There were many restaurants around Aegsburg University, and since the university cafeterias didn't serve meals on weekends, many students and faculty members chose to dine out.
Feeling uplifted by the newfound hope of returning home, Elyon decided to splurge a bit—after all, he was about to start earning money, so spending a little wouldn't hurt.
Directly opposite the university stood the Golden Crown Restaurant, a high-end establishment frequented only by professors or students wealthy enough to have a mine at home. Having never experienced a proper Western meal on Earth, Elyon resolved to treat himself.
Pushing open the double glass doors of the Golden Crown, he handed his bowler hat to a waiter dressed in a black vest and white shirt, and inquired as he walked in, "Do you have any tables available today? I didn't make a reservation; it was a spur-of-the-moment decision."
The restaurant had around twenty tables, mostly two-seaters paired with one table each, and at the back of the dining hall, a grand piano was accompanied by a quartet of string musicians, playing alongside a forty-something pianist performing opulent music.
"We do have a few spots open today, sir. Would a single seat by the window be to your liking?" The waiter warmly responded, guiding Elyon to a single seat by the window.
The waiter brought over a menu and set it on the table, "May I recommend some of today's specialties?" he offered, while arranging the cutlery, "Thank you, I would appreciate your recommendations for your most commendable dishes," Elyon replied, pretending it was not his first visit.
"Today's main course special is a stuffed roast chicken. The filling consists of spicy red sausage from Frantania, combined with fine onions and white beans from the Kingdom of Quinley, flavored with thyme and garlic, all cooked in olive oil from the New World. The select seven-month-old rooster ensures the meat is neither too tough nor too tender. After removing the innards, we stuff it with the filling, coat the skin with olive oil, sprinkle with pepper and rosemary, and garnish with the unique rose salt from the Seres Empire in the East. It's slow-roasted for an hour to achieve a crispy skin and tender meat. Should you not finish it, we offer a take-out service."
Elyon took the menu handed to him by the waiter and, noticing the roast chicken priced at eight shillings, felt it was a touch expensive. But after such an enthusiastic introduction, he had little choice but to nod in agreement.
"For your drink pairing, would you prefer to try our fine wine from the renowned Boer vineyard in the Kingdom of Lucis? The grapes, enriched with sugar from extended sun exposure, have fermented over decades to achieve a perfect color, aroma, and taste. Most importantly, it's only 20 pounds. If you cannot finish it today, you may take the bottle with you or leave it here for your next visit."
Like a hairdresser tirelessly promoting membership cards, waiters, no matter where, seemed never to tire of upselling expensive drinks.
Unfortunately for Elyon, he was a bona fide poor student. Scrolling to the bottom of the beverages section, Elyon found the cheapest local white wine and interrupted the waiter's spiel.
For appetizers, he ordered oil-drenched cherry tomatoes paired with spicy garlic shrimp, and for soup, he chose a cream of mushroom. A strawberry mousse was selected for dessert.
"Your meal totals two pounds, one shilling, and five pennies," the waiter informed Elyon after taking down his order. Reluctantly pulling out his wallet, Elyon handed over two one-pound notes and two shillings to the waiter, feigning generosity, "Keep the change as your tip."
"Thank you for your generosity, sir. I will notify the kitchen to prepare your meal immediately, and I hope you visit our restaurant often. I look forward to serving you next time." The waiter took the money and headed to the kitchen.
"I'm not feeling generous, nor do I wish to return. That tip just cost me a lavish breakfast." Elyon lamented inwardly, accustomed to his frugality.
After his bittersweet lunch, Elyon took the remaining half-roasted chicken and white wine to go, planning to have them for dinner—a poor man's way of living.
Returning to the South Cross Street apartment at 3 p.m., he found a black-painted carriage stationed outside, its windows emblazoned with a silver badge depicting crossed swords and a shield—the emblem of the police.
The sight puzzled Elyon. It was too soon for the Gonia police to have received his mentor's letter. If they weren't here for a job interview, what brought them?
As he opened the door, Mr. Wyles, the landlord and a well-known retired butler, was conversing with two men in black uniforms capped with black and white checked hats. The conversation ceased upon Elyon's arrival.
Mr. Wyles, once a butler to many significant figures, had since turned his properties into rentals for students like Elyon. Despite his strict cleaning policies, he was never unreasonably demanding and enjoyed a good reputation among the local community. Mr. Wyles gestured toward the two men while giving Elyon a meaningful look—a hint at something unsaid.
"Good afternoon, young Elyon. These gentlemen are officers from the Caelon Police Headquarters Special Cases Department. They have some questions for you, and I trust they won't unduly trouble you, as the Earl of Duine would uphold his noble character."
"Good afternoon, sir. I'm Inspector Pierce from the Special Cases Department, and beside me is Trainee Inspector Fred. We're here to inquire if you've found any special items in the Aegsburg University Library around mid-May. Some despicable thieves stole them from the national treasury and hid them in the university library. If you happened to find them or know their whereabouts, there's a reward of 1,000 pounds from the government. However, if someone intentionally conceals or destroys these items, it won't just be a simple jail sentence, believe me, sometimes death can be merciful."
The taller of the two policemen spoke with a mix of temptation and threat in his tone. Elyon noticed their shoulder stars—the taller one had two silver stars, the shorter one had one. It appeared the stars denoted inspector rankings.
Pretending to ponder while assessing the situation, Elyon had no recollection of how the previous owner of this body came across that otherworldly summoning ritual note. Given their cautious approach, it seemed they weren't sure it was Elyon who found the paper detailing the ritual, a document of such secrecy that ordinary people shouldn't know it existed.
They might not even be searching for the ritual itself; it could be a brazen thief who pilfered a national treasure.
That they hadn't searched his room in his absence suggested Mr. Wyles or the Earl of Duine wielded enough influence to keep these inspectors at bay.
"Gentlemen, I've been busy with my thesis throughout May. I mainly used the library for reference books and a quiet writing space. The library's custodian and my mentor, Professor Russell, can confirm this."
"Indeed, May is graduation season," the landlord chimed in.
"The library also prohibits the removal of personal items, which is why I frequent it—you can verify with the university. This also means I couldn't have taken your 'special items' out of the library, after all, I'm just an ordinary person without the skills to walk walls."
Elyon paused to watch their expressions, which remained unperturbed, before continuing.
"Of course, to prove my innocence, I'll hand over my belongings and allow you to search my room. After all, I have a police job interview scheduled for next week, and I don't want any misunderstandings with you two gentlemen that might land me in jail instead of possibly becoming your colleague. Of course, if I knew anything about this special item, I wouldn't want to miss out on a chance to make money. Please, come in."
Elyon played his cards strategically: maintaining ignorance of any special items, leveraging the university and Professor Russell's reputation, demonstrating that he was just an ordinary person, and signaling his willingness to cooperate with the investigation while hinting at his potential future as a policeman.
They would surely let their guard down in response. As for what they sought, the ritual paper had already been burned to ashes and mixed with stove soot.
The materials used for the ritual were common household items, some even found lying around on streets, leaving the police no trail to link them to Elyon.
Concerned about being taken for strange experiments in this world, Elyon knew caution was the only way to ensure his path back to Earth remained open.
"Thank you for your cooperation. In fact, we are investigating all students who visited the library in mid-May, but we will verify the information you provided. Now, please show us to your room."
The slightly shorter Inspector Fred relaxed his tone upon seeing Elyon's compliance. It appeared Elyon's gamble paid off—the police were merely conducting a dragnet investigation.
"The first room on the left upstairs—here's the key." Elyon handed his key over to Inspector Fred before following the two officers up to his room, demonstrating his innocence by willingly surrendering it.
The officers conducted a thorough search of the room, and Elyon handed over his coat and wallet without resistance. As expected, they found nothing. They even checked the stove where his water boiled, unaware that what they sought was quietly residing as ashes right before them.