The unexpected encounter with the beggar had already put Arthur on edge.
Arthur looked no different from usual, but his vigilance was ten times greater than normal. The slightest disturbance set his nerves tingling.
Tucking the two bundles of explosives inside his coat, Arthur crept along the wall, slowly approaching the modified Bloom Carriage.
The special effect [Shadow Concealment] granted by his talent [Dark Serpent: Conceal] did its job.
With the +3 modifier to stealth, Arthur reached the back of the carriage almost without a sound.
Thanks to the hearing afforded by his 1.7 [Physique], Arthur clearly heard the conversation inside.
"Byrne, are you sure he can really communicate with spirits?"
"Yes, boss!"
"I saw it with my own eyes, along with more than a dozen others!"
"Arthur Credos is a true master Medium!"
The conversation inside the carriage, and Byrne's voice, made Arthur pinch out the fuses he had just lit.
Just as silently as he had approached, Arthur returned to his original position. After putting the two bundles of explosives back into the Medium's Case, he walked openly toward 2 Kirk Street.
With no attempt to conceal his approach, he was immediately spotted by the people inside the carriage.
Byrne, whom he had met once before, jumped down from the carriage and waved at Arthur.
"Master Credos, over here!"
The young swordsmanship instructor addressed Arthur with the respect he deserved, his gaze filled with even greater awe.
Without question, what had happened earlier had deeply shaken the young instructor. Under normal circumstances, he would certainly not have appeared before Arthur again anytime soon.
But there were always exceptions.
After greeting him, the young swordsmanship instructor stepped aside, revealing the middle-aged man behind him.
Unlike Byrne beside him, this middle-aged man was smartly dressed, with a large belly and a small, glossy black mustache above his lips.
Before Arthur could draw near, the middle-aged man came forward and took off his top hat.
"At last, I've had the honor of meeting you, Master Arthur Credos."
Arthur responded to his enthusiasm with a smile.
"Welcome to 2 Kirk Street."
Arthur opened the courtyard gate and walked inside. The man immediately signaled for the driver to watch the carriage, then beckoned Byrne to follow him in.
Listening to the footsteps behind him, Arthur began considering what the man could offer him.
He was Byrne's boss, which made him the owner of the Jorjok Swordsmanship Club. Someone had just died at his club, yet instead of dealing with the trouble there, he had come to wait for Arthur at 2 Kirk Street. What did that mean?
Combined with the conversation he had just overheard, the answer was obvious.
Desi, the murderer, had told the truth.
Littell really had secured third place in the previous Swordsmanship Tournament through bribery.
And naturally, Arthur, who could communicate with the dead, would know more.
The man had waited here to buy his silence.
So what would he offer to keep Arthur quiet?
Money was a must.
Besides money, could he get swordsmanship as well?
The man owned a swordsmanship club and had close ties to swordsmen. He might well have something.
I'm squeezing him for all he's worth anyway. At worst, I'll ask high and let him bargain me down!
Arthur felt no qualms about it.
Although the man was not one of the ill-intentioned people Arthur had imagined, his actions hardly placed him among those who deserved Arthur's mercy.
Besides, this fit the "Medium's rules" laid down by Old Charlie: tainted coins ought to be purified, transformed into food, clothing, and a home.
That was how the Creados had acquired a residence on Kirk Street, along with food and clothing, and received an education most ordinary people considered exorbitantly expensive.
Many people envied them.
But they bore no resentment.
Because whenever Old Charlie had the means, he really did help the poor.
Of course, there were always ungrateful wretches.
Give them a little, and they demanded more. Give them more, and they wanted your life.
When dealing with people like that, Old Charlie generally chose "exorcism" or "purification."
The former left an intact corpse.
The latter left no remains at all.
What a truly respectable elder.
Drawing on his predecessor's memories, Arthur gave his grandfather a thoroughly subjective appraisal.
Meanwhile, Todd Gilly, following behind Arthur, grew increasingly uneasy.
The owner of the swordsmanship club was also frightened by the decor at 2 Kirk Street.
In fact, Todd Gilly was not the only one frightened. Byrne, walking beside him, was too.
The tall, powerfully built swordsmanship instructor had panic in his eyes. His body was stiff as he walked, and his clenched fists looked ready to lash out at any moment.
Fortunately, the corridor was short. Upon entering the Medium's Hall, Byrne let out a long breath, while his boss took out the ten Gold Tickets he had prepared.
"Please forgive my presumption. Words simply cannot describe how thrilled I am to meet you. This is a small token of compensation for what you experienced at the club today. Please accept it."
Todd Gilly, a merchant by trade, spoke tactfully and respectfully.
Arthur, however, glanced at Byrne with a knowing half-smile.
Clearly, Byrne had no idea what his boss truly intended. Otherwise, the owner would not have needed to speak so "tactfully."
Arthur withdrew his gaze. Without so much as looking at the ten Gold Tickets on the table, he spoke in an equally "tactful" tone.
"It certainly is a small token. You should know that Ritter's spirit is following you."
"Ah?!"
The swordsmanship club's owner cried out as though frightened, then took out another ten Gold Tickets.
"The spirit is still lingering!"
Arthur continued.
Without hesitation, the owner took out another ten Gold Tickets. This time, Arthur said nothing and merely stared straight at him. After hesitating for less than a second, the owner took out all seventy Gold Tickets he had left inside his coat and placed them on the table.
By then, fine beads of sweat had begun appearing on his forehead.
His skill [Reading People] flickered, and Arthur could see how much the loss pained him.
A hundred Gold Tickets amounted to a thousand sol, enough to represent three years of hard work for an ordinary family in the Old District.
"The spirit has departed."
Arthur said this after putting the Gold Tickets into his wallet.
Todd Gilly immediately breathed a sigh of relief, but Arthur continued.
"However, he still has an unfulfilled obsession-an obsession with swordsmanship. I hope you can help him fulfill it. He doesn't want to be limited to ordinary, basic swordsmanship. He wants something better."
"That... will be very difficult!"
"But please believe me, I'll do everything I can. Please give me some time!"
A troubled expression appeared on the club owner's face.
Arthur was not surprised.
Knowledge was expensive in South County, and swordsmanship was naturally a form of knowledge. Judging by the Jorjok Swordsmanship Club, its value far exceeded that of ordinary knowledge.
"Very well!"
With Arthur's assent, Todd Gilly finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Byrne smiled too. As far as the young swordsmanship instructor was concerned, compensating Arthur and appeasing Ritter's spirit was worth it, even if a hundred Gold Tickets was a steep price.
Having obtained what he wanted, Arthur was in quite a good mood. He personally escorted the two men outside and watched them leave.
Only once they were out of sight did Arthur turn to go back inside.
But the instant he turned, he felt a weight settle on his shoulder.
There-
A hand had appeared.
Before you continue