Lord of Mysteries:The Good Witch

Angel finally stopped after crafting 20 "Gathering Storms" bullets, feeling her spirituality depleted. The faint crimson glow on the neatly arranged bullets was gradually fading with time. A few failed attempts lay nearby, mostly ruined due to careless engraving.

The "storms Gathering " bullets, enhanced through engraving, possessed immense power and significantly greater recoil than ordinary bullets. While the standard-issue launcher of the Templar Knights was designed with a hydraulic buffer to fire special bullets without damage, this poorly crafted and poorly maintained revolver would likely break before using up all 20 rounds.

Even if the gun could withstand it, the user probably couldn't.

Twenty rounds were sufficient for one battle. If that couldn't resolve the situation, another twenty wouldn't make a difference.

She used her remaining spirituality to create three "Phantom Phosphorus Burst" rounds, a type of auxiliary bullet with extremely low direct killing power. Its flight path and final explosion would scatter phantom phosphorus powder, adhering to living beings and allowing the user to detect targets in poor visibility or track the general position of fast-moving enemies through the trails formed in the powder zone.

The manufacturing process was similar to "Gathering Storms," with the bullet head and propellant containing powdered luminous lizard scales soaked in nitric acid, mixed with calcium carbide. Through engraving, this was transformed into intangible phantom phosphorus powder unaffected by wind direction.

After praying to the Goddess of Night to infuse power into the engravings, Angel produced 0.22-inch ammunition suitable for ladies' pistols. She placed these three "Phantom Phosphorus Burst" rounds along with the previous "Gathering Storms" bullets into an ammunition box, covering them with oiled paper.

Looking at this box of bullets worth 50 pounds in raw materials, she felt her entire body ache. It was the first time this body had completely exhausted its spirituality. Her temples throbbed, the candlelight before her eyes seemed to have afterimages, and her overall state was similar to when she first arrived in this body, perhaps even worse.

Besides the slow recovery of spirituality over time, the most effective method was rapid restoration through meditation. Cole's memories contained this method, but Angel didn't have time for it now.

Pushing open the trapdoor of the basement, she returned to the study. Outside the window, dawn was breaking, the crimson moonlight replaced by golden sunlight. Another sleepless night had passed.

Since arriving in this world, Angel hadn't had a full night's sleep. Every time she finished her work, she would look up to find it was already the next morning.

Placing the bullet box in the desk drawer, she stretched, planning to wash her face first to freshen up before going to St. Selena's Church to inquire whether the bishop from yesterday had informed the Beyonder organization about the intelligence.

If the Church of the Goddess of Night was slow to respond, she planned to try reporting to the "River and Sea Church" of the Lord of Storms.

As she opened the living room door, Angel froze.

A stranger was sitting on her favorite sofa, which backed onto the bay window and fully enjoyed the sunlight.

The visitor appeared to be in his forties, wearing a long black police uniform and a soft police cap. He sat with his legs crossed, as if relaxing at home, flipping through a notebook. Angel noticed it was one of the notebooks from the report she had put in the police mailbox. Hearing Angel come out of the study, the stranger lifted his police cap slightly, revealing light brown short hair and gray eyes surrounded by wrinkles. He looked at her with a gaze that felt somewhat familiar.

"Hello, madam," he greeted politely. "Please, have a seat. I'd like to discuss something with you."

He gestured towards an empty sofa nearby, as if he were the host and she the visitor who had just arrived.

Angel had already guessed the visitor's identity from his attire and obediently walked to the sofa and sat down.

"The Tingen City Police transferred a case to us late last night, saying it might involve Beyonder criminal activity," the unfamiliar police officer placed the notebook he was holding on the side table, which was already covered with various documents and papers from the report. "Earlier, Bishop Romulan from St. Selena's Church reported to us that a follower of the goddess was being threatened by an Beyonder. Although she didn't dare confront them directly, she bravely reported the incident to the church."

The middle-aged police officer said with a serious expression, "Both incidents point to a Tingen University teaching assistant named 'Cole Granger,' and the address we found is right here, 6 Daffodil Street."

He didn't continue, seemingly waiting for Angel to speak.

"That's correct. I put the report in the police station's mailbox last night, then went to St. Selena's Church and sought help from the bishop in the confessional, hoping he would inform the church's Beyonder armed forces about this matter."

The officer nodded, "So I came. I'm Dunn Smith, a Nighthawk." He removed his police cap and bowed slightly, with a very small gesture.

Nighthawk, this must be the Beyonder armed force of the Church of the Goddess of Night. Angel recalled that such an organization was mentioned in the exchange between "Justice" and "The Hanged Man" in the Tarot Gathering.

"Hello, Mr. Smith," Angel returned the greeting and continued to introduce herself, "I'm Angel Granger, a relative of Cole's, currently staying at his house."

Dunn Smith raised an eyebrow when he heard Angel's name, seeming somewhat surprised.

"There's no such information in the files of the Cole Granger family. When did you arrive in Tingen?"

As he asked this question, his eyes focused on Angel.

"I only arrived in Tingen this week, so the files probably haven't been updated yet," Angel replied. This was a crucial moment to gain the Nighthawk's trust, and she was well-prepared.

"We'll investigate that," Dunn Smith nodded, seemingly accepting Angel's explanation. He rested his right hand on the sofa armrest, tilted his head, and supported his cheek with his palm, appearing somewhat lazy as he continued to inquire. His voice, muffled by his hand, sounded even deeper:

"Do you know Cole Granger's whereabouts?"

"He's probably dead."

"...Continue," after a brief moment of surprise, Dunn Smith gestured for Angel to go on.

"You've already seen those letters. The person who kept in touch with Cole and provided him with potions is called Sharon Hoey. Cole called her Madam Sharon," Angel deliberately increased her speaking pace, appearing increasingly flustered and anxious. "Just last Thursday night, this Madam Sharon came to see Cole, and that's the night Cole disappeared, never to be seen again. Oh, and my 'Assassin' potion also came from her."

"She sent another letter last night, asking me to go to her place on Sunday, which is tonight. I know it won't end well."

Her expression was inevitably a bit disjointed, but this was exactly the effect Angel wanted. Sitting opposite her, Dunn Smith was clearly overwhelmed by this flood of information. He sat up slightly, lowering the hand that had been supporting his cheek, and stared unfocusedly at a spot behind Angel. After pondering for a while, he resumed his previous posture and continued to ask:

"You seem very afraid of Madam Sharon. What did she do to you?"

"Afraid? No, I should say I hate her. She provided Cole with potions, used charm to control him, taught him to kill innocent people. Although Cole deserved his fate, the real culprit is Madam Sharon. She even made me become an 'Assassin' too. What, does she hope I'll follow Cole's old path, exchanging killings for ways to advance from her?"

Although these words were prepared in advance to direct attention towards Madam Sharon, by the end, Angel had infused them with some genuine emotion.

"I'm sorry, I got a bit emotional."

This was Angel's sincere apology. She found that when facing Officer Dunn Smith, she always had some trouble controlling her emotions. Her responses to his questions were too quick and smooth. Although they were all answers she had prepared, if this continued, she might slip up.

"It's alright, I understand," Dunn Smith's mouth twitched, as if trying to force a smile, but it only made the wrinkles around his eyes more prominent. Then he adjusted his posture, quickly reverting to a stern face. With his hands clasped and fingers interlocked, he changed to a lighter topic: "You seem to know quite a bit about potions and Beyonders. Did you learn this from Cole Granger?"

"That's right. Madam Sharon thought Cole was progressing quickly, so she taught him a lot about the Beyonder world, like the various pathways and sequences of potions, and methods of advancement. I learned about it from him."

"That makes our conversation much easier. Do you know Madam Sharon's potion name and sequence level?"

"At least Sequence 7 'Witch', but I think it's very likely she's already reached Sequence 6, though I don't know the names of the subsequent sequences."

Dunn Smith nodded, "Sequence 7 is already in the mid-sequence range. We'll need to plan carefully for action against her. I'll report to my superiors, and we'll act only after thorough preparation and investigation."

"As for you, Miss Granger, we'll provide protection during the investigation and operation. You can choose to stay at the Nighthawks' headquarters in Tingen, or temporarily leave Tingen for Backlund to seek refuge. My colleagues there will receive you. You can return to Tingen once the case is resolved."

"What about tonight? Madam Sharon invited me to her place?" Angel asked with a furrowed brow.

Smith shrugged, his meaning clear: You're not really planning to go, are you?

"If I don't go, it might alert Madam Sharon and make her cautious. If she prepares herself, destroys evidence, or even escapes directly, how do you plan to handle it?" Seeing that Dunn Smith still hadn't grasped the severity of the situation, Angel became somewhat anxious.

"Once she escapes, she'll be a wanted criminal. Not just the Church of the Goddess of Night, but also the Church of the Lord of Storms and the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery will issue warrants for her in their jurisdictions," Dunn Smith said unhurriedly, as if he hadn't noticed Angel's anxiety. "But without evidence, we can't just arrest people. After all, Madam Sharon is also a celebrity in Tingen, and the scope of involvement is too broad."

"Even if she's a member of the Demoness Cult?"

Dunn Smith's expression turned serious. He resumed his posture of supporting his right cheek with his hand on the armchair, as if it were his habitual thinking pose.

"The Demoness Cult that worships the Primordial Demoness and has the mission of spreading disasters? Are you sure?"

"I'm not certain, but it's highly likely. Madam Sharon once mentioned to Cole that she could introduce him to join the Demoness Cult, but only after he advanced to Sequence 7."

The officer's gray eyes stared at Angel—or more precisely, at some point behind her—as he pondered for a while, then nodded as if confirming something: "If she is indeed a member of the Demoness Cult, then this matter might be more complex than it appears on the surface. She's been hiding in Tingen City for so many years and has recently started recruiting subordinates, surely in preparation for some action. For the Demoness Cult, taking action often means harm to a large number of ordinary civilians."

He seemed to have made some decision as he straightened his police cap and said, "I'll apply to the higher-ups for action against Madam Sharon tonight. However," Dunn pointed at Angel, "you still need to accept the protection of the Nighthawks."

"No, I will also participate in the battle," Angel refused Dunn Smith's proposal.

"I was originally planning to face her alone tonight, with or without you Nighthawks."

Dunn Smith stood up from the sofa, pressing down on his police cap with one hand and smoothing the hem of his police uniform with the other. He shook his head with a smile—the first time Angel had seen him smile.

"As a Sequence 9, wanting to fight alone against a Sequence 7 or even Sequence 6 Beyonder is too bold, even in a dream."

"What?"

Is he mocking me for daydreaming? Or...

Angel felt a chill down her spine. She instinctively reached for her gun, then remembered it was in the study drawer. She hurriedly stood up from the sofa.

Everything spun, and the scene before her eyes shattered. She found her face buried in her arms, lying on a stone table, surrounded by darkness.