Sudden Change

Tuesday afternoon, East Borough.

Luther, carrying his suitcase, took one last look around the house before leaving.

This was his second place of residence since arriving in Backlund. Compared to his first place, Rian and desolate, with only himself there. On many lonely nights, he was tormented by painful and insane Illusion, with only a silent black cat for company.

It's fair to say that he didn't leave with any fond memories here.

No, it should be said that he didn't have many happy days in Backlund. He only rebelled in madness and despair, only saw ordinary people struggling in poverty, and only witnessed the Greed of those in power and the cruelty of Conspirer.

Supporting this magnificent "City of Cities" beneath its foundation are the bones and blood of countless impoverished people.

Leaving is a good thing. Luther is tired of the endless Fog on the streets. He wants to go to the sea to see the bright sunshine, feel the fresh breeze, and hunt those unruly pirates.

There wasn't much to pack; just a few changes of clothes and miscellaneous items, all of which fit in a single suitcase. As for the Beyonder Characteristic he had acquired during this time, he sent them all out to sea.

Luther planned to take Steam train to Pritz Harbor and then a ship to the Sonia Sea. Although using "Travel" would make it very convenient to reach his destination, firstly, he didn't have a "location" for Pritz Harbor or the sea, and secondly, "Travel" was Record feature, and each use was one less opportunity, so he should avoid using it if possible, at least not in such unimportant situations.

"Meow!"

As they reached the porch, Luna the black cat meowed and then jumped onto the cabinet.

"Come over."

Luther stroked its little head, reached out and scooped it into his arms, then opened the front door of the house.

"Bang!"

The door was tightly shut, and the house returned to silence.

At the same time.

15 Minsk Street, Cherwood Borough.

"Luther is also getting ready to leave, I need to hurry."

Klein put down the letter from "Mr. James Sherlock Holmes" and walked to the Mirror.

Over the past few days, he had put on a convincing performance, perfectly Acting of a helpless Detective, a tragic figure who had exhausted every means to uncover the truth. With this performance, he should be able to give his due in front of the Third Prince.

Yes, and this too.

Klein ran his hand across his face, and when he lowered it, his appearance had subtly changed—his eye bags were larger, his dark circles were more pronounced, and his beard had sprouted, giving him an exhausted look as if he had completely drained his energy.

He boarded a carriage and headed straight for Prince Edessak's Red Rose Manor.

"Your Highness, my Spirit Channeling, my Divination, my visits and investigations all tell me that Talim died of a sudden heart attack."

After undergoing rigorous checks, Klein finally met Prince Edessak. He responded to the prince's expectations in a somber tone, "In every respect, I am too weak to obtain the truth. You should seek a stronger and more capable helper."

Even though the real culprit is right beside you, the forces in the shadows will absolutely not allow me to reveal the secret. Otherwise, I'll be the next one to be eliminated.

"I see."

The prince noticed the obvious "tiredness" on his face, nodded slowly, and stopped asking him to continue the investigation.

After handing over the investigation materials, Klein was finally freed and walked out of the Red Rose Manor with a light heart.

Unfortunately, his ease didn't last long.

"Creak."

The carriage door he was riding in was suddenly opened from the outside while the carriage was in motion. Immediately afterwards, a figure jumped into the carriage and quickly emerged from inside. She was dressed in a black dress and wore a blue gemstone ring. She was none other than the prince's attendant, the real murderer of Talim!

The girl was about eighteen or nineteen years old, with a round face and a sweet temperament; she was a rare beauty.

Trissy!

When Klein saw the other person's face clearly, he was stunned for a moment, and then cried out in surprise.

That guy who transformed from a man into a woman and escaped the Nighthawks' pursuit in Tingen!

"Hehe."

Upon hearing him reveal her true identity, Trissy was not surprised but delighted, revealing an alluring smile, and said:

"You do recognize me."

The train station was crowded, bustling, and noisy. But a large space suddenly appeared around Luther, and everyone ignored him, walking around him.

"Meow?"

Luna turned her head, looking around curiously, unfazed by the noise and the crowd.

As the year draws to a close, a considerable number of travelers head south. This is a tradition in Loen, where many citizens with the means prefer to vacation in the sunny south to welcome the New Year.

"Waaah--"

After a short wait, the train bound for Pritz Harbor slowly pulled into the station, white Steam billowing from it, making the platform even Fog than the streets outside, creating a rather spectacular sight.

"Alright, let's go."

Luther spoke to Luna, then followed the flow of people into the carriage and found his seat. The other passengers seemed oblivious to him, chatting amongst themselves, putting away their luggage, and finding their own seats. The carriage was quite lively for a while.

"Waaah--"

The train whistle blared, reminding passengers that it would depart in half a minute.

Luther stroked the black cat in his arms, waiting quietly.

Through the train window, he looked out at the platform and further away. The shadowy buildings were hidden in the thick Fog, like giant beasts watching humanity with malice.

Goodbye, Backlund.

I'll come find you again when I'm promoted to Sequence 4.

"Call!"

The sudden appearance of Red Light interrupted his thoughts. It was a message from Mr. Fool, transmitted directly to him through Spirituality.

To Luther's surprise, after the Red Light dissipated, a figure appeared before him, kneeling and praying with his head bowed.

"Mr. Fool, please warn [Temperance], his pasture is about to be attacked by Demoness!"

The voice shouted.

A gray Fog obscured his appearance, and his words shook Luther to his core.

Is my pasture in danger?

How did he know I owned a pasture?

Who is this guy?

Are they followers of the Fool?

Many thoughts flashed through Luther's mind, and he was momentarily stunned. But soon, he turned his head sharply and looked out the car window towards the East Borough.

"!"

His Spiritual Intuition was sending frantic warnings, pricking his nerves and causing him to experience delirious Illusion.

In a daze, he saw the pale yellow Fog turning into Filth black iron color. Within the Fog, the alluring Gorgon with snakes hair turned her head and gave him a seductive smile.

Thank you to the reader "Unqualified Reader" for the 100 Qidian Coins reward.