Lord of Mysteries: Yao Guang

March 22nd.

Esther had just experienced a Tarot session yesterday without much new news. The members were still digesting the potions and seeking formulas steadily, and they were not able to move to the next step of improvement so quickly.

I just don't know why, but the "hermit"'s attention to the "lover" has inexplicably increased, and he will take a few more glances at each Tarot meeting. Esther was very confused. She looked back at the past exchanges and found out that she had never offended this "hermit" lady in any way. Why was her eyes full of scrutiny when she looked over?

But every time the "hermit" would quickly look away, and Esther had no way to say anything, so she didn't ask. She suspected that even if she asked the "hermit", he wouldn't admit it frankly.

After replenishing supplies at the Oradek Islands four days ago, the long voyage of the "Clover" finally came to an end.

After taking off the pirate flag, Alexander worked in the bottom cabin for several hours before completely stopping the device that made the "Clover" generate foam. During this period, both Esther and Thomas were pulled over and slapped.

"You should have brought me here, but why did you bring her here?" Thomas asked, pointing at Esther, speaking quite impatiently.

"Don't be so rude, Thomas. The princess is more at ease when Hamel is here." Alexander unscrewed a circle of bolts as big as a palm and motioned to Esther to put it together with other parts.

Thomas looked even more unhappy: "But this is equivalent to exposing all the secrets of this ship to her!"

Alexander knocked on a part without looking back and continued to dismantle the tight protective layer: "Save it, after so many years, can you understand the structure of these foam engines?"

Esther suppressed her laughter and did not make a sound. She was too embarrassed to provoke Thomas, whose face turned red because he could not refute.

After those gorgeous bubbles dissipated, the ship now looked more like a private ship sneaking out to sea and became quite inconspicuous.

The "Clover" parked in a public port in a rare and generous manner. The sailors on the ship were very excited to go home. No one planned to stay on the ship to celebrate this event, and Aaron did not force them to stay.

"What should we do with the 'Clover'?" Esther also asked Alexander about this matter.

Alexander pushed up his thick bottle-bottomed glasses: "My old friend will come to take the princess in and take her on a vacation for all-round maintenance and rest."

"I presume your old friend is also familiar with this ship."

"Of course, we were still designing together at the time...well, it was a long time ago." Alexander shook his head, "Don't ask about the youth stories of the previous generation, there is nothing interesting to hear."

Esther held the suitcase in her hands tightly and changed the subject with a smile: "How are we going to get to our destination? The province of Upper Honakis is quite far from Strandsburg, and it will take a lot of time."

Aaron came over with a smile and spread his arms happily towards the not-so-busy port outside: "Of course it's a steam train! Welcome to the steam miracle Intis, thank you to the great Emperor Russell!"

Esther calmly took a step to the side.

Her action made Mary, who was standing behind, chuckle twice.

Thomas immediately spoke: "Mary, you can't come with us. You can stay at our guild hall in Strandsburg. It's best to write a letter to your home."

"I can't go!?" Mary was of course very dissatisfied. "I have become a mature sea-adventurer today. Why can't I explore that Quaternary Age ruins with you?"

Thomas stared at her coldly: "Do you think you are very mature? You can go if you want. We'll talk about it after beating Hamel."

Aaron glanced at Thomas disapprovingly: "This comparison is quite unreasonable, even if you have such confidence yourself?"

"No, but that doesn't stop me from warning Mary."

Mary gritted her teeth and said nothing more. Esther patted her shoulder: "The contamination on the key is enough to show the danger of this operation. It's not that you won't be allowed to prove yourself, but the condition of the ruins is unknown. We said It may be difficult to spare too much time to take care of the entire team.”

Alexander nodded in agreement: "Your sequence is still a little lower, Mary. One less person is beneficial to us, that means fewer people may be in danger."

Aaron raised his hand to pat Mary on the head, but she moved sideways to the side. Aaron had no choice but to pat the corner of his clothes and smooth out the non-existent wrinkles: "Alexander, you don't have to be so pessimistic, our This trip will go smoothly, believe me, we will have good luck."

Mary didn't speak again, but she couldn't hide the disappointment in her eyes.

Esther looked at the market by the port and took a deep breath: "Maybe this is goodbye."

"What are you talking about? It's not like we won't return to the Clover. We will go to sea again in a month." Aaron turned to her in confusion.

But Esther just showed a sweet smile, her pale eyes were cold and devoid of warmth.

Esther put down the suitcase in her hand, turned around, walked over and hugged Mary:

"I hope everything goes as planned and you move towards your ideal self."

Mary was also confused: "Hamel? Why do you say it as if we want to say goodbye forever?"

Esther let go of Mary and grabbed her suitcase again: "Mary, then goodbye forever - hahaha, of course it's just a joke, don't look at me with such fierce eyes."

Thomas sighed helplessly, and Alexander watched this scene with a smile.

Only Aaron's special premonition made his heart empty.

Although no matter how you heard it, it was a very childish joke, deliberately meant to make people look down upon, but his spiritual intuition told Aaron that this was not the case.

Hamel used his rhetorical skills to make others believe it was just a joke.

Esther waved to Mary again: "Remember to complete those Dutan language exercises."

So Mary angrily ran away with her suitcase.

Alexander took out his pocket watch and looked at the time: "You guys first find a coffee shop to have lunch, and then go directly to the nearest steam train platform. We should be able to catch a few trains in the afternoon. I have to wait for him, that The undisciplined guy is late again.”

Thomas nodded: "I'll go to the guild hall first to get our disguised IDs, and then I'll go directly to the steam train platform to find you."

Aaron looked at the direction Mary left: "I really want to have a drink."

"We are still far from Alto Honakis. During the one-month rest period, there will always be a time when you can drink until you are unconscious." Thomas replied impatiently.

A smile appeared on Esther's lips again: "Captain Aaron, let's go."

Aaron glanced at her: "Just call me Aaron, there is no captain on the ground. If you like desserts, you shouldn't miss Intis's spiced red wine stewed pears, and orange wine pancakes... "

Esther turned back and glanced at the "Clover".

Without those bubbles surrounding it, it looked so ordinary, far from the dreamy feeling when we first met, when the whole ship was levitating and slowly floating in the air, surrounded by colorful bubbles.

——

Because of Toma's words, Esther kept a close eye on Aaron and did not take one bite of these two alcoholic desserts.

However, in the relatively remote Strandsburg, only a handful of luxury restaurants offer these. Most small restaurants often stock more ordinary popular desserts, such as egg cream pudding towers or eclairs.

The two had something to eat for lunch, and soon found a taxi and took the carriage to the steam train platform east of Strandsburg.

"Your Intis language is so proficient that it doesn't look like a Loen person. It just has a Trier accent. It's too similar to Alexander. It doesn't need to be so similar."

Esther blinked: "It's just a bit of deliberate imitation. I think Mr. Alexander's accent is very elegant."

Aaron leaned back on the slightly swaying car. The road was quite smooth overall. He lowered his voice: "Trier's accent sounds a bit artificial, especially Alexander likes to draw out the pronunciation, which always makes people laugh. Think of that kind of carol with arias. I have to say that the Church of the Eternal Sun may be somewhat responsible for this..."

"Talk about the church so carelessly, and Mr. Aaron is so sure that I am not a devout believer?"

Aaron bared his teeth: "If you open your arms and praise some god now, I will be so scared that I will jump out of the carriage window."

Esther couldn't help but raise the corners of her lips. If they continue to talk about this topic, it would be too heretical for the two of them: "The carriage industry in Intis should be far inferior to the steam train now, right?"

"Thanks to the full promotion of Emperor Russell, steam trains have been popularized in most important provinces and cities, but now many people want to put the credit for this on the Steam Church. Don't tell Alexander that I told you In this case, his faith is as loyal as his research spirit."

Esther had doubts: "It doesn't matter if it's Emperor Russell's achievements. Why do they insist on erasing the existence of this reformer? It can't be because of his confusing relationship between men and women, right?"

Aaron's expression dimmed a bit: "I think Emperor Russell is quite admirable, especially since he is... It's a pity that he did too many weird things that went against his original temperament in his later years, and he was eventually assassinated by the church and the nobles. under."

Esther subconsciously thought of some possibility: "Pollution?"

Aaron just shook his head: "We don't know the details, because on the surface, the emperor seems to know what he is doing, but that all happened before I was born."

Esther looked out the window and saw a newsboy selling newspapers to passers-by. Improving papermaking and printing, copying classics, creating early childhood education toys, "inventing" tarot cards and playing cards...not to mention the application and popularization of steam engines, sailing ships and artillery.

"No matter how hard they try to erase those traces, he left an impact that was enough to change the course of the world forever."

Aaron looked up at her: "You seem to be very emotional."

"I don't deny that the colonial era he started was a disaster for the indigenous people of the islands and the southern continent, but I will also admit that he benefited many people... In his era, even Loen had to bow to Intis."

What Esther won't say is that Russell is trying to make this world more like the world in their impression. Just because of this, she will only be disgusted at most, not what Russell does. Judging too much.

After all, it was just that compared to the people of the Southern Continent, Russell's identity as a "fellow countryman" made Esther feel more identified. She could almost imagine Russell's various expressions when he wrote those diaries.

It was as if...she had met him before or even knew him.

But Esther was also convinced that she had never had any contact with the emperor from a hundred years ago. Even if she had read part of the diary, she should not feel this inexplicable sense of familiarity.

Aaron did not hide the proud smile on his face: "Yes, even now, many people still hope to restore the glory of the empire when he was a consul and 'Caesar'."

"How can it be that easy?" Esther said with a hint of dissatisfaction, "They also take this kind of thing too naturally."

Even if it is the same road, it may not necessarily be the same if someone else takes it. Russell is an ambitious guy who dares to act. His various strong desires are actually quite easy to be exploited...

such a pity.

Esther sighed, at least she could talk to Klein about trivial things now.

Russell was alone at that time, probably very, very lonely.