Chapter 2 - 2: Take off Your Clothes

Edward barely managed to pull his leg free before a large crowd swarmed in. Leading them was the ageing Earl Hall, whose figure and complexion had begun to show the wear of time. His sharp blue eyes were filled with wariness. "Who are you?!" Edward ignored him completely and once again concealed himself with the Disillusionment Charm. Earl Hall's face darkened. He immediately turned to his eldest son, Hibbert Hall. "Hibbert!" Hibbert nodded in understanding, took a few steps back, and quickly disappeared into the crowd. Standing in the centre of his servants and guards, Earl Hall's expression regained its calm. "My friend," he said steadily, "if you need something, just say it. I can promise that you'll be able to leave with it safely." Hidden from view, Edward found himself at a crossroads. He knew that Hibbert Hall had most likely gone to fetch a Beyonder. If he tried to flee under the cover of invisibility now, there was a high chance he would run straight into one of the Hall family's extraordinary individuals. It seemed like there was only one option left. Swiftly, he stepped toward Audrey's bedroom door and waved his wand. "Alohomora." With a soft click, the locked door swung open. At the same time, Edward's figure became visible once more. Without giving Earl Hall a chance to react, he shoved the door open, slipped inside, and slammed it shut behind him. The room before him was lavishly decorated—ornate wallpaper, an opulent bed, an exquisite vanity, elegant furniture, and priceless oil paintings adorning the walls. Frankly speaking, it didn't look like the bedroom of a seventeen-year-old girl at all. Just then— With a soft creak, the bathroom door opened. A girl in a flowing gown stepped out. Her golden hair, smooth as silk, cascaded over her shoulders. Her emerald-green eyes were as clear as crystal—deep as the ocean yet as pure as the finest gemstone. Her aura was both innocent and noble. Edward had to admit—this was the most beautiful girl he had seen in both of his lives. Audrey had just finished completing the summoning ritual tasked by The Fool. Hearing the commotion outside, she hurriedly packed everything away before stepping out of the washroom. And then— She saw him. A boy in a strange black robe, unlike anything common in Loen's fashion. He seemed to be around her age but taller—about a head taller than her, around 1.8 meters. His short, ash-blond hair gave him a neat and lively appearance. His features were rather handsome, though far from the level of a royal prince. His expression was tense, and his fingers gripped the peculiar stick in his hand tightly, as if it were something extremely important to him. The right leg of his pants was crumpled in a large patch, with a few small holes dotting the fabric. From the noises outside, it was clear he was a Beyonder. Yet, based on his actions so far, he didn't seem like a common burglar. Before she could speak, the boy took the initiative. "Miss Audrey, I mean no offense," Edward said instinctively—in surprisingly fluent Loenese. So, I can not only understand but also speak the language perfectly? This had to be some sort of hidden perk granted by transmigrating into the Lord of the Mysteries world. Did this mean he could also understand languages infused with mystical power, like Jotun or Hermes? Snapping back to reality, Edward quickly continued, "I accidentally stumbled into your family's mansion and had a bit of a…misunderstanding with your relatives. I only entered your room to protect myself." A flicker of fear crossed Audrey's gaze—only to be quickly replaced by curiosity. "You're a Beyonder, aren't you?" "Wait!" Edward raised a hand to stop her from speaking further before waving his wand. "Muffliato." A gentle hum filled the air as the Muffling Charm took effect. Only then did Edward respond, "You could say that. But I'm not quite the same as your kind of Beyonder." Audrey immediately blurted out, "How do you know I—" Halfway through her sentence, she caught herself and clapped a hand over her mouth. But her shimmering emerald eyes still betrayed her surprise. In a different time and place, Edward might have found it amusing to tease her. Before advancing to Sequence 4, Audrey had always been an innocent and curious young girl. It was only after experiencing war, death, and countless hardships that she truly "grew up," becoming a qualified Beyonder—a true Spectator. But right now, Edward had no time to dwell on such thoughts. He had chosen to barge into Audrey's room as a desperate gamble, but who knew what kind of Beyonder would arrive in a moment? Even if he took her hostage, he might unknowingly be dragged into a dream and eliminated without ever realizing it. Left standing awkwardly to the side, Audrey hesitated for a moment before speaking again. "Mr. Home Intruder…" "I'm not a home intruder." Edward rubbed his forehead and interrupted her. "Do you have any idea how calling someone that could provoke their anger?" "Then…Mr. Accidentally Intruding Beyonder, I can actually persuade my father to let you leave safely." "You believe me that easily?" Before he could even finish his sentence, realization dawned on him. Right… At this point, Audrey had already taken her potion and advanced to Sequence 9, Spectator. For her, judging whether someone was lying based on their words and body language was second nature. No wonder they always say to be careful around Spectators. It's nearly impossible to lie in front of one. Edward believed that Audrey was sincere. But Earl Hall? There was no way he would allow an unknown Beyonder who had barged into his home to walk away so easily. Since that's the case… Edward took two steps toward Audrey before abruptly stopping and extending his hand. "Can you give me a strand of your hair?" Audrey hesitated. She trusted her previous observations, but in the mystical world, hair carried significant meaning. However, she quickly slumped her shoulders in resignation—she didn't seem to have much of a choice. Carefully, she twirled a golden strand of hair around her index finger and gently plucked it out. "Accio hair." With a soft whoosh, the golden strand flew into Edward's hand. He immediately reached into the small leather pouch at his waist—yes, this unassuming pouch had been enchanted with an Undetectable Extension Charm, containing over twenty cubic meters of space. Audrey watched his actions with curiosity. Although she had already become a Beyonder after consuming her potion, low-sequence Spectators didn't possess any directly visible abilities. Seeing someone summon an object with just a word genuinely made her envious. Edward stuffed the golden hair into his flask, gave it a gentle shake, and then looked up at Audrey. "Alright, take off your clothes." "???" Audrey's emerald eyes widened instantly. What happened to accidental intrusion? What happened to no offence intended? What happened to not being a bad guy?! The truth was, Edward was quite skilled at Transfiguration and had already mastered the Switching Spell. However, he didn't know how long he would need to maintain his disguise, and Transfiguration had a time limit. Seeing Audrey instinctively retreat in alarm, Edward frowned. "What are you imagining? I just need to borrow your outfit. Go change in the bathroom and hand it over." "???" Audrey was momentarily stunned. Although the timing felt completely off, she couldn't help but puff out her cheeks in mild indignation. With a huff, she grabbed another dress from her wardrobe and walked into the bathroom, slamming the door shut. But the moment she did, she realized something. "Audrey! You're being held hostage! Even if he's not a bad guy, this is hardly the time to act like a spoiled noble lady!" Outside, Edward listened to the rustling sounds of her changing but remained on high alert. In the original novel, Miss Justice was indeed kind, righteous, and naive, but this was the real world. And in the real world, human nature was the most unpredictable thing of all. Yawn— Suddenly, Edward felt his eyelids grow heavy. He let out an involuntary yawn. "Strange…I went to bed early last night, so why am I—" His heart lurched. Was a Sequence 7 Nightmare trying to pull him into a dream?! The only reason it hadn't succeeded immediately was probably thanks to his use of Occlumency, which was interfering with the dream invasion. But how long could he resist? That was uncertain. "Rennervate!" Edward hastily cast the Reviving Spell on himself, then rushed to the bathroom door and banged on it. "Are you done yet? Hurry up!" "I'm done, I'm done!" Audrey swung the door open. She had changed into the blue gown she'd grabbed earlier, but her usually pristine golden hair was now a tousled mess—completely unlike the graceful young lady from moments ago. She handed the clothes to Edward. "What…do you need my dress for?" "To wear." Edward couldn't be bothered to explain. Right in front of her, he swiftly stripped off his Hogwarts robes, revealing the inner lining beneath. Then, without hesitation, he grabbed the still-warm dress and hurriedly put it on. In between movements, he took a sip of the Polyjuice Potion. This series of actions only piqued Audrey's curiosity further. After a moment of hesitation, she couldn't help but ask, "Are you planning to impersonate me? But you don't look anything like me. Even our body shapes are completely different…" Before she could finish speaking, Edward's skin began to bubble and shift as if it were boiling. His short ash-blond hair rapidly lengthened, turning into silky golden locks. His brown eyes transformed into a bright emerald green. His frame seemed to shrink and compress until— He was the exact same height as Audrey. He was the exact same person as Audrey. Audrey abandoned all pretense of ladylike composure. She rubbed her eyes hard, making sure she wasn't hallucinating. Even though she was well aware of the mystical world's wonders, witnessing someone turn into her was still deeply unsettling. Edward quickly removed the undergarments beneath his robes and adjusted the dress to fit better. Though the outfit still looked slightly messy, that only made the disguise more convincing—after all, a kidnapping victim's clothes should be dishevelled. Then, he untied his leather pouch from his waist and loosened the rubber cord securing it. With a quick pull, the pouch expanded into an opening large enough for an adult to crawl into. "Hurry up and get in." Audrey was quick-witted this time. Her emerald eyes gleamed with excitement. "This bag has a large space inside, doesn't it? Is this one of your Beyonder abilities?" She took a few steps closer and peered inside. A faint glow emanated from within, illuminating a small wooden ladder that led downward into an unknown space. Edward gave her a push. "Get moving. If you like it so much, I'll make you one later." Immediately, she lifted the hem of her dress and climbed down the ladder. Even when her entire body had disappeared into the bag, she poked her head out one last time to say, "It's a deal! You have to keep your word~" "..." Edward felt speechless. "Miss Justice, aren't you taking this a little too lightly?" He promptly shoved her inside. "Sorry about this, Miss Justice." Then— "Bombarda Maxima!" A brilliant blue explosion smashed against the outer wall of the bedroom. BOOM! A second later, a wave of searing heat and force erupted. The walls crumbled. The ceiling collapsed. A luxurious bedroom that an average Loen citizen couldn't afford in several lifetimes—reduced to ruins in an instant. "Cough, cough!" Amid the billowing dust and debris, Edward hurriedly stuffed his wand into the pouch before strapping it tightly against his skin. Then, he collapsed onto the floor—feigning unconsciousness. ———