2 Kirk Street!

By then, the rain was easing. As the young reporter pulled the handle, the bronze bell hanging outside 2 Kirk Street, shaped like a lion with an eagle's head, immediately rang out in clear, melodious tones.

The blessing inscribed on the bell shimmered faintly as its walls vibrated. On closer inspection, the relief of the eagle-headed lion seemed about to take flight.

Scott released the handle, stepped back, and waited quietly.

Behind the worried young trainee reporter, his three companions watched with very different expressions.

The three differed in both age and dress. One was smartly dressed in a suit, waistcoat, shirt, and leather shoes, his face full of excitement and curiosity. The man beside him wore a coarse linen shirt, overalls, and a frayed flat cap, looking utterly indifferent.

The middle-aged man at the rear was also neatly dressed, though his sleeves were visibly worn. His face showed the same excitement and anticipation, but the corners of his mouth occasionally turned down, betraying contempt and disdain.

Through the peephole beside the door, Arthur took it all in.

Immediately, the skills [Keen Eyes] and [Reading People] began flashing incessantly in his character panel.

In an instant, Arthur identified the last man's ill intent.

Almost instinctively, Arthur's hand reached for the Thunder Gun disguised as a door bolt.

Both the peephole and the disguised Thunder Gun had been installed by Old Charlie.

After all, being a medium was a dangerous profession. There was no telling who might turn up at the door.

Only after hooking his finger around the trigger did Arthur open the door, a friendly smile appearing on his face-

"Good morning, Scott!"

"Good morning, Arthur!"

Unlike Arthur's friendly smile, Scott's was decidedly strained. Meanwhile, the ill-intentioned middle-aged man at the back had already turned his downturned mouth upward and stepped forward with a radiant smile.

To Arthur, however, that smile was entirely superficial.

"Hello. Are you Mr. Arthur Credos?

I'm Dokule, a reporter with The Horn Newspaper.

Have you read today's article?

I'm terribly curious about what the medium of rumor is really like!

I'd like to conduct an exclusive interview with you. Please give me the opportunity!

These two?

They're Fontel and Wiggins. They both came after hearing about you."

As the middle-aged man named Dokule introduced himself, he enthusiastically extended his hand.

By then, Scott's smile had vanished completely, leaving only deep concern.

Not for himself, but for Arthur!

With [Keen Eyes] and [Reading People] enhancing his perception, Arthur immediately caught that expression and guessed what was going on-

Two reporters from the same newspaper, one harboring ill intent toward him, the other deeply worried about him.

Tsk. This Dokule fellow wants to use me as a stepping stone!

No wonder the article about me got a special edition!

He had assumed Scott had fought hard for it after being deeply shaken last night... no, to be precise, Scott really had been deeply shaken last night and had worked hard on his behalf. But that was exactly why Dokule had set his sights on him.

Arthur could easily imagine the scene: faced with Scott's request, Dokule had not only agreed, but even published a special edition.

Then, this morning, he had ignored Scott's attempts to stop him and brought people here to expose a fraud.

A fraud and a fraud who had appeared in a special edition of The Horn Newspaper-the latter was clearly more eye-catching.

As the reporter who broke the story, Dokule would naturally reap both fame and fortune.

As for Scott?

He was merely a trainee reporter.

He would naturally have to take responsibility for a false report. Being kicked out would seem like a perfectly reasonable outcome.

Moreover, this young trainee reporter might well have been the original target of that malice.

Why?

Most likely, he was in someone's way.

Not Dokule's way, but probably the way Dokule had paved for someone else.

The word "trainee" said it all.

What a cutthroat world!

Having witnessed similar situations before, Arthur silently sighed to himself.

Even as he sighed, however, Arthur released his grip on the Thunder Gun and quietly pushed it back into place. From the outside, it looked much like an ordinary door bolt.

Someone who liked scheming and playing petty tricks wasn't worth a shot from the Thunder Gun.

After all, this Thunder Gun was different from the one stored in the Medium's Case.

To keep it concealed, this Thunder Gun was effectively single-use.

Put simply, one shot meant replacing both the gun and the door.

Add disposing of a corpse to that, and it would be far more trouble than it was worth.

Still smiling, Arthur lightly shook Dokule's outstretched hand with the hand that had just been holding the Thunder Gun, then stepped aside and opened the solid wooden door of 2 Kirk Street.

He had just been wondering how to leave a few more lasting impressions on Scott and get more newspaper coverage. He hadn't expected someone to deliver himself right to his doorstep.

He really couldn't have been more grateful.

How could a story about "a fraudulent medium featured in a special edition of The Horn Newspaper" possibly compete with "Shocking! What this male reporter did to a medium!"

At that thought, Arthur's smile grew even friendlier.

Seeing this, Scott only became more worried. The young reporter was genuinely concerned for Arthur. Although he believed Arthur had inherited Mr. Charlie's bloodline, Arthur was simply too young. Everyone knew a medium's abilities were tied to age, and no one could guarantee that Arthur would perform flawlessly every time at his age.

And if he slipped up even once, Scott knew Dokule would spare no effort in smearing him.

Even without facts, Dokule would fabricate them and twist the truth.

Let alone if he caught an actual mistake!

Thinking of what Arthur might face filled Scott with anxiety. He immediately moved to stop Dokule from entering 2 Kirk Street.

But Dokule beat Scott to it, slipping inside 2 Kirk Street. When he turned and saw the frustration on Scott's face, triumph flashed in his eyes.

Naturally, he had guessed what Scott intended to do.

The fellow had already tried to stop him before they set out that morning, but he had gotten ahead of him.

Hmph, this is only the beginning!

I'll make you understand the consequences of taking York's position!

Dokule thought viciously to himself.

York was nominally his nephew, but in reality his son. The idle young man had never had a decent job. After pulling strings several times, Dokule had finally secured his nephew an interview for a trainee reporter position at The Horn Newspaper, only for Scott's unexpected application to ruin everything.

The Horn Newspaper was no major publication like the South Los Daily or the evening paper. It was a very small newspaper where everyone had their own duties and there were no spare positions. He had put tremendous effort into making the bleary-eyed old editor-in-chief "understand" that everyone needed a trainee reporter to help out.

Yet Scott had applied. Compared with Scott's extensive knowledge and fairly good writing skills, his barely literate nephew had naturally been rejected. That had also left him unable to offer his excuse that "he's only a trainee reporter, he doesn't need to know so many words, and he can improve gradually."

But that was before!

Now?

As long as he drove Scott out, his nephew would naturally have another chance.

That was why, upon spotting this opportunity last night, he had been unable to wait.

Arthur took everything in and quietly understood, keeping the same smile on his face.

Just then, Dokule turned back.

Looking at the smiling Arthur, Dokule smiled again, though inwardly his contempt only deepened.

Sure enough, he's just a fraud desperate to become famous!

He had originally worried that he might get himself into a little trouble.

Now, however, his mind was completely at ease.

Who am I?

I'm a reporter!

Who is he?

A fraud!

What tricks could a fraud like him possibly pull against a reporter like me?

With that conviction in his heart, Dokule turned to examine the hallway of 2 Kirk Street.

Then the reporter's heart gave a sudden shudder.