Chapter 5 - Black Cat

Ralph, unsure how to react instinctively, tried to recall the information from Gareth. According to Gareth, mystical creatures aren't smart enough to speak human language unless they're powerful and tend to be dangerous.

"You have to save him," the black cat said.

"If the priest dies, a mystical disaster will be triggered, affecting someone you might know, Andrew Lecter," the cat continued.

Ralph's focus was divided upon hearing the keywords from the black cat's words. "Mystical Disaster" and "Andrew Lecter." These were not unfamiliar terms to him; mystical disasters had become a common term for unfortunate events involving a group of people. And the latter was a name he knew; he was Margaret's brother.

"What are you talking about?" Ralph furrowed his brow.

The black cat shook its head, "You're truly a novice in the mystical world..."

"Being cautious around mystical creatures is important, I agree, but hasn't your mentor ever told you that ignoring the words of mystical creatures is reckless?"

Continuing, "You must save the priest if you feel that Andrew Lecter and dozens of other ordinary people don't deserve to die in a gruesome manner."

Ralph pondered. Although Gareth had never mentioned anything about this, even warning him more to immediately step away or hide when encountering powerful mystical creatures, the black cat's statement left him unsettled.

He had an option: to ask Gareth's opinion. He knew how to meet or just contact Gareth.

At that moment, Ralph, while pulling out a small bell from his pocket, said softly, "Why me?".

The black cat, with a mysterious look, glanced at him, "Consider it a chance encounter. In Aerdel, there aren't many Anomalies willing to cooperate, especially considering most of them join certain organizations."

Ralph furrowed his brow, "Why do you think I haven't joined any specific organization?" At this point, Ralph had officially become a member of Six Truth, but the black cat, who seemed to know a lot, thought he was safe. Ralph couldn't help but question it.

The black cat replied, "I never said you weren't part of an organization. You're a beginner, it's very clear from your actions so far. If you weren't a beginner, you might have attacked or fled shortly after I spoke."

Ralph furrowed his brow. Without further questioning, he shook the golden bell in his left hand. The sound of metal bouncing off the bell echoed against the wall.

In less than five seconds, a cold wind blew, causing Ralph to feel the chill creeping on his skin, even though he was covered in a long coat and clothes.

The cold wind passed, and someone with a top hat, a tailcoat, and carrying a golden cane appeared before him.

His sudden appearance didn't disturb the people around, as if no one noticed. Perhaps, besides Ralph, only the black cat had seen Gareth's sudden appearance in the midst of the crowd.

At that moment, the black cat, now jumping onto Ralph's shoulder, spoke while glancing at his eyes. "It's just my advice, but you better not mention anything about my existence."

Before asking why, the black cat continued, "I know this person is an important member of your organization, and I know that if he or the people in your organization find out that you've interacted with a high-level mystical creature, they're likely to think you've been influenced by me. Apart from being imprisoned for an indefinite period, the potential fate you receive could be forcibly terminated."

Ralph's pupils widened, feeling chills hearing the cat's words.

On the other hand, Gareth, walking casually towards him, smiled. "That was truly a coincidence; I was just about to meet you." He paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping over Ralph's shoulder seriously.

"What's up?" Ralph asked, recalling the black cat's words that Gareth might not be able to see it.

Gareth shook his head, "Nothing, I just didn't expect you to reconcile with your life so quickly..."

Ralph furrowed his brow, not understanding Gareth's meaning. He glanced at his shoulder and was surprised to see the black cat that was sitting on his shoulder a moment ago now turned into an accessory clipped to his brown coat. It was shaped like a cat's head with golden eyes and thick fur.

Now he understood Gareth's meaning. Usually, a man wouldn't like to use something like a similar accessory, unless it was a gift or valued to his life.

Ralph smiled with slightly tired eyes, "Eloise likes it." He lied.

"That's good..." Gareth looked relieved, seeming pleased with Ralph's development from his previous downfall to a more normal state.

Ralph returned the smile, "I feel like something big is going to happen."

Gareth, with golden eyes, nodded with a serious face, "I did say before that you should master the Clown's mystical power before getting involved in the main mission, but this is an urgent matter. I want you to help me deal with this urgent matter as soon as possible."

In fact, Ralph had already experimented and practiced using his new abilities. And even attended shooting training at the subscription club. Although not yet fully proficient, it was already sufficient preparation.

"What can I do?" Ralph, through the black cat, already knew that the issue Gareth was facing was related to the impending mystical disaster, and its trigger was the priest who caught his attention on the train.

Moving a little forward, Gareth then said, "Currently, you're still working under the machine company, right?"

Ralph nodded.

"How much salary do you receive?" Gareth asked.

Furrowing his brow, Ralph answered with some consideration. "200 Pounds per year."

Gareth nodded understandingly, "Follow me, I'll introduce you to someone." He said, turning around.

Ralph followed him without hesitation. Indeed, he would get into trouble if he arrived late at his office, especially considering that Atlas Iron, the company where he worked, had just launched their new machine that could bring changes to the transportation sector. Clearly, this should be the busiest time for Ralph. However, he knew his priority wasn't just about "income" but something more urgent.

Ralph followed behind and matched his pace.

As they walked, Gareth initiated a conversation. "Six Truth operates throughout the empire; it's a large organization and one of the oldest involved in the mystical world. Therefore, some prominent figures you see or might have heard of their names may be members of this organization."

Without beating around the bush, Ralph asked, "What's the point?"

Gareth smiled in relief, for some reason. "I've informed you before that I've reported your case to the higher-ups of Six Truth. Following up on this case, the higher-ups have ordered you to work as a crime consultant under me."

Ralph was slightly surprised.

_Is that why he asked about my salary?_

"Crime consultant?" Ralph paused at that phrase. He continued with a guess, "Private detective?" He asked.

Gareth smiled, flicking his fingers. "Actually, this is just a common cover. This job allows us to get closer to crimes involving the mystical world. It's quite common for organizations."

"If you're thinking about salary,I can tell you that Six Truth is not a stingy organization. Whether we handle a case or not, whether we get paid by the client or not, the organization will still pay us."

"300 Pounds per year, do you think that's a good offer?" Gareth asked.

Ralph, thinking about his daughter, considered the amount. It wasn't a small sum, and it was a hundred pounds higher than his current salary. Plus, it might provide him with more time to spend with his daughter. "How demanding is the job?" he inquired.

Gareth chuckled, "It depends on whether we get clients or not, but I can assure you it's lighter than your current job."

Ralph seemed to think it was a good offer. Not only did he get a higher salary, but he also got more free time, although it might be uncertain. And if his case involved something significant, it might require more time.

"Have you ever heard of Holmes?" Gareth asked, glancing slightly.

Ralph thought but couldn't find a matching memory with that word. He shook his head, "No."

"Hmmm. Well, in short, it's a pretty big private detective agency. Its current leader is one of the Eight Councils of Six Truth."

"It makes sense if you haven't heard of it yet; its name may not have reached Aerdel, but outside it's quite a big agency."

"You and I will use that name,"

After a moment of silence, Ralph began to understand. At least, this was the most sensible option for now. He wouldn't deny the fact that he was now a member of the Six Truth organization; he had obligations to fulfill, as agreed with Gareth.

"In addition, what about your progress with the Clown's mystical power?" Gareth asked.

Ralph raised his hand and looked at it seriously. "I feel like I'm getting used to it, although I'm still at the bottom of this power." It meant there hadn't been any particular improvement, just in terms of mastery.

Gareth acknowledged gently, "That makes sense. The level of mystical power can only increase through involvement with the mystical world. Unless there's a specific condition..."

Ralph changed the topic to the most important one. "Is the mystical disaster happening?" He had heard about this from the black cat, but he wanted to make sure how true the cat's words were.

Gareth sighed, seeming to feel the difficulty himself, "Not yet, but it will happen soon. I don't know what kind of disaster it will be, but we must stop it."

"How do we start?"