Angel walked through the underground corridor of the Blackthorn Security Company with unsteady steps. The elegant gas lamps mounted on both walls cast a glare that felt harsh to her eyes, and even the holy emblem of the Evernight Goddess appeared blurred.
The side effects of excessive blood loss are still too severe...
She wiped the cold sweat from her forehead and turned right at the intersection, heading toward the armory. Last night, she had drawn a considerable amount of her own blood using medical tools—not only to feed "Thirst" after its long period of disuse and restore it to optimal condition, but also to create a "magic mirror" with a stronger mystical connection to herself, using her blood as spiritual material based on her knowledge as a Witch.
This mirror could serve as a tool for mirror divination, provide warnings in critical moments, and function as a one-time mirror substitute—replacing ordinary mirrors that had stricter size requirements. The large pot of medicinal herbs currently simmering in her basement also contained a substantial amount of her blood. Combined with the inevitable female cycle that had arrived after her transformation, even her body, strengthened by the Witch potion, was struggling to cope.
Patient Angel stopped at the armory door. She took several deep breaths to restore her composure before pushing the door open.
The armory still contained the same old desk and chairs. The coffee can Old Neil had used was piled in the corner, and a young woman with long black hair sat in the chair.
Huh, not Rozanne? A new clerical staff member?
Angel froze momentarily.
The black-haired woman seemed to recognize Angel. She immediately stood up with straight posture and greeted her.
After a brief exchange with this woman who maintained proper standing form, Angel learned she had been transferred from the Tingen Police Department just yesterday. With Old Neil's death, the already strained staff situation had become even more dire. Though Rozanne and Brett hadn't complained, their exhaustion was plainly visible.
After Old Neil's funeral on Monday, Dunn had mentioned transferring two police officers who had encountered mystical incidents and were devout believers of the Goddess. This woman was one of them. Another clerical staff member who had arrived with her would also rotate shifts at the armory and help with document handling and reimbursement reports.
Apparently, the Holy Cathedral would soon dispatch a "Mystery Pryer" to Tingen to replace Old Neil's other duties, ensuring that Klein wouldn't be the only one in the Nighthawk team capable of divination and spirit channeling.
Ah, Old Neil...
Looking at the nervous newcomer before her, Angel forced a smile and handed over the requisition form Dunn had signed. She collected a new large-caliber revolver, returned the old weapon replaced by "Thirst," and also picked up a batch of ordinary pistol ammunition.
"Don't you need to collect those... demon-hunting bullets, Miss Granger?" the newcomer asked cautiously.
"No need. I'm just replenishing supplies for routine training."
Angel replied.
She rarely engaged in regular firearms training anymore—partly because her marksmanship had little room for improvement, and partly because after advancing to a mid-sequence Beyonder, she relied more on extraordinary abilities in combat. Her opportunities to use firearms were becoming increasingly scarce.
However, no one knew she had become a Witch yet. For the foreseeable future, she would still be considered an "Instigator"... Otherwise, advancing from Sequence 9 to Sequence 7 in just a few months would be too sensational. The high-ranking deacons would drag her to the Holy Cathedral for a thorough investigation.
Accepting the pistol and ammunition, Angel pondered how to "advance" to Sequence 7 within the church's internal structure as she slowly made her way out of the basement.
"...After Hood Eugen's death, the lead on Lanervus has gone cold again. What are your thoughts?"
Angel returned from the stairwell to the second floor of the Blackthorn Security Company. Just as she was about to push open the door to the corridor, she heard Dunn Smith's low voice from outside. Instinctively, she lightened her steps and listened carefully.
"Since Klein learned through spirit channeling that Lanervus is connected to that Aurora Order member he killed, why not pursue that angle? I plan to go back to the police station to review the files again, checking who Sirius contacted and where he went."
That was Leonard's voice. Unlike his usual casual tone, the "Midnight Poet" sounded serious when discussing the case, without any affectation.
So they're discussing Lanervus's whereabouts... I haven't paid attention to this case in a while.
Angel recalled the fraudster and suspected Aurora Order member in her mind. She deliberately coughed lightly before pushing the door open.
Both Nighthawks turned to look at her.
"Good morning, Captain."
Angel greeted them. Seeing the two were deep in conversation, she didn't interrupt. Instead, she walked around them through the corridor to the reception hall.
Rozanne was boiling water by the stove in a corner of the hall. When she saw Angel enter, she offered a friendly greeting. Compared to a few days ago, her mood had improved considerably. Colors other than black had appeared in her dress, and her face showed hints of a smile.
After adjusting her emotions, this gossip-loving woman finally noticed that Angel's increased beauty wasn't due to makeup—she had miraculously "whitened."
"Angel, tell me honestly—what... um, skincare products have you been using? Why can't you share them with your colleagues?"
She proactively offered Angel a cup of hot coffee while seeking advice.
Can I say it's the effect of the potion?
Angel hesitated. Remembering how Rozanne had wept at Old Neil's funeral, complaining about why he had consumed a potion to become a Beyonder, she didn't want to continue stimulating this sensitive girl on this matter. Instead, she said:
"Applying cucumber slices to your face before bed can whiten your skin. You could try it."
She casually mentioned a folk remedy she had seen on the internet in her previous life. Whether it actually worked, she had no idea.
"I've read about that in magazines. It was proposed by Emperor Roselle in his early years and has already been debunked."
Rozanne mercilessly exposed Angel's lie.
"Ah, well..."
Angel was dumbfounded, not expecting that her predecessor transmigrator had dug a pit for her here. Her eyes wandered, trying to change the subject. She happened to see the newspaper on the table, and the headline immediately caught her attention.
"Great Pirate Qilingos Killed by Duke's Bodyguard in Backlund"!
Huh? "Hurricane Lieutenant General" Qilingos was killed by a bodyguard?
Forgetting about deflecting Rozanne, she quickly grabbed the Tingen Daily—Saturday's, today's—edition and confirmed the headline again.
"Ah, you saw that headline too," Rozanne said, annoyed at not getting the whitening secret. She moved closer when she saw Angel pick up the newspaper. "Who would have thought the famous 'Hurricane Lieutenant General' would just die like that in Backlund? Why would a pirate come ashore anyway?"
That's also what the Hanged Man at the Tarot Club—and perhaps the forces behind him—have been trying to figure out...
Angel thought privately, suddenly realizing that the Hurricane Lieutenant General's death might have been caused by the Hanged Man or Justice. Her gaze moved down from the headline, and she read the content carefully.
But she quickly discovered that the headline news had obviously been added at the last minute. Not only did it lack the large photo typical of major headlines, but even the information was extremely brief and vague. It merely stated in large font that Qilingos had attempted to assassinate Duke Negan last night in Backlund, failed, and was killed by the Duke's bodyguard while fleeing.
"For detailed event coverage and relevant personnel interviews, please follow tomorrow's special report in this newspaper."
The news ended with this "to be continued" note.
Ah, that's it?
Angel flipped to the second page and found it was already another article—a press release about the weekend's opening celebration for the North District Park.
This "Hurricane Lieutenant General" Qilingos, who claimed he would become a high-sequence Beyonder, died far too carelessly, didn't he?