Pritz Harbor

"Why did we have to detour to Enmat Harbor on the return trip? Wouldn't it be closer to come back directly from Pritz Harbor?" Abner frowned as he listened to his teacher plan out the route for him. He had an instinctive feeling that there was some other reason behind it.

Enmat Harbor lay east of Tingen City and East Chester County. It was one of the most famous seaports in the central Loen Kingdom. Together with Pritz Harbor, one to the north and one to the south, it supported more than half of Backlund's supply of goods.

"Three reasons... First, it can help you avoid a possible ambush. Though I don't think the Demoness Sect would specifically have people waiting for your return, it never hurts to be prepared. Landing at another port can largely bypass their arrangements. Second, didn't you promise some young lady that you'd visit her in Enmat Harbor?" At this point, Detective Isengard winked at his student.

Abner was somewhat alarmed upon hearing that. He had never told his teacher about it.

"Hehe, simple deduction... and a little bluffing! Judging by your expression, my guess was correct!" Detective Isengard took a puff from his pipe, using the opportunity to instruct his student. "Abner, you need to learn to manage your expressions. Even if you can't reach the level Roselle spoke of, where joy and anger never show on one's face, you can still learn from me and use smiles and stern expressions to conceal most of your true emotions."

Abner rolled his eyes "expressionlessly." Unfortunately, that unseemly gesture was concealed by the ability of his copper-rimmed glasses.

"As for the third reason..." Detective Isengard looked at Xio again and smiled. "I believe Miss Xio would also like to visit her family while passing through."

Xio shot to her feet, her face full of shock and doubt. She stammered, "Mr. Stanton, h-how did you... know?"

Detective Isengard gestured for Xio not to be nervous before slowly explaining, "For a detective with extensive connections, it isn't difficult to investigate... In fact, Miss Xio—or rather, Miss Dier—you are currently being watched by MI9. However, the MI9 intelligence officer responsible for investigating you has some history with the Dill family. Coupled with the fact that you're only Sequence 9, the investigation was suppressed... This is another reason I suggested that you leave and lie low for a while."

Xio had originally been the eldest daughter of the aristocratic Dill family. Because her father had been falsely accused, the entire family had become wanted fugitives. That was why she had changed her surname to "Dilcha" and fled to East Chester County with her mother and younger brother to hide. Since Abner knew this, he had always called her "Miss Xio" rather than Miss Dilcha. After all, that was a false surname.

"Will lying low... solve it?" Xio frowned, feeling that her circumstances had grown increasingly dangerous and that she might even implicate her family.

"Hehe, MI9 originally had no intention of specifically investigating you. Only in the past day or two did they suddenly issue orders to investigate the East Borough's 'Arbiter'... Combined with the warning you received, Abner's claim that the Demoness Sect has ties with MI9 is probably true! At the very least, some of MI9's higher-ups have dealings with the Demoness Sect." Detective Isengard was still smiling, but his tone carried a trace of mockery. "Once the matter with the Demoness Sect is over, the military won't waste resources investigating a minor figure like you. Besides, that intelligence officer with ties to the Dill family and I will help you resolve the remaining trouble."

Xio first let out a sigh of relief. She trusted Detective Isengard's judgment. Then another thought arose in her mind, and she asked, "Ties to my family... Was he one of my father's friends?"

"That, I don't know. But once the Demoness matter is completely settled, I expect he may contact you. You can ask him yourself then," Detective Isengard said.

Xio asked no further questions. She sat back down, seemingly lost in thought.

Abner was not particularly worried about this. He knew very well that the MI9 intelligence officer his teacher mentioned was likely the superior from the original story who had taken quite good care of Xio. Perhaps he had yielded to pressure from the higher-ups, but at the very least, he truly bore Xio no ill will and had even been willing to lend her a hand.

After arranging a time to meet the next day, Xio went back first to prepare her travel supplies, while Abner was led into Detective Isengard's storage room.

"I'll lend you this hat for now. Once you're out at sea, it'll be much more powerful than it is on land. Consider it something to rely on." Detective Isengard once again handed his student the hat that possessed a small portion of a Wind-blessed's abilities.

Abner did not stand on ceremony and solemnly accepted it. He had no idea whether he would encounter danger along the way, so naturally he would not refuse anything that could improve his combat strength.

"Teacher, does this hat have a name or designation?" After changing the hat's appearance and putting it on, Abner casually asked.

"It isn't qualified to become a Grade 2 Sealed Artifact yet, so it has no designation. But I'm used to calling it the Sea Breeze Hat." After answering his student's question, Detective Isengard took a tin box from a drawer and handed it over. "This is an advance payment for resolving this commission!"

The moment Abner saw the tin box, his heart stirred, and he vaguely guessed what it was. He removed the Spiritual Lock on the box and opened it. Just as he had expected, it contained a golden leaf from the Tree of Wisdom! This was one of the main ingredients for the Sequence 7 Keeper of Knowledge!

After more than a week of Analysis, Abner had obtained the Keeper of Knowledge Potion formula through the Beyonder Characteristic on "2-081." He had even analyzed one of the main ingredients for the Sequence 6 Polymath formula. Thus, he felt both grateful and excited.

"As your teacher, this is all I can do for you. You'll need to find the other main ingredient, a Dragon-Eyed Giant Python's eyeball, as well as the remaining supplementary materials yourself." When Detective Isengard said this, he seemed already certain that Abner knew the specific Potion formula.

"Thank you!" Touched, Abner decided to repay his teacher in kind. Seemingly casually, he mentioned one of his Analysis results. "Teacher, I heard that one of the main ingredients in the Polymath Potion formula is Elder Tree Heartwood. As for the rest, I haven't managed to 'find out' yet."

Detective Isengard froze upon hearing this. Even his pipe-smoking motion paused for a moment before he revealed a gratified smile and nodded. "I understand!" After saying that, he rummaged through his display cabinet, found a small box, and pushed it in front of Abner. "This is Miss Xio's payment for the commission. Please pass it on to her."

"What is this?" Abner curiously opened the box and found a black ring engraved with many chaotic patterns inside.

"This ring is called the Ring of Prediction. It can enhance the body's balance and coordination. It can also rely on intuition to form images in the mind and predict a target's next action. For someone like Miss Xio, whose intuition is already quite accurate, it's an effective supplement to her combat strength. Its negative effect is that one often can't control one's facial expressions and ends up making rather comical faces." Detective Isengard took the initiative to introduce it.

This ring was worth at least four or five hundred pounds. Teacher really was generous! But what was the point of having me give Xio a ring? If Fors saw it, wouldn't her imagination run wild?

June 26, 1349, 3:00 PM

Having just stepped off the steam train, Abner and Xio looked at the sky beyond the platform. It was bright and clear, without the familiar fog hanging over Backlund. Waves rolled in one after another, blowing away all the gray haze and leaving the high clouds to unfurl into all sorts of shapes, reflecting golden-red sunlight.

This was Pritz Harbor, the largest and busiest port in the Loen Kingdom.

Abner, wearing an exquisite tricorn hat, carried a suitcase and cane. At his side was Xio, who had put on a simple disguise and made an effort to pad herself a few centimeters taller. Together, they took a carriage to the Pritz Harbor Ticketing Company in the port's White Rose District.

The company was located inside a rather old three-story building, with a wooden sign covered in notices hanging at the entrance. Written on it in Loenese were:

"Notes:

"1. Maintain order and line up properly;

"2. No urinating or defecating anywhere, and no spitting;

"3. If there is a dispute, find the guards in the hall;

"4. Do not open Wolf Fish Canned Food in any room!"

"Wolf Fish Canned Food? What's that?" Xio had never gone to sea and had no idea what this extremely terrifying thing among sailors was.

However, before she could finish speaking, Abner heard a "click" from behind them—the sound of a can being opened...

(End of Chapter)