Xio and Jane

Why help you? Of course, because you're the future Judgment of the Tarot Club. I'm merely forming a good connection in advance... But he couldn't say that directly. Abner rubbed his chin and decided to steer the topic elsewhere. Putting on a serious expression, he replied, "Perhaps you should give me some information fees? Consider it payment for hiring me to investigate. That way, it wouldn't be me helping you, but a transaction!"

"What?" Xio's mind nearly failed to keep up. After staring blankly for two or three seconds, she widened her eyes and asked uncertainly, "Sir, are you a detective?"

But I've never seen a detective who takes the initiative to work and then comes knocking to ask for money.

Abner somehow followed Xio's train of thought and casually bluffed, "Not yet... Hmm, you should know that people who want to make a name for themselves in this world can often seek out the opportunities they need. If they can't find them, they create them themselves."

Someone on the Reader Pathway will become a detective sooner or later. If not now, then in the future.

"The words of Emperor Roselle do make sense..." Xio nodded in agreement.

But I still feel like you're brushing me off, just like Fors did before! Of course, Xio didn't say the latter part aloud. She had already realized that Abner meant no harm, so she didn't expose him.

What? That was also something Roselle said?! He could even use such an obscure quotation to show off. It really was hard on him!

Abner was speechless for a moment. He felt that Klein's complaints in the novel had been incredibly accurate. The Great Emperor had left no path for later Transmigrators in any direction whatsoever!

"So, how many Gold Pounds do you want for the information just now?" Xio had always been fair. She didn't want to owe anyone a favor for no reason, even if the other party's information still needed verification.

"Uh... ten pounds?" Abner hadn't been in this world long and wasn't very skilled at making money. He didn't dare name too high a price.

Xio was stunned again when she heard that. Even her solemn expression failed to hold.

"Sir, do you know that the price you quoted almost makes me think you're a swindler? Leaving aside the reasoning and analysis you provided, the Swindler Sequence knowledge involved alone is worth more than that. As for the Acting Method, if it's real, there would probably be people willing to pay over a thousand pounds to learn it!"

Over a thousand pounds?! Abner's heart trembled, but he forced himself to remain calm. Without changing his expression, he explained, "Knowledge is priceless, but I'm someone who enjoys sharing knowledge... Ten pounds is merely the price of the deduction."

Although his heart was bleeding, he didn't regret giving Miss Judgment this discount. Even without his loose tongue, she would learn this knowledge in a few months anyway.

Xio failed to notice anything unusual about Abner. She nodded and accepted his explanation before continuing, "I'll verify the knowledge you gave me. These five pounds are a deposit. If everything you said is true, I'll give you the rest of the payment afterward... So, future detective, what should I call you, and how can I contact you?"

As she spoke, Xio took a five-pound note from her wallet and pushed it in front of Abner.

"Just call me Abner. I should be having breakfast at this restaurant throughout the coming month."

His identity was still clean, so there was no need to use an alias. Besides, he wasn't being coy. He simply took the five pounds.

"Although you may already know me, I'll introduce myself anyway. My name is Xio, Xio Derecha. That's all for today, Mr. Abner. Goodbye!"

With that, Xio stood up and prepared to leave the restaurant.

Abner couldn't help stopping her and reminding her, "Miss Xio, it's fine if you know about the Acting Method, but don't tell anyone else. If the church learns that you're spreading the Acting Method, you'll be in considerable trouble!"

"Does the Seven Gods Church monopolize the Acting Method?" Xio stopped and asked thoughtfully.

"More precisely, the middle- and lower-ranking Beyonders of the churches don't know about the Acting Method. Only the higher-ups possess it!" Abner emphasized the words "higher-ups."

"Thank you. I understand!" Xio gave him a bow in gratitude for the warning. Then, after saying goodbye once more, she left the restaurant.

After Xio left, Abner ate the breakfast the waiter brought over while reflecting on what he had just done. Although forming a good connection with Miss Judgment had been his established goal, it seemed he had revealed too much despite their shallow relationship.

Hmm, was it because I became excited without realizing it after transmigrating to another world and speaking with a character from a novel I loved, making me eager to show off? Or does the Reader Sequence Potion naturally have the side effect of displaying one's knowledge?

Thinking about the characters from this Pathway in the original story, Isengard loved showing off his Sealed Artifacts, while Vice Admiral Iceberg liked displaying her collection... And nearly everyone on this Pathway enjoyed playing the teacher.

"All right, thinking about this is getting ahead of myself. I'm not even a Beyonder yet!" Abner grumbled at himself before finishing his breakfast elegantly and swiftly.

With his stomach taken care of, Abner took a public carriage to Cherwood Borough and stopped in front of a clothing store he remembered fairly well.

Since he was attending a Hidden Gathering tomorrow night, his original plan had been to buy cloth and thread and sew a face-covering robe himself. But now that he had the five pounds from Miss Xio, he could simply buy a ready-made outfit.

This clothing store belonged to the family of a friend from the public school. It wasn't particularly high-end. Its customers were people who had only just crossed the threshold into the middle class, and its prices were fairly reasonable.

As soon as Abner entered, a girl about the same age as his original body came rushing out of the store in a fluster.

Familiar memories surged into his mind. He sighed helplessly, then skillfully reached out to stop the girl from crashing into him and said with a smile, "Jane, you're still as impatient as ever!"

Jane steadied herself. When she saw that it was Abner, she immediately said happily, "Ah, Abner! Sorry, I didn't notice you just now! Hehe, it's been several days since I last saw you. Have you finished dealing with your family matters? Are you here to visit me?"

"I've dealt with them. You know that I've applied for graduation. I came to your family's store to buy an outfit for a job interview."

This girl had been one of the friends who had pooled money for him after his family's misfortune, so he explained a little more.

"I see... I should have helped you choose something, but the club's activity is about to begin. I have to hurry over."

"The club?" If he remembered correctly, the girl was a year below him. She had been a member of the Ancient Language Club he had established, but the club had been disbanded after Abner applied for graduation because no one besides him had studied Hermes.

"Ah, Abner, you know that I love all kinds of occult knowledge. After your club disbanded, I joined Teacher Kospsti's club!" the girl replied.

"Teacher Kospsti?" For some reason, Abner felt that the name sounded familiar.

"Yes. Teacher Kospsti believes that death isn't the end. Through a Mystical Pact, one can even directly comprehend death. He told us that everything can be reversed. Yes, he believes that the dead can be resurrected! Isn't that wonderful?" Jane said excitedly.

So it was that guy! Abner instantly remembered the novice teacher from the original story who had taken his students to the cemetery to perform the Spirit Dance.

There was no danger in the short term, and even if something happened later, Klein would help resolve it. But Abner didn't want this kind girl, who had once helped his original body, to become involved in a supernatural incident.

He put on a stern expression and said seriously, "Jane, you'd better not have too much contact with Teacher Kospsti. He's dangerous!"

Jane froze for a moment. Then her face flushed red. She peeked at Abner and asked softly, "Abner, do you care about me that much? You don't want me to be as curious about other people?"

Girl, that's not the reaction you're supposed to have! What exactly did you imagine?

The corner of Abner's mouth twitched. He could only steel himself and continue warning her, "Jane, since you like occultism, you should know that resurrecting the dead is forbidden! Teacher Kospsti is either stupid or evil for promoting such ideas!"

Of course, I know it's the former, because Klein judged that teacher to be the most novice of novices.

"Al... all right. I'll listen to you. Hmm, I know it's forbidden too, but don't you want to know whether the dead can really be resurrected?" Jane pursed her lips. She felt that Abner was right, yet she was somewhat unwilling to give up.

"Even if it's real, how will you verify it? Rob a corpse? That's a crime!" Abner spoke in a slightly stern tone.

The girl was clearly intimidated. She stammered for a long while without managing to say anything.

At that moment, the owner of the clothing store, Jane's father, Mr. Charlie, walked over and asked in confusion, "What crime?"

When Jane saw her father approach, she ran over and chattered about her conversation with Abner. She had a carefree nature and didn't think for a moment that she might be scolded for telling the truth.

After hearing everything, Mr. Charlie became serious as well. He was a believer of the goddess and didn't believe in resurrection at all. He first stared at Jane and said, "You're staying home today. You're not allowed to attend that club!"

When Jane nodded instinctively, he turned around and said to Abner with some gratitude, "Young man, thank you for warning Jane. Otherwise, I wouldn't have known she was going to participate in something so dangerous! Hmm, are you here to buy clothes? How about this? Pick whichever one you like, and I'll sell it to you at cost!"

Abner hadn't expected such a good thing. He didn't refuse—he was poor, after all—and happily chose a casual outfit and a hooded Cloak. Altogether, they cost only three pounds.

In light of the discount, Abner decided to come back and check on Jane in a few days. If she was still secretly participating in the club's activities, he would find someone to report them, lest Jane really get hurt.

That night, Abner activated the Pure White Eye once more, hoping to decipher the Sequence 8 formula through the Beyonder Characteristic.

Unfortunately, he suffered a crushing defeat this time. Even after falling unconscious twice in succession, he gained nothing.

"Perhaps I lack the necessary preliminary occult knowledge? Or maybe my Spirituality is too low, so I can't fully use the Pure White Eye's current abilities?"

(The End)