Lord of Mysteries 2: Circle of Inevitability Chapter 1179: Dreams

"Look for me when you are ready to advance to Sequence 3." Standing on a street corner, Franca pulled the Face of the Arcane from her Traveler's Bag to give a quick demonstration.

Melissa offered a smile and a nod, waving farewell to the helpful older sister before walking toward the research institute run by the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery.

Franca had stayed by her side the entire way, following their hour-long relaxed conversation at the café.

Only after Melissa entered the building did Franca turn away. She began to wander through the shadows cast by Intis parasol trees, vanishing into the bustling crowd.

As she walked, she observed the citizens of Trier, who remained as flamboyant as ever. Her eyes caught sight of Daoists and monks who had journeyed from the Northern Continent, alongside many youths from the Western Continent participating in study exchanges. Some clung to their traditional attire, while others had fully embraced the local fashion.

Franca also noted the presence of several newly constructed cathedrals. These belonged to the Church of The Fool, the Eternal Darkness Church, and the Ruler of Calamity Church—the three dominant faiths of the modern era.

The Eternal Darkness Church was the result of a merger between the Evernight Goddess Church and the Churches of the God of Combat and Death. Meanwhile, the Ruler of Calamity Church had its roots in the Sick Church and the Demoness Sect.

Of the older orthodox faiths, only the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery held onto its previous standing. The Churches of the Eternal Blazing Sun, Lord of Storms, Earth Mother, and the God of Knowledge and Wisdom remained active but had faded into secondary roles with diminishing reach.

It had even become fashionable for Trier’s residents to take up Daoist rituals or engage in Zen meditation.

Lost in thought, Franca turned her eyes toward the distant cathedral of the Eternal Blazing Sun.

Despite the wide square separating them, the cathedral's stained glass windows allowed the interior to be projected clearly into Franca's vision.

A gold-encrusted cross stood at the altar, where a figure knelt in silent devotion.

The person possessed long silver hair and was dressed in a basic linen robe. This was the Angel of Fate, Ouroboros.

Having returned from the Western Continent, He had integrated the Aurora Order into the Eternal Blazing Sun Church. Now, the Aurora Order served as the shadow beneath the light, taking on the grim tasks and punishments that the regular clergy could not handle.

Franca let out a sigh filled with complex emotions and looked away.

Naturally, her mind drifted to the other King of Angels within the fate domain—Will Auceptin, who had gone back to Backlund.

"He might become someone truly great in the future, but for now, He still has to obey His mother, study hard, and focus on daily improvement..." Franca whispered to herself. She took a long route through the Quartier de l'Observatoire, passing an apartment where she spotted Julien—Jenna’s brother—and Ms. Bella, a former member of the Moses Ascetic Order. Julien radiated confidence and drive, while Bella appeared peaceful, her former anxieties gone.

The two had wed and decided to live in Suhit. They were only back in Trier for the wedding celebrations, which Jenna had attended personally to give them her blessing.

Once she saw Julien and Bella safely onto a carriage bound for the steam locomotive station, Franca felt a sense of relief. she resumed her aimless travels, alternating between the physical streets and the world within mirrors.

Eventually, she found herself back in the market district, standing before Rue Anarchie and the Auberge du Coq Doré.

With a smile, Franca stepped inside and made her way to the basement bar, where she ordered a glass of absinthe that shimmered with a surreal green light.

Adjusting her cap, she took a mouthful and winced, shaking her head.

The taste of this drink was still terrible!

"Did the Auberge du Coq Doré get a new landlord again?" she asked Pavard Neeson, the bar's owner, in a casual tone.

Pavard Neeson, his hair tied in a ponytail, didn't look up as he answered, "Yes. I heard some wealthy man bought the whole street. He promised the Coq Doré wouldn't change, though he might fix it up a bit."

"What's his name?" Franca inquired, curious but refraining from using divination.

Pavard Neeson paused to think. "I believe his name is... Danitz."

Danitz? The oracle of Mr. Fool? He was already an Iron-Blooded Knight of Sequence 4, yet he was still buying up real estate? And he just happened to buy a property once linked to the highest being of the Red Priest pathway... Was this just the Law of Beyonder Characteristics Convergence at work? Franca’s intuition told her it was, and the thought made her chuckle.

A sudden noise erupted behind her.

Glancing back, she saw a young man wearing a white shirt and an unbuttoned black vest. Holding a beer, he jumped onto a small table and shouted to the patrons, "Friends, I have returned!

"Even though I lived in Suhit, got promoted, earned a raise, and became a proper, civilized middle-class man, my return to Trier only bumped me up one rank. But regardless—I'm back!

"Do you want to know why?

"Because this is the Trier we all love and hate at the same time!

"Cheers!"

...

Franca returned to her villa later that afternoon.

The time for the Tarot Club's monthly Divine Council had arrived.

Before long, her consciousness manifested above the gray fog. She took her seat next to Madam Temperance, Sharron.

She represented The Empress card.

Madam Justice, Mr. Hanged Man, Madam Magician, Mr. Sun, Madam Judgment, Mr. Star, Ma’am Hermit, and Mr. Moon were all in attendance.

At the head of the table sat the Lord of Mysteries, Klein, obscured by the gray fog. Faint, slippery tentacles occasionally brushed through the mist behind him.

Madam Justice was the first to rise, offering a graceful curtsy.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Fool—"

The founding members of the Tarot Club still preferred to use that title for him.

Once the greetings concluded, Fors, The Magician, sat down and cast an awkward look toward the end of the bronze table.

"Mr. Fool, there isn't much to report this month. We spent most of our time traveling through the stars."

Leaning back in his seat, the Lord of Mysteries, Klein, gave a soft laugh and replied steadily, "In that case, describe your journey to me."

He then added, "Spare no details."

Madam Magician Fors spoke cautiously, "On this trip, we visited Planet Lorbath. We even ran into the God of Steam and Machinery there. He seemed quite intrigued by the local technology and lore..."

Noticing that Mr. Fool was listening with interest, Fors grew more comfortable and provided a more thorough account.

With Mr. Hanged Man Alger and The Empress Franca adding their own perspectives, the story was so vivid that Justice Audrey and The Star Leonard felt as though they had missed out on a grand adventure—and they regretted their absence even more.

Klein listened in silence, a small smile on his face, never interrupting the flow of the story.

...

When the Tarot Gathering concluded and Franca returned to the physical world, she walked to the full-length mirror in her bedroom.

Feeling at ease, she stepped through the glass. After a sensation of falling rapidly, she landed on a barren, dead planet.

A light mist appeared in front of her.

She walked forward into it.

An ancient city revealed itself to her.

She saw towering skyscrapers, cars moving at high speeds, planes cutting through the clouds, and people distracted by their cell phones.

Suddenly, the glare of two bright headlights nearly blinded her.

A car pulled up and stopped right in front of her.

Franca climbed into the back seat and looked at the driver, who wore a monocle over his right eye. "Can't you dim those high beams?" she grumbled.

The driver gestured toward a golden sun trinket on the dashboard and grinned. "I can't. I stole it, and now they're stuck like that."

Franca didn't argue. She watched the streets of a bygone era pass by outside the window, noting many buildings that looked like they belonged in Trier.

Eventually, her intuition made her look at the screen inside the vehicle.

A woman who looked both beautiful and innocent was speaking excitedly on the screen, "People, I am Mayor Cheek. My next initiative is to remove all crosswalks and traffic lights..."

Before she could finish, the screen dissolved into static.

When the image cleared, Mayor Cheek spoke with a straight face, "Ha, that was just a joke. Now, let’s get to the real business."

Franca clicked her tongue and looked back out the window.

She saw a cathedral styled after those in Trier, filled with people. Through the glass and mirrors, Franca spotted a man at the altar. He had blood-red hair and wore a black robe stained with blood. He was handsome and masculine, but his features lacked any harsh edge—it was Alista Tudor.

He was serving as the priest of the cathedral.

The car moved on, eventually reaching a massive square.

A strange statue stood in the center. It looked like a swirling vortex, but its color was impossible to name, as if it held every possibility within it.

The vehicle drove until it reached the city limits.

There, a village appeared, complete with flowing streams and vibrant green fields.

Franca stepped out of the car. She gave a casual wave to a girl tending geese by the water and the young man standing near her.

As if she were coming home, she walked down the dirt path into the village. In the distance, a massive earthen pillar rose dozens of meters high. At the top, a figure with three heads and six arms sat in silence, weathering the sun, rain, and storms.

Franca went straight to the Ol' Tavern. Just as she expected, Lumian was there, sitting at the bar in his white shirt and black vest. A glass of La Fée Verte was within reach. In the center of the tavern, Jenna, wearing a light dress, was singing a spirited song for the local farmers and their families.

A smile touched Franca's lips as she watched Jenna. She walked to the bar and took the seat next to Lumian.

"Give me a Kirsch." She signaled the bartender with a snap of her fingers, then looked at Lumian. "Where is Aurore?"

Lumian, his hair a deep blood-red, laughed softly. "She's at home, working on her travel journals."

Franca nodded and said brightly, "I'm thinking of spending some time in the Western Continent soon. Aurore said she'd come. Do you want to join?"

"Sure," Lumian replied, turning slightly and gesturing toward the middle of the room with a smile. "You should ask Jenna if she's interested yourself."

Franca looked over just as Jenna finished her song. With a radiant smile, Jenna reached out a hand toward both of them.

Her joyful voice filled the tavern one last time.

"As long as Trier endures, mirth and glee will never falter!"

(The End)