Dunn took out a piece of paper and hastily scrawled a note. He then turned to Klein and spoke, "Klein, go to Old Neil and fetch the materials required for the ritual. No, hand over the paperwork to Leonard. Just give it to Leonard. Your exact words are just as you stated, return to the original and proceed as you please."
The reason behind this instruction was that Dunn regarded Klein as an ordinary individual. If an emergency arose, Leonard, the Midnight Poet, would undoubtedly be better equipped to respond promptly compared to Klein.
Klein, receiving the note, was caught off guard. As he was about to voice his thoughts, Lin Ruo, who was beside him, swiftly stepped forward and said, "Apologies, Captain Dunn. Due to certain constraints, I'm temporarily linked to Klein and can't stray too far from him. However, I don't mind if you summon Leonard instead."
Dunn suddenly turned his gaze towards Klein, his expression somewhat probing. This made Klein feel a pang of guilt and he looked away, murmuring, "I'm sorry, Captain…"
"Never mind…" Dunn observed him for a moment, then shook his head without further words.
Dunn considered that if Lin Ruo truly was favored by the Goddess, all would proceed smoothly. If not, then reevaluating Klein would be necessary, and there was no need for present anger.
"I'll get the materials," Klein said hurriedly, leaving the room with a guilty conscience, leaving Dunn and Lin Ruo alone.
In the ensuing silence, neither of them spoke, causing the room to become hushed.
Before long, Klein returned with the ritual materials, accompanied by Leonard. Upon seeing Lin Ruo, Leonard's eyebrows lifted momentarily, though he refrained from commenting.
Without delay, Dunn erected a spiritual barrier in front of Lin Ruo and began arranging a ritual to implore the Goddess for answers:
"You are the Goddess of Night, more majestic than stars, enduring beyond eternity."
"You are the Crimson Lord, Mother of Secrets."
"You are the Queen of Calamity and Dread, Mistress of Sleep and Silence."
"I beseech your aid, praying to know whether the person named Lin Ruo before me is your chosen."
With the conclusion of his statement, the flames of the three candles designated for the ceremony abruptly intensified.
Observing this, Dunn closed his eyes briefly before dabbing a droplet of "Full Moon Essential Oil," meant to please the Goddess, onto each of the candles.
Following the ritual parchment he held, he moved it close to the candle symbolizing "I" among the three, igniting it before casting it into the cauldron.
Flames surged skyward, consuming the parchment in an instant.
After a few seconds, the flames subsided, leaving only a heap of windless ashes which spelled out a single word:
Yes!
Seeing the Goddess of Night's affirmative response, Lin Ruo experienced a mix of emotions. Unsure if he should be glad or astounded, he acknowledged that receiving such a swift response suggested the Goddess of Darkness might have been discreetly observing.
Lin Ruo pondered why the Evernight Goddess might do so—perhaps due to his status as a true traveler or for reasons yet unknown. Regardless, he recognized that in this enigmatic world, every gift demanded a price.
Uncertain of the Goddess's intentions, Lin Ruo still put on a smile and said casually, "Now you have no doubts about my identity!"
Dunn displayed a look of remorse and apologized, "Chosen one, I apologize for my previous offense. I'm here to make amends."
"It's fine, I understand and commend your caution. In truth, if you had trusted me solely on my words, I'd have been disappointed," Lin Ruo replied with a gentle smile.
Dunn breathed a sigh of relief, inquiring, "Your Excellency, is there a specific reason for your visit today? And regarding you and Klein…"
"I have some matters to attend to, but due to their sensitivity, I can't divulge them presently," Lin Ruo regretfully addressed Dunn before shifting his gaze to Klein and continuing, "As for my association with Klein, it involves certain secrets. I can only tell you that I am linked to him during specific times each day, and I'm absent during the rest. During this period, I'm not in Tingen either."
"I can't share more, but in the Goddess's name, I assure you Klein is innocent. He's a fine young man, and I hold great optimism for his future."
Lin Ruo tapped his chest four times and made a gesture of devotion to the Goddess, saying, "Praise the Goddess!"
"Praise the Goddess!" Dunn and Leonard echoed the praise. Only Klein, a less devout follower of the Evernight, stood a step behind, unnoticed due to the others' preoccupation.
With the praise concluded, Lin Ruo looked to Klein again, a smile gracing his lips as he remarked, "You needn't fret over my presence too much. As for… Ah, speaking of which, has your tail been shaken off?"
Klein suddenly recalled his prior encounter with a tail, his eyes inadvertently falling on the Captain who confirmed it with a nod. Klein then recounted the incident.
"Stick to your original plan. You haven't been here long, so heading to the church now shouldn't alert your followers," Lin Ruo suggested, unsurprised by Klein's account. "If circumstances permit, I'll deal with this pursuer."
Now that he was here and the situation aligned with the plot, Lin Ruo saw no reason not to get involved.
Still, for added assurance, he said to Dunn, "However, if I don't resolve the issue before I leave, I'll appreciate your assistance, Captain Dunn."
After all, his range was limited and his time here fleeting. If the Secret Order member exceeded 100 meters from a straight line connecting him to Klein, Lin Ruo would lose their trail.
"I'll do so," Dunn affirmed, unperturbed. After all, this would have been his responsibility if Lin Ruo hadn't intervened.
"Let's go, Klein. Let's discover who's trailing you," Lin Ruo said to Klein.
With that, Klein glanced in his direction before exiting the room.
Lin Ruo followed behind, and Leonard joined them.
Once outside, Lin Ruo offered Klein a friendly smile before catching up to Leonard, who seemed to be saying something to Klein. Lin Ruo couldn't help but twitch his lips when he overheard Leonard's words:
"So that's how you survived!"
"It seems you're quite unique too!"