After waiting for half a minute, Fors knocked on the door again—still no response.
She hesitated for a mont, wondering if she should use Door Opening to take a peek inside, when a young man poked his head out from the room next door.
"Mr. Gray stopped by the office this morning but then left in a hurry."
"Ah? Do you know where he went?"
"No idea. Maybe he went ho."
Fors quickly pleaded, "Would it be possible to share Mr. Gray's ho address? I'm… I'm a relative of his, and I ca here specifically to visit him."
The young man gave the two girls a once-over. Deciding they didn't look like troublemakers, he replied, "Mr. Gray lives two streets over—112 Skyfire Avenue."
"Thank you, kind sir."
Fors turned to Xio.
"Looks like we have to make another trip."
"Let's go. I've already taken leave anyway—lost half a day's pay either way."
——
About ten minutes later, they arrived at 112 Skyfire Avenue. But as they approached, they saw a sign on the door indicating the resident was away. After asking the neighbours, they learned that Dorian Gray had returned from his brief visit to the office, hastily packed a bag, and left on a trip.
As for where he went—no one knew.
Fors stood frozen, dazed.
Seriously? I co all the way here and you just happen to leave town? What are the odds?
Xio frowned, deep in thought.
"Is it possible…that this Dorian you're looking for got spooked by the official Beyonders?"
"Huh? Why wou—"
Fors stopped herself mid-sentence as the realisation hit her: the Abraham family had always lived in seclusion. If soone had gone to such lengths to hide their identity, they certainly wouldn't want to be noticed.
Could it be that Dorian thought the increased security in Pritz Harbour was directed at him?
Ugh…what do I do now?
Who am I supposed to give Mr. Lawrence's will and belongings to?
Xio offered a suggestion.
"Why don't you open the letter? Maybe it contains useful information."
"No way. That would be too unethical!"
Fors rejected the idea imdiately.
After thinking for a mont, she pulled out her idea journal—the one she used to jot down inspiration—and scribbled a short note explaining the purpose of her visit. She also included Mrs. Aulisa's address, then tore out the page and tucked it into the doorfra.
"That'll have to do for now."
"I still think you could've just opened the letter—"
Fors tugged on her arm.
"Alright, alright. Since you ca all this way with , let treat you to dinner. I looked it up beforehand—Pritz Harbour's most famous restaurant is the Four-Winged Bird, and it's got quite a few specialities."
The two turned to leave…only to be t head-on by a group of n walking their way. One of them had red-brown skin and clearly Southern Continent features, along with a missing tooth that was noticeable when he spoke.
Fors froze, staring at the man in shock.
That face…she'd seen it sowhere before—not in person, but in a description.
Right!
The Tarot Club!
Mr. Hanged Man had issued a bounty request: anyone who found this man's whereabouts could earn at least 100 pounds!
Her eyes sparkled.
A hundred pounds! That probably ant there could be more—200, 300, maybe even 1,000!
No ti to lose!
I need to find an excuse to sneak off to the washroom—I can't let this money walk away!
———
[Backlund, 13 Minsk Street]
Klein was organising the intelligence he'd obtained yesterday from Old Kohler about the maid nad Cynthia. Honestly, the information was pretty sparse. All they knew was that before she started working at Prince Edessak's estate, she had vanished for a period of ti.
Her family thought she'd been kidnapped or sothing terrible had happened. But then, out of the blue, she returned—and beca a maid at the Red Rose Manor.
"So maybe the key lies in her disappearance?" Klein muttered.
Just then, he heard a woman's voice in prayer.
"Miss Magician? Oh right, she went to Pritz Harbour today to et soone from the Abraham family…I hope nothing's gone wrong."
Klein imdiately drew the curtains, walked backwards four steps, and arrived above the grey fog.
After listening to Fors's prayer, Klein was speechless.
"…So nothing bad happened. She's just trying to earn so quick cash on the side?"
But wait, hadn't he already told The Hanged Man about that guy Barron a few days ago? If soone else spotted him now in a different place, would it still count? Could they still get paid?
If it does count…does that an I could double-dip on Barron's bounty?
Eh, forget it. The Hanged Man still owes Edward a huge sum anyway.
Still, Klein passed the vision of Miss Magician on to The Hanged Man, then fell into deep thought.
"This Barron guy is connected to the missing slaves case…and from what Miss Fors said, Pritz Harbour is currently on alert because of smugglers…"
Smugglers? Slaves?
Why do I feel like there might be so link between the two?
The disappearing slaves…
Klein's gaze sharpened. He manifested the intel he had just read.
Could there be a connection between the two events?
———
7:30 PM.
The steam train pulled into Backlund Station.
The mont they exited the station, they spotted Mr. A waiting nearby—personally driving a carriage, as if he'd been there for a while.
As they walked over, dici's voice suddenly rang out:
"Guess what? I took the long route today, purposely riding a train from Southwell County to Backlund. Can you guess why?"
Edward: "…"
"You're not seriously thinking I went through all that trouble just to lure soone out so I could kill him, are you?"
Mr. A: "…"
"…Bingo!"
Edward pressed a hand to his forehead.
"My lord, aren't you a bit past the age for playing the role of a petty provoker?"
He helped Priscilla up into the carriage and then stepped back.
"Well, I'll be heading back now."
Priscilla waved her little hand.
"Bye-bye, Big Brother Edward!"
"See you."
Edward turned and disappeared into the crowd.
Inside the carriage, Priscilla leaned against the window, resting her chin in one hand, and yawned.
"I'm sleepy."
"Just wait a little longer," dici replied impatiently. Then he turned to Mr. A.
"By now, I assu all those people you contacted earlier already know the Aurora Order in Backlund has a new leader, yes?"
Mr. A, seated outside and driving the carriage, replied calmly, "I believe so."
"Then start arranging etings with their leaders. Sooner the better."
"Understood."
dici suddenly let out a chuckle.
"Do you know why the True Creator agreed to your 'Descent Plan' back then?"
"…No."
"You didn't actually think "He" was just bored and looking to drop in for fun, did you?"
dici laughed again but didn't elaborate further.
The surface narrative of the True Creator's descent was that Mr. A was initiating a terrifying catastrophe. But in reality, it was ant to cooperate with the Loen royal family and the Witch sect to divert the attention of the three orthodox churches.
Why cooperate?
Obviously, to seek allies—to oppose the Seven Gods…and Adam.
The True Creator's intentions weren't bad. The problem was, "He" was mad. Whatever ca to "His" mind, "He" would act on, without any long-term strategy. As for "His" fanatical believers? Even less reliable.
But now, he, dici, had returned.
A new day had dawned—(not really).
Just a little brainwork was enough to see how wrong things had gotten.
And once you realise that, of course you have to start making changes.
dici sneered.
"You let out, so you'd better be ready for to ruin your grand plans."
He lifted his head and gazed at the red moon in the sky.
"...What a sha. Even now, I still have no idea what you're really thinking."
———
Late at night.
A quiet villa in Empress Borough.
All four mbers of the family gathered in the upstairs bedroom. Audrey, Lilith, and Susie sat together, watching as Edward carefully added ingredients to the cauldron:
The Beyonder characteristic of a Traveler,
80 millilitres of Shadowless Demonic Wolf's Blood,
10 grams of Lemon Balm Powder,
1 Star Chart drawn with Spirit Blood,
And 10 grams of Trapped Ghost Residue Powder.
Soon, the materials dissolved in the cauldron, fusing into the Traveler's potion. The liquid had a whitish transparency, like half-lted snow water, occasionally bubbling with faint green orbs.
Once the potion settled, Edward carefully added the Shepherd's Beyonder characteristic.
The next second, the potion began to boil again.
Its colour grew ever more transparent. The green bubbles vanished. When everything finally cald, what remained was a liquid as clear as purified water.
Yet when he poured the potion into a vial and held it to the gaslight, he saw faint glimrs of light dancing within.
Ding.
He flipped a gold coin to confirm the potion's safety, then looked up at the three pairs of eyes watching him with concern. He smiled.
"I'm going to drink it now. If anything goes wrong, I'll be counting on Audrey and Susie to keep things under control."
"Got it~"
Lilith declared earnestly, "Miss Lilith will protect you too!"
"Mm!"
Edward exhaled slowly, then raised the vial and downed the potion in one gulp.
In that instant, he felt pulses of light surging through his body and mind. They crashed into one another, flinging open illusory doors.
His consciousness was irresistibly pulled into one of them. His body beca translucent—but unlike when Fors advanced, he didn't disappear. Instead, it felt like an out-of-body experience—just like when he used the Resurrection Stone.
His soul had left his body.
Everything around him grew hazy. In a blur, he found himself once more in the Room of Requirent at Hogwarts. Then he was in Calderón City. Then the Sea of Collective Subconsciousness of the Hartlarkh village. And finally, the starry expanse of the astral plane.
There, not far away, stood the Evernight Goddess, clad in a dark gown adorned with countless shimring stars, gazing at him with a gentle smile.
But he didn't linger.
His sight was yanked back, retreating rapidly until he returned to the starry skies from his last advancent—the sa colourful, glimring void.
This ti, Edward could clearly feel the presence of four special coordinates. Faintly, he sensed that in this spirit form, he could instantly travel to any of them.
Yes, but only in his spirit form.
And currently, he had only one thod to enter this state—using the [Wraith] ability of his Resurrection Stone ring. But that ca with a major drawback: once he strayed too far from his body, his spirituality would rapidly drain, and once exhausted, he'd beco a vengeful spirit.
Crossing worlds to reach one of these coordinates would definitely drain him dry in an instant—leaving him as a wandering ghost forever.
So…what were these coordinates even for? A last resort? A ans of escape in a life-or-death situation?
As he pondered this, a flicker of light appeared ahead, and once again—a door erged.
Edward took a step forward. Though floating in the void, it felt like solid ground beneath his feet as he walked to the door and muttered, "Last ti, I could only open it a crack…does that an this ti I can push it a third of the way? Maybe next ti, half?"
He pressed his hand against the door and shoved.
Creeeeaak…
The door opened.
Fully.
Before he could even be surprised, Edward saw the rushing river once more. He saw the translucent, phantom figures floating above it. He saw the silhouette of Hogwarts Castle. He saw, far in the distance, a vast, endless ocean.
He hesitated briefly, then took a deep breath and stepped through the door.
In that mont, the river, the figures, the castle, and the ocean—all disappeared.
He was surrounded again by a star-filled sky.
But now—before his eyes—was a blood-red planet. Its surface was covered in what looked like masses of pulsating red flesh, breathing rhythmically like so giant, living organ.
Edward's pupils constricted.
That's…the Moon?!
———
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