Mystery: I, the Hermit, am too eager to improve

Chapter 114 Lovia: The Hermit is Watching Me!

Gary is gone.

He was indeed packing his things today, and it's true that he's going to tackle the legal field—

This is the direction many noble descendants who cannot inherit titles choose.

The same goes for Gary.

As the second son in the family, he was unable to inherit the title and began following the path arranged by Viscount Zabia from the time he entered university.

Law was the major his father arranged for him to study.

"gentlemen."

"Um?"

Roy sat in the study and noticed that Tilly was still there, looking as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.

He turned around.

"What's up?"

"Yes, is that nobleman really reliable? Will your words...will they intimidate him?"

Tilly hesitated for a moment, as if considering her words.

Roy laughed and said, "You think I'm fooling him?"

Tilly nodded gently.

Roy shook his head and said, "You don't understand lawyers. They are experts in language themselves and are best at finding loopholes and weaknesses."

"What do you mean?"

"A lie can deceive for a time, but not forever. Everything I've said is true."

Roy said seriously, "My goal is indeed to overthrow the Morse Penitentiary and, incidentally, change the surroundings to make them more in line with my own desires."

"I see."

Tilly felt a little ashamed.

Having been a thief herself, she found it hard to believe such things.

"How have things been going on your end lately?"

Roy asked.

Tilly's expression turned serious, and she took out a booklet.

Roy took it.

This is an account book, which records her expenses and income.

at present……

The income was sixty pounds 12 sous, plus a few pennies.

"After I understand divination, I usually use divination to verify or re-evaluate the information I've gathered, so I get less information from you."

Tilly explained, "I came here today to deliver this message."

She carefully took a piece of paper from her waist.

Roy took it.

This is a portrait.

A portrait of a middle-aged man of about forty, dressed in a long robe and a silk hat, also resembling the attire of a scholar.

"I couldn't divine his information, so I paid special attention to his movements."

Tilly was slightly excited, then took out another map, this one with a detailed depiction of the South District and its surrounding area.

Roy chuckled, "You even drew a map?"

"I gave those guys a little training, using materials I modified myself."

Tilly smiled sheepishly. "Yes, his area of ​​activity is this area."

She started from the bridge area, and went along the South District and River Bend Avenue all the way to the West District.

Roy narrowed his eyes slightly.

West End.

It seems—

The Morse Penitentiary does have a gathering place in the West End, but the exact location is unknown.

He pondered for a moment and said, "Keep an eye on him, but be careful. His rank might be higher than yours, so divination might not be useful and could even mislead your decisions."

"I understand, and I've also discovered that the results of divination are not always accurate, especially when influenced by extraordinary factors."

Tilly said.

Roy thought for a moment and said, "Now that you have mastered the use of spiritual and ritual magic, if you see him again, pass on a message to me. The incantation is..."

He recited Nina's spell and then stated her request.

Tilly was surprised at first, then immediately nodded—

So there are messengers like that in the world.

She was once again amazed by the wonders of the mysterious world.

After Tilly left, Roy smiled slightly.

So far, it seems that the decision to train Tilly to become a fortune teller was the right one. Having another fortune teller under her can filter out a lot of useless information, and most of what they have now is related to extraordinary individuals.

It's convenient and effortless.

"The Morse Order, ah—"

Roy chuckled and took out the materials to continue his study.

Now, he was not studying the extraordinary characteristics of the Rose Bishop, but rather the extraordinary characteristics of a hermit.

Yes.

Through the mysterious sanctuary, Roy separated it from the extraordinary characteristics of the Rose Bishop, and he wanted to try to manipulate the shadows through the extraordinary characteristics of the hermit to unleash shadow magic.

Shadows are also part of the forces of nature.

In addition, Roy has a fairly deep understanding of shadows—

The concealment of the Ring of Concealment is actually a manifestation of the power of shadow, but its usage is not as varied as that of a hermit.

We're studying it now.

Roy suddenly sat up straight.

A crimson light engulfed him, and then...

An audio clip has been reposted.

"My esteemed Fool, my men have discovered that Lanius and his men have been seen at the border between the Bridge District and the Eastern District."

The voice of justice.

It seems.

There has been progress on Hugh's side.

Roy recalled the situation in that area.

It still points to the dock area.

"It seems that Lanius is unwilling to be replaced and is making various attempts."

"He's also a talented person."

"pity……"

Roy shook his head.

Let's forget about people like that.

Too dangerous.

He prayed solemnly, chanting the name of the Fool.

Then—

"Dear Mr. Fool, thank you Miss Justice for helping to gather information. The reward can be deducted from the outstanding debt."

"Furthermore, I have a general understanding of the matter concerning Lanluus. Please instruct Miss Justice's subordinates to stop collecting information."

"He is in extreme danger now."

……

Above the gray fog, Klein was waiting for a reply when he heard Roy's voice.

"Please tell Miss Justice's men to stop collecting them."

"He is in extreme danger!"

? ?

Did I miss something?

Klein was completely bewildered.

Roy, it's only been a few days, and you've almost gathered all the information about Lanluus that people have to stop gathering.

Furthermore, where exactly does he pose a danger?

Don't be a riddle teller!

Klein sighed helplessly, then extracted the fragment and sent it directly to Miss Justice, while he pondered it on the gray fog.

Extremely dangerous.

For Roy to make such a comment, it's clear that something significant has changed about Laneus.

Could it be?

Klein's eyes widened as he considered a possibility.

They knew that Lanius was corrupted by the divinity of the true creator back in Tingen, and now…

Roy's assessment of the other party as "extremely dangerous" suggests that the other party has strayed too far down the path of divine intervention.

Lanius is the true vessel for divine intervention!

Klein sat down and then burst into laughter.

"Lanius".

"it is good."

"Very well! You'd better not die too quickly!"

……

Lanius.

To be honest, after arriving in Backlund, Roy basically didn't pay much attention to what was happening there.

Bernadette was already paying attention, so he didn't need to risk observing her.

And now.

Bernadette is even less likely to give up.

If Roy is right, Bernadette should now see Laneus as the key to her promotion.

I just don't know how she'll plan this.

Roy pondered for a moment, took out the letter and began to write, then recited Bernadette's messenger spell.

After a gust of wind, the letter vanished without a trace.

He went into the bathroom to take a shower, and when he came out, there was an extra letter on top of him.

The letter was brief.

"understood."

"I'll let you know when the time comes."

Roy burned the letters.

It seems that everything is still under Bernadette's control.

Judging from Lanius's behavior and actions, he is now trying hard to remind the outside world of the Church of Orthodoxy, hoping that the church members will discover him.

Then, by using his abilities, he stripped away and killed the divinity within him, allowing him to escape unscathed.

Did Bernadette help cover it up?

Roy pondered the possibilities, then shook his head, deciding not to speculate unfounded, and sat down to continue studying the extraordinary characteristics of the hermits.

Shadow Hunter...

He recalled the descriptions of the "Shadow Hunters" he had seen at the Steam Church, and then tried to construct magical symbols in his mind.

Upon entering the mysterious temple and after repeated attempts, he discovered a form of releasing witchcraft.

He glanced outside.

As the sun set, it was already night on Rose Street. The streetlights cast deep shadows, making it the perfect setting for the experiment.

Roy walked out the door wearing a coat.

In the shadowy alley beside the street, he rolled up his coat to cover his entire body, gripped the extraordinary characteristics of the "hermit" tightly in his hand, and uttered two words in ancient Hermes.

"shadow!"

Instantly, the surrounding shadows enveloped him, covering his coat and making him part of the shadows.

Roy understood.

The witchcraft succeeded!

Because he felt the effects of the potion.

Extraordinary properties can indeed aid in spellcasting.

in fact.

Upon closer inspection, Roy realized this was quite normal. It could even be used to create extraordinary items that anyone could use, so why couldn't it be used as a material for witchcraft?

It's just that no one had thought about it before.

On his way home, Roy seemed lost in thought.

For example, Newton discovered universal gravitation.

Was he the first person to be hit on the head by an apple?

Obviously not.

The same applies to casting spells with extraordinary characteristics.

"Often, established conventions can limit one's perspective and thinking. To study witchcraft, one must learn to break with conventions."

Especially in terms of materials.

At that moment, he experienced a noticeable digestion, followed by a peculiar feeling—

The wizard's potion has been completely digested!

Roy let out a sigh of relief.

Next, there's only one thing left.

Material!

"Elder Lovia has the bark of the Sage Tree, so she should be able to get it without any problem. Bernadette has promised to help me get the other things, and she can sell me the brain at market price."

"All that's missing is the bark."

Roy thought for a moment, then ascended to the mysterious hall and summoned the star map.

Then, through his connection with the star chart and Lovia, he sensed Lovia's condition.

Her condition is not good.

Roy frowned, pondered for a moment, then returned to reality to retrieve some materials. He then used his power in the mysterious hall to set up a mental enhancement ritual.

The connection between him and Lovia strengthened in the next instant.

The effects of the spiritual enhancement ritual slowly permeated the hall, stabilizing Lovia's spirit and the connection between them.

At this moment, Lovia is walking alone in the forest.

……

"A shepherd?"

"What are you doing here? This isn't a place for you!"

Terrifying sounds and whispers echoed through the forest; it understood the language of giants and also knew Lovia's sequence.

Lovia knew.

This is a warning from the mad tree spirit—

It does not want to go back in.

Lovia looked up, her expression serious.

"I need your bark and sap; if you give them to me, I'll let you go."

"..."

The mad tree spirit fell silent.

A spiritual glow emanated from Lovia, and a phantom three or four meters tall appeared, its body covered in signs of decay and filled with the power of "corruption".

This is a real demon!

Then, she suddenly accelerated and rushed into the forest.

The demons within her unleashed flames and lava, destroying the eerie forest rooted in darkness. Amidst the raging flames, branches, evil spirits, and monsters pounced upon her.

not only that.

A tree let out a loud shriek, then its branches spread out, and its bark reflected images and information.

Then, an evil spirit was released from the tree bark.

It let out a terrifying roar.

This is……

Lovia froze, then suddenly clutched her head in pain.

This is--

The voice of the Creator!

No.

It seemed to be just a fragment, a roar, but she felt as if it were right in front of her, and in a daze, she even felt as if some kind of connection had been formed.

As Lovia was in pain, a mental connection enveloped her, and then—

Those delirious murmurs seemed to have been completely shut out.

Her mental state returned to normal instantly.

As Lovia was still wondering, she suddenly realized something—

The Hermit is watching me!

She quickly drew a seemingly prayerful gesture, disregarding whether it was blasphemous to the two gods, and her movements became one with the demon on her body.

Then, Lovia immediately ran to the right.

Branches pierced through the ground like spears, penetrating the spot where she had been standing.

but.

That's all.

The next instant, a ghost knight appeared on Lovia's body.

His condition is not very stable, but...

At least I can swing my sword once!

Lovia brandished the illusory greatsword.

When the sword sliced ​​through the tree, all the phantoms and evil spirits around vanished.

She looked closely.

On the bark of the tree in front of me, strange and mysterious patterns appeared, constantly changing images, seemingly all of which were scenes and knowledge that it had witnessed.

Lovia was silent for a few seconds, then cut off its bark and collected its sap in a bottle until it ran dry.

"Thank you, Your Excellency the Hermit!"

She made a gesture silently.

……

"That was close."

"So strong!"

Roy's forehead was covered in cold sweat.

In that instant, he first blocked the evil spirit's babbling, but then it wasn't just babbling anymore; there was also an eye from the darkness.

He had a guess.

That might be the true creator.

He saw Lovia, and therefore, He also saw Himself.

"That matches up."

"Fortunately, they didn't actually make a move, otherwise I definitely wouldn't be a match for them and would have had to give up on Lovia."

Roy sighed.

but.

Lovia was originally a believer in the true Creator, but due to some strange reasons, she has only recently begun to lean towards herself.

It's true that the real Creator is mainly prone to anger.

Roy coughed lightly, suppressing his spiritual energy, and pondered what to do next.

Thanks to the success of the mental enhancement ritual, his connection with Lovia has not been severed, and he can vaguely sense her current situation.

of course.

And on the bookshelf, there were stacks of rapidly increasing ramblings.

That was the roar of the true Creator.

Roy sat in the chair, trying hard not to look at the bookshelf—

Unless you look, you won't realize how angry the true Creator is at this moment.

He thought to himself.

At this moment, Lovia was packing her things and cleaning up the surrounding battlefield.

Besides the mad tree spirits, there are other wild beasts in this area. Although they are terrifying, they are also food that Silver City can try to eat.

Roy maintained the ritual, shutting out her delirious murmurs all the way.

until...

Lovia saw the crowd.

She saw Wright Hillman.

Witt gripped his greatsword, watching her warily as she emerged from the darkness.

As Lovia dragged her prey, she said gently, "I am Lovia Tiffany, and I have already hunted my target."

Waiter glanced back at his teammates and asked, "What did you get?"

"The bark of the Mad Tree Spirit".

She whispered.

This is information known only to her, the Chief, and Elder Waiter.

Wright nodded slightly, but still said, "You stay on the perimeter and keep watch."

"clear."

Lovia didn't take it to heart.

In Silver City, everyone is wary of madness, and those who are alone...

These are often the areas most prone to unforeseen changes.

She still feels lingering fear from her previous experience; if it weren't for the hermit's protection, she might be in trouble now.

If that were the case...

Not only has Silver City's strength weakened, but everyone also has to bear the terrible consequences of their own madness.

Thankfully, nothing bad happened.

Fortunately.

He had a hermit helping him from behind.

She slowly exhaled, and then she heard faint murmurs again, but they were not as intense or terrifying as the ones she had heard in the wilderness before.

……

"It's a success."

Roy let out a long sigh of relief.

I've obtained my own Sage's Tree bark.

Oh, and tree sap too.

The sap of the Sage Tree is only a supplementary material, but Roy thought it could serve as a decent spellcasting material.

Lovia received many.

That way, I can exchange more with her.

Roy pondered how to negotiate with Lovia to ensure the deal went smoothly. Also—

In order to make the deal, he had to teach Lovia his sacrificial ritual.

"We've already offended them anyway."

"No matter what the outcome, it can't be worse than it is now."

Roy found joy even in his suffering.

It is very difficult for outsiders to find the bark of the Philosopher's Tree, otherwise Mr. Hyde would not still be searching for materials.

Perhaps Roy is lucky enough to get it at a tarot reading.

but.

That way...

I don't know when it was.

Roy can't wait.

Some risks must be taken.

After confirming that Lovia was safe and had not called him, Roy sent her a message.

He needs to fall asleep and rest as soon as possible.

On one hand, it's about restoring their spirituality; on the other hand, Lovia and the others' time zone is slightly different from reality, and they will return to Silver City after the lightning-streaked "daytime".

I don't have much time to rest.

……

"Eyes that see into the future."

"The ruler of the mysterious temple."

"The embodiment of knowledge and numerology."

Luo Weiya felt a surge of joy upon receiving the information that appeared directly in her mind, and a gentle smile appeared on her face.

She looked back at her prey and at the expressions of her teammates, and she was even happier.

perhaps.

In the not-too-distant future, once we have access to food from the outside world, we won't have to work so hard and take so many risks, and Silver City won't have to endure such terrible madness anymore.

(End of this chapter)