Luckily, Charles Sauron, the Sauron family Provocateur, was aware of the need for speed. Instead of trying to memorize the documents like Witch Bianca had done, he quickly took out a small camera, snapped several photos, and then returned the files to their original place before hurrying away.
Ebner followed him out of the core room and quietly slipped back to the abandoned underground jail.
He had no intention of accessing the third altar core. It was located in Cotton Surrey's study, and attempting to modify it there would likely leave traces that wouldn't escape the Constellations Master's sharp eye. Besides, connecting the first two cores was enough to serve Ebner's needs, giving him temporary influence over the entire Guardian Ritual. His goal was only to assassinate the ambassador, not to occupy the embassy, so this level of control would suffice.
...
Later that night, in the lounge of a bar on Root Street in the Bridge District, Witch Bianca handed a handwritten file to a middle-aged man with distinctive Southern Continent features.
"This is what you wanted. We're even now. Don't contact me again," she said coldly.
The man carefully read the contents before setting it alight. Nodding, he replied, "Our organization honors its promises. You have nothing to worry about."
"Oh, please," Bianca scoffed, "if not for the oath you swore to that… existence, do you think I'd trust any promises from some 'hidden organization'?" She stood, about to leave.
The man hesitated, then warned, "Bianca, you should know Bakerland will never marry you. He cannot make that commitment."
Bianca halted, half-turned, and replied, "I know… I never expected him to. But being with him grants me some measure of stability—I no longer have to worry about being hunted down by official organizations or dealing with inexplicable dangers."
With that, she strode out of the bar.
Watching her leave, the man shook his head, sighing, "The supernatural world holds dangers everywhere, Bianca. Now that you're part of it, you can't avoid them forever… especially after the 'Hidden Sage' marked you during that experiment."
...
Meanwhile, in the park at the border between the West District and Queen's District, Charles Sauron paced anxiously, clutching a file folder and glancing frequently toward the entrance.
"Charles Sauron?"
He started at the sudden voice behind him and turned around, looking down to see a petite figure in a golden mask standing under the subway ventilation shaft nearby.
Recognizing the mask, Charles relaxed a bit, though he kept his guard up. "MI9? Where is Princess Vera?"
"The princess thought her presence might make you uneasy and prompt some… rash actions, so she sent me instead," replied Xio Derecha, the petite masked girl. She hadn't expected the princess to assign her, a newcomer, to handle a meeting with a "double agent." Then again, perhaps this spoke to the princess's decisiveness.
And it looked like Ebner's guess was spot-on—there was indeed an MI9 informant within the Intis embassy.
Charles didn't seem offended. In fact, he appeared somewhat relieved, revealing how much the princess intimidated him.
"I have the information here. Now, where's my item?" he demanded, eyeing the petite girl before him.
Xio didn't respond directly. She took out a small metal box, unlocked its spiritual seal, and opened it. Inside lay a fiery red crystal gemstone—the Arsonist's Extraordinary trait.
Childe's breathing quickened as he stared at the item. Although he was a member of the Sauron family, his branch had long since fallen into decline, and he had no inheritance to rely on. Years had passed since he digested the Provocateur potion, but he still hadn't saved enough to purchase the main materials needed for Arsonist.
Even if I could afford it, I'm still low in the family's "promotion queue." At this rate, I'd be old before I even had a chance…
Resolving himself, Charles steeled his gaze, took a deep breath, and asked, "Could I take possession of the trait first?"
Xio nodded confidently. "Of course." Without hesitation, she tossed the metal box to Childe.
Charles caught it, his heart skipping a beat. Her willingness to hand it over so readily implied that MI9 likely had strong operatives watching nearby, ready to strike if he tried to flee.
Trading fur with a tiger… Ugh, quoting that traitor Roselle? What am I thinking?
As his mind raced, Charles carefully examined the trait inside the box. Once satisfied, he threw the file folder to Xio. "The photos and negatives are all there. Our transaction is complete."
Xio glanced at the photographs, confirming they were copies of a spy's telegraph message to the ambassador, detailing the Feysac intelligence team leader's planned meeting with Ian, along with the time and place.
Meanwhile, not wanting to linger, Charles turned and bolted out of the park, heading straight for the embassy. As he passed by a partially renovated house on 8 Williams Street, he felt a strange pull, as if something inside were drawing him in.
But the sensation faded quickly, and Charles brushed it off as nerves. He couldn't risk wasting time now—MI9 might change their minds at any moment. Soon, he was far from the building.
At that moment, deep within the basement of 8 Williams Street, a hidden door appeared in the wall cavity, unnoticed by anyone.
In the park, Princess Vera took the file and the golden mask from Xio briefly reviewed the contents, then smiled approvingly. "Well done."
Looking in the direction Charles had fled, she shook her head with a sigh. "Has the Sauron family truly fallen this low?"
Xio furrowed her brow slightly, hearing an odd undertone in the princess's voice—a faint sense of aged regret.
But… the princess was only in her twenties.
...
On Wednesday morning, Klein finished a meat pie from the famed Sinn's on Drury Lane, savoring the rich, flavorful meat juice that soaked into the crust, then grabbed an iced tea for the road—today was a day for "catching cheaters."
He "accidentally" bumped into his target, Mary's husband, Doragu Gale, slipping a spare button into his pocket during the collision.
Then, using the "divining rod" technique, he followed Gale all the way to the Cragg Club.
However, the Cragg Club was a high-end, members-only establishment. Lacking membership, Klein had to find a nearby inn where he booked a four-hour short-stay room.
A four-hour rental… Roselle's influence at work again, no doubt.
After locking the door and closing the curtains, he projected himself into the gray fog and wrote down his divination statement:
"The location of my spare button."
This was the same phrase he'd used earlier with the dowsing rod technique to track Gale, but this time, he performed a full "dream divination."
The foggy dream world showed him Gale's black wool coat, hanging from a coat rack in front of a carpeted table.
Then the view widened, revealing a man and a woman entwined on the carpet. The man was none other than Doragu Gale, while the young woman with him was in her early twenties, with a sultry, pained expression…
Wait, what am I even thinking? Why do I always witness such scenes? Whether through dream mediumship or Roselle's diary...
Klein rubbed his eyes, returning to consciousness.
Ready to make use of his time here, he considered divining whether the iron centipede that had invaded his room earlier had been controlled by a Seer pathway Extraordinary. But just as he started writing the divination statement, the crimson star belonging to The Hanged Man suddenly expanded and contracted.
Klein paused, redirecting his attention to the star, allowing his spirituality to flow into it.
"Honored Fool," came The Hanged Man's voice, "please inform Mr. Tower that the magical item he commissioned has been completed. After professional appraisal, its estimated value is 1,500 pounds…"
Listening with interest, Klein opened the "Door of Summoning," retrieving an ornate jewelry box that held the Chain Killer's Extraordinary trait.
So the Chain Killer trait has been crafted into a jewelry box? Are we sure it's not some sort of mimic chest?
Klein muttered a few silent jibes, then conducted a brief divination on the item to gauge its properties.
Name: The Bloodstained Jewelry Box
Appearance: A gold jewelry box with intricate cutouts, filled with blood-red crystals resembling gemstones.
Usage: After setting an unlocking incantation, valuables can be stored in the box. Closing it activates a feature that alters divination and mediumship results for the items inside.
Opening Requirement: To retrieve items, one must recite the correct incantation. Otherwise, "poison flames" are released, along with a curse directed at the opener.
Negative Effect: This item has a persistent thirst for living blood and souls. If denied these for over three months, there is a high chance the user will be cursed even if the correct incantation is used.
(End of Chapter)