Mr. Z

Lynch hadn't expected that he had the ability to make girls cry.

He'd thought he was acting in self-defense, but when he saw Rozanne crying, he immediately felt awkward.

It was just half a loaf of bread. Was that really worth crying over?

"Stop crying. All right, all right, I'll bring you breakfast again tomorrow. Just one day, no more!"

Lynch scratched his head and quickly came up with a way to make it up to her.

"You don't have to pay for it. Just bring me a portion, since I can't get up in the morning. Remember to bring it for me. As punishment, you have to bring me breakfast for a whole week!"

Rozanne stopped crying at once, then eagerly took out ten soli.

"Bring me the kind of breakfast you'd get for a lady. You can keep whatever's left over as your delivery fee."

Lynch's mind turned, and he immediately began calculating the cost of breakfast.

Rozanne didn't eat much. Even if he brought her a generous breakfast, it would only cost one soli.

Seven days in a week meant seven soli. He'd still have three left over.

That was enough to buy him breakfast for several days.

He could make that much just by bringing someone breakfast. He hoped there'd be more business like this.

"Don't worry, miss. I'll bring you the best!"

Lynch patted his chest. He wished Rozanne would ask him to bring her breakfast every week. He was happy to serve a lady.

"What are you talking about?"

Rozanne shot Lynch a look, the corners of her mouth curling up again.

"What are you doing this afternoon?"

Rozanne couldn't help asking.

Lynch thought over his plans, then replied, "First, I'll find somewhere quiet to study, then I'll go practice shooting."

Rozanne looked a little disappointed. She'd thought Lynch might keep her company and chat that afternoon.

Lynch didn't notice her expression. Carrying his pile of books, he found a quiet spot and settled down to study.

It was true: without a phone, there wasn't much to do besides read.

No wonder people in ancient times thought books were precious. There really was nothing else that could pass the time so easily.

Besides, the two books Instructor Skuton had given him looked quite interesting. They weren't boring at all. Was this what teaching at Tingen University was like?

Lynch was very satisfied. He read until it was almost lunchtime, then bought a meal from someone who came by selling food. It included a bowl of thick soup, two slices of bread, and a small serving of vegetables.

He still wasn't full.

Lynch sighed as he handed the tray back to the person. He really did eat too much. Klein was full, but he was still hungry!

"You don't look full. Do you want the half slice of bread you left this morning? You've already eaten it, so I'm not having it!"

Rozanne gave him the half slice of bread Lynch had left that morning.

Lynch wondered to himself why this girl had to be so unreasonable. He hadn't bitten into it directly; he'd torn it apart. Did she really have to find him so disgusting?

Still, he was happy to have it.

With half a slice of black bread in his stomach, he felt much better.

After eating, Lynch rested for a while, then got back to studying.

It was around four in the afternoon when he collected his bullets and headed to the shooting club to practice.

He had to admit, shooting felt great. He could hardly bear to stop practicing.

But the soreness in his shoulder reminded him to rest. He couldn't keep going.

After leaving the shooting club, Lynch went to the homes of the employees he'd worked with before.

Dunn had told him to remember to ask them whether there was anything he didn't know about.

But there were clearly no clues. His former colleagues all said Lynch had been fine.

Lynch thought it was because of the Big Meat Church. It was quite possible those people had been the ones impersonating him before. They'd taken his form to trick the Antigonus Notebook's whereabouts out of Welch.

He could sound them out about that later.

After leaving his former colleagues' homes, Lynch headed back to Daffodil Street.

As soon as he returned, he smelled the aroma of food.

Klein had cooked meat again that evening.

Lynch took a deep breath, then stepped into the house, satisfied.

A basement somewhere in Tingen.

Mr. Z knelt in front of a statue.

Carved into the statue was a man hanging upside down, so dreadful to look at that no one dared gaze upon it.

"Mr. Z, I've informed Lynch Trans and examined the Antigonus Notebook he obtained. It's definitely a fake."

A man dressed in a black robe carefully crawled over to Mr. Z from outside, then prostrated himself on the ground as he spoke.

Mr. Z nodded.

"You did well. Go carry it out!"

The man hesitated, seemingly displeased. He couldn't help asking, "Mr. Z, I don't understand why Lynch Trans was put in charge of Tingen. He's just an ordinary person who attracted the Nighthawks' attention. Aren't you putting too much faith in him?"

"Hainasen, the only thing you don't understand is why you weren't put in charge of these matters in Tingen."

Mr. Z bluntly voiced the man's thoughts.

Hainasen hurriedly said he wouldn't dare.

"Hmph. You shouldn't have investigated the Antigonus Notebook on your own in the first place, but you did. Then, after looking at the notebook, you threw it away, and now you have to figure out how to get it back. I really don't understand what you're thinking.

"The Nighthawks found out about the Big Meat Church we'd established here so well. It must be because of you. I don't know what else I can let you handle!

"On the other hand, I have some faith in that Mr. Lynch Trans. He actually managed to attract the Nighthawks' attention and clear himself of suspicion. He's the kind of subordinate I should be looking for.

"After I leave, you must cooperate with him fully and help bring the Lord's descent about. If you need help, you can write to me. If it weren't for the Lord's summons, I really wouldn't feel comfortable leaving you to handle these matters!"

Mr. Z looked reasonably pleased when he mentioned Lynch. When he turned to look at Hainasen, however, his expression shifted to disgust.

"Go get to work! Make sure everything goes smoothly. Both the Lord and I have great faith in Mr. Trans. If the Lord takes an interest in you while you're working on this, I'll put you in charge of something important, too!"

Mr. Z offered Hainasen a not particularly reassuring word of comfort.

Hainasen cheered up again.

He quickly crossed his hands and said devoutly, "For the Lord!"

"Go."

Mr. Z's voice was quiet but firm.

Hainasen dared not disobey. He got up with his body bent over and hurried out of the room.

After he left, Mr. Z asked softly, "Lord, the descent of the divine might be a conspiracy, or perhaps I'm only being used. If you're willing, I can send Lanevus somewhere else. I'm sure that would ensure everything succeeds!"

After speaking, he listened intently for something.

A long while later, he let out a quiet sigh.

"Yes, right here in Tingen. I won't do anything."

What was it about Tingen that made the Lord willing to risk so much to descend?

"Then I can stay here and personally preside over the ritual!"

Z said devoutly again.

This time, it seemed he received some kind of punishment. He spat out a mouthful of blood, along with what looked like pieces of his internal organs.

But he didn't find it disgusting. He lay on the ground and licked it all clean.

"Yes. Your subordinate will leave."