House No. 16/35, 12th Street, 7:40 PM
A light snow was falling, and the temperature hovered around 4 or 5 degrees. Nicholas appeared before the building, clad in a long gray cotton overcoat that covered his entire body. He wore sturdy black boots and a purple scarf wrapped around his neck, topped with his favorite fedora.
Nicholas made his way down the narrow alleyway of the building until he came to a halt in front of Roderick's private investigation office.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
He tapped on the wooden door rhythmically. Even though Roderick was the one who had requested the meeting, Nicholas saw no reason to abandon his manners.
"Come in," Roderick's deep voice called out from the other side.
Nicholas found Roderick seated on the sofa. The table they had dragged over to sit at two weeks ago remained in exactly the same spot, suggesting that Roderick hadn't bothered to move a single piece of furniture since their last encounter.
'Good grief. Just how lazy can this guy be?'
Nicholas thought but didn't show it on his face.
"Good evening, Mr. Rickman."
Nicholas greeted him with a polite smile. Roderick, however, merely stared back, observing him with keen gaze for a long moment.
"It seems you arrived early."
"I make it a rule to arrive at least fifteen minutes before an appointment," Nicholas replied.
"After all, time is valuable for both of us."
Rodrick nodded in acknowledgment of those words. He didn't waste any more words. Instead, he reached for a stack of papers and handed them to Nicholas.
"This is a comprehensive record of Antonio's routine over the past two weeks. Under normal circumstances, I'd recommend extending the surveillance period for a while longer. However, given our limited timeframe and since I believe I've already gathered the essential information that meets your objectives, I decided to contact you today."
"I appreciate your thoroughness in considering all these factors," Nicholas said appreciatively as he began to scan the contents of the documents.
It was written in table format. Though somewhat difficult to read, it was arranged in an easy-to-understand and concise manner while covering important small details—whether the gaps between scheduled activities, travel times from one point to another, the estimated accuracy of each data point, and even projected margins of error.
Furthermore, it contained background data tracing back to the period before Nicholas had even commissioned the investigation.
All of this was clear evidence that the private investigator standing before him was an experienced expert—well worth every penny Nicholas had spent.
Within Antonio's routine, one section was highlighted with particular emphasis. Every Wednesday and Friday, between 9 PM to midnight, Antonio would spend his time at the casino located in the north on 1st Street, adjacent to Victoria Square—the residential district of the aristocrats.
This was the location with the laxest security among all the places where Antonio stayed regularly, since it was a place crowded with people, making it easy to blend in without being noticed.
"There are three security checkpoints you'll need to clear before you can reach him," Rodrick didn't beat around the bush and immediately got to Nicholas's objective.
"The first is the gate connecting the main city to the inner castle district, which will be guarded by soldiers. Only the aristocracy or those with a formal invitation are permitted through. However, you can slip inside via the sewer system that connects 1st Street to Victoria Square. It's a secret passage originally designed by the Marquis family as an emergency exit during the city's construction..."
He then pointed to a specific section of the documents to help Nicholas visualize the layout.
"Once you've cleared Victoria Square, you'll find Antonio's casino to the west. There, you'll face another security sweep by Le Purgatoire's men. Most guests will have their records kept on a list... This is a fake membership card I forged, which I've tested many times and can guarantee that no one will notice anything wrong. You can use it to walk past through the front guards."
Rodrick handed the club membership card to Nicholas for inspection. It was issued under the name 'John Smith.' Upon reading the name, Nicholas couldn't help but feel his eyebrow twitch.
He wasn't sure how common the name was in this city, but for someone who had watched hundreds of Hollywood movies, 'John Smith' was a name so overused it was practically like waving a flag to tell the enemy he was an impostor.
However, Rodrick showed no reaction to that name and simply continued with his briefing.
"The final security layer is inside the casino. Normally, Antonio spends almost all his time during that period in his private room, which is a vault located underground. There is only one way in or out, and the entrance is guarded by two of the gang's elite fighters. This is the one area where I cannot offer you any assistance. So, you'll have to find a way to sneak inside yourself."
He explained this while tracing his finger along a pencil-sketched blueprint of the casino. Every mark on the paper clearly illustrates the building's interior, making the layout easy to visualize.
"If you can't find a way past this final line of defense," Roderick added grimly, "then I suggest you abandon this plan of yours before it's too late."
Nicholas looked at the man in the cowboy hat before him with amazement. The level of detail and the tactical scope of the plan were far beyond anything he had expected. In truth, he had only intended for Roderick to gather Antonio's daily routines so that he could devise a strategy of his own. But who would have thought this private investigator would go so far as to craft an entire infiltration route on his behalf.
While the final step remained for him to solve, what had been provided was already more than enough.
Dealing with two bodyguards who were ordinary people wasn't particularly difficult for Nicholas. Becoming an Extraordinary had granted him a physique that surpassed norm. Moreover, over the past few weeks, he has not only adapted to his new body but also received combat skills training from Piers and Romero. Combined with the marksmanship training he received from the Order's instructors, he was confident that no ordinary human could hold their own against him for more than ten seconds.
However, this mission demanded absolute subtlety and silence. He could not afford to let anyone witness his actions or link the night's events back to him. Therefore, the important thing was that he must not be seen by anyone.
While Le Purgatoire appeared to be nothing more than a common mafia syndicate, Nicholas still did not know whether they had ties to any secret Extraordinary organizations. Given the ominous warnings found in the previous Nicholas's diary, he knew he had to be very careful.
Ever since he became a Spirit Medium, his senses had been elevated to another level. He could feel someone watching his every move from outside both his home and his office. Though he couldn't pinpoint the culprits yet, Antonio's reaction during their encounter at the court made him suspect that the watchers likely belonged to the Le Purgatoire.
With a Spirit Medium's abilities, shaking off ordinary people's surveillance wasn't difficult. Moreover, being watched so closely like this might actually work in his favor.
'I could use this to create an alibi,'
His status as an Extraordinary was a secret known only to a few people. By leveraging this information gap, he could flip the script and use the very people spying on him as witnesses to confirm his whereabouts.
Perhaps he could reschedule his Friday meeting with the representative from the Mikolash Enterprises, moving it from the afternoon to the evening. Once the meeting concluded, he could use Spirit Medium abilities to slip out quietly, making it seem as though he remained home for the entire night. When they reported back to the gang, it would provide the perfect evidence to confirm his innocence.
Nicholas slowly closed his eyes. Various plans gradually took shape within his mind while Rodrick merely watched him in silence.
After a long moment, a faint smile appeared at the corners of his mouth. When Nicholas opened his eyes again, Roderick caught a glimpse of a cold, piercing glint flickering within his gaze.
The detective could feel the change—this was not the same man he had met two weeks ago.
"My apologies for the lack of manners. It seems I became a bit too lost in thought," Nicholas said, offering a polite smile.
"The information you've gathered is far more useful than I anticipated. This is the remaining payment in full. Feel free to count it if you wish."
Nicholas placed a pouch containing the remaining 250 silver coins on the table. He had chosen to pay in cash rather than using bank notes or checks due to the high-risk nature of the assignment. It would be unwise to leave a paper trail that could potentially lead back to either of them.
Roderick didn't bother to count the money. Instead, he simply stared at Nicholas. his previous air of lethargy completely vanished.
"I still have a few matters to attend to, so I'll be taking my leave now,"
He tipped the brim of his hat in a parting gesture, brushed the dust from his clothes before making his way toward the door.
But before he could step out, Rodrick's voice rang out from behind.
"You seem to have changed quite a bit since we last met, Mr. Nicholas."
Nicholas paused for a second. He understood the hidden meaning behind the investigator's words. This alone confirmed that Roderick was no ordinary man, but most likely Extraordinary. However, However, Nicholas could not detect any trace of spiritual energy within him.
That meant this man was not a Spirit Medium but an Extraordinary from a different path.
"I suppose you're not wrong... But isn't that the nature of humans?"
Nicholas responded, the corner of his mouth showing a confident smile. His body emanated an aura incomparable to the Nicholas of two weeks ago, as if he was an entirely different person.
"It has been a pleasure working with you, Mr. Roderick."
With that, he stepped out of the room, his figure gradually fading into the darkness of the hallway ahead.
A moment later, a soft sigh escaped Roderick's lips, lingering in the now-empty room. he had feared that taking this job would be nothing more than sending his employer to his death. But after seeing Nicholas again, that thought had vanished completely.
"...this peaceful city is getting more and more chaotic by the day." His voice was barely a whisper, as if speaking to himself.
Amidst the frigid November night, who could have guessed that after this evening, the fate of the peaceful city of York—located in the eastern reaches of the Empire—was about to change forever?
04.11.550
Nicholas Parlay
Spirit medium (Éna)