At the same time, in a brightly lit villa in the West Borough of Backlund—
Emlyn obediently followed Cosmi down the staircase into the basement. Passing through several concealed doors, they entered a spacious, grey hall.
At the very centre stood a heavy coffin wrought of black iron, its surface etched with numerous symbolic sigils and arcane markings.
After Cosmi gave his report, a deep, aged voice slowly echoed from within the coffin:
"Emlyn White, do you know why I have summoned you?"
Emlyn shook his head blankly.
"I… don't know, Lord Nibbs." He froze for a moment as a thought struck him.
"Could it be another operation similar to the Great Smog incident?"
Before that disaster, Lord Nibbs had summoned him with a warning that Backlund was about to face a calamity. Emlyn had been ordered to return and prepare—specifically, to develop a medicine targeting respiratory diseases ahead of time, in order to save the city.
As a result, during that event, vampires could be seen all over the city. By a rough count, at least a thousand innocents stricken by illness were saved by the medicine developed by Emlyn and his father.
The mere memory filled Emlyn with irrepressible pride.
"I have just received another revelation from the Ancestor," the old, resonant voice continued from the coffin.
"The Ancestor told me that the apocalypse is near, and we must prepare for it. In the Ancestor's revelation, you, Emlyn White, were among several key figures."
"That is also why, during the previous incident, the crucial task of developing the special medicine was entrusted to you."
A thrill of excitement coursed through Emlyn's heart.
I, Emlyn White, am actually considered by the Ancestor to be one of the keys for our race to survive the apocalypse!
What impeccable judgment!
"Emlyn White, I now have a task for you."
"Please, go ahead." Emlyn thought himself almost too modest—despite what he had just heard, he still felt no trace of arrogance before Lord Nibbs.
"Recently, a mysterious organisation has appeared in Backlund, marked by the symbol of the Tarot cards. I need you to find this organisation and join it."
"Ah?"
Emlyn was startled. Suddenly, he recalled an article he had read in the newspaper—a wealthy magnate in Backlund had been murdered, his entire fortune looted, and at the scene, only two Tarot cards had been left behind.
The reason he remembered was not because of the murder or the Tarot cards, but because that magnate had kept a large number of young women imprisoned in his dungeon, intending to sell them.
At the time, Emlyn had thought to himself that it was such a waste—if he had so many young women…well, he would never have to sneak into hospitals to steal blood again.
After a few seconds of hesitation, Emlyn said, "Lord Nibbs, I'd be glad to do this, but…I'm not exactly sure where to start."
The black iron coffin was silent for a moment, before a low, vibrating hum emerged.
"Simply begin. I believe the Ancestor will give you guidance at the appropriate time."
"This…very well."
Still full of confusion, Emlyn returned to Harvest Church. No sooner had he stepped inside than he saw a blond-haired man speaking to Father Utravsky.
The priest noticed him immediately.
"He's back."
The blond-haired man turned his head at once, smiled, and waved cheerfully.
"Long time no see, Emlyn."
"…"
"!!!"
Emlyn's anger flared up in an instant.
"Danitz, you've got the gall to come back?!"
Danitz chuckled sheepishly.
"I know you're furious, but hear me out—I came back this time just to return all your treasures. If you're still not satisfied, I'll stand right here and let you hit me, punish me—anything you want, as long as you—"
"???"
Emlyn froze, and suddenly Father Utravsky's words from before flashed through his mind—how Danitz had once secretly come back to watch him…
Secretly…watched me…
His skin erupted in goosebumps. He stumbled back in alarm.
"Shut up!"
Danitz sighed helplessly.
"I just wanted—"
"I don't want to hear anything!"
Emlyn clapped his hands over his ears and bolted out of the church.
"What the hell…?" Danitz was dumbfounded. After a moment's hesitation, he decided to give chase.
"Emlyn! Emlyn, listen to me! I need your help—it's a matter of life and death!"
"Shut up! Get lost!"
Father Utravsky, cradling the thick tome of scripture in his hands, watched the two of them disappear into the distance. A faint smile softened his stern features.
"Ah…youth. What a fine thing."
———
Bayam, Midday.
Five children were making their way along the street where the wealthy lived, shouting as they walked:
"Rat catchers! Professional rat catching! If your household has long been plagued by rodent damage, if your grain stores are threatened by rats, if your courtyard walls are always being gnawed through—come find us! Professional rat catching, no catch, no charge! Only one penny per rat!"
Isabella kept calling out, while Bilt held up a wooden sign on which a few crooked words in Loen were scrawled:
Professional Rat Catching, One Penny Each.
That morning, after witnessing Lilith's truly exceptional rat-catching skills, Isabella had a sudden flash of inspiration and came up with a "brilliant" idea.
She had long heard that many of Bayam's wealthy residents were troubled by rampant rat infestations. The yearly losses they suffered from rodents amounted to a hefty sum. Surely, they would gladly pay a small fee to hire a professional "rat-catching squad."
This way, they could not only catch rats but also make money—two birds with one stone!
Alisa, who was shy by nature, wet her dry lips and murmured softly, "Isabella, we've been walking around here for a long time."
Bilt lowered the sign, shaking his sore fingers. "I told you, no one's going to believe a bunch of kids like us."
"Shut up!" Isabella huffed. "Papa once told me, the hardest part of doing business is getting the very first deal. As long as we complete the first job perfectly and build a reputation, everything will be easier after that."
"But…when will we even get the first job?"
"Be patient. Papa also said patience is the first step to success. If you're impatient, you'll never get anything done!"
With that, she began calling out again: "Catching rats! Professional rat catching!"
Just then, Lilith suddenly spoke up. "Edward once said that if there's no opportunity, you create one. If there's no demand, you create the demand!"
The other four children looked at her. "What do you mean?"
"Watch me."
Lilith ran off, sprinting from one end of the street to the other before running back again. She looked smug. "Done."
"What did you do?"
"Done with what?"
Crossing her arms, Lilith imitated Edward's tone. "Let the bullets fly for a while."
"???"
A few minutes later, the first scream rang out. "Ah! A rat!"
The street instantly burst into chaos, accompanied by the sounds of clattering and crashing from inside the houses.
Moments later, several wealthy ladies and young misses came fleeing from the rows of adjoining houses—some wielding brooms, others brandishing mops, some with hair in wild disarray, some weeping uncontrollably.
The sight left the four children stunned.
Isabella swallowed hard, staring straight at Lilith. "Lilith…you…what exactly did you do?"
"Nothing," Lilith replied innocently, shaking her head. "Just used Trans—made the rats come out of their holes and run wild in those houses, chewing everything they could."
"Ah?"
Alisa's eyes went wide. "You—you can control rats?"
The little boy, Tim, seemed to think of something. "Could it be…you're—"
Isabella clamped a hand over his mouth and spoke solemnly to Lilith. "Lilith, you must never use that…ability again."
"Why not?"
"I once read in a book…if people found out, they'd burn you alive!"
Lilith scratched her head. "Alright…so, what do we do now?"
Isabella glanced at the chaos up and down the street, hesitated for a long moment, and finally said, "We go back—"
Before she could finish, a wealthy lady draped in a bed sheet strode over. "Hey, you little ones—can you really catch rats?"
At that, Lilith immediately straightened her back. "Yes! No rat can escape Miss Lilith's…claws of doom!"
"…Lilith, don't describe your own hands as claws of doom."
The lady pointed toward her house and shrieked, "Then hurry! Get rid of every last one of those cursed things in my house! Now! If you miss even one, you'll regret it!"
All eyes turned to Isabella, who sighed. "Lilith, sorry to trouble you."
——
An hour later—
From one end of the street to the other, the Rat-Catching Squad captured thirty-three rats—over half of which were actually conjured by Lilith's "create demand" Transfiguration. The rest were genuine "innocent rats" that had simply been resting in their burrows, planning to come out after nightfall.
In addition, the team earned 7 Soli and 11 pence, far exceeding Isabella's expectations—6 of those Soli were tips casually given by the wealthy ladies.
As they left the street, Isabella's eyes were practically shaped like coins, counting the money over and over. The other four children, Lilith included, were equally thrilled.
Especially Lilith—Edward had only told her a couple of days ago to find a way to make money, and now she'd done it!
Seven Soli in one hour—over twenty-four hours, that would be…
She counted on her fingers, her blue eyes sparkling. "One hundred sixty-eight Soli! And in a month…so much money!"
With that, she thought happily, Next time at the Tarot Gathering, I'll be able to buy my own materials!
Isabella cleared her throat. "I declare that today, we're having a feast!"
"Hooray!!"
She pulled out 2 Soli and stuffed the rest into Lilith's pocket. "This money was earned thanks to Lilith, so it's all hers. You guys don't mind, right?"
"Nope!"
"These 2 Soli are our wages for helping her—6 pence each." Isabella's bookkeeping was crystal clear.
"Come on, let's eat!"
Like a victorious general, Isabella led the four small troops toward a working-class restaurant.
They had just turned a corner when they came across a couple walking hand-in-hand with a little girl, their faces alight with joy. The two groups passed each other without paying much attention.
Huh?
Lilith suddenly turned her head. "That felt…like I've seen them somewhere before."
———
[Note]: Don't forget to VOTE. It keeps me motivated.