Chapter 812: Hobby Is Learning

Thinking that if the danger were truly extreme and beyond her ability to assist, "The Judgement" Lady would surely block it for her, Francia pulled out a sheet of pure white paper and wrote the opening of her reply:

"Dear 'The Judgement' Lady:

"I have no objection if 'The Star' Mr.'s request falls within reasonable bounds."

After writing this passage, Francia read the subsequent content of "The Judgement" Lady's letter:

"The 'Black Witch's' description and speculation regarding the 'Primordial Witch' state is a relatively mainstream view within the Witch Cult, but if this were truly the case, matters would not have become as complicated as they are now.

"Moreover, many high-ranking witches believe the Mirror World is crucial to the 'Witch' Path—this is not inconsistent with observed manifestations—but as a collective embodiment of the 'Gate' concept, the Mirror World seems incapable of bearing such a status.

"These are matters requiring further understanding.

"'The Chalice II,' I know this may be cruel to you, but you must continue infiltrating the Witch Cult for a while longer; you are already our 'Tarot Club's' highest-ranking member within the Witch Cult.

"The uniqueness of the 'Witch' Path prevents us from actively cultivating male 'Assassins,' and those originally within the Witch Cult have all twisted their minds, yearning to draw near the Primordial—we can only passively wait and seek individuals like you who accidentally entered the 'Assassin' Path…"

Suddenly she felt a heavy sense of responsibility… Francia muttered under her breath, sighed, and continued writing her reply.

She wasn't too disappointed—she herself still hoped to obtain the main material for the 'Despair Witch' within the Witch Cult, provided she found a way to bypass the cruel requirements of that advancement ritual.

After sending the reply, Francia leaned back in her chair, gazing out at the night outside the window, lost in idle thought.

Suddenly, she saw the area ahead turn pitch black; Lady 'Hela's' pure silver skull emerged from the void, its jaws clutching a letter.

Another letter? What now? Francia reached out to take it and murmured her thanks.

Once Lady 'Hela's' messenger departed, the newly elevated 'Pain Witch' unfolded the paper and smelled a faint, enduring fragrance:

"Dear 'Muggle':

"Do you remember the previous invitation?

"We have a physical gathering this Saturday at ten p. . in Trier—would you still like to attend? If so, reply promptly; I'll tell you the exact location and how to participate.

"'The Professor.'"

A physical gathering of the 'Academy' group? Lu Mi's troubles are endless again? I've only been his full proxy for a few days, and already I'm swamped—one thing after another… Shouldn't this guy just adopt the nickname '007'? Even '007' needs sleep—he doesn't! Francia couldn't help but grumble inwardly.

She had previously felt that disasters erupted one after another wherever Lu Mi went, but since she wasn't Lu Mi himself—only occasionally aiding in some events without full involvement—she hadn't fully grasped it; now, as his contact, she directly felt it.

After a while, Francia sighed heavily.

She'd have to use the 'Ice Talisman' again to contact Lu Mi!

Since obtaining this item from the 'Black Witch,' she hadn't used it once in investigating the 'Mirror Man'—all uses had been tied to Lu Mi!

She needed to ask Lu Mi whether he wished to attend the 'Academy' group's physical gathering, where members of the 'Moss Ascetic Order' might be present; if yes, he must designate a substitute and attempt to send out the 'Lies' ear clip.

Francia quickly wrote a letter, wrapping a copper coin, some soul-dust, and her now-rarely-used 'Beatrice's Necklace' inside the paper.

She had previously noticed that Lu Mi's letters, after passing through Morola's seal, lost all physical form and became pure information; thus, she planned ahead to test whether ordinary objects, items with strong spiritual resonance, and artifacts with supernatural power could all penetrate the seal—and if so, in what state they would appear.

The results would determine whether the 'Lies' ear clip could be sent out.

Had these miraculous items not each been so precious and indispensable, Francia would have added objects imbued with extraordinary properties to this experiment.

After crafting the small 'package,' Francia walked toward the full-length mirror in the living room, took out the 'Ice Talisman,' and put it on.

As a shimmering glimmer of crystalline cold light appeared, Francia pressed the 'package' in her hand into the glass mirror surface.

…………

Late at night in Morola, second floor of the 'Carnivore' bar.

Lu Mi's head hovered a sphere of blazing white fire as he attentively read *Examples of Underground Mausoleum Construction*.

Suddenly, he lifted his head, eyes faintly bloodshot, fixing his gaze on the room's mirror.

The mirror's surface had turned utterly dark, as if waves of light stirred within.

Lu Mi slowly exhaled, reluctantly set down his book, walked to the mirror, and pressed his right palm against it.

Instantly, a flood of Indrisian words appeared on the mirror's surface, row upon row, densely packed.

"'The Professor's' invitation… 'Academy' group's physical gathering… item-transmission experiment…"

Lu Mi's thoughts stirred; still under the effect of the 'Ice Talisman,' he reached into the mirror and withdrew an object.

It was a diamond necklace.

'Beatrice's Necklace'!

The one-ric copper coin and soul-dust mentioned in Francia's letter were gone.

Lu Mi turned his gaze back to the mirror's surface and saw the copper coin's image at the top, while the spectral, phantom-like dust scattered around the dense words.

They were gradually fading as the 'Ice Talisman's' power waned and the words dimmed.

Only pure information and artifacts imbued with supernatural power could penetrate the Mirror World and bypass the seal? Hmm—items with divinity likely couldn't either; one must fabricate them within Morola… Lu Mi toyed with the 'Beatrice's Necklace,' and while the 'Ice Talisman's' power still lingered, he used it to send Francia two simple words:

"Necklace, acceptable."

The watery glow within the mirror swiftly receded; the dark surface gradually returned to normal.

Not long after, the mirror showed another anomaly.

This time, Francia sent the 'Ice Talisman' through.

This was to conserve Lu Mi's remaining uses of the 'Mirror Clasp'—only two left.

Lu Mi held the talisman, forged as if from frozen ice, and began writing his reply.

He first detailed the experimental results and his observations of the item-transmission process, then told Francia to impersonate him as the 'Muggle' and attend the 'Academy' group's gathering in Trier.

Folding the letter, he stuffed both the 'Lies' ear clip and the 'Ice Talisman' inside, activated the talisman's power, and pressed it against the glass mirror, transmitting it to Francia's apartment full-length mirror.

After receiving the items, Francia carefully read Lu Mi's letter, murmuring to herself with anticipation, anxiety, and difficulty:

"I really have to pretend to be the 'Muggle'?"

"Ah, the 'Ice Talisman' only has nine more transmissions left…"

On the other side, Lu Mi returned to his desk and resumed reading *Examples of Underground Mausoleum Construction*.

He was reluctant to rest—these books grew more and more captivating.

Of course, Lu Mi knew this was a slight manifestation of contamination.

Just then, he heard a thunderous explosion.

It came from several blocks away!

Explosion? Leveraging his 'Ascetic' endurance, Lu Mi broke free from the allure, extinguished the blazing white fire above his head, and walked to the window to observe outside.

The thunderous explosion continued; brilliant flames illuminated the district hundreds of meters away.

It lay midway between the 'Carnivore' bar and the Knowledge Church.

Lu Mi immediately saw Zhu Li leap from her room, landing as lightly as a feather, then dissolving into shadow and vanishing.

"An explosion and fire created by 'The Hunter'?" Lu Mi rubbed his temple, looking thoroughly unwilling.

He muttered inwardly:

"I truly don't want to get involved in your conspiracies and conflicts—I just want to study in peace."

Since discovering the critical knowledge in the books designated by Hera Berg, he'd become increasingly diligent, spending every spare moment reading beyond his 'performances.'

Had he not feared exposing the books' importance, he'd have stayed up all night studying, leveraging his unique nature.

The more earnestly he studied, the less he wished to do anything else; often, only sheer willpower or the 'Ascetic's' special ability could pull him free from that mental state.

In a flash of thought, Lu Mi's expression hardened; he silently murmured:

"Once I find an opportunity, I'll eliminate you all—then I can study in peace…"

Suppressing his abnormal emotions, Lu Mi transformed into a shadow creature and slipped into the darkness cast by surrounding buildings, heading toward the explosion's origin.

Soon, he arrived at the site and discovered the half-collapsed building belonged to Dades Agricultural Company.

Dades Agricultural Company of Vanack? Someone attacked Vanack? Lu Mi completely shed his study aftereffects, his mind instantly sharpening.

He immediately saw two massive figures emerge from the half-collapsed structure.

Each stood three to four meters tall, their bodies seemingly sheathed in iron plates, painted with blue pigment to resemble clothing, wielding giant swords meant only for giants.

Iron soldiers? Enlarged iron soldiers? Lu Mi instantly recalled the iron soldiers he'd seen deep within the Soren family's Crimson Swan Castle crypt.

The next instant, one iron soldier crashed through the fallen wall, its cold gaze locking onto the shadow where Lu Mi hid.

Thud-thud-thud—it charged toward Lu Mi, raising its giant sword.

(End of Chapter)