The Secret Cult Chronicles of the Decaying Lake Manor

Every day at 5 a.m., the servants of Paradise Island Manor get up to begin their day's work.

The servants cleaned the ashes from the stove and filled all the coal buckets; then the cook directed the kitchen maids to cook oatmeal porridge, prepare hot water and flour, and then ring a bell to wake all the servants.

After a simple breakfast, the maids went upstairs in an orderly fashion before 6 a.m. to begin reviving the manor—while the family upstairs was still fast asleep.

They removed the thick, solid protective panels from the windows of the first-floor living room and dining room, and lit the fireplaces throughout the mansion.

The two stewards were patrolling around, supervising their work in maintaining cleanliness and replacing essential supplies.

Everything was in perfect order, like the natural breathing and rhythm of this vast mansion.

At this time of year, the mansion in the middle of the rotten lake can usually see the misty water vapor outside.

The mansion gives the impression of being in a hazy, dreamlike fairyland, as if they are standing in a castle in the clouds, far removed from the mundane world.

According to several servants who had accompanied their master to London, sometimes the moisture was just as intense as London's fog.

But when the servants opened the door today, they saw an unexpected person outside.

His dark overcoat was damp with dew, his hair was slightly wet, and he was carrying a wicker basket covered with a fine cloth.

"Young Master!"

The maid who reacted first cried out and then hurriedly bowed.

The other servants nearby also stopped what they were doing and looked at him with a mixture of surprise and confusion.

George smiled and nodded to them, then walked briskly across the porch toward the living room.

Last night, after reviewing the materials needed to make the Holy Grail Spring, he discovered that some of the materials needed to be prepared under the moonlight.

He decided to read until late at night, and then quietly slipped out of the mansion using the original owner's memories.

The mansion is not surrounded by tall trees, so Paradise Island is not dark at night, but has a unique tranquil beauty.

The moonlight, like water, poured over the lush lawns surrounding the mansion, dyeing the world a bluish-white hue.

George strolled along the path, avoiding the island's watchmen, and collected several key plant materials.

After his promotion, he found that his need for sleep had decreased by more than half, but his mind remained clear.

He spent the whole night outside without encountering anything unusual. Under the autumn moonlight, even the chirping of insects was rarely heard on the island.

Upon returning, he was eager to prepare the ingredients. Unable to find the butler in the living room, he casually instructed a servant to have Carson and Thomas look for him on the third floor before leaving on his own.

Before long, two senior servants arrived at the alchemy room and found George busy working on a pile of equipment in the laboratory.

Carson didn't want to disturb George's work, but the latter spoke first.

"My father arranged for me to study alchemy, and I'm trying to familiarize myself with some basic operations as soon as possible."

George walked up to the alchemy table and handed Carson a list filled with writing.

"These are my initial requirements based on the information I have at hand, and I need your help in preparing some materials."

Carson took the list, quickly glanced through it, and then said:

"Mead, single malt whisky, brandy... the estate has ample reserves of these wines. Fresh hawthorn blossoms can be gathered in town, and there's pure honey in the kitchen. Mrs. Patmer will certainly be happy to find the saffron and the spices listed below for you."

He looked up at George: "The old lady may have some of the rarer spices in her collection, but it will take some time to go to her residence to get them."

Thomas, having taken the list, continued, "Dried ivy leaves, elderflower, and mistletoe—the manor has these readily available. The beeswax candles with moonstone and the remaining spices should be in the master's private reserves; I can go and fetch them."

George put down the measuring cup in his hand and nodded in satisfaction.

He knew that, according to the Viscount Alchemy Master's setup, there would definitely be no shortage of materials in the manor.

"Then I'll leave it to you."

The three then discussed a few more details.

George noticed that the two men in front of him displayed a tacit understanding from their long service to the extraordinary family—not asking many questions, but simply executing efficiently.

After making the arrangements, Thomas and Carson bowed and took their leave.

As they were about to leave, George called out to Carson.

"Could you please tell Uncle Albert and Lieutenant Bates to come here and bring me another breakfast? Would that be convenient?"

"Yes, young master, no problem." Carson replied, then closed the door and left.

The alchemy room returned to silence.

George took a deep breath and regulated his breathing. He walked to the device and checked that the dew extraction apparatus was airtight.

Then, he took out a small piece of crystal that he had spiritually imbued under the moonlight the night before, put it into the grinding bowl, and began to grind it.

Grinding and grinding in the white mortar, large crystals melted into fine ice and snow that were illuminated at the top of the snow-capped mountain, emitting extremely subtle light.

George had not seen his uncle and Bates until he had collected the ground crystal powder and the peppermint oil extracted from the moon dew he had collected the night before.

Knowing that breakfast at the manor wouldn't be served until after eight o'clock, he simply took out the copy of "The Shocking Secret" that he had on him to pass the time.

It wasn't until he had finished the breakfast his servant had brought him and almost finished his coffee that his uncle and Bates arrived at the alchemy room.

"I guessed you wanted this, so I brought it with me."

The uncle placed the small leather suitcase on the table, opened it, and took out a stack of neatly arranged blueprints, placing them on the table as well.

George picked up a map and found that it was indeed the geological map of Paradise Island that he had seen that day. His uncle had also thoughtfully included a map of the area surrounding Paradise Island.

"Thank you, Uncle."

"I hope this was helpful. I can't be of much help here, so I won't stay. You can find me in the study if you need anything."

The uncle glanced at the room full of chemical equipment and added:

"In addition, a telegram arrived this morning saying that an inspector from the Anti-Smuggling Bureau will be visiting this afternoon and will stay for a few days."

"He's here to see your father and you, George. Remember to be prepared."

After saying that, he left.

George quickly pulled Bates aside and began to look through and discuss the contents of the map.

Bates picked up a map: "There are even horizontal and vertical geological profiles. There shouldn't be any mining areas around here, right?"

George put down the architectural blueprints for the manor he was holding: "What do you mean by that?"

Bates explained, "As far as I know, the Kingdom's Treasury and the Privy Council jointly manage many of the Geological Bureau's maps. Geological profile maps are not something you can just borrow from the Royal Library. Vertical profile maps are generally only approved by mining companies or scholars; drawing or even distributing them privately is prohibited."

He handed the map to George and pointed to a blank space in the corner of the map.

"Look, this place should have been marked by the geological bureau. This map is probably a copy—even so, it's hard to get. Maybe your manor needs it to dig multiple basement levels on the island?"

George looked at Bates and shook his head: "No, the blueprints for the manor only show one basement level, but I clearly remember that the basement I visited when I was a child definitely had two levels."