As a derivative element of the “Sun” power, 【Thunder】 is a relatively common Ling Rune, just like light, earth, wind, water, and fire. Furthermore, in the transcendent systems of past eras, elemental manipulation has always been an important part of mysticism, so there are quite a lot of 【Thunder】 Miracles. So much so that Xia De, at the Black Raven Library, with a maximum price limit of 200 pounds, actually saw a list of 50 Miracles at once.
However, in the end, Xia De didn't buy anything. He planned to compare them with the Miracles at the Academy Library. Although the 【Thunder】 Ling Rune doesn't particularly match his current Ring術士 system, given the powerful offensive capabilities of 【Thunder】 Miracles, Xia De is very willing to have this Ling Rune associated with a few more Miracles. His energy is limited, so he needs to carefully consider what to choose.
After leaving the Black Raven Library, it was finally time for lunch. When Xia De returned home, he indeed saw Iluna, who had already changed into a blue dress, standing at the bottom of the steps of Saint Delan Square Six, holding her handbag with both hands in front of her, waiting for him with some trepidation.
After having lunch with Mia and Iluna, the seventeen-year-old girl, in good spirits, continued her mission to visit other victims of the theft in the University District. Xia De returned home and sent a letter to the address Miss Silvia gave him at the end of the Lakeview Manor banquet, arranging to meet the Great Witch to discuss his paper.
Because he wanted the letter to be delivered today, Xia De specifically went to the post office to send an express letter. As he walked out of the post office, he stood at the entrance, looking at the street scene, thinking about where to go next:
“Should I go home and look through Professor Manning's letters? Or go to the nearby Old John's Pawnshop for a look?”
Looking at the two different paths, Xia De chose to try his luck at the pawnshop.
On a sleepy afternoon, Old John's Pawnshop also had no customers. The shop owner was originally reading a book. When he saw Xia De arrive, he first raised an eyebrow, then indicated that he had something to tell Xia De.
“I'm not a rich man. I won't buy those flashy but actually useless relics.”
Xia De, who had just walked in, immediately said. The old man looked displeased:
“Detective, look at what you're saying. Am I that kind of unscrupulous merchant? It's something else. I have a commission here. Do you want to take it?”
“A commission? Did you get robbed here too?”
“Robbed? Who would dare to steal from me?”
The old man with glasses shook his head, glanced at the shop entrance, and after confirming that no one was pushing the door, he lowered his voice:
“It's not my private commission, it's a commission from the Hermit Order. Do you want to take it? The reward is very good.”
He tapped the counter with his finger, making the brass-framed magnifying glass next to it tremble.
“What do you need me to do? Old John, there are many Ring術士 you know in this area who are stronger than me, aren't there?”
Xia De also became interested. He knew that Old John occasionally sought help from familiar customers, but he didn't expect it to be his turn this time.
“There are indeed many who are stronger than you, but for this matter, it's best to find a reliable person.”
The old man slightly lowered his voice:
“Do you know Apner Library?”
Xia De raised an eyebrow:
“Of course, I know. It's a small Ring術士 organization, and its relationship with the Three Great Academies is very bad.”
And it is suspected of possessing one-third of the stone tablet that “records the Knowledge of enhancing time.”
“The Hermit Order bought a batch of materials from Apner Library. We're picking them up on Saturday evening. Detective, I want to commission you to help pick up the goods.”
“Don't the Hermit Order have a lot of people here in Tobesk?”
Xia De asked in surprise, but Old John shook his head:
“Don't think we are a very large organization. I thought you knew, we are actually a special academic group. Everyone else in Tobesk has something to do, or they are not mature enough. Besides, we don't trust Apner Library, just as those people don't trust us. For this matter, I want to find a strong, trustworthy, and reliable person to do it, and I think you are very suitable.”
Xia De smiled and shook his head:
“Old man, then what's the truth?”
“Those Middle-Ring Ring術士 of the Hermit Order are all busy. You are the only one in Tobesk who knows our true identity, and Schneider has praised you for being resourceful, so we want you to go.”
“Is that all?”
Xia De asked again, and the old man coughed awkwardly:
“Also because you happened to come when I was looking for someone. And, from what I know about you, you have a deep obsession with that house on Saint Delan Square. I don't believe you would run away for a box of materials.”
Old John said, without waiting for Xia De to refuse, and directly offered a price:
“25 pounds. You just need to pick up the goods and deliver them to me. If any other unexpected situations occur midway, I can add more money.”
With that, he pulled out a handful of change from the biscuit box under the counter, counted it, pushed 3 pence back, and handed the rest to Xia De:
“I'll give you the full amount directly.”
“So generous this time?”
Xia De swept the change in front of him and carefully counted it. It was exactly 25 pounds, not a single penny more.
“Because this time it's the Hermit Order paying, and it's reimbursable.”
The old man said with a smile, knowing that Xia De had already agreed.
“Then why give me change? Is this also out of caution?”
Xia De looked up and asked.
“No, it's just that I've accumulated too much change, and I'm too lazy to exchange it for larger bills.”
The smile on his face made his wrinkles somewhat obvious. Among all the old gentlemen Xia De had met in this era, Old John was the one with the youngest mindset.
With the arrival of Princess Margaret, Tobesk City in early winter once again became turbulent. Old John clearly knew about the events that happened at Lakeview Manor on Tuesday night, but he didn't want to talk much about it with Xia De. However, he clearly knew about the news of the Truth Society and the Cultists they hired coming to Tobesk, but perhaps because he didn't want to mention the “Chosen One,” the old man also didn't want to talk much with Xia De on this topic.
As for the box of materials that Xia De was commissioned to pick up on Saturday evening, Xia De probed about its contents, but Old John shook his head with a solemn expression, indicating that Xia De shouldn't ask. This attitude made Xia De have reason to suspect that after Apner Library shared the fragments of the poem with The Society of Truth, they then sold those materials to the Light Guidance Hermit Order.
But this time, he didn't think of reporting it. At least he would wait to see those materials before making a decision.
“I feel I have reason to suspect whether the funding provided by the Hermit Order for this task is really 25 pounds.”
Xia De put the change into his wallet. He usually doesn't use a wallet; he keeps change in his pockets, and his wallet holds his gun license and large bills, but Old John gave him too much change.
“Are you looking down on me too much? How could I embezzle this kind of funding?”
The old man snorted, then asked suspiciously:
“I heard that you've recently hooked up with a foreign princess. Why would you still care about a few pounds of small change?”
“Who told you this rumor?”
“The newspapers said so, and the impoverished nobles who often come to my place to pawn family antiques also say so.”
“No, no, that's not the real situation. I have no relationship with Princess Margaret.”
Old John smiled and didn't continue the conversation. Xia De didn't know if he was teasing him or genuinely believed the rumor.
While the two were talking, Dr. Schneider also came to the pawnshop. He came to pick up an alchemical item in the style of a tinderbox that he had ordered from Old John.
The doctor was a bit surprised to see Xia De there. He greeted him, and while Old John went upstairs to retrieve the item, the doctor asked the young Detective:
“Xia De, do you want to come with me to see a patient later? A very interesting patient. Maybe you can help.”
“What kind of psychological illness is it this time? Gluttony again?”
Xia De was startled.
“Oh, Detective, don't scare me. Of course not. This time it's paranoia, and of course, some other atypical symptoms.”
The doctor shrugged. Fearing that Xia De might not know this symptom, he explained further:
“So-called paranoia means constantly worrying that someone wants to harm oneself. This is a patient from out of town. I have been treating him for three weeks, and there has been some effect, but not much. Continued treatment probably won't have much more effect, so I wanted to ask you to help me look at it from a Detective's perspective. Maybe you can find something else.”
Xia De thought for a moment:
“Will it take a long time?”
He was still planning to go back and look through Professor Manning's letters.
“An hour or two will be fine.”
The doctor took out his pocket watch and glanced at it:
“But it's not at my clinic. The consultation location is at the Three Cats Inn in the north of the city. That patient believes that only the place where he lives is the safest. Some time ago, I tried to persuade him to chat at the pub across from Leedweich Field, but he didn't agree.”
“No problem, but are you sure this is really just an ordinary patient?”
Xia De asked suspiciously, and the doctor immediately nodded:
“Of course, I've been treating him for three weeks, and nothing has happened.”
Xia De then didn't press further. Although Dr. Schneider had bad luck, not every patient involved mysticism or relics. If he could help the doctor in just an hour or two, Xia De certainly wouldn't refuse.
Anyway, he had nothing planned for the afternoon, so he decided to go with the doctor.
After saying goodbye to Old John, Xia De and Dr. Schneider took a carriage together to the Three Cats Inn. When they got off the carriage at St. Anthem Square, the doctor proactively paid the fare. The patient with “paranoia” paid extremely generously for the consultation, and besides, this time the doctor invited Xia De to help.
St. Anthem Square, as the largest public square in the North City slums, was still so lively on Friday afternoon. As Xia De and the doctor walked the short distance of a few dozen meters to the Three Cats Inn, people approached them separately, asking “if they needed to exchange pounds for Carson Rick crowns, with a favorable exchange rate,” “if they were interested in rhode cards in the evening,” “if they had time to learn about the newly opened pink club,” but they were all driven away by Dr. Schneider.
Dr. Schneider's patient, Mr. James, lived on the third floor of the Three Cats Inn. He was originally unwilling to leave his room, but recently, probably because the treatment had some effect, he agreed to meet this time on the second floor of the Three Cats Inn.
