"

…

Meanwhile, in a dockside workers' pub, Xio sat across from a man in his thirties in a secluded corner. Amid the bar's raucous noise, she seemed to have asked him a question that stirred up quite a bit of resentment, as he pounded the table and growled,

"You want to know why the boss kicked me out and hired that fop Hick instead? Damn, I want to know that, too! Can you believe it? That guy just met the boss once, spoke with him for less than ten minutes, and somehow earned his complete trust—more trust than we've earned over years! And Rosen's a cautious man who never trusts strangers! If he weren't acting normal in other ways, I'd swear that fop switched places with the real boss!"

(End of Chapter)