Brass Charms (First Update)

Investigate Mr. Grant's lover? Was this the legendary cheating-spouse investigation? Who would have thought that the thick-browed, big-eyed Mr. Grant had such romantic schemes...

Abner looked at Jane's dejected face and could not help sighing. "Tell me everything from beginning to end. Maybe you've misunderstood something."

"Really, Abner?" Jane's expression turned hopeful. She had lived happily ever since childhood and did not want her current life destroyed in the slightest. As for her father, her feelings were extremely conflicted. She wanted to expose his true face, yet she did not want him to have truly betrayed the family.

"Go on, then!" Abner was very patient with this energetic young girl.

"Let me think... It started last Sunday. I stayed up very late reading a novel, and around eleven at night, I suddenly heard movement at the shop door... I thought a Thief had broken in, so I quietly took the hunting rifle we kept for defense and went to check the shop entrance... Who knew that I would happen to see Father, wearing a robe, sneaking out through the Door Opening... I didn't sleep at all that night, and it wasn't until four in the morning that I saw him come back..."

Abner frowned as he listened, feeling that something was off. Based on the TV dramas from his previous life, wouldn't a man going out to cheat make up an excuse and leave openly? Sneaking around like this... Was it because he was inexperienced? And girl, you took a gun to catch a Thief by yourself? That was a little reckless.

"For the next few days, I pretended to go to bed early while secretly watching him. In the end, I discovered that he actually sneaked out at that time every single day!" Jane sounded somewhat indignant, clearly resentful toward her father.

"What about your mother? Did she really not notice anything?" Abner asked.

"My mother has been sleeping very well lately. She sleeps straight through until dawn... And since I don't know what Father actually goes out to do, I haven't dared tell her..." Thinking of how much better her mother's complexion had become over the past few days, Jane could not bear to disturb her.

Her sleep quality had improved recently... Could it really be such a coincidence?

Abner vaguely felt that Mr. Grant might have some other secret, perhaps not what Jane imagined...

After pondering for a moment, he asked, "Has Mr. Grant shown any other unusual behavior lately?"

Jane thought carefully before answering, "Whenever he comes back at three or four in the morning, he takes a very long bath. He never had that habit before... Also, he seems very tired after coming back, and his complexion looks terrible. Usually, he can't recover even a little until noon."

That really did sound like he was going out to cheat...

After hearing Jane's description, Abner weighed the matter in his heart and ultimately decided to help her investigate. First, Jane was the original owner's Friend, and she had offered him help when the original owner was at his lowest. Having inherited everything from the original owner, he ought to help her both emotionally and morally. Second, the young girl's innocent, energetic smile had eased the slight oppression in Abner's heart since his Transmigration. He could not bear to see sorrow appear on such a pure and adorable face.

Seeing Abner accept the commission, Jane indeed revealed a bright smile. She pulled out fifteen soli in banknotes from her pocket and said, "This is my allowance. Take it all as investigation expenses!"

How could Abner possibly accept her money? Yet Jane firmly stuffed it into his hand. "Abner, you just received four weeks' salary in advance. You must be having a hard time now. This private investigation can't be reimbursed through Detective Isengard either, so don't refuse!" As she spoke, she turned halfway around and gathered her shoulder-length golden hair, then continued, "I know you've always been grateful for the help I gave you when something happened at your home... But you don't need to be. It wasn't much money, and after you patronized my family's shop twice, you had already repaid it."

Listening to her clumsily search for reasons to make him accept the money, Abner laughed helplessly. Yet his heart felt warm, and he began to care even more about this Friend of the original owner. She was no longer merely a "Friend from memory" or "a young girl who brightened his mood."

After Jane left, Detective Isengard looked at Abner, who had seen her out and returned, and said with a smile, "Normally, since you're taking commissions at my agency as my assistant, I should take a cut... But considering how adorable Miss Grant is and how she even lifted this old man's spirits, I won't fuss with you over it."

Abner had long known that their previous conversation could not be hidden from his teacher. Ignoring the obvious teasing, he instead asked, "What do you think Mr. Grant's situation might be?"

"It isn't cheating! As for what it is, how could I know without investigating?" Detective Isengard first offered that bit of guidance, then sized Abner up and down before teasing him again. "You really are a handsome young man. No wonder girls like you so much. There was Miss Xio last time, and now Miss Grant has come along."

"Teacher, stop joking around!" Abner protested helplessly. He truly had no such thoughts. Once the Fool descended at the end of the month, one major event after another would happen in this world. Even the Apocalypse was not far away! All he wanted was to improve his strength and stay alive.

"I was only trying to help you relax! When you came back earlier, your face was full of tension and unwillingness. Did something upset you?" Detective Isengard's Eye of Wisdom was sharp. At a glance, he noticed that something was wrong with his student's state of mind.

After Jane's visit, Abner had actually calmed down considerably, but he still sighed. "Thank you for your concern, Teacher... I may have encountered a Sequence 5 today... So I feel that I'm truly too weak!"

Since it involved a Sequence 5 powerhouse, Detective Isengard grew serious as well. He did not ask for specifics, merely patted his student's shoulder and said, "Knowledge is power! Since you feel weak, I'll teach you some ritual knowledge today that can enhance your practical combat strength."

"What ritual, Teacher?" Abner asked in surprise. Over the past few days, he had learned quite a few ritual spells, but each required extensive advance preparation. Unless he set an ambush, they were utterly useless in an encounter battle.

"A ritual for making charms! We Readers lack means of fighting enemies at Lower Sequence, but once charms are made, they can be activated quickly with a simple incantation!" Detective Isengard answered as he took out various ritual items.

Charms? He remembered that in the novel, Klein had used a Flaring Sun Charm made from the Eternal Blazing Sun's divine blood to interrupt the descent of the Offspring of the True Creator. Its power was indeed considerable... But I must be overthinking it. After all, I don't have divine blood.

While Abner was letting his thoughts wander, Detective Isengard said to him, "I remember that when you bought the main ingredient for the Reader potion, you purchased an extra ten grams of Manhass Monkey brain slices. Take them out. I need to use them."

"How did you know?" As soon as the question left his mouth, Abner realized the answer. How could his teacher not know the Reader formula? Besides, he had bought it at a gathering organized by his teacher.

Detective Isengard naturally could not be bothered to answer his student's foolish question. After placing three candles, he took out three pre-prepared brass charm bases.

Abner examined them carefully and discovered that both sides of the Brass Charms were engraved with the symbol representing the God of Knowledge and Wisdom.

Next, Detective Isengard found a bottle of mercury and directly used Spirituality to guide the liquid into the engraved grooves of the charms, thread by thread, filling every line.

After repeating the process and completing all three charms, Detective Isengard placed them before the candles. He then accepted the Manhass Monkey brain slices Abner handed him and placed two grams on each charm.

Only then did Detective Isengard explain, "A charm's power and effect depend on the materials you Sacrifice. Manhass Monkey brain slices are not of high quality, so the charms they produce can only be low-grade. Still, they are more than enough for you."

Abner nodded. After putting away the remaining four grams of brain slices, he continued watching his teacher conduct the ritual attentively.

After reverently saluting the holy emblem, Detective Isengard took a step back and recited in Ancient Hermes in a voice carrying a trace of weathered age:

"I pray for the power of knowledge;"

"I pray for the power of reason;"

"I pray for the blessing of the God of Wisdom;"

"I pray that You allow the items upon the altar to form charms..."

As Detective Isengard's mysterious voice, rich with rhythm and cadence, faded away, the altar before him immediately became dark and profound. It was as though indescribable, inexpressible Divinity was spreading from the candle flame at its center.

The flame suddenly surged higher and grew larger, yet it failed to illuminate the surroundings. Instead, it stained the three Brass Charms on the altar with countless complex symbols and flowing numbers, some large and some small, some sparse and some dense.

Yet in the blink of an eye, all those symbols and numbers vanished.

Detective Isengard rubbed his dizzy head, then lowered his gaze and said solemnly:

"Thank You for Your blessing;"

"Praise Your existence."

Afterward, he did not delay. He immediately ended the ritual and dispelled the Wall of Spirituality.

"All right. I just checked, and you should thank the gods' favor for allowing them to remain effective for at least half a year! Normally, similar charms only last one or two months." Detective Isengard played with the three charms for a moment, then handed them to his student. "Since you provided the Beyonder material, they're all yours."

Abner did not stand on ceremony. There was no need for politeness between him and his teacher. He happily accepted the Brass Charms and asked, "What do these charms do? And how should I use them?" He could actually use the Pure White Eye to Analyze their effects, but facing his teacher at such close range, even with his glasses concealing it, he feared exposing himself.

"Recite 'Blue Star' in Ancient Hermes, and it can be activated. As for its effect, it can overload the target's brain for one to two seconds. Of course, that only applies to Lower Sequence Beyonders. It has little effect on beings at Sequence 7 and above. At most, it can make them dazed for a moment." After saying this, Isengard smiled and teased Abner again. "Actually, you've made quite a profit. Charms with this ability are in high demand. At my gatherings, each one can sell for at least thirty pounds!"

Abner's eyes lit up at those words. He wholeheartedly agreed with his teacher. Lower Sequence Beyonders generally had weak defenses, and one or two seconds were enough to determine life and death. These charms would make excellent trump cards, especially when used unexpectedly.

With that in mind, Abner used practice as an excuse to borrow his teacher's ritual items and planned to turn all the remaining Manhass Monkey brain slices into charms. Perhaps he could sell one or two at the gathering that evening.

(End of chapter)