Chapter 337: The Search For A Missing Person

Fors flipped through the calendar on her desk and used a pen to mark the

date of the upcoming full moon.

She had decided that, as soon as she heard that horrible, illusory

raving, she would chant the name of The Fool and pass the painful

minutes above the gray fog.

Life is truly filled with things to look forward to... She

closed the novel in her hands, ready to turn off the iron grille gas

lamp that was set into the wall.

At that moment, a flash appeared in front of Fors's eyes. She saw the

boundless gray fog and a lofty figure that resided in a majestic ancient

palace, as well as a man who was praying devoutly.

When the voice reached her ears, she almost jumped, feeling both alarmed

and joyful.

*The Trickmaster formula that I've been arduously searching for all

these years has been found just like that?*

*I participated in so many different Beyonder gatherings and failed to

find any clues to the Trickmaster formula; yet, it has been found just

like that?*

And not even a week has passed since I made the request!

*Th-this is the Tarot Club... As expected, it's not something ordinary

Beyonder gatherings can compare with!* Fors sighed with emotion,

and endured her excitement and joy as she cautiously responded, "Mr.

Fool, is that formula authentic?"

"Yes." The Fool, who was sitting on the high back chair and looking

down, replied calmly.

Fors suddenly clenched her fist and secretly pumped it by her waist

twice. Almost without any hesitation, she asked, "That was Mr. World,

right?

"Please tell him that I will find what he needs as soon as possible."

When the gray fog dissipated and everything was over, Fors remained

stunned for two seconds. She couldn't suppress her excitement as she

stood up to pace back and forth in her room.

*The Sun's domain, items that are good at purification and exorcism... I

encountered them only twice in the past. But they were bought by others.

They might not be willing to offer them again... Yes, back at Mr. A's

gathering, Xio had hired a devotee of the Eternal Blazing Sun to perform

a purification and exorcism ritual. He's at least Sequence 7, and he

should have the relevant items. Or perhaps, he grasps key clues to

them... I just wonder how much it'll cost. Although Mr. World promises

to pay the difference, I might not be able to come up with the amount

needed for the initial payment...* Fors's thoughts gradually

shifted to her financial situation.

She now had 370 pounds in cash, mainly earned from what Viscount Glaint

had paid for the Apothecary formula. She also had 510 pounds in her bank

account, which added up to nearly 900 pounds.

*As for something similar, it can go as high as 2,000 pounds, while the

cheapest might cost from 500 to 600 pounds; yet, it might not

necessarily be the kind of item that Mr. World needs... What if I run

into a suitable item but don't have enough money? Get a loan from the

bank, or a loan from an usury with a higher interest rate? As long as

all goes well, then when Mr. World pays the difference, my debt will

easily be repaid... Maybe I could borrow from Miss Audrey for a few

days. She usually never cares about money, so she will definitely not

collect any interest...* Fors quickly came up with a solution.

Just then, Xio, who had gone to somewhere secluded at night to practice

her combat skills, returned to their rented two bedroom apartment.

Seeing that the lights were still on in her room, she knocked on the

door and asked, "Are you pulling an all-nighter to write the beginning

of your new book?

"Eh, Fors, you seem really happy. Did the publisher increase your

rates?"

"No, no, no." Fors was slightly taken aback before she forced a smile.

"I just received a piece of information that's suspected to be a clue to

the Trickmaster potion formula."

"Really? Your waiting has finally paid off!" Xio totally didn't notice

Fors's hidden oddity.

Seeing her good friend so happy for her, Fors couldn't help but sigh to

herself.

*I'm already a member of a secret organization. From that moment forth,

I've taken on a fate that requires me to constantly hide and lie to my

friends...*

Is this the price---one out of many---to be paid?

Saturday morning. Klein once again visited Inventor Leppard at St.

George Borough's Sird Street.

Since the bicycle had yet to be patented, he only paid the last twenty

pounds and exhorted Leppard not to rush to talk about subsequent

investments and partnerships until he had the patent.

With regards to this, Leppard was very agreeable. He had been tricked

twice before for the same reason---before getting a patent, once the

potential investors who he had made contact with had fully understood

his product, he was kicked aside to watch as the potential investor

bribed the patent office and acquired the patent first.

After leaving Leppard's place, Klein arrived at Isengard Stanton's place

in Hillston Borough at the appointed time. It was a dark and gloomy

house.

Today was the day that the rewards for the serial murder were going to

be disbursed!

Walking through the living room and into the activity room, Klein saw

the two detectives he was more familiar with, Kaslana and Stuart, and

sat down next to the latter.

"Sherlock, how much do you think we'll get this time? It should be no

less than protecting Adol. Of course, I didn't do much, so what I can

receive will be limited. Emperor Roselle once said, 'the more plowing

and weeding, the better the crop.'" Stuart clenched his fist and held it

to his bearded chin.

Klein guessed with interest.

"The split might go as high as a few hundred pounds, and even the lowest

wouldn't be less than 10 pounds."

*And I'm the one that will get the higher end of the split... If

Isengard Stanton's words were as credible as he had

described...* Klein added in his stirred heart.

At that moment, a white-shirted, brown-vested Isengard, with white hair

at his temples and a thinly contoured face, entered the activity room

while carrying his signature pipe. As the fireplace burned, he sat down

in a reclining chair and said with a smile, "Ladies and gentlemen.

"I just got back from the Backlund police station. They acknowledged our

contribution, and they think we've been instrumental in cracking the

case.

"Although we didn't participate in the subsequent capture, we can still

obtain half the bounty.

"In other words, we'll split a thousand pounds in cash!

"This is considered quite a handsome bounty, even in Backlund. A single

detective has to have zero expenses---not eating or drinking, and even

resorting to sleeping on the streets---for four or five years to amass

this amount."

The atmosphere in the living room immediately became relaxed. Everyone

was filled with anticipation about the reward they would receive.

Even Klein was no exception as he guessed the amount Isengard would give

him.

It should be at least a hundred pounds, right? he whispered

silently.

Isengard took a puff on his pipe, narrowed his eyes, and said in a

satisfied tone, "Everyone, thank you for your trust in me. I will now do

the splitting.

"The biggest contributor this time was Detective Sherlock Moriarty. The

ideas and train of thoughts that he provided us had allowed us to find

more clues and put us on the right track. He's a genuine expert at

deduction!

"Ma'am Kaslana can bear testament to this. I still have a few letters

from Detective Moriarty, and anyone in doubt can take a look."

*That's very fair... He actually didn't list himself as the biggest

contributor...* Klein turned to the great detective, Isengard

Stanton, and viewed him in a different light.

*It's no wonder that he has such authority in the detective

circle!*

Seeing that there were no objections, Isengard nodded and said, "I

declare that Detective Sherlock Moriarty will be awarded 300 pounds!"

Immediately, the detectives in the activity room broke out into

whispers.

From time to time they looked up at Klein, as if they finally recognized

this brilliant detective whom Mr. Stanton had praised as an expert at

deduction.

What a generous man, a just man... Klein grinned and

ultimately didn't act modestly.

In second place were Isengard himself and Kaslana, who each received 160

pounds, while the rest of the detectives split the remaining 380 pounds

depending on their respective contributions. Even the lowest received 15

pounds, equivalent to three or four weeks of their usual earnings. This

was the benefit of handling a major case with a high bounty.

Stuart, who had received forty pounds, was very pleased because he felt

that he had only done two days of observation. Furthermore, the subject

he observed ended up not being the final confirmed suspect.

Of course, he also had to pay a portion of the forty pounds---all

informants and helpers involved in the matter had to be paid.

After distributing the bounty, Stuart suddenly remembered something. He

took out a piece of paper from his pocket and said to Klein, "Sherlock,

I've recently accepted a missing person assignment that pays a lot. Try

using your resources and help me pay attention to it. If the person is

found, I won't forget your share."

"Sure, no problem," Klein replied indifferently.

Stuart handed over the piece of paper and said, "It's this man. He's

been missing for nearly two weeks.

"As he's involved in some improper conduct or might even border on

committing a crime, the client doesn't wish for us to seek the police's

help."

Klein nodded slightly and unfolded the paper. He saw a black-and-white

photo that was made through lithography.

It was a man with hair that was combed back in a slanted fashion, and

there was a certain elegance in his propriety.

He was about twenty-seven or twenty-eight-years-old. He had a handsome

appearance, but there was an undisguised air of arrogance between his

eyes. His nose was high, and his lips were thin.

"Right, his name is..." Stuart recalled and said, "Emlyn White."

Emlyn White... Klein suddenly turned his head to look at

Stuart.

"Ah!"

*Isn't that the name of the vampire who's imprisoned in the basement by

Father Utravsky?*

In Duke Negan's mansion, Audrey, who had been invited to a tea party,

was listening to her mother and Duchess Della chatting about nobility

matters with a slightly bored expression on her face.

Her eyes swept across the three-layered rack, the uniquely-styled

muffins, cake, and other delicious tidbits. She felt that she had been

indulging herself recently, so she lightly picked up her cup and sipped

the black tea.

After a while, she got up apologetically and, accompanied by the maid,

went to the bathroom.

As soon as she came out, she met a tall, middle-aged woman with slender

eyebrows and a graceful appearance.

It was Duchess Della's younger sister, the wife of a hereditary

viscount, Lady Norma.

After exchanging the formalities, Norma looked at Audrey and said with a

chuckle, "I heard that our beautiful young lady is very interested in

mysticism?"

*She mentioned mysticism. Could it be that someone from the Psychology

Alchemists is here to test me?* Audrey instantly entered her

state as a Telepathist. A little embarrassed, she lowered her head and

replied, "Yes."

Author's Notes:

As for Abraham's diary, some people said it was rather unnatural and not

written by me, but why did I choose this way of dealing with it? Instead

of softer ones, such as the inherited formula hidden in the notebook

inner layer.

This is based on the character, although the unlucky guy just died as a

Beyonder, he also has his own character, he thinks he is the

protagonist, believe that he can let the Abraham family reappear the

glory. Therefore, see the Volume 2 Chapter 101, he wrote at the

beginning of the diary:

"This will go into the annals of the rise of a cursed family!

"I want to remember every key point!"

It can be seen from here that his diary is not only a diary, but also a

history of self-description. He hopes that future generations can see

through this diary how glorious, correct and great ancestors made a way

to overcome the curse and reproduce the glory of the family.

Therefore, his diary should really be closer to the type shown to

others, so he will record the psychological course of each choice, lest

future generations cannot understand the glorious, correct and great

ancestors' purpose of doing so.

This is the reason why I handled it that way. As for the formula, it is

even more normal. In such an important matter, ordinary people are

definitely afraid of forgetting and will not rely solely on memory.

There must be a corresponding paper record. The difference is only where

the record is. Do you need to look for another one? Based on the

character above, and take a diary as a note.

Had to say that, I still have to sigh. This time I didn't write well

enough.

For an author, if the meaning he wants to express cannot be read

directly between the lines and requires additional explanation, it

proves that he is not good enough.

Perhaps I should strengthen this feeling of self-describing history

written for others at the beginning of the diary. For example, add a

sentence that future generations, please keep this history in mind. In

this way, the following should appear more logical.

Also, it's not a coincidence to buy a purified bullet. Klein asked for

it before. See Chapter 89 of Volume 2 for details.

Well, the book review area and this chapter comment are okay to argue,

but please don't attack in life.

In the end, I have another chapter, and of course, I will ask for a

monthly ticket!

I'll try to have another three night shift next week, but then before

the 25th, there will be something to rush about. It's estimated that I

can only keep two.

Forget the above sentence and ask for a monthly pass!