The Cycle of Fate

Chapter 94: Strange Footprints

Franka held an iron black carbide lamp, looking at the road squeezed between stone pillars, and asked the smuggler leading the way, Fernandez, with some confusion, "Is this the road to the Observatory District?"

Although no one had a complete map of Trier's underground, the tunnels on this level were marked with street names corresponding to those above ground. Recalling the route, Franka realized they were heading in the wrong direction.

Smuggling routes should always go from outside the city to inside, and the Observatory District was closer to the center of Trier than the Candide Market District, while the Tree-Lined Avenue District was separated by the River Seleenzo.

Smuggler Fernando Kristoff bent slightly and smiled as he explained, "This hidden route leads to the Observatory. We always deliver the goods to a warehouse over there."

"I see." Franka slowed her pace and kept a greater distance from Fernandez, who was wearing a brown felt hat.

Not fully immersed in the smuggling route yet, she lazily lowered her voice to chat with Lumian, who was walking beside her. "I remember you used the bullfighter's courage to get $18,000 from Gardner. You know that's an extraordinary trait, right? Or do you understand the real significance of extraordinary traits?"

"That was my sister's doing." Lumian attributed the origin of this knowledge to Aurore's teachings.

Thanks to her height and long legs, Franka easily kept pace with Lumian without much effort.

"Having a guide is really nice," she said sincerely.

"At that time, we were like a group of blind people, having to fumble around on our own," Lumian said, thinking back to whether this was something Aurore had said herself or if she was quoting Roselle's famous phrase: "Serious mistakes make for lifelong regret."

Franka quickly calmed down and reminded Lumian in a low voice, "You're a novice in mysticism. You need more than just knowledge. You'd better not be stingy with that money—use it to buy magical items or special weapons to make up for the gaps in your hunter's mystical skills. Otherwise, if Roger really wants revenge, you might not even have a chance to fend off a bunch of undead."

"If that's what you mean, I'll keep an eye out," Lumian replied.

"I've already bought something."

"So quickly?" Franka struggled to keep her voice steady, which made Fernandez turn his head in curiosity.

The distance between them was considerable, and the flickering shadows cast by the carbide lamps made it hard for Lumian to see Fernandez's expression or guess what he might be thinking.

Lumian "honestly" explained, "Before I could join Savoie, I found a circle of truly extraordinary individuals through a meeting of mysticism enthusiasts advertised in *The Clairvoyant* magazine. There, I traded something significant for a magical item, a 'Philgin'."

"No wonder," Franka said with an understanding expression, praising Lumian. "Your thinking is more flexible than I expected. So, what kind of items can enhance your mystical abilities?"

"A lawyer's glasses, though they seem to have been tainted by some strange force," Lumian said frankly.

"They help me see things I normally wouldn't, things I usually can't perceive," Lumian said, pulling out his tea-colored "Spyglass" to demonstrate.

"That's dangerous," Franka interrupted, her brown eyebrows furrowing deeply.

"I know." Lumian smiled as he explained. "But if you choose your surroundings wisely and protect yourself, it's not that risky. It provides excellent camouflage and tools for mystery."