Green Forest City's waterworks belonged to a local water company and supplied the vast majority of the city's water needs.
Naturally, this included the slums and the lower districts.
Although some of the poor still drew water directly from the Mother River, industrial pollution had left its water quality appalling, making it essentially undrinkable.
After sending Lilliat to report it, Aaron continued wearing his human-skin mask and headed to the factory district.
By then, it was already the early hours of the morning, and more and more pedestrians were appearing on the streets.
"The Investigation Bureau should understand how serious this is, so they'll definitely act immediately!"
"I only need to wait quietly and watch the show from the sidelines."
"Of course, it'd be even better if I get a chance to pick up some bargains."
He casually used a false name to book a room at an inn not far from the waterworks, locked the door tight, and hung up a Do Not Disturb sign.
Then Aaron went to the edge of the room, dragged over a chair, and opened the window.
Looking out from here, he could see the waterworks' sprawling grounds.
Inside the waterworks.
The president of the Bone Worship Society, "Savage Bone" Spet, had narrow eyes, a striking hooked nose, and a gloomy air about him.
He stood before an enormous pool, looking at the former archbishop Roberts soaking within it. Beneath the man's human skin, countless insects crawled and produced tiny eggs one after another. Even Spet felt somewhat sickened by the sight.
"Roberts... you need to restrain your reproductive instincts. You should know... the recent outbreaks of parasitic worms in the slums may have drawn the Investigation Bureau's attention away, but they'll soon uncover the truth!"
Roberts, submerged in vast quantities of clear