The Real Deal

It felt warm to the touch, as if he were holding a cup of warm water.

The dazzling gemstone drew Lynch's gaze like a black hole. It seemed to possess a magical charm, giving Lynch an involuntary urge to claim it for himself, just like the temptation he felt when facing a mystery relic.

Caressing the gemstone with his fingers and feeling the possessiveness rising in his heart, Lynch couldn't help but feel secretly alarmed.

Could it be... that this thing is also contaminated with mysterious filth? Otherwise, why would it be so incredibly tempting?

【Because it is expensive. You feel like you won't be able to afford it in your lifetime, so you're drooling over it.】

【It is fine, neighbor. You must know that you have already stepped onto the path of immortality. To walk toward the Supreme, you must endure all kinds of trials, including facing the interrogation of truth. I am doing this for your own good.】

【I don't know. I just made it up. Maybe it was fake before.】

【Remember, neighbor, the Supreme never deceives mortals.】

【Regardless of whether it was true or false in the past, the moment we declare it aloud, it becomes the truth.】

【Pfft. I have undergone professional training. I do not laugh easily, unless I cannot help it.】

Lynch had clearly undergone professional training as well. He solemnly took the gemstone, rubbed it for a moment, and then carefully tucked it into his pocket.

Now that the item was in his hands, he had to withdraw as quickly as possible to avoid any unexpected complications. Lynch actually really wanted to suddenly revert to his original appearance before leaving to vent the frustration of being toyed with.

But for the sake of watching a good show of two tigers fighting later, he held himself back.

The eerie piano music started up again. Davis, completely unaware that he had been tricked, closed his eyes and began playing the bizarre movements once more. Yet from the maddening melody, Lynch could actually detect a hint of cheerfulness.

Tsk, well, keep being happy then. Sweet dreams tonight.

Smiling as he exited the captain's quarters, Lynch continued to ignore the bizarre hull and the clamoring heteromorph sailors. As soon as the one-eyed deep one saw Lynch come out, his face immediately fell in disappointment, and he spat fiercely on the deck.

It's fine, don't worry. You'll have your chance to retaliate very soon, trust me.

But not right now. For now, they were still partners. Thus, the one-eyed deep one reluctantly let Lynch onto the rowboat and grudgingly ferried him back to the pier.

The port was still brightly lit. For some reason, even though it was already the early hours of the morning, it seemed exceptionally lively. Figures were bustling about, especially on the pier. This made the one-eyed deep one too afraid to dock, so he had to steer toward a nearby coastline and kick Lynch off the boat there.

Only when his feet touched the shore did Lynch let out a long sigh of relief. He patted the warm gemstone in his pocket, confirming that his clever scheme had succeeded and he had smoothly retrieved the item.

【Yes, it is real.】

With his mind completely at ease, Lynch waved his top hat from afar to bid farewell to the cursing, departing one-eyed deep one. It turned out there were such upright and warm-hearted people even among pirates. How wonderful.

Muttering to himself, Lynch turned and walked toward Rhine City. As he walked, he put his pipe in his mouth and lit it. This time it was real tobacco, letting the strong flavor soothe his boiling blood and tense heart. With every step he took, the muscles on his face contorted slightly. By the time he left the beach and stepped back onto the asphalt road, he had reverted to his youthful appearance.

Feeling refreshed in both body and mind, Lynch tried his best to suppress the urge to throw his hat in celebration as he hurried along the highway. It wasn't far from where Miss Valente was waiting outside the port. Lynch didn't know why he suddenly felt a sense of anticipation, wanting to show his harvest to the noble lady as soon as possible.

It's probably just a child's urge to show off a treasure. After all, I am still young. Yes, that must be it.

【Hehe.】

Ignoring the strange chuckle in his mind, Lynch could already see the lights of the port, as well as the familiar carriage parked under a streetlight just outside.

Someone was actually still waiting for him. For only the second time since his transmigration, Lynch felt a warmth in his chest, and his eyes even grew slightly hot.

This world didn't seem so terrifying after all. I like... Huh?

As he drew closer, Lynch noticed that Miss Valente was standing outside the carriage. Moreover, she wasn't the only one waiting; several gentlemen in formal attire stood beside her, and they were in the middle of a conversation.

Is there trouble?

Lynch frowned, feeling a bit uneasy, but he relaxed as he jogged closer and got a clear look.

One of them was an unfamiliar elderly man who exuded a strong bureaucratic air and likely held some status. The others were people Lynch recognized. The stern, rigid middle-aged gentleman leading them was Mr. V, Victor, the head of the Rhine City branch of the Watchers. Beside him stood two other Watchers, one of whom was the bearded man, Truen.

What were they doing here, and who was the other guy?

The moment Lynch approached, Miss Valente's clear eyes swept over. No words were needed, nor even any expression; a single, smiling glance spoke volumes. The relief and joy radiating from behind her folding fan were impossible to hide.

I'm back.

Welcome back.

“Ahem, Mr. Levive, Natalie should be waking up in a day or two.”

Lynch turned his head and found Mr. V's gaze rather peculiar. Sigh, you really love watching drama, don't you? Don't misunderstand, we are just... Don't give me that look of understanding between men. Don't laugh, I'm telling the truth.

Feeling that the bright eyes behind him held a deeply meaningful look, Lynch quickly cleared his throat to change the subject. Upon asking, he learned that the Watchers had appeared here because the Rangers had suddenly mobilized in full force half an hour ago.

As if some major event had occurred, they were converging on the pier with a large number of blue uniforms. The Watchers, who had already been alerted by the commotion Lynch caused when he instantly killed the deep ones earlier that night, immediately noticed their unusual movements. To prevent any sudden crisis from erupting, Mr. V had personally led a team to follow them.

During his years serving at the Watchers' headquarters in Norin, he had also interacted with the Valente family. Upon arriving at the port and spotting the Valente carriage, he had come over to say hello and ask about the situation. However, the noble lady seemed to know nothing, displaying only a perfectly calculated look of bewilderment.

Indeed, how strange. Lynch pulled out his pocket watch and glanced at it. It was already past three in the morning. Why were these Rangers running around instead of sleeping? They were probably digesting an excess of fish and chips and tequila.

“Oh? I see.” Mr. V's eyes flickered, and he nodded with a faint smile. “Then we shall withdraw. No problems, right?”

This guy is truly a shrewd fox. Are all these government bureaucrats this terrifying?

“Ah, right, about the documents regarding the railway project and the related accidents we discussed earlier.” Mr. V's smile vanished, replaced by a solemn expression. “The matter is more troublesome than expected. The classification level of these documents is extremely high, personally encrypted by Prince William. Although he isn't as highly regarded by His Majesty as Princess Sophia, he is the eldest son after all and is set to be invested as the Crown Prince next month. Even Ella—Lady A of the Watchers—has difficulty accessing the information he encrypted. In short, there is definitely a major problem here. I am still looking into it, but I will need more time.”

Lynch nodded with a frown. It seemed the water here was deeper than he had imagined. If Prince William himself had entered the fray, perhaps they couldn't rely entirely on the Watchers. He would have to think of another way.

After seeing off the three Watchers who had been drawn over, Miss Valente happened to wave goodbye to the unfamiliar elderly man as well. Seeing Lynch look over, she didn't wait for him to ask and proactively explained:

“That is the head of the Dockworkers’ Mutual Aid Association. He was also alerted by the Rangers and came over to check on the situation. He was the one who contacted me previously, and seeing our family carriage, he came to say hello. Actually, he mainly wanted to persuade me to join their opposition camp. This time, I didn't brush him off; I told him the truth. The railway incident involves far too much, and the conflicts of interest are too complex. The Valente family can no longer take a side and will remain as neutral as possible.”

That's right, I have an expert right beside me. Why didn't I think of asking her about the inside story of this railway? Duke Vane refused to speak plainly due to his position, but he never said I couldn't learn about it through other aristocratic channels.

“Isn't it just a railway? Although the project is a bit large and has a significant impact, why are there so many conflicts of interest?”

“Yes, it's very complex. It's not that I don't want to tell you, but rather I worry whether you will understand.” Miss Valente hesitated for a moment before explaining, “On the surface, the railway plan seems to have more benefits than drawbacks, but in truth, it is hard to say. From the very beginning, this plan was almost an open conspiracy.”

“Huh?”

“The entire plan was first proposed by the people from Salter. All the data, including the future forecasts, is authentic and accurate; it couldn't deceive Lande's experts. If executed, it would certainly benefit Lande's future. Not only would their bankers make money, but once it begins, the focus of Lande's industry and economy for the next twenty to fifty years will be placed on the railway project. Naturally, this will lead to a neglect of the development of the New Continent. In recent years, everyone has been fighting for spheres of influence in the New Continent, and the covert struggles between Salter and Lande have been constant. While executing the railway plan benefits the homeland, it has a significant impact on the development of the New Continent. Since you haven't received professional education in this field, do you understand what I mean?”

Anyone else might not understand, but as a transmigrator, Lynch understood all too well. “I once read a story from the Mythological Era of the First Age, where a weak nation, in order to deplete a powerful nation's strength, sent someone to suggest building a canal for them. Even though the powerful nation knew it was a conspiracy, they still agreed. In the end, the weak nation held out for a few more decades, while the powerful nation also benefited greatly from the canal.”

“Yes, that is exactly what it means, but it is even more troublesome. Take the Dockworkers’ Mutual Aid Association, for instance. Their opposition isn't just for the shipping on the Lande River, but also for the trade with the New Continent. When interests in the New Continent are restricted, the dockworkers are the ones most affected. The various conflicts of interest are too complex. If you are truly interested, I will write a detailed report for you in a few days. In any case, the Valente family does not plan to take a side. Besides, this matter involves diplomatic relations with the Kingdom of Salter, so with our family's status, it is not appropriate to take a stand.”

“Hmm? Wait.” A thought struck Lynch. “So this matter is actually led by the Kingdom of Salter? Then Princess Chloe...”

“She is one of the representatives. She, along with the Count of Lorand's family who supports her, and several other members of the Salter royal family in Norin, are the other representatives.”

“Hiss. In other words, it wasn't Mayor Howard and Prince William begging the banks behind her for a loan, but rather her begging Prince William to push forward the railway project?”

Miss Valente was taken aback, then nodded thoughtfully. “Indeed, that should be how it is.”

“So the one who forced her to hide the gemstone in this manner is highly likely Prince William's faction. In order to avoid offending Prince William while also not wanting to actually give him the item, she caused all these complications.”

“Very likely. Ah, right, what about the gemstone?”

“Hehe.”

Lynch licking his lips, mysteriously took out the gemstone, waved it in front of Miss Valente, and then placed it in the noble lady's palm. However, as he did so, the ending of the story of the Banana Fan flashed through his mind.

She couldn't be fake too, trying to trick me out of the gemstone again, could she?

Of course not. Miss Valente merely held her breath, caressing the gemstone with glowing eyes. However, compared to Lynch's embarrassing reaction, she quickly recovered from the red light.

“You actually retrieved it so quickly. Mr. Detective, I really didn't expect you to succeed.” Her sparkling gaze locked onto Lynch, her gentle voice laced with a trace of admiration. “Is there anything you cannot do?”

“Ahem, of course there is.” Lynch blushed, looking away awkwardly as he said, “For example, sitting in a carriage and having the leaders of various factions personally come over to greet me.”

“Pfft, you really don't know how to flatter people.” She gave Lynch a gentle glare before turning her gaze back to the gemstone, murmuring in admiration, “It really is beautiful. This is the Flaming Red Lips?”

“Yes, it's real.”

“Legend says that by relying on it, one can find the Gate of Falsehood and Reality?”

Lynch also wanted to know the answer to this question.

【No.】

【I told you just now, it is real.】

“What do you mean?” Utterly bewildered, Lynch's expression suddenly shifted, his eyes widening. “Are you saying this thing is the real Flaming Red Lips, not a replica?”

“What are you saying?” Miss Valente was startled by Lynch's sudden outburst. “This thing is fake?”

“For reasons that are not convenient to explain, I am certain this is the genuine gemstone, not the replica we assumed it to be.” Lynch stared at the gemstone in Miss Valente's hand, his voice cold. “I would never have realized this without holding the actual item. I suspect that what was lost from the very beginning was the real gemstone, not the replica she claimed it was.”

“No one could have found a genuine replacement for a fake on such short notice. There simply wouldn't be enough time to search, unless they had already prepared the switch from the very beginning.”

“Only one person had ample time to do this. She played everyone for fools.”

“Princess Chloe.”