Chapter 27 - 27: The Stalker

Edward effortlessly made his way to the Bravehearts Bar, still using Emlyn's handsome face. Compared to the previous morning, the bar was now at its peak business hours, and the distant clamour reached his ears long before he arrived. As soon as he pushed the door open, a wave of stale sweat, mixed with the pungent smell of alcohol and smoke, assaulted his senses. Edward almost wanted to cast a Bubble-Head Charm on himself. In the centre of the bar, two raised platforms stood side by side. One hosted a pair of brawling boxers, surrounded by a crowd cheering loudly. The other, surprisingly, featured a dog-versus-mouse contest, drawing even more spectators than the boxing match. Unbelievable. Edward walked up to the bar and ordered a beer, exchanging a subtle glance with the bartender before heading straight to Billiards Room No. 3. Just as he reached the door, it was violently pushed open from the inside. A group of men dressed in black coats and wearing half-top hats stomped out, cursing under their breath. Inside, the old man who had sold Edward his gun—Caspars—grinned and called out, "Good riddance!" Once the men had left, Caspars took a large swig of his beer and spat, "Damn highlanders." Noticing Edward standing at the entrance, his eyes lit up. "Oh! My friend! Didn't expect to see you back so soon. You looking to buy some mummy powder?" Buy mummy powder, my ass. "I already told you, I don't need it." "Tsk, youth always neglects repairs, only to regret it when they're old." Edward ignored his nonsense and walked inside. "I heard you know a place where…special people make…special trades. Can you take me there?" Caspars tossed his beer onto the pool table, raised an eyebrow, and snorted. "You're well-informed, huh? But do you know that those people have nasty tempers? One wrong step, and you might not live to see tomorrow's sunrise." "I value my life more than anyone." After a pause, Edward added, "Of course, if you could introduce me to the friend who sold me those bullets, that would work too." Caspars grinned, revealing his yellowed teeth. "Oh, so you're after them? I can ask, but whether they'll see you is another matter." He held up two fingers, then spread out his whole hand. "Two pounds for now. Plus three more for bringing you to the gathering in a few days. That's five pounds total." "..." Do I look like I have money blowing in from the wind? Edward took out a ten-pound note and dangled it in front of him with a faint smile. "I can give you ten pounds, but…" Caspars immediately perked up. "But what?" "Legilimens." A chaotic flood of memories surged into Edward's mind—street fights, muggings, murders, gang wars…Caspars' life was practically a gangster's struggle for success condensed into a mental reel. But Edward only focused on what he needed: The location of the Extraordinary gathering and how to use The Backlund Morning Post to determine whether there would be a meeting the next night. Unlike Dumbledore, who could likely read minds with just a single glance, Edward needed prolonged eye contact to use Legilimency effectively—ideally, some verbal guidance, too. He stuffed the ten-pound note back into his pocket and shrugged. "On second thought, I don't need you to take me to that gathering anymore. Here's two pounds. Off you go." Caspars snatched the money with a scowl, limping toward the door while grumbling under his breath. "Miserly bastard…People like you never come to a good end." "Oh, right." Edward suddenly called out. "If they refuse to see me, tell them a name—Reinette Tinekerr." To be honest, this move carried a certain amount of risk. In Lord of the Mysteries, Miss Bodyguard leaned towards justice and kindness when dealing with Klein. But that was because Klein was the future Lord of Mysteries. And Edward? Who the hell am I? Still, if he wanted to climb the Sequences quickly, going it alone was clearly unwise. Right now, as one of the "old, weak, sick, pregnant" members under The Fool, Angel Reinette Tinekerr and her two disciples were still in crisis. They needed help. If Edward could offer assistance at this critical moment, there was a chance he'd gain their goodwill for the future. Of course, this could also backfire, making them suspicious or even hostile. But hey, he was currently using Polyjuice Potion to look like Emlyn. Once he stepped out of this door, they wouldn't even know who he really was. If things went south, he could always change his face and try a different approach. ——— A few minutes later, the gas lamps inside the billiards room flickered violently, casting shifting shadows across the walls. Then, a pale, delicate face with light-gold hair appeared on the glass of the gas lamp. A soft yet slightly raspy voice spoke, as if unaccustomed to frequent conversation: "Where did you hear the name Reinette Tinekerr?" Edward tipped his hat and replied, "I have my own sources." He paused briefly before continuing, "Just as I know your Temperance Faction was recently ambushed by the Indulgence Faction…Reinette fell in battle, and you and your…neighbour… are still being hunted." "What do you want?" Edward smiled at the classical, noble beauty before him. "I come with goodwill…bearing a piece of good news." After a dramatic pause, he added, "Your teacher…is not actually dead." Even someone as composed as Sharron couldn't help but react. Though she quickly restored her calm, a flicker of emotion had passed through her expression. "Where is she?" "She suffered heavy injuries and could only revive in the spirit world in a unique state—as a spirit creature. With this knowledge, I assume you know how to contact her." "Alright, I will verify it." Sharron gave a slight nod before asking softly, "What do you want from me in return?" Edward took out a prepared note and held it up for Sharron to see. "I want to obtain these materials as soon as possible, a method to summon my own messenger, and one instance of your direct assistance." The note listed not only the materials required for Sequence 8: Trickmaster but also those for Sequence 7: Astrologer. "You know as well as I do that the value of my information far exceeds this request. Consider the extra as a gesture of goodwill, an offer of friendship." "Please wait a moment." Sharron's face vanished from the glass. Not long after, there was a knock on the billiards room door. A man dressed in a white shirt and black vest stepped inside. His complexion was pale, his expression slightly puzzled, and he carried a small package in his hand. Edward couldn't help but feel a little regretful—he had missed the classic scene of Maric playing cards with his zombies. "This is from Sharron. She's gone to verify the truth of what you said." Maric placed the package on the pool table and unfolded it, revealing several small tin foil boxes used to isolate the spirituality of Extraordinary materials. "We only have part of what you need at the moment. We'll keep an eye out for the rest." Edward stared at the pile of materials, momentarily dumbfounded—he couldn't tell what was what. Fortunately, Maric took the time to introduce each item one by one. The good news was that one of the main materials for Astrologer, Meteorite Crystal, was among them, along with most of the auxiliary ingredients. The only thing missing was the other primary ingredient—Lavos Squid's Crystallized Blood—and a few supplementary materials. The bad news was that there were no primary materials for Trickmaster, though most of the auxiliary ones were present. "This is the method you need to summon a messenger." Maric handed Edward a sheet of paper filled with dense writing. "Summoning a messenger requires ritual magic. The unique aspect of this ritual is that it involves praying to oneself, drawing power from one's own spirituality rather than relying on a deity." "First, select herbs and essential oils corresponding to the desired domain. However, for the candles, you only need one that symbolizes yourself." "Next, recite the incantation. It consists of three parts. The first part is 'I', spoken in Ancient Hermes, Jotun, Draconic, or Elvish. The second part is 'I summon in my name', which can be spoken in Hermes. The third part describes the entity you are summoning. For example, the one you'll be using soon: A spirit that wanders about the unfounded, a friendly being that can be subordinated, the messenger belonging solely to Sharron. For the first summoning, you can also include specific requirements for the messenger." "Finally, establish a contract with the summoned messenger. Here is the format for the contract…" Edward thought for a moment before asking, "Does this ritual have any Sequence-level requirements?" "No, but you must remember—do not randomly alter the description of the summoned entity. That is the easiest way to attract something terrifying. If that happens, you'll die a miserable death." "Thanks for the warning." "Sharron asked me to tell you that when you need her assistance, come here to find us. But remember, the opponent cannot be stronger than a demigod." "Do I look like someone who can afford to provoke a demigod?" Edward casually stuffed the small package into his coat pocket and gave Maric a little taste of magical world surprises. "Alright, I'm off for now. I'll be in touch." Leaving Bravehearts Bar, he swiftly changed routes multiple times, blending into the crowd. As he moved, he swiped a copy of The Backlund Morning Post, flipping straight to page five. There was no advertisement from Ernst Firm about purchasing goods. Hope Xio gets something useful… By the time he returned to the villa, night had completely fallen. Even after spending over a week in this world, he still wasn't used to the eerie scarlet moonlight. The vast emptiness of the house made it feel even more desolate. "At least Klein still has his siblings with him…unlike me." Knock, knock, knock, knock, knock, knock, knock, KNOCK, KNOCK. Just then, the door was knocked on again. "Shit!" Judging by that rhythmic knock, there was no doubt about it—it had to be Megose again! Edward stepped over to the bay window and took a peek. Yep, it's her. Seriously, weren't the Three Major Churches completely useless? After all the commotion, after slapping him with the title of 'Blasphemer,' not only had they failed to deal with Megose, but they also let her casually wander around right under their noses? I need to consider moving somewhere else. But if Megose could move freely in the heavily guarded Empress Borough, where could he go? "Tsk. No matter how I look at it, dealing with an evil god's spawn should be the Church's problem…Guess I have to report it." With the current lockdown on the churches, walking in to report her himself would be the same as walking into a trap. So, Edward once again changed his face to a random pedestrian's and found three errand boys in Cherwood District. He handed each of them a note: "There is an evil god's descent in Empress Borough. Her name is Megose. She is a pregnant woman carrying the True Creator's child." The three boys delivered the notes to three different churches. Before long, the Mandated Punishers arrived like a hurricane, roaring through the Empress Borough in search of their target. When they didn't find her immediately, they stormed their way into Cherwood Borough. Tonight, at the very least, the Storm Church's Beyonders were definitely not getting any sleep. As for Edward? He checked into a small hotel in West Borough, listening to the occasional howling wind and crackling thunder outside. A perfect white noise to lull him into a sweet, dreamless sleep. ——— [Note]: Don't forget to VOTE. It keeps me motivated. Let's see...if we reach 80 Powerstones by tomorrow, you guys get an Extra Chapter!