In the dim, empty room, chilly drafts swirled as the handsome young man spoke softly with the Eerie Puppet.
"You like that child?"
"You want to help him?"
"All right. I could never refuse you."
Arthur's voice was as gentle as his gaze.
Whenever he paused, his fingertips brushed over the Eerie Puppet's hair.
He looked as though he were indulging a little sister who was pleading with him.
Although Maltz couldn't hear the Eerie Puppet's voice, that was how he saw it.
And for some reason, the Third-Rank Police Officer felt that this eerie puppet was much kinder than Arthur. At the very least, she ought to be a good puppet.
She was just a little ugly.
The thought crossed Maltz's mind, but he immediately shook his head.
Compared with those who dressed impeccably and appeared virtuous, yet secretly lived lives of depravity, someone ugly on the outside but kind at heart was undoubtedly worthy of respect.
Especially...
When that someone wasn't even human.
"Please forgive my disrespectful thoughts, Lady Anna."
The Third-Rank Police Officer spoke loudly and bowed with utmost respect.
Maltz genuinely respected her.
And he was genuinely...
Afraid.
Having lived through the Seven-Year War, this Third-Rank Police Officer knew far too many things that young people didn't know-or had already mistaken for rumors.
So he knew exactly how he should behave toward an eerie puppet who wasn't human.
Even if she had shown him kindness earlier!
Before this, certain experiences had made him reluctant to get too close to Arthur, a Medium, and even less willing to become involved in the sordid struggle over the position of Chief in the Shire District.
But now that both sides intended to cooperate, he naturally needed to change.
The patrol officers, Wiggins, and Scott outside the door knew nothing of Maltz's thoughts or his change of attitude.
They had all heard his loud voice just now.
The patrol officers were a little puzzled.
Weren't there two men in the room? Where had a lady come from?
Wiggins, meanwhile, looked uneasily into the room.
His street-honed survival instincts made him instinctively keep his distance.
Scott remained curious and enthusiastic.
As a reporter, Scott always had an extraordinary enthusiasm for that wondrous world unknown to the public.
Inside the room, Maltz straightened, hurried to Arthur's side, and lowered his voice-
"Woolt, one of the Harbor District's three Chiefs. He's the one who sent Joseph, and he's determined to secure the position of Chief in the Shire District."
Arthur remained composed, his eyes lowered.
He wasn't surprised that Maltz had named the man behind it all.
Rather, a passage of text had flashed before his eyes when Maltz offered his loud greeting.
[Bluff experience +1] [Bluff Lv2: 1/5]
That works too?
Arthur was astonished, but now wasn't the time to dwell on it. He needed to focus on what was in front of him.
Woolt, for example!
Arthur quickly found the name in his predecessor's memories.
Unlike the New District, Old District, Dort District, and Shire District, each of which had only one Chief, the Harbor District had three because of its size and the nature of its trade.
Of those three Chiefs, Woolt was the youngest and the most ambitious. Not only did he handle everything personally, but he also ruled with an iron fist.
The other two Chiefs were happy to take it easy and handed their duties over to Woolt.
Only their duties, though. They wouldn't give up a single Los of the profits due to them.
So Woolt did the most work in the Harbor District while earning the same money as the other two Chiefs. It was perfectly reasonable for him to want to move to the Shire District.
No!
More accurately, all six of the other Chiefs wanted to move to the Shire District.
After all, the Shire District was the most prosperous district in South Los.
Its profits were the highest, too.
"I need more support to help move our cooperation forward."
Arthur hadn't said evidence. He had said cooperation.
On the surface, he seemed to be asking for more evidence proving that Woolt had sent Joseph, but Maltz understood that wasn't what Arthur wanted.
Arthur wanted his commitment!
Or rather...
His sincerity!
Sincerity that guaranteed he wouldn't betray him!
Whoosh!
The Third-Rank Police Officer drew a deep breath.
Since he had already decided to cooperate, Maltz no longer hesitated.
"I'll get it ready right away. One hour at most!"
Maltz gave his promise.
At that moment, the Third-Rank Police Officer stood ramrod straight, his eyes sharp and resolute. It was as though he had returned to his youth.
To the days when he faced the West Coast cavalry with a Matchlock in his hands!
Back then, his instructor had told him not to panic. All they needed to do was aim at those sons of bitches, pull the trigger, and kill them.
If they killed the enemy, they would survive.
Otherwise, without the protection of a large pike formation, they would be trampled into pulp.
He had survived that time, becoming one of the few lucky men left alive.
This time, he would survive too.
He would face the charging enemy and pull the trigger!
If you won't let me retire in peace, then you can all go to hell!
I can retire just as well after I've killed you all!
That was what Maltz thought.
Arthur watched Maltz, a flicker of surprise passing through his eyes.
Previously, this Third-Rank Police Officer had always seemed weary and dispirited. Even his voice had been weak, as though anyone could push him around.
Now, however, his bearing was completely different.
He didn't have a young man's sharp, naked edge, like an unsheathed sword.
Instead, he resembled a wolf-a wolf king driven out of his pack who should have died of hunger and illness, only to unexpectedly discover an endless supply of food on a road and survive.
Not only had he survived, but he had grown stronger than before.
Arthur didn't mind in the slightest.
Because he knew whom the newly strengthened man would attack.
Woolt!
It was precisely Woolt's existence that had brought about their current cooperation.
With his enormous need for XP, Arthur naturally hoped that this cooperation would continue.
Of course, if he could also gain a friend who was the Chief of the Shire District...
That would be quite nice too.
So Arthur didn't hesitate.
He gently patted "Anna" on the back, as though comforting her, and said,
"I'll help them!"
Then Arthur turned to Maltz and told him the address.
14 Kirk Street.
Waaah! Waaah! Waaah!
Gram climbed back through the window into 14 Kirk Street. As soon as he pulled the cloth from the baby's mouth, the baby began to cry.
Gram paid no attention.
He was confident that no one would hear.
He had already turned the family of four at 14 Kirk Street into materials.
And the neighbors?
Good soundproofing and their "good manners" kept them from noticing anything.
Of course, Gram had taken precautions just in case-
He placed the last baby he had selected at the end of a Ritual Circle drawn in blood, then opened the specially prepared incense beside it.
Scent filled the air.
Immediately, the baby stopped crying and fell into a deep sleep.
Gram's mind also grew calm, and his thoughts became more active.
Not wanting to waste the incense, Gram immediately began to meditate.
Yet although he should have entered meditation smoothly, he simply couldn't settle into the right state.
He failed three times in succession over a full two hours.
At once, the occult practitioner's eyes darkened.
"Xiudik! Xiudik!"
Gram coldly repeated the name.
He knew perfectly well that his resentment toward Xiudik was preventing him from meditating.
The two of them had worked together to obtain the [Herc White Silver Potion] and a page of the [Herc Notes] from Them, yet that bastard Xiudik had run off with the [Herc White Silver Potion].
Fortunately, he had never trusted the man. He had kept something in reserve and secured the [Herc Notes] beforehand.
Otherwise, he would have spent the rest of his life in endless regret.
But he was still filled with resentment!
That was the [Herc White Silver Potion]!
A mere page of the [Herc Notes] was nothing in comparison.
Even though his translation revealed that the "Hand of the Void" recorded on it differed somewhat from the ordinary "Hand of the Void," he still considered the [Herc White Silver Potion] more valuable.
"Mine! It's all mine!"
"Don't think you can escape by using that Arthur Credos as a smokescreen!"
Gram snorted coldly.
He knew Xiudik's cunning all too well.
The man must have planned everything long ago, using Arthur Credos to draw his attention and Theirs. Had he not discovered it early, Xiudik would certainly have gotten away with the deception.
But it still wasn't too late!
Although Xiudik had surely left South Los, once Gram killed Arthur Credos, who had close ties to the man, and used Arthur Credos's blood and head to perform a divination, he would definitely find him.
"Hmph, Arthur Credos!"
The thought of Arthur made Gram, who believed his defeat had only come from underestimating his opponent, even angrier.
He tore off the cloak covering his body.
At once, the hall mirror reflected a gaunt, fatless body that resembled a dried corpse.
Staring at his reflection, Gram wasn't anxious.
Because he was lucky!
He had actually found five families in South Los that perfectly met the requirements of the "Blood Ritual."
Soon, at midnight tonight, he would be able to use the ritual to return to normal.
Not only would his body return to normal, but his strength would recover too!
It might even surpass its former level!
Then he would reclaim everything he had lost.
At that thought, Gram burst into laughter.
"Ha ha ha!"
Crash!
Crash! Crash!
Amid his laughter came the sound of ceramic jars shattering.
Not just one, but several in succession.
At the same time, an unusual smell drifted into the room, and Gram's nose twitched.
The next instant, his expression changed drastically.
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