Circle of Inevitability

After Franca put away the Demoness of Unaging Beyonder characteristic that had coalesced after being shattered, Madam Magician said to the three of them. "Apart from some easier-to-find materials that are merely symbolic, we should have everything else. What remains is preparing for the ritual. I can help anytime."

"Thank you," Lumian thought for a moment and asked, "Should we leave now?"

Madam Magician smiled and said, "Angel-level Beyonder characteristics, especially Sequence 1, are not only limited but very rare, and their locations are relatively certain. If there were anything similar in this treasure trove, it could only be Sequence 2, and most likely from the Hunter pathway."

Lumian pointed to the end of the deep corridor. "As one of the Blood Emperor's resurrection arrangements, the corresponding Beyonder characteristic is behind that mirror, together with His Mirror Person, perhaps even already absorbed and merged by His Mirror Person?"

In other words, it was almost impossible to find Angel-level Beyonder characteristics, including Grade 0 Sealed Artifacts, in other rooms along the corridor, so Lumian and the others had no need to continue exploring.

Of course, this was just one reason. More importantly, the Blue Avenger belonged to Mr. Hanged Man, and theoretically this treasure vault was also his- equivalent to his private property. He had only allowed Lumian and the others to take the corresponding materials earlier based on a promise. If Lumian and the others were to open other rooms and take other items. it would be too disrespectful to the owner.

Though Madam Magician didn't explicitly say this, all three Demonesses understood and expressed their wish to leave now and think about how to arrange the ritual.

Mr. Hanged Man nodded without any change in expression.

"You can return through the mirror world. Madam Magician and I still have some matters to attend to."

He could roughly guess what Mr. Hanged Man wanted to do.

As captain of the Blue Avenger, Mr. Hanged Man had no Tudor remnant aura, no corresponding bloodline, and wasn't on either the Hunter or Demoness pathway. Though guarding a treasure vault, he had difficulty entering it and could only wait for Lumian to open the "access control." Only with Madam Magician's positioning and help could he enter. Of course he couldn't miss this opportunity and had to explore a bit and take some useful items.

These might be Grade 1 Sealed Artifacts that could help improve his strength, or Beyonder characteristic- related items that could help him cultivate more and stronger subordinates, or special items that could either be useful at critical moments or point to certain secrets of the Tudor Empire.

How others explored their own vault was none of Lumian's business. He took out a mirror and led Franca and Jenna out of the vault, then used teleportation to return to the luxurious villa in Trier.

Since the matters of Madame Pualis and infant Omebella were still under investigation, Lumian hadn't returned to his originally rented apartment to meet with his subordinate Lugano. He was still wary of potential issues related to the Great Mother that might exist with him.

"Where's Ludwig?" Jenna looked around the living room and asked Anthony, who was focused on reading the newspaper.

Anthony pointed toward the villa's annex.

"In the kitchen.

"After eating Trier's food for several days, he misses the food from the dream city and wants to try making some himself."

Suddenly, an image appeared in Lumian and the others' minds: Ludwig moving a chair into the kitchen. then standing on it, struggling to handle kitchen utensils that didn't quite match his size and height...

"I miss it too," Franca said excitedly, "Look, look, this is what a professional Chef is like-just eight years old!

Jenna nodded and said to Lumian and the others, "I'm going to the telegraph office nearby to send a telegram to Julien. He's coming back to Trier next week, and I need to ask about the specific time and whether he's taking a boat or steam locomotive."

She wasn't in a rush to discuss her own ritual, as there was already a preliminary plan.

Once Lumian became a Demoness of Unaging and borrowed the Gift of the Land, after communicating well with the Tarot Club and the Church of Knowledge, they would take her to the City of Exiles to advance using the criminals there.

The only problem with this plan was that once Jenna successfully advanced, she would become a Sequence 4 demigod, which conflicted with Morora's rules and would cause negative changes to 0-01.

The current solution was to ask the Church of Knowledge for help, assisting Madam Magician, so this Door pathway Angel could transfer the newly- advanced Jenna away directly using pre-left marks without entering Morora.

Lumian had privately asked Jenna if she wanted to consider using the Sword of Courage to switch to becoming an Iron-blooded Knight. With the current team's composition and rapport, the corresponding ritual wouldn't be difficult after some time adjusting. But Jenna still hoped to continue on the path of pure female Demonesses.

She told Lumian this was currently her only special trait, and once she switched to Hunter, she would lose it. Special traits represented both unknown, huge risks and potential encounters and significant gains. With the apocalypse seemingly approaching early, she was willing to take the corresponding risks in exchange for rapid sequence and power growth to better protect those she wanted to protect.

Lumian didn't try to persuade her further at the time. only sighing and quoting a dream city saying, "Fortune favors the bold."

After Jenna put on her sunhat and lowered her black veil to cover her face, leaving the luxurious villa, Lumian said to Anthony. "Do you want to continue with the Psychology Alchemists mission?

Anthony had already been assigned to Lumian, the new Mr. Chariot, and could completely stop the original mission given by Madam Justice.

Before Anthony could respond, Lumian laughed.

"You're about to become a Sequence 4 Manipulator. Those people who play with people's minds won't let a demigod not cultivated by their own organization enter their core levels."

Anthony had digested the Sequence 5 potion Dreamwalker faster than Lumian and the others because during this time, he had been active, walking. and working in a great existence's true dream.

"About to?" Anthony asked puzzlingly.

Had the Major Arcana cardholders found the corresponding Beyonder ingredients?

That couldn't be so easy, right? If it were that easy, Madam Susie would have become a demigod long ago.

Lumian tucked his falling hair behind his ear and smiled. "Madam Justice has been searching for an ancient dragon. She's had some results but kept missing it. After Mr. Fool Initially awoke, he gave her a revelation that should be very useful. We might see results soon."

Anthony nodded and after considering for a few seconds said, "I want to continue my contact with the Psychology Alchemists, but no longer seek to enter their core levels.

"After becoming a demigod, I'll also hide my Sequence and deal with them in my current state. This is a very good intelligence channel, and I don't want to give it up."

"Alright," Lumian indeed needed such intelligence channels.

After exchanging a few more words, he and Franca went upstairs.

Walking on the thick carpet in the corridor, Lumian turned his head toward Franca. "You no longer need to do the Demoness Sect's mission."

This was a mission from Madam Justice, and since Franca was now subordinate to The Chariot, Lumian had full authority to help her stop this matter.

Franca was silent for a moment, then sighed, "Since you've chosen this current path, I think figuring out the situation with the Primordial Demoness and the secrets of the special mirror world are inevitable tasks, and none of these can bypass the Demoness Sect.

"Whether or not I've been exposed, even if they use me or set traps through this, it's still a good entry point. Having connections means having opportunities."

Lumian looked at Franca without speaking.

Feeling a bit uncomfortable under his gaze, Franca could only ask with a smile. "Are you moved?"

"Yes." Lumian nodded.

"Oh... why aren't you being stubborn this time? Now I don't know how to respond..." Franca mumbled. "Actually, Jenna continuing on the Demoness pathway also involves this kind of thinking."

Before Lumian could speak again, she forcefully changed the topic. "Let me ask a question, purely out of curiosity.

"If you briefly use the War Bishop power within the seal, will your body change?"

Normally, physical changes brought by a boon's power, as long as they didn't cause immediate collapse, occurred gradually and subtly over time However, the boon powers of both Hunter and Demoness pathways inherently possessed the quality of changing the body.

"Yes, the body will, but the spirit won't" Lumian explained simply.

Taking potions to change gender would affect the spirit as well, like Franca-when her Astral Projection roamed the spirit world, her form was also female. But changes brought by boons were limited to body and mind, meaning that even if Lumian returned to a male state using the War Bishop powers within the seal, his spirit would still appear as Lumina.

Franca immediately became excited. "Can you try it, let me see?"

If this worked, she could seek corresponding boons in the future. Then she could be a man when she wanted to be a man, a woman when she wanted to be a woman, and neither if she preferred!

After all, Lumian's goal was to resurrect Aurore, which meant he would reach very high levels, and seeking temporary boons from him wouldn't have any hidden dangers.

Before Lumian could respond, Franca shook her head.

"Never mind, never mind. The Lie earring uses corresponding Beyonder power to change the body without any pain, but changes brought by this kind of boon powers come with the power itself-they're forced, uncontrollable, and must be very painful. Never mind."

"You've been both a Demoness of Affliction and a Demoness of Despair, what pain are you afraid of?" Lumian teased, as his body suddenly changed.

There was both the writhing of flesh and the creaking of bones.

Lumian's face contorted for several seconds before settling into his original male appearance, but more handsome, with more of that masculine charm.

Franca watched with both concern and curiosity, then said, "It really works..."

Her eyes moved slightly, and she added, "Can you close your eyes?"

Lumian didn't refuse.

Then, he heard Franca sigh and say,

"We all know you see your female body as your sister's, and unless she agrees, you won't do anything suggestive with it. We respect your thoughts and Aurore herself, but, but sometimes we still want to see Lumian, to hug Lumian…"

Just as Lumian was about to speak, a warmth pressed against his lips.

After a peaceful, serene, and sweet moment of entanglement, Franca pulled back.

Lumian opened his eyes to see she was suddenly slightly taller than him.

Instinctively, Lumian looked down and discovered that several layers of ice crystal steps had formed beneath Franca's feet at some point.

Franca opened her eyes wide and said, "This time I took the initiative, and I thought kissing you from above felt more appropriate for the current mood!"

"Whatever you like," Lumian said noncommittally.

Franca jumped down from the ice crystal steps and sighed again. "Change back now, minimize the influence of the boon."

She then pressed her lips together, clapped her hands once, and said with a smile, "With the apocalypse approaching and everyone in this situation, let's just make do for now!"

***

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