"Whoa!"
A sound echoed as the sliding wooden window above the carriage was opened, revealing a face—golden hair, flawless skin, well-proportioned features, as beautiful as a woman yet not feminine, but rather exuding elegance.
This was Sherlock, who had been so exceptionally talented that he was both exploited (valued) and forced to leave his family, and had recently escaped to Farlo City.
A while ago, by coincidence, he ran into Richard and reestablished contact. Richard also learned that Sherlock was doing so business in the black market to earn money to et his terrifying expenses.
"My dearest friend!" Sherlock spoke, greeting Richard with a warm smile. "I heard you wanted information on the Ancestor Spirit Association? As soon as I got your ssage, I brought it to you personally. Aren’t you touched? Uh, right, the information is here, for you."
As he spoke, Sherlock handed a stack of papers through the window.
Richard took it, quickly glanced through it, and found the information very detailed. So parts were not even ntioned by Barry, such as the Ancestor Spirit Association’s predecessor being a school nad "Ancient Civilization Light," and that the early Ancestor Spirit Association worshipped giant serpents...
After skimming through, Richard felt confident and put away the information to read in more detail later. He looked up at Sherlock, smirked, and asked, "Sherlock, I must say, you’re even more extravagant than the last ti I saw you, having a wizard act as your coachman. Aren’t you afraid of trouble?"
"You just don’t understand." Sherlock winked slightly and boasted, "My friend, it’s precisely because I dare to have a wizard be my coachman that a lot of trouble stays far away from . Those who aren’t strong enough don’t dare to have any illegal thoughts about ."
"But wouldn’t powerful people disregard it? I’ve always been curious, with your abilities, how can you make so much money in Farlo City’s black market without soone acting out of jealousy?"
"Of course, it’s due to my sharp insight." Sherlock said proudly, "I can see what people are thinking with just a glance. With a slight use of tactics, they end up fighting among themselves, having no ti to bother with , which lets earn money peacefully."
"Besides." Sherlock changed his tone, "don’t I have you! I’ve told them all, standing behind is a powerful Level 4 wizard, my very best friend. If anyone dares to cross , my friend—you—will surely retaliate."
After saying this, Sherlock rarely looked a bit sheepish, glanced at Richard earnestly, and asked, "By the way, do you have the strength of a Level 4 wizard now?"
"Sothing like that." Richard replied vaguely.
"That’s good then." Sherlock’s tone raised slightly, "Since you do possess the strength of a Level 4 wizard, I’m really not afraid."
Richard couldn’t help but roll his eyes.
Sherlock laughed, "Alright, my dearest friend, I know your ti is precious. Not only do you need to devote yourself to cultivation, but also to study all sorts of strange things, so I shouldn’t continue to bother you. And I have urgent matters to attend to, so I’ll be off."
"Okay." Richard said, "If you have business to discuss, go ahead."
"No, no, no." Sherlock shook his head repeatedly, correcting, "If it were business, it wouldn’t be urgent. It’s sothing else."
"Hmm?"
Sherlock explained with a smile, "You should know that Farlo City is far from the sea, so it’s extrely difficult to get fresh sea fish. However, there is a tavern with wizard backing in the city that sells delicious dishes made from fresh sea fish every day in limited quantities. The price is indeed not cheap, but the flavor makes it worth rembering.
And today, I plan to dine there with Lucia, as today is Lucia’s birthday, and we need to celebrate a bit. So, I must rush there. Otherwise, if I’m late and the sea fish is sold out, it’ll ruin the fun."
Upon hearing this, Richard couldn’t help but shake his head, "I see, you’re in a hurry solely for enjoynt."
"Of course." Sherlock widened his eyes, speaking very seriously, "Is there anything more important than enjoynt in this world? Actually, although you’re my dearest friend, I quite don’t understand you: ti is so precious, why must you spend it on research and cultivation? Wouldn’t it be better to enjoy more? Life is so short, shouldn’t we live happily and with excitent? Like you do, why?"
"For an answer, I guess." Richard pondered and replied.
"Hmm, an answer? What answer?"
"I want to study the truth of this world, to figure out what it’s all about." Richard answered.
"And after figuring it out?" Sherlock shrugged, "What difference will it make?"
"Once I figure it out, I can determine the aning of certain things and whether what I’m pursuing is true or false."
"Is truth important?"
"Isn’t truth important?"
"I think whether what I pursue for enjoynt is true or false isn’t important." Sherlock said earnestly, "For example, if I hear a beautiful ode, whether it’s written by a great poet or a beggar doesn’t matter. The important thing is the emotion I feel in the ode.
Or, if I watch an incredibly exciting play, although I know the story is false and fictional, I’m still fascinated by and imrsed in it.
Or, if I spent a wonderful night with a young and beautiful girl, and later found out she was actually much older and her youthful appearance was a disguise, I... uh, well, that example isn’t very good."
"In short!" Sherlock took a deep breath and said earnestly, "Enjoynt is just enjoynt. As long as you’ve felt joy, what does truth or falsehood matter? Is truth more important than happiness?"
"In my eyes, indeed truth is more important than happiness." Richard spoke, "And that is the difference between you and ."
"My poor friend." Sherlock looked on with a semblance of pity, "I highly doubt, since the last ti we parted, have you ever enjoyed a al or any other happiness? I think you live more miserably than a beggar. Otherwise, should I tell Lucia and invite you to the tavern to enjoy so delicious sea fish?"
"Actually, I feel the sa about you, thinking you are quite pitiful, like a monkey trapped in endless enjoynt." Richard also showed a sympathetic expression and seriously responded to Sherlock, "Otherwise, would you like to accompany for a few days of experints?"
Sherlock: "..."
After three seconds of silence, he couldn’t hold back and laughed, "Hahaha, okay, okay, it looks like we can’t persuade each other—you’ll never give up enjoynt, and I’ll never pursue it. So let’s not waste any more ti. Next up, I go have my fish, you do your research, absolutely perfect."
"Agreed."
"Shall we say goodbye then?"
"Goodbye."
With a clatter, the wheels turned, and the carriage moved forward. The young man who had knocked on the door earlier jumped on, and soon it left the street.
Richard watched as the carriage left, retrieved his gaze, let out a light sigh, and walked into the door with the stack of information.
...
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