Old Neil's Arrest

Inside the Circus in Tingen City.

"Boss, are you all right?" The Clown looked at the Magician's bandage-covered body with concern.

Seeing his subordinate's concern, the corners of the Magician's mouth lifted slightly, but his expression quickly turned serious again as he spoke in a low voice.

"I'm fine. How about you?"

"Just a few minor injuries. They've already been treated." The Clown forced a smile.

The Magician nodded and asked, "What about the other two?"

"They exhausted themselves this time and have gone to rest. Should I call them over?"

"No need." The Magician shook his head lightly.

He had always been lenient with subordinates who worked hard.

After a brief silence.

"Everyone should keep a low profile for the next few days," the Magician instructed.

"Forget the next few days, boss. What if the authorities already have their eyes on us?"

Seeing his subordinate's panic, the Magician suppressed his irritation and said:

"I performed a divination after returning. The situation is still manageable for now. We've also taken the appropriate measures to disguise ourselves, so we shouldn't be exposed outright."

"That Demoness named Sharon is dead too. The Nighthawks probably caught her."

"Well, that counts as getting your revenge. Happy?"

At those words, the Clown showed little satisfaction at having avenged himself. Instead, he looked even more worried.

"Just hold out for a few more days. Our assignment will be over, and then we can leave," the Magician reassured his worried subordinate.

"But..." The Clown wanted to say more, but the Magician cut him off.

"With me here, what are you panicking for!"

Two days later.

Acting captain Frye's temporary office.

"Come in."

"Frye, you wanted to see me?" Klein opened the door and walked in.

"Yes. Have a seat."

Klein pulled out a chair and sat down.

"How are your injuries?" Frye asked with concern.

"They're fine. Just some minor scrapes, nothing serious."

Seeing that Klein looked well, Frye pondered for a moment before speaking.

"The ingredients for the Clown potion have arrived."

"Really? That was fast." Klein was a little surprised. It had only been a few days since his application had been approved.

"They were actually delivered from the Holy Cathedral yesterday, but..."

Frye sounded conflicted.

"If it's something you can't discuss, you don't have to tell me," Klein offered kindly, noticing his hesitation.

"No, it's not really anything major."

"Before the captain left for Backlund, he gave me some instructions.

"He said you were mastering your potion too quickly, and he was a little concerned. He hoped you could wait until he returned from Backlund before your Advancement."

"The captain is looking out for me." Klein nodded.

Frye glanced at Klein and continued:

"But you know our current situation.

"Kenley is injured and won't be able to work for a while. The captain and Miss Daly are both away...

"We urgently need to strengthen our forces."

"Do you think you're in a condition to successfully undergo Advancement?" Frye asked, looking at Klein.

"I should be, but..." With the opportunity for Advancement right before him, Klein really didn't want to give it up. Yet Frye's words had given him some misgivings.

After a few seconds of silence, he asked Frye:

"May I step out to perform a divination?"

"Of course." Frye nodded.

A few minutes later, Klein returned to the office after performing a divination Above the Gray Fog.

"The divination told me I can undergo Advancement."

"Good."

Frye bent down and lifted a white box from beneath his desk.

"All the ingredients are in here."

He handed the box to Klein.

"Old Neil will be coming in for his shift soon. Do you need his help?"

When it came to concocting potions and various medicinal mixtures, no one in the Nighthawks team could match Old Neil, a Mystery Pryer.

"No, I can do it myself. Old Neil already taught me how to concoct the potion." Klein shook his head lightly. He didn't want to trouble his teammate.

After Klein left.

Frye lowered his head and continued writing his report.

"Frye, something's wrong!" Rozanne suddenly opened the office door, her face full of anxiety.

"What happened?" Seeing her anxious expression, Frye suddenly had a bad feeling.

"Old Neil, he... he was arrested by the Mandated Punishers on his way to the company..."

"What!"

In the basement, Klein was working on the Clown potion.

He opened the white box and saw the ingredients packed inside.

The most eye-catching among them was a palm-sized gray goat horn, with layer upon layer of strange patterns faintly visible inside.

Beside the horn lay a blue rose. Its petals bore peculiar markings that seemed to form a human face with a wide grin.

The single-horn crystal of an adult Hornacis Gray Mountain Goat, and a whole human-faced rose.

That's right... Klein nodded.

Following the method Old Neil had taught him, Klein easily finished concocting the potion.

Looking at the potion before him, Klein picked up the Pendulum and silently repeated:

This potion is harmful.

This potion is harmful.

After seven repetitions.

Seeing nothing unusual in the divination result, Klein hesitated no longer. He raised the cup, held his breath, and gulped down the potion.

Having successfully undergone Advancement to Clown, Klein was in a good mood. Strangely, however, Frye was nowhere to be found in the office.

"Rozanne, did something happen?" Klein asked when he spotted her looking troubled.

"Klein, something terrible happened. Old Neil's been arrested."

"What!" Klein was shocked.

"Who arrested him?"

"The Mandated Punishers," Rozanne replied.

Klein was taken aback. "Why? They shouldn't have the authority to arrest a Nighthawk, should they? Did Old Neil lose control?"

"No, that's not it. They said Old Neil was researching black magic."

"Black magic?" Klein was surprised. He couldn't imagine Old Neil doing anything like that.

Could something have gone wrong with the magic Old Neil used to repay his debts?

For some reason, a bad feeling suddenly arose in his heart.

Inside the carriage.

Old Neil sat silently at the far end, his expression grim.

Frye wanted to say something, but when he saw the Mandated Punishers beside them, he swallowed his words.

As acting captain, he couldn't possibly hand over his own teammate.

But the Mandated Punishers said they had received a report and already possessed concrete evidence that Old Neil was researching black magic.

After some discussion, Frye decided to accompany Old Neil to his house to see this supposed evidence.

He had thought it was merely a misunderstanding. As Old Neil's teammate, he knew that Old Neil liked to research all sorts of bizarre Ritual Magic.

Perhaps the Mandated Punishers had made a mistake and taken those strange rituals for black magic?

Like the ritual Old Neil had once used to repay his debts.

But reality shattered his wishful thinking. When they reached Old Neil's front door and Frye saw his pained expression, he knew this was more than a simple misunderstanding.