The bound Fourth Ring Arcanist was quite panicked:
"I'm not a bad guy. The place I attacked when I struck you from behind just now wasn't fatal! Believe me, absolutely do not touch that ring directly. I came here precisely to track that ring. It isn't merely an Alchemy Item; it has been tainted by the power of an evil entity.
"I know you're strong, very strong, but absolutely do not touch it directly."
"Oh?"
Shade raised an eyebrow, but still crouched beside the unconscious black-haired man. He did not have any rebellious urge, so he did not touch the ring, merely leaned closer with a frown to examine it.
With his current sensory abilities, even without touching it, this distance was enough:
"This is..."
Shade turned to look at the Fourth Ring Arcanist again:
"Introduce yourself. I need to know what is happening."
The other man could also tell that he had truly encountered a powerful expert in a major city like Tobesk:
"I belong to the Clown Troupe. I don't know whether you've heard of us? Our group isn't particularly large. We previously operated around the City of Art, Artek City."
Shade had heard of them. When the leader of the Misfortune Order had attacked Miss Reinhart near the spring last week, the Clown Troupe had been among the possibilities considered for her identity.
Most members of this Ring Arcanist organization appeared wearing clown masks. It was said that the organization's main body was a troupe skilled in clown performances—similar to the Golden Dawn Opera House. They were relatively neutral Ring Arcanists. Though they were centered around the City of Art, they actually operated throughout the Old Continent.
However, the purpose of their actions was rather baffling. Shade had known little about them before; he only knew that