"Shade Hamilton, detective."
As they shook hands, Shade introduced himself proactively.
"Bill has already told me about you. To join us is not only your fortune but also ours," the old man said cheerfully. Shade noticed a bottle of champagne in the ice bucket on the coffee table, which must have been prepared by Dr. Schneider, as it seemed that Pastor Augustus's financial situation was only slightly better than Shade's.
Pastor Augustus was a second-ring sorcerer in the group, having become a correspondence sorcerer three years ago.
He was not a local born and raised in Tobesk, but rather from a small town in the southern kingdom of Delarion. Influenced by his family, the old pastor had believed in the righteous deity, Mr. Dawn, since his youth. He passed the exams of the Tobesk Dawn Theological Academy in his early years and joined the Tobesk City Dawn Church at the age of 23, remaining unmarried for life and dedicating himself to the church.
Despite spending thirty years without advancing beyond his position as a pastor for various reasons, no one doubted his piety. The old pastor held considerable esteem in the local church, enjoying the trust of both the clergy and the congregation, and even the archbishop of the large Tobesk Diocese would consult him on certain important matters.
Due to the awkward relationship between correspondence sorcerers and the Righteous Church, Shade would often need to hide his identity before the church in the future. Pastor Augustus was the best candidate in the group for leveraging connections with the church and smoothing over church-related issues.
Although he was advanced in age and his talent as a sorcerer was not exceptional, he was absolutely indispensable in their small group.
As a testament of mutual trust, Pastor Augustus and Shade showed each other their respective Rings of Destiny. The pastor belonged to an ordinary case among extraordinary ones, but unlike Miss Lu Yisha, who had three, he had only one core spirit rune: [Glimmer].
Pastor Augustus's identity and core rune aligned perfectly with the requirements of the "Theological Academy" at St. Byron Comprehensive College. However, the pastor had not joined the academy; he was currently a member of the College of Chemistry, skilled in the cultivation, harvesting, and potion brewing of herbs.
With Shade now acquainted with another member of their five-person group, he learned that the two remaining members—Dorothy Lu Yisha, a writer from the Folk Studies Academy, would take some time to arrive, while the other, the third-ring sorcerer Luvia Anath, was unable to come today due to some matters keeping her away from Tobesk.
"Miss Anath is actually different from us. Strictly speaking, she belongs to the [Seer Association] as a sorcerer. Anath wrote to us, sending her regards to you. She probably won't be back until next month, but it's not too far away—just next week," the doctor continued to introduce the group, indicating that Shade could sit wherever he liked once their handshake ended.
"Since she belongs to our group, isn't that lady a correspondence student of St. Byron's?" Shade asked, choosing to sit across from Dr. Schneider.
Although Pastor Augustus had a church background, he was considered a correspondence student at the academy due to his adult education. Miss Anath was entirely different.
"No, she is also considered a correspondence student of the academy, belonging to the Astronomy Academy and proficient in the art of divination. As for why she has a dual identity, do you know about 'joint training'?" the doctor inquired. Shade, initially puzzled by the lady's information, was now genuinely surprised, confirming that the faction he had joined was indeed an academy.
"She is also affiliated with the [Seer Association], but she has received training from both sides. In fact, St. Byron Comprehensive College collaborates with many friendly organizations, including Zarathus Academy and Serkces Medical College, but not the church, to cultivate such joint students. You'll find out more about this later.
But don't think of her differently because of Anath's identity; just treat her as an ordinary companion. Would you like some tea? I had some great red tea at your place last time, and I had the servant buy some," the doctor asked. Shade thought for a moment:
"Alright, thank you... So, in fact, Miss Luvia Anath is just like us?"
"There are still differences."
While saying this, Pastor Augustus fiddled with his old pipe. Of course, he wouldn't smoke in the clinic; it was merely a habitual action:
"Besides gaining knowledge from the academy, Miss Anath also has the conveniences offered by the [Seer Association]. She is highly regarded among the sorcerers in the association. Therefore, relatively speaking..."
The pastor glanced at the doctor, who shook his head indifferently, signaling the gray-haired old pastor to continue:
"Although she is only a third-ring sorcerer, just one ring above me, in non-direct confrontations, even the doctor can't be sure he could defeat her. Of course, this also has to do with Schneider and Lu Yisha's abilities, which are not suitable for direct combat."
Pastor Augustus believed that while sorcerers possessed power, this profession was meant for researching the world and exploring one's inner self, not for fighting and killing. In the old man's view, sorcerers were more like scholars than mercenaries.
His thoughts aligned with the doctor's; after becoming a correspondence sorcerer, one should not indulge in their newfound power but should instead remain humble and cautious.
In other words, the two were subtly reminding Shade to be careful, not to engage in matters that were not his concern. Patiently studying, engraving spirit runes, accumulating spirit, reading notes from previous scholars, and learning more strange arts and spells were the correct lifestyle of a correspondence sorcerer.
Shade thus suspected that the doctor had shared his experiences from the previous day with Pastor Augustus. The pastor was likely concerned that Shade might desire to gain more power through similar adventures after abruptly acquiring strength from the remnants of the Old Gods, which was why he spoke this way.
Pastor Augustus was a very decent person.
"Speaking of which, I'm quite curious about one thing," Shade said, as the topic had shifted to the relationship between sorcerers and fighting.
"Since sorcerers themselves gather elements, and even have spirit runes inscribed due to the elements, can killing a sorcerer allow one to gain the other's power? For example, spirit runes, dissipated elements, or even turning the other's elements into artifacts and such?"
"Oh, that idea is too terrifying."
The gray-haired old pastor shook his head, clasping his chest emblem and closing his eyes in prayer. The doctor, however, shook his head seriously, his blue eyes scrutinizing Shade:
"Shade, I don't know where you got such a dreadful idea. But killing a sorcerer unrelated to you will yield only their corpse and a guilt that will haunt you for life.
From Delarion to Carson Lake, from the old continent to the new, from steam industrial cities like ours to dark rural graveyards, sorcerers can appear almost anywhere. But remember, this is an age of civilization, not a dark forest where the weak are preyed upon by the strong. If someone attacks you, you may retaliate, but do not kill for mere profit; it will lead you to lose control more easily."
Shade understood that his words were somewhat inappropriate; his curiosity stemmed from fantasy stories he had read in the past. As an outsider, he had no intention of seeking power through murder; he only worried that others might do so:
"Sorry, I was just curious. Yes, such a world would be too terrifying... It would be as if people could live by eating others."
Pastor Augustus, holding the emblem tightly, looked at Shade. His gaze, unlike the doctor's severity, bore a softness indicated by the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes:
"Although our world is filled with such strange and terrifying things, teeming with countless evil entities, with relics from past eras scattered everywhere, and knowledge of danger and mystery constantly challenging the rational limits of ordinary people, while abyssal beasts lurk beneath the oceans of the old and new continents, we still rejoice in the existence of this world. Now, gentlemen, let us toast to this benevolent world."
The old pastor was moved by his own words, raising his tea cup. The doctor nodded appreciatively and raised his cup as well, while Shade smiled. Regardless of how terrible his circumstances had been since arriving here, it seemed as if this world was compensating him by sending him such good friends:
"To this benevolent world."
The three of them said in unison, with Shade's smile radiating from the heart.
At that moment, the door swung open. The blonde writer, who had barged in without knocking, didn't catch the earlier conversation. Upon opening the door, she immediately saw three gentlemen raising their tea cups—one with a holy expression, one with a serious face, and one with a smile.
Miss Lu Yisha hesitated, looking at the men, uncertain if she should retreat:
"What were you just... doing?"