“Dorothy, do you know about the angel-level relic, the Evil Mirror of Burgundy?”
After moving the wooden box to the basement downstairs, when Xia De returned to the second floor with Mia in his arms, the Golden-haired girl was humming a song while wearing an apron, in a good mood as she brought the plates to the dining table:
“Of course, I know. Legend has it that anyone who looks into that mirror will immediately be possessed by the powerful evil entity within the mirror. Even Ring Arcanists below Hexacle cannot escape, and the process is instantaneous, with no possibility of resistance. That mirror is extremely dangerous; the evil entity in the mirror is immortal and can only return to the mirror after its container is destroyed. During the period it was not contained, this relic caused countless tragedies. I remember around 300 years ago in the sixth epoch, it was jointly contained by the Three Great Academies, and it is now in Saint Byron's. Why do you ask about this?”
Dorothy asked curiously, wiping her hand with a towel, and finally brought Mia’s goat milk to Xia De’s side. Seeing that Dorothy had made breakfast, Mia did not dodge Dorothy’s outstretched hand this time.
“It’s nothing.”
Xia De pulled out the wooden chair next to him for Dorothy and sighed softly:
“I just didn’t expect the research of the Thirteen Ring Sorcerers to be so unimaginable... Do you eat so little?”
On the plate in front of Xia De were two slices of soft white bread, two fried eggs, half a tomato, and in addition, butter, hot milk, and bacon. But in front of Dorothy, there was only one slice of bread, a cup of milk, and half a tomato, just a little more than Mia’s breakfast.
The Golden-haired girl sat down very elegantly:
“Even a Sorceress needs to maintain her figure. I don’t want Leia to say I’m fatter than her when she uses my body. Besides, compared to food, what I need more is... moisture.”
She winked at Xia De with a slight blush, then put one arm around his neck and kissed him passionately.
Although it was Sunday, Xia De had no intention of being idle. He planned to find Iluna later to ask her to help him find information about the cult of the Old God, the Undetermined Sage. After hearing that Xia De planned to take Mia for a stroll in the city, Dorothy decided not to stay at Saint Delan Square Six.
However, she did plan to take Professor Manning’s letters with her, and she spent today organizing all the letters for Xia De:
“Also, heating for the Saint Delan Square district will begin next Monday. Leia’s intention is that since the basement’s waterproofing is done, we should have someone deliver firewood before next Wednesday... Do you know how to use a fireplace?”
Dorothy asked at the dining table. Xia De put down the newspaper in his hand. He had just been reading the third section, news about Princess Margaret visiting the Ministry of Administrative Affairs. On the back of that section was news that “Brute Trute,” a famous wrestler in the Kingdom, had won a match in Tobesk City:
“Throw the wood in and light it.”
After thinking for a moment, he added:
“Keep an eye on Mia and don’t let her get close to the fire.”
“Do you know how to control the flame, how to use the chimney to vent smoke?”
“Hmm...”
Dorothy slapped her forehead:
“After Leia has someone deliver the firewood, I’ll teach you how to use the fireplace. It’s actually very simple. When I was little, at home, I loved to bake things in the fireplace.”
She turned her head to look at the fireplace in the living room:
“The weather isn’t cold yet. But on a snowy night, turning off the gas lamps at home, sitting on the rug in front of the fireplace with family, playing games or reading together by the light of the fireplace—that’s my most vivid memory of every winter before I left home.”
“On a snowy night, you can come here. If it’s Red Butterfly Day again, call Leia.”
Xia De understood the Writer’s hint; it was indeed a very beautiful scene.
After breakfast, Dorothy helped Xia De wash the plates and cups, then left with the letters. Xia De calculated the working hours of Black Stone Security Company, arriving at Swan Castle Street, where Black Stone Security Company is located, exactly at nine o’clock. As the weather grew colder, the scenery on the streets also changed with the seasons. Xia De, holding Mia, looked around at the pedestrians’ clothing at the street corner for a few moments before walking into the inconspicuous gray building.
Theoretically, Black Stone Security Company operates all day. This is not only the base for Iluna’s team, but it also houses some of the relics they use. But for ordinary people, the business hours here are nine in the morning, so when Xia De pushed open the door, he believed he was the first customer today.
On the first floor at the reception, a plump middle-aged woman with curly brown hair was knitting a red sweater while looking at a magazine. Beside the yarn basket, a white cat lying down was pushing a ball of yarn back and forth with its paws. The team leader, Mr. Robinson, who is nominally in charge of the security company, stood in front of the reception desk, checking the entry logbook.
They both looked towards the door when they heard it open. The white cat pushing the yarn ball flinched, seemingly a little afraid of Mia, who was being held. Since Xia De had been here more than once, the Seven-Ring middle-aged leader recognized Xia De:
“Hamilton Detective, do you have something to commission so early?”
He asked very amiably, subtly closing the registration book and using his pen to mark the page he had just been looking at.
“Good morning, is Bei Ya Si here?”
Xia De asked. His ostensible identity was Iluna’s friend, having met Iluna through investigating an incident:
“I’d like to return the book I borrowed from her last time. Also, I’d like to talk to her about Professor Manning’s theft case, which she asked me to help investigate.”
Mr. Robinson nodded:
“Bei Ya Si is on the second floor. Please wait a moment, I’ll go call her down.”
Of course, Iluna was very happy about Xia De’s visit. The two talked in the reception room on the first floor. The second floor of this three-story building is the area for receiving clients, and the third floor is only accessible to team members; Xia De had never been there before.
“We’ve been robbed here.”
As soon as the door closed, Iluna said to Xia De:
“I received a notification at six this morning. When we routinely inventoried the relics in the warehouse this morning, one was missing. The captain gathered the team members for a search, and it was initially determined that the relic 【God Thief Jack】 was responsible. The missing relic is the Secret Keeper Level (Level 3) 【Mandrake Snake Nest Vial】. The captain will probably receive a major disciplinary action, and all of our year-end bonuses will be gone this year.”
At this point, her tone immediately dropped:
“I didn’t expect to not get a year-end bonus in my first year of formal work. Unless the stolen item can be recovered, our team’s evaluation results will probably be at the bottom this year.”
“It’s so bold, daring to steal from you all?”
Xia De was greatly surprised, sitting on the sofa with Mia in his arms. He could understand Iluna’s feelings; this was truly an unprovoked disaster.
“Theoretically, it dares to steal from anywhere except the church.”
Iluna sat beside him, looking dejected:
“relic theft is a big deal, especially when it’s stolen by another relic. How unlucky, I was just upstairs writing my self-criticism and accident report. Based on the current clues, 【God Thief Jack】 disguised himself as a client and came here at five last night, then slipped to the third floor when no one was paying attention.”
Seeing Iluna’s worried expression, she must have been here at five last night too.
“Did you see what it looked like?”
“An ordinary middle-aged man, wearing a black trench coat and a wide-brimmed black hat with a string. He claimed to live in the North District of Tobesk City and commissioned us to investigate his neighbor, whom he suspected was a peeping tom. We have already investigated that address. Although the address exists, the person is just an ordinary person, and they also just lost something a few days ago, so there is reason to suspect it was also stolen by him.”
Iluna said through gritted teeth:
“Tobesk City is so big, even if it tends to steal from Ring Arcanists, I didn’t expect it to steal from us. If I really encounter it, I will definitely let it know the power of the Sunlight Gun!”
She handed Xia De the brooch that could release “Sunlight Gun,” and Xia De naturally put it in his pocket. This made Iluna relieved; she had been worried that Xia De had learned 【Lightning Spear】 himself and would no longer need her “Sunlight Gun.”
Xia De could understand Black Stone Security Company being robbed, after all, Luvia had also said that various strange things would spontaneously appear around the Chosen One.
“Alright, let’s not talk about this anymore, Xia De, what did you come here for?”
“If you have time, you can help me investigate some things at the church.”
Xia De handed the written investigation content to Iluna, who took a look:
“The cult of the Old God... No problem, coincidentally, the deity you want to investigate is somewhat related to Vinars’s trial. My writing to the Holy See for information won’t arouse suspicion.”
Iluna folded the letter and put it away, reminding him:
“Xia De, I think you should also prepare for theft, be careful not to lose things like us.”
“Stealing from Saint Delan Square Six?”
Xia De thought about the valuables in his home, stroking Mia’s back with his right hand, and suddenly felt a shock in his heart, immediately asking:
“Will that relic steal living creatures?”
Iluna understood what he meant and gently comforted him:
“At least so far, there has been no precedent of the other party stealing pets. The Church is now also suspecting that the other party is the ‘invisible person’ mentioned in Vinars’s trial, so they are also investigating this relic, but this relic has no history of being contained, and we only have a few pieces of information that may not be accurate.”
Xia De thought for a moment:
“I should still bring Mia with me when I go out recently. If this cat is really stolen, I don’t know how I would explain it to its owner, Miss Gaode.”
“Miss Gaode?”
Iluna had also heard Xia De mention The Lady:
“Speaking of which, you can inquire about what breed Mia is and if she has any siblings. I also want to raise such a cute cat, but other cats just can’t compare to yours.”
Hearing Mia being praised, Xia De was also in a good mood:
“No problem, when Miss Gaode writes next month, I’ll ask her in my reply, but from its markings, Mia should just be an inexpensive local stray cat.”
He very sincerely drew the holy emblem on his chest and said amidst “her” soft laughter:
“May Mr. Dawn bless us, I hope Mia San Gaode will recover soon, I hope the declining family will prosper again, and I hope the town will soon be rid of those strange things.”
“I hope The Lady will be safe, but the matters in Tobesk will not be as easily resolved as those in a remote town.”
Iluna counted on her fingers and listed:
“The Church has confirmed the news: as rumors of the Chosen One and the Hymn intensify, the fourth Chosen One has attracted even more Ring Arcanists than the one in Midhillburg. Besides the already confirmed Truth Society, followers of the evil god 【mr. doom】, the illegal organization 【Blood Healing Club】, the cult 【All Numbers Return to One Society】, and the neutral organization 【Jade Alchemy Association】 have all been confirmed to appear locally. In addition, there is no intelligence yet of Thirteen Ring Sorcerers outside the Church appearing, but clear intelligence indicates that the 【Truth Society】 is preparing to use a high-risk relic to complete Vinars’s trial.”
She looked at Xia De:
“By the way, Miss Pa Wo, whom you met, is the Vice President of the Truth Society. Yes, she only has Hexacle, but the Truth Society is not an organization where status is determined by power.”
“The Truth Society directly sent its Vice President this time? It seems they really value the fourth Chosen One.”
“No, no.”
Iluna shook her head:
“In fact, we all believe that the purpose of the organizations listed above coming to this city is not for the Chosen One, but for the Secret Keeper’s trial.”
She sighed softly:
“For most people, epics are too far away, and the Chosen One is too far away, but the Keeper’s chance to fulfill wishes is right before their eyes.”
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