432 Beatdown
Albus was caught off guard when he spotted Lumian comfortably seated on the sofa.

“That was quick.”

“You’re not slow either,” Lumian replied with a “kind” smile.

From his point of view, breaking free from the ethereal, underground roar and not turning into a wax statue indicated that Albus wasn’t just an ordinary member of the Iron and Blood Cross Order. Perhaps the sinister corruption at 13 Avenue du Marché was helping him withstand that terrifying roar.

In contrast, Elros Einhorn, with her unique Sauron family bloodline, seemed more likely to emerge unscathed and return safely.

Albus flashed a smile, pulled up a chair, and casually enjoyed some refreshments as though nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. He signaled the servant nearby to replace his tea with a fresh cup of black tea.

After about four to five minutes, both Lumian and Albus simultaneously shifted their attention towards the living room door.

Elros, dressed in a comfortable dress, entered the room.

Seeing Lumian and Albus, she appeared surprised but not shocked. She quickly put on a polite, obedient smile.

Elros resumed her seat, becoming once again the reserved girl staying at her maternal grandfather’s house.

Poet Iraeta seemed oblivious to the unusual atmosphere. He sipped his absinthe and discussed poetry writing with Lumian.

Fifteen minutes later, Count Poufer, decked out in a scarlet velvet coat, returned to the living room with Novelist Anori and Painter Mullen.

When Poufer laid eyes on Lumian, the owner of Red Swan Castle was visibly taken aback, nearly losing control of his expression.

He never anticipated encountering Ciel Dubois again, or more accurately, Ciel Dubois in his present state!

Shortly after, Poufer’s gaze swept across Albus, Elros, and Iraeta, his face reflecting shock and suspicion as if he had stepped into a surreal dream.

“Ah, Poufer, you’re finally back. We had given up on the adventure long ago and decided not to delve deeper into the dark maze.” Albus set aside his mille-feuille and warmly welcomed him. “How did it go? Did you manage to locate the Count’s crown?”

Instinctively, Poufer shifted his body to prevent Albus, with his hands smeared in pastry flakes, from giving him a hug.

He managed to force a smile and replied, “We had no luck finding it either. When did you get back?”

“Less than half an hour ago.” Only then did Albus remember to smack his hands and brush off the pastry crumbs.

Lumian rose from his seat and inquired, “Where’s Monsieur Ernst Young?”

Novelist Anori shook his head.

“He got separated from us. I hope he remembers to pull the bell rope and summon the servants to find him.”

“That’s correct. The servants in this castle know the underground palace better than I do,” Poufer remarked, his expression returning to its usual state as he settled into an armchair.

Lumian was eager to return and confirm his discoveries. He glanced at the antique wall clock hanging on the wall and smiled at Poufer.

“I still have some matters to attend to, so I won’t be attending the banquet tonight.”

Poufer’s mind seemed preoccupied, and he didn’t press Lumian to stay. He rose once more and escorted Lumian to the living room’s exit.

Lumian cast a grateful look at the owner of Red Swan Castle and shook his hand with sincerity.

“Count, thank you for a fantastic afternoon. I thoroughly enjoyed this game. I hope we can play it again.”

From the depths of his heart, Lumian wanted to express his gratitude to Poufer Sauron. Not only had he provided an “opportunity” to digest the potion, but he had also “unveiled” the family’s hunting grounds, making it easier for Lumian to locate suspected Beyonder creatures related to Conspirers without extensive searching.

How could he not show his appreciation?

Of course, Lumian genuinely desired to eliminate Poufer Sauron. If not for his uniqueness, he would have been turned into a wax statue.

Lumian’s sole reason for not launching a direct attack wasn’t concern about Sauron family retaliation or fear of spoiling the Iron and Blood Cross Order’s plans. Instead, he instinctively believed that even though Poufer Sauron appeared to be an ordinary person or a relatively weak Beyonder with limited knowledge, if Lumian were to confront him, he might well be the one facing danger.

Count Poufer’s expression soured as he received the heartfelt gratitude.

Lumian appeared oblivious to this and reiterated his desire to partake in another underground palace adventure game. With that, he turned and exited the living room, leaving Poufer Sauron perplexed and watchful.

After departing from Red Swan Castle and boarding the four-wheeled, four-seater borrowed from Gardner Martin, Lumian’s smile faded, replaced by a solemn countenance.

At the conclusion of this underground palace adventure, he had gained a clear understanding of the disparity between his strength and that of higher-level entities. With a mere illusory roar, he lost consciousness and self-control, unable to resist.
Only thanks to Mr. Fool’s seal, Termiboros’s presence, and the lingering aura of the Blood Emperor Alista Tudor did he manage to escape with his life.

My Sequence is still too low… Lumian sighed inwardly and closed his eyes, reflecting on the adventure’s details.

…

Quartier de la Cathédrale Commémorative, 11 Rue des Fontaines.

Gardner Martin leisurely roamed through the armor and weapons on display in the hall, running his fingers over the metallic textures as Lumian recounted his encounters in the depths of the underground palace. He described the room with the wax statues, the wax statue artisan, the mutated black spider, the iron soldiers, the bronze coffin, the white candles, and the eerie roar.

However, Lumian omitted the details of how he had escorted Poet Iraeta back to the underground palace’s entrance. He also left out the part about burning the wax statues and him murdering the wax statue artisan.

Finally, he couldn’t conceal his anger, frustration, and perplexity.

“Commanding Officer, didn’t you promise to secretly watch to prevent any mishaps? If I hadn’t inexplicably awakened, I’d be a wax statue now!

“Did you use Albus to keep an eye on me?”

Lumian’s questioning tone didn’t seem to provoke Gardner Martin. The latter turned to him, his smile widening as he spoke calmly.

“I was indeed observing from the shadows.”

At this point, his smile grew even more, but his voice remained composed.

“I witnessed you escorting the poet back to the underground palace’s entrance. I saw you set fire to the wax statues in that room and detonate the wax statue artisan’s head.”

Wh— Lumian’s eyes narrowed, and a shiver ran down his spine as his hair stood on end.

He blurted out, “Albus is already back?”

How did the Boss find out about my actions?

Could he truly be trailing me in secret or monitoring my every move in the underground maze?

How did he do it? I didn’t notice at all!

Gardner Martin chuckled.

“Albus hasn’t returned yet.”

It wasn’t Albus? That’s right, Albus had no knowledge of my actions regarding the wax statue artisan’s demise. No one else was present… How did the Boss discover it? Lumian’s usual tendency to underestimate Gardner Martin vanished, replaced by a sense that the head of the Savoie Mob, the Commanding Officer of the Iron and Blood Cross Order, possessed more mystery and power than he initially believed.

Previously, perhaps Madam Magician of the Tarot Club and Mr. K of the Aurora Order had displayed abilities that Lumian found beyond imagination or awe-inspiring. Therefore, when facing Gardner Martin, who appeared to be the weakest of the three “superiors,” Lumian had always considered him less formidable. He even believed that if they were within a five-meter range, he might have a chance to eliminate this Commanding Officer.

Now, from the looks of it, Lumian wasn’t confident.

Considering that Gardner Martin might have revealed this information to unnerve him, Lumian didn’t attempt to conceal his changing expressions and body language.

Gardner Martin observed Lumian’s bewildered and fearful expression and added with a smile, “Do you really think you woke up for no reason?”

Whoa, so you’re the one who helped? If I hadn’t heard the grandiose voice, Aurore’s humming, and the conversation with the people in Cordu and felt the burning pain in my right palm, I would have believed you… In essence, the corruption at 13 Avenue du Marché could have helped me break free from that state, but the Boss had intentionally left it ambiguous. He wants me to believe that he had played a role. This Hunter didn’t lie, but he certainly didn’t disclose the whole truth. How much of what he said was based on what he saw with his own eyes, and how much was gathered through other means? Lumian’s thoughts raced as he bowed his head.

“Thank you, Commanding Officer.”

Gardner Martin nodded warmly with a smile and said, “We’ve gained something from this operation. At the very least, we know that there are terrifying items sealed deep in Red Swan Castle’s underground palace. Do you want to exchange them for rewards or save them to trade for valuable items later, such as higher Sequence potions?”

Lumian had accumulated a sum of 20,000 verl d’or over the past month through Gardner Martin’s funds, his “salary” from Salle de Bal Brise, and his earnings from acting. Money wasn’t an immediate concern.

He pondered for a moment.

“Let’s save them for now.”

As he spoke, he presented the Beyonder characteristic of the wax statue artisan and other items to Gardner Martin and inquired, “Boss, can I use these to concoct the Conspirer potion?”

Gardner Martin examined the shrunken blood-colored brain and the shriveled, blackened heart for a moment.

“When combined, they can be used to concoct the Conspirer potion, but they will have additional Hunter, Provoker, and Pyromaniac characteristics compared to ordinary ingredients. You need to be very confident before using them.

“Right, this heart still retains traces of the Sauron family’s bloodline, which might affect your advancement to some extent. If you’re not confident, I can provide you with a Conspirer potion in exchange for these ingredients and make up the difference. Consider it a partial reward.”

In essence, ordinary Black Hunting Spiders and Sphinxes only possess the Conspirer Beyonder characteristic, excluding the ones from before. The wax statue artisan and the mutated black spider were like two halves of a Conspirer. When combined, they formed a complete Sequence 9 to 6 Beyonder… Lumian grasped the situation and smiled.

“It sounds like it will make me stronger. I’d like to see if I can handle the associated risks.”

Gardner Martin didn’t push further and allowed Lumian to depart.

…

Upon returning to Auberge du Coq Doré, Lumian took his place at his desk and began writing a letter to Madam Magician.