[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-lord-of-mysteries-starting-as-a-reader":3,"chapter-lord-of-mysteries-starting-as-a-reader-lord-of-mysteries-starting-as-a-reader-chapter-1079":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Lord of Mysteries: Starting As A Reader",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1553606,2017,"Chapter 1079: The Three Rules","lord-of-mysteries-starting-as-a-reader-chapter-1079",1079,"\u003Cp>Nighttime, No. 160 Berklund Street, inside the master bedroom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his dream, Dwayne Dantès suddenly became lucid—he knew an \"outsider\" had arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A Nighthawk?But as the husband of a Nighthawk, Dwayne should have been thoroughly screened already...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he muttered inwardly, he looked around and realized he was standing inside his own second-floor bedroom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next came the knocking—thump, thump, thump.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Come in...\" Dwayne tried to make his voice sound like he was talking in his sleep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The handle turned. The bedroom door opened, and a familiar figure walked in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clad in a black windbreaker, wearing red gloves, black hair and green eyes, handsome features—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Leonard Mitchell, Klein’s so-called \"poet classmate.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Dwayne, we meet again.\" Leonard casually sat down on a chair in the bedroom and took a sip from the teacup.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What brings you here, Leonard?\" Dwayne slipped naturally into character.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under the effect of theNightmareability, he knew he had to behave normally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leonard set down the teacup. His voice sank:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why did you invest in Ebner Bryan’s domain?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ah, so it’s for this... I thought you came to expose me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, even if you wanted to, best wait until I pass the Goddess’ trial and enter the Chanis Gate. Otherwise, something unexpected might happen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Klein’s mind spun quickly, and then he \"honestly\" responded:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I knew Viscount Bryan before I came to Backlund. Yes, when I was doing business in Bayam, I received a lot of his support...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dwayne’s entire résumé had been fabricated by Klein and memorized thoroughly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Ebner’s \"Fragrant Leaf Tavern\" in Bayam had dealings with countless merchants—utterly untraceable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for revealing who owned the tavern... Ebner no longer cared about such trivialities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After giving the fictional story—and conveniently \"selling\" Ebner along the way—Klein finished speaking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So that’s why...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leonard nodded internally, but wore a stern expression as he asked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Does Daly know about all this?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Klein answered without hesitation:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"She does. When we went to Bayam to complete that arms transaction, we also received Viscount Bryan’s help.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, the Church of the Evernight’s special department had done the real work, but given Ebner’s relationship with the Goddess, stretching the definition counted as \"his help\" too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Klein added silently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Dwayne’s ’luck’ and sudden fortune were connected to Ebner Bryan—that old monster. Maybe even arranged by him. No wonder Dwayne would invest in his domain...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This explains everything...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After confirming there were no other secret dealings, Leonard finally relaxed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as Daly wasn’t getting dragged into danger, he had no reason to object. Otherwise Daly would definitely be upset.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leonard stood up and usedNightmareto cloud Dwayne’s memories—ensuring that when Klein woke later, he would only remember vaguely \"having had a dream,\" with no clear details.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having done that, he left the dream.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Didn’t even say goodbye. Truly rude!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Leonard vanished, Klein muttered before sighing:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s still not the time. And even if I revealed myself, you might not believe it...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Better wait until you discover it yourself.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sat silently for several seconds, a wry smile tugging at his lips. Then he \"woke up.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He shifted, leaning against the headboard, and gazed toward the window.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside the pitch-black night, gas street lamps cast a pale, withered glow, making everything seem cold and lifeless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next moment, the reflection on the windowpane shifted—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sharron, wearing a small black soft hat and an elegant dark court dress, appeared in the glass, meeting his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Someone came?\" Sharron asked concisely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her soft, ethereal voice and doll-like beauty somehow lifted Klein’s mood instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Backlund’s West Borough, inside a luxurious residence—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Princess Vera, in her nightgown, watched Ebner emerge from the spatial transit. She smiled and waved a hand, releasing thick mist that enveloped the room, draining the crimson glow from the windows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Good evening, Princess Vera.\" Ebner placed a hand over his chest in salute and greeted her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Strictly speaking,\" Vera glanced at the clock, teasing, \"it’s already deep into the night.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s because I stayed chatting with Torszna... But considering you’re one of MI9’s chiefs, even if I came earlier, you might not have been free.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he complained inwardly, he apologized politely on the surface, then went straight to the point:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What was the outcome of Monday night’s battle?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He needed to know whether the Loen royal family might react rashly due to the attack on the \"Black Saintess\"—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Possibly triggering an early war, or pushing George III into a reckless ascension.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing his concern, Vera smiled:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don’t worry. The Loen royal family still doesn’t know the ’Black Saintess’ was attacked. They only learned someone reported a high-sequence Demoness infiltrating the Hall family’s ball.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But the Black Saintess is their highest-ranking liaison...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If she goes missing or dies—or stops contacting both Loen and the Demoness Sect—wouldn’t they become suspicious?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And if she escaped, the situation would be even worse!\" Ebner analyzed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Princess Vera wagged a finger in mock admonishment:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We had five angels present. Medea may be experienced at fleeing, but escaping that lineup was impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And besides—she cannot defeat me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Medea?\" Ebner, though his Cognizer abilities already told him much, still asked aloud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vera gave him a playful look before explaining:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Medea is a member of the Fourth Epoch ’Succubus’ bloodline. She once served the ’Night Emperor,’ and even took part in the siege against me back then.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without waiting for his next question, she continued:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"After IImprisonedher, I forced her to open her spiritual body and inscribed three rules upon it:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"First— For the next hundred years, so long as it does not harm her or deliberately send her to death, she must obey at least one of my commands each month.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Second— She may not reveal, in any form to any existence, that she is under my control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Third— She may not seek revenge on you, nor on any of your friends.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"With these three rules carved directly onto her spirit, she’s essentially our servant now. Naturally she won’t expose anything to George III.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ebner considered a moment before asking:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What if she prays to the Primordial Demoness?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"These rules were inscribed through the Uncertainty Fog. Even Chik cannot remove them,\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vera replied confidently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And praying to a deity would violate the rules—she can’t do so at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Besides, I hold the ultimate right of interpretation. She can’t bypass them.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So that’s how it is.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ebner studied the rules—though there seemed to be loopholes, Vera could patch them instantly. No real issue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Right—after being bound, Medea voluntarily revealed information.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some of it... concerns you,\" Vera added, noticing Ebner preparing to leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ebner swallowed his farewell, interest piqued:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What information?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Demoness Sect’s ’Red Saintess’ and ’White Saintess’ have paid a heavy price to invite the ’Blue Saintess.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three of them plan to head to Trier to capture Owen Delien...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They originally wanted Medea, too, but she refused.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1139,"2026-06-06T07:27:25.441Z",1,"novelbin.me","ec368a20a5b70fdede818d4e96963365c0e7a8a0804511bdda6fc02327a62658","lord-of-mysteries-starting-as-a-reader-chapter-1080","lord-of-mysteries-starting-as-a-reader-chapter-1078",1326,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Flord-of-mysteries-starting-as-a-reader-cover.jpg"]