The Lord Of Mysteries
Chapter 3: Melissa

After confirming his plan, Zhou Mingrui immediately felt a mental support. His fear and unease were all swept into a corner of his mind.

It was only then that he had the mood to carefully study Klein's memory fragments.

Zhou Mingrui usually stood up before turning off the pipe valve. He saw the wall lights slowly dim until the lights went out before sitting back down. As he subconsciously fiddled with the brass revolver cylinder, he pressed the side of his head. He slowly recalled his memories in the dark dyed crimson as if he was the most attentive spectator in the cinema.

Maybe because the bullet went through his head, Klein's memories were like shards of glass. Not only were the memories not close together, there were many places that were clearly lost. For example, memories relating to how a beautiful revolver appeared in his hands, whether he killed himself, or was killed, as well as the meaning of the word 'Everybody will die, including me' in the notebook, were, or had she participated in something strange two days before the incident.

Not only did this particular memory become fragmented, there was also a missing piece. It was the same even for the knowledge he should have known. Given the current situation, Zhou Mingrui believed that if Klein returned to university, it was unlikely that he would be able to graduate. This was even though he had just left the campus a few days ago without relaxing in the slightest.

She needed to participate in the Tingen University History department interview two days later …

University graduates of Loen Kingdom have no tradition of living in their alma mater..His mentors have given him letters of recommendation for Tingen University and Backlund University …

…

Through the window, Zhou Mingrui quietly observed the setting of the red moon in the west. The sinking of the moon gradually continued until a dim light shone from the east, coloring the golden horizon.

At that moment, there was a commotion inside the apartment. Shortly after, the sound of footsteps approached the door of his house.

"Melissa was awake. She was really on time as usual." Zhou Mingrui smiled. Because of Klein's memories, seeing Melissa made him feel as if he was really his little sister.

However, I had no younger sister. She directly denied herself.

Melissa is different from Benson and Klein. Her primary education was not completed in the Sunday school classes offered by the Church of the Goddess Overnight. When he reached school age, the Loen Kingdom had enacted the 'Law of Elementary Education.' A Committee on Primary and Secondary Education was established and specifically awarded funding, increasing royal investment into education.

In less than three years, under the premise that many church schools would be established, many public elementary schools were established to strictly maintain the principle of religious neutrality. This was to prevent education from getting involved in the conflict between the Lord of Storms, the Evernight Goddess, and the God of Steam and Machinery.

Compared to a Sunday school that only spends a penny copper a week, the cost of a three pence public elementary school a week seems rather expensive. However, the former only provides education every Sunday, while the latter provides six days of classes a week. In conclusion, the price is so low that it is almost free.

Melissa is different from most girls. From a young age, he enjoyed things like gears, springs, and bearings. His ambition was to become a steam mechanic.

Due to a lack of culture, Benson, who knew the importance of education, supported his sister's dreams like how she supported Klein university education. After all, the Tingen Technical School was only considered a secondary education. There was no need for him to attend a language school or a public school for more knowledge.

In July last year, fifteen-year-old Melissa passed the entrance exam and fulfilled her dream of becoming a student in the Steam and Machinery department of the Tingen Technical School. Thus, his weekly school fees were raised to nine pence.

Meanwhile, Benson's company was affected by the situation in the Southern Continent. There was a drastic decrease in both profit and business transactions. More than a third of employees were laid off. In order to keep his job and maintain their livelihood, Benson could only accept more onerous tasks. He had to work overtime more often or go to places with harsh environments. That's what he's been busy with the last few days.

It was not that Klein had not thought of helping share his elder brother's burden but was born an ordinary person and had been accepted into an ordinary language school, instead, he felt a strong sense of inadequacy when he applied to the university. For example, as the origin of all the languages in the Northern Continent, the ancient language of Feysac was something that all the noble and wealthy class children would learn from a young age. Instead, he only made first contact with her at university.

She faced many similar aspects during her school career. Klein almost gave it his all and often stayed up late and woke up early before barely being able to catch up to the others, eventually allowing him to graduate with average results.

Memories of his older brother and sister remained active in Zhou Mingrui's mind until he opened the door knob. Only then did he jerk up and remember that he was holding a gun in his hand.

This is a semi-regulated item!

It will scare the kids!

Also, there is still a wound on my head!

With Melissa arriving at any moment, Zhou Mingrui pressed onto his temple and hurriedly opened the desk drawer and threw the revolver inside before slamming it into the meeting.

"What's going on?" Melissa turned her head curiously when she heard the commotion.

He was still at the peak of his youth. Although he did not have much nutritious food to eat, making his face thin and slightly pale, his complexion still gleamed as it exuded the aura of a young girl.

When Zhou Mingrui saw his sister's brown eyes looking up, he forcefully calmed down and took the item beside his hand before calmly closing the drawer to hide the revolver's whereabouts. He placed his other hand on his temple, a texture that confirmed that the wound had healed!

He took out a silver wine leaf pocket watch and pressed its top gently, causing the cover to open.

It was a picture of the brothers father. It was the most valuable item left behind by a Royal Army sergeant, but as a second-hand item, it was, the item had often malfunctioned from time to time in recent years even though he had asked the watchmaker to fix it. It made Benson shy who was happy to take him with him to raise his status many times, so was eventually thrown back home.

It has to be said that maybe Melissa does have a talent in machines. After understanding the principles behind the watch, he borrowed a tool from his Engineering School to play around with the pocket watch. Recently, he even claimed to have fixed it!

Zhou Mingrui looked at the exposed watch cover and saw that the second needle was not moving. Unknowingly, he turned the top button to spin the pocket watch.

However, despite twisting it a few times, he did not hear the sound of a tight spring. The second hand remained motionless.

"It looks broken again." He looked at his sister while trying to find a topic.

He stood in his place and pulled the buttons that were on top of the pocket watch. With a few simple turns, a tick-tock from the second needle sounded.

Didn't pulling the button up was usually meant to adjust the time. Zhou Mingrui's expression instantly became blank.

At that moment, bells rang from the distant cathedral. It chimed six times, sounding distant and smooth.

Melissa tilted her head to listen to him and pulled the button once again. After which, he turned it around to synchronize time.

"It's okay now," he said simply without emotion. He then pressed the top button back and handed the pocket watch back to Zhou Mingrui.

Zhou Mingrui returned a smile politely in embarrassment.

Melissa looked at her older brother sharply before turning around to walk into the closet. He picked up his toiletries and towels before opening the door to leave. He's headed for the public bathroom.

Why did his expression look disdainful and resigned?

Is it an expression of love and care for a retarded sibling?

Zhou Mingrui lowered his head and chuckled. He closed the pocket watch cover with a click before opening it again.

He repeated this action as his empty mind focused on a question.

Klein committed suicide without a silencer. Well, I'll take it as a suicide for now. His suicide was supposed to cause a commotion; however, Melissa, who was only a wall away, did not notice it at all.

Is he sleeping too well? Or was Klein's suicide shrouded in mystery in the first place?

Click! Pocket clock opened. Cocktail! Melissa came back from the shower and saw the subconscious actions of her sister who constantly opened and closed her pocket watch.

His gaze once again glazed in despair as he said in a sweet voice, "Klein, take out all the remaining bread. Remember to buy fresh today. There are meat and peas too. Your interview's in a minute. I'll make you goat meat.boiled with peas."

As he spoke, he moved the stove from a corner. With a little charcoal, he boiled a pot of hot water.

Before the water boiled, he opened the bottom of the drawer and pulled out what looked like a treasure— canned with low-quality tea leaves. He threw about ten leaves into the pot and pretended that it was real tea.

Melissa poured two large cups of tea as she shared two slices of wheat bread with Zhou Mingrui over tea.

No sawdust or excessive gluten was mixed, but it was not appetizing. Zhou Mingrui still felt weak and hungry. He forced himself to swallow bread with tea while complaining inwardly.

Melissa finished eating a few minutes later. After he adjusted his black hair that reached his vest, he looked at Zhou Mingrui and said, "Remember to buy fresh bread. All we need is eight pounds. The weather is hot, so the bread will be easily damaged. Also, buy mutton and peas. Remember to buy it!"

Indeed, he showed concern for his boring brother. He even had to repeat to emphasize it next time. Zhou Mingrui nodded with a smile.

"Good."

Regarding the Loen Kingdom pound, Zhou Mingrui matched Klein's muscle memory to his. He believed it was almost half a kilogram of what he used to eat.

Melissa said nothing more. He stood up and tidied up the place. After packing up the last loaf of bread for lunch, he put on the ragged veil hats their mother left behind, picking up a self-stitched bag used to carry her books and stationery, and prepare to leave.

It wasn't Sunday, so he had to attend class all day.

The walk from their apartment to Tingen Technical School takes about fifty minutes. There are public horse carriages that cost one cent per kilometer with a limit of four cents in the city and six cents in the suburbs. To save money, Melissa would leave early and walk to school.

Moments after he opened the main door, he halted his steps and turned his body in half, saying, "Klein, don't buy too much mutton or peas. Benson will probably be back on Sunday. Oh, and remember we only need eight pounds of bread."

"alright. Of course," Zhou Mingrui replied in despair.

Simultaneously, he repeated the word 'Sunday' several times in his head.

In the Northern Continent, one year was also divided into twelve months. Each year, there are 365 or 366 days. A week is also divided into seven days.

The separation of the moon is the result of astronomical observations. It made Zhou Mingrui suspicious whether he was in a parallel world. The split of that day was a result of religion. This was because the Northern Continent had seven orthodox gods—Eternal Blazing Sun, Lord of Storms, God of Knowledge and Wisdom, Goddess of Overnight, Mother Earth, God of War, and God of Steam and Machines.

Seeing his sister close the door and leave, Zhou Mingrui suddenly sighed. Soon, his mind focused on the luck enhancement ritual.

Sorry, I really want to go back home...