Chapter Text
Sealed Artifact 1-00, an artifact that summons a rather powerful entity, but makes everyone around, ordinary people or a Beyonder, lose control in return. Klein was rather skeptical in using this artifact, mostly because of the said entity and it's unknown origins. I'll divine this above the grey fog right before we leave. For some unknown reason, he felt a rather unnerving attraction to this Sealed Artifact, and he suspected that it was because of the Law of Beyonder Characteristics Convergence, and that it once belonged to a High-Sequence Beyonder of the Seer, Marauder, or Apprentice pathway. He was rather adept at courting death.
"Captain, I need to go to the bathroom. I'll be quick." With Captain Dunn's approval, he ran to the bathroom, locked the door, and quickly took four steps counter-clockwise before arriving above the grey fog.
He conjured the item, and suddenly, the grey fog stirred as if it was trying to conjure a person. The moment that Klein was alerted, the fog went back to normal, emitting a serene scene like nothing happened. What was that?! I really was about to court death! He tried to relax with the help of Cogitation before using dream divination.
As soon as he opened his eyes, a whole planet appeared right before his eyes, exploding itself and turning to a small black hole. The artifact itself was then propelled to another planet. The dream shattered right after, forcing him to wake up.
What the- this artifact came from another planet? The whole ancient castle violently shook along with the feeling of countless maggots crawling under his skin, and the feeling of the pain seeping in from his physical body. The ancient fog then stirred around it's master and was able to soothe him, but only for a moment. Klein, who was about to lose control again, was suddenly ejected out of the castle. For some reason, his instinct is telling him to run to the Sealed Artifact in order to live.
"Klein, are you alright?" He heard an aggressive knocking on the bathroom door. "Klein!"
"I'm alright! I'm still washing, so don't worry about me!" Klein was still on the verge of losing control, but he recognized that it was Leonard. I was about to lose control and die! I really should stop courting death! Although, all I saw was the view of the outside world. Does this mean that it's dangerous to look at the sky? He pretended to flush the toilet and washed his hands before leaving the bathroom.
"Klein, is this one of your secrets? You're about to lose control!" Leonard had a stern voice, as if he knew what was happening behind the door.
I don't know what this supposed secret of his is about, so I don't know if I should lie or not. Well, he already knows that I have a secret anyways, so there's no reason to lie. "Yes, I apologize if I made you worry." That really was close! My condition right now isn't stable either, and I was forcibly ejected by that grey fog, so I'm currently walking on thin ice. To think that there's corruption in the sky, why is it that death is always around the corner?! I'm only a Sequence 9!
Leonard sighed heavily. "Always remind yourself that reckless actions will lead to death in the world of Beyonders." He raised his hand, emitting a calming and soothing aura.
Klein's face stiffened in the realization. Leonard knows that I tried to divine the Sealed Artifact! Wait, he's right. For some reason, I was tempted to divine that artifact. Am I under an influence of some kind? A Beyonder of the Spectator Pathway? Or is it the Law of Beyonder Characteristics Convergence? I'm a cautious individual, so there's no way that what I did just now was something normal. But, if it's a Beyonder of the Spectator Pathway, then why is it that I'm suspicious of my own actions? It could be that this is their plan all along, but that doesn't make any sense. So it's because of the attraction after all. This kind of pull is scary as hell, to think that my instincts were overturned just because of an artifact. Only a God or something higher can achieve such a strong convergence. Yes, it must belong to a God of the Seer pathway. It's a divine artifact that summons either a deity or an angel under the creator of this divine artifact. "I understand. Thank you for the reminder." He was still new to the Nighthawks, but thanks to his senior transmigrator's diary, he was able to accurately deduce the origins of the divine artifact. This line of thought was a rather, reasonable development.
"I gave you treatment for the time being. You should discreetly find a Psychologist in an underground market tonight."
"Thank you, Leonard." My dear poet comrade sure came to the rescue! As a believer of a fair and equivalent exchange, I should give him something in exchange. Hmm, what could Leonard possibly need that will save his life one day? Well, I'll repay him someday. I don't really have anything powerful with me right now.
"I just thought that we should look out for each other." Why does he always sound so gay? He lampooned.
"Really, you saved my life. I'll pay you back someday." The duo went back to business and reunited with the team responsible for chasing after the Antigonus Family notebook.
"Old Neil, you're part of this operation as well?"
"Indeed, I'm in charge of tracking the traces left behind with the help of Ritualistic Magic. You should stick with me for the day." Klein didn't have the knowledge of Ritualistic Magic just yet, and he was told that he would be able to learn tomorrow.
"Yes, Old Neil." Captain Dunn arrived from his office, followed by Leonard and Frye who is currently carrying the Sealed Artifact. All of a sudden, a mysterious gray fog emitted from the artifact, travelling towards Klein as if it was being absorbed by him. In his eyes, he saw ominous transparent tentacles and maggots crawling around followed by hundreds of bluish-black doors closing. He was in a daze for a while, yet it almost seemed like no one else noticed what just happened, except for Leonard who was watching in the corner.
From that moment, Klein felt like he forgot something. And for some reason, he felt odd that he was suddenly fine. He thought he felt like he was in the verge of control just moments ago.
"Let's go, time is against us." Captain Dunn announced as the team followed him behind. They took a carriage and went towards the building where Klein had found the Antigonus Family notebook.
After arriving the apartment building, the three hurriedly ran towards the third floor and knocked at the room opposite the apartment where Klein and Leonard had found the kidnapped child.
"Is anyone there?" Dunn turned the knob, opened the door, and saw a corpse lying on a rocking chair, with countless worms and maggots feeding on the green, swollen flesh, while it's eyeballs fell from it's face. Blood splattered across the walls, and the whole room emitted a strong rotting stench. Klein felt the urge to vomit.
"Looks like it's been here for 5 days. There are no signs of struggle nor any traces of Beyonder powers. I believe it will require a postmortem." Corpse Collector Frye confirmed.
"I-I'll go investigate!" Leonard hurried and ran off.
"Go get the nearby police as well!" Dunn shouted.
"Got it!"
While Dunn scanned the room, Corpse Collector Frye took out what looked like a cigarette case. He opened it and offered it to Klein. The cigar case enveloped Klein with a scent akin to tobacco, disinfectant and mint leaves. He slowly felt calm and rejuvenated, until the urge to vomit finally went away.
"Thank you." He mouthed to Frye.
"It will be fine once you get used to it." He nodded and hid the cigar case.
Old Neil visited every corner of the room, occasionally touching the furniture around. "This is gross, I need additional pay this month!" The mood turned light after the joke.
Dunn touched the wall beside the chimney, investigating it like Old Neil. "Klein, is this place familiar to you?" Klein imagined a silver pocket watch in his mind and calmed down. He took a deep breath and stayed still until flashes of scenes immediately stacked in his mind along with the feeling of deja vu.
Chimney, rocking chair, newspapers, the rusty nails on the door, the tin cans inlaid with silver...
"Hornacis... Flegrea!"
"Hornacis... Flegrea!"
Hornacis... Flegrea?
Klein quickly tapped his glabella twice as the illusory voices coming from the walls instantly vanished. He massaged his head right after feeling the pain of something stabbing his head. Is this some kind of enticement? This Hornacis from the illusory voice comes from the Hornacis mountain range. It was written in original Klein's diary.
The police from the Special Operations Department arrived and cleaned the crime scene before leaving the Nighthawks to investigate themselves. Leonard then appeared right after, taking out a notepad and hiding the fountain pen in his pocket. "Katy Stefania Bieber, between 55 to 60 years old, a widow, has rented this apartment with her son for more than a decade. The son, Ray Bieber, is 30 years old and single. He inherited his father's trade as gem artisan and earns about 1 pound and 15 soli a week. According to the neighbors, no one has ever seen them in a week."
Klein's Adam's apple bobbed up and down. Both has gone missing for a week? This means that the notebook may very well be on the son!
"Leonard, go ask the Special Operations Department if they have a picture of Ray Bieber. Declare him a criminal and let them investigate further." He's already declared a criminal? Klein subconsciously glared at Leonard who was already glaring at him. What the-? It then dawned on him that his Captain's decision was rather reasonable. Who else would murder her other than Ray Bieber?
"Just in case, we should also investigate further." Old Neil suggested.
"Indeed. Now that I think about it, we should go and sketch a picture of Ray Bieber instead. I don't think they have it." Leonard nodded before leaving.
Old Neil took out a few thumb-sized metal bottles from his pocket and scattered the contents one by one. He then took out a clump of powder and drew a circle around him. There was suddenly an invisible force field around him.
He murmured an incomprehensible incantation before harsh winds entered the room, blowing the powder around him. Suddenly, Old Neil's eyes dimmed, grabbing the fountain pen in his pocket and began sketching loudly at the scrap paper on the floor. He sketched so fast that his body started trembling.
After a minute, he was already done and had written a note accompanied with a small emoji at the end. Klein widened his eyes, staring at the wink face emoji. If there are other transmigrators, it would surely be the Evernight Goddess.
"Black hair with deep blue eyes. Left of his mouth is a fully ceramic tool implant." Dunn read loudly.
The sound of the fountain pen dropping on the floor echoed across the room, along with the rattling sounds of Old Neil's body convulsing. He took a few deep breaths before standing up and handing the sketch to Captain Dunn. He then turned back and slowly circled it, making the invisible forcefield disappear. Old Neil then drew the crimson moon in his chest and said, "Praise the Lady."
Then, at the corner of the room, a normal-looking woman appeared out of nowhere. "She" had raven black hair and wore a simple linen robe tied with a belt made of tree bark, but "Her" ghostly-black eyes emitted an intense feeling of peace and serenity.
"Her" name is Arianna.