The Cycle of Fate

Chapter 101: "The Observer"

The coffee named after Intis was rich and fragrant, perfectly paired with the soft sponge cake covered in cream. Even though Lumian wasn't focused on them, he could still appreciate their delightful taste.

At exactly 3:30, he heard a familiar gentle voice from the booth behind him.

"Good afternoon, Lumian. Mr. Li."

"Good afternoon, Miss Susie," Lumian responded, feeling slightly surprised.

Although he hadn't been deliberately observing the customers entering the Mason Café, his hunter instincts had still made him generally aware of his surroundings.

At 3:18, when he entered the café, there hadn't been anyone around booth D. From 3:15 to 3:20, no one had come through the entrance.

Yet now, Miss Susie had somehow quietly appeared in the booth behind him, right at his back!

It was so mysterious, so uncanny!

Susie's gentle voice sounded again, this time asking, "How have you been feeling since the last treatment?"

Lumian didn't hide anything and simply replied, "Much better than before, at least now I can release my emotions."

This was a good sign. Keeping emotions bottled up and continuously repressing one's feelings would only lead to worsening mental problems and a growing tendency towards extremes until the desire for self-destruction overtook one's survival instincts.

In calm, soothing tones, Susie acknowledged Lumian's progress.

She then asked with a slight smile in her voice, "Let's chat a little first. Talk about what you've been through over the past two weeks, just whatever you feel comfortable sharing."

Lumian understood this was meant to relax his mind and prepare him for deeper treatment, to help unlock more of his memories. So, without resistance, he chuckled bitterly and said, "There's nothing I can't talk about. I've already shown you my dreams, after all. Everything else is just small secrets."

He paused briefly and then began recounting his recent experiences, starting with Charlie: "There's this guy at the hotel I'm staying at. He's a total idiot and down on his luck..."

As Lumian recounted his past two weeks, the conversation flowed naturally, as if he were back in Cordu Village before it was destroyed. It felt like those days when his sister, Aurore, seldom left the house and relied on him to tell her about everything happening in the village, and he gladly shared, boasting about his successful pranks.

Time passed slowly. Lumian gradually relaxed, his rigid posture softening as he leaned back into the plush sofa.

He didn't go into much detail, as time was limited. He also didn't mention the existence of the Curly-Haired Baboon Research Society, Franca's original gender, or his suspicions about her true motives for joining the Savoie Party. He only briefly touched on meeting a pen pal of his sister, Aurore, who happened to be a Sequence 7 Witch from the "Witch" pathway, and that they were both part of the same gang.

Likewise, he only mentioned that he had performed a ritual and received an additional boon, without specifying the nature of the gift.

Susie quietly listened to the entire account, occasionally interjecting with a question like "What happened next?" to help Lumian continue smoothly.

After recounting his experiences, Lumian mockingly added, "I don't know if it's just my bad luck, but in such a short time, I've encountered so many extraordinary events. Sometimes I can't help but wonder if everyone in Trier has supernatural abilities, even the dogs."