Charlotte let out a long breath and said, "I haven't properly thanked you yet, Vinnie."
Vinnie Arseno replied softly, "I initially planned to suggest you pay a sum to compensate the families of those detectives, to resolve this peacefully. But it seems Aubrey Teardon-Atwood already sent an assassin, and now we have no choice but to settle this with a duel."
Charlotte asked, "Who might my duel opponents be?"
Vinnie pondered for a moment and then asked, "Mr. Maclaine, could you honestly tell me whether you are a low, mid, or high-level supernatural?"
Charlotte answered without hesitation, "Fourth rank!"
In the Old Continent, ranks one to six are considered low-level supernaturals, seven to twelve are mid-level, and thirteen to eighteen are high-level supernaturals, with higher ranks having specific titles.
Vinnie Arseno shook her head and said, "Then you should avoid the duel!"
"As far as I know, your challengers include at least two mid-level and one high-level supernatural!"
Charlotte couldn't help but curse, "Aubrey Teardon is such a scoundrel. How could I possibly fight mid-level or even high-level opponents?"
Vinnie Arseno couldn't think of a solution either and suggested, "I've heard you're practicing Blood Glory. Perhaps you could purchase a bloodsucking weapon with a hefty sum."
"However, bloodsucking weapons are rare, and if you try to buy one now, you'd have to conceal your intent, or else people might overcharge you."
Charlotte didn't think it was worth hiding and said, "I already have two bloodsucking weapons!"
Vinnie Arseno sighed in relief and said, "With extraordinary weapons, you might stand a chance against the two mid-level supernaturals, but as for the high-level one…"
"He's Edison's older brother, and there's no way to buy him off."
Charlotte thought to himself, "I must choose the duel location to be at Machubi, ensuring these avengers have no chance of returning."
He initially considered asking Vinnie Arseno for help but decided it was unnecessary. He stood up to leave and said, "Thank you, Vinnie. I'll be heading back now, and please take good care of Hilvey!"
"She's too righteous and too…kind!"
Vinnie Arseno nodded and said, "Hilvey is a good detective; I'll take care of her."
As Charlotte opened the door, he saw Hilvey Martin standing outside, and he smiled, saying, "I'm leaving now."
Hilvey anxiously asked, "What about the duel?"
Charlotte was momentarily stunned. He hadn't activated his insight and didn't realize Hilvey had been standing outside the door. He could only reply, "We'll see about it!"
As he brushed past Hilvey Martin, he threw out a final comment, "It won't be easy to kill me," and then calmly left the cat detective agency.
After Charlotte left, Vinnie Arseno said softly, "Come in!"
Hilvey entered the office, still looking worried. Vinnie smiled gently and said, "Your cousin still has cards to play, so don't worry too much about him. Go back to work."
Hilvey left the office and returned to the records room. As a newly hired trainee detective, she had been reading case files to gain knowledge. She thought to herself, "Am I really too righteous and too…kind?"
"Bah! That Charlotte fellow has no right to use such sacred words."
Charlotte suddenly felt more at ease. He returned to Elysée Garden Street, first stopping by the Cat and Clover Café to pick up his three kittens.
These three clever kittens, fluffy and not at all afraid of people, had eyes full of curiosity and a desire to explore the world. Even when taken away from their mother, they didn't struggle much, instead curling up comfortably in their new owner's arms, looking quite content.
Charlotte also bought some goat milk for the kittens. Although cat milk would be better, the half-grown clever mother cat seemed unable to provide much.
He also ordered more coffee. After the "search," anything in his house that could be taken was gone, and coffee and wine, being easily snatched, were completely missing, with not even empty bottles left behind.
The elderly lady who ran the café was delighted to offer a few blessings, and Charlotte, in his good mood, left an extra penny as a tip.
He had just returned to Elysée Garden Street No. 58 when Annie came to visit. Their relationship had been progressing recently.
Charlotte was delighted and asked, "I just bought some coffee. What flavor would you like?"
Annie replied, "Latte!"
As Charlotte brewed the coffee, he smiled and asked, "What should we eat later?"
Annie took a deep breath and said, "You're about to duel someone, and you're still so calm."
Charlotte was slightly surprised. He wanted to ask how Annie knew about the duel, but he wisely decided against it, instead smiling and saying, "It's just a duel, nothing serious."
Annie stole a glance at him and whispered, "In Fars, you can ask for help in such group duels. I can help you contact a high-level supernatural, my cousin. He's a seventeenth-rank knight, while Aubrey Teardon is only a fourteenth-rank knight. I guarantee you won't lose."
Charlotte knew the Brittany family was one of the empire's top noble families, but he hadn't expected Annie to have a cousin who was a seventeenth-rank knight.
In the entire empire, high-level supernaturals were extremely rare, each one a figure of great importance.
Even Menilman, the empire's first rose, was only a high-level supernatural.
The path of a knight was the broadest among supernaturals and the easiest to achieve, but also the hardest to advance to high levels.
Once a knight's Dou Qi reached the tenth level, it could no longer be improved through sheer effort. No matter how profound the breathing technique, how refined the meditation, how diligent the training, or how high the talent, the knight could no longer advance through hard work alone. Every knight had to gain insight into the Knight's Testament in battle, and only by obtaining the Knight's Testament could they advance!
A seventeenth-rank knight was just one step away from gathering all eight Knight's Testaments.
Any knight who collected all eight Knight's Testaments could add the prefix "Saint" to their title, with unparalleled status.
Back then, Zimmerman Axel Robin roamed the seven seas, slaying the Pirate King, before he successfully earned the title "Saint" and was hailed as the empire's youngest Knight King!
Annie's cousin must hold a significant position in the Fars Empire's political arena!
Charlotte hesitated for a moment and then said, "For such a serious matter, shouldn't I explain it to your cousin in person?"
Charlotte wasn't about to foolishly refuse; he did need help. He couldn't defeat high-level supernaturals on his own, even with the Machubi labyrinth, which didn't guarantee success. Unless he resorted to summoning an evil god again, but that was a path to certain death!