Capim lay flat on the ground, itching and aching, wishing he could tear himself apart on the spot to rid himself of this hellish pain.
Then, he saw a scarlet wave of fire that spread over in a flash, and he heard a deafening explosion.
He imagined that this last moment would seem infinitely long and that it would allow him to recall all of the beautiful scenes when his wife and children were still by his side. He thought that he would feel relieved because he would no longer have to endure this inhuman torture, but at that moment, extreme fear and an intense desire to live surged from the bottom of his heart. And the so-called memories didn't even flash past his mind before he was overwhelmed by an excruciating pain before being plunged into deep darkness.
Boom!
The dining room windows were blasted apart, accompanied by countless brick fragments and rubble, as well as the burning tongues of fire that kept reaching outwards.
The guards patrolling this area were immediately knocked over. Those who were lucky enough to not get hit had their ears left ringing. Their bodies either swayed, staggered, or fell.
They saw that more than half of the dining room's outer wall had collapsed and that the flames seemed to be floating in midair.
The residents of the entire street and the police officers in charge of the surrounding area heard a loud boom at the same time, leaving them confused and frightened.
In the dining room, dressed in black armor and a black crown, Klein stood there, bathing in the red flames and enjoying the strong blasts of the waves without flinching.
A lot of the black gases around him had dispersed, and even his Spirit Body had suffered some damage, but it wasn't serious at all.
Beside a toppled table, Parker and Capim were blasted into a corner, their heads were cracking and their bodies charred.
The surface of their bodies was still quietly burning with flames, and the rest of the servants were in a similar state.
In the area opposite the fireplace, Katy, who had been unable to avoid the attack in time, was slammed into the wall and then fell to the ground. Her body was mangled and covered in blood, and there were a lot of charred marks on her skin. Not a single piece of her skin remained intact.
She wasn't dead yet, but she had fainted from her severe injuries. Even so, she still coughed while convulsing, inhaling large amounts of the lingering flames.
The black whip also suffered similar damage. Many cracks appeared on its surface, and a small portion of the whip was ignited. None of the Beyonder bullets that she possessed were spared from the explosion.
Katy was no longer capable of fighting.
Harras had rolled in time to protect his vitals, but there was still a lot of blood and charred flesh on him.
He staggered to his feet, revealing that his back, his hairband, and his legs were ablaze with red flames.
His breathing became more difficult, and his body suffered relatively severe injuries.
However, this was sufficient to prove the robustness and strength of his body. Or rather, having worn the black iron glove, his body became sufficiently robust, and his physique was sufficiently strong!
However, this was within Klein's expectations.
Since he was unable to assess how much damage his opponent could take, he had overestimated his enemy's constitution while coming up with a plan.
Out of the corner of his eye, Harras saw that Klein was almost perfectly fine. His pupils shrank as he hurriedly stretched out his left hand and pointed in that direction. He said in a low voice, "Exile!"
Again, Klein failed to resist and was pushed away like scrap paper in a hurricane. He flew out of the dining room. In the hall outside, after the momentary ignition, the fire had already weakened. Another wave of disaster was brewing due to the wooden staircase, but the damage here wasn't too severe because the main body of the explosion had been "confined" to the dining room.
Seizing this opportunity, Harras suddenly turned around and ran outside without looking back.
Even though the flames covering his body were still burning, he didn't waste any time to deal with them.
He knew that he was in a terrible condition and on the brink of losing control. Furthermore, the effects of the poison would soon reach its peak. Compounded by these two factors, he didn't think that he had any chance of defeating the intruder. It would be the same even if he had the help of the Sequence 7, Belize, at the entrance to the basement!
Harras believed that if this battle continued, the only thing that awaited him was having the poison act up or him losing control due to his injuries!
Once he decided to run, he didn't care about Katy, who was still alive, anymore.
When Klein, who had just stabilized his body under "Exile," saw this scene. He immediately raised his head, opened his mouth, and let out a shriek that no human could hear!
Hum!
Harras felt a wave of dizziness, and his feet paused for a moment. His skin, which was still in relatively good condition, was now covered in dense, translucent blisters. This was an early sign of him losing control.
However, he quickly recovered and continued his mad dash, escaping from the lawn of the villa.
He's really hard to kill... Klein didn't pursue him, in order to avoid an accident.
He remembered that his goal was to rescue the victims and not to wipe away these degenerate Beyonders.
More importantly, he had expended a lot of his energy and had suffered heavy injuries. If he were to give chase, he might not be able to stop Harras's berserk counterattack.
Pa!
Klein snapped his fingers and fired an Air Bullet.
The bullet struck Katy in the head, ending her pain.
Immediately following that, Klein turned around and flew towards the entrance to the basement.
Belize, who had a full beard, had been keeping an eye on the situation outside, but he didn't dare to leave his post out of fear that the intruder's accomplices would take the opportunity to break into the dungeon.
At this very moment, he held a high-pressure steam rifle and had his Spirit Vision activated. He had been frightened by the loud boom and became abnormally tense.
Immediately afterwards, he saw the dignified specter fly over, and without hesitation, he raised his rifle and pulled the trigger.
Bang!
White mist was ejected from the barrel, and a sharp-tipped pale-gold bullet was shot forward at an astonishing speed.
Klein was prepared and long had a hunch. He had drawn out a small curve before Belize fired.
The bullet tore through the hall, past the front door, and to the outside.
At the same time, Belize rushed out of the duty room, holding his high-pressure steam rifle and took on a threatening pose as he quickly moved towards the door.
He believed that the intruder, who could deal with Harras, Katy, and Parker, would be able to easily kill him as well. Besides, such a big commotion must've attracted a lot of attention. He couldn't be certain that the Mandated Punishers would come over to investigate. Therefore, his only choice was to flee!
Klein once again let out an invisible shriek, making Belize feel as if he had been smashed by a hammer. He saw stars as a few drops of blood dripped from the tip of his nose.
But this didn't stop Belize from running. After shooting at Klein to stop him, he was already running into the hall, tumbling towards the door.
Klein hesitated for a moment, then he gave up on chasing and fighting. He turned off the main valve, went to the entrance of the basement, and snapped his fingers repeatedly.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Air Bullets shot at the invisible walls, gradually disintegrating the Confinement.
This was also one of the reasons why Klein dared to cause a gas explosion and use the Biological Poison Bottle. With the effects of Harras's Confinement in the underground dungeon, as long as it wasn't a frontal assault, he didn't have to worry about accidentally harming those pitiful girls.
He destroyed the locks and flew into the dungeon, first finding the cell where Daisy had been held based on the revelation from his prior divination scenes. He then confirmed that she wasn't hurt too badly and was still able to move.
Then, his body turned illusory and melted into the metal door.
Creak! Creak! Creak!
The iron doors on one side opened quickly, one after another, as though an invisible specter was running to unlock them.
Creak! Creak! Creak!
After one side was done, he did it for the other side.
Daisy and the other girls were frightened by the explosion outside. After a while, she was surprised to find that the door to her cell was open for some baffling reason. Yet, no one entered. It felt like she could leave at any time.
Some of the girls, who hadn't been disciplined at all since they were recently kidnapped, mustered their courage, got up, and attempted to run to the exit of the basement.
They passed through the hall which was slightly damaged by the explosion, and they left the burning villa's worsening condition, running faster and faster in the direction of freedom.
When they reached the street, Daisy and the other girls thought to look back.
Looking back, they could just barely make out an imposing figure standing upright on top of the evil building. It was clad in full black armor, and it wore a black crown.
Whoosh!
The cape behind the figure began to flutter silently.
As they remembered the scene, they sought a nearby cathedral with their mistrust towards the police.
When Klein returned to the smoky and burning dining room, he found that Parker's and Katy's Beyonder characteristics had just begun to show signs of appearing.
He checked the items they were carrying and confirmed that most of them had been destroyed. Even their money was charred to a crisp.
Klein jumped up to the second and third floor, quickly checking for any relevant clues.
He didn't attempt to use mediumship, because he was short on time. And bringing them above the gray fog didn't meet the requirements of his "curtain call."
If even a minor leader was made to maintain "secrecy," then these important figures would definitely have their own "restrictions." They aren't good candidates for performing mediumship as I please. Furthermore, the previous series of required actions is too troublesome, complicated, and inappropriate for the current situation that I'm in... Klein ended his investigation with nothing to show for, but he picked up a deck of tarot cards.
Returning to the destroyed, charred dining room, he took out all the Major Arcana cards from the tarot card deck and walked over to Capim's corpse.
Then, he specially took two of them and scattered the rest over Capim's body.
When this was done, he covered Capim's eyes with the two tarot cards he had specially drawn. They were face up with their main side.
By this time, Parker's and Katy's Beyonder characteristics had appeared.
...
Tens of seconds later, an illusory door covered with complicated symbols appeared in midair outside the villa.
The door opened without a sound, and from it, a handsome man in a crisp suit walked out. He looked to be in his forties—mature and elegant.
He had a pair of golden eyes, and with just one sweep of his face, he locked onto the dining room in the midst of the fire.
At this moment, a strong gust of wind blew past, and a figure flew over at high speeds. @@novelbin@@
It was an old man wearing a soft hat. His silver eyes had an abnormal seriousness to them. He was wearing a black robe with the symbol of the Lord of Storms embroidered on it. It was none other than the Cardinal of the Church of the Lord of Storms, the Archbishop of Backlund, Spellsinger of God, Ace Snake.
"Why are you here?" Ace asked in a deep voice.
Any Beyonder-related matters in Cherwood Borough came under the jurisdiction of the Holy Wind Cathedral, so he was entitled to ask.
The handsome man's expression turned slightly nasty as he replied, "I live nearby."
They were close to the West Borough.
The two of them didn't speak any further. They landed on the ground at the same time and entered the explosion site. A violent hurricane churned and swept away the flames, sending them to the artificial fountain outside.
The wind seemed to have a life and intelligence of its own.
The two demigod figures then saw Katy, whose head was shot and her flesh charred black, and Parker, who was entangled with someone else while his head had caved in and cracked. They also saw Capim, who was covered in tarot cards, as well as the two Major Arcana cards on the face of the human trafficker.
These were the "Judgment" card which depicted an Angel blowing a great trumpet, and "The Emperor" card which was decked out in armor and was crowned!
Almost at the same time, Cardinal Snake and the handsome man sensed something and turned their heads to look outside.
They discovered a majestic figure in black armor and a black crown located at the top of the house by the side of the villa.
The figure nodded slightly, and his cape was lifted.
Then, without any warning, he disappeared, right under the noses of the two High-Sequence Beyonders.
-x-X-x-
With a crackle, branched lightning lit up the early-winter night with a silvery-white flash.
It didn't smite the ground, but instead, it tore through the air, illuminating the spot where Klein stood, as if it was daytime, making him stand out.
Spellsinger of God, Ace Snake, retracted his gaze, his face was gloomy as he whispered, "Rose School of Thought?
"It's not a wraith, nor is it an undead creature..."
The mature middle-aged man with a pair of golden eyes turned his head to the side to look at Capim's corpse and said, "Covering the target's corpse with tarot cards...
"This is the second time something like this has happened in the past two months."
"When was the first instance?" Cardinal Snake asked in a deep voice.
The mature middle-aged man in the well-ironed formal suit coughed lightly and said, "The time when the True Creator attempted to descend into this world with the help of a swindler."
"Then it's not the Rose School of Thought." Cardinal Snake made a definite judgment.
Although those organizations that worshiped evil gods weren't fond of anyone, they wouldn't deliberately foil the plans of their counterparts; instead, they wished to see their counterparts succeed, waiting for them to make a mess of the situation.
"I think so too. Perhaps it's the appearance of a new secret organization. Their characteristic feature is to scatter tarot cards all over the target's body." The middle-aged man smiled. "And the different appearance of the tarot cards imply different meanings... This corpse has two cards over his face. One is 'Judgment,' and the other is 'The Emperor."Judgment' is the motive and goal, while 'The Emperor' is the organization's code name? Of course, this might also be a type of ritual."
Cardinal Snake didn't respond as he surveyed the area.
"Let's see what exactly happened here."
It was only at this point in time that the first batch of Mandated Punishers arrived at Capim's villa.
...
Above the gray fog, having only used Paper Figurine Substitutes thrice and not being pushed to his limits, Klein was about to use divination to confirm Daisy's safety afterward.
"Daisy will successfully return home." Holding the spirit pendulum in his left hand, he closed his eyes and silently chanted the sentence.
After repeating it seven times, Klein opened his eyes and saw the topaz pendant turning counterclockwise, but it moved with a very slow frequency and a tiny amplitude.
This means that Daisy's journey home will be quite a bumpy one but almost negligible... After interpreting the revelation, Klein was relieved of his final concerns.
He then looked at the two items in front of him, both of which were radiating with a strong spiritual luster.
One of them was a light blue, translucent hexagonal pillar. There were traces of light flashing through it, as though it was lightning that came from the depths of one's consciousness. This was the Beyonder characteristic left behind by Ma'am Katy.
The other belonged to Parker, who hadn't been able to play a role in the battle. His Beyonder characteristic had condensed into a ball, like a child's fist.
This "fist" was made up of three colors—iron-black and dark red colors intertwined with a large swath of silver.
Klein didn't hesitate to conjure a pen and paper. He was ready to use these two Beyonder characteristics to divine the corresponding potion formulas.
Before he advanced to Sequence 7, because of the additional influences that had been left on the Beyonder characteristics he had, it was almost impossible to use divination to determine the formulas. Even if this mysterious space could help him eliminate the interference and increase his divination ability to a certain extent, it still wasn't enough.
Therefore, the only method Klein could use, in the past, was mediumship.
After he became a Magician, he was preliminarily able to determine it using the Beyonder characteristic for a divination above the gray fog; however, there was a high probability of him failing.
This time, without exception, Klein had shamelessly failed.
However, he also had some gains, and that was to be able to find out the corresponding Sequence names of the two Beyonder characteristics.
Parker is a Sequence 8 Sheriff and Katy is a Sequence 7 Interrogator... Aren't these from the Arbiter pathway? This pathway is controlled by the royal family, the military, and a small number of ancient aristocratic families in Loen. Any leaks of formulas and Beyonder ingredients are dealt with harshly... Could a number of the girls abducted by Capim be sent to the estate of some aristocrat?
But there's no need for them to send four Beyonders to help Capim just to enjoy themselves. It obviously doesn't make sense... Harras is much more powerful than Katy, so perhaps he's a Sequence 6 of this pathway. After wearing that glove, he might even be as strong as a Sequence 5... Could it be that they're involved in some bloody heretic sacrifice, and the target they seek cannot be exposed?
Apart from those on the inside of the Kingdom, Feynapotter's Castiya family also possesses this Beyonder pathway, which is then transmitted to their army and intelligence system... Could this be another espionage case of some unknown nature?
Klein tried to divine a few of his conjectures, but he failed again.
He temporarily put this matter to the back of his mind and lightly tapped the edge of the long bronze table as he muttered to himself, As long as I have the formula, with the corresponding supplementary ingredients, these two Beyonder characteristics will be able to turn a person into a Sequence 8 Sheriff and Sequence 7 Interrogator... Miss Magician's friend who's called Xio seems to be lacking the Beyonder ingredients for Sheriff...
I can sell Parker's Beyonder characteristic to Miss Magician through The World so that I can quickly amass the money needed for the ingredients of the Faceless Sequence potion... However, always doing it through The World doesn't seem rather appropriate. I deliberately left the tarot cards this time. If Miss Justice were to hear of this matter, then she would definitely believe that it was done by my adorer... I'll let Mr. Fool do the selling on his behalf...
Klein quickly finalized a plan and made the Sheriff and Interrogator Beyonder characteristics fly to the corner and hid it among the junk pile.
I wonder what the names are for the Arbiter pathway's Sequence 6 and 5... It seems like something that uses order and laws... Judge? Klein put away those thoughts and closed his eyes midway to carefully observe his current state.
Once again, he felt his spirituality become lively as the potion stirred. He felt that his digestion of the potion had sped up.
This time, he had confidence, based on his intuition, that he had concluded most of the "Magician rules." The remaining minutiae were good to have, but it didn't really matter if he lacked them. It didn't significantly affect his digestion process.
Conjuring a fountain pen and goatskin, Klein enhanced his memory by writing:
"The Magician's Rules:
"1. Never perform unprepared.
"2. Challenge the impossible, even if the final outcome is nothing but an illusion."
Klein believed that these were the two core tenets of the "Magician's Rules." Grasping them would be key, and the rest were supplementary for perfection.
"3. Take the initiative to perform.
"4. Try to get applause from the audience.
"5. Wield control of the target's attention."
...
Putting down the dark red fountain pen, Klein skimmed through it and judged them by himself.
Daily "acting," together with three or four proactive "acting" instances would be enough to allow me to digest the Magician potion before new year's. If I were to challenge an impossible performance during this period, then my progress would be even faster... This is roughly at the speed I wish to achieve.
There were still about two months till 1 January 1350.
After doing all this, Klein rubbed his temples, prepared to return to the real world.
After putting away the Dark Emperor card, the Biological Poison Bottle, and other items, he suddenly laughed and said self-deprecatingly, "Challenge the impossible... Isn't that equivalent to courting death?"
As his voice echoed, Klein's figure disappeared from the space above the gray fog.
In the cheap hotel in the Backlund Bridge area, he suddenly opened his eyes and saw the candlelight of his summoning ritual.
After quickly clearing up everything, Klein put on a thick worker's jacket he'd bought for 4 soli and went to the window.
He picked up the sweet iced tea that he had bought earlier and looked at his blurry figure which was reflected in the window. There was a heartfelt smile on his face as he whispered, "Cheers."
Just as he finished his sentence, he touched the glass with his cup, then lifted his chin and downed it in one gulp.
Then, he sauntered out of the hotel. The nearby gas lamps were already fully lit up, and pedestrians and carts were bustling about, oblivious to the explosion at the border between the Cherwood Borough and West Borough.
Klein strolled around the Bravehearts Bar for a while, and at 7:58, he knocked on the door of the Beyonder gathering organized by Eye of Wisdom.
He wore an iron mask and a hooded robe, acting completely ordinary.
...
Meanwhile, Xio, who went to various places every night to check on her contacts, saw a sign that had never appeared before.
It belonged to the golden-masked man who had sold the Sheriff's formula to her at the gathering organized by Mr. A. @@novelbin@@
It was the sign of an emergency meeting!
He hasn't come looking for me all this time, and I've been pretending that it had never happened. Why would he suddenly... Xio thought for a moment before deciding to take a look.
The golden-masked man had promised to give her some missions, allowing her to save enough money and exchange it for the corresponding Beyonder ingredients.
Therefore, Xio switched areas and marked the time and place of the meeting.
Half an hour later, Xio walked out of her hiding place after secretly observing a remote alley that also extended in all directions. She walked towards the golden-masked man.
The man was still wearing his black tuxedo. His light brown eyes swept over Xio's head.
"There's a mission for you."
"Difficulty and compensation?" Xio asked like clockwork.
The man nudged his mask which was forged from gold.
"It's not dangerous, but it can be very dangerous. It all depends on what you do.
"The initial compensation is thirty pounds. If you can acquire useful information, I can even directly give you a Beyonder ingredient corresponding to Sheriff."
"What's the mission," Xio said with a frown.
The golden-masked man's gaze turned heavy as he said, "Through the channels available to you, figure out who has been recently been keeping tabs on Capim."
"Capim? That human trafficker?" Xio returned with a question.
The man nodded.
"Yes."
"I reject this mission. I hate him!" Xio immediately refused.
The man opposite her chuckled.
"You aren't working for Capim.
"Because he's dead."
"Dead?" Xio was instantly stunned.
"He died at home, and his body was covered with tarot cards. There were two cards on his face, one 'Judgment,' and the other 'The Emperor.' By the way, pay attention to matters in the past few years which have involved tarot cards but were not reported to the police," the man added.
-x-X-x-
Cherwood Borough, in the house Xio and Fors rented.
Fors was just finishing the beginning of her new book and, in her good mood, prepared to reward herself with a cigarette, when Xio pushed open the door and entered the study.
"Smoking is harmful to your health." Xio sniffed.
Fors didn't argue with her when she saw her puzzled look. Instead, she asked, "Looks like something happened to you?"
Xio scratched her rough blonde hair and sat down on a nearby chair.
"That person from before contacted me—the person who sold the Sheriff formula to me through another person at Mr. A's gathering.
"He gave me a relatively simple mission. The initial reward is thirty pounds. I don't even know if there are any hidden dangers..."
Fors thought for a moment and then said, "That person... There should be an organization behind him, but why would they want to rope you in? Aren't they afraid of being implicated by your intelligence; thus, causing the entire organization to be completely destroyed? There's nothing they really need from you either. Your looks are barely passable, but you're too short, so perhaps your life is relatively more valuable... Eh, what mission is it?"
Xio was used to her good friend's snide remarks as she ignored what she said in the beginning. She directly answered the second question, "Investigate if there has been anyone keeping tabs on Capim recently."
"Capim? The human trafficker who deserves to be hanged—no, burned to death?" Although Fors wasn't a bounty hunter, it was her writer's instinct to gather material, so she often asked Xio to tell her stories and news she had learned.
Xio nodded. "It's him, but he's already dead. He seems to have died rather miserably."
"How did he die? Was he sliced to death by a knife, bit by bit?" Fors asked, pleased and curious.
"That person didn't go into a detailed description. Perhaps it'll be mentioned in the papers tomorrow." Xio thought for two seconds before continuing, "He only mentioned a rather special situation at the scene of the death. He said that Capim's corpse was covered in tarot cards. His face was covered with the 'Judgment' and 'The Emperor' cards.
"The 'Judgment' card probably meant that it was a judgment on Capim, and the verdict was death. But what does 'The Emperor card' represent? That murderer, no—that hero's identity?" As a best-selling author, Fors instinctively began interpreting the unique layout of the scene of the crime.
Suddenly, she froze.
Tarot cards? The corpse was strewn with tarot cards? Fors suddenly thought of the secret organization she had just joined—Tarot Club!
It couldn't be one of us, could it? However, none of the members has the code name of The Emperor... If it's really the case, then this is the first time I've found traces of the Tarot Club in the real world... We're not just a secret organization that only exists above the gray fog. As Fors's emotions churned, she felt pleasantly surprised and also worried.
...
Under an attendant's lead, Klein entered the familiar activity room.
There was only one candle in the room. The dim yellow light made the surroundings look like a scene from a ghost story. Coupled with the black robes and the iron masks worn by the mysterious people, the atmosphere turned even more intense.
The moment he stepped in, Klein suddenly had a baffling sensation.
He felt the flickering candle flame staring at him.
He felt that the flame would burst and ignite his hair and robe.
He felt that the curtain behind the oriel window would suddenly flare up, enveloping his body, and covering his nose and mouth, forcefully choking him to death.
What's happening? Klein was stunned as he turned extremely tense.
It wasn't a premonition for danger, but a feeling that was hard to avoid.
Klein carefully found a seat and sat down.
The moment his buttocks touched the surface of the chair, he felt as if the chair would explode and thick wooden thorns would end up piercing through his body.
This reminded him of the videos he had seen back on Earth—due to the explosion of a low-quality gas cylinder under a swivel chair, the steel pole, and the debris had stabbed into the seated owner's buttocks, drilling into his abdomen. The whole scene was filled with badly mutilated blood and flesh, a ghastly sight.
Why am I always making such bad associations? Is it because of the damage done to my Spirit Body from the battle earlier? Klein looked around thoughtfully and saw that the fat Apothecary had still not attended.
What happened? Or has he already left Backlund? Klein murmured something to himself and heard Eye of Wisdom announce the beginning of the gathering.
In the course of the next few hours, Klein felt as if the chandelier on the ceiling was going to fall sideways and smash into his head. He thought that the coffee table in front of Eye of Wisdom would suddenly move sideways and stumble him over, and he suspected that the members of the gathering around him were full of malice and might cause him trouble at any moment.
It made him fidgety, alert, and puzzled, and he was too distracted to pay attention to deals that either ended in success or failure.
If one is to say that a premonition for danger is like an occasional vibration, reminding one that there's news entering the room or an incoming phone call, then the feeling I have at this moment is akin to an electric drill boring constantly, causing me to be unable to relax or pay attention to anything else... Klein tried to rub his forehead, but it only touched the cold iron mask.
At this moment, he felt as if his iron mask would suddenly cave in and stick close to his face, embedding itself into his brain.
Is it really because my Spirit Body was damaged so it's making me hallucinate?Klein frowned.
He originally wanted to make a request to buy the Thousand-faced Hunter's blood and mutated pituitary gland at this meeting, but in such a situation, he could only give up out of caution.
Although the level of Eye of Wisdom's gathering wasn't high, and there was a high probability that it wouldn't involve a high-level monster like the Thousand-faced Hunter, Klein believed that a lot of the members here also attended other gatherings and might be able to come into contact with the relevant information and clues.
Amidst his anxiety, Klein attended the gathering as a bystander.
Just after taking off his robe, removing his mask, and leaving the room, the feeling that everything in the room was going to harm him had instantly disappeared, disappearing in the oddest manner!
This... Klein's pupils shrank, confirming that his previous experiences didn't originate from the damage to his Spirit Body; otherwise, he wouldn't have experienced two completely different states, inside and outside.
He suspected that there was a person or creature in the activity room of the gathering, one that was invisible, imperceptible, and extremely terrifying. That entity had stimulated his spiritual perception as a Seer and his sense of danger as a Clown, but because of the entity's suppression or some other special reason, this stimulus appeared in the form of a rich association that failed to make him realize it.
Who could it be? This is too scary. Just the existence itself made me have a reaction similar to the symptoms of losing control... Without making a sound, Klein left Eye of Wisdom's house and headed toward the nearest street.
All of a sudden, he had a guess.
The Bravehearts Bar is nearby, and it's also the monitoring area of Wraith Steve, who was killed by Miss Sharron, Maric, and I...
Their deaths would definitely make the Rose School of Thought's High-Sequence Beyonder angry, and he would cast his sights over here, towards the Beyonders living near the Bravehearts Bar...
Was that him?
Fortunately, I used the Biological Poison Bottle and the Sun Brooch tonight, and to prevent myself from being divined, I left them above the gray fog... Otherwise, the result would be unimaginable... The Magician who just completed an impossible performance would be killed directly here...
The Beyonder world is truly dangerous...
...
Inside the Holy Wind Cathedral, Cardinal Ace Snake looked at the captain of the Mandated Punisher team and asked emotionlessly, "Who is Capim?
"Why is there an underground dungeon in his villa?"
The captain of the Mandated Punisher team replied immediately, "He's a tycoon, one who was rumored to be related to many cases of missing girls. He's suspected of being a human trafficker, and that he is secretly engaged in the slave trade.
"That underground dungeon proves the rumors."
"Why did a human trafficker receive the protection of so many Beyonders? And their Sequences aren't low either," Cardinal Snake pressed.
"Your Grace, this requires an investigation. We tried using Beyonder means to find clues, but all of them failed," the captain of the Mandated Punisher team replied, somewhat trembling in fear.
"I've tried it too," Cardinal Snake didn't blame him.
This member of the Church of the Lord of Storms's upper echelon paused for a moment before continuing, "Continue to investigate this matter. Also, find that Sequence 6 or 5 specter."
After his subordinate had left, Cardinal Snake picked up his fountain pen and wrote down in his notebook a number of subjects to pay close attention to: "Capim, human trafficking, tarot card ritual, strange specter without a high Sequence, concealed plot."
...
In Empress Borough, the opulent villa of Count Hall.
Audrey was waiting for the maid to cut up the food, when she heard her father, Count Hall, who was used to reading the newspapers at breakfast, laugh.
"Capim is dead."
"Who is he?" Audrey asked with her eyes wide open.
In fact, she wasn't the least bit curious about who Capim was. She was simply going along with her father, who obviously had the desire to share his thoughts.
This was both her specialty as a daughter and the innate nature of a Telepathist.
"He's a tycoon who secretly might be a human trafficker. He has rather good ties with some people. Heh..." Count Hall chuckled. "He was killed last night. There were obvious signs of him being judged at the scene of the crime, so the newspapers are calling the murderer a Hero Bandit. The Hero Bandit Dark Emperor. Oh, they named him after the code name of the rulers of the ancient Solomon Empire."
Hero Bandit? Hero Bandit Dark Emperor? Dark Emperor... Audrey immediately thought of the Card of Blasphemy belonging to Mr. Fool. This was the item of the highest level she had come into contact with so far.
She suddenly became interested in the Capim murder: "It sounds interesting. Although it's illegal, I still want to say that the Hero Bandit did beautifully. Oh, dad, how did it go?"
"The police and relevant departments of the Church didn't divulge any exact details. I haven't met them either, but this is what's said on the papers. The Hero Bandit was dressed in black armor and a black crown. He had a cape of the same color behind him. After he entered Capim's villa, not only did he steal all the valuables in the safe, but he even stole the lives of Capim and his evil henchmen, rescuing girls who were locked up in the underground dungeon. He scattered tarot cards on Capim's body, and the most prominent of all were the two cards that covered his face. One of them was 'Judgment' and the other was 'The Emperor.'" Count Hall held the newspaper as he described it with a smile.
Tarot cards..."Judgment" card and "The Emperor" card... Audrey's eyes suddenly lit up.
-x-X-x-
Audrey could almost be certain that it had been done by Mr. Fool's adorer when she heard the description of the familiar scene. @@novelbin@@
She suddenly felt a strong sense of immersion, participation, and pride.
That was a human trafficker whose hands were stained with blood and evil... The "Judgment" card is the retribution enacted against him in the name of justice. Was the verdict hanging, beheading, or burning at the stake? The Emperor should be a symbol of his identity... Was this the adorer who sneaked into the Royal Museum and stole the Dark Emperor card? Audrey let her imagination run wild for a moment.
She had intended to press for more information and finer details, but from the look on her father's face, the tone of his voice, and the color of his emotions, she could tell that he still didn't know what was going on. Therefore, she could only suppress her curiosity and planned on asking her good friend, Kance Leerhsen, from MI9.
Although directly asking Kance about it would suit my image in this aspect, that would still be rather abrupt. It would also conflict with my identity as a noble. Hmm... I'll get Annie to prepare a few invitations for an afternoon tea party, sending them separately to Glaint, Kance, Murray, Christine, Jane, and the others... Most of them are interested in mysticism, so they would feel interested in someone known as the Hero Bandit Dark Emperor. Under my guidance, they can help me ask a lot of questions that wouldn't be convenient for me to ask... It's decided... Audrey retracted her attention and nibbled at her breakfast.
She believed that Mr. Fool's adorers wouldn't have dealt with Capim purely for the sake of punishing evil since it wasn't in line with his identity and status. Of course, if Audrey was still the same Audrey who had just joined the Tarot Club a few months ago, then she definitely would've been willing to accept such an explanation; otherwise, she wouldn't have chosen the Justice card as her symbol.
After experiencing so many gatherings and so many matters, she felt that she had matured a lot and was no longer as innocent. She believed that there had to be more important and essential factors behind this matter, such as an evil god or secret organization which Capim was involved in.
I hope Kance can provide some useful information, Audrey thought with anticipation.
...
15 Minsk Street. Klein was eating white bread with jam and flipping through today's newspapers.
"What? A safe?" As he read, he almost choked on his own saliva.
It wasn't me... I didn't... Don't spout nonsense... In his mind, Klein immediately rejected the description of his theft of everything in the safe thrice.
The situation had been pressing, and in order to gain clues, all he did was burrow into the safe to see if there were any important documents or evidence despite having found the safe. He didn't take anything, and he quickly left the safe and went to another room.
Of course, Klein, in his Spirit Body state, had also suffered some damage from the gas explosion, and the total weight of the items he could carry had been greatly reduced. There were only gold bars, jewelry, land deeds, house deeds, antiques, and other items in the safe, which were either not convenient for him to take, or there was no way he could launder them.
Perhaps he has a place reserved especially for cash, but unfortunately, I didn't find it, nor did I have the time to look for it... Klein muttered silently to himself, confirming that it was the subsequent investigators who had divided up all the contents in the safe.
He looked at the newspaper, took a sip of Sibe black tea, and slowly exhaled. He smiled inwardly.
Hero Bandit Dark Emperor... I like that name...
After breakfast, Klein put on his thick double-breasted frock coat and half top hat, and he held a solid black cane. Opening the door, he left Minsk Street for Broken Axe Lane on the boundary of the East Borough.
That was where Daisy had disappeared.
After finalizing his plans yesterday, and before he committed to his operation, he had deliberately made a trip to Broken Axe Lane to seriously look for clues. He knocked on the doors of the nearby houses and asked if they had seen any girls like Daisy.
Although Klein didn't believe that the official Beyonders would think that a poor family would be able to afford a "Hero Bandit" who had at least the strength of a Sequence 6, and he believed that there was a higher probability that the investigation would be directed towards the secrets Capim was involved in, supplemented by "who had been keeping tabs on Capim recently," and other peripheral investigations, he still cautiously decided to put on a show and try his best to play out the entire act. What if one of the Beyonder enforcers lost their mind and planned to make a preliminary investigation in this aspect?
Some families might have some savings and would be able to hire other detectives. The chances of being suspected as a kindhearted person like me who just took on the case yesterday are extremely low. As long as I'm not suspected, they wouldn't compare my performance from the previous Lanevus case... Besides, the Nighthawks were the ones who took action previously and were assisted by the military's special department. Capim's case happened in Cherwood Borough, so the ones taking on the case would likely be the Mandated Punishers. The communication between the two groups wouldn't be that smooth... Hmm, Katy and Parker belong to the Arbiter pathway. I wonder if the military will intervene... As a former Nighthawk, Klein had a sufficient understanding of the modus operandi of the various official organizations, their work styles, and their investigation habits.
Simply put, I have excellent anti-detective abilities... Klein gave a self-deprecating laugh as he boarded a carriage.
He was going to continue his investigation into Daisy's disappearance.
After all, he was an ordinary private detective who hadn't been able to confirm that Daisy's disappearance had anything to do with Capim.
...
At nine o'clock in the morning, Daisy returned to the shabby rented apartment under the escort of the police officer in charge of the neighborhood.
Along with a few pitiful girls like her, she had been settled into the various cathedrals in Cherwood Borough last night and had been questioned accordingly. It included what they saw when they escaped, what they saw when they looked back, where they lived, what their family situation was, if they knew any friends who were out of the ordinary, and so on and so forth.
Daisy, who was still in a state of panic and lingering fear, answered the questions truthfully.
After that, no one came to her again.
She slept through the night and was sent back to East Borough early in the morning, where she was handed over to the fierce police officer she always saw.
Along the way, Daisy didn't dare to say anything. She trembled in fear, and only when she entered the apartment where she lived did she feel a little more at ease.
As soon as she stepped through the door, and before she could find her mother and sister through the hanging wet clothes, she heard a scream.
"Daisy!"
Freja stopped whatever she was doing and, like a nimble fawn, darted through the clothes hanging in the air and the random things on the ground. She ran to the door and hugged her sister tightly.
Then she let go of her hand, and with tears streaming down her cheeks, she sized Daisy up with pleasant surprise and in concern.
"Are you alright?
"It's so wonderful that you're finally back!"
Liv also stood up from behind the washbasin. She wiped her hands on her clothes and asked, rubbing her eyes, "Daisy, where have you been these past few days?"
At that moment, the police officer interrupted, "She was kidnapped. We rescued her."
"Thank you, thank you! You guys are t-too great!" Liv shed tears and randomly used an adjective.
The policeman coughed lightly and said, "That's our duty... Have you met anyone strange in the past few days?"
Liv was stunned for a second. Hoping to not be involved in too many matters or get into any trouble, she said, "No, I really haven't."
The policeman waved his hand and said, "Be more careful in the future! Don't take deserted shortcuts again!"
He couldn't stand the humidity and the motley of smells so he turned and left.
Liv looked at her daughter again. She took wide strides over to her side and wiped her hands on the side of her clothes before hugging Daisy.
"It's good that you're back. It's good that you're back..." she murmured through her tears, not asking if Daisy had been hurt.
Daisy relaxed and sobbed.
Beside her, Freja was also crying. She stretched out her arms and hugged her mother and sister respectively.
The three of them cried for a while before letting go.
Liv wiped her eyes again and said, "Wash the clothes first; there are still a lot of them."
Daisy, who had just been rescued, nodded and quickly threw herself into her busy work.
It wasn't until noon, while they were nibbling on their black bread and drinking plain water that could hardly even be considered tea, that Liv finally had time to ask, "Daisy, were you hurt?"
Daisy shook her head.
"They just hit me a few times."
"That's great! The police rescued you? A kind detective was willing to help search for you for free yesterday, and you ended up returning today. Ah, he still has your vocabulary book," Freja mentioned in passing.
Already prepared, Liv mentioned, "I'll get Old Kohler to get it back and tell the detective you're home so that he won't have to busy himself over this matter. Regardless, we have to thank him again."
Daisy felt relieved as she replied to her sister's question, "No, it wasn't the police. There was a sudden explosion, and the doors that kept us locked up were strangely opened, and we just ran out. However, I did see a gentleman or a lady on the roof.
"He wore black armor, a crown-like helmet, and a cape. He just stood there watching us quietly. None of those bad guys came to stop us or chase us down."
As a tutor at the free school, Daisy clearly had a richer set of vocabulary than her mother, Liv.
"A person dressed like that saved you?" Liv answered in shock. By the side, Freja curiously waited for the answer.
Daisy nodded seriously and said, "Yes, he's l-like what the bard sing of...
"A hero!"
Hero... Freja ruminated over the word, her eyes as bright as the stars.
...
In a certain secret chamber, a group of people were carefully comparing the Lanevus case with the Capim case using the information they were given as they searched for similarities between the motives and modus operandi.
"The two things cannot be linked together at all. The only thing that they have in common is evil, or rather, evil was defeated. The owner of the tarot card has upheld justice," someone exclaimed.
"It can be confirmed that the two cases didn't involve the same person. The difference in strength is obvious, and what they're good at is even more contrasting. Although it's possible that their Sequence had been elevated, Capim's murderer was a kind of specter, or someone that can switch into the Sequence state. That's not something common." Another person's analysis was endorsed by the majority.
Therefore, the person who called the meeting concluded, "Two cases, two different people, but they both threw out tarot cards. Perhaps the latter was committing a copycat crime, and if that's the case, we can target the people who are aware of the Lanevus case. The other possibility is that there is an organization!
"An organization symbolized by tarot cards!"
-x-X-x-
In Empress Borough, the opulent villa of Count Hall.
The aroma of Feynapotter's top-quality Mount Saint Dersee coffee blended with the splendid fragrance of the Queen's black tea to create an intoxicating symphony of smells. They lingered around the elegant three-tiered high tea tray, that served delicious and delicate desserts.
This was the high tea party organized by Audrey.
She had invited her friends of blue-blood parentage, all who were fellow enthusiasts in mysticism. They sat around her, talking and laughing.
Under Audrey's imperceptible guidance, Jane, Murray, and the others became extremely interested in the Dark Emperor, the Hero Bandit who had appeared last night. All of them cast their eyes towards the noble-born Kance Leerhsen who had joined MI9.
"What Beyonder powers does that Dark Emperor have?" the sweet-looking Christine asked curiously.
Among the few of them, the lowest rank among their fathers was that of a viscount. It allowed them to have sufficient status and channels to understand the existence of Beyonder powers and potions in their endearing pursuit of mysticism. But just like Audrey before, they were all unwilling to join the Nighthawks, the Mandated Punishers, the Machinery Hivemind, and MI9.
Other than that, the families that they belonged to didn't have histories that traced back to a thousand years ago, and even the ancient aristocrats that had just been established in the Fourth Epoch of the Loen Kingdom weren't completely loyal to the royal family or to the upper echelons of the military. They weren't bestowed with any formulas, and even if they had Beyonder ingredients, it was unlikely that they could recognize them. They wouldn't even know how to use them even if they did recognize them.
This limited the possibility of Murray, Christine, and the others in becoming Beyonders. They could only look forward to it, but it was difficult for them to take that crucial step.
As for whether or not their elders had collected the potion formulas and nurtured Beyonders for their families, that was beyond their purview. After all, this wasn't allowed; if the King were to find out, they could use this as a reason to strip them of their noble titles.
Of course, there were already two traitors in the living room: Audrey, who had advanced to Sequence 8 Telepathist; and Viscount Glaint, who had gathered one portion of Beyonder ingredients. It wouldn't be long before he became an Apothecary.
The tall, thin, young gentleman, Kance, took a sip of his coffee and said, "I won't give you a direct answer. I'll just tell you some facts.
"Other than traces of a gas explosion in the dining room where the battle happened, various means were used to detect poison, substitutes, Specter's Shriek, bullets condensed with holy powers, and other elements. By the way, that Dark Emperor, no—Hero Bandit was in a specter state."
It doesn't look like the person who had killed Rear Admiral Hurricane Qilangos, nor does it look like the person who had dealt with Lanevus in the sewers... Is the person involved in Capim's case Mr. Fool's third adorer who stole the Dark Emperor's card? There are at least three adorers in Backlund alone... How many adorers does "He" have in total? Audrey's heart skipped a beat as she deliberately asked, "Was there an intense Beyonder battle?"
Murray, under her lead, asked one step further, "There were Beyonders at Capim's place? Relatively powerful Beyonders? And there was more than one?"
"He's just a trafficker..." Viscount Glaint unconsciously expressed his doubt.
Audrey maintained her faint smile and curious gaze, patiently waiting for Kance's reply.
Kance laughed and said, "Murray's guess is correct. I can only say this much.
"Do you want me to be locked up by Captain?"
Capim's place had more than one relatively powerful Beyonder...
Indeed, he's not an ordinary human trafficker. He might be involved in many matters regarding mysticism...
Human trafficker... Could he be involved in some cult's sacrificial rite? Mr. Fool's adorer attacked because of this?
It was roughly the same with Lanevus. It involved a cult and sacrifices, as well as the descent of the True Creator... I wonder which cult and evil god is behind Capim...
Mr. Fool's goal seems to have always been targeting these evil gods... Is it really strife between the gods? Who knows how many grand schemes of those evil gods "He" has foiled... Audrey made many connections as her heart surged with emotions.
Our Tarot Club's enemies are the evil gods!
The rest aren't qualified!
Does Mr. Fool wish to get the title of "The Nemesis of Evil Gods?" Audrey pursed her lips and chuckled softly in her heart.
Then, she suppressed her emotions and secretly made a confession.
Audrey, how can you do this? How can you use Mr. Fool as a joke...
...
At noon, when Klein returned to Minsk Street, he found, as he had expected, a letter from Old Kohler who had paid a carriage driver to deliver to his mailbox.
This was their agreed upon contact method during an emergency.
Of course, according to Klein's prediction, Old Kohler, who didn't know many words, could only use simple symbols to tell him where and when they would meet. To his surprise, it was actually written in neat writing when he opened the letter.
With a quick glance, Klein confirmed that it was identical to the handwriting in Daisy's vocabulary book.
Looks like this girl was the one who helped Old Kohler write it... This piece of paper doesn't seem to be exposed to moisture. Perhaps Old Kohler had bought some in the event he needs to contact me urgently... Klein opened the door to the living room and read the letter.
Only taking off his hat and cane, he leaned his cane against the wall. He didn't take off his coat because the fireplace in the room wasn't lit yet, and the early November cold was silently seeping into his bones.
The letter was simple; after all, Daisy didn't know many words either.
She thanked the detective for his kindness and good intentions before telling him that she safely returned home, and she finally said, in a tactful way, that she hoped he would bring her vocabulary book with him the next time he came to East Borough.
What a polite girl... Klein chuckled. He snapped his fingers and burned the letter, leaving no clues behind.
He decided to return to East Borough the next day and return the book to Daisy, as well as reimburse Old Kohler for the cost of the letter delivery letters, paper, and fountain pens.
With this in mind, he couldn't help but sigh and chortle.
"Captain, now it's my turn to approve the expense claims of others..."
Without wasting any time, he went out again and went straight to the Quelaag Club, where Dr. Aaron was seen more often during Friday afternoons. Klein wanted to ask about Will Auceptin, the child who had played with tarot cards.
After entering the Quelaag Club in Hillston Borough, Klein said to the red-vested attendant, "A cup of marquis black tea and a serving of dessert. Send it to the corner seat of the main hall. Dr. Aaron, Reporter Mike, and the others are sitting there."
Klein had already spotted the relatively cold and famous surgeon, Aaron Ceres, who was wearing gold-rimmed glasses, as well as Reporter Mike Joseph from the Daily Observer, who he had worked with twice and had a pair of charming blue eyes. He also saw the aristocratic equestrian teacher, Talim Dumont, whose frequency of appearing at the club was only second to his.
"Oh, our great detective is here, and we happened to be talking about you." Talim stood up with a smile.
"Speaking bad things behind my back?" Klein joked.
Mike stood up and shook his hand.
"No, I want to hire you again."
"What's the matter this time?" Klein bowed at Dr. Aaron and sat down at their table.
Mike chuckled and said, "I'm sure you've read the papers? Capim has been killed off by the Hero Bandit Dark Emperor, and his crimes have been exposed. What a joyous event!
"And as a reporter, I need to have an acumen for the news. I plan to get a list of names of the girls who were rescued in East Borough from the police department to interview them. Then, I'll paint Capim's most cruel, most evil, and most unforgivable side to the readers of the newspaper. Of course, the victims must remain anonymous."
He paused for a moment and suppressed his voice.
"I also have a hidden objective, or should I say, I wish to use the interview to know if these girls or their family know any relatively special friends. Who knows, that might be Hero Bandit Dark Emperor!"
You've found the right person... The corners of Klein's mouth almost twitched.
He smiled at Mike and said, "We've already worked together on East Borough's matters. We have sufficient familiarity and trust, so I have no reason to decline." @@novelbin@@
"I hope for a pleasant partnership." Mike stretched out his hand. "We'll start tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, and we'll be paid the same as last time for a total of ten pounds."
At that moment, Dr. Aaron, who had been listening by the side, said, "Sherlock, I want to hire you as well. This evening, or after dinner."
It looks like my business is improving recently... Klein asked, amused, "Will it conflict with Mike's request?"
"No." Aaron shook his head. "My luck recently has been pretty good. This makes me suspect that my bout of bad luck was because of that child's inverted Wheel of Fortune card and the words he said. I'm very troubled and puzzled in this regard. I swear to god that I was very nice to him, and I treated him with the best of intentions. Why would he treat me that way? I wish to visit him at his place and confirm that he didn't do it on purpose. However, I'm ultimately afraid that something similar would happen again or some accident might occur. Therefore, I wish to hire you to protect me. Just for tonight. It won't conflict with Mike's request. How about it?"
That's what I wanted to do! After challenging the impossible and doing good deeds, my moral standing has become pretty good... Am I really going to become the King of Yellow and Black who wields good luck? Klein was pleasantly surprised as he said with a reserved smile, "No problem, we can talk about the remuneration."
...
City of Silver.
Derrick Berg once again examined the translucent worm with twelve circles, the remains of Amon's avatar.
He had originally wanted to ask Mr. Fool what this was exactly, but considering how he had already troubled this godlike figure once, he couldn't bring himself to ask as he abandoned this plan. Now, he planned on showing it at the next Tarot Gathering and ask Mr. Hanged Man, Miss Justice, and the rest.
After hiding the worm, Derrick suddenly thought of something. It was about time for the team that had gone with Shepherd Elder Lovia, to explore the half-destroyed temple of the Fallen Creator, to return—it wasn't too far from the City of Silver, and it was in a direction that they hadn't set foot in before.
He decided to take a look. There were quite a few people he knew among the expedition team.
-x-X-x-
Looking at the dark sky being lit up by streaks of lightning, Derrick didn't knock on the doors of the few acquaintances he knew. Instead, he walked along the broadest road and walked all the way to the training field at the edge of the City of Silver.
After each exploration team returned, they were forced to stay here for a certain period of time. Not only would it be convenient for them to communicate and report on the things they encountered in the darkness, but they would also be quarantined in a tactful manner to guard against strange things that might latch onto any member's body and suddenly erupt after a certain amount of time.
This was the result of the City of Silver's two thousand years of experience. It wasn't that complicated, but it was quite useful.
As soon as he entered the training ground with the Axe of Hurricane stuffed behind his waist, Derrick Berg's eyes suddenly lit up. He saw the gorgeous Elder Lovia, who seemed to be in her thirties, as well as two familiar faces that were his age.
Due to the City of Silver's limited environment, its population was unable to grow any further. The number of people of a certain age group was an adequate number, and although Derrick wouldn't dare say he knew all of them, he had seen a majority of them before. He was classmates and partners with some of them during general education classes and on the practice grounds.
The person Derrick was most familiar with on this expedition team was Darc Regence, who had once been his patrol teammate.
The youngster named Darc was of medium height and was slightly chubby. He was strong, optimistic, and cheerful. His face often beamed with a friendly smile. Currently, he was a Sequence 8 Gladiator of the Giant pathway.
At this moment, the two parties were separated by a translucent wall that was as hard as steel, making it impossible for them to make any effective form of contact. They had to wait until the members of the exploration team were confirmed to have no problems before they could meet directly.
Derrick, who had become silent and withdrawn since the death of his parents, waved to Darc.
Noticing this, the Gladiator turned his head to the side and looked over.
"Darc, how was it? You didn't encounter any danger, did you? " Derrick shouted.
The material used to create the black wall in that area came from somewhere that wasn't far from the City of Silver and was called Dark Amber. It was hard as steel, but at the same time, it possessed a certain degree of transparency and had properties that made it good for transmitting sound. Derrick's speech went through unobstructed.
Derrick imagined that Darc would definitely smile brightly and wave his arms out of habit, saying, "Take a look, I'm not injured at all, so shouldn't it be obvious that we didn't meet with any danger. It was nothing!"
Hearing his voice, Darc walked a few steps closer to the wall and answered with a smile, "No, everything went smoothly."
Looking at his smile without any faults, Derrick suddenly felt a chill run through his body. It was just like he was camping in a ruined tower or a ruined city at night. Darkness was all around him as they accumulated into overwhelming horror.
...
Inside the Quelaag Club, Klein and Dr. Aaron agreed on the remuneration: two pounds!
I have to say that a doctor's money sure is easy to earn... If it were me in the past, such a request would have cost at most 10 soli... Klein, who already had the intention to take the mission, sighed in his heart.
He remembered that during his time with the Nighthawks, he had heard Corpse Collector Frye mention that famous doctors had very high incomes.
At the time, in a response that was unlike the poet, Leonard Mitchell, he said that as far as he knew, if a house was bought in a busy borough in Backlund for a storefront, the quickest option would be to turn it into a clinic.
They agreed to call on Will Auceptin's place after dinner. It wasn't three o'clock in the afternoon, so the equestrian teacher, Talim, gathered the three of them together at a table, and they began playing a game of Upgrade, the game which was invented by Emperor Roselle. @@novelbin@@
What I expected was to play tennis, practice shooting, flip through the books in the library, and live a healthy life... But why did it become like this... Klein spontaneously thought in between the card game.
Frankly, with his current accomplishments in "magic," he could've easily cleared out all the money Dr. Aaron, Reporter Mike, and Talim had on them.
But I'm an honest man, and I believe more in my skills and luck... As the red-vested attendant shuffled the cards, Klein picked up a cream cracker and took a savory bite.
He couldn't help but marvel from the bottom of his heart, This is life!
During the game, Klein noticed one thing—the equestrian teacher, Talim, was no longer in a daze or as upset as he was before.
Has the matter of his friend falling in love with someone he shouldn't have been resolved? Klein thought curiously as he sipped the marquis black tea.
As a detective, he knew that this wasn't something he should ask in front of others, so he restrained himself and concentrated on his card game.
By five o'clock, Mike Joseph had to go back to his company, so the game was suspended and Klein won five soli.
My luck has been quite good recently... While Klein sighed with relief, he saw Dr. Aaron leave the table for the washroom. He controlled his voice and said with a low laugh, "Talim, has your friend's problem been settled?"
Talim, who was throwing the cards in his hands onto the table, paused for a second before sighing with a smile.
"You could say so."
He added with a certain desire to continue, "Actually, it wasn't too serious. It was because I was thinking too much at the time.
"Simply put, it was an illustrious young gentleman who fell in love with a commoner. You should know that a man of such status has to marry a noble lady. Heh, to him, not even the daughter of a rich man can do."
So that's how it is... To think that I made up all sorts of contrived and bizarre stories, such as falling in love with a man, a monster, or a person that isn't permitted because of moral principles... Klein was disappointed and said with a laugh, "As far as I know, gentlemen of high society don't mind having a mistress."
"No, Sherlock, you don't understand. Love, do you get it? Love! That young gentleman only wants to marry that commoner woman," Talim exclaimed with a sigh.
No, I don't understand, I'm just a bachelor dog 1 . Klein opened his mouth, unable to respond.
Talim sighed to himself.
"For the sake of that young gentleman's future, I once thought of asking you to find people with some miraculous abilities to covertly, heh heh... Anyways, I'm a law-abiding citizen, so it was just an idea."
"How was the matter resolved afterward?" Klein asked with interest.
Talim picked up his highlander coffee and took a sip.
"The solution was much simpler than I thought. I went straight to the lady and told her of the dilemma. She sensibly expressed her willingness to leave the gentleman and asked for my help.
"I must say that she's truly a considerate, kind, refined, and beautiful girl. If it wasn't for the consideration of my identity, perhaps I would've knelt in front of her and kissed the back of her hand."
"Well, it seems like I couldn't have helped." Klein picked up the golden-rimmed white porcelain cup of black tea.
As a visitor from Earth, he was completely uninterested in the task of breaking up couples.
However, listening to gossip was another matter altogether.
...
After having dinner at the Quelaag Club and tasting the limited-supply of Sonia Lobsters, Klein and Dr. Aaron took the latter's carriage to Will Auceptin's house at 66 Dalton Street in North Borough.
This was the address that Dr. Aaron had long since memorized. He didn't return to the hospital to look up the appropriate medical records, and according to Klein's conjecture, any relevant information pertaining to Will Auceptin would likely have been taken away by the Nighthawks.
As a former Nighthawk, I know exactly how they do things...
Klein smiled bitterly and sighed.
Pulling the doorbell, the two waited for a while before they saw the door open. A maid in a black and white dress puzzledly asked, "Gentlemen, who are you looking for?"
Seeing that Aaron was still as cold as usual, Klein took the initiative to speak up.
"We're looking for Will Auceptin. This is his attending physician. He came back to check on his health."
"I-I don't know him. I've only been here for a few days... I'll get my master. Please wait a moment," the maid answered blankly.
While they were waiting, Aaron suddenly said, "I almost believed the reason you came up with just now."
"This is a basic quality of being a detective." Klein chuckled.
At that moment, an old gentleman in his fifties walked to the door and said with a deep voice, "Will Auceptin and his family have already moved away on..."
He gave a date.
Aaron did a slight count before frowning.
"Why would they go through the trouble to move two days after being discharged from the hospital after the operation?"
He acted like he was really on a follow-up visit.
Klein was slightly puzzled and asked, "Sir, how do you know the date so clearly?"
Typically speaking, subsequent tenants would only move in after a certain period of time.
That old gentleman snappily replied, "Someone came to ask before, and I even went to look for the landlord just for that."
The Nighthawks... Klein asked without much hope, "Do you know where Will Auceptin and his family moved to?"
"No," the old man said tersely.
"Did they leave anything behind?" Klein hesitated for a moment before continuing with his questions.
"Some stuff," the old man took a deep breath and continued, "but they were all taken away by the previous group of people!"
Meeting colleagues truly is a helpless matter... They can always think of the things you think of ahead of time... Klein couldn't help but sigh.
Seeing that there were no further clues, Klein and Aaron politely excused themselves and left 66 Dalton Street.
"It seems like you'll have to wait a long time before you can resolve your doubts." Klein turned to Dr. Aaron.
Aaron was silent for a few seconds, then he slowly let out a breath.
"After what happened just now, I'm not so troubled anymore. I'm just a doctor, and it's good enough to mind my own affairs. I should return to do a follow-up check-up and not question the situation, what other people think, or why they're not kind. That shouldn't be something I should be concerned with. In the future, I should just try to maintain the relationship between a doctor and a patient as much as possible."
"It's for the best that you can think this way." Klein agreed from the bottom of his heart, then he casually asked, "At the time, what was wrong with Will Auceptin's left leg?"
"His left calf grew a strange tumor that coincidentally formed a ring that pressed down heavily onto his blood vessels." Dr. Aaron recalled as he said, "But the kid didn't look too upset, just a little scared, and we wanted to preserve the leg at first, but it was getting worse."
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