Klein stared at the eerie white bone statue of a woman, who might be the Primordial Demoness. Many things ran pass his mind before he retreated.
He stayed silent. Then suddenly, his spirituality stirred as an ominous premonition gripped him.
Klein quickly flew next to the window with complicated patterns and looked at the road outside. He saw a carriage driving towards the front gate under the light of the gas street lamps.
Without wasting another single thought. He severed the state and plummeted down back to his body. He quickly made a wise decision to leave.
...
Madam Sharon, who looked beautiful in her black dress, slowly walked to the second floor. She dismissed her maidservants and opened the door to her bedroom.
Her pure clear eyes suddenly concentrated and reflected fine threads that were almost transparent and unnoticeable. They didn't possess the luster of spirituality; they were like human hair that was pathologically changed. If one didn't already know of their existence or have a pair of very special eyes, they wouldn't notice the strands.
All those fine threads had torn and fallen to the ground.
Madam Sharon squinted her eyes and directed her focus onto the thick gray metal safe.
...
36 Zouteland Street, the Blackthorn Security Company.
Dunn was reading the newspaper casually with his legs crossed. He looked at Klein who appeared before his office door with a strange expression. He sighed and said, "Weren't you supposed to slip into Madam Sharon's house to do an initial search? ...Did you encounter some sort of problem?"
Klein nodded seriously and said, "Yes, I suspect that Madam Sharon is a member of the Demoness Sect."
"A member of the Demoness Sect?" Dunn lowered the newspaper and ruminated over the words. He then asked seriously, "What did you discover?"
Klein didn't sit down, he leaned his body forward and supported his weight with his hands holding the edge of the work desk.
"First, I found a photo. There was a young man in the photo, but he looked very much like Madam Sharon."
"Similar to Instigator Trissy?" Dunn's eyes sparkled as he was enlightened.
They had previously predicted that Trissy was most likely a member of the Demoness Sect.
"Yes." Klein nodded with mixed emotions as he continued, "I used divination to discover that Madam Sharon has a white bone statue in a hidden compartment in her safe. It's of an extremely beautiful woman, but her hair is very long, to her ankles. Every single strand is as thick as a venomous snake. On the tips, there were eyes. They looked rather creepy. Captain, is that the image of the Primordial Demoness?"
As his security clearance was insufficient, the information about the Demoness Sect that he could read was very limited.
Dunn recalled and nodded with a serious expression and said, "That's the image of the Primordial Demoness.
We have to take action immediately and seize control of Madam Sharon."
Klein immediately agreed and said, "If Madam Sharon is a Mid-Sequence Beyonder from the Demoness Sect, I have to assume that she'll be able to tell that someone had sneaked into her bedroom."
Then, he suddenly narrowed his eyes downward as he blurted, "Captain, why do the seven orthodox gods only have symbols without any actual image, while the evil gods that I'm currently aware of have anthropomorphic appearances? The True Creator and the Primordial Demoness are examples. Is this one of the differences between orthodox gods and evil gods?"
A matter of fact, The White Maiden is as well. 'She' only allows the wreathe for blessings. Why would there be such a difference? Klein added inwardly, but he wisely didn't add it.
"That's one of the differences between orthodox gods and evil gods." Dunn gave a reassuring answer. Then, he got up and walked towards the clothes rack. He said, "Let's not delay any further, I'm worried that Madam Sharon will run away."
Then, Dunn paused.
"Go upstairs to get Kenley. With the three of us taking action together, we can apply for one Sealed Artifact. Madam Sharon is very likely higher than a Sequence 7 Beyonder."
Klein felt at ease for once as he nodded, "Yes!"
Then, he asked, "Captain, which Sealed Artifact are we going to use?"
Dunn weighed his words before he answered, "3-0217."
As there weren't many Sealed Artifacts behind Tingen City's Chanis Gate, Klein quickly remembered what Captain wanted to use.
"Number: 0217.
"Name: Spirit Medium's Mirror.
"Danger Grade: 3. Considerably dangerous. It has to be used carefully. It can only be requested for operations that require three or more people.
"Security classification: Official Nighthawk member or above.
"Sealed Method: Store in absolute darkness.
"Description: The back of the mirror is plated in mercury, the front of the mirror has three minor cracks.
"The very first investigator that looked into the mirror saw a sobbing girl with long hair. Then, he discovered the girl climbing out of the mirror.
"From many experiments with the artifact, the image that's reflected in the mirror is different most of the time. Even if the same person uses it repeatedly, they would encounter different things of varying danger levels. But they would prioritize dealing with the person who looked at the mirror first.
"The most dangerous situation is to see oneself in the mirror.
"If no one looks at the mirror, under the prerequisite of there being light, an image would surface automatically every three hours.
"It doesn't possess any living traits.
"Remark: The mirror originally belonged to a Spirit Medium and was a very ordinary mirror until one day the Spirit Medium committed suicide when looking into it."
Indeed, that there aren't many Sealed Artifacts behind Chanis Gate that can be used in a Beyonder battle. 3-0217 is a good choice... Klein didn't speak further as he immediately rushed to the Nighthawks' recreation room to get Sleepless Kenley.
That night was Royale's turn to be on duty at Chanis Gate. Leonard was off duty, Seeka Tron was patrolling areas like Raphael Cemetery, and the new member would only arrive on Sunday. Selina who's usually available couldn't be taken with them.
Hence, Dunn could only pick from Frye and Kenley. Taking into consideration that Madam Sharon was from the Demoness Sect and had little to do with dead spirits, he had opted for the latter.
After a few minutes, Dunn returned from the basement. He held the mirror that was tightly wrapped in a thick black cloth.
Frankly speaking, if I didn't know beforehand, I wouldn't be able to tell that it's a mirror. None of it is exposed... Klein went forward with the petite-sized Kenley.
"You're in charge of using Sealed Artifact 3-0217." Dunn passed the mirror to Kenley.
Upon seeing that, Klein suddenly realized that he was a Sequence 8 Beyonder and that he possessed the ability to fight head on. He couldn't just hide by the side as support.
A bit tensed. The first thing he checked in his pocket in preparation is the vials Selina had made for him.
They were cold. However, they were fragrantly scented. He took one out—it was the Serenity Agent. Klein took it and stayed closely behind, feeling his Slumber Charms in another pocket.
On their way there, Kenley looked at the Sealed Artifact 3-0217 in his hands. He sighed from the tension.
"This is the first time I've been involved in such a dangerous operation."
Normally, the Nighthawks wouldn't use any Sealed Artifacts to deal with Beyonder incidents.
When they went to Morse Town, they had applied for the Mutated Sun Sacred Emblem for preventive purposes. Given how far away Morse Town was, it would've taken backup some time to arrive if they needed it. This time, they were almost certain that their target was a Mid-Sequence Beyonder!
"Don't worry, perhaps Madam Sharon has already fled," Klein replied as he forced a smile.
Honestly, he was just as tense as Kenley. If it weren't for what happened, he would've went to Selina first just to let placate him.
Dunn's eyes turned and looked at him helplessly.
"Let's try not to let Madam Sharon escape."
...
Leonard woke up in a meadow. The thin mist shrouding the discernible planes was lifted when he saw the White Maiden.
"Your Grace." He pressed an arm to his abdomen and bent his back forward. He found this appealing in the books pertaining "The Return of the Count."
At some point during this. Leonard humored inside. Man, don't I seem like I'm betraying the Evernight Goddess?
Selina heard that. Inwardly she chuckled, I am... I feel the same as well...
It eased her sinking nerves a bit. Keeping herself busy from the events of the today. She let the world spoke, "There are quite the number of disharmonies in Tingen."
Mrs. White knew... Leonard emphasized and replied while straightening up, "Yes. Klein and I are trying to unravel what is happening."
Selina nodded with a suppressed heart, "Why don't you mention Ince Zangwill?"
As much as Leonard hate to admit, he answered, "What Selina is trying to warn us had no evidences. Ince Zangwill might not be Tingen and we can't chase goose while we're depleting in manpower."
Selina bit her lip faintly as she heard him add, "But we're open to the idea. Whatever she dreamt happened before, thus we considered Ince might be here.
"We still need to maintain caution." Leonard repeated Dunn's words.
This meant Captain did not saw Ince in my dream... Is it the nature of the dreamworld? It does not pull out from my subconsciousness but instead archives it? Selina listened attentively before finaly stating the reason why she pulled Leonard.
"Do me a favor."
A Goddess's favor... Leonard dazed for a bit before nodding, "As long as it's within my capabilities."
Selina willed a majestic voice, "I want you track a pregnant woman named Megose. Inform her whereabouts when you visit Selina."
Megose? Why's Mrs. White interested in her? Leonard fell silent. Through recollection, he calmly pieced.
Megose had an affair with Lanevus, indoctrinated by that swindler. The swindler that happened to involved with Eugen, the last recent coincidence that pursued a malicious ritual involving a being reflecting an evil god...
Leonard lifted his head and thought gravely, I-is it possible. That Mrs. White is intending to trace this and toward the evil god?
He couldn't simply resort to any conclusions, as that would reprimand his openness to the root of the cause. Gods are synonymous to being incomprehensible.
"Once you finished. You may choose a reward." the world imparted its last words that reverberated everywhere.
Upon hearing that, Leonard reechoed it in his head before realizing the scope of the favor is.
Mrs. White is willing to expend this much in compensation? This... must be a highly important task... Leonard took a solid thirty seconds of silence before lifting his head and nodding.
"Very well Your Grace." Either way, he can't simply refuse a declared favor from a God.
Megose should have confidential reports from the local polices from the last time she was interrogated from the Lanevus case. I'll just file a request to inspect and then memorize the contents... But it didn't stopped Leonard in finding roundabouts on the task.
That similar easy method had crossed Selina's mind. But due to her circumstances, she resorted to consulting Leonard.
I could task Greg in delivering what Leonard wants after assigning the others to get it. Sigh... what a lazy, pompous poet. What if due to coincidences, Megose already left Tingen? Or worst, she was taken by Lanevus? Selina sighed inwardly before dismissing Leonard.
...
At night in Osna Street.
Dunn wore his black gloves and looked at Klein.
"Do you still remember what happened when we tried to capture Instigator Trissy?"
"I remember," Klein replied after some thought. "She seemed to be able to detect our presence and make the necessary responses, which resulted in her successful escape."
I also remember suggesting the use of bombarding the house when the Captain asked me how I would deal with the situation. That was the safest, most surefire method. But not this time... We can't use it here as there are many innocent maids in Madam Sharon's house. If we notified them in advance and got them to evacuate, that would definitely catch Madam Sharon's attention. According to Leonard, Trissy could turn invisible. We have to assume that Madam Sharon has that ability too...Klein connected the dots at once.
Dunn looked at the crimson moon in the sky and said, "Good, your answer is very good. You're rather intuitive in such situations.
"We cannot approach recklessly and end up alarming Madam Sharon. I'll try dragging her into a dream from a distance. If I'm successful, you and Kenley will go and capture her... Well... You can make the decision of whether to kill her or not. Kill her if you cannot control her. Your safety is of utmost importance."
Klein was a little bit more ease. He smiled and made a quick praise in his heart.
At this moment, Dunn was going to drag the distant Madam Sharon into a sleeping state, a little at a time. After completing the first stages of the restraint, he was going to create the most opportunistic conditions for Klein and Kenley. Similar to what he did during Morroy's case.
"Alright." Kenley was also rather accepting of the Captain's plan.
Without any more chatter, Dunn uncapped the Night Agent he had in store, drank it, and leaned on the corner of a wall before shutting his eyes. He put his hands together and lowered his head. His black windbreaker and silk hat blended into the night.