Although Audrey's mind froze for a moment, as a Spectator, she quickly recovered and began to think about how to handle the situation. Fortunately, she came up with a strategy to break the impasse. There was only one method—silence. As long as she remained silent, no one could extract any useful information from her.
In fact, the Earl and Countess noticed their daughter's cautious demeanor and exchanged a knowing glance. They chose not to expose her but decided to find another breakthrough.
"Ash," the Countess smiled kindly at Ash, "I'm not sure if today's lunch suits your taste. If it doesn't, you can ask the kitchen to make something different. Although they haven't been to Winter County, their culinary skills are quite good."
"No need," Ash put down his knife and fork, praising, "The food is very good."
"That's good," the Countess nodded with a smile, then suddenly changed the subject. "By the way, I heard you've only been in Backlund for a short time. Have you found a decent job?"
"I'm currently a NightHawk for the Church of the EverNight Goddess" Ash replied.
Audrey looked up, surprised, at Ash, then at her parents. The Earl and Countess, however, looked as calm as ever. Clearly, they already knew Ash was a Night Watcher. But even if they knew this, was it really necessary to mention it in front of her? After all, she was just an innocent noble girl. Or could it be...
Audrey suddenly thought of a possibility and quietly lowered her head.
"And the salary?" the Countess continued to ask.
"One hundred pounds a week."
"One hundred pounds?" The Countess couldn't help but show surprise. She found the salary somewhat high. Even the Hall family only earned hundreds of thousands of pounds a year from rents and investments. A weekly salary of one hundred pounds placed Ash among the top earners in Backlund.
The Earl's expression, however, was different from the Countess's. Besides surprise, there was also disbelief because he knew more than she did. He knew Ash was a NightHawk, which was easy to verify. But knowing the exact salary was difficult unless you were an insider. A weekly salary of one hundred pounds meant an annual salary of fifty-two hundred pounds! Moreover, NightHawks didn't pay taxes, so this amount was net income. Plus, NightHawks surely had other ways to earn money.
The Earl's understanding was that a NightHawk's salary typically depended on three factors: years of service, contributions to the church, and their rank. Generally, the weekly salary for Sequence 9 ranged from 4 to 10 pounds, for Sequence 8 from 10 to 20 pounds, and for Sequence 7 from 20 to 40 pounds. A weekly salary of one hundred pounds was usually reserved for Sequence 6 Beyonders!
"Could he be a Sequence 6 Beyonder?" The Earl was startled by his own speculation. Sequence 6 was not shocking in itself, but combined with Ash's age, it was quite astonishing. According to the information, Ash was only 17 years old, not even legally an adult by the kingdom's standards. Typically, it took two to three years to advance from Sequence 9 to Sequence 8, three to five years from Sequence 8 to Sequence 7, and at least ten years from Sequence 7 to Sequence 6!
"No, he should be a Sequence 7," the Earl quickly dismissed his guess, taking a deep breath to calm himself. Considering Ash's special status, the one hundred pounds likely included additional allowances or bonuses. Nonetheless, a 17-year-old Sequence 7 was already impressive!
"One hundred pounds is quite impressive," the Countess said, unaware of her husband's thoughts. She nodded slightly and asked, "Is the job tough? Is it dangerous?"
"It's not particularly tough," Ash replied smoothly. "I work flexible hours, but danger is inevitable. During my time in Backlund, there have been two Beyonder incidents."
"The first time was half a month ago when I went on a mission to Tingen. Two teams, seven NightHawks, almost perished."
"May the Goddess bless them," the Countess crossed herself with the Crimson Moon, feeling a bit frightened, but also curious. "And the other one?"
"This morning," Ash said after a pause. "To be precise, it happened last night. A Sequence 8 NightHawk was brutally murdered in her living room. She had a large wound on her abdomen, and both her organs and spirit were missing."
Ash didn't hide the incident because it would eventually come to light. Given the Earl's status, he could easily learn the details, especially since he had been at the detective agency this morning. He should have a clear idea of where Ash had been.
"A Beyonder brutally murdered?" The Countess felt a chill down her spine and regretted asking.
"Additionally," Ash continued, "if possible, Lady Caitlyn and Miss Audrey should avoid going out recently."
"Huh?" Audrey, who had been trying to remain inconspicuous, looked up in surprise.
"Do you mean the criminal is likely to strike again?" the Earl asked, having thought of a possibility.
"Yes," Ash nodded lightly. "The criminal is likely a cultist, at least a Sequence 7 Beyonder. Otherwise, they couldn't have easily killed a Sequence 8 NightHawk."
"Regardless of whether the motive was personal or something else, as long as they haven't left Backlund, they will likely strike again. People like that can't resist their urge to kill. If they do strike again, the most likely targets would be similar to the previous victim."
"Either another NightHawk or a young, beautiful woman."
This analysis wasn't from Ash but from Al and his team. The killer was suspected to be a member of the Demon Worshipers or Rose School, likely following the Criminal or Prisoner pathway. Both pathways drove their followers to become frenzied killers.
"Where did it happen?" the Earl asked, his heart sinking.
"Hillsdon District."
(End of this chapter)
50 Power stones = Extra Chapter