Departure

With all those who needed to be arrested in the Market District apprehended and those who weren't, wanted posters were issued. Angoulême finally had some free time and focused on selecting members for the Trier Diocese's direct squad.

He couldn't possibly choose all the Tribunal from the Market District. After obtaining the personnel information from the Saint Viève Church, he casually visited the Tribunal the Observatory District, Prison District, and other places, and had a detailed chat with his target, the "Purifier."

Then, he finished work on time, returned to his rented Apartment in the Memorial Hall District, and went straight to sleep.

He slept until the early hours of the morning when Angoulême stomach rumbled. He then ate a piece of white Bread with the dried meat, butter, and Red Wine he had stored away.

He glanced at the Coffee Table with unwashed dishes on it, then sat down contentedly in front of the miniature Analytical Engine and turned on the Radio Transceiver.

At this time, their Telegram group was at its most active.

After sending a Telegram to announce his presence, Angoulême pulled over a cushion, placed it behind him, and leaned comfortably against the wall.

Not long after, amidst the clicking sounds, the Analytical Engine, composed of numerous Parts, drove the typewriter to "spit out" a Telegram.

Upon seeing the Telegram signed "Sleeve Sword," Angoulême's forehead twitched.

He picked up the Telegram and quickly scanned its contents:

"'007,' you've finally arrived! There's something I need to tell you!"

"I've received new intelligence. The ' Person in the Mirror ' I mentioned before have been systematically infiltrating Trier for the Past decade or so, replacing the original inhabitants. We don't know how many Trier citizens are actually ' Person in the Mirror ' now, and what they ultimately want to do or what they want to achieve is currently unknown, but it's probably not a good thing."

"I'm investigating these ' Person in the Mirror,' and I'll give you new clues at any time, so you should keep an eye out for these things."

After finishing reading, Angoulême took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.

The following morning.

Lumian sat in Four-Wheeled, Four-Seater Hired Carriage, next to a little boy Ludwig, wearing Caramel coat and carrying a red hard-sided schoolbag, and opposite him was Lugano Toscano, with thick eyebrows and big eyes, who clearly belonged to a positive character.

He looked out the window at the Market Avenue, which seemed no different from any other day.

Street vendors hawking their Public Carriage and Hired Carriage coming and going, large numbers of outsiders arriving from the Susie Steam Train Station, waiters soliciting customers, Café that combined Beer Hall, cheap Restaurant, and card rooms, and busy clerks and workers—all were essentially no different from what Lumian had imagined.

But in subtle ways, many things have changed: "Rat" Christo has escaped, "Giant" Simon has been captured, and Baron Brignais has disappeared without a trace, not even Commission Information Broker to find his missing Godson.

The once-powerful Savoie Gang has been completely wiped out, and a new round of Gang feuds is about to begin in the Market District, which had been stabilizing.

Deep Brown Hired Carriage with a yellow number slowly drove out of this bustling, noisy, and rather chaotic place.

Seeing that Lumian had looked away, Lugano asked in a fawning tone, "Shall we take a boat to Feynapotter, or should we get a false identity and take the Steam train south to return to Leston Province first?"

He had originally intended to Cordou Village, but felt that would provoke Lumian, so he used a broader concept instead: their shared hometown, Leston Province.

"It's up to Destiny," Lumian said with a smile.

He took out three Note Paper and wrote down different options on each with a black blotting Fountain Pen he carried with him:

"By boat", "by Steam train", "Past".

Then, he crumpled the three Note Paper into balls and rearranged their positions with dazzling skill.

"You draw a ticket, let's see what Destiny has in store." Lumian smiled and extended his right hand to Lugano.

This is too arbitrary! Choosing how to go to the Kingdom of Feynapotter by drawing lots? Lugano was stunned for a moment, and while feeling a huge sense of absurdity, he obediently picked up a crumpled piece of paper.

Anyway, I've already received the 5000 Felkine prepayment!

Lugano unfolded it and saw that it read "By Boat".

Lumian nodded and smiled, saying, "Very well, then let's take the Steam train."

"..." Lugano instinctively looked at the 60,000 Felkine wanted criminals opposite him, unsure whether he was using himself to eliminate the Error option or simply playing a prank.

He put on a smile again and said, "Shall we go back to the Susie Steam Train Station?"

"No, to the northern train station." Lumian glanced sideways at Ludwig, the little boy who was eating non-stop and not saying a word.

Northern train station? Lugano was increasingly bewildered, unable to guess what he and his Library employer were up to.

Trier has two main Steam Train Station: Susie, located on the south bank of the Serenzo River, connecting the southern and central regions of Intis, and the northern station, located north of the Serenzo River, which connects the northern provinces. If you want to go to the Kingdom of Feynapotter or the Leston Province, you definitely need to go to Susie Steam Train Station; why would you go north?

Since the employer had made the decision, Lugano couldn't question it and could only instruct the Coachman to change the destination.

Around noon, the Hired Carriage arrived at the Trier North Train Station.

"I need to put on an act and find Broker to get a fake identity to buy tickets..." Lugano directed the Coachman to stop at a more secluded spot, while turning slightly to look at Lumian, preparing to offer his suggestion.

What came into his Eyes was an extremely unfamiliar face:

Short, Linen-Colored hair, brownish Eyes, and the rest of her features that are unremarkable, all combine to create a face that resembles that of an ordinary passerby.

If it weren't for the Silver-White ear clip on his right ear and the fact that his clothes remained unchanged, Lugano would have thought that he and his companions had been ambushed by Official Beyonder, and that their employer had been quietly eliminated.

"Buy tickets to Gati Port in the Upper Coastal Province," Lumian instructed.

Upper Coastal Province, Gati Port... Lugano suddenly understood.

The employer was indeed going to the Kingdom of Feynapotter by ship, but not from Leucer Harbor in the Pas Province, which is closest to Trier. Instead, he was going to the Upper Coastal Province, which is also on the Sea of Fog but further north.

For a normal person, this would be a waste of time and money, but for a wanted fugitive with enemies, this seemingly illogical approach might actually help him avoid potential danger.

Inside the business class carriage of the Steam train, which was divided into six small compartments.

Lumian's gaze swept over the half-open carved Wooden Door, the table covered with a multicolored tablecloth inlaid with gold thread, the large and comfortable sofa that could be used as a bed, and the thin wooden wall with Oil Painting hanging on it, and he nodded in satisfaction.

Such a private room costs 400 Felkine and can only seat a maximum of 4 people.

This Steam train journey takes 12 hours, with an 8-hour overnight stop, totaling 20 hours. Third-class seats cost 30 Felkine, second-class seats cost 45 Felkine, and first-class seats cost 60 Felkine. Small private compartments in the business area cost 100 Felkine per person and are not sold individually, the reason being to ensure the privacy of business travelers and to ensure that only he and his companion are in the compartment.

This is fantastic for wanted fugitives.

Lumian, who possessed the "Lie" ear clip and the "Face of Niser," wasn't drawn to the business class cabin he chose, nor did he necessarily want to enjoy it. His sole reason for liking it was:

Two meals will be provided free of charge in the business class: dinner today and breakfast tomorrow.

This will solve a lot of problems in Lumian province.

Sigh, kids always need something hot to eat.

I just hope his appetite doesn't scare the flight attendants...

After raising Ludwig for a little over two days, Lumian realized that if he didn't have the "Traveler’s Bag," which could hold a lot of dry food and sweets, he simply wouldn't be able to take the little boy on any long trip—he wanted to eat every few minutes!

Amidst the Whistle, Lumian down, listening to the clanging and rattling sounds, watching the scenery on both sides rush past, gradually accelerating.

Less than fifteen minutes later, the huge train, spewing white smoke, drove away from the metropolis behind it through the "doorway" carved into the high wall.

A bustling metropolis, brimming with desire, joy, and Pain.

Lumian half-closed his eyes and heard someone in the next box say in a poetic tone, "Goodbye, Trier!"

At 8 p. m., when it was completely dark, the Steam train stopped at its designated station, Dardel Station.

This is located in the Daddel, on the outskirts of the Fous Region in the Upper Coastal Province.

There were already twenty or thirty men and women waiting on the platform, heading towards different carriages. None of them were carrying luggage, and their faces were full of eagerness.

Knock, knock, knock. A middle-aged man with thick black hair and a slightly hooked chin knocked on the Glass Window corresponding to Lumian's private room.

Lumian opened the window with interest and asked with a smile, "Is there something you need?"

"Sir, would you like a drink? Or perhaps a warm, comfortable bed instead of a sofa?" the middle-aged man asked in heavily accented Intis language.

"Bar with its own hotel?" Lumian suddenly realized.

These appear to be nearby businesses soliciting customers at the platform.

"Yes, yes, we have quite a few pretty little frogs in our Bar," the middle-aged man said, winking and making suggestive remarks.

"A little frog?" Lugano asked, sitting opposite Lumian.

The middle-aged man thought for a moment and said, "This is a local slang term from our coastal area. It means... it means the same thing as your Trier kitten."

In Trier, "kitten" often has a dual meaning, referring to both "Women Reproductive Organs" and "prostitute."

I see... Lumian had guessed it long ago, but he wasn't entirely sure before.

Ludwig, sitting next to Lugano, asked expectantly, "What's good to eat?"

Before the middle-aged man soliciting customers could answer, Lumian jokingly teased Ludwig:

"I thought you'd ask if the meat was tender, chewy, and tasty."

Ludwig didn't react at first, then seemed to remember something and blurted out, "Pervert!"

Upon seeing this, the middle-aged man quickly began to introduce the local delicacies.

Just then, the sound of dogs barking echoed from the town outside the station.

One dog barked, followed by the barking of many others, instantly shattering the tranquility of the night.

The middle-aged man soliciting customers and the man Library suddenly changed their expressions, revealing a hint of unspeakable fear.