“Ding-ling.”
The lattice glass door was pushed open, and Lynch and Officer Natalie Angel stepped into the unassuming little shop.
It was located right on the banks of the Lande River, on the border between the King District and the Crown District, along a narrow gravel path on a quiet street corner. They were not far from their next destination, the Hall of Order. One could already see the towering Tower of Justice from inside the shop, which was why Officer Natalie had said it was on their way.
In the dim light, the room was filled with a strange odor.
A mix of sweet and foul, faint and pungent, all kinds of scents swirled together to form an indescribably acrid smell.
A single glance was enough to see the shop was filled with all sorts of odd, man made objects of various sizes. Most of them looked quite eerie, or rather, just plain ugly. They all appeared to have some history to them and radiated that peculiar scent.
However, after one quick look around, Lynch could confirm they were all normal items without any mysterious filth.
Scritch, scritch, whoosh.
Following the sound of a match being struck, Lynch saw the shopkeeper sitting behind the counter.
She was a woman in her thirties with red hair and a beautiful face, wearing a complicated, ornate gown in the style of the New Continent, somewhat reminiscent of traditional gypsy clothing. She held a slender ivory pipe in her hand, her white, even teeth gently biting down on a bright green gemstone mouthpiece. Her long, narrow eyes swept over the two newcomers like a blade.
“Hmm? Natalie?” Her gaze, sharp as a knife, faltered for a moment when she saw the officer behind Lynch. “Aren't you supposed to be trapped at Crown Square? Don't tell me you’re sneaking out to slack off during such a big case.”
“I never slack off; this is an order from Victor.” The officer lifted her hat and nodded to the red-haired woman. “Let me introduce a client, Lynch Levive.”
“This kid? He’s a normal person, right? Is he a new mystery hunter recruited by the Watchers?”
“No, Lynch is a consultant temporarily hired by the Watchers.”
“What is that?” The red-haired woman clearly didn't understand this new term.
“I don't really get it either, but he’s my temporary partner.” The officer patted Lynch on the shoulder. “His intuition is quite sharp, sharper than Truen’s, and I’d say he’s about on your level.”
“That is truly unfortunate.” The red-haired woman gave an eerie smile. “Good luck to you, young man. I hope you can hold out for a while.”
Lynch frowned, recalling the voice in his head when he first transmigrated mentioning that high intuition might not be a good thing. “Why? Is high intuition actually dangerous? Is it because the more you know, the faster you die?”
“They didn't tell you? Oh, they probably don't know either.” The red-haired woman offered a mocking smile. “People with high intuition are indeed rare. Care to guess why?”
“Hmm?” Lynch had a foreboding feeling.
“Because they all died. They died in mysterious incidents.” The red-haired woman said softly. “The cause of every mysterious incident is an accidental contact with the mysterious, that is, establishing a connection. But do you know what the establishment of that connection begins with?”
Lynch shook his head.
“It begins with perception, young man.” Madam Bessie smiled strangely and tapped her pipe. “When you are looking at the mysterious, the mysterious is also looking at you. So, while high intuition is a gift to others, for you, it is not a talent but a death curse. You will soon find that you encounter mysterious incidents frequently, with the frequency increasing until one day you can no longer resist the erosion of the mysterious and become a part of it. This is the inevitable result for people like us, even if you enter the world of the Soul Severer, you cannot escape it.”
‘Travel Companion, is this why you said the day before yesterday that it wasn't a gift?’
【Yes.】
“Alright, Bessie, you are not allowed to scare my partner. What you said is only one perspective; most people don't accept it. Besides, even if he encounters the mysterious as you say, I will protect him.” Natalie stepped forward, shielding Lynch behind her. “There is no time for you to bully the newcomer, we have serious business. Lynch, let me introduce you. This is Bessie. If you ever need to buy or sell mystery relics, you can choose this place. She is quite reliable when it comes to the Soul Severer, and she won't let mystery relics leak out. Bessie, do you have any holy mystery? It is… a god I haven't heard of, what was the name again.”
“Crimson Lady.” Lynch poked his head out and said, “I remember that was the name.”
“Luna, the Goddess of the Red Moon. It’s been a long time since I heard that name.” The red-haired woman took out a thick ledger and flipped through it for a while. “Hmm, I am certain. I haven't heard of this holy mystery from a fallen god in my supply channels for several years. There shouldn't be any in all of Rhine City. However, I know one place that definitely has it, and more than one at that.”
“The Black Night Cathedral?”
“Tsk, it seems you know. Then there is nothing left to say; you should find a way through them.” Madam Bessie shrugged. “Is there anything else you want to buy?”
Natalie moved her lips, about to state the purpose of their visit, but Lynch stepped out from behind her.
“I also want to find a self-defense item. Preferably one that a normal person can use, easy to operate, with as little cost as possible. It should have some power, and it would be best if it could take effect from a distance. I already have one for close quarters.”
“That ring of yours? Hmm, I suppose that counts as close quarters.” Madam Bessie looked Lynch up and down for a while, then said thoughtfully, “Your request… I actually have one piece here that perfectly meets your requirements.”
Hmm?
Lynch had only made the suggestion on a whim after the frustration of being knocked over by a sandbag, never expecting to actually find something. He looked back at the officer, who also looked curious. Together, they watched Madam Bessie lift her pipe and walk lazily toward the back room. There was a clattering sound for a while, and she walked out carrying a wooden box.
Lynch tried to guess what mystery relic was hidden inside, but even after Madam Bessie returned to the counter, the voice in his head offered no hint, as if it were deliberately trying to surprise him.
“It should have been ten pounds, but considering you are Natalie’s temporary partner and this is your first time here, I’ll give you a ten percent discount. Nine pounds, and I’ll throw in the matching accessories.”
Hiss, so expensive. Lynch felt his heart break and it took several seconds for him to recover.
“Can I take a look first? I don't feel any mysterious aura.”
The red-haired woman gestured for him to proceed.
Lynch looked back at Officer Natalie, took a deep breath, and abruptly opened the box to see a familiar item lying quietly inside.
A revolver.
Huh? Lynch’s mouth twitched.
Indeed, in the steam age, revolvers should have already appeared, and the original owner of his body had seen them. It was just that in the original owner’s memories, the gunpowder in this world had mediocre power, and the lethality of firearms wasn't high, unless they were those large firearms that incorporated steam technology, which had respectable power.
So, the appearance of a handgun wasn't strange, but...
Before Lynch could react, Officer Natalie picked up the revolver, examined it several times, and placed it back in the box.
“It’s a standard firearm, not modified by mystery, and not a contraband item. You decide, Lynch. If you buy it, I will help you file the paperwork at the Hall of Order later.”
Lynch picked up the revolver.
He didn't know how to use it at all, but what otaku didn't have a dream of owning a firearm? Who hadn't fantasized about having a handgun while watching a show?
Besides, this item truly fit all his requirements perfectly, and it was quite simple to use.
Provided one didn't consider accuracy.
“Nine pounds?”
“Hmm, includes a box of ammunition, fifty rounds. Don't try to bargain; this is a normal commodity. Ten pounds was the market price, I already gave you a discount.”
It was still so expensive.
His total assets were only six pounds and thirteen shillings. Adding the five pounds he had just pried out of V’s hands was enough to cover it, but in the blink of an eye, he would only have two pounds left.
Fortunately, there was the five-pound monthly reimbursement from the Black Night Cathedral, and his room and board were fully covered with no extra expenses, otherwise he would be worrying about his livelihood after this purchase.
Travel Companion, is being broke a curse too, besides intuition?
【There is no curse, that is simply because you are poor, Lynch.】
He felt like he was being looked down upon again, but Lynch didn't care. He gritted his teeth and paid out the six pounds he had hidden away, then turned to give Officer Natalie a fawning smile.
The officer glared at him and paid the remaining three pounds on his behalf.
Seeing Lynch holding his new weapon and grinning like a fool, the officer sighed. “In a couple of days when the gun permit comes through, I’ll introduce you to a shooting club. They have instructors and a range, you can play with it then. For now, let’s handle serious business. Bessie, I need your cooperation for an investigation.”
“For the incident at the square?” The red-haired woman frowned. “I heard someone created an explosion in the crowd, but there were no traces of explosives found.”
“Yes, it was created with a mystery relic.” Natalie explained. “We hope to track the trajectory of the mystery relic, including the channels through which it was transported into Rhine City, who was involved, and so on. I remember you can do this; you tracked the statue two days ago.”
“That’s impossible.” The red-haired woman bit her pipe and pondered for a while, then shook her head. “I was able to find the trajectory of the statue because I had the corpse of someone directly connected to it. But I don't think there is one now. I heard no one died from the explosion; those trampled to death in the square don't count. It has to be someone who died directly from the mystery relic.”
“We don't have a corpse, but we have the mystery relic.”
“Hmm? You have the mystery relic in hand, what are you tracking?”
“The trajectory.” Lynch added from the side. “The main point is to confirm where it appeared before.”
“I see…” The red-haired woman hesitated for a long time before slowly nodding. “I’m not sure, but perhaps we can try. Follow me.”
As she spoke, she waved for them to follow her toward the back.
The two were just about to follow when Officer Natalie casually glanced out the door through the glass, suddenly stopping in her tracks and tugging at Lynch.
“Hmm?”
Lynch followed her gaze, and his breath hitched.
They both saw billowing thick smoke rising in the distance, as if something were on fire.
And the direction the smoke was rising from appeared to be exactly where the Hall of Order was located.
They were just planning to check the case files that afternoon, and suddenly it caught fire?
What about the files?
The two exchanged glances, realizing that this fire was likely no ordinary event. They immediately grabbed the box, called back that they would return shortly, and sprinted toward the fire.
Please, don't let it be the Hall of Order, and please, don't let it be the archives.
Rate on N.U.
