Chapter 97 - 97: A New Version of Audrey Unlocked

Although Edward had changed the original fate where both Klein and Dunn died, the fact remained that Ince Zangwill had nearly killed all three of them—this grudge might not run as deep as in the original plot, but it certainly couldn't be ignored. Just as the conversation was about to continue, Lilith—who had been lounging on the windowsill, basking in the sun—suddenly sat upright, alert. She looked down toward the street, and Edward quickly walked over. He saw a few men dressed in black coats and wearing medium-high top hats standing below, talking amongst themselves and occasionally pointing toward the second-floor window. "They're...Zmanger gang members?" Klein's expression shifted. "Damn it, I didn't manage to shake them off!" After a brief discussion, the Zmanger members didn't make any sudden moves—they soon turned and left. Klein let out a breath of relief and said apologetically, "Sorry, Edward. This is my fault—I wasn't careful enough. They're here because of me." He then briefly explained what had happened, from the moment he encountered Ian to accepting the commission to investigate, and continued: "Last night, I was ambushed as soon as I got home. The attacker was an Executor from the Zmanger gang, named Mersault. But after killing him, I used spirit channelling and found out he was backed by someone else—a diplomat, the Intis ambassador." Wait a minute...isn't that the infamous five-pound ambassador? "So that's what's going on." Klein sighed. "I don't think this matter is over. They'll likely send even stronger Beyonders. That's why I'd like to find a powerful protector for a while." He looked at Edward. "If you're willing, I'd like to hire you." Well...willingness aside, if I agree to protect you, doesn't that cut off your chance of meeting Miss Sharron? I really ship the two of you, y'know? More importantly, Edward had his own matters to attend to. Thinking of this, Edward said, "I probably won't have the time over the next few days." Klein looked a little disappointed but then heard Edward say, "But I can recommend someone reliable. Head to the Brave Bar and look for a man named Kaspars. Through him, you can get in touch with someone called Maric. He should be able to help." "Got it! Thanks!" Klein turned to Dunn. "Captain, what about you?" "Me?" Dunn hesitated for a moment. "Don't worry about me...I think I'll pay a visit to Daly..." Oh? Is Dunn going to confess? That ship might be even better to sail! At that moment, Edward felt like a pig in a melon field, surrounded by juicy gossip. He shook the imagery from his head and pulled out a bottle. "Right, Captain. This is a potion...ahem, said to be very effective for hair regrowth. Thought you might find it useful." Dunn fell silent for a few seconds, then chuckled helplessly. "Thanks." He looked at the two of them seriously and said, "Alright then, let's go our separate ways for now. Stay safe." "Got it!" ——— Meanwhile— Back in Backlund, at the Crown Racecourse. Audrey wore a long lavender dress with mutton sleeves, ruffles, and lace across the chest. On her head was a delicate veil hat adorned with blue ribbons and silk flowers. She sat in a VIP box, resting her cheek on one hand, gazing with interest at the racing horses. But her thoughts were elsewhere. If I used the Tarantallegra spell on those horses right now, this whole scene would become very entertaining... Just then, Viscount Glaint approached. He was dressed with particular elegance today—clearly dressed to impress, even carrying a brand-new gold-inlaid cane. "Miss Audrey, this is the first time I've seen you show any interest in horse racing. You usually appear detached and aloof, like you don't belong in the middle of all this excitement. Is there one in particular that's caught your eye?" "Mm, I just suddenly realised that horse racing might be fun too...especially—ahem—any particular reason you invited me today?" "Well, Princess Helena came to see me earlier." Viscount Glaint straightened his posture slightly. "She asked me to pass on a message—she hopes to meet you tomorrow evening." "The same Princess Helena you mentioned the other day? The one who wanted to chat about mysticism?" "Perhaps more than just a chat," he said in a lowered voice. "Several maids have recently gone missing from the Third Prince's estate. Princess Helena suspects it may be related to mysticism." "Huh? Is she hoping I'll help her investigate?" "Maybe, but I think she's mainly just curious about the occult." Audrey hesitated. "But isn't she a member of the Augustus royal family? Her brother's even one of the top candidates for the throne. Why would she turn to us for occult knowledge?" "I've heard that both the Third Prince and Helena were forbidden from learning anything about the supernatural when they were young." "I see." She furrowed her brow. "Won't meeting her bring unnecessary trouble?" Viscount Glaint smiled. "Don't worry. You won't be the first...and certainly not the last." He then took out a pocket watch and glanced at the time. "Tomorrow afternoon, I'll be hosting a salon at my residence. I'll make arrangements to have someone pick you up in advance." He hesitated for a moment, then lowered his gaze and said, "If...you're worried about handling Helena on your own, you can bring your friend along too." With that, he walked off briskly. "I've got something to do. See you tomorrow." Audrey watched him leave, then propped her chin back up again. With the fingers of her other hand—gloved in sheer pastel fabric—she tapped lightly at her cheek. "Glaint, you probably don't realise just how clumsy your performance just was, do you? But more importantly...what exactly are you hiding?" Just as that thought crossed her mind, the suitcase she always kept at her side gave a soft thump-thump sound—it was Edward. She immediately locked the door, then quickly stepped into the washroom, opened the suitcase, and climbed in. Inside, Edward was cuddling Lilith while watching a videotape—it was Tom and Jerry, Lilith's favourite. The moment they saw each other, they both spoke at the same time— "I need to talk to you." "I need to talk to you." "You first." "You first." They couldn't help but laugh. Edward gestured politely, "After you." "Mhm, come with me to a salon tomorrow." She didn't keep him guessing and straightforwardly explained that Princess Helena wanted to meet her, along with her suspicions about Glaint possibly hiding something. "The Third Prince? You mean His Highness Edessak Augustus?" "That's right." Audrey's eyes suddenly lit up in surprise. "Wait—didn't you mention him to me before? Something about how he'd one day fall in love with...a man?" "More precisely, it's a witch." Edward clarified. "That's one of the characteristics of the Witch pathway. After ingesting the potion, regardless of their original gender, they transform into women—and their appearance becomes more and more beautiful." "So Edessak fell in love with a man who had turned into a woman?" Audrey shuddered slightly. She wasn't against same-sex relationships—after all, there was Dumbledore and Grindelwald—but this situation was different. Edessak believed he was in love with a beautiful woman, when in fact, within that alluring body resided the soul of a man. The thought was unsettling. Edward noticed her reaction and explained, "Actually, becoming a Witch isn't just about the physical transformation. It's a fundamental shift—one that changes the soul itself. In other words, a Witch is, in every sense, a woman." "....." Audrey's eyes drifted toward Lilith, who was happily munching on snacks nearby, and gave her a strange look. "Then...will Lilith also turn into a woman someday?" Edward immediately looked flustered. "Uh...I honestly have no idea." Lilith looked up with bright eyes and chirped, "Miss Lilith is not a woman—she's a lady ca... no, a female...uhh…" She scrunched her face, clearly caught in a dilemma. "Ahem, let's not get too far off-topic." Edward coughed. "According to the timeline, that Witch is most likely living in the Third Prince's estate right now. The missing maids may very well be her doing. So I recommend you stay far away from this. The Demoness Sect behind her is even more dangerous than the Aurora Order." Audrey hesitated, brows furrowing. "I understand...but I'm worried about Glaint. Do you think...what he's hiding might have something to do with her?" "Logically speaking, Viscount Glaint shouldn't know anything about that." The matter between Edessak and Trissy involved high-level cooperation between the Loen royal family and the Demoness Sect, tied into George III's apotheosis and the descent of the True Creator himself. How could someone like Glaint be privy to that? Edward thought for a moment, then said, "We'll probably figure it out once we're at the salon tomorrow." "But didn't you just say we should avoid...?" Audrey frowned slightly. "One more salon won't make a difference—as long as we steer clear of Prince Edessak and the Witch herself." "Alright~" Audrey nodded. "Now it's your turn." Edward took out the Mental Terror Candle. "This is a mystical item I acquired just yesterday. It allows me to enter deep into a person's consciousness." "You want to use it to find out if Salazar Slytherin's consciousness still lingers?" "Exactly." Audrey frowned in thought, hesitating. "Isn't that dangerous? We're talking about a wizard who lived a long, long time ago…" "Which is exactly why we need to confirm as soon as possible whether there's a problem." "...But…" What she really wanted to say was, If you use this, won't you end up seeing some of my embarrassing secrets too? Audrey took a deep breath, like a child preparing for a vaccination, and held out her hand. "Alright. Let's do it." Sizzle! Edward ignited the tip of the half-used candle with a small flame at his fingertip. The blackened wick flared to life in an instant. "Huh? Why isn't it—" The very next second, everything around him shifted. He found himself in a lavishly decorated room. From the furniture and style, it looked like one of the Earl Hall's villas. "Who are you?" A soft, sweet voice rang out. Edward looked down—and saw a little girl, no more than five or six, wearing a princess dress and standing in front of an easel, staring at him curiously. This was...young Audrey? ——— [Note]: Here's the Extra Chapter. Enjoy~ If we reach 750 Powerstones by tomorrow, I'll post the Extra Chapter. So, Go VOTE! Oh, and if you are like me and want to read 40 Chapters in advance of the current story right now, you can support me on my Patreon. Trust me, it's better than a candyland! 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