Investigate Mr. Grant's secret lover? Was this the infamous cheating investigation? Ebner mused that he'd never have suspected Mr. Grant, with his thick eyebrows and straightforward manner, to be the type to sneak around…
Seeing Jane's frustrated expression, Ebner sighed and said, "Tell me everything from the beginning. You might have misunderstood something."
"Really, Ebner?" Jane looked at him with a glimmer of hope. She'd grown up happy and content and couldn't bear the thought of her life being upended. She felt a mix of dread and determination about her father's possible betrayal.
"Let's hear it." Ebner was patient with this lively young woman.
"Let me think… This all started last Sunday. I was up late reading, around eleven at night, and suddenly I heard a noise at the shop's door. I thought it was a thief, so I grabbed my dad's shotgun and went to check. I ended up seeing my father sneaking out the door, wrapped in a cloak… I stayed up all night waiting, and he didn't return until around four in the morning."
Ebner frowned. Something didn't seem right. From his previous world's dramas, he knew most men would come up with some excuse to leave, rather than sneaking out like this. Was he just bad at it? Also, Jane, you grabbed a gun to deal with a burglar yourself? That's bold.
"I pretended to go to bed early over the next few nights, but I secretly kept an eye on him. And every night, he left around the same time!" Jane said, fuming as she thought of her father's antics.
"What about your mother? She hasn't noticed anything?" Ebner asked.
"My mom's been sleeping really well lately, straight through the night. And I don't know what my dad's doing, so I haven't told her yet…" Jane added, thinking of her mother's healthy glow over the past few days.
A perfect sleep schedule… Could that really be a coincidence?
Ebner was starting to suspect Mr. Grant might be hiding something besides an affair.
After a moment of thought, he asked, "Have you noticed anything else unusual about Mr. Grant?"
Jane thought carefully before answering, "Whenever he returns around three or four in the morning, he takes a long bath—he's never done that before. And he always seems exhausted afterward. He usually doesn't look back to normal until midday."
It does sound suspiciously like a late-night fling…
Weighing everything Jane had told him, Ebner decided to take on the investigation. First, Jane had been a good friend to the original Ebner, helping him through his hardest times. For that alone, he felt obliged to assist. Secondly, her innocent, cheerful smile had given him some comfort in this otherwise dark world, and he couldn't bear to see her looking so troubled.
When Ebner agreed to help, Jane's face lit up with relief. She pulled fifteen soules out of her pocket and handed it to him. "This is my allowance—use it as a fee for the investigation!"
Ebner tried to refuse, but Jane insisted, pushing the money into his hand. "Ebner, you just advanced your wages four weeks ahead. You must be struggling a bit. Besides, since this is a personal investigation, you can't expense it at Detective Isengard's office. So don't say no!" She turned away slightly, running a hand through her golden hair, then continued, "And honestly, I know you feel indebted to me for helping out when things happened with your family… but there's no need. It didn't cost me much, and you've already more than repaid it by helping at our shop."
Listening to her awkward attempt to justify giving him money, Ebner couldn't help but laugh. It warmed his heart, and he felt even more protective of this friend from the original Ebner's past. She was no longer just a "friend from my memories" or a "charming young girl."
After Jane left, Detective Isengard looked at Ebner with a smile and teased, "Technically, since you're an assistant at my agency, I should be taking a cut from this commission. But seeing as the lovely Miss Grant's visit has even brightened this old man's day, I'll let it slide."
Ebner knew his earlier conversation hadn't slipped past his mentor. Ignoring the obvious teasing, he asked, "What do you think might be going on with Mr. Grant?"
"Certainly not an affair! But as for what it really is, I can't say without investigating." Isengard said, sizing Ebner up again. "A handsome young man, that's for sure. No wonder you're so popular with the ladies. First, there was Miss Xio, and now there's Miss Grant."
"Please, Master, let's keep things serious." Ebner protested. He truly wasn't interested in romance, especially with the events that would soon shake the world after the Fool's descent at the end of the month. All he wanted now was to improve his skills and survive.
"Just trying to get you to lighten up a bit! You looked so tense and frustrated when you came back earlier. Did something happen?" The detective's keen eye had easily picked up on his student's state of mind.
The visit from Jane had calmed Ebner somewhat, but he still sighed, saying, "Thank you for your concern, Master. I encountered a Sequence 5 today and was reminded just how weak I am!"
At the mention of a Sequence 5 Beyonder, Detective Isengard grew serious. He didn't ask for details but simply placed a reassuring hand on Ebner's shoulder. "Knowledge is power! Since you're feeling weak, today I'll teach you an effective ritual to improve your combat abilities."
"What kind of ritual, Master?" Ebner asked, surprised. Over the past few days, he'd learned quite a bit about ritual magic, but most rituals required lengthy preparations—useless for any sudden encounters.
"The charm-creation ritual! As low-Sequence Readers, we lack direct combat abilities, but charms, once created, can be activated with a quick spell." The detective explained, taking out several ritual supplies as he spoke.
A charm? I remember Klein using a Flaring Sun Charm infused with the Eternal Blazing Sun's blood to interrupt the True Creator's descent, so they must be powerful… Although I doubt I'll be working with godly blood anytime soon.
As Ebner mulled over these thoughts, Isengard said, "I recall that when you bought the main ingredient for 'Reader,' you picked up an extra 10 grams of Manhas Monkey brain slices. Bring them here; I need to use them."
"How did you know?" Ebner asked, only to realize his question was unnecessary. How could his mentor not know the ingredients for 'Reader'? Plus, he'd bought the ingredient at Isengard's own gathering.
Ignoring his student's obvious question, Detective Isengard set up three candles and took out three pre-prepared charm bases made of brass.
Ebner examined the brass charms closely. He saw that both sides were inscribed with symbols representing the God of Knowledge and Wisdom.
The detective then took a vial of mercury and guided thin streams of it into the charm's engravings with his spirituality, filling every groove.
Once each charm was finished, Detective Isengard placed them before the candles, accepting the Manhas Monkey brain slices from Ebner and adding two grams to each charm.
Only then did he explain, "The charm's power depends on the quality of the offering. Manhas Monkey brain slices aren't particularly valuable, so these charms will only have a minor effect—but that should be enough for you."
Ebner nodded, carefully stowing the remaining 4 grams of brain slices before resuming his focus on the ritual.
After offering a respectful salute to the holy emblem, Detective Isengard stepped back and chanted in a voice both solemn and worn, speaking in Ancient Hermes:
"I call upon the power of knowledge;"
"I call upon the strength of reason;"
"I seek the blessings of the God of Wisdom;"
"I ask for these items upon the altar to become charms…"
Detective Isengard's voice was steady and powerful. As he spoke, the altar before him grew dim and unfathomable, as if a divine presence radiated from the flickering candle in its center.
The flame leapt higher, casting no light around but instead cloaking the three brass charms in a web of flowing symbols and numbers, swirling in various shapes and sizes, dense yet indistinct.
Moments later, the symbols and numbers disappeared.
Detective Isengard massaged his temples, feeling a slight headache, then lowered his gaze and murmured, "Thank you for your blessing; praise be to Your existence."
Without further delay, he ended the ritual and dismantled the spirituality wall.
"All right, I just checked; with some divine favor, these charms should last at least six months! Normally, they'd only remain effective for a month or two at best." Isengard picked up the three charms, handed them to Ebner, and said, "Since you provided the Beyonder materials, they're all yours."
Ebner accepted the charms with a smile. No need to stand on ceremony with his mentor. "What's the charm's effect, and how do I activate it?" He could technically analyze them with his Pure White Eye, but even with his glasses hiding it, he was reluctant to risk exposure so close to his mentor.
"Speak the Ancient Hermes word for 'Venus,' and it will activate. This charm will cause the target's brain to overload for one or two seconds. It's only effective against lower Sequences; a Sequence 7 or higher would barely flinch." Isengard then grinned. "In fact, you're getting a good deal here. Charms like these are quite popular—each one would fetch at least 30 pounds at a gathering."
Ebner's eyes lit up. Low-Sequence Beyonders generally had little defense against such effects, so even a second or two could decide the outcome of a fight. The charm would be a useful trump card.
With this in mind, Ebner decided to practice by making more charms, hoping to sell a few during that evening's gathering.