When Shad returned to 6 St. Derain Square with Mimia, it was already 10 p.m. Changing his shoes in the ground floor foyer, he ascended the stairs, feeling as though a century had passed since he last descended them.
Father August had placed Shad’s belongings in his study. The Silver Moon Pearl had been damaged due to the events of the previous night’s dream, while the document-grade relic, Vampire Ring, had turned to dust after attempting to absorb divine power beyond its limits.
Now, the only relics Shad possessed were the manuscript page, the Merciful Gun, and the Dice of Twenty Fates. Even the Puppeteer’s Script had lost all extraordinary properties, its pages completely used up.
Glancing at the calendar on the wall, he noted that June, also known as the "Sunlit Month," had passed. It was now July, a month referred to as the "Thunder Month."
Sitting in the chair behind his desk, he reviewed the items laid upon it and reflected on the gains and losses from the Lakeside Manor incident. Baron Lavender’s invitation to the outdoor banquet there had earned him the special Rhodes Card, Ancient Fairy Tale: Matchstick Girl, the gun, and even divinity...
A rush of scorching steam suddenly emerged behind him. Turning around, he saw his first silver Blasphemy Rune, Gluttony, flowing along the spinning brass wheel of fate.
“Gained a state of divine afterglow, and obtained Gluttony. Ring Warlock progression requires one rune for each of the four elements. With this, I’ve fulfilled a quarter of that requirement. In hindsight, last night’s gains far outweighed the cost.”
He murmured to himself.
Beyond this, the Mad Pursuer of Light would likely grant him a rune of enlightenment related to the concept of "Light" within three months. Additionally, the Ancient God Father of the Infinite Tree had a task with a miracle rune, Echo, awaiting collection. If he didn’t concern himself with pairing Ascension Words, reaching the second ring seemed within reach, potentially achievable in just a few months.
Regardless of the fortune reaped at Lakeside Manor, Shad doubted such luck would visit him again. Still, apart from the silver rune Gluttony, the greatest reward was a deeper understanding of the Silver Moon. While he couldn’t replicate the step he’d taken in front of the inverted moon, the dream of standing amidst fields beneath the vast silver moon remained vivid.
“In that sense, the Silver Moon Pearl was worth its weight in gold.”
He lamented the relic he had destroyed, tracing his fingers in the air as if to attempt Silver Moon Slash again. However, he stopped abruptly, reminding himself that he was in his study, where the destruction of any items would deeply upset him.
Rising from his chair, he left the study for the corridor, descending the stairs to the ground floor foyer. He stood there, facing the layers of wooden boards sealing off the first floor.
With the chime of bells and the hiss of steam, the enormous brass Fate Wheel manifested behind him. Chanting ancient incantations, Shad traced his finger through the air.
A dazzling silver arc emerged, slicing through the air, followed by the sound of splintering wood. Startled, Mimia, who had been peeking from the staircase corner, froze. However, the orange tabby didn’t flee this time, tail tucked as if unsure whether to “rescue” Shad.
The foyer wasn’t large, and shards of wood scattered everywhere. Some struck Shad, leaving a cut on the back of his hand, but it was nothing serious.
“Hmm?”
Amid the debris, something brown dropped from a gap in the shattered boards. Under the gaslight, Shad stared at the thick wallet now lying on the floor.
“This…”
It was indeed a wallet, its bulging appearance suggesting it contained quite a bit of cash. Shad stiffened as he recalled his earlier “thorough search”:
“Come to think of it, I only checked Room 1 on the second floor, thinking it was the detective’s legacy. I didn’t inspect the ground floor at all... hmm...”
Even if he had searched the ground floor back then, he might not have found it. The wallet had been concealed exceptionally well.
Looking up at the sturdy brick wall behind the triple-layered boards, Shad picked up the wallet with his injured hand.
“The board must have been removable, making this an ideal hiding spot for money—convenient for quick access before leaving the house. Sparrow Hamilton and the previous owner likely both knew about it, but I didn’t inherit their memories.”
For a moment, Shad didn’t know how to feel—relieved to have finally found the wallet, or dumbfounded by how simple the solution was.
Opening it, he found it stuffed with cash. After counting, he discovered a total of 28 pounds and 12 shillings—enough to sustain the detective agency for three months and allow a frugal bachelor to live comfortably.
“But the cane’s worth must exceed 15 pounds, and the high-grade red tea wasn’t cheap. Sparrow’s legacy couldn’t possibly consist only of this—was he calculating enough to leave precisely enough for three months’ expenses?”
Ascending the stairs with the wallet, planning to tidy the foyer later, Shad reflected on Sparrow Hamilton:
“Meticulous, keeps a daily journal, accounts in perfect order. An excellent detective, though some of his records are fictional. Certain clients held a poor opinion of him, possibly because he took extra actions beyond their commissions, or used a gun. High taste in red tea, owns an expensive cane, enjoys novels about knights, wars, and court intrigue... While this paints a more vivid picture of him, his secrets remain unclear.”
Stopping mid-step, he squinted slightly, though his gaze held no particular focus:
“Wait, if everything I experienced during that night at Lakeside Manor was sheer luck, could the unresolved mysteries correspond to things I still don’t understand?”
Among the many puzzles of Lakeside Manor, the most baffling were the intelligence about the Witches’ Council overheard near the stables and the information about Carsonrick United Kingdom spies gathered in the garden maze.
The Witches’ Council likely had no connection to Sparrow. After all, he was evidently a man and confirmed to be an ordinary person. Instead, Shad suspected the intelligence might pertain to “that lady” who was also present.
As for the spy...
“Following this logic, the identity of a foreign spy does align with the concept of ‘an ordinary person hiding a monumental secret.’”
Climbing further, with Mimia impatiently scratching at the second-floor door, Shad mused:
“Meticulous habits align with a spy’s caution.
Daily journaling serves to disguise himself as an ordinary citizen while masking his activities.
Clear accounts leave no traceable clues and enable fabricated sources of income.
Excellent detective skills reflect a spy’s competence.
Fictional case records conceal information while enhancing his ordinary detective persona.
Poor client impressions hint at ulterior motives or gun use.
Refined taste in tea reflects personal preference.
The expensive cane might be a keepsake from his homeland, holding sentimental value. Sёarᴄh the NôvelFire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.
And his favorite novels might be cipher books, though I couldn’t decode them...”
Opening the door for Mimia, who darted into the living room, Shad lingered in the doorway, gazing into Sparrow’s former quarters. Moonlight streamed from St. Derain Square through the windows, illuminating the living room but halting at his feet, leaving half his face in shadow.
“So... Sparrow Hamilton... could he truly have been a Carsonrick spy?”
The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!