Lord of the Mysteries — Extra: An Ordinary Person’s Daily Life P8

An Ordinary Person’s Daily Life (8)

The scene before him was so ordinary that Barton felt there was nothing wrong with it.

Although he vaguely felt it was somewhat familiar, he did not think that was worth finding strange.

How could a scene one saw every day not feel at least a little familiar?

His gaze moved upward, toward the sky. There, the crimson moon hung quietly, scattering its light and causing one’s heart to calm of its own accord.

At that moment, Barton seemed to put down an invisible burden. His body and mind became exceptionally light, and he no longer had the fear, anxiety, or irritation from before.

His spiritual intuition told him that Vernal’s matter had ended here. It would no longer affect his life.

“Storms above, thank You for the Lord’s protection.” Barton immediately clenched his right hand into a fist, struck his left chest, and murmured softly.

Without that worry and tension, he only felt exhaustion surge from the depths of his soul like a flood, drowning his mind, his limbs, and every cell in his body.

Barton could not help covering his mouth with the back of his hand and yawning, but his face carried a few more traces of a comfortable smile.

He did not remain in the study. Turning, he left and returned all the way to the bedroom, where he took a bath in a state close to enjoyment and drank a small glass of red wine.

That night, Barton had no more dreams and slept exceptionally soundly.

When he woke in the morning, his spirit was relaxed and joy quietly surged within him, as though he had obtained a new life.

Glancing at his wife, who was still asleep beside him, Barton carefully got out of bed, changed clothes, and took a walk around the area near his home.

Before this, he had never discovered that the district he lived in was so wonderful:

The air was fresh, the environment peaceful, the scenery pleasant. Even the pedestrians were so well-mannered.

This put Barton in an even better mood and made him once again profoundly realize that Vernal’s matter was over. He had returned to an ordinary and tranquil life.

Maintaining this mood, he returned home and enjoyed breakfast with his wife and children.

During the meal, he even told his wife a joke he had read in the newspaper and satisfied a small request from his children.

Seeing the smiles on his wife’s and children’s faces, Barton felt sincere satisfaction.

Then he put on his coat, his hat, took up his cane, left the house, and boarded a trackless public carriage, traveling all the way to the Loen Antiquities Collection and Preservation Foundation at the edge of the city.

Entering his office, Barton recovered his old rhythm. He did not rush to work, but first prepared himself black tea with a few unusual herbs added.

With the black tea at hand, he leisurely finished reading the newspapers that his household had not subscribed to. Only then did he pick up the letters and documents he had received and review them one by one.

This kind of process, this kind of rhythm, made him feel exceptionally comfortable.

The only discordant note was that Barton was still somewhat worried about receiving another letter from Vernal.

However, that worry did not become reality.

About a quarter of an hour later, his office door was knocked on with a crisp tok, tok, tok.

“Please come in.” Barton lifted his cup and took a sip of black tea.

The one who opened the door and entered was the deputy supervisor of the Compliance Department, Pacheco Dawn. He had an ordinary, undistinctive appearance, but gave one a sense of approachability.

“Did you sleep well last night?” Pacheco asked from the doorway, as if greeting him.

“Extremely well.” Barton did not hide it.

Pacheco nodded and said with a smile, “It seems you have indeed shaken off the influence of this matter.”

Barton did not mention the “nightmare” he had had. Instead, he asked, “And you?”

“I also slept very well,” Pacheco answered with a smile. “The police have fully taken over this matter. It is said they found Vernal last night, but unfortunately, he seems to have met with misfortune.”

“Poor man. May he find peace.” Barton did not say, “May the Lord bless him,” because Vernal had already betrayed his faith in the Lord of Storms. If there truly were a “blessing,” it would undoubtedly be lightning and storm.

After speaking, thinking of the help Pacheco had previously provided and of the other man’s approachable attitude, Barton took the initiative to ask, “Shall we have lunch together later?”

“Are you treating?” Pacheco said with a smile.

“Of course. I am very glad to have made a friend like you.” Barton stood and gave a gentlemanly bow.

Pacheco nodded gently.

“Then I will wait in the Compliance Department for your invitation.

“Before twelve?”

“No problem.” In addition to feeling grateful, Barton also believed that becoming acquainted with the deputy supervisor of the Compliance Department would greatly help advance his future work.

Moreover, he believed that Pacheco, like himself, was stronger than ordinary people in certain respects.

After watching Pacheco leave his office, Barton sat down again and slowly exhaled without a sound.

As an ordinary person with normal intelligence, he could fully tell that Vernal’s matter was filled with strangeness and involved questions in the fields of mysticism and religion.

In addition, he was actually full of interest regarding the split in the Tamara family, the hidden history of the Fourth Epoch, and the many details of what had happened to Vernal.

But he knew that he could not investigate it deeply. For an ordinary person, being able to see the exposed portion of the iceberg above the water without dying was already the greatest fortune. If he still wished to understand the specifics beneath the water, he would inevitably drown.

That past archaeological experience made Barton unwilling and afraid to take risks.

To him, curiosity might be the least valuable thing in the world.

After sighing inwardly for a while, Barton continued his work.

Close to twelve o’clock, he put the items on his desk away, picked up his coat and top hat from the coat rack, left his office, and walked to the door of the Compliance Department.

Knock, knock, knock. Barton knocked on the wooden door before him.

Soon, Pacheco opened it, glanced at Barton, and said, “Give me another five minutes. I still have one matter I haven’t finished handling.”

“No problem,” Barton answered without the slightest mind.

“Come in and wait,” Pacheco said casually.

Barton did not stand on ceremony. He stepped into the Compliance Department and found a chair to sit down in.

As his gaze moved idly, he noticed that there were probably six or seven employees in the Compliance Department.

Just then, he heard someone knocking on the door.

Before the employees of the Compliance Department could stand, the door opened with a creak.

The first to enter was the vice chairman of the Loen Antiquities Collection and Preservation Foundation.

He was a vigorous elderly gentleman. After looking around the room, his gaze paused on Barton for a second before he said, “It seems everyone is here.

“I will introduce a new colleague to you.”

As he spoke, the vice chairman walked forward a few steps, revealing the new employee of the Compliance Department behind him.

This was a woman in her twenties. She had a high nose bridge, full lips, deep-gray eyes, and a rather beautiful face. She wore an ordinary blue dress.

However, there was no expression on her face. Overall, she did not look like a real person, but closer to a wax figure.

Barton’s and Pacheco’s gazes suddenly froze.

The vice chairman continued with a smile, “She will serve, like Pacheco, as deputy supervisor of the Compliance Department. Her name is Alicia Tamara.”

(An Ordinary Person’s Daily Life — End)

Author’s Notes

PS1: An ordinary person’s daily life naturally cannot go too deeply. This is a presentation of the portion of the iceberg above the water, without touching what lies below the surface. Mm, it can also be considered a narrative experiment.

PS2: If the ending had been written purely for the effect of horror, without considering the characters’ worldviews, then it should have been written this way:

As he spoke, the vice chairman walked forward a few steps, revealing the new employee of the Compliance Department behind him.

This was a woman in her twenties. She had a high nose bridge, full lips, deep-gray eyes, and a rather beautiful face. She wore an ordinary blue dress.