"Backlund..." In the early morning, Trissy, draped in a garment that wasn't particularly well-fitting, stepped out of Backlund Station.
The yellowish morning mist carried a pungent odor, making Trissy frown instinctively.
She had only three soli left in her possession, but for someone with a former [Assassin]'s skills, money was never a problem worth excessive worry.
After all, those three soli were also "lifted" from the station in Tingen.
What gave Trissy a bigger headache now was where she should go.
Besides the word "Backlund," the "oracle" in her mind hadn't made any further sound, even though she had already set foot on this land.
It was as if that Great Being had merely tossed a seemingly fun toy into a place within His reach and then ignored it.
"Oh, right,that damn cat!"
Perhaps because praying to a Great Being was too stimulating, Trissy,after being several beats late,finally remembered the fellow who had dragged her into this.
Although she wished she could contact the other party immediately, recalling that the contact method the cat left her was also to pray to that Great Being, Trissy felt a bit weary.
While there were only "zero" or "countless" times for such a thing as prayer, Trissy, having just experienced the sensation of her body being manipulated like a toy, felt it best to take a breather first.
She randomly found a clothing store aimed at the working class and spent two soli to purchase a set of clothes made of average material but at least well-fitting. She then followed a map to find a library, borrowed local newspapers such as the Backlund Post, and quickly identified a pattern in the information through the knowledge bestowed by the [Assassin] potion. She soon found a contact for what was likely a broker.
In this moment, Trissy suddenly felt a wave of sentimentality as if returning to her youth. Back then, "she" was still "he," harboring a dream in his heart of becoming an assassin who embodied Emperor Roselle's words: "Nothing is true, everything is permitted."
Now, "he" had become a [Witch].
"I will definitely turn back into a man!"
Trissy organized the newspapers and returned them to the librarian, then walked out of the library without looking back. She planned to take on a commission first and get some more comfortable clothes before doing anything else.
...
On the other side, Snow, feeling no fatigue whatsoever, slowly woke up. As usual, he contributed to the morning wake-up service for Mr. Fool.
Today, [Victory], [Foundation], and [Honor] still exchanged for abilities no different from before, which allowed Snow to relax slightly.
Trissy's conscious light had already appeared in Backlund, but for some reason, she hadn't contacted him immediately. Based on the thought "I don't need her for now," Snow decided to let her "free-range" for a while.
"Let me see how many people missed me today..."
Snow, who had gone across the street for breakfast, returned to the mailbox at his doorstep. Seeing a stack of envelopes inside, the corners of his mouth curled up slightly.
He brought the various envelopes home and opened them one by one. Setting the reader letters aside, he was left with three "work commissions."
Even though Duke Negan had just been assassinated, it didn't truly have much of an impact on ordinary high society. As long as they weren't people who directly participated like Miss Justice, most nobles remained as decadent and pleasure-seeking as ever.
Considering the importance of maintaining his network, Snow replied to a few reader letters and then began grooming his appearance.
Although his predecessor had left him a face that even a [Faceless] would use as study material, proper maintenance was still necessary.
...
"Mr. Melas, is it? May I ask what you wish to commission?" The "Early Bird" Mr. Fool, who had been woken up by Mr. Devil, experienced what it meant for the early bird to get the worm today. After a breakfast, a gentleman with a servant knocked on his door.
Unquestionably, it was the "scent" of work.
Speaking of which, it had been several days since Klein arrived in Backlund, but his career as a detective had been slow to start.
Well, saying it that way wasn't entirely correct; after all, just yesterday, he had earned a reward of one soli for helping a child rescue a cat from a tree.
Don't misunderstand,Mr. Fool wasn't so poor that he would snatch one soli from a child. It was just that there truly were many wealthy people in Backlund, and after he rescued the cat, the child handed him one soli without a word.
"I wish for you to investigate my wife." Mr. Melas didn't notice that the detective's thoughts had wandered. He reached out, and the servant beside him immediately handed over some documents.
"Oh, specifically in what regard?" Klein picked up the documents on the table. At the top was a photograph of a lady in her early thirties, well-maintained and likely from a good family background.
"I want... mmm, please monitor her for a period. She's been acting a bit abnormal lately, often going out after I leave for work. Mmm, it's..."
This middle-aged gentleman seemed a bit embarrassed to speak. Klein, however, caught on. Although he had long heard that six out of ten cases for private detectives involved investigating extramarital affairs, he hadn't expected his first real case to encounter such a customer.
He weighed his words slightly and spoke for the somewhat shy gentleman, "Do you mean you want me to investigate whether your wife has another lover?"
"Exactly!" Mr. Melas nodded vigorously, then spoke with a hint of anger:
"She has recently become obsessed with a novel and often writes letters to its author! Furthermore, according to reports from the household servants, she often goes out at noon and doesn't return home until evening! As long as you help me find evidence, I am willing to pay you ten pounds as a reward!"
'So much?' The moment the other party offered his price, Klein instantly understood how this project,which occupied sixty percent of the private detective industry,could support the profession.
However, out of personal morality, he still offered a cautious reminder:
"Your wife is merely obsessed with a novel, and as a lady of high society, going to other ladies' homes for afternoon tea is a normal social behavior. Isn't it a bit improper to suspect her based only on these?"
Hearing Klein's question, Mr. Melas couldn't control his emotions. He threw a punch into the air before seemingly reacting and readjusting his sitting posture. Only then did he say angrily, "If it were just an ordinary author, I wouldn't have such associations. But you don't know,that author is a famous 'social butterfly' in Backlund! I hear he maintains relationships with many noble ladies in high society!"
'Uh...' Klein's brow furrowed slightly. He suddenly felt that this description sounded suspiciously familiar.
'It... surely couldn't be?'
[Translated and Rewritten by Shika Kagura]
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A/N: "Nothing is true, everything is permitted" (万物皆虚,万事皆允) - A famous creed from the Assassin's Creed franchise, originally attributed to the Order of Assassins, and used here as a nod to both the game and Roselle's "plagiarism."
A/N: "Sherlock Moriarty" (夏洛克·莫里亚蒂) - Klein's current identity in Backlund, a private detective.
T/N: "Social Butterfly / Socialite" (交际草) - A term used to describe a man who is exceptionally skilled at social networking, often with a flirtatious or playboy connotation. In this context, it refers to Snow's persona.
T/N: "Early Bird" (早起的虫子) - A play on the "early bird gets the worm" proverb. Klein feels he is the "worm" being eaten by Snow's early morning prayers.
T/N: "Ten Pounds" (£10) - A very high reward for a simple investigation in this era, reflecting Mr. Melas's wealth and desperation to find the "truth."