Chapter 37: Naming

Chapter 37: Naming

The golden liquid was cool and refreshing, making Audrey feel as though she were enjoying delicious ice cream. Immediately afterward, it was like taking a sip of champagne, with tiny bubbles constantly rising and silently bursting, bringing a faintly numbing stimulation.

Her hearing suddenly spread outward. She could even hear two maids at the end of the corridor regretting that they would not have the chance to go to the Hall family’s castle and manor in East Chester County.

At that moment, Audrey felt as though she had dissolved into illusory gas and was rapidly expanding outward, filling the entire house, overlapping with the sea formed from the minds and consciousnesses of every person inside.

Her vision also changed. Everything she saw became unusually smooth, turning into strange mirrors that reflected her current appearance.

Beneath beauty that could be described with words such as pure, exquisite, grand, and lively, the skin exposed beyond her clothing was slowly growing golden scales one after another. Her emerald-green eyes contracted, taking on a faint golden hue, as though they had turned vertical.

Seeing herself like this, Audrey suddenly felt fear rise from the depths of her heart. She did not want to become an inhuman monster, nor was she willing to!

With a buzzing sound, her mind began to blur. It seemed as though something was slowly and painfully drilling out from beneath the surface of her body.

At that moment, she heard the golden retriever Susie speak in a soft voice:

“Do not be afraid. Calm down.

“Do not be afraid. Calm down.”

Audrey found her thoughts again and did everything she could to enter the state of a Spectator.

Her surging emotions swiftly calmed. Her spirit seemed to detach from her body, looking down upon herself like a spectator.

Audrey saw the golden scales on her skin visibly receding. She saw her emerald-like eyes return to normal.

Before long, she regained control of her body and understood what Beyonder abilities a Psychiatrist possessed, as well as how to use them.

That was truly dangerous just now… Audrey raised her hand with lingering fear, only to see skin that was tender, pale, and smooth. There were no longer any traces of the abnormality from a moment ago.

Through this experience, she truly understood just how terrifying the danger of losing control was, a danger Mr. Fool occasionally reminded them of and Mr. Hanged Man constantly emphasized. She deeply realized the difficulty of walking the path of the extraordinary.

Even with the acting method, it was impossible to completely eliminate all hidden dangers!

At a previous gathering, Mr. World once said that Beyonders were pitiable creatures who fought against danger and madness at every moment… Before, I could only understand those words literally. Now I finally feel the weight behind them… Audrey, do not lose heart. Do not be afraid. Father, Mother, and my brothers are still waiting for you to protect them. With this experience, you will not be frightened by yourself again in the future, nor will you so easily approach losing control! Keep going! Audrey clenched her fist, encouraging herself.

After calming down for two seconds, she walked to Susie, half squatted, and hugged the golden retriever. While smoothing Susie’s fur, she pressed her head against the side of the dog’s face and murmured in that warmth, “Thank you. Thank you…”

Susie rubbed against her twice and said seriously, “Audrey, is this what being a Psychiatrist feels like?

“I like it very much.”

…Audrey suddenly did not know whether to laugh or cry. Then she pressed her lips together and promised, “Susie, in the future, we will treat each other. Mm, psychological problems!”

“Alright. Woof!” Susie responded happily.

Only then did Audrey truly recover, finally in the mood to examine the improvements she had obtained.

“My body seems to have become healthier. Although there is no obvious muscle, my strength and speed have increased quite a bit compared to before…

“My vision has improved again. Even objects hidden in darkness can be seen clearly…

“My sense of smell can distinguish even more subtle scents, allowing me to grasp a target’s truest emotions and thoughts…

“I finally have real Beyonder abilities. Mm, one is Awe. It can affect a single target or a group within an area, making them feel as if they are facing a dragon, instantly panicking and falling into confusion.

“One is Frenzy. It detonates a target’s emotions or psychological state, causing them to fall into frenzy and suffer intense mental harm. In certain cases, it may even make the target directly lose control.

“One is Psychological Cue. Through specific movements, specific words, or specific media, it plants a suggestion in the target, causing them to unknowingly follow my arrangements, or to strongly and sincerely not wish to violate a certain promise.

“One is Placate, also called Psychoanalysis. It can allow a Beyonder on the verge of losing control to recover reason and escape danger. There is a certain chance of failure, and the higher the Sequence, the easier it is to succeed. It can also calm patients whose mental state is unstable for various reasons, making communication possible.

“One is true Mind Reading. Through media such as candlelight or hydrosol, it can put a target into a semi-hypnotic state and directly communicate with their mind body, just like Mr. Hilbert Alucard did to me. If I had not had the protection provided by Mr. Fool’s angel, I would not have been able to lie under those circumstances. Mm… In the future, I must guard against similar techniques. I cannot be deceived by a target. There should be quite a few methods capable of achieving that kind of effect…

“With Placate and Mind Reading, combined with some knowledge of psychology, I can truly act as a Psychiatrist. I could even open a clinic!”

Audrey’s mood swiftly improved. At last, she had the feeling that she had grown up and become a qualified Beyonder.

I am now a mid-Sequence Beyonder! There really is a qualitative change! She stood, lifted the hem of her dress, and took a light, graceful turn.

She quickly discovered one problem: the Psychiatrist still lacked direct offensive ability.

Good thing I have this… Audrey stopped before the experiment table and opened an ordinary brown box.

Inside the box lay a silver mask, the kind that could cover only the upper half of the face. It was precisely the mystical item Mr. Hanged Man had sold her.

Audrey picked it up, placed it in her palm, and observed it for a few seconds.

Then, extending her spirituality, she gave it a certain idea the way she would above the gray fog.

She saw the silver mask begin curling inward, becoming a somewhat large earring with an empty center and delicate patterns.

“Perhaps turning into a necklace would be better,” Audrey murmured.

After that, full of the satisfaction of harvest, she tested the various abilities of the mystical item, and was most pleased by its ability to subtly adjust her appearance.

“What a pity. Apart from manipulating flames, it also does not have more direct offensive abilities. Perhaps I should prepare a handgun, the kind with Beyonder effects…” Audrey thought with slight regret.

She quickly gathered her thoughts. Looking at the mystical item in her hand, she said with a rising, lilting tone, “From today onward, your name shall be Lie, the most beautiful lie~”

…

City of Generosity, Bayam. Dock District, 48 Sour Lemon Street. The Azure Wind Inn.

Outside, rain poured like a waterfall and the storm raged, yet inside the luxury suite, the fireplace was warm and the environment elegant and quiet.

Klein sat in a chair, silently watching Blazing Danitz treat the severe fracture in his left arm himself.

After Danitz finished binding his arm with strips torn from old clothing, Klein spoke directly.

“What treasure?”

According to Danitz, Admiral of Blood Senor wanted to deal with Vice Admiral Iceberg Edwina Edwards precisely because of a certain treasure.

The sound of wind and rain came through the window. Danitz drank a mouthful of Lelangqi from the table, then laughed with both anger and bitterness.

“Those bastards’ brains must have been chewed by living corpses!

“On our last expedition, we found a sunken ship. Although we did not obtain anything especially valuable, we did discover a huge black iron key that did not seem meant for humans to use. Can you imagine it? It had been buried beneath the sea for so many years, yet it had not rusted.”

“I can,” Klein replied concisely.

In a world where the extraordinary and the mysterious were interwoven, what was impossible?

Even resurrection from death existed, let alone other things!

Danitz was immediately choked speechless. Only after seven or eight seconds did he know how to continue.

“There may be a traitor among us. This news spread, and countless pirates believe that it is Death’s Key—the key that can open the treasure left behind by Death.

“I originally thought this matter would be cleared up very quickly, so I happily applied for leave. In the end, things became more complicated. Even Admiral of Blood joined the ranks of those mad pirates. I am starting to suspect that perhaps it really is Death’s Key, a key that can let someone become a true god.”

“Stupid,” Klein calmly gave his evaluation.

Whether in the field of divination or in dealings with deities, he could be considered rich in experience. Thus, he had his own interpretation of Death’s Key, and was quite confident in it.

He believed that the “key” was a revelation and a symbol. The thing that could open Death’s treasury most likely was not an object in the shape of a key, but some particular characteristic, some bloodline, or even several specific people and their descendants.

Danitz froze for two seconds, then sincerely sighed.

“What you said is exactly the same as the captain’s evaluation from before. Even your expression was very similar.

“She suspects that the key belongs to an even older age and does not belong to humans.

“Before the Cataclysm, giants, dragons, elves, demonic wolves, and other beings were still active in this world. The form of that key faintly points to one of them.”

Demonic wolves… Klein suddenly thought of the ravings that had always echoed in his ears during his advancements. Among them, “Flegrea” referred to the ancient god, the Demonic Wolf of Destruction.

A treasure involving the Second Epoch? He suppressed his curiosity and instead said calmly, “Write down everything Admiral of Blood has done, including Steel Maviti and his subordinates.”

He remembered that Admiral of Blood and his pirate crew were among the most infamous groups on the ocean. One could say their hands were dripping with blood and their sins were profound.

“How could I possibly remember everything? They are not beautiful women like the captain!” Danitz spread his hand. “I can only list the main deeds and some details that left a deep impression. Hiss—what are you planning?”

Klein revealed a smile little by little, a smile that made Danitz’s heart tremble.

He spoke in a deep voice.

“If appropriate, I intend to hunt them.”