Lord of the Mysteries

Is she suspecting something? Klein looked straight into Edwina’s eyes without moving them away. Nor did his eyes blink or dodge.

After knowing that Danitz had divulged his sacrificial ritual to Kalvetua before it died, Klein had the necessary preparations. If he wasn’t standing on the shipboard and was instead sitting on a soda, then he definitely would’ve crossed his right leg and leaned back to give a calm and composed answer.

He smiled as he raised his left hand. He introduced with a calm tone, “This glove of mine is called Creeping Hunger.”

Klein believed that Danitz, who had witnessed him in combat, had definitely passed the relevant details on to his captain. Therefore, with Vice Admiral Iceberg Edwina being of equal rank as Vice Admiral Hurricane Qilangos, it wasn’t difficult for her to guess that he had acquired Creeping Hunger. In that case, taking the initiative to divulge it gave him a psychological advantage rather than being exposed by her.

And for him to suddenly mention it gave it a double meaning. First, he was hinting to her that he had an organization backing him, one that could kill Vice Admiral Hurricane and orchestrate Kalvetua’s death and reply to its believers in its stead. Second, it was a warning for Edwina that she was not to attempt to investigate or delve deeper into the matter. Otherwise, the instantaneous death of Vice Admiral Hurricane awaited her.

At this moment in time, Klein continued maintaining Gehrman Sparrow’s persona. He didn’t directly threaten her or refuse to admit it. Instead, he provided a calm answer that hid madness within it.

Edwina Edwards nodded slightly and suddenly changed topics.

“I plan on providing a certain amount of assistance to the Resistance in the Rorsted Archipelago, mainly in food and fabric.”

Assistance? Her backing faction is against Loen, or it just wants to make things difficult for the Church of Storms? Klein wiped his smile and calmly replied, “This has nothing to do with me.”

Don’t expect me to trip up… he said silently to himself.

Edwina turned her head and raised her arm to point to Blazing Danitz who was drinking while secretly stealing glances.

“I will entrust him to handle it, including contacting the Resistance and confirming the time. We’ll arrange for a private harbor, and I wish you can provide sufficient help.”

Pfft… Danitz spewed out a golden waterfall from his mouth.

Haha. Pfft! Bam! Bam! Bam! The two pirates sitting beside him laughed as they bent their backs and struck the deck, spewing out the beer that they had just drunk.

One of them had dark skin like he was covered in a layer of metal skin. His waist was rather thick, and although he wasn’t fat, he had no curvature to speak of.

Edwina retracted her gaze and added in an unhurried manner before Klein could speak, “You’re an adventurer. I believe you won’t decline a job that pays well.”

You really have found me an excellent excuse… Klein smiled in response.

“Of course.”

He didn’t ask how much the payment was, while Edwina seemed to forget mentioning it.

This intelligent and beautiful pirate admiral gloomily said, “Senor got someone to pass me the news that he’s willing to buy the key of the giants, which I previously discovered, for 5,000 pounds.”

It was the item proclaimed to be Death’s Key. It was a gigantic black iron key that nearly made Danitz lose his life in Bayam. Klein suspected that it didn’t originate from the dark Second Epoch, but it was something that was connected to the Giant King’s Court.

She’s hinting at me to offer a price? Klein was first taken aback before he came to a realization. He couldn’t help but inwardly mumble, 5,000 pounds? I don’t even know if the key is of any use, or if it really involves the Giant King’s Court! If it doesn’t have anything to do with it, can I return it for a refund?

Besides, there’s no prior information about it. Even if I take it above the gray fog to divine it, I wouldn’t receive any effective revelations.

Yes, a simple inference is that if it doesn’t involve the Giant King’s Court but some other treasure that I have no idea about, then it would be useless if I buy it. The only benefit is that it will disrupt Admiral of Blood’s plans. It harms him without benefiting me. If it involves the Giant King’s Court, Admiral of Blood is unlikely to find the target location even if he bought it, as it’s located in the Forsaken Land of the Gods. Besides, I plan to hunt him. When the time comes, I can obtain the key without spending any money. It’s equivalent to having him buy it for me and watch over it for some time.

Although such thoughts are very idealistic, it’s not impossible…

Klein pondered for a few seconds and said, “It might be hiding a huge secret.”

He deliberately mentioned this to make Vice Admiral Iceberg unwilling to sell the gigantic black iron key to Admiral of Blood Senor. It was to prevent the latter from rapidly strengthening himself after obtaining the treasure and step into the demigod realm. That would bring a considerable calamity upon Klein.

Edwina listened silently and didn’t continue on the topic. She turned her body halfway around and pointed at the cabin’s entrance.

“Breakfast has been prepared for you.”

“Thank you.” Klein took off his hat and bowed.

As he followed Vice Admiral Iceberg into the cabin, he quickly recalled the conversation they just had and sought out the true motive behind Edwina’s invitation.

From Gehrman Sparrow’s identity problems, to the mystical item suspected to be Creeping Hunger, to the matter of the sacrifice to Kalvetua while the dead Sea God continued responding to believers, all of these matters put together does allow one to imagine that I have a secret organization backing me, one whose motives are unknown.

As for the faction that Vice Admiral Iceberg belongs to, it’s very wary, guarded, and interested in this matter. Therefore, it got her to probe me in person to see if they can obtain something?

They’re still rather friendly at the moment. Extending their assistance to the Resistance is a way to convey their intentions. It seems they’re leaning towards cooperating with the organization backing me. Of course, the unknown always leaves others afraid. Without grasping the situation, the chances of Vice Admiral Iceberg and company attacking me is very, very low.

Heh heh, if they realize that the secret organization backing me was established only about half a year ago, including The World and Miss Xio, whose connection has been established but not recruited, there aren’t more than ten people. I wonder if they will get so infuriated that they end up losing control…

As his thoughts raced, Klein entered the cabin and followed a dim passageway, passing through one wooden door after another.

He followed Edwina up some stairs and arrived at a brighter second level.

Before entering the pirate’s dining hall, they passed by a half-opened room.

Klein casually glanced inside and saw a gigantic black iron key sitting on a wooden table.

“These items are evidence from our various treasure-hunting expeditions. Most of them are mementos, while others have yet to show their value and require further study.” Edwina appeared cold, but her explanations were in great detail. It had the feeling like she was afraid that he wouldn’t understand her or was left puzzled.

And when she mentioned the word “study,” her aqueous blue eyes clearly lit up a little.

Evidence of the various treasure-hunting expeditions? Klein couldn’t help but look inside carefully.

At this point, Edwina pushed open the door and walked in. She then introduced in passing, “This is a gold coin from the Fourth Epoch’s Solomon Empire.”

Klein’s gaze shifted over and saw a coin placed inside a frame.

It was entirely dark gold in color, as though it was combined from two semicircles of different dimensions. It looked extremely asymmetrical, and there was a sharp crown engraved on its surface. It looked very similar to the crown worn on the King of the Five Seas, Nast.

Edwina was like an owner who liked to flaunt her collection. She began introducing the items in the room, making Klein recall a familiar person—Old Mister Eye of Wisdom, the great detective, Isengard Stanton.

In regards to the trait of flaunting collections, they’re very similar… Is this a tendency of people with huge collections? Wait, Mr. Stanton had studied in Lenburg for four years. Vice Admiral Iceberg’s description includes information that Edwina Edwards that hails from Lenburg. This… Lenburg’s capital is the headquarters of the Church of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom. Mr. Stanton also admitted that he converted his faith to the God of Knowledge and Wisdom while studying abroad… Could the faction backing Vice Admiral Iceberg be them? Klein listened in thought until Edwina stopped in front of the huge iron black key.

Just like he had seen in the dream, the key was about the size of a seven-string zither. An ordinary human would have to wrap their arms around it to move it. It was dull and ancient-looking.

The patterns on it are similar to the City of Silver’s style. It clearly has giant traits… Klein nodded and was just about to retract his gaze when he heard Edwina say, “You can study it.”

You are letting me study it? You probably have no idea how many latent problems I’ve triggered in the past. Aren’t you afraid that the Golden Dream will disappear once you let me study it… Klein criticized himself in a self-deprecatory manner before reaching out his right hand to touch the black iron key that seemed to belong to a giant’s.

He found it ice-cold to the touch, and regardless of how much spirituality he injected into it, it was useless.

Unfortunately, I cannot bring it above the gray fog to study it… Klein retracted his right hand and shook his head indiscernibly.

He shifted his gaze onto a book in goatskin placed on the same table. On the brown cover were words written in ancient Feysac: “Groselle’s Travels.”

“It originates from a sunken ship. It had been soaked at the bottom of the sea for 165 years without suffering any damage,” Edwina introduced. “It records a story about a giant named Groselle. He had decided to head to the Nation of Frost to hunt the King of the North, a powerful frost dragon. Along the way, he encounters companions, a female elf, a devout ascetic, an aristocrat of the Solomon Empire, and a Loen soldier. The story develops until they encounter the King of the North before it suddenly comes to a halt. It’s not the end, but the later pages cannot be opened no matter what methods are used. You can give it a try.”

This isn’t a notebook in a journal style, but rather a novel? This novel sure is odd. It puts together characters from different epochs and eras. It should be something that was recently produced… Klein flipped through the book and allowed the yellowish-brown pages to slide past one after another.

The content was roughly what Edwina said, but the story appeared rather abrupt and fractured. It kept making Klein suspect if he had missed a paragraph. For example, the protagonists would become familiar with one another moments after encountering each other as strangers.

Soon, he browsed to the last few pages and found that they were stuck together. There was no way he could pry them apart.

Such effects… probably can be dealt with above the gray fog… I wonder what sort of accidents might happen… Klein turned his head to look at Vice Admiral Iceberg.

Edwina fell silent for a moment before saying, “If you wish to have it, I can sell it to you. I’ve studied it for years without gleaning anything from it.

“However, I have a condition.

“What is it?” Klein returned with a question.

Edwina pursed her lips and said, “If you figure out something, you have to tell me the result, so that I won’t have to be puzzled over it.

“As long as you agree to this condition, I can sell it to you for cheap.”

Klein’s interest was suddenly piqued.

“How much?”

“8,000 pounds,” Edwina said calmly.

“Uh…” Klein deliberately pondered as he nodded indifferently. “I’ll consider it.”

I’ll consider how to pretend that this never happened… he thought silently to himself.