LOM: Lord of Mysticism

Backlund, Empress Borough.

Audrey Hall sat under the sun and thought of Fors Wall's request.

According to Glaint, there was indeed a young girl named Xio Derecha being impounded at a temporary prison located in Backlund's North Borough. She was charged with grievous assault against a decent gentleman due to a financial conflict. 

She caused him to be bedridden and potentially paralyzed. Regarding that, Fors's explanation was that the gentleman wasn't a nice person but the head of a gang in Backlund's East Borough who made a living by being an usurer.

The cause of the incident was when one of the borrowers found out that the interest was several times higher than he expected, so much so that it was impossible to pay back the money even after he bankrupted himself. When his discussion with the gentleman ended fruitless, he found the famous intermediator, Xio Derecha, hoping that she could persuade the other party to waive the unreasonable portion of the loan.

That gentleman didn't respond well to Xio Derecha's attempts at arbitration and even threatened to capture the borrower's wife and children. Hence, Xio Derecha switched tactics and chose to use physical means, "accidentally" causing severe damage to the man.

Yeah, it was just a prank.

Viscount Glaint investigated the matter and confirmed that Fors Wall was telling the truth and that the gangster had lost control of his underlings. Moreover, after a midnight visit by someone, the borrower's debts were waived. A statement was sent to the prosecutor to plead for Xio Derecha; however, the assault case wasn't dropped even when the victim decided not to pursue a trial.

"Glaint wished to solve the problem through normal means. He sent people to talk to lawyers that he was familiar with, but they were only confident of winning a lighter sentence, and it would be very difficult to acquit her from the crime unless she obtains a medical certification stating that she is mentally incompetent or mentally undeveloped..." Audrey muttered to herself, leaning in support towards her friend's opinion.

To her, it was best to not have any relationship with Fors Wall and Xio Derecha. Ever since the Tarot Club, Audrey felt that she was no longer an innocent and naive young lady.

"Tomorrow night, there will be a dance at Count Wolf's residence. I should tell Glaint then to act according to the lawyer's suggestion." Audrey made a decision.

In the Loen Kingdom, lawyers were either barristers or solicitors. The latter didn't need to be involved in court affairs and were responsible for gathering evidence, talking to the parties involved, setting up wills on their clients' behalf, supervising property allocation, and providing legal consultation. Of course, they could also represent their clients to attend the most basic magistrate court and defend simple cases.

Barristers, on the other hand, were responsible for researching evidence and defending their clients in court. According to the Loen Kingdom's laws, they had to maintain an objective attitude, so they couldn't make direct contact with the litigant and could only communicate with them through their assistants, who were solicitors, to gain complete understanding of the situation.

Audrey observed the colorful flowers outside when she recalled something. Medical certification stating she was mentally incompetent... Psychiatrist...

If the Psychology Alchemists have grasped 'acting,' does that mean that they can be found amongst psychiatrists?

Audrey's eyes shimmered like a lustrous gemstone. Just then, she saw Susie sneak behind the flower bushes.

Audrey hid in the shadows and observed, wondering what she was doing.

The golden retriever's sense of smell seemed to be confused by the flowers around her that she failed to notice her owner behind her. She opened her mouth and produced words that were jerky and unmellow.

"Hello."

"How are you?"

Audrey's mouth widened. She stood up and asked, "Susie, you can talk? When did you learn how to talk?"

The golden retriever turned around startled to look at her owner. She opened and closed her mouth a few times. "I... I don't know how to explain. I am a dog, after all."

Audrey was at a loss for words.

...

On Monday morning, Klein followed his plan to revise and consolidate his mysticism knowledge. Then, he took a public carriage to Khoy University, with the intention of increasing his interactions with Mr. Azik and finding out exactly what he knew.

In the three-story gray building of the history department, Klein and his teacher, Cohen Quentin, chatted for a while, exchanging historical information, and having not learned anything new, he entered the opposite office when his mentor left to handle certain matters and walked over to Azik's desk.

"Mr. Azik, can I have a chat with you?" He asked.

Azik had tanned skin, gentle facial features, and eyes that seemed to have seen the vicissitudes of life. He tidied his books and replied, "Sure, let's take a walk by the Khoy's banks."

"Alright." Klein followed. Along the way, neither of them spoke. When the flowing river entered their vision, Azik stopped and asked, "Is there something I can help you with?"

Klein asked directly, "Mr. Azik, I would like to know what you can see in me, or should I say, what do you know? I am referring to the previous incident when you said that there was something disharmonious in my fate."

Azik sighed. "I never expected you to be so straightforward. To be frank, disharmony in your fate was the only thing that I could see. Other than that, I don't know more than you do."

Klein asked, "But how could you tell? I don't believe that this was derived from divination."

Azik spoke with some bleakness, "Klein, you don't understand. Divination can reach that kind of level. It only depends on the person doing the divination. Of course, my divination was merely an excuse.

Some people are... special. They are born with some strange ability. I think I am someone like that."

"You think?" 

"Yes, I am not sure if I was born with it. Perhaps the price of my ability is to forget myself, my past, and my parents." Azik's eyes were clouded with melancholy as he looked at the river.

Klein was confused. "Forget the past?"

Azik smiled. "Before I entered Backlund University's history department, I lost most of my memory. I only remembered my name and some basic knowledge. Luckily, I still had my identification documents. Otherwise, I probably would have ended up homeless. All these years, I've tried to search for my parents using my identification documents, but I never found anything, even though I could see a corner of Fate.

During my few years at the university, I gradually realized that I possessed some strange abilities that go beyond common sense."

Klein asked, "Mr. Azik, why did you lose your memory? No, I mean—did you find out why you lost your memory?"

He thought that Mr. Azik, who had lost his memories, was a Beyonder who held an above-average position as a member of the Life School of Thought—a secret organization that was mainly passed down through master-disciple relationships. It possessed the potion Sequences for Monster and Soothsayer. 

Azik shook his head. "No, it felt like I just had slept and forgotten everything that happened in the past."

He spoke as he walked. "After I left Backlund, I started dreaming and dreamed about a lot of strange things..."

Klein asked, "What kind of dream?"

"Many different kinds of dreams. Sometimes, I would dream of the internals of a dark mausoleum. I would dream of ancient coffins with corpses in them and white feathers on their backs. Sometimes, I would dream of myself being a knight covered in armor, charging towards the enemy with a long spear.

Sometimes, I dream of myself as a feudal lord, having a rich and fertile fief, with a wife and three children. Sometimes, I dream of myself as a tramp, walking on a muddy road in the rain, feeling cold and hungry.

Sometimes, I dream of myself having a daughter, a different daughter than the previous children, who enjoyed sitting on the swing that I made and asks for sweets. Sometimes, I dream of myself standing next to the gallows, looking towards a hanging dead body."

Listening to Azik raving like a madman, Klein realized that he couldn't interpret the dreams because they symbolized opposite, contradictory things.

Azik retracted his gaze; his voice was no longer ethereal. "The Feynapotter Kingdom in the south believes in Mother Earth, and the Church of Mother Earth promotes a belief. They believe that every life is a plant, absorbing the nutrients from the earth. Growing slowly, prospering, and withering.

When they wither, these lives fall to the earth and return to the mother's embrace. In the coming year, they grow again. They would blossom then wither, year after year. Life is as such, one life after another.

Sometimes, I am willing to believe in this concept. I believe that because of my uniqueness, I can dream of previous lives and the lives before that."

He looked at Klein and sighed, "I haven't mentioned any of this to Cohen before. The reason I'm telling you is because I..."

Azik paused and smiled. "I apologize. My description earlier was not precise enough. The disharmony in your fate is not the only thing that I could see. I can also see another thing.

Klein, you are not an ordinary person anymore. You have a strange power, one that is similar to mine."

Klein froze for a moment before giving an honest reply. "Yes, because of what happened to Welch and Naya."

"It's as I thought..." Azik sighed. "There were two people with extraordinary powers amongst the group of police that came to question me and Cohen."

Azik raised his cane and said, "You should have entered their circle. I hope that you can help me search for clues of my origin. You do not need to go out of your way to do it; just note it down if you find any clues."

Azik wore a bitter smile. "I don't know any other person with extraordinary powers... You cannot imagine what emotions a man without a past has. You are like a boat floating in a vast ocean, not being able to find a harbor and navigate to shore. All you can do is take on disaster after disaster, with no end in sight."

Klein asked, "Mr. Azik, why didn't you join a similar group when you possess such magical ability and search for clues yourself?"

"Because I'm afraid. I'm afraid of death." Azik sighed and continued, "I have gotten used to life like this. I like my life. I don't have the courage to take that risk, so I can only count on you."

"I'll pay special attention if I come across any clues." Klein promised.

"Alright, we should return to the office. Let's have lunch together with Cohen when he's done with work. Do you remember? The East Balam Restaurant in the university is quite good. Heh, my treat." Azik lifted his cane and pointed in a direction.

Klein returned with Azik. A few steps later, Azik spoke. "I'll be on summer break after I finish settling all my work at the university. You can visit me at my house or write to me."

"Mr. Azik, I thought that you would head to Desi Bay for a vacation."

"No, it is too hot in the south right now. I don't like the so-called sunbathing. Look at my skin color; it tans easily. I'd rather head to the Winter County, to the north of the Feysac Empire, to ski, sightsee, or hunt seals." Azik replied.

Klein, who had just joined the Nighthawks, revealed a look of envy.