The once dim sky darkened further, tainted by gunpowder smoke lingering in the air.
Captain Ole stood in the charred ruins, bending down to examine the communication traces Mr. Montfort's had scratched into the ground. The firefighters, vigilant in preventing any hidden fires, maintained a perimeter around the scene, making police intervention unlikely in this slum setting.
"I heard your team made a remarkable discovery," a man in black with a cross embroidered on his chest remarked, exuding an eerie calmness.
"Yes, the statue of the [Monarch of Countless Splendors] from a bygone era was temporarily sealed. Local smugglers brought it in disguised as an ordinary antique. The news reached the ears of the evil god's followers, resulting in a clash with our group," Captain Ole explained, rising to his feet. He clapped his hands and walked alongside the enigmatic man to the explosion's crater.
"Reports and on-site inspections indicate the unregistered gang leader likely carried items set to explode upon his demise. These desperate individuals are always like this... Fortunately, [Tricks] [Extraordinary] [Gifts] cannot be harmed by ordinary explosions."
"An ordinary explosion?"
The man in black stood beside Ole, and several groups of law enforcers from the Orthodox Church appeared near the fire scene. Everyone was active in Lutetia and knew each other, so they exchanged greetings.
"What kind of explosion could cause such devastation? Damn it! Did that gangster carry twenty explosive charms with him? Or did he conceal a steam bomb somewhere unimaginable?" The man in black cursed angrily.
"I don't know; that statue is peculiar, and all the backtracking and divination efforts have led to outrageous results," Ole replied, scanning the fire scene. The displaced residents stood outside, their expressions numb from the loss of homes or family.
"Our people recovered the statue of the evil god. Killed the cultist [Flesh Puppet], wanted with a reward of 1,000 Flints, is ours. We traced clues to a [The Legion of Light Sorcery] stronghold in the city—a significant achievement."
"Huh, over 30 people died or went missing due to this fire, and at least 200 lost their homes. The amount of Flints the municipal government needs to pay for the aftermath is unimaginable," the man in black remarked sarcastically.
"Yes," Ole nodded, then turned to the requiem man from the Church of Death and Endings with an expressionless face. "Are you mocking me? It's not our fault. Moreover, the two heroes who intercepted the statue and killed the cultists donated most of the reward. The church is responsible for appeasing those who lost their property. While we can't guarantee full compensation, we ensure they can spend this winter safely."
A moment of silence followed.
Summer raindrops unexpectedly fell on the face of the requiem man. He shook his head calmly and whispered, "May the deceased rest in peace and find the end in death."
"May the Mastermind bless you, and may your knowledge guide mankind forward!"
This entire experience felt dreamlike to Jasper. He had encountered his first battle between Gifters, his first killing, and the first fire in a densely populated area, yet the aftermath only yielded two outcomes. He had merely handed over an item, and subsequent events were unrelated to him.
He later discovered that the stranger resistant to bullets was known as the "Flesh Puppet," a member of the "The Legion of Light Sorcery" who worshipped the evil god "Monarch of Countless Splendors." Through an ancient evil ritual, he transformed his body into a puppet, with his soul controlling it like a machine. Though this method kept him stuck at level four for an extended period, his near-immortality and ruthless killing methods had earned him a spot on the Orthodox Church's wanted list three years ago.
Thanks to "Brown's bomb," they were able to eliminate him this time.
This was the conclusion reached by Montfort and everyone. As divination results were interfered with and many traces destroyed by the fire, they remained unaware that the truth was a low-quality explosion spell.
Although Jasper and Montfort hadn't directly killed the [Flesh Puppet], a bounty was still given to them.
Montfort felt that he had merely harassed the cultist for a while, and Jasper, plagued by guilt, discussed it with him, ultimately deciding to donate most of the bounty.
The church handles this for them, ensuring their donations won't go unused.
The Orthodox Church has a reward of 1,000 Flints for the cultist, and the police offer 300 flints for the murderer. Montfort kept 20 Flints for himself as nutrition expenses during his recovery, but Jasper didn't ask for a single copper penny.
He returned home unscathed that evening, and the fracture in his right arm healed after they returned to Shop. The process involved Montfort resetting Jasper's broken bones, followed by using his abilities for direct treatment—an undeniable highlight of the day.
There were gains beyond eliminating cultists and confiscating nefarious items. The object he had pilfered remained securely in his arms.
Jasper carefully inspected the object one night. It was a black metal block with silver lines on its surface, forming 54 small grids on six sides. If not for its inability to rotate, Jasper might have mistaken it for a Rubik's Cube.
Disappointment struck when he realized he had no clue about the potential of a standard metal cube. It was hard to fathom encountering such a mundane item in this era. Jasper even considered it wasn't an exaggeration to call it a standard laboratory aid.
He could only conceal the cube under his bed alongside [Hunter's fruit plate] and the mysterious blue feather, hoping to uncover clues from the church's information in the future.
As for the remaining two [Small Effect Explosion Spell], he continued carrying them cautiously.
"Goddess bless me, these shoddy props mustn't explode on their own."
No one noticed anything missing from the scorched earth. The fire and explosion obliterated many clues, including traces left by Jasper in his haste.
He still didn't comprehend the statue's purpose, but three days later, Montfort informed him that the seized harmonica's name had been identified in the data—B-05-3-0123, [The Suicide's Last Death chant]. The expansive church library could be partially accessed by him, and upon reaching the first level of benefactor, he could select a magical ability exclusive to the church. This revelation vaguely hinted at the statue's value, but the disaster it caused was no longer his concern.
Life settled down again. As a clandestine non-combatant semi-civilian under the church, Jasper had no involvement with cultists or illegal associations. He and Montfort were merely triggers for the incident; subsequent events were unrelated to them.
Matters outside Lutetia remained unresolved, with fighters from the Orthodox Church in the city yet to return; evil spirits at No. 5 Public Hospital in Lutetia were temporarily contained, awaiting support from the royal capital; demons appearing at night, particularly the giant octopus, fueled citizen panic. Though unaware of the truth, the increased nocturnal disappearance rate in Lutetia City was evident.
Jasper grappled with recent unsettled weather, precluding gatherings. Consequently, he fully immersed himself. On one hand, he experienced an indescribable strange feeling while transcribing the tadpole essay, smoothing the process of soul accumulation. On the other hand, he delved into antiques and occult knowledge alongside his father—both intricate subjects.
A week had passed since the fire in the dock slums. The incident failed to create significant turmoil in the city. The deaths of dozens of impoverished individuals weren't enough to shock the city.
On this day, Jasper took a carriage to store as usual, where Montfort delivered two pieces of good news.