Chapter 470: Name

Outside Red Rose Manor, Klein walked out of the carriage whilst carrying

his cane.

He closed his eyes and calmed himself as he looked at the red-uniformed

soldiers standing guard at the door.

*Since Sealed Artifact 0-08 has been making coincidences to stop the

woman with the sapphire ring from meeting me, there shouldn't be any

exception today. There's no need for me to worry about running into her.

As long as I fool Prince Edessak with my acting, everything would be

fine...* Klein thought quickly and walked towards the entrance

of the manor.

After being searched and handing in the gun holster and revolver, he

followed a valet's lead and walked across the gray slate road, past a

fountain spewing clear spring water, and entered the main house. They

arrived at the second floor and arrived outside the room that was

supposed to be a solarium according to the layout.

During this entire process, Klein had his heart in his mouth, worrying

that something unexpected would happen. He was afraid that the situation

would develop in the worst possible manner.

Knock. Knock. Knock. After knocking gently on the door, a

valet approached the door and whispered, "Detective Moriarty has

arrived."

After a full ten seconds of silence, a heavy voice came from inside the

room.

"His Highness has invited him in."

The door creaked open and warmth spread outwards, with a temperature

that was warmer than the hallway.

Under the watchful gaze of the two tall guards, Klein stepped onto the

thick, patterned yellow carpet.

He took a few steps forward, skirting the cabinet that separated the

inside from the outside, and he saw Prince Edessak sitting by the

full-length windows, enjoying the rare winter sun of Backlund.

The round, impressionable face didn't have the slightest trace of a

smile, and this naturally created a solemn and repressed atmosphere.

Because of the combination of the elegant fireplace and the metal pipes,

the room was warmer than late spring. Prince Edessak wasn't wearing a

coat, and his upper body was covered with a white shirt with cuffs which

resembled blooming flowers and a pale yellow vest.

Seeing this, Klein was actually secretly relieved, because the woman

wearing the sapphire ring wasn't accompanying the Prince.

Thus, he quickly stepped forward and bowed.

Edessak held a steaming cup of black tea in his hand and didn't invite

Klein to take a seat.

He maintained his previous expression and asked in a deep voice, "Any

results from your investigation?"

"No, my divinations, my spirit channeling, my interviews, my

investigations all tell me that Talim died of a heart attack," Klein

said with a heavy, painful expression with obvious signs of self-blame.

"I'm just too weak in every aspect. Your Highness, you should hire a

stronger and more powerful helper."

Why don't you get someone better... He added silently

inwardly.

It was only then that Edessak seemed to clearly notice Detective

Sherlock Moriarty's face. He felt as if he had aged considerably, as

though he had been unable to sleep at ease for a long time.

It wasn't an illusion, because Klein had used his Faceless powers before

he left to adjust the state of his face, making his skin look dry and

lusterless. He made his beard appear messy and his eye bags bigger,

darker, and more obvious.

Edessak was silent for a moment before he put down the white porcelain

cup with a golden inlaid rim.

"I understand. It's indeed like forcing a square peg in a round hole...

"I will have someone else follow up on the matter. Prepare an

investigation report and don't leave anything out."

Alright! Klein inwardly clenched his fist and quickly took out

a folded piece of paper from his pocket.

"Your Highness, there's no need for you to wait, as I always have the

habit of recording things in writing."

After instructing the attendants to take the report, Prince Edessak

casually flipped through it and put it aside.

"Is there anything else you need?"

"No, Your Royal Highness, please allow me to take my leave. Ah, right, I

will be heading south for some time; I want to use the warm sunlight

there to melt the pain in my heart." Klein sighed in response.

"It's a New Year's custom of many in Loen." Prince Edessak nodded

slightly and turned to Funkel, the old butler. "Send Detective Moriarty

out and get him a carriage."

*The nearest town to Red Rose Manor is a 15 to 20 minutes walk. I'll

have to hire a carriage when I get there.*

"Yes, Your Highness," the old butler bowed and said politely.

Klein didn't let down his guard and quickly took his leave.

He followed the old butler all the way to the entrance of the manor and

took back his underarm gun holster and his weapon.

Less than a minute later, he was seated in a Red Rose Manor carriage.

He leaned against the carriage wall and watched the manor turn smaller

as the distance grew. Klein relaxed and let out a long breath, letting

his hanging heart calm back down to its original position.

He knew that he had left the center of the stage.

*After that, it's time to bid farewell to Backlund and head south, a

complete curtain call... After that, I'll change my looks and sneak back

in secret...* He calmly considered his subsequent plans.

Suddenly, his spirituality stirred as his spirituality tensed up as he

saw the door to the carriage quickly open and then silently close!

Before he could respond, he saw a figure quickly outline itself. It was

wearing a heavy black dress and had a sapphire ring on its hand.

Sapphire ring! Upon seeing this scene, Klein, who was at the

juncture of a flight or fight response, narrowed his eyes and sat back

down, not daring to act rashly.

This was a terrifying person who possessed a Grade 0 Sealed Artifact or

was a demigod of a similar level!

*This... It's really true that the more afraid you are of something

happening, the higher the chances are of it happening... 0-08 or

something else, what happened to the coincidences you create?*

Klein's spirit and body instantly tensed up as he could only watch

helplessly as the figure appeared in front of him.

The lady's age was completely different from her dressing style. She

looked about eighteen or nineteen, had a round face, slender eyes, and a

gentle and refined temperament. Deep down, she was sweet and was an

outstandingly gorgeous beauty.

She... Klein was surprised for a moment, before immediately

recognizing her as he blurted out,

"Trissy!"

*Isn't this the fellow who had gone from being Instigator Tris to Witch

Trissy?*

*How did she go from being wanted to becoming Prince Edessak's

woman?*

*How did she, a member of a the Demoness Sect, end up by Prince

Edessak's side?*

*And she even has a Grade 0 Sealed Artifact or a mystical item of a

similar level!*

When he looked again carefully, he saw that there was something

different about Trissy. Her facial features, which weren't outstanding

alone, were softer and more delicate, but when placed together, they

were stunning.

Hearing his surprise, Trissy became happy instead of being alarmed. She

revealed a sweet smile and said, "You know me...

"I knew you know me!

"A detective with Beyonder powers definitely pays special attention to

the wanted posters!"

He, eh⁠---she looks very happy... Klein cautiously asked with

doubt and caution, "What do you want?"

He clearly remembered that the person before him wasn't a good person.

Tris had single-handedly created the tragedy of Alfalfa via instigation,

while Trissy had caused the deaths of many innocent civilians in Tingen

City.

Trissy pursed her lips into a smile and said, "Very simple. Quickly

report me to the Nighthawks, the Mandated Punishers, or the Machinery

Hivemind! Get them to come here and capture me!"

*Calling the cops on yourself? Th-this transvestite, eh⁠---this woman

must be insane!* Klein was a bit at a loss.

He soon figured out the meaning behind her message: Trissy would rather

be locked up behind Chanis Gate than stay at Red Rose Manor. She's

trying her hardest to get out of here!

*Simply put, she believes that this place is more dangerous and more

despair-inducing than being caught by the Nighthawks and Mandated

Punishers...* Klein tried his best to control his expression and

asked in a deep voice, "What are you afraid of?"

Trissy stood dazed for a second before she widened her eyes and said

with her unfocused eyes, "There's someone manipulating my life. There

are always coincidences that horrify me after they happen.

"And I'm becoming less and less like myself."

Saying this, the corners of her mouth curled up as she said, "Can you

imagine? Being someone who loves those shy and cute maids, can you

imagine the pain when I wake up in the morning in the arms of a naked

man?"

*I can; that's why it's best to stay away from being an Assassin or

Witch...* Klein couldn't help but imagine such a scene, and his

heart palpitated for a moment.

Trissy continued with a self-deprecating smile, "I thought that by

working hard to advance, to become 'Pleasure,' that I would be able to

free myself from that weird state. Hence, I sought people to help me

search for the corresponding Beyonder ingredients, but the outcome only

turned worse.

"Sometimes, I forget a lot of things, but they end up really happening.

I endured the disgust, seduced Talim, and tried to get him to help me

escape. Who knew that I ended up killing him with a curse without me

even realizing it... Do you believe that?

"Heh heh, they even changed my name. They wanted me to completely

abandon my past self. No! Absolutely not!

"They thought I could only overcome the coincidences for a short period

of time and that I would soon get back on track. Humph, it was just an

impression I deliberately created for them, so I have managed to meet

you, Mr. Detective!"

Pleasure... Demoness... Ingredients... Klein suddenly

remembered that in the Beyonder gathering held by Old Mister Eye of

Wisdom, Isengard Stanton, there had been a person who had requested to

purchase the main ingredients of the Demoness of Pleasure potion. With

him being aware of the formula, he instantly noticed it on the spot, but

he had chosen to ignore it. He gradually forgot about the matter with

time.

*So that was Trissy's helper! Was she already by Prince Edessak's side

back then? Why do I somehow feel that her present smile looks so

miserable but beautiful... A Demoness of Pleasure is sick...*

Klein took a breath, his thoughts in a jumble.

As he was organizing his thoughts, he asked casually, "What did they

change your name to?"

Trissy furrowed her beautiful brows as she answered with a somewhat

blank look in her eyes, "Trissy Cheek."

Trissy Cheek... Cheek... Cheek! Klein suddenly raised his

head, his whole body turning numb once again, as stiff as a marble

statue.

At this very moment, there was only one page of Roselle's diary that was

madly reverberating in his mind.

*"5th June. I obtained an ancient book. It actually mentions the

Primordial Demoness's name...*

"'Her' name is Cheek..."