319 “Travel”
The Spell of Harrumph derived its name from a combination of a snort from the nose and a harrumph from the mouth, giving it a distinct quality that Lumian found intriguing.
Moreover, the enigmatic armored shadow, while alive, was believed to be either human or a humanoid intelligent creature. Many of its distinct attributes and abilities had been given their own names. These attributes weren’t like the dense individuals who relied on Lumian to simplify and assign labels for their ease of remembrance.
Information channeled through the unique connection revealed to Lumian that the Spell of Harrumph was a spell-like ability capable of affecting a Spirit Body.
Through the dual sounds, it stirred one’s consciousness to induce a mystical transformation, generating a unique fluctuation that surged towards its designated target.
Any creature touched by such a fluctuation would experience severe dizziness at a minimum or even a Psychic Piercing assault at its worst, potentially rendering the target unconscious.
This ability would grow in potency as the user advanced in levels. In essence, it possessed the potential to influence divine entities, provided Lumian also ascended to Sequence 4 or temporarily elevated his level in some fashion.
Impressive. It’s on par with the incapacitating shriek. Moreover, harrumphing seems more dignified than indiscriminate shouting… Realizing time was of the essence, Lumian made a commitment and formalized the agreement.
He harbored a genuine curiosity about the additional attributes and capabilities of the armored shadow. Their names held a certain uncanny quality, such as the Night Parade of Ten Thousand Demons and the Soul Devouring Scream.
This instance, the seal-like object descended onto Lumian’s right chest, marking the conclusion of the ritual.
Swiftly, he secured a thread around the Decency brooch and returned it to the iron-gray military flask. Dismissing the spiritual barrier, he cleared the altar and retrieved the objects he had laid out.
Subsequently, a ghostly light emanated from Lumian’s right shoulder, and he abruptly vanished, traversing into a mystical realm drenched in layers of hues and peculiar creatures.
In the subsequent moment, he exited the spirit world, dazed, reappearing in his bedroom on the second story of Salle de Bal Brise.
As Lumian massaged his throbbing head, he surveyed his surroundings and nodded approvingly.
It’s indeed true spirit world traversal. This ability is very useful…
The only problem rested in its exorbitant spirituality cost. With Lumian’s Contractee and Pyromaniac enhancements, he could only execute it three to four times. Considering the consumption of flames and the contingency allocation for safety measures, he could employ it once or twice in a relatively intense confrontation.
For a pure Contractee, they could merely “teleport” twice as standard procedure, excluding any other expenditure.
Furthermore, this was contingent on selecting a proximate coordinate. Of course, proximity didn’t exclusively signify the immediate vicinity.
The spirit world encompassed a realm of mystique and peculiarity. Up, down, left, right, front, back—even time—intermingled there. It intersected with the real world, governed by its distinct chaos. Beyond concepts linked in nature, everything else seemed scattered without deliberate arrangement.
In essence, Trier as a holistic notion held sway. It boasted a corresponding domain in the spirit world, unsullied by fragmentation or dispersal. Nonetheless, its surroundings extended beyond neighboring towns and villages. It might correlate to a river’s conceptual presence in the Southern Continent, or manifest as a settlement projection for undersea beings.
Minus precise coordinates, Lumian could solely “teleport” within Trier’s immediate ambit. Otherwise, he risked straying into the spirit world’s treacherous realm, a hazardous endeavor indeed.
When he had endeavored to traverse the spirit world previously, all of Trier’s locations had materialized within his consciousness as unfamiliar coordinates. This granted him the capacity to “teleport” back to Salle de Bal Brise instead of venturing to remote corners of the metropolis.
Concurrently, Lumian faintly perceived the Highlands Kingdom’s City of White, Rapus—his former destination. It wasn’t overtly distant in the spirit world from Trier, but neither was it nearby. Directly “teleporting” there remained infeasible for Lumian. He needed to ascertain one or two intermediate coordinates between the two locations.
Remarkable. Lumian acknowledged with satisfaction.
Inclusive of limited uses and range, his spirit world traversal from Abscessed Hand perfectly met his expectations.
Lumian proceeded to the full-length mirror. Activating the black mark on his left shoulder, he observed his charred form transition into that of a middle-aged man, featuring a few strands of silver at his temples. His cheeks were rounded, eyes amber-red, and facial contours dignified. The features were sharp, radiating an approachable aura.
Gardner Martin!
It can replicate one’s appearance, physique, and demeanor. Yet actions and mannerisms must stem solely from myself… Lumian evaluated Niese Face’s potential.
The transformation had expended a notable degree of spirituality, but its maintenance necessitated but a fraction. He could adopt Gardner Martin’s likeness for more than ten hours.
Dispelling Niese Face, Lumian retreated a few paces. Gazing upon the mirror, he opened his mouth.
“Ha!”
In response, his spirit surged into the black mark on his right chest. His Spirit Body quivered, releasing an almost imperceptible yellow light from his mouth.
The radiance penetrated the mirror, traversing the wall, vanishing after a span of nearly ten meters.
Effective solely at close quarters… Consuming less spirituality than spirit world traversal yet surpassing Niese Face in expenditure. Applicable four or five times within combat… Lumian, his body marred by burns, exhaled leisurely. He donned his attire, settled onto the bed, and surrendered to sleep.
Temporarily shelving thoughts of the gold he owed the armored shadow and the commitment to locate Abscessed Hand’s body, Lumian had ample time for these matters. Current requisites centered on recuperation and rest, alongside allowing the repugnant aura accompanying the Decency brooch to dissipate.
The next morning.
Lumian, clad in a black felt hat, shirt, sweater, and sturdy jacket, pressed the doorbell of Apartment 601 at 3 Rue des Blouses Blanches.
Franca greeted him with a downcast countenance, seemingly taken aback by Lumian’s outfit.
“Is your sense of temperature playing tricks on you?”
Lumian inquired, “Have you gotten your hands on genuine mummy ashes?”
“Didn’t you ask that very question just yesterday?” Franca snapped.
The answer was no.
A smile tugged at Lumian’s lips.
“I’ll take you to find a real mummy.”
“Where?” Franca was puzzled and curious.
Lumian stepped into the room and replied nonchalantly, “The Southern Continent’s Star Highlands.”
“How will we get there?” Franca glanced toward the washroom before lowering her voice. “Are you suggesting we bother your Major Arcana card holder?”
“I’ve merely penned a letter to inquire about a transit junction,” Lumian responded with a smile.
“Transit junction…” Franca combined her understanding of the mystical arts and swiftly formulated a hypothesis. “Have you obtained a mystical artifact capable of teleportation?”
Lumian shook his head and elaborated succinctly,”Through my contracted creature.”
“What sort of contract yields such extraordinary results?” Franca exclaimed, genuine surprise tinging her words.
She had been wondering over Lumian’s haste in filtering contracted creatures. Typically, those amenable to a Sequence 7 contract were fairly commonplace. Moreover, their summoning typically necessitated a ritual, rendering them rather impractical for most confrontations.
Lumian let out a chuckle.
“A unique kind of contract.”
“Uh…” Franca studied Lumian carefully, circling around him.
The pants-wearing, shirt-clad Witch cleared her throat and remarked, “Are we considered brothers?”
“Not quite,” Lumian answered promptly. “We hold different beliefs!”
Franca lowered her voice again. “Isn’t it just superficially Steamed, but actually, it’s Mr. Fool?”
Lumian replied piously, “I still maintain some faith in the Eternal Blazing Sun.”
After all, he had upheld this faith for nearly six years.
Franca found herself momentarily speechless. After a few seconds, she inquired, “Could we be considered friends?”
“Yes.” Lumian now spoke in accordance with his true feelings.
Franca’s brows eased.
“Could you teach me that unique contract? Name the price.”
She made her request straightforwardly.
Lumian shook his head again.
“I can only employ that contract due to unique circumstances.”
“Alright.” Franca refrained from pressing further, though a tinge of disappointment lingered.
At that moment, Jenna emerged from the washroom. Lumian asked half-teasingly, “Are you interested in journeying to the Southern Continent?”
“Travel? Why would I want to travel?” Jenna appeared perplexed.
Franca swiftly recounted her need for genuine mummy ashes and Lumian’s method of “teleporting” to the Star Highlands. Ultimately, she queried, “Do you wish to come along and observe?”
Jenna deliberated briefly and responded, “Okay.”
She recognized her need for greater experience in the realm of Beyonder powers, a necessity for observation, learning, and training.
Furthermore, her maximum geographical range had been confined to Trier’s Quartier de la Maison d’Opéra. For a while, she had been captivated by tales of the Southern Continent circulating in the taverns and dance halls.
Lumian assessed his two companions and offered a gentle reminder with a smile, “I’d advise you to don thicker garments. The altitude is considerable, and it’s currently winter there.”
“Oh…” Franca looked at Lumian and understood why he had bundled up for winter.
Before long, Franca changed into a black coat resembling leather armor and donned dark knee-length pants with plush interiors, adopting the guise of a female mercenary or bounty hunter. Jenna hadn’t yet transported her thick clothes, thus she borrowed Franca’s clothing. Though their appearances matched, Jenna was shorter, necessitating a tightened belt, secured sleeves, and rolled-up pant legs to prevent impeded mobility.
Lumian reached out and grabbed their shoulders, activating the contract mark on his right shoulder.
A spectral light danced along the seams of his clothing, enveloping Jenna and Franca in a surreal realm, awash with vibrant overlapping hues and enigmatic creatures retreating in every direction.
In an instant, they departed the spirit world, materializing on a desolate island.
Before Jenna and Franca could fully adjust, Lumian initiated spirit world traversal once more.
Upon their return to reality, the Assassins found themselves facing a distant snow-clad mountain peak and an adjacent foreign city dominated by a white edifice.
Jenna soon regained her composure and involuntarily exclaimed, “How magical…”
If she were compelled to encapsulate the magic and articulate her sentiments, a choice of expletives might have been used.
Although not certain if this location was indeed the Southern Continent’s Star Highlands, the fact that she could translocate swiftly from Rue des Blouses Blanches to this wilderness underscored the mystical potential of teleportation!
Lumian endured the pulsing headache and the substantial drain on his spiritual energy as he pointed toward the City of White, seemingly unperturbed.
“Proceed inside.”