Lord of Mysteries: The Assassin's Dark Path

Varina stormed back to his lodging, and the first thing he did was retrieve the items stashed beneath the bedboard.

On his way back, he had already made up his mind:

The Dead Eel Gang had traced him down, which meant continuing his current job was out of the question. For safety's sake, he needed to change residences as well—disappearing completely from their sights was the only viable option.

Varina felt a pang of discomfort.

He wasn't ready to abandon his current life, yet circumstances left him no choice. Worse still, he had to leave in haste.

John, Susan, and his once-dreamed career as an accountant, like Mr. Luca, were now no more than drifting clouds in the past, blown away by the ambush earlier.

"In just one week, how did things come to this?"

Sitting on his bed, Varina couldn't help but ponder:

Was it because he got caught stealing? Or that deliberate misdirection? Perhaps it was canceling the contract?

Would things be different if he had been more cautious?

No, that wasn't right.

This outcome had been inevitable from the very start.

From the moment he awakened those foreign memories, every step of verification had been a step toward a completely different path—a path leading him far away from his current life.

Now, it was time to bid farewell to the past.

Maybe…

Maybe being more cautious earlier would've delayed this outcome, but it couldn't have prevented it entirely.

Realizing this, Varina felt a sense of disbelief.

It was almost as if fate itself had been at work. It felt even stranger than orchestrating a gang war with nothing more than a minor misdirection.

Fate?!

Varina's heart skipped a beat as an idea surfaced:

"Is this the result of my choices? Or… a logical progression of the plot?"

Shaking his head, he banished the thought. It wasn't something he should—or could—dwell on. He firmly believed everything was the result of his own decisions.

Pulling his wandering thoughts back, Varina removed his coat and donned the holster that secured his revolver under his arm. Then, using a strip of cloth, he fastened the dagger to the outside of his left forearm before putting the coat back on.

After folding the banknotes and check securely into his pocket, he was ready to leave.

Now, he only needed to craft an ending for himself.

The ambush earlier in the café had already provided a nearly perfect reason for his disappearance.

All he had to do now was add the finishing touch.

Tearing apart his bed and scattering his clothes across the floor, Varina overturned the coal stove and opened every cabinet door. His room now bore all the hallmarks of having been thoroughly ransacked by gangsters.

Just as he was about to leave, his gaze fell on two language primers sitting on the desk.

After a brief hesitation, he walked back, stuffed the books into his bag, and left the room once again.

This time, he didn't look back.

---

Around 8:30 p.m., Varina arrived at the Bravehearts Bar on Iron Gate Street.

Weaving through the crowd cheering by the boxing ring, he approached the bar counter and knocked.

"One pint of Southville beer," he said.

The bartender looked up at him and paused for a moment before recognizing him. "No 'Half-and-Half' today?"

"New beginnings, new choices." Varina forced a smile.

"Five pence," the bartender said, pouring the beer without breaking stride. "If you're looking for Karspars, he's in Room 3 by the billiards tables."

"Thanks."

Placing a five-pence coin on the counter, Varina picked up his wooden mug and took a sip.

The first impression was bitterness. But as he savored it, a malty aroma and a hint of sweetness emerged in the aftertaste.

Not bad, he thought, though he'd probably stick to Half-and-Half next time.

Taking his drink, he navigated through the crowded, sweaty crowd around the boxing rings and knocked on the door to Room 3 before entering.

Kaspars glanced at the door, saw who it was, and immediately raised his voice. "Not today."

But contrary to his expectations, Varina didn't nod and leave. Instead, he stepped inside.

Kaspars gestured, and the man he'd been playing billiards with left the room on his own, even thoughtfully shutting the door behind him.

"What else do you want… huh? What happened to you?"

As Varina drew closer, Kaspars noticed the swelling on his head and the scratches on his face.

"Nothing much—just some petty thieves from the East District," Varina replied casually. "It's been handled. Don't worry; it won't affect you."

Kaspars nodded, then asked again, "So what do you want?"

"I'd like to stay here for the night and leave in the morning. Is that okay?"

With all his possessions on him, Varina wasn't keen on searching for lodging this late at night. More importantly, there weren't any inns in the Bridge District.

"Are you sure you've handled everything? No one's tailing you?" Kaspars eyed the swelling on his head suspiciously.

"At most, they'll trace me to my East District hideout. I came here because I don't have another place nearby."

"Who are 'they'?"

"The Dead Eel Gang from the Docks."

After several questions, Kaspars made his decision.

"This billiards room is yours for the night," he said, limping out of the room.

---

After Kaspars left, Varina sank into the sofa, pondering his next steps amidst the bar's rowdy atmosphere.

Two pressing issues occupied his thoughts: where to rent a new place and how to make a living.

His options were limited.

Though Beyonder was vast, considering his current situation, only two districts were suitable: the Bridge District and Cherwood District.

The Bridge District's main advantage was affordability—rents here were comparable to those in the East District. A room similar to his old one would cost about 5 soli a week. Its downside, however, was the lack of decent job opportunities.

Cherwood District, on the other hand, offered a wealth of small businesses and more employment opportunities. But rents there were significantly higher.

At one point, Varina considered renting a place in Cherwood District and becoming a private investigator, just like Klein in the original story.

But he dismissed the idea.

He wasn't skilled in logical deduction, so he couldn't be a traditional detective. Nor was he proficient in divination, ruling out the possibility of being an occult investigator.

What he excelled at was operating under the cover of darkness—scheming for profit.

Granted, he could handle the "profit" part; as for "scheming," that might have to wait until he was a true Assassin.

In the end, Varina decided to settle in the Bridge District, putting off income considerations for now.

Even if someone handed him the recipe for the "Assassin" potion today, he didn't have enough money to buy the mystical ingredients.

That meant he still had to do another job—or more—before moving forward.

With that, finding legitimate work no longer seemed meaningful.

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