Starting as Cipher-The Flame-Chaser Identity System(Honkai Star Rail)

The two Imperial soldiers ignored the groaning soldiers on the ground and turned to leave. After a moment's hesitation, Cipher stealthily followed them. She saw them enter a luxurious-looking inn. While the Adventurer's Guild offered affordable lodging, other inns certainly existed in the city.

This particular inn exuded opulence, its prices undoubtedly steep. After memorizing their room numbers, Cipher slipped away and returned to the vicinity of the castle.

Her reconnaissance wasn't yet complete. Cipher retrieved the black cloak she had purchased in Stone Pine City and wrapped herself tightly in it. Though doing so in broad daylight might draw more attention, she felt it added a touch of "ceremony" to her upcoming task.

The next instant, she activated Divine Speed. Cipher dashed up the ten-meter-high castle wall as if it were flat ground, successfully infiltrating the fortress.

For most people, reconnaissance might involve little more than circling the castle, observing the terrain and surroundings. But Cipher's approach was far more thorough—she intended to thoroughly map out the castle's internal structure.

Cipher even considered leaving a note announcing her planned theft before departing, then returning at night to carry out the actual heist. Glancing at her System interface, she saw that her Fame had gradually risen to just over six thousand during the past half-moon. However, the rate of increase was visibly slowing.

This meant she could no longer rely on natural growth from Stone Pine City to reach the ten thousand mark. She needed to stir up some new trouble.

After scaling the wall, Cipher was greeted by a vast garden filled with meticulously arranged pink flowers of an unknown variety. She landed right in the middle of the flowerbed, instantly disrupting the neat rows.

Emerging from the floral chaos, she casually plucked a bloom, brought it to her nose, and inhaled. "Hmm, quite fragrant," she remarked.

Then, she carelessly tossed the flower aside and patted her cloak, scattering a shower of pink petals onto the ground. Unbeknownst to Cipher, this casual gesture had instantly vaporized at least a hundred Gold Dragons' worth of value. Even if she had known, she likely wouldn't have cared.

In this place, a wealthy person's pet dog could be worth more than an ordinary person's life. Such things were so commonplace that no one batted an eye.

Cipher quickly located the main entrance to the castle, but after a moment's thought, she decided against using it. Instead, just as she had done at Viscount Braun's mansion, she scaled the outer walls to the top floor, found a window, opened it, and slipped inside.

Only after casually closing the window did she deactivate her Divine Speed. Her whirlwind of wall-climbing, flowerbed-trampling, and stair-scaling had taken only a split second in real time.

Cipher surveyed her surroundings. It appeared to be a warehouse or storage room of some kind. The space was vast, filled with rows of square wooden crates. She randomly opened one and peered inside, discovering it was packed with reddish-brown soil emitting a pungent, acrid odor.

Waving her small hand in front of her nose, Cipher hastily slammed the crate shut. "What is this stuff? It stinks so bad! Ugh~!"

It felt as if someone had stir-fried a pot of pure chili peppers in oil and then dumped it right in front of Cipher. Even if she deliberately held her breath, the pungent fumes still burned her eyes—literally blindingly spicy.

Next, she opened the adjacent crates and found they were all filled with the same "red soil." She wondered if she should take some back to show Feidric and figure out what it was.

However, Cipher glanced at the red soil again, her expression of disgust growing more pronounced. She had no extra pockets, only a shoulder bag for carrying her Gold Dragons. She certainly didn't want to mix this stuff with her precious coins. As for scooping some up in her hands and leaving? Forget it. Frankly, she didn't even want to touch the stuff.

Cipher stuck out her delicate pink tongue and finally abandoned the idea of taking any with her. She'd just describe it to Feidric later; she was sure his vast knowledge would allow him to identify it from her description alone.

After thoroughly searching the room and confirming there was nothing else of interest, Cipher headed for the door. Just as she was about to push it open, her cat ears twitched slightly. Footsteps echoed from outside—someone was approaching!

Cipher reacted with lightning speed, leaping high into the air with a whoosh and landing atop a stack of three or four crates in the corner of the room. She curled herself into a tight ball, desperately trying to minimize her presence. Moments later, the door creaked open, and another figure entered, clad in an identical black robe that completely concealed their form.

Cipher's first thought was, Matching outfits? No! Is there another thief in here?

But behind the Black-Robed Man, two soldiers followed, each carrying a crate. At his command, they placed the crates in the room.

Wait a minute, this guy isn't a thief. The soldiers are taking orders from him. Does that mean he's part of the castle staff? And in a position of authority? Cipher mused silently, her mind racing through classic plot tropes.

A mysterious figure gains the king's trust and uses him to enact some nefarious scheme... she thought. Otherwise, how else would a normal person be allowed to wander the castle dressed like that?

After moving the supplies, just as the group was about to leave, the Black-Robed Man suddenly paused. "What's that scent...?" he said warily. "Wait, someone else has been here!"

"Who's there?!"

He immediately scanned the surroundings. Cipher couldn't help but tense up, squeezing herself further into the corner, clutching her tail tightly, her heart racing.

To put it bluntly, though she wasn't afraid of the man before her—she could escape at any moment if she chose—the situation felt like a mistress caught in the act by the returning husband. Even if the mistress were a muscular man and the husband frail and weak, anyone with common sense would instinctively hide under the bed rather than confront him head-on!

Cipher was undeniably the "mistress" in this scenario, caught "doing something she shouldn't." Naturally, a flicker of panic ran through her. She never imagined that the floral scent she'd picked up from falling into the flower field earlier could betray her presence.

Still, the Black-Robed Man had only caught a whiff of the scent. He scoured the warehouse several times but found no sign of the unknown "intruder."

Seeing the situation, Cipher gradually calmed down from her initial panic at being caught in the act. She watched the black-robed man below, who was glancing around in confusion, and thought, "Is this the legendary 'since ancient times, the cuckold never looks up'? Can't he even see me?"

But soon, she noticed the black-robed man glance in her direction. His gaze didn't linger for even a second before shifting elsewhere. "Strange," he muttered, "was someone here earlier and has already left?"

Though puzzled, the black-robed man couldn't find anyone. He turned to the soldiers beside him and ordered, "Tell everyone to increase their vigilance!"

Cipher, meanwhile, marveled inwardly, "Is this black cloak really that effective at concealing me?"

No, it shouldn't be this absurd, she reasoned. She glanced down at her chest, then surveyed her surroundings. Though she was tucked away in a corner, it was still daytime, and the light was relatively bright. Her spot was merely shaded, not pitch black.

Unless this black-robed man has eye problems, he should be able to spot me. Eliminating this unlikely possibility, she concluded that if the issue wasn't with her cloak, it must be with herself.

Of course, as a thief, she must have some form of invisibility. Cipher stroked her smooth chin, deep in thought. She remembered that in the game, her secret technique, Puss in Boots, granted invisibility. Could she currently be in such a state?

But how had this ability activated? When had it started? And why didn't she remember using it?

As the Black-Robed Man finished unloading the crate and turned to leave, Cipher leaped down from the stacked crates in the corner, landing soundlessly on her toes. Her tail swayed behind her, maintaining perfect balance.

If she had a "new ability," she naturally had to test and investigate it! And what better opportunity than now?

Even if she was discovered, she could simply use Divine Speed to make a quick escape. Besides, the Black-Robed Man looked highly suspicious; secretly tailing him might reveal something useful.

The Black-Robed Man left the storage room, followed closely by the two soldiers. Cipher silently trailed behind. As the last soldier casually closed the door, Cipher crouched low and slipped beneath his wrist without touching him.

Despite her bold movements, the three men continued to act as if she were invisible. Soon, the two soldiers said, "Sir, we'll take our leave now," and parted ways with the Black-Robed Man, heading in different directions.

Cipher, however, remained close behind the Black-Robed Man. With the obstructing soldiers gone, she quickened her pace, closing the distance between them.

Her earlier stealth gradually transformed into brazen boldness. She now trailed less than half a meter behind him, close enough to casually reach out and tap his shoulder.

Can he really not see me? Amazing! Cipher muttered to herself, scrutinizing the Black-Robed Man's attire for pockets or pouches.

Suddenly, the Black-Robed Man stopped, turning around with a puzzled expression. Startled, Cipher immediately crouched down, covering her head defensively. "Strange," the Black-Robed Man murmured, "I feel like someone's watching me."

After scanning the area and finding no one, he resumed walking. A moment later, he added, "Could it be my imagination? But that's impossible—there's nowhere to hide here."

"What? Invisibility? Are you saying there's really someone here with me?"

At first, Cipher thought the Black-Robed Man was just muttering to himself. But she quickly realized something was amiss. Who would idly ramble on like that to themselves? Besides, the way he was speaking clearly suggested he was conversing with someone—or something—unseen.

After uttering those words, the Black-Robed Man abruptly stopped, his gaze darting warily around the area. He shouted, "Detect Invisibility!"

A second-level spell from the Divination School, Detect Invisibility had a simple yet potent effect: for the duration, the caster could perceive the outlines of all invisible creatures or objects within a ten-meter radius. This spell was a hard counter to the second-level Invisibility spell from the Illusion School.

The moment Cipher heard the incantation, she instantly retreated four or five meters, widening the distance between herself and the Black-Robed Man. She braced for combat—or escape. After casting the spell, the Black-Robed Man scanned the area in confusion. "Are you sure? There's no one here!"

Clearly, the magic's level was too low to penetrate Cipher's Invisibility. Seeing this, Cipher hefted the small pouch she'd pilfered from the Black-Robed Man during her hasty retreat. She'd feared discovery and had prepared to snatch something and flee, but now it seemed she could continue tailing him.

Frustrated by the failed detection, the Black-Robed Man's tone dripped with skepticism. "Are you really not just messing with me?"

After a moment, he snapped, "What do you mean I don't trust you? Don't you think that's absurd, coming from you?!"

Muttering to whatever unseen entity he was addressing, the Black-Robed Man resumed walking. Cipher had now surmised his profession: he was likely a Warlock.

If being a Sorcerer was all about lineage, about whose ancestors were more powerful, then being a Warlock was about relying on their chosen patrons. These patrons might be actively sought out or, through some twist of fate, might take an interest in you and approach you of their own accord.

However, don't think that being sought out by a Patron is a good thing. These so-called "Patrons" are usually demons, Evil Gods, or similar entities.

For example, someone might make a birthday wish to gain power and become a formidable warrior. Then, a "miracle" occurs: a demon engulfed in flames appears before them, granting them the desired strength. This is the quintessential Warlock.

But everything comes at a price, and the price Warlocks must pay is particularly steep. After all, demons aren't benevolent; they don't grant power to mortals without expecting something in return. The moment a Warlock receives their power, they might become the demon's servant, a puppet controlled by its whims. Even after death, their soul becomes a plaything for the demon.

Therefore, regardless of whether a Warlock is good or evil, they often commit heinous acts to fulfill their pact.

-

P.S.: was slightly blindsided by the official lore, but it's okay. The patch for Cat's "Lies Come True" Authority is easy to apply. The Protagonist transmigrated during Honkai: Star Rail Version 3.2, having only seen the previews. He knew Cat possessed Divine Speed but was unaware of the Trickster Titan's Authority. Both her Divine Speed and stealth abilities stemmed from her self-deception—she convinced herself she had these powers, and through her "Lies Come True" Authority, they manifested into reality. The Protagonist wouldn't realize this and truly understand the nature of the Trickster Authority until much later.