Mystic Archives of Stygian Thaumaturgy

The **Mystic Archives of Stygian Thaumaturgy** (安微魔鬼传 *Envie Ma Quỷ Truyện* "Ghost Tales of Envie"), also known as the **Mystic Archives**, is a series of short stories in the Envie Project. The series features Aar, the storyteller, as he recounts the strange events that might have happened in the past.

While it is not directly stated by Aar that the stories are true, it is strongly hinted that they are true events that had happened.

Six short stories are included in the series:

-First Seal: The Wandering Shade (*Bóng lang thang* "Wandering Shadow")

-Second Seal: The Beer Foam (*Bọt bia* "Beer Foam")

-Third Seal: Lamentations of the Riverbed (*Tiếng thét giữa lòng sông* "The Scream Down the Riverbed")

-Fourth Seal: The Cat (*Linh miêu* "Cat Spirit" or "Black Cat")

-Fifth Seal: The Capture (*Giăng lưới* "To Swing the Net")

-Sixth Seal: Fox in Tiger's Clothing (*Cáo mượn oai hùm* "The Fox in the Tiger's skin")

-Seventh Seal: Nightwalker (*Đi ăn đêm* "Hunting at night")

## First Seal: The Wandering Shade

**The Wandering Shade** tells the story of a well-off man whose sick daughter had an encounter with a vengeful spirit. The story starts with Aar introducing the MAoST series to an unnamed challenger. Mr. Bill (MAoST) is a nobleman who frequently mistreats those around him. One of his former servants who overworked to death owned a Tydgie. After the servant's death, the Tydgie grew to resent Mr. Bill and later returned as a Gersunder to seek revenge by attacking the nobleman's daughter, sending her into a week-long coma. Seeing that none of the doctors could cure his daughter, Mr. Bill went to the capital to seek Professor Oryza's help. That night, the family's butler was tasked with looking after the young mistress and was later attacked by none other than the deceased servant's Gersunder, along with a hoard of Polteageist and Sinistea. Mr Bill returned the next day and after a fateful encounter with the Gersunder, came to regret his past actions. The story ends with the detail of a **black talisman** stuck on the roof after the Gersunder left the town.

After the first chapter ends, the unnamed trainer expresses her frustration with how quickly the story ended, but decided to prepare to leave nonetheless. When the challenger wondered whether the story is true, Aar vaguely comments on how the story may or may not be true.

## Second Seal: The Beer Foam

**The Beer Foam** tells about Old Gully, an old man whose son got arrested for causing an accident while drunk driving. He makes remarks about how his alcoholic of a son keeps getting himself into trouble, despite his father's warnings. Old Gully later finds a beer can with odd scratch marks. Seeing that the beer can was heavy despite being empty, Old Gully peaked inside the can and saw a Spiritomb exiting through the hole.

## Fourth Seal: The Cat

**The Cat** tells the tale of a group of 5 hikers who traveled to a small mountain village at night in search of a so-called malicious spirit. Abel, one of the hikers, was guarding the campsite when he heard Beth, another group member, screaming bloody murder. After hearing Beth's story about how their friend Charlie violently attempted to cannibalize Beth, the two decided to flee to a nearby cottage. Mrs. Noah, the old cottage owner, let the two hikers in while throwing a Slowpoke tail out the door. The violent shadow who grabbed and ate the Slowpoke tail was revealed to be Charlie. Seeing how dangerous the situation was, Mrs. Noah decided to send her granddaughter to the neighbors for the night and told the two hikers that a Posseael must have possessed Charlie. The following night, Mrs. Noah and the hikers set off to find the Posseael. After a successful capture, the group of adventurers brought Charlie back to camp while Mrs. Noah went home to fetch her granddaughter. The next morning, a black-clad man (later revealed to be Aar) arrives and takes the Posseael away under Mrs. Noah's permission.