Chapter 2406: Frowning

Chapter 2406: Chapter 2406: Frowning

The gentleman, who was a bit older than Mr. Albert, stood in the corridor talking to Shard:

"He also mentioned that if a handsome-looking Mr. Watson came looking for him and did not want to wait here, there was a letter for you on his desk."

"Alright, thank you very much. By the way, have you always been colleagues with Mr. Albert?"

Shard asked curiously again, and the slightly lean coroner immediately shook his head:

"I was transferred here only two years ago. Ptolemy has been with us the longest, and he is also the best technician we have. I must commend him once more; he’s a really nice person, always eager to help others. When families come to claim corpses, he even goes out of his way to comfort them... We generally don’t do that because no one nowadays wants to get into unnecessary trouble."

Mr. Albert’s office was separate and not in the same room as the other coroners’ offices. Shard was not in the habit of rummaging through other people’s belongings, so when he entered the office, he simply picked up the sheet of paper on the desk. The content on it was very brief:

[He’s at the docks, Golden Harbor Street, Warehouse No. 32.]

"Golden Harbor Street" is the street by Moon Bay Harbor, where "Princess Trading Partners" is also located.

Having learned the address, Shard regretted not asking Luviya to wait a moment to go to the docks together with him. Luckily, when he left the morgue, the girl with purple eyes was still waiting for him at the street corner:

"I had a feeling you’d come out soon."

She said with a beautiful smile.

The two took a carriage to the docks together, and after Shard saw Luviya onto the Radiant Messenger, he proceeded alone to Warehouse No. 32 on Golden Harbor Street.

Those who could rent a warehouse on a street by the sea were certainly not ordinary people. In the afternoon fog, as Shard walked down the street and got closer, he saw two burly guards standing at the warehouse entrance.

After thinking it over for a moment, he hid behind the lamppost of a gas streetlight by the wall. What emerged next was a silver-white cat.

No one would suspect a cat in the faintly glowing white mist, so the cat easily climbed onto the wall.

More fortunately, Mr. Benhart was not inside the warehouse but in the yard filled with wooden crates, talking with a businessman-looking man wearing a monocle.

Over each of their heads, a small bat symbol appeared, and the content of their conversation was a casual chat about the rising shipping costs due to the influence of the situation between the Two Southern and Northern Countries.

The conversation ended quickly, and Mr. Benhart soon left the warehouse and saw Shard approaching.

He raised an eyebrow but did not walk directly toward Shard. Instead, he continued walking for at least two hundred meters before joining up with Shard, who caught up from behind:

"The support and resources from Marquis Mosen and Miss Les have arrived, and even Mrs. Jude has sponsored me with a considerable sum of money. This week’s investigation has been satisfactory, and the unity among the same clan in Moon Bay now far exceeds my expectations. In any case, results will come soon."

Compared to last week’s look of worry, Mr. Benhart’s spirits were noticeably better this week.

"I overheard your conversation; was that businessman Thomas Pekin?"

Shard asked, and Mr. Benhart nodded:

"Why, do you know him?"

Shard then frowned and said:

"The time you forced out from Chandler, when the cultists conducted a major trade, now matches up with two bank accounts. One of them is Thomas Pekin."

Mr. Benhart was not surprised at all:

"Yes, he’s one of my main suspects. Otherwise, with sufficient manpower, I wouldn’t visit him personally... Who’s the other one?"

"Carmen Eddington. The third child of Earl Edington, musician, 39 years old."

Mr. Benhart immediately shook his head:

"That couldn’t be someone of our same clan; we have rules... But then again, Moon Bay has already had many impossible incidents."

He sighed as he spoke, and Shard suggested:

"Don’t disrupt your current investigation progress, but focus on Thomas Pekin. Since Carmen Eddington’s case involves the Seven Great Families, let me first verify his identity."

Mr. Benhart nodded in agreement, and then the two parted ways.

Shard did not attempt to investigate the businessman in the warehouse nearby on his own; instead, he returned directly to the Radiant Messenger.

Because Miss Belindel went to the city council that afternoon, it wasn’t until before dinner that she appeared on the aft deck of the Radiant Messenger, gazing with Shard at the mist and Moon Bay dyed red by the sunset.

"Carmen Eddington?"

The Countess carefully recalled:

"Though older than me, given the friendship between our families, we should count as the same generation... Why are you looking at me like that? I’m not 39!"

She lightly tapped Shard amidst his smile.

"Shard, it’s not easy to meet him. Since the beginning of the year, he’s locked himself at home to compose music and hasn’t stepped outside. I can’t find a good excuse to let you meet him. Of course, you could sneak into Edington Manor yourself; can’t you turn into a little cat?"

She teased but immediately added:

"Go and ask Margaret. It’s been over a week since the ’Night of the Long Fang,’ and the Princess wants to host a banquet at Margaret’s Manor to discuss continued disaster relief support with the prominent figures of Moon Bay. It’s both to reassure the hearts of people and to use the opportunity to bridge the Royal Family and Moon Bay."

I only received the news this afternoon; the banquet is set for Friday. When Margaret sends out the invitation letters, include the young people of the Seven Great Families. If Carmen Eddington comes, you can feel him out at the banquet. If not, wait for Edington Manor to be empty and sneak in."

"A strange musician who doesn’t leave his house, he seems quite suspicious too."

The Countess gently stroked his face:

"Don’t put too much pressure on yourself; we’re all here now. You don’t have to do everything. Luviya is right, sometimes you just burden yourself with too much pressure, you don’t carry all the responsibility."

Shard shook his head, without explaining what exactly was worrying him:

"Has the Council prepared the two relics to exchange with the Guiding Light Hermitage for the Star Swordstone?"

"Of course, they’ll be delivered after dinner. You know, though the Council can now transmit common items like letters, they still can’t casually transmit relics."

She leaned closer to Shard, her golden eyes full of worry:

"Sometimes, I even worry that one day you’ll be crushed by the pressure."

"I’ve always been this way. Besides, after the Moon Bay incident, I can rest a bit."

Then comes the trouble of meeting Miss Gawder, which is neither big nor small.

"There you go, frowning again."

The Countess softly spoke, watching Shard grip the railing, gazing into the thick mist in the distance:

"At first, when it was just you and me in Moon Bay, you occasionally laughed. But since everyone arrived at Moon Bay, you’re always frowning, in and out of the manor... I’m not complaining, I know you’ve been busy."

She gently bit her lip, recalling those not so distant days.

Somehow, she suddenly felt a bit aggrieved. She lowered her head, not wanting Shard to see her expression. But soon she realized that Shard was holding her hand:

"I’ve indeed been busy with many things lately, different from the beginning."

She raised her head again, only to find Shard’s face very close.

They looked at each other silently, their faces drawing closer until the Countess took the initiative to hug Shard’s neck and passionately kissed him.

Apart from Miss Eles, who was in the cabin discussing the Radiant Messenger’s renovation plan with Megan, no one would notice the couple kissing in the mist.

The Great Witch of Destiny wasn’t easily moved by emotions; she just inexplicably felt anxious, afraid of losing everything she had now... especially the man she was holding at this moment.

But she had to admit that the "kiss" itself truly held magical power. At least, when Shard returned to the cabin holding Miss Belindel’s hand, she didn’t show any signs of displeasure. Rather, she felt inexplicably guilty when encountering Luviya.

"That’s why I say Bella is sometimes so naively adorable."

Miss Aphrola said to Megan, while the Great Witch of Wisdom, who had gained everything, merely smiled with "Wisdom."

After a sumptuous dinner, Shard took two relics to find Mr. Chekhov of the Guiding Light Hermitage to exchange relics. The Witch Council provided two relics that could create darkness, both of "Keeper of Secrets Level," namely the Black Veil Oil Lamp and the Shadow Cloak.

The former is simply an oil lamp that creates darkness instead of light when lit. The latter is a silk-like garment that, when worn, makes one completely invisible in dark areas, though the cloak itself has been verified to also block Unusual Glow.

Speaking of relics that create darkness, Shard also recalled the uncontrollably Black Box of Darkness when he first met Galina at the Lucky Southern Cross Club. That relic was severely damaged after the Tobesk Dark Turmoil event, but based on its behavior at the time, the Balanced Great Witch deemed it more suitable for a Keeper of Secrets Level rating.

In any case, Shard took the two relics and stepped once more into the long night. Meanwhile, Luviya called on the Countess, planning to carry out divination tonight while the stars are favorable to determine the whereabouts of the remaining three dragon scales.

If results are fruitful, she can save some special coins as well.