Lumian had previously thought that the tenant, like Charlie, had dreamed of Suzanne and Mathis, gradually drained of energy and suddenly dying in the room, with the hotel owner, Mr. Eve, discreetly transferring the body to some corner of underground Trier. However, it turned out that this person had become an extraordinary and perverse individual, still roaming the Honest People's Market District, targeting attractive young women.From the fact that extraordinary characteristics had not been distilled long after Hédési's death, Lumian was certain that his power came from a blessing, one evidently linked to Suzanne, Mathis, and Mr. Eve.
In other words, not long after Hédési had posted the portraits of Suzanne and Mathis, something unknown had happened to him, leading him to become a follower of the "Mother Tree of Desire." Within a few short months, he received two to three blessings, gaining considerable power and mastering several occult techniques—a rate of advancement unimaginable for an Extraordinary advancing by consuming potions, unless they were also following the acting method and were at a very low level.
Of course, in Hédési's case, the blessings also showed their darker side. The recipient of such blessings would gradually be influenced by the power, becoming less like themselves, growing increasingly extreme and paranoid in certain aspects, and often engaging in behavior that, to normal people, seemed irrational and inviting disaster.
Mr. Eve's stinginess and Hédési's craving for women both fell into this category.
Lumian suspected that almost all powers derived from blessings carried similar issues to some extent, as they would cause the recipient to slowly align with the being that granted them, resulting in corresponding mutations.
The reason Lumian himself had not yet been affected by the powers of the "Dancer" and the "Mendicant Monk" was that these did not come directly from that mysterious being who went by the name of Fate. Instead, they were sourced from the pollution within him, filtered through the seals. Moreover, Lumian had always been cautious about such matters, not adjusting his behavior and lifestyle according to the characteristics of the "Dancer" and the "Mendicant Monk" to increase his control over the power, and sometimes even doing the opposite.
Additionally, he would only receive the corresponding blessings after advancing by one Sequence and achieving preliminary digestion, ensuring the balance of the powers within him.
"How did you find out?" Lumian lowered his head and asked Jenna in a hushed voice.
Jenna, swaying her body to the beat and taking advantage of the loud music to conceal their conversation, pouted and said, "That pervert clearly can't live without women. He can't possibly kidnap a woman every day and drag her underground, or he would have been caught long ago—well, there might have been a few already. How did those useless black-skinned dogs not notice? So, how does he solve his problem? Clearly, he can't fully satisfy himself on his own, so I asked Franca to talk to the dancers and streetwalkers connected to the Savoie Party, and soon enough, we had an answer."
"That damn pervert—how can he have such abundant energy, coming several times a day!"
"Why doesn't he go after those rich old ladies? They could both get what they need!" Jenna proudly recounted her investigation process, flaunting her cleverness. She was still holding a grudge over being fooled by Lumian earlier in the afternoon, which made her feel stupid.
Indeed, before becoming a follower of the "Mother Tree of Desire" and receiving blessings, Hédési had been a regular at the likes of Wall Street, Breda Street, and Nightingale Street. After receiving the "blessings," his mind was even more consumed by thoughts of women.
Lumian realized that Jenna occasionally had a good head on her shoulders.
He then shared some information in return: "That pervert's abnormal desires likely stem from the influence of his extraordinary powers."
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The Cycle of Fate
AdventureWhen destiny falls into an infinite loop, how can it be broken?