The moment Bernadette saw the 'Flamebolt', she immediately sensed the weapon's Extraordinary nature...
Otherwise, why would a High-Sequence Beyonder like herself spend time studying such a low-tier weapon?
When she examined the array inside the 'Flamebolt', her extensive knowledge of advanced Mysticism allowed her to identify the key innovation: those unfamiliar Mystical symbols and the novel application of the classic array structure.
Even with her formidable abilities and scholarly expertise, she could only deduce the functions of those symbols without comprehending their underlying principles or deeper meanings.
This was precisely why she had initiated the 3 000 Pound transaction with Odis...
On one hand, the combat capabilities of Sequence 9 members in 'Element Dawn' were essentially equivalent to that of geese... such weapons were undeniably necessary.
On the other hand, Bernadette was masking her true objective... to uncover the theoretical foundations behind those Mystical symbols.
However, what she hadn't anticipated was that the seemingly young herbal shop owner not only possessed mastery over several new Mystical symbols, but had actually derived an entire new system of them...
After finishing her report on the day's lessons, Aelia hesitated slightly before adding, "Your Majesty, I also noticed something else... Odis's research into certain areas of Mysticism is extraordinarily profound."
The voice of the Queen Mystic resonated from the empty air, "Explain in detail."
"He has conducted research on... the 'essence of Spirituality'..."
"What?" Bernadette thought she misheard...
"The essence of spirituality!" Aelia repeated.
A pause of two or three seconds followed before Bernadette's voice responded, "I understand."
Aelia quickly continued, "Your Majesty, I also discovered today that someone was following me, likely the same surveillance operatives as before."
"Everything is proceeding according to my plans." Bernadette had long been preparing to eliminate the core members of the 'Hermits of Fate' in Backlund in one decisive strike.
Aelia clarified, "My concern is whether this might endanger Odis Gale..."
Any Beyonder of the 'Mystery Pryer' Pathway was half a scholar by nature... And as a student of Mysticism, Aelia couldn't help but admire Odis's research deeply.
"This may present an opportunity." With these words, Bernadette's messenger withdrew back into the fireplace...
The flames once again turned emerald green, surging violently before returning to normal.
Aelia stood frozen for a moment before murmuring to herself, "What opportunity?"
.....
Naturally, Bernadette wouldn't explain that this was an opportunity to leverage the imminent danger to pressure Odis into joining 'Element Dawn'...
Influenced by her father's legacy, the Queen Mystic possessed uniquely penetrating insight.
What she recognized in Odis's research was not just the weapon's innovation, but its potential for universal application as well... And most importantly, its capacity for mass production.
She understood clearly that the 'Flamebolt' was merely the beginning...
The ability to mass-produce such weapons would usher in an entirely new era.
Yet Odis himself seemed oblivious to this implication. Bernadette intended to make a long-term, yet subtle investment in him, ideally absorbing both the researcher and his innovations into 'Element Dawn'...
The recent conversation had yielded another surprise.
As a Sequence 3 in the 'Mystery Pryer' Pathway, Bernadette herself had conducted extensive advanced research in Mysticism. She too had contemplated questions like the 'essence of Spirituality'...
Hearing Aelia's report, she was genuinely taken aback that Odis (a mere Sequence 9) was already exploring such profound theoretical questions.
"Rather intriguing," she mused...
The Queen Mystic decided that after concluding her current operations, she would have her 'servants' maintain ongoing surveillance on this peculiar herbal shop owner...
...
"Achoo!"
Inside Gale's Herbal Shop at Unit 51 Henry Street, Odis sneezed violently...
His youthful assistant Kain smiled and asked, "Mr. Gale, have you caught a cold?"
"It's just one sneeze... It probably means someone's thinking about me," Odis replied offhandedly.
Another late night of work concluded...
After Kain finished cleaning, Odis had him check the mailbox, where they found a thick letter sent by Lady Mandy, the woman Odis had once rescued who now managed his gray-market operations...
The letter contained meticulous observations in elegant handwriting, all indicating that none of the monitored noble youths had exhibited any unusual behavior recently.
Odis drafted a summary report and instructed Kain to deliver it immediately to the 'Backlund Institute for Mechanical Research', the cover organization for the 'Machinery Hivemind'...
"You can come in at ten o'clock tomorrow," Odis told his overworked assistant.
Kain smiled sincerely, "Understood, Mr. Gale."
...
As was his habit, Odis relaxed briefly in his armchair...
There had been no unexpected visitors today, but the moment he stepped outside, his Spiritual intuition alerted him that someone was watching the shop.
He paused imperceptibly, but continued his routine, locking up and heading to the public carriage stand.
While waiting, he discreetly surveyed his surroundings but detected nothing suspicious.
Even after boarding the carriage, he sensed no pursuers.
Nonetheless, out of caution, he made a detour to Lever Cathedral, where he pretended to pray to the 'God of Steam and Machinery' while subtly altering his appearance with minor disguise techniques.
Only after confirming he wasn't being followed did he finally relax...
With public carriages no longer running at this hour, Odis reluctantly hired a private cab to return to his residence at Unit 75 Hailin Avenue, a row of well-maintained townhouses.
Having been away for two days, the house felt particularly cold and lifeless...
After boiling water for tea, he pondered who might be surveilling his shop, but he couldn't come up with any concrete guesses.
As midnight approached, he finally retired to his bedroom and extinguished the lights...
.....
Today was a Sunday...
As always, sleep transported Odis to that expansive plain of shimmering, indistinct light.
Only here did certain memories return to him... such as his conjecture that this place was most likely the 'Knowledge Moor', one of the legendary 'Sefirot'...
These memories were stripped away in the external world as a protective measure, because such Knowledge carried severe corruptive properties that could devastate an unprotected Spiritual Body...
In the distance stood a towering spire constructed from layers of faint, glowing light.
Odis moved with practiced ease into the spire, entering a vast illusory space.
Here, he had mentally conjured various tools, mostly experimental apparatus, and even recreated a computer from his memories to aid his research and record-keeping.
The contrast of Mystical instruments with 21st-century technology, all bathed in ethereal light, created a strangely surreal environment...
Long accustomed to this space, Odis walked directly to its center where a particularly large orb of light hovered.
Placing his left hand upon it, he solemnly declared:
"Today's research topic: Investigation into the operational principles of the 'Recording' ability possessed by Sequence 6 'Scribes' of the 'Apprentice' Pathway..."
.....
{T/N: The Sequence 3 of the 'Mystery Pryer' Pathway is called 'Clairvoyant'...}