Although Klein's plan was detailed and feasible, advancing to the next sequence after taking a potion for only one month was too shocking. Under Angel's persuasion, he decided to wait until late August—about two months after taking the "Seer" potion—to submit the special application.
With this "genius" leading the charge, Angel felt she could follow closely behind and submit her own application.
Unfortunately, the Instigator's acting had currently hit a bottleneck. She could already sense the potion within her body had digested a small portion, but ultimately still had to wait for the "Wild Bear Gang" and "Workers' Mutual Aid Society" to enter her preset "trap," mutually destroying each other under instigation, and finally being arrested together by police.
Another sunny weekend afternoon, Angel sat yawning in Blackthorn Security Company's recreation room, reading yesterday's newspaper.
Her sleep quality had plummeted these past few days. She seemed to always dream about the two times she used the "Magic Pocket Watch"—not the pleasant ten-minute experience of gaining "Magician" extraordinary abilities, but the miserable twelve hours of "avoiding light" afterward.
In her dreams, the two-story house at 6 Daffodil Street where Angel lived was brightly lit like daylight, while she curled up in a basement corner, avoiding light sources visible everywhere.
These gas lamps would float in the air like ghosts, chasing her and preventing her from hiding in the same place for long. She could only dodge everywhere, exhausted from running.
This made her wake from nightmares almost every night, go downstairs to confirm all gas lamps were turned off, then return to sleep.
Should I ask the Captain about dream problems... As a "Nightmare," he should have considerable experience with this?
Angel looked toward Dunn Smith's office. The office was currently empty with the door locked. The Captain had gone with Klein and Frye to Ramde Town northwest of Tingen City at noon. A believer of the Goddess of the Night there had encountered extraordinary power and was haunted by vengeful spirits. They carried a sealed artifact capable of purifying undead to resolve this supernatural incident.
Since the town was a full three hours' carriage ride from Tingen City, they expected to stay overnight and return the next day.
Having to travel only by carriage is really inconvenient...
After sending sympathy to Klein who couldn't go home for the night, Angel continued reading the newspaper and successfully found a curly-haired baboon joke in the entertainment section of "Tingen Honest People's News."
This was her agreement with Vaughn, current power holder of the "Workers' Mutual Aid Society." If the "Wild Bear Gang" agreed to negotiate and redistribute territory at the table again, he would publish such a message in the newspaper.
It seemed time to prepare closing the net...
Seeing her target successfully instigated toward "destruction," Angel could feel the potion within her body digest slightly more.
Perhaps even before submitting the special report of "mastering the Assassin potion," she could completely digest the "Instigator" potion.
"Knock knock—"
Just as Angel fantasized about her future advancement path, someone knocked on the recreation room door.
"Please come in."
Angel replied, setting down the newspaper and tidying her clothes.
The door opened, and a head of unruly black hair squeezed through the crack. "Midnight Poet" Leonard's green eyes scanned the room before finally settling on Angel.
"Just you alone? Where's the Captain?"
"He went to Ramde Town, taking Klein and Frye with him. I'm afraid they won't return until tomorrow."
Only then did Leonard fully push open the door, still wearing his windcoat like a cloak. Hearing Angel's reply, his disappointed expression pondered for a moment, then nodded as if making a decision.
"Then you'll have to do. Come with me to Park Street in the West District. The police transferred a case that likely involves extraordinary power."
What do you mean "I'll have to do"—as if I'm just a substitute...
Complaining internally, Angel still obediently stood from the sofa and followed Leonard out of Blackthorn Security Company, boarding a hired carriage to the West District.
The hired carriage stopped at a Park Street corner, less than 200 meters from the largest central park in the entire West District. Looking toward the park in the sunset, one could see dense vegetation and children playing within.
"Let me warn you first—the scene might be somewhat bloody."
Leonard, who got off the carriage first, spoke mysteriously. His gaze shifted toward the park direction. Following his line of sight, Angel noticed a three-story building with a police carriage parked at the door and two policemen guarding the entrance, using stern faces and pistols at their waists to intimidate passing civilians.
"You came here beforehand?"
Seeing him so certain, Angel asked curiously.
"Of course not. I also just received the news. But they'd rather stand at the front door than go inside—the scene definitely isn't optimistic."
Leonard smiled at the corner of his mouth, mercilessly commenting on the Tingen City police's behavior. When approaching the two policemen, he resumed a serious expression and took out his inspector badge, pinning it to his left chest.
"Gentlemen, I'm Inspector Mitchell from Special Operations Unit 7, and this is Trainee Inspector Granger."
The two policemen standing at the door seemed to see saviors as they approached.
"Inspector sir, thank you for coming to support so quickly. The crime scene is inside. We discovered the anomaly and immediately notified you without disturbing the scene."
"Very good. You lead us in, the other continues guarding the door—don't let unrelated people approach."
Leonard skillfully issued commands. The policeman assigned to guard duty looked relieved as he remained in place, while the other led the two Nighthawks into the building with a bitter expression.
Behind the main door wasn't a living room but a cloakroom, luxuriously decorated and aesthetically pleasing. The spacious area contained shoe cabinets, coat racks, chairs for changing shoes on both sides, and gas lamps above illuminating the room brightly.
But they had no time to admire these furnishings obviously belonging to a wealthy family.
From the moment they entered, Angel's nostrils filled with a strong smell of blood, yet there were no visible bloodstains in the cloakroom. Besides the main door they entered through and the door leading to the hall, there were no other exits.
Then the only possibility was...
The guiding policeman glanced at the two inspectors before carefully pushing open the copper-fitted double wooden doors leading to the hall.
A blood smell ten times more concentrated hit them in the face. The substantial stench made Angel involuntarily lean her head back.
Even Leonard, who had advance knowledge of the case and some psychological preparation, gasped. But because he inhaled more of the bloody smell, his entire face wrinkled together.
The policeman who directly faced the scene by opening the door had his throat bobbing, nearly vomiting. He retreated several steps until reaching the door on the other side of the cloakroom before steadying himself.
Behind the double doors was a "crime scene" like a slaughterhouse.