It was currently 11:19 PM. According to the intel Nicholas had received from Rodrick, Antonio usually remained at his casino until around midnight before returning to his residence. This meant Nicholas had very little time left to escape from here without being noticed.
Nicholas used the remaining time to search for any clues left in the room. Unfortunately, he found nothing related to the Moon Worshipping Cult or any other potentially useful information. Given that Antonio was merely a new believer who had recently joined the cult, it was no surprise that he would not know much or have detailed records about this secret organization.
Once he had thoroughly searched the room, Nicholas prepared to leave immediately. However, his eyes caught sight of an old safe tucked away on a bookshelf, which gave him an idea.
The disappearance of Antonio from a high-security, locked room would inevitably raise suspicions. Nicholas realized that creating a false motive to cause confusion might help him divert Le Purgatoire's attention elsewhere.
Fortunately, the safe was small and lacked any complex mechanisms; it took him only a few moments to crack it open. Inside were gold bars, silver coins, and a substantial amount of banknotes. Nicholas decided to sweep the gold and silver into the bag he had prepared, leaving behind only the banknotes, which could be easily traced.
With this, he successfully shifted the motive from a personal vendetta to a simple robbery. Moreover, after his recent discussion with the representative of Mikolash company, Nicholas himself had been thinking about investing in their company—yet he had found himself severely lacking in capital. This act could be consider killing two birds with one stone.
Once everything was arranged, he slipped out of the room quietly. The two bodyguards stationed outside remained unconscious, slumped against the wall. Nicholas walked up the stairs from the basement to the main floor. He had already changed into the dignified attire of a nobleman, completely shedding his previous guise as a hunter in a black cloak.
Inside the casino, the nobles continued their gambling with enthusiasm, no one noticed the abnormality occurring in the depths of this establishment. Nicholas put on his top hat and stepped toward the front entrance as if nothing had happened. His figure blended into the bustling crowd before fading away into the city lights, leaving behind only the mystery of Antonio's disappearance.
.....
The next morning, Nicholas awoke from his slumber. It had been a long time since he had felt so well-rested. Upon returning to his home the previous night, he had immediately collapsed into a dead sleep. Invoking his power as a Judicial Representative had taken a greater toll on his body than he had anticipated.
Before becoming Extraordinary he had once remained unconscious for nearly two days after using this power. Even now, as an Éna-rank Spirit Medium, the exertion was still hard to bear.
Perhaps the burden would lighten as he advanced to higher sequences, but for now, he could likely only wield this power once a day. Furthermore, after using this power, he wasn't confident whether he would be in a condition to continue fighting or not.
Therefore, he decided to keep this power hidden and only use it as a trump card in case of emergencies.
However, this power would be useless if he could not fulfill the conditions required to activate it. What mattered most now was advancing to Dío-rank Spirit Medium as soon as possible.
After finishing his meal, Nicholas got dressed and left the house immediately. There were two things he intended to accomplish today.
First, he intended to go to 13th Street to search for the antique shop mentioned in the treasure map he had earned for successfully completing the secondary mission.
Second, he wanted to visit the district 4 Station to consult with Romero regarding the Moon-Worshipping Cult.
...To be honest, he himself was still unsure how to begin such conversation with Romero.
Nicholas wrestled with his thoughts until, finally, he decided to leave that as a problem for his future self. However, as he was walking along 10th Street, he heard a familiar voice calling out to him.
"Oh, Columbus! Is that you, pal?"
Looking over, he spotted an elderly white-haired man in tattered clothes. If he remembered correctly, this was the beggar known as 'Dirk the Begger,' whom he had met at the cemetery on the day he was sent to this world.
"Actually, it's 'Nicholas.' But I appreciate you remembering me. honor to see you as well, Mr. 'Derick'," Nicholas corrected him with a playful smirk.
It's 'Dirk,' you brat! I'm old, it's natural that I'd remember wrong sometimes. But you're still young and full of life—what's your excuse for getting mine wrong?"
It was clear that both were merely teasing one another. Under normal circumstances, Nicholas wouldn't have bothered bantering with a stranger like this. However, after finally settling the matter that had weighed on his heart for so long, he felt an indescribable sense of relief and was in an unusually good mood.
Moreover, the man before him was a benefactor who had helped him once before. Thus, Nicholas felt no discomfort in conversing with him in such a casual manner.
"I didn't think to run into you here." Nicholas remarked.
"I'm everywhere, kid. Let me tell you, every nook and cranny of this city is like my backyard," Dirk replied.
Nicholas highly doubted the truth of that statement, yet he simply nodded in agreement.
"You've changed quite a bit since the first time we met. Looks like you've finally adjusted to this place, eh?" Dirk said, his eyes carefully scanning Nicholas from head to toe.
"I suppose you could say so," Nicholas replied while reminiscing about everything that had happened since he was brought into this world.
"It was pretty rough at first, but I think everything's going well now."
"I'd hold my tongue if I were you, pal. If you show such happy face, misfortune tends to come knocking. Take it as a warning from an old guy like me."
The moment he heard Dirk's words, a sudden realization struck Nicholas.
Since when had he grown comfortable living like this? It seemed he needed to be far more cautious with himself from now on.
"By the way, where are you heading?" Dirk asked when he noticed Nicholas getting closer and closer to the slum district.
Nicholas hesitated for a moment before deciding to reveal his destination to the old man.
"An antique shop on 13th Street? Didn't know you were the type to collect old stuff."
The old beggar raised an eyebrow. Given Nicholas's refined attire and demeanor, such a reaction was hardly surprising.
"I think I know where that is. Come on, pal—I'll take you there myself."
With just that small hint, Dirk was able to pinpoint the location immediately. It seemed his claim of knowing every corner of the city wasn't entirely an exaggeration.
Nicholas gave a nod of approval and followed the old man toward their destination.
.....
"Welcome."
A hoarse voice greeted them the moment the bell above the shop door rang.
The shop was built entirely of wood. Inside, it was cluttered with all kinds of antiques, scattered in no particular order. The floorboards creaked loudly with every step taken within.
The owner of the antique shop was an old man, roughly the same age as Dirk. He wore a faded blue tunic; His body was thin and gaunt like someone who had been starving. His previously indifferent expression brightened slightly at the sight of customers—only to darken again when he realized it was Dirk.
"What the hell—it's you, old coot? Let me tell you now—this place doesn't hand out charity."
"You're the one who's an old coot! I went through so much trouble to bring you a customer, and that's the thanks I get?"
Dirk snapped back irritably. It was clear the two of them had known each other for quite some time.
"Honestly, you two are just as old…"
Nicholas thought to himself but didn't say it out loud.
The shopkeeper's expression improved slightly when he noticed Nicholas. He cracked a forced smile allowing Nicholas to browse around freely.
While Dirk and the shop owner engaged in their bickering, Nicholas slowly wandered around the shop but didn't find anything that caught his eye—until he eventually reached a cramped back corner where a mountain of antiques were piled together inside a large wooden crate.
As if drawn by an invisible force, Nicholas began rummaging through the pile, searching for something buried beneath that pile of antiques. Until he found an old compass covered in thick dust. It had an octagonal shape. Beneath the glass casing, a red needle pointed north, while a white needle pointed south. At the top of the compass was a small iron button.
Although the compass didn't appear particularly different from an ordinary one, Nicholas could feel the gray mirror within his chest now emitting a faint glow. This made him confident that the treasure mentioned in the hint was indeed this very object.
It wouldn't be wise to take out the gray mirror and read its message right now. While Nicholas wasn't sure if others could even see the inscriptions as he did, but he had no intention of taking that risk. So, he decided to check it later.
"Find anything you like, pal?"
Dirk called out the moment he saw Nicholas returning to the counter.
"I'd like to buy this."
Nicholas said, holding out the old compass for both of them to see.
"You've got a good eye, young man!"
Before Nicholas could even utter a word, the shop owner quickly extolled the virtues of the old compass without hesitation.
"This here is an ancient compass passed down since the Seventh Era. They say it once belonged to the greatest pirate captain of that time. Collectors of antiquities have been searching everywhere for it. Truth be told, I'd hate to part with it—but since you're someone Dirk brought in, I'll let it go for just ten silver coins!"
"Seventh Era my ass! If it was that valuable, would you keep it in this pile of trash?" Dirk shot back. "I wouldn't have said anything if you were pricing it fairly, but ten silvers? That's a straight-up scam. Come on, pal—don't waste your time with this old swindler."
Dirk protested as he moved to pull Nicholas out of the shop.
""Wait! Hold on! I'll lower the price—five coins! No… three! Just three silver coins, and the compass is yours!"
The old shopkeeper bit his lip and blurted out the offer the moment he saw them leaving, though he couldn't resist casting a murderous glare at Dirk.
"Now that's more like it." Dirk turned with a grin, giving Nicholas a quick wink.
"If it were me, I wouldn't deal with this old geezer—but well it's not my money so the rest is up to you, pal."
The exchange had been a success without Nicholas having to lift a finger.
"Here, three silver coins." Nicholas said, placing the coins on the counter.
Although still somewhat irritated, the old shop owner's eyes lit up at the sight of the money, a clear sign that he was still more than satisfied with the deal.
Nicholas politely bid the shopkeeper farewell before stepping out of the store. Dirk lingered behind for a moment, exchanging a few more jabs with the old man, then followed after him.
"Thanks for the help, Mr. Dirk. That saved me a lot of effort."
"Don't worry about it. I know that old turtle's tricks all too well. Besides, even at three coins, he still made a huge profit." Dirk waved it off as if it were nothing.
"By the way, where are you heading next?"
"I've got some business to take care of in District 4."
"Well, I guess we'll have to part ways here then. I was thinking of tagging along, but if police spot me around there, they'll probably chase me off again."
Dirk shrugged and said goodbye. But before he could leave, Nicholas called out to him. With a flick of his thumb, the young man tossed a silver coin toward the old beggar—it was worth five silver.
"Consider it a guide fee."
For Nicholas now, that amount of money was nothing. Dirk caught the coin easily, a grin tugging at the corner of his lips.
"Looks like this old beggar's getting some good booze tonight. Thanks, pal!" he shouted, waving his hand as he strolled away.
"So you admit you're old after all."
Just moments ago, the two old men had just been bickering tooth and nail over who was truly the 'old coot,'—yet deep down, it seemed they both knew the truth.
.....
District 4 Telecommunications Station, 4th Street. 1:55 PM.
Nicholas arrived at his second destination of the day. His mind was clear, the heavy burden that had weighed on his chest for the past few weeks finally lifted.
He pushed open the station doors to find Piers and Evelyn sitting at their usual desks. Even Romero, who usually had a busy schedule, could be seen inside the glass-walled office that served as his private room.
…However, the moment Nicholas stepped in, he sensed that something was wrong.
A heavy, oppressive atmosphere hung over the entire station. There wasn't even the faintest sound of conversation. He had been here many times before and had encountered several other colleagues beyond those he was familiar with. Though it had never been lively, it had never felt this bleak either.
Romero, who had noticed Nicholas the moment he entered, rose from his desk and stepped out of his office. Seeing this, Nicholas walked straight toward him as well.
He had many things he wanted to consult with Romero about… but he had no idea where to begin.
"Good afternoon, Captain Romero," Nicholas greeted. Romero looked as if he were about to say something, yet he held himself back.
"From the atmosphere, it seems like something happened while I was away..." He didn't need to be a prophet to know that something had happened...
Come to think of it, he hadn't seen the cheerful young mascot who was always the first to greet him whenever he arrived.
"By the way… where's Haley? I don't think I've seen her around the station today."
Romero's eyes wavered slightly before he fixed his gaze directly on Nicholas. The emotion radiating from him was something Nicholas had never expected to see from the unit chief who was usually as cold as ice.
An uneasy chill crept into Nicholas's heart, sending a cold shiver through him.
Romero's demeanor told him something—something he desperately hoped wasn't true.
"A week ago, the Order approved Hailey's Trial of Rebirth," Romero said slowly. Though his voice remained as monotone as ever, Nicholas could sense a faint tremor beneath it. "She underwent the ritual yesterday…"
Nicholas felt as if he were plummeting into a bottomless abyss. In that instant, he understood the reason for the suffocating atmosphere within the station.
"...And she failed."
For those who failed the ritual, there were only two possible fates—each worse than the last.
Nicholas didn't hear anything Romero said after that. His mind went blank for a moment, before drifting back to the conversation he once had with Hailey in the restaurant…
It was he who had encouraged her, supporting her choice in pursuing her dreams.
…The pride he felt when Hailey said she wanted to become someone like him still lingered deep within his chest.
Perhaps he had grown too accustomed to life in this world—so much so that he had allowed himself to forget something he should never have forgotten...
...That was the cruelty of this world, steeped in horrifying mysteries and mystical powers.
07.11.550
Nicholas Parlay
Spirit Medium (Éna)