Only after finishing breakfast, dressing, and checking Handel's appointment letter did Mulan take him out. He was in no hurry to carry out the assignment on the parchment, however. Though it bore the red seals of the royal palace and the Black Castle, it specified no deadline. Stopping to borrow a book first should not be a problem.
The Black Castle's library was easy to find, at the easternmost edge of its grounds. It also connected to a relatively quiet street outside, so quite a few people in the Black Castle left through there rather than through the main gate, which looked decidedly eerie no matter how you viewed it.
Handel had entered through the western gate reserved for service staff and maintenance workers, which supposedly looked less eerie as well. Of course, that was only what Owen had said during yesterday's introduction; Mulan had not seen it himself.
The library held the highest concentration of people Mulan had seen in the Black Castle so far. Looking at the desks from the main hall alone, he could see at least twenty or thirty people. Though the vast library still looked rather empty, this was a rare bustle compared with wandering around for ages only to encounter a single cleaner. Besides, some of the restricted reading rooms surely had people in them too.
The moment Mulan arrived, the librarian recognized him and bowed.
"Good morning, Lord Jonester!"
A textbook member of the Black Castle's Service Department. It was easy to tell whether someone belonged to that department: a competent, exemplary employee could recognize almost every mysterious being in the Black Castle-even Mulan, who had only arrived the day before and had never met them. Of course, in most cases, that recognition extended only to their faces.
"I'd like to borrow a book."
"Certainly, my lord. Will you be taking it away or reading it here? Library regulations prohibit taking out restricted series such as the Resonance Sequence and the Book of Truth, as their loss could cause contamination. Ordinary books may be taken out freely, and compensation is only required after more than three losses. Still, please keep them safe. Reading them may cause Mental Aberration in ordinary people."
Mulan's brow twitched. These books sounded rather dangerous. Surely he would be all right reading them himself?
"Give me a copy of the Book of Abundance. I'll take it with me."
"Certainly. Please wait a moment."
The librarian personally hurried to one of the large bookshelves inside and pulled out a thick, black-bound book. Then he jogged back behind the counter and presented it to Mulan with both hands.
"Please keep it safe, my lord."
There was no paperwork, nor any borrowing fee. This was an unspoken perk.
"Thank you. I'd also like to leave through the east exit."
"Would you like me to show you the way, my lord?"
"No need."
Declining the librarian's eager offer, Mulan nodded and headed toward the eastern side of the library with Handel, who had remained solemn and silent throughout.
Unlike the spacious main hall, the eastern route immediately led into a corridor. They followed it around most of the reading room before entering a small, roughly fifty- or sixty-square-meter hall with old furnishings. In the corner stood a single-leaf door.
Mulan glanced back at the man who had stayed beside him.
"Handel, are you nervous?"
Handel relaxed a little.
"Lord Jonester, so many of the people back there could be wizards, or even something more frightening. I was afraid of disturbing their reading..."
"You were afraid of what would happen after you disturbed their reading, weren't you?"
Handel smiled awkwardly.
"Yes."
"Come on. You'll feel better outside."
Mulan turned the doorknob, hearing "click, click, ding," before the door opened. He walked straight out, and Handel hurried after him.
Though the street outside was quiet, there were still pedestrians. Everyone walked briskly in the biting wind.
Looking at the magnificent building across the street, Mulan could not help feeling a little impressed.
"I never expected the Digo National Library to be right across from the Black Castle's library. That makes it convenient to read books the Black Castle hasn't collected. Let's go."
Taking the lead, Mulan opened the Book of Abundance. Although the Abundance Stage came after truth, this "abundance" was not the same as that one. It simply described the wealth of the book's contents.
Strictly speaking, the Book of Abundance was the first book every newcomer to the Black Castle should read, even powerful individuals who already belonged to the mystical world when they joined. It was a guidebook: besides its extensive theoretical explanations and summaries of basic knowledge, it told readers which known books were suitable to borrow for different stages and branches.
Handel followed half a step behind Mulan's side. He dearly wanted to steal a look at the book in Mulan's hands, but restrained himself. After all, it might be dangerous, and it might displease Lord Jonester.
As they left the street, the wind picked up. Mulan pressed down his hat, hailed a carriage, and climbed aboard with Handel.
When the carriage stopped, Mulan took out his pocket watch and checked it. Exactly twenty minutes had passed, and the York District Police Station stood outside. He was just about to turn and pay the fare when he realized Handel had already paid it.
Mulan's face betrayed nothing, but inwardly he was delighted. Yet as soon as he entered the station, he sensed something amiss. He had only just stepped inside, and already he had noticed a cold, sinister feeling radiating from several police officers.
Frowning, Mulan took out the parchment for another look, then headed straight toward the inspector's office. Not a single officer stopped him along the way. Perhaps his composed expression, unhurried stride, and smartly dressed attendant had convinced them he was someone important.
The inspector's office was on the second floor, with its door open. Mulan stood in the doorway and gave a perfunctory knock.
Knock, knock, knock.
Even as the knocking sounded, Mulan walked inside.
"Who are you?"
Mulan took out the parchment, unfolding only its lower half to reveal the seals of the royal family and the Black Castle.
"I'll be serving temporarily as a special police official at the York District Police Station. This is my appointment letter. I'll need a private office."
The inspector looked at the parchment, then slowly stood. He confirmed that the royal seal was genuine, but did not recognize the somewhat indistinct seal beside it. After making out every letter and interpreting the lettering in the most fitting way...
"Black... Castle?"
What sort of place was the Black Castle?
After a moment's thought, the inspector's eyes suddenly widened. He looked up at Mulan, who stood ramrod straight, as all manner of rumors and eerie tales flooded his mind. Was it that place, known as the City of Shadows?
The place where flocks of crows circled all year round?
The inspector's scalp prickled. He almost seemed to see countless corpses hanging from the spikes on the rooftops of the City of Shadows, with crows pecking at them year after year...
And since its seal appeared alongside the royal family's, some of those rumors clearly had a basis in fact.
"Gulp... I... I'm Inspector Dawson. Dawson Grange. Er, may I ask who you are, my lord?"
The inspector did his best to remain calm. Mulan was far warmer, extending his hand with a smile.
"Mulan Johnston. A pleasure to meet you."
The inspector hurriedly took Mulan's outstretched hand, then seemed to remember something and quickly let go, offering an awkward but polite smile.
"Lord Jonester, I'll arrange an office for you personally. How about the one right next to mine?"
"I'd prefer somewhere a little more private."
"Yes, yes, of course. Then the room at the far end of the third floor. I'll have someone clean it out for you immediately."
The inspector breathed a sigh of relief and immediately went to the doorway to call over several officers to clean the office. The moment his earlier suggestion had left his mouth, he had nearly slapped himself. What if Lord Jonester had agreed?
"By the way, Inspector, aside from ordinary cases, you can send me a report on any particularly important or difficult ones. I may step in to assist you."
"That would be wonderful!"
At last, a sincere smile appeared on the inspector's face.
According to legend, witches and wizards lived in the mysterious Black Castle, along with terrifying monsters kept confined within it. It was a place of great horror, yet now he was actually looking at someone dispatched from there.
"Headquarters told us a while ago that Her Majesty might send a Special Agent. I never imagined it would be you, Lord Jonester."
"Inspector Dawson, there's no need to be nervous. The Black Castle isn't as frightening as you imagine."
Mulan did not know whether to laugh or cry. Just how terrifying did Digo's rumors make the Black Castle sound?
Before long, the office was ready. Besides Mulan's large desk, it also contained a smaller one for Handel. And over the rest of that day, every detective and most of the officers at the York District Police Station learned one thing-a wizard might have come to work at the station!