Chapter 157: The Violet Key [ Bonus - ]

Chapter 157: The Violet Key [ Bonus Chapter ]

Jet arrived at the meeting room shortly after eight in the morning, carrying a cup of coffee and a small paper bag containing breakfast.

He had barely slept the previous night, although his lack of rest had little to do with exhaustion. Ever since awakening Ilios, the extraordinary warmth circulating through his body had made it surprisingly difficult to remain still for long periods.

Even after spending several hours practicing Mana circulation and examining the changes brought about by Solar Physique, he still felt considerably more energetic than usual.

However, his improved physical condition wasn’t the reason Adesewa had summoned him.

The investigation into Lucien Veyr had apparently uncovered something important, and judging by the urgency of her message, whatever Marcus had discovered warranted everyone’s attention.

When Jet entered the room, he discovered Adesewa standing beside a large display screen while Cassian, Marcus, and Safiya examined several documents spread across the table.

Bastian was also present, seated near the window with his enormous arms folded across his chest. The atmosphere was noticeably more serious than it had been during their previous meeting.

"Morning, everyone," Jet greeted them, placing his breakfast on an empty section of the table. "You sounded pretty urgent when you called. Did something happen?"

Adesewa looked toward him and gestured at an available chair. "Take a seat, Jet. Marcus found something concerning Lucien Veyr last night, and I think everyone needs to hear it."

Jet pulled out the chair and sat down, immediately noticing a photograph displayed on the screen. It showed Lucien Veyr standing beside several other individuals at what appeared to be a formal gathering.

He wore an expensive charcoal-colored suit, his dark hair neatly combed backward, and a faint smile rested on his face. Nothing about his appearance suggested that he might be involved in organizing attacks against Awakeners.

Marcus enlarged the photograph before opening another document.

"We’ve spent the past twenty-four hours examining Veyr’s business activities, financial connections, and personal background," Marcus explained, scrolling through several records.

"Most of what we discovered was ordinary. He has a respectable professional reputation, owns several properties in Zenith, and has maintained business relationships with numerous Awakener organizations."

Cassian leaned forward, examining the photograph. "Which makes him an excellent intermediary. Someone with his connections could move substantial amounts of money without attracting much attention."

"Exactly," Marcus agreed, switching to another document. "However, his financial activities weren’t the most interesting thing we discovered."

Jet took a sip of coffee before looking toward the screen. "What was it?"

Marcus displayed a copy of an old Awakener registration record and highlighted a particular section. "His Divine Rune."

The registration document contained basic information about Lucien Veyr, including his Awakener classification and several details concerning his professional history. However, the section identifying his Divine Rune was partially restricted, with most of the information unavailable through ordinary public inquiries.

"Lucien Veyr is a First Generation Awakener," Marcus explained, indicating the registration details. "According to the records, his Divine Rune belongs to a category associated with mental interference and memory-related abilities."

Jet slowly lowered his coffee. "Memory-related abilities?"

Adesewa nodded, her expression serious. "That’s what caught our attention."

Marcus continued examining the document. "The publicly available information describes his Divine Rune as possessing an unusual relationship with recollection, perception, and the retention of experiences. Unfortunately, the precise abilities remain confidential."

Safiya frowned as she studied the information. "How confidential?"

"Restricted even through the channels we used," Marcus answered, shaking his head. "We know his Rune has something to do with memories, but we haven’t confirmed its name, rank, or full capabilities."

Bastian shifted in his chair, his heavy frame causing the wooden backrest to creak. "That sounds rather convenient. A man connected to the payments for our assassins just happens to possess a Divine Rune involving memories."

"Convenient, yes," Adesewa agreed, folding her arms. "But we need to be careful about what we conclude. Memory-related abilities aren’t automatically proof of criminal activity."

Jet understood her caution. Awakeners possessed an extraordinary variety of Divine Runes. Some could manipulate physical elements, while others influenced concepts that were far more difficult to understand.

A Divine Rune associated with memories might allow its user to preserve information, improve recollection, alter memories, or interfere with another person’s thoughts.

However, one possibility immediately came to Jet’s mind.

What if Lucien Veyr could read memories?

The thought made him straighten in his chair.

"Captain, have we confirmed how the assassins learned about the Palladium Fruits?" Jet asked, looking toward Adesewa.

Adesewa’s expression hardened slightly. "Not yet. We’ve established that the organization possessed information about the expedition, but we still don’t know exactly how that information reached them."

Jet glanced toward the registration record before returning his attention to her. "Then there’s something else we should consider. What if nobody actually told them?"

Cassian looked toward him, his brows drawing together. "What are you suggesting?"

Jet placed his coffee on the table. "What if someone obtained the information without the person’s permission? If Veyr’s Divine Rune involves memories, isn’t it possible that he can access another person’s memories directly?"

The suggestion immediately attracted everyone’s attention.

The Palladium Fruit expedition had involved twenty-nine participants, all of whom understood the extraordinary value of the treasures they’d discovered.

The Red Seal oath had been intended to prevent information about the expedition from spreading, yet the enemy had somehow obtained enough details to identify and target the participants.

For weeks, the survivors had considered the possibility of betrayal, careless disclosure, or information being obtained through surveillance.

However, the discovery of Lucien Veyr’s memory-related Divine Rune introduced an entirely different possibility.

Someone might have stolen the information directly from an expedition participant’s mind.

"Odhran," Cassian said suddenly, his expression changing as he looked toward Adesewa.

Adesewa’s golden eyes narrowed. "I was thinking the same thing."

Marcus immediately opened another document, displaying several dates and financial transactions connected to the Black Exchange.

"We already know that Odhran sold a Palladium Fruit through the Black Exchange for one hundred and twenty million Union Dollars," Marcus explained, enlarging the relevant transaction. "And we know he was abducted sometime afterward. What interests me is what happened around the same period."

He highlighted another entry.

"A substantial payment was transferred through an account associated with one of Veyr’s business contacts shortly after Odhran’s disappearance," Marcus continued. "The transaction was recorded as a private consultation fee, but the amount was unusually high, even by the standards of specialized Awakener services."

Safiya leaned forward to examine the transaction. "And you’re certain the account belongs to someone connected to Veyr?"

"Yes," Marcus answered, indicating another document. "We’ve confirmed the business relationship. What we haven’t established is whether the payment was intended for Veyr himself or whether it concerned Odhran at all."

Bastian rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Still, that’s quite a coincidence. Odhran gets abducted, a substantial payment appears through Veyr’s connections, and now we discover that his Divine Rune involves memories."

Adesewa remained silent for several moments, examining the information displayed on the screen.

The timing was suspicious, but there were still too many unanswered questions to reach a definite conclusion.

"Odhran had information that someone was willing to kill for," Adesewa finally said, her voice measured. "And if Veyr possesses an ability capable of extracting memories, he would have been extremely useful to whoever captured him."

Jet looked toward her. "But wouldn’t the Red Seal oath prevent that?"

"Not necessarily," Adesewa answered, turning toward him. "The oath prevents its participants from deliberately revealing protected information. Whether it can prevent someone from forcibly accessing their memories is another matter entirely."

Cassian nodded slowly, his expression darkening. "If the information was taken directly from Odhran’s mind, he wouldn’t have needed to say anything."

"Exactly," Adesewa replied, returning her attention to the screen. "And that would explain how the enemy obtained details that should never have left the expedition."

Marcus enlarged Lucien Veyr’s photograph once again, placing it beside the suspicious transaction. "There’s also something else worth mentioning. Several of Veyr’s former clients described his services as confidential information recovery. We haven’t established exactly what that means, but considering the nature of his Divine Rune, I think it’s worth investigating."

Jet stared at the photograph, his thoughts racing.

A First Generation Awakener whose Divine Rune involved memories. A suspicious payment connected to his business associates. Odhran’s abduction following the Black Exchange transaction.

And an organization that had somehow obtained information protected by the Red Seal oath.

Individually, none of those discoveries proved anything.

Together, however, they suggested a possibility that was becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.

"Then Lucien Veyr might be the reason they know about the Palladium Fruits," Jet said, his expression turning grim.

Adesewa nodded slightly. "He might be. But until we establish what happened between him and Odhran, that’s all we can say."

She turned toward Marcus, her expression becoming more determined.

"Find out everything you can about that consultation payment," Adesewa instructed. "I want to know who authorized it, where the money originated, and whether Veyr had any contact with Odhran during that period."

Marcus nodded, already gathering the relevant documents. "Understood, Captain. I’ll start with the account holder and work backward from there."

Jet looked once more at Lucien Veyr’s photograph.

For the first time since the assassination attempts began, he wondered whether the greatest danger to the expedition’s secrecy had been something none of them had considered when they swore the Red Seal oath.

Not someone revealing their secrets.

But someone stealing them.