HPxLOTM: A Wizard's Path to Divinity

"He's already here." 

The one who stepped into the divination room was a boy dressed in a grey trench coat and a white shirt, with a black silk top hat on his head. Though he was a tad taller than Klein, his face still carried a trace of youthful innocence.

However, there was an inexplicable maturity in his eyes. 

Edward removed his hat and gave a slight bow. "Good day, Mr. Moretti. I'm a traveller from Backlund, and I've long heard of your great reputation." 

Klein joked, "I wasn't aware that my name had reached all the way to Backlund. Miss Angelica, could you please bring a cup of…" 

"Edward." 

"Alright, please bring Mr. Edward a cup of Fermo coffee." Klein gestured for Edward to take a seat. "It's a high-quality brew from the Paz Valley—bitter and refreshing. I'm not sure if it's to your taste." 

"I'm fine with anything." 

"To be honest, I actually know another Edward at the Divination Club. He's a diviner as well." 

As Klein tapped his left teeth twice, his spiritual vision activated. He observed that Edward's overall aura was pure white, indicating that he was in excellent health and hadn't attracted anything malicious. 

"So, Mr. Edward, what kind of divination would you like? Career? Love?" 

Edward stroked his chin in thought. 

"I suppose it would fall under career since this decision directly determines the course of my future." 

"And which divination method would you prefer? Astrology, crystal ball, or tarot? I'm fairly proficient in all of them." 

Edward pointed at the yellow crystal pendant tucked into Klein's left sleeve. "Let's use that." 

Klein had no objections. "Alright. What exactly would you like me to divine?" 

"Well," Edward began, "some time ago, I accidentally rescued a mysterious, injured individual. After recovering, this person said that, as a token of gratitude, they could guide me into the mystical world and make me a Beyonder." 

Klein instantly tensed up. 

"You believed them?" 

"Hmm, I had no choice but to believe it—after all, they demonstrated some abilities that I simply couldn't understand. May I continue?" 

"Please, go on." 

"This person also told me that different types of Beyonder possess different abilities, just as chefs and blacksmiths each have their own specialized skills. However, I can only choose one pathway, and once I make my choice, I can never change it." 

"They gave me these options: Hunter, Lawyer, Warrior, Seer, and Apprentice." 

Edward placed several slips of paper with the pathway names written on them onto the table. However, he soon noticed that he had taken out one extra slip—one given to him by Mr. A, listing the Secret Supplicant formula. 

"Uh, this one doesn't count." 

Though Edward swiftly put the slip away, Klein had already caught sight of its contents. 

Secret Supplicant? 

Alarm bells rang in his mind. According to the Evernight Church's records, this was the exclusive pathway of the suspected heretical organization—the Aurora Order! Most people on this path were lunatics! 

Should I report this to the Captain? 

Klein suppressed his urge to act rashly and instead asked, "Did this person say anything about you needing to join an organization or perform any kind of ritual?" 

"No, he only urged me to make my decision as soon as possible. He doesn't like owing favours." Edward sighed. "Honestly, I'd rather he had just given me a single option—that way, I wouldn't have to agonize over my choice. But instead, he gave me six and repeatedly emphasized how important the decision was. I've been struggling with this for three days and nights." 

Saying this, Edward pulled out a 10-pound banknote and placed it on the table. "This is for the divination fee. If it's not enough, I can add more." 

Klein suddenly felt his throat go dry. He picked up his coffee and took a small sip before responding. 

"So, you want me to divine which one you should choose?" 

"Exactly." 

Klein rubbed his temples, hesitating for a while before finally sighing. "Mr. Edward, I really want to help you, but when performing a divination, I need to phrase the question as clearly and simply as possible. Moreover, I can't use a question to seek an unknown outcome. 

"For example, if I were to divine, 'Which profession is most suitable for Edward?' it would yield no result." 

Edward picked up one of the slips of paper and smiled. 

"That's easy. You just take one slip at a time and use affirmative statements for each divination. Like, 'Edward is suited for the Apprentice pathway.'" 

Klein was momentarily stunned. "Wait…I can do that?" 

"Why not?" 

"Uh…I suppose that is a different approach…It feels like exploiting a bug. Cough cough. I mean, it's a creative method. Alright, let's give it a try." 

Klein held the silver chain in his left hand and let the yellow crystal pendant dangle just above the slip of paper labelled Hunter. It hovered just slightly above the surface. 

Then, he half-closed his eyes and silently repeated in his mind: 

"Edward choosing the Hunter pathway is the correct choice. Edward choosing the Hunter pathway is the correct choice. Edward choosing the Hunter pathway is the correct choice..."

Edward watched the yellow crystal with great interest as it slowly began to spin counterclockwise. It rotated faster and faster until it became nothing more than a blur. 

Pa! 

Klein abruptly grasped the crystal, his expression filled with shock. The reaction was so intense! If Edward were to drink the Hunter potion, he would likely lose control on the spot! 

"Mr. Moretti, what does this mean?" Edward asked, though he already had a vague idea. 

"You are not suited for the Hunter pathway." 

Klein moved the yellow crystal over the slip of paper labelled Lawyer and began another divination. 

"Edward choosing the Lawyer pathway is the correct choice. Edward choosing the Lawyer pathway is the correct choice…" 

After repeating the phrase seven times, the yellow crystal once again spun counterclockwise at an alarming speed. 

"This one is also a no." 

He continued the process for Warrior, Seer, and Apprentice, but each time, the results were exactly the same. 

"Not this one. Not this one either. And…this one isn't right either." 

The smile on Edward's face gradually faded, and doubt crept into his heart. 

Am I simply unfit to become a Beyonder? Or did I just happen to pick the wrong pathways? 

Klein, however, had calmed down. Having experienced numerous supernatural events, he instinctively felt that something was off. He rubbed his temples lightly. 

"Someone interfered with the divination? Was it the person who gave Edward the potion formula? But why? What is their goal?" 

A thought suddenly struck him, and he turned to Edward. 

"Could you let me test the slip you put away earlier?" 

"This one?" 

Edward took out the Secret Supplicant formula. "This one definitely isn't suitable. I've heard that people on this pathway are all lunat—" 

Before he could finish, the yellow crystal, suspended over the formula, began spinning clockwise! 

"Something's wrong!" 

Edward immediately understood—someone was tampering with the divination results! The culprit was obvious. If it wasn't Mr. A himself, then it was someone connected to him. In fact, he now suspected that his accidental reveal of the Secret Supplicant formula earlier hadn't been a coincidence either. 

But how did they know I would use divination to choose a pathway? 

At that moment, Klein smiled faintly. 

"I understand what's happening now. Please wait here for a moment—I need to visit the washroom." 

Is he finally going to divine in his 'divine kingdom'—above the Gray Fog? 

This was exactly why Edward had sought him out. If Klein had stubbornly refused to go, Edward had planned to bombard him with gold pounds, insisting that he perform the divination repeatedly until he had to enter the Gray Fog. 

But now, he could save himself a hefty sum. 

Still, Edward maintained a friendly expression and asked with apparent concern, "Mr. Moretti, I've heard that you often visit the washroom when divining. Do you have some kind of medical condition? I happen to know an old…doctor who specializes in male health issues." 

Klein stumbled mid-step and squeezed out through gritted teeth, "No need. I am perfectly healthy!" 

Edward couldn't help but chuckle. Teasing the future Lord of the Mysteries was indeed quite amusing. 

———

On the other side, Klein entered the washroom, locked the door, and took four counterclockwise steps within his spiritual wall, ascending above the grey fog. 

Inside the vast and ancient palace of silence, he picked up the yellow crystal pendant and wrote a divination statement on the manifested parchment: 

"Performing a divination for Mr. Edward will be harmful to me." 

He set down the pen, untied the spiritual pendulum from his wrist, and held it firmly in his left hand, letting the yellow crystal dangle just above the parchment. 

"Performing a divination for Mr. Edward will be harmful to me. Performing a divination for Mr. Edward will be harmful to me…" 

After chanting the statement seven times, the yellow crystal began to spin counterclockwise. 

Klein raised an eyebrow. 

"Not only is it harmless, but it's actually beneficial? Oh…right, he did give me gold pounds." 

Reassured, he proceeded with the real divination. 

He wrote: 

"Edward choosing the Hunter pathway is the correct choice." 

Repeating the phrase seven times, his gaze deepened—but the pendulum remained completely still. 

"A failed divination? No, this likely means that there is no definitive right or wrong answer for Edward choosing the Hunter pathway. Hmm, this makes sense." 

He then tested: 

"Edward choosing the Lawyer pathway is the correct choice." 

The pendulum spun counterclockwise slightly—indicating that the Lawyer pathway was not a good fit for Edward. 

Next, he tested the Seer pathway. 

No movement. 

For the Apprentice pathway, the pendulum spun clockwise slightly—suggesting a degree of compatibility. 

Finally, Klein placed the yellow crystal over the parchment with the words: 

"Edward choosing the Secret Supplicant pathway is the correct choice." 

The moment he began the divination, the pendulum spun counterclockwise at an astonishing speed— 

Even faster than when he had tested the other pathways outside! 

"Just as I suspected!"

———

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