Chapter 740: The Original Arrangement

The Magician hummed in agreement:

"No problem, I understand your urgency. Once I've confirmed the time with Mr. Hanged Man, I'll come get you."

Lu Mi fell silent for a moment, then said:

"Thank you."

The Magician lady paused, then added specifically:

"But don't be too hasty. Emperor Rosser once said that if you rush too much, you'll fail to reach your goal.

"It's not just because haste blinds your eyes, clouds your judgment, and leads you to make wrong choices in many things—it's also because advancing through potion consumption requires a specific mental state, something you should know well."

"I understand," Lu Mi exhaled.

The Magician lady glanced left and right, then joked:

"You were so tense just now—we've been talking this long and you didn't even remember to offer me a seat."

"Hmm, the Vortex of the Truth School clearly involves higher-tier forces. We'll take over the follow-up investigation; your main task is to find the several most important Mirror People based on Morane Avini's testimony. I suspect certain events within that special mirror world are key components of the Vortex.

"This time, you've obtained extremely critical intelligence. The Major Arcana won't withhold rewards—it'll go to your team, not directly to you personally. How you distribute it is up to you."

Hearing the last remark, Lu Mi suddenly went dazed, murmuring softly:

"Again…

"Is this also a gift from fate?"

"I can't say for certain that it isn't," the Magician lady chuckled bitterly. "Your psychological and mental state is better than I expected—not bad enough to require another treatment—but you seem to have developed a trauma called 'Fate's Gift.' You see everything as arranged, everything as a gift from fate."

Before Lu Mi could respond, she added:

"Actually, that's not necessarily a problem. Being cautious is good, but don't burden yourself too much. The mind is like rubber—pull it too tight and it snaps. Stay alert to details, but keep your state relaxed. Think about it: you can't resist true arrangements anyway. Why make yourself sleep poorly, eat badly, and grow more neurotic?"

"Hmm," Lu Mi had to admit the Magician lady made sense.

The Magician was satisfied he could still regulate his own state:

"Of course, if you ever notice an arrangement with obvious major problems, tell me immediately—by reciting the Revered Name."

"For this reward, I'll include the potion formula for Sequence 4 of the Hunter path, so you can target specific items during your exploration of the 'Azure Avenger.' As for the rewards for the 'Two of Cups,' 'Seven of Cups,' and 'Four of Swords,' I don't know—depends on what the 'Judgment' and the 'Hermit' decide to offer."

Lu Mi had no objections to this arrangement. Even if the Magician lady hadn't mentioned it, or thought the intelligence linking the Vortex to the Mirror People wasn't worth a demi-god-level potion formula, he would've asked her to give it to him first, and make up the difference in contribution later.

As his state stabilized, Lu Mi thought of another question:

"Lady, Mr. K of the Aurora Society has already spoken of my contributions before the statue of the True Creator, requesting He list me as a candidate divine messenger. When any official divine messenger suffers misfortune, I'll be the first replacement. Will I really have to become one of the Mr. Ks of the Aurora Society?"

"Also, Mr. K promised material rewards in the coming days."

The Magician nodded slightly:

"The Aurora Society's structure is rather odd. Though divine messengers have direct superiors called Saints, most can hear the Saint's voice, His murmurs, and His commands directly, granting them strong autonomy. Hmm, they still mostly obey their direct Saints and report to them, but a few matters are handled entirely without their superiors—recommending candidate divine messengers is one of them.

"A god's messenger must come from divine revelation."

After a brief remark, the Magician laughed:

"As long as the material rewards pass scrutiny, take them. You've already received enough gifts; a few more won't change anything substantial.

"I don't think you'll actually become a divine messenger. The Aurora Society's messengers each have fixed missionary territories—nothing compares to letting you roam freely, triggering various heretical threats, which better helps you digest your potions. Er…"

Here, the Magician's expression grew strange.

Lu Mi didn't press for an answer, waiting for the Major Arcana holder to explain voluntarily.

After a few seconds, the Magician kept that expression, hesitating:

"Perhaps… the original arrangement was for you to serve as a Mr. K for a while."

"Sequence 4 of the Hunter path is called 'Ironblood Knight.' It turns every potion consumer male. Its ritual requires: 'Form a team of at least thirty people, train them over a long period until they understand your intentions through your gaze and gestures, becoming nearly one with you. The greater their strength and synergy, the better the ritual's effect.' Think about it—what's the most prominent trait of the Aurora Society? Fanaticism.

"Once you become a Mr. K, you'll have your own jurisdiction and many subordinates—all fanatical, all obeying your orders as a divine messenger. With minimal training, they'll meet the ritual's requirements. Your only concern will be how to improve their strength and synergy to enhance the ritual's effect."

This… the original arrangement was for me to become a divine messenger after digesting the Reaper potion, so I could assemble a team meeting the ritual's requirements in the shortest time? How am I supposed to complete this ritual now? Fleurca and the others are fine, but there are too few of them… Lu Mi couldn't help frowning.

Seeing this, the Magician lady chuckled:

"The Knowledge Church, deeply familiar with the Hunter path, offers another option.

"Of course, provided that you can subdue Ludwig—the angelic rank can offset most of the numerical requirements."

"Angelic rank?" Lu Mi finally received information about Ludwig's power level from the Magician lady.

"Yes." The Magician lady offered no further explanation.

Subdue Ludwig? I can only afford to bribe him, give him simple orders… Lu Mi fell into thought.

The Magician lady glanced at him:

"You can wait until after digesting the Reaper potion, visit the 'City of Exile' Morola, then decide which method to use to fulfill the ritual's requirements.

"Hmm, we'll communicate about the Vortex's follow-up via letter."

Lu Mi nodded, watching the Magician lady vanish into thin air before his eyes.

Gazing at the slowly unfolding boundary of darkness, he closed his eyes and recalled everything he had seen and heard today.

Unconsciously, his hands clenched tight—blazing white flames leapt from his knuckles, burning fiercely.

Jianna sat quietly on the single sofa in the living room, waiting until Lu Mi opened the door, while the sounds of chewing and gnawing drifted from the dining area.

Lu Mi carried the half-empty bottle of absinthe to the balcony, sat on the chair, and gulped a mouthful.

Jianna stepped lightly to his side, observed him for a few seconds, then said:

"Your state has improved a lot."

"You can tell that too?" Lu Mi didn't turn his head, speaking casually.

Jianna pulled over a chair and sat down, scoffing:

"Your current quiet, reserved demeanor feels more reassuring to me than your earlier hyperactive, talkative state."

Lu Mi stared at the night beyond the balcony, saying nothing for a long while. Jianna didn't ask any questions.

Suddenly, Lu Mi spoke in a low voice:

"I saw that lizard-like little spirit."

Jianna had heard him speak of Kordu Village before; she understood what this meant. She said, slightly startled:

"Didn't you go to meet Mr. K of the Aurora Society? How could you…? Is that lizard-like spirit connected to the Aurora Society?"

"From the one they worship," Lu Mi's voice seemed squeezed from deep within his throat, from the dark depths.

"No wonder…" Jianna suddenly understood his earlier state. "The 'Judgment' lady said the one the Aurora Society worships has a rank close to Mr. Fool…"

No mortal could gaze upon Him directly, let alone seek revenge!

After a brief silence, Jianna realized:

"You just went to see the Magician lady?"

"Your brain's grown smarter since drinking the Witch potion," Lu Mi glanced at Jianna.

"Don't you Hunters know how to speak properly?" Jianna retorted.

She paused, then asked:

"What did the Magician lady say?"

"She said to endure for now, and consider what to do next once Mr. Fool awakens slightly," Lu Mi replied simply.

Jianna hummed in agreement, unsure what else to say.

After a while, she stood up, walked to the dining room, took a glass from beside Ludwig, and brought it to the balcony. Then she snatched the absinthe bottle from Lu Mi's hand and poured herself a third of a glass.

Glug—Jianna had barely swallowed the green liquid shimmering with dreamlike light when her face twisted instinctively.

"Cough, cough—how can you people like drinking absinthe? It's so bitter!" As a former "Exaggerated Woman," Jianna had drunk many liquors, but she still couldn't tolerate absinthe's taste.

Lu Mi let out a scoffing sound, offering no explanation.

Jianna chatted idly:

"I once read a book by a writer—I forget his name—who said people who like absinthe either use it to pretend they've had experiences, or use it to relive their own experiences…"

Lu Mi listened quietly, lifted the bottle, and gulped another mouthful.

The burning liquid slid down his throat, leaving behind its familiar bitterness.

(End of Chapter)