Chapter 56: A Clue to the Psychology Alchemists

Chapter Fifty-Six
A Clue to the Psychology Alchemists

In the outskirts of Queen’s Borough, inside a spacious racetrack without an audience, Audrey Hall led a chestnut filly and deliberately moved to a corner, pretending to discuss something with Viscount Glaint.

She wore white trousers and black boots that reached her knees. Her upper body was dressed in a lady’s shirt with simple decorations and a fitted black jacket-style riding outfit. Paired with a protective helmet of the same tone, her entire bearing appeared extraordinarily valiant, possessing a beauty different from her usual self. The golden retriever Susie, meanwhile, sat obediently at her feet, seemingly carrying a small leather pouch.

Xio, disguised as Viscount Glaint’s attendant, enviously glanced at Audrey’s long, straight legs and unconsciously rose slightly onto the tips of her toes.

“Pure horsemanship has no meaning. Only when combined with hunting does it gain life. Of course, I refer to men’s horsemanship. A beautiful lady on horseback is scenery no matter what she does.”

Viscount Glaint glanced at Audrey, half sighing and half joking.

Audrey replied with a slight smile, “There are still several months before the next hunt.”

From June to the New Year each year, the nobles of the Loen Kingdom would traditionally come to Backlund to attend various banquets, balls, and salons. These were extremely important events for them, and many matters would be decided during those months. As year after year passed, this tradition gradually gained a fixed name: the Backlund social season.

After the New Year, landed nobles would gradually return to their fiefs, to their mansions, castles, rural estates, and large plantations, where they would pass their days in leisure and beauty. During such times, the most popular pastime was hunting.

Nobles would invite guests of equal status to share the pleasure of riding at speed and pursuing prey. As long as their finances permitted, they were always generous in buying hunting dogs.

Among hunting dogs, the most famous were foxhounds.

“I already miss that kind of life. Backlund is a place that makes one feel constrained, and its air is indescribably awful. Of course, I still love its prosperity and luxury.”

Viscount Glaint put on gloves and took one step back, making space for Audrey to speak with Xio and Fors.

“Respected Miss Audrey, what is it you wanted us for this time?” Xio withdrew her gaze and asked on her own initiative.

Recently, her sizable income had all come from Audrey. The other party was honest, trustworthy, generous, and magnanimous—a rare good employer.

I seem to smell the scent of ink on banknotes again… I hope it is not too difficult a task… Miss Audrey is perfect in every way, except for one thing. Every mission of hers is surprising, and very dangerous…

Xio thought with both anticipation and anxiety. She could not help turning her head to glance at Fors, only to find her companion, disguised as a maid, looking back at her.

The expressions reflected in both their eyes were so similar.

Holding her gloves, Audrey smiled with reserve and grace.

“This time, it is a simple commission.”

As she spoke, she gestured with her gaze for Xio and Fors to open the leather pouch on Susie’s body.

Xio, who had always been known for strong mobility, immediately stepped forward, bent down, and reached out.

During that brief process, she originally intended to pat Susie on the head and show her goodwill. But just as her right palm stretched out, Susie turned her head and half rotated her body, presenting the leather pouch directly before her.

I am usually quite popular with animals… for example, mosquitoes…

Keeping her expression unchanged, Xio tugged open the zipper and took out a stack of papers from the leather pouch.

She straightened, unfolded them, and saw that they portrayed an ordinary-looking young man. Yet his neatly combed-back hair, round glasses, and brown eyes bearing a mocking smile all made him seem exceptionally familiar.

I have definitely seen him somewhere!

Xio’s gaze moved downward and saw the corresponding written description:

“Former alias: Lanevus. Wanted swindler.”

I know where I saw him!

Xio immediately understood, nearly slapping her forehead in an ungainly motion.

Before she had known Audrey, one of her main sources of income had been flipping through newspapers, studying wanted notices, and relying on her connections among many gangs in the East Borough to find criminals with substantial rewards.

I once thought of looking for this Lanevus. His bounty is 100 pounds, and he absconded with more than 10,000 pounds in cash! But afterward, I became busy with Miss Audrey’s commissions and forgot about this matter…

After exchanging a look with Fors, Xio frankly asked, “How much is the commission?”

How much is the commission?

Audrey froze slightly.

She had completely forgotten the matter of paying compensation, because in her eyes, this was Mr. Fool’s examination.

How could an examination ask the examiner to pay the examinees?

“Uh… one hundred pounds?” Audrey weighed it and gave a number.

“Deal!” Xio and Fors answered at the same time.

If they could catch Lanevus, not only would they receive Miss Audrey’s one-hundred-pound compensation, they could also collect a bounty of the same amount… A very nice mission!

With shining eyes, Xio casually asked, “Why are you looking for this swindler? Did he cheat you of money?”

I do not even know who he is… As expected, this is a simple commission. It was accepted for only one hundred pounds… There is no need to mention this to Mr. Fool again… It is only one hundred pounds…

Audrey wore a polite smile, ignored Xio’s question, and shifted to another point.

“I received news that he is in Backlund.

“Ah, yes. Here are more than ten portraits, different portraits. I considered that Lanevus would certainly disguise himself, so I provided images of him without glasses, with a beard, with a changed hairstyle, and so on. Mm… They are speculative portraits.”

I am also quite skilled at sketching and oil painting!

Audrey lifted her chin slightly.

Xio instantly forgot her earlier puzzlement and said in delighted surprise, “That really is very good news!”

She seemed already to see that two-hundred-pound reward waving at her.

The mysterious person she had met at Mr. A’s gathering earlier still had not contacted her, and so she could only continue her great enterprise of saving money.

Audrey nodded almost imperceptibly and said in thought, “Have there been any clues regarding the Psychology Alchemists?”

Fors smoothed her long, curly hair. Glancing at Viscount Glaint, who was listening nearby, she said, “I recently joined a new Beyonder gathering. It is said that formulas for Spectator and Telepathist once appeared there. I suspect one of that gathering’s members is from the Psychology Alchemists.

“When the next gathering happens, I will submit an application to bring you along.”

“Good,” Audrey said, deliberately not concealing her delight.

Just now, from the colors of Xio’s and Fors’s auras, their bodily movements, and their subtle expressions, she had read their true mental states and judged that they were enthusiastic about the mission and had not lied regarding the Psychology Alchemists.

Viscount Glaint muttered, “Audrey’s matter is close to succeeding. What about my Apothecary formula?”

“There are truly no clues for now. The Apothecary pathway is more common in the south, in the Feynapotter Kingdom,” Fors said with a deeply regretful gesture.

“All right. I am still young. I am only a little over twenty. I still have time to wait,” Glaint replied humorously.

“Well then. Thank you for your help. Until next time.”

Audrey gave an elegant salute, put on her gloves, mounted her horse, and rode along the track.

Susie followed happily behind her, seeming to have found a way to play.

…

Because he had stayed up late “experimenting,” Klein woke on Tuesday morning at nine-thirty-four.

Holding a slice of bread spread with cream between his teeth, he put on his coat, donned his hat, and hurried out the door. Beside the bell pull, he wrote in the hanging message notebook:

“The owner is out and will return after five in the afternoon.”

In truth, he had nothing he needed to do. He was purely guarding against the possibility that the old gentleman Miller Carter might suddenly visit.

If the other party discovered that the detective hired for a full fifty pounds was not busy searching for materials, organizing manpower, and confirming the building’s layout, but was instead leisurely drinking tea, reading newspapers, and reading novels at home, he would certainly revoke the commission and refuse to pay the remaining forty pounds.

I really have nothing to do. I am just waiting for Miss Justice’s information…

Standing at the street corner and looking at the gloom in midair, Klein muttered helplessly to himself.

He had already thought of where he should go today to pass the time.

In the morning, he would go to Cragg Club to practice shooting, read newspapers, and incidentally enjoy a free lunch. In the afternoon, he would take a nap, exercise his body with squash or similar sports, and once Bravehearts Bar opened, ride over by carriage to see whether he could learn about more Beyonder gatherings from Kaspars.

Klein did not intend to look for Maric. Although Maric certainly belonged to more than one Beyonder circle, he feared that Miss Bodyguard might also be part of those circles.

That would make it inconvenient for him to sell potion formulas and would provoke strong suspicion.

Since the True Creator gave you divination ability and a strong body, would He also bestow potion formulas you have no use for? It is impossible no matter how one thinks of it!

Klein imagined the scenario and boarded a public carriage headed for Hillston Borough.

More than half an hour later, he entered Cragg Club and saw a familiar face.

It was the equestrian instructor Talim Dumont, who had recommended him for club membership, and also Mary Gale’s friend.

Wearing a black woolen coat and with short curly brown hair, Talim walked over and examined Klein from head to toe with an odd smile.

“Good morning. Mary and Dragor are negotiating their divorce.”

Is he suspecting that the purpose of my joining the club was that?

Relying on the Clown’s abilities, Klein easily put on a surprised expression.

“Is that so? How unexpected.”

Talim looked at him deeply and suspiciously. Then he suddenly smiled.

“A friend of mine has recently been troubled by a matter. I would like to know how good your shooting and fighting are.”

A commission? Asking only about shooting and fighting, without mentioning reasoning. That means the commission involves violence…

Klein smiled.

“I was just planning to go to the shooting range to practice. You may watch from the side. But to know one’s standard in fighting, there must be an opponent.”

“I have studied fighting,” Talim answered, eager to try.