Wizard: I Add Points and Hunt Monsters

”Well...”

Hearing this, the others all shot them strange looks, especially the sailor.

’Likes collecting women’s things, does he?’

’And now Lord Black Jack has sniffed it out. How embarrassing, right?’

’But what kind of things, exactly?’

The sailor’s face flushed red as he stammered and hesitantly pulled a black item of clothing from his tunic.

Black Jack took it and held it up. ’Triangular, sheer lace... This sailor has pretty good taste, huh?’

He thought for a moment, then brought it closer and took a sniff...

”It’s nothing. Get back to work.”

The sailor pretended to be embarrassed, scratching his head before turning to go dig the tunnel.

’That damned bastard. How dare he sniff my personal things? Isn’t he afraid of being poisoned to death?’

”Sir, is there a problem?” Nicole asked, her expression calm. After so many years on the Black Pearl, she was long accustomed to the crudeness of these men.

”No, it’s nothing. Maybe I’m just overthinking it.”

Black Jack stuffed the black garment into his pocket, glanced at the surrounding sailors, and thoughtfully rubbed the stubble on his chin.

’Strange. Why do the other sailors smell like this too?’

...

...

DONG, DONG DONG...

”Is it five o’clock already?”

Lydia heard the church bells and reluctantly stopped. ”Thank you for telling me so much, Kali.”

Kali was just as happy. ”You’re welcome. It’s what a Dawn Believer should do.”

This was the first time she had ever preached the doctrines of Dawn to someone, and she was filled with an inexpressible joy. Seeing the occasional look of yearning on Lydia’s face gave her a profound sense of accomplishment.

”But you’re more than just a simple Dawn Believer, aren’t you, Her Holiness the Saintess?”

”Just a candidate...” Kali’s pretty face flushed red.

”I’m sure you’ll succeed,” Lydia said with a playful smile. ”And then I’ll be a believer who has walked the path of the Dawn faith under the guidance of Her Holiness the Saintess.”

”R-Really?”

CREAK.

Just then, Lisi pushed the door open and entered.

”I have some good news and some bad news for you.”

”Good news and bad news?” Marco froze for a second. ”Captain Lisi, when did you learn to use clichés like that?”

”Hmm?” Lisi glared at him. ”Did you not get beaten enough earlier?”

”No, no,” Marco said with a dry laugh. He really must have been out of his mind earlier to have challenged that violent monster of a woman to a duel. He was still aching all over.

”The good news is that the Abyssal Sect’s parasite sacrifice plan has been confirmed to be resolved.”

Resolved?

Wei’en raised an eyebrow and asked, ”What about Bolsen?”

”Director Nifa used her prophetic ability during the meeting to confirm that there are no longer any members of the Abyssal Sect within Caster City State. Even if Bolsen isn’t dead, he must have already left.”

”I see.”

Wei’en thought pensively, ’Prophecy can track the movements of specific people? That’s a pretty good ability.’

Kali raised her hand. ”Then what’s the bad news?”

”The bad news,” Lisi sighed, ”is that we must prepare to face an even greater crisis.”

”There’s more?”

”That’s what Director Nifa said. However, she implied it was more of a man-made disaster, not a Level Three Catastrophe like the Abyssal Sect.”

”Man-made...” Marco’s expression shifted. ”Is it related to what happened this morning?”

”It seems so. At least, Directors Yegor and Albert seem to think so,” Lisi said helplessly.

This morning...

Wei’en recalled what Lisi had said when she returned. ’Someone from the Council came this morning trying to seize power? Is that what she was referring to?’

”Anyway, everyone stay alert from now on. Try not to go anywhere alone.”

”Understood.”

”Alright, you’ve all worked hard for two days. Go home and rest. Tina, let’s go. I’ll take you out for a big meal.”

”Tina,” the white-haired girl glanced at Wei’en and said softly, ”go.”

”See you tomorrow,” Wei’en said, patting her head. ’Though I might not have to wait until tomorrow. I’ll probably see her tonight.’

”See you tomorrow, Tina!”

After that, the group packed their things and left the office one by one.

Wei’en and Kali left together, parting ways with Marco and the others at the entrance of the Secret Investigation Department before heading toward Golden Street.

It was approaching midnight, and with the heavy rain that had been falling since last night, most people on the street were hurrying along.

Wei’en noticed that their faces were etched with worry and distress. When they gathered in twos and threes, they would whisper amongst themselves.

”...I heard those omens from the Secret Investigation Department killed a lot of people last night.”

”A lot? It was at least several thousand! Didn’t you see the City Guard hauling away the bodies this morning?”

”The family of four living next door to me... they’re all dead...”

”Aren’t the higher-ups in the city state going to do anything? What about the Council? The Noble Committee? Are they just going to let those damned omens kill people whenever they please?”

”Keep your voice down!”

When the speakers saw Wei’en and Kali, they glared at them with hatred, but then their eyes fell to the flintlocks at their waists, and they quickly lowered their heads, looking furious but not daring to speak.

’Is that how they see it?’

Wei’en paid no mind to their stares, though he found it strange. ’These people think the Secret Investigation Department kills indiscriminately?’

’Is this another game being played by the city state’s higher-ups?’

”Last night, did you kill a lot of the parasites?” Kali asked, having also overheard the conversations.

She held a small pink umbrella in her fair hand. Dressed in her neat Investigator uniform, her long golden hair and pale face were still dazzling in the dim, rainy weather.

Wei’en nodded. ”Yeah.”

He didn’t much want to recall the sight of those parasites ferociously charging, or the way they had shrieked and died horribly last night.

Especially since he had killed so many of them in a row, all to improve his marksmanship as quickly as possible...

”That must have been very hard.”

Kali said calmly, ”They didn’t provoke anyone, yet they were parasitized, consumed, and transformed... If it were me, I don’t think I could bring myself to do it.”