Vilka nodded slightly, Isaac accepted the three Wonder one by one. He put the brass knuckles in his pocket, pinned the brooch to the collar of his hunting suit, and put on the gloves.
"If the Cardinal has no further instructions, I shall take my leave."
"Please go ahead."
Upon arriving at the Joint Investigation Bureau, the atmosphere was somewhat different from usual. Several City Police Force officers in navy blue uniforms were standing in a corner of the lobby, chatting together.
The City Police Force... Isaac glanced at them, then looked away.
Upon entering the Section Nine's office, Carlo was holding a cup of coffee.
"Boss, we've spotted the City Police Force downstairs."
"Yes, the people Byrne sent had a meeting this morning to discuss the formation of a joint investigation team."
"So fast?"
"That's good, it shows that although Byrne is stubborn, he's not stupid." Carlo put down his cup. "The joint investigation team is led by Morris, and the City Police Force will also send a team leader to assist."
Isaac recalled his speculation from last night and felt something was amiss.
If Morris was indeed the one who carried out the attack, then leading the investigation would be tantamount to investigating himself; he could investigate however he wanted, and to whatever extent he wanted.
If Morris was acting on the Grand Duke's orders, then this arrangement makes even more sense: having an "insider" control the investigation's progress to ensure things don't get out of control.
Composing himself, Isaac removed the three Wonder and placed them on Carlo's table. " Wonder given by Vilka."
"Three items, that's quite generous. Let me guess, since you accepted them, you must have used some kind of excuse like a gift or investment."
"Yes."
"Hmm." Carlo didn't care about the specific terms of Isaac and Vilka's negotiations, picked up the brass knuckles and looked at them. "What's this thing for?"
Isaac briefly explained the uses of the three Wonder, Carlo nodded. "It seems that after a round of selection, what has been given are all practical little items."
"Practical little items?" This was another adjective that Isaac hadn't heard before, but he could understand it literally.
"It's practical, with few or no side effects, so it's a good deal to have it." Carlo pointed. "These brooches and gloves are quite practical, but this brass knuckles, are they just there to make up the numbers? Does Vilka expect you to go and participate in street brawls?"
Isaac glanced at the brass knuckles. "These brass knuckles really don't seem useful."
"Then let's find a way to get a different one."
Isaac wondered if he could take the items to Vilka to exchange them?
"Two channels." Carlo tossed the brass knuckles back into the box. "Within the Joint Investigation Bureau, agents can exchange their own Wonder for Wonder in the Joint Investigation Bureau's inventory. Of course, the procedures are quite complicated, requiring approval and valuation. Most of what can be exchanged are things with few side effects but not much use either; the Joint Investigation Bureau itself is reluctant to give up truly useful Wonder."
"If you're lucky, you might find something useful, but the process will take at least a week or two, and you'll have to fill out forms, apply, and wait for the appraisal department to schedule an appointment. The other way is much faster: the black market."
"Black market?"
"There are special channels for trading Wonder in the Vista black market. Of course, the risks are also high. There are genuine and fake items mixed together, and the prices are often inflated. It is common to buy fakes or be targeted. You have to have a good eye."
"But even if you don't find one you like, you can sell it for money. This brass knuckles aren't very useful to you, but there are definitely people on the black market who are interested in these kinds of fighting-specific Wonder. There are always people who prefer to solve problems with their fists."
Isaac thought about it and realized that the brass knuckles wouldn't be of much use to him. He might as well exchange them for something more practical or cash. Although he wasn't exactly strapped for cash, having more money was never a bad thing, especially since he would need to buy equipment or deal with unexpected expenses in the future.
The exchange procedures within the Joint Investigation Bureau are cumbersome, and the items you can get are likely to be leftovers from others, so it's better to try your luck on the black market.
"Let's check out the black market," Isaac said. "But doesn't the Joint Investigation Bureau or the City Police Force cover this black market?"
"It's better to guide than to block. Even without this black market, underground transactions will still exist, scattered in various corners and even more difficult to regulate. Giving it a fixed location makes it easier to monitor, and we can catch some small fry. Of course, truly smart people also know that 'someone is watching,' and they won't engage in dangerous transactions in this kind of black market."
"This black market is located in an abandoned sewer. If it's your first time going, you need someone to guide you, otherwise it's easy to get lost inside and end up smelly and empty-handed."
"If you're free tonight, I'll take you to the black market. Remember the way, so you can go buy whatever you need by yourself in the future."
Isaac put away the three Wonder, and Carlo picked up his coffee and took a sip. "Also, I found someone to teach you Spirit Vision. We can't always rely on me to give you temporary blessings."
"Those who teach Spirit Vision within the Joint Investigation Bureau are usually from Section One, but you know my relationship with Morris, so probably no one in Section One is willing to be the one to take the lead. Therefore, I found a 'civilian'." He opened the booklet, wrote a line, tore it off, and handed it to Isaac. "Go to this address this afternoon to find someone."
Isaac took the slip of paper, which had an address and a name written on it: Lydia Moran.
"Does this private individual charge a fee?" He folded the note and put it in his pocket; his intuition told him that this kind of teaching was definitely not free.
"Of course, it costs at least £1 per lesson."
"So expensive?!"
"After all, this is genuinely useful mystical teaching, not those money-grabbing performances." Carlo put down his coffee cup. " Moran is primarily targeting aristocratic youths who are interested in supernatural powers but don't want to join the church or the Joint Investigation Bureau system."
Isaac thought to himself that at this price, if the course required long-term study to master, he probably wouldn't be able to attend more than a few classes before he had to consider his wallet. He had just been thinking that his financial situation wasn't exactly tight...
"However, you can attend classes for free; you don't need to pay any fees."
"Well?"
"Because I have something on Moran."
Carlo opened the drawer, took out a document, and threw it on the table. Isaac picked it up, opened it, and his gaze froze.
That was an arrest warrant for Lydia Moran?
"Someone reported her, saying she was teaching esoteric knowledge to unauthorized students," Carlo said. "By law, this kind of teaching must be approved, and both the instructor and the students need to register. Moran obviously didn't follow that procedure."
"The original plan was to arrest her directly; the arrest warrant had already been issued, but I managed to get the warrant back."
"So..."
"So I can decide when to execute it. When she's arrested depends entirely on when I show her this thing. As long as she cooperates, this arrest warrant will always be just a piece of paper; if she doesn't cooperate, I can make it take effect at any time."
"This is allowed? Is it really compliant with regulations...?"
"Anyway, no one will hold me accountable. I'm the Joint Investigation Bureau's biggest connection."
Isaac was speechless.