NOVEL WEB Chapter 23: 23
Chapter 112: The New Outlook of Tarot Club (First Update)Title of the Book: Mystery: Fire and the Fool's Path Author's name: December's Stranding Chapter word count: 3245 words Update time: 2025-06-09 13:00:00
Tingen, 2 p.m.
After resolving the paranormal harassment incident at Sir Deville's home, Klein woke up faintly in his bed at home.
He turned his head and saw that the sunlight outside the window had slightly penetrated the clouds, but it was not very bright.
This morning, he completed his long-awaited mission to join the team. The whole process was not too complicated, and the cause of the incident was also very simple. It was just a tragedy that was unfortunately projected onto an individual by an era.
Sir de Vere was indeed a true philanthropist, but even if he had done everything that a man of his position could do, he would not have been perfect.
But if Sir Deville could only do this, what about other factory owners and capitalists?
As Klein was lying on the bed, he couldn't help but recall that after he helped Sir Deville get rid of the influence of resentment, he asked him about the owner of the Frenson factory under the topic of the lead factory.
And Sir De Vere's answer to him was this:
"Although I have some dealings with Councilman Maynard, I am not close to Frenson. In fact, he seems to have been trying to make a career in business, so much so that he tried to compete with me."
"But, in my opinion, Frensen is too young and too impatient, which is a disadvantage for him if he wants to achieve success in business. And according to the rumors I heard, he seems to be troubled by the issue of unpaid wages to workers recently..."
Crane recalled the little expression on Sir Deville's face when he said this to him. Even though he was not a "spectator", he could clearly read the deep meaning of the other party's words.
Sir Deville was hinting to him that Frensen's funding chain had problems.
"What Gu Yi wants to investigate is the solid evidence that Frensen is unable to repay the debt. With Sir Deville's evidence, she should have some motivation and direction for the investigation..."
Klein thought of a lot of things. He had not yet completely gotten over what happened to Hayleye during the Sir Deville incident. After determining Frenson's current situation, he seemed to be able to foresee that many Hayleye incidents would happen again.
"I hope Gu Yi's investigation can bring a good result..."
He sighed helplessly, looked at the time, and began to wait quietly for three o'clock in the afternoon.
...
Caroline tore her eyes away from the telescope, took out her pocket watch and checked the time.
It's almost time... If she leaves now, by the time she returns to the hotel, it will be almost time for the Tarot Club to be held.
And now, it was almost the time when Lanevus left the steel company every day.
"Lanevers's work and rest schedule is really regular. When I think about how this guy can still live a glamorous life as a criminal, I can't help but sigh at the unpredictable nature of the world..."
Caroline looked at Lanevus who was giving instructions to the boy at the front desk through the telescope. She calculated that he would leave the steel company soon, so she stopped watching and put down the telescope and skillfully left the roof of the surveillance point.
After tidying up her clothes and going out to the street, she quickly found a private carriage, paid the fare in advance, and took it back to Zouteland Street.
After getting off the carriage, Caroline hurried back to the hotel.
It was almost the same time, almost on time. The next second after Caroline entered the room, she saw a misty gray fog appearing in front of her.
"The Tarot Club is about to begin..."
Klein's processed and distorted illusory voice echoed in her ears. Having experienced it many times, she was no longer surprised. She even felt as if she was using Klein as an alarm clock.
"Diligent Old Zhou, does he have to prepare in advance for every Tarot Club? This is really difficult for him..."
Caroline joked lightly, turned around and sat on the bed, leaning against the headboard, waiting for the call from The Fool.
...
Three o'clock in the afternoon, in the magnificent temple above the gray fog.
As expected, three deep red spots appeared on both sides of the mottled bronze table, breaking the silence above the gray fog.
The deep red became blurred and distorted, and then transformed into three illusory figures, hazy and difficult to distinguish.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Fool~"
Justice Audrey stood up happily and bowed to Klein at the top.
She expressed her praise sincerely. It seemed that the successful attempt at ritual magic made her more certain of the mysterious power of The Fool.
Even such a mysterious and powerful "Fool" remained kind and friendly when communicating with them, which made Audrey feel fortunate, and from that fortunateness grew more respect for him.
With Audrey as the initiator, Alger, the "Hanged Man" who usually doesn't speak too much, and Caroline, the "Chariot" who has just left the novice stage, also spoke to express their admiration for "The Fool".
Faced with the compliments from several people, Klein naturally accepted them. After all, this was the image that The Fool should have.
After instructing the members of the Tarot Club that they could use ritual magic to report to him at any time in the future, Klein entered the reading time of each Tarot Club process.
Unfortunately this week, only "Justice" Audrey collected a diary among the three members of the Tarot Club.
Alger, the "Hanged Man", was far away from land and drifted on the ocean for a week.
Not to mention "Tank" Caroline, who was in Tingen this week. Klein, who was in Tingen himself, could not collect a few diaries, let alone Caroline who was busy playing the role of "Hunter" on the three days of rest.
But something is better than nothing. Klein didn't show anything and continued to comfort them in a relaxed tone.
After spending some time, Audrey copied out all the mysterious words in her mind, and then handed the diary to Klein.
Moving his eyes downward, Klein began to calmly read the Emperor's diary.
The Fool entered the reading time, and the members of the Tarot Club began to wait quietly.
Justice Audrey habitually entered the audience state. She first looked at Alger, who was silent and obedient on the other side of the long table, but could not tell anything from his trance-like posture. She could only feel that he seemed to have become more honest and silent.
Then, she quietly turned her gaze to the "Chariot" beside her, observing the situation of the only two female members of the Tarot Club.
Hmm... Miss Chariot seems to have gotten used to the atmosphere of the Tarot Club. She seems very relaxed and leisurely this time, just like... uh, just like attending a dinner party?
Audrey blinked in confusion. She didn't know why she had such a feeling.
She did not doubt her ability to attract the audience, but she could not think of many reasons, so she could only explain it as Miss "Chariot"'s strong ability to adapt to the environment.
As the person involved, Caroline, who was sitting in a daze with her chin on her hand and looking bored, felt a little bit like she was being observed.
She turned her head slightly and saw Audrey, who quickly looked away.
The latter reacted the moment she noticed Caroline turned her head. In order to avoid her observation appearing to be peeping, she pretended nothing had happened and looked around at the scenery, as if she had just taken a casual glance and had seen it inadvertently.
"Are you acting as an audience? It's so easy. You can act anytime and anywhere..."
Audrey's little action did not escape Caroline's eyes. She quickly determined what Audrey was doing just now.
She didn't care about it. After all, no one could see each other clearly in Klein's gray fog. As long as she didn't reveal too much, Audrey wouldn't realize that she was Caroline Williams for a while.
"By the way, if the target person is of a higher level than you, will the effect of the role-playing be better?"
Based on her own acting experience, Caroline suddenly had a strange idea.
If Audrey were to observe Klein the Fool, would she get better feedback on her performance?
Just as Caroline was daydreaming, Klein, who was sitting at the head of the long table, also finished his reading.
"Sorry to have kept you waiting."
Klein put down the diary and turned his gaze back to the three people below.
The Fool has always been very friendly, and Audrey and Alger have become accustomed to it.
After organizing her words, Audrey looked at Alger and asked:
"Mr. 'The Hanged Man', where can I find the Psychological Alchemy Society?"
Is she preparing to start contacting secret organizations related to her own path?
Caroline looked at Audrey and thought silently. At the same time, she was also looking forward to what kind of answer the "Hanged Man" would give.
But unfortunately, Alger, the "Hanged Man", did not know how to contact the Psychological Alchemy Society.
He also advised Audrey that the most important thing for her now was to continue digesting the potion.
Audrey was a little discouraged for not getting any clues, but she didn't dwell on it too much and immediately asked about the details of the potion digestion.
Klein listened quietly to what "The Hanged Man" Alger said about the digestion of the potion. When he heard that the latter believed that digestion would take about three years, he immediately thought of the contents of the diary he had just read.
So he knocked lightly on the edge of the long table, attracting the attention of the three people, and then said:
"At a low sequence, as long as you play your role strictly, you can completely digest the potion within half a year, or even a month."
Although he was speaking to all the Tarot Club members, Klein was mainly sharing the contents of the diary with Caroline.
There wasn't much practical information in the diary he had just read, and this was the only one that was helpful to their current situation.
"Once the potion is completely digested, you will understand it immediately without any additional judgment."
Klein added soothingly, glancing gently at Caroline.
One month to half a year... Caroline thought, and she roughly estimated how long it would take her to digest it based on her current situation.
Audrey was very surprised by this, as it was much shorter than the three years Alger had mentioned.
Alger, who had been corrected by The Fool, seemed somewhat surprised and puzzled.
He was wondering, since Low-Sequence Beyonders only needed such a short time to digest the potion, why did the Church never tell them...
Several possibilities flashed through his mind quickly. Alger didn't dare to think too much and turned his attention back to the Tarot Club.
Seeing that Audrey Justice was immersed in joy and Caroline Chariot had no intention of speaking, he cleared his throat and began to share:
"As far as I know, there is a listener from the Aurora Society who is looking for traces of the true Creator..."Chapter 113 Amazing History (Part 2)Title of the Book: Mystery: Fire and the Fool's Path Author's name: December's Stranding Chapter word count: 3806 words Update time: 2025-06-09 18:00:00
The real creator?
The Creator is the Creator, why do we need to add the prefix "real"?
Caroline held her chin in her hand and thought quietly. Just as she was considering whether to ask what the "True Creator" was, Audrey next to her asked first:
"What is the true creator?"
"It is an existence that many mysterious organizations and secret sects believe in."
Alger narrated in a deep voice.
"They believe that the Creator is not completely dead, and that the remaining core is the true Creator."
The creator who died after creating the world... Caroline quickly recalled the creation myth of this world.
Similar to some creation myths on Earth, this world also believes that such a god was born before the beginning of the world. After he created the world, he exhausted his power, and mountains, rivers, all things in the world, and the current gods were born from his body.
Will death be inevitable after the creation of all things... The Creator is really miserable...
Caroline thought with some difficulty, and then "The Hanged Man" Alger narrated several images about the true creator.
Like the upside-down giant, like the eyes behind the curtain of shadows...
Why does it sound so full of evil... Is this really the image of the Creator?
At this moment, Alger looked at Klein, who was at the head of the long table, and said:
"Is what I said okay, Mr. Fool?"
Hmm? Is this to test Lao Zhou's reaction to the real Creator?
Mr. Hanged Man, you are really brave...
So how would you deal with it, Lao Zhou?
Caroline looked at Klein and sat up slightly, and couldn't help but feel nervous for him.
However, as the Fool, Klein did not show any abnormality.
He still sat steadily in the high-back chair, his posture comfortable, and said with a relaxed smile:
"I prefer to call Him the Fallen Creator."
hiss--!
Caroline made a fist with one hand and covered her mouth, forcibly suppressing her inner surprise and the uncontrollable smile.
Oh my god, Lao Zhou actually took up this question!
How did he happen to know this information?
Well, he has channels with the Nighthawks, and maybe he heard some inside information from the Church of the Evernight Goddess, and then brought it to the Tarot Club to consolidate his image.
Anyway, no one knows him here, so he can say whatever he wants.
Lao Zhou, you are really invincible!
Looking at Klein's nonchalant demeanor, Caroline even suspected that at that moment, Klein had been possessed by some truly great being.
Caroline slowly calmed down and looked at the Hanged Man Alger again.
The latter also showed some surprise at this time, but he responded more quickly and immediately nodded to Klein:
"Mr. Fool, your description is more appropriate."
"According to our observations, all Beyonders who believe in the Fallen Creator have a much higher rate of losing control and going insane than others. Even if they are not out of control, they are almost all insane without exception."
They are all typical cult believers... Caroline added this sentence for Alger in her heart.
Seeing that the party fell into a brief silence, Caroline considered her words and raised her hand to ask:
"So if you are unlucky enough to meet such crazy people in real life, how should you deal with them?"
Alger lowered his head and smiled, then replied:
"The best way, of course, is to report their information to the Orthodox Church in the area and let the official Beyonders deal with them."
"At the same time, you have to stay away from these guys as much as possible. According to incomplete statistics, once these lunatics appear, they often have evil thoughts of wanting the existence they believe in to enter reality."
"If you get close to them or have too much contact with them, you may be secretly contaminated by them, which increases the probability of losing control."
Caroline bit her lip, shook her head and sighed:
"That's a scary bunch of guys."
After the answer, the topic about the true creator was not continued.
Seeing that the other two did not speak, and that The Fool, whose body was shrouded in gray mist, did not say anything, Audrey, Justice, spoke softly:
"I didn't expect there are such scary guys in this world... Well, Mr. 'Hanged Man', can you tell me in detail about the various mysterious organizations and secret sects?"
Audrey promised to exchange this information for a certain amount of money, and Alger did not hesitate to offer 1,000 pounds in cash or gems of equal value.
Caroline thought for a moment, then followed Audrey and said:
"I can afford half of the exchange fee, which is also invaluable information to me."
It has been so long since she entered the extraordinary world that Caroline has more or less realized that things related to extraordinary things are extremely costly.
She had to spend the money she needed to spend, and in this gray fog, Klein probably wouldn't allow her to bargain.
Caroline said, suddenly feeling Klein's gaze.
Somehow, she seemed to sense an inexplicable melancholy.
Alger naturally had no objection to this, as long as the money he got in the end was 1,000 pounds.
"Yes, you can send the money to the original address. Um, it's the 'Warrior and the Sea' bar on Pelican Street in the White Rose District of Prids Harbor. Give it to the owner Williams and say it's from the 'Captain'."
When Caroline suddenly heard Alger say the last name Williams, her body shook subconsciously.
She thought her box had been opened for no apparent reason.
However, Williams... This surname that should have only been possessed by members of the Williams family has become so common that the family is really in decline...
Caroline was very sure that this boss who was also called Williams was not a relative of hers. There were only two people left with the Williams family bloodline - herself and her uncle Albert.
She sighed with some melancholy, and then said to the Hanged Man:
"I'm not near Pritz Harbor recently, so I may not be able to spare the time to go there."
Alger spread out his palms indifferently and said:
"It doesn't matter. You can always come over when you have time."
Unlike the transactions in reality, if someone dared to buy from him on credit, he would let the other party see how terrible Alger Wilson, the captain of the "Blue Avenger", was.
But this is the Tarot Club convened by The Fool, and with this mysterious and powerful being as a guarantor, Alger will naturally feel more at ease.
Besides, he won't be getting close to land anytime soon.
Caroline breathed a sigh of relief after getting the answer. She really couldn't leave Tingen so quickly.
The following time was the time for the "Hanged Man" to show off his erudite knowledge. The names of mysterious organizations and secret sects came out of his mouth one after another.
In addition to basic information, it also includes the possible relationship between them and the Orthodox Church.
Caroline listened to these contents as if she was listening to a story, but unlike a story, these contents all existed in reality.
It's hard to find such detailed information in the occult books in the library. This 500 pounds should be well worth it...
Caroline was thinking about it, and suddenly she realized that there seemed to be someone here who didn't spend a penny and listened to the whole thing right next to her.
Old Zhou... Caroline quietly looked at Klein, who was sitting at the head of the long table. He was still so comfortable even though he was acting as The Fool.
It turns out that it is easy for people who build platforms to make money...
Alger told everything he knew as best he could, and Caroline, who was learning so much for the first time, didn't have any questions to ask.
The two were silent for a moment and were about to talk about other topics.
"Thank you for your story, Mr. 'The Hanged Man'."
Audrey, who was sitting next to her, spoke softly, but Caroline sensed a hint of absent-mindedness in her tone.
Sure enough, after expressing her gratitude, Audrey paused and then asked them:
"I have a question about the history of the Kingdom of Loen that I would like to know. I wonder if you can answer it for me?"
A question about history?
Caroline turned and looked at Audrey.
"You can tell me what you want to know, but I may not be able to provide the answer."
Alger thought for a moment and said.
"Well, I wonder..."
Audrey hesitated for a moment and spoke softly:
"I want to know about the history of the Williams family of the Kingdom of Loen being stripped of their dukedom because of suspected treason."
Treason... treason?!
Caroline's eyes widened in shock, and a buzzing sound suddenly erupted in her head.
She looked stiffly at Klein at the top, and the latter also gave her a confused and surprised look.
...
Unfortunately, Alger, the "Hanged Man", did not know the details of this history, and the mysterious "Fool" also did not provide any information.
This did not cause much confusion to the crowd. After all, in their opinion, Mr. Fool should be a very ancient being who had only recently begun to revive. It was normal for him not to know the history of the early Fifth Epoch.
So this issue was turned over without any results. After the few people exchanged some information, Klein announced the end of this Tarot Club.
"Follow your will."
Audrey and Alger's figures turned into crimson bubbles and slowly disappeared. Only Klein and Caroline, who he had left behind, were left above the gray fog.
Klein waved his hand to disperse the gray fog that enveloped him. He pinched his forehead and looked at Caroline, who was sitting in a daze on the chair, with some embarrassment.
"Is this… your family's history?"
In the previous communication after the meeting, Klein only knew that Caroline was from a wealthy aristocratic family, but he was not clear about the specific situation.
After hearing Audrey mention the Williams family, he connected it to Caroline's last name and instantly understood the relationship.
Caroline, the person involved, replied with a bitter face:
"Do you think I know..."
The two were silent for a while. Klein felt that this topic was a bit heavy, so he turned to talk about the contents of Roselle's diary today.
Caroline was struggling with her family's shocking past. When she heard Klein talk about the mysterious man named Zaratul being the leader of the Secret Order, her attention was distracted a little. She looked at Klein and said:
"My client seems to have some connection with the Secret Order... Are you looking for the Secret Order?"
Klein didn't rush to state his needs. He first asked in confusion:
"Is your client a member of the Secret Order?"
Caroline waved her hand and shook her head.
"He is not a member of anything. According to him, he just has some friends with more connections, and among these friends there happen to be people from the Secret Order... Well, I heard that he also has friends who are members of the Iron Cross, an organization that controls the Hunter Path."
"With so many connections, why would he still entrust you with something?"
Klein suddenly felt a little strange.
After he reminded her of this, Caroline, who had originally had no opinion on this, also felt a little strange.
"It's really strange... But I've confirmed it through the 'report'. He has no ulterior motives. He really just wants to catch Lanevus who cheated him out of money."
Klein, who had seen the magic of "reporting", nodded in understanding. Since Caroline could confirm that it was safe, he didn't say too much.
"My main purpose in finding the Secret Order is to seek the formula for the 'Joker' potion, which is Sequence 8 of my path."
"'Joker'...? Hahaha, that's a really... uh, amazing name."
Caroline wanted to laugh, but after seeing Klein's resentful look, she quickly stopped.
"Well, if you still haven't found it by then, I can try to find out the situation for you."
"If it doesn't work, I'll ask the Hanged Man for you at the next Tarot meeting."
Klein's eyes lit up when he heard this, and he nodded and said:
"That's a good idea. After all, as the Fool, there are some things I can't say actively."
"Big leaders always need an assistant to help solve problems."
Caroline teased to Crane.Chapter 114 Reliable People (Part 3)Title of the Book: Mystery: Fire and the Fool's Path Author's name: December's Stranding Chapter word count: 3242 words Update time: 2025-06-09 20:00:00
After exchanging some ideas about potion performance and digestion, Caroline was sent down into the gray fog by Klein.
The gray fog in front of her eyes slowly dissipated, and after feeling the texture of reality returning, Caroline opened her eyes.
The smile she had just had after joking with Klein slowly disappeared, and Caroline's mind once again recalled what Audrey had said.
"The Williams family was suspected of treason and was stripped of their dukedom..."
Duke title! The Williams family used to be a duke!
You know, the duke is the highest level of nobility, and generally only direct relatives of the royal family or people with special merits will be awarded this title.
The former still exists in the current Kingdom of Loen, but the latter no longer exists.
The Williams family has no blood connection with the royal family of Augustus, which means that the title of duke was obtained through special merit.
What kind of special merit allowed the Williams family to obtain the title of Duke?
For example, risking his own life to save the king in an extremely dangerous situation?
For example, thwarting the domestic rebellion conspiracy and maintaining the rule of the Augustus family?
Or for example, he made great contributions in the war and assisted Augustus in successfully establishing his country...
With such a status, it is no exaggeration to say that during Williams' most prosperous period, he was the number one nobleman under the royal family.
However, such a prominent family is now facing the situation of bloodline extinction and loss of inheritance.
Audrey said that the reason given by the kingdom for being stripped of the dukedom was... treason?
Caroline didn't know what the ancestors had done in the past, but if Williams' ancestors really intended to overthrow the rule of Augustus but failed, then this extremely influential event that could help Augustus consolidate the royal majesty and status would definitely be recorded in history, and even adapted into various dramas and ballads to be sung.
However, the actual situation is that the history books of the Kingdom of Loen do not mention this at all.
The original body's memory of history still exists, and Caroline can be sure that there is no record of this incident in Loen's official history books.
Regardless of where Audrey learned this history, the Loen Kingdom government's attitude of not mentioning such a major event was fraught with problems.
Did the Williams family really rebel?
Caroline felt her hands and feet getting colder and colder, because she seemed to have realized some of the truth behind the death of her original parents.
Even the death of the original body may be related to it...
Caroline clenched her fists and took a few deep breaths.
Calm down. If the murder of my original body was planned by the royal family, then they would not have no reaction after I reappeared.
If Augustus really wanted to kill Williams, they would definitely have plenty of opportunities.
In other words, the murder of the original body's parents may have been a conspiracy of the royal family, but the death of the original body may not be the case.
"From the 'report' alone, the only person monitoring me now, besides Albert's sentry, is the guy who caused the coincidence..."
"But that guy's goal should be Tingen, so it may not have much to do with me..."
After thinking about it calmly, Caroline felt that she should not let this information affect her thinking and judgment. After all, it has been half a month since she traveled through time, and during this half month, everything has been relatively calm.
"I hope this peace can continue..."
Caroline murmured softly, breaking out in a cold sweat and deciding to do something to calm herself down.
That's right, it was the activity that she used to do on Earth, which could make people relax and feel happy.
So she walked to the bathroom without thinking.
...
Half an hour later, Caroline, who had just finished taking a shower, let out a long breath and slowly walked out wrapped in a bathrobe and a bath towel.
"Taking a bath really can calm people down... I'm a little sleepy..."
Shaking her head and sighing, Caroline walked to the bed and glanced casually at the table beside her.
Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks because she saw a letter suddenly appeared on the desk where there was nothing on it just now.
Someone broke in?!
No, that's unlikely! Because before taking a shower, she had unfolded the "Void Cube" and checked the surroundings of the room through a map, just to prevent someone from suddenly attacking her while she was taking a shower.
The map showed that, at least before she took a shower, there was no one around the room, but there were two overlapping dots in the room downstairs, representing passers-by.
Her bath was not interrupted and no one attacked her.
So what exactly is this letter about...
Caroline carefully looked at the envelope and saw a familiar name written in rather elegant handwriting.
Ovis Vine...
Is it a letter from Ovis?
How did he know I was in this room at this hotel? How did he get the stuff here?
With doubts, Caroline picked up the letter and opened it with her bare hands.
Unfolding the letter paper inside, she saw lines of words written in the same elegant handwriting.
"My dear lady, please forgive me for rashly sending this letter by courier."
"You can rest assured that my messenger will never look at anything he shouldn't. If its sudden appearance disturbs you, please don't be alarmed."
Messenger? Suddenly appeared?
Caroline silently took note of Ovis's magical method and continued reading.
"The reliable person I mentioned to you will arrive in Tingen in the early morning of July 17. He requires you to meet him at the Flower Restaurant in the northern district of Tingen at 9 a.m. that day and hand over the situation and information about the damned swindler."
"You can leave everything else to him. He is a very professional troubleshooter and you can trust him."
"I am looking forward to good news in Backlund~"
Is it finally coming?
Caroline felt relieved. Monitoring Lanevus had taken up too much of her time. This matter should have been concluded long ago.
"He will be sitting at the innermost seat near the window in the restaurant. The code for the meeting is..."
The code for the meeting was... Caroline looked down curiously, but then her expression twisted strangely.
...
The next morning, Caroline was ready to go, changing into a light green walking skirt that was easy to move in, and she tied her hair up. She carried the necessary revolvers and an appropriate amount of bullets.
She first went to the surveillance point in the southern area to confirm that Lanevus had not left, and then set out to meet him.
She took a carriage all the way to the northern district of Tingen and soon found the Flower Distance restaurant that Ovis mentioned in the letter.
This is not a very high-end restaurant, and it is more of a cafe that serves meals than a restaurant.
After shaking herself off, Caroline slowly walked into the restaurant.
Following the instructions in the letter, she quickly scanned the window seats in the restaurant, and finally found a person wearing a black Feneport hat and reading a newspaper at the two-person seat at the innermost side.
The man was wearing an inappropriate coat, and the figure underneath did not look very strong. He gave her the feeling that he was more like a character from a tavern in a western movie.
Caroline couldn't tell his age from the view blocked by the newspaper.
It should be him... Thinking of this, Caroline walked to the double seat.
As if sensing Caroline's arrival, the man put down the newspaper slightly, revealing a pair of cloudy but sharp gray eyes.
"Who is the hero in the world?"
The man spoke slowly in a low and hoarse voice.
Caroline twitched her lips and replied:
"Long live the greatest, most powerful, most magnanimous, and most invincible emperor, Roselle Gustav..."
The man looked at Caroline and put the newspaper down.
Only then did Caroline really see his face.
The man had a very weathered and deep face, with a very straight nose, a typical Feysac face shape.
There was a scar on his left cheek that went all the way to his ear, giving him the impression that he was someone who was not someone to be trifled with.
He put away the newspaper, looked at Caroline, and raised the corners of his pale stubbled mouth slightly, saying:
"This is the code set by Ovis, and I don't like it very much either."
He even made some jokes to lighten the mood... well, although his eyes told me he didn't really want to laugh.
Caroline thought about it, sat on the empty chair, and smiled at the other party in a friendly manner:
"Ovis has never concealed his love for Emperor Roselle."
The premise is that he doesn't know the contents of Russell's diary...
The man smiled in agreement, then returned to his expressionless state and introduced himself to Caroline:
"You can call me Mikhail. Ovis asked me to come and help catch the swindler."
"What is the situation now?"
Mikhail, he is indeed from Feysac...
Caroline thought about it and answered truthfully:
"The target's name is Lanevus, and he is still in Tingen. He owns a steel company in the southern district. He stays in the company at this time every day and does not leave until around two or three in the afternoon."
"I confirmed before coming here, he is in the company now."
"very good."
Mikhail nodded.
"Miss, as it stands now, you are much more reliable than Ovis."
Uh, why did he suddenly say this? Did Ovis cheat him before?
Even though he was cheated, he still chose to come and help. It seems that he is a true friend of Ovis...
Caroline's thoughts drifted away, and then she asked:
"So when do we act?"
Mikhail checked the time and replied:
"Right now."
So decisive... Reliable people are indeed reliable!
Caroline was delighted, but she did not agree immediately.
The operation to capture Lanevus was launched in broad daylight. Caroline felt that she needed to inform Klein.
So she stood up and said to Mikhail apologetically:
"Sorry, please wait a moment. I need to go to the bathroom first. When I come back, we will leave."
Mikhail looked at Caroline deeply, nodded, but said:
"Okay, but if you're not back in ten minutes, then I'll leave on my own."
Caroline was stunned for a moment, and said awkwardly:
"It won't be that fast..."
Then she quickly trotted towards the restaurant's bathroom.Chapter 115 DangerTitle of the Book: Mystery: Fire and the Fool's Path Author's name: December's Stranding Chapter word count: 3246 words Update time: 2025-06-10 13:30:47
Mikhail's cautious attitude indirectly confirms the qualities that he should possess as a reliable person.
And if there wasn't any other more appropriate reason, Caroline wouldn't have used the somewhat difficult excuse of "wanting to go to the bathroom" to temporarily get away.
But the bathroom is indeed a good place. The space is closed enough that it cannot be seen by others, and there is no need to worry about passers-by suddenly breaking in.
Caroline hurriedly followed the restaurant's signs all the way to the bathroom door.
There was no one there, so she slipped into the bathroom and locked the door.
Caroline observed the situation in the bathroom, then turned on the faucet, using the sound of running water to cover up her movements.
"According to the normal process, if I want to report the situation to Lao Zhou, I have to hold the ceremony first, but I don't have the materials for the ceremony."
"However, according to the mystical knowledge I have learned and what Lao Zhou said before, the fundamental effect of that ritual is to connect the astral body of the person praying with the target object, so that the information you want to convey can be delivered to the other party through the connection."
"And to determine the direction of the target object, we use those three directional description spells..."
"If I recite the mantra directly without holding a ceremony in advance, it should be effective..."
Caroline made this analysis in her mind, then she steadied her breathing, concentrated her mind, clasped her hands together, and recited devoutly and sincerely in the Hermetic language:
"The fool who does not belong to this era, the mysterious ruler above the gray fog, the yellow and black king who controls good luck..."
"Old Zhou, the operation to capture Lanevus is about to begin. I'm here to inform you in advance to prevent any accidents that may occur..."
After repeating the message she wanted to convey three times, Caroline still felt it was not safe enough. What if just chanting the spell had no effect?
So she walked four steps backwards in the bathroom, using a method that could connect with the gray fog to convey her message to Klein again.
After doing all this, Caroline thought it was enough.
After wetting her hands slightly, Caroline turned off the faucet and left the bathroom while wiping her hands with a handkerchief.
When she returned to the restaurant, she saw from afar Mikhail waiting calmly on the seat for two, his eyes fixed on the pocket watch in his hand.
If I don't come back within ten minutes, he will really leave...
Caroline thought about it, and quickly took a few steps to come close to Mikhail.
"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting, Mr. Mikhail."
She acted apologetically, saying that her brief departure was indeed just an undignified accident.
Mikhail looked up at her, without showing any expression, and said calmly:
"Just come back on time."
"Let's go."
...
Zouteland Street, Blackthorn Security Company.
Klein slowly walked out of Dunn Smith's office. To his great surprise, the captain had not forgotten anything today.
Perhaps it was because the "psychic" Ms. Daly was about to be transferred to the Backlund Parish, and Captain Dunn was happy for Daly, but also felt sorry for his own delay in promotion, which made his memory better today for the first time in history?
What is this, some kind of turning grief and anger into motivation?
Klein secretly curled his lips and helped Dunn Smith close the office door. Then he prepared to go to the underground armory to find Old Neil to start today's study.
Inside the armory, Old Neil was advising Klein to stay calm and not be too happy. He even mentioned the arrangement for Klein to practice combat.
It turns out that the captain didn't forget something, but he just didn't think about it after he forgot it…
Klein thought helplessly.
But before he could say anything, he heard faint unreal whispers, which made his brain a little dazed.
Is someone praying for me?
Klein was distracted for a moment. He couldn't spare the time to respond to the prayer.
However, Old Neil did not delay the class for too long. After telling Klein about the upcoming course schedule and some suggestions, he relaxed the class and let Klein read a book by himself.
Klein took this opportunity to ask Old Neil to go to the bathroom.
Old Neil looked at Klein deeply and opened his lips, but in the end he didn't say anything. He just smiled at him with a weird expression and let him go.
After leaving the armory, Klein returned to the security company as quickly as possible and headed towards the bathroom.
After entering the bathroom, he immediately walked four steps backwards, chanting a spell, passing through the obstacles of crazy muttering and headaches, and came to the top of the gray fog.
Sitting firmly in the high-back chair, Klein looked toward the deep red star that was calling out to him.
"Is it Gu Yi who is calling me?"
Klein thought about it and expanded his spirituality, spreading it toward the crimson star.
With a bang, Klein saw a distorted and blurry picture. He saw Caroline standing in an exquisitely decorated bathroom, lowering her head and whispering.
At the same time, he also heard Caroline's slightly nervous voice saying:
"...The operation to capture Lanevus will begin soon..."
Caroline is going to start arresting Lanevus... This is a good thing. Finally, this fraudster who endangers the property safety of Tingen people can be brought to justice...
Well, although her plan seems to be to capture Lanevus and hand him over to others for lynching...
Klein smiled and shook his head. As a Nighthawk, he should have arrested Lanevus through legitimate and official channels.
However, since Caroline has already made arrangements for Lanevus, he will choose to support her actions.
Anyway, the final result is that Lanevus stops committing crimes, so it shouldn't make much difference.
With that in mind, Klein decided to make a divination for Caroline's action. After all, he still needed to play the role of "fortune teller" and would not miss any opportunity to act.
Klein took out the projection of his spirit pendulum above the gray fog. His mind moved slightly and he thought about the divination statement.
The previous divination about Caroline's position gave him a reminder that the divination he did above the gray fog seemed to be more effective, as if it had some kind of bonus.
This bonus allowed Klein to get the desired result roughly without having to design the divination statement in too much detail.
After thinking for a while, Klein held his spirit in front of his body, concentrated his mind, entered into meditation, and whispered:
"Caroline's operation to capture Lanevus will be successfully completed..."
After repeating it several times, Klein suddenly felt a strong pulling force coming from between his fingers.
His eyes widened slightly, because he clearly saw that the pendulum was spinning at a strong and high speed, and the direction of rotation was counterclockwise, which represented negation!
The capture will fail...
And it's not just a failure, this degree of rotation often means a more serious situation...
The operation of arresting Lanevus may be life-threatening!
Klein's heartbeat quickened rapidly, and he performed the next divination almost without hesitation.
"Lanevers is in grave danger..."
Just like before, this time the pendulum spun at high speed with the same powerful force.
It's just that the direction represents definite clockwise.
Klein's pupils shrank and his whole body tensed up.
There is danger, a serious danger! We cannot let Caroline go and capture Lanevus!
It should still be in time. I just delayed it for a while, but I responded quickly. Caroline should not have arrived at Lanevus yet!
We must catch up...!
Klein's mind was in a mess, but he still transmitted his information to the crimson star through the connection.
"The operation to capture Lanevus is extremely dangerous..."
...
"The operation to capture Lanevus is extremely dangerous..."
"Stop the action. I will immediately report Lanevus's situation to the Nighthawks..."
Caroline was in a trance while sitting in the carriage. She came back to her senses only after she heard Klein's call clearly.
Is the operation to capture Lanevus dangerous? !
Is it Lao Zhou's divination ability? He plans to hand this matter over to the "Night Watcher" to handle!
But, but...
Caroline turned her neck stiffly and looked outside the carriage. At this moment, Lanevus's steel company appeared before her.
The carriage stopped at the corner of the street, and Mikhail and Caroline got out one after another.
Mikhail's eyes quickly swept across the street and immediately locked onto the gate of Lanevus Steel Company.
"Is that the company?"
Mikhail pointed to the entrance of the steel company and turned to Caroline and asked.
Caroline nodded woodenly, her brows furrowed, and her whole body showed a great disharmony due to tension.
Of course, Mikhail noticed this obvious abnormality at once. He put down his arm, examined her face with his calm grey eyes, and asked in a deep voice:
"What's wrong with you?"
Caroline rolled her throat. She couldn't possibly tell Mikhail that someone had informed her through telepathy that there was danger in capturing Lanevus.
After quickly thinking about it, Caroline looked at Mikhail nervously.
"I suddenly felt a strong sense of crisis... as if something terrible was waiting for us ahead..."
"Sense of crisis?"
Mikhail's expression immediately became serious. He straightened his back and looked in the direction of the Lanevus Steel Company.
After thinking for a moment, he asked:
"How many windows does this company's office have?"
Caroline heard Mikhail's question and answered truthfully:
"There's only one, and it's facing the alley next to it."
"Does the receptionist at the door know you?"
"Yes, I have visited Lanevus before."
"Did you have this sense of crisis at that time?"
"No, I haven't."
Mikhail adjusted his hat silently. He looked at the closed window of Lanevus' office and calculated the distance from there to the company's main door.
"Take your weapon and go to that window to help me stand guard. Be careful not to be seen by the receptionist."
Mikhail looked at Caroline, pointed to the position under the window in the alley without changing his expression, and said.
"If you encounter a force you can't resist, just run away."