Lord of Mysteries: Yao Guang

"Cafe Teiana", No. 19, Auxiliary Street, Teiana Street.

"Pornographic Pearl" Mary uneasily curled a strand of brass-colored hair on her temples with her fingers. She was not wearing a headscarf today and had her hair pulled into a small high bun.

The man sitting next to Mary had a gray-black beard on his face, and most of his forehead was shiny. Only a circle of mottled gray hair survived from behind his ears to the back of his head. The man's eyes were depressed and aged, and he wore wide glasses as thick as the bottoms of bottle caps on the bridge of his nose. He looked to be in his sixties, which was considered an advanced age for the second officer of a pirate ship.

Most pirates who can survive to this age will usually "retire" after accumulating enough savings and return to their hometown to become rich men, or simply find a small island to stabilize and no longer live a life where their spirit and body are washed away by the waves. day.

He was wearing an iron-colored classical robe, and he didn't look like he had been exposed to much wind and rain at sea all year round. He looked more like an old scholar who should be sitting in a university.

This elderly gentleman did indeed hold a book in his hand and was reading attentively. His lips would occasionally move. He read the book very quickly, but occasionally he would stop flipping through the book and click through it repeatedly. passages of understanding.

Although there was a "Closed" sign on the door, Esther directly pushed open the front door of the cafe, nodded to the gentle lady behind the counter, and then walked towards the two people at the corner table.

The older gentleman did not raise his head from the book until Esther came to the opposite side of the two people. Esther glanced at the title: "The History and Rebirth of Industrial Materials" - Portland Momont .

Esther had some impression of this name. When she went to the library in Backlund, she had seen corresponding reports about Professor Momont - a professor of the Engineering Department of Backlund University and an academician of the Royal Academy of Sciences of the Kingdom of Loen. Because of his discovery of alloy materials, he won the prestigious "Light of Machinery" award in the scientific community.

Portland Mormont's book... Judging from the name, this is a very professional manufacturing book. Is this gentleman really the second officer of the "Clover" and not some professor who came to Bayam for a holiday? ?

"Mr. Alexander... our guests have arrived."

When Mary called, the old gentleman raised his head. The black in his eyes became more intense, but it was hidden behind the lenses. This change was not obvious.

The old gentleman's scrutinizing eyes passed over Esther and stayed on her hair for several seconds before he came back to his senses and nodded:

"Are you really a 'thief'? It's very rare. They disappeared after the Fourth Age. Alexander, what do I call you?"

His Rune language has a very obvious Intis accent.

"Hamel Brook, it's an honor to meet you." Facing this gentleman who looked full of knowledge, Esther couldn't help but use a more respectful address.

After shaking hands with the old gentleman, Esther sat down opposite Mary.

Mary cleared her throat and felt particularly awkward sitting next to the old gentleman: "Mr. Alexander and I contacted the captain last night. The captain agreed to let you board the ship, but you have to sign a contract."

"It's reasonable. After all, I boarded the 'Clover' as an outsider, so it's normal for you to be worried."

Esther's words were full of innuendo, using "a person" to express that she could not pose much of a threat, indicating that the other party had nothing to be afraid of, thereby dispelling Mary's wariness on this matter.

Esther blinked innocently at Mary, which made Mary curl her hair harder with her hands. When Mary spoke again, she spoke much faster: "I see you brought a box, but it's not necessary, because Our plan is to go back tomorrow—"

"We'll leave in the afternoon." Alexander suddenly interrupted Mary.

Mary looked at him dumbfounded, but said nothing. Instead, she stood up slightly panicked: "Then I'll go upstairs to pack my things first!"

Esther looked away from Mary's hurried back and met Alexander's strange and scrutinizing eyes.

He inserted a dead leaf among the pages he browsed, closed the book in his hand, and then looked at Esther again:

"Are you... carrying any extraordinary items?"

Esther did not shy away from the fact that she was carrying weapons, and was willing to show her honesty appropriately. She took out the "Logan's Claw" from the sandwich at her waist and turned it twice between her fingers:

"Is this what you mean?"

Alexander stared at the claw knife for a few seconds and asked, "No, but can I take a closer look at it?"

"Of course, but be careful not to get scratched." Esther placed the "Logan's Claw" flat on the table. She didn't think it was necessary for the other party to grab such a thing.

Of course, this is also because Esther has the confidence to snatch it back easily.

Alexander took out a pair of black gloves from his pocket and put them on his hands covered with thick calluses and scars. He looked at the claw knife for a moment, and the glasses on the bridge of his nose slid down as he shook his head:

"A novel shape that has never been seen before, but the style of creation is a bit rough, blindly pursuing power and saving materials. The extraordinary properties used to create it are not stable... Why didn't I notice its negative effects? There's something about me Undetectable forces suppress it.”

"It has a very strong toxin effect and can easily harm anyone who comes into contact with it, so I took some occult measures to suppress this."

Alexander pushed up his glasses and touched the bare handle of "Logan's Claw" with his finger: "There should be others?"

"It will grow fur, and the full moon will be thirsty for killing."

Alexander said nothing, slowly took off his gloves, and stared at Esther's hair several times again: "Your hair seems a little weird."

Esther was a little surprised. This was the first time she saw someone pay special attention to her hair. This old gentleman's observation ability may be due to his extraordinary way.

Esther put away the claw knife on the table again: "Is it obvious?"

Alexander sighed: "No, if it weren't for the identification at such a close range, I wouldn't have noticed it. In any case, it is very rude to stare at a lady like this, and I should apologize."

"Can I ask, what did you see when you identified it?"

Alexander considered his words for a moment: "It's hard to say, and it's hard for me to describe. Have you ever stared at the sun?"

"No... that will hurt your eyes."

"Yes, but after looking at the sun for a short time, a dark shadow will be left in your eyes." Alexander pushed up his glasses. "Even if you look at other things, traces of the same shape will appear."

Esther was silent for two seconds and smoothed her bangs guiltily: "Maybe this is something that cannot be identified?"

"That's what I thought too. If I dig deeper, I might lose control, so I stopped in time. Please forgive the curiosity of a former researcher." Alexander said with a smile.

Esther showed a gentle smile: "No matter what, thank you for your answer."

Alexander put his hands on the table and stared at Esther with a burning gaze: "You don't sound like a pirate or adventurer. At least until now, when I stay, the young people on that ship have never used honorifics. Not even Mary and Thomas.”

"I'm not an adventurer either. My ideal is to be a maritime musician."

"Musician? Your ambition is really strange." Alexander smiled and shook his head, "Then I'll go pack some things and we'll set off later. Do you need Ms. Schwartz to send you something to eat?"

Esther's smile was quite sincere: "Is that okay?"

"Of course, please."

Alexander chatted with the gentle lady at the counter, left a few silver coins and walked up the stairs.

Soon, the lady brought a fruit salad and hot Earl Gray tea, which came with two crispy croissants, which was a very light combination.

After Esther finished her breakfast slowly, Mary ran downstairs with the suitcase in her arms. The older gentleman followed behind her. In addition to a white suitcase, he also held a roll of parchment. .

Alexander spread the parchment on Esther's table: "This is the contract we are going to sign. Take a look. If there is no problem, put your hand on it and swear an oath based on this text."

Esther put down the warm tea cup, grabbed the parchment and browsed it quickly, then placed her palm on it trustingly:

"I will not intentionally bring any danger to the 'Clover', nor will I harm any crew members of the 'Clover'. During the landing on the 'Clover', I will help Captain Aaron remove the contamination of the items." entrusted to help the 'Clover' survive any major crisis that may cause it to sink."

After Esther's words fell, a dazzling and blazing light appeared on the paper, and the occult symbols disappeared one after another, and the paper returned to blank.

Esther glanced at her palm, and the sun-like symbol on it disappeared in an instant.

Then, Alexander took out a pen from nowhere and quickly wrote on the parchment again. Then he also put it on his palm and read out the newly written oath:

"I will not maliciously harm any guest who is about to board the 'Four Leaf Clover', nor will I deliberately frame, frame or threaten this guest of the 'Four Leaf Clover'. When on board, I will respect the guest's Will and take responsibility for the 'Clover'."

After the parchment returned to calm, the same symbol was printed on Alexander's palm, but the dissipation process was much longer than Esther's. When he rolled up the parchment, Esther could see that traces of the symbol remained. With.

"Is this all right?" Esther moved her right hand and picked up her suitcase.

Mary wrapped her black headscarf and covered it with a wig: "Otherwise? This kind of notarized oath has mystical specialities. Even if you don't want to abide by it, you can't."

Alexander walked in front and opened the door of the cafe first: "If you violate it, it will often lead to consequences that are unbearable for the individual. Trust me, you don't want to know what that is."