“Whether I can fight or sense the mystical is hard to say, but I’m starting to feel confident about helping you find that statue.” Lynch repeated Officer Natalie’s own words from over an hour ago with a smile. “Remember our bet, Officer? If I help you find the statue, what were you going to do?”
“You only win if you actually survive. Don’t go changing the terms of the bet on your own.” Officer Angel pressed a hand against her sword and kept a straight face, but after a moment of silence, she couldn’t help but ask, “Do you really know where the statue is? That’s impossible.”
“I at least have a direction now.” Lynch was incredibly grateful that his hobbies had been crime dramas rather than palace intrigue. “I figured out a detail.”
“What detail?”
“My purse is empty.”
Lynch took out his shriveled purse and dumped out the three shillings and sixpence inside.
“There should have been over six pounds in there. I have no memory of spending it, which should mean this is an event related to the statue.”
“Correct.”
Lynch’s speech quickened:
“Then it’s settled. The most likely scenario is that I used that large sum of money to buy the statue this afternoon.”
“But I was helping a client find something. Why would I spend my own money to buy the statue?”
“If it were just something cheap, I might have fronted the cost, but this wiped out my entire life savings. Plus, I spent quite a bit on food and tips afterward. Why would I be so reckless?”
Natalie hesitated. “It suggests you believed the client would pay you a large sum of money. You were going to be rich?”
“Exactly! But why would I believe such a thing? Would I just believe anyone who told me I was going to get rich? He didn’t even give me an advance, yet I spent all my savings. Was I not worried that he might suddenly say he didn’t want it, or that he was lying and didn’t actually have the money?”
Officer Natalie tilted her head. Lynch could practically see the tangible question mark hovering over her. “Right, why?”
Lynch held up a finger and spoke rapidly:
“So, this ‘belief’ must meet several conditions.”
“First, he must be a very wealthy person who can afford this massive sum, potentially involving hundreds of pounds. If, for instance, King Rudolf II of Lande asked me to do this, I would certainly be willing to invest all my savings without doubt.”
“Second, I must know the first point, meaning I am familiar with him.”
“Third, I must have a history of working with him and know he wouldn’t renege on the payment.”
Officer Natalie stared at Lynch’s face, her expression somewhat dazed, clearly engrossed. “Wait, wait, let me think... so you mean this was a wealthy, old client?”
“Exactly. And the fourth point is key.” Lynch held up a fourth finger. “He is also someone who would reasonably do such a despicable thing.”
“Making me front the cost and only settling the expenses afterward—normal people wouldn’t do something so shameless, especially high-ranking figures. But because it was him, I didn’t doubt it; instead, I felt it was normal.”
Officer Natalie’s expression was subtle, but she nodded.
“I had this suspicion back at the Mole Club when I realized why my savings were gone, and I found a suspect in my past commission records. But it was just idle speculation, meaningless on its own.” Lynch squinted and smiled. “But it’s different now. After tracking them here, I found this.”
As he spoke, he picked up the notebook on the floor.
Special cargo, L.
“That’s you, right? What about it?”
“His records aren’t dated, but this entry is mixed in with previous items, so it clearly wasn’t from today. This suggests it’s actually an inventory record; the person who gave him the cargo is someone whose name starts with L. Now look at this.”
Lynch flipped the card over and handed it to Officer Natalie.
“This is... a protection amulet, a scroll commonly used by us Soul Severers. Is there a problem? Ah, I see—does this mean the other party is also a Soul Severer?”
“No, the back.” Lynch turned the card over. It seemed to have a watermark, but it was located right on a charred spot. Most of it was gone, leaving only a tiny blue corner mark on the edge of the burn.
“Hmm? It’s too hard to distinguish.” Officer Natalie leaned into the light to barely make out the mark. “I can’t tell what this is.”
“Doesn’t it look like the corner of an L?”
“Hmm, it does look a bit like it, but I can’t imagine what it originally looked like. There’s too little left.”
“I can, because I saw it just an hour ago, on a top hat.”
Lynch’s smile turned somewhat grim. He squinted and said:
“I ‘ran into’ Mr. Randall from Affen Lane at Lattis Kitchen. He’s a greedy, stingy, but relatively trustworthy small factory owner who always likes to take advantage in his commissions. His hat and coat were both embroidered with a blue L-letter emblem—likely his family crest—and the corner looks exactly like this.”
“The protection amulet he gave ended up here...” Comparing it to Granville’s final messages, Officer Natalie said with a dark expression, “It means he is likely the mastermind behind the scenes. He gave the item to Granville first, then commissioned you to find it?”
“Yes, but unfortunately, I can’t produce any more concrete evidence.”
Lynch sighed, knowing he was just a game detective; his skills were far from enough.
“You have a misunderstanding, Mr. Levive.” Officer Natalie sneered. “We only hold the title of the Hall of Order; it doesn’t mean we are actually police. The police uphold the law and require evidence, but we only uphold order.”
“So, evidence doesn’t matter?”
“Not strictly, because in the world of the mystical, evidence sometimes doesn’t exist at all.” Officer Natalie said solemnly. “The information we have is enough to support us Watchers in launching an investigation. Even for those powerful nobles, we have the right to find ways to infiltrate, let alone a mere factory owner. But now, I have a question to confirm with you, Mr. Levive.”
“Yes?”
“I am preparing to investigate the Randall household. Since you are the one who leveled the accusation against him, I hope you will participate in this investigation as an ordinary person, helping to search for that statue of the evil god together. Will you accept?”
Lynch paused, looking at Officer Angel in surprise. Her expression was still stern and resolute, but her eyes carried a faint trace of apology. She then turned her gaze away as if nothing had happened.
Surprise turned into a smile. Lynch quickly understood; this was Officer Angel’s unique way of apologizing. Even though the pressure in his heart remained heavy, Lynch laughed, took off his top hat, pressed it against his chest, and bowed like a gentleman of Lande:
“Even if I am to die, I will die on the path of struggle. It is my honor to fight alongside you, Ms. Angel.”
“Remember, this is not an apology. I am just worried that if you continue to act rashly, it will affect my further investigation.” Not only did she turn her gaze away, but her neck turned as well. The officer let out a cold huff. “You...”
Clang.
Before she could finish, the clock chimed.
9:00 PM. Countdown: three hours.
The smile on Lynch’s face faded. He pulled up his sleeve to check his arm.
It had spread another few centimeters; one third of his upper arm had already been eroded.
His heart, which had just begun to ease after finding the target, was crushed again by the sound of the clock.
The officer bit her lip and sighed. She said in a low voice, “Let’s go. Perhaps... there is still a chance to find a solution.”
Lynch nodded. Just as he was about to follow the officer, a gentle voice suddenly rang out in his mind.
【The mystical filth still clings to you. Are you sure you want to leave like this, Awakened?】
Hmm? Is this the guidance? Does it mean I missed something?
But what did I miss? Could the statue be right here?
However, the voice in his mind fell silent, offering no further response.
So it really is guidance, and I have to find the specifics myself.
“Wait, Ms. Angel.”
“What is it?”
“I suddenly thought: since Granville is also a connected party, could that statue have been teleported here?”
“You thought of that? It’s possible, but we don’t know where it is. With this level of low-grade mysticism, a Soul Severer with normal inspiration would need direct contact to notice any abnormality. Unless we carpet-search the entire building, we won’t find it. But it doesn’t matter. After we leave, the police will seal off the crime scene and search the entire building thoroughly. I’ve already given them the photos; they know what to look for.”
“So sensing the mystical really is that important.” Lynch began to understand the value of a Witness.
“Of course it’s important. That’s why I said when we first met that a person with sharp inspiration is significant to a hunter.” Officer Natalie explained, “They can discover the mystical around them faster, whether it is harmful or usable, and can help us avoid danger as much as possible and reduce trouble. In a situation like this, they could vaguely sense the existence of the mystical, while we would know nothing.”
“Hmm, know nothing.” Lynch nodded. “What does it actually mean to sense the mystical?”
“It’s hard to describe. It’s probably just a kind of oppression and fear, like facing something dangerous.”
“Hmm?”
Lynch found this description somewhat familiar. Thinking back carefully, when he first looked at the photo of the statue after transmigrating, the feeling was exactly like the oppression before a natural disaster.
He had felt a similar sense of danger when looking directly at Officer Natalie’s sword, though at the time he had thought it was just the threat posed by the weapon itself. Could this feeling be inspiration?
【This is sharp inspiration, guiding you to witness the mystical.】
Did you bring this about?
【Yes, my existence strengthens your inspiration, allowing you the ability to accurately sense the mystical.】
If you can strengthen my inspiration, what exactly are you?
The gentle female voice went silent.
Forget it. Regardless, thank you, Witness. I am gradually understanding the importance of this ability.
This time, the gentle female voice remained silent for a moment. Just as Lynch thought she would not respond, the voice spoke again.
【This is not a simple gift, Awakened. Everything has a price.】
Lynch immediately thought of what the officer said when they first met: the more one knows, the closer one gets to madness.
But regardless, this is my first reliance on completing the journey of awakening in this dangerous world, isn’t it, Witness?
【Yes. I wish you a pleasant journey.】
“What is it?” Officer Natalie looked at the dazed Lynch in confusion. “Do you want to try it too?”
“How could that be? I was just asking.”
After some thought, he decided not to fully reveal his cards. He brushed it off while recalling the feelings he had since entering the antique shop. He had felt danger everywhere, but what truly caused his fear and sense of danger was actually Granville’s remains. He still felt a lingering dread looking at them now.
“Officer Angel, this corpse wouldn’t also belong to the mystical, would it?”
“Hmm? The corpse itself doesn’t, but he died from mystical power and will carry strong mystical residue, and the intensity is quite high. Even I can feel it clearly.” The officer’s gaze was somewhat suspicious. “You felt the terror too? Is your perception really that sharp?”
“Haven’t you already confirmed it? I’m an ordinary person; I certainly wouldn’t be able to sense the mystical.”
Lynch smiled, already having a guess in his heart. He opened Granville’s notebook and said:
“Look, he said he also had mysticism and wasn’t afraid of Randall. I’m wondering, in times like these, where would he keep something he believed could save his life?”
“Naturally, by his side. It’s best to keep it on one’s person.”
The officer blurted out, only then realizing what she had said.
Both their gazes turned to the pile of ‘sand’ on the floor simultaneously.
Approaching the corpse carefully, Lynch used his cane to lift the clothing that was wrapped around the ‘sand’.
A ring box rolled out.
Lynch fought back his nausea, picked it up from the ‘sand’, and asked Natalie with his eyes.
“It’s fine. The outside is a normal container; you can open it. But let me.”
Officer Natalie took the box and opened it carefully.
Inside lay a red ring.
While an inexplicable panic rose in Lynch’s heart, a bizarre image appeared before his eyes out of thin air.
A massive meteorite wreathed in roaring flames floated in the sky, and a human figure burning all over knelt below, arms spread toward the fireball.
【Mystery Relic, The Passion of the Blazing Lady.】
【May my scalding passion not scorch your pathetic soul.】
Rate on N.U.
