"The three great laws of Beyonder Characteristics?"
Audrey immediately perked up and took out her little notebook.
"First, the law of immortality of Beyonder Characteristics: Beyonder Characteristics cannot be destroyed or diminished. They merely transfer from one vessel to another. For example, after a Beyonder dies, their Sequence characteristic separates out. That characteristic can be used as an ingredient in the next potion, or made into a Beyonder item. Some characteristics left behind by Beyonders who lost control become what we call Sealed Artifacts."
Audrey looked thoughtful. "So, if you can't find the ingredients for a formula, you can obtain their characteristics by hunting Beyonders of the same pathway?"
Edward said with some surprise:
"Miss Audrey, that's a dangerous idea."
"Hmph, I'm not some clueless little innocent."
"Second, the law of conservation of Beyonder Characteristics: this refers to the conservation of Beyonder Characteristics within neighboring pathways. When there are more high-sequence Beyonders, there will be fewer low-sequence ones, and vice versa. As you just said, Beyonders within the same pathway may hunt one another, and the higher their Sequence, the more likely that becomes."
"Last, the law of Beyonder Characteristic Convergence: high-sequence items of the same pathway intermittently and unconsciously attract mid- and low-sequence Beyonders to their vicinity. They also tend to converge with one another."
Audrey nodded in understanding.
"So you think those earlier coincidences might have been caused by the third law? But you also said 'high-sequence,' and aren't you only Sequence 9?"
"That's what puzzles me, too." He rubbed his chin and thought for a while, but unfortunately came up with nothing. He changed the subject.
"Remember how I told you a few days ago that someone attacked me? The attackers were your friends Xio and Fors. Fors is also a Sequence 9 Apprentice, which seems to fit the law of Beyonder Characteristic Convergence."
Audrey's eyes widened in surprise. "Why would Miss Xio and Miss Fors attack you?"
"Xio said she took a bounty. As for who posted it, I don't know."
"Could it have been Papa? That can't be. Although we haven't said it outright, he and I have already reached an understanding. Sigh, I never intended to let him know I'd become a Beyonder this early."
In fact, Earl Hall had found out early on in the original story. After all, he was a great noble and banker of Loen, shrewd even among the shrewdest. How could he possibly have been unaware that his own beloved daughter had become a Beyonder?
"I'll go ask Papa in a moment." She quickly made up her mind. "If he really commissioned this behind my back, I... I'll stop talking to him!"
The Hall Family's darling daughter was gradually becoming less of a comfort to her father.
"I'm going to see that unlucky fellow who wandered into my house tomorrow. Do you want to come along? I forgot to tell you, he's a born Beyonder creature, a Sequence 7 Vampire of the Apothecary pathway."
Audrey exclaimed in surprise, "Vampires really exist? I thought they were just legends! And they're actually part of a pathway?"
"The Devils of legend are also a pathway, and a very dangerous one. They mostly digest their potions through brutal killings!"
"But I have to attend a royal ball with Papa during the day tomorrow."
There was a hint of regret in her voice.
"What about the evening? If things go smoothly, I'll visit the place where a descendant of the Abraham Family lost control. There's a good chance we'll encounter some Beyonder incidents there."
"Then I want to go!"
By the time he left the Hall Earl Family's home, it was nearly dark. Edward headed to the West Borough, eating his way through the streets as usual. He also took the opportunity to try this world's subway. Honestly, it wasn't a pleasant experience: stuffy, crowded, and shaky. It was nothing more than a train moved underground.
On his way back, he took King's Road and passed Backlund's Royal Museum. It had already closed, so he could only catch glimpses of its lavish interior through a few lit windows.
Huh? Emperor Roselle's Black Emperor Card is tucked inside a book in there. Could I get my hands on it ahead of time?
In the original story, Klein had obtained the card by summoning himself and making an offering to himself. What should Edward do? The simplest, most direct method was to cast a Disillusionment Charm, use Apparition to get inside, grab the card, and leave.
No, wait. The manuscript containing the Black Emperor Card was brought out for Emperor Roselle's memorial exhibition. Who knows what obscure corner it's tucked away in now?
Besides, the Royal Museum was guarded by a demigod Beyonder. Since a Traveler's Spirit World Traversal could be interrupted, what about Apparition?
Ah, my cheats still aren't powerful enough.
Crimson moonlight poured down, enveloping the entire street in a red haze. With both hands in his pockets, Edward walked into the darkness, then vanished with a crack.
The next day.
48 Riverbend Avenue, South Bridge District.
Using the hair he had pulled from Emlyn's head the day before, Edward easily tracked down his residence. He had also tried using the Master Key to locate the house where that Abraham descendant had lost control. Unfortunately, it failed and still only pointed toward Emlyn's home.
This was also the clinic run by Emlyn's parents, Mr. and Mrs. White. Their expertise in various medicines and bloodletting had made them well known throughout the surrounding neighborhoods.
"Hello, sir. Are you feeling unwell?"
The woman who greeted Edward looked around thirty. She had black hair, red eyes, and a face similar to Emlyn's. Dressed in an elegant robe, she looked quite young and beautiful-this had to be Emlyn's mother, Mrs. White.
I really envy vampires. They're born with ageless longevity.
Edward took off his hat in greeting.
"Hello, Mrs. White. I'm Edward, a friend of Emlyn's. I've come to see him about something."
"A friend of Emlyn's?"
Mrs. White was surprised. She had never heard Emlyn mention a human friend-to be precise, apart from those dolls, he hardly seemed to interact with anyone.
"Darling, please entertain this gentleman. I'll go fetch Emlyn."
Mrs. White glanced at her husband, then went upstairs with a graceful sway.
Mr. White looked every inch a gentleman, wearing silver-rimmed glasses and a fitted white coat. He, too, appeared barely over thirty. He seemed more handsome than Emlyn, and more masculine as well.
"Please, take a seat. Try some coffee made from my freshly roasted beans."
He brewed two cups of coffee and asked with a smile, "Mr. Edward, may I ask how you met Emlyn?"
"Oh, we have similar hobbies."
"..."
Mr. White's hand visibly trembled around his coffee cup. "Oh, well..."
For a moment, he had no idea how to continue the conversation. Should he discuss the latest dolls on the market, or what clothes to dress them in?
Fortunately, Emlyn soon came downstairs, looking thoroughly displeased. "He must have made a mistake. I don't have any human friends. I'm busy changing my beloved Emily's clothes."
"I'd much rather you changed the clothes of a real lady," Mrs. White said helplessly. She had changed into a different style of dress and looked considerably younger.
"Hello, Emlyn."
Emlyn's pupils contracted. "How did you find this place?"
Edward was a Beyonder Emlyn remembered all too well. Although dolls were his passion, he occasionally took bounty jobs to earn money for new ones. But yesterday had been the first time he had lost so inexplicably, without the slightest ability to fight back.
Emlyn's reaction immediately put Mr. and Mrs. White on guard, ready to act at any moment.
"Don't misunderstand." Edward took out the Master Key. "I just want to know where you got this. More precisely, where it originally came from."
"Why should I tell you?" Emlyn glanced at his parents beside him and felt his confidence return. "You don't think you can take on all three of us alone, do you?"
Edward smiled and pointed toward the second floor.
"I don't know whether I can, but if we really fight, all those treasures in your room will definitely suffer."
"!!!"
Emlyn was instantly terrified.
He retreated a few steps, looking ready to abandon his parents at any moment and rush upstairs to protect his dolls.
After a long while, he gritted his teeth and chose to compromise. First, he gave his parents a meaningful look, then said:
"A few days ago, I went to the South District Hospital to steal some blood collection bottles to drink from, and ran into a thief."
"He'd been trying to get into the hospital's finance office, but he got lost, and I caught him on the spot."
"He was using that Master Key. He told me he'd found it earlier while sneaking into a house to steal things. At first, he thought the key belonged to a particular room or safe, so he tried them one by one, only to discover it could open all of them... After that, he succeeded time and again, until I caught him and confiscated the key."
"I just didn't expect using that key to make people lose their way, so yesterday..."
Edward nodded and asked, "Did that thief say where he stole it?"
"32 Wilde Street, South Bridge District. I haven't even had time to go there yet."
"Thank you, Mr. Emlyn. That information is very important to me. We're friends from now on."
Emlyn snorted in displeasure. "I don't want to be your friend."
Edward didn't mind. After a moment's thought, he asked, "By the way, do you have the Apothecary formula I mentioned yesterday? I can trade pounds or something else for it."
"Why would I have that?"
"But aren't you vampires... sorry, Sanguine of the Apothecary pathway?"
Emlyn spread his arms, looking proud.
"We are born as noble Sanguine. We don't need to take potions and advance from Sequence 9 like you humans."
"All right. I'd been hoping to trade you some finer, more beautiful dolls for it."
"Finer and more beautiful?" Emlyn's voice suddenly rose, then he declared firmly, "There can't possibly be a doll more perfect than Emily!"
"Then sorry for the trouble."
Edward put his coffee cup back on the table and turned to Mr. White. "Mr. White, thank you for the coffee. It tasted wonderful, better than any I've had before."
Mr. White's eyes lit up, and he smiled proudly. "Of course. I gathered these coffee beans from a deep gorge in Southville and roasted them myself. If you like them, I have some more..."
"Ahem." Mrs. White coughed repeatedly, interrupting her coffee-obsessed husband.
Edward felt a strange thought surface. Do all vampires have some particular hobby? Emlyn likes dolls, Mr. White likes coffee, and what does Mrs. White like-changing clothes?
"I'll be off, then."
Holding his hat, Edward gave a slight bow, turned, and left.
"Wait."
Emlyn's hesitant voice came from behind him. He raised his chin slightly and asked as though it were a casual question:
"Do you really have... better dolls?"
Chapter 25: Tonight, Someone Knocks
After agonizing over it for quite some time, Emlyn finally couldn't resist asking, "I mean, if their quality really meets my standards, I wouldn't mind collecting a few more... in exchange for the Apothecary formula."
"I'll bring the dolls over in a week."
Once he returned to the Harry Potter World, he would visit Akihabara. Although it was only the nineties, Japanese anime and manga were already flourishing, so finding some high-quality dolls shouldn't be difficult.
Hopefully, Emlyn would take good care of his health when the time came.
Before you continue