Between the throttling of carriages and the extensive bickering of the fleeting vendors. Leonard and Seeka stride to walk pass the looming gazes of 'vultures' roaming around.
For fifty pounds, not a bad return... Leonard silently recounted what the Madam had commissioned.
Her name was Ruesette. She is the wife of a Steelwork's co-director. Although she can definitely afford a lost ring, it was a sentiment of her husband's thoughtfulness. Personally picked by him for their wedding, so she can't lose it.
For her it's indispensable, which is why she attempted to hire multiple detectives prior to them.
One succeeded in identifying the culprit, which was stated to be a child of age eleven, living in a multi-rented space along with his slightly older sibling and bedridden mother. But drew a line at breaking into a building, let alone a company.
However, for both of them. Breaking in is lightwork. The only issue is the source's authenticity and not fabricated to exploit Madam Ruesette's desperation.
Luckily, Leonard had a plan. Which involves visiting the suspected thief's residence and the seed.
Prior to this, he asked Selina, who's currently guarding Chanis Gate, for help using the seed he's keeping with him. So that if it becomes an infiltration or confrontation, he can expect help from her.
"This is it." Seeka stopped in the side of the road, near a poorly-maintained building with stairs outside leading to the next floor apartments.
Her gaze swept through the planks that was fixed on the walls, duct tape to prevent leakage and assuming a rat den in the cracks.
She went and traced the investigative reports given by Rousette again then looked at the building for the third or fourth time.
"Let's greet the family shall we?" Leonard stopped flailing gun around his belt and concealed it with his coat before entering.
The stairway was quite steep and narrow. Seeka's gloved hands often left a rubble residue from the building's unregulated walls.
Upon opening the third floor. They were greeted by a strong stench of odor mixed with sweat and fishy scent.
Leonard sneered on his nostrils before diving into the dense room.
He saw three bunk beds, no actually two three bunk beds in the living room. The sofa was damped enough that it could trace several generations of sitters and one could not forget the wardrobe filled with matchboxes.
When he got in, he quickly realized that Seeka was hesitating without making a face.
"Are you disgusted?" Leonard grinned as he turned back.
Seeka sighed and looked away from the entrance, "Who wouldn't?"
She can relate with the lower class regarding poverty. However, she would be hypocritic if she were to refer to their state of living. Anyone, and clearly herself, desires not to be in such situation.
Leonard understood and didn't insisted on his usual nature. "Alright, then stay there and wait for me."
As he said that, he continued navigating the littered room until he found another door. It said to lead to another room, the one described by the report to have C3 carved next to it.
A living room in the hallway? He realized that just now after seeing it.
So this way is the true corridor for tenants...
Without wasting time, he knocked on the door three times before hearing a loud yell. "Go away Old Bin! We're going to pay! J-Just give us another week!"
It was a child's voice.
Leonard sighed and did not stop knocking. Following this, sounds of barefoot steps and colliding of a chair muffled across the door.
It clicked and there came a child with a holed gray cap on his head over his dark eyes and pale complexion.
"You're not Old Bin... W-Who are you?"
Leonard was momentarily stunned. He sized up the kid before smiling genially. "My name is Leonard Mitchell, an officer of the Awwa County Police Department.
"I came here to have a word with you, along with your brother."
...
When the rays of the setting sun dyed the entirety of the town's cathedral, the Nighthawks' carriage finally arrived at Lamud Town.
The town was located at the northwest edge of Tingen. Many buildings still had the unique characteristics of the era before the Age of Steam. There were nearly zero factories and the nearby villages engaged in commercial trading.
After they stopped the carriage, Dunn looked at the hair salon opposite and said,
"I asked one of the locals earlier. It only requires a fifteen-minute walk from here to the castle ruins on the mountain. It's said that it belonged to a feudal lord who ruled during the Fourth Epoch. However, no one knows what happened after that. Of course, their description is merely a local myth."
"Yes, let's go over now and deal with that wraith before the sky turns dark. Then, we can take turns to watch over 3-0782 and keep it away from commoners?"
From the moment Dunn retrieved the Mutated Sun Sacred Emblem, three hours had already passed. It was getting closer and closer to a Beyonder's limits. In no time, they would have to part ways and give each other time to recover.
"Okay." Frye gave a succinct reply.
"I have no problem about that." Klein touched the Slumber Charms and Requiem Charms in his pocket.
The three Nighthawks in thin black windbreakers walked through the street in the town and headed toward the mountain when they reached a fork in the road. Along the way, the road was overgrown with weeds and clustered with shrubs, but it was still spacious enough to let two carriages pass side-by-side.
It wasn't long until they saw a collapsed outer wall of an ancient castle. On the outer wall that was still standing, there were green plants crawling all over it while the exposed part was mottled.
When he started to get close, Klein could feel a piercing chill as goosebumps formed all over his arms.
"There really is a wraith," Frye said monotonously as he looked at the ancient castle.
Dunn looked sideways to steal a glance at the newly promoted Nighthawk, then he laughed and said, "Don't worry. We have both 3-0782 and Frye; the wraith won't cause too much of a problem."
He held his custom-made revolver in one hand and the Mutated Sun Sacred Emblem in the other. He took the first step towards the ancient castle that looked like a ruin.
Klein followed closely behind and prepared to pull the trigger at any time, swing his cane, or use his charms.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
When Dunn was less than five meters away from the ancient castle, where a broken horse stable, water well, and other fixtures were reflected in Klein's eyes, a cold breeze howled in a way that could only be described as sad and shrill. It seemed to be rejecting the uninvited guests.
The three Nighthawks didn't stop. The warm and pure feeling gradually dispersed the chill and conquered the front of the ancient castle.
They scaled the pile of rocks, passing through the collapsed outer wall before slowly entering the castle which had lost its main entrance and was filled with broken tiles.
The hall of the ancient castle was full of collapsed stone pillars and was covered with moss. It was spacious, but the windows were narrow and placed high on the walls. Hence, the lighting was poor. It looked dim and gloomy inside.
That's also a trait of buildings from the end of the Fourth Epoch and the beginning of the Fifth Epoch... Klein, who was a historian, instinctively made a judgment and activated his Spirit Vision.
Just then, an illusory yet piercing roar suddenly burst out. Suddenly, from out of nowhere, a thick cloud of black fog filled the air, resisting the infiltration of warmth and purity.
A tall figure suddenly surfaced amidst the black fog. He wore full-body, black armor and carried a broadsword that a commoner would have found difficult to lift.
The wraith looked identical to the one Klein saw in Elizabeth's dream. Two flame-like balls of red light shone through the gap of his helmet, appearing cold, but they were staring at the three Nighthawks angrily.
"You have disturbed my slumber! You will have to pay with your flesh and blood!" He suddenly launched himself forward and instantly shortened the distance to Dunn. He suddenly slashed downwards with his broadsword.
Dunn retreated swiftly and lifted his hand to fire his revolver.
Clang!
The silver demon hunting bullet didn't manage to penetrate the illusory black armor and only produced a crisp but unrealistic sound.
Klein and Frye retreated to the side simultaneously. One held a gun in one hand and aimed at the two balls of fire that took the place of the black-armored knight's eyes before pulling the trigger. The other Nighthawk transformed his eyes into a tranquil grayish-white and focused on the wraith.
The black-armored knight roared in anger again. He took another huge stride towards Dunn and swung the broadsword horizontally.
Bam!
The broadsword didn't hurt Dunn, but it knocked him away, causing him to land heavily by the side of the door. It left him spewing a mouthful of fresh blood.
With a loud thud, 3-0782 dropped on the ground. Since it was wearing a metal boot, the wraith eagerly kicked with its right leg and sent the dangerous badge out the ancient castle's door. It was a distance beyond fifteen meters from it.
Klein, who hadn't managed to shoot the wraith successfully, became nervous and puzzled when he saw that scene. It was as though he was overlooking the transformation before his eyes from a calm and rational position.
Bang!
He fired another bullet. The silver demon hunting bullet hit the wraith's helmet and produced sparks. But there was no obvious damage.
"Right gauntlet!" Frye shouted. He was always cold and gloomy, but now his tone was filled with anxiety.
No sooner had he finished talking, he lifted his revolver as well and aimed at the wraith's right metal gauntlet.
Bang! Bang! Klein shot sub-consciously according to Frye's instruction, firing silver demon hunting bullets almost simultaneously with him.
This time, the wraith didn't block it with his armor but raised his broadsword and struck the two bullets away.
Bam! He took a stride and charged at Klein, colliding with him directly.
As Klein flew out, he saw his chest cave in, saw himself spitting blood, but he didn't feel uncomfortable, not one bit.
He suddenly snapped out of his daze, fell on the ground, rolled about, and screamed.
Suddenly, the ancient castle, the wraith, the collapsed pillars, and the moss floor shattered eerily. Everything returned to black fog in the air, just like when the black-armored knight first appeared.
The only difference was that Dunn held both his fists tightly, bowed slightly, and his gray eyes were dark and deep.
As expected, everything was just a dream. Captain pulled the wraith, Frye, and I into his dream at the same time. But I'm special, and I can remain clear-headed and rational... Klein realized that he was still standing two meters away to Dunn's right. He hadn't vomited any blood or screamed.
Just then, Dunn stood up straight and looked at the wraith that was going to slash with his sword. He calmly said, "It's been more than a minute."
The wraith was stunned and let out a shrill cry. Its body started producing black steam, as though it had just received its death sentence.
Any zombies or spirits that had yet to turn into evil spirits couldn't stay within the fifteen-meter range of the Mutated Sun Sacred Emblem for more than a minute!
Holy shit, Captain, you're so cool! Klein looked at the scene from the side and nearly let out a cheer!
Dunn had used his dream ability not to attack the wraith on his own turf, but merely to drag out the time!
In the warm and pure feeling, the black steam evaporated quickly and the chill dispersed gradually. In no time, the knight became transparent and blended into the void.
Clang!
A black gauntlet fell to the ground, its surface covered with white frost.
Klein was about to ask for the Captain's go ahead to pick up the "drop," but when he looked over, his spirituality was suddenly disturbed.
Somewhere near the stairs that separated the hall and the dining hall, there was an intense yet illusory misery and uncleanliness summoning him!