HPxLOTM: A Wizard's Path to Divinity

Three days later. 

With a silk bow tied around her neck, Susie left the luxurious Hall family estate as usual, happily heading out for a day of play. 

Along the way, she chased bees and butterflies, her smooth golden fur quickly becoming a mess, covered in grass and dirt. When she grew tired, she found a sunlit patch of grass and took a long, comfortable nap. 

Around noon, while lying on the ground in a daze, Susie was suddenly drawn to a hunting dog passing by. 

"Woof! Woof! Woof!" 

She sprang up and barked a few times before bolting after it. The two dogs chased each other excitedly, gradually leaving the Empress Borough and entering the Cherwood Borough. 

Just when the hunting dog was at the peak of its excitement, Susie suddenly turned around and left without warning. The poor dog stood frozen on the spot, looking as if it had just been heartlessly played by a coldhearted woman. 

Up until now, Susie's usual range of activity had been within the Empress Borough, an area populated by nobles and wealthy individuals. However, the Cherwood Borough was clearly different—mostly inhabited by commoners, with a much higher population density and a more chaotic mix of people. 

She remained alert the entire way, ensuring she hadn't drawn any unwanted attention before slipping into a deserted alleyway. Once there, she untied the hidden Extension Pouch from her bow, using both her mouth and paws to undo the knot. 

Edward, who had been waiting at the entrance of the staircase inside the pouch, leapt out the moment it was opened. Without wasting time, he picked up the pouch and stuffed it into his coat.

He was now dressed in a grey trench coat over a white shirt, with a black silk top hat perched on his head. 

Crouching in front of Susie, Edward pulled out a piece of dried chicken meat and handed it to her. "Thanks, Susie. Now hurry back and be careful." 

Susie happily took the treat in her mouth, wagging her tail before trotting off. 

"Whew—" 

Edward let out a long breath. "Finally free. First, I need to find a place to stay, then figure out what to do next." 

He pulled out a stack of banknotes—2000 gold pounds in total—given to him by Audrey before he left. As expected of the Tarot Club's angel investor and a true rich lady. 

So this is what it feels like to have a powerful backer? 

Truly, relying on the rich is a short-term thrill, but relying on them every day…that's eternal bliss! Klein, the God of Poverty, must be crying in the bathroom right now. 

Edward counted out 20 gold pounds and stashed the rest back into the pouch. Based on the cost of living in the Mysteries World, as long as he didn't splurge on luxury goods or extraordinary items, this amount would last him quite a while. 

"Hmm, just to be safe, let's cast a Protego spell." 

Pressing down the brim of his hat, he stepped out of the alleyway. 

In an instant, the world before him opened up— 

At this moment, the city known as the City of Hope—Backlund—unfolded before his eyes. 

———

[Empress Borough—The Hall Family's Luxurious Estate]

Several members of the Church of the Evernight were questioning the maids about the events three days ago. However, all of them claimed that they had been too frightened at the time and couldn't remember what the criminal looked like. 

"Father." 

Audrey entered the room, holding a piece of artwork in her hands. "I heard you were going to create a wanted poster for the criminal. I have a very clear memory of his face, and I also happen to be skilled at drawing, so…" 

She handed the painting to Earl Hall. "I hope this helps." 

"Excellent." 

Earl Hall unfolded the paper, his moustache twitching slightly as he examined the portrait. Then, he looked up at his daughter. "Are you sure he looked like this?" 

"I'm sure, Father." 

The two exchanged glances for a few seconds. Then, Earl Hall handed the portrait to one of the Red Gloves. 

"Since Audrey has already drawn the suspect's face, we can end the questioning here. The… other methods you mentioned are no longer necessary." 

"Understood, Lord Hall. We will do everything we can to catch him as soon as possible." 

The Red Gloves quickly took the portrait and left. 

Earl Hall sipped his red tea leisurely, then casually asked, "Audrey, do you still wish to visit the Church of the Evernight to seek the Goddess's blessing?" 

"Yes, Father. May I go out now?" 

"Mm." 

"Then I'll go tomorrow. I'll return to my room now—thank you, Father." 

Neither of them said much, yet both understood each other perfectly. 

Audrey stepped out of the drawing room and let out a soft sigh. "Susie, do you think…what I did was wrong?" 

Susie wagged her tail, her face full of innocence. 

———

[Cherwood Borough—A Cheap Inn]

Edward completed the check-in process and entered his cramped room, which was barely ten square meters. 

The furnishings were simple—a wooden single bed, a worn-out desk, a chair with a broken leg, a coat rack, and a small stove. The window was tightly shut, probably to keep the dust in the air from getting inside. 

The reason he hadn't chosen a better place was simple—whether it was a high-end hotel or a long-term rental, both required identification. 

And right now, he was an undocumented person.

"But I didn't come here for a vacation either." 

Edward removed his hat and took off his trench coat, hanging them neatly before sitting at the desk with a notebook in hand. 

"This time, I have three and a half objectives. First, to choose a suitable Pathway for myself. Second, to obtain its formula. Third, to consume the potion." 

"As for that remaining half..." Edward bit the tip of his steel pen, a smile appearing on his face. 

"That would be meeting our protagonist—The Great Fool, Klein." 

Anyone who had read Lord of the Mysteries would likely agree on one thing: Klein was undoubtedly a good person, in every sense of the word. 

Having someone like that as an ally was as reassuring as it could get. 

In the future, when he becomes a True Pillar, Edward might even be able to ride along and secure an easy path to angelhood. 

But of course, that was a matter for later. 

He flipped to his previous notes. 

"Based on my last round of analysis, my potential potion choices are Hunter, Lawyer, Warrior, Seer, and Apprentice. But these are just my own preferences. In reality, if luck isn't on my side, I might not even come across any of them for months." 

Edward let out a long sigh. 

"Sigh...I guess I'll start by checking what formulas I can find at a Beyonder gathering. Plans never keep up with changes anyway." 

Knock, knock, knock. 

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. 

"Who is it?" 

"Sir, I'm from the inn's staff. We've just made a fresh batch of Desi pies—would you like to try some?" 

"Desi pies?" 

That was a well-known dish frequently mentioned in the original novel. 

Edward's eyes lit up as he eagerly strode over and pulled open the door—only to find no one outside. 

"Huh?" 

Before he could react, a small figure swiftly manoeuvred past him, slipping into the room with agile footwork. In the next instant, a fist was swinging toward the back of Edward's head. 

Bang! 

The small but solid punch stopped just ten centimetres away from Edward, blocked by an invisible shield. A moment later, the force of the attack was rebounded back with equal strength. 

"A Beyonder?!" 

The intruder gasped in shock and immediately retreated. 

"Stupefy! Stupefy! Stupefy!" 

Edward fired three consecutive Stunning Spells, but the small figure dodged each one. Then, with a sudden burst of strength, the intruder kicked off the ground and attempted to smash through the window. 

However, the leg of the nearby table twisted unnaturally, transforming into a chain that coiled around the person's right leg. 

"Petrificus Totalus!" 

The Full-Body Bind Curse struck true, freezing the intruder in place. 

Edward shouted, "Who are you, and why did you attack me?!" 

The small figure gritted his teeth, forcefully shaking off the effects of the Body-Binding Curse. He pulled out a sharp three-edged dagger, slashed through the chain around his leg, and hurled it toward Edward with full force before dashing toward the window. 

"Argh!" 

The next second, the intruder let out a pained cry as he crashed heavily onto the desk, then tumbled to the floor. 

The glass window—at some point—had turned into a solid iron plate. 

"Incarcerous! Petrificus Totalus! Expelliarmus!" 

"Oh no...I'm screwed." 

The intruder felt his entire body freeze, his limbs turning numb. He could no longer move a muscle. 

Edward snorted coldly. 

"You think I can't do anything if you refuse to talk? Legilimens..." 

Without hesitation, he cast the Legilimency spell. 

Just then, a translucent figure phased through the wall and grabbed the immobilized intruder. 

"Door." 

In an instant, both of their figures blurred and faded into near-invisibility—then vanished completely. 

Edward stood frozen in place. 

"...Was that Fors and Xio?!"

———

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