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n403 Drawing From Experience

nJenna’s instincts screamed at her to turn around, her fear that the psychiatric patient, suspected to be I Know Someone, might catch her staring.

nYet, in almost the same instant, she recalled how she’d acted around Hugues Artois. With that memory in mind, she controlled her neck, shifting her gaze away with a slow, natural motion.

nShe kept her composure, exiting the grayish-blue building one step at a time, stepping into the sunlight that poured through the window. Jenna donned a light brown straw hat adorned with cloth flowers.

nAs she finally left Delta Asylum, returning to the same street where she had first encountered the mysterious boy, Jenna let out a sigh of relief.

nHer expression remained unchanged as she boarded the public carriage bound for the bustling market district.

n…

nIn the evening, at 3 Rue des Blouses Blanches, Apartment 601.

nLumian, who had been summoned by Jenna, listened to her findings intently.

nLumian couldn’t conceal his surprise and suspicion.

n“Is this for real? Are you sure you didn’t see it wrong?”

nWasn’t this just too much of a coincidence?

nJenna had only laid eyes on the portrait of “I Know Someone” that morning, and in the afternoon, she had tracked down the target at Delta Asylum—a place she had visited just twice. Lumian, Franca, and the Major Arcana and Minor Arcana card holders in Trier had turned up nothing!

nThe sheer coincidence here made Lumian’s instincts tingle with hints of conspiracy and arrangements, robbing him of any tangible joy.

n“That’s right. Isn’t this too darn coincidental…” Franca’s demeanor had been skeptical even before Lumian’s arrival.

nShe muttered, “Though it’s a classic move for an antisocial, intelligent fellow to hide in an asylum and rub shoulders with the doctors, should he really be unlucky enough to cross paths with a visitor who’s seen his wanted poster? There can’t be more than 50 people in Trier who’ve laid eyes on that wanted poster!”

nThis tally included Anthony Reid and the inquiries made by the other card holders today.

n“Why didn’t I know of such a classic scenario…” Jenna mumbled. “But I did stumble upon him. I’m not mistaken. Maybe I’ve just been lucky lately?”

nAt this point, she noticed the disbelief etched on Lumian and Franca’s faces.

nLumian, a man well-versed in the power of coincidence, pondered and asked, “Recall this morning and see if any other coincidences stand out, or if anything unusual occurred.”

nSeated in an armchair, Jenna delved deep into her thoughts.

nAfter nearly fifteen minutes, she cussed, “It’s business as usual! Uh, there is one thing I’ve never encountered before…”

nShe recounted how she had come across a lost boy and treated him to a cup of vanilla ice-cream. She had also found constables to watch over him. Finally, she inquired with uncertainty,

n“There shouldn’t be anything unusual about that, right?”

nFranca mumbled to herself, “Did the boy mention anything about you receiving good luck?”

nLumian honed in on another detail.

n“Did he say he was brought here by a lady who loves drinking?”

n“Yes,” Jenna replied to the two questions with a single word.

nLumian immediately grew suspicious.

nApart from a few dancers, he only knew of two ladies who were quite fond of alcohol. The rest were just casual social drinkers.

nOne was Madame Hela, and the other was Madam Magician.

nThe former always carried multiple flasks of liquor with her, while the latter reveled in tasting various alcoholic beverages, and she could even summon a glass of wine from thin air and savor it.

nSince the hunt for I Know Someone was a shared mission of the Tarot Club, and Madame Hela hadn’t been informed about it, Lumian cautiously deduced that the boy had been brought to Trier by Madam Magician.

nCombined with Franca’s question about Jenna’s “receiving good luck,” Lumian believed that the boy possessed extraordinary abilities that could bestow good fortune upon others. Jenna, having experienced this stroke of luck, was naturally fortunate enough to cross paths with “I Know Someone.”

nAs Lumian and Franca fell silent for what felt like minutes, Jenna’s unease deepened.

n“Is there really a problem with this situation?”

nLumian gazed thoughtfully at his companion and responded, “It’s possible that your luck has taken a favorable turn today, starting with your act of buying ice-cream for that young boy.”

nSuch exchanges of giving and receiving were not uncommon in the realm of Inevitability. For example, the enhancement of luck often required the recipient to willingly accept the medium and derive some benefit from it. Moreover, there had to be a subjective desire on their part to complete the luck-enhancing ritual.

nTherefore, Lumian had a reasonable suspicion that the boy might be a Beyonder of the Monster Pathway, also known as the Fate Pathway. Through a subtle transaction involving ice-cream and the bestowal of good luck, he had orchestrated Jenna’s encounter with I Know Someone.

nThe phrases like “I didn’t know how to help, so I decided to wait here” or “Buy me ice-cream, and you’ll have good luck” had all the mysterious signs of the Fate domain!

n“That’s right…” Franca had clearly considered this possibility.

nJenna immediately understood.

n“Are you suggesting that this boy might be an exceptionally powerful Beyonder? That he granted me an abundance of good luck?

n“But apart from encountering I Know Someone, I haven’t felt anything extraordinary. I haven’t stumbled upon any money or come across free items.”

nFranca sighed, explaining, “Meeting I Know Someone probably consumed all the good luck you were given.”

nLumian abruptly stood up.

n“I need to verify this.”

nHe made his way into Franca’s bedroom and closed the door behind him.

nCurious, Jenna asked Franca, “How is he planning to confirm it?”

nFranca speculated and replied, “He’s going to write a letter.”

n“To Madame Hela?” Jenna knew that the woman had a messenger.

nFranca couldn’t give a clear answer. “Another lady.”

nIn her bedroom, Lumian, who had tidied up the altar, promptly received a response from Madam Magician.

n“So, that’s how we found I Know Someone. Even as an Astrologer, I find this matter charlatanic.

n“There’s no need to doubt that it was indeed a helper we hired. We expended a considerable number of favors and a substantial amount of ice-cream.

n“Since there’s a result, take action. I’ll keep an eye on you and help guard against any unforeseen incidents.”

nAs expected… Lumian grinned.

nFrom Madam Magician’s words, he deduced that the boy wasn’t a member of the Tarot Club. Hence, he wouldn’t participate in shared missions without receiving some form of compensation, which in this case involved favors and ice-cream.

nWhat the hell is up with ice-cream? Can such a powerful Beyonder be moved by ice-cream? Lumian found it absurd and amusing. However, he recalled Baron Brignais’s godson, a rather peculiar individual who could be swayed by delectable treats.

nThis led him to wonder if Beyonders in a boy’s form had similar “weaknesses.”

nLumian pushed open the door and returned to the living room.

nNervously, Jenna stood up and inquired, “Did you confirm it?”

n“He’s a helper with the specific task of bestowing good luck, and your encounter with him was orchestrated by fate. By treating him to ice-cream, you’d chosen the correct path of destiny,” Lumian responded, using the manner of a charlatan.

nAs a Beyonder with dominion over the Inevitability domain, he held a certain sway over fate.

n“Phew…” Jenna let out a sigh of relief, her worries about falling into a trap dissipating.

nSeeing Franca rise from her seat, Lumian produced the silver Lie earring with a smirk.

n“Let’s head to the asylum now. I can’t wait.”

n“Very well,” Franca replied, her inner thoughts sighing.

nEver since Ciel’s arrival, she had been embroiled in constant battles.

nIt had been just a few days since Loki’s attack!

n…

nIn a four-wheeled, four-seater rental carriage en route to Quartier des Thermes, Lumian gazed out of the window at the black street lamp poles and furrowed his brow.

nHe muttered to himself in confusion, “Did Jenna truly spot I Know Someone?”

nFranca and Jenna turned their attention to him, simultaneously recalling a similar situation:

nFrom their hunt for the padre, Guillaume Bénet, they had encountered two substitutes in succession, and the actual Guillaume Bénet had turned out to be a large dog lounging by the side!

nFranca lowered her voice and inquired, “Do you suspect it might be a substitute?”

nDrawing lessons from past experiences and expanding their awareness was crucial. After witnessing the padre’s clever deception, failing to consider such possibilities would signify their inadequacy in the Hunter and Demoness pathways.

nLumian pondered for a moment and whispered, “With his issue coming to light and the potential pursuit he might face, wouldn’t I Know Someone be concerned that the ‘pranks’ of the past few months could become a lingering threat?

n“If I were in his shoes and couldn’t erase the corresponding traces, I’d leave Trier swiftly and return after some time. Yet, he hasn’t done that.

n“This suggests that he either possesses ample confidence that we won’t locate him, or he has something of significance to accomplish in Trier. In that case, remaining in the shadows while presenting a substitute in plain sight would be a clever choice.”

nJenna, puzzled, asked, “Could it be that he also wields Lie or the Substitution Spell you mentioned?”

nLumian chuckled.

n“He may not have Lie, but the evil god he believes in governs the Seer domain and ranks as one of the most potent Faceless. With mastery of the corresponding ritualistic magic, he can beseech this deity to alter the appearance of a specific target.”

nIt was akin to how members of the Tarot Club could summon creatures from the spirit realm in the name of Mr. Fool.

nUsing Faceless-related ritualistic magic to create a substitute while secretly monitoring in person… But why didn’t he just change his appearance? Why resort to creating a substitute? It would make him virtually untraceable! Franca thought of a dangerous possibility.

nLumian nodded.

n“If the individual in Delta Asylum is indeed a substitute, it implies that he serves as a trap and is intentionally using it to lure us in. I Know Someone will undoubtedly pay close attention to the eventual outcome.

n“Consequently, either the extreme peril concealed within the substitute will not only ensnare the pursuer but also cause a significant disturbance, or the two individuals are intimately connected in some mystical manner.

n“Don’t be concerned about the first scenario. With a formidable lady guarding against mishaps, the ensuing possibilities will depend on you, Franca…”

nIf the person in the asylum turned out to be I Know Someone, the situation would be relatively straightforward.

n…

nLate at night, in a room on the third floor of Delta Asylum’s eastern wing.

nA pair of gold-rimmed glasses sat on the bedside table, reflecting the moonlight filtering into the room. The patient in the bed was fast asleep.

nSuddenly, a shadowy figure opened the substantial door adorned with iron bars and quietly entered.

nWith a polite grip, the intruder gently shut the door, rendering the room impervious to external sounds.

nThe entire interior space seemed to be sealed.

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