『Ice Arrow (Beginner): Proficiency: 24/75』
The witch is a transcendent of third rank or above, her power is undeniable, providing a full 15 points of proficiency for the Ice Arrow!
This battle left Ethan severely wounded, and as Miss Keroy carried him back to the town, the witch's curse had already taken effect on him.
He caught a cold.
It turns out, getting soaked in the rain does indeed lead to a cold.
Especially since he had used the Ice Arrow, significantly increasing his risk of catching a chill.
He left the town's guards behind, returned to his room to hang up his soaked clothes, dried his hair and body, then lay down on the bed and wrapped himself completely in the blanket. Given the limited medical conditions of this era and his being in a remote town, the best remedy was to sleep it off.
He slept like the dead, dreaming of many bizarre things.
He dreamed of a fortune-walking elegantly down the town's street. The white cat did not notice his presence, turning into the alley. When Ethan followed her into the alley, he was met with a startling scene.
The white cat leapt off the wall and transformed into a white-haired girl right before his eyes.
Then Ethan woke up.
First of all, he was not some furry enthusiast, that needed to be clarified.
He looked at the unfamiliar ceiling, feeling the warm and comfortable mattress, with a faint fragrance lingering on the pillow. Shortly after, the aroma of meat soup wafted through the air.
"Drink it while it's hot."
Ethan looked in the direction of the voice to see the white-haired girl from his dream had turned into Ave with a cowlick on her head, holding a bowl of steaming meat soup in her hands, and an open cookbook on her knees, detailing the recipe for making meat soup.
She wore a loose purple silk gown, giving her a much softer appearance.
Ave commented, "Although it's my first time making it, the steps are much simpler than those in the society's lab class. I've tasted it, and there's no problem with the flavor."
Ethan belatedly realized he was in the girl's boudoir. The white lace curtain above was full of romantic flair, making him feel as if he had traveled from a brutal primitive society into a civilized society. All the furniture in the bedroom was made from oak, carved with artistically aesthetic patterns.
A large bed, a wardrobe, a dressing table, and a mirror. Conservatively estimated, Ave's bedroom matched the area of half a floor of a guild.
He took the bowl hesitantly, noticing that Ave had added quite a bit of seasoning to it, even picking up the scent of pepper, a rarity in Ximu Town. To purchase it, one had to visit the town's large merchant guild, but the supply was scarce and not always available. For people like him working for a living, it was an unaffordable luxury.
Ave truly comes from a wealthy family.
But before he could even take a bite, a warm and smooth palm rested atop his head, gently stroking before moving to his chin.
"What are you doing?"
"The book says it can help you relax."
"Which book is that?"
"'The Guide to Large Animal Care'. It's the only book on my shelf. I've never taken care of anyone before, so I crammed some theoretical knowledge."
Ethan's eyelid twitched a few times. "Do I look like a large animal to you?"
"Not really," Ave said. "Based on your size, you're more of a medium to small-sized animal, but the care technique should be universal."
"Isn't there another possibility that I'm a human?"
"Does it feel uncomfortable?"
Ave moved her hand away in confusion, gently scratching her own chin. Her face remained unchanged, yet the golden cowlick atop her head curled up contentedly. "I think it's fine."
It seemed she had practiced the chin-scratching technique seriously before he woke up.
"It's not about comfort."
Ethan now felt the room was filled with an air of conspiracy. As Ave mentioned, being a noble lady, she was always cared for by servants; where would there be a chance for her to make meat soup for anyone? When something out of the ordinary happens, there's always a reason. And his current state was unusually abnormal; here he was, shirtless, appearing in Ave's boudoir.
Could it be that he's about to be accused of some offense against a noble lady and dragged out by the guards to be executed?
Until he could determine Ave's intentions, the meat soup was something he definitely could not drink. "You might as well just say what you want."
"This incident made me realize that one's power is always limited. I need an assistant."
Ave said, "All the detectives I know have an assistant. You're the most suitable candidate. Do you have any intention of changing jobs from the Hunter's Guild?"
"Why me?"
"Because you didn't run off with my gun, demonstrating your courage, and you're smarter than the other folks in town." She thought for a moment and added, "The Wolf Chicken made gestures, implying you encountered the witch's followers halfway and fought alongside her, breaking through the encirclement."
This was the story Ethan had instructed Miss Keroy to give to dispel Ave's suspicions.
Ave continued, "If you work for me, the benefits I offer would definitely be much better than the Hunter's Guild."
"Sounds tempting, but sorry, it's not in line with my career plan."
Ethan admitted that the large house and generous pay were tempting, but reason held him back. In this era, getting involved with high nobility was definitely not a wise choice. He knew nothing about Ave's family, and while today he may be the detective's assistant, who knows if he will be dragged into family disputes tomorrow.
"Can you tell me about your career plan?"
"To become a formal member of the Reception Bureau."
This was Ethan's long-term career plan. To this end, he collected a lot of information about the Reception Bureau, and over the past two years, he had sent three self-recommendation letters to Gear City's Reception Bureau, but they all disappeared into the void like the resumes he sent when he first graduated from university.
The position of the Guild's scribe was a fallback option. Although it allowed some contact with events involving mysticism, most of the time was spent on mundane and repetitive chores.
The Reception Bureau was the ideal work environment. It was the empire's institution most closely related to cases involving mysticism and was not under the control of nobility or the church. Once employed at the Reception Bureau, becoming a clerical worker would allow him to learn about cases happening throughout the empire without having to leave his home.
Ethan had studied it carefully and found that the Reception Bureau had an intelligence department stationed at the rear, with work content somewhat similar to that of a scribe. That was his ideal place to go.
Informed, leisurely work, and most importantly, safe.
Imperial government personnel, with a job for life.
The bad news was that the nobles in the imperial capital knew it was a good position too.
Based on Ethan's past experience, these positions were breeding grounds for nepotism, making it very difficult for someone from the lower class like him to break in.
Ethan had also considered trying his luck in Gear City, but poverty deterred him; he hadn't saved enough to live in a big city yet. Going to Gear City rashly would mean either becoming homeless or forced by circumstances to work in a factory screwing nuts.
He had to bide his time for now.
While practicing the Fireball Skill, he's also accumulated two years of experience working as a scribe, preparing the funds necessary to start living in a big city. He would ask the Guild president for a recommendation letter then.
Whether in magic or career, he was steadily advancing.
"You want to become a formal member of the Reception Bureau?"
"It might sound overambitious to you, but that's the direction I'm working towards."
"I wasn't mocking you."
Ave paused and said, "I just wanted to tell you that I know the current director of the Reception Bureau."