Lord of Mysteries: Starting As A Reader

However, just the fact that this question was posed means Roselle was certain that, in the future, a "Reader" pathway compatriot would come seeking materials from this lion!

Was the Knowledge Emperor's ability to predict really that strong?

With a hint of skepticism, Ebner hesitated briefly before giving his answer:

"Italian cannon."

He used Mandarin here, as neither Intisian nor Hermesian conveyed the phrase quite right.

The lion named "Leon" froze, its furry face filled with obvious confusion. It muttered, "So that's the answer… But what does the term 'Italian cannon' mean? What kind of weapon is it?"

Hearing its response, Ebner was equally stunned. He asked in astonishment, "You didn't know the answer?"

"Why would I ask about something I already know?" Leon looked over, as if this was the most logical thing in the world.

"But… how do you determine whether an answer is correct? What if someone just spouts nonsense?" Ebner wondered to himself if he could have passed with a random answer like "Gundam."

"That's where the innate talent of us 'Finks' comes in. You can think of it as a natural 'mystic art.' By interacting with the spirit world, I can verify whether someone's answer is correct.

"However, this only applies to common 'hidden knowledge'... For the question I asked you, there is no corresponding answer in the spirit world. Otherwise, I would've already cultivated a 'Reader' to help free me.

"Heh, that person gave this question. He pre-programmed the answer into my 'innate space'... Even I couldn't see it until you spoke the word, granting me 'browsing privileges.'"

At this, the lion's furry face showed a complex expression. It seemed to harbor deeply conflicting feelings about "that person"—both reverence and hatred.

This is classic information flow manipulation and "order-based" restrictions. When Roselle trapped this lion here, he might've already been attempting to integrate the uniqueness of the Black Emperor pathway.

Thinking this, Ebner shifted his gaze back to Leon's face, speculating, It seems genuine... Of course, its erratic emotions might also be a side effect of having an extra brain it can't control.

This lion might've been Roselle's "pet" back then, which would explain its mix of admiration and resentment.

However, Roselle might've trapped it here not just as a "material supplier," but also to protect it… After all, the Emperor must've known what he was about to face.

If it had stayed by Roselle's side all this time, it might've died long ago.

While Ebner was lost in thought, Leon the lion had already calmed its emotions. It disengaged from its connection with the spirit world, and Ebner's focus returned to reality.

It was then that Ebner noticed Vice Admiral Iceberg Edwina standing face-to-face with an uninvited guest wielding a long-handled black scythe.

The newcomer was cloaked in a hooded black robe, her face hidden. However, the way the rain-soaked fabric clung to her body suggested that she was a woman with an impressive figure.

Yet, Ebner immediately recognized the scythe and, consequently, the identity of its wielder.

After all, the scythe was the "Cursed Scythe" he had personally forged for Jane not long ago. And the figure beneath the rain-soaked robe overlapped perfectly with a memory from a rainy day in Backlund—a figure who had suddenly appeared in his study.

Indeed, this uninvited guest was none other than his classmate and friend—Jane Grant Miranda.

Seeing his friend, Ebner was naturally thrilled. However, he currently bore the face of Doctor Strange, making it inconvenient to reveal his true identity to her… After all, while Edwina might be trustworthy, the lion Leon was certainly not.

"Vice Admiral Iceberg, I mean no harm… I simply wish to ask the Finks Lion a question," Jane said, her hoarse voice carrying as she leaned on the scythe.

"I have no intention of stopping you... but you'll need to wait until he's finished his business with the Finks Lion," Edwina replied politely yet firmly, standing in Jane's way. She even retrieved a palm-sized brass mirror, far smaller than the silver one she had used for divination earlier.

Jane glanced at the brass mirror, sensing its danger. She then looked past Edwina toward the man currently locked in eye contact with the Finks Lion. Just as she was about to say something, her gaze suddenly froze.

That was because a copper whistle had appeared in the man's hand.

It was the whistle she had given Ebner for summoning her as a messenger!

Upon seeing this, Jane initially furrowed her brows, exuding a faint aura of danger. But soon after, as if realizing something, her expression brightened.

She then took a closer look at Edwina, scrutinizing her carefully before finally saying, "Alright, I'll wait."

Edwina had been moments away from making the first move when Jane's initial hostility flared. However, she noticed that the sense of danger had vanished in an instant, as if it had never existed. Furthermore, Jane's attitude had shifted significantly.

Though Edwina couldn't figure out why this unexpected visitor had changed her stance, she wasn't one to provoke unnecessary conflicts. She stowed the brass mirror back into her pocket.

At that moment, Leon the lion cast a few curious glances at Jane before muttering under its breath with a strange expression, "Today might just be my lucky day. Not only am I about to get rid of this extra brain, but it seems the opportunity to completely break free of the 'rules' has also arrived."

"What are you mumbling about?" Ebner, who had just put away the copper whistle, turned his attention back and missed the lion's earlier words.

"Nothing..." Leon, the lion, shook its oversized head and solemnly announced, "Your answer matches one of the alternate answers that that person provided, fulfilling my 'hidden' question. Now, tell me, what reward do you want?"

At this point, it couldn't resist adding once more, "Even if you want my brain, I can give it to you!"

If I actually asked for something else right now, would you go berserk on the spot? Ebner grumbled silently to himself but maintained a serious expression as he said, "I want the complete brain of the Finks Lion."

"As you wish!" The lion Leon's furry face relaxed into a relieved smile. It then plucked a strand of its mane and tossed it toward its own massive head.

Immediately, a fully intact "sphere"—several times larger than a human brain—appeared in the lion's paw. However, it didn't immediately hand it over to Ebner.

Noticing this, Ebner activated his Pure White Eye, both to "appraise" the brain's authenticity and to exert some high-level pressure on the lion, discouraging it from making the wrong move.

In truth, Ebner and Vice Admiral Iceberg Edwina had already considered the possibility of the lion turning hostile after freeing itself from the "rules." They had prepared contingency plans but couldn't guarantee they'd be able to stop it.

However, Jane's unexpected arrival had increased Ebner's confidence—after all, the lion didn't know it might face a three-against-one scenario.

Still, given the lion's strange and varied techniques, it was better to avoid a confrontation if possible. So Ebner kept his Pure White Eye trained on the creature, smiling as he said, "What's this? Are you planning to pocket the reward?"

The lion flinched under Ebner's gaze, its spirituality issuing warnings. It hadn't intended to renege on its promise—it merely wanted to tease him a little…

But this reaction was terrifying! It reminded Leon of the Emperor's old seal, equally horrifying!

With this thought in mind, Leon's face twisted into an oddly human-like grin as it said, "Of course not! I was just helping you inspect the goods to ensure I didn't accidentally steal an incomplete version earlier."

With that, it conjured a gust of wind, which carried the "brain" directly to Ebner. Without the burden of its extra brain, its success rate for mimicry soared.

Meanwhile, Ebner sighed in relief after verifying the brain. If he could avoid fighting a mystical creature with such diverse abilities, he would.

Placing the brain into a prepared case, Ebner thought of Leon's earlier remark and casually asked, "Steal?"

"That's right. This is another mystic art I developed—a refined version of 'theft,' specifically designed for precision brain extraction," Leon said proudly.

"...Your mystic arts couldn't possibly get any weirder, could they?" Ebner couldn't help but mutter.

"Of course they can! That bastard… oh, I mean Roselle the Great, the one who trapped me here, told me all kinds of bizarre ideas and stories," Leon began. Then, after glancing slyly at Edwina and Jane in the distance, it deliberately adopted a "shifty" expression and "whispered":

"I remember the Emperor telling me about a story from an island nation—about a marauder boy with the ability to specifically steal women's undergarments. I got bored one day and developed a mystic art with the exact same effect: the 'Lingerie Theft Art.' Want me to teach you? I can."

Though Leon pretended to be "whispering," it was loud enough for the two women nearby to hear every word.

Both women initially reacted with surprise and clarity at Leon mentioning Roselle, but as they heard about the sleazy mystic art, they spoke in unison:

"We don't want to learn that!"

One of them was the envoy of Roselle's daughter, and the other was the descendant of one of Roselle's knights. Both harbored some degree of admiration for the man who had reshaped an era.

But neither could have imagined Roselle the Great would share such… distasteful ideas with a lion.

At that moment, even someone as composed as Vice Admiral Iceberg Edwina felt the image of the Emperor in her heart utterly collapse.

Seeing the mischievous glint in the lion's eyes, Ebner covered his forehead and thought:

Emperor, your reputation is beyond saving this time…

But this isn't my fault—it's entirely your own doing!

While the lion is clearly throwing shade at you, it's not baseless…

That island-nation boy who steals undergarments—isn't he the protagonist of some anime from another world?

(End of Chapter)