Alexandria's Keeper - Lord of the Mysteries

The next morning, Irina woke up later than usual. Sunlight warmed her room, and the first thing out of her mouth was, "Shit! I'm late."

Klein had a dream last night, revealing the location of the notebook—or at least, where it was supposed to be.

She hurriedly threw on some clothes and bolted out the door, catching the first carriage she could find. She arrived at the Security Company not long after and caught up with the Nighthawks, discussing the morning's mission and their findings.

I already know the gist, but getting a professional report is always useful. Ray Bieber should be in possession of the notebook by now.

Later that Sunday, after lunch, Irina ran into Dunn Smith in the hallway. He looked like he was about to enter his office, but she stopped him with a cheerful, "Hey Cap~ I was just about to knock on your door."

Lie. I just want to be part of the conversation between you and Klein.

Dunn turned to face her, raising an eyebrow. "How can I help you?"

Shifting her weight from foot to foot nervously, Irina said, "Well, I was curious about that notebook. Have you found its location?"

The Captain sighed, already knowing where this was headed. "It's dangerous and—"

She pouted dramatically. "Oh, come on! You know you'll tell me later on anyway. I just want to stay informed, and maybe... be there when you find it."

After a brief pause, Dunn relented. "Fine. Come in. I'll update you and Klein together."

Success.

Both Nighthawks turned as Klein emerged from the staff room. He eyed the captain with concern. "Any updates, Captain?"

Dunn explained how Ray Bieber likely had the Antigonus notebook and mentioned that he'd requested Sealed Artifact 2-049 from the Backlund diocese to aid in the search.

The seer made the sign of the full moon across his chest. "May the Goddess bless us."

He opened the door to his office, nodding slightly. "The Goddess has always watched over us. Klein, if you hadn't chosen Seer, you'd be a formal member by now after this case is verified. Sleepless was an option, but... I'm still a bit puzzled by your choice. Corpse Collector is an odd path, but you've seen how varied Spirit Mediums can be, like Daly. And Mystery Pryers... well, they're solid. At least you have Old Neil as a mentor to help minimize the risk of losing control."

Klein gave a carefully prepared response, his words measured and precise.

I bet he practiced that in front of a mirror or something.

Dunn rubbed his temples, a small chuckle escaping him. "I have to admit, that's a far more reasonable answer than I expected."

His gray eyes studied Klein. "For now, keep going out. Don't limit yourself to the routes between Welch's place and Iron Cross Street. You might sense the notebook and help us confirm Ray Bieber's location. Once we do, Irina will join you."

Her eyes lit up. "Thank you, Captain!"

The two bade Dunn farewell and turned to leave.

Here we go~

Just as they were about to exit, Dunn called out, "Hold on."

Irina stopped in her tracks, while Klein turned back with a smile. "Captain, is there something else?"

Dunn coughed slightly. "Support Beyonders need to fight their enemies too. Seers and History Teachers may not be combat types, but they can't ignore this aspect. You both need to keep up with your shooting skills and work on your strength."

My non-existent shooting skills? Klein just started, and he's already better than me!

The seer gestured outside. "That's exactly what I'm working on. I'll be heading out."

Kind of embarrassing, honestly. Main character perks—gotta love plot armor.

Irina smiled awkwardly. "I guess I'd better practice some more too."

Before they could leave, Dunn stopped them again. "Wait a moment."

He hesitated for a second before adding, "I might need to consider hiring a combat trainer for both of you. Of course, that depends on you becoming a formal member, Klein. And as for you, Irina, I should've arranged this much sooner."

She pouted, drawing out her words. "Do I have to? I'm already swamped, and I practically never go on combat missions alone."

Dunn sighed. "What did I just say earlier?"

Silence filled the hallway as Irina avoided his gaze. Klein, sensing the tension, responded briefly before asking carefully, "Captain, is there anything else?"

His answer was short and negative, but after seeing Klein's skeptical look and Irina's teasing grin, he shook his head and smiled. "Really, nothing else."

Only then did Klein step past the partition divider, bidding farewell to Rozanne and Mrs. Orianna as he left, most likely heading to the Shooting Club for practice. Irina watched him go, feeling a tap on her shoulder.

Turning around, she saw Dunn standing outside his office, door still open. "Combat training is important," he said firmly. "I know your schedule is busy, so I'll reduce your shifts as a Nighthawk."

Irina's lips turned down in a mock frown. "You're cruel, Captain. I hate sports, and now I'll be sweating buckets."

Dunn's gaze remained steady. "I've heard about your shooting skills."

Shit. Who ratted me out?! Seeka? Leonard? Royale—no... it couldn't be her.

Irina fumbled with her hair, laughing awkwardly. "Haha~ Was it a little birdie? Do they have a name?"

He didn't flinch, "Not important. What matters is that you learn how to defend yourself. Your sequence isn't combat-oriented, or even support-oriented. It's focused on gathering knowledge, which leaves you defenseless in a fight. You'd be a liability."

Why does he sound like that? It's got that whole 'I'm not mad, just disappointed' vibe.

She sighed in defeat. "I get it. I'll try my best, but I can't promise much. Physical prowess isn't exactly my strong suit."

Dunn nodded, finally turning to enter his office. "That's all I ask."

Monday morning, both Irina and Klein had the day off.

Today, Klein will create his honorific name and host another Tarot Club meeting... and here I am, missing most of them. At this point, I might as well join after Little Sun. That way, the original three stay the same. But I need my own name too. Not that I need it right now, but better to be prepared.

As she sipped her coffee, Irina mused, I need a way to send items to the library... maybe fake my death during or after the 'Incident' so I can break all ties with Tingen and follow Klein. Whether he likes it or not, he doesn't get a say in this.

She stared into her coffee cup. Should I follow him from the shadows? If I stick too close, I risk getting dragged into dangerous situations. But I have to help him somehow, just enough so he grows stronger on his own. Damn... this is harder than I thought.

Her gaze drifted outside the window, the sunlight flooding the room. Back to the name—but not here!

She wrote the word 'Alexandria' in the air, and suddenly, she found herself on the cold, hard floor.

"You've got to be kidding me!" She grumbled. "The couch is right behind me! Why do I always end up on the floor? Klein gets a throne, and I get... this? Plot armor my ass."

After a moment of complaining, she finally got up and settled onto the couch.

Time passed as Irina shifted in her seat, lost in thought. She mumbled to herself, "The Knowledge Keeper? That could end up going to Nefiref... or even Adam, knowing the Chaos Sea. The Guardian of Knowledge? Still too close to Nefiref... but it's a start."

She stared into the void beneath her feet. I'm definitely from another world. There's no way the novel 'Lord of the Mysteries' exists here and Klein doesn't know about it. That means I can use it... Traveler? Wanderer? Explorer? Too gamey... let's try another approach... The Warden who abandoned its Origin? Doesn't specify 'worlds,' so it's vague enough.

Lying down and hugging a pillow, Irina continued her brainstorming. "Maybe something with protection? I noticed that Leonard's poetry didn't affect me—no drowsiness, no side effects like with Klein and the others. But I can't tell when this 'protection' kicks in. It's just... there. Nefiref did say it's the core of the Equilibrium pathway."

She rolled over. "Mother of Protection? No, too cheesy. And I'm not sure if I can protect others or just myself. Wait... I'm technically a Sequence 6, Forgotten Mage... hmm..."

Irina suddenly sat up. "That's it! The Protector Mage who uncovers Time. It has 'protection,' 'mage,' and hints that I know the future... kinda. Whatever, let's recap: The Warden who abandoned its Origin, the Protector Mage who uncovers Time, the Guardian of Knowledge..."

She paused, considering. "I still don't know much about Nefiref or whether that'll target me... let's add something."

Her face lit up. "I got it! The Warden who abandoned its Origin, the Protector Mage who uncovers Time, the Guardian of Knowledge surrounded by Void. That describes the endless void under my feet and the sky above. Perfect. Time to test it!"

An hour later, Irina had gathered a few hundred pounds and set up a sacrificial ritual.

"This better work," she muttered, lighting candles and following the instructions from Old Neil, the novel, and some mystical documents from the armory.

When the ritual was complete, she heard a faint, distinctly female voice murmuring. Though she couldn't make out the words, she smiled. "I'll take that as a win. My honorific name works... now for the hard part."

Half an hour later, Irina sat cross-legged on the couch in Alexandria, staring at the pile of money on the coffee table.

"It worked! My honorific name is precise... kinda long, but hey, a win is a win."

Oh, dearest Klein, it's only a matter of time before I join your little club up there... hehe~

By Wednesday, just before lunch, Old Neil dropped by the lounge and asked if Irina wanted to tag along with him and Klein to the underground market for Beyonder items. He mentioned that she might find something interesting given her Sequence.

Enthusiastic, she jumped at the opportunity.

Truth be told, I was going to tag along either way. Now, I just need to hide that suspicious black cloak I bought...