Chapter 24: A Talent for Fundraising

Chapter 24: A Talent for Fundraising

After blankly following Ernest Boyar for some distance, Emlyn gradually began considering giving up.

He glanced at the increasingly heavy rain outside the arcade and could not stop himself from thinking:

“How should I punish Ernest? Although he was likely following orders or hints when he did this, he is still very detestable!

“As for Lord Nibais… I currently—currently do not have the ability. Once I, once I become a marquis or a duke, I will definitely make him pay!

“Miss Magician has already completed the exploration of that abandoned castle. I wonder whether she was monitored by Sanguine sent by Lord Nibais… Judging from her tone, her description, and the feedback given by Mr. Fool, probably not… Could it be that Lord Nibais did not send any Sanguine to the vicinity of that castle? But if so, what was the point of the test? Or did he miss the opportunity because of some problem?”

Amid his many thoughts, Emlyn felt that he should find someone to discuss how to punish Ernest Boyar. He truly lacked experience in this area.

Subconsciously, the first person who appeared in his mind was The Hanged Man. This senior member of the Tarot Club showed rich experience and extraordinary reliability in all kinds of matters, never disappointing the other members.

After hesitating for several seconds, Emlyn rejected this choice on his own. This involved the internal probing of the Sanguine. Before any result emerged, revealing it to a Tarot Club member would damage his pride and the overall image of the Sanguine!

For the same reason, he eliminated The World as an option.

Of course, he felt he could probably guess what suggestion The World would give:

Kill him!

There’s no need to go that far… Emlyn muttered inwardly. While aimlessly trailing Ernest Boyar, he expanded his range of potential discussion partners to the real world.

Then he discovered that he did not have many options to choose from. He barely had any friends.

After excluding his parents, who were also Sanguine, there were only two people he could consider. One was Father Utravsky of Harvest Church, and the other was the mysterious, resourceful great detective Sherlock Moriarty.

“Sherlock left Backlund and still hasn’t returned. Sigh, I can only find Father tomorrow. But I can’t say it so directly…” Emlyn quickly made his decision. Passing Ernest Boyar, who had entered a clock shop, he walked toward the end of the arcade, where several hired carriages were waiting.

After boarding a carriage and feeling the wheels begin turning, Emlyn casually turned his gaze toward the window. He saw more and more rain striking densely against the glass, dragging trace after trace down toward the bottom.

In his blurred field of vision, carriage after carriage drove past.

…

Audrey withdrew her gaze from the rainy scenery outside the carriage window, glanced at her personal maid Annie, and silently communicated with Susie, who was crouching beside her.

Through her eyes, expressions, and subtle body movements, she said:

We’re almost home. I’m a little nervous.

Susie wagged her tail, raised one paw, and fiddled with the gold-rimmed glasses hanging at her neck. Combining that with changes in the colors of her ether body and mind body, she expressed her meaning:

Don’t worry too much. Madam Escalante, who appears to be a Psychiatrist but is actually only at the level of a Telepathist, cannot see through your lies.

Audrey nodded slightly. She watched the carriage enter the Hall family’s luxurious villa and stop before the covered entrance hall.

Ever since joining the Loen Charity Bursary Foundation, she had spent less and less time at home during the day. She had originally planned to invite Madam Escalante of the Psychology Alchemists to 22 Phelps Street in the North Borough for a meeting. But since Mr. Dwayne Dantès had gone to the Southern Continent and was not at the foundation, that was no longer necessary.

Inside her private study…