Chapter 153
Just looking at that shadowy silhouette, Aivina couldn't help but blurt out.
"Xia'er?"
Niya observed the shadow ahead. Upon closer inspection, the figure did resemble Xia'er in build... but this shadow was completely wrapped in a long black cloak, and its hair was curly. No matter how she looked at it, it didn’t seem like Xia'er at all.
The most crucial point was that Xia'er was not an extraordinary being. Previously, he had expressed a desire to pursue the path of a "physician," diving into various papers, and he hadn’t even started drinking potions before he left.
The shadow before them, however, was being controlled from at least a hundred meters away, in a position where Niya couldn’t even sense it. It had to be at least a second-tier "Judicator."
For the young lady to mistake this shadow, which only bore a slight resemblance to Xia'er, for him, was perhaps a sign of... too deep an obsession?
If they really found Xia'er's body later, maybe they could contact Adele and ask her to pull some strings to get a "psychologist" from the Redemption Society to help the young lady...
At that moment, the shadow was sitting in the carriage, its long cloak draping over its legs, gently swaying. It didn’t answer Niya’s question, seemingly waiting for something.
After a while, the shadow extended its hand, inserting its index and middle fingers directly into its chest.
When it pulled them out again, the shadow was holding a piece of paper between those fingers. It casually folded the letter a few times and tossed it in Aivina's direction.
Niya raised her hand to intercept the paper. After unfolding it and taking a quick glance, she froze, confirming that there were no special extraordinary effects attached. She then handed the paper to Aivina.
"Young lady, take a look at this..."
As Aivina read the note, Niya looked back toward Xia'er’s direction once more.
Just this morning, she had accompanied Miss Aivina to the station to see Xia'er off... back then, she still wasn’t an extraordinary being...
How could she return now, already able to use second-tier extraordinary abilities?
Was this really Xia'er?
Niya recalled the extraordinary being she had seen earlier, dressed in the garb of the Judicator.
Was she Xia'er?
Or was she someone from the organization behind Xia'er, delivering a message?
At that moment, Aivina was staring at the note in her hand. Her previously tense heart began to waver as she read the handwriting and content.
[Aivina]
[Right now, I’m investigating the truth behind the misfortune with the organization. Can you tell me some information about Opodesadias and his address?]
[This could reduce some of my workload.]
[My misfortune may have accumulated to a terrifying extent, so I can’t come into direct contact with you.]
[—Xia'er]
She reached out, gently brushing her fingers over the ink on the paper. The still-wet ink smudged slightly, staining her thumb and other parts of the paper.
This was freshly written...
At that moment, Aivina finally felt her heart completely relax, and she didn’t even notice that her eyes had turned red.
Aivina fumbled through her belongings, pulling out a dip pen. After unscrewing a small portable crystal bottle of ink, she tossed the bottle aside.
She placed the paper on the armor behind Niya and began to write.
About three minutes later, the back of the paper was filled with at least three hundred words of a short essay. After checking it for errors, she folded the paper and tossed it toward the shadow.
The shadow raised its hand, easily catching the paper. It waved at Aivina before stuffing the paper into its mouth and disappearing into the shadows.
Only after the shadow had completely vanished did Niya turn to Aivina and ask, "Miss, should we still go to the tracks?"
"Ah..."
Aivina looked up at Niya and shook her head, saying, "No need, let’s go back."
It wasn’t until Aivina got into the carriage and it turned around that she took off her glasses, covering her face with a handkerchief to calm her tumultuous emotions.
...
"Bell Tower Alley?"
At that moment, Xia'er, who had received the note from the shadow, looked at the address Aivina had left him with some confusion.
"The son of Prince Sadiyas, the Knight Commander of the Queen's Sword..."
This was quite a significant background. Why would he choose to temporarily reside in Bell Tower Alley? And he was living there alone, without any guards?
Although the information Aivina provided was somewhat unbelievable, Xia'er decided to trust her words.
Watching the carriage that had just returned from in front of him, Xia'er stuffed the note into his pocket and turned toward Bell Tower Alley.
Such a noble person, yet inexplicably living in Bell Tower Alley.
Moreover, judging by Aivina's description, this person was also a third-tier "Crown Sentinel," a path that seemed very popular among the nobility.
Compared to other paths, "Detective" was easier for nobles, especially the high-ranking ones, to digest, as it suited those skilled in utilizing information. The subsequent "Magistrate" potion also didn’t hinder their career advancement or potion digestion.
And once the replication ritual reached the "Crown Sentinel" stage, they would possess a strong ability to protect their lives... For the nobility, this path was indeed very beneficial.
If the other party was merely a "Crown Sentinel," the threat level for Xia'er was significantly reduced—though he wondered if this stereotype was influenced by Niya.
Xia'er was very familiar with the route back to Bell Tower Alley, knowing many shortcuts that didn’t require taking the main roads. Soon, he arrived at a row of uniform townhouses according to the address Aivina had left.
These houses were all quite similar in style, often divided by landlords into different rooms for rent, making them a popular choice for workers with families.
The place where Xia'er and his sister had lived before was similar, except the kind-hearted landlord hadn’t divided that two-story building into three or four smaller rooms, but had simply rented it to them at a low price.
21 Meng'en Street.
Xia'er stood in front of the building, confirming the house number was correct before looking to the right—less than four hundred meters away was the Bell Tower Church.
Knock, knock, knock—
Xia'er raised his hand and knocked on the door.
Soon, he heard footsteps, and a voice came from behind the door, "Who is it?"
"Open up, Judicator."
The false identity of the Judicator was quite useful, especially since the Bell Tower Church was nearby. No one would suspect that someone would dare to impersonate a Judicator right under the eyes of the Goddess of Salvation.
Sure enough, after Xia'er announced his identity, the wooden door slowly creaked open.
Chapter 104: Misfortune Link?
Clang—!
"Damn it!"
In Berlun City, Bell Tower Alley, 21 Meng'en Street.
A gaunt man with short golden hair was sitting at a broken dining table inside the house.
In front of him was a dining table that had collapsed halfway, with soup and hard rye bread scattered all over the floor.
He tugged at his hair, his right hand, encased in black gauntlets, nearly pulling it out by the roots, where redness and blood could be faintly seen.
It seemed that this was the only way he could relieve some of the pressure he felt.
He grabbed a bottle of cheap gin from the table, a drink quite popular among workers.
He took a large swig, the taste of various impurities and additives flooding his mouth, the faint scent of turpentine making him want to gag.
"Damn it... damn it!!!"
The man suddenly hurled the bottle away, shattering it against the fireplace. Glass shards scattered everywhere, and the cheap alcohol seeped into the moldy wooden floor.
He sat there in agony, clutching his head, overwhelmed by a wave of regret and frustration.
Why was it that he had to live such a miserable life...?
He was the youngest son of Prince Sadiyas, born with a silver spoon in his mouth!
Though he had no hope of inheriting the title of prince or achieving anything that would earn the queen's special favor, with his identity and wealth, he could still live a life admired by many.
Everything had unraveled because he chose to come to Berlun City... everything he had was being stripped away bit by bit.
He had to endure the feeling of gradually falling to the bottom, unable to make any effective resistance.
At first, he had forced himself into this task simply because its destination was Berlun City.
And he, Opodesadias, had initially only intended to use this task as an opportunity to reconnect with his cousin Aivina Russell. Who would have thought that after arriving in Berlun City, he would face one misfortune after another?
The hardships he had endured in just over a month surpassed all the suffering he had experienced in his life combined.
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