Rita found the British Museum as planned and met the mature and intellectual curator, Ms. Catherine.
She was a beautiful woman who caught people's eyes. She was very knowledgeable when she talked about the museum and was very enthusiastic when she talked about the legend of King Arthur. It was obvious that she was a knowledgeable and capable curator.
With a rigorous mentality to obtain clues, Rita listened carefully to Catherine's various discussions on history and legends.
Unfortunately, when the other party talked about the profession, her thoughts were diffused and she talked a lot. She casually mentioned all kinds of obscure professional terms and unofficial history and poetry.
Although Rita was prepared, she was not a scholar after all. She felt her head buzzing when she heard it halfway, and she could no longer understand the detailed connotation of Catherine's words.
"Well, it's getting late. I learned a lot from you today. It's really beneficial. But Rita has other important things to do. Although it's a pity, I still have to say goodbye to you, Miss Catherine."
"Eh? Okay, then I'll see you off. There are some records about Celtic mythology. I can talk to you on the way..."
"No, no, no, I've bothered you enough today. I won't disturb you from work. I'll leave by myself. Goodbye."
Rita stood up and declined Catherine's enthusiasm with an elegant smile.
Don't nag, Ms. Curator. If you nag me again, I won't be able to do anything else today.
Catherine stared at Rita's back with a regretful and unsatisfied expression.
"Dingling~"
Until a crisp and pleasant copper bell sounded.
Catherine looked back and saw a kitten squatting gracefully on the table. A pair of beautiful deep red cat eyes were looking at her, as if admiring something. Its tail hooked a round communicator, which was gently placed on the table, and the jackal's lazy voice came out:
"Well done, you are very eloquent, Catherine."
"Thank you for the compliment, it is all my job, Lord Jackal. What should I do next?"
"The next step is to put down the bait, Stan, it's your turn."
"Meow~~"
Catherine saw the beautiful gray cat jump off the table, walking towards the direction where Rita left with a light cat step.
...
Museum exhibition area.
Rita walked in the Arthurian legend exhibition area with good protection measures and magnificent furnishings.
In this world, the legend of King Arthur is a completely documented real history. For example, in this exhibition area, there are ancient stone slabs dug out from the British Isles, depicting the scene of King Arthur's coronation.
"It's actually a task to dig up the truth of history. Should I say you think highly of me or make things difficult for me, Lord Otto?"
Rita observed the carvings on the stone slab and sighed helplessly.
But a task is a task. Even if it's a headache, she will continue to seek advice from Ms. Catherine and explore the clues of the Second Divine Key.
Rita rubbed her forehead, which was a little uncomfortable because of overthinking, turned around, and was about to leave the museum.
"Dingling~~"
At this time, a crisp bell sounded from behind.
Rita looked back and saw a gray cat slowly walking out of the shadow corner.
"Hmm?"
"Meow~~"
"Oh, little kitty, are you lost? Do you want me to take you to find your family?"
Rita's heart softened, she squatted down, and stretched out her hand to the kitten.
Judging from the clean and neat fur and the exquisite bell tied around its neck, this kitten should be domestic, and it is normal for it to get lost in the museum.
"Huh? Wait, I remember that pets are not allowed in this museum?"
Rita felt something was wrong.
Then, a sharp airflow was already blowing in her face.
"Swoosh!"
"Boom!!!"
Rita made a nimble cat jump and came to a high place to avoid the surprise attack.
Looking down, she saw the cat's figure looming in the dust.
At the same time, a deep giant cat claw mark scratched the marble floor of the museum where she was originally located, which was shocking.
"Honkai beast? No, that bell tells it's also a domesticated one? What are you? Who sent you?"
The blue and white maid armor covered the original ordinary maid outfit, and the long sickle with a dark blue wind blade also appeared in her hand. Rita stood on a high place with a dangerous smile on her face.
"Meow~~"
"That's right, what can I communicate with a cat like you? As long as I catch you, I don't worry about the people behind you not appearing."
Twisting the sickle with both hands, Rita bent her knees slightly, and then flew away.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
"Dinglinglingling~~"
The hard blade and the equally hard cat's claws collided rapidly in the dust, and the crisp metal sound and the bell sound intertwined and echoed, like a messy and rapid prelude to music.
After a while of entanglement, Rita felt something was wrong.
Generally speaking, fighting with a bell is equivalent to telling the enemy your position.
Rita used to laugh at the cat's owner for not knowing how to fight, but now she found that the rapid bell sound swirling around and drilling into her ears was not used to detect the enemy's shadow, but to disturb her hearing and reason.
"It's so noisy!"
"Boom!"
The sickle swung down, and the energy it exuded cut off half of the floor of the exhibition hall, separating the man and the cat.
Rita frowned slightly.
But Stan shook his tail and stood opposite, licking the cat's claws leisurely.
'Not good, I'm not used to the way cats fight.'
'Rita is indeed the pinnacle of mortals, with extremely rich combat experience and sharp and flexible on-the-spot judgment. She has many advantages worth learning.'
'The stone slab has been destroyed. Next, should we hone our minions or retreat?'
Under his leisurely appearance, Stan hesitated.
On the other side, Rita was deeply shocked.
'What a joke? I am an S-class Valkyrie. What is the origin of this cat, no, this unknown creature, that can entangle with me for so long? It doesn't look like anti-entropy technology, so what is it...'
Since receiving the task of exploring the Divine Key, this is the first time that Rita has been overshadowed in her heart and felt the difficulty and danger.
"Hey! What's going on?"
"Did some electrical appliance explode?"
"The wall going to collapse over there! Protect the cultural relics in the exhibition area. Those things are very valuable."
"See if there are any injured people. Call an ambulance and fire department!"
As the man and the cat confronted each other, the crowds exclamations and noisy footsteps finally approached.
Stan no longer hesitated, and slowly retreated on his cat's paws. After entering the dust, he quickly evacuated the scene.
"Wait! Stop!"
Rita knew that this might be a major breakthrough in her mission, so she was naturally unwilling to let it go easily.
It's just that the size and speed advantage of a cat is far greater when escaping than when fighting.
Rita passed through the dust, but she could no longer find the enemy.
Seeing the crowd approaching, Rita could only sigh helplessly, retract her armor, and turn into an ordinary beautiful maid.
"Museum...Cultural relics...My...It's over..."
At this time, the desperate cry of the curator Ms. Catherine came from behind.
Rita's expression froze, and cold sweat broke out on her forehead.
She slowly retreated, intending to leave quietly.
Then, she was caught by Catherine's strong gaze.
"Miss Rita!!!"
"Schicksal will bear all the losses of the museum, please rest assured."
Rita replied immediately to avoid Catherine's anger from burning herself. The funds came from Schicksal, so it was insignificant to write a reimbursement form.
However, when she was dealing with the grief-stricken Catherine, Rita happened to catch a glimpse of a strange metallic luster flashing in the middle of the broken stone slab from her angle.
The dim silver-gray color came from a piece of metal embedded in the stone slab, and the surface was shining with a flowing luster, which was extremely strange.
"Hmm? What is this? Are metal blocks embedded in ancient stone slabs? I don't think I've seen such a document record?"
"Miss Catherine, I'll take this thing away."
"Eh? No, no, this is a detail that has not been discovered before. It may be related to the history of King Arthur. I have to stay and study it carefully!"
"If you have any comments, please give feedback to Schicksal. Now, I must take it away. Sorry."
Rita ignored Catherine's obstruction, took out the piece of metal, and turned to the exit of the museum.
'The legend of King Arthur, soulium, and the Divine Key must be closely related. Your Excellency, I think I have found the real clue!'
Want to see advanced chapters? Chapters 200-400+ available at patréon.com/PorterOfSomething