"Investigator"? That doesn't sound like a particularly auspicious title… Ebner thought wryly. He didn't follow the grotesque "Bellman" Carnot into the lighthouse immediately but paused to reflect.
In the original story, Klein accepted a commission from "Fat Pharmacist" Darkwill, bringing both him and the "Probability Dice" to Oravi Island, where they encountered Bellman Carnot.
Carnot's identity is complicated. He's a product of the Earth Mother's Church's human alchemy… though not a particularly successful one, even losing the ability to procreate. Later, he defected to the School of Life and was assigned to the bell tower of Saint Draco Church to act as the "Bellman."
Klein speculated in the original work that the School of Life might have some collaboration or connection with the Church of Storms. That would explain why Carnot was ringing the bell here and why the injured School of Life parliamentarian Ricciardo was hiding near the bridge by the church.
Judging by his demeanor just now, he doesn't seem surprised by my arrival. So, what identity has the "Labyrinth Tower" assigned to me? Am I someone from the School of Life? No… In that case, I wouldn't be called an "investigator." Perhaps I'm aligned with the Church of Storms?
At this point, seeing that Ebner hadn't followed him, Carnot sneered, "What's the matter? Has the Church of Storms started sending cowards as investigators? Strictly speaking, this lighthouse is your territory… Are you afraid on your own turf?"
Ah, so he knows my assigned identity… But Carnot, as a defector from the Earth Mother's Church, shouldn't you show more respect to someone under Her favor?
While silently venting his annoyance, Ebner noted how lifelike this NPC was compared to the stiff and mechanical ones in the Backlund scenario on the sixth floor. This prompted him to activate his "Pure White Eye" to closely observe Carnot.
"Unlike the truly 'spiritual' state of the Great Emperor from the previous level, this feels more like a subconscious projection… similar to the manifestations of Cherie and Triss in the Clover scenario on the seventh floor!
"Could this also be an event currently happening or about to unfold in reality?"
While Ebner analyzed the situation based on his experience and knowledge, Carnot flatly remarked, "I'm highly sensitive to abilities like Spirit Vision and 'Eye of Secrets.'"
"My apologies, Mr. Carnot," Ebner said politely as he deactivated the Pure White Eye.
Carnot nodded, accepting the apology, then said, "Now, will you come inside? Ha, since when did people from the Church of Storms become so cautious?"
"Just one last question…" Ebner paused, then asked earnestly, "Can you tell me today's date and time?"
"Did you drink too much?" Carnot frowned but still took out a pocket watch, answering, "October 16, 1349, Tuesday, exactly twelve noon."
"I was right. This event might be happening in the real world!" Ebner glanced at his own pocket watch and found the discrepancy to be less than a minute.
---
Oravi Island lay northeast of the Rorsted Archipelago, not far in a straight line from Bayam.
Originally, it was a wild island teeming with extraordinary creatures and uninhabited by humans. After the hunting era ended, the Kingdom of Ruen began using it as a penal colony, which led to the emergence of villages and towns. Even so, large parts of the island remained primitive.
As eastern islands were discovered and colonized, Oravi's convenient trade routes and abundant natural resources attracted new settlers, eventually developing into a relatively prosperous port city.
With a loud blast of a steam whistle, a brand-new steamship docked at the port. Soon, dozens of passengers disembarked, lugging their luggage.
Among them, one particular lady stood out.
She appeared to be in her twenties, with simple black hair tied back and distinctive gray-green eyes. She was dressed in a tea-colored thick jacket and a man's shirt commonly worn by adventurers at sea. Her looks weren't stunning at first glance but had a lasting charm.
What truly drew attention wasn't her appearance but the fact that she and her companion boarded a carriage bearing the Levitt family crest. After all, Oravi's governor was named Levitt!
Inside the carriage, her companion hesitated before using spiritual means to seal their surroundings. Seeing no objections, he asked in a low voice, "Miss Dorela, do we really have to cooperate with the Governor of Oravi? Doing so might limit what we gain from entering the ruins."
The gray-green-eyed lady glanced at him and shook her head. "Sorrow, you need to understand—Auston's brother is the supreme naval commander of the Mid-Sunia Sea, Admiral of Weavers Amyrius Rieveldt. He's a genuine demigod! Without Auston's connections, we wouldn't even get close to those ruins."
The full name of the Governor of Oravi was Auston Levitt, and Miss Dorela's use of his first name suggested a close—possibly intimate—relationship. Sorrow, enlightened by her words, withdrew the seal and said no more.
The carriage soon arrived at the rear entrance of the Governor's Mansion. A black-haired, blue-eyed middle-aged man greeted them warmly, embracing Miss Dorela before politely acknowledging Sorrow. He then personally escorted the two into the mansion.
After arranging a separate room for Sorrow to rest, Auston held Dorela's hand and said with deep emotion, "Leticia, how long has it been since we last met?"
Leticia Dorela smiled but didn't answer his question or reject his familiarity.
---
In the fifth floor of the "Dream Labyrinth Tower," Ebner followed Bellman Carnot into a cramped room inside the bell tower. The space contained only a bed and a cabinet that doubled as a dining table. The restroom was located on the tower's ground floor.
Wait, why am I even thinking about the restroom? Ebner thought to himself, amused. He then watched as Carnot took a hand-drawn map from the cabinet, handing it to him while saying, "You should already know the general situation, so I won't repeat myself…
"In short, your mission is to locate and enter the ruins, and uncover as much about its origins as possible.
"Of course, if there are any treasures in the ruins, try to bring them back. We can't let others have them."
So, this is Mission 1 and Mission 2, huh? At least it feels more immersive than the previous level, which was entirely game-like…
But I don't have enough context yet. You need to fulfill your duty as an NPC and explain properly! With that thought, Ebner simulated Xio's "Authority" ability, maintaining a stern expression as he said, "I'll need a detailed explanation from you."
Carnot, intimidated, mumbled a few complaints under his breath before replying, "For the past month, the northern sea near the island has been plagued by incidents. It's now off-limits, though rumors of a demonic curse would've spread like wildfire if not for the Governor's suppression.
"According to Parliamentarian Ricciardo, the 'fate' of the waters around the area is extremely chaotic. Approaching it brings alternating bouts of 'good luck' and 'misfortune,' leading to drastically divergent life outcomes—most of which aren't good.
"The Governor's office organized an exploration, but only a few returned safely. Even those survivors had their fates distorted and are likely doomed to misfortune in the future.
"Admiral Amyrius also conducted a personal investigation but returned empty-handed."
Admiral Amyrius? The unlucky demigod who, after Klein impersonated him for three days, lost his mistress, had his subordinate injured, his brother dismissed, and his mansion nearly destroyed?
Could his streak of bad luck have started with this exploration?
"Even a demigod failed. Can I really succeed here? This mission feels questionable…" Ebner voiced his concern.
"Don't worry too much," Carnot reassured him. "According to Ricciardo, it's actually an underwater ruin on the verge of appearing in the real world. By tomorrow night, a stable passage should form." He pointed to a location marked on the map.
"In that case… why didn't the admiral wait for the passage to stabilize before trying again?" Ebner asked curiously.
Carnot gave him a strange look before explaining, "That's part of the tacit understanding between the Governor and the Church of Storms. When the passage forms, neither side will involve demigods or direct subordinates. Instead, they'll send 'investigators' to explore. This avoids unnecessary conflict over certain items."
So "investigator" is just a fancy term for "proxy," huh? And probably also cannon fodder to scout the dangers…
(End of Chapter)