章節 381: A Restless Yet Uneventful Night
Receiving the box, Ebner glanced at Cullen, seeking permission to open it. Cullen smiled lightly and gestured with a polite "please" with his right hand.
Seeing this, Ebner, who was already on friendly terms with Cullen, didn't stand on ceremony. He turned the intricate knob on the lid and opened the box.
Inside lay a stack of documents. Curious, Ebner picked them up and realized they were property deeds for an estate near Bayam!
Bayam, known as the "City of Generosity," is the capital of the Rhosid Archipelago. While the land prices aren't comparable to the metropolises of the mainland like Backlund, they certainly rival those of Tier 2 cities like Tingen.
Judging by the scale of the estate described in the document, it was worth at least 1,500 pounds… Cullen truly lived up to his reputation for generosity!
Still, he seems to have a penchant for gifting properties… When the "Forsaken Ones" left Backlund back then, Cullen had entrusted me with the villa at 28 Kinster Street.
As Ebner silently griped in his mind, Viscount Cullen chuckled and asked, "Well, are you satisfied with this gift?"
Very satisfied, but what can I do with it aside from selling it? While such thoughts raced through his mind, Ebner feigned politeness and said, "This is too generous…"
"It's really not much. Back in the day, Roselle advised us, his subordinates, to buy land on the major islands. When he revealed the new sea route and ushered in the Age of Exploration, the value of these properties soared…
"I followed his advice and encouraged my mother to buy low-cost land on colonies along the Misty Sea, Sonia Sea, and even on the fringes of the Stormy Sea.
"In most things, Roselle was invariably right, and this was no exception…"
Mentioning Roselle, Cullen's tone was tinged with regret.
A great landlord indeed! Hearing Cullen's words, Ebner no longer pretended to refuse and eagerly stowed the elegant box containing the deed, embracing his "redistribution of wealth" spirit.
Only after Ebner accepted the gift did Cullen nod in satisfaction. Not lingering further, he promptly bade farewell.
After Cullen left, Ebner found it was still early. He gathered some materials and the damaged hat of the "Grey Giant" and headed to Mr. Gaston's workshop.
Since acquiring the skills of an "Artisan," Ebner had been contemplating his first creation during his leisure time.
To avoid wasting materials due to inexperience, he decided to begin his "simulation of craftsmanship" by repairing Gravina the Grey Giant's hat, which had the ability to change hairstyles and protect the head.
Interestingly, Gaston had been working tirelessly, aiming to earn enough points for another "Exit Talisman" as insurance, in hopes of having Ebner guide him through the sixth floor.
Unfortunately, Gaston's efficiency couldn't compare to Ebner's, and he hadn't gathered enough points yet.
Before entering the "Dream Labyrinth Tower," Gaston had agreed to let Ebner use parts of the workshop.
---
When night fell, at the Kingdom's Atmospheric Pollution Investigation Committee ball, Xio Derecha, who was serving as a plainclothes security officer, carried an ice cream while discreetly sensing for any signs of "madness" or "chaos." She also kept an eye out for Stuart, the "Mystic Arts Tutor" from the Church of the Storms.
The committee's chairman, Sir Deshaw, was reportedly the director of the National Meteorological Agency. According to MI9's records, he had a rather scandalous private life with numerous illegitimate children… However, he was responsible enough to provide for any child proven to be his.
Chief Secretary Hibbert Hall, the eldest son of the Earl of Eastchester and a successor to the title, was also the brother of "Justice" Miss Audrey… Princess Vera had mentioned that he accepted this role to gain political experience.
Committee member Mr. Cav, the president of the Royal Meteorological Society and a member of the Lower House…
Medical and health supervisor, the renowned Dr. Hawksley…
Ms. Mary Short, formerly Lady Mary, a shareholder of Coym Company, was accompanied by Mrs. Starling, her tenant who Xio had interrogated before…
Xio observed each guest carefully, recalling their backgrounds.
At that moment, a young man with wheat-colored hair, gray-blue eyes, and prominent cheekbones, accompanied by a middle-aged man in the Storm Church's bishop attire, entered the venue.
Xio instantly recognized the young man as Stuart, the "Mysticism Magister," whom she had previously encountered.
After some thought, she approached with her ice cream. As they passed each other, she discreetly slipped a pre-prepared note into Stuart's pocket.
She wasn't concerned about him identifying her. With MI9 to take the fall, Stuart could speculate about her motives or those of MI9 as much as he liked. All that mattered was that he remained vigilant about the note's contents.
As a Sequence 5 powerhouse, Stuart naturally noticed Xio's action but chose not to react. From her height, he recognized her as the MI9 member who had returned Robert's body to the Church.
It wasn't until after the ball, when Stuart returned to his residence, that he unfolded the note and read it carefully several times, frowning deeply.
He then gathered the necessary materials, quickly set up a ritual, and employed beyonder to consult a mirror he had crafted: "What is the 'Secret Order's' method of framing me?"
This technique was one he developed himself after learning some tricks from the Steam Church's "2-111."
Since this mysticism essentially borrowed the power of the silver mirror Arrodes, it still required him to answer a question aloud afterward. Thankfully, the answers from the ritual were often cryptic, requiring interpretation, so he didn't need witnesses when responding—shouting the answer alone sufficed.
"Lily Corson," the mirror initially displayed the name. Then, as if rippling like water, it revealed a bloody question: "Among your neighbors, is Mrs. Talyn prettier, or Mrs. Felina?"
The dark night resounded with a sudden, high-pitched voice that seemed to emanate from nowhere: "Mrs. Felina!"
Immediately, gas lamps flickered to life all around the neighborhood. Stuart, pretending to be awakened by the commotion, opened his window and leaned out to observe the chaos.
This mysticism method… I can't use it anymore. "It" is gradually bypassing the limitations I set. Another attempt, and I might make a public fool of myself again! Stuart wiped the cold sweat from his brow and made a mental note.
---
At the same time, after writing his thoughts about the "demon" in a letter to Detective Stanton, Klein had a quiet dinner at Lawyer Jurgens' house. Afterward, he grabbed his cane and left Minsk Street, heading for the South Bridge area's Rose Street to question Bishop Utravsky about the origins of the "Universal Key."
Using the "Dowsing Rod Divination" method, he safely reached Harvest Church in the dead of night. He was just about to slip in through the same route he used last time when a loud voice caught his attention from the distance.
It sounded like a name, but Klein dismissed it, assuming it was just some gentleman expressing romantic affection. Backlund is becoming quite the city for romance, isn't it? he thought with mild amusement.
Inside the church, Klein found the main hall dim and empty, devoid of the bishop's presence. He wondered aloud, "Is he resting?"
Curiosity prompted him to move toward the residential quarters at the back of the hall. Rounding a corner, he was startled to find the towering figure of Bishop Utravsky emerging from the basement staircase. The heavy stone door behind him reverberated from a series of pounding noises.
Has he imprisoned someone down there? A string of unsavory possibilities flashed through Klein's mind, colored by sordid tales from the newspapers.
Upon noticing Klein, still disguised as before, the bishop paused in surprise and asked, "Haven't you found your way home yet?"
(End of Chapter)
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