Lord of Mysteries 2: Circle of Inevitability Chapter 1178: The Meaning of Guardianship

Loen Kingdom, Backlund, Saint Leonard's Cathedral.

The Star Leonard shifted his gaze toward Antigonus, who stood beside him, and inquired with a touch of caution, "Are you certain that we shouldn't weave Her original memories and implant them back into Her?"

Antigonus, possessing a youthful countenance despite His half-gray hair, merely shook His head in silence.

After a brief interval, a figure materialized at the cathedral's entrance. It was a woman clad in a classical hooded robe, her long black hair resting upon her shoulders.

Her features were delicate, yet she wore a dazed expression, appearing much like a child who had lost her way.

Antigonus moved toward her without delay.

Upon seeing Him, the woman remained bewildered, unable to identify Him. Nonetheless, an inexplicable sense of peace washed over her; her fear vanished, replaced by an instinctive feeling that this man was someone she could trust.

Standing before her, Antigonus spoke with a mixture of delight and concern, "Let's go."

The beautiful woman nodded softly, offering no resistance. "Okay."

A look of relief crossed Antigonus's face as He smiled and turned, leading the way for her.

They strolled side by side across the square, their footsteps sending flocks of white doves fluttering into the sky.

Leonard watched their departure until they were out of sight, then turned his attention back to the cathedral.

As he neared the entrance, he encountered several Nighthawks in red gloves rushing out.

"What's the situation?" Leonard asked out of habit.

The Red Gloves looked at him and respectfully tapped the star symbol over their hearts. The leader gave a hurried report: "A Beyonder appears to be losing control. We have to address it."

Leonard nodded slightly, allowing them to pass, and made his way down the stairs toward the underground chambers.

Entering his office, he settled into an armchair, picked up a newspaper, and began to read.

...

The Angel of Time Pallez Zoroast followed The Magician Fors through a magnificent gateway constructed of shimmering starlight. Above, the sky seemed to hold two suns, while silver-black spaceships were either docking at the spaceport or launching into the deep cosmos on various errands.

"This is Planet Lorbath, the home of a highly evolved civilization that reveres the Stars. Don't be startled when you encounter them—they might look like lizards, but they are peaceful. Our presence won't strike them as odd; this location serves as a crossroads for several neighboring star dominions," Fors explained to the "tour group."

The group, consisting of Judgment Xio, The Hermit Cattleya, Temperance Sharron, and Hela from the Church of Evernight, listened with focused attention.

The Angel of the Holy Spirit Reinette asked with great seriousness, "Can we just call them lizards?"

"No," The Magician Fors replied, shaking her head immediately.

"It is better not to even harbor such thoughts. They use telepathic communication. Of course, given your level, you needn't worry about them picking up anything inappropriate. They won't dare to pry into your minds—they've paid a heavy price for such actions in the past, which nearly resulted in the total destruction of their civilization."

Upon hearing about "telepathic communication," Franca scanned her surroundings and asked, "Madam Justice didn't join us this time?"

Judgment Xio spoke up on behalf of The Magician Fors: "Madam Justice is currently occupied with guiding the parliament to pass legislation that restricts royal authority, safeguards the rights of workers, and broadens the right to vote. She believes that sudden, radical shifts cause instability, so the process must be gradual."

I see... Franca felt relieved, but then The Magician Fors turned to The Sun Derrick with a specific warning: "Do not attempt to spread the faith of Mr. Fool on this planet. Keep yourself in check."

"Understood." The Sun Derrick gave a sincere nod.

Beside him, The Hanged Man Alger extracted a mirror from his Traveler's Bag. Within the glass, the flickering lights of prayers from the Sea God Church's priesthood, prominent believers, and the Beyonders aboard his ship began to manifest.

"This is truly effective," Alger said, expressing his gratitude to The Empress Franca.

With this tool, he no longer had to fret that his travels would interfere with the urgent business of the Sea God Church or the Blue Avenger.

"Naturally," Franca replied with a smile, gesturing toward Aurore.

"That mirror was provided by the Ruler of the Mirror World."

Such mirrors were always created as pairs—one stayed on Earth, bonded to the user's aura to ensure a quick connection, while the other transmitted prayers through the mirror world. All of this fell under the jurisdiction of the Ruler of the Mirror World.

This arrangement allowed Angels to answer prayers across different star dominions without requiring Mr. Fool to act as a middleman for the relay.

Aurore, possessing striking beauty and thick black hair, watched the massive steel fortress drifting above with curiosity—it was a construction nearly as large as a city.

Suddenly, Franca let out a soft laugh. "A classic joke just occurred to me."

"What would that be?" Aurore asked in a casual tone.

Franca answered with a straight face, "If a painting were made of our 'tour group,' the piece could have a very specific title."

While the others appeared confused, Aurore caught the hint of the punchline and started to smile.

Franca cleared her throat and announced, "The title of the painting would be... 'Mr. Moon Being a Homebody.'"

...

Intis Republic, Trier.

Having returned from her journey, Franca donned a cap and went out.

As she walked past a local school, she spotted Anthony keeping a watchful eye while waiting for Ludwig to finish his lessons. She chose not to bother him.

Before long, she reached a cathedral that had been established only in the last few weeks.

It was the Saint Audrey Cathedral, belonging to the Church of The Fool.

Stepping inside, Franca observed a large golden retriever wearing pristine white robes moving through the crowd of worshippers—conversing, praying, and greeting people in a friendly manner.

The congregants seemed unfazed by a dog speaking the human tongue, even addressing it respectfully as "Your Grace."

Franca didn't bother to correct them; she simply took a seat and smiled at the heartwarming display.

She had skipped visiting the Saint Franca Cathedral under the Ruler of Calamity Church, coming here instead just to witness this pleasant scene.

After watching for a moment, Franca prepared to depart when she spotted a familiar face, though the woman did not recognize her.

It was a woman with brown eyes and black hair, possessing refined features and dressed in dark trousers and a skirt—Melissa Moretti.

"What brings you to Trier?" Franca asked, casually taking a seat next to Melissa.

Melissa turned, momentarily taken aback by Franca's beauty. She quickly regained her composure and asked, "I'm sorry, who are you?"

"I'm Franca Roland. I don't suppose you've heard of me?" Franca offered her most welcoming smile.

Inwardly, she added: But I certainly know your brother, Klein Moretti.

A fellow transmigrator!

A roommate!

Melissa hesitated. "I have heard of you..."

"No need for such formality." Franca waved her hand dismissively. "So, why are you here in Trier?"

Melissa thought for a moment before replying. "I was sent here to study at a research facility managed by the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery."

"Ah, I see." Franca chuckled. "Since you've heard of me, that implies you've become a Beyonder yourself, doesn't it?"

She had known this for a long time. She only asked to keep the conversation flowing.

Melissa gave a small nod. "Yes. I am a Sequence 5 Astronomer of the Savant pathway."

"Have you finished digesting the potion? Do you have the materials needed to become a demigod?" Franca asked, showing the same concern she once had for Lumian, the brother of her fellow countryman.

"The digestion is complete, and I should receive the ingredients once my studies conclude, but... I am feeling conflicted about the ritual..." Melissa had been wrestling with this for a while. She found herself unable to hide her inner thoughts from Franca, whose beauty made her feel safe enough to lower her guard.

The ritual to advance to Alchemist involved draining the life force from an entire area, leaving the earth sterile and the waters parched.

Franca gave a bright smile. "That isn't a major obstacle. There are always alternative ways to perform rituals—such as picking a planet that has no inhabitants. Or, you could focus on Cultivation of the Dao first. If you succeed, the Celestial Master could provide you with a specific talisman, helping you adjust to that power beforehand. When you eventually drink the potion, the ritual's demands will be significantly lowered..."

Melissa listened with interest at first, but soon became bewildered.

Talisman?

Celestial Master? Who was that?

Seeing the confusion on her face, Franca smiled. "Let's find a café to talk. I'll explain it all to you in detail."

"Okay." Driven by her thirst for knowledge, Melissa stood up.

As they exited Saint Audrey's cathedral, Franca asked casually, "Have Benson and the rest of your family encountered mysticism and become Beyonders as well?"

"Yes," Melissa nodded slightly.

"That's good for them," Franca remarked with a sigh. "Even though the world of mysticism is full of peril, it's fine as long as you don't climb too high. Besides, higher Sequences grant a longer lifespan and various ways to prolong it. It's definitely a benefit..."

Listening to Franca, Melissa thought back on her own path—how her passion for machines had led her to worship the God of Steam and Machinery and eventually into the world of Beyonder powers.

After becoming a Beyonder and interacting with the Nighthawks of the Church of the Evernight Goddess and her brother Klein's former associates, like Leonard Mitchell, she had gradually pierced together the truth of what had happened back then.

As time went on, she had learned more and more...

As her mind wandered, Melissa thought of the words Mr. Leonard had spoken to her just a few days ago.

"His condition hasn't been great lately. You can only contact him through rituals. But in a few years, he should return to the world..."

A few years... Melissa looked out at the streets bathed in golden sunlight, a soft smile touching her lips.