The Senior Deacon's Assignment

The assignment for the business trip came from Enmat Harbor.

While a case of human trafficking was being uncovered in Tingen City, a similar situation had emerged in Enmat Harbor, East Chester County. The local Night Watchers intercepted an unmarked cargo ship, and its hold was likewise packed with slaves from the South Continent. However, the slaves in Enmat Harbor were not as fortunate as those in Tingen City. No sooner had they been rescued, and before the Night Watchers could even begin their questioning, these poor souls all spontaneously detonated.

It was a literal explosion; the flesh and blood of these slaves seemed to turn into bloated balloons, popping into fragments in an instant. The sailors on the ship were silenced in the same manner, and several Night Watchers were even caught in the blast, resulting in heavy casualties.

After the news reached the Cathedral, the high-ranking officials determined that this incident was likely connected to the case in Tingen City and requested that the Tingen Night Watchers send personnel to assist.

--Inside the captain's office, Dunn Smith shared the information he had received from the Church with the others.

Hearing this sounded so dangerous...

"May I ask, can I choose not to go?"

Luther asked Dunn with a serious expression.

"I'm sorry, you cannot."

Dunn replied with equal gravity.

"Captain, I'm just a Sequence 9 support member; surely you don't need me to go and throw my life away?"

Luther gave a wry smile.

It was another business trip, another county over, and he had to get involved in something so dangerous... Being stabbed once was already an impressionable experience, and this time the enemy was the type that could directly manufacture bombs, which was far more dangerous than what he had encountered last time. While he wasn't one to shrink from trouble, he didn't want to go looking for misery either.

"This wasn't my arrangement."

Dunn rubbed his temples, a rare look of helplessness appearing on his face. "It was Senior Deacon Crestet Cesimir; he specifically requested you."

Crestet Cesimir?

Luther quickly recalled that cold, stern face, and the horrifying image of an evil spirit wriggling between his teeth.

"Why would that Senior Deacon specifically pick me?"

Luther was somewhat confused; he hadn't provoked the man. Or was it that he thought particularly highly of him?

"In the Enmat Harbor incident, the victims were turned into flesh bombs. This is a very iconic ability characteristic of the Black Knight pathway, a type of Flesh Magic used by Beyonders of that path." Dunn explained. "Therefore, Crestet Cesimir specifically sent me a telegram requesting that I send you over to assist with the investigation in Enmat Harbor."

Damn it, so that's how it is. The Aurora Society, it's the Aurora Society again. Why are they involved in every bad thing! It seems it's because of my own pathway; who told you to be the only Black Knight in the Goddess Church?

"Fine... I understand."

Luther cursed the Aurora Society ten thousand times in his heart, but he had no choice but to nod in agreement. "Then when do I leave?"

"Don't be in such a rush, you aren't the only one going."

Dunn smiled. "Enmat Harbor belongs to a different Night Watcher squad, after all, and you still need your own people when going out... So, to ensure your safety, I've arranged for Leonard and Klein to go with you. Leonard has decent strength, and Klein can provide support like divination."

Thank you, Captain. Even if you have a bit less hair, you're still a good person.

Luther felt a wave of gratitude. He looked left and right at the two colleagues standing beside him and finally understood why Dunn had called them into the office as well. Leonard maintained his usual nonchalant, relaxed attitude, and Klein didn't seem to mind taking a trip either; both of them agreed. They made plans to take the steam train to Enmat Harbor tomorrow morning.

After that, Dunn gave them some further instructions regarding the trip, and seeing that they understood everything, he let them go.

"How come I feel like the Aurora Society has latched onto me..."

Once out of the captain's office, Luther shook his head and complained to the two of them.

"Who told you to be the only Black Knight in the entire Goddess Church." Leonard laughed. "If it's appropriate to say, perhaps from now on, you'll be called upon for all cases related to the Aurora Society across Roosevelt."

"...May the Goddess bless me, I hope not."

The mere thought of traveling across the country for such dangerous missions made Luther's head ache, and he even began to pray to the Goddess.

It was already past work hours, and after the three of them stepped out, they found that everyone else had already left, save for those on guard duty or shifts.

"Then let's meet at the station tomorrow morning."

Leonard wasn't heading in the same direction as the other two. After walking out of the security company's gate, he waved at them and left leisurely on his own. That left Luther and Klein to walk to the street corner together to wait for the public carriage back to Daffodil Street.

It was dusk, and the setting sun bathed everything on Zotlan Street in gold, making the people and objects moving through it look as if they were gilded.

"I really don't want to go on this business trip."

Luther looked at the scenery before him and said sincerely.

"Just think of it as a vacation."

Klein smiled and tried to comfort him. He suddenly remembered something and spoke up to remind him, "By the way, Luther. Didn't you have plans with Cecilia to see a show this weekend? Does this mean you won't be able to go again?"

Ah, there was that, too.

Luther froze, and immediately, a greater sense of annoyance welled up in his heart.

Because of the Lanerius case, Luther had already broken his promise once before. Now, violating the agreement a second time made him feel somewhat embarrassed. After returning home, he helplessly and awkwardly told his sister that he wouldn't be able to make it to the show again.

"I see, then I understand. I'll go pack your luggage."

Unexpectedly, Cecilia didn't get angry. Instead, she immediately thought of Luther's schedule for tomorrow. "We don't have a suitcase at home. Should we hurry and buy one before the shops close..."

"Sister, aren't you even a little angry?"

He couldn't help but ask.

"Why would I be angry?"

Cecilia gave him a strange look. "This isn't something you could decide anyway. Instead of wasting time on such meaningless things, you'd be better off doing something productive. Besides, it's just waiting a few more days; we can watch it together when you get back."

Having said that, she stood up, looked Luther straight in the eyes with her clear, azure gaze, and said, "Luther, how many years did I wait for you to recover? Now that it's just a delay of a few days, do you really think I can't wait?"

My dear sister, your heart is truly broad...

Luther sighed with emotion in his heart and said, "What you say makes perfect sense. Alright then, I'll go buy a suitcase right now..."

After stepping out of the gate of Narcissus Street No. 6, he didn't rush to catch a carriage, but instead walked to No. 2 on the same row, which was Klein's home.

After he rang the doorbell, the person who opened the door was a reserved little maid.

"May I ask who you are?"

She leaned against the door and asked cautiously.

Klein had told him before that they had recently hired a maid who was learning cooking techniques from him in her spare time. The little maid hadn't been at the Moretti household for many days and didn't recognize Luther.

Should I hire a maid for my place too... Luther pondered to himself and said to the little maid, "Please tell Mr. Moretti that his colleague is here to visit..."

"What's the matter?"

An adult male's voice came from behind the door. Looking past the maid into the house, he saw a man with thinning hair whose features seemed somewhat similar to Klein's. This person was none other than Klein's older brother, Benson Moretti.