Chapter 239: Benson’s Plan

Chapter 239: Benson’s Plan

Townsend Street, at the boundary between Queen Borough and the West Borough.

Xio Derecha stood in a dark, secluded alley. Even without lifting her head, she could see in the distance the layers of magnificent palaces and the soaring Gothic clock tower.

That was the highest terrain in all of Backlund, and it was also where the Loen royal family resided.

Its status in the Northern and Southern Continents, in the entire world, was equal to—or even slightly higher than—the Intis Republic’s White Maple Palace and the Feysac Empire’s Olmir Palace. Yet its name was neither romantic nor ancient.

It was called Sordrak Palace. In ancient Feysac, that word meant “balance.”

Xio withdrew her gaze from the famous “Bell of Order” and looked toward the other side of the alley.

Within the shadows untouched by the gas street lamps, a figure slowly walked out.

That figure wore a golden mask that exposed the lower half of his face. It was precisely the mysterious person who had once sold Xio the Sheriff formula and who occasionally entrusted her with missions.

When Xio and Fors discussed him privately, both suspected that he belonged to MI9.

“Any gains this week?” the man wearing the golden mask asked as usual.

Xio shook her head.

“No. Before the incident happened, no one should have been asking about Capim.”

She paused, then asked with some reluctance, “Do we still need to investigate this matter?”

The masked man fell silent for a moment before saying, “No. But afterward, if you hear anything related to it, contact me immediately.

“Today, I have a new task for you.”

“What task?” Xio completely entered the state of a bounty hunter, preparing to assess the risks involved.

The masked man laughed.

“A very simple task—and one you’ve dreamed of.

“In all your circles, seek to purchase the main ingredients for Sheriff and Interrogator, especially special materials that can be directly concocted into potions. If anyone responds, we will advance the funds.”

“Will the purchased materials belong to me?” Xio blurted out in response.

This was the matter she cared about most.

“No. Do you believe such a simple task could carry such a high reward? Of course, if this works like bait and hooks the person we’re seeking, then the potion’s main ingredients being yours is not impossible to discuss,” the masked man said with a low laugh.

“But I don’t know what the main ingredients of the Interrogator potion are…” Xio said hesitantly.

“I will tell you shortly. That is the reward we are paying in advance. Even if you fail to find the target, you will have gained the main portion of the Sequence 7 potion formula. Its value exceeds 600 pounds. I believe you have already fully recognized our generosity.” The masked man’s tone became enticing.

They really are generous… Who is their target, and why are they willing to spend so much searching? Uh, assuming he belongs to MI9, using this mission to recover Beyonder materials from the Arbiter pathway circulating in the market should also be one of their objectives. Then it would not truly be a waste of money… As someone who could barely be called an experienced bounty hunter, Xio instinctively thought of several things.

After brief weighing, she nodded.

“I accept this commission.”

“Very good.” The masked man’s tone became relaxed. He looked around once and said, “The main ingredients of the Interrogator potion are: the horn of a Flash-patterned Black Snake and the dust of a Spirit of the Lake.”

After saying this, he slowly retreated, returning to the shadows and vanishing around the corner of the alley.

“He really told me the Interrogator potion’s main ingredients…” Xio remained a little stunned.

Only at that moment did she thoroughly recognize how much importance the faction represented by the masked man placed on this mission.

“I wonder who the target is. Their focus seems to be on special materials that can be directly concocted into Sheriff and Interrogator potions…” Thinking to this point, Xio suddenly froze.

She remembered something: when she advanced to Sequence 8, Sheriff, what she had used was a special material that could be directly concocted into the corresponding potion, a special material purchased through Fors!

This… Is that their target? Xio instinctively decided to conceal this matter and absolutely not tell the masked man.

She rubbed her baby-fat cheeks and walked out toward the street, preparing to take a public carriage back to Cherwood Borough.

Just then, she saw a brown carriage drive past. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the crest on it.

The crest’s main body was a flower and two rings. There was nothing especially distinctive about it, yet Xio stared at it blankly, her gaze seeming to freeze.

Only after the carriage had gone far away did she look away. Her mood sank all at once, and even after she returned to the house she shared with Fors, she still had not fully recovered.

Discovering that something was wrong with her friend, Fors poured two glasses of red wine and brought them over.

“What happened?” she asked, sitting opposite Xio and pushing one of the glasses to her.

Xio looked down at the red liquid. She was silent for a full two minutes before saying in a slightly hoarse voice, “On the way back, I ran into someone I used to know.”

“Who?” Fors asked cooperatively.

“Viscount Stratford.” Xio answered exactly what was asked.

Fors carefully searched her memory.

“That viscount seems to be the Chief Equerry?”

As a bestselling novelist, she occasionally received invitations from literature-loving nobles to attend afternoon teas, banquets, and other gatherings. In keeping with a writer’s professional habit of gathering material, she would naturally take the initiative to learn about nobles with some renown.

It was through such gatherings that she had come to know Viscount Glaint.

“Yes. He was once—once my father’s deputy,” Xio said with some difficulty.

“Your father?” Fors knew that Xio came from a fallen noble family and carried certain secrets, but she did not know the specific circumstances.

Xio lifted her wine glass, took a gulp, and choked, coughing several times.

After she calmed down, she said, “My family belonged to the court nobility. At its most glorious, it even held the position of Palace Earl.”

“Palace Earl? What kind of position is that?” Fors asked, half out of curiosity and half to help her friend ease her emotions.

“That is equivalent to the royal family’s external spokesperson, the noble closest to the throne.” A glow appeared on Xio’s face as she recalled the past. “After that, our family received the fief a true earl should possess. By the time it came to my father, although we were no longer so illustrious, he was still trusted by the former king, William VI ‘the Strong One.’ He was the commander of the royal guards and the Chief Equerry.”

Her tone gradually sank, the pain within it impossible to hide.

“But seven years ago, he was accused of participating in a rebellion. In the end, he was sentenced to hanging, and his title and fief were stripped away.

“My family fell because of it. Many members even died for no reason. In order to survive, we changed our surname and left East Tucker County…

“I do not believe my father would have rebelled. He was that loyal to the royal family—loyal even beyond his faith in the Goddess! For the sake of… In short, I left my mother and younger brother and came to Backlund, looking for a chance to improve myself. I hope to restore my family’s glory and my father’s honor.”

Xio was very vague about some of what had happened in between, but Fors did not mind. She sighed.

“That will be very, very difficult.”

Then she immediately forced a smile.

“But I will support you!”

And behind me there is also the mysterious Tarot Club! she added inwardly.

…

Tingen City, 2 Daffodil Street at night.

Melissa, who was working through a mathematics problem, turned her head toward the door and looked at Benson, who had just taken off his half-top hat.

“Where did you go? Aren’t the results announced tomorrow?”

“You can find out tonight. And I happen to know two city government employees responsible for the unified examination.” The corners of Benson’s mouth lifted slightly.

At the beginning of December, he had applied to take the unified examination for government employees. The position he had selected was one with comparatively little competition. During the process, relying on his eloquence and social skills, he had established friendships with several government employees and quite a few examinees.

“What was the result?” Melissa unconsciously put down the round-bellied fountain pen in her hand.

Benson’s expression instantly sank. Yet just before Melissa could speak, he revealed a brilliant smile.

“I passed!

“And in one of the top positions!”

“That’s wonderful…” Melissa stood, paced two steps, and said, “You need to start preparing for the second round of examinations at the end of January. That will be in Backlund, so your luggage must be arranged in advance… When do you plan to leave?”

Seeing his younger sister worrying about this and that, Benson walked into the living room and smiled.

“My plan is that after the New Year, we will go to Backlund together and rent a house there.

“Whether the exam succeeds or not, I’m prepared to stay in Backlund and try to make my way there. As for you, during the New Year holiday, you can transfer to a technical school in Backlund and prepare for the entrance examination of Backlund University of Industry and Technology in June.”

Just a month earlier, Backlund Technical Institute had completed its reorganization and had officially been upgraded to the University of Industry and Technology.

Melissa listened quietly. Without noticing it, she pressed her lips together.

She looked around the room with lingering attachment and answered in a very soft voice, “All right.”

…

Friday afternoon, at the Krag Club.

Klein walked out and hired a carriage to Prince Edessak’s Red Rose Manor.

That place was where Talim had often gone in the days before his death. As a qualified detective, if Klein did not conduct an investigation there, he would be letting down the 100 pounds of expenses he had taken.

No matter how passively I slack off, I still need to put on a sufficient show… Klein sat inside the carriage, admiring through the window the scenery whose pollution gradually lessened, while muttering to himself.

Through the morning’s practice, he had roughly grasped the degree to which his abilities had improved. Beyonder abilities such as “flame control” and “flame jump” had become roughly thirty percent stronger. The power of air bullets and the length of the tube for false underwater breathing had even doubled. Divination and combat ability had also gained noticeable improvement.

There had not been much change to “paper figurine substitute” and “damage transfer,” except that, because his spirituality had increased, the number of times he could use them had correspondingly risen.

After swaying along for a long while, Klein finally reached Red Rose Manor and explained his purpose to the two soldiers guarding the entrance.

Once word was passed inside, he met the old butler from before.

“You may question everyone here.” The white-haired old butler paused, then added, “Except that lady.”

That is also my wish. I have no desire to get involved in trouble… Relaxed, Klein smiled.

“All right!”