It had been forty days since he moved to Number 221, but no new tenants had moved into the third or fourth floors.
Supposedly, two tenants had planned to move in and even paid their deposits, but one suddenly hanged themselves the day before moving, while the other was attacked by a monster while fishing, leaving barely any bones behind.
It sounded very much like bizarre deaths caused by mystery erosion, which made Lynch feel deeply hurt. This couldn't possibly be because they were going to be my neighbors, right? No, definitely not.
Unfortunately, the only response he received was a few soft chuckles before his neighbor kicked him out of the chat.
Having a new tenant was always a good thing. Although Lynch already planned to rent out the fourth floor as a workshop and collection room, the third floor was still vacant and could accommodate a new tenant. However, Mrs. Maggie's current attitude made Lynch murmur in his heart.
Could some troublesome person have come knocking?
“It's a... little girl.” Mrs. Maggie quickly sent the other party away and returned with a puzzled look. “She looks about the same age as Martha, but she came all by herself, demanding to rent a room. She even arrived in a hired carriage. She's clearly a child from a wealthy family, so there's definitely something fishy going on. We can't take this money; it might bring trouble.”
People living in the world of the occult were indeed more cautious; even children had to be guarded against.
Lynch let out a sigh, though he secretly thanked this strange prospective tenant.
At least she had helped draw some of the fire. Having their fun interrupted, the ladies finally decided to let Lynch off. Judy truly bid them farewell and left this time, though she left behind a rather dangerous statement before departing.
“The Lady is very satisfied with you. She said if you ever fall into the Dreamlands in the future, you can go look for her. She'll do her best not to burn you to death.”
“I'm truly grateful to her.”
Lynch rolled his eyes and shooed away this girl, unsure if she was genuinely dense or just playing dumb. No longer playing around, he led the two ladies to the second-floor living room.
He had been confined for five days, and the two of them had timed their visit together. They certainly hadn't come just to tease him.
At least, not entirely.
They definitely had a primary purpose.
Sure enough, as soon as they sat down, Miss Valente spoke first.
Lynch didn't know whether to consider it a good or bad thing. For a while, the ladies had been supporting him from the outside, and the two of them had been fighting side-by-side, causing their relationship to grow quite close. That was what had led to everything that just happened. At this moment, she did not avoid Officer Natalie and spoke directly:
“The royal capital's reaction is very strange.”
“Oh?”
“On the surface, Prince William remains unaffected. Emperor Rudolph doesn't seem to have any plans to replace him anytime soon. This has caused the lords of Lande to pull back their hands and choose to wait and see once more.”
“Why?” Lynch poured black tea for the two ladies and pulled out a few cloyingly sweet honey biscuits from who-knows-where before asking with a frown, “Prince William's actions this time were practically patricide. Surely Emperor Rudolph II can't just tolerate that?”
“I can't say for sure either. I've been away from the royal capital for two years, so my information is unclear, and Father didn't explain too much. He only said that His Majesty also has misgivings and doesn't dare to act rashly.”
“Is there someone supporting Prince William from behind? That person might not be willing to accept defeat. If we can't nail him down completely, there will be plenty of trouble ahead.”
“It's still uncertain. I'm also investigating through my own channels. Once there's any news, I will exchange intelligence with you as soon as possible. However, there is some good news. A heavyweight figure from the royal capital will be paying a secret visit. Their specific identity is unknown, but... hm?”
Miss Valente took a letter from the Duke's mansion, quickly skimmed through it, and nodded. “There's no mistake; it's definitely this person. But you don't need to worry. This person will certainly reward you, though it's hard to say what his next plans are. There are only a few days left, so there's no need to rush. I will face him together with you when the time comes.”
“Is that really alright for you?” Lynch said thoughtfully. “This already involves political struggles. Won't it affect your family's stance?”
“Heh, Mr. Levive, have you forgotten? The eldest daughter of the family is not the heir,” Miss Valente smiled faintly. “If something really goes wrong, we can just sever ties directly. It won't affect the family's stance, so you don't need to worry about me.”
Seeing Miss Valente say such cold and realistic words with an ordinary expression, Lynch couldn't help but feel a pang of heartache, but she herself didn't seem to care and said:
“It's nothing. This is the price one must pay for being a noble. If you aren't mentally prepared to accept the price, you aren't qualified to enjoy the status of a noble. Over the next few days, I will visit several well-informed individuals to try and grasp the key information in advance, so I won't be coming over. But you must remember, the doors of the Valente family are always open to their friends.”
“Ahem.”
A certain squirrel chewing on a biscuit nearby seemed to have gotten choked, interrupting Miss Valente with a dry cough. Seeing the two of them staring at her with strange looks, the lady in men's clothing blushed slightly and turned her head away. “I came today mainly for three things. First is to report the outcome of the incident.”
“All members of the Rangers have been suspended pending investigation, Riverside Manor has been sealed, and Howard and his cronies have been arrested and imprisoned. However, Walker had already turned into a twisted one and was eliminated.”
Lynch nodded. This was to be expected. The manifestation grade relic was destroyed by Lady Luna, and the filth surged back through the passage. While the evil god on the other side would certainly be fine, Walker, a mere mortal, had essentially taken a bath in highly concentrated filth. Turning into a twisted one was an inevitable outcome.
It was a bit of a pity; an opponent had exited the stage just like that.
“In addition, the Archaeological Association hopes you can make a trip over when you have time.”
“What is it?”
“Your favorite thing,” the officer glared at him. “You and Lady Judy deserve the most credit for keeping the catacombs from being completely emptied. President Olei wants to personally discuss your reward with you.”
“Discuss? Heh, that means there's room for negotiation.” Lynch showed a longing look, as if staring at a fat sheep.
“Then you'd better be prepared to face a rank eight expert,” the officer kicked Lynch's shin with practiced ease before saying solemnly, “The third matter is the most important. Howard is being held in the prison of the Hall of Order. He wishes to see you; there are some things he wants to discuss with you.”
“Oh?”
“Information regarding the Torch of Light, as well as the matter of the Shadow Alliance.”
Lynch's face darkened.
The Torch of Light was a mystery relic that even the Swelling Daughter was interested in, and it might contain the Divine Authority he needed to unlock his authority over light. Its importance went without saying. As for the Shadow Alliance, it was the biggest thorn in Lynch's side. For the past few days, he had been pondering what the Shadow Alliance was up to even in his dreams, but unfortunately, he had come up with nothing.
Lynch wished he could run over for the meeting right away, but he immediately composed himself.
“No, let's wait a bit. Going too quickly will expose my hand. I'll let him wait a day or two before going.”
With his mind made up, Lynch pulled out his detective notebook and sorted through the things he had to do over the next few days.
Investigate Black Spider's conspiracy and find out exactly what he had used Lynch for.
Learn more about the Torch of Light, try to find it, and use it to upgrade.
Fleece them—(crossed out)—negotiate compensation with the Archaeological Association.
Go to the Church of the Black Night to submit his report.
Go to the Duke's mansion to attend the ball.
And...
Lynch's pen nib made a rustling sound on the paper. The lady in men's clothing had her long legs propped up on the coffee table, leaning back in a relaxed posture while playing with the sword her father had left behind. The elegantly dressed young lady sat gracefully on the sofa, her smiling gaze fixed on the focused Lynch. For a moment, the atmosphere in the living room was quite warm and cozy.
“Oh, damn it! Who the hell is trying to pick a fight with me?!”
The sudden roar drifted in through the open window, disrupting the warmth in the living room.
The three of them were dazed for a moment, and only after a brief pause did they realize that someone seemed to be arguing outside in Charles Square.
Driven by curiosity, they crowded together by the window, vying to look outside.
It was currently ten in the morning, and there weren't many people around Charles Square. Only a few stalls, like Mrs. Sterling's bakery, were open, and the passing carriages on the road were sparse, providing an excellent view.
The one shouting was one of the few vendors, Maddie, who sold old clothes. From his cursing, it seemed like someone had played a prank on him and turned one of his garments into ashes while leaving it in its original place. When he touched it, the ashes had blown right into his face. When the three of them looked over, the ashes were still drifting through the air, as fine as dust.
What kind of ashes could be so fine? It was practically like dust.
Just as Lynch was wondering about this, he felt Officer Natalie nudge him in the ribs.
Hiss, they're broken, they're definitely broken. This girl is incredibly strong.
For the sake of his ribs' survival, Lynch quickly looked in the direction she was pointing.
A little girl stood at the entrance downstairs, peeking inside through the window.
The little girl was about twelve or thirteen years old, wearing a neat princess dress and a large bow on her head.
“That must be the child Maggie was talking about just now,” Officer Natalie said, puzzled. “Why is she so persistent? She actually came back.”
“Her build and clothing... why do they look a bit familiar to me?”
Lynch frowned and thought hard. But ever since his transmigration, the only little girls he had seen, besides little Martha, was that young Deep One in the shipwreck at the bottom of the sea. But this child was clearly not her. So where had he seen her?
Carefully sorting through his experiences during this period, the utterly baffled Lynch suddenly thought of someone he had long forgotten.
In the Knowledge Library, that brat who wore a rabbit mask and fearlessly wanted a real mystery ritual.
Her clothing style was exactly the same, and that bow was highly distinctive. Yes, it was her. She wanted to rent a room?
This was definitely not a good sign.
Rate on N.U.
