“Huh???”
A question mark practically materialized over his tilted head.
Miss Valente had been listening with rapt attention. Her eyes drifted between the novel on the table and Lynch, who was holding forth with confidence. Even beneath her disguise, her keen interest was obvious. Now, however, she was completely stunned, staring at Lynch, momentarily unable to react.
Poor otherworldly soul; it was clear he had never been ravaged by the torture of a cliffhanger camp.
Though he chuckled inwardly, Lynch maintained a solemn, serious expression on the surface. He took the coffee served to him and toasted Miss Valente.
“Tempting others like this isn't very proper, is it?” She shielded her mouth and nose with a folding fan, her glistening eyes shooting a look of dissatisfaction from behind it, yet she said to the waiter, “Sir, put his coffee on my tab.”
“Hm? Then I shall have another... ahem, never mind.” Under the piercing gaze from across the table, Lynch abandoned his dangerous thought. “Actually, there is no need to analyze further. Combining all the clues, the answer is already revealed. This special noble cannot be anyone other than Miss Diana de Valente.”
“And then?” Valente lifted her cup again, touched it to her lips, and lowered her gaze to ask, as if quite naturally.
Lynch took a deep breath, his brain spinning rapidly.
The opening was good; the first hurdle was passed. He had piqued her interest and even earned a tiny bit of favor. But now came the crucial part. What approach should he take next?
She recognized me instantly, so she clearly has researched my affairs. Was it because Duke Vane helped me advertise, or did she learn of me from the hillmen?
Regardless of the source, since there was no confirmed hostility between the two sides, he should not start with malice. Besides, while the Valente family and the hillmen had a close relationship, they were ultimately two separate entities. There was no need to force them into an opposing camp from the start. Drawing on years of experience as a corporate drone, Lynch quickly made his decision.
“I hope to have a face-to-face meeting with Chieftain Nicolai.”
“Hm?” The hand holding the fan trembled slightly. Miss Valente looked up at Lynch in surprise, as if she had never expected him to be so direct and unreserved. Only after her shock did she shake her head. “That is impossible. They do not trust you, Mr. Levive, and will not grant you this opportunity.”
“But Chieftain Nicolai and his clansmen have caused great trouble for my client.” Lynch said in a deep voice. “My client’s problem can no longer be delayed.”
“Your client is that female reporter?” The middle-aged noblewoman’s disguise frowned. “But what does that have to do with me? You should know how troublesome this matter is. Anything that has even a trace of a connection to the Great Old Ones is quite dangerous. Why would I get myself involved to help you facilitate this meeting?”
Lynch remained silent for a moment. This sentence confirmed his suspicion: the Valente family and the hillman ghouls might only have a temporary cooperative relationship. After pondering for a moment, Lynch smiled and said:
“You sitting here drinking coffee is likely not just about experiencing the life of an ordinary noble, Miss Valente.”
“Hm?”
“From the moment I noticed you, you have lifted the coffee cup to your lips six times, yet you haven't taken a single sip. You haven't even let the coffee touch your lips.”
Lynch took a sip of his own coffee. Hmm, he knew nothing about coffee flavors, but it felt quite good, perhaps because it was free:
“This coffee is actually quite good to me, but for a high noble like you, street coffee is likely difficult to swallow.”
Miss Valente held her cup in silence for a moment, then laughed softly and nodded.
“If it were just to experience life, ordering a cup of coffee to confirm a purchase and sitting here reading a book would be enough. There is no need to force yourself to act like you are drinking. Any misleading behavior is intended to avoid drawing attention—specifically, it is for others to see. In other words, you are in disguise for another purpose, and you do not want this purpose to be discovered by certain people.”
Miss Valente played with her fan again, looking at Lynch with meaningful eyes.
“From your small gestures and subconscious reactions to changes in the environment, it is clear that your target is the city hall. Perhaps you are confirming the movements of certain people, or perhaps you are monitoring someone.”
Lynch secretly hid the fact that he had encountered her twice before and continued his pretentious analysis:
“Regardless of the specific target, for you to execute this personally, it must be something very important to you. And the fact that you are acting against the norm by not bringing any maids or bodyguards, not even having them on standby nearby, is likely intentional—precisely because this matter is extremely dangerous for them, and even being on standby could affect them.”
“You can even analyze that they aren't on standby nearby?”
Nonsense, I guessed that because I saw you run off in a rented carriage after your disguise last time. Though he thought this to himself, Lynch pointed to his eyes mysteriously and wore an unfathomable smile. “It is evident. Progress does not seem to be going smoothly, because surveillance without active engagement is often a measure of last resort.”
Miss Valente remained silent for a long time, then suddenly put down her fan, sighed, and nodded gently.
“You were right just now. You have no reason to help facilitate a meeting between me and Chieftain Nicolai, but what if we help each other?”
“You can help me achieve my goal?”
“Whether I have that ability or not, you should already have your own judgment, Miss Valente.”
“Fine. I can accept this trade. I can help you facilitate a meeting with Mr. Nicolai. However, I cannot guarantee that the reporter's problem will be solved; that is an internal matter of their tribe, and I never intervene deeply. I can only say I will try my best to help persuade Chieftain Nicolai not to hold hostility toward you. But before that, you must first complete my commission: help me investigate clearly what I am currently tracking.”
Lynch tipped his hat and bowed, smiling. “Private investigator Lynch Levive, at your service, madam.”
“I hope you can truly do it, Mr. Levive. Actually, completing my commission is the best way to make Mr. Nicolai trust you, because my commission is related to them.”
“Hm?”
“You should be aware that the hillmen oppose the construction of the tunnel. But in reality, the purpose of this tunnel's construction is not simple. Someone intentionally influenced the engineering design and changed the route of the tunnel to what it is now. This will involve an ancient city that has been sleeping since the Third Age: Zur-Baha-Sahr.”
Lynch suddenly realized that the pronunciation Maya couldn't remember was the name of the city. Upon hearing the complete syllable, he only felt a chill run up his spine. Although it faded quickly, the chill made Lynch realize that this name likely carried mysterious power in itself, just like when he heard Mordiggian for the first time.
“The specific situation belongs to their tribe's highest secrets. It is not convenient for me to ask too much, but I can confirm that this act has violated the hillmen's strictest taboo. More importantly, the other party's goal is likely not as simple as just making the hillmen angry. Their true purpose is very likely related to Zur-Baha-Sahr, and perhaps even the Great Old Ones behind it.”
Miss Valente explained:
“So you need to cooperate with me and investigate the identities and purposes of these people together. Anything related to these ancient memories is extremely dangerous. Therefore, whether it is for Mr. Nicolai and his people, or for the safety of Lande, this matter must be investigated clearly. Otherwise, once the project starts, it will be too late. Now you understand the severity of the problem, right? With such high danger, are you still willing to complete the deal between us?”
“My pleasure. This time I have the honor, don't I?”
Lynch knew he had touched the core of the Bester Tunnel incident. It seemed this Miss Valente was the key factor in investigating the tunnel affair. He also realized he was building a deeper connection with Mordiggian, and now, he probably couldn't hide even if he wanted to. Since he had to investigate deeply anyway, having an extra buyer was better.
“Heh, then it is settled. I will organize the information in the next two days, and then I will visit you in a few days, Mr. Levive. At that time, I will tell you all the details of the commission.”
Miss Valente took a small medicine bottle from her handbag and handed it to Lynch:
“If you are willing to trust me, drink it. The scent on your body is already spreading across the entire square. This bottle of potion can clear the stench of decay from you.”
Looking at the green glowing liquid in the bottle, then looking at Miss Valente’s half-smiling expression, Lynch hesitated for a long time, gritted his teeth, tilted his head back, and downed it.
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