Clack... Clack...
A horse-drawn carriage stopped at the street corner. From inside, a man with dark gray eyes, wearing a long brown coat, stepped out.
He reached into his pocket, pulled out a few coins, and handed them to the coachman with a bitter smile.
Clack...
Watching the carriage he had just ridden disappear into the distance, Arshen glanced around. A cold wind blew, rustling his long coat as he walked among the classical-style buildings.
The air here is better than I imagined.
He observed every corner of the place, noticing how different it was from the areas near Greycloud Avenue, which were filled with inns, factories, and residential complexes. This place felt more like a countryside, full of lush farms and plantations—thanks to the river that flowed through Western Street, making it an ideal location for agriculture.
Arshen took out the letter he had received earlier and stared at it for a moment. The address read: 93 Western Street, Jonathan Louvern.
Looking around once more, he decided to ask a man sitting by the roadside.
"Excuse me..."
The man glanced nervously at his companion before turning to look at Arshen, who seemed eager to speak with him. He stood up and forced a friendly smile.
"How can I help you, sir?" His tone sounded reluctant, but Arshen chose to ignore it.
"Do you know where 93 Western Street is? Can I trust you to guide me there? I just arrived in town."
The man raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised, but quickly regained his smile.
"In that case, allow me to escort you. Fortunately, it's not too far from here."
Arshen felt something was off but decided to trust the man and followed him from behind.
Tap...
After passing through several alleys, Arshen arrived in front of what seemed to be a well-known restaurant.
"We've arrived, sir. This is 93 Western Street. I'll take my leave now."
Arshen hesitated but nodded. He pulled a brown leather bag from inside his coat, tucked the letter into it, and prepared himself.
Cring...
A familiar chime rang as Arshen pushed the door open. He took a seat at one of the tables.
Not long after, a beautiful waitress with blue eyes approached him.
"Would you like to order something, sir?" she asked nervously. It seemed to be her first day working there.
Arshen smiled.
"Sorry, but could I meet Mr. Jonathan Louvern?"
The waitress looked confused and muttered slightly, "I don't think there's anyone named Louvern here, hmm..." She then turned to Arshen and said, "Please wait a moment."
She went to ask the cashier, and after receiving an answer she looked surprised, and a little nervous, she quickly returned to Arshen's table and said.
"Mr. Louvern is upstairs, sir. I'll take you to his office."
Arshen stood up and followed the waitress up the stairs to what appeared to be the restaurant owner's office.
She opened the door, revealing a middle-aged man with brown eyes sitting at his desk, surrounded by stacks of documents. His graying hair and neatly trimmed beard gave him an air of elegance, complemented by the double-breasted suit he wore.
"Mr. Owner, there is someone looking for you."
Noticing Arshen's arrival, the man stopped working.
After ushering Arshen inside, the waitress quietly exited the room, closing the door gently behind her.
Clack...
Feeling slightly nervous under the man's gaze, Arshen steadied himself.
"Are you Mr. Louvern? I am Zodiac Moriarty. You might already know the reason for my visit—it concerns the mission related to 21 Dove Street," Arshen said, pressing his chest slightly.
The man took his cane, stood up, and gestured for Arshen to sit on the nearby sofa.
"Sit... Let's discuss this."
Arshen complied, and Louvern sat opposite him, resting his cane on his lap. On the table there is a tea set with a teapot and cups arranged.
In the room there are also some decorations of ornamental plants and some books on the bookshelf behind Louvern's desk.
With a hoarse yet eager voice, Louvern spoke. "Honestly, I was quite surprised when I heard that mission was finally completed. But even more unexpected was that someone as young as you was the one to solve it. Can you show me the findings from your investigation, Zodiac?"
Arshen felt a slight sense of pride at the compliment but quickly reached into his bag and took out two books and several sheets of paper.
"Yes, but before I hand these over, I have a question for you, Mr. Louvern."
Louvern did not seem surprised at all. In fact, he appeared to have anticipated Arshen's inquiry.
With a calm demeanor, he replied, "Go ahead. I understand this mission wasn't an easy one to complete."
From his appearance, he didn't seem like someone with ill intentions. But to be sure, I must ask. No matter what happens, I have to stay vigilant.
Arshen took a deep breath and swallowed hard to suppress his anxiety. He met Louvern's gaze and asked,
"Why did you create this investigation request?"
A simple yet direct question.
This was to confirm his true intentions—whether he was merely a client or perhaps the mastermind behind the horrors at 21 Dove Street, luring investigators there as part of some sinister plan. To be prepared for anything, I have a concealed folding knife under my clothes... just in case.
Louvern fell silent for a moment, staring at the dark-gray-eyed man before him. Then, with a deep sigh, he answered with a look of regret.
"I initially wanted to purchase that land to open a new branch of my restaurant. As you know, Dove Street is an industrial area near the main road of Greycloud. It sees a constant flow of people from both inside and outside the city every day."
"Then, from whom did you acquire that house? According to my investigation, it was last owned by Hendrick Krostalea, but as the rumors suggest, he mysteriously disappeared years ago."
Louvern adjusted his posture and poured himself a cup of tea, seemingly ignoring the question.
"Want some tea?"
"Are you unwilling to say?" Arshen asked uncertainly.
Louvern set a cup of black tea in front of Arshen, took a sip of his own, and then replied calmly.
"I bought it from a woman I met at last year's Night Festival. If I recall correctly, her name was Lily."
Lily? If she was able to sell the land, that means she is Lily Krostalea... which means she's still alive. Does that mean she is the true perpetrator behind the bodies found there?
Arshen was beginning to realize something but quickly found himself confused.
"The Night Festival?" he asked.
Louvern, slightly surprised by Arshen's lack of knowledge, briefly explained, "It's an annual festival held at the end of the year in the city square and along Greycloud Avenue. Judging by your reaction, I assume you're new to this city."
"Yes, I only arrived recently," Arshen admitted. He took a sip of the tea and continued his questioning.
"What was your relationship with her? Do you still have a way to contact her?"
Louvern responded calmly. "We don't have any special relationship. I just bought that house from him after meeting him at a tavern. I heard he was trying to sell it, so since I wanted to open a business in that area, I took the initiative to buy it."
Louvern finished his tea and casually poured more from the teapot into his cup.
"But when I surveyed the place after purchasing it, I was shocked to find that it was surrounded by many concerning rumors."
"I even sought help from the Night Church to investigate the place, but they said there was no danger at all. Since I still had some doubts, I took the initiative to hire a few detectives to confirm it."
Arshen asked curiously, "And then?"
Louvern took a few sheets of paper from beneath the table and placed them on the surface. The papers contained images of various people—presumably the detectives he had hired.
Then, with a sorrowful and regretful expression, he said, "They disappeared... Some returned, but they don't remember anything, some even lose all their memories and become different people."
The atmosphere in the room grew more tense. Arshen's expression became serious as if realizing something.
This..., this is just like what Leroy said, I thought he was joking, but it seems like this is more serious than I thought.
Clasping his hands together, he asked again without lowering his gaze.
"If they disappeared, why did you put out a request to investigate it? Do you want more people to go missing?" Arshen asked firmly, though with a hint of hesitation.
Louvern let out a long sigh and answered with regret, "It's understandable for you to think that. But my real intention was to attract people with some power to handle the situation. Maybe you are one of them."
Arshen was slightly confused by Louvern's words but quickly made a guess.
People with abilities? Does he mean the Commoners? Wait… is he also a Commoner?
Arshen hesitantly voiced his speculation. "Are you..."
Louvern swiftly lifted his cane and pointed it at Arshen's face, silencing him immediately.
"What does this mean, Mr. Louvern?"
"Don't say it. I know what you want to ask, but I'm just an ordinary businessman. I cannot get involved."
That made sense, and judging by his expression and his movement, he didn't seem to be lying. He seems to be the same as me, he knows some about the mystical world but is not a commoner. If that was the case, the only remaining suspect I had left was Lily. Phew… that's somewhat reassuring.
Arshen quickly changed the mood by lowering his gaze and smiling. "That's enough, then. You can look at my investigation report now. Since you already know about this, it'll be much easier to explain once you see it."
Arshen handed a book along with several pages containing his investigation of 21 Dove Street to the man in front of him.
Louvern seemed a bit puzzled by Arshen's words. He stared at Arshen with a strange look but quickly dismissed the thought. He pulled out his reading glasses and began to read.
"In my investigation, I documented various rumors as you requested. I also included some speculative details. For safety reasons, you should read through it thoroughly. There is something unusual—I have written it down in full, along with a few illustrations."
Arshen spoke as he sipped his tea.
Of course, I didn't mention the dream about the statue or my encounter with Lily.
…Some time passed.
After read the last few pages, Louvern realizing something, he trembled slightly. He could no longer suppress his guilt. He rubbed his temples and spoke in a hoarse voice.
"Is this true?" Louvern asked in a doubtful tone.
Arshen took a breath and said firmly looking Louvern in the eye.
"I swear it was all there when I investigated, you can check it out there, to see it with your own eyes."
Seeing Arshen's unwavering eyes, and not seeming to be lying at all, supported by the disappearance of the detective he had sent, Louvern completely believed what Arshen said, With a regretful tone, he said.
"What have I done..." For a while he taking a deep breath, he then looked at Arshen and continued, "You don't seem like an ordinary person, but I'll put that aside. How much do you want for this? Ten pounds seems too little for this."
Arshen placed his hands on the table and sighed.
"I don't expect much. I just hope I won't get involved in any investigations by the police or the church, you know..., I'm just a lucky guy."
Louvern stood up with his cane, opened a drawer, and took out several bluish white banknote, which he handed to Arshen.
"Take it. It's to your compensation."
Arshen accepted the money and counted it—35 pounds. He then put it in his pocket, stood up, shaking Louvern's hand, and said with a smile on his face.
"Well, nice to meet you Mr. Louvern. I hope you'll be able to handle this matter."
With that, Arshen bid farewell and walked out of the room.
Leaving the room, he descended the stairs and saw the waiter from earlier serving customers with a polite, albeit slightly nervous.
Arshen stepped out of the restaurant, inhaling deeply, And saw the sun was setting high above the cloud.
The Night Festival might be my best chance to investigate the ritual. I also need to prepare—perhaps acquire a weapon—since I'll be dealing with things beyond human comprehension. The next few days, It looks like the next few days are going to be a bit busy for me. because after this, I need to tracking Lily, buy some ritual Ingredients, and confirm everything. Huuhh....
With firm steps, Arshen followed the stone-paved path, returned to the main streets, boarded a carriage, and arrived back at Bourguis Inn, in afternoon.