Lumian had always believed that the tenant, like Charlie, had been enchanted by Susanna Mattise in his dreams. His vitality had been gradually drained, until he met a sudden demise in the room. Monsieur Ive, the hotel owner, had secretly transported the lifeless body to a secluded spot in Underground Trier. Little did he expect that the tenant would transform into a pervert with Beyonder powers. He now roamed Le Marché du Quartier du Gentleman, preying on attractive women.
Lumian was convinced that Hedsey's newfound abilities stemmed from a boon granted due to the absence of Beyonder characteristics after death. It was clear that these powers originated from the same source as Susanna Mattise and Monsieur Ive.
In essence, not long after Susanna Mattise's portrait was plastered, something extraordinary had occurred to Hedsey. He had become a devout follower of the Mother Tree of Desire and received two to three boons within a few short months. As a result, he had gained significant strength and mastery over various mystical techniques.
For Beyonders who progressed by consuming potions, such speed was unimaginable, unless they possessed profound understanding and were at a remarkably low level.
However, Hedsey's boons also came with a downside. The recipient would be influenced by the power and gradually deviate from their true self. In certain aspects, they would become increasingly extreme, often engaging in actions that seemed irrational to ordinary individuals and inviting disaster upon themselves.
Both Monsieur Ive's miserliness and Hedsey's insatiable lust for women fell into this category.
Lumian suspected that nearly all boons had similar repercussions to some extent. Over time, they would inexorably draw the recipient closer to the bestower and induce corresponding mutations.
The reason Lumian remained unaffected by the powers of the Dancer and Alms Monk was that they didn't directly come from the hidden entity known as Inevitability, but rather the corruption within his body that had been filtered through the seal. Additionally, Lumian had always maintained a vigilant stance in such matters. He not only refrained from altering his style and way of life to exploit the traits of the Dancer and Alms Monk for greater control over his strength but at times even went against their influence.
Furthermore, Lumian would advance in Sequence and have a preliminarily digestion before obtaining the corresponding boon. He sought to preserve the balance of power within his body.
Lowering his head, Lumian whispered to Jenna in a hushed voice, "How did you discover this?"
As Jenna swayed to the rhythm, she pursed her lips and replied, "It's quite evident that the pervert cannot exist without women. Kidnapping a woman every day and dragging her underground simply isn't feasible, or else he would have been apprehended long ago. Damn it, there must have been several victims. Do those incompetent black-skinned dogs even notice?
"Then how does he usually solve his problem? Clearly, relying on himself isn't sufficient to satiate his desires. So, I enlisted Franca's help and inquired with the dancers and street girls from the Savoie Mob. I swiftly obtained an answer."
"How can that pervert, who deserves to be f*cked by a donkey, possess such virility? He can perform multiple times a day!"
"Why doesn't he pursue those wealthy old ladies? Both parties would be satisfied!"
Jenna recounted her investigation with a sense of pride, showcasing her intellect.
Throughout the afternoon, she had been brooding over Lumian's earlier prank, which had made her appear foolish.
Before embracing the beliefs of the Mother Tree of Desire and receiving the boon, Hedsey was a regular visitor to Rue de la Muraille, Rue de Breda, and Rue du Rossignol. However, after obtaining the boon, his mind became consumed with thoughts of women… Lumian couldn't help but acknowledge that Jenna occasionally demonstrated some intelligence.
With that in mind, Lumian decided to share some information.
"That abnormal desire must be a result of his Beyonder powers' influence."
"Beyonder powers…" Jenna glanced up at Lumian.
She had expected him to feign ignorance, just as they did in Underground Trier, where neither side openly acknowledged Hedsey's displayed Beyonder powers. To her surprise, he spoke candidly.
After a brief pause, Jenna, who was dancing closely with Lumian, whispered in confusion, "Why do Beyonder powers make him so perverse?"
This was unlike the Beyonder powers she was familiar with, which at most had a slight effect before losing control.
Lumian smirked once again. "It's an abnormal Beyonder power."
"Do you think I can't tell that it's abnormal?" Jenna grew infuriated once more.
Lumian chuckled.
"As for why it's abnormal, go back and ask Franca. If Franca doesn't know either, have her inquire with the Boss."
He shared this information with Jenna because he was concerned that there might be more to the issues surrounding Monsieur Ive, Susanna Mattise, Hedsey, and the others.
If the official Beyonders failed to uncover the truth, his only hope lay with Mr. K's finger and the Beyonders associated with the Savoie Mob.
Jenna snorted and dropped the matter. She refocused on dancing with Lumian.
As the music neared its end, she suddenly reached out and touched Lumian's chest.
"Haha, nice bod!" Jenna grinned, then retreated, heading towards the half-height wooden platform in front of the dance floor.
It seemed as though she had finally exacted her revenge for what had transpired underground. She was filled with elation.
Lumian scoffed and left the dance floor, once again picking up his glass of rye beer.
As he listened to the music, he swayed his body gently, all the while observing the situation within Salle de Gristmill.
As Lumian surveyed the area, his attention was drawn to a group of mobsters congregating near the stage. They wore a mishmash of outfits, surrounding a towering man who stood at a staggering height of nearly 1.9 meters.
The burly man bore a striking resemblance to "Giant" Simon. His black shirt and formal attire emphasized his bulging muscles, but the dark-blue canvas pants and strapless black leather boots seemed out of place, creating a peculiar ensemble.
With his tousled brown hair and slightly set-apart brown eyes, his ordinary facial features were complemented by a chiseled jawline. His hands and legs were longer than those of an average person.
"Hammer" Ait… Lumian averted his gaze, suspecting that this man was one of his targets.
In Trier, there weren't many individuals towering at nearly 1.9 meters.
Lumian wasn't concerned about "Hammer" Ait and his subordinates recognizing him from this distance. The ballroom was dimly lit, with only the soft glow of gas wall lamps and a chandelier above, providing enough illumination for dancing and discreet conversations. Unless someone was intimately familiar with Lumian or had just seen him, they wouldn't be able to identify him.
Furthermore, Lumian had taken precautions to disguise himself. He hadn't anticipated Jenna recognizing him at first glance either.
After Jenna finished singing another song, "Hammer" Ait led his subordinates off the dance floor and ascended to the second floor.
Lumian continued his observations when he suddenly spotted a familiar figure entering the room.
It was Monsieur Ive, the proprietor of Auberge du Coq Doré, his attire slightly faded from washing.
His anxious and worried expression was evident as his blue eyes scanned the surroundings.
Is he searching for Hedsey? The pervert didn't return after leaving in the afternoon. They suspect something happened to him, so they're scouring the dance halls, seeking clues with the street girls? Lumian withdrew his gaze thoughtfully and shifted his attention back to the dancers on the floor.
Based on the characteristics exhibited by Hedsey's Spirit Body, Lumian sensed that Monsieur Ive was much weaker in comparison. He likely possessed the power of a Sequence 9 boon, focused on greed, possibly with elements of appetite.
As for Hedsey, he was likely on the level of Sequence 8, with a slim chance of being a Sequence 7. Lumian leaned more towards the former, as the few Sequence 7 individuals he had encountered before were formidable adversaries, difficult to overcome even with preparations and traps.
Of course, had Lumian not carefully observed and realized that Hedsey had the ability to trigger others' desires, he might have been swiftly dealt with.
In that environment, without Jenna's presence, Lumian would have relied on his own strength to resist the influence and not completely forget the existence of the enemy. With Showy Diva, it was challenging for him to restrain himself. He had to rely on pain to awaken his senses.
From the corner of his eye, Lumian observed Monsieur Ive engaging in conversation with the part-time street girl dancers. The way they scolded him, wearing expressions of disdain, struck Lumian as amusing.
Is he pretending to negotiate a price in order to gather information about Hedsey's whereabouts?
In the end, he's just too stingy, always bargaining down the other party's offer by half or more, resulting in their scolding?
Heh heh, Charlie was worried that Monsieur Ive, an old widower, wouldn't be willing to spend money on a licensed prostitute and risk contracting a disease. It seems he's overthinking it. Monsieur Ive can't even bring himself to spend money on an unlicensed street girl!
The negative effects of a boon are truly potent…
Hmm, if there are women in that group who possess the same boons as Hedsey and are on the same level, they should be in a constant state of hunger and thirst. Monsieur Ive wouldn't need to seek out another street girl. Heh heh, he would only end up despising himself for being a man. He would be on the verge of being drained dry, with his desires forcibly aroused.
The best disguises for those women would be dancers and street girls?
Something doesn't add up. If there really were such women, Hedsey wouldn't need to come out and harm others… Could it be that everyone at this level has advanced or died, with no replacements? Or is there an imbalance in the number of men and women? Is Hedsey the one being ostracized?
As Lumian contemplated these thoughts, the band struck up another lively dance tune.
After finishing her song, Jenna leaped off the half-height wooden stage once again and approached Lumian, inviting him to dance.
This elicited boos from the surrounding crowd.
Knowing that Jenna had something else to say, Lumian deliberately maneuvered to provoke those who were jeering.
He stepped onto the dance floor, drew closer to Jenna, and began swaying his hips.
Jenna looked up at him, smiling, and asked, "What brings a Savoie mobster like you to the Salle de Gristmill?"
Lumian clicked his tongue and chuckled.
"Don't you think I'm fond of you? Of course, I'm here to listen to your singing."
Jenna scoffed.
"Your target is 'Hammer' Ait, isn't it? You want to repeat what happened with Margot?"
"You're quite clever," Lumian praised in a taunting tone.
Jenna smirked confidently. "I can assist you and provide important information."
Lumian suppressed his nonchalance and asked thoughtfully, "What do you desire in return?"
Jenna snorted and cursed, "Are you f*cking underestimating me?
"Although I didn't thank you this afternoon, I won't forget that you saved me. Coincidentally, I'm familiar with all the dance halls in the market district. Moreover, I just had a chat with Ait about some matters after the performance. I should be able to help you."
Without waiting for Lumian's response, she gritted her teeth and continued, "'Hammer' resides in the innermost room on the second floor, towards Auberge du Coq Doré. He has ten thugs by his side. Four stationed at the door—two inside and two outside. Two by the window, two near the sofa, and two always behind him. They're all armed.
"The security wasn't this tight before, and there weren't as many people. It's all because of what you did to Margot.
"That room has an attached washroom. It's currently unoccupied. If the window is fully opened, it can just about accommodate a person.
"From the ventilation pipe in the ballroom kitchen, you can climb up to the second floor and bypass the guards stationed at the stairs. Then, enter the adjacent room and leap from the windowsill onto a narrow ledge outside the washroom. It requires considerable skill to pull off successfully."
